# US 10,120,308 B2 · Image heating device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,308 B2 - Document ID: US10120308B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/647,062 - Filed: 2017-07-11 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Takaaki Akamatsu; Masashi Tanaka; Kensuke Umeda; Shoichiro Ikegami; Sho Taguchi; Ai Suzuki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120308B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/2039: {with means for controlling the fixing temperature} - G03G 15/2042: {specially for the axial heat partition} - G03G 15/5004: {Power supply control, e.g. power-saving mode, automatic power turn-off} - G03G 15/55: {Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display} - G03G 15/80: {Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image heating device includes a rotator, a heater including a heat generating resistor, a connector electrically connected to the heater, and a power interrupting unit that detects an abnormal temperature rise of the heater and interrupt supply of the power to the heater. The power interrupting unit includes a first terminal and a second terminal, a first conductive sheet metal that electrically connects the connector to the first terminal, a second conductive sheet metal that to electrically connects the connector to the second terminal via the heat generating resistor, a length of the second conductive sheet metal being different from a length of the first conductive sheet metal in the longitudinal direction of the heater, and a supporting member supporting the heater and including a regulation portion that regulates rotation of the power interrupting unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image heating device heating an image on a recoding medium, the image heating device comprising: a rotator; a heater having an elongated and plate-like shape, configured to heat the rotator, the heater including a heat generating resistor that generates heat by receiving power, wherein the image formed on the recording medium is heated with heat from the heater via the rotator; a connector electrically connected to one of longitudinal end portions of the heater to supply the power to the heater; a power interrupting unit configured to interrupt supply of the power to the heater in response to an abnormal temperature rise of the heater, the power interrupting unit including a first electrical terminal which extends in a direction away from the connector in a longitudinal direction of the heater and a second electrical terminal which extends in a direction approaching the connector in the longitudinal direction of the heater; a first conductive sheet metal that electrically connects the connector to the first electrical terminal, the first conductive sheet metal extending in the longitudinal direction of the heater; a second conductive sheet metal that electrically connects the connector to the second electrical terminal, the second conductive sheet metal extending in the longitudinal direction of the heater, a length of the second conductive sheet metal in the longitudinal direction of the heater being shorter than a length of the first conductive sheet metal in the longitudinal direction of the heater; and a regulation portion configured to regulate rotation of the power interrupting unit about a rotational axis crossing a surface of the heater. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image heating device according to claim 1, wherein the regulation portion is arranged so as to face a first connecting portion of the first conductive sheet metal to which the first electrical terminal is connected, the regulation portion being arranged between the first connecting portion of the first conductive sheet metal and one end of the heater closer to the second conductive metal sheet than the other end of the heater in a width direction of the heater perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image heating device according to claim 1, wherein the regulation portion is arranged so as to face a second connecting portion of the second conductive sheet metal to which the second electrical terminal is connected, the regulation portion being arranged between the second connecting portion of the second conductive sheet metal and the first conductive sheet metal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image heating device according to claim 1, wherein, in the longitudinal direction of the heater, the first conductive sheet metal and the power interrupting unit overlap with each other in a region which is further from the connecter than the longitudinal end portion of the second conductive sheet metal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image heating device according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the first conductive sheet metal overlapping with the power interrupting unit is configured such that a thickness direction of the first conductive sheet metal is parallel to a width direction of the heater perpendicular to both a longitudinal direction of the heater and a thickness direction of the heater. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image heating device according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive metal sheet is electrically connected to the connector via the heat generating resistor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image heating device according to claim 1, wherein the power interrupting unit is provided on the heater. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image heating device according to claim 1, wherein the power interrupting unit is provided on a heat conductive member contacting the heater. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image heating device according to claim 1, wherein the power interrupting unit is a temperature fuse. ### Claim 10 An image heating device heating an image on a recoding medium, the image heating device comprising: a rotator; a heater having an elongated and plate-like shape, configured to heat the rotator, the heater including a heat generating resistor that generates heat by receiving power, wherein the image formed on the recording medium is heated with heat from the heater via the rotator; a connector electrically connected to one of longitudinal end portions of the heater to supply the power to the heater; a power interrupting unit configured to interrupt supply of the power to the heater in response to an abnormal temperature rise of the heater, the power interrupting unit including a first electrical terminal which extends in a direction away from the connector in a longitudinal direction of the heater and a second electrical terminal which extends in a direction approaching the connector in the longitudinal direction of the heater; a first conductive sheet metal that electrically connects the connector to the first electrical terminal, the first conductive sheet metal extending in the longitudinal direction of the heater; a second conductive sheet metal that electrically connects the connector to the second electrical terminal, the second conductive sheet metal extending in the longitudinal direction of the heater, a length of the second conductive sheet metal in the longitudinal direction of the heater being shorter than a length of the first conductive sheet metal in the longitudinal direction of the heater; and a regulation portion configured to regulate a movement of the power interrupting unit, the regulation portion facing a second connecting portion of the second conductive sheet metal to which the second electrical terminal is connected, the regulation portion being arranged between the second connecting portion of the second conductive sheet metal and the first conductive sheet metal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image heating device according to claim 10, wherein the second conductive metal sheet is electrically connected to the connector via the heat generating resistor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The image heating device according to claim 10, wherein the power interrupting unit is provided on the heater. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The image heating device according to claim 10, wherein the power interrupting unit is provided on a heat conductive member contacting the heater. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The image heating device according to claim 10, wherein the power interrupting unit is a temperature fuse. ### Claim 15 An image heating device heating an image on a recoding medium, the image heating device comprising: a rotator; a heater having an elongated and plate-like shape, configured to heat the rotator, the heater including a heat generating resistor that generates heat by receiving power, wherein the image formed on the recording medium is heated with heat from the heater via the rotator; a connector electrically connected to one of longitudinal end portions of the heater to supply the power to the heater; a power interrupting unit configured to interrupt supply of the power to the heater in response to an abnormal temperature rise of the heater, the power interrupting unit including a first electrical terminal which extends in a direction away from the connector in a longitudinal direction of the heater and a second electrical terminal which extends in a direction approaching the connector in the longitudinal direction of the heater; a first conductive sheet metal that electrically connects the connector to the first electrical terminal, the first conductive sheet metal extending in the longitudinal direction of the heater; a second conductive sheet metal that electrically connects the connector to the second electrical terminal, the second conductive sheet metal extending in the longitudinal direction of the heater, a length of the second conductive sheet metal in the longitudinal direction of the heater being shorter than a length of the first conductive sheet metal in the longitudinal direction of the heater; and a regulation portion configured to regulate a movement of the power interrupting unit, the regulation portion facing a first connecting portion of the first conductive sheet metal to which the first electrical terminal is connected, the regulation portion being arranged between the first connecting portion of the first conductive sheet metal and one end of the heater closer to the second conductive metal sheet than the other end of the heater in a width direction of the heater perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction of the heater and a thickness direction of the heater. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image heating device according to claim 15, wherein the second conductive metal sheet is electrically connected to the connector via the heat generating resistor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The image heating device according to claim 15, wherein the power interrupting unit is provided on the heater. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The image heating device according to claim 15, wherein the power interrupting unit is provided on a heat conductive member contacting the heater. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The image heating device according to claim 15, wherein the power interrupting unit is a temperature fuse.