# US 11,029,630 B2 · Fuser unit heater support

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- Number: US 11,029,630 B2
- Document ID: US11029630B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/603,389
- Filed: 2017-09-18
- Published: 2021-03-25
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-09-18
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Bartley Mark Hirst
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029630B2

## CPC

- G03G 15/2053: {Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating}
- G03G 15/2064: {combined with pressure}
- G03G 2215/2035: the fixing nip having a stationary belt support member opposing a pressure member
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

A support of a heater in a fuser, the support including: two parallel sides and a back side, the three sides forming a U shaped cross section, the cross section having a non-uniform wall thickness.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A support of a heater in a fuser, the support comprising:
two parallel sides and a back side, the three sides forming a U shaped cross section, the cross section having a non-uniform wall thickness in which the two parallel sides have a wall thickness along a majority of a length thereof that is greater than any wall thickness of the back side.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a steel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein a wall thickness of the back side is uniform along all of the back side of the support.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein a volume between the two parallel sides is occupied by an insulating material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein a surface of the support is covered with a material having an emissivity of less than 20%.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, wherein the support comprises aluminum, titanium, a structural polymer or composite material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The support of claim 1, further comprising an insulator covering an outer surface of the support.

### Claim 8

A support of a heater in a fuser, the support comprising:
two parallel sides and a back side, the three sides forming a U shaped cross section, the cross section having a non-uniform wall thickness; and
an opening in a side, the opening reducing a heat capacity of the support.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The support of claim 8, wherein the opening is in the back side.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The support of claim 8, wherein the opening is shaped as alphanumeric information.

### Claim 11

A fuser, the fuser comprising:
a support having two substantially parallel sides extending away from a fusing nip, the two sides being arranged on opposite sides of a heater, the support comprising a first material as a substrate and a second material on a surface of the support, the second material having a lower emissivity than the first material, the second material disposed on an outer surface of the two sides away from the heater.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The support of claim 11, wherein the two substantially parallel sides are connected by a back side, the back side perpendicular to the two substantially parallel sides.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The support of claim 12, wherein the first material is steel and the second material is a plated metal coating.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The support of claim 13, wherein the second material comprises nickel.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The support of claim 12, wherein the second material a vapor deposited metal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The support of claim 11, further comprising an insulating material between an outside surface of the support and a fuser sleeve of the fuser.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The fuser of claim 11, wherein the second material comprises a metal foil disposed on the substrate of the first material.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The fuser of claim 17, further comprising an adhesive to secure the foil to the substrate of the first material.

### Claim 19

A fuser comprising:
a fuser sleeve; and
a support within the fuser sleeve, the support comprising:
two substantially parallel sides extending away from a nip, and
a back side connecting the two substantially parallel sides, the three sides each comprising:
a substrate with a first emissivity, and
a surface with a second emissivity, wherein the first emissivity is greater than the second emissivity, and
wherein a wall thickness of the back side is less than a wall thickness of the two substantially parallel sides; and
an insulating material between an outside surface of the support and a fuser sleeve.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The fusing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the substrate is steel, the surface is a plated nickel coating, and the plated nickel coating has an emissivity of less than 10%.