# US 12,216,419 B2 · Fixing device and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,419 B2 - Document ID: US12216419B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/045,923 - Filed: 2022-10-12 - Published: 2023-04-20 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-15 - Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kei Ishida - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216419B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/2039: {with means for controlling the fixing temperature} - G03G 15/2042: {specially for the axial heat partition} - G03G 15/2053: {Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating} - G03G 2215/2035: the fixing nip having a stationary belt support member opposing a pressure member - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A fixing device includes a heater including a substrate and a resistance heating element disposed on the substrate, an endless belt, a first temperature sensor disposed at a position opposed to the heater and configured to detect a temperature at a center part of the heater in a longitudinal direction of the heater; and a second temperature sensor disposed at a position opposed to the heater and configured to detect a temperature at an end part of the heater in the longitudinal direction of the heater. The second temperature sensor is disposed at a position located on an outer side of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fixing device, comprising: a heater including a substrate and a resistance heating element disposed on the substrate, the substrate including a first end and a second end in a longitudinal direction of the heater, the resistance heating element including a first end and a second end in the longitudinal direction, the first end of the resistance heating element being the nearest end of the resistance heating element to the first end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction, the second end of the resistance heating element being the nearest end of the resistance heating element to the second end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction; an endless belt configured to rotate around the heater, a first temperature sensor disposed at a position opposed to the heater and configured to detect a temperature at a center part of the heater in the longitudinal direction of the heater; and a second temperature sensor disposed at a position opposed to the heater and configured to detect a temperature at an end part of the heater in the longitudinal direction of the heater, the second temperature sensor including a first end and a second end in the longitudinal direction, wherein both of the first end and the second end of the second temperature sensor are located on an outer side of an area in which a maximum width of a largest possible sheet that can be used in the fixing device passes in the longitudinal direction of the heater, and wherein both of the first end and the second end of the second temperature sensor are disposed at a position located between the first end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater and the first end of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater or a position located between the second end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater and the second end of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the second temperature sensor is located at a position within an area where the endless belt is provided in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the second temperature sensor is disposed at a position between a first end and a second end of the endless belt in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a holder holding the heater; and a metal sheet disposed between the heater and the holder, wherein the second temperature sensor is in contact with the metal sheet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the heater includes a current-supply-terminal disposed at a first end part of the heater in the longitudinal direction of the heater close to a first end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater and connected to the resistance heating element, and the current-supply terminal is not disposed at a second end part of the heater in the longitudinal direction of the heater, and wherein the second temperature sensor is disposed at a second end part of the heater in the longitudinal direction of the heater closer to a second end of the substrate than the first end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the heater includes a current-supply-terminal disposed at a position located between a first end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater and the first end of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the heater includes a current-supply-terminal disposed at a first end part of the heater closer to a first end of the substrate than a second end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater and connected to the resistance heating element, and wherein the second temperature sensor is disposed at the first end part of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the heater includes a current-supply-terminal disposed at a position located between a first end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater and a first end of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, further comprising a thermostat configured to interrupt energization to the resistance heating element when the heater is abnormally increased in temperature, wherein the thermostat is disposed at a position within an area in which a minimum width of a smallest possible sheet that can be used in the fixing device passes in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, further comprising a thermostat configured to interrupt energization to the resistance heating element when the heater is abnormally increased in temperature, wherein the thermostat is disposed at a first end part of the heater closer to a first end of the substrate than a second end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, further comprising a thermostat configured to interrupt energization to the resistance heating element when the heater is abnormally increased in temperature, wherein the thermostat is disposed at a position located between a first end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater and a first end of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein a dimension of the resistance heating element is greater than the area in which the maximum width of the largest possible sheet that can be used in the fixing device passes in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein both of the first end and second end of the second temperature sensor are located on an outer side of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the first end and the second end of the resistance heating element are ends of the resistance heating element that generates heat when a fixing operation for the maximum width of the largest possible sheet of the fixing device is executed. ### Claim 15 An image forming apparatus comprising a fixing device, the fixing device including: a heater including a substrate and a resistance heating element disposed on the substrate, the substrate including a first end and a second end in a longitudinal direction of the heater, the resistance heating element including a first end and a second end in the longitudinal direction, the first end of the resistance heating element being the nearest end of the resistance heating element to the first end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction, the second end of the resistance heating element being the nearest end of the resistance heating element to the second end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction; an endless belt configured to rotate around the heater, a first temperature sensor disposed at a position opposed to the heater and configured to detect a temperature at a center part of the heater in the longitudinal direction of the heater; and a second temperature sensor disposed at a position opposed to the heater and configured to detect a temperature at an end part of the heater in the longitudinal direction of the heater, the second temperature sensor including a first end and second end in the longitudinal direction, wherein both of the first end and the second end of the second temperature sensor are located on an outer side of an area in which a maximum width of the largest possible sheet that can be used in the fixing device passes in the longitudinal direction of the heater, and wherein both of the first end and the second end of the second temperature sensor are disposed at a position located between the first end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater and the first end of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater or a position located between the second end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the heater and the second end of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a dimension of the resistance heating element is greater than the area in which the maximum width of the largest possible sheet that can be used in the fixing device passes in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein both of the first end and the second end of the second temperature sensor are located on an outer side of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first end and the second end of the resistance heating element are ends of the resistance heating element that generates heat when a fixing operation for the maximum width of the largest possible sheet of the fixing device is executed.