Fusing system including an external heater
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsB. Mark Hirst, Kenneth E. Heath, Mark Wibbels
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a fusing system for fusing toner to a recording medium. The system comprises a fuser roller, a pressure roller in contact with the fuser roller, and an external heating roller. In addition, the disclosure relates to a method for heating a fuser roller of a fusing system. The method comprises the steps of providing an external heating roller, contacting an outer surface of the fuser roller with the external heating roller, heating the external heating roller, and rotating the external heating roller and the fuser roller such that heat is transferred from the external heating roller to the fuser roller.
Claims20
A fusing system for fusing toner to a recording medium, comprising:
- a fuser roller;
- a pressure roller in contact with the fuser roller;
- and
- a heating roller external to and in contact with one of the fuser and the pressure rollers.
A fusing system for fusing toner to a recording medium, comprising:
- a hollow fuser roller having an internal heating element and an outer layer composed of an elastomeric material;
- a pressure roller in contact with the fuser roller and having an outer layer composed of an elastomeric material;
- and
- a hollow heating roller having an internal heating element, the heating roller external to and being in contact with the fuser roller.
The system of claim 11, wherein the pressure roller comprises a hollow tube and an internal heating element.
A fusing system for fusing toner to a recording medium, comprising:
- a fuser roller having an outer surface;
- a pressure roller in contact with the fuser roller;
- and
- external heating means positioned outside of the fuser roller that is adapted to heat the outer surface of the fuser roller.
The system of claim 15, wherein the external heating means comprise an external heating roller in contact with the fuser roller.
A device in which toner is fused to a recording medium, comprising:
- means for attracting toner to a surface of the recording medium;
- and
- a fusing system including a hollow fuser roller having an internal heating element and an outer layer composed of an elastomeric material, a pressure roller in contact with the fuser roller and having an outer layer composed of an elastomeric material, and a hollow heating roller having an internal heating element, the heating roller being in contact with the fuser roller.
The device of claim 17, wherein the pressure roller comprises a hollow tube and an internal heating element.
A method for heating a fuser roller of a fusing system, comprising the steps of:
- providing an external heating roller;
- contacting an outer surface of the fuser roller with the external heating roller;
- heating the external heating roller;
- and
- rotating the external heating roller and the fuser roller such that heat is transferred from the external heating roller to the fuser roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.