# US 2014/0193171 A1 · Fixing unit and image forming apparatus including the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0193171 A1 - Document ID: US20140193171A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/139,289 - Filed: 2013-12-23 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-07 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Sung-jun PARK; Heung-sup PARK; Yong-nam HAM - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193171A1 ## CPC - G03G 15/2064: {combined with pressure} - G03G 15/2017: {Structural details of the fixing unit in general, e.g. cooling means, heat shielding means (G03G15/2053 takes precedence)} - G03G 21/206: {Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone} - G03G 2221/1645: for conducting air through the machine, e.g. cooling - G03G 2221/1648: using seals, e.g. to prevent scattering of toner - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A fixing unit includes: a fixing member which defines a fixing nip, where the fixing member fixes a toner image transferred onto a recording medium by applying heat and pressure to the toner image on the recording medium, and the recording medium passes through the fixing nip; a housing in which the fixing member is disposed, where the housing includes an entrance part, via which the recording medium enters therein, and a discharge part, via which the recording medium is discharged therefrom; and a blocking part disposed on the housing and toward an image surface of the recording medium to which the toner image is transferred, where the blocking part blocks nanodusts, which are generated while the toner image is being fixed to the recording medium, from being discharged to an outside of the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fixing unit comprising: a fixing member which defines a fixing nip, through which a recording medium passes, wherein the fixing member fixes a toner image transferred onto the recording medium by applying heat and pressure to the toner image on the recording medium; a housing in which the fixing member is disposed, wherein the housing comprises an entrance part, via which the recording medium enters therein, and a discharge part, via which the recording medium is discharged therefrom; and a first blocking part disposed on the housing and toward an image surface of the recording medium to which the toner image is transferred, wherein the first blocking part blocks nanodusts, which are generated while the toner image is being fixed to the recording medium, from being discharged to an outside of the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fixing unit of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first cover arranged on an image-side of the recording medium, and a second cover arranged on another side of the recording medium opposite to the image-side thereof, and the first blocking part is disposed on an upstream side of the first cover with respect to a transfer direction of the recording medium, and defines a storage space for storing the nanodusts. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fixing unit of claim 2, wherein the first blocking part comprises: a first plate disposed in a direction to cross the transfer direction of the recording medium; and a second plate which extends from the first plate toward the fixing nip. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The fixing unit of claim 3, wherein the second plate is spaced apart from the fixing nip in such a way that the nanodusts are transferred to the storage space. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fixing unit of claim 4, wherein a distance between the second plate and the fixing nip is in range from about 0.5 centimeter to about 1 centimeter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The fixing unit of claim 2, wherein a distance between the first blocking part and the fixing member in the transfer direction of the recording medium is greater than a distance between an upstream side of the second cover and the fixing member in the transfer direction of the recording medium. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The fixing unit of claim 2, wherein the first blocking part comprises a dust collector which collects the nanodusts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The fixing unit of claim 7, wherein the dust collector comprises a porous filter, in which a plurality of micro holes are defined. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The fixing unit of claim 8, wherein the micro holes have a size in a range from about 0.2 micrometer to about 0.45 micrometer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The fixing unit of claim 8, wherein the dust collector comprises fire-retardant fiber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The fixing unit of claim 7, wherein the dust collector comprises a metal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The fixing unit of claim 2, wherein the first blocking part is detachable from the first cover. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The fixing unit of claim 1, wherein the first blocking part blocks a portion of a fluid-boundary layer induced by the recording medium entering via the entrance part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The fixing unit of claim 1, wherein the first blocking part is spaced apart from a transfer path of the recording medium to allow the recording medium to enter via the entrance part. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The fixing unit of claim 1, wherein a distance between the recording medium and the first blocking part is in a range from about 0.5 centimeter to about 1 centimeter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The fixing unit of claim 2, further comprising: a second blocking part disposed adjacent to the discharge part of the housing, wherein the second blocking part blocks the nanodusts from passing through between the fixing member and the first cover and being discharged via the discharge part. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The fixing unit of claim 16, wherein the second blocking part extends from the first cover toward the fixing member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The fixing unit of claim 16, wherein a distance between the second blocking part and the fixing member is about 5 millimeters or less. ### Claim 19 An image forming apparatus comprising: a photosensitive medium, on which an electric latent image is formed; a fixing unit which fixes a toner image transferred onto a recording medium by applying heat and pressure to the toner image, wherein the fixing unit comprises: a fixing member which defines a fixing nip through which the recording medium passes, wherein the fixing member fixes the toner image transferred onto the recording medium by applying the heat and the pressure to the recording medium; a housing in which the fixing member is disposed, wherein the housing comprises an entrance part, via which the recording medium enters therein, and a discharge part, via which the recording medium is discharged therefrom; and a blocking part disposed on the housing and toward an image surface of the recording medium, to which the toner image is transferred, wherein the blocking part blocks nanodusts, which are generated while the toner image is being fixed to the recording medium, from being discharged to an outside of the housing.