# US 2018/0024480 A1 · Fixing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0024480 A1 - Document ID: US20180024480A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/551,772 - Filed: 2016-01-28 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-19 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Keisuke Fujita; Naoki Hayashi; Masaaki Takeuchi; Koji Fujinaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024480A1 ## CPC - G03G 15/2053: {Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating} - G03G 15/2039: {with means for controlling the fixing temperature} - G03G 15/55: {Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display} - G03G 2215/2035: the fixing nip having a stationary belt support member opposing a pressure member - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract The present invention relates to a fixing apparatus including a tubular film, a heater provided at an inside of the film, a protection element provided at the inside of the film, and at least one conductive member provided at the inside of the film. The protection element includes two terminals and a switch that turns off to shut off power to the heater when the heater abnormally generates heat. A first end of the conductive member is electrically connected to one of the terminals of the protection element. The conductive member is not coated with an insulator, and a second end of the conductive member projects out of the film so that the cost of the fixing apparatus is reduced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fixing apparatus comprising: a tubular film; a heater provided at an inside of the film; a protection element provided at the inside of the film, the protection element including two terminals and a switch that turns off to shut off power to the heater when the heater abnormally generates heat; and at least one conductive member provided at the inside of the film, a first end of the conductive member being electrically connected to one of the terminals of the protection element, wherein an unfixed image formed on a recording medium is fixed on the recording medium by the heat of the heater via the film, and wherein the conductive member is not coated with an insulator, and a second end of the conductive member projects out of the film. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fixing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one conductive member comprises a first conductive member and a second conductive member, the first and second conductive members being respectively connected to the terminals of the protection element, the second end of the first conductive member projecting from a first end of the film in a longitudinal direction of the film, the second conductive member being folded at an intermediate point, the second end of the second conductive member also projecting from the first end of the film. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fixing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member comprises a sheet metal, the sheet metal including a first section in which a thickness direction of the sheet metal is a first direction and a second section in which the thickness direction of the sheet metal is a second direction different from the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The fixing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first direction comprises a direction parallel to a lateral direction of the heater. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fixing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second direction comprises a direction parallel to a thickness direction of the heater. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fixing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member comprises a sheet metal, the sheet metal including a first section in which a thickness direction of the sheet metal is a first direction, a second section in which the thickness direction of the sheet metal is a second direction different from the first direction, and a third section in which the thickness direction of the sheet metal is a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fixing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first direction is a direction parallel to a lateral direction of the heater, wherein the second direction is a direction parallel to a thickness direction of the heater, and wherein the third direction is a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fixing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member comprises a sheet metal, the sheet metal including a corrugated portion so that the sheet metal can extend and contract in a longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The fixing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a holder configured to hold the heater and provided in the inside of the film, the holder including a wall portion provided between the first and second conductive members. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The fixing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first and second conductive members comprise sheet metals, each of the sheet metals including a section in which a thickness direction of the sheet metal is a same direction as a thickness direction of the heater, wherein the sections of the sheet metals overlap with each other in a longitudinal direction of the heater, and wherein the wall portion is disposed at a position corresponding to a portion where the sections overlap with each other in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The fixing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a holder configured to hold the heater and a metal stay configured to reinforce the holder, wherein the holder and the stay are provided in the inside of the film, wherein the protection element is disposed between the holder and the stay, and wherein the holder includes a wall portion provided between the conductive member and the stay. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fixing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a holder configured to hold the heater, a metal stay configured to reinforce the holder, and a spacer, wherein the holder and the stay are provided in the inside of the film, wherein the protection element is disposed between the holder and the metal stay, and wherein the spacer is disposed to prevent the conductive member and the stay from coming into contact with each other. ### Claim 13 A fixing apparatus comprising: a tubular film; a heater provided at an inside of the film; a protection element provided at the inside of the film, the protection element including two terminals and a switch that turns off to shut off power to the heater when the heater abnormally generates heat; and at least one conductive member provided at the inside of the film, a first end of the conductive member being electrically connected to one of the terminals of the protection element, wherein an unfixed image formed on a recording medium is fixed on the recording medium by the heat of the heater via the film, and wherein the conductive member comprises a sheet metal, and a second end of the conductive member projects out of the film. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The fixing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the sheet metal includes a first section in which a thickness direction of the sheet metal is a first direction and a second section in which the thickness direction of the sheet metal is a second direction different from the first direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The fixing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the first direction comprises a direction parallel to a lateral direction of the heater. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The fixing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the second direction comprises a direction parallel to a thickness direction of the heater. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The fixing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the sheet metal includes a first section in which a thickness direction of the sheet metal is a first direction, a second section in which the thickness direction of the sheet metal is a second direction different from the first direction, and a third section in which the thickness direction of the sheet metal is a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The fixing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the first direction is a direction parallel to a lateral direction of the heater, wherein the second direction is a direction parallel to a thickness direction of the heater, and wherein the third direction is a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The fixing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a holder configured to hold the heater and provided in the inside of the film, wherein the apparatus includes two sheet metal respectively connected to the terminals of the protection element, and wherein the holder includes a wall portion provided between the two sheet metals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The fixing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein each of the two sheet metals includes a section in which a thickness direction of the sheet metal is a same direction as a thickness direction of the heater, wherein the sections of the sheet metals overlap with each other in a longitudinal direction of the heater, and wherein the wall portion is disposed at a position corresponding to a portion where the sections overlap with each other in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The fixing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a holder configured to hold the heater and a metal stay configured to reinforce the holder, wherein the holder and the stay are provided in the inside of the film, wherein the protection element is disposed between the holder and the stay, and wherein the holder includes a wall portion provided between the conductive member and the stay. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The fixing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heater is in contact with an inner surface of the film. ### Claim 23 A fixing apparatus comprising: a tubular film; a heater provided at an inside of the film; a temperature detecting unit provided at the inside of the film, the temperature detecting unit including two terminals and being configured to detect a temperature of the heater; and at least one conductive member provided at the inside of the film, a first end of the conductive member being electrically connected to one of the terminals of the temperature detecting unit, wherein an unfixed image formed on a recording medium is fixed on the recording medium by the heat of the heater via the film, and wherein the conductive member is not coated with an insulator, and a second end of the conductive member projects out of the film. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The fixing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the second end of the conductive member connects to a cable including a conductor coated with an insulator, the second end of the conductive member and the conductor of the cable being connected in such a manner that an axis of the conductive member and an axis of the conductor of the cable intersect each other. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The fixing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the second end of the conductive member and the conductor of the cable are connected in such a manner that the axis of the conductive member and the axis of the conductor of the cable intersect substantially at right angles. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The fixing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a holder configured to hold the heater and provided in the inside of the film, wherein the holder has a hole portion at an end in the longitudinal direction of the holder, and wherein the second end of the conductive member is connected to the conductor of the cable at the hole portion. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The fixing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a holder configured to hold the heater and provided in the inside of the film, wherein the holder has a hole portion at an end in the longitudinal direction of the holder, and wherein the second end of the conductive member projects out through the hole portion to a side of a surface of the holder holding the heater, the second end of the conductive member being connected to the conductor of the cable at the side of the surface of the holder holding the heater. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The fixing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a holder configured to hold the heater and provided in the inside of the film, and wherein the holder includes a first restricting portion out of an area of the holder in which the heater is held in the longitudinal direction of the heater, the first restricting portion being configured to restrict a position of the cable in the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The fixing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the holder includes a second restricting portion out of the area of the holder in which the heater is held in the longitudinal direction of the heater, the second restricting portion being configured to route out the cable substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the heater. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The fixing apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a holder configured to hold the heater and a metal stay configured to reinforce the holder, wherein the holder and the stay are provided in the inside of the film, and wherein the temperature detecting unit is disposed in a space between the holder and the metal stay. ### Claim 31 A fixing apparatus comprising: a tubular film; a heater provided at an inside of the film, the heater including an electrode; a holder provided at the inside of the film, the holder being configured to hold the heater; and a power feeding connector configured to feed power to the heater; wherein an unfixed image formed on a recording medium is fixed on the recording medium by the heat of the heater via the film, wherein the power feeding connector comprises a contact-side connector and a backup-side connector, the contact-side connector including a spring contact in contact with the electrode of the heater, the backup-side connector being disposed on a side of a surface of the holder that holds the heater opposite to a side of a surface on which the contact-side connector is disposed, wherein the contact-side connector and the backup-side connector are joined together to form the power feeding connector, and wherein the contact-side connector is a conductive component and the backup-side connector is a component made of material different from the contact-side connector. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The fixing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the contact-side connector and the backup-side connector are joined together at a position opposite to a position at which the power feeding connector and a power feed cable are connected in a lateral direction of the heater. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The fixing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the backup-side connector includes an elastically deformed portion between the position of joining and the power feed cable in the lateral direction. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) The fixing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the contact-side connector includes an elastically deformed portion between the position of joining and the power feed cable in the lateral direction. ### Claim 35 (depends on 31) The fixing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein both of the contact-side connector and the backup-side connector are conductive components. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The fixing apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the contact-side connector and the backup-side connector are conductive components made of different materials. ### Claim 37 (depends on 31) The fixing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the backup-side connector is made of a material with lower thermal conductivity than a thermal conductivity of a material of the contact-side connector. ### Claim 38 (depends on 31) The fixing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the contact-side connector is a conductive component, and the backup-side connector is a nonconductive component. ### Claim 39 (depends on 31) The fixing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the contact-side connector and the backup-side connector are joined by welding. ### Claim 40 (depends on 13) The fixing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the heater is in contact with an inner surface of the film.