Fixing device and image forming apparatus
OwnerShoji Yamamotoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a fixing device including a power supply connector connected to a heater so as to sandwich a heater holder and the heater; and a pressure change mechanism capable of switching between a first state in which a pressure applied to a fixing nip portion is high and a second state in which the pressure is low, the heater holder has a connector cover integrally molded therewith and configured to accommodate the power supply connector, and the connector cover includes an extension portion that enters a space between a power supply cable that extends from the power supply connector and a movable portion of the pressure change mechanism, the extension portion overlapping with the power supply cable and the movable portion when viewed from a direction perpendicular to a planar portion of the heater.
Claims11
A fixing device comprising:
- a fixing belt, which is cylindrical;
- a heater, which is plate-shaped and disposed in an interior space of the fixing belt;
- a heater holder disposed in the interior space of the fixing belt and configured to hold the heater over a longitudinal direction of the heater;
- a power supply connector for supplying electric power to the heater, the power supply connector being connected to the heater so as to sandwich the heater holder and the heater;
- a pressure roller configured to come into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt, the pressure roller sandwiching the fixing belt together with the heater, thereby forming a fixing nip portion between the pressure roller and the fixing belt;
- and
- a pressure change mechanism capable of switching between a first state in which a pressure applied to the fixing nip portion is high and a second state in which the pressure is low,
- wherein in the fixing nip portion, a toner image formed on a recording material while conveying the recording material is fixed to the recording material,
- wherein the heater holder has a connector cover integrally molded therewith and configured to accommodate the power supply connector, and
- wherein the connector cover includes an extension portion that enters a space between a power supply cable that extends from the power supply connector and a movable portion of the pressure change mechanism, the extension portion overlapping with the power supply cable and the movable portion in a case of viewing from a direction perpendicular to a planar portion of the heater.
A fixing device comprising:
- a fixing belt, which is cylindrical;
- a heater, which is plate-shaped and disposed in an interior space of the fixing belt;
- a heater holder disposed in the interior space of the fixing belt and configured to hold the heater over a longitudinal direction of the heater;
- a power supply connector for supplying electric power to the heater, the power supply connector being connected to the heater so as to sandwich the heater holder and the heater;
- a pressure roller configured to come into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt, the pressure roller sandwiching the fixing belt together with the heater, thereby forming a fixing nip portion between the pressure roller and the fixing belt;
- and
- a pressure change mechanism capable of switching between a first state in which a pressure applied to the fixing nip portion is high and a second state in which the pressure is low,
- wherein in the fixing nip portion, a toner image formed on a recording material while conveying the recording material is fixed to the recording material,
- wherein the heater holder has a connector cover integrally molded therewith and configured to accommodate the power supply connector,
- wherein the connector cover includes a holding form for holding a power supply cable that extends from the power supply connector, and
- wherein the holding form holds the power supply cable so as to restrict movement of the power supply cable in a direction approaching a movable portion of the pressure change mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.