Thermal fixing device having electric heater connection
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorMakoto Hasegawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A movable power feeder supports one of terminals of a halogen heater while supplying electric power thereto. The movable power feeder is integrally formed by bending a phosphor bronze thin plate. One of the terminals is secured by use of a screw passing through first and second fastening plates. The first and second fastening plates are supported by a resilient supporting member. Thus, even when the halogen heater generates heat and thermally expands, the terminal shifts while being firmly held by a holding member and stably receiving electric power. Accordingly, the halogen heater is prevented from breaking.
Claims22
A thermal fixing device for use with a recording medium, comprising:
- a heat roller that heats the recording medium;
- a pressure roller disposed opposed to the heat roller that presses the recording medium into contact with the heat roller;
- a frame that supports the heat roller and the pressure roller;
- a heater disposed inside the heat roller and provided with terminals at opposite ends thereof that receive electric power;
- electrodes fixed to the terminals of the heater and supplying the electric power to the heater, at least one of the electrodes not being directly fixed to the frame;
- and
- a supporting member disposed between the at least one of the electrodes and the frame that supports the at least one of the electrodes such that the at least one of the electrodes and one of the terminals fixed to the at least one of the electrodes can jointly shift while maintaining electric contact therebetween.
A thermal fixing device for use with a recording medium, comprising:
- a heat roller that heats the recording medium;
- a pressure roller disposed opposed to the heat roller that presses the recording medium into contact with the heat roller;
- a frame that supports the heat roller and the pressure roller;
- a heater disposed inside the heat roller and provided with terminals at opposite ends thereof that receive electric power;
- electrodes fixed to the terminals of the heater and supplying the electric power to the heater;
- and
- a supporting member disposed between at least one of the electrodes and the frame that supports the at least one of the electrodes such that the at least one of the electrodes can shift, the at least one of the electrodes including a first fastening plate and a second fastening plate that extend substantially parallel to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.