Compact belt fuser apparatus with floating idler rollers supported by belt

A belt fuser comprising:

• a fuser roller;
• a tension roller;
• a frame rotatably supporting the fuser and tension rollers, but substantially preventing translation of the fuser and tension rollers;
• at least two floating idler rollers;
• a belt reeved over the fuser, tension, and idler rollers;
• a nip formed by the reeving of the belt over the fuser roller;
• and
• a tension control mechanism connected to the tension roller that applies, through the tension roller, a tension force in the belt and a normal force against the fuser roller throughout the nip.

A relatively low-temperature fusing method comprising:

• providing a fusing belt;
• providing a fuser roller;
• providing a tension roller;
• providing at least two idler rollers;
• providing a force on the tension roller to allow belt tension adjustment;
• reeving the fusing belt around the fuser, tension, and idler rollers;
• ensuring that the fusing belt engages a substantial portion of a surface of the fuser roller to create an elongated fusing nip;
• and
• providing a heat source to heat the elongated fusing nip to a lower temperature than a conventional roller-to-roller fusing nip as a result of increased fusing dwell time and fusing thermal efficiency of the elongated fusing nip.