US 7,599,653 B2Granted

Image forming apparatus

AssigneeSharp Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsKenji Asakura, Shinji Yamana

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An image forming apparatus capable of applying an adequate amount of fixing fluid to an unfixed toner image and producing high-quality images having high resolution and high image density with stability for a longer period of time while protecting the interior thereof against fixing fluid leakage and achieving reduction in fixing fluid consumption is provided. In an image forming apparatus, a fixing fluid is applied to a toner image on an intermediary transfer belt by a coating roller, and the toner image in a swollen/softened state is fixed onto a recording medium. By a second seal member composed of a film-shaped member and a supporting member, a gap between the coating roller and a fixing fluid chamber which has the opening and places the coating roller therein is closed to avoid leakage of the fixing fluid.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus to form images by means of electrophotography or electrostatic recording, comprising:

a toner image bearing section for bearing an unfixed toner image thereon;
and
a fixing fluid applying section for applying a fixing fluid which provides an effect of fixing toner onto a recording medium, to the unfixed toner image on the toner image bearing section,
wherein the fixing fluid applying section includes:
a fixing fluid chamber having an opening formed facing the toner image bearing section;
an applying member formed into a roller shape and placed in an interior space of the fixing fluid chamber, for applying the fixing fluid to the unfixed toner image on the toner image bearing section in contact with the toner image bearing section, which is supported inside the fixing fluid chamber so as to be rotatable and moved to contact with and release from the toner image bearing section, and in which at least a certain part is projected outward through the opening of the fixing fluid chamber facing the toner image bearing section in spaced to a side wall of the fixing fluid chamber;
a seal member for closing a gap between the opening of the fixing fluid chamber and the applying member;
and
a contact and release operation section for supporting the fixing fluid chamber so that the applying member moves to contact with and release from the toner image bearing section,
wherein at least the fixing fluid chamber, the applying member, and the seal member are integral with one another as a single unit which is freely attachable to and detachable from a main body of the image forming apparatus wherein the fixing fluid chamber places the applying member and also stores the fixing fluid in its interior space,
the applying member is provided as a first applying member which is supported inside the fixing fluid chamber so as to be rotatable and moved to contact with and release from the toner image bearing section, has at least its certain part projected outward through the opening of the fixing fluid chamber facing the toner image bearing section in spaced to a side wall of the fixing fluid chamber, has at least its certain part located vertically above a level of the fixing fluid within the fixing fluid chamber, and has a slant region formed at its axial end portion, a diameter of its cross-section in a direction perpendicular to the length of the first applying member of which is tapered from a position near the end portion to the end portion, and
the seal member is provided as a first seal member which is disposed so as to move to contact with and release from the applying member, and has an axial end portion which is brought into contact with the slant region of the applying member to close the gap between the opening of the fixing fluid chamber and the applying member.

9 more elements

An image forming apparatus to form images by means of electrophotography or electrostatic recording, comprising:

a toner image bearing section for bearing an unfixed toner image thereon;
and
a fixing fluid applying section for applying a fixing fluid which provides an effect of fixing toner onto a recording medium, to the unfixed toner image on the toner image bearing section,
wherein the fixing fluid applying section includes:
a fixing fluid chamber having an opening formed facing the toner image bearing section;
an applying member formed into a roller shape and placed in an interior space of the fixing fluid chamber, for applying the fixing fluid to the unfixed toner image on the toner image bearing section in contact with the toner image bearing section, which is supported inside the fixing fluid chamber so as to be rotatable and moved to contact with and release from the toner image bearing section, and in which at least a certain part is projected outward through the opening of the fixing fluid chamber facing the toner image bearing section in spaced to a side wall of the fixing fluid chamber;
a seal member for closing a gap between the opening of the fixing fluid chamber and the applying member;
and
a contact and release operation section for supporting the fixing fluid chamber so that the applying member moves to contact with and release from the toner image bearing section,
wherein at least the fixing fluid chamber, the applying member, and the seal member are integral with one another as a single unit which is freely attachable to and detachable from a main body of the image forming apparatus wherein the applying member is provided as a second applying member formed into a roller shape which is supported inside the fixing fluid chamber so as to be rotatable and moved to contact with and release from the toner image bearing section, with at least a certain part of which projected outward through the opening of the fixing fluid chamber facing the toner image bearing section in spaced to a side wall of the fixing fluid chamber, and in which is placed a fixing fluid storage chamber for storing therein the fixing fluid whereby to apply the fixing fluid within the fixing fluid storage chamber to the unfixed toner image on the toner image bearing section in contact with the toner image bearing section, and
the seal member is provided as a second seal member for closing the gap between the opening of the fixing fluid chamber and the applying member, which is composed of a film-shaped member formed at a distance from or in intimate contact with the surface of a part of the applying member which is placed in the fixing fluid chamber and a supporting member for supporting the film-shaped member that is disposed in contact with both side of the opening in longitudinal direction of the fixing fluid chamber and with a part of the surface of the applying member in the vicinity of the both side of the opening.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/712,993Filed 2 Mar 2007
Priority: JP P2006-0568412 Mar 2006
Published: US 2007/0212136 A113 Sep 2007
Granted: 6 Oct 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G03G 15/169
Of a toner pattern, e.g. a powder pattern , e.g. magnetic transfer: with means for preconditioning the toner image before the transfer
G03G 15/161
Using at least one intermediate support: with means for handling the intermediate support, e.g. heating, cleaning, coating with a transfer agent
G03G 15/2092
For fixing, e.g. by using heat: using pressure only
G03G 2215/1695
Simultaneous toner image transfer and fixing: at the second or higher order transfer point