Light absorption device, fixing unit comprising the light absorption device and image forming apparatus comprising the fixing unit
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsSun-Rock Choi, Dae-Hwan Kim, Seung-Jin Oh, Joo-Ho Kim, Woo-Kyu Kim
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Abstract
Disclosed are a light absorption device, a fixing unit including the same and an image forming apparatus including such fixing unit. The light absorption device includes a plurality of dielectric layers containing nano-rods. Surface plasmon resonance generated in response to certain wavelengths corresponding to the dielectric constants of the dielectric layers can result in an improvement in the light absorption efficiency. Further improvements can be realized by adjusting the dielectric constants of the dielectric layers.
Claims10
A fixing unit for fixing a toner image on a recording medium, comprising:
- a light source configured to generate light having a plurality of wavelengths;
- a heating member configured to receive the light generated by the light source, and to apply heat to the toner image, the heating member comprising a plurality of dielectric layers that contains one or more nano-rods;
- and
- a pressurizing member arranged to opposingly face the heating member so as to form a fixing nip with the heating member,
- wherein the plurality of dielectric layers comprises at least a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer,
- wherein the first dielectric layer has a first dielectric constant that allows a first light absorption rate of the one or more nano-rods contained in the first dielectric layer to be substantially at a maximum in response to a first light component having a first peak wavelength,
- wherein the second dielectric layer has a second dielectric constant different from the first dielectric constant, the second dielectric constant allows a second light absorption rate of the one or more nano-rods contained in the second dielectric layer to be substantially at a maximum in response to a second light component having a second peak wavelength different from the first peak wavelength, and
- wherein each of the first and second peak wavelengths is within a range of the plurality of wavelengths of the light generated by the light source.
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a printing unit configured to transfer a toner image to a recording medium, the toner image being a pattern of toner representative of an image;
- and
- a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image onto the recording medium, the fixing unit comprising:
- a light source configured to generate light having a plurality of wavelengths;
- a heating member configured to receive the light generated by the light source, and to apply heat to the toner image, the heating member comprising a plurality of dielectric layers that contains one or more nano-rods;
- and
- a pressurizing member arranged to opposingly face the heating member so as to form a fixing nip with the heating member,
- wherein the plurality of dielectric layers comprises at least a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer,
- wherein the first dielectric layer has a first dielectric constant that allows a first light absorption rate of the one or more nano-rods contained in the first dielectric layer to be substantially at a maximum in response to a first light component having a first peak wavelength,
- wherein the second dielectric layer has a second dielectric constant different from the first dielectric constant, the second dielectric constant allows a second light absorption rate of the one or more nano-rods contained in the second dielectric layer to be substantially at a maximum in response to a second light component having a second peak wavelength different from the first peak wavelength, and
- wherein each of the first and second peak wavelengths is within a range of the plurality of wavelengths of the light generated by the light source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.