Fixing device and image forming apparatus having the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsJin-sung Lee, Seong-yul Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fixing device includes a fixing belt to transmit a heat to a print medium, a pressing unit to apply a pressure on the print medium, a heating unit surrounded by the fixing belt to generate the heat and a nip plate disposed against the fixing belt and facing the pressing unit, to form a fixing nip. The fixing device further includes a support element to support the nip plate, and a reflection unit disposed within the fixing belt to reflect the heat radiated from the heating unit toward the support element. The reflection unit is connected to the nip plate to conduct the heat from the reflection unit to the nip plate.
Claims23
A fixing device comprising:
- a fixing belt including a hollow opening to define an inner surface to receive heat and outer surface to transmit the heat to a print medium;
- a pressing unit to apply a pressure on the print medium;
- a heating unit disposed within the hollow opening of the fixing belt to generate the heat;
- a nip plate disposed within the fixing belt to face the pressing unit, thus to form a fixing nip;
- a support element to support the nip plate;
- a reinforcement frame to reinforce a stiffness of the support element;
- and
- a reflection unit disposed within the fixing belt to reflect the heat radiated toward the support element from the heating unit, the reflection unit formed to reflect the heat toward the inner surface of the fixing belt and to block the heat from going toward the nip plate,
- wherein the reflection unit is connected with the nip plate to conduct the heat from the reflection unit to the nip plate, and the heating unit is disposed between the fixing belt and the reflection unit.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a photosensitive body;
- a charging unit to electrify the photosensitive body;
- an optical scanning unit to scan a light onto the photosensitive body thus to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive body;
- a developing unit to supply a toner onto the photosensitive body on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, thus to form a toner image on the photosensitive body;
- a transfer unit to transfer the toner image formed on the photosensitive body onto a print medium;
- and
- a fixing device to fix the toner image transferred onto the print medium,
- wherein the fixing device comprises:
- a fixing belt to transmit a heat to the print medium;
- a pressing unit to apply a pressure on the print medium;
- a heating unit disposed within the fixing belt to generate the heat;
- a nip plate disposed within the fixing belt to face the pressing unit, thus to form a fixing nip;
- a support element to support the nip plate;
- a reinforcement frame to reinforce a stiffness of the support element;
- and
- a reflection unit disposed within the fixing belt to reflect the heat radiated toward the support element from the heating unit, the reflection unit formed to reflect the heat toward the inner surface of the fixing belt and to block the heat from going toward the nip plate,
- wherein the reflection unit is connected with the nip plate to conduct the heat from the reflection unit to the nip plate, and the heating unit is disposed between the fixing belt and the reflection unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.