Fixing device
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorHiroshi Handa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fixing device includes a film, a first heat element, a second heat element, a nip member, a reflection member and a supporting member, which are disposed inside a loop of the film, and a pressing member. The nip member contacts the inner circumferential surface of the film. The reflection member surrounds the first heat element with the nip member and reflects radiant heat from the first heat element to the nip member. The pressing member presses the film toward the nip member. The supporting member covers the reflection member, supports the nip member, and includes a first plate portion, a second plate portion and a third plate portion. The second heat element is disposed in at least one of the second plate portion, the third plate portion, one end portion of the nip member, and another end portion of the nip member.
Claims17
A fixing device comprising:
- a film having a cylindrical shape extending in a first direction;
- a first heat element disposed inside a loop of the film and extending in the first direction;
- a second heat element different from the first heat element;
- a nip member extending in the first direction between an inner circumferential surface of the film and the first heat element and configured to contact the inner circumferential surface of the film;
- a reflection member disposed inside the loop of the film and extending in the first direction, the reflection member being configured to surround the first heat element with the nip member and reflect radiant heat from the first heat element to the nip member;
- a pressing member disposed outside the loop of the film and configured to press the film toward the nip member;
- and
- a supporting member disposed inside the loop of the film and extending in the first direction, the supporting member being configured to cover the reflection member and support the nip member,
- the supporting member including:
- a first plate portion extending along the first direction and facing the nip member via the first heat element in a second direction different from the first direction;
- and
- a second plate portion and a third plate portion extending along the first direction and facing each other via the first heat element in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction,
- wherein the second heat element is disposed in at least one of the second plate portion and the third plate portion.
A fixing device comprising:
- a film having a cylindrical shape extending in a first direction;
- a first heat element disposed inside a loop of the film and extending in the first direction;
- a second heat element different from the first heat element;
- a nip member extending in the first direction between an inner circumferential surface of the film and the first heat element and configured to contact the inner circumferential surface of the film;
- a reflection member disposed inside the loop of the film and extending in the first direction, the reflection member being configured to surround the first heat element with the nip member and reflect radiant heat from the first heat element to the nip member;
- a pressing member disposed outside the loop of the film and configured to press the film toward the nip member;
- and
- a supporting member disposed inside the loop of the film and extending in the first direction, the supporting member being configured to cover the reflection member and support the nip member,
- the supporting member including:
- a first plate portion extending along the first direction and facing the nip member via the first heat element in a second direction different from the first direction;
- and
- a second plate portion and a third plate portion extending along the first direction and facing each other via the first heat element in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction,
- wherein the second heat element is disposed in at least one of the second plate portion, the third plate portion, one end portion of the nip member in the third direction, and another end portion of the nip member in the third direction, and
- wherein the second heat element is disposed on an inner surface, which is opposite to an outer surface facing the film, of the nip member, in one of the one end portion and the other end portion of the nip member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.