JP3017580B2 - Fixing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for improving a fixing device provided in an image forming apparatus such as an electrostatographic copying machine or a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, the above-mentioned fixing device is composed of an aluminum roller body having a peripheral surface coated with a fluorine-based resin or the like and a heating fixing roller having a built-in heater in an aluminum roller body, and an elastic cylinder made of silicon rubber or the like made of aluminum. When the image forming apparatus is transported while the two rollers are kept in pressure contact with each other, the elastic cylindrical body of the pressure fixing roller is forcibly deformed. From that
When the image forming apparatus is transported, a spacer made of a synthetic resin is interposed between the rollers located outside the fixing area so as not to damage the roller surface, so that the fixing roller pair is separated.

[0003]

When the main switch is turned on when the package is unpacked and the apparatus is set up and the user forgets to remove the spacer, the heater of the heating fixing roller generates heat. The fixing roller becomes high temperature (around 185 ° C.), and the heat softens the spacer made of synthetic resin, and the softened resin wraps around the roller or damages the peripheral surface of the roller. When it flows into the branch portion and cools and solidifies, there is a problem that the fixing roller cannot be started.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fixing device which solves the above-mentioned disadvantages by a simple improvement.

The fixing device according to the present invention, which has achieved the above object, is characterized in that the spacer is formed of solid paraffin.

[0005]

As described above, if the spacer is formed of solid paraffin, even if the user forgets to remove the spacer when the apparatus is installed, the solid paraffin liquefies with the heat generated by the fixing roller, and the solid paraffin is formed below the fixing roller. It will drop and solidify. Alternatively, even if the liquefied paraffin flows into the shaft support of the roller shaft and solidifies, the fixing roller can be started and the lubrication function is achieved.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1 showing a fixing device, reference numeral 1 denotes a fixing case, and an upper case 2 is pivotally connected to a lower case 5 via a support shaft 4 of a lower discharge roller 3 so as to be openable and closable. The upper discharge roller 6 is pivotally attached to the upper case 2 so as to contact the discharge roller 3.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a lower fixing roller for pressure pivotally mounted on the lower case 5, which is formed by externally fitting an elastic cylindrical body 8 such as silicon rubber to a roller body 9 made of aluminum. Reference numeral 10 denotes an upper fixing roller for heating, which is pivotally attached to the upper case 2, and an aluminum roller body having a peripheral surface coated with a fluorine resin a.
11, a fixing heater 12 is built in, and is configured to be pressed against the pressing lower fixing roller 7 by its own weight. Reference numerals 13 and 14 denote paper peeling claws, and reference numerals 15 and 16 denote paper transport guides.

2 and 3 in order to prevent the elastic cylindrical body 8 of the lower fixing roller 7 from being overpressed when transporting an image forming apparatus (not shown) provided with the fixing device having the above-described configuration. As shown in (1), a spacer 17 formed of solid paraffin is interposed between the upper and lower fixing rollers 10 and 7 at a position outside the fixing area so that the upper and lower fixing rollers 10 and 7 are separated from each other. is there.

According to the above configuration, when the package of the transported image forming apparatus is unpacked and the apparatus is installed, if the main switch is turned ON by forgetting to remove the spacer 17, the heating Upper fuser roller 10 heater
12, the fixing roller 10 is heated to a high temperature, and the heat liquefies the spacer 17 made of solid paraffin to fix the fixing roller 10.
It is dropped on the lower part of 10, 7 and solidified by being received by the paraffin tray 18 installed as necessary.

As described above, even if the spacer 17 is forgotten to be removed, the upper fixing roller 10 is securely pressed against the lower fixing roller 7 by its own weight by liquefying and dripping the spacer 17, and Even if the liquefied paraffin is solidified, the paraffin is easily softened in nature, so that the fixing rollers 7 and 10 are prevented from being damaged. Alternatively, even if the liquefied paraffin flows into the shaft support of the roller shaft and solidifies, the fixing rollers 7 and 10 can be started and can be used as a lubricant.

[0011]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the spacer for fixing roller separation necessary only at the time of transportation is made of solid paraffin, trouble when the removal of the spacer is forgotten, that is, the fixing roller Damage and the inability to start the fixing roller are reliably prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a fixing device.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a fixing device under a package.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a spacer made of solid paraffin.

[Explanation of symbols]

 7, 10: fixing roller, 17: spacer.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Daisuke Hayashi 1-2-28 Tamazuki, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi Inside Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hideki Ishida 1-2-28 Tamazuki, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi Mita Kogyo Incorporated (56) References Japanese Utility Model Sho-59-128669 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 15/20 G03G 15/00 550 G03G 21/16-21 / 18

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A fixing device comprising a spacer for separating a pair of fixing rollers during transportation of the device, wherein the spacer is formed of solid paraffin.