Fixing device and heater used in fixing device

• US 10,455,644 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2016
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takagi, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Ket D
• Application Number:
  US15/014,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20160234882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 219216, 219543, 219522, 219469, 219548, 219541, 399328, 399320, 399321, 399324, 399325, 399326, 399331, 399333, 399 69, 399329, 399330, 399335, 492 46, 492 56, 338305, 338306-314, 338322, 338325, 338333
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/2042 specially for the axial heat partition
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/2053 Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/2035 the fixing nip having a stationary belt support member opposing a pressure member
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/02 Heaters using heating elements having a positive temperature coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/22 non-flexible

Abstract

A heater used in a fixing device includes a substrate, a first heat generation resistor, a second heat generation resistor with a gap to the first heat generation resistor in the longitudinal direction, a first conductive pattern, a second conductive pattern, and the third conductive pattern, wherein a width of at least one of the first and second heat generation resistors in the transverse direction in a first area adjacent to the gap is smaller than the width in a second area, arranged adjacent to the first area, farther from the gap in the longitudinal direction than the first area.

Claims

1. A heater used in a fixing device, comprising:

an elongated substrate;

a first heat generation resistor formed on the substrate;

a second heat generation resistor formed on the substrate next to the first heat generation resistor in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, the first heat generation resistor and the second heat generation resistor being arranged with a gap therebetween in the longitudinal direction;

a first conductive pattern connected, along the longitudinal direction, to each one end of the first and second heat generation resistors in a transverse direction of the substrate;

a second conductive pattern formed in an area of the substrate on a side opposite to the first conductive pattern in the transverse direction across the first heat generation resistor and connected to the first heat generation resistor along the longitudinal direction, the second conductive pattern not being connected to the second heat generation resistor; and

a third conductive pattern formed in an area of the substrate on a side opposite to the first conductive pattern in the transverse direction across the second heat generation resistor and connected to the second heat generation resistor along the longitudinal direction, the third conductive pattern not being connected to the second conductive pattern or the first heat generation resistor,

wherein a width of the first heat generation resistors in the transverse direction in a first area of the first heat generation resistor adjacent to the gap is smaller than a width of the first heat generation resistor in the transverse direction in a second area of the first heat generation resistor, arranged adjacent to the first area, farther from the gap in the longitudinal direction than the first area.

2. The heater according to claim 1, wherein the first heat generation resistor includes an area in which the width of the first heat generation resistor in the transverse direction increases from an end toward a center portion of the substrate in the longitudinal direction.

3. The heater according to claim 1, wherein the first heat generation resistor is arranged in a center portion of the substrate in the longitudinal direction, and the second heat generation resistor is arranged on an end portion of the substrate in the longitudinal direction.

4. The heater according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive pattern is arranged on an end portion of the substrate in the transverse direction.

5. The heater according to claim 1, wherein the first and second heat generation resistors have a positive temperature characteristic.

8. A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material onto the recording material, comprising:

a cylindrical film; and

a heater configured to be in contact with an inner surface of the film,

wherein the heater is the heater according to claim 1.

6. A heater used in a fixing device, comprising:

an elongated substrate;

a center conductive pattern formed on a center portion of the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate;

an end conductive pattern formed on an end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction, the center conductive pattern and the end conductive pattern being arranged with a gap therebetween in the longitudinal direction;

two center heat generation resistors formed to sandwich the center conductive pattern therebetween in a transverse direction of the substrate, each of the center heat generation resistors being connected to the center conductive pattern along the longitudinal direction;

two end heat generation resistors formed to sandwich the end conductive pattern therebetween in the transverse direction, each of the end heat generation resistors being connected to the end conductive pattern along the longitudinal direction; and

common conductive patterns connected to both the center heat generation resistors and the end heat generation resistors at one end and the other end of the substrate in the transverse direction, respectively, each of the common conductive patterns being connected to the center heat generation resistors and the end heat generation resistors along the longitudinal direction,

wherein a width of each of the end heat generation resistors in the transverse direction in a first area of the end heat generation resistors adjacent to the gap is smaller than a width of each of the end heat generation resistors in the transverse direction in a second area of the end heat generation resistors, arranged adjacent to the first area, farther from the gap in the longitudinal direction than the first area.

9. A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material onto the recording material, comprising:

a cylindrical film; and

a heater configured to be in contact with an inner surface of the film,

wherein the heater is the heater according to claim 6.

7. A heater used in a fixing device, comprising:

an elongated substrate;

a center conductive pattern formed on a center portion of the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate;

an end conductive pattern formed on an end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction, the center conductive pattern and the end conductive pattern being arranged with a gap therebetween in the longitudinal direction;

two center heat generation resistors formed to sandwich the center conductive pattern therebetween in a transverse direction of the substrate, each of the center heat generation resistors being connected to the center conductive pattern along the longitudinal direction;

two end heat generation resistors formed to sandwich the end conductive pattern therebetween in the transverse direction, each of the end heat generation resistors being connected to the end conductive pattern along the longitudinal direction; and

common conductive patterns connected to both the center heat generation resistors and the end heat generation resistors at one end and the other end of the substrate in the transverse direction, respectively, each of the common conductive patterns being connected to the center heat generation resistors and the end heat generation resistors along the longitudinal direction,

wherein a width of each of the center heat generation resistors in the transverse direction in a first area of the center heat generation resistors adjacent to the gap is smaller than a width of each of the center heat generation resistors in the transverse direction in a second area of the center heat generation resistors, arranged adjacent to the first area, farther from the gap in the longitudinal direction than the first area.

10. A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material onto the recording material, comprising:

a cylindrical film; and

a heater configured to be in contact with an inner surface of the film,

wherein the heater is the heater according to claim 7.