MEDIA STRIPPER MECHANISM

• US 20130121735A1
• Filed: 10/31/2012
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: MIKUTSU, Yasunari
• Granted Patent: US 8,903,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/323
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/2028 with means for handling the copy material in the fixing nip, e.g. introduction guides, stripping means

Abstract

A media stripper mechanism includes a stripping member. The stripping member has a stripping edge extending in an axial, longitudinal direction of the rotary member for contacting the recording medium upon exiting the nip, and a guide surface extending from the stripping edge for guiding the recording medium after stripping from the rotary member. The guide surface exhibits a maximum height roughness Rz of approximately 10 to 18 micrometers.

Claims

1. A media stripper mechanism for stripping a recording medium from a rotary member disposed opposite another rotary member to form a nip therebetween, the mechanism comprising:

a stripping member having a stripping edge extending in an axial, longitudinal direction of the rotary member for contacting the recording medium upon exiting the nip, and a guide surface extending from the stripping edge for guiding the recording medium after stripping from the rotary member, the guide surface exhibiting a maximum height roughness Rz of approximately 10 to 18 micrometers.

2. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the stripping edge contacts the rotary member.

3. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the stripping edge is spaced apart from the rotary member.

4. The mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a position adjuster connected with the stripping member to position the stripping edge thereof with respect to the rotary member.

5. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the stripping member comprises a plurality of stripping fingers arranged in the axial direction of the rotary member.

6. The mechanism according to claim 5, wherein each stripping finger comprises:

a base member having a rotational axis around which the stripping finger is freely rotatable; and

a finger tip connected to the base member to form the stripping edge for contacting the recording medium upon exiting the nip.

7. The mechanism according to claim 6, further comprising:

a mount on which the plurality of stripping fingers is supported;

a screw disposed between the mount and each stripping finger; and

a compression spring disposed around the screw shank,

wherein turning the screw causes the stripping finger to rotate around the rotational axis to allow positioning of the stripping edge with respect to the rotary member.

8. The mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the base member and the finger tip comprise separate parts of elastic materials combined together by insert molding into a single, integral component in the shape of a fingernail with a tapered cross section.

9. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the stripping member comprises an elongated stripping plate extending in the axial direction of the rotary member.

10. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the stripping member extends across a maximum compatible width of recording medium accommodated in the nip in the axial direction of the rotary member.

11. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the stripping member is a molded piece of fluorine resin.

12. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the stripping member is a molded piece of material selected from the group consisting of polyether ether ketone, polyamide-imide, polyimide, and combinations thereof, at least part of the molded piece being covered with a coating of fluorine resin.

13. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the rotary member comprises a rotary fixing member for fixing a toner image in place on the recording medium.

14. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the rotary member comprises a rotary transfer member for transferring a toner image onto the recording medium from an image bearing surface.

15. An image forming apparatus employing the mechanism according to claim 1.

16. A media stripper mechanism for stripping a recording medium, the mechanism comprising:

a stripping member having a stripping edge extending in an axial, longitudinal direction for contacting the recording medium, and a guide surface extending from the stripping edge for guiding the recording medium after stripping, the guide surface exhibiting a maximum height roughness Rz of approximately 10 to 18 micrometers.