IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS

• US 20140105634A1
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Makoto, Chiba, Takatoshi, Takahashi, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,031,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/90
• 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

Abstract

An image heating apparatus includes a heater for heating an image surface of a recording medium, a plurality of electrodes arrayed at an end of the heater, and a connector including energizing terminals and attached to the end of the heater to energize the electrodes. The connector also includes an engage portion which is engaged with a support member to lock the connector. The connector is configured such that an engage position of the engage portion is located between the energizing terminals located at both ends.

Claims

1. An image heating apparatus, comprising:

a belt member configured to heat an image on a recording medium;

a support member configured to rotatably support a longitudinal end of the belt member and to include a first engage portion;

a heating member including a plurality of electrodes arrayed at an longitudinal end thereof and configured to heat the belt member by being energized through the plurality of electrodes; and

a connector including a plurality of energizing terminals connected respectively to the plurality of electrodes and attached to the longitudinal end of the heating member; and

a second engage portion that engages with the first engage portion to lock the connector and the heating member, the second engage portion engaging with the first engage portion such that a center in an array direction in which the electrodes are arrayed of the second engage portion is located between centers in the array direction of first and second end energizing terminals located at both ends among the plurality of energizing terminals.

2. The image heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an engage position where the first engage portion engages with the second engage portion is disposed in a vicinity of a center position between the first and second end energizing terminals in the array direction.

3. The image heating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the array direction is a longitudinal direction of the belt member;

and

the engage position of the first and second engage portions is disposed on a side distant in the longitudinal direction from a support member body more than the center position between the first and second end energizing terminals.

4. The image heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the array direction is a longitudinal direction of the belt member;

and

the connector is attached so as to sandwich the longitudinal end of the heating member in an intersection direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction and includes a wiring line extending in the intersection direction.

5. The image heating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the connector is attached so as to sandwich the longitudinal end of the heating member in an intersection direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction and includes a wiring line extending in the intersection direction.

6. The image heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second engage portion is an arm member whose base is fixed to a connector body and, in response to an attachment motion of the connector, which engages with the first engage portion by moving elastically in a direction vertical to an attachment direction in which the connector is attached;

and

the first engage portion is a project portion provided from the support member body so as to project in a manner of a cantilever beam toward an outside in a longitudinal direction of the belt member.

7. The image heating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a guide member configured to support the heating member and to guide rotation of the belt member;

wherein the connector locks ends of the heating member and the guide member in a direction of thickness thereof.

8. The image heating apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a guide member configured to support the heating member and to guide rotation of the belt member;

wherein the connector locks ends of the heating member and the guide member in a direction of thickness thereof.

9. The image heating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the guide member includes a projection;

the connector has a connector body including a guide groove that engages with the projection of the guide member and defines a position of the connector; and

the engage position of the first and second engage portions is shifted from a position where the projection engages with the guide groove.

10. The image heating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first and second engage portions engage at a position where the connector butts against the guide member in response to the attachment motion of the connector.

11. The image heating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure contact roller configured to come into pressure contact with the heating member through an intermediary of the belt member and to form a nip portion with the belt member;

and

a pressure mechanism configured to press the support member toward the pressure contact roller such that a pressure at the nip portion is variable.