Fixing device and image forming apparatus

• US 8,032,047 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Aida, Koji, Shiobara, Toshimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Dole; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US12/453,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20090238596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 399 67- 69, 399/328, 399/330, 399/331
• US Class Current: 399/69
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/2039 with means for controlling the fixing temperature

Abstract

A fixing device includes a non-contacting thermistor (54) disposed in the vicinity of the surface of a heat roller (21) and an upper cover temperature thermistor (60) for detecting the temperature of a pressure roller (22). The calculated surface temperature (T) of the heat roller 21 is calculated based on the detected temperature (T1) detected by the non-contacting thermistor (54), the detected temperature (T2) detected by the upper cover temperature thermistor (60), the distance (L1) from the non-contacting thermistor (54) to the surface of the heat roller (21) and the distance (L2) from the non-contacting thermistor (54) to the upper cover (51).

Claims

1. A fixing device for fixing a developer image to a recording medium, said fixing device comprising:

a heat source;

a heating member heated by said heat source so as to heat said recording medium;

a pressing member disposed in contact with said heating member, said pressing member having no heat source;

a first temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of said heating member, and is remote from said heating member;

a second temperature detecting unit disposed in contact with said pressing member, said second temperature detecting unit detecting a temperature transmitted from said heating member;

a control unit that compensates a detected temperature detected by said first temperature detecting unit based on a detected temperature detected by said second temperature detecting unit, and controls said heat source based on a compensated detected temperature; and

a cover provided so as to cover said heating member, said cover having an insertion opening through which said recording medium is fed into said cover and an ejection opening through which said recording medium is fed out of said cover, said cover further having a partition wall so that a substantially closed space is formed by said partition wall and a surface of said heating member, said partition wall being configured to isolate said substantially enclosed space from said insertion opening and said ejection opening,

wherein said first temperature detecting unit is disposed in said substantially closed space.

2. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein said pressing member is urged against said heating member so as to nip said recording medium therebetween,

wherein said second temperature detecting unit detects a temperature of said pressing member.

3. An image forming apparatus having said fixing device according to claim 1, said image forming apparatus further comprising:

a medium feeding unit that feeds said recording medium; and

an image forming unit that forms a developer image on said recording medium,

wherein said fixing device fixes said developer image on said recording medium.

4. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein temperature detections by said first temperature detecting unit and said second temperature detecting unit are performed after said heating member and said pressing member start rotating.

5. The fixing device according to claim 4, wherein said control unit controls said heating member based on a calculated surface temperature T of said heating member based on the following equation:

T=T1+(a*T_N3)+b

where T1 indicates a detected temperature detected by said first temperature detecting unit, T_N3 indicates a detected temperature detected by said second temperature detecting unit, and a and b are constants.

6. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein said control unit determines whether said temperature detected by said first temperature detecting unit reaches a rotation starting temperature or not, and starts rotating said heating member and said pressing member when said temperature reaches said rotation starting temperature.

7. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein a first end of said first temperature detecting unit has a detecting portion and is disposed in said substantially enclosed space, and a second end of said first temperature detecting unit is fixed to said cover.

8. The fixing device according to claim 7, wherein said second temperature detecting unit is fixed to said cover at an end of said second temperature detecting unit farthest from a portion where said second temperature detecting unit contacts said pressing member.

9. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein, in a longitudinal direction of said heating member, a length of said partition wall is shorter than a length of said heating member.

10. The fixing device according to claim 9, wherein said cover has an outer wall,

wherein, in said longitudinal direction of said heating member, a length of said outer wall is longer than the length of said heating member;

wherein said partition wall extends from a part of said outer wall toward said heating member so that an end of said partition wall faces said heating member.

11. A fixing device for fixing a developer image to a recording medium, said fixing device comprising:

a heat source;

a heating member heated by said heat source so as to heat said recording medium;

a pressing member disposed in contact with said heating member, said pressing member having no heat source;

a first temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of said heating member, and is remote from said heating member;

a second temperature detecting unit disposed in contact with said pressing member, said second temperature detecting unit detecting a temperature transmitted from said heating member;

a control unit that compensates a detected temperature detected by said first temperature detecting unit based on a detected temperature detected by said second temperature detecting unit, and controls said heat source based on a compensated detected temperature;

wherein temperature detections by said first temperature detecting unit and said second temperature detecting unit are performed after said heating member and said pressing member start rotating,

wherein said control unit controls said heating member based on a calculated surface temperature T of said heating member based on the following equation;

T=T1+(a*T_N3)+b

where T1 indicates a detected temperature detected by said first temperature detecting unit, T_N3 indicates a detected temperature detected by said second temperature detecting unit, and a and b are constants,

wherein said control unit determines an accumulated temperature index Q according to the following equation;

Q={c*T1(start)+τ

*T3(start)+∫

(κ

(T1+T3)}dt

where T1 (start) and T3 (start) respectively indicate temperatures detected by said first temperature detecting unit and said second temperature detecting unit when said heating source is turned on, c, τ and

κ

are constants, and

wherein, when said accumulated temperature index Q is less than a predetermined value Qs, said control unit determines said calculated surface temperature T of said heating member based on the above equation and

wherein, when said accumulated temperature index Q is greater than or equal to said predetermined value Qs, said control unit determines said calculated surface temperature T of said heating member based on the following additional equation;

T=T1+d

where d is a constant that has been experimentally determined.