Electrophotography – Having particular structure – Modular or displaceable
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-06
2003-04-15
Pendegrass, Joan (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Having particular structure
Modular or displaceable
C399S124000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06549740
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device used in an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, printer, or facsimile apparatus using the electro-photographic way, and to an image forming apparatus provided with the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a fixing device used in an image forming apparatus comprises a pair of rollers, namely, a heating roller and a pressing roller, arranged inside a box-shaped metal housing constructed by attaching metal stays to a metal frame.
FIG. 35
is a sectional view showing a conventional fixing device
90
. In the fixing device
90
, a box-shaped metal housing is formed by uniting a lower stay base
91
and an upper stay base
92
of metallic material, as shown by hatched lines, by means of front and rear side plates made of metallic material (not illustrated).
A heating roller
93
, a pressing roller
94
, and a thermostat
95
and thermistor
96
which constitute a temperature detection sensor for detecting the temperature of the heating roller
93
are arranged inside the metal housing. Furthermore, a guide member
97
for guiding recording paper conveyed into the fixing device
90
, a guide member
98
for guiding recording paper conveyed out from the fixing device
90
, a separator unit
99
for separating the recording paper from the heating roller
93
, a plurality of outer covers
100
made of synthetic resin for covering the outer surface of the metallic housing and the like are mounted on the outside of the metal housing.
However, in this construction, mounting parts are required according to components mounted in the metal housing, which consequently increases the number of parts constituting the fixing device
90
. Also, a number of parts are mounted from various directions with respect to the housing, thereby complicating the assembly operation.
Moreover, in such fixing device, the housing is conventionally made to be separable along the path X—X in
FIG. 35
that is the travel route of recording paper to handle paper blockages or jamming and other troubles.
However, in order to achieve positional accuracy of the heating roller
14
and the pressing roller
15
in such a construction, it is necessary to adopt a structure that two parts constituting the housing are firmly connected with each other while being separable. Consequently, it is necessary to use a material having a high strength such as metal and/or to provide reinforcing members in order to assure the necessary strength of the housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fixing device which assures easier assembly, and an image forming apparatus which is provided with the same.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a fixing device for use in an image forming apparatus in which a toner image is transferred and fixed on recording paper, comprises a housing made of a heat-resistant resin and having an outside surface which constitutes an outside surface of the fixing device. The housing includes a first casing and a second casing which are separable along the conveyance direction of recording paper in the fixing device (i.e., the direction of conveyance of the recording paper in its passage through the fixing device), and a mount section provided on an inside surface thereof for holding a pair of rollers in a predetermined position in the fixing device.
With this construction, since the pair of rollers are both supported in one of the two casings, the housing is not required to be provided in its entirety with the necessary high strength needed to assure the mutual positional registration of the pair of rollers while enabling separation of the housing. Consequently, the housing can be made of heat-resistant resin, while ensuring the required housing strength, and therefore it is possible to achieve a structure in which various components are readily assembled.
The pair of rollers may be supported in one of the casings which thus enables the easy assembling of the fixing device with the pair of rollers are mounted in that casing, and the other casing is thereafter on the first casing.
These and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments/examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5528345 (1996-06-01), Hasegawa
patent: 5991572 (1999-11-01), Cho
Uchida Shin-ichi
Yoneda Shinsaku
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Kyocera Corporation
Pendegrass Joan
LandOfFree
Image forming apparatus and fixing device therefor does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image forming apparatus and fixing device therefor, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image forming apparatus and fixing device therefor will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3059916