Wrinkle prevented thermal fixing device and image forming apparatus Number:7,113,716 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent

Title: Wrinkle prevented thermal fixing device and image forming apparatus

Abstract: A thermal fixing device includes: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

Patent Number: 7,113,716 Issued on 09/26/2006 to Tomatsu

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Inventors:	Tomatsu; Yoshiya (Kasugai, JP)
Assignee:	Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Nagoya, JP)
Appl. No.:	10/799,634
Filed:	March 15, 2004

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Foreign Application Priority Data

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Mar 14, 2003 [JP]			2003-070559

Current U.S. Class:	399/67 ; 399/329; 399/68; 399/69
Current International Class:	G03G 15/20 (20060101)
Field of Search:	399/67,322,328,329,331,333,68,69

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References Cited [Referenced By]

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U.S. Patent Documents

	4315682		February 1982		Parzanici
	5245393		September 1993		Storlie et al.
	5255060		October 1993		Chikano
	5623331		April 1997		Kaneko et al.
	5893019		April 1999		Yoda et al.
	5987294		November 1999		Yoda et al.

Foreign Patent Documents

	A 63-85777		Apr., 1988		JP
	A 5-6118		Jan., 1993		JP
	A 10-31388		Feb., 1998		JP
	A 10-222002		Aug., 1998		JP
	A 2001-175114		Jun., 2001		JP

Primary Examiner: Royer; William J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

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Claims

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What is claimed is:

1. A thermal fixing device comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; wherein the changeover unit changes over the pressing force per unit area of the first pressing member and the pressing force per unit area of the second pressing member between a first state and a second state in which the pressing force per unit area of the first pressing member and the pressing force per unit area of the second pressing member are lower than those in the first state.

2. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the changeover unit performs the changeover so that a ratio of the pressing force per unit area of the second pressing member in the second state to the pressing force per unit area of the second pressing member in the first state is smaller than a ratio of the pressing force per unit area of the first pressing member in the second state to the pressing force per unit area of the first pressing member in the first state.

3. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a heating unit that generates heat for heating the fixing member by applied electricity; a detecting unit that detects temperature of the fixing member; and a controller that controls the heating unit on the basis of the temperature of the fixing member detected by the detecting unit, wherein the controller controls, in the first state, the heating unit so that the temperature of the fixing member for fixing onto the fixation medium a medium to be fixed is set to a first temperature, and controls, in the second state, the heating unit so that the temperature of the fixing member for fixing onto the fixation medium the medium to be fixed is set to a second temperature higher than the first temperature.

4. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a driving unit that drives the first pressing member and the second pressing member; and a controller that controls the driving unit to control a conveyance speed of the fixation medium held between the fixing member, the first pressing member and the second pressing member, wherein the controller controls the driving unit so that in the first state, the conveyance speed is set to a first conveyance speed, and controls the driving unit so that in the second state, the conveyance speed is set to a second conveyance speed lower than the first conveyance speed.

5. A thermal fixing device comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; wherein the changeover unit comprises: a holding member that holds the first pressing member and the second pressing member; a supporting member that swingably supports the holding member at a position upstream in the conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to a holding portion of the holding member for the second pressing member; and a swinging member that swings the holding member using the supporting member as a fulcrum.

6. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the supporting member supports the holding member swingably at a position upstream in the conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to a holding portion of the holding member for the first pressing member.

7. A thermal fixing device comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; wherein the changeover unit comprises an operation member configured to be operated by an operator to change over the pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

8. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein a holding member is provided at each of both ends of the first pressing member and the second pressing member in a longitudinal direction, and wherein the changeover unit comprises an interlocking member for swinging a respective holding members in conjunction with each other by the operation of the operation member.

9. A thermal fixing device comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; wherein a friction coefficient of the second pressing member to the fixation medium is equal to or larger than a friction coefficient of the first pressing member to the fixation medium.

10. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a friction coefficient of the fixing member to the fixation medium is equal to or larger than the friction coefficient of the second pressing member to the fixation medium.

11. A thermal fixing device comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; wherein the first pressing member comprises a first pressure roller, the second pressing member comprises a second pressure roller, wherein the thermal fixing device further comprises a driving unit that drives the first pressure roller and the second pressure roller, and a controller that controls the driving unit, and wherein the controller controls the driving unit so that a peripheral speed of the second pressure roller is higher than a peripheral speed of the first pressure roller.

12. A thermal fixing device comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; and a cleaning member configured to be in contact with the first pressing member and the second pressing member and cleans the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

13. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fixing member has a fixation area configured to be in contact with the fixation medium, and wherein the cleaning member is disposed to face the fixing member and has a length longer than the fixation area in a longitudinal direction.

14. A thermal fixing device comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; and an endless belt stretched between the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

15. A thermal fixing device comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member, wherein a friction coefficient of the second pressing member to the fixation medium is equal to or larger than a friction coefficient of the first pressing member to the fixation medium.

16. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein a friction coefficient of the fixing member to the fixation medium is equal to or larger than the friction coefficient of the second pressing member to the fixation medium.

17. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the fixing member comprises a fixing roller, the first pressing member comprises a first pressure roller, and the second pressing member comprises a second pressure roller, and wherein a rotation center of the second pressure roller is disposed at a farther side from the fixing roller with respect to a tangent line of the fixing roller at a most downstream position of a contact portion between the fixing roller and the first pressure roller in the conveyance direction of the fixation medium.

18. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first pressing member comprises a first pressure roller, the second pressing member comprises a second pressure roller, wherein the thermal fixing device further comprises a driving unit that drives the first pressure roller and the second pressure roller, and a controller that controls the driving unit, and wherein the controller controls the driving unit so that a peripheral speed of the second pressure roller is higher than a peripheral speed of the first pressure roller.

19. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a cleaning member configured to be in contact with the first pressing member and the second pressing member and cleans the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

20. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the fixing member has a fixation area configured to be in contact with the fixation medium, and wherein the cleaning member is disposed to face the fixing member and has a length longer than the fixation area in a longitudinal direction.

21. The thermal fixing device as claimed in claim 15 further comprises an endless belt stretched between the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

22. An image forming apparatus comprising: a sheet feeding section configured to feed a sheet as a fixation medium; and an image forming section having a thermal fixing device and configured to form an image on the sheet fed by the sheet feeding section, wherein the thermal fixing device comprises: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member, wherein a friction coefficient of the second pressing member to the fixation medium is equal to or larger than a friction coefficient of the first pressing member to the fixation medium.

23. An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; wherein the changeover unit changes over the pressing force per unit area of the first pressing member and the pressing force per unit area of the second pressing member between a first state and a second state in which the pressing force per unit area of the first pressing member and the pressing force per unit area of the second pressing member are lower than those in the first state.

24. An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; wherein the changeover unit comprises: a holding member that holds the first pressing member and the second pressing member; a supporting member that swingably supports the holding member at a position upstream in the conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to a holding portion of the holding member for the second pressing member; and a swinging member that swings the holding member using the supporting member as a fulcrum.

25. An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; wherein the changeover unit comprises an operation member configured to be operated by an operator to change over the pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

26. An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; wherein a friction coefficient of the second pressing member to the fixation medium is equal to or larger than a friction coefficient of the first pressing member to the fixation medium.

27. An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; wherein the first pressing member comprises a first pressure roller, the second pressing member comprises a second pressure roller, wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a driving unit that drives the first pressure roller and the second pressure roller, and a controller that controls the driving unit, and wherein the controller controls the driving unit so that a peripheral speed of the second pressure roller is higher than a peripheral speed of the first pressure roller.

28. An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; and a cleaning member configured to be in contact with the first pressing member and the second pressing member and cleans the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

29. An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and presses the fixation medium to the fixing member; a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member; and an endless belt stretched between the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

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Description

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BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a thermal fixing device and an image forming apparatus including the thermal fixing device.

An image forming apparatus such as a laser printer is generally provided with a thermal fixing device including a heat roller and a pressure roller, and a toner transferred onto a sheet is thermally fixed during a period when the sheet passes between the heat roller and the pressure roller.

In such a thermal fixing device, there is known one in which in order to increase a contact area between a heat roller and a sheet and to achieve quick and certain fixation, plural pressure rollers are provided in a conveyance direction of the sheet.

However, when the plural pressure rollers are provided, as the contact area of the sheet with the heat roller is increased, a curved portion along the curvature of the heat roller is increased. Thus, there is a disadvantage that for example, in the case where an envelope formed of a double paper or the like is fixed, a shift in the amount of conveyance occurs between its front sheet coming in contact with the heat roller and its back sheet coming in contact with the pressure roller, and wrinkles are apt to occur.

Thus, for example, JP-A-5-006118 proposes that a nip width of each of the pressure rollers to a fixing roller is made 2.5 mm or less to prevent wrinkles from occurring when an envelope is fixed.

SUMMARY

However, even if the nip width of each of the pressure rollers is made 2.5 mm or less, this is insufficient to prevent the occurrence of wrinkles sufficiently.

One of objects of the invention is to provide a thermal fixing device that can prevent the occurrence of wrinkles of a fixation medium, and an image forming apparatus including the thermal fixing device.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a thermal fixing device including: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and press the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and press the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a thermal fixing device including: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and press the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and press the fixation medium to the fixing member, wherein a friction coefficient of the second pressing member to the fixation medium is equal to or larger than a friction coefficient of the first pressing member to the fixation medium.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including: a sheet feeding section configured to feed a sheet as a fixation medium; and an image forming section having a thermal fixing device and configured to form an image on the sheet fed by the sheet feeding section, wherein the thermal fixing device includes: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and press the fixation medium to the fixing member; a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and press the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a changeover unit configured to change over a pressing force per unit area of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including: a sheet feeding section configured to feed a sheet as a fixation medium; and an image forming section having a thermal fixing device and configured to form an image on the sheet fed by the sheet feeding section, wherein the thermal fixing device includes: a fixing member configured to be in contact with a fixation medium; a first pressing member disposed to face the fixing member and press the fixation medium to the fixing member; and a second pressing member disposed to face the fixing member at a position downstream in a conveyance direction of the fixation medium with respect to the first pressing member and press the fixation medium to the fixing member, wherein a friction coefficient of the second pressing member to the fixation medium is equal to or larger than a friction coefficient of the first pressing member to the fixation medium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a main part side sectional view showing an embodiment of a laser printer as an image forming apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a main part perspective view showing a state where an upper frame of a fixing part of the laser printer shown in FIG. 1 is removed;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the fixing part shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view (normal mode) corresponding to line IV--IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view (normal mode) corresponding to line V--V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view (envelope mode) corresponding to the line IV--IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view (envelope mode) corresponding to the line V--V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view (release mode) corresponding to the line V--V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view for explaining the disposition of a second pressure roller in the fixing part shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a correlation view showing a relation between fluidity of toner and temperature;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view (example in which an endless belt is mounted in the normal mode) corresponding to the line IV--IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 13 is a schematic side view showing an example in which a cleaning roller is provided in the fixing part shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 14 is a schematic front view of the example of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a schematic side view showing an example in which a reflector and two thermistors are provided in the fixing part shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 16A is a front view of a support plate of the fixing part, and

FIG. 16B is a front view of a holder plate of the fixing part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, a description will be given in detail of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a main part side sectional view showing an embodiment of a laser printer as an image forming apparatus of the invention. In FIG. 1, a laser printer 1 includes a sheet feeding section 4 for feeding a sheet 3 as a fixation medium, an image forming section 5 for forming an image on the fed sheet 3, and the like in a main body casing 2.

In the following description, as to the main body casing 2, a side where a multipurpose tray 14 is provided is called a front side, and a side where a rear cover 2a is provided is called a rear side.

The sheet feeding section 4 includes a sheet feed tray 6, a sheet press plate 7 provided in the sheet feed tray 6, a sheet feed roller 8 and a sheet feed part 9 which are provided above one end side end part of the sheet feed tray 6, paper dust removal rollers 10 and 11 provided downstream in a conveyance direction of the sheet 3 (hereinafter, the downstream in the conveyance direction of the sheet 3 is simply referred to as "conveyance direction downstream", and the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the sheet 3 is simply referred to as "conveyance direction upstream side", and a description will be made) with respect to the sheet feed roller 8, and a registration roller 12 provided at the conveyance direction downstream with respect to the paper dust removal rollers 10 and 11.

The sheet press plate 7 can be stacked with the sheets 3 in a laminate state, and is swingably supported at a farther end with respect to the sheet feed roller 8 so that a nearer end can be moved vertically, and is urged upward by a not-shown spring from its backside. Thus, as the amount of stacking of the sheets 3 is increased, the sheet press plate 7 is swung downward against the urging force of the spring, while the farther end with respect to the sheet feed roller 8 is made a fulcrum. The sheet feed roller 8 and the sheet feed part 9 are disposed to face each other, and the sheet feed part 9 is pressed to the sheet feed roller 8 by a spring 13 provided at the backside of the paper sheet part 9.

The uppermost sheet 3 on the sheet press plate 7 is pressed toward the sheet feed roller 8 from the backside of the sheet press plate 7 by a not-shown spring, and after the sheet is held between the sheet feed roller 8 and the sheet feed part 9, the sheet feed roller 8 is rotated, so that the sheets 3 are fed one by one. Then, the paper dust on the fed sheet 3 is removed by the paper dust removal rollers 10 and 11, and then, the sheet is fed to the registration roller 12.

The registration roller 12 has a pair of rollers, and sends the sheet 3 to an image formation position after registration. Incidentally, the image formation position is a transfer position where a toner image on a photosensitive drum 29 is transferred to the sheet 3, and is, in this embodiment, a contact position between the photosensitive drum 29 and a transfer roller 31.

The sheet feeding section 4 includes the multipurpose tray 14, a multipurpose side sheet feed roller 15 for feeding the sheet 3 stacked on the multipurpose tray 14 and a multipurpose side sheet feed part 16. The multipurpose side sheet feed roller 15 and the multipurpose side sheet feed part 16 are disposed to face each other, and the multipurpose side sheet feed part 16 is pressed to the multipurpose side sheet feed roller 15 by a spring 17 provided at the backside of the multipurpose side sheet feed part 16. The sheet 3 stacked on the multipurpose tray 14 is held between the multipurpose side sheet feed roller 15 and the multipurpose side sheet feed part 16 by the rotation of the multipurpose side sheet feed roller 15, and then, the sheets 3 are fed one by one. Then, the fed sheet 3 is sent to the registration roller 12 after the paper dust thereon is removed by the paper dust removal roller 11.

The image formation section 5 includes a scanner part 18, a process part 19, a fixing part 20 as a thermal fixing device, and the like.

The scanner part 18 is provided at an upper part in the main body casing 2, and includes a laser emission part (not shown), a polygon mirror 21 driven to be rotated, lenses 22 and 23, reflecting mirrors 24, 25 and 26, and the like. A laser beam emitted from the laser emission part and based on image data passes through or is reflected by the polygon mirror 21, the lens 22, the reflecting mirrors 24 and 25, the lens 23 and the reflecting mirror 26 in sequence as indicated by a chain line, and is irradiated onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 29 of the process part 19 by high speed scanning.

The process part 19 is disposed below the scanner part 18, and includes, in a drum cartridge 27 detachably mounted to the main body casing 2, a development cartridge 28, the photosensitive drum 29, a scorotron type charging unit 30, the transfer roller 31 and the like.

The development cartridge 28 is detachably mounted to the drum cartridge 27, and includes a developing roller 32, a layer thickness regulating blade 33, a supply roller 34, a toner hopper 35 and the like.

The toner hopper 35 is filled with, as a developing agent of a medium to be fixed, a positive charging nonmagnetic one-component toner. As the toner, a polymerized toner is used which is obtained by copolymerizing a polymerizable monomer, for example, styrene monomer such as styrene, or acrylic monomer such as acrylic acid, alkyl (C1 to C4) acrylate, or alkyl (C1 to C4) methacrylate by a well-known polymerization method such as suspension polymerization. The polymerized toner as stated above has roughly a spherical-letter shape and excellent fluidity. Therefore, high quality image formation can be achieved by using the polymerized toner.

The toner as stated above is mixed with wax or a coloring agent such as carbon black, and is added with an additive such as silica in order to improve the fluidity. The particle diameter of the toner is in a range from 6 .mu.m to 10 .mu.m.

In the laser printer 1, there is used a toner having a glass transition point (Tg) of, for example, 70.degree. C. and a softening point of, for example, 120.degree. C.

The toner in the toner hopper 35 is agitated in an arrow direction (clockwise direction) by an agitator 37 supported by a rotation shaft 36 provided at the center of the toner hopper 35, and is discharged through a toner supply port 38 opening to the supply roller 34 from the toner hopper 35. Both side walls of the toner hopper 35 are provided with windows 39 for detection of the residual amount of toner, and the residual amount of the toner in the toner hopper 35 can be detected. The window 39 is cleaned by a cleaner 40 supported by the rotation shaft 36.

The supply roller 34 is rotatably disposed at a facing position of the opposite side to the toner hopper 35 with respect to the toner supply port 38, and the developing roller 32 is rotatably disposed to face the supply roller 34. The supply roller 34 and the developing roller 32 are in contact with each other in such a state that they are respectively compressed in some degree.

The supply roller 34 is such that a roller made of conductive foam material covers a roller shaft made of metal, and is driven to be rotated in an arrow direction (counterclockwise direction) by a motor 85 (see FIG. 4) as a driving unit.

The developing roller 32 is such that a roller made of conductive rubber material covers a roller shaft made of metal. More specifically, the roller of the developing roller 32 is such that the surface of a roller main body made of conductive urethane rubber or silicone rubber containing carbon fine particles or the like is covered with a coat layer of urethane rubber containing fluorine or silicone rubber. At the time of development, a development bias is applied to the developing roller 32 from a not-shown power source, and the roller is driven to be rotated in an arrow direction (counterclockwise direction) by the motor 85 (see FIG. 4).

The layer thickness regulating blade 33 is disposed in the vicinity of the developing roller 32. The layer thickness regulating blade 33 includes a press part 41 made of insulating silicone rubber and having a semicircular section at a tip part of a blade main body made of a metal plate spring member, and is supported by the development cartridge 28 in the vicinity of the developing roller 32, and the press part 41 is provided so as to be pressed onto the developing roller 32 by the elastic force of the blade main body.

The toner discharged from the toner supply port 38 is supplied to the developing roller 32 by the rotation of the supply roller 34, and is positively charged at this time by the friction between the supply roller 34 and the developing roller 32, and further, the toner supplied onto the developing roller 32 enters between the press part 41 of the layer thickness regulating blade 33 and the developing roller 32 in accordance with the rotation of the developing roller 32, and is supported as a thin layer having a specified thickness on the developing roller 32.

The photosensitive drum 29 is rotatably supported at a facing position of an opposite side to the supply roller 34 with respect to the developing roller 32 and in the drum cartridge 27. The photosensitive drum 29 includes a grounded drum main body, its surface is formed of a positively-charged photosensitive layer made of polycarbonate or the like, and the photosensitive drum 29 is driven to be rotated in an arrow direction (clockwise direction) by the motor 85 (see FIG. 4).

The scorotron type charging unit 30 is disposed above the photosensitive drum 29 to face it and to be spaced therefrom by a specified interval so as not to come in contact with the photosensitive drum 29. The scorotron type charging unit 30 is a scorotron type charging unit for positive charging and for generating corona discharge from a charging wire of tungsten or the like, and is provided to uniformly and positively charge the surface of the photosensitive drum 29 by application of voltage from a not-shown power source.

The transfer roller 31 is disposed below the photosensitive drum 29 to face the photosensitive drum 29, and is rotatably supported by the drum cartridge 27. The transfer roller 31 is such that a roller made of conductive rubber material covers a roller shaft made of metal, and at the time of transfer, a transfer bias is applied from a not-shown power source, and the transfer roller 31 is driven to be rotated in an arrow direction (counterclockwise direction) by the motor 85 (see FIG. 4).

The surface of the photosensitive drum 29 is first charged uniformly and positively by the scorotron type charging unit 30 with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 29, and next, an electrostatic latent image is formed by a laser beam from the scanner part 18, and then, the photosensitive drum 29 faces the developing roller 32. When the toner supported on the developing roller 32 and positively charged faces and comes in contact with the photosensitive drum 29, the toner is supplied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 29, that is, to the exposed portion of the uniformly positively charged photosensitive drum 29, which is exposed by the laser beam and whose potential is lowered, and the toner is selectively supported, so that the toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 29. As a result, reversal development is achieved.

Thereafter, the toner image supported on the surface of the photosensitive drum 29 is transferred to the sheet 3 by a transfer bias applied to the transfer roller 31 while the sheet 3 passes between the photosensitive drum 29 and the transfer roller 31.

The fixing part 20 is disposed at the conveyance direction downstream with respect to the process part 19, and includes, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, a heat roller 42 as a fixing member and a fixing roller, a fixing heater 43 as a heating unit, a first pressure roller 44 as a first pressing member, a second pressure roller 45 as a second pressing member, a pressure changeover mechanism part 46 as a changeover unit, plural (four, in the embodiment) peeling pawls 47, a thermistor 48 as a temperature detecting unit, plural (two, in the embodiment) thermostats 49, and a conveyance mechanism part 50, and these are supported by a fixation frame 51.

The fixation frame 51 includes, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a lower frame 52 having substantially a C-letter shape when viewed in front, and includes, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, an upper frame 53 covering the lower frame 52 from above and having substantially an L-letter shape when viewed from a side.

The lower frame 52 includes, as shown in FIG. 2, a bottom plate 54, and two side plates 55 standing upward from both sides of the bottom plate 54 in a width direction (direction orthogonal to a front-to-rear direction when viewed in front).

The bottom plate 54 is disposed below the heat roller 42 and along the axial direction of the heat roller 42. At both the sides of the bottom plate 54 in the width direction, as shown in FIG. 5, there are formed cutout parts 56 for receiving lower expansion parts 64 of after-mentioned holder plates 59 so as to allow their advance and retreat. At front end parts of the bottom plate 54 at both the sides in the width direction, support plates 57 as supporting members for supporting front end parts of the holder plates 59 are formed to stand upward.

The respective side plates 55 are, as shown in FIG. 2, formed to face each other at both sides of the heat roller 42 in the axial direction, and bearing members 58 for rotatably supporting the heat roller 42 are respectively provided at the respective side plates 55. Each of the bearing members 58 is formed into a ring shape having an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of the heat roller 42 so that the outer peripheral surface of the heat roller 42 can be rotatably borne. Each of the bearing members 58 is formed of a material (for example, polyphenylene sulfide: melting point of 280.degree. C.) which is softened when the temperature exceeds the thermal fixation temperature at which the toner image transferred onto the sheet 3 is thermally fixed.

A shaft support part 73 provided with a support hole for rotatably supporting an after-mentioned interlocking shaft 61 is formed at a rear side lower end part of each of the side plates 55 so as to expand downward. Besides, a long hole 75 for slidably receiving an after-mentioned swing shaft 74 is formed in the vicinity of the front of each of the shaft support parts 73 and in the vertical direction.

An erection plate 82 laid between the respective side plates 55 is provided at the lower frame 52. The erection plate 82 has, as shown in FIG. 5, a substantially L-letter shaped section, is disposed between the heat roller 42 and an after-mentioned conveyance roller 90 in the conveyance direction of the sheet 3, and is supported, as shown in FIG. 2, between the respective side plates 55 so that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the axial direction of the heat roller 42.

Pinch roller support parts 83 for supporting after-mentioned pinch rollers 91 of the conveyance mechanism part 50 are provided at this erection plate 82. The plural (four) pinch roller support parts 83 are provided at specified intervals along the axial direction of the heat roller 42.

At the lower frame 52, a heat roller drive gear 84 externally fitted to the bearing member 58 and an input gear 86 which is disposed at the side of the heat roller drive gear 84 to engage with the heat roller drive gear 84 and to which power from the motor 85 (see FIG. 4) is inputted are provided at one of the side plates 55.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, an upper frame 53 is attached to the respective side plates 55 of the lower frame 52 so as to cover the front and the upper part of the heat roller 42.

The heat roller 42 is formed into a cylindrical shape by drawing of metal such as aluminum, and a coating layer of fluorocarbon polymer, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene is provided on its outer peripheral surface.

The surface roughness Rz of the coating layer is configured to be 1.2.

With respect to the heat roller 42, as shown in FIG. 2, both end parts thereof in the axial direction are press inserted in the bearing members 58, and it is connected to the motor 85 through the input gear 86 and the heat roller drive gear 84 as shown in FIG. 4. Accordingly, when power is inputted from the motor 85 through the input gear 86 and the heat roller drive gear 84, the heat roller 42 is driven to be rotated in an arrow direction (clockwise direction, see FIG. 1).

The motor 85 is connected to a CPU 87 as a controller, and the rotation speed of the heat roller 42 is controlled through the control of the motor 85 by the CPU 87, whereby the conveyance speed of the sheet 3 held between the heat roller 42 and the first pressure roller 44 and the second pressure roller 45 is set.

The CPU 87 includes therein a ROM storing a program and a RAM temporarily storing data.

The fixing heater 43 is made of a halogen heater or the like for generating heat by applied electricity, is disposed at the axial center in the heat roller 42, and is provided along the axial direction of the heat roller 42 in order to heat the heat roller 42. The fixing heater 43 is, as shown in FIG. 4, connected to the CPU 87, the drive or stop thereof is controlled by the CPU 87, and the surface of the heat roller 42 is kept at a set thermal fixation temperature.

The first pressure roller 44 and the second pressure roller 45 are provided below the heat roller 42 so as to face the heat roller 42 and to be spaced from each other by a specified interval along the conveyance direction of the sheet 3.

The first pressure roller 44 is such that a first roller layer 88 made of heat resistant rubber material covers a first roller shaft 69 made of metal. The first roller layer 88 is coated with a tube of polytetrafluoroethylene which is the same material as the coating layer of the heat roller 42. More specifically, the diameter of the first roller shaft 69 is made, for example, 10 mm, and the roller diameter of the first roller layer 88 is made, for example, 16.5 mm. The rubber material forming the first roller layer 88 has a hardness in a range of from 50 to 55 in Asker C hardness and in a range of from 0.degree. to 10.degree. in JIS A hardness. The surface roughness Rz of the surface of the first pressure roller 44 is made, for example, 0.8.

As to this first pressure roller 44, as described later in FIG. 5, each of axial end parts of the first roller shaft 69 is inserted in a pressure roller attachment groove 65 at the front side of each of the holder plates 59, and is held in a recess part 71 of a pressure receiving member 67. Besides, when the heat roller 42 is driven to be rotated, the first pressure roller 44 follows the rotation driving of the heat roller 42 and is rotated in an arrow direction (counterclockwise direction, see FIG. 1).

As shown in FIG. 4, the second pressure roller 45 is such that a second roller layer 89 made of heat resistant rubber material covers a second roller shaft 70 made of metal. The second roller layer 89 is coated with a tube of polytetrafluoroethylene which is the same material as the coating layer of the heat roller 42. More specifically, the diameter of the second roller shaft 70 is made, for example, 8 mm, and the roller diameter of the second roller layer 89 is made smaller than the roller diameter of the first roller layer 88, for example, 12 mm. The rubber material forming the second roller layer 89 has a hardness in a range of, for example, from 50 to 55 in Asker C hardness and in a range of from 0.degree. to 10.degree. in JIS A hardness.

The surface roughness Rz of the second pressure roller 45 is configured to be, for example, 1.0.

As to this second pressure roller 45, as described later in FIG. 5, each of axial end parts of the second roller shaft 70 is inserted in a pressure roller attachment groove 65 of each of the holder plates 59 at its rear side, and is held in a recess part 71 of a pressure receiving member 67. When the heat roller 42 is driven to be rotated, the second pressure roller 45 follows the rotation driving of the heat roller 42 and is rotated in an arrow direction (counterclockwise direction, see FIG. 1).

The second pressure roller 45 supported as described above is disposed downstream in the conveyance direction of the sheet 3 with respect to the first pressure roller 44, more specifically, is disposed downstream in the rotation direction of the heat roller 42 along the peripheral direction of the heat roller 42 and is spaced from the first pressure roller 44 by a specified interval. As shown in FIG. 10, with respect to a tangent line L1 of the heat roller 42 at a most downstream position X1 of a contact portion between the heat roller 42 and the first pressure roller 44 in the conveyance direction of the sheet 3, a rotation center P1 of the second pressure roller 45 is disposed at a farther side from the heat roller 42.

As described above, when the two rollers of the first pressure roller 44 and the second pressure roller 45 are provided for the one heat roller 42, the contact area of the sheet 3 to the heat roller 42 can be increased. Thus, the sheet 3 can be quickly fixed, and the speed-up of thermal fixation (for example, about 100 mm/sec in printing speed) can be realized. Since the contact area of the sheet 3 to the heat roller 42 can be increased without enlarging the pressure roller, miniaturization can be realized.

In the fixing part 20, the hardness of the surface of the first pressure roller 44 coming in contact with the sheet 3 is set to be higher than the hardness of the surface of the second pressure roller 45 coming in contact with the sheet 3 by selecting the diameter of the first roller shaft 69 of the first pressure roller 44, the roller diameter of the first roller layer 88, the hardness of the rubber material forming the first roller layer 88, the diameter of the second roller shaft 70 of the second pressure roller 45, the roller diameter of the second roller layer 89, and the hardness of the rubber material forming the second roller layer 89.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the pressure changeover mechanism part 46 includes the holder plates 59 as the holding member, operation lever parts 60, the interlocking shaft 61 as a coupling member, and the like.

The holder plate 59 is disposed below the heat roller 42, an upper side peripheral part thereof is formed into a curved shape along the outer peripheral surface of the heat roller 42 when viewed from a side, and it is provided at each of the side plates 55. A locking groove 62 (see FIG. 16B) capable of engaging with a locked groove 57a (see FIG. 16A) formed in the support plate 57 of the lower frame 52 and opening to the above is formed at the front end part of each of the holder plates 59, a rear side protrusion part 63 coming in contact with an after-mentioned lever 76 is formed at the rear end part thereof, and the lower expansion part 64 to be received in the cutout part 56 of the lower frame 52 is formed at the halfway lower end part in the front-to-rear direction, and they are integrally formed. The pressure roller attachment grooves 65 corresponding to the first pressure roller 44 and the second pressure roller 45 are respectively formed in the inside thereof to be spaced from each other by a specified interval in the front-to-rear direction.

The locking groove 62 is formed at the front end part to have substantially an inverted V-letter shape with an opened lower part when viewed from a side (see FIG. 7). The rear side protrusion part 63 is formed so as to protrude from the rear end part of the holder plate 59 toward the rear side. Besides, the lower expansion part 64 is formed so as to expand from the lower end part to form a substantially rectangular shape so that the formation of the front side pressure roller attachment groove 65 can be ensured.

The respective pressure roller attachment grooves 65 are formed to be parallel to each other in the front-to-rear direction and to be spaced from each other by the specified interval in the inside of the holder plate 59.

A spring 66 and the pressure receiving member 67 are provided in each of the pressure roller attachment grooves 65. That is, a locking projection 68 extending toward the rotation center of the heat roller 42 is provided at the deepest part in each of the pressure roller attachment grooves 65, and the spring 66 is externally fitted to the locking projection 68. The recess part 71 for receiving the first roller shaft 69 of the first pressure roller 44 or the second roller shaft 70 of the second pressure roller 45 is formed in each of the pressure receiving members 67, and each of the pressure receiving members 67 is attached to the free end of each of the springs 66.

Each of the holder plates 59 receives the first roller shaft 69 of the first pressure roller 44 in the front side pressure roller attachment groove 65, and elastically holds the first roller shaft 69 on the recess part 71 of the pressure receiving member 67. Each of the holder plates 59 receives the second roller shaft 70 of the second pressure roller 45 in the rear side pressure roller attachment groove 65, and elastically holds the second roller shaft 70 on the recess part 71 of the pressure receiving member 67. In this state, the locking groove 62 of the front end part is inserted to the locked groove 57a of the support plate 57 of the lower frame 52, the bottom of the locking groove 62 comes in contact with the bottom of the locked groove 57a, and each of the holder plates 59 is swingably supported with respect to each of the side plates 55 while the contact part is made a fulcrum. That is, each of the holder plates 59 is supported to be capable of coming in contact with and being separated from the heat roller 42. By locking between the locking groove 62 and the locked groove 57a, the movement of each of the holder plates 59 with respect to each of the side plates 55 is restricted in the direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction. The lower expansion part 64 of the lower end part of each of the holder plates 59 is inserted to the cutout part 56 in such a manner that it can freely advance and retreat, and in the state where the rear side protrusion 63 of the rear end part thereof is in contact with the lever 76, it is swingably supported at each of the side plates 55 while its front end part is made a fulcrum.

The operation lever part 60 is provided at each of the side plates 55 to face the holder plate 59 at the rear side.

Each of the operation lever parts 60 includes the lever 76 as a swinging member, a link member 77, a cam member 78 and the like.

In the lever 76, a substantially rectangular base part 79 and an operation rod 80 as an operation member extending from the base part 79 obliquely rearward are integrally formed. A swing shaft 74 engaged with an opening part of one end part of the link member 77 described next is formed at the lower end part of the base part 79 of this lever 76 so as to protrude toward the inside and the outside in the direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction.

The link member 77 is formed into a substantially rectangular shape in which both sides thereof in the longitudinal direction are opened to have a substantially C-letter shape.

The cam members 78 are provided at both ends of the after-mentioned interlocking shaft 61 in the axial direction so that relative rotation is impossible around the interlocking shaft 61, and an engagement shaft 81 engaged with the opening part of the other end part of the link member 77 is formed so as to protrude to the inside and the outside in the direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, at the inside of each of the side plates 55 in the direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction, and in the state where the rear side protrusion 63 of the holder plate 59 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the base part 79 of the lever 76, the swing shaft 74 extending to the outside of the base part 79 is inserted in the long hole 75 of the side plate 55. In this state, the link member 77 is disposed at each of both sides of the base part 79 of the lever 76 and the cam member 78 in the width direction, the opening part of one end of the outside link member 77 is engaged with the swing shaft 74 extending outward between the side plate 55 and the base part 79, and the opening part of the other end is engaged with the engagement shaft 81 extending to the outside of the cam member 78. The opening part of one end of the inside link member 77 is engaged with the swing shaft 74 extending inward, and the opening part of the other end part is engaged with the engagement shaft 81 extending inward.

The interlocking shaft 61 is disposed at the rear side of a bottom wall 54 of the lower frame 52 so as to be laid between the side plates 55, and both end parts in the longitudinal direction are rotatably supported at the shaft support parts 73 of the respective side plates 55. Besides, as described before, the cam member 78 is provided at the inside of each of the side plates 55 so that it cannot be rotated relatively to the interlocking shaft 61.

In the pressure changeover mechanism part 46, the pressure forces per unit areas of the first pressure roller 44 and the second pressure roller 45 to the heat roller 42 can be changed over between a normal mode as a first state in which a normal paper or the like as the sheet 3 is fixed, an envelope mode as a second state in which an envelope or the like as the sheet 3 is fixed, and a release mode in which the pressures of the first pressure roller 44 and the second pressure roller 45 to the heat roller 42 are released.

In the following description, the changeover of the normal mode, the envelope mode and the release mode is performed in such a way that the rear cover 2a provided at the rear side of the main body casing 2 is put in an opening state, and the operation rod 80 of the lever 76 is operated from the opening part. As indicated by an imaginary line of FIG. 1, the rear cover 2a is provided such that its lower end can be freely opened and closed to the main body casing 2 through a hinge 2b.

In order to cause the normal mode, as shown in FIG. 5, the operator holds the operation rod 80 of each of the levers 76, and raises the operation rod 80 while swinging it forward. Then, the swing shaft 74 of the lever 76 slides upward in the long hole 75 of the side plate 55, the upper surface of the base part 79 comes in contact with the rear side protrusion 63 of the holder plate 59, and the rear side protrusion 63 is pressed upward. Accordingly, the holder plate 59 is swung so that the rear end part is moved upward while the front end part is made a fulcrum. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the first pressure roller 44 and the second pressure roller 45 are elastically held in the state where they are pressed to the heat roller 42 by the urging forces of the springs 66.

In the normal mode, setting is made such that the load of the first pressure roller 44 to the heat roller 42 becomes, for example, 6.times.9.8 N, the contact area between the heat roller 42 and the first pressure roller 44 becomes, for example, 4 mm in the conveyance direction of the sheet 3 and 210 mm in the axial direction of the heat roller 42, that is, the pressing force per unit area of the first pressure roller 44 to the heat roller 42 becomes, for example, (6.times.9.8)/(4.times.210) N/mm2.

In the normal mode, setting is made such that the pressing force per unit area of the second pressure roller