Fusing apparatus having automatic nip width adjustment mechanism
US4972232A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 5, 1989 |
| Grant date | Nov 20, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 5, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/206
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A roller type fusing apparatus, in which a fuser or pressure roller is movable, includes a device for forming a fusing nip, having a desired nipwidth, by moving the movable roller from a first light surface-to-surface contact position, to a compressing and deforming contact second position with the other roller. The fusing apparatus further includes a mechanism for automatically correcting or adjusting for fusing nipwidth misadjustments which are caused by a reduction in the size of any of rollers. Such misadjustments normally result in poor and unacceptable fusing quality due to the nipwidth of subsequently formed fusing nips being undesirably narrower than the desired nipwidth setting. The mechanism includes a displacement assembly, operative with the nip forming device, for automatically displacing the movable roller from a misadjusted gapped or spaced third position back to the adjusted, light surface-to-surface contact first position, prior to formation of a fusing nip. In this manner, the formation of a fusing nip that has the desired nipwidth is ensured.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.