Patent · US Expired

Image heating apparatus and conveying roller for use therein

US7251447B2 · kind B2 · utility

31Cited by
36References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 29, 2005
Grant dateJul 31, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 12, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G2215/2067
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material, the apparatus including a conveying roller for conveying a recording material, the conveying roller including a metal core and an elastic layer provided outside the metal core, wherein the metal core has, in a central portion in the longitudinal direction thereof, a straight shape area having a substantially uniform diameter along the longitudinal direction and tapered shape areas, on both sides of the straight shape area, in which a diameter gradually decreases toward ends in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the elastic layer has, in a central portion in the longitudinal direction thereof, a straight shape area having a substantially uniform diameter along the longitudinal direction and inverted crown shape areas, on both sides of the straight shape area, in which a diameter gradually increases toward ends in the longitudinal direction. This configuration allows to prevent defects in image heating while suppressing creases in the recording material.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.