Patent · US Active

Image forming apparatus and fusing unit thereof

US7831188B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 18, 2008
Grant dateNov 9, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G2215/2032
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An image forming apparatus and a fusing unit thereof. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive body on which to form an electrostatic latent image, an exposure device to irradiate light to the photosensitive body to form the electrostatic latent image, a developer adhering device to adhere a developer to the photosensitive body on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed to form a visible image, a transfer device to transfer the visible image formed on the photosensitive body onto a printing medium, and a fusing unit to fuse the visible image transferred onto the printing medium to the printing medium. The fusing unit includes a press roller, a heating belt to closely contact the press roller to form a fusing nip to apply heat and pressure to the printing medium onto which the visible image has been transferred, first and second support rollers disposed apart from each other to circulatingly support the heating belt, and an elastic support device to elastically bias the first support roller and/or the second support roller in a direction away from each other to maintain a constant tension of the heating belt.

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