US5027160A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image fixing apparatus with movable film and means for controlling film position
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1989-12-05
•
Granted: 1991-06-25
•
Expires: 2009-12-05
Abstract
Abstract An image fixing apparatus includes a heater; an endless film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat produced by the heater; and a controller for controlling a position of the endless film in a direction perpendicular to a rotating directon of the endless film.
Inventors
- 👤 Tamotsu Okada
- 👤 Atsushi Hosoi
- 👤 Yoshihiko Suzuki
- 👤 Kanji Yano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 11:40
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/20; G03G15/2003; G03G15/2014; G03G15/2064
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 83
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; a film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat produced by said heater, said film being movable together with the recording material; detecting means for detecting a position of said film in a direction perpendicular to its movement; and control means responsive to an output of said detecting means for controlling the position of said film in the direction perpendicular to the movement of said film.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
79 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; a film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat produced by said heater, said film being movable together with the recording material; detecting means for detecting a position of said film in a direction perpendicular to its movement; and control means responsive to an output of said detecting means for controlling the position of said film in the direction perpendicular to the movement of said film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising pressing means for pressing said heater, said film and said recording material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heater is stationary during a fixing operation of said apparatus, and is slidable relative to said film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
102 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; an endless film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated by said heater; pressing means for forming a nip between said heater and said endless film, through which the recording material is passed; a driving roller for driving said endless film; a displacing means for controlling a position of said endless film in a direction perpendicular to a direction of said endless film; wherein said displacing means is disposed upstream of the nip and downstream of said driving roller with respect to the rotational direction of said film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
102 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; an endless film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated by said heater; pressing means for forming a nip between said heater and said endless film, through which the recording material is passed; a driving roller for driving said endless film; a displacing means for controlling a position of said endless film in a direction perpendicular to a direction of said endless film; wherein said displacing means is disposed upstream of the nip and downstream of said driving roller with respect to the rotational direction of said film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said displacing member includes a follower roller driven by said film and is effective to apply tension to said film.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said heater is stationary during a fixing operation of said apparatus, and is slidable relative to said film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said heater includes a linear heat generating element extending in a direction crossing with a movement direction of said film.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein there is no air layer between said heat generating element and the toner image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising detecting means for detecting a shift of said film, and said displacing member is displaced in accordance with an output of said detecting means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said displacing member is disposed in an endless path of said film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; an endless film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated by said heater; detecting means for detecting a shift of said film; and control means for controlling a position of said endless film in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of said endless film; wherein said control means operates during a period when an image fixing operation of said apparatus is not performed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; an endless film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated by said heater; detecting means for detecting a shift of said film; and control means for controlling a position of said endless film in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of said endless film; wherein said control means operates during a period when an image fixing operation of said apparatus is not performed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein when said detecting means detects the shift of said film before the image fixing operation of said apparatus, the image fixing operation is carried out after said control means controls the position of said film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein when said detecting means detects a shift of said film during the fixing operation, said control means controls the position of said film after termination of the image fixing operation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said control means includes a tension member for applying tension to said film and displacing means for displacing the tension member, wherein the position of said film is controlled by displacing said tension member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said tension member is a follower roller rotatable following said film.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising pressing means for pressing said heater, said film and said recording material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said heater is stationary during a fixing operation of said apparatus, and is slidable relative to said film.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said heater includes a linear heat generating element extending in a direction crossing with a movement direction of said film.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein there is no air layer between said heat generating element and the toner image.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
88 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; an endless film in contact with said heater on one side and contactable with a recording material on its other side; a pressing member for urging said recording material to said film and toward said heater; means for reducing or removing the urging force of said pressing member; and control means for controlling a position of said endless film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said endless film when said pressing member reduces or removes its pressing force.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
88 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; an endless film in contact with said heater on one side and contactable with a recording material on its other side; a pressing member for urging said recording material to said film and toward said heater; means for reducing or removing the urging force of said pressing member; and control means for controlling a position of said endless film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said endless film when said pressing member reduces or removes its pressing force.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a displacing mechanism for displacing said pressing member, wherein by displacing said pressing member, the pressure is reduced or removed.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising detecting means for detecting a shift of said film.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the recording material is in the nip, and prohibiting means for prohibiting operation of said control means when said discriminating means discriminates presence of the recording material in the nip even if said detecting means detects a shift of said film.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein when said detecting means detects the shift of said film, the pressure is reduced or removed, and thereafter, said control means controls the position of said film, and after termination of operation of said control means, the pressure is automatically reapplied.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said control means includes a tension member for applying tension to said film and displacing means for displacing the tension member, wherein the position of said film is controlled by displacing said tension member.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said tension member is a follower roller rotatable following said film.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising pressing means for pressing said heater, said film and said recording material.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said heater is stationary during a fixing operation of said apparatus, and is slidable relative to said film.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said heater includes a linear heat generating element extending in a direction crossing with a movement direction of said film.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein there is no air layer between said heat generating element and the toner image.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said control means operates during a period when an image fixing operation of said apparatus is not carried out.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
69 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; an endless film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated by said heater; detecting means for detecting a shift of said film; control means for controlling a position of said endless film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said endless film; wherein said control means operates when said heater is not energized.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
69 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; an endless film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated by said heater; detecting means for detecting a shift of said film; control means for controlling a position of said endless film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said endless film; wherein said control means operates when said heater is not energized.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said control means operates after energization of said heater is stopped, and in response to detection of a shift of said film by said detecting means, and after operation of said control means, the energization of said heater is resumed.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising a pressing member for forming a nip in cooperation with said film for closely contacting said film to the recording material, and means for reducing or removing pressure by said pressing means, wherein the pressure is reduced or removed after the energization of said heater is stopped and before start of operation of said control means, and the pressure is reapplied after completion of operation of said control means and resumption of the energization.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said control means includes a tension member for applying tension to said film and displacing means for displacing the tension member, wherein the position of said film is controlled by displacing said tension member.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said tension member is a follower roller rotatable following said film.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising pressing means for pressing said heater, said film and said recording material.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said heater is stationary during a fixing operation of said apparatus, and is slidable relative to said film.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said heater includes a linear heat generating element extending in a direction crossing with a movement direction of said film.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein there is no air layer between said heat generating element and the toner image.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said control means operates during a period when an image fixing operation of said apparatus is not carried out.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising pressing means for pressing said heater, said film and said recording material.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
49 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; a movable film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated by said heater; detecting means for detecting error in a position of said film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said film.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
49 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; a movable film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated by said heater; detecting means for detecting error in a position of said film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said film.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 43, further comprising means for controlling the position of said film within a predetermined range, and wherein said error detecting means detects the error when said film is outside the range.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
62 words
An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said fixing apparatus is used with an image forming apparatus comprising an image forming station for forming the toner image on the recording material, and wherein said image forming apparatus includes error displaying means for displaying occurrence of an error in said film to the operator in response to a signal from said detecting means.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said fixing apparatus is used with an image forming apparatus comprising an image forming station for forming the toner image on the recording material, and wherein said image forming apparatus includes interrupting means for interrupting an operation of said image forming means in response to said error detecting means.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein an error signal is produced by said error detecting means during the image forming operation of said image forming means, said interrupting means continued to a current image forming operation, and disables a next image forming operation.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said control means includes a tension member for applying tension to said film and displacing means for displacing the tension member, wherein the position of said film is controlled by displacing said tension member.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 48, wherein said tension member is a follower roller rotatable following said film.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said heater is stationary during a fixing operation of said apparatus, and is slidable relative to said film.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 50, wherein said heater includes a linear heat generating element extending in a direction crossing with a movement direction of said film.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 51, wherein there is no air layer between said heat generating element and the toner image.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
74 words
An image fixing apparatus comprising: a heater; a movable film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated from said heater; moving means for moving said film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said film and for reciprocating said film within a predetermined range; wherein a position of contact between said film and an end of the recording material is changed by said moving means.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
74 words
An image fixing apparatus comprising: a heater; a movable film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated from said heater; moving means for moving said film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said film and for reciprocating said film within a predetermined range; wherein a position of contact between said film and an end of the recording material is changed by said moving means.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
12 words
An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said predetermined range is shiftable.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said predetermined range is shifted every predetermined number of fixing operations on the recording material.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said predetermined range is shifted every predetermined number of rotations of said film.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said moving means moves said film by inclining a follower roller which is rotated by said film and which is effective to apply tension to said film.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising pressing means for pressing said heater, said film and said recording material.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said heater is stationary during a fixing operation of said apparatus, and is slidable relative to said film.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said heater includes a linear heat generating element extending in a direction crossing with a movement direction of said film.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 60, wherein there is no air layer between said heat generating element and the toner image.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
85 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; a movable film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated from said heater; moving means for moving said film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said film, wherein a position of contact between said film and an end of the recording material is changed by said moving means; and wherein said moving means is operated every predetermined number of fixing operations on the recording materials by said apparatus.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
85 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; a movable film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated from said heater; moving means for moving said film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said film, wherein a position of contact between said film and an end of the recording material is changed by said moving means; and wherein said moving means is operated every predetermined number of fixing operations on the recording materials by said apparatus.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
80 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; a movable film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated from said heater; moving means for moving said film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said film wherein a position of contact between said film and an end of the recording material is changed by said moving means; and wherein said moving means is operated every predetermined number of rotations of said film.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
80 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; a movable film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated from said heater; moving means for moving said film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said film wherein a position of contact between said film and an end of the recording material is changed by said moving means; and wherein said moving means is operated every predetermined number of rotations of said film.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
76 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; a movable film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by h®at generated from said heater; moving means for moving said film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said film wherein a position of contact between said film and an end of the recording material is changed by said moving means; and wherein said moving means is operated upon main switch actuated.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
76 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; a movable film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by h®at generated from said heater; moving means for moving said film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said film wherein a position of contact between said film and an end of the recording material is changed by said moving means; and wherein said moving means is operated upon main switch actuated.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
102 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; an endless film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated by said heater; moving means for continuously moving said endless film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said endless film in association with rotation of said film; and reversing means for reversing movement direction of said film by said moving means, wherein when said film rotates said reversing means reverses moving direction of said film by said moving means, so that said film continuously reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to movement direction of said film.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
102 words
An image fixing apparatus, comprising: a heater; an endless film through which a toner image on a recording material is heated by heat generated by said heater; moving means for continuously moving said endless film in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said endless film in association with rotation of said film; and reversing means for reversing movement direction of said film by said moving means, wherein when said film rotates said reversing means reverses moving direction of said film by said moving means, so that said film continuously reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to movement direction of said film.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 65, wherein said reversing means reverses movement direction by said moving means to maintain position of said film within a predetermined range.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 66, further comprising detection means for detecting arrival of said endless film at an end of the predetermined range, wherein said reversing means reverses the movement direction by the moving force in accordance with an output of said detecting means.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 65, wherein said moving means moves said film by inclining a follower roller which is rotated by said film and which is effective to apply tension to said film.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 65, further comprising pressing means for pressing said heater, said film and said recording material.
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 65, wherein said heater is stationary during a fixing operation of said apparatus, and is slidable relative to said film.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 70, wherein said heater includes a linear heat generating element extending in a direction crossing with a movement direction of said film.
Claim 83
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 71, wherein there is no air layer between said heat generating element and the toner image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-06-24 | 1994-12-24 | 1995-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-06-24 | 1998-12-24 | 1999-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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