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WO-2026095938-A1 - HEATER STRUCTURE WITH RECESSES

WO2026095938A1WO 2026095938 A1WO2026095938 A1WO 2026095938A1WO-2026095938-A1

Abstract

A heater structure includes a pair of first heat generation elements including one or more first recess portions and a pair of second heat generation elements including one or more second recess portions. Each of the pair of first heat generation elements has a first main heating area in a middle portion along a longitudinal direction. Each of the pair of second heat generation elements has second main heating areas on a first side and a second side. The one or more first recess portions are located on the middle portion of the pair of first heat generation elements. The one or more second recess portions are located on the first side and the second side of the pair of second heat generation elements. The one or more of the first recess portions and corresponding of the one or more second recess portions are oriented in opposite directions.

Inventors

  • SONG, Jeongchul
  • PARK, Choongkyu
  • HAN, YoungHoon

Assignees

  • HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241030

Claims (15)

  1. 1. A heater structure comprising: a pair of first heat generation elements comprising one or more first recess portions; and a pair of second heat generation elements comprising one or more second recess portions; wherein each of the pair of first heat generation elements has a first main heating area in a middle portion along a longitudinal direction of the pair of first heat generation elements; wherein each of the pair of second heat generation elements has second main heating areas on a first side and a second side respectively of the pair of second heat generation elements; wherein the one or more first recess portions are located on the middle portion of the pair of first heat generation elements being between a first side and a second side of the pair of first heat generation elements; wherein the one or more second recess portions are located on the first side and the second side of the pair of second heat generation elements; and wherein the one or more first recess portions and corresponding of the one or more second recess portions are oriented in opposite directions.
  2. 2. The heater structure of claim 1, wherein a width of the second heat generation elements at each side is greater than a width of the one or more second recess portions.
  3. 3. The heater structure of claim 2, wherein a width of the second heat generation elements is increasing at an end of the one or more second recess portions.
  4. 4. The heater structure of claim 1, wherein the pair of second heat generation elements are arranged between the pair of first heat generation elements.
  5. 5. The heater structure of claim 1, wherein the pair of first heat generation elements are arranged between the pair of the second heat generation elements.
  6. 6. The heater structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more first recess portions and corresponding of the one or more second recess portions are oriented away from each other.
  7. 7. A heater structure comprising: -9433-2367.1 Atty. Dkt. No.: 86344674 a pair of first heat generation elements comprising one or more first recess portions; and a pair of second heat generation elements comprising one or more second recess portions; wherein each of the pair of first heat generation elements has a first main heating area in a middle portion along a longitudinal direction of the heater structure; wherein each of the pair of second heat generation elements has second main heating areas at both sides of the pair of second heat generation elements; wherein the one or more first recess portions are located towards an outside of the heater structure; and wherein the one or more second recess portions are located to face each other.
  8. 8. The heater structure of claim 7, wherein: each of the pair of first heat generation elements has first auxiliary heating areas at both sides of the pair of first heat generation elements; and a ratio between a first width of the first main heating areas and a second width of the auxiliary heating areas is greater than 1.3.
  9. 9. The heater structure of claim 7, wherein a distance between each of the pair of first heat generation elements and a corresponding one of the pair of second heat generation elements is between 0.1 mm and 1.0 mm, inclusive.
  10. 10. The heater structure of claim 7, wherein a width of the second heat generation elements at each side is greater than a width of the one or more second recess portions.
  11. 11. The heater structure of claim 7, wherein a width of the second heat generation elements is increasing at an end of the one or more second recess portions.
  12. 12. The heater structure of claim 10, wherein: each of the pair of first heat generation elements has first auxiliary heating areas at both sides of the pair of first heat generation elements; and a ratio between a first width of the first main heating areas and a second width of the auxiliary heating areas is greater than 1.3.
  13. 13. The heater structure of claim 10, wherein: the heater structure is to be received by an image forming apparatus; and -9433-2367.1 Atty. Dkt. No.: 86344674 a heating length of the pair of second heat generation elements is greater than a maximum width of a printing medium handled by the image forming apparatus.
  14. 14. A heater compri sing : a pair of first heat generation elements comprising a first straight edge on one longitudinal side; and a pair of second heat generation elements comprising a second straight edge on one longitudinal side; wherein each of the pair of first heat generation elements has a first main heating area in a middle portion along a longitudinal direction of the pair of first heat generation elements; wherein each of the pair of second heat generation elements has second main heating areas on a first side and a second side respectively of the pair of second heat generation elements; and wherein the first straight edge of the first heat generation elements and the second straight edge of an adjacent of the second heat generation elements are positioned to face each other.
  15. 15. The heater of claim 14, wherein a width of the pair of second heat generation elements at each side is greater than a width of the pair of first heat generation elements second main heating areas. -9433-2367.1

Description

Atty. Dkt. No.: 86344674 HEATER STRUCTURE WITH RECESSES BACKGROUND [0001] In general, an image forming apparatus refers to a device that may generate, print, receive, and transmit image data. For example, an image forming apparatus may refer to a printer, a scanner, a copier, a fax machine, or a multi -function peripheral implemented by integrating a plurality of functions of such devices. An image forming apparatus may output data to a printing medium using printing material in a cartridge. The image forming apparatus may include a heater structure to heat the printing medium to fuse the printing material on the printing medium. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0002] FIG. 1 depicts a cross section view of an example fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus. [0003] FIG. 2 depicts an enlarged sectional view for a part B of the fixing apparatus of FIG. 1. [0004] FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view according to a line A-A’ of an example heater structure. [0005] FIG. 4 depicts a cross-sectional view according to a line A-A’ of another example heater structure. [0006] FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view according to a line A-A’ of yet another example heater structure. [0007] FIG. 6 depicts a cross-sectional view according to a line A-A’ of yet another example heater structure. [0008] FIG. 7A depicts a table depicting setting values for heat generation amounts of the heater structure of FIG. 3 and FIG. 7B depicts a graph showing variations in temperature of an example belt of a fixing apparatus resulting from heat received from the heater structure of FIG. 3. [0009] FIG. 8 depicts a first graph depicting fusing temperatures of printing materials on printing mediums resulting from heat received from the heater structure of FIG. 3 and a 4894-9433-2367.1 Atty. Dkt. No.: 86344674 comparative heater structure and a second graph depicting energy consumed by the heater structure of FIG. 3 and the comparative heater structure to cause the fusing temperatures of the first graph. [0010] FIG. 9A depicts a graph depicting maximum temperatures of an example belt resulting from heat received from the heater structure of FIG. 4 and FIG. 9B depicts a table comparing fusing performance to heating lengths of the heater structure of FIG. 4. [0011] FIG. 10 depicts a graph depicting temperature distributions of an example belt of an example fixing apparatus and an example printing material over an example nip width of the example fixing apparatus resulting from heat received from the heater structure of FIG. 3 and a comparative heater structure. [0012] FIG. 11 depicts an example graph depicting variations in temperatures of an example belt of an example fixing apparatus over an example printing time resulting from heat received from the heater structure of FIG. 3 and a comparative heater structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0013] Reference is now made to the figures. Although the figures and aspects of the disclosure can show or describe structures herein as having a particular shape, it should be understood that such shapes are merely illustrative and should not be considered limiting to the scope of the techniques described herein. For example, the examples described herein can be implemented in any shape or geometry for any material or layer to achieve desired results. It should be understood that like reference numerals may refer to like elements throughout, repetitive descriptions of which may be omitted. It should be also noted that in the drawings, the dimensions of the features are not intended to be to true scale and may be exaggerated for the sake of allowing greater understanding. [0014] An image forming apparatus (IF A) may be used to form a printing image on a printing medium (e.g., paper) using printing material in cartridges mounted in the IF A. The IFA may use the printing material in the cartridges to form the printing image on the printing medium. The IFA may include a fixing apparatus with a heater structure to apply heat onto the printing medium to fix the printing image on the printing medium. Such fixing apparatuses may include belts positioned between the heater structure and the printing medium to transfer the heat from the heater structure to the printing medium and to drive the printing medium 4894-9433-2367.1 Atty. Dkt. No.: 86344674 through the fixing apparatuses. However, when the printing medium is a narrow printing medium (e.g., a printing medium with a width that is smaller than a longitudinal length of the heater structure, etc.), the heat transferred from the heater structure to the belt may not be transferred to the narrow printing medium at sides (e.g., peripheral sides, etc.) of the belt. As a result, a large temperature differential may develop between a center of the belt that transfers the heat to the narrow printing medium and the sides of the belt that do not transfer the heat to the narrow printing medium, which may cause deterioration in a durability of the belt. It should be ap