| 摘要 |
A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet fed in a sheet feeding direction includes a tubular flexible fusing member, a nip plate, a heater, a reflection plate, and a backup member. The tubular flexible fusing member has an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space and an axis defining an axial direction. The nip plate is disposed in the internal space, and the inner peripheral surface is in sliding contact with the nip plate. A heater is disposed in the internal space and confronts the nip plate in a confronting direction. The reflection plate is configured to reflect a radiant heat from the heater toward the nip plate. A backup member is configured to provide a nip region in cooperation with the nip plate for nipping the fusing member between the backup member and the nip plate. |
| 主权项 |
1. A fixing device comprising:
a tubular flexible fusing member having an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space; a nip plate extending in the internal space of the tubular flexible fusing member, the inner peripheral surface of the tubular flexible fusing member being configured to slide with the nip plate in a sliding direction; a heater extending in the internal space, the heater comprising:
a glass tube including a glass tube body and a tip portion protruding radially outwardly from the glass tube body,a heat source, anda gas sealed in the glass tube; a backup member, the backup member and the nip plate being configured to nip the tubular flexible fusing member therebetween; and a stay disposed opposite to the backup member relative to the nip plate, the stay having:
a first end face facing the nip plate and supporting the nip plate, the nip plate being disposed between the first end face and the backup member, anda second end face spaced apart from the first end face in the sliding direction, the second end face facing the nip plate and supporting the nip plate, the nip plate being disposed between the second end face and the backup member, wherein the glass tube body defines an imaginary plane which is tangential to a closest generatrix of the glass tube body closer to the nip plate than remaining generatrices of the glass tube body to the nip plate, the imaginary plane and the nip plate defining a gap therebetween, the tip portion being outside of the gap, and wherein the nip plate has a generally U-shape to provide a base portion extending along the heater and folded portions folded toward the heater, the base portion including a center portion and flat end portions, the center portion extending along the heater and disposed between the flat end portions, the center portion protruding in a direction away from the heater. |
