Self Lubricating Fuser and Method of Operation

摘要

A belt fuser assembly which dispenses lubricant oil or other depleted lubricant component to the inner surface of the fuser belt. The belt fuser assembly may include a lubricant dispenser positioned to be heated by the heating element of the fuser assembly for dispensing a lubricant oil to the inner surface of the fuser belt. The lubricant dispenser may include a reservoir containing the lubricant oil and an exit port for delivering the lubricant oil from the reservoir to the inner surface of the fuser belt upon the reservoir being heated by the heating element at a temperature above the fusing temperature of the belt fuser assembly.

主权项

1. A heating apparatus, comprising:
a housing; a heating element within the housing, the heating element for regularly generating heat at a first temperature; a moving member having an inner surface contacting the heating element and an outer surface; and a lubricant dispenser associated with the housing in proximity with the heating element for dispensing a lubricant component to the moving member, the dispenser including:
a reservoir containing the lubricant component, andan exit port for delivering the lubricant component from the reservoir to the inner surface of the moving member upon the reservoir being heated by the heating element at a second temperature greater than the first temperature.