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. A controller coupled to the heating element activates the heating element to generate heat at a fusing temperature during a fusing operation and at at least one second temperature greater than the fusing temperature during a lubricant dispensing operation so as to cause lubricant to dispense from the lubricant dispenser.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a fuser assembly, comprising:
a heating element;a flexible belt rotatable about the heating element, an inner surface of the flexible belt contacting the heating element; anda lubricant dispenser disposed in proximity with the heating element for dispensing at least one lubricant component to the flexible belt, the lubricant dispenser including a reservoir containing the at least one lubricant component, and an exit port for delivering the at least one lubricant component from the reservoir to the inner surface of the flexible belt; and a controller coupled to the heating element for activating the heating element to generate heat at a fusing temperature during a fusing operation and at at least one second temperature greater than the fusing temperature during at least one lubricant dispensing operation so as to cause the at least one lubricant component to dispense from the lubricant dispenser.