OPTICAL FIXING DEVICE AND METHOD THEREOF

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent insufficient fixing and to reduce the time for fixing. SOLUTION: An optical fixing device 9 is constituted of a light source 16 and a cooling unit 17 for cooling a light emitting face of the light source 16. A transparent section 26 for allowing a light from the light source 16 to pass therethrough is provided to the bottom face of the cooling unit 17. A color thermal recording paper 3 is pressed against the transparent section 26 by a pressing roller 31. The cooling unit 17 is heated by the heat exhaust of the light source 16 and the color thermal recording paper 3 is heated by the heat of the cooling unit 17. The fixing reaction is accelerated by the heat. Consequently, the insufficient fixing is prevented even when the conveyance speed of the color thermal recording paper 3 is raised. The temperature of a coolant in the cooling unit 17 is measured by a temperature sensor 36 and an airflow of a blast fan 38 is adjusted to be within a predetermined range. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO