Belt assembly, fixing device, and image forming apparatus incorporating same

• Main Authors: Arai, Yuji, Tokuda, Tetsuo, Imada, Takahiro, Iwaya, Naoki, Yamaguchi, Yoshiki, Seshita, Takuya, Yoshikawa, Masaaki, Ikebuchi, Yutaka, Yoshiura, Arinobu, Fujimoto, Ippei, Yoshinaga, Hiroshi, Shimokawa, Toshihiko, Ishii, Kenji, Takagi, Hiromasa, Gotoh, Hajime
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 20.06.2012
• Subjects: CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS

A fixing device includes a frame, a tubular belt holder, a rotatable, flexible fuser belt, a heater, a fuser pad, a pressure member, and a mounting attachment. The tubular belt holder extends in an axial direction thereof. The fuser belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration around the belt holder to rotate in a circumferential direction of the belt holder. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt holder to heat the belt holder. The fuser pad is accommodated in the belt holder inside the loop of the fuser belt, and extends in the axial direction. The pressure member is disposed opposite the belt holder with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The mounting attachment is provided to a longitudinal end of the tubular belt holder to allow retention and detachable attachment of the belt holder end to the frame.