FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME

• Main Authors: MIYAKE HISAFUMI, NAKANO KUNIAKI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: 26.12.2022
• Subjects: CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS

To provide a fixing device that prevents the occurrence of electrostatic offset and electrostatic scattering and is excellent in durability, and an image forming apparatus including the same.SOLUTION: A fixing device comprises a first fixing member, a second fixing member, an electric charge application unit, and a control unit. The first fixing member is in contact with a toner image on a sheet that is conveyed along a conveyance path. The second fixing member forms, with the first fixing member, a nip part through which the sheet passes. The electric charge application unit can generate an application current for applying an electric charge and apply the electric charge between the toner image on the sheet and a part on an outer peripheral surface of the first fixing member on the upstream side of the nip part in the direction of movement of the outer peripheral surface. The control unit controls the electric charge application unit. The fixing device has a surface roughness detection unit that detects the surface roughness of the outer peripheral surface of the first fixing member. The control unit decreases the application current as the surface roughness detected by the surface roughness detection unit increases.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4 【課題】静電オフセット及び静電飛散の発生を抑制しつつ、耐久性にも優れた定着装置及びそれを備えた画像形成装置を提供する。【解決手段】定着装置は、第１定着部材と、第２定着部材と、電荷付与部と、制御部と、を備えている。第１定着部材は、搬送路に沿って搬送されるシート上のトナー像に当接する。第２定着部材は、第１定着部材との間でシートが通過するニップ部を形成する。電荷付与部は、電荷を付与するための印加電流を発生させて、第１定着部材の外周面におけるニップ部よりも外周面の移動方向上流側部分と、シート上のトナー像と、に電荷を付与可能である。制御部は、電荷付与部を制御する。定着装置は、第１定着部材の外周面の表面粗さを検出する表面粗さ検出部を有する。制御部は、表面粗さ検出部により検出された表面粗さが粗くなるにつれて印加電流を小さくする。【選択図】図４