Toner image pressure-fixing device

Abstract

A toner image pressure-fixing device has a pair of pinch rolls arranged in rolling engagement with each other to provide a nip through which a carrier sheet with a deposit of toner particles thereon is passed to fix the deposit to the carrier sheet by pressure. One of the pinch rolls is of a diameter smaller than that of the other and is solid while the other pinch roll is hollow. The small-diameter pinch roll is resiliently urged against the large-diameter pinch roll by leaf springs and is backed up by a single back-up roll which is disposed on the side of the small-diameter pinch roll substantially diametrically opposite to the large-diameter pinch roll and is resiliently urged against the small-diameter pinch roll whereby the small-diameter pinch roll is prevented from being deflected by pressure produced when a carrier sheet is passed through the nip between the pinch rolls.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a device for fixing a toner image to a carrier sheet by pressure, including a pair of side frame members cooperating with a base frame to form a substantially U-shaped framework, a pair of pinch rolls rotatably mounted on said pair of side frame members and arranged in rolling engagement with each other to provide a nip through which a carrier sheet with a deposit of toner particles thereon is passed to fix the toner particles to the carrier sheet, one of said pinch rolls being of a diameter smaller than that of the other, and a back-up roll disposed in rolling engagement with said smaller diameter pinch roll, the improvement comprising: spring members mounted within said side frame members to resiliently urge the smaller diameter pinch roll against the larger diameter pinch roll and wherein said back-up roll is in the form of a one-piece roll rotatably mounted on said framework and disposed on the side of said smaller diameter pinch roll substantially diametrically opposite to said larger diameter pinch roll and is resiliently urged against said smaller diameter pinch roll, said back-up roll being so disposed relative to the smaller diameter pinch roll that the axis of said back-up roll extends at an angle relative to the axis of said smaller diameter pinch roll.   
     
     
       2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said back-up roll is mounted on said base frame member. 
     
     
       3. The device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said spring members are leaf springs. 
     
     
       4. The device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said pair of side frame members and said base frame member are all made of an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
       5. The device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said back-up roll has an axial dimension smaller than those of said pinch rolls. 
     
     
       6. The device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the larger diameter pinch roll is hollow and the smaller diameter pinch roll is solid. 
     
     
       7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said large diameter pinch roll comprises a hollow cylindrical section and end sections which are welded together, said larger diameter pinch roll being rotatably mounted on said side frame members at said end sections. .[.8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the resiliency of the surface of said back-up roll is approximately the same as the resiliency of the surface of said smaller 
     
     
        diameter pinch roll..]. .Iadd.9.  A pressure fixing device wherein a toner image on a surface of a toner image bearing member is fixed thereon by pressure, comprising: first and second rollers for pressing and conveying an image bearing member therebetween; and   a third roller press-contacted to said first roller;   wherein each of said first, second and third rollers is made of a material suitable for applying sufficient pressure to the image bearing member to fix the image thereon;   wherein said first roller is located between said second and third rollers and has a diameter smaller than that of said second roller; and   wherein said three rollers are so arranged that, when no pressure for fixing the image is applied, at least two of said rollers have their axes at angles with the conveyance direction of the image bearing member which angles are different from each other, as viewed when facing the surface of the image bearing member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. A pressure fixing device wherein a toner image on a surface of a toner image bearing member is fixed thereon by pressure, comprising:   first and second rollers for pressing and conveying an image bearing member therebetween; and   a third roller press-contacted to said first roller;   wherein each of said first, second and third rollers is made of a material suitable for applying sufficient pressure to the image bearing member to fix the image thereon;   wherein said first roller is located between said second and third rollers and has a diameter smaller than that of said second roller;   wherein said three rollers are so arranged that, when no pressure for fixing the image is applied, at least two of said rollers have their axes at angles with the conveyance direction of the image bearing member which angles are different from each other, as viewed when facing the surface of the image bearing member; and   wherein said first and third rollers have their axes at angles with the conveyance direction of the image bearing member which angles are different from each other, as viewed when facing the surface of the image bearing member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. A pressure fixing device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said three rollers are arranged so that the axes of said first and second roller are substantially parallel. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.  .  A pressure fixing device wherein a toner image on a surface of a toner image bearing member is fixed thereon by pressure, comprising: first and second rollers for pressing and conveying an image bearing member therebetween; and   a third roller press-contacted to said first roller;   wherein each of said first, second and third rollers is made of a material suitable for applying sufficient pressure to the image bearing member to fix the image thereon;   wherein said first roller is located between said second and third rollers and has a diameter smaller than that of said second roller; and   wherein said three rollers are so arranged that at least two of said rollers have their axes at angles with the conveyance direction of the image bearing member which angles are different from each other, as viewed when facing the surface of the image bearing member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. A pressure fixing device wherein a toner image on a surface of a toner image bearing member is fixed thereon by pressure, comprising:   first and second rollers for pressing and conveying an image bearing member therebetween; and   a third roller press-contacted to said first roller;   wherein each of said first, second and third rollers is made of a material suitable for applying sufficient pressure to the image bearing member to fix the image thereon;   wherein said first roller is located between said second and third rollers and has a diameter smaller than that of said second roller;   wherein said three rollers are so arranged that at least two of said rollers have their axes at angles with the conveyance direction of the image bearing image which angles are different from each other, as viewed when facing the surface of the image bearing member; and   wherein said first and third rollers have their axes at angles with the conveyance direction of the image bearing member which angles are different from each other, as viewed when facing the surface of the image bearing member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. A pressure fixing device in accordance with claim 13 wherein said three rollers are arranged so that the axes of said first and second roller are substantially parallel. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.  .  A device for fixing a toner image to a carrier sheet by pressure comprising: a pair of pinch rolls comprising an upper roll and a lower roll disposed in rolling engagement with each other to provide a nip through which a carrier sheet with a deposit of toner particles thereon is passed to fix the toner particles to the carrier sheet;   a back-up roll disposed in rolling engagement with said lower roll;   means for urging said back-up roll against said lower roll;   wherein said lower roll is located between said upper roll and said back-up roll and has a diameter smaller than that of said upper roll; and   wherein the upper, lower, and back-up rolls are arranged so that the axis of the back-up roll extends at an angle relative to the axis of the lower roll. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. A device in accordance with claim 15 wherein said upper and lower roll axes are substantially parallel. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.7.  A device for fixing a toner image to a carrier sheet by pressure comprising: a pair of pinch rolls comprising an upper roll and a lower roll disposed in rolling engagement with each other to provide a nip through which a carrier sheet with a deposit of toner particles thereon is passed to fix the toner particles to the carrier sheet;   means for urging said lower roll against said upper roll;   a back-up roll disposed in rolling engagement with said lower roll;   means for urging said back-up roll against said lower roll;   wherein said lower roll is located between said upper roll and said back-up roll and has a diameter smaller than that of said upper roll; and   wherein the upper, lower, and back-up rolls are arranged so that the axis of the back-up roll extends at an angle relative to the axis of the lower roll. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. A device in accordance with claim 17 wherein said upper and lower roll axes are substantially parallel. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.9.  A device for fixing a toner image to a carrier sheet by pressure comprising: a pair of pinch rolls in rolling engagement with each other to provide a nip through which a carrier sheet with a deposit of toner particles thereon is passed to fix the toner particles to the carrier sheet, one of said pinch rolls being of a diameter smaller than that of the other;   a back-up roll disposed in rolling engagement with the smaller diameter pinch roll;   means for urging said back-up roll against said smaller diameter pinch roll;   wherein said smaller diameter pinch roll is located between the larger diameter pinch roll and said back-up roll; and   wherein said smaller diameter pinch roll and said back-up roll are arranged so that the axis of the back-up roll extends at an angle relative to the axis of said smaller diameter pinch roll. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A device in accordance with claim 19 wherein said pinch roll axes are substantially parallel. .Iaddend.