Patent ID: 6173136
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A fuser for use in a two-sided imager having an imaging unit for transferring an unfixed image formed on an image carrier to a sheet via an intermediate transfer body and a sheet return-and-transport mechanism for reversing the sheet whose one side has been fixed and which has been passed through said fuser and for returning said sheet to a sheet transfer location in said imaging unit, said fuser acting to fix unfixed images formed on said sheet by said imaging unit, said fuser acting to separately fix unfixed images formed on both sides of the sheet in turn in duplex mode, said fuser comprising:a pair of fixing members in contact with each other and rolling over each other, said fixing members cooperating to nip and carry said sheet, said fixing members acting to fix unfixed images on said sheet;a release agent supply means mounted at least to the fixing member located at a side of the sheet that has an unfixed image, said release agent supply means acting to supply a release agent at a constant rate to the fixing member located at the side of the sheet that has an unfixed image;an interlocking mechanism for interlocking said fixing members and said release agent supply means in such a way that said fixing members are kept in contact with each other and roll over each other and that the release agent is supplied to the fixing members;an interlocking control means for controlling interlocking time of said interlocking mechanism, wherein said interlocking control means makes the interlocking time of said interlocking mechanism different between when a first-side image is fixed and when a second-side image is fixed in the duplex mode.