Patent ID: 6501936
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A heating mechanism for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising:a paper transporting path for carrying a paper having a toner image; a fixing roller disposed in the paper transporting path so that it is rotationally driven; a pressurizing roller disposed so as to oppose said fixing roller across said paper transporting path so that it contacts one side face of a paper carried on said paper transporting path, said pressurizing roller being rotated synchronously with said fixing roller for applying a pressure on said paper in cooperation with said fixing roller; a heating roller provided apart from said fixing roller for applying heat indirectly to said fixing roller; a heat transferring belt which is wound around said heating roller and said fixing roller in order to transmit a rotation driving force from said fixing roller to said heating roller and thermal energy from said heating roller to said fixing roller, makes a contact with the other side face of the paper passing between said fixing roller and said pressurizing roller, and melts toner on said toner image by heat to fix said toner image to the paper; a pair of first restricting members disposed and fitted with a predetermined gap G1 from both end faces of said heating roller to guard both sides of said heat transferring belt on said heating roller thereby restricting a shifting motion of said heat transferring belt in the width direction; and a pair of second restricting members disposed and fitted with a predetermined gap from both end faces of said fixing roller to guard both sides of said heat transferring belt on said fixing roller, thereby restricting a shifting motion of said heat transferring belt in the width direction.