Patent ID: 6049692
Filing Date: 2000-04-11
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An apparatus of a fixing unit in an electrophotographic processor, said apparatus comprising:a hollow cylindrical heating roller having an outer circumferential surface for supporting a printable medium and fixing a toner image onto said printable medium when an outer surface temperature is elevated to a fixing temperature during a fixing operation; andsaid heating roller having a substantially cylindrical inner surface that is lined with an infrared radiation absorbing material to absorb infrared radiation of a wavelength in the range of 3 to 1000 micrometers for an uniform distribution of heat along an axial direction so as to elevate the outer surface temperature to said fixing temperature for fixing said toner image onto said printable medium during said fixing operation, said infrared radiation absorbing material comprising a ceramic material made from a compound selected from the group consisting of:an oxide of zirconium,an oxide of aluminum,an oxide of titanium,a nonoxide of carbonic titanium,a nonoxide of tungsten, anda nonoxide of carbide.