Abstract: A belt type fixing apparatus comprises: a fixing roller; a fixing belt which is installed to be opposite to the fixing roller; a nip forming member which is installed inside the fixing belt and supports the fixing belt so that the fixing belt can contact the fixing roller to form a fixing nip; a pair of sliding members which are installed to support both ends of the fixing belt and are rotated by the fixing belt; a pair of flange members which rotatably support the pair of sliding members; and a heat source which is installed inside the fixing belt and generates heat, wherein the rotation center of the pair of sliding members is located upstream in the transportation direction of printed matter compared to the rotation center of the fixing roller.

Abstract: A belt type fixing apparatus comprises: a fixing roller; a fixing belt which is installed to be opposite to the fixing roller; a nip forming member which is installed inside the fixing belt and supports the fixing belt so that the fixing belt can contact the fixing roller to form a fixing nip; a pair of sliding members which are installed to support both ends of the fixing belt and are rotated by the fixing belt; a pair of flange members which rotatably support the pair of sliding members; and a heat source which is installed inside the fixing belt and generates heat, wherein the rotation center of the pair of sliding members is located upstream in the transportation direction of printed matter compared to the rotation center of the fixing roller.

Abstract: A fixing device including a lubricant supply unit is provided. The lubricant supply unit supplies a lubricant between a fixing belt and a nip forming member and includes a lubricant storage member and an impregnation member. The lubricant storage member stores the lubricant, and the impregnation member impregnates the lubricant discharged from the lubricant storage member and supplies the lubricant to an inner surface of the fixing belt. The lubricant stored in the lubricant storage member includes base oil and a thickener, and a weight of the thickener is equal to or less than 20% with respect to a weight of the lubricant.

Abstract: A fixing device including a lubricant supply unit is provided. The lubricant supply unit supplies a lubricant between a fixing belt and a nip forming member and includes a lubricant storage member and an impregnation member. The lubricant storage member stores the lubricant, and the impregnation member impregnates the lubricant discharged from the lubricant storage member and supplies the lubricant to an inner surface of the fixing belt. The lubricant stored in the lubricant storage member includes base oil and a thickener, and a weight of the thickener is equal to or less than 20% with respect to a weight of the lubricant.

Abstract: A fusing apparatus to fuse a toner image transferred to a printing medium by applying heat and pressure. The fusing apparatus includes a separation member that is rotatably mounted on a rotation axis to separate the printing medium from one of a heating roller and a pressing roller. The separation member includes a hollow portion into which the rotation axis is inserted, and a separation portion that contacts an outer circumference of the heating roller. The separation member is installed so as to be pitched around the rotation axis and a pitching axis having an inclination angle within a range of ±10° with respect to a line that connects a contact point between the separation portion and the outer circumference of the roller from which the printing medium is to be separated and a center of the roller from which the printing medium is to be separated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heat roller heated to a preset temperature; a pressure roller for having conductivity and forming a nip by pressure-contacting with the heat roller; a power supply unit to apply a bias voltage to the pressure roller; and a controller to, when a printing paper enters the nip, control the power supply unit to apply the bias voltage to the pressure roller. When a time interval is longer than a preset time, the controller can control the power supply unit not to apply the bias voltage when the printing paper is not placed in the nip, and when the time interval is shorter than the preset time, the controller can control the power supply unit to apply the bias voltage when the printing paper is not placed in the nip.

Abstract: A fusing apparatus to fuse a toner image transferred to a printing medium by applying heat and pressure. The fusing apparatus includes a separation member that is rotatably mounted on a rotation axis to separate the printing medium from one of a heating roller and a pressing roller. The separation member includes a hollow portion into which the rotation axis is inserted, and a separation portion that contacts an outer circumference of the heating roller. The separation member is installed so as to be pitched around the rotation axis and a pitching axis having an inclination angle within a range of ±10° with respect to a line that connects a contact point between the separation portion and the outer circumference of the roller from which the printing medium is to be separated and a center of the roller from which the printing medium is to be separated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heat roller heated to a preset temperature; a pressure roller for having conductivity and forming a nip by pressure-contacting with the heat roller; a power supply unit to apply a bias voltage to the pressure roller; and a controller to, when a printing paper enters the nip, control the power supply unit to apply the bias voltage to the pressure roller. When a time interval is longer than a preset time, the controller can control the power supply unit not to apply the bias voltage when the printing paper is not placed in the nip, and when the time interval is shorter than the preset time, the controller can control the power supply unit to apply the bias voltage when the printing paper is not placed in the nip.

Abstract: Disclosed is a waste developer collecting unit of an image forming apparatus that can include a casing configured to store waste developer, an auger rotatably disposed inside the casing and configured to move the waste developer around inside the casing, a detection unit configured to detect a load applied to the auger, the applied load being in corresponding relationship with an amount of waste developer stored in the casing, and a control unit configured to determine whether the amount of waste developer in the casing has reached a reference amount based on the detection result produced by the detection unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming part forming an image on paper, and a housing accommodating the image forming part and having a paper stack part stacking paper discharged from the image forming part, and the image forming apparatus includes an accommodating part formed in an edge of the paper stack part and extending in a paper discharge direction; a base plate mounted in the accommodating part to be slidable in the paper discharge direction and a reverse direction opposite to the paper discharge direction; and a stopper hinge-coupled to the base plate to be tiltable among a stand up position where the stopper blocks paper discharged from the image forming part, a rear folding position where the stopper is folded onto the base plate and is at least partially accommodated in the paper stack part, and a front folding position where the stopper is folded in the paper discharge direction.

Abstract: A rollers separating unit which controls a distance between a heating roller and a pressurizing roller of a fixing unit by an opening/closing of a side cover. The rollers separating unit includes an elastic support member rotatably hinge-coupled to one side of a housing of a fixing unit, to elastically support a roller installed at an outer portion of a main body between a pair of rollers so that the pair of rollers pressurize each other, a first lever rotatably hinge-coupled to one end of the elastic support member, to rotate the elastic support member at a first predetermined angle so that the pair of rollers are separated from each other, and a side cover rotatably hinge-coupled to one side of the main body, to increase a distance between the pair of rollers by operating the first lever.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to control the fusing temperature of an image forming apparatus. This method of controlling the fusing temperature of an image forming apparatus having a fan to exhaust the internal air to the outside includes counting the accumulated number of sheets of paper printed in response to print commands, lowering a set point of the fusing temperature and controlling the fan to increase the amount of air to be exhausted when the accumulated number of sheets of printed paper is greater than a predetermined value. According to the method, without installing an additional temperature sensor inside the image forming apparatus, the temperature therein can be presumed and controlled by controlling the fusing temperature of the fusing roller and a fan flow rate to lower the temperature of the paper, and consequently, preventing the formation of creases in the paper.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body frame, an image forming unit disposed inside of the main body frame to form an image, a door unit disposed in such a manner to make a conjoin rotation to thereby approach to a paper transfer path disposed inside of the main body frame, a roller assembly disposed on the paper transfer path, and an opening and closing coupling unit to couple the door unit with the roller assembly, wherein the roller assembly is opened/closed when the door unit is opened/closed.

Abstract: A rollers separating unit which controls a distance between a heating roller and a pressurizing roller of a fixing unit by an opening/closing of a side cover. The rollers separating unit includes an elastic support member rotatably hinge-coupled to one side of a housing of a fixing unit, to elastically support a roller installed at an outer portion of a main body between a pair of rollers so that the pair of rollers pressurize each other, a first lever rotatably hinge-coupled to one end of the elastic support member, to rotate the elastic support member at a first predetermined angle so that the pair of rollers are separated from each other, and a side cover rotatably hinge-coupled to one side of the main body, to increase a distance between the pair of rollers by operating the first lever.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming part forming an image on paper, and a housing accommodating the image forming part and having a paper stack part stacking paper discharged from the image forming part, and the image forming apparatus includes an accommodating part formed in an edge of the paper stack part and extending in a paper discharge direction; a base plate mounted in the accommodating part to be slidable in the paper discharge direction and a reverse direction opposite to the paper discharge direction; and a stopper hinge-coupled to the base plate to be tiltable among a stand up position where the stopper blocks paper discharged from the image forming part, a rear folding position where the stopper is folded onto the base plate and is at least partially accommodated in the paper stack part, and a front folding position where the stopper is folded in the paper discharge direction.

Abstract: A sheet separating apparatus for a fusing unit separates a sheet being conveyed through a fusing unit from a heating roller and guides the sheet to a discharging roller without causing damages to a surface of a fusing roller. The sheet separating apparatus comprises a separating claw rotatably disposed toward a discharging side of a heating roller, for separating a sheet from the heating roller, and a contact spring pivoting the separating claw so that a front end of the separating claw is in contact with the heating roller with a predetermined constant pressure. The front end of the separating claw has rounded corners. It is preferred that the front end of the separating claw is chamfered. Also, it is preferred that the separating claw is made of stainless steel.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body frame, an image forming unit disposed inside of the main body frame to form an image, a door unit disposed in such a manner to make a conjoin rotation to thereby approach to a paper transfer path disposed inside of the main body frame, a roller assembly disposed on the paper transfer path, and an opening and closing coupling unit to couple the door unit with the roller assembly, wherein the roller assembly is opened/closed when the door unit is opened/closed.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for a printer includes a paper separating unit. The fixing apparatus also includes a heating unit which fixes an image on paper by heating paper passing through a developing unit, a pressing unit which contacts the heating unit, presses paper passing through an interface with the heating unit and helps to fix the image on the paper, and a paper separating unit which includes a separation member having a sharp end contacting the heating unit to separate paper, an arm member having one end to which the separation member is attached and pivots, centering on a hinge shaft at a predetermined angle, and an elastic member which is connected to the other end of the arm member and applies an elastic force so that the arm member is maintained in a correct position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to control the fusing temperature of an image forming apparatus. This method of controlling the fusing temperature of an image forming apparatus having a fan to exhaust the internal air to the outside includes counting the accumulated number of sheets of paper printed in response to print commands, lowering a set point of the fusing temperature and controlling the fan to increase the amount of air to be exhausted when the accumulated number of sheets of printed paper is greater than a predetermined value. According to the method, without installing an additional temperature sensor inside the image forming apparatus, the temperature therein can be presumed and controlled by controlling the fusing temperature of the fusing roller and a fan flow rate to lower the temperature of the paper, and consequently, preventing the formation of creases in the paper.

Abstract: A sheet separating apparatus for a fusing unit separates a sheet being conveyed through a fusing unit from a heating roller and guides the sheet to a discharging roller without causing damages to a surface of a fusing roller. The sheet separating apparatus comprises a separating claw rotatably disposed toward a discharging side of a heating roller, for separating a sheet from the heating roller, and a contact spring pivoting the separating claw so that a front end of the separating claw is in contact with the heating roller with a predetermined constant pressure. The front end of the separating claw has rounded corners. It is preferred that the front end of the separating claw is chamfered. Also, it is preferred that the separating claw is made of stainless steel.