US 12,228,872 B2
Image forming device conveying sheet in a non-contact state between a preheating unit and a main fixing unit
Yoshiki Shimodaira, Ebina (JP); Takayuki Yamashita, Ebina (JP); Masato Yamashita, Ebina (JP); Tokuya Sakamoto, Ebina (JP); Kosuke Yamada, Ebina (JP); and Tetsuro Kodera, Ebina (JP)
Assigned to FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jun. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/337,522.
Application 17/337,522 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2019/031882, filed on Aug. 13, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-023906 (JP), filed on Feb. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0286304 A1, Sep. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. G03G 15/23 (2006.01); G03G 15/00 (2006.01); G03G 15/20 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/234 (2013.01) [G03G 15/20 (2013.01); G03G 15/2021 (2013.01); G03G 15/2053 (2013.01); G03G 15/657 (2013.01); G03G 15/5054 (2013.01)] 2 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming device, comprising:
a transfer unit that transfers at least one toner image onto a recording medium being conveyed, the recording medium having a first surface and a second surface;
a main heating unit that is disposed at a downstream side of the transfer unit in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, heats the recording medium in contact with the recording medium, and fixes the at least one toner image to the recording medium;
a reversing unit that reverses front and back of the recording medium having a first toner image included in the at least one toner image fixed on the first surface of the recording medium by the main heating unit, and sends the recording medium to the transfer unit;
a preheating unit that is arranged between the transfer unit and the main heating unit in the conveyance direction of the recording medium and heats the recording medium in a non-contact state, the preheating unit being configured to heat the recording medium so that, when the recording medium that is sent to the transfer unit by the reversing unit and on which a second toner image included in the at least one toner image is transferred to the second surface is heated, a temperature of toner fixed on the first surface of the recording medium before the recording medium is heated by the main heating unit is higher than a softening point of a toner that is used for forming the first toner image and the second toner image on the recording medium;
a non-contact unit that brings a toner image forming region on the first surface of the recording medium on which the second toner image is transferred onto the second surface and a member other than the recording medium between the preheating unit and the main heating unit in a non-contact state; and
a conveying unit configured to convey the recording medium along the horizontal direction by holding from a leading end of the recording medium, wherein
the preheating unit is arranged above the recording medium being conveyed,
a blowing unit that blows air to the recording medium is provided as the non-contact unit on an opposite side of the recording medium than the preheating unit so that the toner image forming region on the first surface of the recording medium, which is being conveyed between the preheating unit and the main heating unit and which has the second toner image transferred onto its second surface and the first toner image fixed onto its first surface, is not in contact with any member in a region between the preheating unit and the main heating unit so that a conveyance posture of the recording medium is stabilized horizontally only and both by the conveying unit and the blowing unit between the preheating unit and the main heating unit.