US 7,565,101 B2
Fixing device and image forming apparatus having the same
Takashi Yamanaka, Yamatokoriyama (Japan); Kimihide Tsukamoto, Osaka (Japan); Tatsuya Shinkawa, Nara (Japan); and Kan Mukai, Yamatokoriyama (Japan)
Assigned to Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka (Japan)
Filed on May 25, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/420,352.
Claims priority of application No. 2005-157774 (JP), filed on May 30, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2006/0269332 A1, Nov. 30, 2006
Int. Cl. G03G 15/20 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 399—323  [399/327] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fixing device mounted in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the fixing device comprising:
fixing rollers having a heating roller and a pressure roller;
a plurality of peeling claws for peeling off recording medium from the fixing roller;
a fixing roller cleaning section for cleaning the fixing roller by removing developer adhered to the fixing roller;
a number-of-processed-sheet detecting portion for detecting a number of processed recording mediums treated with a fixing process upon passing through the fixing roller;
a peeling claw driving section for moving a plurality of the peeling claws in parallel with an axial direction of the fixing roller; and
a control unit for controlling the peeling claw driving section to operate so that a relative position between the peeling claw and the fixing roller changes according to a detected output of the number-of-processed-sheet detecting portion;
wherein the fixing roller cleaning section comprises:
a cleaning member that is belt-shaped, wound up and provided so as to contact either one of the fixing rollers, for cleaning a surface of the fixing roller; a press-contact roller for pressing the cleaning member against the fixing roller with which the cleaning member comes into contact; a feed-out roller for feeding the cleaning member; a wind-up roller for taking the cleaning member which has been fed from the feed-out roller and then cleaned the surface of the fixing roller; and a driving source for taking up the cleaning member,
wherein the driving source provided in the fixing roller cleaning section is used also as a driving source for the peeling claw driving section.