Fixing device

Claim 2

A fixing device comprising: a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member for gripping and transporting a recording material to fix a toner image having a predetermined electric polarity onto the recording material, wherein said first rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a face of the recording material bearing the toner image, and said second rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a back face of the recording material, and wherein said first rotatable member and said second rotatable member each have an electrically insulating surface layer; and electrification agent applying means for applying to said second rotatable member an electrification agent which causes charging of said second rotatable member to an electric polarity opposite to the electric polarity of the toner image through a friction between the recording material and said second rotatable member, whereby the electric charge of said second rotatable member attracts the toner image to the recording material to prevent the toner image from offsetting to said first rotatable member.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein the surface layer of said second rotatable member has a thickness larger than that of the surface layer of said first rotatable member.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1, wherein said second rotatable member is chargeable to a potential, an absolute value of which is not less than 10 times an absolute value of a potential to which the recording material is chargeable.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said electrification agent applying means is provided in association with said second rotatable member to apply the electrification agent to said second rotatable member.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 4, further comprising heating means for heating substantially said second rotatable member, wherein said electrification agent applying means is spaced apart from said second rotatable member and wherein said second rotatable member is expandable by heat from said heating means to an extent that the surface layer of said second rotatable member contacts said electrification agent applying means to receive the electrification agent.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 5, wherein said heating means includes a heat source mounted in said first rotatable member to supply heat to fix the toner image on the recording material.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 4, further comprising parting agent applying means provided in association with said second rotatable member, and wherein said electrification agent applying means and said parting agent applying means are disposed in the order named with respect to a direction of rotation of said second rotatable member.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said electrification agent applying means is provided in association with said first rotatable member so that the electrification agent is applied to the surface of the second rotatable member via said first rotatable member.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 8, further comprising parting agent applying means provided in association with said first rotatable member, and wherein said parting agent applying means and said electrification agent applying means are disposed in the order named with respect to a direction of rotation of said first rotatable member.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 1, 2 or 3; wherein said electrification agent applying means functions also as means for cleaning said second rotatable member.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said electrification agent applying means applies the electrification agent to said second rotatable member through a porous film of a fluorine resin.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 6, wherein the electrification agent includes an electrification control agent acting as a parting agent.

Claim 14

A device according to claim 1, wherein said electrification agent has an amino group.

Claim 15

A device according to claim 13, wherein said electrification agent has an amino-modified silicone oil.

Claim 16

A device according to claim 1, wherein the electrification agent has a halogen-modified silicone oil.

Claim 17

A device according to claim 1, wherein the surface layer of said first rotatable member includes a fluorine resin layer, and the surface layer of said second rotatable member includes a silicone rubber layer.

Claim 18

A fixing device comprising: a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member for gripping and transporting a recording material to fix a toner image having a predetermined electric polarity onto the recording material, wherein said first rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a face of the recording material bearing the toner image, and said second rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a back face of the recording material, and wherein said first rotatable member and said second rotatable member each have an electrically insulating surface layer; and electrification agent applying means for applying to said second rotatable member an electrification agent which causes charging of said back face of the recording material to an electric polarity opposite to the electric polarity of the toner image through friction between the recording material and said second rotatable member, whereby the electric charge of the backface of the recording material attracts the toner image to the recording material to prevent the toner image from offsetting to said first rotatable member.

Claim 19

A fixing device comprising: a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member for gripping and transporting a recording material to fix a toner image having a predetermined electric polarity onto the recording material, wherein said first rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a face of the recording material bearing the toner image, and said second rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a back face of the recording material, and wherein said first rotatable member and said second rotatable member each have an electrically insulating surface layer; and electrification agent applying means for applying to said second rotatable member an electrification agent which causes charging of said back face of the recording material to an electric polarity opposite to the electric polarity of the toner image through friction between the recording material and said second rotatable member, whereby the electric charge of the backface of the recording material attracts the toner image to the recording material to prevent the toner image from offsetting to said first rotatable member.

Claim 20

A device according to claim 17, wherein said second rotatable member is chargeable to a potential, an absolute value of which is not more than 3 times an absolute value of a potential to which the recording material is chargeable.

Claim 21

A device according to claim 17, wherein said second rotatable member includes a sponge layer underlying the insulating surface layer, and wherein the thickness of the surface layer is less than the thickness of the sponge layer.

Claim 22

A device according to claim 19, wherein the surface layer of said second rotatable member includes a silicone rubber.

Claim 23

A device according to claim 17, 18, 19 or 20, wherein said electrification agent applying means is provided in association with said second rotatable member to apply the electrification agent to said second rotatable member.

Claim 24

A device according to claim 21, further comprising heating means for heating substantially said second rotatable member, wherein said electrification agent applying means is spaced apart from said second rotatable member and wherein said second rotatable member is expandable by heat from said heating means to an extent that the surface layer of said second rotatable member contacts said electrification agent applying means to receive the electrification agent.

Claim 25

A device according to claim 22, wherein said heating means includes a heat source mounted in said first rotatable member to supply heat to fix the toner image on the recording material.

Claim 26

A device according to claim 21, further comprising parting agent applying means provided in association with said second rotatable member, and wherein said electrification agent applying means and said parting agent applying means are disposed in the order named with respect to a direction of rotation of said second rotatable member.

Claim 27

A device according to claim 17, 18, 19 or 20, wherein said electrification agent applying means is provided in association with said first rotatable member so that the electrification agent is applied to the surface of the second rotatable member via said first rotatable member.

Claim 28

A device according to claim 25, further comprising parting agent applying means provided in association with said first rotatable member, and wherein said parting agent applying means and said electrification agent applying means are disposed in the order named with respect to a direction of rotation of said first rotatable member.

Claim 29

A device according to claim 17, 18, 19 or 20, wherein said electrification agent applying means functions also as means for cleaning said second rotatable member.

Claim 30

A device according to claim 17, 18, 19 or 20, wherein said electrification agent applying means applies the electrification agent to said second rotatable member through a porous film of a fluorine resin.

Claim 31

A device according to claim 17, wherein the electrification agent includes an electrification control agent acting as a parting agent.

Claim 32

A device according to claim 17, wherein said electrification agent has an amino group.

Claim 33

A device according to claim 30, wherein said electrification agent has an amino-modified silicone oil.

Claim 34

A device according to claim 17, wherein the electrification agent has a halogen-modified silicone oil.

Claim 35

A fixing device comprising: a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member for gripping and transporting a recording material to fix a toner image having a predetermined electric polarity onto the recording material, wherein said first rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a face of the recording material bearing the toner image, and said second rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a back face of the recording material, and wherein said first rotatable member and said second rotatable member each have an electrically insulating surface layer; and electrification agent applying means for applying to said first rotatable member an electrification agent which causes charging of said first rotatable member to an electric polarity the same as the electric polarity of the toner image through a friction between the recording material and said first rotatable member, whereby the electric charge of said first rotatable member urges the toner image to the recording material to prevent the toner image from offsetting to said first rotatable member.

Claim 36

A fixing device comprising: a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member for gripping and transporting a recording material to fix a toner image having a predetermined electric polarity onto the recording material, wherein said first rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a face of the recording material bearing the toner image, and said second rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a back face of the recording material, and wherein said first rotatable member and said second rotatable member each have an electrically insulating surface layer; and electrification agent applying means for applying to said first rotatable member an electrification agent which causes charging of said first rotatable member to an electric polarity the same as the electric polarity of the toner image through a friction between the recording material and said first rotatable member, whereby the electric charge of said first rotatable member urges the toner image to the recording material to prevent the toner image from offsetting to said first rotatable member.

Claim 37

A device according to claim 33, wherein said electrification agent applying means is provided in association with said first rotatable member, and the electrification agent is applied to said first rotatable member.

Claim 38

A device according to claim 33, wherein said electrification agent applying means is provided in association with said second rotatable member, and the electrification agent is applied to the surface of said first rotatable member via said second rotatable member.

Claim 39

A device according to claim 33, wherein the electrification agent includes an electrification control agent acting as a parting agent.

Claim 40

A device according to claim 33, wherein said electrification agent has an amino group.

Claim 41

A device according to claim 33, wherein said electrification agent has an amino-modified silicone oil.

Claim 42

A device according to claim 33, wherein the electrification agent has a halogen-modified silicone oil.

Claim 43

A fixing device comprising: a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member for gripping and transporting a recording material to fix a toner image having a predetermined electric polarity onto the recording material, wherein said first rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a face of the recording material bearing the toner image, and said second rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a back face of the recording material, and wherein said first rotatable member and said second rotatable member each have an electrically insulating surface layer; and electrification agent applying means for applying to said second rotatable member an electrification agent which causes charging of said back face of the recording material to an electric polarity opposite to the electric polarity of toner image through friction between the recording material and said second rotatable member, whereby the electric charge of the back face of the recording material attracts the toner image to the recording material to prevent the toner image from offsetting to said first rotatable member, said fixing device being usable with an image forming apparatus wherein a toner image is formed on an image bearing member, electrostatically transferred to the recording material, and thereafter, the toner image on the recording material is fixed, wherein a distance between a station where the toner image is transferred onto the recording material and a station where the toner image is fixed is shorter than the length of the recording material measured along movement of the recording material.

Claim 44

A fixing device comprising: a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member for gripping and transporting a recording material to fix a toner image having a predetermined electric polarity onto the recording material, wherein said first rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a face of the recording material bearing the toner image, and said second rotatable member is positioned to be contactable with a back face of the recording material, and wherein said first rotatable member and said second rotatable member each have an electrically insulating surface layer; and electrification agent applying means for applying to said second rotatable member an electrification agent which causes charging of said back face of the recording material to an electric polarity opposite to the electric polarity of toner image through friction between the recording material and said second rotatable member, whereby the electric charge of the back face of the recording material attracts the toner image to the recording material to prevent the toner image from offsetting to said first rotatable member, said fixing device being usable with an image forming apparatus wherein a toner image is formed on an image bearing member, electrostatically transferred to the recording material, and thereafter, the toner image on the recording material is fixed, wherein a distance between a station where the toner image is transferred onto the recording material and a station where the toner image is fixed is shorter than the length of the recording material measured along movement of the recording material.