ULTRAHEATED STEAM ZONE AND STEAM FUSER FOR OPTIMALLY CONTROLLING MOISTURE CONTENT USING HIGH TEMPERATURE STEAM ZONE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To heat a medium so as to prevent cockling and other problems.;SOLUTION: A steam fuser for an electrophotographic system includes a chamber, that is, a first zone 110 in which ultraheated steam sufficiently higher (e.g., greater than 200°C or greater than 300°C) than a fusing temperature being a target temperature is present, and a chamber, that is, a second zone 120 in which steam or gas lower than that of the first zone 110 (e.g., lower than 150°C) is present. Using a conveying device, a medium is passed through the zones 110 and 120. The target temperature is set greater than steam boiling point T_BP, for example, 100°C. Using ultraheated steam, the medium is heated to the target temperature or above (time t₁) in the zone 110. The medium maintained at approximately the target temperature is caused to enter the zone 120 (time t₂). Using other steam or gas, the temperature T_s of the medium is maintained at approximately the target temperature. When the medium exits the zone 120 (time t₃), toner is kept fused on the medium.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT