Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Hp Printing Korea Co., Ltd.

Jae-hyuk Lim

Dong-jin Seol

Hwan-hee Kim

Choong-kyu Park

Hwan-Hee Kim

A fusing unit and an image forming apparatus, the fusing unit includes: a fusing frame which is grounded to the image forming apparatus when mounted in the image forming apparatus; a heating member which includes a release layer contacting the print medium and a heat transfer layer provided within the release layer, grounded to the fusing frame, and transfers heat from a heat source provided therein to a print medium passing a predetermined fusing nip; a supporting member which rotatably supports the heating member; a pressure roller, forms the fusing nip between the pressure roller and the heating member, presses the print medium passing the fusing nip and includes a conductive material; and a discharging member includes an end part which contacts the print medium passing the fusing nip, and discharges static electricity from the print medium.

Fusing unit and image forming apparatus employing the same

Disclosed are a fusing unit capable of a variable fusing pressing force, a control method thereof and an image forming apparatus employing the same. The fusing pressing force may be selectively varied so as to apply a lesser force at the initial stage of the operation of the fusing unit, and may be increased to a desired level of force suitable for fusing operation so as to minimize excessive torque in a driving motor that rotationally drives the fusing device.

Growing community of inventors

Seoul, South Korea

Jae-hyuk Lim