Nip width of an on-demand fuser : Part I. Cross-section model

This article presents an experimentally verified analytical model of a pressure roller's nip when it is pressed against a flat heating element in an on-demand fuser. A cross-section model has been developed for predicting the nip width and deflection of a rigid pressure roller. In the mechanics literature, pressure rollers such as those used in laser printers are known as soft rollers. This model is based on nondimensional results from a finite element analysis that accounts for differences in roller size, rubber material, and load.