| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
|---|
| 20110064441 | Temperature Control Method for Fixing Device - A fixing device includes: a fixing member configured to cause a recording medium to pass therethrough and subject the recording medium to fixing processing; a heating member configured to heat the fixing member; and a control member configured to control the heating member at two fixing set temperatures during a printing mode for the recording medium fed last. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20130028623 | ZERO-CROSSING DETECTOR CIRCUIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A zero-crossing detector circuit includes: a first capacitor including a first electrode configured to connect to one end of an AC power supply and a second electrode; a second capacitor including a first electrode configured to connect to the other end of the AC power supply and a second electrode; a current path, which is connected in series between the second electrode of the first capacitor and the second electrode of the second capacitor, and which is connected to a reference potential, and which generates a second-electrode-side voltage when the AC current passes through the current path; a signal converting circuit, which is connected to the AC power supply to receive the second-electrode-side voltage and then converts the second-electrode-side voltage into a pulse signal; and a detecting unit, which detects a pulse period of the pulse signal, which and detects zero-crossing points by using the pulse period. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20090196644 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM - An image forming apparatus having a fixing unit fixing a developer image formed based on image data received onto a medium includes a target fixing temperature determination unit, a fixable temperature range computing unit, and a fixing temperature control unit. The target fixing temperature determination unit determines fixing temperature arranged based on the medium as target fixing temperature. The fixable temperature range computing unit computes a fixing temperature range fixable the developer image on the medium by using medium information of the medium while using the target fixing temperature as reference temperature. The fixing temperature control unit controls the fixing unit based on the fixable temperature range computed by the fixable temperature range computing unit. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090196643 | FUSING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A disclosed fusing device includes a fusing part; a pressing part rotatably pressed against the fusing part to form a fusing nip for fusing a toner image onto a sheet; a capacitor; a center heater for heating a center portion of the fusing part; an edge heater for heating edge portions of the fusing part; an auxiliary heater for heating the fusing part; and a control unit configured to continuously turn off the edge heater and to turn on the center heater and the auxiliary heater to heat the fusing part during a fusing process of one or more small-size sheets having a width less than that of the heat generating portion of the center heater. The control unit is configured to turn on the edge heater to heat the fusing part when the capacitor stops discharging electricity during a consecutive fusing process of multiple small-size sheets. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20100150596 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - According to an embodiment, a heating device having a plurality of heating members which heat the heating roller, a first thermoelectric converting section having a plurality of thermoelectric converting elements, each of which has a heat-absorbing surface and a cooling surface and generates electromotive force by difference in temperature between the heat-absorbing surface and the cooling surface, and formed along a curved surface of the heating roller, in which the heat-absorbing surface is disposed with a predetermined space from an outer circumferential surface of the heating roller, an auxiliary power supply charged with electric power generated by the first thermoelectric converting section, and a switching section which switches the apparatus between a first state in which electric power is supplied from utility power to the heating members and a second state in which electric power is supplied from the auxiliary power supply to the heating members, based on a predetermined signal. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20080285996 | FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND HEATING CONTROL METHOD FOR FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device includes a heat roller having a degaussing alloy material, an induction heating member for exciting the heat roller, an inverter circuit for giving power at a predetermined frequency to the induction heating member, and a control unit, and when driving at a first drive frequency and fixing small size sheets by continuous passing, a local temperature rise occurs at an end part of the heat roller, and the end part approaches the Curie temperature, and when impedance of the inverter circuit reduces and an excessive current flows in the circuit, the fixing device drives at a higher second drive frequency, thereby increases a resistance of the heat roller by an epidermal effect of magnetic flux, increases an apparent resistance of the inverter circuit, makes it possible to use a flowing current within a normal range, heating a central part of the heat roller, and continues the fixing. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20110188874 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus - A fixing device is disclosed, including: a fixing rotative body, a heat source, and a control part. The control part conducts a printing temperature control which varies an ON ratio per unit time of the heat source based on a detection result of the temperature detecting part to maintain a printing target temperature in a printing state, conducts a waiting temperature control which performs an ON/OFF control based on the detection result of the temperature detecting part to maintain a waiting target temperature in a waiting state after a printing operation ends, and conducts a forcible ON control which forcibly turns on the heat source for a predetermined time before starting the ON/OFF control when the detection result of the temperature detecting part after the printing operation ends is lower than the waiting target temperature. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110194870 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes an endless, fuser belt, a contact member, a pressure member, a heater, a first thermometer, a second thermometer, and a controller. The fuser belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration. The contact member extends inside the loop of endless belt. The pressure member extends with the belt interposed between the contact member and the pressure member. The pressure member is pressed against the contact member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The heater includes a first heating element and a second heating element. The first heating element heats the fuser belt at a first position. The second heating element heats the fuser belt at a second position. The first thermometer detects a first temperature of the fuser belt. The second thermometer detects a second temperature of the fuser belt. The controller controls each of the first and second heating elements. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110194869 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same - A fixing device includes a substantially cylindrical metal member, a heater, an endless, flexible fixing member, a rotary pressing member, and a stationary member. The heater heats the metal member. The fixing member is disposed rotatable around the metal member. An inner circumferential surface of the fixing member is heated by the metal member to heat and fix a toner image. The rotary pressing member is disposed opposite the metal member and pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip between the rotary pressing member and the fixing member through which a recording medium bearing the toner image passes. The stationary member is disposed in pressure contact with the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, and has an opposing face opposing the rotary pressing member and having a curvature smaller than a curvature of the rotary pressing member. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110194868 | SELECTIVE COOLING OF A FUSER - A controlled fuser assembly for a reproduction apparatus. The fuser assembly includes a fuser member for fusing a marking particle image to a receiver member and a cooling system for controlling the temperature of the fuser system. Optional external heater rollers have a heat transfer surface adapted to be selectively engaged with the fuser member, and a device for heating said heat transfer surfaces. A mechanism is provided for controlling the heat transfer with the fuser member to selectively change the amount of heat transferred from the fuser. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110194867 | SELECTIVE COOLING OF A FUSER HEATER ROLLER - A controlled fuser assembly for a reproduction apparatus. The fuser assembly includes a fuser member for fusing a marking particle image to a receiver member and a cooling system for controlling the temperature of the fuser system. Optional external heater rollers have a heat transfer surface adapted to be selectively engaged with the fuser member, and a device for heating said heat transfer surfaces. A mechanism is provided for controlling the heat transfer with the fuser member to selectively change the amount of heat transferred from the fuser. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20090123172 | HEATER, FIXING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090123171 | Information Forming Apparatus - An invented image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit for fixing a developer image transferred onto a conveyed medium; a temperature detecting unit for detecting a temperature of said fixing unit, a first power supply controller for controlling power supply to said fixing unit based on the detected result of the temperature detecting unit, a second power supply controller for controlling power supply to said fixing unit based on a preset value, a medium detection unit for detecting a medium to be conveyed, and a power supply operation controller for switching control done between said first power supply controller and said second power supply controller based on a position of the medium detected with said medium detection unit. The image forming apparatus can reduce impairment of settling rate of the developer images at the second half of the recording paper during the fixing process. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20100074643 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device for fixing a toner image to a sheet and has a fixing roller to be heated by a heat source and a pressure roller to be pressed into contact with the fixing roller. A switcher switches a pressing force between the fixing roller and the pressure roller between a first pressing force and a second pressing force lower than the first pressing force. A pressing force detector detects the pressing force between the fixing roller and the pressure roller and a temperature detector detects the temperature of the fixing roller. A storage device stores control data indicating a control temperature for the fixing roller predetermined in accordance with the number of sheets passing the fixing device, and a controller controls the temperature of the fixing roller to the control temperature by controlling the heat source in accordance with a signal sent from the pressing force detector. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20090232534 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus includes a magnetic-field generating part that generates a magnetic field, a fixing rotating body having a heat generating layer that generates heat by an electromagnetic induction action of the magnetic field, a pressurizing member that applies pressure to an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotating body, a heating member that is arranged in contact with an inner side of the fixing rotating body so as be opposed to the magnetic-field generating part, and heats the fixing rotating body, and a temperature sensing part that is located within a region where the fixing rotating body is opposed to the magnetic-field generating part and where the fixing rotating body is in contact with the heating member, and senses a temperature of the fixing rotating body. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20130034362 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes: a coil; a heating member; magnetic cores; a moving mechanism for moving the magnetic cores; a controller; and a temperature sensor, movable in a widthwise direction of the heating member, for detecting a temperature of the heating member. The temperature sensor is controlled so as to be provided at a set position of an end portion of a set range with respect to the widthwise direction. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is increased up to a predetermined temperature, the moving mechanism is controlled so that the magnetic core located at the end portion of the set range with respect to the widthwise direction is moved away from the heating member. | 02-07-2013 |
| 20130034363 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes: a coil for generating magnetic flux; a heat generating member; a nip forming member; a power source; a temperature sensor; a controller for controlling the power source based on a detection result of the temperature sensor; an executing portion for executing an operation in a higher speed fixing mode using a thinner recording material and an operation in a lower speed fixing mode using a thicker recording material; and a prohibiting portion for prohibiting the electric power, supplied from the power source to the coil by the controller, from exceeding a limiter value. The limiter value in the lower speed fixing mode is executed is set so as to be higher than that in the higher speed fixing mode. | 02-07-2013 |
| 20130034364 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING FIXING UNIT - A fixing unit control apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus includes a feeding time detector for detecting a time when a printing medium is fed to the fixing unit; and a heat controller for controlling heat generated by the fixing unit according to the detected time. Accordingly, printing quality degraded in an early print stage can be improved. Also, by reducing a user waiting time to perform a normal printing job after an image forming device is turned on, a more convenient image forming device can be provided. | 02-07-2013 |
| 20130039674 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit, wherein the fixing unit includes a first temperature detection member detecting the temperature of a first non-passing area of the fixing unit; a second temperature detection member detecting the temperature of a second non-passing area; and a cooling unit supplying air so as to simultaneously cool the first non-passing area and the second non-passing area, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured, when the absolute value of the difference between the detection temperature of the temperature detection members becomes not less than a threshold value, while air is being supplied to the non-passing area and the second non-passing area, to stop the supplying of air by the cooling unit and continue recording material fixing processing. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20100104308 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FUSER AND PRESSURE ASSEMBLY TEMPERATURE CONTROL - An apparatus ( | 04-29-2010 |
| 20090154948 | ENHANCED FUSER OFFSET LATITUDE METHOD - Electrophotographic printing of one or more layers of toner using a method of enhancing fuser offset latitude to enable the printing of a wide range of toner mass laydown using electrophotography. This method encompasses the steps of forming multicolor toner images, determining the amount of clear overcoat mass laydown as a function of the color mass laydown or non-raised mass laydown and fusing the clear toner overcoat and the multicolor toner image at a fusing temperature determined by the maximum total mass laydown and the nip width to provide good adhesion to the receiver member while optimizing fuser offset latitude. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20130045021 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - The image forming apparatus includes an image processing section that converts image data into pixel data, an image forming section that forms a toner image based on the pixel data, and a fixing section that fixes the toner image to the recording material by heating the recording material with the toner image formed thereon while conveying the recording material through a nip portion, wherein the image processing section divides the pixel data corresponding to one recording material into a plurality of areas each formed of a predetermined number of pixels and acquires density information on some of the pixels within each of the areas as representative values, wherein the fixing section carries out a process of fixing the toner image for which the density information has been acquired, under a fixing condition according to a maximum value of the representative values. | 02-21-2013 |
| 20130084092 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, CONTROLLING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An image processing apparatus for controlling a fixing temperature of a fixing device which fixes an image to be formed comprises an obtaining unit configured to obtain an attribute of each page included in a print job including a plurality of pages, and a controlling unit configured to control a fixing temperature for each page, based on a change of the obtained attribute by the obtaining unit between continuous pages. | 04-04-2013 |
| 20130084093 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus configured to control a fixing temperature of a fixing device that fixes a formed image includes a fixing temperature control unit configured to control, based on a change amount between a toner amount of an N-th page, where N is a natural number, and a toner amount of an (N+1)th page in a print job having a plurality of pages, a fixing temperature for the (N+1)th page, and a toner amount control unit configured to control the toner amount of the (N+1)th page to be less than or equal to a toner amount which can be fixed at the fixing temperature controlled by the fixing temperature control unit. | 04-04-2013 |
| 20100142986 | Apparatus and method for a multi-tap series resistance heating element in a belt fuser - A segment and heater fuser roll is disposed for a printing device including a plurality of heating elements in a preselected order relative to a voltage return. A plurality of voltage taps are disposed for applying selected power to ones of the plurality of heater elements. The heater elements vary in power density per unit length. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100142988 | FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING FIXING DEVICE - In a fixing device including (i) an external heat belt which abuts against a surface of a fixing roller so as to heat the fixing roller and (ii) a cleaning member which abuts against the external heat belt, a fixing temperature, which is a surface temperature of the fixing roller during a fixing process, is set per group into which recording media to be subjected to the fixing process are divided according to their widths in a direction of a rotary axis of the fixing roller, in such a way that the fixing temperature is set to a lower temperature for a group of narrower widths. This makes it possible to prevent a reduction in releasability of the fixing roller caused by a material, which is scraped off from the external heat belt by the cleaning member and then adhered to the fixing roller, thereby preventing the high-temperature offset. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20130089350 | FUSING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fuser portion is configured to include a fuser roller, a tension roller, an endless fuser belt stretched over the fuser roller and the tension roller, a heater unit for heating the fuser belt, and a pressure roller pressed to the fuser roller through the fuser belt. The heater unit is so arranged as to be pressed to the fuser belt, while the tension roller has a thermal insulation layer arranged on its outer circumference touching the fuser belt. | 04-11-2013 |
| 20100135686 | GAIN SCHEDULING APPROACH FOR FUSER CONTROL TO REDUCE INTER-CYCLE TIME - A fusing apparatus includes a fuser roll and a pressure roll which define a nip therebetween. An internal heat source is disposed within a interior of the fuser roll. An external heat source is disposed adjacent the fuser roll for heating an outer surface of the fuser roll. One or both of the internal heat source and the external heat source is controlled during a print job such that the thermal gradient across the fuser roll is adjusted. As a result, a temperature overshoot which generally occurs after the print job is finished can be reduced. The influence of subsequent jobs on the fuser roll surface temperature can also be accommodated. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100266306 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - The non-sheet-feeding portion temperature rise is reduced during warm-up operation of an image heating apparatus, the time needed for the warm-up operation is reduced, and the accuracy of the image fixing operation is improved. When a CPU determines that a temperature detected by an end portion thermistor is higher than a temperature detected by a center portion thermistor, the CPU controls the temperature of a fixing heater based on a detection result of the end portion thermistor. When the CPU determines that the temperature detected by the end portion thermistor is equal to or less than the temperature detected by the center portion thermistor, the CPU controls the temperature of the fixing heater based on a detection result of the center portion thermistor. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20090304405 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a temperature sensor including an element in which a resistance value increases as a temperature decreases and configured to detect a temperature of the fixing unit, a connector configured to transmit an output signal of the temperature sensor, a control unit disposed on a side opposed to the temperature sensor with respect to the connector and configured to control the temperature of the fixing unit based on the output signal of the temperature sensor, a resistor disposed on the same side of the temperature sensor with respect to the connector and connected to the temperature sensor in parallel, and a power source disposed on the side opposed to the temperature sensor with respect to the connector and configured to supply currents to the temperature sensor and the resistor via the connector. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20130058673 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - Provided is a fixing apparatus that can satisfy a quick start property while preventing degradation of paper non-passing sections of a fixing belt due to heat. In continuous image formation on a plurality of small-sized papers, if a temperature of the fixing belt at the reception of an execution command of a job is lower than a predetermined temperature, a heat equalizing roller is abutted to a pressure roller when an increase in the temperature of the paper non-passing sections of the fixing belt is feared along with progress of the job to thereby guarantee the quick start property. On the other hand, if the temperature of the fixing belt is higher than the predetermined temperature, the heat equalizing roller is abutted to the pressure roller from the beginning to suppress an increase in the temperature of the paper non-passing sections of the fixing belt. | 03-07-2013 |
| 20120224877 | FIXING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND FIXING METHOD - A fixing apparatus includes a heating roller, a fixing roller, a fixing belt that is wound around the heating roller and the fixing roller and circulates between the heating roller and the fixing roller, a pressing roller to press the fixing roller through the fixing belt, a first heater that is included in the heating roller and mainly heats a center part of the heating roller, a second heater that is included in the heating roller and mainly heats a peripheral part of the heating roller, and a temperature control unit to control a temperature of the heating roller by an on/off control of the first heater and the second heater, and the temperature control unit performs the on/off control in which when one of the first heater and the second heater is turned on, the other is turned off. | 09-06-2012 |
| 20120224875 | FIXING APPARATUS - The present disclosure is directed to enhance thermal efficiency of a fixing apparatus while a belt of the apparatus is heated, the fixing apparatus including: a belt including a plurality of heaters therein; a nip forming member that contacts with an inner surface of the belt; and a pressure member that forms a nip portion in conjunction with the nip forming member through the belt, wherein a ratio of an amount of heat generation by a heater farther from the nip portion to another heater closer to the nip portion is changed according to a speed at which a recording material is conveyed. | 09-06-2012 |
| 20130101305 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND FIXING DEVICE - According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit which forms a toner image on a surface of a medium, a fixing device which includes a heating member that heats the surface of the medium and a pressing member that comes in press-contact with the heating member through the medium to heat the back side of the medium, and a control unit which controls the temperature of a surface of the heating member on the side in contact with the medium to a temperature lower than the temperature of a surface of the pressing member on the side in contact with the medium. | 04-25-2013 |
| 20090245839 | Fuser Assembly Fan Control - A printer is provided including a reference edge, a fuser assembly, a cooling apparatus and a controller. The reference edge is adapted to be contacted by a substrate as the substrate moves along a substrate path through the printer. The fuser assembly includes a heat transfer member including a belt and a backup member. The cooling apparatus is adapted to move cooling air capable of cooling the fuser assembly. The controller is configured to activate the cooling apparatus after determining that a first end portion of the backup member opposite a second end portion of the backup member near the reference edge is at a temperature above a predefined first threshold temperature. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090238596 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus - A fixing device includes a non-contacting thermistor ( | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090238595 | Fixing device, image forming apparatus, and fixing-device control method - In a fixing device, a fixing unit fixes a toner image transferred onto a recording medium by a heating target unit heated by a plurality of heating units each of which is grouped as a first heating unit to which power is selectively supplied or a second heating unit to which power is supplied in priority to the first heating unit, and a supply control unit supplies power to a heating unit grouped as the second heating unit and selectively supplies power to a heating unit grouped as the first heating unit, among the heating units that heat the heating target unit of which detected temperature by a detecting unit is lower than a target temperature. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090238594 | FUSER WITH GLOSS FEEDBACK CONTROL - A method of controlling gloss in a printing system having a fuser is provided. The method comprises: creating a gloss look-up table for temperature settings; using the look-up table for temperature settings to determine a desired gloss range; measuring an actual gloss range on a substrate continuously with an in-line gloss meter; determining whether the actual gloss range is within the desired gloss range; and where the actual gloss range is outside the desired gloss range, adjusting temperature settings of the fuser. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090232535 | FIXING APPARATUS - The present invention provides a technique to make uniform a temperature distribution of a sheet heating temperature in a sheet widthwise direction, with no relation to sizes in a direction (sheet widthwise direction) orthogonal to a carrying direction of sheets to be fixed. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090047033 | FIXING DEVICE FOR COLOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD - A fixing device of the invention switches ON a heater lamp of the press roller in a fixing device in a color print mode. In a monochromatic mode, power comparable to the power consumption of the heater lamp can be supplied additionally to an exciting coil on the heat roller side when a heater lamp 3 stays OFF. An amount needed for the heat roller can be therefore added flexibly to the exciting coil. During a warm-up, power comparable to power consumption of the option can be supplied additionally to the exciting coil on the heat roller side. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20120230718 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a heat fixing member including a base body that is elastically deformable and applies heat to a medium; a press fixing member that applies pressure to the medium, a contact moving member that moves at least one of the heat fixing member and the press fixing member between a pressurizing position and a depressurizing position; a temperature detector disposed so as to face a position between an intersection of a first imaginary line and an outer surface of the heat fixing member and an intersection of a second imaginary line and the outer surface, the first imaginary line connecting a center of a fixing region and a rotation center of the heat fixing member, the second imaginary line passing through the rotation center and being perpendicular to the first imaginary line; and a temperature controller that controls a temperature of the heat fixing member. | 09-13-2012 |
| 20100178071 | APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING A TEMPERATURE OF A SURFACE IN APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING - Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of controlling a temperature of a surface in an apparatus useful for printing are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the apparatuses includes a first roll including a first outer surface and at least one first heating element for heating the first outer surface; a second roll including a second outer surface; a nip between the first outer surface and the second outer surface; a first temperature sensor for sensing a pre-nip temperature at a pre-nip location; and a first voltage modulator connected to each first heating element and the first temperature sensor. The first voltage modulator receives a temperature signal from the first temperature sensor indicative of the pre-nip temperature and modulates an AC voltage supplied to each first heating element to maintain each first heating element continuously ON at a power level ranging from partial power to full power to control the pre-nip temperature. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20120288295 | IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM - An image forming system including: an executing unit configured to execute a duplex image forming mode including: a first duplex image forming mode in which a recording material, which is conveyed from a first recording material containing portion and has one surface subjected to image formation by a first image forming apparatus, is conveyed by a conveying unit, and another surface of the recording material is subjected to image formation by a second image forming apparatus; and a second duplex image forming mode in which one surface and another surface of a recording material conveyed from a second recording material containing portion are sequentially subjected to image formation by the second image forming apparatus; and an input portion through which an operator inputs a setting for execution of the second duplex image forming mode. Thus, power consumption can be reduced. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20110142475 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO CONTROL TEMPERATURE OF FUSER IN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS BY USING POWER CAPSULE - A method of controlling a temperature of a fuser in an image forming apparatus includes generating a power capsule including a soft start period in which a power supply is gradually increased to improve a flicker characteristic, a full turn on period in which the power supply is maximum, and a soft end period in which the power supply is gradually decreased to improve the flicker characteristic. The power capsule is profiled to supply a constant amount of power and to satisfy a predefined requirement for flicker and harmonic characteristics of an image forming apparatus with respect to the fuser in the soft start period, the full turn on period, and the soft end period. The method includes detecting the temperature of the fuser and controlling the temperature of the fuser by performing a power control operation corresponding to the power capsule according to a temperature variation of the detected temperature of the fuser with respect to a reference temperature of the fuser. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110299868 | FIXING APPARATUS - An object is to perform control so that power supplied in positive half-waves and power supplied in negative half-waves are symmetric in a control period even if a safety circuit based on a hardware circuit is activated. A CPU | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110085815 | HEATER, FIXING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20120099882 | IMAGE HEATING DEVICE - An image heating device includes a rotatable member, an opposing member for forming a nip, between itself and the rotatable member, in which recording paper on which an image is carried is to be nip conveyed and heated, and a heater contacting the rotatable member's outer surface and including a belt, a first roller stretching the belt at an upstream side of the rotatable member with respect to a rotational direction of the rotatable member, a second roller downstream of the first roller, and first and second heating portions for heating the first and second rollers to first and second target temperatures, respectively. The device also includes a heating control portion for controlling the heater, and a portion for executing an operation in a control mode in which the second target temperature is set so as to be lower than the first target temperature. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20090274477 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF SUPPRESSING VARIATION IN IMAGE DENSITY - A fixing device includes a rotatable first nip formation member, a rotatable second nip formation member, a first heater, a second heater, and a controller. The second nip formation member is provided under the first nip formation member to contact the first nip formation member to form a fixing nip portion between the first nip formation member and the second nip formation member. The first heater heats the first nip formation member. The second heater heats the second nip formation member. The controller supplies a portion of power to the second heater and the remainder of power to the first heater when a plurality of sheets having a sheet weight not greater than about 100 g/m | 11-05-2009 |
| 20110286758 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF TIMELY STARTING DIFFERENT IMAGE FORMATION MODE - An image forming apparatus includes a thermal fixing unit having a fixing member heated or cooled at multiple levels of the target fixing temperature in accordance with prescribed different image formation conditions, and a pressing member pressing against the fixing member to form a fixing nip thereon. A controller is provided to permit an image formation device to start image formation when temperature of the fixing member decreases to a level equal to or less than a prescribed image formation permissible temperature from temperature higher than one of the multiple levels of the target fixing temperature. The prescribed image formation permissible temperature is calculated by adding a prescribed adjustment value determined in accordance with a type of an image to be outputted to one of the multiple levels of the target fixing temperature. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20090290893 | Temperature control method for fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same - A temperature control method for use in a fixing device that fixes a toner image on a recording sheet by passing the recording sheet through a fixing nip defined between a fixing member and a pressure member includes temperature detection, heater control, and duty control execution. The temperature detection detects a temperature of the fixing member with a temperature detector. The heater control controls operation of a heater of the fixing device by changing a duty thereof according to the detected temperature. The duty control execution executes a heater duty control to change a heater duty for a current control cycle discontinuously from that for a previous control cycle when the current control cycle precedes entry of the recording sheet into the fixing nip by a given period of time. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20110293308 | Fixing Device Having Heat Roller Reinforced By Coil - A fixing device includes a heat roller and an opposing component. The heat roller extends in an axial direction and includes a cylindrical-shaped roller section and a coil. The heat roller section has an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface. The coil is spirally wound along the inner circumferential surface and including a first portion and a second portion other than the first portion, the first portion being configured of such a number of turns of the coil, the number being a natural number greater than zero, the first portion having a first coil pitch length in the axial direction, and the second portion being configured of at least one turn of the coil and having a second coil pitch length in the axial direction greater than the first coil pitch length. The opposing component confronts the outer circumferential surface of the roller section and is exclusively superposed with an entire first portion via the roller section. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293309 | FIXATION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixation device includes a fixation member including a heating member, a pressure-application member press-contacting the fixation member forming a nip portion, an exciting coil induction-heating the heating member, a first temperature detection unit detecting a first temperature of the pressure-application member or a first ambient temperature of the fixation member, a second temperature detection unit detecting a second temperature of the fixation member, and a control unit selecting a temperature control mode or power control mode controlling power to the exciting coil. When the first temperature exceeds a first threshold temperature or the first ambient temperature exceeds a first ambient threshold temperature, the control unit selects the temperature control mode, and while the first temperature is equal to or lower than the first threshold temperature or the first ambient temperature is equal to or lower than the first ambient threshold temperature, the control unit selects the power control mode. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110206403 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING FIXING DEVICE THAT RESPONDS TO REQUEST WHEN USING DECOLORABLE INK - An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material which is not thermally decolorized; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material which is thermally decolorized; a fixing unit which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a control unit which controls the fixing unit so that the temperature of the second recording medium passing through the fixing unit becomes lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20090080928 | IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS INCLUDING HOT-ROLL TYPE FIXING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING MALFUNCTION OF TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE SAME - A control portion determines whether a malfunction occurs or not in a roller temperature sensor and an ambient temperature sensor by comparing a trajectory (temporal behavior) actually created by two-dimensional data on a temperature table with a target trajectory. In other words, the control portion successively integrates a prescribed weight for each transition from one element to the adjacent element corresponding to a trajectory of two-dimensional data on the temperature table, and determines whether or not a malfunction occurs in the roller temperature sensor and the ambient temperature sensor, based on the integrated weight. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20100034548 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus employing the fixing device - A fixing device includes a rotary fixing member, a counter member to contact the rotary fixing member, a first heater to heat the rotary fixing member, a driving unit to rotate the rotary fixing member, a temperature detector to detect a temperature of the rotary fixing member, and a contact-and-separation unit to switch between contact and separation states of the rotary fixing member relative to the counter member. In a temperature-raising operation, the driving unit causes the rotary fixing member to rotate when the temperature detector detects that the temperature of the rotary fixing member has reached a first setting temperature. The contact-and-separation unit causes the rotary fixing member in rotation and the counter member to contact each other when the temperature detector detects that the temperature of the rotary fixing member has reached a second setting temperature that is higher than the first setting temperature. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20090245840 | DIGITAL FUSER CONCEPT USING MICRO HOTPLATE TECHNOLOGY - In accordance with the invention, there are printing apparatuses and methods of marking and forming an image. The printing apparatus can include one or more digital heating elements disposed in a fuser subsystem, the digital heating element can include an array of hotplates, wherein each hotplate of the array of hotplates can be thermally isolated and can be individually addressable, wherein each hotplate can be configured to attain a temperature up to approximately 200° C. from approximately 20° C. in a time frame of milliseconds. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20110262167 | FIXING DEVICE AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - A fixing device includes a fixing belt, exercitation coils for induction-heating the fixing belt, power supplies that supply high-frequency power to the excitation coils, an output power detecting circuit that detects output electric energy of the power supplies, a power control circuit that controls the output electric energy of the power supplies, and temperature sensors that detect the temperature of a surface portion of the fixing belt. When electric energy applied to the excitation coils during the power fall reaches minimum power set in advance larger than 0 W, the power control circuit maintains the minimum power while the temperature detected by the temperature sensors is within a predetermined control temperature range and controls output power of the induction heating power supplies to shift from the minimum power to 0 W when the detected temperature deviates from the predetermined control temperature range. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20120141154 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND PROCESSING METHOD FOR REUSE OF SHEET - According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a fixing device, and a control section. The image forming section forms images on a sheet with a recolorable decolorable colorant and an undecolorable colorant. The fixing device heats the sheet to fix the recolorable decolorable colorant and the undecolorable colorant on the sheet. The control section performs temperature control for the fixing device and fixes the recolorable decolorable colorant and the undecolorable colorant on the sheet at temperature higher than decoloring start temperature of the recolorable decolorable colorant to thereby fix the recolorable decolorable colorant on the sheet in a decolored state and fix the undecolorable colorant on the sheet in a colored state. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20080260407 | FIXING DEVICE FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A fixing device of this invention enables variable control of power to be supplied to a heat roller side or a press roller side in accordance with the temperature of the heat roller and the press roller while each mode is carried out. A secondary battery is used in addition to a commercial power source, thus enabling supply of power to the heat roller side or the press roller side. The secondary battery is used when necessary, thus increasing the power supply. In a copy mode, the temperature of the heat roller and the press roller is controlled in detail. In a non-copy state, the power supply to the fixing device is stopped. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20090297198 | IMAGE FIXING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus includes a control circuit which controls the electrifying to a first heater so that a temperature detected by a first temperature detection portion reaches a first target temperature and controls the electrifying to a second heater so that a temperature detected by a second temperature detection portion reaches a second target temperature, when warm-up is initiated, and, when the warm-up initiated, if an initial temperature of a rotary member is below a predetermined temperature, the control circuit sets the first target temperature to a temperature value greater than the first target temperature set when the initial temperature of the rotary member is greater than the predetermined temperature and sets the second target temperature to a temperature value greater than the second target temperature set when the initial temperature of the rotary member is greater than the predetermined temperature. In this way, hot offset and poor fixing can be prevented and a pre-heating operation time can be prevented from extending excessively. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20120107004 | IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming system including an image forming device forming on a recording sheet a first chromatic toner image, and a second chromatic toner image having an outermost layer of transparent toner, wherein the transparent toner has lower glass transition temperature than the chromatic toners; a fixing device having a fixing member contacting the recording sheet to heat the toner images to temperature not lower than the glass transition temperature of the chromatic toners so that the toner images are fixed; and a glossing device having a glossing member contacting the recording sheet to heat the toner images to temperature not lower than the glass transition temperature of the transparent toner and lower than the glass transition temperatures of the chromatic toners so that only the transparent toner achieves a rubber state and to cool the heated first and second toner images so that the transparent toner is solidified. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120107003 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD - Certain embodiments provide an image forming apparatus including: a print process part; a heat roller including a heating element; a press roller including a heater; a power source part having a power upper limit value that is smaller than a sum of heating power for the heat roller and the press roller plus initial power and is larger than the heating power; a power source control part to control supply or stop of the initial power; a plurality of temperature sensors to detect respective roller temperatures; and a determination part to determine necessity of supplying the initial power by the power source control part based on a temperature difference between the respective roller temperatures. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120107002 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit which forms an image in which toner containing a wax is used on a recording material, and a fixing device which heats the toner image formed on the recording material at a nip portion which nips and conveys the recording material, when the fixing device heats the recording material on which a toner image having a toner maximum carrying amount of toner is formed, when a temperature of a surface of the toner layer reaches a temperature at which an endothermic amount indicates a peak in a relationship between a temperature of the toner and the endothermic amount, a condition of the fixing device at the nip portion is set so that a temperature of an interface between the toner and the recording material is lower than a temperature of a surface of the toner. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20090257770 | FIXING DEVICE AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - A fixing device includes a fixing belt, exercitation coils for induction-heating the fixing belt, power supplies that supply high-frequency power to the excitation coils, an output power detecting circuit that detects output electric energy of the power supplies, a power control circuit that controls the output electric energy of the power supplies, and temperature sensors that detect the temperature of a surface portion of the fixing belt. When electric energy applied to the excitation coils during the power fall reaches minimum power set in advance larger than 0 W, the power control circuit maintains the minimum power while the temperature detected by the temperature sensors is within a predetermined control temperature range and controls output power of the induction heating power supplies to shift from the minimum power to 0 W when the detected temperature deviates from the predetermined control temperature range. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090169231 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus of the present invention includes a heating element which has an NTC characteristic in which an electric resistance value decreases as a temperature increases, which extends (i) in a direction parallel to a recording paper and (ii) in a width direction perpendicular to a carrying direction of the recording paper, and which has a longer length, in the width direction, than a width of the recording paper. The fixing apparatus further includes electrode sections provided in close proximity to both ends of the heating element in the width direction (on areas where the recording paper does not pass), the electrode sections being connected to the heating element, so that a current flows in the heating element in a direction substantially perpendicular to the carrying direction of the recording paper. This makes it possible to restrain excessive increase in temperature at the both ends of the heating element and to obtain a uniform temperature distribution. As a result, it is possible to improve endurances of members provided in the areas where the recording paper does not pass and to obtain a uniform and high-quality fixed image on a wide-width recording paper that is processed immediately after processing of narrow-width recording papers at high throughput. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20100124429 | FIXING CONTROLLER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing controller capable of rapidly detecting an excessive temperature rise, even if an abnormal temperature rise takes place in a state that a rotor of a fixing unit, such as a thin-walled roller or belt, stops rotating. A rotating belt is heated by a coil, a belt temperature is detected by a thermistor, and a drive frequency of a driving circuit for driving the coil is controlled by a control circuit. When the temperature detected by the thermistor becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the drive circuit is stopped by an excessive temperature rise detecting circuit. The thermistor is heated such that a difference between the temperatures detected by the thermistor when the belt is rotating and when the belt stops rotating becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined temperature difference. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20090142086 | Fuser Assembly Heater Setpoint Control - A fuser assembly and a method of controlling a temperature in a fuser assembly are provided. The fuser assembly comprises a heat transfer member, a heater to heat the heat transfer member, and a backup member. The heat transfer member and the backup member define a fusing nip. A first temperature setpoint corresponding to a first thermal load for the heat transfer member is defined. A second temperature setpoint corresponding to a second thermal load for the heat transfer member is defined. The heater is maintained at or near the first temperature setpoint during at least a substantial portion of the time when the heat transfer member is operating at the first thermal load. The heater is maintained at or near the second temperature setpoint during at least a substantial portion of the time when the heat transfer member is operating at the second thermal load. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090202266 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus, in the case where image forming is performed on a recording medium whose size covers a position of a second temperature detection element perpendicularly disposed to the recording medium conveyance direction, when the detected temperature rises to a predetermined temperature during execution of the first power supply control, a first power supply control is switched to a second power supply control. In the case where image forming is performed on a recording medium whose size does not cover a position of the second temperature detection element, when the detected temperature rises to a predetermined temperature during execution of the first power supply control, a conveyance control portion executes a control for extending the conveyance interval of the recording medium. Thus, an unduly large temperature rise in the non-sheet passing portion is prevented, and a good quality image can be provided without glossy unevenness in one sheet. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20110217062 | HEATER CONTROLLER, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING HEATER - A heater controller performs on/off control of a plurality of heaters and includes a storage unit that stores therein a plurality of pattern sets. Each of the pattern sets includes a plurality of heater-on/off patterns for respectively controlling the heaters. The heater controller calculates a reference value representing an average of values of electric power supplied to the heater controller over a predetermined period of time; calculates, for each of the pattern sets, an output power value to be supplied to the heaters when the heaters are turned-on according to the heater-on/off patterns included in the pattern set; calculates, for each of the pattern sets, a difference between the reference value and the output power value; selects, from the pattern sets, one pattern set having a smallest difference; and performs on/off control of the heaters according to the heater-on/off patterns included in the pattern set thus selected. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20090279913 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD - A printing apparatus includes a memory used for storing a preset temperature value indicating a preset temperature of a heating portion controlled by a CPU when print processing including transfer processing and fixing processing is performed in association with a plurality of types of sheets that are usable by the printing apparatus. The CPU of the printing apparatus calculates a maintenance temperature value, which is a temperature value to be maintained by the heating portion when the print processing is not performed, based on a plurality of preset temperature values that are set in association with the plurality of types of sheets, and controls the temperature of the heating portion to become equal to the maintenance temperature value. | 11-12-2009 |
| 20090290894 | OUTPUT CONTROL DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND OUTPUT CONTROL METHOD - A storage unit stores therein a first correction amount and a second correction amount for correcting a first output amount of a first device. A correcting unit corrects, when the first output amount is smaller than a first target value, the first output amount based on a second output amount of a second device that is operated by the first output amount, a second target value of the second output amount, and the first correction amount, and otherwise, the first output amount based on the second correction amount. A control unit controls the first device to output the first output amount that is corrected by the correcting unit. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090297197 | Image forming apparatus and control method therefor - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing unit, a transfer unit, and a fixer to fix an image formed on a sheet and includes a rotary heat generator including a heat generation layer, a pressure member to form a nip with the rotary heat generator to sandwich the sheet therebetween, an excitation coil disposed facing the rotary heat generator, to inductively heat the heat generation layer, a demagnetization coil disposed facing the heat generation layer, to generate magnetic flux that partly counteracts magnetic flux generated by the excitation coil and a fixer controller to control activation of the excitation coil as well as the demagnetization coil before a second image formation job after completion of a first image formation job in which an image is formed on a sheet of recording media whose width is smaller than a maximum sheet width usable in the fixer. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20120294641 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus for heating a toner image in a nip while conveying a recording material on which the toner image is held is provided. The image heating apparatus includes a heater for generating heat by being supplied with electric power from an AC power source; a rotatable heating member for being heated by the heater; a pressing member for forming the nip in contact to the rotatable heating member; a temperature detecting portion for detecting a temperature of the heater or the rotatable heating member; and a controller for setting the electric power supplied to the heater every renewal cycle depending on a detected temperature by the temperature detecting portion. The renewal cycle is shorter in a rise period of the heater than in a period in which the recording material is conveyed in the nip. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20100111555 | FIXING DEVICE FOR COLOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD - A fixing device switches ON a heater lamp of the press roller in a fixing device in a color print mode. In a monochromatic mode, power comparable to the power consumption of the heater lamp can be supplied additionally to an exciting coil on the heat roller side when a heater lamp | 05-06-2010 |
| 20080212990 | Energy Conserving Induction-Heated Fuser, Method, and Controller For Image Forming - A developer fuser, method, and controller are disclosed. The developer fuser may include a first coil for inductively transferring energy to a heating roller for fusing a developer to a media during a copy process. A controller may set the electrical power provided to the first coil to a first set-up power level upon initiation of the copy process, the first set-up power level determined, at least in part, by a physical characteristic of the media. The controller may vary the electrical power provided to the first coil in response to an input from a first temperature sensor to maintain a fixing temperature during the copy process, the fixing temperature determined, at least in part, by the physical characteristic of the media. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20120294640 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TEMPERATURE CONTROLLING METHOD OF IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a fusing unit with a heating member arranged to fuse toner to a printing paper, a heat source arranged to heat the heating member, a thermal sensor arranged to measure a surface temperature of the heating member, an electricity controlling unit arranged to control electricity supplied to the heat source based on a temperature measured by the thermal sensor, a first temperature controlling unit arranged to control the surface temperature of the heating member in STANDBY mode to gradually rise to an upper limit temperature by turning on/off electricity to the heat source with an electricity controlling unit, and a second temperature controlling unit arranged to control the surface temperature of the heating member in STANDBY mode to gradually fall to a lower limit temperature by turning on/off electricity to the heat source with the electricity controlling unit. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20100061753 | FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME, AND FIXING METHOD - A fixing device including a fixing member to melt a toner image to fix the toner image to a recording medium, a pressing member pressed against the fixing member to form a nip to where the recording medium is conveyed, multiple temperature detectors to detect a temperature at multiple positions on a surface of the pressing member in a width direction thereof, a heating member including a heating layer to heat the fixing member; an exciting coil to generate magnetic fluxes to inductively heat the heating layer, and one or more pairs of degaussing coils to generate magnetic fluxes to degauss the magnetic fluxes generated by the exciting coil. An amount of power supplied to the one or more pairs of degaussing coils is controlled based on a result detected by each of the multiple temperature detectors. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20090035004 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus which is capable of accurately detecting the temperature of a fixing roller by a simple circuit configuration without causing a scratch on the surface of the fixing roller. A detection sensor is disposed in a state not in contact with a heating-type fixing roller, for detecting the temperature of the fixing roller. A compensation sensor is provided for detecting an ambient temperature of the detection sensor. A computing section of a copy controller calculates the surface temperature of the fixing roller, using computing equations, based on information from the sensors. The copy controller controls the temperature of the fixing roller such that the surface temperature of the fixing roller, calculated by the computing section, becomes equal to a target temperature. The computing section uses different computing equations depending on the target temperature. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20080273890 | FIXING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND FIXING METHOD - A fixing apparatus of the invention includes a heating roller, a fixing roller, a fixing belt that is wound around the heating roller and the fixing roller and circulates between the heating roller and the fixing roller, a pressing roller to press the fixing roller through the fixing belt, a first heater that is included in the heating roller and mainly heats a center part of the heating roller, a second heater that is included in the heating roller and mainly heats a peripheral part of the heating roller, and a temperature control unit to control a temperature of the heating roller by an on/off control of the first heater and the second heater, and the temperature control unit performs the on/off control in which when one of the first heater and the second heater is turned on, the other is turned off. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20110142472 | FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD FOR FIXING DEVICE - First, a first temperature difference and a second temperature difference are calculated. The first temperature difference is a difference between (a) a first detected temperature that is a current temperature of the fixing member and (b) a difference of a control target temperature for the fixing member. The second temperature difference is a difference between (a) the first detected temperature and (b) a past temperature of the fixing member which past temperature was detected a predetermined time earlier than the current time. Then, by reading out, from a table prepared in advance, an amount of power to be supplied to a heating member which amount corresponds to a combination of the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference, the amount of power to be supplied to the heating member is determined. In accordance with this amount of power determined, an actual amount of power supplied to the heating member is controlled. This makes it possible to simply and effectively suppress a temperature ripple of the fixing member. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110142469 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes: a fixing member that fixes a toner image on a recording medium; a pressure member that comes into pressure-contact with an outer peripheral surface of the fixing member and thereby forms a fixing pressure portion between the pressure member and the fixing member, the fixing pressure portion allowing the recording medium carrying an unfixed toner image to pass therethrough; a tension member that is arranged to face the pressure member with the fixing member interposed therebetween, and tensions the fixing member; a peeling member that is arranged at a position downstream of the fixing pressure portion in a recording medium transport direction and adjacent to the tension member, and peels the recording medium from the fixing member; and an exit guide member that guides the recording medium while keeping a temperature of the recording medium, after the recording medium passes through the fixing pressure portion. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20080279577 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus - A fixing member having an outer peripheral surface brought in pressure contact with a sheet, an induction coil along the member, and a high frequency power source section that heats the heat generating layer of the fixing member by supplying an alternating current to the induction coil. A magnetic flux regulating section that restricts the generation of heat in a specified region of the fixing member in the widthwise direction of the sheet is provided. Image regions occupied by the image to be fixed are detected in the widthwise direction of the sheet. Control of specifying the region in which the generation of heat should be restricted for the magnetic flux regulating section is executed so that only regions corresponding to the image regions of the fixing member are substantially heated in the widthwise direction of the sheet, sheet-by-sheet according to the result of detection. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080279576 | IMAGE FIXING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME, AND IMAGE FIXING TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image fixing apparatus that senses temperature of a heater and controls the temperature accurately includes a pair of fixing rollers, a heater housed inside at least one of the pair of fixing rollers, and a sensor integrally formed with the heater to detect temperatures of the heater from a plurality of sensing positions. The sensor includes an array of sensing units connected in parallel to the plurality of sensing positions, and generates one sensing signal. An image forming apparatus includes the image forming apparatus. An image fixing temperature control method includes generating average temperature information of a heater; and controlling the driving of the heater based on the temperature information. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080292348 | FIXING APPARATUS AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD - A technique is provided that enables restraining temperature fall in a heating roller and a pressurizing roller due to passage of paper or the like at the time of fixing processing without greatly increasing overall power consumption by a fixing apparatus. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080292347 | FIXING APPARATUS AND AN IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus and an image formation apparatus are disclosed. The fixing apparatus includes two or more heaters with temperature detecting function that generate heat with electric current and detect temperature; a heating unit that includes the heater with the temperature detecting function; a film, a surface of which slides on the heating unit; a thermal fixing unit that is heated by the heating unit through the film for fusing a toner image that is yet-to-be fixed on a recording paper at a predetermined fixing temperature; a pressurization roller for pressing the recording paper to the thermal fixing unit; and a temperature control unit for controlling the temperature of the heater to be a predetermined temperature based on the temperature of the heater detected by the heater with the temperature detecting function. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080304848 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A fixing device includes a pressing member, a belt member which rotates in contact with the pressing member and forms a nip with the pressing member, a first roller member and a second roller member to guide a rotation of the belt member, and a heating member which is mounted in one of the first roller member or the second roller member to heat the belt member, the heating member including at least two heaters to respectively heat at least two areas on the belt member corresponding to at least two width dimensions substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the one of the first roller member and the second roller member, and a sensor member to control a temperature of the belt member. The heating member includes a first heater to heat a central portion of the one of the first roller member and the second roller member, and a second heater to heat opposite ends of the one of the first roller member and the second roller member. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20110206402 | FIXING DEVICE FOR LOCALLY HEATING A FIXING MEMBER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING THE FIXING DEVICE - A fixing apparatus includes a fixing member that fixes a toner image onto a recording medium, a first heater that locally heats the fixing member by providing heat only to a portion of the fixing member corresponding to the toner image, and a pressing member that presses a recording medium against the fixing member. A second heater is provided to heat the pressing member. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20090097873 | INTERMEDIATE ROLLER FOR SENSING TEMPERATURE OF PASSING SURFACES - A temperature sensing system for use in an electrographic printing machine senses temperature on a surface of a moving member. An intermediate roller is placed in operative contact with the surface of the moving member at a first location. A temperature sensor is then placed in operative connection with the intermediate roller at a location distanced and/or isolated from the moving member. A bias member is placed in operative contact with the temperature sensor to provide a force to the temperature sensor, resulting in the temperature sensor being biased against the intermediate roller, the temperature sensor thereby sensing the surface temperature of the moving member indirectly through the intermediate roller. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20110222888 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same - A fixing device includes an endless belt-shaped fixing member to rotate in a predetermined direction, formed in a loop, an inner circumferential face of which is coated with a lubricant; a pressing member contacting an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member, to press against the fixing member; a driver to drive and rotate the pressing member; a contact member provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member and pressed against the pressing member via the fixing member to form a nip between the pressing member and the fixing member; and a heating member to heat the fixing member, provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member. When the fixing device starts up, the pressing member drives and rotates the fixing member less than 360 degrees to move a warmed range of the fixing member heated by the heating member to the nip. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20100142987 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus - A fixing device includes a heater, first and second pressure-applying members, a belt support member, a fixing belt, a contact member and a temperature detector. The fixing belt is entrained about the heater, the first pressure-applying member and the belt support member. The second pressure-applying member opposes the first pressure-applying member through the fixing belt. The contact member, which extends in the width direction of the fixing belt, is in contact with an inner surface of the fixing belt. The temperature detector, which is disposed between the belt support member and the contact member, detects a temperature of the fixing belt through the contact member. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20120093532 | FIXING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE CONTROL METHOD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a rotatable fuser member, a rotatable pressure member, a heater, a rotary driver, a thermometer, and a controller. The rotatable fuser member is subjected to heating. The rotatable pressure member is disposed opposite the fuser member. The heater heats the fuser member. The rotary driver imparts torque to at least one of the fuser and pressure members. The fuser member and the pressure member are pressed against each other to form a fixing nip therebetween. The thermometer is disposed external to the fixing nip to detect a temperature outside the fixing nip. The controller is operatively connected with the thermometer to control an amount of heat applied to the recording medium through the fixing nip according to the detected temperature, so that the recording medium exhibits a substantially constant post-fixing temperature downstream from the fixing nip. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120093533 | FIXING APPARATUS THAT REDUCES DETERIORATION IN PRODUCTIVITY - A fixing apparatus capable of reducing deterioration in productivity while preventing a fixing roller from being heated to a high temperature. The fixing roller has a heating unit incorporated therein, and a rotatable pressurization roller abuts on the fixing roller. A thermistor detects a surface temperature of the fixing roller. A fixing operation is controlled by selectively switching between a first mode and a second mode in which the number of sheets subjected to fixing per unit time is smaller than in the first mode. One of the first and second modes is selected based on a first temperature detected by the thermistor at a first time, a second temperature detected by the thermistor at a second time, and a minimum temperature of the fixing roller at which the toner image can be fixed. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120070175 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A fixing device including a fixing member to melt a toner so as to fix a toner image onto a recording medium, a temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the fixing member, and a heater to heat the fixing member based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. A driving speed of the fixing member is reduced after printing is completed, and subsequently the fixing member stops driving. The fixing member is controlled to have a desired temperature (Ts) after the fixing member stops driving that is lower than a desired temperature (Tp) during printing. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120070174 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A image forming apparatus includes an electrostatic latent image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image, a developer supplying unit that supplies a developer to the electrostatic latent image and forms a developer image, a transfer roller that transfers the developer image to a recording medium, a heating roller with a heater therein, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heating roller, a heating roller driving mechanism that drives the heating roller, and a controller that cools down the heating roller if the controller determines that the temperature sensor detects a temperature equal to or higher than a first temperature within a threshold time after completion of image forming. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20090052927 | FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE FIXING DEVICE, AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD FOR THE FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device, an image forming apparatus using the fixing device, and a temperature control method therefor. The fixing device includes a fixing roller, a heat roller including first and second heat sources, a fixing belt, a pressure roller including a pressure heat source, a first temperature detector, a second temperature detector, and a pressure temperature detector. The heat sources are regularly on and off according to a duty cycle, and at least one of the heat sources is controlled by the duty cycle during paper feed. A wattage of one of the heat sources is added to a wattage of at least one of the other heat sources when the temperature detected by the first or second temperature detector corresponding to the one of the heat sources reaches the set temperature such that a duty ratio of the at least one of the other heat sources is increased. | 02-26-2009 |
| 20110222891 | Printing device and image forming apparatus - An electrophotographic printing device includes a fixing unit; and a temperature sensor. The fixing unit includes: a fixing member; a pressing member pressed against the fixing member; and a heater which heats at least the fixing member of the fixing member and the pressing member, the fixing unit fixing a toner image on a recording material to the recording material while carrying the recording material through a fixing nip formed between the fixing member and the pressing member. The temperature sensor is attached to a recording material supplying unit, and detects a temperature of a recording material stored in the recording material supplying unit, and a fixing temperature is controlled based on the detected temperature. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110222890 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus - A fixing device includes a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium; a conveyance stopping unit configured to stop conveyance of the recording medium; a heating unit having a heating plane and configured to heat a part of the recording medium, which part is laid over the heating plane; and a cooling unit configured to cool the part of the recording medium, whose conveyance has been stopped, by applying cooling air to the part of the recording medium from above. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110142473 | FIXING DEVICE - According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes: a heating member configured to heat a toner image formed on a recording medium; a pressing member configured to come into press contact with the heating member and nip and convey a sheet in cooperation with the heating member; a first heat generation source configured to heat the heating member; a second heat generation source configured to heat the pressing member; a measured-temperature-information acquiring unit configured to acquire measured temperature information concerning measured temperatures of the heating member and the pressing member; a target specifying unit configured to specify, using the measured temperature information acquired by the measured-temperature-information acquiring unit, the heating member or the pressing member as a member, the measured temperature of which is equal to or lower than predetermined temperature and a temperature difference between the measured temperature and the predetermined temperature of which is larger; and a heating control unit configured to control the first heat generation source and the second heat generation source and set the rate of increase in the heat quantity to be given to the heating member or the pressing member specified by the target specifying unit larger. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110222889 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A apparatus including a fixing device using an induction heating method includes an induction coil, a resonant capacitor connected to the induction coil, a switching element configured to supply electric power to the induction coil, a driving signal generation circuit configured to determine a frequency of a driving signal for driving the switching element according to electric power to be supplied to the coil and to generate the driving signal, and a setting unit configured to set a minimum frequency of the driving signal according to a temperature of a heating element so that a frequency of the driving signal does not become lower than a resonant frequency determined by an inductance of the induction coil and an inductance of the heating element and a capacitance of the resonant capacitor. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20090080925 | Fuser Life Extension - A method for extending the operating life of a fuser used in an electrophotographic imaging apparatus is disclosed. A control algorithm monitors the number of substrates processed over the lifetime of the fuser and adjusts the fusing temperature of the fuser to compensate for changes occurring in the nip forming members of the fuser. The useful lifetime of the fuser is extended while fusing quality is maintained. A corresponding fuser assembly is also disclosed. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20090080926 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is supplied that can obtain a correct temperature inside an image forming section and can perform an optimum temperature control so that it is possible to prevent remainder toner on the surface of the image carrying body from solidifying. In the image forming apparatus, in order to heat and fix toner image onto print medium, an image forming section forms the toner image on surface of an image carrying body; a conveying section conveys the print medium; a transferring section transfers the toner image on the image carrying body onto the print medium conveyed by the conveying section; a fixing section heats and fixes the toner image transferred on the print medium; a fixing section temperature detection section detects a temperature of the fixing section; an apparatus controlling section controls the temperature of the fixing section on the basis of a detection result of the fixing section temperature detection section; and an inner temperature detection section detects an image forming apparatus inner temperature, wherein the inner temperature detection section is set up in a location outside the image forming section, where temperature changes due to a heat influence from the fixing section as that a toner accommodating portion inside the image forming section has the same heat influence, and the apparatus controlling section sets a temperature setting value of the fixing section on the basis of a detection result of the inner temperature detection section. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20110142471 | FUSER AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD FOR THE FUSER - According to one embodiment, a fuser including a heating unit configured to heat a toner to be fused on a sheet medium and the sheet medium, a temperature detecting unit configured to detect temperature of the heating unit, and a control unit configured to stop power feed to the heating unit according to the temperature of the heating unit detected by the temperature detecting unit and a condition until completion of the fusing specified in advance. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110142474 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a first surface of a medium, a fixing unit configured to have a heating member which heats the first surface of the medium, and a pressurizing member which is pressed in contact with the heating member via the medium to heat a second surface of the medium, and a supply unit configured to supply a used medium to the image forming unit, a control unit configured to, when the used medium is supplied from the supply unit, control a fixing setting temperature of the pressurizing member to a temperature equal to or lower than a temperature for fixing on the unused medium, and control a fixing temperature of the heating member to a temperature equal to or higher than a temperature for fixing on the unused medium. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110229180 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a fusing apparatus including a fusing member; a heating unit heating the fusing member; temperature detecting units detecting temperatures of the fusing member and a pressing member; and the pressing member forming a fusing nip with the fusing member for fusing an un-fused image on a recording medium onto a recording medium. The image forming apparatus further includes a heating power determining unit determining heating power of the fusing apparatus by measuring a time or a gradient of time versus temperature before the temperature of the fusing member reaches a reload temperature after power is turned on. The image forming apparatus includes a control unit performing a feed permission control or a CPM down control depending on the heating power of the fusing apparatus and the number of sheets of the recording medium to be passed through the fusing apparatus. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110229181 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording medium includes a pressing member provided outside a loop formed by a fixing member to press the fixing member against a nip formation member provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member. A heat generator support is provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member to support a heat generator that generates heat to be transmitted to the fixing member. A temperature detector is provided downstream from the heat generator and upstream from the nip formation member in a direction of rotation of the fixing member to detect a temperature of the fixing member. A controller is connected to the temperature detector and the heat generator to control heat generation of the heat generator based on the temperature of the fixing member detected by the temperature detector. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20090003867 | HEATING DEVICE, FIXING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM - A heating device includes a heat applying member heated by a heat source, a pressure applying member pressure contacting the heat applying member with a prescribed pressure, and a temperature detection device that detects temperature of the heat applying member. A timing device is provided to count time elapsing from when the heat source starts heating the heat-applying member. A control device is provided to determine that heat application as a start up operation to the heating member is completed when the temperature detected by the temperature detection device reaches a prescribed threshold and the elapsing time counted by the timing device reaches a prescribed threshold. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090245843 | Method of Controlling Belt Fixing Device, Belt Fixing Device, and Image Forming Apparatus - A method of controlling a belt fixing device, in which a fixing belt is stretched between a fixing roller and a heating roller, includes detecting a temperature of the fixing belt at the time of stoppage. On the basis of the detection result, a driving unit is rotated forward or backward a predetermined number of times when the fixing belt having stopped is driven again. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090208238 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND METHOD - An image forming device that uses only one temperature sensor to detect temperatures of the recording sheet and a rotation member for fixing, and can perform the temperature adjustment control carefully in detail during the image forming operation. The CPU 61 performs the temperature adjustment control 1 by executing the temperature adjustment program 64 | 08-20-2009 |
| 20110142470 | Image forming apparatus and control method thereof - A method of controlling an image forming apparatus and method thereof including a medium feeder configured to load therein and to pick up and feed a printing-target medium; an image forming unit configured to form an image on the printing-target medium that is picked up and fed; and a fixing unit configured to fix the printed medium on which the image has been formed, the method including: heating the fixing unit such that a temperature of the fixing unit reaches a fixing reference temperature determined corresponding to the printing-target medium if an printing operation is started; sensing the temperature of the fixing unit corresponding to the start of the printing operation and compensating a pickup timing temperature corresponding to whether the sensed temperature thereof is higher or lower than a predetermined first reference temperature, the pickup timing temperature being a temperature for picking up the printing-target medium; and picking up the printing-target medium when the temperature of the fixing unit that is being heated reaches the compensated pickup timing temperature. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20090245845 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus including: a heating rotary member, which heats an image on a recording material in a nip portion; an air blowing unit, which blows air toward an air blowing port to cool a predetermined area of the heating rotary member; and a shutter, which opens and closes the air blowing port, wherein a cooling operation can be performed continuously with the shutter opened after image heating processing is completed, whereby a downtime required for making the temperature distribution over the entire heating area uniform after the continuous sheet supply of small-size recording materials is reduced remarkably. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090245838 | FUSER HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL - A fuser assembly is provided comprising: a heat transfer member including a belt and a heater to heat the belt; a backup member adapted to engage the belt so as to define a fusing nip with the belt; a temperature sensor associated with the backup member for sensing the temperature of the backup member; and a controller coupled to the heater and the temperature sensor. The controller controls the operation of the heater based on the backup member temperature. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20080232838 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD TO CONTROL THE SAME - An image forming apparatus and method includes a controller to set a reference fusing temperature according to the print pattern of an input image received from an image input unit. The input image is converted to bitmap data to recognize the print pattern. The reference fusing temperature is set higher as the transition rate of the converted bitmap data increases. When printing an image whose print pattern has a low transition rate, the apparatus reduces the time required to print the first page of the image, thereby improving the print speed over the conventional apparatus. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20080260409 | Image forming apparatus - When the temperature of a fixing roller detected by a temperature detecting section is less than a predetermined fixing temperature, and a determining portion determines that an image forming unit forms a color image, a control portion stops electric power supply from an electric double layer capacitor to a second fixing heater and allows a commercial power source to supply electric power to a first fixing heater to heat the fixing roller. When the determining portion determines that the image forming unit forms a monochromatic image, the control portion allows the commercial power source to supply electric power to the first fixing heater to heat the fixing roller and allows the electric double layer capacitor to supply electric power to the second fixing heater to heat the fixing roller. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080260408 | FIXING DEVICE FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A fixing device of this invention enables variable control of power to be supplied to a heat roller side or a press roller side in accordance with the temperature of the heat roller and the press roller while each mode is carried out. The heating range of a first induction heating coil on the heat roller side and the heating range of a first halogen lamp heater on the press roller side are set differently. In a copy mode, the temperature of the heat roller and the press roller is controlled in detail, and also controlled in accordance with the size of a sheet paper. In a copy standby mode, only the power required for maintaining a set temperature is supplied. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080260406 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a heating roller for providing heat to a developer holding medium holding a developer image, a pressurizing roller which comes in contact with the heating roller, a heater having heating members for heating the heating roller, a non-contact temperature detector which includes a non-contact temperature detection element for detecting a first temperature of the heating roller in an area between a position heated by the heater and a position to contact the pressurizing roller with heating the heater, from detection positions in the longitudinal direction of the heating roller, and a detection range adjustment member which is placed between the non-contact temperature detection element and the heating roller, and has openings to set a detection range wider for far detection positions, compared with a range for near detection positions. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20090245837 | FUSER ASSEMBLY HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL - A printer is provided comprising substrate transport apparatus for moving substrates through the printer along a substrate path; a pick mechanism for removing substrates from a storage tray and feeding the substrates to the substrate transport apparatus; a fuser assembly comprising a heat transfer member including a belt and a heater to heat the belt, a backup member adapted to engage the belt so as to define a fusing nip with the belt, and a temperature sensor associated with the backup member for sensing the temperature of the backup member; and a controller coupled to the substrate transport apparatus, the pick mechanism, the heater and the temperature sensor. The controller causes the pick mechanism to remove substrates from the storage tray at a first pick rate when the backup member is at a temperature within a first backup member index temperature range and at different pick rate less than the first pick rate when the backup member is at a temperature greater than the first backup member index temperature range. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090245844 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus of the present invention includes a heating roller | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090245841 | Fixing Device and Image Forming Apparatus - A fixing device including a heating belt stretched over heating and fixing rollers is rotated to fix a toner image of a transfer material. A first mode combines heating and rotation stop of the heating belt. A second mode combines heating and rotation of the heating belt. When returning the heating belt for an image forming operation from a non-heating and non-rotation state, the heating belt is controlled by the first mode and then transitioned to the second mode when the heating belt temperature equals or exceeds a predetermined mode transition reference temperature. At the start of the transition to the second mode, the rotation speed of the heating belt is controlled such that a temperature difference between a winding portion of the heating belt that is wound on the heating roller and a non-winding portion that is not wound on the heating roller is decreased. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20100014881 | Method and Printer Assembly for Consistent Power Control in Fuser Assembly of Electrophotgrahic Printer - A method for setting a heater element of a fuser assembly to a consistent starting condition to achieve consistency in heating power measurement is provided. The heater element is heated to a first predefined temperature when the temperature of the heater element is less than the first predefined temperature. The temperature of the heater element is maintained within a predefined range for a predefined period of time. This sets the temperature of the heater element in the fuser assembly to a consistent starting condition. Thereafter, the heating power estimation measurement is made and heating power supplied to the fuser assembly is estimated. This controls the heating power delivered to the fuser assembly in a consistent manner. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20090252520 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS EQUIPPED WITH THE FIXING DEVICE - Provided is a fixing device including: a first mode which is a combination mode of the heating of the heating belt and the rotation stop of the heating belt and a second mode which is a combination mode of the heating of the heating belt and the rotation of the heating belt are set; at the time of returning of the heating belt for an image forming operation from non-heating and non-rotation of the heating belt, the heating belt is controlled by the first mode and the heating belt is then controlled by the second mode transitioned from the first mode; and when a temperature of the heating belt becomes equal to or larger than a mode transition reference temperature which is set on the basis of a predetermined condition, the transition from the first mode to the second mode is performed. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090252521 | IMAGE FIXING APPARATUS - An image fixing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an integration circuit which is provided in a signal path from said comparison circuit to said relay drive circuit and integrates a signal input to said integration circuit, wherein an integral value of the signal input to said integration circuit reaches a reference value; and a latch circuit having an input port connected to a signal path from said integration circuit to said relay drive circuit and an output port connected to a signal path from said comparison circuit to said integration circuit, wherein said latch circuit continuously transmits a signal from said output port to said integration circuit, upon a change in a signal level of said input port so that said relay is switched to the open position, and latches said relay in the open position. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20100166446 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit; a fuser having a heating unit to which an alternating voltage is applied from an alternating power supply so as to perform heating; a zero-cross pulse generating unit that generates a zero-cross pulse; a voltage estimating unit that estimates the alternating voltage on the basis of a width of the zero-cross pulse; a temperature detecting unit that detects the temperature of the fuser; a heating control parameter setting unit that sets a heating control parameter for controlling the heating unit on the basis of the alternating voltage estimated by the voltage estimating unit and the temperature of the fuser; and a heating control unit that controls the heating unit on the basis of the heating control parameter set by the heating control parameter setting unit. | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100054787 | Fixing Device and Image Forming Apparatus - A fixing device that includes a first fixing unit including a first heating roller having a metallic roller and a resin layer formed on the metallic roller, and a first pressure roller coming into abutment with the first heating roller; and a second fixing unit having a second heating roller being configured to heat a transfer material heated by the first fixing unit and including a metallic roller, a elastic layer formed on the metallic roller, and a resin layer formed on the elastic layer, and a second pressure roller coming into abutment with the second heating roller is provided. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20090257769 | FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device configured to fix a toner image on a moving printing medium includes: a fixing heat generator that generates heat by electromagnetic induction; a fixing medium that rotates and is heated while being carried by the heating medium; and a pressing member that presses a back surface of the printing medium coming into contact with the fixing medium, the fixing heat generator including a center coil and a pair of side coils provided at a center portion and both side portions thereof along a direction vertical to the direction of movement of the printing medium for heating the fixing medium by induction heating, the pressing member including a center heater and a side heater that heat a center portion and both side portions thereof in a direction vertical to the direction of movement of the printing medium integrated therein, and includes a side temperature sensor that senses at least one of the temperatures of the both side portions in a widthwise direction vertical to the direction of movement of the printing medium, and a heater control unit that turns the side heater OFF when the temperature that the side temperature sensor senses exceeds a predetermined temperature. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20100003043 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - In the case where a set temperature is significantly reduced, the image forming apparatus which prevents the occurrence of the combinations of output wave numbers which are ineffective to suppress flicker. If the set temperature is significantly reduced from 200° C. to 130° C., for example, to such a temperature that current does not need to be applied to the ceramic heater, as indicated by | 01-07-2010 |
| 20100014882 | FIXING DEVICE OF IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The fixing device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is provided with a heat transfer probe which contacts the heat roller and a surface temperature of the heat roller is transferred thereto. The erroneous detection of the surface temperature of the heat roller caused from materials adhered to the heat roller is prevented, induction heating coils is regulated at a high level of accuracy using the highly precious detection result obtained from the heat transfer probe, the temperature control of the heat roller is promoted and a fixed image of high quality is obtained. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100150595 | Thermistor Isolation Technique for a Ceramic Fuser Heater - An electrically isolated temperature sensor for use with a printer, copier, or all-in-one fuser. The fuser includes an AC driven heater to which a thermistor is mounted for sensing the temperature of the fuser heater. A resistance of the thermistor controls the period of a periodic signal generated by an astable multivibrator. An optical isolator isolates the printer fuser from down line processing circuits, and transfers the periodic signal to such processing circuits. The printer fuser employs a separate floating ground that is not connected to other DC circuits of the printer. With this arrangement, any AC power that is inadvertently coupled from the heater to the DC circuits of the fuser is isolated thereto. The AC power is isolated to the fuser and cannot be propagated through the fuser to other down line circuits of the printer. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100150597 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A center coil and side coils alternately operate at least once while a heat belt passes positions corresponding to the center coil and the side coils. A controller controls the operation time of the center coil and the operation time of the side coils according to comparison of detected temperature of a first temperature sensor and detected temperature of a second temperature sensor. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100178072 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING FUSER THEREOF - Disclosed is an image forming apparatus capable of controlling a fuser thereof to operate effectively even with a possible fluctuation in the AC voltage input. The image forming apparatus may include an input for receiving an AC voltage, a detector that outputs a DC voltage corresponding to a level of the AC voltage input, a fuser operable to produce heat according to the AC voltage input, a storage in which fusing temperature control information and a controller that controls the fuser using the fusing temperature control information corresponding to the DC voltage. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20090080927 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus has: an intermediate transfer body which carries an image; a transfer mechanism which transfers the image carried on the intermediate transfer body, onto a transfer surface of a recording medium fixed to a surface of a rotating body; and a fixing mechanism which is disposed so as to oppose the surface of the rotating body to a downstream side of the transfer mechanism in terms of a direction of rotation of the rotating body, and which fixes the image that has been transferred to the transfer surface of the recording medium, onto the recording medium. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20100239299 | TEMPERATURE CONTROL APPARATUS, ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD FOR HEATING ELEMENT - A temperature control apparatus includes a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of a heating element, a controller for controlling heat generation of the heating element in accordance with a detected temperature by the temperature sensor, and a monitoring circuit which monitors the detected temperature, and stops operation of the controller in a predetermined stop period defined on the basis of the detected temperature when a predetermined operation mode of plural operation modes is set. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100239297 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same - A fixing device includes a cylindrical fixing member, having an external circumferential surface including a crown portion curved radially outward and a inverted-crown portion curved radially inward, a pressing unit including a convexity and a concavity formed on a facing surface facing the fixing member, a first heating member to heat the fixing member, corresponding to the crown portion of the fixing member, a second heating member to heat the fixing member, corresponding to the inverted-crown portion of the fixing member, a temperature detector to detect a surface temperature of the fixing member, and a controller to control the first heating member and the second heating member independently. The pressing unit presses against the fixing member while the crown portion and the inverted-crown portion of the fixing member match the concavity and the convexity of the pressing unit, respectively, forming a curved fixing nip therebetween. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100239298 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, PRINTING SYSTEM, AND PRINTING METHOD - A fixing device including: an endless belt that is driven to perform a circulating motion; a pressing member and a fixing roller that face each other with the endless belt therebetween, the pressing member being caused to press the fixing roller, which is preliminarily heated, via the belt to form a fixing nip in which a toner image is thermally fixed onto a recording sheet S passing through therein; a cooler that cools at least a paper-contact range of the belt within which the recording sheet S passing through the fixing nip contacts; and a temperature-decrease controller that causes the cooler to cool at least the paper-contact range of the belt before the toner image is thermally fixed onto the recording sheet S. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100254726 | POWER SUPPLY UNIT FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A first power system supplies electric power to a first control circuit. A second power system supplies electric power to a load further on a downstream side than the second power system. A second control circuit receives the supplied electric power from a commercial power supply. In a power saving mode, a path switching section switches an electric power supply path to interrupt the electric power from the second power system to a cooling fan and supply electric power from an electricity storing section to the cooling fan. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100034547 | FUSERS, PRINTING APPARATUSES, AND METHODS OF FUSING TONER ON MEDIA - Fusers for fusing toner on media, printing apparatuses, and methods of fusing toner on media in printing apparatuses are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the fusers comprises a fuser roll comprising a fusing imaging surface; at least one heating element for heating the fuser roll; a pressure roll including an outer surface, the outer surface and the fusing imaging surface defining a nip; a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature on the fusing imaging surface; a time delay calculator connected to the temperature sensor; a feedback controller connected to the temperature sensor and the heating element, the feedback controller receives a signal from the temperature sensor indicating the temperature on the fusing imaging surface and controls the heating element based on the temperature; and an open-loop controller connected to the heating element and the time delay calculator. The open-loop controller receives a time delay signal from the time delay calculator and bypasses the feedback controller to control the heating element to increase the temperature of the fusing imaging surface starting at about a time, t−Δt (where Δt is a time delay), which is before a medium arrives at the nip, and continuing until about a time, t, at which the medium arrives at the nip and is contacted by the fusing imaging surface. The feedback controller resumes control of the heating element at about the time t. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20090074442 | Image forming apparatus and method of controlling the same - A control unit controls supply of power to a plurality of heating units at predetermined control period T | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090074441 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided that has a first pressurizing member, a heating member, a belt member laid across the heating member and the first pressurizing member in a tensioned state, the belt member being heated by the heating member, a second pressurizing member arranged at such position that the second pressurizing member is pressed against the first pressurizing member via the belt member, a fixing unit for fixing a developer image on a medium between the belt member and the second pressurizing member, a heating control unit for controlling heating of the heating member to drive a temperature of the heating member toward a predetermined target temperature, and a first temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of the first pressurizing member, wherein the heating control unit determines the targeted temperature based on the temperature of the first pressurizing member detected by the first temperature detection unit. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090274476 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to bear a toner image on a surface thereof, a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image on the image bearing member to a sheet, a fixing unit configured to heat and fix the toner image on the sheet transferred by the transfer unit, a reading unit configured to read the sheet that has passed through the fixing unit, from an end surface of the sheet, a control unit configured to control a fixing temperature when the fixing unit heats and fixes the toner image on the sheet, based on an image read by the reading unit. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090245842 | Fixing Device and Image Forming Apparatus - Provided is a fixing device including: at least a heating roller, a fixing roller, a heating belt which is stretched over the heating roller and the fixing roller, is heated by the heating roller, and is rotated by a driving unit so as to fix a toner image of a transfer material, and a bias preventing unit of the heating belt provided in the heating roller, wherein a first mode which is a combination mode of the heating of the heating belt and the rotation stop of the heating belt and a second mode which is a combination mode of the heating of the heating belt and the rotation of the heating belt are set, at the time of returning of the heating belt for an image forming operation from non-heating and non-rotation of the heating belt, the heating belt is controlled by the first mode and the heating belt is controlled by the second mode transitioned from the first mode, when a temperature of the heating belt becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined mode transition reference temperature, the transition from the first mode to the second mode is performed, and at the time of the start of the transition to the second mode, the heating belt is rotated in a direction reverse to a rotation direction during image formation and is rotated in the same direction as the rotation direction during the image formation. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20080226326 | Fixing device, image forming apparatus including the fixing device, and fixing method - A fixing device includes an excitation coil, a heat-generating layer, a magnetic shunt layer, and a degaussing member. The excitation coil generates a magnetic flux. The heat-generating layer generates heat using the magnetic flux generated by the excitation coil. The magnetic shunt layer transmits heat generated by the heat-generating layer. The degaussing member sandwiches the magnetic shunt layer together with the excitation coil, and selectively performs degaussing by generating a repelling magnetic flux for canceling the magnetic flux generated by the excitation coil so as to activate a self-temperature-control function. The degaussing member selectively refrains from degaussing so as to deactivate the self-temperature-control function. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080226325 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In one embodiment, a paper separation claw is separated from a surface of a pressure roller by a drive source being turned ON at a time t | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080226324 | Heating device, fixing device, and image forming device - A heating device includes a magnetic field generating unit, and a heat generating body having a heat generating layer generating heat due to electromagnetic induction, and a temperature-sensitive layer. The heat generating layer is disposed opposing the magnetic field generating unit. The temperature-sensitive layer has a Curie temperature greater than or equal to a set temperature of the heat generating layer and less than or equal to a heat-resistant temperature of the heat generating layer, and is disposed at a side of heat generating layer opposite a side where the magnetic field generating unit is disposed such that heat from the heat generating layer is conducted. At temperatures lower than the Curie temperature, the temperature-sensitive layer causes the magnetic field to penetrate in from the heat generating layer, and at temperatures greater than or equal to the Curie temperature, causes magnetic flux of the magnetic field to pass therethrough. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20100316404 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes a fixing portion, a temperature detection element, and a power control portion, wherein the power control portion is capable of setting a first power supply control mode for supplying power according to the detected temperature for each one control cycle, a second power supply control mode for supplying power according to the detected temperature for each one control cycle and a third power supply control mode for supplying predetermined power, and switches, immediately before a leading edge of the recording material enters the fixing portion, a state of supplying the power in the first power supply control mode to a state of supplying the power in the second power supply control mode, and then switches the state of supplying the power in the second power supply control mode to a state of supplying the power in the third power supply control mode. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100322658 | FUSER FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fuser includes: a rotational member configured to rotate; a press member configured to form a nip between the press member and the rotational member; an induction-current generator configured to generate an induction current in the rotational member; and a controller configured to reduce a nip temperature of the nip when a leading end of a recording medium reaches the nip to be lower than a nip temperature when an image on the recording medium is fixed. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100322657 | FIXING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus allows harmonic noise and flicker noise caused by alternating current to be reduced. To accomplish this, the fixing apparatus has a power supply unit that supplies AC power from a commercial power supply to a heater, a temperature detection element that detects the temperature of the heater, a setting unit that sets a duty ratio for providing power to the heater such that the temperature detected by the temperature detection element maintains a target temperature, and a control unit that controls the power supply unit such that an average power duty ratio of a single cycle equals the power duty ratio based on the detected temperature, where a single cycle is three or more full waves of the commercial power supply, there being three or more power duty ratios per one half wave of the commercial power supply in a single cycle. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100322659 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus of the present invention includes a heating roller | 12-23-2010 |
| 20090067869 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus for allowing a surface of a heated toner image borne on a recording material to be glossed without generating a batter in the heated toner image is provided. In an image heating apparatus ( | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090214243 | Fixing Device and Image Forming Apparatus - A fixing device has: (a) an electromagnetic coil placed with a gap from a member of a magnetic material to be heated; a switching device that supplies electronic power to the electromagnetic coil; (b) a switching control unit that controls duty ratio for the switching device under a condition that a load voltage and a load current of the switching device are substantially zero when the switching device is turned on and/or off; (c) a shield member capable of being placed between the electromagnetic coil and the member to be heated to shield the member to be heated against a magnetic flux from the electromagnetic coil; and (d) a shield control unit that controls a shield amount of the shield member by moving either the shield member or both the electromagnetic coil and the member to be heated. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20110052238 | FIXING DEVICE USING ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION HEATING METHOD - A fixing device which makes it possible to reduce power consumption during a non-fixing operation while reducing the time before fixing is started. A belt has a conductive layer provided thereon. A pressure roller is rotated in a state engaged with the belt to thereby cause the belt to be rotated in a driven manner. Exciting circuits each formed by a magnetic core and an exciting coil generate an eddy current in the conductive layer provided on the belt to thereby cause heat to be generated in the conductive layer. A plurality of the exciting circuits are arranged at different locations along a rotational direction of the belt, and a controller drivingly controls the exciting circuits in respective timings in a state where the belt and the pressure roller are disengaged from each other. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110085813 | SWITCHING MODE POWER SUPPLYING APPARATUS, FUSING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A switching mode power supply apparatus includes an alternating current (AC) power input unit to receive an AC voltage from an AC power supply source, a first rectifier to output a direct current (DC) voltage by rectifying the received AC voltage, a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generator to output a PWM signal, a transformer to transform the DC voltage output from the first rectifier into an AC voltage according to a turn ratio and outputting the AC voltage according to the PWM signal, a second rectifier to output a DC voltage by rectifying the AC voltage output from the transformer, a feedback unit to provide as feedback a change of the DC voltage output from the second rectifier to the PWM signal generator, a DC power input unit to receive a DC voltage from a DC power supply source, a DC voltage input detector to detect whether a DC voltage is input to the DC power input unit based on connectivity with the DC power input unit, and an AC power input controller to stop input of the AC voltage from the AC power supply source based on whether a DC voltage is input to the DC power input unit. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110081156 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND FUSER UNIT - According to one embodiment, a fuser including, a first endless member into which fluid, which retains heat, can flow, a second endless member configured to apply pressure to the first endless member, a fluid moving mechanism configured to move the fluid to the first endless member and move the fluid from the first endless member, and a heat source configured to raise temperature of the first endless member to a predetermined temperature. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20120243895 | TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD OF THERMAL FIXING DEVICE, THERMAL FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A temperature control method of calculating a temperature of a recording medium after fixing and used in a thermal fixing device includes separating calculations of calculating the temperature of the recording medium after fixing into first-stage calculations to be performed before start of printing and second-stage calculations to be performed in real time during the printing, performing the first-stage calculations, and performing the second-stage calculations to calculate a result of the temperature of the recording medium after fixing. Further, the result of the temperature of the recording medium after fixing is used to control obtaining a desired temperature of the recording medium after fixing, and the temperature of the recording medium after fixing is calculated without directly measuring the temperature of the recording medium after fixing. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20090324272 | FUSER ASSEMBLIES, XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUSES AND METHODS OF FUSING TONER ON MEDIA - Fuser assemblies for fusing toner on media, xerographic apparatuses, and methods of fusing toner on media in xerographic apparatuses are disclosed. An embodiment of the fuser assemblies includes a fuser belt; a first roll supporting the fuser belt, the first roll including a first heating element and a second heating element extending axially along the first roll and along a width of the fuser belt, the first heating element being longer than the second heating element; and a second roll supporting the fuser belt, the second roll including a third heating element and a fourth heating element extending axially along the second roll and along the width of the fuser belt, the third heating element being longer than the fourth heating element. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20110085814 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus capable of rapidly cooling a fixing device is provided. A fixing unit of an image forming apparatus (MFP) includes a fixing device for fixing a developer image transferred onto a sheet based on image data, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the fixing device, a heater for raising the temperature thereof, and a cooling device for cooling thereof. A control unit of the MFP acquires sheet information in which information for adjusting the temperature of the fixing device is described, selects a suitable cooling sheet to be used for cooling the fixing device based on the acquired sheet information and the temperature of the fixing device measured by the temperature sensor, and passes the selected cooling sheet through the fixing device to cool the fixing device when the temperature of the fixing device measured by the temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined temperature. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20090003868 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes a current detection circuit for detecting an input current from the commercial power supply to the apparatus, in which: when a current detected by the current detection circuit exceeds a predetermined value, a maximum current suppliable to a fixing portion is restricted; and when a temperature of the fixing portion falls below, in a situation where the maximum current suppliable to the fixing portion is restricted, the predetermined temperature lower than a control target temperature, a conveyance interval of a recording material conveyed to the fixing portion is extended. In the image forming apparatus, even when a consumption current of the image forming apparatus is increased during successive image formation, it is capable of controlling the consumption current so as not to exceed a maximum current of a commercial power supply, securing desired fixability, and minimizing decline of image forming performance. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090208237 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main unit; a detected unit that is placed in the apparatus main unit; a temperature detection member that is provided out of contact with the detected unit in the apparatus main unit for detecting a temperature of the detected unit; a change member for changing a state of an air current in the apparatus main unit; and a temperature correction unit for correcting a value relevant to the temperature detected by the temperature detection member based on change of the state of the air current by the change member. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20100054785 | Fixing device, image forming apparatus, and method of controlling fixing device - In a fixing apparatus, an internal temperature detection device is arranged within a heat generation region and detects temperature of a fixing device. An external temperature detection device is arranged at the outside of the heat generation region and detects temperature of the fixing device. Heat generation in the heat generating device is stopped when temperature reaches a prescribed first high temperature detection limit and a temperature rising amount in a prescribed time period after the first high temperature detection limit is reached exceeds a prescribed threshold. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100054786 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes a coil for generating magnetic flux; a rotatable heat generating member, having an electroconductive layer which generates heat by the magnetic flux, for heating an image on a recording material, the heating member being disposed inside the coil; a magnetic core disposed inside the heat generating member; a temperature detecting member, disposed in an area sandwiched between the magnetic core and an area of the heat generating member opposing the coil, for detecting a temperature of the heat generating member; an electric wire electrically connected to the temperature detecting member; and an interrupting portion, provided outside the image heating member, for interrupting electric power supply to said coil on the basis of an output of said temperature detecting member supplied through said electric wire. The magnetic core partly lacks to provide a core lacking portion in an area opposing the coil through the heat generating member. Through the core lacking portion, the electric wire is extended to an outside of the heat generating member. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20090028595 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING CONTACTLESS TYPE TEMPERATURE SENSOR - A sealing member which is compressed by a contactless temperature sensor and a cover member of a fixing unit is provided between the sensor and the cover member. An opening portion for temperature detection is shut off from a space around the fixing unit by the sealing member, thereby preventing the air from flowing from the opening portion into the fixing unit. | 01-29-2009 |
| 20110081157 | FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF CONNECTING WIRES IN FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device of belt fixing type is provided. A fixing device includes a connector to be connected to wires provided therein. The connector includes integrally primary-side wiring connector terminals to be connected to primary-side wires each leading to a heat generating resistor, and secondary-side wiring connector terminals to be connected to secondary-side wires including wires each leading to a heat generating element-side thermistor, the secondary-side wires flowing current smaller than the primary-side wires. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110076043 | FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device includes a belt that has an endless shape, a roller that forms a nip with the belt, a support member that supports the belt interposed between the support member and the roller, a coil that generates a magnetic field for inducing current in the belt, an auxiliary heat generation member that generates heat with the current induced by the magnetic field in the loop of the belt, and a temperature sensor that is opposed to the auxiliary heat generation member with the belt interposed between the element and the auxiliary heat generation member and detects the temperature of an outer peripheral surface of the belt. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110076042 | PRINTING SYSTEM, PRINTING APPARATUS, AND PRINTING METHOD - A printing system includes a first printing apparatus, a second printing apparatus, and a control device. The second printing apparatus is provided at a rear stage of the first printing apparatus, and includes a second preheating unit that preheats a recording medium from one surface before thermally fixing a toner image to another surface, and a temperature control unit that increase the temperature of the second preheating unit from a normal temperature to a target temperature, in response to a printing preparation instruction received in a temporary printing stop state from the control device. The control device starts printing, when the temperature of the second preheating unit reaches the target temperature. The temperature control unit decreases the temperature of the second preheating unit from the target temperature to the normal temperature, when the recording medium is conveyed by a length from a deformed portion to the second preheating unit. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110069985 | CYLINDRICAL HEATING ELEMENT AND FIXING DEVICE - A cylindrical heating element comprising a cylindrical member, a metallic pattern provided on at least one of outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the cylindrical member, which is capable of generating heat by being electrified, and a resistive pattern for detecting temperature provided on at least one of the outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the cylindrical member. A fixing device which passes a recording medium on which an unfixed toner image is held through a nip formed by a rotating member for heating and a rotating member for pressurizing which is pressed against the rotating member for heating to fix the toner image on the recording medium with heating under pressure, the rotating member for heating comprising the cylindrical heating element. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20120201558 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes a belt member for heating an image on a recording material; a heater means heating the belt member; a supporting portion, provided on an inner surface of the belt member, for detachably supporting the belt member; a temperature detecting member contacted to the inner surface of the belt member and elastically supported by the supporting portion; a controller for controlling energization to the heating means on the basis of an output of the temperature detecting member; and an inclined surface, provided to the temperature detecting member, for guiding the temperature detecting member toward an inside of the belt member in contact with the belt member during a mounting operation of the belt member to the supporting portion. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20110052235 | APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF SURFACES IN APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING - Apparatuses useful in printing and methods of controlling the temperature of surfaces in apparatuses useful in printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the apparatuses useful in printing includes a belt including a first surface; at least one heat source for heating the first surface; a roll including a second surface; a temperature sensor positioned to measure a temperature of the second surface; and a roll positioning device coupled to the roll for positioning the second surface of the roll in contact with the first surface of the belt to form a nip and increase the temperature of the second surface, and for positioning the second surface out of contact with the first surface to decrease the temperature of the second surface, in response to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110033197 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A fixing device including a heating roller; a pressure roller forming a nip section by making contact with the heating roller; a controller for controlling the surface temperature of the heating roller so that it becomes a predetermined set temperature; an amount of decrease detector for detecting an amount of decrease in the surface temperature of the pressure roller between before and after the passing of the paper sheet through the nip section; a determiner for specifying a required temperature required to perform the fixing for the paper sheet on the basis of the amount of decrease and for determining whether the set temperature is acceptable as the required temperature; and a temperature compensator for correcting the set temperature so that the set temperature is acceptable as the required temperature in the case that the determiner has determined that the set temperature is not acceptable as the required temperature. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20100310267 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A wave form corresponding to at least one power ratio among a plurality of power ratios set according to a temperature of a fixing part include a first group wherein a negative half-wave to at least partially turn on a half-wave and a positive-half-wave to at least partially turn on a half-wave continue in order after a half-wave to entirely turn off an one half-wave, and a second group wherein a positive-half-wave to at least partially turn on a half-wave continues just after a -half-wave to entirely turn off an one half-wave, thereby an accuracy of current detection can be improved. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20090324273 | FUSER ASSEMBLIES, XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUSES AND METHODS OF FUSING TONER ON MEDIA - Fuser assemblies, xerographic apparatuses, and methods of fusing toner on media in xerographic apparatuses are disclosed. An embodiment of the fuser assemblies includes a fuser belt having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, at least a first roll and a second roll supporting the fuser belt, and a radiant heater facing the inner surface of the fuser belt. The radiant heater is adapted to emit radiant heat onto the inner surface of the fuser belt to increase the temperature of the outer surface of the fuser belt opposite the inner surface heated by the radiant heater. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090310996 | SAFETY DEVICE AND FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device has a fixing roller, a pressure roller, an electromagnetic induction heating section, a heat pipe, a temperature sensor and a control section. The fixing roller is heated by the electromagnetic induction heating section. The heat pipe is in contact with the pressure roller. The temperature sensor is in direct contact with the heat pipe to measure temperature of the heat pipe. The control section stops heating of the electromagnetic induction heating section when the temperature of the heat pipe measured by the temperature sensor reaches a preset temperature. This prevents an excessive rise in temperature of the heat pipe and suppresses an excessive increase in internal pressure of the heat pipe. Thereby, the heat pipe in the fixing device is prevented from being damaged. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20110255894 | FIXING DEVICE USABLE WITH AN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a fixing roller to fix a toner on a recording medium; a heater to heat the fixing roller; an alternating current (AC) power source to generate an AC electric power such that the heater heats the fixing roller according to the AC electric power; a unit interposed between the heater and the AC power source to selectively supply the AC electric power from the AC power source to the heater so as to control the heater to heat the fixing roller; a relay including a first relay contact point disposed on a first AC power supply line between the AC power source and the unit and a relay coil to open and close the first relay contact point; the relay selectively supplying the AC electric power from AC power source to the heater and the power control switch; a direct current (DC) power supplier to supply a DC power to the relay coil; and a thermoswitch interposed on a DC power supply line between the DC power supplier and the relay coil to control the supply of the AC electric power from the AC power source to the heater and the unit according to an temperature of the fixing roller. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20080253787 | Image forming apparatus - A controller is operative to heat a first fixing heater by an electric power from a commercial power source, and to heat a second fixing heater by an electric power from an electric storage device in a state that driving of a voltage boosting device is suspended by a PWM controller and an MOS transistor in an initial stage of driving a fixing heater unit. The controller is also operative to drive the second fixing heater by an electric power from the electric storage device which is boosted by the voltage boosting device by driving the voltage boosting device by the PWM controller and the MOS transistor after an inrush current to the second fixing heater has dropped to a certain level. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20100296828 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes an image heater for heating an image on a recording material. The apparatus also includes a first temperature detecting member that detects a temperature of the image heating member, with the first temperature detecting member provided in a sheet processing region for a recording material of a minimum size. A controller is also provided for controlling electric power supply to the image heater on the basis of an output of the first temperature detecting member. Further provided is a second temperature detecting member is that is capable of detecting a temperature of the image heating member when the image heating member is contacted or is not contacted with a belt. A controller is also provided for controlling the image heating operation on the basis of the temperature of the image heating member. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20080253789 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part, a fixer including a heating member and a pressure member, a reverse transport part to forward a recording medium transported from the fixer to the image forming part, a toner image sensor to detect presence of a toner image on the recording medium, and a controller. When a glossy image formation mode is selected and no toner image is detected on the recording medium, the image forming part does not form a toner image on the recording medium, the fixer performs a first heating and pressing process and transports the recording medium to the reverse transport part, the reverse transport part transports the recording medium to the image forming part, the image forming part forms a toner image on the recording medium transported from the reverse transport part, and the fixer performs a second heating and pressing process and fixes the toner image thereon. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080253788 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus using the same - A fixing device including a fixing member to melt a toner so as to fix a toner image onto a recording medium, a temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the fixing member, and a heater to heat the fixing member based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. A driving speed of the fixing member is reduced after printing is completed, and subsequently the fixing member stops driving. The fixing member is controlled to have a desired temperature (Ts) after the fixing member stops driving that is lower than a desired temperature (Tp) during printing. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080253786 | Image forming apparatus - In an image forming apparatus having a process correction mode wherein when a temperature of a fixing device in an image formation system in a power-on state is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the image forming apparatus makes the fixing temperature to increase to the predetermined value. The apparatus sets the process correction mode based on power-on information output from a first detector which detects presence of the power-on state for the fixing device and fixing temperature information output from a second detector which detects a fixing temperature in the fixing device, and sets a priority level for performing the correction processing of the color misregistration to be lower than the correction processing of the process other than the correction processing of color the misregistration. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20110164893 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND FUSER - A first temperature is obtained based on an amount of infrared rays incident upon a lens of an infrared temperature sensor, and a second temperature is obtained based on a temperature of a thermistor. A system controller performs first temperature control when a detected temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is less than a predetermined temperature difference, performs second temperature control when the detected temperature difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined temperature difference, and activates an alarm when an elapsed time during which the second temperature control is continuously executed has become equal to or greater than a time that is the sum of a first predetermined time and a second predetermined time. | 07-07-2011 |
| 20080199198 | FIXING DEVICE, HEATING CONTROL METHOD - A technique is provided that enables extension of the life of an auxiliary power source by efficiently using the power of the auxiliary power source and thereby reducing the fixing temperature raising time and effectively restraining the lowering of the fixing temperature in an image forming apparatus having a fixing device. A fixing device is provided in an image forming apparatus and it can switch execution of a first heating mode for performing heating processing using a regular power source and a second heating mode for performing heating processing with a larger quantity of heating per unit time than in the first heating mode by using an auxiliary power source in addition to the regular power source. The fixing device includes: a heating mode determining unit configured to determine whether the heating processing in the second heating mode needs to be performed when performing heating processing, on the basis of predetermined information related to processing executed in the image forming apparatus; and a heating mode control unit configured to cause the heating processing in the first heating mode to be executed when it is determined by the heating mode determining unit that the heating processing in the second heating mode is not necessary, and to cause the heating processing in the second heating mode to be executed when it is determined that the heating processing in the second heating mode is necessary. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20110026961 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING SAME - A fixing device for fixing an unfixed toner image on a recording medium includes a rotatable fixing member heated by a heater to contact the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image while rotating, with the heater disposed inside a hollow of the fixing member and turned on and off intermittently at a start of a fixing process to heat the fixing member intermittently, a first pressing member disposed opposite the fixing member to press against and rotate the fixing member to define a fixing nip through which the recording medium passes to fix the unfixed toner image with heat and pressure, and a temperature detector to detect a change in the temperature of the fixing member when the heater turns on and off intermittently. When the temperature detector detects the change in the temperature of the fixing device, the heater is turned on continuously. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110052237 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - In a fixing device, a pressing member rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation. A flexible endless fixing member rotates in accordance with rotation of the pressing member. A nip formation member is provided inside a loop formed by the fixing member and pressed against the pressing member via the fixing member to form a nip between the fixing member and the pressing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. A first heat generator faces an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member at a position other than the nip to heat the fixing member. A second heat generator faces the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member at a position other than the nip to heat the fixing member, and is disposed adjacent to the first heat generator along the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110052236 | FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided with a heat roller configured to heat a toner image formed on a sheet, and a thermistor arranged opposite to a circumferential surface of the heat roller and configured to detect a temperature of the circumferential surface of the heat roller without contacting the heat roller. The thermistor is located at a position above a horizontal plane including a rotational axis of the heat roller and on a downstream side, in a rotational direction of the heat roller, with respect to a vertical plane including the rotational axis of the heat roller, and closer to the vertical plane than the horizontal plane. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20100329720 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING IMPROVED ACCURACY OF TEMPERATURE CONTROL - In a fixing device, having a sheet portion and an inter-sheet portion, heats and fixes the toner image onto each of sheets by rotationally bringing the sheet portion into contact with each sheet. A heating unit heats the fixing unit. A sensing unit senses a temperature of the fixing unit. A control unit controls a duty ratio of on/off of the heating unit based on a sensing output of the sensing unit, determines whether the sensing unit is sensing the temperature of the sheet portion or the temperature of the inter-sheet portion in a rotation cycle, and controls the temperature of the heating unit by using the adjustment value corresponding to the sheet portion or the inter-sheet portion depending on a determination result. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110116822 | Fixing device, image forming apparatus incorporating same, and method of dimensioning fixing device - A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a temperature detector, and a heater. The pressing member contacts an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a fixing nip between the fixing member and the pressing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. The heater heats the fixing member to a predetermined temperature based on a detection result provided by the temperature detector. A circumferential distance A between the temperature detector and the heater along a circumference of the fixing member is defined by the following formula: | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110135334 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An invented fixing device having a fixing roller for fixing developer to a recording medium and plural fixing heaters for heating the fixing roller includes a temperature detection unit as well as a thermistor for detecting the temperature of the fixing roller, a RAM storing the switching temperature for switching drive of the fixing heaters, a heater selection unit for selecting some of the fixing heaters to be driven based on the switching temperature and the detected temperature of the fixing member detected through the temperature detection unit, and a heat control unit for selectively driving the fixing heater selected by the heater selection unit. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20120148282 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CONTROLLING POWER SUPPLIED TO FIXING UNIT - Adjusting the start timing for conveying a printing material from a printing material conveying unit based on a power supply update period for power supplied to a heater allows proper power correction timing to be attained for compensating for a drop in temperature of the endless belt following the printing material entering a fixing nip portion. | 06-14-2012 |
| 20110097098 | Heating device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus - A heating device for heating a rotary heated member includes a heater and a temperature detector. The heater faces the rotary heated member to heat the rotary heated member. The temperature detector faces the rotary heated member via the heater to detect a temperature of the rotary heated member. The heater includes a housing provided between the temperature detector and the rotary heated member, a through-hole provided in the housing via which the temperature detector faces the rotary heated member, and a channel provided in the housing at a position downstream from the through-hole in a direction of rotation of the rotary heated member through which an air current generated in a gap between the heater and the rotary heated member moves. The channel has a hollow cross-sectional area greater than a hollow cross-sectional area of the through-hole. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20100215390 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The fixing device includes: a fixing member including a conductive layer capable of self-heating by electromagnetic induction; a drive unit rotationally driving the fixing member; a magnetic field generating member generating an alternate-current magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer; a fixation pressing member movable so as to come into pressure contact with an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member and to separate from the outer circumferential surface; and a temperature measurement unit that includes a temperature detector and a support portion, that measures temperature of the fixing member with the temperature detector which is pressed by the support portion to be brought into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, and that holds a contact state between the temperature detector and the inner circumferential surface in every state where the fixing member is displaced in accordance with movement of the fixation pressing member. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100158555 | TEMPERATURE CONTROLLING METHOD OF FIXING DEVICE - In a fixing device, when sheets of small width size are continuously passed and temperature rises in both side parts, a temperature control unit stops print control of an auxiliary lamp. When the temperature rise in both side parts continues after that, a drive control unit shifts the fixing device to a wait mode and pre-runs the fixing device. Moreover, in a low-temperature environment, when temperature rises in both side parts when sheets Ps of small width size are continuously passed, the temperature control unit switches temperature control of the fixing device to three-stage control. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100196039 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form a toner image on a sheet; an image heating device disposed contacted with the toner image on the sheet and configured to heat the toner image on the sheet; a heating device configured to heat the image heating device; a detecting device configured to detect a temperature of the image heating device; a controlling device configured to control the heating device so that the temperature of the image heating device is maintained at a target temperature based on an output of the detecting device; a selecting device configured to select one of plurality of modes including a first mode in which the images are continuously formed on a plurality of thin sheets, a second mode in which the images are continuously formed on a plurality of thick sheets and a third mode in which the images are continuously formed on a plurality of sheets including the thin sheet and the thick sheet; a setting device configured to set the target temperature based on the selected mode, wherein the target temperature in the second mode is higher than the target temperature in the first mode, and the target temperature in the third mode is higher than the target temperature in the second mode. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100196037 | Image Forming Device - An image forming device has a heating member, a thermal detecting unit, and a control unit. The heating member is positioned at an ambient temperature and heated by a heat source. The heating member fixes a developed image to a recording sheet. The thermal detecting unit is provided separately from the heating member. The thermal detecting unit detects a first temperature. The control unit uses a function to calculate a second temperature of the heating member on the basis of the detected first temperature. The control unit controls the heat source on the basis of the second temperature. The function has a rate of change that increases with decreasing the ambient temperature. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100196038 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - While a recording sheet is passing through a fixing nip formed between a heating roller | 08-05-2010 |
| 20090175645 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, FUSING DEVICE THEREOF AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING FUSING DEVICE - An image forming apparatus that is capable of preventing a damage to a fusing belt or hazardous conditions due to the overheating of the fusing belt and a fusing device thereof are disclosed. The image forming apparatus has a fusing device including a fusing belt, a heat source disposed in the fusing belt, a support member to support the fusing belt, the support member having an opening through which heat emitted from the heat source passes to at least a portion of the fusing belt, and a first temperature sensor positioned to measure temperature of the fusing belt at the portion directly heated by radiant heat transmitted through the opening. A control unit of the image forming apparatus controls the heat source based on the temperature measured by the first temperature sensor. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20090175644 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus has an image forming station and a fixing unit. The fixing unit includes a coil for generating a magnetic field for induction heating the heating member. A first core made of a magnetic material is arranged fixedly around the coil. A second core made of a magnetic material is between the first core and the heating member in a generation direction of the magnetic field to form a magnetic path in cooperation with the first core and capable of changing a posture thereof. A shield made of a nonmagnetic metal is arranged along the outer surface of the second core to shield magnetism in the magnetic field and a magnetic shielding portion for changing the posture of the second core between a first posture where the shield shields the magnetism and a second posture where the shield does not shield the magnetism. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20110188875 | AUTO DOCUMENT FEEDING DEVICE AND IMAGE SCANNING DEVICE - A fixing device comprises a fixing device comprising, a fixing body that contacts with a non-fixed toner on a recording medium, a pressing body that forms a nip between the pressing body and the fixing body, a first heater to heat the fixing body, a second heater to heat the pressing body and a control part that applies maximum electric power to the first heater and the second heater until the pressing body reaches a copy temperature when, although the fixing body reaches a copy temperature, the pressing body does not reach the copy temperature. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110135333 | SHEET CONVEYING APPARATUS, SHEET CONVEYING METHOD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying apparatus includes: a fixing device configured to heat, with a heat roller, a sheet having a toner image transferred thereon and fix a toner on the sheet; a conveying roller arranged downstream of the fixing device and including plural rollers configured to convey the sheet from the fixing device; a heating unit configured to heat the plural rollers of the conveying roller; and a temperature control unit configured to control the heating unit such that the temperature of the plural rollers approaches the toner temperature of the sheet passing through the conveying roller. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20100028036 | Fixing Device Having Thermistor - A fixing device is mounted on a main casing of an image forming apparatus. A heating member contacts a recording medium to apply heat thereto while rotating. A heating member includes a roller that rotates about an axis. A frame supports the heating member and includes a frame fixing part that is fixed to the main casing to mount the frame on the main casing. A detecting unit opposes the heating member in an opposing direction to detect a temperature of the heating member and is separated from the heating member. A support member supports the detecting unit. A position of the support member in the opposing direction with respect to the frame is determined at a position closer to the frame fixing unit than the detecting unit. A position of the support member in an axial direction of the roller with respect to the frame is determined at a same position as the detecting unit in the axial direction. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100021194 | IMAGE FORMATION SYSTEM, IMAGE FORMATION METHOD, AND IMAGE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT METHOD - An image formation system includes image forming means for forming different color toner images on a recording material having a toner reception layer; first image heating means for heating and pressing the toner image on the recording material; second image heating means for heating and pressing the toner image on the recording material having been heated and pressed by the first image heating means; and wherein the first image heating means is operable so as to provide a granularity R of the toner image satisfying 0.5≦R≦4.0 and a glossiness G of the toner image satisfying 5≦G≦40, and the second image heating means is operable so as to provide a granularity R of the toner image satisfying not more than 4.0 and a glossiness G of the toner image satisfying not less than 60. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20110217061 | Image forming apparatus, image forming system, fixing control method, and computer program product - An image forming apparatus includes: a PDL analyzing unit that analyzes print data and obtains a drawing condition; a drawing unit that uses a type of dither selected from types of dither, prepared and associated with drawing conditions, according to the drawing condition analyzed, and generates output image data; an image forming unit; a fixing unit that fixes an image formed on a recording sheet by heating the image to a fixing temperature; a fixing control unit that controls the fixing temperature to a target value; and a database in which each of the types of dither is associated with the target value of fixing temperature for power saving. The fixing control unit obtains from the database the target value of fixing temperature corresponding to the type of dither used in the drawing unit and carries out control to conduct fixing at the target value thus obtained. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20120308253 | FIXING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus includes: two rotatable members, for forming a nip, including a region where an outer diameter is increased from a longitudinal central portion toward a longitudinal end portion; a heater; and a controller for controlling a heat generation distribution of the heater. The controller is capable of controlling the heater so that the heat generation distribution of the heater is such that a heat generation amount at the longitudinal end portion is larger than that at the longitudinal central portion in a period from start of the heater until the recording material reaches the nip. A ratio of the heat generation amount at the longitudinal end portion to that at the longitudinal central portion is larger when a cumulative amount of use of the fixing apparatus is larger than a predetermined amount than when the cumulative amount of use is smaller than the predetermined amount. | 12-06-2012 |
| 20120148283 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus, a fixing condition such as a target control temperature of a heater is changed depending on whether a first resistance heating element and a second resistance heating element of the heater are connected in series or in parallel such that a similar fixing performance is achieved regardless of whether the first resistance heating element and the second resistance heating element are connected in series or in parallel. | 06-14-2012 |
| 20100098448 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS HAVING FUSER TEMPERATURE CONTROL AND CORRESPONDING METHODS - Disclosed are a method of forming images on media in an electrophotographic apparatus, and corresponding electrophotographic apparatus. The method includes measuring a temperature of the media with a sensor after the toner particles have been fused to the media, and controlling a temperature of the heater device with a controller based on the measured temperature of the media, wherein the temperature is controlled to obtain a desired gloss level for subsequent media to be fused. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20110305474 | IMAGE HEATING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image heating device includes a rotatable image heating member for heating an image on a recording material; a pressing member for pressing the image heating member to form a nip in which the recording material is to be nip-conveyed; a belt member for heating the image heating member in contact with the image heating member; a first belt heating member for heating the belt member while pressing the belt against the image heating member; a second belt heating member, provided downstream of the first belt heating member with respect to a rotational direction of the image heating member, for heating the belt member while pressing the belt member against the image heating member; a first heating portion for heating the first belt heating member by energization; and a second heating portion for heating the second belt heating member by energization. Each of the first heating portion and the second heating portion is supplied with power so that a maximum of the power supplied to the first heating means is smaller than that of the power supplied to the second heating portion. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110305475 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus, in the case where image forming is performed on a recording medium whose size covers a position of a second temperature detection element perpendicularly disposed to the recording medium conveyance direction, when the detected temperature rises to a predetermined temperature during execution of the first power supply control, a first power supply control is switched to a second power supply control. In the case where image forming is performed on a recording medium whose size does not cover a position of the second temperature detection element, when the detected temperature rises to a predetermined temperature during execution of the first power supply control, a conveyance control portion executes a control for extending the conveyance interval of the recording medium. Thus, an unduly large temperature rise in the non-sheet passing portion is prevented, and a good quality image can be provided without glossy unevenness in one sheet. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120148281 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING FIXING UNIT FOR FIXING UNFIXED TONER IMAGE FORMED ON RECORDING MATERIAL ONTO RECORDING MATERIAL BY HEAT - Corrected power for compensating for a reduction in the temperature of an endless belt that accompanies the entry of a recording material into a fixing nip portion is adjusted by correcting the power supplied to a fixing unit when the recording material enters the fixing unit with a correction power based on a difference between the update time of a power updating period and the time of the entry of the recording material. | 06-14-2012 |
| 20120155907 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD IN FIXING DEVICE THEREOF - Image forming apparatus including: first executing unit executing image formation mode of forming image by transferring toner image from image holder onto recording sheet, and then, in fixing device, causing fixing member, heated to fixable temperature by heater, to thermally fix toner image; second executing unit executing non-image-formation mode not involving thermal fixing performed by fixing device; instructing unit selectively instructing to execute image formation mode or non-image-formation mode; and controller controlling power supply to heater of fixing device in accordance with execution state of image formation and non-image-formation modes, the controller performing first control of decreasing temperature of fixing member by stopping or reducing power supply to heater when non-image-formation mode starts, and second control of stopping first control at predetermined timing during execution of non-image-formation mode and increasing temperature of fixing member so as to reach predetermined target temperature at end of execution of non-image-formation mode. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20110064444 | HEATER CONTROL DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A heater control device includes a temperature detector that detects a temperature of a heated object heated by a heater; an alternating-current power supply for applying an alternating current voltage to the heater; a turn-on ratio decision unit that determines a turn-on ratio of the heater based on the temperature and a target temperature; a turn-on pattern decision unit that determines a partial turn-on pattern, as the turn-on pattern of the heater, which is a pattern of a turn-on ratio higher than the determined turn-on ratio in terms of a control-period, and to which a partial turn-on instead of a full turn-on is allocated on a half-wavelength basis of the alternating current voltage within the control period based on the turn-on ratio of the heater; and a turn-on controller that controls turn-on of the heater based on the determined turn-on pattern. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110064443 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a hollow, stationary metal roller, a flexible fuser belt, a rotatable pressure member, a fuser pad, a reinforcing member, and a heating assembly. The metal roller has an outer circumference thereof subjected to heating. The flexible fuser belt is looped for rotation around the metal roller to transfer heat radially outward from the heated metal roller. The fuser pad is held stationary inside the loop of the fuser belt to press against the pressure member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The reinforcing member is disposed stationary within the roller interior. The heating assembly is disposed stationary within the roller interior to heat the metal roller from inside, and includes a first heater and a second heater. The first and second heaters are arranged in juxtaposition with each other along the inner circumference of the metal roller. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110064442 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - To enhance the fixing quality of a fixing device to continuously fix sheets of a plurality of sizes, a carbon nanotube sheet | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110064439 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit to thermally fix an image transferred onto a sheet, a discharge unit to discharge the sheet carried from the fixing unit outside the image forming apparatus through a discharge path, a swingable member to be swung by the sheet being discharged, a swing-detectable sensor to detect swing movement of the swingable member being swung by the sheet, and a judging unit to judge as to whether the sheet is in one-sided alignment, in which the sheet is aligned to one of the widthwise sides in the discharge path based on result detected by the swing-detectable sensor. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110064440 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING SAME - The fixing device includes first and second heat sources, a rotatable fixing member heated by the first heat source, a rotatable pressing member heated by the second heat source and contacting the fixing member to form a fixing nip therebetween at which a toner image on a sheet is fixed thereto, and at least first and second temperature detectors determining temperatures of different surface portions of the pressing member. The pressing member has a width greater than that of the fixing member greater than the maximum width of the sheet accommodated by the fixing device. The first temperature detector determines the temperature of a surface portion of the pressing member, which is to be contacted with the sheet, and the second temperature detector determines the temperature of a second surface portion of the pressing member, which is not contacted with the fixing member even when the pressing member is rotated. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110318039 | POWER SUPPLY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - A power supply device includes: a power supply part to convert an AC voltage from an AC power source into a direct current and output a DC voltage; a zero cross detector to detect zero cross timings of AC voltage; and a power supply controller to control supply of the AC voltage to the power supply part and the zero cross detector based on the zero cross timing. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318040 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING FIXING DEVICE, AND DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING ABNORMALITY OF THE FIXING DEVICE - An image forming apparatus which is capable of detecting occurrence of an abnormality that a fixing member which is actually in an unpressurized state is detected to be in a pressurized state, and supply of electric power to a heating member is continued. A fixing device includes a fixing belt and a pressure roller. The fixing belt and the pressure roller are pressed against each other such that a nip is formed therebetween, for nipping and conveying a transfer material through the nip while heating and pressing the same. A pressurizing unit selectively switches between a pressurizing state and an unpressurizing state. When the pressurizing unit is in the pressurized state, a heater heats the fixing belt. The heating of the fixing belt is stopped based on a temperature detected by a thermistor after a lapse of a predetermined time period from start of the heating. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318038 | Image forming apparatus, image forming method, image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage - An image forming apparatus for outputting a printed product includes a fusing unit, an image forming control unit to receive print data and print attribution information for printing the printed product; and a print engine including a fusing controller to control a fusing temperature of the fusing unit. The print engine outputs the printed product using a fusing temperature designated by the print attribution information. The fusing controller determines a target fusing temperature for the fusing unit by comparing a first fusing temperature and a second fusing temperature. The first fusing temperature is used for a most recently conducted fusing process. The second fusing temperature is designated by the print attribution information. The fusing controller determines the target fusing temperature to the first fusing temperature or the second fusing temperature depending on the number of colors required for printing the printed product. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120045240 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device including a fixing rotational body and fixing images on sheets of various sizes, comprising: a main excitation coil heating the rotational body by electromagnetic induction and having an effective heating length L | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120207502 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A disclosed fixing apparatus includes a heat generating layer; an exciting coil; a magnetic shunt layer; a degaussing member; and a magnetic flux adjusting unit. A heat generating rotor is configured with at least the heat generating layer, the exciting coil is arranged outside the heat generating rotor and the degaussing member is arranged inside the heat generating rotor. The fixing apparatus is configured to control a temperature of the heat generating layer with a self temperature control function using a Curie temperature of the magnetic shunt layer which is disposed in an opposing location of the exciting coil. A magnetic path forming member which forms a magnetic path of the exciting coil is arranged on the back face side of the degaussing member that is the reverse side of the magnetic shunt layer with the degaussing member inbetween. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120008972 | Fusing device for instantly controlling power - A device for fusing and fixing a transferred toner of a predetermined image onto a print paper is provided. In particular, a fusing device which can instantly control induced current provided to a fusing unit in an image printing apparatus which heats the fusing unit using the induced current is provided. The fusing device includes a fusing unit which is resistance heated or induction heated by an induced current, and fuses the toner onto the print paper using the generated heat. A sensing unit senses the temperature of the fusing unit. A reference current generating unit generates a predetermined reference current to heat the fusing unit to reach a predetermined temperature based on the temperature of the sensed fusing unit and the reference temperature. A pulse width modulation signal generating unit generates a pulse width modulation signal for generating the induced current so that the induced current corresponding to the reference current is supplied to the fusing unit. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008971 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A fixing device includes a fixing belt to transmit a heat to a print medium, a pressing unit to apply a pressure on the print medium, a heating unit surrounded by the fixing belt to generate the heat and a nip plate disposed against the fixing belt and facing the pressing unit, to form a fixing nip. The fixing device further includes a support element to support the nip plate, and a reflection unit disposed within the fixing belt to reflect the heat radiated from the heating unit toward the support element. The reflection unit is connected to the nip plate to conduct the heat from the reflection unit to the nip plate. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120014706 | BELT CONVEYANCE APPARATUS AND IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - The image heating apparatus has a plurality of heat generators which are capable of forming a plurality of heat generating distributions in the longitudinal direction for supplying heat to a heating member. Unevenness in temperature is decreased by changing the heat generating distribution when cooling by a fan for the heating member starts. The heat generating distribution is changed so that heat generating amount at an area in the longitudinal direction corresponding to the cooling area cooled by the fan is to be larger than the heat generating amount before starting the cooling. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120020690 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a pressing member each of which includes a waveform elastic layer having at least one wave crest and at least one wave trough to form a waveform face between the fixing rotary body and the pressing member pressed against each other. A controller identifies a temperature differential between a first temperature of the wave crest of the fixing rotary body detected by a first temperature detector and a second temperature of the wave trough of the fixing rotary body detected by a second temperature detector and adjusts an amount of heat stored from a heater into the fixing rotary body based on the identified temperature differential. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120020691 | Phase detecting device, phase control device including the phase detecting device, and fuser control device including the phase control device - An image forming apparatus includes a fuser that fuses a paper medium and a fuser control device that controls an AC power supplied to the fuser. The fuser control device includes a phase detecting device that receives an AC voltage, detects zero-crossing points of the AC voltage, outputs a phase detecting signal when the zero-crossing points are detected, and selectively cuts off a flow of AC power into the phase detecting device in response to a mode control signal, a signal generator that generates a phase control signal to control a phase of the AC power supplied to the fuser based on the phase detecting signal, and a temperature controller that controls a temperature of the fuser by controlling the phase of the AC power supplied to the fuser according to the phase control signal. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120301171 | HEATING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A heating apparatus includes a heater, a current-feed switching circuit configured to switch turning-on/off of current-feeding from an AC power source to the heater, thereby feeding current from the AC power source to the heater at a predetermined current-feed ratio, a temperature detector configured to detect a heating temperature of the heater, and | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120027444 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes image heating device; pressing device; a first temperature sensor; an electric power supply controller; a second temperature sensor; a first cooling device for cooling a surface of the image heating device; a second cooling device for cooling a surface of the pressing device; contact-spacing device for establishing a contact state in which the image heating device and the pressing device are contacted with each other and a spaced state in which the image heating device and the pressing device are spaced from each other; an executing portion for executing a first cooling mode operation in which at least one of the cooling device is operated while rotating the image heating device and the pressing device in the contact state and a second cooling mode operation in which the first cooling device and the second cooling device are operated while rotating the image heating device and the pressing device in the spaced state; and a selector for selecting the first cooling mode or the second cooling mode on the basis of an output of the second temperature sensor. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120155906 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PRESSURE ROLL FLARE IN A PRINT APPARATUS - An apparatus and method that control pressure roll flare in a print apparatus. The apparatus can include a fuser having a fuser surface. The apparatus can include at least one heat source configured to heat the fuser surface. The apparatus can include a pressure roll having a pressure roll surface, the pressure roll having a rotational axis, the pressure roll having an inside paper path portion towards the middle of the pressure roll along the rotational axis and having an outside paper path portion near at least one end of the pressure roll along the rotational axis, the pressure roll coupled to the fuser at a fuser nip, where the fuser nip is configured to fuse marking material on a media sheet. The apparatus can include a pressure roll cooling device configured to cool at least one of the inside paper path portion and the outside paper path portion of the pressure roll to maintain substantially consistent pressure roll flare prior to media sheets entering the fuser nip and while media sheets pass through the fuser nip to provide wrinkle control of media sheets while limiting image smear of the marking material on the media sheets. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120114358 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including a fixing unit configured to fix a not-yet-fixed image on a recording medium, includes a fixing target temperature changing part configured to change a fixing target temperature at a time of a fixing process; and a gradation processing part configured to carry out gradation processing on image information. For each sheet of a recording medium on which the fixing process is carried out, the fixing target temperature is changed based on whether halftone processing is carried out and a type of gradation processing to be used. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20110091232 | FIXING UNIT AND FIXING TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD - A fixing unit that heat-fixes the toner image onto the sheet, has an information acquisition section that acquires information concerning a factor causing the input voltage which is supplied to a heater for heating the heating roller to vary; a temperature setting section that sets a target temperature of the heater based on the information acquired by the information acquisition section; and a temperature controller that controls the temperature of the heater such that the heating roller becomes the target temperature set by the temperature setting section. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110091231 | FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device of the invention detects a temperature of plural positions of a heat roller by a multiple non-contact temperature sensor at the same time and controls the temperature of plural heat source members The non-contact temperature sensor and a contact temperature sensor detect the temperature of the same position. According to the detection result, maintenance is performed or a temperature conversion table is corrected, the non-contact temperature sensor is maintained with high precision, and the heat roller is controlled the temperature with high precision. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110091230 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes a coil; a heater, including an electroconductive layer of magnetism-adjusted alloy having a Curie temperature lower than a durable temperature of that image heating apparatus, for heating an image on a sheet; a magnetic core for directing a magnetic flux generated by that coil to that heater; a controller for controlling electric power supply to that coil so that a temperature of that heater is an image heating temperature sufficient to heat the image on the sheet, wherein the Curie temperature is higher than the image heating temperature; and a magnetic flux blocking member of non-magnetic metal having a resistivity smaller than that of the magnetism-adjusted alloy, wherein that magnetic flux blocking member is opposed to that coil with that heater therebetween, wherein that magnetic flux blocking member is in a first opposing region in which that coil is opposed to that heater, and a length L | 04-21-2011 |
| 20100172668 | ENERGIZATION CONTROL DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A heating unit heated upon receiving power supplied from an AC power supply, a temperature detecting unit detecting the temperature of the heating unit, a memory storing power energization pattern in which power energization and non-power energization are performed for each percentage of AC power, and a power control unit that determines the percentage of AC power applied to the heating unit based on the temperature and that determines the power energization pattern by referring to the memory are provided. When the power energization percentage is changed, the power control unit changes the power energization pattern after the power energization percentage is changed in accordance with the changed power energization percentage based on the power energization pattern before the power energization percentage is changed and the power energization pattern after the power energization percentage is changed. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20120163848 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND HEATING METHOD FOR FIXATION SECTION OF THE SAME - An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section; a fixation section having a heating mechanism and a roller arranged to face the heating mechanism; a temperature detector for detecting temperature of the fixation section; and a controller for performing a first heating-control in a first heating mode to raise the temperature of the fixation section at a first changing rate, and a second heating-control in a second heating mode to change the temperature of the fixation section at a second changing rate lower than the first changing rate upon rotating the roller when the temperature of the fixation section has reached an intermediate target temperature. The controller performs the first and second heating-controls, respectively, at the time of startup of the fixation section at least once until the temperature of the fixation section reaches a final target temperature. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20100247130 | Image Forming Apparatus with Operation Stopping Control Upon Temperature Sensing in Fixing Device - An image forming apparatus includes a heat source, a thermal fixing member, a temperature sensing unit, a temperature change determining unit and a halting unit. The heat source generates heat. The thermal fixing member is heated by the heat source and performs a thermal fixing operation by thermally fixing a toner image deposited on a sheet of paper. The temperature sensing unit senses a temperature of the thermal fixing member and outputs temperature data. The temperature change determining unit determines that the temperature of the thermal fixing member decreases based on two pieces of temperature data sensed by the temperature sensing unit at two different timings. The halting unit halts the thermal fixing operation when determination made by the temperature change determining unit is consecutively made for a predetermined number of times. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20120315060 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - Disclosed is an image forming device including a fixing unit that fixes a first image to be fixed onto a sheet, the first image to be fixed being supported on the sheet, a target fixing temperature varying unit that varies a target fixing temperature during a time period in which a fixing process is performed, and a gradation processing unit that applies a gradation process to first image information. The target fixing temperature varying unit varies the target fixing temperature for the sheet of the recording medium to which the fixing process is applied, depending on presence or absence of a halftone process, and depending on a type of the gradation process to be utilized. | 12-13-2012 |
| 20100239300 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a heat transfer member having a width extending along a direction orthogonal to a medium conveying direction along which a medium is conveyed, the heat transfer member transferring heat from a heater to the medium; the heater provided along substantially the entire width of the heat transfer member and configured to heat the heat transfer member so as to heat the medium via the heat transfer member; a temperature detector configured to detect the temperature of the widthwise center of the heat transfer member; a temperature setting unit configured to set a target temperature by correcting a default target temperature, depending on the difference between the default target temperature and the temperature that is detected by the temperature detector when the heater starts to heat; a heat controller configured to control the heater to make the temperature detected by the temperature detector the target temperature. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100209130 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt configured to heat a toner image on a recording material, a heater configured to heat the endless belt, a voltage supplier configured to supply an alternating voltage to the heater, a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the heater, a controller configured to control a ratio of a time during which the voltage is supplied to the heater to a period at which the voltage is supplied to the heater according to the temperature detected by the temperature detector, and a regulator configured to regulate a maximum value of the ratio according to the temperature detected by the temperature detector by varying the voltage supplied to the heater at a predetermined period. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20120213541 | FIXING APPARATUS, PRINTING APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM STORING A PROGRAM FOR DETECTING TWINE - The present invention provides a fixing apparatus including: a pair of rotating bodies that transports a recording medium on which an image is formed by using an image forming material, by sandwiching the recording medium; a heating section that heats at least one of the pair of rotating bodies; a moving section that moves the pair of rotating bodies between a position at which they mutually contact and a position at which they are mutually separated; a temperature detecting section that detects a surface temperature of at least one of the pair of rotating bodies without contacting the rotating bodies; and a twine generation determining section that determines whether the recording medium has twined around either one of the pair of rotating bodies based on a rate of temperature increase after a temperature decrease of the surface temperature detected by the temperature detecting section. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20120224876 | IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM - An image forming system includes a first image forming station including a first toner image forming portion for transferring the toner image onto a sheet, and a first image heating portion; a second image forming station including a second toner image forming portion onto the sheet received from the first image heating portion, and a second image heating portion; a controller capable of executing an operation in a first mode in which a predetermined image formation in accordance with an inputted image forming condition is effected using the first and second image forming stations, a second mode in which it is effected without using the second image forming portion; and a temperature controller for the second image heating portion in the second mode so as to be smaller than a temperature of the second image heating portion in the first mode. | 09-06-2012 |
| 20120213540 | Image Forming Apparatus, Method, Software Program, And Carrier Medium - An image forming apparatus includes a generator, image forming unit, fixing unit, fixing temperature setting unit, and heating control unit. The generator generates image drawing data including text and/or photo, page by page, from image data. The image forming unit forms a latent image based on image drawing data, and develops and transfers developed image onto a recording medium. The fixing unit includes a fixing device having a plurality of heaters, and a surface of the fixing device is segmented into a plurality of heating areas each corresponding to one of the plurality of heaters. The fixing temperature setting unit sets a control-target fixing temperature at each heating area by associating text and/or photo in image drawing data with each heating area. The heating control unit controls current supply to each heater to heat each heating area to the set control-target fixing temperature. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20100046973 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND FIXING DEVICE USED THEREIN - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier on which a toner image is formed, a transfer unit to transfer the toner image from the image carrier onto a recording medium, a fixing device to fix the toner image on the recording medium, and a cooling device to cool a heating member of the fixing device. The fixing device includes a pressure member to apply pressure to the toner image on the recording medium, the heating member to heat the toner image on the recording medium, a heating device to heat the heating member, and a first power supply to supply power to the heating device. The cooling device is supplied with power by a second power supply separate from the first power supply. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20120177394 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THAT FORMS IMAGE BY DEVELOPING ELECTROSTATIC LATENT IMAGE FORMED ON PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER - An image forming apparatus capable of preventing deterioration of a shielding member due to heat and preventing the occurrence of image failure or the like. The shielding member is capable of shielding a photosensitive member and an electrostatic charger from each other. The electrostatic charger electrostatically charges the photosensitive member. When a detecting unit detects the shielding member being at a retracted position retracted from a shielding position, the heater is caused to heat the photosensitive member, and when the detecting unit detects the shielding member being at the shielding position, the heater is caused to stop heating the photosensitive member. | 07-12-2012 |
| 20120177393 | Fixing Device And Method, And Image Forming Apparatus Incorporating Same - A fixing device includes a heater to generate heat based on soft-start control. The heater is supplied with power using different power-turn-on-duty control patterns in accordance with power requirements and an operation mode of the fixing device. | 07-12-2012 |
| 20100272459 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND FIXING DEVICE HEATING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing device temperature information acquisition unit which acquires information about temperature of a fixing device; and a fixing device heating control unit which controls heating of the fixing device, using at least the information about the temperature of the fixing device acquired by the temperature information acquisition unit so that the fixing device reaches a target temperature within a time period from first timing by which an operation input to start copying becomes acceptable to second timing when a printing command for copying becomes issuable. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100008691 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF IMPROVING FIXING EFFICIENCY AND SUPPRESSING OVERHEATING - In a fixing device, a rotatable endless film heats a sheet. A heat source is contacted and surrounded by the endless film to heat the endless film. A pressing member is disposed opposite the heat source. An air current generator generates an air current inside a loop formed by the endless film. The endless film and the pressing member are disposed to sandwich and feed the sheet forward as the sheet passes therebetween. The air current generator concentrates the air current on the endless film to heat the sheet at a given position. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20120219312 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation to radiate infrared rays; a pressing rotary body, rotatable in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of the fixing rotary body, pressed against the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed; a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotary body to heat the fixing rotary body; a temperature detector spaced apart from the fixing rotary body to detect a temperature of the fixing rotary body based on the infrared rays from the fixing rotary body and disposed below the fixing nip in a vertical direction; and a tube disposed between the fixing rotary body and the temperature detector, the tube through which the infrared rays from the fixing rotary body enter the temperature detector. | 08-30-2012 |
| 20100284706 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image heating member for heating a toner image on a recording material in a nip; a rotatable pressing member for pressing against the image heating member to form the nip; a moving mechanism for relative movement between the heating member and the pressing member toward and away from each other; a temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of the pressing member; cooling means for cooling the pressing member; rotational speed changing means for changing a rotational speed of the pressing member; and an executing portion for executing, when the temperature of the pressing member reaches an upper limit temperature during execution of an image formation job of continuously forming the images, a cooling mode for cooling the pressing member by the cooling means in a state that the pressing member and the heating member are spaced from each other while rotating the pressing member at a second rotational speed higher than a first rotational speed which is a speed during the execution of the job. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20090060550 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, FIXING DEVICE, AND HEAT-GENERATING ROTARY MEMBER USING INDUCTION HEATING - An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a sheet by applying heat, and including an exciting coil and a heat-generating rotary member. The exciting coil generates a magnetic flux. The heat-generating rotary member performs self-temperature control using a repulsive magnetic flux, and includes a degaussing member, a heat-generating layer, a magnetic shunt alloy layer, and a magnetic flux adjuster. The degaussing member generates the repulsive magnetic flux using the magnetic flux generated by the exciting coil. The heat-generating layer generates heat using the magnetic flux generated by the exciting coil. The magnetic shunt alloy layer is disposed between the exciting coil and the degaussing member, and receives heat generated by the heat-generating layer. The magnetic flux adjuster adjusts an amount of the repulsive magnetic flux generated by the degaussing member. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090060549 | FUSING SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A fusing system includes: a fusing unit which comprises a fusing belt which rotates around outer surfaces of at least two rollers which are distanced from each other, and a pressing roller which presses a printing medium together with the fusing belts and fuses an image which is transferred to the printing medium; a heat source which receives power to generate heat, and is mounted inside at least one of the two rollers; a driving source which drives at least one of the two rollers; a sensing unit which senses a surface temperature of the fusing belt; and a control unit which controls the heat source and the driving source so that the fusing belt can be driven when the temperature of the fusing unit increases if a printing order is applied. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20120189338 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: a fuser unit, which includes a heating member heated by a heat source and a backup member; a temperature detector; and a control unit, which starts print control when a detected temperature reaches the fixing temperature while the temperature of the heating member is increasing to a fixing temperature, and which performs decreasing control when the detected temperature reaches a predetermined temperature higher than the fixing temperature, wherein, in case that a increasing rate of the detected temperature at the beginning of the print control is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the control unit controls the heat source so that a heat quantity radiated from the heat source during the decreasing control becomes larger than that in case that the increasing rate of the detected temperature at the beginning of the print control is larger than the predetermined value. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120189339 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes an image heating rotational member configured to heat an image on a recording material, a pressure member configured to form a nip portion with the image heating rotational member and pinch the heated recording material in the nip portion, a first external heater including a first heat generation member and configured to contact an outer surface of the image heating rotational member and heat an area of the image heating rotational member that has passed the nip portion, and a second external heater including a second heat generation member and configured to contact an outer surface of the image heating rotational member and heat an area of the image heating rotational member heated by the first external heater. In the image heating apparatus, maximum power applied to the second heat generation member is smaller than maximum power applied to the first heat generation member. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120082474 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS IN WHICH TEMPERATURE OF HEATING ROTATING MEMBER IS DETECTED IN NON-CONTACT MANNER - In a fixing apparatus, a first detection portion detects a temperature of an atmosphere (a first detected temperature) attained by heat conduction from a heating rotating member for fixing a toner image on a sheet of paper by heating, at a position above the heating rotating member. A second detection portion detects a quantity of infrared rays radiated from the heating rotating member, to thereby detect a temperature at a position below the heating rotating member. A heating portion heats the heating rotating member. A control portion controls heating by the heating portion based on a second detected temperature corresponding to the quantity of infrared rays and the first detected temperature. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120263489 | Image Forming Apparatus That Controls Heat Application to Fixing Device - An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, a temperature sensor and a controller. The fixing device includes a heat source, a heat member heated by the heat source, and a back-up member. The temperature sensor detects a temperature of the heat member. The controller controls the heat source and includes an output determination unit determining an output at which the heat source is operated to generate a target temperature; a first setting unit setting a first target temperature; a second setting unit setting a second target temperature lower than the first target temperature; a switching unit switching the target temperature from the first target temperature to the second target temperature; a determination unit determining whether a recording sheet is conveyed; and a supplemental output control unit generating a supplemental output greater than the output if the recording sheet is conveyed when the target temperature is switched. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20090016760 | Fixing device capable of providing stable quality of fixed image - A fixing device fixes an image on a recording medium by applying heat and pressure. In the fixing device, a belt is looped over a heating roller and a first roller provided inside a loop formed by the belt. A belt tensioner is provided outside the loop formed by the belt to apply tension to the belt. A second roller presses the first roller via the belt to form a nip between the first roller and the second roller via the belt. A holder holds the first roller and the second roller to maintain a distance between the first roller and the second roller. A detector detects a position of the belt tensioner. A controller changes a control parameter for fixing the image on the recording medium at the nip when the recording medium passes through the nip according to a detection result provided by the detector. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20120230719 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING DEFORMATION OF CONTINUOUS FORMS - In a fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus, a heating member melts and fixes the unfixed toner. A heat controller controls temperatures of opposite end portion areas and a middle portion area of a surface of the heating member in a width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction on an individual area basis. A pressure member is pressed against and contact with the heating member to form a fixing part therebetween. The heat controller controls the temperatures of the surface of the heating member so that the temperature of at least one of the opposite end portion areas of the surface of the heating member is higher than the temperature of the middle portion area of the surface of the heating member. | 09-13-2012 |
| 20110123213 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is an image forming apparatus, including: a heating section; a coil that is opposed to the heating section, for heating the heating section; a core that has a circumferential surface covered with a magnetic shielding plate having different lengths in an axis direction in a plurality of steps according to a position in a circumferential direction; a rotary section for causing the core to rotate; a plurality of temperature sensing elements for sensing temperatures of the heating section; and a control section for controlling a heating width by controlling the rotary section to control a rotation angle of the core, setting the heating width corresponding to a size of a paper sheet at a start of a print job, and setting the heating width wider than at the start of the print job midway through the print job. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20120093534 | FIXING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE CONTROL METHOD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a rotatable fuser member a heater, a rotatable pressure member, a thermometer, and a feedback controller. The rotatable fuser member is subjected to heating. The heater heats the fuser member to a heating temperature. The rotatable pressure member is disposed opposite the fuser member. The fuser member and the pressure member are pressed against each other to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which the recording medium is conveyed, so as to fix the toner image in place under heat and pressure. The thermometer is disposed adjacent to the pressure member to detect an operational temperature of the pressure member. The feedback controller is operatively connected with the thermometer to control the heating temperature according to the detected operational temperature, so that the recording medium exhibits a substantially constant post-fixing temperature downstream from the fixing nip regardless of the heat capacity of the recording medium. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120237245 | PRINT CONTROL APPARATUS, PRINT CONTROL SYSTEM, PRINT CONTROL METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A print control apparatus includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire a glossiness indicating a degree of glossy effect on a recording medium; a first generating unit configured to generate image data based on the glossiness acquired by the acquiring unit; and an output unit configured to output the image data. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20080267651 | ELECTROSTATIC PRINTER ROLLER COOLING DEVICE - A electrostatic printer including a fuser configured to heat an receiver to a fusing temperature and a cooling device comprising one or more cooling rollers configured to cool the cooling roller from the fusing temperature to a desired temperature wherein the cooling device is configured to provide a varying rate of heat transfer across the roller so as to create a varying cooling temperature gradient. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20120269533 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus uses a switching element to switch current flowing to an excitation coil, so that a heating layer in a fixing member produces heat that fixes an image to a transported sheet. Based on a change in temperature of the switching element over time, a prediction unit determines, at a predetermined first time point, a predicted temperature of the switching element at a second time point at which a tip of the sheet is scheduled to arrive at the fixing member. When the predicted temperature is at least a predetermined value, a control unit controls power supplied to the excitation coil by restricting switching of the switching element and lifting the restriction, so that by the second time point the detected temperature of the fixing member reaches a temperature necessary for fixing. | 10-25-2012 |
| 20120269532 | Fixing Device And Image Forming Apparatus Incorporating Same - A fixing device includes a moving assembly that moves a second rotary body and an airflow guide between a first position and a second position, the first position where the second rotary body contacts a first rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image is conveyed and a constant first interval between the second rotary body and the airflow guide is smaller than a variable second interval between the second rotary body and an exhaust duct, the second position where the second rotary body is isolated from the first rotary body and the constant first interval between the second rotary body and the airflow guide is equivalent to the variable second interval between the second rotary body and the exhaust duct. | 10-25-2012 |
| 20100239301 | HEATER CONTROL WITH VARYING CONTROL CYCLE AND LIGHTING PATTERN - A heater controlling apparatus for controlling supply of alternating current power to at least one heater that heats a heating object includes a detection unit configured to detect a temperature of the heating object, a determining unit configured to determine a proportion of lighting time for lighting the heater based on the detected temperature and a preset target temperature of the heating object, and a control unit configured to control the supply of alternating current power to the heater based on both a control cycle and one or more lighting patterns, the heater being lit according to the one or more lighting patterns defined for each control cycle, and both the control cycle and the lighting pattern varying in response to the determined proportion of lighting time. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20120275810 | INDUCTION HEATING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An induction heating device including a coil which inductively heats a workpiece of a fuser with an input voltage obtained from an alternating current voltage by rectification; a switching element coupled in series with the coil; a peak voltage detector which detects a peak value of the input voltage; an effective voltage detector which detects an effective value of the input voltage; a crest factor calculator which calculates an actual crest factor of the input voltage based on the peak value of the input voltage and the effective value of the input voltage; and a power controller which achieves control of power to the fuser by controlling the duty ratio of ON and OFF periods of the switching element. | 11-01-2012 |
| 20120275809 | Fixing unit and image forming apparatus - A fixing unit for use in an image forming apparatus includes a heating roller, the heating roller being divided into a fixing area and a non-fixing area, in which the fixing area is heated to above a target temperature required for fixing of an image, and the non-fixing area has a temperature lower than the target temperature, a main coil which generates a main magnetic field for generating an induced current, and at least one secondary coil which generates a secondary magnetic field to extend an area of the main magnetic field, where the fixing area of the heating roller, when formed by the main magnetic field, has a width smaller than an entire width of a maximum size paper, and the fixing area, when formed by a combination of the main magnetic field and the secondary magnetic field, is extendable to the entire width of the maximum size paper. | 11-01-2012 |
| 20100232822 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same - In a fixing device, a first reflection plate covers a part of an outer circumferential surface of an infrared heater in a circumferential direction of the infrared heater along an axial direction of the infrared heater substantially perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the infrared heater. The first reflection plate reflects light emitted by the infrared heater toward a fixing member. At least one light control mirror is provided in at least one end of the first reflection plate in an axial direction of the first reflection plate. At least one second reflection plate opposes the infrared heater via the at least one light control mirror to reflect the light emitted by the infrared heater and passing through the at least one light control mirror toward a center portion of the fixing member in an axial direction of the fixing member. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20120087689 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED THEREWITH - A fixing device includes: a heating section which heats a recording material; an induction heating heater which heats the heating section by an electromagnetic induction action; a pressing section facing the heating section, which presses the recording material against the heating section; an auxiliary heating member in contact with heating section, provided downstream of the induction heating heater, and upstream of a nip area fanned between heating section and the pressing section, which heats the heating section; an auxiliary heating member temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the auxiliary heating member; and a heating section temperature sensor provided downstream of the induction heating heater and upstream of the auxiliary heating member, which measures a temperature of the heating section. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120087688 | Fixing device, fixing device control method, and image forming apparatus - A fixing device includes a heat roller, a heater, a fuser roller, an endless, fuser belt, a pressure roller, a first thermometer, and a controller. The heat roller has a surface thereof subjected to heating. The heater is disposed in the heat roller to heat the circumference of the heat roller to an adjustable, heating temperature. The fuser roller is disposed parallel to the heat roller and has a surface thereof formed of elastic material deposited upon a cylindrical core of metal. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the fuser roller and the heat roller. The pressure roller is disposed opposite the fuser roller with the fuser belt interposed between the pressure roller and the fuser roller. The first thermometer detects a first temperature at the cylindrical core of the fuser roller. The controller adjusts the heating temperature according to the first temperature being detected. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120321335 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device of an embodiment is configured to fix an unfixed toner image formed of a decolorable toner on a sheet of paper. The fixing device includes: a fixing unit including a fixing member heated by a first heat source and a pressure member heated by a second heat source; a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor; and a temperature controller configured to control the first heat source and the second heat source separately for temperature control based on detected temperature information acquired by the temperature sensors, wherein the temperature controller controls the surface temperatures of the fixing member and the pressure member to set equal or above the temperature at which fixing is started fixing starting temperature and to set below the temperature at which decolorization is started, and such that the surface temperatures of the fixing member and the pressure member become substantially the same temperature. | 12-20-2012 |
| 20120321333 | FIXING DEVICE, HEATING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a fixing member that is able to circulate and fixes an image on a recording material to the recording material; a heated member that is at least partly separated from the fixing member; a heating unit that heats the fixing member and the heated member; a heated-member moving unit that moves the heated member toward the fixing member; and a fixing-member moving unit that moves the fixing member at a first speed, and moves the fixing member at a second speed higher than the first speed after the heated member is moved. | 12-20-2012 |
| 20120321334 | FIXING DEVICE USING HEATING SCHEME FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - When a rotation member stops rotation, driving of a plurality of heating elements is sometimes partially be limited. A control unit detects a current flowing to the plurality of heating elements when the rotation member stops rotation, and driving of the plurality of heating elements is partially limited. The control unit sets the power ratio of powers to be supplied to the plurality of heating elements during a period the rotation member rotates to raise a fixing device to a fixing enable state in accordance with the detection result. | 12-20-2012 |
| 20100202792 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes a heating rotatable member for heating, in a nip, an image on a recording material; a heater for heating the image heating member; a cooling device for cooling the image heating member, wherein when a target temperature of the image heating member is changed to a low temperature which is lower than the target temperature, the apparatus is operable in a mode wherein a temperature of the image heating member is lowered by the cooling device to a transition temperature which is lower than the low temperature, and then, the temperature of the image heating member is raised by the heater to the low temperature. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100202791 | FIXING UNIT AND FIXING TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD - A fixing unit that heat-fixes the toner image onto the sheet, has: an information acquisition section that acquires information concerning a factor causing the input voltage which is supplied to a heater for heating the heating roller to vary; a temperature setting section that sets a target temperature of the heater based on the information acquired by the information acquisition section; and a temperature controller that controls the temperature of the heater such that the heating roller becomes the target temperature set by the temperature setting section. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20110158671 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A fixing apparatus including: a cooling unit which cools a non-sheet passing area for a small sized sheet of a fixation area to suppress a temperature rise of the non-sheet passing area; a temperature detecting unit which detects temperatures of a central portion and the non-sheet passing area; and a fixing temperature controller which performs an early heating restart control operation to decrease the temperature of the non-sheet passing area by the cooling unit for a fixation operation of a large sized sheet while the heat source is de-energized after a fixing operation of the small sized sheet is completed, and thereafter restart the energization of the heat source during the cooling-down operation by the cooling unit when the temperature of the non-sheet passing area is lowered to a set target value lower than a controlled fixing temperature for fixing a toner image to the sheet. | 06-30-2011 |
