Warmup Or Standby Mode Patents (Class 399/70)
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Patent number: 9411284Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fuser member, a rotatable pressure member, a heater, and a controller. The rotatable fuser member is subjected to heating. The rotatable pressure member is disposed opposite the fuser member. The pressure member presses against the fuser member to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which multiple recording media, each spaced apart from each other by an interval distance in a conveyance direction, are sequentially conveyed at a conveyance speed. The heater is disposed adjacent to the fuser member to heat the fuser member. The controller is operatively connected to the heater to control power supply to the heater through a series of on-off switching control cycles, each including an on-time during which the heater power supply is on, and an off-time during which the heater power supply is off, in synchronization with conveyance of the recording medium.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2013Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takumi Waida, Hiroshi Seo, Ippei Fujimoto, Ryota Yamashina
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Patent number: 9354688Abstract: An image forming apparatus monitors sleep-cancelling events, and when a sleep-cancelling event occurs, stores an identifier and a sleep-cancellation time of the event. If a start time of a sleep mode is reached when (i) the apparatus is in a standby mode and (ii) one or more sleep-cancelling events specifying sleep-cancellation times later than the start time have been stored, the apparatus calculates power consumption required to maintain the standby mode for a period from the start time to the earliest sleep-cancellation time, as a power-saving amount savable during the period. Also, a recovery power amount required for recovery from the sleep mode to the standby mode is calculated on the assumption that the sleep mode is started at the start time and is cancelled at the earliest sleep-cancellation time. Switching to the sleep mode is performed only when the power-saving amount is greater than the recovery power amount.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2011Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventor: Toshiya Furubayashi
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Patent number: 9335682Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device. The fixing device includes a fixing roller and a pressure roller. The fixing roller applies heat of a predetermined fixing temperature T1 to a print sheet S to which a toner image has been transferred. The pressure roller has a larger heat capacity than the fixing roller. A control portion of the image forming apparatus determines, in a power saving mode, whether or not a detection result of a temperature sensor is equal to or lower than a motor rotation start temperature T3 which is lower than the fixing temperature T1 (first step). Upon determining that the detection result is equal to or lower than the motor rotation start temperature T3, the control portion controls a driving motor to rotate the fixing roller at least once in the state where a halogen lamp has been lighted off (second step).Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Yuichiro Kurokawa
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Patent number: 9316980Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus made to shorten time of a first copy (first page copy of a manuscript.) In the image forming apparatus, primary feeding (feeding from a sheet paper cassette to a resist position roller) and secondary feeding (feeding from a resist position roller) are performed continuously. When a first copy is performed, based on warm-up information, print engine, such as a feed roller, a transfer part, a fixing part, and an ejection roller, is set up. Paper will be fed when the setup is completed. The setup of print engine that performs operation required for printing is performed before feeding by using the warm-up information. Therefore, the time of the first copy is shortened.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Norifumi Miyahara
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Patent number: 9274465Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller including a primary heating control portion to control a heater to perform a primary heating to heat a fixing rotator with a first amount of power determined based on a temperature of the fixing rotator, a secondary heating control portion to control the heater to perform a secondary heating to heat the fixing rotator with a preset second amount of power, and a switch portion to control the heater to switch between the primary heating and the secondary heating during an identical print job and to perform at least one of a primary switching from the primary heating to the secondary heating and a secondary switching from the secondary heating to the primary heating at a time different from a preset control cycle that defines a power supply time in the primary heating and the secondary heating.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2015Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Samei, Tomoya Adachi, Daisuke Inoue, Yasuharu Kawarasaki, Yoshiharu Takahashi
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Patent number: 9256173Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus has a fixing member, a heating unit, and a control unit. The fixing member fixes a toner image, which is formed on a recording medium, to the recording medium. The heating unit heats the fixing member. The control unit controls a heating operation of the heating unit based on a ready temperature corresponding to job information input by a user.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2014Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Masanaka Mizuno
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Patent number: 9223275Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a first electric power state and a second electric power state in which power consumption is smaller than that in the first electric power state. It is determined whether or not to display a screen for setting information of a sheet held in a sheet holding unit on a display unit, in accordance with whether a factor in a transition is a first factor that is detection of the sheet being held in the sheet holding unit or a second factor that is different from the first factor, after the image forming apparatus is caused to transition from the second electric power state to the first electric power state.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2014Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Satoshi Totsuka
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Patent number: 9223266Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: an endless belt for heating a toner image on a sheet in a nip; a driving rotatable member for cooperating with the belt to form the nip and for rotating the belt; a pressing pad for pressing the belt from an inside of the belt toward the driving rotatable member; a heating device for heating the belt; and a controller configured to execute, in a stand-by mode following a warming-up mode, an intermittent heating operation of the heating device for the belt while rotating the belt by the driving rotatable member. The controller is capable of executing, after executing the intermittent heating operation in a first rest period in the stand-by mode, the intermittent heating operation in a second rest period, which is longer than the first rest period.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2013Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Nobuaki Hara
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Patent number: 9216602Abstract: A method includes determining, if power to an apparatus is turned on, whether a state of a sheet has been changed while the power is off, based on a change of the sheet state before turn-off and after turn-on of the power, and performing control to perform initializing operations according to a result of the determination.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2010Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yuki Igarashi, Masahiro Koshikawa, Shuuichi Masuda
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Patent number: 9207595Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an identification information acquiring unit that acquires identification information to identify a user; a usage history information acquiring unit that acquires usage history information for the user specified by the identification information; an output setting forecasting unit that forecasts output setting used by the user based on the usage history information; and a fixing temperature setting unit that sets a fixing temperature based on the forecasted output setting.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2014Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Kiriko Chosokabe, Mikio Nakajima, Homare Ehara
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Patent number: 9201361Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a heater heating a fixing member; an acquisition unit acquiring, when an image for one page includes a coded identifier image, information on a range of formation of the coded identifier image on a recording sheet in a sheet-passing direction; a target temperature switching unit switching a target temperature at which temperature of the fixing member is to be maintained at least between a first fixing temperature and a second fixing temperature higher than the first fixing temperature; a controller controlling the heater so that the temperature of the fixing member is maintained at the target temperature, wherein the target temperature switching unit switches the target temperature at a timing such that the temperature of the fixing member is equal to the second fixing temperature while a toner image in the range of formation of the coded identifier image is being fixed.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2014Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventor: Harumitsu Fujimori
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Patent number: 9182718Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of toggling between image formation mode and energy conservation mode, the image formation mode allowing image formation on a recording medium, and the energy conservation mode having power consumption lower than that of the image formation mode, the image forming apparatus including: a constantly-energized portion that is energized both in the image formation mode and the energy conservation mode; a non-constantly-energized portion that is energized only in the image formation mode; and an opening/closing member capable of exposing an internal mechanism held inside a casing of the image forming apparatus, in which the constantly-energized portion toggles from the energy conservation mode to image formation mode when the opening/closing member is closed from an opened state in the energy conservation mode.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2009Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventor: Yasuhiro Iwashima
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Patent number: 9176439Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an identification information acquiring unit that acquires identification information to identify a user; a usage history information acquiring unit that acquires usage history information for the user specified by the identification information; an output setting forecasting unit that forecasts output setting used by the user based on the usage history information; and a fixing temperature setting unit that sets a fixing temperature based on the forecasted output setting.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2014Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Kiriko Chosokabe, Mikio Nakajima, Homare Ehara
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Patent number: 9170537Abstract: A fuser for fixing an unfixed toner image on a recording material includes: an endless belt body heated by a heat source; a pressing body moved to be connected to and disconnected from an inner peripheral surface of the belt body; a pressure roller member making pressure-contact with the pressing body through the belt body; a tension body moved to be connected to and disconnected from the inner peripheral surface of the belt body, contrary to the connection and disconnection movement of the pressing body; and a rotation transmitting unit configured to transmit a rotational force of the pressure roller member to the belt body using the tension body, while the pressing body is separated from and the tension body makes contact with the inner peripheral surface of the belt body.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2015Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Yoshikazu Kuribayashi, Hidetoshi Katayanagi, Etsuaki Urano, Hirotaka Kanou, Masashi Sonoyama, Tomohiro Takagi
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Patent number: 9164441Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a fixing unit in which flickers can be effectively reduced while inhibiting electric current imbalance. The fixing unit comprises a fixing heater, a switching unit for switching the fixing heater on/off with an AC power source, and a control unit which controls the switching unit to switch in units of the half wave period of the AC power source AC, and a storing unit for storing a plurality of energization patterns which define the ways of performing the switch control. Each energization pattern corresponds to a control cycle which contains a three or more odd number of the half wave periods each of which is either an OFF period and an ON period, and all the half wave periods of the smaller in number of the ON periods and the OFF periods are not successively arranged.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2014Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Kenji Tamaki, Takeshi Tamada, Kenji Yamamoto, Kosuke Sasaki, Shohei Otsu
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Patent number: 9164440Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit that fixes an image of a toner using any one of a first toner and a second toner on a recording medium, and a control unit that sets a fixing temperature and a standby temperature of the fixing unit. The control unit sets the fixing temperature when the image of the first toner is fixed to a first temperature, sets the fixing temperature when the image of the second toner is fixed to a second temperature lower than the first temperature, and sets the standby temperature when the fixing unit is in a standby state to a temperature closer than the second temperature than the first temperature.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2013Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Taizo Kimoto
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Patent number: 9146509Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member; a pressing member; a first temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of the fixing member; a second temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of the pressing member; and a rotational speed control unit for controlling a rotational speed of the fixing member according to the temperature detected with the first temperature detection unit and the temperature detected with the second temperature detection unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2011Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: OKI DATA CORPORATIONInventor: Toshiki Sato
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Patent number: 9141049Abstract: 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 targetType: GrantFiled: December 13, 2011Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventor: Yu Tanaka
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Patent number: 9122188Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a photosensitive member driving unit configured to rotate the photosensitive member; a charge unit having an opening portion and configured to charge the surface of the photosensitive member; a shield member movable between a closed position for closing the opening portion and an open position for opening the opening portion; a shield member driving unit configured to move the shield member between the closed position and the open position; and a control unit configured to control the photosensitive member driving unit to rotate the photosensitive member in a state in which the shield member is situated at the open position, and to prevent the photosensitive member from rotating in a state in which the shield member is situated at the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2011Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kenji Fukushi
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Patent number: 9075356Abstract: In an image forming apparatus having a fixing unit for fixing a toner image on a printing medium, it is necessary to control a fixing temperature with high precision according to the content of an image. An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes: an input unit configured to input image data; and a controlling unit configured to control the fixing temperature of the fixing unit based on a size of a continuous region of pixels whose pixel values are equal to or larger than a predetermined pixel value in the image data.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2013Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Maho Ooyanagi
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Patent number: 9046837Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2012Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yutaka Ikebuchi, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Yuji Arai, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Ippei Fujimoto, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Hajime Gotoh, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa
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Publication number: 20150147077Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device. The fixing device includes a fixing roller and a pressure roller. The fixing roller applies heat of a predetermined fixing temperature T1 to a print sheet S to which a toner image has been transferred. The pressure roller has a larger heat capacity than the fixing roller. A control portion of the image forming apparatus determines, in a power saving mode, whether or not a detection result of a temperature sensor is equal to or lower than a motor rotation start temperature T3 which is lower than the fixing temperature T1 (first step). Upon determining that the detection result is equal to or lower than the motor rotation start temperature T3, the control portion controls a driving motor to rotate the fixing roller at least once in the state where a halogen lamp has been lighted off (second step).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2014Publication date: May 28, 2015Inventor: Yuichiro Kurokawa
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Patent number: 9041953Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, including: a job input unit; a job execution unit; a job storing unit; a start-up cost calculation unit to calculate a start-up cost which is a cost for start-up of the image forming apparatus, when the job is input from the job input unit; a total sum calculation unit to calculate a total sum of investable amount of the input job and the stored jobs; a job control unit to instruct the job storing unit to store the input job in case that the total sum is less than the start-up cost, and instruct the job execution unit to collectively execute the input job and the stored jobs in case that the total sum is not less than the start-up cost; and a charging unit configured to allocate the start-up cost to the jobs, and charge the allocated start-up cost for each executed job.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2014Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventor: Masaki Nakata
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Patent number: 9041942Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an applying device configured to generate an output signal and apply the output signal to an image forming device; and a controller configured to generate a control signal to supply to the applying device so as to control a value of the output signal so that the value of the output signal is within a predetermined target range and control the applying device using the control signal in a start-up mode and in a normal mode, the normal mode being subsequent to the start-up mode. In the start-up mode, the controller sets a start control signal value larger than a value of the control signal immediately after a first predetermined time, the start control signal value being the value of the control signal during the first predetermined time, the first predetermined time being from a start timing of the start-up mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2010Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masamitsu Takahashi, Katsumi Inukai
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Patent number: 9042761Abstract: A fixing device capable of shifting to a sleep state includes a heat source; a rotatable fixing member that is partly heated by the heat source to heat an unfixed image carrying surface of a recording medium; a rotatable pressing member that is in pressure contact with the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member; a rotation drive unit that directly or indirectly rotates the fixing member; a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the fixing member; and a controller configured to prohibit the fixing device from shifting to the sleep state when the temperature of the fixing member in a region facing the heat source is equal to or more than a predetermined temperature T1 at a point when a predetermined time period t1 has elapsed from the stop of rotation drive of the rotation drive unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2013Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Takeshi Uchitani, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Takahiro Imada, Hiromasa Takagi, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Arinobu Yoshiura, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Hajime Gotoh, Takuya Seshita, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Akira Suzuki, Shinichi Namekata, Ryota Yamashina, Yasunori Ishigaya
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Patent number: 9031486Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressure member, a heating member, a coil, a first magnetic core, a second magnetic core, a shielding portion, and a switching belt. The second magnetic core is disposed to extend in a width direction in a hollow portion formed by the loop of the coil, and formed in an arc shape with a protruding portion at a side facing the heating member. The shielding portion is formed of a non-magnetic material to shield a path of a magnetic flux generated by the coil between the second magnetic core and the heating member. The switching belt includes a surface where the shielding portion is disposed to face a non-paper passing region in the heating member, suspended to be rotatable between a roller and the protruding portion, and selectively arranged in one of a shielding position and a non-shielding position by rotation of the roller.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2013Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Shogo Usui, Satoshi Ishii
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Patent number: 9031443Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station for forming an unfixed image on a recording material; a fixing portion for heating and fixing an unfixed image formed on the recording material, the fixing portion including a fixing rotatable member, and a pressing roller cooperative with the fixing rotatable member to form a nip for nipping and feeding the recording material; an ambient condition sensor for detecting an ambient temperature and an ambient humidity; and a controller for controlling the fixing portion; wherein the controller sets such a warming-up time for warming up the fixing portion that a temperature of the pressing roller at the time when the recording material enters the nip is a temperature calculated on the basis of the ambient temperature and the ambient humidity.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2012Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshiteru Kaida, Yasuharu Hirado
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Patent number: 9031442Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a fixing device; a power supply unit; a non-contact temperature sensor; and a control device. The fixing device has a heating member. The power supply unit is configured to supply electric power to the heating member. The non-contact temperature sensor is disposed in a position separate from the heating member and configured to detect temperature of the heating member. A first function and a second function respectively produce a first corrected temperature value and a second corrected temperature value smaller than the first corrected temperature value with respect to a given detected temperature. The control device is configured to: select the first function to correct the detected temperature at a start of a print control process; switch from the first function to the second function at a prescribed timing during the print control process; and control the power supply unit based on the corrected temperature.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2013Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tatsuya Koyama, Yuki Fukusada
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Patent number: 9031445Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of coping with both a high power saving effect and a quick response. A reading unit reads an image of an original. A printing unit prints out image data. A control unit controls units including the reading unit and the printing unit. A detection unit detects an original placed in the reading unit. A power control unit restores the control unit and the reading unit from a sleep state when the detection unit detects an original, and further restores the printing unit from the sleep state before receiving a job when a sheet of the same size as the original concerned is stored.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2014Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: So Yokomizo
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Patent number: 9031444Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of heaters 56 for heating the fixing roller 52, a plurality of temperature sensors 57 for detecting the temperatures of the areas to be heated by the plurality of heaters 56 respectively, and a control unit 11 for turning on and off the plurality of heaters 56 on the basis of the temperatures detected by the plurality of temperature sensors 57. If one of the heaters 56 is on when the area to be heated by the other heater cools down to the ON temperature, the control unit 11 turns on the other heater with the same timing as the one heater is turned off.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2013Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Akinori Kimata, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Tadayuki Ueda, Toru Kasamatsu, Eiji Nishikawa, Takanobu Shiki
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Publication number: 20150110513Abstract: In an image-forming apparatus including: an image forming unit which forms an unfixed toner image on a recording material; a fixing unit having a heat generating member which generates heat by power supplied from a commercial AC power source via a choke coil, the fixing unit heating the unfixed toner image formed by the image forming unit and thereby fixing the image to the recording material; and a control unit which controls the supply of power from the commercial AC power source to the heat generating member. The control unit supplies power to the heat generating member by control including phase control, during printing for performing an image forming operation by the image forming unit, and supplies power to the heat generating member by wave number control during standby for awaiting a print instruction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Inventors: Osamu Nagasaki, Masafumi Monde, Yuki Sugiyama, Seiji Yokoyama
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Publication number: 20150104206Abstract: A controller determines a mode at a current time point, and corrects, on the basis of the determined mode and an elapsed time from a start time of the mode clocked by a timer to a current time point, an in-apparatus temperature detected by an in-apparatus temperature sensor on the basis of correction data so that the corrected temperature is calculated as an outside-air temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2014Publication date: April 16, 2015Inventor: Masanori OKADA
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Patent number: 9007643Abstract: A communication apparatus includes: a processor; and a memory storing computer readable instructions causing the communication apparatus to: store a condition information in the at least one memory, the condition information representing a condition to transmit data and including a data identification information, and time information representing a target time; perform a determining process corresponding to the condition information, the determining process being performed every time the target time represented by the time information elapses and determining whether a value of the target data represented by the data identification information changes between the previous target time and the current target time; transmit the value of the target data to the management system when the value of the target data changes; and not transmit the value of the target data to the management system when the value of the target data does not change.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2014Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Sunao Kawai
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Patent number: 9002228Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that includes: a heating member that heats a recording sheet; a pressure member that presses the recording sheet between the heating member and the pressure member; an adjustment mechanism that causes the heating member and the pressure member to contact or to separate; and a control section that, at a time of a warm-up operation or an idling operation, based on a predetermined condition, controls the adjustment mechanism so as to cause the heating member and the pressure member to contact at a contact pressure that is lower than a contact pressure between the heating member and the pressure member at a time of image formation or is approximately identical to the contact pressure at a time of image formation.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2013Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Tsutomu Sakamaki, Takashi Yamada
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Publication number: 20150093136Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat rotor with a heat source, a pressure rotor forming a fixing nip with the heat rotor and expandable by heat given from the heat rotor, a drive section configured to rotate the pressure rotor, a control section configured to control the drive section, thus controlling a rotational speed of the pressure rotor, and a heat quantity detecting section configured to determine a quantity of heat from the heat rotor to the pressure rotor since a reference time point when the fixing device transitions from outage to operating state. The control section performs a first rotation control for allowing the pressure rotor to rotate at a first rotational speed after the heat quantity detecting section detects the quantity of heat has reached a predetermined specified value and at a second rotational speed before the heat quantity detecting section detects the specified value has been reached.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2014Publication date: April 2, 2015Inventors: Shoji Koda, Seiji Okada
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Publication number: 20150086232Abstract: A method and system for fusing toner to media sheets in an imaging device. The system includes a fuser heater having a first heating element and a second heating element, the fuser heater providing heat to a fuser nip; and heat control circuitry coupled to the fuser heater for passing current through the first and second heating elements of the fuser heater to generate heat therefrom. The system further includes a controller coupled to the heat control circuitry, the controller controlling the heat control circuitry for passing current through the first heating element during a warm up operation and passing current through the second heating element during a fusing operation following the warm up operation, the fusing operation fusing toner to a sheet of media.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2013Publication date: March 26, 2015Applicant: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Michael Clark Campbell, Paul Wesley Etter, James Adrian Riley, Jerry Wayne Smith
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Publication number: 20150071670Abstract: An image-forming apparatus is provided in which power is supplied to a heater at the smaller duty ratio of an upper-limit duty ratio D15a which is set according to the current detected by an inlet current detecting unit in a warm-up period of a fixing unit and a duty ratio Dn which is continuously corrected according to a change in a heater resistance value and is required for supplying a predetermined target power to the heater. The image-forming apparatus can output a first page of recording material in a short period time so that a current consumption of the entire apparatus does not exceed rated current consumption.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2014Publication date: March 12, 2015Inventor: Yuki Sugiyama
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Patent number: 8977154Abstract: An image forming device comprising a fixing unit for thermally fixing a developer on a recording sheet, a control unit that controls the temperature to maintain the fixing unit at one of a fixing temperature and a stand-by temperature lower than the fixing temperature, and a transport unit that transports the recording sheet to the fixing unit, wherein, when the temperature of the fixing unit has dropped from the fixing temperature to the stand-by temperature, and a printing command is received, the control unit controls the transport unit so as to set a stand-by time to wait before starting to transport the recording sheet after the printing command is received as a second time interval, which is longer than a first time interval of time required for the temperature of the fixing unit to reach the fixing temperature based on information relating to the current temperature of the fixing unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2011Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenji Takeuchi, Takuji Matsuno
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Patent number: 8958711Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a non-contact temperature sensor that commences measuring temperature of a heating member in a fixing device once a waiting period of a certain length has passed after power supply commences to the fixing device, and acquires information indicating a heating condition of the heating member when the fixing device transitions to a non-power supplied state. Once the waiting period has passed, the apparatus controls to increase the heating member temperature to a target temperature, while monitoring the heating member temperature using the non-contact temperature sensor. During the waiting period, the apparatus estimates the heating member temperature at a present time using the information, and controls to increase the heating member temperature when the estimated temperature does not exceed a threshold temperature, and prevent increase of the heating member temperature when the estimated temperature exceeds the threshold temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2013Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventor: Yu Tanaka
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Patent number: 8958710Abstract: A fixing device includes a controller connected to a heater and at least one of a pressing rotary body and an endless rotary body. The controller performs a first fixing operation, a first transition operation, a second fixing operation, and a second transition operation. The first fixing operation fixes a toner image on a first recording medium after the fixing device is powered on. The first transition operation rotates the pressing rotary body and the endless rotary body while controlling the heater to maintain the endless rotary body at a predetermined temperature for a first duration time. The second fixing operation fixes a toner image on a second recording medium. The second transition operation rotates the pressing rotary body and the endless rotary body while controlling the heater to maintain the endless rotary body at the predetermined temperature for a second duration time smaller than the first duration time.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2013Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shuutaroh Yuasa, Takeshi Uchitani, Takamasa Hase, Takuya Seshita, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Arinobu Yoshiura, Teppei Kawata, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Masahiko Satoh, Hiromasa Takagi, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Shinichi Namekata, Kazuya Saito
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Publication number: 20150043934Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit having a heater, a temperature detection unit, a power control unit, and a conveyance control unit that controls conveying a recording material. The conveyance control unit executes, when the maximum power is greater than a threshold power, a first mode where conveyance is performed according to a time, and executes, in a case where the maximum power is less than the threshold power, a second mode where conveyance is performed according to the detected temperature. The power control unit sets a larger value to the threshold power when an option device is connected to the image forming apparatus as compared to when the option device is not connected to the image forming apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2014Publication date: February 12, 2015Inventors: Masatoshi Itoh, Tetsuya Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20150043930Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording material accommodating portion configured to accommodate a recording material; an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on the recording material fed from the recording material accommodating portion; a fixing portion configured to heat-fix the toner image formed on the recording material by the image forming portion; a storing portion configured to store information corresponding to a type of the recording material accommodated in the recording material accommodating portion; a detecting portion configured to detect that a predetermined operation is performed by an operator before the image forming apparatus receives an image formation instruction; and an executing portion configured to execute a start-up process, when the detecting portion detects the predetermined operation performed by the operator, over a time depending on the information stored in the storing portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2014Publication date: February 12, 2015Inventor: Daigo Matsuura
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Patent number: 8953967Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2010Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Takamasa Hase
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Patent number: 8953964Abstract: An image forming apparatus having two or more different rated voltages, the image forming apparatus including a voltage detecting unit, which detects a voltage level of alternating current (AC) power supplied from outside of the image forming apparatus; a control unit, which outputs a control signal according to the detected voltage level; a fusion driving circuit, which controls a number of waveforms and phase of the AC power according to the control signal and outputs the controlled AC power as fusing power; and a fuser including a heat generating body having a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) characteristic, which receives the fusing power and generates resistance heat; and a heating member, which is heated by the heat generated by the resistance heat generating body and fuses an image formed on a printing medium.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: An-sik Jeong, Yong-geun Kim
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Patent number: 8953960Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotation body heating and fixing an unfixed image onto a recording medium; a pressing rotation body pressing the recording medium to the fixing rotation body; a first temperature detection unit detecting a temperature of the fixing rotation body; and plural second temperature detection units detecting a temperature of the pressing rotation body. Further the fixing device selects a predetermined second temperature detection unit from the plural second temperature detection units depending on an operation mode of the fixing device, and the fixing device detects the temperature of the pressing rotation body by using the predetermined second temperature detection unit selected by the fixing device.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2011Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Ueno, Masanao Ehara, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Kazuya Saito, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
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Patent number: 8942589Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a film, a heater that contacts the inner face of the film and is capable of changing heat distribution, and a pressure member that forms the nip portion with the heater via the film, the pressure member including a region on which a diameter is increased from a center portion toward an end portion, wherein the fixing apparatus performs heater control so that a ratio of an amount of heat generation at the end portion of the heater to an amount of heat generation at the center portion of the heater is changed based on a temperature of the end portion of the pressure member, during a period at least from when the warm-up of the fixing apparatus is started until the recording material reaches the nip portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2013Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Jun Asami, Toshiya Kaino, Taisuke Minagawa, Koji Nihonyanagi
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Patent number: 8934801Abstract: Upon recovery from a power-saving mode to a normal mode and then restart of fixing temperature control from a state in which the fixing temperature control is stopped, a control part (display control part 10 obtains a current temperature of a fixing part based on output of a temperature detector and required stabilization time T1 based on required stabilization time data, and based on necessary time data A and the number of remaining setting screens on which settings need to be made in a wizard format, issues a restart signal RS for restarting the fixing temperature control between a first time point TP1 reached by tracing back by the required stabilization time T1 from a predicted time point at which making the settings is predicted to complete and a second time point TP2 as a time point the necessary time before the first time point.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2011Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Yasushi Saito
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Publication number: 20140376940Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing member rotatably supported for heating a developer; a pressure member pressing a recording medium upon sandwiching the recording medium with the fixing member; a temperature detection unit for detecting temperature of the fixing member; a temperature control unit for controlling the temperature of the fixing member; a rotation control unit for controlling rotation of the fixing member; an environment value detection unit for detecting an atmosphere temperature; a time measure unit for measuring time necessary for finish of warming up of the fixing member; and a rotation time setting unit for setting rotation time of the fixing member, wherein the rotation time setting unit changes the rotation time from a timing that the fixing member reaches a warming up temperature, based on a lapse time result provided from the time measure unit, where the atmosphere temperature is lower than a prescribed temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Inventor: Eiji WAGATSUMA
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Patent number: 8913910Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt including a metal layer, a pressing member to form a nip between the pressing member and the fixing belt, an induction current generating coil that faces an outer periphery of the fixing belt, and heats the fixing belt located at a nip position through a hollow inside of the fixing belt, and a coil controller supplies a high frequency to the induction current generating coil.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2013Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoshi Kinouchi, Toshihiro Sone, Ryota Saeki
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Patent number: 8913940Abstract: A fixing device includes a solid or hollow cylindrical heating member that heats a recording medium and has recesses or projections provided at axial ends thereof, over the entire outer circumferences; ring-shaped heat insulating members to be fitted to the axial ends of the heating member, the ring-shaped heat insulating members having, in the inner circumferences thereof, projections or recesses that fit into or receive the recesses or projections provided on the heating member; and bearings that rotatably support the axial ends of the heating member via the heat insulating members.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2012Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jun Sawamura