Warmup Or Standby Mode Patents (Class 399/70)
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Publication number: 20090317117Abstract: A standby state is a state in which a pair of rotating bodies stops rotating, and temperature control is performed so that at least one of the rotating bodies reaches a standby temperature. A fixing state is a state in which the rotating bodies are rotating and temperature control is performed so that at least one of the rotating bodies reaches a fixing temperature that changes in accordance with a setting.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2009Publication date: December 24, 2009Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Yutaka OTSUKA
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Publication number: 20090317102Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes: an image former which, upon receiving a first instruction, feeds a sheet and performs an image forming operation to form an image on the sheet; a fixing part which (i) secures a fixing nip by bringing outer circumferential surfaces of first and second rotating bodies into contact with each other, (ii) upon receiving a second instruction, heats the first and second rotating bodies until a temperature thereof reaches a target temperature, and (iii) thermally fixes the image onto the sheet passing through the fixing nip; and a determiner which determines output timings of the first and second instructions such that a timing at which a leading end, in a sheet convey direction, of the image formed on the sheet reaches the fixing nip and a timing at which the temperature of the first and second rotating bodies reaches the target temperature match each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2009Publication date: December 24, 2009Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Satoshi HASEGAWA, Masazumi Ito
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Publication number: 20090317103Abstract: Upon completing a preparation operation including different processes, an image formation apparatus shifts to ready state in which image formation is executable, the processes including at least one process executed using a corresponding motor. The image formation apparatus comprises: an obtainer for obtaining, for each process, an estimated time period between start and completion thereof; and a controller for starting execution of, out of the processes, (i) one process whose estimated time period is the longest, then (ii) any other process so that any other process is executed in parallel with said one process. When said one process is included in the at least one process, the controller initiates the motor by high-speed initiation by applying thereto first voltage that is higher than second voltage. When any other process is included in the at least one process, the controller initiates the motor by normal initiation by applying thereto first voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2009Publication date: December 24, 2009Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kunio FURUKAWA, Takashi HONDA, Shiro UMEDA, Takahiro TSUJIMOTO
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Publication number: 20090310998Abstract: To control a temperature of a rotating member for fixing an image during standby, an image forming device can suppress overshoot of the temperature of the rotating member occurred when a fixing state is switched to a standby state. Determining the standby temperature is higher than the fixing temperature (Step S103: YES), a CPU 61 controls a temperature of a heating roller 51 to be kept substantially at a first temperature (Step S104). After a lapse of first given time (Step S105: YES), the CPU 61 stops rotation of the heating roller 51, a fixing roller 52 and the pressure roller 54 (Step S107). The CPU 61 controls the temperature to be kept substantially at the second temperature (Step S108). After a lapse of second given time (Step S109: YES), the CPU 61 controls the temperature to be kept substantially at the standby temperature, and switches to the standby state.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: December 17, 2009Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Yutaka OTSUKA
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Publication number: 20090310997Abstract: An image forming apparatus which displays a preset pattern is provided, including a fixing unit, and a cover unit which is mounted on a main body in which the fixing unit is installed, and displays the preset pattern if the cover unit is heated by the fixing unit. Accordingly, the heating state of the image forming apparatus can be visually shown to users. In addition, diverse type of patterns can be applied so that an effective design can be provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2008Publication date: December 17, 2009Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Son-young LEE, Ji-sang PARK
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Publication number: 20090297199Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an imaging section and a thermal fixing device. The fixing device fuses a toner image formed by the imaging section onto the recording sheet passing through a fixing nip. The fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, a heater, a temperature sensor, and a temperature controller. The fixing member is rotatable, and the pressure member is pressed against the fixing member to form the fixing nip therebetween. The heater heats at least a portion of the fixing member. The temperature sensor senses a temperature of the fixing member. The temperature controller controls the temperature of the fixing member in at least one of an on-off mode and a PID mode. The temperature controller initially operates in the on-off mode upon entering recovery, and switches to the PID mode when a threshold time has elapsed after entering recovery.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2009Publication date: December 3, 2009Inventors: Ryota YAMASHINA, Takeshi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 7623805Abstract: An image heating apparatus comprises an endless belt for heating an image on a recording material. A heating member is provided for heating a part of the endless belt and a contact member is provided for contacting an inner surface of the belt. A stand-by control unit is operable in a stop period in which the heating member effects heating with the belt at rest and in a rotation period in which the belt is rotated, and a drive stop control unit is provided for stopping the endless belt at a position that the contact member contacts at least a part of a portion of the endless belt that has been opposed to the heating member in a previous stop period.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2007Date of Patent: November 24, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Junichi Noguchi
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Publication number: 20090285592Abstract: In an embodiment, in a fixing apparatus provided with a plurality of fixing heaters having heat distribution characteristics that are different from each other inside a fixing roller, and an image forming apparatus provided with the fixing apparatus, an auxiliary heater is provided, the auxiliary heater being provided inside the fixing roller and to which power is distributed only during the warm-up period until the fixing roller in a lower temperature state reaches a predetermined fixing temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2009Publication date: November 19, 2009Inventors: Hiroshi Nakatani, Yoshinobu Tateishi, Atsushi Ide, Kimihide Tsukamoto, Takashi Yamanaka
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Patent number: 7620336Abstract: An apparatus including and a method using a fixing device including a fixing member, a pressure member, a heater, and a pressure controller. The fixing member and the pressure member face with each other to form a nip. The heater heats a surface of the fixing member when the fixing member rotates. The pressure controller is configured to change a pressure generated at the nip, according to an operation of the fixing device.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2005Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jun Yura, Koichi Kato, Hiroshi Nakai, Kazumi Suzuki, Kei Yasutomi, Hideki Kosugi, Hirokatsu Suzuki, Ichiro Kadota
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Patent number: 7620337Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable image heating member for heating an image on a recording material; a pressing member for forming a nip, with the image heating member, in which the recording material is nipped and conveyed; heating means for heating a part of the image heating member; drive means for rotationally driving the image heating member; contacting-and-separating means for contacting and separating said image heating member and said pressing member relative to each other; standby control means for heating said image heating member in a predetermined period, while said image heating member is rotated, in a state of separation between said image heating member and said pressing member during standby; and pressing operation control means for contacting said image heating member and said pressing member, wherein when an image forming signal is inputted in the predetermined period during the standby, said image heating member and said pressing member are contacted after heating of said imagType: GrantFiled: March 29, 2007Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ikuo Nakamoto, Yasuhiro Hayashi, Shigeaki Takada, Kazuhiro Hasegawa, Daigo Matsuura
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Patent number: 7620338Abstract: A fixing apparatus has a heater that includes a magnetic shunt alloy whose Curie temperature is set higher than a fixing temperature; an induction heater that generates an alternating magnetic field applied to the magnetic shunt alloy and performs electromagnetic-induction heating on the heater; and a body controller that controls the induction heater so as to adjust the fixing temperature in each fixing job. The body controller controls the induction heater so as to perform electromagnetic-induction heating on the heater, during a period between fixing jobs. The body controller thereby reduces a temperature difference generated on the heater between portions corresponding to paper feeding and non-paper feeding areas in a previously executed fixing job.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2007Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Hideaki Yamada, Hajime Makishima, Yukio Arai, Noriyuki Tajima
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Publication number: 20090263151Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus capable of setting plural printing modes including a normal mode for printing on a recording medium having a normal thickness other than recording media having specific thicknesses including a thick recording medium and a thin recording medium, the image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing section configured to fix a developing agent image carried on a recording medium onto the recording medium by heat supplied from a heat source, the fixing section having not less than two printing speeds and not less than two preset fixing temperatures; and a temperature control section configured to control a fixing temperature of the fixing section so as to adjust the fixing temperature to a preset fixing temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2009Publication date: October 22, 2009Inventors: Masanobu DEGUCHI, Kyosuke Taka
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Patent number: 7605931Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of bringing processing devices, such as sheet feed devices and post-processing devices connected respectively to the image forming apparatus, into operable states in timing optimal for carrying out an image forming job, thereby improving productivity and operation rate of the image forming apparatus as well as saving energy. A print job is analyzed to determine at least one sheet feed device and at least one post-processing device to be used in executing the print job, and states of the determined devices are checked to determine at least one of the sheet feed device and the post-processing device to be caused to start a preparatory operation in advance before the print job is executed. Power supply to the at least one of the sheet feed device and the post-processing device is turned on in timing such that the preparatory operation is completed in time for the start of execution of the print job.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2005Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Mitsuhiko Sato, Keizo Isemura, Ichiro Sasaki, Hidenori Sunada
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Patent number: 7598476Abstract: A fusing apparatus in an image forming apparatus that heats a fusing unit by applying an induced current is provided. The flicker characteristics of the fusing apparatus are improved by gradually increasing the amount of induced current applied to the fusing unit for a predetermined amount of time so that the amount of induced current applied to the fusing unit is prevented from severely varying. The fusing apparatus comprises a fusing unit which is resistance-heated or induction-heated by applying an induced current and fuses toner onto paper using the heat. The fusing apparatus further comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generation unit which generates a PWM signal in response to the ON signal so that the amount of induced current input to the fusing unit gradually increases to a reference current.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2005Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Young-Min Chae, Hwan-Guem Kim, Durk-Hyun Cho, Su-Kyoung Chae, Sang-Yong Han
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Patent number: 7599637Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2008Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideo Nanataki, Takashi Nomura, Kenji Takagi
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Patent number: 7599636Abstract: A fixing apparatus has first and second heating members and a current control unit which controls a number of waves and each of a first AC current to the first heating member and a second AC current to the second heating member in a positive-negative symmetrical pattern by a unit of predetermined number of half-waves. Regardless of a duty ratio of the first heating member and the second heating member, when the current control unit controls a number of waves so that the second AC current is larger than the first AC current in the first duty ratio, the current control unit controls the number of waves so that the first AC current is larger than the second AC current in a second duty ratio adjacent to the first duty ratio.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2007Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hajime Kaji, Toshifumi Kakutani, Satoru Ishikawa, Kazunori Miyake, Satoru Kanno
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Publication number: 20090245846Abstract: A heater controller is provided. The heater controller includes a switching unit which switches a conduction state of a heater with an AC power source between ON and OFF at a timing at which an AC power voltage becomes zero; and a control unit which controls the switching unit at each unit interval corresponding to a half wave period of the AC power voltage. The control unit outputs a switch signal for switching the conduction state based on a pattern in a control time period set as an integral multiple of the half wave period. In the pattern, ON intervals in which the conduction state is to be ON, and OFF intervals in which the conduction state is to be OFF are arranged so that one of the ON intervals and the OFF intervals, a number of which is smaller are not successive within the control time period.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hirokazu Nakashima
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Publication number: 20090245842Abstract: 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 frType: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Yuichi Segawa
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Publication number: 20090238597Abstract: A belt fuser assembly for a color EP printer that quickly warms up the fusing belt before allowing a first sheet of print media to run through the printing stations at the fuser assembly. The warm-up cycle includes: (1) a preheat mode, (2) a first portion of a belt temperature warm-up mode, (3) a second portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode, and (4) a tight belt temperature control mode. The preheat mode operates the fuser's heater at less than full power, and prevents the fuser belt from rotating. The first portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode operates the heater at full power, and the fuser belt begins rotating, but not at its full speed. The second portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode operates the heater at less than full power, and the fuser belt begins rotating at its full speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2008Publication date: September 24, 2009Inventors: Jichang Cao, James Douglas Gilmore, Hrishikesh Pramod Gogate, Wesley David McIntire, Calvin Dale Murphy, Thad Carlton Switzer
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Publication number: 20090238598Abstract: To control a cooling fan to cool a fusing unit of an image forming apparatus, it is determined whether the fusing unit is turned on or off. If the fusing unit is determined to be turned on or off, it is determined whether a condition to turn the cooling fan on or off is satisfied. If the cooling fan on/off condition is satisfied, the cooling fan is turned on or off. Thus, the driving of the cooling fan is minimized when the driving of the cooling fan is unnecessary so that the cooling fan is driven at a high efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2008Publication date: September 24, 2009Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., LtdInventor: Soo-cheol PARK
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Patent number: 7593658Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit for controlling a plurality of fixing units independently of one another regardless of a state of an image forming unit, and a receiving unit for receiving image forming requests, and has a control sequence, in which when not all of a recording medium material, a recording medium state, environment, and image data satisfy predetermined conditions, at least one of the plurality of fixing units are caused to operate, and a control sequence, in which when it is detected that an image forming request, for which all of the plurality of fixing units are required, is received by the receiving unit, each currently unused fixing unit is caused to operate. Accordingly, it is possible to realize high productivity even when there exist fixing units not driven due to the recording medium physical properties, recording medium state, environment, image data, or the like.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2006Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroto Nishihara, Naoto Watanabe, Yukio Yokoyama, Kuniyasu Kimura, Takako Hanada
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Patent number: 7593661Abstract: In a power-saving control method of an image forming device, the image forming device is set in a power saving state when an input operation is not performed by a user over a predetermined time. The image forming device in the power saving state is shifted to a minimum power state. Prior to shifting of the image forming device to the minimum power state, a filtering unit is activated to detect communication between an external device and the image forming device in the minimum power state. When a detected communication signal indicates an image formation request from the external device, the image forming device is caused to return from the minimum power state through the power saving state to a standby state so that the image forming device is ready for performing image formation.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2007Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiaki Watanabe, Hiroshi Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20090208235Abstract: A printing method using a terminal device connected to an image forming apparatus includes analyzing an object of an initial page of a medium to be printed and setting fusing conditions if a print command is input, and transmitting the set fusing conditions and print data to the image forming apparatus. The fusing conditions are set differently according to characteristics of an initial page of a medium to be printed, and thus the preheating time can be reduced and the printing speed can be increased.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2008Publication date: August 20, 2009Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., LtdInventor: Tae-sun YOON
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Patent number: 7577373Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance motor for conveying paper; an image forming unit forms a toner image on the conveyed paper; and a fixing device having a heat roller including plural heat sources to cause the toner image to be fixed to the paper. The image forming apparatus also includes a control unit. The control unit generates a control signal that switches ON or OFF the heat sources and a signal controls the driving of the conveyance motor, and generates a mode signal that differs between a warm-up mode and a normal mode. The control unit switches ON the plural heat sources at the same time and prohibits the driving of the conveyance motor during the warm-up mode, and allows the driving of the conveyance motor and prohibits all of the plural heat sources from being switched ON at the same time during the normal mode.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2006Date of Patent: August 18, 2009Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Mitsunori Ishii
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Publication number: 20090196645Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a fuser in a marking device is disclosed. The method may include determining a total power available for warm-up of fuser elements in a fuser, determining power constraints of the fuser elements, selecting a power allocation to be applied to the fuser elements, calculating a fuser warm-up time based on the determined total power available, the determined power constraints, and the selected power allocation, determining whether the fuser warm-up time is reduced, wherein if the fuser warm-up time is reduced, applying the selected power allocation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2008Publication date: August 6, 2009Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: Faming LI, Eric Scott Hamby
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Patent number: 7565086Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus comprising: a heater heating unit configured to heat a heater at a first temperature or a second temperature lower than the first temperature when waiting for fixation of a formed image; and a heat control unit configured to heat the heater at the first temperature when the estimated amount of power consumption is significant and to control the heater heating unit so as to heat the heater at the second temperature when the estimated amount of power consumption is small on the basis of distribution of the estimated amount of power consumption consumed by the fixation with time for a certain period of time is obtained is provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2006Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoshihiro Tsujimura
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Patent number: 7565087Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material in an image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, a heating part that heats the fixing member to fix an image formed on the recording material by heat, a storage unit that is charged by an external power source to supply power to the heating part, and a control unit that controls the external power source to supply power to the heating part and determines whether to start to supply power to the heating part from the storage unit. The control unit controls the external power source to charge the storage unit during a period from when power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is completed at the time of warming-up the fixing member by the heating part until when the power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is started.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2008Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Susumu Matsusaka, Kazuhito Kishi, Yasuhisa Kato, Masami Okamoto, Akiyasu Amita, Yasutada Tsukioka, Hiromasa Takagi, Ryuichi Kikegawa
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Patent number: 7560665Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus relating to the thermal management of an image fixing device such as establishing the temperature of a component that engages with the image fixing device in an image forming apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2005Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Lexmark International, IncInventors: Douglas Campbell Hamilton, Russell Edward Lucas, Johnny Ray Sears
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Publication number: 20090175646Abstract: A fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus of the present invention, in arrival timing of a temperature falling area of a heat roller passing a nip at opposite position ? of an induction heating coil from temperature detection position ? by an infrared temperature sensor around the heat roller, according to detection results by the infrared temperature sensor, controls an output value of the induction heating coil under control of an inverter circuit, heats and returns the heat roller in real time to a fixable temperature, and realizes energy conversation. At the time of arrival at the nip, the heat controller is always set to a fixed fixable temperature, thus in a fixed image, a high image quality free of ripple marks can be obtained.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2009Publication date: July 9, 2009Inventors: Satoshi KINOUCHI, Osamu TAKAGI, Yoshinori TSUEDA, Toshihiro SONE
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Patent number: 7558498Abstract: A fixing unit for an image forming apparatus passes a recording medium with a unfixed toner image through between a pair of rotating bodies to fix the unfixed image to the recording medium. The fixing unit comprises a first heater for heating up one of the rotating bodies, a second heater for heating up the other of the rotating body, and a switching means for changing over a first state that the first heater and the second heater are serially connected to a power source and a second state that the first heater is connected to the power source, with the second heater being disconnected from the power source, wherein the relation: Q11/Q21>1/8 is satisfied, where Q11 denotes a heating value of the first heater in the first state per unit of time and Q21 denotes a heating value of the first heater in the second state per unit of time.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2005Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Kazutoshi Fujisawa
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Publication number: 20090169232Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit and a fixing process managing system. The fixing process managing system, including a mode switchover unit, controls a time mode and a temperature mode for heating a fixing member. In the time mode, the fixing unit is determined to be ready for a fixing process when a given time elapses after activation of the image forming apparatus. In the temperature mode, the fixing unit is determined to be ready for a fixing process when a temperature of the fixing member attains a given reference temperature after activation of the image forming apparatus. The mode switchover unit selects between the temperature mode and the time mode. The fixing process managing system selects the temperature mode instead of the time mode when a supply amount of electrical power to the fixing unit is determined to be below a required electrical power supply level.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2008Publication date: July 2, 2009Inventors: Hiroyuki Kunii, Ippei Fijimoto, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Toshiharu Hachisuka, Yasunori Ishigaya, Shinichi Namekata
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Patent number: 7548707Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a receiving unit that receives a request of a user; a fixing unit that heats an unfixed image on a recording medium to thereby fix the same to the recording medium; an executing unit that executes at least one function that consumes electric power other than a fixing function by the fixing unit; and a controller that controls to reserve execution of the other function by the executing unit that is required to execute the request in the case where electric power consumption exceeds a prescribed value because a start-up operation of the fixing unit and the execution of the other function by the executing unit are performed in parallel, and the fixing unit is used to execute the received request during the start-up operation that raises the temperature of the fixing unit to a prescribed target temperature with a prescribed amount of electric power.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2007Date of Patent: June 16, 2009Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takashi Ajiro
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Patent number: 7546052Abstract: When a main switch 11 is off, an electricity storage device 93 is charged with electric power of a commercial AC power supply 80 . When the main switch 11 is on and warming-up of a fixing unit 35 is necessary, a halogen heater 51 in a heating roller 41 is actuated by the electric power of the commercial AC power supply 80 and a halogen heater 52 in the heating roller 41 is actuated by discharge electric power of the electricity storage device 93.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2007Date of Patent: June 9, 2009Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tetsuo Kitamura
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Patent number: 7542691Abstract: A machine (1) has a capacitor switch (20) for switching between a side to drive a first fixing heater (17) by a capacitor (18), and a side to charge the capacitor (18). A battery switch (25) switches between a side to drive a second fixing heater (22) by a battery (23), and a side to charge the battery (23). A heater switch (27) drives a third fixing heater (26). A judger (152) judges whether the machine (1) is in a first condition requiring a rapid raise in the temperature of a fixing section, or a second condition requiring a maintained temperature of the fixing section. A controller (153) energizes all three fixing heaters (17, 22, 26) when the machine (1) is in the first condition, and energizes the second and third fixing heaters (22, 26) while charging the capacitor (18) when the machine (1) is in the second condition.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2006Date of Patent: June 2, 2009Assignee: Kyocera Mita CorporationInventor: Junya Yoda
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Patent number: 7539430Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing section that fixes an image formed on a recording medium and a drive section that drives the fixing section in rotation. The drive section is stopped or rotated at a lower speed for reducing noise after fixing an image on the recording medium while preventing the temperature of a fixing roller from increasing.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2007Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventors: Takemasa Ishikuro, Yujiro Iida
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Patent number: 7522870Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heating rotatable member and a belt cooperative with the heating rotatable member to form the nip in which an image on a recording material is heated. The apparatus further includes swinging means for swing the belt in a widthwise direction and control means for controlling a rotational speed of the heating rotatable member. The control means rotates the heating rotatable member at a relatively low speed when the belt is brought into contact to the heating rotatable member while the swinging means is swing the belt, and the control means effects an increase of the rotational speed of the heating rotatable member before the heating operation is started.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2006Date of Patent: April 21, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takeshi Fujino
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Patent number: 7510276Abstract: A temperature control system for a sheet support plate of a printer which has at least two power supplies for powering different sub-systems of the printer, the temperature control system containing at least one heater and a power management system adapted to use spare power capacities of the two power supplies by controlling the power supplied to said at least one heater in accordance with the load conditions of said power supplies.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2005Date of Patent: March 31, 2009Assignee: OCE-Technologies B.V.Inventor: Pieter G. M. Kruijt
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Patent number: 7504605Abstract: The heating apparatus of a surface-heating type, includes a rotary member, an opposing member that forms a nip with respect to the rotary member, and a heating member for heating a portion of a rotary member surface other than the nip, in which temperature used for heating the rotary member by the heating member is controlled, and a heating material inserted in the nip to be nipped and conveyed therein is heated using heat of the rotary member. Accordingly, after insertion of the heating material in the nip starts, control temperature of the heating member is increased before the rotary member rotates by one revolution, thereby preventing an uneven heating phenomenon of the heating material in the first revolution and the second revolution or later, and preventing uneven gloss due to the uneven heating phenomenon in the fixing apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2007Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideo Nanataki, Taku Fukita, Yozo Hotta
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Publication number: 20090060549Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Byung-sun AHN
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Publication number: 20090060553Abstract: A warm-up operation control section performs warm-up operation of a fixing-side rotation unit and a pressure-side rotation unit for a first period of time from start-up in the case of a monochrome mode set by a setting section. In the case of a color mode, the warm-up operation control section performs warm-up operation of the fixing-side rotation unit and the pressure-side rotation unit for a second period of time which is longer than the first period of time from start-up.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Eiji OKABAYASHI
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Publication number: 20090060552Abstract: A warm-up operation control section performs warm-up operation of a fixing-side rotation unit and a pressure-side rotation unit from start-up until the temperature of the fixing-side rotation unit exceeds a first specified value based on an output of a heating-side thermistor in forming a monochrome image. In forming a color image, the warm-up operation control section performs warm-up operation of the fixing-side rotation unit and the pressure-side rotation unit from start-up until the temperature of the pressure-side rotation unit exceeds a second specified value based on an output of a pressure-side thermistor. Time required for the temperature of the fixing-side rotation unit to exceed the first specified value is set shorter than time required for temperature of the pressure-side rotation unit to exceed the second specified value.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Eiji OKABAYASHI
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Publication number: 20090060551Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with: a fusing unit which fuses an image transferred to a printing medium; a power supply which supplies power to the fusing unit; a switching unit which switches the power supplied to the fusing unit; and a controller which controls the switching unit to prevent the power from being supplied to the fusing unit in at least a section during initialization of the image forming apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nyun-kang Lee, Soo-young Jung
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Publication number: 20090052928Abstract: A method for operating a printer to print with the operation having a pre-determined period of time between the start of a printing process and the completion of a fuser module heating process is provided. The method includes performing the heating process by heating the fuser module towards a target temperature. Next, compare the rest of the expected period of time for the fuser to arrive at the target temperature with the pre-determined period of time. If the expected period of time is no more than the predetermined period of time, start the printing processes. Lastly fuse the printing medium after the completion of the printing processes. The present invention also includes a method for operating a printer to print with the operation having an adjustable period of time between the start of the printing processes and the completion of a fuser module heating process.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2007Publication date: February 26, 2009Applicant: AETAS TECHNOLOGY, INCORPORATEDInventor: Hung-Ming Hsu
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Patent number: 7496310Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes a fixing roller to fix a developer onto a recording medium, a heating unit to heat the fixing roller, a manual feed roller disposed at a position contact with a top end of the recording medium inserted into a manual feed port and capable of holding and feeding the recording medium, a common driving unit that drives the fixing and manual feed rollers together, a judgment unit to judge whether a temperature of the fixing roller is lower than a first temperature capable of starting image formation and reaches a second temperature higher than a melting point of the developer, a detection unit to detect whether the recording medium is inserted, and a control unit to control the driving unit to drive the manual feed roller to hold the recording medium if the recording medium is detected and the temperature reaches the second temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2006Date of Patent: February 24, 2009Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kenichi Dan
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Patent number: 7496311Abstract: When a fixing roller 1 generates heat by a magnetic flux generating section 3 during a standby time, a control section 5 rotates the fixing roller 1. This prevents the fixing roller 1 from locally generating heat and being damaged. Moreover, the control section 5 rotates and heats a pressure roller 2 during the standby time, which makes it possible to keep the pressure roller 2 at a specified temperature and to reduce a time taken for a fixing device to recover from the standby state.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2006Date of Patent: February 24, 2009Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yasuhiro Ohno, Tomihiko Masuda, Yuji Kamoda, Haruo Iwahashi
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Patent number: 7493059Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism, a fixing roller, a heater, a sensor, a warm-up mechanism, and a controller. The image forming mechanism forms a toner image on a recording medium according to image data. The fixing roller fixes the toner image on the recording medium by applying heat. The heater heats the fixing roller to warm up the fixing roller. The sensor detects a temperature of the fixing roller. The warm-up mechanism warms up the fixing roller by using the heater. The controller performs a first warm-up control that finishes the warm-up of the fixing roller and a second warm-up control that continues the warm-up of the fixing roller.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2006Date of Patent: February 17, 2009Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Seiji Saitoh
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Publication number: 20080317491Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a first motor for driving said image bearing member, a fixing unit which fixes an image transferred from said image bearing member to a recording material onto the recording material and a second motor for driving said fixing unit, wherein said fixing unit is started up by said first motor and then driven by said second motor. Thereby, costs on the second motor for driving the fixing apparatus, which is disposed separately from the first motor for driving the image forming apparatus, can be restrained.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2008Publication date: December 25, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: SHINYA KAWAKAMI, TAKASHI SEKIGUCHI
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Patent number: 7460801Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image by a power supply from a commercial power source, the image forming apparatus including: an image forming member for forming an image on a recording material; a heater for heating the image forming member; a heat fixing device for fixing an image formed on the recording material; a capacitor for storing power supplied from the commercial power source; and a distributor for distributing power stored in the capacitor to the heat fixing device and the heater.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2006Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kazushige Nishiyama
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Patent number: 7457551Abstract: A fixing unit adapted to fix a developing agent onto an image forming medium by way of a heat roller containing a heater and a press roller conducts a warming up operation for the optimum warming up time as determined based on the temperature and the humidity of ambient air detected by a temperature/humidity sensor.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2007Date of Patent: November 25, 2008Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kenichiro Shishikura
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Patent number: 7454151Abstract: A fixing unit for use in an image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, a heating source, and a controller. The fixing member is supported rotatably. The heating source heats the fixing member. The controller controls power supply to the heating source. The controller controls a first average power supply, supplied to the heating source before rotating the fixing member, to be larger than a second average power supply, supplied to the heating source after rotating the fixing member.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2005Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiko Satoh, Akira Shinshi, Naoki Iwaya