# US 10,120,322 B2 · Image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,322 B2 - Document ID: US10120322B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/628,373 - Filed: 2017-06-20 - Published: 2018-01-04 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-04 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Masaru Ohno; Kenji Watanabe; Takao Kume; Marehiko Hirajima - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120322B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/80: {Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections} - G03G 15/2021: {Plurality of separate fixing and/or cooling areas or units, two step fixing} - G03G 15/2025: {with special means for lubricating and/or cleaning the fixing unit, e.g. applying offset preventing fluid} - G03G 15/2039: {with means for controlling the fixing temperature} - G03G 15/206: {Structural details or chemical composition of the pressure elements and layers thereof} - G03G 15/6564: {with correct timing of sheet feeding} - G03G 21/203: {Humidity} - G03G 15/0283: {Arrangements for supplying power to the sensitising device} - G03G 15/1675: {with means for controlling the bias applied in the transfer nip} - G03G 15/5037: {the characteristics being an electrical parameter, e.g. voltage} - G03G 15/657: {Feeding path after the transfer point and up to the fixing point, e.g. guides and feeding means for handling copy material carrying an unfused toner image} - G03G 21/08: using optical radiation - G03G 21/20: Humidity or temperature control {also ozone evacuation; Internal apparatus environment control} - G03G 21/206: {Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member, a power source, a detection unit, and a fixing unit. The transfer member transfers a toner image to a transfer material from the image bearing member. The detection unit detects electric current flowing in the transfer member when the power source applies voltage to the transfer member. The fixing unit fixes a toner image to a transfer material by heat. The heat to the fixing unit is controlled where a subsequent transfer material conveyance stops after the transfer material is discharged from the fixing unit, in a case where a second current value, detected when voltage is applied to the transfer member contacting the fixing unit and the transfer member, is greater than a first current value detected when voltage is applied to the transfer member before the transfer material reaches the fixing unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member configured to bear a toner image; a transfer member abutting on the image bearing member and configured to transfer a toner image to a transfer material from the image bearing member; a power source configured to apply voltage to the transfer member; a detection unit configured to detect electric current flowing in the transfer member when voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source; a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image to a transfer material by heating the transfer material to which a toner image has been transferred by a heating unit; and a control unit configured to control the heating unit to heat the fixing unit, wherein the control unit controls the heating unit to heat the fixing unit in a state where conveyance of a subsequent transfer material stops after the transfer material that is in contact with the fixing unit is discharged from the fixing unit, in a case where a second current value that is detected by the detection unit when voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source in a state where a transfer material is in contact with the fixing unit and the transfer member is greater than a first current value that is detected by the detection unit when voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source before the transfer material reaches the fixing unit by a predetermined value or more. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first current value is detected by the detection unit before a transfer material reaches a position where the transfer member abuts on the image bearing member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first current value is detected by the detection unit before a transfer material reaches the fixing unit after reaching a position where the transfer member abuts on the image bearing member. ### Claim 4 The image forming apparatus according to claim. 1, wherein a predetermined voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source while the first and the second current values are detected by the detection unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the heating unit to heat the fixing, unit in a state where conveyance of a subsequent transfer material stops after a transfer material that is in contact with the fixing unit is discharged from the fixing unit only in a case where a state where the second current value is greater than the first current value by the predetermined value or more is continued for a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing unit includes the heating unit configured to heat a transfer material to which a toner image has been transferred and a pressurizing unit that faces the heating unit via the transfer material, and wherein a distance between a position where the transfer material is in contact with the transfer member when a toner image is transferred to the transfer material from the image bearing member and a position where the pressurizing unit abuts on the heating unit in a conveyance direction of the transfer material is shorter thana length of the transfer material on which an image can be formed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a photosensitive member, wherein the image bearing member is an endless intermediate transfer belt that bears a toner image transferred from the photosensitive member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a development unit configured to supply a toner image to the image bearing member, wherein the image bearing member is a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is developed by the development unit. ### Claim 9 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member configured to bear a toner image; a transfer member abutting on the image bearing member and configured to transfer a toner image to a transfer material from the image bearing member; a power source configured to apply voltage to the transfer member; a detection unit configured to detect electric current flowing in the transfer member when voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source; a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image to a transfer material by heating the transfer material to which a toner image has been transferred; and a control unit configured to execute dehumidification control for dehumidifying the fixing unit, wherein the control unit executes the dehumidification control, in a case where a second current value that is detected by the detection unit when voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source in a state where a transfer material is in contact with the fixing unit and the transfer member is greater than a first current value that is detected by the detection unit when voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source before the transfer material reaches a position where the transfer member abuts on the image bearing member by a predetermined value or more. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a predetermined voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source while the first and the second current values are being detected by the detection unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control unit executes the dehumidification control only in a case where a state where the second current value is greater than the first current value by the predetermined value or more is continued for a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the fixing unit includes a heating unit configured to heat a transfer material to which a toner image has been transferred, and wherein the fixing, unit is heated by the heating unit in the dehumidification control in a state where conveyance of a subsequent transfer material stops after the transfer material that is in contact with the fixing unit is discharged from the fixing unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an interval between transfer materials passing through the fixing unit is increased by the dehumidification control. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control unit executes first dehumidification control in a case where the second current value is greater than the first current value by a first predetermined value or more, and executes second dehumidification control in a case where the second current value is not greater than the first current value by the first predetermined value or more, but greater than the first current value by a second predetermined value or more, wherein the second predetermined value is less than the first predetermined value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the fixing, unit includes a heating unit configured to heat a transfer material to which a toner image has been transferred, and wherein the fixing unit is heated by the heating unit in the first dehumidification control and the second dehumidification control, and a time period in which the heating unit heats the fixing unit in the first dehumidification control is longer than a time period in which the heating unit heats the fixing unit in the second dehumidification control. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein an interval between transfer materials passing through the fixing unit is increased by the first dehumidification control and the second dehumidification control, and an interval between transfer materials passing through the fixing unit in the first dehumidification control is longer than an interval between transfer materials passing through the fixing unit in the second dehumidification control. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the fixing unit includes a heating unit configured to heat a transfer material to which a toner image has been transferred and a pressurizing unit that faces the heating unit via the transfer material, and wherein a distance between a position where the transfer material is in contact with the transfer member when a toner image is transferred to the transfer material from the image bearing member and a position where the pressurizing unit abuts on the heating unit in a conveyance direction of the transfer material is shorter than a length of the transfer material on which an image can be formed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a photosensitive member, wherein the image bearing member is an endless intermediate transfer belt that bears a toner image transferred from the photosensitive member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a development unit configured to supply a toner image to the image bearing member, wherein the image bearing member is a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is developed by the development unit. ### Claim 20 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member configured to bear a toner image; a transfer member abutting on the image bearing member and configured to transfer a toner image to a transfer material from the image bearing member; a power source configured to apply voltage to the transfer member; a detection unit configured to detect voltage applied to the transfer member from the power source when electric current flows in the transfer member; a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image to a transfer material by heating the transfer material to which a toner image has been transferred by a heating unit; and a control unit configured to control the heating unit to heat the fixing unit; wherein, before a transfer material reaches the fixing unit, the detection unit detects a first voltage applied to the transfer member from the power source to cause a predetermined electric current to flow in the transfer member, and detects a second voltage applied to the transfer member from the power source to cause a predetermined electric current to flow in the transfer member in a state where a transfer material is in contact with the fixing unit and the transfer member, and wherein, in a case where the second voltage is lower than the first voltage by a predetermined value or more, the control unit controls the heating unit to heat the fixing unit in a state where conveyance of a subsequent transfer material stops after a transfer material that is in contact with the fixing unit is discharged from the fixing unit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The image forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the first voltage is detected by the detection unit before a transfer material reaches a position where the transfer member abuts on the image bearing member. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The image forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the first voltage is detected by the detection unit before a transfer material reaches the fixing unit after reaching a position where the transfer member abuts on the image bearing member. ### Claim 23 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member configured to bear a toner image; a transfer member abutting on the image bearing member and configured to transfer a toner image to a transfer material from the image bearing member; a power source configured to apply voltage to the transfer member; a detection unit configured to detect electric current flowing in the transfer member when voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source; a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image to a transfer material by heating the transfer material to which a toner image has been transferred by a heating unit; and a control unit configured to control the heating unit to heat the fixing unit, wherein the control unit controls the heating unit to heat the fixing unit after the transfer material that is in contact with the fixing unit is discharged from the fixing unit, in a case where a second current value that is detected by the detection unit when voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source in a state where the transfer material is in contact with the fixing unit and the transfer member is greater than a first current value that is detected by the detection unit when voltage is applied to the transfer member from the power source before the transfer material reaches the fixing unit by a predetermined value or more. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing unit includes the heating unit configured to heat a transfer material and a pressurizing unit that contacts the heating unit to form a fixing portion for holding the transfer material in an interposed manner between the heating unit and the pressurizing unit, wherein the control unit heats the fixing unit by rotating the heating unit and the pressurizing unit in a state where the heating unit is being heated. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The image forming apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the fixing unit includes a conductive frame that covers the heating unit and the pressurizing unit, and the conductive frame is electrically connected to the ground. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The image forming apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the conductive frame is arranged in proximity to the pressurizing unit and an insulating member is arranged between the conductive frame and the pressurizing unit. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The image forming apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the heating unit is arranged to face the transfer material held at the fixing portion in an interposed manner and the heating unit includes a heater configured to generate heat when alternating voltage is applied thereto and a tubular flexible member that covers the heater, and wherein the heater is arranged at position facing the pressurizing unit through the flexible member. ### Claim 28 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the fixing unit includes the heating unit configured to heat a transfer material and a pressurizing unit that contacts the heating unit to form a fixing portion for holding the transfer material in an interposed manner between the heating unit and the pressurizing unit, and wherein the control unit executes the dehumidification control by rotating the heating unit and the pressurizing unit in a state where the heating unit is being heated. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The image forming apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the fixing unit includes a conductive frame that covers the heating unit and the pressurizing unit, and the conductive frame is electrically connected to the ground. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The image forming apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the conductive frame is arranged in proximity to the pressurizing unit and an insulating member is arranged between the conductive frame and the pressurizing unit. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The image forming apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the heating unit is arranged to face the transfer material held at the fixing portion in an interposed manner and the heating unit includes a heater configured to generate heat when alternating voltage is applied thereto and a tubular flexible member that covers the heater, and wherein the heater is arranged at position facing the pressurizing unit through the flexible member.