Electrophotographic heating apparatus, system, and method

A heating device comprising:

• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor of said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switch for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• a residual power detector for detecting power remaining in said auxiliary power source;
• and
• a controller for adjusting power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element in accordance with an output of said residual power detector representative of the power remaining in said auxiliary power source.

A heating device comprising:

• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor of said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switch for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of said heater;
• and
• a controller for controlling power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element in accordance with a temperature of said heater.

A heating device comprising:

• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor of said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switch for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• a switching device for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• and
• a temperature controller for adjusting the power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element in accordance with a variation of temperature of said heater.

A fixing device for fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium, comprising:

• a heating device comprising:
• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor or said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switch for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• and
• a controller for adjusting the power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element;
• and
• a heat roller accommodating said heater.

A fixing device for fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium, comprising:

• a heating device comprising:
• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor of said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switch for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• a residual power detector for detecting power remaining in said auxiliary power source;
• and
• a controller for adjusting power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element in accordance with an output of said residual power detector representative of the power remaining in said auxiliary power source;
• and
• a heat roller accommodating said heater.

A fixing device for fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium, comprising:

• a heating device comprising:
• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor of said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switch for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of said heater;
• and
• a controller for controlling power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element in accordance with a temperature of said heater;
• and
• a heat roller accommodating said heater.

A fixing device for fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium, comprising:

• a heating device comprising:
• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor of said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switch for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• a switching device for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• and
• a temperature controller for adjusting the power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element in accordance with a variation of temperature of said heater;
• and
• a heat roller accommodating said heater.

In an image forming apparatus including a fixing device for fixing a toner image electrophotographically formed on a recording medium by melting said toner image, said fixing device comprising:

• a heating device comprising:
• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor of said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switch for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• and
• a controller for adjusting the power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element;
• and
• a heat roller accommodating said heater.

In an image forming apparatus including a fixing device for fixing a toner image electrophotographically formed on a recording medium by melting said toner image, said fixing device comprising:

• a heating device comprising:
• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor of said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switch for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• a residual power detector for detecting power remaining in said auxiliary power source;
• and
• a controller for adjusting power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element in accordance with an output of said residual power detector representative of the power remaining in said auxiliary power source;
• and
• a heat roller accommodating said heater.

In an image forming apparatus including a fixing device for fixing a toner image electrophotographically formed on a recording medium by melting said toner image, said fixing device comprising:

• a heating device comprising:
• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor or said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switch for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of said heater;
• and
• a controller for controlling power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element in accordance with a temperature of said heater;
• and
• a heat roller accommodating said heater.

In an image forming apparatus including a fixing device for fixing a toner image electrophotographically formed on a recording medium by melting said toner image, said fixing device comprising:

• a heating device comprising:
• a main power source;
• an auxiliary power source comprising a chargeable capacitor;
• a heater comprising a main heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said main power source and an auxiliary heating element configured to heat when supplied with power from said auxiliary power source;
• a charger for charging said capacitor of said auxiliary power source when supplied with power from said main power source;
• a switching device for selectively causing said auxiliary power source to be charged or to feed power to said auxiliary heating element;
• and
• a temperature controller for adjusting the power to be fed from said auxiliary power source to said auxiliary heating element in accordance with a variation of temperature of said heater;
• and
• a heat roller accommodating said heater.

A fixing device for fixing a toner image formed on a sheet-like recording medium, comprising:

• a heat source comprising at least two heating elements including a first heating element configured to receive power from a commercial power source and a second heating element configured to receive power from a chargeable storage;
• at least one of a fixing member and a pressing member configured to be heated by said heat source;
• and
• drive means comprising said chargeable storage and a charger supplied with power from the commercial power source for charging said chargeable storage, wherein
• said storage comprises a capacitor having a capacity great enough to store total energy of 1 kJ or above.

A fixing device for fixing a toner image formed on a sheet with heat and pressure, comprising:

• a plurality of heat sources configured to heat when supplied with power;
• at least one of a fixing member and a pressing member configured to be heated by said plurality of heat sources;
• a storage for storing power greater than an output of a commercial power source in a stand-by state of said fixing device and driving at least one of said plurality of heat sources with said power for a preselected period of time at a time of warm-up of said fixing device;
• and
• a charger for charging said storage with the output of the commercial power source;
• wherein said storage and the commercial power source drive said plurality of heat sources at the same time or at different timings.

In an image forming apparatus including a fixing device, said fixing device comprising:

• a plurality of heat sources configured to heat when supplied with power;
• at least one of a fixing member and a pressing member configured to be heated by said plurality of heat sources;
• a storage for storing power greater than an output of a commercial power source in a stand-by state of said fixing device and driving at least one of said plurality of heat sources with said power for a preselected period of time at a time of warm-up of said fixing device;
• and
• a charger for charging said storage with the output of the commercial power source;
• wherein said storage and the commercial power source drive said plurality of heat sources at the same time or at different timings.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a fixing device;
• and
• first setting means for setting a first mode;
• said fixing device comprising:
• a plurality of heat sources configured to heat when supplied with power;
• at least one of a fixing member and a pressing member configured to be heated by said plurality of heat sources;
• a storage for storing power greater than an output or a commercial power source in a stand-by state of said fixing device and driving at least one of said plurality of heat sources with said power for a preselected period of time at a time of warm-up of said fixing device;
• and
• a charger for charging said storage with the output of the commercial power source;
• wherein said storage and the commercial power source drive said plurality of heat sources at the same time or at different timings, and
• said first mode causes said storage to drive said plurality of heat sources and is selectable only in a copy mode.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a fixing device;
• and
• first setting means for setting a first mode;
• said fixing device comprising:
• a heat source configured to heat when supplied with power from a commercial power source;
• at least one of a fixing member and a pressing member configured to be heated by said heat source;
• a storage battery for driving an electric circuit of said image forming apparatus other than said heat source with power stored in said storage battery;
• and
• a charger for charging said storage battery with power output from a commercial power source;
• wherein said first mode causes said storage to drive said heat source and is selectable only in a copier mode.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a fixing device;
• and
• setting means for setting a print mode in which image formation is effected at a speed higher than a usual image forming speed;
• said fixing device comprising:
• a plurality of heat sources configured to heat when supplied with power;
• at least one of a fixing member and a pressing member configured to be heated by said plurality of heat sources;
• a storage for storing power greater than an output of a commercial power source in a stand-by state of said fixing device and driving a least one of said plurality of heat sources with said power for a preselected period of time at a time of warm-up of said fixing device;
• and
• a charger for charging said storage with the output of the commercial power source;
• wherein said storage and the commercial power source drive said plurality of heat sources at the same time or at different timings, and
• said storage drives said plurality of heat sources when the print mode is set up.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a fixing device;
• and
• setting means for setting a print mode in which image formation is effect at a speed higher than a usual speed;
• said fixing device comprising:
• a heat source configured to heat when supplied with power from a commercial power source;
• at least one of a fixing member and a pressing member configured to be heated by said heat source;
• a storage battery for driving an electric circuit of said image forming apparatus other than said heat source with power stored in said storage battery;
• and
• a charger for charging said storage battery with power output from a commercial power source;
• wherein said storage drives said heat source when the print mode is set up.