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US 7,024,128 B2Granted
Image forming apparatus and method
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorOhishi Hiroto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image forming apparatus including a heater configured to heat and fix a toner image formed on a recording medium a detector configured to detect a current supplied from an external power source to the image forming apparatus and a battery configured to supply power to said heater. Also included is a charger configured to charge the battery with the power supplied from the external power source and a controller configured to control the charger such that a current supplied from the charger to the battery changes based on the current detected by the detector.
Claims54
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a heater configured to heat and fix a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- a detector configured to detect a current supplied from an external power source to the image forming apparatus;
- a battery configured to supply power to the heater;
- a charger configured to charge the battery with power supplied from the external power source;
- and
- a controller configured to control the charger such that a current supplied from the charger to the battery changes based on the current detected by the detector during an image forming period.
3 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a heater configured to heat and fix a toner image forming on a recording medium;
- a detector configured to detect a current supplied from an external power source to the image forming apparatus;
- a battery configured to supply power to the heater;
- a charger configured to charge the battery with power supplied from the external power source;
- a charging switch configured to connect and disconnect the battery to the charger;
- and
- a controller configured to control the charging switch such that the charger connects to the battery based on the current detected by the detector during an image forming period.
4 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a heater configured to heat and fix a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- a detector configured to detect a power consumption of the image forming apparatus;
- a battery configured to supply power to the heater;
- a charger configured to charge the battery with power supplied from an external power source;
- and
- a controller configured to control the charger such that a current supplied from the charger to the battery changes based on the detected power consumption during an image forming period.
3 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a heater configured to heat and fix a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- a detector configured to detect a power consumption of the image forming apparatus;
- a battery configured to supply power to the heater;
- a charger configured to charge the battery with power supplied from an external power source;
- a charging switch configured to connect and disconnect the battery to the charger;
- and
- a controller configured to control the charging switch such that the charger connects to the battery based on the detected power consumption during an image forming period.
4 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a heater configured to heat and fix a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- a battery configured to supply power to the heater;
- a charger configured to charge the battery with power supplied from an external power source;
- a charging switch configured to connect and disconnect the battery to the charger;
- and
- a controller configured to control the charging switch such that the charger connects to the battery during an image forming period during an image forming period.
3 more elements
An image forming method comprising:
- heating and fixing, via a heater, a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- detecting a current supplied from an external power source to the image forming apparatus;
- supplying power to the heater via a battery;
- charging, via a charger, the battery with power supplied from the external power source;
- and
- controlling the charging step such that a current supplied via the charging step to the battery changes based on the current detected by the detecting step, said controlling performed during said heating and fixing.
3 more elements
An image forming method comprising:
- heating and fixing, via a heater, a toner image forming on a recording medium;
- detecting a current supplied from an external power source to the image forming apparatus;
- supplying power to the heater via a battery;
- charging, via a charger, the battery with power supplied from the external power source;
- connecting and disconnecting the battery to the charger;
- and
- controlling the connecting and disconnecting step such that the charger connects to the battery based on the current detected by the detecting step, said controlling performed during said heating and fixing.
4 more elements
An image forming method comprising:
- heating and fixing, via a heater, a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- detecting a power consumption of the image forming apparatus;
- supplying power to the heater via a battery;
- charging, via a charger, the battery with power supplied from an external power source;
- and
- controlling the charger such that a current supplied from the charger to the battery changes based on the detected power consumption, said controlling performed during said heating and fixing.
3 more elements
An image forming method comprising:
- heating and fixing, via a heater, a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- detecting a power consumption of the image forming apparatus;
- supplying power to the heater via a battery;
- charging, via a charger, the battery with power supplied from an external power source;
- connecting and disconnecting the battery to the charger;
- and
- controlling the connecting and disconnecting step such that the charger connects to the battery based on the detected power consumption, said controlling performed during said heating and fixing.
4 more elements
An image forming method comprising:
- heating and fixing, via a heater, a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- supplying power to the heater via a battery;
- charging, via a charger, the battery with power supplied from an external power source;
- connecting and disconnecting the battery to the charger;
- and
- controlling the connecting and disconnecting step such that the charger connects to the battery during an image forming period, said controlling performed during said heating and fixing.
3 more elements
An image forming system comprising:
- means for heating and fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- means for detecting a current supplied from an external power source to the image forming apparatus;
- means for supplying power to the heating means;
- means for charging the battery with power supplied from the external power source;
- and
- means for controlling the charging means such that a current supplied via the charging means to the supplying means changes based on the current detected by the detecting means during an image forming period.
3 more elements
An image forming system comprising:
- means for heating and fixing a toner image forming on a recording medium;
- means for detecting a current supplied from an external power source to the image forming apparatus;
- means for supplying power to the heating means;
- means for charging the supplying means with power supplied from the external power source;
- means for connecting and disconnecting the supplying means to the charging means;
- and
- means for controlling the connecting and disconnecting means such that the charging means connects to the supplying means based on the current detected by the detecting means during an image forming period.
4 more elements
An image forming system comprising:
- means for heating and fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- means for detecting a power consumption of the image forming apparatus;
- means for supplying power to the heating means;
- means for charging the supplying means with power supplied from an external power source;
- and
- means for controlling the charging means such that a current supplied from the charging means to the supplying means changes based on the detected power consumption during an image forming period.
3 more elements
An image forming system comprising:
- means for heating and fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- means for detecting a power consumption of the image forming apparatus;
- means for supplying power to the heating means;
- means for charging the battery with power supplied from an external power source;
- means for connecting and disconnecting the supplying means to the charging means;
- and
- means for controlling the connecting and disconnecting means such that the charging means connects to the supplying means based on the detected power consumption during an image forming period.
4 more elements
An image forming system comprising:
- means for heating and fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium;
- means for supplying power to the heating means;
- means for charging the supplying means with power supplied from an external power source;
- means for connecting and disconnecting the supplying means to the charging means;
- and
- means for controlling the connecting and disconnecting means such that the charging means connects to the supplying means during an image forming period.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.