Heater, fixing unit and image forming apparatus having power supplied from chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit varied per unit time

A heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, comprising:

• a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units;
• a detecting part configured to detect a voltage of the main power supply unit;
• and
• a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on a change in the voltage detected by the detecting part.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, the heater comprising:
• a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, and a pressure applying member;
• a detecting part configured to detect a temperature of the pressure applying member;
• and
• a controller configured to permit power to be supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part and to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the temperature detected by the detecting part.

A heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, comprising:

• a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units;
• a detecting part configured to detect an environment temperature of the heater part;
• and
• a controller configured to permit power to be supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part and to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the environment temperature detected by the detecting part.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a fixing unit,
• said fixing unit comprising:
• a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, and comprising a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, a detecting part configured to detect a number of recording media that passed the fixing unit during a previous job, and a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the number of recording media detected by the detecting part;
• and
• a fixing part, heated by the heater part, and configured to fix an image on a recording medium that makes sliding contact with the heater part or pass close to the heater part,
• wherein:
• said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the number of recording media detected by said detecting part is larger than a predetermined value.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a fixing unit,
• said fixing unit comprising:
• a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, and comprising a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, a detecting part configured to detect a time interval between a previous job and a present job of the fixing unit, and a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the time interval detected by the detecting part;
• and
• a fixing part, heated by the heater part, and configured to fix an image on a recording medium that makes sliding contact with the heater part or pass close to the heater part.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a fixing unit,
• said fixing unit comprising:
• a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, and comprising a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, a detecting part configured to detect a work time of the fixing unit during a previous job, and a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the work time detected by the detecting part;
• and
• a fixing part, heated by the heater part, and configured to fix an image on a recording medium that makes sliding contact with the heater part or pass close to the heater part.

An image forming apparatus that carries out an image forming process, comprising:

• a fixing unit operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, the fixing unit comprising:
• a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units;
• and
• a controller configured to change at least one of a usage of power and energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit based on a voltage of the main power supply unit.