# US 7,609,988 B2 · Heater, fixing unit and image forming apparatus having power supplied from chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit varied per unit time > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,609,988 B2 - Document ID: US7609988B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/004,885 - Filed: 2004-12-07 - Published: 2005-06-30 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2003-12-08 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Kazuhito Kishi; Yasuhisa Kato; Masami Okamoto; Yasutada Tsukioka; Hiromasa Takagi; Susumu Matsusaka; Akiyasu Amita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609988B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/5004: {Power supply control, e.g. power-saving mode, automatic power turn-off} - G03G 15/2003: {using heat} - G03G 15/205: {specially for the mode of operation, e.g. standby, warming-up, error (G03G15/2046 takes precedence)} - G03G 15/80: {Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections} - G03G 2215/20: Details of the fixing device or porcess - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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 energy supplied from 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 energy detected by the detecting part. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the energy supplied from the main power supply unit per unit time and detected by said detecting part is less than a predetermined value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power supply unit comprises a capacitor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The heater as claimed in claim 3, wherein the capacitor is made up of an electric double layer capacitor. ### Claim 5 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The heater as claimed in claim 5, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the voltage of the main power supply unit detected by said detecting part is higher than a predetermined value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The heater as claimed in claim 5, wherein said controller increases the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the voltage of the main power supply unit detected by said detecting part is lower than a predetermined value. ### Claim 8 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the temperature of the pressure applying member detected by said detecting part is higher than a predetermined value. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said controller increases the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the temperature of the pressure applying member detected by said detecting part is lower than a predetermined value. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The heater as claimed in claim 11, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the environment temperature detected by said detecting part is higher than a predetermined value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The heater as claimed in claim 11, wherein said controller increases the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the environment temperature detected by said detecting part is lower than a predetermined value. ### Claim 14 image forming apparatus 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, 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 energy detected by the detecting part. ### Claim 15 An image forming apparatus 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, 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the voltage detected by said detecting part is higher than a predetermined value. ### Claim 17 An image forming apparatus 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 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. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the environment temperature detected by said detecting part is higher than a predetermined value. ### Claim 19 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. ### Claim 20 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. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the time interval detected by said detecting part is shorter than a predetermined value. ### Claim 22 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. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the work time detected by said detecting part is longer than a predetermined value. ### Claim 24 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; 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. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The heater as claimed in claim 24, wherein the auxiliary power supply unit comprises a capacitor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The heater as claimed in claim 25, wherein the capacitor is made up of an electric double layer capacitor. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The heater as claimed in claim 24, wherein the usage of power includes a timing when the power from the auxiliary power supply unit is supplied to the heater part. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The heater as claimed in claim 24, wherein the energy is supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit when the auxiliary power supply unit discharges. ### Claim 29 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. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the usage of power includes a timing when the fixing unit is being started, and a timing when the image forming apparatus carries out the image forming process with respect to successively supplied recording media.