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US 8,509,640 B2Granted
Image forming apparatus with control unit
AssigneeOki Data Corporation
InventorToshiki Sato
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member; a pressing member abutting against the fixing member; a first temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of the fixing member; a heating member for heating the fixing member; a power control unit for controlling power supplied to the heating member; a drive unit for rotating the fixing member; and a control unit for controlling the power control unit and the drive unit according to the temperature of the fixing member and a temperature of the pressing member before the fixing member rotates.
Claims8
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a medium, comprising:
- a sheet supply portion having a pick-up portion for picking up and supplying the medium to a medium transportation path;
- a transportation portion for transporting the medium along the medium transportation path;
- an image forming unit for charging and exposing an image supporting member to form a static latent image, and for developing the static latent image to form a developer image;
- a transfer portion for transferring the developer image to the medium;
- a fixing member;
- a pressing member abutting against the fixing member;
- a first temperature detection unit;
- a second temperature detection unit;
- a heating member for heating the fixing member;
- a power control unit for controlling power supplied to the heating member;
- a drive unit for rotating the fixing member;
- and
- a control unit for controlling the first temperature detection unit and the second temperature detection unit when the control unit receives an image forming command,
- wherein said control unit is arranged to control the first temperature detection to detect a first temperature of the fixing member before the fixing member starts rotating,
- said control unit is arranged to control the second temperature detection to detect a second temperature of the pressing member before the pressing member starts rotating,
- said control unit is arranged to calculate a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature before the fixing member starts rotating,
- said control unit is arranged to calculate an estimated temperature of the fixing member estimated to reach after the fixing member starts rotating according to the difference before the fixing member starts rotating, and
- said control unit is arranged to determine before the fixing member rotates whether a warming up is performed according to the estimated temperature and a fixing enable temperature range so that the estimated temperature is maintained within the fixing enable temperature range.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.