# US 8,787,785 B2 · Image forming device and control method thereof

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- Number: US 8,787,785 B2
- Document ID: US8787785B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/459,462
- Filed: 2012-04-30
- Published: 2012-11-22
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2011-05-17
- Assignees: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Hiroshi Matsumoto
- Inventors: Hiroshi Matsumoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787785B2

## CPC

- G03G 15/2046: {specially for the influence of heat loss, e.g. due to the contact with the copy material or other roller}
- G03G 15/2017: {Structural details of the fixing unit in general, e.g. cooling means, heat shielding means (G03G15/2053 takes precedence)}
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

An image forming device includes: an image forming section, a fixing unit, an oscillation mechanism and a controller. The image forming section forms an image on paper. The fixing unit thermally fixes the image on the paper by using a fixing rotating member to pinch and convey the paper. The oscillation mechanism oscillates at least the entire fixing rotating member of the fixing unit in an axis direction thereof. The controller determines an oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member based on rigidity of the paper in a state where the paper is pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member and another rotating member at the same time, and oscillates the fixing rotating member using the oscillation mechanism with the determined oscillation quantity. The controller determines the oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member to be reduced as rigidity of the paper becomes lower.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming device, comprising:
an image forming section to form an image on paper;
a fixing unit to thermally fix the image on the paper by using a fixing rotating member to pinch and convey the paper on which the image has been formed by the image forming section;
an oscillation mechanism to oscillate at least the entire fixing rotating member of the fixing unit in an axis direction thereof;
another rotating member to pinch and convey the paper, the another rotating member being provided on an upstream side or a downstream side of the fixing unit in a paper conveying direction; and
a controller to determine an oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member based on rigidity of the paper in a state where the paper is pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member and the another rotating member, and oscillate the fixing rotating member using the oscillation mechanism with the oscillation quantity which has been determined, wherein
the controller determines the oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member to be reduced as rigidity of the paper becomes lower.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member in the state where the paper is pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member and the another rotating member is determined to be smaller than an oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member in a state where the paper is pinched and conveyed only by the fixing rotating member and an oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member in a state where the paper is not pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image forming device according to claim 1 wherein the controller controls a compressing force of conveying rollers provided on the downstream side of the fixing rotating member in the paper conveying direction when the paper is pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member, so that the compressing force is smaller than a compressing force of the conveying rollers when the paper is not pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member.

### Claim 4

A control method of an image forming device which includes an image forming section to form an image on paper, a fixing unit to thermally fix the image on the paper by using a fixing rotating member to pinch and convey the paper on which the image has been formed by the image forming section, an oscillation mechanism to oscillate at least the entire fixing rotating member of the fixing unit in an axis direction thereof, and another rotating member to pinch and convey the paper, the another rotating member being provided on an upstream side or a downstream side of the fixing unit in a paper conveying direction, said control method comprising the steps of:
determining an oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member in a state where the paper is pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member and the another rotating member so that the oscillation quantity is reduced when rigidity of the paper becomes lower; and
oscillating the fixing rotating member with the determined oscillation quantity by using the oscillation mechanism.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The control method according to claim 4, wherein the oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member in the state where the paper is pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member and the another rotating member is determined to be smaller than an oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member in a state where the paper is pinched and conveyed only by the fixing rotating member and an oscillation quantity of the fixing rotating member in a state where the paper is not pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The control method according to claim 4, further comprising a step of controlling a compressing force of conveying rollers provided on the downstream side of the fixing rotating member in the paper conveying direction when the paper is pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member, so that the compressing force is smaller than a compressing force of the conveying rollers when the paper is not pinched and conveyed by the fixing rotating member.