Controllable fixing device for fixing a toner image into a sheet

Claim 2

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing between the pair of rollers by giving heat, one of the fixing rollers being provided with a layer of an elastic body, and the surface of this roller is substantially a mirror plane; mold releasing agent coating member for coating a mold releasing agent on said one of the fixing rollers; warm-up means for executing a warm-up operation of said fixing rollers, said warm-up means including detecting means, which is in contact with said one of the fixing rollers, for detecting the temperature thereof, said warm-up means starting a warm-up operation in response to a power-on and terminating when the fixing rollers reach a predetermined temperature, and said warm-up operation including rotation of said fixing rollers; and control means for operating the mold releasing agent coating means for a predetermined time during a warm-up time, wherein said control means terminates the operation of the mold releasing agent coating means before the termination of said warm-up operation.

Claim 3

The fixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the mold releasing agent coating means is provided with a movable coating member between a first position where the mold releasing agent coating means contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position where it is separated from said one of the fixing rollers, and driving means for moving the coating member.

Claim 4

The fixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said one of the fixing rollers contacts a toner image on a sheet.

Claim 5

The fixing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said one of the fixing rollers incorporates a heater therein.

Claim 6

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing between the pair of rollers by giving heat, one of the fixing rollers being provided with a layer of an elastic body, and the surface of this roller is substantially a mirror plane; mold releasing agent coating member for coating a mold releasing agent on said one of the fixing rollers; and control means for operating the mold releasing agent coating means at a warm-up time; wherein the mold releasing agent coating means is provided with an accommodating section for accommodating a mold releasing agent, a first roller which contacts the mold releasing agent in the accommodating section, a second roller which contacts the first roller, a third roller which contacts the second roller, the third roller being movably provided between a first position where the third roller contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position where it is separated from said one of the fixing rollers.

Claim 7

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing between the pair of rollers by giving heat, one of the fixing rollers being provided with a layer of an elastic body, and the surface of this roller is substantially a mirror plane; mold releasing agent coating member for coating a mold releasing agent on said one of the fixing rollers; and control means for operating the mold releasing agent coating means at a warm-up time; wherein the mold releasing agent coating means is provided with an accommodating section for accommodating a mold releasing agent, a first roller which contacts the mold releasing agent in the accommodating section, a second roller which contacts the first roller, a third roller which contacts the second roller, the third roller being movably provided between a first position where the third roller contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position where it is separated from said one of the fixing rollers.

Claim 8

The fixing device as defined in claim 5, wherein the mold releasing agent coating means is provided with regulating means for regulating the amount of the mold releasing agent on the third roller.

Claim 9

The fixing device as defined in claim 6, wherein the regulating means is movably provided between a regulating position where the regulating means contacts the third roller and a retracting position where it is separated from the third roller.

Claim 10

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing between the pair of rollers by giving heat; driving means for rotatively driving the pair of fixing rollers selectively at one of three driving speeds, V1, V2 and V3, where V1>V2>V3; judging means for judging a sheet whether the sheet is a plain paper or a specific sheet; signal generating means for generating a switching signal; and control means for switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V2 before a plain paper arrives between the pair of rollers while switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V3 before a specific sheet arrives between the pair of rollers in response to the judging means, said control means switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V2 after a first predetermined time T1 from a generation of said switching signal while switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V3 after a second predetermined time T2 from a generation of said switching signal, where T1>T2.

Claim 11

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing between the pair of rollers by giving heat; driving means for rotatively driving the pair of fixing rollers selectively at one of three driving speeds, V1, V2 and V3, where V1>V2>V3; judging means for judging a sheet whether the sheet is a plain paper or a specific sheet; signal generating means for generating a switching signal; and control means for switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V2 before a plain paper arrives between the pair of rollers while switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V3 before a specific sheet arrives between the pair of rollers in response to the judging means, said control means switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V2 after a first predetermined time T1 from a generation of said switching signal while switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V3 after a second predetermined time T2 from a generation of said switching signal, where T1>T2.

Claim 12

The fixing device as defined in claim 8, wherein the driving means includes a variable speed gear mechanism.

Claim 13

The fixing device as defined in claim 8, wherein the judging means includes a sensor for detecting a sheet.

Claim 14

The fixing device as defined in claim 8, further comprising mold releasing agent coating means for coating a mold releasing agent on said one of the fixing rollers.

Claim 15

The fixing device as defined in claim 11, wherein the mold releasing agent coating means is provided with a movable coating member between a first position where the mold releasing agent coating means contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position where it is separated from said one of the fixing rollers, and driving means for moving the coating member.

Claim 16

The fixing device as defined in claim 8, wherein said signal generating means includes a sheet sensor which detects a sheet coming to the pair of rollers and generates the switching signal.

Claim 17

The fixing device as defined in claim 8, further comprising: means for transporting a sheet having a toner image thereon toward the pair of fixing rollers, driving speed of said transporting means being substantially same to that of said fixing rollers.

Claim 18

The fixing device as defined in claim 14, wherein said driving means drives said transporting means.

Claim 19

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing between the pair of rollers by giving heat; driving means for rotatively driving the pair of fixing rollers; judging means for judging a sheet whether the sheet is a plain paper or a transparent film; control means for controlling the driving means so as to change rotational speed of the fixing rollers in response to the judging means, the timing for changing rotational speed when the sheet is a transparent film is earlier than that when the sheet is a plain paper; and mold releasing agent coating means for coating a mold releasing agent on said one of the fixing rollers; wherein the mold releasing agent coating means is provided with an accommodating section for accommodating a mold releasing agent, a first roller which contacts the mold releasing agent in the accommodating section, a second roller which contacts the first roller, a third roller which contacts the second roller, the third roller being movably provided between a first position where it contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position where it is separated from said one of the fixing rollers.

Claim 20

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing between the pair of rollers by giving heat; driving means for rotatively driving the pair of fixing rollers; judging means for judging a sheet whether the sheet is a plain paper or a transparent film; control means for controlling the driving means so as to change rotational speed of the fixing rollers in response to the judging means, the timing for changing rotational speed when the sheet is a transparent film is earlier than that when the sheet is a plain paper; and mold releasing agent coating means for coating a mold releasing agent on said one of the fixing rollers; wherein the mold releasing agent coating means is provided with an accommodating section for accommodating a mold releasing agent, a first roller which contacts the mold releasing agent in the accommodating section, a second roller which contacts the first roller, a third roller which contacts the second roller, the third roller being movably provided between a first position where it contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position where it is separated from said one of the fixing rollers.

Claim 21

The fixing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the mold releasing agent coating means is provided with a regulating means for regulating the amount of a mold releasing agent on the third roller.

Claim 22

The fixing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the regulating means is movably provided between a regulating position where the regulating means contacts the third roller and a retracting position where it is separated from the third roller.

Claim 23

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing through between the pair of rollers by giving heat; a mold releasing agent coating member for coating a mold releasing agent on one of the fixing rollers, being movably provided between a first position where it contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position where it is separated from said one of the fixing rollers; a regulating member for regulating the amount of the mold releasing agent on the mold releasing agent coating member, being movably provided between a regulating position where the regulating member contacts the mold releasing agent coating member and a retracting position where it is separated from the mold releasing agent coating member; and control means for moving the mold releasing agent coating member to the first position after the regulating member is, moved to the regulating position.

Claim 24

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing through between the pair of rollers by giving heat; a mold releasing agent coating member for coating a mold releasing agent on one of the fixing rollers, being movably provided between a first position where it contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position where it is separated from said one of the fixing rollers; a regulating member for regulating the amount of the mold releasing agent on the mold releasing agent coating member, being movably provided between a regulating position where the regulating member contacts the mold releasing agent coating member and a retracting position where it is separated from the mold releasing agent coating member; and control means for moving the mold releasing agent coating member to the first position after the regulating member is, moved to the regulating position.

Claim 25

The fixing device as defined in claim 19, wherein the mold releasing agent coating member is a roller.

Claim 26

The fixing device as defined in claim 19, wherein the regulating member is a blade.

Claim 27

The fixing device as defined in claim 19, wherein the control means moves the mold releasing agent coating member to the first position so as to have a first coated mold releasing agent coated on said one of the fixing rollers reaches a nip section between the pair of the fixing rollers simultaneously with the timing a sheet thrusts into the nip section.

Claim 28

The fixing device as defined in claim 19, wherein the control means moves the mold releasing agent coating member to the first position for only a predetermined period of time during the fixing rollers are rotated at a warm-up time.

Claim 29

The fixing device as defined in claim 19, further comprising mold releasing agent transmitting means for transmitting the mold releasing agent accommodated in the accommodating section, being provided with a first roller which contacts the mold releasing agent in the accommodating section and a second roller which contacts the first roller and the mold releasing agent coating member.

Claim 30

The fixing device as defined in claim 19, wherein said one of the fixing rollers contacts a toner image on a sheet.

Claim 31

The fixing device as defined in claim 19, wherein said one of the fixing rollers incorporates a heater therein.

Claim 32

The fixing device as defined in claim 19, wherein said one of the fixing rollers is provided with a layer of an elastic body, and the surface is substantially a mirror plane.

Claim 33

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing through between the pair of rollers by giving heat; a rotatable mold releasing agent coating roller for coating a mold releasing agent on one of the fixing rollers, being movably provided between a first position where it contacts said one of fixing rollers and a second position where it is moved away therefrom; a regulating member for regulating the amount of the mold releasing agent on the mold releasing agent roller, being movably provided between a regulating position where it contacts the mold releasing agent coating roller and a retracting position where it is moved away therefrom; and control means for rotating the mold releasing agent coating roller for a predetermined period of time during the mold releasing agent coating roller is moved to the first position after the regulating member is moved to the regulating position.

Claim 34

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing through between the pair of rollers by giving heat; a rotatable mold releasing agent coating roller for coating a mold releasing agent on one of the fixing rollers, being movably provided between a first position where it contacts said one of fixing rollers and a second position where it is moved away therefrom; a regulating member for regulating the amount of the mold releasing agent on the mold releasing agent roller, being movably provided between a regulating position where it contacts the mold releasing agent coating roller and a retracting position where it is moved away therefrom; and control means for rotating the mold releasing agent coating roller for a predetermined period of time during the mold releasing agent coating roller is moved to the first position after the regulating member is moved to the regulating position.

Claim 35

The fixing device as defined in claim 28, wherein the regulating member is a blade.

Claim 36

The fixing device as defined in claim 28, wherein the control means moves the mold releasing agent coating roller to the first position so as to have a first coated mold releasing agent coated on said one of the fixing rollers reaches a nip section between the pair of fixing rollers simultaneously with the timing a sheet thrusts into the nip section.

Claim 37

The fixing device as defined in claim 28, further comprising mold releasing agent transmitting means for transmitting the mold releasing agent accommodated in the accommodating section onto the mold releasing agent coating roller, being provided with a first roller which contacts the mold releasing agent in the accommodating section and a second roller which contacts the first roller and the mold releasing agent coating roller.

Claim 38

A fixing Device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing through between the pair of rollers by giving heat; a rotatable mold releasing agent coating roller for coating a mold releasing agent on one of the fixing rollers, being movably provided between a first position where it contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position it is moved away therefrom; a regulating member for regulating the amount of the mold releasing agent on the mold releasing agent coating roller, being movably provided between a regulating position where it contacts the mold releasing agent coating roller and a retracting position where it is moved away therefrom; control means for rotating the mold releasing agent coating roller for a predetermined period of time under the state that the mold releasing agent coating roller is moved from the first position to the second position with the regulating member positioned at the regulating position.

Claim 39

A fixing Device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing through between the pair of rollers by giving heat; a rotatable mold releasing agent coating roller for coating a mold releasing agent on one of the fixing rollers, being movably provided between a first position where it contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position it is moved away therefrom; a regulating member for regulating the amount of the mold releasing agent on the mold releasing agent coating roller, being movably provided between a regulating position where it contacts the mold releasing agent coating roller and a retracting position where it is moved away therefrom; control means for rotating the mold releasing agent coating roller for a predetermined period of time under the state that the mold releasing agent coating roller is moved from the first position to the second position with the regulating member positioned at the regulating position.

Claim 40

The fixing device as defined in claim 32, wherein the regulating member is a blade.

Claim 41

The fixing device as defined in claim 32, wherein the control means moves the mold releasing agent coating roller to the first position so as to have a first coated mold releasing agent coated on said one of the fixing roller reaches a nip section between the pair of fixing rollers simultaneously with the timing a sheet thrusts into the nip section.

Claim 42

The fixing device as defined in claim 32, further comprising mold releasing agent transmitting means for transmitting the mold releasing agent accommodated in the accommodating section onto the mold releasing agent coating roller, being provided with a first roller which contacts the mold releasing agent in the accommodating section and a second roller which contacts the first roller and the mold releasing agent coating roller.

Claim 43

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing through between the pair of rollers by giving heat; a rotatable mold releasing agent coating roller for coating a mold releasing agent on one of the fixing rollers, being movably provided between a first position where it contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position where it is separated from said one of the fixing rollers; mold releasing agent transmitting means for transmitting the mold releasing agent accommodated in the accommodating section onto the mold releasing agent coating roller; driving means for rotatively driving the mold releasing agent coating roller; a regulating member for regulating the amount of the mold releasing agent on the mold releasing agent coating roller, being movably provided between a regulating position where it contacts the mold releasing agent coating roller and a retracting position where it is moved away therefrom; and control means for moving the regulating member to the regulating position after a predetermined time from the time the mold releasing agent coating roller started rotation.

Claim 44

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing through between the pair of rollers by giving heat; a rotatable mold releasing agent coating roller for coating a mold releasing agent on one of the fixing rollers, being movably provided between a first position where it contacts said one of the fixing rollers and a second position where it is separated from said one of the fixing rollers; mold releasing agent transmitting means for transmitting the mold releasing agent accommodated in the accommodating section onto the mold releasing agent coating roller; driving means for rotatively driving the mold releasing agent coating roller; a regulating member for regulating the amount of the mold releasing agent on the mold releasing agent coating roller, being movably provided between a regulating position where it contacts the mold releasing agent coating roller and a retracting position where it is moved away therefrom; and control means for moving the regulating member to the regulating position after a predetermined time from the time the mold releasing agent coating roller started rotation.

Claim 45

The fixing device as defined in claim 36, wherein the regulating means is a blade.

Claim 46

The fixing device as defined in claim 36, wherein the control means moves the mold releasing agent coating roller to the first position after a predetermined time from the time the regulating member has been moved to the regulating position.

Claim 47

The fixing device as defined in claim 36, wherein the mold releasing agent transmitting means is provided with a first roller which contacts the mold releasing agent in the accommodating section and a second roller which contacts the first roller and the mold releasing agent coating roller.

Claim 48

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing between the pair of rollers by giving heat; driving means for rotatively driving the pair of fixing rollers selectively at one of three driving speeds, V1, V2 and V3, where V1>V2>V3; signal generating means for generating a switching signal; mode selecting means for selecting one of first and second modes; and control means for switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V2 before a sheet arrives between the pair of rollers in the first mode while switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V3 before a sheet arrives between the pair of rollers in the second mode, said control means switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V2 after a first predetermined time T1 from a generation of said switching signal while switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V3 after a second predetermined time T2 from a generation of said switching signal, where T1>T2.

Claim 49

A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet, comprising: a pair of fixing rollers for fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing between the pair of rollers by giving heat; driving means for rotatively driving the pair of fixing rollers selectively at one of three driving speeds, V1, V2 and V3, where V1>V2>V3; signal generating means for generating a switching signal; mode selecting means for selecting one of first and second modes; and control means for switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V2 before a sheet arrives between the pair of rollers in the first mode while switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V3 before a sheet arrives between the pair of rollers in the second mode, said control means switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V2 after a first predetermined time T1 from a generation of said switching signal while switching rotational speed of the fixing roller from V1 to V3 after a second predetermined time T2 from a generation of said switching signal, where T1>T2.