Circuit for controlling temperature of a fuser unit in a laser printer

Claim 2

A temperature control circuit of an image forming apparatus, comprising: converting means for generating a temperature dependent voltage indicative of a sensed temperature of a fusing device, said fusing device for fusing toner to paper by application of heat; determining means for generating one of a first reference voltage signal corresponding to a predetermined operational temperature of said fusing device, a second reference voltage signal corresponding to a predetermined standby temperature of said fusing device and a third reference voltage signal indicative of a selection of a disabled state of said temperature dependent voltage to the generated one of said first reference voltage signal and said second reference voltage signal and disabling generation of said control signal in response to said third reference voltage signal for any state of said temperature dependent voltage, said control signal for enabling a heating device to heat said fuser device.

Claim 3

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for providing positive feed back to said control signal generating means to stabilize the generation of said control signal.

Claim 4

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said positive feed back means comprises a parallel connected resistor and capacitor.

Claim 5

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said converting means comprises a thermistor positioned in close physical proximity to said fusing device.

Claim 6

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 4, wherein said converting circuit further comprises compensating means for improving a linear temperature response of said thermistor.

Claim 7

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said converting circuit comprises a thermistor positioned in close physical proximity to said fusing device; and an inverter connected between a supply voltage terminal and said thermistor for improving a linear temperature response of said thermistor.

Claim 8

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said determining means comprises: means for receiving a first temperature selection signal and a second temperature selection signal generated by a central processing unit of said image forming apparatus; and reference signal generating means for generating said first reference voltage signal and said second reference voltage signal in response to said first temperature selection signal and said second temperature selection signal.

Claim 9

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said receiving means comprises inverting means for generating a first inverted signal and a second inverted signal by inverting said first temperature selection signal and said second temperature selection signal, respectively.

Claim 10

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said reference signal generating means comprises voltage dividing means for generating said first reference voltage signal and said second reference voltage signal by voltage dividing said first inverted signal and said second inverted signal, respectively, to different voltage levels.

Claim 11

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 9, further comprising: a heater driver for driving said heating device in response to a conductive state of an phototransistor; a light emitting diode, optically coupled to said phototransistor, for emitting light to change a conductive state of said phototransistor; and an inverter for driving said light emitting diode in response to said control signal.

Claim 12

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a heater driver for driving said heating device in response to a conductive state of an phototransistor; a light emitting diode, optically coupled to said phototransistor, for emitting light to change a conductive state of said phototransistor; and an inverter for driving said light emitting diode in response to said control signal.

Claim 13

A temperature control circuit for fusing rollers of an electrostatic printing device, said fusing rollers for fusing toner to paper, said circuit comprising: converting means for generating a temperature dependent voltage indicative of a sensed temperature of fusing rollers; determining means for generating one of a first reference voltage signal corresponding to a predetermined operational temperature of said fusing rollers, a second reference voltage signal corresponding to a predetermined standby temperature of said fusing rollers and a third reference voltage signal indicative of a selection of a disabled state of said heating means; means for generating a control signal in response to comparisons of said temperature dependent voltage to the generated one of said first reference voltage signal and said second reference voltage signal and disabling generation of said control signal in response to said third reference voltage signal for any state of said temperature dependent voltage; heating means for heating said fusing rollers; and driving means for driving said heating means in response to said control signal.

Claim 14

A temperature control circuit for fusing rollers of an electrostatic printing device, said fusing rollers for fusing toner to paper, said circuit comprising: converting means for generating a temperature dependent voltage indicative of a sensed temperature of fusing rollers; determining means for generating one of a first reference voltage signal corresponding to a predetermined operational temperature of said fusing rollers, a second reference voltage signal corresponding to a predetermined standby temperature of said fusing rollers and a third reference voltage signal indicative of a selection of a disabled state of said heating means; means for generating a control signal in response to comparisons of said temperature dependent voltage to the generated one of said first reference voltage signal and said second reference voltage signal and disabling generation of said control signal in response to said third reference voltage signal for any state of said temperature dependent voltage; heating means for heating said fusing rollers; and driving means for driving said heating means in response to said control signal.

Claim 15

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 12, wherein said determining means comprises: means for receiving a first temperature selection signal and a second temperature selection signal generated by a central processing unit of said electrostatic printing device; and reference signal generating means for generating said first reference voltage signal and said second reference voltage signal in response to said first temperature selection signal and said second temperature selection signal.

Claim 16

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 13, wherein said receiving means comprises inverting means for generating a first inverted signal and a second inverted signal by inverting said first temperature selection signal and said second temperature selection signal, respectively.

Claim 17

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 14, wherein said reference signal generating means comprises voltage dividing means for generating one of said first reference voltage signal and said second reference voltage signal by voltage dividing said first inverted signal and said second inverted signal, respectively, to different voltage levels.

Claim 18

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 15, further comprising: a heater driver for driving said heating means in response to a conductive state of an phototransistor; a light emitting diode, optically coupled to said phototransistor, for emitting light to change a conductive state of said phototransistor; and an inverter for driving said light emitting diode in response to said control signal.

Claim 19

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: a heater driver for driving said heating means in response to a conductive state of an phototransistor; a light emitting diode, optically coupled to said phototransistor, for emitting light to change a conductive state of said phototransistor; and an inverter for driving said light emitting diode in response to said control signal.

Claim 20

A temperature control circuit for fusing rollers of an electrostatic printing device, said fusing rollers for fusing toner to paper, comprising: converting means for generating a temperature dependent voltage indicative of a sensed temperature of fusing rollers; determining means for generating one of a first reference voltage signal corresponding to a predetermined operational temperature of said fusing rollers, a second reference voltage signal corresponding to a predetermined standby temperature of said fusing rollers and a third reference voltage signal indicative of a selection of a disabled state of said heating means; means for generating a control signal in response to comparisons of said temperature dependent voltage to the generated one of said first reference voltage signal and said second reference voltage signal and disabling generation of said control signal in response to said third reference voltage signal for any state of said temperature dependent voltage; heating means for heating said fusing rollers; and driving means for driving said heating means in response to said control signal.

Claim 21

A temperature control circuit for fusing rollers of an electrostatic printing device, said fusing rollers for fusing toner to paper, comprising: converting means for generating a temperature dependent voltage indicative of a sensed temperature of fusing rollers; determining means for generating one of a first reference voltage signal corresponding to a predetermined operational temperature of said fusing rollers, a second reference voltage signal corresponding to a predetermined standby temperature of said fusing rollers and a third reference voltage signal indicative of a selection of a disabled state of said heating means; means for generating a control signal in response to comparisons of said temperature dependent voltage to the generated one of said first reference voltage signal and said second reference voltage signal and disabling generation of said control signal in response to said third reference voltage signal for any state of said temperature dependent voltage; heating means for heating said fusing rollers; and driving means for driving said heating means in response to said control signal.

Claim 22

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 18, wherein said determining means comprises: means for receiving a first temperature selection signal and a second temperature selection signal generated by a central processing unit of said electrostatic printing device; and reference signal generating means for generating said first reference voltage signal and said second reference voltage signal in response to said first temperature selection signal and said second temperature selection signal.

Claim 23

A temperature control circuit as claimed in claim 19, further comprised of: said reference signal generating means for generating a third reference voltage signal indicative of a selection of a disabled state of said heating means in response to said first temperature selection signal and said second temperature selection signal being the same logic state; and said control signal generating means disabling generation of said control signal in response to said third reference voltage signal for any state of said temperature dependent voltage.