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US9046835B2 Active / In Force US ⏱️ 6.3 years remaining

Image forming apparatus

Assignee: Brother Industries Ltd
•
Filing: 2013-02-08
•
Granted: 2015-06-02
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Expires: 2033-02-08
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Abstract

Abstract An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing device having a heat source, a heating member, and a backup member; a temperature detecting member; a driving source configured to rotate at least one of the heating member and the backup member; a transmitting mechanism configured to transmit a driving force of the driving source; and a control device configured to control the heat source and the driving source, wherein, after a power is turned on, the control device turns on the heat source before the driving source is driven for the first time, and wherein, when at least one of a condition, where the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member becomes a first temperature, and a condition where a predetermined period elapses after the power is turned on, is satisfied, the control device turns off the heat source and then drives the driving source.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kenji Takeuchi
  • 👤 Kei ISHIDA
  • 👤 Kaoru Suzuki
  • 👤 Yuki Fukusada

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 02:37
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/20; G03G15/2003; G03G15/2014; G03G15/2039; G03G15/2046; G03G15/65; G03G15/6555; G03G15/657; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/20; G03G2215/2003; G03G2215/2016; G03G2215/2035

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 271 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing device including: heat source; a heating member configured to be heated by the heat source; and a backup member configured to sandwich a recording sheet between the backup member and the heating member; a temperature detecting member configured to detect the temperature of the heating member; a driving source configured to rotate at least one of the heating member and the backup member; a transmitting mechanism configured to transmit a driving force of the driving source to the at least one of the heating member and the backup member; and a control device configured to control the heat source and the driving source, wherein, after a power is turned on, the control device turns on the heat source before the driving source is driven for the first time and restricts driving of the driving source for a predetermined period, wherein, when at least one of a condition where the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member becomes a first temperature, and a condition where the predetermined period elapses after the power is turned on, is satisfied, the control device turns off the heat source and then drives the driving source, wherein, in a case where the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member when the power is turned on is higher than a second temperature, the control device waits for a predetermined waiting period after the power is turned on to turn on the heat source, and wherein the more the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member when the power is turned on increases, the more the control device lengthens the waiting period.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 271 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing device including: heat source; a heating member configured to be heated by the heat source; and a backup member configured to sandwich a recording sheet between the backup member and the heating member; a temperature detecting member configured to detect the temperature of the heating member; a driving source configured to rotate at least one of the heating member and the backup member; a transmitting mechanism configured to transmit a driving force of the driving source to the at least one of the heating member and the backup member; and a control device configured to control the heat source and the driving source, wherein, after a power is turned on, the control device turns on the heat source before the driving source is driven for the first time and restricts driving of the driving source for a predetermined period, wherein, when at least one of a condition where the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member becomes a first temperature, and a condition where the predetermined period elapses after the power is turned on, is satisfied, the control device turns off the heat source and then drives the driving source, wherein, in a case where the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member when the power is turned on is higher than a second temperature, the control device waits for a predetermined waiting period after the power is turned on to turn on the heat source, and wherein the more the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member when the power is turned on increases, the more the control device lengthens the waiting period.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control device drives the driving source immediately after the heat source is turned off.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 57 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control device turns on the heat source after the driving source is driven, and wherein, output of the heat source before the driving source is driven for the first time is smaller than a maximum output of the heat source after the driving source is driven.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 60 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heating member includes a nip member and a flexible cylindrical member; wherein the cylindrical member is interposed between the backup member and the nip member; wherein the backup member is rotated by the driving source, and wherein a lubricant is provided between the nip member and the cylindrical member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 36 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control device maintains the heat source in an OFF state from when the heat source is turned off to when the driving source is driven.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heating member is a cylindrical belt.

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