Image forming apparatus and its control method

• US 20050169655A1
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Akihiko, Hanamoto, Hidetoshi, Koyama, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,254,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/69
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/2039 with means for controlling the fixing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/80 Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00983 using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/2035 the fixing nip having a stationary belt support member opposing a pressure member

Abstract

There are provided an image forming apparatus which can implement on-demand fusing with quick rise in temperature by using the upper current (power) limit of a commercial power supply more effectively and a control method for the apparatus. This image forming apparatus includes a rechargeable battery device capable of charging and discharging, and is designed such that a load other than the heating element of a fusing device can receive power from the commercial power supply and/or the rechargeable battery device. When printing is to be executed, the temperature of the fusing device is detected by a temperature detection element provided for the fusing device, and the supply of power from the commercial power supply or rechargeable battery device to the load is controlled in accordance with the detected temperature. The power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing device is then limited to a limit level corresponding to the control result.

Claims

1. A control method for an image forming apparatus including fusing means, incorporating a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply, for fusing a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material, and rechargeable battery means capable of supplying power to a load other than the heating element, comprising:

a temperature detection step of detecting a temperature of the fusing means; and

a control step of controlling power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means in accordance with a detection result obtained in the temperature detection step.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the control step,

the temperature detection step is executed at turn-on or upon returning from an energy saving mode, and when the temperature of the fusing means which is detected in the temperature detection step is less than a predetermined temperature, power is supplied from the rechargeable battery means to the load, thereby increasing power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means, and

while power is supplied from the rechargeable battery means to the load, the temperature of the fusing means is monitored by repeating the temperature detection step, and when the temperature of the fusing device becomes not less than the predetermined temperature, supply of power from the rechargeable battery means to the load is interrupted, thereby reducing the power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a remaining amount detection step of detecting a remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means,

wherein in the control step,

the temperature detection step and the remaining amount detection step are executed at turn-on or upon returning from the energy saving mode, and when the temperature of the fusing device which is detected in the temperature detection step is less than a predetermined temperature and the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means which is detected in the remaining amount detection step is not less than a predetermined amount, power is supplied from the rechargeable battery means to the load, thereby increasing power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means, and

while power is supplied from the rechargeable battery means to the load, the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means and the temperature of the fusing means are monitored by repeating the remaining amount detection step and the temperature detection step, and when the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means becomes less than the predetermined amount and the temperature of the fusing device becomes not less than the predetermined temperature, supply of power from the rechargeable battery means to the load is interrupted, thereby reducing the power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means.

4. An image forming apparatus:

fusing means, incorporating a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply, for fusing a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material;

rechargeable battery means capable of supplying power to a load other than the heating element;

temperature detection means for detecting a temperature of said fusing means; and

control means for controlling power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means in accordance with a detection result obtained by said temperature detecting means.

5. A control method for an image forming apparatus including a fusing device which incorporates a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply and fuses a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material, a power supply circuit which outputs an AC voltage from a commercial power supply upon stepping-down the voltage to a predetermined DC voltage, a rechargeable battery device capable of charging and discharging, a voltage regulator circuit which outputs an output voltage from the rechargeable battery device upon stepping-up the voltage to a predetermined level, a power supply control circuit which controls power supplied from the commercial power supply and the rechargeable battery device to a load other than the heating element, and a fusing control circuit which limits power from the commercial power supply to a limit level corresponding to a control state by the power supply control circuit, comprising:

a destination detection step of detecting a temperature of the fusing device at turn-on or upon returning from an energy saving mode;

a first adjustment step of causing the power supply control circuit to supply power from the rechargeable battery device to the load through the voltage regulator circuit and causing the fusing control circuit to increase the limit level accordingly when the temperature of the fusing device which is detected in the temperature detection step is less than a predetermined temperature; and

a second adjustment step of monitoring the temperature of the fusing device by repeating the temperature detection step while power from the rechargeable battery device is supplied to the load through the voltage regulator circuit, and when the temperature of the fusing device is not less than the predetermined temperature, causing the power supply control circuit to supply power from the commercial power supply to the load through the power supply circuit, and causing the fusing control circuit to decrease the limit level accordingly.

6. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a fusing device which incorporates a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply and fuses a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material;

a power supply circuit which outputs an AC voltage from a commercial power supply upon stepping-down the voltage to a predetermined DC voltage;

a rechargeable battery device capable of charging and discharging;

a voltage regulator circuit which outputs an output voltage from said rechargeable battery device upon stepping-up the voltage to a predetermined level;

a power supply control circuit which controls power supplied from the commercial power supply and said rechargeable battery device to a load other than the heating element;

a fusing control circuit which limits power from the commercial power supply to a limit level corresponding to a control state by said power supply control circuit;

a temperature detection circuit which detects a temperature of said fusing device;

a first adjusting circuit which causes said power supply control circuit to supply power from said rechargeable battery device to the load through said voltage regulator circuit and causes said fusing control circuit to increase the limit level accordingly when the temperature of said fusing device which is detected by said temperature detection element at turn-on or upon returning from an energy saving mode is less than a predetermined temperature; and

a second adjustment circuit which monitors the temperature of said fusing device which is detected by said temperature detection element while power from said rechargeable battery device is supplied to the load through said voltage regulator circuit, and when the temperature of said fusing device is not less than the predetermined temperature, causes said power supply control circuit to supply power from the commercial power supply to the load through said power supply circuit, and causes said fusing control circuit to decrease the limit level accordingly.

7. A control method for an image forming apparatus including fusing means, incorporating a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply, for fusing a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material, and rechargeable battery means capable of charging and discharging, comprising:

a temperature detection step of detecting a temperature of the fusing means;

a power supply control step of controlling supply of power from the commercial power supply and the rechargeable battery means to a load other than the heating element in accordance with a detection result obtained in the temperature detection step; and

a fusing control step of limiting power from the commercial power supply to a limit level corresponding to a control state in the power supply control step, and supplying the power to the fusing means.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising:

fusing means, incorporating a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply, for fusing a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material;

rechargeable battery means capable of charging and discharging;

temperature detection means for detecting a temperature of said fusing device;

power supply control means for controlling supply of power from the commercial power supply and said rechargeable battery means to a load other than the heating element in accordance with a detection result obtained by said temperature detection means; and

fusing control means for limiting power from the commercial power supply to a limit level corresponding to a control state by said power supply control means, and supplying the power to said fusing means.