Image forming apparatus capable of detecting surface temperature rotating body without contact

• US 7,970,299 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Sato, Toshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray; David M
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYDER, G.M. ALI
• Application Number:
  US11/510,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20070140719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 399/44, 399/69, 399/94, 399320-342, 399/126
• US Class Current: 399/44
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/2039 with means for controlling the fixing temperature

Abstract

The aim of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that accurately detects surface temperature of a rotating body using a noncontact temperature detection section and corrects the detected temperature according to the temperature of the surrounding area. The present invention detects the temperature of a thermal unit and the temperature of a holding unit and corrects the temperature of the thermal unit based on the temperature of the holding unit so that effects from the temperature of a surrounding area can be corrected and the temperature can accurately be detected without scarring a surface of the rotating body. Accurate regulation of the surface temperature of the rotating body can therefore be performed.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus having a fusion unit so as to fuse developer deposited on a medium, comprising:

a rotating body rotating in a feeding direction of said medium;

a heating source heating said rotating body;

a thermal unit for receiving radiated heat from said rotating body, disposed with a prescribed gap from said rotating body;

a first temperature detection unit for detecting a value of the temperature of said thermal unit;

a first holding unit for holding said thermal unit and said first temperature detection unit, the first holding unit having a first surface facing the rotating body and a second surface opposite to the first surface;

a second temperature detection unit for detecting a value of the temperature of said first holding unit;

a second holding unit for holding said second temperature detection unit, the second holding unit being disposed on the second surface of the first holding unit;

a storage unit storing a previously calculated rotation time correction value and a previously calculated stopped time correction value; and

a temperature calculation unit for correcting the value of the temperature of said thermal unit detected by said first temperature detection unit based on the value of the temperature of said first holding unit detected by said second temperature detection unit and based on the rotation time correction value or the stopped time correction value and for calculating a surface temperature of said rotating body,

wherein the stopped time correction value is different from the rotation time correction value,

wherein the rotation time correction value is used for a period where the rotating body is rotating, such that, when the rotating body is rotating, the temperature calculation unit calculates the surface temperature of the rotating body according to the value of the temperature of said thermal unit, the value of the temperature of said first holding unit and the rotation time correction value, and

wherein the stopped time correction value is used for a period where the rotating body is stopped, such that, when the rotating body is stopped, the temperature calculation unit calculates the surface temperature of the rotating body according to the value of the temperature of said thermal unit, the value of the temperature of said first holding unit and the stopped time correction value.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said temperature calculation unit, using the previously calculated rotation time correction value or stopped time correction value, corrects the value of the temperature of said thermal unit detected by said first temperature detection unit, based on the value of the temperature of said first holding unit detected by said second temperature detection unit, from a relationship among the value of the temperature of said thermal unit detected by said first temperature detection unit, the value of the temperature of said first holding unit detected by said second temperature detection unit, and the actual surface temperature of said rotating body, and calculates the surface temperature of said rotating body.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature storing unit for storing the value of the temperature of said thermal unit detected by said first temperature detection unit at every unit of time measured by a time measurement unit, wherein said temperature calculation unit corrects the temperature calculated with the value of the temperature of said first holding unit detected by said second temperature detection unit and the value of the temperature of said thermal unit detected by said first temperature detection unit based on an amount of change in temperature calculated from the temperature stored by said temperature storing unit at every unit of time, and calculates the surface temperature of said rotating body.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a temperature storing unit for storing the value of the temperature of said thermal unit detected by said first temperature detection unit at every unit of time measured by a time measurement unit, wherein said temperature calculation unit corrects the temperature calculated with the value of the temperature of said first holding unit detected by said second temperature detection unit and the value of the temperature of said thermal unit detected by said first temperature detection unit based on an amount of change in temperature calculated from the temperature stored by said temperature storing unit at every unit of time, and calculates the surface temperature of said rotating body.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said previously calculated rotation time correction value or said previously calculated stopped time correction value is corrected based on the value of the temperature of said first holding unit detected by said second temperature detection unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the amount of temperature change at the prescribed time is corrected based on the value of the temperature of said first holding unit detected by said second temperature detection unit.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said thermal unit absorbs infrared radiation emitted from said rotating body.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a secondary stopped time correction value used in said temperature calculation unit when said rotating body is stopped after having executed a prescribed operation immediately before, is sought in advance, and wherein said temperature detection unit makes a judgment as to an operation condition of said rotating body and uses the secondary stopped time correction value in a case where said rotating body is stopped after having executed the prescribed operation immediately before.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a surface temperature of said rotating body is calculated by the following equation:

Tc=A×

Tnc+B×

Tamb+C,

wherein Tc is the surface temperature of said rotating body, Tnc is the value of the temperature of said thermal unit detected by said first temperature detection unit, Tamb is the value of the temperature of said first holding unit detected by said second temperature detection unit, and A, B and C are constants.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a surface temperature of said rotating body is calculated by the following equation:

Tc=A×

Tnc+B×

Tamb+C−

D×

(dTnc/dT),

wherein Tc is the surface temperature of said rotating body, Tnc is the value of the temperature of said thermal unit detected by said first temperature detection unit, Tamb is the value of the temperature of said first holding unit detected by said second temperature detection unit, (dTnc/dT) is an amount of change in temperature calculated by said first temperature detection unit at a prescribed time (T), and A, B, C, and D are constants.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a surface temperature of said rotating body is calculated by the following equation:

Tc=A[Tamb]×

Tnc+B×

Tamb+C−

D×

(dTnc/dT),

wherein Tc is the surface temperature of said rotating body, Tnc is the value of the temperature of said thermal unit by said first temperature detection unit, Tamb is the value of the temperature of said first holding unit detected by said second temperature detection unit, (dTnc/dT) is an amount of change in temperature calculated by said first temperature detection unit at a prescribed time (T), B, C, and D are constants, and A [Tamb] is a value that is calculated from the following equation;

A[Tamb]=a×

Tamb+b, wherein a and b are constants.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein both of said first temperature detection unit and said second temperature detection unit are disposed at a position above said rotating body.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit further stores a medium temperature correction value that is calculated in advance within a prescribed time, after a narrow medium is used.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said thermal unit is disposed on top of said first holding unit, and said first temperature detection unit.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first holding unit is plate-shaped.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the storage unit further stores a medium temperature correction value obtained when a medium having a narrow width is printed;

the temperature calculation unit judges whether the rotating body is stopped and whether the narrow medium has been printed previously; and

in case where the rotating body is stopped and the narrow medium has been printed, the temperature calculation unit calculates the surface temperature of the rotating body based on the medium temperature correction value.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the medium temperature correction value is used where a time that the rotating body is stopped is within a prescribed time.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a power distribution control unit for controlling a power distribution condition of said heating source such that a surface temperature of the rotating body is to be a prescribed target temperature,

wherein the rotation time correction value is used for a period where the rotating body is rotating, such that, when the rotating body is rotating, the temperature calculation unit calculates the surface temperature of the rotating body according to the value of the corrected temperature of said thermal unit, the value of the temperature of said first holding unit and the rotation time correction value as a first surface temperature value, and

wherein the stopped time correction value is used for a period where the rotating body is stopped, such that, when the rotating body is stopped, the temperature calculation unit calculates the surface temperature of the rotating body according to the value of the corrected temperature of said thermal unit, the value of the temperature of said first holding unit and the stopped time correction value as a second surface temperature value, and

wherein said power distribution control unit controls the power distribution condition of said heating source, according to the first surface temperature value when the rotating body is rotating and accordingly to the second surface temperature value when the rotating body is stopped, to make the surface temperature of the rotating body be the same prescribed target temperature for both instances where the rotating body is rotating and stopped.