Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Keiichi Sugai

Naoki Sato

Masahide Nakaya

Hiroto Ohishi

Masae Sugawara

Yuusuke Ishizaki

Masashi Ooi

Ryo Takamatsu

Masashi Oi

An image forming apparatus for forming an image with a fixing member, which fixing member includes a first heating member and a plurality of second heating members is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a capacitor, a charging part for charging the capacitor, a first drive part for lighting on/off the first heating member by controlling a first power supply to the first heating member, a second drive part for lighting on/off at least one of the plurality of second heating members by controlling a second power supply to the plurality of second heating members, and a control part for dividing the plurality of second heating members into groups and permitting at least one of the groups to receive the second power supply during a waiting period of the image forming apparatus.

Image forming apparatus for forming image with fixing device power supply control method for controlling the image forming apparatus and power supply control program for controlling the image forming apparatus

An auxiliary power supply unit, which is attachable to and detachable from an apparatus, includes a charge unit configured to store electric charge, a terminal configured to establish electrical connection for discharge with the apparatus, and a discharge unit situated between the charge unit and the terminal to provide a discharge path that electrically connect the charge unit to the apparatus, the discharge path having an open/closed state thereof controlled during a period when an electric power is supplied from the apparatus, the discharge path being opened in response to a stoppage of supply of the electric power from the apparatus.

Auxiliary power supply unit and image forming apparatus

Image forming apparatus for forming image with fixing member, power supply control method for controlling the image forming apparatus, and power supply control program for controlling the image forming apparatus

A power source control apparatus including a capacitor; a charge control circuit for controlling a charger that charges the capacitor; a discharging circuit for discharging power charged in the capacitor to a heating member for heating. The power source control apparatus is shifted to an energy saving mode in which power supply to a part of power loads is stopped when a first condition is satisfied, and the power source control apparatus terminates the energy saving mode when a second condition is satisfied. In the apparatus, the charge control circuit is supplied with power from a power source circuit that supplies power during the energy saving mode.

Power source control apparatus, and power source control method

A main controller controls a capacitor charger to charge a capacitor as necessary. A sub-controller controls a power saving mode and stops a power supply to the main controller when shifting to the power saving mode. A charge control circuit compares a terminal voltage of the capacitor with a predetermined value by a comparator circuit. If the terminal voltage is lower than the reference value, an AND circuit takes a logical product of an output signal of the comparator circuit and a power saving signal indicating the shift to the power saving mode, and outputs a control signal indicating an instruction to charge the capacitor, to the capacitor charger.

Heating unit, auxiliary power unit, fixing unit, and image forming apparatus

A fixing roller in an image forming apparatus (such as a copier) has a fixing heater that is supplied power from a capacitor. The fixing heater, the capacitor, a mechanical switch (such as a relay) and a semiconductor switch (such as a FET) are serially connected. As a cover of the apparatus is opened, an interlock switch is turned on and outputs an off-signal to a CPU, which turns off the semiconductor switch prior to turning off the mechanical switch, and thereby prevents a counter-electromotive voltage due to an inrush current.

Growing community of inventors

Miyagi, Japan

Keiichi Sugai