The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Jun. 24, 2025

Filed:

Dec. 12, 2022
Applicant:

Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;

Inventor:

Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Yokohama Kanagawa, JP;

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03G 15/20 (2006.01); G03G 15/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G03G 15/80 (2013.01);
Abstract

In one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a fixing device with a heating element to heat a sheet. A controller is configured to control electric power supplied to the heating element based on a prior use metric. The controller reduces the electric power supplied to the heating element during a startup period if an electric power level supplied from a power supply is equal to or greater than a threshold value and the prior use metric is equal to or greater than a reference value.


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