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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 16, 2007
Filed:
Nov. 15, 2004
Naoki Satoh, Yokohama, JP;
Naoki Satoh, Yokohama, JP;
Ricoh Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism and an image fixing mechanism which includes a fixing member, a capacitor, a charger, a first heater, a second heater, a sensor, and a controller. The charger charges the capacitor with a first electric power. The first heater heats-the fixing member with the first electric power from the capacitor. The second heater heats the fixing member with a second electric power. The sensor detects a temperature of the fixing member. The controller controls the second electric power to control the second heater, determines whether the temperature is needed to be increased based on the temperature, and starts supplying the first electric power to the first heater from the capacitor when the second electric power is of a greatest value and when the temperature is needed to be increased.