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:
Dec. 06, 2011
Filed:
Dec. 19, 2008
Hiroyuki Kunii, Yokohama, JP;
Ippei Fijimoto, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ichikawa, JP;
Toshiharu Hachisuka, Yokohama, JP;
Yasunori Ishigaya, Yokohama, JP;
Shinichi Namekata, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroyuki Kunii, Yokohama, JP;
Ippei Fijimoto, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ichikawa, JP;
Toshiharu Hachisuka, Yokohama, JP;
Yasunori Ishigaya, Yokohama, JP;
Shinichi Namekata, Yokohama, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit and a fixing process managing system. The fixing process managing system, including a mode switchover unit, controls a time mode and a temperature mode for heating a fixing member. In the time mode, the fixing unit is determined to be ready for a fixing process when a given time elapses after activation of the image forming apparatus. In the temperature mode, the fixing unit is determined to be ready for a fixing process when a temperature of the fixing member attains a given reference temperature after activation of the image forming apparatus. The mode switchover unit selects between the temperature mode and the time mode. The fixing process managing system selects the temperature mode instead of the time mode when a supply amount of electrical power to the fixing unit is determined to be below a required electrical power supply level.