Patent ID: 7187881
Filing Date: 2007-03-06
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus having a heating unit control function comprising: a plurality of heating units each of which is configured to generate heat by energization; a temperature measuring device configured to measure the temperatures of the heating units or an object to be heated by each of the heating units; a sequence counter provided with a plurality of sequence values to which said plurality of heating units are assigned respectively, and configured to successively output the plurality of sequence values in an alternative manner as an instruction to energize the heating unit assigned to the sequence value as output such that, after the energization of the heating unit assigned to the sequence value as output is completed, the next sequence value is output; a time counter configured to start counting the heating period of the heating unit assigned to the sequence value output from said sequence counter; a temperature comparing device configured to compare a target temperature, which is set individually for each of the heating units or an object to be heated by each of the heating units, to the temperature of said each of the heating units or the object to be heated by said each of the heating units as measured by said temperature measuring device; and an energization control unit configured to energize the heating unit assigned to the sequence value as output from said sequence counter, halt the energization of the heating unit when the count of the heating period set for said heating unit is completed by said time counter, and halt the energization of the heating unit when said target temperature is reached by the temperature of said each of the heating units or the object to be heated by said each of the heating units even before the count of the heating period is completed by said time counter.