Patent ID: 6674978
Filing Date: 2004-01-06
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material, comprising:a rotatable fixing film having at least a heat generating layer and an elastic layer; an excitation coil for generating a magnetic field to induce an eddy current in said heat generating layer; a pressure roller contacted to said fixing film, wherein the recording material is heated while being passed between said film and said pressing roller; a temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of said rotatable fixing film; control means for controlling an electric supply to said excitation coil so that the temperature detected by said temperature detecting element is maintained at a target temperature; and heating condition setting means for setting a feeding speed of the recording material and the target temperature, wherein said apparatus is operable in a normal mode and a high glossiness mode, and wherein in the high glossiness mode, said control means sets the feeding speed of the recording material and the target temperature at respective levels which are higher than those in the normal mode, and wherein if a plurality of recording materials are continuously heated in the high glossiness mode, the target temperature is gradually decreased in accordance with the number of the recording materials.