Patent ID: 7395003
Filing Date: 2008-07-01
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for forming an image using a fuser unit that heats a receiver medium bearing an unfused toner image thereon, during a relative movement of the receiver medium to the fuser unit, to thereby fuse the unfused toner image onto the receiver medium, the fuser unit comprising: a fuser roller; a heater heating the fuser roller; a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the fuser roller; and a controller controlling the heater for an actual temperature of the fuser roller to substantially achieve a desired temperature thereof, based on the temperature of the fuser roller detected by the temperature sensor, wherein the controller includes a desired-temperature setting device that selects one of a plurality of optional temperatures including: a fusing temperature at which the unfused toner image is to be fused to the receiver medium; a normal standby-temperature which is a desired standby-temperature of the fuser roller in a normal standby period, lower than the fusing temperature; and a second standby-temperature which is a second desired standby-temperature of the fuser roller in a second standby period, lower than the fusing temperature and higher than the normal standby-temperature, and that sets the desired temperature of the fuser roller to the selected one, the desired-temperature setting device is operated during a cold start of the fuser unit, so as to set the desired temperature of the fuser roller to the second standby-temperature, so as to maintain the desired temperature of the fuser roller at the second standby-temperature during a heat-storing period during which heat is stored in the fuser unit, and so as to set the desired temperature of the fuser unit to the normal standby-temperature upon termination of the heat-storing period, and the desired-temperature setting device comprises a first setting device setting the desired temperature in at least one of a first manner allowing the desired temperature to be initially set to the second standby-temperature during the cold start, and a second manner allowing the desired temperature to be set to any one of the plurality of optional temperatures excluding the second standby-temperature, prior to a setting of the desired temperature to the second standby-temperature.