Patent ID: 8180240

Claim:
A belt fuser assembly for an electrophotographic printer, said belt fuser assembly comprising: (a) an endless fuser belt that rotates; (b) a heater for heating said fuser belt; (c) a backup member that engages said fuser belt and defines a fusing nip with said fuser belt; (d) a controller that provides a first signal for energizing said heater, and provides a second signal for rotating said fuser belt; (e) wherein said controller is configured to warm up said fuser belt before allowing said fuser assembly to perform a printing function, using the following routines: (i) a preheat mode; (ii) a first portion of a belt temperature warm-up mode; (iii) a second portion of said belt temperature warm-up mode; and (iv) a tight belt temperature control mode; (f) wherein during said preheat mode, said first signal energizes said heater such that the heater operates at less than full power, and said second signal prevents said fuser belt from rotating; (g) wherein during said first portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode, said first signal energizes said heater such that the heater operates at full power, and said second signal rotates said fuser belt at a first rotational speed; (h) wherein during said second portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode, said first signal energizes said heater such that the heater operates at less than full power, and said second signal rotates said fuser belt at a second rotational speed that is greater than said first rotational speed; (i) wherein during said tight belt temperature control mode, said first signal energizes said heater such that said heater operates at a range of power less than said full power, and said second signal rotates said fuser belt at a third rotational speed for performing a fusing operation; and wherein said controller calculates a numeric value that determines a time interval for which said second portion of belt temperature warm-up mode will be in effect.