Patent ID: 7194233

Claim:
A fuser assembly for a reproduction apparatus, said fuser assembly including a fuser member for fusing a marking particle image to a receiver member, and an external heater for said fuser member, said external heater comprising: a heat transfer member, adapted to be selectively engaged with said fuser member, said heat transfer member including an elongated belt supported by spaced rollers, so as to define a closed loop path for said elongated belt, said spaced rollers being urged in a direction to maintain a desired tension on said elongated belt; a device for heating said heat transfer member; and a mechanism for engaging a variable portion of said elongated belt of said heat transfer member with said fuser member to selectively change the amount of heat transferred from said heating device to said fuser member through said elongated belt, said engaging mechanism selectively moving said spaced rollers relative to said fuser member so as to vary the length of said elongated belt in engagement with said fuser member.