Patent ID: 7764892

Claim:
A method of controlling fused image gloss from a toner image fusing apparatus having sensors, a controller and a heated rotating fuser member forming a fusing nip with a rotating pressure member, the method comprising: (a) sensing and timing an entrance of a copy sheet moving into contact with a surface of said heated rotating fuser member; (b) sensing a temperature of a pre-fusing nip portion of said surface of said heated rotating fuser member; (c) sensing a temperature of a post-fusing nip portion of said surface of said heated rotating fuser member; (d) sensing and timing an exit of each copy sheet from said fusing nip; (e) determining a start and an end of each inter-sheet gap portion on said surface of said heated rotating fuser member when a series of copy sheets are being fused through said fusing nip; (f) making control calculations using sensed data; and (g) based on said control calculations, applying temperature conditioning means only onto an inter-sheet gap portion on said surface of said heated rotating fuser member for maintaining a near-constant uniform temperature for said surface of said heated rotating fuser member.