Patent ID: 7483664

Claim:
A fusing apparatus having a segmented external heater, the fusing apparatus comprising: (a) a rotatable pressure roller; (b) a rotatable heated fusing member having an external surface of forming a fusing nip with said pressure roller; and (c) a rotatable segmented external heater mounted in heating nip contact with said external surface of said fusing member for heating said external surface of said fusing member, said rotatable segmented external heater having (i) an endless rotatable shell defining an interior surface and an exterior surface, a first end, a second end, and an axis of rotation; (ii) a plural number of heating elements each having an end-to-end length and being arranged end-to-end in series and parallel to said axis of rotation; and (iii) a controller connected to said plural number of heating elements and to said fusing member for controlling a temperature of said external surface said fusing member.