Printer Fixing Heater Control for Power and Warm-up Trade-off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses waste power by keeping heaters on during standby mode due to inefficient control methods, leading to overheating and insufficient power saving, especially when the type of heater used is induction or when transitioning between different job types.
Innovation Solution
Implement a controller that manages the fixing rotary body and pressing rotary body heaters to turn them off after a job is finished, and strategically turns on and off the pressing rotary body heater based on the type of job and elapsed time to optimize temperature and power usage, including turning off the pressing rotary body heater for a predetermined period during standby mode after a printer job and maintaining it on after a copier job.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the pressing rotary body heater is kept on during standby mode to maintain temperature, then the warm-up time for the next job is reduced, but power consumption increases and overheating may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing rotary body heater is controlled to operate periodically rather than continuously. After a printer job completes, the heater is turned off for a predetermined period (first predetermined time) to save power and prevent overheating, then turned on again after a longer period (second predetermined time) to maintain readiness for copier jobs. This periodic on-off operation resolves the contradiction between maintaining warm-up speed and reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater control strategy dynamically adapts based on the type of job that just completed. The controller distinguishes between printer jobs and copier jobs, applying different heater control policies: turning off after printer jobs to save power, and maintaining operation after copier jobs to preserve temperature. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize the balance between power consumption and warm-up performance based on actual operational context.
2Loss of energy
If the pressing rotary body heater is turned off immediately after a job to save power, then energy efficiency improves, but the warm-up time for the next job increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is turned off for a predetermined period after printer jobs to eliminate power waste, then restarted after a longer interval to ensure adequate warm-up time before copier jobs. This periodic control pattern minimizes energy loss while maintaining acceptable warm-up performance by strategically timing the off periods based on job type.
Solution Approach 2:
The control strategy changes the operational parameters (on/off timing) of the heater based on the type of job completed. By identifying whether the previous job was a printer or copier job, the system adjusts the heater's operational parameters accordingly, turning it off longer after printer jobs and maintaining it longer after copier jobs, thus optimizing both energy efficiency and warm-up time.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the heater is turned off before the last recording medium is discharged to prevent overheating, then overheating is avoided, but power saving is insufficient when using induction heaters
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is turned off for a predetermined period after job completion to allow cooling and prevent overheating, then turned on again after a longer period to restore operating temperature. This periodic on-off cycling prevents continuous overheating while limiting power consumption, particularly effective for induction heaters that tend to overheat when operated continuously without load.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces power consumption by preventing overheating and optimizing heater usage, ensuring quick warm-up for the next job while maintaining usability and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a fixing rotary body heater that heats the flexible endless belt
Implementation Method 2
a pressing rotary body heater that heats the pressing rotary body
Implementation Method 3
the fixing roller heated by the fixing roller heater and the pressing roller heated by the pressing roller heater together apply heat and pressure to the recording medium, thus melting and fixing the toner image on the recording medium
Data Source
AI summary
A method for forming a toner image on a recording medium includes receiving a job, rotating a pressing rotary body in a predetermined direction of rotation, rotating a flexible endless belt disposed opposite the pressing rotary body to form a nip therebetween, turning on a belt heater disposed opposite to an inner circumferential surface of the flexible endless belt, conveying the recording medium bearing the toner image through the nip, turning off the belt heater for a predetermined first time period after the recording medium is discharged from the nip while the flexible endless belt and the pressing rotary body rotate, stopping the flexible endless belt and the pressing rotary body, turning on the belt heater when a predetermined second time period elapses after stopping the flexible endless belt and the pressing rotary body, and turning off the belt heater.