JP6707851B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

Patent Document 1 discloses a heater control device that has a heating period and a non-heating period, and turns on and off a heater current supplied to the heater in a minute cycle shorter than the heating period in the heating period. ing. The heater control device performs phase control to gradually increase the heater current when the heater current is turned on within the minute period. Further, the heater control device shifts from the non-heating period to the heating period and performs the phase control in the first minute cycle in the heating period, and the second and subsequent minute periods in the heating period. The control is performed so that the time for performing the phase control in the cycle is different.

JP 2006-351400 A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing the generation of harmonic current due to the processing for suppressing the generation of flicker, as compared with the case where the voltage or load of the image forming apparatus is not taken into consideration. To do.

In order to achieve the above object, the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 is a heating unit that heats a recording medium on which an image is formed by being energized, and an energization to the heating unit at a predetermined cycle. And a control unit for controlling switching between non-energization, wherein the control unit controls switching between energization and non-energization in the cycle, a shipping destination of the image forming apparatus When the power supply voltage of the image forming apparatus determined according to the region is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value, increase control that is control for gradually increasing the heating amount by the heating unit in the second and subsequent cycles of the cycle is performed. The control is performed such that the period to be performed is shorter than the period when the power supply voltage is less than the threshold value and equal to or less than the period for performing the increase control in the first cycle of the cycle.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the heating means includes a plurality of heating sources that heat the recording medium by energization, and the control means is energized. The smaller the number of the heating sources, the shorter the period for which the increase control is performed in the second and subsequent cycles of the cycle.
The invention described in claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the heating means is a halogen as a heating source for heating the recording medium by being energized. It is equipped with a lamp.

According to the invention described in claim 1, it is possible to suppress the generation of the harmonic current due to the process of suppressing the generation of the flicker, as compared with the case where the voltage or the load of the image forming apparatus is not considered. Further, according to the invention described in claim 1, it is possible to suppress the generation of the harmonic current due to the process of suppressing the generation of the flicker, as compared with the case where the region of the shipping destination of the image forming apparatus is not taken into consideration. ..

According to the invention described in claim 2 , it is possible to suppress the generation of the harmonic current due to the process of suppressing the generation of the flicker while the heating source is energized.

FIG. 3 is a cutaway side view showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of an electric system of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment. 6 is a graph showing an example of transition of a current value of a current flowing through the heater according to the embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows a flow of processing of a heating control processing program concerning an embodiment. It is the schematic which shows an example of the timing chart (partial graph) of the heating control process which concerns on embodiment, (1) is a schematic when it determines with a voltage being low, (2) is a high voltage. It is a schematic diagram when it is determined that.

Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

The configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the following, yellow is represented by Y, magenta is represented by M, cyan is represented by C, and black is represented by K. When it is necessary to distinguish each component and toner image for each color, each color is added to the end of the reference numeral. Will be described with reference to the corresponding color symbols (Y, M, C, K). Further, in the following, in the case where the respective components and the toner image are collectively referred to without being distinguished for each color, the description of the color at the end of the code is omitted.

(overall structure)
As shown in FIG. 1, inside the apparatus body 10A of the image forming apparatus 10, an image processing unit that performs image processing for converting input image data into gradation data of four colors of Y, M, C, and K. 12 are provided.

Further, on the center side of the apparatus main body 10A, image forming units 16 that form toner images of respective colors are arranged at intervals in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. Further, a primary transfer unit 18 is provided above the image forming units 16 of the respective colors in the vertical direction, and the toner images formed by the image forming units 16 of the respective colors are transferred in multiple layers.

Further, on the side of the primary transfer unit 18 (on the left side in FIG. 1), the toner images transferred to the primary transfer unit 18 in a multiple manner are formed on the paper P that has been transported along a transport path 60 by a supply transport unit 30 described later. A secondary transfer roll 22 that transfers the image is provided.

A fixing device 24 is provided on the downstream side of the secondary transfer roll 22 in the transport direction of the paper P (hereinafter, simply referred to as “transport direction”). The fixing device 24 fixes the toner image transferred on the paper P to the paper P by heat and pressure.

Further, on the downstream side of the fixing device 24 in the transport direction, a discharge roll 28 that discharges the sheet P on which the toner image is fixed to a discharge part 26 provided on the upper part of the apparatus body 10A of the image forming apparatus 10 is provided. Has been.

On the other hand, a supply/conveyance unit 30 for supplying and conveying the paper P is provided below and laterally of the image forming unit 16 in the vertical direction. Further, above the primary transfer unit 18, a toner cartridge 14 which is detachable from the front of the apparatus body 10A and is removably attached to the apparatus body 10A and which is filled with toner to be supplied to a developing device 38 described later is colored. Separately, four (14K to 14Y) are arranged side by side in the device width direction. The toner cartridge 14 for each color has a cylindrical shape extending in the depth direction of the apparatus, and is connected to the developing device 38 for each color via a replenishment pipe (not shown).

(Image forming unit)
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming units 16 for the respective colors have the same configuration. The image forming unit 16 according to the present embodiment includes a rotating cylindrical image carrier 34 and a charger 36 that charges the surface of the image carrier 34.

The image forming unit 16 also includes an LED (Light Emitting Diode) head 32 that irradiates the surface of the charged image carrier 34 with exposure light that forms an electrostatic latent image. Further, the image forming unit 16 develops the electrostatic latent image formed by irradiation of the exposure light from the LED head 32 with a developer (toner charged to a negative electrode in the present embodiment) to visualize it as a toner image. The container 38 is provided. The image forming unit 16 also includes a cleaning blade (not shown) that cleans the surface of the image carrier 34.

A developing roller 39 is arranged in the developing device 38 so as to face the image carrier 34, and the developing device 38 uses the developing roller 39 to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier 34 with a developer. It is developed and visualized as a toner image.

The charger 36, the LED head 32, the developing roll 39, and the cleaning blade are opposed to the surface of the image carrier 34 in the rotation direction of the image carrier 34 (counterclockwise direction in the example of FIG. 1). They are arranged in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side.

(Transfer part (primary transfer unit/secondary transfer roll))
The primary transfer unit 18 includes an endless intermediate transfer belt 42, and a drive roll 46 around which the intermediate transfer belt 42 is wound and rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) to rotate the intermediate transfer belt 42 in the direction of arrow A. ing. Further, the primary transfer unit 18 is wound around the intermediate transfer belt 42, and is provided with a tension applying roll 48 that applies tension to the intermediate transfer belt 42, and is arranged above the tension applying roll 48 in the vertical direction and driven by the intermediate transfer belt 42. And a rotating auxiliary roll 50. Further, the primary transfer unit 18 includes primary transfer rolls 52 that are arranged on the opposite sides of the image carriers 34 of the respective colors with the intermediate transfer belt 42 interposed therebetween.

With the above configuration, the toner images of Y, M, C, and K that are sequentially formed on the image carrier 34 of the image forming unit 16 of each color are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 42 by the primary transfer rolls 52 of each color. It is transcribed multiple times.

Further, a cleaning blade 56 that contacts the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 42 and cleans the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 42 is disposed on the opposite side of the drive roll 46 with the intermediate transfer belt 42 interposed therebetween.

A secondary transfer roll 22 that transfers the toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 42 to the conveyed paper P is provided on the opposite side of the auxiliary roll 50 with the intermediate transfer belt 42 interposed therebetween. The secondary transfer roll 22 is grounded, the auxiliary roll 50 forms a counter electrode of the secondary transfer roll 22, and the auxiliary roll 50 is applied with a secondary transfer voltage, whereby the toner image is formed on the paper P. Is transcribed.

(Supply and transport unit)
The supply/conveyance unit 30 includes a paper feed member 62 that is disposed below the image forming unit 16 in the apparatus main body 10A in the vertical direction and on which a plurality of paper sheets P are stacked.

Further, the supply/conveyance unit 30 includes a paper feed roll 64 that sends out the paper P stacked on the paper feed member 62 to the conveyance path 60, and a separation roll 66 that separates the paper P sent out by the paper feed roll 64 one by one. And a positioning roll 68 for adjusting the conveyance timing of the paper P. The rolls are arranged in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction.

With the above-described configuration, the sheet P supplied from the sheet feeding member 62 is set to the contact portion (secondary transfer position) between the intermediate transfer belt 42 and the secondary transfer roll 22 by the rotating positioning roll 68 at a predetermined timing. Sent out.

The fixing device 24 according to the present embodiment includes a heating roll 24A and a pressure roll 24B. The fixing device 24 includes a heater 24D (both refer to FIG. 2) including a plurality of halogen lamps 24C as an example of a heating source for heating the heating roll 24A, and the heating roll 24A is heated by the heater 24D by turning on the halogen lamp 24C. To heat. The pressure roll 24B is driven (rotated) by a motor (not shown), and the heating roll 24A is driven to rotate as the pressure roll 24B rotates.

With the above configuration, the sheet P conveyed to the fixing device 24 is heated and pressed by the fixing device 24, and the toner image is fixed on one surface (image forming surface) of the sheet P.

Further, the supply/conveyance unit 30 forms the toner image on the other surface of the sheet P having the toner image fixed on one surface thereof by the fixing device 24, without discharging the sheet P to the discharge section 26 as it is by the discharge roller 28. The double-sided conveyance device 70 used for the.

The double-sided conveyance device 70 conveys the paper P along the double-sided conveyance path 72 and the double-sided conveyance path 72 in which the front and back of the paper P are reversed and the paper P is conveyed from the discharge roll 28 toward the alignment roll 68. A roll 74 and a transport roll 76 are provided.

(Image forming process)
First, the image processing unit 12 sequentially outputs gradation data of colors corresponding to the LED heads 32 of each color. Then, the LED head 32 emits exposure light according to the input gradation data. The exposure light emitted from the LED head 32 is applied to the surface of the image carrier 34 charged by the charger 36. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the image carrier 34. The electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier 34 is developed by the developing device 38 of each color and visualized as a toner image of each color of Y, M, C and K.

Further, the primary transfer rolls 52 of the primary transfer unit 18 multiple-transfer the toner images of the respective colors formed on the image carrier 34 onto the rotating intermediate transfer belt 42.

The toner images of the respective colors, which are transferred in a multiple manner onto the intermediate transfer belt 42, are transferred to the paper P that has been conveyed along the conveyance path 60 from the paper feed member 62 by the paper feed roll 64, the separation roll 66, and the alignment roll 68. Secondary transfer is performed at the secondary transfer position by the secondary transfer roll 22.

Further, the paper P on which the toner image is transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 24. Then, the toner image is fixed on the sheet P by the fixing device 24. The paper P on which the toner image is fixed is discharged to the discharge unit 26 by the discharge roll 28.

On the other hand, when images are formed on both sides of the paper P, the paper P having the toner image fixed on one surface (front surface) by the fixing device 24 is not directly discharged to the discharge unit 26 by the discharge roll 28. In this case, the conveyance direction of the paper P is switched by rotating the discharge roll 28 in the reverse direction. Then, the paper P is transported by the transport rollers 74 and 76 along the double-sided transport path 72.

The sheet P conveyed along the double-sided conveyance path 72 is reversed on the front and back sides and conveyed again to the alignment roll 68. Then, after the toner image is transferred and fixed on the other surface (back surface) of the paper P, the paper P is discharged to the discharge unit 26 by the discharge roll 28.

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a description will be given of a main configuration of an electric system of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment stores in advance a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 100 that controls the overall operation of the image forming apparatus 10 and various programs and various parameters. A ROM (Read Only Memory) 102 is provided. The image forming apparatus 10 also includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) 104 used as a work area or the like when the CPU 100 executes various programs, and a nonvolatile storage unit 106 such as a flash memory.

The image forming apparatus 10 also includes a communication line I/F (Interface) unit 108 that transmits and receives communication data to and from an external device. The image forming apparatus 10 also includes an operation display unit 110 that receives various instructions regarding the operating status of the image forming apparatus 10 from the user while receiving instructions from the user to the image forming apparatus 10. The operation display unit 110 includes, for example, a display button that realizes acceptance of an operation instruction by executing a program, a display having a touch panel on a display surface on which various information is displayed, and a hardware key such as a numeric keypad and a start button. including.

Further, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a voltage detection unit 112 that is connected to the power supply line of the image forming apparatus 10 and detects the voltage applied to the image forming apparatus 10.

The CPU 100, the ROM 102, the RAM 104, the storage unit 106, the communication line I/F unit 108, the operation display unit 110, the voltage detection unit 112, and the heater 24D are connected to the bus 114 such as an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus. Are connected to each other via.

With the above configuration, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment allows the CPU 100 to access the ROM 102, the RAM 104, and the storage unit 106, and to communicate with an external device via the communication line I/F unit 108. Send and receive data respectively. Further, the image forming apparatus 10 causes the CPU 100 to acquire various instruction information via the operation display unit 110 and display various information on the operation display unit 110, respectively. The image forming apparatus 10 also causes the CPU 100 to acquire the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit 112. Further, the image forming apparatus 10 controls the turning on and off of the halogen lamp 24C by the CPU 100 switching between energization and deenergization of the heater 24D.

By the way, in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to suppress the overshoot of the surface temperature of the heating roll 24A of the fixing device 24 and the like, a minute cycle T (for example, a cycle of 1 second). ), control for switching on/off of energization to the heater 24D (so-called cutoff control) is performed. Note that FIG. 3 shows a time-series transition of the current flowing through the heater 24D. Further, in FIG. 3, in the cycle T, the period during which the heater 24D is energized is indicated by "T1" and the period during which it is turned off is indicated by "T2".

Further, in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, a rush current may occur, for example, when the heater 24D is energized when the halogen lamp 24C has a relatively low temperature.

When the rush current is generated, flicker such as flickering of a fluorescent lamp, which is supplied with power from the same power source as the image forming apparatus 10, is generated due to the rush current. Therefore, in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, control is performed to gradually increase the current supplied to the heater 24D (hereinafter, referred to as “phase control”) when the power supply to the heater 24D is turned on. In FIG. 3, the period during which the current is gradually increased is indicated by “T3”.

In the present embodiment, the case where the current supplied to the heater 24D is gradually increased by the phase control method will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this. A method other than the phase control method may be used as long as the current supplied to the heater 24D can be gradually increased.

Here, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment sets a period T3 in which the phase control is performed in the second and subsequent cycles T after the heating by the heater 24D is started in order to suppress the generation of the harmonic current. The period is T3 or less in the first cycle T. However, when the period T3 in the period T after the second period is made equal to or less than the period T3 in the first period T without considering the voltage of the image forming device 10, for example, the voltage of the image forming device 10 is compared. If the temperature is low, the heater 24D may not be sufficiently warmed and flicker may not be sufficiently suppressed. Further, when the period T3 in the period T after the second period is the uniform period, and the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 is relatively high, the heating roll 24A is sufficiently warmed by the heater 24D and the period T3 is shortened. As a result, the generation of harmonic current may be sufficiently suppressed.

Therefore, in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the period T3 when the predetermined condition is satisfied as the condition that the voltage of the image forming device 10 is considered to be higher than the period T3 when the condition is not satisfied. Control to shorten.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Note that FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the heating control processing program executed by the CPU 100. In the present embodiment, the present heating control processing program is executed when the temperature of the surface of heating roll 24A is lower than the lower limit value of the target temperature. The heating control processing program is installed in the ROM 102 in advance.

In step 150 of FIG. 4, the CPU 100 determines whether the cycle T for performing the cutoff control is the first cycle T after the main heating control process is started. If the determination is affirmative, the CPU 100 proceeds to step 152. In step 152, the CPU 100 sets a predetermined period as the period T3 of the first cycle. As the period T3 in this case, for example, a period predetermined as a lower limit value of the period in which the inrush current is within the allowable range may be applied by an experiment using an actual device of the image forming apparatus 10.

In the next step 154, the CPU 100 determines whether or not a predetermined condition (hereinafter, referred to as “voltage determination condition”) as a condition that the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be high is satisfied. Specifically, the CPU 100 determines whether the voltage detected by the voltage detector 112 is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value. As the threshold value in this case, for example, a value that is set in advance as a lower limit value of the voltage at which the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 can be considered to be high may be applied by an experiment using an actual apparatus of the image forming apparatus 10. The CPU 100 proceeds to step 156 if the determination in step 154 is affirmative, and proceeds to step 158 if it is negative.

In step 156, the CPU 100 sets, as the period T3 of the second and subsequent cycles, a period that is equal to or less than the period T3 set in step 152 and shorter than when the voltage determination condition is not satisfied.

On the other hand, in step 158, the CPU 100 sets a period T3 after the second cycle that is equal to or less than the period T3 set in step 152 and longer than the period T3 set in step 156.

In step 160, the CPU 100 performs control to gradually increase the amount of current supplied to the heater 24D by the phase control described above during the period T3 set in step 152. On the other hand, if the determination in step 150 is negative, the CPU 100 proceeds to step 162. In step 162, the CPU 100 performs control to gradually increase the amount of current supplied to the heater 24D by the above-described phase control during the period T3 set in step 156 or step 158.

In step 164, the CPU 100 controls to make the amount of current supplied to the heater 24D constant. In the next step 166, the CPU 100 waits until the period T1 has elapsed since the heating by the heater 24D was started in the immediately preceding step 160 or step 162.

In step 168, the CPU 100 turns off the power supply to the heater 24D. In the next step 170, the CPU 100 waits until the period that has elapsed since the heater 24D was turned off in the immediately preceding step 168 was the period T2 (=cycle T-period T1).

In step 172, the CPU 100 determines whether or not a predetermined end timing has arrived. In the present embodiment, CPU 100 determines that the end timing has come when the temperature of the surface of heating roll 24A exceeds the upper limit of the target temperature. When the determination is negative, the CPU 100 returns to step 150, while when the determination is positive, the heating control process is ended.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a timing chart of the heating control process described above. Note that FIG. 5A shows an example of a timing chart when it is determined in step 154 of the heating control process that the voltage determination condition is not satisfied. On the other hand, FIG. 5B shows an example of a timing chart when it is determined in step 154 of the heating control process that the voltage determination condition is satisfied. 5(1) and 5(2), the upper row shows an example of time series transition in the amount of current flowing through the heater 24D, and the lower row shows an example of time series transition in the temperature of the surface of the heating roll 24A. There is.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be high (the case of FIG. 5B), the period T3 of the second and subsequent periods is shorter than the period T3 of the first period, and A shorter period is set than when the voltage is considered to be low (the case of FIG. 5(1)).

In the above embodiment, the case where the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be high when the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit 112 is equal to or higher than the threshold value has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, the standard value of the power supply voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 changes depending on the shipping destination area and the like. The power supply voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 is, for example, 200 [V] in Japan, 208 [V] in the United States, and 240 [V] in Europe and Australia. Therefore, for example, when the power supply voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 determined according to the area where the image forming apparatus 10 is shipped is equal to or higher than a threshold value, the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 may be regarded as high. In this case, a mode in which a voltage determined according to the region of the shipping destination is stored in the storage unit 106 or the ROM 102 of the image forming apparatus 10 as the shipping destination information is exemplified.

Further, for example, if the load (usage load) of the image forming apparatus 10 is high, the voltage drops. Therefore, when the load of the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be low, the period described above is higher than when it is considered to be high. You may perform control which shortens T3. In this case, for example, a form in which the load of the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be high until a predetermined period elapses after the power switch of the image forming apparatus 10 is turned on is exemplified. As the period in this form example, a period or the like which can be regarded as a period in which the load of the image forming apparatus 10 is high may be applied by an experiment or the like using an actual apparatus of the image forming apparatus 10. Further, in this mode example, a mode in which the load on the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be low after the lapse of the period after the power switch of the image forming apparatus 10 is turned on is exemplified.

Further, for example, it may be considered that the load on the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be high until a predetermined period elapses after the image forming execution instruction is input to the image forming apparatus 10. As the period in this form example, a period or the like which can be regarded as a period in which the load of the image forming apparatus 10 is high by an experiment using an actual apparatus of the image forming apparatus 10 may be applied. Further, in this mode example, a mode is considered in which the load of the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be low after the lapse of the period after the image forming execution instruction is input to the image forming apparatus 10.

In addition, for example, the halogen lamp 24C whose temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold value is not turned on even during the heating period. In the case of this form example, when a plurality of halogen lamps 24C that heat the heating roll 24A are simultaneously turned on by a predetermined number of two or more (for example, all), it may be considered that the load of the image forming apparatus 10 is high. Good. Further, in this mode example, when the number of halogen lamps 24C to be lit is less than the predetermined number, a mode in which the load of the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be low is exemplified. Furthermore, in the case of this mode example, a mode in which the period T3 in which the phase control is performed is shortened by considering that the load is lower as the number of the halogen lamps 24C that are lit is smaller is illustrated.

Further, when at least one condition of a plurality of conditions described above in which the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be high or the load is low is satisfied, it is considered that the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 is high or the load is low. It may be in the form.

In the above embodiment, the case where the period T3 after the second cycle is adjusted based on the voltage level of the image forming apparatus 10 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the period T3 after the third cycle may be adjusted based on the level of the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the halogen lamp is applied as the heating source for heating the heating roll 24A has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. As the heating source, for example, another member that heats by generating Joule heat such as a planar heating element (for example, a ceramic heater) may be applied.

Further, although cases have been described with the above embodiment where the present invention is applied to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention may be applied to, for example, an inkjet image forming apparatus. In this case, the heater 24D in the above embodiment functions as a device for drying the ink droplets ejected on the recording medium.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, when the reference value for setting the period T3 of the second and subsequent periods is set and the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 is considered to be high, the period T3 of the second and subsequent periods is set as the reference. It may be set to be shorter than the value. Further, when it is considered that the voltage of the image forming apparatus 10 is low, the period T3 after the second cycle may be set longer than the reference value. In this case, the reference value may be appropriately determined according to the environmental conditions of the environment in which the image forming apparatus 10 is installed, the driving conditions, and the like by experiments or the like using an actual machine of the image forming apparatus 10.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the heating control processing program is pre-installed in the ROM 102 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the heating control processing program may be provided by being stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) or provided via a network.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the heating control process is realized by a software configuration by using a computer by executing a program has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the heating control process may be realized by a hardware configuration or a combination of the hardware configuration and the software configuration.

In addition, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 described in the above-described embodiment (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is an example, and unnecessary portions may be deleted or new portions may be added without departing from the scope of the present invention. Needless to say, you can add or.

The processing flow of the heating control processing program described in the above embodiment (see FIG. 4) is also an example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted or new steps may be added without departing from the scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that the processing order may be changed.

10 image forming device 24 fixing device 24A heating roll 24B pressure roll 24C halogen lamp 24D heater 100 CPU
112 Voltage detector P Paper

Claims (3)

A heating unit that heats the recording medium on which the image is formed by being energized,
Control means for controlling switching between energization and de-energization of the heating means in a predetermined cycle,
An image forming apparatus comprising:
When the control means controls switching between energization and de-energization in the cycle, the power supply voltage of the image forming apparatus, which is set according to the region of the shipping destination of the image forming apparatus, is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value. In a certain case, a period for performing the increase control that is a control for gradually increasing the heating amount by the heating means in the second and subsequent cycles of the cycle is shorter than the period when the power supply voltage is less than the threshold, and An image forming apparatus that performs control such that the increase control in the first cycle of the cycle is equal to or less than the period in which the increase control is performed. The heating means includes a plurality of heating sources that heat the recording medium by being energized,
The said control means performs control which shortens the period which performs the said increase control after the 2nd cycle of the said cycle, so that the number of the said heating sources supplied with electricity is small.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heating unit includes a halogen lamp as a heating source that heats the recording medium by being energized.