(19)
(11) EP 1 531 370 A8

(12) CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(48) Corrigendum issued on:
27.07.2005 Bulletin 2005/30

(43) Date of publication:
18.05.2005 Bulletin 2005/20

(21) Application number: 04026941.7

(22) Date of filing: 12.11.2004
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G03G 15/20
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL HR LT LV MK YU

(30) Priority: 13.11.2003 JP 2003384045
19.08.2004 JP 2004239338

(71) Applicant: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(72) Inventor:
  • Satoh, Noki
    Ohta-ku Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(74) Representative: Schwabe - Sandmair - Marx 
Stuntzstrasse 16
81677 München
81677 München (DE)

   


(54) Method and apparatus for image forming capable of effectively performing an image fixing


(57) An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism and an image fixing mechanism which includes a fixing member, a capacitor (CP1), a charger (203), a first heater (HT1), a second heater (HT2), a sensor (TH11), and a controller (202). The charger charges the capacitor with a first electric power. The first heater heats the fixing member with the first electric power from the capacitor. The second heater heats the fixing member with a second electric power. The sensor detects a temperature of the fixing member. The controller controls the second electric power to control the second heater, determines whether the temperature is needed to be increased based on the temperature, and starts supplying the first electric power to the first heater from the capacitor when the second electric power is of a greatest value and when the temperature is needed to be increased.