Fixing roller system and method

1. A fixing system for use with a printing apparatus, comprising:

a fixing roller;

at least a first heating zone and a second heating zone defined within the fixing roller; and,

a controller operative to control a flow of heat exchange medium through the first heating zone and through the second heating zone.

2. The fixing system of claim 1 ,

comprising at least one supply tube that supplies heat exchange medium to the fixing roller;

the first heating zone comprising at least two first-zone return tubes;

the second heating zone comprising and at least two second-zone return tubes; and

the controller being operative to select flow through either the first-zone return tubes or the second-zone return tubes.

3. The fixing system of claim 1 ,

comprising at least one return tube that returns heat exchange medium from the fixing roller;

the first heating zone comprising at least two first-zone supply tubes;

the second heating zone comprising and at least two second-zone supply tubes; and

the controller being operative to select flow through either the first-zone supply tubes or the second-zone supply tubes.

4. The fixing system of claim 1 , the controller comprising a valve.

5. The fixing system of claim 1 , the controller comprising a pump.

6. The fixing system of claim 1 , the controller being operative to control flow rate of the heat exchange medium proportional to a speed at which receivers are passed through the fixing system.

7. The fixing system of claim 1 , the controller being operative to control a temperature of the heat exchange medium dependent upon a type of receiver passed through the fixing system.

8. The fixing system of claim 1 , the controller being operative to control a temperature of the heat exchange medium dependent upon a type of marking material passed through the fixing system.

9. A fixing process for use with a printing apparatus, comprising:

controlling a flow of heat exchange medium through a first heating zone within a fixing roller and a second heating zone within the fixing roller; and,

fixing marking material to a receiver with the fixing roller.

10. The fixing process of claim 9 , comprising controlling the flow of heat exchange medium as a function of a width of the receiver.

11. The fixing process of claim 9 , comprising controlling the flow of heat exchange medium as a function of a width of the receiver, the first heating zone and second heating zone corresponding to different width receivers.

12. The fixing process of claim 9 , comprising controlling flow rate of the heat exchange medium proportional to a speed at which receivers are passed through the fixing system.

13. The fixing process of claim 9 , comprising controlling a temperature of the heat exchange medium dependent upon a type of receiver passed through the fixing system.

14. The fixing process of claim 9 , comprising controlling a temperature of the heat exchange medium dependent upon a type of marking material passed through the fixing system.

15. A fixing process for use with a printing apparatus, comprising:

fixing marking material to a receiver with a fixing roller;

flowing a heat exchange medium through a first heating zone within the fixing roller, the first heating zone being biased toward the receiver.

16. The fixing process of claim 15 , comprising:

flowing the heat exchange medium through a second heating zone within the fixing roller, the second heating zone being biased toward the receiver.

17. The fixing process of claim 16 , comprising controlling a flow of heat exchange medium as a function of a width of the receiver.

18. The fixing process of claim 16 , comprising controlling a flow of heat exchange medium as a function of a width of the receiver, the first heating zone and second heating zone corresponding to different width receivers.

19. The fixing process of claim 15 , comprising controlling a flow of the heat exchange medium proportional to a speed at which receivers are passed through the fixing system.

20. The fixing process of claim 15 , comprising controlling a temperature of the heat exchange medium dependent upon a type of receiver passed through the fixing system.

21. The fixing process of claim 15 , comprising controlling a temperature of the heat exchange medium dependent upon a type of marking material passed through the fixing system.

22. A fixing system for use with a printing apparatus, comprising:

a fixing roller operative to fix marking material to a receiver, the fixing roller having a flow of heat exchange medium; and,

a first heating zone within the fixing roller biased toward the receiver.

23. The fixing system of claim 22 , comprising:

at least a second heating zone within the fixing roller biased toward the receiver.

24. The fixing system of claim 22 , comprising:

at least a second heating zone within the fixing roller biased toward the receiver; and

a controller operative to control the flow of heat exchange medium through the first heating zone and through the second heating zone.

25. The fixing system of claim 22 , comprising a controller operative to control flow rate of the heat exchange medium proportional to a speed at which receivers are passed through the fixing system.

26. The fixing system of claim 22 , comprising a controller operative to control a temperature of the heat exchange medium dependent upon a type of receiver passed through the fixing system.

27. The fixing system of claim 22 , the controller being operative to control a temperature of the heat exchange medium dependent upon a type of marking material passed through the fixing system.