IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,555,373
Granted Patent B2
US 10,555,373 · App. 14/821,272 · Granted Feb 4, 2020

Heater control device and image forming apparatus

Inventors: Shuntaro Nakayama (Yamato, JP); Keita Maejima (Sagamihara, JP); Ryota Kubokawa (Zama, JP)
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
H05B1/0241G03G15/2039
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,555,373
App. No.
14/821,272
Granted
Feb 4, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heater controller and heater control method is disclosed. The hater controller includes a detector, a determination circuit, a limiting circuit, a selection circuit, and a driving circuit. The detector detects a temperature of the heating object, which is heated by the heater. The determination circuit determines turn-on ratio for the heater for every control cycle of AC voltage, based on the surface temperature of the heating object and a target temperature of the heating object. The limiting circuit limits the turn-on ratio of current control cycle when the control method of previous control cycle is phase control. The selection circuit selects control pattern to control the heater, based on the turn-on ratio, and the driving circuit applies a heater driving signal to the heater.

Claims (41)

1. A heater controller for a heater, the heater controller comprising:

a detector that detects a temperature of a heating object, the heating object is heated by the heater;

a determination circuit that determines, based on a surface temperature of the heating object and a target temperature of the heating object, a turn-on ratio of the heater for every control cycle of an AC voltage;

a memory that stores a plurality of turn-on control patterns;

circuitry configure to determine whether a control method of a previous control cycle is phase control;

a limiting circuit that limits the turn-on ratio of a current control cycle when the control method of the previous control cycle is phase control;

a selection circuit that selects a control pattern to control the heater, based on the turn-on ratio limited by the limiting circuit; and

a driving circuit that outputs a heater driving signal to the heater according to the control pattern selected by the selection circuit.

2. The heater controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the driving circuit allocates a turn-off to a last half-wave in the control cycle with half-wave control.

3. The heater controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the driving circuit, when the limiting circuit limits the turn-on ratio, allocates a turn-off to a half-wave that results from the turned-on half-wave.

4. The heater controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the limiting circuit limits the turn-on ratio of the current control cycle based on the turn-on ratio of the previous control cycle and the current turn-on ratio determined by the determination circuit when the phase control is performed for the control cycle proceeding the previous control cycle.

5. The heater controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the heater includes a plurality of heaters, and

the driving circuit shifts the control cycle to start each heater of the plurality of heaters.

6. The heater controller according to claim 5 , wherein

the driving circuit allocates a turned-on half-wave of the phase control for one of the heaters to turned-off half-wave for another one of the heater.

7. The heater controller according to claim 1 , wherein when the control method of the previous control cycle is not phase control, the limiting circuit provides a previous turn-on ratio to the selection circuit which selects a half-wave control pattern.

8. A heater controller for a heater, the heater controller comprising:

a detector that detects a temperature of a heating object, the heating object is heated by the heater;

a memory that stores a plurality of turn-on control patterns; and

circuitry configured to:

determine, based on a surface temperature of the heating object and a target temperature of the heating object, a turn-on ratio of the heater for every control cycle of an AC voltage;

determine whether a control method of a previous control is phase control;

limit the turn-on ratio of a current control cycle when the control method of the previous control cycle is phase control;

select a control pattern to control the heater, based on the turn-on ratio limited by the limit the turn ratio; and

output a heater driving signal to the heater according to the control pattern selected by the select the control pattern.

9. The heater controller according to claim 8 , wherein

the circuitry is further configured to allocate a turn-off to a last half-wave in the control cycle with half-wave control.

10. The heater controller according to claim 8 , wherein

the circuitry, when the turn-on ratio is limited, allocates a turn-off to a half-wave that results from the turned-on half-wave.

11. The heater controller according to claim 8 , wherein

the circuitry limits the turn-on ratio of the current control cycle based on the turn-on ratio of the previous control cycle and the current turn-on ratio determined by the determine the turn-on ratio when the phase control is performed for the control cycle proceeding the previous control cycle.

12. The heater controller according to claim 8 , wherein

the heater includes a plurality of heaters, and

the circuitry shifts the control cycle to start each heater of the plurality of heaters.

13. The heater controller according to claim 12 , wherein

the circuitry allocates a turned-on half-wave of the phase control for one of the heaters to turned-off half-wave for another one of the heater.

14. The heater controller according to claim 1 , wherein when the control method of the previous control cycle is not phase control, a half-wave control pattern is selected based on a previous turn-on ratio.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2015
From: NAKAYAMA, SHUNTARO; MAEJIMA, KEITA; KUBOKAWA, RYOTA
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 036852/0439 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2014-161533 · Aug 7, 2014 · national
JP 2015-086624 · Apr 21, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160044745A1 · Feb 11, 2016