IMAGE FIXING DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image fixing device capable of surely preventing a "flicker" phenomenon without using an auxiliary electric heater such as a sub-electric heater. SOLUTION: The image fixing device fixes an image on the surface of an image carrier under heat by applying a DC current, obtained by rectifying a commercial AC power source, to an electric heater. The image fixing device includes: a pattern generator that transmits a temporal application pattern signal upon a command from a control device when pre-heating and heating of the electric heater end; a full-wave rectifier by which the current subjected to full-wave rectification is applied to the electric heater during a regular operation; a zero-cross point detector that detects a timing signal when a DC voltage from the full-wave rectifier is zero; and a switching element that applies a half-wave rectified current to the electric heater from the full-wave rectifier according to the timing of the zero-cross point detector during the transmission of an application pattern signal from the pattern generator when preheating and heating end. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT