1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for forming a visible image on a recording material according to received signals and fixing said visible image by heat.
2. Related Background Art
In conventional recording apparatus, such as facsimile apparatus, utilizing thermal image fixation, such as a laser beam printer utilizing plain paper for recording, the image fixing heater has to be always turned on because the temperature elevation thereof is slow. Thus the heater is so designed as to be continuously turned on to maintain a constant temperature regardless whether the facsimile apparatus is in the stand-by, receiving or transmitting state.
Such continuous energization of the fixing heater leads to following drawbacks:
(1) A high electric power consumption, giving rise to a high running cost; PA1 (2) The operation becomes very uneconomical in the facsimile apparatus if the percentage of transmission is high, because the fixing heater is turned on during the stand-by state and transmission state, though the recording is required only in the reception and copying mode; and PA1 (3) cooling for example with a fan is indispensable for avoiding temperature increase in the apparatus, and the dimension of the apparatus is inevitably increased for this reason.