Power supply apparatus and image forming apparatus

1. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding;

a first switching element connected in series with the primary winding of the transformer;

a circuit connected in parallel with the primary winding of the transformer, the circuit including a second switching element and a capacitor connected in series with each other;

a rectifying and smoothing unit configured to rectify and smooth a voltage induced in the secondary winding and output an output voltage;

a feedback unit configured to output a feedback voltage according to the output voltage;

a control unit configured to control the first switching element and the second switching element so that the output voltage becomes a target voltage based on the feedback voltage output from the feedback unit;

a notification unit configured to notify the control unit that the target voltage is switched from a first voltage to a second voltage higher than the first voltage according to a first signal being input to the notification unit; and

a switching unit configured to switch the target voltage to the first voltage or the second voltage,

wherein the switching unit switches the target voltage from the first voltage to the second voltage after the notification unit notifies the control unit that the target voltage is switched from the first voltage to the second voltage,

wherein the notification unit includes a first capacitor and a first resistor,

wherein the switching unit includes a second capacitor and a second resistor,

wherein a first time constant determined by the first capacitor and the first resistor is smaller than a second time constant determined by the second capacitor and the second resistor, and

wherein the switching unit switches the target voltage from the first voltage to the second voltage in response to the first signal being input to the switching unit and an elapse of a predetermined time determined by a difference between the first time constant and the second time constant, after the input of the first signal to the switching unit.

2. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the control unit outputs a second signal to the switching unit after it is notified by the notification unit that the target voltage is switched from the first voltage to the second voltage, and

wherein the switching unit switches the target voltage from the first voltage to the second voltage in response to an input of the second signal.

3. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if the control unit is notified by the notification unit that the target voltage is switched from the first voltage to the second voltage, the control unit controls ON-time of the first switching element to be gradually increased irrespective of the feedback voltage.

4. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if the feedback voltage falls to a predetermined voltage after the notification unit notifies the control unit that the target voltage is switched from the first voltage to the second voltage, the control unit controls the first switching element and the second switching element such that the output voltage becomes the second voltage.

5. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording material; and

a power supply apparatus configured to supply power to the image forming apparatus;

wherein the power supply apparatus comprises:

a transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding;

a first switching element connected in series with the primary winding of the transformer;

a circuit connected in parallel with the primary winding of the transformer, the circuit including a second switching element and a capacitor connected in series with each other;

a rectifying and smoothing unit configured to rectify and smooth a voltage induced in the secondary winding and output an output voltage;

a feedback unit configured to output a feedback voltage according to the output voltage;

a control unit configured to control the first switching element and the second switching element so that that the output voltage becomes a target voltage based on the feedback voltage output from the feedback unit;

a notification unit configured to notify the control unit that the target voltage is switched from a first voltage to a second voltage higher than the first voltage according to a first signal being input to the notification unit; and

a switching unit configured to switch the target voltage to the first voltage or the second voltage,

wherein the switching unit switches the target voltage from the first voltage to the second voltage after the notification unit notifies the control unit that the target voltage is switched from the first voltage to the second voltage,

wherein the notification unit includes a first capacitor and a first resistor,

wherein the switching unit includes a second transistor, a second capacitor and a second resistor,

wherein a first time constant determined by the first capacitor and the first resistor is smaller than a second time constant determined by the second capacitor and the second resistor, and

wherein the switching unit switches the target voltage from the first voltage to the second voltage in response to the first signal being input to the switching unit and an elapse of a predetermined time determined by a difference between the first time constant the second time constant, after the input of the first signal to the switching unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising an apparatus control unit configured to control the image forming apparatus and the power supply apparatus,

wherein the image forming apparatus has operation states of a printing state in which the image is formed, a stand-by state in which less power is consumed than in the printing state, and a sleeping state in which less power is consumed than in the stand-by state, and

wherein the apparatus control unit outputs the first signal to the notification unit and the switching unit that causes the target voltage to be the first voltage to the power supply apparatus in the sleeping state, and outputs the first signal to the notification unit and the switching unit that causes the target voltage to be the second voltage to the power supply apparatus in the printing state and the stand-by state.