Image forming apparatus including a controller configured to control switching between a first mode and second mode

Inventors: Makoto Hasegawa (Kanagawa, JP); Yasutaka Naito (Kanagawa, JP); Noriyuki Miyoshi (Kanagawa, JP)

Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.

G03G15/657 G03G15/2025 G03G15/2053 G03G15/2064 G03G15/6529 G03G2215/00531 G03G2215/00949 G03G2215/2032

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 11,016,431
App. No.: 16/864,227
Granted: May 25, 2021
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device and a controller. The fixing device includes a heating unit and a pressurizing unit. The heating unit is configured to come into contact with a recording medium, onto which an image is transferred and which is transported, so as to heat the recording medium while rotating. The pressurizing unit is configured to press the recording medium against the heating unit. The fixing device is configured to fix the image to the recording medium. The controller is configured to control switching between a first mode for fixing the image to the recording medium and a second mode for making a transport speed of a sheet member that passes through the fixing device slower than a peripheral speed of the heating unit.

Claims (62)

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a fixing device comprising:

a heating unit configured to contact a recording medium, onto which an image is transferred, and which is transported, so as to heat the recording medium while rotating; and

a pressurizing unit configured to press the recording medium against the heating unit,

wherein the fixing device is configured to fix the image to the recording medium; and

a controller configured to control switching between a first mode for fixing the image to the recording medium and a second mode for making a transport speed of a sheet member that passes through the fixing device slower than a peripheral speed of the heating unit,

wherein the controller is configured to, in the second mode, make a pressing force of the pressurizing unit weaker than that in the first mode.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to, in the second mode, cause the sheet member, having a maximum width up to which an image is formable, to pass through the fixing device.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a delivery member configured to deliver the recording medium to the fixing device while rotating in a state of sandwiching the recording medium,

wherein the controller is configured to, in the second mode, make a transport speed at which the delivery member transports the sheet member slower than the peripheral speed of the heating unit.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to, in the second mode, stop the delivery member from transporting the sheet member.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to, in the second mode, after stopping the delivery member from transporting the sheet member, cause the delivery member to transport the sheet member, and stop the delivery member from transporting the sheet member again in a state where a contact between the sheet member and the heating unit is maintained.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to, if the fixing device fixes images to a predetermined number of recording media having a predetermined width in the first mode and a printing job ends, then switch the first mode to the second mode.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to, if the fixing device continuously fixes the images to the predetermined number of recording media having the predetermined width in the first mode and the printing job ends, then switch the first mode to the second mode.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an input unit configured to switch the first mode to the second mode according to an input by a user.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:

an inspecting unit configured to inspect a quality of the image fixed to the recording medium by the fixing device; and

a recommending unit configured to recommend the user to switch the first mode to the second mode based on an inspection result of the inspecting unit.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an accommodating unit configured to accommodate an embossed sheet,