Abstract: There is used an image forming apparatus including a fixing unit configured to heat a recording material at a fixing nip portion to fix a toner image, and a control unit configured to switch a target temperature, wherein, in the case where the target temperature of preceding recording material is first temperature, the target temperature of subsequent recording material is second temperature which is higher than the first temperature, and a difference between the second temperature and the first temperature has a first value, the control unit performs switching from timing which is earlier than reaching of the second recording material to the fixing nip portion by a predetermined period, and, the higher the target temperature of the preceding recording material, the shorter the predetermined period.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: a fixation unit configured to heat a toner image formed corresponding to image data and fix the heated toner image onto a recording material; and a control unit configured to determine a fixation target temperature used by the fixation unit to heat the toner image on the basis of the image data, wherein the control unit performs a first determination to calculate a first target temperature on the basis of image density information in each of a plurality of regions in which the image data is divided in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction and a second determination to determine whether the image data is a text image, and determines the fixation target temperature on the basis of results of the first determination and the second determination.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: a fixation unit configured to heat a toner image formed corresponding to image data and fix the heated toner image onto a recording material; and a control unit configured to determine a fixation target temperature used by the fixation unit to heat the toner image on the basis of the image data, wherein the control unit performs a first determination to calculate a first target temperature on the basis of image density information in each of a plurality of regions in which the image data is divided in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction and a second determination to determine whether the image data is a text image, and determines the fixation target temperature on the basis of results of the first determination and the second determination.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating toner is detachable and which forms an image on a recording material includes an apparatus body, and a cartridge including an image bearing member, a developer container to accommodate toner, and a developing portion to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member into a toner image by using the toner. A replenishment port allows replenishment of toner from the replenishment container, which is arranged outside of the image forming apparatus, to the developer container therethrough in a state where the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port, and a controller notifies a user of information related to a toner amount if it is determined that a lifetime of the cartridge will expire before a sum of toner accommodated in the developer container and toner accommodated in the replenishment container is consumed.

Abstract: There is used an image forming apparatus including a fixing unit configured to heat a recording material at a fixing nip portion to fix a toner image, and a control unit configured to switch a target temperature, wherein, in the case where the target temperature of preceding recording material is first temperature, the target temperature of subsequent recording material is second temperature which is higher than the first temperature, and a difference between the second temperature and the first temperature has a first value, the control unit performs switching from timing which is earlier than reaching of the second recording material to the fixing nip portion by a predetermined period, and, the higher the target temperature of the preceding recording material, the shorter the predetermined period.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating toner is attachable includes a replenishment port to allow replenishment of toner from the replenishment container, which is arranged outside of the image forming apparatus, to a developer container therethrough in a state where the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port, an opening/closing portion to open and close the replenishment port, and a locking member to move between a restricting position in which the locking member restricts movement of the opening/closing portion from the closed position to the open position, and an allowing position in which the movement of the opening/closing portion from the closed position to the open position is allowed. A controller maintains, when the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port, the locking member in the restricting position in a case where a lifetime of the cartridge is less than a threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: a fixation unit configured to heat a toner image formed corresponding to image data and fix the heated toner image onto a recording material; and a control unit configured to determine a fixation target temperature used by the fixation unit to heat the toner image on the basis of the image data, wherein the control unit performs a first determination to calculate a first target temperature on the basis of image density information in each of a plurality of regions in which the image data is divided in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction and a second determination to determine whether the image data is a text image, and determines the fixation target temperature on the basis of results of the first determination and the second determination.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, an image analyzer, and a temperature controller configured to control a temperature of the fixing unit in accordance to a target temperature. The image analyzer is configured to analyze image data for forming the toner image by the image forming unit, to evaluate a continuity of pixels of an image contained in the image data. The temperature controller is configured to change the target temperature based on analysis results of the image analyzer such that a value of the target temperature in a case where the image data contains an image with a continuity of pixels equal to or smaller than a predetermined value is higher than a value of the target temperature in a case where the image data contains no image with a continuity of pixels equal to or smaller than the predetermined value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating toner is attachable includes a replenishment port to allow replenishment of toner from the replenishment container, which is arranged outside of the image forming apparatus, to a developer container therethrough in a state where the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port, an opening/closing portion to open and close the replenishment port, and a locking member to move between a restricting position in which the locking member restricts movement of the opening/closing portion from the closed position to the open position, and an allowing position in which the movement of the opening/closing portion from the closed position to the open position is allowed. A controller maintains, when the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port, the locking member in the restricting position in a case where a lifetime of the cartridge is less than a threshold.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a cartridge attachable to and detachable from the apparatus body, a replenishment restriction portion configured to switch between a restricting state in which toner replenishment through a replenishment port is restricted and an allowing state in which toner replenishment through the replenishment port is allowed, a toner remainder amount detection portion, and a controller. The controller is configured to, when the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port, maintain the replenishment restriction portion in the restricting state in a case where a second printable sheet number is larger than a first printable sheet number, with the first printable sheet number being obtained from a lifetime of the cartridge, and the second printable sheet number being obtained from a sum of the amount of toner accommodated in the developer container and an amount of toner accommodated in the replenishment container.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a tubular film, an elongate plate-like heater including a first surface in contact with an inner surface of the film and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the heater being in contact with the inner surface of the film with the second surface, a heat conducting member that is long along the length of the heater and is in contact with the second surface of the heater, and a support member capable of rotating the film while supporting the heater, with the heat conducting member therebetween. The heat conducting member includes an extending portion extending, outside an upstream end of the heater in a rotational direction of the film, in a direction from the second surface of the heater toward the first surface. The extending portion includes a contact portion protruding from the first surface of the heater toward the film into contact therewith.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, an image analyzer, and a temperature controller configured to control a temperature of the fixing unit in accordance to a target temperature. The image analyzer is configured to analyze image data for forming the toner image by the image forming unit, to evaluate a continuity of pixels of an image contained in the image data. The temperature controller is configured to change the target temperature based on analysis results of the image analyzer such that a value of the target temperature in a case where the image data contains an image with a continuity of pixels equal to or smaller than a predetermined value is higher than a value of the target temperature in a case where the image data contains no image with a continuity of pixels equal to or smaller than the predetermined value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a cartridge attachable to and detachable from the apparatus body, a replenishment restriction portion configured to switch between a restricting state in which toner replenishment through a replenishment port is restricted and an allowing state in which toner replenishment through the replenishment port is allowed, a toner remainder amount detection portion, and a controller configured to, when the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port, maintain the replenishment restriction portion in the restricting state in a case where a second printable sheet number is larger than a first printable sheet number, the first printable sheet number being obtained from a lifetime of the cartridge, the second printable sheet number being obtained from a sum of the amount of toner accommodated in the developer container and an amount of toner accommodated in the replenishment container.

Abstract: In a first operation mode in which a first addition value for each sheet of a recording material and a first initial control temperature, when the total sum of the first addition values exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a control portion of an image heating portion, which heats an image on the recording material, of an image forming apparatus changes the first initial control temperature to a first correction control temperature. When the operation mode is changed from the first operation mode to a second operation mode in which a second addition value different from the first addition value and a second initial control temperature different from the first initial control temperature, the control portion corrects the first correction control temperature based on a difference between initial control target temperatures.

Abstract: A fixing device including a rotatable tubular film, a heater including a substrate and a heat generating resistor, the heater including a first surface in contact with an inner surface of the film and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the heater extending in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a heat conducting member extending in the longitudinal direction and including a heater contact portion in contact with the second surface. The heat conducting member includes a film contact portion at a position adjacent to the first surface, the film contact portion being in contact with the inner circumferential surface, and on one side in the longitudinal direction, the heat generating resistor extends outside of a longitudinal end portion of the film contact portion, and the heater contact portion extends outside of the film contact portion.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a holding member including a groove-like holding portion, a heater supported by the holding portion, a film rotatable around the heater, the film being configured to be heated by sliding on the heater and to heat a toner image on a printing material, and a gap filling member including, on an upstream side with respect to the heater in a direction in which the circumferential surface of the film moves, a first portion disposed between the heater and the holding member and a first contact portion connecting to the first portion and being in contact with the film. A second distance between the first portion and the holding member disposed upstream from the first portion and facing the first portion is smaller than a first distance between the heater and the first portion disposed upstream from the heater and facing the holding member.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a tubular film, an elongate plate-like heater including a first surface in contact with an inner surface of the film and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the heater being in contact with the inner surface of the film with the second surface, a heat conducting member that is long along the length of the heater and is in contact with the second surface of the heater, and a support member capable of rotating the film while supporting the heater, with the heat conducting member therebetween. The heat conducting member includes an extending portion extending, outside an upstream end of the heater in a rotational direction of the film, in a direction from the second surface of the heater toward the first surface. The extending portion includes a contact portion protruding from the first surface of the heater toward the film into contact therewith.

Abstract: In a first operation mode in which a first addition value for each sheet of a recording material and a first initial control temperature, when the total sum of the first addition values exceeds a predetermined threshold value, control portion of an image heating portion, which heats an image on the recording material, of an image forming apparatus changes the first initial control temperature to a first correction control temperature. When the operation mode is changed from the first operation mode to a second operation mode in which a second addition value different from the first addition value and a second initial control temperature different from the first initial control temperature, the control portion corrects the first correction control temperature based on a difference between the initial control target temperatures.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a fixing portion, a temperature detecting portion, a measuring portion, a storing portion, and a controller. The controller is capable of setting a case that a start of feeding of a recording material is permitted after a lapse of a predetermined time need to measure a temperature rising rate of the fixing portion and a case that the start of feeding of the recording material is permitted, depending on a value relating to the temperature rising rate stored in the storing portion, at timing before the lapse of the predetermined time.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a holding member including a groove-like holding portion, a heater supported by the holding portion, a film rotatable around the heater, the film being configured to be heated by sliding on the heater and to heat a toner image on a printing material, and a gap filling member including, on an upstream side with respect to the heater in a direction in which the circumferential surface of the film moves, a first portion disposed between the heater and the holding member and a first contact portion connecting to the first portion and being in contact with the film. A second distance between the first portion and the holding member disposed upstream from the first portion and facing the first portion is smaller than a first distance between the heater and the first portion disposed upstream from the heater and facing the holding member.