Abstract: A fixing device includes: a plurality of heating units which individually heat a plurality of areas of a fixing member; an acquisition unit which acquires information on an image forming range and a non-image forming range of the recording sheet for each of the plurality of divided heating areas; and a control unit which performs first control for controlling the corresponding heating unit such that a contact portion of the image forming range of the recording sheet has a target fixing temperature when the image forming range contacts the fixing member at the contact portion of the image forming range, and second control for controlling the corresponding heating unit such that a contact portion of the non-image forming range of the recording sheet has a temperature lower than the fixing temperature when the non-image forming range contacts the fixing member at the contact portion of the non-image forming range.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body to come into contact with a toner image on a recording medium and a pressing rotary body separably pressed against the fixing rotary body to press the recording medium against the fixing rotary body. A cooler, disposed opposite the pressing rotary body to cool the pressing rotary body, includes a fan to move air to the pressing rotary body and at least one inlet duct interposed between the fan and the pressing rotary body to supply air from the fan to the pressing rotary body. The at least one inlet duct selectively cools the pressing rotary body in a variable axial span in an axial direction thereof.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image processing section that converts image data into pixel data, an image forming section that forms a toner image based on the pixel data, and a fixing section that fixes the toner image to the recording material by heating the recording material with the toner image formed thereon while conveying the recording material through a nip portion. The image processing section divides the pixel data corresponding to one recording material into a plurality of areas each formed of a predetermined number of pixels and acquires density information on some of the pixels within each of the areas as representative values. The fixing section carries out a process of fixing the toner image for which the density information has been acquired, under a fixing condition according to a maximum value of the representative values.

Abstract: A method of controlling an image forming apparatus by driving a control unit by using power supplied from an external device via an external device interface unit, even when main power is not supplied to the image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus using the same is provided.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus supplies power to a heater at the smaller duty ratio of: an upper-limit duty ratio which is set according to the current detected by an inlet current detecting unit in a warm-up period of a fixing unit; and a duty ratio which is continuously corrected according to a change in a heater resistance value and is required for supplying a predetermined target power to the heater. By this arrangement, the image-forming apparatus can output a first page of recording material in a short period time so that a current consumption of the entire apparatus does not exceed rated current consumption.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section to form a toner image and transfer the toner image to a recording medium and a fixing section to heat the recording medium transferred with the toner image and further an image analyzing section to extract a density value or a size value of an imaging object included in an image, and a temperature determining section to determine a minimum fixing temperature based on the density value or size value of the imaging object included in a page image. The temperature determining section determines the minimum fixing temperature to be lower when a highest one of the density values is lower than when the highest value is higher or determines the minimum fixing temperature to be lower when a largest one of the size values is smaller than when the largest size value is larger.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus includes: a heater for heating and fixing a toner image formed on a recording material; a thermosensitive element for sensing heat from the heater; and a tension spring for urging the thermosensitive element toward the heater.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet detecting sensor, a resist roller, a supporting member and a positioning member. The sheet detecting sensor is configured to detect a position of a sheet in a conveying path. The resist roller is configured to control a conveying timing of the sheet, based on a detection result by the sheet detecting sensor. The supporting member is configured to detachably support the sheet detecting sensor. The positioning member is configured to engage with the supporting member to position and fixedly attach the sheet detecting sensor, supported by the supporting member, at a normal position.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an image forming device have an operating part and is configured to form an image at an image formation position on an imaging target. A control device is configured to control the image forming device to start performing an image forming process, determine an adjustment amount regarding the image formation position based on an operation amount of the operating part measured during a period of time from a first specified timing in a previous image forming process to a second specified timing in or before a current image forming process, and adjust, based on the adjustment amount, the image formation position where an image is formed pursuant to the current image forming process.

Abstract: A fuser control device includes a heat application part for heat supply, a fuser part that has a passage region where a print medium passes through and a not-passage region that is located at both sides of the passage region where the print medium does not pass through, and a first temperature detection part that detects a first temperature of the passage region, a second temperature detection part that detects a second temperature of the not-passage region, and a heat application controller that changes a target temperature according to the first detection temperature and the second detection temperature, and performs the heat generation such that a temperature of the fuser part approaches the target temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for heating and fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium, includes: a feeding unit configured to respectively set recording media of different sizes; a plurality of heating units with heat generation parts, which generate heat by receiving a supply of power, each heat generation part being at a different position on the respective heating unit; a control unit configured to individually control the supply of power or a power interruption to the plurality of heating units in accordance with the size of the recording medium set in the feeding unit; and a detection unit configured to detect the current value of the heating unit to which power is supplied.

Abstract: A method for forming a toner image on a recording medium includes receiving a job, rotating a pressing rotary body in a predetermined direction of rotation, rotating a flexible endless belt disposed opposite the pressing rotary body to form a nip therebetween, turning on a belt heater disposed opposite to an inner circumferential surface of the flexible endless belt, conveying the recording medium bearing the toner image through the nip, turning off the belt heater for a predetermined first time period after the recording medium is discharged from the nip while the flexible endless belt and the pressing rotary body rotate, stopping the flexible endless belt and the pressing rotary body, turning on the belt heater when a predetermined second time period elapses after stopping the flexible endless belt and the pressing rotary body, and turning off the belt heater.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a light-irradiation unit configured to move a spot of laser light on a surface of a photosensitive member at a non-constant scanning velocity in a main scanning direction to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, an image data correcting unit configured to correct a length in the main scanning direction of image data by inserting one or more image data pieces into the image data, the number of the image data pieces increasing as the scanning velocity increases, and/or extracting one or more image data pieces from the image data, the number of the image data pieces increasing as the scanning velocity decreases, and a brightness correcting unit configured to correct a brightness of the laser light so that an emission brightness increases as the scanning velocity increases and/or the emission brightness decreases as the scanning velocity decreases.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forming toner images sequentially on recording sheets transported at intervals, and thermally fixing the toner images by passing the recording sheets through a fixing position on a heating roller. The target fixing temperature is determined according to information of an image on each page. When a first fixing temperature for a given page is higher than a second fixing temperature for the succeeding page and the difference therebetween is greater than a predefined value, part or all of a first period, during which the thermal fixing operation for the given page is performed, and a second period, which corresponds to an interval between the two pages, are reserved for raising the surface temperature by the difference, and temperature control is performed during the reserved periods such that the surface temperature reaches the second temperature before the thermal fixing operation for the succeeding page starts.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a rotating member, a fixing member including a lamination of a resin layer and a conductive layer, a sheet having an unfixed image being conveyed between the rotating member and the fixing member, a heating unit configured to cause heating of the fixing member, a support for one of the rotating member and the fixing member that is movable to change a relative position of the rotating member with respect to the fixing member, and a controller configured to turn on the heating unit in a state in which the rotating member is in contact with the fixing member.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including a first image unit that uses toner which contains a flat pigment, a second image unit that uses toner which does not contain a flat pigment, and a fixing unit that fixes an image which is formed on a recording medium to the recording medium by using heat while transporting the recording medium, wherein the recording medium is transported again to the fixing unit after the image formed on the recording medium by the toner containing the flat pigment is fixed to the recording medium by the fixing unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a roller, a pressing member pressed against the roller, such that when a sheet having an unfixed image is passed thorough a nip formed between the roller and the pressing member, the unfixed image is fixed on the sheet, a first heater configured to heat the roller, a second heater configured to heat the pressing member, and a controller configured to control the second heater, such that a time-averaged heat generation by the second heater when an image of a decolorable material is fixed is greater than a time-averaged heat generation by the second heater when an image of a non-decolorable material is fixed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit having a heater, and a fixing member, the fixing unit configured to fix an image onto a recording material, a film configured to increase its temperature by absorbing infrared rays, a first sensor configured to measure a temperature of the film, a holding member configured to hold the film, a second sensor configured to measure a temperature of the holding member, a storage unit for storing a plurality of temperature determination information, a selection unit configured to select temperature determination information to interest, based on the measurement results of the first and the second sensor, from among the plurality of the stored temperature determination information, and a determination unit configured to determine a temperature of the fixing unit using the temperature determination information to interest selected by the selection unit, based on the measurement results of the first and the second sensor.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and a pressure rotator contacting the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which recording media of a plurality of sizes are conveyed. The recording media create a plurality of non-conveyance spans on a lateral end of the fixing rotator in an axial direction thereof where the recording media are not conveyed. A heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator. A multi-view thermopile array is disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the lateral end of the fixing rotator in the axial direction thereof and angled relative to the fixing rotator to detect a temperature of the fixing rotator. The thermopile array includes an inboard temperature detection element directed to a conveyance span on the fixing rotator where the recording medium of a decreased size is conveyed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image fixing apparatus including a fan for cooling one end region of the image fixing apparatus and a fan for cooling another end region thereof. When a temperature of the one end region reaches a cooling starting temperature, a fan corresponding to the one end portion is driven at a first rotation speed, and another fan is driven at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed even if the temperature of the other end region is lower than the cooling starting temperature so as to protect the fans from thermal damages.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a fixing device comprises a fixing belt configured to be provided with a conductive layer; an induction current generating section configured to face the fixing belt in a thickness direction to heat the conductive layer through electromagnetic induction heating; an auxiliary heating section configured to face the induction current generating section across the fixing belt to increase the calorific value in the electromagnetic induction heating process; and a friction reducing member configured to be nipped between the auxiliary heating section and the fixing belt; wherein a lubricant is supplied between the friction reducing member and the fixing belt.

Abstract: To appropriately adjust the fixing temperature corresponding to the amount of applied toner, an image forming apparatus controls the temperature of a fixing unit configured to fix a recording material on a sheet. The apparatus acquires the amount of the recording material of each page in image data of a plurality of pages generated by dividing image data of one page, determines one fixing temperature using the acquired plurality of amounts of the recording material if a setting of dividing the image data of one page and printing the image data on a plurality of sheets is performed, and controls the temperature of the fixing unit using the determined fixing temperature.

Abstract: In an image heating apparatus including heat generating members arranged along a longitudinal direction of a belt, when an image heating operation is performed on a recording material having a width which is smaller than a maximum width of the recording material usable in the image heating apparatus, the heat generating member positioned within an area corresponding to a non passing portion of the recording material is actuated together with the heat generating member positioned within an area corresponding to a non passing portion of the recording material.

Abstract: In an image-forming apparatus an image-forming portion performs a printing operation in which an image is formed on a sheet. A heater thermally fixes the image on the sheet. A processor is configured to: determine whether a temperature detected by a detector is higher than a threshold value before the image-forming portion performs the printing operation; drive a fan at a first speed following start of the printing operation when the temperature is higher than the threshold value; and drive the fan at a second speed lower than the first speed for a prescribed period of time following the start of the printing operation when the temperature is lower than the threshold value or equal to the threshold value, and subsequently drive the fan at the first speed; control a temperature of the heater based on the temperature detected by the detector while the image-forming portion performs the printing operation.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus configured to heat a recording material having a toner image formed thereon and fix the toner image fixing on the recording material comprising: a film; a heater configured to contact the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate; a thermal conduction member configured to contact a surface of the heater opposite to a surface of the heater that contacts the film, the thermal conduction member having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the substrate; and a pressurizing roller configured to form a pressing portion with the heater via the film, wherein the thermal conduction member contacts the heater so as not to overlap with an end region of the heat generation resistor in a longitudinal direction of the heat generation member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an elastic rotator and a cooler disposed opposite the rotator to cool the rotator with cooling air. A mover contacts and moves the rotator to a first position where the rotator is disposed opposite the cooler with an increased first interval therebetween and a second position where the rotator is disposed opposite the cooler with a decreased second interval therebetween. A rectification plate is movably mounted on the cooler to contact the rotator constantly to guide the cooling air to the cooler.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a fixing device, and a control section. The image forming section forms images on a sheet with a recolorable decolorable colorant and an undecolorable colorant. The fixing device heats the sheet to fix the recolorable decolorable colorant and the undecolorable colorant on the sheet. The control section performs temperature control for the fixing device and fixes the recolorable decolorable colorant and the undecolorable colorant on the sheet at temperature higher than decoloring start temperature of the recolorable decolorable colorant to thereby fix the recolorable decolorable colorant on the sheet in a decolored state and fix the undecolorable colorant on the sheet in a colored state.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a heating member configured to heat a recording medium, on the surface of which a toner image is carried, to fix the toner on the recording medium; a pressing member configured to contact with the recording paper from the back side of the recording paper; an induction heating section configured to heat the heating member through induction heating; a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature nearby the heating member; a driving control section configured to carry out a control based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor so that the temperature of the heating member based on the induction heating section is within an allowable temperature range; a temperature range setting section configured to set the allowable temperature range so that the allowable temperature range is narrowed as time elapses from the start of a fixing processing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image information obtainer that obtains image information, a gradation sequence processor that applies multiple types of gradation sequence processing to the image information, and a toner image formation device that forms a toner image based on the image information. A fixing device is provided to fix the toner image onto a recording medium in a fixing process. A temperature controller is also provided to change a start-up temperature of the fixing device before the fixing process. The start-up temperature is changed in accordance with inclusion of a halftone process and a type of the gradation sequence processing applied to the image information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a fixing device, and a fan. The fixing device includes a heating member, a pressing member, and a frame. The heating member includes a heater configured to generate heat, a cylindrical member storing the heater therein, and first and second support terminals disposed at first and second ends of the heater, respectively, in a longitudinal direction of the heater, the first and second support terminals supporting the heater. The frame is made of resin, and includes a first support terminal supporting portion supporting the first support terminal of the heater and a second support terminal supporting portion supporting the second support terminal of the heater. The frame further includes a duct portion disposed proximate to the first support terminal supporting portion, the duct portion through which air flows to the fan.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises a rotatable fixing member to apply heat to a recording medium bearing an unfixed image thereon, a heat source to heat the fixing member, and a rotatable pressing member pressing against the fixing member forming a nip therebetween. A driving source rotates and drives the fixing member and the pressing member. An overheat safety device has a relay to open and close a power supply path connected to the heat source. A temperature detector is connected to both the relay and the control unit to detect temperature of the fixing member. The overheat safety device turns off the relay and cuts off power supply to the heat source when the fixing member is overheated. The fixing member is allowed to radiate heat and cool down when the temperature detected by the temperature detector is more than a prescribed level.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus included in an image forming apparatus includes a fixing heater that performs heat fixing, a control unit that controls the fixing heater based on control patterns, a temperature sensor that detects temperature of the fixing heater, and a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage that is applied to the fixing heater. In each control pattern, turn-on period of the fixing heater and turn-off period of the fixing heater are set according to a control cycle of a half cycle duty control. The control unit controls the switching unit to turn on or off the fixing heater using a combination of the control patterns each satisfying a standard for preventing a flicker during each control period of time that is integral multiplication of the control cycle according to the temperature of the fixing heater and the voltage value allied to the fixing heater.

Abstract: A control method using a print head for printing a plurality of images on a continuous sheet has the steps of obtaining information in regard to a position and a level of a unique portion unsuitable for image printing that exists on the continuous sheet and of causing a maintenance operation of the print head by using a region where the unique portion exists on the continuous sheet based upon obtained information.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member and a blowing unit. The first rotating member is heated by a heat source. The second rotating member is pressed against the first rotating member to form a fixing nip with the first rotating member along a conveying path of a recording medium. The blowing unit blows a cooling airflow toward the first rotating member. An airflow route from the blowing unit to the first rotating member is arranged so as to cross the conveying path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit and a second image forming unit. The first image forming unit is configured to form a first image portion to be transferred to a sheet with a first decolorizable material that is decolorized at a first temperature. The second image forming unit is configured to form a second image portion to be transferred to the sheet with a second decolorizable material that has a color different from the first decolorizable material and that is decolorized at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is designed to easily recover a jammed sheet nipped by a fixing roller and a pressure roller. In an entrance guide which guides a sheet to a fixing nip portion between the fixing roller and the pressure roller, a bending portion is provided on a back side of a guide face which guides the sheet to the fixing nip portion. Then, when the sheet to be discharged toward the entrance guide by a manual discharge member enters the back side of the entrance guide, a downstream end of the sheet, in a discharging direction of the sheet, is locked to the bending portion, and thus the central portion of the sheet in the sheet discharging direction is bent along the surface of the guide face by discharging the sheet in a state where the downstream end in the discharging direction is locked.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotatory body, a first heater, a second rotatory body, a temperature detection section, and a determination section. The first heater heats the first rotatory body. The second rotatory body and the first rotatory body provide a fixing nip where a recording medium becomes sandwiched. The temperature detection section detects a temperature change in an end portion of an outer circumferential surface of the first rotatory body. The determination section determines a rotation state of the first rotatory body based on a result of detection by the temperature detection section. The end portion of the first rotatory body has at least one first region and at least one second region that are arranged adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. The first region has a first thermal conductivity. The second region has a second thermal conductivity that is different from the first thermal conductivity.

Abstract: A technique which enables reduction of time required for continuous printing performed by an image forming apparatus in a temperature rise suppression mode. A printer prints a plurality of pages based on print data received from a host computer. A temperature sensor detects internal temperature of the printer. A control unit controls the printer such that the printing is suspended when the internal temperature has risen to a shifting temperature, and the printing is restarted when the internal temperature has fallen to a normal restart threshold value during the suspension of the printing. The control unit calculates the number of remaining pages left unprinted when the printing is suspended, and sets the normal restart threshold value according to the calculated number of the remaining pages.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes an image heating member configured to heat an image on a recording medium, a heat source heating the image heating member from an inside thereof, an image heating temperature detecting member detecting the surface temperature of the image heating member, an external heating member heating the image heating member from an outside of the image heating member, a cooling fan cooling a surface of the image heating member, and a control portion. The control portion is configured to execute a first mode of controlling the temperature detected by the image heating temperature detecting member under a predetermined control condition to a target temperature while executing a preceding job and a second mode of switching the predetermined control condition while maintaining the setting of the target temperature while processing the preceding job.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member configured to heat and fix, onto a recording material, a toner image formed on the recording material, a restriction member configured to restrict movement of the rotatable fixing member in a generatrix direction of the rotatable fixing member, and a capture member configured to capture a component vaporized by heat. The capture member is arranged to face a curved surface portion of the rotatable fixing member and is positioned by the restriction member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: an endless belt configured to heat an image on a sheet at a nip; a heating mechanism configured to heat the endless belt; a fan configured to send air toward a predetermined region of the endless belt; a heat pipe configured to move heat in a direction of uniformizing a temperature distribution of the endless belt with respect to a widthwise direction of the endless belt; and a controller configured to operate the fan such that the air flow rate is larger during heating of the image on a predetermined sheet providing an overlapping positional relationship with the predetermined region, than the air flow rate during the heating of the image on a sheet providing a non-overlapping positional relationship with the predetermined region.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus has a fixing unit which heats an image formed on a recording medium using a discolorable coloring material which discolors by heating, at a fixing temperature lower than a heating temperature at which the discolorable coloring material discolors, to fix the image on the recording medium. The image forming apparatus has an operation control unit which controls execution of an image stabilization processing during a waiting time till a heating temperature of the fixing unit becomes the fixing temperature.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus to which a lubricant application container is dismountably mountable, the image heating apparatus including: an endless belt configured to heat, in a nip, a toner image on a sheet; a rotatable member cooperative with the belt to form the nip; an urging member extending in a widthwise direction of the belt and configured and positioned to urge the belt toward the rotatable member; and a guide portion configured and positioned to guide a sliding movement of the lubricant application container while substantially preventing dismounting of the lubricant application container during the sliding movement. The lubricant application container applies a lubricant to a sliding surface of the urging member relative to the belt along a longitudinal direction, when the belt is dismounted from the image heating apparatus.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus having a function to erase an image formed on a recoding medium is provided. The image forming apparatus has an operation panel which, in a first mode in which an image forming process and an erasing process are not executable, accepts selection of any mode of a second mode in which the image forming process and the erasing process are executable, and a third mode in which the image forming process is not executable and the erasing process is executable.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to form a toner image on a recording material, includes: an image forming unit configured to form a unfixed toner image on the recording material; a fixing unit configured to heat the recording material where the unfixed toner image is formed while conveying the recording material using a nip portion, and to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording material; and a control unit configured to perform control so that temperature of the fixing unit is maintained in target temperature, with the target temperature (Tn) of a n'th page in consecutive printing being set to the highest temperature of the target temperatures (Tn to Tn+k) according to each of image densities (Dn to Dn+k) at (n to (n+k))'th pages, where integer k?1.

Abstract: A method comprises positioning a pair of photovoltaic wafers in a side-by-side arrangement. An interconnect is placed on the pair of wafers such that the interconnect overlaps both wafers of the pair, solder material being provided between the interconnect and the respective wafers. A solder head is then located adjacent the interconnect, and the coil is energized to effect inductive heating of the solder material. The solder head comprises an induction coil shaped to define an eye, and a magnetic field concentrator located at least partially in the eye of the coil. The magnetic field concentrator defines a passage extending axially through the eye of the coil, and may be of a material with a high magnetic permeability.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fuser unit, which includes a heating member heated by a heat source and a backup member; a temperature detector; and a control unit, which starts print control when a detected temperature reaches the fixing temperature while the temperature of the heating member is increasing to a fixing temperature, and which performs decreasing control when the detected temperature reaches a predetermined temperature higher than the fixing temperature. In a case that an increasing rate of the detected temperature at the beginning of the print control is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the control unit controls the heat source so that a heat quantity radiated from the heat source during the decreasing control becomes larger than that in the case that the increasing rate of the detected temperature at the beginning of the print control is larger than the predetermined value.

Abstract: A fuser includes a pressure application part that applies pressure to a medium for forming a print image; an annular body rotatably supported for carrying the medium for applying heat to the medium for forming the print image; a fuser part heat generation body arranged for generating heat to apply heat to the annular body; a first temperature detection end arranged in contact with one end part outside a medium carrying corresponding range of a surface of the annular body and detects temperature of the annular body outside the medium carrying corresponding range. The medium carrying corresponding range is a range in which the medium is carried. A heat generation interruption part that, in response to the temperature of the annular body that is detected via the first temperature detection end, interrupts heat generation of the fuser part heat generation body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detection unit that emits light on a recording medium or a platen and detects reflected light while the detection unit moves in a direction perpendicular to a transportation direction of the recording medium; a width calculation unit that compares a value indicative of light intensity responsive to the reflected light with a threshold, and calculates a width of the recording medium measured from a position of the detection unit where the value indicative of light intensity responsive to the reflected light becomes greater than or equal to the threshold; an image formation unit that performs an operation of forming an image based on the calculated width of the recording medium; and an image formation control unit that halts the operation of forming the image upon detecting that the calculated width is less than or equal to a predefined value.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a toner-image forming unit; a heating unit; and a processor. The toner-image forming unit is configured to form a toner image on a sheet using toner. The heating unit is configured to generate heat for thermally fixing the toner image to the sheet. The processor is configured to perform a first fixing process to control the heating unit to start generating heat in a first mode, and a second fixing process to switch the first mode to a second mode at a switch timing ahead of an estimated end timing at which thermal fixing of toner images to all sheets to be consecutively printed is completed. The heat amount per unit time generated by the heating unit in the second mode is smaller than a heat amount per unit time generated by the heating unit in the first mode.