IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD

• Main Author: OTSUKA YUTAKA
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: 11.03.2021
• Subjects: CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS

To provide an image forming apparatus that can increase the accuracy in determining the life of a fixing device.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus comprises: a fixing device 40; and a detection unit between a transfer unit and a rotatable pressure member. When a sheet is bent in a first direction, the detection unit outputs a signal to a control unit, and when the sheet is bent in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the detection unit does not output the signal. When there is input of the signal, the control unit controls the rotation speed of the pressure member to a first speed, and when there is no input of the signal, the control unit controls the rotation speed of the pressure member to a second speed slower than the first speed. When there is no input of the signal for a first time period, the control unit changes the rotation speed of the pressure member until the signal is input. When the time during which the control unit changes the rotation speed of the pressure member becomes equal to or longer than a second time period (TC2), the control unit determines that the life of the fixing device 40 is expired.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14 【課題】定着装置の寿命判定の精度を高めることが可能な画像形成装置を提供する。【解決手段】画像形成装置は、定着装置４０と、転写部と回転可能な加圧部材との間に検出部を備える。検出部は、用紙が第１の方向に撓んでいる場合には信号を制御部に出力し、かつ用紙が第１の方向とは逆の第２の方向に撓んでいる場合には信号を出力しない。制御部は、信号の入力がある場合には、加圧部材の回転速度を第１の速度に制御し、かつ信号の入力がない場合には、加圧部材の回転速度を前記第１の速度よりも遅い第２の速度に制御する。制御部は、信号の入力が第１の時間ない場合には、信号の入力があるまで加圧部材の回転速度を変動させる。制御部は、加圧部材の回転速度を変動させている時間が第２の時間（ＴＣ２）以上となった場合に、定着装置４０が寿命であると判定する。【選択図】図１４