Patent ID: 11960229
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 7:
8. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a recording material; and
a fixing unit to fix the image formed on the recording material to the recording material,
wherein the fixing unit includes a heating member, and a pressing member configured to form a nip portion to nip and convey the recording material with the heating member, and further includes a pressure adjusting mechanism to apply pressure to the nip portion and release or reduce the applied pressure,
wherein, before a parameter of a cumulative usage of the fixing unit reaches a threshold, in a case where one condition of a plurality of predetermined conditions is satisfied, the applied pressure of the fixing unit is released or reduced by the applied pressure adjusting mechanism,
wherein, after the parameter of the cumulative usage of the fixing unit reaches the threshold, in a case where a specific condition of the plurality of predetermined conditions is satisfied, the applied pressure of the fixing unit is not released or reduced, and in a case where one condition of the plurality of predetermined conditions other than the specific condition is satisfied, the applied pressure of the fixing unit is released or reduced by the applied pressure adjusting mechanism, and
wherein the plurality of predetermined conditions is at least two of the following:
a case in which a signal indicating detection of a jam of the recording material is given,
a case in which a signal to turn off power of the image forming apparatus is given, and
a case in which the image forming apparatus is not used for a predetermined time and a signal to shift to a sleep mode is given.