Patent ID: 9335677
Filing Date: 2016-05-10
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. A fixing apparatus comprising: a fixing side member located to face a fixing side of a sheet on which a toner image is formed; a back side member configured to form a fixing nip portion which holds and conveys the sheet when the back side member is urged against the fixing side member; a drive motor configured to rotate the back side member; a fixing nip width adjustment unit configured to adjust a fixing nip width of the fixing nip portion; a braking force generation motor configured to generate a braking force in a direction to hinder rotation of the fixing side member; a rotational speed detection unit configured to detect a rotational speed of the braking force generation motor; and a control unit configured to perform restore control for rotating the fixing side member and the back side member with a desired differential circumferential speed therebetween by driving the drive motor while the braking force is exerted on the fixing side member by the braking force generation motor, wherein the control unit performs speed keeping control for keeping the rotational speed of the braking force generation motor detected by the rotational speed detection unit no higher than a predetermined speed while the restore control is being performed, and wherein the control unit performs the restore control and the speed keeping control in a non-fixing period in which the fixing nip width adjustment unit is controlled to decrease the fixing nip width to be smaller than in a fixing period.