Patent ID: 9235169
Filing Date: 2016-01-12
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing section including a heating section that heats a sheet having an unfixed toner image, and a pressing section that forms a nip portion, the nip portion conveying the sheet in a sandwiching manner, the fixing section fixing the unfixed toner image to the sheet; an air separation section including a fan motor that generates an airflow, and a duct that defines a passage for a generated airflow, the air separation section applying air from the duct to the sheet ejected from the nip portion to separate the sheet from the heating section; and a control section that controls the fan motor by using a fan motor drive condition, the fan motor drive condition including a level or a duty cycle of a voltage to be applied to the fan motor, wherein the control section sets, on the basis of an individual difference of the fan motor, the fan motor drive condition for a sheet passing period in which the sheet passes through the nip portion, and the control section maintains the fan motor drive condition thus set throughout the sheet passing period, the pressing section performs switching between a pressure contact state and a separated state, and the control section performs a control for switching a state of the pressing section from the separated state to the pressure contact state at a time of detecting the individual difference of the fan motor.