Patent ID: 9207607
Filing Date: 2015-12-08
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus having a fixing unit that includes a pressurizing member, a heating rotational body, and a heater, wherein the fixing unit adjusts a temperature of the heating rotational body by switching a state of the heater between a heating state where the heater receives power supply and a non-heating state where the heater does not receive power supply, and the fixing unit, when a recording sheet having an unfixed toner image formed thereon passes through a fixing nip formed between the heating rotational body and the pressurizing member by the pressurizing member pressing against the heating rotational body, heat-fixes the toner image onto the recording sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising: a storage unit that stores a basic energy consumption rate of the heater determined in advance in a situation where the heater is in the heating state and where inflow of inrush current to the heater is not occurring; an estimation unit that calculates an estimated energy consumption rate of the heater by (i) estimating, according to a duration of a non-heating state immediately preceding the heating state, an increase in the energy consumption rate of the heater, with respect to the basic energy consumption rate of the heater, brought about by inflow of inrush current to the heater occurring when the heater is switched from the immediately preceding non-heating state to the heating state, and (ii) adding the increase in the energy consumption rate of the heater to the basic energy consumption rate of the heater; and an output unit that outputs the estimated energy consumption rate of the heater.