Patent ID: 6078760
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: B65H,G03G

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus comprising:an image forming portion for forming a non-fixed image on a recording medium;a fixing unit having first and second rollers, each having a surface layer, arranged to fix the non-fixed image to the recording medium by conveying the recording medium while heating and applying pressure to the recording medium,a double-side mode for forming images on both sides of the recording medium; anda single-side mode for forming an image on either side of the recording medium, whereinsaid single-side mode has a selection-permitted inverse and re-fixing sub-mode in which a recording medium allowed to pass through said fixing unit a first time is again allowed to pass through said fixing unit at least one more time such that the recording medium is turned inside out, andsaid first roller is brought into contact with the non-fixed image on the recording medium when the recording medium is allowed to pass through said fixing unit the first time, said second roller is brought into contact with the image on the recording medium when the recording medium is allowed to pass through said fixing unit at said at least one more time and the hardness of the surface layer of said second roller is larger than that of the surface layer of said first roller.