Patent ID: 8676111
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus configured to print an image on each side of a sheet by switching back the sheet, comprising: an image forming unit configured to form a developer image on the sheet; a fixing unit configured to fix the developer image formed on the sheet by the image forming unit; a cooling roller disposed downstream relative to the fixing unit in a sheet feeding direction along a main sheet conveyance path, the cooling roller being configured to contact the sheet conveyed along the main sheet conveyance path and to cool the sheet on which the developer image is fixed by the fixing unit; an ejection roller disposed downstream relative to the cooling roller in the sheet feeding direction along the main sheet conveyance path, the ejection roller being configured to eject the sheet onto a catch tray; a driving unit configured to rotate the cooling roller and the ejection roller normally or reversely; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the image forming apparatus; and a controller comprising a determining unit configured to make a determination as to whether the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined temperature, the controller being configured to switch a control mode between a first mode and a second mode based on the determination made by the determining unit as to whether the detected temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature, wherein, in the first mode, after a trailing end of the sheet has passed the cooling roller, the controller controls the driving unit to reversely rotate the cooling roller and the ejection roller being rotated normally, wherein in the second mode, in a state where the cooling roller is nipping the sheet, the controller controls the driving unit to reversely rotate the cooling roller and the ejection roller being rotated normally, wherein, when the cooling roller and the ejection roller rotate reversely, the cooling roller and ejection roller rotate in a first direction and are configured to convey the sheet toward a sheet re-conveyance path, and wherein, when the cooling roller and the ejection roller rotate normally, the cooling roller and ejection roller rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction and are configured to convey the sheet toward the catch tray.