Patent ID: 8050577

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing member having a heating source to heat a developer transferred to a recording medium; a power supply unit supplying electric power to the heating source; a first temperature sensor sensing a first temperature of a first position on the fixing member; a second temperature sensor sensing a second temperature of a second position on the fixing member; a width sensor sensing a width of the recording medium; and a control unit, when a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is greater than a predetermined reference value, determining whether the first temperature is abnormal based on the width of the recording medium and, when the first temperature is abnormal, interrupting the power supply to the heating source, wherein the control unit determines the first temperature to be abnormal when the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is greater than the predetermined reference value and also when the width of the recording medium in a fixing process is wide enough to pass through both the first and second temperature sensors.