Patent ID: 8385764

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a sheet; a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image formed on the sheet; a temperature sensor including an element in which a resistance value increases as a temperature decreases and configured to detect a temperature of the fixing unit; a connector configured to transmit an output signal of the temperature sensor; a control unit disposed on a side opposed to the temperature sensor with respect to the connector and configured to control the temperature of the fixing unit based on the output signal of the temperature sensor; a capacitor disposed on the same side as the temperature sensor with respect to the connector and connected to the temperature sensor in parallel; a power source disposed on the side opposed to the temperature sensor with respect to the connector and configured to supply a current to the temperature sensor via the connector so that the temperature sensor operates; and a voltage application unit disposed on the same side as the control unit with respect to the connector and configured to supply a pulse current, to be superimposed on the current supplied by the power source, to the capacitor via the connector so as to temporarily increase the current flowing to the connector to a value sufficient to reduce an oxide film formed on the connector, wherein a capacity of the capacitor is set so that a peak value of the pulse current flowing to the capacitor by the voltage application unit is larger than a direct current flowing from the power source to the temperature sensor, and wherein the control unit outputs a signal to the voltage application unit so that the voltage application unit supplies the pulse current to the capacitor via the connector at a timing before the control unit starts to control the temperature of the fixing unit.