Patent ID: 7620356

Claim:
A fixing apparatus having a fixing rotary member and a pressure rotary member, wherein the pressure rotary member is configured to be separable from and in pressure contact with the fixing rotary member, and wherein the fixing rotary member and the pressure rotary member are configured to fix a toner image onto a sheet, the fixing apparatus comprising: a pressure unit which includes the pressure rotary member and which is configured to be movable between a fixing position in which the pressure rotary member is in pressure contact with the fixing rotary member and a waiting position in which the pressure rotary member is separated from the fixing rotary member; a guide member which forms a conveying path to guide a sheet on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing rotary member and the pressure rotary member; a sheet detecting member which is configured to be movable by being pressed by the sheet in the conveying path, wherein the sheet detecting member is movable between a detecting position in which the sheet detecting member is projected into the sheet conveying path so that the sheet detecting member can be pressed by the sheet in the conveying path, and a retreat position in which the sheet detecting member is retreated from the sheet conveying path; and a detecting sensor configured to detect a presence or absence of the sheet in the sheet conveying path based on a position of the sheet detecting member, wherein the sheet detecting member is moved to the detecting position in association with a movement of the pressure unit to the waiting position, and is moved to the retreat position in association with a movement of the pressure unit to the fixing position.