US 12,216,421 B2
Image forming apparatus
Taizou Oonishi, Hachioji (JP); Yu Harashima, Hino (JP); Masashi Saito, Hachioji (JP); Kazunori Nishinoue, Kunitachi (JP); and Tsutomu Sakamaki, Yokohama (JP)
Assigned to KONICA MINOLTA, INC., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by KONICA MINOLTA, INC., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Oct. 4, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/376,577.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-181063 (JP), filed on Nov. 11, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0160133 A1, May 16, 2024
Int. Cl. G03G 15/20 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/205 (2013.01) [G03G 15/2032 (2013.01); G03G 2215/00455 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image former that forms an image on a recording material;
a fixer comprising a first fixing member having an elastic layer, a second fixing member that forms a fixing nip with the first fixing member, and an external heater that heats the first fixing member from outside, the second fixing member having a second heater for heating the second fixing member to a temperature during normal printing such that the fixer fixes the image on the recording material by heating and pressing the conveyed recording material at the fixing nip; and
a hardware processor that executes a thermal expansion mode,
wherein in the thermal expansion mode, the hardware processor causes the external heater to heat the first fixing member to a temperature higher than the temperature during normal printing, and wherein the thermal expansion mode is executable during printing.