US 12,228,875 B2
Image forming apparatus
Masashi Takano, Chiba (JP)
Assigned to CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Aug. 2, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/364,009.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-126923 (JP), filed on Aug. 9, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0053698 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. G03G 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/6529 (2013.01) [G03G 2215/00413 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a transfer unit including a transfer nip portion configured to nip and convey a sheet, the transfer unit being configured to transfer a toner image borne on an image bearing member onto the sheet nipped by the transfer nip portion;
a fixing unit including a fixing nip portion configured to nip and convey the sheet, the fixing unit being configured to fix the toner image transferred onto the sheet by the transfer unit on the sheet;
a conveyance unit configured to convey the sheet from the transfer unit toward the fixing unit, the conveyance unit including:
an endless belt having air permeability on which the sheet is supported;
a stretching member configured to rotatably stretch the belt; and
a plurality of suction units configured to suck the sheet onto the belt by drawing air via the belt; and
a control unit configured to change suction force of the plurality of suction units,
wherein the plurality of suction units include a first suction unit disposed most downstream in a sheet conveyance direction and a second suction unit disposed upstream of the first suction unit in the sheet conveyance direction,
wherein the control unit is configured to selectively perform a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode,
wherein the first mode is a mode in which, in a case where a grammage of the sheet is a first grammage, in a state in which a leading edge of the sheet has reached the fixing unit, the control unit is configured to control the first suction unit such that suction force of the first suction unit becomes first suction force, and
wherein the second mode is a mode in which, in a case where the grammage of the sheet is a second grammage smaller than the first grammage, in the state in which the leading edge of the sheet has reached the fixing unit, the control unit is configured to control the first suction unit such that the suction force of the first suction unit becomes second suction force smaller than the first suction force.