The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 26, 2019
Filed:
May. 31, 2017
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroto Nishihara, Tsukuba, JP;
Shinnosuke Iwadate, Toride, JP;
Teruhito Kai, Kashiwa, JP;
Hiromi Shimura, Toride, JP;
Keita Takahashi, Abiko, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus including a normal power mode and a power saving mode includes a fixing unit configured to bring first and second rotary members into contact with each other to form a nip portion and fix a toner image onto a sheet with a pressing force of the nip portion. The image forming apparatus executes a rotation operation or a separation operation to separate the first and second rotary members from each other in order to prevent a deformation of the nip portion in the fixing unit. The image forming apparatus measures a time during which the first and second rotary members are in contact with each other without rotating. The image forming apparatus determines whether to execute the separation operation or the rotation operation based on a result of the power mode determination and the measured time.