Image forming apparatus that controls sheet interval

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a conveyance member configured to convey a sheet;
• an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance member;
• a fixing device configured to fix an unfixed toner image formed on the sheet, onto the sheet;
• a memory configured to store a plurality of levels each indicating a degree of reducing throughput of the fixing device and a plurality of sheet intervals in one-to-one association with each other;
• a component to which heat of the fixing device propagates;
• and
• a controller configured to control a passing sheet interval between a plurality of sheets passing through the fixing device,
• wherein the controller is configured to execute throughput control for controlling a sheet interval, which is an interval between a preceding sheet and a subsequent sheet passing through the fixing device, such that a temperature of a non-passage region through which sheets do not pass in the fixing device is suppressed to a predetermined first limit temperature or less and a temperature of the component is suppressed to a predetermined second limit temperature or less, and
• wherein, in selecting one level of the plurality of levels, the controller selects the one level according to a number of sheets that are smaller than a predetermined size and consecutively pass through the fixing device, reads out the sheet interval corresponding to the one selected level, and controls the conveyance member according to the read-out sheet interval.