# US 2026/0086484 A1 · Image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 2026/0086484 A1
- Document ID: US20260086484A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 19/331,896
- Filed: 2025-09-17
- Published: 2026-03-26
- Earliest claimed: 2024-09-25
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: TOSHIYA KAINO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260086484A1

## CPC

- G03G 15/553: {Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job}
- G03G 15/2039: {with means for controlling the fixing temperature}
- G03G 15/2064: {combined with pressure}
- G03G 2215/2025: the fixing nip having a rotating belt support member opposing a pressure member
- G03G 2215/2051: Silicone rubber
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a temperature-rise counter that increases a count when a temperature of a sheet non-passing portion of a pressing roller exceeds a threshold temperature and a lifespan counter different from the temperature-rise counter, where determining an end of a lifespan of a fixing unit is based on a count value that increases the most between a count value of the temperature-rise counter and a count value of the lifespan counter different from the temperature-rise counter.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium;
a fixing unit that fixes the image to the recording medium on which the image is formed while the recording medium is nipped and conveyed at a fixing nip portion, the fixing unit including a fixing rotating body and a pressing roller that contacts an outer peripheral surface of the fixing rotating body and forms the fixing nip portion between the pressing roller and the fixing rotating body, the pressing roller including a rubber layer and a fluororesin surface tube layer;
at least one memory storing a program;
at least one processor, that when executing the program, is caused to determine an end of a lifespan of the fixing unit and provide notification to replace the fixing unit based on a result of the determination;
a temperature-rise counter that increases a count when a temperature of a sheet non-passing portion of the pressing roller exceeds a threshold temperature, the temperature of the sheet non-passing portion being a temperature when an image is formed on a recording medium with a width in an axial direction of the pressing roller that is smaller than a maximum width that is usable in the image forming apparatus; and
a lifespan counter different from the temperature-rise counter,
wherein determining the end of the lifespan of the fixing unit is based on a count value that increases the most between a count value of the temperature-rise counter and a count value of the lifespan counter different from the temperature-rise counter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein when an image is formed on a recording medium with the maximum width the count value of the temperature-rise counter does not increase.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the temperature-rise counter counts a time or a number of fed sheets.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing unit includes a temperature detecting sensor that detects the temperature of the sheet non-passing portion of the pressing roller, and wherein the temperature-rise counter increases the count when a detection temperature detected by the temperature detecting sensor exceeds the threshold temperature.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing unit includes a heater that heats the fixing rotating body and a temperature detection element that corresponds to the sheet non-passing portion of the pressing roller and that detects a temperature of the heater, and wherein the temperature-rise counter increases the count when a detection temperature detected by the temperature detection element exceeds the threshold temperature.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the fixing rotating body is a fixing film,
wherein the fixing unit includes a heater that is disposed in an internal space of the fixing film, and
wherein the fixing nip portion is formed by the heater and the pressing roller with the fixing film interposed between the heater and the pressing roller.