Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main assembly;
• a fixing unit accommodated in the main assembly and configured to perform a fixing process to a toner image formed on the recording material while nipping and conveying the recording material at a nip portion;
• a connecting member configured to connect the main assembly and the fixing unit;
• an urging member configured to urge the connecting member and operate the connecting member;
• and
• an open/close member openably/closably provided to the main assembly so as to be in an open state in which the fixing unit is exposed as seen from an outside of the main assembly and in a closed state in which the fixing unit is hidden as seen from the outside of the main assembly,
• wherein the fixing unit is movable between a first position which is a position of the fixing unit when the open/close member is in the closed state and where the fixing process is performed, and a second position which is a position of the fixing unit when the open/close member is in the open state and where the fixing unit is moved from the first position by an operation of the connecting member caused by the urging member, and includes a restraint member configured to restrain the fixing unit to the second position, and
• wherein a force necessary for moving the fixing unit, which is in the second position restrained by the restraint member, toward the first position is larger than a force necessary for pulling the recording material, which is in a state of being nipped in the nip portion of the fixing unit, out of the nip portion to an upstream side in a conveyance direction of the recording material.