FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

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FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18894427 titled 'FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

Original Abstract Submitted

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism configured to form a developer image and transfer the formed developer image onto a medium and a fixing unit. The fixing unit includes a fixing member that contacts the medium the developer image is transferred onto, a heat source arranged to supply heat to the fixing member, a first temperature sensor that detects a temperature of a first region, and a second temperature sensor that detects a temperature of a second region of the fixing member. The image forming apparatus includes a controller that outputs information indicating an abnormality of the temperature detected by the first or the second temperature sensor, based on a difference between a first and a second estimation value. The first estimation value is an estimate of a temperature of the first region. The second estimation value is an estimate of a temperature of the second region.