An image forming apparatus according to one embodiment includes a transport unit, an image forming unit, a heating member, a first pressurizing member, a second pressurizing member, and a processor. The transport unit is configured to transport a print medium. The image forming unit is configured to form a toner image on the print medium by a first toner. The first pressurizing member is configured to form a fixing nip for fixing with the heating member. The second pressurizing member is configured to form a decolorizing nip for decolorizing with the heating member. The processor is configured to control the heating member to the first temperature, allows the print medium on which the toner image is formed by the first toner to pass through the fixing nip, and allows the print medium on which an image is formed by a second toner, to pass through the decolorizing nip.

An image heating apparatus includes first and second heat generating elements arranged adjacent to each other, and a control portion that controls power supplied to the first and second heat generating elements, and that is capable of individually controlling the first and second heat generating elements, the first and second heat generating elements being respectively controlled so as to maintain a control temperature. When an image exists in a second region on the recording material heated by the second heat generating element, and an image does not exist in a first region on the recording material heated by the first heat generating element, the control portion sets the control temperature of the second heat generating element, when heating the second region, in accordance with a distance between an end section of the image in the second region and a boundary of the first region and the second region.

An image forming apparatus includes a first toner image forming unit for forming first toner image on a transfer belt with a first toner and a second toner image forming unit for forming a second toner image on the transfer belt with a second toner. A secondary transfer unit transfers the first and second toner images from the transfer belt to a sheet traveling in a sheet transport direction. A fixing unit fixes the first and second toner images to the sheet. A control unit controls the first toner image forming unit to form a first pattern, the second toner image forming unit to form a second pattern, and to leaving a margin on a upstream side of the sheet in the sheet transport direction that is greater than or equal to a circumferential distance of a fixing element in the fixing unit.

In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises an image forming section, a fixing section and a controller. The image forming section forms a toner image with at least one selected from a first toner having a first fixing temperature area and a second toner having a second fixing temperature area of which a lower limit fixing temperature is higher than the first toner. The fixing section fixes the toner image on the sheet. The controller controls a standby temperature of the fixing section to a temperature lower than the lower limit fixing temperature of the second fixable temperature area.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing device, and a control circuit. The control circuit acquires a selection signal indicating which mode is selected from among options. The options include at least two modes, including a first mode in which an image is formed using a non-decolorable first toner, a second mode in which the image is formed using a decolorable second toner, and a third mode in which the image is erased by heating a sheet on which the image is formed by the second toner using the fixing device at a decolorizing temperature. The control circuit sets a different standby temperature in accordance with the mode indicated by the selection signal, and controls a temperature of the fixing device to be the standby temperature, in a standby state before an operation start reception.

An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes an image acquisition unit, a heating unit, a presence-or-absence-of-an-image determination unit, an image formation unit, a determination unit, and a heating control unit. The image acquisition unit reads an image on a sheet. The heating unit heats the sheet. Based on the image that is read by the image acquisition unit, the presence-or-absence-of-an-image determination unit determines whether the image is printed on the sheet. The image formation unit forms the image on the sheet using a decolorable toner that is decolorized by heating the sheet to a prescribed temperature and a non-decolorable toner that is not decolorized although the sheet is heated. The determination unit determines whether to supply power to the heating unit, depending on an instruction which the decolorable toner is decolorized and on determination by the presence-or-absence-of-an-image determination unit whether the image is printed on the sheet.

An image heating apparatus includes first and second heat generating elements arranged adjacent to each other, and a control portion that controls power supplied to the first and second heat generating elements, and that is capable of individually controlling the first and second heat generating elements, the first and second heat generating elements being respectively controlled so as to maintain a control temperature. When an image exists in a second region on the recording material heated by the second heat generating element, and an image does not exist in a first region on the recording material heated by the first heat generating element, the control portion sets the control temperature of the second heat generating element, when heating the second region, in accordance with a distance between an end section of the image in the second region and a boundary of the first region and the second region.

An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes an image acquisition unit, a heating unit, a presence-or-absence-of-an-image determination unit, an image formation unit, a determination unit, and a heating control unit. The image acquisition unit reads an image on a sheet. The heating unit heats the sheet. Based on the image that is read by the image acquisition unit, the presence-or-absence-of-an-image determination unit determines whether the image is printed on the sheet. The image formation unit forms the image on the sheet using a decolorable toner that is decolorized by heating the sheet to a prescribed temperature and a non-decolorable toner that is not decolorized although the sheet is heated. The determination unit determines whether to supply power to the heating unit, depending on an instruction which the decolorable toner is decolorized and on determination by the presence-or-absence-of-an-image determination unit whether the image is printed on the sheet.

In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises an image forming section, a fixing section and a controller. The image forming section forms a toner image with at least one selected from a first toner having a first fixing temperature area and a second toner having a second fixing temperature area of which a lower limit fixing temperature is higher than the first toner. The fixing section fixes the toner image on the sheet. The controller controls a standby temperature of the fixing section to a temperature lower than the lower limit fixing temperature of the second fixable temperature area.

An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming section configured to form an image on a sheet with a decolorable color material decolorable, a second image forming section configured to form an image on the sheet with a non-decolorable color material, a fixing device configured to heat the sheet on which the images are formed with the decolorable color material and the non-decolorable color material, and a cooling section configured to cool the heated sheet.