A fixing device includes a heating body, a pressuring body, a lateral plate supporting the heating or pressuring body, a first supporting body supporting the heating or pressuring body, a second supporting body including a roller, a tensile spring between the first and second supporting bodies, an eccentric cam, a rotating shaft, a protrusion, a driving part, and a pressing member. The cam is supported between the first and second supporting bodies swingable in the lateral plate and has a depression gradually inclined from an upstream side to a downstream side in a rotation direction. The protrusion is protruded from the rotating shaft and meets the depression. The pressing member presses the cam opposite the protrusion. The cam rotates and meets the roller to shift the second supporting body and to extend and contract the spring, and changes a nip pressure from a first pressure to a lower second pressure.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station for forming an unfixed toner image on a sheet; a fixing portion detachably mountable to the apparatus, said fixing portion including a rotatable member for being contacted by an image carrying surface of the sheet; a jam detector for detecting jamming in said fixing portion; an executing portion for executing a cleaning process for said rotatable member after clearance of the jamming; a storing portion, provided on said fixing portion, for storing information as to whether or not the cleaning process is executed; and a display for displaying a state of capability of image forming operation. The executing portion executes the cleaning process before said display displays the state, when the information stored in said storing portion of said fixing portion mounted in said main assembly indicates non-execution of said cleaning process.

A fixing device includes: a heating rotator and a pressure rotator configured to be pressed against and separated from each other, the rotators being rotated while being pressed against each other to thermally fix a toner image formed on a recording medium at a nip portion between the rotators; and a separating member configured to separate the recording medium to which the toner image is thermally fixed, the separating member being enabled to be brought close to and be separated from the nip portion between the rotators, wherein when the rotators in a pressure contact state are separated from each other, the rotators are separated after the separating member is moved away from the nip portion, and when the rotators in a separated state are pressed against each other, the separating member is brought close to the nip portion after the rotators are pressed against each other.

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer bearing member, a fixing unit including a heating member, a rotary member which is heated by the heating member, and a nip area where the rotary member comes into contact with a sheet, and configured to perform fixing by heating a developer image transferred to the sheet and fixing the developer image to the sheet in the nip area, and a control unit configured to execute, while the fixing is not performed, a mode in which the image bearing member is rotated with the developer bearing member being in a separated position and the heating member is controlled such that a temperature of a portion of a surface of the rotary member, after the rotary member passes through the nip area, is maintained higher than the temperature of the portion during the fixing.

An image forming apparatus includes a tray, a casing having a first outlet, a second outlet above the first outlet, a first path, and a second path, a stack lever, a drive source, and a controller. The second path communicates with the second outlet such that a sheet conveyed along the second path is partially discharged from the second outlet and is reversed along the second path. The first outlet communicates with the first path such that the sheet conveyed along the first path is discharged from the first outlet onto the tray. The stack lever is movable between a first position where the stack lever presses a sheet on the tray and a second position higher than the first position. The controller is configured to control the drive source such that, when the sheet is discharged from the second outlet, the stack lever is at the second position.

An image heating apparatus for use with an image forming apparatus includes a pair of rotatable members configured to form a nip for heating an image on a recording material; a guide member configured to guide the recording material toward the nip; a supporting mechanism configured to rotatably support the guide member about an axis so that the guide member is movable between a first position where the guide member guides the recording material and a second position where the guide member blocks at least a part of a feeding path of the recording material; and a locking mechanism configured to lock the guide member being in the first position. The locking mechanism releases locking with sliding movement of the guiding member in a direction of the axis.

Provided is an electronic device that outputs a notification sound that takes into consideration those of older age. The electronic device is an electronic device that outputs a notification sound, and includes a frequency-setting unit and a notification-sound-control unit. The frequency-setting unit sets an initial frequency for the notification sound. The notification-sound-control unit causes the notification sound to be outputted at the initial frequency, and performs control so that the frequency of the notification sound is lowered from the initial frequency as time passes.

An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit and an apparatus main body. The fixing unit fixes a toner image on a recording medium. To the apparatus main body, the fixing unit is attached. The apparatus main body includes a holding part which has an opening and an elastically deformable contact part. The opening is arranged at an attachment position of the fixing unit. The contact part protrudes from an edge of the opening to an attachment direction of the fixing unit and is bent so as to narrow the opening. The fixing unit includes a held part protruding at a position corresponding to the holding part, and the held part enters the opening while pressing the contact part so that the held part fits into the opening.

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body having an engagement mechanism and a second opening and further includes a fixing unit having a pressure releasing mechanism. The engagement mechanism includes a first engagement portion. The pressure releasing mechanism includes a first engaged portion engaging with the first engagement portion. In a process in which a first opening/closing member is opened from a closed state, the first engagement portion positioned on a second opening side of the first engaged portion pushes the first engaged portion from the second opening side to reduce or release an urging force applied to a fixing nip portion. In a state where the first opening/closing member is closed, the first engagement portion and the first engaged portion are disengaged, and the first engagement portion is retreated from a path of the first engaged portion when a fixing unit is detached from the second opening.

An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit and an apparatus main body. The fixing unit includes a heating unit, a pressure roller, first and second cam members, and a pressure force release unit. The pressure force release unit switches a position of the heating unit between a first position at which a predetermined pressure force is applied from the pressure roller to a fixing nip portion, and a second position at which the applied predetermined pressure force is reduced or released. The apparatus main body includes first and second doors that are opened and closed and contain the fixing unit. The first cam member rotates with an open and close of the first door, and the second cam member rotates with an open and close of the second door. A rotational center of the second cam member is arranged coaxially with a rotational center of the first cam member.