IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of avoiding toner melt-sticking, dispensing with complicated control circuit and control method. SOLUTION: Regarding the image forming apparatus 1 having a fixing means 2 for thermally fixing a transfer paper on which an unfixed image is formed, and a cooling fan 104 for cooling the inside of the image forming apparatus 1, the image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a switching means 110 for setting the start/end of the image forming apparatus, a temperature detecting means 24 for detecting the temperature of the fixing means 2, and a thermoelement 101 arranged near the fixing means 2, and based on the start/end signal of the switching means 110 and the fixing means temperature detected by the temperature detecting means 24, when the start signal is detected and also the fixing means temperature is lower than a prescribed 1st reference temperature, a DC voltage is supplied to the thermoelement, then, electric energy is converted to heat energy by Peltier effect, and then, the fixing means 2 is heated, on the other hand, when the end signal is detected and also the fixing means temperature is higher than the prescribed 2nd reference temperature, a DC voltage is supplied to the thermoelement 101, then, the electric energy is converted to the heat energy by Peltier effect, and then, the fixing means 2 is cooled. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI