Patent attributes
An image forming apparatus has an image forming unit that forms an image on one side of a recording medium, and a return unit that returns the recording medium to the image forming unit so that an image can be formed on the other side. A control unit selects different transport speeds for different types of recording media on at least part of the return path, preferably selecting a comparatively high speed for normal recording media and a slower speed for recording media that are thicker or stiffer than normal, as sensed by a thickness or stiffness sensor or inferred indirectly from another setting such as a fusing temperature setting. Thick or stiff recording media can then negotiate tight turns on the return path without transport failure, while normal media can be transported at high speed on the entire return path.
