Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a sheet using printing toner and apply powder adhesive on the sheet, a fixing portion configured to heat the toner image formed on the sheet and the powder adhesive applied on the sheet by the image forming portion and fix the toner image and the powder adhesive to the sheet, and a bonding portion configured to bond the sheet with the powder adhesive by reheating the sheet having been heated by the fixing portion. The bonding portion is arranged above the image forming portion.

Abstract: A heater includes a substrate formed of metal into a plate shape in which a length in a longitudinal direction thereof is greater than a length in a short direction thereof when viewed in a thickness direction thereof, an insulating layer formed of insulating material on a first surface of the substrate on a first side in the thickness direction, a heating element arranged on the insulating layer and configured to generate heat by flowing electric current therethrough, and a cover layer arranged to cover the heating element. The heater is a warped shape when receiving no external force, such that a center portion of the heater in the longitudinal direction protrudes to the first side in the thickness direction compared to both end portions of the heater in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms images on sheets, includes: a collection unit configured to collect history information relating to operation of the image forming apparatus; a selection unit configured to select, from among a plurality of accomplishment items, an accomplishment item relating to the operation of the image forming apparatus based on the history information; an acquisition unit configured to notify a user of one or more operation options related to the operation of the image forming apparatus that are for accomplishing the accomplishment item selected by the selection unit, and to acquire a selection result of whether or not the one or more operation options are to be used; and an operation control unit configured to control the operation of the image forming apparatus in accordance with the selection result.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a roller having a rotation axis, and a belt unit that conveys a sheet in combination with the roller. The belt unit includes an endless belt, a nip forming member that forms a nip in combination with the roller, and an upstream belt guide. The fixing device further includes a chute having a guide surface configured to guide the sheet toward the nip. In a section orthogonal to the rotation axis, a line segment connecting a downstream end of the guide surface and an upstream end of the nip does not intersect the upstream belt guide, and an extended line extended from the downstream end of the guide surface along the guide surface toward the roller intersects a surface of the roller at a position upstream of an upstream end of the nip.

Abstract: A fusing device includes an annular belt, a heat generation member arranged inside the annular belt, and a heat transmission member that has first and second faces, wherein the first face opposes the heat generation member and the second face opposes the annular belt, and the heat transmission member transmits heat to the annular belt, wherein the heat transmission member satisfies the following Conditional Expression (1): D/L?0.18×S?28??(1) where D means a thermal diffusivity [×10?6 m2/s] that is determined along the first face of the heat transmission member, L means a half of an interval [×10?3 m] between two of the heat generation parts adjacent to one another, and S: the carrying speed [×10?3 m/s] at which the medium is carried.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image bearer, a developing unit configured to develop with a toner, an intermediate transfer member, and a transferring unit, wherein the intermediate transfer member is a laminate including a base layer and an elastic layer including particles at a surface thereof to form convex-concave shapes at the surface, the particles have volume resistivity of from 1×100 ohm*cm through 1×109 ohm*cm, the toner includes additive, an amount of the additive separated from the toner is from 20 percent by mass through 35 percent by mass relative to a total amount of the additive in the toner when a toner dispersion liquid in which the toner is dispersed in a dispersant is irradiated with ultrasonic wave vibration with an irradiation energy dose of 4 kJ, and the toner has a dielectric constant of 2.6 or greater but 3.9 or less.

Abstract: In one example of the disclosure, a developer system includes a housing and a developer roller. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed in the housing, the first and second electrodes to create an electrical charge to cause transfer of printing fluid to a developer roller surface. The developer roller is rotatably connected to the housing. The developer includes a surface, a bearing to support and enable rotation of an axle attached to the developer roller, and a plurality of stop pins. The plurality of stop pins are connected to the housing. The stop pins are to support the bearings and to establish target distances between the developer roller surface and the first electrode and second electrodes.

Abstract: A heating device includes a surface heater unit including a heater portion that generates heat in a region extending in a longitudinal direction, the surface heater unit heating a heating object; and a heat conducting unit having a hollow space in which working fluid is sealed and including a working-fluid transport unit that transports the working liquid in the longitudinal direction, the heat conducting unit being in contact with the surface heater unit. The working-fluid transport unit is provided unevenly in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction in the hollow space.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a photoconductive drum and a boss that protrudes outward from a first longitudinal end of the toner cartridge at a rotational axis of the photoconductive drum. An outermost axial segment of the boss along the rotational axis includes a partial cylinder having a cross-sectional shape of a circular segment. An outer circumferential surface of the partial cylinder is convex to a bottom of the toner cartridge and forms a bottom contact surface of the boss that is unobstructed to contact and sit in a corresponding V-block in an image forming device when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device. The outermost axial segment of the boss includes clearance above a topmost portion of the partial cylinder and within the radius of the outer circumferential surface of the partial cylinder permitting the clearance to accommodate one or more features in the image forming device.

Abstract: In an example, a print apparatus comprises an intermediate transfer member to receive thermoplastic print agent from a photoconductive surface, a rotatably mounted endless cleaning surface to receive a layer of thermoplastic print agent from the intermediate transfer member and a heater, to heat the endless cleaning surface. The endless cleaning surface may be to engage with the intermediate transfer member when heated to transfer residue from the intermediate transfer member to the layer of thermoplastic print agent on the endless cleaning surface.

Abstract: A heating device includes a tubular rotator that rotates and a heat source that heats the tubular rotator. A thermal conductor includes a first face that contacts the tubular rotator and a second face that is opposite the first face. A first thickness portion is disposed in a first span of the thermal conductor in a longitudinal direction of the thermal conductor. The first thickness portion has a first thickness. A second thickness portion is disposed in at least a part of a second span of the thermal conductor in the longitudinal direction of the thermal conductor. The second span is different from the first span. The second thickness portion has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness of the first thickness portion. The second thickness portion includes a folded portion that is disposed on the second face.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a toner detection sensor, a storage unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit includes an image carrier, a charging device, an exposure device, and a developing device. The toner detection sensor detects toner in the developing device. The control unit predicts transition of the toner deterioration degree in the developing device using the toner consumption amount and the cumulative operating time stored in the storage unit, and a predetermined toner deterioration model. The control unit is capable of measuring the toner deterioration degree based on amplitude of an output value of the toner detection sensor, and corrects the toner deterioration model, if the measured value of the toner deterioration degree is apart from the predicted value of the toner deterioration degree by a predetermined value or more.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a sheet includes a rotatable fixing belt; a heating roller wherein the belt is stretched and entrained around the heating roller to heat the belt; a pressing pad of resin material provided inside of the belt; a rotatable pressing member contacting an outer peripheral surface of the belt and pressing against the pad through the belt to form a nip configured to nip and feed the sheet; a supporting metal stay supporting the pad and including a planar bottom surface faced to the pad; and projected portions integrally molded with the pad and provided along a widthwise direction of the pad, the projected portions projecting and contacting to the bottom surface such that the pad is supported by the stay. A contact area between the projected portions and the bottom surface is not less than 5% and not more than 40% of the area of the bottom surface.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus including a heat generating element having a first area, a second area, and a third area, the first area being located on an end portion side in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of a recording material and having a first heat generation amount per unit length in the orthogonal direction, the second area being located on an inner side than the first area in the orthogonal direction and having a second heat generation amount per unit length in the orthogonal direction, the third area being located on the inner side than the second area in the orthogonal direction and having a third heat generation amount per unit length in the orthogonal direction. The second heat generation amount is larger than the third heat generation amount, and the third heat generation amount is larger than the first heat generation amount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an intermediary transfer belt, a transfer member, a voltage source for applying a voltage to the transfer member, a detecting portion for detecting a current flowing through the transfer member, and a controller for carrying out constant-voltage control so that the voltage applied to the transfer member becomes a target voltage when a recording material P passes through a transfer portion. The controller is capable of changing the voltage applied to the transfer member so that a detection result detected by the detecting portion during transfer falls within a predetermined range. The controller changes the predetermined range on the basis of the detection result detected by the detecting portion when the voltage is applied to the transfer member in a state in which the recording material P is absent in the transfer portion.

Abstract: According to examples, an apparatus may include a processor and a nontransitory computer readable medium storing machine readable instructions that when executed by the processor may cause the processor to receive a requested power demand from a first heating component and a second heating component, compare the requested power demand to a first threshold, and select a sequencing and stacking group of a plurality of sequencing and stacking groups for the first heating component and the second heating component corresponding to a result of the requested power demand being compared to the first threshold. The instructions may also cause the processor to control application of power to the first heating component and the second heating component according to the selected sequencing and stacking group.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image, a reader having a transparent member, the reader being configured to read an original through intermediation of the transparent member, a document feeder configured to feed the original in order to read the original by the reader, a reader image processor, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the image forming unit to form a test chart on a sheet, to control the reader image processor to detect the dust on the transparent member based on a result of reading the test chart, and to generate a conversion condition based on other signal values excluding an abnormal signal value caused by the dust on the transparent member.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to mitigate deterioration of printing fluid in a tank of a printer. The method comprises: draining printing fluid from a tank of a printer, and stopping the draining before the tank is empty, wherein the printing fluid comprises solids suspended in imaging oil, filtering the printing fluid drained from the tank, to separate at least some of the solids from the imaging oil, passing the filtered imaging oil to a reservoir; and then passing imaging oil from the reservoir to the tank. Also disclosed is a printer and a system to perform the method.

Abstract: A paper feeding device of an embodiment includes a paper feed cassette, an alignment component, a fan, and a fan guiding duct component. A paper bundle in which a plurality of sheets of paper are stacked can be placed on the paper feed cassette. The alignment component can align the paper bundle placed on the paper feed cassette. The fan is connected to the alignment component. The fan can generate airflow. The fan guiding duct component is connected to the alignment component. The fan guiding duct component is positioned above the paper bundle placed on the paper feed cassette. The fan guiding duct component generates a negative pressure between the fan guiding duct component and an uppermost sheet of paper in the paper bundle due to the airflow from the fan.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image carrier, a transfer unit, a driver, a hardware processor, an adjustment mechanism, and a speed detector. The hardware processor sets a command value. The hardware processor performs a constant-torque control based on a constant-speed drive torque detected in a constant-speed control. In the constant-torque control, the hardware processor performs a feedback control to set a reference value to an average speed of the driver during passage of a first sheet and calculate a difference from an average speed during passage of a subsequent sheet so as to derive the command value. The hardware processor determines whether a load torque increase, its factor, and/or its influence exceeds a threshold, and forcibly sets the reference value to a speed detected while a pressure between the transfer unit and the image carrier is reduced by the adjustment mechanism from the pressure during image transfer.