Abstract: An interlock switch includes a switch mechanism. The switch mechanism includes a switch having an arm as an actuator, a holding member to which the switch is fastened by a rocking mechanism, the holding member being rotatably disposed in an apparatus body, one pressing member which presses the arm from the arm side, other pressing member which presses the holding member from the side opposite to the arm side, one elastic member which regulates the ON position of the switch in a releasing direction in arm-side view, and other elastic member which applies a force to the switch in a direction in which the one pressing member comes close to the switch. The switch is turned on when the one pressing member presses the arm from the arm side and the other pressing member presses the holding member from the side opposite to the arm side.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an unfixed toner image on a recording medium includes a rotatable fixing member heated by a heater to contact the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image while rotating, with the heater disposed inside a hollow of the fixing member and turned on and off intermittently at a start of a fixing process to heat the fixing member intermittently, a first pressing member disposed opposite the fixing member to press against and rotate the fixing member to define a fixing nip through which the recording medium passes to fix the unfixed toner image with heat and pressure, and a temperature detector to detect a change in the temperature of the fixing member when the heater turns on and off intermittently. When the temperature detector detects the change in the temperature of the fixing device, the heater is turned on continuously.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member including a recording medium passing area inside thereof through which the recording medium passes, a first heater disposed in the fixing member to heat the fixing member, a first pressing member disposed opposite the fixing member to press against and rotate the fixing member to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording medium, a second heater disposed outside the recording medium passing area and inside the fixing member to heat the fixing member cyclically in a given cycle of heating, a temperature detector to detect a change in the temperature of the fixing member when the fixing member is cyclically heated by the second heater, and a determination unit to evaluate a condition of rotation of the fixing member based on the cycle of heating by the second heater and the cycle of change in the temperature detected by the temperature detector.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a first reflection plate covers a part of an outer circumferential surface of an infrared heater in a circumferential direction of the infrared heater along an axial direction of the infrared heater substantially perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the infrared heater. The first reflection plate reflects light emitted by the infrared heater toward a fixing member. At least one light control mirror is provided in at least one end of the first reflection plate in an axial direction of the first reflection plate. At least one second reflection plate opposes the infrared heater via the at least one light control mirror to reflect the light emitted by the infrared heater and passing through the at least one light control mirror toward a center portion of the fixing member in an axial direction of the fixing member.

Abstract: A charging brush unit includes a brush and a conductive holder. The brush includes a plurality of flexible conductive fibers. The plurality of flexible conductive fibers is supplied with a charging bias to generate electrical discharge between a top of the plurality of conductive fibers and a latent image carrier across a gap formed between the top of the plurality of conductive fibers and the latent image carrier. The gap is provided with an electrode. The electrode includes a plurality of openings opposing the top of the plurality of conductive fibers and is supplied with a bias different from the charging bias applied to the plurality of conductive fibers. The conductive holder holds the brush.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming device capable of forming high-quality images and affording high-precision rotating shaft parallelism between surface mobile bodies, and a unit position adjustment method for adjusting the position of a surface mobile body unit relative to the main body of the image forming device. The image forming device includes a front fixing guide plate as a unit support member for fixing, to a front plate of a structure, a fixing unit serving as a surface mobile body unit which includes a fixing roller being a surface mobile body, and an upper portion eccentric cam and a horizontal portion eccentric cam serving as a unit position adjustment member for adjusting the position of the front fixing guide plate relative to the front plate.

Abstract: An optical writing apparatus includes a deflecting part having a deflection plane for deflecting a plurality of light beams, a synchronization detection mirror for reflecting the plurality of light beams from the deflecting part, a synchronization detection part for detecting the timing for deflecting the plural light beams reflected from the synchronization detection mirror, and a housing for housing the deflecting part and the synchronization detection part. The synchronization detection part includes a lens for converging the plural light beams reflected from the synchronization detection mirrors, a light detection plate for detecting the plural light beams converged by the lens, and a holding member for holding the lens and the light detection plate.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a fixing device to fix a toner image by heat, a discharging tray to accommodating a sheet fixed toner image at the fixing device, a sheet feeding device including a sheet discharging roller to discharge the sheet and positioned downstream of the fixing device, and a sheet cooling device to cool the sheet fixed toner image. The sheet cooling device is located along the direction in which the sheets are stacked and is close to the sheet discharging device. Blocking from adhesion of sheets to each other by melting toner may be prevented by cooling the discharged sheet efficiently after the fixing.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming device capable of forming high-quality images and affording high-precision rotating shaft parallelism between surface mobile bodies, and a unit position adjustment method for adjusting the position of a surface mobile body unit relative to the main body of the image forming device. The image forming device comprises a front fixing guide plate as a unit support member for fixing, to a front plate of a structure, a fixing unit serving as a surface mobile body unit which comprises a fixing roller being a surface mobile body, and an upper portion eccentric cam and a horizontal portion eccentric cam serving as a unit position adjustment member for adjusting the position of the front fixing guide plate relative to the front plate.

Abstract: An optical writing apparatus includes a deflecting part having a deflection plane for deflecting a plurality of light beams, a synchronization detection mirror for reflecting the plurality of light beams from the deflecting part, a synchronization detection part for detecting the timing for deflecting the plural light beams reflected from the synchronization detection mirror, and a housing for housing the deflecting part and the synchronization detection part. The synchronization detection part includes a lens for converging the plural light beams reflected from the synchronization detection mirrors, a light detection plate for detecting the plural light beams converged by the lens, and a holding member for holding the lens and the light detection plate.

Abstract: A fixing device including a heat transmitting unit and a sheet unit. The heat transmitting unit has a heating source, which can be for example disposed inside the heat transmitting unit. The sheet unit is in contact with the heat transmitting unit for applying a pressure against the heat transmitting unit. One end of the sheet unit is fixed on an installation fitment that is arrange at an upstream side of a transporting direction of a recording paper with respect to the heat transmitting unit, and the other end of the sheet unit is pressed to be in contact with the heat transmitting unit. Furthermore, when the recording paper, where a toner image has been transferred thereon, passes through a nip portion between the heat transmitting unit and the sheet unit, the toner image is fixed by pressing and heating onto the recording paper.

Abstract: An image forming device comprises a fixing device that is composed of a fixing roller and a sheet-shaped pressure unit. The position of the fixing nip portion is set above a plane containing a transporting direction of the recording paper at the transferring nip portion. A recording paper guider is further disposed for guiding the recording paper transported by the transferring roller to the fixing roller. The guiding surface of the recording paper guider is inclined and gradually raised beginning at the transferring roller side (as the lowest position).

Abstract: A fixing device including a heat transmitting unit and a sheet unit. The heat transmitting unit has a heating source, which can be for example disposed inside the heat transmitting unit. The sheet unit is in contact with the heat transmitting unit for applying a pressure against the heat transmitting unit. One end of the sheet unit is fixed on an installation fitment that is arrange at an upstream side of a transporting direction of a recording paper with respect to the heat transmitting unit, and the other end of the sheet unit is pressed to be in contact with the heat transmitting unit. Furthermore, when the recording paper, where a toner image has been transferred thereon, passes through a nip portion between the heat transmitting unit and the sheet unit, the toner image is fixed by pressing and heating onto the recording paper.

Abstract: An image fixing device a pressure plate that presses against a fixing roller. The pressure plate is made of bridged PTFE or at least coated with bridged PTFE. A heater is provided inside the fixing roller for heating the fixing roller. A paper with a toner image thereon is made to pass through a nipping part formed by the pressure plate and the fixing roller. The image is fixed to the paper by the application of the pressure and the heat.

Abstract: A fixing device, including: a heat transmitting unit and a sheet unit. The heat transmitting unit has a heating source, which can be for example disposed inside the heat transmitting unit. The sheet unit is in contact with the heat transmitting unit for applying a pressure against the heat transmitting unit. One end of the sheet unit is fixed on an installation fitment that is arranged at an upstream side of a transporting direction of a recording paper with respect to the heat transmitting unit, and the other end of the sheet unit is pressed to be in contact with the heat transmitting unit. Furthermore, when the recording paper, where a toner image has been transferred thereon, passes through a nip portion between the heat transmitting unit and the sheet unit, the toner image is fixed by pressing and heating onto the recording paper.

Abstract: A fixing device for a printing device is provided. The fixing device comprises a fixing unit, heated by a heating source; and a sheet-shaped pressure unit, having an elasticity and in contact with the fixing unit by pressing against the fixing unit. When a recording paper that a toner image has been transcribed thereon passes through a nip portion between the sheet pressing unit and the fixing unit, by pressing and heating, the toner image is fixed on the recording paper. In addition, a surface layer is formed on a surface of the fixing unit, wherein the surface layer comprises a material such as a glass fiber, a graphite, a bronze etc, for increasing a friction coefficient. Further, the surface has a water contact angle greater than or equal to 90°. By setting the friction coefficient of the surface of the fixing roller to a range that the toner does not adhere thereon, the transporting property of the recording paper can be improved.

Abstract: A fixing device is provided, which has a fixing roller and a sheet. A recording paper where a toner image has been transcribed thereon is passed through a nip portion between the fixing roller and the sheet. By pressing and heating, the toner image is fixed on the recording paper. A heating line is wound on a surface opposite to a sheet's surface that is in contact with the fixing roller. By applying a power source to the heating line, the sheet is heated. When the recording paper enters the nip, the cause of the temperature suddenly lowering can be prevented.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a transfer mechanism, a fixing mechanism, a sheet ejection mechanism, and a driving source. The transfer mechanism including a transfer roller that transfers a toner image carried on a photosensitive member onto a recording sheet. The fixing mechanism fixes the toner image onto the recording sheet with heat and pressure. The fixing mechanism includes a fixing roller and a pressure plate, and applies heat and pressure to the toner image on the recording sheet when the recording sheet is caused to pass through a fixing nip portion. The sheet ejection mechanism ejects the recording sheet and includes sheet ejection rollers. The driving source drives the photosensitive member, the transfer roller, the fixing roller, and the sheet ejection rollers to transfer the recording sheet at a linear speed in a substantially constant manner from the photosensitive member through to the sheet ejection mechanism.

Abstract: An image fixing device a pressure plate that presses against a fixing roller. The pressure plate is made of bridged PTFE or at least coated with bridged PTFE. A heater is provided inside the fixing roller for heating the fixing roller. A paper with a toner image thereon is made to pass through a nipping part formed by the pressure plate and the fixing roller. The image is fixed to the paper by the application of the pressure and the heat.

Abstract: A fixing device, comprising: a heat transmitting unit and a sheet unit. The heat transmitting unit has a heating source, which can be for example, disposed inside the heat transmitting unit. The sheet unit is in contact with the heat transmitting unit for applying a pressure against the heat transmitting unit. One end of the sheet unit is fixed on an installation fitment that is arranged at an upstream side of a transporting direction of a recording paper with respect to the heat transmitting unit, and the other end of the sheet unit is pressed to be in contact with the heat transmitting unit. Furthermore, when the recording paper, where a toner image has been transferred thereon, passes through a nip portion between the heat transmitting unit and the sheet unit, the toner image is fixed by pressing and heating onto the recording paper.