Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a fixing device includes a laser beam irradiation unit and a conveying unit. The laser beam irradiation unit includes a plurality of laser beam sources and emits a plurality of laser beams to a surface of a recording medium. The conveying unit conveys the recording medium and/or the laser beam irradiation unit so that irradiated regions irradiated with the laser beams are moved in a given direction. When the plurality of laser beams is emitted to a toner image to fix the toner image, the plurality of laser beams satisfies conditions (A) and (B). The condition (A) is that the plurality of laser beams has substantially the same beam power and substantially the same width. The condition (B) is that the plurality of laser beams is independently emitted to the toner image.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a laser fixing device includes a laser beam generating device and an airflow generating unit. The laser beam generating device generates laser beams and irradiates a recording medium transported with the laser beams. The airflow generating unit generates airflow flowing between the laser beam generating device and the recording medium. A flow speed of the airflow in a transport direction of the recording medium in an irradiation position of the laser beams is higher than a transport speed of the recording medium.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a fixing device includes a first laser unit and a second laser unit. The first laser unit outputs a first laser beam to irradiate a visible image formed of image forming material on a recording medium with the first laser beam. The second laser unit outputs a second laser beam to irradiate the visible image with the second laser beam after being irradiated with the first laser beam. The first laser beam and the second laser beam is configured to satisfy relations: W1<W2 and t1>t2, W1 is an optical output per unit area of the first laser beam, W2 is an optical output per unit area of the second laser beam, t1 is an irradiation time per unit area of the first laser beam, and t2 is an irradiation time per unit area of the second laser beam.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit and a switching unit. The fixing unit includes an emitting unit that emits light and a housing that houses the emitting unit. The fixing unit fixes a toner image to a recording medium by emitting the light to a surface of the recording medium, the recording medium having the toner image formed thereon and having been transported to a predetermined fixing position that is away from the housing. The switching unit switches a state of the fixing device from a first state in which the housing and the recording medium are positioned away from each other to a second state in which the surface of the recording medium at the fixing position is sealed with the housing.

Abstract: A laser fixing apparatus includes: a laser light generator that generates laser light to be projected onto a recording medium. A first condenser reflects and condenses the light generated by reflection of the laser light at an irradiation position of the recording medium, such that the reflected and condensed light is re-projected at the irradiation position and/or near the irradiation position.

Abstract: A laser fixing device includes: a laser beam irradiating device which irradiates a recording medium that is conveyed while carrying an unfixed toner image, with a laser beam; and a laser beam absorbing member which is disposed in an optical path of the laser beam that is emitted to a back side of a position where the recording medium is conveyed, and which absorbs the laser beam.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first irradiation unit that irradiates a laser beam in a first irradiation region toward a recording medium in which unfixed image is formed; a second irradiation unit that irradiates a laser beam toward a second irradiation region; an image information acquiring unit that acquires image information of the first irradiation region; a coating information acquiring unit that divides the first irradiation region into one or a plurality of divided regions, and that acquires coating information that relates to the coating level on the basis of the image information; a transmission information acquiring unit that acquires transmission information that relates to the laser beam which is irradiated to the first irradiation region and passes through the recording material on the basis of the coating information; an irradiation control unit that controls the irradiation energy of the second irradiation unit based on the transmission information.

Abstract: A laser fixing apparatus includes a laser light generator that generates laser light to be projected onto a recording medium; and a first condenser that reflects and condenses light reflected at an irradiation position of the laser light, such that the reflected light reenters at the irradiation position or near the irradiation position. The first condenser has a concave cylindrical surface and is arranged such that a center axis position of the cylindrical surface is located at the irradiation position of the laser light or near the irradiation position, and a reflecting surface of the first condenser is covered by a light transmitting body.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a light irradiation unit and a reflector. The light irradiation unit irradiates a recording medium conveyed in a conveying direction with laser light along a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction. The reflector reflects first to fourth angular components of a part of the laser light reflected at an irradiation position at which the recording medium is irradiated, such that a first intersection point between the first and third angular components after the reflection and a second intersection point between the second and fourth angular components after the reflection as seen in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction and the first direction are at different positions in a direction of displacement of the recording medium, the direction of displacement crossing the conveying direction. A developing agent on the recording medium is melted by the laser light.

Abstract: A heating device includes an illuminating unit that applies laser light towards a strip-like illumination area formed along a direction crossing a direction of movement of a recording medium; and a reflecting member that surrounds the illumination area, the reflecting member reflecting again reflected light from the illumination area. The reflecting member has protruding reflecting surfaces that protrude continuously towards the recording medium along a widthwise direction crossing a longitudinal direction of the illumination area, the protruding reflecting surfaces being disposed side by side in the longitudinal direction of the illumination area. The protruding reflecting surfaces are positioned at substantially equal distances from the illumination area along the widthwise direction of the illumination area, and changed so that an entire or a portion of a cross-sectional shape along the longitudinal direction of the illumination area is curved or inclined.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a laser light source that irradiates an irradiation region with a laser light, the irradiation region extending along a direction crossing a transporting direction of a recording medium with respect to a heating-fixable image which is on the recording medium. The fixing device further includes; a reflective member that is provided to enclose the irradiation region and includes a reflective surface reflecting a reflected light so that the irradiation region is re-irradiated with the reflected light from the irradiation region by the laser light radiated from the laser light source; and a light absorption member that is provided so as to continue to an end of a side of the reflective member directed to the recording medium and includes a portion facing a transporting surface of the recording medium and extending toward an outside of the reflective member, and is capable of absorbing the laser light.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a conveying unit that conveys a recording material with an image formed thereon toward a predetermined conveying direction so as to cross a fixing area where the image is heated to be fixed; a laser light source that has an irradiation area as the fixing area slantingly extending relative to a predetermined image arrangement reference direction along a width direction of the recording material crossing the conveying direction of the recording material, and irradiates the irradiation area with laser light; and a reflecting member that is provided so as to surround the irradiation area and has a reflecting face that reflects reflected light from the irradiation area so that the irradiation area is again irradiated with the reflected light.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a laser source that irradiates an image with laser light, the image being formed on a moving recording material with a thermoplastic image-forming material; and a support member arranged to face the laser source and having a curved portion, the curved portion being curved to extend in a recording-material moving direction and to protrude toward the laser source, the curved portion having a supporting portion of the recording material corresponding to at least an irradiation area of the laser light in a curved manner.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a light irradiation unit and a reflector. The light irradiation unit irradiates a recording medium conveyed in a conveying direction with laser light along a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction. The reflector reflects first to fourth angular components of a part of the laser light reflected at an irradiation position at which the recording medium is irradiated, such that a first intersection point between the first and third angular components after the reflection and a second intersection point between the second and fourth angular components after the reflection as seen in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction and the first direction are at different positions in a direction of displacement of the recording medium, the direction of displacement crossing the conveying direction. A developing agent on the recording medium is melted by the laser light.

Abstract: A laser fixing device includes: a laser beam irradiating device which irradiates a recording medium that is conveyed while carrying an unfixed toner image, with a laser beam; and a laser beam absorbing member which is disposed in an optical path of the laser beam that is emitted to a back side of a position where the recording medium is conveyed, and which absorbs the laser beam.

Abstract: An image-forming method includes forming a toner image on the surface of an image carrier, transferring the toner image from the surface of the image carrier onto an image-receiving layer of a belt-shaped intermediate transfer film that is provided on a surface of a base material, superimposing the intermediate transfer film on a surface of a recording medium such that the toner image contacts the surface of the recording medium, fixing the toner image by application of heat and pressure, forming a laminate by pressure-bonding the superimposed intermediate transfer film onto the recording medium by application of heat and pressure, and peeling the base material off the image-receiving layer at the interface therebetween, so that the entire image-forming surface of the recording medium is covered with the image-receiving layer and the image is formed between the recording medium and the image-receiving layer.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a laser fixing device includes a laser beam generating device and an airflow generating unit. The laser beam generating device generates laser beams and irradiates a recording medium transported with the laser beams. The airflow generating unit generates airflow flowing between the laser beam generating device and the recording medium. A flow speed of the airflow in a transport direction of the recording medium in an irradiation position of the laser beams is higher than a transport speed of the recording medium.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a fixing device includes a laser beam irradiation unit and a conveying unit. The laser beam irradiation unit includes a plurality of laser beam sources and emits a plurality of laser beams to a surface of a recording medium. The conveying unit conveys the recording medium and/or the laser beam irradiation unit so that irradiated regions irradiated with the laser beams are moved in a given direction. When the plurality of laser beams is emitted to a toner image to fix the toner image, the plurality of laser beams satisfies conditions (A) and (B). The condition (A) is that the plurality of laser beams has substantially the same beam power and substantially the same width. The condition (B) is that the plurality of laser beams is independently emitted to the toner image.

Abstract: A laser fixing apparatus includes a laser light generator that generates laser light to be projected onto a recording medium; and a first condenser that reflects and condenses light reflected at an irradiation position of the laser light, such that the reflected light reenters at the irradiation position or near the irradiation position. The first condenser has a concave cylindrical surface and is arranged such that a center axis position of the cylindrical surface is located at the irradiation position of the laser light or near the irradiation position, and a reflecting surface of the first condenser is covered by a light transmitting body.

Abstract: A laser fixing apparatus includes: a laser light generator that generates laser light to be projected onto a recording medium.