Abstract: A fixing method is provided including the step of fixing a toner on a recording medium with a fixing device. The toner has a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent, and has a release agent amount indicator of from 0.01 to 0.20. The release agent amount indicator is represented by a ratio (P2850/P828) of an intensity (P2850) at a wave number of 2,850 cm?1 to an intensity (P828) at a wave number of 828 cm?1 of the toner measured by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflection method. The fixing device includes a fixing rotator driven to rotate by a driving source, a pressure rotator driven to rotate by rotation of the fixing rotator, a fixing belt interposed between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, and a heater to heat the fixing belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary endless fixing belt; a nip forming member disposed in an interior of the fixing belt; a rotary opposed member to contact the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip together with the fixing belt; a heat source to directly heat the fixing belt at a portion other than the nip, including at lease one heat-generation part disposed outside lateral ends of a maximum area of the fixing belt where a recording medium passes through, wherein a recording medium carrying an unfixed image is conveyed to the nip and the fixing device fixes the unfixed image onto the recording medium; and a shielding member disposed between the fixing belt and the heat generation part of the heat source and configured to shield heat from the heat source at least at an area outside the maximum passing area of the recording medium.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member and a pressure member that comes into contact with the fixing member to form a nip. The fixing device conveys a recording medium carrying a not-fixed image to the nip and fixes the not-fixed image onto the recording medium. A vibration attenuation rate of the pressure member is set to 5% or higher, with respect to a maximum value of a frequency response function of the pressure member at 300 Hz or lower in a vibration test of the pressure member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a resistive heat generator, a temperature detector, and a power controller that detects a temperature-resistance property of the resistive heat generator before the resistive heat generator is used when the resistive heat generator is removably installed. The power controller obtains power supplied to the resistive heat generator and a change in a temperature of the resistive heat generator, that is detected by the temperature detector, while the power controller supplies the power at a predetermined power duty cycle for adjustment to the resistive heat generator. The power controller calculates the temperature-resistance property of the resistive heat generator based on the power and the change in the temperature that are obtained. The power controller adjusts a power duty cycle at which the power is supplied to the resistive heat generator in use of the resistive heat generator, based on the temperature-resistance property.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heating device including a heat generator and a resistance value identifier, a body, a resistance value acquisition unit, a detector to detect detachment and attachment of the heating device from and to the body, and an electric power controller. The resistance value identifier corresponds to a resistance value of the heat generator. The resistance value acquisition unit acquires the resistance value from the resistance value identifier. The electric power controller causes the resistance value acquisition unit to acquire the resistance value when the detector detects detachment and attachment of the heating device. The electric power controller changes a lighting duty of the heat generator when the acquired resistance value of the heat generator is different from the resistance value before the detector detects detachment and attachment of the heating device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a power controller that starts an examination mode by an external operation. The examination mode detects a temperature-resistance property of a resistive heat generator. The power controller supplies power at a predetermined power duty cycle to the resistive heat generator, The power controller obtains the power supplied to the resistive heat generator and a change in a temperature of the resistive heat generator, that is detected by a temperature detector, while the power controller supplies the power at the predetermined power duty cycle to the resistive heat generator. The power controller calculates the temperature-resistance property of the resistive heat generator based on the power and the change in the temperature that are obtained. The power controller adjusts a power duty cycle at which the power is supplied to the resistive heat generator based on the temperature-resistance property.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a power controller that starts an examination mode by an external operation. The examination mode detects a temperature-resistance property of a resistive heat generator. The power controller supplies power at a predetermined power duty cycle to the resistive heat generator. The power controller obtains the power supplied to the resistive heat generator and a change in a temperature of the resistive heat generator, that is detected by a temperature detector, while the power controller supplies the power at the predetermined power duty cycle to the resistive heat generator. The power controller calculates the temperature-resistance property of the resistive heat generator based on the power and the change in the temperature that are obtained. The power controller adjusts a power duty cycle at which the power is supplied to the resistive heat generator based on the temperature-resistance property.

Abstract: A fixing method is provided including the step of fixing a toner on a recording medium with a fixing device. The toner comprises a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent, and has a release agent amount indicator of from 0.01 to 0.20. The release agent amount indicator is represented by a ratio (P2850/P828) of an intensity (P2850) at a wave number of 2,850 cm?1 to an intensity (P828) at a wave number of 828 cm?1 of the toner measured by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflection method. The fixing device includes a fixing rotator driven to rotate by a driving source, a pressure rotator driven to rotate by rotation of the fixing rotator, a fixing belt interposed between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, and a heater to heat the fixing belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary endless fixing belt; a nip forming member disposed in an interior of the fixing belt; a rotary opposed member to contact the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip together with the fixing belt; a heat source to directly heat the fixing belt at a portion other than the nip, including at lease one heat-generation part disposed outside lateral ends of a maximum area of the fixing belt where a recording medium passes through, wherein a recording medium carrying an unfixed image is conveyed to the nip and the fixing device fixes the unfixed image onto the recording medium; and a shielding member disposed between the fixing belt and the heat generation part of the heat source and configured to shield heat from the heat source at least at an area outside the maximum passing area of the recording medium.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary endless fixing belt; a nip forming member disposed in an interior of the fixing belt; a rotary opposed member to contact the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip together with the fixing belt; a heat source to directly heat the fixing belt at a portion other than the nip, including at lease one heat-generation part disposed outside lateral ends of a maximum area of the fixing belt where a recording medium passes through, wherein a recording medium carrying an unfixed image is conveyed to the nip and the fixing device fixes the unfixed image onto the recording medium; and a shielding member disposed between the fixing belt and the heat generation part of the heat source and configured to shield heat from the heat source at least at an area outside the maximum passing area of the recording medium.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless, rotatable fixing belt, a pressure rotator, a nip formation pad, a support, and a vibration repressor. The pressure rotator presses an outer surface of the fixing belt. The nip formation pad is disposed at an inner side of the fixing belt, to abut on the pressure rotator with the fixing belt interposed between the nip formation pad and the pressure rotator to form a fixing nip. The support is disposed at the inner side of the fixing belt, to support the nip formation pad. The vibration repressor is disposed between the nip formation pad and the support, to repress vibration of the nip formation pad.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat source; a fixing member looped into a generally cylindrical shape to rotate in a circumferential direction thereof and partially heated by the heat source and to heat a surface of a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image thereon in a fixing process; a rotary pressing member disposed facing the fixing member to form a nip therebetween, through which the recording medium is transported in a transport direction; and a rotation driver to rotate one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In a case in which the fixing member is halted for a reason other than the fixing process while power of the fixing device is on, electric power is not supplied to the heat source and the fixing member is rotated by a predetermined amount or more after the fixing member is halted.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device. The fixing device includes a rotatable endless fixing member, a nip forming member arranged inside the fixing member, a pressing member in contact with the nip forming member via the fixing member, and a heating source configured to heat the fixing member. When an abnormality occurs in at least one of the fixing device and other devices included in the image forming apparatus, a rotation of the fixing member is stopped prior to stopping a rotation driving of a discharging unit and, after stopping, the fixing member is controlled to rotate.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotatable endless fixing belt; a nip forming member arranged inside the fixing belt; a facing rotating body that abuts the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip portion with the fixing belt; a heat source that directly heats up the fixing belt at a portion other than the nip portion; and a supporting member that supports the nip forming member. The fixing device conveys a recording medium carrying an unfixed image to the nip portion to fix the unfixed image to the recording medium, and the supporting member includes a rising portion extending in an abutting direction of the facing rotating body against the fixing belt and having a tip close to an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt, and is set to have a section modulus of 200 mm3 or higher.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation assembly disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. An opposed rotary body is pressed against the nip formation assembly via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the opposed rotary body through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A belt holder contacts and supports each lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. The belt holder is isolated from the opposed rotary body with a first interval interposed therebetween in the axial direction of the endless belt.

Abstract: An image forming method is provided. The method includes the steps of forming an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor; developing the electrostatic latent image into a toner image with a toner; transferring the toner image onto a recording medium having a smoothness of 20 s or less; and fixing the toner image on the recording medium. The toner exhibits an adhesion force of 100 gf or more, where the adhesion force is the maximum value of a pull force between a layer of the toner and standard paper determined by a tacking test with a probe temperature of 140° C.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation pad disposed inside the fixing rotator. A pressure rotator presses against the nip formation pad via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. A heat generator is disposed inside the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator. A reflector is interposed between the heat generator and the nip formation pad. The reflector includes a reflection face to reflect radiant heat radiated from the heat generator. The reflection face includes a reflection portion disposed opposite the heat generator at various angles. A support is provided separately from the nip formation pad and supports the reflector.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a primary heater disposed opposite a fixing rotator to heat a circumferential span of the fixing rotator other than a fixing nip formed between the fixing rotator and a pressure rotator and a secondary heater disposed outboard from the primary heater in an axial direction of the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator at the fixing nip. The primary heater and the secondary heater heat a bi-heating span of the fixing rotator in the axial direction thereof. The secondary heater heats a mono-heating span of the fixing rotator in the axial direction thereof and generates a decreased amount of heat to be conducted to the bi-heating span of the fixing rotator. The decreased amount of heat is smaller than an increased amount of heat to be conducted to the mono-heating span of the fixing rotator that is heated by the secondary heater only.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip formation pad that presses against a pressure rotator via an endless belt to form a fixing nip between the belt and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A fixing heater is disposed opposite at least a center span of a conveyance span of the belt in an axial direction thereof where the recording medium is conveyed to heat the belt. A first lateral end heater and a second lateral end heater are mounted on the nip formation pad and disposed opposite a first lateral end span and a second lateral end span of an inner circumferential surface of the belt in the axial direction thereof, respectively, to heat the belt. The second lateral end heater is electrically connected in series to the first lateral end heater.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation assembly disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. An opposed rotary body is pressed against the nip formation assembly via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the opposed rotary body through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A belt holder contacts and supports each lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. The belt holder is isolated from the opposed rotary body with a first interval interposed therebetween in the axial direction of the endless belt.