Abstract: A recording-material cooling device is disposed downstream from a fixing device in a transport direction of a recording material. The fixing device includes a fixing member and a pressing member to fix an unfixed toner image on the recording material. The recording-material cooling device includes a first cooling unit disposed at a same side as the pressing member relative to the recording material, a second cooling unit disposed at a same side as the fixing member relative to the recording material, and a third cooling unit disposed at the same side as the pressing member relative to the recording material. The first cooling unit, the second cooling unit, and the third cooling unit are arranged in an order of the first cooling unit, the second cooling unit, and the third cooling unit from upstream to downstream in the transport direction of the recording material.

Abstract: An air-conditioning unit includes an air conditioner to control air temperature, a first channel to guide air supplied from the air conditioner to a conditioning target, a heat exchange channel through which the air supplied from the air conditioner exchanges heat with the conditioning target, a second channel to guide air from the conditioning target either outside the air-conditioning unit or to the air conditioner, and a channel switching unit to cause the air conditioner to suck in either external air or the air guided from the conditioning target.

Abstract: A liquid type cooling device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a heat releasing unit to release heat of a coolant that passes therethrough, and multiple air blowing fans disposed facing the heat releasing unit to blow air to the heat releasing unit. A cooling capacity of the liquid type cooling device varies according to a type of a recording medium on which an image is formed.

Abstract: A liquid type cooling device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a heat receiving part including a heat receiving unit to transport heat from a cooling target to a coolant and a heat releasing part including a heat releasing unit, a cooling fan, and an air flowing space. The heat releasing unit has a coolant flowing path and an air flowing path through which air passes and conducts heat exchange with the coolant. The air flowing space has an air inlet port and an air outlet port. When the air flowing path has an upstream region and a downstream region along a coolant flowing direction of the coolant flowing path, air at high temperature flows into the upstream region of the air flowing path. Alternatively, the heat releasing unit may have a coolant inlet port, a coolant outlet port, and the air flowing path.

Abstract: A recording medium conveyor, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor disposed facing the first conveyor. The first conveyor and the second conveyor sandwich a recording medium therebetween and convey the recording medium to a downstream side of an image forming apparatus in a recording medium conveying direction. At least one of the first conveyor and the second conveyor includes a belt having an inner circumferential face, and a cooler to cool the recording medium. The cooler has a heat absorbing face that contacts the inner circumferential face of the belt and that has an air flow path formed thereon to expose the inner circumferential face of the belt to open air.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cooling conveyor to cool a recording material having an image fixed by heat while sandwiching and conveying the recording material. The cooling conveyor includes a conveyance belt, a cooling member, and a cooling unit. The conveyance belt sandwiches and conveys the recording material. The cooling member absorbs heat of the recording material via the conveyance belt. The cooling unit maintains the cooling member at low temperature. The cooling conveyor performs control of stopping the cooling unit in a standby state of the image forming apparatus, activating the cooling unit and performing a preliminary cooling operation to decrease temperature of the cooling member after a shift from the standby state to image forming operation, and then bringing the recording material into contact with the conveyance belt.

Abstract: A cooling device includes a rotatable belt extended by a plurality of extending members that transfers a sheet in contact with the surface of the belt, and a plurality of cooling members to cool the sheet via the belt. A cooling surface of the cooling members contacts an internal surface of the transport belt. The cooling members are detachable. The cooling device also includes an adjuster to adjust a contact condition between the cooling surface and the internal surface according to the number of cooling members installed.

Abstract: A recording-material cooling device includes a first belt, a first cooling unit, and a second cooling unit. The first belt is disposed at a first face side of a recording material. The first cooling unit has a first heat absorbing surface to contact the first belt to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit has a second heat absorbing surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit is disposed at a second face side of the recording material. The first and second cooling units are offset from each other in a transport direction of the recording material. Each of the first and second surfaces has a shape in which an inner area protrudes beyond opposed ends in the transport direction. The first and second surfaces overlap each other in a direction crossing the transport direction.

Abstract: A recording-material cooling device includes a first belt, a first cooling unit, and a second cooling unit. The first belt is disposed at a first face side of a recording material. The first cooling unit has a first heat absorbing surface to contact the first belt to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit has a second heat absorbing surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit is disposed at a second face side of the recording material. The first and second cooling units are offset from each other in a transport direction of the recording material. Each of the first and second surfaces has a shape in which an inner area protrudes beyond opposed ends in the transport direction. The first and second surfaces overlap each other in a direction crossing the transport direction.

Abstract: A cooling device including at least two cooling members to cool a recording medium passing thereover, a coolant circulation unit to circulate a coolant, and tubing that connects the coolant circulation unit to the cooling members and through which the coolant circulates. Each of the cooling members includes a heat-absorbing surface that directly contacts the recording medium or indirectly contacts the recording medium via a thermal transmission member, an internal channel provided within each of the cooling members through which the coolant circulates, and a channel inlet and outlet formed at downstream and upstream ends of each of the cooling members in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium, respectively. One of an interval and a thermal insulator is provided between the cooling members.

Abstract: A recording-material cooling device includes a first cooling member, a second cooling member, an approach-and-separation member, and a positioning member. The first cooling member is disposed at a first face side of a recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling member is disposed at a second face side of the recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The approach-and-separation member brings the first cooling member and the second cooling member close to and away from each other. The positioning member positions the first cooling member and the second cooling member relatively brought close to each other by the approach-and-separation member.

Abstract: A cooling device includes a rotatable belt extended by a plurality of extending members that transfers a sheet in contact with the surface of the belt, and a plurality of cooling members to cool the sheet via the belt. A cooling surface of the cooling members contacts an internal surface of the transport belt. The cooling members are detachable. The cooling device also includes an adjuster to adjust a contact condition between the cooling surface and the internal surface according to the number of cooling members installed.

Abstract: A cooling device including at least two cooling members to cool a recording medium passing thereover, a coolant circulation unit to circulate a coolant, and tubing that connects the coolant circulation unit to the cooling members and through which the coolant circulates. Each of the cooling members includes a heat-absorbing surface that directly contacts the recording medium or indirectly contacts the recording medium via a thermal transmission member, an internal channel provided within each of the cooling members through which the coolant circulates, and a channel inlet and outlet formed at downstream and upstream ends of each of the cooling members in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium, respectively. One of an interval and a thermal insulator is provided between the cooling members.

Abstract: A cooling device includes a cooling member including a circulation passage for liquid coolant, and a cooling surface being directly or indirectly made to contact with a recording material being conveyed to cool the recording material. The circulation passage includes multiple passage sections arranged crossing to a conveying direction of the recording material, and a folded passage section to guide the liquid coolant from one of the multiple passage sections to another one of the multiple passage sections while changing a flowing direction of the liquid coolant. The folded passage section is disposed outside of an image forming area of the recording material on the cooling surface of the cooling member.

Abstract: A recording medium conveyor, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor disposed facing the first conveyor. The first conveyor and the second conveyor sandwich a recording medium therebetween and convey the recording medium to a downstream side of an image forming apparatus in a recording medium conveying direction. At least one of the first conveyor and the second conveyor includes a belt having an inner circumferential face, and a cooler to cool the recording medium. The cooler has a heat absorbing face that contacts the inner circumferential face of the belt and that has an air flow path formed thereon to expose the inner circumferential face of the belt to open air.

Abstract: A cooling device includes a rotatable belt extended by a plurality of extending members that transfers a sheet in contact with the surface of the belt, and a plurality of cooling members to cool the sheet via the belt. A cooling surface of the cooling members contacts an internal surface of the transport belt. The cooling members are detachable. The cooling device also includes an adjuster to adjust a contact condition between the cooling surface and the internal surface according to the number of cooling members installed.

Abstract: A recording-material cooling device includes a first cooling member, a second cooling member, an approach-and-separation member, and a positioning member. The first cooling member is disposed at a first face side of a recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling member is disposed at a second face side of the recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The approach-and-separation member brings the first cooling member and the second cooling member close to and away from each other. The positioning member positions the first cooling member and the second cooling member relatively brought close to each other by the approach-and-separation member.

Abstract: A cooling device includes a cooling member to cool a recording material. The cooling member includes a cooling surface member, a heat exchanging member, and a fastening member. The cooling surface member has a cooling surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material and absorb heat of the recording material to cool the recording material. The heat exchanging member is directly or indirectly joined to the cooling surface member to radiate heat absorbed by the cooling surface member directly or indirectly via a radiation member. The fastening member fastens the cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member to retain a joined state in which the cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member are directly or indirectly joined to each other. The cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member are separable from the joined state to a separated state without damaging the fastening member.

Abstract: A liquid type cooling device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a heat receiving part including a heat receiving unit to transport heat from a cooling target to a coolant and a heat releasing part including a heat releasing unit, a cooling fan, and an air flowing space. The heat releasing unit has a coolant flowing path and an air flowing path through which air passes and conducts heat exchange with the coolant. The air flowing space has an air inlet port and an air outlet port. When the air flowing path has an upstream region and a downstream region along a coolant flowing direction of the coolant flowing path, air at high temperature flows into the upstream region of the air flowing path. Alternatively, the heat releasing unit may have a coolant inlet port, a coolant outlet port, and the air flowing path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an air-conditioning section to control at least one of temperature and humidity of air, a first passage to guide the air sent off by the air-conditioning section to a temperature-controlled portion in the image forming apparatus, an air-intake section to take in the air from outside of the image forming apparatus, and a second passage to guide the air taken in by the air-intake section to the temperature-controlled portion.