Abstract: A control unit controls power to be supplied to a common power supply path in a first period, using a selected first temperature detection member, and controls power to be supplied to the common power supply path in a second period, using a selected second temperature detection member. The first temperature detection member has a higher detected temperature than that of the second temperature detection member, and in the second period, the first detected temperature and the second detected temperature fall within a temperature range between a first temperature and a second temperature lower than the first temperature.

Abstract: An image heating device heats up an image formed on a recording material, the device having: a heating member provided with a heater having a plurality of heating elements juxtaposed in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the recording material; a roller, such that the circumference of the roller increases from a central portion towards ends portions, in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction; and a control portion that controls individually the power supplied to the plurality of heating elements. The control portion sets a control target temperature, being set in order to supply power to a heating element corresponding to a non-sheet passing area, from among the plurality of heating elements, to be higher than a lowest control target temperature from among control target temperatures that are set in order to supply power to a heating element corresponding to a sheet passing area.

Abstract: An optical sensor irradiates a control toner image formed on an intermediate transfer belt with light and detects reflection light of the light. A controller executes an abnormality diagnosis mode in a case where change in the phase of a cam is not detected by a phase detection portion until an elapse of a predetermined time or more since a start of output of a driving signal for driving a separation mechanism. In execution of the abnormality diagnosis mode, the controller outputs the driving signal for driving the separation mechanism, and is capable of outputting information about an abnormality of the phase detection portion and information about an abnormality of the separation mechanism and/or a driving unit on a basis of a detection result of the optical sensor that is obtained in a case where the light is radiated from the optical sensor while the driving signal is output.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form a toner image, an intermediate transfer belt configured to transfer the transferred toner image to a recording material at a secondary transfer position, a first cleaning unit arranged downstream of the secondary transfer position and upstream of the primary transfer position in a conveyance direction of the intermediate transfer belt and configured to clean the intermediate transfer belt, a second cleaning unit arranged downstream of the secondary transfer position and upstream of the first cleaning unit in the conveyance direction of the intermediate transfer belt and configured to clean the intermediate transfer belt, a conveyance unit provided opposite to the first and the second cleaning units at a position below the first and the second cleaning units and configured to convey the recording material, and a third space from which the first and the second spaces are accessible.

Abstract: Disclosed is a layer transfer device which transfers a layer of a multilayer film onto a surface of a sheet. The layer transfer device includes a heating member including a first portion and a second portion, a first heater, a second heater, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the first heater with an input power set at a predetermined input power, control the second heater with an input power set at a first input power if both of the multilayer film and the sheet pass over a surface of the second portion, and control the second heater with an input power set at a second input power that is smaller than the first input power if at least one of the multilayer film and the sheet does not pass over the surface of the second portion.

Abstract: Provided is an endless belt that can be used for fusing a toner image or enhancing the gloss of a toner image, the endless belt including a substrate later and a release layer on the substrate layer. The release layer can include a coating layer that includes an inorganic-organic nanocomposite material in which inorganic nanoparticles are dispersed in a siloxane polymer matrix.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a temperature control apparatus supplies power to a heater to control temperature of a temperature control target. The temperature control apparatus includes a temperature estimation unit to estimate a temperature of a temperature control target based on electrical power supplied to the heater. The temperature control apparatus also includes control signal generation unit that calculates a duty value for the heater based on an estimated temperature from the temperature estimation unit, a detected temperature from a temperature sensor, and a target temperature for the temperature control target. A pulse signal for controlling the electrical power supplied to the heater is generated based on the calculated duty value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part, a fixing device, a fixing temperature sensor, a drive device, a printed sheet number counting part, a fixing voltage power supply, a controller, and an apparatus external temperature sensor. The controller can perform a cooling mode in which, when a number of continuous printed sheets at a reference speed exceeds an upper limit number, a number of printed sheets per unit time is gradually decreased to suppress an increase of an apparatus internal temperature. The controller sets the upper limit number based on a temperature difference between the fixing temperature detected by the fixing temperature sensor and the apparatus external temperature detected by the apparatus external temperature sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, an intermediary transfer unit mountable in and dismountable from a main assembly and including a belt onto which the toner image is transferred from an image bearing member, a cleaning unit mountable to and dismountable from the intermediary transfer unit and including a cleaning member for cleaning a surface of the belt, a fuse provided on the cleaning unit and and being rendered non-conductible by energization, a detecting portion for detecting whether or not a current has flowed through the fuse, and a controller for controlling the image forming portion so as to carry out an operation in which, in a case that the detecting portion detects that the current has flowed through the fuse, a predetermined toner image is formed on the belt and is supplied to a contact portion between the cleaning member and the belt.

Abstract: A transport device includes a transport unit that transports a sheet-like transport material without holding a one-end-side portion of the transport material in a transport direction and a blowing unit that blows air against a lower surface of the transport material that is transported by the transport unit via multiple blowing holes that open with respect to the lower surface, a wind speed of the blowing unit being higher on two end sides than on a central side in an intersection direction that intersects the transport direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device and circuitry. The fixing device includes a fixing rotator, an electromagnetic induction heater configured to heat the fixing rotator, and a magnetic flux control member. The circuitry is configured to control the electromagnetic induction heater to lead a temperature of the fixing rotator to a target temperature and change an upper limit of power supplied to the electromagnetic induction heater based on the target temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, which includes an image forming unit that forms a toner image on a recording material, a fixing unit that heats the recording material and fixes the toner image onto the recording material, and a heating-temperature control unit that controls a temperature of the fixing unit, and which performs an image forming operation of forming the toner image and fixing the toner image onto the recording material. In a case of performing the image forming operation a plurality of times, the heating-temperature control unit performs control such that the temperature of the fixing unit is a first temperature when performing the image forming operation a first number of times and that the temperature of the fixing unit is a second temperature when performing the image forming operation a second number of times.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body, a conveyance unit, an image carrier, a transfer unit, and a pre-transfer guide. The body has a sheet passage for conveying sheets along inner and outer conveyance surfaces mutually facing. The conveyance unit includes the outer conveyance surface and is supported pivotably between an open position and a closed position relative to the inner conveyance surface. The transfer unit rotatably supports a transfer roller. The pre-transfer guide includes a first guide on the outer conveyance surface and a second guide on the inner conveyance surface. The first guide has a contact segment protruding toward the second guide. The first guide and the transfer unit are supported independently swingably relative to the transfer unit. The first guide is urged toward the second, and the distance between the two guide surfaces is restricted by the contact segment touching a contacted portion.

Abstract: An optical path shifting device includes: a holding frame holding a rectangular glass plate; a support part supporting the holding frame in a swingable state; an actuator causing the holding frame to swing; a magnetic sensor detecting a position of the holding frame; and a thermistor detecting a temperature of the magnetic sensor. A drive signal processing circuit includes: an amplifier amplifying a reference signal to generate a drive signal and supplying the drive signal to the actuator; and a signal processing unit inputting the reference signal and an amplifier gain to the amplifier. The signal processing unit performs gain adjustment processing to correct an amplitude value found from an output from the magnetic sensor, based on an output from the thermistor, and to adjust the amplifier gain, based on a corrected value.

Abstract: A cancellation operation of a fixing nip and movement of a transfer roller are interlocked with each other. In the image forming apparatus, at least a first state in which the relative position is arranged at a fixing position and the transfer roller is arranged at a transfer position, a second state in which the relative position is arranged at a transfer nip cancellation position and the transfer roller is arranged at a transfer nip cancellation position, and a third state in which the relative position is arranged at a fixing nip cancellation position and the transfer roller is arranged at one of an intermediate position between the transfer position and the transfer nip cancellation position and the transfer position may be taken as a combination state of the relative position between the fixing roller and the facing member and the position of the transfer roller.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a heating device including a belt that contacts the sheet and a plurality of heating elements for heating the belt, a pressure roller configured to press the sheet against the belt, a voltage detection circuit configured to measure a voltage applied to the heating elements, and a controller configured to determine whether at least one of the heating elements is abnormal according to a voltage drop value that is based on voltages measured by the voltage detection unit before and after the plurality of heating elements is energized.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that has an image bearing member to be removably mounted to the image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member, a toner detection unit, an exposure device, a forming unit, and a judgment unit. The judgment unit judges a mounting state of the image bearing member based on whether the toner detection unit detects a toner image transferred on a surface of the intermediate transfer member. When the image bearing member is mounted, first and second patterns of toner images are formed apart by a predetermined interval in a rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member. Where the toner detection unit detects the first and second patterns of toner images, the judgment unit judges that the image bearing member is mounted. Where one of the first and second patterns is not detected, the judgment unit judges that the image bearing member is not mounted.

Abstract: This application relates to an absolute position detection device and detection method of a rotating body. In one aspect, the device includes first row magnets coupled to a rotating body to rotate together and having n pole pairs, and second row magnets coupled to the rotating body to rotate together and having (n+1) pole pairs. The device also includes a first Hall sensor installed adjacent to the first row magnets and configured to detect a change in magnetism according to rotation of the first row magnets. The device further includes a second Hall sensor installed adjacent to the second row magnets and configured to detect a change in magnetism according to rotation of the second row magnets. The device further includes a controller configured to measure an absolute position of the rotating body using signals output from the first and second Hall sensors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a belt, a plurality of stretching rollers including an inner roller and an upstream roller, an outer member, an urging member, a first position changing mechanism, a storing portion, a controller, and an operating portion. The controller controls the first position changing mechanism on the basis of a kind of a recording material on which an image is formed, first set information stored in the storing portion, and first input information for changing setting of a position of the urging member inputted to the controller through the operating portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a heating section that heats in a non-contact manner a front surface of a recording medium; a feeding section that feeds the recording medium while causing the front surface to be opposed to the heating section; and a maintaining section that, in order to enable the recording medium to be fed by the feeding section while a rear surface that is opposite to the front surface, and that is in an image region where an unfixed-image is formed on the front surface is in a non-contact state, maintains the non-contact state.