Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing belt capable of rotational movement, a pressure member that presses from the outside of the fixing belt, a nip forming member arranged on the inner circumference surface side of the fixing belt and forms a fixing nip region between the fixing belt and the pressure member, and a support member supporting the nip forming member from the side opposite to the fixing belt. The support member includes a first support portion and a second support portion. The first support portion supports the nip forming member. The second support portion stands from the surface of the first support portion opposite to the nip forming member so that the center portion in the conveying direction of the recording medium is located at the downstream side of the center portion of the fixing nip region in the conveying direction and within the fixing nip region.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a heater, a pressure rotator, a stay, a biasing member fixed to the stay, and a nip formation pad. The nip formation pad is supported by the stay, disposed inside the fixing rotator, and forms a nip. The nip formation pad includes at least one engaged portion at a position other than both ends of the nip formation pad or engaged portions at both ends of the nip formation pad. The at least one engaged portion engages an engaging portion in the stay to generate a first rotational moment. The engaged portions at both ends engage engaging portions in the stay to generate a second rotational moment. Each rotational moment is smaller than a rotational moment generated by engagement between an engaging portion in the stay and an engaged portion at only one end of the nip formation pad.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a fixing device with a heating element to heat a sheet. A controller is configured to control electric power supplied to the heating element based on a prior use metric. The controller reduces the electric power supplied to the heating element during a startup period if an electric power level supplied from a power supply is equal to or greater than a threshold value and the prior use metric is equal to or greater than a reference value.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: an annular belt including an elastic layer formed of elastic material and a surface layer formed on a surface of the elastic layer, the annular belt having an internal diameter r [?m]; and a pressing member that makes contact with the surface layer of the annular belt, thereby forming a nip region, wherein t x · W r ? 245 ? ? ?m is satisfied, where tx [?m] denotes a thickness of the annular belt and W [?m] denotes a nip width of the nip region in a short-side direction of the nip region, the short-side direction being orthogonal to both a width direction and a thickness direction of the annular belt.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a cartridge replaceable by detachably mounting to the image forming apparatus, a door that takes a closed state or an open state, a locking pin that switches a state of the regulation unit between a regulating state in which the replacement unit is prevented to be detached from the image forming apparatus and a release state in which the replacement unit is to be detachable from the image forming apparatus, and a lock control unit (a control unit) that makes a determination as to whether or not the state of the regulation unit is to be switched from the release state to the regulating state, at a predetermined timing when initial processing is completed after a power source is turned on or a state of the door becomes the closed state from the open state.

Abstract: An improved mount assembly for an optical structure, is provided. The mount assembly for the optical structure, comprising an optical structure comprising at least one mirror panel, the mirror panel comprising a reflective surface, a back surface substantially opposite the reflective surface and at least one side surface extending between the reflective and back surfaces, at least one mounting member extending from the optical structure, a housing for receipt therein of at least a portion of the optical structure and all of the mounting member extending from the optical structure, the housing having at least one opening therethrough, and at least one screw received and tightened within the at least one opening such that a first end of the screw presses against and at least partially secures the mounting member within the housing. A method for assembling the same is also provided.

Abstract: The heating apparatus including a plurality of heat generation members including first, second and third generation members, the second heat generation member and the third heat generation member having lengths in a longitudinal direction shorter than a length of the first heat generation member, the heating apparatus including first, second, third, and fourth contacts, and a first switching unit configured to bring an electric path between the second contact and the fourth contact into one of a connecting state and an open state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is operable in a first small-sheet printing in which power is supplied to the first heat generating element and the second heat generating element and in a second small-sheet printing in which power is supplied to the first heat generating element and the third heat generating element. A first power ratio, which is a proportion of power supplied to the first heat generating element to power supplied to the second heat generating element in the first small-sheet printing, is higher than a second power ratio, which is a proportion of power supplied to the first heat generating element to power supplied to the third heat generating element in the second small-sheet printing.

Abstract: A fixing unit includes a film with a tubular shape, a nip forming unit including a heater and configured to be in sliding contact with an inner surface of the film. The heater includes a substrate made of metal. The fixing unit further includes a power supply connector electrically connected to the power supply electrode so that the power supply connector is connected to the heating element at a first end portion of the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the heater, and a pressing member opposed to the nip forming unit. The fixing unit further includes a voltage application circuit configured to apply a voltage of a same polarity as a normal charging polarity of the toner to the substrate, the voltage application circuit being connected to the substrate at a second end portion of the substrate opposite to the first end portion in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A power supply device includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit includes an adjustment unit, a detection unit, a processing unit including a conversion unit, a first communication unit, and a power storage unit. The second circuit includes a second communication unit performing wireless communication with the first communication unit, and a control unit outputting a carrier wave used in the wireless communication. After outputting the carrier wave during a first period, the control unit stops output of the carrier wave during a second period. During the second period, the conversion unit operates on the power stored in the power storage unit. The control unit outputs the carrier wave during a third period after the second period. During the third period, the processing unit transmits information about a conversion result. The control unit controls the adjustment unit based on the transmitted information.

Abstract: An assembly for an image forming device includes an electrical connector movable relative to a frame of the image forming device between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position the electrical connector is disengaged from a first corresponding electrical connector of a first replaceable unit and a second corresponding electrical connector of a second replaceable unit when the first and second replaceable units are installed in the image forming device. In the extended position the electrical connector is engaged with the first corresponding electrical connector of the first replaceable unit and the second corresponding electrical connector of the second replaceable unit when the first and second replaceable units are installed in the image forming device.

Abstract: A control circuit of an image forming apparatus outputs a pulse signal. A clock signal generation circuit generates a clock signal, based on the pulse signal. A pulse signal conversion circuit generates a pulse conversion control signal of a voltage value associated with a duty ratio of the pulse signal. An AC voltage generation circuit generates an AC voltage of a frequency based on the clock signal. Either the AC voltage generation circuit or a DC voltage generation circuit generates a voltage whose amplitude or voltage value increases as a voltage value of the received pulse conversion control signal increases, and whose amplitude or voltage value decreases as a voltage value of the pulse conversion control signal decreases.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a container accommodating toner and including a discharge opening. A pump is configured to alternately generate (i) a first air flow from outside to inside of the toner cartridge and (ii) a second air flow from inside to outside of the toner cartridge, with the pump being configured to supply the toner from the discharge opening to outside of the toner cartridge with the second air flow. The cartridge also includes a rotational force receiving portion configured to receive a rotational force from outside of the toner cartridge, with the rotational force receiving portion being configured to drive the pump with rotation of the rotational force receiving portion.

Abstract: A printer system includes a first apparatus including a first voltage source for converting an inputted AC voltage to a first DC voltage and for outputting the converted first DC voltage, and a first controller operable by a voltage based on the first DC voltage outputted from the first voltage source; and a second apparatus including a second voltage source for converting an inputted AC voltage to a second DC voltage and for outputting the converted second DC voltage, and a second controller operable by a voltage based on the first DC voltage outputted from the first voltage source. The second apparatus includes a first switching portion for switching a state thereof between a connection state in which the AC voltage is supplied to the second voltage source and a non-connection state in which supply of the AC voltage is cut off.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form an image on an image bearing member based on an image forming condition, an optical sensor including: a light emitter configured to irradiate the image bearing member with light based on a supplied current; and a light receiver configured to receive reflected light of the light emitted from the light emitter; a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the optical sensor; and a controller configured to: control the image forming unit to form a detection image on the image bearing member; control the optical sensor to detect reflected light from the detection image; and adjust the image forming condition based on a result of detecting the detection image by the optical sensor. The controller is configured to control the light emitter to emit light; and generate a correction condition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit, a first guiding unit having a first surface forming a first feeding passage, and a second guiding unit forming a second feeding passage. The second guiding unit includes a first member made of metal and having a first guiding surface on which a leading end of a sheet is guided in a first section including an upstream end portion of the second feeding passage with respect to a sheet feeding direction, and includes a second member made of a resin material and having a second guiding surface on which the sheet is guided in a second section downstream of the first section in the second feeding passage with respect to the sheet feeding direction. The first guiding surface is spaced from a first phantom contact surface extending from an end portion of the first surface and contacting the second guiding surface.

Abstract: An assembly for an image forming device includes an access door movable between an open position permitting replacement of a replaceable unit and a closed position. An electrical connector in the image forming device is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position the electrical connector is disengaged from a corresponding electrical connector of the replaceable unit when the replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device. In the extended position the electrical connector is engaged with the corresponding electrical connector of the replaceable unit. The electrical connector is operatively connected to the access door such that movement of the access door from the closed to the open position moves the electrical connector from the extended to the retracted position and movement of the access door from the open to the closed position moves the electrical connector from the retracted to the extended position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a print engine including a photosensitive drum forming an image on an image forming medium, a charging member charging the photosensitive drum, a power supply to provide a charging power supply having a reference charging voltage to the charging member, a sensor to detect an image density of an image formed on the image forming medium, and a processor to control the power supply to change a magnitude of voltage of the charging power supply within a predetermined voltage range at predetermined periods, and to identify an occurrence of a background with respect to the photosensitive drum based on an image density detected by the sensor while the charging power supply is changed.

Abstract: A mechanism for shutting off drive so that drive of pressing release is not rotated even when a pressing roller is rotated as a driving source is provided, and a torque when drive of a shutting-off portion is connected is set at a torque value to which a one-way idling torque is added. Therefore, during jam clearance, connection of pressing release drive by pressing roller rotation can be carried out.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a power supply unit configured to generate a DC voltage from an AC voltage and supply the DC voltage to a load, the image forming apparatus configured to perform image formation on a recording material, the image forming apparatus including a first control unit configured to control the image formation on the recording material, the power supply unit including a second control unit configured to control a voltage generation unit that generates the DC voltage from the AC voltage input from an AC power supply, a zero-crossing detection unit configured to detect a zero-crossing timing of the AC voltage according to the AC voltage input, and to output a zero-crossing detection signal, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the zero-crossing detection signal output from the zero-crossing detection unit to the first control unit.