Abstract: A method for manufacturing a removable information sheet includes: forming a toner image on a recording medium; applying an energy-ray-curable pressure-sensitive composition precursor onto the medium to form an energy-ray-curable pressure-sensitive composition precursor layer; irradiating, with an energy ray, the medium to cure the layer and form an energy-ray-curable pressure-sensitive composition; and attaching faces with the composition and pressure-bonding the faces. A region size of a toner-image flat part is 200 ?m or less in the image, which is determined by a measurement method including: defining a site at a depth of 2 ?m or more from a surface of a solid part of the image as a recess; defining a site other than the recess as the flat part; acquiring and binarizing a micrograph of the solid part; drawing circles out of contact with the recess; and defining a largest circle diameter as the size of the flat part.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a first rotary member, a heating element, a second rotary member, a nip member, a reflection member, and a support member. The support member configured to transit to a pressurized state and a non-pressurized state, the pressurized state being a state in which a first position and a second position of the support member are pressurized in a pressurization direction toward the second rotary member, the non-pressurized state being in which the pressurized state of the support member is released. The support member includes a contact surface in contact with the reflection member in the pressurized state. The contact surface takes such a posture that a center position between the first and second positions in the rotation axial direction is close to the second rotary member rather than the first and second positions in a case where the support member is in the non-pressurized state.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating roller, a pressing roller, a heating part, a heat insulating member and a bearing. The pressing roller holds a sheet with the heating roller. The heating part heats the heating roller. The heat insulating member is fitted on an end portion in an axial direction of the heating roller, has a heat-resistance to heat applied from the heating roller and has an inclined shape in which an outer diameter becomes small toward an inside in the axial direction of the heating roller. The bearing supports the heating roller through the heat insulating member.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a heating device includes a cylindrical belt, a heater, a press roller, and a holder. The heater is disposed on an inner surface of the belt. The press roller rotates and is configured to contact an outer surface of the belt at a position opposite the heater to form a nip. The end portions of the press roller project by a first amount in a radial direction more than the central portion of the press roller. A holder has a first surface supporting the heater to face the cylindrical belt. The holder has a second surface that is opposite of the first surface with a center portion projecting in a direction orthogonal to the first surface more than the end portions of the second surface by a second projection amount that is greater than the first projection amount.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to mitigate deterioration of printing fluid in a tank of a printer. The method comprises: draining printing fluid from a tank of a printer, and stopping the draining before the tank is empty, wherein the printing fluid comprises solids suspended in imaging oil, filtering the printing fluid drained from the tank, to separate at least some of the solids from the imaging oil, passing the filtered imaging oil to a reservoir; and then passing imaging oil from the reservoir to the tank. Also disclosed is a printer and a system to perform the method.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylinder, a heater, a contact body, and a soaking member. The heater has a first surface and an opposing second surface. The heater includes a heating element extending along a longitudinal direction of the heater. The first surface engages with an inner surface of the cylinder. The contact body is configured to engage with the inner surface of the cylinder. The contact body is configured to be heated at a first position along the longitudinal direction at a first temperature increase rate and at a second position along the longitudinal direction at a second temperature increase rate that is lower than the first temperature increase rate. The soaking member is positioned to engage with the opposing second surface of the heater. The soaking member has a second thermal capacity lower than a first thermal capacity at the respective second and first positions.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a heating device includes a cylindrical belt, a heat generating member, and a support member. The heat generating member is disposed in an interior region surrounded by the belt and in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the belt. The support member is provided in the interior region surrounded by the belt and contacts and supports the heat generating member.

Abstract: A heating device includes a housing, a heating member, a pressure member, a pair of openings, and a thermal insulator. The heating member and the pressure member extend along a longitudinal direction and press each other to form a nip portion in the housing. The heating member transfers heat to a recording medium passing through the nip portion. The pair of openings is disposed in the housing and opens facing both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the heating member so that air passes through the pair of openings. The thermal insulator is disposed inside the housing between the pair of openings and faces an outer peripheral surface of the heating member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first rotary member, a second rotary member, a frame member, a guide portion, and a cover. The first rotary member is configured to heat a toner image formed on a recording material. The second rotary member is configured to contact the first rotary member and form a fixing nip portion with the first rotary member. The frame member is configured to support the first rotary member and the second rotary member. The guide portion is configured to guide the first rotary member to be moved upstream in a conveyance direction of the recording material when the first rotary member is being removed. The cover is attached to the frame member and configured to turn around a rotation shaft to open and close the guide portion. The cover is configured to turn in a direction toward the conveyance direction to open the guide portion.

Abstract: A photo finisher includes a heating roller, a pressing roller, a belt, a supporting roller and a duct. The heating roller is to generate heat. The pressing roller is pressed against the heating roller to form a heating nip. The belt is supported by the supporting roller and the heating roller to pass through the heating nip, and the belt is extending to a downstream side of the heating nip. The duct is positioned apart from the belt, the duct includes a first end in the width direction being provided with an air inlet port and a second end, opposite to the first end, being blocked, and the duct includes an air discharge port opening towards the belt.

Abstract: A pressing rotating member comprising a base layer, an elastic layer and a surface layer, in this order, the surface layer having pores, wherein when placing an observation region of 8 ?m long×11 ?m wide at a cross section of the surface layer in a thickness direction of the surface layer—a direction perpendicular to a circumferential direction of the pressing rotating member, a degree of orientation f of the pores observed in the observation region is 0.20 or higher, and an orientation angle ? of the pores observed in the observation region is 0° to 10°.

Abstract: A heating device (9) includes a heater (22), a holder (23), a device frame (40), a primary positioner (A), a secondary positioner (B), and a tertiary positioner (C). The heater includes a heat generator (60). The holder holds the heater. The device frame is configured to support the holder. The primary positioner is configured to position the heater and the holder in a longitudinal direction of the heater. The secondary positioner is configured to position the holder and the device frame in the longitudinal direction of the heater. The tertiary positioner is configured to position the device frame and a body of an image forming apparatus in the longitudinal direction of the heater. The primary positioner and one of the secondary positioner and the tertiary positioner are disposed on an identical side defined by a center of the heat generator in the longitudinal direction of the heater.

Abstract: A fixing belt includes, in the following order: a base material layer containing a resin; an elastic layer containing an elastic material; and a release layer, in which each of the base material layer and the elastic layer further contains an aggregate in which plural fibrous carbons are entangled with each other, a maximum diameter of the aggregate in the base material layer is 50% or less of a film thickness of the base material layer, and a maximum diameter of the aggregate in the elastic layer is 15% or less of a film thickness of the elastic layer.

Abstract: A fixing belt includes, in the following order: a resin base material layer; an elastic layer; and a release layer, in which the elastic layer contains an elastic material and an aggregate in which plural fibrous carbons are entangled with each other, and a maximum diameter of the aggregate is 15% or less of a film thickness of the elastic layer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device, includes a fixing member having a first surface configured to be pressed against a recording medium and a heater on a second surface of the fixing member. A first heat conducting member contacts aback surface side of the heater, and a second heat conducting member is provided to be moveable between a first state, in which the second heat conducting member is in contact with the first heat conducting member and the second surface of the fixing member, and a second state, in which the second heat conducting member is contacting the first heat conducting member, but separated from the second surface of the fixing member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating and fixing rotator, a pressing rotator, a blower, a guide, an opening and closing device, and a driving device. The heating and fixing rotator is rotatable and heats an unfixed image on a recording medium to fix the unfixed image on the recording medium. The pressing rotator is rotatable, faces the heating and fixing rotator, and is pressed against the recording medium. The guide has an air blowing port and guides air sent from the blower to at least one of the heating and fixing rotator and the pressing rotator. The opening and closing device moves to open and close the air blowing port. The driving device includes a driver to move the opening and closing device and at least one member other than the opening and closing device and separately drives the opening and closing device and the at least one member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater, a heater holding member, a stay sheet-metal, and a belt holding member. The stay sheet-metal includes a top plate and side plates and is configured to control a load applied to the heater holding member, the side plates extending respectively from opposite sides of the top plate in a short-length direction of the top plate, toward the heater holding member. The belt holding member holds the fixing belt such that the fixing belt can peripherally rotate, the belt holding member holding at least one end of the heater holding member in a longitudinal direction thereof and at least one end of the stay sheet-metal in a longitudinal direction thereof. The top plate of the stay sheet-metal is formed to extend to at least one end of the stay sheet-metal in the longitudinal direction thereof.

Abstract: A heater holding member circulatably guides a fixing belt and holds a heater that heats the fixing belt. A stay sheet metal reinforces the heater holding member. The heater holding member has a base plate and side walls. The stay sheet metal is placed on the base plate. A side wall is erected on either side of the base plate in a short direction thereof. A pocket which keeps the stay sheet metal is formed in each side wall. The stay sheet metal has a top plate and side plates. A side plate bends and extends from either edge of the top plate in a short direction thereof. A slit is formed in each side plate such that the side plates are kept in the pockets of the heater holding member.

Abstract: A heater includes a first heat generator and a second heat generator each of which has a hypothetical center line that divides each of the first heat generator and the second heat generator into a first section and a second section. A first conductor connects a first electrode to the first heat generator and the second heat generator. A second conductor connects a second electrode to the first heat generator and the second heat generator. A first primary connector connects the first conductor to the first section of the first heat generator. A second primary connector connects the first conductor to the second section of the second heat generator. A first secondary connector connects the second conductor to the first heat generator. A second secondary connector connects the second conductor to the second heat generator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device and a cooling device provided on a side downstream of the fixing device with respect to a sheet feeding direction. The cooling device includes a first unit including a first belt and a first roller, a second unit including a second belt for forming a nip in cooperation with the first belt, a heat sink and a second roller, and a driving motor for rotating the first roller and the second roller. The second unit is movable between a contact position where the first belt and the second belt are in contact with each other so as to form the nip and a separated position where the first belt and the second belt are in separation from each other so as to release the nip.