Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a rotatable pressing member, a pad member inside of the belt, and a sliding member held by the pad member and sliding on an inner circumferential surface of the belt in a nip. The rotatable pressing member nips and feeds a recording material in the nip in cooperation with the belt and fixes a toner image on the recording material by applying heat and pressure. The sliding member includes a base material layer on which a plurality of projections projecting toward the rotatable pressing member are formed on a side sliding with the belt and a sliding layer provided on an outer surface of the plurality of projections. A leading end of the plurality of projections is a plane and an average roughness (Ra) of the plane satisfies 0.13 ?m?Ra?1.67 ?m.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heating rotary member and a pressing rotary member, which form a nip portion, at which a toner image is fixed to a recording material, a mixture job is a job with a mixture of recording materials including a recording material with a first grammage and a recording material with a second grammage greater than the first grammage, one of a plurality of modes is performable in the mixture job, in which a maximum value of an amount of toner on the recording material with the first grammage is greater than a maximum value of the amount of toner on the recording material with the second grammage in the first mode whereas the maximum value on the recording material with the first grammage is equal to the maximum value on the recording material with the second grammage in the second mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer portion, a fixing unit, a conveyance belt configured to convey a sheet from the transfer portion toward the fixing unit, a driving portion configured to drive the conveyance belt, and a controller configured to control the driving portion. The controller is configured to, in a case of switching the image forming apparatus to a standby state in which the image forming apparatus is ready to start an image forming operation and stands by for input of an image forming job, execute preheating in which the fixing unit is preliminarily heated, and cause the driving portion to rotate the conveyance belt while the preheating is executed.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a rotatable pressing member, a pad member inside of the belt, and a sliding member held by the pad member and sliding on an inner circumferential surface of the belt in a nip. The rotatable pressing member nips and feeds a recording material in the nip in cooperation with the belt and fixes a toner image on the recording material by applying heat and pressure. The sliding member includes a base material layer on which a plurality of projections projecting toward the rotatable pressing member are formed on a side sliding with the belt and a sliding layer provided on an outer surface of the plurality of projections. A shape of a surface of the sliding layer is a curved surface and a radius of curvature R of the curved surface satisfies 300 µm ? R ? 850 µm.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt configured to heat a recording material, a pressure member configured to press the fixing belt, and a sliding member configured to be in sliding contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt and being opposed to the pressure member. The pressure member and the fixing belt form a fixing nip portion, and heat and pressure are applied to the recording material at the fixing nip portion to fix a toner image onto the recording material. The sliding member includes a plurality of protrusions on a surface of the sliding member that is in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. The following expressions are satisfied: The fixing belt satisfies the prescribed formula.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a rotatable pressing member, a pad member inside of the belt, and a sliding member held by the pad member and sliding on an inner circumferential surface of the belt in a nip. The rotatable pressing member nips and feeds a recording material in the nip in cooperation with the belt and fixes a toner image on the recording material by applying heat and pressure. The sliding member includes a base material layer on which a plurality of projections projecting toward the rotatable pressing member are formed on a side sliding with the belt and a sliding layer provided on an outer surface of the plurality of projections. A leading end of the plurality of projections is a plane and an average roughness (Ra) of the plane satisfies 0.13 ?m?Ra?1.67 ?m.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a rotatable pressing member contacting an outer circumferential surface of the belt, and a sliding member inside of the belt. The sliding member forms a nip portion by nipping and feeding the belt between itself and the rotatable pressing member and slides on an inner circumferential surface of the belt. The rotatable pressing member nips and feeds the recording material in the nip portion in cooperation with the belt and fixes a toner image on the recording material by applying heat and pressure. The sliding member includes a substrate extending in a widthwise direction of the belt, and the substrate is made of metal and includes a plurality of projections projecting toward the rotatable pressing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heating rotary member, a pressure rotary member, a nip portion formed by the rotary members, a temperature adjustment control section controlling a temperature of the heating rotary member to a target temperature, a cleaning web removing toner adhering to the heating rotary member, and a controller selectively executing one of a cleaning mode and a non-cleaning mode. A first basis weight and a second basis weight greater than the first predetermined basis weight are set, in a job that mixedly uses recording media with the first and second basis weights. When the controller executes the non-cleaning mode, the temperature adjustment control section sets a target temperature of a recording medium with a basis weight less than or equal to the first basis weight to a temperature lower than a target temperature of the recording medium in the cleaning mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heating rotary member, a pressure rotary member, a nip portion formed by the rotary members, a temperature adjustment control section controlling a temperature of the heating rotary member to a target temperature, a cleaning web removing toner adhering to the heating rotary member, and a controller selectively executing one of a cleaning mode and a non-cleaning mode. A first basis weight and a second basis weight greater than the first predetermined basis weight are set, in a job that mixedly uses recording media with the first and second basis weights. When the controller executes the non-cleaning mode, the temperature adjustment control section sets a target temperature of a recording medium with a basis weight less than or equal to the first basis weight to a temperature lower than a target temperature of the recording medium in the cleaning mode.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heating roller including a plurality of halogen heaters whose number is three or more and a driving-force transmission member disposed on one end portion of the heating roller and configured to transmit rotational force that rotates the heating roller. The plurality of halogen heaters whose number is three or more includes at least one asymmetric halogen heater in which an amount of heat generated from one end side on which the driving-force transmission member is provided is larger than an amount of heat generated from another end side, and in which heat generation distribution is asymmetric with respect to a center of a heat generating portion in a longitudinal direction, and at least one symmetric halogen heater in which heat generation distribution is symmetric with respect to a center of a heat generating portion in a longitudinal direction, and the number of symmetric halogen heaters is larger than the number of asymmetric halogen heaters.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a sheet includes a rotatable fixing belt; a heating roller wherein the belt is stretched and entrained around the heating roller to heat the belt; a pressing pad of resin material provided inside of the belt; a rotatable pressing member contacting an outer peripheral surface of the belt and pressing against the pad through the belt to form a nip configured to nip and feed the sheet; a supporting metal stay supporting the pad and including a planar bottom surface faced to the pad; and projected portions integrally molded with the pad and provided along a widthwise direction of the pad, the projected portions projecting and contacting to the bottom surface such that the pad is supported by the stay. A contact area between the projected portions and the bottom surface is not less than 5% and not more than 40% of the area of the bottom surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heater, heating roller heated by the heater and a fixing belt heated by the heating roller. A thermistor detects a temperature of the fixing belt at an area where the belt is stretched by the heating roller. When a CPU receives a signal which instructs the stop of rotation of the fixing belt, the CPU continues rotation of the fixing belt until the detected temperature detected by the thermistor decreases a predetermined temperature in a case in which the detected temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless rotatable belt, a rotary pressing member, a pressing member, a driving unit, a heating roller, a temperature detection member, and a control unit. The rotary pressing member is configured to form a nip portion between the rotary pressing member and the belt, the nip portion being a portion in which a toner image borne by a recording material is fixed to the recording material while the recording material is nipped and conveyed. The control unit is configured to control the driving unit such that the driving unit does not start to rotate the belt during a period of time for a preparatory operation if a temperature of the heating roller is higher than a predetermined temperature, wherein the preparatory operation is an operation performed for enabling image formation after an error or a jam is handled.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing belt, a pad, a rotatable pressing member, a pressing member driving source, an auxiliary driving roller, and a transmission mechanism for transmitting a driving force from the pressing member driving source to the auxiliary driving roller, wherein a peripheral speed of the auxiliary driving roller is faster than a peripheral speed of the pressing member, and a steering roller provided so as to stretch the fixing belt at the inner surface of the fixing belt in a position downstream of the auxiliary driving roller and upstream the pad with respect to a rotational direction of the fixing belt. The steering roller adjusts a position of the fixing belt with respect to a widthwise direction of the fixing belt by inclining the fixing belt so as to be positioned within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A toner image fixing device include a fixing belt; a heating roller training the belt around; a pressing pad of resin material provided inside the belt; a rotatable pressing member contacting the belt and pressing against the pad through the belt to form a nip for nipping and feeding the sheet; a supporting stay supporting the pad and including a surface contacting the pad, one of the pad and the stay being provided with a projection, and the other being provided with a recess engaged with the projection at an engaging position; and a separation plate provided without contact to the belt at a position opposed to the pad downstream of the nip in the sheet feeding direction. A distance between the engaging position and a downstream end of the pad is 0-35% of a length of the pad measured along the feeding direction.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heating roller including a plurality of halogen heaters whose number is three or more, a driving-force transmission member disposed on one end portion of the heating roller and configured to transmit rotational force that rotates the heating roller. The plurality of halogen heaters whose number is three or more includes a halogen heater in which an amount of heat generated from one end side on which the driving-force transmission member is provided is larger than an amount of heat generated from another end side, and in which heat generation distribution is asymmetric with respect to a center of a heat generating portion in a longitudinal direction, and a halogen heater in which heat generation distribution is symmetric with respect to a center of a heat generating portion in a longitudinal direction, and the symmetric halogen heater is larger in number than the asymmetric halogen heater.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus included an endless rotatable belt, a rotary pressing member, a pressing member, a driving unit, a heating roller, a temperature detection member, and a control unit. The rotary pressing member is configured to form a nip portion between the rotary pressing member and the belt, the nip portion being a portion in which a toner image borne by a recording material is fixed to the recording material while the recording material is nipped and conveyed. The control unit is configured to control the driving unit such that the driving unit does not start to rotate the belt in a period of time for a preparatory operation if a temperature of the heating roller is higher than a predetermined temperature, wherein the preparatory operation is performed for enabling image formation after an error or a jam is handled.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heater, heating roller heated by the heater and a fixing belt heated by the heating roller. A thermistor detects a temperature of the fixing belt at an area where the belt is stretched by the heating roller. When a CPU receives a signal which instructs the stop of rotation of the fixing belt, the CPU continues rotation of the fixing belt until the detected temperature detected by the thermistor decreases a predetermined temperature in a case in which the detected temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a sheet includes a rotatable fixing belt; a heating roller training the belt around; a pressing pad of resin material provided inside of the belt; a rotatable pressing member contacting an outer peripheral surface of the belt and pressing against the pad through the belt to form a nip configured to nip and feed the sheet; a supporting metal stay supporting the pad and including a planar bottom surface faced to the pad; and projected portions integrally molded with the pad and provided along a widthwise direction of the pad, the projected portions projecting and contacting to the bottom surface such that the pad is supported by the stay. A contact area between the projections and the bottom surface is not less than 5% and not more than 40% of the area of the bottom surface.

Abstract: A toner image fixing device include a fixing belt; a heating roller training the belt around; a pressing pad of resin material provided inside the belt; a rotatable pressing member contacting the belt and pressing against the pad through the belt to form a nip for nipping and feeding the sheet; a supporting stay supporting the pad and including a surface contacting the pad, one of the pad and the stay being provided with a projection, and the other being provided with a recess engaged with the projection at an engaging position; and a separation plate provided without contact to the belt at a position opposed to the pad downstream of the nip in the sheet feeding direction. A distance between the engaging position and a downstream end of the pad is 0-35% of a length of the pad measured along the feeding direction.