Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image formation unit, an image heating unit, a placement unit, and a control unit. The image heating unit heats an image formed by image formation unit on the recording material that was placed on the placement unit. If an envelope is placed on the placement unit with a flap of the envelope in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of a recording material, the control unit executed control to automatically execute two-sided printing on the envelope such that images formed on a first and a surface of the envelope are heated by the image heating unit. If an envelope is placed on the placement unit with a flap of the envelope in the conveyance direction of the recording material, the control unit executes control to inhibit execution of two-sided printing on the envelope.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member for forming a nip for fixing a toner image on a recording material, a heating portion for heating the first rotatable member, a first sensor for detecting a temperature of a longitudinally central portion of the first rotatable member, a second sensor for detecting a temperature of one longitudinal end portion of the first rotatable member, and a controller for controlling energization to the heating portion using a detection temperature of the first sensor and a detection temperature of the second sensor in a case that the recording material is an envelope having a predetermined width or more.

Abstract: A fixing device for an envelope includes an endless belt, a driving rotatable member, and a pad that includes a base portion, a first projecting portion projecting from the base portion toward the driving rotatable member at an upstream end in a feeding direction of the envelope, a second projecting portion projecting from the base portion toward the driving rotatable member at a downstream end in the feeding direction of the envelope, and a recess portion, provided between the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion in the feeding direction of the envelope. When a fixing process is performed on the envelope, an inner surface of the endless belt is in contact with both of the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion, and is spaced from the recess portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes first and second rotatable members for forming a nip for fixing a toner image on a recording material, a heating portion for heating the first rotatable member, a first sensor for detecting a temperature of a longitudinally central portion of the first rotatable member, a second sensor for detecting a temperature of one longitudinal end portion of the first rotatable member, and a controller for controlling energization to the heating portion using a detection temperature of the first sensor and a detection temperature of the second sensor in a case that the recording material is an envelope having a predetermined width or more.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a reading configured to read a shape of a sheet to be used for image formation, and an original sheet carrying an original image, and an image forming portion configured to form a toner image, corresponding to the original image read by the reading portion, on the sheet to be used for image formation. A fixing portion is configured to fix the toner image, formed by the image forming portion, to the sheet to be used for image formation. In addition, a controller is configured to control a fixing condition of the fixing portion in accordance with the shape of the sheet to be used for image formation read by the reading portion.

Abstract: A fixing device for an envelope includes an endless belt for heating a toner image formed on an envelope, in a nip portion; a driving rotatable member, forming the nip portion in cooperation with the endless belt, for rotationally driving the endless belt; a pad for pressing the endless belt at its inner surface toward the driving rotatable member; wherein the pad includes a base portion, a first projecting portion projecting from the base portion toward the driving rotatable member at a upstream end in a feeding direction of the envelope, and a second projecting portion projecting from the base portion toward the driving rotatable member at a downstream end in the feeding direction of the envelope, wherein when the fixing process is performed on the envelope, the inner surface of the endless belt is in contact with both of the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion, and is spaced from the base portion located between the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion in the fe

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a reading portion for reading a shape of a first sheet, said reading portion having a function of reading a second sheet carrying an original image; an image forming portion for forming a toner image corresponding to the original image read by said reading portion; a fixing portion for fixing the toner image formed by said image forming portion; and a controller for controlling a fixing condition of said fixing portion in accordance with the shape of the first sheet read by said reading portion.

Abstract: An elastic layer includes a needle-shaped filler and a void and has a porosity of 20 vol % or more and 60 vol % or less. The elastic layer contains a first area and a second area. The first area extends from a surface of the elastic layer opposite to a surface facing the mandrel toward the mandrel and has a thickness of 30% of the thickness of the elastic layer. The second area is a central area in a thickness direction of the elastic layer and has a thickness of 40% of the thickness of the elastic layer. The needle-shaped filler in the second area has an orientation degree of 50% or lower. The needle-shaped filler in the first area has an orientation degree higher than that of the needle-shaped filler in the second area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording material accommodating portion configured to accommodate a recording material; an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on the recording material fed from the recording material accommodating portion; a fixing portion configured to heat-fix the toner image formed on the recording material by the image forming portion; a storing portion configured to store information corresponding to the type of the recording material accommodated in the recording material accommodating portion; a detecting portion configured to detect that an operator exists in a predetermined zone in a neighborhood of the image forming apparatus; and an executing portion configured to execute a start-up process of the fixing portion, when the detecting portion detects the existence of the operator before the image forming apparatus receives an image formation instruction, over a time depending on the information stored in the storing portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording material accommodating portion configured to accommodate a recording material; an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on the recording material fed from the recording material accommodating portion; a fixing portion configured to heat-fix the toner image formed on the recording material by the image forming portion; a storing portion configured to store information corresponding to the type of the recording material accommodated in the recording material accommodating portion; a detecting portion configured to detect that an operator exists in a predetermined zone in a neighborhood of the image forming apparatus; and an executing portion configured to execute a start-up process of the fixing portion, when the detecting portion detects the existence of the operator before the image forming apparatus receives an image formation instruction, over a time depending on the information stored in the storing portion.

Abstract: A fixing member used for fixing a toner image on a recording material includes: a base layer; and a porous elastic layer provided on the base layer and containing a needle-like filler. The elastic layer has a thermal conductivity with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof in a first region where the elastic layer is contactable to the recording material on the fixing member, and the thermal conductivity is 6 times to 900 times a thermal conductivity with respect to a thickness direction in the first region. The elastic layer has a thermal conductivity with respect to the thickness direction thereof in a second region outside the first region with respect to the longitudinal direction, and the thermal conductivity with respect to the thickness direction in the second region is larger than the thermal conductivity with respect to the thickness direction in the first region.

Abstract: A pressing roller includes a cylindrical core metal; a first rubber layer of non-porous material provided on the core metal; and a second rubber layer of porous material provided on the first rubber layer, wherein the second rubber layer includes a thermo-conductive filler dispersed therein such that a thermal conductivity of the second rubber layer in a longitudinal direction is higher than a thermal conductivity thereof in a thickness direction, and wherein the first rubber layer includes a thermo-conductive filler dispersed therein such that a thermal conductivity of the first rubber layer in an thickness direction is higher than a thermal conductivity of the second rubber layer in the thickness direction of the second rubber layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording material accommodating portion configured to accommodate a recording material; an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on the recording material fed from the recording material accommodating portion; a fixing portion configured to heat-fix the toner image formed on the recording material by the image forming portion; a storing portion configured to store information corresponding to a type of the recording material accommodated in the recording material accommodating portion; a detecting portion configured to detect that a predetermined operation is performed by an operator before the image forming apparatus receives an image formation instruction; and an executing portion configured to execute a start-up process, when the detecting portion detects the predetermined operation performed by the operator, over a time depending on the information stored in the storing portion.

Abstract: A pressing rotatable member for use with an image heating apparatus including a base layer; and a porous elastic layer provided on the base layer, wherein the elastic layer has a thermal conductivity in an axial direction thereof and a thermal conductivity in a circumferential direction thereof which are not less than 6-times and not more than 900-times a thermal conductivity in a thickness direction thereof.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording material accommodating portion configured to accommodate a recording material; an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on the recording material fed from the recording material accommodating portion; a fixing portion configured to heat-fix the toner image formed on the recording material by the image forming portion; a storing portion configured to store information corresponding to the type of the recording material accommodated in the recording material accommodating portion; a detecting portion configured to detect that a predetermined operation is performed by an operator before the image forming apparatus receives an image formation instruction; and an executing portion configured to execute a start-up process, when the detecting portion detects the predetermined operation performed by the operator, over a time depending on the information stored in the storing portion.

Abstract: An elastic layer includes a needle-shaped filler and a void and has a porosity of 20 vol % or more and 60 vol % or less. The elastic layer contains a first area and a second area. The first area extends from a surface of the elastic layer opposite to a surface facing the mandrel toward the mandrel and has a thickness of 30% of the thickness of the elastic layer. The second area is a central area in a thickness direction of the elastic layer and has a thickness of 40% of the thickness of the elastic layer. The needle-shaped filler in the second area has an orientation degree of 50% or lower. The needle-shaped filler in the first area has an orientation degree higher than that of the needle-shaped filler in the second area.

Abstract: A fixing member used for fixing a toner image on a recording material includes: a base layer; and a porous elastic layer provided on the base layer and containing a needle-like filler. The elastic layer has a thermal conductivity with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof in a first region where the elastic layer is contactable to the recording material on the fixing member, and the thermal conductivity is 6 times to 900 times a thermal conductivity with respect to a thickness direction in the first region. The elastic layer has a thermal conductivity with respect to the thickness direction thereof in a second region outside the first region with respect to the longitudinal direction, and the thermal conductivity with respect to the thickness direction in the second region is larger than the thermal conductivity with respect to the thickness direction in the first region.

Abstract: A pressing roller includes a cylindrical core metal; a first rubber layer of non-porous material provided on the core metal; and a second rubber layer of porous material provided on the first rubber layer, wherein the second rubber layer includes a thermo-conductive filler dispersed therein such that a thermal conductivity of the second rubber layer in a longitudinal direction is higher than a thermal conductivity thereof in a thickness direction, and wherein the first rubber layer includes a thermo-conductive filler dispersed therein such that a thermal conductivity of the first rubber layer in an thickness direction is higher than a thermal conductivity of the second rubber layer in the thickness direction of the second rubber layer.

Abstract: A pressing rotatable member for use with an image heating apparatus including a base layer; and a porous elastic layer provided on the base layer, wherein the elastic layer has a thermal conductivity in an axial direction thereof and a thermal conductivity in a circumferential direction thereof which are not less than 6-times and not more than 900-times a thermal conductivity in a thickness direction thereof.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable endless belt, an opposing member forming a nip together with an outer surface of the belt, and a non-rotatable pressure applying member that contacts an inner surface of the belt and is pressed toward the opposing member. A recording paper carrying an image is nipped and conveyed through the nip to be heated and pressed. The pressure applying member has a metal slide contact portion against which the inner surface of the belt slides. Rz, the ten-point average roughness, of the slide contact portion in a belt movement direction is 0.29 ?m or smaller and smaller than that in a direction perpendicular to the belt movement direction. Rz of the inner surface of the belt in the belt movement direction is 1.3 ?m or larger and larger than that in a direction perpendicular to the belt movement direction.