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: An image heating apparatus includes an endless rotatable heat generator for heating an image on the recording material by induction heat generation by a magnetic flux, a coil outside the generator for generating the magnetic flux for the induction heat generation, first and second magnetic cores, respectively provided on the same and opposite sides of the coil as the heat generator for directing the magnetic flux to the heat generator, a mover for moving the second core between first and second positions, the second position being farther away from the coil than the first position, and an electroconductive member extending from the first core to the second position in a direction away from the heat generator.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: a coil; a heating member; magnetic cores; a moving mechanism for moving the magnetic cores; a controller; and a temperature sensor, movable in a widthwise direction of the heating member, for detecting a temperature of the heating member. The temperature sensor is controlled so as to be provided at a set position of an end portion of a set range with respect to the widthwise direction. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is increased up to a predetermined temperature, the moving mechanism is controlled so that the magnetic core located at the end portion of the set range with respect to the widthwise direction is moved away from the heating member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image on a recording material, includes a rotatable heat generation member capable of induction heat generation by a magnetic flux; a coil, provided outside the heat generation member, for generating the magnetic flux for the induction heat generation; a movable magnetic core provided at a position opposed to the coil; a moving device for moving the magnetic core between a first position opposed to the coil and a second position which is more away from the coil than the first position; and an electroconductive member mounted at a position where a magnetic circuit is capable of being formed with the coil when the magnetic core is in the second position.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt for heating an image on a recording material in a nip and a pressing pad for pressing the belt from an inner surface thereof in the nip. A sheet-like member is provided to cover the pressing pad, providing for sliding movement relative to the belt. A lubricant absorbing member for suppressing swelling of the pressing pad by absorbing a lubricant applied on an inner surface of the belt, with the lubricant absorbing member covered by the sheet-like member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image on a recording material, includes a rotatable heat generation member capable of induction heat generation by a magnetic flux; a coil, provided outside the heat generation member, for generating the magnetic flux for the induction heat generation; a movable magnetic core provided at a position opposed to the coil; a moving device for moving the magnetic core between a first position opposed to the coil and a second position which is more away from the coil than the first position; and an electroconductive member mounted at a position where a magnetic circuit is capable of being formed with the coil when the magnetic core is in the second position.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt for heating an image on a recording material; a plurality of supporting members on which the belt is trained; magnetic flux generating means, disposed outside of the belt, for generating heat in the belt by a magnetic flux, the magnetic flux generating means being effective to cause induction heating both in a region of the belt between the supporting members and in at least one of the regions of the belt trained on the supporting members; a temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of the belt in the region between the supporting members at a position across the belt from the magnetic flux generating means; and electric power supply shut-off means for shutting off electric power supply to the magnetic flux generating means on the basis of an output of the temperature detecting element.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable image heating member for heating an image on a recording material; a pressing member for forming a nip, with the image heating member, in which the recording material is nipped and conveyed; heating means for heating a part of the image heating member; drive means for rotationally driving the image heating member; contacting-and-separating means for contacting and separating said image heating member and said pressing member relative to each other; standby control means for heating said image heating member in a predetermined period, while said image heating member is rotated, in a state of separation between said image heating member and said pressing member during standby; and pressing operation control means for contacting said image heating member and said pressing member, wherein when an image forming signal is inputted in the predetermined period during the standby, said image heating member and said pressing member are contacted after heating of said imag

Abstract: An image heating apparatus comprising first and second belts for forming a nip for heating an image on a recording material; a first pressing pad for pressing the first belt at the nip; a first roller, provided spaced from the first pressing pad with a gap therebetween, for pressing the first belt at the nip; a second pressing pad, provided opposed to the first pressing pad, for pressing the second belt at the nip; a second roller, provided opposed to the first roller and contacted to the second pressing pad, for pressing the second belt at the nip, the second roller having a friction coefficient which is smaller than that of the first roller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a coil for generating magnetic flux and an image heating member. The image heating member comprises an electroconductive layer which generates heat by eddy current generated by the magnetic flux from the coil, for heating an image on a recording material. The image heating apparatus further comprises an energization control device for controlling energization of the coil so that a temperature of the image heating member is a predetermined temperature Tf (° C.), and a heat pipe contactable with the image heating member. The electroconductive layer has a Curie temperature Tc so that the relation Tf?Tc?Tf+Qmax (W)×Rh (° C./W) is satisfied, wherein Qmax (W) represents a maximum amount of heat transport, and Rh (° C./W) represents a value of heat resistance of the heat pipe at a dryout occurrence temperature of the heat pipe.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first belt contactable to an image on a recording material to heat the image; a second belt for forming a nip with the first belt; a first pressing pad for pressing the first belt in the nip; a second pressing pad for pressing the second belt toward the first pressing pad, wherein the first pressing pad has a surface roughness Rz of not more than 20 ?m, and the second pressing pad has a surface roughness Rz of 50-300 ?m.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and toner deposited to form a toner image, a heater disposed at a position out of contact with the surface of the image bearing member to output radiant heat to the image bearing member, and a heat controller for controlling rotation of the image bearing member and heat output by the heater to heat the outer peripheral surface of the image bearing member moving relative to the heater. The heater includes a lamp heater having a radiation spectrum that exhibits a major part of the peak intensity in the range of infrared wavelength from 2 to 3.5 ?m.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable heating member configured to heat an image on a recording medium at a nip, driving means configured to drive the heating member, an endless belt configured to form the nip with the heating member, and a driving roller configured to drive the endless belt. In the image heating apparatus, the following expressions are satisfied: ?2<?1 0.005<?2<0.3 V1<V2 where ?2 is a friction coefficient between the endless belt and the driving roller, ?1 is a friction coefficient between the heating member and the endless belt, V1 is a peripheral speed of the heating member, and V2 is a peripheral speed of the driving roller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt for heating an image on a recording material in a nip; a pressing pad for pressing the belt from an inner surface thereof in the nip; a sheet-like member, provided to cover the pressing pad, for sliding movement relative to the belt; a lubricant absorbing member for suppressing swelling of the pressing pad by absorbing a lubricant applied on an inner surface of the belt, the lubricant absorbing member is covered by the sheet-like member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable image heating member for heating an image on a recording material; a pressing member for forming a nip, with the image heating member, in which the recording material is nipped and conveyed; heating means for heating a part of the image heating member; drive means for rotationally driving the image heating member; contacting-and-separating means for contacting and separating said image heating member and said pressing member relative to each other; standby control means for heating said image heating member in a predetermined period, while said image heating member is rotated, in a state of separation between said image heating member and said pressing member during standby; and pressing operation control means for contacting said image heating member and said pressing member, wherein when an image forming signal is inputted in the predetermined period during the standby, said image heating member and said pressing member are contacted after heating of said imag

Abstract: An image heating apparatus comprising first and second belts for forming a nip for heating an image on a recording material; a first pressing pad for pressing the first belt at the nip; a first roller, provided spaced from the first pressing pad with a gap therebetween, for pressing the first belt at the nip; a second pressing pad, provided opposed to the first pressing pad, for pressing the second belt at the nip; a second roller, provided opposed to the first roller and contacted to the second pressing pad, for pressing the second belt at the nip, the second roller having a friction coefficient which is smaller than that of the first roller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a coil for generating magnetic flux; an image heating member, comprising an electroconductive layer which generates heat by eddy current generated by the magnetic flux from the coil, for heating an image on a recording material; energization control means for controlling energization of the coil so that a temperature of the image heating member is a target image heating temperature Tf (° C.); and a heat pipe contactable with the image heating member. The electroconductive layer has a Curie temperature Tc satisfying the following relationship: Tf?Tc?Tf+Qmax (W)×Rh (° C./W), wherein Qmax (W) represents a maximum amount of heat transport, and Rh (° C./W) represents a value of heat resistance of the heat pipe immediately after an occurrence of dryout.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus comprising first and second belts for forming a nip for heating an image on a recording material; a first pressing pad for pressing the first belt at the nip; a first roller, provided spaced from the first pressing pad with a gap therebetween, for pressing the first belt at the nip; a second pressing pad, provided opposed to the first pressing pad, for pressing the second belt at the nip; a second roller, provided opposed to the first roller and contacted to the second pressing pad, for pressing the second belt at the nip, the second roller having a friction coefficient which is smaller than that of the first roller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable heating member configured to heat an image on a recording medium at a nip, driving means configured to drive the heating member, an endless belt configured to form the nip with the heating member, and a driving roller configured to drive the endless belt. In the image heating apparatus, the following expressions are satisfied: ?2<?1 0.005<?2<0.3 V1<V2 where ?2 is a friction coefficient between the endless belt and the driving roller, ?1 is a friction coefficient between the heating member and the endless belt, V1 is a peripheral speed of the heating member, and V2 is a peripheral speed of the driving roller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first belt contactable to an image on a recording material to heat the image; a second belt for forming a nip with the first belt; a first pressing pad for pressing the first belt in the nip; a second pressing pad for pressing the second belt toward the first pressing pad, wherein the first pressing pad has a surface roughness Rz of not more than 20 ?m, and the second pressing pad has a surface roughness Rz of 50-300 ?m.