Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat source; a fixing member looped into a generally cylindrical shape to rotate in a circumferential direction thereof and partially heated by the heat source and to heat a surface of a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image thereon in a fixing process; a rotary pressing member disposed facing the fixing member to form a nip therebetween, through which the recording medium is transported in a transport direction; and a rotation driver to rotate one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In a case in which the fixing member is halted for a reason other than the fixing process while power of the fixing device is on, electric power is not supplied to the heat source and the fixing member is rotated by a predetermined amount or more after the fixing member is halted.

Abstract: A fixing device that fixes an image on a recording medium includes a rotatable endless belt, deployed in a loop supported by rollers, a nip forming member provided inside the loop formed by the belt, a support member that supports the nip forming member, a counter rotation body disposed outside the loop formed by the belt and configured to form a nip with the belt by being in contact with the nip forming member through the belt, and a heat source configured to heat the belt directly by a radiant heat except at the nip. The support member includes a base portion that contacts the nip forming member and two arms extending from the base portion in a direction away from the nip forming member to partially surround a part of heat generating portion of the heat source.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device. The fixing device includes a rotatable endless fixing member, a nip forming member arranged inside the fixing member, a pressing member in contact with the nip forming member via the fixing member, and a heating source configured to heat the fixing member. When an abnormality occurs in at least one of the fixing device and other devices included in the image forming apparatus, a rotation of the fixing member is stopped prior to stopping a rotation driving of a discharging unit and, after stopping, the fixing member is controlled to rotate.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat source; a fixing member looped into a generally cylindrical shape to rotate in a circumferential direction thereof and partially heated by the heat source and to heat a surface of a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image thereon in a fixing process; a rotary pressing member disposed facing the fixing member to form a nip therebetween, through which the recording medium is transported in a transport direction; and a rotation driver to rotate one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In a case in which the fixing member is halted for a reason other than the fixing process while power of the fixing device is on, electric power is not supplied to the heat source and the fixing member is rotated by a predetermined amount or more after the fixing member is halted.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotary body. A heat shield is movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater. An overheating suppressor is interposed between the heater and the heat shield to shield the heat shield from the heater. The heat shield includes an intermediate portion spanning in the circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and movable between a shield position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater directly and a retracted position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater via the overheating suppressor.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises a rotatable fixing member to apply heat to a recording medium bearing an unfixed image thereon, a heat source to heat the fixing member, and a rotatable pressing member pressing against the fixing member forming a nip therebetween. A driving source rotates and drives the fixing member and the pressing member. An overheat safety device has a relay to open and close a power supply path connected to the heat source. A temperature detector is connected to both the relay and the control unit to detect temperature of the fixing member. The overheat safety device turns off the relay and cuts off power supply to the heat source when the fixing member is overheated. The fixing member is allowed to radiate heat and cool down when the temperature detected by the temperature detector is more than a prescribed level.

Abstract: According to an embodiments, a fixing device includes: an endless fixing member; a heating unit that is provided inside an inner peripheral surface of the fixing member; and a nip forming unit that comes into press-contact with a rotationally driven pressing member with the fixing member interposed therebetween to form a nip. The nip forming unit has a shape in which a center of a contact surface protrudes toward the pressing member compared to both ends. The nip forming unit has a protruding amount at a center toward the pressing member compared to both ends of the nip forming unit in no-load state is set to be less than a bent amount of the nip forming unit when the nip forming unit comes into press-contact with the pressing member with the fixing member interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation assembly disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. An opposed rotary body is pressed against the nip formation assembly via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the opposed rotary body through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A belt holder contacts and supports each lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. The belt holder is isolated from the opposed rotary body with a first interval interposed therebetween in the axial direction of the endless belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing belt rotatable in a given direction of rotation and a first nip formation pad contacting an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt. A first driver sandwiches the fixing belt together with the first nip formation pad to rotate to drive and rotate the fixing belt. An opposed rotator is pressed against the first nip formation pad via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the opposed rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. The opposed rotator is rotated frictionally by the fixing belt at the fixing nip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device. The fixing device includes a rotatable endless fixing member, a nip forming member arranged inside the fixing member, a pressing member in contact with the nip forming member via the fixing member, and a heating source configured to heat the fixing member. When an abnormality occurs in at least one of the fixing device and other devices included in the image forming apparatus, a rotation of the fixing member is stopped prior to stopping a rotation driving of a discharging unit and, after stopping, the fixing member is controlled to rotate.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first heat generator and a second heat generator that heat a fixing rotator. A support is disposed inside the fixing rotator. A reflector is mounted on the support and interposed between the support and each of the first heat generator and the second heat generator to reflect light radiated from the first heat generator and the second heat generator toward the fixing rotator. The reflector includes a body mounted on the support and a shield portion projecting from the body toward the first heat generator and the second heat generator to shield the fixing rotator from the first heat generator and the second heat generator. The shield portion includes a wing disposed opposite a non-conveyance span of the fixing rotator in the axial direction thereof where a recording medium is not conveyed over the fixing rotator.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: an endless fixing member; a heating unit that is provided inside an inner peripheral surface of the fixing member; and a nip forming unit that comes into press-contact with a rotationally driven pressing member with the fixing member interposed therebetween to form a nip. The nip forming unit has a shape in which a center of a contact surface protrudes toward the pressing member compared to both ends. The nip forming unit has a protruding amount at a center toward the pressing member compared to both ends of the nip forming unit in no-load state is set to be less than a bent amount of the nip forming unit when the nip forming unit comes into press-contact with the pressing member with the fixing member interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater disposed opposite and heating the fixing rotary body. A nip formation assembly presses against an opposed body via the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotary body and the opposed body, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A movable heat shield movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater in a variable axial span of the fixing rotary body. A stationary heat shield, interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater, is disposed outboard from a lateral edge of a heat generator of the heater in an axial direction of the fixing rotary body.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation assembly disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. An opposed rotary body is pressed against the nip formation assembly via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the opposed rotary body through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A belt holder contacts and supports each lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. The belt holder is isolated from the opposed rotary body with a first interval interposed therebetween in the axial direction of the endless belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator heated by a heater and a pressing rotator pressed against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A heat shield interposed between the heater and the fixing rotator is movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotator to shield the fixing rotator from the heater in a variable axial shield span of the fixing rotator. The fixing rotator performs fixing rotation to convey the recording medium through the fixing nip while heating the recording medium and supplemental rotation other than fixing rotation. The heat shield moves to a decreased shield span position where the heat shield shields the fixing rotator from the heater in a decreased axial shield span of the fixing rotator during supplemental rotation thereof.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotary body. A heat shield is movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater. An overheating suppressor is interposed between the heater and the heat shield to shield the heat shield from the heater. The heat shield includes an intermediate portion spanning in the circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and movable between a shield position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater directly and a retracted position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater via the overheating suppressor.

Abstract: A fixing device capable of shifting to a sleep state includes a heat source; a rotatable fixing member that is partly heated by the heat source to heat an unfixed image carrying surface of a recording medium; a rotatable pressing member that is in pressure contact with the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member; a rotation drive unit that directly or indirectly rotates the fixing member; a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the fixing member; and a controller configured to prohibit the fixing device from shifting to the sleep state when the temperature of the fixing member in a region facing the heat source is equal to or more than a predetermined temperature T1 at a point when a predetermined time period t1 has elapsed from the stop of rotation drive of the rotation drive unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, a heat source, a nip forming member, a pressing member, a recording medium conveyor, a first temperature detector to detect a temperature of a non-sheet-passing area of the fixing member through which a recording medium does not pass, a second temperature detector to detect a temperature of the recording medium, and a controller to adjust a time to drive the recording medium conveyer to control a time interval between successive recording media and a changing time to change the time interval, according to a temperature detected by the second temperature detector in response to a temperature rise in the non-sheet-passing area of the fixing member detected by the first temperature detector.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable, endless first belt and a rotatable, endless second belt contacting an outer circumferential surface of the first belt. A first nip formation pad contacts an inner circumferential surface of the first belt to form a fixing nip between the first belt and the second belt, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A rotatable driver contacts an inner circumferential surface of the second belt to press against the first nip formation pad via the first belt and the second belt to frictionally drive and rotate the first belt and the second belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation assembly contacting an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. An opposed rotator presses against the nip formation assembly via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the opposed rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A support, disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, supports the nip formation assembly. A heater, disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, heats the fixing rotator. A reflector, disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, reflects heat radiated from the fixing rotator onto the fixing rotator. The reflector spans a circumferential span of the fixing rotator where the fixing rotator is spaced apart from the support with a decreased interval therebetween.