Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a fixing device detachably mounted on a main assembly of the image forming apparatus and a moving mechanism. The fixing device includes a detecting flag contacting a back surface of the recording material. The detecting flag is positioned in a first position within a conveyance path when the recording material does not exist on the detecting flag and moves in a direction toward the back surface from a front surface relative to the first position when the recording material exists on the detecting flag. The moving mechanism causes the detecting flag to move so as to position the detecting flag in the first position when the fixing device is mounted on the main assembly and in a retracted position when the fixing device is demounted from the main assembly.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing belt, a slide member, an opposing member, and a retaining member. The retaining member includes, in a groove portion, a bottom surface portion that is in contact with an opposite surface of the slide member from a slide surface, a side surface portion that is formed on a downstream side of the groove portion in a conveyance direction and intersecting the bottom surface portion, and a continuous portion that is formed between the bottom surface portion and the side surface portion. The slide member includes an abutment portion configured to abut against the side surface portion at a position downstream from a downstream edge of the opposite surface when the slide member is slidden against the fixing belt such that the downstream edge of the opposite surface is positioned upstream from the continuous portion in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, first and second rotary members, a cleaning mechanism, and a separating mechanism. The first and second rotary members cooperatively form a nip portion configured to nip and convey the recording material while heating and fixing the tonner image onto the recording material. The cleaning mechanism includes a collecting roller. The cleaning mechanism is configured to clean the first rotary member by bringing the cleaning web into contact with the collecting roller that is in contact with the first rotary member and rotates together with the first rotary member. The separating mechanism is configured to separate the cleaning web from the collecting roller when the collecting roller is separated from the first rotary member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first rotary member and a second rotary member that form a nip portion, and, a changing mechanism configured to change a pressing force applied at the nip portion. The changing mechanism includes a worm having both ends supported rotatably, a worm wheel that is meshed with the worm and to which a driving force from the worm is transmitted, a rotatable shaft to which the worm wheel is attached, a cam that is attached to the shaft, and, a displacement mechanism that is abutted against the cam and that is configured to displace the second rotary member with respect to the first rotary member along with a rotation of the cam.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating rotating member and a pressure rotating member and performs image formation in one mode out of a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode. A time during which one of the heating rotating member and the pressure rotating member moves between an abutment position and a separation position in a case where the image formation is performed in the first mode is a first time, a time during which the one moves between the abutment position and the separation position in a case where the image formation is performed in the second mode is a second time, and the first time is shorter than the second time.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a belt, a steering roller, a slide member, and a pressing rotation member that forms a nip portion by pressing the belt and is disposed to face the slide member. The belt applies heat to a recording material and has an inner circumferential surface that receives a lubricant applied onto the inner circumferential surface. The pressing rotation member fixes a toner image onto the recording material by applying heat and pressure to an unfixed toner image in the nip portion, in cooperation with the belt. An end portion of the belt on one end side in a belt width direction takes a position outside an end portion of the slide member on the one end side and a position inside the end portion of the slide member on the one end side while the steering roller is in operation.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing belt, a slide member, an opposing member, and a retaining member. The retaining member includes, in a groove portion, a bottom surface portion that is in contact with an opposite surface of the slide member from a slide surface, a side surface portion that is formed on a downstream side of the groove portion in a conveyance direction and intersecting the bottom surface portion, and a continuous portion that is formed between the bottom surface portion and the side surface portion. The slide member includes an abutment portion configured to abut against the side surface portion at a position downstream from a downstream edge of the opposite surface when the slide member is slidden against the fixing belt such that the downstream edge of the opposite surface is positioned upstream from the continuous portion in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a belt, a rotary member, a pad member, and a slide member. A distance in the conveyance direction between a first position and a second position is 3.0 mm or less. The first position is a downstream edge of a tip of a projection positioned most downstream in a direction of rotation of the belt. The second position is an upstream edge, in the direction of rotation of the belt, of the guide portion that contacts with the inner circumference surface of the belt. A distance in the pressing direction between a third position and a fourth position is 0.4 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less. The third position is the tip of the projection positioned most downstream in the direction of rotation of the belt. The fourth position is the same position as the second position.

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 fixing belt that is rotatable and endless, a pad, a pressing rotary member, and a scraping member. The pad contacts an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt. The pressing rotary member contacts the pad via the fixing belt to form a nip portion. In cooperation with the fixing belt, the pressing rotary member fixes a toner image to a recording material by applying heat and pressure to the recording material at the nip portion. A lubricant is applied to the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt. The scraping member includes an inclined portion inclined downward toward an outer side of the fixing belt and contacting an edge portion of the fixing belt to scrape the lubricant. The inclined portion is in contact with the edge portion of the fixing belt in an area where an outer surface of the fixing belt faces upward.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating unit, a pressure unit, a first frame, an urging member, a support member, and a fixing member. The heating unit heats toner carried by a recording medium. The pressure unit pressurizes the heating unit to form a nip portion with the heating unit and fixes a toner image onto the recording medium at the nip portion with the heating unit. The first frame moves to a first position where the heating unit is exposed and moves to a second position where the heating unit is covered. The urging member urges the heating unit to position the heating unit. The support member supports one end of the urging member and the fixing member fixes the support member to the fixing device.

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: 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: 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 heating apparatus includes a heating roller, and, a heater unit. The heater unit is provided on an inner side of the heating roller. The heater unit includes a first halogen heater, a second halogen heater, and, a pair of holders. The pair of holders holds the first halogen heater and the second halogen heater such that the pair of holders, the first halogen heater and the second halogen heater are integrally inserted to and extracted from the heating roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, first and second rotary members, a cleaning mechanism, and a separating mechanism. The first and second rotary members cooperatively form a nip portion configured to nip and convey the recording material while heating and fixing the tonner image onto the recording material. The cleaning mechanism includes a collecting roller. The cleaning mechanism is configured to clean the first rotary member by bringing the cleaning web into contact with the collecting roller that is in contact with the first rotary member and rotates together with the first rotary member. The separating mechanism is configured to separate the cleaning web from the collecting roller when the collecting roller is separated from the first rotary member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, first and second rotary members, a cleaning mechanism, and a separating mechanism. The first and second rotary members cooperatively form a nip portion configured to nip and convey a recording material while heating and fixing a toner image onto the recording material. The cleaning mechanism includes a collecting roller. The cleaning mechanism is configured to clean the first rotary member by bringing a cleaning web into contact with the collecting roller that is in contact with the first rotary member and rotates together with the first rotary member. The separating mechanism is configured to separate the cleaning web from the collecting roller when the collecting roller is separated from the first rotary member.

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: A fixing unit includes a casing, a heating unit, a second rotary member, a first guide portion, a separation unit, and a separation unit movement mechanism. The separation unit has a separation member and movable relative to the casing between a first position at which the separation unit is positioned when the heating unit is positioned at a position to form a fixing nip portion, and a second position at which the separation unit is positioned when the heating unit is retracted from the position to form the fixing nip portion. The separation unit movement mechanism is configured to move the separation unit from the second position to the first position with the heating unit mounting to the position to form the fixing nip portion.

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.