Abstract: A heating device including: a rotating member for heating, an opposing member, which is arranged so as to be opposed to the rotating member, and forms a nip portion together with the rotating member, and a biasing member, which is arranged inside the rotating member, has an opposing surface with respect to an inner peripheral surface of the rotating member, and biases the rotating member to the opposing member. The inner peripheral surface and the opposing surface are brought into contact with each other via a grease composition to form a sliding portion. The grease composition contains a base oil. The base oil contains a fluoropolymer having a specific structure and a perfluoropolyether having a specific kinematic viscosity and a specific evaporation loss and having a specific structure.

Abstract: A controller can select and execute a full color mode of performing image formation in a first state in which each primary transfer member is in contact with an intermediate transfer belt, and a monochrome mode of performing image formation in a second state in which only a primary transfer member is in contact with the intermediate transfer belt. The controller determines which state of the first state and the second state is formed, based on a detection result obtained by a current detection circuit when a photosensitive drum is charged by a charging roller, and voltage is applied to the primary transfer member from a primary transfer power source.

Abstract: A controller which causes a light emitting element to continuously perform minute emission for a plurality of dots in a level in which toner is not attached to a non-image section on an image bearing member is provided. The controller controls a first driving current for an image section and controls a second driving current used to perform the minute emission by the light emitting element in the non-image section several times in one job. In the image section, a driving current obtained by adding the first driving current to the second driving current is supplied so that the light emitting element emits light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a developer carrying member to correspond to the image bearing member; drive portion to rotationally drive the developer carrying member; control unit to control the rotational drive by the drive portion, and detection portion to detect information from the toner patch. Modes for controlling, by control unit, the rotational drive of the drive portion include (i) a first mode which uses a first driving condition including a first peripheral speed ratio between the developer carrying member and the image bearing member and (ii) a second mode which uses a second driving condition including a second peripheral speed ratio which is higher than the first peripheral speed ratio. The control unit controls the image bearing member to form the toner patch for each of peripheral speed ratios and sets the second driving condition on the basis of the detected information.

Abstract: A controller can select and execute a full color mode of performing image formation in a first state in which each primary transfer member is in contact with an intermediate transfer belt, and a monochrome mode of performing image formation in a second state in which only a primary transfer member is in contact with the intermediate transfer belt. The controller determines which state of the first state and the second state is formed, based on a detection result obtained by a current detection circuit when a photosensitive drum is charged by a charging roller, and voltage is applied to the primary transfer member from a primary transfer power source.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a developer carrying member to correspond to the image bearing member; drive portion to rotationally drive the developer carrying member; control unit to control the rotational drive by the drive portion, and detection portion to detect information from the toner patch. Modes for controlling, by control unit, the rotational drive of the drive portion include (i) a first mode which uses a first driving condition including a first peripheral speed ratio between the developer carrying member and the image bearing member and (ii) a second mode which uses a second driving condition including a second peripheral speed ratio which is higher than the first peripheral speed ratio. The control unit controls the image bearing member to form the toner patch for each of peripheral speed ratios and sets the second driving condition on the basis of the detected information.

Abstract: A controller which causes a light emitting element to continuously perform minute emission for a plurality of dots in a level in which toner is not attached to a non-image section on an image bearing member is provided. The controller controls a first driving current for an image section and controls a second driving current used to perform the minute emission by the light emitting element in the non-image section several times in one job. In the image section, a driving current obtained by adding the first driving current to the second driving current is supplied so that the light emitting element emits light.

Abstract: A controller which causes a light emitting element to continuously perform minute emission for a plurality of dots in a level in which toner is not attached to a non-image section on an image bearing member is provided. The controller controls a first driving current for an image section and controls a second driving current used to perform the minute emission by the light emitting element in the non-image section several times in one job. In the image section, a driving current obtained by adding the first driving current to the second driving current is supplied so that the light emitting element emits light.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing an image onto recording material, includes a heating rotary member, film of a cylindrical shape, and pressure member configured to press the film from inside the film toward the heating rotary member to form a nip portion as an area where the heating rotary member and film contact. The pressure member includes a metallic member extending from an upstream side of a center in a recording material conveyance direction of the nip portion to a downstream side, wherein the recording material on which the image is formed is conveyed while being heated at the nip portion to fix the image onto the recording material. A center of gravity of the metallic member is on the upstream side of the center in the recording material conveyance direction of the nip portion in a cross-section perpendicular to a rotation axis direction of the heating rotary member.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing an image onto recording material, includes a heating rotary member, film of a cylindrical shape, and pressure member configured to press the film from inside the film toward the heating rotary member to form a nip portion as an area where the heating rotary member and film contact. The pressure member includes a metallic member extending from an upstream side of a center in a recording material conveyance direction of the nip portion to a downstream side, wherein the recording material on which the image is formed is conveyed while being heated at the nip portion to fix the image onto the recording material. A center of gravity of the metallic member is on the upstream side of the center in the recording material conveyance direction of the nip portion in a cross-section perpendicular to a rotation axis direction of the heating rotary member.

Abstract: A controller which causes a light emitting element to continuously perform minute emission for a plurality of dots in a level in which toner is not attached to a non-image section on an image bearing member is provided. The controller controls a first driving current for an image section and controls a second driving current used to perform the minute emission by the light emitting element in the non-image section several times in one job. In the image section, a driving current obtained by adding the first driving current to the second driving current is supplied so that the light emitting element emits light.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a roller, a heating rotation member configured to form a pressure portion by coming into contact with the roller, the heating rotation member being rotated by rotation of the roller, and a pressing rotation member configured to form a nip portion by coming into contact with the roller, the pressing rotation member being rotated by the rotation of the roller, wherein micro-hardness of a surface of the heating rotation member at the pressure portion and micro-hardness of a surface of the pressing rotation member at the nip portion are both higher than micro-hardness of a surface of the roller, and wherein frictional force acting on the roller at the pressure portion is larger than frictional force acting on the roller at the nip portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on a recording material, the apparatus includes a cylindrical film; a plate-like nip forming member contacted with an inner surface of the film, the nip forming member including a base member and a coating layer on the base member, the coating layer having a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than that of the base member; and a roller cooperative with the nip forming member to form a nip, wherein the coating layer is provided on a first surface of the nip forming member which is opposed to the film and on a second surface opposite from the first surface except for an outer edge portion of the nip forming member.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a roller, a heating rotation member configured to form a pressure portion by coming into contact with the roller, the heating rotation member being rotated by rotation of the roller, and a pressing rotation member configured to form a nip portion by coming into contact with the roller, the pressing rotation member being rotated by the rotation of the roller, wherein micro-hardness of a surface of the heating rotation member at the pressure portion and micro-hardness of a surface of the pressing rotation member at the nip portion are both higher than micro-hardness of a surface of the roller, and wherein frictional force acting on the roller at the pressure portion is larger than frictional force acting on the roller at the nip portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on a recording material, the apparatus includes a cylindrical film; a plate-like nip forming member contacted with an inner surface of the film, the nip forming member including a base member and a coating layer on the base member, the coating layer having a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than that of the base member; and a roller cooperative with the nip forming member to form a nip, wherein the coating layer is provided on a first surface of the nip forming member which is opposed to the film and on a second surface opposite from the first surface except for an outer edge portion of the nip forming member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; and a fixing portion. The fixing portion includes a cylindrical film, a nip-forming member and a roller including a shaft portion and an elastic layer. The elastic layer contacts an outer surface of the film except an end region of the film with respect to a generatrix direction. In the end region, the shaft portion and the outer surface of the film oppose each other with a spatial region with respect to a radial direction of the shaft portion. The image forming apparatus includes a spacer occupying at least a part of the spatial region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; and a fixing portion. The fixing portion includes a cylindrical film, a nip-forming member and a roller including a shaft portion and an elastic layer. The elastic layer contacts an outer surface of the film except an end region of the film with respect to a generatrix direction. In the end region, the shaft portion and the outer surface of the film oppose each other with a spatial region with respect to a radial direction of the shaft portion. The image forming apparatus includes a spacer occupying at least a part of the spatial region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; and a fixing portion. The fixing portion includes a cylindrical film, a nip-forming member and a roller including a shaft portion and an elastic layer. The elastic layer contacts an outer surface of the film except an end region of the film with respect to a generatrix direction. In the end region, the shaft portion and the outer surface of the film oppose each other with a spatial region with respect to a radial direction of the shaft portion. The image forming apparatus includes a spacer occupying at least a part of the spatial region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming portion; a fixing portion; a first air blowing portion; and a second air blowing portion. The apparatus is operable in a first air blowing mode in which both the first and second air blowing portions are driven and in which the direction of the air near the exit is the recording material feeding direction, and is operable in a second air blowing mode in which both the first and second air blowing portions are driven and in which a direction of the air near the exit is a recording material feeding direction and a speed of the air is lower than a speed of the air in the first air blowing mode or in which the direction of the air near the exit is the opposite direction to the recording material feeding direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to form a toner image on a recording material, includes: an image forming unit configured to form a unfixed toner image on the recording material; a fixing unit configured to heat the recording material where the unfixed toner image is formed while conveying the recording material using a nip portion, and to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording material; and a control unit configured to perform control so that temperature of the fixing unit is maintained in target temperature, with the target temperature (Tn) of a n'th page in consecutive printing being set to the highest temperature of the target temperatures (Tn to Tn+k) according to each of image densities (Dn to Dn+k) at (n to (n+k))'th pages, where integer k?1.