Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to, in executing a job to form images continuously on a plurality of sheets of a recording material, accumulate an addition amount per sheet to an index in accordance with a number of sheets of the recording material to which images are formed in the job. A value of the addition amount per sheet is determined in correspondence with an attribute of the recording material used in the job. The control unit is configured to, during execution of the job, change a throughput of the job so that images are formed at a first throughput if an accumulated value of the index still does not exceed a predetermined threshold value and images are formed at a second throughput slower than the first throughput if the accumulated value of the index has exceeded the threshold value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a recording material, a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image formed on the recording material by the image forming unit to the recording material, and a controller configured to cause the image forming unit to form an image on a basis of image information, the controller being configured to cause the image forming unit to form the image in which a first toner image and a second toner image is superimposed on each other on the recording material, the first toner image being a toner image corresponding to the image information, the second toner image being constituted by a pattern having anisotropy such that glossiness of the image changes depending on a direction in which the image is viewed.

Abstract: Method of controlling cooling water temperature of an engine in which the lower limit value of engine rotation speed is set according to outside air temperature and vehicle speed. When the vehicle starts traveling, a temperature raising-state lower limit rotation speed is set to raise the cooling water temperature to a third threshold value. After the cooling water temperature is raised to the third threshold value, the lower limit value is not set. If the cooling water temperature drops to a second threshold value, a maintaining-state lower limit rotation speed lower than the temperature raising-state lower limit rotation speed is set to raise the cooling water temperature. If the cooling water temperature does not rise but drops to a first threshold value, a temperature re-raising-state lower limit rotation speed lower than the temperature raising-state lower limit rotation speed and higher than the maintaining-state lower limit rotation speed is set.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to, in executing a job to form images continuously on a plurality of sheets of a recording material, accumulate an addition amount per sheet to an index in accordance with a number of sheets of the recording material to which images are formed in the job. A value of the addition amount per sheet is determined in correspondence with an attribute of the recording material used in the job. The control unit is configured to, during execution of the job, change a throughput of the job so that images are formed at a first throughput if an accumulated value of the index still does not exceed a predetermined threshold value and images are formed at a second throughput slower than the first throughput if the accumulated value of the index has exceeded the threshold value.

Abstract: In a fixing device of the present invention, first and second movable members are each urged toward a flexible member so that the contact between contact surfaces of the first and second movable members and end faces of the flexible member are each maintained.

Abstract: Method of controlling cooling water temperature of an engine in which the lower limit value of engine rotation speed is set according to outside air temperature and vehicle speed. When the vehicle starts traveling, a temperature raising-state lower limit rotation speed is set to raise the cooling water temperature to a third threshold value. After the cooling water temperature is raised to the third threshold value, the lower limit value is not set. If the cooling water temperature drops to a second threshold value, a maintaining-state lower limit rotation speed lower than the temperature raising-state lower limit rotation speed is set to raise the cooling water temperature. If the cooling water temperature does not rise but drops to a first threshold value, a temperature re-raising-state lower limit rotation speed lower than the temperature raising-state lower limit rotation speed and higher than the maintaining-state lower limit rotation speed is set.

Abstract: In a fixing device of the present invention, first and second movable members are each urged toward a flexible member so that the contact between contact surfaces of the first and second movable members and end faces of the flexible member are each maintained.

Abstract: In a warm-up period of a fixing apparatus of the present disclosure, a control unit supplies first electric power to a heater and thereafter supplies second electric power larger than the first electric power to the heater. The timing of starting to supply the second electric power is determined according to the degree of an increase in temperature sensed by a temperature sensing member after a driving signal is transmitted to a driving source.

Abstract: In a fixing device of the present invention, first and second movable members are each urged toward a flexible member so that the contact between contact surfaces of the first and second movable members and end faces of the flexible member are each maintained.

Abstract: A cylindrical fixing member for use with a fixing device includes a heat generating layer and an electrode layer contacting the heat generating layer. The electrode layer is smaller in volume resistance value than the heat generating layer. The electrode layer is formed in a helical shape so that a helical axis thereof extends in a direction along a generatrix direction of the fixing member. One end and the other end of the electrode layer are electrically open.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit including a tubular film and an opposed member to form a first nip, a conveying unit including a second nip, the pressure variable mechanism changing a pressure of the second nip, a control unit controlling the pressure variable mechanism, and an acquisition unit acquiring information about a length of the recording material. The control unit controls the pressure variable mechanism according to the information so that the recording material is conveyed by the second nip set to a first pressure when the length of the recording material is less than a predetermined length, and the recording material is conveyed by the second nip set to a second pressure lower than the first pressure when the length of the recording material is equal to or greater than the predetermined length.

Abstract: In a warm-up period of a fixing apparatus of the present disclosure, a control unit supplies first electric power to a heater and thereafter supplies second electric power larger than the first electric power to the heater. The timing of starting to supply the second electric power is determined according to the degree of an increase in temperature sensed by a temperature sensing member after a driving signal is transmitted to a driving source.

Abstract: In a fixing device of the present invention, first and second movable members are each urged toward a flexible member so that the contact between contact surfaces of the first and second movable members and end faces of the flexible member are each maintained.

Abstract: A cylindrical fixing member for use with a fixing device includes a heat generating layer and an electrode layer contacting the heat generating layer. The electrode layer is smaller in volume resistance value than the heat generating layer. The electrode layer is formed in a helical shape so that a helical axis thereof extends in a direction along a generatrix direction of the fixing member. One end and the other end of the electrode layer are electrically open.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit including a tubular film and an opposed member to form a first nip, a conveying unit including a second nip, the pressure variable mechanism changing a pressure of the second nip, a control unit controlling the pressure variable mechanism, and an acquisition unit acquiring information about a length of the recording material. The control unit controls the pressure variable mechanism according to the information so that the recording material is conveyed by the second nip set to a first pressure when the length of the recording material is less than a predetermined length, and the recording material is conveyed by the second nip set to a second pressure lower than the first pressure when the length of the recording material is equal to or greater than the predetermined length.

Abstract: A fixing device fixes an image on a recording material. The fixing device includes a cylindrical rotatable member with an electroconductive layer and at least one slit at an end portion with respect to a generatrix direction, a coil, inside the rotatable member, the coil including a helically-shaped portion having a helical axis along the generatrix direction and forming an alternating magnetic field for causing the electroconductive layer to generate heat through electromagnetic induction heating, and a magnetic core provided inside the helically-shaped portion. The magnetic core does not form a loop outside the electroconductive layer, 70% or more of magnetic lines of force coming out of one end of the core and passing through an outside of the electroconductive layer return to another end of the core, and the image is fixed on the recording material by the generated heat.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image on a recording material includes a cylindrical rotatable member including an electroconductive layer; a coil, provided inside the rotatable member, for forming an alternating magnetic field for causing the electroconductive layer to generate heat through electromagnetic induction heating, wherein the coil includes a helically-shaped portion having a helical axis along a generatrix direction of the rotatable member; and a magnetic core provided inside the helically-shaped portion. The rotatable member generates heat by a current induced in the electroconductive layer in a circumferential direction of the rotatable member, and the image is fixed on the recording material by the heat of said rotatable member. The rotatable member is provided with a slit at an end portion thereof with respect to the generatrix direction.

Abstract: In order to realize a method and an apparatus, each of which requires no contact treatment and no chemical reaction, for separating isomers of a chiral substance by irradiating a chiral substance with light such as circularly polarized light, so as to separate isomers in accordance with a difference in acceleration between the isomers, separation of isomers of a chiral substance in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention includes: (i) a circularly polarized light irradiating apparatus for irradiating, with circularly polarized light, a chiral substance which is a mixture of different isomers and is released from a molecular beam generating apparatus in a vacuum chamber; and (ii) isomer inlets for separating the different isomers of the chiral substance in accordance with a difference in acceleration between the different isomers.

Abstract: In order to realize a method and an apparatus, each of which requires no contact treatment and no chemical reaction, for separating isomers of a chiral substance by irradiating a chiral substance with light such as circularly polarized light, so as to separate isomers in accordance with a difference in acceleration between the isomers, separation of isomers of a chiral substance in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention includes: (i) a circularly polarized light irradiating apparatus for irradiating, with circularly polarized light, a chiral substance which is a mixture of different isomers and is released from a molecular beam generating apparatus in a vacuum chamber; and (ii) isomer inlets for separating the different isomers of the chiral substance in accordance with a difference in acceleration between the different isomers.