Abstract: A fixing device includes a frame, a tubular belt holder, a rotatable, flexible fuser belt, a heater, a fuser pad, a pressure member, and a mounting attachment. The tubular belt holder extends in an axial direction thereof. The fuser belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration around the belt holder to rotate in a circumferential direction of the belt holder. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt holder to heat the belt holder. The fuser pad is accommodated in the belt holder inside the loop of the fuser belt, and extends in the axial direction. The pressure member is disposed opposite the belt holder with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The mounting attachment is provided to a longitudinal end of the tubular belt holder to allow retention and detachable attachment of the belt holder end to the frame.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable, flexible fuser belt, a heater, a fuser pad, and a pressure member. The fuser belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration. The heater is disposed adjacent to the fuser belt to heat the fuser belt. The fuser pad is disposed inside the loop of the fuser belt, and has an outer peripheral surface thereof formed in a generally concave configuration. The pressure member is disposed opposite the fuser pad with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The pressure member presses in a load direction against the outer peripheral surface of the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip therebetween. The fuser pad includes, along the outer peripheral surface thereof, a protruding portion and an inwardly curved portion adjoining the protruding portion to face an outer circumferential surface of the pressure member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member in a form of an endless belt; a pressing member pressing the fixing member; a contacting member in contact with the pressing member; a holding member holding the contacting member in a pressing direction of the pressing member; a heating unit heating the fixing member; and shape maintaining units maintaining a shape of the fixing member. Further, the heating unit is disposed on an upstream side of a horizontal line passing through the center of the pressing member and the holding member is disposed on a downstream side of a horizontal line passing through the arc axis of the shape maintaining units.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a tubular belt holder, a rotatable, flexible fuser belt, a heater, a fuser pad, and a pressure member. The belt holder extends in an axial direction. The fuser belt is looped around the belt holder to rotate in a circumferential direction of the belt holder. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt holder to heat the belt holder. The fuser pad is accommodated in the belt holder inside the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member is disposed opposite the belt holder with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The pressure member presses in a load direction against the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip therebetween. The belt holder includes, along a circumferential dimension thereof, an upstream, first circumferential portion, a downstream, second circumferential portion, and a midstream, third circumferential portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt; a pressing rotary body disposed outside a loop formed by the fixing belt; a nip formation pad disposed inside the loop formed by the fixing belt and pressed against the pressing rotary body via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the pressing rotary body and the fixing belt through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. The nip formation pad includes a protrusion disposed downstream from the fixing nip in a conveyance direction of the recording medium and protruding toward the pressing rotary body without contacting the pressing rotary body. The fixing device further includes a pressing rotary body mover to contact and move the pressing rotary body bidirectionally in the conveyance direction of the recording medium to move the fixing nip toward and away from the protrusion.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A disclosed heating apparatus comprises: a heat generator for receiving electric power supply from a main power source and an auxiliary power unit and generating heat; a heating unit heated by the heat generator; a charging unit for charging the auxiliary power unit with electric power from the main power source; and a control unit configured to control electric power supply to the heat generator. A first maximum value of electric energy charged in the auxiliary power unit in a standby status is less than a second maximum value of electric energy capable of being charged in the auxiliary power unit.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A heater operable with main and auxiliary power supply units. A controller selects a first mode to permit discharge of the auxiliary power supply unit when a voltage or power from the auxiliary power supply unit is a startable value or greater without making reference to judgment information, or a second mode to permit discharge of the auxiliary power supply unit based on the judgment information when the voltage or power from the auxiliary supply unit is less than the startable value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a main power supply unit, a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, a fixing unit including a heater configured to receive power from at least one of the main power supply unit and the auxiliary power supply unit, and a voltage or temperature detecting part configured to detect a voltage input to the main power supply unit from a commercial power supply or to detect a voltage of the auxiliary power supply unit or to detect an environment temperature. Energy accumulated in the auxiliary power supply unit can be controlled to not be supplied to the fixing unit at a time of starting the fixing unit if the voltage or temperatures detected are less than predetermined values.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A power storage apparatus is disclosed, which includes a charge-able and discharge-able capacitor unit, discharged power being supplied to an electrical load. The power storage apparatus includes a detection unit configured to determine whether an amount of power stored by the capacitor unit falls less than a predetermined magnitude at a predetermined voltage. Degradation of the power storage apparatus is determined based on a detection result of the detection unit, and a setting value concerning charging and discharging is adjusted.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material in an image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, a heating part that heats the fixing member to fix an image formed on the recording material by heat, a storage unit that is charged by an external power source to supply power to the heating part, and a control unit that controls the external power source to supply power to the heating part and determines whether to start to supply power to the heating part from the storage unit. The control unit controls the external power source to charge the storage unit during a period from when power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is completed at the time of warming-up the fixing member by the heating part until when the power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is started.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material includes a fixing member disposed on a recording material conveyance path, a heating part that heats the fixing member to fix the image formed on the recording material by heat, and a storage unit that is charged by an external power source to supply power to the heating part. The fixing device further includes a fixing temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the fixing member, and a control unit that controls the external power source to supply power to the heating part and to determine whether to start to supply power to the heating part from the storage unit based on the temperature of the fixing member, at the time of warming-up the fixing member by the heating part.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a first heat generating member that generates heat upon receiving power from a commercial power source, an electrical condenser that stores charge when charged by the commercial power source, and a second heat generating member that generates heat upon receiving power from the electrical condenser. A fixing member is heated by the first and second heat generating members and fixes an image onto a recording medium. A control device is provided to restrict the power supplied from commercial power source to the first heat generating member when the temperature of the fixing member starts increasing. The electrical condenser starts supplying power to the second heat generating member before the control device terminates restriction of the power.

Abstract: Power is supplied from a capacitor of an auxiliary power source to a secondary heating element of a heating unit, thereby preventing temperature drop of a fixing roller at the time of continuous paper delivery. An allowable range for starting discharge from the capacitor is set to, for example, 30 to 40 volts. A discharge time in which the voltage of the capacitor reduces to a termination value, such as 20 volts, is longer than a time necessary for a reading unit to read a maximum number (for example, 100 sheets) of documents that can be read at one time.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material in an image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, a heating part that heats the fixing member to fix an image formed on the recording material by heat, a storage unit that is charged by an external power source to supply power to the heating part, and a control unit that controls the external power source to supply power to the heating part and determines whether to start to supply power to the heating part from the storage unit. The control unit controls the external power source to charge the storage unit during a period from when power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is completed at the time of warming-up the fixing member by the heating part until when the power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is started.

Abstract: A fixing unit thermally fixes a toner on a recording medium by a fixing member having a plurality of internal heaters and an outer peripheral surface, and a temperature sensor detects a surface temperature of the fixing member at a temperature detecting position. At least one first heater, of the heaters, receives power from a first power supply, and remaining second heaters receive power from a second power supply. One of the second heaters closest to the temperature detecting position is the same distance from the temperature detecting position as or is closer to the temperature detecting position than a first heater which is closest to the temperature detecting position.