Abstract: A fixing belt is heated by electromagnetic induction. The fixing belt has a heat generating layer that has a thickness not greater than 40 ?m and a releasing layer that has a thickness not less than 10 ?m. A toner that includes at least a binder resin, a colorant, and a mold releasing agent, and has a glass transition temperature in a range of 35° C. to 50° C. and an outflow-start temperature in a range of 80° C. to 110° C., is used.

Abstract: In an image fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus, all the non-electrical components are assembled to form one unit and electrical components are arranged in a main body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: The fixing unit satisfies following three conditions. That is, (1) 2.4×103×d/(TC×t)<T0, where d is a thickness of the unfixed toner layer in meters, TC is a thermal conductivity of toner in W/mK, and t is the fixing time in seconds; (2) a temperature Ttop of a topmost layer of the toner layer is not greater than the minimum temperature TOFF at which the hot offset of the surface of the first fixing member occurs when the fixing time is set to 1 seconds; and (3) a temperature Tbot of a bottommost layer of the toner layer that is in contact with the recording medium is not less than the lower limit temperature TMIN for fixing of the surface of the first fixing member when the fixing time is set to 1 second.

Abstract: A fixing device containing at least one fixing member configured to fix a toner image on a transfer material, which includes a first substrate and a pressing member configured to form a nip with the at least one fixing member, which includes a second substrate, and a heater. At least one of the at least one fixing member and the pressing member further contains a heat insulating layer overlying the first or second substrate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes an image forming mechanism configured to form an image, and a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image formed on a recording medium. The fixing unit includes a fixing device having a first endless moving member configured to rotate, and a second endless moving member configured to rotate to form a nip area together with the first endless moving member to fix, at the nip area, a toner image disposed on the recording medium onto the recording medium with heat and pressure, the second endless moving member including a surface layer having a universal hardness HU and a maximum nip surface pressure P each within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A fixing device including a fixing belt, a drive roller and a press roller. The drive roller is configured to drive the fixing belt, and press roller is arranged so as to face the drive roller across the fixing belt, and exert pressure toward the fixing belt. The drive roller and the press roller are able to rotate so that the peripheral velocity of the drive roller is greater than the peripheral velocity of the press roller. According to the fixing device image defects, including image difference, are less likely to occur when fixing an image on a recording sheet.

Abstract: An intermediary transfer apparatus for transferring an unfixed image from an intermediary transfer member to a recording medium is disclosed. The intermediary transfer apparatus includes a heating unit for selectively heating a prescribed portion of the intermediary transfer member on which the unfixed image is situated, in a width direction of the intermediary transfer member, the width direction of the intermediary transfer member perpendicularly intersecting the direction in which the unfixed image is conveyed.

Abstract: An image-forming heater element 52 and a recovery ejection heater element 54 are driven to generate heat at the timing in which a bubble may formed in the nozzle owing to temperature difference between the inside of a printing head 22 and the environment. Thereby, a large quantity of ink is ejected at a time. The ejection of a large quantity of the ink removes a bubble or a foreign matter from the nozzle, cleaning the nozzle in a short time.

Abstract: A fixing member heat bonds a toner on a recording material. The fixing member includes a releasing layer, a layer of elastic material, below the releasing layer, and a layer of adiabatic and hygroscopic material, below the layer of elastic material. The layer of elastic material includes a layer of electrically conducting material to pass electric currents, an adiabatic, elastic, and hydrophobic material, and a porous material to the release of the moisture absorbed by the layer of adiabatic and hygroscopic material.

Abstract: There are provided an improved product consisting of an elongated non-metallic sheet having a metal embedded therein or attached thereon over the entire length thereof and method and apparatus for producing the same. In particular, the product having the metal forming a wire arranged in a zigzag fashion may preferably used for covering and protecting joints of steel pipes in oil pipeline or cables. In the improved product, the sheet is trimmed on each of the longitudinal sides along a line a predetermined lateral distance outwardly or inwardly from the outline of the periphery of the corresponding side of the metal. In a case of the wire in a zigzag fashion, the wire has turning ends and the outline connects neighboring turning ends.