Abstract: A heating device includes a cylindrical film configured to be rotated about an axis, a heater including a substrate that extends along a longitudinal direction parallel to the axis, and a heater element on the substrate and facing an inner surface of the cylindrical film. A heat conductor extends along the longitudinal direction and has first and second surfaces. A first portion of the heat conductor contacts the substrate and a second portion of the heat conductor has a groove in the first surface. A temperature sensing element is disposed at a position on the second surface at a position opposite the groove.

Abstract: A heater includes a heat generating element and a protective layer. The protective layer covers the heat generating element, and at least part of a surface thereof has a convex surface that is convex toward the heat generating element.

Abstract: A fixing device according to an embodiment includes an endless belt, a pressure element, a heating member, an adjustment mechanism, and a controller. The pressure element conveys and presses a sheet to the endless belt. The heating member is on the inner side of the belt and has a heat generating element for heating the belt. The adjustment mechanism moves the heating member or the pressure element to adjust the nip width between the heating member and the pressure element. The controller controls the adjustment mechanism so that A>B?N is satisfied, where A is the nip width during a fixing process in which a colored material is fixed to the sheet, B is the nip width during a heating process conducted before the fixing process, and N is the length of the heat generating element in the sheet conveyance direction.

Abstract: A heating device includes a rotatable film, a heater including a substrate that extends along a first direction, and a heater element on the substrate and facing the film, a heat conductor having first and second surfaces and including a first portion contacting the substrate, and a second portion that is adjacent to the first portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and does not contact the substrate, and a temperature sensing element on the second surface at a position corresponding to the second portion. A thickness of the first portion from the first surface to the second surface is greater than a thickness of the second portion from the first surface to the second surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heater, a fixing device, and a controller. The heater includes a heat generator that generates heat when the heater is turned on. The fixing device may fix a developer image on a surface of an image forming medium using the heat from the heat generator. The controller detects a voltage of a power supply for supplying electric power to the heater, and determines an occurrence of an abnormality in the heater if a voltage drop amount at the time the heater is turned on as compared to a case in which the heater is turned off is smaller than a first threshold value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a fixing unit including a heater and a fixing belt. The fixing belt is electrically connected between a first power source and a ground terminal. A controller is configured to control the heater to heat the fixing belt. The controller is further configured to determine whether a current is flowing through the fixing belt and, upon determining that a current is not flowing through the fixing belt, control the heater not to heat the fixing belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt, a roller, a heater, a reflector, and a fixed support against which the roller presses the belt. The belt is rotatable in a rotational direction. The roller is positioned to be in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt so as to form a nip between the roller and the belt. The heater is disposed within an inner circumference of the belt. The reflector includes a first portion. The first portion is in contact with the belt at a first region downstream with respect to the nip in the rotational direction. The reflector covers the fixed support. A plurality of gaps are formed between the reflector and the fixed support so as to suppress heat conduction from the reflector to the fixed support.

Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a cylindrical film, a plurality of heating elements arranged inside the cylindrical film along a longitudinal direction thereof, a plurality of thermometers each configured to measure temperature of one of the heating elements, a power supply, a controller configured to control the power supply to supply electrical power to the heating elements according to the temperature measured by the thermometers, and a plurality of thermostats each configured to measure temperature of one of the heating elements and configured to interrupt the electrical power supplied to the heating element when the measured temperature exceeds a predetermined value. The thermometers and the thermostats are alternately arranged along the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device, includes a fixing member having a first surface configured to be pressed against a recording medium and a heater on a second surface of the fixing member. A first heat conducting member contacts aback surface side of the heater, and a second heat conducting member is provided to be moveable between a first state, in which the second heat conducting member is in contact with the first heat conducting member and the second surface of the fixing member, and a second state, in which the second heat conducting member is contacting the first heat conducting member, but separated from the second surface of the fixing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including a fixing belt having a surface to which a lubricant is applied, a heater contacting the surface and including heating elements arranged along a width direction of the belt and including first end second end heating elements and a central heating element, and a pressing roller capable of pressing and rotating the belt, a power supply configured to supply power to the heating elements, and a controller configured to determine a first amount of power to be supplied to the central heating element and a second amount of power to be supplied to each end heating element such that the first amount is greater than the second amount, and control the power supply to supply the first and second amounts to the central heating element and each end heating element before controlling the pressing roller to rotate.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device, includes a fixing member having a first surface configured to be pressed against a recording medium and a heater on a second surface of the fixing member. A first heat conducting member contacts aback surface side of the heater, and a second heat conducting member is provided to be moveable between a first state, in which the second heat conducting member is in contact with the first heat conducting member and the second surface of the fixing member, and a second state, in which the second heat conducting member is contacting the first heat conducting member, but separated from the second surface of the fixing member.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a fixing unit including a heater and a fixing belt. The fixing belt is electrically connected between a first power source and a ground terminal. A controller is configured to control the heater to heat the fixing belt. The controller is further configured to determine whether a current is flowing through the fixing belt and, upon determining that a current is not flowing through the fixing belt, control the heater not to heat the fixing belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt, a roller, a heater, a reflector, and a fixed support against which the roller presses the belt. The belt is rotatable in a rotational direction. The roller is positioned to be in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt so as to form a nip between the roller and the belt. The heater is disposed within an inner circumference of the belt. The reflector includes a first portion. The first portion is in contact with the belt at a first region downstream with respect to the nip in the rotational direction. The reflector covers the fixed support. A plurality of gaps are formed between the reflector and the fixed support so as to suppress heat conduction from the reflector to the fixed support.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including a heater including a heating element, a fixing belt having a surface to which a lubricant is applied and contacting the heater through the lubricant, and a pressing roller capable of pressing and rotating the fixing belt, a power supply configured to supply electric power to the heating element, a first thermometer configured to measure temperature of the heating element, and a controller configured to determine a first amount of electric power to be supplied to the heating element based on the temperature of the heating element, and control the power supply to supply the determined first amount of electric power to the heating element, before controlling the pressing roller to start rotation.

Abstract: A fixing unit or device that can be used in an image forming apparatus includes a first heater element that is formed of a material that increases in electrical resistance with increases in temperature. A controller of the fixing unit is configured to vary a duty ratio of electric power applied to the first heater element during a start-up operation in which the temperature of the first heater element is raised to a target operating temperature. By varying the duty ratio during the start-up operation, changes in the resistance of the first heater element with the heating can be compensated. For example, the duty ratio can be increased during the course of the start-up to achieve the target operating temperature faster.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heater, a fixing device, and a controller. The heater includes a heat generator that generates heat when the heater is turned on. The fixing device may fix a developer image on a surface of an image forming medium using the heat from the heat generator. The controller detects a voltage of a power supply for supplying electric power to the heater, and determines an occurrence of an abnormality in the heater if a voltage drop amount at the time the heater is turned on as compared to a case in which the heater is turned off is smaller than a first threshold value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a fixing unit including a heater and a fixing belt. The fixing belt is electrically connected between a first power source and a ground terminal. A controller is configured to control the heater to heat the fixing belt. The controller is further configured to determine whether a current is flowing through the fixing belt and, upon determining that a current is not flowing through the fixing belt, control the heater not to heat the fixing belt.

Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a cylindrical film and a pressing element that rotates with the cylindrical film and forms a nip with the cylindrical film. A medium is conveyed through the nip from an upstream side to a downstream side. The heating apparatus further includes a guide member arranged inside the cylindrical film and including a first end portion that contacts the cylindrical film at a location that is downstream of an upstream end of the nip, and a substrate arranged inside the cylindrical film and on which a heating element is disposed. An upstream end of the substrate is located downstream of the first end portion of the guide member.

Abstract: A heating device includes a cylindrical film configured to be rotated about an axis, a heater including a substrate that extends along a longitudinal direction parallel to the axis, and a heater element on the substrate and facing an inner surface of the cylindrical film. A heat conductor extends along the longitudinal direction and has first and second surfaces. A first portion of the heat conductor contacts the substrate and a second portion of the heat conductor has a groove in the first surface. A temperature sensing element is disposed at a position on the second surface at a position opposite the groove.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including a fixing belt having a surface to which a lubricant is applied, a heater contacting the surface and including heating elements arranged along a width direction of the belt and including first end second end heating elements and a central heating element, and a pressing roller capable of pressing and rotating the belt, a power supply configured to supply power to the heating elements, and a controller configured to determine a first amount of power to be supplied to the central heating element and a second amount of power to be supplied to each end heating element such that the first amount is greater than the second amount, and control the power supply to supply the first and second amounts to the central heating element and each end heating element before controlling the pressing roller to rotate.