Abstract: A control portion determines the lengths of time required to raise a plurality of heat generating elements to prescribed start-up completion target temperatures, and when a heat generating element determined to have the longest start-up requirement time among a plurality of heat generating elements is a second heat generating element, and a heat generating element determined to have shorter start-up requirement time than that of the second heat generating element among a plurality of heat generating elements is a first heat generating element, the control portion controls power to be supplied to the first heat generating element by changing a start-up control parameter for the first heat generating element with reference to the start-up performance of the second heat generating element.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater having a plurality of heating elements arranged in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a recording material, each of the plurality of heating elements having a heating region, and a control portion that controls electrical power to be supplied to the plurality of heating elements, the control portion being capable of individually controlling the plurality of heating elements. The control portion executes control of a heat generating quantity of each of the plurality of heating elements such that a heat generating quantity when heating a first region of the recording material including an image, a heat generating quantity when heating a second region of the recording material not including an image, and a heat generating quantity when heating a third region, in which there is no recording material, are different from each other.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater including a first heat generating block and a second heat generating block, and a power control portion that controls electrical power to be supplied to the respective heat generating blocks. When a recording material passes the position of the heater, and, in a longitudinal direction of the heater, when an entire range in which the second heat generating block is provided is a range in which the recording material passes and only a portion of a range in which the first heat generating block is provided is a range in which the recording material passes, the power control portion controls the electrical power to be supplied to the respective heat generating blocks so that electrical power Wd supplied to the first heat generating block is less than electrical power We supplied to the second heat generating block.

Abstract: A temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of an object of a fixing device in contact with the object includes a film having an insulating property, a temperature-sensitive element provided on the film, and an electroconductive pattern formed on the film. The electroconductive pattern is electrically connected with the temperature-sensitive element.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus fixes a toner image on a recording material by conveying and heating the recording material at a nip portion, and includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member configured to form the nip portion with the first rotating member, the first and second rotating members being arranged such that rotation of the second rotating member causes rotation of the first rotating member, a frame configured to support the second rotating member, so as to be rotatable and an opening and closing part arranged to open and close relative to the frame on the downstream side of the nip portion in the conveyance direction of the recoding material, the opening and closing part having a duct through which air flows.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater having a plurality of heating elements arranged in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a recording material, each of the plurality of heating elements having a heating region, and a control portion that controls electrical power to be supplied to the plurality of heating elements, the control portion being capable of individually controlling the plurality of heating elements. The control portion executes control of a heat generating quantity of each of the plurality of heating elements such that a heat generating quantity when heating a first region of the recording material including an image, a heat generating quantity when heating a second region of the recording material not including an image, and a heat generating quantity when heating a third region, in which there is no recording material, are different from each other.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to further improve the accuracy of position control of a machine apparatus. A control device for a machine apparatus is equipped with: a speed control unit for calculating a torque command for the machine apparatus; a friction estimation unit for calculating an estimated value of the friction force produced by the machine apparatus; an amplitude phase adjustment unit for calculating a corrected friction value by multiplying the proportional gain by the friction force estimated by the friction estimation unit; and a correction unit for correcting the torque command by using the corrected friction value calculated by the amplitude phase adjustment unit. Furthermore, the proportional gain is determined on the basis of the gain properties of the transfer function of the machine apparatus from the position command to the position deviation.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus heats an image formed on a recording material and includes a heater having a first heat generating block and a second heat generating block adjacent to the first. A power control portion controls electrical power supplied to the first and second blocks, independently. When an entire range in which the second block is provided is a range in which the recording material passes and only a portion of a range in which the first block is provided, electrical power supplied to the first is less than that supplied to the second. The power control portion controls the power so that a ratio of the power supplied to the first block to the power supplied to the second block decreases as a recording material passing range, in the range in which the first block is provided, decreases.

Abstract: Provided is an image heating apparatus including: a heater having a plurality of heating elements arranged in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the recording material; and a control portion that controls electric power to be supplied to the plurality of heating elements and is capable of individually controlling the plurality of heating elements, the image heating apparatus heating an image formed on the recording material with heat by the heater, wherein the control portion sets a heating condition when controlling each of the plurality of heating elements, according to the thermal history of a heating region heated by one heating element and the thermal history of a heating region heated by a heating element adjacent to the one heating element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a heater including a first and second heat generating blocks; and a power control portion that controls electric power to be supplied to respective heat generating blocks. When a recording material passes the position of the heater, and in a longitudinal direction of the heater, when an entire range in which the second heat generating block is provided is a range in which the recording material passes and only a portion of a range in which the first heat generating block is provided is a range in which the recording material passes, the power control portion controls the electric power to be supplied to respective heat generating blocks so that an electric power Wd supplied to the first heat generating block is smaller than an electric power Wc supplied to the second heat generating block.

Abstract: Provided is an image heating apparatus including: a heater having a plurality of heating elements arranged in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the recording material; and a control portion that controls electric power to be supplied to the plurality of heating elements and is capable of individually controlling the plurality of heating elements, the image heating apparatus heating an image formed on the recording material with heat by the heater, wherein the control portion sets a heating condition when controlling each of the plurality of heating elements, according to the thermal history of a heating region heated by one heating element and the thermal history of a heating region heated by a heating element adjacent to the one heating element.

Abstract: A fixing device includes first and second members, a frame supporting the second member, and two pressure mechanisms provided on either end of the first member. The mechanism includes a lever having one end supported by the frame in a rotatable manner in a pressure direction, and a helical compression spring disposed between a first spring support provided on the other end of the lever and a second spring support on the frame. At least one of the first and second spring supports includes a first area and a second area closer to the spring in the axial direction than the first area, the first area is in contact with an area of the spring close to a winding end of the spring, and the second area is in contact with an area of the spring farther away from the winding end in a winding direction than the first area.

Abstract: A temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of an object of a fixing device in contact with the object includes a film having an insulating property, a temperature-sensitive element provided on the film, and an electroconductive pattern formed on the film. The electroconductive pattern is electrically connected with the temperature-sensitive element.

Abstract: The heater to be used for an image heating apparatus includes a substrate, and first and second heat generation lines that are provided on the substrate along a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and are each divided into a plurality of heat generation blocks that can be mutually independently controlled, in the longitudinal direction, wherein in the plurality of heat generation blocks in the second heat generation line, a heat generation block is provided that overlaps one heat generation block in the first heat generation line in the longitudinal direction, and has a different heat generation distribution in the longitudinal direction, and can be independently controlled. Accordingly, the heater can form a heat generation distribution that is suitable for various paper sizes.

Abstract: A developing device configured to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member includes a rotatable developing-agent bearing member configured to bear developing agent, a developing container configured to form a developing-agent storage chamber that stores the developing agent, a developing-agent regulating portion provided in the developing container to regulate an amount of the developing agent born on the developing-agent bearing member, a support portion configured to support the developing-agent bearing member movably relative to the developing-agent regulating portion, and a pressurizing member configured to pressurize the developing-agent bearing member toward the developing-agent regulating portion. A contact portion of the developing-agent regulating portion with the developing-agent bearing member is fixed to the developing container without forming a gap from the developing container on a downstream side in a pressurizing direction of the pressurizing member.

Abstract: A heater including a substrate, a first heat generating line provided on the substrate and in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, the first heat generating line being divided into a plurality of heat generating blocks in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of heat generating blocks being controllable independently, and a second heat generating line provided on the substrate and in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, the second heat generating line being divided into a plurality of heat generating blocks in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of heat generating blocks being controllable independently. In the heater, divided positions of the first heat generating line and divided positions of the second heat generating line are different.

Abstract: A heater including a substrate, a first heat generating line provided on the substrate and in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, the first heat generating line being divided into a plurality of heat generating blocks in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of heat generating blocks being controllable independently, and a second heat generating line provided on the substrate and in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, the second heat generating line being divided into a plurality of heat generating blocks in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of heat generating blocks being controllable independently. In the heater, divided positions of the first heat generating line and divided positions of the second heat generating line are different.

Abstract: The heater to be used for an image heating apparatus includes a substrate, and first and second heat generation lines that are provided on the substrate along a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and are each divided into a plurality of heat generation blocks that can be mutually independently controlled, in the longitudinal direction, wherein in the plurality of heat generation blocks in the second heat generation line, a heat generation block is provided that overlaps one heat generation block in the first heat generation line in the longitudinal direction, and has a different heat generation distribution in the longitudinal direction, and can be independently controlled. Accordingly, the heater can form a heat generation distribution that is suitable for various paper sizes.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to further improve the accuracy of position control of a machine apparatus. A control device for a machine apparatus is equipped with: a speed control unit for calculating a torque command for the machine apparatus; a friction estimation unit for calculating an estimated value of the friction force produced by the machine apparatus; an amplitude phase adjustment unit for calculating a corrected friction value by multiplying the proportional gain by the friction force estimated by the friction estimation unit; and a correction unit for correcting the torque command by using the corrected friction value calculated by the amplitude phase adjustment unit. Furthermore, the proportional gain is determined on the basis of the gain properties of the transfer function of the machine apparatus from the position command to the position deviation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on a recording material has an image forming unit configured to form the toner image on the recording material; a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image on the recording material while heating and conveying the recording material bearing the toner image at a nip portion, the fixing unit including a heating rotation member and a roller forming the nip portion with the heating rotation member; and a voltage applying unit configured to apply a potential difference between a surface of the heating rotation member and a surface of the roller, wherein a plurality of print modes different in conveyance speed of the recording material at the nip portion are carried out, and wherein the voltage applying unit applies the potential difference smaller in a first print mode than the potential difference in a second print mode.