Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism and an image fixing unit. The image forming mechanism forms a toner image on a recording sheet. The image fixing unit fixes the toner image onto the recording sheet. The image fixing unit includes a magnetic flux generator, a heat member, a magnetic flux adjuster, and a controlling member. The magnetic flux generator generates a magnetic flux. The heat member is heated inductively by the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator. The magnetic flux adjuster reduces the magnetic flux active on the heat member to form a heat reduction area in an outer circumferential surface of the heat member in a width direction thereof. The controlling member moves the magnetic flux adjuster to change the heat reduction area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism and an image fixing unit. The image forming mechanism forms a toner image on a recording sheet. The image fixing unit fixes the toner image onto the recording sheet. The image fixing unit includes a magnetic flux generator, a heat member, a magnetic flux adjuster, and a controlling member. The magnetic flux generator generates a magnetic flux. The heat member is heated inductively by the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator. The magnetic flux adjuster reduces the magnetic flux active on the heat member to form a heat reduction area in an outer circumferential surface of the heat member in a width direction thereof. The controlling member moves the magnetic flux adjuster to change the heat reduction area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism and an image fixing unit. The image forming mechanism forms a toner image on a recording sheet. The image fixing unit fixes the toner image onto the recording sheet. The image fixing unit includes a magnetic flux generator, a heat member, a magnetic flux adjuster, and a controlling member. The magnetic flux generator generates a magnetic flux. The heat member is heated inductively by the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator. The magnetic flux adjuster reduces the magnetic flux active on the heat member to form a heat reduction area in an outer circumferential surface of the heat member in a width direction thereof. The controlling member moves the magnetic flux adjuster to change the heat reduction area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism configured to form a toner image on a recording medium with a toner according to image data and a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image on the recording medium. The fixing unit includes first and second heating members and a first heater. The first and second heating members are configured to apply heat to the recording medium having the toner image. The first heater is configured to heat the second heating member. The image forming apparatus further includes an auxiliary power source configured to drive the first heater.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus and an image formation apparatus therewith are disclosed. According to the fixing apparatus, a heating range that is heated by electromagnetic induction caused by a current flowing through a coil unit is finely tunable by covering a part of a core unit with a shielding member. Further, the core unit has a projecting section at an end of the core unit, which projecting section projects toward the coil unit in comparison with the central part of the core unit.

Abstract: A belt fixing unit, an image forming apparatus, and a toner material are disclosed capable of obviating undesirable fixing belt deformation and low image quality. The belt fixing unit includes a fixing roller, a heating roller, a fixing belt, and a pressing roller in contact with the fixing roller to form a fixing nip having the fixing belt intervening there between, the fixing belt including at least a base member formed of a heat-resisting resin having a thickness of 90 ?m or smaller and acted upon by a tensile force of 0.49 N/mm or less. The toner is a low-melting point toner formed by subjecting a toner preparatory solution containing at least a prepolymer having a functional group containing a nitrogen atom, a polyester, a colorant and a releasing agent dispersed in an organic solvent to extension and/or crosslinking reactions in an aqueous medium.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus and an image formation apparatus therewith are disclosed. According to the fixing apparatus, a heating range that is heated by electromagnetic induction caused by a current flowing through a coil unit is finely tunable by covering a part of a core unit with a shielding member. Further, the core unit has a projecting section at an end of the core unit, which projecting section projects toward the coil unit in comparison with the central part of the core unit.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus and an image formation apparatus therewith are disclosed. According to the fixing apparatus, a heating range that is heated by electromagnetic induction caused by a current flowing through a coil unit is finely tunable by covering a part of a core unit with a shielding member. Further, the core unit has a projecting section at an end of the core unit, which projecting section projects toward the coil unit in comparison with the central part of the core unit.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a fixing apparatus with which the movement of heat to the fixing belt during warm-up is suppressed, and the time it takes for the heating roller temperature to rise can be shortened, by reducing the contact surface area between the fixing belt and the heating roller, and an image formation apparatus that makes use of this fixing apparatus, and a toner used therein. A separation member provided on the inside of the fixing belt forms a pair with a tension roller, and a switching device for switching the positions thereof switches the positions when a set temperature is detected by temperature sensing device installed on the heating roller, so that the contact surface area of the fixing belt on the heating roller is different during warm-up and during fixing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism configured to form a toner image on a recording medium with a toner according to image data and a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image on the recording medium. The fixing unit includes first and second heating members and a first heater. The first and second heating members are configured to apply heat to the recording medium having the toner image. The first heater is configured to heat the second heating member. The image forming apparatus further includes an auxiliary power source configured to drive the first heater.

Abstract: A belt fixing unit, an image forming apparatus, and a toner material are disclosed capable of obviating undesirable fixing belt deformation and low image quality. The belt fixing unit includes a fixing roller, a heating roller, a fixing belt, and a pressing roller in contact with the fixing roller to form a fixing nip having the fixing belt intervening there between, the fixing belt including at least a base member formed of a heat-resisting resin having a thickness of 90 ?m or smaller and acted upon by a tensile force of 0.49 N/mm or less. The toner is a low-melting point toner formed by subjecting a toner preparatory solution containing at least a prepolymer having a functional group containing a nitrogen atom, a polyester, a colorant and a releasing agent dispersed in an organic solvent to extension and/or crosslinking reactions in an aqueous medium.

Abstract: A belt fixing unit, an image forming apparatus, and a toner material are disclosed capable of obviating undesirable fixing belt deformation and low image quality. The belt fixing unit includes a fixing roller, a heating roller, a fixing belt, and a pressing roller in contact with the fixing roller to form a fixing nip having the fixing belt intervening there between, the fixing belt including at least a base member formed of a heat-resisting resin having a thickness of 90 ?m or smaller and acted upon by a tensile force of 0.49 N/mm or less. The toner is a low-melting point toner formed by subjecting a toner preparatory solution containing at least a prepolymer having a functional group containing a nitrogen atom, a polyester, a colorant and a releasing agent dispersed in an organic solvent to extension and/or crosslinking reactions in an aqueous medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism and an image fixing unit. The image forming mechanism forms a toner image on a recording sheet. The image fixing unit fixes the toner image onto the recording sheet. The image fixing unit includes a magnetic flux generator, a heat member, a magnetic flux adjuster, and a controlling member. The magnetic flux generator generates a magnetic flux. The heat member is heated inductively by the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator. The magnetic flux adjuster reduces the magnetic flux active on the heat member to form a heat reduction area in an outer circumferential surface of the heat member in a width direction thereof. The controlling member moves the magnetic flux adjuster to change the heat reduction area.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus and an image formation apparatus therewith are disclosed. According to the fixing apparatus, a heating range that is heated by electromagnetic induction caused by a current flowing through a coil unit is finely tunable by covering a part of a core unit with a shielding member. Further, the core unit has a projecting section at an end of the core unit, which projecting section projects toward the coil unit in comparison with the central part of the core unit.

Abstract: A belt fixing unit, an image forming apparatus, and a toner material are disclosed capable of obviating undesirable fixing belt deformation and low image quality. The belt fixing unit includes a fixing roller, a heating roller, a fixing belt, and a pressing roller in contact with the fixing roller to form a fixing nip having the fixing belt intervening there between, the fixing belt including at least a base member formed of a heat-resisting resin having a thickness of 90 ?m or smaller and acted upon by a tensile force of 0.49 N/mm or less. The toner is a low-melting point toner formed by subjecting a toner preparatory solution containing at least a prepolymer having a functional group containing a nitrogen atom, a polyester, a colorant and a releasing agent dispersed in an organic solvent to extension and/or crosslinking reactions in an aqueous medium.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a fixing apparatus with which the movement of heat to the fixing belt during warm-up is suppressed, and the time it takes for the heating roller temperature to rise can be shortened, by reducing the contact surface area between the fixing belt and the heating roller, and an image formation apparatus that makes use of this fixing apparatus, and a toner used therein. A separation member provided on the inside of the fixing belt forms a pair with a tension roller, and a switching device for switching the positions thereof switches the positions when a set temperature is detected by temperature sensing device installed on the heating roller, so that the contact surface area of the fixing belt on the heating roller is different during warm-up and during fixing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a table unit which can be taken out to a front side in a state of opening a front cover of a main body. A transfer belt unit integrally constituted by a transfer belt, a drive roller, a driven roller, a transfer roller and the like is detachably set on the table unit. In the case of setting the transfer belt unit to the apparatus main body, the transfer belt unit is set on the table unit, the table unit is inserted into the apparatus main body, and the transfer belt unit is lifted up by rotating a handle so as to be brought into contact with the process unit. Accordingly, it is possible to easily attach and detach the transfer belt unit with respect to the apparatus main body, thereby simplifying a replacing operation.

Abstract: The compound lens is composed of a glass made lens that has a first curved surface portion and a synthetic resin made lens that has a second curved surface portion along the first curved surface portion of the glass made lens and is united in one body by press fitting this second curved surface portion to the first curved surface portion of the glass made lens.

Abstract: An optical scanner includes a light source to generate a light beam, a first optical unit to give a specified optical characteristic to the light beam emitted from the light source, a scanning unit including a rotatable member to scan a scanning object by applying the light beam passed through the first optical unit while rotating the rotatable member in a specified direction and a second optical unit to lead the light beam to form an image on a specified position of the scanning object; and a housing having a bottom portion to house the optical system, an opening portion provided at the side opposite to the bottom portion, a first reference surface that is used as a reference when the bottom side is set to a first external equipment and a second reference surface that is used as a reference when the opening side is set to a second external equipment.

Abstract: An optical unit includes a primary lens for converging a laser beam L emitted from a semiconductor laser element, a cylindrical lens for further converging the converged laser beam, and first and second plastic lenses having optical characteristics offsetting each other in at least one of first and second directions perpendicular to each other. By virtue of the primary lens and cylindrical lens, devices included in the optical deflector on the front side thereof can be made small, and also the arrangement of the lenses can be simplified. Devices of the same on the rear side thereof incorporate lenses including a planar surface, which reduces the required manufacturing cost.