Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary heating member; a heat source disposed near the rotary heating member to heat the rotary heating member; a stationary member disposed in sliding contact with a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the rotary heating member; a flexible fixing belt looped around the rotary heating member and the stationary member; and a rotary pressure member disposed in pressure contact with the stationary member via the fixing belt to form a nip between the fixing belt and the rotary pressure member. The rotary heating member, the stationary member, the fixing belt, and the rotary pressure member are arranged in a direction in which pressure is applied to form the nip. A pressing force acting between the rotary heating member and the rotary pressure member via the fixing belt and the stationary member creates pressure at the nip.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip forming member disposed inside a fixing member and pressed against a pressing member via the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. A heat generator disposed inside the fixing member heats the fixing member outside the nip portion and has variable heat distribution over a width of the fixing member. A first temperature detector disposed inside the fixing member contacts an end portion of the heat generator in the width direction of the fixing member, opposite a surface facing the fixing member, to detect a temperature of the heat generator. A second temperature detector disposed inside the fixing member contacts a center of an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member in the width direction, to detect the temperature of the fixing member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat conductive member; a flexible fixing belt looped around the heat conductive member, an inner circumference of the flexible fixing belt slidably contacting a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the heat conductive member; a rotary pressing member disposed opposing the heat conductive member; heat sources disposed in a circumferential direction of the fixing belt at a predetermined interval to heat the heat conductive member; and temperature detectors provided to detect a surface temperature of the fixing belt at a detection position at which heating intensity of a corresponding one of the heat sources is not affected by any other one. In operation, the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt contacts the heat conductive member at a position at which each temperature detector contacts the fixing belt as the detection position or a position proximal to the detection position of each temperature detector.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt-shaped fixing member; a pressing member; a contact member provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member and pressed against the pressing member via the fixing member to form a nip between the pressing member and the fixing member, a laminated heater facing an inner circumferential face of the fixing member to heat the fixing member, connected to an external power source, and including a heat generation sheet that includes a heat-resistant resin in which conductive particles to receive electricity from the external power source and generate heat are unevenly dispersed throughout the heat-resistant resin to have a dispersal gradient of increasing particle dispersion density from an inner face toward an outer face of the heat generation sheet; and a heater support to support the laminated heater along the inner circumferential face of the fixing member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a frame, a tubular heat pipe, a flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, a pressure member, and a deformation relief mechanism. The heat pipe extends in an axial direction. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the heat pipe. The fuser pad extends in the axial direction inside the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member extends opposite the heat pipe in the axial direction. The fuser pad is pressed against the pressure member through the fuser belt in a load direction perpendicular to the axial direction to form a fixing nip. The heat pipe and the fuser pad establish stationary contact with each other at their respective axial ends upon formation of the fixing nip. The deformation relief mechanism is provided to at least one of the heat pipe and the fuser pad to relieve deformation of the fuser pad.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a substantially cylindrical metal member, a heater, an endless, flexible fixing member, a rotary pressing member, a stationary member, a first temperature detector, and a second temperature detector. The first temperature detector is disposed upstream from a nip in a rotation direction of the fixing member to detect a surface temperature of the fixing member. The second temperature detector is disposed downstream from the nip in a rotation direction of the pressing member to detect a surface temperature of the pressing member. When a difference between a surface temperature of the fixing member detected by the first temperature detector and a surface temperature of the pressing member detected by the second temperature detector after a predetermined time has elapsed since the first temperature detector detects the surface temperature of the fixing member is greater than a predetermined threshold, the heater stops heating the metal member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater, a rotary fixing member, and a rotary pressing member pressing against the rotary fixing member to form a nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes to fix the toner image thereon. The fixing device includes an air supply tube disposed downstream from the nip in the direction of conveyance of the recording medium and connected to an air source of an image forming apparatus, to supply compressed air to a plurality of nozzles disposed on the air supply tube along a long axis of the nip perpendicular to the direction of conveyance and inject pulsed compressed air against the recording medium passing through the nip. The air supply tube includes an exhaust opening disposed at an extreme upstream end of the flow of the compressed air outside the recording medium passing area near the air source.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a flexible, endless belt-shaped fixing member that rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation, a substantially cylindrical metal heat conductor provided inside a loop formed by the fixing member and facing an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, a pressing member that presses the fixing member against the metal heat conductor to form a nip between the fixing member and the pressing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes, and a separator that presses the fixing member against the metal heat conductor, provided downstream from the nip in the direction of rotation of the fixing member and contacting the recording medium discharged from the nip to separate the recording medium from the fixing member and guide the recording medium out of the fixing device.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a developing device configured to form a toner image on the image carrier; a compressed air generating unit configured to generate compressed air; an air nozzle configured to eject the compressed air; a fixing device configured to fix the toner image on a sheet, the sheet being separated from the fixing device by the compressed air ejected from the air nozzle to the sheet; a pressure regulation unit provided between the compressed air generating unit and the air nozzle; and a guide path connected to the pressure regulation unit and configured to guide excess air generated by a pressure regulation of the pressure regulation unit to at least one part in the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a substantially cylindrical metal member, a heater positioned to heat the metal member, an endless, flexible fixing member disposed rotatably around the metal member and heated by the metal member to heat and fix a toner image, a rotary pressing member disposed opposite the metal member and pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip therebetween, and a stationary member disposed at an inner circumferential surface side of the fixing member and pressed by the pressing member via the fixing member to form the nip. At least when the fixing member is relatively moved toward the metal member during assembly of the fixing member with the metal member, the metal member includes at least one protruding portion protruding axially outward from an axial end of the metal member to guide the fixing member axially toward the metal member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a substantially cylindrical metal member, a heater, an endless, flexible fixing member, a rotary pressing member, and a stationary member. The heater heats the metal member. The fixing member is disposed rotatable around the metal member. An inner circumferential surface of the fixing member is heated by the metal member to heat and fix a toner image. The rotary pressing member is disposed opposite the metal member and pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip between the rotary pressing member and the fixing member through which a recording medium bearing the toner image passes. The stationary member is disposed in pressure contact with the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, and has an opposing face opposing the rotary pressing member and having a curvature smaller than a curvature of the rotary pressing member.

Abstract: A heat conduction unit includes a flexible endless belt, a heat conductor disposed in proximity to an inner circumferential face of the endless belt and having a cross-section substantially identical to a cross-section of the endless belt, a heat source that heats the heat conductor to heat the endless belt, a pressing roller disposed opposite the heat conductor to rotate the endless belt in accordance with rotation of the pressing roller, a nip formation member disposed opposite the pressing roller and within a loop formed by the endless belt to form a nip between the endless belt and the pressing roller, and a pushing member disposed within the loop to support the nip formation member. The heat conductor has at least two different cross-sectional shapes perpendicular to a long direction of the heat conductor at different positions in the long direction of the heat conductor.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a stationary member, a metal member, flanges, a first heater, and a second heater. The pressing member is rotatably pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip therebetween. The metal member is fixedly disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member over an area other than the nip. The flanges are disposed at axial edges of the metal member in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the metal member. The first heater is disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the metal member to heat an axial middle portion of the metal member. The second heater is disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the metal member to heat axial end portions of the metal member. The first heater is disposed farther from the nip than the second heater.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a compressed air generator, a nozzle, a tube, a cooling device, and a drain discharging portion. The compressed air generator generates and injects compressed air onto at least one of a recording medium and components in the image forming apparatus. The compressed air is injected from the nozzle. The tube connects the compressed air generator and the nozzle, and the compressed air passes through the tube. The cooling device cools at least a portion of the tube. The drain discharging portion discharges drain generated in the tube during cooling by the cooling device.

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 stand for a thin display includes a vertical position adjustment mechanism; and a switchover mechanism for switching over between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation of a thin display. When the switchover mechanism has rotated the thin display, the vertical position adjustment mechanism has different movement ranges between the vertical orientation and the horizontal orientation. Accordingly, when the thin display is in a vertical orientation, the lower end of the thin display does not hit against a base, which provides a easy and reliable operation even in a vertical orientation or in a horizontal orientation.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a fuser pad, a pressure member, a tubular belt holder, and a reinforcing member. The endless belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration extending in an axial direction. The fuser pad extends in the axial direction inside the loop of endless belt. The pressure member extends in the axial direction with the belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The pressure member is pressed against the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The belt holder extends in the axial direction inside the loop of endless belt to retain the belt in shape along an outer circumference thereof. The belt holder accommodates the fuser pad in a longitudinal side slot defined on one side thereof. The reinforcing member is disposed inside the tubular belt holder to reinforce the belt holder around the side slot.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a stationary at least partially tubular thermal member, a flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, and a rotatable pressure member. The thermal member has a tubular portion thereof extending in an axial direction and defining a closed axial cross-section. A circumference of the thermal member is subjected to heating. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the thermal member. An inner circumference of the fuser belt at least partially faces the thermal member. The fuser pad is held stationary inside the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member extends opposite the thermal member in the axial direction with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The fuser pad is pressed against the pressure member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The thermal member is spaced apart from the fuser pad.

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 device includes a fixing member, a nip formation member, a pressing member, and a low-friction sheet. The nip formation member is provided inside a loop formed by the fixing member rotating in a predetermined direction of rotation. The pressing member is pressed against the nip formation member via the fixing member to form a nip between the fixing member and the pressing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. The fixing member and the pressing member rotate and convey the recording medium bearing the toner image through the nip. The low-friction sheet, over which the fixing member slides, covers the nip formation member. The nip formation member includes a first sandwiching member covered by the low-friction sheet, and a second sandwiching member sandwiching the low-friction sheet together with the first sandwiching member.