Abstract: A fixing device includes a hollow, stationary metal roller, a flexible fuser belt, a rotatable pressure member, a fuser pad, a reinforcing member, and a heating assembly. The metal roller has an outer circumference thereof subjected to heating. The flexible fuser belt is looped for rotation around the metal roller to transfer heat radially outward from the heated metal roller. The fuser pad is held stationary inside the loop of the fuser belt to press against the pressure member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The reinforcing member is disposed stationary within the roller interior. The heating assembly is disposed stationary within the roller interior to heat the metal roller from inside, and includes a first heater and a second heater. The first and second heaters are arranged in juxtaposition with each other along the inner circumference of the metal roller.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image on a recording medium includes an endless flexible fixing member formed into a loop, a heat conductive member disposed within the loop formed by the fixing member, a heater disposed near the heat conductive member to heat the heat conductive member, a pressing member pressing the fixing member against the heat conductive member to form a fixing nip, a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the fixing member, and a lubricant disposed between the fixing member and the heat conductive member. The heater heats the heat conductive member to heat the lubricant with the fixing member stopped. The fixing member rotates after heating of the heat conductive member by the heater.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless flexible fixing member, a supporting member having a pipe shape disposed inside a loop formed by the fixing member to support the fixing member, a pressing member disposed opposite the supporting member via the fixing member, and a nip formation member disposed opposite the pressing member via the fixing member to form a fixing nip between the fixing member and the pressing member. The fixing member contacts an outer circumferential face of the supporting member at a side opposite a side at which the fixing member contacts the nip formation member at the fixing nip. The fixing member has slack portions formed upstream and downstream from the fixing nip in a conveyance direction of a recording medium. The slack portions extend toward the pressing member over the fixing nip without contacting either the supporting member or the pressing member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless, rotatable fixing member, a rotational pressing member, a nip formation member, and an urging unit. The rotational pressing member is rotatably provided in contact with the fixing member. The nip formation member is disposed opposite the rotational pressing member via the fixing member to form a fixing nip between the fixing member and the rotational pressing member. The urging unit is disposed opposite the rotational pressing member via the nip formation member and the fixing member to push against and deform the nip formation member to change a curvature of a contact face between the fixing member and the rotational pressing member at the fixing nip.

Abstract: A fixing device to fix a toner image on a sheet includes a first rotary member that rotates in a predetermined direction and a second rotary member that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the first rotary member. A stationary member is fixed inside the first rotary member to press the first and second rotary members together to form a nip portion between the rotary members. A reinforcement member is fixedly provided inside the first rotary member and pressed against the stationary member. The fixing device includes heat source to heat the first rotary member and a reflector to reflect heater light emitted from the heat source toward the first rotary member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless, flexible fixing member, a metal member, a heater, a pressing member, a temperature detector, and a supporting member. The fixing member is rotatably provided in the fixing device to heat a toner image thereon. The metal member is fixedly mounted in the fixing device so as to be opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, to maintain the fixing member in a substantially circularly loop shape. The heater is disposed near the metal member to heat the metal member. The pressing member is rotatably pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member. The temperature detector is disposed in contact with the metal member, to detect a temperature of the metal member. The supporting member is disposed between the heater and the temperature detector to support the temperature detector.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless, flexible fixing member, a heat conductive member, a heater, a pressing member, a nip formation member, and a radiation member. The endless, flexible fixing member is formed into a loop. The heat conductive member is disposed within the loop formed by the fixing member to conduct heat to the fixing member. The heater is disposed near the heat conductive member to heat the heat conductive member. The pressing member is rotatably pressed against the fixing member to form a fixing nip between the fixing member and the pressing member. The recording medium is conveyed through the fixing nip. The radiation member is detachably pressable against an outer circumference of the fixing member to contact the fixing member with the heat conductive member to cool the fixing member and the heat conductive member.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a pressing member rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation. A flexible endless fixing member rotates in accordance with rotation of the pressing member. A nip formation member is provided inside a loop formed by the fixing member and pressed against the pressing 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. A first heat generator faces an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member at a position other than the nip to heat the fixing member. A second heat generator faces the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member at a position other than the nip to heat the fixing member, and is disposed adjacent to the first heat generator along the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a metal member is provided inside a fixing belt to heat the fixing belt. A first lubricant is applied between the metal member and the fixing belt at a center portion of the fixing belt in an axial direction of the fixing belt that contacts a recording medium bearing a toner image. A second lubricant having a viscosity greater than a viscosity of the first lubricant is applied between the metal member and the fixing belt at lateral edge portions of the fixing belt in the axial direction of the fixing belt that do not contact the recording medium.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a nip formation member is provided inside a loop formed by a fixing member rotating in a predetermined direction of rotation. A 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 heat conduction member faces an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member to guide the fixing member sliding over the heat conduction member and to transmit heat to the fixing member. The heat conduction member includes a plurality of convex portions provided on an outer circumferential surface of the heat conduction member and contacting the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a pressing member rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation. A flexible fixing member is disposed opposite the pressing member to rotate in accordance with rotation of the pressing member. A nip formation member is provided inside a loop formed by the fixing member and pressed against the pressing 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. A contact member pressingly contacts an outer circumferential surface of the rotating fixing member at both ends of the fixing member in an axial direction thereof.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a stationary member is provided inside a belt member and pressed against a rotary pressing member via the belt member to form a nip between the rotary pressing member and the belt member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. An expandable heating member is provided inside the belt member to face an inner circumferential surface of the belt member to heat the belt member. A regulator contacts a downstream portion of the heating member provided downstream from a center of the nip in a direction of rotation of the belt member to expand the downstream portion of the heating member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a hollow, open-sided stationary heat roller, a flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, a rotatable pressure member, a reinforcing member, and a sealing mechanism. The heat roller defines an elongated longitudinal side opening that opens into a hollow interior thereof. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the heat roller to transfer heat radially outward from the roller circumference. The fuser pad is held substantially stationary along the roller opening outward from the roller interior and inward from the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member is pressed against the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The reinforcing member is disposed within the roller interior to thrust against the fuser pad through the roller opening. The sealing mechanism is disposed on the roller opening to prevent foreign matter from entering the roller interior through the roller opening.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a hollow, generally cylindrical open-sided stationary heat roll, a flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, a rotatable pressure member, and a roll shape retainer. The heat roll is configured to heat an outer circumference thereof, and defines an elongated longitudinal side opening in one side thereof. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the heat roll to transfer heat radially outward from the roll circumference. The fuser pad is held substantially stationary along the roll opening outward from the roll hollow and inward from the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member is pressed against the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The roll shape retainer is disposed on the roll opening to retain the generally cylindrical shape of the heat roll.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a fixed member is provided inside a loop formed by a belt member, and is pressed against a rotary member via the belt member to form a nip portion between the rotary member and the belt member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. In the fixed member, a low-friction sheet member is wrapped around a body in a sliding direction of the belt member in which the belt member slides over the fixed member in such a manner that the low-friction sheet member covers a surface of the body opposing the nip portion. At least one plate spring presses the low-friction sheet member against the body to apply a predetermined tension to the low-friction sheet member.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a fixed member is fixedly provided inside a loop formed by a belt, and is pressed against a pressing rotary member via the belt to form a nip portion between the pressing rotary member and the belt to nip a recording medium bearing a toner image. A heating member is fixedly, provided inside the loop formed by the belt to heat the belt. The heating member includes an opening opposing the pressing rotary member. A seal member covers the opening in the heating member to prevent a foreign substance from entering the heating member through the opening in the heating member. A reinforcement member is fixedly provided inside the heating member and pressed against the fixed member via the seal member to reinforce the fixed member.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a belt moves in a predetermined direction to heat and melt a toner image on a recording medium. A pressing rotary member is pressed against the belt to form a nip portion to nip and convey the recording medium bearing the toner image. A heating member is fixedly provided inside a loop formed by the belt and faces an inner circumferential surface of the belt. The heating member is heated by a heater to heat the belt. The heating member includes a primary heating portion directly heated by the heater, and a secondary heating portion heated by heat conducted from the primary heating portion. The primary heating portion and the secondary heating portion are provided in a circumferential direction of the heating member. The secondary heating portion has a heat capacity smaller than a heat capacity of the primary heating portion.

Abstract: A transmission apparatus that does not include a plurality of switches, that cross-connects a signal, and that can handle various redundancy settings determined by a user. An address information generation section generates address information indicative of the destination of a signal, from redundancy setting information and cross connect setting information. An activation information setting section activates and deactivates activation information included in the address information when failure occurs. An address information insertion section inserts the address information stored in an address information storage section into the signal and outputs the signal to a bus. A signal output section receives the signal having the address information that is the same as own address information and outputs the signal to a next stage in the case of the activation information indicating activation.