Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to make contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate, and a heat conduction member configured to make contact with a surface of the heater opposite to a surface thereof being in contact with the film, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate, and being divided into parts in a generatrix direction of the film. The toner image formed on the recording material is fixed on the recording material by using heat of the film, and one of the parts of the heat conduction member is configured to make contact with the heater continuously from a center to an end of a heat generation region of the heater in the generatrix direction.

Abstract: A first region of a guide surface of a guide member, being in contact with an inner surface of a film on an upstream side of a heater in a rotation direction of the film, has a higher percentage of the protrusions per unit length in a longitudinal direction of the guide member than a second region of the guide surface, and the first and second regions are a region of the guide surface that overlaps a temperature detecting member and a region of the guide surface that does not overlap the temperature detecting member, respectively, in the longitudinal direction of the guide member.

Abstract: An image heating device includes a rotator, a heater including a heat generating resistor, a connector electrically connected to the heater, and a power interrupting unit that detects an abnormal temperature rise of the heater and interrupt supply of the power to the heater. The power interrupting unit includes a first terminal and a second terminal, a first conductive sheet metal that electrically connects the connector to the first terminal, a second conductive sheet metal that to electrically connects the connector to the second terminal via the heat generating resistor, a length of the second conductive sheet metal being different from a length of the first conductive sheet metal in the longitudinal direction of the heater, and a supporting member supporting the heater and including a regulation portion that regulates rotation of the power interrupting unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating rotating member having a conductive layer and an exposed portion in which the conductive layer is partially exposed, and a roller including a metal core and an elastic portion, the roller forming a nip portion with the heating rotating member, the elastic portion being elastically deformed in a region where the nip portion is formed, wherein an annular conductive member provided in a longitudinal end portion of the metal core is in contact with the exposed portion of the heating rotating member while elastically deformed, and wherein in a state where the roller is not mounted to the fixing device, an outer diameter of the conductive member is smaller than an outer diameter of the elastic portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member; an exposure portion configured to expose the photosensitive member to light depending on image information to form a latent image on the photosensitive member; a developing portion configured to develop the latent image into a toner image with toner; and a transfer portion configured to transfer the toner image from the photosensitive member onto a recording material. The image forming apparatus changes a surface movement speed of the photosensitive member at timing prior to predetermined timing, when a moving speed of a recording material at the transfer portion changes, by a predetermined time.

Abstract: A first region of a guide surface of a guide member, being in contact with an inner surface of a film on an upstream side of a heater in a rotation direction of the film, has a higher percentage of the protrusions per unit length in a longitudinal direction of the guide member than a second region of the guide surface, and the first and second regions are a region of the guide surface that overlaps a temperature detecting member and a region of the guide surface that does not overlap the temperature detecting member, respectively, in the longitudinal direction of the guide member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical belt; a heater including an elongated substrate and a heat generating resistor provided on the substrate; a heat-conductive member contacting a surface of the heater opposite from a belt contacting surface of the heater, and having thermal conductivity higher than that of the substrate; a supporting member; and a pressing member. The nip includes a region where a width of the nip with respect to a feeding direction of the recording material gradually increases from a longitudinal central portion toward a longitudinal end portion. The heat-conductive member includes a preventing portion for preventing movement thereof relative to the supporting member in a longitudinal direction of the heater. The preventing portion is provided in a region of the heat-conductive member corresponding to a position of the nip closer to the longitudinal end portion than to the longitudinal central portion.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to make contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate, and a heat conduction member configured to make contact with a surface of the heater opposite to a surface thereof being in contact with the film, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate, and being divided into parts in a generatrix direction of the film. The toner image formed on the recording material is fixed on the recording material by using heat of the film, and one of the parts of the heat conduction member is configured to make contact with the heater continuously from a center to an end of a heat generation region of the heater in the generatrix direction.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to make contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate, and a heat conduction member configured to make contact with a surface of the heater opposite to a surface thereof being in contact with the film, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate, and being divided into parts in a generatrix direction of the film. The toner image formed on the recording material is fixed on the recording material by using heat of the film, and one of the parts of the heat conduction member is configured to make contact with the heater continuously from a center to an end of a heat generation region of the heater in the generatrix direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; and a fixing portion. The fixing portion includes a cylindrical film, a nip-forming member and a roller including a shaft portion and an elastic layer. The elastic layer contacts an outer surface of the film except an end region of the film with respect to a generatrix direction. In the end region, the shaft portion and the outer surface of the film oppose each other with a spatial region with respect to a radial direction of the shaft portion. The image forming apparatus includes a spacer occupying at least a part of the spatial region.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to make contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate, and a heat conduction member configured to make contact with a surface of the heater opposite to a surface thereof being in contact with the film, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate, and being divided into parts in a generatrix direction of the film. The toner image formed on the recording material is fixed on the recording material by using heat of the film, and one of the parts of the heat conduction member is configured to make contact with the heater continuously from a center to an end of a heat generation region of the heater in the generatrix direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; and a fixing portion. The fixing portion includes a cylindrical film, a nip-forming member and a roller including a shaft portion and an elastic layer. The elastic layer contacts an outer surface of the film except an end region of the film with respect to a generatrix direction. In the end region, the shaft portion and the outer surface of the film oppose each other with a spatial region with respect to a radial direction of the shaft portion. The image forming apparatus includes a spacer occupying at least a part of the spatial region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; and a fixing portion. The fixing portion includes a cylindrical film, a nip-forming member and a roller including a shaft portion and an elastic layer. The elastic layer contacts an outer surface of the film except an end region of the film with respect to a generatrix direction. In the end region, the shaft portion and the outer surface of the film oppose each other with a spatial region with respect to a radial direction of the shaft portion. The image forming apparatus includes a spacer occupying at least a part of the spatial region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station for forming a toner image on a sheet; an image heating portion including a flexible heating roller and a pressing roller to form a nip, the image heating portion being effective to heat while feeding the sheet, by the nip; a pressing state switching portion for switching a state of the nip between a pressing state and a released state; and a sheet feeding position detector for detecting misalignment of the sheet relative to a feeding reference position with respect to a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the sheet; wherein when the sheet feeding position detector detects the misalignment, the pressing state switching portion permits the nip to feed at least one sheet in a state of the misalignment, and then switches the nip to the released state and then switches to the pressing state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; and a fixing portion. The fixing portion includes a cylindrical film, a nip-forming member and a roller including a shaft portion and an elastic layer. The elastic layer contacts an outer surface of the film except an end region of the film with respect to a generatrix direction. In the end region, the shaft portion and the outer surface of the film oppose each other with a spatial region with respect to a radial direction of the shaft portion. The image forming apparatus includes a spacer occupying at least a part of the spatial region.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus, for heating, in a nip, a recording material for carrying a toner image while conveying the recording material, includes a flexible cylindrical film; a nip-forming member contacting an inner surface of the film; and a pressing member for forming the nip between itself and the film. The inner surface of the film is provided with a roughened surface portion in a region in which the nip-forming member slides on the inner surface of the film. The roughened surface portion has a skewness Rsk satisfying: Rsk<0.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station for forming a toner image on a sheet; an image heating portion including a flexible heating roller and a pressing roller to form a nip, the image heating portion being effective to heat while feeding the sheet, by the nip; a pressing state switching portion for switching a state of the nip between a pressing state and a released state; and a sheet feeding position detector for detecting misalignment of the sheet relative to a feeding reference position with respect to a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the sheet; wherein when the sheet feeding position detector detects the misalignment, the pressing state switching portion permits the nip to feed at least one sheet in a state of the misalignment, and then switches the nip to the released state and then switches to the pressing state.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus, for heating, in a nip, a recording material for carrying a toner image while conveying the recording material, includes a flexible cylindrical film; a nip-forming member contacting an inner surface of the film; and a pressing member for forming the nip between itself and the film. The inner surface of the film is provided with a roughened surface portion in a region in which the nip-forming member slides on the inner surface of the film. The roughened surface portion has a skewness Rsk satisfying: Rsk<0.