Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member, a pressing member, a motor, and an oil applier. The pressing member contacts the fixing member. The oil applier includes an application roller and an oil supply mechanism. The application roller applies oil to one of the fixing member and the pressing member. The oil supply mechanism supplies oil to the application roller. The motor is provided independent of other drivers, and supplies a driving force to the application roller to rotate the application roller at an arbitrary speed.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a controller switches a pressing member between a pressure application state to contact the pressing member against a fixing member and a pressure release state to separate the pressing member from the fixing member. The controller starts rotation of the pressing member before the pressing member contacts the fixing member in the pressure application state, when the pressing member switches from the pressure release state to the pressure application state. An oil applier includes an oil pan and an oil regulating member. The oil pan is provided under the pressing member to contain oil in which the pressing member is dipped. The oil regulating member is provided downstream from the oil pan in a direction of rotation of the pressing member to contact the pressing member to regulate an amount of oil adhering to the pressing member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, and an oil applier. In the oil applier, an oil application member applies oil supplied from an oil supply mechanism to one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In the oil supply mechanism, an oil storage member is provided above and adjacent to one of an oil supply member and the oil application member to supply oil overflowing the oil storage member, when oil is put into the oil storage member through an oil inlet, to one of the oil supply member and the oil application member. The oil supply member provided adjacent to the oil storage member supplies oil sent from the oil storage member to the oil application member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an oil input device and a fixing device including a fixing member, a pressing member, and an oil applier. In the oil applier, an oil application member applies oil supplied from an oil supply mechanism to one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In the oil supply mechanism, an oil supply member provided adjacent to an oil storage member supplies oil sent from the oil storage member to the oil application member. When the fixing device is reattached to the image forming apparatus after the fixing device is detached from the image forming apparatus, oil sent from the oil input device through an oil inlet overflows the oil storage member, and is supplied to one of the oil supply member and the oil application member provided adjacent to the oil storage member before an image forming operation starts.

Abstract: A fixing device including a rotatable fixing member to fix a toner image on a recording medium, a pressing member to press against the fixing member to form a nip portion therebetween, through which the recording medium passes, and a nip pressure applying mechanism that movably supports the pressing member. The nip pressure applying mechanism presses the pressing member against the fixing member at a predetermined nip pressure during a fixing operation, and draws the pressing member away from the fixing member for a predetermined distance before the fixing operation. The predetermined distance is set depending on a condition for the fixing operation.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member, a pressing member in contact with the fixing member, and a pressure application-release device. The pressure application-release device has a pressing cam to pressurize a first pressing arm, a second pressing arm to pressurize the pressing member, a compression spring to connect the first pressing arm with the second pressing arm, and a motor to turn the pressing cam. The pressure application-release device switches a state of the pressing member between a pressure application state to contact the pressing member against the fixing member and a pressure release state to separate the pressing member from the fixing member.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A heater operable with main and auxiliary power supply units. A controller selects a first mode to permit discharge of the auxiliary power supply unit when a voltage or power from the auxiliary power supply unit is a startable value or greater without making reference to judgment information, or a second mode to permit discharge of the auxiliary power supply unit based on the judgment information when the voltage or power from the auxiliary supply unit is less than the startable value.

Abstract: An electric power supply part supplies electric power to a heat-generating member and a power requiring part. A control part controls electric power supplied to the heat-generating member and the power requiring part. A first mode is to supply electric power to the heat-generating member from only a main electric power supply device and to the power requiring part from both the main electric power supply device and an auxiliary electric power requiring part. A second mode is to supply electric power to the heat-generating member and the power requiring part from only the main electric power supply device and causing electric power supplied to the heat-generating member to be smaller than a rated electric power of the heat-generating member. The electric power supplied to the heat-generating member in the first mode is caused to be larger than the electric power supplied to the heat-generating member in the second mode.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable first nip formation member, a rotatable second nip formation member, a first heater, a second heater, and a controller. The second nip formation member is provided under the first nip formation member to contact the first nip formation member to form a fixing nip portion between the first nip formation member and the second nip formation member. The first heater heats the first nip formation member. The second heater heats the second nip formation member. The controller supplies a portion of power to the second heater and the remainder of power to the first heater when a plurality of sheets having a sheet weight not greater than about 100 g/m2 passes through the fixing nip portion continuously.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable first nip formation member, a rotatable second nip formation member, and an oil applier. The second nip formation member is provided under the first nip formation member to contact the first nip formation member. The oil applier includes an oil pan, an oil receiver, and an oil filter. The oil pan is provided under the second nip formation member to contain oil in which the second nip formation member is dipped. The oil receiver holds the oil pan. The oil filter is provided between the oil pan and the oil receiver to filter oil overflowing the oil pan.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a controller switches a pressing member between a pressure application state to contact the pressing member against a fixing member and a pressure release state to separate the pressing member from the fixing member. The controller starts rotation of the pressing member before the pressing member contacts the fixing member in the pressure application state, when the pressing member switches from the pressure release state to the pressure application state. An oil applier includes an oil pan and an oil regulating member. The oil pan is provided under the pressing member to contain oil in which the pressing member is dipped. The oil regulating member is provided downstream from the oil pan in a direction of rotation of the pressing member to contact the pressing member to regulate an amount of oil adhering to the pressing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an oil input device and a fixing device including a fixing member, a pressing member, and an oil applier. In the oil applier, an oil application member applies oil supplied from an oil supply mechanism to one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In the oil supply mechanism, an oil supply member provided adjacent to an oil storage member supplies oil sent from the oil storage member to the oil application member. When the fixing device is reattached to the image forming apparatus after the fixing device is detached from the image forming apparatus, oil sent from the oil input device through an oil inlet overflows the oil storage member, and is supplied to one of the oil supply member and the oil application member provided adjacent to the oil storage member before an image forming operation starts.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, and an oil applier. In the oil applier, an oil application member applies oil supplied from an oil supply mechanism to one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In the oil supply mechanism, an oil storage member is provided above and adjacent to one of an oil supply member and the oil application member to supply oil overflowing the oil storage member, when oil is put into the oil storage member through an oil inlet, to one of the oil supply member and the oil application member. The oil supply member provided adjacent to the oil storage member supplies oil sent from the oil storage member to the oil application member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member, a pressing member, a motor, and an oil applier. The pressing member contacts the fixing member. The oil applier includes an application roller and an oil supply mechanism. The application roller applies oil to one of the fixing member and the pressing member. The oil supply mechanism supplies oil to the application roller. The motor is provided independent of other drivers, and supplies a driving force to the application roller to rotate the application roller at an arbitrary speed.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A power storage apparatus is disclosed, which includes a charge-able and discharge-able capacitor unit, discharged power being supplied to an electrical load. The power storage apparatus includes a detection unit configured to determine whether an amount of power stored by the capacitor unit falls less than a predetermined magnitude at a predetermined voltage. Degradation of the power storage apparatus is determined based on a detection result of the detection unit, and a setting value concerning charging and discharging is adjusted.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material in an image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, a heating part that heats the fixing member to fix an image formed on the recording material by heat, a storage unit that is charged by an external power source to supply power to the heating part, and a control unit that controls the external power source to supply power to the heating part and determines whether to start to supply power to the heating part from the storage unit. The control unit controls the external power source to charge the storage unit during a period from when power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is completed at the time of warming-up the fixing member by the heating part until when the power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is started.