Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: a transferrer that forms a toner image on an image formation surface of paper; a fixer that fixes the toner image on the paper; a paper conveyor that conveys the paper between an upstream side of the transferrer and a downstream side of the fixer in a paper conveyance direction; and a paper pre-heater that heats, on the upstream side of the transferrer in the paper conveyance direction, the image formation surface of the paper.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can prevent deformation of a sheet due to heat generated at a fixing section as much as possible, and can reduce the amount of waste paper even when the sheet is partially deformed, in which: an upper fixing section and a lower fixing section form a fixing nip for conveying a continuous sheet in a tightly sandwiching manner in a state where the upper fixing section and the lower fixing section are in pressure contact with each other; the upper fixing section and the lower fixing section are separated from each other when image formation is not performed; and a detection section detects deformation of the continuous sheet at a closest part between the upper fixing section and the lower fixing section.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method which can rapidly decrease (cool) the temperature of a fixing section. The image forming apparatus of the invention includes a fixing section fixing a toner image on a sheet, and a controller performing switching control of press-contact state/separated state of the fixing section, and conveyance control of the sheet. The controller, after completion of printing, rapidly cools the fixing section while keeping it in the press-contact state by conveying the sheet at a first conveying speed. The controller naturally cools the fixing section by bringing it into the separated state at a predetermined timing to convey the sheet at a second conveying speed slower than the first conveying speed, and stops conveying it when the temperature of the fixing section becomes not higher than a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can prevent deformation of a sheet due to heat generated at a fixing section as much as possible, and can reduce the amount of waste paper even when the sheet is partially deformed, in which: an upper fixing section and a lower fixing section form a fixing nip for conveying a continuous sheet in a tightly sandwiching manner in a state where the upper fixing section and the lower fixing section are in pressure contact with each other; the upper fixing section and the lower fixing section are separated from each other when image formation is not performed; and a detection section detects deformation of the continuous sheet at a closest part between the upper fixing section and the lower fixing section.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method which can rapidly decrease (cool) the temperature of a fixing section. The image forming apparatus of the invention includes a fixing section fixing a toner image on a sheet, and a controller performing switching control of press-contact state/separated state of the fixing section, and conveyance control of the sheet. The controller, after completion of printing, rapidly cools the fixing section while keeping it in the press-contact state by conveying the sheet at a first conveying speed. The controller naturally cools the fixing section by bringing it into the separated state at a predetermined timing to convey the sheet at a second conveying speed slower than the first conveying speed, and stops conveying it when the temperature of the fixing section becomes not higher than a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing apparatus having: a heating section and a pressing section that forms a fixing-nip portion by being in pressure contact with the heating section, wherein at least one of the heating section and the pressing section having: an endless fixing belt that is trained about a plurality of rollers, a pressure applying member that causes the fixing belt to be in pressure contact with a side of the fixing-nip portion from an inner circumferential surface thereof, and a lubricant supplying member that supplies lubricant to the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt; and a supplying amount change section that changes a supplying amount of the lubricant by the lubricant supplying member based on an amount used coming from a part replacement of at least one of the fixing belt, the pressure applying member and the lubricant supplying member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a heating section; and a press section which presses the heating section and thereby forms a fixing nip section, wherein at least one of the heating section and the press section comprises, an endless fixing belt; a press member which presses the fixing belt to the fixing nip; and a sliding sheet covering the press member, wherein the sliding sheet is wider than the fixing belt; projections are provided at a first area which is inside of an end part of the press member of a surface of the sliding sheet in the width direction; and projections lower than the projections provided at the first area are provided at a second area which is near the end of the fixing belt of the surface of the sliding sheet, or projections are not provided at all at the second area.

Abstract: A fixing device including an endless fixing belt; a pressure member that presses the fixing belt toward the fixing nip portion from the inner circumferential surface side of the fixing belt; and a sliding sheet that covers the pressure member and extends outside the pressure member in the longitudinal direction thereof wherein a surface other than an opposed surface opposed to the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt is cut out.

Abstract: A fixing device including a pressure member that presses an endless fixing belt toward a fixing nip portion from the inner circumferential surface side; a sliding sheet that covers the pressure member; and a regulating member arranged on an end part of the sliding sheet for regulating the slack of the sliding sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing apparatus having: a heating section and a pressing section that forms a fixing-nip portion by being in pressure contact with the heating section, wherein at least one of the heating section and the pressing section having: an endless fixing belt that is trained about a plurality of rollers, a pressure applying member that causes the fixing belt to be in pressure contact with a side of the fixing-nip portion from an inner circumferential surface thereof, and a lubricant supplying member that supplies lubricant to the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt; and a supplying amount change section that changes a supplying amount of the lubricant by the lubricant supplying member based on an amount used coming from a part replacement of at least one of the fixing belt, the pressure applying member and the lubricant supplying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus sets the optimum transfer bias based on density of some sets of toner patches formed on an image bearing member or an intermediate transfer member. The toner patches are categorized into at least two groups according to their length in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a heating section; and a press section which presses the heating section and thereby forms a fixing nip section, wherein at least one of the heating section and the press section comprises, an endless fixing belt; a press member which presses the fixing belt to the fixing nip; and a sliding sheet covering the press member, wherein the sliding sheet is wider than the fixing belt; projections are provided at a first area which is inside of an end part of the press member of a surface of the sliding sheet in the width direction; and projections lower than the projections provided at the first area are provided at a second area which is near the end of the fixing belt of the surface of the sliding sheet, or projections are not provided at all at the second area.

Abstract: A fixing device including a pressure member that presses an endless fixing belt toward a fixing nip portion from the inner circumferential surface side; a sliding sheet that covers the pressure member; and a regulating member arranged on an end part of the sliding sheet for regulating the slack of the sliding sheet.

Abstract: A fixing device including an endless fixing belt; a pressure member that presses the fixing belt toward the fixing nip portion from the inner circumferential surface side of the fixing belt; and a sliding sheet that covers the pressure member and extends outside the pressure member in the longitudinal direction thereof wherein a surface other than an opposed surface opposed to the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt is cut out.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having plural image carriers, respective chargers, exposure units, color toner developing units, a black toner developing unit, a transfer unit that transfers in the transfer section the color toner images and black toner image onto an intermediate transfer member by the application of a transfer bias from the power supply unit, and a controller that controls the transfer output, an an optical density sensor that detects the optical density of color toner patch images formed on the intermediate transfer member, and a controller transfers the color toner patch images onto the intermediate transfer member while changing the transfer output, detects the optical densities of color toner patch images transferred onto the intermediate transfer member using the optical density sensor, and controls the transfer output to transfer the black toner image based on the detected optical densities of the color toner patch images.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising an image carrier to carry toner image formed based on image data, a cleaning blade to remove residual toner on the image carrier by being in contact with the image carrier and a toner storage portion structured to store the residual toner removed by the cleaning blade and so that the image carrier can rub on the residual toner, wherein the toner storage portion is located on an upstream side of a contacting point between the cleaning blade and the image carrier in a moving direction of the image carrier and in a position where the toner storage portion is not in contact with the cleaning blade.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image bearing body; an image forming section to form a toner image on the image bearing body; a transfer section to transfer the toner image on a recording material; and a fixing apparatus having a pressure member and a heating member, which fixes the toner image on the recording material transported their between, wherein the fixing apparatus comprises a cooling section to cool the pressure member, and a controlling section to control the cooling section according to an interval between recording materials.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, is provided with an image forming section, an image carrying member, a transferring section to transfer the toner image from the image carrying member to a recording sheet, and a cleaning section including a cleaning blade being in contact with the image carrying member and a toner supplying section located at an upper stream side of the contact point of the cleaning blade in the rotating direction of the image carrying member and to supply toner to the image carrying member; the toner supplying section including a toner storing section to store toner removed by the cleaning blade and a roller member being in contact with the image carrying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprises an image carrier for carrying a toner image, a charging device for charging the carrier, wherein the charging device includes a discharge member and a grid which is arranged between this discharge member and the image carrier and has at least a surface made of gold; and a discharge product removing device for removing discharge products generated by the charging device from a portion of the image carrier to where the charging device is located to face.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image bearing body; an image forming section to form a toner image on the image bearing body; a transfer section to transfer the toner image on a recording material; and a fixing apparatus having a pressure member and a heating member, which fixes the toner image on the recording material transported their between, wherein the fixing apparatus comprises a cooling section to cool the pressure member, and a controlling section to control the cooling section according to an interval between recording materials.