Abstract: A releasing device includes: a releasing unit that is made of a resin and disposed on a downstream side in a conveying direction of a recording medium from a fixing portion of a fixing unit which fixes a toner image on the recording medium, the releasing unit releasing the recording medium from the fixing unit; a supporting unit that supports the releasing unit on a supporting face and maintains the releasing unit and the fixing unit in a non-contact state; a screw that is advanced in a direction along the supporting face to secure the releasing unit; and a protruding portion provided between the releasing unit and the supporting unit and disposed at a position in a range extending from a first region between the screw and the supporting face to a second region shifted from the first region in a tightening direction side of the screw.

Abstract: A belt driving device includes an endless belt; support members that extend in a width direction of the endless belt and support the endless belt, the support members including a control member that controls the widthwise position of the endless belt; a support body that supports the support members; and a driving mechanism that drives one end of the control member to cause the control member to pivot about a pivot axis in a direction in which stretching of the endless belt is prevented. A portion of the control member shifted from the midpoint toward an edge of the endless belt is pivotably supported by the support member to serve as the pivot axis, so that the moving distances of two points on the control member aligned with the edges of the endless belt when the control member is driven by the driving mechanism are close to each other.

Abstract: A unit, which is configured to be attachable to and detachable from a body of an apparatus, includes: a holding portion for holding the unit to attach and detach the unit to and from the apparatus body, the holding portion being projected from a housing of the unit; and a lock mechanism for fixing the unit to the apparatus body, wherein an operating portion of the lock mechanism is operated to retract inside a projection end portion of the holding portion, by an operation of moving the lock mechanism to a lock cancel position.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a plurality of belt support members including a first roller, an endless belt, a heating structure, a first support that has two bearings and an urging part and supports the first roller via the urging part and the two bearings, a second support that supports at least one another belt support member excluding the first roller, the second support rotatably supporting the first roller, an angle changing mechanism that changes an angle of the first support with respect to the second support to correct eccentricity in a width direction of the endless belt, and a second roller that rotates while being pressed against an outer surface of the endless belt, the second roller sandwiching a medium carrying an unfixed toner image between the second roller and the endless belt, the second roller fixing the toner image to the medium in cooperation with the endless belt.

Abstract: A unit, which is configured to be attachable to and detachable from a body of an apparatus, includes: a holding portion for holding the unit to attach and detach the unit to and from the apparatus body, the holding portion being projected from a housing of the unit; and a lock mechanism for fixing the unit to the apparatus body, wherein an operating portion of the lock mechanism is operated to retract inside a projection end portion of the holding portion, by an operation of moving the lock mechanism to a lock cancel position.

Abstract: A releasing device includes: a releasing unit that is made of a resin and disposed on a downstream side in a conveying direction of a recording medium from a fixing portion of a fixing unit which fixes a toner image on the recording medium, the releasing unit releasing the recording medium from the fixing unit; a supporting unit that supports the releasing unit on a supporting face and maintains the releasing unit and the fixing unit in a non-contact state; a screw that is advanced in a direction along the supporting face to secure the releasing unit; and a protruding portion provided between the releasing unit and the supporting unit and disposed at a position in a range extending from a first region between the screw and the supporting face to a second region shifted from the first region in a tightening direction side of the screw.

Abstract: A fixing device, includes: a heating member that rotates in a state heated by a heating unit; a driven member that is rotated by the heating member, and that conveys a sheet in cooperation with the heating member; a biasing unit that biases the heating member and the driven member in a contacting direction; a contact area forming member that forms a contact area of the heating member and the driven member by making the heating member and the driven member come in contact with each other; a support member that supports at least one of the heating member and the driven member so as to be freely moved in a direction approaching and separated with respect to the other member; and a fulcrum that is arranged in a downstream side of the contact area in a sheet conveying direction, and that movably supports the support member.

Abstract: A fixing device, includes: a heating member that rotates in a state heated by a heating unit; a driven member that is rotated by the heating member, and that conveys a sheet in cooperation with the heating member; a biasing unit that biases the heating member and the driven member in a contacting direction; a contact area forming member that forms a contact area of the heating member and the driven member by making the heating member and the driven member come in contact with each other; a support member that supports at least one of the heating member and the driven member so as to be freely moved in a direction approaching and separated with respect to the other member; and a fulcrum that is arranged in a downstream side of the contact area in a sheet conveying direction, and that movably supports the support member.

Abstract: A unit, which is configured to be attachable to and detachable from a body of an apparatus, includes: a holding portion for holding the unit to attach and detach the unit to and from the apparatus body, the holding portion being projected from a housing of the unit; and a lock mechanism for fixing the unit to the apparatus body, wherein an operating portion of the lock mechanism is operated to retract inside a projection end portion of the holding portion, by an operation of moving the lock mechanism to a lock cancel position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a fixing device disposed above the image carrier and fixing a transferred image on a recording medium to the recording medium, the transferred image being transferred from the image carrier; and a light blocking member disposed on the fixing device and blocking at least part of light reaching the image carrier.

Abstract: An image formation device is provided, at which a fixing apparatus is disposed inside a housing of a printer main body, and which is configured in a fanless ventilation structure. This image formation device is provided with: a fixing unit mounting portion positioned at an upper portion of the housing, and surrounded by a partition wall and a heat-shielding member extending from a side face of the partition wall, the fixing apparatus being placed on the heat-shielding member, and the fixing unit mounting portion being isolated such that hot air will not flow to equipment inside the housing; a cover member for covering the fixing unit mounting portion; a ventilation portion which includes ventilation apertures formed through the cover member; and a conveyance portion for the recording medium.

Abstract: An image formation device is provided, at which a fixing device is disposed inside a housing of a printer main body, and which is configured in a fanless ventilation structure. This image formation device is provided with a fixing unit mounting portion positioned at an upper portion of the housing, and surrounded by a partition wall and a heat-shielding member extending from a side face of the partition wall, the fixing apparatus being placed on the heat-shielding member, and the fixing unit mounting portion being isolated such that hot air will not flow to equipment inside the housing; a cover member for covering the fixing unit mounting portion; a ventilation portion which includes ventilation apertures formed through the cover member, and a conveyance portion for the recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus for discriminating different kinds of cartridges includes a first discriminating unit which discriminates a positional relation between a fitting portion provided at a predetermined position at a side of the cartridge and a fitted portion provided at a predetermined position at a side of the image forming apparatus on a fitting surface when in a loaded state to determine characteristics of the cartridge and characteristics of the image forming apparatus. The apparatus includes a second discriminating unit which discriminates mechanical compatibility by defining a positional relation between the fitting portion and the fitted portion in the loaded state in a fitting direction according to the characteristics of the cartridge and the characteristics of the image forming apparatus.