Abstract: A heating device includes a surface heater unit including a heater portion that generates heat in a region extending in a longitudinal direction, the surface heater unit heating a heating object; a support unit that supports the surface heater unit; and a heat conducting unit disposed in contact with a surface of the surface heater unit at a side opposite to a side adjacent to the heating object in a region between a center of the heater portion in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction and the support unit.

Abstract: A heating device includes a surface heater unit that generates heat along a surface extending in a longitudinal direction to heat a heating object; a heat pipe disposed to be in contact with a surface of the surface heater unit over a region extending in the longitudinal direction at a side opposite to a side adjacent to the heating object; a friction reducing material provided to a region in which the surface heater unit and the heating object are in contact with each other, the friction reducing material reducing a frictional resistance between the surface heater unit and the heating object; and a heat-conductive material interposed between the surface heater unit and the heat pipe and having a surface tension that differs from a surface tension of the friction reducing material by 3 (mN/m) or more.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing belt; a contact portion that comes into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt in a width direction; a holding portion disposed opposite the inner peripheral surface to guide and hold the fixing belt; a pressing unit that presses the fixing belt against the contact portion; a protrusion disposed at a portion of the holding portion upstream of the contact portion in a rotation direction of the fixing belt to come into contact with the inner peripheral surface in the width direction; a gap forming portion that forms a gap at a portion of the holding portion between the protrusion and the contact portion, the gap extending in the width direction of the fixing belt without allowing the fixing belt to come into contact with the holding portion; and a lubricant applied to the inner peripheral surface.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing belt; a contact portion that comes into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt in a width direction; a holding portion disposed opposite the inner peripheral surface to guide and hold the fixing belt; a pressing unit that presses the fixing belt against the contact portion; a protrusion disposed at a portion of the holding portion upstream of the contact portion in a rotation direction of the fixing belt to come into contact with the inner peripheral surface in the width direction; a gap forming portion that forms a gap at a portion of the holding portion between the protrusion and the contact portion, the gap extending in the width direction of the fixing belt without allowing the fixing belt to come into contact with the holding portion; and a lubricant applied to the inner peripheral surface.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressing member that is rotatably held and performs pressing in one direction, a contact member that is rotatably held facing the pressing member, the contact member forming a nip portion through which a recording medium passes between the contact member and the pressing member, the contact member coming into contact with the recording medium, first regulating portions that protrude from portions adjacent to the contact member toward the pressing member at positions upstream and downstream of the nip portion in a rotation direction of the contact member to regulate a shape of the contact member, and a second regulating portion that is located in the nip portion and protrudes from a portion adjacent to the contact member toward the pressing member to regulate the shape of the contact member.

Abstract: There is provided a drying device. A drying unit is configured to dry a recording medium having an image formed thereon by an image forming unit. A detection unit is configured to detect a moisture content ratio of a print part having predetermined density and size and formed on the recording medium and a moisture content ratio of a blank part, which is a region of the recording medium on which an image is not formed, before the recording medium having the image formed thereon is conveyed to the drying unit by a conveyance unit. A control unit is configured to control at least one of a drying strength of the drying unit and a conveying speed of the conveyance unit on the basis of the moisture content ratio of the print part and the moisture content ratio of the blank part.

Abstract: There is provided a drying device. A drying unit is configured to dry a recording medium having an image formed thereon by an image forming unit. A detection unit is configured to detect a moisture content ratio of a print part having predetermined density and size and formed on the recording medium and a moisture content ratio of a blank part, which is a region of the recording medium on which an image is not formed, before the recording medium having the image formed thereon is conveyed to the drying unit by a conveyance unit. A control unit is configured to control at least one of a drying strength of the drying unit and a conveying speed of the conveyance unit on the basis of the moisture content ratio of the print part and the moisture content ratio of the blank part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveying device that conveys a recording medium; a droplets ejecting device that ejects droplets onto the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device; a drying unit that dries the droplets that have been ejected on the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device; and a varying unit that varies a conveyance path length from the droplets ejecting device to the drying unit in accordance with at least one of a conveyance speed of the recording medium and an ejected droplets permeation characteristic of the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveying device that conveys a recording medium; a droplets ejecting device that ejects droplets onto the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device; a drying unit that dries the droplets that have been ejected on the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device; and a varying unit that varies a conveyance path length from the droplets ejecting device to the drying unit in accordance with at least one of a conveyance speed of the recording medium and an ejected droplets permeation characteristic of the recording medium.

Abstract: A coating apparatus includes a movable body, a particle feeding portion, a liquid feeding portion, a stimulus giving portion, and a nip portion. The movable body includes a circumferential face capable of rotating. The particle feeding portion feeds solid particles transparent to visible light to the circumferential face of the movable body. The liquid feeding portion feeds a hardenable liquid, in a form of a layer, on the circumferential face of the movable body supplied with the solid particles. The hardenable liquid is hardened by a stimulus given to the hardenable liquid. The stimulus giving portion gives the stimulus to the hardenable liquid fed on the circumferential face. The nip portion nips the hardenable liquid between the movable body and a recording medium.

Abstract: A coating apparatus includes a movable body, a particle feeding portion, a liquid feeding portion, a stimulus giving portion, and a nip portion. The movable body includes a circumferential face capable of rotating. The particle feeding portion feeds solid particles transparent to visible light to the circumferential face of the movable body. The liquid feeding portion feeds a hardenable liquid, in a form of a layer, on the circumferential face of the movable body supplied with the solid particles. The hardenable liquid is hardened by a stimulus given to the hardenable liquid. The stimulus giving portion gives the stimulus to the hardenable liquid fed on the circumferential face. The nip portion nips the hardenable liquid between the movable body and a recording medium.