Abstract: A fixing apparatus has a heater that includes a magnetic shunt alloy whose Curie temperature is set higher than a fixing temperature; an induction heater that generates an alternating magnetic field applied to the magnetic shunt alloy and performs electromagnetic-induction heating on the heater; and a body controller that controls the induction heater so as to adjust the fixing temperature in each fixing job. The body controller controls the induction heater so as to perform electromagnetic-induction heating on the heater, during a period between fixing jobs. The body controller thereby reduces a temperature difference generated on the heater between portions corresponding to paper feeding and non-paper feeding areas in a previously executed fixing job.

Abstract: A fixing unit is provided with a fixing belt that heats recording paper that bears and moves a toner image, an exciting coil that generates magnetic flux in the fixing belt and causes the fixing belt to produce heat by electromagnetic induction, and a heat production adjustment section that adjusts the calorific value distribution of the fixing belt by adjusting the magnetic flux acting upon the fixing belt.

Abstract: With a small and simple constitution, a three-dimensional subject and a sheet document can be imaged. There are provided an image forming unit (110) for forming an image, an top face sheet ejecting unit (130) for ejecting a paper sheet (P) onto the top face of the device body (101), a top face ejected sheet tray (150) capable of receiving an ejected paper sheet (P) and openable/closable with respect to the device body (101), a platen glass (160) on which a subject is placed, a two-dimensional sensor (170) provided to the top face ejected sheet tray (150) to image the subject placed on the platen glass (160), and a manual feed unit (210) for transporting sheet originals (S) one by one and passing an original through an original information read section. The two-dimensional sensor (170) is so provided that the image of the sheet original appearing in the original information read section is formed on the partial area of the imaging area (170a).

Abstract: A heating apparatus that enables an abnormally high temperature detection section that detects, when a heating element heated by means of electromagnetic induction reaches an abnormally high temperature, this abnormally high temperature, to operate speedily and reliably irrespective of the material and temperature characteristic of the heating element in a low-cost and compact configuration. In this apparatus, thermostat 301 is disposed on the same side as exciting coil 231 with respect to heat generating belt 210 and between winding bundles of a conductor wire of exciting coil 231. This allows coil guide 234 to hold both thermostat 301 and exciting coil 231 and allows these wires and terminals to be concentrated on one location, thus making it possible to reduce the number of parts and assembling man-hours and configure the body of the apparatus in a low-cost and compact configuration.

Abstract: In a fixing apparatus using an induction heating type of heating apparatus, there are provided an excitation apparatus that generates magnetic flux, an opposed core located opposite the excitation apparatus, a fixing belt that is induction-heated by the aforementioned magnetic flux, and magnetism masking elements that block magnetic paths corresponding to paper non-passage areas of fixing belt between the excitation apparatus and the opposed core. By blocking magnetic paths between the excitation apparatus and the opposed core by the magnetism masking elements, magnetic flux that induction-heats the fixing belt is effectively masked, and an excessive rise in temperature of paper non-passage areas of fixing belt is prevented.

Abstract: The present invention holds the source document feeding direction downstream edge of a printed sheet ejected above a source document feed tray by means of a top ejection platform functioning as a printed sheet holding section in an area apart from source document feed rollers functioning as a source document feeding section. As a result, a printed sheet ejected onto top ejection platform is not fed automatically by source document feed rollers. Therefore, a printed sheet that has undergone image formation can be ejected without obstruction above source document feed tray of an automatic document feeder, checking and removal of a printed sheet are facilitated, and convenience is improved.

Abstract: As a cooling mechanism that cools the entire paper passage area of a heat-producing belt, a rotational drive method of the heat-producing belt is employed and the heat-producing belt is cooled by rotational cooling by being made to idle when paper is not being passed through. An excitation apparatus and the above-described cooling mechanism are controlled so that recording paper is not passed through and the heat-producing belt is cooled while being heated over the heating width when the small-size recording paper is passed through until the temperature detected by a paper non-passage area temperature detecting sensor is at or below a predetermined fixing temperature. This fixing apparatus enables an excessive rise in temperature of a paper non-passage area of the heat-producing belt to be efficiently eliminated, and the temperature distribution of heat-producing belt to be made uniform in a short time.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus can prevent an excessive rise in temperature of a paper non-passage area due to diverted flow of magnetic flux from a paper passage area of a heat-producing element to a paper non-passage area thereof has a small configuration. A center core is rotated by a rotation section, bringing cutaway parts to a magnetic path masking position, and the degree of magnetic coupling between the center core and a heat-producing roller is weakened, suppressing an excessive rise in temperature of paper non-passage areas of the heat-producing roller. With this fixing apparatus, switching of the intensity of magnetic coupling between the center core and heat-producing roller can be performed simply by rotating the center core. Also, with this fixing apparatus, it is not necessary for magnetism suppressing elements to be provided as separate members, enabling the configuration to be made simpler and less expensive.

Abstract: A printing apparatus having almost the same scale and function as printing apparatuses the usable maximum paper size of which is equivalent to A-4 size can print an image on a paper the size of which is larger than A-4 as necessary. A printing mechanism section (101) and a paper feed mechanism section (180) print an image according to printing data on one side of a paper which can be an expansion printing paper folded once or more times and developable after printing. The paper feed mechanism section (180) reverses a paper and feeds the reversed paper to the printing mechanism section (101). By using a printing mode selecting function of a printer driver (410), a predetermined printing mode is selected from printing modes in which the image is printed in different printing forms on the paper.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus has a heater that includes a magnetic shunt alloy whose Curie temperature is set higher than a fixing temperature; an induction heater that generates an alternating magnetic field applied to the magnetic shunt alloy and performs electromagnetic-induction heating on the heater; and a body controller that controls the induction heater so as to adjust the fixing temperature in each fixing job. The body controller controls the induction heater so as to perform electromagnetic-induction heating on the heater, during a period between fixing jobs. The body controller thereby reduces a temperature difference generated on the heater between portions corresponding to paper feeding and non-paper feeding areas in a previously executed fixing job.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus with three-dimensional object imaging capability is provided that is compact, has a small footprint, and is easy to use. This apparatus has a top-surface paper ejection unit (130) that ejects paper P on which an image has been formed by an image forming unit (110) onto the top surface of the apparatus body (101); a top-surface paper ejection tray (150) that can be opened and closed with respect to the apparatus body (101) and receives paper P ejected by the top-surface paper ejection unit (130); an object placement platform (160) whose object placement surface (161), on which an object is placed, is exposed by opening the top-surface paper ejection tray (150); and a two-dimensional sensor (170) for imaging an object placed on the object placement platform (160). The apparatus has a configuration in which the top-surface paper ejection tray (150), when open, serves as a support for the imaging section.

Abstract: A heating apparatus that enables an abnormally high temperature detection section that detects, when a heating element heated by means of electromagnetic induction reaches an abnormally high temperature, this abnormally high temperature, to operate speedily and reliably irrespective of the material and temperature characteristic of the heating element in a low-cost and compact configuration. In this apparatus, thermostat 301 is disposed on the same side as exciting coil 231 with respect to heat generating belt 210 and between winding bundles of a conductor wire of exciting coil 231. This allows coil guide 234 to hold both thermostat 301 and exciting coil 231 and allows these wires and terminals to be concentrated on one location, thus making it possible to reduce the number of parts and assembling man-hours and configure the body of the apparatus in a low-cost and compact configuration.

Abstract: As a cooling mechanism that cools the entire paper passage area of a heat-producing belt, a rotational drive method of the heat-producing belt is employed and the heat-producing belt is cooled by rotational cooling by being made to idle when paper is not being passed through. An excitation apparatus and the above-described cooling mechanism are controlled so that recording paper is not passed through and the heat-producing belt is cooled while being heated over the heating width when the small-size recording paper is passed through until the temperature detected by a paper non-passage area temperature detecting sensor is at or below a predetermined fixing temperature. This fixing apparatus enables an excessive rise in temperature of a paper non-passage area of the heat-producing belt to be efficiently eliminated, and the temperature distribution of heat-producing belt to be made uniform in a short time.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus can prevent an excessive rise in temperature of a paper non-passage area due to diverted flow of magnetic flux from a paper passage area of a heat-producing element to a paper non-passage area thereof has a small configuration, A center core is rotated by a rotation section, bringing cutaway parts to a magnetic path masking position, and the degree of magnetic coupling between the center core and a heat-producing roller is weakened, suppressing an excessive rise in temperature of paper non-passage areas of the heat-producing roller. With this fixing apparatus, switching of the intensity of magnetic coupling between the center core and heat-producing roller can be performed simply by rotating the center core. Also, with this fixing apparatus, it is not necessary for magnetism suppressing elements to be provided as separate members, enabling the configuration to be made simpler and less expensive.

Abstract: In a fixing apparatus using an induction heating type of heating apparatus, there are provided an excitation apparatus that generates magnetic flux, an opposed core located opposite the excitation apparatus, a fixing belt that is induction-heated by the aforementioned magnetic flux, and magnetism masking elements that block magnetic paths corresponding to paper non-passage areas of fixing belt between the excitation apparatus and the opposed core. By blocking magnetic paths between the excitation apparatus and the opposed core by the magnetism masking elements, magnetic flux that induction-heats the fixing belt is effectively masked, and an excessive rise in temperature of paper non-passage areas of fixing belt is prevented.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that enables a document ejected after image information reading is finished, and a printed sheet on which an image has been formed based on this image information, to be removed easily while the distinction between the two is clearly maintained. According to an image forming apparatus (100) of the present invention, a sheet document S whose image information has been read is ejected onto a document ejection tray (145), and a sheet Ps on which image information has been recorded is ejected onto a sheet ejection tray (151), so as to be crosswise to each other. By this means, even though sheet document S and printed sheet Ps are removed in a mutually overlapping state, sheet document S and printed sheet Ps can be distinguished from each other since their directions of ejection are crosswise to each other.

Abstract: A fixing unit is provided with a fixing belt that heats recording paper that bears and moves a toner image, an exciting coil that generates magnetic flux in the fixing belt and causes the fixing belt to produce heat by electromagnetic induction, and a heat production adjustment section that adjusts the calorific value distribution of the fixing belt by adjusting the magnetic flux acting upon the fixing belt.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus having a plurality of developing units for containing different color toners to form a color image, a plurality of photo-receptor units including photo-receptors on which electrostatic latent images to be developed by said developing units are to be formed, and an intermediate transfer body unit including a tensionally provided belt with upper and lower surfaces to which toner images are transferred from said photo-receptors, an intermediate transfer body unit cartridge integrally holding said intermediate transfer body unit, the cartridge being detachably attached to the color image forming apparatus through the jamming-removal opening.

Abstract: The present invention holds the source document feeding direction downstream edge of a printed sheet ejected above a source document feed tray by means of a top ejection platform functioning as a printed sheet holding section in an area apart from source document feed rollers functioning as a source document feeding section. As a result, a printed sheet ejected onto top ejection platform is not fed automatically by source document feed rollers. Therefore, a printed sheet that has undergone image formation can be ejected without obstruction above source document feed tray of an automatic document feeder, checking and removal of a printed sheet are facilitated, and convenience is improved.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that enables a source document ejected after image information reading is completed, and a printed sheet on which an image has been formed based on the image information, to be removed easily with one hand while maintaining their segregated state. In this apparatus, a source document feed tray holds a source document. A source document ejection tray is positioned below source document feed tray, and holds an ejected source document. A sheet ejection tray is positioned above source document feed tray, and holds a printed sheet ejected onto the uppermost part of the main body of the apparatus. Source document ejection rollers eject a source document into source document ejection tray so that the ejection direction downstream edge of source document ejected into source document ejection tray faces the ejection direction downstream-side position of source document ejection tray rather than the source document feeding direction upstream edge of source document feed tray.