Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising an image forming unit for forming a non-fixed toner image on a recording material, a heater for heating the non-fixed toner image, a back-up member for cooperating with the heater to form a nip therebetween, the back-up member pinching and conveying the recording material at the nip in such a manner that the non-fixed toner image is contacted with the heater so that the non-fixed toner image is fixed to the recording material by heat from the heater, and a cleaning member for cleaning the back-up member. The cleaning member is brought into a first and second cleaning mode in which an image forming operation is not effected and the back-up member is cleaned, the second cleaning mode having a cleaning time longer than a cleaning time of the first cleaning mode.

Abstract: A bind tape abutted against a bound edge of a sheet bundle for book-binding the sheet bundle includes a tape substrate and an adhesive layer coated on one surface of the tape substrate to bond the sheet bundle. The bind tape is provided at both longitudinal end portions thereof with areas on which the adhesive layer is not coated.

Abstract: An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus includes a light source unit for emitting plural light beams for information recording and/or reproduction toward an optical information recording medium, an optical head on which the light source unit is mounted, and a frame of the apparatus on which the optical head is mounted. The apparatus is further provided with an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the positional relationship of the plural light beams relative to the optical information recording medium. The adjusting mechanism is formed at the mounting portion of the optical head and the frame of the apparatus.

Abstract: A method for initializing a magnetooptical recording medium having tracks onto which information is recorded are formed in parallel and having intermediate regions among the tracks. The method includes the steps of scanning a track by a laser beam while applying a magnetic field in a predetermined direction, thereby aligning magnetizing directions of the track; and scanning the intermediate region by the laser beam while applying a magnetic field in a predetermined direction, thereby aligning the magnetizing directions of the intermediate region. An apparatus to perform such a method is also disclosed.