Abstract: A heat-resistant resin film having a metallic thin film accumulated thereon or an endless belt having a metallic thin film accumulated thereon having good mechanical characteristics is produced in a simple process. A metallic thin film is formed on an inner surface of a cylindrical substrate, and a layer of a heat-resistant resin is formed thereon. An accumulated body of the heat-resistant resin and the metallic thin film is peeled off from the substrate. The metallic thin film may be formed by electroplating, electroless plating or vapor deposition, or may also be formed by attaching a metallic foil having been prepared on an inner surface of the substrate. The heat-resistant resin layer is formed by injecting a polyamide acid solution in a rotational drum, and then formed by centrifugal forming by rotating the rotational drum on rollers under heating. After forming, imidization is conducted by heating and baking to form a film member of a thermosetting polyimide.

Abstract: The specification discloses an image forming apparatus which forms a visual image on a belt transfer member by at least one of image forming units and transfers the formed visual image onto a recording medium with the aid of the belt transfer member. In the image forming apparatus, the belt transfer member includes an endless belt wound on a plurality of tension rolls. A bending member, which bends the endless belt toward the inside of a tangential line connecting points on the outer circumferences of a couple of tension rolls, and locates the bent endless belt inside the tangential line, is additionally provided outside the endless belt located between at least the couple of adjacent tension rolls. An image forming unit may be additionally provided within an outside bending concave region of the endless belt, which is bent by the bending member and the tension rolls adjacent to the bending member.

Abstract: The specification discloses an image forming apparatus which forms a visual image on a belt transfer member by at least one of image forming units and transfers the formed visual image onto a recording medium with the aid of the belt transfer member. In the image forming apparatus, the belt transfer member includes an endless belt wound on a plurality of tension rolls. A bending member, which bends the endless belt toward the inside of a tangential line connecting points on the outer circumferences of a couple of tension rolls, and locates the bent endless belt inside the tangential line, is additionally provided outside the endless belt located between at least the couple of adjacent tension rolls. An image forming unit may be additionally provided within an outside bending concave region of the endless belt, which is bent by the bending member and the tension rolls adjacent to the bending member.

Abstract: The method for manufacturing a heat resistant resin film with a metal thin film, is configured to comprise the steps of: biasing a conductive material to one surface of the heat resistant resin film; and applying electrolytic plating to the heat resistant resin film while using the conductive material biased to the one surface of the heat resistant resin film as an electrode, so as to form a metal thin film on the heat resistant resin film.

Abstract: A heat-resistant resin film having a metallic thin film accumulated thereon or an endless belt having a metallic thin film accumulated thereon having good mechanical characteristics is produced in a simple process. A metallic thin film is formed on an inner surface of a cylindrical substrate, and a layer of a heat-resistant resin is formed thereon. An accumulated body of the heat-resistant resin and the metallic thin film is peeled off from the substrate. The metallic thin film may be formed by electroplating, electroless plating or vapor deposition, or may also be formed by attaching a metallic foil having been prepared on an inner surface of the substrate. The heat-resistant resin layer is formed by injecting a polyamide acid solution in a rotational drum, and then formed by centrifugal forming by rotating the rotational drum on rollers under heating. After forming, imidization is conducted by heating and baking to form a film member of a thermosetting polyimide.

Abstract: In a standby state capable of forming an image, a period of a drive pulse of a heater in a fixing unit is made longer than that of the drive pulse in an image formation state to decrease the number of ON/OFF times of a fixing heater, thereby decreasing a brightness flicker in an illumination equipment which is connected to a power supply system identical with that of an image formation apparatus for ON/OFF controlling the heater to control temperature of the fixing unit to be at a target temperature.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing member and a heating unit. The fixing member forms a nip to convey a recording member which has an unfixed toner thereon. The toner on the recording medium is spherical. The heating unit is provided upstream of the nip in the moving direction of the recording medium, and does not come into contact with the recording medium. The fixing apparatus may include a control means for controlling the heat given from the heating unit to the recording medium.

Abstract: The electromagnetic induction heating device has a simple construction, holds an object to be heated in a favorable heating condition while effectively suppressing the irregularities of heat generation of the object to be heated, and reduces an energy consumption. The electromagnetic induction heating device which heats the object to be heated provided with at least an electromagnetic induction heat generating layer includes a magnetic core made of magnetic material which is disposed in such a manner that it faces the electromagnetic induction heat generating layer of the object to be heated in an opposed manner, and an exciting coil which is wound around the magnetic core and generates a fluctuation magnetic field which penetrates the electromagnetic induction heat generating layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus, in which an end of a first magnetic portion and an end of a second magnetic portion are present within a width along a recording material moving direction of a nip, and a width of a gap along a recording material moving direction is different with respect to a direction which is orthogonal to the recording material moving direction.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a heat fixing member is disclosed which includes a cleaning member to be brought into contact with a surface of a heat fixing member, and a wax b held on the cleaning member. Also, a heat fixing method and an image forming method are disclosed which use the cleaning apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming method including the steps of: forming an electrostatic latent image on a latent image holding member; developing the electrostatic latent image by using a color toner to form a toner image; transferring the toner image onto a recording material; and fixing the toner image to the recording material by a heat fixing device including a heating member in contact with the toner image. In the method, the color toner contains at least a binder resin, a colorant and wax, the wax having a molecular weight distribution measured by GPC, which has a ratio of the weight average molecular weight (Mw) to the number average molecular weight (Mn) of 1.45 or less, and a solubility parameter (SP value) of 8.4 to 10.5. If the contact angles between the wax and the heating member at 100.degree. C. and 200.degree. C. are A and B, respectively, the contact angles A and B satisfy the following relations:60.degree..ltoreq.A.ltoreq.80.degree.10.degree..gtoreq.B-A.gtoreq.3.degree..

Abstract: A fixing rotatable member for use in an image forming apparatus such as a copying apparatus or a laser beam printer is disclosed. The fixing rotatable member includes a base member and an elastic layer provided on the surface thereof. The elastic layer is addition type silicone rubber in which resin-like polyorganosiloxane and 0.1 to 2 percent by weight of inorganic fine powder are mixed.

Abstract: A cleaning member carrying porous particles for absorbing a parting agent is used in an electrophotographic apparatus having a fixation unit in which a developer image transferred to a transfer member is fixed by a fixation rotary member to which the parting agent is applied, and means for forming an image on two surfaces of the transfer member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to cleaning fiber provided for a cleaning unit of an image forming apparatus such as an electrostatic copying machine or an electrostatic printer using an electrostatic process, the cleaning fiber being capable of quickly removing transferred oil which causes oil fog to be generated. The cleaning fiber according to the present invention contains inorganic porous particles dispersed therein.