Abstract: A flange member is adapted such that a first distance between a first position at which a part thereof on an upstream side in a recording material conveyance direction comes into contact with a film inner surface and a nip center that is an intersection of a first virtual line and a second virtual line is longer than a second distance between a second position at which a region of an outer surface of the flange member facing the film inner surface intersects the first virtual line and the nip center, and a film guide is adapted such that a third distance between a third position that faces the film inner surface on the upstream side and the nip center is longer than a fourth distance between a fourth position that faces the film inner surface on the downstream side and the nip center on the first virtual line.

Abstract: An image heating device includes a heater having a plurality of heating elements which includes a first heating element group and a second heating element group, a control portion which supplies power to the first heating element group through a first common circuit and supplies power to the second heating element group through a second common circuit. The first common circuit includes a first safety element which responds to the temperature of the heating elements included in the first heating element group, and the second common circuit includes a second safety element which responds to the temperature of the heating elements included in the second heating element group. The first safety element is arranged on one side with respect to a conveyance reference position of a recording material, and the second safety element is arranged on the other side with respect to the conveyance reference position.

Abstract: In an image heating apparatus, a plurality of heat-generating members that a heater has include a first heat-generating member group and a second heat-generating member group, symmetrically laid out with a conveyance reference position of a recording material. A control portion supplies electric power via first and second common circuits to the first heat-generating member group and the second heat-generating member group. A temperature-detecting portion includes a first temperature-detecting element for detecting a temperature of one of the heat-generating members included in the first heat-generating member group, and a second temperature-detecting element for detecting the temperature of one of the heat-generating members included in the second heat-generating member group.

Abstract: A heating apparatus includes an endless film including a base layer and an elastic layer, a heating member, and a restricting member including a restricting surface for restricting movement of the film in a widthwise direction by receiving an end surface of the film with respect to the widthwise direction when the film is moved in the widthwise direction. The elastic layer contains a thermal-conductive filler. The base layer includes a projected portion projected from the elastic layer in the widthwise direction. The movement of the film in the widthwise direction is restricted by contact of the projected portion with the restricting surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a recording material, a fixing portion configured to heat and to fix the toner image formed on the recording material, and a controller configured to control the apparatus, which is operable to form an image on a recording material having a first size and a recording material having a second size smaller than the first size in a direction perpendicular to a recording material feeding direction. If a printing instruction for printing on the recording material of the first size is received while continuously printing on the recording material of the second size at a first throughput, the controller controls the apparatus so as to print on the recording material of the second size at a second throughput, lower than the first throughput, before printing on the recording material of the first size.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film a pressing member, and a preventing member including a preventing surface configured to prevent movement of the film in a longitudinal direction, and a film rotation guiding surface. As viewed in the longitudinal direction of the film, the preventing surface includes first and second regions positioned downstream and upstream, respectively, of a nip center line with respect to a recording material feeding direction. The first region retracts from a longitudinal film end surface relative to the second region. The second region continuously extends in the recording material feeding direction from a portion upstream of the nip center line to a portion downstream of the nip center line, and has a length, with respect to a rotational direction of the film, that is greater at the portion upstream of the nip center line than at the portion downstream of the nip center line.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film, and a plate heater including an electrode portion provided outside of an end portion of the film with respect to a longitudinal direction of the film at an end portion of the heater, with a lubricant being applied in a region where the heater contacts the film. A supporting member supports a surface of the heater. In addition, a sealing member contacts a surface of the heater where the electrode portion of the heater is provided, and is provided at a position closer to a center of the heater than is the electrode portion. Further, the sealing member includes an engaging portion engaging with an end portion of the supporting member with respect to a widthwise direction of the heater, and a cantilever contact portion contacting a surface of the heater where the electrode portion is provided.

Abstract: The fixing apparatus includes a cylindrical heating film, a nip portion forming member, a roller; a motor, a control unit, and an acquisition unit. The apparatus executes a fixing process of conveying and heating the recording material carrying the toner image to fix the toner image to the recording material at the nip portion. The apparatus is further configured to execute a first mode of stopping the supply of power to the motor just after the end of the fixing process and a second mode of stopping the supply of power to the motor after a low-speed rotation period for rotating the motor at a rotational speed set lower than the target rotational speed during the fixing process after the end of the fixing process, and to select one of the first and second modes.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable cylindrical film, a contact member, a nip forming member, and regulating member. The regulating member includes an inner surface regulating surface that contacts and regulates a position of an inner surface of the film, and that, with respect to a rotational direction of the film, includes a first region remotest from a nip and a second region closer to the nip than the first region, the second region being positioned in a side upstream of a center of the nip with respect to a recording material feeding direction. The inner surface regulating surface is inclined so as to be spaced from the inner surface of the film toward a longitudinal center of the film, and a degree of inclination of the inner surface regulating surface is greater in the first region than in the second region.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material onto the recording material. The fixing device includes a heater contacting an inner surface of the film, a supporting member for supporting the heater, the supporting member being provided in a hollow space, a first portion for preventing lateral movement of the film in a generatrix direction of the film, the first portion being supported by a frame of the fixing device and holding the supporting member, and a second portion opposed to a surface of the heater where the heater contacts the film and elongated along a widthwise direction of the heater, the second portion being provided at the same position with the generatrix direction of the film.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion for forming a toner image on a sheet; a fixing portion for heating and fixing the toner on the sheet; and a controller for controlling the apparatus which is operable to form an image on the sheet having a first size and the sheet having a second size smaller than the first size. When a print instruction on the sheet of the first size during a period in which a print is formed on the sheet of the second size at a first throughput, the controller controls the apparatus so as to print on the sheet of the second size at a second throughput which is lower than the first throughput.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes an image-forming unit, a fixing device including a heating rotator and a pressure member forming a nip portion together with the heating rotator, and a bias-applying unit applying bias to the heating rotator. Image forming modes each having a time interval between a preceding recording material and a succeeding recording material which is different from each other can be performed. A control unit executes a first control while the recording materials are being conveyed at the nip portion, and a second control while the recording materials are not being conveyed at the nip portion due to the time interval. A switching time in the image forming mode in which the time interval is a first time interval is determined to be longer than in the image forming mode in which the time interval is a second time interval shorter than the first time interval.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film; a contact member, a nip forming member, and a regulating member provided at a longitudinal end portion of the film and including an inner surface regulating surface. As viewed in a longitudinal direction of the film, with respect to a rotational direction of the film, the inner surface regulating surface includes a first region remotest from the nip and a second region closer to the nip than the first region is. The inner surface regulating surface is inclined so as to be spaced from the inner surface of the film toward a longitudinal center of the film with respect to a longitudinal direction of the film, and a degree of inclination of the inner surface regulating surface is larger in the first region than in the second region.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film; a pressing member, and a preventing member including a preventing surface configured to prevent movement of the film in a longitudinal direction and a film rotation guiding surface. As viewed in the longitudinal direction of the film, the preventing surface includes first and second regions positioned downstream and upstream, respectively, of a nip center line with respect to a recording material feeding direction. The first region retracts from a longitudinal film end surface relative to the second region. The second region continuously extends in the recording material feeding direction from a portion upstream of a nip center line to a portion downstream of the nip center line, and has a length, with respect to a rotational direction of the film, longer at the portion upstream of the nip center line than at the portion downstream of the nip center line.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material onto the recording material. The fixing device includes a heater contacting an inner surface of the film, a supporting member for supporting the heater, the supporting member being provided in a hollow space, a first portion for preventing lateral movement of the film in a generatrix direction of the film, the first portion being supported by a frame of the fixing device and holding the supporting member, and a second portion opposed to a surface of the heater where the heater contacts the film and elongated along a widthwise direction of the heater, the second portion being provided at the same position with the generatrix direction of the film.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film; a plate heater including an electrode portion, wherein a lubricant is applied in a region where the heater contacts the film; a supporting member; and a sealing member contacting a surface of the heater where the electrode portion of the heater is provided, the sealing member being provided at a position closer to a center of the heater than the electrode portion is. The sealing member includes an engaging portion engaging with an end portion of the supporting member with respect to a widthwise direction of the heater and a cantilever contact portion contacting the surface of the heater where the electrode portion is provided.

Abstract: The fixing apparatus including a cylindrical heating film, a nip portion forming member, a roller; a motor, a control unit, and an acquisition unit, wherein the apparatus executes a fixing process of conveying and heating the recording material carrying the toner image to fix the toner image to the recording material at the nip portion, wherein the apparatus is configured to execute a first mode of stopping the supply of power to the motor just after the end of the fixing process and a second mode of stopping the supply of power to the motor after a low-speed rotation period for rotating the motor at the target rotational speed set lower than the target rotational speed during the fixing process just after the end of the fixing process, and to select one of the first and second modes.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes an image-forming unit, a fixing device including a heating rotator and a pressure member forming a nip portion together with the heating rotator, and a bias-applying unit applying bias to the heating rotator. Image forming modes each having a time interval between a preceding recording material and a succeeding recording material which is different from each other can be performed. A control unit executes a first control while the recording materials are being conveyed at the nip portion, and a second control while the recording materials are not being conveyed at the nip portion due to the time interval. A switching time in the image forming mode in which the time interval is a first time interval is determined to be longer than in the image forming mode in which the time interval is a second time interval shorter than the first time interval.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film; a plate heater including an electrode portion, wherein a lubricant is applied in a region where the heater contacts the film; a supporting member; and a sealing member contacting a surface of the heater where the electrode portion of the heater is provided, the sealing member being provided at a position closer to a center of the heater than the electrode portion is. The sealing member includes an engaging portion engaging with an end portion of the supporting member with respect to a widthwise direction of the heater and a cantilever contact portion contacting the surface of the heater where the electrode portion is provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes a fixing unit configured to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording medium while conveying the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image at a nip portion. The fixing unit includes a fixing rotating member and a pressure member forming the nip portion with the fixing rotating member. The apparatus also includes: a counting portion configured to count the cumulative rotation time of the fixing rotating member and the cumulative number of startups of the fixing unit; and a notifying portion configured to performing notification of information about at least one of the lifetime expiration of the fixing unit and the necessity of replacing the fixing unit. The notifying portion performs the notification in accordance with the cumulative rotation time and the cumulative number of startups of the fixing unit.