Abstract: A fuser unit includes: a cylindrical member; a heat generator; a nip member; a backup member, which configures a nip part between the cylindrical member and the backup member with the cylindrical member; a conductive member, which is arranged to cover the heat generator at the inside of the cylindrical member; a temperature detection unit; a wiring; a first frame having insulation, which is arranged at an opposite side to the heat generator with respect to the conductive member being interposed therebetween at the inside of the cylindrical member, and which extends along the conductive member; and a second frame, which is arranged at an opposite side to the conductive member with respect to the first frame being interposed therebetween at the inside of the cylindrical member, and which extends along the first frame, wherein the wiring is arranged between the first frame and the second frame.

Abstract: A fuser unit includes: a cylindrical member having flexibility; a heat generator, which is arranged at the inside of the cylindrical member; a plate-shaped nip member, which is arranged to slidingly contact an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member and receives radiation heat from the heat generator; a backup member, which is configured to configure a nip part between the cylindrical member and the backup member with the cylindrical member, by nipping between the backup member and the nip member; a temperature detection unit, which is arranged to face an opposite surface that is opposite to the surface of the nip member slidingly contacting the cylindrical member at the inside of the cylindrical member and detects a temperature of the nip member, and an urging member that urges the temperature detection unit toward the nip member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit that is configured to fix a developing material on a sheet; a plurality of a pair of rollers that discharge the sheet conveyed from the fixing unit; and a sheet detection unit that detects the sheet conveyed from the fixing unit, the sheet detection unit comprising an actuator for detecting the sheet conveyed from the fixing unit, wherein the actuator of the sheet detection unit is disposed between the fixing unit and the plurality of the pair of the rollers on a conveyance path and is disposed within a width of one of the rollers when viewed from a sheet conveyance direction.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus is described. This fixing apparatus may include a heating member, a pressure member opposed to the heating member, a first holding member holding the pressure member and an urging mechanism position-changeably supporting the pressure member through the first holding member and urging the pressure member toward the heating member through the first holding member. The first holding member is electrically connected with the urging mechanism. The first holding member and the urging mechanism are both formed of a conductive member, and the first holding member is grounded through the urging mechanism.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a frame forming a transport path; a heating member disposed on the transport path; first and second transport rollers which are disposed so as to face the heating member in the transport direction and hold the recording sheet between the first and second transport rollers to transport the recording sheet, the first transport roller including a rotation shaft; and a spring which includes a holding portion holding the rotation shaft of the first transport roller, a support portion supported by the frame and an arm part between the holding portion and the support portion, and is configured to bias the transport roller to the second transport roller; and a restriction portion which contacts a part of the spring between the holding portion and the support portion and restricts the first transport roller from being moved in a direction separated from the second transport roller.

Abstract: An image forming device comprising a fixing unit for thermally fixing a developer on a recording sheet, a control unit that controls the temperature to maintain the fixing unit at one of a fixing temperature and a stand-by temperature lower than the fixing temperature, and a transport unit that transports the recording sheet to the fixing unit, wherein, when the temperature of the fixing unit has dropped from the fixing temperature to the stand-by temperature, and a printing command is received, the control unit controls the transport unit so as to set a stand-by time to wait before starting to transport the recording sheet after the printing command is received as a second time interval, which is longer than a first time interval of time required for the temperature of the fixing unit to reach the fixing temperature based on information relating to the current temperature of the fixing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a developer retaining unit configured to carry a developer; a fixing unit including a rotatable heating member configured to heat a recording sheet to thermally fix the developer on the recording sheet; a motor configured to drive the developer retaining unit and the fixing unit; a transmission unit configured to transmit a driving force of the motor to the fixing unit; a switching mechanism configured to selectively transmit the driving force of the motor to the developer retaining unit, and shut off the driving force of the motor to the developer retaining unit; and a control unit configured to, in a cooling operation, control the switching mechanism to shut off the driving force of the motor to the developer retaining unit and control the motor to rotate the heating member while the heating member does not heat.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating element disposed inside a flexible fusing member, a nip member disposed to contact with a surface of the flexible fusing member and to allow the flexible fusing member to slide along the nip member, a reflecting plate for reflecting radiant heat from the heating element toward the nip member, and a backup member for nipping the flexible fusing member with the nip member. The reflecting plate includes a central reflecting portion extending along a longitudinal direction of the heating element at least in a region corresponding to along a heat generating portion of the heating element, and end reflecting portions stationarily provided on both ends of the central reflecting portion. The end reflecting portions are disposed in positions longitudinally outward of the heat generating portion and each has a reflecting surface tilted with respect to the longitudinal direction of the heating element.

Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing a developer image transferred onto a recording sheet, includes: a flexible fusing member which is flexibly deformable; a heating element; a nip member disposed in such a manner as to contact with a surface of the flexible fusing member and to allow the flexible fusing member to slide along the nip member; a reflecting plate configured to reflect radiant heat from the heating element in a direction toward the nip member; a backup member configured to nip the flexible fusing member with the nip member to thereby form a nip portion for the recording sheet between the flexible fusing member and the backup member; and a stay configured to support both end portions of the nip member. The reflecting plate has at least one flange portion, and the flange portion is held and supported between the nip member and the stay.

Abstract: A fixing device for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided with a heat roller configured to heat a toner image formed on a sheet, and a thermistor arranged opposite to a circumferential surface of the heat roller and configured to detect a temperature of the circumferential surface of the heat roller without contacting the heat roller. The thermistor is located at a position above a horizontal plane including a rotational axis of the heat roller and on a downstream side, in a rotational direction of the heat roller, with respect to a vertical plane including the rotational axis of the heat roller, and closer to the vertical plane than the horizontal plane.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit for fixing a toner image. The fixing unit includes a heating roller and a pressurizing roller opposed to the heating roller and urged toward the heating roller. A unit case rotatably supports both ends of the heating roller in a longitudinal direction of the heating roller. The unit case is open at one side of the heating roller opposed to the pressurizing roller and covers the other side of the heating roller opposite to the pressurizing roller. A pair of pressurizing roller supporting bodies are respectively provided at both ends in a longitudinal direction of the unit case and rotatably support both ends of the pressurizing roller. A pair of end covers cover both the ends of the heating roller in the longitudinal direction of the heating roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus include: a main body having a side wall in which an opening is formed; a cover for opening and closing the opening; and a guide member for guiding a printed recording sheet, arranged in a position facing to the opening. The guide member is pivotally supported at its lower end portion on the main body. When the cover is being opened and the guide member is pivoted around its lower end portion as a pivot axis so that an upper end portion of the guide member is tilted toward the opened cover and into a lying-back position, a second sheet-output passage is formed which extends from the image forming unit toward the opened cover through the opening. The guide member is movable to a position away from the opened cover when it is in the lying-back position.

Abstract: A fixing unit mounting section is formed to a main body frame. A fixing unit is mounted to the fixing unit mounting section by inserting the fixing unit into the main body along a predetermined inserting direction. An electric power supply section configured to supply electric power to the fixing unit is arranged at a near side of the fixing unit mounting section in the inserting direction. A connecting section configured to establish electric connection to the electric power supply section is formed at the near side of the fixing unit in the inserting direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a turning unit that turns the recording medium fed from a fixing unit, which fixes toner transferred to a recording medium and has a heating roller for heating toner, by approximately 90° with respect to a feeding direction of the recording medium, and a discharge roller that discharges the recording medium turned by the turning unit. A circumferential speed of the discharge roller is smaller than a circumferential speed of the heating roller.

Abstract: In an image forming device, a fixing unit thermally fixes a development image transferred onto a first surface of a recording medium, the recording medium having a second surface opposite to the first surface. The conveying wall defines a conveying path, along which the recording medium is conveyed from the fixing unit in a conveying direction, the recording medium being conveyed along the conveying path with the first surface of the recording medium confronting the conveying wall, the recording medium having a pair of lateral parts in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, the recording medium being curled at the pair of lateral parts to bring the first surface to face outwardly and the second surface to face inwardly.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit that is configured to fix a developing material on a sheet; a plurality of a pair of rollers that discharge the sheet conveyed from the fixing unit; and a sheet detection unit that detects the sheet conveyed from the fixing unit, the sheet detection unit comprising an actuator for detecting the sheet conveyed from the fixing unit, wherein the actuator of the sheet detection unit is disposed between the fixing unit and the plurality of the pair of the rollers on a conveyance path and is disposed within a width of one of the rollers when viewed from a sheet conveyance direction.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus is described. This fixing apparatus may include a heating member, a pressure member opposed to the heating member, a first holding member holding the pressure member and an urging mechanism position-changeably supporting the pressure member through the first holding member and urging the pressure member toward the heating member through the first holding member. The first holding member is electrically connected with the urging mechanism. The first holding member and the urging mechanism are both formed of a conductive member, and the first holding member is grounded through the urging mechanism.

Abstract: A replaceable unit is detachably attached into an image forming apparatus. The replaceable unit includes: a first cover member provided with a through hole that indicates a direction of the attachment and the detachment of the replaceable unit with respect to the image forming apparatus; and a second cover member having a color different from a color of the first cover member, and being formed to block the through hole from inner side of the replaceable unit when the first cover member is attached to the second cover member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a frame, a pressure arm pivotably supported on the frame, and a nip release lever supported on the pressure arm. The pressure arm can release pressure contact between a heating roller and a pressure roller. The nip release lever can move between a pressing position and a release position so as to move the pressure roller between a position at which the pressure roller applies pressure to the heating roller and a position at which the pressure roller applies no pressure. The nip release lever can be halted in the release position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit which forms an image on a recording sheet, a casing which houses the image forming unit and holds the image forming unit, a conveying roller which contacts the recording sheet to be conveyed in the casing, conveys the recording sheet, and is supported to rotate by the casing, a cover which opens and closes an opening formed in a portion of the casing which corresponds to the conveying roller, and a pushing unit. If the cover is closed, the pushing unit exerts a pushing force to push the conveying roller toward the recording sheet to act on a spindle of the conveying roller. If the cover is opened, the pushing unit releases the pushing force by moving in association with the cover.