Abstract: A fuser has a heater, a heat roller, an endless belt, a pressure pad, and a slidable sheet. The pressure pad forms a nipping portion to nip the endless belt between the pressure pad and the heat roller. The slidable sheet is interposed between an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and the pressure pad in the nipping portion. The slidable sheet includes a plurality of dents and a plurality of projections on a surface contacting the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The plurality of dents are arranged in a first part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The first part is located in a range corresponding to the nipping portion. The plurality of projections are arranged in a second part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The second part is located in a range corresponding to a portion different from the nipping portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a roller having a rotation axis, and a belt unit that conveys a sheet in combination with the roller. The belt unit includes an endless belt, a nip forming member that forms a nip in combination with the roller, and an upstream belt guide. The fixing device further includes a chute having a guide surface configured to guide the sheet toward the nip. In a section orthogonal to the rotation axis, a line segment connecting a downstream end of the guide surface and an upstream end of the nip does not intersect the upstream belt guide, and an extended line extended from the downstream end of the guide surface along the guide surface toward the roller intersects a surface of the roller at a position upstream of an upstream end of the nip.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotary body; a pressure body; a frame supporting the rotary body; and a pressure varying mechanism for providing a nip pressure to a nip region formed between the rotary body and the pressure body. The pressure varying mechanism includes a first spring and a second spring for urging one of the rotary body and the pressure body. The first spring applies a first urging force, and the second spring applies a second urging force acting in an opposite direction from the first urging force. The pressure varying mechanism can vary the nip pressure between a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. The nip pressure becomes the first nip pressure while only the first urging force is applied, and becomes the second nip pressure while both of the first urging force and the second urging force are applied.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a pressure unit is pressed toward a roller by an arm, to form a nip region. The pressure unit includes a belt configured to contact the roller in a nip region, a pressure pad configured to press the belt in combination with the roller, and a side guide including an end guide surface configured to guide a side end of the belt, and a stay configured to support the pressure pad. A supporting member is located on an outer side of the side guide that is opposite to an inner side on which the end guide surface faces. The supporting member is held between the stay and the arm, the supporting member comprising a contact surface which contacts the side guide and on which the side guide is swayably supported.

Abstract: In an image forming device, a first fixing member has a roller. A second fixing member has a belt to form a nip together with the first fixing member. A first motor drives the roller. A pressure modifying mechanism modifies a nip pressure at the nip to selected one of a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. A controller starts driving the first motor to drive the roller in a case where a print command is received in a state that the nip pressure is the second nip pressure. The controller modifies the nip pressure from the second nip pressure to the first nip pressure after the driving is performed and fixes the developer image on the sheet in a state that the nip pressure is the first nip pressure.

Abstract: In an image forming device, a first fixing member has a roller. A second fixing member has a belt to form a nip together with the first fixing member. A pressure modifying mechanism modifies a nip pressure at the nip to selected one of a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. A controller drives the first motor to drive the roller and fixes the developer image on a sheet in a state that the nip pressure is the first nip pressure. The controller modifies the nip pressure from the first nip pressure to the second nip pressure while driving the first motor in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets fixed according to a print job has passed the nip, and halts the first motor after the nip pressure is modified to the second nip pressure.

Abstract: A device includes a rotator having a rotation axis, a belt, a nip forming member surrounded by the belt and configured to, with the rotator, pinch the belt to form a nip, an urging member configured to urge one of the rotator and the nip forming member towards the other in a particular direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, an upstream guide and a downstream guide. The upstream guide includes an upstream guide surface configured to guide an inner peripheral surface of the belt. The nip forming member includes a facing surface which faces the rotator. An upstream edge of the facing surface in the moving direction is located at a position farther from the rotation axis, in the particular direction, than a downstream edge of the upstream guide surface.

Abstract: A fuser has a heater, a heat roller, an endless belt, a pressure pad, and a slidable sheet. The pressure pad forms a nipping portion to nip the endless belt between the pressure pad and the heat roller. The slidable sheet is interposed between an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and the pressure pad in the nipping portion. The slidable sheet includes a plurality of dents and a plurality of projections on a surface contacting the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The plurality of dents are arranged in a first part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The first part is located in a range corresponding to the nipping portion. The plurality of projections are arranged in a second part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The second part is located in a range corresponding to a portion different from the nipping portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotary body; a pressure body; a frame supporting the rotary body; and a pressure varying mechanism for providing a nip pressure to a nip region formed between the rotary body and the pressure body. The pressure varying mechanism includes a first spring and a second spring for urging one of the rotary body and the pressure body. The first spring applies a first urging force, and the second spring applies a second urging force acting in an opposite direction from the first urging force. The pressure varying mechanism can vary the nip pressure between a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. The nip pressure becomes the first nip pressure while only the first urging force is applied, and becomes the second nip pressure while both of the first urging force and the second urging force are applied.

Abstract: A device includes a rotator having a rotation axis, a belt, a nip forming member surrounded by the belt and configured to, with the rotator, pinch the belt to form a nip, an urging member configured to urge one of the rotator and the nip forming member towards the other in a particular direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, an upstream guide and a downstream guide. The upstream guide includes an upstream guide surface configured to guide an inner peripheral surface of the belt. The nip forming member includes a facing surface which faces the rotator. An upstream edge of the facing surface in the moving direction is located at a position farther from the rotation axis, in the particular direction, than a downstream edge of the upstream guide surface.

Abstract: A fuser has a heater, a heat roller, an endless belt, a pressure pad, and a slidable sheet. The pressure pad forms a nipping portion to nip the endless belt between the pressure pad and the heat roller. The slidable sheet is interposed between an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and the pressure pad in the nipping portion. The slidable sheet includes a plurality of dents and a plurality of projections on a surface contacting the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The plurality of dents are arranged in a first part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The first part is located in a range corresponding to the nipping portion. The plurality of projections are arranged in a second part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The second part is located in a range corresponding to a portion different from the nipping portion.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises a heater, a rotating member, an endless belt, an elastic body and a holder holding the elastic body. The holder includes a base surface supporting the elastic body, a facing portion protruding from the base surface and facing the elastic body in a moving direction in which, in the nip portion, the endless belt moves in a circumferential direction, and a plurality of projecting portions projecting from the facing portion and contacting the elastic body so as to bite into the elastic body in a state in which the elastic body is elastically deformed. The plurality of projecting portions are arranged in a row in a width direction of the endless belt and disposed at positions different from a position of the nip portion in the moving direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotary body; a pressure body; a frame supporting the rotary body; and a pressure varying mechanism for providing a nip pressure to a nip region formed between the rotary body and the pressure body. The pressure varying mechanism includes a first spring and a second spring for urging one of the rotary body and the pressure body. The first spring applies a first urging force, and the second spring applies a second urging force acting in an opposite direction from the first urging force. The pressure varying mechanism can vary the nip pressure between a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. The nip pressure becomes the first nip pressure while only the first urging force is applied, and becomes the second nip pressure while both of the first urging force and the second urging force are applied.

Abstract: A fuser includes a rotatable member, a belt, a pressure member, and a sliding member. The pressure member sandwiches the belt together with the rotatable member to form a nip portion. The sliding member is sandwiched between an inner peripheral surface of the belt and the pressure member. The sliding member includes a front surface, which faces the inner peripheral surface of the belt. The front surface includes a plurality of first dimples and a plurality of second dimples. The first dimples are arranged in a first zone, which corresponds to the nip portion. The second dimples are arranged in a second zone, which corresponds to a portion of the sliding member outside the nip portion. Each of the first dimples is of a shape that can release lubricant more easily than each of the second dimples.

Abstract: A fuser may include a rotatable member, a belt, a pressure member, and a sliding member. The belt and rotatable member may form a nip portion. The sliding member may be sandwiched between an inner peripheral surface of the belt and the pressure member. The sliding member may include a front surface, which faces the inner peripheral surface of the belt. The front surface may include a plurality of dimples designed to catch lubricant that moves along ridges between the dimples.

Abstract: A device includes a rotator having a rotation axis, a belt, a belt support surrounded by the belt, and a sliding sheet configured to be pinched at the nip between an inner peripheral surface of the belt and the belt support. The belt support is configured to form a nip with the rotator. One of the belt support and the sliding sheet includes a hook engaging portion. The hook engaging portion includes an aperture. The other of the belt support and the sliding sheet includes a hook engaged to the aperture.

Abstract: A device includes a rotator having a rotation axis, a belt, a nip forming member surrounded by the belt and configured to, with the rotator, pinch the belt to form a nip, an urging member configured to urge one of the rotator and the nip forming member towards the other in a particular direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, an upstream guide and a downstream guide. The upstream guide includes an upstream guide surface configured to guide an inner peripheral surface of the belt. The nip forming member includes a facing surface which faces the rotator. An upstream edge of the facing surface in the moving direction is located at a position farther from the rotation axis, in the particular direction, than a downstream edge of the upstream guide surface.

Abstract: There is provided a fuser including: an endless belt; a contacting member contacting an outer peripheral surface of the endless belt; a pressure roller contacting an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt and sandwiching the endless belt together with the contacting member; and a sliding contact member making sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt. The pressure roller includes a first porous layer impregnated with a lubricating agent, in a place contacting the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt.

Abstract: A fuser has a heater, a heat roller, an endless belt, a pressure pad, and a slidable sheet. The pressure pad forms a nipping portion to nip the endless belt between the pressure pad and the heat roller. The slidable sheet is interposed between an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and the pressure pad in the nipping portion. The slidable sheet includes a plurality of dents and a plurality of projections on a surface contacting the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The plurality of dents are arranged in a first part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The first part is located in a range corresponding to the nipping portion. The plurality of projections are arranged in a second part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The second part is located in a range corresponding to a portion different from the nipping portion.

Abstract: A fuser may include a rotatable member, a belt, a pressure member, and a sliding member. The belt and rotatable member may form a nip portion. The sliding member may be sandwiched between an inner peripheral surface of the belt and the pressure member. The sliding member may include a front surface, which faces the inner peripheral surface of the belt. The front surface may include a plurality of dimples designed to catch lubricant that moves along ridges between the dimples.