Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heating device including a heater, a developing device, and an airflow generation device. The heater includes a base, a heat generator, an electrode portion, and conductive portions. The conductive portions are disposed on one side and another side in a longitudinal direction in a heat generation region and spaced apart in a lateral direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. A maximum total value among total values of squares of current flowing in the conductive portions at longitudinal positions on the one side is larger than that on said another side. The developing device includes a rotating member and sliding portions. A sliding portion having highest temperature in operation is disposed on one side of the developing device being same as the one side of the heater in the longitudinal direction. The airflow generation device generates an airflow toward the one side of the developing device.

Abstract: A planar heater includes a base, a resister pattern, a conductor pattern, a power supply electrode, and a base pattern. The base includes a surface portion made of an insulative material. The resistor pattern is on the base. The conductor pattern is on the base and electrically coupled to the resistor pattern. The power supply electrode is electrically coupled to the conductor pattern. The base pattern is on the base and made of a material different from a material of the surface portion of the base to print visible identification information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heating device, a rotator, and a blade. The heating device includes a heater extending in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of a recording medium. The heater includes a heat generator and generates a larger heat amount at one end than at a center. The blade includes a rubbing portion extending in the direction. Both ends of the rubbing portion face both ends of the heater. The rotator and the blade are configured such that a friction force between the rotator and one end of the rubbing portion is smaller than a friction force between the rotator and the center of the rubbing portion in the direction.

Abstract: A heater includes a base, a plurality of heat generators arranged on the base in parallel to a longitudinal direction of the base, a plurality of electrodes on the base, and conductor paths disposed on the base. The conductor paths are electrically connected to the heat generators and the electrodes. The conductor paths include a main conductor path connected to one of the electrodes and a branch conductor path branched from the main conductor path. At least a part of the branch conductor path has a lower electrical resistance per unit length than an electrical resistance per unit length of the main conductor path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heating device including a heater, a developing device, and an airflow generation device. The heater includes a base, a heat generator, an electrode portion, and conductive portions. The conductive portions are disposed on one side and another side in a longitudinal direction in a heat generation region and spaced apart in a lateral direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. A maximum total value among total values of squares of current flowing in the conductive portions at longitudinal positions on the one side is larger than that on said another side. The developing device includes a rotating member and sliding portions. A sliding portion having highest temperature in operation is disposed on one side of the developing device being same as the one side of the heater in the longitudinal direction. The airflow generation device generates an airflow toward the one side of the developing device.

Abstract: A heating device includes an endless belt that rotates and a pressure rotator that rotates in a rotation direction. The pressure rotator contacts an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt to form a nip therebetween, through which a heating target having a particular width in an axial direction of the pressure rotator is conveyed. A heater includes a heat generator that defines a conveyance span in the axial direction of the pressure rotator, where the heating target is conveyed, and a non-conveyance span in the axial direction of the pressure rotator, where the heating target is not conveyed. A non-conveyance span temperature detector is disposed opposite the pressure rotator in the non-conveyance span of the heat generator. The non-conveyance span temperature detector detects a temperature of the pressure rotator.

Abstract: A heater includes an electrode, a heat generator, and a plurality of layers including a first layer and at least one additional layer disposed in an opposite side with respect to a surface on which the electrode is disposed. The at least one additional layer includes at least one of a plurality of portions, a gap at a location corresponding to the electrode, existing between the plurality of portions and a single portion, at least a part of the single portion corresponding to the electrode, being relatively thinner than a part of the single portion corresponding to the heat generator.

Abstract: With respect to a method of determining a split scheme, the method includes calculating, by one or more processors, data related to data transfer time, for each combination of parallelization axes at respective layers of a hierarchical memory computer, based on data transfer methods, a size of a problem to be calculated, and communication bandwidths between the layers. The data transfer methods are determined by the parallelization axes, and the parallelization axes indicate how to split the problem. The method further includes determining, by the one or more processors, a combination of the parallelization axes based on the data related to the data transfer time calculated for each combination of the parallelization axes.

Abstract: A heater includes a base, a resistor pattern, and a circuit breaker. The resistor pattern includes a plurality of rows of resistors extending in a longitudinal direction of the base. The plurality of rows of resistors are spaced away from each other in a short-side direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the base, coupled in parallel, and configured to generate heat by energization. The circuit breaker is disposed across the plurality of rows of resistors in the short-side direction and configured to cut off power supply to the resistor pattern when a temperature of any one of the plurality of rows of resistors reaches a high temperature threshold.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a protectant applicator, a heating device, and a protectant biasing member. The protectant applicator applies protectant to the image bearer. The heating device includes a heater including a base, a heat generator, an electrode, and a conductor coupling the heat generator to the electrode. The heater has a first position and a second position having a higher temperature than the first position. These are symmetrical to each other with respect to a longitudinal center of a heat generation area of the heater. The protectant biasing member biases the protectant to the protectant applicator with a first biasing force at a position closer to the first position than to the second position and with a second biasing force larger than the first biasing force at a position closer to the second position than to the first, and the protectant contacts the protectant applicator.

Abstract: There are provided a molding conditions determination assist device and a resin state estimation device including: a quality estimation unit which estimates quality of the mold products by a machine learning on the basis of a detection data; a quality transition storage unit which accumulates the estimated quality of the mold products and stores a quality transition with respect to the accumulated quality of the mold products; a tendency evaluation unit which evaluates a quality change tendency with respect to a prescribed standard quality on the basis of the quality transition; a relationship storage unit which stores a relationship between the quality change tendency and a modification amount of the molding conditions for returning the quality to the standard quality; and a modification conditions determination unit which determines the modification amount of the molding conditions on the basis of the quality change tendency and the relationship.

Abstract: A heating device includes a heater and a feeding member. The heater includes a base and an electrode mounted on an electrode mounting face of the base. The feeding member includes a connector terminal and a restrictor. The connector terminal contacts the electrode. The restrictor engages the heater and restricts displacement of the feeding member relative to the heater.

Abstract: A heating device (9) includes a heater (22), a holder (23), a device frame (40), a primary positioner (A), a secondary positioner (B), and a tertiary positioner (C). The heater includes a heat generator (60). The holder holds the heater. The device frame is configured to support the holder. The primary positioner is configured to position the heater and the holder in a longitudinal direction of the heater. The secondary positioner is configured to position the holder and the device frame in the longitudinal direction of the heater. The tertiary positioner is configured to position the device frame and a body of an image forming apparatus in the longitudinal direction of the heater. The primary positioner and one of the secondary positioner and the tertiary positioner are disposed on an identical side defined by a center of the heat generator in the longitudinal direction of the heater.

Abstract: A heating device includes a base, a plurality of resistance heating elements, a power control circuit, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and control circuitry. The resistance heating elements is disposed in a longitudinal direction of the base and electrically connected in parallel with each other. The power control circuit is configured to supply electrical power to the resistance heating elements. The control circuitry is configured to control an electrical power amount of the power control circuit so that temperatures of the resistance heating elements become equal to a first predetermined temperature based on a result of sensing with a first temperature sensor of the resistance heating elements and cut off the electrical power supplied from the power control circuit to the resistance heating elements in response to sensing of a second predetermined temperature with a second temperature sensor of the resistance heating elements.

Abstract: A heater includes a base layer, a heat generator mounted on the base layer, and a slide layer mounted on the base layer. A sliding face of a counterpart slides over the slide layer. The slide layer is made of a material containing fluorine and includes a slide face that contacts the sliding face of the counterpart. The slide face of the slide layer has a surface roughness that is greater than a surface roughness of the sliding face of the counterpart.

Abstract: A heater for being attached to a heating device includes a base layer, a heat generator mounted on the base layer, an electrode mounted on the base layer, and a feeder mounted on the base layer. The feeder is interposed between the electrode and the heat generator. The feeder is configured to electrically connect the electrode to the heat generator. A positioner is configured to engage a counterpart of the heating device. The positioner is configured to position the heater in a longitudinal direction of the heater when the heater is attached to the heating device.

Abstract: A heating device includes an endless rotator that rotates in a rotation direction and a heater that contacts an inner circumferential surface of the endless rotator and extends in an axial direction of the endless rotator. An elastic body contacts the inner circumferential surface of the endless rotator and is disposed downstream from the heater in the rotation direction of the endless rotator. A holder holds the heater and the elastic body. A pressure rotator is disposed opposite the heater and the elastic body via the endless rotator to form a nip between the endless rotator and the pressure rotator. A motion restrictor is mounted on the holder. The motion restrictor restricts motion of the heater downstream in the rotation direction of the endless rotator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a resistive heat generator and a power control device that controls power supplied to the resistive heat generator. The power control device supplies the power at a predetermined power duty cycle for adjustment to the resistive heat generator. The power control device adjusts a power duty cycle when the resistive heat generator is used.

Abstract: A heating device includes a heater, a holder, a connector, and a guide pair. The heater includes an electrode through which power is conducted. The holder is configured to hold the heater. The connector includes a conduction terminal and an engagement portion. The conduction terminal is configured to contact the electrode. The engagement portion is configured to be engaged with the holder. The connector is attachable to the holder to engage the engagement portion with the holder and contact the conduction terminal with the electrode. The guide pair includes a convex portion and a recess. The convex portion is disposed in one of the holder and the connector. The recess is disposed in another one of the holder and the connector. The guide pair is configured to guide the connector in an attaching direction of the connector to attach the connector to the holder.

Abstract: A heater includes a plurality of resistive heat generators electrically connected to each other in parallel. A power supply supplies power to the resistive heat generators. An electric current detector detects an electric current that flows through the resistive heat generators. A voltage detector detects a voltage applied to the resistive heat generators. An electric current controller controls the electric current that flows through the resistive heat generators based on the electric current detected by the electric current detector and the voltage detected by the voltage detector. The electric current detector detects the electric current in a state in which, after the power supply starts supplying the power to the resistive heat generators, a waveform of an alternating current supplied to the resistive heat generators remains constant for a predetermined time period or longer taken for the electric current detector to detect the electric current.