Abstract: A voltage nonlinear resistive element 10 includes a resistor 14 containing a joined body 12 in which a zinc oxide ceramic layer 12a composed mainly of zinc oxide and having a volume resistivity of 1.0×10?1 ?cm or less is joined to a bismuth oxide layer 12b composed mainly of bismuth oxide, and a pair of electrodes 16 and 18 disposed on the resistor 14 such that an electrically conductive path passes through a junction between the zinc oxide ceramic layer 12a and the bismuth oxide layer 12b. In this element 10, the zinc oxide ceramic layer 12a of the joined body 12 has a lower volume resistivity than before. This can result in a lower clamping voltage in a high-current region than before.

Abstract: The voltage nonlinear resistive element 10 includes a resistor 14 containing a joined body 12 in which a zinc oxide ceramic layer 12a composed mainly of zinc oxide and having a volume resistivity of less than 1.0×10?2 ?cm is joined to a rare-earth metal oxide layer 12b composed mainly of a rare-earth metal oxide, and a pair of electrodes 16 and 18 disposed on the resistor 14 such that an electrically conductive path passes through a junction between the zinc oxide ceramic layer 12a and the rare-earth metal oxide layer 12b. In this element 10, the zinc oxide ceramic layer 12a of the joined body 12 has a lower volume resistivity than before. This can result in a lower clamping voltage in a high electric current region than before.

Abstract: A fixing device having: a heating unit; a first rotating member and rotating in a first rotational direction; a second rotating member contacting the first rotating member and thereby forming a nip through which a printing medium passes, wherein the second rotating member rotates in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction; a reflective member provided around the first rotating member and having a reflection surface provided so as to face the first rotating member; and an inhibitory member inhibiting air in a space between the reflective member and the first rotating member from flowing out through a first gap between a downstream end of the reflective member in the first rotational direction and a closest portion of the first rotating member to the downstream end of the reflective member, wherein the inhibitory member overlaps with a part of the first gap.

Abstract: A fixing device having: a first rotating member rotating in a first rotational direction; a second rotating member contacting the first rotating member and thereby forming a nip through which a printing medium passes, wherein the second rotating member rotates in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction; a heating unit heating the first rotating member in a heating section not overlapping with the nip when viewed in a plan view in the predetermined direction; and a first reflective member facing at least a part of a portion of the first rotating member that is located on a downstream side in the first rotational direction relative to the heating section but on an upstream side in the first rotational direction relative to the nip, the first reflective member having a reflection surface on the side facing the first rotating member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing belt and a first fixing roller contacting an inner surface of the fixing belt. A second fixing roller contacts an outer surface of the fixing belt to hold the fixing belt against the first fixing roller to define a fixing nip region. An end restriction member supports ends of the fixing belt to restrict its rotation position. A support member is disposed at a position in the end restriction member to pivotally support the first fixing roller. The position is shifted with respect to a center position of the end restriction member corresponding to a rotation center of the fixing belt. The rotation center of the fixing belt is shifted toward a recording-paper conveyance direction of the fixing nip region with respect to a straight line connecting rotation centers of the first and second fixing rollers in a direction orthogonal to their rotation axes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a voltage nonlinear resistor containing zinc oxide as a major component, wherein the degree of orientation f(100) of the (100) plane of zinc oxide is 0.40 or more and is represented by the following equation: f(100)=I(100)/(I(100)+I(002)+I(101)), where I(hkl) represents the peak intensity (integral) of a (hkl) plane.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus including: fixing device thermally fixing unfixed image on recording sheet by causing recording sheet to pass through nip formed by pressing member pressing against outer circumferential surface of heating rotating body having resistance heating layer; temperature measuring unit measuring temperatures of resistance heating layer in measurement regions set by sectioning outer circumferential surface of heating rotating body along rotational axis; information obtaining unit obtaining information indicating temperature changes in measurement regions in one rotational period of heating rotating body, by sampling measured temperatures; and abnormality judging unit judging whether abnormality has occurred in resistance heating layer based on result of comparison of information that is made between measurement regions in each combination, wherein one or more combinations of measurement regions have been set for each of paper-passing and non-paper-passing regions in nip by using all measuremen

Abstract: The present invention provides a voltage nonlinear resistor containing zinc oxide as a major component, wherein the degree of orientation f(100) of the (100) plane of zinc oxide is 0.40 or lure and is represented by the following equation: f(100)=I(100)/(I(100)+I(002)+I(101)), where I(hkl) represents the peak intensity (integral) of a (hkl) plane.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is provided with a ceramic substrate 12 in which an electrode 14 is embedded, an electrode terminal 14a exposed at the bottom of a concave portion 16 disposed on the back surface of the ceramic substrate 12, a power feed member 20 to supply an electric power to the electrode 14, and a joining layer 22 to connect this power feed member 20 to the ceramic substrate 12. The joining layer 22 is formed by using a AuGe based alloy, a AuSn based alloy, or a AuSi based alloy. The ceramic substrate 12 and the power feed member 20 are selected in such a way that the thermal expansion coefficient difference D calculated by subtracting the thermal expansion coefficient of the ceramic substrate 12 from the thermal expansion coefficient of the power feed member 20 satisfies ?2.2?D?6 (unit: ppm/K).

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing belt contacting an inner surface of the fixing belt. A second fixing roller contacts an outer surface of the fixing belt to hold the fixing belt against the first fixing roller to define a fixing nip region. An end restriction member supports ends of the fixing belt to restrict its rotation position. A support member is disposed at a position in the end restriction member to pivotally support the first fixing roller. The position is shifted with respect to a center position of the end restriction member corresponding to a rotation center of the fixing belt. The rotation center of the fixing belt is shifted toward a recording-paper conveyance direction of the fixing nip region with respect to a straight line connecting rotation centers of the first and second fixing rollers in a direction orthogonal to their rotation axes.

Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image onto a recording sheet by causing the sheet to pass through a fixing nip. The fixing device includes: heat belt formed in an endless shape and provided with a resistance heat layer; first pressure member provided inside a running path of the heat belt; and second pressure member pressing the first pressure member from over the running path to form the fixing nip. At least one of the first and second pressure members is rotating body. The heat belt has a pressure-receiving area and two non-pressure areas. The pressure-receiving area receives pressures from both the first and second pressure members. The non-pressure areas have been arranged at outside of the pressure-receiving area in an axis direction of the rotating body. Two ring-like electrodes have been formed on circumferential surfaces of the non-pressure areas and are used to supply power to the resistance heat layer.

Abstract: A mixed powder was prepared by weighing Yb2O3 and SrCO3 in such a way that the molar ratio became 1:1. The resulting mixed powder was subjected to uniaxial pressure forming, so as to produce a disc-shaped compact. The compact was heat-treated in an air atmosphere, so that a complex oxide was synthesized. The resulting complex oxide was pulverized. After the pulverization, a slurry was taken out and was dried in a nitrogen gas stream, so as to produce a synthesized powder material. The resulting synthesized powder material was subjected to uniaxial pressure forming, so as to produce a disc-shaped compact. The resulting compact was fired by a hot-press method, so as to obtain a corrosion-resistant member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The resulting corrosion-resistant member was made from a SrYb2O4.

Abstract: Initially, an Yb2O3 raw material was subjected to uniaxial pressure forming at a pressure of 200 kgf/cm2, so that a disc-shaped compact having a diameter of about 35 mm and a thickness of about 10 mm was produced, and was stored into a graphite mold for firing. Subsequently, firing was performed by using a hot-press method at a predetermined firing temperature (1,500° C.), so as to obtain a corrosion-resistant member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The press pressure during firing was specified to be 200 kgf/cm2 and an Ar atmosphere was kept until the firing was finished. The retention time at the firing temperature (maximum temperature) was specified to be 4 hours. In this manner, the corrosion-resistant member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus made from an Yb2O3 sintered body having an open porosity of 0.2% was obtained.

Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording sheet by passing the recording sheet through a fixing nip. The fixing device has a heat-generating endless belt that includes: a resistive heat layer that generates heat upon receiving electric current; and a pair of electrode layers each disposed along a different one of widthwise edges of the heat-generating endless belt. The resistive heat layer has (i) reduced thickness portions each along a widthwise edge thereof and (ii) a middle portion between the reduced thickness portions. Each reduced thickness portion is thinner than the middle portion and connected to the middle portion with a wall surface upright in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the heat-generating endless belt to define a stair shape. Each electrode layer is disposed on the resistive heat layer to be in contact with a corresponding one of the wall surfaces.

Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording sheet by passing the recording sheet through a fixing nip. The fixing device has: a heat-generating endless belt having, on a circumferential surface thereof, a sheet passing area through which the recording sheet passes; a first pressure member disposed inside a running path of the endless belt; and a second pressure member disposed to press the endless belt against the first pressure member from outside the running path to form the fixing nip. The endless belt includes: a resistive heat layer that generates heat upon receiving electric current; and a pair of electrode layers that receive electric current. The electrode layers flank the sheet passing area. The resistive heat layer is in contact with the electrode layers at a different one of end faces opposing each other in a width direction of the resistive heat layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image onto the recording sheet, the fixing device comprising: a fixing belt; and a meander regulation member provided adjacent to an edge of the fixing belt in a width direction thereof, and operable to prevent meandering of the fixing belt, wherein the fixing belt includes: a resistive heat layer that is tubular and generates heat when an electric current is applied thereto; and first and second electrodes that are provided circumferentially on an outer circumferential surface of the resistive heat layer, and that receive and apply the electric current to the resistive heat layer, and the first electrode is provided closer to the meander regulation member than to the second electrode, and is at a distance from the edge of the fixing belt in the width direction thereof.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a heating rotary member having a heating layer generating heat upon current application; a pressurizing rotary member brought into pressure-contact with an outer circumferential surface of the heating rotary member to form fixing nip, through which a sheet on which unfixed toner image is formed passes for heat fixing; circular electrodes that are circumferentially formed at two respective positions sandwiching a sheet passing region therebetween, on the outer circumferential surface, and feed electrical power to the heating layer, the electrodes are each metallic and formed of at least two electrode layers including a first electrode layer layered directly on the heating layer and a second electrode layer as an outermost layer, linear expansion coefficient difference between the first layer and the heating layer is smaller than that between the second layer and the heating layer, and the second layer is more oxidation-resistant than the first layer.

Abstract: A fixing device thermally fixing an unfixed image by pressing a recording sheet against a heating rotating body using a resistance heating element as a heat source, comprising: a temperature monitoring unit monitoring temperature in a sheet passing region and in a non-sheet passing region of the heating rotating body; a power supply unit supplying power to the resistance heating element so that the temperature in the sheet passing region is maintained at a target temperature during thermal fixing; a cooling unit cooling the non-sheet passing region; and a control unit controlling cooling so that (i) electrical resistivity of the resistance heating element is lower in a region corresponding to the non-sheet passing region than in a region corresponding to the sheet passing region and (ii) an absolute value of a temperature difference between the sheet passing region and the non-sheet passing region does not exceed an allowable temperature difference.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a recording sheet, the fixing device comprising: a fixing belt including, on an inner circumference side thereof, a resistance heating layer, extending over entire circumference of the fixing belt, operable to emit heat upon flowing of an electric current therethrough; a pressing member operable to press an outer circumference of the fixing belt to form a fixing nip therebetween so that, while the recording sheet passes through the fixing nip, the toner image is fixed onto the recording sheet; and a pair of power supply members arranged inside the fixing belt along the circumferential direction with a predetermined distance therebetween, the power supply members being in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the resistance heating layer in an electrically conductive state along a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus including: fixing device thermally fixing unfixed image on recording sheet by causing recording sheet to pass through nip formed by pressing member pressing against outer circumferential surface of heating rotating body having resistance heating layer; temperature measuring unit measuring temperatures of resistance heating layer in measurement regions set by sectioning outer circumferential surface of heating rotating body along rotational axis; information obtaining unit obtaining information indicating temperature changes in measurement regions in one rotational period of heating rotating body, by sampling measured temperatures; and abnormality judging unit judging whether abnormality has occurred in resistance heating layer based on result of comparison of information that is made between measurement regions in each combination, wherein one or more combinations of measurement regions have been set for each of paper-passing and non-paper-passing regions in nip by using all measuremen