Abstract: A grounding structure for an endless belt includes: an endless belt including a conductive layer, the endless belt being configured to move; a conductive conducting unit that is in contact with the conductive layer which is exposed at an end surface of the conducting unit in a direction intersecting a moving direction of the endless belt such that the conducting unit is electrically connected to the conductive layer; a pressure contacting unit that brings the conducting unit into pressure contact with the end surface of the conductive layer of the endless belt; and a grounding unit that grounds the conducting unit.

Abstract: A grounding structure for an endless belt includes: an endless belt including a conductive layer, the endless belt being configured to move; a conductive conducting unit that is in contact with the conductive layer which is exposed at an end surface of the conducting unit in a direction intersecting a moving direction of the endless belt such that the conducting unit is electrically connected to the conductive layer; a pressure contacting unit that brings the conducting unit into pressure contact with the end surface of the conductive layer of the endless belt; and a grounding unit that grounds the conducting unit.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heating section including a belt having a layered structure in which a metal layer is held between nonmetal layers. The belt has a front surface that comes into contact with a toner image and a back surface that does not come into contact with the toner image. The belt has a first thickness from the front surface to the metal layer inside the belt and a second thickness from the back surface to the metal layer inside the belt. The fixing apparatus also includes a pressure section that holds, between the pressure section and the belt, a transported sheet of paper holding the toner image and that applies pressure to the sheet of paper. The fixing apparatus further includes a first static eliminating section that eliminates static from the belt while being in contact with a surface of the belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit including a pressing device and a heating device and that fixes an image formed on a recording medium by nipping the recording medium with the pressing device and the heating device; a driving device that drives the fixing unit; a load detector that detects a load applied to the driving device; and an abnormality detector that detects abnormality in the fixing unit with reference to the load generated when the recording medium passes through the fixing unit.

Abstract: A rotary member support structure includes: a rotary member including a shaft; a bearing that rotatably supports the shaft of the rotary member; a pressing member that presses the bearing in one direction; and a support that supports the bearing such that the bearing is movable in a pressing direction of the pressing member. When the rotary member is not rotating, the bearing and the pressing member are in contact with each other such that the bearing is rotatable about the shaft.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit including a pressing device and a heating device and that fixes an image formed on a recording medium by nipping the recording medium with the pressing device and the heating device; a driving device that drives the fixing unit; a load detector that detects a load applied to the driving device; and an abnormality detector that detects abnormality in the fixing unit with reference to the load generated when the recording medium passes through the fixing unit.

Abstract: A transport monitoring control device includes a pair of rollers configured to transport a recording medium while nipping the recording medium therebetween, the pair of rollers having circumferential surfaces coming in contact with the recording medium, the circumferential surfaces being different from each other in hardness, a driving unit configured to drive the pair of rollers, a detector configured to detect waveforms related to a load of the driving unit, an extractor configured to extract a peak waveform having an extreme point temporarily exceeding a predetermined threshold value, from among the waveforms detected by the detector, and a determining unit configured to determine whether multi-feed of the recording medium is present, based on the number of peak waveforms extracted by the extractor.

Abstract: A rotatable-member-supporting structure includes a first rotatable member having a shaft portion, a bearing member by which the shaft portion of the first rotatable member is rotatably supported, a pressing member that presses the bearing member in one direction, and a supporting member by which the bearing member is supported in such a manner as to be retractably movable in the direction in which the pressing member presses the bearing member. A pressing force generated by the pressing member is greatest in a portion of the bearing member that is on a downstream side in a direction of rotation of the first rotatable member with respect to an intersection between the bearing member and a first virtual line extending from a center of rotation of the first rotatable member toward the pressing member in the direction in which the supporting member is retractably movable.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transport unit configured to pinch and transport a recording medium at a first transport speed, a fixing unit configured to fix an image formed on the recording medium while pinching and transporting the recording medium, which is transported by the transport unit, at a second transport speed, a driving unit configured to drive the fixing unit, a detector configured to detect a load of the driving unit, and a controller configured to perform a control to adjust a speed difference between the first transport speed and the second transport speed with respect to a subsequently transported recording medium when the load becomes larger than a reference value after a peak value of the load when the recording medium enters the fixing unit is detected by the detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transport unit configured to pinch and transport recording medium at a first transport speed, a fixing unit configured to fix an image formed on the recording medium while pinching and transporting the recording medium, which is transported by the transport unit, at a second transport speed, a driving unit configured to drive the fixing unit, a detector configured to detect a load of the driving unit, and a controller configured to perform a control to adjust a speed difference between the first transport speed and the second transport speed with respect to a subsequently transported recording medium when the load becomes larger than a reference value after a peak value of the load when the recording medium enters the fixing unit is detected by the detector.

Abstract: A transport monitoring control device includes a pair of rollers configured to transport a recording medium while nipping the recording medium therebetween, the pair of rollers having circumferential surfaces coming in contact with the recording medium, the circumferential surfaces being different from each other in hardness, a driving unit configured to drive the pair of rollers, a detector configured to detect waveforms related to a load of the driving unit, an extractor configured to extract a peak waveform having an extreme point temporarily exceeding a predetermined threshold value, from among the waveforms detected by the detector, and a determining unit configured to determine whether multi-feed of the recording medium is present, based on the number of peak waveforms extracted by the extractor.

Abstract: A transport monitoring control device includes a transport unit configured to transport a recording medium while nipping the recording medium, a driving unit configured to drive the transport unit, a detector configured to detect a waveform related to a load of the driving unit when the recording medium enters the transport unit or is discharged from the transport unit, and a determining unit configured to determine whether the recording medium is skewed with respect to the transport unit, based on a waveform width at a height obtained by multiplying a peak value of the waveform by a predetermined coefficient.

Abstract: There is provided a fixing device. An endless fixing belt has an inner circumferential surface to which lubricant is applied and that is rotated. A first plate-shaped body is disposed along the inner circumferential surface and is in contact with the inner circumferential surface. A second plate-shaped body is disposed along the first plate-shaped body at a distance to cause a capillary phenomenon in the lubricant. A bent portion is provided in an end portion of the second plate-shaped body in a rotating direction of the fixing belt and is bent on an inner circumferential surface side on a downstream side of an end portion of the first plate-shaped body in the rotating direction of the fixing belt.

Abstract: Provided is a transport device including a first transport section that is driven at a first transport speed and transports a recording medium interposed therein, a second transport section that is driven at a speed different from the first transport speed, is located at a downstream of the first transport section in a transport direction, and transports the recording medium interposed therein, a detection section that detects variations in a driving load of the second transport section before and after the recording medium is discharged from the first transport section, and a derivation section that derives a thickness of the recording medium based on the variations.

Abstract: Provided is a transport device including a transport unit that transports a recording medium by interposing the recording medium, a driving unit that drives the transport unit, a detection unit that detects a peak value of a load of the driving unit when the recording medium is discharged from the transport unit, and a derivation unit that derives a thickness of the recording medium based on the peak value detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a pair of fixing members disposed to face each other in a fixing area, a movable member movably supporting at least one of the fixing members between first and second positions, a driving device including a contact member and a drive source to move the movable member between the first and second positions, and a controller that controls the driving device, and if a temperature of the one of the fixing members is equal to or higher than a preset temperature when the driving device moves the movable member from the second position to the first position, changes the control to make driving force constantly exceed a rotational load of the driving device in accordance with advancement of a time of increase in the rotational load as compared with when the temperature of the one of the fixing members is lower than the preset temperature.

Abstract: There is provided a fixing device. An endless fixing belt has an inner circumferential surface to which lubricant is applied and that is rotated. A first plate-shaped body is disposed along the inner circumferential surface and is in contact with the inner circumferential surface. A second plate-shaped body is disposed along the first plate-shaped body at a distance to cause a capillary phenomenon in the lubricant. A bent portion is provided in an end portion of the second plate-shaped body in a rotating direction of the fixing belt and is bent on an inner circumferential surface side on a downstream side of an end portion of the first plate-shaped body in the rotating direction of the fixing belt.

Abstract: Provided is a transport device including a transport section by which a recording medium is interposed and is transported while rotating, a driving section that drives the transport section, a control section that performs control so that the recording medium enters a predetermined position of the transport section in a rotation direction, a detection section that detects a load of the driving section during a period of time in which the recording medium is transported by the transport section, and a derivation section that derives a thickness of the recording medium based on the load.

Abstract: A transporting device includes a detecting portion that detects a load applied to a driving portion provided for transporting a medium, an identifying portion that identifies a type of the medium from a result of detection performed by the detecting portion, and a correcting portion that fits, if a predetermined instruction is made, the result of detection to a predetermined reference characteristic of the load applied to the driving portion.

Abstract: A transporting device includes a detecting portion that detects a load applied to a driving portion provided for transporting a medium, an identifying portion that identifies a type of the medium from a result of detection performed by the detecting portion, and a correcting portion that fits, if a predetermined instruction is made, the result of detection to a predetermined reference characteristic of the load applied to the driving portion.