Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a generating mechanism to generate foam from a liquid or gel which may take a foam state, a coating roller having a peripheral surface supplied with the foam to coat the foam on the peripheral surface onto a surface of a recording medium, and a transport passage to transport the foam from the generating mechanism to the coating roller by an accumulation force of the foam.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus is capable of solving the problems of deterioration of a foam application function and driving systems caused by the dried and fixed foam remaining without being applied. The image forming apparatus includes a foam forming section forming foam, a reservoir section supplying foam formed by the foam forming section to an application roller, a discharge channel through which extra foam is collected from the reservoir section, and a heating unit for heating the extra foam to return the extra foam to a liquid form. The discharged liquid prepared by defoaming the foam discharged through the discharge channel is returned to a container containing the defoamed liquid.

Abstract: A foamed liquid coating apparatus prevents curling or warping of a sheet caused by coating irregularities when coated with a preprocessing solution using a coating roller or a liquid discharge head. The foamed liquid coating apparatus includes a container holding a liquid that can be foamed. A first foamed liquid producing/transporting unit produces a foamed liquid having a foam size greater than a required foam size from the liquid supplied from the container. A second foamed liquid producing/transporting unit produces a foamed liquid having the required foam size from the foamed liquid produced by the first foamed liquid producing/transporting unit. The foamed liquid produced by the second foamed liquid producing/transporting unit is applied onto a first coating roller. The foamed liquid is further supplied from the first coating roller to a second coating roller that coats a sheet with the foamed liquid.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus comprises an image forming unit configured to form an image on a to-be-recorded medium, and a foam application unit configured to apply foam of at least one of a liquid and a gel to the to-be-recorded medium or an intermediate member. The intermediate member is configured to apply the foam to the to-be-recorded medium. The foam application unit includes a storage unit configured to store the foam and spread the foam in a width direction of the to-be-recorded medium or the intermediate member, an applicator configured to apply the foam to the to-be-recorded medium or the intermediate member, and a transport unit configured to transport the foam from the storage unit to the applicator.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium; and a foam application unit configured to apply foam generated by foaming a liquid and/or a gel onto the recording medium. The foam application unit includes an application part configured to apply the foam onto the recording medium, a supply opening configured to supply the foam to the application part, and a spreading part configured to spread the foam on the application part. The spreading part is disposed at an angle with respect to the movement direction of the application part; and the supply opening is disposed near the most upstream portion of the spreading part with respect to the movement direction of the application part.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a nozzle plate having a nozzle that ejects liquid drops, an actuator that deforms a portion of the nozzle plate surrounding the nozzle with heat, and a flow path member opposing the nozzle plate, which forms a flow path for guiding liquid to the nozzle. A fluidity resistance path is provided in the flow path between a nozzle plate portion surrounding the nozzle and a portion of the flow path member opposing the nozzle plate portion. A fluidity resistance of the fluidity resistance path is changed by deforming the nozzle plate portion.

Abstract: A heater operable with main and auxiliary power supply units. A controller selects a first mode to permit discharge of the auxiliary power supply unit when a voltage or power from the auxiliary power supply unit is a startable value or greater without making reference to judgment information, or a second mode to permit discharge of the auxiliary power supply unit based on the judgment information when the voltage or power from the auxiliary supply unit is less than the startable value.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus comprises an image forming unit configured to form an image on a to-be-recorded medium, and a foam application unit configured to apply foam of at least one of a liquid and a gel to the to-be-recorded medium or an intermediate member. The intermediate member is configured to apply the foam to the to-be-recorded medium. The foam application unit includes a storage unit configured to store the foam and spread the foam in a width direction of the to-be-recorded medium or the intermediate member, an applicator configured to apply the foam to the to-be-recorded medium or the intermediate member, and a transport unit configured to transport the foam from the storage unit to the applicator.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus is capable of solving the problems of deterioration of a foam application function and driving systems caused by the dried and fixed foam remaining without being applied. The image forming apparatus includes a foam forming section forming foam, a reservoir section supplying foam formed by the foam forming section to an application roller, a discharge channel through which extra foam is collected from the reservoir section, and a heating unit for heating the extra foam to return the extra foam to a liquid form. The discharged liquid prepared by defoaming the foam discharged through the discharge channel is returned to a container containing the defoamed liquid.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a generating mechanism to generate foam from a liquid or gel which may take a foam state, a coating roller having a peripheral surface supplied with the foam to coat the foam on the peripheral surface onto a surface of a recording medium, and a transport passage to transport the foam from the generating mechanism to the coating roller by an accumulation force of the foam.

Abstract: A foamed liquid coating apparatus prevents curling or warping of a sheet caused by coating irregularities when coated with a preprocessing solution using a coating roller or a liquid discharge head. The foamed liquid coating apparatus includes a container holding a liquid that can be foamed. A first foamed liquid producing/transporting unit produces a foamed liquid having a foam size greater than a required foam size from the liquid supplied from the container. A second foamed liquid producing/transporting unit produces a foamed liquid having the required foam size from the foamed liquid produced by the first foamed liquid producing/transporting unit. The foamed liquid produced by the second foamed liquid producing/transporting unit is applied onto a first coating roller. The foamed liquid is further supplied from the first coating roller to a second coating roller that coats a sheet with the foamed liquid.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: A power storage apparatus is disclosed, which includes a charge-able and discharge-able capacitor unit, discharged power being supplied to an electrical load. The power storage apparatus includes a detection unit configured to determine whether an amount of power stored by the capacitor unit falls less than a predetermined magnitude at a predetermined voltage. Degradation of the power storage apparatus is determined based on a detection result of the detection unit, and a setting value concerning charging and discharging is adjusted.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material in an image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, a heating part that heats the fixing member to fix an image formed on the recording material by heat, a storage unit that is charged by an external power source to supply power to the heating part, and a control unit that controls the external power source to supply power to the heating part and determines whether to start to supply power to the heating part from the storage unit. The control unit controls the external power source to charge the storage unit during a period from when power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is completed at the time of warming-up the fixing member by the heating part until when the power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is started.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material includes a fixing member disposed on a recording material conveyance path, a heating part that heats the fixing member to fix the image formed on the recording material by heat, and a storage unit that is charged by an external power source to supply power to the heating part. The fixing device further includes a fixing temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the fixing member, and a control unit that controls the external power source to supply power to the heating part and to determine whether to start to supply power to the heating part from the storage unit based on the temperature of the fixing member, at the time of warming-up the fixing member by the heating part.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium; and a foam application unit configured to apply foam generated by foaming a liquid and/or a gel onto the recording medium. The foam application unit includes an application part configured to apply the foam onto the recording medium, a supply opening configured to supply the foam to the application part, and a spreading part configured to spread the foam on the application part. The spreading part is disposed at an angle with respect to the movement direction of the application part; and the supply opening is disposed near the most upstream portion of the spreading part with respect to the movement direction of the application part.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.