Abstract: Provided is a secondary battery including an electrode assembly and an exterior body that houses the electrode assembly. In the secondary battery, the exterior body is provided with a flat plate-shaped terminal joined to the exterior body with an insulating member interposed therebetween, the flat plate-shaped terminal includes a first terminal member and a second terminal member, the first terminal member and the second terminal member are formed from materials that have different linear expansion coefficients from each other, and the first terminal member and the second terminal member are stacked on each other such that the first terminal member is stacked on the second terminal member, and the flat plate-shaped terminal is disposed on the insulating member such that the second terminal member faces the insulating member.

Abstract: A secondary battery that includes an electrode assembly; an exterior body defining a housing space that houses the electrode assembly; a positive electrode terminal that includes a first metal layer made of nickel and a second metal layer made of a metal other than nickel, the first metal layer of the positive electrode terminal is exposed from the exterior body, and the first metal layer has a fixing face; and an insulating material positioned so as to fix the fixing face of the first metal layer to an inner wall of the exterior body, and the insulating material abuts against a face of the positive electrode terminal other than the fixing face of the first metal layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of cartridges containing toners, each cartridge including a storage element that stores a type of thermal characteristic information of the toner contained therein, and a reading portion configured to read the type of thermal characteristic information. A fixing portion thermally fixes a toner image, formed by a plurality of toners of different colors contained in the cartridges, respectively, onto a recording material, and a control portion controls the fixing portion by switching a thermal fixing condition in accordance with a combination of the types of the thermal characteristic information read by the reading portion, the thermal fixing condition being a condition that prioritizes the performance of fixing, to a recording material, a toner, of the toners that form the toner image, that is transferred first to the recording material, from among the plurality of toners of different colors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of cartridges containing toners, each cartridge including a storage element that stores a type of thermal characteristic information of the toner contained therein, and a reading portion configured to read the type of thermal characteristic information. A fixing portion thermally fixes a toner image, formed by a plurality of toners of different colors contained in the cartridges, respectively, onto a recording material, and a control portion controls the fixing portion by switching a thermal fixing condition in accordance with a combination of the types of the thermal characteristic information read by the reading portion, the thermal fixing condition being a condition that prioritizes the performance of fixing, to a recording material, a toner, of the toners that form the toner image, that is transferred first to the recording material, from among the plurality of toners of different colors.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to make contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate, and a heat conduction member configured to make contact with a surface of the heater opposite to a surface thereof being in contact with the film, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate, and being divided into parts in a generatrix direction of the film. The toner image formed on the recording material is fixed on the recording material by using heat of the film, and one of the parts of the heat conduction member is configured to make contact with the heater continuously from a center to an end of a heat generation region of the heater in the generatrix direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of cartridges containing toners, each cartridge including a storage element that stores a type of thermal characteristic information of the toner contained therein, and a reading portion configured to read the type of thermal characteristic information. A fixing portion thermally fixes a toner image, formed by a plurality of toners of different colors contained in the cartridges, respectively, onto a recording material, and a control portion controls the fixing portion by switching a thermal fixing condition in accordance with a combination of the types of the thermal characteristic information read by the reading portion, the thermal fixing condition being a condition that prioritizes the performance of fixing, to a recording material, a toner, of the toners that form the toner image, that is transferred first to the recording material, from among the plurality of toners of different colors.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotatable member, a second rotatable member, a heat generating member that heats the first rotatable member, and a temperature detecting member that detects a temperature of the heat generating member. A motor drives one of the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member. In addition, a controller controls the fixing device by causing the motor to rotate in a state in which a predetermined amount of electrical power is supplied to the heat generating member, and then, supply of the electrical power to the heat generating member is stopped. On the basis of a temperature lowering rate of a detected temperature of the temperature detecting member during rotation of said motor, the controller detects, after stopping supply of the electrical power to the heat generating member, a rotational state of the one of the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat generating member, an endless belt, and a heat conductive member that contacts the heat generating member in a first region. A positioning portion is provided at an end portion of the heat conductive member, so as to extend in a direction in which the positioning portion is spaced apart from the heat generating member. A supporting member is provided with a first opening at a position corresponding to a second region of the heat generating member, and supports the heat generating member via the heat conductive member. An electrical power shut-off member, located in the first opening of the supporting member, shuts off electrical power supplied to the heat generating member. The positioning portion is inserted into the first opening of the supporting member to prevent movement of the heat conductive member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film having an inner surface and a plate-like heater that extends in a longitudinal direction of the film, with the heater having (i) a first surface that contacts the inner surface of the film, and (ii) a second surface opposite to the first surface. The fixing device further includes a heat conduction plate that extends in the longitudinal direction of the film and contacts the second surface of the heater, and a supporting member that supports the heater through the heat conduction plate. An image that is formed on a recording material is heated by heat from the heater through the film.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to make contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate, and a heat conduction member configured to make contact with a surface of the heater opposite to a surface thereof being in contact with the film, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate, and being divided into parts in a generatrix direction of the film. The toner image formed on the recording material is fixed on the recording material by using heat of the film, and one of the parts of the heat conduction member is configured to make contact with the heater continuously from a center to an end of a heat generation region of the heater in the generatrix direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotatable member, a second rotatable member, a heat generating member, a temperature detecting member configured to detect a temperature of the heat generating member, a motor configured to drive the first rotatable member or the second rotatable member, and a controller configured to control the fixing device. The controller causes the motor to rotate in a state in which predetermined electric power is supplied to the heat generating member and then supply of electric power to the heat generating member is stopped. On the basis of a change amount of a detected temperature of the temperature detecting member during rotation of the motor, the controller detects a rotational state of the first rotatable member or the second rotatable member.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of cartridges configured to contain toner and to be detachably attached to an apparatus main body 2 includes a storage element that stores a type of thermal characteristic information on the toner which is classified into at least two types and which is contained in each of the cartridges. The image forming apparatus has a reading portion configured to read the type of the thermal characteristic information stored in the storage element, and a control portion switches a thermal fixing condition to control the fixing portion in accordance with a combination of the types of the thermal characteristic information that has been read by the reading portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat generating member extending in a longitudinal direction and having a first region and a second region, an endless belt, an opposing member opposing the endless belt, a heat conductive member extending in the longitudinal direction within the first region in which a surface of the heat conductive member contacts the heat generating member, a positioning portion extending from an end portion of the surface, an electric power shut-off member provided at a position corresponding to the second region, and a supporting member provided with an opening at a position corresponding to the second region and configured to support the heat generating member through the heat conductive member. The opening is configured to permit insertion of the positioning portion to prevent movement of the heat conductive member.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to make contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate, and a heat conduction member configured to make contact with a surface of the heater opposite to a surface thereof being in contact with the film, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate, and being divided into parts in a generatrix direction of the film. The toner image formed on the recording material is fixed on the recording material by using heat of the film, and one of the parts of the heat conduction member is configured to make contact with the heater continuously from a center to an end of a heat generation region of the heater in the generatrix direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on a recording material. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion to form the toner image on the recording material, and a fixing portion to fix, at a nip, the toner image on the recording material by feeding and heating the recording material on which the toner image is formed. The fixing portion includes a roller having an outer surface that has electroconductivity, a rotatable member that forms the nip and is in contact with the roller, and a casing having electroconductivity. An electrical insulating member is positioned (i) nearest to the outer surface of the roller, and (ii) between the inner surface of the casing and the outer surface of the roller. The electrical insulating member does not directly or indirectly contact the outer surface of the roller, and is provided with a water-absorbing member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film, a planar heater, a heat conduction member, a supporting member, a limiting member for limiting heater end portions with respect to a generatrix direction of the film so as to prevent the end portions from moving in a heater thickness direction relative to the supporting member, and a pressing member. A fixing device state is switchable between a first state in which a press-contact force in the nip is enough to fix the toner image and a second state in which the press-contact force in the nip is smaller than the press-contact force in the first state. A surface where the supporting member opposes the heat conduction member has a shape such that with respect to the generatrix direction, a central portion of the film is projected toward the pressing member to a greater extent than an end portion of the film.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film having an inner surface and a plate-like heater that extends in a longitudinal direction of the film, with the heater having (i) a first surface that contacts the inner surface of the film, and (ii) a second surface opposite to the first surface. The fixing device further includes a heat conduction plate that extends in the longitudinal direction of the film and contacts the second surface of the heater, and a supporting member that supports the heater through the heat conduction plate. An image that is formed on a recording material is heated by heat from the heater through the film.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus heats a toner image formed on a recording material, and includes: a heater including a substrate and a heat generating resistor thereon for generating heat for heating the toner image, by electric power supply; an electric power shut-off member operable in response to an abnormal temperature rise of the heater to shut off the electric power supply; and a heat conduction member having a thermal conductivity, in a direction of a thickness of the substrate, higher than that of the substrate. The contact area between the heat conduction member and the substrate is larger than the contact area between the heat conduction member and the electric power shut-off member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a tubular film; a heater including a first surface being in contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat-generating resistor; a heat-conductive member being in contact with a second surface of the heater opposite to the first surface, the heat-conductive member having a higher thermal conductivity than the substrate; and a supporting member supporting the heater with the heat-conductive member interposed therebetween. The heat-conductive member includes first and second parts at upstream and downstream ends, respectively, in a conveyance direction, and a third part between the first and second parts. The first to third parts are each held between the supporting member and the heater. A non-contact area between the heat-conductive member and the supporting member is provided between the first part and the second part in the conveyance direction. The heat-conductive member is shorter than the heater in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a roller, a heating rotation member configured to form a pressure portion by coming into contact with the roller, the heating rotation member being rotated by rotation of the roller, and a pressing rotation member configured to form a nip portion by coming into contact with the roller, the pressing rotation member being rotated by the rotation of the roller, wherein micro-hardness of a surface of the heating rotation member at the pressure portion and micro-hardness of a surface of the pressing rotation member at the nip portion are both higher than micro-hardness of a surface of the roller, and wherein frictional force acting on the roller at the pressure portion is larger than frictional force acting on the roller at the nip portion.