Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater provided with a heat generating element generating heat upon electric energization to a base; a supporting member for supporting the heater; a back-up member press-contacted to the heater; wherein an image on a recording material is heated by heat from the heater; wherein at least such a portion of the supporting member as supports the heater is of thermoplastic material.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater; a film having a side for sliding movement relative to the heater through a lubricant and another surface contactable to a recording material carrying an image; driving member for driving the film in contact therewith; and wherein when the heater is not effecting its heating operation, a friction between the film and the driving member is smaller than a friction between the film and the heater.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater which is stationary in use; a film slidable on the heater; a backup member cooperable the heater to form a nip, with the film being interposed between them, an image carried on a recording material being heated through the film in the nip by heat from the heater; and a feeding interval controlling device for varying the recording material interval with which the recording materials are consecutively fed.

Abstract: A heater includes a base plate, and a resistor, extending in a longitudinal direction of the base plate, for generating heat when a power supply is applied thereto. A recess, such as a hole or groove, is formed in the base plate in a longitudinal portion of the resistor, to bias the base plate to break at the longitudinal portion and to open a circuit including the power supply and the resistor, to safely prevent overheating or smoking of the heater.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus includes a heating member for heating an unfixed image carried on a recording material; a fixing temperature controller for providing a variable fixing temperature of the heating member; wherein when the fixing temperature is lowered, an interval of recording material supply to the heating member is increased.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes magnetic flux generating means, having an excitation coil and a core member therein, for generating magnetic flux; an electroconductive member, movable together with a recording material having and image, for generating heat by eddy current generated therein by the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generating means, wherein the image is heated by the heat; wherein the core member is divided into first and second portions in a direction substantially perpendicular to a movement direction of the electroconductive member.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heating member; a temperature detecting member for detecting the temperature of the heating member; a power supply controller for controlling the power supply to the heating member so that the temperature detected by the temperature detecting element during a fixing operation is maintained substantially constant at a predetermined fixing temperature; and a temperature selecting device for selecting a fixing temperature in response to both the temperature of the heating member before beginning of the fixing temperature control and a rate of the temperature change of the heating member upon supplying a predetermined amount of power to the heating member or upon turning it off.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater; a movable film having a first surface in contact with the heater and a second surface contactable with a recording material supporting a toner image; heating a toner image on a recording material by heat from the heater; the film comprising an insulative base layer chargeable to a polarity opposite from the of the toner and an electrically conductive layer at a position closer to the insulative base layer.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater; temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the heater; electric power supply controller for controlling electric power supply to the heater during image heating, so that the temperature detector detects a predetermined set temperature; and a temperature determining device for determining the set temperature on the basis of a change of the temperature detected by the temperature detector when electric power supply to the heater is stopped.

Abstract: An image heating device which includes a heater; a temperature detecting element to detect a temperature of the heater; and a controller for controlling power supply to the heater, so that the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member is maintained at a predetermined temperature, and the controller controls the power supply to the heater, based on a rising speed of the temperature detected during a period from the time when the power supply to the heater is started till the time when the temperature reaches the predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A charging device contactable to a member in order to charge it electrically. The voltage of the charging member includes an AC component. A controller controls the AC component so as to be a constant current, by which the member to be charged can be stably and uniformly charged even if ambient conditions change.

Abstract: An elastic roller includes a conductive base; an elastic layer on the conductive base; a surface parting layer on the elastic layer, the surface parting layer having a surface resistance of not less than 10.sup.10 ohm; wherein the elastic layer has a volume resistivity of not more than 10.sup.7 ohm.cm.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater; a temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of the heater; the controller for controlling electric power supplied to the heater so that the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member is maintained at a predetermined temperature; comparing device for comparing the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member to the reference temperature; wherein, when the detected temperature remains to be no less than the reference temperature for a predetermined period of time, the controller reduces a duty ratio of the electric power to be supplied to the heater.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image on an image supporting material. A guiding member for guiding the image supporting material is provided without contact to an image fixing rotatable member but with a predetermined small clearance. In order to maintain the predetermined clearance, spacers are provided at positions outside the maximum image forming region. The rotatable image fixing member is prevented from being damaged, and in addition, the image supporting material is prevented from being wrapped on the rotatable member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater and a film movable together with a recording material carrying an image so that the image on the recording material is heated by heat from the heater through the film. A guiding member guides a surface of the film that contacts the heater, and the guiding member has a surface with projections effective to reduce a contact area between the guiding surface and the film. In addition, a lubricant is supplied between the guiding surface and the film so as to reduce frictional contact.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member, a charger for electrically charging the image bearing member, latent image forming device for forming a latent image with use of the charger, a developing device for developing the latent image formed by the latent image forming device with toner electrically charged to a polarity the same as a polarity to which the image bearing member is charged by the charger, image transfer member contactable to a back side of a transfer material to transfer a toner image provided by the developing device from the image bearing member to the transfer material, a voltage application device for applying a voltage to the transfer member, the voltage application device applying a voltage having a polarity the same as that of the toner to the transfer member during non-transferring operation, and a device for providing different potentials for a portion of the image bearing member to be opposed to the image transfer device during the non-transfer action by sai

Abstract: A charging device for charging a moving member to be charged includes charging device for being contacted to the member to be charged to charge the member; a voltage source for applying a vibratory voltage to the charging device; wherein the charging device includes a first layer contactable to the member to be charged, a second layer adjacent thereto wherein the first layer is a dielectric layer having a volume resistivity larger than that of the second layer.