Abstract: A fixing device includes a drive roller, a driven roller driven to rotate by the drive roller, and a braking force applicator. The driven roller presses against the drive roller to form an area of contact between the drive roller and the driven roller, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. The braking force applicator applies a braking force to the driven roller to generate a shear force between the drive roller and the driven roller. The shear force acting between the drive roller and the driven roller when the drive roller and the driven roller rotate is in a range of from 15N to 25N.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt formed into a loop rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure roller disposed opposite the fixing belt. The pressure roller includes a shaft fixedly positioned and a deformable elastic layer. A fixing pad is disposed inside the loop formed by the fixing belt and separably pressed against the pressure roller via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure roller, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A biasing member biases the fixing pad and the fixing belt against the pressure roller. A stopper restricts motion of the fixing pad biased by the biasing member. The stopper contacts the fixing pad while the recording medium bearing the toner image is conveyed through the fixing nip.

Abstract: A belt device includes an endless belt and a rotary driver contacting an outer circumferential surface of the belt to drive and rotate the belt. An opposed belt support is disposed opposite the rotary driver and in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the belt. A rotary belt support is disposed opposite the rotary driver via the opposed belt support and in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the belt. A belt support holder holds the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support to retain a predetermined interval between the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support. A biasing assembly presses against the belt support holder to move the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support collectively with respect to the rotary driver and bias the opposed belt support against the rotary driver.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotary body, a second rotary body to contact the first rotary body, and a plain bearing that supports the first rotary body or the second rotary body. One rotary body of the first rotary body and the second rotary body has an outer diameter increasing, while the other rotary body has an outer diameter decreasing, in a curved line from an axial center portion to axial end portions of the first rotary body and the second rotary body at least between the first rotary body and the second rotary body. A recording medium passes between the first rotary body and the second rotary body with a circumferential component of a shear force generated between the first rotary body and the second rotary body by use of the plain bearing being in a range of from 15N to 25N.

Abstract: A belt device includes an endless belt and a rotary driver contacting an outer circumferential surface of the belt to drive and rotate the belt. An opposed belt support is disposed opposite the rotary driver and in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the belt. A rotary belt support is disposed opposite the rotary driver via the opposed belt support and in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the belt. A belt support holder holds the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support to retain a predetermined interval between the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support. A biasing assembly presses against the belt support holder to move the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support collectively with respect to the rotary driver and bias the opposed belt support against the rotary driver.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt formed into a loop rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure roller disposed opposite the fixing belt. The pressure roller includes a shaft fixedly positioned and a deformable elastic layer. A fixing pad is disposed inside the loop formed by the fixing belt and separably pressed against the pressure roller via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure roller, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A biasing member biases the fixing pad and the fixing belt against the pressure roller. A stopper restricts motion of the fixing pad biased by the biasing member. The stopper contacts the fixing pad while the recording medium bearing the toner image is conveyed through the fixing nip.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a drive roller, a driven roller driven to rotate by the drive roller, and a braking force applicator. The driven roller presses against the drive roller to form an area of contact between the drive roller and the driven roller, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. The braking force applicator applies a braking force to the driven roller to generate a shear force between the drive roller and the driven roller. The shear force acting between the drive roller and the driven roller when the drive roller and the driven roller rotate is in a range of from 15N to 25N.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt formed into a loop rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure roller disposed opposite the fixing belt. The pressure roller includes a shaft fixedly positioned and a deformable elastic layer. A fixing pad is disposed inside the loop formed by the fixing belt and separably pressed against the pressure roller via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure roller, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A biasing member biases the fixing pad and the fixing belt against the pressure roller. A stopper restricts motion of the fixing pad biased by the biasing member. The stopper contacts the fixing pad while the recording medium bearing the toner image is conveyed through the fixing nip.

Abstract: A belt device includes an endless belt and a rotary driver contacting an outer circumferential surface of the belt to drive and rotate the belt. An opposed belt support is disposed opposite the rotary driver and in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the belt. A rotary belt support is disposed opposite the rotary driver via the opposed belt support and in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the belt. A belt support holder holds the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support to retain a predetermined interval between the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support. A biasing assembly presses against the belt support holder to move the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support collectively with respect to the rotary driver and bias the opposed belt support against the rotary driver.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotary body, a second rotary body to contact the first rotary body, and a plain bearing that supports the first rotary body or the second rotary body. One rotary body of the first rotary body and the second rotary body has an outer diameter increasing, while the other rotary body has an outer diameter decreasing, in a curved line from an axial center portion to axial end portions of the first rotary body and the second rotary body at least between the first rotary body and the second rotary body. A recording medium passes between the first rotary body and the second rotary body with a circumferential component of a shear force generated between the first rotary body and the second rotary body by use of the plain bearing being in a range of from 15N to 25N.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device to form a cleaning toner image in a cleaning region on a cleaning sheet and a check toner image in a check region on the cleaning sheet. The image forming apparatus further includes a fixing device including a first rotator and a heater to heat the first rotator to a cleaning temperature that is lower than a fixing temperature to which the first rotator is heated in a print job and higher than a cold offset temperature at which toner adheres to the first rotator by cold offset. Each of the cleaning region and the check region has a length greater than a circumferential length of the first rotator. The cleaning region and the check region are disposed at a leading section and a trailing section of the cleaning sheet in a cleaning sheet conveyance direction, respectively.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt formed into a loop rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure roller disposed opposite the fixing belt. The pressure roller includes a shaft fixedly positioned and a deformable elastic layer. A fixing pad is disposed inside the loop formed by the fixing belt and separably pressed against the pressure roller via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure roller, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A biasing member biases the fixing pad and the fixing belt against the pressure roller. A stopper restricts motion of the fixing pad biased by the biasing member. The stopper contacts the fixing pad while the recording medium bearing the toner image is conveyed through the fixing nip.

Abstract: A belt device includes a support and a support roller that support a belt. A driven gear is mounted on one of a plurality of shafts of the support roller. A driving gear meshing with the driven gear at a mesh position transmits a driving force to the support roller through the driven gear to rotate the support roller. An elastic bearing rotatably bearing each of the plurality of shafts of the support roller has an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the shaft of the support roller. The bearing includes a slit defining a part of the bearing in a circumferential direction thereof. The slit is disposed upstream from the mesh position in the direction of rotation of the support roller such that the mesh position and the slit define a circumferential angle not smaller than about 20 degrees.

Abstract: A belt device includes an endless belt and a rotary driver contacting an outer circumferential surface of the belt to drive and rotate the belt. An opposed belt support is disposed opposite the rotary driver and in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the belt. A rotary belt support is disposed opposite the rotary driver via the opposed belt support and in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the belt. A belt support holder holds the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support to retain a predetermined interval between the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support. A biasing assembly presses against the belt support holder to move the opposed belt support and the rotary belt support collectively with respect to the rotary driver and bias the opposed belt support against the rotary driver.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device to form a cleaning toner image in a cleaning region on a cleaning sheet and a check toner image in a check region on the cleaning sheet. The image forming apparatus further includes a fixing device including a first rotator and a heater to heat the first rotator to a cleaning temperature that is lower than a fixing temperature to which the first rotator is heated in a print job and higher than a cold offset temperature at which toner adheres to the first rotator by cold offset. Each of the cleaning region and the check region has a length greater than a circumferential length of the first rotator. The cleaning region and the check region are disposed at a leading section and a trailing section of the cleaning sheet in a cleaning sheet conveyance direction, respectively.

Abstract: A belt device includes a support and a support roller that support a belt. A driven gear is mounted on one of a plurality of shafts of the support roller. A driving gear meshing with the driven gear at a mesh position transmits a driving force to the support roller through the driven gear to rotate the support roller. An elastic bearing rotatably bearing each of the plurality of shafts of the support roller has an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the shaft of the support roller. The bearing includes a slit defining a part of the bearing in a circumferential direction thereof. The slit is disposed upstream from the mesh position in the direction of rotation of the support roller such that the mesh position and the slit define a circumferential angle not smaller than about 20 degrees.

Abstract: A toner container includes a substantially tetrahedral toner-containing portion having an openable edge to discharge toner contained in the toner-containing portion, and a reference fold along which the toner container is foldable after the openable edge is opened. The reference fold extends from the openable edge and is provided on medians of two triangular faces of the toner-containing portion adjoining each other along the openable edge.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator. A pressure rotator is pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator to drive and rotate the fixing rotator. A nip formation member presses against the pressure rotator via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. The nip formation member supports the fixing rotator. A driving rotator supporting the fixing rotator drives and rotates the fixing rotator. The driving rotator rotates at a circumferential speed greater than a circumferential speed of the pressure rotator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form a toner image on a recording medium and a fixing device. The fixing device includes a fixing belt to fix a toner image onto a recording medium transported to a fixing nip, a pressing member pressed against the fixing belt to form the fixing nip therebetween, a heating roller accommodating a heater to heat the fixing belt. A holder is provided to hold the heater at one end of the heater. An inner diameter of the heating roller and an outer diameter of the holder are substantially the same, and the heating roller and the holder partially overlap with each other in an axial direction of the heating roller. The interior and the exterior of the heating roller are preferably insulated by the heating roller and the holder by a prescribed degree not to change air pressure in the heating roller.

Abstract: A belt device includes a plurality of support members including an opposed support member and a non-opposed support member; a belt rotatably supported by the plurality of support members; a drive roller disposed opposite any one of the plurality of support members with the belt sandwiched in between, a rotary drive force is transmitted to one end in an axial direction thereof; a drive roller retainer to retain an end in the axial direction of the drive roller and maintain a constant between the drive roller and the opposed support member; an opposed support member retainer to allow the opposed support member to advance toward and retreat from the opposed support member and the drive roller; and a bias applier to bias the opposed support member toward the drive roller.