Abstract: A biomass pulverizing apparatus includes a pulverizing apparatus body including a feedstock supply pipe, the pulverizing apparatus body for supplying biomass feedstock from above in a vertical axial direction, a pulverizing table for placing the biomass feedstock, a drive section for rotationally driving the pulverizing table, a pulverizing roller for pulverizing the biomass feedstock by a pressing force, the pulverizing roller being operated in conjunction with the rotation of the pulverizing table, a blower unit for forming an upward flow upward from below on the outer peripheral side of the pulverizing table so as to jet conveying gas for conveying the pulverized biomass powder in an air stream, a classifier, the classifier for classifying the biomass powder accompanied with the conveying gas, and a blowing gas introduction section.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises a rotatable fixing member to heat a side of a recording medium bearing an unfixed image; a heat source to heat the rotatable fixing member; a rotatable pressing member disposed opposite the fixing member to press against an outer side of the fixing member; a housing to accommodate the fixing member and the pressing member; a conveyance path defined internally within the fixing device to convey a recording medium therethrough and between the fixing member and the pressing member, and a shutter actuator to move the shutter to open and close the conveyance path. The housing holds the shutter and the shutter actuator.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a heater disposed opposite and heating a heating span of the fixing rotary body. A controller is operatively connected to a power supply that supplies power to the heater and a driver that rotates the fixing rotary body to control the power supply and the driver. The controller performs at least one of a rotation speed control that controls the driver to rotate the fixing rotary body at an increased rotation speed and a power supply control that controls the power supply to supply an increased amount of power to the heater.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a support member fixedly provided inside a loop formed by a fixing member to support a nip formation member provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member. A biasing member is provided between the support member and a heater support that supports a laminated heater that generates heat to be transmitted to the fixing member. The heater support thermally expands in a first direction due to heat generated by the laminated heater. The biasing member applies bias to the heater support in a second direction opposite the first direction and in which the heater support presses the laminated heater against an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a flexible, endless belt-shaped fixing member that rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation, a substantially cylindrical metal heat conductor provided inside a loop formed by the fixing member and facing an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, a pressing member that presses the fixing member against the metal heat conductor to form a nip between the fixing member and the pressing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes, and a separator that presses the fixing member against the metal heat conductor, provided downstream from the nip in the direction of rotation of the fixing member and contacting the recording medium discharged from the nip to separate the recording medium from the fixing member and guide the recording medium out of the fixing device.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a heater disposed opposite and heating the fixing rotary body. An opposed body contacts the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium is conveyed. A heat shield is movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater. A driver is connected to the heat shield to drive and move the heat shield between a shield position where the heat shield is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater and a retracted position where the heat shield is retracted from the shield position. A reinforcement is mounted on a long edge of the heat shield.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device including a fixing rotary body and a heater for heating the fixing rotary body. An opposed body contacts the fixing rotary body with releasable pressure therebetween to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium is conveyed. A heat shield is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body and movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater in a variable circumferential direct heating span of the fixing rotary body where the heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotary body directly. A controller halts the heat shield instantly when a fault occurs during a print job.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a heater disposed opposite and heating the fixing rotary body. A heat shield is movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater. A driver is connected to the heat shield to drive and move the heat shield within a circumferential moving span in the circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body. An abnormal temperature detector detects an abnormal temperature of the fixing rotary body that is not lower than a predetermined temperature. The abnormal temperature detector is disposed opposite a circumferential outboard span outboard from the circumferential moving span of the heat shield in the circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a heater disposed opposite and heating the fixing rotary body. An opposed body contacts the fixing rotary body with releasable pressure therebetween to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium is conveyed. A heat shield is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body and movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body between a home position where the heat shield is disposed opposite the heater indirectly and a shield position where the heat shield is disposed opposite the heater directly to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater. A controller is operatively connected to the heat shield to move the heat shield to the home position when a print job is finished.

Abstract: A pressure adjuster for changing pressure between a plurality of opposed bodies pressed against each other includes a cam rotatable in a given direction of rotation and having a top dead center on an outer circumferential surface thereof that is distanced farthest from a rotation axis of the cam. A driver is connected to the cam to drive and rotate the cam. A cam rest contacts the cam and is connected to one of the plurality of opposed bodies. A cam regulation assembly is connected to the cam to regulate rotation of the cam at least when the top dead center of the cam passes a contact position where the cam contacts the cam rest.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater for heating the fixing rotary body. An opposed body contacts the fixing rotary body with releasable pressure therebetween to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium is conveyed. A heat shield is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body and movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater in a variable circumferential direct heating span of the fixing rotary body where the heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotary body directly. A controller is operatively connected to the heater and the heat shield to move the heat shield after the controller turns on the heater as a print job starts so as to change an area of the direct heating span of the fixing rotary body.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a substantially cylindrical metal member, a heater positioned to heat the metal member, an endless, flexible fixing member disposed rotatably around the metal member and heated by the metal member to heat and fix a toner image, a rotary pressing member disposed opposite the metal member and pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip therebetween, and a stationary member disposed at an inner circumferential surface side of the fixing member and pressed by the pressing member via the fixing member to form the nip. At least when the fixing member is relatively moved toward the metal member during assembly of the fixing member with the metal member, the metal member includes at least one protruding portion protruding axially outward from an axial end of the metal member to guide the fixing member axially toward the metal member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a support member disposed to support a nip formation member on an inner peripheral surface of a fixing belt. The support member includes a parallel portion that supports the nip formation member and extends parallel to a sheet transport direction in a nip portion, and a rise portion that extends from the parallel portion in a direction drawn apart from the nip portion. The rise portion is inclined to the parallel portion such that an inclination direction of the rise portion is substantially parallel to a virtual straight line connecting a center of rotation of the fixing belt and an inlet point of the nip portion or falls within a range of rotational angles of ±15° by which the virtual straight line is rotated around the center of rotation of the fixing belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a substantially cylindrical metal member, a heater, an endless, flexible fixing member, a rotary pressing member, a stationary member, a first temperature detector, and a second temperature detector. The first temperature detector is disposed upstream from a nip in a rotation direction of the fixing member to detect a surface temperature of the fixing member. The second temperature detector is disposed downstream from the nip in a rotation direction of the pressing member to detect a surface temperature of the pressing member. When a difference between a surface temperature of the fixing member detected by the first temperature detector and a surface temperature of the pressing member detected by the second temperature detector after a predetermined time has elapsed since the first temperature detector detects the surface temperature of the fixing member is greater than a predetermined threshold, the heater stops heating the metal member.

Abstract: A belt device includes a flange assembly including a tube inserted into a loop formed by an endless belt at each lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof and a slip ring slidably contacting a groove mounted on the tube. An inner diameter ID 51 of the slip ring through a rotation axis of the slip ring is smaller than a minimum outer diameter OD50a of the tube through the rotation axis of the slip ring. The minimum outer diameter OD50a is smaller than a maximum outer diameter OD21 of a track of the endless belt rotating in a predetermined direction of rotation through the rotation axis of the slip ring. The maximum outer diameter OD21 is smaller than an outer diameter OD51 of the slip ring through the rotation axis of the slip ring.

Abstract: A separator is provided for a fixing device including a rotary fixing member that fixes a toner image on a recording medium and a rotary pressure member pressed against the rotary fixing member to form a fixing nip portion for nipping the recording medium. The separator includes a separation plate and plate-shaped spacers. The separation plate is disposed downstream of the fixing nip portion in a medium feeding direction, with an edge portion of the separation plate facing an outer circumferential surface of the rotary fixing member or the rotary pressure member. The spacers are disposed between portions of the edge portion of the separation plate and the outer circumferential surface of the rotary fixing member or the rotary pressure member to surround the portions of the edge portion in a direction intersecting with an extending direction of the edge portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fuser member, a heater, a thermometer, and a power supply controller. The fuser member is subjected to heating. The heater is adjacent to the fuser member to heat the fuser member. The thermometer is adjacent to the fuser member to detect an operational temperature of the fuser member. The power supply controller controls power supply to the heater by adjusting a duty cycle. The controller includes a duty cycle calculator, a driver circuit, and a duty cycle modifier. The duty cycle calculator is operatively connected to the thermometer to calculate a primary value of the duty cycle based on the operational temperature. The driver circuit is operatively connected to the duty cycle calculator to supply power to the heater according to the duty cycle. The duty cycle modifier is connected between the duty cycle calculator and the driver circuit to modify the duty cycle.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member in a form of an endless belt; a pressing member pressing the fixing member; a contacting member in contact with the pressing member; a holding member holding the contacting member in a pressing direction of the pressing member; a heating unit heating the fixing member; and shape maintaining units maintaining a shape of the fixing member. Further, the heating unit is disposed on an upstream side of a horizontal line passing through the center of the pressing member and the holding member is disposed on a downstream side of a horizontal line passing through the arc axis of the shape maintaining units.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit, a fuser unit, a detector, and an adjustment mechanism. The transfer unit transfers an image from an imaging surface to a recording sheet passing through a transfer nip. The fuser unit fixes the transferred image in place on the recording sheet passing through a fixing nip. The transfer nip and the fixing nip form part of a sheet feed path along which a recording sheet is fed from the fuser unit to the transfer unit. The detector is located between the transfer nip and the fuser unit, and detects an amount of sheet skew by which the fed recording sheet is deviated from a proper position in the sheet feed path. The adjustment mechanism adjusts position of either or both of the transfer unit and the fuser unit according to the detected amount of sheet skew.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, a temperature detector, and a support member. The fixing device is removably installable in the image forming apparatus and includes a rotary fixing member to fuse a toner image on a recording medium, a fixing frame to support the fixing member, and an outer fixing cover provided to cover the fixing member and the fixing frame and having an opening from which a portion of a surface of the fixing member is exposed to the outside. The temperature detector is disposed opposing the fixing member to detect a temperature of the surface of the fixing member without contacting the fixing member when the fixing member is installed in the image forming apparatus. The support member supports the temperature detector to introduce the temperature detector into the inside of the fixing cover through the opening upon installation of the fixing member.