Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and an opposed rotator contacting an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt. A nip formation pad, disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, presses against the opposed rotator via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the opposed rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A belt holder contacts and rotatably supports a lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. A ring is interposed between the belt holder and a lateral edge face of the endless belt. A restraint disposed opposite the ring contacts the ring to restrict movement of the ring in a radial direction of the endless belt within a trajectory of the lateral end of the rotating endless belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: an endless fixing member; a heating unit that is provided inside an inner peripheral surface of the fixing member; and a nip forming unit that comes into press-contact with a rotationally driven pressing member with the fixing member interposed therebetween to form a nip. The nip forming unit has a shape in which a center of a contact surface protrudes toward the pressing member compared to both ends. The nip forming unit has a protruding amount at a center toward the pressing member compared to both ends of the nip forming unit in no-load state is set to be less than a bent amount of the nip forming unit when the nip forming unit comes into press-contact with the pressing member with the fixing member interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater disposed opposite and heating the fixing rotary body. A nip formation assembly presses against an opposed body via the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotary body and the opposed body, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A movable heat shield movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater in a variable axial span of the fixing rotary body. A stationary heat shield, interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater, is disposed outboard from a lateral edge of a heat generator of the heater in an axial direction of the fixing rotary body.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary fixing member, a heater, a pressing member, a nip formation member, a reinforcement member, a sliding sheet, and a holding member. The nip formation member is disposed at an inner circumferential side of the fixing member and pressed by the pressing member via the fixing member to form a nipping portion. The reinforcement member is stationarily disposed in an internal diameter area of the fixing member to support the nip formation member. The sliding sheet is disposed between the nip formation member and an inner circumferential face of the fixing member. The holding member is disposed at a member differing from the nip formation member to hold the sliding sheet in a state in which the sliding sheet is in close contact with a nipping face of the nip formation member facing the nipping portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator heated by a heater and a pressing rotator pressed against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A heat shield interposed between the heater and the fixing rotator is movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotator to shield the fixing rotator from the heater in a variable axial shield span of the fixing rotator. The fixing rotator performs fixing rotation to convey the recording medium through the fixing nip while heating the recording medium and supplemental rotation other than fixing rotation. The heat shield moves to a decreased shield span position where the heat shield shields the fixing rotator from the heater in a decreased axial shield span of the fixing rotator during supplemental rotation thereof.

Abstract: A paper conveyance device comprises: a conveyance member having a conveyance surface for conveying a recording medium, the conveyance member extending in a first direction along a front-rear direction of the image forming apparatus that has an opening member for exposing inside of the apparatus, and including a handle disposed on an exposure surface of the opening member, and a swing pivot point that is used to swing the conveyance member around the first direction to expose the conveyance surface when the handle is operated in the open state. The handle is disposed in at least one position in a range between positions near a center of the conveyance member in the first direction. The positions are a certain distance away from the center of the conveyance member along the first direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater disposed opposite 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. An overheating suppressor is interposed between the heater and the heat shield to shield the heat shield from the heater. The heat shield includes an intermediate portion spanning in the circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and movable between a shield position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater directly and a retracted position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater via the overheating suppressor.

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 fixing member that is rotatable and in an endless shape; a heat source that heats the fixing member; a nip forming member that is arranged inside the fixing member; and a pressurizing member that is pressurized to be in contact with the nip forming member through the fixing member, to form a fixing nip. The fixing device fixes an unfixed image on a recording medium by passing the recording medium that carries the unfixed image through the fixing nip. The nip forming member includes a base layer, and a high thermal-conductive layer that is arranged on a surface layer of the base layer on a fixing nip side, and that has higher thermal conductivity than the base layer, and in the high thermal-conductive layer, a low thermal-conductive portion is arranged near an end portion in an axial direction of the fixing member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotatable fixing member formed as an endless belt; a heat source to heat the fixing member; a nip-forming member being not rotatable and arranged inside the fixing member; and a pressure member arranged outside the fixing member and forming a nip between the pressure member and the fixing member. The nip-forming member is formed of a first heat transmission unit and a sliding sheet. The first heat transmission unit includes an abutting part abutting the fixing member with the sliding sheet therebetween, and a bent part or bent parts extending inside the fixing member at upstream or upstream and downstream of the nip in a transport direction of a recording medium. A retaining part to catch and retain the sliding sheet is provided at a tip of at least the bent part at upstream of the nip in the transport direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member configured to be revolvable while being heated by a heat source; a counter rotator configured to form a nip between the fixing member and the counter rotator by applying a pressure to the fixing member in a contact state with the fixing member; a shield member disposed inside the fixing member to partially shield heat from the heat source; and a holding member attached to an end of the fixing member. The shield member includes a spacer configured to define a clearance to allow the holding member to be inserted into the fixing member from an end of the fixing member, the clearance being between the shield member and an inner surface of the end of the fixing member.

Abstract: A fixing device to fix a toner image on a sheet includes a first rotary member that rotates in a predetermined direction and a second rotary member that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the first rotary member. A stationary member is fixed inside the first rotary member to press the first and second rotary members together to form a nip portion between the rotary members. A reinforcement member is fixedly provided inside the first rotary member and pressed against the stationary member. The fixing device includes heat source to heat the first rotary member and a reflector to reflect heater light emitted from the heat source toward the first rotary member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation assembly contacting an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. An opposed rotator presses against the nip formation assembly via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the opposed rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A support, disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, supports the nip formation assembly. A heater, disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, heats the fixing rotator. A reflector, disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, reflects heat radiated from the fixing rotator onto the fixing rotator. The reflector spans a circumferential span of the fixing rotator where the fixing rotator is spaced apart from the support with a decreased interval therebetween.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first heater disposed opposite and heating at least a center of a fixing belt in an axial direction thereof and a second heater disposed opposite and heating at least a lateral end of the fixing belt in the axial direction thereof. A power supply supplies power to the first heater and the second heater. A controller that controls the power supply includes a calculator to calculate an elapsed time elapsed after at least one of the first heater and the second heater starts heating the fixing belt. The controller controls the power supply to supply power to the first heater and the second heater such that a power density of the second heater is greater than a power density of the first heater when the elapsed time calculated by the calculator is smaller than a predetermined time.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary endless fixing belt; a nip forming member disposed in an interior of the fixing belt; a rotary opposed member to contact the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip together with the fixing belt; a heat source to directly heat the fixing belt at a portion other than the nip, including at lease one heat-generation part disposed outside lateral ends of a maximum area of the fixing belt where a recording medium passes through, wherein a recording medium carrying an unfixed image is conveyed to the nip and the fixing device fixes the unfixed image onto the recording medium; and a shielding member disposed between the fixing belt and the heat generation part of the heat source and configured to shield heat from the heat source at least at an area outside the maximum passing area of the recording medium.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater disposed opposite 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. An overheating suppressor is interposed between the heater and the heat shield to shield the heat shield from the heater. The heat shield includes an intermediate portion spanning in the circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and movable between a shield position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater directly and a retracted position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater via the overheating suppressor.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation, a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator, and an opposed rotator contacting an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. A heat shield interposed between the heater and the fixing rotator shields the fixing rotator from the heater. A support supports the heat shield. The heat shield includes a first section supported by the support and having a decreased thermal conductivity and a second section abutting the first section in an axial direction of the heat shield and having an increased thermal conductivity greater than the decreased thermal conductivity of the first section.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater to generate heat based on soft-start control. The heater is supplied with power using different power-turn-on-duty control patterns in accordance with power requirements and an operation mode of the fixing device.

Abstract: A fixing device included in an image forming apparatus includes a fixing rotary body, a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotary body, an opposed body contacting an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotary body, a reflector disposed opposite the heater, and a heat shield disposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body and includes a shield portion to shield heat radiated from the heater to the fixing rotary body. Heat reflectance of at least a surface of the shield portion where the heat shield faces the heater is set to a value smaller than heat reflectance on a surface of the reflector opposite and facing the heater. Also, heat absorptance of at least a surface of the shield portion where the heat shield faces the heater is set to a value greater than heat absorptance on a surface of the reflector opposite and facing the heater.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary endless fixing belt; a nip forming member disposed in an interior of the fixing belt; a rotary opposed member to contact the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip together with the fixing belt; a heat source to directly heat the fixing belt at a portion other than the nip, including at lease one heat-generation part disposed outside lateral ends of a maximum area of the fixing belt where a recording medium passes through, wherein a recording medium carrying an unfixed image is conveyed to the nip and the fixing device fixes the unfixed image onto the recording medium; and a shielding member disposed between the fixing belt and the heat generation part of the heat source and configured to shield heat from the heat source at least at an area outside the maximum passing area of the recording medium.