Abstract: A fixing device includes an elastic rotator and a cooler disposed opposite the rotator to cool the rotator with cooling air. A mover contacts and moves the rotator to a first position where the rotator is disposed opposite the cooler with an increased first interval therebetween and a second position where the rotator is disposed opposite the cooler with a decreased second interval therebetween. A rectification plate is movably mounted on the cooler to contact the rotator constantly to guide the cooling air to the cooler.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt stretched taut across a fixing rotator and a support rotator. A pressure rotator is pressed against the fixing rotator via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. The pressure rotator includes a recess defining an outer diameter of each lateral end of the pressure rotator in an axial direction thereof that is greater than an outer diameter of a center of the pressure rotator in the axial direction thereof A first separator is disposed downstream from the fixing nip in a recording medium conveyance direction and contacts an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt. The first separator is isolated from the pressure rotator and includes a projection disposed opposite the recess of the pressure rotator.

Abstract: A printing system including: a first printer that forms an image on continuous-form printing paper, and includes a pre-heating unit that preliminarily heats the continuous-form printing paper prior to fixation and a fixing unit that performs the fixation; and a second printer that forms an image on the continuous-form printing paper fed from the first printer. The second printer includes a jam detecting unit that detects, at a detection position upstream of a position where the second printer forms the image on the continuous-form printing paper, and a control unit that controls the jam detecting unit such that the jam detection is not performed for a period of time, over which a deformed portion of the continuous-form printing paper which has been at rest at the pre-heating unit of the first printer passes through the detection position of the jam detecting unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium; a conveyance stopping unit configured to stop conveyance of the recording medium; a heating unit having a heating plane and configured to heat a part of the recording medium, which part is laid over the heating plane; and a cooling unit configured to cool the part of the recording medium, whose conveyance has been stopped, by applying cooling air to the part of the recording medium from above.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating roller, a fixing roller, an endless fixing belt, a pressure roller, a temperature gauge, and a cooling device. The fixing belt is stretched between the heating roller and the fixing roller. The pressure roller includes a core rod and an elastic layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the core rod, and is pressed against the fixing roller via the fixing belt to form a nip portion to thermally fix an image on a recording medium passed through the nip portion. The temperature gauge measures the surface temperature of the pressure roller. The cooling device includes plural cooling units arranged parallel to a rotation axis of the pressure roller, and cools the pressure roller while adjusting the amount of cooling for each of the cooling units in accordance with the surface temperature of the pressure roller measured by the temperature gauge.

Abstract: A disclosed cooling structure includes a casing including a bottom plate arranged in a bottom portion of the casing and having a through hole formed in the bottom plate; a heat source to be cooled accommodated in the casing; a suctioning unit configured to suction outer air from an outside of the casing to an inside of the casing via the through hole in the bottom plate; an open and close member including an outer air path for carrying the suctioned outer air and being capable of opening and closing relative to the casing; and an outer air applying unit configured to cool the heat source by the carried outer air received from the open and close member.

Abstract: An earthquake resisting apparatus includes a load transmitting member which has a surface area larger than an installation area of an installation object, a movement limiting member which is arranged between the load transmitting member and an installation floor, the movement limiting member being bonded to the load transmitting member and having a coefficient of static friction between the movement limiting member and the installation floor when a load acts on the installation object in a horizontal direction in a state in which the installation object is fixed to the load transmitting member, in which the coefficient is larger than or equal to a predetermined value, and a fastening part which connects the installation object and the earthquake resisting apparatus.

Abstract: A component replacement support tool for a fusing unit with a roller that contains a lamp cartridge includes a roller insertion/removal guide shaft and a lamp protection member detachably housed in the roller insertion/removal guide shaft. The fusing unit includes a replacement opening via which the roller or the lamp cartridge can be removed from or inserted into the fusing unit along an axis of the roller for replacement. The roller insertion/removal guide shaft is inserted into the roller along the axis of the roller and fixed so as to guide the roller when the roller is removed from or inserted into the fusing unit via the replacement opening. The lamp protection member is inserted between the roller and the lamp cartridge when the lamp cartridge is pulled out of or inserted into the roller along the axis of the roller via the replacement opening.

Abstract: A disclosed cooling structure includes a casing including a bottom plate arranged in a bottom portion of the casing and having a through hole formed in the bottom plate; a heat source to be cooled accommodated in the casing; a suctioning unit configured to suction outer air from an outside of the casing to an inside of the casing via the through hole in the bottom plate; an open and close member including an outer air path for carrying the suctioned outer air and being capable of opening and closing relative to the casing; and an outer air applying unit configured to cool the heat source by the carried outer air received from the open and close member.

Abstract: A disclosed fixing device includes a first roller, a second roller, a lubricant application unit applying lubricant to a surface of the first roller, a lubricant control blade being in contact with and separated from the surface of the first roller, so that the recording medium on which the image is formed is sandwiched and fed between the first roller and the second roller so as to fix the image onto the recording medium, a contact angle ? of the lubricant control blade relative to the first roller is in a range between 35 degrees and 43 degrees, and a linear pressure F applied from the lubricant control blade to the first roller is in a range from 0.35 N/cm to 0.5 N/cm.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium; a conveyance stopping unit configured to stop conveyance of the recording medium; a heating unit having a heating plane and configured to heat a part of the recording medium, which part is laid over the heating plane; and a cooling unit configured to cool the part of the recording medium, whose conveyance has been stopped, by applying cooling air to the part of the recording medium from above.

Abstract: A component replacement support tool for a fusing unit with a roller that contains a lamp cartridge includes a roller insertion/removal guide shaft and a lamp protection member detachably housed in the roller insertion/removal guide shaft. The fusing unit includes a replacement opening via which the roller or the lamp cartridge can be removed from or inserted into the fusing unit along an axis of the roller for replacement. The roller insertion/removal guide shaft is inserted into the roller along the axis of the roller and fixed therein so as to guide the roller when the roller is removed from or inserted into the fusing unit via the replacement opening. The lamp protection member is inserted between the roller and the lamp cartridge when the lamp cartridge is pulled out of or inserted into the roller along the axis of the roller via the replacement opening.

Abstract: A printing system including: a first printer that forms an image on continuous-form printing paper, and includes a pre-heating unit that preliminarily heats the continuous-form printing paper prior to fixation and a fixing unit that performs the fixation; and a second printer that forms an image on the continuous-form printing paper fed from the first printer. The second printer includes a jam detecting unit that detects, at a detection position upstream of a position where the second printer forms the image on the continuous-form printing paper, and a control unit that controls the jam detecting unit such that the jam detection is not performed for a period of time, over which a deformed portion of the continuous-form printing paper which has been at rest at the pre-heating unit of the first printer passes through the detection position of the jam detecting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a transfer assist mechanism is disclosed. The transfer assist mechanism includes a first blade holder having a first blade, second blade holders having corresponding second blades, and a first slide engaging member and a second slide engaging member which engage the first and second blade holders. When the first slide engaging member and the second slide engaging member are moved corresponding to the width of a continuous recording medium, the first blade holder and some of the second blade holders are selected corresponding to the width of the continuous recording medium, and the first blade and some of the second blades corresponding to the selected some of the second blade holders press the continuous recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a transfer assist mechanism is disclosed. The transfer assist mechanism includes a first blade holder having a first blade, second blade holders having corresponding second blades, and a first slide engaging member and a second slide engaging member which engage the first and second blade holders. When the first slide engaging member and the second slide engaging member are moved corresponding to the width of a continuous recording medium, the first blade holder and some of the second blade holders are selected corresponding to the width of the continuous recording medium, and the first blade and some of the second blades corresponding to the selected some of the second blade holders press the continuous recording medium.