Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for producing and utilizing orthogonal optical data signals, which can be produced by modulating electrical data signals onto orthogonal polarization components of an optical carrier traveling in opposite directions in a common modulator. The modulator can include one or more traveling wave electrodes having first and second ends with a first electrical data input connected to the first end and a second electrical data input connected to the second end.

Abstract: This provides an optically transmitting apparatus, an optically transmitting system and an optically transmitting method. This receives an optical signal which is configured in accordance with any one frame format among a plurality of frame formats and includes at least a clock signal and a data signal, and performs an optical-electric/electric-optical conversion on the received optical signal, and extracts the clock signal and the data signal, which correspond to the frame format, from the optical-electric converted signal. This correlates and stores an idle code indicative of a block where the actual data is not communicated and the frame format, reads the idle code from the extracted data signal, identifies the frame format corresponding to the read idle code, and executes a transmitting process in accordance with the identified frame format.

Abstract: An infrared data communication module includes a substrate on which a wiring pattern including a pad member is disposed, a light emitting element bonded to the pad member, a light receiving element mounted on the substrate, an integrated circuit element for controlling driving of the light emitting element and the light receiving element, a protective resin member for shielding the light emitting element, and a resin package for shielding the light emitting element, the light receiving element, and the integrated circuit element. The infrared data communication module further includes an annular resin film for inwardly surrounding the light emitting element in a planar direction of the substrate. The resin film includes an outer peripheral end and an inner peripheral end. An outer peripheral end of the protective resin member coincides with the outer peripheral end of the resin film, or is formed at a position closer to the light emitting element than the outer peripheral end of the resin film.

Abstract: During initial start-up of an optical communication system, an ASE reference span loss is calculated based on transmitting power and received power of ASE light generated by an optical amplifier, and an OSC reference span loss is calculated based on the transmitting power and the received power of OSC light. During normal operation of the optical communication system, a span loss is calculated using the OSC light, and an amount of change in the span loss representing a difference between the span loss and the OSC reference span loss is calculated. A current span loss between a transmitting station and a receiving station is calculated by adding the amount of change in the span loss to the ASE reference span loss.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a receiver 20 for a free-space optical network. The receiver 20 includes a primary photo detector 12 and a diffuser 13 arranged in the focal plane of an objective lens 11. Auxiliary photo detectors 15a, 15b are arranged to face the diffuser Data reception can take place via the auxiliary detectors 15a, 15b that can move the primary detector 12 to align it with an incoming beam, based on the difference in radiation intensity received at the auxiliary photo detectors 15a, 15b.

Abstract: A system for handling objects includes a first image marking engine operative to mark objects, and a second image marking engine operative to mark objects. In addition, the system includes a first object delivery path operative to transport objects presented by the first image marking engine to a first destination. A second object delivery path is operative to transport objects presented by the second image marking engine to a second destination. The first and second destinations may be a single destination, separate destinations, or interchangeable destinations. At least one object is identifiable to isolate at least one aspect of a delivered object. The at least one object includes an associated object itinerary representing at least one object route through the system.

Abstract: Provided is a development technique of supplying a developing bias voltage having DC and AC components to a developing roller thereby to supply a developer to a photosensitive surface of a photosensitive material, which can contribute to improvement of the image quality of an image to be developed. The image forming apparatus, includes: a developing roller for supplying a developer to a photosensitive surface of a photosensitive material carrying an electrostatic latent image thereby to make the electrostatic latent image visible; and a voltage control unit for supplying a combination of a predetermined DC voltage and a predetermined AC voltage as a developing bias voltage to the developing roller as well as controlling the predetermined AC voltage so that a relation between a circumferential speed N of the developing roller and a frequency f of the AC voltage is as follows: ?0.097×N+61.17?(f/N)??0.093×N+67.33.

Abstract: A toner supplying device includes: a toner density sensor for detecting a density of toner contained in a developer tank; a toner hopper for supplying toner to the developer tank; a toner cartridge for supplying toner to the toner hopper; and a control section, when a request to supply toner to the developer tank is made in accordance with a signal detected by the toner density sensor, for controlling a hopper driving motor and a cartridge driving motor so that (i) the toner hopper supplies toner to the developer tank and (ii) the toner cartridge supplies toner to the toner hopper. Thus, in a structure having first and second toner supplying sections disposed on top of each other, toner can be stably supplied to a developer tank.

Abstract: A fixing device according to this invention includes an environmental temperature sensor 26 for detecting an ambient environmental temperature; a fixing temperature sensor 25 for detecting the surface of a heating roller 20; and a control unit for controlling the heating temperature of the heating roller, and is characterized in that the heating roller 20 is provided with a heater 20a having a luminous-intensity distribution characteristic generating identical heat at both ends and a center in a longitudinal direction; and the control unit determines which level of a plurality of temperatures the environmental temperature belongs to and controls the heating temperature to a prescribed temperature capable of obviating shortage in fixing strength and offset at the determined temperature level.

Abstract: In a surface potential distribution measurement method and device, a sample having a surface with a surface potential distribution is scanned using a charged particle beam in a two-dimensional manner. A detection signal caused by the two-dimensional scanning is obtained to measure the surface potential distribution. Charged particles, other than charged particles of the charged particle beam incident to the sample surface by the two-dimensional scanning, with which components of an incidence velocity vector of the charged particles in a direction perpendicular to the sample surface are reversed, are detected so that a detection signal indicating an intensity according to the detected charged particles is obtained in correspondence with a position on the sample surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a structure in which a toner image formed in an electrophotographic process is transferred from an intermediate transfer belt to a member to be transferred. The apparatus includes a secondary transfer roller that becomes a pressure contact state with respect to the intermediate transfer belt to make it perform a transfer process and can move between the pressure contact state and a separated state, and a press and separation driving device for driving the secondary transfer roller to become the pressure contact state and the separated state. The pressure contact state or the separated state of the secondary transfer roller is detected in accordance with a variation of an output of an IDC sensor for detecting a state of a bare surface of the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: Provided is a method for adjusting a developing device including a magnetic roll (143) for holding a two-component developer (146) composed of a carrier and toner filled in a developing tank (142) in a brush state, and a developing roll (144) for developing an electrostatic latent image formed in an image carrier (110) by holding toner conveyed from the magnetic roll (143), having a bias voltage adjustment step for adjusting a conveyance amount of toner from the magnetic roll (143) to the developing roll (144) by an adjustment of bias voltages (Vdc3, Vdc4) applied to the magnetic roll (143) and the developing roll (144) respectively, and a mixing ratio adjustment step for adjusting a conveyance amount of the toner by an adjusting a mixing ratio of the two-component developer (146).

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes first image heating means for heating a toner image on a recording material; first temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the first image heating means; second image heating means for heating the toner image on the recording material heated by the first image heating means; a second temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the second image heating means; changing means for changing a number of recording materials passing through the first image heating means and the second image heating means per unit time on the basis of the detected temperature by the first image heating means and a detected temperature by the second image heating means.

Abstract: In a fixing apparatus of the present invention, an end section fixing control temperature changing section selects an end section fixing control temperature in accordance with the number of paper sheets that have been processed in one continuous printing process. A sub-heater on/off determining section turns on or off a sub-heater in accordance with a temperature detected by an end section temperature sensor and the end section fixing control temperature selected by the end section fixing control temperature changing section. This prevents the occurrence of fixing failure even in continuous printing with respect to large-size paper sheets in an arrangement in which a temperature sensor is disposed outside a maximum-size sheet passing region at an end section of a fixing roller and controls energization of a heater which is disposed corresponding to the end section of the fixing roller in accordance with a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

Abstract: A fixing control section of a fixing apparatus according to the present invention includes an end section priority temperature control mode. In the end section priority temperature control mode, the fixing control section temporarily turns off a main heater heating a center section of a fixing roller among a plurarity of heaters disposed inside the fixing roller in a case where a surface temperature of the end section of the fixing roller has reached a preset upper-limit fixing temperature, even if the surface temperature of the center section of the fixing roller is lower than a preset fixing temperature. As a result, destruction of the fixing roller can be prevented by a simple arrangement in the fixing apparatus which includes a plurarity of the heaters disposed inside the fixing roller.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus which uses a pressing roller and a fixing roller that are pressing and contacting each other to sandwich record medium and fixes toner image onto the record medium, in order to inhibit a temperature in non-paper passing area from extremely rising, a temperature detecting section detects a temperature of the fixing roller via a thermistor (2) 75 installed in the non-paper passing area of the record medium in the fixing roller; a temperature comparing section 44 compares the detection temperature detected by the temperature detecting section 62 with a predetermined standard temperature, a print controlling section 45 reduces heat amount provided to the fixing roller for a predetermined period when the detection temperature exceeds the standard temperature on the basis of a comparison result of the temperature comparing section 44.

Abstract: Comparisons are made independently for a controlled target temperature and a detected temperature of an endless belt, and a controlled target temperature and a detected temperature of a fixing roller. The operation of a halogen lamp installed in an external heating section is controlled based on results of these comparisons. This allows a temperature of the fixing member to be controlled more appropriately in a fixing apparatus that includes an external heating section for heating the fixing member.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes: a fixing roller which has a halogen lamp and an elastic layer therein, the elastic layer being located close to an outer surface of the fixing member; a pressure roller which is pressed against the fixing roller so that a fixing nip area is provided between the pressure roller and the fixing roller, the fixing nip area causing a toner image formed on a recording paper P to be fixed thereon; and an external heating device which has a halogen lamp and is disposed on the outer surface of the fixing member so that a second nip area is provided between the external heating device and the fixing member.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to control power supplied to a heating roller and a phase control circuit corresponding to the method or the apparatus. The phase control circuit may include an examination unit to compare levels of a sine wave having a predetermined first period and a switching signal to increase and decrease repeatedly according to a predetermined second period, and a phase control signal generation unit to generate a phase control signal having a non-zero in intervals of time sections including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in a decreasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero, and a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in an increasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero.

Abstract: A fixing device fixes an image on a recording medium by allowing the recording medium to pass through a nip between a pair of rotating members at least one of which is heated. The fixing device includes heaters that heat rotating members, temperature sensing elements that sense the temperature of the rotating members, and an I/O control panel. The I/O control panel calculates the amount of heat generated by the heaters based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing elements, and corrects calculation result according to medium information to control the heaters.

Abstract: A printer or copier system with at least one of a pre-processing unit and a post-processing unit, comprises a printing unit that generates a print image on a carrier material. An operating unit is connected via a data line with the printing unit. The operating unit outputs at least one graphical user interface on a display for operation of the printing unit. At least one processing unit is connected with at least one of the printing unit and the operating unit for processing of the carrier material such that data are transferable between the processing unit and at least one of the printing unit and the operating unit. In the processing unit, data are stored that are transferred to at least one of the printing unit and the operating unit with which the graphical user interface is activated at least for operation of the processing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a main body having a copy function of printing an image read from a document on a paper sheet, a printer function of printing an externally input image on a paper sheet, and a paper ejection port to eject a printed paper sheet. The apparatus also includes a paper ejection unit which has a first tray and a second tray for receiving a paper sheet ejected from the paper ejection port, and moves the trays selectively to the positions corresponding to the paper ejection port. The apparatus also includes a control panel for setting an operating condition of the apparatus, and a state key provided on the control panel and configured to operate when holding the trays at current positions.

Abstract: A photosensitive drum 18 is provided to carry electrostatic latent images. Developers 23K through 23Y supply toner to the electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive drum 18. Images formed on the photosensitive drum 18 are transferred to an intermediate transfer belt 12. A primary transfer roller 16 transfers toner images formed on the photosensitive drum 18 onto the intermediate transfer belt 12. The secondary transfer roller 7 transfers toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 12 onto sheets. The belt cleaning unit 17 has a fur brush 32 that electrically recovers toner, and recovers residual transfer toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 12 after a secondary transfer by the secondary transfer roller 7. The drive roller 13 is disposed in a position in opposition to the fur brush 32 sandwiching the intermediate transfer belt 12, and charges both the fur brush 32 and the secondary transfer roller 7.

Abstract: A method and tool for converting one imaging cartridge type to another is disclosed. The method includes providing the imaging cartridge comprising an upper half and a lower half, the imaging cartridge not having a waste bin assembly, the imaging cartridge operable in a first type of imaging device and not operable in a second type of imaging device; and altering a physical characteristic of said upper half to form an altered imaging cartridge operable in the second type of imaging device.

Abstract: A statistically added point calculation unit of the present invention statistically adds a point to a part related to a content of an anomaly in error information received by an error information receiving unit, and sets the added point in an added point table. A suspected place identifying unit refers to the added point table, and if the statistically added point of a target of determination has exceeded a threshold, the suspected place identifying unit identifies the target of the determination as a suspected place. If the configuration information table is referred to and a target of this process is a maintenance part at the suspected place, the suspected place identifying unit compares an initial value, for example, by means of the threshold which has been doubled. Furthermore, the suspected place identifying unit identifies a part having the statistically added point which is the next highest, as a second suspected place. A part isolation processing unit isolates the part at the suspected place.

Abstract: A handle for a toner cartridge is described. The handle may include an opening and be constructed of one or elastically deformable materials. The handle may deform when inside of an image forming device to provide at least some force to press an image carrier against a developer carrier.

Abstract: An elastic member for urging a developer carrier in the direction of an image carrier is located in a casing of a developer cartridge. Since the elastic member will be new whenever the developer cartridge is replaced, an urging force of the elastic member will not deteriorate over time. Thus, a proper pressing state of the developer carrier on the image carrier is maintained. Thus, the amount of toner supplied from the developer carrier to the image carrier is stable. Thereby, a picture of high quality can be formed continuously without poor development by poor pressure between the developer carrier and the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an image carrier unit configured to move along a first direction between a first position and a second position in the housing and to hold image carriers, developing cartridges configured to be removably mounted in the image carrier unit, and an exposure unit disposed in the housing and for generating light to irradiate each image carrier. Each developing cartridge includes a developer carrier for supplying developer to the image carrier, a case configured to contain the developer and having a support portion for supporting the developer carrier at a first side of the case and a pair of sidewalls facing each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and an urging mechanism disposed at a second side of the case opposite to the first side for contacting the exposure unit when the image carrier unit is in the first position.

Abstract: The fixing device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention has a cleaning pad arranged on the upper frame which supports a heat roller. An infrared temperature sensor is supported by a supporting mechanism that is capable of supporting the infrared temperature sensor at the temperature detecting position and the evacuating position. When the right and left frames are attached/removed to/from the main body of the apparatus at the time of maintenance, the infrared temperature sensor is moved to the evacuating position and pressed against the cleaning pad and then, the right and left frames are moved by sliding to the main body of the apparatus. The cleaning pad is also slid and moved jointly with the slide moving of the right and left frames, and the infrared temperature sensor contacts the cleaning pad and dirt on the infrared temperature sensor is removed.

Abstract: In an image forming method including a charging step, an exposure step, a development step using a developing roll, a transfer step, a fixing step and a cleaning step of removing a toner remaining on the surface of a photosensitive member after the transfer step, the developing roll has a surface brightness of 30 to 220 and a surface roughness Rz of 1 to 20 ?m, the cleaning blade is a cleaning blade made of a polyurethane elastomer and having a peak value of at most 0.95, a peak temperature of ?15 to 10° C. and a width at half maximum of at least 25° C. in viscoelasticity tan ?, the toner has a volume average particle diameter of 4 to 10 ?m and an average circularity from 0.950 to 0.995, the charge level of the toner on the surface of the photosensitive member is 10 to 80 ?C/g in terms of an absolute value, and the pH of a water extract of the toner is 3 to 8.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus composed of a combination of multi-layered electrophotographic photoreceptor wherein an undercoat layer is made of at least fine titanium oxide particles and a binder resin and has a thickness of 3 ?m or less and the fine titanium oxide particles are surface treated with alumina and silica and have a number average primary particle size of 20 nm or less, and exposing means by LED exposure. Thus, an electrophotographic photoreceptor having good balance between dispersibility of titanium oxide and electrical insulation properties is obtained and image fog does not occur under high temperature and high humidity environment and also excellent image quality can be maintained during continuous printing under low temperature and low humidity environment.

Abstract: There is provided a charging apparatus which has high durability and suffers from no rust etc. and of which controllability of charged potential of a photoreceptor is hardly impaired even with a some amount of contaminants such as a toner so that control of charged potential of a photoreceptor can be stably carried out to fall in an appropriate range over a long period of time, and moreover which is inexpensive. A charging apparatus includes a needle electrode, a holding member, two cleaner members, a support member, a moving member, a shield case, and a grid electrode. A length in minor axis of a secondary aggregate of polytetrafluoroethylene contained in a polytetrafluoroethylene-containing nickel layer formed on a surface of the needle electrode is twice or less than a layer thickness of the nickel layer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a charging member in which a toner, an additive for use in the toner, or the like is hard to adhere to the surface even under repeated use for a long time, and hence the charging and image output are made stable for a long time even if the charging member is used in the DC contact charging method, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus having the charging member. The present invention provides a charging member comprising a support, a conductive elastic layer formed on the support, and a surface layer formed on the conductive elastic layer, characterized in that the surface layer contains a polysiloxane having a fluoroalkyl group and an oxyalkylene group, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus having the charging member.

Abstract: In a method or system for printing of a recording medium, potential images are generated on a potential image carrier. A developer liquid is used that comprises a transparent photo-polymerizable carrier liquid and charged colorant particles. The developer is transported via an applicator roller to the potential image carrier to form a developer film in a developing zone. The developer film adjacent to the potential image carrier comprises the photo-polymerizable carrier liquid enriched with the colorant particles in regions in which potential images are present on the potential image carrier and said photo-polymerizable liquid substantially depleted of said colorant particles in regions in which no potential images are present. The developer film splits at an end of the developing zone into an image film adhering to the potential image carrier comprising the developed potential image and a film adhering to the applicator roller comprising the photo-polymerizable liquid with residual colorant particles.

Abstract: An improved development station extends the useful life of toner in the housing and increases the number of images developed by the developer supply. The improved development station includes a toner supply for providing toner to a developer sump; a mixing auger for uniformly blending and charging toner particles supplied by the toner supply into the developer material; a magnetic roller for receiving the developer material and bringing the developer material into contact with a photoreceptive member, and a variable developer material restrictor for variably restricting flow of developer material to vary the mechanical stress delivered to the developer material.

Abstract: A toner bottle that is composed of a main body having a bottle-side toner discharge port for discharging toner and a bottle holder that encloses the bottle-side toner discharge port and rotatably holds the main part and is constructed such that the main part is rotated in its peripheral direction to thereby discharge the toner charged in it out of the bottle. The toner bottle is characterized in that the bottle holder has a guide portion that is able to position and hold the main part at a position with respect to its rotational direction, and the main part has a hooking piece that is able to position and hold itself with respect to the direction of rotation by means of the guide portion.

Abstract: A support element for supporting a coil spring that rotates to transport toner, and transmitting a rotational force of driving means to the coil spring. The support element includes: an end inserting member with a recess in which an end portion of the coil spring is inserted; a first support member, a second support member with a projection, a third support member, and a fourth support member, which support non-end portions of a first coil spring; and joint members for joining the end inserting member and the support members. This realizes a coil spring support element with which the flow rate of toner from a toner bottle can be increased, and the rotational force of driving means such as a motor can be efficiently transmitted to the coil spring.

Abstract: A system and method reduces wear on an image-forming device. The image-forming device includes one or more toner cartridges, each having an associated PC drum and transport member to transport toner images or media. Each of the PC drums maintain contact with a surface of the transport member regardless of whether they are being used to form a toner image. A controller controls the rotation of the PC drums to rotate or not rotate while in contact with the surface of the transport member.

Abstract: A tandem image forming apparatus, comprising multiple image forming units placed along the travelling direction of a transfer medium for transferring toner images in various colors one by one onto the transfer medium, wherein a toner (T1) containing a higher fatty acid metal salt is stored at least in the image forming unit placed most downstream in the travelling direction of the transfer medium, and, when the concentration of the higher fatty acid metal salt in the toner (T1) is designated as X1, the concentration of the higher fatty acid metal salt in the toner (Tn) stored in the image forming unit placed most upstream in the travelling direction of the transfer medium as Xn, and the concentration of the higher fatty acid metal salt in the toner (Tm) in an image forming unit placed between the most downstream image forming unit and the most upstream image forming unit as Xm, X1, Xm, and Xn satisfy the relationships represented by the following Formulae (I) and (II).

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed that includes plural image carriers on which different-colored toner images are formed, the image carriers being driven and rotated to transfer the different-colored toner images onto one of an endless transfer member that is driven to rotate in contact with the image carriers or a transfer material that is carried by the endless transfer member. The imaging apparatus includes a phase calculating unit that extracts a periodic rotational variation component of each of the image carriers from a combination of periodic rotational variation components generated within said imaging apparatus and calculates a rotational phase of each of the image carriers based on the extracted periodic rotational variation component, and a rotational phase adjusting unit that adjusts a rotation stop phase of each of the image carriers based on the calculated rotational phase.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a compensation pattern forming device to form a predetermined compensation pattern to compensate image displacement in each key color, a plurality of detectors to detect two key colors in the predetermined compensation pattern, and a compensating device to compensate the image displacement of the two key colors detected by the detectors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one image forming unit, a primary transfer belt, and a secondary transferer. The image forming unit includes an image carrier and a primary transfer bias applicator. The secondary transferer includes a secondary transfer nip, a secondary transfer bias applicator, and a facing member facing the second transfer bias applicator. The secondary transfer bias applicator forms a secondary transfer electric field. The image forming apparatus further includes a bias applicator, a contact start site, and an electrode. The bias applicator applies a bias voltage having a same polarity as the normal charge polarity of the toner to the primary transfer belt, downstream of the primary transfer bias applicator. The recording medium starts to contact the toner image at the contact start site, located upstream of the secondary transfer nip, where the electrode forms an electric field.

Abstract: A sliding cover of a Di-chorotron includes an electrode connected to an external circuit that simulates the impedance of media on a photoreceptor to maintain constant current density through media on the photoreceptor while blocking transfer current from passing to uncovered portions of the photoreceptor, thus reducing or eliminating paper edge ghosting effects in a xerographic machine's output.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a first and a second main conveyance path, a first and a second processing unit, a transfer unit, and a fixing unit. The first and second main conveyance paths come together after having branched apart between a paper supply unit and a paper delivery unit. A recording medium is selectively conveyed along either one of the first and second main conveyance path. Image formation is performed by a method of electrophotography by, alternatively, either the first or second processing unit. Between the first and second main conveyance paths where they are branched apart, the transfer unit generates a transfer electric field between itself and one or the other of the first and second processing unit. The fixing unit controls the temperature of a first or a second fixing roller, which are disposed in the first and second main conveyance path after they have come together, alternatively.

Abstract: An improved detack corotron reduces the likelihood of a paper jam arising from a curled paper edge getting caught in the corotron. The detack corotron includes an electrically conductive coronode having a plurality of field emitters, each field emitter having a terminating end, the terminating ends of the field emitters being spatially separated from one another, and a paper edge guide having a plurality of generally planar members, the generally planar members being perpendicular to the conductive coronode and the generally planar members having a height that extends above the terminating ends of the field emitters.

Abstract: The fixing device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is provided with a heat transfer probe which contacts the heat roller and a surface temperature of the heat roller is transferred thereto. The erroneous detection of the surface temperature of the heat roller caused from materials adhered to the heat roller is prevented, induction heating coils is regulated at a high level of accuracy using the highly precious detection result obtained from the heat transfer probe, the temperature control of the heat roller is promoted and a fixed image of high quality is obtained.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes: a fixing roller and a pressure roller which transport a recording paper while sandwiching the recording paper P therebetween so that an unfixed toner image formed on the recording paper is fixed thereon under heat and pressure; two support rollers; an endless belt which is set over the support rollers and comes into contact with a surface of the fixing roller; and heater lamps which are provided respectively inside the support rollers. A fixing apparatus satisfies a relationship indicated by (C2+C3)/C1?2 where C1 is a heat capacity of each of the heater lamps, C2 is a heat capacity of each of the support rollers, and C3 is a heat capacity of the endless belt in each of areas where the endless belt is in contact with the support rollers. This realizes an external belt heat fixing apparatus which suppresses (a) heat damage to the endless belt and the surface of the fixing member and (b) unevenness of an image.

Abstract: In a fixing apparatus and an image forming apparatus of the present invention, an external heating section is provided that includes: an external heating belt; two heat rollers suspending the external heating belt and pressed against a fixing roller via the external heating belt; and a release/contact mechanism for causing the two heat rollers to separate from or contact with the fixing roller. With the heat rollers separated from the fixing roller by the release/contact mechanism, the external heating belt and the fixing roller are in contact with each other and the external heating belt follows rotation of the fixing roller. As a result, a fixing apparatus is provided that includes an external release/contact mechanism that can quickly operate in a small space and at low power without encouraging deterioration of the belt member. An image forming apparatus provided with such a fixing apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus is provided which includes a first rotary member; a second rotary member configured to convey a sheet with the first rotary member and which is separable from and in contact with the first rotary member; a sheet detecting member which is movable by being pressed by the sheet; and a detecting sensor configured to detect a presence or absence of the sheet based on a position of the member. The sheet detecting member is movable between a detecting position for detecting a presence or absence of the sheet by the detecting sensor in which the sheet detecting member can be pressed by the sheet and a retreat position in which the sheet detecting member is retreated from a sheet conveyed, and the sheet detecting member is moved to the detecting position from the retract position in association with a movement of the second rotary member away from the first rotary member.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a toner image forming section, a transfer section, a recording medium supplying section, and a control unit, an image forming unit that forms, for example, a yellow toner image causes liquid-repellent particles to be adhered onto a part of a photoreceptor drum other than an electrostatic latent image, causes fixing fluid to be adhered onto a part of the electrostatic latent image such that only the fixing fluid is transferred onto an image forming roller, and causes the fixing fluid to be supplied on the image forming roller.