Abstract: A resist composition includes (A1) a resin having an acid-labile group, (A2) a resin which includes a structural unit represented by formula (I), and an acid generator: wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a C3 to C18 alicyclic hydrocarbon group, A1 represents a single bond, a C1 to C6 alkanediyl group or *-A2-X1-(A3-X2)a-(A4)b-, * represents a binding site to an oxygen atom, A2, A3 and A4 each independently represent a C1 to C6 alkanediyl group, X1 and X2 each independently represent —O—, —CO—O— or —O—CO—, a represents 0 or 1, b represents 0 or 1, and R2 represents a C1 to C13 fluorinated saturated hydrocarbon group.

Abstract: A composition provided to contain: an alkoxysilane condensate obtained by the condensation of alkoxysilane A represented by general formula (1): (CH3)Si(OR1)3 (In the general formula (1), R1 mutually independently represents methyl group or ethyl group.), alkoxysilane B represented by general formula (2): (Ph)Si(OR1)3 (In the general formula (2), R1 mutually independently represents methyl group or ethyl group.), and alkoxysilane C represented by general formula (3): (CH3)2Si(OR1)2 (In the general formula (3), R1 mutually independently represents methyl group or ethyl group.) at an A:B:C mole ratio within the range of 30-70:10-50:20-60; and a polyether-modified polydimethylsiloxane.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of fabricating microelectronics structures and the resulting structures formed thereby using a dual-layer, light-sensitive, wet-developable bottom anti-reflective coating stack to reduce reflectance from the substrate during exposure. The invention provides dye-filled and dye-attached compositions for use in the anti-reflective coatings. The anti-reflective coatings are thermally crosslinkable and photochemically decrosslinkable. The bottom anti-reflective coating stack has gradient optical properties and develops at the same time as the photoresist. The method and structure are particularly suited to high-NA lithography processes.

Abstract: A position detector (16), configured to detect a position of a mark on an object to be detected, comprises an image pickup unit (34), an optical system, a noise obtaining unit (36) and a correction unit (38). The image pickup unit picks up an image of the object to be detected. The optical system forms an image of the object to be detected on an image pickup surface of the image pickup unit. The noise obtaining unit obtains noise information by picking up an image of a region other than the mark using the optical system and the image pickup unit in accordance with the result of adjustment of an optical member included in the optical system. The correction unit corrects, using the noise information obtained by the noise obtaining unit, the image of the mark obtained using the optical system and the image pickup unit.

Abstract: A system to dynamically configure a conductive pathway and a method of forming a dynamically configurable conductive pathway are described. The system includes a substrate to mechanically support a circuit, and a photosensitive layer disposed on at least a portion of at least one side of the substrate. The system also includes a light source to controllably define the conductive pathway in the photosensitive layer based on photoexcitation of an area of the photosensitive layer corresponding with the conductive pathway, a change in the area photoexcited by the light source facilitating a change in the conductive pathway.

Abstract: A method of forming a resist pattern including forming a resist film on a substrate using a resist composition which generates acid upon exposure and exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution under action of the acid; exposing the resist film; and patterning the exposed resist film by negative-tone development using a developing solution containing an organic solvent, to form a resist pattern. The resist composition includes a polymeric compound having at least two kinds of specific structural units.

Abstract: An imaging assembly for directing a pattern of energy at a workpiece includes (i) a reticle that defines a reticle array that includes a plurality of spaced apart, transmitting regions; (ii) an illumination source that generates an illumination beam; and (iii) a director assembly that selectively directs the illumination beam at the reticle array, the director assembly includes a plurality of director elements that are individually controlled to selectively control the beam pattern that is directed at the reticle array.

Abstract: An imaging optics has at least six mirrors, which image an object field in an object plane in an image field in an image plane. An entry pupil of the imaging optics is arranged in the imaging beam path in front of the object field. At least one of the mirrors has a through-opening for the passage of imaging light. A mechanically accessible pupil, in which an obscuration stop is arranged for the central shading of the pupil of the imaging optics, is located in a pupil plane in the imaging beam path between the object field and a first of the through-openings. A first imaging part beam directly after a second mirror in the imaging beam path after the object field and a second imaging part beam directly after a fourth mirror in the imaging beam path after the object field intersect one another in an intersection region. The result is an imaging optics, in which a handleable combination of small imaging errors, manageable production and a good throughput for the imaging light is achieved.

Abstract: An imaging catoptric optical unit has at least four mirror, which image an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane. A first chief ray plane of the optical unit is prescribed by propagation of a chief ray of a central object field point during the reflection at one of the mirrors. A second chief ray plane of the optical unit is prescribed by propagation of the chief ray of the central object field point during the reflection at one of the other mirrors. The two chief ray planes include an angle that differs from 0. In an alternative or additional aspect, the imaging optical unit, considered via the image field, has a maximum diattenuation of 10% or a diattenuation that prefers a tangential polarization of the imaging light for a respectively considered illumination angle. The result of both aspects is an imaging optical unit in which bothersome polarization influences are reduced during the reflection of imaging light at the mirrors of the imaging optical unit.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed where at least part of a space between a projection system of the apparatus and a substrate is filled with a liquid by a liquid supply system. The projection system is separated into two separate physical parts. With substantially no direct connection between the two parts of the projection system, vibrations induced in a first of the two parts by coupling of forces through the liquid filling the space when the substrate moves relative to the liquid supply system affects substantially only the first part of the projection system and not the other second part.

Abstract: An optical arrangement in an optical system, such as a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, includes: at least one heat-emitting subsystem which emits heat during the operation of the optical system; a first heat shield which is arranged such that it at least partly absorbs the heat emitted by the heat-emitting subsystem; a first cooling device which is in mechanical contact with the first heat shield and is designed to dissipate heat from the first heat shield; and a second heat shield which at least partly absorbs heat emitted by the first heat shield. The second heat shield is in mechanical contact with a cooling device that dissipates heat from the second heat shield.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus includes a measuring station that includes a first measuring device configured to measure a height of a substrate holder, and a second measuring device configured to measure a height of a surface of a substrate held by the holder, and a patterning station that includes a third measuring device configured to measure a height of the holder, and patterns the substrate held by the holder based on an output of the second measuring device. The patterning station includes a fourth measuring device configured to measure a height of a surface of a substrate held by the holder. The lithography apparatus includes a controller configured to obtain a correction value for an output obtained from at least one of the first and third measuring devices based on outputs of the second and fourth measuring devices with respect to a substrate held by the holder.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly electro-conductive electrophotographic member which contributes to formation of high-quality electrophotographic images while bleeding out of an ion conducting agent is reduced, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic apparatus. Accordingly, the electrophotographic member according to the present invention includes an electro-conductive mandrel and an electro-conductive layer, wherein the electro-conductive layer contains a resin synthesized from a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic cation and a compound being able to react with the nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic cation, and an anion; the nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic cation has two substituents bonded to hydroxyl groups; and the substituent bonded to the hydroxyl group is bonded to a nitrogen atom of a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocycle of the nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic cation.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive support, a photosensitive layer on the conductive support and a surface layer on the photosensitive layer. The surface layer includes a cured resin prepared by polymerization of a compound having two or more radically polymerizable functional groups per molecule, the cured resin containing an organic resin fine particle and a metal oxide fine particle, and the organic resin fine particle comprising a resin containing a structural unit derived from at least one of melamine and benzoguanamine, the organic resin fine particle having a number average primary particle size of 0.01 to 3.00 ?m.

Abstract: A colorless digital primer for digital printing includes a colorless paste. The colorless paste includes a non-polar carrier fluid, and a resin swollen in the non-polar carrier fluid. The resin is present in the paste in an amount ranging from about 20% (w/w) to about 50% (w/w). A solid polar compound is dispersed in the resin. The solid polar compound is selected from the group consisting of a cellulose microcrystalline powder, dextrin, maltose monohydrate, polyacrylic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, a styrene maleic anhydride copolymer, a bismaleimide oligomer, sucrose, sucrose octaacetate, sucrose benzoate, and combinations thereof. The solid polar compound is present in an amount up to 60 wt. % of solids in the colorless paste.

Abstract: An aromatic printed object of an embodiment comprises a film-like substrate and a printing section having a perfume microcapsule-containing toner. A pair of film-like substrates that face each other across the printing section is pressed, and fragrance diverges by peeling off the pressed part of the film-like substrates.

Abstract: Processes for continuously coalescing particles from an aggregated particle slurry are disclosed. The aggregated particle slurry is heated, then coalesced by raising the pH. The coalesced particles are homogenized and exit as a coalesced particle slurry. A multi-screw extruder is used for the coalescing. These processes are useful for providing coalesced particles such as toner compositions.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developer includes an electrostatic charge image developing carrier containing a ferrite particle and an electrostatic charge image developing toner containing metallic particles whose resistance is from 1010 ?cm to 1013 ?cm in an electric field of 10,000 V/cm, wherein the electrostatic charge image developing carrier satisfies the following formula (1): 0.9?RB/RA?1.0 (1), wherein RA represents the resistance of the electrostatic charge image developing carrier in an electric field of 2,400 V/cm, and RB represents the resistance of the electrostatic charge image developing carrier in an electric field of 19,200 V/cm.

Abstract: Disclosed is toner particles having controlled and tailorable fusing characteristics. In particular, there is provided toner particles comprising styrene acrylate which have specific shape characteristics that allow for tailorable fusing characteristics without generating a detrimental effect on the blocking characteristics of such toners.

Abstract: A toner includes a polyester resin including a polyester resin component A (A) insoluble in tetrahydrofuran; and a polyester resin component B (B) soluble in tetrahydrofuran. The toner has a first glass transition temperature (Tg1st) of from 20° C. to 50° C., measured at a first temperature rising in differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and satisfies the following formulae (1) and (2): T=1/{a/(TgA+273)+b/(TgB+273)}?273??(1) T?TgAB>30×a??(2) wherein a and b represent weight ratios of (A) and (B) to a total weight of (A) and (B), and satisfy the equation a+b=1; and TgA, TgB and TgAB represent second glass transition temperatures (Tg2nd), measured at a second temperature rising in differential scanning calorimetry, of (A), (B), and a mixture of (A) and (B), respectively.

Abstract: A toner including a resin; and a colorant wax comprising a plurality of colorant wax particles comprising a colorant core surrounded by a wax shell, wherein the colorant wax particles exhibit a particle size distribution of from about 150 nanometers to less than about 300 nanometers; and wherein the colorant wax is prepared by (a) melting and mixing a dry colorant with at least one wax to form a colorant concentrate, wherein the colorant concentrate contains at least 25 percent by weight of colorant; (b) milling the colorant concentrate of step (a) to form a milled colorant concentrate; (c) combining the milled colorant concentrate of (b) with water and dispersing to form the plurality of colorant wax particles; wherein the melting and mixing of step (a) and the milling of step (b) is done in an immersion media mill; and wherein the combining of step (c) is done using a piston homogenizer.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing toner includes a plurality of toner particles each including a toner core and a shell layer. The shell layer includes a plurality of first shell particles and a plurality of second shell particles. The first shell particles cover the toner core at a coverage of at least 25% and no greater than 50%. The second shell particles additionally cover the toner cores at a coverage of at least 5% and no greater than 30%. An SP value of the toner core is greater than an SP value of the first shell particles. The SP value of the first shell particles is greater than an SP value of the second shell particles.

Abstract: Provided is a cleaning member including a helical convex section formed on an outer peripheral surface, wherein the cleaning member comes into complete contact with a target cleaning member in an axial direction of the target cleaning member, and rotates in contact with the target cleaning member rotating around an axis.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning member, which includes a shaft portion and an elastic layer. The shaft portion is disposed so as to extend in a rotation axis direction of a rotating object that is to be cleaned. The elastic layer is helically disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion from one end portion to the other end portion in an axial direction. The elastic layer touches an outer circumferential surface of the object and at least one end surface of the object in the rotation axis direction. A relationship between a cross-sectional area Sa of the object taken perpendicular to an axis of the object and a cumulative total contact area Sb of a portion of the end surface of the object in the rotation axis direction touched by the elastic layer during one rotation of the object satisfies 0.11?Sb/Sa<0.30.

Abstract: The image forming system having an image forming apparatus and a charge adjusting apparatus has a decision unit that decides an amount of charge to be applied to a recording sheet from coverages of toner images of both surfaces of the recording sheet, the image forming apparatus has a fixing unit that heats and presses a recording sheet to which a toner image is transferred, thereby fixing the toner image to the recording sheet, and the charge adjusting apparatus has a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage to the recording sheet to which the toner image is fixed by the fixing unit, thereby applying charge with the amount decided by the decision unit to the recording sheet.

Abstract: A power supply structure includes a bearing, a first spring, and a second spring. The bearing supports a rotary member that axially rotates while contacting with a contact target. While receiving power, the first spring contacts with and presses the bearing with an end portion of the first spring to bring the rotary member into contact with the contact target. The second spring extends from the first spring toward the contact target and contacts with the rotary member.

Abstract: A sliding member has a free end that extends toward the downstream side of the direction of rotation of a developer bearing member, and a tip portion on the free end side of the sliding member slides against the developer bearing member. The developer bearing member has a region where, when a developer is placed on a vertical direction upper side of the developer bearing member which is in a stationary state, the developer can remain without dropping. A position against which the tip portion of the sliding member slides, the region, and a position against which a regulating member slides are located on the developer bearing member in this order toward the downstream side of the direction of rotation of the developer bearing member.

Abstract: A developing device of the present disclosure includes a developing roller, a toner supplying roller, a regulation blade, a casing, a toner receiver support member, a toner receiver member, and a vibration generator. The toner receiver support member is disposed inside the casing so as to face the developing roller or the toner supplying roller between the regulation blade and an image carrier. The toner receiver member is disposed along a longitudinal direction of the toner receiver support member, and has a toner receiving surface that receives toner falling from the developing roller. The vibration generator vibrates the toner receiver member. At each end part of the toner receiving surface in its longitudinal direction, there is formed a thin-walled portion that is thinner in thickness than other parts of the toner receiving surface.

Abstract: A semiconductive roller for use as a developing roller or the like is provided, which has an outer peripheral surface at least partly imparted with a reduced friction coefficient ? without irradiation with ultraviolet radiation. The semiconductive roller (1) includes a tubular body made of a crosslinking product of an electrically conductive rubber composition containing a crosslinkable rubber component, and a chloride film (5) formed in the outer peripheral surface (4) thereof through chlorination.

Abstract: A cartridge including: a housing configured to accommodate therein developer; a driving receiving part configured to receive a driving force; a rotary member configured to rotate by receiving a driving force from the driving receiving part, and a detected part configured to be moved by the rotation of the rotary member, wherein the rotary member is configured to rotate from a first state where the driving force from the driving receiving part is transmitted to the rotary member to a second state where the transmission of the driving force from the driving receiving part to the rotary member is released, and then rotate from the second state to the first state.

Abstract: The present invention relates a toner cartridge used for a laser printer. The toner cartridge comprises: a toner tank for storing fresh toner and a waste toner tank for storing waste toner obtained after development. When the toner cartridge is installed in a laser printer, the toner tank has a toner supplying section at a lower portion in a vertical direction thereof for supplying toner to an external environment. Two inner surfaces of the toner tank, arranged in a transverse direction of the toner tank and parallel with a direction in which the toner cartridge is installed into the laser printer, keep in a plane state at positions higher than the toner supplying section and are parallel with the vertical direction.

Abstract: A container for developer detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus body includes a container body, a discharge member, a resistive member, and a resistance reduction mechanism. The container body contains developer and is rotated when drive is transmitted from the image forming apparatus body. The discharge member supports the container body rotatable relative to the discharge member and has a discharge port through which the developer is discharged. The resistive member is brought into contact with the container body so as to apply resistance to the rotation of the container body. The resistance reduction mechanism changes a contact state between the resistive member and the container body so as to reduce the resistance between the resistive member and the container body when the container is mounted to the image forming apparatus body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an accommodation container, a storage medium, and a controller. The accommodation container includes a rotational portion and outflow portion. The rotational portion accommodates a developer therein and has a helical-shaped transport section formed in an inner surface thereof. The outflow portion rotatably supports the rotational portion and has an outflow port through which the developer transported during rotation of the rotational portion flows out. The storage medium stores use state information of the developer accommodated in the rotational portion. The controller controls a driving source which drives the rotational portion. When a use state of the accommodation container for the developer is a use state which is set in advance, the controller intermittently drives the rotational portion by performing driving at a rotation angle of (n+½)?±18 degrees or less than 90 degrees and stopping.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image-bearing member bearing a toner image, a transfer unit transferring the toner image on the image-bearing member to a printing medium, a cleaning member rubbing against the image-bearing member and scraping away transfer residual toner from the image-bearing member, and a lubricant applying unit applying a lubricant to the image-bearing member. The apparatus further includes a driving unit driving the lubricant applying unit and a controller controlling the driving unit such that when a period required for an area corresponding to an interval between printing media to pass through a transfer position is longer than or equal to a predetermined set period during image formation, the amount of lubricant applied by the lubricant applying unit is at least lower than that in a case where the period required is shorter than the predetermined set period.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus, including a transfer roll; and first and second rolls, each first roll and second roll being disposed relative to the transfer roll, the second roll forming a transfer nip with the transfer roll and the first roll being disposed upstream relative to the second roll in a media feed direction. During a toner transfer operation, the transfer roll is coupled to a predetermined voltage and the first and second rolls are coupled to at least one voltage reference so that an electric field is generated between the transfer roll and the first roll and between the transfer roll and the second roll, the first roll being associated with an electrical characteristic such that the electric field generated between the transfer roll and the first roll is limited during the toner transfer operation relative to the electric field generated between the transfer roll and the second roll.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a transfer device, and a transfer bias power source. The transfer bias power source is configured to output an alternately switching voltage that alternates between a transfer-directional voltage having a polarity to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto the recording medium and a return-directional voltage having an opposite polarity to the polarity of the transfer-directional voltage. The transfer bias power source is configured to reduce a target value of Vdc as an image area ratio of a toner image to be printed increases, and to increase the target value of Vdc as the image area ratio reduces, where Vdc is an average value of the alternately switching voltage during printing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier; an image forming unit configured to form, on the latent image carrier, a toner image using a developer including a toner and a lubricating external additive charged with an opposite polarity to a charge polarity of the toner; a transfer device configured to electrostatically transfer, at a transfer position, the toner image formed by the image forming unit to a transfer medium; and a cleaning device configured to remove the toner remaining on the latent image carrier after passing the transfer position. The transfer device is configured to control a transfer voltage applied at the transfer position, based on an area ratio of an image to be printed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carrier that carries a toner image formed by a toner, the toner including a toner body and an external additive, a circularity of the external additive being about 0.5 to about 0.9, a transfer member that holds a transferred body between the transfer member and the carrier, the transfer member transferring the toner image to the transferred body, and a removing member that includes a contact portion, the contact portion contacting the transfer member, the removing member removing toner that adheres to the transfer member from the toner image carried by the carrier, the contact portion being made of an elastic material that satisfies an inequality (1) below: A??2.5×B+102??(1) where A denotes a pure water contact angle (°) at 23° C. and 55% RH, and B denotes a 100% modulus (MPa) at 23° C.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat unit, a pressure roller configured to nip a conveyed sheet in cooperation with the heat unit, the pressure roller having a shaft defining an axial direction, a bearing configured to support the shaft, a frame configured to support the bearing and made from resin, and a heatsink made from metal, and in surface contact with the frame and at least one of the shaft and the bearing.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member configured to form a nip therebetween for heating a toner image on a recording material, a rubbing rotatable member configured to rub a surface of the first rotatable member, and a cleaning brush configured to clean a surface of the rubbing rotatable member. An average interval Sm of pits and projections of the surface of the rubbing rotatable member is 10-20 ?m, and the cleaning brush includes fibers each having a diameter of not less than 5 ?m and not more than the average interval Sm.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a paper sheet; a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image onto the paper sheet; a fixing temperature detecting unit configured to detect a fixing temperature in the fixing unit; and a control unit configured to allow a fixing operation in the fixing unit only after the fixing temperature is adjusted to be within a predetermined allowable fixing temperature range, when the fixing temperature is outside the allowable fixing temperature range, wherein the control unit sets the allowable fixing temperature range in accordance with fixing properties required in an output of a pattern image for adjustment in an adjustment mode in which various kinds of adjustments related to image formation can be performed based on an output of the pattern image for adjustment.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the fuser assembly of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating reading line current and line voltage for a plurality of consecutive AC cycles; from the AC cycle readings, identifying heater on cycles in which power is applied to the fuser heater and heater off cycles in which power is not applied to the fuser heater; calculating heater power from the identified heater on cycles and the heater off cycles, the heater power being the power of the fuser heater during a predetermined heater on cycle of the consecutive AC cycles; calculating a fuser heater voltage of the fuser heater during the predetermined heater on cycle based on the voltage readings; calculating a resistance of the fuser heater based on the calculated heater power and the calculated fuser heater voltage; and controlling the fuser assembly based upon the calculated resistance of the fuser heater.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus detects that the temperature of a fixing member reaches a lower limit value at which the temperature once reduced by the start of a heating and fixing process to a paper turns to rise, after an image forming operation starts, and determines the type of the paper based on at least one of an elapsed time from a predetermined reference time point after the image forming operation starts to a time point at which it is detected that the temperature reaches the lower limit value, and a temperature difference between the temperature of the fixing member at the reference time point and the lower limit value.

Abstract: A heating device suppresses a bias force toward a center in a longitudinal direction (center in a rotation axis direction) of a fixing film serving as a rotation member, thereby preventing film overlapping and sheet wrinkles. The sliding friction resistance in the rotation axis direction of a fixing film between the fixing film and a protrusion is set so that at least the sliding friction resistance in an end part in the rotation axis direction is larger than the sliding friction resistance in a region closer to a central part in the rotation axis direction than the end part.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt member that rotates to fix a toner image to a recording material; a pressing unit that, along with the belt member, presses the recording material while the pressing unit rotates; a heating section that contacts an inner side of the belt member and heats the belt member; and a nip forming portion that is provided at the inner side of the belt member, and that forms a nip where the recording material is nipped between the belt member and the pressing unit. In the fixing device, the heating section is disposed at an outer side of a locus of the belt member where the heating section is not provided and that is nipped by the nip forming portion and the pressing unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip formation pad to press against a fixing rotator. A primary heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotator in a primary heating span spanning in an axial direction of the fixing rotator to heat the primary heating span of the fixing rotator from which heat is conducted to the nip formation pad with a primary conduction. A secondary heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotator in a secondary heating span that is outboard from the primary heating span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator. The secondary heater is interposed between a first nip formation portion and a second nip formation portion of the nip formation pad to heat the secondary heating span of the fixing rotator through the nip formation pad from which heat is conducted to the fixing rotator with a secondary conduction greater than the primary conduction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a heater includes an elongated substrate; a conductor that is provided on the substrate along a longitudinal direction of the substrate; and a plurality of resistance heating elements which are respectively disposed on the substrate along the longitudinal direction of the substrate, are electrically connected to each other in series by the conductor, and of which each resistance temperature coefficient becomes smaller as the resistance heating elements approach end regions in the longitudinal direction of the substrate.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a housing, a belt member, a pressure roller, a nip forming member, and a pressing member. The belt member is constituted of a flexible tubular shape. The nip forming member is located at an inner peripheral portion of the belt member. The nip forming member has an opposed surface along an outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller. The nip forming member presses the belt member to the pressure roller. An end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller is located inside with respect to an end portion of the belt member. The fixing device includes a pressing member located opposed to the pressure roller in the axial direction. The pressing member presses an outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the belt member in the axial direction to radially inward of the belt member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of shifting to a state where quick activation thereof can be performed in a shorter time period when a power switch is turned off. When the off operation of the power switch is detected, a first state is stored, and when the on operation of the power switch is detected next, the state of the image forming apparatus is shifted to a second state from which the image forming apparatus can return to the first state. When the state of the image forming apparatus is shifted to the second state, time starts to be measured. When the on operation of the power switch is detected in the second state, the value of the measured time is acquired. The image forming apparatus is caused to return to the stored first state depending on the value of the measured time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes an optical sensor disposed on a conveyance path of the recording medium. The optical sensor is configured to detect position information of the recording medium conveyed along the conveyance path. A sensor cover is disposed between the optical sensor and the recording medium whose position information is detected by the optical sensor. The sensor cover is configured to guide the recording medium. The sensor cover has a first side facing the optical sensor. The sensor cover includes an electrically conductive surface on the first side. The electrically conductive surface is electrically connected to a main body of the image forming apparatus.