Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a stage apparatus having an upper surface in which a recess that holds a substrate is formed. A liquid immersion system has a supply port via which a liquid is supplied and a collection port via which the liquid is collected forms a liquid immersion region. A projection optical system has an optical element and is configured to project an exposure light onto the substrate through the liquid of the liquid immersion region. A light-transmissive member is provided at the stage apparatus and has an upper surface substantially coplanar with an upper surface of the substrate held on the stage apparatus and with the upper surface of the stage apparatus. A groove is provided at the stage apparatus, into which the liquid is allowed to flow.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, a tip array can include an elastomeric tip substrate layer comprising a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface, the tip substrate layer being formed from an elastomeric material; a plurality of tips fixed to the first surface, the tips each comprising a tip end disposed opposite the first surface, the tips having a radius of curvature of less than about 1 micron; and an array of heaters disposed on the second surface of the tip substrate layer and configured such that when the tip substrate layer is heated by a heater, a tip disposed in a location of a heated portion of tip substrate layer is lowered relative to a tip disposed in a location of an unheated portion of the tip substrate layer.

Abstract: An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes first and second optical raster plates. An irradiance distribution of projection light on the first and second optical raster plates determines an angular light distribution of the projection light exclusively at a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of an illuminated field. The second portion is distinct from and arranged adjacent to the first portion. It is possible to produce different illumination settings in different adjacent portions on the mask. First and second Fourier optics establish a Fourier relationship between the first and second optical raster plates one the one hand and the first and second portion on the other hand. The first and second Fourier optics have a first and second focal length, respectively, that are variable in response to a focal length change command signal from a control unit.

Abstract: Metrology apparatus and methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, a metrology apparatus comprises an optical system that illuminates a structure with measurement radiation and detects the measurement radiation scattered by the structure. The optical system comprises an array of lenses that focusses the scattered measurement radiation onto a sensor. A dispersive element directs scattered measurement radiation in each of a plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands exclusively onto a different respective lens of the array of lenses.

Abstract: A method detects a position of a target in an image using a template having first to Nth feature points. The method includes obtaining an index indicating correlation between the template and the image by repeating processing for each relative positions of the template with respect to the image, while sequentially setting first to nth (n?N) feature points as a feature point of interest. When the feature point of interest is a Jth feature point, whether an intermediate index indicating the correlation obtained based on processing of the first to Jth feature points satisfies a censoring condition is determined, and processing of (J+1)th and subsequent feature points is canceled if the intermediate index satisfies the censoring condition.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with illumination light via an optical system. A detection system supported in a measurement station detects a mark of the substrate. A stage disposed below the optical system and the detection system holds the substrate with a holder. A carrier system has a first support member supporting the substrate in a noncontact manner and carries the substrate to a loading position in the measurement station. A second support member supports the substrate supported by the first support member, from a rear surface side of the substrate and is vertically movable independently from the first support member. A drive device relatively moves the first support member, the second support member and the holder at least in a vertical direction, at the loading position where the stage is placed. The substrate is carried from the carrier system to the holder via the first support member.

Abstract: A measurement system for a lithographic apparatus includes a sub-frame compliantly mounted on a reference frame. A measurement device, e.g. an alignment sensor, is mounted on the sub-frame. Soft mounting of the sub-frame isolates the alignment sensor from high-frequency disturbances, e.g. acoustic noise, by acting as a low-pass filter with a cut-off frequency, e.g. in the range of from 100 to 200 Hz.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a first table to support a substrate; a second table, not being configured to support a substrate, including a sensor unit to sense a property of a patterned beam of radiation from a projection system, the second table to move under the projection system when the first table is moved out from under the projection system during a substrate exchange, the first and second tables being independently movable from each other; and a liquid supply system to supply a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate, the first table, and/or the second table, wherein the second table is configured to provide a confining surface at a bottom of a liquid confinement structure when the first table is removed from under the projection system so as to prevent the liquid from leaking out into the remainder of the lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus which includes a plurality of stations in which an imprint material supplied to an imprint region on a substrate is formed using a mold and a pattern is formed in the imprint region. The imprint apparatus includes: a holder provided in each of the plurality of stations and configured to hold the substrate and to adjust a temperature of the substrate; and a controller configured to output a target value used to adjust the temperature to the holder in a station in which a pattern is formed in a substrate among the plurality of stations on the basis of a size of the imprint region and a temperature of the substrate.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member with suppressed potential variation even in the case that a protective layer including a cured material of a composition having a polymerizable functional group is used is provided. An electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support, a charge generation layer, a charge transport layer containing a charge transporting material, and a protective layer, in the order presented, wherein the charge transport layer contains a polycarbonate resin having a structure selected from a group A and a structure selected from a group B, and the protective layer includes a cured material of a composition containing a compound having at least a functional group selected from chain-polymerizable functional groups and sequential polymerizable functional groups.

Abstract: A method includes grinding a wax into wax particles having a size in a range from about 600 microns to about 800 microns forming a mixture of the wax particles with water and a surfactant; and homogenizing the mixture to form a wax dispersion, the homogenizing step is maintained below about 35° C. A wax dispersion includes a wax a surfactant; and water, particles of the wax dispersion are a uniform, irregular, non-platelet morphology. A wax dispersion made by a process includes grinding a wax into wax particles having a size in a range from about 600 microns to about 800 microns, forming a mixture of the wax particles with water and a surfactant, and homogenizing the mixture to form a wax dispersion, the homogenizing step is maintained below about 35° C. and the wax has a uniform, irregular, non-platelet morphology imparted by combination of the grinding and homogenizing steps.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles including an amorphous resin and a crystalline resin, wherein, when the toner particles are subjected to a measurement by differential scanning calorimetry before and after being heated at a temperature of 50° C. and a humidity of 50% RH for a week, a relationship between an endothermic amount S1 (J/g) derived from the crystalline resin in a first heating process with respect to the toner particles before being heated and an endothermic amount Sh (J/g) derived from the crystalline resin in a first heating process with respect to the toner particles after being heated satisfies Expression (1): 0.50?S1/Sh?0.90.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles including an amorphous resin and a crystalline resin, wherein, when the toner particles are subjected to a measurement by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) before and after being stored at a temperature of 50° C. and a humidity of 90% RH for 24 hours, a relationship between an onset temperature T1 (° C.) of an endothermic peak having the lowest peak temperature in a first heating step with respect to the toner particles before being stored and an onset temperature T2 (° C.) of an endothermic peak having the lowest peak temperature in a first heating step with respect to the toner particles after being stored satisfies Expression (1): 2<T2?T1<10.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles including an amorphous resin and a crystalline resin, wherein, when the toner particles are subjected to a measurement to determine an area ratio of the crystalline resin present on a surface of the toner particle before and after being heated at a temperature of 50° C. and a humidity of 50% RH for a week, a relationship between an area ratio a (%) of the crystalline resin present on a surface of the toner particles before being heated and an area ratio b (%) of the crystalline resin present on a surface of the toner particles after being heated satisfies Expression (1): 0.05?(b?a)/b?0.50.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles each including an amorphous resin and a crystalline resin, wherein, when the toner particles are subjected to a measurement to determine an area ratio of the crystalline resin on a cross section of the toner particle before and after being heated at a temperature of 50° C. and a humidity of 50% RH for three days, a relationship between an area ratio a (%) of the crystalline resin on a cross section with respect to the toner particles before being heated, and an area ratio b (%) of the crystalline resin on the cross section with respect to the toner particles after being heated satisfies Expression (1): 0.9?a/b?1.0.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles including an amorphous resin and a crystalline resin, wherein, when the toner particles are subjected to a measurement by differential scanning calorimetry before and after being heated at a temperature of 50° C. and a humidity of 50% RH for a week, a relationship between an endothermic amount x (J/g) derived from the crystalline resin with respect to the toner particles before being heated and an endothermic amount y (J/g) derived from the crystalline resin with respect to the toner particles after being heated satisfies Expression (1): x/y<0.3.

Abstract: A toner having a toner particle containing an amorphous resin, a crystalline resin, a colorant, a release agent, and a polymer in which a styrene-acrylic polymer is graft-polymerized on a polyolefin, wherein the amorphous resin contains an amorphous polyester resin A, and the amorphous polyester resin A has a monomer unit derived from polyhydric alcohol and a monomer unit derived from polyhydric carboxylic acid, has, a particular amount of a succinic acid-derived monomer unit in the monomer unit derived from polyhydric carboxylic acid, and has, a particular amount of a monomer unit derived from a propylene oxide adduct on bisphenol A in the monomer unit derived from polyhydric alcohol; and has a particular softening point, a particular solubility parameter, and a particular peak molecular weight.

Abstract: Provided is a UV-curable liquid developer remaining in an apparatus hardly cures with visible light even when the apparatus is opened for the purpose of, for example, its maintenance, and the UV-curable liquid developer shows sufficient fixability by irradiation of the UV light. The UV-curable liquid developer includes: toner particles; a polymerization initiator; a sensitizer; and a polymerizable monomer, in which the sensitizer contains a compound represented by X—Y, where X represents a triphenylenyl group or the like and Y represents a triphenylenyl group or the like.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt and a developer unit. The image forming apparatus includes a cooling unit, a cleaning roller, and an auxiliary brush. The cooling unit cools a predetermined component by sending air by a fan inside the image forming apparatus. The cleaning roller removes remaining toner on the intermediate transfer belt at an upstream side of a region facing the developer unit in a rotationally moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt and at an upstream side of a region with which the image carrier is in contact in the intermediate transfer belt. The auxiliary brush located on an outer surface of the developer unit so as to close the clearance between the intermediate transfer belt and the developer unit and is in contact with the intermediate transfer belt to clean the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: A cleaning body includes a shaft and an elastic layer that is helically wound around the shaft from one end side to the other end side of the shaft and fixed on the shaft and that cleans a body to be cleaned while the elastic layer rotates. The elastic layer includes a division portion having plural divided segments and having a length of from 20% to 70% of the full length of the elastic layer. The division portion is located in a longitudinal central portion of the elastic layer. In the sectional view perpendicular to the axial direction of the shaft, a minimum thickness part in the longitudinal central portion of the elastic layer is from 5% to 12% thicker than a minimum thickness part in each longitudinal end portion of the elastic layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a light source, an optical scanning device, an image bearer, an image density sensor, an image processing circuit, and a light source driver. The plurality of images are formed with a plurality of light intensities and a plurality of image area rates on the image bearer. The image density sensor detects a plurality of image densities of the plurality of images at a plurality of positions in a main scanning direction. The image processing circuit determines a light intensity correction value to correct an image density of a target image in the main scanning direction based on the plurality of light intensities, image area rates, image densities, and positions, and the image area rate of the target image, and outputs a control signal to adjust a light intensity. The light source driver adjusts the light intensity based on the control signal.

Abstract: A period in which an adjustment unit adjusts a driving current such that the light irradiation unit emits a third light emission amount of light is switched to a period in which a light irradiation unit emits a second light emission amount of light, and the period in which the light irradiation unit emits the second light emission amount of light is switched to a period in which the light irradiation unit emits a first light emission amount of light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire atmosphere pressure in the installation place of the image forming apparatus, photoconductors, light sources configured to radiate laser light, and a polygon mirror configured to be rotatable. The polygon mirror exposes the photoconductors by reflecting the laser light toward the photoconductors while rotating. The image forming apparatus further includes a control device configured to control rotation of the polygon mirror. The control device outputs an enable signal for allowing the image forming apparatus to perform printing, if rotation of the polygon mirror is stabilized after start of the rotation, and advances the timing of outputting the enable signal as the atmosphere pressure increases.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a deflector configured to deflect first and second beams to scan an effective area of a first scanned surface in a main scanning direction, and first and second imaging optical systems configured to guide the first and second beams deflected by the deflector to first and second areas, respectively, which are included in the effective area and different from each other in the main scanning direction. In the main scanning direction, the first area and the second area are asymmetric in width with respect to an optical axis.

Abstract: Provided is a developing device including a developer carrier that holds developer, a supply member that supplies the developer to the developer carrier while agitating the developer, a transport member that is disposed obliquely upward in a vertical direction of the supply member, delivers and transports the developer with agitating the developer through a passageway portion provided at each end portion in an axial direction of the supply member, and a regulating member that is provided at a position corresponding to the passageway portion that delivers the developer from the supply member to the transport member, to regulate movement of the developer from the supply member to the developer carrier.

Abstract: A toner case includes a case main body and a rotating member. The rotating member is rotatable around a rotation axis. A side wall of the case main body has a base part, a recess part and a bearing part. The base part is formed so as to cross a direction of the rotation axis. The recess part is recessed inward in the direction of the rotation axis with respect to the base part. The bearing part protrudes outward in the direction of the rotation axis from the recess part and supports one end portion of the rotating member in the direction of the rotation axis. An outer end portion in the direction of the rotation axis of the bearing part is positioned closer to an inner side in the direction of the rotation axis than an outer face of the base part.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: first and second chambers communicating to each other; a first opening portion through which the developer is received from the first chamber to the second chamber; a second opening portion through which the developer is received from the second chamber to the first chamber; a conveyance member arranged in the first chamber and rotating in a first direction to convey the developer to the first opening portion; a sealing member sealing the first opening portion; a rotary member peeling the sealing member; a determination portion determining presence of uneven distribution in the first chamber under a state in which the sealing member seals; and a controller controlling rotation of the rotary member to rotate the conveyance member in a second direction reverse to the first direction before the peeling or in a course of the peeling when the uneven distribution is present.

Abstract: In a developing apparatus, a housing has a first opening. A shutter is movable between an open position and a closed position. A locking member is movable between a lock position and a release position. The locking member is located between the housing and the shutter in a cartridge-attachment direction. The locking member is located at the lock position in a case where the toner cartridge is detached from the developing apparatus. The locking member is in contact with the toner cartridge, thereby moving from the lock position to the release position in a case where the toner cartridge is attached to the developing apparatus. A cover having a second opening that is in communication with the first opening in a state where the shutter is at the open position is located at an opposite side of the locking member with respect to the shutter in the cartridge-attachment direction.

Abstract: A toner case includes a case main body, a rotating member, a transmitting member and a cover. The case main body contains a toner. The rotating member is disposed in the case main body and is rotatable around a rotation axis. The transmitting member rotates along an outer face of a side wall of the case main body on one side in a direction of the rotation axis so as to transmit a rotation to the rotating member. The cover covers at least a portion of the transmitting member. The transmitting member has a movable part which moves as the transmitting member rotates. The cover has a hole part through which the movable part is exposed.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a plurality of development sections arranged in an axis direction of a developer bearing member; a communication section disposed at a boundary of adjacent two development sections of the development sections, and configured to communicate between the two development sections; and a control section configured to perform an operation of moving the developer between the two development sections through the communication section to equalize degradation states of the developer in the two development sections.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer cartridge and a developing unit. The developer cartridge, in some instances, may include a shutter. This shutter may have a wall for closing a developer supply hole, and be movable, with respect to a developer cartridge casing, between an open position where the supply hole is opened by the wall and a closed position where the supply hole is closed by the wall. The shutter may further include a protrusion that is movable with respect to the wall of the shutter between a first position and a second position in an axial direction. The protrusion, in the first position, is engageable with a developing unit and, in the second position, would be disengaged from the developing unit.

Abstract: A developer supply device includes: a device main body having a fixed portion; a developer accommodating member including a stationary portion fixed to the fixed portion, a rotary portion, and a seal member provided on one of an outer circumferential portion of the rotary portion and the stationary portion and being in contact with the other, a developer to be supplied to a developing device being accommodated in the rotary portion; and a motor that rotates the rotary portion, wherein the developer supply device has a first torque mode in which the motor rotates the rotary portion with a first rotational torque and a second torque mode in which the motor rotates the rotary portion with a second rotational torque higher than the first rotational torque when the motor rotates the rotary portion after a preset time or more elapses since the rotary portion stops rotating.

Abstract: A separating device includes an electrode roller, an electrode member, a liquid developer supplying portion, a carrier liquid collecting portion, a collecting roller and a blade member. When a line passing through a center and a top of the electrode roller with respect to a gravitational direction is 0°, an upstream end portion of a gap between the electrode roller and the electrode member is positioned in a range of 0° or more and less than 180° with respect to an electrode roller rotational direction. When a line passing through a center and a top of the collecting roller with respect to the gravitational direction is 0°, a contact position of the blade member with the collecting roller is in a range of 35° or more in an upstream side of a contact position between the collecting and electrode rollers with respect to a collecting roller rotational direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a recording material with a liquid developer containing a toner and a carrier liquid, wherein the carrier liquid contains a first substance for imparting an electrical polarity to the toner and a second substance, higher in volume resistivity than the first substance, as a dispersion medium for dispersing the toner; and a carrier separating device configured to separate the carrier liquid into the first substance charged to an opposite polarity to a charge polarity of the toner and the second substance by applying an electric field to the liquid developer collected from the image forming portion so as to collect each of the first substance and the second substance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an intermediate transferor, a secondary transferor, a plurality of rotators including a secondary driving rotator, and a detector. The image bearer bears a detection image. The detection image is transferred from the image bearer to the intermediate transferor at a primary transfer position. The secondary transferor is looped around the plurality of rotators and disposed in contact with the intermediate transferor at a secondary transfer position where the detection image is transferred from the intermediate transferor to the secondary transferor. The secondary driving rotator drives the secondary transferor. The detector detects the detection image on the secondary transferor at a detection position. With this configuration, a distance from the secondary transfer position to the detection position on the secondary transferor is an integral multiple of a circumference of the secondary driving rotator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image holder that holds a toner image; a transferer that is disposed opposite to the image holder so as to be in contact with the image holder and transfers the toner image from the image holder onto a recording sheet that is going through a contact part where the transferer contacts the image holder, by applying a transfer voltage between the transferer and the image holder; a first power source that applies a voltage of a first polarity to the image holder; and a second power source that applies a voltage of a second polarity, which is reverse to the first polarity, to the transferer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing unit that fixes an unfixed image held by a recording medium by heating the recording medium; a first air discharge unit that is disposed at one end in a direction that cross a recording medium feeding direction of the fixing unit and discharges air around the fixing unit to an outside; a second air discharge unit that is disposed on a downstream side of the fixing unit in the recording medium feeding direction and discharges air around the second air discharge unit to an outside; and an air discharge duct member that causes discharge air of the first air discharge unit and discharge air of the second air, discharge unit to merge together and guides resulting merged air to a discharge opening of a rear wall of an apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A light emitting element array includes plural semiconductor stacked structures each including a light emitting unit that is formed on a substrate, and a light amplification unit that extends from the light emitting unit along a substrate surface of the substrate to have a length in an extension direction which is longer than that of the light emitting unit, amplifies light propagating in the extension direction from the light emitting unit, and emits the amplified light from a light emission portion formed along the extension direction, wherein the plural semiconductor stacked structures are arranged such that the extension directions of the respective light amplification units are substantially parallel to each other.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat generator being disposed inside a loop formed by a rotator and including a heat generating portion to radiate radiant heat. A reflector is disposed inside the loop formed by the rotator and includes a reflection face to reflect the radiant heat radiated from the heat generator toward the rotator. A support supports the reflector. A holder holds each lateral end of the support in a longitudinal direction of the support, which is perpendicular to the rotation direction of the rotator. A fastener attaches the reflector to the support at an attachment position disposed at each lateral end of the reflector in a longitudinal direction of the reflector. The attachment position is disposed outboard from a lateral edge of the heat generating portion of the heat generator and disposed inboard from the holder in the longitudinal direction of the reflector.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for use with an image forming apparatus includes a pair of rotatable members configured to form a nip for heating an image on a recording material; a guide member configured to guide the recording material toward the nip; a supporting mechanism configured to rotatably support the guide member about an axis so that the guide member is movable between a first position where the guide member guides the recording material and a second position where the guide member blocks at least a part of a feeding path of the recording material; and a locking mechanism configured to lock the guide member being in the first position. The locking mechanism releases locking with sliding movement of the guiding member in a direction of the axis.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a plurality of heating members, a press roller, and an intermediate temperature control unit. The plurality of heating members are each in contact with an inside of a rotating body. The rotating body also has a width which is equal to or greater than a width of a recording medium to be printed. The intermediate temperature control unit has a medium width detecting unit configured to detect a width of the recording medium and a print width detecting unit configured to detect a print width of recording data and control a portion of the heating member corresponding to an intermediate heating area. The intermediate heating area is maintained at a set intermediate temperature which is lower than a set temperature of a printing heating area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including a heating member and a pressure member forming a nip portion with the heating member, an air blowing unit including a fan, an opening portion, and an adjustment member for adjusting an opening width of the opening portion, a control unit controlling the fan, and a temperature detection member detecting a temperature of an area, serving as a non-sheet passing area in a recording material having a predetermined size, in a non-air blowing area in the heating member closer to the center of the heating member than the opening portion in a width direction of the recording material, and the recording material having a width by which a part of the non-air blowing area is overlapped with the non-sheet passing area, and the control unit controls the fan according to a temperature detected by the temperature detection member.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a fuser assembly including a heat transfer member. The heat transfer member includes a substrate, first and second resistive traces disposed on the substrate, and a temperature sensor disposed on the substrate for sensing an end portion thereof. A controller is coupled to the fuser assembly and is operative to control a fusing temperature of the heat transfer member during a fusing operation when a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor falls outside a predetermined range by gradually changing a set-point temperature for at least one of the first and second resistive traces from an initial set-point temperature to an adjusted set-point temperature such that an amount of heat generated by the at least one of the first and second resistive traces is adjusted without changing a fusing speed of the fuser assembly.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first unit and a second unit. The first unit includes: a first belt being movable in a first direction; a first pressing member pressing the first belt; and a first pressing member support supporting the first pressing member. The second unit includes a moving member and faces the first unit in a second direction. The moving member is able to come into contact with the first belt and movable in the first direction. The first pressing member is supported, by the first pressing member support, variably in attitude of the first pressing member relative to the first pressing member support.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a recording material; an endless belt and a roller which are configured to form a nip therebetween for fixing, on the recording material, the toner image formed by the image forming portion; a pad configured to urge the endless belt from an inside of the endless belt toward the roller; a motor configured to drive the roller; an acquiring portion configured to acquire a starting torque when rotation of the roller is started; and a discriminating portion configured to discriminate a lifetime of the endless belt depending on the starting torque acquired by the acquiring portion.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a heater, comprising an insulator substrate, a first member, a plurality of electrodes, and a second member. The first member is configured to generate heat on an upper surface of the insulator substrate across a first direction. The first member has a first end opposite a second end. The plurality of electrodes are formed on both the first end and the second end of the first member, respectively, and each electrode is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second member is configured to store heat. The second member comprises a latent heat material having latent heat in a target temperature zone. Furthermore, the latent heat material is fixed to a side surface or a bottom surface of the insulator substrate.

Abstract: A belt device includes a belt that is rotatable and a driving rotator to drive and rotate the belt and to be accidentally adhered with a foreign substance. The driving rotator includes a coating layer as a surface layer. The coating layer includes a plurality of fine particles.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating belt, a heat source, a pressuring body, a pressing member and a sheet member. The heating belt is endless and heats a medium while being circulated. The heat source supplies heat to the heating belt. The pressuring body forms a nip with the heating belt, rotates so as to circulate the heating belt and presses the medium with the heating belt. The pressing member is disposed inside the heating belt and presses the heating belt against the pressuring body at the nip. The sheet member is held between the heating belt and the pressing member, attached to the pressing member at a center side portion and both end side portions in a longitudinal direction of the sheet member and has a heat shrinkable property. The both end side portions are shiftable in the longitudinal direction greater than the center side portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring roller pressured to the fixing belt, a heat source heating the fixing belt, a pressing member pressing the fixing belt toward the pressuring roller's side, and a sliding contact sheet interposed between the fixing belt and the pressing member to hold lubricant. The sliding contact sheet includes a sliding contact portion arranged at the center in a sheet conveying direction to come into contact with the fixing belt, a first fixed portion arranged at an upstream side in the conveying direction and wound around the pressing member at the heat source's side, and a second fixed portion arranged at a downstream side in the conveying direction and wound around the pressing member at the heat source's side from the first fixed portion. The sliding contact sheet is configured so that the second fixed portion becomes smaller than the first fixed portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt that is rotatable and a pressure rotator that is pressed against the fixing belt to form a fixing nip therebetween. A polishing roller separably contacts the fixing belt and slides over an outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt while the polishing roller is pressed against the fixing belt. At least one support supports and stretches the fixing belt. A polishing aid, which is disposed opposite the polishing roller via the fixing belt, supports and stretches the fixing belt. The polishing roller is disposed opposite the polishing aid via the fixing belt to form a polishing nip between the polishing roller and the fixing belt while the polishing roller is pressed against the fixing belt. The polishing roller changes a rotation locus of the fixing belt along at least a part of a circumferential face of the polishing roller.