Abstract: A rapid warm-up and cool-down pressure roll assembly is provided and includes (a) a rotatable pressure roll including a cylindrical sleeve having an outer surface, and an inner surface defining a hollow interior to the rotatable pressure roll; (b) a thermoelectric assembly sheet positioned within the hollow interior and having a first substrate facing the inner surface of the cylindrical sleeve, a second substrate, an electric current flow path therethrough, and electric current input and output terminals associated with the electric current flow path; and (c) an electric current input switching device connected to the electric current input and output terminals for enabling selective reversing of a direction of electric current flow through the electric current flow path, thereby reversing which of the first substrate and the second substrate of the thermoelectric assembly sheet is hot and which is cold, and therefore selectively enabling a rapid warm-up or rapid cool-down of the cylindrical sleeve of the pr

Abstract: The heater unit includes: a locking device selectable between a locked state in which the heater unit chassis is locked in the printer chassis, and an unlocked state in which the printer chassis and the heater unit chassis are unlocked; and a grip portion. When the grip portion is in a first operating position, the locking device is held in the locked state, and when the grip portion is in a second operating position, the locking device is held in the unlocked state. The operating state of the locking device changes in an interlocked manner with switching of the operating position of the grip portion.

Abstract: A fixing unit includes a rotatable fixing member and a rotatable pressure applying member. The rotatable fixing member has a heat generating layer to generate heat when subject to a magnetic flux. The rotatable pressure applying member contacts the rotatable fixing member and applies pressure to the fixing member. The rotatable fixing member and the rotatable pressure applying member form a nip therebetween, to which a recording medium is passed through to fix an image on the recording medium. The rotatable fixing member includes a magnetism regulating layer deformable when subject to pressure from the rotatable pressure applying member.

Abstract: An image bearing apparatus includes an image heating belt heating a toner image on a sheet in a nip; a roller, opposing the belt, and forming the nip between the belt and itself; a pad, sandwiching the belt between the roller and itself, and pressing the belt toward the roller in the nip; a device pressing at least one of the pad and the roller so that the belt is pressed between the pad and the roller in the nip; and a device changing a pressure in the nip by the pressing device. The pad has a thickness, at its longitudinal central portion, larger than that at its longitudinal end portions. The pad has two curved surfaces, each being curved toward the opposing roller so that the longitudinal central portion of the pad is closer to the opposing roller than the longitudinal end portions of the pad.

Abstract: A microheater for heating at least one target area, the microheater comprising a substrate, a resistive material adjacent to the substrate and connector traces connected to the resistive material. The microheater is formed so that when a predetermined current flows through the resistive material, the target area is heated to a substantially isothermal temperature.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a heat uniforming member, which has an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of a hollow member and in which thermal deformation generated by thermal expansion remains, is set in the inside of the hollow member having a center axis, support members are set to both ends of the hollow member to enable supporting of ends of the heat uniforming member, and an endless body having a uniform thermal distribution is formed by heating the hollow member, the heat uniforming member and the support member at a specified temperature for a specific time and causing the heat uniforming member to adhere closely to an inner wall of the hollow member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit fixing a toner image onto a sheet. The fixing unit includes a heating member having a sheet conveyed region that is set in accordance with the size of the sheet. The fixing unit further includes a coil generating magnetic field, a fixed core forming a magnetic path, movable cores forming a magnetic path together with the fixed core and arranged along the sheet conveyed region, a shielding member arranged on at least one movable core and shielding magnetism, and a magnetism adjustment unit rotating at least one movable core to switch the position of the shielding member between a shielding position where the shielding member is positioned inside the sheet conveyed region to shield the magnetism and a retracted position where the shielding member is positioned outside the sheet conveyed region to permit pass of the magnetism.

Abstract: There is provided a fixing device 6 including a heating body 22 which has a heating heat generation section 24 subjected to induction heating upon application of alternating magnetic fields generated by a exciting coil 27, a pressure roller 23 which has a pressing heat generation section 25 being higher in magnetic permeability than the heating heat generation section 24 and being subjected to induction heating by a part of magnetic flux in the alternating magnetic fields leaking from the heating heat generation section 24, and a drive circuit for applying drive voltage to the exciting coil, wherein a rate of the alternating magnetic fields leaking from the heating heat generation section 24 is changed by frequencies of the drive voltage.

Abstract: A disclosed power supply device includes a voltage resonance circuit configured to include an output coil for boosting an input direct-current voltage to a predetermined voltage and outputting the boosted voltage to a load and also include a capacitor connected to the output coil; and a switching unit configured to be turned ON/OFF so as to control electric current supply to the output coil. An auxiliary resonance circuit is connected in parallel with the output coil so as to reduce switching losses without using a power control circuit for switching control.

Abstract: A frame for receiving a heating element for an electric heater of a ventilating, heating and/or air conditioning unit of a vehicle, in particular. The frame is shaped in the form of a hollowed-out box whose large faces, intended to be traversed by airflow conveyed by the unit, are held at a distance from each other in order to create between them a space for receiving the heating element. The frame is made of a single part in which means for holding the heating element inside the space are located in the area of the large faces.

Abstract: A separation mechanism of a fixing device includes a separation member extending in a direction orthogonal to the paper convey direction and arranged opposite the fixing member in a state apart from the fixing member by a predetermined gap, a support shaft member extending in a direction orthogonal to the paper convey direction and rotatably supporting the separation member, a first gap adjustment unit capable of rotating the separation member around the support shaft member to adjust the predetermined gap in the rotation direction, and a second gap adjustment unit capable of moving the separation member in a direction in which an imaginary surface from the support shaft member towards the fixing member extends, to adjust the predetermined gap in the surface direction.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt for heating an image on a recording material at a nip; magnetic flux generating means, disposed opposed to an outer surface of the endless belt, for generating a magnetic flux to cause the belt to generate heat; a metal member disposed inside the belt and supporting a member which is disposed inside the belt; and a magnetic flux reducing member, disposed between the metal member and an opposing portion of the belt which is opposed to the magnetic flux generating means, for reducing a magnetic flux actable on the metal member.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming part, a fixing part including a heater and a temperature detection element; and a power-control part that controls power to be supplied to the heater according to the detection temperature of the temperature detection element, wherein during the power to be supplied to the heater is controlled so as to keep the detection temperature at a control target temperature, if the on-duty ratio selected so to keep the detection temperature at the control target temperature is a specific on-duty ratio and the specific on-duty ratio continues for a predetermined number of cycles, the power-control part switches to another control cycle different in the number of consecutive half-waves of the AC waveform from the control cycle.

Abstract: Provided is a thermal head capable of enhancing heat-insulating performance while maintaining mechanical strength of an upper substrate. A thermal head (1) includes: a substrate main body (13) including a flat plate-shaped support substrate and a flat plate-shaped upper substrate which are bonded to each other in a stacked state; and a rectangular heating resistor (15) formed on a surface of the flat plate-shaped upper substrate, in which: a bonding surface of the flat plate-shaped support substrate includes a concave portion (23) that forms a cavity portion (27) in a region opposed to the rectangular heating resistor (15); and the concave portion (23) includes a groove (25) formed in an inner wall thereof and recessed along a depth direction of the concave portion (23) within a range of a width of the rectangular heating resistor (15).

Abstract: When an infra-red heater is to be taken out from a fixing device for maintenance of the infra-red heater, screw-fastening is first released and one holder is extracted from a holding member. The infra-red heater is then pulled out from the side the holder was extracted from. This process is then reversed when a new or repaired infra-red heater is to be mounted on the fixing device. There is a pressure member in pressure contact with a flexible fixing member. The surface area of the contacting member facing the pressure member is variable.

Abstract: A heating device includes: a heating member heating a recording medium by being heated through electromagnetic induction; a pressure member configured to come into contact with and separate from the heating member, and forming a nip portion between the pressure member and the heating member by pressing and coming into contact with the heating member; a first elastic member arranged inside the heating member, and elastically deformed at the nip portion by the pressure member; and any one of a second elastic member and a support member. The second elastic member is arranged between the first elastic member and the heating member while being fixed thereto, and has a larger elastic deformation ratio at the nip portion than the first elastic member. The support member supports the heating member and the first elastic member so as to form a gap therebetween, and rotates them with a rotational drive force.

Abstract: A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part.

Abstract: An image forming device equipped with a heater for fusing toner on a recording medium. A first memory stores an initialization program and a control program. A second memory is provided for reading the control program. The initialization program stored in the first memory is configured to drive the heater before the control program is copied from the first memory to the second memory.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing an toner image transferred onto a paper sheet, including: a fixing roller having a heater and an elastic layer on an external circumference surface thereof; a fixing belt driven by the fixing roller; a pressuring member which forms a nip portion between the fixing roller and the fixing belt; a separating member being arranged in a down stream of the pressuring member in a conveyance direction of a paper sheet, and being arranged to press the fixing belt; a pressing member which presses an edge of the separating member in a direction to which the fixing belt is pressed, and changes a position of the separating member relative to the fixing roller; and a plurality of adjusting members being provided in a longitudinal direction of the separating member and being arranged to adjust a position of the pressing member.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a fixing unit fixes a toner image transferred onto a recording medium by a heating target unit heated by a plurality of heating units each of which is grouped as a first heating unit to which power is selectively supplied or a second heating unit to which power is supplied in priority to the first heating unit, and a supply control unit supplies power to a heating unit grouped as the second heating unit and selectively supplies power to a heating unit grouped as the first heating unit, among the heating units that heat the heating target unit of which detected temperature by a detecting unit is lower than a target temperature.

Abstract: A system for stabilizing a fuser core in an imaging device. The system includes a fuser core having a body and two opposing ends, and a pair of hubs. The opposing ends of the fuser core are configured with ratchet type geometric profiles that mate with ratchet type geometric profiles configured on the corresponding hubs. The system also includes two elastomeric collars each of which is at least partially disposed between the end of the fuser core and the corresponding mating hub.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a belt based fuser for fixing an image to a media substrate. The fuser includes a heater having a base component with at least one heating element disposed thereon. The heater further includes a covering layer covering the at least one heating element providing a substantially even surface to abut a belt. Unevenness, which may be present on the substantially even surface, has a height, defined by a base and a peak, of less than about 10 ?m. A process for producing the heater is also disclosed. The process includes disposing one or more heating elements on a base component of the heater, covering the heating elements of the fuser heater with a covering layer and providing a substantially even outer surface to abut a fuser belt.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a flexible sleeve; a heater contacted to an inner circumferential surface of the sleeve; a pressing roller for forming a nip, between itself and the sleeve contacted by the heater, in which a recording material is to be heated; and a supporting member for supporting the heater, the supporting member being disposed inside the heater and having an area in which the sleeve is sandwiched between the supporting member and the pressing roller at least on an upstream side and a downstream side of a heater supporting position of the supporting member with respect to a rotational direction of the sleeve. The supporting member is provided, at its surface in the area, with a plurality of recessed portions for permitting passage of a lubricant. The recessed portions are provided only in an area in which a predetermined maximum width sheet available in the image heating apparatus is passable.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first heat generating element; a second heat generating element; a first driving element provided in a power supply passage from a commercial power source to the first heat generating element; a second driving element provided in a power supply passage from the commercial power source to the second heat generating element; a temperature detecting element; and a control portion for controlling the first and second driving elements at a control level depending on a detection temperature of the temperature detecting element. At the control level, a renewing period is two cycles of a waveform of an alternating current of the commercial power source or an integral multiple of the two cycles.

Abstract: A heating unit includes an AlN substrate having a main surface on which an elongated heat-generating resistor is provided. A protection layer is formed on the main surface of the substrate for the heat-generating resistor. The protection layer includes a first cover layer covering the heat-generating resistor and a second cover layer covering the first cover layer. The first cover layer is made of crystallized or semi-crystallized glass having a higher crystallization temperature by at least 50° C. than the softening point of the glass. The second cover layer is made of non-crystalline glass.

Abstract: A selectable operation amount is set as a threshold value according to an input operation amount, where if a determination value obtained by adding the input operation amount and an integrated operation amount or an output error accumulated value is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the threshold value is selected as the output operation amount, and if the determination value is not greater than or equal to the threshold value, a selectable output operation amount close to the threshold value is selected, and the ON/OFF control is performed with the selected output operation amount, while the selected output operation amount is subtracted from the determination value to correct the integrated operation amount, so that the input operation can be substantially output even if it takes an operation amount other than the selectable operation amount values.

Abstract: A fixing device according to an embodiment of the invention is provided with a center coil and a side coil to induction heat a metal roller which supports a belt. An auxiliary pressurizing member which is adjacent to an opposing roller which supports the belt and presses the belt against a heat roller is provided. The distance from the center position of induction heating of a heat roller to an entrance of a nip is equalized to the distance from the center position of induction heating of the metal roller to the entrance of the nip. The distance from the temperature reading position of the heat roller to the center position of induction heating of the heat roller is equalized to the distance from the temperature reading position of the belt to the center position of induction heating of the metal roller.

Abstract: A fixing member having an outer peripheral surface brought in pressure contact with a sheet, an induction coil along the member, and a high frequency power source section that heats the heat generating layer of the fixing member by supplying an alternating current to the induction coil. A magnetic flux regulating section that restricts the generation of heat in a specified region of the fixing member in the widthwise direction of the sheet is provided. Image regions occupied by the image to be fixed are detected in the widthwise direction of the sheet. Control of specifying the region in which the generation of heat should be restricted for the magnetic flux regulating section is executed so that only regions corresponding to the image regions of the fixing member are substantially heated in the widthwise direction of the sheet, sheet-by-sheet according to the result of detection.

Abstract: A cylindrical heating element comprising a cylindrical member, a metallic pattern provided on at least one of outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the cylindrical member, which is capable of generating heat by being electrified, and a ring-shaped electrode portion provided on at least one of the outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the cylindrical member in at least one of end portions of the cylindrical member and connected to the metallic pattern in such a manner that the metallic pattern can be electrified through the electrode portion. A fixing device which passes a recording medium on which an unfixed toner image is held through a nip formed by a rotating member for heating and a rotating member for pressurizing which is pressed against the rotating member for heating to fix the toner image on the recording medium with heating under pressure, the rotating member for heating comprising the cylindrical heating element.

Abstract: A cylindrical heating element comprising a cylindrical member, and a metallic pattern provided on at least one of outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the cylindrical member, which is capable of generating heat by being electrified. A fixing device which passes a recording medium on which an unfixed toner image is held through a nip formed by a rotating member for heating and a rotating member for pressurizing which is pressed against the rotating member for heating to fix the toner image on the recording medium with heating under pressure, the rotating member for heating comprising the cylindrical heating element.

Abstract: A cylindrical heating element comprising a cylindrical member, a metallic pattern provided on at least one of outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the cylindrical member, which is capable of generating heat by being electrified, and a resistive pattern for detecting temperature provided on at least one of the outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the cylindrical member. A fixing device which passes a recording medium on which an unfixed toner image is held through a nip formed by a rotating member for heating and a rotating member for pressurizing which is pressed against the rotating member for heating to fix the toner image on the recording medium with heating under pressure, the rotating member for heating comprising the cylindrical heating element.

Abstract: An image-heating device has a detector for detecting the state of a recording medium at a position between a first fixing unit and a second fixing unit along a conveying path of the recording medium and a controller for controlling a fixing condition of the second fixing unit on the basis of the information obtained by the detector.

Abstract: To provide a heater that can reduce fixing failure in a paper passing area while suppressing a temperature rise in a sheet non-passing area, and a fixing apparatus including the heater. Resistors are connected in parallel between two conductive patterns that are provided on a heater substrate along the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and resistors are arranged so that the shortest current path of each of the resistors can overlap the shortest current path of an adjacent resistor in the longitudinal direction of the substrate.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a magnetic-field generating part that generates a magnetic field, a fixing rotating body having a heat generating layer that generates heat by an electromagnetic induction action of the magnetic field, a pressurizing member that applies pressure to an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotating body, a heating member that is arranged in contact with an inner side of the fixing rotating body so as be opposed to the magnetic-field generating part, and heats the fixing rotating body, and a temperature sensing part that is located within a region where the fixing rotating body is opposed to the magnetic-field generating part and where the fixing rotating body is in contact with the heating member, and senses a temperature of the fixing rotating body.

Abstract: A fixing device switches ON a heater lamp of the press roller in a fixing device in a color print mode. In a monochromatic mode, power comparable to the power consumption of the heater lamp can be supplied additionally to an exciting coil on the heat roller side when a heater lamp 3 stays OFF. An amount needed for the heat roller can be therefore added flexibly to the exciting coil. During a warm-up, power comparable to power consumption of the option can be supplied additionally to the exciting coil on the heat roller side.

Abstract: A fixing device and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device are supplied capable of preventing life of roller from shortening due to big shearing warp. In the fixing device to fix a toner image that is transferred on a record medium though using an endless belt heated by a heating member, the endless belt is extended by a first pressing member and the heating member; a second pressing member and the first pressing member sandwich and hold the endless belt to press the endless belt; and a rotating member is externally contacted with the endless belt and drives the endless belt to move.

Abstract: An electrically isolated temperature sensor for use with a printer, copier, or all-in-one fuser. The fuser includes an AC driven heater to which a thermistor is mounted for sensing the temperature of the fuser heater. A resistance of the thermistor controls the period of a periodic signal generated by an astable multivibrator. An optical isolator isolates the printer fuser from down line processing circuits, and transfers the periodic signal to such processing circuits. The printer fuser employs a separate floating ground that is not connected to other DC circuits of the printer. With this arrangement, any AC power that is inadvertently coupled from the heater to the DC circuits of the fuser is isolated thereto. The AC power is isolated to the fuser and cannot be propagated through the fuser to other down line circuits of the printer.

Abstract: A heater operable with main and auxiliary power supply units. A controller selects a first mode to permit discharge of the auxiliary power supply unit when a voltage or power from the auxiliary power supply unit is a startable value or greater without making reference to judgment information, or a second mode to permit discharge of the auxiliary power supply unit based on the judgment information when the voltage or power from the auxiliary supply unit is less than the startable value.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable image heating member for heating an image of a recording material; a pressing member for pressing against the image heating member to form a nip for nipping and feeding the recording material; a first external heating member for pressing against an outer surface of the image heating member at a position upstream of the nip with respect to a rotational direction of the image heating member to heat the image heating member; and a second external heating member for pressing against the outer surface of the heating member at a position between the first external heating member and the heating nip to heat the image heating member, wherein the first external heating member has a thermal capacity larger than the second external heating member.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a control circuit which controls the electrifying to a first heater so that a temperature detected by a first temperature detection portion reaches a first target temperature and controls the electrifying to a second heater so that a temperature detected by a second temperature detection portion reaches a second target temperature, when warm-up is initiated, and, when the warm-up initiated, if an initial temperature of a rotary member is below a predetermined temperature, the control circuit sets the first target temperature to a temperature value greater than the first target temperature set when the initial temperature of the rotary member is greater than the predetermined temperature and sets the second target temperature to a temperature value greater than the second target temperature set when the initial temperature of the rotary member is greater than the predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A heating device includes a heat applying member heated by a heat source, a pressure applying member pressure contacting the heat applying member with a prescribed pressure, and a temperature detection device that detects temperature of the heat applying member. A timing device is provided to count time elapsing from when the heat source starts heating the heat-applying member. A control device is provided to determine that heat application as a start up operation to the heating member is completed when the temperature detected by the temperature detection device reaches a prescribed threshold and the elapsing time counted by the timing device reaches a prescribed threshold.

Abstract: A heating device has a magnetic field generating unit generating a magnetic field, a heat generating layer, and a heating/rotating unit. The heat generating layer is disposed so as to oppose the magnetic field generating unit, and is at least electromagnetically induced by the magnetic field to generate heat. The heating/rotating unit includes a supporting layer which supports the heat generating layer, and has n (n?2) metal layers.

Abstract: A fusing unit of an image forming apparatus includes a first rotating member which heats toner applied to a printing medium, a heatable member to heat the first rotating member, which is disposed to be independent of rotation of the first rotating member and which is heatable by an induction current, a pressing member which presses the first rotating member, and an induction heating part which is disposed inside the pressing member, which induces the induction current to the heatable member.

Abstract: A pressurizing member includes an elastic member having a uniform elastic modulus of K=EA/t, where E is a Young's modulus, A is an area of the nip portion, and t is a thickness of the elastic member in the direction of application of load. A supporting member that supports the pressurizing member has an entering portion, an exit portion, and a center portion between the entering portion and the exit portion. The thickness of the center portion in a direction of application of load is larger than thicknesses of the entering portion and the exit portion in the direction of application of load so that the supporting unit has a convex portion.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus for transferring an image of a developer from an image-bearing medium onto an image receiving medium in a transfer zone includes a heating device that heats the image-bearing medium, an adjustable power supply device that supplies electrical power to the heating device, a first temperature sensor for sensing a basis temperature in the vicinity of the image-bearing medium away from the transfer zone and for transmitting to a controller a signal indicative of the basis temperature. The controller is adapted to adjust the power supplied by the power supply device to the heating device to obtain a target temperature in the transfer zone, in response to the signal indicative of the sensed basis temperature and based on a pre-established relationship between the power supplied to the heating device and a temperature difference between a temperature in the transfer zone and the basis temperature.

Abstract: A fixing device for conducting fixing by heating and pressurizing a recording material conveyed between a fixing member and a belt, having therein a pressing section that presses the recording material against a fixing member through a belt, a pressure applying section that generates pressing force proceeding to the pressing section, and a pressing force transmission section that is positioned between the pressing section and the pressure applying section and that transmits the pressing force to the pressing section, wherein the pressing force transmission section has plural first elastic members arranged in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the pressing section, and the first elastic members have a plurality of different elastic coefficients.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an excitation coil, a heat-generating layer, a magnetic shunt layer, and a degaussing member. The excitation coil generates a magnetic flux. The heat-generating layer generates heat using the magnetic flux generated by the excitation coil. The magnetic shunt layer transmits heat generated by the heat-generating layer. The degaussing member sandwiches the magnetic shunt layer together with the excitation coil, and selectively performs degaussing by generating a repelling magnetic flux for canceling the magnetic flux generated by the excitation coil so as to activate a self-temperature-control function. The degaussing member selectively refrains from degaussing so as to deactivate the self-temperature-control function.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus that senses temperature of a heater and controls the temperature accurately includes a pair of fixing rollers, a heater housed inside at least one of the pair of fixing rollers, and a sensor integrally formed with the heater to detect temperatures of the heater from a plurality of sensing positions. The sensor includes an array of sensing units connected in parallel to the plurality of sensing positions, and generates one sensing signal. An image forming apparatus includes the image forming apparatus. An image fixing temperature control method includes generating average temperature information of a heater; and controlling the driving of the heater based on the temperature information.

Abstract: A fusing apparatus includes a heating unit to generate heat to fuse an image onto a printing medium, a pressurizing roller that faces and contacts the heating unit having an endless fusing film that is rotated while facing and contacting the pressurizing roller and presses the printing medium toward the heating unit, a nip forming member including a main body formed inside the fusing film to surround a heat source and contacts a portion of the fusing film to the pressurizing roller to form a nip. The fusing apparatus further includes a supporting member to support the nip forming member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to shorten a warm-up time required to fuse a visible image to a printing medium is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an indirect heating member to indirectly transfer radiant heat to the visible image formed on the printing medium passing through the fusing nip, and a direct heating member to directly transfer resistance heat to the visible image formed on the printing medium passing through the fusing nip. Accordingly, since the radiant heat generated from the indirect heating member heats the direct heating member, a heating rate of the direct heating member increases, and the warm-up time required to reach a predetermined fusing temperature to fuse the visible image is shortened.