Abstract: A belt unit for forming a heating nip portion configured to heat a toner image in cooperation with a rotary member facing the belt unit, includes an endless belt, an nip forming member provided along a longitudinal direction of the endless belt on an inner side of the endless belt and configured to contact to an inner surface of the endless belt for forming the heating nip portion, a regulation member configured to regulate a position of the endless belt in the longitudinal direction, and a snap-fit unit formed of the nip forming member and the regulation member and configured to regulate the regulation member from being disengaged from the nip forming member.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ejection head configured to eject an ink to form an image, a head heater configured to heat the ejection head to a temperature T1 and a control unit configured to control the temperature of the ejection head and the temperature at an image forming position by the ejection head. The control unit controls heating of the ejection head by the head heater and the temperature at the image forming position in such a way that the temperature of the ejection head is higher than the temperature at the image forming position.

Abstract: Infrared air float bar for use in floating and drying a continuous planar web of a material in a dryer. Direct radiated or reflected infrared electromagnetic energy from an infrared light source in a removable channel assembly accelerates drying, or evaporation of solvents, or curing of web material passing in proximity to the bar, either by infrared electromagnetic energy, or in combination with convention airflow. The infrared source is cooled by pressurized air passing through an interior portion of the removable air bar channel assembly, and the air is further conducted into fluid contact with the web in an air gap between the emitter and web to promote convective heat transfer and to contribute to the air pressure field supporting web flotation. The removable channel assembly is configured for replacement of the infrared emitter and to allow the setting of the pressurized cooling air flow to the optimum level.

Abstract: The present invention provides a self-heating fuser roller including a tubular resistor layer that generates heat by being supplied with electricity, in which the resistor layer has a plurality of slits. The slits are preferably disposed at regular intervals in a circumferential direction. The slits preferably extend in an axial direction. Preferably, the slits are not provided on both end edges in an axial direction. The slits preferably have an average width of 50 ?m or more and 2 mm or less. The slits preferably have an average interval of 30 ?m or more and 1 mm or less. The slits are preferably filled with a resin composition. The resistor layer preferably includes a resin matrix and a plurality of electrically conductive particles contained in the resin matrix.

Abstract: A thermal printer comprises: a thermal line head configured to include a plurality of resistors and prints an image based on a received print data on thermosensitive paper, the plurality of resistors being divided into unit of being able to be energized concurrently; and a head element inspection unit configured to perform inspection, with the plurality of resistors divided into the unit, to acquire a resistance value of each resistor belonging to the unit on a unit-by-unit basis; wherein, when the image is not being printed, the head element inspection unit inspects the resistors in the unit of division each; wherein the inspection of the resistors is suspended on the unit-by-unit basis, the suspension being based on the print data; and wherein, after completion of the printing of the image, the suspended inspection is resumed on the unit-by-unit basis from where suspended.

Abstract: A temperature estimating device configured to estimate a temperature of an electric motor includes a temperature detecting part for acquiring a detected temperature detected by a temperature sensor attached to the electric motor, a memory part for successively storing the detected temperature acquired by the temperature detecting part at a predetermined sampling period, and a temperature estimating part for using the detected temperature stored by the memory part, a ratio of amount of change of the detected temperature with respect to time, and a coefficient as the basis to estimate a temperature of a measurement target part of the electric motor.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable cylindrical film, an elongated plate-like heater, a heat conducting member, and a supporting member, wherein the heat conducting member includes an extension portion which extends along a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the film from a portion extending in a direction along a thickness surface of the heater perpendicular to the first surface outside an end portion at one side of the heater in the rotation direction of the film and which contacts the inner surface of the film, wherein the supporting member includes a facing portion which faces the extension portion in a thickness direction of the heater, and wherein a void space is provided between the extension portion of the heat conducting member and the facing portion of the supporting member.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a toner cartridge. The toner cartridge can be removably mounted in an electronic imaging device via a rotatable toner cartridge guide rail configured in the electronic imaging device. The toner cartridge includes a locating column, disposed and movable at one side of the toner cartridge. The locating column is supported by the toner cartridge guide rail and rotates the toner cartridge guide rail when the locating column is moved by an external force. The toner cartridge also includes an inspection device, having a trigger switch and disposed in the electronic imaging device. When the toner cartridge guide rail is rotated in response to the external force on the locating column, the toner cartridge guide rail touches the trigger switch and turns on the trigger switch.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit having a heater, an energization control unit configured to control energization to a first heat generation member of the heater depending on a temperature detected by a temperature detection element of the fixing unit, a resistance detecting unit configured to detect a resistance of a second heat generation member of the heater, and a temperature acquiring unit configured to acquire a temperature of the heater in the region in which the second heat generation member is formed based on the resistance detected by the resistance detecting unit. An image, formed on a recording material, is fixed to the recording material with heat form the heater.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a cylindrical film, and a heater having a substrate, and a heat generating element provided on the substrate. The heater has an elongated plate-like shape, and a first surface contacting the film, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a heater lateral surface facing outwardly in a widthwise direction of the heat generating element. A supporting member supports the heater, and includes a recess and a supporting lateral surface that is parallel to and opposes the heater lateral surface. The supporting lateral surface is provided in the recess, and is bonded to the heater lateral surface using an adhesive material. A high heat conduction member has a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the substrate, and contacts the second surface of the heater and is sandwiched between the heater and the supporting member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a pressure adjustment part and a linkage part. The pressing member forms a pressing area with the fixing member. The pressure adjustment part moves one of the fixing member and the pressing member in a direction close to the other of the fixing member and the pressing member to increase a pressure of the pressing area and moves one of the fixing member and the pressing member in a direction away from the other of the fixing member and the pressing member to decrease the pressure of the pressing area. The linkage part transmits an operation to decrease the pressure of the pressing area to the fixing member and then moves the fixing member along an axial direction.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system includes two glass substrates. Each of the glass substrates includes perforations. The heater assembly also includes a heater element, and the heater element is located between the two glass substrates. In another example embodiment, a method for manufacturing a heater assembly includes providing two perforated glass substrates.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt and a pressure rotator disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt. The pressure rotator has a first span in an axial direction of the endless belt. A nip formation pad, which is disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, forms a fixing nip between the endless belt and the pressure rotator. The nip formation pad includes a belt-side face disposed opposite the endless belt. A radiant heater, which is disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, heats the endless belt. A thermal conduction aid, which contacts the belt-side face of the nip formation pad, conducts heat in the axial direction of the endless belt. The thermal conduction aid has a second span within which the first span of the pressure rotator is provided at the fixing nip.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating roller to be heated by a heat source, a pair of rollers composed of an upper-side pressure roller and a lower-side pressure roller both for pressing a sheet, and a fixing belt wound around the heating roller and the upper-side pressure roller, in which, in a space surrounded by the fixing belt, a shield for shielding heat from the upper-side pressure roller is disposed to face the upper-side pressure roller.

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 image heating apparatus includes a first rotatable member, a second rotatable member cooperative with the first rotatable member to form a heating nip, a first supporting plate supporting the second rotatable member, a second supporting plate rotatably supporting the second rotatable member, a heater unit including the second rotatable member, a heater configured to heat the second rotatable member, a connector mounted to the heater by movement relative to the heater in a first direction, a stopper portion configured to stop the relative movement of the connector relative to the heater in the first direction, and a blocking portion fixed on the first supporting plate. The blocking portion permits mounting of the heater unit with the connector being in the first position relative to the heater. The blocking portion prevents mounting of the heater unit with the connector being in the second position.

Abstract: A power control apparatus that supplies an AC current to a load and adjusts a current amount by setting a portion of a phase range among each of half-wave periods of the AC current to be supplied as a conduction angle and setting the remainder as a non-conduction angle, includes: a reference value determiner that defines a period across a plurality of half-wave periods as a current determination period and that determines a reference value of the conduction angle; and a distribution processor that determines a distribution value to distribute the conduction angle and performs current amount adjustment by distributed conduction angles, wherein the distribution processor determines the distribution value within one current determination period such that the value includes a positive distribution value and a negative distribution value, and an average value of the distributed conduction angles is within ±2.5% with respect to the reference value.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating unit that rotates and that fixes a toner image on a recording medium, a pressing unit that rotates and that presses the heating unit, and a potential-difference application unit that applies a potential difference between the pressing unit and the heating unit so that a potential of the heating unit is higher than a potential of the pressing unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a heat source, a detecting part and a control part. The pressing member forms a pressing area with the fixing member. A sheet is conveyed through the pressing area. The heat source includes a main heating part heating a center portion of the fixing member in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the sheet and a sub heating part heating both end portions of the fixing member in the sheet width direction. The detecting part detects a temperature of the end portion of the fixing member. The control part determines operation timings of the main heating part and the sub heating part based on the temperature detected by the detecting part such that the center portion and the both end portions of the fixing member are heated to a constant temperature.

Abstract: A heater includes an insulating substrate, a heat generating section formed in the insulating substrate and including a plurality of divided regions in a longitudinal direction, temperature sensors detecting temperature of the heat generating section and a wiring pattern for power feed to the temperature sensors, each formed in a layer different from a layer in which the heat generating section is formed in the insulating substrate. The heat generating section, the temperature sensors, and the wiring pattern are layer stacked.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, an opposed rotator disposed opposite the fixing rotator, a pressure pad, a lateral end heater, and a thermal conduction aid. The pressure pad presses against the opposed rotator via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the opposed rotator. The lateral end heater is disposed on the pressure pad to heat a lateral end of the fixing rotator in the axial direction of the fixing rotator. The thermal conduction aid is interposed between the pressure pad and the fixing rotator to decrease a temperature gradient of the fixing rotator in an axial direction of the fixing rotator. The pressure pad includes a nip-side face disposed opposite the thermal conduction aid. The lateral end heater includes a nip-side face being disposed opposite the thermal conduction aid and projecting beyond the nip-side face of the pressure pad.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a fixing apparatus comprises a belt which is equipped with a conductive layer; an induction current generator which faces the belt and heats the conductive layer through an electromagnetic induction system; a magnetic material which faces the induction current generator across the belt; a measurement section which measures a state of the magnetic material; and a controller which controls a frequency applied to the induction current generator based on a measurement result of the measurement section in a case in which at least a print request is not received.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a transfer section, a fixing section, and a controller. The transfer section includes a transfer rotating body for conveying a sheet at a first linear velocity, and transfers a toner image onto the sheet. The fixing section forms a nip sandwiching the sheet with a first rotating body and a second rotating body, and a heating section for heating the sheet onto which the toner image is transferred. The controller executes a sheet acceleration and deceleration control for setting a linear velocity of the first rotating body to a second linear velocity from the first linear velocity before the tip of the sheet reaches the nip, and decelerating the linear velocity of the first rotating body from the second linear velocity to the first linear velocity at the time the tip of the sheet reaches a predetermined range in a sheet conveyance path.

Abstract: A film for use in a fixing device includes a base layer having a cylindrical shape. An electrode portion is formed at an end part of the base layer in a longitudinal direction of the film. A heat generation portion is formed at a central part of the base layer in the longitudinal direction of the film and electrically connected to the electrode portion. The heat generation portion is formed of a conductive layer made of a same material as a material of the electrode portion. A thickness of the conductive layer is larger in the electrode portion than in the heat generation portion. A surface area of the conductive layer per unit length in the longitudinal direction of the film is larger in the electrode portion than in the heat generation portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt holding member, a fixing belt, a pressing roller, and a peeling member. The pressing roller forms a fixing nip portion through which a recording medium as a fixing target passes between the pressing roller and the fixing belt. The peeling member separates the recording medium having passed through the fixing nip portion from the fixing belt. The peeling member includes a guide wall which guides the recording medium having passed through the fixing nip portion. The guide wall includes a belt facing portion which faces the outer surface of the fixing belt in a non-contact state, and an extending portion which extends to the outside in the width direction of the fixing belt continuously from the belt facing portion. The belt holding member includes an abutting surface which abuts on the extending portion of the end face of the guide wall.

Abstract: According to one example, there is provided a printing system. The printing system comprises a print engine to print a print job on media in a print zone, a heating module to apply heat to media in a heating zone and a media handling system to move media through a media path comprising the print zone and the heating zone. The system further comprises a controller to determine when a printing operation is stopped, and when it is so determined to control the heating module to stop heating and to control the media handling system to continue advancing media through the media path until a predetermined condition is met.

Abstract: A fixing device has a heating member, a pressing member, a pressurizing mechanism pressing the pressing member against the heating member and a pressing force changing mechanism changing the pressing force of the pressing member against the heating member. The pressing force changing mechanism has an electrically conductive rotation shaft arranged opposite the surface of the pressing member across a predetermined interval, and a pressing force changing member provided at an end part of the rotation shaft and rotating about the rotation shaft to change the pressing force of the pressurizing mechanism. The rotation shaft has a static elimination sheet for eliminating electrical charge from the surface of the pressing member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a plurality of heat sources having different heat distributions to heat the fixing rotator, a pressing member to press the fixing rotator and form a nip to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording material, a shield disposed between the plurality of heat sources, a plurality of temperature sensors each disposed opposite to the heat source, a processor to control the plurality of heat sources so that a temperature detected by the temperature sensor becomes a predetermined target temperature. The processor controls the heaters so that a temperature difference ?T=T2?T1 becomes greater than zero, wherein T1 is the target temperature for the temperature sensor close to an entrance of the nip, and T2 is the target temperature for the temperature sensor far from the entrance of the nip.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a first rotatable member configured to heat, in a fixing nip, an unfixed toner image formed on a sheet with a toner having a parting material. A second rotatable member cooperates with the first rotatable member to form the fixing nip. A cleaner is configured to clean the first rotatable member, and a covering member is configured to cover the first rotatable member over a range from the cleaner to an entrance of the fixing nip along a rotational direction of the first rotatable member with a gap D of not less than 0.5 mm and not more than 3.5 mm. In addition, the gap D (mm) between the covering member and the first rotatable member and the peripheral speed V of the first rotatable member (mm/s) satisfy 0.5?D?0.0059×V+0.72.

Abstract: A method of operating an electrophotographic printer (100) to control the optical density of a printed image is described. The method comprises providing a printing substance on a transfer member (104); emitting a pulse of heat to heat the printing substance on the transfer member to increase flowability of the printing substance on the transfer member; and transferring, from the transfer member to a substrate (108), the printing substance heated by the pulse of heat so as to provide the printed image on the substrate.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first heat generating element; a second heat generating element which is arranged adjacent to the first heat generating element in a longitudinal direction; and a control portion which controls power supplied to the first and second heat generating elements. When an image exists in a second region on the recording material heated by the second heat generating element but an image does not exist in a first region on the recording material heated by the first heat generating element, the control portion sets a control temperature of the second heat generating element when heating the second region, in accordance with a distance between an end section of the image in the second region and a boundary of the first region and the second region.

Abstract: A fixing belt includes: a base layer having heat resistance; an elastic layer disposed on the base layer and made of an elastic material; and a releasing layer disposed on the elastic layer, wherein a storage elastic modulus of the base layer is 3.8 to 4.8 GPa.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing belt of an endless shape wound to pass over a heating-side member and a nip forming member; and a pressing roller driven to rotate in a state of being brought into tight contact with the nip forming member through the fixing belt, wherein a toner image is fixed to a recording medium at a nip portion at which the fixing belt and the pressing roller are brought into tight contact with each other by causing the pressing roller to be in tight contact with the fixing belt and driving the pressing roller to rotate, a guide member guiding the fixing belt to a space between the nip forming member and the heating-side member is disposed to be separate from the nip forming member, and a sliding member is disposed at least in a contact portion between the nip forming member and the fixing belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating body, a pressuring body, a charging part and a collecting part. The heating body contacts with a medium having a toner image while rotating to heat the medium. The pressuring body forms a nip with the heating roller while rotating to pressure the medium passing through the nip with the heating body. The charging part is positioned to face to the heating body and electrically discharges to electrically charge the heating body with the same polarity as polarity of toner. The collecting part is positioned to face to a position at an upstream side with respect to a facing position on the heating body to the charging part and at a downstream side with respect to a forming position of the nip in a rotating direction of the heating body, and collects impurities caused by the medium passing the nip by absorbing or removing.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a belt member having a substantially loop shape and an outer circumferential surface and moving along a belt moving path; a downstream side pressing member pressed against the outer circumferential surface and pressing a recording material transported along a recording material transporting path; and an upstream side pressing member disposed on an upstream side of the downstream side pressing member, pressed against the outer circumferential surface, and pressing the recording material, wherein in a contact portion where the outer circumferential surface and the downstream side pressing member are in contact, the belt moving path and the recording material transporting path are curved toward an inner side in a radial direction of the belt member, and wherein on an upstream side of the contact portion, the belt moving path and the recording material transporting path are curved toward a side opposite to the inner side.

Abstract: A mold is disclosed, which is capable of producing a nanoimprint film without a problem of clogging of irregularities of the mold with a resin material. A method for producing the mold and a method for producing a nanoimprint film using the mold are further disclosed. In an embodiment, the mold includes: a first surface having a nanostructure including plural recesses spaced at an interval of less than 1 ?m between bottom points of adjacent recesses; and at least two second surfaces substantially not having the nanostructure, wherein the first surface is coplanar with the at least two second surfaces and is positioned between two second surfaces.

Abstract: A fixing member for a fixing device includes a cylindrical base layer, and a plurality of heat generating resistors extending in a longitudinal direction of the fixing member on the base layer and arranged with intervals in a circumferential direction of the base layer. Each of the plurality of heat generating resistors has a volume resistivity less than that of the base layer. The plurality of heat generating resistors includes a first heat generating resistor and a second heat generating resistor adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, and the first heat generating resistor and the second heat generating resistor are at least partly overlapped in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: Provided is a fixing belt including a base layer, an elastic layer, and a release layer. The release layer has surface geometry including a first uneven profile and a second uneven profile formed on the surface of the first uneven profile. The first uneven profile is represented as a maximum height roughness, Rz, of 5.0 to 100 ?m. The second uneven profile is represented as Rz of 0.5 to 0.9 ?m.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling critical dimension (CD) of a circuit is provided. An apparatus includes a controller for receiving CD measurements at respective locations in a circuit pattern in an etched film on a first substrate and a single wafer chamber for forming a second film of the film material on a second substrate. The single wafer chamber is responsive to a signal from the controller to locally adjust a thickness of the second film based on the measured CD's. A method provides for etching a circuit pattern of a film on a first substrate, measuring CD's of the circuit pattern, adjusting a single wafer chamber to form a second film on a second semiconductor substrate based on the measured CD. The second film thickness is locally adjusted based on the measured CD's.

Abstract: A first supporting member which rotatably supports a first rotator, a second supporting member which rotatably supports a second rotator, a bracket which is mounted in the second supporting member distant from the fastening portion of the first supporting member, an urging portion which is disposed between a fastening portion and the bracket, and urges the first rotator and the second rotator so as to be pulled to each other. The bracket is formed with a hooking portion on one end side of the main body portion and a hole where an inserting member can be inserted in an oblique direction from the other end side of the main body portion toward the hooking portion, the second supporting member includes a positioning member which supports the hooking portion of the bracket and regulates movement of the other end side of the bracket on which the urging portion is mounted.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member; a pressurizing member provided in contact with the fixing member and configured to pressurize a sheet passing through a contact portion between the fixing member and the pressurizing member, against the fixing member; and a heater configured to heat the fixing member to provide heat to the sheet passing through the contact portion. The fixing member includes a heat storage material having a property that changes, by external energy, from a first solid phase to a second solid phase whose internal energy is higher than that of the first solid phase, and a property that changes from the second solid phase to the first solid phase by pressure and radiates heat during the phase change. The external energy includes thermal energy of the fixing member heated with the heater. The pressure includes a contact pressure between the fixing member and the pressurizing member.

Abstract: A fixing device is provided which includes a fixing belt rotatably arranged, a fixing roller disposed to face the fixing belt and forming a fixing nip together with an outer surface of the fixing belt a guide unit configured to guide rotation of the fixing belt in the fixing belt; and a pair of support units configured to limit movement of the fixing belt in a width direction at both ends of the guide unit. The fixing device may have a structure of guiding rotation of the fixing belt and a structure of limiting movement thereof in width direction, which are separated from each other.

Abstract: An image heating device is provided with a tubular film, and a unit placed inside the film. The unit includes a heater in contact with an inner surface of the film, a supporting member supporting the heater, and a highly thermal conductive member. The highly thermal conductive member placed between the heater and the supporting member and in contact with the heater. The unit is configured such that when the unit is viewed from a side where a surface of the heater is in contact with the film, at least a portion of the highly thermal conductive member is visible without being hidden behind the heater.

Abstract: A fusing apparatus includes a heater that heats a fuser belt at a nip between the fuser belt and a pressure roll through which a sheet is conveyed to permanently fuse an image onto the sheet. The heater has a silicon wafer with a smooth side that contacts and heats the fuser belt at the nip, and circuitry at a second side, with the circuitry generating heat through the silicon wafer to heat the fuser belt. The circuitry may include a plurality of heat producing integrated circuits etched in the silicon wafer, with each heat producing integrated circuit configured to heat the fuser belt. Each integrated circuit may self-control its amount of heat produced to the silicon wafer, for example, by automatically switching back and forth between a heat-on-state and a heat-off-state to maintain a desired temperature within the silicon wafer that heats the fuser belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit having a heating member, a temperature detection member detecting a temperature of the heating member, a control unit controlling power to be supplied to a heater, and an acquisition unit that acquires toner density information of the toner image to be formed on the recording material, wherein the acquisition unit acquires first toner density information in a predetermined area which is a portion of a maximum image formation area of the recording material and second toner density information in the maximum image formation area, and the predetermined area is an area including an area of the recording material corresponding to a detected area of the heating member detected by the temperature detection member, wherein the control unit sets the target temperature based on the first toner density information and the second toner density information.

Abstract: A controller controls first and second switching elements so that, in both of the waveforms of alternating currents flowing through the first and second heating elements, a first period including both of a phase control waveform in which a current flows in a part of a half cycle of alternately current and a wave-number control waveform in which a current flows or does not flow over a half cycle of alternately current and a second period including only the wave-number control waveform alternately appear in a control cycle; when the first heating element operates in the first/second period, the second heating element operates in the second/first period; and both the waveforms of the alternating currents flowing through the first and second heating elements are electrically symmetric in the positive and negative directions during the control cycle.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus configured to fix a coloring material attached to a recording medium by heating the recording medium by using a fixing member includes: a heater configured to heat the fixing member; an AC power source configured to apply AC voltage to the heater; a temperature detection unit configure to detect a temperature of the heater; and a power control unit configured to control drive power supplied to the heater from the AC power source by calculating an application pattern of AC voltage to be applied to the heater based on an output of the temperature detection unit, and by appropriately selecting a half wave of AC waveform from the AC power source based on the application pattern, wherein the power control unit supplies power equivalent to a waveform with a predetermined phase angle on a non-selected half wave from the AC power source to the heater.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a fuser assembly including a heater member. The heater member includes at least one heating element and at least one temperature sensor to sense a temperature of the heating element. A first power control unit is coupled to the at least one temperature sensor and operative to calculate at least one power level for the at least one heating element based upon at least one set-point temperature therefor and the temperature sensed by the at least one temperature sensor. A second power control unit is coupled to the first power control unit, receives the calculated at least one power level and selects, based upon the calculated power level, at least one actual power level from a stored plurality of predetermined power levels. The second power control unit controls a power for the at least one heating element based upon the selected at least one actual power level.

Abstract: The sheet conveyance apparatus includes first and second rollers, the second roller coming into contact with the first roller and thereby forming a nip portion, the second rotation axis being inclined with respect to the first rotation axis, wherein the second roller includes a first outer circumferential portion having a first outside diameter, a second outer circumferential portion arranged on one side of the first outer circumferential portion in an axial direction of the second rotation axis and having a second outside diameter larger than the first outside diameter, and a third outer circumferential portion arranged on the other side of the first outer circumferential portion, and wherein an outer circumferential surface of the first roller contacts with at least the first, second and third outer circumferential portions of the second roller, to form the nip portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an imaging unit attachable/detachable at a predetermined position of an apparatus body. The imaging unit includes a locking member and a cover member. The locking member is configured so as to move between a lock position engaging with the apparatus body when the imaging unit is attached to the predetermined position and a lock release position releasing engaging with the apparatus body. The cover member is attached to/detached from the imaging unit in a first direction. The cover member has a connecting part making possible to be attached to the imaging unit in a second direction. When the cover member is attached to the imaging unit in the second direction, the connecting part moves the locking member from the lock position to the lock release position and the imaging unit becomes a state capable of being detached from the predetermined position.