Abstract: A system for heated gas fusing of toner on non-porous substrates is provided. The system uses (1) an extended fusing zone held at lower temperatures than needed for a roll nip or radiant fuser, and (2) a very low melt toner which can be fused at greatly reduced temperatures compared to conventional toners. In one form, the system is realized through (a) the use of heated gas as the low temperature extended zone fusing technology, and (b) the use of ultra-low melt (ULM) toner—which requires significantly reduced temperature compared to conventional toner. On non-porous packaging substrates the use of heated gas can limit the substrate temperature to 100° C.

Abstract: A fusing device for an image forming apparatus that heats an infused image on a printing medium by an electromagnetic induction heating method includes a heated member having a metallic layer; a plurality of main cores disposed to be spaced apart a predetermined distance from a surface of the heated member, the plurality of main cores arranged to be spaced apart a predetermined interval from each other in a length direction of the heated member; and a main coil wound to surround the plurality of main cores.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a fixing unit configured to fix the image formed by the image forming unit on the sheet, a cooling unit configured to cool the sheet having the image fixed thereon by the fixing unit, a curl amount changing unit configured to change an amount of curl of the sheet by bending the sheet having the image fixed thereon, and a path configured to guide the sheet having the image fixed thereon to the image forming unit, after the sheet is conveyed through the curl amount changing unit and the curl amount changing unit. The curl amount changing unit changes an amount of bending the sheet according to whether the sheet is stopped at the cooling unit or not.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of detecting occurrence of an abnormality that a fixing member which is actually in an unpressurized state is detected to be in a pressurized state, and supply of electric power to a heating member is continued. A fixing device includes a fixing belt and a pressure roller. The fixing belt and the pressure roller are pressed against each other such that a nip is formed therebetween, for nipping and conveying a transfer material through the nip while heating and pressing the same. A pressurizing unit selectively switches between a pressurizing state and an unpressurizing state. When the pressurizing unit is in the pressurized state, a heater heats the fixing belt. The heating of the fixing belt is stopped based on a temperature detected by a thermistor after a lapse of a predetermined time period from start of the heating.

Abstract: A developer for electrostatic photography, includes: a toner containing toner particles containing a colorant and a binder resin, and an external additive having a number average particle diameter of about 100 nm or more and about 800 nm or less; and rugged particles having a rate of ruggedness represented by formula (1) of about 30% or more and about 70% or less: Rate of Ruggedness=100?(Projected area/Envelope area)×100??(1).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a developer retaining unit configured to carry a developer; a fixing unit including a rotatable heating member configured to heat a recording sheet to thermally fix the developer on the recording sheet; a motor configured to drive the developer retaining unit and the fixing unit; a transmission unit configured to transmit a driving force of the motor to the fixing unit; a switching mechanism configured to selectively transmit the driving force of the motor to the developer retaining unit, and shut off the driving force of the motor to the developer retaining unit; and a control unit configured to, in a cooling operation, control the switching mechanism to shut off the driving force of the motor to the developer retaining unit and control the motor to rotate the heating member while the heating member does not heat.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes: a heating rotator, a pressurizing rotator and a fixing housing. The heating rotator is configured to be rotatable about a first rotational axis and has a peripheral surface heated by a heat source provided inside or outside of the heating rotator. The pressurizing rotator is configured to be rotatable about a second rotational axis parallel to the first rotational axis. The pressurizing rotator forms a fixing nip in conjunction with the heating rotator. The fixing housing is configured to accommodate the heating rotator and the pressurizing rotator. The heating rotator, the pressurizing rotator and the fixing housing form a fixing rotator unit. The fixing rotator unit is configured to be withdrawable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus and such that the peripheral surface of the heating rotator is exposed when the fixing rotator unit is withdrawn from the apparatus main body.

Abstract: The present teachings provide a fuser member. The fuser member includes a substrate layer and a surface layer. The surface layer includes functionalized polyfluoropolyether and functionalized polybutadiene in a weight ratio of from about 20/80 to about 80/20. A method of manufacturing the fuser member is also disclosed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first pair of rotary members pressing against each other, forming a first nip therebetween, a cover sheet supply unit to transport to the first nip a cover sheet to be superimposed on an imaging surface of a recording medium, a separation unit that separates the cover sheet from the recording medium after the recording medium passes through the first nip and includes a second pair of rotary members pressing against each other, forming a second nip therebetween, and a drive unit to rotate the first and second pairs of rotary members in both a normal direction for transporting the cover sheet in a supply direction and a reverse direction. The first and second pairs of rotary members and the drive unit together form a cover sheet return mechanism for returning the cover sheet separated from the recording medium to the supply position.

Abstract: There is described a method for producing a fuser member. The method includes obtaining a substrate and positioning a fluoroplastic sleeve around the substrate. The outer surface of the fluoroplastic sleeve is roughened to a surface roughness of between about 0.03 ?m Ra and about 3 ?m Ra. The outer surface is coated with a functional silicone oil.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes first and second fixing rotatable members configured to fix a toner image on a sheet at a nip portion therebetween, a rubbing rotatable member configured to rub an outer surface of the first fixing rotatable member, a moving mechanism configured to move the rubbing rotatable member between a contact position, in which the rubbing rotatable member is in contact with the outer surface of the first fixing rotatable member, and a separate position, in which the rubbing rotatable member is away from the outer surface of the first fixing rotatable member, and an air blowing mechanism configured to blow air to between the rubbing rotatable member and the first fixing rotatable member at least when the rubbing rotatable member moves from the contact position to the separate position.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer media, such as a belt, that includes a first optional polyimide substrate layer, and a second layer of a fluoropolyimide polymer.

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

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit and a fixing unit. The image forming unit may form an image on a sheet based on image data by using a recording agent. The fixing unit may fix the recording agent on the sheet. The image forming apparatus may include a control unit to receive the image data and transmit the received image data to the image forming unit and a determination unit to determine a type of an interface via which the image data has been received. The control unit additionally determines whether to start raising a temperature of the fixing unit before the image data becomes ready to be transmitted to the image forming unit based on the type of the interface determined by the determination unit.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heating roller, a fixing roller, a fixing belt that is wound around the heating roller and the fixing roller and circulates between the heating roller and the fixing roller, a pressing roller to press the fixing roller through the fixing belt, a first heater that is included in the heating roller and mainly heats a center part of the heating roller, a second heater that is included in the heating roller and mainly heats a peripheral part of the heating roller, and a temperature control unit to control a temperature of the heating roller by an on/off control of the first heater and the second heater, and the temperature control unit performs the on/off control in which when one of the first heater and the second heater is turned on, the other is turned off.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a first rotating member; a second rotating member that extends along the first rotating member, sandwiches a recording medium with a toner image formed thereon between the first and second rotating members, rotates together with the first rotating member, and heats the recording medium to fix the toner image on the recording medium; a heating device whose circumferential surface circularly moves while contacting an external circumferential surface of the second rotating member, and the heating device heats the second rotating member; a temperature detecting device disposed to face the external circumferential surface of the second rotating member without contacting the external circumferential surface to detect a temperature thereof; and a cleaning device cleaning the circumferential surface of the heating device and disposed between the heating device and the temperature detecting device along the surface of the second rotating member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a belt unit, a coil unit, a rotatable driving member, and positioning and urging mechanisms. The belt unit includes an endless belt to heat a toner image on a sheet at a nip portion. The coil unit opposes an outer surface of the belt and generates a magnetic flux for heating the belt. The driving member rotates the belt and forms the nip portion with the belt. The positioning mechanism positions the coil unit with respect to the belt unit and includes two positioning portions on each side of the coil unit with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof. The urging mechanism urges the coil unit toward the belt unit. The coil unit is supported by the belt unit at three of the four positioning portions.

Abstract: A gloss-watermark pattern is produced on a rotatable fixing member including a thermoplastic layer having a surface and a selected thickness. Particles having a Young's modulus of at least 1 GPa are applied in a selected deposition pattern to a selected area of a pressure member. The pressure member and the fixing member are pressed together so that the applied particles indent the surface of the fixing member to form the gloss-watermark pattern. The pressure member and the fixing member can then be mechanically separated and a printed image on a receiver can be fixed using the fixing member having the gloss-watermark pattern. A gloss watermark corresponding to the gloss-watermark pattern is thus formed on the printed image.

Abstract: A gloss-watermark pattern is produced on a rotatable fixing member including a thermoplastic layer having a surface and a selected thickness. Particles having a Young's modulus of at least 1 GPa are applied in a selected deposition pattern to a selected area of the surface. The applied particles are pressed against a pressure member so that the applied particles indent the surface to form the gloss-watermark pattern. At least some of the pressed particles are removed from the surface. After the removing step, a printed image on a receiver can be fixed using the fixing member having the gloss-watermark pattern. The printed image can include toner, phase-change ink, or hot-melt ink, so that a gloss watermark corresponding to the gloss-watermark pattern is formed on the printed image by the fixing process.

Abstract: A fixing roller/fixing belt having an elastic layer and a surface layer formed on a substrate material in the enumerated order, wherein the surface layer is a layer formed by thermally shrinking a PFA tube, and the surface layer and the elastic layer are bonded together through a PFA-containing adhesive material. In particular, a fixing roller/fixing belt in which the ratio of heat shrinkage of the PFA tube forming the surface layer is 3 to 20%. Also, a fixing roller/fixing belt, in which the quantity of PFA contained in the PFA-containing adhesive material is 20 to 30 wt %.

Abstract: A fixing device and an image forming apparatus using this, in which even if permanent warping is produced on a roller member that forms a fixing nip portion, no collision sound is produced due to the collision of gears, the fixing device including: two roller members that form a nip portion in which a recording medium is pressed by pressure means and transported; and a drive gear that engages with a shaft portion of one of the two roller members and transmits driving force to that roller member. A key is formed in the drive gear and a key groove having a gap opened therein is formed in the shaft portion, and when a rotation velocity of the roller member increases, transmission of driving force from the drive gear to the shaft portion is suspended and the drive gear slides on the shaft portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire image data, a generation unit configured to generate a histogram based on a signal value of each pixel in the image data acquired by the acquisition unit, a derivation unit configured to derive the number of pixels matching a first condition in the histogram generated by the generation unit, and a selection unit configured to select, according to the number of pixels derived by the derivation unit, one of a fixing processing adjustment mode for increasing a degree of gloss of a print product by adjusting fixing processing and a transparent toner mode for increasing a degree of gloss of a print product by using a transparent toner.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt-shaped fixing member, a rotary pressing member disposed opposite the fixing member, a stationary member, a friction reducer, and a activation device. The endless belt-shaped fixing member formed in a loop moves in a predetermined direction and fixes a toner image on a recording medium by heating and fusing the toner image. The stationary member is provided inside the loop and pressed against the rotary pressing member through the fixing member to form a nip between the rotary pressing member and the fixing member through which the recording medium bearing the toner image passes. The friction reducer disposed between the fixing member and the stationary member reduces friction generated therebetween. The activation device provided inside the loop of the fixing member moves the friction reducer to change a portion of the friction reducer that comes between the fixing member and the stationary member.

Abstract: A method for reducing artifacts on a toned sheet caused by buckling during fusing includes providing two compliant rollers that form a fusing nip for fusing the toned sheet. A control drives at least one of the rollers at a nominal speed to cause the rollers to rotate and there after increasing the roller speed to high speed prior to the sheet arriving at the fusing nip and after the sheet is in the nip decreasing the drive speed back to the nominal speed.

Abstract: Fixing devices for fixing marking material to a web, printing apparatuses and methods of fixing marking material to a web are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the fixing devices includes a first roll including a heated outer surface; a second roll forming a fixing nip with the outer surface of the first roll at which a continuous web on which marking material is disposed is received; a third roll positioned to contact the web prior to entering the fixing nip; and an adjustment mechanism connected to the third roll. The adjustment mechanism is operable to move the third roll to vary a wrap length of the web contacting the outer surface of the first roll upstream from the fixing nip to control pre-heating of the web and marking material by contact with the outer surface prior to entering the fixing nip. The first roll and second roll are operable to apply heat and pressure to the pre-heated web and marking material at the fixing nip to fix the marking material to the web.

Abstract: A recording medium peeling device includes: a circularly moving section that has a moving surface circulating along a circulation course; and a pressing section that presses a recording medium passing through a pressing position in the circulation course, against the moving surface at the pressing position. The recording medium peeling device further includes: a peeling member that is disposed downstream from the pressing position in the circularly moving, is apart from the moving surface, is provided along the moving surface, extends in a direction crossing a direction of the circularly moving, and peels the recording medium after passing through the pressing position from the moving surface; and a protruding member that is disposed downstream from the peeling member in a direction in which the recording medium after being peeled by the peeling member proceeds, protrudes from the peeling member side to the recording medium side, and slopes downstream.

Abstract: A transparent toner for forming a glossy surface is disclosed, wherein a critical surface tension of a glossy surface formed by the transparent toner at 20° C. is at least 50 mN/m, and the transparent toner comprises a resin composed of a polymer formed by employing at least a polymerizable monomer containing a carboxylic group (—COOH). An image forming method employing the transparent tone is also disclosed.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a belt including a heat generating layer for generating heat by energization and including a power receiving portion which has electroconductivity and is electrically connected to the heat generating layer; a stationary back-up member, provided inside the belt, for sliding on an inner peripheral surface of the belt; a pressing member for pressing the belt against the back-up member to form a nip in which a recording material is to be nip-conveyed between the belt and itself; and an electroconductive portion, provided on the back-up member, for supplying electric power to the power receiving portion by being electrically connected to the power receiving portion.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus fixes an image formed on a recording material and includes a guiding member for guiding movement of the recording material, provided in a recording material passing opening of the apparatus, a rib projecting from a recording-material passing surface of the guiding member, for being contacted by the recording material, a shutter provided at a position opposing the guiding member and movable between a position for opening the passing opening and a position closing the passing opening, and a projection provided at a position of the shutter opposing a portion of the guiding member not having the rib with respect to a direction perpendicular to a recording material feeding direction. When the shutter takes the closing position, the clearance between the rib and the shutter is larger than the clearance between the guiding member and the projection.

Abstract: A recording substrate treatment apparatus, includes a heating device for directly heating a recording substrate, a condenser for condensing liquid from air from surroundings of a recording substrate, and an energy transfer system arranged for transferring energy from latent heat, which is released by said condensing of liquid by the condenser, to the heating device. Further, a method of drying a recording substrate and a method of fixing a printing substance on a recording substrate include heating a recording substrate by a heating device; condensing liquid from air from surroundings of the recording substrate; and transferring energy from latent heat, which is released by said condensing of liquid, to said heating device.

Abstract: In a method of generating a fuser signal for a printer, a gating signal is generated using delta-sigma modulation such that an absolute value of a deficit does not exceed a threshold. The deficit corresponds to a difference between (i) a number of positive half-cycles of an alternating current (AC) signal at which the gating signal is high and (ii) a number of negative half-cycles of the AC signal at which the gating signal is high. The gating signal is used to gate the AC signal to a fuser.

Abstract: A fixing device to fix a toner image on a sheet includes a first rotary member that rotates in a predetermined direction and a second rotary member that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the first rotary member. A stationary member is fixed inside the first rotary member to press the first and second rotary members together to form a nip portion between the rotary members. A reinforcement member is fixedly provided inside the first rotary member and pressed against the stationary member. The fixing device includes heat source to heat the first rotary member and a reflector to reflect heater light emitted from the heat source toward the first rotary member.

Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided methods and systems that incorporate a model predictive controller (MPC) in an image reproduction machine with known disturbance information. The MPC uses the control action at a current time in order to minimize the impact of an impending disturbance as well as to maximize current control performance. The impending disturbance is used by the MPC to determine an incremental change that combines steady state and transient state impact on the image reproduction machine. Disturbance such as print media type, image content type, physical dimension of the print media, weight of the print media, and print job data can be employed. Further, control of the image reproduction machine is generated in real time over a receding horizon, for the purpose of minimizing a cost function indicative of image variation, energy consumption, or the like.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printer is configured such that an infrared heater is installed at a position between a plurality of electrophotographic print units installed in of the flow direction of a recording material, and a part (an inter-unit extension part) situated between print units of the recording material is irradiated with infrared light from the infrared heater to perform a partial evaporative removal of a carrier liquid of the recording material and a partial fixing of a toner.

Abstract: A laser fixing device, which is for use in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, including: a carrying device for carrying a sheet; and a laser array section which is made up of a plurality of laser sources arrayed in a line, the plurality of laser sources irradiating a non-fixed toner image, which is attached to the sheet that is being carried by the carrying device, with a laser beam so that the non-fixed toner image is fused and fixed to the sheet. In the laser fixing device, an irradiation region length and a sheet carrying speed are set so that tn?0.259·mt1.5139, where mt is a maximum level of an attached-toner amount per unit area of the sheet (mg/cm2) in the image forming apparatus, and tn is an irradiation region crossing time (msec), which is found by dividing the irradiation region length by the sheet carrying speed, the irradiation region length being a length, in the direction in which the sheet is carried, of a region on the sheet which region is irradiated with the laser beam.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part.

Abstract: A pressing member for creating a nip in which the pressing member contacts a heating member and a recording material is heated while being nip-conveyed, includes an elastic layer and a high thermal conductive elastic layer, which is provided on the elastic layer and has a thermal conductivity which is higher than that of the elastic layer. In the high thermal conductive elastic layer, carbon fibers and carbon nanofibers are dispersed in a heat-resistant elastic material.

Abstract: Apparatuses useful in printing and methods of fixing marking materials on media in apparatuses useful in printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the apparatuses useful in printing includes a first fixing device disposed along a first media path. The first fixing device includes a first fixing member including a first surface and a second fixing member including a second surface which forms a first nip with the first surface. The first fixing device does not include a thermal energy source that actively heats the first surface or the second surface and the first fixing device is adapted to apply pressure to a medium received at the first nip. A second fixing device is disposed along a second media path. The second fixing device includes at least one thermal energy source adapted to supply thermal energy to actively heat the medium at the second fixing device. A controller is configured to selectively route the medium to the first fixing device or to the second fixing device.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a frame, a pressure arm pivotably supported on the frame, and a nip release lever supported on the pressure arm. The pressure arm can release pressure contact between a heating roller and a pressure roller. The nip release lever can move between a pressing position and a release position so as to move the pressure roller between a position at which the pressure roller applies pressure to the heating roller and a position at which the pressure roller applies no pressure. The nip release lever can be halted in the release position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a fixing device having a first nip to fix toner to a recording medium; a conveyance device provided at a position downstream from the fixing device in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium to convey the recording medium further downstream; a guide member provided along a conveyance path of the recording medium between the fixing device and the conveyance device to contact and convey the recording medium from the fixing device to the conveyance device, the guide member having multiple through-holes formed therein and penetrating from a front surface of the guide member facing the conveyance path of the recording medium to a back surface of the guide member; and an airflow generator to generate an airflow through the multiple through-holes.

Abstract: A fixing member including a substrate and an elastic layer provided on a surface of the substrate. The elastic layer includes a fluorosilicone rubber including carbon fibers and voids.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material which is not thermally decolorized; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material which is thermally decolorized; a fixing unit which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a control unit which controls the fixing unit so that the temperature of the second recording medium passing through the fixing unit becomes lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer media, such as a belt, that includes a first optional polyimide substrate layer, and a second layer of a fluoropolyimide polymer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a fixing part for fixing a toner image formed on a transfer material to the transfer material, a fan provided on the downstream side of the fixing part, for blowing air to the transfer material having passed through the fixing part, and an airflow control part for controlling the amount of air to be blown from the fan. When the basis weight of the transfer material is larger than a first threshold value, the airflow control part sets the amount of air to be blown to a value smaller than that in a case where the basis weight of the transfer material is smaller than the first threshold value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing unit fixing an unfixed toner image formed by an image forming unit and transferred by a transfer unit on a recording medium; a discharge unit provided above the fixing unit and discharging the recording medium; a fixing jam processing cover rotating with respect to an apparatus main body so as to open or close a part of a paper conveyance path from the fixing unit to the discharge unit; a conveyance guide member swingably provided on the fixing jam processing cover and guiding the recording medium to the discharge unit; and a supporting member having an inclined surface with which the conveyance guide member makes contact and along which, as the fixing jam processing cover is being opened, the conveyance guide member slides to become less inclined with respect to a horizontal direction.

Abstract: This disclosure provides printing methods, systems and apparatus to compensate for distortions by fusing toner applied to a media substrate. According to one exemplary method, image data is processed according to media characterization data for a toner density value associated with the image. The processed image data compensates for media substrate distortions due to fusing of a printed image on the media substrate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire image data, a generation unit configured to generate a histogram based on a signal value of each pixel in the image data acquired by the acquisition unit, a derivation unit configured to derive the number of pixels matching a first condition in the histogram generated by the generation unit, and a selection unit configured to select, according to the number of pixels derived by the derivation unit, one of a fixing processing adjustment mode for increasing a degree of gloss of a print product by adjusting fixing processing and a transparent toner mode for increasing a degree of gloss of a print product by using a transparent toner.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fixing unit of an image forming apparatus, the fixing unit including a first roller; a second roller which forms a nip together with the first roller; and a nip adjuster which is provided in at least one end part of the first roller and includes a restrictive ring formed with a plurality of cam profiles for regulating an axis distance between the first roller and the second roller to be varied to adjust a width of the nip.

Abstract: A fixing device for applying a foam fixing agent to particles including resin resting on a medium to fix the particles including resin onto the medium. The foam fixing agent includes a softener for softening the particles including resin by dissolving or swelling at least part of the resin. The fixing device includes a first foam fixing agent generating unit that generates a first foam fixing agent from a fixing agent; a second foam fixing agent generating unit that generates a second foam fixing agent from the fixing agent, the second foam fixing agent having a lower density than the first foam fixing agent; and a foam application member on which a first film formed with the first foam fixing agent and a second film formed with the second foam fixing agent are formed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming part to form an image on a recording medium, a sheet feeder to feed the recording medium to the image forming part, a drawer unit withdrawably installable in the image forming apparatus disposed within the image forming pat, and a front cover mounted on the drawer unit. The front cover is closably openable relative to the image forming apparatus with movement of the drawer unit.