Abstract: A fixing device fixes on a recording material a toner image formed on the recording material and includes a fixing roller, a heating member for heating the fixing roller in contact with an outer surface of the fixing roller, and a pressing member for forming a fixing nip between itself and the fixing roller. When the recording material which has been jammed so that its leading end passes through the fixing nip to reach a contact portion between the heating member and the fixing roller, a force for drawing the recording material upstream when nipped in the fixing nip is at least equal to the drawing force of the recording material, toward the upstream side with respect to the rotational direction of the fixing roller, nipped between the fixing roller in the rest state and the heating member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member to bear an electrostatic latent image on the surface thereof, a transfer-fixing member disposed adjacent to the image baring member, including a transfer surface onto which the toner image is transferred from the image bearing member, a first pressure member to meet and press against the transfer-fixing member to form a nip therebetween, a heating member to heat a recording medium, provided upstream of the nip in a direction of transport of the recording medium, and a transport guide member to change a contact area of the recording medium and the heating member in accordance with a thickness or a resilience of the recording medium. When the recording medium passes the nip, the toner image is pressed and fixed on the recording medium.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises a rotatable fixing member to apply heat to a recording medium bearing an unfixed image thereon, a heat source to heat the fixing member, and a rotatable pressing member pressing against the fixing member forming a nip therebetween. A driving source rotates and drives the fixing member and the pressing member. An overheat safety device has a relay to open and close a power supply path connected to the heat source. A temperature detector is connected to both the relay and the control unit to detect temperature of the fixing member. The overheat safety device turns off the relay and cuts off power supply to the heat source when the fixing member is overheated. The fixing member is allowed to radiate heat and cool down when the temperature detected by the temperature detector is more than a prescribed level.

Abstract: A medium transporting apparatus includes a first transporting section and first guide. The first transporting section transports a medium. The first guide guides the medium transported by the transporting section, and is disposed downstream of the first transporting section with respect to a first direction in which the medium is transported. The first guide includes a first guide portion and a second guide portion. The first guide portion extends in the first direction. The second guide portion extends in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

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: 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: Disclosed in an image forming apparatus including a conveyance section to convey a paper, a first fixing device to fix a toner on the paper by heat fixing, a first cooling device to cool the paper in which the toner is fixed, a second fixing device to fix the toner on the paper by heat fixing, a second cooling device to cool the paper in which the toner is fixed, a conveyance path switching section to switch a conveyance path of the paper between a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path and a control section to control so as to carry out cooling by operating the second cooling device and not operating the first cooling device when the paper is to be conveyed to the first conveyance path and so as to carry out cooling by operating the first cooling device when the paper is to be conveyed to the second conveyance path.

Abstract: A power transmission, which transmits a driving force from a driving roller to a driven roller by using a friction roller. The power transmission includes a driving roller, a driven roller spaced apart from the driving roller, and a friction roller to transmit a driving force from the driving roller to the driven roller. The friction roller is disposed above a line connecting between centers of the driving roller and the driven roller. With this construction, the friction roller transmits the driving force in a state of being interposed between the driving rollers and the driven rollers by rotation thereof, thereby allowing the power transmission to have a simplified structure, which does not require a separate pressing spring, and at the same time, to generate a minimum amount of power loss.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing rotating member; a pressing rotating member pressed to the fixing surface of the fixing rotating member; a displacing mechanism that can displace the pressing rotating member at least at a first setting position that the pressing rotating member pressed to the fixing surface is located in a first position relative to the fixing rotating member and at a second setting position the pressing rotating member pressed to the fixing surface is in a second position shifted from the first position in the downstream or upstream side of a passing direction of the recording medium at the fixing process part; a guide member having a guide part that guides the recording medium to an introducing portion of the fixing process part; an adjusting mechanism that can adjust the position of the guide member in accordance with the displacement of the pressing rotating member to the first setting position or the second setting position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic imaging unit, a fixing unit, a conveyance unit, and a guide assembly. The electrophotographic imaging unit forms a toner image on a recording medium for forwarding to a media conveyance path. The fixing unit is disposed in the conveyance path to fix the toner image in place on the recording medium through a fixing nip. The conveyance unit is disposed downstream of the fixing unit along the conveyance path to forward the recording medium from the fixing nip. The guide assembly is disposed between the fixing unit and the conveyance unit along the conveyance path to guide the recording medium therethrough. The guide assembly includes a pair of first and second media guide members to form a tapered passageway therebetween to pass the recording medium from the fixing nip into the conveyance unit.

Abstract: In a fixing device, at least one separator is provided downstream from a fixing nip formed between a fixing rotary member and a pressing rotary member in a recording medium conveyance direction to contact the fixing rotary member to separate a recording medium having passed through the fixing nip from the fixing rotary member. A feeler is provided upstream from the fixing nip in the recording medium conveyance direction and contacted by the recording medium conveyed toward the fixing nip to receive a pushing force from the recording medium. A transmission assembly is connected between the feeler and the separator to receive and transmit the pushing force to the separator to move the separator from a non-contact position at which the separator does not contact the fixing rotary member to a contact position at which the separator contacts the fixing rotary member.

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 apparatus capable of performing, even by a short brake, brake assist by which a sheet is stopped at a position where the sheet is visible. Upon occurrence of a wrap jam, brake control for a drive motor and brake assist control are performed. In the brake assist control, a pressing process is performed based on the number of assist operation pulses, which is set in advance. When an edge of a home position sensor signal is detected, a process for stopping the pressing process is carried out, whereby a pressing unit assumes a maximum pressing position.

Abstract: In a fixing device, an opposing member contacts a heating member to form a fixing nip between the heating member and the opposing member. A driver rotatively drives at least one of the heating member and the opposing member. A sheet supplier supplies and conveys a sheet to the fixing nip. A recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image is conveyed through a gap between the sheet and the opposing member at the fixing nip with a side of the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image facing the sheet. At least one of the rotating heating member and the rotating opposing member applies a driving force to the sheet supplied to the fixing nip while the sheet contacts the sheet supplier to apply tension to the sheet at a position upstream from the fixing nip in a sheet conveyance direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first fixing member a second fixing member that are movable to engage and disengage a fixing nip defined by the first and second fixing member. The fixing nip is disengaged to accommodate entry and exit of a cut sheet, and engaged to accommodate warm-pressure fixing a marking material image to the cut sheet.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises: a heating rotary member and a pressurizing rotary member, which form a nip, and guiding members for guiding a recording sheet that has passed through the nip. In a cross-section perpendicular to a rotation axis of the heating rotary member, La connects axial centers of two rotary members, Lb is perpendicular to La, P is on a guiding surface of one of the guiding members and horizontally closer to the pressurizing rotary member than any other points thereon, said one of the guiding members being closer to the heating rotary member than the other, Lc passes through P and is tangent to an outer circumference of the heating rotary member near the nip, and D is a P-La distance. Here, heating rotary member diameter×1.6?D<heating rotary member diameter×2.4. Above the nip, Lc leans further toward the heating rotary member than Lb, and 2.2°?angle between Lc and Lb<6.5°.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit to thermally fix an image transferred onto a sheet, a discharge unit to discharge the sheet carried from the fixing unit outside the image forming apparatus through a discharge path, a swingable member to be swung by the sheet being discharged, a swing-detectable sensor to detect swing movement of the swingable member being swung by the sheet, and a judging unit to judge as to whether the sheet is in one-sided alignment, in which the sheet is aligned to one of the widthwise sides in the discharge path based on result detected by the swing-detectable sensor.

Abstract: An image forming method for fixing a toner image on a recording medium by passing the recording medium through a fixing nip defined between a first member and a second member under heat and pressure. The toner has a specific loss elastic modulus. The first and second members extend along respective first and second longitudinal axes, and have respective first and second elastic layers whose thickness vary along the respective first and second longitudinal axes to define at least one convex portion curving outward and at least one concave portion curving inward with respect to each of the respective first and second longitudinal axes. The first convex portion engages the second concave portion and the first concave portion engages the second convex portion, to define the fixing nip therebetween.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit with a nip, two rollers, a guide member, a detection unit and an urging unit. The detection unit is disposed substantially parallel to the guide member opposite to the guide member across a recording medium conveyed between the nip and the two rollers. The detection unit detects jamming of the recording medium on the basis of a pressure greater than a predetermined value applied by the recording medium between the nip and the two rollers. The distance between the guide member and the detection unit is greater than the distance between the guide member and the recording medium passing between the nip and the two rollers while being urged by the urging unit.

Abstract: In a roller to affect a temperature of a print substrate in a digital printer, a hollow roll is mounted to a shaft. Channels are provided for a heat transport medium in the hollow wall. A roller shell of the hollow roll is comprised of arc-shaped segments extending over a width of the hollow roll. The segments end laterally in arms designed so that the arms of adjacent segments are connected to each other. The channels extend over the width of the hollow roll and are assembled respectively from the segments of the roller shell. A respective covering plate is clamped between the arms of the respective segments.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a shutter member against which a leading edge of a sheet being conveyed abuts, for a skew feed correction, wherein the shutter member is pressed and moved by the sheet; and an actuation member which moves the shutter member that has been pressed and moved by the sheet being conveyed to a retracted position at which the shutter member is retracted from a sheet conveying path and holds the shutter member at the retracted position until the leading edge of the sheet being conveyed by the second conveying rotary member is nipped by the transfer nip portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a first feed path forming member, and an ejection portion. The first feed path forming member is disposed between the image forming unit and the fixing unit in the main body and forms a first feed path in which a transferring member is fed. The ejection portion includes a tray member disposed at an upper end portion of the main body and including a communication opening that provides communication between an inside and an outside of the main body. The communication opening is disposed between the image forming unit and the fixing unit in a plan view. The first feed path forming member includes a first through hole. The first through hole is open toward the communication opening and the communication opening is open toward the first through hole.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotating member that rotates while pinching a sheet which holds an image on a first surface of the sheet and is transported, fixes the image to the sheet, and heats the image while coming into contact with the first surface; a second rotating member that comes into contact with a second surface that is a back surface of the first surface; a third rotating member that guides the sheet by rotating while coming into contact with the first surface of the sheet fed from a gap between the first and second rotating members; and a support member that supports the first, second, and third rotating members with a space through which the heat of the first rotating member is transferred to the third rotating member interposed between the first and third rotating members.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprises an image forming section; a pair of fixing members coming in pressure contact with each other so as to form a nip portion and to fix a toner image on a sheet conveyed from the image forming section with the nip portion; an oscillating section to oscillate the fixing members in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction; an inclining section to incline the fixing members to the width direction in parallel to a conveyance surface; and a control section to control the oscillating section and the inclining section such that when a sheet is passing through the nip portion, a direction of a one-sided oscillation shift of the sheet due to the oscillation of the fixing members is made opposite to that of a one-sided inclination shift of the sheet due to the inclination of the fixing members.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member configured to heat and fix a toner image onto a recording medium; a pressurizing member configured to press a heating member, which is used for heating the fixing member, against the fixing member and form a fixing nip part; and a guide member configured to guide the recording medium away from the fixing member and the pressurizing member at a downstream side of the fixing member or the pressurizing member in a conveying direction of the recording medium. The guide member includes a pushing unit for maintaining a relative positional relationship between the guide member and an outer peripheral surface of the fixing member or the pressurizing member, and the pushing unit is provided in a manner as to follow surface characteristics of outer peripheral parts of the fixing member or the pressurizing member where the pushing unit pushes.

Abstract: A sliding sheet for fixing devices in the present invention is inserted in between an endless belt constituting one member out of two members which form a nip section for fixing operation and a pressure member for pressing the endless belt from an inner surface side toward the other member out of the two members. The sliding sheet, which is made of a single resin, repeatedly has a thick section and a thin section at least with respect to a sliding direction of the endless belt due to substantial difference in resin amount per unit area corresponding to positions within a sheet surface.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention includes a curved sheet conveying path provided between an upstream rotating member pair and a downstream rotating member pair, an elastic member, provided between the upstream rotating member pair and the downstream rotating member pair, configured to guide the sheet and to deform by being pressed by a rear end portion of the sheet conveyed by the downstream rotating member pair, a fixing portion configured to fix the elastic member, and a supporting portion, provided downstream of the fixing portion in the conveying direction, configured to support the elastic member from an opposite side of a guide surface of the elastic member guiding the conveyed sheet so that a portion of the elastic member between the fixing portion and the support portion is deflected along the curved sheet conveying path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a fixing part for fixing a toner image on a transfer material to the transfer material, a conveying part provided on the downstream side of the fixing part, a correcting member provided in a conveyance path leading from the fixing part to the conveying part, for correcting a curl of the transfer material, and a control part for controlling an upstream-side conveyance speed which is a conveyance speed at which the fixing part provided on the upstream side of the correcting member conveys the transfer material and a downstream-side conveyance speed which is a conveyance speed at which the conveying part provided on the downstream side of the correcting member conveys the transfer material. In printing of a first surface in a double-sided printing mode, the control part sets the downstream-side conveyance speed to be larger than the upstream-side conveyance speed.

Abstract: The image-forming device includes an image-forming unit, a fixing unit, a pair of first guides, and a pair of second guides. A sheet conveying path is provided from the image-forming unit to the fixing unit. The pair of first guides are disposed on the conveying path and configure to contact with an image-forming side of the recording sheet at both widthwise edges thereof, for restraining the recording sheet from being displaced toward the image-forming side. The pair of second guides are disposed on the conveying path and configure to contact with the image-forming side of the recording sheet at both widthwise edges thereof for restraining the recording sheet from being displaced toward the image-forming side, a distance between the pair of first guides in the widthwise direction being greater than a distance between the pair of second guides in the widthwise direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of appropriately curing curl which is apt to be generated at a fixing-completed sheet. An intersection angle ?2 between respective axis lines 81c, 82c of an upper conveying roller 81 and a lower conveying roller 82 in a conveying apparatus 80 is set to be in the opposite direction to an intersection angle ?1 between respective axis lines 50c and 51c of a fixing roller 50 and a pressure roller 51 in the fixing apparatus 40. Accordingly, curl generated at a sheet S at the time of pressure fixing at the fixing apparatus 40 can be returned into a state before fixing as being appropriately corrected in the opposite direction by the upper conveying roller 81 and the lower conveying roller 82.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a fixing device configured to fix a toner image onto a sheet by heating the sheet having the toner image formed thereon; a wire-shaped guide configured to guide the sheet having the toner image fixed thereto; and a holder, configured to hold the wire-shaped guide, to which the wire-shaped guide is fixed by using elasticity of the wire-shaped guide.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus is provided with a decurling mechanism to correct a curl formed on a sheet; a pair of guides including a first guide member and a second guide member arranged to oppose to the first guide member, the pair of guides constituting a conveyance passage to guide a sheet discharged from the decurling mechanism toward the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction; and an auxiliary guide arranged to protrude obliquely in the sheet conveying direction from the side of the first guide member toward the second guide member to a predetermined position in the conveyance passage.

Abstract: A fixing unit for fixing a toner image includes a fixing device and a guide member. The fixing device includes a fixing roller having a heater inside thereof and a pressing roller disposed opposite the fixing roller. The pressing roller presses against the fixing roller and fixes a toner image formed on a transfer medium. The guide member guides the transfer medium to the fixing device. The guide member includes a metal base member including at least one coating layer.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus is provided with a decurling mechanism to correct a curl formed on a sheet; a pair of guides including a first guide member and a second guide member arranged to oppose to the first guide member, the pair of guides constituting a conveyance passage to guide a sheet discharged from the decurling mechanism toward the downstream aide in the sheet conveying direction; and an auxiliary guide arranged to protrude obliquely in the sheet conveying direction from the side of the first guide member toward the second guide member to a predetermined position in the conveyance passage.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing roller and a pressing roller that are in pressure contact with each other. A separating plate is placed opposite to the fixing roller with a certain gap in between them. Positioning portions are installed on the separating plate to be in contact with width-direction ends of the fixing roller for determining the gap. The positioning portions are arranged such that edges of contact portions of the positioning portions on the width-direction center side in contact with the fixing unit are positioned outside an image area and inside a paper-passing area for a recording medium of a maximum passing-capable size.

Abstract: An imaging system including an image transfer structure configured to transfer marking material to a first side of a substrate; a tacker configured to fix the marking material to the substrate; a path controller; a substrate inverter; and a fuser. The path controller is configured to switch the substrate between a first path towards the fuser and a second path extending through the substrate inverter and returning to the image transfer structure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an intake opening from which an outside air is drawn, a fixing device disposed above the intake opening to heat a recording medium to fix an image onto the recording medium, and a flow path for the air drawn from the intake opening to direct the air onto devices or components provided near the fixing device inside the image forming apparatus by negative pressure generated by an upward current of hot air generated from the fixing device.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device for stacking conveyed sheets includes a stacking surface on which the sheets are stacked; a plurality of projections that project from the stacking surface. Wherein, the projections extend generally in a travel direction of the sheets, which is a direction in which the sheets travel when entering the sheet stacking device, the projections include outer projections and inner projections, the inner projections are located between the inner projections, and a projecting height of the inner projections from the stacking surface is greater than that of the outer projections.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) and method (200) that detaches media from a fuser in a printer is disclosed. The method can include feeding (220) a media sheet through a fuser member and applying (230) gas from an air knife to the media sheet on the fuser member to detach the media sheet at a detach point from the fuser member. The method can also include asserting (240) tension on the media sheet using a set of rotational members and continuing to apply gas from the air knife to the media sheet until the set of rotational members asserts tension on the media sheet.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit and a gloss equalizing unit. The fixing unit is disposed in a media conveyance path to fix a toner image on a recording medium conveyed therethrough. The fixing unit includes a rotary fuser member, a rotary pressure member, and a media stripper. The fuser member is subjected to heating. The rotary pressure member is pressed against the fuser member to form a fixing nip therebetween. The media stripper is held in contact with the pressure member to allow the recording medium to separate from the pressure member. The gloss equalizing unit is disposed downstream from the fixing unit along the media conveyance path. The gloss equalizing unit includes a pair of first and second rotary glossing rollers, at least one of which is heated and at least one of which is pressed against the other to form a gloss equalizing nip therebetween.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a guide member configured to guide a sheet to a nip section between a heating roller and a pressing roller disposed close to the upstream side of the rollers and on the pressing roller side. A downstream end of the guide member is disposed on the heating roller side with respect to the nip surface between the rollers so that a header of the sheet to be printed is in contact with the heating roller first, and a downstream end of the fixing device introduction guide member is concavely curved.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus and a double-sided printing method for the image forming apparatus that can prevent occurrence of an image failure by providing a sheet retracting mechanism in a conveying path of an automatic double-sided printing device and preventing occurrence of temporary stop near a high-temperature fixing device during a double-sided printing operation.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a main body mounted on an image forming apparatus body; a fixing member that is included in the main body and that fixes an image to a recording medium; a pair of conveying rolls that is supported by the main body and that conveys the recording medium to which an image is fixed by the fixing member, the pair of conveying rolls comprising a driven roll and a driving roll disposed under the driven roll; and an exterior portion that is formed in the main body, disposed under the driving roll, forms an exterior face of the main body, and also forms an exterior face of the image forming apparatus body while the main body is mounted on the image forming apparatus body.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing rotating member; a pressing rotating member pressed to the fixing surface of the fixing rotating member; a displacing mechanism that can displace the pressing rotating member at least at a first setting position that the pressing rotating member pressed to the fixing surface is located in a first position relative to the fixing rotating member and at a second setting position the pressing rotating member pressed to the fixing surface is in a second position shifted from the first position in the downstream or upstream side of a passing direction of the recording medium at the fixing process part; a guide member having a guide part that guides the recording medium to an introducing portion of the fixing process part; an adjusting mechanism that can adjust the position of the guide member in accordance with the displacement of the pressing rotating member to the first setting position or the second setting position.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording medium includes a fixing roller, a pressing roller, and at least one of a sheet guide, a sheet separation plate, and an electric component module. The fixing roller rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation. The pressing roller rotates and contacts an outer circumferential surface of the fixing roller to form a nip between the pressing roller and the fixing roller through which the recording medium bearing the toner image passes to fix the toner image by heat and pressure. The position of the pressing roller is changeable relative to the fixing roller. At least one of the sheet guide, the separation plate, and the electric component module moves in conjunction with movement of the pressing roller as a single integrated unit without changing relative positions with respect to the pressing roller.

Abstract: An image forming device is provided that is capable of properly checking removal of a paper that has caused a paper jam in a fixing part. The fixing part includes transporting mechanisms for transporting a paper on which a toner image is formed. A first paper detecting part is disposed on an upstream side of the fixing part. A second paper detecting part is disposed on a downstream side of the fixing part. A paper jam detecting part detects paper jams in the fixing part. A transportation control part drive-controls the transporting mechanisms to change a transporting direction of the paper to a reverse direction when a paper jam in the fixing part is detected and the paper is not detected by the first detecting part.

Abstract: A sheet pressing device includes plurality of pressing members and a support member. The plurality of pressing members is provided on a downstream side in a discharging direction of fixing unit which carries out a fixing treatment over a sheet having an unfixed image transferred thereonto along the discharging direction. The plurality of pressing members presses both ends of the sheet in a direction along a surface of the sheet carried out the fixing treatment by the fixing unit and in a direction crossing the discharging direction. The support member supports the plurality of pressing members movably in such a direction as to approach or separate from the sheet when the sheet passes through the sheet pressing device.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises: a heating rotary member and a pressurizing rotary member, which form a nip, and guiding members for guiding a recording sheet that has passed through the nip. In a cross-section perpendicular to a rotation axis of the heating rotary member, La connects axial centers of two rotary members, Lb is perpendicular to La, P is on a guiding surface of one of the guiding members and horizontally closer to the pressurizing rotary member than any other points thereon, said one of the guiding members being closer to the heating rotary member than the other, Lc passes through P and is tangent to an outer circumference of the heating rotary member near the nip, and D is a P-La distance. Here, heating rotary member diameter×1.6?D<heating rotary member diameter×2.4. Above the nip, Lc leans further toward the heating rotary member than Lb, and 2.2°?angle between Lc and Lb<6.5°.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a main body; a plurality of image forming units; a holding unit; and an engagement mechanism. Each of the plurality of image forming units has a developing portion. The holding unit holds the plurality of image forming units. The plurality of image forming units are aligned in the holding unit in a predetermined drawing direction. The holding unit is configured so as to be drawn out in the predetermined drawing direction from a storage position where the holding unit is stored in the main body. The holding unit sequentially reaches a plurality of different drawing positions while moving in the predetermined drawing direction. The plurality of image forming units are sequentially exposed to the outside while the holding unit sequentially reaches the plurality of drawing positions. The engagement mechanism is configured to engage the holding unit with the main body when the holding unit reaches each of the plurality of drawing positions.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing an image formed on a recording material, the fixing device 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 position of the guiding member not having the rib with respect to a direction perpendicular to a recording material feeding direction, wherein when the shutter takes the closing position, a clearance between the rib and the shutter is larger than a clearance between the guiding member and the projection.