Abstract: A fixing device includes: a non-contact heating unit configured to heat a recording medium being transported on a transport path in a non-contact manner; a facing member that is disposed along the transport path at a position facing the non-contact heating unit and that is configured to move with respect to the recording medium; and a tension unit configured to tension a facing member in a direction along the transport path.

Abstract: A method of forming an polymer composites is disclosed herein that includes infiltrating CNT sponges with a polymer or metal to form a composite. The method uses a relatively easy, scalable, and low-cost synthesis process that makes the composites attractive as TIM. CNTs in the sponge structure are covalently bonded, resulting in a low Young's modulus while at the same time maintaining a good thermal conductivity. This strategy makes it possible to obtain both high deformability and high thermal conductivity, which are difficult to have simultaneously due to their adverse correlation.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a heating section that heats in a non-contact manner a front surface of a recording medium; a feeding section that feeds the recording medium while causing the front surface to be opposed to the heating section; and a maintaining section that, in order to enable the recording medium to be fed by the feeding section while a rear surface that is opposite to the front surface, and that is in an image region where an unfixed-image is formed on the front surface is in a non-contact state, maintains the non-contact state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, for performing image forming by transferring and fixing an image formed on an image carrier to a printing material, that selects a smallest dot size of a halftone dot pattern representing a halftone of a highlight region corresponding to a type of the printing material, and uses a screen representing the selected smallest dot size to perform exposure control of the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet with a developer containing toner and an ultraviolet curable agent, a feeding belt configured to feed the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming portion, and an ultraviolet irradiating portion configured to irradiate, with ultraviolet radiation, the image on the sheet that is being fed by the feeding belt. The feeding belt stops rotation thereof in a non-irradiated state of the feeding belt with ultraviolet radiation by the ultraviolet irradiating portion.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a plurality of heat generating elements for heating a developer image formed on a recording medium corresponding to a plurality of heating regions. A first target temperature of the heat generating elements is set based on a developer amount per unit area of the developer image in each of the heating regions, and the temperature of the heat generating elements is controlled to the first target temperature. If a difference between the first target temperatures for two adjacent heating regions is outside of a predetermined range, the first target temperature for one of the two adjacent heating regions is corrected to a second target temperature, which is higher than the first target temperature, so that the difference between the first target temperatures for the two adjacent heating regions is within the predetermined range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device that fixes a toner image which is developed with a liquid developer containing a toner and a volatile carrier oil on a recording medium, a heating device that is disposed on an upstream side of the fixing device in a feed direction of the recording medium, and heats the toner image on the recording medium in a non-contact manner, in which heating is controlled such that a porosity of the toner image on the recording medium in an outlet of the heating device is in a range of 20% by volume to 40% by volume, and a drying path that is disposed between the heating device and the fixing device in the feed direction of the recording medium, and dries the recording medium by evaporating the carrier oil in the recording medium.

Abstract: A conveying device includes a blower, a wind-permeable sheet material supporter, and a conveyor. The blower blows air toward a sheet material. The sheet material supporter supports a center region of the sheet material from a back side of a blown surface of the sheet material. The conveyor conveys the sheet material through a blowing region blown by the blower, while sandwiching an end region of the sheet material in a sheet-material width direction perpendicular to a sheet-material conveyance direction in which the sheet material is conveyed by the conveyor.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical belt, a nip portion forming member contacting the belt, a halogen heater including a bulb filled with gas and having a sealing portion sealing the bulb, a filament inside the bulb and having a light emission portion, an external lead extending to outside the halogen heater, and a metal body arranged in the sealing portion and electrically connected the filament and the external lead, and a reflection member reflecting the radiation light of the halogen heater toward the nip portion forming member, the reflection member being long in a longitudinal direction of the halogen heater, wherein a longitudinal end of the reflection member is configured to lie in an area between an end of a light emission area constituted by the light emission portion of the halogen heater and the metal body in the longitudinal direction of the halogen heater.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a light source, a contact member, and an incident unit. The contact member transmits light from the light source and includes a contact portion that contacts with an image forming material on a medium while rotating. The image forming material on the medium is heated by light in the contact portion. The incidence unit causes the light from the light source to be incident on the contact member so that a second image forming material, attached to the contact member by a first image forming material attached to the contact member shielding at least a part of the light from the light source, shields only a part of the light when the first image forming material is located at the contact portion, or does not shield any of the light when the first image forming material is located at the contact portion.

Abstract: An intermediate transferer includes a substrate; and a surface layer overlying the substrate. The surface layer includes a crosslinked material, including a polyrotaxane including a circular molecule; a straight-chain molecule including the circular molecule in a skewering form; and a block group located at both ends of the straight-chain molecule, preventing the circular molecule from releasing, and at least one resin selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins, fluoreresins and silicone resins.

Abstract: Provided is a light irradiation device including plural first irradiation units that irradiate an irradiation target area on a surface to be irradiated with light beams and are disposed in a specific direction, and plural second irradiation units that irradiate an outside of the irradiation target area with light beams and are disposed at an outer side of the first irradiation units in the specific direction, wherein light beams emitted from two adjacent irradiation units among the plural first irradiation units and the plural second irradiation units are superimposed with each other in the specific direction, and a first irradiation width that is not superimposed with the light beam from the adjacent first irradiation unit is smaller than a second irradiation width that is not superimposed with the light beam from the other adjacent first irradiation unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a plurality of laser irradiation sections each of which emits a laser beam whose wavelength exhibits an absorbance of 80% or more with respect to a corresponding toner; and a control device for controlling the plurality of irradiation sections so that in order to fuse a black toner, (i) a laser irradiation section corresponding to the black toner among the plurality of laser irradiation sections irradiates the black toner with a laser beam thereof, and (ii) the other laser irradiation sections irradiate the black toner with laser beams thereof, where the other laser irradiation sections do not correspond to the black toner among the plurality of laser irradiation sections. Therefore, it is possible to provide a laser fixing device which can fix a color toner while preventing an increase in size of the fixing device as much as possible.

Abstract: Provided is a fixing device that includes a transparent endless belt, a lens, a nip forming member, and a light source. The transparent endless belt includes an inner peripheral surface to which a lubricating liquid adheres, and an outer peripheral surface. A plurality of grooves are formed on one of the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface, and the light source irradiates an irradiation target with light through the inner peripheral surface or the outer peripheral surface of the belt.

Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including an endless belt that rotates around an axis, transmits light, and has an inner peripheral surface to which a lubricating liquid adheres, a lens that has a curved surface having a top portion closest to the inner peripheral surface at one end when viewed in the axial direction, and concentrates light incident on the curved surface on a developer image on a medium that comes in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt that comes in contact with the other end, and a light source that allows the light to be concentrated on the developer image to be incident on a portion on an upstream side of the belt of an outer peripheral surface of a portion of the belt facing the top portion in the rotation direction.

Abstract: A system for generating a differential gloss image useful for digital printing includes a image production system, a pre-heating system for heating a marking material image formed by the image production system, and an imaging system for forming a differential gloss image on the pre-heated marking material image.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a radiating portion that radiates light on a recording medium on which a toner image is formed and that is transported along a transport path, a partition member that transmits the light radiated from the radiating portion and partitions between the radiating portion and the transport path, and a drive section that moves a scraping member scraping toner that adheres to the partition member and is heated by the radiation of the light from the radiating portion so as to contact a surface of the partition member of the transport path side.

Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including a transparent cylindrical body that is formed in a cylindrical shape to be rotatable, an opposing member that is arranged to oppose the transparent cylindrical body and forms a contact region in a portion between the transparent cylindrical body and the opposing member, a laser beam radiation device that is provided in an external portion of the transparent cylindrical body and radiates the laser beams, a light converging member that is provided in an internal portion of the transparent cylindrical body and is disposed to be in contact with portions of the transparent cylindrical body, and a liquid filling body that fills an air interface layer between a portion of the transparent cylindrical body and the light converging member, with a transparent liquid enabling the laser beams to pass therethrough.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit configured to form an image on a paper with pigment, a heating unit configured to heat the pigment and the paper from one or both surfaces of the paper, a microwave generator, and a microwave applicator arranged downstream of the heating unit and configured to heat the pigment and the paper by applying microwaves generated by the microwave generator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device forming an image on a recording medium; and a light source that, after the image has been formed by the image forming device, irradiates the recording medium with light to fix the image on the recording medium, while the recording medium moves relatively in a predetermined movement direction. The light source includes a current supply section, a light emitting section, and a current output section. Current for light emission is supplied to the current supply section. The light emitting section includes light emitting elements that are disposed two-dimensionally. At least the light emitting elements provided side by side in the movement direction are electrically connected in parallel. The current output section outputs the current that has passed through the light emitting section. The current supply section and the light emitting section are provided side by side in the movement direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an irradiation section that has plural light emitting elements arranged in a first direction and emits light, a condensing section that condenses the light emitted from the irradiation section in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a supporter that includes a contact location which supports a recording medium by a surface thereof at a position of a focal length of the condensing section, and a noncontact location which is located outside the contact location in the first direction and has a surface which does not come into contact with the recording medium, wherein a distance between the surface of the noncontact location and the condensing section is different from a distance between the surface of the contact location and the condensing section.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a curved member that supports a recording medium on which an image is formed by an image forming material that absorbs light and is fixed, and an irradiating portion that irradiates the curved member with light from the recording medium side, wherein the light axis of the light does not intersect with a center axis of the curved member, and is substantially perpendicular to a tangential line in a middle point in a transporting direction of the recording medium in a region of the curved member supporting the recording medium.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an irradiation section that irradiates a recording medium with light, the recording medium having thereon an image formed by an image forming material to be fixed by absorbing light and being transported along a transporting path, and a preventing member that is provided with a first hole that allows the light to pass therethrough, and prevents the image forming material irradiated with the light from adhering to the irradiation section.

Abstract: A microwave heating device enhances heating efficiency by a simple configuration. A microwave is led from one end of a conductive heating chamber in direction d2. The heating chamber is provided with an opening. A pair of conveying members are provided. A member to be heated sandwiched between the conveying members is moved in direction d1, and passes through the opening in direction d1 non-parallel to microwave traveling direction d2.

Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including a transparent belt, a press roller that is rotated with being opposed to and contacting with the transparent belt, and transports a recording medium interposed therebetween, a press member-cum-optical system that contacts with the transparent belt from an opposite side to the press roller, forms a press region for pressing a toner image formed on the recording medium in cooperation with the press roller during transport of the recording medium, and collects laser light on the toner image in the press region in a transport direction of the recording medium, and a laser light irradiation unit that irradiates the press member-cum-optical system with laser light.

Abstract: A fuser unit, which heat-fixes a developer image transferred on a recording sheet, the fuser unit includes: a cylindrical member having flexibility; a heat generation member that is arranged at an inside of the cylindrical member and generates radiation heat; a nip member that slidingly contacts an inner periphery of the cylindrical member; a first reflection member that extends along the heat generation member to corresponds with at least a range of a heat generation part of the heat generation member; a second reflection member that is arranged, at an outside of the heat generation member, to at least one of end sides of the first reflection member in the longitudinal direction, and a backup member that forms a nip region by nipping the cylindrical member between the nip member and the backup member, wherein the second reflection member is separated from the first reflection member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a transport member that transports a recording medium in a first direction, the recording medium having on one side thereof an image formed of an image forming material that is to be fixed by absorbing light; a first chip that has a first light-emitting area in which a plurality of light-emitting elements that emit light toward the one side of the recording medium are arranged two-dimensionally; and a second chip that has a second light-emitting area in which a plurality of light-emitting elements that emit light toward the one side of the recording medium are arranged two-dimensionally. A gap between the first light-emitting area and the second light-emitting area extends at an angle with respect to the first direction, and a portion of the first light-emitting area and a portion of the second light-emitting area overlap each other in the first direction.

Abstract: A wet-type image formation apparatus includes: an intermediate transfer body that carries a toner image including toner particles, which are charged to have a first polarity, and a carrier liquid; a transferring roller that transfers a toner image onto a transfer surface of a recording medium; a charging device that charges the transfer surface to have a second polarity opposite to the first polarity; and a fixing mechanism that fixes the toner image. The fixing mechanism includes a noncontact heating device. The noncontact heating device forms the toner particles into a film such that the toner particles and the carrier liquid are separated from each other by heating the toner image when the toner particles charged to the first polarity is electrostatically adsorbed onto the transfer surface charged to have the second polarity. The film of the toner particles is fixed onto the transfer surface.

Abstract: In a device or method to fix print images on a recording material, a printing fluid comprising a carrier fluid and chromophoric solid particles are applied to the recording material, the chromophoric solid particles being applied in a form of the print images to be fixed. Hot waste gas and infrared radiation are generated with aid of a porous burner. The infrared radiation is directed towards the recording material in a drying chamber such that the carrier fluid polymerizes or is vaporized, whereby a gaseous air/oil mixture arises in the drying chamber. The air/oil mixture is influenced with aid of the hot waste gas of the porous burner.

Abstract: A device and a method for applying and fusing a toner image on a substrate is described. The device has at least one printing unit, a transport unit for transporting the substrate through a print area of the printing units and a fusing unit for fusing toner on the substrate. The transport unit has an endless transport belt which passes continuously around at least two rollers to form a transport side. The fusing unit is in a transport direction of the endless transport belt behind the at least one printing unit and has at least one microwave applicator arranged adjacently to the endless transport belt for introducing microwaves into the substrate while the latter is being transported through it. With the method, a substrate to be printed is held on an endless transport belt and moved thereon through a print area of at least one printing unit and then through a fusing unit.

Abstract: A microwave heating device includes a microwave generating portion outputting a microwave, a conductive heating chamber into which the microwave is led and having a short-circuited terminal end in a traveling direction of the microwave, and a tuner provided between the microwave generating portion and the heating chamber. The heating chamber has an opening for passing a member to be heated therethrough. The tuner re-reflects the microwave reflected at the terminal end of the heating chamber onto the heating chamber side. The microwave output end of the microwave generating portion and the tuner are connected by a square tubular waveguide made of a conductive material. The tuner and the terminal end of the heating chamber are connected by a square tubular waveguide, which is made of a conductive material except for the opening for passing the member to be heated therethrough.

Abstract: Provided is a fixing device whose required heat generation amount can be obtained with a smaller amount of a microwave absorbing material, hence start-up (warm-up) time for achieving fixable temperature of the fixing device can be shortened without impairing characteristics such as flexibility, releasing property, durability. The fixing device comprises: a heating member; a pressurizing member; and a microwave generating unit, the fixing device being configured to fix an unfixed toner on a recording material by passing the recording material through a nip formed between the heating member and the pressurizing member, wherein: the heating member includes a heat generating layer for generating heat with microwave generated by the microwave generating unit; and the heat generating layer contains a high molecular compound and a carbon fiber having an average fiber diameter of 80-150 nm, an average fiber length of 6-10 ?m, and in Raman spectrum, an absorption peak resulting from graphite structure.

Abstract: A recording sheet has an unfixed toner image that is formed thereon, and is conveyed to a fixing device. A surface reforming device of the fixing device performs surface reformation for the surface of the toner on the recording sheet by, for example, plasma irradiation or the like, thereby generating a polar group of a hydrophilic property on the surface of the toner. Next, the recording sheet is conveyed to a laser irradiation portion by a recording sheet conveyance device to be irradiated with a laser, in which the toner is fused to be fixed to the recording sheet. The toner on the recording sheet is subjected to surface reforming treatment, thus having increased affinity (adhesion force) with the recording sheet, so that it is possible to secure favorable fixability without pressing.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first radiating portion that includes plural light sources arranged along a first direction at a determined interval, and radiates light on a recording medium on which a toner image is formed and which is transported in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and an optical member that includes plural transmission regions through which the light radiated by the plural light sources is transmitted and includes plural light diffusion portions diffusing the light in the first direction on each of the plural transmission regions.

Abstract: Printers are provided. One printer has an ink jet printer with an inkjet printhead to print an inkjet image on a receiver using an inkjet ink having a liquid with a boiling point a toner print engine to generate a toner image conforming to the ink jet image using toner particles with a glass transition temperature that is below the boiling point and to transfer the toner image into an unabsorbed volume of liquid ink of the inkjet image on the receiver and a fixing system having a first energy source to apply a first energy to the toner and the liquid sufficient to bring the liquid to the boiling point without bringing a heated surface into contact therewith. The toner particles are heated above the glass transition temperature by the combination of heat from the liquid and heating of the toner particles by the first energy.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus in which multiple number of laser beams are controlled to perform fixing based on the toner concentration in the developing device, or based on the density and weight of the toner image adhering on the recording medium before fixing. The controller in the image forming apparatus compares the toner concentration detected by the toner concentration detector with the reference toner concentration, calculates the output level of the laser irradiator, controls the laser irradiator based on the calculation, controls to increase the output level of the laser irradiator in accordance with the detected toner concentration when the toner concentration is lower than the reference toner concentration, and controls to lower the output level of the laser irradiator in accordance with the detected toner concentration when the toner concentration is higher than the reference toner concentration.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit and a switching unit. The fixing unit includes an emitting unit that emits light and a housing that houses the emitting unit. The fixing unit fixes a toner image to a recording medium by emitting the light to a surface of the recording medium, the recording medium having the toner image formed thereon and having been transported to a predetermined fixing position that is away from the housing. The switching unit switches a state of the fixing device from a first state in which the housing and the recording medium are positioned away from each other to a second state in which the surface of the recording medium at the fixing position is sealed with the housing.

Abstract: A laser fusing apparatus including: a laser light source for emitting a laser beam; a conveyance belt for conveying a sheet with a toner image being transferred thereon and guiding the sheet to an irradiation region in which the toner image is to be irradiated with the laser light source; a heat pipe including a heat receiving portion to receive heat generated by the laser light source and a heat releasing portion to supply the received heat to the conveyance belt; and a fuser control section for controlling the laser light source so that the laser light source irradiates the laser beam to the toner image when the toner image passes the irradiation region, thereby fixing the toner image onto the sheet, wherein the conveyance belt heats the sheet and the toner image with the heat supplied from the heat radiation section.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an irradiation unit, disposed opposite a recording medium, that includes laser light sources arranged in a direction crossing a movement direction of the recording medium and capable of emitting laser light with variable emission intensity and that irradiates a surface of the recording medium with the laser light emitted from the laser light sources in a substantially elongated irradiation region extending at a corresponding position in the arrangement direction of the laser light sources; an irradiation-width changing unit that changes the irradiation width of the irradiation region in a longitudinal direction thereof, with all the laser light sources of the irradiation unit turned on; and an irradiation-intensity adjusting unit that adjusts the irradiation intensity in the irradiation region having the irradiation width thereof changed by the irradiation-width changing unit to a predetermined required irradiation intensity.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a curved member that supports a recording medium on which an image is formed by an image forming material that absorbs light and is fixed, and an irradiating portion that irradiates the curved member with light from the recording medium side, wherein the light axis of the light does not intersect with a center axis of the curved member, and is substantially perpendicular to a tangential line in a middle point in a transporting direction of the recording medium in a region of the curved member supporting the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device forming an image on a recording medium; and a light source that, after the image has been formed by the image forming device, irradiates the recording medium with light to fix the image on the recording medium, while the recording medium moves relatively in a predetermined movement direction. The light source includes a current supply section, a light emitting section, and a current output section. Current for light emission is supplied to the current supply section. The light emitting section includes light emitting elements that are disposed two-dimensionally. At least the light emitting elements provided side by side in the movement direction are electrically connected in parallel. The current output section outputs the current that has passed through the light emitting section. The current supply section and the light emitting section are provided side by side in the movement direction.

Abstract: There are provided a laser fixing device adapted to use of two types of light fixable toners having different light absorption characteristics, an image forming apparatus equipped with the laser fixing device, and an image forming method employing the image forming apparatus. A laser fixing device includes a laser light emitting section for emitting laser light and a wavelength conversion section for emitting outgoing light having a wavelength different from the one that incident laser light has.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide materials, apparatus, and methods for forming an image. Exemplary imaging apparatus can include one or more light sources configured to treat toner images after they are transferred on an image receiving substrate (e.g., a copy sheet). The toner images can be formed of an opto-thermal toner containing opto-thermal elements in a toner composition. The fuser subsystem may or may not be configured in the disclosed imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A microwave heating device enhances heating efficiency by a simple configuration. A microwave is led from one end of a conductive heating chamber in direction d2. The heating chamber is provided with an opening. A pair of conveying members are provided. A member to be heated sandwiched between the conveying members is moved in direction d1, and passes through the opening in direction d1 non-parallel to microwave traveling direction d2.

Abstract: An optical fixing device is provided that is capable of improving fixability as well as improving smoothness of an image on a recording medium that is formed after fixing, and forming a high-quality image of high gloss level. An optical fixing device includes a recording sheet fixing conveyance section that conveys a recording sheet on which a toner image is formed; a laser irradiation section that irradiates with light the toner image formed on the recording sheet that is conveyed by the recording sheet fixing conveyance section; and a pressurizing section that is disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the recording sheet from the light irradiation section and pressurizes the toner image on the recording sheet after irradiation of light by the light irradiation section.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an irradiation section that has plural light emitting elements arranged in a first direction and emits light, a condensing section that condenses the light emitted from the irradiation section in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a supporter that includes a contact location which supports a recording medium by a surface thereof at a position of a focal length of the condensing section, and a noncontact location which is located outside the contact location in the first direction and has a surface which does not come into contact with the recording medium, wherein a distance between the surface of the noncontact location and the condensing section is different from a distance between the surface of the contact location and the condensing section.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit that is disposed in a direction intersecting a transport direction in which a recording medium on which an image is formed using an image forming material is transported and that fixes the image forming material onto the recording medium in a noncontact manner with the recording medium, a varying unit that varies a length of the fixing unit in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and a controller that controls the fixing unit at an amount of power according to the length of the fixing unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for drying print media. The system comprises a dryer comprising an enclosure and a roller. The roller is proximate to an opening into the enclosure. A perimeter of the roller covers a portion of the opening, and an uncovered portion of the opening comprises a gap for a web of print media. The gap has a size defined on one side by the perimeter of the roller and on another side by a surface of the opening.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an irradiation section that irradiates a recording medium with light, the recording medium having thereon an image formed by an image forming material to be fixed by absorbing light and being transported along a transporting path, and a preventing member that is provided with a first hole that allows the light to pass therethrough, and prevents the image forming material irradiated with the light from adhering to the irradiation section.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating element disposed inside a flexible fusing member, a nip member disposed to contact with a surface of the flexible fusing member and to allow the flexible fusing member to slide along the nip member, a reflecting plate for reflecting radiant heat from the heating element toward the nip member, and a backup member for nipping the flexible fusing member with the nip member. The reflecting plate includes a central reflecting portion extending along a longitudinal direction of the heating element at least in a region corresponding to along a heat generating portion of the heating element, and end reflecting portions stationarily provided on both ends of the central reflecting portion. The end reflecting portions are disposed in positions longitudinally outward of the heat generating portion and each has a reflecting surface tilted with respect to the longitudinal direction of the heating element.