Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus jointly using both a heat fixing method and a wet fixing method wherein bleeding and aggregation of a toner, curl and creases of a recording medium, and the like do not occur when a fixing fluid is applied to a toner image. Power consumption is significantly lower than that of a past heat fixing method. A high-quality image is stably formed. The image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an intermediate transfer section, a secondary transfer section, a fixing fluid applying section, a fixing section having a driving roller in which a heating section is built, and a conveying section. There is provided a fixing fluid amount controlling section which controls a fixing fluid amount applied to a toner image on a recording medium by the fixing fluid applying section so as to increase as the recording medium approaches the fixing section.

Abstract: A replacement unit having a toner bottle and a fixing liquid bottle integrated with each other is attached to a printer main body (image forming apparatus main body). Toner particles accommodated in the toner bottle are allowed to be supplied to a development device of the image forming apparatus main body. A sheet member (sealing unit) of a liquid supplying port of the fixing liquid bottle is broken by an insertion pin provided in the printer main body in synchronization with the attachment of the replacement unit to the printer main body. A toner fixing liquid including a softening agent for softening the toner particles and a solvent for dissolving or dispersing the softening agent is supplied from the fixing liquid bottle to a fixing liquid storage of a fixing device of the printer main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an image carrying section, a transferring section, a recording material conveying section, a heat fixing section, a wet fixing section, and a recording material supply section. In the image forming apparatus, a surface temperature of fixing roller in the heat fixing section is detected by a temperature sensor and according to a detected result, the recording material conveying section selects either one of the heat fixing section and the wet fixing section as a conveyance destination for a recording material carrying an unfixed toner image.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a toner image forming section, a transfer section, a recording medium supplying section, and a control unit, an image forming unit that forms, for example, a yellow toner image causes liquid-repellent particles to be adhered onto a part of a photoreceptor drum other than an electrostatic latent image, causes fixing fluid to be adhered onto a part of the electrostatic latent image such that only the fixing fluid is transferred onto an image forming roller, and causes the fixing fluid to be supplied on the image forming roller.

Abstract: A fixing liquid configured to fix a toner containing a resin on a recording medium is disclosed, wherein a particle containing a component capable of dissolving or swelling at least one portion of the resin contained in the toner is dispersed in a nonaqueous dispersing medium. A toner fixing method of fixing a toner containing a resin on a recording medium is disclosed, wherein the fixing liquid as described above is used. A toner fixing apparatus configured to fix a toner containing a resin on a recording medium is disclosed, wherein the toner fixing method as described above is used.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus to fix unfixed toner carried on a surface of a recording medium by attaching a fixing solution capable of softening toner onto the unfixed toner is provided. The fixing apparatus includes a sprayer to spray the fixing solution; a fixing solution charging part to charge the fixing solution; a first electrode to rotate and provided on a same side of the recording medium as the surface carrying the unfixed toner; a second electrode provided on an opposite side of the recording medium to the surface carrying the unfixed toner; and a voltage applying part to generate an electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode so that the fixing solution sprayed by the sprayer and charged by the fixing solution charging part moves toward the second electrode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner-image forming section, an intermediary transfer section including an intermediary transfer belt, a fixing-fluid applying section, a transferring and fixing section, a recording-medium supply section, and an ejection section. The fixing-fluid applying section includes a coating roller, an eccentric cam for moving the coating roller approachably and separably with respect to the intermediary transfer belt, a contact and release detecting section for detecting whether the coating roller is contacted by or away from the intermediary transfer belt, a rotational driving section for rotatably driving the coating roller, and a control unit for controlling the eccentric cam and the rotational driving section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of applying an adequate amount of fixing fluid to an unfixed toner image and producing high-quality images having high resolution and high image density with stability for a longer period of time while protecting the interior thereof against fixing fluid leakage and achieving reduction in fixing fluid consumption is provided. In an image forming apparatus, a fixing fluid is applied to a toner image on an intermediary transfer belt by a coating roller, and the toner image in a swollen/softened state is fixed onto a recording medium. By a second seal member composed of a film-shaped member and a supporting member, a gap between the coating roller and a fixing fluid chamber which has the opening and places the coating roller therein is closed to avoid leakage of the fixing fluid.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus involving wet fixing that causes no bleeding and coagulation of toner and eventually no disturbance of toner image as a result of application of a fixing fluid, generates no curling or wrinkles in a recording medium, and can fix toner with large adhesion on a recording medium through which the fixing fluid hardly permeates. An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an intermediate transfer section, a transfer section, a fixing fluid applying section, a transport section, a fixing section, a recording medium feeding section, and a recording medium detection section. In the image forming apparatus, control of application amount of a fixing fluid to a recording medium is performed by the fixing fluid applying section based on the result obtained by the recording medium detection section for the recording medium such as thickness and material.

Abstract: A temperature control unit that maintains a temperature of a fixing liquid includes a container, some or all of which is formed of a heat conservation member, configured to store the fixing liquid that dissolves or causes a toner to swell, a heater provided to an image forming apparatus for heating the container through the heat conservation member, a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the fixing liquid in the container, a controller for controlling an amount of heat that is transferred from the heater to the heat conservation member of the container based on a detection result provided by the temperature sensor, and a fixing liquid applicator for supplying the fixing liquid in the container to a toner on a recording medium so as to fix the toner onto the recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes the temperature control unit.

Abstract: A disclosed fixing device fixes resin particles onto a medium by applying a fixer including a softening agent onto the resin particles resting on the medium. The softening agent softens the resin particles by dissolving or causing swelling of at least part of resin included in the resin particles. A foamed fixer is generated from the fixer. The foamed fixer whose layer thickness is controlled is applied onto the resin particles resting on the medium.

Abstract: A fixing device, and an image forming method and an image forming apparatus using the fixing device. The fixing device includes an application unit to apply a foam-like fixing agent including a softener to particulates including a resin on a medium, the softener softening the particulates by at least partially dissolving or swelling the resin and a thickness control unit to control a layer thickness of the foam-like fixing agent such that an application time during which the foam-like fixing agent is applied to the particulates is not shorter than a penetration time required for the foam-like fixing agent to penetrate through a layer of the particulates to the medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided in which a toner image is fixed onto a recording medium with use of a fixer fluid in liquid form without causing generation of curls and wrinkles in the recording medium, the amount of the fixer fluid to be used can be reduced, even a multi-color toner image can be fixed in a short period of time, and power consumption is small. The image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an intermediate transfer section, a secondary transfer section, a fixing section, and a recording medium supply section. A fixer fluid applying section included in the fixing section applies a fixer fluid to an image portion and a non-image portion of a recording medium. The quantity of applying the fixer fluid for a non-image portion is smaller than that for a image portion.

Abstract: A release-promoting agent is configured to be applied to a heating member in a fixing device that presses the heating member against a recording medium on which a toner image is formed and fixes the toner image to the recording medium, to promote release of the toner image from the heating member. The release-promoting agent is formed with a mixture of a dimethyl polysiloxane and an amino group-containing dimethyl polysiloxane represented by respectively, where b?0, and c>1000.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus involving wet fixing that causes no bleeding and coagulation of toner and eventually no disturbance of toner image as a result of application of a fixing fluid, generates no curling or wrinkles in a recording medium, and can fix toner with large adhesion on a recording medium through which the fixing fluid hardly permeates. An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an intermediate transfer section, a transfer section, a fixing fluid applying section, a transport section, a fixing section, a recording medium feeding section, and a recording medium detection section. In the image forming apparatus, control of application amount of a fixing fluid to a recording medium is performed by the fixing fluid applying section based on the result obtained by the recording medium detection section for the recording medium such as thickness and material.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus jointly using both a heat fixing method and a wet fixing method wherein bleeding and aggregation of a toner, curl and creases of a recording medium, and the like do not occur when a fixing fluid is applied to a toner image. Power consumption is significantly lower than that of a past heat fixing method. A high-quality image is stably formed. The image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an intermediate transfer section, a secondary transfer section, a fixing fluid applying section, a fixing section having a driving roller in which a heating section is built, and a conveying section. There is provided a fixing fluid amount controlling section which controls a fixing fluid amount applied to a toner image on a recording medium by the fixing fluid applying section so as to increase as the recording medium approaches the fixing section.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a toner image forming section, a transfer section, a recording medium supplying section, and a control unit, an image forming unit that forms, for example, a yellow toner image causes liquid-repellent particles to be adhered onto a part of a photoreceptor drum other than an electrostatic latent image, causes fixing fluid to be adhered onto a part of the electrostatic latent image such that only the fixing fluid is transferred onto an image forming roller, and causes the fixing fluid to be supplied on the image forming roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of applying an adequate amount of fixing fluid to an unfixed toner image and producing high-quality images having high resolution and high image density with stability for a longer period of time while protecting the interior thereof against fixing fluid leakage and achieving reduction in fixing fluid consumption is provided. In an image forming apparatus, a fixing fluid is applied to a toner image on an intermediary transfer belt by a coating roller, and the toner image in a swollen/softened state is fixed onto a recording medium. By a second seal member composed of a film-shaped member and a supporting member, a gap between the coating roller and a fixing fluid chamber which has the opening and places the coating roller therein is closed to avoid leakage of the fixing fluid.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an intermediate transferring section, a transferring section, a fixing solution applying section, a transporting section, a fixing section, and a recording medium feeding section. In the image forming apparatus, the fixing solution applying section includes a droplet supplying section, a recording medium detecting section, and a control unit, wherein the recording medium is heated before or at the same time when the fixing solution is applied to the recording medium by the fixing solution applying section, and a size of droplets of the fixing solution supplied to the recording medium is controlled based on the type of the recording medium.

Abstract: An unfixed toner image on a transferring and fixing belt is passed through a pair of toner integrating rollers. A surface side of the toner integrated that is in contact with a paper, is heated by a halogen heater to impart a tackiness required for fixing. As a result of this, a temperature of a surface side of the toner that is in contact with the transferring and fixing belt is not as high as a temperature of the surface side of the toner that is in contact with the paper. Therefore, even if the toner is pressurized, and transferred and fixed at a fixing nip, a difference in an area of the toner is small. This enables to achieve a good image quality.

Abstract: Since a fluorine treatment or the like is applied on a surface of an intermediate transfer belt (10), and thus, the surface bears water repelling property, when fixer (92) is supplied from a fixing apparatus (90) to surface parts of the intermediate transfer belt which are carrying a toner image, the fixer is present only on the toner parts. Namely, the fixer is not attached to surface parts which are not carrying the toner. Consequently, when the surface parts are pressed on transfer paper (P) for transferring and fixing, the fixer attached to the transfer paper is present only on the parts of the toner T. Thus, compared with a conventional case where fixer is imparted to entire transfer paper, a reduced quantity of the fixer is impregnated into the transfer paper, and thus, generation of curls and wrinkles of the transfer paper is restrained.

Abstract: In a device and method for fixing toner images on a carrier web, rinsing chambers from which a mixture of solvent vapor and air is drawn off are located before and after a fixing chamber. The mixture is passed through a condenser, the discharge of which is re-supplied to the rinsing chambers.

Abstract: Since a fluorine treatment or the like is applied on a surface of an intermediate transfer belt (10), and thus, the surface bears water repelling property, when fixer (92) is supplied from a fixing apparatus (90) to surface parts of the intermediate transfer belt which are carrying a toner image, the fixer is present only on the toner parts. Namely, the fixer is not attached to surface parts which are not carrying the toner. Consequently, when the surface parts are pressed on transfer paper (P) for transferring and fixing, the fixer attached to the transfer paper is present only on the parts of the toner T. Thus, compared with a conventional case where fixer is imparted to entire transfer paper, a reduced quantity of the fixer is impregnated into the transfer paper, and thus, generation of curls and wrinkles of the transfer paper is restrained.

Abstract: In a vapor fixing device for an electrographic printer or copier, the heated vapor housing is provided such that vapor does not condense at the interior housing walls. A directed stream containing solvent vapor is produced which is directed at a section of the support material.

Abstract: A developer, for an electrophotographic image forming system, includes a developer container for storing developing solution, a developing roller which is partially soaked in the developing solution stored in the developer container and installed to rotate in an opposite direction of a photosensitive medium, a cleaning roller, which is soaked in the developing solution, is installed to rotate opposite to the developing roller and removes the developing solution remaining on the surface of the developing roller, and a developing solution agitator, which agitates the developing solution, and thereby keeps the developing solution in uniform concentration.

Abstract: Since a fluorine treatment or the like is applied on a surface of an intermediate transfer belt (10), and thus, the surface bears water repelling property, when fixer (92) is supplied from a fixing apparatus (90) to surface parts of the intermediate transfer belt which are carrying a toner image, the fixer is present only on the toner parts. Namely, the fixer is not attached to surface parts which are not carrying the toner. Consequently, when the surface parts are pressed on transfer paper (P) for transferring and fixing, the fixer attached to the transfer paper is present only on the parts of the toner T. Thus, compared with a conventional case where fixer is imparted to entire transfer paper, a reduced quantity of the fixer is impregnated into the transfer paper, and thus, generation of curls and wrinkles of the transfer paper is restrained.

Abstract: In a device and method for fixing toner images on a carrier web, rinsing chambers from which a mixture of solvent vapor and air is drawn off are located before and after a fixing chamber. The mixture is passed through a condenser, the discharge of which is re-supplied to the rinsing chambers.

Abstract: A fixing device for forming a toner image formed on a recording medium includes a heat roller accommodating a halogen heater. The halogen heater includes a glass tube formed of transparent quartz and provided with a wall thickness of 0.8 mm or below to increase transmission thereof. The increased transmission reduces a heat loss ascribable to the glass tube at the time of warm-up of the fixing device. The heat roller has such a thermal capacity that it can be warmed up in 10 seconds or less. The glass tube is filled with inactive gas whose major component is krypton or xenon. A tungsten filament accommodated in the glass tube has its diameter reduced in order to implement a color temperature of 2,500 K or above. An image forming apparatus using the fixing device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A device and method for fixing a tone image on a support material (22) uses solvent vapour. A directed stream (34) containing solvent vapour is produced, this stream being directed at a section of the support material (22) using a nozzle device (36).

Abstract: A toner image, comprising a plurality of fused different types of toner particles on a substrate is provided wherein on top of the image, optionally comprising a clear finish layer, a plasticizer is present in an amount between 0.1 and 10 g/m.sup.2. At least one of the different types of toner particles contains a toner resin with at least one reactive group A and the plasticizer carries at least one reactive group B and when the plasticizer is applied to the toner image, the reactive group A reacts with reactive group B and forms a chemical bond between the toner image and the plasticizer. A method and an apparatus for providing such a toner image, resistant to cracking are also provided.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a pair of fixing rollers to heat toner images and to fix the toner images on a recording medium in which at least one roller coming into contact with toner is provided thereon with fluorine containing resins and a device for coating fluorine containing silicone oil on the surface of the fluorine containing resins at a coating amount of not more than 1.4.times.10.sup.-6 cc/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: Method of fixing toner by applying a fixing agent to a substrate containing an unfused toner at predetermined positions thereof, by spraying or dripping the fixing agent onto the substrate, or immersing the back surface of the substrate into the fixing agent to permit the fixing agent to permeate into the other side of the substrate containing the toner. The fixing agent causes the unfused toner to be half-dissolved or swollen on the surface of the object and the half-dissolved or swollen toner is dried to be fixed to the substrate.