Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus including a fixing unit, a folding processing portion, and a pressure-bonding portion. A first recording material having a first basis weight is fixed at a first temperature by the fixing unit and then is pressure-bonded by the pressure-bonding portion after a lapse of a first period. A second recording material having a second basis weight is fixed at a second temperature by the fixing unit and then is pressure-bonded by the pressure-bonding portion after a lapse of a second period. The second basis weight is larger than the first basis weight. The second temperature is higher than the first temperature. The second period is longer than the first period.

Abstract: A conveyance device to convey a recording medium includes a heater, a first temperature detector, a second temperature detector, and a recording medium detector. The heater heats the recording medium. The first temperature detector and the second temperature detector detect a temperature of the heater. The recording medium detector detects the recording medium. The first temperature detector is disposed at a position farther from a center position of a heating region of the heater than the second temperature detector in a conveyance orthogonal direction. The conveyance orthogonal direction is along a surface of the recording medium and orthogonal to a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed. The recording medium detector is disposed on a side opposite to the first temperature detector with respect to the second temperature detector in the conveyance orthogonal direction.

Abstract: A control device for controlling heat applied to a medium conveyed along a path, includes: first and second heaters arranged along a first direction crossing the path, the first heater overlapping the medium and the second heater not overlapping the medium when viewed in a direction crossing the path and the first direction; a sensor; and a circuit configured to determine estimated temperatures of the heaters based on power supplied thereto, determine a corrected temperature of the first heater based on the estimated temperature thereof and a temperature measured by the sensor, determine a corrected temperature of the second heater based on the estimated temperature thereof and the corrected and estimated temperatures of the first heater, energize the heaters based on the corrected temperatures, and issue a command for controlling a conveying speed based on the corrected temperature of the second heater.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a housing, a cartridge, and a fixing device. The fixing device includes a heating member, a fixing frame, and a shutter movable between an open position for opening an opening of the fixing frame and a closed position for closing the opening. The housing includes: a guide frame for guiding a guide protrusion of the cartridge for attachment of the cartridge to the housing; and a connection link connected to the shutter and positioned opposite the cartridge with respect to the guide frame. The connection link moves the shutter to the open position in conjunction with the attachment of the cartridge to the housing, and moves the shutter to the closed position in conjunction with detachment of the cartridge from the housing. The connection link abuts on the guide protrusion through a through-hole of the guide frame during the attachment of the cartridge to the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer portion, a fixing unit, a conveyance belt configured to convey a sheet from the transfer portion toward the fixing unit, a driving portion configured to drive the conveyance belt, and a controller configured to control the driving portion. The controller is configured to, in a case of switching the image forming apparatus to a standby state in which the image forming apparatus is ready to start an image forming operation and stands by for input of an image forming job, execute preheating in which the fixing unit is preliminarily heated, and cause the driving portion to rotate the conveyance belt while the preheating is executed.

Abstract: A heating device includes a heater, a rotator, and a pressure rotator. The heater includes resistive heat generators forming a heat generation area and has a separation area formed by the resistive heat generators. The pressure rotator includes a first region and a second region. The first region faces the heater in a range of 20 mm from a center position of the heat generation area toward an end thereof in the arrangement direction. The second region faces the heater in at least a part of a range of 30 mm from a center position of the separation area toward the center position of the heat generation area. An outer diameter of the pressure rotator increases from the center toward the end. The outer diameter of the second region increases at an increasing rate larger than an increasing rate of the outer diameter of the first region.

Abstract: A recording device includes: a transport unit configured to transport a medium along a transport path, a recording unit configured to perform recording on the medium transported, a wrinkle forming mechanism configured to form wrinkles on a portion of the medium on the transport path before recording is performed, a detection unit configured to detect a state of the wrinkles, and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to calculate a rigidity characteristic of the medium based on detection data of the detection unit.

Abstract: In an image forming device, a first fixing member has a roller. A second fixing member has a belt to form a nip together with the first fixing member. A pressure modifying mechanism modifies a nip pressure at the nip to selected one of a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. A controller drives the first motor to drive the roller and fixes the developer image on a sheet in a state that the nip pressure is the first nip pressure. The controller modifies the nip pressure from the first nip pressure to the second nip pressure while driving the first motor in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets fixed according to a print job has passed the nip, and halts the first motor after the nip pressure is modified to the second nip pressure.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming apparatus that includes a transfer device that transfers a toner image onto a sheet and a fixing device that fixes the toner image; a sheet heating device that heats the sheet on an upstream of the fixing device in a sheet conveyance direction; a first detector that detects a temperature inside the image forming apparatus; a second detector that detects a temperature of the sheet before the sheet heating device heats the sheet; and a controller that causes the sheet heating device to heat the sheet based on a detection result by the second detector and a sheet passing condition of the sheet, and corrects at least one of a transfer current and a transfer voltage in the transfer device based on a detection result by the first detector in a case where the sheet heating device heats the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit, a fixing unit, a first conveyance unit which includes a first conveyance rotator, a first suction fan, and a first suction port, a second conveyance unit which includes a second conveyance rotator, a second suction fan, and a second suction port, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to execute a first mode of changing a rotational speed of the second suction fan from a first rotational speed to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed after a leading edge of the sheet passes through the fixing unit in a case where a sheet having a length longer than a length from the fixing unit to a downstream end of the first suction port in the sheet conveyance direction is conveyed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device and a drive transmission mechanism. The fixing device fixes an image on a sheet by application of heat and pressure. The drive transmission mechanism changes a conveying speed of the sheet in the fixing device between an image forming mode and a lamination mode. The conveying speed of the sheet in the fixing device in the lamination mode is lower than the conveying speed of the sheet in the fixing device in the image forming mode.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming device capable of performing an operation corresponding to a defect occurring in a fixing device at a desired timing. The image forming device includes a conveyance unit, an image forming unit, a fixing device, a motor, and a control unit. The motor drives the fixing device and outputs a signal having a magnitude corresponding to a value of a drive current. The control unit, when conveyance of a print medium is stopped and when the motor is driven in a first operation mode, continues to drive the motor in the first operation mode, and performs a first operation when the magnitude of the signal is out of a first range, and when the conveyance of the print medium is stopped and when the motor is driven in a second operation mode, stops driving the motor in the second operation mode and then drives the motor in the first operation mode, and performs the first operation when the magnitude of the signal is out of the first range.

Abstract: In an image-forming apparatus, when a sheet length of a first sheet is shorter than or equal to a predetermined length, a controller supplies power to an electromagnetic clutch to convey the first sheet and a second sheet so that a sheet gap of the second sheet is equivalent to a first gap. When the sheet length of the first sheet is longer than the predetermined length, the controller supplies power to the electromagnetic clutch to successively convey a first number of sheets so that the sheet gap of each of the first number of sheets is equivalent to the first gap. After the first number of sheets has been conveyed, the controller supplies power to the electromagnetic clutch to convey at least one sheet so that the sheet gap of each of the at least one sheet is equivalent to a second gap greater than the first gap.

Abstract: Building response systems and methods of building responses are described. The building response systems include a building monitoring system configured to detect the presence of a harmful agent within an enclosed space, a building management system configured to monitor a building status and control building systems, a middleware system configured to receive information from each of the building monitoring system and the building management system, wherein the information from the building monitoring system comprises an alarm status and the information from the building management system comprises building status information, and a decision engine configured to receive information from the middleware system and to determine a mitigation action in response to receiving a positive alarm status.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a fixing device, an input portion, and a control portion. The fixing device includes a rotary member to be heated, a pressure-applying rotary member, a heat-applying portion, a pressure-applying mechanism, and a reference position detection mechanism. The control portion controls fixing processing, with the pressure-applying rotary member disposed at any of a plurality of pressure-applying positions and a pressure reduction position based on a type of the recording medium inputted through the input portion. The control portion performs control so that when a prescribed amount of time has elapsed or when a rotation amount of a shaft has reached a prescribed amount from timing at which a reference position detection sensor is brought to an on-state, the pressure-applying drive motor is stopped so as to dispose the pressure-applying rotary member at any of the plurality of pressure-applying positions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part, a fixing device, a fixing temperature sensor, a drive device, a printed sheet number counting part, a fixing voltage power supply, a controller, and an apparatus external temperature sensor. The controller can perform a cooling mode in which, when a number of continuous printed sheets at a reference speed exceeds an upper limit number, a number of printed sheets per unit time is gradually decreased to suppress an increase of an apparatus internal temperature. The controller sets the upper limit number based on a temperature difference between the fixing temperature detected by the fixing temperature sensor and the apparatus external temperature detected by the apparatus external temperature sensor.

Abstract: A photo finisher includes a heating roller, a pressing roller, a belt, a supporting roller and a duct. The heating roller is to generate heat. The pressing roller is pressed against the heating roller to form a heating nip. The belt is supported by the supporting roller and the heating roller to pass through the heating nip, and the belt is extending to a downstream side of the heating nip. The duct is positioned apart from the belt, the duct includes a first end in the width direction being provided with an air inlet port and a second end, opposite to the first end, being blocked, and the duct includes an air discharge port opening towards the belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device including a heating roller configured to heat a sheet when the heating roller rotates, a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the heating roller; and a controller configured to obtain a temperature detected by the temperature sensor at intervals of a predetermined sampling time, calculate, at the intervals of the predetermined sampling time, a temperature-decrease-amount of the detected temperature over a unit time that is longer than the predetermined sampling time, and stop rotation of the heating roller when the calculated temperature-decrease-amount is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit that controls a conveyance velocity of conveying a recording medium by a fixing unit, to form a loop in the recording medium between a transfer nip portion and a fixing nip portion, in which the control unit controls the conveyance velocity to decrease the loop when a rear end of the recording medium reaches a first position that is apart upstream, in the conveyance direction, from a conveying nip portion of a conveying unit, by a distance that corresponds to a circumference length of a pressure-applying rotating member multiplied by an integer.

Abstract: An imaging system with a gloss treatment device includes an endless belt, a heating portion and a pressing portion. The endless belt conveys a medium along a conveyance direction. The heating portion heats the endless belt. The pressing portion presses the endless belt against the heating portion. A nip is formed in a region where the endless belt contacts both of the pressing portion and the heating portion. The nip includes an upstream end and a downstream end in the conveyance direction, and a reference line intersects the upstream end and the downstream end of the nip. The endless belt includes a conveyance portion that is inclined toward the heating portion, in relation to the reference line associated with the nip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device that forms a toner image on a recording medium, a first rotator, and a second rotator that presses against the first rotator to form a nip therebetween. The first rotator conveys the recording medium bearing the toner image through the nip with a first orientation of the recording medium to fix the toner image on the recording medium to create a cleaning sheet bearing a cleaning image in a cleaning sheet creation mode. The first rotator conveys the cleaning sheet bearing the cleaning image through the nip with a second orientation of the cleaning sheet, that is different from the first orientation of the recording medium, such that the cleaning image is disposed opposite the first rotator to cause the cleaning image to remove a foreign substance from a surface of the first rotator in a cleaning mode.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image carrier, a transfer member, a fixing device, a conveyance member, and a controller. The transfer member forms a transfer nip that transfers an image carried on the image carrier to a recording medium. The fixing device fixes the image on the recording medium. The conveyance member is located downstream of the transfer member in a conveyance direction of the recording medium and feeds the recording medium to the fixing device. The controller variably controls position of the conveyance member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to execute a first mode and a second mode. The first mode is a mode in which a toner image is formed on a sheet at a time when a sheet passes through an image formation position for a first time after detecting a property of the sheet by a detection unit. Wherein the second mode is a mode in which a toner image is not formed on a sheet at the time when the sheet passes through the image formation position for the first time after detecting the property of the sheet by the detection unit and is formed on the sheet at a time when the sheet is conveyed via the second conveyance path and passes through the image formation position for a second time.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus according to an embodiment includes a fixation device and a controller. The fixation device includes: a fixation member that includes a first region and a second region located closer to a center in a longitudinal direction of the fixation member than the first region; a pressurizing member that forms a nip portion between the fixation member and the pressurizing member; first and second heat generating portions that heat the first and second regions, respectively; a first sensor that detects a first temperature of one of the pressurizing member and the fixation member at a position corresponding to the first heat generating portion; and a second sensor that detects a second temperature of the one at a position corresponding to the second heat generating portion. The controller controls a drive speed of the pressurizing member or the fixation member based on the first and second temperatures.

Abstract: Provided is an image heating apparatus including: a heater having a plurality of heating elements arranged in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the recording material; and a control portion that controls electric power to be supplied to the plurality of heating elements and is capable of individually controlling the plurality of heating elements, the image heating apparatus heating an image formed on the recording material with heat by the heater, wherein the control portion sets a heating condition when controlling each of the plurality of heating elements, according to the thermal history of a heating region heated by one heating element and the thermal history of a heating region heated by a heating element adjacent to the one heating element.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a flexible rotary member, a pressure roller, a heating element, a regulation member configured to regulate movement of the flexible rotary member by abutting against one end portion of the flexible rotary member in the axial direction, a guide unit, and an interlocking portion. The interlocking portion includes a hole portion and a shaft portion engages with the hole portion, and wherein an axis of the shaft portion is parallel to the axial direction of the flexible rotary member. The interlocking portion configured to move the guide unit in the conveyance direction in accordance with movement of the regulation member in the conveyance direction so that a clearance is kept between the guide unit and the flexible rotary member in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating roller, a pressing roller, a detector and one or more corrective devices. The pressing roller conveys a recording medium at a nip portion formed by pressing against the heating roller and fixes an image formed on the recording medium with heat at the nip portion. A detector detects at least one of a passing region of a tip of the recording medium, an angle of the recording medium, and a degree of deformation of the recording medium from a direction of a side face of the paper P, in order to predict a malfunction in a conveyance of the recording medium. The corrective device(s) carry out a corrective operation associated with the conveyance of the recording medium, in response to the malfunction predicted, for example stopping or correcting the conveyance of the recording medium, in order to prevent the malfunction from occurring.

Abstract: In some examples, printing device temperature management may include ascertaining a print speed associated with a print job, and comparing the print speed to a print speed threshold. Printing device temperature management may further include actuating a power supply associated with a print bar at a start position of physical medium to be utilized for printing for the print job, or at or beyond a specified location along a path associated with traversal of the physical medium from the start position to a print zone to reduce an operational temperature associated with the print bar.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater having a plurality of heat generating elements, a roller for forming a nip portion with the heater, an acquisition portion that acquires a plurality of count values indicating heat accumulation amounts of a plurality of heating regions heated by the plurality of heat generating elements, respectively, and a control portion that controls electrical power to be supplied to the plurality of heat generating elements to control individual heat generating quantities of the plurality of heat generating elements. The control portion controls the heat generating quantities so that a difference between a first count value indicating a heat accumulation amount of a first heating region heated by a first heat generating element and a second count value indicating a heat accumulation amount of a second heating region heated by a second heat generating element is maintained within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus fixes a toner image by heating a recording material bearing an image when a film rotates around a support member which supports a nip forming member forming a nip portion with a rotating member while sliding on the nip forming member. The image heating apparatus includes a temperature detection element which outputs information about a detected temperature to a control unit which controls a temperature of the heating member supplying heat to the rotating member or the film, a first supply member which supplies a lubricant to the film in contact with the film, and a second supply member which is different from the first supply member and supplies the lubricant to the film in contact with the film, wherein the temperature detection element is arranged between the first supply member and the second supply member in a longitudinal direction of the support member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus including a rotatable heating member, a first motor configured to rotationally drive the rotatable heating member, a belt unit, a position detecting portion, a tilting mechanism, including a second motor for tilting the belt unit, a jam detecting portion, and a controller. When the occurrence of the jam is detected by the jam detecting portion during a tilting operation of the belt unit, the controller stops drive of the first motor and drive of the second motor in response to detection of the occurrence of the jam by the jam detecting portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit to fix a toner image which has been transferred onto a sheet by a transfer portion, a loop detector to detect an amount of a loop formed on the sheet at a position between the transfer portion and the fixing unit, and a controller to control a sheet conveyance speed of the fixing unit based on a detection result of the loop detector and control a rotational speed of rotary members to convey the sheet based on an area ratio which is a ratio of an area in which the toner image is formed by the transfer portion within a predetermined region set on a printing surface of the sheet onto which the toner image is transferred. The predetermined region is located at a position distant from a leading edge of the sheet more than a distance between the transfer portion and the fixing unit in the sheet conveyance direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fuser to fuse a print medium having a surface on which toner is developed, the fuser including a heating element, and a controller to control a power source to the heating element by varying a duty control cycle according to a temperature of the fuser.

Abstract: A toner is provided. The toner includes toner particles each comprising a binder resin and plate-like pigment particles. In a cross-section of the toner, the plate-like pigment particles have an average thickness D of 1.0 ?m or less and a maximum length L of 5.0 ?m or more. In a fixed toner image formed with the toner, the plate-like pigment particles have a maximum width W of 3.0 ?m or more. The toner has a circularity of from 0.950 to 0.985.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a roller; a heating member heating a sheet conveyed by the roller; a temperature sensor outputting a signal depending on a temperature of an end region of the heating member; and a controller. The controller selectively executes a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the roller conveys the first sheet, and then conveys the second sheet at a first interval. In the second mode, the roller conveys the first sheet, and then conveys the second sheet at a second interval longer than the first interval. When the controller has determined that a first time has elapsed after starting continuous printing in the first mode, and when the controller has determined that the temperature of the end region of the heating member is higher than a first temperature, the controller changes the mode from the first mode to the second mode.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a distortion detection section that detects distortion in which a magnitude of bending at one side edge in a width direction of a recording medium entering a fixing nip is different from a magnitude of bending at the other side edge in the width direction, a conveying speed changer that changes a conveying speed of the fixing belt in the width direction, and a hardware processor that controls the conveying speed changer such that the conveying speed of the fixing belt in the width direction is changed to eliminate the distortion in a case where the distortion is detected.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first roller arranged on a conveyance path of a sheet and a second roller arranged downstream of the first roller in the conveyance path. A control section calculates a deflection amount of the sheet nipped by the first roller and the second roller based on a conveyance speed of the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path. When the calculated deflection amount is smaller than a predetermined lower limit value, the control section increases the rotation speed of the first roller and decreases the rotation speed of the second roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a heating unit and a controller. The fixing member heats a toner image formed on a sheet. The pressing member presses the sheet onto the fixing member. The heating unit heats the fixing member. The controller controls the heating unit. The sheet is located at the fixing member in a first period and the sheet is not located at the fixing member and the fixing member is located between sheets in a second period. The controller controls the heating unit such that the heating unit heats the fixing member in a first heating pattern in which a heating period does not include the second period or in a second heating pattern in which a heating period includes the second period.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes a fixing member that fixes a toner image to the recording medium. A heating unit heats the fixing member. A control unit receives a print job, the print job indicating a print mode and at least one job condition. The control unit determines a ready temperature based on the print mode and the at least one job condition. The control unit controls a heating operation of the heating unit based on the determined ready temperature.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation pad disposed inside the fixing rotator. A pressure rotator presses against the nip formation pad via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. A heat generator is disposed inside the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator. A reflector is interposed between the heat generator and the nip formation pad. The reflector includes a reflection face to reflect radiant heat radiated from the heat generator. The reflection face includes a reflection portion disposed opposite the heat generator at various angles. A support is provided separately from the nip formation pad and supports the reflector.

Abstract: A media path assembly in an imaging device includes a media guide positioned adjacent and transverse to a media path between a first and a second nip, and having a surface forming a bubble chamber across the media path. A bubble sensor and a narrow media sensor are positioned adjacent to the bubble chamber transverse to the media path and aligned with each other. The bubble sensor is operative to indicate formation in the bubble chamber of a bubble in a media sheet exiting the first nip. The narrow media sensor is operative to indicate media size of the media sheet and, when the media sheet is wide media, provide a balancing force to the media sheet relative to a force applied by the bubble sensor to the media sheet so that a leading edge of the media sheet substantially aligns with the second nip when entering the second nip.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method which can rapidly decrease (cool) the temperature of a fixing section. The image forming apparatus of the invention includes a fixing section fixing a toner image on a sheet, and a controller performing switching control of press-contact state/separated state of the fixing section, and conveyance control of the sheet. The controller, after completion of printing, rapidly cools the fixing section while keeping it in the press-contact state by conveying the sheet at a first conveying speed. The controller naturally cools the fixing section by bringing it into the separated state at a predetermined timing to convey the sheet at a second conveying speed slower than the first conveying speed, and stops conveying it when the temperature of the fixing section becomes not higher than a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes a fixing member that fixes a toner image to the recording medium. A heating unit heats the fixing member. A control unit receives a print job, the print job indicating a print mode and at least one job condition. The control unit determines a ready temperature based on the print mode and the at least one job condition. The control unit controls a heating operation of the heating unit based on the determined ready temperature.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater that heats a fixing rotator and includes a first heating portion and a second heating portion substantially aligned with the first heating portion in an axial direction of the fixing rotator. A multi-view thermopile array detects a temperature of an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator at a plurality of spots thereon. A heater controller controls the first heating portion and the second heating portion individually based on the temperature of the fixing rotator detected at the plurality of spots thereon. A recording medium conveyance controller determines whether or not to convey the recording medium to the fixing nip based on an increased temperature detected at at least one of the plurality of spots on the fixing rotator.

Abstract: A fixing device that fixes a toner image carried on a transfer sheet onto the transfer sheet includes a fixing belt that relatively moves, with its surface being in contact with the toner image during the fixing operation, with respect to the transfer sheet, surface information detecting devices that determine surface information of the fixing belt, a surface condition changing roller that is arranged so as to be capable of coming into contact with and separating from the fixing belt and abrades the surface of the fixing belt in contact with the fixing belt, and a surface condition changing controller that controls the contact and separation of the surface condition changing roller with and from the fixing belt based on detection results obtained by the surface information detecting devices.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device for forming an image on a sheet; a fixing device for fixing an image formed on a sheet; a detector for detecting a temperature of the fixing device, and a controller for controlling an image formation start timing in accordance with an output of the detector. In an operation of continuously forming images on a plurality of predetermined sheets, when a number of image formations is not less than a predetermined number, the start of the image formation is delayed until a temperature of the fixing device rises up to a first temperature, and when the number of image formations is less than the predetermined number, the image formation is started when the temperature of the fixing device rises up to a second temperature which is lower than the first temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including a fixing member that heats a developer for fixing the developer to a medium, a temperature control unit that heats the fixing member and controls a temperature of the fixing member, a transport member that transports the medium through the fixing unit, and a transport control unit that controls a transport speed at which the transport member transports the medium. At least one of before and after an image forming operation, the image forming apparatus performs a temperature control operation of the fixing unit while transporting the medium through the fixing unit. When the image forming apparatus performs the temperature control operation at least one of before and after the image forming operation, the transport control unit causes the transport member to transport the medium at a transport speed slower than a fastest transport speed among a plurality of preset transport speeds.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming device; a first image heating device; a second image heating device; a first feeding path configured to discharge the recording material introduced into the first image heating device without introducing the recording material into the second image heating device; a second feeding path configured to discharge a recording material introduced into the first image heating device and then introduced into the second image heating device; a discriminating portion configured to discriminate whether or not the first image heating device is an image heating device for an envelope; and a controller configured to effect control so as not to execute a heating operation of the second image heating device, upon discrimination of the first image heating device being the image heating device for the envelope by the discriminating portion.

Abstract: A method of controlling bubble formation in a media sheet between two sets of media feed roll pairs using a single media edge detector positioned downstream of the upstream media feed roll pair. The method may also be practiced using a bubble chamber positioned between the two sets of media feed roll pairs.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus comprises a fixing nip width adjustment unit configured to adjust the fixing nip width of a fixing nip portion; a braking force generation motor configured to generate an effective braking force in the direction to hinder rotation of an upper pressure roller; and a control unit configured to perform restore control for rotating the upper pressure roller and a lower pressure roller by driving a drive motor and speed keeping control for keeping the rotational speed of the braking force generation motor no higher than a predetermined speed during the restore control in a non-fixing period in which the fixing nip width adjustment unit is controlled to decrease the fixing nip width smaller than in a fixing period and a braking force is applied to the fixing side member by the braking force generation motor.