Abstract: Apparatuses useful in printing, printing apparatuses and methods of fixing marking material on media are provided.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus comprising a secondary transfer belt disposed at a position to face an intermediate transfer belt across the transfer passage of paper (P), a fixing belt disposed on the down-stream side of the secondary transfer belt in the transfer direction of the paper (P) and at a position to face a rotary fixing member across the transfer passage of the paper (P), a photo sensor for detecting the widthwise position of the fixing belt, a steering roller angle changing unit for making the rolling angle of a steering roller changeable, and a first control unit for controlling a stepping motor on the basis of the signal of the photo sensor. The control unit does not perform the angle change of the steering roller, if the paper is constricted by both a transfer nip and a fixing nip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has: a first heating device which heats recording sheet formed with a developer image; a cooling device which cools the recording sheet passing through the first heating device; a second heating device which heats the recording sheet cooled by the cooling device and gives a gloss to the image on the recording sheet; a conveying device which conveys the recording sheet passing through the first heating device to the second heating device through the cooling device; and a controller which controls a cooling ability of the cooling device in accordance with a conveying time required until the recording sheet is conveyed from the first heating device to the second heating device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming device which can prevent occurrence of damage on the surface of a fixing roller or a fixing belt due to the contact of the end of a sheet with the fixing roller or fixing belt. The image forming device, for transferring a toner image to a sheet fed out from a sheet feed section and fixing the toner image to the sheet by pressing the sheet carrying the toner image at a fixing section, comprises a moving section for moving the sheet and or the fixing section in the direction at right angles to the traveling direction of the sheet within a preset moving range, the moving section being controlled based on a preset operation pattern.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fuser member, a pressure member, a first motor, a second motor, a pressure adjuster, and a controller. The fuser member defines a first heatable surface. The pressure member defines a second heatable surface. The first motor is connected to the fuser member to rotate at a first rotation rate to drive the first surface at a first conveyance speed. The second motor is connected to the pressure member to rotate at a second rotation rate to drive the second surface at a second conveyance speed. The pressure adjuster presses the pressure member against the fuser member at a variable pressure to form a fixing nip with a variable width extending along the conveyance path. The controller is connected to the first and second motors to adjust at least one of the first and second rotation rates relative to the other.

Abstract: A loop of a transferring material is formed at a position between a secondary transfer nip portion and a fixing nip portion such that a loop amount of the loop of the transferring material, which is formed at the position between the secondary transfer nip portion and the fixing nip portion when a mono-color mode is executed, is larger than a loop amount of the loop of the transferring material, which is formed at the position between the secondary transfer nip portion and the fixing nip portion when a full-color mode is executed. In the mono-color mode, image formation is executed such that primary transfer rollers are separated from an intermediate transfer belt. In the full-color mode, image formation is executed by photosensitive drums.

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

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing mechanism having a first motor, and a conveyance mechanism arranged downstream of the fixing mechanism having a second motor. A motor control section is provided to control sheet conveyance speeds V1 and V2 in the respective fixing and conveyance mechanisms to maintain a difference therebetween within a prescribed range by adjusting a number of rotations of one of the first and second motors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus connected to a conveying-speed-changeable sheet post processing device includes a discharging unit which discharges a sheet in a reverse discharge mode with front and back surfaces of the image-formed sheet reversed, and a non-reverse discharge mode without front and back surfaces of the image-formed sheet reversed, and discharges the sheet at a first speed or a second speed lower than the first speed; and a control unit which controls the discharging unit to discharge the sheet at the first speed in the reverse discharge mode and at the second speed in the non-reverse discharge mode. When the sheet is discharged at the second speed, the control unit controls the discharging unit to discharge a subsequent sheet at the second speed even if the subsequent sheet is to be discharged in the reverse discharge mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member; an exposure device for exposing the image bearing member after being electrically charged; a developing device for developing, with toner, a latent image formed on the image bearing member by the exposure device; and a movable intermediary transfer member for receiving a toner image from the image bearing member, wherein the toner image on the intermediary transfer member is transferred onto a transfer material, wherein the transfer material is fed at a first speed, a moving speed of the image bearing member, an exposure speed of the exposure device in a moving direction of the image bearing member, and a moving speed of the intermediary transfer member are equal to the first speed, and wherein when the transfer material is fed at a second speed which is lower than the first speed, the moving speed of the image bearing member is equal to the first speed, and the speed of the exposure device and the moving speed of intermediary transfer member

Abstract: In a transfer-fixing device for transferring and fixing a toner image on a transfer-fixing side of a recording medium, a transfer-fixing member carries the toner image. A pressing member presses against the transfer-fixing member to form a nip between the transfer-fixing member and the pressing member through which the recording medium passes. A heat transmission member is provided upstream from the nip in a recording medium conveyance direction to heat the transfer-fixing side of the recording medium while guiding the recording medium to the nip. A heating member is connected to the heat transmission member to heat the heat transmission member. A biasing member biases the recording medium guided by the heat transmission member against the heat transmission member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a heating rotator 12 that is heated by a first heat source 18, a pressurizing rotator 24 that is heated by a second heat source 28, that is in pressure contact with the heating rotator 12, and that forms a fixing nip 26 between the pressurizing rotator 24 and the heating rotator 12, a temperature sensor St that detects a temperature in the apparatus, and a controller 124 that controls temperatures of the heating rotator 12 and of the pressurizing rotator 24 by on-off control over the first heat source 18 and the second heat source 28, respectively, and that sets the temperature of the pressurizing rotator 24 higher than a normal temperature on condition that the temperature detected by the temperature sensor St exceeds a specified value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion. The image forming apparatus further includes a fixing portion having a fixing nip portion that heats and fixes the unfixed image and an discharge roller that discharges the recording material. In the case where the recording material is a plain paper that is equal to or larger than a predetermined size, the discharge roller conveys the plain paper in a range from a front edge to a rear edge at a predetermined speed. In the case where the recording material is a plain paper smaller than the predetermined size, the discharge roller conveys the plain paper at a first speed until the rear edge passes through the fixing nip portion, and the discharge roller conveys the plain paper at a second speed higher than the first speed after the rear edge has passed through the fixing nip portion.

Abstract: In a construction wherein at the start of fixing, a pressure belt is brought into contact with a fixing roller at uniform timing, it has sometimes been the case that the temperature of the pressure belt at a point of time whereat the fixing is started does not become a desired temperature but faulty fixing occurs. The timing for bringing the pressure belt into contact with the fixing roller at the start of fixing is changed in accordance with the detected temperature of the pressure belt. By such a construction, faulty fixing can be prevented from occurring.

Abstract: A pre-heater system and adapted to be used on an electrostatic marking apparatus for improving gloss on media having marking thereon at a location in the apparatus prior to a conventional fuser roll assembly or station, the system including a primary heater adapted to blow pressurized hot air into a surface of an image receiving media in order to substantially dispense hot air throughout an entire paper or media surface; and a preheat media transport for transporting media from the location in the apparatus prior to the conventional fuser roll assembly or station through the primary heater, the preheat media transport includes means for maintaining the preheat media transport at a substantially uniform predefined temperature.

Abstract: An image forming device is disclosed that is able to superpose a smooth sheet on a toner image on a recording sheet after common thermal fusing, perform re-melting and solidification, and then separate the smooth sheet, thereby, forming a high-gloss image easily. The image forming device includes a first fusing unit for the common thermal fusing, and a second fusing unit for fusing the toner image on a recording sheet after the common thermal fusing with a gloss application sheet superposed on the toner image, and a separation unit for separating the gloss application sheet from the recording sheet. The gloss application sheet is superposed on the recording sheet with a side of the gloss application sheet projecting out beyond a side of the recording sheet on a downstream side in the conveyance direction, and the gloss application sheet and the recording sheet are directed into the separation unit while being superposed.

Abstract: A fixing device of the present invention is equipped with a heated body whose fixing temperature applied to toner is changed and which is heated in accordance with a type of toner that has been discriminated by a toner type discriminating unit that discriminates types of toner classified at least as a result of their melting points differing. When toner with a relatively high melting point has been used, the fixing device is rotated on the basis of a limiting control unit that limits a number of sheets of recording paper that can be continuously fixed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate reducing temperature droop during an initial portion of a print job by reducing fuser speed to increase fuser-to-paper interaction while fuser heat is absorbed by the paper during a temperature transient. For instance, during a first N pages of a print job, where N is an integer, the paper acts as a heat sink and exerts a thermal load on the fuser roll. To compensate, fuser speed is reduced initially to ensure that a given amount of heat is applied to toner on the pages. Fuser speed is increased until fuser temperature reaches steady state. Acceleration of the fuser is also adjustable.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image to a sheet, a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image transferred to the sheet on the sheet, a conveyance unit disposed between the transfer unit and the fixing unit to convey the sheet, a moving unit configured to move the conveyance unit, and a control unit configured to controls the moving unit to move the conveyance unit so that a speed of a leading edge of the sheet conveyed from the transfer unit to the fixing unit is reduced, when the leading edge of the sheet reaches the fixing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a short warm-up time desired by a user, wherein a quick output section is provided, and when a quick output mode is set by the quick output section, warm-up completion temperature is set to be low, and thereby, warm-up time is made to be short.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device for forming a multi-color image using achromatic toner and chromatic toner; an image heating device for heating the multi-color image formed on a recording material; a setting device for setting a glossiness difference between an achromatic image portion and a color image portion; and a change device for changing an image heating condition of the image heating means in accordance with the set glossiness difference.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) and method (300) that adjusts a fuser nip width in an apparatus that can include a fuser member having a fuser nip configured to fuse an image on media is disclosed. The method can include feeding (320) a media sheet in a media sheet travel direction through the fuser nip. The method can also include sensing (330) a media sheet exit temperature of the media sheet after the media sheet exits the fuser nip. The method can also include adjusting (340) a fuser member nip width according to the sensed media sheet exit temperature, where the fuser nip width is substantially parallel to the media sheet travel direction.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus and an image expansion and contraction correcting method are provided that improve the quality of each read image by restraining image expansion and contraction caused by a variation in the combination of conveying units for conveying each document. The image reading apparatus has conveying units (a first conveying unit, a second conveying unit, and a third conveying unit) that convey each document, and an image reading unit (a first image reading unit and a second image reading unit) that reads an image of each document being conveyed by the conveying units. The image reading speed of the image reading unit is adjusted in accordance with a change in the combination of conveying units that are conveying a document, so as to correct image expansion and contraction caused by a change in document conveying speed caused by the change in the combination of conveying units.

Abstract: A fixing device irradiates an unfixed toner image formed on the recording paper that is conveyed by an endless belt for conveying recording paper, with laser light so as to fuse the toner and fix the toner image. The fixing device includes a controller which makes such control as to convey the recording paper so as to pass through the position of the focal point of the laser light and bring the surface of the endless belt away from the position of the focal point of the laser light when conveyance of the recording paper is stopped.

Abstract: A method of printing includes processing a print job stream to identify one or more images to be printed on a first substrate. The first substrate has a substrate attribute, such as paper weight or surface roughness, which is different from that of a second substrate. A marking engine is selected to print the identified images on the selected first substrate. An operating parameter of the marking engine is modified from a set point for the second substrate to a modified set point for the first substrate, to accommodate the substrate attribute of the selected first substrate. The identified images are sent to the selected marking engine to be printed.

Abstract: A fuser assembly comprises a fusing member and a pressure member, where the fusing member and the pressure member cooperatively rotate to form a fuser nip. The fuser is arranged so that the pressure member speed is reduced with respect to the fusing member speed, thus forming a reduced pressure member speed. The reduced pressure member speed stretches or retards the surface of the fusing member elastomer enough to assist in stripping or peeling the media sheet lead edge from the fusing member. As a result of initially stripping or peeling the media sheet lead edge, the remaining media body likewise is assisted to be stripped or peeled from the fusing member. In various embodiments the media stripping or peeling process is assisted by means of one or more air knives, one or more stripping fingers, or any combination of these items.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, an image fixing apparatus, and an image fixing method that fix a toner image onto an recording medium in an electrophotographic process capable of effectively controlling an image fixing temperature. In one example, when a narrower recording medium, narrower than a maximum allowable size, is continuously fed at an image fixing temperature, a gap between the conveyed recording mediums is controlled to be longer than a default gap corresponding to a wider recording medium in a feeding direction to avoid an increase of the temperature of the ends of the fixing member in the longitudinal direction, to thereby maintain an allowable temperature limit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing section and a guiding section. The guiding section includes first and second guiding members. The first guiding member is in a first conveyance path for a first recording sheet having a first width and contacts the first recording sheet to guide the first recording sheet to a discharging portion. The second guiding member is in an area of a second conveyance path a the second recording sheet having a second width larger than the first width and guides the second recording sheet to the discharge portion at an angle so that a contact length of the second recording sheet with the heating member along a conveyance direction of the second recording sheet is shorter than a contact length of the first recording sheet with the heating member along a conveyance direction of the first recording sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus controls a sheet to be conveyed to a fixing unit with a first conveyance speed in case a charged amount of a recording agent in a developing unit is larger than a predetermined charged amount, and controls the sheet to be conveyed to the fixing unit with a second conveyance speed, which is slower than the first conveyance speed, when the charged amount of the recording agent in the developing unit is smaller than the predetermined charged amount.

Abstract: A method for reducing gloss variation in prints, in an electrostatic printing system having a fuser for fusing sheets having marking particles thereon, the method including transporting a first sheet to the fuser; transporting a second sheet to the fuser; and abutting a trailing edge of the first sheet to a leading edge of the second sheet prior to the trailing edge of the first sheet entering the fuser.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a heater, a heat application rotation member heated by the heater, a pressure application rotation member heated by the heat application rotation member, a detector configured to detect a surface temperature of the pressure application rotation member, and a controller configured to control a rotation speed of the heat application rotation member and a rotation speed of the pressure application rotation member. The controller varies at least one of the rotation speeds depending on an amount of temperature change or temperature change ratio detected by the detector until the surface temperature of the pressure application rotation member detected by the detector reaches a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A fusing system and a method of operating the fusing system, including a first heating zone to heat marking material and a substrate using a non-condensing heat source to less than a target temperature; and a second heating zone to heat the marking material and the substrate to about the target temperature to fuse the marking material to the substrate.

Abstract: A first heating device heats a recording sheet having a developer image formed thereon, and a cooling device cools the recording sheet having been heated. A second heating device heats the recording sheet having been cooled, thereby giving gloss to the image on the recording sheet. A cooling capability of the cooling device is switched over in accordance with temperature detected by a temperature sensor which is disposed in a conveying path for the recording sheet under cooling by the cooling device.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus has a heat member for heating an unfixed image and is configured so that a longitudinal center of the heat member becomes a conveyance center of the recording material, the image forming apparatus including a central portion temperature detection part adjacent to the conveyance center, an end portion temperature detection part for detecting an end portion temperature of the heat member, and a width detection part for detecting a lateral width of the recording material, wherein the width detection part is disposed at a side opposite to a side at which the end portion temperature detection part is disposed with respect to the conveyance center position of the recording material. The image forming apparatus achieves the control for error setting of the recording material based on the width detection part and the end portion temperature detection part.

Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of adjusting the image sync signal output timing in the subscanning direction and the speed of a primary transfer process so as to obtain a proper throughput of a printer engine when successively forming images, and a control method therefor. To accomplish this, when the speed of an intermediate transfer member is to change upon changing the print speed, a toner image to be secondarily transferred after changing the speed is primarily transferred at an intermediate transfer member speed before the change. After the speed of the intermediate transfer member is switched, the image primarily transferred before changing the speed is secondarily transferred. Primary transfer, which has conventionally been performed after changing the print speed, can be executed before changing the print speed.

Abstract: This invention has an object to process color balance adjustment at high speed in an image forming apparatus without depending on different feeding speeds for different printing materials. To accomplish this, an image forming apparatus of the invention detects color balances while a printing material on which toner patches are formed is fed on a second feeding path. Since images are formed on different types of printing materials at different feeding speeds, the image forming apparatus of the invention processes color balance adjustment at high speed without depending on the feeding speed at the time of image formation by switching the feeding speed on the feeding path.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an unfixed toner image by heating and pressurizing a recording material by which the unfixed toner image is carried includes a heating member having a heat source, a pressurizing member that faces the heating member and that forms a fixing nip region between the heating member and the pressuring member, a belt member that circulates while being tensioned around the heating member and is able to transport the recording material while in contact with a surface of the unfixed toner image of the recording material, and a belt driving device that temporarily stops or decelerates the belt member after a rear edge of the recording material passes through the fixing nip region, and that restores the belt member before a leading edge of a subsequent recording material reaches the fixing nip region.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming unit which forms an image as a toner image on a printing medium, a first fixing unit which fixes, on the printing medium, the toner image formed by the image forming unit, a second fixing unit arranged at a position different from the first fixing unit and used when a larger amount of heat is necessary for fixing the toner image on the printing medium, and a changing unit which changes the sequence of image formation by the image forming unit when the second fixing unit is used during image formation.

Abstract: A printing system and method is provided. The printing system includes one or more printing system modules, at least one media sheet path interfacing the printing system modules, and a job scheduler for executing one or more printing system print jobs. The job scheduler routes a media sheet to one or more printing system modules for preshrinking or preenlarging without marking and subsequently routes the preshrunk or preenlarged media sheet to one or more printing system modules for marking. The method of printing includes generating a print job to be printed using one or more printing system modules. Print jobs requiring two or more printing system modules for marking are executed by routing a media sheet to one or more printing system modules for preshrinking or preenlarging without marking, and subsequently routing the preshrunk or preenlarged media sheet to the one or more printing modules for marking.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming device for forming a toner image on a recording material; a plurality of image heating devices for sequentially heating an image on the recording material in one of plural modes; a selecting device for selecting the mode and thus the number of the image heating devices to be used for heating the image; and a manual setting device for manually setting an operating condition of at least one of the image heating devices.

Abstract: A drive unit for changing the driving rate of paper ejection rollers for ejecting sheets of paper after fixing is installed, and an image forming apparatus has an option, and when ejecting the sheets of paper to an intra-body paper ejection unit, after the sheets of paper pass a fixing device, the paper ejection rate of paper ejection rollers 24 is increased, and the ejection force of the sheets of paper P is increased, and paper jamming at the time of paper ejection to the intra-body paper ejection unit is prevented.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing roller, a pressure roller and a soaking roller. Temperature of the soaking roller, which contacts with the pressure roller, is measured by a temperature measurement section. This makes it possible to precisely estimate the temperature distribution of the fixing roller and the pressure roller including a non-paper feed area of paper sheets. Based on the temperature of the soaking roller, fixing operation is controlled by a fixing operation control section. Thereby, optimal control can be implemented to suppress the temperature rise in the non-paper feed area according to the estimated temperature distribution of the fixing roller and the pressure roller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus heating an image on a recording material and the image heating apparatus includes a rotatable belt member; a pressing member contacting to the belt member to nip and feed the recording material; a stretching member stretching the belt member; belt position detecting means detecting a position of the belt member with respect to a perpendicular to a rotational direction of the belt member; an executing portion capable of executing a first control mode for controlling a position of the belt member with respect to the direction by inclination of the stretching member on the basis of an output of the belt position detecting means, and a second control mode for controlling the position of the belt member with respect to the direction by inclination of the stretching member on the basis of the output of the belt position detecting means and for stabilizing the position of the belt member; an input portion inputting information relating to the recording material; and a selector for selectin

Abstract: A recording-medium positioning device includes a gate, a roller pair, a roller-pair shift unit, a recording-medium detector, and a drive control device. The gate is disposed at an upstream side of a fixing device in a conveyance direction of a recording medium. The roller pair includes two roller members disposed at an upstream side of the gate. The roller-pair shift unit moves the roller pair in accordance with a first position of the recording medium in the conveyance direction to shift the recording medium in a width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. The recording-medium detector is disposed between the fixing device and the gate to detect a second position of the recording medium in the width direction. The drive control device moves the recording medium to a reference position by driving the roller-pair shift unit in accordance with the second position and cyclically shifts the reference position.

Abstract: It is desirable to reduce disturbance of an unfixed toner image by suppressing vibration of the trailing end of a recording medium, and to thereby stabilize the quality of a formed image. In a first control time period based on the leading edge of the recording medium as a reference, a driving unit is controlled in accordance with detection of a loop. On the other hand, in a control time period after the first control time period, a target speed is determined from a drive speed of the driving unit in the first control time period, and the driving unit is controlled by the determined target speed.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a current detection circuit for detecting an input current from the commercial power supply to the apparatus, in which: when a current detected by the current detection circuit exceeds a predetermined value, a maximum current suppliable to a fixing portion is restricted; and when a temperature of the fixing portion falls below, in a situation where the maximum current suppliable to the fixing portion is restricted, the predetermined temperature lower than a control target temperature, a conveyance interval of a recording material conveyed to the fixing portion is extended. In the image forming apparatus, even when a consumption current of the image forming apparatus is increased during successive image formation, it is capable of controlling the consumption current so as not to exceed a maximum current of a commercial power supply, securing desired fixability, and minimizing decline of image forming performance.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating an electrophotographic printer comprising providing an electrophotographic printer comprising a substrate transport assembly including a substrate transport member and a fuser assembly including a fuser member. The substrate transport assembly is operated such that the substrate transport member is driven at a substrate transport linear speed. The fuser assembly is operated such that an outer surface of the fuser member moves at a fuser assembly linear speed. The fuser assembly linear speed is a first fractional amount of the substrate transport linear speed for at least normal size substrates such that a bubble in a normal size substrate between the paper transport assembly and the fuser assembly is created, and the fuser assembly linear speed is a second fractional amount of the substrate transport linear speed for envelopes. The second fractional amount may be greater than the first fractional amount.

Abstract: In an endless belt type image heating apparatus, in accordance with an endless belt contact state, an endless belt rotational speed, and a kind of a recording material, the steering displacement of an endless belt deviation control is determined, and excess the endless belt deviation is prevented by complimenting the control factoring a deviation tendency.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can prevent a temperature increase at predetermined locations of a fixing unit and also realize the fastest printing with respect to each continuous printing number. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit that fixes an image supported on a recording material passing through the nip section, and a conveying unit that conveys the recording material to the fixing unit at a throughput representing the number of recording materials conveyed to the fixing unit per unit time. The printing number is set in continuous printing on the recording materials, and the size of the recording material is acquired. Nearly the highest throughput is set as the predetermined throughput based on the set printing numbers and the acquired size of the recording material so that the continuous printing is completed before a temperature at predetermined locations in the fixing unit reaches an upper limit.

Abstract: An image fixing device, having a belt-driving method to drive an endless belt which is entrained about at least two supporting members, including: a first supporting member on which a light transmitting area is provided; a heater which is housed within the first supporting member; a sensor which is mounted at a position to detect light rays, emitted from the heater and passed through the light transmitting area; and a control section which is configured to detect a lateral displacement of the endless belt in a width direction, based on a detected result of the light rays, detected by the sensor.