Abstract: The present invention prvides a fixing apparatus, comprising a first rotating member, first heating device for heating the first rotating member, a second rotating member for forming a nip together with the first rotating member, wherein a recording material bearing an unfixed image thereon is nipped and conveyed at the nip in such a manner that the unfixed image is in contact with the first rotating member, and the unfixed image is fixed by heating on the recording material, voltage applying device for applying voltage to create potential difference between the first rotating member and the second rotating member, and wherein the second rotating member has a conductive parting layer on a surface threreof, second heating device for heating the second rotating member.

Abstract: A directly heating roller for use in fixing a toner in an electrophotographic process and the method of making the directly heating roller are described. In one embodiment, the directly heating roller includes a roller body having a cylindrical outer surface, a heat-generating layer formed on the roller body, electrodes on axial ends of the heat-generating layer, and a protection layer on the heat-generating layer. Another embodiment includes an electrically insulating layer between the roller body and the cylindrical outer surface. The heat generating layer is formed by heat-treating a paste made which contains ruthenium and lead. The paste may be made from a ruthenium compound, a glass frit containing lead, an organic binder and an organic solvent, as well as other components.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that has unfixed toner image forming device for forming unfixed toner images, and fixing device for fixing on a recording material the unfixed toner image formed by the unfixed toner image forming device, wherein the fixing device includes a film, a first back up member and a second back up member which sandwich the film therebetween and are in pressure contact with each other to form a nip portion, and device for increasing a temperature of the film, nips and conveys the recording material bearing the unfixed toner image between the film and the second back up member at the nip portion, and fixes the unfixed toner image on the recording material, wherein toner of the unfixed toner image contains a releasing agent in a binder which contains a coloring material ingredient and have a melt index value of 0.5 g or more and 100 g or less in accordance with a Melt Index measuring method, and wherein an average surface pressure at the nip portion is 5.

Abstract: A is moved, the heating members heat treatment apparatus 18 for subjecting a sheet A, which must be subjected to heat treatment, to heat treatment by transferring the sheet along the surface of a heating member, the heat treatment apparatus incorporating: at least two heating members 120, 320 fixedly aligned in a direction in which the sheet A, which are arranged to subject the sheet A to heat treatment which is performed at a predetermined temperature; transferring mechanism for sliding and transferring the sheet A along the surface of each heating member; and a pressing mechanism 122, 322 for pressing at least a portion of the sheet A which is being transferred, against the surfaces of the heating members.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image on a transfer material by applying heat and pressure onto the transfer material comprising a ray radiating device for radiating heat rays inside, and being provided with a cylindrical ray-transmitting base member having transmittance for the heat rays, a cylindrical ray-transmitting elastic layer or ray-transmitting heat insulating layer having transmittance for the heat rays, and a heat ray absorbing layer for absorbing the heat rays outside the ray-transmitting elastic layer or the ray-transmitting heat insulating layer to form a roll-shaped rotary member for applying heat, wherein, in the case where the fluctuation of the thickness of the ray-transmitting base member and the fluctuation of the thickness of the ray-transmitting elastic layer or the ray-transmitting base member as a single layer and the heat ray absorbing ratio (%) per unit thickness (mm) in the ray-transmitting elastic layer or the ray-transmitting heat insulating layer as a single layer is made e

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a fixing unit. A heat roller heats a toner image on a print medium to fuse the toner image. A first temperature detector is in contact with a longitudinal end portion of the heat roller, and generates a first temperature data. A second temperature detector opposes the heat roller and is in proximity to a substantially middle portion of the heat roller. The second temperature detector generates a second temperature data. Depending on the first temperature data and the second temperature data, a controller performs temperature control either in a first mode where the heater is energized such that the first temperature data is equal to a first target value, or in a second mode where the heater is energized such that second temperature data is equal to a second target value.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus prevents the offset of toner onto a fixing roller, by forming a surface mold release layer made of pure fluororesin material on a core member of the fixing roller and by applying a bias voltage to the fixing roller.

Abstract: A toner image fixing apparatus has a fixing roller, a pressing roller normally urged toward the fixing roller for pressing a sheet with an unfixed toner image carried on a surface thereof against the fixing roller to fix the unfixed toner image to the sheet when the sheet passes in one direction through a rolling contact region between the fixing roller and the pressing roller, a heating roller disposed on one side of the fixing roller opposite to the pressing roller, the heating roller having a heating source disposed therein for heating the heating roller, an endless heat transfer belt trained around the heating roller and the fixing roller for transferring heat from the heating source to heat the unfixed toner image on the sheet when the sheet passes through the rolling contact region, and a standby mode temperature control circuit for maintaining temperatures of the fixing roller and the pressing roller in a predetermined temperature range in a standby mode.

Abstract: In a belt type fixing apparatus having a heat roller temperature sensor that detects the temperature of a heat roller that contains a heater for heating a fixing belt, and a fixing belt temperature sensor that is set to contact a pressure roller and indirectly detects the temperature of the fixing belt, the heater that heats the fixing belt is controlled in such a way that the temperature detected by the heat roller temperature sensor matches the target temperature of the heat roller that is set based on the temperature detected by the fixing belt temperature sensor.

Abstract: A fuser hot roll for use in an electrophotographic process is disclosed. This roll is constructed such that the center portion of the roll's length has a greater thermal mass per unit length than each of the end portions of the roll's length. This can be accomplished either by constructing the center portion from a material which has a higher thermal capacity than the materials used for constructing the end portions, or constructing the center portion such that it is thicker than the end portions of the roll. The rolls of the present invention provide a simple way for regulating the fuser temperature such that it is uniform across the length of the hot roll, is uniform between the transitory (heat up) state and the steady state, and minimizes hot roll temperature overshoot during the transitory phase. The image fixing apparatus which incorporates this hot roll is also disclosed.

Abstract: An external heat member having a) a heat source, b) a substrate; and thereover c) an outer fluoropolymer layer with a fluoropolymer and a conductive filler, and in a preferred embodiment, the conductive filler is a relatively small particle size silicon carbide.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a conductive and magnetic hollow roller, a metallic layer made of high thermal conductive material formed on the outer surface of the hollow roller, and a magnetic field generating coil provided in the hollow roller to generate eddy current on the hollow roller. A power source applies high-frequency current to the magnetic field generating coil and a pressure roller contacts the hollow roller in a specified nipping width. Also provided is a fixing device with a second hollow roller fitted to the outer surface of a first hollow roller, a coil provided in the first hollow roller, a current source for selectively applying current of at least two frequencies, and a third roller contacting the second roller in a specified nipping width.

Abstract: To improve the fixing ability in the fixing device, and simultaneously prevent hot offset occurring during continuous fixing process. In the interior of a cored bar of a heat roll is mounted a heater lamp, and by controlling the power supplied to said heater lamp, heat roll is maintained at a first set temperature enabling heat fix. To this heater lamp is pressed a pressurization roll formed by covering a cover layer to a cored bar, which forms a fixing device. The heat roll is controlled and maintained at the first set temperature T.sub.1 at the initial fixing process, and when performing a continuous fixing process, it is switched and controlled to a second set temperature T.sub.2 lower than the first set temperature but enabling fixing. Thereby, the fixing ability could be maintained well, preventing hot offset.

Abstract: A heat treatment furnace for fiber for heat-treating a fiber bundle (yarn) formed of many continuous filaments in hot gas while running the yarn. The heat treatment furnace has a plurality of heat treatment chambers provided in a furnace body. The temperature in each individual heat treatment chamber is independently adjusted to a temperature which is different from the temperatures in the other heat treatment chambers. Thereby, the heat treatment furnace can be made small and is able to heat-treat fiber efficiently.This heat treatment furnace is useful, particularly, as a heat treatment furnace (an oxidizing heat treatment furnace, or a oxidizing furnace) for producing an oxidized fiber needed to produce a carbon fiber.

Abstract: A gudgeon or endcap for a heated roller is provided which substantially reduces heat loss through the ends of the roller and is of sufficient strength and durability to transmit rotation to the rollers during extensive use. The gudgeon is molded from thermoplastic polyimide filled with 20 to 50 weight percent glass fiber. A roller comprising the gudgeon is also provided.

Abstract: Even if a halogen lamp is thermally expanded or contracted when electricity is supplied to it, the fixing unit in accordance with the invention responds to the thermal expansion or contraction of the halogen lamp without breaking it and supplies electricity to the halogen lamp reliably. In the fixing unit, lead pins extend from both ends of the halogen lamp that is disposed in a heating roller. Each lead pin is fixed at a pin fixing portion wherein each lead pin is pinched by a top pinching portion and a bottom pinching portion of one of a pair of conductive spring members. A static friction force generated between each conductive spring member and the corresponding lead pin is set to not exceed 10 kgf, and the surface roughness of each lead pin is adjusted to not exceed Rz 3.2 .mu.m. A cone-like pin guide portion which is open at the lead pin side is formed on the top pinching portion of the conductive spring member.

Abstract: The process for heating a moving web, in particular a corrugated board web, in addition to a supply of heat to the one outer side of the moving web, also provides supply of heat to the other outer side of the web (5). A preheater (1) with a first heating face (3), which is associated with a movable deflection roll, is connected to a second heating face (13) connected to the deflection roll (10). With its other outer side, the web (5) is guided via this second heating face.

Abstract: A fixing device including a heat roller for heating a sheet, a press roller, pressed against the heat roller, for pressing the sheet on the heat roller, an aluminum plate provided along the outer circumference of the press roller, so as to surround the press roller, a mold member, provided away from the aluminum plate to face thereto, for supporting the aluminum plate, and a frame, interposed between the aluminum plate and the mold member, for defining a closed space for heat insulation, between the aluminum plate and the mold member.

Abstract: Fiberglass mesh is tentered by conveying the mesh in sliding relation over counter-rotating heated rollers or oscillating heated bars. The mesh is pulled over the rollers or bars and is slit and tightly wound, all in-line.

Abstract: A a fixing apparatus for an electrophotographic apparatus includes a heat roller (11a) having a heater (14) therein and a pressure roller (11b) urged against the heat roller, wherein a recording material (6) holding a toner image (25) thereon is sandwiched and carried while being heated and pressurized at a pressing portion between the heat roller and the pressure roller thereby to fix the toner image on a surface of the recording material, the fixing apparatus further including a first temperature detecting mechanism (18) formed by a temperature detecting element (15) provided at a portion of an outer periphery of the heat roller and a sensor head (17) disposed so as to be able oppose to the temperature detecting element, a second temperature detecting mechanism (19) formed by a plurality of temperature detecting elements disposed at a constant interval therebetween along an axial direction of the heat roller and spaced from the outer periphery of the heat roller, and a control mechanism (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)

Abstract: A fuser system member for use in an electrophotographic apparatus for fusing toner images to a copy substrate, the fuser member having a substrate, a heat generating layer provided thereon comprising a fluorinated carbon filled fluoroelastomer, and an outer toner release layer provided on the heat generating layer.

Abstract: A heating roller device including a center shaft, a heat roller rotatably supported on the center shaft, and heating means provided inside the heat roller has the wear resistance of the outer surface of its heat roller outer surface increased and its availability factor enhanced by forming the outer surface of the heat roller with a hard carbon film of hydrogenated amorphous carbon. The hard carbon film is preferably formed on an intermediate layer formed on the outer surface of the heat roller beforehand so and to increase its adhesion to the outer surface. Wear resistance can be further enhanced by forming the outer surface of the heat roller with a hard layer, forming an intermediate layer on the hard layer and forming the hard carbon film on the intermediate layer.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a fixing device has a structure in which a film formed on an outer face of a hollow cylinder is heated by a heat ray of a heater. In this structure, the heating response time of the fixing device is improved. The image forming apparatus generates one or more conditions having influence on a fixing operation and corresponding to a printing paper sheet. The operation of the fixing device is controlled in accordance with the one or more conditions. Since there is one or more conditions of the printing paper sheet for controlling the fixing operation, fixing processing can be preferably executed even when various kinds of factors of the printing paper sheet such as a size, a conveying direction, etc. are different from each other. The heating response time of the fixing device is preferable so that temperature control of the fixing device can be effectively executed.

Abstract: The disclosure involves a heated roller having a generally-cylindrical outer shell, a primary heating coil between the shell and a roller head at the end of the shell. In the improvement, the head includes an independently-controlled (or controllable) auxiliary heating coil so that the end of the roller may be temperature-controlled independently of the shell. The user may thereby "tailor" the temperature profile of the roller to suit a wide variety of applications. In specific embodiments, the auxiliary coil has the same or differing pitch along its length and/or the cable from which the coil is made has the same or differing wattage output per unit of cable length. A heating roller in combination with a transfer cylinder for a heat transfer decorating system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat roller, which is rotatably mounted to a frame, a press roller, which is rotatably mounted to the frame, and a press mechanism for pressing the press roller against the heat roller. The press mechanism has a displacement member that is displaceable in a press direction, a bearing portion that is movable in the opposite direction relative to the displacement member and supports the press roller at a shaft portion thereof, an urging member for urging the bearing portion in the press direction, and displacing structure for displacing the displacement member between a first position corresponding to a non-press position and a second position corresponding to a press position. The urging force of the urging member in the press direction is reinforced by action of the bearing portion, which is displaced in the opposite direction relative to the displacement member when the displacement member is displaced from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heat roller fixing apparatus for performing a thermal fixation onto a sheet by rotating a heat roller. This heat roller fixing apparatus comprises a heat roller including a roller body and a plurality of heating members provided in the roller body and a pressurizing member provided in a face-to-face relationship with the heat roller. This heat roller fixing apparatus has a rotation mechanism for rotating the plurality of heating members along an inner periphery of the roller body and a control unit for drive-controlling the rotation mechanism during a standby status for driving the heating members without rotating the roller body. An unevenness in preheating on the surface of the roller body of the heat roller is thereby prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image heating device for a fixing device in image forming apparatus. The image heating device is provided with two heaters and an image fixing roller. The image fixing roller is heated by the two heaters, one having the heat distribution in the center and the other having the heat distribution in the end portion of the fixing roller. The heaters are alternately energized so that the power requirement is maintained limited. The energization time ratio of the heaters is suitably varied according to the sheet size in order to compensate the temperature loss in the end portions when the heating is conducted in the central portion only, or to reduce the temperature rise in the end portions, encountered when narrow sheets are consecutively passed, thereby preventing various drawbacks resulting from uneven temperature distribution on the fixing roller.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a core material of a fixing rotating member has two largest-diameter portions respectively located between a central portion and each end portion of the fixing rotating member, within a region where a recording material of a largest size passes, and the diameter of each core material is gradually reduced from the largest-diameter portion toward the central portion and toward the nearest end portion. The outer shape of the fixing rotating member conforms to the shape of the core material. According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent corrugation and curl of the recording material, and to provide excellent mountability of the recording material.

Abstract: A fixing device which can be employed in an image forming apparatus controls energization of a heater which heats a fixing device, and a detector for detecting the condition of fixing operations such as the temperature of the fixing device, energizing time of the heater, types of transfer sheets to be used, and the number of previously performed fixing operations. A controller selects from plural kinds of temperature control on the basis of the condition detected by the detector, and controls energization and temperature of the heater during fixing operation including a backward revolution of the fixing device which is performed after an image is fixed. With the above constitution, both an excellent fixing property of a thick transfer sheet in low temperature environment and prevention against curls and wrinkles of thin transfer sheets in high temperature environment can be realized.

Abstract: An apparatus for fixing a copy paper for use in electrophotographic appliances, such as laser beam printers or copying machines, includes components for stretching the leading edges of copy sheets at the entry of the nip defined by the fixing station for preventing crumpling of the copy sheets, reverse pressure component for bowing downward and flattening the leading edges of the copy sheets, and cleaning device including a cleaning box provided with a roller brush which is rotatable in the same direction as the heating roller for cleaning up the periphery of the heating roller, and a brush cleaning member for dusting off the roller brush. With this arrangement, when two-sided copying of the copy sheets is performed, jamming of copying sheets is prevented, thus improving copying efficiency.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an image fixing device has a hollow cylindrical fixing roller implemented as a heat pipe, and a pressing roller held in pressing contact with the fixing roller. The fixing roller is made up of a fixing portion, and a paper nipping portion against which the pressing roller is constantly urged. The paper nipping portion has a greater wall thickness than the heating section. This kind of configuration promotes rapid heat conduction from a halogen heater to a working fluid filled in the heat pipe, while preventing the paper nipping portion of the fixing roller from being deformed by the pressing roller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater; a heat transmitting member for transmitting the heat from the heater to an unfixed toner image while moving in contact with a recording material bearing the unfixed image; a pressure roller for forming a nip between the heat transmitting member and itself; wherein the heat transmitting member has a conductive surface; the pressure roller has a conductive core member; and wherein the image heating apparatus further contains a rotating conductive member on the conductive core material in contact with the conductive surface.

Abstract: A fixing roller device which is capable of dividing the heating area into a plurality of separately heatable different parts both in the circumferential direction of the heater roller, as well as in the direction parallel to the axis of the heater roller. As a result, the heating area can be varied according to various image fixing requirements, as well as for varying initial warm-up requirements. In addition, the temperature of the heating roller can be controlled by varying the density of heating chips or heating elements which are supplied with power within a heated area. Further, temperature control can also be accomplished utilizing a control arrangement based upon the current passing through the heater chips or heater elements, since the current varies with temperature, and thus external temperature sensors for monitoring the temperature of the fixing roller are not required.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fixing device for use in image recording apparatuses, wherein the toner-adhering face of a sheet (100) onto which toner has been transferred is heated by a heating roller (30) to fix the toner. A pressure roller (20), pressing itself against the heating roller, assists in the heat-fixing process. In order to compensate for the curl resulting from the heat of the heating roller (30), a curl correcting roller (40) heats the back side of the sheet (100) with heat transmitted from the heat conducting part (31) of the heating roller (30) to another heat conducting part (41). This configuration dispenses with a built-in heat source which the curl correcting roller (40) would otherwise need.

Abstract: A calender for treating a material web, particularly a paper web, with at least two rolls forming with each other a roll gap for passage of the web, with a heating system and with a removable cover system. The cover system comprises a foil which is tightened at least around part of the circumference of at least one of the rolls while forming a machine-wide gap between itself and the shell surface of the respective roll, and extending in planes situated parallel to the roll axes.

Abstract: A compliant hard fusing pressure roller for reducing media curl and wave in electrophotographic printers as part of an improved fuser apparatus. The improved fuser consists of the standard components of a fuser, namely of a heated fuser roller and one or more pressure rollers. The pressure roller is constructed with a central rotation shaft with a cylindrical deformable material such as silicone rubber is formed around the central rotation shaft. However, a cylindrical hard outer shell is formed around the deformable material. The compliant hard pressure roller exerts a tangential force toward the fuser roller. Because the outer hard shell of the compliant hard pressure roller is formed from a malleable type material, it provides some compliance and therefor deforms slightly from roundness for small, sharp errors in the fuser roller or media.

Abstract: Release agent material which is solid at room temperature is provided in a sump for application to a heated fuser roll structure. A pressure roll structure contacts the solid release agent material and a source of heat energy serves to elevate the solid release agent material to its operating temperature which is well below the operating temperature of the heated fuser roll.A metering blade contacting the pressure roll structure causes the liquefied release agent material to be metered to the desired thickness.

Abstract: A system to extend fuser roll life in which image data is varied in its placement on the photoreceptive member and correspondingly, the image receiving substrate position is varied so as to maintain proper location of the image data on the substrate while varying the transverse position of the substrate transverse to the paper path direction. This position varying may take place sheet to sheet or in a job by job arrangement on a printing machine. This varying of lateral position of the sheet causes the high pressure, excessive wear area on the fuser roll to be distributed over a wider area on the roll and not concentrated at a single point at each edge of the sheet. This leads to longer fuser roll life and additionally provides the added benefit of preventing an oil buildup which degrades copies when larger legal size sheets are utilized and/or also preventing associated jams due to the oil buildup at the sheet edge.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus includes a heater; a sheet in slidable contact with the heater; and a back-up member cooperative with the heater to form a nip therebetween such that the sheet is interposed in the nip. An unfixed image on a side of a recording material in contact with the sheet is heated and fixed by heat from the heater through the sheet. The sheet includes (i) a base resin layer in slidable contact with the heater, and (ii) a surface parting layer disposed on the base resin layer. The surface parting layer is thinner than the base resin layer.

Abstract: A three roll fuser system for a xerographic machine includes a reversibly drivable central pressure roll, a first fuser roll located adjacent the central pressure roll forming a first fuser nip with the central roll, and a second fuser roll located adjacent the central pressure roll on a substantially opposite side of the central pressure roll as the first fuser roll forming a second fuser nip with the central roll. Copy sheets having an unfused image on a side thereof are transported from an inlet through one of the first and second nips to fuse the image on the copy sheet and then transported to an outlet. The three roll fuser system is capable of selectively fusing either side of a copy sheet without requiring extra sheet inverting devices. In a preferred embodiment, the fuser rolls have differing physical properties and can be operated under different operating conditions such as fuser temperature and speed.

Abstract: A pressure roll that forms a fusing nip with a fuser roll in a fusing system has a core and a surface coating having been heat cured from a composition of a fluorocarbon polymer and an irregularly shaped, nonplanar, inert filler having a hardness greater than 8 Mohs, the filler having a nominal particles size of from about 10 to 30 microns and being present in the cured surface coating in an amount of from about 10% to 40% by weight of the total solids weight of the coating.

Abstract: A fixing unit includes a photosensitive drum for bearing an image, an image forming member for forming the image on the photosensitive drum, a transfer charger for transferring the image formed by the image forming member to paper, a heating roller having a heat source for generating heat when a power supply is turned on for heating the paper to which the image is transferred by the transfer charger, a rotatable pressing roller which is brought into contact with and separated from the heating roller, for pressing the paper against the heating roller, a rotating plate for separating the pressing roller from the heating roller when the power supply is turned on, and a driving mechanism for rotating the pressing roller separated from the heating roller by the rotating plate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fixing device with a heat rotatory body heated by a heating source having a surface layer of a silicone rubber; a back-up rotatory body which is in pressure contact with the heated rotatory body; an oil feeding apparatus which feeds silicone oil to the heated rotatory surface; the pair of rotatory bodies performing fixing while conveying the supporting material having unfixed images supported thereon sandwiched therebetween; and the feeding oil being a phenyl type silicone oil and the silicone rubber surface being impregnated with dimethylsilicone oil.

Abstract: A release agent management system incorporated in an electrophotograpic printing machine having a heat and pressure fuser assembly with stripper fingers to aid in the removal of fused copies from the fuser roll. The fuser assembly includes a heated fuser roll, a pressure roll, a sump containing a quantity of release agent, a metering roll and a donor roll. The metering roll is immersed in a quantity of release agent and is in contact with the donor roll. The donor roll acts as the transport to transfer release agent from the metering roll to the heated fuser roll. The surface of the donor roll is provided with cutout grooved areas corresponding to the location of the stripper fingers on the fuser roll. These grooves result in a lesser amount of release agent being applied to the fuser roll in the area adjacent the stripper fingers.

Abstract: A heat pipe roller includes a rotatable outer tube having a primary internal chamber for containing a fluid, a heater operable to heat the fluid and hence the tube, and a sensor. The sensor has a movable member which communicates with the primary chamber and is mounted on the tube for rotation therewith, and a fixed member situated in the region of the axis of rotation of the tube and so mounted relative to the tube that rotation of the tube does not rotate the fixed member. The fixed member is adapted to be connected to equipment for measuring an electrical characteristic of the sensor. The arrangement is such that, in use, the movable member moves in response to a temperature change or temperature related physical change in the primary chamber, thereby causing a corresponding change in the electrical characteristic of the sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a thermal fixing apparatus having a heat generating member and heat-fixing an image on paper, a section for discriminating a using frequency of the image forming apparatus, and a section for controlling a fixing temperature having a first temperature control mode maintaining the temperature of the thermal fixing apparatus to be a first temperature at which the image can be fixed, a second temperature control mode maintaining the temperature of the thermal fixing apparatus to be a second temperature, which is lower than the first temperature by a predetermined temperature, and a third temperature control mode stopping current supply to a heat generating member of the thermal fixing apparatus.

Abstract: A fixing device for an image forming apparatus comprising a heat roller including a hollow roller body and a heater mounted through the roller body. The heater has a plurality of heating portions arranged at equal intervals along the axis thereof. The heater is shifted in the direction opposite to an air flow generated by an exhaust fan with respect to a recording-sheet contact area of the roller body so as to heat the end portion of the roller body located upstream of the air flow sufficiently enough to compensate for the drop of the temperature at the end portion of the recording-sheet contact area located upstream of the air flow cooled below a predetermined temperature by the unheated air flow.

Abstract: Image-forming apparatus includes a fusing roller which is replaceable in the apparatus in a cartridge. The cartridge includes a temperature sensitive fuse which blows when it passes a temperature during the initial operation of the fusing roller. The unblown fuse is sensed by a receiving apparatus as an indication of a new cartridge which can be used to reset a counter keeping track of usage of the cartridge. The cartridge also includes a lamp for heating the fusing roller and one or more temperature sensors for sensing the fusing roller temperature. The fuse, lamp and sensors are automatically connectable by a leading end connector to the receiving apparatus as part of inserting the cartridge in the apparatus.

Abstract: A fixing device is provided, which comprises a heating roller rotatably supported by front and rear frames of a fixing device body; a cleaning roller pressed against the heating roller; an insertion opening which is formed on the front frame of the fixing device body and through which the cleaning roller is inserted and pulled out in an axial direction; a front side supporter which rotatably supports a front side end of a rotation axis of the cleaning roller so that the front side end is moved in an axial direction to be detached from the front side supporter and which biases the front side end toward the heating roller; and a rear side supporter which rotatably supports a rear side end of the rotation axis of the cleaning roller so that the rear side end is moved in an axial direction so as to be detached from the rear side supporter and which biases the rear side end toward the heating roller.

Abstract: A fusing roller is replaceable in an image-forming apparatus in a fusing roller cartridge. The cartridge includes the fusing roller mounted for rotation in a housing, oil-applying structure, heating lamp, temperature sensors and an access opening. A pressure roller in the receiving apparatus frictionally engages the fusing roller to drive it during operation. No separate drive connections are necessary for the fusing roller. Electrical connection with a heating lamp and temperature sensors is provided with a cartridge electrical connector extending from a leading end of the cartridge. The cartridge electrical connector mates with a receiving electrical connector in the image-forming apparatus when the cartridge is inserted by movement parallel to the axis of rotation of the fusing roller. Receiving support structure for the cartridge is tilted to cause the bottom and one side surface of the cartridge to rest gravitationally on the support structure when inserted.