Abstract:
A fixing device includes a first fixing member, a second fixing member, a pressing member, and a heating device. The first fixing member is in an ungrounded state and comes into contact with a toner image on a sheet. The second fixing member is arranged opposite the first fixing member. The pressing member presses the first fixing member against the second fixing member so as to form, at the contact portion between the first fixing member and the second fixing member, a nip portion through which the sheet passes. The heating device heats the first fixing member.
Abstract:
A sliding member is a tubular member surrounding a base member, and allows, by rotation, its lubricant-coated inner surface to slide in a sheet conveyance direction with respect to a surface of the base member. A heater heats the sliding member. A pressure roller forms a nip between the pressure roller and the sliding member and makes, by rotation, the sliding member rotate following the rotation. A temperature sensor measures a temperature of the base member or the sliding member. A roller driving device rotates the pressure roller at a preset initial speed and subsequently at a normal speed higher than the initial speed, in a temperature-rise process in which the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is raised to a target temperature by operation of the heater.
Abstract:
A heater includes electrodes and heating element pieces. The electrodes energize the heating element pieces with electricity. The heating element pieces are connected to the electrodes and arranged through a gap portion in the heater in a main scanning direction. A ratio of a second surface area of the gap portion to a first surface area of the heating element pieces is 0
Abstract:
A fixing belt heats and fixes a toner image. A pressure roller rotates the fixing belt while in contact with the fixing belt. A heater heats the fixing belt. A lubricating oil forms an oil film between the heater and an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. A pressure roller driver rotates the pressure roller so that the lubricating oil causes the fixing belt to be out of contact with the heater.
Abstract:
A heating unit includes a circuit board, a plurality of heating parts, and a plurality of wiring parts. The heating parts are arranged in a first direction on a surface of the circuit board. The wiring parts are provided on the surface of the circuit board and electrically connect the heating parts and a power source to feed the heating parts. The wiring parts respectively include electrode terminal parts electrically connected to the power source outside the heating parts in the first direction. Sizes in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the heating parts are set to decrease gradually or stepwisely with separating in the first direction from the electrode terminal parts.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a cleaning member, a rotation controlling part, a first obtaining part and a mode changing part. The image carrier has a surface to carry a toner image transferred onto a sheet. The cleaning member contacts the surface of the image carrier at a downstream side in a rotating direction of the image carrier from a transferring position transferring the toner image to collect a toner from the image carrier and to hold the toner. The rotation controlling part has a first speed control mode rotating the cleaning member at a first rotational speed and a second speed control mode rotating the cleaning member at a second rotational speed faster than the first rotational speed and switches from the first speed control mode to the second speed control mode at predetermined switch timing.
Abstract:
A duration measuring section measures a plurality of times. A temperature measuring section measures a temperature of a heater at each of the times. A temperature information outputting section outputs heater temperature information. A temperature tendency computing section outputs temperature tendency information of the heater. A drive controller outputs linear velocity information for controlling the linear velocity of a pressure roller. A pressure roller drive section drives the pressure roller.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus has an image forming portion, a fixing device, a temperature sensing device, and a control portion. The fixing device has a fixing member having a heated rotary member and a pressing member forming a fixing nip by making contact with the heated rotary member. The temperature sensing device senses the surface temperature of at least one of the heated rotary member and the pressing member in a plurality of regions in the axial direction. The control portion estimates the thickness distribution of the surface layer of at least one of the heated rotary member and the pressing member in the axial direction based on the time taken for the surface temperature in the plurality of regions to reach the predetermined temperature, and thereby estimates the lifetime of at least one of the heated rotary member or the pressing member based on the estimated thickness distribution.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus 1 includes four developing devices 43, four primary transfer rollers 51, an intermediate transfer belt 54, voltage applicators 61, a current detector 62 and a voltage controller 911. The voltage applicators 61 each apply a voltage to a corresponding one of the four primary transfer rollers 51. The current detector 62 detects a first total current value JS of currents flowing through the four primary transfer rollers 51. The voltage applicators 61 apply a detection voltage VS to a primary transfer roller 51y among the four primary transfer rollers 51 while applying a voltage having the same polarity as the detection voltage VS to all the other primary transfer rollers 51c, 51m, and 51k. The detection voltage VS is applied to detect a resistance value Ry of the primary transfer roller 51y. The detection voltage VS has a predetermined voltage value.
Abstract:
A characteristic measuring portion measures current-voltage characteristics of a primary transfer member before a toner image for a first surface of a sheet is primarily transferred. A characteristic information storage portion stores characteristic information that indicates the current-voltage characteristics. A first transfer voltage determining portion determines a first transfer voltage based on a first target current value and the characteristic information. A second transfer voltage determining portion determines a second transfer voltage based on a second target current value and the characteristic information that was used when the first transfer voltage was determined, the second target current value being smaller than the first target current value. A voltage control portion applies the first and second transfer voltages to the primary transfer member by a constant-voltage method when the toner images for the first and second surfaces of the sheet are primarily transferred, respectively.