Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080310862 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH ENHANCED MAINTAINABILITY - An image forming apparatus at least includes: a component, detachable from the image forming apparatus, including a driven portion; first and second detectors configured to detect an installation of the component in the image forming apparatus and driving of the driven portion, respectively; an indicator device configured to communicate information to a user; and a controller to control the indicator device. In a circumstance in which neither an occurrence of installation nor driving of the driven portion are detected, the controller outputs a first notification requesting a proper installation of the component when a first count of occurrences of the first notification or a second count of occurrences of cancellation of the first notification is less than first and second reference values, respectively, and a second notification requesting repair when the first count or the second count equals the first and second reference values, respectively. | 12-18-2008 |
20110182609 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a compressed air generator, a nozzle, a tube, a cooling device, and a drain discharging portion. The compressed air generator generates and injects compressed air onto at least one of a recording medium and components in the image forming apparatus. The compressed air is injected from the nozzle. The tube connects the compressed air generator and the nozzle, and the compressed air passes through the tube. The cooling device cools at least a portion of the tube. The drain discharging portion discharges drain generated in the tube during cooling by the cooling device. | 07-28-2011 |
20110194869 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same - A fixing device includes a substantially cylindrical metal member, a heater, an endless, flexible fixing member, a rotary pressing member, and a stationary member. The heater heats the metal member. The fixing member is disposed rotatable around the metal member. An inner circumferential surface of the fixing member is heated by the metal member to heat and fix a toner image. The rotary pressing member is disposed opposite the metal member and pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip between the rotary pressing member and the fixing member through which a recording medium bearing the toner image passes. The stationary member is disposed in pressure contact with the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, and has an opposing face opposing the rotary pressing member and having a curvature smaller than a curvature of the rotary pressing member. | 08-11-2011 |
20110206425 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A disclosed image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a developing device configured to form a toner image on the image carrier; a compressed air generating unit configured to generate compressed air; an air nozzle configured to eject the compressed air; a fixing device configured to fix the toner image on a sheet, the sheet being separated from the fixing device by the compressed air ejected from the air nozzle to the sheet; a pressure regulation unit provided between the compressed air generating unit and the air nozzle; and a guide path connected to the pressure regulation unit and configured to guide excess air generated by a pressure regulation of the pressure regulation unit to at least one part in the image forming apparatus. | 08-25-2011 |
20110211876 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a flexible, endless belt-shaped fixing member that rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation, a substantially cylindrical metal heat conductor provided inside a loop formed by the fixing member and facing an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, a pressing member that presses the fixing member against the metal heat conductor to form a nip between the fixing member and the pressing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes, and a separator that presses the fixing member against the metal heat conductor, provided downstream from the nip in the direction of rotation of the fixing member and contacting the recording medium discharged from the nip to separate the recording medium from the fixing member and guide the recording medium out of the fixing device. | 09-01-2011 |
20110217056 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same - A fixing device includes a substantially cylindrical metal member, a heater, an endless, flexible fixing member, a rotary pressing member, a stationary member, a first temperature detector, and a second temperature detector. The first temperature detector is disposed upstream from a nip in a rotation direction of the fixing member to detect a surface temperature of the fixing member. The second temperature detector is disposed downstream from the nip in a rotation direction of the pressing member to detect a surface temperature of the pressing member. When a difference between a surface temperature of the fixing member detected by the first temperature detector and a surface temperature of the pressing member detected by the second temperature detector after a predetermined time has elapsed since the first temperature detector detects the surface temperature of the fixing member is greater than a predetermined threshold, the heater stops heating the metal member. | 09-08-2011 |
20110217057 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same - A fixing device includes a heat conductive member; a flexible fixing belt looped around the heat conductive member, an inner circumference of the flexible fixing belt slidably contacting a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the heat conductive member; a rotary pressing member disposed opposing the heat conductive member; heat sources disposed in a circumferential direction of the fixing belt at a predetermined interval to heat the heat conductive member; and temperature detectors provided to detect a surface temperature of the fixing belt at a detection position at which heating intensity of a corresponding one of the heat sources is not affected by any other one. In operation, the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt contacts the heat conductive member at a position at which each temperature detector contacts the fixing belt as the detection position or a position proximal to the detection position of each temperature detector. | 09-08-2011 |
20110217091 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same - A fixing device includes a heater, a rotary fixing member, and a rotary pressing member pressing against the rotary fixing member to form a nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes to fix the toner image thereon. The fixing device includes an air supply tube disposed downstream from the nip in the direction of conveyance of the recording medium and connected to an air source of an image forming apparatus, to supply compressed air to a plurality of nozzles disposed on the air supply tube along a long axis of the nip perpendicular to the direction of conveyance and inject pulsed compressed air against the recording medium passing through the nip. The air supply tube includes an exhaust opening disposed at an extreme upstream end of the flow of the compressed air outside the recording medium passing area near the air source. | 09-08-2011 |
20110217095 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes an endless belt-shaped fixing member; a pressing member; a contact member provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member and pressed against the pressing member via the fixing member to form a nip between the pressing member and the fixing member, a laminated heater facing an inner circumferential face of the fixing member to heat the fixing member, connected to an external power source, and including a heat generation sheet that includes a heat-resistant resin in which conductive particles to receive electricity from the external power source and generate heat are unevenly dispersed throughout the heat-resistant resin to have a dispersal gradient of increasing particle dispersion density from an inner face toward an outer face of the heat generation sheet; and a heater support to support the laminated heater along the inner circumferential face of the fixing member. | 09-08-2011 |
20110222875 | FIXING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A fixing unit removably installable in an image forming apparatus includes an endless fixing member; a metal member disposed in proximity to an inner surface of the fixing member; a nip formation member supported by the metal member to slidably contact the fixing member or oppose the fixing member via a slide sheet; a heater to heat the metal member to heat the fixing member; a rotary pressing member to rotate the fixing member, disposed opposite the nip formation member via the fixing member to form a nip between the rotary pressing member and the fixing member; a rotation detector to detect a rotational state of the fixing member. Heating rotation of the fixing member is continuously performed until a predetermined rotational state of the fixing member is obtained, to spread lubricant substantially uniformly at least between the fixing member and the metal member. | 09-15-2011 |
20110222929 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A fixing device includes a nip forming member disposed inside a fixing member and pressed against a pressing member via the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. A heat generator disposed inside the fixing member heats the fixing member outside the nip portion and has variable heat distribution over a width of the fixing member. A first temperature detector disposed inside the fixing member contacts an end portion of the heat generator in the width direction of the fixing member, opposite a surface facing the fixing member, to detect a temperature of the heat generator. A second temperature detector disposed inside the fixing member contacts a center of an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member in the width direction, to detect the temperature of the fixing member. | 09-15-2011 |
20110222934 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A fixing device includes a rotary heating member; a heat source disposed near the rotary heating member to heat the rotary heating member; a stationary member disposed in sliding contact with a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the rotary heating member; a flexible fixing belt looped around the rotary heating member and the stationary member; and a rotary pressure member disposed in pressure contact with the stationary member via the fixing belt to form a nip between the fixing belt and the rotary pressure member. The rotary heating member, the stationary member, the fixing belt, and the rotary pressure member are arranged in a direction in which pressure is applied to form the nip. A pressing force acting between the rotary heating member and the rotary pressure member via the fixing belt and the stationary member creates pressure at the nip. | 09-15-2011 |
20110229200 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING REMOVABLE FIXING DEVICE - An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, temperature detector, and a support member. The fixing device is removably installable in the image forming apparatus and includes a rotary fixing member to fuse a toner image on a recording medium, a fixing frame to support the fixing member, and an outer fixing cover provided to cover the fixing member and the fixing frame and having an opening from which a portion of a surface of the fixing member is exposed to the outside. The temperature detector is disposed opposing the fixing member to detect a temperature of the surface of the fixing member without contacting the fixing member when the fixing member is installed in the image forming apparatus. The support member supports the temperature detector to introduce the temperature detector into the inside of the fixing cover through the opening upon installation of the fixing member. | 09-22-2011 |
20110274453 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a metal thermal conductor provided inside a loop formed by a fixing rotary body to heat the fixing rotary body; a heater provided inside the metal thermal conductor to heat the metal thermal conductor; a pad support provided inside the metal thermal conductor; and a reflector provided between the heater and the pad support to reflect heat emitted by the heater thereto toward an inner circumferential surface of the metal thermal conductor. The reflector includes a center reflection portion provided at a center of the reflector in a longitudinal direction thereof and a plurality of end reflection portions provided at respective lateral ends of the reflector. A plurality of reflector moving assemblies is connected to the plurality of end reflection portions of the reflector, respectively, to tilt the plurality of end reflection portions toward the center reflection portion. | 11-10-2011 |
20110305491 | Compressed-air sheet separation mechanism and image forming apparatus including same - A sheet separation mechanism including a compressed air generator, a first nozzle to eject compressed air onto a leading edge of a sheet, a control valve provided between the compressed air generator and the first nozzle to control a flow of the compressed air, and a second nozzle provided between the control valve and the first nozzle. The control valve controls the compressed air to be simultaneously ejected from both the first nozzle and the second nozzle. | 12-15-2011 |
20120014725 | Image forming apparatus - An image forming apparatus including a fixing device to fix a toner image on a recoding medium; a compressed air generator to generate a compressed air; an air nozzle to inject the compressed air to separate the recording medium having the fixed toner image from the fixing device; a first switching unit to switch the air nozzle between injection and termination, which is provided upstream from the air nozzle; and a buffer unit to retain the compressed air, which is provided upstream from the air nozzle and downstream from the first switching unit. | 01-19-2012 |
20120044516 | MEDIA SEPARATOR, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A media separator includes air nozzles and separation plates to form a row of members, and is configured to separate a sheet conveyed from a fixing nip formed of a fixing member and a pressure member. In such a media separator, the plurality of air nozzles and at least one separation plate are disposed along a longitudinal direction of the fixing device, and the plurality of air nozzles are disposed at both lateral ends of the row of members in the longitudinal direction of the fixing device, whereby waving of the edge of the sheet in the printing of frequently used sheet can be prevented and the occurrence of jam may be prevented, and a stable sheet separation and conveyance can be realized. | 02-23-2012 |
20120251208 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a fixing belt looped over a heating rotary body and a stationary pad and an anti-slip member contacting an outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt in a lateral end span in an axial direction of the heating rotary body to press the fixing belt against the heating rotary body to prevent slippage of the heating rotary body and the fixing belt. The lateral end span is at each lateral end of the heating rotary body and outboard from a center span in the axial direction of the heating rotary body. | 10-04-2012 |
20140010578 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a stationary member, a metal member, flanges, a first heater, and a second heater. The pressing member is rotatably pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip therebetween. The metal member is fixedly disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member over an area other than the nip. The flanges are disposed at axial edges of the metal member in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the metal member. The first heater is disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the metal member to heat an axial middle portion of the metal member. The second heater is disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the metal member to heat axial end portions of the metal member. The first heater is disposed farther from the nip than the second heater. | 01-09-2014 |
20140119787 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a nip formation pad contacting a part of an outer circumferential surface of an interior rotary body sliding thereover and a fixing belt looped over the interior rotary body and the nip formation pad. A pressing rotary body is pressed against the nip formation pad via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the pressing rotary body and the fixing belt. A lubricant applicator is mounted on the nip formation pad to apply a lubricant to the outer circumferential surface of the interior rotary body. The pressing rotary body, the fixing belt, the nip formation pad, and the interior rotary body are aligned in this order in a pressurization direction in which the pressing rotary body exerts pressure to the interior rotary body via the fixing belt and the nip formation pad to form the fixing nip. | 05-01-2014 |
20140193180 | SHEET GUIDING UNIT SEPARATING MECHANISM, FIXING DEVICE WITH SHEET GUIDING UNIT SEPARATING MECHANISM, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH FIXING DEVICE WITH SHEET GUIDING UNIT SEPARATING MECHANISM - A sheet guiding unit separating mechanism includes a pair of first and second sheet guiding units disposed facing first and second sides of a recording medium, respectively, to guide a recording medium discharged from a fixing nip downstream. One of the pair of sheet guiding units facing the first side includes a first sheet guiding element disposed immediately downstream of the fixing nip and a second sheet guiding element disposed downstream of the first sheet guiding element. The second sheet guiding element is displaceable substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium and separate from the sheet guiding unit facing the second side when the sheet guiding unit separating mechanism is moved to separate from the fixing nip. The first and second sheet guiding elements together pivot around a first rotation fulcrum to separate from the fixing nip after the second sheet guiding element is displaced. | 07-10-2014 |
20140239575 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A fixing device includes two rotary bodies and a recording-medium separation unit. The two rotary bodies are pressed against each other to form a nipping portion. The recording-medium separation unit is disposed at a position downstream from the nipping portion in a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed. The recording-medium separation unit includes a separation plate holder, a separation plate, and a spring. The separation plate holder extends in a longitudinal direction of one of the rotary bodies to hold the separation plate away from the one of the rotary bodies. The separation plate holder has rotation fulcrums and positioning surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The positioning surfaces are urged by the spring toward the one of the rotary bodies. Each of the positioning surfaces has a bent side to form a flange surface having one of the rotation fulcrums. | 08-28-2014 |