A linear light concentrator includes a light emitting body and first and second optical element groups, wherein the first optical element group is divided in first and second directions into first optical elements, each having characteristics to deflect a beam in the first direction, and the characteristics of the first optical elements adjacent in the second direction are different, the second optical element group is divided in at least the first direction into second optical elements having a power in the second direction, and center axes of refraction of adjacent second optical elements are shifted in the second direction, the characteristics deflect a beam from each unit of the first optical elements arranged in the first direction toward one of apertures of the second optical element group, and a length in the second direction of the second optical element is longer than that of the first optical element.

A fixing apparatus includes an endless first rotary member, a heating element, a second rotary member configured to form a nip portion, and a nip member configured to receive radiant heat from the heating element and heat the nip portion. The nip member includes a main-body portion that contains aluminum or aluminum alloy and a protective layer that includes an oxide film formed on a surface of the main-body portion. The main-body portion contains a heat receiving surface that faces the heating element and receives radiant heat from the heating element, and a rubbed surface that is rubbed against the inner circumferential surface of the first rotary member. The protective layer contains coloring agent that causes an emissivity of the heat receiving surface and the rubbed surface to be higher than an emissivity of a natural color oxide film.

A fixing apparatus includes an endless first rotary member, a heating element, a second rotary member configured to form a nip portion, and a nip member configured to receive radiant heat from the heating element and heat the nip portion. The nip member includes a main-body portion that contains aluminum or aluminum alloy and a protective layer that includes an oxide film formed on a surface of the main-body portion. The main-body portion contains a heat receiving surface that faces the heating element and receives radiant heat from the heating element, and a rubbed surface that is rubbed against the inner circumferential surface of the first rotary member. The protective layer contains coloring agent that causes an emissivity of the heat receiving surface and the rubbed surface to be higher than an emissivity of a natural color oxide film.

The present invention provides an image forming apparatus provided with a fixing apparatus including an infrared irradiation unit for irradiation of a recording medium, on which a liquid developer including a colorant and a cationic polymerizable monomer having a C—H bond is placed, with infrared light, and an ultraviolet irradiation unit for irradiation of the liquid developer with ultraviolet light, wherein when a peak wavelength due to the C—H bond in an infrared absorption spectrum of the cationic polymerizable monomer is defined as λ1 and a half-value wavelength at which a spectral radiant energy density of infrared light emitted from the infrared irradiation unit is 50% (when two of such half-value wavelengths are present, a half-value wavelength at a longer wavelength) is defined as λ2, the peak wavelength λ1 is located at a shorter wavelength than the half-value wavelength λ2.

A method for heat treatment of mixed media sheets in an image reproduction apparatus having an image forming station, a heat treatment station, a conveying path for conveying the sheets one by one through the image forming station and the heat treatment station, and a duplex loop for looping sheets back from the heat treatment station to the image forming station includes pre-heating a sheet before an image is formed thereon in the image forming station. The pre-heating includes the sub-steps of passing the sheet through the image forming station while the image forming station is idle, passing the sheet through the heat treatment station for pre-heating, and looping the sheet back to the image forming station.

A fixing device includes a fixing belt and an opposed rotator to press against a nip formation pad via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the opposed rotator. A primary heater and a secondary heater heat the fixing belt. The secondary heater includes a lateral end heat generator. The nip formation pad includes a base and at least one thermal conductor being interposed between the base and the fixing nip and having a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the base. The at least one thermal conductor includes an outboard edge disposed between an inboard edge and an outboard edge of the lateral end heat generator and disposed outboard from a conveyance span of the fixing belt in an axial direction of the fixing belt, where a recording medium is conveyed over the fixing belt.

A fixing device includes a fixing rotator being rotatable and a heater to heat the fixing rotator. The heater includes a tube, a heat generator, disposed inside the tube, to generate heat, and a sealing portion, disposed at each lateral end of the tube in a longitudinal direction of the heater, to seal the tube. The sealing portion includes an inboard edge. A reflector reflects heat radiated from the heater toward the fixing rotator. The reflector includes an outboard edge being disposed inboard from the inboard edge of the sealing portion in an axial direction of the fixing rotator.

A transport device includes a transport unit that transports a sheet-like transport material without holding a one-end-side portion of the transport material in a transport direction; and a blowing unit that blows air against a lower surface of the transport material that is transported by the transport unit via multiple blowing holes that open with respect to the lower surface, an arrangement interval of the multiple blowing holes in a direction of intersection with respect to the transport direction being smaller at two end portions than at a central portion of the blowing unit.

A heating device includes a heating unit that heats in a non-contact manner an upper surface of a transport material that is transported, and a blowing unit that blows air against a lower surface of the transport material via a blowing hole that is provided in an opposing surface opposing the lower surface of the transport material, the opposing surface being obliquely disposed with respect to a horizontal direction.

A heating device includes a heating unit that heats in a non-contact manner an upper surface of a transport material that is transported; and a blowing unit that blows air against a lower surface of the transport material via multiple blowing holes that open with respect to the lower surface, the multiple blowing holes being disposed so that blowing holes that are closest and adjacent to each other in a transport direction of the transport material are shifted from each other in an intersection direction that intersects the transport direction.