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 the transport direction being inconstant in the transport direction.

An image forming apparatus includes halogen lamp heaters, an AC power supply, a temperature detection unit and a control unit. The heaters have a same light distribution and heat a fixing member of an image fixing unit. The detection unit detects a temperature of the fixing member. The control unit determines a combination of the heaters based on output of the detection unit and applies a drive voltage of a half-wave of an AC waveform of the AC power supply to a heater of the heaters. The half-wave is selected based on an application pattern having a duty cycle of a predetermined value or more. The heaters include at least one heater which generates a heat amount being a minimum heat amount required for fixing or less when turned on with the application pattern having the duty cycle of the predetermined value.

An image forming apparatus includes first and second heaters and a controller. The first and second heaters have a same light distribution and heat a roller of an image fixing unit. The second heater generates a less heat amount than the first heater. The controller applies a drive voltage to a heater of the heaters. When a heat amount generated by the second heater has increased to a first threshold value by the controller controlling the drive voltage, the controller switches the drive-voltage-applied heater from the second heater to the first heater. When a heat amount generated by the first heater has decreased to a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value by the controller controlling the drive voltage, the controller switches the drive-voltage-applied heater from the first heater to the second heater.

A fixing device includes: a first heater including a first glass tube, a first heating body, and a first lead portion; a second heater including a second glass tube, a second heating body, and a second lead portion; a frame including first and second fixing surfaces; and a first terminal member including a first connection portion and a first fixed portion; and a second terminal member including a second connection portion and a second fixed portion. The first and second heaters are elongated in an elongated direction and arrayed in a first array direction. The first and second lead portions are fixed to the first and second connection portions, respectively. The first and second fixed portions are fixed to the first and second fixing surfaces, respectively, and arrayed in a second array direction. The first array direction is inclined relative to the second array direction when viewed in the elongated direction.

The fixing apparatus includes a cylindrical film, a nip portion forming member in contact with the film, a pressure member that forms the nip portion with the nip portion forming member through the film, a heater configured to heat the film by emitting a radiant light, the heater being arranged in a hollow portion of the film, a first shielding member arranged between the nip portion forming member and the heater, and a second shielding member movable between a first position in which the second shielding member is positioned in a region between the first shielding member and the nip portion forming member, and a second position in which the second shielding member is positioned in a region, where the nip portion forming member does not exist, between the heater and the film. The second shielding member has a slit through which the radiant light passes.

An image forming apparatus includes: a colorant image former; an image holder configured to hold a colorant image formed by the colorant image forming unit and to be rotationally driven; a transfer member configured to transfer the colorant image onto a recording medium, which is transported from an upstream side, by sandwiching the recording medium between the transfer member and the image holder, and rotationally driving the transfer member to transport the recording medium to a downstream side; and a contact-and-separation mechanism configured to relatively contact or separate the image holder and the transfer member, in which, in response to an abnormality being detected, the image forming apparatus operates in a mode in which the contact-and-separation mechanism relatively separates the image holder and the transfer member, and then rotational driving of the transfer member is stopped after rotational driving of the image holder is stopped.

A printing device includes an applicator with which a test fluid is applied onto a recording medium to be printed to, as well as an absorption measurement system with which absorption data are acquired with regard to the absorption rate of the test fluid. The printing device also includes a fuser to fix a print image printed by the printing device. The fuser is adjusted depending on the acquired absorption data so that an optimal and/or desired fixing of print images on the respectively used type of recording medium is produced.

A fixing device for fixing an image comprising a liquid developer on a recording material includes a feeding belt for feeding the recording material; a plurality of air vents, provided in a region of the feeding belt on which the recording material is fed, for sucking the recording material onto the feeding belt; a fan for sucking the recording material toward the feeding belt; and a heating source for heating the image on the recording material fed by the feeding belt, by radiant heat, and satisfies the following:

db.Math.Φb.Math.K<44.9, K: ρb.Math.cb/λp.Math.ρp.Math.dp.Math.cpcp: specific heat of developer and recording material (J/g.Math.K) ρp: density of developer and recording material (g/cm.sup.3) dp: thickness of developer and recording material (mm) λp: thermal conductivity of developer and recording material (W/(m.Math.K)) cb: specific heat of belt (J/g.Math.K) ρb: density of belt (g/cm.sup.3) db: thickness of belt (mm) Φb: diameter of air vent of belt (mm).

A drying assembly comprises a plurality of electromagnetic energy sources arranged to dry printing fluid deposited onto a surface of a substrate, by evaporation of a solvent fluid therefrom. The drying assembly further comprises a conveyor system configured to move the substrate in a conveying direction, and a focusing system configured to focus electromagnetic energy from the plurality of electromagnetic energy sources to form a non-uniform heating pattern on the surface of the substrate. The non-uniform heating pattern comprises a plurality of spatially separated higher and lower intensity regions distributed along the conveying direction.

A fixing device includes: a non-contact heating unit configured to heat a recording medium being transported on a transport path in a non-contact manner; a facing member that is disposed along the transport path at a position facing the non-contact heating unit and that is configured to move with respect to the recording medium; and a tension unit configured to tension a facing member in a direction along the transport path.