A nip forming device includes an endless film and a pressure rotator that presses against a heater via the endless film. A driver drives and rotates the pressure rotator to cause the pressure rotator to drive and rotate the endless film. A controller controls the driver to drive and rotate the pressure rotator, based on a temperature of the pressure rotator, that is detected by a detector, in a forward direction to convey a conveyed object and to interrupt forward rotation of the pressure rotator. In response to a determination that the temperature of the pressure rotator is higher than a predetermined temperature when a job of the nip forming device is finished, the controller controls the driver to drive and rotate the pressure rotator for a predetermined time in a backward direction opposite to the forward direction and to interrupt backward rotation of the pressure rotator.

According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a tubular body, a heater unit, a frame, and a guide member. The heater unit is inside the tubular body and contacts the tubular body. The frame supports the heater unit. The guide member is on a side opposite the heater unit with the frame therebetween. The guide member includes a plurality of contact portions which are spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction that parallels an axial direction of the tubular body. A first contact portion is located in an end portion of the guide member. The second contact portion is located in a central portion of the guide member. The second contact portion has an effective heat transfer coefficient with respect to the tubular body that is less that of the first contact portion with respect to the tubular body.

An image heating apparatus includes an image heating portion including a heater, a tubular film having an inner surface in contact with the heater, and a pressure member that is in contact with the outer surface of the film and forms a nip portion for conveying a recording material between the outer surface and the pressure member. The image heating portion heats an unfixed toner image on the recording material by the heater. A temperature detection portion detects the temperature of the heater. A control portion controls electric power to the heater such that the temperature detected by the temperature detection portion is maintained at a predetermined control target temperature. An obtainment portion obtains image information for forming the unfixed toner image. The control target temperature is set, based on the image information, for each of a plurality of regions defined by dividing the recording material in the conveying direction.

A heater includes an insulator substrate, a heat generating section in which a plurality of divided regions are formed in a longitudinal direction on a first surface of the insulator substrate, electrodes formed at both end portions of the heat generating section to correspond to the plurality of divided regions, and electric conductors connected to at least one of the electrodes and formed over a surface different from the first surface of the insulator substrate.

An example fixing unit includes a flexible fixing belt, a backup member located outside the fixing belt to form a fixing nip, and a plate heater in contact with the fixing belt to heat the fixing belt in the fixing nip, wherein the fixing belt includes a first abrasion prevention layer disposed on a surface facing the plate heater and comprising polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and the plate heater includes a second abrasion prevention layer in contact with the first abrasion prevention layer and comprising glass.

A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressurizing member, a charging portion, and a control portion. The fixing member rotates while being heated. The pressurizing member forms a nip portion between itself and a surface of the fixing member in such a way as to hold a sheet therebetween and conveys the sheet by rotating together with the fixing member, wherein an image of toner has been formed on the sheet. The charging portion electrically charges the surface of the fixing member to a polarity that is same as a charging polarity of the toner by supplying a charging current to a pair of electrodes that is disposed to face the surface of the fixing member. The control portion acquires sheet information that includes one or more of length information, width information, and thickness information of the sheet and adjusts the charging current based on the sheet information.

The present invention brings about an increase in the thermal conductivity of an elastomer molded article over a preexisting value. The method according to the present invention is a method that uses at least one of a liquid crystalline polymer and a precursor therefor as a thermal conductivity modifier for an elastomer. That is, the thermal conductivity modifier for an elastomer according to the present invention contains at least one of a liquid crystalline polymer and a precursor therefor. The thermal conductivity modifier may contain only at least one of a liquid crystalline polymer and a precursor therefor or may contain at least one of a liquid crystalline polymer and a precursor therefor along with an additional component. The method and thermal conductivity modifier according to the present invention can bring about an increase in the thermal conductivity of an elastomer molded article over a preexisting value.

An image heating apparatus includes an image heating portion including a heater, a tubular film having an inner surface in contact with the heater, and a pressure member that is in contact with the outer surface of the film and forms a nip portion for conveying a recording material between the outer surface and the pressure member. The image heating portion heats an unfixed toner image on the recording material by the heater. A temperature detection portion detects the temperature of the heater. A control portion controls electric power to the heater such that the temperature detected by the temperature detection portion is maintained at a predetermined control target temperature. An obtainment portion obtains image information for forming the unfixed toner image. The control target temperature is set, based on the image information, for each of a plurality of regions defined by dividing the recording material in the conveying direction.

An image processing apparatus includes a fixing unit including a heater and a fixing belt. The fixing belt is electrically connected between a first power source and a ground terminal. A controller is configured to control the heater to heat the fixing belt. The controller is further configured to determine whether a current is flowing through the fixing belt and, upon determining that a current is not flowing through the fixing belt, control the heater not to heat the fixing belt.

A heater 600 includes a substrate 610 and a plurality of heat generating elements 623a to 623f which are provided on both surfaces of the substrate 610 and which generate heat, and heats a fixing belt in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. The plurality of heat generating elements 623a to 623f are different from each other in length with respect to a widthwise direction, and a plurality of the heat generating elements are provided on a front surface of the substrate 610 which is a side where the heater 600 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt 600, and at least one of the heat generating elements is provided on a back surface. A length, with respect to the widthwise direction, of the heat generating element 623e which is provided on the back surface and which is longest in length with respect to the widthwise direction is shorter than a length, with respect to the widthwise direction, of the heat generating element 623c which is provided on the front surface and which is shortest in length with respect to the widthwise direction.