A pressure and pressure relief device includes a rotator, a pressure body, a first pressure lever, and a biasing mechanism. The biasing mechanism includes a first elastic body, a second pressure lever, a cam, and a cam follower. A relations of L1>L3, L2>L4, and L3<L4 are satisfied. L1 represents a length between a first fulcrum of the first pressure lever and a point of load of the first pressure lever. L2 represents a length between the point of load of the first pressure lever and a hook portion of the first pressure lever. L3 represents a length between a pivot of the second pressure lever and a second fulcrum of the second pressure lever. L4 represents a length between the second fulcrum of the second pressure lever and a fastened portion of the second pressure lever.

A fixing device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a heater, a heating target body, a biasing body, a pressure body, a moving body, a drive source, and a drive transmitter. The heating target body is configured to be heated by the heater. The biasing body is configured to apply a biasing force. The pressure body is configured to be pressed by the biasing body toward the heating target body. The moving body is configured to move the pressure body away from the heating target body against the biasing force applied by the biasing body. The drive source is configured to apply a driving force. The drive transmitter is configured to transmit the driving force of the drive source to the moving body and includes a planetary gear device and a worm gear.

An image forming apparatus includes a first fixing member, a second fixing member, and a controller. The second fixing member includes a first nip forming member and a second nip forming member each configured to nip an endless belt in combination with the first fixing member to form a nip region. A first end face on a first-fixing-member side of the first nip forming member is located closer, than a second end face on a first-fixing-member side of the second nip forming member, to the first fixing member. The controller is capable of executing a first printing process performed in a nip region formed between each of the first nip forming member and the second nip forming member and the first fixing member, and a second printing process performed in a nip region formed between only the first fixing member and the first fixing member.

Provided is an image forming device capable of performing an operation corresponding to a defect occurring in a fixing device at a desired timing. The image forming device includes a conveyance unit, an image forming unit, a fixing device, a motor, and a control unit. The motor drives the fixing device and outputs a signal having a magnitude corresponding to a value of a drive current. The control unit, when conveyance of a print medium is stopped and when the motor is driven in a first operation mode, continues to drive the motor in the first operation mode, and performs a first operation when the magnitude of the signal is out of a first range, and when the conveyance of the print medium is stopped and when the motor is driven in a second operation mode, stops driving the motor in the second operation mode and then drives the motor in the first operation mode, and performs the first operation when the magnitude of the signal is out of the first range.

In one embodiment, a heating device includes a tubular body and a heater within an interior region formed by the tubular body. A first temperature detector is disposed within the interior region. A first wire is connected to the first temperature detector on a first side of the first temperature detector facing a first direction parallel to the axial length of the tubular body. A second temperature detector is disposed within the interior region on a second side of the first temperature detector opposite the first side. The second temperature detector is spaced from the first temperature detector in a second direction opposite of the first direction. A second wire is connected to the second temperature detector on a side of the second temperature detector facing the second direction. The first wire and the second wire extend with each other to an outer end of the tubular body.

An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material that is not thermally decolorizable; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material that is thermally decolorizable; a fixing device which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a controller which controls the fixing device so that a temperature of the fixing device is lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material when the second recording medium reaches the fixing device.

An image forming apparatus include a transport unit, a tension adjusting unit, a transfer unit, a fixing unit, and a controller. The transport unit transports continuous paper. The tension adjusting unit adjusts tension of the continuous paper being transported by the transport unit. The transfer unit transfers an image to the continuous paper transported by the transport unit. The fixing unit fixes the image transferred by the transfer unit onto the continuous paper. The controller controls, in a case where the fixing unit is driven in a state in which the fixing unit is separated from the continuous paper and a difference between a transport speed of the transport unit and a fixing speed of the fixing unit has reached a predetermined range, the fixing unit to be in press-contact with the continuous paper.

An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a continuous paper; a fixing unit that includes a pair of rotatable members and that nips the continuous paper between the rotatable members to convey the paper and fix the image formed on the paper by the image former; a conveying member different from the rotatable members; and a hardware processor. The image forming apparatus performs a paper conveying mode in which the image former does not form an image and at least the conveying member conveys the continuous paper. In the paper conveying mode, the hardware processor determines to press the rotatable members against each other or to separate the rotatable members from each other according to a predetermined criterion and, based on the determination, conveys the continuous paper while keeping the rotatable members pressed against each other or separated from each other.

A damper mechanism has first and second rail members, a biasing member, and a slide member. The first rail member is fixed inside the opening/closing member along the up/down direction, and has an oblong guide hole formed therein extending along the longitudinal direction. The second rail member has fixed to a top end part thereof an engaging pin inserted through the guide hole, and has a bottom end part swingably supported on the apparatus main body. The biasing member biases the first and second rail members in a direction in which these approach each other. The slide member is made of resin fixed to the engaging pin, slides while in contact with the first rail member and the opening/closing member, and prevents contact between the engaging pin and an inner circumferential rim of the guide hole.

A fixing device and an image forming apparatus to pass a paper through a nip portion between a fixing roller and a pressure roller and fix a toner image on the paper. The image forming apparatus includes a first spring and a second spring to press the pressure roller against the fixing roller and an operation lever to change a pressing state of the springs. The operation lever has two positions of: a first position in which pressing of the pressure roller by the first spring is made active and pressing by the second spring is made inactive; and a second position in which the pressing by the second spring is made active and the pressing by the first spring is made inactive. A contact pressure of the pressure roller against the fixing roller is differentiated in the first position and in the second position.