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 equation:
db.Math.Φb.Math.K<44.9, wherein K: ρb.Math.cb/λp.Math.ρp.Math.dp.Math.cp cp: specific heat of developer and recording material (J/g.Math.K) ρp: density of developer and recording material (g/cm3) 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/cm3) db: thickness of belt (mm) Φb: diameter of air vent of belt (mm).

A photocuring printing system. A developing drum is rotatable and is light-transmissive; the developing drum and a carrier are oppositely arranged and movable with respect to each other; the developing drum has a developing surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by the developing engine; a feeder and the developing surface are oppositely arranged; during a rotation of the developing drum, a photocurable material provided by the feeder is selectively attracted by the electrostatic latent image to form a material layer on the developing surface; the material layer is applied, by the developing drum, on a forming surface of the carrier or a cured model on the carrier; and a curing light beam emitted by a curing light source passes through a material-laying side of the developing drum to irradiate the material layer between the developing drum and the carrier to form a cured layer.

An image forming method for forming an image on a base material by using powder includes: attaching a protective material to a surface of the base material on which the image is to be formed; forming an attachment layer on at least one of the base material and the protective material attached to the base material; attaching the powder to the attachment layer after attaching the protective material; and removing excess powder attached to the protective material from the protective material without attaching to the attachment layer.

A light irradiator includes a light source and its drive, a heat-dissipating member, and a rectangular housing with vents and a light-emission opening. The housing includes a first surface having a first side with a first dimension and a second side with a second dimension, a second surface having the second side and a third side with a third dimension, and a third surface having the first and third sides. The light-emission opening is in the first surface. First and second vents are in the second surface, with the first vent nearer the opening than the second vent, and the second vent opposite to the opening. An axial fan and a first plate are at the second vent. The first plate faces the axial fan with a spacing less than or equal to the first dimension between them. A second plate outside the housing separates the first and second vents.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a varnish coater, and a controller. When a first image forming job in which a toner image is formed to a first recording material and varnish is not applied is executed, the controller controls conveyance of the first recording material at a fixing nip portion such that a conveyance speed of the first recording material at the fixing nip portion is a first conveyance speed. When a second image forming job in which a toner image is formed to a second recording material of which a grammage is the same as a grammage of the first recording material and varnish is applied is executed, the controller controls conveyance of the second recording material at the fixing nip portion such that the second recording material is conveyed at a second conveyance speed faster than the first conveyance speed,

An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus, a varnish application apparatus, and a controller. The varnish application apparatus includes a varnish application unit configured to apply varnish to a recording material, a first conveyance unit configured to convey a recording material in a first conveyance path that passes through the varnish application unit, and a second conveyance unit configured to convey a recording material in a second conveyance path that does not pass through the varnish application unit. When failure is occurred to one or both of the varnish application unit and the first conveyance unit and failure is not occurred to the second conveyance unit, the controller is configured to permit execution of the second image forming job and to convey a recording material by the second conveyance unit in the varnish application apparatus.

A volt meter and a current meter may measure a voltage and a current for the calculation of power consumption. A controller may calculate the power consumption when a heating element is activated and when the heating element is deactivated. Based on the power consumptions when the heating element is activated or deactivated, a failure condition may be determined.

An object of the present invention is to provide a photoresponsive polymer that sufficiently secures photoresponsiveness to be fluidized by light irradiation and reversibly non-fluidized, improves fixability, and further has good color reproducibility.

Provided is a photoresponsive polymer containing a structural unit derived from a specific azomethine derivative, the photoresponsive polymer being fluidized by light irradiation and reversibly non-fluidized.

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 method is disclosed. The method may comprise applying a coating of electrically charged fluid print agent to a developer surface, the fluid print agent comprising particles of thermoplastic resin in a carrier fluid. The method may further comprise controlling migration of fluid print agent from the developer surface to form an image from fluid print agent on a first surface. The method may further comprise irradiating the print agent on the first surface with ultraviolet radiation to heat the print agent to a temperature of at least 70° C. to melt the thermoplastic resin. A print system and a heating unit are also disclosed.