Recording apparatus and heating apparatus for use in recording apparatus

A recording apparatus comprising heating means having a first conductor, a pressure-sensitive conductive switching layer formed on said first conductor and a region of which can be conducted upon being pressed, a heat-generating resistor layer formed on said pressure-sensitive conductive switching layer, and a second conductor formed on said heat-generating resistor layer, wherein said heating means and a recording material to be heated are partially brought into tight contact with each other, and a voltage is applied across said first and second conductors, so that a current flows in said pressed region of said pressure-sensitive conductive switching layer and a portion of said heat-generating resistor layer around said region to generate Joule heat, thereby fixing a toner image on the recording material by using the Joule heat.

A recording apparatus comprising heating means constituted by a fixing sheet having a first conductor, a pressure-sensitive conductive switching layer a region of which can be conducted upon being pressed, a heat-generating resistor layer formed on said pressure-sensitive conductive switching layer, and a second conductor formed on said heat-generating resistor layer, wherein said fixing sheet is partially brought into tight contact with a recording material to be heated, and a voltage is applied across said first and second conductors, so that a current flows in said pressed region of said pressure-sensitive conductive switching layer and a portion of said heat-generating resistor layer around said region to generate Joule heat, thereby fixing a toner image on the recording material by using the Joule heat.

A recording apparatus comprising power supply means having a first electrode and a second electrode aligned with said first electrode, and a pressure-sensitive conductive member which is in slidable contact with said power supply means, wherein said conductive member and a recording material having a conductive toner image are partially brought into contact with each other, and a voltage is applied across said first and second electrodes, so that a current flows to generate Joule heat, thereby fixing the toner image on the recording material by using the Joule heat.

A recording apparatus comprising power supply means having a first electrode and a second electrode aligned with said first electrode, and a conductive member which is in slidable contact with said power supply means and which comprises a member having anisotropic conductivity in a direction of thickness, wherein said conductive member and a recording material having a conductive toner image are partially brought into contact with each other, and a voltage is applied across said first and second electrodes, so that a current flows to generate Joule heat, thereby fixing the toner image on the recording material by using the Joule heat.