Fixing device for electrophotographic imaging apparatus

An electrophotographic imaging apparatus for executing an imaging operation to form an image on a continuous recording sheet, said electrophotographic imaging apparatus comprising:

• transferring means for transferring a toner image onto said continuous recording sheet;
• fixing means for fixing an unfixed toner image transferred by said transferring means, wherein said fixing means includes a pair of rollers, at least one roller of said pair of rollers being movable with respect to another roller of said pair of rollers so as to be located at an operating position wherein said continuous recording sheet is nipped between said pair of rollers, or at a retracted position wherein said pair of rollers are apart from each other;
• feeding means for feeding said continuous recording sheet, said feeding means feeding said continuous recording sheet forwardly when said imaging operation is executed;
• and
• means for moving said at least one roller located at said operating position to said retracted position when a portion of said continuous recording sheet, bearing toner images, has passed through a nip between said pair of rollers and a succeeding portion of said continuous recording sheet, bearing no toner image, is passing through said nip,
• wherein, after said roller is moved to a retracted position, said feeding means further feeds said continuous recording sheet forwardly by a predetermined amount so that all of the toner images fixed by said fixing means are discharged out of said imaging apparatus,
• and said feeding means reversely feeds said continuous recording sheet by another predetermined amount when said imaging operation is restarted so that a portion of said continuous recording sheet, having no toner image, is located upstream of said transferring means.

An electrophotographic imaging apparatus for executing an imaging operation to form an image on a continuous recording sheet, said electrophotographic imaging apparatus comprising:

• transferring means for transferring a toner image onto said continuous recording sheet;
• fixing means for fixing an unfixed toner image transferred by said transferring means, wherein said fixing means includes a pair of rollers, said continuous recording sheet being passed through a nip between said pair of rollers when the unfixed toner image is fixed;
• feeding means for forwardly feeding said continuous recording sheet said feeding means feeding said continuous recording sheet forwardly when said imaging operation is executed;
• and
• means for moving at least one roller so as to detach from said continuous recording sheet when all of the unfixed toner images have passed through said nip between said pair of rollers,
• wherein, after said roller is detached from said recording sheet, said feeding means further feeds said continuous recording sheet forwardly by a predetermined amount so that all of the toner images fixed by said fixing means are discharged out of said imaging apparatus,
• and said feeding means reversely feeds said continuous recording sheet by another predetermined amount when said imaging operation is restarted so that a portion of said continuous recording sheet, having no toner image, is located upstream of said transferring means.

An electrophotographic imaging apparatus for executing an imaging operation to form an image on a continuous recording sheet, said electrophotographic imaging apparatus comprising:

• transferring means for transferring an unfixed toner image onto said continuous recording sheet;
• fixing means for fixing the unfixed toner image transferred by said transferring means;
• feeding means for feeding said continuous recording sheet, said feeding means feeding said continuous recording sheet forwardly when said imaging operation is executed;
• means for determining when an end of said unfixed transferred toner image has passed through said fixing means;
• and
• means for disabling said fixing means in response to a determination by said determining means that a portion of said continuous recording sheet, bearing the end of said unfixed transferred toner image, has passed through said fixing means and a succeeding portion of said continuous recording sheet, bearing no toner image, is passing through said fixing means;
• wherein said feeding means reversely feeds said continuous recording sheet by a predetermined amount when said imaging operation is restarted so that a portion of said continuous recording sheet, having no toner image thereon, is located upstream of said transferring means.