Gloss applicator and image forming apparatus including same

A gloss applicator configured to apply a gloss to toner by heating a toner image on a recording medium and forcibly cooling the toner, the gloss applicator comprising:

• a plurality of rollers including a heat roller, the heat roller having a built-in heat source disposed upstream in a conveyance direction of the recording medium bearing the toner image thereon;
• an endless belt wound around the plurality of rollers and forming a taut portion along the conveyance direction of the recording medium;
• a pressure roller disposed at a position opposite the heat roller with the endless belt disposed between the pressure roller and the heat roller, the pressure roller being contacted to or separated from the endless belt;
• a cooling member disposed at an interior surface of the taut portion of the endless belt contacting the recording medium;
• and
• a pair of separating members disposed at both ends of the cooling member in the conveyance direction of the recording medium and configured to alternately contact and at least partially separate the taut portion of the endless belt to and from the cooling member so as to change an area of contact of the cooling member with the endless belt, wherein
• the pair of separating members is separated from the endless belt in a state in which the endless belt is in contact with the cooling member.

A gloss applicator configured to apply a gloss to toner by heating a toner image on a recording medium and forcibly cooling the toner, the gloss applicator comprising:

• a plurality of rollers including a heat roller, the heat roller having a built-in heat source disposed upstream in a conveyance direction of the recording medium bearing the toner image thereon;
• an endless belt wound around the plurality of rollers and forming a taut portion along the conveyance direction of the recording medium;
• a pressure roller disposed at a position opposite the heat roller with the endless belt disposed between the pressure roller and the heat roller, the pressure roller being contacted to or separated from the endless belt;
• a cooling member disposed at an interior surface of the taut portion of the endless belt contacting the recording medium;
• and
• a pair of separating members disposed at both ends of the cooling member in the conveyance direction of the recording medium and configured to alternately contact and at least partially separate the taut portion of the endless belt to and from the cooling member so as to change an area of contact of the cooling member with the endless belt, wherein
• the pair of separating members is separated from the endless belt when the endless belt comes into contact with the cooling member upon the recording medium being conveyed between the heat roller and the pressure roller.