Separator, fixing device, and image forming apparatus

A fixing device comprising:

• a fixing rotator;
• a pressure rotator to contact the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed;
• and
• a separator disposed in contact with or adjacent to one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, to separate the recording medium from the one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator,
• the separator comprising:
• a base including:
• a first face to face the recording medium;
• a second face being opposite to the first face;
• and
• a third face being an end face in a longitudinal direction of the base;
• and
• a sheet disposed on a portion of each of the first face and the second face that contacts or is adjacent to the one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator,
• the sheet having a length in a longitudinal direction of the sheet substantially equal to a length of the base in the longitudinal direction of the base,
• the sheet including a projecting portion outboard from the length of the sheet in the longitudinal direction of the sheet,
• a combined length of the sheet and the projecting portion in the longitudinal direction of the sheet being greater than the length of the base in the longitudinal direction of the base,
• the projecting portion being attached to the second face and the third face of the base.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image bearer to bear a toner image;
• and
• a fixing device to fix the toner image on a recording medium,
• the fixing device comprising:
• a fixing rotator;
• a pressure rotator to contact the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, through which the recording medium is conveyed;
• and
• a separator disposed in contact with or adjacent to one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, to separate the recording medium from the one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator,
• the separator comprising:
• a base including:
• a first face to face the recording medium;
• a second face being opposite to the first face;
• and
• a third face being an end face in a longitudinal direction of the base;
• and
• a sheet disposed on a portion of each of the first face and the second face that contacts or is adjacent to the one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator,
• the sheet having a length in a longitudinal direction of the sheet substantially equal to a length of the base in the longitudinal direction of the base,
• the sheet including a projecting portion outboard from the length of the sheet in the longitudinal direction of the sheet,
• a combined length of the sheet and the projecting portion in the longitudinal direction of the sheet being greater than the length of the base in the longitudinal direction of the base,
• the projecting portion being attached to the second face and the third face of the base.