Fixing device including a cleaner to clean a surface of a cleaning target and image forming apparatus incorporating same

A fixing device comprising:

• a fixing rotator configured to heat a toner image and fix the toner image onto a surface of a recording medium;
• a pressure rotator configured to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip through which the recording medium is conveyed between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator;
• a cleaner configured to contact and clean a surface of a cleaning target, the cleaning target including one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator;
• and
• a moving assembly configured to move the cleaner between a contact position at which the cleaner contacts the surface of the cleaning target and a separate position at which the cleaner is apart from the surface of the cleaning target, the moving assembly including,
• a biasing member configured to press the cleaner to move to the contact position,
• a cam follower, and
• an eccentric cam including a cam face configured to contact the cam follower as the eccentric cam rotates to move the cleaner from the contact position to the separate position against a biasing force of the biasing member while first to third portions of the cam face sequentially approach the cam follower as the cleaner moves from the contact position to the separate position, a radius of the second portion of the cam face being largest amongst the first to third portions such that the biasing force of the biasing member increases and then is maintained at a force greater than the biasing force applied when the cleaner is located at the contact position and then decreases as the cleaner moves from the contact position to the separate position.