Fixing device

A fixing device for fixing a toner image carried on a recording material to the recording material, the fixing device comprising:

• an endless and rotatable belt;
• a rotatable pressing member configured to contact an outer peripheral surface of the belt and form a nip portion for nipping and conveying the recording material between itself and the belt;
• and
• a contact member configured to contact an inner peripheral surface of the belt in the nip portion,
• wherein the inner peripheral surface of the belt slides with the contact member,
• wherein the contact member includes a plurality of projections provided on a side where the contact member slides with the belt and so as to project toward the inner peripheral surface of the belt, the plurality of the projections distributing on the nip portion and outside the nip portion with respect to a widthwise direction of the recording material crossing a conveyance direction of the recording material,
• wherein in a region where the projections of the contact member exist, a predetermined region outside the nip portion in the widthwise direction crossing the conveyance direction of the recording material is defined as a first region and a region inside the first region in the widthwise direction and in the nip portion is defined as a second region, and
• wherein an area ratio of a contacting area where the belt and the plurality of the projections are in contact with each other in the first region to an area of the first region is larger than an area ratio of a contacting area where the belt and the plurality of the projections are in contact with each other in the second region to an area of the second region.