Fixing device and image forming apparatus including the fixing device
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorAkira SHINSHI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fixing device and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device. The fixing device includes a heat source, an endless, flexible fixing member to fix a toner image by heating and melting the toner image onto a recording medium, a pressure member to press against the fixing member, a stationary facing member to face an inner surface of the fixing member and heat the fixing member while contacting the pressure member via the fixing member at a nip portion formed between the fixing member and the pressure member, and a reinforcement member to reinforce the facing member at the nip portion by contacting an inner surface of the facing member in a fixed manner.
Claims15
A fixing device comprising:
- a heat source;
- an endless, flexible fixing member configured to fix a toner image by heating and melting the toner image onto a recording medium;
- a pressure member configured to press against the fixing member;
- a stationary facing member to face an inner surface of the fixing member and heat the fixing member while contacting the pressure member via the fixing member at a nip portion formed between the fixing member and the pressure member;
- and
- a reinforcement member configured to reinforce the facing member at the nip portion by contacting an inner surface of the facing member in a fixed manner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.