Fixing device, image forming apparatus including same, and fixing method

An image forming apparatus comprising a fixing device, the fixing device comprising:

• a fixing member to melt a toner image to fix the toner image to a recording medium;
• a pressing member pressed against the fixing member to form a nip to where the recording medium is conveyed;
• multiple temperature detectors to detect a temperature at multiple positions on a surface of the pressing member in a width direction of thereof;
• a heating member comprising a heating layer to heat the fixing member;
• an exciting coil provided opposite the heating member to generate magnetic fluxes to inductively heat the heating layer using the magnetic fluxes;
• and
• one or more pairs of degaussing coils provided opposite the exciting coil at both edges of the fixing member in a width direction thereof to generate magnetic fluxes at both edges of the fixing member to degauss the magnetic fluxes generated by the exciting coil,
• wherein an amount of power supplied to the one or more pairs of degaussing coils is controlled based on a result detected by each of the multiple temperature detectors.

A fixing method, comprising the steps of:

• melting a toner image to fix the toner image to a recording medium;
• forming a nip between a fixing member and a pressing member to where the recording medium is conveyed;
• detecting a temperature at multiple positions on a surface of the pressing member in a width direction thereof using multiple temperature detectors;
• heating a heating member to heat the fixing member;
• generating first magnetic fluxes to inductively heat the heating member;
• and
• generating second magnetic fluxes at both edges of the fixing member to degauss the first magnetic fluxes,
• wherein an amount of power supplied for generating the second magnetic fluxes at both edges of the fixing member is controlled based on detection readings provided by the multiple temperature detectors.