Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same

A fixing device comprising:

• a cylindrically heat conductive member;
• a flexible fixing belt looped for rotation around the heat conductive member, an inner circumference of the flexible fixing belt slidably contacting a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the heat conductive member;
• a rotary pressing member disposed opposing the heat conductive member with the flexible fixing belt interposed therebetween, forming a nip between the fixing belt and the rotary pressing member;
• a plurality of heat sources disposed in a circumferential direction of the fixing belt at a predetermined interval to heat the heat conductive member;
• and
• a plurality of temperature detectors provided corresponding to the plurality of heat sources to detect a surface temperature of the fixing belt at a detection position at which heating intensity of a corresponding one of the plurality of heat sources is not affected by any other one of the plurality of heat sources, in operation, the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt contacting the heat conductive member at a position at which each of the plurality of temperature detectors contacts the fixing belt as the detection position or a position proximal to the detection position of each of the plurality of temperature detectors.