Fixing device and flexible sleeve used in the fixing device

Abstract

A fixing device for fixing on a recording material a toner image formed on the recording material includes a flexible sleeve including a resinous base layer, a parting layer and an adhesive layer for bonding the base layer and the parting layer; a heater contacted to an inner surface of the sleeve; a pressing member for forming a nip, in which the recording material on which the toner image has been formed is nipped and conveyed, between itself and the sleeve to which the heater is contacted; a voltage applying member for applying a voltage, of a polarity identical to a polarity of toner; and a grounding member, contactable to the recording material in a nipped state in the nip, for grounding the recording material. In a thickness direction of the layers, an electric resistance of the adhesive layer is larger than that of the parting layer and the electric resistance of the parting layer is larger than that of the base layer. The voltage applying member applies the voltage to the sleeve in contact with the base layer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.