Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an electrophotographic imaging unit to form a toner image on a recording medium;
• and
• a fixing device to fix the toner image in place on the recording medium, the fixing device including:
• a fixing unit disposed in a media conveyance path to fix a toner image on a recording medium conveyed therethrough, the recording medium having a first side thereof printed firstly and a second side thereof printed subsequently during duplex printing,
• the fixing unit including:
• a rotary fuser member subjected to heating;
• a rotary pressure member pressed against the fuser member to form a fixing nip therebetween through which the recording medium is passed under heat and pressure along the media conveyance path as the fuser and pressure members rotate together;
• and
• a media stripper held in contact with the pressure member to allow the recording medium to separate from the pressure member upon exiting the fixing nip;
• and
• a gloss equalizing unit disposed downstream from the fixing unit along the media conveyance path to equalize gloss on the first side of the recording medium after printing on the second side,
• the gloss equalizing unit including:
• a pair of first and second rotary glossing rollers, at least one of which is heated and at least one of which is pressed against the other to form a gloss equalizing nip therebetween through which the recording medium is passed with the first printed side facing the first glossing roller, and the second printed side facing the second glossing roller, as the glossing rollers rotate together,
• the first glossing roller exhibiting a surface roughness equal to or smaller than that of the pressure member of the fixing unit.