Nip-forming member, fixing unit, and image forming apparatus

A nip-forming member arranged in contact with an inner circumferential surface of a rotatable endless fixing belt, the nip-forming member being counter-acted by a counterpart member from an outer circumferential side of the fixing belt so as to form a nipping part, which is a contacting section of the fixing belt and the counterpart member, the nip-forming member comprising:

• a first nip-forming member configured to be a main body of the nip-forming member;
• and
• a second nip-forming member disposed on a surface of the first nip-forming member, the surface facing the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt, the second nip-forming member extending in a direction orthogonal to a rotating direction of the fixing belt,
• wherein both ends of the second nip-forming member on an upstream side and a downstream side of the rotating direction of the fixing belt are bent in a direction away from the nipping part, in order to create a pair of side-wall portions, so that the second nip-forming member has a concave cross-section for accommodating the first nip-forming member, and
• wherein the second nip-forming member has a restraining portion at a position located on at least one of the side-wall portion created on an upstream side of the rotating direction of the fixing belt and the side-wall portion created on a downstream side of the rotating direction of the fixing belt, the restraining portion being configured to restrain the first nip-forming member not to be detached from the concave cross-section.

A fixing unit comprising:

• a rotatable endless fixing belt;
• a heat applying member configured to apply heat to the fixing belt;
• a nip-forming member arranged in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt;
• and
• a counterpart member configured to counter-act the nip-forming member from an outer circumferential side of the fixing belt so as to form a nipping part, which is a contacting section of the counterpart member and the fixing belt,
• wherein the nip-forming member includes:
• a first nip-forming member configured to be a main body of the nip-forming member;
• and
• a second nip-forming member disposed on a surface of the first nip-forming member, the surface facing the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt, the second nip-forming member extending in a direction orthogonal to a rotating direction of the fixing belt,
• wherein both ends of the second nip-forming member on an upstream side and a downstream side of the rotating direction of the fixing belt are bent in a direction away from the nipping part, in order to create a pair of side-wall portions, so that the second nip-forming member has a concave cross-section, and
• wherein the second nip-forming member has a restraining portion at a position located on the side-wall portion created on the upstream side of the rotating direction of the fixing belt, the restraining portion being configured to restrain the first nip-forming member not to be detached from the concave cross-section.