Fixing device and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus including a fixing device that performs fixing a toner image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming portion that forms the toner image on the sheet that is transported;
• a sheet transporting portion that transports the sheet so as to follow a sheet transporting path in which the sheet passes through the image forming portion and the fixing device, and passes through the image forming portion and the fixing device again by being reversed;
• and
• the fixing device comprising:
• a pair of fixing members that contacts each other at a contact region, rotates in a direction opposite to each other or circularly moves in a direction opposite to each other, transports the sheet which holds the toner image, and fixes the toner image on the sheet by heating and pressing the sheet during passing through the contact region;
• and
• a blocking member that blocks an air flow along at least one of the pair of the fixing member, the air flow flowing from a sheet outlet port side of the contact region to a sheet inlet side of the contact region, and the air flow being generated due to the rotation or the circular movement of the pair of the fixing members,
• wherein an angle between a surface plane of the blocking member on an upstream side of the air flow and a tangential plane of the fixing member at an intersection of the surface plane and a surface of the fixing member is an obtuse angle, the tangential plane being a half plane divided by the intersection and extending from the intersection toward the upstream side of the air flow.

A fixing device for an image forming apparatus, the fixing device comprising:

• a pair of fixing members that contacts each other at a contact region, transports a sheet which holds a toner image and fixes the toner image on the sheet by heat;
• a guide member that guides the sheet toward the contact region;
• a support member that supports a guide member;
• and
• a blocking member that extends from at least one of the support member and the guide member toward one of the fixing members, the blocking member blocking an air flow generated due to the rotation or the circular movement of the pair of the fixing members,
• wherein an angle between a surface plane of the blocking member on an upstream side of the air flow and a tangential plane of at least one of the fixing members at an intersection of the surface plane and a surface of the at least one of the fixing members is an obtuse angle, the tangential plane being a half plane divided by the intersection and extending from the intersection toward the upstream side of the air flow.