Fixing device

A fixing device for fixing a toner image carried on a recording material to the recording material, the fixing device comprising:

• an endless and rotatable belt;
• a rotating member configured to rotate in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt;
• a pad member disposed inside the belt so as to nip the belt between itself and the rotating member and form a nip portion for nipping and conveying the recording material between the belt and the rotating member;
• and
• a sliding member disposed between the pad member and the belt, and configured to contact and slide together with an inner peripheral surface of the belt in the nip portion;
• and
• a heating roller disposed inside the belt and configured to heat the belt,
• wherein the pad member includes a curved portion which is curved so as to directly contact the belt in a downstream side of the nip portion with respect to a conveyance direction of the recording material and curves the belt so as to separate the recording material passed through the nip portion from the belt,
• wherein the curved portion includes a first portion positioned in a downstream side, with respect to the conveyance direction, of a passing through region where a recording material with a maximum size passes through the nip portion and a second portion positioned in a downstream side, with respect to the conveyance direction, of a non-passing through region outside on the passing through region with respect to a widthwise direction, of the recording material, crossing the conveyance direction,
• wherein the pad member includes a contact portion which is provided in a downstream side of the nip portion with respect to a conveyance direction of the recording material so as to be discontinuous to a downstream end of the nip portion, and
• wherein when a direction perpendicular to each of the conveyance direction and the widthwise direction is defined as a pressing direction in which the recording material is pressed by the nip portion and a distance from a downstream end of the nip portion to the contact portion is defined as a distance in the pressing direction, a distance of the second portion in the pressing direction is shorter than a distance of the first portion in the pressing direction.

A fixing device for fixing a toner image carried on a recording material to the recording material, the fixing device comprising:

• an endless and rotatable belt;
• a rotating member configured to rotate in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt;
• a pad member disposed inside the belt so as to nip the belt between itself and the rotating member and form a nip portion for nipping and conveying the recording material between the belt and the rotating member;
• and
• a sliding member disposed between the pad member and the belt, and configured to contact and slide together with an inner peripheral surface of the belt in the nip portion;
• and
• a heating roller disposed inside the belt and configured to heat the belt,
• wherein the pad member includes a contact portion which is provided in a downstream side of the nip portion with respect to a conveyance direction of the recording material so as to be discontinuous to a downstream end of the nip portion, and brings the sliding member into contact with belt or directly contacts the belt,
• wherein a separation portion which curves the belt so as to separate the recording material passed through the nip portion from the belt is constituted by the downstream end of the nip portion and the contact portion,
• wherein the separation portion includes a first portion positioned in a downstream side, with respect to the conveyance direction, of a passing through region where a recording material with a maximum size passes through the nip portion and a second portion positioned in a downstream side, with respect to the conveyance direction, of a non-passing through region outside on the passing through region with respect to a widthwise direction, of the recording material, crossing the conveyance direction, and
• wherein when a direction perpendicular to each of the conveyance direction and the widthwise direction is defined as a pressing direction in which the recording material is pressed by the nip portion and a distance from a downstream end of the nip portion to the contact portion is defined as a distance in the pressing direction, a distance of the second portion in the pressing direction is shorter than a distance of the first portion in the pressing direction.