Fixing device, fixing method and image forming apparatus

A fixing device for applying at least heat and a pressure to a recording material on which toner is carried in a shape of an image pattern to form an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording material to thereby obtain a toner image, the fixing device comprising;

• a heating and temporarily fixing unit that applies at least heat to the unfixed toner image formed on the recording material to soften or melt the toner of the unfixed toner image into a state of being able to be deformed by an external force;
• an image gloss control unit composed of at least one pair of rotating bodies adapted to be rotated while being in press-contact with each other to form a pressing nip portion, and serving to insert the recording material in which the toner of the unfixed toner image is maintained in the state of being able to be deformed by an external force into the pressing nip portion to thereby press and flow the toner, such that, while the toner is maintained in the state of being able to be deformed by the external force by the heating and temporarily fixing unit, the image gloss control unit pressing the toner in a nonheating manner to flow the toner;
• and
• wherein at least one of the at least one pair of rotating bodies is constituted of at least a base layer and a releasing layer, and an elastic body layer is further formed between the base layer and the releasing layer, and a surface hardness control layer is provided between the elastic body and the releasing layer.

A fixing device for applying at least heat and a pressure to a recording material on which toner is carried in a shape of an image pattern to form an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording material to thereby obtain a toner image, the fixing device comprising:

• a heating and temporarily fixing unit that applies at least heat to the unfixed toner image formed on the recording material to soften or melt the toner of the unfixed toner image into a state of being able to be deformed by an external force;
• and
• an image gloss control unit that, while the toner is maintained in the state of being able to be deformed by the external force by the heating and temporarily fixing unit, presses the toner in a nonheating manner to flow the toner,
• wherein a heat insulating structure against the outside air is adopted between the heating and temporarily fixing unit and the image gloss control unit.

A fixing device for applying at least heat and a pressure to a recording material on which toner is carried in a shape of an image pattern to form an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording material to thereby obtain a toner image, the fixing device comprising:

• a heating and temporarily fixing unit that applies at least heat to the unfixed toner image formed on the recording material to soften or melt the toner of the unfixed toner image into a state of being able to be deformed by an external force;
• an image gloss control unit that, while the toner is maintained in the state of being able to be deformed by the external force by the heating and temporarily fixing unit, presses the toner in a nonheating manner to flow the toner;
• and
• a heat holding device that holds heat between the heating and temporarily fixing unit and the image gloss control unit.