Fixing device with a plurality of core bodies and image forming apparatus including the same

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming section including at least one image bearing member bearing a toner image thereon;
• a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image formed on the image bearing member onto a recording medium;
• and
• a fixing device configured to fix the toner image on the recording medium, the toner image having been transferred onto the recording medium by the transfer unit,
• wherein the fixing device includes
• a coil disposed along an outer surface of a heating member and configured to generate magnetic flux for heating the heating member through induction heating;
• and
• a core unit being configured to constitute a part of a magnetic path around the coil,
• wherein the core unit includes
• a plurality of core bodies arranged in a width direction of the recording medium to be conveyed, the core bodies being made of magnetic material;
• and
• a shaft having an outer surface on which the plurality of core bodies are arranged, the outer surface being longer than a sum of lengths of the plurality of core bodies arranged on the outer surface, the core body lengths including axial tolerances of the plurality of core bodies
• wherein a gap is provided between any adjacent ones of the plurality of core bodies arranged on the shaft, and
• wherein the gap is located in or around a center of a sheet passing region of a recording medium having a minimum printable size.

A fixing device that fixes an image on a recording medium, the fixing device comprising:

• a coil disposed along an outer surface of a heating member and configured to generate magnetic flux for heating the heating member through induction heating;
• and
• a core unit being configured to constitute a part of a magnetic path around the coil,
• wherein the core unit includes
• a plurality of core bodies arranged in a width direction of the recording medium to be conveyed, the core bodies being made of magnetic material;
• and
• a shaft having an outer surface on which the plurality of core bodies are arranged, a length of the outer surface being longer than a sum of lengths of the plurality of core bodies arranged on the outer surface, the core body lengths including axial tolerances of the plurality of core bodies,
• wherein a gap is provided between any adjacent ones of the plurality of core bodies arranged on the shaft, and
• wherein the gap is provided with an elastic member in contact with the adjacent core bodies.