Fixing unit, image forming apparatus including the same, and method for separating recording medium

An image forming apparatus including a fixing unit, the fixing unit comprising:

• a heating member heated by a heat source;
• a pressing member pressed against the heating member to form a nip so as to fuse an unfixed toner image on a recording medium subjected to a fixing process;
• a casing that includes a supporting portion, wherein the casing rotatably supports the pressing member and the heating member;
• a separating member that includes a separation claw that separates the recording medium from a surface of the heating member by making contact with the surface of the heating member;
• a rotating unit rotates the separation claw such that the separation claw makes contact with the surface of the heating member, wherein the rotating unit includes an engaging portion and guide surfaces, and wherein at least part of the engaging portion is cylindrical in shape and an interval between the guide surfaces is smaller than a diameter of the engaging portion;
• an urging member including one end secured to the separating member and another end secured to the casing, wherein the urging member contracts to urge the separation claw toward the surface of the heating member;
• an engagement supporting portion that rotatably engages the engaging portion;
• and
• an insertion opening extending from the guide surface toward the engaging portion;
• wherein the insertion opening has an interval smaller than the diameter of the engaging portion and larger than the interval between the guide surfaces,
• wherein the separating member is configured to rotate and rotate the guide surfaces clockwise from a position facing the casing inner wall surfaces of the insertion opening by inserting the engaging portion into the insertion opening, and wherein the guide surfaces oppose the casing inner wall surfaces of the insertion opening to move the engaging portion to the engagement supporting portion,
• the rotating unit includes a first cylindrical shaft and a second cylindrical shaft such that the second cylindrical shaft extends from both ends of the first cylindrical shaft,
• wherein the second cylindrical shaft has at least one pair of opposing arc portions and at least one pair of flat portions with an interval smaller than a diameter of the first shaft,
• wherein when the first cylindrical shaft and the second cylindrical shaft are inserted into the insertion opening by using the flat portions as the guide surfaces:
• (1) the first cylindrical shaft reaches the engagement supporting portion while maintaining contact and with one of aligning to the casing inner wall surfaces of the insertion opening, and when the heating member is mounted on the casing, (2) the separating member rotates to bring part of the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical shaft and one of the arc portions of the second cylindrical shaft into engagement with the engagement supporting portion, and
• wherein a distance between a first engaging supporting portion and a second engagement supporting portion and a distance between one of the arc portions of the second cylindrical shaft and part of the outer circumferential surface of the first shaft corresponding to another arc portion of the second cylindrical shaft is substantially the same so that the engaging portion can rotate without making physical contact with similar to the first engagement supporting portion and the second engagement supporting portion.