Fixing device, image forming apparatus and fixing method

Abstract

There is provided a fixing device for fixing a toner image formed on a surface of a recording medium by toner, wherein the toner includes a releasing agent and satisfies Ta<Tb, where Ta (° C.) represents a melting point of the releasing agent and Tb (° C.) represents a temperature at which an elastic modulus of the toner is 1×104 Pa, the fixing device includes a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion in this order along a conveyance direction of the recording medium, the first fixing portion presses and heats the toner image such that a maximum temperature T13 (° C.) of the surface of the recording medium satisfies Ta≦T13<Tb, and the second fixing portion presses and heats the toner image such that a maximum temperature T23 (° C.) of the surface of the recording medium satisfies T23≧Tb.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.