Fixing device and image forming apparatus

摘要

A fixing device includes a heating source, a pressing member, a heating member, a nip pressure switching mechanism, a separating member and a restricting piece. The pressing member comes in pressure-contact with the heating member and forms a fixing nip. The nip pressure switching mechanism moves the pressing member between a first position and a second position. The separating member is movable between a separating position where the separating member is in contact with the heating member or faces the heating member and a cleaning position separated away from the heating member farther than the separating position. The restricting piece restricts the movement of the separating member under a state where the pressing member is at the first position and permits the movement of the separating member under a state where the pressing member is at the second position.

主权项

1. A fixing device comprising:
a heating source; a heating member configured to be heated by the heating source; a pressing member configured to come in pressure-contact with the heating member and to form a fixing nip between the heating member and the pressing member; a nip pressure switching mechanism configured to move the pressing member between a first position where the fixing nip is set to have a first pressure and a second position where the fixing nip is set to have a second pressure smaller than the first pressure; a separating member configured to be movable between a separating position where the separating member is in contact with the heating member or faces the heating member at intervals and a cleaning position separated away from the heating member farther than the separating position; a restricting piece configured to restrict the movement of the separating member from the separating position to the cleaning position under a state where the pressing member is positioned at the first position and to permit the movement of the separating member from the separating position to the cleaning position under a state where the pressing member is positioned at the second position; and a case body including a heating member supporting part configured to rotatably support the heating member and a pressing member supporting part configured to rotatably support the pressing member and to be turnably supported by the heating member supporting part, wherein the pressing member is configured to be moved between the first position and the second position with a turning of the pressing member supporting part relative to the heating member supporting part, wherein the nip pressure switching mechanism includes a driving source; an actuating member configured to be turned by a driving power from the driving source; and an elastic member arranged between the actuating member and the pressing member supporting part, wherein the restricting piece is integrated with the actuating member, wherein the restricting piece includes a facing part protruding from an inner surface of the actuating member and facing the separating member; and a reinforcement part protruding from the inner surface of the actuating member and coupled to the facing part; wherein a protruding length of the reinforcement part from the inner surface of the actuating member is shorter than a protruding length of the facing part from the inner surface of the actuating member.