FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

摘要

A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and a pressure rotator pressed against a nip formation pad via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. The nip formation pad includes an increased thermal conduction portion having an increased thermal conductivity and a decreased thermal conduction portion having a decreased thermal conductivity and being inboard from the increased thermal conduction portion in the axial direction of the fixing rotator. The increased thermal conduction portion is disposed opposite a non-conveyance span of the fixing rotator where the recording medium is not conveyed and includes an inboard edge inboard from a lateral edge of the recording medium toward a center of the recording medium in the axial direction of the fixing rotator by a predetermined first distance.

主权项

1. A fixing device comprising:
a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation; at least one heater disposed opposite the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator; a nip formation pad disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator; and a pressure rotator pressed against the nip formation pad via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, the fixing nip through which a recording medium is conveyed, the nip formation pad including:
an increased thermal conduction portion having an increased thermal conductivity to conduct heat in a thickness direction of the nip formation pad perpendicular to an axial direction of the fixing rotator; anda decreased thermal conduction portion having a decreased thermal conductivity to conduct heat in the thickness direction of the nip formation pad and being inboard from the increased thermal conduction portion in the axial direction of the fixing rotator,the increased thermal conduction portion disposed opposite a non-conveyance span of the fixing rotator where the recording medium is not conveyed and including an inboard edge inboard from a lateral edge of the recording medium toward a center of the recording medium in the axial direction of the fixing rotator by a predetermined first distance.