FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME

摘要

A fixing device includes a first rotator, a second rotator pressed against the first rotator, and a heater to heat the first rotator. The heater includes an elongated substrate extending in an axial direction of the first rotator, a heat generator disposed on a surface of the substrate facing the first rotator, at a position downstream in a rotational direction of the first rotator, a plurality of first conduction paths connected to the heat generator and grounded downstream of the heat generator in the rotational direction of the first rotator, and a second conduction path on which the plurality of first conduction paths are grounded. The heat generator has a heat-generating area divided into a plurality of sub-heat-generating areas in the axial direction of the first rotator. The plurality of sub-heat-generating areas are grounded on the second conduction path via the plurality of first conduction paths.

主权项

1. A fixing device for fixing an unfixed toner image formed on a recording medium onto the recording medium under heat and pressure in a fixing nip, the fixing device comprising:
a first rotator; a second rotator pressed against the first rotator to form the fixing nip; and a heater to contact and heat the first rotator, the heater including:
an elongated substrate extending in an axial direction of the first rotator;a heat generator disposed on a surface of the substrate facing the first rotator, at a position downstream in a rotational direction of the first rotator;a plurality of first conduction paths connected to the heat generator and grounded downstream of the heat generator in the rotational direction of the first rotator; anda second conduction path on which the plurality of first conduction paths are grounded,the heat generator has a heat-generating area divided into a plurality of sub-heat-generating areas in the axial direction of the first rotator,the plurality of sub-heat-generating areas grounded on the second conduction path via the plurality of first conduction paths.