FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME

摘要

A fixing device includes a rotatable, endless fixing belt; a rotatable contact member configured to contact a circumferential surface of the fixing belt to form a nip in association with the fixing belt; and a heating member disposed at an interior surface of the fixing belt, configured to heat the fixing belt. The heating member includes a multiple heat sources arranged along the width of a sheet of recording media in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction. A controller changes an area to be heated by each heat source based on image data and corresponding to an unfixed image on the sheet. The fixing belt is heated by the heating member so that the unfixed image on the sheet that has been conveyed to the nip is fixed onto the sheet at least with heat. The heating member is disposed at a portion other than the fixing nip.

主权项

1. A fixing device included in an image forming apparatus, comprising:
a rotatable, endless fixing belt; a rotatable contact member configured to contact a circumferential surface of the fixing belt to form a nip in association with the fixing belt; and a heating member disposed at an interior surface of the fixing belt and configured to heat the fixing belt, the heating member including a plurality of heat sources arranged along a width of the sheet in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction; and a controller that controls the heating member to change an area of the fixing belt to be heated by each heat source based on image data and corresponding to an unfixed image on the sheet, wherein the heating member is disposed at a portion of the fixing belt other than the portion of the fixing belt that forms the nip in conjunction with the contact member.