FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fixing device capable of appropriately heating a fixing member in accordance with a recording medium varied in size by using a planar heating element, and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device.

SOLUTION: The fixing device includes: a fixing sleeve 21; a pressure roller 31; a contact member 26 contacting with the pressure roller 31 via the fixing sleeve 21 to form a nip; the planar heating element 22 having a heat generation sheet 22s which is kept flexibly in a predetermined shape contacting with the internal circumference face of the fixing sleeve 21, and bringing the heat generation sheet 22s into contact with the fixing sleeve 21 to heat the heat generation sheet 22s; and a contact condition regulating mechanism 32 supporting the heat generation sheet 22s in contact with the fixing sleeve 21 in the axial center and warping the heat generation sheet 22s to separate it from the fixing sleeve 21 at the axial end to regulate an abutment state between the fixing sleeve 21 and the heat generation sheet 22s in the axial direction of the fixing sleeve 21.

COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT