| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fixing apparatus capable of preventing the hardness of a heating member from increasing and capable of ensuring a predetermined or greater nip width between the heating member and a pressurizing member. SOLUTION: The fixing apparatus includes: a first roller member (heat roller 2) fixed at a prescribed position and rotated by a drive mechanism; a second roller member (pressurizing roller 3) having a shaft member, the second roller member being press-fitted against the heat roller 2 by a pressure applying mechanism 4 via a bearing member connected to the shaft member; an elastic layer 2b formed at least at one of the heat roller 2 and the pressurizing roller 3; a conductive layer 2c formed outside of the elastic layer; an inductive heating device 6 including a coil, the inductive heating device supplying inductive heating to the conductive layer by a magnetic field generated from the coil, thereby heating the conductive layer; and a hardness change detecting mechanism which detects expansion of an outer circumference face of the heat roller 2 or the pressurizing roller 3 due to thermal expansion caused by the inductive heating, thereby detecting a hardness change of the heat roller 2 or the pressurizing roller 3. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
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