| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fixing device capable of decreasing belt skew and preventing cold offset and hot offset as well as shortening warm-up time and reducing power consumption, and to provide an image forming apparatus. SOLUTION: The fixing device 4 includes: at least two support members 21; an endless belt 22 wound around the support members 21 in such a manner as to be supported movable in the direction of its circumference; a heat source 23 for heating the belt 22; and a pressure member 24 disposed in firm contact with the belt 22. Of the trained sections 29 and 30 of the belt 22 trained between the support members 21, the one trained section 29 is trained tautly and the other trained section 30 is trained untautly. The pressure member 24 is disposed in contact with the outside of the tautly trained section 29, to form a fixing nip area 28 between them. The heat source 23 imparts the fixing nip area 28 a temperature gradient so that its temperature decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side in the direction of the conveyance of the recording medium X. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
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