Patent ID: 9459567
Filing Date: 2016-10-04
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. A fixing device that fixes a toner image carried on a sheet-shaped recording medium onto the sheet-shaped recording medium, the fixing device comprising: a fixing member that relatively moves, with a surface thereof being in contact with the toner image during a fixing operation, in a first direction with respect to the sheet-shaped recording medium; a surface information detecting device that determines surface information of the fixing member including information on a flaw formed on the surface of the fixing member; a surface condition changing device that is contactable with and separable from the fixing member and that abrades the surface of the fixing member in contact with the surface condition changing device; and a surface condition changing controller that controls contact and separation of the surface condition changing device with and from the fixing member based on a detection result obtained by the surface information detecting device.