Patent ID: 9310734
Filing Date: 2016-04-12
CPC Classification: B29C,G03G

Claim Text:
1. A fixing roller comprising: a rotary shaft rotatable about an axis extending along an axial direction; an elastic rubber layer that is provided at a circumference of the rotary shaft; and a fluorine resin tube that covers a circumference of the elastic rubber layer and includes creases, the creases formed in a mesh shape comprising: wherein an outer circumferential surface of the fluorine resin tube includes axial end portions to which the creases are provided, and a central portion provided between the axial end portions, the central portion being smoother than both axial end portions, wherein the creases are distributed over an entire area of both axial end portions of the fluorine resin tube, wherein an outer peripheral surface of the elastic rubber layer includes first portions, each of the first portions covered by a respective one of the axial end portions of the fluorine resin tube provided with the creases, and a second portion covered by the central portion of the fluorine resin tube, wherein the first portions of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic rubber layer are smoother than the axial end portions of the fluorine resin tube provided with the creases, and wherein the axial end portions of the fluorine resin tube are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, the predetermined distance being less than a width of a recording sheet, in the axial direction, that is to be conveyed by the fixing roller, the creases configured to contact the recording sheet.