Patent ID: 9298146
Filing Date: 2016-03-29
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. A fixing device comprising: a rotatable fixing member formed as an endless belt; a heat source to heat the fixing member; a nip-forming member being not rotatable and arranged inside the fixing member; and a pressure member arranged outside the fixing member so as to face the nip-forming member, the pressure member forming a nip between the pressure member and the fixing member, wherein the fixing device causes a recording medium bearing an unfixed image to pass through the nip to fix the unfixed image to the recording medium, the nip-forming member is formed of a first heat transmission unit and a sheet, the first heat transmission unit includes an abutting part abutting the fixing member with the sheet therebetween, and a bent part or bent parts extending inside the fixing member at upstream or upstream and downstream of the nip in a transport direction of the recording medium, and a retaining part to catch and retain the sheet is provided at a tip of at least the bent part at upstream of the nip in the transport direction of the recording medium.