Patent ID: 9618887
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: G03G

Claim:
1. A fixing device comprising: a fixing rotator, which is flexible and tubular, the flexible, tubular fixing rotator being rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation; an opposed rotator disposed opposite the flexible, tubular fixing rotator; a nip formation pad to press against the opposed rotator via the flexible, tubular fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the flexible, tubular fixing rotator and the opposed rotator, the fixing nip through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed; a fixing heater disposed opposite at least a conveyance span of the flexible, tubular fixing rotator in an axial direction thereof where the recording medium is conveyed to be heated by the flexible, tubular fixing rotator; a lateral end heater mounted on the nip formation pad and disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the flexible, tubular fixing rotator at a lateral end of the flexible, tubular fixing rotator in the axial direction thereof to heat the flexible, tubular fixing rotator; and a supplementary thermal conductor contacting the flexible, tubular fixing rotator and the lateral end heater, wherein the nip formation pad includes a nip formation face contacting the supplementary thermal conductor, wherein the lateral end heater includes a fixing rotator side face disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the flexible, tubular fixing rotator, the fixing rotator side face of the lateral end heater being formed along a same plane as the nip formation face of the nip formation pad in a pressurization direction in which the nip formation pad presses against the opposed rotator, wherein an entirety of the nip formation pad is provided within a recess of the supplementary thermal conductor, and wherein the fixing heater and the lateral end heater are separated in the pressurization direction in which the nip formation pad presses against the opposed rotator.