Patent ID: 7917048
Filing Date: 2011-03-29
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A fixing device comprising: a fixing member that extends along a widthwise direction of a sheet conveyed and has an outer peripheral surface to be brought in pressure contact with the sheet; an induction coil that is placed elongate in the widthwise direction of the sheet along the fixing member, for inductively heating a heat generating layer of the fixing member; a high frequency power source section that heats the heat generating layer of the fixing member via the induction coil by supplying an alternating current to the induction coil; a magnetic flux regulating section that restricts heating of a specified region of the fixing member in the widthwise direction of the sheet; a first image region detecting section that detects an image region on the sheet occupied by an image to be fixed in the widthwise direction of the sheet; and a first control section that specifies a region in which generation of heat should be restricted for the magnetic flux regulating section so that only a region of the fixing member corresponding to the image region is substantially heated in the widthwise direction of the sheet, sheet-by-sheet according to a result of detection of the first image region detecting section; wherein the magnetic flux regulating section comprises: