Patent ID: 8364062
Filing Date: 2013-01-29
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A fixing roller used for a fixing unit, wherein the fixing unit has a heating roller and a pressing roller arranged pressably against the heating roller, and heats and presses a recording medium that holds an unfixed toner image on a surface thereof while nipping and conveying the recording medium between the heating roller and the pressing roller to thereby fix a toner image onto the recording medium, wherein the fixing roller is at least one of the heating roller and the pressing roller that is replaceably supported in the fixing unit along an axial direction of the fixing roller, and the fixing roller comprises a sliding member that is formed integrally to an inside of the fixing roller, wherein the sliding member slides on an outer circumference of a roller guiding shaft that is inserted into and removed from the fixing roller upon replacing the fixing roller, and wherein an assisting unit connecting member, to which an assisting unit for removing the fixing roller is removably attachable, is provided at a leading edge portion of the fixing roller in a removal direction, and the sliding member is arranged near an opening of the fixing roller opposing to the assisting unit connecting member, and wherein the assisting unit connecting member comprises: a cutout through which a nipping piece arranged on the assisting unit is inserted; a rotation allowing portion that is communicatively connected to the cutout and allows the nipping piece insertable through the cutout to be rotated by a predetermined angle; and a stopping portion that stops rotation of the nipping piece when the nipping piece abuts to an end of the rotation allowing portion .