Patent ID: 7024148
Filing Date: 2006-04-04
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A fixing device for applying at least heat and a pressure to a recording material on which toner is carried in a shape of an image pattern to form an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording material to thereby obtain a toner image, the fixing device comprising: a heating and temporarily fixing unit that applies at least heat to the unfixed toner image formed on the recording material to soften or melt the toner of the unfixed toner image into a state of being able to be deformed by an external force; and an image gloss control unit composed of at least one pair of rotating bodies adapted to be rotated while being in press-contact with each other to form a pressing nip portion, and serving to insert the recording material in which the toner of the unfixed toner image is maintained in the state of being able to be deformed by an external force into the pressing nip portion to thereby press and flow the toner, such that, while the toner is maintained in the state of being able to be deformed by the external force by the heating and temporarily fixing unit, the image gloss control unit pressing the toner in a nonheating manner to flow the toner, the image gloss control unit including a cooling unit that maintains surface temperatures of the at least one pair of rotating bodies at a predetermined temperature or lower.