Patent ID: 8805259
Filing Date: 2014-08-12
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A fixing device comprising: a heating rotating body driven by a motor; a pressing member; a biasing unit configured to place the pressing member and the heating rotating body in a first state by pressing the pressing member and the heating rotating body together with a biasing force so as to form a nip through which a recording sheet with a toner image formed thereon passes; a switching unit configured to receive rotational power of the motor in order to switch the pressing member and the heating rotating body from the first state to a second state, in which the pressing member and the heating rotating body are not in contact, by separating the pressing member and the heating rotating body from each other in resistance to the biasing force of the biasing unit, and to switch the pressing member and the heating rotating body from the second state to the first state by allowing the biasing force of the biasing unit to press the pressing member and the heating rotating body together; a power transmission mechanism configured to transmit the rotational power of the motor to the switching unit; and a power transmission targeting unit configured to switch a target of the transmission of the rotational power of the motor between the heating rotating body and the switching unit in accordance with whether the motor rotates in a normal direction or a reverse direction, wherein the power transmission mechanism uses one of a first transmission path and a second transmission path for the transmission of rotational power, a reduction ratio of the first transmission path being larger than a reduction ratio of the second transmission path, and the power transmission targeting unit includes a path selection unit configured to select the first transmission path when the switching unit switches the pressing member and the heating rotating body from the first state to the second state and to select the second transmission path when the switching unit switches the pressing member and the heating rotating body from the second state to the first state.