Patent ID: 8204418
Filing Date: 2012-06-19
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A fixing device, comprising: a fixing member having at least first and second regions set in a direction orthogonal to a convey direction of a paper; a pressing member held in contact with the fixing member to form a nip area therebetween, the fixing member and the pressing member operable to sandwich the paper, on which a toner image has been formed, at the nip area and fix the toner image onto the paper, and a separation mechanism arranged on a downstream side of the fixing member in the convey direction of the paper and capable of stripping from the fixing member the paper that has undergone a fixing process, the separation mechanism including: a main body frame; a shaft supported on the main body frame and extending in the direction orthogonal to the convey direction; a support member supported on the shaft for rotation about an axis of the shaft; at least first and second separation member holders supported on the shaft for rotation about the axis of the shaft, each of the separation member holders having a holder main body and an extended portion extending from the holder main body; a first separation member attached to the holder main body of the first separation member holder and arranged opposite the first region of the fixing member in a state apart from the first region by a first gap, rotation of the first separation member holder about the axis of the shaft moving the first separation member toward or away from the fixing member; a second separation member attached to the holder main body of the second separation member holder and arranged opposite the second region of the fixing member in a state apart from the second region by a second gap and at a position substantially adjacent the first separation member in the direction orthogonal to the convey direction of the paper with a predetermined space between the first and second separation members, rotation of the second separation member holder about the axis of the shaft moving the second separation member toward or away from the fixing member; springs arranged between the support member and each of the separation member holders, the springs exerting biasing forces to urge the extended portion of the respective separation member holder toward the support member and to rotate the holder main body of the respective separation member holder toward the fixing member; a first gap adjustment screw rotatably supported by the support member and having a tip held in contact with the extended portion of the holder main body of the first separation member so that rotation of the first gap adjustment screw moves the tip and causes the first separation member to rotate around the shaft and relative to the first region of the fixing member to adjust the first gap; and a second gap adjustment screw rotatably supported by the support member and having a tip held in contact with the extended portion of the holder main body of the second separation member so that rotation of the first gap adjustment screw moves the tip and causes the second separation member to rotate around the shaft and relative to the second region of the fixing member to adjust the second gap.