Patent ID: 7761044

Claim:
A fixing device for fixing a toner onto a recording medium on which an unfixed toner image is formed, said fixing device comprising: a heating roller; an endless belt to rotate around a pressure applying member, the pressure applying member having a recess portion on a surface thereof opposed to the heating roller when the pressure applying member is not pressed toward the heating roller, the pressure applying member comprising an elastic layer that presses the endless belt against the heating roller; a nip through which the recording medium is passed; and a low-friction member disposed between the endless belt and the pressure applying member, and provided along a moving direction of the recording medium, wherein a ratio of a radius of curvature of the recess portion in a transferring direction to a radius of curvature of an outer diameter of the heating roller is set to 1.1 or more, wherein a radius of curvature of the pressure applying member is larger than a radius of curvature of the heating roller, and wherein a pressure distribution on the nip in the transferring direction has a protrusion shape with a peak at a nip centerline.