Patent ID: 8886103

Claim:
A fixing device comprising: an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation; a belt holder contacting and rotatably supporting each lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof; a first protection ring contactably disposed adjacent to each lateral end of the endless belt in the axial direction thereof; and a second protection ring contactably disposed adjacent to the first protection ring in the axial direction of the endless belt, the first protection ring and the second protection ring interposed between the endless belt and the belt holder in the axial direction of the endless belt and rotatable in accordance with rotation of the endless belt to protect each lateral end of the endless belt as the endless belt is skewed in the axial direction thereof and brought into contact with the first protection ring, wherein a friction coefficient between the first protection ring and the second protection ring is smaller than a friction coefficient between the first protection ring and the endless belt.