Patent ID: 8849172

Claim:
A glossing device for processing a toner image on a recording medium, the device comprising: a first roller; a second roller parallel to the first roller; an endless rotary belt looped for rotation around the first and second rollers in a longitudinal, conveyance direction of the belt; a third roller opposite the first roller via the belt; a heater adjacent to the belt to heat the belt; the first and third rollers pressing against each other via the belt to form a nip therebetween through which the recording medium is conveyed to process a toner image under heat and pressure, the recording medium after passage through the nip remaining in contact with the belt as the belt moves from the first roller toward the second roller, and separating from the belt as the belt passes around the second roller; a belt cooler inside the loop of the belt downstream from the first roller and upstream from the second roller for cooling the belt, the belt cooler having a convex contact surface extending between upstream and downstream ends thereof in the conveyance direction of the belt to absorb heat from the belt; and a guide member inside the loop of the belt upstream from the contact surface of the belt cooler to guide the belt during rotation such that the belt comes into contact with the contact surface without contacting the upstream end of the belt cooler, wherein the guide member is an integral part of the belt cooler.