Patent ID: 8095056

Claim:
A pressure-applying device for use in an apparatus, the pressure-applying device comprising: a unit body swingably supported by an apparatus body; a roller rotatably supported by the unit body; a driving unit that applies driving force via a drive-force transmitting unit to rotate the roller; an opposing member arranged opposite to the roller, the roller and the opposing member being configured to have a transfer belt and a transfer sheet pass between the roller and the opposing member such that a transfer point is formed between the roller and the opposing member where an image is transferred from the transfer belt to the transfer sheet; and a pressure-applying unit that applies a bias force that causes the unit body to swing and applies pressure application force that causes the roller to come in pressure contact with the opposing member, wherein a swinging center of the unit body is set at a position distinct from the drive-force transmitting unit, a direction of action of the driving force substantially coincides with a line joining the swinging center and a pressure application point at which the pressure application force is applied, and a direction of action of the pressure application force is substantially orthogonal to the direction of action of the driving force.