Patent ID: 8503905

Claim:
A fixing device, comprising: a flexible endless fixing member configured to move in a designated direction and heat a toner image so as to melt the toner image; a metal member fixedly provided so as to face an internal circumferential surface of the fixing member with a clearance and configured to heat the fixing member, the metal member being heated by a heating member; and a pressing member configured to press and contact the fixing member so as to form a nip part where a recording medium is conveyed, wherein “A” is equal to or less than “B max ” and greater than “B ave ” (“B max ”≧“A”>“B ave ”), where “A” represents an amount of a clearance at the time of normal temperature between the fixing member and the metal member, “B max ” represents a maximum amount of deformation generated in the metal member when heating is started by the heating member from a normal temperature state, and “B ave ” represents an amount of stable deformation generated in the metal member when the temperature of the entire metal member becomes even.