Patent ID: 8655246

Claim:
A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording medium, comprising: an endless belt-shaped fixing member formed into a loop and rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation; a nip formation member provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member; a pressing member provided outside the loop formed by the fixing member to press the fixing member against the nip formation member to form a nip between the pressing member and the fixing member through which the recording medium bearing the toner image passes; a heating assembly disposed facing a first region on an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member to heat the fixing member, the first region being other than the nip in a circumferential direction of the fixing member, the heating assembly thermally deformable to contact and move the fixing member; a first fixing member support disposed facing a second region on the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member other than the first region and extending inward a predetermined distance from one lateral edge of the fixing member toward a center of the fixing member in an axial direction of the fixing member; and a second fixing member support disposed facing the second region and extending inward a predetermined distance from another lateral edge of the fixing member toward the center of the fixing member in the axial direction of the fixing member, wherein, at least after the fixing device is warmed up, the first fixing member support and the second fixing member support contact and support the rotating fixing member moved by the thermally deformed heating assembly.