Patent ID: 7149463

Claim:
A fixing device, incorporated in an image forming apparatus and operable to fix a toner image on a recording medium, the fixing device comprising: a first rotative member and a second rotative member, forming a nip portion therebetween, at which the toner image is fixed on the recording medium; and a separator, which separates the recording medium, which has been passed through the nip portion, from one of the first rotative member and the second rotative member, the separator comprising a first guide face extending in a first direction to guide the separated recording medium to an inlet of a subsequent stage of the image forming apparatus, the first guide face provided with a rib extending in the first direction, wherein: the separator further comprises a second guide face disposed in the vicinity of one of the first rotative member and the second rotative member to separate the recording medium therefrom; and the second guide face extends in a second direction which is different from the first direction and continues to the first guide face.