Patent ID: 8737878

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing device removably installable in the image forming apparatus, the fixing device including a rotary fixing member to thermally fuse a toner image on a recording medium, a fixing frame to directly or indirectly support the rotary fixing member, and an outer fixing cover provided separate from the fixing frame so as to cover the rotary fixing member and the fixing frame and have an opening from which a portion of a surface of the rotary fixing member is exposed to the outside of the fixing device; a temperature detector disposed opposing the rotary fixing member to detect a temperature of the surface of the rotary fixing member without contacting the rotary fixing member when the rotary fixing member is installed in the image forming apparatus; a support member supporting the temperature detector to introduce the temperature detector into the inside of the outer fixing cover through the opening of the outer fixing cover upon installation of the rotary fixing member in the image forming apparatus; an apparatus-side cover to cover the opening from the outside of the outer fixing cover, the apparatus-side cover is supported by the image forming apparatus, biased in a direction opposite a direction in which the fixing device is installed in the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus-side cover is configured to contact the outer fixing cover to cover the opening with the fixing device being installed in the image forming apparatus, wherein the support member is fixed to the image forming apparatus and biased in the direction opposite the direction in which the fixing device is installed in the image forming apparatus, and the support member is configured to be pressed against the fixing frame with the fixing device installed in the image forming apparatus.