Patent ID: 8918041

Claim:
A fixing device, comprising: a flexible fuser belt looped into a generally cylindrical configuration, the belt configured to rotate; a heater configured to emit infrared radiation for heating the fuser belt; a stationary tubular belt holder inside the loop of the fuser belt and surrounding the heater, the belt holder configured to retain a shape of the fuser belt during rotation, the belt holder including at least one infrared-transmissive portion in a shape of a chord between two points along the fuser belt such that a gap is formed between the infrared-transmissive portion and the fuser belt, the infrared-transmissive portion configured to transmit at least a portion of the infrared radiation to the fuser belt; a stationary fuser pad inside the loop of the fuser belt; and a rotatable pressure member opposite the fuser pad with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member, the pressure member configured to press against the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium is conveyed under heat and pressure.