Patent ID: 8488981

Claim:
A fixing device comprising: an electromagnetic induction heating member including a coil that is powered by application of an alternating voltage and generates an alternating magnetic flux by an alternating current passing therethrough; a fixing member including a fixing sleeve provided with a heating layer that is heated by action of the alternating magnetic flux generated by the coil, a heat-insulating elastic layer located on inner circumference side of the fixing sleeve, and a conductive thin-film layer provided to the heat-insulating elastic layer; a pressure member that presses against the fixing member to form a fixing nip between the fixing member and the pressure member, such that an unfixed toner image is fixed on a recording medium conveyed to the fixing nip by heat from the fixing sleeve provided with the heating layer heated by the magnetic flux generated by the coil and pressure applied to the fixing member by the pressure member; and a damage detecting unit that detects electric resistance of the thin-film layer, wherein the damage detecting unit detects a change in the electric resistance of the thin-film layer to detect damage to the fixing member, and the fixing device changes a condition of conveyance of the recording medium to the fixing nip if the damage detecting unit detects damage to the fixing member.