Patent ID: 8843016

Claim:
A fixing device comprising: a first rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation; a movable unit disposed opposite the first rotary body and movable with respect to the first rotary body, the movable unit including: a second rotary body rotatable in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of the first rotary body; and an airflow guide spaced apart from an outer circumferential surface of the second rotary body with a constant first interval therebetween; an airflow generator to generate airflow; an intake duct, disposed opposite the outer circumferential surface of the second rotary body, through which the airflow generated by the airflow generator impinges on the outer circumferential surface of the second rotary body; an exhaust duct disposed opposite the outer circumferential surface of the second rotary body and interposed between the airflow guide and the intake duct in the direction of rotation of the second rotary body, the exhaust duct through which the airflow reflected by the second rotary body travels and including a guide wall spaced apart from the outer circumferential surface of the second rotary body with a variable second interval therebetween; and a moving assembly connected to the movable unit to move the second rotary body and the airflow guide between a first position and a second position, the first position where the second rotary body contacts the first rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image is conveyed and the constant first interval is smaller than the variable second interval to cause the airflow guide to guide the airflow reflected by the second rotary body to the exhaust duct, the second position where the second rotary body is isolated from the first rotary body and the constant first interval is equivalent to the variable second interval to cause the guide wall of the exhaust duct to guide the airflow reflected by the second rotary body to the exhaust duct.