Patent ID: 8412083

Claim:
A fixing device for thermally fixing a developer image transferred onto a recording sheet, comprising: a tubular fusing film; a heating element disposed inside the fusing film; a nip plate disposed in such a manner as to contact with an inner surface of the fusing film and to allow the fusing film to slide along the nip plate; a reflecting plate configured to reflect radiant heat from the heating element in a direction toward the nip plate; a backup member configured to nip the fusing film with the nip plate to thereby form a nip portion for the recording sheet between the fusing film and the backup member; and a stay configured to support both end portions of the nip plate located in positions upstream and downstream, respectively, with respect to a recording sheet conveyance direction, wherein the reflecting plate has at least one flange portion extending along the recording sheet conveyance direction, and the at least one flange portion is held and supported between the nip plate and the stay, wherein the stay is non-continuously in contact with the at least one flange portion along a recording sheet width direction, and wherein an area of contacting parts between the reflecting plate and the stay is smaller than that of non-contacting parts.