Patent ID: 7894734

Claim:
A fixing device for an image forming apparatus, the device comprising: a heating member disposed with an internal heating source and a pressuring member that presses against the heating member; brackets that retain the heating member; pressuring levers that retain the pressuring member and are movably supported in the brackets; urging means that push the pressuring levers in a direction where the pressuring member presses against the heating member; and tension adjusting means that are rotatably supported in the brackets, contact the pressuring levers, and adjust the pressuring force of the pressuring member, wherein the fixing device is attachable to and detachable from the image forming apparatus body; wherein a first gear rotates the tension adjusting means, and the gear meshes with a second gear disposed in the image forming apparatus when the fixing device is attached to the image forming apparatus, wherein the fixing device includes a first mode where the tension adjusting means do not contact the pressuring levers and a second mode where the tension adjusting means contact the pressuring levers and the pressuring levers move to a predetermined pressuring position, wherein in the first mode the pressuring member has a fixed load, and wherein in the second mode, the pressuring levers are fixedly displaced, wherein the first gear that rotates the tension adjusting means is fixed to a D-cut surface of a shaft, and an end portion of the shaft penetrating the first gear is supported in a bearing of the shaft.