Patent ID: 8346150

Claim:
A fixing device for fixing an unfixed toner image on a recording medium, comprising: a heating member to apply heat to the unfixed toner image on the recording medium; an opposing member to contact the heating member to form a fixing nip between the heating member and the opposing member; a driver connected to at least one of the heating member and the opposing member to rotatively drive at least one of the heating member and the opposing member; and a sheet supplier provided upstream from the fixing nip in a sheet conveyance direction to supply and convey a sheet to the fixing nip, the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image being conveyed through a gap between the sheet and the opposing member at the fixing nip with a side of the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image facing the sheet, at least one of the rotating heating member and the rotating opposing member applying a driving force to the sheet supplied to the fixing nip while the sheet contacts the sheet supplier to apply tension to the sheet at a position upstream from the fixing nip in the sheet conveyance direction.