A pressure-applying device includes a pressure-applying portion that applies pressure to a pressure-receiving object and a pressing portion that presses the pressure-applying portion toward the pressure-receiving object, the pressing portion having a hardness higher than a hardness of the pressure-applying portion. The pressure-applying portion includes plural projections that project from a back surface of the pressure-applying portion that faces the pressing portion toward a pressing surface of the pressing portion that faces the pressure-applying portion.

A fixing device includes a fixing belt stretched taut around a plurality of supports, a pressure rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure rotator, a belt polishing mechanism to polish the fixing belt. The belt polishing mechanism includes a polishing roller to separably contact the fixing belt and slide over the surface of the fixing belt when the polishing roller is pressed against the fixing belt, a contact and separation driver to press and separate the polishing roller to and from the fixing belt, an opposed member disposed opposite the polishing roller via the fixing belt and configured to form a polishing nip with the fixing belt, and a polishing roller rotation mechanism to rotate the polishing roller. The polishing roller rotation mechanism includes a first rotator disposed coaxially with the polishing roller and a second rotator disposed coaxially with the opposed member.

A pressure-applying device includes a pressure-applying portion that applies pressure to a pressure-receiving object and a pressing portion that presses the pressure-applying portion toward the pressure-receiving object, the pressing portion having a hardness higher than a hardness of the pressure-applying portion. The pressure-applying portion includes plural projections that project from a back surface of the pressure-applying portion that faces the pressing portion toward a pressing surface of the pressing portion that faces the pressure-applying portion.

A pair of pressure members are disposed at both ends of a pressure roller and rotatably support the pressure roller to press the pressure roller against a fixing roller including an elastic layer via a fixing belt. One of the pressure members that includes a fulcrum engaging section engaged with a rotation fulcrum at one end and is locked to a biasing member at a side opposite to the fulcrum engaging section is moved by a moving member in a direction intersecting a pressing direction of the pressure roller in a state where deformation of the elastic layer is regulated. Thus, a force acting on a fixing nip formed by the deformation of the elastic layer of the fixing roller is stabilized. As a result, the traveling performance of the fixing belt is stabilized, whereby the offset control can be performed with high accuracy.

A fuser has a heater, a heat roller, an endless belt, a pressure pad, and a slidable sheet. The pressure pad forms a nipping portion to nip the endless belt between the pressure pad and the heat roller. The slidable sheet is interposed between an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and the pressure pad in the nipping portion. The slidable sheet includes a plurality of dents and a plurality of projections on a surface contacting the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The plurality of dents are arranged in a first part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The first part is located in a range corresponding to the nipping portion. The plurality of projections are arranged in a second part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The second part is located in a range corresponding to a portion different from the nipping portion.

A fixing belt is heated by a heater in contact with an inner circumferential face through a lubricant while rotating about an axis. The fixing belt includes: a belt body formed in a tubular shape; a plurality of oil repellent portions formed on an inner circumferential face of the belt body, each having a surface free energy lower than that of the lubricant to repel the lubricant; and a plurality of oil nonrepellent portions formed on the inner circumferential face of the belt body, each having a surface free energy higher than that of the lubricant to hold the lubricant. The oil repellent portions and the oil nonrepellent portions extend in a circumferential direction of the belt body and are alternately arranged in an axial direction of the belt body.

A fixing belt is heated by a heater in contact with an inner circumferential face through a lubricant while rotating about an axis. The fixing belt includes: a belt body formed in a tubular shape; a plurality of oil repellent portions formed on an inner circumferential face of the belt body, each having a surface free energy lower than that of the lubricant to repel the lubricant; and a plurality of oil nonrepellent portions formed on the inner circumferential face of the belt body, each having a surface free energy higher than that of the lubricant to hold the lubricant. The oil repellent portions and the oil nonrepellent portions extend in a circumferential direction of the belt body and are alternately arranged in an axial direction of the belt body.

There is provided a fuser including: a cylindrical member; an endless belt; a pressing member; a pressing roller; and a lateral guide contacting a lateral end of the endless belt. A part of an outer circumferential surface of the pressing roller is located on a downstream of the second nip area in a first direction. A guide surface of the lateral guide has: a first guide surface located on an opposite side to the pressing roller with respect to a virtual plane including the center of a first nip area and the center of rotation of the cylindrical member, and a second guide surface located on a side of the pressing roller with respect to the virtual plane, located on the downstream side of the rotation axis of the pressing roller in the first direction, and arranged on a same plane as the first guide surface.

A fusing apparatus includes: a pressing roller to be axially rotated; a fusing belt to rotate by receiving a rotational force from the pressing roller; a pressing member to press toward the pressing roller from the inside of the fusing belt to form a nip in which the printing paper is nipped between the fusing belt and the pressing roller; on the fusing belt or the pressing member, a sliding layer to reduce friction between the fusing belt and the pressing member; and an adhesive layer to adhere the sliding layer to the fusing belt or the pressing member.

A fixing device includes a heat generating member, an endless belt, and a heat conductive member that contacts the heat generating member in a first region. A positioning portion is provided at an end portion of the heat conductive member, so as to extend in a direction in which the positioning portion is spaced apart from the heat generating member. A supporting member is provided with a first opening at a position corresponding to a second region of the heat generating member, and supports the heat generating member via the heat conductive member. An electrical power shut-off member, located in the first opening of the supporting member, shuts off electrical power supplied to the heat generating member. The positioning portion is inserted into the first opening of the supporting member to prevent movement of the heat conductive member.