A fixing device includes a film forming a cylinder, a heater, a thermometer, and a series of contact portions. The heater extends within the cylinder and includes a heating element that extends in a longitudinal direction along the cylinder. The thermometer detects a temperature of the cylinder. The plurality of contact portions contact an inner surface of the cylinder and are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. The contact portions include a first contact portion and a second contact portion. The first contact portion is longitudinally offset from the thermometer and has a first contact area with the cylinder. The second contact portion is longitudinally collocated with the thermometer and has a second contact area with the cylinder. The second contact area is smaller than the first contact area.

A fixation device according to one of embodiments includes a first and second fixation units. The first fixation unit includes: a first belt; a first pad with a first elastic layer; and a first roller provided downstream of the first pad in a conveyance direction of a medium. The second fixation unit includes: a second belt; a second pad including a second elastic layer and pressed against the first pad with the first and second belts interposed in between; and a second roller provided downstream of the second pad in the conveyance direction and pressed against the first roller with the first second belts interposed in between. A thickness of at least one of the first and second elastic layers is smaller on a downstream side in the conveyance direction than on an upstream side in the conveyance direction.

A fixing device includes a rotator, an endless belt, and a nip formation pad. The endless belt contacts the rotator and rotates in a direction of rotation. The nip formation pad contacts an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the rotator that presses the endless belt against the nip formation pad. The nip formation pad includes a slide layer, a base layer, and a lubricant holding layer. The slide layer contacts the endless belt. The base layer is disposed away from the endless belt. The lubricant holding layer is interposed between the slide layer and the base layer to hold a lubricant inside the lubricant holding layer and supply the lubricant to the slide layer. The slide layer has a porous structure including a plurality of through holes in a thickness direction of the slide layer.

A fixing device includes a first pressure structure, a second pressure structure, a fixing member, a first arm, a second arm, and an elastic member. The fixing member is disposed between the first and second pressure structures. The first arm is pivotable about a first shaft and includes a first pressing portion and a first connection portion. The second arm is pivotable about a second shaft and includes a second pressing portion and a second connection portion. The elastic member biases the first and second pressing portions toward each other. A first leverage ratio of a distance between the first shaft and the first connection portion to a distance between the first shaft and the first pressing portion is different from a second leverage ratio of a distance between the second shaft and the second connection portion to a distance between the second shaft and the second pressing portion.

A fixing device includes: a fixing belt with no ends configured to stretch rotatably; a heating unit configured to heat the fixing belt; a fixing member disposed outside the fixing belt and configured to be in contact with the fixing belt by pressurizing; a pressing member disposed inside the fixing belt and configured to press the fixing member with the fixing belt involved; and a lubricant supply unit configured to supply a lubricant to the inner periphery of the fixing belt so as to supply the lubricant between the pressing member and the fixing belt, wherein the lubricant supply unit is disposed inside the fixing belt, configured to hold the lubricant, and includes a holding unit provided with a lubricant ejection port having a longitudinal shape and extending along a width direction of the fixing belt.

An image heating apparatus a first rotatable member; a second rotatable member cooperative with the first rotatable member to form a heating nip; a first supporting plate supporting the second rotatable member; a second supporting plate rotatably supporting the second rotatable member; a heater unit including the second rotatable member, a heater configured to the heat the second rotatable member, a connector mounted to the heater by movement relative to the heater in a first direction, a stopper portion configured to stop the relative movement of the connector relative to the heater in the first direction, a blocking portion fixed on the first supporting plate. The blocking portion permits mounting of the heater unit with the connector being in the first position relative to the heater. The blocking portion prevents mounting of the heater unit with the connector being in the second position.

A fixing device includes a fixing roller heated to a predetermined temperature by a heater; a pressure belt in pressure contact with the fixing roller; and a pressing part which presses the pressure belt toward the fixing roller. The fixing device adopts a belt-nip system and fixes a toner image formed on a recording medium to the recording medium by heat and pressure while the recording medium is nipped and conveyed through a nip part. The nip part is formed by the fixing roller and the pressure belt and includes an adhesion nip and a separation nip. The pressing part includes a pressing member, a sheet member which covers the pressing surface of the pressing member along a conveying direction of the recording medium, and a pressing fluid which is filled at the adhesion nip between the pressing member and the sheet member.

A pressing device includes a first pressurization unit; a second pressurization unit that is provided to face the first pressurization unit, and sandwiches and pressurizes a medium moving in a contact region formed between the first pressurization unit and the second pressurization unit; and a contact region variable unit that changes a width dimension of the contact region along a moving direction of the medium in a state of maintaining a contact pressure on an outlet side of the contact region, in varying a contact state of the contact region.

A fixing device includes a roller member that rotates and a belt member including an endless belt that moves circularly while being in contact with the roller member, a pressing member that is disposed in a space enclosed by the endless belt and that presses the endless belt against the roller member on both a downstream side and an upstream side relative to a direction of rotation of the roller member, and a rotation hindering member that is disposed in the space enclosed by the endless belt and that hinders the pressing member from rotating as a result of receiving a reaction force. The roller member and the endless belt nip a sheet that has been transported while holding a toner image on the sheet and cause the sheet to pass between the roller member and the endless belt, so that the toner image is fixed onto the sheet.

A fixation apparatus includes a first belt without end, a second belt without end which is in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the first belt, a pressurization member which is provided inside the first belt and pressurizes a portion of contact between the first belt and the second belt toward the second belt, a drive roller which is provided inside the second belt along the portion of contact and rotationally drives the second belt, and a heating unit which heats at least one of the first belt and the second belt and provides heat to a transfer target medium passing through the portion of contact. The drive roller is in contact with both of the first belt and the second belt.