A fixing device includes a heating unit, a pressure unit, a moving unit, and a controller. The heating unit is configured to heat a toner on a recording medium. The pressure unit is configured to transport the recording medium while sandwiching the recording medium in a nip that the pressure unit and the heating unit form. The moving unit is configured to change a nip state of the pressure unit with respect to the heating unit by moving the heating unit or the pressure unit. The controller is configured to, when plural recording media are transported continuously, control the moving unit so that the moving unit moves the heating unit or the pressure unit in a separation direction so as to reduce a nip width at a recording medium interval between the recording media.

A heating device includes an endless rotator that rotates in a rotation direction and a heater that contacts an inner circumferential surface of the endless rotator and extends in an axial direction of the endless rotator. An elastic body contacts the inner circumferential surface of the endless rotator and is disposed downstream from the heater in the rotation direction of the endless rotator. A holder holds the heater and the elastic body. A pressure rotator is disposed opposite the heater and the elastic body via the endless rotator to form a nip between the endless rotator and the pressure rotator. A motion restrictor is mounted on the holder. The motion restrictor restricts motion of the heater downstream in the rotation direction of the endless rotator.

A belt-type transport device includes a belt, a pressure unit, a nip forming unit, a belt stretching roller, an inclination controller, a contact unit, and a support unit. The belt is an endless belt, has an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface, and is to be rotated. The pressure unit is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the belt. The nip forming unit presses the belt against the pressure unit so as to form a nip through which a recording medium is to be transported. The belt stretching roller is disposed inside the belt and stretches the belt. The inclination controller controls inclination of the belt stretching roller. The contact unit is provided along a width direction of the belt and is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the belt. The support unit supports the contact unit such that the contact unit is able to follow inclination of the belt which is changed due to the inclination of the belt stretching roller.

A fixing member which ensures a surface pressure during toner fixation and which can achieve both an enhanced grip force of an elastic layer and cost efficiency; and a method for producing the fixing member are provided. The fixing member, as a press roll, has the elastic layer of a foamed elastic material on the outer peripheral surface of a core body. The elastic layer is an integrally shaped product of the foamed elastic material. When the specific gravity of the foamed elastic material in axially opposite end portions (grip portions) of the elastic layer is designated as d1, the specific gravity of the foamed elastic material in a portion (free portion) of the elastic layer other than the grip portions is designated as d2, and the specific gravity d2 is 0.7 or less, the proportion of the difference between d1 and d2 to the specific gravity d2 is 10-70%.

A fixing device includes a rotatable pressing roller, a fixing rotator to rotate in contact with the pressing roller, a nip formation pad, and a slide sheet disposed between the nip formation pad and the fixing rotator. The slide sheet includes a base material layer made of a woven fabric of spun yarn. In the base material layer, a distance between adjacent spun yarns is equal to or less than 0.4 times a width of the spun yarn in a cross-section of the slide sheet in a direction of slide movement of the fixing rotator, and, in a cross-section of the slide sheet in a longitudinal direction of the slide sheet and a direction perpendicular to the slide movement of the fixing rotator, a thickness of the spun yarn is equal to or greater than 0.2 times a width of the spun yarn.

A heating apparatus includes a heater, a holding member, and a heat equalization member. In a case where a direction of a long side of a first surface of the heater is defined as a longitudinal direction, a direction of the first surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is defined as a transverse direction, and a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction is defined as a thickness direction, the heat equalization member is between the heater and the holding member in the thickness direction and includes, in the longitudinal direction, first and second abutment regions that abut against the heater and a first non-abutment region that does not abut against the heater. The first abutment region, the first non-abutment region, and the second abutment region are arranged in this order as viewed from one end toward another end of the heater in the longitudinal direction.

A fixing device includes a rotatable pressing roller, a fixing rotator to rotate in contact with the pressing roller, a nip formation pad, and a slide sheet disposed between the nip formation pad and the fixing rotator. The slide sheet includes a base material layer made of a woven fabric of spun yarn. In the base material layer, a distance between adjacent spun yarns is equal to or less than 0.4 times a width of the spun yarn in a cross-section of the slide sheet in a direction of slide movement of the fixing rotator, and, in a cross-section of the slide sheet in a longitudinal direction of the slide sheet and a direction perpendicular to the slide movement of the fixing rotator, a thickness of the spun yarn is equal to or greater than 0.2 times a width of the spun yarn.

A fixing apparatus includes a film, a guide member, a stay member, a roller, and a restriction structure. The guide member is disposed in an inside space of the film, elongated in a generatrix direction of the film, and guides rotation of the film. The stay member reinforces the guide member, the film and a roller form a fixing nip portion between the film and the roller, and a recording medium having a toner image is heated to fix the toner image at the fixing nip portion while a sheet passes through the fixing nip portion. The roller is disposed in contact with an outside surface of the film. The restriction structure restricts movement of the guide member in a direction orthogonal to the generatrix direction of the film and also in a direction in which the stay member and the guide member are separated from each other.

A fixing apparatus includes: first and second pressure members each of which is in contact with an inner circumferential surface of an endless belt and nips the endless belt between itself and a cylindrical member; a frame supporting the first and second pressure members; an actuator that moves the first pressure member between a first position and a second position in a movement direction of a portion, of the endless belt, positioned between the first and second pressure members; and an elastic body that generates nipping force to nip the endless belt. The nipping force by the elastic body is generated between the cylindrical member and the first and second pressure members, both in a case that the first pressure member is positioned in the first position and a case that the first pressure member is positioned in the second position.

A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a heat source, and a reflecting member. The pressing member presses and contacts an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member. The heat source is disposed inside a loop of the fixing member. The reflecting member includes a reflecting portion, a pressure receiving portion, and an extending portion. The reflecting portion reflects heat toward an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member. The pressure receiving portion receives a pressing force of the pressing member via the fixing member. The extending portion extends from an area upstream to an area downstream from the nip portion in a direction of rotation of the fixing member and facing the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member. The reflecting member is in non-contact with one or more of members disposed inside the loop of the fixing member, at least when the fixing member rotates.