A fixing device includes an endless belt, a drive rotator, a driven rotator, a rotation detector, and circuitry. The drive rotator contacts and rotates the endless belt. The driven rotator contacts an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The rotation detector detects a rotational speed of the driven rotator. The circuitry is operatively connected to the rotation detector to control a rotational speed of the drive rotator based on the rotational speed of the driven rotator detected by the rotational detector. The circuitry changes the rotational speed of the drive rotator when a recording medium bearing a toner image is not conveyed over the endless belt.

A heating unit urging member urges a first support body of a heating unit toward a second support body of a fixing unit with elastic force. The heating unit urging member brings the first support body into contact with the second support body and brings the second support body into contact with two struts. An interlocking mechanism moves the heating unit along a direction in which the heating unit and the fixing unit are arranged, in conjunction with movement of an operation portion. When the operation portion moves from a first position to a second position, the interlocking mechanism moves the first support body from a reference position where the first support body is in contact with the second support body to a retracted position where the first support body is separated from the second support body.

A fixing device includes: a tubular member extending in an axial direction and supported so as to be rotatable; a heat-generating member extending in the axial direction and in contact with an area between one end and the other end of the tubular member, the heat-generating member generating heat to heat the tubular member by receiving voltage; a pressure member that presses, to an outer circumferential surface of the tubular member, a recording medium having a toner image transferred thereto; and an interrupting member disposed between another portion of the heat-generating member and the tubular member and extending in the axial direction, the interrupting member being in contact with an area between one end and the other end of the heat-generating member and interrupting the voltage applied to the heat-generating member when at least a portion in contact with the heat-generating member reaches or exceeds a threshold temperature.

An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device that includes an endless belt to convey a print medium, a heating roller to heat the endless belt, a pressing roller that presses the endless belt against the heating roller along a nip region of the endless belt, and a conveyance switching device to move the endless belt between a first position that directs the print medium away from the endless belt when the print medium exits the nip region, and a second position that conveys the print medium to remain in contact with the endless belt when the print medium exits the nip region.

The fixing device having a long durability life includes a first member, a heater, and a second member, the heater including a base material, an intermediate layer on the base material, and a surface layer on the intermediate layer, which includes a diamond-like carbon film, the base material containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, and silicon nitride, and the intermediate layer has a ratio of [(Si)+(C)]/A of 0.8 or more, and a ratio of (Si)/(C) of more than 1.

A fixing belt includes a base layer made of a heat-resistant resin, an elastic layer made of an elastic material, and a releasing layer, which are laminated in this order, and the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of viscoelastic modulus within a range of 100 to 200° C. is 0.8% or less. Further, the viscoelastic modulus of the fixing belt within the range of 100 to 200° C. is within a range of 50 to 62%.

A fixing device includes a roller, an endless belt, and a heat generating member disposed in a space inside the endless belt, extending in a width direction of the endless belt, and pressing the endless belt against the roller. A sheet is passed through a nip formed between the roller and a portion of the endless belt pressed by the heat generating member, such that an image on the sheet is fixed thereto. The heat generating member includes first and second heat generating portions that are adjacent to each other along the width direction, and the first portion heat generating is independently operable from the second heat generating portion.

A fixing device includes a roller, an endless belt, and a heat generating member disposed in a space inside the endless belt, extending in a width direction of the endless belt, and pressing the endless belt against the roller. A sheet is passed through a nip formed between the roller and a portion of the endless belt pressed by the heat generating member, such that an image on the sheet is fixed thereto. The heat generating member includes first and second heat generating portions that are adjacent to each other along the width direction and independently operable from each other. A boundary of the first and second heat generating portions extends in a direction inclined with respect to a sheet conveying direction.

An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a continuous paper; a fixing unit that includes a pair of rotatable members and that nips the continuous paper between the rotatable members to convey the paper and fix the image formed on the paper by the image former; a conveying member different from the rotatable members; and a hardware processor. The image forming apparatus performs a paper conveying mode in which the image former does not form an image and at least the conveying member conveys the continuous paper. In the paper conveying mode, the hardware processor determines to press the rotatable members against each other or to separate the rotatable members from each other according to a predetermined criterion and, based on the determination, conveys the continuous paper while keeping the rotatable members pressed against each other or separated from each other.

A fixing device includes an endless belt; a driving rotatable member cooperative with the endless belt to form a nip for fixing a toner image on a recording material and for driving the endless belt; an urging member provided inside the endless belt to urge the endless belt toward the driving rotatable member; and a rubbing rotatable member for rubbing an outer surface of the endless belt.