A presser presses a pressed object and includes a first rotation shaft and a pressurizing portion that is supported by the first rotation shaft and pivots about the first rotation shaft. A depressurizing portion is supported by a second rotation shaft and pivots about the second rotation shaft with respect to the pressurizing portion. The depressurizing portion includes an engagement. An interlock lever includes an opening that engages the engagement. The depressurizing portion pivots to switch between a pressurization state in which the engagement contacts and presses the opening to cause the pressurizing portion to press the pressed object and a depressurization state in which the pressurization state is released. The depressurizing portion pivots to define a gap between the engagement and the opening in a moving direction in which the engagement moves.

A fixing device includes a fixing rotating member, a heater, a fixing pad, a pressurizing member, a lubricant, and a surface layer. The fixing rotating member is configured to fix a toner image on a recording medium and is heated by the heater. The fixing pad is positioned on an inner circumferential side of the fixing rotating member, and presses the fixing rotating member from the inner circumferential side. The pressurizing member faces an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotating member, and forms a nip for fixing between the pressurizing member and the fixing rotating member. The lubricant is applied to the fixing rotating member. The surface layer is disposed in a vicinity of an end portion of a pressurizing surface of the fixing pad and returns the lubricant to a longitudinal central side of the pressurizing surface.

Provided is an image heating apparatus including: a film that contacts with the recording material; a heater unit configured to be in contact with an inner surface of the film, the heater unit including a heater, and a heater support supporting the heater, wherein the heater is fixed to the heater support; a pressing roller that forms a nip together with the heater unit through the film, the nip being for nipping and conveying a recording material; a pressing member that presses the heater toward the pressing roller without through the heater support; a pressing force adjustment mechanism for adjusting pressing force in the nip; and a control portion that controls the pressing force adjustment mechanism, wherein the control portion causes the pressing force adjustment mechanism to adjust the pressing force based on temperature detected by a temperature detection member that detects temperature of the heater.

A fixing device includes a heating roller, a pressing roller, a detector and one or more corrective devices. The pressing roller conveys a recording medium at a nip portion formed by pressing against the heating roller and fixes an image formed on the recording medium with heat at the nip portion. A detector detects at least one of a passing region of a tip of the recording medium, an angle of the recording medium, and a degree of deformation of the recording medium from a direction of a side face of the paper P, in order to predict a malfunction in a conveyance of the recording medium. The corrective device(s) carry out a corrective operation associated with the conveyance of the recording medium, in response to the malfunction predicted, for example stopping or correcting the conveyance of the recording medium, in order to prevent the malfunction from occurring.

A fixing device (7) includes a fixing member (21), a pressing member (22), a rotation detector (41), and an auxiliary driving part (42). The fixing member (21), with rotating around an axis, heats a toner image on a medium (S). The pressing member (22), with rotating around an axis, forms a pressing area (N) with the fixing member (21) and presses toner on the medium (S) passing through the pressing area (N). The rotation detector (41), when the medium (S) stops while being sandwiched between the fixing member (21) and the pressing member (22), detects rotation of the fixing member (21) or the pressing member (22) generated in a process of extracting the medium (S) toward an upstream side or a downstream side in a passing direction. The auxiliary driving part (42), while the medium (S) is being extracted, determines a rotating direction of the fixing member (21) or the pressing member (22) based on a detection result by the rotation detector (41), and rotates the fixing member (21) or the pressing member (22) in the rotating direction.

A heating unit includes a cylinder which rotates about an axis parallel to a first direction. A heater has a first surface abutting on an inner surface of the cylinder at a nip position. A support member is on a second surface of the heater and also contacts the cylinder. A first heating element is in the heater at a first position along the first direction. A second heating element in the heater is at a second position spaced from the first position. A first temperature sensor is above the first position. A locking portion of the heater is at a third position along the first direction. The locking portion engages the support member and restricts movement of the heater in the first direction. The first position is near a first outer edge of the cylinder. The second position is closer to a central portion of the cylinder.

An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device and a processor. The fixing device has a heat generating element, a fixing belt which moves along a surface of the heat generating element while an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt makes contact with the heat generating element, a rotatable body configured to be pressed against an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt, and a lubricant which is applied to and in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. The processor is configured to acquire a physical quantity which changes in accordance with a magnitude of a torque that is applied to rotate the rotatable body, and cause the rotatable body to execute a predetermined operation to adjust a gap between the heat generating element and the fixing belt, based on the physical quantity acquired while the fixing device is carrying out image formation.

A fixing device includes a body and a cover. The body includes a roller and a positioning projection projecting from the body. The cover is supported on one end side in an axial direction of the roller and has a slot in which the positioning projection is inserted. The cover is configured to pivot on the positioning projection inserted in the slot, from a closed position to a retreated position from the body.

A pressing device includes a cam member 120, a bearing 120a, a cam portion 120b, a cam engaging portion 120c of snap fit fashion. The bearing 102a is rotatably supported by a fixation frame 115. The cam portion 120b is provided on one side of the bearing 120a and contacts a pressing lever. The cam engaging portion 120c is provided on the other side of the bearing 120a and engages with a hole 123a formed on an outer surface of a cam shaft 123. The cam engaging portion 120c engages with the hole 123a at a position away from a maximum load portion of the cam portion 120b by not less than 90 degrees phase different.

A fixing device includes a fixing rotating member, a heater, a fixing pad, a pressurizing member, a lubricant, and a surface layer. The fixing rotating member is configured to fix a toner image on a recording medium and is heated by the heater. The fixing pad is positioned on an inner circumferential side of the fixing rotating member, and presses the fixing rotating member from the inner circumferential side. The pressurizing member faces an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotating member, and forms a nip for fixing between the pressurizing member and the fixing rotating member. The lubricant is applied to the fixing rotating member. The surface layer is disposed in a vicinity of an end portion of a pressurizing surface of the fixing pad and returns the lubricant to a longitudinal central side of the pressurizing surface.