A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a cover, and a separation member. The cover is movable between a closing position at which a conveyance path is formed and an opening position at which the conveyance path is exposed. The cover includes a recess. The separation member is movable between a contact position at which the separation member comes in contact with a face of the fixing member and a withdrawing position at which the separation member is separated from the fixing member. The separation member separates a medium from the face of the fixing member in a state in which the separation member is arranged at the contact position. A tip end part of the separation member enters an interior of the recess of the cover in a state in which the separation member is arranged at the withdrawing position.

A fixing device includes a heating roller, a separation member and a fixing frame. The heating roller fixes a toner image on a sheet. The separation member separates the sheet from the heating roller. The fixing frame supports the separation member. The separation member includes a separation claw, a fulcrum shaft and a projection. The separation claw can abut on the heating roller. The fulcrum shaft extends parallel to a direction of a rotation axis of the heating roller. The projection is formed to extend away from the fulcrum shaft in a direction perpendicular to the shaft axis of the fulcrum shaft. The fixing frame includes a rib that restricts the movement of the projection in the direction of the rotation axis.

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body and a fixing device. The apparatus main body is formed such that its interior can be opened. The fixing device is provided in the interior of the apparatus main body and configured to fix a toner image on a medium to the medium by heating and pressing the toner image. The fixing device is supported by the apparatus main body in such a way as to pivot so as to be disposed on an outside of the apparatus main body in a state where the interior of the apparatus main body is opened.

A nip forming device includes an endless belt that is flexible and rotates and a nip former that is disposed opposite an inner circumferential face of the endless belt. A pressure rotator presses against the nip former via the endless belt to form a nip between the endless belt and the pressure rotator, through which a conveyed object is conveyed. A separator is disposed downstream from the nip in a conveyance direction of the conveyed object. The separator separates the conveyed object from the endless belt. The separator includes a non-contact portion separated from the endless belt and a contact portion that contacts the endless belt. The contact portion retains a gap having a predetermined size between the non-contact portion and the endless belt.

An image forming apparatus includes a casing including a first side plate and a second side plate, a cartridge, an exposure unit, a transfer unit, a fixing unit, a nip pressure change unit, a door, and a connection portion. The first side plate includes an opening portion. The connection portion is arranged so as to penetrate the opening portion, and includes a first portion and a second portion. At least a part of the second portion is arranged so as to overlap with the exposure unit when viewed in a predetermined direction, and is arranged between the first side plate and the exposure unit in the predetermined direction.

An image forming apparatus including an apparatus main body including an image forming device that forms an image on a recording material, a unit detachably mounted in the apparatus main body, a switching member pivotably provided in the apparatus main body, wherein while in a state in which the switching member has entered into the unit mounted in the apparatus main body, the switching member selectively switches a route through which the recoding material is guided, and a retracting member provided in the apparatus main body, wherein in a course of dismounting the unit from the apparatus main body, the retracting member retracts the switching member to an outside of a mount area of the unit.

Provided is an inexpensive image forming apparatus that reduces wasteful operation and is capable of determining whether a fixing unit is attached properly. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body, and a fixing roller that fixes a pattern composed of toner on paper by heating when conveying the paper on which the pattern is formed, and uses a fixing unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the fixing roller is provided in the fixing unit. The image forming apparatus includes a control unit that, after the fixing unit is attached, determines whether or not the fixing unit is attached properly to the image forming apparatus main body according to a magnitude relationship between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and a preset first threshold value.

A fixing device includes a heating body, a pressuring body, a lateral plate supporting the heating or pressuring body, a first supporting body supporting the heating or pressuring body, a second supporting body including a roller, a tensile spring between the first and second supporting bodies, an eccentric cam, a rotating shaft, a protrusion, a driving part, and a pressing member. The cam is supported between the first and second supporting bodies swingable in the lateral plate and has a depression gradually inclined from an upstream side to a downstream side in a rotation direction. The protrusion is protruded from the rotating shaft and meets the depression. The pressing member presses the cam opposite the protrusion. The cam rotates and meets the roller to shift the second supporting body and to extend and contract the spring, and changes a nip pressure from a first pressure to a lower second pressure.

Provided is an inexpensive image forming apparatus that reduces wasteful operation and is capable of determining whether a fixing unit is attached properly. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body, and a fixing roller that fixes a pattern composed of toner on paper by heating when conveying the paper on which the pattern is formed, and uses a fixing unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the fixing roller is provided in the fixing unit. The image forming apparatus includes a control unit that, after the fixing unit is attached, determines whether or not the fixing unit is attached properly to the image forming apparatus main body according to a magnitude relationship between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and a preset first threshold value.

A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a cover, and a separation member. The cover is movable between a closing position at which a conveyance path is formed and an opening position at which the conveyance path is exposed. The cover includes a recess. The separation member is movable between a contact position at which the separation member comes in contact with a face of the fixing member and a withdrawing position at which the separation member is separated from the fixing member. The separation member separates a medium from the face of the fixing member in a state in which the separation member is arranged at the contact position. A tip end part of the separation member enters an interior of the recess of the cover in a state in which the separation member is arranged at the withdrawing position.