Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Kiwako Hiroi

Yuusuke Furuichi

Yoshio Hattori

Haruyuki Honda

Jun Okamoto

Kenichi Hasegawa

Tomoya Adachi

Takumi Waida

Kohichi Utsunomiya

A fixing device includes a fixing belt and a pressure rotator that presses against a nip formation pad via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the pressure rotator and the fixing belt. A first holder holds a first lateral end of the fixing belt in an axial direction thereof. A second holder holds a second lateral end of the fixing belt in the axial direction thereof. The second holder, together with the first holder, defines a holder interval provided between the first holder and the second holder in the axial direction of the fixing belt. A lubricant supplying sheet impregnated with a lubricant is sandwiched between the nip formation pad and the fixing belt at the fixing nip. The lubricant supplying sheet has a sheet span in the axial direction of the fixing belt. The sheet span is within the holder interval.

Fixing device and image forming apparatus

A fixing device includes an endless belt, a pressure rotator that contacts the endless belt, a nip formation pad in the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the pressure rotator, a heater in the endless belt to heat the endless belt, a stay to support the nip formation pad, a contact-separation mechanism that presses the nip formation pad against the pressure rotator in a releasable manner, a holder movable between a nip formation position and a release position to support the stay, and an adjustment mechanism. The holder is provided with a slot to support the heater, and the adjustment mechanism makes a distance between the heater and the nip formation pad when the holder is at the nip formation position larger than a distance between the heater and the nip formation pad when the holder is at the release position.

A pressure and pressure relief device includes a rotator, a pressure body, a first pressure lever, and a biasing mechanism. The biasing mechanism includes a first elastic body, a second pressure lever, a cam, and a cam follower. A relations of L&#x3e;LL&#x3e;Land L&#x3c;Lare satisfied. Lrepresents a length between a first fulcrum of the first pressure lever and a point of load of the first pressure lever. Lrepresents a length between the point of load of the first pressure lever and a hook portion of the first pressure lever. Lrepresents a length between a pivot of the second pressure lever and a second fulcrum of the second pressure lever. Lrepresents a length between the second fulcrum of the second pressure lever and a fastened portion of the second pressure lever.

Pressure and pressure relief device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus

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Gifu, Japan

Kiwako Hiroi