Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, L.L.P.
Fixing device having pipe heater and image forming apparatus with fixing device
A fixing device comprises a flexible endless belt rotated in a prescribed direction to heat and fuse a toner image, a rotating member disposed on an outer circumferential surface side of the flexible endless belt that presses against and rotates the flexible endless belt, and a fixed member fixedly mounted on the fixing device at both lateral ends and disposed on an inner circumferential surface side of the flexible endless belt to press against the rotating member via the flexible endless belt. A heater is fixedly disposed facing an inner circumferential surface of the flexible endless belt to heat the flexible endless belt. The heater includes an opening opposed to the rotating member that accommodates the fixed member. A reinforcing member is fixedly disposed on an inner circumferential surface side of the heater to contact and reinforce the fixed member.
Ricoh Company, Ltd.
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inventional inventional additional additional
Minoru Tomohiko Yutaka Shigeo
Toyoda Fujii Naitoh Nanno