Fixing device, image forming apparatus, and method of controlling fixing device

• Main Authors: Ono Hiroshi, Sugiyama Ryohhei, Yamaoka Hironori, Sasaki Yoshikuni, Nagafuji Hideo, Tokuda Tetsuo, Utsunomiya Kohichi, Yamano Motoyoshi, Yoshiura Arinobu
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.11.2017
• Subjects: CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS

A fixing device includes a heater, a fixing rotator, a pressure rotator to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed, a moving device to move the pressure rotator in directions in which the pressure rotator comes into contact with and separates from the fixing rotator, a thermal expansion amount predictor to predict an amount of thermal expansion of the fixing rotator while the recording medium is conveyed, and a nip width adjuster to control a moving distance of the pressure rotator moved by the moving device toward the fixing rotator, depending on the amount of thermal expansion of the fixing rotator predicted by the thermal expansion amount predictor, so as to adjust a width of the fixing nip to maintain a substantially constant width of the fixing nip.