Abstract: A heating device includes a rotator, an opposed rotator configured to contact the rotator to form a nip, a heater configured to heat the rotator, and a plurality of pressing devices. The heater includes a first portion and a second portion. The second portion of the heater generates a larger amount of heat than the first portion of the heater. The pressing devices are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the heater and each configured to press at least one of the rotator and the opposed rotator and cause the rotator and the opposed rotator to press each other. The pressing devices include a first pressing device corresponding to the first portion of the heater and a second pressing device corresponding to the second portion of the heater, and the first pressing device generates a smaller pressing force than the second pressing device.

Abstract: A heating device includes an endless rotator that rotates in a rotation direction and a heater that contacts an inner circumferential surface of the endless rotator and extends in an axial direction of the endless rotator. An elastic body contacts the inner circumferential surface of the endless rotator and is disposed downstream from the heater in the rotation direction of the endless rotator. A holder holds the heater and the elastic body. A pressure rotator is disposed opposite the heater and the elastic body via the endless rotator to form a nip between the endless rotator and the pressure rotator. A motion restrictor is mounted on the holder. The motion restrictor restricts motion of the heater downstream in the rotation direction of the endless rotator.

Abstract: A heater is installable in a fixing device having a fixing nip through which a recording medium is conveyed. The heater includes a base including a downstream portion in a recording medium conveyance direction. A heat generator is mounted on the base. A projection is disposed separately from the base and shifted from the heat generator. The projection is disposed opposite the downstream portion of the base. The projection projects toward the fixing nip in a state in which the heater is installed in the fixing device.

Abstract: A heater includes a base layer, a heat generator mounted on the base layer, and a slide layer mounted on the base layer. A sliding face of a counterpart slides over the slide layer. The slide layer is made of a material containing fluorine and includes a slide face that contacts the sliding face of the counterpart. The slide face of the slide layer has a surface roughness that is greater than a surface roughness of the sliding face of the counterpart.

Abstract: A heater is installable in a fixing device having a fixing nip through which a recording medium is conveyed. The heater includes a base including a downstream portion in a recording medium conveyance direction. A heat generator is mounted on the base. A projection is disposed separately from the base and shifted from the heat generator. The projection is disposed opposite the downstream portion of the base. The projection projects toward the fixing nip in a state in which the heater is installed in the fixing device.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt that is endless and rotates in a rotation direction. A pressure rotator presses against the fixing belt to form a nip between the fixing belt and the pressure rotator. A heater is disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt and heats the fixing belt. A contact member contacts the fixing belt partially in a longitudinal direction of the fixing belt. A holder holds the heater. The heater contacts the holder with a first contact amount in a first span in a longitudinal direction of the heater, where the contact member contacts the fixing belt. The heater contacts the holder with a second contact amount, that is greater than the first contact amount, in a second span in the longitudinal direction of the heater, where the contact member does not contact the fixing belt.

Abstract: A heating device includes an endless rotator that rotates in a rotation direction and a heater that contacts an inner circumferential surface of the endless rotator and extends in an axial direction of the endless rotator. An elastic body contacts the inner circumferential surface of the endless rotator and is disposed downstream from the heater in the rotation direction of the endless rotator. A holder holds the heater and the elastic body. A pressure rotator is disposed opposite the heater and the elastic body via the endless rotator to form a nip between the endless rotator and the pressure rotator. A motion restrictor is mounted on the holder. The motion restrictor restricts motion of the heater downstream in the rotation direction of the endless rotator.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt that is endless and rotates in a rotation direction. A pressure rotator presses against the fixing belt to form a nip between the fixing belt and the pressure rotator. A heater is disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt and heats the fixing belt. A contact member contacts the fixing belt partially in a longitudinal direction of the fixing belt. A holder holds the heater. The heater contacts the holder with a first contact amount in a first span in a longitudinal direction of the heater, where the contact member contacts the fixing belt. The heater contacts the holder with a second contact amount, that is greater than the first contact amount, in a second span in the longitudinal direction of the heater, where the contact member does not contact the fixing belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and a pressure rotator that is disposed opposite the fixing rotator. A nip former is disposed inside a loop formed by the fixing rotator and disposed opposite the pressure rotator via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. The fixing rotator slides over the nip former. A flange supports the fixing rotator at both lateral ends of the fixing rotator in a longitudinal direction of the fixing rotator. The nip former includes a base and a thermal conductor that has a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the base. The base is greater than the thermal conductor in the longitudinal direction of the fixing rotator. The base includes a groove that is disposed outboard at least from the thermal conductor in the longitudinal direction of the fixing rotator.

Abstract: A heating device includes an endless belt that rotates and a pressure rotator that rotates in a rotation direction. The pressure rotator contacts an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt to form a nip therebetween, through which a heating target having a particular width in an axial direction of the pressure rotator is conveyed. A heater includes a heat generator that defines a conveyance span in the axial direction of the pressure rotator, where the heating target is conveyed, and a non-conveyance span in the axial direction of the pressure rotator, where the heating target is not conveyed. A non-conveyance span temperature detector is disposed opposite the pressure rotator in the non-conveyance span of the heat generator. The non-conveyance span temperature detector detects a temperature of the pressure rotator.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator that is flexible, endless, and rotatable. A heater heats the fixing rotator. A pressure rotator is disposed opposite the fixing rotator. A nip former defines a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. A support supports the nip former. The nip former includes a back face that contacts the support and has a nonlinear shape in a longitudinal direction of the nip former.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and a pressure rotator that is disposed opposite the fixing rotator. A nip former is disposed inside a loop formed by the fixing rotator and disposed opposite the pressure rotator via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. The fixing rotator slides over the nip former. A flange supports the fixing rotator at both lateral ends of the fixing rotator in a longitudinal direction of the fixing rotator. The nip former includes a base and a thermal conductor that has a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the base. The base is greater than the thermal conductor in the longitudinal direction of the fixing rotator. The base includes a groove that is disposed outboard at least from the thermal conductor in the longitudinal direction of the fixing rotator.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing rotator, a heater, a nip formation assembly, and an opposed rotator. The endless fixing rotator is rotatable in a direction of rotation. The heater heats the fixing rotator. The nip formation assembly is disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. The opposed rotator is pressed against the nip formation assembly via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the opposed rotator. The nip formation assembly includes a nip former to contact the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, maintain a constant thickness against pressure from the opposed rotator, and transfer heat. The opposed rotator is shorter than the nip former in a longitudinal direction of the opposed rotator. The opposed rotator is disposed within an area opposite the nip former.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator that is flexible, endless, and rotatable. A heater heats the fixing rotator. A pressure rotator is disposed opposite the fixing rotator. A nip former defines a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. A support supports the nip former. The nip former includes a back face that contacts the support and has a nonlinear shape in a longitudinal direction of the nip former.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device that includes a heater to heat a fixing rotator, an opposed rotator to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, and at least one rotary body to convey a recording medium to the fixing nip. A controller rotates the fixing rotator in a forward direction to fix a toner image on the recording medium. The controller stops the heater and rotates the fixing rotator in a predetermined rotation direction when a failure occurs while the fixing device is activated. The controller determines that the predetermined rotation direction is the forward direction or a backward direction according to the at least one rotary body that sandwiches the recording medium, if the fixing nip and the at least one rotary body sandwich the recording medium simultaneously when the failure occurs while the fixing device is activated.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and a lateral end heater to heat a lateral end span of the fixing rotator in an axial direction thereof. A thermal conduction aid contacts the fixing rotator. A nip formation pad contacts the thermal conduction aid. A lateral end temperature detector detects a temperature of the fixing rotator in a lateral end detection span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator. The thermal conduction aid contacts the nip formation pad in a first span including the lateral end detection span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator with a first contact area. The thermal conduction aid contacts the nip formation pad in a second span disposed outboard from the first span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator with a second contact area smaller than the first contact area.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat generator being disposed inside a loop formed by a rotator and including a heat generating portion to radiate radiant heat. A reflector is disposed inside the loop formed by the rotator and includes a reflection face to reflect the radiant heat radiated from the heat generator toward the rotator. A support supports the reflector. A holder holds each lateral end of the support in a longitudinal direction of the support, which is perpendicular to the rotation direction of the rotator. A fastener attaches the reflector to the support at an attachment position disposed at each lateral end of the reflector in a longitudinal direction of the reflector. The attachment position is disposed outboard from a lateral edge of the heat generating portion of the heat generator and disposed inboard from the holder in the longitudinal direction of the reflector.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt and a pressure rotator disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt. The pressure rotator has a first span in an axial direction of the endless belt. A nip formation pad, which is disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, forms a fixing nip between the endless belt and the pressure rotator. The nip formation pad includes a belt-side face disposed opposite the endless belt. A radiant heater, which is disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, heats the endless belt. A thermal conduction aid, which contacts the belt-side face of the nip formation pad, conducts heat in the axial direction of the endless belt. The thermal conduction aid has a second span within which the first span of the pressure rotator is provided at the fixing nip.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a lateral end heater, disposed opposite a lateral end of an inner circumferential surface of a fixing rotator in an axial direction thereof, to heat the fixing rotator and a thermal conduction aid contacting the fixing rotator and the lateral end heater to conduct heat. The lateral end heater includes a power supply portion disposed outboard from a lateral end of the thermal conduction aid in a longitudinal direction thereof and disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. The power supply portion includes an electrode. A cover covers the power supply portion and includes a cover face disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. A height adjuster adjusts a height of the cover face of the cover and causes the cover face to define an identical plane with a fixing rotator side face of the thermal conduction aid.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing belt, a heat source, an opposed member, a nip formation pad, and a heat conductive member. The nip formation pad includes an abutment region, a first opening portion, and second opening portions. The abutment region includes a plurality of abutment surfaces abutting a first face of the heat conductive member. The first opening portion is disposed at a center of the abutment region to form a non-contact area at which the nip formation pad does not contact the heat conductive member. The abutment region includes an upstream abutment area and a downstream abutment area from the first opening portion in a direction of conveyance of a recording medium. The second opening portions divide at least one area of the upstream abutment area and the downstream abutment area into a plurality of portions in a longitudinal direction of the nip formation pad.