Provided is a fixing device and a fixing method, and an image forming apparatus
using the fixing device, in which at least heat is applied to an unfixed toner
image formed on a recording material to soften or melt toner of the unfixed toner
image into a state of being able to be deformed by an external force, and while
maintained in the state of being able to be deformed by the external force, the
toner is pressed in a nonheating manner to be flowed. Accordingly, device structure
can be simplified to be free of wasteful energy consumption, an image of image
quality excellent in transparency of a toner image and in OHP permeability as well
as of high glossiness which is free from gloss nonuniformity can be obtained while
preventing curling of a recording material.