Externally heated thick belt fuser

An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording medium comprising:

• a) a charge-retentive surface to receive an electrostatic latent image thereon;
• b) a development component to apply a developer material to the charge-retentive surface to develop the electrostatic latent image to form a developed image on the charge-retentive surface;
• c) transfer member for transferring the developed image from the charge-retentive surface to a copy substrate, and
• d) a heat and pressure belt fuser structure, said fuser structure comprising:
• a plurality of members including an endless belt and a pair of pressure engageable members between which said endless belt is sandwiched for forming a fusing nip through which substrates carrying toner images pass with said toner images contacting an outer surface of said endless belt, at least one of said pressure engageable members comprising a deformable layer, wherein said endless belt has a thickness of from about 1 to about 8 mm;
• and an external source of thermal energy for elevating a pre-nip area of said belt.