Fixing device, sheet member, and image forming apparatus

A sheet member disposed to a fixing device, the fixing device having a rotary member being rotated, an endless belt whose outer peripheral surface is relatively pressed against the rotary member and forms a nip region between the outer peripheral surface and the rotary member to nip a recording sheet in the nip region, a heater that applies heat to an unfixed toner image born by the recording sheet pinched in the nip region, and a support member disposed to the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt to support the outer peripheral surface of the endless belt from the inner peripheral surface and to apply relative press force to the nip region, and the sheet member having friction resistance smaller than that of the support member with the front surface of the sheet member in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt and the back surface thereof in contact with the support member, the sheet member comprising:

• a heat conduction layer that includes a heat conduction anisotropic material whose heat conduction coefficient showing the degree of easiness of heat conduction in a surface direction in which the heat conduction layer extends is larger than a heat conduction coefficient thereof showing the degree of easiness of heat conduction in a thickness direction.

An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording sheet by transferring a toner image formed on a toner image bearing member on which a toner image is formed and fixes an unfixed toner image onto the recording sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• a fixing device having a planer member that includes a heat conduction layer, the heat conduction layer having a predetermined thickness and relatively pressed against a rotary member being rotated to fix the unfixed toner image born by a recording sheet thereon by causing the recording sheet that bears the unfixed toner image to pass between the planer member and the rotary member and applying heat and pressure to the unfixed toner image,
• wherein the fixing device includes a heater that applies heat to the unfixed toner image born by the recording sheet passing between the planer member and rotary member,
• wherein the heat conduction layer includes a heat conduction anisotropic material whose heat conduction coefficient showing the degree of easiness of heat conduction in a surface direction in which the heat conduction layer extends is larger than a heat conduction coefficient thereof showing the degree of easiness of heat conduction in a thickness direction.