Endless belt

A method of producing an original paper conveyor belt for use in a copying machine, recording apparatus or the like, the conveyor belt having a shape of an endless belt, said producing method comprising the steps of:

• preparing an endless core member made of a substantially nonexpansible material and having a predetermined width;
• preparing an elastic thermoplastic material in a sheet-like shape;
• overlapping both end portions of said elastic thermoplastic material;
• joining said overlapped both end portions of said elastic thermoplastic material by pressing said overlapped both end portions while heating said overlapped both end portions, to thereby form a laminate layer having an endless belt-like shape and a flat seam portion;
• forming a coating layer on an outer circumferential surface of said core member to thereby prevent said core member from fraying;
• reversing said core member so that said formed coating layer is arranged on an inner side of said core member;
• superposing said laminate layer on an outer circumferential surface of said reversed core member, thereby forming an endless belt-like assembly;
• and
• pressing said endless belt-like assembly while heating said endless belt-like assembly, thereby bonding said superposed laminate layer onto said outer circumferential surface of said endless belt-like assembly.