Fixing device and image forming apparatus comprising a multilayered twill fabric slide sheet

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image bearer to bear a toner image;
• and
• a fixing device disposed downstream from the image bearer in a recording medium conveyance direction to fix the toner image on a recording medium,
• the fixing device including:
• an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation;
• a nip formation pad disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt;
• a pressure rotator to press against the nip formation pad via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the pressure rotator, the fixing nip through which the recording medium bearing the toner image is conveyed;
• and
• a slide sheet sandwiched between the nip formation pad and the endless belt and being a twill fabric containing a lubricant,
• the slide sheet including:
• a first sheet contacting the nip formation pad and including a first gutter defined by a first twill line in a first direction angled relative to the direction of rotation of the endless belt;
• and
• a second sheet layered on the first sheet and contacting the endless belt, the second sheet including a second gutter defined by a second twill line in a second direction angled relative to the direction of rotation of the endless belt.