An example fixing unit includes a flexible fixing belt, a backup member located outside the fixing belt to form a fixing nip, and a plate heater in contact with the fixing belt to heat the fixing belt in the fixing nip, wherein the fixing belt includes a first abrasion prevention layer disposed on a surface facing the plate heater and comprising polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and the plate heater includes a second abrasion prevention layer in contact with the first abrasion prevention layer and comprising glass.

A method of manufacturing a heat generating roller includes forming an insulating portion on a surface of a metal base member by providing poly-ether-ether-ketone resin over the surface of the base member and heating the poly-ether-ether-ketone resin, the poly-ether-ether-ketone resin being electrically insulating and heat-shrinkable; and forming a heat generating portion on a surface of the insulating portion, the heat generating portion generating heat when energized.

An endless belt includes a metal substrate, and a heat-resistant resin layer that is disposed as an innermost layer on an inner peripheral surface of the metal substrate and that contains a resin and a thermally conductive filler having an aspect ratio of 20 or more. In the heat-resistant resin layer, an orientation ratio of the thermally conductive filler with respect to a circumferential direction of the endless belt is 20% or more.

A heat generating roller includes a base member made of metal, a heat generating portion made of a material that generates heat when energized, and an insulating portion provided between the base member and the heat generating portion and that electrically insulates the base member and the heat generating portion from each other, the insulating portion being made of poly-ether-ether-ketone resin.

A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing belt, a pad, a rotatable pressing member, a pressing member driving source, an auxiliary driving roller, and a transmission mechanism for transmitting a driving force from the pressing member driving source to the auxiliary driving roller, wherein a peripheral speed of the auxiliary driving roller is faster than a peripheral speed of the pressing member, and a steering roller provided so as to stretch the fixing belt at the inner surface of the fixing belt in a position downstream of the auxiliary driving roller and upstream the pad with respect to a rotational direction of the fixing belt. The steering roller adjusts a position of the fixing belt with respect to a widthwise direction of the fixing belt by inclining the fixing belt so as to be positioned within a predetermined range.

An image-forming apparatus includes a motor, a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, and a separation mechanism for moving the developing roller relative to the photosensitive drum. The separation mechanism includes: an end cam rotatable in a rotational direction; and a cam follower movable in accordance with a rotation of the end cam. The end cam includes a first surface, a second surface, a first sloped surface connecting the second surface to the first surface, and a second sloped surface connecting the first surface to the second surface in the rotational direction. The second sloped surface includes: a steep slope surface connected to the second surface; and a gentle slope surface connecting the first surface to the steep slope surface. The gentle slope surface slopes relative to the first surface by an angle smaller than an angle by which the steep slope surface slopes relative to the first surface.

Provided is a fixing member including a base layer, and a surface layer on an outer surface of the base layer directly or with a primer layer interposed between the base layer and the surface layer, in which the surface layer is constituted by a single layer, the surface layer contains a fluororesin, and fluorine oil having a perfluoropolyether structure, and as for a measurement sample taken from the surface layer, when subjecting to predetermined treatments (i) and (ii), masses of an adhered material adhered in a unit area of a detection surface of a QCM sensor and containing the fluorine oil are within specific ranges.

A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing belt, a pad, a rotatable pressing member, a pressing member driving source, an auxiliary driving roller, and a transmission mechanism for transmitting a driving force from the pressing member during source to the auxiliary driving roller, wherein a peripheral speed of the auxiliary driving roller is faster than a peripheral speed of the pressing member, and a steering roller provided so as to stretch the fixing belt at the inner surface of the fixing belt in a position downstream of the auxiliary driving roller and upstream the pad with respect to a rotational direction of the fixing belt. The steering roller adjusts a position of the fixing belt with respect to a widthwise direction of the fixing belt by inclining the fixing belt so as to be positioned within a predetermined range.

A heater for being attached to a heating device includes a base layer and a heat generator, an electrode, and a feeder that are mounted on the base layer. The feeder is interposed between the electrode and the heat generator. The feeder is configured to electrically connect the electrode to the heat generator. The base layer includes a heat generating portion mounting the heat generator and an electrode portion mounting the electrode. A decreased cross section portion is interposed between the heat generating portion and the electrode portion. The decreased cross section portion has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the heat generating portion. The decreased cross section portion includes a positioner configured to engage a counterpart of the heating device and position the heater in a longitudinal direction of the heater when the heater is attached to the heating device.

Provided is a fixing member in which hot offset of a toner is difficult to be generated. The fixing member has a substrate and a release layer as a surface layer, wherein the release layer includes PFPE and a second fluororesin, the second fluororesin being at least one selected from PFA and FEP, and in a .sup.19F-NMR spectrum of the release layer measured at a temperature of 200 C., a relaxation time T1 of longitudinal relaxation of a peak derived from PFPE is 0.5 seconds or more and 3.5 seconds or less.