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 nip former that forms a nip between an endless belt and a pressure rotator includes a base that is made of aluminum and has a nip forming face disposed opposite the nip. An anodic oxidation coating is treated with sealing and coats at least the nip forming face. The anodic oxidation coating has a thickness that is not smaller than 22 μm and is not greater than 45 μm and a variation in thickness that is not greater than 20 percent. The base and the anodic oxidation coating define a nip forming portion that is disposed opposite the nip. The nip forming portion has a thickness that is not smaller than 0.40 mm and is not greater than 1.20 mm.

A fixing apparatus includes an endless first rotary member, a heating element, a second rotary member configured to form a nip portion, and a nip member configured to receive radiant heat from the heating element and heat the nip portion. The nip member includes a main-body portion that contains aluminum or aluminum alloy and a protective layer that includes an oxide film formed on a surface of the main-body portion. The main-body portion contains a heat receiving surface that faces the heating element and receives radiant heat from the heating element, and a rubbed surface that is rubbed against the inner circumferential surface of the first rotary member. The protective layer contains coloring agent that causes an emissivity of the heat receiving surface and the rubbed surface to be higher than an emissivity of a natural color oxide film.

A fixing belt includes: a base having an endless shape; and a resin layer covering a surface on an inner peripheral side of the base, the resin layer comprising a resin and a filler, and having a second surface opposite to a first surface facing the base, the second surface having cell structures, and being roughened with the filler. When arithmetic mean roughnesses of the second surface in the central region X and the end regions Y and Z are defined as RaX, RaY and RaZ respectively, a difference between RaX and RaY, a difference between RaY and RaZ, and a difference between RaX and RaZ are all 0.1 μm or smaller, and a coefficient of variation of areas of the cell structures contained in each of the central region X, and end regions Y and Z is 25% or smaller.

A fixing device includes a tubular body in a tubular shape that forms a nip with a pressurizing member. The heater, disposed inside the tubular body, faces a part of the tubular body in a circumferential direction. The heat equalizing member is disposed on an opposite side of a side where the heater faces the tubular body. The heat equalizing member transfers heat from a place having a high temperature to a place having a low temperature in a second direction along an axial direction of the tubular body. The heat conductive member, disposed between the heater and the heat equalizing member, can conduct the heat in each of the second direction and a first direction in which the heater and the heat equalizing member face each other. A side portion of the heat conductive member in the second direction is divided into three or more portions.

A belt device includes a heater and a belt. The heater includes a substrate and a heat generator on the substrate. The heater has a first heater surface and a second heater surface opposite the first heater surface. The first heater surface is adjacent to the heat generator. The belt is rotatable, has an endless shape, and slides on the second heater surface. The belt includes an inner portion having an inner circumferential surface to slide on the second heater surface. The inner portion has an elastic power of 52% or more.

A heater is to face a pressure element via a belt and is to heat the belt. The pressure element sandwiches and conveys a sheet together with the belt. The heater includes a heat generating element, a couple of electrodes, and a protective layer. there are the electrodes on both sides of the heat generating element in a conveyance direction of the sheet. Both sides of the heat generating element in the conveyance direction are connected to adjacent electrodes.

An image forming method is provided. The image forming method includes: forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearer; developing the electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image bearer with a toner to form a toner image; transferring the toner image from the electrostatic latent image bearer onto a continuous resin film; fixing the toner image on the continuous resin film with a heat roller or a heat belt. The toner contains a maleic-acid-modified polyolefin having a polypropylene block in a main chain.

An electrophotographic member comprising a base body and an elastic layer on the base body, the elastic layer including silicone rubber and metallic silicon particles in the silicone rubber; wherein the metallic silicon particles have a mass reduction rate of 0.05% or more.

A planar heater includes a base, a resister pattern, a conductor pattern, a power supply electrode, and a base pattern. The base includes a surface portion made of an insulative material. The resistor pattern is on the base. The conductor pattern is on the base and electrically coupled to the resistor pattern. The power supply electrode is electrically coupled to the conductor pattern. The base pattern is on the base and made of a material different from a material of the surface portion of the base to print visible identification information.