Patent ID: 7885593

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier; an electrostatic latent image forming unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a developing device for forming a toner image on the image carrier by developing the electrostatic latent image; transfer unit for transferring the toner image from the image carrier to a recording member; and a fixing unit for fixing the toner image, formed on the recording member, to the recording member, wherein the fixing unit comprises: an endless fixing belt having an inside surface, the inside surface being adapted to receive a lubricant and having outside edges extending circumferentially about the fixing belt and including grooves formed in the inside surface thereof, a majority of the grooves extending along a direction extending from a widthwise center part of the fixing belt outward toward at least one of the opposite ends thereof and portions of the grooves that are farthest from the widthwise center part are inclined forward in a moving rotating direction of the fixing belt and all remaining portions of the grooves are either inclined forward in the moving rotating direction of the fixing belt or extend transversely so that lubricant applied to the grooves is guided toward the widthwise center of the belt; a driver for drivingly rotating the fixing belt; a pressing member for pressing the fixing belt on the inside surface thereof thereby pressing the fixing belt against the recording member; and wherein the grooves have a width of 10 to 80 μm.