Patent ID: 7493074

Claim:
A fixing device that has a planar member including a heat conduction layer, the heat conduction layer having a predetermined thickness and relatively pressed against a rotary member being rotated so that the fixing device fixes an unfixed toner image born by a recording sheet onto the recording sheet by causing the recording sheet that bears the unfixed toner image to pass between the planar member and the rotary member and applying heat and pressure to the unfixed toner image, the fixing device comprising: an endless belt whose outer peripheral surface is relatively pressed against the rotary member and which circulates while forming a nip region between the outer peripheral surface and the rotary member to nip the recording sheet in the nip region; a heater that applies heat to the unfixed toner image born by the recording sheet passing between the planar member and rotary member; and a support member disposed to a back surface of the planar member to support the planar member from the back surface, wherein the planar member is a sheet member whose front surface is in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt and whose back surface is in contact with the support member, and the heat conduction layer includes a heat conduction anisotropic material whose heat conduction coefficient indicating a degree of easiness of heat conduction in a surface direction in which the heat conduction layer extends is larger than a heat conduction coefficient thereof indicating a degree of easiness of heat conduction in a thickness direction.