Patent ID: 7664449

Claim:
A fixing apparatus comprising: an endless belt; a first pressure member, comprising a roller, with a resilient outer layer, positioned on an inside of the endless belt; a second pressure member positioned on an outside of the endless belt, said second pressure member cooperating with said first pressure member to hold said endless belt between said first pressure member and said second pressure member in sandwiched relation such that a nip is formed between said endless belt and said second pressure member; a heat generating body including a surface in contact with said endless belt from the inside of said endless belt, the surface being located outside of the nip, and heat is generated in the heat generating body and transferred to the endless belt through the surface, the heat generating body being disposed upstream of the nip with respect to a rotation of the endless belt, and the endless belt being wrapped about, so as to contact, the first pressure member downstream of the nip with respect to the rotation of the endless belt; and a supporting member disposed on the inside of said endless belt, said supporting member supporting said heat generating body and including a surface that cooperates with said first pressure member such that said endless belt is entrained about said first pressure member and said supporting member and slides on the surface.