Patent ID: 9110413
Filing Date: 2015-08-18
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image heating apparatus comprising: a cylindrical film; a rotatable member contacting an outer surface of said film; a nip forming member contacting an inner surface of said film and cooperating with said rotatable member to form a nip for nipping a recording material carrying an image; and an inner surface opposing member opposing an inner surface of an end portion of said film in a generatrix direction said film, said inner surface opposing member including a film supporting surface on which the inner surface of the end portion of said film slides; wherein a lubricant is provided between said film and said nip forming member, wherein a length of said film is larger than that of said rotatable member in the generatrix direction, and at least a part of the film supporting surface of said inner surface opposing member is provided in a region outside a contact region in which said film and said rotatable member contact each other in the generatrix direction, wherein a portion of said film supporting surface outside the contact region is provided with a groove extending in a rotational moving direction of said film, wherein said groove has an entrance for the lubricant which is provided immediately after a downstream side end portion of said nip forming member with respect to the rotational moving direction, wherein said groove has a wall effective to remove from said film the lubricant which is deposited on the inner surface of said film and which moves with rotation of said film, and wherein said wall is provided at an end portion of said groove downstream of the entrance of said groove with respect to the rotational moving direction.