Patent ID: 8170458
Filing Date: 2012-05-01
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image heating apparatus for heating a recording material that bears a toner image, the image heating apparatus comprising: a heating unit including a flexible sleeve configured to contact the toner image, and a heater configured to be in contact with an inner surface of the sleeve; a pressure roller forming a nip portion that sandwiches and conveys the recording material, in cooperation with the heater via the sleeve; a frame configured to hold the heating unit and the pressure roller, and including a guide groove that guides the heating unit towards the pressure roller held by the frame, wherein the guide groove guides each of fitting portions respectively provided at both ends of the heating unit along a rim of the guide groove; and a pressure member configured to press the heating unit toward the pressure roller, wherein a width of the guide groove in a recording material conveying direction is wider than that of each of the fitting portions in the recording material conveying direction, and wherein rotation moment whose magnitude is larger than that of rotation moment generated in the heating unit by rotation of the pressure roller in a direction, in which the recording material is conveyed, is applied to the heating unit by the pressure member in a direction, in which the rotation moment generated by rotation of the pressure roller is cancelled, so that even when the rotation moment is generated by the rotation of the pressure roller, at least two points in a region of the fitting portions opposed to a downstream side rim in the recording material conveying direction of the guide groove abut against the downstream side rim.