Patent ID: 7177579

Claim:
An image heating apparatus comprising: a flexible rotatable member; a slidable member contacting an internal surface of said flexible rotatable member; a holder for holding said slidable member; and a pressure roller for forming a nip portion in cooperation with said slidable member, with said flexible rotatable member being interposed; wherein a holding surface of said holder includes a first holding area of a crowned shape in which a central portion in a longitudinal direction of said holder protrudes toward the nip portion more than both end portions in a longitudinal direction of said holder, and a second holding area of a crowned shape, which is provided at a downstream side of the first holding area in a moving direction of said flexible rotatable member and in which a central portion in a longitudinal direction of said holder protrudes toward the nip portion more than both end portions in a longitudinal direction of said holder; and wherein an amount of crown of the second holding area is larger than that of the first holding area.