Patent ID: 8923738

Claim:
An image heating apparatus comprising: a rotatable member configured to form a nip for heating a toner image on a sheet; a pair of frames configured to rotatably support said rotatable member at widthwise ends of said rotatable member; a separating unit including a separating plate configured to separate the sheet from said rotatable member and a pair of spacers configured to form a space between said separating plate and said rotatable member by being abutted against said rotatable member at the widthwise ends, respectively; and a holding unit including a holding portion configured to rotatably hold said separating unit and an urging portion configured to urge said separating unit toward said rotatable member, wherein said holding unit is rotatable about a rotation center between a first position where said pair of spacers is abutted against said rotatable member and a second position where said pair of spacers is spaced from said rotatable member, wherein said pair of frames includes a pair of shaft portions, and said separating unit includes a pair of guiding slots configured to guide said pair of shaft portions, respectively, with movement of said holding unit from the second position to the first position, and wherein said holding portion permits inclination of said separating unit so that only one of said pair of shaft portions is abutted against a stopper portion of its associated guiding slot with the abutment of said pair of spacers against said rotatable member.