Patent ID: 7269365

Claim:
An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material, comprising: a heater having a substrate and a heat generating resistor provided on said substrate; a holder made of a resin that holds said heater along a longitudinal direction of said heater; an elastic roller that forms a nip portion, through which the recording material is conveyed, in cooperation with said heater; a thermosensitive element that senses heat from said heater, said thermosensitive element being fitted in a hole provided at a portion on said holder with respect to a longitudinal direction of said holder; a spring that urges said thermosensitive element toward said heater; and a support portion provided only at a position on said holder that is adjacent to said hole with respect to the longitudinal direction of said holder, said support portion having a clearance from said thermosensitive element, wherein when abnormal heat generation by said heater occurs and a portion of said holder in the vicinity of said hole is softened, said support portion receives a load placed on said heater via said thermosensitive element.