Patent ID: 8254819

Claim:
An image heating apparatus comprising: a rotatable member; a rotatable belt member, contactable to said rotatable member, configured to form a nip in which an image on a recording material is heated with said rotatable member; a pressing member, disposed inside said belt member, configured to press said belt member against said rotatable member; a lubricant application member configured to apply a lubricant onto an inner surface of said belt member; a contact-and-separation device configured to move said belt member toward and away from said rotatable member; and a switching mechanism configured to switch the contact pressure of said lubricant application member on said belt member, so that when said belt member is separated from said rotatable member and rotates in contact with said pressing member, said lubricant application member contacts said belt member with a smaller contact pressure than that when said belt member rotates in contact with said rotatable member and said pressing member.