Patent ID: 6954608

Claim:
A heating apparatus comprising: a coil for generating a magnetic flux; a heat generating member for generating heat using the magnetic flux generated by said coil, said heat generating member being effective to heat a material to be heated; a first magnetic member, located at a fixed position adjacent said coil, for inducing the generated magnetic flux to said heat generating member; a second magnetic member for inducing the generated magnetic flux to said heat generating member, said second magnetic member being disposed opposed to said heat generating member with said first magnetic member interposed therebetween; and moving means for moving said second magnetic member relative to said first magnetic member, wherein said first magnetic member has a length corresponding to the material to be heated having a maximum length measured in the widthwise direction, and said second magnetic member is disposed opposed to a longitudinal end of said first magnetic member and has a length shorter than that of said first magnetic member, wherein when the material to be heated has a length measured in the widthwise direction which is smaller than the maximum length, said moving means moves said second magnetic member away from said first magnetic member.