JP2011203444A - Image heating device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image heating device including a brush that can be stably brought in electrical contact with a rotating body.SOLUTION: The image heating device (fixing unit T) includes: a fixing film 36 configured to heat a recording material S with a toner image carried thereon; a pressure roll 61 configured to form a press-contact nip portion together with the fixing film 36, and convey the recording material S while holding the recording material S together with the fixing film 36; and a brush 37 formed of a conductive material, configured to come into electrical contact with the fixing film 36 when the fixing film 36 is a rotating body supported freely rotatably about a predetermined axis. The brush 37 is loop-shaped. The loop portion 37a1 of the brush 37 comes into contact with the fixing film 36.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus having a heating body, a pressure body, a heating body, and a brush that electrically contacts the rotating body when the pressure body is a rotating body, and an image forming apparatus including the image heating apparatus. About.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus having a fixing device that is an image heating device that heats a recording material on which an unfixed image (toner image) is formed is known. The fixing device includes a heating body and a pressure body. For example, in the case of a heat roller type fixing device, a fixing roller whose temperature is controlled to a predetermined temperature by a halogen lamp or the like as a heating body, and a pressure roller that presses a recording material against the fixing roller as a pressure body. In the case of a film heating type fixing device, a fixing film that rotates while being pressed against a ceramic heater as a heating body and a pressure member that presses a recording material against the fixing film as a pressing body are provided.

  In these fixing devices, in order to prevent an offset image that may be generated when the surface of the fixing roller or the fixing film is charged up, electrical ground connection, grounding through a diode element, voltage application by a voltage application means Has been done. Further, when the recording material enters the pressure nip portion of the heating body and the pressure body, an electrical connection is made in order to prevent a fixing tailing in which an unfixed toner image is scattered in the direction opposite to the recording material conveyance direction. Yes.

  These electrical connections are made from the inner surface side of the fixing roller and the fixing film, or from the outer surface side of the fixing roller and the fixing film. Among these, regarding a configuration in which such a heating body is electrically connected from the surface side, fixing devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are disclosed.

  The inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are inventions of a fixing device in which the ends of a plurality of linear conductive brushes are brought into contact with the surface of a heating body. This conductive brush is formed of conductive fibers such as SUS or amorphous, and these are extremely fine with a diameter of several microns to several tens of microns.

Japanese Patent No. 3990957 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-190953

  However, in the fixing devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, since the tip of the conductive brush comes into contact with the rotating body that is rotating, the contact state of the conductive brush becomes unstable. Further, when there are a plurality of conductive brushes, the tips of the hairs are entangled with each other, so that the contact state of the conductive brush becomes unstable. Furthermore, when the front end of the conductive brush contacts the vicinity of the end of the fixing film, the conductive brush is dragged toward the end of the fixing film, so that the conductive brush is in the longitudinal direction of the fixing film. It is sandwiched between the flange supporting both ends and the fixing film. Further, since the grease applied between the flange and the fixing film oozes out from both ends of the fixing film and the grease adheres to the tip of the conductive brush, the contact state of the conductive brush is not stable.

  In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image heating apparatus in which a brush can be in electrical contact with a rotating body more stably than before.

  In order to solve the above problems, an image heating apparatus according to the present invention includes a heating member for heating a recording material carrying a toner image, and a recording material between the heating member and the heating member by forming a pressure nip portion with the heating member. A pressure body that conveys the material while sandwiching it, a brush portion that is formed of a conductive material and has a loop portion formed in a loop shape, and at least one of the heating body and the pressure body has a predetermined axis And a brush that makes electrical contact with the rotating body at the loop portion.

  According to the present invention, the brush can be in electrical contact with the rotating body more stably than before.

It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of an image forming apparatus provided with the image heating apparatus which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a fixing unit. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a brush and a fixing film. It is a top view which shows the structure of a brush and a fixing film. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a brush and a fixing film. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating configurations of a brush and a fixing film according to Example 2. It is a top view which shows the structure of a brush and a fixing film.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be exemplarily described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, since the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of the components described in the following examples are appropriately changed depending on the configuration of the apparatus to which the invention is applied and various conditions, there are particularly specific descriptions. As long as there is not, it is not the meaning which limits the scope of the invention only to them.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus 100 including an image heating apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 100 is an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 has an image forming apparatus main body (hereinafter, simply referred to as “apparatus main body”) 100A. Inside the apparatus main body 100A, an image forming unit 50 for forming an image is provided. Provided. The image forming unit 50 includes a photosensitive drum 22 that is an “image carrier” that forms an image, a transfer roller 24 that is a “transfer device”, and the like. At least the photosensitive drum 22 may be included in the process cartridge P and incorporated in the apparatus main body 100A as the process cartridge P. In the first embodiment, a fixing unit T that is a fixing unit in the image forming apparatus is illustrated as the image heating apparatus. Further, as the image forming apparatus 100, a laser beam printer is illustrated.

  Regarding the image forming apparatus 100, first, a schematic configuration will be described along the flow of the recording material S. Inside the apparatus main body 100A, a feeding and conveying unit 1 as a feeding and conveying unit, an image forming unit 2 as an image forming unit for forming a toner image, and a fixing unit as a fixing unit for fixing the toner image to the recording material S are provided. T is arranged. The recording material S is conveyed to the image forming unit 2 by the feeding and conveying unit 1. Then, the toner image is transferred to the recording material S by the image forming unit 2. Then, the recording material S to which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing unit T and fixed, and then discharged from a discharge tray 54 as a discharge unit which is a discharge unit.

  Specifically, the configuration is as follows. The feeding / conveying unit 1 includes a cassette 11, a feeding roller 12, a conveying roller pair 13, and a conveying roller pair 14. The cassette 11 is a casing that is disposed at the lower part of the apparatus main body 100A and that stores the recording material S loaded thereon. The recording material S inside the cassette 11 is fed out in order from the uppermost one by the feeding roller 12 that rotates counterclockwise, and is conveyed to the image forming unit 2 by the conveying roller pairs 13 and 14.

  In the vicinity of the image forming unit 2, a sensor lever 15 and a photo interrupter 16 for detecting the passage of the recording material S are provided. The photo interrupter 16 is a light transmissive type, and the light shielding portion of the sensor lever 15 is positioned between the light emitting side and the light receiving side, and the recording material S is retracted by rotating the sensor lever 15 so that the recording material S is retracted. Is detected. Further, since the sensor lever 15 is biased by an elastic member (not shown), it returns to the initial position when the recording material S finishes passing.

  After the passage of the recording material S is detected, a laser beam corresponding to the image information is irradiated to the surface of the photosensitive drum 22 rotating in the clockwise direction by the laser scanner 21 after a lapse of a predetermined time. An electrostatic image is formed on the surface. This electrostatic image is developed with toner at a developing portion inside the process cartridge P. The toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 22 is transferred to the recording material S as an unfixed image by the transfer roller 24. The recording material S carrying the unfixed image is sent to the fixing unit T and subjected to fixing processing. The recording material S that has passed through the fixing unit T and has undergone the fixing process is conveyed by the discharge conveyance roller pair 33 and is discharged to the discharge portion at the top of the apparatus main body 100A.

  Further, in the apparatus main body 100A, an electrical component section 4 having a power supply unit and a control board as a controller which is a control means for controlling driving of the internal devices of the apparatus main body 100A is provided.

  Next, the operation at the time of recording on both the front and back sides of the recording material S will be described. When recording is performed on both sides of the recording material S, the recording material S that has passed through the fixing unit T and has been image-recorded on the front surface side is switched back and conveyed by the reverse drive of the discharge conveyance roller pair 33 and the conveyance roller 31. Further, the recording material S is conveyed again to the image forming unit 2 by the conveyance roller pairs 41 and 42. Then, as described above, the image is recorded on the back side of the recording material S and then discharged.

  A manual feed unit 5 is provided on a side surface of the apparatus main body 100A. The manual feed unit 5 includes a manual feed tray 51 and a feed roller 52. When the recording material S is fed from the manual feed unit 5, the user opens the manual feed tray 51 and loads the recording material S on the manual feed tray 51. The recording material S loaded on the manual feed tray 51 is sequentially fed out from the uppermost recording material S by a manual feeding roller 52 that rotates in the clockwise direction, and is sent to the image forming unit 2 by the conveying roller pair 14. After the recording material S is sent to the image forming unit 2, the recording material S is conveyed through the same path as described above, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the fixing unit T. As shown in FIG. 2, the fixing unit T includes a fixing film 36 that is a “heating body” that heats the recording material S carrying a toner image. Further, the fixing unit T includes a pressure roller 61 that is a “pressure body” that forms a pressure nip portion with the fixing film 36 and conveys the recording material S between the fixing film 36 and the recording material S. Further, the fixing unit T includes a brush 37. The brush 37 includes a loop portion 37a1 formed in a loop shape and a brush portion 37a formed of a conductive material. The brush 37 is in electrical contact with the fixing film 36 through the loop portion 37a1. The loop portion 37a1 can also be expressed as an arc-shaped portion formed in an arc shape.

  The fixing unit T includes a heater 32. The heater 32 is a heating body obtained by screen-printing a conductive heating element, a conductive electrode, or the like made of a silver alloy on a ceramic substrate made of alumina or aluminum nitride. The energization heating element is connected to an AC energization control circuit. A thermistor 34 as temperature detecting means is attached on the heater 32, and the thermistor 34 detects the temperature of the heater 32. Further, a thermal fuse or thermo switch 35 as a thermo protector is provided on the heater 32, and is connected to an AC power source in series with the energization heating element. The fixing film 36 is formed of a cylindrical polyimide resin or stainless steel with an elastic rubber layer made of silicon rubber, fluorine rubber, or the like and a fluorine resin. There is also a fixing film 36 having no elastic rubber layer.

  The fixing film 36 is electrically connected to a ground connection, a diode connection, or a voltage application unit in order to control the surface potential. Here, the fixing film 36 is connected by a conductive brush 37 for electrical connection. The brush 37 is made of conductive fibers such as SUS or amorphous, and these are extremely fine with a diameter of several microns to several tens of microns.

  Inside the fixing film 36, a film guide 38 formed of a heat-resistant resin such as PPS, PEEK, liquid crystal polymer or the like and supporting the heater 32, a heater 32, and a reinforcing plate 39 are housed to constitute a heating unit. The pressure roller 61 is a pressure member in which an elastic layer made of silicon rubber, fluorine rubber or the like is formed on a shaft made of aluminum, iron or the like. The fixing film 36 restricts the travel locus by the outer peripheral surface or the inner peripheral surface of one flange 62 (see FIG. 3) and the other flange (not shown) arranged so as to face both ends in the longitudinal direction of the fixing film 36. Has been. The flange 62 and the inner peripheral surface of the flange (not shown) regulate the movement of the fixing film 36 in the longitudinal direction and the traveling locus of both ends of the fixing film 36. A heating unit and a pressure roller 61, in which a film guide 38, a heater 32, a reinforcing plate 39, and the like are installed inside the fixing film 36, include a flange 62 and a flange (not shown) of the heating unit by a pressure spring (not shown). The pressure nip N is formed by applying a load. The pressure rollers 61 are rotatably supported by bearings 66, respectively. As the recording material S passes through the pressure nip N, an unfixed image on the surface of the recording material S is fixed. In addition, the fixing unit T includes a conveyance roller 31 that is a rotating body that contacts the recording material S in the vicinity of the downstream of the fixing film 36 and the pressure roller 61 in the recording material conveyance direction.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing configurations of the brush 37 and the fixing film 36. In FIG. 3, only the configuration on one end side of the fixing film 36 in which the brush 37 is in contact with the fixing film 36 is illustrated, and the configuration on the other end side of the fixing film 36 is not illustrated. As shown in FIG. 3, the brush 37 is configured by forming a brush portion 37 a made of conductive fibers (SUS, amorphous, etc.) in an endless loop shape. Several conductive fibers are bundled to form a bundle, and several bundles are further bundled. Both ends of the brush portion 37a are attached to a metal plate (SUS plate) 37b using a conductive double-sided tape (not shown), a thermosetting resin tape (not shown), and an aluminum plate 37c. The metal plate (SUS plate) 37b is connected to the electrical component 4 of the apparatus main body 100A.

  The base layer 36a of the fixing film 36 is a thin metal film (SUS, Ni, etc.) and is formed with a thickness of about 15 to 60 μm. On the base layer 36a, a conductive primer layer (not shown) is formed as a thin layer having a thickness of about 2 to 6 μm. The conductive primer layer does not necessarily cover the entire area of the base layer 36a. An elastic body layer 36b made of silicon rubber is provided on the conductive primer layer. Further, a PFA is provided on the elastic body layer 36b as a releasable layer (not shown) for preventing toner offset to the fixing film 36. , A fluororesin such as PTFE is coated to a thickness of about 5 to 10 μm.

  A flange 62 and a flange (not shown) are provided at both ends of the fixing film 36 to support and restrict the rotation of the fixing film 36. The outer peripheral surfaces of both ends of the fixing film 36 are supported by flanges 62 and inner peripheral surfaces of flanges (not shown). Since both ends of the fixing film 36 perform sliding with the flange 62 and a flange (not shown) and electrical contact with the brush 37, the elastic body layer 36b and the release layer are not provided. The brush 37 makes electrical contact with the base layer 36 a or the conductive primer layer at the end of the fixing film 36.

  Grease is applied between the sliding portions of the fixing film 36 and the flange 62 and the flange (not shown), that is, between the outer peripheral surface of both ends of the fixing film 36 and the inner peripheral surface of the flange 62 and the flange (not shown). Has been.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view showing configurations of the brush portion 37a and the fixing film 36. As shown in FIG. Here, when the fixing film 36 is viewed from a direction orthogonal to the axis of the fixing film 36, the rotation direction R of the fixing film 36, and the brush portion 37 a is upstream of the rotation direction R of the fixing film 36 and the fixing film 36. The angle formed by the inclination direction Q that inclines toward the center in the axial direction is defined as a first inclination angle α. The first inclination angle α1 is set to an acute angle.

  As described above, when the first inclination angle α of the brush portion 37a is an acute angle, when the fixing film 36 rotates, the tip of the brush portion 37a is guided to the center side in the axial direction of the fixing film 36. As a result, when the end portion of the fixing film 36 is rotatably supported by the flange 62 and the flange (not shown), the tip of the brush portion 37a is sandwiched between the fixing film 36 and the flange (62, not shown). The risk of being reduced.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the brush portion 37 a and the fixing film 36. Here, when viewed from the axial direction J of the fixing film 36, an angle formed by a tangential direction L of the fixing film 36 and an inclination direction M in which the brush portion 37 a is inclined upstream in the rotation direction of the fixing film 36. The second inclination angle β is assumed. This second inclination angle β is set to an obtuse angle.

  As described above, when the second inclination angle β of the brush 37 is an obtuse angle, when the fixing film 36 rotates, the tip of the brush portion 37a is countered with respect to the fixing film 36 (a direction along the rotation direction of the fixing film 36). Contact in the opposite direction). Accordingly, the brush portion 37a receives a component of the rotational force of the fixing film 36. That is, the brush portion 37a receives a component force from the fixing film 36 in the direction of the arrow F12 in FIG. As a result, the contact pressure at which the brush portion 37a contacts the fixing film 36 increases. Therefore, the contact of the brush part 37a with the fixing film 36 is stabilized.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating configurations of the brush 237 and the fixing film 236 according to the second embodiment. Among the configurations of the second embodiment, the same configurations and effects as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted as appropriate. Since the second embodiment can be applied to the same image forming apparatus as that of the first embodiment, the description of the image forming apparatus is omitted. The configuration of the second embodiment is different from the configuration of the first embodiment in that the brush 237 has a plurality of brush portions 237a. Note that the configuration of only one end side of the fixing film 236 with which the brush 237 contacts is illustrated, and the configuration of the other end side of the fixing film 236 is not illustrated.

  In the brush 237, as in the first embodiment, a brush portion 237a formed of conductive fibers (SUS, amorphous, etc.) is configured in an endless loop shape. A plurality of conductive fibers are bundled together to form a bundle as a single brush portion 237a. Three brush portions 237a are arranged in a row. The number of brushes can be freely increased or decreased depending on the configuration. Each brush portion 237a has a loop portion 237a1 formed in a loop shape. The loop portion 237a1 can also be expressed as an arc-shaped portion formed in an arc shape. Both ends of the brush portion 237a are attached to a metal plate (SUS plate) 237b by using a double-sided tape (not shown) and an aluminum tape 237c. Further, the metal plate (SUS plate) 237b is connected to the electrical component 4 of the apparatus main body 100A.

  The base layer 236a of the fixing film 236 is a resin film made of polyimide, polyamideimide, PEEK or the like having high insulating properties, and is formed with a thickness of about 15 to 60 μm. Further, a conductive primer layer 236c is formed as a thin layer having a thickness of about 2 to 6 μm at the longitudinal end of the base layer 236a. A fluororesin such as PFA or PTFE is formed on the conductive primer layer 236c so as to cover the fixing film 236 with a thickness of about 5 to 10 μm as a releasable layer 236b for preventing toner offset.

  A flange 262 and a flange (not shown) are provided at both ends of the fixing film 236, and the flange 262 and the flange (not shown) support and restrict the rotation of the fixing film 236. The inner peripheral surfaces of both ends of the fixing film 236 are supported by the outer peripheral surfaces of the flange 262 and a flange (not shown). Since the end portion of the fixing film 236 is in electrical contact with the brush 237, no release layer is provided, and a conductive primer layer 236c is provided. The brush 237 makes electrical contact with the conductive primer layer 236 c at the end of the fixing film 236.

  Grease is applied between the sliding portion between the fixing film 236 and the flange 262 and the flange (not shown), that is, between the outer peripheral surface of both ends of the fixing film 236 and the inner peripheral surface of the flange 262 and the flange (not shown). ing.

  FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the configuration of the brush portion 237a and the fixing film 236. Here, when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the axis of the fixing film 236, the rotation direction R of the fixing film 236, and the brush portion 237 a is upstream of the rotation direction R of the fixing film 236 and the center in the axial direction of the fixing film 236. The angle formed by the inclination direction Q that inclines toward the side is defined as a first inclination angle α. Again, the first inclination angle α1 is set to an acute angle.

  As described above, when the first inclination angle α of the brush part 237a is an acute angle, when the fixing film 236 rotates, the tip of the brush part 237a is guided to the center side in the axial direction of the fixing film 236. As a result, when the end of the fixing film 236 is rotatably supported by the flange 262 and the flange (not shown), the tip of the brush portion 237a is sandwiched between the fixing film 236 and the flange (262, not shown). The risk of being reduced.

  When viewed from the axial direction J of the fixing film 236, the angle formed by the tangential direction of the fixing film 236 and the inclination direction in which the brush portion 237a is inclined upstream of the rotation direction of the fixing film 236 is defined as the second inclination angle β. And This second inclination angle β is set to an obtuse angle.

  Thus, when the second inclination angle β of the brush 237 is an obtuse angle, when the fixing film 236 rotates, the tip of the brush portion 237a is countered with respect to the fixing film 236 (a direction along the rotation direction of the fixing film 236). Contact in the opposite direction). Accordingly, the brush portion 237a receives a component of the rotational force of the fixing film 236. The brush portion 237a receives a component force from the fixing film 236. As a result, the contact pressure at which the brush portion 237a contacts the fixing film 236 increases. Therefore, the contact of the brush part 237a with respect to the fixing film 236 is stabilized.

  As described above, according to the configurations of the first and second embodiments, the following effects can be obtained. In Example 1, when the fixing film 36 rotates, the loop portion 37a1 of the brush 37 bends while contacting the base layer 36a and the conductive primer layer of the fixing film 36. In Example 2, when the fixing film 236 rotates, the loop portion 237a1 of the brush 237 bends while contacting the conductive primer layer 236c of the fixing film 236. That is, they are in contact with the loop brush portions 37a and 237a, not the end portions of the linear brush portions. Therefore, the loop portions 37a1 and 237a1 of the brush portions 37a and 237a are in linear contact with the fixing films 36 and 236. That is, it is not a point contact by the end of the linear brush part but a line contact by the looped brush parts 37a and 237a. As a result, the brushes 37 and 237 can be in electrical contact with the fixing films 36 and 236 more stably than before.

  Further, according to the configurations of the first and second embodiments, since the fixing films 36 and 236, the flange 62 and the flange (not shown) are grease-lubricated, the grease oozes out to the end portions of the fixing films 36 and 236. . Further, when the recording material S passes, recording material powder is generated. When contact is made at the ends of the brush portions 37a and 237a, the tips of the brush portions 37a and 237a are entangled with grease or paper dust, and the contact becomes unstable. However, since contact is made at the loop portions 37a1 and 237a1 of the brush portions 37a and 237a, contact instability that occurs when the contact portions are entangled with impurities does not occur, and a stable contact state can be maintained. In particular, in the case of the configuration of the second embodiment, since the plurality of brush portions 237a are in contact with each other, the contact is further stabilized.

  Further, according to the configurations of the first and second embodiments, the forces that the brush portions 37a and 237a receive from the rotation of the fixing films 36 and 236 are in the directions of arrows F11 and F21 (see FIGS. 4 and 7). That is, the brush portions 37 a and 237 a are biased in the direction toward the center of the fixing films 36 and 236, and the brush portions 37 a and 237 a are not easily tilted toward the end portions of the fixing films 36 and 236. Therefore, the brush portions 37a and 237a are hardly sandwiched between the flanges 62 and 262 and the flange (not shown) and the fixing films 36 and 236, and the contact of the brush portions 37a and 237a with the fixing films 36 and 236 is stabilized.

(Other examples)
In the first and second embodiments described above, a heat fixing device such as a printer or a copying machine is exemplified as the image heating device, and a printer is exemplified as the image forming device, and the fixing films 36 and 236 are used. However, the present invention is not limited to such fixing films 36 and 236. For example, the pressure roller 6 and the photosensitive drum 22 that are rotatable around a predetermined axis require electrical contact. It can also be applied to the body. Therefore, at least one of the fixing film 36 and the pressure roller 61 may be a “rotary body”.

  Furthermore, it is apparent that the above-described configuration can be applied not only to the image forming apparatus but also to an apparatus that makes electrical contact with a rotating body using a conductive brush.

36, 236 .. Fixing film (heating body)
37, 237 ... Brush 37a, 237a ... Brush part 37a1, 237a1, loop part 61..Pressure roller (pressure body)
S: Recording material T: Fixing unit (image heating device)

Claims (5)

A heating body for heating a recording material carrying a toner image;
A pressure body that forms a pressure nip portion with the heating body and conveys the recording material while being sandwiched between the heating body, and
When having a loop portion formed in a loop shape and a brush portion formed of a conductive material, and at least one of the heating body and the pressure body is a rotating body that is rotatable about a predetermined axis A brush electrically contacting the rotating body at the loop portion;
An image heating apparatus comprising:   When viewed from a direction orthogonal to the axis of the rotator, the rotation direction of the rotator, and the inclination direction in which the brush portion inclines toward the upstream side in the rotation direction and the center side in the axial direction of the rotator. 2. The image heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first tilt angle is an acute angle when the angle formed by is a first tilt angle.   The image heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the brush section includes a plurality of brush sections.   When viewed from the direction along the axis of the rotating body, a second inclination angle is defined as an angle formed by a tangential direction of the rotating body and an inclination direction in which the brush portion is inclined upstream of the rotating direction of the rotating body. The image heating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second inclination angle is an obtuse angle. An image carrier for forming an image;
An image heating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images