US 11,921,449 B2
Fixing apparatus
Kenichi Tanaka, Ibaraki (JP); Youichi Chikugo, Chiba (JP); Hidekazu Tatezawa, Saitama (JP); Rikiya Takemasa, Chiba (JP); Takeshi Kozuma, Tokyo (JP); Mikihiko Watanabe, Ibaraki (JP); and Taku Ashida, Chiba (JP)
Assigned to CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/170,164.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-028923 (JP), filed on Feb. 28, 2022; and application No. 2022-028928 (JP), filed on Feb. 28, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0273557 A1, Aug. 31, 2023
Int. Cl. G03G 15/20 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/2053 (2013.01) 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fixing apparatus comprising:
a fixing belt having an endless shape and configured to rotate;
a slide member including a slide surface configured to slide against an inner circumference surface of the fixing belt;
an opposing member configured to form a fixing nip portion by nipping the fixing belt with the slide member, the fixing nip portion being configured to nip and convey a recording material in a conveyance direction and fix a toner image on the recording material; and
a retaining member including a groove portion fitting the slide member therein, the groove portion retaining the slide member,
wherein the retaining member contacts the inner circumference surface of the fixing belt at a position downstream from the fixing nip portion in the conveyance direction,
wherein the retaining member includes, in the groove portion, a bottom surface portion that is in contact with an opposite surface of the slide member from the slide surface, a side surface portion that is formed on a downstream side of the groove portion in the conveyance direction and intersecting the bottom surface portion, and a continuous portion that is formed between the bottom surface portion and the side surface portion, and
wherein the slide member includes an abutment portion configured to abut against the side surface portion at a position downstream from a downstream edge of the opposite surface in a state where the slide member is slidden against the fixing belt such that the downstream edge of the opposite surface is positioned upstream from the continuous portion in the conveyance direction.