US 12,339,605 B2
Fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image on a recording medium
Shutaro Saito, Tokyo (JP); Youichi Chikugo, Chiba (JP); Hidekazu Tatezawa, Saitama (JP); Rikiya Takemasa, Chiba (JP); Takeshi Kozuma, Tokyo (JP); Mikihiko Watanabe, Ibaraki (JP); Taku Ashida, Chiba (JP); Keisuke Yoshida, Chiba (JP); Yuya Yamada, Chiba (JP); and Kenichi Tanaka, Ibaraki (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on May 24, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/674,542.
Application 18/674,542 is a continuation of application No. 18/172,849, filed on Feb. 22, 2023, granted, now 12,025,936.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-028871 (JP), filed on Feb. 28, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0310765 A1, Sep. 19, 2024
Int. Cl. G03G 15/20 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/2053 (2013.01) [G03G 15/2025 (2013.01); G03G 15/2064 (2013.01); G03G 2215/2032 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fixing apparatus comprising:
a fixing belt that is rotatable and endless;
a heating roller, in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt, configured to apply heat to the fixing belt;
a steering roller, in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt together with the heating roller, configured to change a position of the fixing belt in a width direction of the fixing belt;
a pressing rotation member configured to form a nip portion with the fixing belt by pressing the fixing belt; and
a slide member, in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt, configured to slide onto the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt,
wherein a recording material on which unfixed toner is borne is nipped and conveyed to the nip portion and an unfixed toner image is fixed,
wherein a lubricant is applied on the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt,
wherein the slide member has a plurality of protrusions configured to slide the fixing belt, and
wherein, in a state where the nip portion is formed, both ends of the fixing belt in the width direction of the fixing belt are positioned outside an area including the plurality of protrusions.