US 12,443,132 B2
Fixing unit
Tatsuo Yasui, Saitama (JP); Junichi Moteki, Abiko (JP); Akiyoshi Shinagawa, Kasukabe (JP); Takuma Tadomi, Toride (JP); Ikuo Nakamoto, Matsudo (JP); Toru Katsumi, Toride (JP); and Takahiro Ohnishi, Kashiwa (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on May 13, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/661,812.
Application 17/487,017 is a division of application No. 16/600,849, filed on Oct. 14, 2019, granted, now 11,163,250, issued on Nov. 2, 2021.
Application 18/661,812 is a continuation of application No. 17/487,017, filed on Sep. 28, 2021, granted, now 12,025,931.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-199230 (JP), filed on Oct. 23, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0295845 A1, Sep. 5, 2024
Int. Cl. G03G 15/20 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/2053 (2013.01) [G03G 15/2064 (2013.01); G03G 2215/00679 (2013.01); G03G 2215/2038 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fixing unit configured to fix an unfixed toner image formed on a recording material to the recording material, the fixing unit comprising:
an endless belt;
a heating unit configured to heat the belt;
a pressure rotary member configured to form a fixing nip portion that nips and conveys a recording material with the belt and to drive the belt to rotate;
a pad configured to press the belt toward the pressure rotary member;
a sliding sheet provided on the inner side of the belt and configured to slide against the belt by being pressed by the pad, the sliding sheet including a first surface that is a surface of the sliding sheet on one side in a thickness direction and a second surface that is a surface of the sliding sheet on the other side in the thickness direction, opposite to the first surface and comes into contact with the belt; and
a contact member made of metal, and configured to come into contact with the second surface of the sliding sheet,
wherein the sliding sheet is arranged so that it does not extend beyond the contact member in the longitudinal direction of the belt, and the sliding sheet is shorter than the contact member in the longitudinal direction.