Image heating apparatus including a covering member configured to cover an electrode portion

摘要

An image heating apparatus includes: an endless belt; a rotatable member configured to cooperate with the endless belt to form the nip; a back-up member including a heater and an electrode portion connected with the heater; an electric energy supply member mounted to the back-up member; a regulating member mounted to the back-up member to regulate movement of the endless belt in a longitudinal direction of the belt; and a covering member for covering the electrode portion when the endless belt is inserted and removed in a longitudinal direction in the state that the electric energy supply member and the regulating member are dismounted from the back-up member.

主权项

1. An image heating apparatus comprising:
a replaceable endless belt configured to heat a toner image on a sheet in a nip portion, an inner surface of said endless belt being coated with a lubricant; a rotatable member configured to form the nip cooperatively with said endless belt; a back-up member provided in said endless belt and configured to back-up said endless belt to sandwich said endless belt cooperatively with said rotatable member; a heater provided on said back-up member and configured to heat said endless belt; an electrode portion provided on said back-up member and configured to be electrically connected with said heater; a detachable connector configured to supply electric power to said heater through said electrode portion; a covering member configured to cover said electrode portion when said endless belt is pulled out from said back-up member in a state that said connector is detached from said back-up member; and a film insertion facilitation member, abuttable with said endless belt, configured to facilitate insertion of a new replacement endless belt replacing the replaceable endless belt by interrelating a movement of said covering member from a first position for permitting a connection between said connector and said electrode portion to a second position for covering said electrode portion with an inserting operation of the new replacement endless belt.