HEATER AND IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME

摘要

A heater usable with an image heating apparatus including first and second terminals includes a first connector connectable with the first terminal; a second connector connectable with the second terminal and positioned with a gap from the first connector in a longitudinal direction of the substrate; a third connector connectable with the second terminal; a fourth connector connectable with the second terminal and positioned with a gap from the third connector in the widthwise; heat generators arranged in the longitudinal direction, the heat generators including at least one heat generator activatable by the first connector and the second connector, at least one heat generator activatable by the first connector and the third connector, and at least one heat generator activatable by the first connector and the fourth connector; a gap between the third connector and the fourth connector in the widthwise direction is smaller than a gap between the first connector and the second connector in the longitudinal direction.

主权项

1. A heater usable with an image heating apparatus including an electric energy supplying portion provided with a first terminal and a second terminal, and an endless belt for heating an image on a sheet, wherein said heater is contactable to the belt to heat the belt, said heater comprising:
a substrate; a first connecting portion electrically connectable with the first terminal; a second connecting portion electrically connectable with the terminal and provided adjacent to said first connecting portion with a gap in a longitudinal direction of said substrate; a third connecting portion electrically connectable with the second terminal; a fourth connecting portion electrically connectable with the second terminal and provided adjacent to said third connecting portion with a gap in the widthwise direction of said substrate; a plurality of heat generating portions arranged in the longitudinal direction of said substrate, said heat generating portions including at least one heat generating portion capable of generating heat by electric energy supply from said first connecting portion and said second connecting portion, at least one heat generating portion capable of generating heat by electric energy supply from said first connecting portion and said third connecting portion, and at least one heat generating portion capable of the generating heat by electric energy supply from said first connecting portion and said fourth connecting portion; a gap between said third connecting portion and said fourth connecting portion in the widthwise direction is smaller than a gap between said first connecting portion and said second connecting portion in the longitudinal direction.