An image heating apparatus includes a flexible sleeve, a sliding member
for sliding on the inner periphery of the sleeve, and a back-up member
for forming a nip portion together with the sliding member through the
sleeve. A recording material for bearing an image is heated while being
held and conveyed by the nip portion, and a regulation member is set by
facing the edge surface of the sleeve in the generatrix direction to
regulate the movement of the sleeve in the generatrix direction, the
regulation member having a regulation surface with which the edge surface
of the sleeve contacts when the sleeve moves in the generatrix direction.
The regulation surface of the regulation member has a curved-surface area
in which a line when the regulation surface is cut at a virtual plane
almost parallel with the nip portion is a curved line expanded toward the
edge surface of the sleeve. Thereby, an image heating apparatus is
provided which is able to restrain deterioration of the durability of the
flexible sleeve.