US Patent 7623805 Image heating apparatus and image forming apparatus

An image heating apparatus comprises an endless belt for heating an image on a recording material. A heating member is provided for heating a part of the endless belt and a contact member is provided for contacting an inner surface of the belt. A stand-by control unit is operable in a stop period in which the heating member effects heating with the belt at rest and in a rotation period in which the belt is rotated, and a drive stop control unit is provided for stopping the endless belt at a position that the contact member contacts at least a part of a portion of the endless belt that has been opposed to the heating member in a previous stop period.