Image heating apparatus and heater for use therein

An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material, comprising:

• an endless belt;
• a heater provided in an inner space of the endless belt, the heater includes a substrate, a plurality of independently controllable heating blocks arranged on the substrate along a longitudinal direction of the substrate, a plurality of first electrodes, each electrically connected to the plurality of independently controllable heating blocks, one of two second electrodes electrically connected to the plurality of independently controllable heating blocks, and the other of two second electrodes electrically connected to the plurality of independently controllable heating blocks;
• a plurality of first electrical contacts, each electrically in contact with the first electrodes;
• and
• two second electrical contacts, each electrically in contact with the second electrodes,
• wherein a potential of the one of two second electrodes and a potential of the other of two second electrodes are the same, and
• wherein each of the plurality of independently controllable heating blocks generates heat by an electrical power supplied through one of the first electrodes corresponding to one of the plurality of independently controllable heating blocks and the two second electrodes.