Fixing apparatus

A fixing apparatus comprising:

• a fixing belt that is rotatable and is configured to heat a recording material;
• a heating roller configured to be in contact with an inner surface of the fixing belt and to heat the fixing belt;
• a nip portion forming member configured to be in contact with the inner surface of the fixing belt and to suspend the fixing belt;
• a pressing rotary member configured to form a nip portion by pressing the nip portion forming member via the fixing belt,
• wherein, with the fixing belt, the pressing rotary member is configured to pinch and convey the recording material and fix a toner image to the recording material;
• a suspending roller that is disposed upstream of the nip portion forming member and downstream of the heating roller in a direction of rotation of the fixing belt and configured to suspend the fixing belt,
• wherein the suspending roller has a center and both ends in an area where the fixing belt and the suspending roller are in contact with each other in a width direction of the suspending roller, and
• wherein outside diameters at both of the ends of the suspending roller are greater than an outside diameter at the suspending roller center by a value between 50 micrometer (μm) and 300 μm, inclusive;
• and
• an urging unit configured to urge the suspending roller from the inner surface of the fixing belt toward an outer circumference surface of the fixing belt,
• wherein, in applying a force, the force that the urging unit applies to the suspending roller ranges between 50 newtons (N) and 100 N, inclusive.