Belt or roller for OA apparatus, manufacturing method thereof, and OA apparatus using the same

Abstract

A belt or a roller for OA apparatus, in which a top layer includes a base material formed from PTFE, PFA or a mixture thereof and having a continuous structure and the PTFE, the PFA or the mixture thereof occupies at least 70% of the base material in weight excluding a conductive agent, is provided. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus can attain sufficient toner detachability with respect to toner including chemical toner, and has excellent resistance to physical and/or mechanical stress and resistance to electrical stress. A method of manufacturing the belt or the roller for OA apparatus and an OA apparatus employing the belt or the roller are also provided.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a transfer belt 1 for an image-forming apparatus representing a preferred example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a transfer belt 1′ for an image-forming apparatus representing a preferred example of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a state where a first composite body consisting of a top layer 2 and a binder layer 5 is formed on an inner surface of an outer cylinder 11.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing a state where a second composite body consisting of a base layer 3 and an intermediate layer 4 is formed on an outer surface of a drum-shaped mold 12.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing a state where a core 13 is inserted in the second composite body consisting of base layer 3 and intermediate layer 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a state where the second composite body consisting of base layer 3 and intermediate layer 4 in such a state that core 13 is inserted therein is inserted in the first composite body consisting of top layer 2 and binder layer 5 formed on the inner surface of an outer cylinder 11.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example where core 13 made of an elastic body is used and heat-sealing between top layer 2 and intermediate layer 4 is performed.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing another example where core 13 made of an elastic body is used and heat-sealing between top layer 2 and intermediate layer 4 is performed.

FIG. 9 schematically shows a water bag 21 that can suitably be used in manufacturing a belt or a roller for OA apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 10 schematically shows a state where water bag 21 in the example shown in FIG. 9 is used and heat-sealing between binder layer 5 and intermediate layer 4 is performed.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing an apparatus for testing endurance used in experiment example 1, by applying physical and/or mechanical stress and charging stress to a transfer belt.

FIG. 12 is a graph showing relation between an amount of blending an ion-conductive agent and surface resistivity.

FIG. 13 is a graph showing relation between an amount of blending an ion-conductive agent and tensile strength.

FIG. 14 is a graph showing relation between an amount of blending an ion-conductive agent and elongation.

FIG. 15 schematically shows an image transfer system using a transfer belt for an image-forming apparatus.

Claims

1. A belt or a roller for OA apparatus, wherein a top layer includes a base material formed from PTFE, PFA or a mixture thereof and having a continuous structure; andthe PTFE, the PFA or the mixture thereof occupies at least 70% of the base material in weight, excluding a conductive agent.

2. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 1, wherein melt flow rate of the PTFE, the PFA or the mixture thereof forming said base material is at most 14 g/10 minutes (372° C., load 5 kg).

3. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said base material is formed from a mixture of the PTFE and the PFA, and the PFA occupies 50 weight % with respect to total weight of the PTFE and the PFA.

4. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said base material is formed from the PFA or a mixture of the PFA and the PTFE having a melting point of at most 300° C.

5. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 1, used as a transfer belt or a transfer/fusion belt.

6. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 1, used as any one of a transfer belt, a transfer/fusion belt, a development roller, a charge roller, and a fusion roller for image-forming apparatus, wherein (RfSO2)2NLi where Rf represents perfluoroalkyl group is blended in the PTFE, the PFA or the mixture thereof forming the base material.

7. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said (RfSO2)2NLi is (CF3SO2)2NLi or (C2F5SO2)2NLi.

8. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 6, wherein 0.003 to 3.0 parts by weight (RfSO2)2NLi is blended in 100 parts by weight PTFE, PFA or the mixture thereof

9. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said top layer has surface resistivity in a range from 1.00E+10 to 9.99E+14Ω/□.

10. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said top layer has a thickness in a range from 1 to 30 μm.

11. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 1, used as a transfer belt for image-forming apparatus, wherein said transfer belt for image-forming apparatus has such a structure that a base layer, an intermediate layer formed from an elastomer and said top layer are stacked in this order, andsaid base layer has surface resistivity higher than that of said intermediate layer.

12. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said intermediate layer is formed from an ion-conductive elastomer.

13. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said intermediate layer is formed from one type of elastomer or a plurality of types of elastomers selected from urethane, NBR, EP, SR, and polyamide.

14. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a binder layer formed from a fluorine-containing polymer is interposed between said intermediate layer and said top layer, andsaid binder layer is formed from a material having a melting point equal to or lower than a point of thermal decomposition of the elastomer forming said intermediate layer, and a point of thermal decomposition equal to or higher than a melting point of the PTFE, the PFA or the mixture thereof forming the base material of said top layer.

15. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 1, used as a multilayer endless belt for image-forming apparatus, wherein said multilayer endless belt for image-forming apparatus has such a structure that a base layer, an intermediate layer formed from an elastomer and said top layer are stacked in this order, anda surface of said top layer on a side adjacent to the intermediate layer is subjected to an adhesion property improvement treatment.

16. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said adhesion property improvement treatment is a treatment for providing polarity to a molecule of the PTFE, the PFA or the mixture thereof on the surface of the top layer adjacent to the intermediate layer.

17. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said adhesion property improvement treatment is a plasma treatment.

18. The belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said surface of said top layer subjected to the adhesion property improvement treatment is adhered to said intermediate layer by heat-sealing.

19. A method of manufacturing the belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 15, comprising the steps of: fabricating a composite body having the intermediate layer formed on the base layer;fabricating the top layer having one surface subjected to the adhesion property improvement treatment; andadhering the intermediate layer of the composite body to the surface of the top layer subjected to the adhesion property improvement treatment.

20. An OA apparatus comprising the belt or the roller for OA apparatus according to claim 1.