Patent Application
20080070031
The above embodiments will become apparent as the following description proceeds upon reference to the drawings, which include the following figures:
Referring to
After the toner particles have been deposited on the photoconductive surface, in image configuration, they are transferred to a copy sheet 16 by transfer means 15, which can be pressure transfer or electrostatic transfer. Alternatively, the developed image can be transferred to an intermediate transfer member and subsequently transferred to a copy sheet.
After the transfer of the developed image is completed, copy sheet 16 advances to fusing station 19, depicted in
In
Backup or pressure roll 6 cooperates with fuser roll 5 to form a nip or contact arc 9 through which a copy paper or other substrate 16 passes such that toner images 21 thereon contact fluorocarbon surface 2 of fuser roll 5. As shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The fusing component of the present invention can be comprised of at least three different configurations. In one embodiment, the fusing component is of a two-layer configuration as shown in
In embodiments, there may be present an outer release layer 27 positioned on the outer layer 2 as shown in
Examples of suitable substrate materials include, in the case of roller substrate, metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, steel, nickel and the like. In the case of film-type substrates (in the event the substrate is a fuser belt, film, drelt (a cross between a drum and a belt) or the like) suitable substrates include high temperature plastics that are suitable for allowing a high operating temperature (i.e., greater than about 80° C., or greater than 200° C.), and capable of exhibiting high mechanical strength.
The outer layer comprises a fluorocarbon, and in embodiments, perfluoroalkoxy polytetrafluoroethylene (PFA PTFE, or PFA). The fluorocarbon is present in the outer layer in an amount of from about 75 to about 95, or from 80 to about 90 percent by weight of total solids.
An electrically conductive filler is dispersed or contained in the fluorocarbon outer layer. In embodiments, the fluorocarbon outer layer comprises fluorocarbon polymer of desired composition and carbon black in appropriate amounts with desired size and shape, resulting in a volume resistivity of from about 1×10−4 to about 1×10−8 ohm/cm2. Examples of suitable carbon fillers include non-graphite carbon blacks such as N330® from Cabot, Alpharetta, Ga.; KETJEN BLACK® from ARMAK Corp; VULCAN® XC72, VULCAN® XC72, BLACK PEARLS® 2000, and REGAL® 250R available from Cabot Corporation Special Blacks Division; THERMAL BLACK® from RT Van Derbilt, Inc.; Shawinigan Acetylene Blacks available from Chevron Chemical Company; furnace blacks; ENSACO® Carbon Blacks and THERMAX Carbon Blacks available from R.T. Vanderbilt Company, Inc.; and those graphites available from Southwestern Graphite of Burnet, Tex., GRAPHITE 56-55 (10 microns, 10−1 ohm/sq), Graphite FP 428J from Graphite Sale, Graphite 2139, 2939 and 5535 from Superior Graphite, and Graphites M450 and HPM850 from Asburry. Other carbon blacks include fluorinated carbon black (for example, ACCUFLUOR® or CARBOFLUOR®), and the like, and mixtures thereof.
In embodiments, the carbon black filler is present in an amount of from about 1.0 to about 12, or from about 4 to about 10, or from about 5 to about 8 percent by weight of total solids.
The addition of the carbon black into the outer fluorocarbon layer allows for an aspect ratio of from about 1 to 1,000, or from about 5 to about 100, or from about 10 to about 50. The aspect ratio is defined as a ratio of dimension of the major axis to the primary minor axis.
The carbon black is present in the outer layer in an amount, shape, and or distribution so as to enable the volume resistivity of the outer layer to become from about 1×10−4 to about 1×10−8 ohm/cm2, or from about 1×10−5 to about 1×10−7 ohm/cm2.
The volume resistivity can be tailored by using a specific type of carbon black, a specific amount of carbon black, a carbon black with a certain particle geometry, orienting the carbon black within the polymer outer layer in a certain configuration, a carbon black with a specific resistivity, a carbon black with a specific chemistry, a carbon black with a specific surface area, carbon black with a specific size, and the like.
Graphite carbon black is defined as being of crystalline shape, or the crystalline allotropic form of carbon black, and non-graphite carbon black is a finely divided form of carbon black. In graphite, carbon atoms are located in a plane of symmetrical hexagons and there are layers and layers of these planes in graphite. Non-graphite carbon black, as used herein, refers to any carbon black, which is not of crystalline allotropic form. Non-graphite carbon black is formed by incomplete combustion of organic substances, such as hydrocarbons. Examples of non-graphite carbon blacks include furnace blacks, channel blacks, thermal blacks, lamp blacks, acetylene blacks, and the like. Structurally, non-graphite carbon blacks consist of bundles of parallel orientated graphite planes at a distance of between 3.5 to 3.8 angstroms.
Carbon blacks can have different geometries such as a particle shape of a sphere, crystalline, flake, platelet, fiber, whisker, or rectangular. In embodiments, the carbon black has a needle-like shape.
A relatively large carbon black can have a particle size of from about 1 micron to about 100 microns, or from about 2 to about 10 microns, or from about 5 to about 10 microns. A relatively small size carbon black has a particle size of from about 10 nanometers to about 1 micron, or from about 10 nanometers to about 100 nanometers, or from about 10 nanometers to about 80 nanometers. In embodiments, the carbon black used herein has a particle size of from 5 to 10 nanometers.
In an embodiment, the carbon black has a bulk resistivity of from about 100 to about 10−4 ohms-cm.
In embodiments, more than one type of filler may be present in the fluorocarbon outer layer, and/or in any of the other substrate, adhesive or intermediate layer, and/or outer release layer. In embodiments, a carbon filler different than the first carbon black disclosed in the fluorocarbon outer layer, or a metal, ceramic, inorganic, metal oxide filler, and/or a polymer filler can be present in the fluorocarbon outer layer. In embodiments, metal, metal oxide or inorganic/ceramic filler is present in an amount of from about 0 to about 20, or from about 0 to about 10 volume percent of total solids. In embodiments, a polymer filler is present in an amount of from about 0 to about 50 percent, or from about 5 to about 40 volume percent of total solids.
The outer fluorocarbon layer can be coated on the substrate using any suitable known manner. Typical techniques for coating such materials on the reinforcing member include liquid and dry powder spray coating, dip coating, wire wound rod coating, fluidized bed coating, powder coating, electrostatic spraying, sonic spraying, blade coating, and the like. In an embodiment, the fluorocarbon layer is spray or flow coated to the substrate.
In an embodiment, the outer fluorocarbon layer may be modified by any known technique such as sanding, polishing, grinding, blasting, coating, or the like. In embodiments, the outer fluorocarbon layer has a surface roughness of from about 0.05 to about 1.5 micrometers.
The fusing component can be of any suitable configuration. Examples of suitable configurations include a sheet, a film, a web, a foil, a strip, a coil, a cylinder, a drum, a roller, an endless strip, a circular disc, a belt including an endless belt, an endless seamed flexible belt, an endless seamless flexible belt, an endless belt having a puzzle cut seam, and the like.
Optionally, any known and available suitable adhesive layer may be positioned between the fluorocarbon outer layer and the substrate, and/or between the outer fluorocarbon layer and the outer release layer. Examples of suitable adhesives include silanes such as amino silanes (such as, for example, A1100 from OSI Specialties, Friendly W. Va.), titanates, zirconates, aluminates, and the like, and mixtures thereof. In an embodiment, an adhesive in from about 0.001 to about 10 percent solution, can be wiped on the substrate. The adhesive layer can be coated on the substrate, or on the fluorocarbon outer layer, to a thickness of from about 2 to about 2,000 nanometers, or from about 2 to about 500 nanometers. The adhesive can be coated by any suitable, known technique, including spray coating or wiping.
It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims. Unless specifically recited in a claim, steps or components of claims should not be implied or imported from the specification or any other claims as to any particular order, number, position, size, shape, angle, color, or material.
The following Examples are intended to illustrate and not limit the scope herein. Parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.
The process involved in fabricating the fuser member includes molding, grinding, pre-heat/sealing of the base layer followed by application of the primer and top layer, sintering, and final polishing. A multilayer fuser member was prepared by bonding a silicone polymer base layer on to an aluminum core followed by depositing an outerlayer of electrically conducting fluoropolymer coating. The roll with the base layer fabricated by liquid injection molding a silicone compound onto an aluminum core was purchased from Ten Cate Enbi of Shelbyville, Ind. The silicone layer which was 0.28 mm thick, had thermal conductivity of about 0.5 W/mK (at 350° F.), surface roughness (Ra) of 3+/−1.5 um and a compression set of less than approximately 15 percent. The above roll was then cleaned by an aqueous wash followed by spraying of primer containing a 50:50 blend of silane (DC 6060 from Dow Corning) and polyamide resin (Versamid 100T60 available from Henkel Corporation) and prebaking in an IR oven for about 20 minutes. The conductive fluoropolymer material was obtained from DuPont for the coating and applied to the above silicone surface of the roll using standard spray coating equipment in two steps. A mid-coat formulation #855-101 and a top-coat a mid-coat formulation #855-103 both DuPont materials were then coated. A topcoat primer layer formulation # 855-023 available from DuPont was applied prior to coating of the mid-coat. The coating was then cured and dried for about 6 minutes at 650° F. to a dry thickness of about 1 mil.
The embodiment enables the elimination or reduction of charge voltage differentials as represented in
The voltage defects associated with the embodiment are related to both objects contacting the roll, namely stripping and temperature control devices, as well as differentials due to oiling devices, substrates and any charge-related component contacting the roller conductive surface. The charge examples in
The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others.
