Claims
- 1. An endless seamed flexible belt comprising a first end and a second end, each of said first end and said second end comprising a plurality of mutually mating elements which join in an interlocking relationship to form a seam, said seam comprising an adhesive, and said belt comprising a substrate and an outer layer comprising a polyurethane derived from a polyvinylbutyral and isocyanate.
- 2. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a polyimide.
- 3. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said outer layer further comprises a fluorocarbon.
- 4. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said isocyanate is a block isocyanate.
- 5. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said outer layer comprises an electrically conductive filler.
- 6. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 5, wherein said electrically conductive filler is selected from the group consisting of carbon filler, metal filler, metal oxide filler, doped metal oxide filler, ionic conductive filler, polymer fillers, and mixtures thereof.
- 7. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 6, wherein said carbon filler is selected from the group consisting of carbon, graphite, fluorinated carbon, and mixtures thereof.
- 8. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 6, wherein said doped metal oxide is antimony doped tin oxide.
- 9. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 6, wherein said ionic conductor is selected from the group consisting of alkali alkyl sulfonates, quaternary ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, and mixtures thereof.
- 10. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 6, wherein said polymer filler is selected from the group consisting of; polyanilines, polythiophenes, polypyrrolles, and mixtures thereof.
- 11. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 6, herein said conductive filler comprises doped polyaniline, antimony doped tin oxide and carbon black.
- 12. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said adhesive comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl butyral, nitrile phenolic, epoxy, polyimide, polyurethane, polyamide, and mixtures thereof.
- 13. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said surface energy of said outer layer is from about 10 to about 40 dyn/cm to water.
- 14. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said outer layer has a sliding coefficient of from about 0.1 to about 0.4.
- 15. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said belt has a surface resistivity of from about 102 to about 1015 ohm/sq.
- 16. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said belt has a surface resistivity of from about 106 to about 1014 ohm/sq.
- 17. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said belt is an intermediate transfer belt.
- 18. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of mutually mating elements are in the form of a puzzle cut pattern.
- 19. An endless seamed flexible belt in accordance with claim 19, wherein said mutually mating elements comprise a first projection and a second receptacle geometrically oriented so that said second receptacle on the first end receives the first projection on the second end and wherein said first projection on said first end is received by said second receptacle on the second end to form a joint between the first and second ends.
- 20. An endless seamed flexible belt comprising a first end and a second end, each of said first end and said second end comprising a plurality of mutually mating elements which join in an interlocking relationship to form a seam, said belt comprising a polyimide substrate and an outer layer comprising a polyurethane derived from a polyvinylbutyral crosslinked with a block isocyanate.
- 21. An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording medium comprising:
a charge-retentive surface to receive an electrostatic latent image thereon; a development component to apply toner to said charge-retentive surface to develop said electrostatic latent image to form a developed image on said charge retentive surface; a transfer belt to transfer the developed image from said charge retentive surface to a copy substrate, wherein said transfer belt is an endless seamed flexible belt comprising a first end and a second end, each of said first end and said second end comprising a plurality of mutually mating elements which join in an interlocking relationship to form a seam, said transfer belt comprising a substrate and an outer layer comprising a polyurethane derived from polyvinylbutyral and isocyanate; and a fixing component to fuse said developed image to said copy substrate.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Attention is directed to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/493,445 (D/97525D), filed Jan. 28, 2000, entitled “Process and Apparatus for Producing an Endless Seamed Belt;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/470,931 (D/99689) filed Dec. 22, 1999, entitled, “Continuous Process for Manufacturing Imageable Seamed Belts for Printers;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/088,011, (D/97683), filed May 28, 1998, entitled, “Unsaturated Carbonate Adhesives for Component Seams;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/615,444 (D/99598), filed Jul. 13, 2000, entitled, “Polyimide Adhesive For Polyimide Component Interlocking Seams;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/615,426 (D/99598Q), filed Jul. 13, 2000, entitled, “Process For Seaming Interlocking Seams Of Polyimide Component Using Polyimide Adhesive”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/660,249 (D/99610), filed Sep. 13, 2000, entitled, “Imageable Seamed Belts Having Fluoropolymer Adhesive Between Interlocking Seaming Members;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/660,248 (D/99610Q), filed Sep. 13, 2000, entitled, “Imageable Seamed Belts Having Fluoropolymer Overcoat;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/833,930 (A0895) filed Apr. 11, 2001, entitled, “Imageable Seamed Belts Having Hot Melt Processable, Thermosetting Resin and Conductive Carbon Filler Adhesive Between Interlocking Seaming Members;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/833,965 (D/A0895Q), filed Apr. 11, 2001, entitled, “Conductive Carbon Filled Polyvinyl Butyral Adhesive;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/833,488 (D/A0895Q1), filed Apr. 11, 2001, entitled, “Dual Curing Process for Producing A Puzzle Cut Seam;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/833,546 (A0584) filed Apr. 11, 2001, entitled “Imageable Seamed Belts Having Polyamide Adhesive Between Interlocking Seaming Members; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/833,507 (A0584Q) filed Apr. 11, 2001, entitled “Polyamide and Conductive Filler Adhesive;” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/833,964 (Al 036) filed Apr. 11, 2001 entitled “Flashless Hot Melt Bonding of Adhesives for Imageable Seamed Belts.” The disclosures of each of these references are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.