Intermediate transfer member, method of producing the same, image forming method and image forming apparatus

Abstract

Provided is an intermediate transfer member, a method of producing the same, and an image forming method and an image forming apparatus thereof having excellent effects such that neither crack nor rupture is generated upon repetitive use, no transferring ratio drops during secondary transfer, and neither white patch of an text image nor white patch of a solid image is generated. Also disclosed is an intermediate transfer member used for an image forming apparatus, wherein a surface of the intermediate transfer member has a hardness of 1.5-3.0 GPa, measured by a nano indentation method, and a hardness of 0.15-0.45 GPa, specified by a universal hardness method.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary, not limiting, and wherein like elements numbered alike in several figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a layer structure of an intermediate transfer member,

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a measuring device employing a nano indentation method,

FIG. 3 shows a typical load-displacement curve obtained by a nano indentation method,

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a contacting situation between an indenter and a sample, and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus capable of using an intermediate transfer member of the present invention,

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional diagram showing a manufacturing apparatus of intermediate transfer members employing an atmospheric pressure plasma CVD method specifically called a direct method in which a discharge space and a thin film deposition region are roughly identical,

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional diagram showing another example of a manufacturing apparatus of intermediate transfer members employing an atmospheric pressure plasma CVD method relating to the apparatus shown in FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing the manufacturing apparatus of intermediate transfer members shown in FIG. 6.

Claims

1. An intermediate transfer member employed in an image forming apparatus which primarily transfers a toner image carried on an electrostatic latent image carrier onto the intermediate transfer member, and secondarily transfers the primarily transferred toner image from the intermediate transfer member to a transfer material, wherein a surface of the intermediate transfer member has a hardness of 1.5-3.0 GPa measured by a nano indentation method, and a hardness of 0.15-0.45 GPa specified by a universal hardness method.

2. The intermediate transfer member of claim 1, comprising a substrate layer and at least one surface layer, wherein a precursor material comprising 3 acroyl groups or 3 methacroyl groups in a molecule is cured to form the at least one surface layer.

3. The intermediate transfer member of claim 2, wherein the surface layer is cured via exposure to at least one of heat ray, actinic light and electron beam.

4. The intermediate transfer member of claim 1, wherein the surface layer is cured via exposure to at least one of heat ray, actinic light and electron beam.

5. The intermediate transfer member of claim 1, comprising the surface layer formed via atmospheric pressure plasma chemical vapor deposition.

6. The intermediate transfer member of claim 1, wherein the surface of the intermediate transfer member has a hardness of 1.8-2.7 GPa measured by a nano indentation method, and a hardness of 0.20-0.45 GPa specified by a universal hardness method.

7. The intermediate transfer member of claim 1, having a thickness of 10 to 300 μm.

8. The intermediate transfer member of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer comprises polyphenylene sulfide.

9. An image forming method, comprising the steps of: (a) primarily transferring a toner image carried on an electrostatic latent image carrier onto an intermediate transfer member wherein a surface of the intermediate transfer member has a hardness of 1.5-3.0 GPa measured by a nano indentation method, and a hardness of 0.15-0.45 GPa specified by a universal hardness method; and(b) secondarily transferring the primarily transferred toner image from the intermediate transfer to a transfer material.

10. The image forming method of claim 9, wherein the intermediate member comprises a substrate layer and at least one surface layer, and the surface layer is formed by curing a precursor material comprising 3 acroyl groups or 3 methacroyl groups in a molecule.

11. The image forming method of claim 2, wherein the surface layer is cured via exposure to at least one of heat ray, actinic light and electron beam.

12. The image forming method of claim 11, wherein the surface layer formed via atmospheric pressure plasma chemical vapor deposition.

13. An image forming apparatus comprising: the intermediate transfer member of claim 1; a primarily transferring device to transfer the toner image carried on the electrostatic latent image carrier onto the intermediate transfer member; anda secondarily transferring device to transfer the primarily transferred toner image from the intermediate transfer member to the transfer material.

14. The image forming apparatus of claim 13, wherein the intermediate transfer member comprises a substrate layer and at least one surface layer, and the surface layer is formed by curing a precursor material comprising 3 acroyl groups or 3 methacroyl groups in a molecule.

15. The image forming apparatus of claim 14, wherein the surface layer is cured via exposure to at least one of heat ray, actinic light and electron beam.

16. The image forming apparatus of claim 13, wherein the surface of the intermediate transfer member has a hardness of 1.8-2.7 GPa measured by a nano indentation method, and a hardness of 0.20-0.45 GPa specified by a universal hardness method.

17. The image forming apparatus of claim 13, wherein the intermediate transfer member has a thickness of 10 to 300 μm.

18. The image forming apparatus of claim 13, wherein the substrate layer comprises polyphenylene sulfide.