Claims
- 1. An apparatus comprising (a) a fuser film comprising a polyimide film and at least one electrically conductive doped metal oxide filler dispersed therein, wherein said polyimide film has a surface resistivity of from about 104 to about 1012 ohms/sq, and (b) a heat source associated with said fuser film for heating said fuser film.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive doped metal oxide filler is an antimony doped tin oxide filler.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive filler is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 65 percent by weight of total solids.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said polyimide is selected from the group consisting of aromatic polyimides, poly(amide-imide), polyetherimide, siloxane polyetherimide block copolymers and mixtures thereof.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said polyimide is an aromatic polyimide selected from the group consisting of a) the reaction product of pyromellitic acid and diaminodiphenylether, b) the imidization product of a copolymeric acid of biphenyltetracarboxylic acid and pyromellitic acid with phenylenediamine and diaminodiphenylether, c) the reaction product of pyromellitic dianhydride and benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride copolymeric acids with 2,2-bis[4-(8-aminophenoxy) phenoxy]-hexafluoropropane, d) polyimides comprising 1,2,1′,2′-biphenyltetracarboximide and para-phenylene groups, and e) polyimides comprising biphenyltetracarboximide functionality with diphenylether end spacers.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said polyimide is fluorinated.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said polyimide film is a non-conformable film having an initial modulus of from about 300 to about 1.5 million PSI.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fuser film further comprising an outer layer provided on said polyimide film.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said outer layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fluoropolymers and silicone rubbers.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said outer layer comprises a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of polyfluoroalkoxypolytetrafluoroethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, and fluorinated ethylenepropylene copolymer.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said outer layer comprises a fluorosilicone rubber.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said outer layer comprises a fluoroelastomer selected from the group consisting of a) copolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene, b) terpolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene, and c) tetrapolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene and a cure site monomer.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said outer layer is a hard outer layer having an initial modulus of from about 1,000 to about 1.5 million PSI.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said outer layer is a soft outer layer having an initial modulus of from about 300 to about 1,000 PSI.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the outer layer has a surface energy of from about 20 to about 30 dynes/cm.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fuser film further comprising an intermediate layer on said polyimide film, and a release layer provided on said intermediate layer.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said intermediate layer comprises a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of a) copolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene, b) terpolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene, and c) tetrapolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene and a cure site monomer.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said release layer comprises a silicone rubber.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said outer release layer further comprises a conductive filler selected from the group consisting of carbon black, boron nitride and metal oxides.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said metal oxide conductive filler is iron oxide.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said surface resistivity is from about 108 to about 1011 ohm/sq.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heat source is in contact with said fuser film.
- 23. An aoparatus comprising(a) a fuser film component comprising a polyimide film containing electrically conductive fillers of antimony doped tin oxide dispersed therein, wherein the polyimide film has a surface resistivity of from about 104 to about 1012 ohm/sq, wherein there is provided an optional intermediate layer on the polyimide film, and an optional outer release layer on the intermediate layer, and (b) a heat source associated with said fuser film for heating said fuser film component.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said heat source is in contact with said fuser film component.
- 25. 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 an electrostatic latent image to form a developed image on said charge retentive surface; a transfer film component to transfer the developed image from said charge retentive surface to a copy substrate; a fusing film component for fusing toner images to a surface of said copy substrate, said fusing film component comprising a polyimide film substrate, an optional intermediate conformable layer thereover, and an optional outer release layer on said intermediate layer, wherein said polyimide film comprises electrically conductive doped metal oxide fillers dispersed therein, and wherein said polyimide film has a surface resistivity of from about 104 to about 1012 ohm/sq; and a heat source associated with said fuser film for heating said fusing film component such that said toner images are fused to said copy substrate.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said heat source is in contact with said fusing film component.
Parent Case Info
Attention is directed to copending application U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/004,209, filed Jan. 8, 1998, entitled, “Haloelastomer and Doped Metal Oxide Compositions,” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/004,421, filed Jan. 8, 1998, entitled, “Haloelastomer and Doped Metal Oxide Film Components,” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/004,385, filed Jan. 8, 1998, entitled, “Polyimide and Doped Metal Oxide Intermediate Transfer Components,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/004,492, filed Jan. 8, 1998, entitled, “Polyurethane and Doped Metal Oxide Film Components.” The disclosures of each of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
US Referenced Citations (9)