Intermediate Transferring Belt Surface Layer Elasticity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Intermediate transferring belts in electrophotographic image-forming apparatuses face issues with poor wear resistance, followability, and cracking due to soft elastic layers and surface coatings, leading to uneven image density and reduced image quality.
Innovation Solution
An intermediate transferring belt with a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer composed of a copolymer of urethane acrylate and a monomer with an unsaturated double bond, where the surface layer has an elongation of 5% or more and a stress of 5 MPa or more at the elastic limit, providing improved scraping resistance and followability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the surface layer is composed of a soft material to improve followability to the elastic layer, then followability is improved, but the surface layer may be scraped due to friction or plastic deformation by stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by specifying that the surface layer must have an elongation at elastic limit of 5% or more and a stress at elastic limit of 5 MPa or more. These quantitative parameters define the elastic properties needed to match the elastic layer while maintaining sufficient strength. The copolymer composition (urethane acrylate with specific functional groups) is selected to achieve these parameter ranges, balancing followability and scraping resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by forming a copolymer from urethane acrylate and a monomer with unsaturated double bonds. This composite polymer structure combines the flexibility and elasticity provided by the urethane acrylate segments with the structural integrity and crosslinking capability provided by the monomer units, achieving both followability and scraping resistance simultaneously.
2Strength
If the surface layer is composed of a cross-linked resin to improve scraping resistance, then scraping resistance is improved, but the surface layer has less followability to the elastic layer resulting in damages at bent portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by establishing specific parameter thresholds: elongation at elastic limit ≥5% and stress at elastic limit ≥5 MPa. These parameters ensure the surface layer maintains sufficient elasticity to follow the elastic layer's movements while having enough strength to resist scraping. The copolymer composition is designed to fall within these parameter ranges, avoiding the brittleness of highly cross-linked resins while preventing the softness that causes deformation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the surface layer has high elasticity to improve followability, then followability is improved, but the surface layer may be scraped due to plastic deformation by stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes to define the elastic limit characteristics: elongation ≥5% ensures sufficient followability while stress ≥5 MPa at the elastic limit ensures the material can withstand operational stresses without permanent deformation or cracking. This quantitative approach balances elasticity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The copolymer structure combines urethane acrylate (providing elasticity and flexibility) with a monomer containing unsaturated double bonds (providing structural strength and crosslinking sites). This composite material architecture enables the surface layer to exhibit both high followability and resistance to plastic deformation and cracking under stress.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances image transferability to coarse paper, reduces scraping and cracking, and maintains image quality by ensuring the surface layer's elastic properties align with the elastic layer, resulting in improved durability and image fidelity.
Implementation Method 1
the surface layer has an elongation of 5% or more and a stress of 5 MPa or more at an elastic limit
Implementation Method 2
an elastic recovery rate of the elastic layer of the intermediate transferring belt according to the present invention is 70% or more
Implementation Method 3
a copolymer of a urethane acrylate and a monomer, wherein the monomer is different from the urethane acrylate and has an unsaturated double bond
Data Source
AI summary
The intermediate transferring belt is to be mounted in an electrophotographic image-forming apparatus. The intermediate transferring belt includes the following, in sequence, a substrate; an elastic layer; and a surface layer. The surface layer has an elongation of 5% or more and a stress of 5MPa or more at an elastic limit determined by a stress-strain curve obtained according to JIS K7161.