Electrophotographic Belt Surface Composition for Wrinkle and Noise Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Belt members for electrophotographic apparatuses face issues such as wrinkles and undulations during long-term storage and use, sliding noise with cleaning blades, and inadequate sealing between the surface and base layers, leading to paper transport failures.
Innovation Solution
A belt member with a base layer made of polyimide or polyamideimide and a surface layer formed from a resin composition containing a fluorine resin, an isocyanate curing agent, a fluorine-based surfactant, and a silane coupling agent, with specific component ratios to enhance flexibility, sliding properties, and sealing, reducing noise and undulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a belt member is used for long-term storage and prolonged use, then it undergoes tensile forces from two axes, but wrinkles or undulations occur on the surface of the belt member
Solution Approach 1:
The belt member uses a composite structure with a polyimide or polyamideimide base layer and a fluorine resin surface layer. This composite material structure provides both durability for long-term use and surface properties that resist wrinkling and undulation formation under tensile forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention specifies precise compositional parameters for the surface layer, including the use of fluorine resin with specific functional groups and controlled amounts of isocyanate curing agent (10-30 parts by mass per 100 parts fluorine resin), silane coupling agent (1.0-5 parts by mass), and fluorine-based surfactant (5-10 parts by mass). These parameter controls ensure the surface layer maintains its shape and resists wrinkling during prolonged use.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the belt member is in contact with a cleaning blade during prolonged use, then sliding noise occurs between the belt member and the cleaning blade
Solution Approach 1:
The surface layer incorporates fluorine-based surfactant at controlled levels (5-10 parts by mass per 100 parts fluorine resin) and uses fluorine resin with specific functional groups to achieve low friction coefficients. This parameter optimization reduces sliding resistance and minimizes sliding noise during prolonged contact with cleaning blades.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies a specialized surface layer with distinct local properties (low friction, noise-reducing characteristics) on the outer circumferential surface of the base layer. This localized treatment ensures that only the surface in contact with cleaning blades has the optimized sliding properties, while the base layer maintains its structural integrity.
3Strength
If the sealing force between the base layer and the surface layer is insufficient, then the surface layer may be peeled off
Solution Approach 1:
The belt member employs a composite structure where the surface layer is formed by curing a resin composition that chemically bonds to the polyimide or polyamideimide base layer. The use of silane coupling agent and isocyanate curing agent creates strong interfacial adhesion, ensuring the surface layer remains firmly attached during prolonged use and cleaning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses silane coupling agent (1.0-5 parts by mass per 100 parts fluorine resin) as an intermediary substance that enhances the bonding between the base layer and surface layer. This coupling agent acts as a molecular bridge, improving adhesion and preventing peeling of the surface layer from the base layer during operation.
4Ease of operation
If a fluorine resin surface layer is applied to improve slidability, then sliding properties improve, but wrinkles or undulations may occur during long-term storage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the composition parameters of the surface layer by controlling the ratio of isocyanate curing agent (10-30 parts by mass per 100 parts fluorine resin) and using fluorine resin with specific functional groups. This parameter control achieves a balance between low friction for good slidability and sufficient structural integrity to prevent wrinkling during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure combining fluorine resin with polyimide or polyamideimide base layer provides synergistic properties: the fluorine resin surface layer delivers excellent slidability while the base layer provides dimensional stability. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between improving sliding properties and maintaining shape stability.
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 effectively suppresses wrinkles and undulations, reduces sliding noise, and ensures favorable sealing properties between the surface and base layers, improving the belt's performance and appearance.
Implementation Method 1
The surface layer is configured as a cured product of a resin composition containing a fluorine resin having a hydroxyl group, an isocyanate curing agent
Implementation Method 2
a silane coupling agent having an amino group or an isocyanate group
Implementation Method 3
a fluorine-based surfactant
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Provided is a belt member which is for electrophotographic equipment, and which suppresses the generation of creases and waviness during long-term storage and use, suppresses the sliding sound of a cleaning blade, improves appearance, and improves the adhesiveness between a surface layer and a base layer. A belt member 10 for electrophotographic equipment has, on an outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical base layer 12, a surface layer 14 constituted as a cured body of a resin composition containing, with respect to 100 parts by mass of a hydroxyl groupcontaining fluororesin: 10-30 parts by mass of an isocyanate curing agent having isocyanate groups at both terminals and having a molecular weight of 600-4,000 g/mol, or 5-18 parts by mass of an isocyanate curing agent having an isocyanate group at one terminal; 5-10 parts by mass of a fluorine-based surfactant; and 1.0-5 parts by mass of a silane coupling agent having an amino group or an isocyanate group.