Cleaning Blade Coating for Intermediate Transfer Belt Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electrophotographic image-forming apparatuses with intermediate transfer systems face challenges in maintaining the durability of the cleaning blade used to remove residual toner from the intermediate transfer belt, leading to increased abrasion and potential faulty cleaning performance.
Innovation Solution
The use of a cleaning blade with a coating layer containing organosilicon polymer, which is transferred from toner base particles, improves the durability by forming a blocking layer that reduces direct contact with the intermediate transfer belt and enhances the blade's resistance to abrasion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cleaning blade is used to scrape residual toner from the intermediate transfer belt, then cleaning performance is improved, but the cleaning blade suffers from increased abrasion and reduced durability
Solution Approach 1:
A coating layer containing organosilicon polymer is applied to the cleaning blade surface. This coating layer acts as an intermediary between the blade and the intermediate transfer belt, reducing direct contact and friction. The coating layer has low friction coefficient and prevents toner from adhering to the blade, thereby reducing abrasion and extending blade life while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The surface properties of the cleaning blade are modified by applying a coating layer with specific tribological parameters. The coating layer has a friction coefficient of 0.1 or less and a surface roughness (Rz) of 0.01 μm or less, which are optimized parameters to reduce abrasion during the cleaning process while maintaining adequate contact pressure for effective toner removal
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the contact area between the cleaning blade and intermediate transfer belt is decreased, then friction coefficient and blade abrasion are reduced, but cleaning effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The coating layer on the cleaning blade surface provides optimized tribological parameters including a friction coefficient of 0.1 or less and surface roughness (Rz) of 0.01 μm or less. These parameter changes allow the blade to maintain effective cleaning contact while minimizing friction and abrasion, resolving the contradiction between contact area reduction and cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning blade is constructed as a composite structure with a base material (such as urethane rubber) and an organosilicon polymer coating layer. This composite structure combines the mechanical properties of the base material with the low-friction, anti-adhesive properties of the coating layer, enabling both effective cleaning and reduced wear
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 organosilicon polymer coating layer effectively reduces the abrasion of the cleaning blade and maintains high cleaning performance by preventing toner passage through the blade nip portion, thus improving the durability and reliability of the image-forming process.
Implementation Method 1
the cleaning blade has a coating layer on its surface facing the belt after the residual toner on the belt is collected by the cleaning blade into the collecting device, the coating layer containing the organosilicon polymer transferred from the surface of the toner base particles
Implementation Method 2
The cleaning blade is located downstream of the secondary transfer portion in the movement direction of the intermediate transfer belt and abuts as a contact member against the intermediate transfer belt
Data Source
AI summary
A surface roughness Rz of an outer peripheral surface of an intermediate transfer belt is 0.05 μm or more, and toner contains toner base particles and an organosilicon polymer on the surface of the toner base particles. After residual toner on the intermediate transfer belt is collected by a blade into a belt cleaning device, the blade has a coating layer on its surface facing the intermediate transfer belt, the coating layer containing the organosilicon polymer.