Cleaning Blade Polyrotaxane Ridgeline Low Temperature Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cleaning blades in image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining wear resistance and effective toner removal across varying temperature and humidity environments, leading to issues like toner contamination and abnormal image formation due to decreased mechanical strength and rubber property changes.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating polyrotaxane into the ridgeline portion of the cleaning blade, which enhances wear resistance and maintains rubber elasticity, thereby improving the blade's ability to mechanically remove substances from the photoconductor surface even in low temperature environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cleaning blade materials are used, then the blade can remove toner effectively at normal temperatures, but the blade suffers from decreased mechanical strength and rubber property changes in low temperature environments, leading to increased wear rates
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning blade employs a composite material structure consisting of a blade body made of rubber material and a ridgeline portion made of thermoplastic elastomer material. This composite structure combines the advantages of both materials: the rubber body provides good toner removal capability, while the thermoplastic elastomer ridgeline maintains mechanical strength and dimensional stability in low temperature environments, preventing the blade from curling and maintaining consistent cleaning performance across varying temperatures.
2Ease of operation
If the cleaning blade operates in low temperature environments, then the blade maintains contact with the photoconductor, but the blade curls due to rubber property changes, reducing cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter of the ridgeline portion from conventional rubber to thermoplastic elastomer, which has different thermal properties. This material parameter change allows the ridgeline to maintain its shape and dimensional stability across a wide temperature range, preventing curling in low temperature environments while maintaining flexibility for effective contact with the photoconductor surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade structure divides different regions with different material properties: the blade body uses rubber material for optimal toner removal, while the ridgeline portion uses thermoplastic elastomer for shape stability. This local differentiation of material quality ensures that each part performs its specific function optimally, with the ridgeline maintaining blade geometry and the body providing cleaning action.
3Productivity
If the cleaning blade is made entirely of rubber material, then the blade provides good toner removal capability, but the blade experiences increased wear rates due to decreased mechanical strength in varying environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning blade employs a composite material structure consisting of a blade body made of rubber material and a ridgeline portion made of thermoplastic elastomer material. This composite structure combines the advantages of both materials: the rubber body provides good toner removal capability, while the thermoplastic elastomer ridgeline maintains mechanical strength and dimensional stability in low temperature environments, preventing the blade from curling and maintaining consistent cleaning performance across varying temperatures.
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning blade includes a blade member including a ridgeline portion. The ridgeline portion contains polyrotaxane. A sheet conveyance roller includes a core and a surface layer. The surface layer contains polyrotaxane.