Carbon Nanotube Polyimide Tube for Tear-Resistant Fixing Belts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fixing belts in image forming apparatuses are prone to tearing when a paper jam occurs due to the withdrawal of sheets, compromising thermal conductivity.
Innovation Solution
A polyimide tube containing carbon nanotubes is used as a base layer for the fixing belt, with oriented thermal conductivity in the longitudinal direction and high tensile modulus, enhancing resistance to tearing and maintaining excellent thermal conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a filler with high thermal conductivity is blended in the base layer to improve thermal conductivity, then thermal conductivity is improved, but the fixing belt becomes prone to tearing when paper jam occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite material consisting of polyimide resin and carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes provide both high thermal conductivity (0.3-3.0 W/mK in the base layer) and enhanced mechanical strength, allowing the fixing belt to resist tearing while maintaining thermal conductivity. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by providing both thermal performance and mechanical durability simultaneously.
2Loss of energy
If the thermal conductivity in the longitudinal direction is increased to improve heat distribution, then thermal conductivity is improved, but the anisotropy increases making the material more prone to directional stress failure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention controls the thermal conductivity parameters by limiting the ratio between longitudinal and circumferential thermal conductivity to 1.05 or less. This parameter control ensures that heat is distributed uniformly in all directions, preventing excessive anisotropy while maintaining adequate thermal conductivity (1.00 W/mK or more in thickness direction). The carbon nanotube orientation and distribution are optimized to achieve this balanced thermal performance.
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 polyimide tube-based fixing belt effectively prevents tearing during paper jams while maintaining high thermal conductivity, ensuring reliable operation and uniform temperature distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a resin tubular material made of a heat-resistant resin as a base material, characterized in that a filler having a thermal conductivity of more than 60 W/mk is blended in an amount of 1 to 25 parts by volume
Implementation Method 2
the polyimide resin contains carbon nanotubes
Data Source
AI summary
The objective of the present invention is to provide a fixing belt which has sufficiently excellent thermal conductivity so that it can be used suitably with the fixing belt or the like, and is resistant to tearing due to withdrawal of a sheet when a paper jam occurs. A polyimide tube contains a polyimide resin, the polyimide resin contains carbon nanotubes. The polyimide tube has a thermal conductivity of 1.00 W/mK or higher, the polyimide tube has a thermal conductivity in a longitudinal direction / thermal conductivity in a circumferential direction of 1.05 or more, and the product of a tensile modulus of elasticity in the longitudinal direction of the polyimide tube and the tensile load at break in a tensile test is 4000 kgf2/mm2 or more.