Electroconductive Rubber Layer for Uniform High-Speed Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electroconductive members in electrophotographic image forming processes struggle to maintain uniform charging at high speeds, leading to potential unevenness and ghost images due to discharge omission and insufficient electric charge supply.
Innovation Solution
An electroconductive member with a support having an electroconductive outer surface and a layer comprising a matrix of first rubber and domains of second rubber and electronic conductive agents, optimized for impedance characteristics to ensure efficient electric charge supply and distribution, reducing discharge omission and surface potential unevenness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a charging member with conventional rubber composition is used, then uniform charging property is achieved, but discharge omission occurs at high speeds leading to surface potential unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameters of the rubber composition by controlling volume resistivity (1×10^11 to 1×10^13 Ω·cm) and impedance characteristics (slope between -0.8 and -0.3 in specific frequency range). These parameter adjustments ensure sufficient electric charge supply at high discharge frequencies while maintaining uniform charging, preventing discharge omission that occurs with conventional materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite rubber composition containing multiple components including polyisoprene rubber, zinc oxide, stearic acid, and specific additives in controlled amounts. This composite structure creates optimal electrical conductivity and charge distribution properties, allowing the charging member to maintain reliability at high speeds while preserving uniform charging characteristics.
2Productivity
If the image forming process is sped up, then productivity is improved, but surface potential unevenness increases causing ghost images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares the charging member with pre-optimized electrical characteristics (volume resistivity and impedance slope) before the image forming process. This preliminary configuration ensures that sufficient electric charge is available in advance to handle high-speed operation, preventing surface potential unevenness and ghost images even when productivity is increased.
Solution Approach 2:
By adjusting the impedance characteristics (achieving a slope between -0.8 and -0.3 in the frequency range of 1.0×10^5 to 1.0×10^6 Hz) and volume resistivity of the charging member, the patent enables the system to maintain surface potential uniformity at higher operating speeds, thus improving productivity without sacrificing image quality.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional rubber composition is used, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but electric charge supply is insufficient at high discharge frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the electrical parameters of conventional rubber compositions by adjusting volume resistivity and impedance characteristics through controlled formulation and processing. These parameter changes enhance electric charge supply capability at high frequencies while maintaining compatibility with existing manufacturing processes, avoiding the need for completely new manufacturing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific regions of the charging member composition, particularly the distribution and concentration of electroconductive components within the rubber matrix. This local optimization ensures sufficient electric charge supply at the charging surface while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity and compatibility with conventional production methods.
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 electroconductive member effectively stabilizes charging, suppresses discharge omission, and enhances the formation of high-quality electrophotographic images by ensuring uniform electric charge distribution and improved discharge frequency, addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
The electroconductive member plays a role of transporting an electric charge from the electroconductive support to a surface of the electroconductive member and giving the electric charge to a contact object by discharging or triboelectric charging
Implementation Method 2
The electroconductive member plays a role of transporting an electric charge from the electroconductive support to a surface of the electroconductive member and giving the electric charge to a contact object by discharging or triboelectric charging
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an electrophotographic electroconductive member including an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer on the support, an electroconductive member is used, in which an electroconductive layer has a matrix comprising a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each comprising a second rubber and an electronic electroconductive agent, and for impedance measured by applying an AC voltage with an amplitude of 1 V to the electroconductive layer while varying frequencies between 1.0×10−2 Hz to 1.0×107 Hz under a specific environment, when a double logarithmic plot with a frequency on an abscissa and an impedance on an ordinate is obtained, a slope on a high frequency side is −0.8 or more and —0.3 or less, and the impedance a low frequency side is from 1.0×103 to 1.0×107Ω.