Electrophotographic Member with Ionic Conductive Pores
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrophotographic members face challenges in reducing warm-up time and energy consumption while preventing electrostatic offset and image defects, particularly due to the limitations of porous elastic layers with added conductive agents affecting cell fineness and uniformity.
Innovation Solution
An electrophotographic member with a substrate, an elastic layer containing communication holes, and a surface layer of fluororesin, where an ionic conductive agent is adhered to the inner walls of the communication holes, formed by injecting a liquid silicone rubber composition with dissolved ionic conductive agents into a space between the substrate and a fluororesin layer, allowing for electrical conductivity and reduced thermal conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a porous elastic layer is used to reduce heat capacity and thermal conductivity, then warm-up time is reduced, but electrical conductivity is insufficient leading to electrostatic offset
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating ionic conductive agents specifically at the pore walls within the porous elastic layer, rather than uniformly distributing conductive material throughout. This localized placement at pore interfaces provides sufficient electrical conductivity pathways while preserving the overall porous structure's low heat capacity and thermal conductivity, thus preventing electrostatic offset without compromising warm-up time performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite elastic layer combining porous elastic material with ionic conductive agents. This composite structure integrates the thermal insulation properties of the porous material with the electrical conductivity of the ionic agents, achieving both reduced warm-up time and sufficient electrical conductivity to prevent electrostatic offset simultaneously
2Reliability
If electrical conductivity is given to the surface layer, then electrostatic offset is suppressed, but releasability is impaired and filler accumulates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing ionic conductive agents specifically at the pore walls within the elastic layer rather than in the surface layer. This localized conductivity provision suppresses electrostatic offset through the elastic layer's conductive network while keeping the surface layer (fluororesin tube) free of conductive additives, thereby maintaining its releasability and preventing filler accumulation
3Reliability
If a large amount of electrically conductive agent is added to achieve desired conductivity, then electrostatic offset is suppressed, but fineness and uniformity of cells are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating ionic conductive agents at the pore walls rather than dispersing them throughout the entire elastic layer. This localized placement achieves the desired electrical conductivity with minimal amounts of conductive agent, avoiding interference with the emulsifier's action and preserving the fineness and uniformity of the porous cell structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the porous structure itself as the carrier for ionic conductive agents, placing them at the pore walls. This approach provides efficient electrical conductivity pathways through the porous network while maintaining the open cell structure's fineness and uniformity, as the conductive agents are confined to pore interfaces rather than disrupting the overall pore formation process
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
This configuration reduces the warm-up time of the fixing member, prevents electrostatic offset, and maintains image quality by ensuring desired electrical conductivity without compromising the fineness and uniformity of the elastic layer's pores, thus enabling stable high-quality electrophotographic image formation.
Implementation Method 1
an ionic conductive agent is adhered to an inner wall of the communication hole
Implementation Method 2
a heat capacity and a thermal conductivity of a nip portion forming member such as a pressure roller have been reduced
Implementation Method 3
a liquid silicone rubber composition containing a liquid silicone rubber into which water, in which an ionic conductive agent is dissolved, is emulsified
Implementation Method 4
removing water from the silicone rubber layer in the water-containing state to form an elastic layer having a communication hole
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an electrophotographic member capable of reducing a rise time of a fixing apparatus and preventing occurrence of a defective image due to an electrostatic offset. The electrophotographic member has a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer containing a fluororesin, in this order, the elastic layer has a communication hole of which pores are communicated with each other, and an ionic conductive agent is adhered to an inner wall of the communication hole.