Fixing Belt Resistivity for Electrostatic Offset Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image formation apparatuses face issues with electrostatic offset and sheet back end separation discharge noise due to toner electrostatically adsorbed to heating rollers, leading to image quality deterioration, which conventional solutions like bias voltage or neutralizing materials cannot effectively address without increasing costs and reducing apparatus lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A fixing apparatus with a fixing roller, heating roller, and pressurizing roller, where the fixing belt and rollers have specific volume resistivity ranges and layered structures, including elastic and mold release layers, to create a potential difference that prevents electrostatic offset and discharge noise without additional parts or costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional neutralizing materials or bias voltage are applied to the heating roller, then electrostatic offset and discharge noise are suppressed, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing roller itself generates the necessary negative charge through triboelectric effect with the fixing belt, eliminating the need for external neutralizing materials or bias voltage application systems. The system uses its own operational friction to create the charge difference needed to prevent electrostatic offset and discharge noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces electrical systems (bias voltage application) and chemical systems (neutralizing materials) with a mechanical friction-based charge generation system. The relative motion and friction between the pressurizing roller and fixing belt mechanically generate the required electrostatic potential difference.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If neutralizing materials or bias voltage components are added, then image quality is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing roller generates its own negative charge through friction with the fixing belt during normal operation, eliminating the need for separately manufactured neutralizing materials or bias voltage components. This self-charging mechanism reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface properties of the pressurizing roller to have higher electrification ease compared to conventional designs. This parameter change in surface electrification characteristics allows the roller to generate sufficient negative charge through friction alone, replacing expensive neutralizing materials or bias voltage systems.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If frictional force acts on neutralizing materials or bias voltage components, then charge neutralization is achieved, but material durability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing roller is designed to be self-charging through friction, meaning it continuously generates its own negative charge during operation rather than relying on pre-charged materials that degrade. This eliminates the durability problem of consumable neutralizing materials.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using durable but ineffective conventional materials, the patent employs a friction-based charge generation system where the pressurizing roller continuously regenerates its charge. This replaces the model of using long-lasting but degradable neutralizing materials with a sustainable charge generation process.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If voltage is impressed on the heating roller, then electrostatic offset is prevented, but technical difficulties arise at high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical voltage application system with a mechanical friction-based charge generation system. The pressurizing roller generates negative charge through friction with the fixing belt during the heating process, avoiding the high-temperature technical difficulties associated with applying and maintaining bias voltage on the heating roller.
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 solution effectively eliminates electrostatic offset and sheet back end separation discharge noise, ensuring high-quality images without adding parts or reducing the apparatus' lifespan, by maintaining a sufficient potential difference between the fixing belt and pressurizing roller.
Implementation Method 1
a fixer including a fixing roller 201, a heating roller 204, and a pressurizing roller 209, wherein the heating roller 204 is formed by sequentially layering an elastic layer and a mold release layer on an outer circumferential face of a shaft
Implementation Method 2
since the heating roller rotates at the time of image formation, and the recording sheet, needless to say, moves along a conveyance path, a strong frictional force operates on the neutralizing materials in contact with the heating roller and the recording sheet
Data Source
AI summary
In a fixing apparatus including a fixing roller including an elastic layer, a heating roller including a heat source, the heating roller being formed by sequentially layering an elastic layer and a mold release layer on an outer circumferential face of a shaft, a fixing belt wound around the fixing roller and the heating roller, the fixing belt being formed by sequentially layering an elastic layer and a mold release layer on an endless belt type base material layer formed from heat-resistant resin, and a pressurizing roller that is pressed to the fixing roller via the fixing belt, volume resistivity of the base material layer of the fixing belt is in a range of 1010 Ωcm to 1017 Ωcm inclusive, volume resistivity of the elastic layer of the fixing belt is in a range of 1012 Ωcm to 1016 Ωcm inclusive, volume resistivity of the elastic layer of the fixing roller is in a range of 1012 Ωcm to 1016 Ωcm inclusive, and volume resistivity of the elastic layer of the pressurizing roller is in a range of 103 Ωcm to 108 Ωcm inclusive.