Fixing Member Hardness Stability via Phosphate Ion Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing image heat fixing apparatuses face issues with the thermal degradation of silicone rubber due to alkali metal ions, leading to instability in the hardness of the fixing member, which affects the heat fixing capability over time.
Innovation Solution
A fixing member with a substrate, an elastic layer containing silicone rubber and a thermally conductive filler with an alkali metal ion, and a compound having a phosphate group is used, which captures the alkali metal ions to reduce their contact with silicone rubber, thereby suppressing thermal degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the addition amount of thermally conductive filler is increased to increase thermal conductivity, then thermal conductivity of elastic layer is improved, but instability of hardness becomes more noticeable
Solution Approach 1:
A compound having a phosphate group is introduced as an intermediary substance between the alkali metal ions and the silicone rubber. This phosphate compound captures the alkali metal ions through ionic interaction, preventing them from directly contacting and degrading the silicone rubber crosslinked structure, thus maintaining hardness stability while allowing high thermal conductivity filler content
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful alkali metal ions are extracted from the system by the phosphate group-containing compound. The phosphate compound acts as a selective binder that removes alkali metal ions from the elastic layer environment, separating their harmful effect from the silicone rubber matrix while maintaining the beneficial thermal conductivity properties
2Stability of the object's composition
If zinc oxide with small sodium content is used as thermally conductive filler, then hardness stability is improved, but cost increases and usable filler options are limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the purity parameter of the thermal conductivity filler (which increases cost and limits options), the invention changes the chemical environment parameter by introducing the phosphate compound. This allows the use of conventional, cost-effective fillers like zinc oxide and alumina with typical sodium content while maintaining hardness stability through the protective phosphate compound
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 provides a fixing member with high endurance and stable thermal fixability over a long period, preventing the fluctuation in hardness and maintaining the quality of electrophotographic images.
Implementation Method 1
a compound having a phosphate group which captures the alkali metal ions
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides a fixing member whose hardness is not easily changed even when used for a long period of time and which has high endurance. The fixing member has a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer in this order, in which the elastic layer contains silicone rubber, a thermally conductive filler containing alkali metal ions, and a compound having a phosphate group in the molecule.