Fixing Rubbing Member Surface Structure for Low Startup Torque

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fixing apparatuses with wide nips experience increased sliding resistance and initial driving torque when starting, leading to slippage between rotating members and recording media, which affects printing speed and image quality.

Innovation Solution

A fixing rubbing member with a metallic base material and a resin layer featuring protruded portions and depressed areas that retain lubricant, reducing sliding resistance and initial torque by stabilizing lubricant distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rubbing member with a smooth sliding layer is used, then sliding resistance during operation is reduced, but initial driving torque increases and slippage occurs at startup

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesliding stabilityVSAvoidinitial driving torque

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The sliding layer is segmented into multiple protruded portions with depressed portions between them, creating a micro-structured surface that reduces contact area and friction while maintaining lubricant retention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the sliding layer have different properties: the protruded portions provide reduced friction contact, while the depressed portions retain lubricant to reduce initial driving torque and prevent startup slippage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If the fixing rotating member has large inertia, then printing speed and productivity are improved, but initial driving torque requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting speedVSAvoidinitial driving torque

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The depressed portions in the sliding layer, which create air pockets and reduce contact area, inadvertently serve to reduce both sliding resistance during operation and initial driving torque at startup, converting a potential instability into a beneficial friction-reduction mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 reduces sliding resistance and initial driving torque, ensuring stable operation and improved image quality by maintaining lubricant within the contact region, preventing slippage, and requiring less energy to start the fixing process.

Implementation Method 1

a lubricant therebetween. The lubricant is used so that the rubbing member can slide stably on the inner surface of the belt

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLubrication: Lubrication

Data Source

PatentUS12631995B2Fixing rubbing member and fixing apparatus

Publication Date: 2026.05.19 CANON KK

AI summary

A fixing rubbing member including a metallic base material having a plurality of first protruded portions on at least one surface, and a resin layer covering a surface of the first protruded portions of the metallic base material, in which the resin layer is provided with a plurality of second protruded portions corresponding to the plurality of respective first protruded portions, on a surface of the resin layer on an opposite side of a side that faces the metallic base material; an apex of at least one of the plurality of second protruded portions is provided with at least one depressed portion; and, when a glass sheet is pressed against the surface of the fixing rubbing member provided with the second protruded portions, at 0.4 MPa, at a temperature of 25° C., a rim surrounding the depressed portion comes into contact with the glass sheet.