Intermediate Transfer Belt Crystallinity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intermediate transfer belts made of thermoplastic resin with carbon black face challenges in securing mechanical strength and maintaining dispersibility, leading to image defects and durability issues, especially in low-humidity environments due to agglomeration of carbon black and uneven resistance values.
Innovation Solution
An intermediate transfer belt with a thermoplastic resin containing carbon black, where the carbon black has an average primary particle size of 10 nm to 30 nm, a content of 15% to 30% by mass, and a crystallinity of 8% to 25%, ensuring improved dispersibility through controlled manufacturing processes that prevent agglomeration, thereby maintaining mechanical strength and resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a thermoplastic resin is heated to a melting point or higher to increase crystallinity and improve mechanical strength, then tensile strength and flexural durability are improved, but dispersibility of carbon black deteriorates due to agglomeration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the crystallinity of the thermoplastic resin within 8-25% and carbon black content within 15-30% by mass. These parameter optimizations allow the resin to achieve sufficient mechanical strength while preventing excessive crystallization that would cause carbon black agglomeration and maintain uniform electrical resistance.
2Reliability
If carbon black content is increased to improve electrical resistance control, then resistance stability is improved, but dispersibility deteriorates leading to image defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the carbon black content parameter to 15-30% by mass of the resin composition. This parameter range provides sufficient electrical resistance stability for intermediate transfer operation while avoiding excessive carbon black concentration that would cause agglomeration and image defects during the transfer process.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the intermediate transfer member is suspended and driven in a tense state for long time, then operational durability is improved, but mechanical properties require higher tensile elastic modulus which conflicts with resin flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the crystallinity parameter of the thermoplastic resin within 8-25% to achieve an optimal balance between tensile elastic modulus and flexibility. This crystallinity range provides sufficient mechanical strength for long-term tense operation while maintaining the resin's inherent flexibility needed for belt operation and toner transfer functionality.
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 an intermediate transfer belt with enhanced mechanical strength, reduced image defects, and consistent resistance, ensuring reliable toner transfer and extended durability even in low-humidity conditions.
Implementation Method 1
An intermediate transfer member that is adjusted to a desired electrical resistance by adding an electroconductive filler to a resin material
Implementation Method 2
An intermediate transfer member made of a resin composition including a thermoplastic resin as a main component can be heated to increase the crystallinity of the resin composition so that the resulting intermediate transfer member has desired tensile strength, flexural durability, and surface hardness
Data Source
AI summary
The crystallinity of a thermoplastic resin is 8% or more and 25% or less, the average primary particle size of carbon black is 10 nm or more and 30 nm or less, the content of the carbon black is 15.0 parts by mass or more and 30.0 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of an intermediate transfer belt, and (Li+Lo+Lc)/3≤100 nm, where Li, Lo, and Lc are values of an L-function indicating a dispersibility of the carbon black with respect to the thermoplastic resin in an inner peripheral surface region of the intermediate transfer belt, in an outer peripheral surface region, and in a central region that is a central portion of the intermediate transfer belt in a thickness direction of the intermediate transfer belt, respectively.