Layered Electro-Conductive Belt for Image Forming Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electro-conductive belts for image forming devices face challenges in controlling the resistance values of their inner and outer peripheral faces to prevent toner detachment and image defects, such as white spots and flake-form image defects, while maintaining a large volume resistance.
Innovation Solution
An electro-conductive belt with a layered structure comprising an innermost layer with no conductive particles, a first conductive layer with the highest concentration of carbon black for low electrical resistance, and a second conductive layer with a lower concentration of carbon black for higher electrical resistance, providing a large volume resistance and preventing sudden increases in inner peripheral face resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the concentration of conductive particles is increased throughout the belt to reduce inner peripheral face resistance, then the inner peripheral face resistance decreases, but the volume resistance decreases causing toner detachment and white spots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different conductive particle concentrations at different locations within the belt thickness. The first conductive layer (inner peripheral face side) has high conductive particle concentration to reduce resistance, while the second conductive layer (outer peripheral face side) has low conductive particle concentration to maintain volume resistance. This spatial variation in material properties resolves the contradiction between reducing inner resistance and preventing toner detachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the belt structure into multiple functional layers: an innermost layer with no conductive particles, a first conductive layer with high concentration near the inner peripheral face, and a second conductive layer with low concentration near the outer peripheral face. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function independently, achieving both low inner resistance and high volume resistance.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the concentration of conductive particles is decreased throughout the belt to increase volume resistance, then the volume resistance increases preventing toner detachment, but the inner peripheral face resistance increases causing image defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reverses the conventional approach by applying local quality with non-uniform conductive particle distribution. Instead of uniform low concentration throughout, the innermost layer has zero concentration while the first conductive layer has high concentration. This localized high concentration region ensures low inner peripheral face resistance while the overall low concentration in the second layer maintains volume resistance.
3Ease of manufacture
If a uniform distribution of conductive particles is used in the belt, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the resistance values at inner and outer peripheral faces cannot be controlled independently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the conductive particle concentration parameter through the belt thickness. The first conductive layer has a high concentration parameter while the second conductive layer has a low concentration parameter. This parameter variation enables independent control of resistance values at different locations while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process using coating techniques.
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 belt effectively reduces the electrical resistance of the inner peripheral face while maintaining a large volume resistance, preventing toner detachment and image defects, and ensuring consistent performance across various usage conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a first conductive layer that is adjacent to the innermost layer at an outer side thereof, a concentration of the conductive particles being highest in the first conductive layer
Implementation Method 2
it is desired that resistance values of an inner peripheral face and an outer peripheral face are controlled such that a resistance value of the inner peripheral face is small but a volume resistance is large
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an electro-conductive belt including a resin material and conductive particles, the electro-conductive belt including: an innermost layer that contains none of the conductive particles; a first conductive layer that is adjacent to the innermost layer at an outer side thereof, a concentration of the conductive particles being highest in the first conductive layer; and a second conductive layer that is adjacent to the first conductive layer at an outer side thereof, the second conductive layer containing the conductive particles in a concentration lower than in the first conductive layer and higher than in the innermost layer.