Polyimide Fuser Member with Fluoro Acid Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of polyimide fuser belts is costly due to the requirement of a release layer on the inner surface of a cylindrical mandrel and the limited length determined by the mandrel size, with a need for higher modulus and decomposition temperature while reducing production costs.
Innovation Solution
A fuser member comprising a substrate layer of polyimide polymer with a fluoro acid, an intermediate layer of silicone or fluoroelastomer, and a release layer of fluoropolymer, which self-releases from a metal substrate without an external release layer, reducing manufacturing costs and achieving the desired mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a release layer is applied to the inner surface of the mandrel, then the polyimide belt can be successfully manufactured, but the manufacturing cost increases and the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the release layer function with the polyimide coating by incorporating a fluoro acid into the polyimide polymer matrix itself. This merging eliminates the need for a separate release layer application process, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and process complexity while maintaining the necessary release characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material system where fluoro acid is integrated into the polyimide polymer structure. This composite approach allows the material to exhibit both structural integrity and release properties without requiring separate functional layers, thus simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs.
2Length of moving object
If a release layer is applied to the inner surface of the mandrel, then the polyimide belt can be released, but the length of the polyimide belt is limited by the mandrel size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the release layer function from the mandrel structure and incorporates it into the polyimide material itself. This extraction eliminates the mandrel's constraint on belt length, as the release properties are now inherent to the material rather than being imposed by the mandrel geometry, allowing for longer belt lengths.
3Reliability
If the polyimide fuser belt has high modulus and decomposition temperature, then the performance is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the polyimide by incorporating fluoro acid, which modifies the material properties to achieve higher decomposition temperature and improved performance. This parameter change is achieved through material formulation rather than complex processing, maintaining cost-effectiveness while enhancing reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present teachings provide a fuser member. The fuser member includes a substrate layer having a polyimide polymer and a fluoro acid. A method of manufacturing a fuser member is also described.