Intermediate Transfer Belt with Polyrotaxane Surface Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional intermediate transfer belts used in image forming apparatuses face challenges with high-speed printing and accurate color positioning due to issues like color shift, uneven toner transfer, and poor followability on various paper surfaces, leading to defects such as void images and uneven image density.

Innovation Solution

An intermediate transfer belt with a substrate coated by a surface layer comprising crosslinked polyrotaxane, acrylic resins, fluororesins, or silicone resins, which provides flexibility, high transferability, and cleanability, improving toner releasability and durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a polyimide resin intermediate transfer belt is used, then high strength and high surface hardness are achieved, but high pressure is applied to the toner layer causing void images and uneven transfer

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidtransfer uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The intermediate transfer belt is divided into two functional layers: a polyimide resin substrate providing strength and heat resistance, and a fluororesin surface layer providing low friction and even toner transfer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without the drawbacks of a single-material design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite material structure combining polyimide resin and fluororesin. The polyimide substrate provides mechanical strength while the fluororesin coating provides low friction and even toner distribution, resolving the contradiction between strength and transfer uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If a polyimide resin intermediate transfer belt is used, then high surface hardness is achieved, but poor followability with contact members causes uneven transfer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface hardnessVSAvoidfollowability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The belt is segmented into a hard polyimide substrate for structural integrity and a soft fluororesin surface layer for conformability. This allows the surface to follow the contours of contact members like photoconductors and papers while the substrate maintains overall belt strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the transfer belt have different properties: the substrate provides global structural support while the surface layer provides local conformability and low friction contact with varying paper surfaces and photoconductors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If a flexible surface layer is used, then improved followability to paper convexities and concavities is achieved, but decreased transfer pressure and releasability cause poor toner release

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefollowabilityVSAvoidtransfer efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The fluororesin coating provides a low friction surface that maintains adequate transfer pressure while enabling easy toner release. The composite structure of polyimide substrate plus fluororesin surface achieves both followability and transfer efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The fluororesin surface layer changes the friction parameter at the contact surface, providing low friction for easy toner release while the underlying polyimide substrate maintains the structural parameters needed for adequate transfer pressure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Adaptability or versatility

If a flexible surface layer is used, then improved followability is achieved, but lower abrasion resistance and scratch resistance occur

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefollowabilityVSAvoidabrasion resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The belt structure separates the abrasion resistance function (polyimide substrate) from the followability function (fluororesin surface layer). The hard substrate protects against wear while the soft surface conforms to paper surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The composite of polyimide and fluororesin combines the wear resistance of polyimide with the conformability of fluororesin, achieving both abrasion resistance and followability simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS9507296B2Intermediate transferer and image forming apparatus using the same

Publication Date: 2016.11.29 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

An intermediate transferer includes a substrate; and a surface layer overlying the substrate. The surface layer includes a crosslinked material, including a polyrotaxane including a circular molecule; a straight-chain molecule including the circular molecule in a skewering form; and a block group located at both ends of the straight-chain molecule, preventing the circular molecule from releasing, and at least one resin selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins, fluoreresins and silicone resins.