Polysiloxane Charging Member with Silsesquioxane Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conductive roll's bleeding inhibition layer in electrophotographic apparatuses wears out over time, leading to changes in charging performance and reduced durability, affecting the quality of electrophotographic images.
Innovation Solution
A charging member with a surface layer comprising polysiloxane units bonded to silsesquioxane compounds through specific linking groups, enhancing durability and preventing fallout, thereby maintaining consistent charging performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a bleeding inhibition layer made of inorganic oxide coating is formed by sol-gel method, then the bleeding of low-molecular weight component is suppressed, but the charging performance changes over time due to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite material consisting of polysiloxane as the base polymer and silsesquioxane compounds as reinforcing fillers. This composite structure combines the flexibility and bonding capability of polysiloxane with the mechanical strength of silsesquioxane, creating a surface layer that is both durable and effective at preventing bleeding while maintaining charging performance over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical composition and molecular structure parameters of the surface layer by incorporating silsesquioxane compounds with specific cage-like structures into the polysiloxane matrix. This parameter change transforms the surface layer from a simple coating to a reinforced composite that resists wear and maintains its functional properties during repeated use.
2Ease of manufacture
If the surface layer is made simple to reduce manufacturing complexity, then manufacturing is easier, but wear resistance and durability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the molecular parameters of the surface layer by incorporating silsesquioxane compounds into the polysiloxane structure. This changes the physical and chemical properties of the material, significantly improving wear resistance and durability while maintaining a relatively simple single-layer structure that can be applied using conventional coating methods.
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 charging member exhibits excellent durability and wear resistance, ensuring stable charging performance over long-term use and high-quality electrophotographic image formation.
Implementation Method 1
the silsesquoxane is chemically bonded to the polysiloxane, and hence the fallout of the silsesquoxane from the surface layer is suppressed
Implementation Method 2
at least one compound selected from a group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulae (1) to (6) is bonded through a linking group formed by at least one selected from R1, R4, and R6 in the units
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a charging member capable of maintaining excellent wear resistance even after repeated use, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each having the charging member. The charging member is characterized in that its surface layer has a polysiloxane to which a silsesquioxane is bonded.