Pressure Roller Barrier Layer Prevents Rubber Permeation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing pressure rollers with foam layers and thermally conductive elastic layers result in non-uniform hardness due to liquid rubber permeation into the foam layer, leading to excessive hardness and improper functioning.
Innovation Solution
A pressure roller manufacturing method involving a foam layer, a barrier layer to prevent liquid rubber permeation, and an elastic layer with a lower filler content than the elastic layer, ensuring uniform hardness and thermal conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If liquid rubber is injected into the space between the roller and mold to form the elastic layer, then the elastic layer is formed with thermally conductive filler, but the liquid rubber permeates into the porous cells of the foam layer causing non-uniform hardness
Solution Approach 1:
A barrier layer is introduced as an intermediary between the foam layer and the elastic layer. This barrier layer prevents liquid rubber from permeating into the porous cells of the foam layer during the injection molding process, while still allowing the thermally conductive filler to be effectively distributed in the elastic layer. The barrier layer thus mediates between the foam layer and liquid rubber to eliminate the harmful permeation effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier layer is formed on the peripheral surface of the foam layer before the liquid rubber is injected. This preliminary action of creating a protective barrier prevents the subsequent permeation problem from occurring during the elastic layer formation process.
2Temperature
If needle-like or whisker-shaped filler is mixed into the liquid rubber to improve thermal conductivity, then the thermal conductivity increases, but the viscosity of the liquid rubber increases making injection difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The aspect ratio of the thermally conductive filler is controlled to be within a specific range (0.5 to 5). By optimizing this parameter, the filler maintains sufficient thermal conductivity while not excessively increasing the viscosity of the liquid rubber, thereby balancing thermal performance with manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier layer is designed with specific physical properties (porosity between 10-90%, thickness of 1-100 μm) that are optimized for its local function of preventing permeation while allowing the elastic layer to form properly. The local quality of the barrier layer is tailored to address the specific requirement of blocking liquid rubber without compromising the overall manufacturing process.
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 prevents liquid rubber from permeating into the foam layer, resulting in a pressure roller with uniform hardness and improved thermal conductivity, effectively managing temperature distribution in image heating apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
a barrier layer to prevent liquid rubber permeation
Implementation Method 2
an elastic layer with a lower filler content than the elastic layer, ensuring uniform hardness and thermal conductivity
Data Source
AI summary
A roller for a fixing device includes a foam layer; an elastic layer containing a thermo-conductive filler and provided outside of the foam layer; a middle layer provided between the foam layer and elastic layer; wherein a content of all filler in the middle layer is smaller than a content of all filler in the elastic layer.