Semiconductive Roller UV Oxide Film Stain Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductive rollers for electrophotographic applications face challenges with contamination, irregular coating thickness, and insufficient stain resistance due to the bleeding of components and accumulation of toner additives, leading to defects and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductive roller with a specific rubber composition containing a bicopolymer of epichlorohydrin and nitrile-butadiene rubber, crosslinked with thiourea and sulfur-based components, and an ion-conductive agent, forming an oxide film through ultraviolet irradiation to prevent contamination and ensure uniformity and protective properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coating film is formed by applying liquid coating agent and drying, then the outer peripheral surface is covered to prevent bleeding and staining, but various defectives such as contamination with foreign matter and irregularity in thickness occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical coating process (spraying or dipping liquid coating agent) with a photochemical process (ultraviolet irradiation to form oxide film). This substitution eliminates the defects associated with liquid coating application while achieving uniform coverage and preventing staining of the photosensitive body.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of coating formation from liquid application to solid-phase oxidation. By irradiating the semiconductive rubber composition with ultraviolet light, an oxide film is formed directly on the surface without requiring liquid coating agents, thereby avoiding contamination and thickness irregularity.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional oxide film is formed by ultraviolet irradiation, then contamination with foreign matter is reduced, but the film is insufficient in protective characteristics against bleeding and additive accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure by combining the semiconductive rubber composition with specific additives (silica, titania, zirconia, alumina, or magnesia) that enhance the protective characteristics of the oxide film. This composite approach maintains the uniformity advantage of UV irradiation while improving stain resistance and protective functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces specific inorganic additives at controlled concentrations (0.1-10 parts by mass per 100 parts of semiconductive rubber composition) to locally enhance the protective properties of the oxide film without compromising its uniform formation through ultraviolet irradiation.
3Reliability
If coating film is applied to prevent bleeding of components, then stain resistance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the coating formation step with the existing ultraviolet irradiation process used for crosslinking the semiconductive rubber composition. By forming the oxide film during the same irradiation step, the patent eliminates separate coating application and drying steps, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining stain resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The ultraviolet irradiation process serves multiple functions: it crosslinks the semiconductive rubber composition to provide mechanical strength and forms the oxide film simultaneously to provide protective characteristics. This multi-functionality reduces the number of processing steps and simplifies manufacturing.
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 provides a semiconductive roller with improved semiconductivity and stain resistance, reducing defects and manufacturing costs by preventing component bleeding and additive accumulation, ensuring consistent ion conductivity and environmental stability.
Implementation Method 1
a method of forming a roller body by a semiconductive rubber composition containing diene rubber and oxidizing the diene rubber by irradiating the outer peripheral surface of the roller body with ultraviolet light thereby forming a coating film (an oxide film)
Implementation Method 2
oxidizing the diene rubber by irradiating the outer peripheral surface of the roller body with ultraviolet light
Data Source
AI summary
The semiconductive roller according to the present invention includes: a roller body having an outer peripheral surface made of a semiconductive rubber composition; and an oxide film covering the outer peripheral surface of the roller body, while the semiconductive rubber composition contains a base polymer and a crosslinking component for crosslinking the base polymer, the base polymer is a mixture of a bicopolymer E containing epichlorohydrin and nitrile-butadiene rubber N, the mass ratio E/N of the bicopolymer E and the nitrile-butadiene rubber N in the mixture is 50/50 to 80/20, and the crosslinking component includes a thiourea-based crosslinking component for crosslinking the bicopolymer E and a sulfur-based vulcanizing component for vulcanizing the nitrile-butadiene rubber N.