Tubular Fuser Layer Structure for Electrostatic Offset Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuser devices in electrographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in reducing electrostatic offset, which causes disturbances in toner fixation due to static electricity, leading to excessive or deficient toner on sheets.
Innovation Solution
A tubular fuser device with a metal substrate, a rubber layer, an adhesion layer, and a resin surface layer is designed, where the product of electrostatic capacity and electrical resistance per unit area (C·R/A2) is less than 1.1×10−3 FΩ/cm4, allowing for rapid polarization state changes and effective reduction of electrostatic offset.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional fuser device is used, then toner fixation is achieved, but electrostatic offset occurs causing image disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the electrical parameters of the fuser device by controlling the electrical resistance and electrostatic capacity of the adhesion layer to achieve a specific dielectric relaxation time (CR/A2 < 1.1×10^-3 FΩ/cm^4), which resolves the electrostatic offset problem while maintaining toner fixation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure with multiple layers (metal substrate, rubber layer, adhesion layer, resin surface layer) where each layer contributes specific properties, and the adhesion layer's electrical characteristics are specifically controlled to manage electrostatic effects
2Object-affected harmful factors
If electrostatic offset is reduced by adjusting electrical properties, then image quality improves, but dielectric relaxation time must be precisely controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies precise parameter ranges for electrical resistance (10^8 to 10^12 Ω/cm^2) and electrostatic capacity (10^-12 to 10^-14 F/cm^2) of the adhesion layer to achieve the target dielectric relaxation time, balancing electrostatic offset reduction with manufacturing feasibility
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 effectively reduces electrostatic offset by ensuring a short dielectric relaxation time, resulting in improved toner fixation and reduced image disturbances.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesion layer covering an outer periphery of the rubber layer... C·R/A2 is less than 1.1×10−3 FΩ/cm4 in which C·R/A2 is a product of an electrostatic capacity per unit area C/A and an electrical resistance per unit area R/A
Implementation Method 2
since the dielectric relaxation time is sufficiently short, after removal of the electric field, a high polarization state rapidly changes to a low polarization state
Data Source
AI summary
A tubular fuser device rotates and is in contact with a sheet on which a positively charged toner image is formed to fix the toner image to the sheet. The fuser device includes a tubular substrate made of a metal, a rubber layer covering the outer periphery of the substrate, an adhesion layer covering the outer periphery of the rubber layer, and a surface layer made of a resin covering the outer periphery of the adhesion layer. In the fuser device, C·R/A2 is less than 1.1×10−53 FΩ/cm4 in which C·R/A2 is a product of an electrostatic capacity per unit area C/A in a thickness direction of the fuser device and an electrical resistance per unit area R/A in the thickness direction of the fuser device.