Urethane Cleaning Blade for Electrophotography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning blades for electrophotographic equipment face challenges in achieving both high hardness and low warping, which are necessary for maintaining effective toner scraping properties both initially and after severe use, as higher hardness tends to lead to fragility and warping, and existing solutions fail to adequately address this balance.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning blade with a blade part composed of a cured urethane composition containing a polyol, isocyanate, and a crosslinker or chain extender, where the isocyanate content is 28.0 mass % or more, the crosslinker or chain extender comprises a triol with a molecular weight of 150 or less, and the triol content is 0.8 mass % or more, to achieve high hardness and low warping while maintaining excellent toner scraping properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high hardness is set to achieve adequate initial toner scraping properties, then toner scraping performance is improved, but the cleaning blade becomes fragile and warped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the chemical composition parameters of the urethane composition. Specifically, it sets the isocyanate content to 28.0 mass% or more, the crosslinker content to 4.0 mass% or less, and the triol content to 0.8 mass% or more. These parameter optimizations resolve the contradiction by achieving high hardness through controlled crosslinking while preventing warping through optimized composition ratios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by creating a specialized urethane composition that combines multiple components (polyol, isocyanate, crosslinker, and triol) in specific proportions. This composite approach allows the material to simultaneously achieve high hardness for toner scraping and low warping through the synergistic effects of the different components working together in optimized ratios.
2Strength
If high hardness is set to achieve adequate initial toner scraping properties, then initial toner scraping performance is improved, but toner scraping properties after severe use deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction through parameter changes by optimizing the crosslinking density and molecular structure parameters of the urethane composition. The controlled crosslinker content (4.0 mass% or less) and triol content (0.8 mass% or more) create a network structure that maintains hardness for initial performance while preventing degradation during severe use, thus extending the duration of effective toner scraping properties.
3Reliability
If wear resistance and low temperature properties are obtained through conventional urethane composition adjustments, then durability is improved, but high hardness and low warping are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes to resolve this contradiction by shifting the optimization focus to the crosslinking parameters. By controlling the isocyanate content (28.0 mass% or more) and crosslinker content (4.0 mass% or less), the composition achieves high hardness while maintaining wear resistance and low temperature properties through the resulting crosslinked network structure.
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 enables the cleaning blade to achieve high hardness and low warping, ensuring excellent toner scraping performance both initially and after severe use, with the urethane composition effectively balancing hardness and durability.
Implementation Method 1
a blade part (12) comprising a cured material of a urethane composition containing a polyol, an isocyanate, and a crosslinker or a chain extender
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure shows a cleaning blade for electrophotographic equipment, the cleaning blade through which both high hardness and low warping are obtained and excellent toner scraping properties are realized. The cleaning blade (10) includes a blade part (12) comprising a cured material of a urethane composition containing a polyol, an isocyanate, and a crosslinker or a chain extender. The content of the isocyanate is 28.0 mass % or more with respect to the entire composition. The crosslinker or the chain extender comprises a triol having a molecular weight of 150 or less. The content of the crosslinker or the chain extender is 4.0 mass % or less with respect to the entire composition. The content of the triol having a molecular weight of 150 or less is 0.8 mass % or more with respect to the entire composition.