EP1003084A2 - Bande de nettoyage - Google Patents

Bande de nettoyage Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1003084A2
EP1003084A2 EP99309198A EP99309198A EP1003084A2 EP 1003084 A2 EP1003084 A2 EP 1003084A2 EP 99309198 A EP99309198 A EP 99309198A EP 99309198 A EP99309198 A EP 99309198A EP 1003084 A2 EP1003084 A2 EP 1003084A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
web
fibres
cleaning
roller
cross
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP99309198A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1003084A3 (fr
Inventor
Neil Graham Dugdale
Alan Lebold
Jason Palazzo
Steve Parry
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MBP Europe Ltd
BMP Europe Ltd
Original Assignee
MBP Europe Ltd
BMP Europe Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MBP Europe Ltd, BMP Europe Ltd filed Critical MBP Europe Ltd
Publication of EP1003084A2 publication Critical patent/EP1003084A2/fr
Publication of EP1003084A3 publication Critical patent/EP1003084A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/20—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for fixing, e.g. by using heat
    • G03G15/2003—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for fixing, e.g. by using heat using heat
    • G03G15/2014—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for fixing, e.g. by using heat using heat using contact heat
    • G03G15/2017—Structural details of the fixing unit in general, e.g. cooling means, heat shielding means
    • G03G15/2025—Structural details of the fixing unit in general, e.g. cooling means, heat shielding means with special means for lubricating and/or cleaning the fixing unit, e.g. applying offset preventing fluid

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a cleaning web for use in electrostatographic reproduction apparatus, printers and the like.
  • Conventional electrostatographic reproduction and printing apparatus for example photocopiers, include an image section with an image roller for transferring toner onto paper to form an image, a fuser section with a heated roller for fusing the toner to adhere it to the paper and a means for cleaning the heated roller to prevent build up of toner on the roller which would otherwise impair image quality.
  • a means for cleaning the image roller may also be provided, to remove toner which is not transferred to the paper.
  • the heated fuser section roller is cleaned by a cleaning web stored on a feed roller from which it is withdrawn and wound onto a take-up roller.
  • the path of the web between the two rollers is such that it comes into contact with the heated roller.
  • surplus toner is transferred to the web which is gradually advanced from the storage roller to the take-up roller so that the web in contact with the heated roller is continually replenished to ensure that the roller is efficiently cleaned.
  • One existing cleaning web is composed of a heat bonded non-woven fabric formed from 70% polyethylene teraphylate (PET) and 30% aramid fibres.
  • PET polyethylene teraphylate
  • the fabric is impregnated with a silicone oil.
  • a film of oil is transferred on to the heated roller, this helps to prevent toner adhering to the roller.
  • the oil also helps in the removal of any toner that does adhere to the roller and increases the capacity of the fabric to hold toner removed from the roller.
  • coloured toner is usually finer than black toner, it is therefore harder to remove.
  • a cleaning web comprising fibres the cross-section of each of which having a peripheral dimension and an area, wherein the ratio of said peripheral dimension and cross-sectional area is greater than said ratio for a fibre of circular or substantially circular and equal area of cross-section.
  • Such fibres exhibit an increased surface area compared to conventional fibres of circular or substantially circular cross-section, this increased surface area enhances the ability of the web to retain toner particles and to wick and store silicone oil. Overall this enhances the cleaning efficiency of the web, especially where fine and coloured toner is used.
  • each of said fibres are of multi-lobal cross-section, for example tri-lobal cross-section.
  • the fibres are preferably resistant to thermal breakdown at temperatures up to 260°C.
  • Suitable fibres are formed from polyimide.
  • the web may also include some conventional fibres of circular or substantially circular cross-section. Indeed any proportion of shaped fibres, as described above, could be used although it is preferred that the proportion lies in the range 5 to 90% and more preferably 20 to 70%.
  • One suitable web comprises about 20% multi-lobal polyimide fibres and about 80% conventional PET fibres. As such, it will be seen that the relatively expensive aramid fibres incorporated in conventional webs can be replaced with multi-lobal polyimide fibres.
  • Another embodiment comprises about 20% multi-lobal polyimide fibres and about 80% conventional polyester fibres.
  • Other suitable materials, including PTFE and PEEK, could be used in place of polyimide in the above embodiments.
  • the web preferably comprises a heat bonded non-woven fabric. Either flat bonded fabrics or point bonded fabrics may be employed.
  • the web is preferably of thickness in the range 30 to 200 microns.
  • the principal objective of the invention is the provision of a cleaning web which provides enhanced cleaning performance. This is achieved, as described above, by the provision of a proportion of fibres with an increased surface area over conventional fibres on which to accommodate toner particles and silicone oil. It is also found that where multi-lobal fibres are used their shape contributes to improved cleaning performance as surplus toner is 'taken into' the multi-lobal shape, away from the surface of the web.
  • the improved oil wicking capacity of multi-lobal fibres enables the web to store more silicone oil and to distribute this more evenly across the roller leading to improved cleaning and image quality.
  • the invention is primarily concerned with improving cleaning performance, the increased oil and toner capacity of the web can also increase its useful life by allowing it to be advanced more slowly during operation.
  • a cleaning web one side of which is intended for contacting a surface to be cleaned and the opposite side of which is substantially or completely impermeable.
  • a method of use of a cleaning web one side of which is substantially impermeable comprising the step of placing the opposite side of the fabric layer to that which is substantially impermeable in contact with a surface to be cleaned.
  • the web is preferably impregnated with a silicone oil.
  • the web preferably comprises a non-woven fabric, heat bonded types being preferred.
  • a suitable web is formed from a blend of PET and aramid fibres. More preferably the web is in accordance with the first aspect of the invention as hereinbefore described. Particularly, the web includes at least some fibres the cross-section of each of which having a peripheral dimension and an area wherein the ratio of said peripheral dimension and cross-sectional area is greater than said ratio for a fibre of circular or substantially circular and equal area of cross-section. Said fibres are preferably of multi-lobal cross-section for example of tri-lobal cross-section.
  • the web preferably includes between 5 and 90%, more preferably between 20 to 70% of such fibres. Suitable fibres are multi-lobal polyimide fibres.
  • the non-cleaning side of the web may be rendered substantially impermeable by placing it in contact with or bonding it to a layer of substantially impermeable material.
  • the non-cleaning side of the web is preferably completely impermeable.
  • the web may be formed by placing plastic film and fabric layers together.
  • the plastic film is preferably less than 100 microns thick, more preferably about 25 microns thick.
  • a suitable film material is PET.
  • the film and fabric layers may be bonded together by heat laminating.
  • a web with an impermeable or substantially impermeable surface allows more efficient use of the silicone oil with which the web is impregnated.
  • the oil is confined between the impermeable or substantially impermeable side and the roller, or other, surface with which the web is in contact. This improves both the cleaning ability of the web and the oil distribution on the roller surface.
  • a bead of oil forms in the space adjacent the point where the web roller contacts the roller on the side from which the surface of the roller is advanced towards the web when the roller is rotated. This ensures even distribution of oil on the roller.
  • a cleaning web 11 is held in contact with the surface of a heated fuser section roller 12.
  • the roller 12 rotates against the web 11 and any toner 13 on the surface of the roller is wiped onto the web 11.
  • the web 11 is gradually advanced from a feed roller 14 to a take up roller 15 so that the web 11 in contact with the surface of the roller 12 is continually replaced.
  • the web 11 is formed by a flat heat bonded non-woven fabric composed of about 20% tri-lobal polyimide fibres and 80% PET fibres.
  • the web is impregnated with a silicone oil.
  • the web is about 100 microns thick.
  • Fig.2 shows a number of typical cross-sections of the polyimide fibres included in the web illustrated in Fig.1.
  • the fibres are of tri-lobal cross-section, the ratio of the peripheral distance around each cross-section to its area is greater than that for fibres of circular or substantially circular cross-section having the same cross-sectional area.
  • the total surface area of a tri-lobal fibre is therefore greater than that for conventional fibres of circular or substantially circular and similar area of cross-section.
  • an alternative web 30 comprises a heat bonded non-woven fabric layer and an impermeable 100 micron thick layer of a flat heat bonded non-woven fabric composed of about 20% tri-lobal polyimide fibres and 80% PET fibres 31 impregnated with a silicone oil bonded to a 25 microns thick impermeable PET film 32.
  • a suitable film is that supplied by ICI under the trade mark Mylar.
  • Fig.4 shows a web 40, similar to that shown in Fig.3, used to clean the heated fuser section roller 41 of a photocopier.
  • the web 40 is urged towards the surface of the roller 41, this tends to compress the fabric layer against the roller and displace silicone oil 42 from the fabric.
  • the presence of an impermeable film layer on the opposite side of the fabric layer to that which is adjacent the surface of the roller 41 prevents oil escaping from the surface.
  • an increased amount of oil is presented to the roller 41.
  • a bead of silicone oil 42 forms on the surface of the roller which is advanced towards the fabric. This ensures even distribution of oil on the surface of the roller. Where the web 40 separates from the roller this bead of oil 42 is wicked back into the fabric.
  • the improved oil distribution achieved by backing the fabric with an impermeable film leads to both improved image quality, particularly in the case of colour equipment, and increased fuser section life.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Cleaning Implements For Floors, Carpets, Furniture, Walls, And The Like (AREA)
  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Fixing For Electrophotography (AREA)
EP99309198A 1998-11-19 1999-11-18 Bande de nettoyage Withdrawn EP1003084A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9825343A GB9825343D0 (en) 1998-11-19 1998-11-19 Cleaniong web
GB9825343 1998-11-19

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1003084A2 true EP1003084A2 (fr) 2000-05-24
EP1003084A3 EP1003084A3 (fr) 2001-11-28

Family

ID=10842698

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99309198A Withdrawn EP1003084A3 (fr) 1998-11-19 1999-11-18 Bande de nettoyage

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1003084A3 (fr)
GB (1) GB9825343D0 (fr)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0493652A2 (fr) * 1990-12-29 1992-07-08 Mitsubishi Materials Corporation Matériau pour rouleau de nettoyage et appareil de fixage
JPH07287496A (ja) * 1994-04-15 1995-10-31 Teijin Ltd 複写機クリーニング用ウエブ
EP0758765A2 (fr) * 1995-08-11 1997-02-19 Japan Vilene Company, Ltd. Feuille de nettoyage, élément de nettoyage et appareil de nettoyage pour un rouleau de fixage par fusion
WO1998036331A1 (fr) * 1997-02-13 1998-08-20 Bmp Europe Ltd. Element de nettoyage

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0493652A2 (fr) * 1990-12-29 1992-07-08 Mitsubishi Materials Corporation Matériau pour rouleau de nettoyage et appareil de fixage
JPH07287496A (ja) * 1994-04-15 1995-10-31 Teijin Ltd 複写機クリーニング用ウエブ
EP0758765A2 (fr) * 1995-08-11 1997-02-19 Japan Vilene Company, Ltd. Feuille de nettoyage, élément de nettoyage et appareil de nettoyage pour un rouleau de fixage par fusion
WO1998036331A1 (fr) * 1997-02-13 1998-08-20 Bmp Europe Ltd. Element de nettoyage

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 1996, no. 02, 29 February 1996 (1996-02-29) & JP 07 287496 A (TEIJIN LTD), 31 October 1995 (1995-10-31) *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1003084A3 (fr) 2001-11-28
GB9825343D0 (en) 1999-01-13

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