JP2002139960A - Seamless belt - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably use a seamless belt provided with a reinforcing member along at least one end in the width direction of an endless belt main body over a long term by restraining the seamless belt from being cracked at a boundary part between a part provided with the reinforcing member and a part not provided therewith in the case of laying the seamless belt a cross rollers and driving it. SOLUTION: In the seamless belt provided with the reinforcing member 12 along at least one end in the width direction of the endless belt main body 10, the strength of the reinforcing member is made lower on the central part side than on the end side in the width direction of the belt main body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seamless belt used for an intermediate transfer belt, a fixing belt, a belt photoreceptor, and the like in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and more particularly to a seamless belt in the width direction. The present invention relates to a seamless belt provided with a reinforcing member along at least one end in the width direction of an endless belt main body in order to reinforce the end of the belt.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, a seamless belt is used for an intermediate transfer belt, a fixing belt, a belt photoreceptor, and the like.

Here, when such a seamless belt is used for an intermediate transfer belt, a fixing belt, a belt photoreceptor, or the like, as shown in FIG. The rotation of the rollers 2 drives the seamless belt 1.

However, if the rollers 2, 2 around which the seamless belt 1 is stretched are not parallel, the position of the seamless belt 1 is shifted during the rotation of the rollers 2, 2 to drive the seamless belt 1. hand,
There has been a problem that the seamless belt 1 comes off the rollers 2 and 2.

For this reason, in the prior art, FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, a guide member 3 made of rubber or the like is provided on the inner peripheral side at the end in the width direction of the seamless belt 1 and a reinforcing member 4 for reinforcing the end of the seamless belt 1 is provided on the outer peripheral side. The guide member 3 is brought into contact with the ends of the rollers 2 and 2 to prevent the position of the seamless belt 1 from shifting, and is added to the end in the width direction of the seamless belt 1 by the reinforcing member 4. The stress is relieved to prevent the end of the seamless belt 1 in the width direction from being damaged.

Here, as described above, the seamless belt 1
In providing the reinforcing member 4 at the end in the width direction of
In the prior art, generally, a reinforcing member 4 having a constant thickness is used.
Is adhered along the end of the seamless belt 1 in the width direction.

However, when the reinforcing member 4 having such a constant thickness is bonded along the widthwise end of the seamless belt 1, the position of the seamless belt 1 is prevented from shifting. When the guide member 3 is deformed and a force for bending the seamless belt 1 is applied, stress concentrates at a boundary portion between a portion where the reinforcing member 4 is provided and a portion where the reinforcing member 4 is not provided, and the seamless belt 1 is provided at the boundary portion. , And the seamless belt 1 is broken.

In order to sufficiently reinforce the end of the seamless belt 1 with the above-mentioned reinforcing member 4, the reinforcing member 4
When the thickness of the reinforcing member 4 is increased or a material having high strength is used for the reinforcing member 4, the flexibility of the seamless belt 1 is deteriorated by the reinforcing member 4, and the seamless belt 1 is hung between the rollers 2 and 2 as described above. In the case where the belt is driven to be driven, there is a problem that the seamless belt 1 cannot be wrapped between the rollers 2 and 2, or the reinforcing member 4 is damaged when the seamless belt 1 is bent.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to various problems as described above in a seamless belt used for an intermediate transfer belt, a fixing belt, and a belt photoreceptor in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer. It is an object to solve the above.

That is, according to the present invention, in a seamless belt provided with a reinforcing member along at least one end in the width direction of the endless belt main body, the seamless belt is driven by being stretched over rollers. Even if a force that bends the seamless belt is applied, the seamless belt is prevented from cracking at the boundary between the portion where the reinforcing member is provided and the portion where the reinforcing member is not provided, and the seamless belt is formed. When the seamless belt is used for a long period of time and the end of the seamless belt in the width direction is reinforced by a reinforcing member, the flexibility of the seamless belt is impaired, or the reinforcing member is damaged when the seamless belt is stretched between the rollers. Without reinforcing the end of the seamless belt in the width direction. It is an object to the.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the seamless belt according to the first aspect of the present invention, at least one end of the endless belt body in the width direction is provided. In a seamless belt provided with a reinforcing member, the strength of the above-mentioned reinforcing member is made weaker at the center portion side than at the width direction end portion side of the belt main body.

Further, as in the case of the seamless belt according to the first aspect of the present invention, the strength of the reinforcing member provided at the end in the width direction of the belt main body is weaker at the center portion side than at the width direction end side of the belt main body. Then, when a force is applied to bend the seamless belt, the force is gradually dispersed from the end in the width direction of the belt body to the center of the reinforcing member, and the portion provided with the reinforcing member is provided. Concentration of stress at the boundary with the unexposed portion is suppressed, and the seamless belt is prevented from being cracked and damaged at this boundary.

Here, in order to make the strength of the reinforcing member provided at the end in the width direction of the belt main body weaker at the center portion than at the end portion in the width direction of the belt main body, as described in claim 2, In order to reduce the thickness of the reinforcing member at the center portion side from the width direction end portion side of the belt main body, or to add a reinforcing material such as reinforcing fiber to the reinforcing member, the amount of the reinforcing material to be added is set at the width direction end portion. Means such that the center side is smaller than the side can be used.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the seamless belt, the reinforcing member is provided along at least one end in the width direction of the endless belt main body. The reinforcing member is provided with a reinforcing material extending in the width direction of the belt body.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the reinforcing member provided at the end in the width direction of the belt main body is provided with a reinforcing material extending in the width direction of the belt main body, like the seamless belt according to the third aspect,
The strength of the reinforcing member is enhanced by this reinforcing material, and the end of the belt body is sufficiently reinforced. In addition, since the reinforcing material of the reinforcing member is provided in the width direction of the belt body, the strength of the seamless belt is reduced. The flexibility is less likely to be reduced, and when the seamless belt is wrapped around the roller, the reinforcing member is not damaged, and the seamless belt can be folded well and wrapped around the roller.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A seamless belt according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Embodiment 1) In the seamless belt according to this embodiment, as shown in FIGS.
At the end in the width direction of the endless belt main body 10, a guide member 11 made of rubber or the like and having a rectangular cross section is provided on the inner peripheral side of the belt main body 10, and reinforcement is provided on the outer peripheral side thereof. A member 12 is provided.

Here, in the seamless belt of this embodiment, when the reinforcing member 12 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the widthwise end of the belt body 10, two reinforcing sheets 12a and 12b having different widths are used. A narrow reinforcing sheet 12b is laminated on a wide reinforcing sheet 12a so that the thickness of the reinforcing member 12 is thinner at the center portion than at the width direction end portion of the belt body 10, and the strength of the reinforcing member 12 is reduced. The center portion 10 is weaker than the end portion in the width direction. Note that, in the seamless belt according to this embodiment, as described above,
Although the two reinforcing sheets 12a and 12b are laminated and used, it is also possible to use one reinforcing member 12 having a step in thickness, and as shown in FIG. It is also possible to make the thickness of the reinforcing member 12 gradually thinner from the widthwise end portion of the belt body 10 toward the central portion side.

Then, the seamless belt in this embodiment is wound around rollers 2 and 2 as shown in FIG.
When the seamless belt is driven by the rotation of the rollers 2 and 2, as shown in FIG.
The guide member 1 provided on the inner peripheral side of the end portion in the width direction of 0.
When the roller 1 is brought into contact with the end of the roller 2 and the roller 2 is rotated to drive the seamless belt, the position of the seamless belt is prevented from shifting.

Here, the guide member 11 provided on the inner peripheral side of the widthwise end of the belt body 10 is brought into contact with the end of the roller 2, and the roller 2 is rotated to drive the seamless belt. When the guide member 12 is deformed so as to prevent the position of the seamless belt from shifting during the movement, even if a force for bending the seamless belt in the width direction is applied, the force is applied to the width of the reinforcing member 12. The stress is concentrated on the boundary between the portion where the reinforcing member 12 is provided and the portion where the reinforcing member 12 is not provided, and the crack is formed in the belt body 10 at this boundary. The resulting damage is prevented.

In the seamless belt of this embodiment, a guide member 11 made of rubber or the like and having a rectangular cross section is provided on the inner peripheral side of the widthwise end of the belt main body 10. The roller 11 is brought into contact with the end of the roller 2 to prevent the position of the seamless belt from shifting. However, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a guide having a groove-shaped cross section is used. A member 11 is provided, a flange 2a is provided at an end of the roller 2, and the guide member 11 is brought into contact with an end of the roller 2,
The above-described flange 2a is provided in the concave portion 11a of the guide member 11.
Can be fitted to prevent the position of the seamless belt from shifting. When the guide member 11 is brought into contact with the end of the roller 2 and the flange 2a is fitted into the concave portion 11a of the guide member 11, the position of the seamless belt is reliably prevented from shifting. The deformation of the guide member 12 in preventing the position of the seamless belt from shifting is reduced, the force applied to the seamless belt is reduced, and the boundary between the portion where the reinforcing member 12 is provided and the portion where the reinforcing member 12 is not provided. Is reduced, and the belt body 10 is further prevented from being cracked and damaged at this boundary portion.

(Embodiment 2) In the seamless belt according to this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the end of the endless belt body 10 in the width direction is A guide member 11 made of rubber or the like and having a rectangular cross section is provided on the inner peripheral side, and a reinforcing member 12 is provided on the outer peripheral side.

Here, in the seamless belt of this embodiment, when the reinforcing member 12 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the widthwise end of the belt main body 10, the reinforcing member 12 such as carbon fiber or aramid fiber is provided in the reinforcing member 12. 1
A large number of 2c are provided in the circumferential direction along the width direction of the belt main body 10 at required intervals.

When the reinforcing member 12c is provided along the width direction of the belt main body 10 in the reinforcing member 12 as described above,
The strength of the reinforcing member 12 is improved by the reinforcing member 12c, and the end in the width direction of the seamless belt is sufficiently reinforced by the reinforcing member 12.

As shown in FIG. 8B, when the seamless belt of this embodiment is wound around the rollers 2 and 2 to drive the seamless belt by rotation of the rollers 2 and 2 as described above. The reinforcing material 12c is the belt body 1.
Since the reinforcing member 12c is provided in the width direction of 0, the flexibility of the seamless belt is hardly reduced by the reinforcing material 12c, and the seamless belt can be folded well and wrapped around the roller 2.

[0026]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a seamless belt according to an embodiment of the present invention in which the strength of the reinforcing member is weaker at the center portion than at the end portion in the width direction of the belt body, and the strength of the reinforcing member is reduced in the width direction of the belt body. An experiment was conducted using the seamless belt of the comparative example that was the same on the end side and the center side, and the strength of the reinforcing member was made to be weaker on the center side than on the width direction end side of the belt body. In the example seamless belt, it is clarified that cracks are suppressed from occurring in the seamless belt at the boundary between the portion where the reinforcing member is provided and the portion where the reinforcing member is not provided.

In the following examples and comparative examples, the belt body of the seamless belt is made of a blend resin of polybutylene terephthalate and polycarbonate, and has a thickness of 150 μm, a width of 380 mm, and a circumference of 473 mm. Was used.

(Example 1) In the seamless belt of Example 1, the rubber material having Asker A hardness of 90 degrees is provided on the inner peripheral side of the belt main body at both ends in the width direction of the belt main body. Constructed, thickness 1mm, width 5m
m, while the reinforcing member is provided on the outer peripheral side of the belt body, the reinforcing member is made of polyethylene terephthalate tape having a tensile strength of 171.7 MPa, and has a thickness of 75 μm and a width of 16 mm. Wide reinforcing sheet and thickness 75μ
m, a narrow reinforcing sheet having a width of 11 mm was used, a narrow reinforcing sheet was laminated on the wide reinforcing sheet, and adhered to the outer peripheral side of the belt body.

(Example 2) In the seamless belt of Example 2, at both ends in the width direction of the above-mentioned belt body, on the inner peripheral side of the belt body, a rubber material having Asker A hardness of 90 degrees is formed. Constructed, thickness 1mm, width 5m
In order to provide a reinforcing member on the outer peripheral side of the belt body while adhering the guide member having a thickness of 25 m, the reinforcing member is made of a polyimide tape having a tensile strength of 215.8 MPa, and has a thickness of 25 μm and a width of 18 mm. Wide reinforcing sheet, thickness 25μm, width 11mm
And a narrow reinforcing sheet was laminated on the wide reinforcing sheet and adhered to the outer peripheral side of the belt body.

(Comparative Example 1) In the seamless belt of Comparative Example 1, a tensile strength of 1 was applied to the inner peripheral side of the belt body at both ends in the width direction of the belt body.
A reinforcing sheet made of polyethylene terephthalate tape of 71.7 MPa and having a thickness of 75 μm and a width of 11 mm is adhered, and Asker A is further attached to the reinforcing sheet.
A guide member made of a rubber material having a hardness of 90 degrees and having a thickness of 1 mm and a width of 4 mm is adhered, and a polyethylene terephthalate tape having a tensile strength of 171.7 MPa is provided on the outer peripheral side of the belt body. Is 2
A reinforcing sheet having a thickness of 5 μm and a width of 11 mm was bonded.

(Comparative Example 2) In the seamless belt of Comparative Example 2, a tensile strength of 1 was applied to the inner peripheral side of the belt main body at both ends in the width direction of the belt main body.
A reinforcing sheet made of polyethylene terephthalate tape of 71.7 MPa and having a thickness of 75 μm and a width of 11 mm is adhered, and Asker A is further attached to the reinforcing sheet.
A guide member made of a rubber material having a hardness of 90 degrees and having a thickness of 1 mm and a width of 5 mm is adhered, and a tensile strength of 171.7 MPa is applied to the outer peripheral side of the belt body.
A reinforcing sheet having a thickness of 75 μm and a width of 11 mm was adhered.

The above Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2
When each of the seamless belts is wound around a pair of rollers and driven, a roller 2 having a length of a roll portion 2b of 256 mm and a diameter of the roll portion 2b of 30 mm is used as shown in FIG. The pair of rollers 2 and 2 are opposed to each other at a required interval so that the distortion δ at both ends of the roll portion 2b of one roller 2 is 4 mm,
The seamless belts of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were wound around the pair of rollers 2 and 2 facing each other as described above, and a tension of 5 kgf was applied to each seamless belt.

In this state, the roller 2 is rotated to drive each seamless belt at a peripheral speed of 160 mm / s for 23 seconds, and then intermittent drive for stopping for 2 seconds is performed to break each seamless belt. The average number of rotations of each seamless belt up to is calculated, and the result is shown in Table 1 below.
It was shown to.

[0034]

[Table 1]

As is apparent from the results, at both ends in the width direction of the belt body, a narrow reinforcing sheet is laminated on a wide reinforcing sheet and adhered to the outer peripheral side of the belt body, thereby reinforcing the belt body. In the case of using the seamless belt of Example 1 in which the strength of the member is weaker at the center portion side than at the end portion in the width direction of the belt body, the number of revolutions until the seamless belt is damaged is reduced in Comparative Examples 1 and 2. It increased remarkably compared with the seamless belt.

[0036]

As described above in detail, in the seamless belt according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the reinforcing member is provided along at least one end in the width direction of the endless belt main body, Since the strength of the reinforcing member is made weaker at the center portion side than at the width direction end portion side of the belt body, when a force for bending the seamless belt is applied, this force is applied to the width direction end of the belt body at the reinforcing member. It is gradually dispersed from the part side to the center part side, and stress is suppressed from being concentrated on the boundary part between the part where the reinforcing member is provided and the part where the reinforcing member is not provided, and a crack occurs in the belt body at this boundary part The seamless belt is prevented from being damaged, and the seamless belt can be used stably for a long time.

In the seamless belt according to a third aspect of the present invention, when the reinforcing member is provided along at least one end in the width direction of the endless belt main body, the width of the belt main body is added to the reinforcing member. Since the reinforcing material extending in the direction is provided, the strength of the reinforcing member is enhanced by the reinforcing material, and the end of the belt body is sufficiently reinforced. In addition, the flexibility of the seamless belt is rarely reduced by the above-mentioned reinforcing member, and the seamless belt can be bent well and wrapped around the rollers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing a state in which a seamless belt is wound around rollers and driven.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional explanatory view of a conventional seamless belt.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory sectional view showing a state where a conventional seamless belt is wound around a roller.

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional explanatory view showing a seamless belt according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory sectional view showing a state in which the seamless belt according to the first embodiment is wound around a roller.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional explanatory view showing a seamless belt of a modified example in which a reinforcing member in the seamless belt of the first embodiment is changed.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional explanatory view showing a modified example of the seamless belt according to the first embodiment in which a guide member is changed, and a cross-sectional view showing a state where the seamless belt according to the modified example is wound around a roller; FIG.

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view illustrating a seamless belt according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and a plan view illustrating a state where the seamless belt according to the second embodiment is stretched over a pair of rollers.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory plan view showing a state of a pair of rollers around which the seamless belts of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 are wound.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 belt body 11 guide member 12 reinforcing member 12c reinforcing material

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masahiro Nakaguchi 2-3-113 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi Inside Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Kuriyama 2-313 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi No. Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H032 BA09 BA18 BA23 2H033 AA36 BA12 BE00 BE03 2H035 CA05 CB06 CD05 CF00 CF02 2H068 AA55

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A seamless belt having a reinforcing member provided along at least one end in a width direction of an endless belt main body, wherein the strength of the reinforcing member is such that the strength of the belt main body is closer to the width direction end side. A seamless belt characterized by being weaker at the center. 2. The seamless belt according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the reinforcing member is smaller at a central portion than at an end portion in a width direction of the belt main body. 3. A seamless belt in which a reinforcing member is provided along at least one end in the width direction of an endless belt body, wherein the reinforcing member extends in the width direction of the belt body. Seamless belt characterized by having a. 4. The seamless belt according to claim 1, wherein a guide member for preventing meandering is provided at an end in a width direction of the belt body provided with the reinforcing member. Features a seamless belt.