JP2003091182A - Seamless pipe for fixing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a seamless pipe for a fixing device in which a conductive layer is not peeled off from an outer peripheral surface of a heat resistant resin film tube body even when a copper layer is provided as the conductive layer. SOLUTION: In the seamless pipe for the fixing device in which the heat resistant resin film tube body 2, a metal layer 3 which is other than copper, a copper layer 4 and a surface release layer 5 are sequentially formed on the outer peripheral surface of the heat resistant resin film tube body, the metal is formed by an ion plating method.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seamless pipe, and more particularly to a seamless pipe for a fixing device used in a heat fixing device of an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in copying machines and printers, in order to fix the toner image transferred on the paper,
Instead of the conventionally used fixing roller or pressure roller, a fixing device using a seamless pipe made of a thin film is widely used. An image recording device using an electromagnetic induction heating device is also known in the seamless pipe heating system (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-188177). A seamless pipe for a fixing device used in this image recording device includes a base layer made of a sheet-shaped member having high heat resistance, a conductive layer (electromagnetic induction heating layer) laminated on the base layer, and a surface release layer as the uppermost layer. It is composed of three layers. Copper is used for the electromagnetic induction heating layer.

On the other hand, in recent years, along with the speeding up of copying and full-color image formation, a toner having a lower melting point and higher adhesiveness has been used, so that all the toner is fixed on the recording paper. Instead, the offset phenomenon that remains on the seamless pipe easily occurs. The seamless pipe for the fixing device prevents the offset phenomenon.
A baked film of fluororesin is formed as the surface release layer.

Among the above, for the metallized film structure in which a heat resistant resin film which is a sheet member having high heat resistance and a metal foil which is a conductive layer are laminated, a flexible wiring board, a copper clad board for TAB, etc. Various manufacturing methods have been proposed for the use of. For example, 1) a method of bonding a heat resistant resin film and a metal foil with an adhesive,
2) Method of depositing metal on heat resistant resin film 3)
A method of further metal-plating the metal vapor deposition layer has been proposed.

[0005]

However, in the method 1), the heat resistance of the adhesive is inferior to the baking temperature (200 to 410 ° C.) of the surface release layer in the seamless pipe, so that the heat resistant resin film is used. There is a problem that peeling occurs from the boundary surface between the metal layer and the metal layer. The above method 2) is produced by depositing various metals on a polymer film by a vacuum deposition method or the like (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-1).
No. 41391), a seamless pipe of a fixing device having an electromagnetic induction heating layer, because the nip portion is constantly electromagnetically heated to 200 ° C. or higher and moves like a belt, even when the above vapor deposition method is used, a metal layer is not formed. There is a problem that it is not possible to obtain sufficient adhesion with the tubular body of the heat resistant resin film. The above method 3) is a method for producing a polyimide-metal foil composite film, for example, copper is used for the metal foil, and the thickness is 0.3 to 40 nm on the polyimide by the ion plating method.
It is known to form a palladium vapor-deposited layer of JP-A-7-70762. In this method, the adhesion between the metal layer and the tubular body of the heat-resistant resin film is improved, but since expensive palladium is used, there is a problem that the cost is high.

Further, when a copper layer is provided as a conductive layer of a seamless pipe for a fixing device, when a fluororesin layer is applied and baked to form a surface release layer, the copper layer becomes a heat-resistant resin film tubular body. There was a problem of peeling from the outer peripheral surface. In the seamless pipe of the fixing device that has an electromagnetic induction heating layer, the nip portion is constantly heated to 200 ° C or more by electromagnetic induction and moves like a belt. Therefore, even when the above ion plating method is used, the copper layer is peeled off from the heat resistant resin film tubular body. This peeling may occur immediately after the seamless pipe for the fixing device is manufactured, and is likely to occur even when the image recording device is used, and there is a problem that the life of the image forming apparatus is determined by the peeling phenomenon of the seamless pipe for the fixing device.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem. Even when a copper layer is provided as a conductive layer, it is excellent in economical efficiency and mass productivity, and the conductive layer has a heat-resistant resin. An object of the present invention is to provide a seamless pipe for a fixing device, which is firmly adhered to the outer peripheral surface of a film tubular body.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a heat-resistant resin film tubular body and a metal layer other than copper, a copper layer and a surface release layer are sequentially formed on the outer peripheral surface of the heat-resistant resin film tubular body. A seamless pipe for a fixing device, characterized in that the metal layer is formed by an ion plating method. In addition, metal layers other than copper are gold, silver,
It is characterized in that it is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, aluminum, titanium, tungsten, rhodium, tin, nickel, zinc and chromium. The surface release layer is a layer containing a fluororesin. The heat-resistant resin film tubular body is an aromatic polyimide resin film tubular body. In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the aromatic polyimide resin film tubular body is roughened.

When a peeling phenomenon of a seamless pipe for a fixing device provided with a copper layer as a conductive layer was studied, this peeling phenomenon was likely to occur when the conductive layer was a copper layer. This peeling phenomenon occurred especially when the fluororesin layer was applied as the surface release layer and baked, so that the heat-resistant resin film tubular body and the copper layer may be separated from each other by the high temperature (200 to 410 ° C.) during the baking. It is considered that the adhesion was lowered, and this reduction in adhesion was improved by interposing the metal layer formed by the ion plating method. The present invention has been made based on such findings.

[0010]

1 shows an example of a seamless pipe for a fixing device according to the present invention. FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a seamless pipe for a fixing device, and FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of AA. The seamless pipe 1 for the fixing device is
A heat-resistant resin film tubular body 2 and an intermediate metal layer 3, a copper layer 4, and a surface release layer 5 are sequentially formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. Although not shown, a primer layer may be provided between the copper layer 4 and the surface release layer 5. Hereinafter, each layer will be described.

The heat-resistant resin film can maintain its mechanical strength at a temperature higher than the fixing temperature of 150 ° C. to 250 ° C., and a temperature of 200 ° C. to 410 ° C. when the fluororesin layer is applied and baked as the surface release layer 5. Any resin film having higher heat resistance may be used. Examples of such a resin film include an aromatic polyimide resin film, an aromatic polyamideimide resin film, an aromatic polybenzimidazole resin film, and an aromatic polyamide resin film. Of these, aromatic polyimide resin films are preferable because they can withstand mechanical and thermal loads on seamless pipes for fixing devices due to high speed copying. Among aromatic polyimide resin films, 3,4,3 ', 4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride, 2,3,3', 4'-
An aromatic polyimide resin film obtained from biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride, or a mixed acid dianhydride thereof, and para-phenylenediamine, meta-phenylenediamine, or a mixed diamine thereof is a heat of the seamless pipe itself for a fixing device. It is particularly preferable because the expansion and contraction is small.

As a method for forming the aromatic polyimide resin film into a tubular body, any known method capable of forming a seamless pipe can be used. For example, a method of immersing a cylindrical mold in a polyamic acid solution which is an aromatic polyimide precursor or applying a polyamic acid solution to the cylindrical mold and drying it, imidizing it to form a seamless pipe, the inside of the cylindrical mold. Examples of the method include a method of forming a coating film of polyamic acid by a centrifugal method in which polyamic acid is injected into and the cylindrical mold is rotated, and imidized to form a seamless pipe. Note that, as long as it is an aromatic polyimide that is soluble in an aprotic polar solvent, the solution that forms the seamless pipe may be in the state of polyimide or a mixed solution of polyimide and polyamic acid. For imidization of the polyamic acid coating film, a thermal method of heating to about 200 ° C. or higher, a chemical method of immersing in a solution of acetic anhydride and pyridine, and the like can be adopted.

The film thickness of the aromatic polyimide resin film tubular body is about 10 to 100 μm, though it depends on the diameter of the seamless pipe.

The surface of the aromatic polyimide resin film tubular body is preferably roughened. As the surface roughening treatment method, a mechanical surface roughening method such as a shot blast method, an electric surface roughening method such as glow discharge or plasma discharge treatment,
A chemical roughening method such as alkali treatment, or a combination thereof can be employed. In the present invention, a mechanical surface roughening method such as a shot blasting method is preferable because of its excellent manufacturability.

A metal layer 3 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the heat-resistant resin film tubular body 2 by an ion plating method. The ion plating method is a method in which gas plasma is used in principle to activate a part of vaporized particles as ions or excited particles for vapor deposition. Among the ion plating methods, a high frequency excitation ion plating method capable of stable discharge (hereinafter abbreviated as RF-IP method)
Is suitable as a method for forming a metal layer other than copper on the outer peripheral surface of the heat-resistant resin film tubular body.

The metal forming the metal layer 3 is not particularly limited as long as it is a metal that can be formed by the ion plating method and has good adhesion to both the heat resistant resin film and the copper layer. Specifically, gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, titanium, tungsten, rhodium,
A simple substance of tin, nickel, zinc, chromium, molybdenum, or an alloy thereof is preferable. With these metals, the adhesion with the copper layer is further improved. Among these metals, considering the manufacturing cost and adhesion, it is preferable that they are simple substances of silver, aluminum, titanium, tungsten, tin, nickel, zinc and chromium, or alloys thereof. Particularly preferable metals are titanium, tungsten, and chromium because of their excellent adhesion.

The thickness of the metal layer 3 other than copper is (1) to secure the adhesion to the copper layer, (2) not to impair the toughness of the heat resistant resin film, and (3) to be electroless plated. Layer thickness of 0.001 to 3 .mu.m is preferable in order to obtain good conductivity or (4) conductivity as an electrode. If it is less than 0.001 μm, the adhesion will not be improved, and if it exceeds 3 μm, the toughness of the heat resistant resin film will be impaired. Especially, considering the decrease of productivity and the adhesion with the increase of film formation time, 0.05 to 0.5 μm
Is particularly preferred.

The copper layer 4 can be formed on the metal layer 3 by any method capable of forming a metal copper layer. As a method for forming the metal copper layer, an electrolytic plating method, an electroless plating method, a physical vapor deposition method (PVD method), an epitaxy method, a chemical vapor deposition method (CVD method), etc. may be used alone or in combination with these. There is a method. In the present invention, the electrolytic plating method, which has a low production cost, is desirable. As the electrolytic solution in the electrolytic plating method, a copper sulfate solution, a copper pyrophosphate solution, a copper cyanide solution or the like is used. Further, the electroless plating method is also suitable. The thickness of the metallic copper layer may be any thickness as long as it can be a heating element by electromagnetic induction, and specifically, 0.0
It is 5 to 50 μm. Considering the power factor of electromagnetic induction heating such as the flexibility of the seamless pipe, the preferable copper layer thickness is 2
~ 20 μm.

The formation of the surface release layer on the copper layer can prevent adhesion of toner and the like and is excellent in heat resistance such that thermal fusion or softening does not occur even when the copper layer generates heat by electromagnetic induction. A resin layer can be used. Specifically, it is a layer containing a fluororesin, and examples thereof include a fluororesin single layer and a mixed resin of a fluororesin and a heat-resistant resin. Of these, the fluororesin single layer is preferable because the releasability is further improved by firing. As the fluororesin, tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer resin (hereinafter, abbreviated as PFA), polytetrafluoroethylene resin (hereinafter,
Examples thereof include PTFE), ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer resin (hereinafter abbreviated as ETFE), tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer resin (hereinafter abbreviated as FEP), and the like. PF
A, PTFE, ETFE, FEP and the like can be used alone or as a mixture, or as a copolymer containing about 1 mol% of the third component. Among these,
PFA is preferable because it has excellent non-toner adhesion. In addition,
For the purpose of improving the adhesion between the copper layer and the surface release layer,
(1) Forming a metal layer other than copper on the copper layer surface,
Any of (2) peroxosulfate treatment on the copper layer surface, (3) coloring treatment on the copper layer surface, and (4) anticorrosion treatment on the copper layer surface may be adopted.

The fluororesin is used as a coating liquid which is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent. When using the PFA coating liquid, after treating the copper layer surface with the PFA primer liquid,
It is preferable to apply PFA and perform a baking treatment. PFA
The solvent of the primer solution is preferably an organic solvent system rather than an aqueous system. This is because if an aqueous solvent is used as the solvent, the affinity with the copper layer becomes poor and the copper layer is repelled. As a PFA primer solution, PR from Mitsui DuPont Fluorochemicals
420-703BK can be illustrated. The PFA coating liquid is a mixed coating liquid of PFA and resin, or PF containing no resin.
A coating liquid or the like can be used. Among them, the PFA coating liquid containing no binder resin is preferable because it has excellent releasability from the toner.

As a method for forming the fluororesin coating film on the outer periphery of the heat-resistant resin film tubular body provided with the metal layer and the copper layer, a known method is used without particular limitation. For example, a seamless pipe having a fluororesin coating film formed thereon can be obtained by coating the outer peripheral surface by a dipping method, a spray coating method, a roll coating method, or the like, and then firing. In the case of PFA coating liquid that does not contain the above resin, the baking temperature is 350
~ 410 ° C. If it is lower than 350 ° C, abrasion resistance and releasability are not sufficient, and if it exceeds 410 ° C, releasability is decomposed and the seamless pipe is decomposed, which is not preferable.

The firing atmosphere is air, or an inert gas or a reducing gas. In order to improve the adhesiveness, an inert gas atmosphere such as argon gas or nitrogen gas is preferable. In the present invention, since the metal layer is provided between the heat-resistant resin film tubular body and the copper layer, excellent adhesion can be obtained even in the air.

The seamless pipe for the fixing device of the present invention is
As the adhesion of each layer is excellent, copiers, printers,
It is suitably used for a heat fixing device of an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system such as a facsimile, and particularly for a fixing belt in a heat fixing device using an electromagnetic induction heating device.

[0024]

[Examples] Example 1 to Example 12 An aromatic polyimide resin seamless pipe was produced by a centrifugal method in which a cylindrical mold was rotated. A polyamic acid solution varnish (U-Vanice-S manufactured by Ube Industries, Ltd.) was injected into the cylinder and rotated to form a polyamic acid film, which was then heated to imidize. The imidization is measured by infrared absorption spectrum, and the wave number based on the absorption of the imide group
It was confirmed by the production degree of 780 cm-1. The thickness of the polyimide resin film was 90 to 100 μm. The outer peripheral surface of the polyimide resin film was roughened by a shot blast method. The degree of roughening was judged by the loss of gloss on the outer peripheral surface. RF-I on the outer surface of this seamless pipe
By the P method, the metal layers shown in Table 1 were formed with a layer thickness of 0.05 to 0.1 μm. The film forming condition by the RF-IP method is about 0.01 μm / min. A copper layer having a thickness of 5 μm was further formed on the formed metal layer by electrolytic plating.

A primer solution containing PFA and a polyimide resin on the copper layer (manufactured by Mitsui DuPont Fluorochemicals:
PR420-703) was applied and then dried to form a primer layer. In addition, the solvent of the primer liquid used the organic solvent system. PFA coating liquid (Mitsui DuPont Fluorochemical Co., Ltd .: EN510CL (high molecular weight type)) is spray-coated on the primer layer, dried, and then kept in air at a maximum temperature of 390 ° C for 30 minutes to form PFA. A surface release layer was formed. Thus, a seamless pipe for a fixing device was obtained in which a metal layer other than copper, a copper layer, and a surface release layer were sequentially formed from the polyimide resin film layer. The thickness of the surface release layer was 15 μm to 25 μm.

The seamless pipe for the fixing device was evaluated by the following two methods. (1) Evaluation method 1: The seamless pipe for fixing device obtained in each example was heated in air at 200 ° C. for 500 hours, and then subjected to a cross cut test according to JIS K 5400 to obtain a heat resistant resin film layer. The adhesion between the copper layer and the copper layer was evaluated. In the cross-cut test, 100 squares of 1 mm square were used, and the peeling of the squares was 0, and the peeling was 1
A case of ~ 5 was evaluated as ◯, a case of peeling of 6 to 20 was evaluated as Δ, and a case of peeling of 21 or more was evaluated as x. The results are shown in Table 1.
Shown in. (2) Evaluation method 2: In each example, an intermediate metal layer was formed on the outer peripheral surface of the seamless pipe by the RF-IP method, and then a copper layer was formed by the electrolytic plating method to a thickness of 60 μm.
The peel strength was measured according to S C 6481. Evaluation is × when the heat-resistant resin film layer and the copper layer were peeled off after electrolytic copper plating, and when peeling strength could be measured without visual peeling after electrolytic copper plating,
It evaluated by the measured value. The results are shown in Table 1.

Comparative Example 1 An aromatic polyimide resin seamless pipe was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and then a copper layer having a layer thickness of 0.1 μm was formed on the outer peripheral surface of this seamless pipe by the RF-IP method. . Thereafter, the same method as in Example 1 was used to obtain a seamless pipe for a fixing device. The obtained seamless pipe for fixing device was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 2.

Comparative Examples 2 to 6 An aromatic polyimide resin seamless pipe was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and then the metal layer shown in Table 1 was formed to a thickness of 0.1 μm on the outer peripheral surface of this seamless pipe by vacuum deposition. Was formed with a layer thickness of. The film forming condition by the vacuum evaporation method is about 0.01 μm / min. Thereafter, the same method as in Example 1 was used to obtain a seamless pipe for a fixing device. The obtained seamless pipe for fixing device was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 2.

Comparative Example 7 An aromatic polyimide resin seamless pipe was produced in the same manner as in Example 1. An attempt was made to directly perform electroless copper plating on the outer peripheral surface of this seamless pipe, but copper plating with good adhesion could not be obtained.

Comparative Example 8 In the same manner as in Example 1, an aromatic polyimide resin seamless pipe was produced. Electroless nickel plating is applied to the outer peripheral surface of this seamless pipe to 0.5 μm, and electrolytic copper plating is applied.
Then, a surface release layer was formed in the same manner as in Example 1 to prepare a seamless pipe for a fixing device. The obtained seamless pipe for fixing device was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.
The results are shown in Table 2.

[0031]

[Table 1]

[0032]

[Table 2]

As shown in Table 1, the seamless pipes for fixing devices of the respective examples were excellent in the adhesion between the aromatic polyimide resin layer and the copper layer. In Comparative Examples 1 to 5, after the electroless copper plating, a portion where the aromatic polyimide resin layer and the copper layer had already peeled off had occurred. Comparative Example 6 did not peel after the electroless copper plating, but the peel strength in Evaluation Method 1 and Evaluation Method 2 was weak, and peeling occurred after firing the surface peeling layer. In Comparative Example 7, electroless copper plating could not be performed. In Comparative Example 8, peeling occurred after electrolytic copper plating. In each of the comparative examples, the adhesion was weak.

[0034]

The seamless pipe for a fixing device of the present invention comprises a metal layer other than copper formed by an ion plating method on the outer peripheral surface of a heat-resistant resin film tubular body, a copper layer, and a surface release layer. Since they are formed in order, the heat-resistant resin film layer and the copper layer are firmly adhered to each other, and the electromagnetic dielectric heating can be quickly performed. Also, it has excellent durability when the surface release layer is fired or constantly heated to 200 ° C or more due to the operation of the fixing device and belt movement. As a result, high-speed copying and full-color image formation can be supported, and the life of the image forming apparatus is extended.

Since the surface release layer is a layer containing a fluororesin, it is excellent in releasability from the developer. Further, since the heat-resistant resin film tubular body is an aromatic polyimide resin film tubular body, it has excellent heat resistance even when used in an image recording apparatus using an electromagnetic induction heating device. Further, since the outer peripheral surface of the aromatic polyimide resin film tubular body is roughened, the adhesion between the heat resistant resin film tubular body and the metal layer is more excellent.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a seamless pipe for a fixing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Seamless pipe for fixing device 2 Heat-resistant resin film tubular body 3 metal layers 4 copper layers 5 Surface release layer

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Victor Muramatsu             Mie Prefecture Kuwana City Oogata Oyumi 3066 NT             N Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H033 AA23 AA31 BE03 BE06                 3J103 AA02 AA15 BA02 EA20 FA10                       GA02 GA57 GA58 GA60 GA74                       HA03 HA04 HA31 HA43 HA46                 3K059 AB23 AB28 AD02 AD04                 4F100 AB01B AB02B AB10B AB12B                       AB13B AB16B AB17C AB18B                       AB21B AB23B AB24B AB25B                       AK01A AK17D AK49A BA04                       BA07 BA10A BA10D DA11                       DD07A EH66B EJ34A GB41                       JJ03A JL14D

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A seamless pipe for a fixing device, comprising a heat-resistant resin film tubular body and a metal layer other than copper, a copper layer and a surface release layer formed in this order on the outer peripheral surface of the heat-resistant resin film tubular body. A seamless pipe for a fixing device, characterized in that the metal layer is formed by an ion plating method. 2. The metal layer is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, titanium, tungsten, rhodium, tin, nickel, zinc, and chromium. 1. A seamless pipe for the fixing device according to 1. 3. The seamless pipe for a fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the surface release layer is a layer containing a fluororesin. 4. The seamless pipe for a fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the heat-resistant resin film tubular body is an aromatic polyimide resin film tubular body. 5. The seamless pipe for a fixing device according to claim 4, wherein the outer peripheral surface of the aromatic polyimide resin film tubular body is roughened.