JP2006249383A - Sealing material for preventing leakage of fine particle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sealing material which securely seals fine particles, in addition, while reducing the abutting load. <P>SOLUTION: The sealing material is characterized by the followings. As shown in (a), when heads of piles 3, being inclined by abutting load, further incline toward the inclined direction under the conditions of being abutted to the outer peripheral surface 6a of a developing roller 6, they contact with neighboring piles 3 of being arrayed to a direction 2a, to thereby perform high density sealing of fine particles at the contacting part. The weaving direction of the material is inclined to a rotational direction 6b of the developing roller 6 at use conditions shown in (b), so as to make an larger angle ϕ than a prescribed angle θ of the pile 3 arrayed direction 2a to the rotational direction 6b. When fine particles of toner 8 move by the inclination of the pile 3 to the direction of a rotational axis line 7a to leap over the sealing material 1 which prevents fine particles from leakage, the leakage of the particles can be prevented, since the inclination of the piles 3 leads the particles to a reverse direction of an axis line 5a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is for preventing fine particles from leaking by sealing the outer peripheral surface of a rotating body carrying fine particles such as toner used in an electrophotographic system so that the fine particles do not fall in the axial direction. It relates to a sealing material.

  Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method, a fine powder called toner is used as a developer. Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses are widely used as printers, copiers, facsimile machines, and the like. In the electrophotographic system, an electrostatic latent image is formed on an image carrier such as a photosensitive drum, developed with toner, transferred to a recording sheet, and the toner is fixed on the recording sheet. The toner is stored in a container or the like of the developing unit, and moves to the surface of the photosensitive drum or the like while adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the developing roller. While the developing roller and the photosensitive drum rotate, toner is adhered to the outer peripheral surface thereof. For the developing roller and the photosensitive drum, for example, a sealing material for preventing fine powder particles from leaking is used so that toner does not leak to the outside in the axial direction.

  Prior art relating to a sealing material for preventing fine powder particles from leaking is mainly composed of a pile fabric including a pile yarn brought into contact with the surface of a movable body and a base fabric supporting the pile yarn (for example, Patent Document 1). To 3). The pile fabric is woven so that the pile yarn protrudes from the surface of the base fabric, and the pile yarn is cut into a cut pile state. The pile yarn is formed by twisting a large number of fibers, and after being cut as a cut pile, the twist is eliminated and a large number of fibers protrude from the surface of the base fabric. Although fine particles are prevented from moving by the pile, the pile, which is a thin fiber, is flexible, so that the contact pressure of the pile against the surface of the movable body is small, and the load is small with respect to the movement of the movable body. It can be performed.

JP-A-11-61101 JP 2003-140465 A JP 2004-277561 A

  In the sealing material for preventing fine particles from leaking using the pile fabric, the pile is composed of fibers having the same diameter as that of the fine particles such as toner. It is believed that the pile density needs to be increased. For example, in Patent Document 1, the pile yarn density of pile yarn is 40 to 80,000 per square inch (2.54 cm square), Patent Document 2 is 13,000 to 346,000 per square cm, and Patent Document 3 is 20,000-35,000 per square centimeter are disclosed.

  When pile fiber density is increased and pile fibers are densely arranged, the sealing performance against fine particles such as toner is improved, but as a result of the increase in the number of fibers, the movable body in contact with pile fibers The contact load with respect to the pressure increases, and a large driving force is required to move the movable body.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a sealing material for preventing leakage of fine particles that can reliably seal the fine particles and reduce the contact load.

The present invention is a sealing material for preventing leakage of fine particles that prevents leakage in the axial direction while sliding the pile on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body carrying the fine particles,
Mainly a cut pile fabric that is erected in a state in which a pile yarn formed by bundling a large number of fine long fibers is cut on the surface of the base fabric,
A cut pile fabric is a fabric woven with piles in which the diameter of the warp or weft of the ground yarn is smaller than the diameter of the pile yarn, and the diameters of the warp and weft are the same or the warp and weft are different. ,
The pile yarn is arranged along a direction parallel to at least one of the weaving directions of the base fabric, and is inclined with respect to the surface of the base fabric so as to be inclined by a predetermined angle θ from the direction of the arrangement. Then, a number of fine long fibers constituting the pile yarn are separated to form a pile, and the pitch between the piles is narrowed,
In use, the direction of the array is inclined with respect to the tangential direction so that the direction of the array forms an angle φ larger than the predetermined angle θ with respect to the rotation direction of the rotating body. It is a sealing material for preventing fine powder particles from leaking.

  According to the present invention, the sealing material for preventing the fine particles from leaking has a large number of fine long fibers in order to prevent leakage in the axial direction while sliding on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body carrying the fine particles. The main body is a cut-pile woven fabric that is erected in a state where the pile yarn constituted by is cut on the surface of the base fabric. In a cut pile fabric, the diameter of the warp or weft of the ground yarn is made smaller than the diameter of the pile yarn. This is a woven fabric in which the warp and weft diameters are the same, or the warp and weft yarns are pile-woven using different diameters. The pile yarns are arranged so as to be along a direction parallel to at least one of the weaving directions of the base fabric, and in a slanted state inclined with respect to the surface of the base fabric by a predetermined angle θ from the direction of the arrangement. A plurality of fine long fibers constituting the pile yarn are separated to form a pile, and the pitch between the piles is fluffed. Numerous fine long fibers constituting the fluffy pile can come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body to seal the fine powder particles. The pile is formed along an arrangement direction parallel to at least one of the weaving directions of the base fabric, and is inclined with respect to the surface of the base fabric by a predetermined angle θ from the arrangement direction. When further tilted in the direction tilted by the contact load while in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the body, it can come into contact with the piles in the adjacent arrangement direction, and high-density sealing can be performed on the fine particles at the contact portion. .

  The pile can be made to function in the same manner as the case where the nap density is high even if the nap density is not as high as several hundred to several thousand per square centimeter in the state of pile yarn in one arrangement direction. it can. In use, the weaving direction is inclined with respect to the rotation direction so that the pile arrangement direction forms an angle φ larger than the predetermined angle θ with respect to the rotation direction of the rotation body, and the pile is the outer peripheral surface of the rotation body. Since the cut pile fabric is arranged so as to be slidably contacted with each other, the direction of the inclined pile is inclined to the pile arrangement direction side with respect to the rotational direction of the rotating body. Since the axis direction of rotation is perpendicular to the direction of rotation, even if the fine particles are moved beyond the seal material in the axis direction of rotation due to the inclination of the pile, the inclination of the pile guides in the direction opposite to the axis direction. And prevent leakage. As described above, it is possible to reduce the contact load by surely sealing the fine particles by guiding by the inclination of the pile and reducing the napped density as the pile yarn.

  Furthermore, if the pitch between piles can be changed and the napped density as a pile yarn is lowered, a void is generated at the root of the pile, and fine particles can be captured in the void. Since the captured fine particles are not returned to the rotating body, it is possible to perform a cleaning operation on the fine particles adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body.

In the present invention, the cut pile fabric is woven in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction,
The pile yarns are arranged so as to have a different ratio of the number in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction,
The average pitch between the longitudinal and transverse pile yarns is 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm,
Of the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, the direction in which the ratio of the number of pile yarns is large is the arrangement direction,
In the use state, the pile is inclined to the tangential direction side by the predetermined angle θ from the arrangement direction in the range where the large angle φ is 0 degree or more and 45 degrees or less.

  According to the present invention, the cut pile fabric is woven so that the ratio of the number of pile yarns obtained by bundling a large number of fine long fibers is different in the machine direction and the transverse direction, and the direction in which the ratio of the number of pile yarns is large Since the piles are arranged in the arrangement direction, the piles are arranged at a higher density in the arrangement direction than in a direction different from the arrangement direction. For the piles arranged in the arrangement direction, the pitch between the adjacent piles is larger than the pitch between the piles in the arrangement direction. Since the pile is inclined in an opening direction by an angle θ with respect to the arrangement direction, even if the average pitch between the pile yarns is 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm, the fine long fibers of the pile are in the outer periphery of the rotating body in use. When it is slidably contacted with the surface, it is further inclined and overlaps with piles along the adjacent arrangement direction, so that the fine particles can be effectively sealed.

  In the present invention, the pile yarn has a slanted state in which the angle is greater than 0 degree and not more than 45 degrees with respect to the surface of the base fabric.

  According to the present invention, the pile yarn is in an inclined state such that the pile yarn has an angle of greater than 0 degree and not greater than 45 degrees with respect to the surface of the base fabric, so that the pile abuts on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body. Furthermore, the direction of inclination can be stably aligned with the inclination of the inclined hair state.

  In the present invention, the pile yarn is composed of a collection of single fibers or a plurality of types of single fibers.

  According to the present invention, since the pile yarn is composed of a collection of single fibers or a plurality of types of single fibers, these single fibers can be separated to form a pile composed of a large number of single fibers.

In the present invention, the pile yarn is composed of a composite fiber,
The composite fiber is characterized by comprising split fibers.

  According to the present invention, the pile yarn is composed of the composite fiber, and the composite fiber is composed of the split fibers. Therefore, the composite fiber can be divided into the split fibers to form the pile.

  In the present invention, the pile yarn is composed of a combination of a single fiber and a composite fiber.

  According to the present invention, since the pile yarn is composed of a combination of a single fiber and a composite fiber, the composite fiber and the single fiber can be divided to combine the fibers having different characteristics to form a pile.

In the present invention, the fine long fibers constituting the pile yarn are composed of single fibers or composite fibers made of a polymer material,
The fiber diameter of the fine long fibers is 25 μm or less on average,
The pile yarn is constituted by bundling 50 or more and 1000 or less fine long fibers.

  According to the present invention, fine long fibers are separated from a pile yarn composed of a bundle of 50 or more and 1000 or less fine fibers made of a polymer material and having a fiber diameter of 25 μm or less. A pile made of these fine long fibers can be easily formed.

  According to the present invention, a large number of fine fine fibers of a pile formed mainly of a cut pile fabric can be brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body to seal the fine powder particles. Since the pile is inclined with respect to the surface of the base fabric in a direction to open by a predetermined angle θ from the arrangement direction, the pile is inclined in a direction inclined by the contact load with the tip of the pile contacting the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body. Further tilting makes contact with adjacent piles in the arrangement direction, and high density sealing with respect to the fine particles can be performed at the contact portion. The pile can change the pitch, and in one arrangement direction, fine powder and granular material can be guided by the inclination of the pile even if the napped density is not so high as several hundred to several thousand per square centimeter in a pile yarn state. Leakage can be prevented. Moreover, the contact load can be reduced by lowering the napped density as the pile yarn. Furthermore, if the nap density as a pile yarn is made low, a space | gap will arise in the root part of a pile and a fine powder body can be capture | acquired in this space | gap. Since the captured fine particles are not returned to the rotating body, it is possible to perform a cleaning operation on the fine particles adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body.

  Further, according to the present invention, the weaving direction of the cut pile fabric having a large ratio of the number of pile yarns is the pile arrangement direction, and the pitch between the piles arranged in the arrangement direction is larger than the pitch between the piles along the arrangement direction. Although it becomes large, it overlaps with the piles along the adjacent arrangement direction in the use state, and can be effectively sealed against the fine particles.

  Further, according to the present invention, the pile yarn is in an inclined state such that the pile yarn has an angle of greater than 0 degree and not greater than 45 degrees with respect to the surface of the base fabric, so that the pile abuts on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body. Thus, the direction of further inclination can be stably aligned with the inclination of the inclined hair state.

  Further, according to the present invention, since the pile yarn is composed of a collection of single fibers or a plurality of types of single fibers, the single fibers can be separated to form a pile composed of a large number of single fibers.

  Further, according to the present invention, the pile yarn is composed of the composite fiber, and the composite fiber is composed of the split fiber, so that the pile can be formed by dividing the composite fiber into the split fibers.

  Further, according to the present invention, since the pile yarn is composed of a combination of a single fiber and a composite fiber, the composite fiber and the single fiber can be divided and a pile can be formed by combining fibers having different characteristics. .

  Further, according to the present invention, fine long fibers are separated from pile yarns composed of a bundle of 50 or more and 1000 or less fine fibers made of a polymer material and having a fiber diameter of 25 μm or less. Thus, a pile of these fine long fibers can be easily formed.

  FIG. 1A shows a partial cross-sectional configuration of an image forming apparatus including a sealing material 1 for preventing leakage of fine particles as an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. The partial plane structure of the sealing material 1 for leak prevention is shown. The sealing material 1 for preventing fine powder particles from leaking is composed of a pile fabric in which a pile 3 is raised from the surface of a base fabric 2. The base fabric 2 is woven with wefts and warps, and a part of the warp is formed as a pile yarn 4 protruding from the surface of the base fabric 2, and the pile 3 is formed by separating fine long fibers constituting the pile yarn 4. Is done. The sealing material 1 for preventing fine powder particle leakage is supported by the surface of the support plate 5, and the tip of the pile 3 contacts the outer peripheral surface 6 a of the developing roller 6. The developing roller 6 rotates around the axis 7 a of the rotating shaft 7. The fine particle leakage prevention sealing material 1 seals the toner 8, which is a fine powder adhering to a surface such as the outer peripheral surface 6 a of the developing roller 6. The toner 8 becomes a developer for developing an electrostatic latent image when an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printing machine forms an image by an electrophotographic method.

  In other words, the sealing material 1 for preventing fine powder particles from leaking in the direction of the axis 6a while the pile 3 is in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface 5a of the developing roller 5, which is a rotating body carrying the toner 7 as the fine powder particles. The main component is a cut-pile woven fabric that is used to prevent this and is erected in a state where a pile yarn 4 formed by bundling a large number of fine long fibers is cut on the surface of the base fabric 2. As will be described later, the pile yarns 4 are arranged along a direction 2 a parallel to at least one of the weaving directions of the base fabric 2, and a predetermined angle θ from the arrangement direction 2 a with respect to the surface of the base fabric 2. In the slanted state inclined toward the opening direction 4a and at an angle δ with respect to the surface of the base fabric 2, the pile 3 is formed so that the pile 3 is formed by separating a large number of fine long fibers constituting the pile yarn 4. ing. In the state of use of the sealing material 1 for preventing fine particle leakage, the direction 4a of the arrangement is larger than the predetermined angle θ with respect to the tangential direction of rotation, which is the rotation direction 6b of the developing roller 6 that is the rotating body. As shown, the arrangement direction 4a is inclined with respect to the rotation direction 6b. The pile 3 protruding from the base fabric 2 is not perpendicular to the surface of the base fabric 2 but is inclined at a certain angle δ.

  The fine long fibers constituting the pile yarn 4 are composed of single fibers or composite fibers made of a polymer material, and the average fiber diameter of the fine long fibers is 25 μm or less. It is preferable that 50 to 1000 is bundled. This is because the fine long fibers can be separated from the pile yarn 4 and the pile 3 made of these fine long fibers can be easily formed.

  The above-described anti-leakage sealing material 1 for fine particles is composed of a large number of fine long fibers in order to prevent leakage in the direction of the axis 7a while sliding on the outer periphery 6a of the developing roller 6 carrying the toner 8. The pile yarn 4 to be made is mainly a cut pile fabric erected in a state where the pile yarn 4 is cut on the surface of the base fabric 2. The pile yarns 4 are arranged along a direction 2 a parallel to at least one of the weaving directions of the base fabric 2, and in a direction 4 a that opens from the arrangement direction 2 a by a predetermined angle θ with respect to the surface of the base fabric 2. In a slanted state inclined at an inclination angle δ, the fluff is so formed that a large number of fine long fibers constituting the pile yarn 4 are separated to form the pile 3. A large number of fine long fibers constituting the pile 3 in a fluffy state can come into contact with the outer peripheral surface 6a of the developing roller 6 and seal the fine particles. The pile 3 is formed along the arrangement direction 2a parallel to at least one of the weaving directions of the base fabric 2, and is inclined with respect to the surface of the base fabric 2 in a direction 4a opened from the arrangement direction 2a by a predetermined angle θ.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 1A, when the tip of the pile 3 is further inclined in the direction inclined by the contact load in a state where the tip of the pile 3 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface 6a of the developing roller 6, the pile in the adjacent arrangement direction 2a 3, and a high-density seal against the fine granular material can be performed at the contact portion. The pile 3 functions in the same direction as the case where the nap density is high for the seal even if the nap density is not as high as several hundred to several thousand per square centimeter in the state of the pile yarn 4 in one arrangement direction 2a. Can be made.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 1B, in the use state, the arrangement direction 2a of the piles 3 forms an angle φ larger than a predetermined angle θ with respect to the rotation direction 6b of the developing roller 6 that is a rotating body. Since the cut pile fabric is disposed so that the weaving direction is inclined with respect to the rotation direction 6b and the pile 3 is in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface 6a of the developing roller 6, the direction 4a of the inclined pile 3 is the developing roller The pile 3 is inclined more toward the arrangement direction 2a side than the rotation direction 6b. Since the direction of the rotation axis 7a is perpendicular to the rotation direction 6b, the inclination of the pile 3 causes the toner 8 which is a fine powder particle to pass over the sealing material 1 for preventing the fine powder particle from leaking in the direction of the rotation axis 7a. Even if it tries to move, it is guided in the direction opposite to the direction of the axis 5a by the inclination of the pile 3, and leakage can be prevented.

  As described above, the arrangement of the piles 3 is performed systematically, and the arrangement is provided with an angle so that the flow is regulated with respect to the fine particles, and the fine particles that enter the root of the pile 3. Can be prevented from leaking outward. Since the flow of the fine particles can be regulated by the pile structure, the density of the pile 3 can be reduced and the void ratio within a predetermined area can be increased. A contact load on the outer peripheral surface 6a can be reduced. Furthermore, the surface of the fine powder particles such as the developing roller 6 can be cleaned by increasing the porosity in a predetermined area. That is, it is possible to reduce the contact load by reliably sealing the toner 8 with the guidance by the inclination of the pile 3 and lowering the napped density as the pile yarn 4. Further, when the nap density of the pile yarn 4 is lowered, as shown in FIG. 1A, a gap is generated at the root portion of the pile 3, and the toner 8 can be captured in this gap. Since the captured fine particles such as the toner 8 do not return to the rotating body such as the developing roller 6, it is possible to perform a cleaning operation on the fine particles adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body.

  FIG. 2 shows a relationship between the fine particle leakage prevention sealing material 1 shown in FIG. 1 and the outer peripheral surface 6 a of the developing roller 6. The sealing material 1 for preventing fine powder particles from leaking functions as a side seal type with respect to the outer peripheral surface 6 a of the developing roller 6. The sealing material 1 for preventing fine powder particles from leaking adheres closely to the outer peripheral surface 6a of the developing roller 6, forms a toner layer 8a in the middle portion in the direction of the axis 7a in accordance with the print width, and both end sides in the direction of the axis 7a. Is used to provide blank portions 9a and 9b to which no toner adheres. The developing roller 6 is attached to the opening 10a facing the photoreceptor in the developing unit 10 of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The sealing material 1 for preventing fine powder particles from leaking is attached to the developing unit 10 prior to the developing roller 6. The developing unit 10 is also provided with a blade 11 in order to regulate the thickness of the toner layer 8a. The rotating shaft 7 of the developing roller 6 is rotatably supported by the housing of the developing unit 10, and toner is supplied to the toner layer 8 a of the developing roller 6 from the inside of the developing unit 10. The thickness of the toner in the toner layer 8a is adjusted by the blade 11 which is a toner regulating member, and is kept below a certain level. In the sealing material 1 for preventing fine powder particles from leaking, the piles forming a seal as a cut pile are arranged at a constant opening angle with respect to the rotation direction, and are inclined with respect to the base fabric 2 to be inclined. Thus, the toner can be guided effectively and can be prevented from moving in the direction of the axis 7a.

  FIG. 3 shows the concept of sealing the toner at the opening 10a facing the photosensitive member provided in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus in the developing unit 10 of FIG. In the sealing material 1 for a rotating body, the direction 4a of the pile yarn arrangement, which is the direction of the weave, is inclined with respect to the rotation direction 6b which is the rotation direction by an angle φ of 45 °, for example, as shown by the solid line, As indicated by a broken line from 10a, the toner is prevented from going outside the container of the developing unit.

  Here, the state of the bevel at the angle θ of the pile yarn 4 as shown in FIG. 1B is set to an angle greater than 0 degree and not more than 45 degrees with respect to the surface of the base fabric 2. It is preferable. If the pile yarn 4 is in a slanted state such that the pile yarn 4 has an angle of greater than 0 degree and less than or equal to 45 degrees with respect to the surface of the base fabric 2, the pile 3 is placed on the outer peripheral surface 6a of the developing roller 6 as a rotating body. The direction of further inclining when abutting can be stably aligned with the inclination of the bevel.

  4A and 4B show a configuration of an embodiment of the cut-pile fabric 20 as a main body of the sealing material 1 for preventing leakage of fine particles shown in FIG. This is shown schematically. The pile yarn 4 is erected so as to protrude from the surface of the base fabric 2 formed by the ground warp yarn 21 and the ground weft yarn 22. The base fabric 2 is composed of two layers, and a structure that should be called double-topping is formed on the basis of the conventional single-topping, so that the pile yarns 4 protruding in a U-shape are in close contact with each other. Shrinked in the warp direction. Even if the pile yarn 4 is not in close contact, the density can be increased by narrowing the pitch.

  FIG. 5 schematically shows a state in which the pile yarn 4 is not contracted to the base fabric 2 in a plan view at (a) and a side cross-sectional view at (b). In addition, the reference example which gives the inclination of angle (delta) and angle (theta) as shown to FIG. 1 (a) and FIG.1 (b) by shifting the ground warp yarn 21 and the ground weft 22 which comprise two layers, respectively is shown.

  4 and 5, an example in which a yarn having a diameter larger than that of the ground warp yarn 21 and the ground weft yarn 22 is used as the pile yarn 4 is schematically shown in a plan view in (a) and a side cross-sectional view in (b). Indicate. FIG. 6 shows a state contracted in the warp direction, and FIG. 7 shows a state not contracted. By thickening the warp as the pile yarn 4, a large number of fine long fibers can be included, and the fiber density can be increased. One of the ground warp yarn 21 or the ground weft yarn 22 may have a diameter equivalent to that of the pile yarn 4. That is, the ground warp yarn 21 or the ground weft yarn 22 has a smaller diameter than the pile yarn 4. The difference between FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is that in FIG. 4, the pile yarn 4 is squeezed by the ground weft yarn 22. With this structure, the fibers of the pile yarn 4 can be made difficult to come off.

  6 and 7, the pile yarn 4, the ground warp yarn 21, and the ground weft yarn 22 use yarns having the same diameter. A reference example for obtaining a similar double-knotted structure by using yarns having different diameters for the pile yarn 4, the ground warp yarn 21 and the ground weft yarn 22 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, the pile yarns 4 are arranged in a ratio of different numbers in the warp direction which is the longitudinal direction and the weft direction which is the transverse direction by shrinking in the warp direction. Can be made. Here, the average pitch between the pile yarns 4 in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction is 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm. Of the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, the longitudinal direction in which the ratio of the number of pile yarns 4 is large is taken as the arrangement direction.

  FIG. 8 shows the production state of the cut pile fabric 20 shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 by (a) and the use state by (b). As described above, in the cut pile fabric 20, for example, the longitudinal direction which is the warp direction is the arrangement direction 2a, and the pile yarns 4 are arranged at the highest density along the arrangement direction 2a. However, as shown to (a), the pile 4 thread | yarn is formed in the slanted hair state which inclines and protrudes in the direction 4a inclined from the arrangement direction 2a by angle (theta). As shown in (b), in use, the cut pile fabric 20 is tilted so that the arrangement direction 2a forms an angle φ larger than the angle θ with respect to the rotation direction 6b of the rotating body. This angle φ is in the range of 0 to 45 degrees. The angle θ is made smaller than the angle φ. That is, the direction of the pile yarn 4 is inclined toward the rotation direction 6b side by a predetermined angle θ from the arrangement direction 2a. In addition, the ratio of the number of pile yarns 4 can also be made larger in the lateral direction which is the weft direction.

  The cut pile fabric 20 is woven so that the ratio of the number of pile 4 yarns in which a large number of fine long fibers are bundled is different in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, and the direction in which the ratio of the number of pile yarns 4 is large is the pile yarn 4. Therefore, the piles 3 are arranged in the arrangement direction 2a at a higher density than in a direction different from the arrangement direction 2a. Regarding the pile yarns 4 arranged in the arrangement direction 2a, the pitch between the adjacent pile yarns 4 is larger than the pitch between the pile yarns 4 along the arrangement direction 2a. Since the pile yarns 4 are inclined in the direction 4a opened by the angle θ with respect to the arrangement direction 2a, even if the average pitch between the pile yarns 4 is 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm, the fine length of the pile 3 is not used in the state of use. When the fibers are slidably contacted with the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body such as the developing roller 6, the fibers are further inclined to overlap with the piles 3 along the adjacent arrangement direction 2 a, so that the fine particles can be effectively sealed.

  The cut pile fabric 20 is generally manufactured through a process of weaving → hair split → shearing → coating → hair split → shearing. In the weaving process, a pile fabric is manufactured as a vertical pile or a horizontal pile. In the splitting process, the pile yarn 4 is angled. In the shearing step, the tip of the pile yarn 4 is cut, and the height of the pile 3 protruding from the surface of the base fabric 2 is made uniform. In the coating process, an adhesive is applied to the back side of the base fabric 2. The next splitting and shearing steps are finishing.

  As the pile yarn 4 used for the cut pile fabric 20 as described above, a single yarn aggregate or a plurality of types of single fibers can be used. The pile yarn 4 is composed of a collection of a large number of single fibers or a plurality of types of single fibers, and these single fibers are twisted together, so that these single fibers are separated by untwisting them, and consist of a large number of single fibers. A pile 3 can be formed.

  For example, a pile yarn 4 is formed by bundling, for example, about 300 single fibers having a diameter of several D (denier), and the number of vertical piles per 2.54 cm (1 inch) is 20, and the number of horizontal piles is 50. If it is about, the pile density is 1000, and the density of single fibers is about 30000 per square inch.

  FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional configuration of a composite fiber (conjugate filament) yarn 30 that can be used as the pile yarn 4. The composite fiber yarn 30 is composed of, for example, radial nylon fibers 31 and an outer polyester fiber 32, and is manufactured as, for example, registered trademark Berryma (Kanebo). Such a composite fiber yarn 30 is obtained by combining two or more types of polymers having different components at the spinneret and spinning them simultaneously, and has a structure in which a plurality of components are continuous in the length direction of the fiber. Are glued together. When the composite fiber yarn 30 is the pile yarn 4, the composite fiber can be divided to obtain a pile made of single fibers having different properties.

  For example, the composite fiber yarn 30 of about 300D (denier) is used as the pile yarn 4, and the number of vertical piles per inch (2.54 cm) is about 46, the number of horizontal piles is about 24, and 600 pieces per pile yarn 4 are divided. If the fiber is included, the pile density is about 1100, and the density of the divided fibers is about 660000 per square inch. As described above, if the pile yarn 4 is composed of a composite fiber, the composite fiber is composed of a split fiber. Therefore, the pile 3 can be formed by dividing the composite fiber into the split fibers. Moreover, the pile yarn 4 can also be comprised with the combination of a single fiber and a composite fiber. If the pile yarn 4 is composed of a combination of a single fiber and a composite fiber, the composite fiber and the single fiber can be divided to form the pile 3 as a combination of fibers having different characteristics.

  In the above description, the case where the present invention is applied to the developing roller 6 as a rotating member is described. However, when a photosensitive drum is used as an electrophotographic photosensitive member, fine powder particles on the photosensitive drum are also used. It can also be used as a seal material for preventing leakage. Further, the present invention can be similarly applied to the seal of the rotating body that is necessary in the process of manufacturing and handling the toner 8 and other fine powder particles.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus including a sealing material 1 for preventing leakage of fine particles and a partial plan view of the sealing material 1 for preventing leakage of fine particles as an embodiment of the present invention. is there. FIG. 2 is a simplified exploded perspective view showing a state in which the fine powder and particle preventive sealing material 1 shown in FIG. 1 and the outer peripheral surface 6 a of the developing roller 6 are mounted in the opening 10 a of the developing unit 10. FIG. 3 is a view showing a concept in which the developing unit 10 in FIG. 2 seals toner at an opening 10 a facing a photoconductor provided in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus with the sealant 1 for a rotating body in FIG. 1. It is the typical top view and sectional drawing which simplify and shows the structure of the Example of the cut-pile fabric 20 used as the main body of the sealing material 1 for preventing the fine particle leak shown in FIG. It is the typical top view and sectional drawing which simplify and show the composition of the reference example of cut pile fabric 20 used as the main part of the sealing material 1 for prevention of fine granular material leak shown in Drawing 1. It is the typical top view and sectional drawing which simplify and show the composition of the reference example of cut pile fabric 20 used as the main part of the sealing material 1 for prevention of fine granular material leak shown in Drawing 1. It is the typical top view and sectional drawing which simplify and show the composition of the reference example of cut pile fabric 20 used as the main part of the sealing material 1 for prevention of fine granular material leak shown in Drawing 1. It is a typical top view which shows the manufacture state and use condition of the cut pile fabric 20 shown in FIGS. 4-7, respectively. It is typical sectional drawing of the composite fiber (conjugate filament) thread | yarn 30 which can be used as the pile thread | yarn 4 of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sealing material for preventing leakage of fine powder fluid 2 Base cloth 2a Arrangement direction 3 Pile 4 Pile yarn 6 Developing roller 6a Outer peripheral surface 6b Rotating direction 7 Rotating shaft 8 Toner 10 Developing unit 11 Blade 20 Cut pile fabric 30 Composite fiber yarn

Claims (7)

A sealing material for preventing leakage of fine particles that prevents leakage in the axial direction while sliding the pile on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body carrying the fine particles,
Mainly a cut pile fabric that is erected in a state in which a pile yarn formed by bundling a large number of fine long fibers is cut on the surface of the base fabric,
A cut pile fabric is a fabric woven with piles in which the diameter of the warp or weft of the ground yarn is smaller than the diameter of the pile yarn, and the diameters of the warp and weft are the same or the warp and weft are different. ,
The pile yarn is arranged along a direction parallel to at least one of the weaving directions of the base fabric, and is inclined with respect to the surface of the base fabric so as to be inclined by a predetermined angle θ from the direction of the arrangement. Then, a number of fine long fibers constituting the pile yarn are separated to form a pile, and the pitch between the piles is narrowed,
In use, the direction of the array is inclined with respect to the tangential direction so that the direction of the array forms an angle φ larger than the predetermined angle θ with respect to the rotation direction of the rotating body. Sealing material for preventing fine particles from leaking. The cut pile fabric is woven in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction,
The pile yarns are arranged so as to have a different ratio of the number in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction,
The average pitch between the longitudinal and transverse pile yarns is 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm,
Of the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, the direction in which the ratio of the number of pile yarns is large is the arrangement direction,
2. The pile according to claim 1, wherein the pile is inclined toward the tangential direction by the predetermined angle θ from the arrangement direction in a range where the large angle φ is not less than 0 degree and not more than 45 degrees. The sealing material for preventing leakage of the fine granular material described.   3. The fine powder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pile yarn has a slanted state that is at an angle of greater than 0 degree and not greater than 45 degrees with respect to the surface of the base fabric. Sealing material for preventing leakage.   The said pile thread | yarn is comprised with the aggregate | assembly of a single fiber, or multiple types of single fiber, The sealing material for the prevention of the leak of the fine granular material as described in any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The pile yarn is composed of a composite fiber,
The said composite fiber consists of a split fiber, The sealing material for prevention of the leak of the fine granular material as described in any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The said pile yarn is comprised by the combination of a single fiber and a composite fiber, The sealing material for the leak prevention of a fine granular material as described in any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The fine long fibers constituting the pile yarn are composed of single fibers or composite fibers made of a polymer material,
The fiber diameter of the fine long fibers is 25 μm or less on average,
The sealing material for preventing leakage of fine particles according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pile yarn is constituted by bundling 50 to 1000 bundles of fine long fibers. .

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