JP2006330571A - Developing roller and its recycling method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a developing roller satisfying image performance and able to be recycled and its recycling method. <P>SOLUTION: The developing roller is used in contact with a latent image carrier and the developing roller is composed of a shaft core body, an elastic layer provided on the outer periphery of the shaft core body and a surface layer provided surrounding the elastic layer. The surface layer is composed of a part (A) stuck to the elastic layer and a part (B) which is not stuck. Furthermore, when the developing roller becomes unusable after a long period of use, the recycling method for the developing roller provides and reuses the surface layer after removing the part (A) stuck to the elastic layer and the part of the elastic layer which is stuck to the part (A) in the surface layer by using a cutoff tool and further removing the part (B) which is not stuck. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a developing roller used in an electrophotographic apparatus, an electrostatic recording apparatus, and the like, and a reusing method (recycling method) of the developing roller after it becomes unusable after the end of the durability period.

  A usage form of an electrophotographic apparatus or an electrostatic recording apparatus is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a latent image carrier (hereinafter referred to as a photosensitive drum), which rotates at a predetermined process speed. While the photosensitive drum rotates at a constant peripheral speed, the surface of the photosensitive drum is charged to a constant potential by the charging means 2 having a certain charging bias. Subsequently, a negative image exposure (analog exposure of the original image, digital scanning exposure) corresponding to the target image is performed by exposure 3, and an electrostatic latent image of target image information is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum.

  The toner supplied from the developing unit 4 moves with respect to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum by an amount corresponding to the electrostatic latent image, whereby the toner image is developed on the photosensitive drum. Next, the toner image is transferred to the transfer portion as the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer unit 5 from the paper supply unit at a predetermined timing, and a transfer bias is applied to the transfer roller or the transfer belt 5 to apply the transfer bias to the transfer roller or transfer belt 5. One side of the reversely developed toner image is sequentially transferred to paper or an OHP sheet.

  The paper or OHP sheet that has received the transfer of the toner image is separated from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, transported to a fixing unit, undergoes a fixing process, and is discharged as an image. On the other hand, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 after the transfer of the toner image is subjected to repeated image formation after the cleaning means 6 removes the toner that has not been transferred to the paper or the OHP sheet.

  At present, in an electrophotographic apparatus, a contact type one-component developing apparatus is often used. This is a one-component developing system using a one-component developer, in which toner is supplied onto the developing roller by an elastic roller in contact with the developing roller in the developing means 4, and then the toner is thinned onto the developing roller by a toner regulating member. At the same time as the application, the toner particles are charged by friction with the toner regulating member and friction with the developing roller. Further, the developing roller and the latent image carrier are transported to an opposite development area and moved to an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier, whereby the toner image is visualized.

  When this developing roller is used for a long time, the surface state changes greatly as compared with the state before use due to toner filming or surface irregularities. For this reason, the use time becomes longer, and the developing roller cannot carry the developer uniformly, and cannot have excellent image performance. Further, when the surface roughness of the surface layer of the developing roller is increased due to the filming of the toner or the removal of the surface irregularities, the fog tends to increase.

  For this reason, conventionally, when such a phenomenon occurs, the developing roller has passed the endurance period, and has been replaced with a new developing roller. However, in recent years, along with the reduction and recycling of waste in various products, waste reduction and recycling have been actively performed for rubber rollers in electrophotographic apparatuses, while satisfying the required image performance. There was an urgent need to develop a developing roller that could be recycled.

As a developing roller recycling method, Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which a new surface layer is provided after the surface is removed by polishing the surface. Patent Document 2 discloses an attempt to recycle by wiping the surface with a solvent.
JP 09-311518 A JP 2000-267427 A

  However, in the method of Patent Document 1, the dimensional accuracy is determined to some extent in the polishing process in a developing roller that requires dimensional accuracy. For this reason, it is necessary to perform polishing several times, or to deal with an apparatus or the like so as to achieve a desired dimensional accuracy, leading to an increase in cost.

  The method of Patent Document 2 can be used when the shape of the surface changes due to toner adhesion or the like. However, in other cases, for example, when particles are added to the surface layer in order to form irregularities on the roller surface, the particles may be lost after use of the developing roller, making it difficult to adapt this method. .

  Therefore, as a result of earnest development and examination of a developing roller that can be recycled while satisfying image performance, the present inventors have found that the roller surface has a great influence on the image performance of the developing roller. As for the elastic layer, it has been found that it can be reused any number of times as long as it is not damaged even if it is used for a long time as long as the electric resistance and elastic modulus of these layers are within a predetermined range. For this reason, when it became impossible to use after a long period of use, it was discovered that the developing roller can be recycled if the surface layer is easily removed to form a new surface layer.

  That is, the present invention relates to a developing roller comprising a shaft core body, an elastic layer provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft core body, and a surface layer provided around the elastic layer, the surface layer being bonded to the elastic layer. An object of the present invention is to provide a developing roller comprising a part (A) that has been made and a part (B) that has not been adhered.

  Further, after the durable usage time of the developing roller has elapsed, the portion of the surface layer that is bonded to the elastic layer (A) and the portion of the elastic layer that is bonded to the portion (A) are cut with a thread, a cutter, etc. The surface layer part (A) and the elastic layer part adhered to the part (A) are removed by pulling, and the non-adhered part (B) is removed, and then reused by providing a new surface layer. The purpose is to do.

The present invention is characterized by having the following configuration in order to solve the above problems. That is, the present invention is a recyclable developing roller having a shaft core, an elastic layer provided on the outer periphery of the shaft core, and a surface layer provided on the outer periphery of the elastic layer. And
The surface layer relates to a developing roller comprising a part (A) bonded to the elastic layer and a part (B) not bonded.

Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable that the bonded portions (A) are both end portions of the surface layer.
Furthermore, the present invention is a method for recycling the developing roller,
Removing from the developing roller the adhered portion (A) of the surface layer and the portion of the elastic layer adhered to the adhered portion (A);
Removing the unbonded portion (B) of the surface layer from the developing roller and exposing the elastic layer present on the inner peripheral side of the unbonded portion (B);
Providing a new surface layer on the exposed elastic layer;
The present invention relates to a method for recycling a developing roller.

  Further, in the present invention, the step of newly providing a surface layer on the elastic layer is a step of providing a surface layer composed of a portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer and a portion (B) not bonded. It is preferable.

  A developing roller used in contact with a latent image carrier, comprising a shaft core, an elastic layer provided on the outer periphery of the shaft core, and a surface layer provided around the elastic layer In the developing roller, the surface layer is composed of a portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer and a portion (B) not bonded, so that when the roller becomes unusable, Of these, the part (A) and the part of the elastic layer adhered to the part (A) are bonded with the part (A) and the part (A) by cutting or pulling the part of the elastic layer adhered with the thread, cutter or the like. By removing both the layer portions and removing the non-adhered portion (B), a new surface layer is provided to satisfy the image performance and provide a recyclable developing roller.

  A developing roller used in contact with a latent image carrier, comprising a shaft core, an elastic layer provided on the outer periphery of the shaft core, and a surface layer provided around the elastic layer In the developing roller, the surface layer includes a portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer and a portion (B) not bonded. If this developing roller becomes unusable after a long period of use, cut it with a cutter or thread until it reaches the shaft core, and pull it to bond it to part (A) and part (A). After removing the elastic layer portions together, the elastic layer can be easily removed by pulling the unbonded portion (B). Further, the developing roller can be reused by newly providing a surface layer on the elastic layer exposed by removing the portion (B).

  Of the surface layer, the portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer is preferably both ends of the surface layer (both ends in the axial direction of the developing roller).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the developing roller of the present invention comprises an axial body, an elastic layer provided on the circumferential surface of the axial body, and a surface layer sequentially provided on the circumferential surface of the elastic layer. Become. The elastic layer in the present invention is a layer provided to give elasticity to the developing roller in order to obtain an appropriate contact area when pressed against the developer regulating member and the photosensitive drum. A layer or a plurality of layers can be provided. The surface layer is a layer provided in order to control the surface properties of the developing roller and to prevent the low molecular weight component from oozing out of the elastic layer. In the present invention, one or more layers can be provided.

  In the present invention, a portion that is bonded between the surface layer and the elastic layer is provided, and the surface layer and the elastic layer are satisfactorily bonded through this portion, so that the image performance can be satisfied. In addition, after the developing roller becomes unusable due to long-term use, by removing both the adhered part (A) and the part of the elastic layer adhered to the part (A) of the surface layer, The remaining surface layer (B) can be easily removed.

  In addition, it is used for the elastic layer and the surface layer, the area of the portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer of the surface layer, the type (adhesive type, etc.) and the degree (adhesive amount, etc.) of the adhesive treatment By appropriately selecting the material type, the elastic layer and the surface layer can be favorably bonded. In such a developing roller, there is a part where the elastic layer and the surface layer are not bonded, but even if it is used for a long time, the surface layer is peeled off from the elastic layer, the surface layer is wrinkled, or between the two layers. There is no deviation, and excellent image performance can be maintained.

  Depending on the method of adhesion treatment, after the developing roller becomes unusable, the surface layer and the elastic layer bonded to the surface layer are removed to remove the adhesion on the outer periphery of the elastic layer. There may be a case where a mark (such as an adhesive) remains. However, even if such traces remain, the electrical resistance and elastic modulus of the elastic layer, the surface properties of the surface layer, etc. do not change due to the construction of the developing roller of the present invention, and there is no problem in using the developing roller. If necessary, such traces may be wiped off with a solvent or the like.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer in the surface layer is used as both end portions 12, so that the bonded portion (A) 12 and the bonded portion can be bonded by cutting off after using the developing roller. When removing the portion 13 of the elastic layer adhered to the portion (A), it can be easily removed. Thereafter, the portion (B) 14 to which the surface layer is not adhered is removed to expose the portion 15 of the elastic layer existing on the inner peripheral side of the portion (B), and the exposed elastic layer 14 is newly formed. By covering the surface layer, recycling becomes possible.

  Further, when the developing roller recycled in this way becomes unusable, it is cut off again, and the adhesive part (A) of the surface layer is removed together with the elastic layer part adhered to the adhesive part (A). By removing and regenerating the remaining portion (B) of the surface layer, the shaft center body and the elastic layer can be effectively used.

  Note that the optimum range of the surface layer for the adhesion treatment varies depending on the usage environment such as the ratio between the total length of the developing roller and the image area at that time, the rotation speed when the developing roller is used, and the like. For example, when the both ends of the surface layer are bonded portions (A), the ratio of the both end portions is preferably 1 to 10%, more preferably 2 to 5% of the total axial length. When the ratio of the portions (A) at both ends is within these ranges, the elastic layer and the surface layer can be well bonded and have better image performance, and more easily at the ends (A ) Can be removed.

  Further, such a range of both end portions (A) changes even if the axial distance from the roller end (L in FIG. 4) is constant with respect to the circumferential direction 11. It may be a range. FIG. 4 shows a plurality of embodiments of the developing roller of the present invention. The colored portion in FIG. 4 represents the surface layer portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer, and the uncolored portion represents the surface layer portion (B) not bonded to the elastic layer.

  4A shows a roller in which L of the surface layer portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer is constant with respect to the circumferential direction 11. FIG. FIGS. 4B and 4C show a roller in which L changes with respect to the circumferential direction 11. For example, by providing the portion (A) as shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, when removing both end portions of the roller during recycling, the value of L differs depending on the location of the portion (A). Depending on the difference in L, the peel strength varies locally depending on the location (the small L portion has a weak peel strength, and the large L portion has a strong peel strength). For this reason, the portion (A) is peeled off from the portion where the peel strength is weak with respect to the elastic layer, and both end portions can be easily removed.

  In order to obtain the portion (A) as shown in FIG. 4, an adhesive is applied on the elastic layer or the surface of the elastic layer is treated so as to correspond to the portion (A), and the surface is formed on the elastic layer. A layer may be formed.

  Further, it is desirable that the entire length of the roller is sufficiently longer than the image area so that the roller can be reused many times. By lengthening the entire length of the roller in this way, even if both end portions of the elastic layer and the surface layer are cut and removed little by little by recycling many times, the remaining portion can be used as the developing roller.

  The adhesion treatment method between the elastic layer and the surface layer is not particularly limited, and any known method can be used. For example, it can be formed by applying a known adhesive or primer on the elastic layer or treating the surface of the elastic layer and then forming the surface layer on the elastic layer. Of the surface layer, the portion formed on the elastic layer that has been subjected to such an adhesion treatment becomes the portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer. Moreover, the part formed on the elastic layer which has not performed such adhesion processing among surface layers turns into the part (B) which is not adhere | attached on the elastic layer.

  As the adhesive, resins such as polyester, urethane, EVA, polyamide, and polyolefin, epoxy adhesives, silicone adhesives, and the like can be used.

  As the surface treatment method for the elastic layer, ultraviolet irradiation, solvent treatment, or the like can be used. In the case of the ultraviolet irradiation, the elastic layer and the surface layer are formed by using a resin curable by ultraviolet rays as the elastic layer material, curing the resin by ultraviolet irradiation, and providing a surface layer on the elastic layer during the curing of the elastic layer. Can be adhered. Further, in the case of solvent treatment, the resin on the surface of the elastic layer is modified so as to easily react with the surface layer, and by providing the surface layer on this elastic layer, the elastic layer and the surface layer can be reacted and bonded. .

  The axial body of the developing roller can be applied to the present invention as long as it functions as an electrode and a supporting member of the conductive member. As the material thereof, for example, a metal or alloy such as aluminum, copper alloy, stainless steel, or the like, or a conductive material such as iron plated with chromium or nickel, or synthetic resin is used. In addition, in order to adhere the shaft core and the elastic layer formed on the peripheral surface, a primer or the like can be appropriately applied to the shaft core, and a commonly used known primer such as a silane coupling primer is used. Can be used.

  In addition, the conductive elastic layer may be in the form of a foam or a solid in the present invention.

  The rubber material used for the elastic layer is not particularly limited and can be used as appropriate. Specifically, ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer rubber (EPDM), isoprene rubber (IR), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), fluorine rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), chloroprene rubber ( CR), natural rubber (NR), hydride of NBR, other sulfurized rubber, urethane rubber and the like can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Of these, silicone rubber, urethane rubber, and NBR are preferably used from the viewpoint of excellent compression set characteristics. For example, in the case of silicone rubber, dimethyl silicone rubber, methyl phenyl silicone rubber, methyl vinyl silicone rubber, methyl phenyl vinyl silicone rubber and the like can be mentioned.

  Moreover, the thickness of an elastic layer should just exist in the range of 0.5-6.0 mm, and it is preferable that it exists in the range of 1.0-5.0 mm. When the thickness is less than 0.5 mm, it is difficult to ensure a uniform nip. On the other hand, even if the thickness is thicker than 6.0 mm, not only does the charging performance not improve, but the molding cost of the rubber material increases, which is disadvantageous in terms of cost.

  The elastic layer can be provided on the shaft core body by using methods such as extrusion molding, injection molding, and casting.

  The resin used as the surface layer is not particularly limited and can be appropriately used. Specifically, fluororesins and polyamides having reactive groups such as hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, acid anhydride groups, mercapto groups, amino groups, isocyanate groups, methylol groups, alkoxymethyl groups, aldehyde groups, epoxy groups, and unsaturated groups Resin, acrylic urethane resin, nylon resin, phenol resin, melamine resin, silicone resin, urethane resin, polyester resin, polyvinyl acetal resin, epoxy resin, polyether resin, amino resin, acrylic resin, urea resin, and mixtures thereof be able to. Urethane resin, polyester resin, epoxy resin, and the like are preferable from the viewpoints of non-contamination to toner, reduction of frictional force with other members, and non-contamination to an image forming body.

  The thickness of the surface layer is preferably 5 to 100 μm, particularly 10 to 50 μm. If the thickness is less than 5 μm, low molecular weight components in the elastic layer may ooze out and contaminate the photoreceptor. On the other hand, when the thickness is larger than 100 μm, the developing roller becomes hard, which causes the toner to be fused to the developer regulating member or the developing roller.

  In addition, as a method of making these materials conductive, there are a method of adding an ionic conductive substance by an ionic conduction mechanism to the above material and a method of making the material conductive by adding a conductivity imparting agent by an electronic conduction mechanism to the material, Either one or two types can be used in combination.

Examples of the conductivity-imparting agent based on the ionic conduction mechanism include LiCF ₃ SO ₃ , NaClO ₄ , LiClO ₄ , LiAsF ₆ , LiBF ₄ , NaSCN, KSCN, NaCl salts of Group 1 metals, NH ₄ Cl, NH ₄ Ammonium salts such as SO ₄ and NH ₄ NO ₃ , salts of Group 2 metals of the periodic table such as Ca (ClO ₄ ) ₂ and Ba (ClO ₄ ) ₂ , these salts and 1,4-butanediol, ethylene Complexes of polyhydric alcohols such as glycol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol and their derivatives, salts thereof and ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether, polyethylene glycol monoethyl ether, etc. Complex with monool, quaternary Cationic surfactants such as ammonium salts, aliphatic sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, anionic surfactants such as alkyl phosphate ester salt, an amphoteric surfactant can be exemplified such as betaine. These conductivity-imparting agents based on the ion conduction mechanism can be used alone or in combination of two or more in the form of powder or fiber.

  As the conductivity imparting agent by the electronic conduction mechanism, carbon-based materials such as carbon black and graphite, metals or alloys such as aluminum, silver, gold, tin-lead alloy, copper-nickel alloy, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, Examples thereof include metal oxides such as tin oxide, antimony oxide, indium oxide, and silver oxide, and materials obtained by applying conductive metal plating such as copper, nickel, and silver to various fillers. These conductivity-imparting agents based on the electronic conduction mechanism can be used alone or in a mixture of two or more in the form of powder or fiber.

  The content of the conductivity-imparting agent in the elastic layer and the surface layer needs to be adjusted appropriately. For example, 2 to 50% by weight is preferable. More preferably, it is 5 to 30% by weight. When there are few electroconductivity imparting agents, the fluctuation | variation of the electrical resistivity of a rubber composition will be large. It is difficult to control electrical conductivity, for example, it is difficult to adjust electrical resistivity and uniform dispersion is difficult. Moreover, when too much, rubber | gum will become hard and it is unpreferable.

  Moreover, in order to form a surface layer on the said elastic layer, it can provide by a well-known method. For example, a conventionally known dispersion apparatus using beads such as a sand mill, a paint shaker, a dyno mill, a pearl mill, etc. And a method of coating on the surface of the conductive elastic layer by a spray coating method, a dipping method, a roll coater method or the like.

(Development roller recycling method)
The method for recycling the developing roller of the present invention is as follows:
(1) removing the adhered portion (A) of the surface layer together with the elastic layer portion adhered to the adhered portion (A);
(2) removing the non-adhered portion (B) of the surface layer and exposing the elastic layer present on the inner peripheral side of the non-adhered portion (B);
(3) providing a new surface layer on the exposed elastic layer;
Have

  In the step (1), for example, the surface layer is cut with a thread or a cutter so as to surround the portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer. At this time, it is preferable to cut into the surface layer and the elastic layer. Thereafter, the part (A) is removed from the developing roller together with the part of the elastic layer adhered to the part (A) (the part of the elastic layer in contact with the part (A) and adhered to the part (A)). To do.

  Next, in the step (2), the portion (B) of the surface layer that is not bonded to the elastic layer is removed from the developing roller. At this time, the part (A) adhered in the surface layer in the step (1) is all removed, and only the part (B) not adhered to the surface layer remains, so the part (B) Can be easily removed. As a method for removing the portion (B), when the portions (B) are continuously connected in the circumferential direction (when there is no break in the circumferential direction), a method of pulling in the axial direction is preferable. Thus, all the surface layers are removed by the steps (1) and (2), and the elastic layer existing on the inner peripheral side of the portion (B) is exposed.

  Further, in the step (3), a new developing roller can be obtained by providing a surface layer on the exposed elastic layer. At this time, the elastic layer may be partially bonded to provide a surface layer thereon, and the surface layer may be formed of a portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer and a portion (B) not bonded to the elastic layer. good. By providing such a surface layer, when the developing roller becomes unusable, it can be recycled again by the steps (1) to (3).

  The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples, but these examples do not limit the present invention.

[Example 1]
As a shaft core, a SUS coupling φ7 mm shaft core was coated with a silane coupling primer and then baked at 140 ° C. for 90 minutes. Next, the shaft center body is placed in a cylindrical mold and has a conductive liquid polydimethylsiloxane having a vinyl group terminal as shown in the following formula (1) and a silicon-hydrogen bond as shown in the following formula (2). To a mixture of conductive liquid polydimethylsiloxane mixed 1: 1, 50 phr (parts per handed rubber) of silica and 15 phr of carbon black were added and well dispersed, which was poured into a mold. Subsequently, the silicone rubber is cured by heating at 120 ° C. for 30 minutes, cooled, and then removed from the mold. By heating in an oven at 200 ° C. for 5 hours, an elastic layer having a rubber part length of 235 mm and φ16.0 mm is formed. It was provided on the outer periphery of the shaft core. Next, a silane coupling agent is applied as an adhesive treatment to the 7.0 mm portion from the end of the elastic layer by spraying, and then a conductive nylon resin tube is coated on the previously obtained roller, A developing roller was obtained. When the obtained developing roller was incorporated into a Canon color laser printer and 10000 sheets were passed, the roller was observed, and peeling of the elastic layer and the surface layer was not observed.

  Further, after cutting with a knife into the 7.0 mm portion from the end of the surface layer, both ends (A) of the surface layer and the elastic layer bonded to both ends (A) are pulled outward in the axial direction. It was removed by. Further, the remaining surface layer portion (B) was removed by pulling in the axial direction. Thereafter, a silane coupling agent is applied by spraying as a bonding treatment to the area of 7.0 mm from the end of the elastic layer exposed by removing the portion (B) of the surface layer, and then a new surface layer is provided. When 10,000 sheets were passed, no significant image damage was observed.

[Example 2]
An amino group-containing silane coupling agent is applied as an adhesive treatment within a range of 7.0 mm from the end of the elastic layer, and a surface layer is formed thereon. After passing 10,000 sheets, the surface layer and the portion of the surface layer (A ) Was removed, and the same procedure as in Example 1 was performed except that the amino group-containing silane coupling agent was applied within a range of 7.0 mm from the end of the exposed elastic layer. As a result, in the same manner as in Example 1, peeling of the surface layer and image defects were not observed even after the first 10,000 sheets were passed, after the surface layer was newly provided, and after 10,000 sheets were passed.

Example 3
As an adhesion treatment, ultraviolet irradiation (irradiation time: 60 seconds, wavelength: 160 to 190 nm) is performed within a range of 7.0 mm from the end of the elastic layer, and after the surface layer is provided, after 10,000 sheets are passed, the surface layer and the surface layer The part of the elastic layer adhered to the part (A) was removed, and the same procedure as in Example 1 was performed except that 7.0 mm from the end of the exposed elastic layer was irradiated with ultraviolet rays. As a result, in the same manner as in Example 1, peeling of the surface layer and image defects were not observed even after the first 10,000 sheets were passed, after the surface layer was newly provided, and after 10,000 sheets were passed.

[Comparative Example 1]
The same procedure as in Example 1 was performed except that the adhesion treatment between the elastic layer and the surface layer was not performed. As a result, peeling of the surface layer was observed during passing 10,000 sheets.

[Reference Example 1]
After passing 10,000 sheets, the surface layer having both end portions (A) bonded to the elastic layer and the portion of the elastic layer bonded to the surface layer portion (A) are removed, and the elastic layer is exposed using the exposed elastic layer. The same procedure as in Example 1 was performed except that the surface layer was provided without performing the adhesion treatment between the surface layers. As a result, as in Example 1, after the first 10,000 sheets were passed, the surface layer was not peeled off and the image was not adversely affected. However, after the 10,000 sheets were passed after the surface layer was provided again, the roller was observed. The surface layer was peeled off.

[Reference Example 2]
The developing roller of Example 1 was inserted into a Canon color laser printer as it was after passing 10,000 sheets, and 10,000 sheets were passed. As a result, the fogging became large, and there was an adverse effect on image performance. This is because filming occurs on the surface of the developing roller and the surface roughness increases.

  As described above, the developing roller used in contact with the latent image carrier, the shaft core body, the elastic layer provided on the outer periphery of the shaft core body, and the surface layer provided around the elastic layer In the developing roller, the surface layer has a portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer and a portion (B) not bonded, and the bonding portion (A) between the surface layer and the elastic layer is provided. It has been clarified that, by using both ends of the surface layer, the surface layer can be easily removed after use and can be recycled.

1 is a schematic view of an image forming apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view and a sectional view of a developing roller showing an embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view and a sectional view of a developing roller showing an embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of the developing roller showing an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Latent image carrier (photosensitive drum)
2 Charging means 3 Exposure system 4 Developing means 4a Elastic body 4b Shaft core body 4c Surface layer 5 Transfer means 6 Cleaning means 7 Metal drum 8 Cylindrical bodies E1, E2, E3 Bias supply power source

Claims (4)

A recyclable developing roller having a shaft core, an elastic layer provided on the outer periphery of the shaft core, and a surface layer provided on the outer periphery of the elastic layer,
The developing roller, wherein the surface layer comprises a part (A) bonded to the elastic layer and a part (B) not bonded.   The developing roller according to claim 1, wherein the bonded portion (A) is both end portions of the surface layer. A method for recycling the developing roller according to claim 1 or 2,
Removing from the developing roller the adhered portion (A) of the surface layer and the portion of the elastic layer adhered to the adhered portion (A);
Removing the unbonded portion (B) of the surface layer from the developing roller and exposing the elastic layer present on the inner peripheral side of the unbonded portion (B);
Providing a new surface layer on the exposed elastic layer;
A method for recycling a developing roller, comprising:   The step of newly providing a surface layer on the elastic layer is a step of providing a surface layer composed of a portion (A) bonded to the elastic layer and a portion (B) not bonded. The method for recycling the developing roller according to claim 3.

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