JP2007200598A - Static electricity eliminating brush - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a static electricity eliminating brush effectively removing static charge from an electrified object, free from bending, sagging, breakage, and fall-off of the brush even at long-termed usage, excellent in durability of conduction property. <P>SOLUTION: The static electricity eliminating brush is composed of fiber bundles 5 constituted into one set by one or plural pieces of fibers with high conductivity 3 made of mono-filament, and fibers with low conductivity 4 whose number is equal to or higher than the number of the fibers with high conductivity, and a pinching part 2 on which the plurality of fiber bundles 5 are arranged in parallel with each other with a prescribed distance, pinching a root part of the fiber bundles. The fiber with low conductivity 4 may be also made of mono-filament, the length of the fiber with high conductivity 3 may be longer than the length of the fiber with low conductivity 4, and the fiber with lower conductivity 4 may be made of a material having an elasticity larger than that of the fiber with high conductivity 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a static eliminating brush for removing static electricity that can be used as, for example, a static eliminating tool in a copying machine.

  The neutralizing brush is used for various purposes, and as one of the uses, it is used to remove static electricity from drums and papers of OA equipment such as printers, copiers, and facsimiles. In office automation equipment such as printers, copiers, and facsimiles, a self-discharge type static elimination brush is provided in order to remove the charge of paper or synthetic resin film as an output medium. Many of these static elimination brushes are made by brushing conductive fibers with aluminum foil tape or the like (see Patent Document 1, etc.), high conductive fibers having different fiber lengths and low conductive fibers or non-insulating. Many structures have been proposed in addition to those having a structure in which a base fiber is erected on the base (Patent Documents 2 and 3).

  By the way, highly conductive fibers used in conventional static elimination brushes, such as those produced by metal plating, copper sulfide coating or a composite spinning method, or those obtained by combining a conductive polymer and fibers. Is inadequate in wear resistance, and its conductivity tends to decrease due to wear, and easily deteriorates due to heat. For this reason, with static eliminators that are always in direct contact with hot parts such as drums of copying machines, There was a problem that the conductivity decreased between the two. In order to solve such a problem, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3 include a napped portion including a high-conductivity fiber having a fiber length of low-conductivity fiber> high-conductivity fiber and a low-conductivity fiber. The brush is described.

However, the durability of the brush is not always sufficient even if the raised portions including the high conductive fibers and the low conductive fibers having different fiber lengths are provided as described above. There are also problems such as being easily laid down and bent, resulting in a decrease in static electricity removal performance.
Further, as described in, for example, cited document 2 and the like, in the conventional static eliminating brush, a multi-fiber fiber in which a plurality of highly conductive fibers made of a relatively expensive material such as carbon fiber and metal-coated fiber are bundled. Since the bundle is used as a highly conductive fiber, there is a disadvantage that the manufacturing cost is increased.
In addition, both the conventional highly conductive fibers and the low conductivity fibers are constructed by twisting a number of single fibers (monofilaments) (ie, twisted yarns), which further increases the cost. Invited.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-124598 JP-A-6-209825 JP-A-4-20304

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and efficiently removes an electrostatic charge from an object having an electrostatic charge, and also bends, sags, or bends a fiber (brush portion) even when used for a long period of time. An object of the present invention is to provide a brush for static elimination that has no deterioration in static elimination performance due to disconnection or the like and that can be manufactured at low cost and has excellent durability.

  As a result of intensive studies on the configuration of the conductive fiber that becomes the electrode of the static elimination brush, the present inventor has obtained a single fiber (monofilament) having high conductivity without being twisted (single fiber << monofilament >>). This monofilament-like highly conductive fiber is used as a low-conductivity fiber having a conductivity smaller than that of the high-conductivity fiber. Desirably, the length of the fiber is shorter than that of the high-conductivity fiber, and the elasticity is high. It was found that the above-mentioned object can be achieved by reinforcing with a low-conductivity fiber of a single fiber (monofilament) larger than the conductive fiber.

That is, the brush for static elimination of the present invention comprises a fiber bundle comprising one or a plurality of highly conductive fibers made of monofilament and a set of low conductivity fibers equal to or more than the number of the highly conductive fibers, and the fiber bundle. A plurality of a plurality of the above are arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval, and a base portion (in other words, a tip portion thereof is left) and a gripping portion that grips the base portion.
In the present invention, the low conductive fiber in the fiber bundle may be made of a monofilament, the length may be smaller than the length of the high conductive fiber, and the elasticity is the high conductivity. It may be made of a material larger than the fiber (in other words, the molecular structure is spring-like).

In the present invention, as described above, the single conductive fiber bundle may be a single high-conductivity fiber (hereinafter also referred to as a high-conductivity monofilament) made of the monofilament. However, in the case where the number is plural, it is suitable that the number is about 30 at the maximum in a diameter of 5 to 100 μm although it depends on the diameter (μm) of the monofilament.
In the present invention, the low-conductivity fiber may be composed of a normal twisted yarn such as a large number of monofilaments, or a monofilament (hereinafter referred to as a low-conductivity monofilament). May also be). In the case of a monofilament, one or a plurality of monofilaments may be used in the same manner as the above highly conductive monofilament.
In addition, the diameter of the low-conductivity fiber is preferably equal to or larger than the diameter of the high-conductivity fiber in order to prevent the high-conductivity fiber from falling over, bending, and falling off from the sandwiching portion.

According to the static eliminating brush of the present invention, a high conductive fiber made of a single fiber (monofilament) and a low conductive fiber are used in combination, and one or several high conductive fibers and the high conductive fiber are used. The fiber bundle is composed of a set of the same number or more of the low-conductivity fibers, and a plurality of the fiber bundles are arranged in parallel at a fixed interval on the sandwiching portion, and the root portion is arranged. In other words, each low-conductivity fiber functions to reinforce or protect the high-conductivity fiber by leaving the tip part and holding it, and the high-conductivity fiber falls down, bends, falls off from the clamping part, etc. Is prevented and the wear resistance is improved, so that the static electricity removal performance does not deteriorate even when used for a long time.
In addition, since the highly conductive fiber is made of a monofilament, it can be reliably brought into contact with the object to be neutralized, and the neutralization function inherently possessed by the filament can be expressed to the maximum.
At this time, the above-described effects can be expressed more satisfactorily by using a low conductive fiber having a fiber length larger than that of the high conductive fiber or a fiber having higher elasticity.
Further, if the low conductive fiber is also made of monofilament, not only the manufacturing cost can be further reduced, but also the integration with the high conductive monofilament can be achieved, and the above effect can be further improved. It can be certain.

Hereinafter, the static elimination brush of the present invention will be described in more detail based on the drawings.
FIG. 1A is a schematic perspective view for explaining a main part of the static elimination brush of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a schematic enlarged plan view of FIG. It is the figure seen from the front end side. Moreover, FIGS. 2-4 is a typical plane enlarged view which shows another embodiment of the brush for static elimination of this invention, respectively.

The neutralizing brush of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The neutralizing brush 1 according to the present invention includes a plurality of bundles of fiber bundles 5 each composed of a high-conductivity fiber 3 made of monofilament and a low-conductivity fiber 4 arranged in parallel with the holding portion 2 at a predetermined interval. As shown in the figure, the root portion is sandwiched.

  The holding part material constituting the holding part 2 is made of a metal foil such as an aluminum foil, a polyester film, a synthetic resin film such as polyethylene or polyurethane, a paper, or a laminate thereof, and has flexibility. A tape-like member is preferably used.

The highly conductive fiber 3 constituting the fiber bundle 5 is composed of one or 2 to 30 monofilaments having conductivity.
The highly conductive fibers 3 include metal fibers such as stainless steel fibers, carbon fibers, conductive fibers having a metal coating formed on the surface of copper sulfide dyed acrylic fibers, metal plated conductive fibers, and composite spinning type conductive fibers. , Conductive polymer polymerization integrated conductive fibers, etc. can be used, but the metal film is formed especially on the surface of metal fibers, carbon fibers, copper sulfide dyed acrylic fibers, etc., because of its high static elimination effect and durability. It is preferable to use conductive fibers.

  Among the conductive fibers formed with the metal coating, for example, copper sulfide dyed conductive fibers include polyacrylonitrile fibers, polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, acrylonitrile / vinylidene chloride copolymer flame retardant acrylic fibers, and the like. As a base material, water-soluble cupric inorganic salt is reduced with a sulfur-containing reducing agent, and copper sulfide is fixed to the fiber surface.

  Examples of the metal-plated conductive fiber include rayon, polyester, polyamide, aromatic polyamide, polyacrylonitrile-based fiber, etc., which are electrolessly plated with silver, nickel, copper, or the like.

Examples of the composite spinning type conductive fiber include those obtained by spinning conductive carbon kneaded acrylic resin, polyester resin, polyamide resin into a multilayer structure, a wedge type structure, a sea-island type structure, and the like.
In addition, conductive polymer polymerization integrated conductive fibers include polyester, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, aromatic polyimide, vinylon, rayon, polypropylene, polyethylene and other synthetic fibers, and at least the surface of natural fibers, polypyrrole, polyaniline, polythiophene. And those obtained by polymerizing and integrating a conductive polymer.

The highly conductive fiber 3 preferably has a fiber diameter of about 5 to 100 μm and a resistance value of 10Ω or less, and preferably 10 to 30 μm when used in a non-contact state with a charged object.
Moreover, the length of the highly conductive fiber 3 in the fiber bundle 5 arranged in parallel with the holding part 2 is the point of the suppression suppression of the static elimination efficiency by the highly conductive fiber 3 lying down or bending. The length of the low conductive fiber 4 is preferably about 0.1 to 3 mm longer.

Further, the low conductive fibers 4 that form the fiber bundle 5 together with the high conductive fibers 3 have a function of suppressing bending, dropping (disconnection), breakage, etc. of the high conductive fibers 3. By using a material having elasticity greater than 3 and having a restoring force against bending, it is possible to effectively bend, sag, bend, and disconnect each highly conductive fiber 3 during continuous use as a static elimination brush. Can be suppressed.
The “low conductivity” of the low conductivity fiber 4 in the present invention means that the conductivity is lower than that of the high conductivity fiber 3. In addition to insulating fibers having no electrical conductivity, the term refers to fibers having lower conductivity than the highly conductive fibers 3.

The low conductive fiber 4 having the above function may be made of a normal twisted yarn or may be made of a monofilament.
As the material, for example, rayon, hemp, polyester fiber, 6-nylon, 6,6-nylon, aromatic polyimide fiber, polyacrylonitrile fiber, etc. are used.
Fibers (monofilaments or twisted yarns) made of these materials may be used as they are, but they are made conductive by forming a coating of a π-conjugated conductive polymer such as polypyrrole, polyaniline or polythiophene on their surface. The use of fibers can further enhance the charge removal effect of the charge removal brush in addition to the suppression of bending and bending.

  The number of low conductive fibers 4 constituting the fiber bundle 5 is equal to or more than the number of high conductive fibers 3 made of monofilaments in either case of monofilaments or twisted yarns. When the number is larger than the number, bending, sag, breakage, disconnection, and the like of the fiber bundle 5 can be effectively suppressed.

  The low conductive fiber 4 having a diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of the high conductive fiber can be suitably used when applied to a roll brush or the like of a copying machine that also aims at dust removal.

  Each fiber bundle 5 has a predetermined distance L on one adhesive layer forming surface of a pair of holding members constituting a holding part 2 having an adhesive layer (not shown) provided on the surface. The number is placed, and the adhesive layer (not shown) forming surface of the other holding member is pressed thereon to be bonded and held.

  In addition, in order to produce the fiber bundle 5 which consists of the highly conductive fiber 3 and the low conductive fiber 4, you may make the high conductive fiber 3 and the low conductive fiber 4 adhere to each other with an adhesive agent. However, they may be bundled without using an adhesive.

In the case of using an adhesive, a solvent type or an aqueous type can be used, but an aqueous type, for example, an emulsion type adhesive or an aqueous solution type adhesive is preferable from the viewpoint of environmental problems.
Examples of emulsion type adhesives include polyacrylate, polyurethane, styrene-butadiene copolymer, acrylate-butadiene copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, chloroprene rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer. System, vinyl acetate-acrylic acid ester copolymer system, and the like. Among these, it is more preferable to use a polyurethane-based adhesive.

Examples of the aqueous adhesive include starch-based, acrylic acid-acrylic ester copolymer system, polyurethane-based, polyvinyl alcohol-based, polychloroprene rubber-based, polyvinyl acetate-based, vinyl acetate-acrylic ester-based, ethylene- Examples thereof include a vinyl acetate copolymer system.
To these adhesives, conductive materials such as conductive carbon and metal fine particles may be added as necessary.

The static elimination brush illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 shows another embodiment of the static elimination brush of the present invention.
A neutralizing brush 11 shown in FIG. 2 includes a fiber bundle 15 including a pair of two highly conductive fibers 13 and 13 in which a plurality of low conductive fibers 14 are bonded to the peripheral surface of the highly conductive fibers with an adhesive. 1 is configured in the same way as the brush 1 for static elimination shown in FIG.

  The neutralizing brush 21 shown in FIG. 3 is bundled so that the three highly conductive fibers 23, 23, 23 are in contact with each other at a part of their peripheral surfaces, and the contact portions are bonded with an adhesive (not shown). A plurality of low-conductivity fibers 24 are further bonded to the respective surfaces of the bundled high-conductivity fibers 23, 23, 23 with an adhesive (not shown) to form a set of fiber bundles 25, which are gripped portions 1 has the same configuration as that of the brush for static elimination shown in FIG.

  Further, the static elimination brush 31 shown in FIG. 4 is formed by bonding one low conductive fiber 34 to one high conductive fiber 33 with an adhesive (not shown) to form a set of fiber bundles 35. It has the same configuration as that of the static eliminating brush of FIG. 1 except that the holding unit 32 is arranged in parallel with a certain interval and is held in parallel.

  In addition, you may provide a low electroconductive fiber other than the surrounding surface of a high electroconductive fiber in order to prevent the fall of a high electroconductive fiber, bending, falling off from a clamping part, etc. more.

Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with specific examples.
[Example 1]
The static elimination brush 1 of the aspect of FIG. 1 was produced in the following way.
A single stainless steel monofilament (manufactured by Nippon Seisen Co., Ltd.) having a fiber diameter of 30 μm is used as the highly conductive fiber 3, and the conductive surface of the surrounding surface is lowered to a level lower than that of the stainless steel monofilament by polypyrrole as the low conductive fiber 4. Two 12-μm 6-Nylon twisted yarns that have been imparted with high properties are bundled so that the tip of the high conductive fiber 3 protrudes about 2 mm from the tip of the low conductive fiber 4, and fixed with a urethane adhesive. A fiber bundle 5 was produced.

On the other hand, a release sheet 102 is attached to the peripheral surface of a rotatable roll-shaped drum 101 as schematically shown in FIG. 5, and an adhesive layer (not shown) is provided on both surfaces of the release sheet 102. A plurality of formed tape-like aluminum foils (members for the gripping part 2) 2 were detachably attached in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the drum 101 with a predetermined interval.

  Next, the drum 101 is rotated, the fiber bundle 5 is unwound from the bobbin 103, and a plurality of tape-shaped aluminum is formed while being gradually shifted from one end side to the other end side of the drum 101 so that the interval L is about 5 mm. The surface of the foil (member for holding part 2) 2 was wound up, and the fiber bundle 5 intersecting with the surface of the tape-like aluminum foil 2 in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto was (wound) and adhered.

  Thereafter, although not shown, an adhesive is applied on the fiber bundle 5 on the tape-shaped aluminum foil (member for holding part 2) 2 and then an adhesive layer (shown on the same side) is further formed thereon. From the peripheral surface of the drum 101 after pressing the surface of the other aluminum foil (member for holding part 2) (not shown) on which the adhesive layer is formed to adhere to the fiber bundle 5 It was removed together with the release sheet 102.

  Next, the fiber bundle 5 together with the release sheet 102 is cut along the aluminum foil between the aluminum foils (members 2 for the holding part 2) 2 and 2, thereby forming a tape-like aluminum foil (the holding part 2). Member) 2 is held by a fiber bundle 5 composed of a high conductive fiber made of one stainless monofilament and a low conductive fiber made of two 6-nylon twisted yarns at an interval of about 5 mm. The neutralizing brush of Example 1 having a tape-like structure as shown in FIG. 1 was manufactured.

When the static elimination brush of Example 1 obtained as described above was used as a static elimination brush for a printing press and tested for durability by a paper passing test (200,000 sheet running test), it was subjected to the test. In the high conductive fiber 3 and each low conductive fiber 4, there was no lodging, bending, or disconnection from the base.
Further, per static elimination, and 6 months practical test as neutralizing brush in printing machines, commonly it was subjected to performance evaluation of the usual neutralization brush twisted wire used on the market, in the 6 months, generally commercially available It was confirmed that the good static elimination effect was maintained without any difference from the normal static elimination brush.

[Example 2]
The main part is the same as in Example 1 except that ten 6-nylon monofilaments with a diameter of 50 μm are subjected to polypyrrole treatment instead of two 6-nylon twisted yarns, as shown in FIG. The static elimination brush of Example 2 having a tape-like structure as shown was manufactured.
About this static elimination brush, when durability similar to Example 1 was tested, in the high conductive fiber 3 and each low conductive fiber 4 after being subjected to the test, they fall down, bend, slip off from the base, etc. Was almost not observed, and it was confirmed that the same durability as in Example 1 was exhibited.
In addition, the performance of the neutralization brush of Example 1 and a general neutralization brush using a strand wire that is commercially available was evaluated for the neutralization effect. In six months, the neutralization brush of Example 1 and the general It was confirmed that the good neutralization effect was maintained without any difference from a commercially available ordinary neutralization brush.

[Comparative Example 1]
Instead of the fiber bundle of Example 1 consisting of a single highly conductive fiber 3 and a plurality of low conductive fibers 4, a high-conductivity fiber used in Example 1 is a stainless steel monofilament having a fiber diameter of 30 μm (Nippon Seiko). The neutralizing brush of Comparative Example 1 in the same manner as in Example 1 except that a fiber bundle composed of only 15 fiber bundles (manufactured by Rinsha Co., Ltd.) was disposed in the holding part 2 to form a raised part 5. Manufactured.

The durability of the static eliminating brush of Comparative Example 1 obtained as described above was tested in the same manner as in Example 1 by a paper passing test (200,000 sheet running test). On the other hand, lodging, bending, and slipping out from the base were observed.
In the initial stage, this brush for static elimination had almost no change in conductivity from that for the static elimination brush of Example 1, but the highly conductive fiber 3 fell down and bent at various places, and the conductivity was reduced due to disconnection from the base. The sustainability was 2 to 3 months of practical use.

  The brush for static elimination of the present invention is excellent in durability, and even when used continuously for a long time, the conductive fiber is less likely to bend, bend or come off, and to remove static electricity charged on the drum or paper of the copying machine. It can be used as a static eliminator, a dust remover for automobile window glass, a stabilizer for the purpose of anti-vibration, and a cleaning material for running a magnetic tape.

It is the schematic perspective view (a) for demonstrating the principal part of one embodiment of the static elimination brush of this invention, and the plane enlarged view (b) typically shown. It is the plane enlarged view which showed typically the other embodiment of the brush for static elimination of this invention. It is the plane enlarged view which showed typically another embodiment of the brush for static elimination of this invention typically. It is the plane enlarged view typically shown which shows another example of embodiment of the static elimination brush of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the method of manufacturing the static elimination brush of this invention employ | adopted in the Example.

Explanation of symbols

1, 11, 21, 31 Neutralizing brush 2, 12, 22, 32 Gripping parts 3, 13, 23, 33 High conductive fibers 4, 14, 24, 34 Low conductive fibers 5, 15, 25, 35 fibers Bundle 6 Release sheet

Claims (4)

A bundle of one or a plurality of highly conductive fibers made of monofilaments and a set of low conductivity fibers equal to or more than the number of the highly conductive fibers;
A neutralizing brush comprising: a plurality of the fiber bundles arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval, and a gripping portion that grips the root portion thereof. The static elimination brush according to claim 1, wherein the low conductive fiber is made of a monofilament. 3. The static elimination brush according to claim 1, wherein a length of the high conductive fiber in the fiber bundle is larger than a length of the low conductive fiber. 4. The static elimination brush according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the low conductive fiber is made of a material having elasticity greater than that of the high conductive fiber.

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