JP2007248537A - Fixing device and image forming apparatus equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fixing device for maintaining high image quality and excellent toner releasing property, and an image forming apparatus equipped with the same. <P>SOLUTION: The fixing device has a fixing member whose outermost layer contains fluorocarbon siloxane rubber a contact member which has fluorine atoms in its outermost layer and comes into contact with the outermost layer surface of the fixing member, and a pressure member, and the image forming apparatus equipped with the same is also provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a fixing device and an image forming apparatus for obtaining a high-quality image on a recording medium having an image receiving layer on the surface.

In general, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a fixing device is used to fix an unfixed toner image. Conventionally, this type of fixing device includes a fixing roller, a pressure roller, and a belt that rotate while being pressed against each other, and a recording material such as a paper carrying an unfixed toner image is inserted into these pressure-contacting portions to be determined. A so-called heat fixing method for fixing a received toner image is widely used.
From the viewpoint of preventing the unfixed toner image on the recording material from adhering to the fixing roller, the pressure roller, or the belt, the toner hardly adheres to these surfaces, that is, the toner releasability. It is preferable to use a high material. From such a viewpoint, a surface layer using a fluororesin or a surface layer using silicone rubber is used.

  However, when the surface layer using the fluororesin is coated, since the fluororesin is hard, the surface cannot follow the minute irregularities, and there is a problem that the image quality of the obtained image is not good. Further, when a surface layer using silicone rubber is coated, there is a problem that it cannot withstand long-term use because components such as coloring materials contained in the toner are likely to adhere and deposit.

From the above viewpoints, a roller or belt using a fluorocarbon siloxane rubber composition is known as a surface layer that follows minute irregularities and is less likely to cause adhesion and deposition of components in the toner. When the fluorocarbon siloxane rubber composition is used as it is, as the number of printed sheets increases, the releasability deteriorates and image defects such as offset occur (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
Japanese Patent No. 2784141 Japanese Patent No. 2903972

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a fixing device capable of maintaining high image quality and good toner releasability, and an image forming apparatus using the same. Objective.

As a result of intensive studies to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present inventor has shown that the release mechanism of conventional fluorocarbon siloxane rubber has an affinity for uncrosslinked functional groups and toner in the crosslinked polymer existing inside the fluorocarbon siloxane rubber. It is considered that the releasability from the toner deteriorates due to the fact that the part with a high density gradually moves to the pole surface as the number of printed sheets increases, and the outermost layer has fluorine atoms with respect to the surface of the fluorocarbon siloxane rubber in this state. It was found that the release property was recovered by bringing the portion having a high affinity with the uncrosslinked functional group and the toner into the interior again by bringing it into contact with the member on which the material was arranged, and the present invention was completed. . As a result, the releasability which was a problem was improved, and a fixing member having high image quality and not offset was obtained.
That is, the present invention is achieved by the following means.

<1> The outermost layer includes a fixing member containing a fluorocarbon siloxane rubber, the outermost layer having a fluorine atom, and a contact member in contact with the outermost layer surface of the fixing member, and a pressure member. A fixing device.
<2> The fixing device according to <1>, wherein the outermost layer surface temperature of the fixing member is in contact with the outermost layer surface of the contact member in a range of 100C to 250C.

<3> The above <1> or <2>, wherein the material of the carrier on which the outermost layer of the contact member is formed is any one selected from metals, alloys, ceramics, and heat resistant resins The fixing device according to 1.
<4> The fixing device according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein an outermost layer of the contact member is formed on an elastic layer.

<5> The fixing device according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the contact member is a rotating body.
<6> The fixing device according to any one of <1> to <5>, wherein a heating source is provided inside the contact member.

<7> The fixing device according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein the contact member has a roller shape or a belt shape.
<8> An image forming apparatus comprising the fixing device according to <1> to <7> above.

    The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a fixing device capable of maintaining high image quality and good toner releasability, and an image forming apparatus including the same. Objective.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
The fixing device of the present invention includes a fixing member whose outermost layer contains fluorocarbon siloxane rubber, a contact member having fluorine atoms in the outermost layer contacting the outermost layer surface of the fixing member, and a pressure member. Features.
With the above-described configuration, the fixing device can maintain high image quality and good peelability.

(Contact member)
The contact member in the present invention has one or more layers on the carrier surface, and at least the outermost layer has a fluorine atom.

-Carrier-
The material for the carrier of the contact member is not particularly limited, but an inorganic substrate and a heat-resistant organic substrate are preferable from the viewpoint of heat resistance.
Examples of the inorganic base material include metals, alloys, and ceramics, and specific examples include metals such as aluminum, copper, and nickel having good thermal conductivity, alloys such as stainless steel and nickel alloys, and ceramics. Among these, aluminum is preferable in terms of workability and heat conductivity.
Examples of the heat resistant resin substrate include heat resistant resins such as polyamide, polyamideimide, polyimide, polyarylene sulfide, and polyether. Among them, polyamideimide and polyimide are preferable in terms of heat resistance and mechanical strength.
For example, in the case of an inorganic base material, these carriers are rollers such as a hollow core metal or a belt such as a Ni electroformed sheet, and the heat resistant resin is provided in the form of a belt such as a polyimide film. It is not limited to these.
Further, the carrier surface may be subjected to a surface treatment in order to firmly bond a layer formed thereon. For example, a degreasing treatment using an organic solvent, a roughening treatment by sandblasting, or a primer treatment can be performed.

-Outermost layer-
Next, of the layers formed on the carrier, the material having fluorine atoms that forms the outermost layer will be described.
The material having fluorine atoms is not particularly specified, but from the viewpoint of improving the releasability of the recording medium from the fixing member, it is 50 to 80 (mass%) of the fluorination rate of the outermost layer surface. Preferably, 59 to 76 (% by mass) is more preferable, and 60 to 76 (% by mass) is particularly preferable.
Here, the fluorination rate in the present invention refers to the mass ratio (% by mass) of fluorine atoms with respect to all elements detected by analyzing the outermost layer by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
Specifically, the value measured by the following X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) measurement method is defined as the fluorination rate of the present invention.
ESCA: Using PHI 5700 ESCA System manufactured by PHI, a 30 μm thick, 1 cm × 1 cm square sheet formed of the material constituting the outermost layer was used as a sample, and the atomic presence ratio (atm%) of fluorine atoms on the material surface was obtained. It calculated from the area ratio of the measured peak, and converted into mass from the calculated atomic abundance ratio (atm%) to calculate the fluorination rate (mass%) of the present invention.
The conditions of the said apparatus at the time of measuring a fluorination rate are as follows.
X-ray parameters Anode Material: Mg
Anode Energy: 1253.6 eV
Anode Power: 400.0W
Anode Voltage: 3.9eV
Detector parameter Detector: Multiple Channel
Input Lens: Omni Focus
Measurement area: 800μmφ

Specifically, the fluorine-containing material is preferably a fluororesin or fluororubber from the viewpoint of improving the peelability of the recording medium.
Examples of the fluororesin include tetrafluoroethylene polymer (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene / hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP), tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoromethyl vinyl ether copolymer (MFA), and tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoro. Fluorine resins such as ethyl vinyl ether copolymer (EFA) and tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA) are preferably used, PFA, EFA and PTFE are more preferable, and PFA, EFA and PTFE are particularly preferable. preferable.
Further, as the fluoro rubber, fluoro rubber such as VDF fluoro rubber, VDF-HFP fluoro rubber (binary or ternary) is preferably used, and VDF-HFP fluoro rubber is particularly preferable.
Among the above, ternary VDF-HFP fluororubber is most preferable.

  For the outermost layer, various compounding agents can be used as long as the solvent resistance is not impaired in addition to the material having the fluorine atom.

The thickness of the outermost layer is preferably 0.1 to 5000 μm, more preferably 0.1 to 3000 μm, further preferably 0.1 to 300 μm, and particularly preferably 0.1 to 100 μm. Yes.
If it is thinner than 0.1 μm, the outermost layer may be lost immediately due to wear.
If it exceeds 5000 μm, the specific heat of the outermost layer may increase, leading to a decrease in the amount of heat transfer.

The surface microhardness of the outermost layer is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 20 μm, more preferably in the range of 0.1 to 10 μm, and still more preferably in the range of 0.1 to 8 μm.
The surface microhardness can be measured using a surface microhardness meter (DUH-201S) manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation. For the measurement, a triangular pyramid indenter (indentation edge angle 115 °) was pushed into the sample surface with a load of 1.5 mN, and the indentation depth (μm) when held for 5 seconds in this state was measured. This was defined as the surface microhardness.
If the hardness is less than 0.1, the strength may decrease and there may be a problem in durability. If the hardness exceeds 20 μm, the rigidity becomes too high regardless of the thickness of the surface layer, and the belt-like fixing member is scratched. Damage may occur.

The method of forming the outermost layer is not particularly limited. For example, (1) a solution obtained by dissolving or dispersing the above-described fluorine atom-containing material in a solvent is used as the surface of the base layer (for example, when an elastic layer is provided) A method of applying and curing to the surface) (for example, when using fluororubber, fluororesin (PTFE) dispersion, etc.), and (2) a method of using a resin tube using the material containing the fluorine atom (for example, In the case of using a fluororesin (PFA) or the like), it can be appropriately selected depending on the material having a fluorine atom to be used.
In the method (1), the solvent is not particularly limited as long as it can dissolve or disperse the material containing the fluorine atom. Examples thereof include organic solvents such as MEK, MIBK, isopropyl alcohol, and butyl alcohol, and water.
Also, as the coating method, blade coating method, wire-bar coating method, ring coating method, spray coating method, dip coating method, flow coating method, bead coating method, air knife coating method, curtain coating method, etc. This method can be used. Among these, the dip coating method is advantageous and particularly preferable in terms of seamless coating, mass productivity, cost, uniformity of layer thickness, and the like.
Examples of the curing method include firing and electron beam irradiation. The firing temperature varies depending on the material having fluorine atoms to be used, but is generally 50 to 400 ° C., and preferably 100 to 400 ° C. from the viewpoint of thermal deterioration of the surface material.

-Elastic layer-
Moreover, it is preferable to provide an elastic layer between the carrier and the outermost layer.
Providing the elastic layer increases the contact area (nip region) between the outermost layer surfaces of the fixing member and the contact member, so that the function of the fixing member is restored, and the fixing member is peeled off from the recording medium. From the viewpoint of improving the properties.
As the material of the elastic layer, it is preferable to select a material having good thermal conductivity from the viewpoint of thermal response, and examples thereof include silicone rubber and fluorine rubber.
The thickness of the elastic layer is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of 0.1 μm to 10 mm. If it is thinner than 0.1 μm, the elasticity is insufficient and the effect of adding an elastic layer is lost, and there is a problem in recovery of toner releasability on the outermost layer surface of the fixing member, or durability may be insufficient. If it exceeds 10 mm, the specific heat of the contact member increases, the amount of heat transfer decreases, and the cycle time decreases.

-Manufacturing method of contact member-
The method for producing the contact member is not particularly limited, but the contact member is produced by forming the outermost layer on a base layer (for example, the carrier or the carrier having the elastic layer). Can do.

Hereinafter, the method for producing the contact member will be described by way of example in which the outermost layer is formed by the method using the resin tube containing (2) fluorine atoms, but the method is not limited thereto.
For example, after applying a primer on a carrier, the carrier and a tube made of a material having fluorine atoms are placed in a cylindrical mold sleeve.
A liquid elastic layer material is injected between the tube and the carrier, and the liquid elastic layer material is vulcanized by heating to produce a contact member.
As the primer, when the elastic layer is silicone rubber, a primer for silicone rubber (for example, trade name: DY39-051, manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd.) can be used.
The tube made of the material having fluorine atoms can be produced by extrusion molding using a known extrusion kneader or the like.
As the liquid elastic layer material, the elastic layer material described in the section of the elastic layer can be used.

  The shape of the contact member of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be any shape. Among them, a belt shape or a roll shape is preferable from the viewpoint of efficiently supplying heat by forming a nip. preferable. The contact member of the present invention is preferably a rotating body from the viewpoint of wear and scratches on the fixing member.

The contact member in the present invention preferably has a heating source therein.
The heating source is not particularly limited, and a halogen lamp or the like is used.
The outermost layer surface temperature of the fixing member when the fixing member and the contact member come into contact with each other can be set to a predetermined temperature (preferably 100 to 250 ° C.) described later by the heating source inside the contact member.

(Fixing member)
The fixing member has one or more layers on the surface of the carrier, and at least the outermost layer is a layer containing a fluorocarbon siloxane rubber.

As a material for the carrier of the fixing member, examples of the inorganic base material include metals such as aluminum, copper and nickel having good thermal conductivity, alloys such as stainless steel and nickel alloy, ceramics, and the like.
Examples of the heat resistant resin substrate include heat resistant resins such as polyamide, polyamideimide, polyimide, polyarylene sulfide, and polyether.
For example, in the case of an inorganic base material, these carriers are rollers such as a hollow core metal or a belt such as a Ni electroformed sheet, and the heat resistant resin is provided in the form of a belt such as a polyimide film. It is not limited to these.
Further, the carrier surface may be subjected to a surface treatment in order to firmly adhere the adhesive layer. For example, a degreasing treatment using an organic solvent, a roughening treatment by sandblasting, or a primer treatment can be performed.

  Further, an elastic layer made of silicone rubber or fluororubber may be provided in any layer between the carrier and the outermost layer. As the material of the elastic layer, it is preferable to select a material having good thermal conductivity from the viewpoint of thermal response.

Next, the fluorocarbon siloxane rubber forming the outermost layer among the layers formed on the carrier will be described.
The fluorocarbon siloxane rubber preferably has a perfluoroalkyl ether group and / or a perfluoroalkyl group in the main chain from the viewpoint of improving releasability from the toner and flexibility.

  In addition, as the fluorocarbon siloxane rubber composition, the supply form can be arbitrarily selected from one-pack type, two-pack type, the polymerization form, addition type, and condensation type.

The thickness of the outermost layer is preferably 300 μm or less, more preferably in the range of 1 to 300 μm, further preferably in the range of 5 to 200 μm, and particularly preferably in the range of 10 to 100 μm.
If the thickness is less than 1 μm, the elasticity is insufficient and the effect of adding a rubber layer is lost, which may cause a problem in fixability or insufficient durability. If it exceeds 300 μm, the specific heat of the belt-like fixing member increases and the amount of heat transfer decreases, which may lead to a decrease in transfer speed and cycle time.

  In addition, the hardness of the outermost layer is preferably in the range of 5 to 80 degrees, more preferably in terms of JIS A hardness (hardness measured according to JIS K6253 “hardness test method for added rubber and thermoplastic rubber”). A range of 10 degrees to 70 degrees, more preferably a range of 20 degrees to 60 degrees is suitable. If the hardness is less than 5 degrees, the strength may decrease and there may be a problem with durability. If the hardness exceeds 80 degrees, the rigidity becomes too high regardless of the thickness of the surface layer, and the belt-like fixing member and the recording are recorded. In some cases, the adhesiveness with the medium is lowered, the peeling becomes incomplete, and the problem appears as a defect in image quality.

As described above, in the fixing member in the present invention, at least the outermost layer is a layer containing a fluorocarbon siloxane rubber.
The surface of the outermost layer is preferably activated, and it is preferable that a modified silicone oil is applied to fix the silicone oil component.
That is, an active group is introduced into a fluorocarbon siloxane rubber having no active group, and then a modified silicone oil is applied to the surface of the outermost layer containing the fluorocarbon siloxane rubber into which the active group has been introduced. The active group reacts with the active group of the modified silicone oil, and the silicone oil component is immobilized on the surface of the fixing member.

The degree of the activation treatment is not particularly limited, but may be such that when a modified silicone oil to be applied later is immobilized on the surface, an amount of an active group capable of covering the surface is introduced, It is preferable to limit the treatment to such an extent that the mechanical properties of the untreated fluorocarbon siloxane rubber are not lost.
Examples of the activation treatment method include a method selected from ultraviolet irradiation treatment, corona discharge treatment, and chemical etching treatment, and ultraviolet irradiation treatment is preferable from the viewpoint of simplicity.

The ultraviolet irradiation treatment uses a low-pressure ultraviolet lamp (for example, EUV200NS-7 (output 200 W), manufactured by Sen Special Light Source Co., Ltd.) that emits short wavelength ultraviolet rays of 184.9 nm and 253.7 nm as typical wavelengths. Is preferred. The degree of irradiation is preferably integrated light quantity of 253.7nm is ^{40mJ / cm 2 ~4000mJ / cm 2} , more preferably ^{400mJ / cm 2 ~1500mJ / cm 2} .

The modified silicone oil is not particularly limited as long as it is a silicone oil having a functional group, but is not limited to amine-modified silicone oil, methyl hydrogen silicone oil, epoxy-modified silicone oil, carboxyl-modified silicone oil, mercapto-modified silicone oil, alcohol-modified silicone. A modified silicone oil selected from oils is preferred, and among these, amine-modified silicone oils are more preferred.
On the other hand, when a silicone oil having no functional group is applied to the surface of the outermost layer made of the fluorocarbon siloxane rubber composition having the active group introduced thereinto, the silicone oil component is not fixed to the surface of the fixing member. It becomes sufficient, and it is easily removed by passing paper or the like.
Further, the amount of the functional group possessed by the modified silicone oil molecule is not particularly limited, but it is sufficient that there is one functional group per molecule. Moreover, you may mix and use the silicone oil which does not have functional groups, such as a dimethyl silicone oil, in the said various modified silicone oil.

In the fixing member of the present invention, the surface of the outermost layer made of the fluorocarbon siloxane rubber that has been activated and coated with the modified silicone oil may be further heated at a temperature at which the modified silicone oil is not modified. By heating at a temperature at which the modified silicone oil is not denatured, the modified silicone oil can be quickly immobilized on the surface of the fixing member and can be more firmly immobilized.
The heating temperature, which is preferably a temperature at which the above-described modified silicone oil is not denatured, varies depending on the modified silicone oil used and the heating time, but is more preferably 50 ° C. or higher, and more preferably 100 ° C. or higher. preferable.
On the other hand, the heating time is preferably 10 min to 120 min, more preferably 30 min to 60 min.

  The fixing member in the present invention may be used in a roller shape or a belt shape.

(Pressure member)
The pressure member in the present invention is not particularly limited, and for example, a member configured in the same manner as the fixing member is used. An elastic body layer made of silicone rubber or the like is formed on the surface of a metal core made of aluminum, stainless steel, or the like. The thickness is preferably 1 to 3 mm, and the surface of the elastic layer is further coated with a release layer made of a PFA tube or the like to have a predetermined outer diameter.
A halogen lamp is also provided inside the pressure member as a heating source.
By this halogen lamp, the surface of the pressure member 25 is heated from the inside so as to reach a predetermined temperature (preferably in a range of 85 ° C. to 155 ° C.). In this pressure member, the heating source may be omitted.
The pressure member may be used in any shape such as a roller shape or a belt shape.

(Image forming device)
An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes the fixing device according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus having the fixing device of the present invention can maintain high image quality and good releasability.
The configuration other than the fixing device of the present invention used in the image forming apparatus is not particularly limited, and a known constituent member or the like can be used as necessary.
Next, an image forming apparatus provided with the fixing device of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus when the fixing device of the present invention is used. The fixing device uses the fixing member as a fixing belt, the contact member as a contact roller, and the pressure member as a pressure roller.
The image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming unit 12, a pressing roller 10, an endless fixing belt 1 that moves in the direction of arrow A, a heating roller 2 that also serves as a driving roller, a tension roller 3, and a fixing belt 1. The pressure roller 4 disposed opposite to the heating roller 2, the transfer material 5 on which the unfixed toner image T is formed, and the transfer material maintain high image quality and good releasability. For this purpose, a contact roller (contact member) 6 is provided.

In the transfer region T1, the unfixed toner image T formed on the transfer material 5 is conveyed to a fixing position F, where it is supplied between the fixing belt 1 and the pressure roller 4, and together with the fixing belt 1 therewith. It is heated and pressed by the heating roller 2 and the pressure roller 4 and fixed on the transfer material 5.
The fixing belt 1 is conveyed to the position C by the circulation movement, and the surface layer of the fixing belt 1 is brought into contact with the surface of the contact roller by the contact roller 6.
The quality of the outermost layer of the fixing belt is maintained by bringing the fixing belt 1 and the contact roller 6 into contact with each other.
The tension roller 3 and the contact roller 6 are configured so as to come into contact with each other through a fixing belt by a pressure unit (not shown), preferably in the range of 100 kPa to 200 kPa, and a nip region (not shown) is formed. Forming.

In the present invention, the outermost layer surface of the fixing belt (the fixing member) 1 and the contact roller (the contact member) 6 are brought into contact with each other, and the outermost layer surface of the fixing belt (the fixing member) 1 at the time of the contact. The temperature is preferably in the range of the predetermined temperature of 50 ° C. to 250 ° C. from the viewpoint of maintaining toner releasability and high image quality.
Furthermore, it is more preferable that it is 100-250 degreeC, and it is especially preferable that it is 100-200 degreeC. When the temperature is 100 ° C. or lower, the releasability of the layer containing the fluorocarbon siloxane rubber of the fixing member may be deteriorated. When the temperature is 250 ° C. or higher, the layer containing the fluorocarbon siloxane rubber and the elastic layer of the fixing member are thermally deteriorated. There is a case.

Since the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 uses the fixing device of the present invention that can maintain high image quality and good releasability, a high-quality image can be obtained without image quality defects such as offset. can get.
The same effect can be obtained when the contact member of the present invention is provided as a contact belt.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described specifically by way of examples. The present invention is not limited to the following contents. In this embodiment, the belt-shaped fixing member and the roller-shaped contact member have been described. However, the effect of the present invention is also effective for the roller-shaped fixing member and the belt-shaped contact member. .

Example 1
Production method of polyimide belt -Preparation of substrate-
A polyimide precursor coating film was formed by dip coating a polyimide varnish (trade name: U varnish / manufactured by Ube Industries) on a cylindrical mold made of aluminum. At that time, the pulling rate from the coating tank was adjusted so that the thickness after firing was 80 μm. Then, the mold was moved to a hot air oven and dried at a temperature of 120 ° C. for 60 minutes. After the drying treatment, baking was performed at 320 ° C. for 30 minutes to advance the imidization reaction, and then the mold was allowed to cool at room temperature, and the resin was removed from the mold to obtain a polyimide base material.
The obtained polyimide substrate was inserted into another cylindrical mold, and both ends were masked with tape.

-Formation of surface layer-
A coating liquid was prepared by mixing 70% by mass of Seifer 610 (manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), which is a fluorocarbon siloxane rubber composition, and 30% by mass of X-70-580 (manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), which is a fluorinated solvent.
Subsequently, after immersing the cylindrical mold in which the polyimide base material was set in the coating tank filled with the coating liquid, the coating film was formed on the outer peripheral surface of the base material by pulling it up at a speed of 100 mm / min.
Then, the cylindrical mold is rotated in the circumferential direction at a rotation speed of 10 rpm in an oven at 120 ° C. so that the coating film formed on the surface of the polyimide base material does not flow and deform while the axial direction of the cylindrical mold is horizontal. Then, the surface was cured by primary heat for 30 minutes, and then the cylinder was placed in a 200 ° C. high-temperature oven in a vertical position and subjected to secondary heating for 4 hours to form a surface layer having a film thickness of 25 μm made of a fluorocarbonsiloxane rubber composition. Thus, a fixing belt was obtained.

Next, the contact member was manufactured as follows.
After applying a primer for silicone rubber (trade name: DY39-051, manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd.) on an aluminum core with an outer diameter of 60 mm, a tube made of the aluminum core and PFA resin (trade name: NEOFLON PFA) And Daikin Industries, Ltd.) were placed in a cylindrical mold sleeve. Liquid silicone rubber (product name: DY35-3030, manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd.) is injected between the PFA resin tube and the aluminum core, and the silicone rubber is vulcanized by heat treatment (150 ° C. × 2 h). A contact member (PFA resin-coated roller) was prepared. The film thickness of the outermost layer at this time was 50 μm.
Next, the fixing belt and the contact member prepared above are arranged on the DocuCenter Color 400CP (Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.) with a modified fixing device, and an unfixed toner image is fixed by continuously passing 500,000 sheets. The member was nipped on the fixing belt and evaluated as described below. The toner used was a product: toner for DocuCenter Color 400CP (polymerized toner), and the temperature of the fixing belt in the nip region was adjusted to 150 ° C.

(Example 2)
In the production of the contact member of Example 1, a contact member (EFA resin-coated roller) was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that an EFA resin tube was used instead of the PFA resin tube. Evaluation was performed in the same manner.

(Example 3)
In the production of the contact member of Example 1, evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that a fluororubber-coated roller was produced as described below.
A solution obtained by dissolving the following sample in an organic solvent (MEK) was dip-coated by immersing a hollow core metal made of aluminum having an outer diameter of 60 mm having an elastic layer made of the silicone rubber previously coated with the silicone rubber primer, Baking was performed at 150 ° C. to form a heat-resistant elastomer outermost layer (fluororubber) to produce a contact member (fluorine-coated roller).
・ Fluoro rubber (Peroxide vulcanization type G-952, manufactured by Daikin Industries, Ltd.) 100 parts by mass ・ Vulcanization aid (triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) manufactured by Daikin Industries, Ltd.) 4 parts by mass (2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis (t-butylperoxy) hexane (Perhexa 25B), manufactured by NOF Corporation) 5 parts by mass

Example 4
In the production of the contact member of Example 1, PTFE dispersion (product name: polyflon PTFE, manufactured by Daikin Industries) was spray-coated on the surface of a hollow core metal made of aluminum having an outer diameter of 60 mm using the silicone rubber as an elastic layer, and then 380 Evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the contact member (PTFE resin-coated roller) was produced by baking at 0 ° C. and forming a film.

(Example 5)
In Example 1, the same kneading and pulverizing toner as described below was used in place of the polymerized toner, and the same evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.
As the kneading and pulverizing toner, a toner for Color Document 60 manufactured by Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. was used.

(Example 6)
The same evaluation as in Example 1 was performed except that the fixing belt temperature 150 ° C. in the nip region was adjusted to 100 ° C. in Example 1.

(Example 7)
In Example 1, instead of the fixing belt used, a fixing belt manufactured by the following method was used, and the same evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.
The fixing belt was produced as follows.
The outermost layer of the fixing belt produced in Example 1 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays (using a low-pressure mercury lamp EUV200NS-7 (output 200 W) manufactured by Sen Special Light Source Co., Ltd. as the treatment) so that the integrated light quantity becomes 1000 mJ / cm ^2. Activation treatment) and activation treatment.
Thereafter, the activated belt was immersed in amine-modified silicone oil (color fuser oil: W418, manufactured by Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.), taken out after 1 hour, and activated by wiping off excess amine-modified silicone oil. A fixing belt made of polyimide having an amine-modified silicone oil coated on the outermost layer made of a perfluorocarbon siloxane rubber composition was obtained.

(Example 8)
In Example 1, after fixing and before the contact member was nipped to the fixing belt, amine-modified silicone oil (color fuser oil: W418, manufactured by Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.) was supplied at 0.2 μl / A4. It carried out similarly to Example 1 and evaluated similarly.

(Comparative Example 1)
The contact member of Example 1 was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the contact member was not coated with PFA resin, and evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

Example 9
Evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the temperature of the fixing belt of Example 1 was changed from 150 ° C. to 25 ° C.

(Example 10)
Evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the temperature of the fixing belt of Example 1 was changed from 150 ° C. to 260 ° C.

(Example 11)
Evaluations were made in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the temperature of the fixing belt of Example 1 was changed from 90 ° C. to 90 ° C.

(Example 12)
Evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the temperature of the fixing belt of Example 1 was changed to 150 ° C. to 250 ° C.

[Evaluation]
-Evaluation of toner release maintaining ability-
The toner release maintainability after fixing 500,000 sheets was evaluated according to the following criteria by observing the posture of the paper when the paper after fixing was peeled off from the fixing belt.
A: A level that does not wrap around the fixing belt.
B: Although it is slightly wrapped around the fixing belt side, it is a level at which there is no practical problem.
C: Wound slightly on the fixing belt side, but at a level where there is no practical problem.
D: Wound around the fixing belt (separation failure).

-Image quality-
The image quality of the fixed image after fixing 500,000 sheets was visually evaluated according to the following criteria.
A: There are no image defects (image roughness, offset, oil streaks).
B: There are no image defects (image roughness, offset, oil streaks) (very minor image defects exist).
C: Minor image defects occur (level at which there is no practical problem).
D: An image defect occurs.

1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus including a fixing device of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fixing belt, 2 Heating roller (fixing roller), 3 Tension roller, 4 Pressure roller, 5 Transfer object, 6 Contact roller (contact member), 10 Press roller, 12 Toner image formation means, A direction, C contact position , T toner, T1 transfer area

Claims (2)

A fixing member, wherein the outermost layer includes a fixing member containing a fluorocarbon siloxane rubber, a contact member having fluorine atoms in the outermost layer and contacting the outermost layer surface of the fixing member, and a pressure member. apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising the fixing device according to claim 1.

Images