JP4272872B2 - Manufacturing method of fixing belt - Google Patents

Description

表１の結果より被覆層原料の粘度や環状流路幅等にもよるが、被覆層原料の膜厚はｇの０．６５倍〜０．９５倍の範囲が好ましい。被覆層原料の膜厚をｇの０．６５倍以上にすることによって、塗工膜が間歇的に円筒表面に塗工されず、塗膜欠陥が起こりにくい。また、被覆層原料の膜厚を０．９５倍以下にすることにより、環状ノズル内壁に塗工面が触れることがなく、高精度の膜厚形成が可能となる。また、間隔（ｇ）に対するこの値は、より好ましくは０．７０倍〜０．９０倍の膜厚を塗工するのが良く、更に好ましくは、０．７５倍〜０．８５倍の膜厚を塗工するのが良い。
【００４０】
このようにして被覆層原料の形成されたＮｉ電鋳製直円筒２に、実施例１と同様の処理を行ない、被覆層付き逆クラウン形状物１を得た。実施例１と同様に外径を測定したところ、滑らかに変化しており、外観上、覆層の色調異常のない被覆層付き非直円筒を得ることができた。
【００４１】
クラウン量（ｋ）をｋ＝Ｒｂ−Ｒａとすると（最細部の半径をＲａ、最太部の半径をＲｂとする）、環状ノズルの半径をＲとすると、環状塗工法により安定して塗工できる膜厚（ｔ）の範囲は、０．７５×（Ｒ−Ｒａ）≦ｔ、０．８５×（Ｒ−Ｒｂ）≧ｔと表せる。これより、Ｒ−Ｒａ≦ｔ／０．７５、−Ｒ＋Ｒｂ≦−ｔ／０．８５、これらを加えると、Ｒｂ−Ｒａ＝ｋ≦ｔ／０．７５−ｔ／０．８５から、直円筒度とそれに安定的に塗工できる塗工範囲が求まる。ある膜厚（ｔ）を安定的に塗工しようとしたとき、それより小さいクラウン量（ｋ）の円柱や円筒なら、環状塗工法により平滑で均一な被覆層付き円筒や円柱を得ることができることを表している。
【００４２】
より具体的にいうと、３００μｍの膜厚の被覆層を非直円柱及び非直円筒に塗工しようとすると、クラウン量がおおよそ４７μｍより小さい円柱及び円筒表面に平滑で均一膜厚を有する高精度の被覆層を形成することができる。
【００４３】
さらには、予め円筒に環状塗工法により被覆層原料を形成しておき、その後、クラウン量の大きな拡管中子を非直円筒内に挿入し、円筒に対し拡管中子を相対的に大きく熱膨張させることにより、大きなクラウン量を有する非直円筒を得ることができる。
【００４４】
【発明の効果】
以上説明したように、本発明によれば、被覆層を表面に形成した円筒内に非直円柱形状の拡管中子を挿入し、拡管中子を円筒に対し相対的に大きく熱膨張又は円筒を拡管中子に対し相対的に大きく熱収縮させることにより、円筒を拡管変形させ、非直円筒形状にすることによって、表面が平滑で均一な被覆層を有する被覆層付き非直円筒を得ることを可能にした。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の被覆層付き非直円筒の形成方法を示す側面図である。
【図２】本発明の環状塗工法を示す要部見取り図である。
【図３】本発明の環状塗工法により、直円筒状基材表面への被覆層原料の塗工状況を示す要部断面図である。
【図４】本発明の実施例１及び比較例１により作成した被覆層付き非直円筒の外径測定結果である。
【図５】本発明により作成した定着ベルトを使用する像加熱定着装置の説明図である。
【図６】本発明により作成した被覆層付き非直円筒の膜厚測定結果である。
【符号の説明】
１ 被覆層付き非直円筒
２ 被覆層原料付き直円筒
３ 拡管中子
４ 直円筒
５ 中子
６ 被覆層原料
７ シリンダー
８ ピストン
９ 液送管
１０ 環状ヘッド
１１ 注入口
１２ 液貯留部
１３ 環状流路
１４ 環状ノズル
１５ 本発明による被覆層付き非直円筒の外径測定結果
１６ 比較例１による被覆層付き非直円筒の外径測定結果
１７ 定着ベルト
１８ 加熱体
１９ 支持体
２０ 加圧ローラ
２１ 担持体[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a non-right cylinder with a coating layer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, recording paper has been transported with high accuracy, such as a belt with a coating layer of an image heating and fixing device disposed in an electrophotographic apparatus such as a copying machine, a laser beam printer, or a facsimile, or a belt with a coating layer has been made uniform. In a device that requires pressure contact with the nip width, the central axis of the belt with a coating layer, such as a crown shape or a reverse crown shape, is formed around the belt with the coating layer, depending on the requirements for conveyance of the recording paper and prevention of wrinkling of the recording paper. A non-cylindrical shape whose outer shape is changed along the direction is required. Furthermore, the film thickness of the coating layer, which is a highly heat-conductive, heat-resistant elastic body, is uniform on the belt from the viewpoint of fixing performance that heats and melts the toner on the recording paper and stably fixes the toner image on the entire recording paper without uneven gloss. And flatness are required.
[0003]
The following method can be considered as a method for uniformly forming a coating layer on such a non-right cylinder.
(1) A method in which a coating layer material is coated on a rotating non-cylinder surface while moving a spray gun, and when the thickness reaches a predetermined thickness, the coating is stopped and the coating layer material is cured.
(2) A non-cylinder cylinder that has been treated so that the inner surface is not coated is placed in a dip bath containing the coating layer raw material, the pulling speed is adjusted so as to obtain a predetermined film thickness, the non-cylinder cylinder is pulled up, and then the coating layer raw material How to cure.
[0004]
(3) The heat-resistant resin is continuously supplied to the surface of the crown-like or reverse-crown-like core by a dispenser, and the supplied liquid is moved by moving the dispenser at a constant speed in the direction of the axis of rotation of the core. A method is described in which a heat-resistant resin is spirally wound around the outer surface of a core to form a uniform coating layer (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By this dispenser method, the coating layer material is applied to the surface of the non-cylinder cylinder.
(4) While the non-cylinder and the annular nozzle are moved relative to each other, the coating layer material is applied from the annular nozzle onto the non-cylinder by the annular coating method.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-094461 A
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the above-described conventional methods (1) to (4) for forming a coating layer on a non-right cylinder, the following problems may occur.
In (1), the coating layer formed on the surface of the fixing belt is a highly heat-conductive heat-resistant elastic layer, and a large amount of a filler such as a metal oxide is added to the silicone rubber material in order to increase the heat conductivity. In this case, the viscosity of the coating layer raw material is extremely high. Since the coating layer raw material itself is unsuitable for the spray method, spraying can be performed only after dilution with a solvent or the like to lower the viscosity. In that case, it may be unsuitable for fixing belts due to low yield of spray coating, environmental conservation measures for solvent, separation due to precipitation of filler in solvent-diluted coating layer materials, etc. .
[0007]
In (2), as in (1), if a non-cylinder is pulled up from a dip bath containing a coating layer material that is a very high-viscosity material to obtain a uniform predetermined thickness, shielding to the coating-unnecessary part is performed. It is possible to take a very long time of several hours for film formation, but depending on the composition of the coating layer raw material, it may not be practical due to film thickness variations due to vibrations, earthquakes, etc. .
[0008]
In (3), when the coating layer raw material is to be applied to the non-cylinder cylinder by the dispenser coating method using the technique described in Patent Document 1, in particular, in the high heat conductive heat resistant elastic layer like the coating layer of the fixing belt, For the same reason as (1), the coating layer material may become extremely high in viscosity. When the coating layer material is applied by spiral coating with a dispenser, the coating layer material is coated due to the overlapping state on the surface of the belt base material. The surface of the layer is uneven, and a fixing belt using the layer has a difference in toner pressurization and heat conduction, which may cause a fixing defect such as uneven gloss on the toner fixed image on the recording paper.
[0009]
In (4), the annular coating method on the surface of the right cylinder is based on the distance between the annular nozzle and the right cylinder, and the coating film thickness is set to be smaller than that distance, thereby providing a uniform coating with high accuracy. A membrane can be obtained. However, if an annular coating is to be performed on the non-cylinder, the annular nozzle scrapes the coating layer material formed on the non-cylinder, or the non-cylinder and the annular nozzle are in sliding contact with each other. In some cases, it is difficult to form a uniform coating layer.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a non-rectilinear cylinder having a smooth and uniform coating layer, which has been made in order to improve the drawbacks of the conventional example.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  The present invention is a method for producing a fixing belt comprising a non-rectilinear cylinder with a coating layer having a non-cylinder cylinder and a coating layer containing silicone rubber covering the peripheral surface of the non-cylinder cylinder,
(1) a step of applying a coating layer material containing addition-type silicone rubber on the peripheral surface of a right cylinder;
(2) Insert a non-straight-column-shaped expanded core into the straight cylinder with the coating layer material obtained in the step (1), heat the expanded core, and convert the expanded core into the straight cylinder. And a step of expanding the straight cylinder into a non-cylinder shape by relatively large thermal expansion, and curing the coating layer raw material.And
  The right circular cylinder has a circular cross section whose difference between the maximum and minimum cross-sectional diameters in the longitudinal direction is less than 0.050 mm.
  The non-right cylinder has a circular cross section with a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the cross-sectional diameter in the longitudinal direction being 0.050 mm or more.
  The non-straight cylindrical tube expansion core has a circular cross section in which the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the cross sectional diameter in the longitudinal direction is 0.030 mm or more.The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a fixing belt.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  The present invention is a method for producing a fixing belt comprising a non-right cylinder having a non-right cylinder and a non-right cylinder with a coating layer, which includes a coating layer containing silicone rubber covering the peripheral surface of the non-right cylinder,
(1) a step of applying a coating layer material containing addition-type silicone rubber on the peripheral surface of a right cylinder;
(2) Insert a non-straight-column-shaped expanded core into the straight cylinder with the coating layer material obtained in step (1), heat the expanded core, and relatively expand the expanded core relative to the straight cylinder. A step of expanding and deforming the straight cylinder to a non-cylinder shape by greatly expanding the heat and hardening the coating layer raw material.And
  The right circular cylinder has a cross-sectional circle whose difference between the maximum and minimum cross-sectional diameters in the longitudinal direction is less than 0.050 mm,
  The non-rectilinear cylinder has a cross-sectional circle with a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the cross-sectional diameter in the longitudinal direction of 0.050 mm or more,
  The non-cylindrical cylindrical expansion core has a circular cross section in which the difference between the maximum and minimum cross-sectional diameters in the longitudinal direction is 0.030 mm or more.The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a fixing belt.
For example, when used as a fixing belt for an image heating fixing device, recording paper can be conveyed with high accuracy and wrinkles during conveyance of the recording paper can be prevented. Furthermore, having a coating layer with film thickness uniformity and flatness on a cylinder has good fixing performance that heats and melts the toner on the recording paper and stably fixes the toner image on the entire recording paper without uneven gloss. Can do.
[0012]
The “right cylinder” in the present invention has a circular shape in which the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the cross-sectional diameter (inner diameter or outer diameter) in the longitudinal direction is less than 0.050 mm, and the inside is hollow. “Non-right cylinder” means that the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the cross-sectional diameter (inner diameter or outer diameter) in the longitudinal direction is 0.050 mm or more, and has, for example, a crown shape, an inverted crown shape, a taper shape, etc. And the inside is hollow. Here, the crown shape is a shape in which the central portion in the axial direction is thick and both end portions are narrowed, and the reverse crown shape is a shape in which the central portion in the axial direction is thin and both end portions are thick. In addition, the taper shape represents a shape in which the outer diameter gradually increases or decreases. The “non-right cylindrical shape” means a crown shape, an inverted crown shape, a taper shape or the like in which the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the cross-sectional diameter in the longitudinal direction is 0.030 mm or more. Or any shape of a rod shape may be sufficient.
[0013]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a method for forming a non-right cylinder with a coating layer. Reference numeral 2 denotes a straight cylinder with a coating layer material, 3 denotes an inverted crown-shaped tube expansion core, and 1 denotes a non-cylinder with a coating layer. A non-cylinder 1 with a coating layer is obtained by inserting a reverse-crown-shaped expansion core 3 into a straight cylinder 2 with a coating layer material and performing tube expansion deformation.
Here, “the coating layer is formed” means that the coating layer raw material is applied and the coating layer raw material is cured by applying heat at the time of tube expansion deformation due to thermal expansion, or the coating layer cured in advance before the tube expansion deformation. It represents the case where it exists.
[0014]
  Coating layermaterialAsTheRicorngoTheUseThe CoveredThe thickness of the covering layer is preferably 1 to 2000 μm. More preferably, it is 10-1000 micrometers. More preferably, it is 50-500 micrometers.
[0015]
The insertion position of the expansion core is preferably a position where the axis of the cylinder with the coating layer and the axis of the expansion core coincide. By inserting a tube expansion core at this position, it is possible to effectively perform tube expansion deformation and form a non-straight cylindrical shape.
The straight cylinder is a seamless tube manufactured by methods such as electroforming, drawing, deep drawing, cutting, spinning, bulging, etc., looped, annular, tubular, formed by connecting the ends of the sheet-like film, The material includes a ring shape, a cylindrical shape, a ring shape, a hollow shape, and the like. The material may be a single material of metal, ceramics, or plastic, a laminated material, or a composite material.
[0016]
  As above, the tube core is covered with the coating layer.materialIn order to expand and deform the pipe with a relatively large thermal expansion, a coating layer with a small linear expansion coefficientmaterialWith cylinder and this coating layermaterialHeating both non-straight cylindrical tube expansion cores inserted into a cylinder with a large linear expansion coefficient, and tube expansion cores and coating layersmaterialThis is possible by thermally shielding the attached cylinder and thermally expanding only the expanded core. Also, the coating layermaterialIn order to heat-shrink a cylinder with a tube relative to the expanded core and cause the expanded deformation, a coating layer with a large linear expansion coefficientmaterialThis is possible by exposing both the attached cylinder and the non-straight cylindrical expanded core inserted into the cylinder to a low temperature such as liquid nitrogen temperature. Where the coating layermaterialThe linear expansion coefficient of the attached cylinder represents the linear expansion coefficient of the material that forms the innermost layer and is in direct contact with the expanded core.
[0017]
  In this way, the temperature when pipe expansion deformation is caused by heat shrinkage is the coating layer.materialAlthough it depends on the material of the attached cylinder and the expanding core, it is preferably -50 ° C or lower. More preferably, it is -100 degrees C or less. More preferably, it is −150 ° C. or lower. Also, the coating layermaterialThe temperature when heating both the attached cylinder and the tube expansion core is the difference in the linear expansion coefficient between the straight cylinder and the non-columnar tube expansion core, the gap width between the straight cylinder and the non-columnar tube expansion core, Furthermore, the temperature may be optimized in consideration of the curing temperature of the coating layer material, but it is preferably 100 to 400 ° C. More preferably, it is 150-350 degreeC. More preferably, it is 200-300 degreeC. The temperature in the case where only the expanded core is heated by thermally blocking the expanded core is preferably 100 to 500 ° C. More preferably, it is 150-400 degreeC. More preferably, it is 200-300 degreeC.
[0018]
The heating method for the cylinder with the coating layer raw material and the non-straight cylindrical expansion core is generally put into a flowing air hot air dryer set to a predetermined temperature. To obtain a straight cylinder with a coating layer in a short time by rapidly heating the expanded core of the pipe by high-frequency induction heating, or by flowing a high-temperature fluid into the tubular expanded core and rapidly heating it. You can also.
[0019]
The coating layer raw material may be hardened by heating at the time of heating, even if it is already cured before heating the straight cylinder into which the non-cylindrical cylindrical expansion core is inserted into a non-straight cylindrical shape, If there is a risk that wrinkles or cracks may occur in the coating layer formed on the surface due to the situation where the straight cylinder is deformed into a non-cylinder, the thermal expansion of the non-cylindrical cylindrical expansion core is completed. Curing immediately before or after completion is more preferable because the coating layer material can follow the deformation of the right cylinder. Further, at this time, the coating layer material formed on the surface of the right cylinder is also heated and cured, so that the deformation process to the non-right cylinder and the curing process of the coating layer material can be integrated, and the process can be shortened.
[0022]
In the non-cylinder with a covering layer and the manufacturing method thereof, when the expansion core is subjected to thermal expansion relatively large with respect to the cylinder to perform expansion expansion, the difference in linear expansion coefficient (α2−α1) is 0.5 × 10.^-Five-10.0 x 10^-Five(K^-1) Is preferred. More preferably, the difference between the linear expansion coefficients (α2−α1) is 0.8 × 10.^-Five~ 8.0 × 10^-Five(K^-1) Is good. More preferably, the difference in linear expansion coefficient (α2−α1) is 1.0 × 10.^-Five~ 5.0 × 10^-Five(K^-1) Is good. Further, when the tube is deformed by expanding the cylinder relatively heat-shrinking relative to the expansion core, the difference in coefficient of linear expansion (α1-α2) is 0.5 × 10.^-Five-10.0 x 10^-Five(K^-1) Is preferred. More preferably, the difference in linear expansion coefficient (α1-α2) is 0.8 × 10^-Five~ 8.0 × 10^-Five(K^-1) Is good. More preferably, the difference in linear expansion coefficient (α1-α2) is 1.0 × 10^-Five~ 5.0 × 10^-Five(K^-1) Is good.
[0023]
In the present invention, the coating method of the coating layer material to be coated on the right cylinder may be any method such as spray coating, spin coating, dip coating, blade coating, dispenser coating, and annular coating. Applicable.
Moreover, in this invention, it is the non-right cylinder in which the coating layer is formed in the cylinder surface by the cyclic | annular coating method, and its manufacturing method. Thus, by using the annular coating method, a smooth surface with a uniform film thickness can be applied in a short time and with high accuracy without solvent dilution of a highly viscous liquid on a straight cylinder. When the cyclic coating method is used, the viscosity of the coating layer raw material is preferably 0.01 to 1000 Pa · s. More preferably, the viscosity of the coating layer material is 0.1 to 800 Pa · s. The viscosity was measured by a BL rotational viscometer method at a temperature of 25 ° C.
[0024]
As the annular coating method of the present invention, a known method can be used. For example, the situation in which the coating layer raw material is applied to the surface of a straight cylindrical substrate by the annular coating method shown in FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. The straight cylinder 4 is fixed to the core 5, and the coating layer raw material 6 is pushed down at a constant speed in the cylinder 7 (the drive unit is not shown). After being guided to the inlet 11 and stored in the annular liquid storage part 12, it is discharged from the annular nozzle 14 through the annular narrow annular flow path 13. At this time, the coating layer raw material is applied by relatively moving the right cylinder 4 fixed to the core 5 and the annular head 10 at a predetermined speed in the axial direction of the right cylinder 4 (a drive system is not shown). .
[0025]
Moreover, in this invention, it is a non-right cylinder whose cylinder is a metal, and its manufacturing method. Thus, by using a metal for the cylinder, the strength of the non-right cylinder with the coating layer can be improved. Ni and its alloys are preferably used as the metal.
In this invention, it is the non-right cylinder with a coating layer in which the cylinder is formed by the electroforming method, and its manufacturing method. Thus, by forming the cylinder by electroforming, the surface of the cylinder is smoothed, the film thickness of the coating layer raw material is made uniform, and it is easy to perform tube expansion deformation, thereby obtaining a non-cylinder cylinder with a coating layer. Is preferable. A more preferable cylinder is a Ni cylinder formed by electroforming.
[0026]
  In the present inventionIs coveredBy using an elastic layer as the covering layer, for example, when a non-rectilinear cylinder with a covering layer manufactured according to the present invention is used as a fixing belt, the belt has good fixability of toner to a recording medium and conveyance performance of the recording medium. It can be.
In the present inventionThe bulletBy using a silicone rubber layer as the adhesive layer, for example, when a non-rectilinear cylinder with a coating layer produced according to the present invention is used as a belt, the toner is reliably applied to the recording medium by having high heat resistance and excellent rubber elasticity. A fixing belt excellent in fixing performance for pressing and melting can be obtained.
[0027]
In the present invention, the non-right cylinder with an elastic layer is preferably a fixing belt of an image heating fixing device. In this way, when a non-right cylinder with a coating layer is used as a fixing belt for an image heating fixing device, it can be a belt having good fixability of toner to a recording medium and recording medium conveyance performance, It is possible to effectively fix the toner onto the toner carrier and transport the toner carrier.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an image heating fixing device using the fixing belt of the present invention. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 17 denotes a fixing belt according to the present invention. Reference numeral 18 denotes a heating body of the fixing belt 17, and the heating body 18 is held by a support body 19. A pressure roller 20 is driven by a driving means (not shown). As shown in the figure, the image heating and fixing apparatus has a carrier 21 such as a paper carrying toner for forming an image between the fixing belt 17 and the pressure roller 20 to be transported and received from the heater. The heat to the fixing belt is transferred to the toner through the surface layer material, and the toner is fixed on the paper by pressing and heating.
[0028]
【Example】
The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples. However, these examples do not limit the present invention.
[0029]
Example 1
Hereinafter, as an embodiment according to the present invention, the manufacturing method of the non-right cylinder 1 with the covering layer shown in FIG. 1 is reversed using the straight cylinder 2 with the covering layer raw material and the tube-shaped expansion core 3 having an inverted crown shape non-right column. A method of deforming into a crown shape will be described as an example.
[0030]
2 and the main part sectional view 3 showing the coating state, Ni electroforming (α1 = 1.1 × 10) having a longitudinal dimension of 240 mm, a wall thickness of 30 μm, and an inner diameter of 30.0000 mm.^-FiveK^-1) The straight cylinder 4 is fixed to the core 5, and addition type silicone (DY35-561 (trade name): manufactured by Toray Dow Corning: viscosity: 120 Pa · s) is constant from the inside of the cylinder 7 as the coating layer raw material 6. The piston 8 is pushed down at a speed (the drive unit is not shown), and is guided to the inlet 11 of the annular head portion 10 by the liquid feed tube 9 by the piston 8 and is stored in the annular liquid storage portion 12. After that, the Ni electroformed cylinder 4 and the annular head, which are discharged from the annular nozzle 14 and fixed to the core 5 at this time, are relatively moved at a predetermined speed in the axial direction of the cylinder (the drive system is not shown). Thus, the coating layer raw material was applied with a thickness of 300.0 μm. As shown in FIG. 1, an Al crown expansion core (α2 = 2.3 × 10 × 10) having an inverted crown shape is placed in the straight cylinder 2 with the coating layer material.^-FiveK^-1) 3 was inserted. The outermost diameter details of the central part of the Al expanded core 3 at room temperature are processed to 29.9700 mm, and the thickest parts at both ends are processed to 30.000 mm.
[0031]
Insert the Al inverted crown-shaped tube expansion core 3 into the Ni electroformed straight cylinder 2 on which the coating layer material is formed, and put it in a hot air dryer at 200 ° C. for 4 hours. The electroformed straight cylinder was transformed into a crown shape. After a predetermined time, the tube was cooled to room temperature, the Al tube expansion core 3 was removed, and an inverted crown-shaped article 1 with a coating layer was obtained. The result of measuring the outer diameter at this time with a laser length measuring device at a pitch of 20 mm from 10 mm positions on both ends is shown in FIG. From the appearance, there is no color tone abnormality of the cover layer, and it can be seen from the measurement result that the non-right cylindrical shape with the cover layer is smoothly changed in outer diameter.
[0032]
(Comparative Example 1)
Prepare a mother mold having the same shape and dimensions as the Al expanded core 3 of Example 1, deposit Ni in the electroforming bath on the surface by electroforming, and take it out from the electroforming bath when it becomes 30 μm thick, The matrix was melted to obtain an inverted crown Ni electroforming.
[0033]
On this surface, as the coating layer raw material, addition type silicone (DY35-561 (trade name): manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd .: viscosity 120 Pa · s) is rotated at a constant speed by rotating the reverse crown-shaped Ni electroforming by a dispenser method, Spiral coating of the coating layer material on the electroforming surface is performed by moving the dispenser in the direction of the electroforming axis and discharging the coating layer material in a spiral manner. After the coating layer material was cured and returned to room temperature, a non-right cylinder with a coating layer according to Comparative Example 1 was obtained.
[0034]
The result of measuring the outer diameter at this time with a laser length measuring device at a pitch of 20 mm from the positions of 10 mm on both ends is shown in FIG. The outer diameter changes irregularly, and a change in color tone is recognized in a spiral shape from the appearance, and it can be seen from the measurement results that such a striped portion is uneven.
The following evaluation was performed using the non-cylinder with a coating layer manufactured according to Example 1 and Comparative Example 1.
[0035]
(Evaluation of transportability and fixability)
The belts produced in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were mounted on the image heating and fixing apparatus shown in FIG. 5, and the toner fixing performance and recording paper transport performance were confirmed. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 17 is a fixing belt with a coating layer, 18 is a heating body of the fixing belt 17, and 19 is a support body that supports the heating body 18 and supports the rotation of the fixing belt 17.
A pressure roller 20 is driven by a driving unit (not shown). As shown in FIG. 5, the image heating and fixing apparatus receives a carrier 21 such as a recording paper carrying a toner for forming an image between the fixing belt 17 and the pressure roller 20. Heat to the fixing belt is transmitted to the toner through the coating layer, and the toner is fixed by pressing and heating the recording paper.
[0036]
A plurality of recording papers carrying unfixed toner were conveyed and inserted, and fixing performance and recording paper conveyance performance were confirmed. As a result, it was confirmed that the fixing belt according to Example 1 has extremely high quality fixing properties. In addition, when the recording paper conveyance performance was confirmed by long-time conveyance insertion, it was also confirmed that stable conveyance performance without paper jams was obtained. On the other hand, in the fixing belt according to Comparative Example 1, not only the occurrence of paper flaws was observed, but also streak-like fixing unevenness considered to be due to poor surface flatness was observed. It was found that the fixing performance was inferior.
[0037]
(Evaluation of coating thickness distribution)
The axial runout of the non-cylinder with a coating layer according to Example 1 in the axial direction is precisely measured by a laser length measuring machine, and after further removing the coating layer, the non-right cylinder of the axial direction by the laser length measuring machine. By measuring the shake precisely, the film thickness distribution can be obtained from the difference between the shakes of the two. FIG. 6 shows the film thickness distribution thus obtained. The film thickness distribution of the coating layer, which is a highly heat-conductive heat-resistant elastic layer, is 300.0 μm at the center portion of the inverted crown shape, which is a slight 299.4 μm at both ends, but has a thickness gradient. . However, it can be understood that such a slight thickness gradient is not a value that causes a problem with respect to the fixing performance and the recording paper conveyance performance, as described above.
The non-right cylinder with a coating layer according to the present invention can be measured by such a method.
[0038]
(Example 2)
Made of Ni electroforming similar to that used in Example 1 (α1 = 1.1 × 10^-FiveK^-1) Addition type silicone (DY35-561 (trade name): manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd .: viscosity: 120 Pa · s) as the coating layer raw material 6 on the straight cylinder 4 using an annular coating method as shown in FIG. Coating was performed by changing the film thickness of the coating layer raw material with respect to the interval (g) between the right cylindrical base material and the annular nozzle. In addition, the coating state of the non-right cylinder manufactured by the present Example was evaluated visually as follows.
○: Coating unevenness is not recognized at all.
Δ: Slight coating unevenness is observed, but there is no problem.
X: Coating unevenness is observed everywhere.
[0039]
[Table 1]

Although it depends on the viscosity of the coating layer raw material, the annular flow path width, and the like from the results in Table 1, the film thickness of the coating layer raw material is preferably in the range of 0.65 to 0.95 times g. By making the film thickness of the coating layer material 0.65 times g or more, the coating film is not intermittently applied to the cylindrical surface, and coating film defects are unlikely to occur. Moreover, by making the film thickness of the coating layer raw material 0.95 times or less, the coating surface does not touch the inner wall of the annular nozzle, and a highly accurate film thickness can be formed. Moreover, this value with respect to the interval (g) is more preferably 0.70 to 0.90 times, more preferably 0.75 to 0.85 times. It is good to apply.
[0040]
In this way, the Ni electroformed straight cylinder 2 on which the coating layer material was formed was treated in the same manner as in Example 1 to obtain an inverted crown-shaped article 1 with a coating layer. The outer diameter was measured in the same manner as in Example 1. As a result, it was possible to obtain a non-cylindrical cylinder with a coating layer that was smoothly changed and that did not have an abnormal color tone of the coating layer.
[0041]
When the crown amount (k) is k = Rb-Ra (the radius of the most detail is Ra and the radius of the thickest part is Rb), and the radius of the annular nozzle is R, the coating is stably performed by the annular coating method. The range of the film thickness (t) that can be expressed can be expressed as 0.75 × (R−Ra) ≦ t and 0.85 × (R−Rb) ≧ t. From this, R−Ra ≦ t / 0.75, −R + Rb ≦ −t / 0.85, and when these are added, Rb−Ra = k ≦ t / 0.75−t / 0.85, And the coating range that can be applied stably is obtained. When a certain film thickness (t) is to be applied stably, if a cylinder or cylinder with a smaller crown amount (k) is used, a smooth and uniform cylinder or cylinder with a coating layer can be obtained by the annular coating method. Represents.
[0042]
More specifically, when a coating layer having a film thickness of 300 μm is applied to a non-cylinder and a non-cylinder, a high precision with a smooth and uniform film thickness on the surface of the cylinder and cylinder with a crown amount smaller than approximately 47 μm. The coating layer can be formed.
[0043]
Furthermore, the coating layer raw material is formed in advance on the cylinder by the annular coating method, and then the expanded core with a large crown is inserted into the non-straight cylinder, and the expanded core is relatively large in thermal expansion with respect to the cylinder. By doing so, a non-right cylinder having a large crown amount can be obtained.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, a non-straight cylindrical expansion core is inserted into a cylinder having a coating layer formed on the surface, and the expansion core is relatively large in thermal expansion or cylinder relative to the cylinder. To obtain a non-cylinder with a coating layer having a smooth and uniform coating layer by deforming the cylinder into a non-cylindrical shape by subjecting the expansion core to heat shrinkage relatively large. Made possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a method for forming a non-right cylinder with a coating layer according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a main part sketch showing the annular coating method of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a principal part showing a coating state of a coating layer raw material on the surface of a straight cylindrical substrate by the annular coating method of the present invention.
4 is a result of measuring the outer diameter of a non-cylinder with a coating layer prepared according to Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an image heating fixing device using a fixing belt prepared according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a film thickness measurement result of a non-cylinder with a coating layer prepared according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Non-cylinder with coating layer
2 Straight cylinder with coating layer material
3 Expanded core
4 Straight cylinder
5 core
6 Coating layer raw material
7 cylinders
8 Piston
9 Liquid feeding tube
10 Ring head
11 Inlet
12 Liquid reservoir
13 Annular channel
14 Annular nozzle
15 Measurement result of outer diameter of non-cylinder with covering layer according to the present invention
16 Outer diameter measurement result of non-cylinder with covering layer according to Comparative Example 1
17 Fixing belt
18 Heating body
19 Support
20 Pressure roller
21 Carrier

Claims (2)

A method for producing a fixing belt comprising a non-right cylinder and a non-right cylinder with a coating layer, which has a coating layer containing silicone rubber covering the peripheral surface of the non-right cylinder,
(1) a step of applying a coating layer material containing addition-type silicone rubber on the peripheral surface of a right cylinder;
(2) Insert a non-straight-column-shaped expanded core into the straight cylinder with the coating layer material obtained in the step (1), heat the expanded core, and convert the expanded core into the straight cylinder. have a, and curing the coated layer material with to tube expansion deforming the straight cylindrical by relatively large thermal expansion against the a non-linear cylindrical shape,
The right circular cylinder has a circular cross section whose difference between the maximum and minimum cross-sectional diameters in the longitudinal direction is less than 0.050 mm.
The non-right cylinder has a circular cross section with a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the cross-sectional diameter in the longitudinal direction being 0.050 mm or more.
The method of manufacturing a fixing belt, wherein the non-cylindrical cylindrical expansion core has a circular cross section in which a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of a cross sectional diameter in the longitudinal direction is 0.030 mm or more . The method for manufacturing a fixing belt according to claim 1, wherein the right cylinder is a nickel electroformed straight cylinder, and the tube expansion core is an aluminum tube expansion core.

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