JP4488192B2 - Smoothing device for resin coated roller surface - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fixing roller having a smooth surface used for fixing an unfixed image on a transfer paper in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a laser printer, and a facsimile machine. The present invention relates to a resin-coated roller coated with a thermoplastic resin, a manufacturing apparatus thereof, and a manufacturing method.

  A conventional fixing roller has a structure in which a primer layer and a resin coating layer are sequentially formed on a cored bar. The resin coating layer is formed by coating a thermoplastic resin on a core bar on which a primer layer has been previously formed. As such a thermoplastic resin, a releasable resin such as a fluororesin is used because releasability with respect to toner and continuous durability at a toner fixing temperature (usually 180 to 200 ° C.) are required. .

  Polytetrafluoroethylene copolymer (PTFE) has been used as the fluororesin, but since tetrafluoroethylene-polyethylenefluorovinyl ether copolymer (PFA) has better processability than PTFE, PFA has recently been fixed. It is used as the main material for release layers for rolls.

  Since the surface of the resin coating layer composed of such a releasable resin (such as a fluororesin) must have releasability with respect to the toner, the ten-point average roughness (Rz) is 1 to 3 μm. Further, smoothness of about 2 to 4 μm is required.

  Therefore, conventionally, the pressure roller is configured so as to be movable and rotatable in the axial direction of the fixing roller, and this is moved in the axial direction while rotating in contact with the resin coating layer in the fixing roller. A method (vanishing method) for crushing the resin coating layer to improve the smoothness of the surface of the resin coating layer has been adopted.

Note that, as in the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is also possible to use a pressing roller that is longer than the resin-coated roller to be processed. In this case, the pressing roller can be moved in the axial direction of the fixing roller. No need to configure.
JP 2003-266541 A

  Conventionally, in order to produce a smooth fixing roller by applying such a burnishing method, it has been necessary to set the pressure applied to the pressing roller to 196 to 588 N (20 to 60 kgf). If the thickness of the core metal of the fixing roller is 1 to 2 mm or more, even if a pressure of 196 to 588 N is applied to the fixing roller, the deformation amount of the fixing roller due to the pressure is within the range of the elastic deformation of the core metal. It was settled.

  However, if the thickness of the metal core is reduced to less than 1 mm for the purpose of reducing the power consumption of the fixing roller, the fixing roller is plastically deformed by the pressure applied by the pressing roller.

  In such a case, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the fixing roller by reducing the pressing force of the pressing roller. However, when the pressing force of the pressing roller is decreased, the smoothness of the resin coating layer is obtained. It will not be possible.

  Thus, conventionally, the surface of the fixing roller formed using the thinned metal core cannot be made to have a desired smoothness.

  This invention is made | formed in view of this problem, and it aims at providing the smooth apparatus of the resin coating roller surface which improves the smoothness of the resin coating layer surface of the thin metal core surface.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a smoothing device for a resin-coated roller having at least one resin-coated layer on a hollow cylindrical cored bar, which supports both ends of the roller rotatably. A member, a rotation driving unit that rotates the roller, a first heating unit disposed inside the hollow cylindrical cored bar, a pressing smoothing unit that rotates in contact with the roller, and a pressing smoothing unit A second heating means for heating; a first actuator for translating and moving the pressing smoothing means in the axial direction of the roller; a temperature sensor for measuring the surface temperature of the roller; The present invention provides a smoothing device for the surface of a resin-coated roller, which is provided outside and includes a third heating unit that heats the roller and an actuator that translates the third heating unit in the axial direction of the roller.

  In the above configuration, it is preferable that the second heating means and the third heating means are arranged symmetrically with the rotation axis of the pressing smoothing means and the roller as the symmetry axis. In addition to this, it is more preferable that the third heating means is disposed at a position where the pressing smoothing means abuts on the surface of the roller, and is translationally movable in the same direction and at the same speed as the pressing smoothing means.

  In any of the above configurations of the present invention, the third heating means preferably heats the roller by induction heating. Alternatively, the third heating means is preferably a halogen heater. Or it is preferable that a 3rd heating means irradiates a far infrared ray to a roller.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the smoothing apparatus of the resin coating roller surface which improves the smoothness of the resin coating layer surface of the thin metal core surface can be provided.

The improvement of the smoothness of the resin coating layer (releasable resin layer) on the surface of the resin coating roller (for example, fixing roller) having a thinned metal core will be described.
The resin coating layer is formed using PFA as described above, for example, in order to ensure releasability from the transfer paper at the nip portion that is in pressure contact with the pressure roller in the electrophotographic apparatus. After the powder PFA is electrostatically powder coated on the surface of the core metal or on the primer coated surface for improving the adhesion, baking is performed in an atmosphere of about 390 ° C. for about 40 minutes. Then, it cools to normal temperature and forms a resin coating layer.

  After forming the resin coating layer, burnishing is performed. For example, a pressure roller having a surface finish of Ry (maximum height) of 0.2 s or less, Ra (centerline average roughness) of 0.05 a or less, and a length equal to or longer than the core metal barrel is resin-coated. Press against the layer. Alternatively, the surface of the resin coating layer is burnished by moving along the axial direction from the trunk portion while pressing a pressing roller having a width (10 to 30 mm width) shorter than the core metal.

  In the case of a fixing roller in which the thickness of the cored bar is reduced to less than 1 mm for the purpose of reducing the power consumption of the fixing roller, the cored bar and the pressure roller are heated in order to prevent plastic deformation of the cored bar. Then, the burnishing is performed with the resin coating layer softened. Thereby, the transfer property of the pressing roller is improved, and the unevenness on the surface of the fixing roller can be further reduced.

  When PFA is used as the resin coating layer (releasable resin layer) on the surface of the fixing roller, the surface temperature is preferably controlled to 300 to 310 ° C. during the varnishing process.

  By performing the above processing, the problems of the prior art are solved, and the smoothness of the resin coating layer (release resin layer) on the surface of the resin-coated fixing roller having the thinned metal core is improved.

  In FIG. 1, the structure of the resin coating roller which is a process target is shown. This resin-coated roller has a configuration in which a primer layer 2 and a resin coating layer 3 are laminated on the body surface of the core metal 1. The core metal 1 has a hollow cylindrical shape. The primer layer 2 is a layer formed in order to improve the adhesion between the cored bar 1 and the resin coating layer 3. The resin coating layer 3 is a layer for ensuring high releasability with respect to the toner, and is formed of a fluorine resin.

  2 to 4 show the configuration of the smoothing device for the surface of the resin-coated roller according to the present embodiment. 2 is a front view of the apparatus, FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus, and FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus. The manufacturing apparatus for the resin roller and the fixing roller includes a workpiece gripping rotation mechanism, a cored bar internal heating mechanism, a smoothing mechanism, and a cored bar external heating mechanism.

The work gripping rotation mechanism includes housings 11 and 12, a guide mechanism 13, a pneumatic cylinder 14, a chuck 15, and a belt 16.
The housings 11 and 12 rotatably support both ends of the core metal 1. The guide mechanism 13 is a mechanism that defines the moving direction of the housing 12 on the tail side. The pneumatic cylinder 14 moves the tail-side housing when the metal core 1 is attached or detached. A rotational driving force is transmitted to the chuck 15 by the belt 16.

The cored bar internal heating mechanism includes a heater 8, a heater support member 17, a rail 18, a guide block 19, an electrode 20, a temperature sensor 21, a control device 22, and a power source 23.
The heater 8 is a heat source for heating the core metal 1. The heater support member 17 supports the heater 8 at both ends. The rail 18 and the guide block 19 are members that guide the movement for inserting the heater 8 into the core metal 1. The electrode 20 is a contact for supplying electric power to the heater 8. The temperature sensor 21 measures the roller surface temperature in a non-contact manner. The control device 22 controls the power supply 23 to supply appropriate power to the heater 8.

The smoothing mechanism includes a pressing roller 25, a bearing 26, a spring 27, a slide guide 28, a pneumatic cylinder 29, an actuator 30, a cartridge heater 31, and non-contact thermometers 32 and 33.
The pressing roller 25 is a roller for smoothing the resin coating layer 3 formed on the surface of the core metal 1. The bearing 26 rotatably supports the pressing roller 25. The spring 27 urges the pressing roller 25 to the core metal 1 side (resin coating layer 3) with a constant pressure. The slide guide 28 causes the pressing roller to follow the rotation blur of the core metal 1. The pneumatic cylinder 29 is a drive source for pressing the pressing roller 25 toward the core metal 1 (resin coating layer 3). The actuator 30 is a drive source for moving the pressing unit in the core metal axis direction. The cartridge heater 31 is supported without contacting the inner surface of the rotary shaft of the pressure roller 25 in order to heat the pressure roller 25. The non-contact type thermometer 32 measures the temperature of the smooth surface of the resin coating layer 3 (on the pressing point of the pressing roller 25). The non-contact thermometer 33 measures the surface temperature of the pressing roller 25.

The metal core external heating mechanism includes a heater 35, a pneumatic cylinder 36, an actuator 37, a control device 38, a power supply 39 and a slide guide 40.
The heater 35 is a heat source for heating the resin coating layer 3 on the surface of the core metal 1. The pneumatic cylinder 36 is a drive source for moving the heater 35 to the vicinity of the core metal 1. The actuator 37 is a drive source for moving the heating unit in the core metal axis direction. The control device 38 controls the power source 39 to supply appropriate power to the heater 35. The slide guide 40 is a member for guiding the movement of the heating unit.

The operation of the smoothing device on the surface of the resin-coated roller will be described.
The core metal 1 is powder-coated with PFA and fired, and a facing roller having a releasable resin layer formed on the core metal barrel is moved by the pneumatic cylinder 14 in the tail-side housing 12 to the hollow chuck 15. Chuck.

  The heater 8 is inserted into the core 1 and connected to the electrode 20 (electrically connected). The fixing roller 1 is rotated, electric power is supplied to the heater 8 from the power source 23, and the temperature sensor 21 is heated to a set temperature while monitoring the temperature of the release resin powder-coated on the surface of the metal core 1.

  Further, the heater 35 is moved to the vicinity of the core metal 1 by the air cylinder 36 to heat the core metal 1. At this time, the temperature of the releasable resin powder-coated on the surface of the core metal 1 is measured by the temperature sensor 21 and adjusted by the control device 22 so as to become the set temperature.

  The releasable resin powder-coated on the surface of the core metal 1 reached a set temperature (for example, 300 to 310 ° C.) and then heated by the cartridge heater 31 to be controlled to a predetermined temperature (for example, 350 to 360 ° C.). The pressing roller 25 is pressed against the release resin that is powder-coated on the surface of the core metal 1 and burnished while moving in the axial direction by the actuator 30 while the pressing roller 25 is rotated by the rotation of the core metal 1. I do.

In synchronization with the driving of the actuator 30, the actuator 37 on which the heater 35 is mounted is moved in the same direction and at the same speed as the pressing roller 25.
The temperature of the heater 35 is controlled by the control device 38 so that the surface temperature of the releasable resin on the surface of the core metal 1 with which the pressing roller 25 is in contact is 300 to 310 ° C.

  The smoothness of the surface of the resin-coated roller is improved by performing burnishing over the entire length of the body portion along the axial direction from the end portion of the body portion of the core metal 1.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of the heater 35. In the illustrated configuration, the heater 35 includes a coil 45 and performs induction heating by eddy current.

  FIG. 6 shows another configuration example of the heater 35. In the configuration shown in the figure, the heater 35 has a plurality of halogen heaters 46 and a reflecting plate 46, and a releasable resin in which the heat rays emitted from the halogen heater 46 are powder-coated on the surface of the core 1. The light is condensed using a reflector 47.

  FIG. 7 shows another configuration example of the heater 35. In the configuration shown in the drawing, the heater 35 includes a far infrared heater panel 48, and irradiates far-infrared rays emitted from the far infrared heater panel 48 onto the release resin that is powder-coated on the surface of the core metal 1.

  According to the smoothing device for the surface of the resin-coated roller according to the present embodiment, the smoothness of the surface of the resin coating layer on the surface of the thinned metal core can be improved.

  In addition, the said embodiment is an example of suitable implementation of this invention, and various deformation | transformation implementation is possible for this invention, without being limited to this.

It is a figure which shows the structure of a resin coating roller. It is a front view of the smoothing apparatus of the resin coating roller surface concerning suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the smoothing apparatus of the resin coating roller surface concerning suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the smoothing apparatus of the resin coating roller surface concerning suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the heater in the smoothing apparatus of the resin coating roller surface concerning suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows another structural example of the heater in the smoothing apparatus of the resin coating roller surface concerning suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows another structural example of the heater in the smoothing apparatus of the resin coating roller surface concerning suitable embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Core metal 2 Primer layer 3 Resin coating layer 11, 12 Housing 13 Guide mechanism 14, 29, 36 Pneumatic cylinder 15 Chuck 16 Belt 17 Support member 18 Rail 19 Guide block 20 Electrode 21 Temperature sensor 22, 38 Control device 23, 39 Power supply 25 Press roller 26 Bearing 27 Spring 28 Slide guide 30, 37 Actuator 31 Cartridge heater 32, 33 Non-contact thermometer 35 Heater 40 Slide guide 45 Coil 46 Halogen heater 47 Reflector plate 48 Heater panel

Claims (6)

A smoothing device for the surface of a resin-coated roller having at least one resin-coated layer on a hollow cylindrical metal core,
A support member that rotatably supports both ends of the roller;
A rotation driving means for rotating the roller;
First heating means disposed inside the hollow cylindrical cored bar,
Pressure smoothing means that rotates with the roller in contact with the roller;
Second heating means for heating the pressing smoothing means;
A first actuator that translateably moves the pressing smoothing means in the axial direction of the roller;
A temperature sensor for measuring the surface temperature of the roller;
Non-contact with the roller and provided outside the hollow cylindrical cored bar, and third heating means for heating the roller;
An apparatus for smoothing the surface of a resin-coated roller, comprising: an actuator that translates the third heating means in the axial direction of the roller.   2. The smooth surface of the resin-coated roller according to claim 1, wherein the second heating means and the third heating means are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the pressing smoothing means and the roller. apparatus.   3. The third heating means is disposed at a position where the pressing smoothing means abuts on the surface of the roller, and is translated in the same direction and at the same speed as the pressing smoothing means. Smoother device for resin-coated rollers.   The said 3rd heating means heats the said roller by induction heating, The smoothing apparatus of the resin coating roller surface of any one of Claim 1 to 3 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The apparatus for smoothing a surface of a resin-coated roller according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the third heating means is a halogen heater.   The said 3rd heating means irradiates a far infrared ray to the said roller, The smoothing apparatus of the resin coating roller surface of any one of Claim 1 to 3 characterized by the above-mentioned.

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