JP4834374B2 - Fixing roller manufacturing method and fixing roller - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fixing roller manufacturing method and a fixing roller , and more particularly to a technique for improving the durability of a fixing roller using electromagnetic induction heat generation.

  As a fixing device of an image forming apparatus using toner, such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, or the like, a heat roller fixing device is generally used. This heat roller fixing device is configured by using a fixing roller having a heat source therein and a pressure roller having a mechanism pressed against the fixing roller. The heat roller fixing device passes a heated object carrying an unfixed toner image through a nip formed between a heat roller pair composed of a fixing roller and a pressure roller, thereby allowing the toner to pass through. The structure is such that the toner image is fixed to a heated body by being melted by heating. In general, an infrared heater is used as the heat source of the fixing roller. However, it is inevitable that a part of the input electric power becomes visible light, and the inner wall of the fixing roller that receives infrared light. There is a limit in efficiency due to loss of light received in the case. In order to solve these problems, several proposals have heretofore been made.

For example, Patent Document 1 uses electromagnetic induction heat generation as a heat generation roller, and the fixing roller has an electromagnetic induction heat generation mechanism including a roller that is rotationally driven and an induction coil for induction heat generation of the roller. It has a mechanism. The induction coil is connected to an AC power supply provided outside, and when the induction coil is excited by the AC power supply, an AC eddy current is induced outside the roller, and the vicinity of the outside of the roller generates heat. In this case, since the outside itself becomes a heat source, the loss as in the case of using an infrared heater can be eliminated. In Patent Document 2, the thermal conductivity of the foamed silicone rubber is lowered to improve the heat insulating property of the elastic layer, and a metal sleeve is adhered thereon to form a low heat capacity heating element. Furthermore, in Patent Document 3, as a multilayer heating layer forming method, a metal foil piece is contained in polyimide.
JP 2003-122152 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-295542 JP 2004-226822 A

  However, according to Patent Document 1, the heating layer (metal layer) may be thinned in order to accelerate the rise of the temperature of the fixing roller using electromagnetic induction heat generation. However, the fixing roller is brought into pressure contact with another roller to form a sheet. When carrying, there is a drawback that the difference in hardness between the conductive layer and the elastic layer is large, and the heat generation layer is easily broken because a force is applied to the adhesive interface when a large stress is applied at the nip. Also in Patent Document 2, it tends to occur due to stress concentration at the interface between a hard metal and an elastic body, and in the case of a cylindrical heating element, one weak point is promoted and breaks down. Further, in Patent Document 3, there are very many metal interfaces, and from this, the adhesion between the metal and the polymer is reduced due to oxidation or the like, and the film of the belt is likely to be broken. Further, in general, a magnetic shunt alloy has a high resistivity, and thus has a low thermal conductivity due to electrons and is likely to have a high local temperature.

SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a fixing roller manufacturing method and a fixing roller capable of increasing manufacturing efficiency and suppressing manufacturing cost .

In order to solve the above problems, a fixing roller manufacturing method according to the present invention includes a cored bar serving as a central axis of the fixing roller, an elastic layer provided on the surface of the cored bar, and a surface of the elastic layer. A fixing roller having a multilayer heat generating layer provided on the surface . Then, the fixing roller manufacturing method of the present invention includes a step of forming an elastic body layer made of foamed silicone on the surface of a metal core using an aluminum tube, and a metal foil-like heat generating layer made of a magnetic shunt alloy of iron and nickel. And a metal foil tape in which a support layer made of a polymer material having a siloxane bond is formed on one surface of the heat generation layer, and the metal foil tape is wound a plurality of times so that the support layer is in contact with the surface of the elastic layer. It is characterized by having a step of forming a multilayer heat generating layer and a step of heat curing the multilayer heat generating layer . Therefore, manufacturing efficiency can be increased and manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Moreover , the mold release property is improved by having a step of providing a release layer of a fluorine-based polymer on the outermost surface of the multilayer heat generating layer.

Furthermore , a fixing roller as another invention is characterized by being manufactured by the above-described fixing roller manufacturing method . Therefore, an inexpensive fixing roller can be provided.

The fixing roller manufacturing method of the present invention comprises a step of forming an elastic body layer made of foamed silicone on the surface of the core metal using an aluminum tube, a metal foil-like heat generating layer made of a magnetic shunt alloy of iron and nickel, A metal foil tape formed with a support layer made of a polymer material having a siloxane bond on one surface of the heat generation layer is wound in multiple layers so that the support layer is in contact with the surface of the elastic layer. A step of forming a heat generation layer and a step of heat-curing the multilayer heat generation layer . Therefore, manufacturing efficiency can be increased and manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a configuration of a fixing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fixing device 1 according to the present embodiment shown in the figure includes a fixing roller 11, a pressure roller 12, and an IH magnetic field generating means 13. The fixing roller 11 includes a core metal 11-1, an elastic body layer 11-2 of foamed silicone rubber provided on the core metal 11-1, and an IH ( Induction Heating) It is composed of a multilayer structure consisting of a metal foil as a heat generation layer and a multilayer heat generation layer 11-3 formed by laminating a plurality of multilayer layers of a support layer such as silicone resin, and the outermost surface is usually separated. It is covered with a release layer 11-4 made of, for example, a fluororesin made of a fluoropolymer having moldability. The fixing roller 11 is heated by the IH magnetic field generating means 13 which is a heating means arranged outside so as to face the surface of the fixing roller 11 having such a multilayer structure. The IH magnetic field generating means 13 is composed of an IH coil. An image is fixed on a sheet by passing a sheet 15 having an unfixed toner image 14 through a nip portion between the fixing roller 11 and the pressure roller 12 heated at a constant temperature. Further, as will be described later, the multilayer heat generating layer 11-3 in the fixing roller 11 of FIG. 1 includes, for example, gold, silver, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, iron, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, tin, or an alloy thereof (magnetization control). An IH heat generating layer formed by laminating a metal foil made of a conductive member such as an alloy) and a support layer made of a silicone resin or the like having adhesiveness when the layer is made into a multilayer structure. .

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the structure of the multilayer heat generating layer of the fixing roller in the fixing device of this embodiment. The multilayer heat generating layer 11-3 shown in the figure includes a metal foil 21 having a film thickness of 5 to 20 μm made of a conductive member, and a support layer having a film thickness of 10 to 20 μm, which is a silicone adhesive or an acrylic adhesive. Thus, a multi-layer structure is formed in which the IH heat generating layer 23 formed by laminating 22 is formed in multiple layers.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the structure of the multilayer heat generating layer of the fixing roller in the fixing device of this embodiment. The multilayer heat generating layer 11-3 shown in the figure includes a metal foil 26 including a first metal foil 24 of a magnetic shunt alloy having a film thickness of 5 to 20 μm and a second metal foil 25 of aluminum having a film thickness of 10 μm, This is a multi-layered structure in which an IH heat generating layer 23 formed by laminating a support layer 22 having a thickness of 10 to 20 μm, which is a silicone-based adhesive or an acrylic adhesive, is formed in multiple layers.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a process for producing a multilayer heat generating layer of the fixing roller in the fixing device of this embodiment. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 to 3 denote the same components. As shown to (a) of the figure, in order to form the multilayer heat generating layer shown in FIG. 2, first, a silicone adhesive or an acrylic adhesive is applied to a metal foil 21 having a thickness of 5 to 20 μm to a thickness of 10 to 20 μm. A metal foil tape 27 composed of a support layer 22 formed by coating with a film thickness is prepared. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, in order to form the multilayer heat generating layer shown in FIG. 3, the first metal foil 24 having a thickness of 5 to 20 μm and the second metal foil 25 having a thickness of 10 μm. Then, a metal foil tape 27 composed of a support layer 22 formed by applying a silicone adhesive or an acrylic adhesive to the second metal foil 25 with a film thickness of 10 to 20 μm is prepared. In addition, the metal foil tape 27 can be manufactured using a separator having a releasability with respect to the adhesive, thereby improving the production efficiency. Next, as shown in (c) of the figure, an elastic body layer 11-2 of foamed silicone with high heat insulation is formed around a core metal 11-1 such as an aluminum tube, and further an elastic body layer 11-2. A metal foil tape 27 shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. Thereby, the multilayer heat generating layer 11-3 of the multilayer structure of FIG. 1 is formed. If necessary, an elastic layer of silicone rubber may be further formed thereon. Further, in view of the improvement in releasability, it is preferable to form a fluororesin layer using a fluoropolymer material as a release layer on the outermost part of the roller. The fluororesin layer is formed by baking after applying a liquid or powder paint. Alternatively, a fluororesin tube (PFA resin or the like) may be bonded via an adhesive layer. In this manner, the fixing roller in the fixing device of this embodiment is formed.

  As the fluororesin used in the fixing device of this embodiment, a resin having a good melt film-forming property by firing and a relatively low melting point (250 to 300 ° C.) is preferably selected. Specific examples include fine powders of low molecular weight polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP), and tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA). It is done. As the low molecular weight polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) powder, Lubron L-5, L-2 (manufactured by Daikin Industries), MP1100, 1200, 1300, and TLP-10F-1 (manufactured by Mitsui DuPont Fluorochemical) are known. As the tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP) powder, 532-8000 (manufactured by DuPont) is known. As the tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA), MP-10, MP102 (manufactured by Mitsui DuPont Fluorochemical Co., Ltd.) are known. In particular, MP103, MP300 (manufactured by Mitsui DuPont Fluorochemical), AC-5600, AC5539 (manufactured by Daikin Industries) and the like are suitable as those having a low MFR (manufactured by melt flow rate) and low fluidity.

  FIG. 5 shows an image forming apparatus equipped with such a fixing device of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the digital copying machine 30 mainly includes a copying machine main body 31, an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) 32, and an automatic sorting device 33. The copying machine main body 31 includes a scanner unit 34 that reads a document, and a printer unit 38 that includes a writing unit 35, an engine unit 36, and a paper feeding unit 37. Further, the ADF 32 sends the document to be read to the scanner unit 34 and collects the document read by the scanner unit 34. The scanner unit 34 includes a carriage 39 having a light source and a plurality of mirrors, a lens 40, and a CCD 41, and scans and reads a document sent by the ADF 32. The writing unit 35 includes a laser light source, a polygon mirror, and the like, and emits a laser beam 42 including image information to the engine unit 36. The engine unit 36 includes an image forming unit 43, a primary transfer unit 44, a secondary transfer unit 45, and the fixing device 46 of the present invention shown in FIG. The image forming unit 43 includes a charging charger 48 disposed around the photosensitive member 47, a color developing unit 49 and a drum cleaning unit made of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). The electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive member 47 charged by the charging charger 48 by the laser beam 42 emitted from the writing unit 35, and the formed electrostatic latent image is visualized by the color developing unit 49. A toner image is formed. Further, the primary transfer unit 44 includes an intermediate transfer belt 51, a primary transfer unit 52, a tension roller 53, a secondary transfer roller 54, a cleaning unit 55, and a reference position sensor 56, and toner formed on the photoreceptor 47. The image is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 51 to superimpose the toner images of the respective colors. The intermediate transfer belt 51 is separated from the surface of the photoreceptor 47 by the contact / separation mechanism except when the toner image on the photoreceptor 47 is primarily transferred, and the surface of the photoreceptor 47 is only transferred when the image is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 51. Pressure contacted. The secondary transfer unit 45 secondarily transfers the toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 51 onto the recording paper. The fixing device 46 fixes the toner image transferred to the recording paper with heat and pressure. The paper feed unit 37 has a plurality of paper feed cassettes 57 a to 57 c and a manual feed tray 58, and sends recording paper to the secondary transfer unit 45. Furthermore, the automatic sorting device 33 has a plurality of sorting bins 59a to 59n, and sorts and discharges the recording paper on which the image is formed.

Next, specific examples of the fixing roller in the fixing device of this embodiment will be listed.
(Specific example 1)
As a metal foil tape shown in FIG. 4 (a), a silicone adhesive is approximately applied to a metal foil having a thickness of 10 μm of gold, silver, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, iron, stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, and tin. A foil tape coated with 10 μm (hereinafter referred to as a coated foil tape) is prepared. An aluminum hollow core metal having foamed silicone rubber formed thereon is prepared, and three layers of metal foil tape are wound around and cured by heating. Thereafter, the silicone rubber is heat-cured as at least soft and durable at about 150 ° C. for a long time. A PFA resin is coated on the outside, and the outermost layer is formed by heating. Each metal foil was prepared with an outer diameter of φ40. Although 200,000 sheets of white paper were continuously passed through a Ricoh copier MF4570 having a fixing unit modified for IH heat generation at 200 ° C., nothing was broken. As a comparative example, in the same configuration using addition type silicone, 10,000 sheets were broken at the interface with foamed silicone.

(Specific example 2)
As a metal foil tape shown in FIG. 4 (a), a silicone adhesive is approximately applied to a metal foil having a thickness of 20 μm of gold, silver, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, iron, stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, and tin. A coated foil tape coated with 10 μm is prepared. A hollow core metal made of aluminum and foamed silicone rubber is prepared, and two layers of metal foil tape are wound around and cured by heating. Thereafter, the silicone rubber is heated and cured thereon. A PFA resin is coated on the outside, and the outermost layer is formed by heating. Each of the metal foils having an outer diameter of φ40 was prepared. 100,000 sheets of blank paper were continuously passed through a Ricoh Co., Ltd. copier MF4570 with a fixing unit modified for IH heat generation at 200 ° C., but nothing was broken.

(Specific example 3)
As a metal foil tape shown in FIG. 4A, a silicone adhesive is applied to a metal foil having a thickness of 5 μm of gold, silver, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, iron, stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, and tin. A coated foil tape coated with 10 μm is prepared. An aluminum hollow metal core formed with foamed silicone rubber is prepared, and a metal foil tape is wound around six layers. Heat cure. Thereafter, the silicone rubber is heated and cured thereon. A PFA resin is coated on the outside, and the outermost layer is formed by heating. Each of the metal foils having an outer diameter of φ40 was prepared. 100,000 sheets of blank paper were continuously passed through a Ricoh Co., Ltd. copier MF4570 with a fixing unit modified for IH heat generation at 200 ° C., but nothing was broken.

(Specific example 4)
As a metal foil tape shown in FIG. 4A, a condensation type silicone adhesive is applied to a metal foil having a thickness of 10 μm of gold, silver, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, iron, stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, and tin. A coated foil tape coated with about 10 μm is prepared. Here, in addition to the condensation type silicone adhesive, there is an addition type silicone adhesive that uses a catalyst with a silicone adhesive, and this addition type silicone adhesive includes natural rubber, synthetic rubber, soft vinyl chloride, amine-cured epoxy resin, Substances containing sulfur, phosphorus, nitrogen, tin, etc., such as solder flux, cause catalyst poisoning and inhibit curing, making it difficult to use in the process. And what formed the hollow core metal foaming silicone rubber of aluminum is prepared, and metal foil tape is wound three layers. This is left at room temperature for 24 hours. Thereafter, the silicone rubber is heated and cured thereon. A PFA resin is coated on the outside, and the outermost layer is formed by heating. Each of the metal foils having an outer diameter of φ40 was prepared. 100,000 sheets of white paper were continuously passed through a Ricoh copier MF4570 having a fixing part modified for IH heat generation at 200 ° C., but nothing was broken.

(Specific example 5)
As the metal foil tape shown in FIG. 4 (b), a coated foil tape in which a silicone adhesive is applied to about 10 μm on a 15 μm first metal foil of 33% Fe—Ni and a second metal foil of 10 μm aluminum. create. An aluminum hollow core metal having foamed silicone rubber formed thereon is prepared, and two metal foil tapes are stacked and wound in two layers. Heat cure. Thereafter, the silicone rubber is heated and cured thereon. A PFA resin is coated on the outside, and the outermost layer is formed by heating. Each having an outer diameter of φ40 was prepared. Although 200,000 sheets of white paper were continuously passed through a Ricoh Co., Ltd. copier MF4570 having a fixing unit modified for IH heat generation at 200 ° C., nothing was broken. As a comparison, a 30 μm electroformed nickel sleeve bonded with the same silicone adhesive was displaced from the bonding interface by about 100,000 sheets and destroyed. In addition, 30 μm electroformed nickel sleeves fixed at both ends of the roller were broken at about 80,000 sheets.

(Specific example 6)
As a metal foil tape shown in FIG. 4B, a coated foil tape is prepared by applying about 10 μm of a silicone adhesive to a 15 μm metal foil of 10% Fe—Ni37—Cr. An aluminum hollow core metal having foamed silicone rubber formed thereon is prepared, and a metal foil tape is wound around three layers. Heat cure. Thereafter, the silicone rubber is heated and cured thereon. A PFA resin is coated on the outside, and the outermost layer is formed by heating. Each having an outer diameter of φ40 was prepared. 100,000 sheets of blank paper were continuously passed through a Ricoh Co., Ltd. copier MF4570 with a fixing unit modified for IH heat generation at 200 ° C., but nothing was broken. Similarly, foils of 5, 10, 20, 25, and 30 μm were prepared. As a result, 50,000 sheets for 25 μm and 10,000 sheets for 30 μm were cracked from the end of the roller.

(Specific example 7)
As a metal foil tape shown in FIG. 4B, a coated foil tape is prepared by applying about 10 μm of a silicone adhesive to a 15 μm metal foil of 40% Fe—Ni. An aluminum hollow core metal having foamed silicone rubber formed thereon is prepared, and a metal foil tape is wound around three layers. Heat cure. Thereafter, the silicone rubber is heated and cured thereon. A PFA resin is coated on the outside, and the outermost layer is formed by heating. A product with an outer diameter of φ40 was produced. 100,000 sheets of blank paper were continuously passed through a Ricoh Co., Ltd. copier MF4570 with a fixing unit modified for IH heat generation at 200 ° C., but nothing was broken.

(Specific example 8)
As a metal foil tape shown in FIG. 4B, a coated foil tape is prepared by applying about 10 μm of a silicone adhesive to a 20 μm metal foil of 40% Fe—Ni. An aluminum hollow core metal having a foamed silicone rubber formed thereon is prepared, and three layers of coating foil are wound. Heat cure. Thereafter, the silicone rubber is heated and cured thereon. A PFA resin is coated on the outside, and the outermost layer is formed by heating. A product with an outer diameter of φ40 was produced. This paper was continuously fed 100,000 sheets of blank paper at 200 ° C. with a fixing unit modified from Ricoh Co., Ltd. MF4570 for IH heat generation, but nothing was broken.

  According to the results of the above specific examples 1 to 8, it is understood that the thickness of the metal foil is preferably 5 to 20 μm.

(Specific example 9)
As specific example 9, a fixing roller made using the metal foil tape of specific example 1 or specific example 5 is mounted on MF4570 manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd. The adhesion state was observed. Further, this fixing roller was mounted on MF4570 manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd., and 10,000 sheets of a solid black image were passed through, and the toner adhesion amount on the roller surface and the winding of the paper were observed. As can be seen from Table 1 below, this result was confirmed to be effective if the surface roughness Rz was 5 μm or less. The 7 μm one is 8760, and the experiment has been canceled because of frequent jams.

(Specific Example 10)
Specific Example 10 is an example in which a sheet passing test of an unfixed image created with IPSIO Color 8100 manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd. was performed using the fixing roller prepared using the metal foil tape of Specific Example 1 or Specific Example 5 described above. It is. Since the toner of the IPSIO Color 8100 has insufficient releasability, an oil application member impregnated with silicone oil for applying silicone oil to the fixing roller is added. Through this IPSIO Color 8100, 10,000 sheets of black solid images were passed, and the adhesion state of the toner on the roller surface was observed. No significant adhesion was observed. There was no change from the normal one. With the application member removed, 60,000 sheets showed remarkable adhesion of toner to the roller.

(Specific example 11)
In Example 11, a roller prepared using the metal foil tape of Example 1 or Example 5 and having a surface roughness Rz of 2 μm or less was prepared. An IH fixing tester using a fixing unit of MF4570 manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd. was prepared, and the pressure was changed to an unfixed image of MF4570, and paper was passed through the fixing roller. As a result, as shown in Table 2 below, when the pressure applied to the sheet at the contact portion in pressure contact with the fixing roller was 29.4 (kPa), no toner adhesion was observed and no jamming occurred. Fixability (not shown in Table 2) was very poor. Further, at a pressure of 392.2 (kPa), toner adhesion to the fixing roller was observed and jamming occurred frequently. The fixing property was determined to be poor fixing when the cloth on the surface was rubbed against the solid image after fixing and toner was noticeably attached to the cloth. Therefore, the pressure applied to the sheet per 1 cm ^{2 of} the contact portion in pressure contact with the fixing roller is preferably 49.0 (kPa) or more and less than 392.2 (kPa).

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications and substitutions are possible as long as they are described within the scope of the claims.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a fixing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a structure of a multilayer heat generation layer of a fixing roller in the fixing device according to the present exemplary embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the structure of the multilayer heat generation layer of the fixing roller in the fixing device of the present embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the preparation process of the multilayer heat-emitting layer of the fixing roller in the fixing device of this embodiment. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus equipped with a fixing device according to an exemplary embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1; fixing device, 11; fixing roller, 11-1;
11-2; elastic body layer, 11-3; multilayer heat generating layer, 11-4; release layer,
12; pressure roller; 13; IH magnetic field generating means; 14; toner image;
15; paper, 21, 26; metal foil, 22; support layer, 23; IH heating layer,
24; first metal foil; 25; second metal foil; 27; metal foil tape;
30: Image forming apparatus.

Claims (3)

In a method of manufacturing a fixing roller , comprising a cored bar serving as a central axis of the fixing roller, an elastic layer provided on the surface of the cored bar, and a multilayer heat generating layer provided on the surface of the elastic layer.
Forming an elastic body layer made of foamed silicone on the surface of the core metal using an aluminum tube;
A metal foil tape in which a metal foil-like heat generating layer made of a magnetic shunt alloy of iron and nickel and a support layer made of a polymer material having a siloxane bond on one surface of the heat generating layer is formed on the elastic layer. A step of wrapping the metal foil tape a plurality of times in a direction in which the support layer is in contact with the surface to form a multilayer heating layer;
Heat curing the multilayer heat generating layer;
A method for manufacturing a fixing roller , comprising: Manufacturing method of the preceding SL on the outermost surface of the multilayer heat-generating layer, the fixing roller according to claim 1, further comprising a step of providing a release layer of a fluorine-based polymer. A fixing roller manufactured by the method for manufacturing a fixing roller according to claim 1.

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