US20110082260A1 - Rotatable fixing member, manufacturing method thereof and fixing device - Google Patents

Rotatable fixing member, manufacturing method thereof and fixing device Download PDF

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Publication number
US20110082260A1
US20110082260A1 US12/896,473 US89647310A US2011082260A1 US 20110082260 A1 US20110082260 A1 US 20110082260A1 US 89647310 A US89647310 A US 89647310A US 2011082260 A1 US2011082260 A1 US 2011082260A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
layer
primer
thickness
primer layer
parting
Prior art date
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Abandoned
Application number
US12/896,473
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English (en)
Inventor
Masahito Omata
Shoji Umehara
Shuichi Tetsuno
Akeshi Asaka
Masayuki Onuma
Yusuke Baba
Kazuo Kishino
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Canon Inc
Original Assignee
Canon Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Canon Inc filed Critical Canon Inc
Assigned to CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA reassignment CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BABA, YUSUKE, KISHINO, KAZUO, OMATA, MASAHITO, UMEHARA, SHOJI, ASAKA, AKESHI, ONUMA, MASAYUKI, TETSUNO, SHUICHI
Publication of US20110082260A1 publication Critical patent/US20110082260A1/en
Priority to US14/144,742 priority Critical patent/US9785102B2/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/20—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for fixing, e.g. by using heat
    • G03G15/2003—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for fixing, e.g. by using heat using heat
    • G03G15/2014—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for fixing, e.g. by using heat using heat using contact heat
    • G03G15/206—Structural details or chemical composition of the pressure elements and layers thereof
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/20—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for fixing, e.g. by using heat
    • G03G15/2003—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for fixing, e.g. by using heat using heat
    • G03G15/2014—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for fixing, e.g. by using heat using heat using contact heat
    • G03G15/2053—Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/20—Details of the fixing device or porcess
    • G03G2215/2003—Structural features of the fixing device
    • G03G2215/2016—Heating belt
    • G03G2215/2035—Heating belt the fixing nip having a stationary belt support member opposing a pressure member
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/20—Details of the fixing device or porcess
    • G03G2215/2003—Structural features of the fixing device
    • G03G2215/2048—Surface layer material

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a rotatable fixing member for use in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, a manufacturing method of the rotatable fixing member, and a fixing device.
  • the fixing device heats a recording material carrying thereon an image under application of heat and pressure.
  • a fixing device for fixing or temporarily fixing an unfixed toner image on the recording material by heating the unfixed toner image, a glossiness (gloss) increasing device for increasing glossiness of the image by heating the image fixed on the recording material, a device for drying the recording material, on which the image has been formed by an ink jet method, by heating the recording material, and the like.
  • the rotatable fixing member includes, on a heat-resistant base material, at least an elastic layer, a primer layer of a fluorocarbon polymer (fluorine-containing resin) and a coating parting layer of a fluorocarbon polymer and can be used as a fixing roller, a fixing film, a pressing roller, a conveying roller, and the like.
  • a fixing roller for the fixing device in the image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or an electrophotographic laser beam printer, as a method of fixing the unfixed toner image on the recording material under application of heat and pressure, a method using the fixing roller or a method using the fixing film is employed.
  • a nip is created by press-contact of a roller (fixing roller) including a heat source as a rotatable heating member with a rotatable pressing member (pressing roller) disposed and paired with the fixing roller.
  • Toner is melted and pressed by passing the recording material, such as paper on which the unfixed toner image is carried, through the nip, thus being obtained as a fixed image.
  • a fixing unit as the rotatably heating member in which the heat source is covered with a heat-resistant film (fixing film), and the rotatable pressing member (pressing roller) disposed and paired with the fixing unit create the nip.
  • the pressing roller used in the fixing devices of these types requires the elastic layer in order to create a proper nip by the press contact and also requires heat resistance so as to withstand use at a toner fixing temperature of 200° C. to 250° C. Further, in order to prevent the toner to depositing on a roller surface, a parting layer is required to be formed at an outermost surface. Further, also with respect to the fixing roller or the fixing film used in the fixing devices of these types, the parting layer is required to be formed at the outermost surface of the fixing roller or the fixing film since the fixing roller or the fixing film directly contacts the toner image.
  • both of the parting layer and the elastic layer require the heat resistance such that the layers can withstand the use at about 200° C. to about 250° C.
  • a fluorocarbon polymer fluorine-containing resin
  • a dispersion paint of a fluorocarbon rubber such as a fluorocarbon rubber latex
  • a dispersion paint of a fluorocarbon polymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkylvinyl ether copolymer (PFA)
  • PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene
  • PFA tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkylvinyl ether copolymer
  • the conventional manufacturing method of the parting layer on the elastic layer is roughly classified into two methods. That is, there are coating method and a method in which the elastic layer is coated with a tube of the fluorocarbon polymer.
  • a method as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (JP-A) 2000-330405 in which solvent-soluble non-crystalline fluorocarbon polymer primer layer containing a cyclic fluorocarbon polymer and a parting layer of a non-crystalline fluorocarbon polymer are used may be used.
  • JP-A Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application
  • a method as described in JP-A 2003-140491 or JP-A 2006-163315 in which a dispersion paint of a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer primer is used may be employed.
  • this method the state of the primer layer is liable to disturb the smoothness of the surface of the fluorocarbon polymer, so that it is very difficult to obtain sufficient smoothness.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer parting layer which is thin and smooth and has sufficient durability, without deteriorating the elastic layer.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer tube requires strength. For that reason, the tube requires a thickness of about 200 ⁇ m and a primer layer formed between the tube and the elastic layer requires a thickness of about 5 ⁇ m, so that a layer having a thickness of about 25 ⁇ m in total is formed. It is difficult in manufacturing to further decrease the tube thickness.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer tube is harder than the fluorocarbon polymer coating layer having the same thickness, thus being less liable to follow the recording material and an uneven toner surface.
  • the tube is generally formed by extrusion (molding) but a molecular chain of the fluorocarbon polymer constituting the tube is subjected to a shearing force to be oriented in an extrusion direction during the extrusion, so that heat conductivity of the rube with respect to a thickness direction perpendicular to the orientation direction is lowered.
  • the constitution of the method using the fluorocarbon polymer tube is not advantageous in terms of fixability.
  • the present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-described technical problem.
  • a principal object of the present invention is to provide a rotatable fixing member, prepared by successively laminating at least an elastic layer, a primer layer and a parting layer on a base material (substrate), capable of compatibly realizing a decrease in thickness of the parting layer and surface smoothness of the parting layer while suppressing thermal degradation of the elastic layer.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method of the rotatable fixing member and to provide a fixing device including the rotatable fixing member.
  • a rotatable fixing member comprising:
  • the primer layer contains a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer having a functional group and has a thickness of 850 nm or less
  • parting layer is a coating layer of a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer.
  • a fixing device comprising:
  • a rotatable fixing member including an elastic layer, a primer layer provided on the elastic layer, and a parting layer provided on the primer layer;
  • the primer layer contains a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer having a functional group and has a thickness of 850 nm or less
  • parting layer is a coating layer of a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer.
  • a manufacturing method of a rotatable fixing member including an elastic layer, a primer layer and a parting layer comprising:
  • a fourth step of forming a parting layer by coating a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer onto the surface of the primer layer decreased in thickness and then by baking the coated crystalline fluorocarbon polymer.
  • FIG. 1A is a schematic structural view of an example of an image forming apparatus
  • FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fixing device in Embodiment 1.
  • FIG. 2( a ) is a schematic sectional view showing a layer structure of a fixing film which is a rotatable fixing member
  • FIG. 2( b ) is a schematic view of a rising coating machine.
  • FIG. 3( a ) is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) photograph showing a state of a primer layer in Embodiment 1
  • FIG. 3( b ) is an SEM photograph showing a state, in which coating grains are fixed and laminated without being subjected to leveling, of the primer layer formed by dry coating in Comparative Embodiment 1
  • FIG. 3( c ) is an SEM photograph showing the state of the primer layer formed by dry coating in Comparative Embodiment 1 and is also an enlarged photograph of fixed grains shown in FIG. 3( b ) with the same magnification as that in FIG. 3( a ).
  • FIG. 4( a ) is a schematic view showing a state of a primer layer formed by wet coating in Comparative Embodiment 4
  • FIG. 4( b ) is a schematic view showing a state in which a parting layer is applied onto the primer layer formed by wet coating and then is dried
  • FIG. 4( c ) is a schematic view showing a state in which the parting layer is applied onto the primer layer formed by wet coating and then dried and baked.
  • FIG. 5( a ) is a schematic view showing a state of a primer layer formed by dry coating in Comparative Embodiment 1
  • FIG. 5( b ) is a schematic view showing a state in which a parting layer is applied onto the primer layer formed by dry coating and then is dried in Comparative Embodiment 1.
  • FIG. 6( a ) is a schematic view showing a primer layer in Embodiment 1
  • FIG. 6( b ) is a schematic view showing a state in which a parting layer is applied onto the primer layer and then is dried in Embodiment 1.
  • FIG. 7( a ) is a schematic cross-sectional structural view of a fixing device in Embodiment 2
  • FIG. 7( b ) is a schematic sectional view of a fixing roller which is a rotatable fixing member in Embodiment 2.
  • FIG. 8( a ) is a graph showing a relationship between a primer layer thickness and a gloss value (glossiness) with respect to fixing rollers having a parting layer thickness of 15 ⁇ m in Embodiment 2 and Comparative Embodiments
  • FIG. 8( b ) is a graph showing a relationship between the primer layer thickness and the glossiness with respect to fixing rollers having a parting layer thickness of 8 ⁇ m in Embodiment 2 and Comparative Embodiments.
  • FIG. 1A is a schematic structural view showing an example of an image forming apparatus 10 in which a fixing device 114 according to the present invention is mounted as a fixing device for fixing an unfixed toner image on a recording material by heating the unfixed toner image.
  • This image forming apparatus 100 is a color printer of an electrophotographic type.
  • the image forming apparatus 100 effects color image formation on a sheet-like recording material P as a recording medium on the basis of an electrical image signal input from an external host device 200 such as a personal computer or an image reader into a control circuit portion (control portion) 101 of the image forming apparatus 100 .
  • the control circuit portion 101 includes a CPU (computing portion) and an ROM (storing means) and transfers various pieces of electrical information between itself and the host device 200 or an operating portion (not shown) of the image forming apparatus 100 . Further, the control circuit portion 101 effect centralized control of an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 100 in accordance with a predetermined control program or a predetermined reference table.
  • Each of the image forming portions Y, C, M and K includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum 51 as an image bearing member, and a charging device 52 , a developing device 53 , a cleaning device 54 , and the like which are process means acting on the drum 51 .
  • a yellow toner as a developer is accommodated in the developing device 53 of the image forming portion Y.
  • a cyan toner as the developer is accommodated in the developing device of the cyan image forming portion C.
  • a magenta toner as the developer is accommodated in the developing device of the magenta image forming portion M.
  • a black toner as the developer is accommodated in the developing device of the black image forming portion K.
  • An optical system 55 for forming an electrostatic image by exposing the drum 51 to light is provided correspondingly to the four color image forming portions Y, C, M and K.
  • As the optical system 55 a laser scanning exposure optical system is used.
  • the drum 51 which has been uniformly charged by the charging device 52 is subjected to scanning exposure on the basis of image data by the optical system 55 .
  • the electrostatic latent image corresponding to a scanning exposure image pattern is formed on the drum surface.
  • the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image by the developing device 53 . That is, on the drum 51 of the yellow image forming portion Y, a yellow toner image corresponding to a yellow component image of a full-color image is formed. On the drum 51 of the cyan image forming portion C, a cyan toner image corresponding to a cyan component image of the full-color image is formed. On the drum 51 of the magenta image forming portion M, a magenta toner image corresponding to a magenta component image of the full-color image is formed. On the drum 51 of the black image forming portion K, a black toner image corresponding to a black component image of the full-color image is formed.
  • the color images formed on the drums 51 of the image forming portions Y, C, M and K are successively superposed and primary-transferred, in a predetermined aligned state, onto an intermediary transfer member 56 which is rotated at the substantially same speed as that of the drums 51 in synchronism with rotations of the drums 51 .
  • an unfixed full-color toner image is synthetically formed on the intermediary transfer member 56 .
  • an endless intermediary transfer belt is used and is wound around and stretched by three rollers of a driving roller 57 , a secondary transfer opposite roller 58 and a tension roller 59 , and is driven by the driving roller 57 .
  • a primary transfer roller 60 As a primary transfer means for primary-transferring the toner image from each of the drums 51 of the image forming portions Y, C, M and K, a primary transfer roller 60 is used. To the roller 60 , a primary transfer bias of an opposite polarity to a charge polarity of the toner is applied from an unshown bias voltage source. As a result, the toner image is primary-transferred from each of the drums 51 of the image forming portions Y, C, M and K onto the belt 56 .
  • toner remaining on each of the drums 51 as residual toner is removed by the cleaning device 54 .
  • the steps described above are performed in synchronism with the rotation of the belt 56 with respect to each of yellow, cyan, magenta and black, so that the primary-transfer toner images of the respective colors are successively formed superposedly on the belt 56 .
  • the above-described steps are performed with respect to only an objective color.
  • the recording material P in a recording material cassette 61 is separated and fed one by one by a feeding roller 62 with predetermined timing.
  • the recording material P is conveyed to a transfer nip, which is a press-contact portion between a secondary transfer roller 64 and an intermediary transfer belt portion wound about the secondary transfer opposite roller 58 , by registration rollers 63 with predetermined timing.
  • the synthetic primary transfer toner images formed on the belt 56 are collectively transferred onto the recording material P by a bias, of an opposite polarity to the toner charge polarity, applied from an unshown bias voltage source. Secondary transfer residual toner remaining on the belt 56 after the secondary transfer is removed by an intermediary transfer belt cleaning device 65 .
  • the unfixed toner image secondary-transferred onto the recording material P is melt-mixed and fixed on the recording material P by a fixing device 114 , and is sent to a sheet discharge tray 67 through a sheet discharging path 66 as a full-color print.
  • FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of a principal part of the fixing device 114 in this embodiment (Embodiment 1).
  • a longitudinal direction is a direction perpendicular to a recording material conveyance direction in a plane of the recording material.
  • a widthwise direction is a direction parallel to the recording material conveyance direction in the plane of the recording material.
  • a width is a dimension with respect to the widthwise direction.
  • a length is a dimension with respect to the longitudinal direction.
  • the fixing device 114 in this embodiment is basically of the film heating type which is a so-called known tension-less type.
  • the fixing device 114 of this film heating type uses a heat-resistant fixing film 2 , which has flexibility and has an endless belt shape or a cylindrical shape, as the rotatable fixing member. At least a part of a circumferential portion of the fixing film 2 is always in a tension-free state (in which no tension is applied), and the fixing film 2 is rotationally driven by a rotation driving force of the rotatable pressing member (pressing member) 6 .
  • the fixing film 2 is, as described later, prepared by successively laminating at least the elastic layer, the primer layer and the parting layer on the base material.
  • the primer layer contains a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer having a functional group and has a thickness of 850 nm or less.
  • the parting layer is a coating layer of a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer.
  • the fixing film 2 is a film including the parting layer which is an outermost surface layer and is formed in a small thickness and smoothed, and enables improvement in fixability of the fixing device 114 and output of a high-gloss image.
  • the stay 1 is a rigid member of a heat-resistant resin material which is elongated in the longitudinal direction (perpendicular to the drawing) and has a substantially semicircular trough cross section.
  • a heat-resistant liquid crystal polymer is used as a material for the stay 1 .
  • a hole 1 b in which a thermistor (temperature detecting element) 5 to be disposed to contact a heater 3 is accommodated is provided in communication with a groove portion 1 a .
  • the heater 3 is a so-called ceramic heater in this embodiment and is engaged in and fixedly supported by the groove portion 1 a provided at a widthwise central portion on a lower surface of the stay 1 along the longitudinal direction of the stay 1 .
  • the heat-resistant cylindrical fixing film 2 as the rotatable fixing member, which has flexibility and is excellent in heat resistivity is loosely engaged externally on an outer circumferential surface of the stay 1 , which supports the heater 3 , with a circumferential margin. Further, onto an inner circumferential surface of the film 2 , grease is applied in order to improve slidability with respect to the heater 3 .
  • the stay 1 , the heater 3 , the film 2 and the like constitute a heating assembly 4 .
  • An elastic pressing roller (rotatable pressing member) 6 as a back-up member in this embodiment is prepared by coating a silicone foam member as a heat-resistant elastic layer 6 b on a cylindrical shaft core metal 6 a of iron, stainless steel, aluminum, or the like and then by coating a fluorocarbon polymer tube as a parting layer 6 c on the elastic layer 6 b .
  • the roller 6 opposes the heater 3 held by the stay 1 through the film 2 . Further, a predetermined pressure is exerted between the stay 1 and the roller 6 by a pressing mechanism (not shown). By this pressure, the elastic layer 6 b of the roller 6 is elastically deformed with respect to the longitudinal direction along the heater 3 through the film 2 .
  • a nip (fixing nip) N having a predetermined width necessary to heat-fix an unfixed toner image T carried by the recording material P is created between the roller 6 and the film 2 pressed against the heater 3 .
  • the roller 6 is rotationally driven in a counterclockwise direction indicated by an arrow at a predetermined speed by a motor (driving means) M controlled by the control circuit portion 101 at least during execution of the image formation.
  • a rotational force acts on the film 2 .
  • the film 2 is rotated around the stay 1 in a clockwise direction indicated by an arrow at a peripheral speed substantially corresponding to the rotational peripheral speed of the roller 6 while intimately sliding on the surface of the heater 3 in the nip N at the inner surface of the film 2 .
  • the film 2 is rotated at the peripheral speed substantially equal to the conveyance speed of the recording material P, carrying thereon the unfixed toner image T, which is conveyed from an image transfer portion side.
  • the heater 3 is increased in temperature by being supplied with electric power from a power supply 102 .
  • the temperature of the heater 3 is detected by the thermistor 5 .
  • Detected temperature information is fed back to the control circuit portion 101 .
  • the control circuit portion 101 controls the electric power input from the power supply 102 to the heater 3 so that a detected temperature input from the thermistor 5 is kept at a predetermined target temperature (fixing temperature).
  • the recording material P carrying thereon the unfixed toner image T is introduced into the nip N with a toner image carrying surface toward the film 2 side.
  • the recording material P intimately contacts the outer surface of the film 2 in the nip N and is nip-conveyed in the nip N together with the film 2 .
  • heat of the heater 3 is applied to the recording material P through the film 2 and the pressing force is applied to the recording material P in the nip N, so that the unfixed toner image T is thermally press-fixed on the surface of the recording material P.
  • the recording material P which has passed through the nip N is self-separated from the outer circumferential surface of the film 2 and is conveyed to the outside of the fixing device 114 .
  • FIG. 2( a ) is a schematic sectional view showing a layer structure of the fixing film 2 which is the rotatable fixing member in the fixing device 114 described above.
  • the fixing film 2 includes a base material 2 A which is a cylindrical metal member or an endless belt member of a heat-resistant resin material.
  • the film 2 may preferably have a small total thickness in order to improve a quick start property by decreasing thermal capacitor, and therefore a smaller thickness of the base material 2 A is more advantageous in terms of the quick start of the fixing device 114 .
  • the thickness of the base material 2 A may preferably be 20-100 ⁇ m.
  • an elastic layer 2 B is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the base material 2 A.
  • the elastic layer 2 B has the function of transferring the heat from the heater 3 to the recording material P or the toner T so as to cover the base material 2 A while following unevenness of the recording material P or the toner T.
  • a material for the elastic layer 2 B it is possible to use a heat-resistant rubber in which a high heat-conductive filler is mixed. With respect to the thickness of the elastic layer 2 B, a thinner elastic layer 2 B is more advantageous in terms of the quick start of the fixing device 114 .
  • the thickness of the elastic layer 2 B may preferably be in the range from 50 ⁇ m to 1 mm, more preferably be 80 ⁇ m or more and 300 ⁇ m or less.
  • a parting layer 2 C which is the outermost surface layer of the film 2 is formed of a fluorocarbon polymer (fluorine-containing resin) having a good parting property such that the toner T on the recording material P causes offset.
  • a primer layer 2 D for ensuring adhesiveness between the elastic layer 2 B and the parting layer 2 C is provided.
  • a total thickness of the parting layer 2 C and the primer layer 2 D may desirably be 25 ⁇ m or less.
  • thermosetting resin material having heat resistivity, strength, durability and the like, such as polyimide or polyamideimide can be used.
  • a heat-resistant rubber such as a silicone rubber or a fluorocarbon rubber is used.
  • a silicone rubber an addition curing silicone rubber is frequently used from the viewpoint of a processing property. That is, the material of the elastic layer 2 B is the silicone rubber or the fluorocarbon rubber.
  • the addition curing silicone rubber includes organopolysiloxane having an unsaturated aliphatic group, organopolysiloxane having active hydrogen bound to silicon, and a platinum compound as a cross-linking catalyst.
  • organopolysiloxane having an unsaturated aliphatic group includes the following.
  • R 1 represents a monovalent non-substituted or substituted hydrocarbon group which does not include the aliphatic unsaturated group bonded to a silicon atom. Specifically, the following is included:
  • an alkyl group for example, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, and the like
  • a substituted hydrocarbon group for example, chloromethyl, 3-chloropropyl, 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl, 3-cyanopropyl, 3-methoxypropyl, and the like.
  • R 1 is preferably a methyl group, and all R 1 are particularly preferable to be the methyl group.
  • R 2 represents the unsaturated aliphatic group bonded to a silicon atom, and a vinyl, allyl, 3-butenyl, 4-pentenyl, 5-hexynyl are illustrated, and since synthesis and handling are easy, and a cross-linking reaction can be easily performed, vinyl is preferable.
  • organopolysiloxane having the active hydrogen bonded to silicon is a cross-linking agent, which forms a cross-linked structure by the reaction with an alkenyl group of an organopolysiloxane component having the unsaturated aliphatic group by a catalytic action of the platinum compound.
  • the number of hydrogen atoms bonded to the silicon atom is a number exceeding three pieces in average in one molecule.
  • a non-substituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group can be illustrated, which is in the same range as R 1 of the organopolysiloxane component having the unsaturated aliphatic group. Particularly, since synthesis and handling are easy, a methyl group is preferable.
  • a monocular weight of organopolysiloxane having active hydrogen bonded to silicon is not particularly limited.
  • viscosity of organopolysiloxane at 25° C. is preferably in the range of 10 mm 2 /s or more and 100,000 mm 2 /s or less, and more preferably 15 mm 2 /s or more and 1,000 mm 2 /s or less.
  • the reason why viscosity of the organopolysiloxane at 25° C. is preferably in the above described range is because it does not happen that a desired cross-linking properties and physical properties of molded articles are not obtained due to evaporation during preservation, and moreover, synthesis and handling are easy so that it can be easily diffused in the system.
  • a siloxane base can be in the shape of any of a straight-chain, branched or circular, and a mixture of these shapes may be used. Particularly, because of easiness of synthesis, the shape of a straight-chain is preferable.
  • a Si—H binding may be present in whichever siloxane unit in the molecule, but at least a part thereof is preferably present in a siloxane unit of the molecule terminal such as an R 1 2 HSiO 1/2 unit
  • an amount of the unsaturated aliphatic group is preferably 0.1 mol % or more and 2.0 mol % or less for silicon atom 1 mol, and particularly, more preferably 0.2 mol % or more and 1.0 mol % or less.
  • the unsaturated aliphatic groups and active hydrogens are blended in such a ratio that ratio of the number of active hydrogens to unsaturated aliphatic groups is preferably 0.3 or more and 0.8 or less.
  • the ratio of the number of active hydrogens to unsaturated aliphatic groups can be quantitatively calculated by measurement using Hydrogen Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Analysis (for example, 1 H-NMR (Model Name: AL400 type FT-NMR made by Nihon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha).
  • the high heat-conductive filler to be mixed in the rubber material of the elastic layer 2 B it is possible to use alumina, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, carbon, carbon nanofiber, metal silicon, zinc oxide, silicon oxide, etc. These materials can be used singly or in mixture of two or more species.
  • a high heat-conductive rubber having the thermal conductivity of 0.7 W/m ⁇ k or more and 2.0 W/m ⁇ k or less may desirably be used.
  • the primer layer 2 D for bonding the elastic layer 2 B of the silicone rubber and the parting layer of the fluorocarbon polymer is provided.
  • a material for the primer layer 2 D is a dispersion containing a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer having a functional group and containing water.
  • the dispersion may preferably contain a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer having no functional group in addition to the crystalline fluorocarbon polymer having the functional group. Examples of the functional group-containing crystalline fluorocarbon polymer are described in JP-A (Tokuhyo) 2002-514181, Japanese Patent No. 2882579 and JP-A 2005-212318.
  • the functional group contributes to the bonding of the parting layer to the elastic layer.
  • Examples of the functional group may include ester, alcohol, acid, their salts, their halides, cyanate, carbamate, nitrile, etc.
  • Examples of acid may include carbon-based acid, sulfur-based acid, phosphorus-based acid.
  • the functional group-containing fluorocarbon polymer can, e.g., be obtained by copolymerizing a fluorinated monomer having a pendant-type side group containing a functional group unit when the fluorocarbon polymer is manufactured by polymerization.
  • a preferred example of such a functional group may include the phosphorus-based acid, particularly a phosphate group.
  • a preferred example of the fluorinated monomer having the phosphate group as the functional group may include an ester dihydrogenphosphate compound having a trifluoro-vinyl-ether group.
  • a specific example thereof may include dihydrogenphosphate 2,2,3,3,5,6,6,8,9,9-decafluoro-5-trifluoromethyl-4,7-d ioxanona-8-ene-1-yl (EVE-P) and dihydrogenphosphate 2,2,3,3,4,4,6,7,7-nonafluoro-5-oxahepta-6-ene-1-yl.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer is a copolymer which can be obtained by copolymerizing tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) with at least one species of a fluorine substitution comonomer by a known method.
  • the fluorine substitution comonomer may include perfluoroalkylvinyl compounds having 3-8 carbon atoms, and perfluoroalkylvinylethers (PFAV) in which alkyl group has 1-5 carbon atoms.
  • a copolymer resin (PFA resin) between TFE and perfluoroalkyl-vinylether or a copolymer resin between TFE and perfluoroalkylvinyl compound is a preferred fluorocarbon polymer.
  • the functional group-containing fluorocarbon polymer is obtained by copolymerizing the above-mentioned fluorinated monomer containing the functional group unit when the fluorocarbon polymer is manufactured by the polymerization.
  • fluorocarbon polymer is the copolymer resin (PFA resin) between TFE having a side chain containing the phosphate group and perfluoroalkylether.
  • a melting point of the functional group-containing fluorocarbon polymer is 200-300° C., preferably 220-280° C. For that reason, proportion of the alkylvinylether component or the alkylvinyl component to the copolymer resin is in the range of 3-15 mol. %, preferably 5-12 mol. %.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer having no functional group can be used by being appropriately selected from the fluorocarbon polymers described above.
  • the fluorocarbon polymers the TFE/perfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer resin or the TFE/perfluoroalkylvinyl copolymer resin is preferably used.
  • the content of the functional group can be adjusted easily and arbitrarily.
  • the functional group-containing fluorocarbon polymer is mixed in an amount of 100-10 wt. %, preferably 80-30 wt. % per the mixture.
  • the mixing of the functional group-containing fluorocarbon polymer with the fluorocarbon polymer containing no functional group can be performed by a known method.
  • the melting point of the mixture may be 200-300° C., preferable 220-280° C. in consideration of baking temperature such that the base material is not damaged by heat when the coating of the fluorocarbon polymer is formed on the base material.
  • the copolymer in which the proportion of the alkylvinylether component or the alkylvinyl component to the mixture (copolymer resin) is 3-15 mol. %, preferably 5-12 mol. % may preferably be used from the viewpoint that the copolymer resin has the desirable melting point.
  • the amount of the functional group in the mixture is 0.02-5 mol. %, preferably 0.1-2.5 mol. % per the mixture.
  • the primer layer is formed by using an aqueous dispersion in which the mixture is dispersed as fine particles in an aqueous (water) solvent.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer for the parting layer 2 C is insoluble in solvent since the fluorocarbon polymer is consisting of a fluorocarbon polymer mixture containing the crystalline fluorocarbon polymer. For that reason, the fluorocarbon polymer is used in the form of the dispersion in which the fine particles (primary particle size of 830 nm or less) of the fluorocarbon polymer are dispersed in the solvent such as water.
  • the value of the primary particle size refers to a measured value by a scanning electron microscope (SEM).
  • SEM scanning electron microscope
  • the crystalline fluorocarbon polymer has high heat resistivity and high durability and generally has the melting point of 200° C.
  • the rotatable fixing member may preferably withstand continuous use at 200° C. or more.
  • the polymer causes partial melting even at the melting point or less and a resin-melting temperature range including the melting point as a center value is present and therefore the melting point may preferably be 250° C. or more for the purpose that the rotatable fixing member withstands continuous use.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer may include PFA, FEP (tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer), copolymers thereof, and their modified resins.
  • PFA has the melting point of 280-320° C. and has a very good heat resistivity and a good processing property, thus being a suitable material as the fluorocarbon polymer used in the present invention.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer having a higher melting point was excellent in heat resistivity and durability but was not melted readily, so that it was difficult to form a film.
  • the manufacturing method of the present invention it is possible to obtain a good film-forming property even in the case where the fluorocarbon polymer is PFA such that the melting point is relatively high, i.e., 300° C. or more at which it has been conventionally difficult to form a film.
  • FIG. 2( b ) shows an example of a ring coating device used in a step of forming the silicone rubber layer constituting the elastic layer 2 B on the base material 2 A and is a schematic view for illustrating the so-called ring coating method.
  • the base material 2 A which is an endless belt member is put on a cylindrical core 18 which has a perfect circle in cross section and the circumference of the circle is substantially equal to an inner circumferential length of the base material 2 A, and is mounted on the core 18 .
  • the core 18 on which the base material 18 is mounted is fixed on a movable stage 34 by a chucking attachment 35 .
  • a high heat-conductive addition curing silicone rubber composition containing the addition curing silicone rubber and the high heat-conductive filler is filled in a cylinder pump 32 .
  • the composition is pressure-fed by a pressure-feeding motor M 1 , so that the composition is applied from an application liquid supplying nozzle 33 onto the circumferential surface of base material 2 A.
  • the movable stage 34 on which the base material 2 A and the core 18 are fixed is moved in a rigid direction in FIG. 2( b ) at a constant speed by a driving motor M 2 .
  • the coating film of the addition curing silicone rubber composition G constituting the elastic layer 2 B can be formed on the entire outer circumferential surface of the base material 2 A.
  • the thickness of the coating film constituting the elastic layer 2 B can be controlled by a clearance between the application liquid supplying nozzle 33 and the base material 2 A, a feeding speed of the silicone rubber composition, a movement speed of the base material 2 A (stage 34 ), and the like.
  • the addition curing silicone rubber layer formed on the base material 2 A is heated for a certain time by a known heating means such as an electric furnace or an infrared heater to promote cross-linking reaction, thus being formed into the elastic layer 2 B which is a cured silicone rubber layer.
  • the method of forming the elastic layer 2 B is not limited to the ring coating method described above.
  • a method in which the material such as a liquid silicone rubber is coated in a uniform thickness on the metal layer by a means (method) such as a blade coating method and then is heat-cured.
  • a method in which the material such as the liquid silicone rubber is injected into a mold and then is heat-cured, a method of heat-curing the material after extrusion molding, a method of heat-curing after ejection molding, and the like.
  • the surface of the elastic layer 2 B may desirably be subjected to surface treatment before the primer layer 2 D is formed.
  • hydrophilizing treatment is performed through UV treatment (UV irradiation treatment). This UV treatment is not essential but the silicone rubber surface is hydrophilized by the UV treatment and a tacking property is lowered, so that formation of the primer layer 2 D in a very small thickness and formation of the parting layer 2 C when are subsequently effected become easy.
  • the primer layer 2 D on the elastic layer 2 B is required to be formed in a thickness of 830 nm or less, preferably 360 nm or less so as to cover the entire area of the elastic layer 2 B.
  • the method of forming the primer layer 2 D on the elastic layer 2 B may desirably include at least three steps (First to third steps) described below.
  • the first step is a step of applying the dispersion of the primer so as to cover the entire area of the elastic layer.
  • the coating layer of the primer layer is dried to obtain a dried primer layer.
  • a part of the dried primer layer is removed to decrease and uniformize the layer thickness.
  • the primer layer is formed by the three steps described above. This is because it is generally very difficult to apply the fluorocarbon polymer dispersion onto the elastic layer 2 B in a thickness of 830 nm or less in a single step of the known method.
  • the primary particle size is about 1 ⁇ m with respect to fine particles, Van der Waals force acting among the fine particles is not negligible.
  • the fine particles are liable to agglomerate and are more liable to agglomerate with a smaller particle size. Particularly, the agglomeration is liable to occur when the particles are being dried.
  • the coating (application) layer of the dispersion is first formed in advance in the first step and the dried primer layer is formed in the second step, and then in the third step, the part of the dried primer layer is removed to adjust layer thickness to 830 nm or less.
  • the primer layer decreased in thickness is coated with the crystalline fluorocarbon polymer, followed by baking to obtain the parting layer.
  • the application of the fluorocarbon polymer-dispersed aqueous paint, which is the primer, onto the elastic layer may be performed by a known method such as spraying or dipping.
  • the drying in the second step may be performed by drying through natural drying or air blowing, so that the dried primer layer can be formed.
  • mud cracks may preferably be created by adjusting a solid content of the fluorocarbon polymer in the fluorocarbon polymer-dispersed aqueous point as the primer, and an application amount and a drying method of the paint, and the like.
  • the subsequent third step can be performed very easily.
  • the cracks are liable to occur with an increasing thickness but when the paint is applied in an excessive large thickness, dropping occurs and utilization factor is poor. Therefore, the thickness of the primer layer may desirably be about 4 ⁇ m to about 7 ⁇ m.
  • the removal in the third step can be performed by using a method in which an abutting member (scraping member) such as cloth, paper or sponge against the dried primer layer to scrape the surface of the dried primer layer off the dried primer layer. Further, it is possible to use a method in which the surface of the dried primer layer is blown off with high-pressure air or gas (by blowing the air or gas onto the dried primer layer). It is also possible to use a method in which the surface of the dried primer layer is washed with a liquid such as water or other liquids, and the like method.
  • an abutting member such as cloth, paper or sponge against the dried primer layer to scrape the surface of the dried primer layer off the dried primer layer.
  • the primer particles present immediately on the elastic layer at a lowermost layer portion physically and chemically bond to the elastic layer with a force stronger than an adhesion force among the primer particles, thus being less dropped (removed) compared with the primer particles present above those present immediately on the lowermost layer portion.
  • the surface of the silicone rubber has strong water repellency due to its chemical structure.
  • the primer dispersion is repelled by the silicone rubber surface, so that the primer dispersion is not readily applied onto the entire surface of the elastic layer.
  • the elastic layer possesses the tacking property.
  • the tacking property is excessively strong, friction between a nonwoven fabric (“BEMCOT”, mfd. by Asahi Kasei Fibers Corp.) which is the abutting member and the roller becomes excessively strong, so that the abutting member is liable to vibrate and therefore the uniform removal in the removing step described above is less liable to be effected.
  • the surface of the elastic layer 2 B is subjected to the UV treatment.
  • the degree of the UV treatment may desirably be such that the lowering in water repellency is at a level that it can be recognized.
  • the surface of the elastic layer 2 B may be UV-treated so that a contact angle with pure water is 90 degrees or less as measured by a contact angle meter (“FACE”, mfd. by Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd.).
  • FACE contact angle meter
  • the wavelength of visible light is about 360 nm to obtain 830 nm and when a surface unevenness (roughness) is smaller than the visible light wavelength, diffused reflection of visible light is suppressed and therefore a surface gloss becomes very good.
  • the surface unevenness of the parting layer 2 C is largely impaired by the influence of the surface unevenness.
  • a degree of the surface unevenness of the primer layer 2 D is not more than the visible light wavelength. That is, the thickness of the primer layer obtained by the forming step described above may preferably be not more than a lower limit of the visible light wavelength.
  • the diffused reflection of visible light is prevented, so that gloss feeling becomes good.
  • the thickness of the primer layer 2 D is not more than 360 nm which is the lower limit of the visible light wavelength, the unevenness of not less than the visible light wavelength cannot be present. Thus, the diffused reflection does not occur in the entire wavelength region of visible light.
  • the primer layer 2 D is constituted by the fine particles of the fluorocarbon polymer mixture containing the crystalline fluorocarbon polymer as the primer.
  • the primary particle size of the fine particles of the fluorocarbon polymer mixture is required at least to be 830 nm or less.
  • it is desirable that the fine particles having the primary particle size of 360 nm or less are used.
  • the primary particle size of the fluorocarbon polymer primer is 360 nm or less, the fine particles are not scraped off even when the cloth abutting member is abutted against the primer layer, so that the primer particles at the lowermost portion (contacting the elastic layer 2 B) are further liable to remain.
  • the dispersion of the fluorocarbon polymer mixture to be applied onto the surface of the elastic layer 2 B in order to form the dried primer layer may preferably contain the fluorocarbon polymer fine particles having the primary particle size of 360 nm or less.
  • FIG. 3( a ) is an SEM (scanning electron microscope) photograph showing the state of the primer layer 2 D in which only the single-particle layer is left.
  • the thickness of the primer layer 2 D is not always required to be 850 nm or less in the entire area. Even when a portion of 1 ⁇ m or more and several ⁇ m or less is locally present, such thickness may be permitted if the portion is inconspicuous when the portion is covered with the parting layer 2 C. Further, the primer particle layer may also be locally omitted and 70% or more of an area of the primer layer surface may only be required to be formed on the smooth surface of 850 nm or less in thickness. When the area in which the primer particles are not placed on the elastic layer 2 B is less than 30%, it is possible to obtain a good bonding property together with good gloss.
  • This phenomenon of appearance of the structural color is generally a phenomenon that visible light causes interference to produce the structural color based on a minute structure of not more than the visible light wavelength, so that the presence of the primer layer of the fluorocarbon polymer primer fine particles of the visible light wavelength on the elastic layer can be confirmed by checking the presence or absence of the appearance of the structural color.
  • the primer layer 2 D is formed in the single-particle layer of the primary particles of the primer, it is possible to produce a desired structural color by adjusting the primary particle size.
  • reflected light at the surface of the primer layer 2 D and reflected light at the surface of the elastic layer 2 B which is below the surface of the primer layer 2 D by a thickness corresponding to the primary particle size interfere with each other, so that the structural color appears. Therefore, it is possible to produce a desired structural color by adjusting the thickness, i.e., the primary particle size. For that reason, also in the manufacturing process or the like, by checking the presence or absence, the color and unevenness of the structural color, it is possible to easily confirm and control the formation of a desired primer layer. That is, after the primer layer formation, a primer layer forming state is controlled by producing the desired structural color on the surface of the primer layer.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer for the parting layer 2 C used in the present invention is the crystalline fluorocarbon polymer and is insoluble in the solvent. For that reason, the fluorocarbon polymer is used in the form of a dispersion of fluorocarbon polymer fine particles (primary particle size: 830 ⁇ m or less, preferably 360 nm or less) in the solvent such as water.
  • the value of the primary particle size refers to a measured value by the SEM.
  • the fluorocarbon polymers it is possible to use the fluorocarbon polymer having particularly high heat resistance and durability.
  • the high heat-resistant fluorocarbon polymer has the high durability and can be used when the fluorocarbon polymer has the melting point of 250° C. or more and it is desirable that good durability can be obtained when the crystalline fluorocarbon polymer having the melting point of 300° C. or more is used.
  • a method of forming an unbaked smooth fluorocarbon polymer layer with less surface unevenness by leveling the dispersion on the roller surface may be used.
  • the unbaked fluorocarbon polymer layer to be formed as the parting layer 2 C is liable to be cracked during drying or baking after the coating with an increasing thickness of the coating.
  • the leveling of the dispersion is less liable to be performed during the coating, so that spots are liable to occur.
  • the thickness of the coating may desirably be in the range of 4 ⁇ m or more and 30 ⁇ m or less.
  • the primer layer 2 D is a very thin layer and has a small unevenness and therefore the surface of the parting layer 2 C can be made very smooth while suppressing thermal deterioration of the rubber of the elastic layer 2 B. Particularly, this effect is noticeable with the decreasing thickness of the coating, so that a very good surface can be formed even when the thickness of the parting layer 2 C is 15 ⁇ m or less. Generally, when the thickness of the parting layer 2 C is 15 ⁇ m or less, the state of the primer layer 2 D is liable to appear.
  • a baking means for baking the unbaked fluorocarbon polymer layer to be formed as the parting layer 2 C may only be required to heat the unbaked fluorocarbon polymer layer to a temperature which is at least not less than the melting point of the fluorocarbon polymer.
  • the baking means may include an electric oven for circulating hot air, an infrared heater for effecting radiation heating, and a means for baking the unbaked fluorocarbon polymer layer by locally creating high-temperature air through a cylinder-like or coil-like heat generating element and then by passing the layer through the locally hot air.
  • the elastic layer 2 B underlying the parting layer 2 C generally does not have the heat resistance like that of the fluorocarbon polymer, so that the baking means and a baking method are required to be performed in a manner such that the film-forming property of the parting layer and minimization of deterioration of the elastic member.
  • the addition curing silicone rubber frequently used for the fixing roller may be used but the heat-resistant temperature thereof is generally about 250° C.
  • the melting point of the fluorocarbon polymer used for the fixing roller in this embodiment may be 250° C. or more, preferably 300° C. or more.
  • the baking is generally performed at a temperature which is higher than the melting point by 30° C. to 50° C., so that the deterioration of the elastic member cannot be avoided although a degree thereof is different, and therefore there is a need to employ a manufacturing method in which the deterioration is minimized.
  • the baking may preferably be performed for 7 minutes or less as a time at which the temperature is not less than the melting point of the crystalline fluorocarbon polymer of the parting layer described above.
  • a significant feature of the present invention is that the above-described fluorocarbon polymer dispersion which has the high heat resistance and high durability and is insoluble in the solvent is used as the primer on the elastic layer 2 B. Further, in the case where the parting layer 2 C of the above-described fluorocarbon polymer which has the high heat resistance and high durability and is insoluble in the solvent is formed, a high parting property and a high smoothness can be obtained while baking the parting layer 2 C so that the influence on the elastic layer 2 B is small.
  • the thickness itself of the primer layer 2 D is 830 nm or less, i.e., is not more than the visible light wavelength (region), so that the resultant surface unevenness is also not more than 830 nm.
  • the primer layer 2 D which is very smooth and is free from a crack can be formed.
  • the parting layer 2 C to be formed on the primer layer 2 D can be formed very smoothly at its surface already in a state before the baking. Also during the baking the underlying primer layer 2 D is a very thin layer.
  • a step height thereof is not more than (the lower limit of) the visible light wavelength, so that it is possible to form a very smooth film with no influence on the surface gloss and without largely disturbing the surface smoothness.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer primer does not contain a binder component, for the purpose of preventing the mud crack during the drying and the baking, in a large amount. This is because when the amount of the binder component is large, an amount of a substance which is vaporized during the baking is increased and trapped by the parting layer on the primer layer and therefore the binder component adversely affects the film-forming property and impairs the bonding property.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer primer dispersion which does not contain the binder component in the large amount is liable to cause the mud crack curing the drying.
  • the crack occurs easily during the drying.
  • the parting layer 2 C in a state in which the mud cracks occur during the drying ( FIG. 4( a )) is coated ( FIG. 4( b )) and then baked, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 4( c )
  • the cracks are enlarged by the influence of expansion of the base material 2 A and the elastic layer 2 B during the baking, so that the parting layer surface is largely roughened.
  • a general dry coating in spray coating i.e., a method in which paint particles of the fluorocarbon polymer primer dispersion to be blown with a spray are made small to facilitate drying thereof after being deposited on the elastic layer surface may be used.
  • the paint particles can be made small abut cannot be formed in a size of less than 1 ⁇ m, so that as shown in FIGS.
  • the paint particles have an outer size of 5 ⁇ m to several tens of microns and a thickness of about 2 ⁇ m already after the paint particles are deposited and dried on the surface of the elastic layer 2 B.
  • FIG. 3( b ) is the SEM photograph showing a state of the primer layer formed by the dry coating (a state in which the paint particles are fixed and laminated without being leveled.
  • FIG. 3( c ) is the SEM photograph showing the state of the primer layer formed by the dry coating (enlarged fixed paint particles).
  • the primer layer laminated on the elastic layer 2 B by being repeatedly coated on the elastic layer 2 B so as to cover at least the entire surface area of the elastic layer 2 B has a final thickness of 4-6 ⁇ m ( FIG.
  • the surface state thereof is, as shown in FIG. 3( b ), such a roughened state that a large amount of the surface unevenness is present due to the shape of the fixed paint particles.
  • the surface of the parting layer 2 C on the primer layer 2 D is influenced by the surface unevenness of the primer layer, thus being liable to have an uneven surface ( FIG. 5( b )).
  • the fluorocarbon polymer for the parting layer is baked at a higher temperature or for a longer time. As a result, the fluorocarbon polymer is sufficiently melted and leveled and thus the parting layer surface is required to be smoothened. However, in this case, it is considerably feared that the underlying elastic layer is thermally deteriorated.
  • the primer layer 2 D when the primer layer 2 D itself has a very smooth surface and is thin ( FIG. 6( a )), the unbaked parting layer surface itself (after the drying) has already been very smooth and good in property ( FIG. 6( b )). Further, the primer layer 2 D is very thin and does not readily cause the crack, so that the crack is also not readily generated in the parting layer itself during the baking and therefore the parting layer surface is not largely disturbed during the baking. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a very good smooth surface in the present invention without particularly making the baking temperature high or performing the baking for a long time, i.e., without sufficiently softening and melting the parting layer during the baking so as to be sufficiently leveled.
  • the thermal deterioration of the elastic layer during the baking can be suppressed.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer of a high melting point grade such that the leveling is not readily performed and the melting point is 310° C. or more is used as the fluorocarbon polymer for the parting layer 2 C, the good smooth surface can be formed easily.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer having the melting point of 310° C. or more has the especially good heat resistivity and durability among the fluorocarbon polymers, so that the present invention is also characterized in that the parting layer 2 C which has the good surface property and has the good heat resistivity and durability.
  • the present invention is particularly suitable for the case where a total thickness of the primer layer 2 D and the parting layer 2 C is 15 ⁇ m or less. This is because the unevenness of the primer layer is conspicuous as the surface unevenness of the parting layer with a smaller thickness of the parting layer.
  • the primer layer 2 D has the thickness of 830 nm or less and thus is very thin and smooth, so that the conspicuous unevenness cannot be created and thus a good film can be formed with no problem even when the thickness of the parting layer 2 C is small.
  • the layer thickness on the elastic layer i.e., the fixability is disadvantageous as the total thickness of the primer layer and the parting layer is larger.
  • the primer layer thickness and the parting layer thickness approaches each other, in the constitution of the rotatable fixing member, tolerances of both of the thicknesses influence the fixability, so that a variation in fixability is liable to occur.
  • the parting layer thickness is substantially different by several tens of times to several hundreds of times, so that the primer layer thickness itself is less liable to cause a problem.
  • the tolerance of the primer layer thickness is substantially negligible and thus the layer thickness on the elastic layer is within the variation caused by substantially only the tolerance of the parting layer, so that a stable fixability can be ensured compared with the case where the primer layer is formed in a large thickness.
  • the primer layer thickness immediately after the primer layer formation can be measured directly by using a laser scanning microscope or the SEM. Further, even after the baking, the thickness of the primer layer 2 D can be verified by using the following method. For example, a cross-sectional sample is analyzed by TOF-SIMS (time of flight secondary ion was spectrometer, so that a molecular structural difference between the fluorocarbon polymers of the primer layer and the parting layer is detected to check the thickness of the primer layer 2 D.
  • TOF-SIMS time of flight secondary ion was spectrometer
  • the primer has the functional group as described above and thus the presence or absence of the functional group may be checked and it is also possible to check the difference by effecting mapping as a difference in fluorocarbon polymer itself, a difference in monometer structure, a difference in structure or number of side chain, and the like.
  • the cross-sectional sample is prepared and then the molecular structural difference can be observed by measuring a component intrinsic to the primer layer or the parting layer through elemental analysis using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) or the SEM.
  • TEM transmission electron microscope
  • the fixing films in Examples 1 to 3 have the same constitution except for their thicknesses.
  • an SUS metal belt (flexible endless belt member) having a length of 240 mm, a thickness of 40 ⁇ m and an outer diameter of 30 mm was used.
  • a primer (“DY39-051”, mfd. by Dow Corning Toray Co., Ltd.) was uniformly coated in a thin layer in an area of 230 mm in length. Then, the resultant structure was placed in an electric oven and was dried at 200° C. for 30 min.
  • a high heat-resistant silicone rubber (“SE4400”, mfd.
  • the surface of the elastic layer 2 B formed on the SUS metal belt 2 A was subjected to UV treatment.
  • This UV treatment is not essential but by the UV treatment, the tacking property of the silicone rubber surface is lowered and the water repellency of the silicone rubber surface is changed into a hydrophilic property, so that a subsequent decrease in thickness of the primer layer and formation of the parting layer become easy.
  • the UV treatment was performed, of the materials for the fluorocarbon polymer described above, the fluorocarbon polymer having the phosphoric group and the primary particle size of 150 nm was used and dispersed in water and the resultant dispersion was coated on the elastic layer 2 B.
  • this step is a first step of forming a dispersion application layer by applying the dispersion of the fluorocarbon polymer mixture onto the elastic layer 2 B. Then, the application layer was dried by hot air with a drier to form an about 4 ⁇ m-thick layer in which mud cracks were generated. That is, this step is a second step of forming a dried primer layer by drying the dispersion application layer. Next, most of the primer layer is scraped off by pressing the non-woven fabric (“BEMCOT”) against the primer layer surface while rotating the belt on which the dried primer layer obtained in the second step, so that the dried primer layer can be changed into a uniform thin layer. That is, this step is a third step of decreasing the thickness of the dried primer layer by removing a part of the dried primer layer.
  • BEMCOT non-woven fabric
  • the primer is constituted by spherical fixing device fine particles having the primary particle size of about 150 nm, so that the primer fine particles are liable to pass through a gap between the pressed non-woven fabric and the silicone rubber elastic layer. Further, the primer fine particles present at an interface of the silicone rubber are physically and chemically adsorbed by the silicone rubber surface, so that the primer fine particles are not readily scraped off and therefore are little removed by a manner of rubbing the primer fine particles several times with the non-woven fabric while pressing the non-woven fabric against the primer fine particles.
  • the particle layer on the layer constituting the interface is not largely influenced by the silicone rubber, so that the particle layer is liable to be removed more than the interfacial particle layer.
  • the primer layer which is an ultrathin layer (substantially single particle layer of 150 nm in thickness) principally comprising fine particles substantially present at the interface of the primer layer with the elastic layer 2 B of the silicone rubber. Further, at the entire surface of the primer layer on the elastic layer 2 B, it was confirmed that clear blue structural color appears uniformly by the thin primer layer.
  • a PFA dispersion is spray-coated as the parting layer 2 C.
  • a dispersion of PFA (“HP350” (primary particle size: about 160 nm), mfd. by Du Pont-Mitsui Fluorochemicals Co., Ltd.) in water is used and is coated by a spray.
  • the coating was made so that the surface was wet, i.e., was sufficiently leveled until it was dried.
  • the coating was effected so that the parting layer had a thickness, including the primer layer thickness, of 5 ⁇ m in Example 1, 8 ⁇ m in Example 2 and 15 ⁇ m in Example 3.
  • the fixing film after being subjected to the parting layer coating was dried at 90° C. for 10 minutes, pre-heated at 220° C. for 30 minutes, and placed in an electric oven kept at 350° C., and then was baked for 7 minutes, followed by air-cooling.
  • Example 1 parting layer thickness: 5 ⁇ m
  • Example 2 parting layer thickness: 8 ⁇ m
  • Example 3 parting layer thickness: 15 ⁇ m
  • the manufacturing method of fixing films of Comparative Embodiment 1 and Comparative Embodiment 2 are identical to that in Embodiment 1 except for a manner of formation of the primer layer. Further, the fixing films of Comparative Embodiments 1 and 2 are only different in parting layer thickness. Until the UV treatment, the same process as in Examples 1 to 3 in Embodiment 1 was performed and the primer layer was coated by dry coating in place of the wet coating. That is, when the primer is coated by the spray, an end opening of a spray gun was narrowed by adjusting spraying pressure and a needle position to decrease a size of the spray coating particles.
  • the primer layer was formed in a thickness of about 4 ⁇ m in a state in which the spray coating particles of the fluorocarbon polymer primer dispersion were stacked as shown in FIG. 3( b ).
  • the primer layer was not subjected to the removal step, and then the parting layer was formed in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 so that the (total) thickness of the parting layer (including the primer layer thickness) was 8 ⁇ m (Comparative Embodiment 1) and 15 ⁇ m (Comparative Embodiment 2). Further, after the parting layer was coated, the baking and the air-cooling were also performed in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 to obtain a fixing film of Comparative Embodiment 1 (total thickness: 8 ⁇ m) and a fixing film of Comparative Embodiment 2 (total thickness: 15 ⁇ m).
  • the manufacturing method of a fixing film of Comparative Embodiment 3 is identical to that of Comparative Embodiment 2 except for the baking method of the parting layer. That is, the fixing film after the drying at 90° C. for 10 minutes and the pre-heating at 220° C. for 30 minutes was placed in the electric oven kept at 360° C. and then was baked for 10 minutes.
  • the manufacturing method of a fixing film of Comparative Embodiment 4 is identical to that of Comparative Embodiment 2 except for the baking method of the parting layer. That is, the fixing film after the drying at 90° C. for 10 minutes and the pre-heating at 220° C. for 30 minutes was placed in the electric oven kept at 370° C. and then was baked for 7 minutes.
  • the manufacturing method of a fixing film of Comparative Embodiment 5 is identical to that in Embodiment 1 except for a manner of formation of the primer layer.
  • the same process as in Embodiment 1 was performed and the primer layer was coated by the wet coating. That is, when the primer is coated by the spray, an end opening of a spray gun was increased by adjusting spraying pressure and a needle position to increase a size of the spray coating particles. Further, a deposition amount on the roller surface per 1 ⁇ 2 of reciprocation was increased so that the spray coating particles were coated and leveled with each other when the spray coating particles were deposited on the roller surface.
  • the primer layer was formed in a thickness of about 4 ⁇ m but mud cracks occurred in the primer layer as schematically illustrated in FIG. 4( a ).
  • the primer layer was not subjected to the removal step, and then the parting layer was formed in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 so that the (total) thickness of the parting layer (including the primer layer thickness) was 15 ⁇ m. Further, after the parting layer was coated, the baking was also performed in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 (Examples 1 to 3) to obtain a fixing film of Comparative Embodiment 5.
  • EMB. 1 150 nm 5 ⁇ m 350/7 A A 74 A EMB. 1 EX. 2 150 nm 8 ⁇ m 350/7 A A 71 A EMB. 1 EX. 3 150 nm 15 ⁇ m 350/7 A A 65 A COMP. EMB. 1 ca.4 ⁇ m dry 8 ⁇ m 350/7 C C 38 A COMP. EMB.
  • the “surface state” is an observation result when the surface of each of the fixing films is observed through an optical microscope with 50-fold magnification. Further, the “gloss feeling” is evaluated relatively in four grades (A: Excellent, B: Good, C: Somewhat poor, D: Poor) when the surface of each of the fixing films is observed by eyes.
  • the “Glossiness (image gloss value)” is a measured gloss value by a handy gloss meter (“PG-1” (at 75 deg.), mfd. by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.) when a solid image of secondary color of blue is fixed on letter (LTR) paper. Further, the “rubber blister” is such a phenomenon that the elastic layer silicone rubber is decomposed by high-temperature thermal deterioration during baking to cause local swelling (blister).
  • Comparative Embodiments 3 and 4 From comparison between Example 2 in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Embodiments 3 and 4, in the case where the primer is coated by the dry coating, even when the baking temperature is increased or the baking temperature is prolonged, the surface properties and the glass values in Comparative Embodiments 3 and 4 do not reach levels of Example 2 in Embodiment 1. Moreover, in Comparative Embodiments 3 and 4, the blister due to the thermal deterioration of the rubber has occurred. Further, in Comparative Embodiment 5 in which the fixing film is prepared by wet-coating the primer, it is understood that the cracks occur at the primer layer surface and both of the surface properties and the gloss value are not good.
  • the film heating type fixing device 114 is used as the fixing device and the fixing film 2 is used as the rotatable fixing member.
  • the base material can also be used as the fixing roller or the pressing roller for the fixing roller type fixing device.
  • the base material is the cylindrical rigid metal member, the base material can be formed in the fixing roller or the pressing roller in which the heater is incorporated.
  • FIG. 7( a ) is a schematic cross-sectional view of a principal part of a fixing device 115 in Embodiment 2.
  • This fixing device 115 is of a so-called surface heating type fixing device and as the fixing roller for the fixing device of this type, the rotatable fixing member according to the present invention can be used.
  • a fixing roller 11 is the rotatable fixing member according to the present invention.
  • An elastic pressing roller 12 is disposed below and in parallel to the fixing roller 11 and is pressed against the fixing roller 11 with a predetermined urging force by an unshown urging member. As a result, a fixing nip N 2 with a predetermined width is created between the fixing roller 11 and the pressing roller 12 .
  • a heating unit 13 for externally heating the fixing roller 11 is disposed above and in parallel to the fixing roller 11 .
  • the heating unit 13 performs the function of applying heat from a ceramic heater 14 to the fixing roller 11 through an endless film 15 in a heating nip N 1 .
  • the ceramic heater 14 is supported by a heater holder 16 and applies the urging force of about 3 kgf to about 25 kgf in total pressure to the heater holder 16 through a U-like metal plate 17 by an unshown spring. As a result, the heating unit 13 is pressed against the fixing roller 11 to create the heating nip N 1 with a predetermined width.
  • a thermistor (not shown) as a temperature detecting element is disposed in contact with the ceramic heater 14 .
  • electric power supply to the ceramic heater 14 is controlled, so that the temperature of the ceramic heater 14 is controlled at a predetermined temperature. As a result, an amount of heat applied to the fixing roller 11 is always controlled.
  • the fixing roller 11 is rotationally driven in a clockwise direction indicated by an arrow at a predetermined speed by a motor (not shown) controlled by a control circuit portion (not shown) at least during execution of the image formation.
  • the pressing roller 12 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction indicated by an arrow by the rotation of the fixing roller 11 . Further, in the heating unit 13 , by a frictional force created in the heating nip N 1 between the fixing roller 11 and the film 15 by the rotation of the fixing roller 11 , a rotational force acts on the film 15 .
  • the film 15 is rotated around the holder 16 in the counterclockwise direction indicated by the arrow at a peripheral speed substantially corresponding to the rotational peripheral speed of the fixing roller 11 while intimately sliding on the surface of the heater 14 in the nip N 1 at the inner surface of the film 15 .
  • the heater 14 is increased in temperature by being supplied with electric power from a power supply (not shown).
  • the temperature of the heater 14 is detected by the thermistor. Detected temperature information is fed back to the control circuit portion.
  • the control circuit portion controls the electric power input from the power supply to the heater 14 so that a detected temperature input from the thermistor 5 is kept at a predetermined target temperature (fixing temperature).
  • a predetermined target temperature fixing temperature
  • the recording material P carrying thereon an unfixed toner image T is introduced into fixing the nip N 2 with a toner image carrying surface toward the fixing roller 11 side.
  • e recording material P intimately contacts the outer surface of the fixing roller 11 in the fixing nip N 2 and is nip-conveyed in the fixing nip N 2 .
  • heat of the fixing roller 11 is applied to the recording material P and the pressing force is applied to the recording material P in the nip N 2 , so that the unfixed toner image T is thermally press-fixed on the surface of the recording material P.
  • the recording material P which has passed through the nip N 2 is self-separated from the outer circumferential surface of the fixing roller 11 and is conveyed to the outside of the fixing device 115 .
  • FIG. 7( b ) is a schematic view showing a layer structure of the fixing roller 11 .
  • the elastic layer for the fixing roller 11 consists of two layers which have different functions. That is, on the circumferential surface of a core metal 18 as the base material, a heat insulating elastic layer 19 as a layer having a heat insulating function is formed and thereon a heat accumulation layer 20 as a layer having a heat accumulation function is formed.
  • the heat insulating elastic layer 19 has the function of imparting elasticity to the roller 11 and insulates the heat applied to the heat accumulation layer 20 to prevent the heat from escaping toward the core metal 18 side.
  • the heat accumulation layer 20 is formed of the high heat-conductive silicone rubber and imparts elasticity toward the neighborhood of the outermost surface of the roller 11 .
  • the heat accumulation layer 20 can accumulate the heat from the heating unit 13 by the high heat-conductive filler in the high heat-conductive silicone rubber and has the function of dissipating the heat onto the recording material P.
  • a primer layer 22 is formed and a parting layer 21 is formed on the primer layer 22 .
  • the parting layer 21 is formed of a fluorocarbon polymer having a good parting property so that the toner T on the recording material P causes offset.
  • the parting layer 21 may preferably have a thickness as small as possible in order to facilitate heat conduction from the heating unit 13 to the heat accumulation layer 20 and conduction of heat accumulated in the heat accumulation layer 20 to the recording material P and the toner T on the recording material P, thus being desirably 25 ⁇ m or less as a total thickness of the primer layer 22 and the parting layer 21 .
  • the fixing roller 11 is supplied with heat from the heating unit 13 in the heating nip N 1 and accumulates the heat in the heat accumulation layer 20 in the neighborhood of the surface layer.
  • the heat insulating elastic layer 19 performs the function of preventing the heat accumulated in the heat accumulation layer 20 from escaping toward the core metal side.
  • the heater accumulated in the heat accumulation layer 20 is dissipated onto the recording material P and the toner T thereon which are nip-conveyed in the fixing nip N 2 between the fixing roller 11 and the pressing roller 12 , so that the toner T can be fixed on the recording material P by heat and pressure.
  • the fixing roller 11 may desirably have a hardness in the range of 35 degrees to 60 degrees as measured by an ASKER-C hardness meter (load: 500 gf) in order to obtain an appropriate nip width, and the elastic layer (consisting of the heat insulating elastic layer and the heat accumulation elastic layer) may desirably have a thickness in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm. It is desirable that the pressing roller 12 is pressed against the fixing roller 11 with a total pressure of about 3 kgf to about 25 kgf.
  • the fixing device 115 of the external surface heating type the total thickness of the rubber layer (the sum of the thicknesses of the heat insulating elastic layer 19 and the heat accumulation elastic layer 20 ) of the fixing roller 11 which is directly contactable to the toner T.
  • the fixing device 115 has sufficient elasticity and can fix the toner on the recording material while sufficiently covering the toner by following the surface shape of the recording material even when an unevenness due to paper fibers occurs at the surface of the recording material.
  • This effect of the fixing device 115 is remarkable compared with that of the fixing device 114 in Embodiment 1.
  • the fixing device 115 of the type As the thickness of the parting layer 21 is larger, the supply of the heat from the heating unit 13 to the heat accumulation elastic layer 20 in the heating nip N 1 and the dissipation of the heat from the heat accumulation elastic layer 20 onto the recording material P are more prevented. As a result, the fixability is lowered and therefore it has desired that the parting layer is formed in a small thickness.
  • the thickness of the elastic layer underlying the parting layer 21 is large as in this embodiment, compared with Embodiment 1 (in which the elastic layer is thin), the influence of expansion of the elastic layer during the baking of the parting layer is large.
  • the parting layer 12 of the fixing roller 11 can be formed in the small thickness.
  • the constitution of the fixing roller 11 is the same as that in Embodiment 1 except for a part of the base material and the elastic layer.
  • the base material 18 e.g., the core metal formed of metal such as aluminum, iron, stainless steel or nickel, or alloy of these metals.
  • a heat-resistant rubber such as a silicone rubber or a fluorocarbon rubber is used.
  • a silicone rubber e.g., an addition curing silicone rubber is frequently used from the viewpoint of a processing property.
  • a solid rubber may be used as it is.
  • a heat insulating filler may be mixed, or a rubber such as organic foam rubber, millable rubber, water-expanded foam rubber, which is excellent in heat insulating property and has the thermal conductivity in the range of 0.23 W/m ⁇ k to 0.1 W/m ⁇ k.
  • the elastic layer 19 may desirably have a thickness of 1 mm or more and 5 mm or less in order to impart the elasticity for creating the fixing nip N 2 .
  • the elastic layer having such a thickness is largely expanded when the coating parting layer is formed thereon (particularly during the baking of the coating), thus being remarkably disadvantageous in terms of formation of the coating parting layer.
  • the rubber hardness may preferably be in the range from 0 degrees to 45 degrees in terms of JIS-A hardness.
  • the silicone rubber in which the high heat-conductive filler is dispersed is used.
  • the high heat-conductive filler it is possible to use alumina, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, carbon, carbon nanofiber, metal silicon, zinc oxide, silicon oxide, etc. These materials can be used singly or in mixture of two or more species.
  • a high heat-conductive silicone rubber having the thermal conductivity of 0.7 W/m ⁇ k or more and 2.0 W/m ⁇ k or less may desirably be used.
  • the heat accumulation layer 20 may desirably be formed in the thickness in the range of 0.05 mm to 1.0 mm, more desirably 0.08 mm to 0.2 mm.
  • the primer layer 22 for bonding the elastic layer 20 of the silicone rubber and the parting layer of the fluorocarbon polymer is provided.
  • the material for the primer layer 22 is the same as that in Embodiment 1 and thus a specific description will be omitted but is a thermally melted product of a fluorocarbon polymer containing a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer having a functional group.
  • An aqueous dispersion in which fine particles of a mixture of the crystalline fluorocarbon polymer containing the functional group and a crystalline fluorocarbon polymer containing no functional group are dispersed in an aqueous solvent (water) is used.
  • the primary particle size of the fine particles is also the same as that in Embodiment 1, i.e., is required to be 830 nm or less, preferably 360 nm or less.
  • the thickness of the primer layer 22 is also the same as that in Embodiment 1, i.e., is required to be 830 nm or less, preferably 360 nm or less in order to provide the parting layer 21 with good surface properties.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer for the parting layer 21 used in this embodiment is the same as that in Embodiment 1. Therefore, details thereof will be omitted but a fluorocarbon polymer mixture containing the crystalline fluorocarbon polymer which is insoluble in a solvent is used. For that reason, the fluorocarbon polymer is used in the form of a dispersion of fluorocarbon polymer fine particles (primary particle size: 830 ⁇ m or less, preferably 360 nm or less) in the solvent such as water.
  • the elastic layers 19 and 20 are formed on the base material 18 which has been treated with a primer in advance.
  • the elastic layers 19 and 20 may be formed by a known method, such as a method in which the material such as a liquid silicone rubber or the like is coated on the base material 18 in a uniform thickness by a means such as blade coating and then is heat-cured. It is also possible to form the elastic layers 19 and 20 by a method in which the material such as the liquid silicone rubber is injected into a mold and then is heat-cured, a method of heat-curing the material after extrusion molding, a method of heat-curing after ejection molding, and the like.
  • the silicone rubber may desirably be molded by using a mold so that a skin layer can be formed.
  • the microballoons many pores are formed in the thick elastic layer 19 , so that the elastic layer 20 to be formed on the elastic layer 19 is roughened when the skin layer is not present.
  • the elastic layer 20 as the heat accumulation layer is formed by coating on the elastic layer 19 the addition curing liquid silicone rubber mixture, in which alumina particles are mixed as the high heat conductive filler, by using the ring coating in the same manner as that in the case of the elastic layer 2 B in Embodiment 1. Then, the coated silicone rubber mixture can be heat-cured by the primary vulcanization and then by the secondary vulcanization to form the elastic layer 20 .
  • the surface of the elastic layer 20 which has been formed by completing the secondary vulcanization may desirably be subjected to hydrophilizing treatment through UV treatment (UV irradiation treatment) on the like before the primer layer 22 is formed similarly as in Embodiment 1.
  • UV treatment UV irradiation treatment
  • the primer layer 22 is formed on the heat accumulation elastic is layer 20 similarly as in Embodiment 1. That is, the primer layer 22 is required to be formed in a thickness of 830 nm or less, preferably 360 nm or less so as to cover the entire area of the elastic layer 20 .
  • the method of forming the primer layer 22 on the elastic layer 20 may desirably include at least three steps (First to third steps) described below.
  • the first step is a step of applying the dispersion of the primer so as to cover the entire area of the elastic layer.
  • the coating layer of the primer layer is dried to obtain a dried primer layer.
  • a part of the dried primer layer is removed to decrease and uniformize the layer thickness to 850 nm or less.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer primer and the fluorocarbon polymer for the parting layer 21 which are used in the present invention are insoluble in the solvent similarly as in Embodiment 1.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer primer is used in the form of a dispersion of fluorocarbon polymer primer fine particles (primary particle size: 850 ⁇ m or less) in the solvent such as water.
  • the value of the primary particle size refers to a measured value by the SEM.
  • the thickness of the elastic layer may desirably be 1 mm or more and 5 mm or less, which is larger than that of the elastic layer in the constitution of Embodiment 1 by several times to several tens of times, so that an amount of thermal expansion is also large.
  • the thickness itself of the primer layer 22 is 850 nm or less, so that the resultant surface unevenness is also not more than 850 nm. For this reason, the primer layer 22 which is very smooth and is free from a crack can be formed.
  • the parting layer 21 to be formed on the primer layer 2 D can be formed very smoothly at its surface already in a state before the baking. Also during the baking the underlying primer layer 2 D is a very thin layer. For that reason, there is no influence of the occurrence of the crack and it is possible to form a very smooth film without largely disturbing the surface smoothness.
  • the film having the very good surface properties.
  • the elastic layer has a large thickness and the large thermal expansion amount, specifically in the case where the elastic layer has a thickness of more than 1 mm, the very good parting layer can be formed in the film.
  • the primer layer thickness immediately after the primer layer formation can be measured in the same manner as in Embodiment 1.
  • a manufacturing method of the fixing roller 11 shown in FIG. 7( b ) as the fixing roller in Embodiment 2 will be described based on specific examples.
  • a core metal of aluminum having an outer diameter of 10 mm was used as the base material 18 .
  • a primer (“DY39-051”, mfd. by Dow Corning Toray Co., Ltd.) was uniformly coated in a thin layer and then was baked at 200° C. for 30 min.
  • the thus primer-treated core metal 18 was set in a pipe-like metal mold.
  • a well-mixed composition (mixture) of the addition curing silicone rubber containing resinous microballoons with triethylene glycol as an open cell-forming agent was injected and was subjected to the primary vulcanization at 130° C. for 60 min.
  • a cylindrical elastic layer 19 having a thickness of 3.0 mm, a length of 230 mm, and an outer diameter of 15.9 mm with the skin layer as the outermost surface layer was formed by molding.
  • the elastic layer 20 of the high heat-conductive filler-containing silicone rubber by the ring coating method.
  • the high heat-conductive filler-containing silicone rubber an addition curing silicone rubber (“SE4400”, mfd. by Dow Corning Toray Co., Ltd.) which contained an alumina filler was used.
  • SE4400 addition curing silicone rubber
  • This silicone rubber was coated on the elastic layer 19 in a thickness of 100 ⁇ m by the ring coating method ( FIG. 2( b )) and was subjected to the primary vulcanization at 130° C. for 5 minutes by the infrared heater. Therefore, the high heat-conductive filler-containing silicone rubber is cured by being heated for 4 hours in the electric oven set at 200° C. to form the elastic layer 20 .
  • this step is a first step of forming a dispersion application layer by applying the dispersion of the fluorocarbon polymer mixture onto the elastic layer 20 .
  • the application layer was dried by hot air with a drier to form an about 4 to 6 ⁇ m-thick dried primer layer in which mud cracks were generated. That is, this step is a second step of forming a dried primer layer by drying the dispersion application layer.
  • this step is a third step of decreasing the thickness of the dried primer layer by removing a part of the dried primer layer.
  • the primer is constituted by spherical fixing device fine particles having the primary particle size of about 150 nm, so that the primer fine particles are liable to pass through a gap between the pressed non-woven fabric and the surface of the elastic layer 20 . Further, the primer fine particles present at an interface of the silicone rubber are physically and chemically adsorbed strongly by the silicone rubber surface, so that the primer fine particles are not readily scraped off and therefore are little removed by a manner of rubbing the primer fine particles with the non-woven fabric while pressing the non-woven fabric against the primer fine particles.
  • the primer layer By changing the thickness of the dried primer layer and the degree of the pressing with the non-woven fabric, most of the primer layer can be uniformly scraped off to adjust the layer thickness, so that the primer layers having thicknesses of 150 nm, 450 nm and 800 nm were formed.
  • a dispersion of PFA fine particles having the melting point of 310° C. and the particle size of 200-300 nm. was used as the material for the parting layer.
  • This dispersion was coated on the roller surface by spray coating.
  • the parting layer was formed so that the total thickness including the primer layer thickness was 8 ⁇ m and 15 ⁇ m.
  • the dispersion was set-coated by the spray coating so as to be leveled on the roller surface.
  • the roller coated with the parting layer was placed and dried for 10 minutes in the electric oven set at 90° C. and then baked for 7 minutes in the electric oven set at 360° C. Then the roller was taken out and then was air-cooled.
  • the fixing roller in Example 1 had the primer layer thickness of 800 nm and the total thickness of 15 ⁇ m
  • the fixing roller in Example 2 had the primer layer thickness of 450 nm and the total thickness of 15 ⁇ m
  • the fixing roller in Example 3 had the primer layer thickness of 150 nm and the total thickness of 15 ⁇ m
  • the fixing roller in Example 4 had the primer layer thickness of 800 nm and the total thickness of 8 ⁇ m
  • the fixing roller in Example 5 had the primer layer thickness of 450 nm and the total thickness of 8 ⁇ m
  • the fixing roller in Example 6 had the primer layer thickness of 150 nm and the total thickness of 8 ⁇ m.
  • the heat accumulation elastic layer 20 was formed by the ring coating method but may also be formed by a method in which a silicone rubber which has been molded in advance by, e.g., an extruding machine is coated on the base elastic layer 19 or by a beam coating method. Further, the fluorocarbon polymer primer dispersion is coated on the elastic layer 20 by the spray coating method but may also be coated by a dipping method or the like.
  • the fluorocarbon polymer dispersion for the parting layer 21 is coated by the spray coating method but may also be coated by the dipping method.
  • the manufacturing method of fixing rollers of Comparative Embodiment 1 and Comparative Embodiment 2 are identical to that in Embodiment 2 except for a method of formation of the primer layer.
  • the primer layer was coated by the dry coating described above. That is, when the primer is coated by the spray, an end opening of a spray gun was narrowed by adjusting spraying pressure and a needle position. As a result, a size of the spray coating particles was decreased.
  • the primer layer was formed in a thickness of about 5 ⁇ m in a state in which the primer coating grains were stacked as shown in FIG. 3( b ).
  • the primer layer was not subjected to the removal step, and then the parting layer was formed in the same manner as in the case of the fixing roller 11 in Embodiment 2 so that the total thickness of the parting layer (including the primer layer thickness) was 15 ⁇ m and 8 ⁇ m.
  • the baking of the parting layer was also performed in the same manner as in Embodiment 2 to obtain a fixing roller of Comparative Embodiment 1 and a fixing roller of Comparative Embodiment 2.
  • the manufacturing method of fixing rollers of Comparative Embodiment 3 and Comparative Embodiment 4 are identical to that in Comparative Embodiment 1 and Comparative Embodiment 2 except for the primer layer thickness.
  • the primer layer was formed by the dry coating, so that the primer layer thickness was 3 ⁇ m.
  • the primer layer was not subjected to the removal step, and then the parting layer was coated so that the total thickness of the parting layer (including the primer layer thickness) was 15 ⁇ m and 8 ⁇ m.
  • the baking of the parting layer was performed in the same manner as in Comparative Embodiments 1 and 2 to obtain a fixing roller of Comparative Embodiment 3 and a fixing roller of Comparative Embodiment 4.
  • the manufacturing method of fixing rollers of Comparative Embodiment 5 and Comparative Embodiment 6 are identical to that in Comparative Embodiment 1 and Comparative Embodiment 2 except for the primer layer thickness and the primer layer forming method.
  • the primer layer was formed by the wet coating. That is, when the primer is coated by the spray, an end opening of a spray gun was increased by adjusting spraying pressure and a needle position. As a result, a size of the spray coating particles was increased. Further, a deposition amount on the roller surface per 1 ⁇ 2 of reciprocation was increased so that the spray coating particles were leveled with each other. As a result, the primer layer was formed in a thickness of about 3 ⁇ m.
  • the primer layer was subjected to the removal step in the same manner as in Embodiment 2 and the pressure of the pressing member was adjusted to decrease the thickness to 1 ⁇ m.
  • the primer layer was not subjected to the removal step, and then the parting layer was coated so that the total thickness of the parting layer (including the primer layer thickness) was 15 ⁇ m and 8 ⁇ m.
  • the baking of the parting layer was performed in the same manner as in Comparative Embodiments 1 and 2 to obtain a fixing roller of Comparative Embodiment 5 and a fixing roller of Comparative Embodiment 6.
  • the manufacturing method of fixing rollers of Comparative Embodiment 7 and Comparative Embodiment 8 are identical to that in Comparative Embodiment 1 and Comparative Embodiment 2 except for the primer layer thickness and the primer layer forming method.
  • the primer layer was formed by the wet coating. That is, when the primer is coated by the spray, an end opening of a spray gun was increased by adjusting spraying pressure and a needle position to increase a size of the spray coating particles. Further, a deposition amount on the roller surface per 1 ⁇ 2 of reciprocation was increased so that the spray coating particles were coated and leveled with each other when the spray coating particles were deposited on the roller surface.
  • the primer layer was formed in a thickness of about 5 ⁇ m but mud cracks occurred in the primer layer as schematically illustrated in FIG. 4( a ).
  • the primer layer was not subjected to the removal step, and then the parting layer was formed in the same manner as in Embodiment 2 so that the total thickness of the parting layer (including the primer layer thickness) was 15 ⁇ m and 8 ⁇ m. Further, the baking of the parting layer was also performed in the same manner as in Embodiment 2 to obtain a fixing roller of Comparative Embodiment 7 and a fixing roller of Comparative Embodiment 8.
  • the manufacturing method of fixing roller 9 of Comparative Embodiment 9 is identical to that in Comparative Embodiment 1 except for the baking method.
  • the primer layer was formed by the dry coating, so that the primer layer thickness was 3 ⁇ m.
  • the primer layer was not subjected to the removal step, and then the parting layer was coated so that the total thickness of the parting layer (including the primer layer thickness) was 15 ⁇ m.
  • the baking of the parting layer was performed by placing the roller in the electric furnace and by being dried at 90° C. for 10 min., pre-heated at 220° C. for 30 min., and baked at 360° C. for 8 min. Then, the roller was taken out from the electric furnace and was air-dried to obtain a fixing roller of Comparative Embodiment 9.
  • the manufacturing method of fixing roller 9 of Comparative Embodiment 10 is identical to that in Comparative Embodiment 1 except for the baking method.
  • the primer layer was formed by the dry coating, so that the primer layer thickness was 3 ⁇ m.
  • the primer layer was not subjected to the removal step, and then the parting layer was coated so that the total thickness of the parting layer (including the primer layer thickness) was 15 ⁇ m.
  • the baking of the parting layer was performed by placing the roller in the electric furnace and by being dried at 90° C. for 10 min., pre-heated at 220° C. for 30 min., and baked at 380° C. for 8 min. Then, the roller was taken out from the electric furnace and was air-dried to obtain a fixing roller of Comparative Embodiment 10.
  • the “surface state” is an observation result when the surface of each of the fixing rollers is observed through an optical microscope with 50-fold magnification. Further, the “gloss feeling” is evaluated relatively in four grades (A: Excellent, B: Good, C: Somewhat poor, D: Poor) when the surface of each of the fixing rollers is observed by eyes.
  • the “Glossiness (image gloss value)” is a measured gloss value by a handy gloss meter (“PG-1” (at 75 deg.), mfd. by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.) when a solid image of secondary color of blue is fixed on letter (LTR) paper.
  • the “rubber blister” is such a phenomenon that the elastic layer silicone rubber is decomposed by high-temperature thermal deterioration during baking to cause local swelling (blister).
  • the gloss values in Table 2 are also shown in FIGS. 8( a ) and 8 ( b ).
  • FIG. 8( a ) shows a relationship between the primer layer thickness and the fixing gloss value in the case where the total thickness of the primer layer and the parting layer is 15 ⁇ m.
  • FIG. 8( b ) shows a relationship between the primer layer thickness and the fixing gloss value in the case where the total thickness is 8 ⁇ m.
  • the wet coating provides a lower gloss value.
  • Comparative Embodiments 9 and 10 when the baking temperature is increased or the baking temperature and the baking time are increased so that the surface unevenness of the parting layer is leveled, the gloss value is improved but the rubber of the elastic layer causes thermal deterioration (abnormal hardness or blister). For that reason, it is understood that the gloss value is not measurable.
  • Embodiment 2 As described above, according to the constitution in Embodiment 2, it is understood that good surface properties and prevention of the thermal deterioration of the rubber which have been difficult to be realized by the conventional fixing device are realized. Incidentally, the relationship between the primer layer thickness and the fixing gloss value and the results of the thermal deterioration of the rubber in this embodiment are also true for Embodiment 1 using the fixing film 2 including the elastic layer.
  • the fixing roller is used as the rotatable fixing member but can also be applied to another roller so long as the roller includes the elastic layer and the parting layer formed on the elastic layer.
  • the roller in Embodiment 2 can also be applied as it is to the pressing roller 6 of the fixing device.
  • the pressing roller may have a constitution including only the elastic layer of the roller in Embodiment 1 or a constitution in which the heat insulating layer and the heat accumulation layer are omitted and instead a solid rubber layer is employed.
  • the heating unit 13 of the fixing device in Embodiment 2 includes the film 15 but is not limited thereto so long as the heating unit 13 can apply heat to the fixing roller surface and the elastic layer 20 as the heat accumulation layer.

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US7203438B2 (en) * 2004-01-23 2007-04-10 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image heating apparatus and heater for use therein
US20060251451A1 (en) * 2004-04-26 2006-11-09 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Fixing method and fixing device
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US20110217092A1 (en) * 2008-12-24 2011-09-08 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image heating apparatus, pressure roller to be used in the image heating apparatus, and manufacturing method for the pressure roller
US8626046B2 (en) 2008-12-24 2014-01-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image heating apparatus, pressure roller to be used in the image heating apparatus, and manufacturing method for the pressure roller
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US9037062B2 (en) 2012-03-30 2015-05-19 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Fixing member, heating apparatus and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
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US9315703B2 (en) * 2014-06-04 2016-04-19 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Fixing member and method of manufacturing the member, fixing device, and electrophotographic image-forming apparatus
US9488938B2 (en) 2014-07-24 2016-11-08 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Heater and image heating apparatus including the same
US9504096B2 (en) 2014-07-24 2016-11-22 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Heater and image heating apparatus including the same
US9513592B2 (en) 2014-09-09 2016-12-06 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Heater, image heating apparatus including the heater and manufacturing method of the heater
US9354570B2 (en) 2014-09-19 2016-05-31 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Heater and image heating apparatus including the same
US9519250B2 (en) 2015-01-14 2016-12-13 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Heater and image heating apparatus, the heater having heat generating portions disposed offset from a center line of a substrate
US20220260945A1 (en) * 2021-02-12 2022-08-18 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Electrophotographic member and method for manufacturing the same, thermal fixing apparatus, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
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