Sliding member for fixing device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12105455-B2
Application number	US-202318190102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2023
Priority date	Jul 22, 2022
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A sliding member for a fixing device includes a resin layer that includes plural recessed portions on a surface of the resin layer, in which, in a top view, the recessed portion has a shape having a tip angle less than 90° in a sliding direction and an area ratio of an area of the recessed portions to a surface area of the resin layer is 30% or more and 70% or less.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sliding member for a fixing device comprising:
a resin layer that includes a plurality of recessed portions on a surface of the resin layer,
wherein, in a top view, each of the recessed portion of the plurality of recessed portions has a shape having a tip in a sliding direction where a first side and a second side of the recessed portion converges at the tip as the tip angle between the first side and the second side is less than 90° and an area ratio between areas of all the recessed portions to an entire surface area of a side corresponding to the top view of the resin layer is 30% or more and 70% or less.

2. The sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the tip angle is 80° or less.

3. The sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 2 , wherein the tip angle is 40° or more.

4. A fixing device comprising:
a first rotating body;
a second rotating body that is disposed in contact with an outer surface of the first rotating body;
a pressing member that is disposed in the second rotating body and presses the second rotating body against the first rotating body from an inner surface of the second rotating body;
the sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 3 that is interposed between an inner surface of the second rotating body and the pressing member; and
a lubricant that is interposed between an inner periphery of the second rotating body and the sliding member for a fixing device,
wherein a recording medium in which a toner image is formed on a surface is inserted into a contact portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body and the toner image is fixed.

5. A fixing device comprising:
a first rotating body;
a second rotating body that is disposed in contact with an outer surface of the first rotating body;
a pressing member that is disposed in the second rotating body and presses the second rotating body against the first rotating body from an inner surface of the second rotating body;
the sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 2 that is interposed between an inner surface of the second rotating body and the pressing member; and
a lubricant that is interposed between an inner periphery of the second rotating body and the sliding member for a fixing device,
wherein a recording medium in which a toner image is formed on a surface is inserted into a contact portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body and the toner image is fixed.

6. The sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein a depth of the recessed portion is 15 μm or more.

7. A fixing device comprising:
a first rotating body;
a second rotating body that is disposed in contact with an outer surface of the first rotating body;
a pressing member that is disposed in the second rotating body and presses the second rotating body against the first rotating body from an inner surface of the second rotating body;
the sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 4 that is interposed between an inner surface of the second rotating body and the pressing member; and
a lubricant that is interposed between an inner periphery of the second rotating body and the sliding member for a fixing device,
wherein a recording medium in which a toner image is formed on a surface is inserted into a contact portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body and the toner image is fixed.

8. The sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the area ratio is 50% or more and 70% or less.

9. A fixing device comprising:
a first rotating body;
a second rotating body that is disposed in contact with an outer surface of the first rotating body;
a pressing member that is disposed in the second rotating body and presses the second rotating body against the first rotating body from an inner surface of the second rotating body;
the sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 5 that is interposed between an inner surface of the second rotating body and the pressing member; and
a lubricant that is interposed between an inner periphery of the second rotating body and the sliding member for a fixing device,
wherein a recording medium in which a toner image is formed on a surface is inserted into a contact portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body and the toner image is fixed.

10. The sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the tip angle is 40° or more and 80° or less, and a depth of the recessed portion is 15 μm or more.

11. A fixing device comprising:
a first rotating body;
a second rotating body that is disposed in contact with an outer surface of the first rotating body;
a pressing member that is disposed in the second rotating body and presses the second rotating body against the first rotating body from an inner surface of the second rotating body;
the sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 6 that is interposed between an inner surface of the second rotating body and the pressing member; and
a lubricant that is interposed between an inner periphery of the second rotating body and the sliding member for a fixing device,
wherein a recording medium in which a toner image is formed on a surface is inserted into a contact portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body and the toner image is fixed.

12. The sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the tip angle is 40° or more and 80° or less, and the area ratio is 50% or more and 70% or less.

13. A fixing device comprising:
a first rotating body;
a second rotating body that is disposed in contact with an outer surface of the first rotating body;
a pressing member that is disposed in the second rotating body and presses the second rotating body against the first rotating body from an inner surface of the second rotating body;
the sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 7 that is interposed between an inner surface of the second rotating body and the pressing member; and
a lubricant that is interposed between an inner periphery of the second rotating body and the sliding member for a fixing device,
wherein a recording medium in which a toner image is formed on a surface is inserted into a contact portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body and the toner image is fixed.

14. The sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein a depth of the recessed portion is 15 μm or more, and the area ratio is 50% or more and 70% or less.

15. A fixing device comprising:
a first rotating body;
a second rotating body that is disposed in contact with an outer surface of the first rotating body;
a pressing member that is disposed in the second rotating body and presses the second rotating body against the first rotating body from an inner surface of the second rotating body;
the sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 8 that is interposed between an inner surface of the second rotating body and the pressing member; and
a lubricant that is interposed between an inner periphery of the second rotating body and the sliding member for a fixing device,
wherein a recording medium in which a toner image is formed on a surface is inserted into a contact portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body and the toner image is fixed.

16. The sliding member for a fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of recessed portions are linearly arranged in the sliding direction.

Assignees

• Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp

Inventors

• Yoshikawa Ryohei
• Omori Kenji
• Ohara Hideaki

Classifications

• G03G15/2064

  combined with pressure · CPC title

• G03G15/2025

  with special means for lubricating and/or cleaning the fixing unit, e.g. applying offset preventing fluid · CPC title

• G03G15/2053

  Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating · CPC title

• G03G15/2017

  Structural details of the fixing unit in general, e.g. cooling means, heat shielding means (G03G15/2053 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G15/206 Primary

  Structural details or chemical composition of the pressure elements and layers thereof · CPC title