A member for, a method of, and a system for fusing toner images to a substrate

Claim 2

A member (1) for fusing patterns of powdered thermoplastic resin to a substrate, in which the working surface of the member is of an elastomeric material having dispersed in it a minor proportion of a metal-containing-filler, characterised in that the working surface is intended, in use, to have applied to it a polymeric release agent (22, 60) having functional groups, and in that the filler is chosen so that it interacts with the release agent to form a film presenting abhesive (anti-adhesive) properties to the powdered resin and substrate, and forms from about 0.05 to about 15% of the volume of the elastomer.

Claim 3

A member as claimed in claim 1, including a base layer (68) of elastomeric material intermediate a base member (70) and the outer layer (64) furnishing the working surface (60).

Claim 4

A member as claimed in claim 2, in which the base layer has metal-containing filler (72) dispersed therein.

Claim 5

A member as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the elastomer material has been cured with a nucleophilic addition curing agent.

Claim 6

The fuser member of any preceding claim, in which the metal-containing filler (66, 72,) is in the form of a powder, flakes or fibres.

Claim 7

The fuser member of any preceding claim, wherein the metal-containing filler (72, 66) is of elemental metal, metal alloy, metal oxide, or metal salt.

Claim 8

A fuser member as claimed in claim 6, in which the metal, alloy or oxide is of copper, tin, silver, zinc, aluminium, iron, lead, platinum, gold, beryllium, nickel, chromium, iridium, ruthenium, tungsten, cadmium or vanadium.

Claim 9

The fuser member of any preceding claim in which the metal-containing filler (66, 72) is present in the elastomer (2, 64) in a concentration of 1.0 volume percent to 15.0 volume percent based upon the volume of the elastomer.

Claim 10

The fuser member of claim 3, or claim 3 and any claim dependent therefrom, in which the base layer elastomer (68) comprises 1.0 to 20.0 parts by weight of metal-containing filler (72) per 100 parts by weight of base layer elastomer, and in which the metal-containing filler (66) of the outer layer elastomer (64) is present in a concentration of 0.25 to 95.0 parts by weight of metal-containing filler per 100 parts by weight of outer layer elastomer.

Claim 11

The fuser member of claim 4, or claim 4 and any claim dependent therefrom, in which the nucleophilic addition curing agent is a bisphenol crosslinking agent.

Claim 12

The fuser member of claim 10, in which the nucleophilic addition curing agent further comprises an organophosphonium salt accelerator.

Claim 13

The fuser member of claim 4, or claim 4 and any of claims 5-10 dependent therefrom, in which the nucleophilic addition curing agent is a diamine carbamate.

Claim 14

A fuser member as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the elastomer is a fluorelastomer.

Claim 15

A fuser member as claimed in claim 13, in which the fluoroelastomer is poly (vinylidene- fluoride-hexafluoropropylene).

Claim 16

A fuser member as claimed in claim 13, in which the fluoroelastomer is poly (vinylidene- fluoride-hexafluoropropylene-tetrafluoroethylene).

Claim 17

A fuser member as claimed in claim 13, in which the fluoroelastomer is a fluorosilicone rubber.

Claim 18

A .fuser member as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the functional groups of the polymeric release agent are hydroxyl, carboxy or mercapto.

Claim 19

A fuser member as claimed in claim 17, in which the polymeric release agent is a mercapto-functional polyoragnosiloxane.

Claim 20

A fuser member as claimed in any preceding claim, including metal-containing filler treated with a polymeric release agent having functional groups prior to dispersion of the filler in the elastomer.

Claim 22

A heat and pressure fuser system for fusing toner images (14) in an electrostatic reproducing apparatus, in which a fuser member (1) as claimed in any of claims 1 to 19, in the form of a roll, is used in conjunction with a backup roll (8) to define a contact area (1) to fuse toner images (14) onto a substrate (12), and in which release agent (22, 60) having functional groups is applied to the surface of the fuser roll to prevent toner offset upon the fuser roll (1), said release agent being a polymeric release agent (22, 60) having functional groups which interact with the metal in the filler (66) to form an abhesive film.

Claim 23

A fusing system as claimed in claim 21, including a dispenser (20) for dispensing a polymeric release agent having functional groups on the surface of the fuser roll.