US4375505A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fuser member
Assignee: NexPress Solutions LLC
•
Filing: 1981-10-22
•
Granted: 1983-03-01
•
Expires: 2001-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A fuser member has a composite layer including (1) a first layer of a first material which is an elastomer; (2) a second layer of a second material comprising elastomeric fluoropolymer which is a crosslinked polymer having repeating units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinylether; and (3) a layer intermediate to and continuous with the first and second layers in which the proportion of the first material to the second material gradually varies from substantially only the first material to substantially only the second material. Methods of making the fuser member by a spray technique and of using the fuser member to fuse toner images to a receiver are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 James S. Newkirk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 22:49
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/20; G03G15/2003; G03G15/2014; G03G15/2053; G03G15/2057; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/20; G03G2215/2003; G03G2215/2016; G03G2215/2025; G03G2215/2032; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24942; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/3154; Y10T428/31544; Y10T428/31652; Y10T428/31663; Y10T428/31667
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
The method of forming a member for fusing toner images to a receiver, comprising: spraying a base member with a first material which is an elastomer; after a layer of the first material has been formed continuing to spray said first material while spraying a gradually varying proportion of a second material with said first material until only said second material is sprayed; and continuing to spray said second material only to form a layer of said second material: wherein said second material is an elastomeric fluoropolymer being a crosslinked polymer comprising repeating units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinylether.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
The method of forming a member for fusing toner images to a receiver, comprising: spraying a base member with a first material which is an elastomer; after a layer of the first material has been formed continuing to spray said first material while spraying a gradually varying proportion of a second material with said first material until only said second material is sprayed; and continuing to spray said second material only to form a layer of said second material: wherein said second material is an elastomeric fluoropolymer being a crosslinked polymer comprising repeating units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinylether.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 including continuing to spray said second material while simultaneously spraying a gradually varying proportion of a third material which prevents offset of toner thereto; and continuing to spray only said third material to form a layer thereof which contacts a toner image to be fused to a receiver.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first material is a high-temperature resistant elastomer.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
16 words
The method of claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein said first material is a silicone elastomer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said first and third materials comprise silicone elastomer.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein said member comprises a roller and includes rotating said roller while spraying said materials thereon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said second material is sprayed in a gradually increasing proportion of said second material to said first material until only said second material is sprayed.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
21 words
The method of claims 1, 2, 3, or 5 including curing said member after completion of said spraying of said materials.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
35 words
The method of claims 1, 2, 3, or 5 wherein prior to spraying said first and second elastomer materials are respectively dissolved in the same solvent or in solvents in which both elastomers are soluble.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
91 words
A member for fusing toner images to a receiver comprising: a composite layer including: (1) a first layer of a first material which is an elastomer; (2) a second layer of a second material which is an elastomeric fluoropolymer having a crosslinked polymer comprising repeating units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinylether; and (3) a layer intermediate to and continuous with said first and second layers in which the proportion of the first material to the second material gradually varies from substantially only the first material to substantially only the second material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
91 words
A member for fusing toner images to a receiver comprising: a composite layer including: (1) a first layer of a first material which is an elastomer; (2) a second layer of a second material which is an elastomeric fluoropolymer having a crosslinked polymer comprising repeating units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinylether; and (3) a layer intermediate to and continuous with said first and second layers in which the proportion of the first material to the second material gradually varies from substantially only the first material to substantially only the second material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The member of claim 10 wherein said first material is a high-temperature resistant elastomer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The member of claims 10 or 11 wherein said first material is a silicone elastomer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
The member of claim 10 wherein said composite layer includes a third layer of a third material which prevents offset of toner thereto and a layer intermediate to and continuous with said second and third layers in which the proportion of the second material to the third material gradually varies from substantially only the second material to substantially only the third material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The member of claim 13 wherein said toner offset preventing material is a silicone elastomer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The member of claim 10 wherein the thickness of said first layer is substantially greater than the thickness of said second layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The member of claim 10 wherein the proportion of the first material to the second material in said intermediate layer gradually increases from substantially none of said second material to substantially all of said second material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The member of claims 10, 11, 13, 14, or 15 wherein said member has been cured.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
107 words
A fuser roller for fusing toner images to a receiver comprising: a cylindrical core; a composite layer on said core including: (1) a first layer of a first material which is an elastomer; (2) a second layer of a second material which is resistant to absorption of fuser oil and which is an elastomeric fluoropolymer having a crosslinked polymer comprising repeating units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinylether; and (3) a layer intermediate to and continuous with said first and second layers in which the proportion of the first material to the second material gradually varies from substantially only the first material to substantially only the second material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
107 words
A fuser roller for fusing toner images to a receiver comprising: a cylindrical core; a composite layer on said core including: (1) a first layer of a first material which is an elastomer; (2) a second layer of a second material which is resistant to absorption of fuser oil and which is an elastomeric fluoropolymer having a crosslinked polymer comprising repeating units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinylether; and (3) a layer intermediate to and continuous with said first and second layers in which the proportion of the first material to the second material gradually varies from substantially only the first material to substantially only the second material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The roller of claim 18 including a second roller forming a nip with said first roller through which is passed a receiver carrying at least one toner image to be fused by said rollers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The roller of claim 18 wherein said core comprises a cylindrical shell of heat conductive or heat transmissive material and including a source of heat located with said shell.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The roller of claim 18 wherein said first material is a high-temperature resistant elastomer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The roller of claims 18, 19, 20 or 21 wherein said first material is a silicone elastomer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
66 words
The roller of claim 18 wherein said composite layer includes a third layer of a third material which is an elastomer which prevents offset of toner thereto and a layer intermediate to and continuous with said second and third layers in which the proportion of the second material to the third material gradually varies from substantially only the second material to substantially only the third material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The roller of claim 23 wherein said first and third materials are silicone elastomers.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
The roller of claim 18 wherein the proportion of the first material to the second material in said intermediate layer gradually increases from substantially none of said second material to substantially all of said second material.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
133 words
The method of fusing a heat-softenable toner image to a receiver which comprises pressure contacting a heat-softenable toner image carried by a receiver with a fusing member at a temperature effective to fuse said toner image to said receiver member, said fuser member having a composite layer including: (1) a first layer of a first material which is a high-temperature resistant elastomer; (2) a second layer of a second material which is a high-temperature resistant elastomer which is an elastomeric fluoropolymer having a crosslinked polymer comprising repeating units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinylether; and (3) a layer intermediate to and continuous with said first and second layers in which the proportion of the first material to the second material gradually varies from substantially only said first material to substantially only said second material.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
133 words
The method of fusing a heat-softenable toner image to a receiver which comprises pressure contacting a heat-softenable toner image carried by a receiver with a fusing member at a temperature effective to fuse said toner image to said receiver member, said fuser member having a composite layer including: (1) a first layer of a first material which is a high-temperature resistant elastomer; (2) a second layer of a second material which is a high-temperature resistant elastomer which is an elastomeric fluoropolymer having a crosslinked polymer comprising repeating units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinylether; and (3) a layer intermediate to and continuous with said first and second layers in which the proportion of the first material to the second material gradually varies from substantially only said first material to substantially only said second material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CA636311A
Cited
US2852415A
Cited
US3009209A
Cited
US3020182A
Cited
US3291466A
Cited
US3449548A
Cited
US3452181A
Cited
US3849128A
Cited
US3852861A
Cited
US3776760A
Cited
GB1456239A
Cited
GB1456237A
Cited
GB1456238A
Cited
US3967042A
Cited
US3849062A
Cited
US3988817A
Cited
USB425770I5
Cited
US3883293A
Cited
UST934010I4
Cited
US3912901A
Cited
US3948214A
Cited
US4199626A
Cited
US4098631A
Cited
US4092953A
Cited
US4064313A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-02-28 | 1986-08-30 | 1987-03-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-02-28 | 1990-08-30 | 1991-03-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-02-28 | 1994-08-30 | 1995-03-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |