IP Library Granted Patent US 7,534,492
Granted Patent B2
US 7,534,492 · App. 11/472,888 · Granted May 19, 2009

Fuser member

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,534,492
App. No.
11/472,888
Granted
May 19, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

The fuser members of this invention include a core member that includes a rigid outer surface. An adhesion promoter layer comprising silane or epoxy silane coupling is disposed on the outer surface of the core member. A resilient layer comprising an elastomer is disposed on the adhesion promoter layer. A tie layer is disposed on the resilient layer, the tie layer being made of fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorocarbon thermoplastic copolymers and mixtures thereof. A primer layer, disposed on the tie layer, comprising perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethyl vinyl ether-perfluoroethylene vinyl phosphate or a mixture of perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethylvinyl ether; and an outer layer of fluoropolymer resin made from polytetrafluoroethylene, polyperfluoroalkoxy-tetrafluoroethylene, polyfluorinated ethylene-propylene and blends thereof is disposed on the primer layer.

Claims (29)

1. A fuser roller comprising:

a core member comprising a rigid outer surface;

an adhesion promoter layer disposed on the outer surface comprising silane or epoxy silane coupling agent;

a resilient layer disposed on said adhesion promoter layer;

a tie layer formed on said resilient layer, said tie layer selected from the group consisting of fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorocarbon thermoplastic copolymers and mixtures thereof

a primer layer, disposed on said tie layer, comprising perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethyl vinyl ether-perfluoroethylene vinyl phosphate or a mixture of perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethylvinyl ether; and

an outer layer disposed on said primer layer, said outer layer comprising a fluoropolymer resin.

2. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein said outer layer further comprises filler particles.

3. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein said outer layer comprises a thickness of from 5 to 50 microns.

4. The fuser roller of claim 1 , wherein the resilient layer comprises a silicone rubber.

5. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein said fluoropolymer resin is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyperfluoroalkoxy-tetrafluoroethylene, polyfluorinated ethylene-propylene, and blends thereof.

6. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein said outer layer comprises a tensile modulus of from 30 to 60 Mpa at 175° C.

7. The finer member of claim 1 , wherein said outer layer comprises a surface roughness of from 1 to 10 micro inch R A .

8. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein said outer layer comprises a surface roughness of from 20 to 40 R z .

9. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein said outer layer comprises a G 60 of from 30 to 50.

10. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein said tie layer comprises a fluoroelastomer polymer.

11. The fuser member of claim 10 , wherein said fluoroelastomer polymer is a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene.

12. The fuser member of claim 10 wherein said fluoroelastomer polymer is a terpolymer of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, and tetrafluoroethylene.

13. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein said tie layer comprises a fluorocarbon thermoplastic copolymer comprising a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene, the cured fluorocarbon thennoplastics random copolymer having subunits of:

—(CH 2 CF 2 )x—, —(CF 2 CF(CF 3 ))y-, and —(CF 2 CF 2 )z—,

wherein

x is from 1 to 40 or 60 to 80 mole percent,

z is greater than 40 to no more than 89 mole percent, and

y is such that x+y+z equals 100 mole percent.

14. The fuser member of claim 1 wherein said tie layer comprises a fluoroelastomer layer disposed on the resilient layer comprising a compounded mixture of a fluoroelastomer polymer, 2,2′-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) hexatluoropropane, benzyl triphenylphosphonium chloride, and acid acceptor filler; wherein said fluoroelastomer polymer is a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene, or a terpolymer of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, and tetrafluoroethylene.

15. The fuser member of claim 14 wherein said tie layer further comprises perfluoroalkoxy vinyl ether.

16. The fuser member of claim 14 wherein said tie layer further comprises polyfluorinated ethylene-propylene.

17. The fuser member of claim 14 , wherein said acid acceptor filler comprises magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide, or mixtures thereof.

18. The fuser member of claim 15 , wherein said perfluoroakoxy vinyl ether comprises from ten to 100 pph based on the weight of the fluoroelastomer layer.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2020
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; FPC INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST) INC.; KODAK AMERICAS LTD.; KODAK REALTY INC.; LASER PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; QUALEX INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES LTD.; NPEC INC.
Reel/Frame 052773/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2019
From: JP MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; PFC, INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; PAKON, INC.; QUALEX, INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC, INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC
Reel/Frame 049901/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2019
From: JP MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: QUALEX, INC.; EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; FPC, INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; PAKON, INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC, INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC
Reel/Frame 050239/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2018
From: BANK OF AMERICA N.A.
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Reel/Frame 045095/0299 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2018
From: JP MORGAN CHASE BANK N.A.
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Reel/Frame 045095/0317 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2017
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
To: MIDWEST ATHLETICS AND SPORTS ALLIANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 044811/0245 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 28, 2017
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
To: MIDWEST ATHLETICS AND SPORTS ALLIANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 044811/0502 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS SENIOR DIP AGENT; WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS JUNIOR DIP AGENT
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; PAKON, INC.
Reel/Frame 031157/0451 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; FPC INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER-PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; PAKON, INC.; QUALEX INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE
Reel/Frame 031158/0001 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (SECOND LIEN) Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; FPC INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER-PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; PAKON, INC.; QUALEX INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031159/0001 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; FPC INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER-PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; PAKON, INC.; QUALEX INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 031162/0117 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 1, 2013
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; PAKON, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 030122/0235 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2012
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; PAKON, INC.
To: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 028201/0420 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2006
From: CHEN, JIANN-HSING; PAVLISKO, JOSEPH A.; JOA, SHYH-HUA; SHIH, PO-JEN
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Reel/Frame 018028/0596 →