IP Library Granted Patent US 8,396,389
Granted Patent B2
US 8,396,389 · App. 12/789,563 · Granted Mar 12, 2013

Image forming apparatus having endless belt having abutting surface having specific mirror surface smoothness and pensile hardness

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,396,389
App. No.
12/789,563
Granted
Mar 12, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a belt including an abutting surface and a cleaning member disposed to abut against the abutting surface for removing a foreign substance on the abutting surface. The abutting surface has a mirror surface smoothness of 40 to 200, and a pensile hardness of 2H to 7H.

Claims (19)

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a belt including an abutting surface, said abutting surface having a mirror surface smoothness of 40 to 200 and a pensile hardness of 2H to 7H, or having the mirror surface smoothness of 60 to 200 and the pensile hardness equal to or greater than H and less than 2H; and

a cleaning blade disposed to abut against the abutting surface for removing a substance on the abutting surface,

wherein said belt includes a surface layer having the abutting surface and a base layer covered with the surface layer and formed of at least one resin layer,

said surface layer has a thickness between 1 μm and 10 μm, and

said cleaning blade is formed of a urethane rubber having a rubber hardness of 60 to 90° , a breaking elongation of 250 to 500%, and a modulus of repulsion elasticity of 10 to 70%, said cleaning blade being arranged to contact with the belt with a line pressure of 1 to 6 g/mm.

2. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a belt including an abutting surface, said abutting surface having a mirror surface smoothness of 40 to 200 and a pensile hardness of 2H to 7H; and

a cleaning blade disposed to abut against the abutting surface for removing a substance on the abutting surface,

wherein said belt includes a surface layer having the abutting surface and a base layer covered with the surface layer and formed of at least one resin layer,

said surface layer has a thickness between 1 μm and 10 μm, and

said cleaning blade is formed of a urethane rubber having a rubber hardness of 60 to 90° , a breaking elongation of 250 to 500%, and a modulus of repulsion elasticity of 10 to 70%, said cleaning blade being arranged to contact with the belt with a line pressure of 1 to 6 g/mm.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , where said base layer has a Young's modulus between 1,000 MPa and 5,000 MPa.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , where said base layer is formed of a polyamide.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , where said surface layer is formed of a polyacryl.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , where said base layer contains carbon black.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , where said surface layer contains carbon black.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , where said base layer contains carbon black in an amount of 3% to 40%.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , where said surface layer contains carbon black in an amount of 3% to 40%.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: OKI DATA CORPORATION
To: OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 059365/0145 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2010
From: TAKAZAWA, TAKAYUKI
To: OKI DATA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024453/0745 →