IP Library Granted Patent US 9,958,810
Granted Patent B2
US 9,958,810 · App. 15/279,476 · Granted May 1, 2018

Belt unit, transfer unit and image formation apparatus

Inventor: Takaaki Furukawa (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
G03G15/1615
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,958,810
App. No.
15/279,476
Granted
May 1, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A belt unit includes: a belt member; a roller rotatably placed on an inner peripheral surface of the belt member; and a meander restraint member facing an edge portion of the belt member and configured to restrain the belt member from meandering while the belt member is running. The edge portion of the belt member includes a modification layer.

Claims (52)

1. A belt unit comprising:

a belt member;

a roller rotatably placed on an inner peripheral surface of the belt member; and

a meander restraint member facing an edge portion of the belt member and configured to restrain the belt member from meandering while the belt member is running, wherein

the edge portion of the belt member comprises a modification layer, wherein the modification layer functions as a solid lubricant.

2. A transfer unit comprising:

the belt unit according to claim 1 ; and

a transfer member rotatably placed on the inner peripheral surface of the belt member, and opposite an image carrier of an image formation section with the belt member between the transfer member and the image carrier.

3. An image formation apparatus comprising:

an image formation unit which forms a developer image; and

the transfer unit according to claim 2 , which transfers the developer image to the belt member of the transfer unit, or to a medium conveyed by the belt member.

4. The belt unit according to claim 1 , wherein the modification layer comprises a carbonization layer.

5. A belt unit comprising:

a belt member;

a roller rotatably placed on an inner peripheral surface of the belt member; and

a meander restraint member facing an edge portion of the belt member and configured to restrain the belt member from meandering while the belt member is running, wherein

the edge portion of the belt member comprises a modification layer, wherein the modification layer is formed by subjecting the belt member to a predetermined treatment.

6. The belt unit according to claim 5 , wherein the meander restraint member is provided to an end portion of the roller.

7. A transfer unit comprising:

the belt unit according to claim 5 ; and

a transfer member rotatably placed on the inner peripheral surface of the belt member, and opposite an image carrier of an image formation section with the belt member between the transfer member and the image carrier.

8. An image formation apparatus comprising:

an image formation unit which forms a developer image; and

the transfer unit according to claim 7 , which transfers the developer image to the belt member of the transfer unit, or to a medium conveyed by the belt member.

9. The belt unit according to claim 5 , wherein the modification layer comprises a carbonization layer and the carbonization layer is formed by burning off a belt raw member.

10. A belt unit comprising:

a belt member;

a roller rotatably placed on an inner peripheral surface of the belt member; and

a meander restraint member facing an edge portion of the belt member and configured to restrain the belt member from meandering while the belt member is running, wherein

the edge portion of the belt member comprises a modification layer, wherein a thickness δ of the modification layer is in a range of 2 μm≤δ≤10 μm.

11. A transfer unit comprising:

the belt unit according to claim 10 ; and

a transfer member rotatably placed on the inner peripheral surface of the belt member, and opposite an image carrier of an image formation section with the belt member between the transfer member and the image carrier.

12. An image formation apparatus comprising:

an image formation unit which forms a developer image; and

the transfer unit according to claim 11 , which transfers the developer image to the belt member of the transfer unit, or to a medium conveyed by the belt member.

13. A belt unit comprising:

a belt member;

a roller rotatably placed on an inner peripheral surface of the belt member; and

a meander restraint member facing an edge portion of the belt member and configured to restrain the belt member from meandering while the belt member is running, wherein

the edge portion of the belt member comprises a modification layer, wherein the modification layer comprises a carbonization layer.

14. The belt unit according to claim 13 , wherein the carbonization layer is formed by burning off a belt raw member.

15. The belt unit according to claim 13 , wherein the carbonization layer includes amorphous carbon.

16. A transfer unit comprising:

the belt unit according to claim 13 ; and

a transfer member rotatably placed on the inner peripheral surface of the belt member, and opposite an image carrier of an image formation section with the belt member between the transfer member and the image carrier.

17. An image formation apparatus comprising

the transfer unit according to claim 16 .

18. An image formation apparatus comprising:

an image formation unit which forms a developer image; and

the transfer unit according to claim 16 , which transfers the developer image to the belt member of the transfer unit, or to a medium conveyed by the belt member.

19. The belt unit according to claim 13 , wherein a thickness δ of the modification layer is in a range comprising 2 μm≤δ≤10 μm.

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 Sep 29, 2016
From: FURUKAWA, TAKAAKI
To: OKI DATA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039889/0019 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-195868 · Oct 1, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170097592A1 · Apr 6, 2017