Patent US4501482A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4501482A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Member of compliant material
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
•
Filing: 1982-07-09
•
Granted: 1985-02-26
•
Expires: 2002-07-09
Abstract
Abstract A member has a compliancy which changes at elevated temperatures. The member is useful as a fuser member such as a fuser roller for applying heat and pressure to a toner image carried by a receiver to fuse the image without introducing fuser-related image defects. The fuser member includes an elastomeric material incorporating particles of a material which is solid at ambient temperatures but which becomes fluid at fusing temperatures, thus making the elastomeric material more compliant.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter A. Stryjewski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:12
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/20; G03G15/2003; G03G15/2014; G03G15/2053; G03G15/2057
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
70 words
A member whose compliancy changes at elevated temperatures comprising: a compliant layer incorporating enclosed particles of material which are solid at ambient temperatures, which are fluid above a predetermined temperature the fluid being contained within voids in said compliant layer formed by said particles to increase the compliancy of the member above such temperature, and which are resolidified within said voids when the material is cooled below said predetermined temperature.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
70 words
A member whose compliancy changes at elevated temperatures comprising: a compliant layer incorporating enclosed particles of material which are solid at ambient temperatures, which are fluid above a predetermined temperature the fluid being contained within voids in said compliant layer formed by said particles to increase the compliancy of the member above such temperature, and which are resolidified within said voids when the material is cooled below said predetermined temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The member of claim 1 wherein said particles comprise heat-conductive particles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The member of claim 1 wherein said particles are porous or hollow and wherein said voids within said compliant layer contain fluid which is partially gaseous and partially liquid above said predetermined temperature.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The member of claim 1 including a base layer of heat conductive material and a layer of compliant material incorporating particles which are heat-conductive.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
91 words
A member for fusing toner particles to a receiver by means of heat and pressure, said member comprising: a compliant layer incorporating enclosed particles of material which are solid at non-fusing temperatures, which are fluid when heated to fusing temperatures, the fluid being contained within voids in said compliant layer formed by said particles to increase the compliancy of said compliant material at such fusing temperatures and which are resolidified within said voids when the material is cooled below said fusing temperatures such that said material is not consumed during fusing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
91 words
A member for fusing toner particles to a receiver by means of heat and pressure, said member comprising: a compliant layer incorporating enclosed particles of material which are solid at non-fusing temperatures, which are fluid when heated to fusing temperatures, the fluid being contained within voids in said compliant layer formed by said particles to increase the compliancy of said compliant material at such fusing temperatures and which are resolidified within said voids when the material is cooled below said fusing temperatures such that said material is not consumed during fusing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The member of claim 5 wherein said particles of material are heat conductive.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The member of claim 6 wherein said particles of material includes an alloy of lead and tin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The member of claim 5 wherein said particles of material are porous or hollow and wherein said voids in the compliant layer contain fluid which is partially gaseous and partially fluid at fusing temperatures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The member of claim 5 wherein said compliant layer is an elastomer which is resistant to degradation at high temperatures.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
A member for fusing toner particles to a receiver by means of heat and pressure, said member comprising: a compliant layer incorporating particles of material which are solid at non-fusing temperatures and fluid when heated to fusing temperatures to increase the compliancy of said compliant layer at such fusing temperaturs wherein said particles of material comprise a heat-conductive alloy of lead and tin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
A member for fusing toner particles to a receiver by means of heat and pressure, said member comprising: a compliant layer incorporating particles of material which are solid at non-fusing temperatures and fluid when heated to fusing temperatures to increase the compliancy of said compliant layer at such fusing temperaturs wherein said particles of material comprise a heat-conductive alloy of lead and tin.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
102 words
A fuser roller for fusing toner particles to a receiver through the application of heat and pressure, said roller comprising: a cylindrical core; and an elastomeric layer on said core, said layer incorporating enclosed particles of material which are solid at non-fusing temperatures, which are fluid when heated to fusing temperatures, the fluid being contained in voids in said elastomeric layer formed by said particles to increase the compliancy of said elastomeric material at said fusing temperatures and which are resolidified within said voids when the material is cooled below said fusing temperatures such that said material is not consumed during fusing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
102 words
A fuser roller for fusing toner particles to a receiver through the application of heat and pressure, said roller comprising: a cylindrical core; and an elastomeric layer on said core, said layer incorporating enclosed particles of material which are solid at non-fusing temperatures, which are fluid when heated to fusing temperatures, the fluid being contained in voids in said elastomeric layer formed by said particles to increase the compliancy of said elastomeric material at said fusing temperatures and which are resolidified within said voids when the material is cooled below said fusing temperatures such that said material is not consumed during fusing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The fuser roller of claim 11 wherein said core is of heat-conductive material and said particles are of heat-conductive material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The fuser roller of claim 11 wherein said particles are porous or hollow and wherein said voids in said elastomeric layer contain gaseous medium at fusing temperatures to form a foam elastomer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The fuser roller of claim 11 further including a layer of material on said elastomeric layer which is resistant to the absorption of fuser oil which is absorbed by the elastomeric layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The fuser roller of claim 14 wherein said elastomeric layer comprises silicone elastomer and wherein said fuser oil-resistant layer comprises a fluoroelastomer which is resistant to absorption of silicone fuser oil applied to the fuser roller.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
The fuser roller of claim 15 wherein said fluoroelastomer of said fuser oil resistant layer includes fluorosilicone elastomer, the elastomer comprising a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene and the elastomer comprising a cross-linked copolymer of perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinyl ether and tetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The fuser roller of claim 16 including an outer layer of silicone elastomer on said oil-resistant layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The fuser roller of claims 14, 15, 16 or 17 wherein said oil-resistant layer includes heat-conductive filler particles.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
100 words
The method for producing a foam fuser member comprising: mixing into a compliant base material which is to be foamed particles which are porous or hollow and which are solid at ambient temperatures and fluid at elevated temperatures; forming the mixture into the fuser member; heating the so-formed member to melt the particles to produce enlcosed cavities containing gaseous medium and liquid medium; and cooling the so formed member to ambient temperature to resolidify the particulate material in the lower part of the cavities with the gaseous medium filling the upper part of the cavities to produce a foam member.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
100 words
The method for producing a foam fuser member comprising: mixing into a compliant base material which is to be foamed particles which are porous or hollow and which are solid at ambient temperatures and fluid at elevated temperatures; forming the mixture into the fuser member; heating the so-formed member to melt the particles to produce enlcosed cavities containing gaseous medium and liquid medium; and cooling the so formed member to ambient temperature to resolidify the particulate material in the lower part of the cavities with the gaseous medium filling the upper part of the cavities to produce a foam member.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said particles comprise heat-conductive particles.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said base material is formed of a high-temperature-resistant elastomer including silicone elastomer, fluorosilicone elastomer, the elastomer comprising a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene and the elastomer comprising a cross-linked colpolymer of perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinyl ether and tetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said heat-conductive particles are eutectic metallic particles which melt at fusing temperatures of about 100° to 200° C.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2115465A
Cited
US3452181A
Cited
US3937919A
Cited
US3866572A
Cited
US3902845A
Cited
US4000339A
Cited
US4075390A
Cited
US3940235A
Cited
US4074001A
Cited
US4146659A
Cited
US4149797A
Cited
US4179601A
Cited
US4257699A
Cited
US4272179A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-02-26 | 1988-08-27 | 1989-02-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-02-26 | 1992-08-27 | 1993-02-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-02-26 | 1996-08-27 | 1997-02-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |