Fluorosilicone release agent for fluoroelastomer fuser members

Claim 2

A fuser member comprising a substrate; an outer layer comprising a fluoroelastomer selected from the group consisting of a) copolymers of two of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; b) terpolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; and c) tetrapolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and a cure site monomer; and a release agent material coating on the outer layer, wherein the release agent material coating comprises a fluorinated silicone release agent having the following Formula I: wherein m is a number of from about 0 to about 25 and n is a number of from about 1 to about 25; x/(x+y) is from about 1 percent to less than about 100 percent; R 1 and R 2 are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, arylalkyl, amino and alkylamino groups; and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, arylalkyl, polyorganosiloxane chain, and a fluoro-chain of the formula —(CH 2 ) o —(CF 2 ) p —CF 3 wherein o is a number of from about 0 to about 25 and p is a number of from about 1 to about 25.

Claim 3

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein m is a number of from about 1 to about 10.

Claim 4

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein n is a number of from about 2 to about 12.

Claim 5

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein x/(x+y) is from about 4 percent to about 20 percent.

Claim 6

A fuser member in accordance with claim 4 , wherein x/(x+y) is from about 5 percent to about 10 percent.

Claim 7

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein o is a number of from about 1 to about 10.

Claim 8

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein p is a number of from about 2 to about 12.

Claim 9

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the fluoroelastomer is a tetrapolymer of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and a cure site monomer.

Claim 10

A fuser member in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the fluoroelastomer comprises about 35 weight percent of vinylidenefluoride, about 34 weight percent of hexafluoropropylene, about 29 weight percent of tetrafluoroethylene, and about 2 weight percent cure site monomer.

Claim 11

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said outer layer comprises in addition to said fluoroelastomer, a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkoxy.

Claim 12

A fuser member in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene.

Claim 13

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated silicone release agent has a viscosity of from about 75 to about 1,500 cS.

Claim 14

A fuser member in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the fluorinated silicone release agent has a viscosity of from about 200 to about 1,000 cS.

Claim 15

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said release agent material coating further comprises a non-functional silicone oil blended with said fluorinated silicone release agent.

Claim 16

A fuser member in accordance with claim 14 , wherein said non-functional silicone oil is a polydimethylsiloxane.

Claim 17

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate layer positioned between the substrate and the outer layer.

Claim 18

A fuser member in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises silicone rubber.

Claim 19

A fuser member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the fuser member substrate is in the form of a belt or a roller.

Claim 20

A fuser member comprising a substrate; an outer layer comprising a fluoroelastomer selected from the group consisting of a) copolymers of two of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; b) terpolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; and c) tetrapolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and a cure site monomer; and a release agent material coating on the outer layer, wherein the release agent material coating comprises a fluorinated silicone release agent having the following Formula I: wherein x/(x+y) is about 7.3 percent.

Claim 21

A fuser member comprising a substrate; an outer layer comprising a fluoroelastomer selected from the group consisting of a) copolymers of two of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; b) terpolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; and c) tetrapolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and a cure site monomer; and a release agent material coating on the outer layer, wherein the release agent material coating comprises a fluorinated silicone release agent having the following Formula I: wherein x/(x+y) is about 7.3 percent.

Claim 22

An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording medium comprising: a charge-retentive surface to receive an electrostatic latent image thereon; a development component to apply a developer material to the charge-retentive surface to develop the electrostatic latent image to form a developed image on the charge retentive surface; a transfer component to transfer the developed image from the charge retentive surface to a copy substrate; and a fuser member component to fuse the transferred developed image to the copy substrate, wherein the fuser member comprises a) a substrate; b) an outer layer comprising a fluoroelastomer selected from the group consisting of i) copolymers of two of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; ii) terpolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; and iii) tetrapolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and a cure site monomer; and a release agent material coating on the outer layer, wherein the release agent material coating comprises a fluorinated silicone release agent having the following Formula I: wherein m is a number of from about 0 to about 25 and n is a number of from about 2 to about 25; x/(x+y) is from about 1 percent to less than about 100 percent; R 1 and R 2 are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, arylalkyl, amino, and alkylamino groups; and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, arylalkyl, polyorganosiloxane chain, and a fluoro-chain of the formula —(CH 2 ) o —(CF 2 ) p —CF 3 wherein o is a number of from about 0 to about 25 and p is a number of from about 2 to about 25.

Claim 23

An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording medium comprising: a charge-retentive surface to receive an electrostatic latent image thereon; a development component to apply a developer material to the charge-retentive surface to develop the electrostatic latent image to form a developed image on the charge retentive surface; a transfer component to transfer the developed image from the charge retentive surface to a copy substrate; and a fuser member component to fuse the transferred developed image to the copy substrate, wherein the fuser member comprises a) a substrate; b) an outer layer comprising a fluoroelastomer selected from the group consisting of i) copolymers of two of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; ii) terpolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; and iii) tetrapolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and a cure site monomer; and a release agent material coating on the outer layer, wherein the release agent material coating comprises a fluorinated silicone release agent having the following Formula I: wherein m is a number of from about 0 to about 25 and n is a number of from about 2 to about 25; x/(x+y) is from about 1 percent to less than about 100 percent; R 1 and R 2 are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, arylalkyl, amino, and alkylamino groups; and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, arylalkyl, polyorganosiloxane chain, and a fluoro-chain of the formula —(CH 2 ) o —(CF 2 ) p —CF 3 wherein o is a number of from about 0 to about 25 and p is a number of from about 2 to about 25.

Claim 24

A image forming apparatus in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the toner comprises carbon black as a pigment.