JPH08137320A - Cleaning sheet for fixing roll and cleaning device using same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide such a cleaning sheet for a fixing roll that shows excellent cleaning property and does not damage the roll very much even when a large amt. of mult kind of toners remain on the fixing roll and that the fixing roll can be used for a long period, and to provide a cleaning device using this cleaning sheet. CONSTITUTION: This cleaning sheet consists of a heat-resistant fiber sheet material and a heat-resistant film laminated unitedly, and at least the heat-resistant sheet material contains oil. In the cleaning device for a fixing roll, the cleaning sheet is released in such a manner that the surface of the heat-resistant fiber sheet material is brought into contact with a fixing roll, the sheet is pressed to the fixing roll by a pressing means to clean the surface of the fixing roll, and then the sheet is wound up. The pressure by the pressing means is controlled to 0.12 to 0.25kg/cm<2> .

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fixing roll cleaning sheet and a cleaning device using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a fixing device included in an electrophotographic copying machine or the like, as a cleaning sheet for removing the toner remaining on the surface of a fixing roll, for example, JP-A-58-19 is used.
As described in Japanese Patent No. 9371, a non-woven fabric made of an aromatic polyamide resin and a polyethylene terephthalate resin impregnated with oil is known. This cleaning sheet has some cleaning properties if it is a fixing roll of a conventional monochrome copying machine, but it can be used for fixing rolls with a large amount of toner remaining in various types, such as a color copying machine recently developed. On the other hand, it did not have a sufficient cleaning property.

Therefore, as a cleaning sheet for a fixing roll in which a large amount of various kinds of toner remain, there is known a cleaning sheet improved in cleaning property by applying nickel plating and increasing a frictional force with the surface of the fixing roll. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-266383). However, since nickel metal is dropped off during use of this cleaning sheet and the fixing roll surface is significantly damaged, oil accumulates in the damaged part and causes oil streaks during subsequent copying. There was a problem that I could not do it.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and is excellent in cleaning property even for a fixing roll having many kinds and a large amount of toner remaining, and further, the fixing roll. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning sheet for a fixing roll that can be used for a long time without significantly damaging the sheet, and a cleaning device using the same.

[0005]

A cleaning sheet for a fixing roll according to the present invention comprises a heat-resistant fiber sheet material and a heat-resistant reinforcement body integrated with each other, and the heat-resistant reinforcement body is a heat-resistant film. , Excellent strength in the bias direction,
Moreover, since the strength unevenness is small, it can be suitably used, and at least when the heat-resistant fiber sheet material contains oil,
It has better cleaning properties and is less likely to damage the fixing roll.

In the fixing roll cleaning device of the present invention, the above-mentioned cleaning sheet is unwound so that the surface of the heat-resistant fiber sheet material comes into contact with the fixing roll, and is pressed against the fixing roll by the pressing means so that the surface of the fixing roll is pressed. Is a cleaning device that cleans and winds up, and is a device that can set the pressing force by this pressing means to 0.12 to 0.25 kg / cm ² .

[0007]

The cleaning sheet for the fixing roll of the present invention is
Since the heat-resistant fiber sheet and the heat-resistant reinforcing body are integrated and hardly deformed, the cleaning sheet can be strongly pressed against the fixing roll to wipe off the residual toner, and the cleaning property is excellent. Further, unlike the conventional case, the cleaning sheet of the present invention does not cause metal such as nickel to fall off, so that the fixing roll can be used for a long period of time without significantly damaging the surface of the fixing roll.

Since the heat-resistant fiber sheet material of the present invention wipes and cleans the residual toner on the surface of the fixing roll,
It consists of fibers that do not melt or decompose near the surface temperature of the fixing roll. Generally, the surface temperature of the fixing roll is 170 to 200.
Since it is about ℃, for example, meta-type or para-type aromatic polyamide, polyamideimide, polytetrafluoroethylene, aromatic polyether amide, polybenzimidazole, polyphenylene sulfide, polyester,
Fibers made of a resin component such as polyamide are used alone or as a mixture.

Among these, the meta-type or para-type aromatic polyamide fibers have high rigidity and excellent wiping property for residual toner, and thus can be preferably used. The meta-type aromatic polyamide fibers further damage the fixing roll. Since it is difficult, it can be used more suitably. Further, a stretched or unstretched fiber made of a resin component such as polyphenylene sulfide, polyester, or polyamide is preferable because the heat-resistant fiber sheet material itself and / or the heat-resistant fiber sheet material and the heat-resistant reinforcement can be bonded and fixed. Stretched or unstretched fibers, which are fibers and are composed of a resin component of polyester, can be more preferably used because they have good heat resistance and are compatible with meta-type or para-type aromatic polyamide fibers.

As described above, the meta-type or para-type aromatic polyamide fiber is mixed with the stretched or unstretched fiber made of a resin component such as polyphenylene sulfide, polyester or polyamide to form a heat resistant fiber sheet. The content of the meta-type or para-type aromatic polyamide fiber is preferably 20 to 80% by weight.
This is because if it is less than 20% by weight, the cleaning property is deteriorated, and if it is more than 80% by weight, the fixing roll is likely to be damaged, and more preferably 30 to 70% by weight. When the heat-resistant fiber sheet material is composed of two or more layers, this fiber amount means the amount in the layer in contact with the fixing roll.

The cross section of the fibers constituting the heat-resistant fiber sheet material is, for example, a substantially polygonal shape such as a circular shape, a substantially triangular shape, a substantially square shape, a substantially pentagonal shape, a substantially hexagonal shape, or a substantially C shape, Approximately E shape, approximately F shape, approximately H shape, approximately I shape, approximately J shape, approximately K shape, approximately L shape, approximately M shape, approximately N shape, approximately S shape, approximately T shape, approximately U shape, approximately V It may be a substantially alphabetic shape such as a shape, a substantially W shape, a substantially X shape, a substantially Y shape, a substantially elliptical shape, or a substantially oval shape. Among these, a cross section having a substantially alphabetic shape can be preferably used because it has excellent cleaning properties and retention of the wiped toner, and a substantially Y shape has a shape against external pressure during manufacturing or use of the cleaning sheet. It is most suitable for use because it has excellent holding properties and more excellent wiping properties. In particular, the cross-sectional shape of the meta-type or para-type aromatic polyamide fiber having high rigidity and excellent in wiping property is preferably substantially alphabetic, and most preferably substantially Y-shaped.

The constituent fibers of the heat-resistant fiber sheet material as described above preferably have a fineness of 0.1 to 10 denier. If the fineness is less than 0.1 denier, the rigidity is low and the cleaning property is poor, and if it exceeds 10 denier, the wiping property is deteriorated. A more preferable fineness is 0.5 to 5 denier.

Heat-resistant fiber sheet materials such as woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, non-woven fabrics and flocked fabrics are formed by using the above-mentioned fibers. Among them, non-woven fabrics have a three-dimensional space and are wiped. Since the toner retainability is excellent, it can be preferably used. The nonwoven fabric will be described below.

As a method for producing a non-woven fabric, for example, a dry method such as a card method, an air-lay method, a wet method, or a fiber web obtained by combining these methods is partially or entirely heat-fixed with a thermoplastic fiber. There is a method, a method of entanglement with a needle or a water stream, a method of adhering with a heat-resistant adhesive, etc., alone or in combination. Among these, the method of partially or wholly heat-setting with thermoplastic fibers is a preferable method because it can be integrated with the heat-resistant reinforcement at the same time, and the method of heat-fixing entirely. If this is the case, it is the most suitable method because the thickness can be controlled at the same time.

In the case of forming a fibrous web by the card method, at least the fibrous web in a layer which is in contact with the fixing roll is formed in the longitudinal direction of the heat-resistant fibrous sheet material.
A crossed fiber web in which the fiber orientation is crossed by a cross layer or the like is preferable because the constituent fibers of the heat-resistant fiber sheet material can act linearly on the fixing roll and the wiping property is excellent. .

The heat-resistant fiber sheet material and the heat-resistant reinforcement are integrated to form the cleaning sheet of the present invention. The present invention supplements the strength of the heat-resistant fiber sheet material with the heat-resistant reinforcing member so that the cleaning sheet will not be broken or deformed even when strongly pressed against the fixing roll. Examples of this heat resistant reinforcement include, for example, resin-melted and solidified material, fiber or thread-shaped material, net-shaped material,
Films, woven fabrics, non-woven fabrics and the like having heat resistance can be used alone or in combination. Among these, the heat-resistant film has no strength variation, has a certain strength in the bias direction, and does not cause a crease due to the strength variation, and thus can be suitably used.

The case where the heat-resistant reinforcing member is a heat-resistant film will be described. Although the heat-resistant film does not come into direct contact with the fixing roll, it is exposed to heat equivalent to the surface temperature of the fixing roll, and therefore, general fixing is performed. A heat-resistant film made of a resin component that does not melt or decompose at a roll surface temperature of about 170 to 200 ° C. is used. Examples of the resin component include polyamideimide, polyimide, polytetrafluoroethylene, aromatic polyetheramide, polybenzimidazole, polyphenylene sulfide, polyester, polyamide, polycarbonate, polystyrene and the like. When polyester fibers are included as the constituent fibers of the heat-resistant fiber sheet material, it is preferable to use a polyester film having excellent adhesiveness to the heat-resistant fiber sheet material.

The heat-resistant film has a thickness of 5 to 100 μm.
m is preferable, and if it is less than 5 μm, the strength of the cleaning sheet does not improve even if the heat resistant film is used, and if it exceeds 100 μm, the winding length of the cleaning sheet becomes short. This is because the service life of the cleaning sheet is shortened. More preferably, it is 10 to 70 μm.

As a method for integrating the heat-resistant fiber sheet material and the heat-resistant reinforcement as described above, there is a method of integrating them with an adhesive having excellent heat resistance such as room temperature sulfurized silicone rubber. is there. As described above, when the heat-resistant fiber sheet material is made of a non-woven fabric containing a thermoplastic fiber such as polyester fiber, it is laminated with the heat-resistant reinforcement body at the stage of the fiber web to obtain the thermoplastic fiber and / or the heat-resistant material. It can be heat-fixed partially or entirely with a reinforcing member, and can be integrated with the nonwoven fabric at the same time, which is suitable for manufacturing.

In the cleaning sheet thus obtained, the thickness of the heat-resistant fibrous sheet material (excluding the part which is combined with the heat-resistant reinforcement) is 20 to 115.
It is preferably μm. If this is less than 20 μm,
The voids for holding the toner are reduced, and when it exceeds 115 μm, the voids which are not involved in the retention of the toner are increased. Therefore, it is more preferably 30 to 90 μm.

The tensile strength of the cleaning sheet of the present invention at 200 ° C. is preferably 8 kg / 5 cm width or more, more preferably 10 kg / 5 cm width or more. The tensile strength is a value obtained by measuring a cleaning sheet having a width of 5 cm and a measuring length of 15 cm at a measuring atmosphere temperature of 200 ° C. with an Instron type tensile tester at a tensile speed of 10 cm / min.

This cleaning sheet may be used as it is, but at least the heat-resistant fiber sheet-like material contains oil such as polysiloxane so as to have a better cleaning property and to less damage the fixing roll. Is more preferable. The content of this oil varies depending on the thickness of the heat-resistant fiber sheet material, etc.
About g / m ^{2 is} enough. The viscosity of oil is 100-50,
000 centistokes is enough.

The cleaning device of the present invention uses the above-mentioned cleaning sheet in the contact portion with the fixing roll, and may be any cleaning device generally called blade system, roll system or web system. However, it is preferable to use a web-type cleaning device having excellent cleaning properties. The web method will be described below.

In the case of this web system, the tensile strength of the cleaning sheet is improved, and even if the torque for winding the cleaning sheet is increased, the cleaning sheet can be wound without breaking or stretching, so that the cleaning sheet is fixed to the fixing roll. The pressing force can be increased, and even a fixing roll having a large amount of various types of toner remaining can be sufficiently cleaned. In the case of the web method, the object of the present invention can be achieved if the heat-resistant reinforcement extends at least in the length direction of the cleaning sheet.

More specifically, the surface of the heat-resistant fibrous sheet material of the cleaning sheet is unwound so as to come into contact with the fixing roll, and is pressed against the fixing roll by the pressing means to clean the surface of the fixing roll and wind it up. It is a cleaning device. In this cleaning device, since the cleaning sheet having excellent tensile strength is used, the pressing force of the pressing means is 0.12, which is impossible with the conventional cleaning sheet because breakage or elongation occurs.
Since it can be set up to 0.25 kg / cm ² , the cleaning property is remarkably excellent. The pressing force of the pressing means is less than 0.12 kg / cm ^2, poor cleaning property, exceeds 0.25 kg / cm ^2, the cleaning sheet may occur breaking or elongation, it becomes difficult to wind And, more preferably, the pressing force is 0.17 to 0.24 kg / c
Set to m ² .

Thus, in order to improve the pressing force of the pressing means, it is preferable to make the hardness of the pressing means hard.
For example, the hardness of the pressing means is Asker C type 15-40 ° H.
_S- C is preferable, and if it is softer than 15 ° H _S- C, the pressing means will be deformed no matter how large the external force is,
Since the contact area between the fixing roll and the cleaning sheet becomes large, the pressing force becomes small and the cleaning property deteriorates. When the temperature exceeds 40 ° H _S -C, the contact area between the fixing roll and the cleaning sheet becomes extremely narrow. This is because the toner comes off and the cleaning property deteriorates. A more preferable hardness is Asker C type 20 to 30 ° H _S -C. The contact width between the fixing roll and the cleaning sheet by the pressing means having such hardness is preferably set to 2 to 8 mm, more preferably 3 to 6 mm so that the toner wiping property is excellent.

As the pressing means, for example, a cylindrical shape, a polygonal pillar shape such as a square pillar shape or a hexagonal pillar shape can be used, but a cylindrical shape is preferable because a uniform pressing force can be obtained. is there. A material that can withstand the heat of the fixing roll, such as foamed or non-foamed silicone rubber, can be preferably used for this pressing means.

Examples of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0029]

【Example】

(Example 1) 60% by weight of a meta-type aromatic polyamide fiber having a circular cross section (fineness: 1.5 denier, fiber length: 38 mm, trade name: Nomex, made by DuPont) and an unstretched polyester fiber having a circular cross section (fineness of 5 denier, Fiber length 38 mm) 4
0% by weight was mixed, and a unidirectional fiber web opened with a card machine was laminated with a crossed fiber web crossed by a cross layer at a weight ratio of 1: 1 and a basis weight of 25 g / m ²
To form a laminated fiber web. Then, on the unidirectional fiber web of this laminated fiber web, a basis weight of 21 g / m ² and a thickness of 1
After stacking 5μm polyester film, the temperature is 200
℃ steel roll and cotton roll (Line pressure 50kg / c
m) through which a fibrous web and polyester film are integrated, and having a basis weight of 46 g / m ² , a thickness of 75 μm (a heat-resistant fibrous sheet material having a thickness of 60 μm), and a tensile strength of 12.0 kg / 5 cm width at 200 ° C. Got Then, add 15g / m ^{2 of} polysiloxane oil with viscosity of 300CS.
Impregnated.

(Example 2) 50% by weight of a meta-type aromatic polyamide fiber having a substantially Y-shaped cross section (fineness: 2 denier, fiber length: 51 mm, trade name: Conex, manufactured by Teijin Ltd.) 50% by weight of stretched polyester fiber (fineness of 5 denier, fiber length of 38 mm) is mixed, opened with a card machine, crossed fiber webs in which the fiber orientation is crossed with a cross layer, and meta-type aromatic polyamide fiber with a circular cross section (Fineness 1.5 denier, fiber length 38 mm, trade name: Nomex, manufactured by DuPont) 50% by weight, unstretched polyester fiber having a circular cross section (fineness 5 denier, fiber length 38
mm) 50% by weight, and opened with a card machine,
A fiber fabric having a unidirectional fiber orientation was laminated at a weight ratio of 1: 2, and a laminated fiber web having a basis weight of 25 g / m ² was used in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a basis weight of 46 g / m ² was used. ² , thickness 75μm (thickness of heat-resistant fiber sheet material 60μm), 2
A cleaning sheet having a tensile strength of 13.0 kg / 5 cm width at 00 ° C. was obtained. Then, 15 g / m ^{2 of} polysiloxane oil having a viscosity of 300 CS was impregnated.

Comparative Example 1 A laminated fiber web having a basis weight of 46 g / m ² obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 was passed between a steel roll and a cotton roll at a temperature of 210 ° C. (linear pressure of 40 kg / cm) to give a basis weight of 46 g / m ^2. A cleaning sheet having m ² , thickness of 90 μm and tensile strength at 200 ° C. of 6.3 kg / 5 cm width was obtained. After that, 15g / of polysiloxane oil with viscosity of 300CS
It was impregnated with m ² .

Comparative Example 2 A laminated fiber web having a basis weight of 25 g / m ² obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 was passed between a steel roll and a cotton roll (linear pressure 50 kg / cm) at a temperature of 200 ° C. to obtain a basis weight of 25 g / m ^2. A nonwoven fabric with m ² and a thickness of 60 μm was obtained. Next, 4.0 g of this non-woven fabric is applied by a conventional electroless plating method.
/ m ² amount of nickel is plated, and basis weight is 29 g / m ² , thickness 75
A cleaning sheet having a tensile strength of 6.0 kg / 5 cm width at 200 ° C. was obtained. Then, 15 g / m ^{2 of} polysiloxane oil having a viscosity of 300 CS was impregnated.

(Cleaning property test-1) A state in which a cleaning device is not provided in a fixing device (NP-3050 manufactured by Canon Inc.) having a copying speed (30 sheets beside A4) / min and a surface temperature of 190 ° C. Then, after continuously making 100 black copies over the entire surface, it is wound at a speed of 0.1 mm / A4 so that the non-woven fabric surfaces of the cleaning sheets of Examples 1-2 and Comparative Examples 1-2 come into contact with the fixing roll. Outer, columnar, Asker C type 20 ° H _S -C foamed silicone rubber (diameter 20
mm), the external force of 1, 1.5, 2 kg is applied, and the contact width between the cleaning sheet and the fixing roll is 3, 4, 5 mm (the pressing force is 0.11, 0.13, respectively).
The cleaning property of the cleaning sheet was evaluated by making five white copies on the entire surface under the condition of 0.13 kg / cm ² ) and observing stains on the copy paper due to offset. This evaluation was as shown in Table 1.

[0034]

[Table 1]

(Cleaning property test-2) 1. Asker C type 25 and 30 ° H _S -C foamed silicone rubber (diameter 20 mm) were used to press 1.
An external force of 5, 2 kg was applied, and the contact width with the fixing roll was set to 3 mm (pressing force: 0.17, 0.22 kg / cm ^{2 respectively} ) in the same manner as in (Cleanability test-1). Then, the cleaning property of the cleaning sheet was evaluated.
This evaluation was as shown in Table 1.

(Damage test-1) A fixing roll (NP-3050 manufactured by Canon Inc.) having a surface temperature of 190 ° C. was rotated at a speed of (30 sheets beside A4) / minute, and at the same time,
0.1 mm / A so that the non-woven fabric surfaces of the cleaning sheets of Examples 1-2 and Comparative Examples 1-2 are in contact with the fixing roll.
Unwinding at a speed of 4, columnar, Asker C type 20 ° H _S-
An external force of 1, 1.5, 2 kg is applied by a pressure roll made of C foamed silicone rubber (diameter 20 mm) to make the contact width between the cleaning sheet and the fixing roll 3, 4, 5 respectively.
mm (Pressing force 0.11, 0.13, 0.13 kg / cm ^{2 respectively} )
After standing for 40 hours in this state, the toner powder was rubbed on the surface of the fixing roll to evaluate the damage on the surface of the fixing roll. The results are also shown in Table 1.

(Damage Test-2) A cylindrical Asker C type 25 and 30 ° H _S -C foamed silicone rubber (diameter 20)
The external force of 1.5 and 2 kg is applied by the pressure rolls of 3 mm (mm) respectively, and the contact width with the fixing roll is set to 3 mm (the pressing force is 0.17 and 0.22 kg / cm ^{2 respectively} ). , (Damage test-1), the damage on the surface of the fixing roll was evaluated. The results are also shown in Table 1.

[0038]

The cleaning sheet for a fixing roll of the present invention is one in which a heat-resistant fiber sheet material and a heat-resistant reinforcement are integrated, and the pressing force of the cleaning sheet to the fixing roll can be increased, so that the cleaning sheet is sufficiently Can be cleaned. If the heat resistant reinforcement is a heat resistant film,
Since the strength in the bias direction is excellent and the strength unevenness is small, it can be suitably used. When at least the heat-resistant fiber sheet material contains oil, the cleaning property is more excellent and the fixing roll is less likely to be damaged.

In the fixing roll cleaning device of the present invention, the above-mentioned cleaning sheet is unwound so that the surface of the heat-resistant fiber sheet material comes into contact with the fixing roll, and is pressed against the fixing roll by the pressing means to fix the surface of the fixing roll. Is a cleaning device that cleans and winds up, and the pressing force of this pressing means can be set to 0.12 to 0.25 kg / cm ² , so that it has excellent cleaning properties.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning sheet for a fixing roll, wherein the heat-resistant fiber sheet material and the heat-resistant reinforcing body are integrated. 2. The fixing roll cleaning sheet according to claim 1, wherein the heat resistant reinforcement is a heat resistant film. 3. The cleaning sheet for a fixing roll according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least the heat-resistant fiber sheet material contains oil. 4. A fixing roll, wherein the cleaning sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is unwound so that the surface of the heat-resistant fiber sheet material comes into contact with the fixing roll and is pressed against the fixing roll by a pressing unit. A cleaning device for a fixing roll, which is a cleaning device for cleaning and winding the surface, wherein the pressing force by the pressing means can be set to 0.12 to 0.25 kg / cm ² .