JPH0699517A - Conductive cylindrical belt - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a conductive cylindrical belt which is extremely excellent in mechanical strength, dimensional precision, resistance to flexural strength and electrical characteristics. CONSTITUTION:A conductive cylindrical belt is constituted by integrally forming both a cylindrical reinforcing fiber material layer 1 forming an internal layer and an organic polymer material layer 11 containing conductive substance which forms an external layer. Moreover the organic polymer material 11 is contained in the reinforcing fiber material layer 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a conductive tubular belt.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various types of conductive cylindrical belts have been known. These are manufactured, for example, by molding an organic polymer material containing a conductive substance by an extrusion molding method, a centrifugal molding method, or the like.

However, the conductive tubular belt manufactured by the extrusion molding method has drawbacks that the electric resistance value is likely to vary, and that it is difficult to obtain a belt having good dimensional accuracy. Further, in the centrifugal molding method, the electric resistance value is changed between the outer surface and the inner surface due to the difference in specific gravity between the particles of the contained conductive substance and / or between the organic polymer material and the contained conductive substance. There is a drawback that a difference easily occurs.

Furthermore, when such a conductive tubular belt is used as a functional belt for a copying machine, for example, the mechanical properties of the material itself are insufficient, and the mechanical properties are lowered due to the inclusion of a conductive substance. There is also a problem that creep deformation and breakage easily occur due to external force such as pulling and continuous bending due to the above.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that the mechanical strength,
We have succeeded in developing a conductive tubular belt containing a conductive substance, which has excellent circumferential length accuracy and bending durability and has little variation in electrical resistance value, and has completed the present invention.

That is, a tubular reinforcing fiber material layer forming an inner layer and an organic polymer material layer containing a conductive substance forming an outer layer are integrally formed, and the organic polymer material is reinforced. The present invention relates to a conductive tubular belt, which is also contained in the fiber material layer.

First, the tubular reinforcing fiber material layer forming the inner layer will be described.

The reinforcing fiber material used in the present invention is not particularly limited and widely known materials can be widely used. However, a knitted fabric knitted in a circular knit shape is preferable, and a yarn for reinforcing material and reinforcement are used. A knitted fabric that is knitted in a circular knitting pattern with a yarn for use is particularly preferable. Examples of such knitted fabrics include those in which a reinforcing yarn and a reinforcing yarn are appropriately knitted and the reinforcing yarn is reinforced with the reinforcing yarn. It doesn't matter what you do. 1 thread for reinforcement
One knitting with one or several yarns for reinforcing material after knitting with one or several yarns is one repeat, and the content of reinforcing yarns is 1 to 80%. Although desirable, this is not particularly limited, and any type of yarn and knitting may be used.
In the present invention, the reinforcing fiber material needs to be tubular. The tubular shape is preferably seamless, but it is needless to say that the end portions of the flat material may be butted and sewn so that there is no step and the portion does not extend, and a tubular shape having a seam may be used.

A knitted fabric which is knitted in a circular knitting pattern with a reinforcing material yarn and a reinforcing yarn yarn used in the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a portion 2 made of a reinforcing yarn 6 formed by a bag knitting or the like, in which 3 and 4 are the front and back materials of the portion 2, and 5 is the front material. 3 is a yarn for reinforcing material, which is knitted between 3 and the lining 4.

FIG. 2 shows a knitting diagram (Milan rib changing knitting structure) for knitting a tubular reinforcement material by a milling circular knitting machine, wherein 7 and 8 are upper needles and lower needles, respectively. In the first and second yarn feeders of (1) and (2) of FIG. 2, the reinforcing yarns 9 and 9 are fed and knitted to the upper needle 7 and the lower needle 8 side, respectively, and the lining 4 and the outer fabric 3 are provided. Is knitted separately, and the reinforcing material yarn 5 is inserted and knitted between the outer material 3 and the lining 4 at the third yarn feeder, and the reinforcing yarn 9 is used as the upper needle 7 and the lower needle at the fourth yarn feeder. Yarn feeding and knitting on 8 side
In the eighth yarn feeder as well, the same knitting operation as in the first to fourth yarn feeders is repeated to continuously knit a tubular reinforcing material fabric, and the same fabric is formed every predetermined length in the course direction. By cutting, a tubular reinforcing fiber material can be obtained.

FIG. 3 shows a structural diagram (milling change knitting structure) other than knitting a tubular reinforcing material cloth by a milling circular knitting machine.

Further, the reinforced fiber material of the present invention can be obtained with a double-sided modified knitting structure or a mock Milano rib modified knitting structure with a double-sided circular knitting machine as in the milling circular knitting machine. Also,
Needless to say, a tubular woven fabric obtained by a circular loom or the like may be used as the reinforcing fiber material.

As the above-mentioned reinforcing yarn 5, for example, aramid fiber, glass fiber, carbon fiber, silicon nitride fiber,
Fibers such as liquid crystal resin fibers and ceramic fibers that control the reinforcement of fiber materials are preferably used, and as the form of the yarn 5, a suitable yarn such as twisted yarn, plied yarn, spun yarn, and aligned yarn is used. Is good.

As the reinforcing yarn 9, for example, polyester synthetic fibers, nylon synthetic fibers, aramid fibers, liquid crystal resin fibers and the like, as well as various synthetic fibers, fibers for reinforcing reinforcing fiber materials such as mineral fibers. It is preferable to use, but various conductive fibers may be used. The reinforcing yarn 9 is preferably in the form of mono- or multi-filament yarn, bulk processed yarn, twisted yarn, spun yarn and the like.

The reinforcing yarn 5 can also serve as the reinforcing yarn 9, but depending on the yarn, it may be difficult to mold a thin fiber material, and there is a risk that the cost will increase. Therefore, it is desirable to use two separate yarns,
Of course, you should not be restricted.

Next, the organic polymer material layer containing a conductive substance forming the outer layer will be described.

The organic polymer material is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include synthetic resins such as polyamide polymers and polyester polymers, rubbers such as urethane rubber and silicone rubber, and fluorine polymer elastomers.

Here, as the polyamide-based polymer, nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 610 and nylon 12 are used.
Etc. and their copolymers such as nylon 6-66 copolymer, nylon 6-610 copolymer and the like, amorphous nylon, soluble nylon such as N-methoxymethylated nylon and the like. A mixture and the like can be exemplified, and N-methoxymethylated nylon is particularly preferable, but it is not limited thereto. Further, as the polyester-based polymer, the main repeating unit is a homopolymer of polyethylene terephthalate or the acid component in polyethylene terephthalate is composed of terephthalic acid and a dicarboxylic acid other than terephthalic acid, for example, isophthalic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, etc., and a diol. Examples of the component include, but are not limited to, ethylene glycol and / or a copolymer with a diol component other than ethylene glycol.

The conductive substance contained in the above organic polymer material is not particularly limited, but carbon blacks such as Ketjen black (conductive furnace type carbon black), acetylene black, stannic oxide, indium oxide. Examples thereof include fine powders of potassium titanate, black titanate, and whiskers. Specifically, Ketjen Black is preferable. The amount of the conductive substance used is not particularly limited, but it is desirable to use it in a range not exceeding 30% by weight in the total amount of the organic polymer material and the conductive substance. If the amount of the conductive substance used is too large, the moldability of the organic polymer material may be deteriorated, and the mechanical strength of the obtained molded article may be deteriorated, which may cause inconveniences. In the present invention, the conductive material is added to the organic polymer material and the conductive material in a total amount of 1
It is particularly desirable to use about 20% by weight.

In order to form an organic polymer material layer containing a conductive substance, it is necessary to incorporate the above-mentioned conductive substance into the organic polymer material, but the method is not particularly limited, and it is known in the art. The method can be widely applied. For example, a conductive substance is added to an organic polymer material that is made to flow, and an appropriate method or device, such as a ball mill,
A method of kneading with a screw or the like, a heating and melting method (specifically, a method of melt kneading with an extruder having a single-screw screw or a multi-screw screw, a melt-kneading method in which a conductive substance is added to an organic polymer material of a homelt type. Etc.), an organic polymer material is dissolved in an appropriate solvent, and a conductive substance is added to the solution to mix the solution (specifically, soluble nylon such as N-methoxymethylated nylon is mixed with alcohol or the like). Dissolving in a suitable solvent, adding a conductive substance, kneading or dispersing using a ball mill etc.), a blending method (specifically, a mechanochemical reaction using a powdery organic polymer material) Is a hybridization system).

The electric resistance value of the organic polymer material layer containing the conductive substance obtained as described above is often determined by the content of the conductive substance, but the mixing condition and the mixing of the conductive substance are used. Mixing time, as it tends to change depending on time, temperature, applied shearing force, etc.
It is desirable that temperature, shearing force, etc. be controlled within a strict range.

Further, in order to make the dispersion of the electroconductive substance uniform, an appropriate dispersant or stabilizer may be added, if necessary, but this is not particularly limited.

Next, a method for manufacturing the conductive tubular belt according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a manufacturing apparatus to which the pipe doctor coater system is applied. This is an example, and a cylindrical fiber-reinforced material layer is provided with a conductive substance-containing organic polymer. There is no particular limitation as long as it is a method capable of uniformly forming the material layer, and conventionally known methods can be widely applied.

In FIG. 4, 7 is a feed portion of an organic polymer material containing a conductive substance, 8 is a doctor, 9 and 1
Reference numeral 0 is a drive roller, and 1 is a tubular reinforcing fiber material layer.
When the drive rollers 9 and 10 are driven, the tubular reinforcing fiber material layer is driven to rotate around the hands of the clock in this case. Next, the conductive substance-containing organic polymer material fluidized by an appropriate method is supplied from the feed section 7 and is removed by the doctor 8 between the driving roller 9 and the doctor 8 having an appropriate slit width. The organic polymer material is scraped off to form a conductive substance-containing organic polymer material layer having a uniform thickness, which is applied to the outer surface of the tubular reinforcing fiber material layer 1. Then, by leaving this to stand, the conductive tubular belt of the present invention in which the conductive substance-containing organic polymer material layer is formed on the outer surface of the tubular reinforcing fiber material layer is manufactured.

Further, in the present invention, an appropriate treatment step such as cooling and heating, a polishing step or the like may be provided during or after the step of manufacturing the conductive cylindrical belt. At this time, the type of doctor,
Shape, amount of conductive polymer-containing organic polymer material supplied,
It is desirable to be careful because the supply system, the rotation speed of the drive roller, etc. often affect the finished state of the coated surface.

When a powdery organic polymer material containing a conductive substance is used, for example, it is formed by the same method as described above, and then heat treatment or the like is performed to melt the powdery organic polymer material. It is better to adopt the method.

Further, the means for forming the above-mentioned organic polymer material on the tubular reinforcing fiber material layer is not particularly limited, and in addition to the above-mentioned coating method using a pipe doctor coater or powder coating method, reverse Various coating methods such as a roll coater method and a blade coater method can also be adopted.

A sectional view of the thus-obtained conductive tubular belt of the present invention is shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, 1 is a reinforcing fiber material layer, and 11 is a conductive substance-containing organic polymer material layer. The reinforcing fiber material layer 1 and the conductive substance-containing organic polymer material layer 11 are not independent of each other, and the conductive substance forming the conductive substance-containing organic polymer material layer 11 between the fibers of the reinforcing fiber material layer 1. It is necessary that the contained organic polymer material penetrates and the reinforcing fiber material layer 1 also contains the organic polymer material. In the present invention, the fibers constituting the reinforcing fiber material layer 1 may be covered with the conductive substance-containing organic polymer material layer to the extent that the fibers are not exposed. The conductive tubular belt of the present invention is not particularly limited, but the volume electric resistance value of each part of the belt is in the range of 10 ⁶ to 10 ¹³ Ω · cm, and
The maximum value of the volume electric resistance value in each part is the minimum value of 1
Those in the range of up to 100 times are desirable.

The conductive cylindrical belt of the present invention can be suitably used for an intermediate transfer member of a copying machine, a paper carrying belt, a fixing belt and the like. Furthermore, the conductive tubular belt of the present invention can be used as a functional belt for a recording belt base material of various printers such as office automation equipment, and is expected to be used in various fields in the future.

[0033]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be further clarified with reference to the following examples.

Example 1 A solution of N-methoxymethylnylon in methanol containing 20% by weight of N-methoxymethylnylon and 80% by weight of methanol was mixed with 6 parts of N-methoxymethylnylon.
Ketjen black was added at a weight percentage and mixing was performed using a ball mill to obtain a coating liquid.

On the other hand, as a knitting structure, a milling change knitting structure is used, and after knitting one reinforcing yarn consisting of 40d nylon 66 bulky processed yarn, S of aramid spun yarn 30/1
Twisted reinforcing yarn consisting of 1 twist, knitting 40d nylon 66 bulking yarn, 1 reinforcing yarn knitting, and then aramid spun yarn 30/1 reinforcing yarn consisting of Z twist A tubular reinforcing fiber material layer knitted with one insertion knitting as one repeat was obtained.

The outer surface of the tubular reinforcing fiber material layer obtained above was coated with a methanol solution of N-methoxymethyl nylon containing the above Ketjen Black using a pipe doctor coater, and then at 60 ° C. Dry for 3 hours, outer diameter 606 ± 0.5mm, thickness 450
A conductive cylindrical belt having an excellent dimensional accuracy of ± 10μ was obtained.
The volume electric resistance value of the conductive tubular belt is in the range of 1 × 10 ⁹ to 1 × 10 ¹⁰ Ω · cm when a voltage of 100 V is applied, and the electric dependence is not recognized, and the volume electric resistance value of each part of the belt is The maximum value was 10 times or less than the minimum value.

Comparative Example 1 83% by weight of a polycarbonate having a molecular weight of 30,000 and 17% by weight of acetylene black were mixed and blended with a mixer, and the resulting blend was kneaded by an extruder having a twin screw and granulated into pellets.

These pellets were extruded from an extruder having an annular die by an inflation method to have an outer diameter of 150 mm and a thickness of 15
A film having a thickness of 0 μm was formed on the film, and then stretched by a tube stretching machine at a temperature of 150 ° C. in the length and width directions by 3%.
The tubular film thus obtained is cut into a predetermined size in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and the outer diameter is 154.5 ± 0.5 m.
A seamless belt having a dimensional accuracy of m and a thickness of 150 ± 20 μm was obtained. The volume electric resistance value of each part of the seamless belt is 1 × 10 ⁹ to 1 × 10 ¹⁰ Ω when a voltage of 100 V is applied.
It was in the cm range.

Example 2 6% by weight of Ketjen black was added to a polyester copolymer powder having a particle size distribution of 10 to 80 μm, and the mixture was blended by a hybridization system to obtain a stable conductivity. A polyester copolymer powder having properties was obtained.

The surface of the tubular reinforcing fiber material layer of Example 1 was powder-coated with the obtained conductive polyester copolymer powder using a pipe doctor coater.

Then, the polyester-based copolymer powder was melted by heating at 130 ° C. and cooled to obtain a conductive tubular belt having a conductive polyester-based copolymer as an outer layer. The volume resistivity of the conductive tubular belt is 1
1 × 10 ⁹ to 1 × 10 ¹⁰ Ω · cm when a voltage of 00 V is applied
, The electrical dependence was not recognized, and the maximum value of the volume electric resistance value in each part of the belt was 10 times or less of the minimum value.

Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1
Table 1 collectively shows various physical properties of the tubular belt obtained in the above.

The methods for measuring various physical properties are as follows. The thickness was measured using a micrometer specified by JIS-B7502. Volume electrical resistance value is JIS-K691
According to 1. JIS for tensile strength, elongation at break and tear strength
-K6782. Flex resistance is JIS-P811
According to 5.

[0044]

[Table 1]

As is clear from Table 1, the conductive belts of the present invention of Examples 1 and 2 have excellent mechanical strength, and particularly excellent in bending resistance.

[0046]

The conductive tubular belt of the present invention is extremely excellent in mechanical strength, dimensional accuracy, bending resistance and electrical characteristics. For example, the electrically conductive tubular belt of the present invention is driven as a functional belt of a copying machine or the like, and does not undergo creep deformation or destruction even when an external force is applied, and is durable and excellent in durability. Therefore, the conductive tubular belt of the present invention can be expected to be applied to a wide range of applications in various fields in addition to functional belts for office automation equipment such as copying machines.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cross section obtained by cutting a part of a layer of a tubular reinforcing fiber material.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a structure of a Milan rib changing knitting machine using a milling circular knitting machine.

FIG. 3 shows a milling change knitting structure by a milling circular knitting machine.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a pie doctor coater manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conductive tubular belt of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Cylindrical reinforcing fiber material layer 2 ... Member made of reinforcing yarn 3 ... Surface of member made of reinforcing yarn 4 ... Lining of member made of reinforcing yarn 5 ... Reinforcing yarn 6 ... Reinforcement Yarn 7 ... Feed part 8 ... Doctor 9 ... Driving roller 10 ... Driving roller 11 ... Organic polymer material layer containing conductive substance

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] January 6, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0010

[Correction method] Delete

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yoshi Tanaka, No. 1 Ishiburo, Ikura Shinmachi, Ayabe City, Kyoto Prefecture Gunze Co., Ltd. Kyoto Research Laboratory

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A tubular reinforcing fiber material layer forming an inner layer and an organic polymer material layer containing a conductive substance forming an outer layer are integrally formed, and the organic polymer material is reinforced. A conductive tubular belt, which is also contained in the fiber material layer. 2. The conductive tubular belt according to claim 1, wherein the tubular reinforcing fiber material is a knitted fabric knitted in a circular knitting shape. 3. The electrically conductive tubular belt according to claim 2, wherein the knitted fabric knitted in a circular knit shape is knitted with a reinforcing material yarn and a reinforcing yarn. 4. The conductive tubular belt according to claim 1, wherein the tubular reinforcing fiber material is a seamless reinforcing fiber material. 5. The volume electric resistance value of each part of the belt is from 10 ⁶ to
The electrically conductive tubular belt according to claim 1, wherein the maximum value of the volume electric resistance value in each of the portions is in the range of 1 to 100 times the minimum value while being in the range of 10 ¹³ Ω · cm.