# US 12,117,747 B2 · Endless belt, transfer device, and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,117,747 B2 - Document ID: US12117747B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/950,352 - Filed: 2022-09-22 - Published: 2023-07-27 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-24 - Assignees: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp. - Applicants: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp. - Inventors: Daisuke Tanemura; Shigeru Fukuda; Masato Ono; Masato Furukawa; Hiroaki Tanaka; Yosuke Kubo; Masayuki Seko; Koichi Matsumoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12117747B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/162: {details of the the intermediate support, e.g. chemical composition} - G03G 15/1685: {Structure, details of the transfer member, e.g. chemical composition} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An endless belt includes a layer containing a resin and electrically conductive particles. In the endless belt, a discharge starting voltage at which discharge starts when a voltage is applied to the layer and increased is 0.9 kV or more. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An endless belt comprising: a layer comprising: a resin; and electrically conductive particles, wherein the layer is configured with an electrostatic adhesion characteristic wherein a discharge starting voltage, at which discharge starts when a voltage is applied to the layer and increased, is 0.9 kV or more, and wherein the layer is configured to exhibit a discharge starting voltage of 0.9 kV or more in an environment of 22° C. and 15% humidity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive particles have a number average primary particle diameter of 11 nm or less. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The endless belt according to claim 2, wherein the number average primary particle diameter of the electrically conductive particles is from 8 nm to 10 nm inclusive. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive particles have a number average primary particle diameter of 11 nm or less. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive particles include electrically conductive carbon particles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein a content of the electrically conductive particles is from 10% by mass to 30% by mass inclusive with respect to a total mass of solids in the layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein the layer is configured such that, when polyester resin particles with a volume average particle diameter of 4.7 μm are caused to adhere to an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt at a load of 0 g/cm2 and then air is blown onto the outer circumferential surface from an upper side of the outer circumferential surface while the blowing pressure of the air is increased, all the polyester resin particles adhering to the outer circumferential surface are separated from the outer circumferential surface before the blowing pressure exceeds 6 kPa. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The endless belt according to claim 7, wherein a relation between the blowing pressure of the air at which, when the polyester resin particles are caused to adhere to the outer circumferential surface at a load of 0 g/cm2 and then the air is blown onto to the outer circumferential surface from the upper side thereof while the blowing pressure is increased, all the polyester resin particles are separated from the outer circumferential surface and the blowing pressure of the air at which, when the polyester resin particles are caused to adhere to the outer circumferential surface at a load of 46 g/cm2 and then the air is blown onto the outer circumferential surface from the upper side thereof while the blowing pressure is increased, all the polyester resin particles are separated from the outer circumferential surface satisfies a relation represented by the following formula (P): blowing pressure P46/blowing pressure P0≤1.5, formula (P): wherein, in formula (P), P0 is the blowing pressure of the air at which all the polyester resin particles caused to adhere to the outer circumferential surface at a load of 0 g/cm2 are separated from the outer circumferential surface, and P46 is the blowing pressure of the air at which all the polyester resin particles caused to adhere to the outer circumferential surface at a load of 46 g/cm2 are separated from the outer circumferential surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein the layer further comprises a surfactant. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The endless belt according to claim 9, wherein the content of the surfactant is from 1% by mass to 6% by mass inclusive with respect to the total mass of solids in the layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The endless belt according to claim 9, wherein the surfactant is at least one oligomer selected from an oligomer having a substituent having 6 or less carbon atoms and a fluorine atom and an oligomer having a silicone structure having a methyl group. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The endless belt according to claim 11, wherein the oligomer having a substituent having 6 or less carbon atoms and a fluorine atom is an oligomer having a perfluoroalkyl structure having 6 or less carbon atoms. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The endless belt according to claim 11, wherein the number of repeating monomer units in the at least one oligomer is 4 or more. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein the endless belt has an outer circumferential surface having a surface free energy of 47 mN/m or less. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein the endless belt has an outer circumferential surface having a water contact angle of 85° or more. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The endless belt according to claim 1, wherein the endless belt has an outer circumferential surface having a diiodomethane contact angle of 40° or more. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A transfer device comprising: an intermediate transfer body having an outer circumferential surface onto which a toner image may be transferred, the intermediate transfer body including the endless belt according to claim 1; a first transfer unit including a first transfer member configured to first-transfer a toner image formed on a surface of an image holding member onto the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer body; and a second transfer unit including a second transfer member that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer body and is configured to second-transfer the toner image transferred onto the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer body onto a surface of a recording medium. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The transfer device according to claim 17, wherein the second transfer member comprises a second transfer roller, and wherein a contact width between the intermediate transfer body and the second transfer roller is from 0.2 cm to 4.0 cm inclusive. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The transfer device according to claim 18, wherein the contact width between the intermediate transfer body and the second transfer roller is from 0.2 cm to 2.8 cm inclusive. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) An image forming apparatus comprising: a toner image forming device that includes an image holding member and is configured to form a toner image on a surface of the image holding member; and a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image formed on the surface of the image holding member onto a surface of a recording medium, the transfer device comprising the transfer device according to claim 17.