# US 12,724,378 B2 · Cleaning blade and method of producing elastic member of cleaning blade

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- Number: US 12,724,378 B2
- Document ID: US12724378B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 19/123,459
- Filed: 2023-11-21
- Published: 2026-02-19
- Granted: 2026-09-01
- Earliest claimed: 2022-11-29
- Assignees: Synztec Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Synztec Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Shogo Suzuki; Atsushi Ikeda; Shuji Abe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12724378B2

## CPC

- G03G 21/0017: {Details relating to the internal structure or chemical composition of the blades}
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

A cleaning blade includes an elastic member having an edge that is brought into contact with a photoconductor member. The elastic member includes surface layers formed of a polyurethane rubber that contains an isocyanate silane and a rubber portion formed of a polyurethane rubber that does not contain an isocyanate silane. The surface layers include at least the edge. The value obtained by subtracting the elastic indentation modulus of the rubber portion from the elastic indentation modulus of a surface of the surface layers is −0.01 MPa or less.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cleaning blade comprising an elastic member having an edge that is brought into contact with a photoconductor member,
the elastic member including:
surface layers formed of a polyurethane rubber that contains an isocyanate silane; and
a rubber portion formed of a polyurethane rubber that does not contain an isocyanate silane,
the surface layers including at least the edge,
a value obtained by subtracting an elastic indentation modulus of the rubber portion from an elastic indentation modulus of a surface of the surface layers being −0.01 MPa or less.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cleaning blade according to claim 1, wherein the value is −0.30 MPa or less.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cleaning blade according to claim 1, wherein the value is −5.31 MPa or more.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cleaning blade according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a dynamic friction coefficient of the surface of the surface layers to a dynamic friction coefficient of the rubber portion is 74% or less.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The cleaning blade according to claim 4, wherein the ratio is less than 21%.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The cleaning blade according to claim 4, wherein the ratio is 7% or more.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The cleaning blade according to claim 1, wherein a dynamic friction coefficient of the surface of the surface layers is less than 0.41.

### Claim 8

A method of producing an elastic member of a cleaning blade, the method comprising forming surface treatment layers containing an isocyanate silane on a material made from a polyurethane rubber,
the forming of the surface treatment layers including:
impregnating at least a region of the material that includes a part corresponding to an edge that is brought into contact with a photoconductor member with a treatment liquid containing an isocyanate silane; and
drying the treatment liquid, wherein the forming of the surface treatment layers results in that a value obtained by subtracting an elastic indentation modulus of a surface of the material before formation of the surface treatment layers from an elastic indentation modulus of a surface of the surface treatment layers is-0.01 MPa or less.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the forming of the surface treatment layers results in that the value is −0.30 MPa or less.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the forming of the surface treatment layers results in that the value is −5.31 MPa or more.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The production method according to claim 8, wherein the forming of the surface treatment layers results in that a ratio of a dynamic friction coefficient of the surface of the surface treatment layers to a dynamic friction coefficient of a surface of the material before forming the surface treatment layers is 74% or less.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the forming of the surface treatment layers results in is that the ratio is less than 21%.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the forming of the surface treatment layers results in that the ratio is 7% or more.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The production method according to claim 8, wherein the forming of the surface treatment layers results in that a dynamic friction coefficient of the surface of the surface treatment layers is less than 0.41.