Charge Roller for an Image Forming Apparatus Using Hard Filler Particles
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsMatthew Thomas Martinkovic, Benjamin John Goebel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a charge roller with improved resistance to defects from prolonged periods of nonuse. The charge roller includes an outermost coating layer including a coating material and filler particles. The filler particles have an average particle size larger than an average thickness of the outermost coating layer in a portion without the filler particles. Furthermore, the filler particles are harder and have a higher glass transition temperature than the coating material.
Claims21
A charge roller of an image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a cylindrical core having an outer surface;
- and
- an outermost coating layer covering the outer surface of the cylindrical core, the outermost coating layer includes a coating material and filler particles,
- wherein the filler particles have an average particle size larger than an average thickness of the outermost coating layer in a portion without the filler particles.
A removable unit for an image forming device, comprising:
- a photoconductor having a photoconductive surface;
- and
- a charge roller for charging the photoconductive surface of the photoconductor, the charge roller including:
- a cylindrical core having an outer surface, and
- an outermost coating layer covering the outer surface of the cylindrical core, the outermost coating layer includes a coating material and filler particles,
- wherein the filler particles contact the outer surface of the cylindrical core and have particle sizes larger than an average thickness of the outermost coating layer in a portion without the filler particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.