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US 4,065,586 AGranted
Fixing method using polyarylsiloxanes as release agents
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsClifford O. Eddy, Thomas R. Hoffend
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Polyarylsiloxanes are used on fusing devices in photocopiers to fix particulate thermoplastic toner to a substrate while the toner is in a fused state. The polyarylsiloxanes can be continuously applied in minimal thicknesses on the fusing device to form a thermally stable, renewable, self-cleaning layer having excellent toner release properties. A preferred polyarylsiloxane is polyphenylmethyl dimethyl siloxane.
Claims20
The method of fusing electroscopic toner images to a substrate including the steps of:
- a. forming a film on a heated metal fuser member in an electrostatic reproducing apparatus, said film being a barrier to electroscopic toner and comprising the product resulting from the interaction of the fuser member and a polyarylsiloxane having at least about 0.5 aryl group or substituted aryl group per molecule which interacts with the fuser member surface, said polyarylsiloxane being fluid at the temperature of the fuser member and acting as a release fluid film for the electroscopic toner;
- b. contacting the toner images on said substrate with the coated, heated fuser member for a period of time sufficient to soften the electroscopic toner;
- and
- c. allowing the toner to cool.
1 more element
A method of fusing toner images to a substrate including the steps of:
- a. coating the surface of a heated metal fuser member in an electrostatic reproducing apparatus with a polyarylsiloxane release material, said polyarylsiloxane release material being the type capable of interacting with the surface of the fuser member, said coating comprising a first barrier portion in contact with the surface of the fuser member, said first portion being formed during operation of the apparatus at the interface of the fuser member and the polyarylsiloxane release material, the first portion having a greater affinity for the high surface energy material of the fuser member surface than the toner and thereby preventing toner from contacting the fuser member surface, and a second release portion, the release portion being the fluid polyarylsiloxane release material having a cohesive force which is less than the adhesive forces between the toner and the substrate and the cohesive forces of the toner;
- b. contacting the toner images on said substrate for a period of time sufficient to soften the toner;
- and
- c. allowing the toner to cool.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.