Fixing device for electrophotography and electrophotographic apparatus incorporating the fixing device

A electrophotographic method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a fixing member comprising a soft material layer which is deformable under application of pressure and a hard layer having minute irregularities, the surface of said hard layer being covered with said soft material layer, and
• b) bringing the surface of said soft material layer of said fixing member into contact with an unfixed toner layer on an image supporting member under application of pressure to deform said soft material layer so as to project the contour of said hard layer including said minute irregularities on the surface of said soft material layer contacting said unfixed toner layer on said image supporting member for fixing a toner image on said image supporting member.

An electrophotographic method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a fixing member comprising a soft material layer which is deformable under application of pressure and a hard layer having minute irregularities, the surface of said hard layer being covered with said soft material layer,
• b) developing a latent electrostatic image on an image supporting member with toners to form an unfixed toner layer, and
• c) bringing the surface of said soft material layer of said fixing member into contact with said unfixed toner layer under application of pressure to deform said soft material layer so as to project the contour of said hard layer including said minute irregularities on the surface of said soft material layer contacting said unfixed toner layer on said image supporting member to form a fixed toner image.

An electrophotographic method comprising the steps of:

• a) developing a latent electrostatic toner image on a photoconductor with toners to form an unfixed toner layer,
• b) providing a fixing member comprising a soft material layer which is deformable under application of pressure and a hard layer having minute projections, the surface of said hard layer being covered with said soft material layer, and
• c) bringing the surface of said soft material layer of said fixing member into contact with said unfixed toner layer under application of pressure and heating to deform said soft material layer so as to project the contour of said hard layer including said minute projections on the surface of said soft material layer contacting said unfixed toner layer on said photoconductor whereby said toner image is fixed.

A fixing device for use in electrophotography, comprising a supporting member for supporting one face of a toner image supporting member and a fixing member for fixing an unfixed toner image on the other face of said toner image supporting member under application of pressure, wherein said fixing member has a fixing layer comprising an outer soft material layer for contacting said unfixed toner image on said other face of said toner image supporting member, said soft material layer being deformable under application of pressure and an underlying hard layer covered with said soft material layer, said hard layer having minute irregularities on its surface, the contour of said irregularities appearing on the surface of said soft material layer contacting said unfixed toner image upon application of pressure.

A fixing device for use in electrophotography, comprising a pair of opposed rollers which apply pressure to an image supporting member when passing the same therebetween to fix an unfixed toner image on said image supporting member, wherein one of said rollers has a fixing member comprising a soft material layer which is deformable under application of pressure, said soft material layer having a surface for contacting said unfixed toner image on said image supporting member, and a hard layer having minute irregularities on its surface, said hard layer being covered with said soft material layer, the contour of said irregularities appearing on said surface of said soft material layer upon application of the pressure.

In an electrophotographic apparatus comprising a charging device for charging a surface of a photosensitive drum, a light source for irradiating the surface of the drum, a developing device for developing a latent image on the drum, a toner transfer device, a fixing device and a charge removing device, the improvement wherein said fixing device comprises a supporting member and a fixing member which apply pressure to an image supporting member when passing the same therebetween to fix an unfixed toner image on said image supporting member, and wherein said fixing member comprises a soft material layer having an outer surface for contacting said unfixed toner image on said image supporting member, said soft material layer being deformable under application of the pressure and a hard layer having minute projections embedded inside said soft material layer, the contour of said projections appearing on said outer surface of said soft material layer when the pressure is applied to said fixing member.

In an electrophotographic apparatus comprising a charging device for charging a surface of a photosensitive drum, a light source for irradiating the surface of the drum, a developing device for developing a latent image on the drum, a toner transfer device, a fixing device and a charge removing device, the improvement wherein said fixing device comprises a pair of opposed rollers which apply pressure to an image supporting member when passing the same therebetween to fix an unfixed toner image on said image supporting member, and wherein one of said rollers has a fixing member comprising a soft material layer having an outer surface for contacting said image supporting member, said soft material layer being deformable under the application of pressure and a hard layer having minute projections embedded inside said soft material layer, the contour of said projections appearing on said outer surface of said soft material layer when the pressure is applied to said image supporting member by said fixing member to fix an unfixed toner image thereon, thereby to substantially reduce the brightness of said toner image.

A fixing roller for fixing an unfixed toner image on a surface of a toner supporting member under pressure, wherein said fixing roller has a fixing layer comprising an outer soft material layer for contacting said unfixed toner image on said surface of said toner supporting member, said soft material layer being deformable under the application of pressure and a hard layer covered with said soft material layer, said hard layer having minute irregularities on its surface, the contour of said irregularities appearing on the surface of said soft material layer contacting said unfixed toner image upon application of the pressure.