Process for producing heat-resistant resin film having metallic thin film, process for producing endless belt, endless belt, and apparatus for forming image

Abstract

A heat-resistant resin film having a metallic thin film accumulated thereon or an endless belt having a metallic thin film accumulated thereon having good mechanical characteristics is produced in a simple process. A metallic thin film is formed on an inner surface of a cylindrical substrate, and a layer of a heat-resistant resin is formed thereon. An accumulated body of the heat-resistant resin and the metallic thin film is peeled off from the substrate. The metallic thin film may be formed by electroplating, electroless plating or vapor deposition, or may also be formed by attaching a metallic foil having been prepared on an inner surface of the substrate. The heat-resistant resin layer is formed by injecting a polyamide acid solution in a rotational drum, and then formed by centrifugal forming by rotating the rotational drum on rollers under heating. After forming, imidization is conducted by heating and baking to form a film member of a thermosetting polyimide. The heat-resistant resin layer may be formed by centrifugal forming of a liquid crystal polymer under melting by heating in the rotational drum, or by centrifugal forming of a solution of aromatic polyamide.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.