Abstract: To provide a fixing pressure roller which can be readily produced through molding and which has excellent durability, low hardness and low heat capacity, and a fixing device employing the fixing pressure roller. In the fixing pressure roller for employment in a fixing unit of a fixing device, the fixing pressure roller has a core, and an elastic layer provided around the core, wherein the elastic layer is formed of a foamed silicone rubber which is a foam curing product of an unvulcanized silicone rubber containing a chemical foaming agent, and has a mean cell diameter of 50 ?m to 150 ?m.

Abstract: The present invention provides a paper feed/convey/separation roller in which the inner layer is firmly fixed to the outer layer without use of an adhesive and slipping between the inner layer and the outer layer is suppressed, and which ensures required running torque, and a method for producing the roller. In the paper feed/convey/separation roller having a shaft and at least two rubber elastic layers formed on the shaft, said at least two layers including an outermost layer formed of non-foamed polyurethane, and an inner layer disposed under the outermost layer and formed of foamed rubber, wherein the polyurethane outermost layer has an inner surface having unevenness at least along the circumferential direction, which unevenness is provided through molding.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing pressure roller exhibiting excellent compression set and having low hardness and low heat capacity, as well as a fixing device including the fixing pressure roller. A pressure roller employed in a fixing unit of a fixing device includes a core, and an elastic layer provided around the core, wherein the elastic layer is formed of a silicone rubber product produced by mixing a silicone rubber raw material with resin microballoons and water, and then curing the silicone rubber raw material; and the silicone rubber product includes therein voids provided by breakage of the resin microballoons through application of pressure, and voids provided through evaporation of the water.

Abstract: The invention provides a fixing pressure roller having an elastic layer formed of a porous material produced from an emulsion, the roller having improved durability. The fixing pressure roller has a core, a rubber layer which has a thickness of 1.0 mm or less and which is provided around the core, and an elastic layer which is formed of a porous elastomer produced from an emulsion composition and which is provided around the rubber layer, the emulsion composition having a continuous phase of a liquid rubber material which forms an elastomer through curing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixation member having a multi-layer metallic structure, which member comprises a substrate employing electroformed nickel for preventing image quality failure. The fixation member of the present invention includes a metallic substrate including a first layer formed of an electroformed seamless belt made of nickel or a nickel alloy, and a second layer formed of an electroformed seamless belt made of a metal having a thermal conductivity greater than that of the first layer; an adhesion layer disposed on the surface of the second layer; and a fluororesin layer disposed by the mediation of the adhesion layer, wherein the ratio of the thickness of the second layer to the total thickness of the metallic substrate is 0.66 to 0.95.

Abstract: The disclosed fixing pressure member has a simple structure, is produced through simplified production processes, causes no problem due to continued use thereof, and exhibits excellent durability. Also disclosed is a method for producing such. The fixing pressure member employed in a fixing unit of a fixing device includes a sliding sheet having a sliding surface which slides with respect to the inner peripheral surface of a belt of the fixing unit, and an elastic member provided inside the sliding sheet. The sliding sheet is formed of a resin fiber woven fabric, a resin fiber knitted fabric, a resin nonwoven fabric, or a resin film. The elastic member and sliding sheet are formed through integral molding such that the elastic member is bonded to at least the inner surface of the sliding sheet opposite the sliding surface. The sliding surface has thereon an embossment formed through an embossing process.

Abstract: To provide a conductive rubber member which exhibits small variation in electrical resistance and a stable electrical resistance for a long period of time. The conductive rubber member include a conductive elastic layer formed of a rubber material which has been imparted with electrical conductivity, wherein the conductive elastic layer has a surface-treatment layer which has been produced through impregnating a surface portion of the conductive elastic layer with a surface-treating liquid containing an isocyanate compound and carbon black which has undergone dispersion treatment.

Abstract: The invention provides a multilayer metal member for image fixation which does not readily undergo breakage due to bending stress during use thereof and which has improved durability. The multilayer metal member includes a metal substrate formed of at least three laminated metal layers, and a fluororesin layer disposed on the metal substrate, wherein the metal substrate has a first layer which is an electrocast seamless belt formed of nickel or a nickel alloy, a second layer which is an electrocast seamless belt formed of a metal having a Young's modulus smaller than that of the first layer, and a third layer formed of a metal having a corrosion resistance higher than that of the second layer; and the ratio (y) of the thickness of the third layer to that of the first layer satisfies the following formula: y(x)??7.5x+3.015, including the ratio (x) of the thickness of the second layer to the total thickness of the metal substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing an electrocast belt which method ensures long-term use of an electrocasting bath and which method enables provision of an electrocast belt having a required product quality even when an electrocasting bath that has been used in electrolysis with a large cumulative amount of electricity. The method includes a first step of producing an electrocast belt having a required product quality in an electrocasting bath of a specific composition until a predetermined period of time has elapsed; a second step of subsequently producing an electrocast belt in the same electrocasting bath; and a third step of polishing a surface of the electrocast belt produced from the second step so that the electrocast belt produced from the third step has a product quality equivalent to that of the electrocast belt produced from the first step.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laminated electrocast sleeve and a fixation belt having drastically enhanced durability. The laminated electrocast sleeve formed of a plurality of metal layers including at least a first metal layer, and a second metal layer provided around the first metal layer through electrocasting, wherein the first metal layer is isolated from the second metal layer, and the difference between the outer diameter of the first metal layer and the inner diameter of the second metal layer is 50 ?m or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixation member which exhibits enhanced wear resistance and sliding property between the peripheral surface of the fixation member and a pressure member, which can reduce driving torque at a fixation unit, and which does not cause stick slipping even in a high-load operational mode, and a fixation apparatus having the fixation member. The fixation member employed in a fixation unit of the fixation apparatus has a metallic substrate having at least one layer of an electrocast seamless belt, and a slide layer disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the metallic substrate, wherein the slide layer is formed of at least one species of the group consisting of a polyamide-imide resin and a polyimide resin, and a fluororesin; the slide layer has a fluororesin content of 27.5 mass % to 50 mass %; and the slide layer has a surface roughness Ra of 0.4 ?m or less.

Abstract: The invention provides a fixing pressure roller having an elastic layer formed of a porous material produced from an emulsion, the roller having improved durability. The fixing pressure roller has a core, a rubber layer which has a thickness of 1.0 mm or less and which is provided around the core, and an elastic layer which is formed of a porous elastomer produced from an emulsion composition and which is provided around the rubber layer, the emulsion composition having a continuous phase of a liquid rubber material which forms an elastomer through curing.

Abstract: The disclosed fixing pressure member has a simple structure, is produced through simplified production processes, causes no problem due to continued use thereof, and exhibits excellent durability. Also disclosed is a method for producing such. The fixing pressure member employed in a fixing unit of a fixing device includes a sliding sheet having a sliding surface which slides with respect to the inner peripheral surface of a belt of the fixing unit, and an elastic member provided inside the sliding sheet. The sliding sheet is formed of a resin fiber woven fabric, a resin fiber knitted fabric, a resin nonwoven fabric, or a resin film. The elastic member and sliding sheet are formed through integral molding such that the elastic member is bonded to at least the inner surface of the sliding sheet opposite the sliding surface. The sliding surface has thereon an embossment formed through an embossing process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixation member having a multi-layer metallic structure, which member comprises a substrate employing electroformed nickel for preventing image quality failure. The fixation member of the present invention includes a metallic substrate including a first layer formed of an electroformed seamless belt made of nickel or a nickel alloy, and a second layer formed of an electroformed seamless belt made of a metal having a thermal conductivity greater than that of the first layer; an adhesion layer disposed on the surface of the second layer; and a fluororesin layer disposed by the mediation of the adhesion layer, wherein the ratio of the thickness of the second layer to the total thickness of the metallic substrate is 0.66 to 0.95.

Abstract: In the elastomer porous material of the invention, when cells in a first observation region of a first cross section are observed at a certain magnification, cells having an aspect ratio a/b, wherein a represents the maximum diameter of each cell and b represents the length of the minor axis of that cell as measured in a direction orthogonal thereto, of 1.3 or less account for 70% or more of all cells in the first observation region, and, when cells in a second observation region of a second cross section orthogonal to the first cross section are observed at a certain magnification, cells having an aspect ratio a/b, wherein a represents the maximum diameter of each cell and b represents the length of the minor axis of that cell as measured in a direction orthogonal thereto, of 1.3 or less account for 70% or more of all cells in the second observation region.

Abstract: In the elastomer porous material of the invention, when cells in a first observation region of a first cross section are observed at a certain magnification, cells having a shape factor SF2, which indicates the remoteness from complete roundness and is represented by the following formula: SF ? ? 2 = P 2 4 ? ? ? ? A × 100 (wherein A represents the area of each cell, and P represents the perimeter length thereof), of 130 or less account for 80% or more of all cells in the first observation region, and, when cells in a second observation region of a second cross section orthogonal to the first cross section are observed at a certain magnification, cells having a shape factor SF2, which indicates the remoteness from complete roundness and is represented by the same formula (wherein A represents the area of each cell, and P represents the perimeter length thereof), of 130 or less account for 80% or more of all cells in the second observation region.

Abstract: In the elastomer porous material of the invention, when cells in a first observation region of a first cross section are observed at a certain magnification, cells having a shape factor SF1, which indicates the roundness of a circle and is represented by the following formula: SF ? ? 1 = ? ? ? a 2 4 ? A × 100 (wherein a represents the length of major axis of each cell, and A represents the area thereof), of 150 or less account for 80% or more of all cells in the first observation region, and, when cells in a second observation region of a second cross section orthogonal to the first cross section are observed at a certain magnification, cells having a shape factor SF1, which indicates the roundness of a circle and is represented by the same formula (wherein a represents the length of major axis of each cell, and A represents the area thereof), of 150 or less account for 80% or more of all cells in the second observation region.

Abstract: A conductive roll having at least one conductive elastic layer on the outer periphery of a core bar, the conductive elastic layer being granted conductivity by carbon black, is provided. The conductive elastic layer is prepared by reacting at least a polyol consisting essentially of a polyether-based polyol with a diisocyanate with the use of a tetravalent organotin-based compound having a tin content of 18.7% or less by weight as a catalyst. A method for producing the conductive roll is also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electromagnetic induction heating element provided with a first heating layer (11), which is in the shape of an endless belt and is configured from a nickel electrocast, a second heating layer (12), which is configured from a non-magnetic material, and a coating layer (13), which has a thickness of 3 [mu]m or less. The first heating layer (11), second heating layer (12), and coating layer (13) are laminated in said order.

Abstract: The method for performing surface treatment of a rubber member includes impregnating a rubber member with a first surface-treatment liquid containing an isocyanate component and an organic solvent, to thereby form a first impregnation layer, and sequentially treating a surface of the rubber member, without exposure to air, with a second surface-treatment liquid for partially removing the isocyanate component present in the first impregnation layer.