Abstract: The present invention provides a method of resurfacing a fuser member in-situ. The method includes providing a fuser member having an outer surface of a high temperature fluorothermoplastic. When it is determined that the outer surface is in need of resurfacing, the fuser member is rotated at a speed of at least 1 rpm while engaging the outer surface of the fuser member with at least one heating roller at a pressure of at least 5 psi at a temperature of at least 10° C. below the fluorothermoplastic melting temperature for a time sufficient to resurface of the outer surface of the fuser member.

Abstract: A toner fuser member contains a substrate on which is disposed a toner release surface layer formed from a composition that includes a silsesquioxane and a curable phenolic resin. On curing, the composition forms an interpenetrating polymer network of the silsesquioxane and phenolic resin.

Abstract: This invention relates to a low camping fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer roller coating having a closely controlled curing agent content.

Abstract: A method of making a fuser roller comprising: providing a fuser roller an outer layer comprising a fluorothermoplastic polymer; and annealing the outer surface of the outer layer through contact the outer layer by means of heat and pressure.

Abstract: The fuser members of this invention include a core member that includes a rigid outer surface. An adhesion promoter layer comprising silane or epoxy silane coupling is disposed on the outer surface of the core member. A resilient layer comprising an elastomer is disposed on the adhesion promoter layer. A tie layer is disposed on the resilient layer, the tie layer being made of fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorocarbon thermoplastic copolymers and mixtures thereof. A primer layer, disposed on the tie layer, comprising perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethyl vinyl ether-perfluoroethylene vinyl phosphate or a mixture of perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethylvinyl ether; and an outer layer of fluoropolymer resin made from polytetrafluoroethylene, polyperfluoroalkoxy-tetrafluoroethylene, polyfluorinated ethylene-propylene and blends thereof is disposed on the primer layer.

Abstract: The fuser members of this invention include a core member that includes a rigid outer surface. A resilient layer comprising an elastomer is optionally disposed on the cylindrical outer surface of the core member. A tie layer is disposed on the resilient layer or the outer surface if no resilient layer is present, the tie layer being made of fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorocarbon thermoplastic copolymers and mixtures thereof. An outer layer of fluoropolymer resin made from polytetrafluoroethylene, polyperfluoroalkoxy- tetrafluoroethylene, polyfluorinated ethylene-propylene and blends thereof, is disposed on the tie layer.

Abstract: The present invention is a fuser member that includes a core member having a rigid outer surface. A resilient layer made of an elastomer is disposed on outer surface. A primer layer of perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethylvinyl ether-perfluoroethylene vinyl phosphate or a mixture of perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethylvinyl bonds the resilient layer and an outer layer. The outer layer comprises fluoropolymer resin selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyperfluoroalkoxy-tetrafluoroethylene, polyfluorinated ethylene-propylene, and blends thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved fuser roller for use in a high speed fusing station where improved heat transfer from the fuser roller to the fused substrates is required. The invention also relates to an improved fuser system using the improved fuser roller of the present invention in combination with an improved pressure roller to produce an improved fuser section.

Abstract: A toner fuser member has a substrate, on which is formed a toner release surface layer from a composition that includes: about 95 wt. % to about 99.9 wt. % of a cross-linked, glycidyl end-capped bisphenolic polymer having the formula where R1 and R2 are each independently H or an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, and R3 and R4 are each independently H, F, or an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, Z is a carbonyl cross-linking group, and x is an integer from 1 to about 10; and about 0.01 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of a perfluoroalkylsubstituted glycidyl-reactive compound having the formula where R5 is H or F, Q is OH or SiR6R7R8, R6, R7, and R8 being independently selected from the group consisting of Cl, OH, an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, an acyloxy group containing 2 to about 4 carbon atoms, and an amino group containing 0 to about 4 carbon atoms; and n is an integer from 1 to about 15.

Abstract: A receiver member is provided suitable for having an ultra-gloss, image print formed thereon, the receiver member having at least one planar surface, a plurality of standoffs protruding from the planar surface, the plurality of standoffs providing a coefficient of friction for the planar surface for substantially preventing similar stacked receiver members from sticking together, and without adversely affecting any print image thereon. A member is provided for creating a contour on the receiver member. The member includes a surface contoured to exhibit a plurality of valleys which will not adversely impact print image quality, wherein a reciprocal peaked contour is formed on the receiver member.

Abstract: Disclosed are fuser members, apparatus and methods which employ compositions that can be varied to provide a fused toner image with a selected gloss level. In embodiments, the apparatus and methods employ a fusing member having an outer contact surface thereon which contacts a previously fused toner image under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure. The contact surface has a Gardner G60 gloss of up to about 35 and is comprised of a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer co-cured with a fluorinated resin, such as polyfluoroethylenepropylene (FEP). In embodiments, the contact surface comprises a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer co-cured with a fluorinated resin including subunits of: —(CH2 CF2)x-, —(CF2CF(CF3))y-, and —(CF2 CF2)z-, wherein: x is from 1 to 50 or 60 to 80 mole percent, y is from 10 to 89 mole percent, z is from 10 to 89 mole percent, and x+y+z equals 100 mole percent.

Abstract: A fuser belt comprising in order a substrate comprising a polyimide substrate, an epoxy primer layer comprising an epoxy resin having the following structure: where R1 and R2 are each independently H or an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, and R3 and R4 are each independently H, F, or an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, Z is a carbonyl cross-linking group, and x is an integer from 1 to about 10 and said epoxy priming layer also comprising an anhydride crosslinking agent cyclic mono anhydride or dianhydride having the following structure: and mixture thereof where R is an alkyl group containing 6 to about 8 carbon atoms and a toner release layer comprising a silsesquioxane.

Abstract: A fuser belt comprising in order a substrate comprising a high temperature thermoset polymer, an epoxy primer layer comprising an epoxy resin having the following structure: where R1 and R2 are each independently H or an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, and R3 and R4 are each independently H, F, or an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, Z is a carbonyl cross-linking group, and x is an integer from 1 to about 10 and said epoxy priming layer also comprising an anhydride crosslinking agent cyclic mono anhydride or dianhydride having the following structure: and mixture thereof where R is an alkyl group containing 6 to about 8 carbon atoms and a low surface energy polymeric release coating.

Abstract: A toner fuser member contains a substrate on which is disposed a toner release surface layer formed from a composition that includes a silsesquioxane and a curable epoxy resin. On curing, the composition forms an interpenetrating polymer network of the silsesquioxane and cured epoxy resin.

Abstract: Disclosed are fuser members, apparatus and methods which employ compositions that can be varied to provide a fused toner image with a selected gloss level. In embodiments, the apparatus and methods employ a fusing member having an outer contact surface thereon which contacts a previously fused toner image under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure. The contact surface has a Gardner G60 gloss of up to about 35 and is comprised of a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer co-cured with a fluorinated resin, such as polyfluoroethylenepropylene (FEP). In embodiments, the contact surface comprises a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer co-cured with a fluorinated resin including subunits of: —(CH2CF2)x-, —(CF2CF(CF3))y-, and —(CF2CF2)z-, wherein: x is from 1 to 50 or 60 to 80 mole percent, y is from 10 to 89 mole percent, z is from 10 to 89 mole percent, and x+y+z equals 100 mole percent.

Abstract: A fusing-station member, which member can be a compliant fuser roller or a compliant pressure roller, for use in a fusing station of an electrostatographic machine, and which member includes a base cushion layer formed on a core member, with the base cushion layer coated by a thin protective gloss control layer. In certain preferred embodiments, the base cushion layer is a highly cross-linked condensation-polymerized polyorganosiloxane material made by thermal curing of a formulation which includes three types of filler particles, namely hollow flexible microballoon particles, strength-enhancing solid particles, and thermal-conductivity-enhancing solid particles. In other preferred embodiments, expandable microspheres are included in lieu of the hollow flexible microballoon particles in an otherwise similar uncured formulation, which expandable microspheres are transformed into expanded hollow microballoon particles during the thermal curing.

Abstract: A fusing-station member, which member can be a compliant fuser roller or a compliant pressure roller for use in a fusing station of an electrostatographic machine, and which member includes a base cushion layer formed on a core member, with the base cushion layer coated by a thin protective gloss control layer. The base cushion layer is a highly crosslinked addition-polymerized polyorganosiloxane material made by thermally curing, below 100° C., a formulation which includes three types of filler particles, namely hollow flexible microballoon particles, strength-enhancing solid particles, and thermal-conductivity-enhancing solid particles.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved fusing station for fusing a toner image to a receiver when the fusing station includes a fuser roller having a hardness from about 50 to about 80 Shore A and an outside coating comprising a low damping fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer roller coating formulation having a tan delta from about 0.01 to about 0.15 and containing from about 1.5 to about 2.5 parts per hundred (pph), based upon the weight of the copolymer of a curing agent having a bisphenol residue and a pressure roller having a smaller outer diameter than the fuser roller and positioned in pressure contact with the fuser roller to form a fusing nip between the pressure roller and the fuser roller. A method is also provided for fusing toner images to receiver sheets using the fusing station.

Abstract: A roller for use as a fusing roller or a pressure roller or a drying roller in a system for treating printed ink image-bearing substrates and a composition for coating the outside of the roller. The composition is a reaction product of a high molecular weight, reactive cross-linkable poly(dialkylsiloxane), a cross-linked poly(dialkylsiloxane) including a filler and a silane cross-linking agent.

Abstract: A controlled modulus fusing-station member inclusive of a durable, tough, elastically deformable layer incorporating hollow flexible filler particles. The elastically deformable layer is preferably a single layer on a substrate, the substrate preferably a core member of a fuser roller or a pressure roller. The elastically deformable layer is made from a dry formulation inclusive of: a fluoro-thermoplastic polymer powder; microspheres in the form of unexpanded microspheres or expanded microballoons; and solid filler particles including strength-enhancing filler particles and thermal-conductivity-enhancing filler particles. The dry formulation can be thermally cured or electron-beam cured. Preferably, the dry formulation is thermally cured and further includes a curing catalyst, preferably a peroxide catalyst. Alternatively, the curing catalyst can be a bisphenol residue.