Abstract: A heater roller assembly for use with a fuser apparatus includes a housing comprising a radiation shield enclosing a radiant heat source, and a heater roller that is disposed within the housing and is externally heated by the radiant heat source. The heater roller includes a core, a base cushion layer overlying the core, and an outer layer overlying the base cushion layer.

Abstract: A conformable roller for use in a fusing station of an electrostatographic machine, the fusing station being provided with a pressure roller and a fuser roller for fusing a toner image on a receiver, the fuser roller made from a plurality of layers surrounding an axis of rotation, the conformable roller including a rigid cylindrically symmetric core member; a flexible replaceable removable compliant sleeve member in the form of a tubular belt surrounding and nonadhesively intimately contacting the core member; and the fusing station including an internal heat source for the fuser roller, at least one of the plurality of layers being thermally conductive.

Abstract: A product and process for forming an internally heated roller configuration for use in an electrostatographic machine that employs a fuser roller and a pressure roller. One of the rollers is a conformable roller having a rigid cylindrical core member centered on an axis of rotation, a compliant base cushion layer formed on the core member; a stiffening layer in intimate contact with and surrounding the base cushion layer; and an internal heating mechanism, while the other roller is a hard roller.

Abstract: A fusing apparatus for fusing toner images on a receiver medium. The fusing apparatus includes a fuser member having a contact surface and a pressure member having a contact surface. The pressure member is positioned adjacent the fuser member for forming a nip therebetween to receive the receiver medium. The pressure member controllably exerts pressure on the fuser member and the receiver medium. A first heater member has a contact surface and is positioned adjacent the fuser member and external thereto, the surface of the heater member contacting the surface of the fuser member to transfer heat to the fuser member. The fuser member heats the toner image on the receiver medium thereby fusing the toner image to the receiver medium. A first radiant heat assembly is positioned externally of the first heater member for controllably heating the contact surface of the first heater member.

Abstract: A fusing belt comprising a substrate and a coating on the substrate wherein the coating comprises a resin containing a cured silsesquioxane polymer and wherein the belt is used in combination with a photographic element.

Abstract: A method of making a polymeric composition comprising a fluorocarbon-silicone interpenetrating network, comprising the steps of: a) mechanically compounding a fluorocarbon copolymer and metal oxide or hydroxide acid acceptor to form a homogenous mixture; and b) dispersing in solvent the mixture formed by step a) with a polymer selected from a curable polyfunctional poly(C(1-6) alkyl)siloxane polymer; a curable polyfunctional poly(C(1-6) alkyl)arylsiloxane polymer; and combinations thereof, and c) solution milling the dispersion of b) to form a homogeneous blend.

Abstract: A fuser member comprising a support and coated thereon a fluorocarbon elastomer layer containing: (1) a silicon carbide filler and a cupric oxide filler; and/or (2) a silicon carbide filler treated with a silane coupling agent having a reactive functional group, the fuser member further having a functionalized polydimethylsiloxane release agent applied to the fluorocarbon elastomer layer in an amount sufficient to produce, upon incubation at elevated temperature, a surface having improved toner release properties on said outermost layer.

Abstract: A fuser member having an outermost layer comprising a fluoroelastomer with thermally conductive fillers treated with a mercapto-functionalized silane coupling agent that is interactive with a fluoroelastomer to provide a fuser roller surface of decreased toner offset and abrasion and increased toner release and thermal conductivity.

Abstract: A fuser member having a support metallic core and a layer of material formed over the metallic core, an intermediate layer, and an outer layer, the intermediate layer including a cross-linked poly(dialkylsiloxane); one or more multifunctional silanes; one or more amino functional silane crosslinking agents; catalyst; and optional fillers.

Abstract: A fuser member useful for heat-fixing an electrographic toner to a substrate. The fuser member has a core and a layer overlying the core. The layer includes a cured fluorocarbon random copolymer having subunits with the general structures:--(CH.sub.2 CF.sub.2).sub.x --, --(CF.sub.2 CF.sub.2).sub.z --,and ##STR1## where x is from 30 to 90 mole percent, y is from 10 to 70 mole percent, and z is from 0 to 34 mole percent. The layer incorporates particulate filler. The filler includes zinc oxide, cupric oxide and a material selected from the group consisting of alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides, and combinations thereof. The filler has a total concentration in the layer of 12 to 75 percent of the total volume of the layer. The zinc oxide and cupric oxide have a total concentration of 10 to 70 percent of the total volume of the layer.

Abstract: A fuser member having a support metallic core and a layer of material formed over the metallic core, an intermediate layer, and an outermost layer, the intermediate layer including a cross-linked poly(dialkylsiloxane) incorporating an oxide; one or more multifunctional silanes; one or more amino functional silane crosslinking agents; catalyst; and optional fillers.

Abstract: A fuser member having improved toner offset release and wear characteristics. The outermost layer comprises a fluoroelastomer with thermally conductive fillers selected from aluminum oxide, cupric oxide, and mixtures thereof which are surface treated with a styryl-functionalized silane coupling agent that is interactive with the fluoroelastomer.

Abstract: A release agent donor member for a toner fixing system, the donor member contains, in order: a base member; an optional intermediate layer; an outermost layer comprising a polymeric composition containing a cured interpenetrating network of fluorocarbon elastomer and one or more silicone resins selected from a polyfunctional poly(C.sub.(1-6) alkyl)siloxane polymer; a polyfunctional poly(C.sub.(1-6) alkyl)arylsiloxane polymer; and combinations thereof; and a release agent.

Abstract: A priming agent composition useful for binding a layer containing a fluorocarbon polymeric material to a metallic or an organic polymeric substrate comprises about 98 to 99.99 weight percent of a crosslinked, glycidyl end-capped bisphenolic polymer and about 0.01 to 2 weight percent of a perfluoroalkylsubstituted glycidyl-reactive compound. A toner fuser member comprises a substrate to which a surface layer comprising an amorphous fluoroplastic material is adhered by an intervening layer comprising the described priming agent composition. The fuser member comprises metal or an organic polymeric material in the shape of a cylinder or, preferably, a belt.

Abstract: A release agent donor member for a toner fixing system, the donor member includes: a base member; an optional intermediate layer; and an outermost layer of a polymeric composition containing a cured interpenetrating network or (a) fluorocarbon elastomer and (b) at least one silicone elastomer of polyfunctional poly(C.sub.(1-6) alkyl) siloxane polymer; polyfunctional poly(C.sub.(1-6) alkyl)arylsiloxane polymer; and combinations thereof; wherein a functionalist release agent is applied to the outer surface of the outermost layer; and wherein the outermost layer contains a metal oxide in an amount sufficient to interact with the functionalist release agent. The fluorocarbon elastomer can be a terpolymer of vinylideneflouride, hexafluoropropylene, and tetraflouroethylene, wherein the vinylideneflouride is present in an amount greater than 45 mole percent.

Abstract: A method of fusing a heat-softenable toner image to a substrate in which a release oil is applied to the surface of a fusing member, the fusing member is incubated at an elevated temperature for a time sufficient to bond a protective layer of the release oil to the surface thereof, and the toner image is pressure contacted with the fusing member at a temperature effective to fuse the toner image to the substrate, is characterized in that the surface of the fusing member is comprised of a fluoroelastomer and the release oil is an Si--H functionalized organopolysiloxane. The method provides excellent toner release characteristics and is advantageous in that it utilizes release oils that are free from offensive odor and toxicity.

Abstract: A fusing belt that comprises: a seamless polyimide substrate; and coated thereon, a surface layer comprising a polyimide-polydimethylsiloxane block copolymer.

Abstract: A fusing belt that comprises: a seamless polyimide substrate; and coated thereon, a surface layer comprising a hexafluoroisopropylidene-2,2-bis-phthalic anhydride (6F)/5(6)amino-(4-aminophenyl)-1,1,3-triimethylindane (Nv) polyimide and PDMS(6F/Nv-PDMS) block copolymer. A method of forming a fused toner image is also provided.

Abstract: A priming agent composition useful for binding a layer containing a fluorocarbon polymeric material to a metallic or an organic polymeric substrate comprises about 98 to 99.99 weight percent of a crosslinked, glycidyl end-capped bisphenolic polymer and about 0.01 to 2 weight percent of a perfluoroalkylsubstituted glycidyl-reactive compound. A toner fuser member comprises a substrate to which a surface layer comprising an amorphous fluoroplastic material is adhered by an intervening layer comprising the described priming agent composition. The fuser member comprises metal or an organic polymeric material in the shape of a cylinder or, preferably, a belt.

Abstract: Offset preventing oils for treated (IR light) or untreated zirconia ceramic or its composites fuser rollers are disclosed.