Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Hiroyuki Noda

Tadafumi Shimizu

Hidehiko Inokuchi

Yoshihiro Kiyomura

Junichi Terayama

Hirofumi Kama

Tetsuya Mitsuyasu

A fluorine rubber composition used for the surface layer material of a fixing member to fix a toner transferred onto a recording material comprises fluorine rubber having a polymerization degree based on vinylidene fluoride. The fixing member includes a base material, and a surface layer material disposed on the surface of the base material, and the surface layer material contains fluorine rubber having a polymerization degree base on vinylidene fluoride. Preferably, the fluorine rubber composition contains a reinforcing agent, antacid, vulcanizing agent, vulcanization accelerator, spherical filler, and solvent. Preferably, the fixing member has numerous fine convex portions on its surface. Accordingly, the amount of the toner adhering to the surface of the fixing member is reduced. Thus, generation of offset trouble can be reliably prevented for a long period of time. As a result, the durability of the fixing member will be improved.

Fluorine rubber composition, fixing member, fixing device, fixing method, and method of manufacturing fixing device

A fixing roller cooperates with a pressing roller to heat and press a toner image to a recording medium so as to fix the toner image to the recording medium. A sheet-like web is impregnated with a mold release for supplying the mold release to a surface of the fixing roller by being pressed by the pressing roller. A first shaft has an unused portion of the web wound therearound, and a second shaft takes up the web after supplying the mold release to the fixing roller. A coil spring applies a rotational force in a direction opposite to a direction of drawing out the web relative to the first shaft so as to apply a tension to the web, thereby automatically removing slackness of the web.

Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus provided with the same

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Ogoori, Japan

Hiroyuki Noda