Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Yuzuru Kudoh

Hiroyuki Endo

Yasuhide Fujiwara

Shigeru Fujita

Katsuyuki Ohkubo

Kazuhiro Kotaka

Takaaki Konno

Yasuomi Mikami

Tetsushi Aimi

Kenichi Hiratsuka

Kengo Fujie

An endless belt includes a base layer and a resin layer. The base layer includes a metal film. The resin layer is laminated on an outer side of the base layer. The resin layer includes edge portions in an axial direction with at least one edge portion of the edge portions made narrower than the base layer in the axial direction such that the outer side of the base layer is exposed.

Endless belt, fixing device, image forming apparatus, and method of manufacturing endless belt

A base for a fixing belt comprising at least: a nickel layer; and a copper layer, both laminated each other, wherein an orientation ratio I(200)/I(111) calculated based on a ratio between a peak strength of (200) crystal face and a peak strength of (111) crystal face by X-ray diffraction analysis of the copper layer is 0.1 or less. The base for the fixing belt further includes a protective layer, disposed on a surface of the copper layer opposite a surface on which the nickel layer is laminated, and the protective layer is formed of nickel.

Base for fixing belt, fixing belt, fixing device, and image forming apparatus

A fixing belt substrate for an image forming apparatus is prepared by an electroforming process. The fixing belt substrate contains nickel of prescribed weight percent, phosphorus of from about 0.4 weight percent or more to about 0.7 weight percent or less, sulfur of from about 0.003 weight percent or more to about 0.02 weight percent or less, and carbon of from about 0.012 weight percent or more to about 0.03 weight percent or less.

Substrate, fixing belt with substrate, fixing device with fixing belt, and image forming apparatus

A base for a fixing belt includes a nickel layer; and a copper layer, both laminated each other, wherein an orientation ratio calculated based on a ratio between a peak strength of crystal face and a peak strength of crystal face by X-ray diffraction analysis of the copper layer is 0.1 or less. The base for the fixing belt further includes a protective layer, disposed on a surface of the copper layer opposite a surface on which the nickel layer is laminated, and the protective layer is formed of nickel.

A thermal insulation stamper includes a first metal layer, a heat insulating layer, an intermediate layer, a conductive coating, and a second metal layer. The first metal layer has a fine pattern on an exposed surface. The heat insulating layer is formed of a heat-resistant resin and overlies the first metal layer. The heat-resistant resin contains oxygen. The intermediate layer overlies the heat insulating layer. The conductive coating overlies the intermediate metal layer. The second metal layer overlies the conductive coating. A region with a high concentration of oxygen is formed in the vicinity of an interface between the heat insulating layer and the intermediate layer. A method for producing such a thermal insulation stamper is also disclosed.

Thermal insulation stamper and production method of same

A self-acting air bearing wherein an abrasion-generated substance is generated by rotation of a shaft and a bearing and is used as a lubricant. As a result, a motor of low cost and stable rotation in which it is not necessary to insert special lubricant into the shaft or the bearing previously can be achieved. Moreover, in a polygon motor having such a lubrication structure, since polluting of a writing system is not feared, reliability for a long time period can be obtained.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Yuzuru Kudoh