US Patent:
20040051211, Mar 18, 2004
Inventors:
Paul Mastro - Little Rock AR, US
Douglas Angold - Rochester NY, US
Ken Cerrah - Webster NY, US
International Classification:
B29C041/08
US Classification:
264/438000, 264/309000, 264/310000, 425/17480E, 425/435000
Abstract:
Disclosed is an inventive process for the manufacture of polymeric seamless belts, e.g. drive, fuser or toner belts for reprographics applications. The novel seamless belts can have a smooth outer surface the dimensions and quality of which are effectively determined by the inner surface of a hollow mandrel employed as a mold during manufacture. The mandrel inner surface can be highly polished to enhance the smoothness of the belt outer surface, and can be formed of a material with a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the belt polymer to facilitate removal of the belt from the mandrel after curing. The molded belt can be used “as is”, be sliced into smaller belts or be employed as a substrate for deposition of additional belt layers and then, optionally, sliced. The polymer, e.g. a polyimide, can be deposited on the mandrel inner surface by electrostatic powder spraying employing an inventive apparatus employing a rotating mandrel and a powder spray gun reciprocable along the rotating mandrel axis. Electrostatic powder spraying is advantageous in avoiding use of volatile organic solvents and providing an environmentally friendly process.