Member for oil application device, method of manufacturing the member, and oil application device

Abstract

A tubular member for an oil application device is formed separately and is fitted in such a manner as to cover a peripheral face of a porous cylindrical oil retaining member. The tubular member for the oil application device has a multi-layer structure including an inner layer and an outermost layer. The inner layer is a fibrous layer, and the outermost layer is a porous film. The porous cylindrical oil retaining member can be easily covered with, fitted with, and removed of the member for the oil application device, which is made from a fibrous layer such as a felt or from a porous film such as a PTFE film.

1 . A tubular member for an oil application device which has been formed separately so as to cover a peripheral face of a porous cylindrical oil retaining member, wherein: 
 the tubular member for the oil application device has a multi-layer structure including an inner layer and an outermost layer;    the inner layer is a fibrous layer; and    the outermost layer is a porous film.    
     
     
         2 . The member for the oil application device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the fibrous layer is a fiber felt; and    the porous film is a PTFE film.    
     
     
         3 . The member for the oil application device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the fibrous layer is a fiber felt having a three-dimensional flexible network structure with a weight of 200 to 800 g/m 2 , a thickness of 1 to 5 mm, and a density of 170 to 260 kg/m 3 .    
     
     
         4 . The member for the oil application device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the porous film is a PTFE film with a surface roughness Ra of 0.7 to 0.8 μm, a thickness of 20 to 100 μm, a gas permeability of 5 to 100 seconds/100 cc, an open pore diameter of 0.05 to 2.0 μm, and an open porosity of 70 to 90%.    
     
     
         5 . The member for the oil application device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the fibrous layer and the porous film are bonded together by the mixture of an adhesive and silicon oil.    
     
     
         6 . A method of manufacturing a member for an oil application device, comprising the steps of: 
 winding a sheet-like fibrous material, which is longer than a circumferential length of a dummy cylindrical mold that is substantially equal in diameter to a porous cylindrical oil retaining member to be covered, around the dummy cylindrical mold by one turn so as to form a fibrous layer;    sewing up bonded portions;    pressing at least the bonded portions so as to form a peripheral face; and    winding a sheet-like porous film around the peripheral face of the fibrous layer by one turn so as to bond the sheet-like porous film to the fibrous layer.    
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing a member for an oil application device, comprising the steps of: 
 folding a sheet-like fibrous material in two and sewing up end portions thereof;    reversing the sheet-like fibrous material that has been sewn up and covering a dummy cylindrical mold, which is substantially equal in diameter to a porous cylindrical oil retaining member to be covered, with the sheet-like fibrous material; and    winding a sheet-like porous film around a surface of the sheet-like fibrous material covering the dummy cylindrical mold by one turn so as to bond the sheet-like porous film to the sheet-like fibrous material.    
     
     
         8 . An oil application device having a porous cylindrical oil retaining member that is covered on a peripheral face thereof with a tubular member for the oil application device which has been formed separately, wherein: 
 the tubular member for the oil application device has a multi-layer structure including an inner layer and an outermost layer;    the inner layer is a fibrous layer; and    the outermost layer is a porous film.    
     
     
         9 . The oil application device according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the tubular member for the oil application device is folded at opposed end portions thereof onto lateral faces of the porous cylindrical oil retaining member; and    folded portions of the tubular member for the oil application device are pressed and fixed by a fixture member.    
     
     
         10 . The oil application device according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the oil application device is employed in a fixing device of an electronic copying machine or an electronic printing machine.