Elastic member and paper feeding roller using same

Abstract

A paper feeding roller having a high paper feeding capability, excellent wear resistance and weatherability, and which is capable of being easily produced. The invention provides a paper feeding roller in which an outer peripheral surface of the roller is surrounded by a laminar elastic member comprising a hydrogenated polystyrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, having a plurality of outwardly protruding projections on a surface of said member and the elastic member satisfies at least one of the following requirements: containing an inorganic filler, containing an additive consisting of a wear-resistant resin, and being modified by irradiation with radiation.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A paper feeding elastic member comprising a hydrogenated polystyrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, having a plurality of outwardly protruding projections on a surface of the elastic member, and satisfying at least one of the following requirements: containing an inorganic filler, containing an additive consisting of wear-resistant resin, and being modified by irradiation with radiation.  
     
     
         2 . The elastic member of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogenated polystyrene-based thermoplastic elastomer is a hydrogenated polystyrene-based block copolymer.  
     
     
         3 . The elastic member of  claim 1 , wherein the inorganic filler is silica.  
     
     
         4 . The elastic member of  claim 1 , wherein the wear-resistant resin is a thermoplastic polyurethane resin.  
     
     
         5 . The elastic member of  claim 1 , wherein the irradiation with radiation is electron beam irradiation.  
     
     
         6 . The elastic member of  claim 1 , wherein said member is a rectangular sheet.  
     
     
         7 . The elastic member of  claim 1 , wherein said member is a cylindrical tube.  
     
     
         8 . The elastic member of  claim 1 , wherein said member is an endless belt.  
     
     
         9 . A paper feeding roller comprising an elastic member made from a hydrogenated polystyrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, having a plurality of outwardly protruding projections on a surface of the elastic member, and satisfying at least one of the following requirements: containing an inorganic filler, containing an additive consisting of wear-resistant resin, and being modified by irradiation with radiation.  
     
     
         10 . The paper feeding roller of  claim 9 , wherein the elastic member defines an outer peripheral surface of the paper feeding roller.  
     
     
         11 . The paper feeding roller of  claim 9 , wherein the main body of the roller is a core and the elastic member is in the form of a sheet attached to the core  
     
     
         12 . The paper feeding roller of  claim 9 , wherein the paper feeding roller allows sheet-by-sheet feeding of papers from stacked sheet-like papers in an imaging apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile.