Fixing member manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

A fixing member manufacturing method includes: a step of coating an outer peripheral surface of an elastic material with an adhesive; a step of externally fitting a resin tube around the elastic material coated with the adhesive; a step of temporarily fixing the resin tube onto the elastic material by heating the resin tube at a longitudinal end portion; a step of temporarily fixing the resin tube onto the elastic material by heating the resin tube at the other longitudinal end portion except for a circumferential part of the resin tube; a step of squeezing out an excessive adhesive from between the elastic material and the resin tube, in a direction from the longitudinal end portion to the other longitudinal end portion of the resin tube; and a step of fixing the resin tube onto the elastic material by heating the adhesive.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A fixing member manufacturing apparatus comprising:
 a coating device configured to coat an outer peripheral surface of an elastic material with an adhesive;   a mechanism configured to externally fit a resin tube around the elastic material coated by said coating device with the adhesive;   a mechanism configured to heat the resin tube at a longitudinal end portion to temporarily fix the resin tube onto the elastic material at the longitudinal end portion;   a mechanism configured to heat the resin tube at another longitudinal end portion expect for a circumferential part of the resin tube to temporarily fix the resin tube onto the elastic material at said another longitudinal end portion;   a mechanism configured to squeeze out an excessive adhesive from between the elastic material and the resin tube, in a direction from the longitudinal end portion to said another longitudinal end portion of the resin tube; and   a mechanism configured to heat the adhesive located between the elastic material and the resin tube to fix the resin tube onto the elastic material.   
     
     
         11 . The fixing member manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a mechanism configured to elongate the resin tube, externally fitted around the elastic material, in a longitudinal direction,
 wherein said elongating mechanism maintains a state in which the resin tube is elongated in the longitudinal direction when the resin tube is temporarily fixed onto the elastic material at the longitudinal end portion and said another longitudinal end portion.   
     
     
         12 . The fixing member manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first holding tool configured to hold the resin tube at the longitudinal end portion;   a second holding tool configured to hold the resin tube at said another longitudinal end portion; and   a mechanism configured to decrease, before the resin tube is elongated in the longitudinal direction, a distance between said first and second holding tools which hold the resin tube.   
     
     
         13 . The fixing member manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein temporary fixing of the resin tube onto the elastic material at the longitudinal end portion and temporary fixing of the resin tube onto the resin tube at said another longitudinal end portion are performed in parallel. 
     
     
         14 . The fixing member manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein when the resin tube is temporarily fixed onto the elastic material at said another longitudinal end portion, at said another longitudinal end portion of the resin tube, a plurality of portions to be heated and a plurality of portions not to be heated are alternately formed with respect to a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         15 . The fixing member manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein when the resin tube is temporarily fixed onto the elastic material at the longitudinal end portion, the resin tube is heated at the longitudinal end portion over a whole region with respect to a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         16 . The fixing member manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising, a mechanism configured to cut away a region, where the resin tube is temporarily fixed onto the elastic material, after the resin tube is fixed onto the elastic material. 
     
     
         17 . The fixing member manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the resin tube is a fluorine-containing resin tube. 
     
     
         18 . The fixing member manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the fluorine-containing resin tube is a PFA tube.