1: A fixing member including a substrate, an elastic layer including heat resistance rubber provided on the substrate, and a separation layer including fluorocarbon resin provided on said elastic layer, said elastic layer including silicone rubber andor fluorosilicone rubber as a major component, the fixing member made by a method comprising:
baking the separation layer on the elastic layer at a temperature lower than an oxidation starting temperature of the heat resistance rubber such that said heat resistance rubber in said elastic layer does not oxidize and said separation layer does not crack,
wherein said fluorocarbon resin has a tensile strength such that a 30 \u03bcm coating film baked at 340\xb0 C. has a tensile strength equal to or greater than 25 MPa.
2: The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein said baking the separation layer includes baking said fluorocarbon resin including Tetrafluoroethylene\u2022Perfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer resin (PFA) as a major component.
3: The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein said baking the separation layer includes baking said separation layer containing inorganic filler.
4: The fixing member according to claim 3, wherein said baking the separation layer includes baking said separation layer containing said inorganic filler including carbon.
5: The fixing member according to claim 4, wherein said baking the separation layer includes baking said separation layer containing said inorganic filler including a content of said carbon from 1 mass % to 5 mass %.
6: The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is a roller made of a metal member including aluminum, stainless steel, brass, or iron.
7: The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is (a) a sheet or an endless belt made of a metal member including stainless steel, or nickel, (b) a sheet or an endless belt made of heat resistance rubber including polyimide or polyamideimide, or (c) a laminated sheet or an endless belt in which said (a) and (b) are laminated.
8: An image forming apparatus comprising the fixing member according to claim 1.
9: A manufacturing method of a fixing member comprising:
forming a first primer layer by applying first primer onto a substrate surrounding an aperture configured to receive a heater;
forming an elastic layer by applying heat resistance synthetic rubber solution onto said first primer layer, said elastic layer including silicone rubber andor fluorosilicone rubber as a major component, said elastic layer not including any oxidized heat resistance synthetic rubber solution;
forming a second primer layer by applying second primer onto said elastic layer;
forming a fluorocarbon resin applied layer by applying dispersion liquid or powdered paint including fluorocarbon resin with which a tensile strength of a 30 \u03bcm coating film burned at 340\xb0 C. is equal or greater than 25 MPa as a major component onto said second primer layer, said fluorocarbon resin applied layer not including any cracks; and
baking said fluorocarbon resin applied layer with a baking temperature which is equal or higher than 340\xb0 C. and less than a temperature for starting oxidation of the heat resistance synthetic rubber constituting said elastic layer such that the elastic layer is not oxidized and cracks are not formed in the fluorocarbon resin applied layer.
10: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 9, wherein said fluorocarbon resin comprises Tetrafluoroethylene\u2022Perfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer resin (PFA).
11: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 9, wherein said dispersion liquid or said powdered paint contains inorganic filler.
12: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 11, wherein said inorganic filler comprises a carbon.
13: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 12, wherein a content of said carbon is from 1 mass % to 5 mass %.
14: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 9, wherein said substrate is a roller made of a metal member including aluminum, stainless still, brass, or iron.
15: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 9, wherein said substrate is (a) a sheet or an endless belt made of a metal member including stainless still or nickel, (b) a sheet or an endless belt made of a metal member including polyimide or polyamideimide, or (c) a laminated sheet or an endless belt in which said (a) and (b) are laminated.
16: A manufacturing method of an image forming apparatus comprising:
forming a first primer layer by applying first primer onto a substrate surrounding an aperture configured to receive a heater;
forming an elastic layer by applying heat resistance synthetic rubber solution onto said first primer layer, said elastic layer including silicone rubber andor fluorosilicone rubber as a major component, said elastic layer not including any oxidized heat resistance synthetic rubber solution;
forming a second primer layer by applying second primer onto said elastic layer;
forming a fluorocarbon resin applied layer by applying dispersion liquid or powdered paint including fluorocarbon resin with which a tensile strength of a 30 \u03bcm coating film burned at 340\xb0 C. is equal or greater than 25 MPa as a major component onto said second primer layer, said fluorocarbon resin applied layer not including any cracks;
baking said fluorocarbon resin applied layer with a baking temperature which is equal or higher than 340\xb0 C. and less than a temperature for starting oxidation of the heat resistance synthetic rubber constructing said elastic layer such that the elastic layer is not oxidized and cracks are not formed in the fluorocarbon resin applied layer; and
incorporating the fixing member obtained by said steps into an image forming apparatus.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cells stacked together, said fuel cells each including a pair of separators, and an electrolyte electrode assembly interposed between said separators, said electrolyte electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte interposed between said anode and said cathode, said fuel cell stack further comprising:
current collectors stacked on outermost fuel cells at opposite ends in a stacking direction of said fuel cells; and
a heating member stacked on the outside of at least one of said current collectors, said heating member having a power outputting terminal for conducting electricity from said fuel cell stack.
2. A fuel cell stack according to claim 1, further comprising:
a switch connected to a power outputting terminal of said current collector and said outputting terminal of said heating member;
a temperature sensor connected to said heating member;
a control unit for controlling said switch based on a detection signal outputted from said temperature sensor.
3. A fuel cell stack according to claim 2, wherein
said power outputting terminal of said heating member has a cylindrical shape, and extends in said stacking direction; and
said power outputting terminal of said current collector has a rod shape, and extends through said outputting terminal of said heating member such that an end of said power outputting terminal of said current collector is exposed to the outside.
4. A fuel cell stack according to claim 2, wherein
said power outputting terminal of said heating member has a planar shape and a bent portion, and formed at an end of said heating member, and said power outputting terminal of said current collector has a planar shape and a bent portion, and formed at an end of said current collector.
5. A fuel cell stack according to claim 2, wherein
a plurality of heating members are stacked on said current collector; and
electricity from said fuel cell stack is delivered through an arbitrary number of said heating members selected by said switch.
6. A method of operating a fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cells stacked together, said fuel cells each including a pair of separators, and an electrolyte electrode assembly interposed between said separators, said electrolyte electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte interposed between said anode and said cathode, said fuel cell stack further comprising:
current collectors stacked on outermost fuel cells at opposite ends in a stacking direction of said fuel cells; and
a heating member stacked on the outside of at least one of said current collectors, said heating member having a power outputting terminal for conducting electricity from said fuel cell stack,
said method comprising the steps of:
determining whether said fuel cell stack is in a normal operating condition;
delivering electricity from said fuel cell stack through said power outputting terminal of said heating member if it is determined that said fuel cell stack is not in said normal operating condition; and
performing a switching operation to stop delivering said electricity from said fuel cell stack through said power outputting terminal of said heating member and start delivering said electricity from said fuel cell stack through said current collector if it is determined that said fuel cell stack is in said normal operating condition.
7. An operating method according to claim 6, wherein said normal operating condition is a condition in which the temperature of said heating member is not less than a predetermined temperature.
8. An operating method according to claim 6, wherein
a plurality of heating members are stacked on the outside of said current collector; and
electricity from said fuel cell stack is delivered through an arbitrary number of said heating members if it is determined that said fuel cell stack is not in said normal operating condition.