Importance

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Abstract

A heat and pressure fuser and Release Agent Management (RAM) systems therefor. Dual RAM systems are provided. A first RAM system supplies functional release agent material having a relatively high concentration of functional chains (.about.O.05 to 0.3 mol %) to an elastomeric fuser member prior to a second RAM system which supplies release agent material having low functionally or no functionality. The elastomeric fuser member may contain metal oxide particles. The low functionality release agent is relatively non-reactive. Depending on whether the elastomeric member contains the metal oxide particles, the functional chains of the high concentration release agent material which are periodically supplied to the fuser roll surface either attach to the metal particles exposed at the surface of the fuser roll by chemical bonds or to the elastomeric material itself. The non-reactive chains adhere to the functional chains by much weaker physical (such as van der Waals) chains. The periodic application of the high concentration release agent material includes application for a relatively short duration at machine startup as well as periodically thereafter as needed.

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First Claim