EP0552785A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for forming fixed images
Assignee: Kao Corp
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Filing: 1993-01-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-01-21
Abstract
Abstract A method of forming fixed images of the present invention includes charging a photoconductor; exposing the photoconductor to light; applying a thermally dissociating encapsulated toner or an encapsulated toner whose shell is made of amorphous polyester to an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor, thereby developing the electrostatic latent image to form a visible image; transferring the formed visible image to a recording medium; and fixing the transferred visible image onto the recording medium at a temperature of not more than 130°C. The fixing is carried out using a heat roller-type fixing apparatus including a heat roller having a conductive elastomer layer formed in a uniform thickness, a pressure roller and a current supplying means. The steps of the fixing include passing an electric current into the conductive elastomer layer; and thermally fixing the visible image by heat generated in the conductive elastomer layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Shin-Ichiro Yasuda
- 👤 Kuniyasu Kawabe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 16:56
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/20; G03G15/2003; G03G15/2014; G03G15/2053; G03G13/00; G03G13/20; G03G9/00; G03G9/08; G03G9/093; G03G9/09307; G03G9/09314; G03G9/09328
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A method of forming fixed images comprising: charging a photoconductor; exposing said photoconductor to light; applying a thermally dissociating encapsulated toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on said photoconductor, thereby developing said electrostatic latent image to form a visible image; transferring said formed visible image to a recording medium; and fixing said transferred visible image onto said recording medium at a temperature of not more than 130°C, wherein said fixing is carried out using a heat roller-type fixing apparatus comprising a heat roller having a conductive elastomer layer formed in a uniform thickness, a pressure roller and a current supplying means, and said fixing comprises the steps of passing an electric current into the conductive elastomer layer; and thermally fixing the visible image by heat generated in the conductive elastomer layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the specific resistivity of the conductive elastomer layer is not more than 100 Ω·cm, and the maximum heating temperature thereof is not more than 150°C.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the nip width of a pair of rollers in said fixing apparatus is not less than 0.2 times the radius of the elastic material roller.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the rubber hardness of at least one of the rollers is not more than 90 degrees according to JIS A-type hardness.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
50 words
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the thermally dissociating encapsulated toner contains a shell material whose main component is constituted by a resin containing at least one linkage selected from the group consisting of thermally dissociating urethane linkage, thiol urethane linkage and s-thiourethane linkage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method according to claim 5, wherein the thermally dissociating urethane resin contained as the main component of the shell material is those in which at least 30% of all of the linkages formed from the isocyanate and/or isothiocyanate groups is a linkage derived from reacting phenolic hydroxyl and/or thiol groups with the isocyanate and/or isothiocyanate groups.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
25 words
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the softening point of said thermally dissociating encapsulated toner is 80°C to 150°C.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of forming fixed images comprising: charging a photoconductor; exposing said photoconductor to light; applying an encapsulated toner whose shell is made of amorphous polyester to an electrostatic latent image formed on said photoconductor, thereby developing said electrostatic latent image to form a visible image; transferring said formed visible image to a recording medium; and fixing said transferred visible image onto said recording medium at a temperature of not more than 130°C, wherein said fixing is carried out using a heat roller-type fixing apparatus comprising a heat roller having a conductive elastomer layer formed in a uniform thickness, a pressure roller and a current supplying means, and said fixing comprises the steps of passing an electric current into the conductive elastomer layer; and thermally fixing the visible image by heat generated in the conductive elastomer layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 8, wherein the specific resistivity of the conductive elastomer layer is not more than 100 Ω·cm, and the maximum heating temperature thereof is not more than 150°C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the nip width of a pair of rollers in said fixing apparatus is not less than 0.2 times the radius of the elastic material roller.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 8, 9, or 10, wherein the rubber hardness of at least one of the rollers is not more than 90 degrees according to JIS A-type hardness.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
24 words
The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein said amorphous polyester has a glass transition point of 50°C to 80°C.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
84 words
The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein said amorphous polyester is obtained by condensation polymerization between at least one alcohol monomer selected from the group consisting of dihydric alcohol monomers and trihydric or higher polyhydric alcohol monomers and at least one carboxylic acid monomer selected from the group consisting of dicarboxylic acid monomers and tricarboxylic or higher carboxylic acid monomers, in which at least one of the monomers is trihydric or higher alcohol or tricarboxylic or higher carboxylic acid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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