Patent US5354640A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5354640A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Toner for developing electrostatic image

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1992-09-21
•
Granted: 1994-10-11
•
Expires: 2012-09-21
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A toner for developing an electrostatic image has toner particles. The toner particles are prepared by suspension polymerization and contain at least two components comprised of a high softening point resin-A and a low softening point material-B. The toner particles each have a structure separated into a phase-A mainly composed of the resin-A and a phase-B mainly composed of the material-B. The phase-B is absent in the vicinity of the toner particle surface, ranging from its surface to a depth 0.15 time a toner particle diameter. The toner particles contain an organic solvent, a polymerizable monomer or a mixture thereof in a quantity of not more than 1,000 ppm.

Inventors

  • 👤 Makoto Kanbayashi
  • 👤 Takayuki Nagatsuka
  • 👤 Takashige Kasuya
  • 👤 Tatsuya Nakamura
  • 👤 Tatsuhiko Chiba

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 12:31
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G9/00; G03G9/08; G03G9/0827; G03G9/0802; G03G9/0804; G03G9/0806; G03G9/0819; G03G9/0825; G03G9/087; G03G9/08784; G03G9/08791; G03G9/08795; G03G9/08797; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2982; Y10T428/2989

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim 123 words
A toner for developing an electrostatic image comprising toner particles: said toner particles being prepared by suspension polymerization of a monomer component containing at least a polymerizable monomer in an aqueous medium; containing at least two components comprised of a high softening point resin-A and a low softening point material-B; each having a structure separated into a phase-A mainly composed of said resin-A and a phase-B mainly composed of said material-B, said phase-B being absent from the vicinity of the toner particle surface, said vicinity ranging from the toner particle surface to a depth 0.15 time a toner particle diameter; and wherein an organic solvent, said polymerizable monomer or a mixture thereof is present in a quantity of not more than 1,000 ppm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 123 words
A toner for developing an electrostatic image comprising toner particles: said toner particles being prepared by suspension polymerization of a monomer component containing at least a polymerizable monomer in an aqueous medium; containing at least two components comprised of a high softening point resin-A and a low softening point material-B; each having a structure separated into a phase-A mainly composed of said resin-A and a phase-B mainly composed of said material-B, said phase-B being absent from the vicinity of the toner particle surface, said vicinity ranging from the toner particle surface to a depth 0.15 time a toner particle diameter; and wherein an organic solvent, said polymerizable monomer or a mixture thereof is present in a quantity of not more than 1,000 ppm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said high softening point resin-A has a weight average molecular weight of from 5,000 to 200,000.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said high softening point resin-A has a flow-out point of from 65° C. to 100° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 42 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said high softening point resin-A comprises a polymer or copolymer obtained from a polymerizable monomer selected from the group consisting of a styrene monomer, an acrylate, a methacrylate, an acrylonitrile, a methacrylonitrile and an acrylamide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 23 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said low softening point material-B has a weight average molecular weight of from 300 to 10,000.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 23 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said low softening point material-B has a melting point of from 30° C. to 130° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 23 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said low softening point material-B has a melting point of from 60° C. to 100° C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 32 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said high softening point resin-A and said low softening point material-B in said toner are in a component ratio A:B of from 50:50 to 95:5.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 32 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said high softening point resin-A and said low softening point material-B in said toner are in a component ratio A:B of from 70:30 to 90:10.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 82 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein with respect to a projected area of a toner particle of said toner particles, its maximum inscribed circle corresponding to its radius r and minimum circumscribed circle corresponding to its radius R satisfies the following relationship (1): 1.00<R/r≦1.20 (1) and said toner particles each have an uneven surface such that circumferential length L and circumference l of the inscribed circle of a projected area of the toner particle satisfies the following relationship (2): 1.01<L/l<2.00. (2)
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 14 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said toner particles contain a polar resin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
The toner according to claim 11, wherein said polar resin comprises a cationic polymer or an anionic polymer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 29 words
The toner according to claim 11, wherein said polar resin has a ratio of weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight Mw/Mn of from 1.2 to 10.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
The toner according to claim 11, wherein said polar resin has a ratio of weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight Mw/Mn of from 1.5 to 5.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 21 words
The toner according to claim 11, wherein said polar resin has an acid value of from 5 to 100 mg KOH/g.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 21 words
The toner according to claim 11, wherein said polar resin has an acid value of from 20 to 80 mg KOH/g.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 23 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said toner particles have a weight average particle diameter of from 2 μm to 20 μm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 23 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said toner particles have a weight average particle diameter of from 3 μm to 12 μm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 29 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said toner contains an additive selected from the group consisting of a fluidity-providing agent, an abrasive, a lubricant and charge controlling particles.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 30 words
The toner according to claim 19, wherein said additive has a weight average particle diameter of not more than 1/10 of the weight average particle diameter of the toner particles.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 48 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said toner particles are obtained by subjecting a monomer composition containing i) a polymerizable monomer that forms said high softening point resin-A and ii) said low softening point material, to suspension polymerization in an aqueous dispersion medium containing a dispersion stabilizer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 35 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said dispersion stabilizer contains an inorganic dispersant selected from the group consisting of a phosphoric acid polyvalent metal salt, a carbonate, an inorganic salt and an inorganic oxide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 38 words
The toner according to claim 21, wherein said dispersion stabilizer contains a surface active agent selected from the group consisting of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfate, sodium tetradecylsulfate, sodium pentadecylsulfate, sodium octylsulfate, sodium oleate, sodium laurate, sodium stearate and potassium stearate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 74 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said toner particles are obtained by suspension polymerization comprising granulating and polymerizing a monomer composition containing i) a polymerizable monomer that forms said high softening point resin-A and ii) said low softening point material, in an aqueous dispersion medium, and continuing the polymerization reaction until said organic solvent, polymerizable monomer or a mixture thereof comes to be contained in a quantity of not more than 1,000 ppm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 64 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said toner particles are obtained by suspension polymerization comprising granulating and polymerizing a monomer composition containing i) a polymerizable monomer that forms said high softening point resin-A and ii) said low softening point material, in an aqueous dispersion medium, and accelerating the consumption of polymerizable monomers at the moment the polymerization conversion has reached 95% or more.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 43 words
The toner according to claim 25, wherein said toner particles are obtained by suspension polymerization comprising accelerating the consumption of polymerizable monomers by raising polymerization temperature by 5° C. to 60° C. at the moment the polymerization conversion has reached 95% or more.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 62 words
The toner according to claim 26, wherein said toner particles are obtained by suspension polymerization using in combination a polymerization initiator capable of being decomposed at a polymerization temperature by which the polymerization conversion has reached 95% or more and a polymerization initiator capable of being decomposed at a polymerization temperature 5° C. to 60° C. higher than the first-mentioned polymerization temperature.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 54 words
The toner according to claim 25, wherein said toner particles are obtained by suspension polymerization comprising accelerating the consumption of polymerizable monomers by using in combination a polymerization initiator having a long half-life period and a polymerization initiator having a short half-life period, at the moment the polymerization conversion has reached 95% or more.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 46 words
The toner according to claim 25, wherein said toner particles are obtained by suspension polymerization comprising accelerating the consumption of polymerizable monomers by using a polyfunctional polymerization initiator having a plurality of polymerization initiating points, at the moment the polymerization conversion has reached 95% or more.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 85 words
The toner according to claim 1, wherein said toner particles are obtained by subjecting toner particles obtained by suspension polymerization comprising granulating and polymerizing a monomer composition containing i) a polymerizable monomer that forms said high softening point resin and it) said low softening point material, in an aqueous dispersion medium, to a treatment to remove from said toner particles the organic solvent, polymerizable monomers or a mixture of these without transporting the phase-B low softening point material-B to the surfaces of the toner particles.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 58 words
The toner according to claim 30, wherein said toner particles are obtained by carrying out a treatment to remove from the toner particles the organic solvent, polymerizable monomers or a mixture of these after completion of the polymerization reaction or at the latter-half stage of the polymerization reaction, in an aqueous medium under normal pressure or reduced pressure.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 32 words
The toner according to claim 30, wherein said toner particles are obtained by subjecting the toner particles obtained by said suspension polymerization, to deaeration at a low temperature and under reduced pressure.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-10-10 1998-04-11 1998-10-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-10-10 2002-04-11 2002-10-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-10-10 2006-04-11 2006-10-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag