US5407771A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Toner and liquid composition using same
Assignee: HP Indigo BV
•
Filing: 1993-01-19
•
Granted: 1995-04-18
•
Expires: 2013-01-19
Abstract
Abstract A liquid composition for developing latent electrostatic images comprising toner particles associated with a pigment dispersed in a nonpolar liquid. The salient feature of the invention is that the toner particles are formed with a plurality of fibers or tendrils from a thermoplastic polymer and carry a charge of a polarity opposite to the polarity of the latent electrostatic image. The polymer is insoluble or insolvatable in the dispersant liquid at room temperature. The toner particles are formed by plasticizing the polymer and pigment at elevated temperature and then either permitting a sponge to form and wet-grinding pieces of the sponge or diluting the plasticized polymer-pigment while cooling and constantly stirring to prevent the forming of a sponge while cooling. When cool, the diluted composition will have a concentration of toner particles formed with a plurality of fibers.
Inventors
- 👤 Benzion Landa
- 👤 Peretz Ben-Auraham
- 👤 Joseph Hall
- 👤 George A. Gibson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 17:07
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G9/00; G03G9/08; G03G9/12; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2913; Y10T428/2927
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
22 words
A toner particle useful for developing a latent electrostatic image, the particle comprising a thermoplastic polymer having a plurality of fibrous extensions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
A toner particle useful for developing a latent electrostatic image, the particle comprising a thermoplastic polymer having a plurality of fibrous extensions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A toner particle useful for developing a latent electrostatic image by electrophoretic movement of the particle through a nonpolar liquid, the particle comprising a thermoplastic polymer having a plurality of fibrous extensions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A toner particle useful for developing a latent electrostatic image by electrophoretic movement of the particle through a nonpolar liquid, the particle comprising a thermoplastic polymer having a plurality of fibrous extensions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein a colored material is dispersed in the polymer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A toner particle according to claim 3 wherein the colored material comprises a fully divided ferromagnetic material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A toner particle according to claim 3 wherein the colored material comprises carbon black.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein silica is dispersed in the polymer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a plurality of different thermoplastic polymers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the toner particle has a diameter of between 0.1 and 5 micrometers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is substantially insoluble in the nonpolar liquid at temperatures below 40° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A toner particle according to claim 9 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is solvatable in the nonpolar liquid at temperatures above a given temperature and wherein the given temperature is greater than50° C.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A toner particle according to claim 10 wherein the given temperature is in the range from about 65° C. to 100° C.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the polymer material comprises an ethyl vinyl acetate copolymer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the polymer material comprises an isotactic polypropylene.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the polymer material comprises a polybutyl terethalate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the polymer material comprises an ethylene ethyl acrylate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the polymer material comprises an ethylene vinyl acetate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the polymer material comprises a methacrylate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the polymer material comprises an ethylene copolymer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A toner particle according to claim 18 wherein the ethylene copolymer has a carboxylic acid functionality and an acid number between about 54 and 90.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the fibers are adapted to mat with like fibers of other like particles during development of an image with a liquid developer comprising the particles.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the toner particles are adapted for charging with an electrostatic charge of a predetermined polarity.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the toner particles are adapted for charging with an electrostatic charge of a predetermined polarity by the addition of a charge director compound added to the non-polar liquid.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
A toner particle according to claim 2 wherein the toner particles comprise a core portion from which the fibrous extensions extend and wherein both core portion and fibrous portions are integrally formed and comprise substantially the same polymer material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
A toner particle according to claim 20 wherein the toner particles comprise a core portion from which the fibrous extensions extend and wherein both core portion and fibrous portions are integrally formed and comprise substantially the same polymer material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
A liquid composition for developing latent electrostatic images comprising the following elements: a non-polar, substantially non-conducting, liquid; a plurality of toner particles according to claim 2; and means for imparting an electrostatic charge of predetermined polarity to the toner particles.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
A liquid composition according to claim 25 wherein the non-polar liquid has a volume resistivity in excess of 10 9 ohm-centimeters and a dielectric constant below 3.0.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
A liquid composition according to claim 26 wherein the nonpolar liquid is a nontoxic liquid.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
36 words
A liquid composition according to claim 25, wherein the toner particles are present in the non-polar liquid in an amount of 0.2 to 20 percent by weight in respect of the weight of the nonpolar liquid.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
40 words
A liquid toner composition according to claim 25, wherein the fibers of the plurality of particles are adapted to mat with like fibers of others of the plurality of particles during development of an image with the liquid toner composition.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
40 words
A liquid toner composition according to claim 25 wherein the toner particles comprise a core portion from which the fibrous extensions extend and wherein both core portion and fibrous portions are integrally formed and comprise substantially the same polymer material.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
40 words
A liquid toner composition according to claim 29 wherein the toner particles comprise a core portion from which the fibrous extensions extend and wherein both core portion and fibrous portions are integrally formed and comprise substantially the same polymer material.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
40 words
A liquid toner composition according to claim 26, wherein the fibers of the plurality of particles are adapted to mat with like fibers of others of the plurality of particles during development of an image with the liquid toner composition.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
40 words
A liquid toner composition according to claim 26 wherein the toner particles comprise a core portion from which the fibrous extensions extend and wherein both core portion and fibrous portions are integrally formed and comprise substantially the same polymer material.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
40 words
A liquid toner composition according to claim 32 wherein the toner particles comprise a core portion from which the fibrous extensions extend and wherein both core portion and fibrous portions are integrally formed and comprise substantially the same polymer material.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
14 words
A plurality of particles according to claim 1 further comprising at least one pigment.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
A plurality of particles according to claim 35 wherein the particles are physically interlinked by the fibrous extensions.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
A mixture comprising a liquid having a plurality of particles according to claim 1.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
A mixture comprising a liquid having a plurality of particles according to claim 35 dispersed therein.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-04-17 | 1998-10-17 | 1999-04-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-04-17 | 2002-10-17 | 2003-04-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-04-17 | 2006-10-17 | 2007-04-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |