Toner, image forming apparatus, image forming method, and process cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10061220-B2
Application number	US-201515327700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2015
Priority date	Jul 24, 2014
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A toner, containing: a binder resin; and kaolinite, wherein the toner has a molecular weight distribution having a main peak in a range of 1,000 to 10,000, and a half value width of the main peak is 8,000 to 30,000, where the molecular weight distribution is obtained by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) of THF soluble matter of the toner, and wherein the toner contains the kaolinite in an amount of 5% by mass to 35% by mass.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A toner, comprising:
a binder resin; and
kaolinite,
wherein the toner has a molecular weight distribution having a main peak in a range of 1,000 to 10,000, and a half value width of the main peak is 8,000 to 30,000, where the molecular weight distribution is obtained by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) of THF soluble matter of the toner,
wherein an Al content in the toner is 0.5% by mass to 30% by mass, as measured for contents of elements C, O, and Al in the toner with energy disperse X-ray spectrometry (EDS); and
wherein the toner comprises the kaolinite in an amount of 5% by mass to 35% by mass.

2. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein the Al content in the toner is 5% by mass to 15% by mass, as measured for contents of elements C, O, and Al in the toner with energy disperse X-ray spectrometry (EDS).

3. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein the half value width of the main peak is 8,000 to 20,000.

4. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an electrostatic latent image bearer;
an electrostatic latent image forming unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image bearer; and
a developing unit comprising a toner, and configured to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image bearer to thereby form a toner image,
wherein the toner is the toner according to claim 1 .

5. An image forming method, comprising:
forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearer; and
developing with a toner the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image bearer to thereby form a toner image,
wherein the toner is the toner according to claim 1 .

6. A process cartridge, comprising:
an electrostatic latent image bearer; and
a developing unit comprising a toner, and configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image bearer to thereby form a toner image,
wherein the electrostatic latent image bearer and the developing unit are integrally supported, and
wherein the toner is the toner according to claim 1 .

7. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein the binder resin is polyester.

Assignees

• Ogino Kohtaroh
• Moriya Tohru
• Suzuki Tomomi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ogino Kohtaroh
• Moriya Tohru
• Suzuki Tomomi

Classifications

• G03G9/0902

  Inorganic compounds · CPC title

• G03G9/09725 Primary

  Silicon-oxides; Silicates · CPC title

• G03G9/081

  by mixing the toner components in a liquefied state; melt kneading; reactive mixing · CPC title

• G03G9/08755

  Polyesters · CPC title

• G03G9/08797

  characterised by their physical properties, e.g. viscosity, solubility, melting temperature, softening temperature, glass transition temperature · CPC title