Toner, toner cartridge, and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11327414-B2
Application number	US-202016786344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2020
Priority date	Feb 10, 2020
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A toner comprises toner particles containing a colorant, non-crystalline polyester, and crystalline polyester. The crystalline polyester does not contain an esterification catalyst and has a melting point in a range of 80 to 110° C. A gel content of the toner particles is in the range of 4 to 11% by mass.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A toner, comprising:
toner particles comprising a colorant, non-crystalline polyester, and crystalline polyester, wherein
the crystalline polyester does not contain an esterification catalyst and has a melting point in a range of 80 to 110° C.,
a gel content of the toner particles is in a range of 4 to 11% by mass, and the non-crystalline polyester has a softening point in a range of 100 to 140° C.

2. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein the melting point of the crystalline polyester is in a range of 90 to 100° C.

3. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein the non-crystalline polyester has a softening point in a range of 110 to 130° C.

4. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of the crystalline polyester is in a range of 5 to 20 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the non-crystalline polyester.

5. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of the crystalline polyester is in a range of 10 to 15 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the non-crystalline polyester.

6. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a total amount of the crystalline polyester and the non-crystalline polyester to the amount of the toner particles is in a range of 70 to 95% by mass.

7. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a total amount of the crystalline polyester and the non-crystalline polyester to the amount of the toner particles is in a range of 80 to 90% by mass.

8. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein the crystalline polyester is a polycondensation product of one or more alcohol components selected from aliphatic diols having 2 to 16 carbon atoms and one or more carboxylic acid components selected from aliphatic dicarboxylic acid-based compounds having 4 to 14 carbon atoms.

9. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein the non-crystalline polyester is a polycondensation product of one or more alcohol components selected from aliphatic diols having 2 to 4 carbon atoms having a hydroxyl group bonded to a secondary carbon atom and one or more carboxylic acid components selected from a group consisting of aromatic dicarboxylic acid-based compounds, aliphatic dicarboxylic acid-based compounds, and trivalent or higher carboxylic acid-based compounds.

10. A toner cartridge, comprising:
a container; and
a developer in the container, the developer comprising toner particles including:
a colorant;
non-crystalline polyester; and
crystalline polyester, wherein

the crystalline polyester does not contain an esterification catalyst and has a melting point in a range of 80 to 110° C.,
a gel content of the toner particles is in a range of 4 to 11% by mass, and
the non-crystalline polyester has a softening point in a range of 100 to 140° C.

11. The toner cartridge according to claim 10 , wherein the melting point of the crystalline polyester is in a range of 90 to 100° C.

12. The toner cartridge according to claim 10 , wherein the non-crystalline polyester has a softening point in a range of 100 to 140° C. 110 to 130° C.

13. The toner cartridge according to claim 10 , wherein an amount of the crystalline polyester is in a range of 5 to 20 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the non-crystalline polyester.

14. The toner cartridge according to claim 10 , wherein a ratio of a total amount of the crystalline polyester and the non-crystalline polyester to the amount of the toner particles is in a range of 70 to 95% by mass.

15. The toner cartridge according to claim 10 , wherein the non-crystalline polyester is a polycondensation product of one or more alcohol components selected from aliphatic diols having 2 to 4 carbon atoms having a hydroxyl group bonded to a secondary carbon atom and one or more carboxylic acid components selected from a group consisting of aromatic dicarboxylic acid-based compounds, aliphatic dicarboxylic acid-based compounds, and trivalent or higher carboxylic acid-based compounds.

16. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a photoreceptor on which an electrostatic latent image can be formed; and
a developing device configured to supply a developer to the photoreceptor to form a toner image corresponding the electrostatic latent image, the developer including toner particles, the toner particles comprising:
a colorant,
non-crystalline polyester, and
crystalline polyester, wherein
the crystalline polyester does not contain an esterification catalyst and has a melting point in the range of 80 to 110° C.,
the toner particles having a gel content which is in a range of 4 to 11% by mass, and
the non-crystalline polyester has a softening point in a range of 100 to 140° C.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image from the photoreceptor to a recording medium; and
a fixing device configured to fix the toner image to the recording medium.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein
the fixing unit includes a heating roller, and
the image forming apparatus further comprises a controller configured to control a temperature of the heating roller during standby to a temperature that is 10 to 50° C. lower than a temperature of the heating roller during printing.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the fixing device further includes a thermistor contacting the heating roller and configured to detect the temperature of the heating roller.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to control the temperature of the heating roller during printing to be within a range of 140 to 180° C.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Hatano Takumi

Classifications

• G03G15/2039

  with means for controlling the fixing temperature · CPC title

• G03G15/0865

  Arrangements for supplying new developer · CPC title

• G03G9/08797

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

• G03G9/08755 Primary

  Polyesters · CPC title

• G03G9/08795

  characterised by their chemical properties, e.g. acidity, molecular weight, sensitivity to reactants · CPC title