Toner classification apparatus and a toner production method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11835919-B2
Application number	US-202117533905-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2021
Priority date	Dec 3, 2020
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

A toner classification apparatus comprising a classification rotor, wherein the classification rotor comprises a first vane group containing first vanes and a second vane group containing second vanes, the second vanes have a length shorter than the first vane group; the number of second vanes, which are disposed between two adjacent first vanes, is 1 to 2, independently; each of the first vanes draws first trajectory and each of the second vanes draws second trajectory when the classification rotor rotates, a distance from the center of rotation to an outer circumference side end of the first and second trajectory are defined as L1 and L3, respectively, and a distance from the center of rotation to the center side end of the first and second trajectory are defined as L2 and L4, respectively, L1 to L4 satisfy prescribed relationships, and a toner production method using the toner classification apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A toner classification apparatus comprising a classification rotor, wherein
the classification rotor comprises a plurality of vanes extending from a side of a center of rotation of the classification rotor to an outer circumference side of the classification rotor;
the plurality of vanes are disposed with prescribed gaps established between the vanes;
the gaps form an opening connecting a region of the center of rotation of the classification rotor;
the plurality of vanes comprise a first vane group containing first vanes and a second vane group containing second vanes, the second vanes have a length shorter than the first vanes;
the first vanes have substantially the same vane length, and are disposed with gaps established between the first vanes,
each of the first vanes draws first trajectory when the classification rotor rotates, first trajectories drawn by the first vanes are substantially same;
the second vanes have substantially the same vane length, and are disposed with gaps established between the second vanes,
each of the second vanes draws second trajectory when the classification rotor rotates, second trajectories drawn by the second vanes are substantially same;
the number of second vanes, which are disposed between two adjacent first vanes, is 1 to 2, independently;
a distance from the center of rotation to an outer circumference side end of the first trajectory is defined as L1 for the first trajectory, and
a distance from the center of rotation to the center side end of the first trajectory is defined as L2,
a distance from the center of rotation to an outer circumference side end of the second trajectory is defined as L3 for the second trajectory, and
a distance from the center of rotation to the center side end of the second trajectory is defined as L4,
L1 to L4 satisfy the following relationships:
0.25≤( L 3− L 4)/( L 1− L 2)≤0.50

0.95≤ L 3/ L 1≤1.05.

2. The toner classification apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein adjacent vanes are disposed with substantially equal gaps from each other.

3. The toner classification apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the following (1) or (2) is satisfied:
(1) when the number of second vanes, which are disposed between two adjacent first vanes, is 1,
a surface of the second vane on the upstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates is parallel to a surface of the first vane facing the surface and being on the downstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates, and
a surface of the second vane on the downstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates is parallel to a surface of the first vane facing the surface and being on the upstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates; and

(2) when the number of second vanes, which are disposed between two adjacent first vanes, is 2,
if a second vane having a surface facing a surface of the first vane on the downstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates is defined as a second vane A, and a second vane having a surface facing a surface of the second vane A on the downstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates is defined as a second vane B,
a surface of the first vane on the downstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates is parallel to a surface of the second vane A facing the surface and being on the upstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates,
a surface of the second vane A on the downstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates is parallel to a surface of the second vane B facing the surface and being on the upstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates, and
a surface of the second vane B on the downstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates is parallel to a surface of the first vane facing the surface and being on the upstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates.

4. The toner classification apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first vane is provided on the upstream side in a direction in which the classification rotor rotates from a rotation center side end of the classification rotor toward an outer circumference side end, and
in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the classification rotor, in a transverse cross section when the classification rotor is cut away, an angle θ formed by a straight line connecting the center of rotation of the classification rotor and a rotation center side end of the first vane and a straight line connecting the rotation center side end of the first vane and the outer circumference side end of the first vane is 25° to 70°.

5. The toner classification apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a body casing;
a guide means disposed in a state of overlapping at least a portion of the classification rotor;
an introduction port for a particle to be classified and a supply means for the particle to be classified having the introduction port for a particle to be classified formed in a side surface of the body casing in order to introduce the particle to be classified;
a particle having too small diameter discharge port and a classified particle take-off port formed in a side surface of the body casing in order to discharge, from the body casing, a classified particle from which a particle having too small diameter has been excluded; and
a dispersion rotor being a rotating body attached within the body casing to the central rotational axle and having a dispersion hammer on the side surface of the classification rotor side of the dispersion rotor.

6. The toner classification apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a liner disposed in a fixed manner at the circumference of the dispersion rotor while maintaining a distance therefrom.

7. The toner classification apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the liner is provided with a groove in the surface facing the dispersion rotor.

8. A toner production method comprising
a classification step in which a particle to be classified is subjected to a classification process using a toner classification apparatus,
wherein the toner classification apparatus is the toner classification apparatus according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Yamashita Daisuke
• Tamura Junichi
• Wakayama Ran
• Katoh Katsuyuki
• Mizo Yuichi

Classifications

• G03G9/0817 Primary

  Separation; Classifying · CPC title

• G03G9/0819

  characterised by the dimensions of the particles · CPC title

• G03G9/08755

  Polyesters · CPC title

• G03G9/08782

  Waxes · CPC title

• G03G9/0912

  Indigoid; Diaryl and Triaryl methane; Oxyketone dyes · CPC title