Fixing method, image forming method, and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019243291-A1
Application number	US-201916266149-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 4, 2019
Priority date	Feb 6, 2018
Publication date	Aug 8, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fixing method is provided including the step of fixing a toner on a recording medium with a fixing device. The toner comprises a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent, and has a release agent amount indicator of from 0.01 to 0.20. The release agent amount indicator is represented by a ratio (P2850/P828) of an intensity (P2850) at a wave number of 2,850 cm−1 to an intensity (P828) at a wave number of 828 cm−1 of the toner measured by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflection method. The fixing device includes a fixing rotator driven to rotate by a driving source, a pressure rotator driven to rotate by rotation of the fixing rotator, a fixing belt interposed between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, and a heater to heat the fixing belt.

First claim

1 . A fixing method comprising:
fixing a toner on a recording medium with a fixing device, wherein the toner comprises a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent, wherein the toner has a release agent amount indicator of from 0.01 to 0.20, the release agent amount indicator represented by a ratio (P 2850 /P 828 ) of an intensity (P 2850 ) at a wave number of 2,850 cm −1 to an intensity (P 828 ) at a wave number of 828 cm −1 of the toner measured by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflection method, wherein the fixing device includes:
a fixing rotator driven to rotate by a driving source;
a pressure rotator driven to rotate by rotation of the fixing rotator;
a fixing belt interposed between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator; and
a heater to heat the fixing belt.

2 . The fixing method of claim 1 , further comprising:
increasing a pressing force between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator as a thickness of the recording medium becomes smaller.

3 . The fixing method of claim 1 ,
wherein the toner has a glass transition temperature (Tg 1st ) of from 45° C. to 65° C. measured in a first temperature rising in a differential scanning calorimetry, wherein a THF-insoluble matter in the toner has two glass transition temperatures Tg a1st of from −45° C. to 5° C. and Tg a1st of from 45° C. to 70° C. measured in the first temperature rising in the differential scanning calorimetry, wherein a THF-soluble matter in the toner has a glass transition temperature (Tg 2nd ) of from 40° C. to 65° C. measured in a second temperature rising in the differential scanning calorimetry.

4 . The fixing method of claim 3 , wherein the THF-insoluble matter in the toner has a glass transition temperature (Tg 2nd ) of from 0° C. to 50° C. measured in the second temperature rising in the differential scanning calorimetry.

5 . An image forming method comprising:
forming an image with a toner; and fixing the image on a recording medium with a fixing device, wherein the toner comprises a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent, wherein the toner has a release agent amount indicator of from 0.01 to 0.20, the release agent amount indicator represented by a ratio (P 2850 /P 828 ) of an intensity (P 2850 ) at a wave number of 2,850 cm −1 to an intensity (P 828 ) at a wave number of 828 cm −1 of the toner measured by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflection method, wherein the fixing device includes:
a fixing rotator driven to rotate by a driving source;
a pressure rotator driven to rotate by rotation of the fixing rotator;
a fixing belt interposed between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator; and
a heater to heat the fixing belt.

6 . The image forming method of claim 5 , further comprising:
reducing a driving speed of the fixing rotator when an image area ratio of the image formed latest is equal to or more than a predetermined value.

7 . The image forming method of claim 5 , further comprising:
reducing a pressing force between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator when an image area ratio of the image formed latest is equal to or more than a predetermined value.

8 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
an electrostatic latent image bearer; a charger to charge a surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer; an irradiator to irradiate the charged surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device containing a toner, to develop the electrostatic latent image with the toner to form a toner image; a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium; and a fixing device to fix the toner image on the recording medium, including:
a fixing rotator driven to rotate by a driving source;
a pressure rotator driven to rotate by rotation of the fixing rotator;
a fixing belt interposed between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator; and
a heater to heat the fixing belt,
wherein the toner has a release agent amount indicator of from 0.01 to 0.20, the release agent amount indicator represented by a ratio (P 2850 /P 828 ) of an intensity (P 2850 ) at a wave number of 2,850 cm −1 to an intensity (P 828 ) at a wave number of 828 cm −1 of the toner measured by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflection method.

9 . The image forming apparatus of claim 8 ,
wherein the toner has a glass transition temperature (Tg 1st ) of from 45° C. to 65° C. measured in a first temperature rising in a differential scanning calorimetry, wherein a THF-insoluble matter in the toner has two glass transition temperatures Tg a1st of from −45° C. to 5° C. and Tg b1st of from 45° C. to 70° C. measured in the first temperature rising in the differential scanning calorimetry, wherein a THF-soluble matter in the toner has a glass transition temperature (Tg 2nd ) of from 40° C. to 65° C. measured in a second temperature rising in the differential scanning calorimetry.

10 . The image forming apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the THF-insoluble matter in the toner has a glass transition temperature (Tg 2nd′ ) of from 0° C. to 50° C. measured in the second temperature rising in the differential scanning calorimetry.

Assignees

• Matsuda Ryohei
• Hase Takamasa
• Inoue Daisuke
• Kawata Teppei
• Takei Akio

Inventors

• Matsuda Ryohei
• Hase Takamasa
• Inoue Daisuke
• Kawata Teppei
• Takei Akio

Classifications

• G03G9/08797

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

• G03G9/08782

  Waxes · CPC title

• G03G15/2064

  combined with pressure · CPC title

• G03G9/0821 Primary

  characterised by physical parameters (magnetic parameters G03G9/083) · CPC title

• G03G9/08795

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