Core-Shell Toner for Pressure-Based Fixing Without Heating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrostatic image developing toners with addition polymerization or polycondensation resins require heating for fixing due to insufficient pressure yield behavior, leading to image defects and adhesion issues in electrophotographic processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of electrostatic image developing toners with a core-shell structure, where both the core and shell are non-crystalline resins with a glass transition temperature difference of 20°C or greater, and the shell contains acidic or basic polar groups, allowing for pressure-induced plasticization and fixing without heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heating is applied for fixing toner images, then fixing reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases and image defects may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the toner by controlling the glass transition temperature difference between core and shell resins to be 20°C or greater, with the shell resin having a lower Tg. This parameter change enables the toner to undergo pressure-induced plasticization at lower temperatures, allowing fixing without heating while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the thermal fixing mechanism with a mechanical pressure-based fixing mechanism. By applying pressure to the toner image, the core-shell structure undergoes pressure-induced plasticization that enables bonding without thermal energy input, thus substituting heating with mechanical compression
2Reliability
If heating is applied for fixing toner images, then fixing reliability is improved, but image defects are caused
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the toner's thermal parameters by creating a core-shell structure with a 20°C or greater glass transition temperature difference. This parameter modification allows the toner to achieve proper fixing characteristics through pressure alone, eliminating the harmful effects of heating such as image defects and adhesion issues
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional toners are used, then manufacturing is simple, but pressure yield behavior is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses composite materials by combining two different resins in a core-shell structure. The core resin provides structural stability while the shell resin with lower glass transition temperature provides pressure-responsive properties. This composite structure achieves superior pressure yield behavior while remaining manufacturable through conventional toner production processes
4Manufacturing precision
If toner particle size is reduced for high-definition images, then image quality is improved, but film formation on photoreceptors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surface properties of small toner particles through the core-shell structure, where the shell resin with specific glass transition temperature and functional groups prevents excessive adhesion. This allows use of smaller particles for high-definition imaging while preventing the harmful film formation that would otherwise occur
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables reliable fixing at low temperatures, reduces toner consumption, and achieves high-definition images with improved storage stability and prevention of image defects, while allowing for smaller toner particle sizes and reduced formation of films on photoreceptors.
Implementation Method 1
both of a resin constituting a core of the core-shell structure and a resin constituting a shell of the core-shell structure are a non-crystalline resin, a glass transition temperature of the resin constituting the core and a grass transition temperature of the resin constituting the shell are different by about 20° C. or greater
Implementation Method 2
a glass transition temperature of the resin constituting the core and a grass transition temperature of the resin constituting the shell are different by about 20° C. or greater
Implementation Method 3
forming an electrostatic latent image on a surface of a latent image carrier
Implementation Method 4
transferring the toner image onto a surface of a target to obtain a transferred toner image
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming method includes forming an electrostatic latent image on a surface of a latent image carrier; developing the electrostatic latent image with a developing agent including a toner to form a toner image; transferring the toner image onto a surface of a target to obtain a transferred toner image; and fixing the transferred toner image; wherein the toner includes a resin particle having a core-shell structure, both of a resin constituting the core and a resin constituting the shell are a non-crystalline resin, glass transition temperatures of the resin constituting the core and the resin constituting the shell are different by about 20° C. or greater, the resin constituting the shell includes an acidic polar group, a basic polar group, or an alcoholic hydroxy group, and the fixing of the transferred toner image is performed by applying a pressure on the transferred toner image without heating.