Two-Component Developer Carrier for High-Speed Image Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face issues with carrier charging properties and volume resistivity, leading to deteriorated image quality due to the changing properties of the carrier used in two-component developers.
Innovation Solution
A two-component developer with a carrier having a particulate core material and a crosslinked cover layer formed from a resin comprising specific units, which maintains optimal cross-linkage density and surface energy to prevent carrier adhesion and toner scattering, ensuring stable image formation at high speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a conventional carrier is used in super-high speed electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, then the print speed can be increased, but the charging property and volume resistivity of the carrier change seriously, resulting in deterioration of image qualities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the carrier cover layer by incorporating specific resin components (polyester resin with glass transition temperature 50-150°C and polyurethane resin with nitrogen-containing groups) in controlled ratios, which changes the physical and chemical properties of the carrier to maintain stable charging characteristics at high speeds
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite carrier structure combining a magnetic core material with a cover layer made of multiple resin components (polyester and polyurethane resins with specific functional groups), where the composite structure provides both high-speed compatibility and stable electrical properties
2Manufacturing precision
If the diameter of toner is reduced to produce high quality images, then image quality improves, but the carrier properties become more sensitive to speed changes, exacerbating the problem
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the resin composition parameters of the carrier cover layer to compensate for the increased sensitivity caused by smaller toner diameters, ensuring that the carrier maintains stable properties even when used with fine toner particles at high speeds
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
The solution effectively stabilizes the carrier's properties, preventing toner adhesion and carrier adhesion issues, thereby maintaining high-quality image formation across a range of print speeds, from 300 mm/sec to 2,000 mm/sec, without compromising the carrier's abrasion resistance or charging ability.
Implementation Method 1
a crosslinked cover layer formed from a resin comprising specific units, which maintains optimal cross-linkage density and surface energy
Implementation Method 2
Forming an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing member such as a photoreceptor
Implementation Method 3
Developing the electrostatic latent image with a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier
Data Source
AI summary
The developing method includes developing an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing member with a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier and born on at least one developer bearing member, whose surface moves at a linear speed of from 300 mm/sec to 2,000 mm/sec. The carrier includes a particulate core material; and a cover layer located on a surface of the core material and including a crosslinked material obtained by crosslinking a resin including a first unit having a specific tris(trialkylsiloxy) silyl group and a second unit having a specific alkoxysilyl group having a crosslinking ability. Each of the first unit and the second unit is included in the resin in a molar ratio of from 0.1 to 0.9 based on all the units included in the resin.