Inorganic Oxide Toner Composition for Cleaner-Less Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toner technologies struggle to achieve both high transferability and cleaning properties, especially in cleaner-less systems, when the speed of electrophotographic apparatuses is increased and life is extended, particularly with the use of paper types that generate paper dust.
Innovation Solution
A toner formulation incorporating a binding resin and inorganic oxide particles, such as Si, Mg, Al, or Sr, with specific Sm/St and circularity ratios, along with a production method involving hot-air surface treatment, to create a biased center of gravity and suppress rolling, enhancing cleaning properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the transfer current is reduced to suppress paper dust adhesion, then paper dust adhesion is reduced, but transfer efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical and chemical parameters of the toner particle by incorporating inorganic oxide particles with specific properties (Sm/St ratio and circularity distribution) to modify surface characteristics and electrostatic behavior, enabling effective paper dust suppression without reducing transfer current
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite toner structure by combining organic binding resin with inorganic oxide particles, where the inorganic component provides electrostatic control and cleaning properties while the organic component provides transferability, resolving the contradiction between paper dust adhesion and transfer efficiency
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a cleaner system is adopted to collect paper dust, then paper dust adhesion is suppressed, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The toner particle itself provides the cleaning function through its internal structure with biased inorganic oxide distribution, eliminating the need for external cleaning mechanisms like cleaning blades and waste toner boxes, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining paper dust suppression
Solution Approach 2:
The toner particle is designed to perform multiple functions: image formation, paper dust suppression, and self-cleaning, by incorporating inorganic oxide particles with specific Sm/St ratios and circularity distributions that enable both transferability and cleaning properties within a single component
3Productivity
If the speed of electrophotographic apparatus is increased, then productivity is improved, but transferability and cleaning property deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the toner particle structure to dynamically adapt to high-speed operation conditions, where the specific inorganic oxide distribution and circularity characteristics maintain stable electrostatic properties and cleaning effectiveness even at increased apparatus speeds
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adjusts the physical parameters of the toner particle (inorganic oxide content, Sm/St ratio, circularity distribution) to maintain optimal performance across a range of operating speeds, ensuring both transferability and cleaning property are preserved 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 toner achieves improved transferability and cleaning properties, maintaining performance even with increased speed and extended life, reducing paper dust adhesion and image defects.
Implementation Method 1
wherein an area Sm of the inorganic oxide particle that occupies each of four regions obtained by dividing the cross-section of the toner by a long diameter of the toner and a perpendicular bisector of the long diameter has a standard deviation of 0.40 or more in the observed cross-section
Implementation Method 2
the obtaining the toner particle includes obtaining a pre-hot-air surface treatment toner particle and subjecting the pre-hot-air surface treatment toner particle to surface treatment with hot air
Data Source
AI summary
The subject toner includes a toner particle containing a binding resin and an inorganic oxide particle, wherein the inorganic oxide particle is a particle of an oxide containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of: Si; Mg; Al; Ti; and Sr, wherein, when an area of the inorganic oxide particle is represented by Sm and a sectional area of the toner is represented by St in a cross-section of the toner observed with a transmission electron microscope, Sm/St is 4.0% or more, wherein an area Sm of the inorganic oxide particle that occupies each of four regions obtained by dividing the cross-section of the toner by a long diameter of the toner and a perpendicular bisector of the long diameter has a standard deviation of 0.40 or more in the observed cross-section, and wherein the toner has an average circularity of 0.950 or more.