Toner Drying Rotary Vane Agitator Prevents Wall Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drying methods for colored resin particles in toner production are inefficient, leading to fusion bonding with the dryer walls and compromised toner properties, especially in batch systems, where high temperatures result in thermal deterioration and low productive efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A rotary vane type agitating device with controlled drying conditions, including a specific gas inlet and outlet configuration, is used to dry wet colored resin particles, preventing fusion bonding and allowing for efficient drying and external additive addition in the same device, ensuring high initial charge levels and printing durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If hot air drying is used to improve drying efficiency, then drying speed is improved, but fusion bonding of toner particles to dryer walls occurs and toner properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic agitation through a rotary vane mechanism that continuously moves and redistributes the toner particles during drying. This dynamic motion prevents particles from remaining stationary against the dryer walls, thereby preventing fusion bonding while maintaining high drying efficiency through controlled hot air circulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary agitation mechanism (rotary vane) between the hot air drying process and the toner particles. This intermediary device mediates the interaction by providing controlled movement to the particles, preventing direct contact and fusion with the dryer walls while allowing the drying process to proceed efficiently.
2Loss of time
If high temperature drying is used to reduce drying time, then drying time is reduced, but thermal fusion bonding and toner deterioration occur
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary vane creates continuous dynamic motion of toner particles during high-temperature drying, preventing them from settling and fusing on the dryer walls. This dynamic agitation allows the system to use higher temperatures for faster drying without the harmful effect of thermal fusion bonding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary agitation before fusion bonding can occur by continuously moving particles through the drying zone. This preliminary action of constant redistribution prevents the particles from remaining in contact with hot surfaces long enough to fuse, enabling faster drying times without deterioration.
3Device complexity
If batch drying system is used to simplify the drying process, then process complexity is reduced, but productive efficiency is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the drying function with an agitation function in a single batch drying device. The rotary vane serves dual purposes: agitating the toner particles to prevent fusion and facilitating efficient drying. This combination maintains batch process simplicity while significantly improving productive efficiency through enhanced mass and heat transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The drying device is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a drying chamber and an agitation mechanism. The rotary vane structure provides universal functionality by simultaneously mixing, redistributing, and preventing particle adhesion, thereby improving productivity without requiring separate complex systems.
4Manufacturing precision
If external additive addition is performed in a separate device after drying, then mixing precision is improved, but device complexity and operation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the external additive addition function with the drying device by incorporating it into the same rotary vane agitation system. The continuous agitation that prevents fusion during drying also ensures uniform distribution of external additives when added, maintaining mixing precision while reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary vane agitation system provides universal functionality by serving both the drying process and the external additive mixing process. This multi-functional approach allows precise mixing of additives without requiring a separate dedicated mixing device, thereby reducing operation and device complexity.
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 process achieves high-efficiency drying of colored resin particles with no fusion bonding to the dryer walls, resulting in toners with excellent charge levels and printing durability, while simplifying the external additive addition step and enhancing continuous operation stability.
Implementation Method 1
the wet colored resin particles are agitated by the rotary vane within the agitation vessel while supplying a heated gas from the gas inlet port, thereby forming a fluidized bed of the wet colored resin particles
Implementation Method 2
supplying a heated gas from the gas inlet port, thereby forming a fluidized bed of the wet colored resin particles, and a mixed gas containing the heated gas supplied and water volatilized out of the wet colored resin particles is discharged from the gas outlet port
Data Source
AI summary
A production process of a toner, wherein wet colored resin particles are poured into a rotary vane type agitating device having a structure that an agitating vane fixed to a rotating drive shaft extending through a bottom wall of an agitation vessel is arranged at a bottom of the agitation vessel, and at least one gas inlet port and at least one gas outlet port are arranged at a lower portion of the agitation vessel and an upper portion of the agitation vessel, respectively, the wet colored resin particles are dried by a method, in which the wet colored resin particles are agitated by the rotary vane within the agitation vessel while supplying a heated gas, thereby forming a fluidized bed, and a mixed gas containing water is discharged from the gas outlet port to the outside, and at that time, drying conditions are controlled in such a manner that the temperature of the gas discharged falls within a range from 20 to 60° C.