Toner Hardness Profile for Rough Paper Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current toners face challenges in achieving both good fixing performance on rough paper and long-term durability, especially at high speeds and light pressures, with issues such as tape peeling resistance and line width stability, due to limitations in existing core-shell structures and adhesion properties.
Innovation Solution
A toner with a specific hardness profile determined by nanoindentation methods, featuring a 'tough site' with a harder inner layer and a softer outer layer, allowing for stress propagation and improved adhesion, is developed. This toner includes a binder resin with a crosslinking agent and a magnetic body, optimizing surface hardness and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the process speed of the fixing means is reduced to improve tape peeling resistance, then tape peeling resistance is improved, but high-speed output is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the toner by controlling the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the binder resin to be 80°C or lower, and adjusting the particle size distribution (D4/D1 ratio of 0.85 or more). These parameter changes enable the toner to achieve good fixing performance at high speeds without requiring reduced process speed, thus resolving the contradiction between tape peeling resistance and high-speed output capability
2Reliability
If contact pressure between fixing film and pressure roller is increased to improve tape peeling resistance, then tape peeling resistance is improved, but the life of the fixing means is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the toner parameters including binder resin Tg (80°C or lower) and particle size distribution (D4/D1 ≥ 0.85), which enable the toner to achieve proper adhesion and fixing at light pressure conditions. This eliminates the need to increase contact pressure, thereby preserving the life of the fixing means while maintaining good tape peeling resistance
3Volume of moving object
If the diameter of the developing roller is reduced and the number of conveying rollers is reduced to minimize size, then device size is reduced, but toner deterioration is exacerbated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the toner's physical parameters, specifically setting the binder resin Tg to 80°C or lower and the D4/D1 ratio to 0.85 or more. These changes enhance the toner's mechanical strength and resistance to deterioration, allowing the toner to withstand the harsh conditions in miniaturized developing systems with fewer rollers and higher contact pressure, thus resolving the contradiction between device size reduction and toner durability
4Temperature
If a core-shell structure is used to achieve low-temperature fixing performance, then fixing performance is improved, but durability in high-speed contact development system is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental approach from core-shell structure to optimizing the binder resin properties directly. By setting the binder resin Tg to 80°C or lower and controlling particle size distribution (D4/D1 ≥ 0.85), the toner achieves both low-temperature fixing performance and high durability in high-speed contact development systems, resolving the contradiction between fixing performance and durability
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 exhibits enhanced tape peeling resistance and line width stability on rough paper, maintaining performance even at high speeds and light pressures, while preventing external additive embedding and minimizing surface cracking, thus ensuring long-term durability and improved image quality.
Implementation Method 1
a toner particle further includes a magnetic body; the binder resin includes a vinyl resin having a monomer unit derived from a crosslinking agent represented by formula (4) and the crosslinking agent has a molecular weight of 300 or more
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A toner including: a toner particle that includes a binder resin; and an external additive, wherein a toner hardness A N/m and a toner hardness B N/m satisfy B ≥ 600 and B/A ≥ 1.30, in the formulas, the toner hardness A is an average value of a slope in a displacement region of from 0.00 µm to 0.20 µm when measuring the toner under a condition of a load application speed of 0.83 µN/sec, and the toner hardness B is an average value of a slope in a displacement region of from 0.00 µm to 0.20 µm when measuring the toner under a condition of a load application speed of 2.50 µN/sec.