Toner Composition for Light-Pressure Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toners face challenges in achieving good low-temperature fixability and image stability under light-pressure type fixing unit constructions, leading to contamination of the fixing film and reduced image quality over long-term use.
Innovation Solution
A toner composition featuring a binder resin with controlled molecular weight and branched structure, combined with monofunctional or bifunctional ester wax and hydrocarbon wax as release agents, which enhances plasticity and releasability, ensuring good fixability and image quality even under light pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If film fixation with high pressure is used, then good fixability is achieved, but the film wears out quickly during long-term use
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the pressure parameter from high to light pressure, and adjusts the toner composition parameters (binder resin glass transition temperature, release agent content and type) to achieve good fixability under the new pressure condition while reducing film wear
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite toner structure combining binder resin with specific glass transition temperature range (0°C to 100°C) and release agents (wax and/or resin) to create a material that provides both good fixability under light pressure and reduced contamination of the fixing film
2Duration of action of stationary object
If light pressure fixing is used, then film wear is reduced, but fixability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adjusts multiple parameters simultaneously: binder resin glass transition temperature (0°C to 100°C), release agent content (1-20 parts by mass per 100 parts binder resin), and release agent type (wax and/or resin) to achieve good fixability under light pressure conditions
3Reliability
If conventional toner composition is used, then general fixability is achieved, but releasability from fixing member deteriorates under light pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a composite material system consisting of binder resin with specific glass transition temperature range combined with release agents (wax and/or resin) to achieve both good fixability and releasability under light pressure fixing conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the release agent content parameter (1-20 parts by mass per 100 parts binder resin) and selects appropriate release agent types to improve releasability from the fixing member while maintaining fixability
4Duration of action of stationary object
If light pressure fixing is used, then film wear is reduced, but fixing film contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite toner formulation with binder resin (glass transition temperature: 0°C to 100°C) and release agents (wax and/or resin) that reduces fixing film contamination while enabling light pressure fixing
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adjusts the toner composition parameters including binder resin glass transition temperature, release agent content (1-20 parts by mass per 100 parts binder resin), and release agent type to minimize fixing film contamination under light pressure conditions
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 improved low-temperature fixability, reduced contamination of the fixing film, and sustained image quality and density over long-term use, with enhanced plasticity and releasability due to the specific selection and combination of release agents and binder resin properties.
Implementation Method 1
enhances plasticity and releasability, ensuring good fixability and image quality even under light pressure
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A toner with good low-temperature fixability even in light-pressure type fixing units, which causes no contamination of fixing films and provides images having stable image densities and excellent image quality after long-term use. The toner includes a toner particle containing a binder resin, a coloring agent, a release agents (a) and (b) The release agent (a) is a monofunctional or bifunctional ester wax; the release agent (b) is a hydrocarbon wax; a solubility of the release agent (a) into the binder resin is higher than that of the release agent (b). When tetrahydrofuran-soluble components of the toner are subjected to GPC, a proportion of components having a molecular weight of 500 or less is 2.5 area% or less. When the tetrahydrofuran-soluble components at 25°C are subjected to SEC-MALLS, a weight-average molecular weight Mw thereof is 5,000-100,000, and the Mw and the radius of gyration Rw thereof satisfy 5.0x10-4=Rw/Mw=1.0x10-2.