Toner Melting Point Differential for Gloss and Readability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in developing a toner that can simultaneously produce high-gloss, clear full-color images while also achieving low-gloss monochrome images for easy reading, as existing toners struggle to balance these contradictory demands due to differences in melting points and gloss levels between color and monochrome modes.
Innovation Solution
A developer comprising a color toner with an amorphous polyester resin and ester wax, and a monochrome toner with a crystalline polyester resin, where the melting points of the resins for color and monochrome toners are set to satisfy a specific temperature difference, ensuring favorable high-temperature storage stability and low-temperature offset properties, thereby achieving the desired image qualities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a toner is designed to produce high-gloss full-color images, then image clarity and gloss are improved, but monochrome images become difficult to read due to excessive light reflection
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the toner into two distinct types: a color toner containing amorphous polyester resin for high-gloss full-color images, and a monochrome toner containing crystalline polyester resin for low-gloss monochrome images. This segmentation allows each toner type to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between gloss and readability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different resin properties to different toner types based on their intended use. The color toner uses amorphous polyester resin with specific melting point range (115-130°C) to achieve high gloss, while the monochrome toner uses crystalline polyester resin with higher melting point range (140-155°C) to achieve low gloss and improved readability. Each toner type has locally optimized properties for its specific application
2Temperature
If the melting point of the binder resin is reduced to enable low-temperature fixing, then energy consumption is reduced, but storage stability at high temperatures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the melting point parameter of the binder resin by selecting different resin types: amorphous polyester resin with melting point of 115-130°C for color toner enables low-temperature fixing, while crystalline polyester resin with melting point of 140-155°C for monochrome toner provides high-temperature storage stability. This parameter differentiation resolves the contradiction between fixing temperature and storage stability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material systems where each toner type combines specific binder resin (amorphous or crystalline polyester) with ester wax having carbon number 32-48. This composite approach allows the color toner to achieve low melting point for easy fixing while the monochrome toner achieves high storage stability, effectively managing the temperature-stability trade-off
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
This solution allows for the production of clear, high-gloss full-color images and low-gloss monochrome images, enhancing reading clarity by controlling the melting points of the toners and using ester wax for improved dispersion and storage stability, thus addressing the contradictory demands effectively.
Implementation Method 1
an amorphous polyester resin having a melting point (Tm1) of from 115 to 130° C., a crystalline polyester resin, and an ester wax... the amorphous polyester resin to be used for the monochrome toner has a melting point (Tm2) of from 140 to 155° C.
Implementation Method 2
an ester wax which includes ester compounds having an alkyl group and also having a carbon number of from 32 to 48... in which the wax is favorably dispersed and which has favorable high-temperature storage stability
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment, provided is a developer, which is used for a full-color image forming apparatus, wherein the developer includes a monochrome toner and a color toner, each including a coloring material, an amorphous polyester resin, a crystalline polyester resin, and an ester wax which includes ester compounds having an alkyl group and also having a carbon number of from 32 to 48, the amorphous polyester resin to be blended in the monochrome toner has a melting point (Tm2) of from 140 to 155° C. and the amorphous polyester resin to be blended in the color toner has a melting point (Tm1) of from 115 to 130° C., and the Tm1 and the Tm2 satisfy the following formula (1): 10(° C.)≦Tm2−Tm1≦40(° C.).