IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,585,208
Granted Patent B2
US 12,585,208 · App. 18/079,050 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Glittering toner, toner-storing unit, developer, developer-storing unit,image forming apparatus, and image forming method

Inventors: Tsukiko Takahashi (Shizuoka, JP); Kohsuke Satoh (Shizuoka, JP); Kazumi Suzuki (Shizuoka, JP); Daichi Hisakuni (Shizuoka, JP); Kazuoki Fuwa (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
G03G9/0902G03G9/08711G03G9/08755G03G9/08795G03G9/0926
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,585,208
App. No.
18/079,050
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A glittering toner includes: a flat metallic pigment having a surface coated with a resin; a polyester-styrene acrylic composite resin; and a polyester resin. When a solubility parameter of the polyester-styrene acrylic composite resin is represented by SP1 (cal/cm 3 ) 1/2 and a solubility parameter of the polyester resin is represented by SP2 (cal/cm 3 ) 1/2 , the SP1 and the SP2 satisfy a relational expression (1): [SP2−SP1>0.3] and the SP1 satisfies a relational expression (2): [10<SP1].

Claims (36)

1 . A glittering toner comprising:

a flat metallic pigment having a surface coated with a resin, an aspect ratio of the flat metallic pigment being 20 or more and 200 or less;

a polyester-styrene acrylic composite resin; and

a polyester resin,

wherein when a solubility parameter of the polyester-styrene acrylic composite resin is represented by SP1 (cal/cm 3 ) 1/2 and a solubility parameter of the polyester resin is represented by SP2 (cal/cm 3 ) 1/2 , the SPI and the SP2 satisfy a relational expression (1) below and the SP1 satisfies a relational expression (2) below,

SP2−SP1>0.3  (1)

10<SP1  (2),

wherein the flat metallic pigment includes aluminum, brass, bronze, nickel, stainless steel, zinc, copper, silver, gold, platinum, or metal-deposited flaky glass powder,

wherein the resin coating the surface of the flat metallic pigment is a polymer of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, lauryl acrylate, stearyl acrylate, cyclohexyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxybutyl acrylate, 2-methoxyethyl acrylate, 2-diethylaminoethyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, octyl methacrylate, 1,4-butanediol diacrylate, 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, 1,9-nonanediol diacrylate, neopentyl glycol diacrylate, tripropylene glycol diacrylate tetraethylene glycol diacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, tetramethylolmethane tetraacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate trisacryloxyethyl phosphate, ditrimethylolpropane tetraacrylate, styrene, α-methylstyrene, vinyltoluene, divinylbenzene, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, maleic acid, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, polybutadiene, linseed oil, soybean oil, epoxidized soybean oil, epoxidized polybutadiene, cyclohexene vinylmonoxide, divinylbenzene monoxide, mono (2-acryloyloxyethyl) acid phosphate, mono (2-methacryloyloxyethyl) acid phosphate, 2-acryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, 2-methacryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, (2-hydroxyethyl) methacrylate acid phosphate, 2-methacryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, 2-acryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, diphenyl methacryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, diphenyl acryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, dibutyl methacryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, dibutyl acryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, dioctyl methacryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, dioctyl acryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, 2-methacryloyloxypropyl acid phosphate, bis(2-chloroethyl) vinyl phosphonate, di-2-methacryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, tri-2-methacryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, di-2-acryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, tri-2-acryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, diallyldibutylphosphonosuccinate, an acrylic-modified polyester having a degree of polymerization of 2 to 20, an acrylic-modified polyether having a degree of polymerization of 2 to 20, an acrylic-modified urethane having a degree of polymerization of 2 to 20, an acrylic-modified epoxy having a degree of polymerization of 2 to 20, or an acrylic-modified spiran having a degree of polymerization of 2 to 20,

wherein the polyester-styrene acrylic composite resin is an amorphous resin including a styrene-acrylic portion and a polyester portion, and

wherein the polyester resin includes a component A, a component B, and a component C, component A including a constituent unit of a polyhydric alcohol and a constituent unit of a polycarboxylic acid, component B being a modified polyester containing a bond other than an ester bond, and component C being a linear polyester.

2 . The glittering toner according to claim 1 , wherein when a solubility parameter of the flat metallic pigment having the surface coated with the resin is represented by SPpig (cal/cm 3 ) 1/2 , the SP2 and the SPpig satisfy a relational expression (3) below,

SP2<SPpig<13  (3).

3 . The glittering toner according to claim 2 ,

wherein the SP2 and the SPpig satisfy a relational expression (4) below,

SP2<SPpig<12  (4).

4 . A toner-storing unit comprising:

the glittering toner according to claim 1 ; and

a unit that stores the glittering toner.

5 . A developer comprising:

the glittering toner according to claim 1 ; and

a carrier.

6 . A developer-storing unit comprising:

the developer according to claim 5 ; and

a unit that stores the developer.

7 . An image forming apparatus comprising:

an electrostatic latent image bearer;

an electrostatic latent image formation unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image bearer;

a developing unit that includes the glittering toner according to claim 1 and is configured to develop, with the glittering toner, the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image bearer to form a toner image;

a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image formed on the electrostatic latent image bearer onto a surface of a recording medium; and

a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image transferred onto the surface of the recording medium.

8 . An image forming method comprising:

forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearer;

developing, with the glittering toner according to claim 1 , the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image bearer, to form a toner image;

transferring the toner image formed on the electrostatic latent image bearer onto a surface of a recording medium; and

fixing the toner image transferred onto the surface of the recording medium.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2022
From: TAKAHASHI, TSUKIKO; SATOH, KOHSUKE; SUZUKI, KAZUMI; HISAKUNI, DAICHI; FUWA, KAZUOKI
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 062050/0032 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2021-202427 · Dec 14, 2021 · national
JP 2022-136677 · Aug 30, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230185210A1 · Jun 15, 2023
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