Toner, method of producing same and image forming device

1. A toner, comprising:

a colorant,

a binder resin comprising a modified polyester, and one or more fine resin particles having a weight average particle diameter of 50 to 300 nm and being present on an outer surface of said toner, wherein

said toner has a BET specific surface area of 1.5 to 4.0 m 2 /g.

2. A toner as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said toner binder further comprises an unmodified polyester, and wherein the weight ratio of said modified polyester to said unmodified polyester ranges from 5:95 to 75:25.

3. A toner as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said binder resin has an acid value of 0.5 to 40 mg KOH/g.

4. A toner as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said toner binder has a glass transition point of 40 to 70° C.

5. A toner as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said one or more fine resin particles comprise a vinyl resin, a polyurethane resin, an epoxy resin, a polyester resin or a mixture thereof.

6. A toner as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amount of said one or more fine resin particles is 0.5 to 5.0% by weight, as measured by gas chromatography-mass analysis, based on the weight of said toner.

7. A toner as claimed in claim 1 , having a volume average particle diameter Dv of 4 to 8 μm.

8. A toner as claimed in claim 1 , having a volume average particle diameter of Dv and a number average particle diameter of Dn and wherein the ratio Dv/Dn is 1.25 or less.

9. A toner as claimed in claim 1 , having a sphericity of 0.96 to 0.90.

10. A toner as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a releasing agent, a charge controlling agent and an external additive.

11. A toner as claimed in claim 1 , obtained by a method comprising:

dispersing a toner composition, which comprises an organic solvent comprising said colorant, an active hydrogen-containing compound and a modified polyester prepolymer capable of reacting with said active hydrogen-containing compound and dispersed or dissolved in said organic solvent, in an aqueous medium comprising said one or more fine resin particles to obtain a dispersion;

reacting said prepolymer with said active hydrogen-containing compound to polymerize said prepolymer to obtain said modified polyester wherein said dispersion comprises toner particles dispersed in said aqueous medium and comprising said modified polyester and said colorant; and

removing said organic solvent and water from said dispersion wherein a part of said one or more fine resin particles are present on an outer surface of said toner particles.

12. A toner as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said removing is carried out by evaporation under vacuum and/or with heating.

13. A toner as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said removing is carried out by filtration.

14. A developer comprising said toner according to claim 1 .

15. A container comprising said developer according to claim 14 .

16. An image forming apparatus comprising said container according to claim 15 .

17. An image forming method comprising developing an electrostatic image on a photoconductor with said toner according to claim 1 , cleaning said photoconductor by removing a residual toner on said photoconductor, and recycling the removed toner to said developing step.

18. A method of producing said toner according to claim 1 , comprising:

dispersing a toner composition, which is in the form of an organic dispersion or solution and which comprises an organic solvent, a colorant, an active hydrogen-containing compound and a modified polyester prepolymer capable of reacting with said active hydrogen-containing compound, in an aqueous medium comprising fine resin particles having a weight average particle diameter of 50 to 300 nm to obtain an aqueous dispersion;

reacting said prepolymer with said active hydrogen-containing compound to polymerize said prepolymer and to obtain a modified polyester wherein said aqueous dispersion comprises toner particles dispersed in said aqueous medium and comprising said modified polyester, and said colorant; and

removing said organic solvent and water from said dispersion wherein a part of said one or more fine resin particles are present on outer surfaces of said toner particles.