IP Library Granted Patent US 7,498,114
Granted Patent B2
US 7,498,114 · App. 10/953,382 · Granted Mar 3, 2009

Toner, process of manufacturing toner, developer, toner container, process cartridge, image forming apparatus, and image forming process

Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.; Ricoh UK Products Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,498,114
App. No.
10/953,382
Granted
Mar 3, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A toner manufacturing process, includes: melting a kneaded composition, to thereby obtain a melted composition; and spraying the melted composition with a high pressure gas, to thereby form a fine particle. The kneaded composition is selected from the group consisting of the following <1>, <2> and <3>: <1> a first kneaded composition including a binder resin, a colorant, and a charge controlling agent, <2> a second kneaded composition including a binder resin, a colorant, a charge controlling agent, and a releasing agent, and <3> a third kneaded composition including a binder resin, a magnetic agent, a charge controlling agent, and a releasing agent.

Claims (16)

1. A toner manufacturing process, comprising:

kneading a mixed composition, to thereby obtain a kneaded composition; and

spraying the kneaded composition with a high pressure gas from a high pressure nozzle having a plurality of spray nozzles, to thereby form a fine particle,

wherein at least one residing zone is formed on a side surface of the plurality of spray nozzles, the at least one residing zone is configured to allow some of the gas flowing through the nozzle to temporarily reside therein before being ejected from the spray nozzle,

wherein the high pressure gas has undergone intersection collisions,

wherein the mixed composition is selected from the group consisting of the following <1>, <2>and <3>:

<1> a first mixed composition comprising a binder resin, a colorant, and a charge controlling agent,

<2> a second mixed composition comprising a binder resin, a colorant, a charge controlling agent, and a releasing agent,

<3> a third mixed composition comprising a binder resin, a magnetic agent, a charge controlling agent, and a releasing agent, and

wherein the high pressure nozzle has a vibrator causing a vibrational force of 500 N to 8000 N to the high pressure nozzle, with a frequency of 0.55 kHz to 2.00 kHz.

2. The toner manufacturing process according to claim 1 , wherein

the toner manufacturing process uses:

a kneading unit configured to knead the mixed composition, and

a spraying-granulating apparatus comprising a chamber equipped with the high pressure nozzle causing the high pressure gas, and

the kneaded composition being ejected into the chamber is sprayed with the high pressure gas from the high pressure nozzle.

3. The toner manufacturing process according to claim 1 , wherein a supersonic pulse of 10 kHz to 80 kHz is caused to the high pressure gas, to thereby carry out the spraying-granulating.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2005
From: MAKINO, NOBUYASU; MURAKAMI, FUMITOSHI; WEAVER, COLIN; ROBERTS, DAVID; KAGAWA, TSUTOMU
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.; RICOH UK PRODUCTS LTD.
Reel/Frame 016180/0789 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2003-343327 · Oct 1, 2003 · national
JP 2004-031927 · Feb 9, 2004 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20050112492A1 · May 26, 2005