Toner, method of manufacturing toner, image forming method, image forming apparatus, and process cartridge

1. A toner, comprising;

a main body particle including a binder resin, the binder resin including an amorphous resin and a crystalline resin;

a layer B located overlying the main body particle, the layer B comprising particles of a resin B; and

a layer A located overlying the layer B, the layer A comprising particles of a resin A.

2. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein the amorphous resin is an amorphous polyester resin, the crystalline resin is a crystalline polyester resin, the resin A is a styrene-acrylic resin, and the resin B is an acrylic resin.

3. The toner according to claim 2 , wherein the styrene-acrylic resin is an uncross-linked resin.

4. The toner according to claim 2 , wherein the acrylic resin is a cross-linked resin.

5. A method of manufacturing toner according to claim 1 , comprising:

dissolving or dispersing toner components in an organic solvent to prepare a toner components liquid, the toner components including the binder resin;

emulsifying the toner components liquid in an aqueous medium to prepare an emulsion, the aqueous medium containing the particles of the resins A and B;

removing the organic solvent from the emulsion; and

heating the emulsion.

6. A method of manufacturing toner according to claim 1 , comprising:

dissolving or dispersing toner components in an organic solvent to prepare a toner components liquid, the toner components including the binder resin;

adding the toner components liquid to an aqueous medium, the aqueous medium containing the particles of the resin A;

adding the particles of the resin B to the aqueous medium;

emulsifying the toner components liquid in the aqueous medium to prepare an emulsion;

removing the organic solvent from the emulsion; and

heating the emulsion.

7. A method of manufacturing toner according to claim 1 , comprising:

dissolving or dispersing toner components in an organic solvent to prepare a toner components liquid, the toner components including the binder resin;

emulsifying the toner components liquid in an aqueous medium to prepare an emulsion, the aqueous medium containing the particles of the resin A;

adding the particles of the resin B to the emulsion;

removing the organic solvent from the emulsion; and

heating the emulsion.

8. An image forming method, comprising:

charging an electrophotographic photoreceptor;

forming an electrostatic latent image on the charged electrophotographic photoreceptor;

developing the electrostatic latent image into a toner image with the toner according to claim 1 ;

primarily transferring the toner image from the electrophotographic photoreceptor onto an intermediate transfer member;

secondarily transferring the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium;

fixing the toner image on the recording medium by application of heat and pressure; and

removing residual toner particles remaining on the intermediate transfer member without being transferred onto the recording medium.

9. The image forming method according to claim 8 , in the secondarily transferring, the toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer member onto the recording medium at a linear speed of 100 to 1,000 mm/sec within a time period of 0.5 to 60 msec.

10. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an electrophotographic photoreceptor;

a charger to charge the electrophotographic photoreceptor;

an irradiator to form an electrostatic latent image on the charged electrophotographic photoreceptor;

a developing device containing the toner according to claim 1 , the developing device adapted to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image with the toner;

a transfer device to transfer the toner image from the electrophotographic photoreceptor onto a recording medium directly or via an intermediate transfer member;

a fixing device to fix the toner image on the recording medium by application of heat and pressure; and

a cleaning device to remove residual toner particles remaining on the electrophotographic photoreceptor or the intermediate transfer member without being transferred onto the recording medium.

11. A process cartridge, detachably attachable to image forming apparatus, comprising:

an electrophotographic photoreceptor to bear an electrostatic latent image; and

a developing device containing the toner according to claim 1 , the developing device adapted to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image with the toner.