IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,442,403
Granted Patent B2
US 9,442,403 · App. 14/421,071 · Granted Sep 13, 2016

Toner, developer, and image forming apparatus

Inventors: Azumi Miyaake (Shizuoka, JP); Kazumi Suzuki (Shizuoka, JP); Masana Shiba (Shizuoka, JP); Tatsuya Morita (Kanagawa, JP); Yoshitaka Yamauchi (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
G03G9/08755G03G9/0819G03G9/0821G03G9/0825G03G9/08764G03G9/08788G03G9/08797
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,442,403
App. No.
14/421,071
Granted
Sep 13, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a toner, including: a crystalline resin; and a colorant, wherein the toner has a sea island structure in which a crystal region containing the crystalline resin is formed as a sea, and a non-crystalline region containing the colorant is formed as an island.

Claims (32)

1. A toner, comprising:

a crystalline resin; and

a colorant,

wherein the toner has a sea island structure in which a crystal region comprising the crystalline resin is formed as a sea, and a non-crystalline region comprising the colorant is formed as an island,

wherein the island has a domain diameter of from 1.1 μm to 2.0 μm, and

wherein the toner has a storage elastic modulus at 160° C. of from 1.0×10 3 Pa to 1.6×10 4 Pa.

2. The toner according to claim 1 ,

wherein a degree of crystallization of the toner is 12% or more.

3. The toner according to claim 1 ,

wherein the toner has a storage elastic modulus at 160° C. of from 5.0×10 3 Pa to 1.0×10 4 Pa.

4. The toner according to claim 1 ,

wherein the island has a domain diameter of from 1.1 μm to 1.5 μm.

5. The toner according to claim 1 ,

wherein the crystalline resin comprises a resin comprising a polyester unit.

6. The toner according to claim 1 ,

wherein the crystalline resin comprises a resin comprising a urethane bond, a urea bond, or both in a main chain thereof.

7. The toner according to claim 6 ,

wherein the crystalline resin comprises a copolymer comprising a polyester unit, and either a polyurethane unit or a poly-urea unit.

8. The toner according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a block copolymer comprising a crystalline block and a non-crystalline block.

9. The toner according to claim 8 ,

wherein the block copolymer is poorly soluble in ethyl acetate.

10. The toner according to claim 1 ,

wherein the crystalline resin comprises a first crystalline resin, and a second crystalline resin having a weight average molecular weight larger than that of the first crystalline resin.

11. A developer, comprising:

a toner,

wherein the toner comprises:

a crystalline resin; and

a colorant,

wherein the toner has a sea island structure in which a crystal region comprising the crystalline resin is formed as a sea, and a non-crystalline region comprising the colorant is formed as an island,

wherein the island has a domain diameter of from 1.1 μm to 2.0 μm, and

wherein the toner has a storage elastic modulus at 160° C. of from 1.0×10 3 Pa to 1.6×10 4 Pa.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2015
From: MIYAAKE, AZUMI; SUZUKI, KAZUMI; SHIBA, MASANA; MORITA, TATSUYA; YAMAUCHI, YOSHITAKA
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 034940/0743 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2012-198564 · Sep 10, 2012 · national
JP 2013-047255 · Mar 8, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150220011A1 · Aug 6, 2015