# US 10,481,528 B2 · Image forming method, image forming apparatus, and toner image fixing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,528 B2 - Document ID: US10481528B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/028,118 - Filed: 2018-07-05 - Published: 2019-01-10 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-10 - Assignees: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Applicants: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Inventors: Seijiro Takahashi; Haruo Horiguchi; Toyoko Shibata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481528B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/16: of a toner pattern, e.g. a powder pattern {, e.g. magnetic transfer} - G03G 9/087: Binders for toner particles - G03G 9/08711: {with esters of acrylic or methacrylic acid} - G03G 9/08795: {characterised by their chemical properties, e.g. acidity, molecular weight, sensitivity to reactants} - G03G 9/08797: {characterised by their physical properties, e.g. viscosity, solubility, melting temperature, softening temperature, glass transition temperature} - G03G 9/0904: {Carbon black} - G03G 9/0926: {characterised by physical or chemical properties} - G03G 15/04: for exposing, i.e. imagewise exposure by optically projecting the original image on a photoconductive recording material - G03G 15/2021: {Plurality of separate fixing and/or cooling areas or units, two step fixing} - G03G 15/2053: {Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating} - G03G 15/2039: {with means for controlling the fixing temperature} - G03G 15/2064: {combined with pressure} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An object of the present invention is achieved by an image forming method containing the steps of: forming a toner image by developing an electrostatic latent image with a toner; transferring the toner image on a recording medium; and fixing the toner image on the recording medium, wherein the fixing step of the toner image on the recording medium further contains the steps of: irradiating light having a wavelength range of 280 to 480 nm to the toner image; and applying pressure to the toner image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming method comprising the steps of: forming a toner image by developing an electrostatic latent image with a toner; transferring the toner image on a recording medium; and fixing the toner image on the recording medium, wherein the fixing step of the toner image on the recording medium further contains the steps of: irradiating only light having a wavelength range of 280 to 480 nm to the toner image; and applying pressure to the toner image, and the toner comprises a colorant and, in the toner, the colorant is a sole component capable of absorbing the light having the wavelength range of 280 to 480 nm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming method described in claim 1, wherein the toner image transferred on the recording medium is a black toner image or a color toner image formed with two or more color toners. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming method described in claim 1, wherein, in the light irradiating step, the light has a wavelength range from 280 or more to less than 400 nm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image forming method described in claim 1, wherein, in the light irradiating step, the light has a maximum emission wavelength range from 280 or more to less than 400 nm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming method described in claim 1, wherein, in the light irradiating step, the light is irradiated with a light-emitting diode or a laser lighting source. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image forming method described in claim 1, wherein, in the light irradiating step, a single or a plurality of lighting sources are used, and the light is irradiated to the toner image transferred on the recording medium from all of the lighting sources regardless a maximum absorption wavelength of the toner contained in the toner image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image forming method described in claim 1, wherein, in the light irradiating step, the light having a predetermined wavelength within the range is irradiated to the toner image regardless a maximum absorption wavelength of the toner contained in the toner image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming method described in claim 1, wherein, in the pressure applying step, the toner image transferred on the recording medium is pressed with a pressure in the range of 0.01 to 1.0 MPa. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image forming method described in claim 1, wherein the toner contains a binder resin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image forming method described in claim 9, wherein the binder resin comprises a thermoplastic resin. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image forming method described in claim 1, wherein the pressure applying step is a step of heating the toner image transferred on the recording medium while applying pressure to the toner image transferred on the recording medium. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image forming method described in claim 11, wherein, in the step of heating while applying pressure, a surface temperature of the toner image is heated to a temperature of (Tg-min+20) ° C. or more, provided that Tg-min is a glass transition temperature of the toner having a lowest glass transition temperature among the toner which forms the toner image. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An image forming apparatus employing the image forming method described in claim 1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A toner image fixing apparatus used for the image forming apparatus described in claim 13, wherein the toner image fixing apparatus contains: a light irradiating unit to irradiate the toner image on the recording medium with only light in a wavelength range of 280 to 480 nm; and a pressure applying unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The image forming method described in claim 10, wherein the colorant is a sole component capable of converting the light into a heat to soften the thermoplastic resin.