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US 7,608,376 B2Granted
Method of manufacturing liquid developer, liquid developer, and image forming apparatus
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsSatoru Miura, Hiroshi Kaiho, Takashi Teshima, Koji Akioka, Ken Ikuma
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing a liquid developer includes associating fine particles mainly containing a resin material so as to obtain associated particles, and disintegrating the associated particles in an insulation liquid so as to obtain toner particles.
Claims14
A method of manufacturing a liquid developer, the method comprising:
- forming a water-based emulsion by dispersing a dispersoid mainly containing a resin material in a water-based liquid;
- forming associated particles having an average particle size of 1˜10 μm by adding an electrolyte to the water-based emulsion and associating the dispersoid having an average particle size of 0.01˜3 μm in the water-based emulsion;
- obtaining the associated particles by drying the dispersoid;
- mixing the associated particles with a first insulation liquid;
- disintegrating the associated particles in the first insulation liquid so as to obtain toner particles having an average particle size of 1˜5 μm;
- and
- adding a second insulation liquid that is different from the first insulation liquid.
4 more elements
A liquid developer that is manufactured by a manufacturing method including:
- forming a water-based emulsion by dispersing a dispersoid mainly containing a resin material in a water-based liquid;
- forming associated particles having an average particle size of 1˜10 μm by adding an electrolyte to the water-based emulsion and associating the dispersoid having an average particle size of 0.01˜3 μm in the water-based emulsion;
- obtaining the associated particles by drying the dispersoid;
- mixing the associated particles with a first insulation liquid;
- disintegrating the associated particles in the first insulation liquid so as to obtain toner particles having an average particle size of 1˜10 μm;
- and
- adding a second insulation liquid that is different from the first insulation liquid.
4 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a liquid developer storage unit that stores a liquid developer;
- a developing unit that develops using the liquid developer supplied from the liquid developer storage unit;
- a transfer unit that transfers an image formed on the developing unit to a recording medium so as to form a transfer image on the recording medium;
- and
- a fixing unit that fixes the transfer image formed on the recording medium onto the recording medium,
- wherein the liquid developer is manufactured by a manufacturing method that includes:
- forming a water-based emulsion by dispersing a dispersoid mainly containing a resin material in a water-based liquid;
- forming associated particles having an average particle size of 1˜10 μm by adding an electrolyte to the water-based emulsion and associating the dispersoid having an average particle size of 0.01˜3 μm in the water-based emulsion;
- obtaining the associated particles by drying the dispersoid;
- mixing the associated particles with a first insulation liquid;
- disintegrating the associated particles in the first insulation liquid so as to obtain toner particles having an average particle size of 1˜10 μmμm;
- and
- adding a second insulation liquid that is different from the first insulation liquid.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.