JP2008164915A - Image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming method by which a good image is obtained by achieving development stability in both environments at low temperature and low humidity and at high temperature and high humidity, and by which harmful effects on an image due to long-term disuse are eliminated. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming method includes developing an electrostatic latent image on a surface of an electrostatic latent image carrier with a toner which a toner carrier carries, wherein the toner carrier includes a conductive elastic layer and a conductive resin layer constituting an outermost surface layer, the surface layer has a contact angle to ethylene glycol of 60-90° and a contact angle to diiodomethane of 30-38°, the toner is a nonmagnetic monocomponent toner comprising toner particles obtained by an emulsion polymerization aggregation method, and an average circularity R1 of the group of particles having 10-90% of a particle diameter of the toner particles and an average circularity R2 of the group of particles having ≥90% of the particle diameter satisfy 0.930≤R1≤0.965 and 0.970≤R2≤0.990. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming method for copying machines, printers, facsimiles, plotters and the like.

  2. Description of the Related Art An electrophotographic apparatus employing a contact development method is known as an electrophotographic apparatus used for a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile receiver, and the like. The contact development method uses a non-magnetic one-component toner, and is a development method in which the latent image is visualized by attaching the toner to the latent image on the photosensitive drum via the toner carrier, and it is not necessary to use a magnetic material and is reduced in size and weight. Is easy. Also, it is frequently used because it is easy to colorize.

  As the electrophotographic apparatus is reduced in size and weight, the market has greatly expanded and has been used in various environments ranging from high temperature and high humidity to low temperature and low humidity, and development characteristics independent of temperature and humidity are required. Many countermeasures are taken from both the member and toner sides.

  For example, as an approach to the above problem from the toner carrier of the developing member, an electronic resistance material and an ionic conductive material are mixed in the semiconductive coating layer, thereby suppressing the fluctuation range of the electrical resistance due to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for suppressing a change in image density accompanying an environmental change. However, there is a problem when a toner supply roller for applying toner to the surface of the toner carrier is provided. That is, when the electrophotographic apparatus is kept in a state where the electrophotographic apparatus is not operated for a long period of time, they continue to abut at the same position for a long period of time, so that the exuding component from the toner supply roller adheres to the surface of the toner carrier. End up. As a result, there is a problem that banding occurs in a halftone image. In particular, this phenomenon can remarkably occur when left in a high temperature and high humidity (40 ° C./95% RH) environment for a long period of time.

  On the other hand, as an approach to the above problem from the toner, an attempt is made to achieve both cleaning and resolution by specifying the degree of unevenness and shape factor of the toner particles using an emulsion aggregation method in which the shape control is relatively easy. (Patent Documents 2 and 3). In addition, attempts have been made to achieve uniform charging and high transfer efficiency by defining physical properties of external additives added to toner particles (Patent Document 4). Certainly, such a measure has improved the development stability in one environment, and a stable image can be obtained. However, as a result of intensive studies by the present inventors, the development stability in both low temperature and low humidity and high temperature and high humidity environments, in particular, the development stability after standing for a long time in the environment, the performance is still insufficient. In fact, it is still necessary to improve various characteristics of both the developing member and the toner.

JP 7-13415 A JP2001-22122 JP 2005-91684 A JP 2003-29449 A

  The present invention is to provide an image forming method that solves the above-described background art. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method in which a good image can be obtained by enabling development stability in both a low temperature and low humidity environment and a high temperature and high humidity environment, and image damage caused by long-term standing is suppressed.

As a result of intensive investigations in view of the above problems, the present inventors have frictionally charged at least the toner carried on the toner carrier by the toner layer pressure regulating member pressed against the toner carrier and directly applied to the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier. Alternatively, in the image forming method of contacting the toner carrier via toner and developing the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier with the toner carried by the toner carrier,
The toner carrier has at least a shaft body, a conductive elastic layer provided on the shaft body, and a conductive resin layer constituting the outermost layer, and a contact angle of ethylene glycol on the surface layer of the toner carrier. Is 60 to 90 degrees and the contact angle of diiodomethane is 30 to 38 degrees,
The toner is obtained by forming aggregated particles containing at least the resin fine particles and the colorant particles in a mixed solution containing at least resin fine particles and colorant fine particles, and then heating and aggregating the aggregated particles. A non-magnetic one-component toner having toner particles,
The average circularity of a particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90% is R1, and the average value of a particle group having a particle size of 90% or more is the number-based particle size measured by the flow particle image measuring device of the toner particles. It has been found that satisfying the relational expressions 0.930 ≦ R1 ≦ 0.965 and 0.970 ≦ R2 ≦ 0.990 when the circularity is R2 is an indispensable matter for solving the above-mentioned problems. It came.

  According to the present invention, a stable and high-quality image independent of temperature and humidity can be obtained. That is, it is possible to obtain an image forming method that has good dot reproducibility at low temperature and low humidity and suppresses the bad effect of banding image due to the long-term leaving contact portion between the toner supply roller and the toner carrier in a high temperature and high humidity environment.

  The fact that the development characteristics of electrophotography are stable without depending on temperature and humidity has great advantages, such as a wider choice of places of use. Therefore, the present inventors have intensively studied the performance.

  As a result, a toner in which the average circularity of a particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90% and the average circularity of a particle group having a particle size of 90% or more in a number-based particle diameter is defined within a certain range is used. Further, it has been found that the above-mentioned performance is improved when used in combination with a toner carrier having a specific contact angle with respect to a certain substance.

Specifically, it has at least a toner carrier and a toner supply roller, and the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier is brought into contact with the toner carrier directly or via toner, and the electrostatic latent image is formed by the toner carried by the toner carrier. In the image forming method for developing the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the carrier,
The toner carrier surface has a contact angle with respect to ethylene glycol of 60 to 90 degrees and a contact angle with diiodomethane of 30 to 38 degrees,
The toner is obtained by forming aggregated particles containing at least the resin fine particles and the colorant particles in a mixed solution containing at least resin fine particles and the colorant fine particles, and then heating and aggregating the aggregated particles. A non-magnetic one-component toner having toner particles,
The average circularity of the particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90% in the number-based particle diameter measured by the flow type particle image measuring apparatus of the toner particles is R1, and the average circularity of the particle group having a particle diameter of 90% or more is used. When the degree is R2, it is essential to satisfy the relational expressions 0.930 ≦ R1 ≦ 0.965 and 0.970 ≦ R2 ≦ 0.990 in order to solve the above problems.

  When the contact angle with respect to ethylene glycol is not 60 to 90 degrees and the contact angle with diiodomethane is not 30 to 38 degrees in the toner carrier, image adverse effects cannot be suppressed. In particular, it is not possible to suppress the adverse effect of banding images due to the long-term leaving contact portion between the toner supply roller and the toner carrier when left for a long time in a high temperature and high humidity environment. Further, even when the contact angle of the toner carrier with ethylene glycol and diiodomethane is within the above range, the toner to be used has an average circularity R1 and 90% particle size of 10% to 90% particle groups outside the above range. When the average circularity R2 of the particle group having a diameter larger than that of the particle group, the stability of the development characteristics accompanying the temperature and humidity cannot be obtained.

  The problem of banding is that the exudate from the toner supply roller has an adverse effect when left for a long time, and it is a copolymer of silicone and polyether or a raw material of sponge. The present inventors consider it important to prevent these substances from sticking. Further, the present inventors presume that for the negative effect of the present image, the exudate and toner from the surface of the toner carrier and the toner supply roller, and their respective van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding forces are closely related. Further, it is presumed that the charge imparting property of the toner carrier and the chargeability of the toner are closely related. Accordingly, it is considered that banding can be suppressed by adopting the above-described configuration of the image forming method of the present invention.

  However, it is not possible to obtain stable development characteristics in a low-temperature and low-humidity environment simply by configuring the toner carrier as described above. The average circularity of a particle group having a particle diameter of 10% to 90% of the toner used is R1 of 0.930 ≦ R1 ≦ 0.965, and the average circularity of a particle group having a particle diameter of 90% or more is R2 of 0.970. It is necessary to make it into the range of ≦ R2 ≦ 0.990.

  Although the details of the reason are not clear, if the toner carrier is configured as described above, the charge imparting property is increased, the toner is charged more, and image defects due to charge-up occur. This is particularly noticeable in a low-temperature and low-humidity environment, and dot reproducibility deteriorates when left for a long time (10 hours or more) after printing. When the present inventors examined the cause, the main factor is a particle having a particle size of 90% or more (hereinafter abbreviated as coarse powder) in the number-based particle size measured by a flow particle image measuring device. There was found. When the coarse powder having a low degree of circularity is charged by rubbing with the toner carrier, the uneven distribution of the charged state in one particle becomes large. If used, dot reproducibility is thought to deteriorate. Therefore, the average circularity R2 of a particle group having a particle size of 90% or more in the number-based particle size measured by the flow particle image measuring device is set in a range of 0.970 ≦ R2 ≦ 0.990. Even if a toner carrier is used, it can be used without deteriorating the dot reproducibility. When R2 is less than 0.970, dot reproducibility deteriorates. Conversely, when R2 exceeds 0.990, cleaning ability deteriorates.

  Further, in order to maintain the performance such as toner cleaning property and transfer property, the average circularity R1 of the particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90% needs to be in a range of 0.930 ≦ R1 ≦ 0.965. It is. When R1 is less than 0.930, the chargeability is non-uniform and transferability is significantly deteriorated. When R1 exceeds 0.965, the cleaning property deteriorates.

The average circularity of the present invention is measured in an environment of a temperature of 23 ° C. and a humidity of 60% RH using a flow type particle image analyzer FPIA-2100 manufactured by Sysmex Corporation, and the circle equivalent diameter is within a range of 0.60 μm to 400 μm. The degree of circularity of the measured particle is expressed by the following equation: Circularity a = L ₀ / L
[In the formula, L0 represents the perimeter of a circle having the same projection area as the particle image, and L represents the particle projection image when image processing is performed with an image processing resolution of 512 × 512 (pixels of 0.3 μm × 0.3 μm). The perimeter of is shown. ]
Further, for particles having an equivalent circle diameter of 3 μm or more and 400 μm or less, a value obtained by dividing the total circularity by the total number of particles is defined as the average circularity.

  The average circularity R1 of the particle group of 10% particle diameter to 90% particle diameter of the present invention is in the range of 10% particle diameter to 90% counted from the small particle diameter side among all particles measured by the measuring device. This is a value obtained by dividing the sum of the circularity of particles by the number of particles. The average circularity R2 of a particle group having a particle size of 90% or more is a value obtained by summing the circularity of particles of 90% or more from the small particle size side and dividing by the number of particles.

  The average circularity used in the present invention is an index of the degree of unevenness of the toner particles, and indicates 1.00 when the toner particles are perfectly spherical, and the average circularity becomes smaller as the surface shape becomes more complex. “FPIA-2100”, which is a measuring apparatus used in the present invention, calculates the circularity of each particle, and then calculates the average circularity after calculating the circularity of each particle. A calculation method is used in which 0 is divided into 61 classes, and the average circularity is calculated using the center value and frequency of the division points.

[Toner carrier]
As shown in FIG. 1, the toner carrier used in the image forming apparatus of the present invention can be configured to have a conductive elastic layer 2 on the outer periphery of a good conductive shaft 1. The surface of the conductive elastic layer 2 has a contact angle with ethylene glycol of 60 to 90 degrees and a contact angle with diiodomethane of 30 to 38 degrees. At this time, the conductive elastic layer 2 may be a single layer or a multilayer, but at least the surface of the conductive elastic layer serving as the surface layer has a contact angle with ethylene glycol of 60 to 90 degrees and a contact angle with diiodomethane. It needs to be 30 to 38 degrees.

  In addition, the toner carrier used in the image forming apparatus of the present invention may have a configuration in which a conductive resin layer 3 is further provided on the conductive elastic layer 2 as shown in FIG. . The surface of the conductive resin layer is characterized in that the contact angle with respect to ethylene glycol is 60 to 90 degrees and the contact angle with respect to diiodomethane is 30 to 38 degrees. The toner carrier having this configuration is preferable because the effects of the present invention can be optimally promoted. Each of the conductive elastic layer 2 and the conductive resin layer 3 may be a single layer or multiple layers, but at least the surface of the conductive resin layer serving as the surface layer has a contact angle with respect to ethylene glycol of 60 to 90 degrees, and The contact angle with respect to diiodomethane needs to be 30 to 38 degrees.

  Any material can be used as the highly conductive shaft 1 as long as it has good conductivity. Usually, it is a metal cylinder having an outer diameter of 4 to 10 mm formed of aluminum, iron, SUS, or the like. Is used.

The conductive elastic layer 2 formed on the outer periphery of the good conductive shaft 1 uses an elastomer such as EPDM or urethane, or other resin molding as a base material, and an electron such as carbon black, metal, or metal oxide. A material prepared by blending a conductive substance or an ionic conductive substance such as sodium perchlorate and adjusting the appropriate resistance region (volume resistivity) to 10 ³ to 10 ¹⁰ Ωcm, preferably 10 ⁴ to 10 ⁸ Ωcm. Form. The hardness of the conductive elastic layer is preferably 25-60 degrees in terms of ASKER-C hardness. The conductive elastic layer can be used in a thickness of 0.3 to 10 mm, preferably in the range of 1.0 to 5.0 mm.

  Specific examples of the base material include polyurethane, natural rubber, butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, polyisoprene rubber, polybutadiene rubber, silicone rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, chloroprene rubber, Acrylic rubber and a mixture thereof may be mentioned, and silicone rubber or EPOM (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber) is preferably used.

  Examples of the electronic conductive material used for imparting conductivity to the conductive elastic layer 2 include conductive carbon such as ketjen black EC and acetylene black, SAF, ISAF, HAF, FEF, GPF, SRF, FT, Examples thereof include carbon for rubber such as MT, carbon for color (ink) subjected to oxidation treatment, and metals and metal oxides such as copper, silver, and germanium. Among these, carbon black (conductive carbon, carbon for rubber, carbon for color (ink), etc.) is preferable because the conductivity can be easily controlled with a small amount. These conductive powders are usually suitably used in the range of 0.5 to 50 parts by mass, particularly 1 to 30 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the base material.

  Examples of the ion conductive material used to impart conductivity to the conductive elastic layer 2 include inorganic ion conductive materials such as sodium perchlorate, lithium perchlorate, calcium perchlorate, and lithium chloride. Examples thereof include organic ionic conductive substances such as modified aliphatic dimethyl ammonium etosulphate and stearyl ammonium acetate.

  As for the conductivity imparting agent such as the electron conductive material and the ion conductive material, an amount necessary for making the conductive elastic layer have an appropriate volume resistivity as described above is used. It is preferably used in the range of 0.5 to 50 parts by mass, particularly 1 to 30 parts by mass with respect to parts by mass.

  As the base material of the conductive resin layer 3 that covers the conductive elastic layer 2 of the conductive roller having the configuration shown in FIG. 2, polyamide resin, urethane resin, urea resin, imide resin, melanin resin, fluorine resin, phenol Examples thereof include resins, alkyd resins, silicone resins, polyester resins, polyether resins, and the like, and mixtures thereof. Urethane resin is preferably used as a base material for the conductive resin layer 3 because it has a large ability to charge toner by friction and has wear resistance.

  At this time, the urethane resin is composed of an isocyanate component and a polyol component. As the polyol component, polyether polyol, polyester polyol, polycaprolactone polyol, polycarbonate polyol, polyolefin polyol, polymer polyol and the like are used. As the polyol that effectively promotes the present invention, a polyether polyol is preferable. Specifically, the following formula (1)

（式中ｌは正の整数を示す。）
で示されるユニット（ＢＯ）、下記式（２）

(In the formula, l represents a positive integer.)
A unit (BO) represented by the following formula (2)

（式中ｍは正の整数を示す。）
で示されるユニット（ＰＯ）、及び、下記式（３）

(In the formula, m represents a positive integer.)
The unit (PO) represented by the following formula (3)

（式中ｎは正の整数を示す。）
で示されるユニットが、用いられるポリエーテルポリオールに含まれることが好ましい。このとき、式（１）、式（２）、式（３）で示されるユニットが全て１分子中に含まれるポリエーテルポリオール、または式（１）、式（２）、式（３）で示されるユニットが１分子中に少なくとも一種類以上含まれるポリエーテルポリオールのうちいずれでも用いることができるが、ウレタンの原材料として用いるポリエーテルポリオールは必ず式（１）、式（２）、式（３）で示されるユニットを全て含むようになるように調整することが良い。

(In the formula, n represents a positive integer.)
It is preferable that the unit shown by is contained in the polyether polyol used. At this time, the polyether polyol in which all the units represented by the formula (1), the formula (2) and the formula (3) are contained in one molecule, or the formula (1), the formula (2) and the formula (3) Any of the polyether polyols in which at least one unit is contained in one molecule can be used, but the polyether polyol used as a raw material for urethane is always represented by formula (1), formula (2), formula (3). It is good to adjust so that all the units shown by may be included.

  At this time, the polyether polyol (BO) having a unit represented by the formula (1) has a type having two or more hydroxyl groups, and the polyether polyol (PO) having a unit represented by the formula (2) has a hydroxyl group. As the polyether polyol (EO) having a type having one unit and the polyether polyol (EO) having a unit represented by the formula (3), those having a type having one hydroxyl group are preferably used because the effects of the present invention are promoted. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the polyether polyol (PO-EO) having the unit represented by the formula (2) and the unit represented by the formula (3) simultaneously has one hydroxyl group.

  As a result of further detailed investigation, the present invention can be adjusted so that the mass ratio of BO, PO, and EO of the polyether polyol used is BO: PO: EO = 100: 3: 2 to 100: 25: 20. This is preferable because it promotes the effect.

  Moreover, it is also preferable to adjust so that the mass ratio of BO: (PO-EO) of the polyether polyol to be used may be BO: (PO-EO) = 100: 5 to 100: 40.

  Specific examples of the isocyanate component of the urethane resin include tolylene diisocyanate (TDI), diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), naphthalene diisocyanate (NDI), tolidine diisocyanate (TODI), hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), Examples thereof include phenylene diisocyanate (PPDI), xylene diisocyanate (XDI), tetramethylxylene diisocyanate (TMXDI), and cyclohexane diisocyanate. Among these, aromatic isocyanate compounds such as tolylene diisocyanate (TDI), diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), naphthalene diisocyanate (NDI), phenylene diisocyanate (PPDI), xylene diisocyanate (XDI), tetramethylxylene diisocyanate (TMXDI) In particular, diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) is preferable because it can improve the resilience of the developing roller after a local load.

  This isocyanate component is adjusted so that mass ratio with respect to all the polyols to be used becomes isocyanate: polyol = 20: 80-60: 40.

In the conductive resin layer 3, a conductivity-imparting agent such as an electronic conductive material or an ionic conductive material is blended with the base material, and an appropriate resistance region (volume resistivity) is 10 ³ to 10 ¹¹ Ωcm, preferably Is formed of a material adjusted to 10 ⁴ to 10 ¹⁰ Ωcm. Moreover, although the thickness of a conductive resin layer can be used in the range of 0.5-200 micrometers, Preferably it can be used in the range of 1.0-100 micrometers.

  The thickness of the conductive elastic layer or conductive resin layer of the present invention was determined by cutting a roller on which the conductive elastic layer and the conductive surface layer were formed, measuring the cross-section at nine points, and calculating the average value. When the thickness was thin like the conductive resin layer, the cross section was measured at 9 points with a video microscope (magnification 1000 to 3000 times) and the average value was obtained.

  The kneading of the resin serving as the base material and the conductivity-imparting agent such as the electronic conductive material or the ionic conductive material is performed using a ball mill or the like to form the toner carrier surface roughness as occasion demands. After the coarse particles are added and dispersed, it can be carried out by adding a curing agent or a curing catalyst or the like at an appropriate time and stirring. The obtained composition is applied by a method such as spraying or dipping. Alternatively, a conductive elastic layer or a conductive resin layer is integrally formed by injecting the obtained composition into a cavity of a molding die in which a core metal is pre-arranged, and heating to cause reaction hardening or solidification. A method of cutting into a predetermined shape and dimensions such as a tube shape by cutting or the like from a slab or block separately formed using the above composition in advance, and press-fitting a core metal into this to conduct electricity on the core metal Examples thereof include a method of manufacturing by coating an elastic layer or a conductive resin layer, a method of appropriately combining these methods, and the like. If desired, the outer diameter may be further adjusted to a predetermined outer diameter by cutting or polishing treatment.

  Examples of the roughening particles include rubber particles such as EPDM, NBR, SBR, CR, and silicone rubber, or elastomer particles such as polystyrene, polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyester, and polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). Or resin particles such as PMMA particles, urethane resin particles, fluorine resin, silicone resin, phenol resin, naphthalene resin, furan resin, xylene resin, divinylbenzene polymer, styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer, polyacrylonitrile resin alone or They can be used in combination. At this time, the surface roughness Rz of the toner carrier is generally adjusted to 1 to 15 μm. At this time, the surface roughness of the roller is set to Rz according to JIS B0601: 2001.

〔toner〕
In the present invention, a toner produced by an emulsion polymerization aggregation method is used. In the emulsion polymerization aggregation method, various constituent materials such as a colorant, a release agent, a charge control agent and a polymerization initiator are added to a polymerizable monomer, and a homogenizer, a sand mill, a sand grinder, an ultrasonic disperser, etc. are used. Then, various constituent materials are dissolved or dispersed in the polymerizable monomer. The polymerizable monomer in which these various constituent materials are dissolved or dispersed is dispersed in oil droplets of a desired size as a toner using a homomixer or a homogenizer in an aqueous medium containing a dispersion stabilizer. Thereafter, the stirring mechanism is transferred to a reactor that is a stirring blade described later, and the polymerization reaction is advanced by heating. In this way, toner base material particles are manufactured.

  The resin contained in the toner is not particularly limited as long as it is generally used as a binder in toners. For example, styrene resin, (meth) acrylic resin, olefin resin, Thermoplastic resins such as polyester resins, amide resins, carbonate resins, polyethers, polysulfones, etc., or thermosetting resins such as epoxy resins, urea resins, urethane resins, and copolymers and polymer blends thereof Etc. are used. The binder resin used in the present invention includes not only those in a complete polymer state as in a thermoplastic resin, for example, but also those in an oligomer or prepolymer state as in a thermosetting resin. Further, a polymer partially including a prepolymer, a crosslinking agent, and the like are also included.

  As the thermoplastic binder resin constituting the toner, the following polymer of monomers is used. For example, styrenes such as styrene, p-chlorostyrene, α-methylstyrene, vinylnaphthalene, acrylic acid, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, n-propyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, lauryl acrylate, methacrylic acid , Methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, n-propyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, vinyl unsaturated carboxylic acids such as lauryl methacrylate or esters thereof, and vinyl unsaturated nitriles such as acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile , Vinyl ethers such as vinyl methyl ether, vinyl ethyl ether, vinyl isobutyl ether, vinyl ketones such as vinyl methyl ketone, vinyl ethyl ketone, vinyl isopropyl ketone, ethylene, propylene, butadiene Polymers or copolymers of the two or more monomers, such as olefins like, or mixtures of these polymers. Furthermore, polyester resin, urethane resin, polyamide resin, epoxy resin, cellulose resin, polyether resin (for example, polyoxyoctylene glycol, polyoxide decylene glycol, polyoxyoctadecylene glycol, ethylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A, these Non-vinyl condensation resins such as ester or ether derivatives), mixtures of these resins with the above vinyl polymers or copolymers, and graft copolymers of vinyl polymers can be used. In the case of a vinyl monomer, a binder resin dispersion can be prepared, for example, by emulsion polymerization in an aqueous ionic surfactant solution. In the case of other resins, if the resin is soluble in an organic solvent such as ethyl acetate, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, etc., a homogenizer, etc. together with an aqueous solution in which the resin is dissolved in an organic solvent to dissolve an ionic surfactant or polymer electrolyte The binder resin dispersion can be prepared by dispersing or dissolving the resin particles in water using the dispersing apparatus, and then heating or reducing the pressure to evaporate the organic solvent.

  As the polymerizable monomer constituting the resin, styrene, o-methylstyrene, m-methylstyrene, p-methylstyrene, α-methylstyrene, p-chlorostyrene, 3,4-dichlorostyrene, p-phenylstyrene, p-ethylstyrene, 2,4-dimethylstyrene, p-tert-butylstyrene, pn-hexylstyrene, pn-octylstyrene, pn-nonylstyrene, pn-decyl Styrene, styrene or styrene derivatives such as pn-dodecylstyrene, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, t-butyl methacrylate, n-octyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, stearyl methacrylate, Methacrylic acid ester derivatives such as lauryl acrylate, phenyl methacrylate, diethylaminoethyl methacrylate, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, isopropyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, t-butyl acrylate, acrylic Acrylates such as isobutyl acid, n-octyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, stearyl acrylate, lauryl acrylate, phenyl acrylate, olefins such as ethylene, propylene, isobutylene, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, Halogenated vinyls such as vinyl bromide, vinyl fluoride, vinylidene fluoride, vinyl esters such as vinyl propionate, vinyl acetate, vinyl benzoate, vinyl methyl ether, vinyl ethyl ether Vinyl ethers such as vinyl, vinyl ketones such as vinyl methyl ketone, vinyl ethyl ketone, vinyl hexyl ketone, N-vinyl compounds such as N-vinyl carbazole, N-vinyl indole, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, vinyl naphthalene, vinyl pyridine, etc. Examples include vinyl compounds, acrylic acid or methacrylic acid derivatives such as acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, and acrylamide. These vinyl monomers can be used alone or in combination.

  The molecular weight of the binder resin of the toner composed of the polymerizable monomer as described above is measured by GPC (gel permeation chromatography). As a specific GPC measurement method, toner is previously extracted with a THF (tetrahydrofuran) solvent for 20 hours using a Soxhlet extractor. Next, the THF is distilled off using a rotary evaporator, and after further washing with an organic solvent such as chloroform that dissolves the low softening point material but not the outer shell resin, the solution soluble in THF is poured into the pores. Samples filtered through a solvent-resistant membrane filter with a diameter of 0.3 μm were used with 150C manufactured by Waters, and the column configuration was A-801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807 manufactured by Showa Denko, and standard polystyrene resin. The molecular weight distribution can be measured using the standard curve.

It is desirable that the maximum peak molecular weight is in the range of 5 × 10 ^{3 to} 5 × 10 ⁴ and the THF insoluble content is 5 to 30% by mass. When the maximum peak molecular weight is less than 5000, the durability is impaired. Conversely, when the maximum peak molecular weight exceeds 50000, the low-temperature fixability is inferior.

  A polymerizable monomer constituting the resin may be used in combination with those having an ionic dissociation group. For example, it has a substituent such as a carboxyl group, a sulfonic acid group, a phosphoric acid group as a constituent group of the monomer, specifically, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, itaconic acid, cinnamic acid, fumar Acid, maleic acid monoalkyl ester, itaconic acid monoalkyl ester, styrene sulfonic acid, allyl sulfosuccinic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, acid phosphooxyethyl methacrylate, 3-chloro-2-acid phosphooxy And propyl methacrylate.

  Furthermore, polyfunctionality such as divinylbenzene, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, ethylene glycol diacrylate, diethylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol diacrylate, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, triethylene glycol diacrylate, neopentyl glycol dimethacrylate, neopentyl glycol diacrylate, etc. It is also possible to use a crosslinkable resin by using a functional vinyl.

  In the case of using the emulsion polymerization aggregation method, a water-soluble radical polymerization initiator can be used. Examples of the water-soluble polymerization initiator include persulfates such as potassium persulfate and ammonium persulfate, azobisaminodipropane acetate, azobiscyanovaleric acid and its salts, hydrogen peroxide and the like.

  Dispersion stabilizers include tricalcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, zinc phosphate, aluminum phosphate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, calcium metasilicate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate , Bentonite, silica, alumina and the like. Furthermore, those generally used as surfactants such as polyvinyl alcohol, gelatin, methylcellulose, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, ethylene oxide adduct, higher sodium alcohol sulfate, etc. can be used as the dispersion stabilizer.

  Examples of the colorant of the toner of the present invention include carbon black, chrome yellow, hansa yellow, benzidine yellow, sren yellow, quinoline yellow, permanent orange GTR, pyrazolone orange, vulcan orange, pyrazolone red, watch tang red, permanent red, and DuPont oil. Red, Resol Red, Lake Red C, Brilliant Carmine 3B, 6B, Rhodamine B Lake, Rose Bengal, Aniline Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Calco Oil Blue, Methylene Blue Chloride, Phthalocyanine Blue, Phthalocyanine Green, Malachite Green Oxalate, etc. Pigment, acridine, azine, phthalocyanine, aniline black, azo, azomethine, benzoquinone, ant Quinone dyes, xanthene dyes, dioxazine, thiazine, thiazole, indigo-based, thioindigo dyes, polymethine dyes, diphenylmethane dyes, and various dyes such as triphenylmethane dyes. These pigments and dyes can be used alone or in combination of two or more, and pigments and dyes may be used in combination.

  As the dye, C.I. I. Solvent Red 1, 49, 52, 58, 63, 111, 122, C.I. I. Solvent Yellow 19, 44, 77, 79, 81, 82, 93, 98, 103, 104, 112, 162, C.I. I. Solvent Blue 25, 36, 60, 70, 93, 95 etc. can be used, and a mixture thereof can also be used.

  Examples of the pigment include C.I. I. Pigment Red 5, 48: 1, 53: 1, 57: 1, 122, 139, 144, 149, 166, 177, 178, 222, 238, C.I. I. Pigment Orange 31 and 43, C.I. I. Pigment yellow 14, 17, 74, 93, 94, 138, C.I. I. Pigment green 7, C.I. I. Pigment Blue 15: 3, 60, carbon black, etc. can be used, and a mixture thereof can also be used. The number average primary particle size varies depending on the type, but is preferably about 10 to 300 nm.

  In the emulsion polymerization aggregation method, a binder resin dispersion, a pigment dispersion, and a release agent dispersion as necessary are mixed to agglomerate the toner components and unite the aggregates in a uniform mixed state. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a uniform toner composition. Further, by using two or more binder resins having different molecular weights, it is possible to easily control the molecular weight distribution of the toner. In this emulsion polymerization aggregation method, the toner shape can be controlled from an indeterminate shape to a spherical shape by adjusting heating conditions, time, pressure load, and the like.

  However, even in the emulsion polymerization aggregation method that is easy to control from an irregular shape to a spherical shape, it is difficult to carry out only the shape of the coarse toner particles in the particle size distribution of the toner particles in the emulsion and polymerization steps. Therefore, in the present invention, the coarse toner particles are spheroidized in the aggregation and drying process described later.

  In the aggregation step, the dispersion is usually mixed at 40 to 60 ° C. for 30 minutes to 3 hours in the presence of an aggregating agent. At this time, the higher the processing temperature and the longer the processing time, the larger the aggregate diameter. As an aggregating agent, an amphoteric surfactant alone or an anionic surfactant and a cationic surfactant are used in combination. The flocculant used is not particularly limited, but those selected from metal salts are preferably used.

  More specifically, monovalent metals such as alkali metal salts such as sodium, potassium and lithium, divalent metals such as alkaline earth metal salts such as calcium and magnesium, divalent metals such as manganese and copper, etc. Examples of such salts include sodium chloride, potassium chloride, lithium chloride, calcium chloride, zinc chloride, copper sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and manganese sulfate. I can do it. These may be used in combination.

  In the aggregation state of the toner base material particles, the bonding force between the particles depends to some extent on the particle size of the particles. The smaller the particle size, the greater the bond strength. Particles such as ultrafine powder having a diameter of 1 μm or less even in an agglomerated state in which the mutual bonding force between the toner base particles is relatively weak and can be crushed almost from the joining site by a small external force. The binding force to larger particles in the diameter range is sufficiently large, and even when an external force is applied, there is little possibility that these ultrafine powders will dissociate again.

  The addition amount of the flocculant used in the present invention may be not less than the critical aggregation concentration, but is preferably 1.2 times or more, more preferably 1.5 times or more the critical aggregation concentration. In the subsequent coalescence process, the liquid mixture containing aggregates is heated at a temperature equal to or lower than the glass transition temperature and from 30 ° C. to 80 ° C. for 30 minutes to 5 hours. At this time, the higher the processing temperature and the longer the processing time, the more the shape of the aggregate becomes spherical. Conversely, when the temperature is low or the time is shortened, a toner having a low average circularity can be obtained.

  Several methods are conceivable as methods for aggregating the toner base particles. The liquid medium in which the toner base material particles and organic or inorganic fine particles are dispersed is heated at a temperature not lower than the glass transition temperature of the resin contained in the toner base material particles and not higher than the boiling point of the liquid medium. In the production method of the present invention, water-insoluble organic or inorganic fine particles can be added to the toner base particles obtained after the toner base particles are aggregated in the liquid medium.

  In this case, the organic or inorganic fine particles include those that function alone or in plural as charge control agents, fluidizing agents, magnetic particles, offset preventing agents, cleaning aids, and the like. The organic or inorganic fine particles are preferably hydrophobized or hydrophobic from the viewpoint of moisture resistance and charge stability of the obtained toner particles. In addition, by adding a heat-decomposable radical generator such as persulfates to the aggregation process, it is possible to consume unreacted polymerizable monomers and prevent fusion of toner base particle aggregates. it can.

  After completion of the aggregation process, the organic solvent is removed from the toner base particles, and washing and drying are performed. In order to remove the organic solvent, the entire system is gradually heated in a laminar stirring state, and the solvent is removed by applying strong stirring in a certain temperature range. When a dispersant that is soluble in an acid or alkali such as calcium phosphate is used, the calcium phosphate can be decomposed and removed with water using an acid such as hydrochloric acid.

  The toner base particles can be aged by allowing the dispersion of the toner base particles to stand at a constant temperature for a predetermined time either before or after the cleaning / solvent removal step. The temperature of the aging step is preferably 25 ° C. to 100 ° C. above the glass transition temperature of the resin in the toner base particles, and the time is preferably 10 minutes to 12 hours. Before and during the ripening step, an emulsifier is added or the pH of the dispersion of the toner base particles can be raised to suppress the generation of coarse particles in the toner.

  In the production method of the present invention, the drying process of the toner base particles is performed simultaneously with or after the aggregating process as described above. When performed after the classification step, it can be considered as a heat treatment step. The drying step is performed to remove the organic solvent from the obtained toner base particles, and a method of gradually elevating the temperature of the entire system and completely evaporating and removing the organic solvent in the droplets can be adopted.

  As the dry atmosphere in which the toner base particles are sprayed, a gas obtained by heating air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide gas, combustion gas, or the like, particularly various air streams heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the boiling point of the highest boiling solvent used are generally used. A spray dryer, belt dryer, rotary kiln, etc. can achieve the desired quality in a short time.

  The method for controlling the average circularity of the toner base particles is not particularly limited. Specifically, a method in which toner particles are sprayed into a hot air stream, a method in which toner base particles are repeatedly applied with mechanical energy by impact force in the gas phase, or a toner base particle is added to a solvent that does not dissolve. A method of producing toner base particles having an average circularity adjusted to a desired value by a method of imparting a swirling flow and the like, and adding this to normal toner particles so as to fall within the scope of the present invention. is there. Furthermore, either or both of the temperature and pressure in the drying process are set to be somewhat higher than general drying conditions. Alternatively, in the drying step, there is a method in which a solution containing a non-aqueous solvent that is soluble or swellable with respect to the resin component contained in the toner base material is brought into contact with the toner base material. It is possible to combine several of the above processing methods.

  In the present invention, in order to remove particles having a predetermined particle size from the polymer particles, the toner base particles are classified into inertial class elbow jet (manufactured by Nippon Steel Mining Co., Ltd.), centrifugal force classifying turboplex (manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation), TSP A classification step is carried out using an air classifier such as a separator (manufactured by Hosokawa Micron) or a sieve classifier such as a high-voltage winder (manufactured by Shin Tokyo Machinery Co., Ltd.). Further, by performing this classification step, the toner base particles before the classification step are separated into coarse powder having a 90% number average particle size as a central particle size and toner particles excluding the coarse particles.

  The coarse powder generated by classification in the classification step is mixed with the toner particles again by improving the toner average circularity through a heat treatment step. An external additive is added to the mixed toner particles to obtain a toner.

  In order to achieve high image quality, it is desirable that the toner particles have a small particle size and a sharp particle size distribution, and it is possible to obtain uniform charging of the toner particles. The value of the ratio Dv / Dn of the volume average particle diameter (Dv) and the number average particle diameter (Dn), which serves as an index representing the particle size distribution, is preferably 1.24 or less, more preferably 1.20 or less. The toner particles having a particle diameter of 6.5 μm or more are preferably 65% by number or less.

  Further, after the drying and classification steps, an external addition step can be added, and the toner can be obtained by adhering organic and inorganic fine particles to the toner base particles with a mixer or the like. In the present invention, it is desirable to contain at least silica fine particles (Si) having an average primary particle size of 5 to 300 nm and titanium oxide fine particles (Ti) having an average primary particle size of 18 to 280 nm. When the thickness is less than 5 nm, the image density is lowered and the roughness is caused. If it exceeds 300 nm, fusion to the photoreceptor occurs. When the average primary particle size of titanium oxide is less than 18 nm, fogging and cleaning properties deteriorate. When it exceeds 280 nm, density reduction, fusion, and developability deteriorate. The Si / Ti intensity ratio is preferably 4.4-22. When the Si / Ti intensity ratio is less than 4.4, the fusing and concentration deteriorate, and when the Si / Ti intensity ratio exceeds 22, transferability and cleaning properties deteriorate. The total amount of organic and inorganic fine particles is preferably 1.5 to 5.0 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of toner particles.

  As a mixer used in the external addition step, an existing high-speed stirring type mixer such as a Henschel mixer or a super mixer can be used.

[Toner supply roller]
The toner supply roller used in the image forming method of the present invention will be described in detail. As the toner supply roller, a toner supply roller having a highly conductive shaft as a core and a foamed elastic layer formed on the outer periphery thereof, and the foamed elastic layer containing a copolymer of silicone and polyether is suitable. Can be used.

  Examples of the material (base material) for the foamed elastic layer include polyurethane, nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, natural rubber, silicone rubber, acrylic rubber, chloroprene rubber, From foamed elastic bodies obtained by using rubber raw materials such as butyl rubber and epichlorohydrin rubber, or monomers or the like that are raw materials for producing these rubber raw materials (these monomers may also be referred to as rubber raw materials). Select and use. It may be a foamed elastic body obtained by using the rubber raw material alone or a rubber raw material combining two or more of these rubber raw materials. Among these foamed elastic bodies, polyurethane foam is preferably used.

  As the polyol component constituting the raw material for forming the polyurethane foam, any of known polyols such as polyether polyol, polyester polyol, and polymer polyol, which are generally used in the production of flexible polyurethane foam, can be used. . Moreover, as a polyisocyanate component which comprises the raw material for forming a polyurethane foam, well-known at least bifunctional or more polyisocyanate is used. For example, 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate, 2,6-tolylene diisocyanate, orthotoluidine diisocyanate, naphthylene diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, carbodiimide modified MDI, polymethylene polyphenyl isocyanate, polymeric poly Isocyanates and the like are used alone or in combination.

  The polyurethane foam raw material in which these polyol component and polyisocyanate component are blended preferably contains a copolymer of silicone and polyether. Although this component plays a role as a foam stabilizer, there are no particular restrictions on both the silicone part and the polyether part, and it is preferably used with known materials.

  Furthermore, crosslinking agents, foaming agents (water, low-boiling substances, gas bodies, etc.), surfactants, catalysts, conductivity-imparting agents for imparting desired conductivity, antistatic agents, and the like can be added. .

  The manufacturing method of the toner supply roller of the present invention is not particularly limited, and a suitable method may be selected from known manufacturing methods and manufactured. Specifically, it is produced by forming a foamed elastic layer by coating a cored bar made of a metal material such as iron or stainless steel, usually having a diameter of 4 to 10 mm and a length of 200 to 400 mm, with a foamed elastic body. can do. The outer diameter of the toner supply roller is not particularly limited, and may have various outer diameters depending on the purpose. In general, the outer diameter may be 10 to 20 mm.

  For example, after preparing a polyurethane raw material composition by homogeneously mixing a polyurethane raw material, a copolymer of silicone and polyether, a foaming agent, a catalyst used as required, a crosslinking agent, a chain extender, and other auxiliary agents, A method of injecting the raw material composition into a cavity of a molding die in which a metal core is preliminarily disposed, and heating and reaction-curing or solidifying to integrally form a foamed elastic layer, the polyurethane raw material composition in advance A foamed elastic slab or block that is separately formed using an object is cut into a predetermined shape or size such as a tube by cutting or the like, and a cored bar is press-fitted into this to cover the foamed elastic layer on the cored bar And a method of appropriately combining these methods. If desired, the outer diameter may be further adjusted to a predetermined outer diameter by cutting or polishing treatment.

  An example of an image forming apparatus used in the image forming method of the present invention will be given.

  The configuration of the image forming apparatus is shown in FIG. The image forming apparatus of this example is a laser beam printer using a transfer type electrophotographic process.

  FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a tandem type color LBP (color laser printer) as an example of an image forming apparatus used in the image forming method according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 (1a to 1d) denotes a drum-type electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter referred to as a photosensitive drum) as a latent image carrier that rotates at a predetermined process speed in the direction indicated by an arrow (counterclockwise). The photosensitive drums 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d respectively share a yellow (Y) component, a magenta (M) component, a cyan (C) component, and a black (Bk) component of a color image. These photosensitive drums 1a to 1d are rotationally driven by a drum motor (DC servo motor) (not shown), but independent driving sources may be provided for the respective photosensitive drums 1a to 1d. The rotational drive of the drum motor is controlled by a DSP (digital signal processor) (not shown), and other controls are performed by a CPU (not shown).

  The electrostatic adsorption conveyance belt 9a is stretched around a driving roller 9b, fixed rollers 9c and 9e, and a tension roller 9d. The electrostatic adsorption conveyance belt 9a is rotationally driven by the driving roller 9b in the direction of the arrow in the figure to adsorb and convey the recording medium S. To do.

  Hereinafter, yellow (Y) of the four colors will be described as an example.

  The photosensitive drum 1a is uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity and potential by the primary charging means 2a during the rotation process. The photosensitive drum 1a is exposed to a light image by a laser beam exposure means (hereinafter referred to as a scanner) 3a, and an electrostatic latent image of image information is formed on the photosensitive drum 1a.

  Next, a toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 1a by the developing unit 4a, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized. Similar steps are performed for the other three colors (magenta (B), cyan (C), and black (Bk)).

  Thus, the four color toner images are synchronized with the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d by the registration rollers 8c that stop and re-transport the recording medium S conveyed by the paper feed roller 8b at a predetermined timing. The toner images are sequentially transferred onto the recording medium S at the nip portion with the belt 9a. At the same time, the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d after the transfer of the toner image to the recording medium S are subjected to repeated image formation by removing residual deposits such as transfer residual toner by the cleaning means 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d. .

  The recording medium S on which the toner images are transferred from the four photosensitive drums 1a to 1d is separated from the surface of the electrostatic attraction / conveyance belt 9a by the driving roller 9b and sent to the fixing device 10, and the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 10. Then, the sheet is discharged to the discharge tray 13 by the discharge roller 10c.

  Next, a specific example of the image forming method in the non-magnetic one-component contact developing method applied as the present invention will be described with reference to an enlarged view of the developing portion (FIG. 3). In FIG. 3, the developing unit 13 is located in a developer container 23 containing a non-magnetic toner 17 as a one-component developer, and an opening extending in the longitudinal direction in the developer container 23. A photosensitive drum) 10 and a toner carrier 14 disposed opposite to each other, and the electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier 10 is developed and visualized. The latent image carrier contact charging member 11 is in contact with the latent image carrier 10. The bias of the latent image carrier contact charging member 11 is applied by a power source 12.

  The toner carrier 14 is horizontally provided with the substantially right half-periphery surface shown in the drawing through the opening into the developer container 23 and the left substantially half-periphery surface exposed outside the developer container 23. The surface exposed to the outside of the developer container 23 is in contact with the latent image carrier 10 located on the left side of the developing unit 13 as shown in FIG.

  The toner carrier 14 is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow B, the peripheral speed of the latent image carrier 10 is 50 to 170 mm / s, and the peripheral speed of the toner carrier 14 is 1 to 1 with respect to the peripheral speed of the latent image carrier 10. It is rotated at twice the peripheral speed.

  At a position above the toner carrier 14, a metal plate such as SUS, a rubber material such as urethane or silicone, a metal thin plate of SUS or phosphor bronze having spring elasticity, and a contact surface side to the toner carrier 14. A restricting member 16 made of a rubber material and the like is supported on the restricting member support metal plate 24 and is provided so that the vicinity of the free end side is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the toner carrying member 14 by surface contact. Yes. The contact direction is a so-called counter direction in which the tip side with respect to the contact portion is located upstream of the rotation direction of the toner carrier 14. As an example of the regulating member 16, a plate-like urethane rubber having a thickness of 1.0 mm is bonded to the regulating member support sheet metal 24, and the contact pressure (linear pressure) with respect to the toner carrier 14 is appropriately set. is there. The contact pressure is preferably 20 to 300 N / m. The measurement of the contact pressure is converted from a value obtained by inserting three metal thin plates with known friction coefficients into the contact portion and pulling out the central one with only a spring. The regulating member 16 having a rubber material or the like bonded to the abutting surface is desirable in terms of adhesion to the toner, and can suppress the fusion and fixing of the toner to the regulating member in long-term use. Further, the restricting member 16 may be in contact with the toner carrier 14 by edge contact in which the tip is contacted. In the case of edge contact, it is more desirable in terms of toner layer regulation to set the contact angle of the regulating member with respect to the tangent to the toner carrying body at the contact point with the toner carrying body to be 40 degrees or less.

  The toner supply roller 15 is in contact with the contact portion of the regulating member 16 with the surface of the toner carrier 14 on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the toner carrier 14 and is rotatably supported. The contact width of the toner supply roller 15 with respect to the toner carrier 14 is preferably 1 to 8 mm, and it is preferable that the toner carrier 14 has a relative speed at the contact portion.

  The charging roller 29 is not essential for the image forming method of the present invention, but is preferably installed. The charging roller 29 is an elastic body such as NBR or silicone rubber, and is attached to the suppression member 30. The contact load of the charging member 29 on the toner carrier 14 by the suppressing member 30 is set to 0.49 to 4.9N. Due to the contact of the charging roller 29, the toner layer on the toner carrier 14 is finely filled and uniformly coated. The longitudinal positional relationship between the regulating member 16 and the charging roller 29 is preferably arranged so that the charging roller 29 can reliably cover the entire contact area of the regulating member 16 on the toner carrier 14.

  Further, for the driving of the charging roller 29, a driven or the same peripheral speed is indispensable between the charging roller 29 and the toner carrier 14, and if a peripheral speed difference occurs between the charging roller 29 and the toner carrier 14, the toner coat becomes uneven. This is not preferable because unevenness occurs on the image.

  The charging roller 29 is biased by a power source 27 between the toner carrier 14 and the latent image carrier 10 in a direct current (27 in FIG. 3), and the nonmagnetic toner 17 on the toner carrier 14 is charged by the charging roller. From 29, charge is applied by discharge.

  The bias of the charging roller 29 is a bias equal to or higher than the discharge start voltage having the same polarity as that of the nonmagnetic toner, and is set so that a potential difference of 1000 to 2000 V occurs with respect to the toner carrier 14.

  After being charged by the charging roller 29, the toner layer formed as a thin layer on the toner carrier 14 is uniformly conveyed to a developing unit that is a portion facing the latent image carrier 10.

  In this developing unit, the toner layer formed as a thin layer on the toner carrier 14 is transferred to the latent image by a DC bias applied between the toner carrier 14 and the latent image carrier 10 by the power source 27 shown in FIG. The electrostatic latent image on the carrier 10 is developed as a toner image.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples. The present invention is not limited to the following examples as long as the gist thereof is not exceeded. In the examples and comparative examples, the number of parts and% are all based on mass unless otherwise specified.

  The toner physical properties in the present invention were measured using the following methods.

<Average circularity R1 of particle groups having a particle size of 10% to 90%, average circularity R2 of particles having a particle size of 90% or more, and number% measurement of particles having a particle size of 6.5 μm or more>
In the present invention, the average circularity R1 of a particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90%, the average circularity R2 of a particle group having a particle size of 90% or more, and the number% of particles having a particle size of 6.5 μm or more are manufactured by Sysmex Corporation. The flow type particle image analyzer FPIA-2100 was used. As a specific measurement method, 10 ml of ion-exchanged water from which impure solids and the like have been removed in advance is prepared in a container, and a surfactant, preferably an alkylbenzene sulfonate, is added as a dispersant therein, followed by further measurement. Add 0.02 g of sample and disperse uniformly. As a dispersing means, an ultrasonic disperser UH-50 type (manufactured by SMT Co., Ltd.) having a φ5 mm titanium alloy chip as a vibrator is used and subjected to a dispersion treatment for 5 minutes to obtain a dispersion for measurement. In that case, it cools suitably so that the temperature of this dispersion may not become 40 degree | times or more. Then, it measured using FPIA-2100 in the environment of temperature 23 degreeC and humidity 60% RH, and calculated | required by processing the obtained data.

<Measurement of Si / Ti strength ratio>
The Si / Ti intensity ratio used in the present invention can be measured by the following method.

  For measurement of fluorescent X-rays, RIX3000 manufactured by Rigaku Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd. is used.

  For measuring the Kα line intensity of Si, PET was used as a spectroscopic crystal at 50 mA · 50 kV, and PC (proportional counter) was used as a detector. For the measurement of Ti Kα radiation intensity, LiF1 was used as a spectroscopic crystal at 50 mA · 50 kV, and SC (scintillation counter) was used as a detector.

  The intensity ratio of fluorescent X-rays in the present invention refers to the net intensity (KCPS) of Kα rays of Si and Ti elements, and the X-ray net intensity (KCPS) of Si is converted to the X-ray net intensity (KCPS) of Ti. The value divided by.

  Next, production examples of toner used in the image forming method of the present invention will be described.

<Manufacture of toner>
(Toner Production Example 1)
≪Wax dispersion≫
70 parts of demineralized water, an ester mixture mainly composed of behenyl behenate (Unistar M2222SL, manufactured by NOF Corporation) and an ester mixture mainly composed of stearyl stearate (Unistar M9676, manufactured by NOF Corporation), 30 parts of a mixture of 7: 3, dodecylbenzene 2 parts of sodium sulfonate (Neogen SC, manufactured by Daiichi Kogyo Seiyaku Co., Ltd., active ingredient 66%) were mixed and emulsified by applying high-pressure shearing at 90 ° C. to obtain a dispersion of ester wax fine particles.

≪Polymer primary particle dispersion≫
A reactor equipped with a stirrer (full zone blade), heating / cooling device, concentrating device, and each raw material / auxiliary charging device was charged with 45 parts of wax dispersion-1 and 400 parts of demineralized water and heated to 90 ° C. under a nitrogen stream. The temperature was raised, and 1.5 parts of an 8% aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution and 1.5 parts of an 8% aqueous ascorbic acid solution were added. Thereafter, the following monomers and initiator were added, and emulsion polymerization was performed for 7 hours.

(Monomers)
Styrene 78 parts butyl acrylate 22 parts acrylic acid 3 parts octanethiol 0.4 part 2-mercaptoethanol 0.01 part hexanediol diacrylate 1 part

[Emulsifier aqueous solution]
15% Neogen SC aqueous solution 1 part Demineralized water 25 parts

[Initiator aqueous solution]
8% hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution 9 parts 8% ascorbic acid aqueous solution 9 parts

  After completion of the polymerization reaction, the mixture was cooled to obtain a milky white polymer dispersion.

≪Resin fine particle dispersion≫
A reactor equipped with a stirrer (three blades), a heating / cooling device, a concentrating device, and a raw material / auxiliary charging device was charged with 5 parts of a 15% neogen SC aqueous solution and 372 parts of demineralized water, and the temperature was 90 ° C. under a nitrogen stream The temperature was increased to 1.6 parts of an 8% aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution and 1.6 parts of an 8% aqueous ascorbic acid solution. Thereafter, a mixture of the following monomers / emulsifier aqueous solution was added over 5 hours from the start of polymerization, and an initiator aqueous solution was added over 6 hours from the start of polymerization, and the mixture was further maintained for 30 minutes.

[Monomers]
Styrene 88 parts butyl acrylate 12 parts acrylic acid 2 parts bromotrichloromethane 0.5 part 2-mercaptoethanol 0.01 part hexanediol diacrylate 0.4 part

[Emulsifier aqueous solution]
15% Neogen SC aqueous solution 2.5 parts Demineralized water 24 parts

[Initiator aqueous solution]
8% hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution 9 parts 8% ascorbic acid aqueous solution 9 parts

  After completion of the polymerization reaction, the mixture was cooled to obtain a milky white polymer dispersion.

[Manufacture of developing toner]
Polymer primary particle dispersion 105 parts Resin fine particle dispersion 5 parts Charge control agent Bontron E-84 (5% dispersion from Orient Chemical) 1 part Carbon black (Cabot, Regal 330R) 7 parts 15% Neogen SC aqueous solution 0.5 parts A toner was produced by the following procedure using each of the above components.

Aggregation process:
The above mixture was heated to 40 ° C. while being dispersed and stirred with a disperser and held for 3 hours, then adjusted to pH = 7, heated to 95 ° C. and held for 2 hours, and the primary particles were fused (aged). Process). Thereafter, the resulting slurry of toner base material particles was cooled, filtered with a Kiriyama funnel, washed with water, and dried with a blow dryer at 45 ° C. for 10 hours to obtain toner particles.

  The toner particles obtained by the above method had a number average particle size of 6.10 μm as measured by a flow type particle image analyzer FPIA-2100 manufactured by Sysmex Corporation. And). Further, the ratio Dv / Dn of volume average (Dv) and number average particle diameter (Dn) measured by Beckman Coulter Co., Ltd., precision particle size distribution measuring device Coulter Counter Multisizer II was 1.15 (this Later, Dv / Dn is measured by a precision particle size distribution measuring device Coulter Counter Multisizer II).

Classification / heat treatment process:
Since the 90% particle size at this time is 8 μm, the toner base particles are classified by elbow jet (manufactured by Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd.) so as to obtain a coarse powder having a central particle diameter of 8 μm. Separated. Next, the coarse powder is subjected to a heat treatment step at 60 ° C. for 1 hour using a spray dryer in a nitrogen atmosphere, and after cooling, mixed with F powder to obtain black toner base particles. For 100 parts of black toner base particles, 1.5 parts of silica (Aerosil R972 primary particle diameter 16 nm) and 0.2 parts of titanium oxide (Taica JA-C primary particle diameter 180 nm) are added to a Henschel mixer ( (Mitsui Miike Co., Ltd.) to obtain toner A.

  The average circularity R1 of the particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90% in the finally obtained toner A is 0.957, and the average circularity R2 of the particle group having a particle size of 90% or more is 0.980. It was. The number content of the toner particle groups of 6.5 μm or more was 34%. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Toner Production Example 2)
Base particles were obtained without change except that the production conditions of Toner Production Example 1 were changed to 0.15 parts of hexanediol acrylate at the time of production of the resin fine particle dispersion. The number average particle diameter was 7.02 μm and Dv / Dn was 1.20. Toner B was obtained by mixing 1.6 parts of silica and 0.15 parts of titanium oxide with a Henschel mixer with respect to 100 parts of the base particles. The average circularity R1 of the particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90% in the obtained toner B was 0.935, and the average circularity R2 of the particle group having a particle diameter of 90% or more was 0.972. The number content of the toner particle group of 6.5 μm or more was 53%. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Toner Production Example 3)
Under the same manufacturing conditions as in Toner Production Example 1, the hexanediol acrylate at the time of producing the resin fine particle dispersion was changed to 0.6 part, and the coarse particle heat treatment step was not changed except for 1.5 hours at 65 ° C. Got. The number average particle diameter was 6.01 μm and Dv / Dn was 1.22. Toner C was obtained by mixing 1.6 parts of silica and 0.2 part of titanium oxide with 100 parts of base particles using a Henschel mixer. In the obtained toner C, the average circularity R1 of the particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90% was 0.964, and the average circularity R2 of the particle group having a particle size of 90% or more was 0.990. The number content of the toner particle groups of 6.5 μm or more was 28%. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Toner Production Example 4)
Under the production conditions of Toner Production Example 1, 100 parts of base particles were changed to 1.6 parts of silica and 0.4 parts of titanium oxide and mixed with a Henschel mixer to obtain toner D. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Toner Production Example 5)
Under the production conditions of Toner Production Example 1, 100 parts of base particles were changed to 1.5 parts of silica and 0.06 parts of titanium oxide, and mixed with a Henschel mixer to obtain toner E. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Toner Production Example 6)
Under the production conditions of Toner Production Example 1, titanium oxide (JA-C primary particle size 180 nm, manufactured by Teica) was changed to titanium oxide with a primary particle size 15 nm (STT-300AF, manufactured by Titanium Industry Co., Ltd.) and mixed with a Henschel mixer. Thus, toner F was obtained. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Toner Production Example 7)
Under the production conditions of Toner Production Example 1, titanium oxide (JA-C primary particle size 180 nm, manufactured by Teica) was changed to titanium oxide (JR-301, manufactured by Taika Co., Ltd.) having a primary particle size of 300 nm, and mixed with a Henschel mixer. Toner G was obtained. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Toner Production Example 8)
Under the production conditions of Toner Production Example 1, silica (R972, primary particle size 16 nm, manufactured by Aerosil) was changed to sol-gel-silica (Primary particle size, 400 nm, manufactured by Tokuyama) and mixed with a Henschel mixer to obtain toner H. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Toner Production Example 9)
Toner I was obtained under the same production conditions as in Toner Production Example 4 except that the aggregation step was maintained at 40 ° C. for 6 hours. The average roundness R1 of the particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90% in the obtained toner I was 0.960, and the average circularity R2 of the particle group having a particle size of 90% or more was 0.975. The number content of the toner particle groups of 6.5 μm or more was 72%. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Toner Production Example 10)
Toner J was obtained without changing except that the aggregation step was maintained at 40 ° C. for 6 hours under the production conditions of Toner Production Example 5. The average roundness R1 of the particle group having a particle diameter of 10% to 90% in the obtained toner J was 0.953, and the average circularity R2 of the particle group having a particle diameter of 90% or more was 0.982. The number content of the toner particle group of 6.5 μm or more was 68%. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Comparative toner production example 1)
Toner K was obtained with the same manufacturing conditions as in Toner Production Example 1, except that the fusing (ripening) process conditions between the primary particles were changed to 78 ° C. for 2 hours. The average circularity R1 of the particle group having a particle diameter of 10% to 90% in the obtained toner K was 0.926, and the average circularity R2 of the particle group having a particle diameter of 90% or more was 0.973. The number content of the toner particle groups of 6.5 μm or more was 36%. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Comparative toner production example 2)
The toner obtained without changing the primary particle fusion (maturation) process condition to 110 ° C. for 3 hours under the production conditions of Toner Production Example 1 without spheroidizing the coarse powder by the heat treatment process is referred to as toner L. To do. The average circularity R1 of the particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90% in the obtained toner L was 0.980, and the average circularity R2 of the particle group having a particle size of 90% or more was 0.980. The number content of the toner particle group of 6.5 μm or more was 38%. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Comparative toner production example 3)
Toner M is a toner obtained under the production conditions of Toner Production Example 1 without spheroidizing the coarse powder by the heat treatment step. The average circularity R1 of the particle group of 10% to 90% particle diameter of the obtained toner M was 0.966, and the average circularity R2 of the particle group of 90% particle diameter or more was 0.955. The number content of the toner particle group of 6.5 μm or more was 40%. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Comparative toner production example 4)
The toner obtained by changing the spheroidization of the coarse powder by the heat treatment step to 85 ° C. for 1 hour under the production conditions of toner production example 1 is designated as toner N. The average circularity R1 of the particle group having a particle diameter of 10% to 90% of the obtained toner N was 0.955, and the average circularity R2 of the particle group having a particle diameter of 90% or more was 0.995. The number content of the toner particle group of 6.5 μm or more was 39%. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

(Comparative toner production example 5)
Comparative Example Toner O is a toner obtained by changing the heat treatment process conditions at 54 ° C. for 1 hour under the production conditions of Toner Production Example 1. The average circularity R1 of the particle group of 10% to 90% particle diameter of the obtained toner O was 0.925, and the average circularity R2 of the particle group of 90% particle diameter or more was 0.963. The number content of the toner particle group of 6.5 μm or more was 42%. Table 1 shows the physical property values of the obtained toner.

  Next, production examples of the toner carrier used in the image forming method of the present invention will be described.

<Manufacture of toner carrier>
<< Polyether polyol (BO) having a unit represented by Formula 1 >>
100 parts of polytetramethylene glycol (trade name: PTG1000SN; molecular weight Mn = 1000; f = 2; manufactured by Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.) and isocyanate (trade name: Millionate MT; MDI, f = 2; manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd.) ) 18.7 parts were mixed stepwise in a MEK solvent and reacted at 80 ° C. for 3 hours under a nitrogen atmosphere to obtain a bifunctional polyether polyol prepolymer having a molecular weight Mw = 10000 and a hydroxyl value of 18.2. -Polyol (1) was obtained.

  TE5042 (Mitsui Takeda Chemical Co., Ltd.) 2.2 Functional polyether polyol ... Polyol (2)

<< Polyether polyol (PO) having a unit represented by Formula 2 >>
LB385 (manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Industries) Monofunctional polyether polyol ... polyol (3)
G100 (Mitsui Takeda Chemical Co., Ltd.) Trifunctional polyether polyol ... Polyol (4)

<< Polyether polyol (EO) having a unit represented by Formula 3 >>
poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether (PEME) (manufactured by Ardrich) monofunctional polyether polyol ... polyol (5)

<< Polyether polyol (PO-EO) having units represented by Formula 2 and Formula 3 simultaneously >>
HB260 (manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Industries) Monofunctional polyether polyol ... polyol (6)

(Production example of toner carrier A)
A core metal (shaft) having an outer diameter of 8 mm is placed concentrically in a cylindrical mold having an inner diameter of 16 mm, and a liquid conductive silicone rubber (manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Silicone Co., Ltd.) is used as a material for forming the conductive elastic layer. ASKER-C hardness 45 degrees, volume resistivity 1 × 10 ⁷ Ω · cm product), put into 130 ° C oven, heat-molded for 20 minutes, demolded, and then secondarily applied in 200 ° C oven for 4 hours Sulfur was performed to form a conductive elastic layer having a thickness of 4 mm.

Polyol (1) 100 parts Polyol (3) 3.1 parts Polyol (5) 2 parts isocyanate C2521 (Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd., solid content 65%) 125 parts Methyl ethyl ketone is added to the above raw material mixture and the solid content is 25 to 30% by mass. What was adjusted so that it might become was used as the raw material liquid for conductive resin layer formation. 20 parts of carbon black MA230 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd.) and 15 parts of acrylic particles MX-1000 (manufactured by Soken Chemical Co., Ltd.) were added to the solid content of the raw material liquid, and this paint liquid was stirred and dispersed with a ball mill. The paint is applied on the conductive elastic layer previously molded by dipping so as to have a film thickness of 15 μm, dried in an oven at 80 ° C. for 15 minutes, and then cured in an oven at 140 ° C. for 4 hours to form a conductive resin as a surface layer. A toner carrier A having a layer was obtained.

(Production example of toner carrier B)
Toner carrier B was obtained in the same manner except that the composition of the polyol and isocyanate used in Production Example A of the toner carrier was changed as follows.
Polyol (1) 79.3 parts Polyol (2) 39.7 parts Polyol (6) 47.6 parts Isocyanate C2521 (manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd., solid content 65%) 213.3 parts

(Production example of toner carrier C)
Toner carrier C was obtained in the same manner except that the blending of the polyol and isocyanate used in Production Example A of the toner carrier was changed as follows.
Polyol (1) 124 parts Polyol (2) 61.9 parts Polyol (6) 9.3 parts Isocyanate C2521 (Nihon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd. solid content 65%) 187 parts

(Production example of toner carrier D)
Toner carrier D was obtained in the same manner except that the blend of polyol and isocyanate used in Production Example A of the toner carrier was changed as follows.
Polyol (1) 89.2 parts Polyol (2) 44.6 parts Polyol (6) 22.7 parts Isocyanate C2521 (Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd. solid content 65%) 154.9 parts

(Example of production of toner carrier E)
Toner carrier E was obtained in the same manner except that the blending of polyol and isocyanate used in Production Example A of the toner carrier was changed as follows.
Polyol (2) 100 parts Polyol (3) 25 parts Polyol (5) 20 parts Isocyanate C2521 (manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd., solid content 65%) 172 parts

(Production example of toner carrier F)
Toner carrier F was obtained in the same manner except that the blend of polyol and isocyanate used in Production Example A of the toner carrier was changed as follows.
Polyol (1) 100 parts polyol (3) 2 parts polyol (5) 1.5 parts isocyanate C2521 (manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd., solid content 65%) 139 parts

(Production example of toner carrier G)
A toner carrier G was obtained in the same manner except that the blending of the polyol and isocyanate used in the production example of the toner carrier A was changed as follows.
Polyol (2) 100 parts Polyol (3) 30 parts Polyol (5) 30 parts Isocyanate C2521 (Nihon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd. solid content 65%) 160 parts

(Production example of toner carrier H)
A toner carrier H was obtained in the same manner except that the blending of the polyol and isocyanate used in Production Example A of the toner carrier was changed as follows.
Polyol (1) 100 parts Polyol (6) 2 parts isocyanate C2521 (manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd., solid content 65%) 102 parts

(Production example of toner carrier I)
Toner carrier I was obtained in the same manner except that the blending of polyol and isocyanate used in Production Example A of the toner carrier was changed as follows.
Polyol (2) 100 parts Polyol (6) 50 parts Isocyanate C2521 (Nihon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd. solid content 65%) 201.1 parts

(Production example of toner carrier J (comparative production example))
A toner carrier J was obtained in the same manner except that the blending of the polyol and isocyanate used in Production Example A of the toner carrier was changed as follows.
Polyol (2) 100 parts isocyanate C2521 (manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd., solid content 65%) 145 parts

(Production example of toner carrier K (comparative production example))
A toner carrier K was obtained in the same manner except that the blending of the polyol and isocyanate used in Production Example A of the toner carrier was changed as follows.
Polyol (4) 100 parts Polyol (5) 20.1 parts Isocyanate C2521 (Nihon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd. solid content 65%) 120 parts

(Measurement of contact angle of toner carrier)
A contact angle meter CA-S ROLL manufactured by Kyowa Interface Co., Ltd. was used, and a 15 gauge gauge needle manufactured by Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd. was used. The liquid diameter in the droplet dropping direction was about 1.5 mm, and 10 points were dropped per surface of the developing roller image area in a normal temperature and humidity environment (23 ° C./65% RH), and the contact angle after 10 seconds was measured. . The average value of the contact angles of 8 points excluding the maximum value and the minimum value of 10 contact angles was rounded off. Table 2 shows the values measured for each toner carrier with ethylene glycol and diiodomethane.

  An example of manufacturing a toner supply roller used in the image forming method of the present invention will be described.

<Manufacture of toner supply roller>
Next, an example of manufacturing a toner supply roller that can be used in the present invention will be described below. 90 parts of polyol (trade name: FA908, manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Industries), 10 parts of polyol (trade name: POP34-28, manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Industries), TOYOCAT-ET (trade name, manufactured by Tosoh Corporation, tertiary amine catalyst) ) 0.1 part, TOYOCAT-L33 (trade name manufactured by Tosoh Corporation, tertiary amine catalyst) 0.5 part, water (foaming agent) 2.5 part, SH190 (Toray Dow as silicone and polyether copolymer) 1 part of Corning Silicone trade name) was mixed in advance. Thereafter, 24 parts of Coronate 1021 (trade name, manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd., NCO% = 45) as a polyisocyanate was added to this mixture, mixed and stirred, and then foam-molded with the above-mentioned mold to obtain an outer diameter of 5 mm. A toner supply roller was prepared by integrally forming a foamed elastic layer made of polyurethane sponge having a thickness of 4.5 mm around the core metal.

◎ (Image evaluation)
The image evaluation was performed using a commercially available color laser printer HP Color Laser Jet 3800 (manufactured by HP).

After removing the toner contained in the commercially available black cartridge and cleaning the inside by air blow, the test toner (180 g) and the toner carrier are mounted on the cartridge, and the cartridge is placed in a high temperature and high humidity environment (40 (30 ° C / 95RH) for 30 days. Then, after being left for 1 day in a normal temperature and humidity environment, a halftone image was output and banding image evaluation was performed. Only the combination of cartridges having good banding levels were left in a low-temperature and low-humidity environment (15 ° C., 10% RH) for 1 day, and image evaluation was performed in that environment (low-temperature and low-humidity environment). The image evaluation items are as follows, and image evaluation under a low temperature and low humidity environment was performed after printing 10,000 images with a printing rate of 1% in the initial and horizontal lines. LETTER size XEROX 4024 paper (manufactured by XEROX, 75 g / m ² ) was used as the transfer material.

  In addition, the machine has been improved so that it can operate even when only one color process cartridge is installed.

[Banding evaluation]
In the banding evaluation, a halftone image was output, and the following evaluation was performed visually. As a transfer material, LETTER size XEROX 4024 paper (manufactured by XEROX, 75 g / m ² ) was used.
A: Banding is not recognized at all.
B: Banding is very slight.
C: Banding is recognized.
D: Ugly banding is recognized.

[Resolution]
The resolution was evaluated by the reproducibility of a small-diameter isolated 1 dot at 600 dpi, which is easy to close due to the latent image electric field and difficult to reproduce.
A: Less than 5 defects in 100 B: 5 or more and less than 10 defects in 100 C: 10 or more and less than 20 defects in 100 D: 20 or more defects in 100

[Image density]
Evaluation was made based on the image density of the solid portion. The image density was measured by using a “Macbeth reflection densitometer RD918” (manufactured by Macbeth Co., Ltd.) to measure a relative density with respect to a printout image of a white background portion having a document density of 0.00. As the transfer material, A4 size CLC paper (manufactured by Canon, 80 g / m ² ) was used.
A: 1.40 or more B: 1.35 or more, less than 1.40 C: 1.00 or more, less than 1.35 D: less than 1.00

[Fusion]
The fusion of the external additive onto the photoreceptor was evaluated visually as shown below.
A: No fusion of the external additive is observed.
B: Fusing of the external additive is very slight.
C: Fusion of the external additive is observed.
D: Fusing of ugly external additive is observed.

[Fog]
The reflectance (%) of the non-image portion of the printout image is measured with “REFLECTOMETER MODEL TC-6DS” (manufactured by Tokyo Denshoku Co., Ltd.). The obtained reflectance was evaluated using a numerical value (%) subtracted from the reflectance (%) of unused printout paper (standard paper) measured in the same manner. The smaller the numerical value, the more image fog is suppressed. As a transfer material, LETTER size XEROX 4024 paper (manufactured by XEROX, 75 g / m ² ) was used.
A: Less than 0.5 B: 0.5 or more, less than 1.0 C: 1.0 or more, less than 3.0 D: 3.0 or more

[Transcription]
The transferability was evaluated by a numerical value obtained by subtracting the transfer residual toner on the photosensitive member when a solid black image was formed by taping with a Mylar tape, and subtracting the Mylar tape density from the Macbeth density of the Mylar tape thus peeled off.
A: Less than 0.05 B: 0.05 or more, less than 0.1 C: 0.1 or more, less than 0.2 D: 0.2 or more

〔cleaning〕
The cleaning property was visually evaluated as shown below. As the transfer material, A4 size CLC paper (manufactured by Canon, 80 g / m ² ) was used.
A: Good cleaning B: Black horizontal streaks due to toner passing through are slightly observed.
C: Black horizontal streaks due to toner passing through are recognized.
D: An ugly black horizontal streak due to toner passing through is observed.

<Example 1>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier A and toner A. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 2>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier A and toner B. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 3>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier A and toner C. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 4>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier B and toner A. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 5>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier C and toner A. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 6>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner A. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 7>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier E and toner A. As a result, the banding was slightly worse, but it was at a level where there was no problem. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 8>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier F and toner A. As a result, the banding was slightly worse, but it was at a level where there was no problem. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 9>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier G and toner A. As a result, the banding was slightly worse, but it was at a level where there was no problem. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 10>
Evaluation was carried out using toner carrier H and toner A. As a result, the banding was slightly worse, but it was at a level where there was no problem. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 11>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier I and toner A. As a result, the banding was slightly worse, but it was at a level where there was no problem. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 12>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner D. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 13>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner E. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 14>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner F. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 15>
Evaluation was carried out using toner carrier D and toner G. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 16>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner H. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 17>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner I. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Example 18>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner J. As a result, good results were obtained for each item. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Comparative Example 1>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier J and toner A. As a result, banding has deteriorated significantly. Therefore, the evaluation under the low temperature and low humidity environment was not performed. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Comparative example 2>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier K and toner A. As a result, banding has deteriorated significantly. Therefore, the evaluation under the low temperature and low humidity environment was not performed. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Comparative Example 3>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner K. As a result, transferability was remarkably deteriorated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Comparative Example 4>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner L. As a result, the cleaning property was remarkably deteriorated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Comparative Example 5>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner M. As a result, the resolution was remarkably deteriorated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Comparative Example 6>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner N. As a result, the cleaning property was remarkably deteriorated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

<Comparative Example 7>
Evaluation was performed using toner carrier D and toner O. As a result, resolution and transferability deteriorated remarkably. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view showing an example of the developing roller of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view showing an example of the developing roller of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electrophotographic apparatus using an image forming method of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the image forming apparatus using the image forming method of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: Highly conductive shaft (shaft)
2: conductive elastic layer 3: conductive resin layer 21: photosensitive drum 22: charging member 23: laser beam 24: developing device 25: developing roller 26: developer supplying roller 27: developing blade 28: developer 29: transfer roller 30: Cleaning blade 31: Waste developer container 32: Fixing device 33: Paper 34: Developer container

Claims (11)

It has at least a toner carrier and a toner supply roller. The toner carrier is brought into contact with the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier directly or via toner, and the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier is statically removed by the toner carried by the toner carrier. In an image forming method for developing an electrostatic latent image,
The toner carrier surface has a contact angle with ethylene glycol of 60 to 90 degrees and a contact angle with diiodomethane of 30 to 38 degrees,
The toner is obtained by forming aggregated particles containing at least the resin fine particles and the colorant particles in a mixed solution containing at least resin fine particles and the colorant fine particles, and then heating and aggregating the aggregated particles. A non-magnetic one-component toner having toner particles,
The average circularity of a particle group having a particle size of 10% to 90% is R1, and the average value of a particle group having a particle size of 90% or more in the number-based particle size measured by the flow particle image measuring device for the toner particles. An image forming method characterized by satisfying the following relational expressions: 0.930 ≦ R1 ≦ 0.965 and 0.970 ≦ R2 ≦ 0.990 when the circularity is R2.   2. The image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the toner carrying member has at least a shaft, a conductive elastic layer provided on the shaft, and a conductive resin layer constituting the outermost layer. The conductive resin layer has a urethane resin composed of an isocyanate component and a polyol component, the polyol component is a polyether polyol, and the polyether polyol is represented by the following formula (1)

(In the formula, l represents a positive integer.)
Unit represented by the following formula (2)

(In the formula, m represents a positive integer.)
And the following formula (3)

(In the formula, n represents a positive integer.)
The image forming method according to claim 2, further comprising a unit represented by:   The polyether polyol has a molar ratio of the unit (BO) represented by the above formula (1), the unit (PO) represented by the above formula (2), and the unit (EO) represented by the above formula (3). The image forming method according to claim 3, wherein BO: PO: EO = 100: 3: 2 to 100: 25: 20.   The urethane resin includes an isocyanate component, a polyol (BO) having a unit represented by the formula (1), and a polyol (PO-EO) having a unit represented by the formula (2) and the formula (3) at the same time. And the mass ratio of BO and (PO-EO) is BO: (PO-EO) = 100: 5 to 100: 40. 5. The image forming method according to 4.   6. The image forming method according to claim 3, wherein a polyol having two hydroxyl groups and a unit structure represented by the formula (1) is used as the polyether polyol.   As the polyether polyol, a polyol having one hydroxyl group and a unit structure represented by the above formula (2), or a unit structure having one hydroxyl group and represented by the above formula (3). The image forming method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein any one or more of the polyols used are used.   As the polyether polyol, a polyol formed of a copolymer having one hydroxyl group and having a unit structure represented by the above formula (2) and a unit structure represented by the above formula (3) at the same time is used. The image forming method according to claim 3, wherein the image forming method is an image forming method.   9. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the content ratio of the toner having a number-based particle diameter of 6.5 μm or more measured by a flow-type particle image measuring device is 65% by number or less. Image forming method.   The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the toner contains at least silica fine particles having an average primary particle diameter of 5 to 300 nm and titanium oxide fine particles having an average primary particle diameter of 18 to 280 nm. Method.   11. The image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the toner has a Si / Ti intensity ratio of 4.4 to 22.

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