JP2013033130A - Developer for replenishment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide developer for replenishment which sufficiently ensures replenishing performance of toner and a carrier from a container of developer for replenishment and suppresses generation of toner granules due to fusion of the toner in the vicinity of a replenishing port.SOLUTION: A container 100 of developer for replenishment comprises a cylindrical container body 1 and a cover member 2 which covers an open end 1c of the container body 1 and has on its peripheral surface a replenishing port 21 communicating with the inside of the container body 1. The container body 1 includes a first guide part 11 which conveys developer for replenishment towards the replenishing port 21 side by rotating around an axis with respect to the cover member 2. At the open end 1c of the container body 1 and inside the inner surface of the cover member 2, stirring claws 31 are provided which extend from the open end 1c to the replenishing port 21 and rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the container body 1. The developer for replenishment contains: toner containing a binder resin, colorant, and a straight chain or branched paraffin wax; and a carrier having a volume-average particle diameter of 20 to 80 μm.

Description

  The present invention relates to a replenishing developer.

In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a developer is supplied from a developing device to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier such as a photoconductor to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier. . When the amount of toner in the developer in the developing device decreases, the toner is supplied from a toner container attached to the developing device.
On the other hand, in recent years, in order to cope with reduction in power consumption, printing speed, diversification of image forming media, high image quality, and the like, toner images can be fixed at a temperature lower than the conventional temperature. So-called low-temperature fixability is required.
However, when used in a high-temperature environment such as in a tropical region, a phenomenon called blocking in which unused toners stick to each other in a toner container in which toner is contained tends to occur, and the fluidity of the toner deteriorates. There is a problem in that toner accumulates on the inner wall of the toner container in the vicinity and closes the supply port. Further, the toner granules generated by fusing the toner are developed, thereby causing a problem that transfer omission occurs and the image quality deteriorates.
Therefore, a technique is known that includes a mechanism for rotating a toner container to replenish toner to a developing device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This toner container has a cap that opens and closes a toner replenishing opening formed in the bottle body, and an elastic loosening member is provided on the cap to prevent toner aggregation and the like at the opening of the bottle body by the elastic loosening member. In addition, toner discharge is improved.
On the other hand, there is known a technique that improves the fluidity and blocking resistance in the toner container by supplying the toner to the developing device in a state where the toner container is fixed without rotating and selecting an external additive for the toner. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent No. 3836974 JP 2008-233609 A

However, in the toner container of Patent Document 1, the toner is stirred by the loosening member in the opening of the bottle body by opening the cap, and the toner is discharged from the opening. The toner discharged from the portion is further supplied to the developing device through a supply port formed in a support wall that supports the cap. Therefore, the toner discharged from the opening may accumulate near the replenishing port formed on the support wall, or the toner may be fused. Therefore, sufficient toner replenishability cannot be ensured, and toner granules may be generated. In the case of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, nothing is mentioned about the carrier, and it is desired that the carrier be replenished even when the carrier in the developing device deteriorates.
On the other hand, in the case of the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, the toner container is a mechanism that does not rotate, and the toner replenishing port is small, so that the toner replenishment property is insufficient, and the generation of toner granules is also a problem.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and even when used in a high-temperature environment, the toner and carrier replenishment performance from the replenishment developer container can be sufficiently ensured, and the vicinity of the replenishment port It is an object of the present invention to provide a replenishment developer capable of suppressing the generation of toner granules due to toner fusion.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a replenishment developer filled in a replenishment developer container and comprising toner and a carrier,
The replenishment developer container covers a cylindrical container main body and the open end of the container main body, communicates with the inside of the container main body on the peripheral surface, and replenishes for replenishing the replenishment developer to the outside A cover member having a mouth,
The container body has first transport means for transporting the replenishment developer in the container body to the replenishing port side by rotating about the axis with respect to the cover member,
The open end portion of the container body is provided with a stirring claw that is disposed on the inner side of the inner surface of the cover member, extends from the open end portion to the supply port, and rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the container body. And
The toner includes a binder resin, a colorant, and a linear or branched paraffin wax,
A replenishment developer is provided in which the carrier has a volume average particle diameter of 20 to 80 μm.

  According to the present invention, toner and carrier replenishment performance from the replenishment developer container can be sufficiently ensured even when used in a high temperature environment, and toner granules by toner fusion in the vicinity of the replenishment port. Can be suppressed.

It is an external perspective view of a developer container for replenishment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the replenishment developer container of FIG. 1 when cut along the longitudinal direction. It is principal part sectional drawing which showed a part of FIG. It is principal part sectional drawing of the state except the loosening member in FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the replenishment developer container in FIG. 1 cut along a radial direction. It is an external appearance perspective view of a conveyance auxiliary member. It is a figure which shows the internal structure of a digital image forming apparatus. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part when cutting along a longitudinal direction of a replenishment developer container for showing a conventional example. It is an external perspective view of a conveyance auxiliary member for showing a conventional example.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.
The replenishment developer of the present invention includes a toner and a carrier, and the toner includes a binder resin, a colorant, and a linear or branched paraffin wax, and the carrier has a volume average particle diameter of 20 to 80 μm.
The replenishment developer container filled with the replenishment developer covers the cylindrical container main body and the open end of the container main body, and communicates with the inside of the container main body on the peripheral surface. And a cover member having a supply port for supplying to the outside. The container main body has first transport means for transporting the replenishment developer in the container main body to the replenishing port side by rotating about the axis with respect to the cover member. The open end of the container main body is provided with a stirring claw that is disposed on the inner side of the inner surface of the cover member, extends from the open end to the replenishing port, and rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the container main body.
Thus, by combining the replenishment developer containing the carrier and the replenishment developer container filled with the carrier, the fluidity in the replenishment developer container becomes poor due to use in a high temperature environment. The replenishment developer can be crushed by the stirring claw to prevent stagnation at the replenishing port, and sufficient replenishment performance can be ensured. Further, since the replenishment developer contains a toner containing linear or branched paraffin wax and a carrier having an average particle diameter of 25 to 80 μm, the carrier is formed in a gap formed between the cover member and the stirring claw. It acts as a spacer and can suppress generation of toner granules due to toner fusion. As a result, occurrence of transfer omission is suppressed and image quality is improved.
Hereinafter, the replenishment developer, the replenishment developer container, and the image forming apparatus will be specifically described.

[Replenishment developer]
The replenishment developer according to the present invention is a two-component developer that is filled in a replenishment developer container and includes toner and a carrier.
The toner includes a binder resin, a colorant, and a linear or branched paraffin wax.

<Wax>
As the wax contained in the toner of the present invention, linear or branched paraffin wax is used.
The linear paraffin wax is composed mainly of a linear hydrocarbon having 20 to 40 carbon atoms that is separated and refined from petroleum distillation under reduced pressure. The branched paraffin wax is mainly composed of branched chain hydrocarbons having 30 to 60 carbon atoms that are separated and refined from petroleum vacuum distillation residue oil or heavy distillate oil. A preferred wax is a branched paraffin wax in that the effect of suppressing generation of toner granules due to toner fusion is higher.

<Binder resin>
The binder resin for the toner is not particularly limited. Preferably used are styrene-butyl acrylate copolymers, styrene-butadiene copolymers, styrene-butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, polyesters, polyester polyols, urethane-modified polyesters, urea-modified polyesters, and polyesters are particularly preferred. It is. A preferable copolymerization ratio of styrene-butyl acrylate is preferably 65:35 to 85:15 based on the mass of the monomer from the viewpoint of heat-resistant storage stability. As the styrene-butyl acrylate, a terpolymer obtained by copolymerizing acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or the like may be used.
In the case of a polyester resin, it is preferable that the acid value is 40 mgKOH / g or the hydroxyl value is 60 mgKOH / g or less. The acid value is a physical property often used for toner resins, and is represented by the amount of KOH used to neutralize carboxyl groups and sulfonic acid groups remaining in the resin. The acid value and hydroxyl value can be measured by conventional methods.

<Colorant>
As the colorant used in the present invention, a known inorganic or organic colorant can be used. Specific colorants are shown below.
Examples of the black colorant include carbon black such as furnace black, channel black, acetylene black, thermal black, and lamp black, and magnetic powder such as magnetite and ferrite.
Examples of the colorant for magenta or red include C.I. I. Pigment red 2, C.I. I. Pigment red 3, C.I. I. Pigment red 5, C.I. I. Pigment red 6, C.I. I. Pigment red 7, C.I. I. Pigment red 15, C.I. I. Pigment red 16, C.I. I. Pigment red 48; 1, C.I. I. Pigment red 53: 1, C.I. I. Pigment red 57: 1, C.I. I. Pigment red 122, C.I. I. Pigment red 123, C.I. I. Pigment red 139, C.I. I. Pigment red 144, C.I. I. Pigment red 149, C.I. I. Pigment red 166, C.I. I. Pigment red 177, C.I. I. Pigment red 178, C.I. I. And CI Pigment Red 222.
Examples of the colorant for orange or yellow include C.I. I. Pigment orange 31, C.I. I. Pigment orange 43, C.I. I. Pigment yellow 12, C.I. I. Pigment yellow 13, C.I. I. Pigment yellow 14, C.I. I. Pigment yellow 15, C.I. I. Pigment yellow 74, C.I. I. Pigment yellow 93, C.I. I. Pigment yellow 94, C.I. I. And CI Pigment Yellow 138.
Examples of the colorant for green or cyan include C.I. I. Pigment blue 15, C.I. I. Pigment blue 15; 2, C.I. I. Pigment blue 15; 3, C.I. I. Pigment blue 15; 4, C.I. I. Pigment blue 16, C.I. I. Pigment blue 60, C.I. I. Pigment blue 62, C.I. I. Pigment blue 66, C.I. I. And CI Pigment Green 7.

<Toner production method>
As a method for producing the toner of the present invention, a pulverization method in which components such as colorant-carrying resin particles and toner binder resin are heated and melted and kneaded, cooled, pulverized and classified, and a toner binder resin is obtained. A suspension polymerization method in which a polymerizable monomer, an oil-soluble polymerization initiator, a colorant-carrying resin particle, and the like are emulsified and dispersed in an aqueous medium and then polymerized by heating, and a polymerizable unit for obtaining a toner binder resin. Fine particles made of a toner binder resin produced by an emulsion polymerization method or an emulsion polymerization method in which a polymer and a colorant-carrying resin particle are emulsified and dispersed in an aqueous medium, and a water-soluble polymerization initiator is added thereto and heated to polymerize. (Hereinafter also referred to as “toner-binding resin fine particles”) and an emulsion polymerization agglomeration method in which colorant-carrying resin particles are dispersed in an aqueous medium, and then added with an aggregating agent and heated to agglomerate the fine particles. it can
As a method for incorporating a release agent in the toner particles, an aqueous medium may be used in a method in which the binder resin fine particles are configured to contain a release agent, or in a salting out, agglomeration, and fusion process for forming toner particles. Examples of the method include adding a dispersion liquid in which release agent fine particles are dispersed, and salting out, aggregating, and fusing the binder resin fine particles, the colorant fine particles, and the release agent fine particles. You may combine methods.

<Career>
Examples of the carrier (magnetic particles) contained in the replenishment developer of the present invention include iron powder, magnetite, various ferrite-based particles, or those obtained by dispersing them in a resin. Magnetite and various ferrite particles are preferred. As the ferrite, ferrite containing heavy metals such as copper, zinc, nickel, manganese, and light metal ferrite containing alkali metals and / or alkaline earth metals are preferable, and alkali metals and / or alkaline earth metals are particularly preferable. Light metal ferrite.
The composition of the magnetic particles contains an alkali metal such as Li and Na and / or an alkaline earth metal such as Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba, and has the following composition.
(M ₂ O) _x (Fe ₂ O ₃ ) _1-x or (MO) _x (Fe ₂ O 3) _1-x
Further, a part of M ₂ O and / or Fe ₂ O ₃ may be substituted with an alkaline earth metal oxide. M represents the aforementioned alkali metal such as Li and Na and / or alkaline earth metal such as Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba. Further, x is 30 mole% or less, preferably 18 mole% or less, and the substituted alkaline earth metal and / or alkali metal oxide is preferably 1 to 10 mole%. More preferably, it is 3-15 mole%. The reason why this light metal ferrite or magnetite is preferable is not only the waste and environmental pollution problems that have become popular in recent years, but also the weight of the carrier itself can be reduced and the stress on the toner can be reduced. This is because it has the advantage of being able to.

  Suitable resins for forming the carrier coating layer of the present invention include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, chlorinated polyethylene, and chlorosulfonated polyethylene; polyacrylates such as polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl acetate, and polyvinyl alcohol. Polyvinyl and polyvinylidene resins such as polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl carbazole, polyvinyl ether and polybiliketones; copolymers such as vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers and styrene-acrylic acid copolymers; from organosiloxane bonds Silicone resin or its modified resin (for example, modified resin by alkyd resin, polyester resin, epoxy resin, polyurethane, etc.); polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride Polyamides; polyesters; polyurethanes; polycarbonates; down, fluorine resin such as polychlorotrifluoroethylene -; epoxy resins such as urea amino resins such as formaldehyde resin. A preferable resin from the viewpoint of preventing spent toner is a silicone resin, a modified resin thereof, or a fluororesin, and the former is particularly preferable.

  The particle diameter of the carrier is preferably 20 to 80 μm, particularly preferably 25 to 60 μm in terms of volume average particle diameter. By containing a carrier having an average particle diameter of 20 to 80 μm, the toner acts as a spacer in a gap S portion between an inner peripheral surface 2a of the cover member 2 and an outer peripheral surface 3b of the stirring claw 31, which will be described later. Generation of granules can be suppressed. If it is 19 μm or less, the carrier does not exhibit a sufficient effect as a spacer, and if it is 81 μm or more, the carrier is large, so that friction is generated in the gap S portion between the inner peripheral surface 2 a of the cover member 2 and the outer peripheral surface 3 b of the stirring claw 31. It is easy to occur and carrier crushing occurs (see FIG. 5).

Furthermore, the magnetization characteristics of the carrier itself are preferably 2.5 × 10 ^{−5 to} 15.0 × 10 ⁻⁵ Wb · m / kg in saturation magnetization.
The volume average particle diameter of the carrier is a volume-based average particle diameter measured by a laser diffraction type particle size distribution measuring apparatus “HELOS” (manufactured by Sympatec) equipped with a wet disperser. The saturation magnetization is measured by “DC magnetization characteristic automatic recording device 3257-35” (manufactured by Yokogawa Electric Corporation).
The ratio of the toner and the carrier contained in the replenishment developer of the present invention is preferably in the range of 95: 5 to 75:25, and more preferably in the range of 90:10 to 80:20.

Next, the replenishment developer container filled with the replenishment developer of the present invention will be described.
[Supply developer container]
The replenishment developer container is filled with the two-component developer containing the toner and the carrier described above, and is attached to the developing device of the image forming apparatus, and the replenishment developer according to the consumption of the toner in the developing device. The replenishment developer is supplied from the container to the developing device. In the developing device, the toner and the carrier are mixed and stirred so as to have a target mixing ratio, and the replenishment developer container is replenished when the replenishment developer in the replenishment developer container is replenished and becomes empty. A new replenishment developer container is mounted on the apparatus and replaced.

The configuration of the replenishment developer container will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a supply developer container.
The replenishment developer container 100 is provided with a container main body 1 filled with the replenishment developer, and a replenishment developer that is detachably provided on the container main body 1 and is filled in the container main body 1 on the peripheral surface. And a cover member 2 having a supply port 21 for supplying the developing device in the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the replenishment developer container of FIG. 1 taken along the longitudinal direction, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a part of FIG.
The container main body 1 has a long cylindrical shape with one end closed and the other end opened, and is rotatable about an axis about the center of the axial direction of the cylindrical shape. On the inner peripheral surface 1a of the container main body 1, a convex first guide portion 11 (first conveying means) spirals from the closed end 1d side of the container main body 1 toward the open end 1c side. It is formed continuously. The interval between the spiral convex first guide portions 11 is formed so as to be gradually narrower from the closed end portion 1d side toward the open end portion 1c side.
Therefore, the container main body 1 rotates around the rotation axis with respect to the fixed cover member 2, so that the replenishment developer filled in the container main body 1 rotates along the first guide portion 11. The container body 1 is conveyed toward the open end 1c side.
In addition, as a rotation mechanism which rotationally drives the container main body 1, drive sources (not shown), such as a motor attached to the closed end 1d of the container main body 1, are mentioned, for example.

The cover member 2 has a cylindrical shape in which one end is closed and the other end is opened. The cover member 2 is externally fitted to the open end 1 c of the container body 1 and is detachable from the container body 1.
On the outer peripheral surface of the cover member 2, there is formed a replenishing port 21 that communicates with the inside of the cover member 2 to discharge and replenish the replenishment developer in the container body 1 to the outside.
Further, a loosening member 22 extending from the closed end surface 2d toward the container body 1 is provided at the center (bottom surface center) of the closed end surface 2d inside the cover member 2.
The loosening member 22 has a flat plate shape, and is arranged inside a conveyance auxiliary member 3 to be described later when the cover member 2 is attached to the container body 1. Specifically, the loosening member 22 extends to the vicinity of the back end of the conveyance assisting member 3.
Therefore, when the container main body 1 rotates with respect to the cover member 2 (the loosening member 22), the replenishment developer conveyed to the open end 1c of the container main body 1 comes into contact with the loosening member 22 and is stirred. As a result, the stagnation of the replenishment developer can be prevented, and the toner granules due to toner fusion can be crushed.
A shutter member 23 for opening and closing the supply port 21 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the cover member 2. The shutter member 23 automatically opens the supply port 21 when attached to the developing device 440 in the image forming apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 7, and automatically closes the supply port 21 when not attached.

A conveyance auxiliary member 3 is fitted into the open end 1 c of the container body 1. The conveyance auxiliary member 3 rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the container body 1.
4 is a cross-sectional view of the main part in a state where the loosening member in FIG. 3 is removed, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the developer container for supply in FIG. 1 cut along the radial direction, and FIG. It is an external appearance perspective view of a member.
The conveyance auxiliary member 3 has a cylindrical shape with both ends open. A pair of plate-like stirring claws 31 are integrally formed on the end surface on the cover member 2 side (the end surface on the open end 1c side) of the both end surfaces of the conveyance auxiliary member 3. The stirring claw 31 extends from the end surface of the conveyance assisting member 3 on the cover member 2 side to the replenishing port 21 of the cover member 2, and extends along the inner peripheral surface 2 a of the cover member 2.
Specifically, the tip of the stirring claw 31 extends in the vicinity of the closed end face 2d inside the cover member 2 to the extent that it does not contact the closed end face 2d (see FIG. 4).
Moreover, the thickness of the stirring claw 31 is substantially the same as the thickness of the conveyance auxiliary member 3, and the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface of the stirring claw 31 are along the inner peripheral surface 3a and the outer peripheral surface 3b of the conveyance auxiliary member 3, respectively. It is flush (see FIG. 6).
Further, in a state in which the conveyance auxiliary member 3 is fitted into the open end 1c of the container body 1 and mounted, it is between the outer peripheral surface 3b of the conveyance auxiliary member 3 (stirring claw 31) and the inner peripheral surface 2a of the cover member 2. The gap S is formed so as to prevent the outer peripheral surface 3b and the inner peripheral surface 2a of the cover member 2 from coming into contact with each other while promoting the mixing of the carrier and toner of the replenishment developer. (See FIG. 5).

  Therefore, the stirring claw 31 rotated in synchronization with the rotation of the container body 1 stirs the replenishment developer flowing into the periphery of the stirring claw 31, and the vicinity of the inner peripheral surface 2 a of the cover member 2 and the replenishing port 21. The replenishment developer deposited on the toner is peeled off or the fused toner granules in the replenishment developer are crushed. Further, since the stirring claw 31 extends from the open end 1c of the container body 1 to the replenishing port 21, a good replenishment developer conveying performance can be obtained. Further, since the stirring claw 31 has a flat plate shape along the inner peripheral surface 2a of the cover member 2, the toner resistance applied to the stirring claw 31 during rotation is reduced, and the load torque for rotating the container body 1 is reduced. It is possible to suppress the increase in cost such as the size and power consumption of the motor that is the driving source.

On the inner peripheral surface 3a of the conveyance auxiliary member 3, a convex second guide portion 32 (second conveyance means) is formed in a spiral shape.
By this spiral convex second guide portion 32, it is possible to obtain a further better developer supply performance near the supply port 21. In addition, since the second guide portion 32 is formed on the conveyance assisting member 3 that is a separate member from the container body 1, the degree of freedom of the helical convex shape of the second guide portion 32 is increased. Furthermore, since the conveyance assisting member 3 has a cylindrical shape with both ends open, the opening area of the replenishment developer intake port can be increased, and even toner granules fused by the container body 1 can be covered. It is reliably conveyed to the inside of the member 2 and can be crushed by the stirring claw 31. Further, by increasing the opening area of the intake port, the loosening member 22 of the cover member 2 can be formed larger.

  When the replenishment developer container 100 as described above is attached to the developing device 440 of the image forming apparatus 10 in FIG. 7, the container main body 1 is rotated by a drive source (not shown), and is synchronized with the rotation of the container main body 1. The conveyance auxiliary member 3 also rotates. By this rotation, the replenishment developer in the container main body 1 is conveyed along the first guide portion 11 toward the open end portion 1c. The conveyed developer for replenishment is further conveyed along the second guide portion 32 of the conveyance auxiliary member 3 on the open end 1c side of the container body 1 and is agitated by the loosening member 22 to be replenished. The toner is discharged from the port 21 and supplied to the developing device 440. At this time, the replenishment developer deposited on the inner peripheral surface 2 a of the cover member 2 and in the vicinity of the replenishing port 21 is peeled off by the stirring claw 31, and the fused toner granules are crushed, and the developing device is discharged from the replenishing port 21. It is surely replenished to 440.

The replenishment developer container 100 is not limited to the one described above, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.
For example, although the first guide portion 11 and the second guide portion 32 are formed in a spiral convex shape, the shape is not limited to this, and may be a fin shape.
In addition, the stirring claw 31 is integrally formed with the conveyance auxiliary member 3 which is a separate member from the container body 1, but is not limited thereto, and is directly formed on the open end 1 c of the container body 1. Also good.

[Image forming apparatus]
An example of the image forming apparatus provided with the developing device to which the replenishment developer container is mounted is a digital image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the digital image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus 10 has a plurality of transfer material container main bodies 20 at the bottom. An image forming unit 40 and an intermediate transfer belt 50 are installed above the transfer material container main body 20, and a document reading unit 30 is installed above the apparatus main body.
The transfer material container main body 20 can be pulled out to the front side of the apparatus (the front side in FIG. 7).
The image forming unit 40 includes four sets of image forming units 400Y, 400M, 400C, and 400K for forming toner images for each color of Y, M, C, and K. The image forming units 400Y, 400M, and 400K 400C and 400K are linearly arranged from top to bottom in this order, and each has the same configuration. The configuration of the image forming unit 400Y will be described as an example. The image forming unit 400Y includes a photoreceptor 410 that rotates counterclockwise, a scorotron charging unit 420, an exposure unit 430, and a developing device 440.
The cleaning unit 450 is disposed to include a region facing the lowermost part of the photoconductor 410.

The intermediate transfer belt 50 located at the center of the apparatus main body is endless and has an appropriate volume resistivity. Further, the intermediate transfer belt 50 is formed on the outside of a semiconductive film substrate in which a conductive material is dispersed in an engineering plastic such as knitted polyimide, thermosetting polyimide, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, and nylon alloy. It consists of two layers with fluorine coating. Further, there may be a conductive material dispersed in silicon rubber or urethane rubber.
The primary transfer electrode 510 is installed at a position facing the photoconductor 410 with the intermediate transfer belt 50 interposed therebetween.

A process for forming a color image using such an image forming apparatus 1 will be described.
The photoconductor 410 is driven by a main motor (not shown), the surface of the photoconductor 410 is supplied with a voltage by a power source (not shown), and is charged positively by the discharge of the scorotron charging means 420 (in this embodiment). + 800V). Next, optical writing according to image information is performed by the exposure unit 430, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoreceptor 410. When the formed electrostatic latent image passes through the developing device 440, the toner charged positively in the developing device 440 adheres to the portion of the latent image by application of the positive developing bias, and the toner is deposited on the photoreceptor 410. An image is formed. The formed toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 50 that is pressure-bonded to the photoreceptor 410. The toner on the photoreceptor 410 remaining after the transfer is cleaned by the cleaning means 450.
The toner images formed by the image forming units 400 </ b> Y, 400 </ b> M, 400 </ b> C, and 400 </ b> K are transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 50 so that a color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 50.
The transfer material P is discharged one by one by the transfer material container body 20 and conveyed to the position of the registration roller 60. After the leading ends of the transfer material P are aligned by the registration roller 60, the transfer material P is fed from the registration roller 60 at a timing at which the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 50 matches the image position. The transfer material P fed by the registration roller 60 is guided by a guide plate and fed to a transfer nip portion formed by the intermediate transfer belt 50 and the transfer portion 70.
The transfer unit 70 constituted by a roller presses the transfer material P toward the intermediate transfer belt 50 side. By applying a bias (−500 V) having a polarity opposite to that of the toner to the transfer unit 70, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 50 is transferred to the transfer material P by the action of electrostatic force.
The transfer material P is neutralized by a separating means (not shown) including a static elimination needle, separated from the intermediate transfer belt 50, and sent to the fixing device 80. As a result, the toner image is fixed to the transfer material P, and the transfer material P on which the toner image is formed is discharged out of the image forming apparatus.

  The fixing device 80 may be a so-called contact heating type. For example, in the fixing device 80 of FIG. 7, a transfer material on which an unfixed toner image is formed at a nip portion N formed by an elastic roller 83 disposed inside via a pressure roller 81 and a heat generating belt 82. P is inserted to fix the toner image.

[Production of Toner 1]
<< Manufacture of styrene acrylic resin 1 >>
Consisting of 100 parts by weight of styrene, maximum molecular weight 3,600, 50 parts by weight of component A having a glass transition point of 62 ° C., 73 parts by weight of styrene, 25 parts by weight of n-butyl acrylate, and 2 parts by weight of acrylic acid. It consists of 20 parts by weight of B component having a glass transition temperature of 52 ° C., 100,000, 80 parts by weight of styrene and 20 parts by weight of n-butyl acrylate, 25 of the C component having a maximum molecular weight of 600,000 and a glass transition point of 60 ° C. Part by weight was dissolved and mixed in xylene. This resin solution was dried under reduced pressure to obtain styrene acrylic resin 1.

<< Manufacture of Toner 1 >>
Next, the following materials are mixed in a Henschel mixer for 20 minutes, then kneaded at a twin-screw kneading extruder set at 115 ° C., and a toner with a volume-based median diameter of 7.0 μm is obtained using a jet type pulverizer and an air classifier. Obtained. Toner 1 was prepared by mixing 100 parts by weight of this toner and 0.6 parts by weight of hydrophobic silica R-805 (Aerosil Co.) with a Henschel mixer.
Styrene acrylic resin 1 10000 parts by mass C.I. I. Pigment Blue 15: 3 (cyan color material) 750 parts by mass Linear paraffin wax (manufactured by Nippon Seiwa Co., Ltd .: HNP-9 melting point 75 ° C.) 400 parts by mass

[Production of Toner 2]
<< Manufacture of polyester resin 1 >>
Neopentyl glycol 132g
Ethylene glycol 60g
Terephthalic acid 279g
Dibutyltin laurate 1.5g
The above sample is placed in a 2-liter glass four-necked flask equipped with a thermometer, a stainless steel stir bar, a glass nitrogen inlet tube, and a flow-down condenser, and is always kept in a nitrogen atmosphere in a mantle heater. The reaction was continued for 5 hours with stirring at 170 ° C under pressure, and then continued at 210 ° C. When the change in the softening point value according to ASTM E28-51T is no longer observed, it is added to 108 g of 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic acid anhydride, and the reaction is continued at 210 ° C., to ASTM E28-51T. The progress of the reaction was followed from the corresponding softening point, and when the softening point reached a predetermined temperature, the reaction was stopped and cooled to room temperature to obtain polyester resin 1.

<< Production of Toner 2 >>
The following materials were mixed in a Henschel mixer for 20 minutes, then kneaded at a twin-screw kneading extruder set at 115 ° C., and a toner with a volume-based median diameter of 7.0 μm was obtained using a jet type pulverizer and an air classifier. Toner 2 was prepared by mixing 100 parts by weight of this toner and 0.6 parts by weight of hydrophobic silica R-805 (Aerosil) with a Henschel mixer.
Polyester resin 1 10000 parts by mass C.I. I. Pigment Blue 15: 3 (cyan color material) 750 parts by mass Linear paraffin wax (manufactured by Nippon Seiwa Co., Ltd .: HNP-9 melting point 75 ° C.) 400 parts by mass

[Production of Toner 3]
Toner 3 was produced in the same manner as toner 2 except that the release agent was changed to 400 parts by weight of branched paraffin wax (manufactured by Nippon Seiwa Co., Ltd .: HNP-0190, melting point 80 ° C.).

[Production of Toner 4]
Toner 4 was produced in the same manner as toner 2 except that the release agent was changed to 400 parts by weight of a branched paraffin wax (manufactured by Nippon Seiwa Co., Ltd .: HiMic-1090 melting point 80 ° C.).

[Production of Toner 5]
Toner 5 was produced in the same manner as in Toner 2, except that the release agent was changed to 400 parts by mass of ester wax (behenyl behenate melting point 70 ° C.).

[Manufacture of developer]
<< Manufacture of developers 1-3 >>
Developers 1 to 3 were prepared by mixing a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle size of 30 μm, each coated with silicone, with toner 1 to 3 so that the toner concentration becomes 7%.

<< Manufacture of Developer 4 >>
The developer 4 was prepared by mixing the toner carrier with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 50 μm coated with silicone so that the toner concentration becomes 7%.

<< Manufacture of Developer 5 >>
Developer 5 was prepared by mixing the toner carrier with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 15 μm coated with silicone so that the toner concentration becomes 7%.

<< Manufacture of Developer 6 >>
The developer 6 was prepared by mixing the toner 3 with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 85 μm coated with silicone to a toner concentration of 7%.

<< Manufacture of Developer 7 >>
Developer 7 was prepared by mixing the toner carrier with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 30 μm coated with silicone so that the toner concentration becomes 7%.

<< Manufacture of Developer 8 >>
The developer 8 was prepared by mixing the toner 5 with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 85 μm coated with silicone so that the toner concentration becomes 7%.

[Manufacture of developer for replenishment]
<< Production of Replenishing Developers 1 to 3 (Invention) >>
Replenishment developers 1 to 3 were prepared by mixing the toner carriers 1 to 3 with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 30 μm coated with silicone so that the carrier concentration was 15%.

<< Manufacture of Replenishment Developer 4 (Invention) >>
Replenisher developer 4 was prepared by mixing toner 4 with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle size of 50 μm coated with silicone so that the carrier concentration was 15%.

<< Manufacture of Replenishment Developer 5 (Comparative Example) >>
A replenishment developer 5 was prepared by mixing the toner carrier with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 15 μm coated with silicone so that the carrier concentration was 15%.

<< Manufacture of Replenishment Developer 6 (Comparative Example) >>
A replenishment developer 6 was prepared by mixing toner 3 with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 85 μm coated with silicone so that the carrier concentration was 15%.

<< Manufacture of Replenishment Developer 7 (Comparative Example) >>
A replenishment developer 7 was prepared by mixing toner 5 with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 30 μm coated with silicone so that the carrier concentration was 15%.

<< Manufacture of Replenishment Developer 8 (Comparative Example) >>
Replenishment developer 8 was prepared by mixing toner carrier 5 with a ferrite carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 85 μm coated with silicone so that the carrier concentration was 15%.

[Evaluation of toner characteristics]
As an image forming apparatus, a full-color multifunction peripheral “bizhub Pro C353” (manufactured by Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.) modified to a trickle developing system was prepared. The characteristics of the manufactured developers 1 to 8, replenishment developers 1 to 8, and replenishment developer containers (FIGS. 1 to 6 and FIGS. 8 to 9) were evaluated using the combinations shown in Table 1 below. .

Here, the conventional replenishment developer container 100A shown in FIGS. 8 to 9 will be described.
Unlike the replenishment developer container 100 of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the conventional replenishment developer container 100 </ b> A does not include the loosening member 22, and the conveyance assisting member 3 is not provided with the stirring claw 31. . Specifically, the conveyance auxiliary member 3A is disposed at the open end 1cA of the container main body 1A and communicates with the inside of the cover member 2A. The replenishment developer outlet 33A and the back of the container main body 1A from the outlet 33A. Two cylindrical parts 34A extending toward the side. One of the two cylindrical portions 34A extends so as to taper upward toward the inner peripheral surface 1aA of the container main body 1A, and the other tapers downward from the inner peripheral surface 1aA of the container main body 1A. It extends to. On the inner surfaces of the two cylindrical portions 34A, replenishment developer inflow ports 35A communicating with the inside of the container main body 1A are formed. Further, the insides of the two cylindrical portions 34A communicate with each other. Then, the replenishment developer in the container main body 1A flows into each cylindrical portion 34A through each inflow port 35A, and then the replenishment developer flows from the outflow port 33A to the inside of the cover member 2A. It is discharged from the mouth 21A to the outside. As described above, in the conventional conveyance assisting member 3A, since the replenishment developer intake ports are narrowed on the inflow port 35A side and the outflow port 33A side, the replenishment developer in the replenishment developer at the inflow port 35A and the outflow port 33A. The toner is easily fused.

(Toner replenishment property)
The evaluation of toner replenishment was performed by printing 500,000 sheets under printing environment conditions of 30 ° C. and 80% RH, observing the state of the toner replenishing port during that time, and evaluating according to the following rank.
◎: Toner is replenished without problems ○: A block is generated at the toner replenishing port, and the toner gradually collapses and is replenished (no problem in practical use)
×: A block is generated at the toner replenishing port and is not replenished at all (practically problematic)

(Transfer omission)
Evaluation of transfer omission was performed by printing 500,000 sheets under printing environment conditions of 30 ° C. and 80% RH, and the obtained print images were evaluated according to the following rank.
A: Good without omission of transfer ○: Occasion of transfer is slightly seen (no problem in practical use)
X: Occurrence of transfer failure (practical problem)
The results are shown in Table 1 below.

From the results of Table 1, in Examples 1 to 4, it is recognized that the replenishment performance and the transfer omission performance are better than those of Comparative Examples 1 to 5. That is, as in the present invention, a replenishment developer containing a toner containing a linear or branched paraffin wax and a carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 20 to 80 μm, and the replenishment developer shown in FIGS. By using a developer container in combination, the replenishment performance and the transfer omission performance can be improved.
In particular, it can be seen that replenishment developer 3 using toner containing branched paraffin wax has better performance than replenishment developer 2 using toner containing linear paraffin wax. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container body 1c Open end 1d Closed end 11 First guide part 2 Cover member 3 Conveyance member 21 Replenishment port 22 Unraveling member 31 Stirring claw 32 Second guide part 100 Replenishment developer container

Claims (7)

A replenishment developer filled in a replenishment developer container and containing toner and a carrier,
The replenishment developer container covers a cylindrical container main body and the open end of the container main body, communicates with the inside of the container main body on the peripheral surface, and replenishes for replenishing the replenishment developer to the outside A cover member having a mouth,
The container body has first transport means for transporting the replenishment developer in the container body to the replenishing port side by rotating about the axis with respect to the cover member,
The open end portion of the container body is provided with a stirring claw that is disposed on the inner side of the inner surface of the cover member, extends from the open end portion to the supply port, and rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the container body. And
The toner includes a binder resin, a colorant, and a linear or branched paraffin wax,
A replenishing developer, wherein the carrier has a volume average particle diameter of 20 to 80 μm.   The replenishment developer according to claim 1, wherein the wax contained in the toner is a branched paraffin wax.   The replenishment developer according to claim 1, wherein the stirring claw has a flat plate shape extending along the inner surface in the vicinity of the inner surface of the cover member.   The first transport means is a spiral-shaped or fin-shaped first guide part formed on the inner surface of the container body and reaching from the closed end of the container body to the vicinity of the stirring claw. The developer for replenishment according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A conveyance auxiliary member fitted inside the open end is provided at the open end of the container body,
The stirring claw is attached to an end of the conveyance auxiliary member on the open end side,
The conveyance auxiliary member includes second conveyance means for conveying the replenishment developer in the container main body to the replenishment port side by rotating the conveyance auxiliary member in synchronization with the rotation of the container main body. The replenishment developer according to claim 1, wherein the replenishment developer is provided.   The said 2nd conveyance means is a spiral convex shape or fin-shaped 2nd guide part which is formed in the inner surface of the said conveyance auxiliary member, and reaches the vicinity of the said stirring nail | claw, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. The developer for replenishment described.   The replenishment developer according to claim 1, wherein a loosening member extending from the inner surface to the inside of the container main body is provided on the inner surface of the cover member.

Images