JP2015106078A - Fixing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fixing method with which offset images are hardly generated even when a large number of continuous fixations are performed at a low temperature.SOLUTION: In a fixing method for fixing a toner image on a recording material with heat and pressure application means to form a fixed image, the heat and pressure application means has a heating member and pressure member, where the heating member has a cylindrical rotating body having a conductive layer, a coil that is arranged inside the rotating body, has a spiral form part having a spiral shaft substantially parallel to the generating line direction of the rotating body, and forms an alternating field causing electromagnetic induction heating of the conductive layer, and a core that is arranged inside the spiral form part to induce the lines of magnetic force of the alternating field; the magnetic resistance of the core is 30% or less of the combined magnetic resistance of the magnetic resistance of the conductive layer and the magnetic resistance of the area between the conductive layer and core, in a section from one end to the other end of the maximum passage area of images on the recording material in terms of the generating line; a loss elastic modulus of a toner at 80°C is 10to 10Pa, and an amount of Si in toner particles derived from an organic polysiloxane structure is 0.5 to 5.0%.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fixing method used for electrophotography.

  In recent years, energy saving has been considered as a major technical problem in electrophotographic apparatuses, and a drastic reduction in the amount of heat applied to a fixing apparatus has been studied. There is also a great need for printing high-quality, high-gloss images at high speed and continuously.

  Therefore, the fixing device is required to have a low temperature drop even when fixing a large number of sheets so that fixing at a lower temperature is possible, and the toner can be fixed at a lower energy, so-called “low temperature”. “Fixability” is required.

Fixing devices installed in image forming apparatuses such as electrophotographic copying machines and printers
A heating rotator (heating member);
A pressure roller (pressure member) in contact with the heating rotator,
In general, the toner image is fixed on the recording material by heating while conveying the recording material carrying the unfixed toner image at the nip portion formed in step 1).

  Among them, from the viewpoint of shortening the warm-up time, an electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device capable of directly generating heat from the conductive layer of the heating rotator has been developed and put into practical use.

  In the fixing devices disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, the conductive layer generates heat due to eddy currents induced in the conductive layer of the heating rotator by the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating means. Such a fixing device uses, as the conductive layer of the heating rotator, a magnetic metal such as iron or nickel that is easy to pass magnetic flux and has a thickness of 200 μm to 1 mm, or an alloy mainly composed of these metals.

  By the way, if it is intended to shorten the warm-up time of the fixing device, it is necessary to reduce the heat capacity of the heating rotator, so it is advantageous that the conductive layer of the heating rotator is also thin.

  However, in the fixing device disclosed in the above document, when the thickness of the heating rotator is reduced, the heat capacity is reduced, and the temperature drop is increased when the recording material is deprived of heat. Therefore, when fixing a large number of continuous sheets at a low temperature, the toner is insufficiently melted and the release agent is not sufficiently exuded due to a decrease in temperature, resulting in an offset.

  Further, in view of the above problems, the toner side has also studied such as lowering the viscoelasticity of the toner at low temperature and lowering the melting temperature of the release agent in order to improve the release effect at low temperature fixing. (Patent Documents 4 and 5).

  However, simply lowering the viscoelasticity of the toner at low temperature does not solve the offset due to insufficient seepage of the release agent, and lowering the melting temperature of the release agent tends to reduce the storage stability of the toner. there were. That is, there is still a problem in fixing a large number of continuous sheets at a low temperature.

JP 2000-81806 A JP 2004-341164 A JP-A-9-102385 JP 2002-91084 A JP 2011-141514 A

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems and provide a fixing method in which an offset image is hardly generated even when a large number of continuous sheets are fixed at a low temperature.

The present invention
In a fixing method in which a toner image on a recording material is heated and pressurized and fixed by a heating and pressing unit to form a fixed image on the recording material.
The heating and pressurizing means is
A heating member;
A pressure member,
The heating member is
A cylindrical rotating body having a conductive layer;
A coil for forming an alternating magnetic field that is disposed inside the rotating body and has a spiral-shaped portion whose spiral axis is substantially parallel to a generatrix direction of the rotating body, and that causes the conductive layer to generate electromagnetic induction heat;
A core disposed in the spiral-shaped portion for inducing magnetic field lines of the alternating magnetic field;
Have
In the section from one end to the other end of the maximum passage area of the image on the recording material with respect to the bus line direction, the magnetic resistance of the core is:
A magnetic resistance of the conductive layer;
The magnetoresistance of the region between the conductive layer and the core;
30% or less of the combined magnetoresistance of
The toner for forming the toner image is a toner having toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a wax;
In the measurement of the viscoelasticity of the toner, the loss elastic modulus G ″ (80) at 80 ° C. is 1 × 10 ⁴ Pa to 1 × 10 ⁷ Pa,
The toner particles have an organic polysiloxane structure;
In the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis (ESCA) of the toner particles, an amount of Si derived from the organic polysiloxane structure is 0.5 atomic% or more and 5.0 atomic% or less.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fixing method in which a large number of low-temperature and continuous sheets are fixed and an offset image is hardly generated.

Perspective view of fixing film, magnetic core and coil Schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus of the fixing device 1 Schematic sectional view of the fixing device 1 Relationship diagram between drive frequency and output power Schematic diagram of magnetic field around solenoid coil and magnetic core Schematic diagram of the vicinity of the end of the magnetic core of the solenoid coil Schematic diagram of the region where the magnetic flux passing through the circuit is stable Schematic diagram of the cylindrical rotating body and the region where magnetic flux is stable Examples of magnetic field lines that do not meet the purpose of the fixing device 1 Schematic diagram of a structure with a finite length solenoid Magnetic equivalent circuit diagram of space including core, coil, and cylinder per unit length Schematic diagram of magnetic core and gap Cross-sectional schematic diagram of current and magnetic field inside a cylindrical rotating body Illustration of eddy current E // Illustration of eddy current E⊥ Results of measuring the power conversion efficiency in the configuration of the fixing device 1 Induction heating type fixing device configuration as the fixing device 2 Schematic diagram of heat generation of fixing device 2 Equivalent circuit of coil and sleeve Illustration of circuit efficiency Diagram of experimental device used for measurement experiment of power conversion efficiency Diagram of the relationship between the ratio of magnetic flux external to a cylindrical rotating body and conversion efficiency The figure which shows an example of the manufacturing apparatus of the toner used for the fixing method of this invention.

  Among the fixing devices that form a fixed image on a recording material by heat-pressing and fixing a toner image on the recording material by a heating and pressing unit, a conventional electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device is a heating rotary member (heating member). By reducing the thickness of the conductive layer, the heat capacity is designed to be reduced. This is to shorten the warm-up time. As a result, although the warm-up time is shortened, the temperature drop of the heating rotator becomes large when a recording material such as paper takes the heat of the heating rotator. Although this temperature drop is designed to be recovered in a short time, it is difficult to recover in a short time in fixing a large number of continuous sheets, particularly when fixing at a low temperature.

  As a result, when fixing a large number of continuous sheets, insufficient melting of the toner and insufficient release effect of the release agent may occur, and offset may occur.

  Accordingly, the inventors of the present invention have adopted a fixing device configuration in which a minute temperature drop of the heating rotator hardly occurs in the electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device. Further, this fixing device configuration was combined with a toner capable of exhibiting a toner melting effect at a low temperature and a releasing effect at a low temperature. By doing so, it has been found that it is possible to provide a fixing method in which an offset image is hardly generated even when fixing a large number of continuous sheets at a low temperature.

  Hereinafter, the details of the present invention will be described.

The fixing device
A cylindrical rotating body having a conductive layer;
A coil for forming an alternating magnetic field that is disposed inside the rotating body and has a spiral-shaped portion whose spiral axis is substantially parallel to a generatrix direction of the rotating body, and that causes the conductive layer to generate electromagnetic induction heat;
A core disposed in the spiral-shaped portion for inducing magnetic field lines of the alternating magnetic field;
In the section from the one end to the other end of the maximum passage area of the image on the recording material in the bus bar direction, the magnetic resistance of the core is
A magnetic resistance of the conductive layer;
The magnetoresistance of the region between the conductive layer and the core;
It is characterized by being 30% or less of the combined magnetic resistance.

  The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(1) Example of Image Forming Apparatus FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is a laser beam printer using an electrophotographic process. Reference numeral 101 denotes a rotating drum type electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter referred to as a photosensitive drum) as an image carrier, which is rotationally driven at a predetermined peripheral speed.

  The photosensitive drum 101 is uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity and a predetermined potential by the charging roller 102 in the process of rotation. Reference numeral 103 denotes a laser beam scanner as exposure means. The scanner 103 outputs laser light L modulated in accordance with image information input from an external device such as an image scanner (not shown) or a computer, and scans and exposes the charged surface of the photosensitive drum 101. By this scanning exposure, the charge on the surface of the photosensitive drum 101 is removed, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to image information is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 101. A developing device 104 supplies toner from the developing roller 104a to the surface of the photosensitive drum 101, and the electrostatic latent image is developed as a toner image. Reference numeral 105 denotes a paper feed cassette in which the recording material P is stacked and stored. The paper feed roller 106 is driven based on the paper feed start signal, and the recording materials P in the paper feed cassette 105 are separated and fed one by one. The recording material P is introduced through a registration roller 107 into a transfer portion 108T formed by the photosensitive drum 101 and the transfer roller 108 at a predetermined timing. That is, the conveyance of the recording material P is controlled by the registration roller 107 so that the leading edge of the recording material P reaches the transfer site 108T at the timing when the leading edge of the toner image on the photosensitive drum 101 reaches the transfer site 108T. The The recording material P introduced into the transfer portion 108T is conveyed at the transfer portion 108T, and during that time, a transfer bias voltage is applied to the transfer roller 108 by a transfer bias application power source (not shown). The transfer roller 108 is applied with a transfer bias voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner, whereby the toner image on the surface side of the photosensitive drum 101 is transferred to the surface of the recording material P at the transfer portion 108T. The recording material P to which the toner image has been transferred at the transfer portion 108T is separated from the surface of the photosensitive drum 101 and is fixed by the fixing device A via the conveyance guide 109. The fixing device A will be described later. On the other hand, the surface of the photosensitive drum 101 after the recording material is separated from the photosensitive drum 101 is cleaned by the cleaning device 110 and repeatedly subjected to image forming operations. The recording material P that has passed through the fixing device A is discharged from the paper discharge port 111 onto the paper discharge tray 112.

(2) Fixing Device (2-1) Schematic Configuration FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the fixing device 1. The fixing device 1 includes a fixing film 1 as a cylindrical heating rotator, a film guide 9 (belt guide) as a nip forming member that contacts the inner surface of the fixing film 1, and a pressure roller (as a counter member). Pressure member) 7. The pressure roller 7 forms the nip portion N together with the nip portion forming member via the fixing film 1. The recording material P carrying the toner image T at the nip portion N is heated while being conveyed, and the toner image T is fixed to the recording material P.

  The nip portion forming member 9 is pressed against the pressure roller 7 with a pressing force of a total pressure of about 50 N to 100 N (about 5 kgf to about 10 kgf) by a bearing means and a biasing means (not shown). . The pressure roller 7 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow by a drive source (not shown), and the rotational force acts on the fixing film 1 by the frictional force in the nip portion N. The fixing film 1 is driven by the pressure roller 7. Rotate. The nip portion forming member 9 also has a function as a film guide for guiding the inner surface of the fixing film 1 and is composed of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) which is a heat resistant resin.

  The fixing film 1 (fixing belt) is formed of a metal conductive layer 1a (base layer) having a diameter (outer diameter) of 10 to 100 mm, an elastic layer 1b formed outside the conductive layer 1a, and an outside of the elastic layer 1b. Surface layer 1c (release layer). Hereinafter, the conductive layer 1a is referred to as “cylindrical rotating body” or “cylindrical body”. The fixing film 1 has flexibility.

  In the fixing device 1 used in Example 1, the cylindrical rotating body 1a uses aluminum having a relative magnetic permeability of 1.0 and a thickness of 20 μm. The material of the cylindrical rotating body 1a is preferably made of at least one of aluminum, copper (Cu), Ag (silver), and austenitic stainless steel (SUS), which are nonmagnetic materials.

  One of the features of the fixing device is that there are a wide variety of materials that can be used for the cylindrical rotating body 1a. Thereby, there exists a merit that the material excellent in workability and the cheap material can be used.

  The thickness of the cylindrical rotating body 1a is preferably 75 μm or less, and more preferably 50 μm or less. This is because the cylindrical rotating body 1a is desired to have appropriate flexibility and to reduce the heat capacity. A smaller diameter is advantageous for reducing the heat capacity.

  For the above reasons, it is important to use the conductive layer 1a with a thickness of 50 μm or less in order to minimize the heat capacity. As will be described later, the fixing device of the present invention has an advantage that the thickness of the conductive layer 1a can be reduced to 50 μm or less even in the electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device.

  The elastic layer 1b is formed of silicone rubber having a hardness of 20 degrees (JIS-A, 1 kg load), and has a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm. And the fluororesin tube whose thickness is 10 micrometers-50 micrometers is coat | covered as the surface layer 1c (release layer) on the elastic layer 1b. The magnetic core 2 is inserted into the hollow portion of the fixing film 1 in the direction of the generatrix of the fixing film 1. An exciting coil 3 is wound around the outer periphery of the magnetic core 2.

(2-2) Magnetic Core FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cylindrical rotating body 1a (conductive layer), a magnetic core 2, and an exciting coil 3.

  The magnetic core 2 has a cylindrical shape, and is arranged in the approximate center of the fixing film 1 by a fixing means (not shown). The magnetic core 2 guides the magnetic field lines (magnetic flux) of the alternating magnetic field generated by the exciting coil 3 to the inside of the cylindrical rotating body 1a (the region between the cylindrical rotating body 1a and the magnetic core 2), and the path of the magnetic field lines. It has a role of forming (magnetic path). The material of the magnetic core 2 is a material having a low hysteresis loss and a high relative permeability, for example, a high permeability oxide such as sintered ferrite, ferrite resin, amorphous alloy, or permalloy, or an alloy material. A composed ferromagnetic material is preferred. In particular, when high-frequency alternating current in the 21 kHz to 100 kHz band is passed through the exciting coil, sintered ferrite with a small loss in high-frequency current is preferable. It is desirable that the magnetic core 2 has a cross-sectional area as large as possible within a range that can be accommodated in the hollow portion of the cylindrical rotating body 1a. In this embodiment, the magnetic core has a diameter of 5 to 40 mm and a longitudinal length of 230 to 300 mm. The shape of the magnetic core 2 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be a prismatic shape. The magnetic core may be divided into a plurality of parts in the longitudinal direction, and gaps (air gaps) may be provided between the cores. In this case, it is desirable to configure the gap between the divided magnetic cores as small as possible.

(2-3) Excitation Coil The excitation coil 3 is formed by winding a copper wire (single conductor) having a diameter of 1 to 2 mm covered with a heat-resistant polyamideimide around the magnetic core 2 in a spiral shape with about 10 to 100 turns. Form. In this embodiment, the number of turns of the exciting coil 3 is 18. Since the exciting coil 3 is wound around the magnetic core 2 in a direction intersecting with the bus line direction of the fixing film 1, when a high-frequency current is passed through the exciting coil, an alternating magnetic field is generated in a direction parallel to the bus line direction of the fixing film 1. Can be generated.

  The exciting coil 3 does not necessarily have to be wound around the magnetic core 2. The exciting coil 3 has a spiral-shaped portion, and the spiral-shaped portion is arranged inside the cylindrical rotating body so that the spiral axis of the spiral-shaped portion is parallel to the generatrix direction of the cylindrical rotating body, and the magnetic core is spiraled. What is necessary is just to be arrange | positioned in a shape part. For example, a configuration in which a bobbin in which the exciting coil 3 is spirally wound inside a cylindrical rotating body and the magnetic core 2 is disposed inside the bobbin may be employed.

  Further, the heat generation efficiency becomes the highest when the spiral axis and the generatrix direction of the cylindrical rotating body are parallel in principle of heat generation.

  However, when the parallelism of the spiral axis with respect to the generatrix direction of the cylindrical rotating body is shifted, the “amount of magnetic flux penetrating the circuit in parallel” slightly decreases, and although the heat generation efficiency is reduced by that amount, it is tilted only a few degrees. If so, there is no practical problem.

(2-4) Temperature Control Unit The temperature detection member 4 in FIG. 1 is provided for detecting the surface temperature of the central portion of the fixing film 1. In this embodiment, a non-contact type thermistor is used as the temperature detection member 4. The high frequency converter 5 supplies a high frequency current to the exciting coil 3 through the power supply contact portions 3a and 3b. In Japan, the frequency used for electromagnetic induction heating is set in the range of 20.05 kHz to 100 kHz according to the enforcement regulations of the Radio Law. Moreover, since it is preferable that the frequency is low in terms of component costs of the power supply, frequency modulation control is performed in the region of 21 kHz to 40 kHz near the lower limit of the use frequency band. Hereinafter, frequency modulation control will be described. In the electromagnetic induction system that performs induction heat generation using a resonance circuit, the output power varies depending on the drive frequency as shown in the graph of FIG. This utilizes the property that the power is maximized when the drive frequency matches the resonance frequency, and the power decreases as the drive frequency moves away from the resonance frequency. In other words, the output power is adjusted by changing the drive frequency from 21 kHz to 100 kHz according to the temperature difference between the target temperature and the temperature detection member 4. The control circuit 6 controls the high-frequency converter 5 based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection member 4. Thereby, the fixing film 1 is heated by electromagnetic induction, and the electric power is controlled so that the surface temperature becomes a predetermined target temperature.

(3) Heat generation principle (3-1) Shape of magnetic field lines and induced electromotive force First, FIG. 5A shows a case where a magnetic path is formed by inserting the magnetic core 2 through the center of the solenoid coil 3 having the same shape. It is a correspondence diagram of a coil shape and a magnetic field. The direction of the lines of magnetic force is the moment when the current increases in the direction of arrow I. The magnetic core 2 functions as a member that guides the magnetic lines of force generated by the solenoid coil 3 and forms a magnetic path. The magnetic core 2 of the fixing device 1 does not have an annular shape but has an end portion in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the majority of the lines of magnetic force are concentrated in the magnetic path in the center of the solenoid coil and become an open magnetic path in a shape that diffuses at the end in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core 2. Therefore, there is little leakage of magnetic field lines in the gap Δd of the coil, and the magnetic field lines coming out from both poles form an open magnetic path that is connected far away from the outer periphery (discontinuous at the end in the figure). FIG. 5B shows the distribution of magnetic flux density on the solenoid central axis X. As indicated by a curve B2 on the graph, the magnetic flux density has a shape close to a trapezoid with less attenuation of the magnetic flux density at the end of the solenoid coil 3 than B1.

(3-2) Induced electromotive force The heat generation principle follows Faraday's law. Faraday's law is: “When a magnetic field in a circuit is changed, an induced electromotive force is generated to cause a current to flow in the circuit, and the induced electromotive force is proportional to the time change of the magnetic flux penetrating the circuit vertically. ". Consider a case where a coil S and a circuit S having a diameter larger than that of the magnetic core are placed near the end of the magnetic core 2 of the solenoid coil 3 shown in FIG. When a high-frequency alternating current is applied, an alternating magnetic field (a magnetic field that repeatedly changes in magnitude and direction with time) is formed around the solenoid coil. At that time, the induced electromotive force generated in the circuit S is proportional to the time change of the magnetic flux penetrating the circuit S vertically according to Faraday's law according to the following equation (1).

V: induced electromotive force N: number of coil turns Δφ / Δt: change in magnetic flux penetrating the circuit vertically in a minute time Δt

  That is, in the state where a direct current is passed through the exciting coil to form a static magnetic field, when more vertical components of the magnetic field lines pass through the circuit S, a high-frequency alternating current is passed to generate an alternating magnetic field. The time change of the vertical component of the magnetic field lines at the time is also increased. As a result, the induced electromotive force generated also increases, and a current flows in a direction that cancels the change in the magnetic flux. That is, as a result of generating an alternating magnetic field, when a current flows, a change in magnetic flux is canceled out, resulting in a magnetic field line shape different from that when a static magnetic field is formed. The induced electromotive force V tends to increase as the frequency of the alternating current increases (that is, Δt decreases). Therefore, when an alternating current with a low frequency of 50 to 60 Hz is passed through the exciting coil, and when an alternating current with a high frequency of 21 kHz to 100 kHz is passed through the exciting coil, it can be generated with a predetermined amount of magnetic flux. The power is very different. When the frequency of the alternating current is set to a high frequency, a high electromotive force can be generated even with a small amount of magnetic flux. Therefore, increasing the frequency of the alternating current can generate a large amount of heat with a magnetic core having a small cross-sectional area, which is very effective when a large amount of heat is desired to be generated in a small fixing device. This is similar to the fact that the transformer can be miniaturized by increasing the frequency of the alternating current. For example, in a transformer used in a low frequency band (50 to 60 Hz), it is necessary to increase the magnetic flux φ by the amount Δt is large, and it is necessary to increase the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core. On the other hand, the transformer used in the high frequency band (kHz) can reduce the magnetic flux φ as much as Δt is small, and the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core can be designed small.

  As described above, by using the alternating current frequency in a high frequency band of 21 kHz to 100 kHz, the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core can be reduced, and the image forming apparatus can be downsized.

  In order to generate an induced electromotive force in the circuit S with high efficiency by an alternating magnetic field, it is necessary to design a state in which more vertical components of magnetic field lines pass through the circuit S. However, in an alternating magnetic field, it is necessary to consider the influence of a demagnetizing field when an induced electromotive force is generated in the coil, and the phenomenon becomes complicated. Although the fixing device of the present invention will be described later, in order to design the fixing device of the present invention, a simpler physical can be achieved by proceeding with the discussion based on the shape of the magnetic field lines in the static magnetic field state where no induced electromotive force is generated. The design can be advanced with the model. That is, it is possible to design a fixing device that generates an induced electromotive force with high efficiency in an alternating magnetic field by optimizing the shape of the magnetic field lines in the static magnetic field.

  FIG. 6B shows the distribution of magnetic flux density on the solenoid central axis X. Considering the case where a static magnetic field (a magnetic field that does not vary with time) is formed by passing a direct current through the coil, the circuit S when the circuit S is placed at the position X2 with respect to the magnetic flux when the circuit S is placed at the position X1. The magnetic flux penetrating vertically increases as shown by B2. At the position X2, almost all of the magnetic field lines bound to the magnetic core 2 are accommodated in the circuit S, and in the stable region M in the positive direction of the X axis from the position X2, the magnetic flux penetrating the circuit vertically is saturated and always at the maximum. It becomes. The same can be said for the opposite end, and the stable region M from the position X2 to X3 at the opposite end is perpendicular to the circuit S as shown in the magnetic flux density distribution of FIG. The penetrating magnetic flux density is saturated and stable. As shown in FIG. 7A, this stable region M exists in a region where the magnetic core 2 is present.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, in the configuration of the lines of magnetic force in the present invention, the cylindrical rotating body 1a can be covered with a region from X2 to X3 when a static magnetic field is formed. Then, the shape of the lines of magnetic force through which the magnetic flux passes through the outside of the cylindrical rotating body is designed from one end (magnetic pole NP) to the other end (magnetic pole SP) of the magnetic core 2. Then, the image of the recording material is heated using the stable region M. Therefore, in the fixing device 1, at least the length of the magnetic core 2 for forming the magnetic path in the longitudinal direction needs to be longer than the maximum image heating area ZL of the recording material P. As a more preferable configuration, the lengths of both the magnetic core 2 and the exciting coil 3 in the longitudinal direction are preferably longer than the maximum image heating region ZL. This is because the toner image on the recording material P can be uniformly heated to the end by doing so. Further, the length of the cylindrical rotating body 1a in the longitudinal direction needs to be longer than the maximum image heating area ZL. In the present fixing device, when the solenoid magnetic field shown in FIG. 8A is formed, it is important that the two magnetic poles NP and SP are outside the maximum image heating region ZL. By doing so, uniform heat can be generated in the ZL range.

  Note that the maximum conveyance area of the recording material may be used instead of the maximum image heating area.

  In this fixing device, both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core 2 protrude outward from the end surface in the generatrix direction of the fixing film 1. As a result, the amount of heat generated in the entire area of the fixing film 1 in the generatrix direction can be stabilized.

  A conventional electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device is designed based on the technical idea of injecting magnetic lines of force into the material of a cylindrical rotating body. On the other hand, in the electromagnetic induction heating method of the fixing device, the entire area of the cylindrical rotating body is heated in a state where the magnetic flux penetrating the circuit S is maximized, that is, the magnetic flux passes through the outside of the cylindrical rotating body. It is characterized by being designed with the technical idea of doing so. Therefore, unlike the conventional electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device, the design that heats the entire area of the cylindrical rotating body has a fixing device configuration that has a very small temperature drop even when the recording material passes.

  Below, three examples of magnetic field line shapes that do not meet the object of the present invention are shown. FIG. 9A shows an example in which the lines of magnetic force pass through the inside of the cylindrical rotating body (region between the cylindrical rotating body and the magnetic core). In this case, the magnetic flux that passes through the inside of the cylindrical rotating body is a mixture of the magnetic flux that goes to the left and the magnetic flux that goes to the right in the figure, so they cancel each other out, and the integrated value of φ decreases due to Faraday's law. This is not preferable because the heat generation efficiency is reduced. The shape of the line of magnetic force is such that when the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core is small, when the relative permeability of the magnetic core is small, when the magnetic core is divided in the longitudinal direction to form a large gap, the diameter of the cylindrical rotating body This occurs when is large.

  FIG. 9B shows an example in which the lines of magnetic force pass through the inside of the material of the cylindrical rotating body. Such a state is likely to occur when the material of the cylindrical rotating body is a material having a high relative permeability such as nickel or iron.

From the above description, the magnetic field line shape that does not meet the object of the present invention is formed in the following cases (I) to (V), which is Joule heat due to eddy current loss generated inside the material of the cylindrical rotating body. This is a conventional fixing device that generates heat.
(I) The relative permeability of the material of the cylindrical rotating body is large (II) The sectional area of the cylindrical rotating body is large (III) The sectional area of the magnetic core is small (IV) The relative permeability of the magnetic core is small (V ) Magnetic core is divided in the longitudinal direction to form a large gap

  FIG. 9C shows a case where the magnetic core is divided into a plurality of portions in the longitudinal direction, and magnetic poles are also formed at locations MP other than the end portions NP and SP of the magnetic core. In order to achieve the object of the present invention, it is preferable to form a magnetic path so that only two of NP and SP are used as magnetic poles, and it is preferable to make the magnetic pole MP by dividing the magnetic core into a plurality of parts in the longitudinal direction. Absent. For reasons described later in 3-3, the magnetic resistance of the entire magnetic core is increased, making it difficult to form a magnetic path, and the amount of heat generation in the vicinity of the magnetic pole MP portion is reduced, making it difficult to heat a uniform image. There is a case.

  In the case of division, the magnetic core is limited to a range (described later in 3-6) in which the magnetic resistance is small and the permeance can be kept large so that the magnetic core can sufficiently function as a magnetic path.

(3-3) Magnetic Circuit and Permeance Next, specific design guidelines for achieving the heat generation principle described in (3-2) will be described. For that purpose, it is necessary to express the ease of passing the magnetism in the direction of the generatrix of the cylindrical rotating body of each component of the fixing device by a shape factor. As the shape factor, “permeance” of “magnetic circuit model in static magnetic field” is used. First, the concept of a general magnetic circuit will be described. A closed circuit of a magnetic path through which a magnetic flux mainly passes is called a magnetic circuit with respect to an electric circuit. When calculating the magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit, it can be performed in accordance with the calculation of the electric circuit current. The basic calculation formula of the magnetic circuit is the same as Ohm's law regarding the electric circuit. When the total magnetic flux is φ, the magnetomotive force is V, and the magnetic resistance is R, these three elements are the total magnetic flux φ = the magnetomotive force V / magnetism. Resistance R (2)
(Thus, the current in the electric circuit corresponds to the total magnetic flux φ in the magnetic circuit, the electromotive force in the electric circuit corresponds to the magnetomotive force V in the magnetic circuit, and the electric resistance in the electric circuit is the same as the magnetic resistance in the magnetic circuit. Corresponding). However, here, in order to explain the principle more easily, a permeance P that is the reciprocal of the magnetic resistance R will be used. Therefore, the above (2) is the total magnetic flux φ = magnetomotive force V × permeance P (3)
Is replaced by This permeance P has a magnetic path length B, a magnetic path cross-sectional area S, and a magnetic path permeability μ,
Permeance P = permeability μ × magnetic path cross-sectional area S / magnetic path length B (4)
It is represented by The permeance P indicates that the shorter the magnetic path length B and the larger the magnetic path cross-sectional area S and the magnetic permeability μ, the larger the magnetic flux φ is formed in the portion where the permeance P is large.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, the magnetic field is designed so that most of the lines of magnetic force emerging from one end in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core return to the other end of the magnetic core through the outside of the cylindrical rotating body in a static magnetic field. At the time of designing, the fixing device may be regarded as a magnetic circuit so that “the permeance of the magnetic core 2 is sufficiently large and the permeance inside the cylindrical rotating body and the inside of the cylindrical rotating body is sufficiently small”.

  In FIG. 10, a cylindrical rotating body (conductive layer) is referred to as a cylindrical body. FIG. 10A shows an inside of a cylindrical body 1a, a magnetic core 2 having a radius: a1 [m], a length: B [m], a relative magnetic permeability: μ1, and an exciting coil 3 having N turns. Is a structure in which a finite-length solenoid wound with a coil is disposed. Here, the cylindrical body is a conductor having a length: B [m], a cylinder inner radius: a2 [m], a cylinder outer radius: a3 [m], and a relative magnetic permeability: μ2. The magnetic permeability of the vacuum inside and outside the cylinder is set to μ0 [H / m]. The magnetic flux 8 generated per unit length at an arbitrary position of the magnetic core when the current: I [A] was passed through the solenoid coil was defined as φc (x).

  FIG. 10B is an enlarged view of a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core 2. The arrows in the figure represent the inside of the magnetic core, the air inside and outside the cylindrical body, and the magnetic flux passing through the inside of the cylinder and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core when current I is passed through the solenoid coil. The magnetic flux passing through the magnetic core is φc (= φc (x)), the magnetic flux passing through the air inside the cylindrical body is φa_in, the magnetic flux passing through the cylindrical body is φcy, and the magnetic flux passing through the air outside the cylindrical body is φa_out. .

  FIG. 11A shows a magnetic equivalent circuit of a space including the core, coil, and cylinder per unit length shown in FIG. The magnetomotive force generated by the magnetic flux φc passing through the magnetic core is Vm, the permeance of the magnetic core is Pc, the permeance in the air inside the cylinder is Pa_in, the permeance in the cylinder is Pcy, and the permeance of the air outside the cylinder is Pa_out. .

When the permeance Pc of the magnetic core is sufficiently larger than the permeances Pa_in and Pcy of the inside of the cylinder or the cylinder, the following relationship is established.
φc = φa_in + φcy + φa_out (5)
That is, the magnetic flux that has passed through the inside of the magnetic core always passes through any one of φa_in, φcy, and φa_out and returns to the magnetic core.
φc = Pc · Vm (6)
φa_in = Pa_in · Vm (7)
φcy = Pcy · Vm (8)
φa_out = Pa_out · Vm (9)
Therefore, substituting (6) to (9) into (5) results in the following.
Pc · Vm = Pa_in · Vm + Pcy · Vm + Pa_out · Vm
= (Pa_in + Pcy + Pa_out) · Vm
∴Pc-Pa_in-Pcy-Pa_out = 0 (10)

From FIG. 10B, assuming that the cross-sectional area of the magnetic coil is Sc, the cross-sectional area of the air inside the cylinder body is Sa_in, and the cross-sectional area of the cylinder body is Scy, the permeance per unit length of each region is as follows: It can be expressed by “permeability × cross-sectional area”, and the unit is [H · m].
Pc = μ1 · Sc = μ1 · π (a1) ² (11)
Pa_in = μ0 · Sa_in = μ0 · π · ((a2) ² − (a1) ² ) (12)
Pcy = μ2 · Scy = μ2 · π · ((a3) ² − (a2) ² ) (13)

Further, since Pc−Pa_in−Pcy−Pa_out = 0, the permeance in the air outside the cylinder can be expressed as follows.
Pa_out = Pc-Pa_in-Pcy
= Μ1 ・ Sc−μ0 ・ Sa_in−μ2 ・ Scy
= Π · μ1 · (a1) ²
-Π · μ0 · ((a2) ^2- (a1) ² )
-Π · μ2 · ((a3) ^2- (a2) ² ) (14)

  The magnetic flux passing through each region is proportional to the permeance of each region, as shown in equations (5) to (10). If Formula (5)-Formula (10) are used, the ratio of the magnetic flux which passes each area | region like Table 1 mentioned later is computable. Even when a material other than air exists in the hollow portion of the cylindrical body, the permeance can be obtained from the cross-sectional area and the magnetic permeability by the same method as the air in the cylindrical body. The method of calculating the permeance in this case will be described later.

  In the present invention, the above-mentioned “permeance per unit length” is used as the “shape factor expressing the ease of passing the magnetism in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical rotating body”. Table 1 shows the structure of the fixing device 1 in terms of the cross-sectional area and the magnetic permeability of the magnetic core, the film guide (nip portion forming member), the air in the cylinder, and the cylinder using the equations (5) to (10). Calculate permeance per unit length. Finally, the permeance of the air outside the cylindrical body is calculated using Equation (14). In this calculation, all “members that can be included in a cylindrical body and become magnetic paths” are considered. Then, the permeance value of the magnetic core is assumed to be 100%, and the percentage of the permeance of each part is shown. According to this, it is possible to numerically determine in which part the magnetic path is most easily formed and in which part the magnetic flux passes using the magnetic circuit.

Instead of permeance, a magnetic resistance R (reciprocal of permeance P) may be used. In addition,
When discussing using magnetic resistance, since the magnetic resistance is simply the reciprocal of permeance, the magnetic resistance R per unit length can be expressed by “1 / (permeability × cross-sectional area)”. 1 / (H · m) ”.

  Next, the “magnetic flux ratio” will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the present invention, on the magnetic circuit model in the static magnetic field, the path through which 100% of the magnetic flux emitted from one end of the magnetic core passes through the inside of the magnetic core has the following breakdown. Of the 100% magnetic flux that passes through the magnetic core and exits one end of the magnetic core, 0.0% is the film guide, 0.1% is the air in the cylindrical body, 0.0% is the cylindrical body, 99.9 % Passes through the air outside the cylinder. Hereinafter, this state is expressed as “ratio of cylindrical external magnetic flux: 99.9%”. Although the reason will be described later, in order to achieve the object of the present invention, the value of “ratio of magnetic flux passing through the outside of the cylindrical body on the magnetic circuit model in a static magnetic field” is preferably closer to 100%.

  “The ratio of the magnetic flux that passes through the outside of the cylindrical body” refers to the magnetic flux that has passed through the inside of the magnetic core in the direction of the generatrix of the magnetic core and passed from one end in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core. Of the magnetic flux passing through the outside of the cylindrical rotating body and returning to the other end of the magnetic core.

  When expressed by the parameters described in Expression (5) to Expression (10), the “ratio of magnetic flux passing through the outside of the cylindrical body” is the ratio of Pa_out to Pc (= Pa_out / Pc).

In order to make a configuration with a high “ratio of the external magnetic flux of the cylindrical body”, specifically, the following design means is desirable.
(Means 1) Increase the permeance of the magnetic core (large magnetic core cross-sectional area, large relative permeability of material).
(Means 2) The permeance in the cylindrical body is reduced (the cross-sectional area of the air portion is small).
(Means 3) A member having a large permeance such as iron is not arranged in the cylindrical body.
(Means 4) Reduce the permeance of the cylindrical body (small cross-sectional area of the cylindrical body, small relative permeability of the material used for the cylindrical body).

  From the means 4, the cylindrical body is preferably made of a material having a low relative permeability μ. When a material having a high relative permeability μ is used as the cylindrical body, it is necessary to make the cross-sectional area of the cylindrical body smaller. This is contrary to the conventional fixing device in which the larger the cross-sectional area of the cylindrical body, the more the magnetic flux penetrating the cylindrical body and the higher the heat generation efficiency. Although it is desirable not to place a member with high permeance in the cylinder, if it is unavoidable to place iron or the like, the ratio of the magnetic flux passing outside the cylinder is controlled by reducing the cross-sectional area. There is a need to.

  In some cases, the magnetic core is divided into a plurality of portions in the longitudinal direction, and a gap (gap) is provided between the divided magnetic cores. In this case, if the air gap is filled with air or a material having a relative permeability smaller than that of the magnetic core, such as one that can be regarded as having a relative permeability of 1.0, the magnetic resistance of the entire magnetic core is increased and the magnetic path forming ability is increased. Will be reduced. Therefore, in order to achieve the fixing device of the present invention, it is necessary to strictly manage the gap of the magnetic core. The calculation method of the magnetic core permeance is complicated. Hereinafter, a method of calculating the permeance of the entire magnetic core when the magnetic core is divided into a plurality of pieces and arranged at equal intervals with a gap or a sheet-like nonmagnetic material in between will be described. In this case, it is necessary to derive the magnetic resistance of the entire length, divide it by the total length to obtain the magnetic resistance per unit length, and take the inverse to obtain the permeance per unit length.

First, FIG. 12 shows a longitudinal configuration diagram of the magnetic core. The magnetic cores c1 to c10 have a cross-sectional area: Sc, a magnetic permeability: μc, and a longitudinal dimension per divided magnetic core: Lc. The gaps g1 to g9 have a cross-sectional area: Sg, and a magnetic permeability: μg. The longitudinal dimension per gap is Lg. At that time, the magnetic resistance Rm_all of the entire longitudinal length is given by the following equation.
Rm_all = (Rm_c1 + Rm_c2 + ... + Rm_c10) + (Rm_g1 + Rm_g2 + ... + Rm_g9) (15)
In the case of this configuration, since the shape, material, and gap width of the magnetic core are uniform, the sum total of Rm_c is ΣRm_c, and the sum of Rm_g is ΣRm_g.
Rm_all = (ΣRm_c) + (ΣRm_g) (16)
Magnetic core length: Lc, permeability: μc, cross-sectional area: Sc, gap length: Lg, permeability:
Assuming μg and cross-sectional area: Sg,
Rm_c = Lc / (μc · Sc) (17)
Rm_g = Lg / (μg · Sg) (18)
Substituting into the equation (16), the magnetic resistance Rm_all of the entire longitudinal length is Rm_all = (ΣRm_c) + (ΣRm_g)
= (Lg / (μc · Sc)) × 10 + (Lg / (μg · Sg)) × 9 (19)
It becomes. The magnetic resistance Rm per unit length is ΣLc as the sum of Lc and ΣLg as the sum of Lg.
Rm = Rm_all / (ΣLc + ΣLg)
= Rm_all / (L × 10 + Lg × 9) (20)
Thus, the permeance Pm per unit length is obtained as follows.
Pm = 1 / Rm = (ΣLc + ΣLg) / Rm_all = (ΣLc + ΣLg) / [{ΣLc / (μc + Sc)} + {ΣLg / (μg + Sg)}] (21)
ΣLc: Total length of divided magnetic cores μc: Magnetic core permeability Sc: Cross-sectional area of magnetic core ΣLg: Total length of gap μg: Permeability of gap Sg: Cross-sectional area of gap

  From equation (21), increasing the gap Lg leads to an increase in magnetic resistance (decrease in permeance) of the magnetic core. In constructing the fixing device, it is desirable to design the magnetic core so that the magnetic resistance of the magnetic core is small (permeance is large). However, in order to make the magnetic core difficult to break, the magnetic core may be divided into a plurality of gaps. In this case, the object of the present invention can be achieved by designing the gap Lg to be as small as possible (preferably about 50 μm or less) so as not to deviate from the design conditions of permeance or magnetoresistance described later.

(3-4) Circulating current inside the cylindrical rotating body In FIG. 8 (a), the magnetic core 2, the exciting coil 3, and the cylindrical rotating body (conductive layer 1a) are arranged concentrically from the center. 3, when the current increases in the direction of arrow I, eight lines of magnetic force pass through the magnetic core 2 in the conceptual diagram.

FIG. 13A shows a conceptual diagram of a cross-sectional configuration at a position O in FIG.
The magnetic field lines Bin passing through the magnetic path are indicated by arrows (x marks) directed in the depth direction in the figure. An arrow Bout (eight circles) directed toward the front in the figure represents lines of magnetic force returning from the outside of the magnetic path when a static magnetic field is formed. According to this, there are eight magnetic force lines Bin that go in the depth direction of the paper in the cylindrical rotating body 1a, and there are eight magnetic force lines Bout that return to the front side of the paper surface outside the cylindrical rotating body 1a. At the moment when the current increases in the direction of the arrow I in the exciting coil 3, magnetic lines of force are formed in the magnetic path as indicated by the arrow (marked with a circle) in the depth direction in the figure. . When an alternating magnetic field is actually formed, an induced electromotive force is applied to the entire circumferential direction of the cylindrical rotating body 1a so that the magnetic lines of force that are formed in this way are canceled, and the current flows in the direction of arrow J. When an electric current flows through the cylindrical rotating body 1a, the cylindrical rotating body 1a generates Joule heat due to electric resistance because it is a metal.

  It is an important feature of the present invention that the current J flows through the cylindrical rotating body 1a in the circumferential direction. In the configuration of the present invention, the magnetic lines Bin passing through the inside of the magnetic core in a static magnetic field pass through the hollow portion of the cylindrical rotating body 1a, and come out from one end of the magnetic path core and return to the other end of the magnetic core. Passes outside the cylindrical rotating body 1a. This is because, in an alternating magnetic field, the circular current is dominant in the cylindrical rotating body 1a, and the eddy current E // generated by the magnetic flux penetrating through the material of the conductive layer as shown in FIG. Hereinafter, in order to distinguish from the “eddy current” generally used in the description of induction heating, the current flowing uniformly in the direction of the arrow J (or the opposite direction) in the cylindrical rotating body in the configuration of the present embodiment is expressed as “ This is called “circular current”.

  Since the induced electromotive force according to Faraday's law is generated in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical rotating body 1a, the circulating current J flows uniformly in the cylindrical rotating body 1a. Since the magnetic field lines repeat generation and disappearance and direction reversal due to the high frequency current, the circular current J repeats generation and disappearance and direction reversal in synchronization with the high frequency current, and Joule heat is generated by the resistance value in the entire thickness direction of the material of the cylindrical rotating body. To do. FIG. 13B is a longitudinal perspective view showing the direction of the magnetic field line Bin passing through the magnetic path of the magnetic core, the magnetic field line Bout returning from the outside of the magnetic path, and the circular current J flowing inside the cylindrical rotating body 1a. FIG.

  The heat generated by the circulating current has the following merits (1) and (2) as a fixing device.

  (1) Even if the temperature of the cylindrical rotating body is deprived and the temperature is greatly reduced, there is sufficient time to generate heat during the rotation from A to B in FIG. Therefore, the temperature drop at point B is small.

  (2) The induced current induced by Equation (1) generates uniform heat over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical rotating body. Therefore, the temperature difference of the cylindrical rotating body is difficult to occur.

  As described above, the fixing device of the present invention has a configuration in which the fixing temperature is very stable because the entire cylindrical rotating body is heated by the circulating current.

3-5) Power Conversion Efficiency When the cylindrical rotating body (conductive layer) of the fixing film is heated, a high-frequency alternating current is passed through the exciting coil to form an alternating magnetic field. The alternating magnetic field induces a current in the cylindrical rotating body. The physical model is very similar to transformer magnetic coupling. Therefore, when considering the power conversion efficiency, an equivalent circuit of the magnetic coupling of the transformer can be used. The alternating magnetic field magnetically couples the exciting coil and the cylindrical rotating body, and the electric power supplied to the exciting coil is transmitted to the cylindrical rotating body. The “power conversion efficiency” described here is the ratio of the power supplied to the exciting coil as the magnetic field generating means and the power consumed by the cylindrical rotating body. In the case of the present embodiment, it is the ratio of the electric power supplied to the high-frequency converter 5 to the exciting coil 3 shown in FIG. 1 and the electric power consumed as heat generated in the cylindrical rotating body 1a. This power conversion efficiency can be expressed by the following equation.
Power conversion efficiency = Power consumed as heat in the cylindrical rotating body / Power input into the exciting coil Electric power consumed outside the cylindrical rotating body after being input into the exciting coil is lost due to the resistance of the exciting coil, magnetic core material There are losses due to magnetic properties.

  FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram relating to circuit efficiency. In FIG. 19A, 1a is a cylindrical rotating body, 2 is a magnetic core, 3 is an exciting coil, and a circular current J flows through the cylindrical rotating body 1a. FIG. 19B is an equivalent circuit of the fixing device shown in FIG.

R ₁ is the loss of the exciting coil and magnetic core, L ₁ is the inductance of the exciting coil that circulates around the magnetic core, M is the mutual inductance between the winding and the cylindrical rotating body, L ₂ is the inductance of the cylindrical rotating body, R 2 Is the resistance of the cylindrical rotating body. An equivalent circuit when the cylindrical rotating body is removed is shown in FIG. When the series equivalent resistance R ₁ and the equivalent inductance L ₁ from both ends of the exciting coil are measured by a device such as an impedance analyzer or an LCR meter, the impedance Z _A viewed from both ends of the exciting coil is Z _A = R ₁ + jωL _1.・ It is expressed as (22). Current flowing through the circuit is lost by R _1. That is, R1 represents a loss due to the coil and the magnetic core.

  An equivalent circuit when the cylindrical rotating body is loaded is shown in FIG. If the series equivalent resistances Rx and Lx at this time are measured, the following relational expression can be obtained by equivalent conversion as shown in FIG.

(23)

.... (24)
M represents the mutual inductance between the exciting coil and the cylindrical rotating body.

As shown in FIG. 20C, if the current flowing through R ₁ is I ₁ and the current flowing through R ₂ is I ₂ ,

.... (25)
Because

(26)
It becomes.

Because efficiency is represented by the power consumption of the resistor _{R 2} / (power consumption in the power consumption + resistance _{R 2} of the resistor _{R 1),}

(27)
And
Series equivalent resistance R ₁ before loading the cylindrical rotating body,
When the series equivalent resistance Rx after loading the cylindrical rotating body is measured, the power conversion efficiency indicating how much of the electric power supplied to the exciting coil is consumed as the heat generated in the cylindrical rotating body Can be requested. In the configuration of Example 1, an impedance analyzer 4294A manufactured by Agilent Technologies was used for measurement of power conversion efficiency. First, a series equivalent resistance R ₁ of the winding ends measured in the absence of the cylindrical rotary member, then the cylindrical rotary member to measure the equivalent series resistance Rx from the winding ends in a state where the insertion of the magnetic core . R ₁ = 103 mΩ and Rx = 2.2Ω. At this time, the power conversion efficiency can be obtained as 95.3% by the equation (27). Hereinafter, the performance of the electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device is evaluated using the conversion efficiency of the electric power.

(3-6) Conditions Required for “Ratio of Cylindrical External Magnetic Flux” In the fixing device of this embodiment, the ratio of the magnetic flux passing outside the cylindrical body in the static magnetic field and the power supplied to the exciting coil in the alternating magnetic field are cylindrical. There is a correlation with the conversion efficiency of power transmitted to the rotating body (power conversion efficiency). The power conversion efficiency increases as the ratio of the magnetic flux passing through the outside of the cylindrical body increases. The reason is that, in the case of a transformer, the leakage flux is sufficiently small, and the power conversion efficiency is increased when the number of magnetic fluxes passing through the primary and secondary windings of the transformer is equal. . That is, as the number of magnetic fluxes passing through the inside of the magnetic core and the number of magnetic fluxes passing through the outside of the cylindrical rotating body are closer, the conversion efficiency of electric power into the circulating current becomes higher. This is because the magnetic flux that exits from one end of the magnetic core in the longitudinal direction and returns to the other end (the magnetic flux that is opposite in direction to the magnetic core that passes through the inside of the magnetic core) passes through the hollow portion of the cylindrical rotating body. This means that the rate of canceling the magnetic flux passing through is small. That is, as shown in the magnetic equivalent circuit of FIG. 11B, the magnetic flux that exits from one end in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core and returns to the other end passes through the outside of the cylindrical rotating body (air outside the cylindrical body). Therefore, the gist of the present embodiment is to efficiently induce a high-frequency current flowing through the exciting coil as a circular current inside the cylindrical rotating body by increasing the ratio of the magnetic flux outside the cylindrical body. Specifically, the film guide, the air in the cylinder, and the magnetic flux passing through the cylinder are reduced.

FIG. 21 is a diagram of an experimental apparatus used in a measurement experiment of power conversion efficiency. The metal sheet 1S is an aluminum sheet having an area of 230 mm × 600 mm and a thickness of 20 μm, and is rounded on a cylinder so as to surround the magnetic core 2 and the exciting coil 3, and is electrically connected in the portion of the thick line 1ST. Is forming. The magnetic core 2 is a ferrite having a relative permeability of 1800 and a saturation magnetic flux density of 500 mT, and has a cylindrical shape with a cross-sectional area of 26 mm ² and a length B = 230 mm. The magnetic core 2 is arranged in the center of the cylinder of the aluminum sheet 1S by a fixing means (not shown), and penetrates the hollow portion of the cylinder having a length B = 230 mm to form a magnetic path inside the cylinder. The exciting coil 3 is formed by spirally winding the magnetic core 2 around the magnetic core 2 in a hollow portion of the cylinder.

  Here, when the end of the metal sheet 1S is pulled in the direction of the arrow 1SZ, the diameter 1SD of the cylinder can be reduced. Using this experimental apparatus, the power conversion efficiency was measured while changing the diameter 1SD of the cylinder from 191 mm to 18 mm. The calculation result of the ratio of the external magnetic flux of the cylindrical body when 1SD = 191 mm is shown in Table 1 below, and the calculation result of the ratio of the external magnetic flux of the cylindrical body when 1SD = 18 mm is shown in Table 2 below.

Measurement of the power conversion efficiency of the first, measuring the equivalent series resistance R ₁ from the winding ends in the absence of the cylindrical rotary member. Next, in a state where the magnetic core is inserted into the hollow part of the cylindrical rotating body, the series equivalent resistance Rx from both ends of the winding is measured, and the power conversion efficiency is measured according to the equation (27). In FIG. 22, the horizontal axis represents the ratio [%] of the cylindrical external magnetic flux corresponding to the diameter of the cylinder, and the vertical axis represents the power conversion efficiency at a frequency of 21 kHz. In the plot, the power conversion efficiency suddenly increases after P1 in the graph and exceeds 70%, and the power conversion efficiency is maintained at 70% or more in the range of the region R1 indicated by the arrow. In the vicinity of P3, the power conversion efficiency rapidly rises again, and is 80% or more in the region R2. In the region R3 after P4, the power conversion efficiency maintains a high value of 94% or more. This sudden increase in power conversion efficiency is due to the fact that the circulating current starts to flow efficiently inside the cylindrical body.

  This power conversion efficiency is an extremely important parameter in designing an electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device. For example, when the power conversion efficiency is 80%, the remaining 20% of the power is generated as thermal energy in a place other than the cylindrical rotating body. The generated portion mainly occurs in a member such as an exciting coil, a magnetic core, or a cylindrical rotating body when a member such as a magnetic body is disposed. In other words, if the power conversion efficiency is low, measures for heat generated in the exciting coil and magnetic core must be taken. The degree of countermeasures varies greatly with the conversion efficiency of 70% and 80% as a boundary according to the study by the inventors. Accordingly, the configuration of the fixing device is greatly different in the configuration of the regions R1, R2, and R3. Three types of design conditions R1, R2, and R3 and the configuration of a fixing device that does not belong to any of them will be described. Details of the power conversion efficiency required for designing the fixing device will be described below.

  Table 3 below shows the results of actually designing and evaluating the configuration corresponding to P1 to P4 in FIG. 22 as a fixing device.

(Fixing device P1)
In this configuration, the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core is 5.75 mm × 4.5 mm, and the diameter of the cylindrical body (conductive layer) is 143.2 mm. At this time, the power conversion efficiency required by the impedance analyzer was 54.4%. The power conversion efficiency is a parameter indicating the amount of power input to the fixing device that contributes to the heat generation of the cylinder (conductive layer). Therefore, even if it is designed as a fixing device capable of outputting a maximum of 1000 W, about 450 W is lost, and the loss is heat generation of the coil and the magnetic core. In the case of this configuration, the coil temperature may exceed 200 ° C. even when 1000 W is applied for several seconds at startup. Considering that the heat resistance temperature of the coil insulator is in the latter half of 200 ° C., and that the Curie point of the magnetic core of ferrite is usually about 200 ° C. to 250 ° C., the loss of 45% keeps members such as the excitation coil below the heat resistance temperature. It will be difficult to keep on. Further, when the temperature of the magnetic core exceeds the Curie point, the inductance of the coil is abruptly reduced, resulting in load fluctuation.

  Since about 45% of the power supplied to the fixing device is wasted, it is necessary to supply about 1636 W to supply 900 W (assuming 90% of 1000 W) to the cylindrical body. This is a power source that consumes 16.36 A at 100 V input. If the allowable current that can be input from the commercial AC attachment plug is limited to 15 A, the allowable current may be exceeded. Therefore, there is a possibility that the fixing device P1 having the cylinder external magnetic flux ratio of 64% and the power conversion efficiency of 54.4% may lack the power supplied to the fixing device.

(Fixing device P2)
In this configuration, the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core is 5.75 mm × 4.5 mm, and the diameter of the cylindrical body is 127.3 mm. At this time, the power conversion efficiency required by the impedance analyzer was 70.8%. At this time, depending on the printing operation of the fixing device, a large amount of heat is constantly generated in the exciting coil or the like, and there is a case where the temperature rise of the exciting coil unit, particularly the magnetic core, becomes a problem. If the fixing device having this configuration is a high-spec device capable of printing at 60 sheets / minute, the rotational speed of the cylindrical rotating body is 330 mm / sec. Therefore, there is a case where the surface temperature of the cylindrical rotating body is maintained at 180 ° C. Then, the temperature of the magnetic core may exceed 240 ° C. in 20 seconds and may be higher than the temperature of the cylindrical body (conductive layer). The Curie temperature of the ferrite used as the magnetic core is usually about 200 ° C. to 250 ° C., and when the ferrite exceeds the Curie temperature, the magnetic permeability rapidly decreases. If the permeability decreases rapidly, a magnetic path cannot be formed in the magnetic core. If the magnetic path cannot be formed, in this embodiment, it may be difficult to generate heat by inducing a circular current.

  Therefore, when the fixing device having the design condition R1 is the above-described high-spec device, it is desirable to provide a cooling means to lower the temperature of the ferrite core. As the cooling means, an air cooling fan, water cooling, a heat radiating plate, a heat radiating fin, a heat pipe, a Beltier element, or the like can be used. Of course, if this configuration does not require such high specifications, the cooling means is unnecessary.

(Fixing device P3)
In this configuration, the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core is 5.75 mm × 4.5 mm, and the diameter of the cylindrical body is 63.7 mm. At this time, the power conversion efficiency required by the impedance analyzer was 83.9%. At this time, although an amount of heat was constantly generated in the exciting coil or the like, it did not greatly exceed the amount of heat that could be radiated by heat transfer and natural cooling. If the fixing device having this configuration is a high-spec device capable of printing at 60 sheets / minute, the rotational speed of the cylindrical body is 330 mm / sec. Therefore, even in the case where the surface temperature of the cylindrical body was maintained at 180 ° C., the temperature of the ferrite magnetic core did not rise above 220 ° C. Therefore, in this configuration, it is desirable to use ferrite having a Curie temperature of 220 ° C. or higher when the fixing device has the above-described high specifications. When the fixing device having the design condition R2 is used as a high-spec fixing device, it is desirable to optimize the heat resistance design of ferrite or the like. If this configuration does not require the high specifications described above, the heat resistance design up to that point is not necessary.

(Fixing device P4)
In this configuration, the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core is 5.75 mm × 4.5 mm, and the diameter of the cylindrical body is 47.7 mm. At this time, the power conversion efficiency required by the impedance analyzer was 94.7%. If the fixing device of this configuration is a high-spec device capable of printing at 60 sheets / minute, the rotational speed of the cylindrical body is 330 mm / sec, and the excitation coil and the like in the case where the surface temperature of the cylindrical body is maintained at 180 ° C. The temperature did not rise above 180 ° C. This indicates that the excitation coil hardly generates heat. The cylinder external magnetic flux ratio of 94.7% and power conversion efficiency of 94.7% (design condition R3) have sufficiently high power conversion efficiency, so that the cooling means can be used even when used as a further high-spec fixing device. unnecessary.

Further, in this region where the power conversion efficiency is stable at a high value, even if the positional relationship between the cylindrical rotating body and the magnetic core varies, the power conversion efficiency does not vary. When the power conversion efficiency does not fluctuate, a stable amount of heat can always be supplied from the cylindrical rotating body. Therefore, in the fixing device using the fixing film having flexibility, it is very advantageous to use the region R3 in which the power conversion efficiency does not vary.
As described above, in the fixing device that generates a magnetic field in the axial direction of the cylindrical rotating body and causes the cylindrical rotating body to generate heat by electromagnetic induction, the design condition required for the ratio of the external magnetic flux of the cylindrical body is indicated by an arrow R1 in FIG. The region can be divided into R2 and R3.
R1: Ratio of cylindrical external magnetic flux 70% to less than 90% R2: Cylindrical external magnetic flux ratio 90% to less than 94% R3: Cylindrical external magnetic flux ratio 94% or more

(3-7) Characteristics of Heat Generation by “Circular Current” The “circular current” described in (3-4) is generated by an induced electromotive force generated in the circuit S of FIG. Therefore, it depends on the magnetic flux contained in the circuit S and the resistance value of the circuit S. Unlike the “eddy current E //” described later, this is not related to the magnetic flux density inside the material. Therefore, even a thin magnetic metal cylindrical rotating body that does not become a magnetic path or a non-magnetic metal cylindrical rotating body can generate heat with high efficiency. Further, in the range where the resistance value does not change greatly, it does not depend on the thickness of the material. FIG. 15A shows the frequency dependence of the power conversion efficiency in an aluminum cylindrical rotating body having a thickness of 20 μm. In the frequency band of 20 kHz to 100 kHz, the power conversion efficiency is maintained at 90% or more. In particular, when the frequency band of 21 to 40 kHz is used for heat generation, it has high power conversion efficiency. Next, FIG. 15B shows the thickness dependence of the power conversion efficiency at a frequency of 21 kHz in a cylindrical rotating body having the same shape. The black circle-solid line shows the experimental results for nickel, and the white circle-dotted line shows the experimental results for aluminum. Both of them maintain a power conversion efficiency of 90% or more in a thickness range of 20 μm to 300 μm, and both can be used as a heat generating material for a fixing device regardless of the thickness.

  Therefore, the “heat generation due to the circulating current” can expand the design freedom with respect to the material and thickness of the cylindrical rotating body and the frequency of the alternating current, compared with the heat generation due to the conventional eddy current loss.

  A feature of the fixing device is that the ratio of the magnetic flux exiting one end in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core to return to the other end of the magnetic core through the outside of the cylindrical rotating body is 70% or more. Of the magnetic flux exiting one end in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core, the ratio of returning to the other end of the magnetic core through the outside of the cylindrical rotating body is 70% or more. This is equivalent to the sum of the permeance of the cylinder and the permeance inside the cylinder (the region between the cylinder and the magnetic core) being 30% or less of the permeance of the magnetic core. Therefore, one of the characteristic configurations of the present invention is that when the permeance of the magnetic core is Pc, the permeance inside the cylinder is Pa, and the permeance Ps of the cylinder is 0.30 × Pc ≧ Ps + Pa It is the structure to do.

  Also, the permeance relational expression can be expressed by replacing it with a magnetic resistance as follows.

... (28)

  However, the combined magnetoresistance Rsa of Rs and Ra is calculated as follows.

... (29)
Rc: Magnetoresistance of magnetic core Rs: Magnetoresistance of conductive layer Ra: Magnetoresistance in region between conductive layer and magnetic core Rsa: Combined magnetoresistance of Rs and Ra

  It is desirable that the above relational expression be satisfied in a cross section in a direction orthogonal to the generatrix direction of the cylindrical rotating body over the entire maximum conveyance area of the recording material of the fixing device.

  The lower the value of this combined magnetoresistance, the higher the rate of heat generation due to the induced current induced by the equation (1). In the configuration where the combined magnetoresistance is 0%, it is almost 100% due to the circulating current of the equation (1). A fever is occurring. Therefore, the merits 1) and 2) described above can be exhibited as the value of the combined magnetic resistance is lower.

In this way, the fixing device configuration as described above is used.
A magnetic resistance of the conductive layer;
The magnetoresistance of the region between the conductive layer and the core;
By making it 30% or less of the combined magnetic resistance, the above-mentioned merits (1) and (2) can be exhibited, and a fixing device configuration capable of uniform heating can be obtained with very little temperature drop.

  At the time of fixing, the toner receives heat from the heating rotator, softens, and is fixed onto a recording material such as paper. On the other hand, if the toner is fused to the heating rotator, an adverse effect on the image occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to make the toner have a releasing effect. Therefore, the present inventors pay attention to the low-temperature viscoelasticity of the toner and the releasing effect of the organic polysiloxane structure, and by combining the fixing device described above, it is possible to fix many sheets at a lower temperature and continuously. It has also been found that the fixing method does not generate an offset image. Details are described below.

The toner used in the fixing method of the present invention is a toner having toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant and a wax. In the measurement of viscoelasticity of the toner, the loss elastic modulus G ″ (80) at 80 ° C. is 1 × 10 ⁴ Pa or more and 1 × 10 ⁷ Pa or less. Further, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) of the toner particles is used. ), The amount of Si derived from the organic polysiloxane structure is 0.5 atomic% or more and 5.0 atomic% or less.

  In the measurement of the viscoelasticity of the toner, the loss elastic modulus G ″ (80) at 80 ° C. represents the melting behavior of the toner particularly during low-temperature fixing. When G ″ (80) is in the above range, the low temperature modulus is particularly low. Since the viscoelasticity of the toner is appropriately maintained at the time of fixing, the occurrence of offset can be further suppressed even when fixing a large number of continuous sheets.

  In the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, the amount of Si derived from the organic polysiloxane structure is 0.5 atomic% or more and 5.0 atomic% or less in the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis (ESCA) of the toner particles. Organic polysiloxane structures are generally known to have low interfacial tension. Further, the glass transition point (Tg) is lower than room temperature. Therefore, the toner can be prevented from being fused to the heating rotator even at the time of fixing at a low temperature. The same effect can be achieved with a release agent typified by wax, but in the case of fixing at low temperature, the melting point of the wax should be set in order to design the toner so that the toner melts and the wax exudes to the toner surface. It must be lowered. Since a low melting point wax tends to deteriorate the storage stability of the toner, it is difficult to introduce it into the toner. On the other hand, since the organic polysiloxane structure has a lower interfacial tension than that of wax, a release effect can be exhibited even in a small amount. Therefore, in the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis (ESCA) of the toner particles, when the amount of Si derived from the organic polysiloxane structure is in the above range, a release effect can be exhibited effectively even at the time of fixing at a low temperature. The occurrence of offset can be further suppressed.

  In the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis (ESCA) used in the present invention, elements present on the surface of the sample (a region up to a depth of about 10 nm) are detected. Further, the bonding state of elements can be separated by chemical shift, and the SiO bond derived from the organic polysiloxane structure has a peak at 101 eV or more and 103 eV or less.

  In the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, the toner particles have a core-shell structure in which a shell phase containing a resin A having an organic polysiloxane structure is formed on a core containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a wax. This is also a preferred form. As a result, the offset resistance can be effectively exhibited.

  The resin A forming the shell phase in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention will be described.

  The shell phase is desirably formed uniformly and densely on the surface of the core, but this is not a limitation as long as it is a configuration of the present invention.

  The resin A forming the shell phase in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention is a resin containing an organic polysiloxane structure in the molecular structure. As a method for incorporating the organic polysiloxane structure into the resin A, a known method may be mentioned. For example, a resin that reacts with a vinyl group such as a methacrylate group or an acrylate group, a carbinol group, a carboxyl group, an amino group, or an epoxy group, or a monomer that constitutes the resin is reacted. By doing so, it is possible for the resin A to contain the organic polysiloxane structure. Among these, it is preferable to use a vinyl monomer having an organic polysiloxane structure represented by the following formula (22) and having a structure represented by the following formula (23). In the case of a vinyl monomer, the organic polysiloxane structure can be contained in the resin A by copolymerization with other vinyl monomers constituting the resin A.

Here, R ₁ represents an alkyl group, and R ₄ represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. N represents the degree of polymerization and is an integer of 2 or more.

  As other vinyl monomers copolymerized with the vinyl monomer having the organic polysiloxane structure, monomers of ordinary resin materials can be used. Although illustrated below, this is not restrictive.

  Aliphatic vinyl hydrocarbons: alkenes such as ethylene, propylene, butene, isobutylene, pentene, heptene, diisobutylene, octene, dodecene, octadecene, other α-olefins; alkadienes such as butadiene, isoprene, 1,4- Pentadiene, 1,6-hexadiene and 1,7-octadiene.

  Alicyclic vinyl hydrocarbons: mono- or di-cycloalkenes and alkadienes such as cyclohexene, cyclopentadiene, vinylcyclohexene, ethylidenebicycloheptene; terpenes such as pinene, limonene, indene.

  Aromatic vinyl hydrocarbons: styrene and its hydrocarbyl (alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl and / or alkenyl) substitutions such as α-methylstyrene, vinyltoluene, 2,4-dimethylstyrene, ethylstyrene, isopropylstyrene, butyl Styrene, phenylstyrene, cyclohexylstyrene, benzylstyrene, crotylbenzene, divinylbenzene, divinyltoluene, divinylxylene, trivinylbenzene; and vinylnaphthalene.

  Carboxyl group-containing vinyl monomers and metal salts thereof: unsaturated monocarboxylic acids having 3 to 30 carbon atoms, unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and anhydrides thereof and monoalkyl (1 to 27 carbon atoms) esters such as acrylic acid, Methacrylic acid, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, maleic acid monoalkyl ester, fumaric acid, fumaric acid monoalkyl ester, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, itaconic acid monoalkyl ester, itaconic acid glycol monoether, citraconic acid, citraconic acid monoalkyl Ester, cinnamic acid carboxyl group-containing vinyl monomer.

  Vinyl esters such as vinyl acetate, vinyl butyrate, vinyl propionate, vinyl butyrate, diallyl phthalate, diallyl adipate, isopropenyl acetate, vinyl methacrylate, methyl 4-vinylbenzoate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, benzyl methacrylate, phenyl acrylate, phenyl methacrylate, vinyl Methoxy acetate, vinyl benzoate, ethyl α-ethoxy acrylate, alkyl acrylate and alkyl methacrylate having 1 to 11 carbon atoms (linear or branched) (methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, propyl acrylate, Propyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2- Tilhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, dialkyl fumarate (dialkyl fumarate) (two alkyl groups are straight, branched or alicyclic groups having 2 to 8 carbon atoms), dialkyl Maleate (maleic acid dialkyl ester) (two alkyl groups are straight, branched or alicyclic groups having 2 to 8 carbon atoms), polyallyloxyalkanes (diallyloxyethane) , Triaryloxyethane, tetraallyloxyethane, tetraallyloxypropane, tetraallyloxybutane, tetrametaallyloxyethane), vinyl monomers having a polyalkylene glycol chain (polyethylene glycol (molecular weight 300) monoacrylate, polyethylene glycol ( Molecular weight 300) Monomethacrylate , Polypropylene glycol (molecular weight 500) monoacrylate, polypropylene glycol (molecular weight 500) monomethacrylate, methyl alcohol ethylene oxide (ethylene oxide is hereinafter abbreviated as EO) 10 mol adduct acrylate, methyl alcohol ethylene oxide (ethylene oxide is hereinafter referred to as EO) (Abbreviated) 10 mol adduct methacrylate, lauryl alcohol EO 30 mol adduct acrylate lauryl alcohol EO 30 mol adduct methacrylate), polyacrylates and polymethacrylates (polyacrylates and polymethacrylates of polyhydric alcohols: ethylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene Glycol dimethacrylate, propylene glycol diacrylate, propylene glycol di Methacrylate, neopentyl glycol diacrylate, neopentyl glycol dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylate. Polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate.

  Furthermore, a vinyl monomer having a polyester moiety capable of taking a crystal structure is also preferably used. The polyester part that can take a crystal structure means a part that regularly arranges and expresses crystallinity when a large number of polyester parts are assembled, that is, a crystalline polyester component.

  As the crystalline polyester component, aliphatic diols having 4 to 20 carbon atoms and polyvalent carboxylic acids are preferably used as raw materials. Furthermore, the aliphatic diol is preferably a straight chain type.

  Examples of the linear aliphatic diol suitably used in the present invention include the following, but are not limited thereto. Depending on the case, it is also possible to use a mixture. 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,7-heptanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, 1,10-decanediol, 1 , 11-undecanediol, 1,12-dodecanediol, 1,13-tridecanediol, 1,14-tetradecanediol, 1,18-octadecanediol, 1,20-eicosanediol. Among these, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, and 1,6-hexanediol are more preferable from the viewpoint of the melting point.

  As the polyvalent carboxylic acid, an aromatic dicarboxylic acid and an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid are preferable. Among them, an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid is preferable, and a linear aliphatic dicarboxylic acid is particularly preferable.

  Examples of the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid include, but are not limited to, the following. Depending on the case, it is also possible to use a mixture. Succinic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, 1,9-nonanedicarboxylic acid, 1,10-decanedicarboxylic acid, 1,11-undecanedicarboxylic acid, 1,12-dodecanedicarboxylic acid, 1,13-tridecanedicarboxylic acid, 1,14-tetradecanedicarboxylic acid, 1,16-hexadecanedicarboxylic acid, 1,18-octadecanedicarboxylic acid. Or its lower alkyl ester and acid anhydride. Of these, sebacic acid, adipic acid, 1,10-decanedicarboxylic acid or its lower alkyl ester and acid anhydride are preferred.

  Examples of the aromatic dicarboxylic acid include the following. Terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid.

  There is no restriction | limiting in particular as a manufacturing method of the said crystalline polyester component, It can manufacture with the general polyester polymerization method which makes the said acid component and alcohol component react. For example, direct polycondensation and transesterification are used separately depending on the type of monomer.

  The production of the crystalline polyester component is preferably carried out at a polymerization temperature of 180 ° C. or higher and 230 ° C. or lower. If necessary, the reaction system is reduced in pressure and reacted while removing water and alcohol generated during condensation. Is preferred. When the monomer is not dissolved or compatible at the reaction temperature, a solvent having a high boiling point is preferably added as a solubilizer and dissolved. In the polycondensation reaction, the dissolution auxiliary solvent is distilled off. In the case where a monomer having poor compatibility exists in the copolymerization reaction, it is preferable to condense the monomer having poor compatibility with the monomer and the acid or alcohol to be polycondensed in advance and then polycondense together with the main component.

  As a catalyst which can be used at the time of manufacture of the said crystalline polyester component, the following can be mentioned, for example. Titanium catalyst of titanium tetraethoxide, titanium tetrapropoxide, titanium tetraisopropoxide, titanium tetrabutoxide. Tin catalyst of dibutyltin dichloride, dibutyltin oxide, diphenyltin oxide.

  The melting point of the crystalline polyester component is preferably 50 ° C. or higher and 120 ° C. or lower, and more preferably 50 ° C. or higher and 90 ° C. or lower in consideration of melting at the fixing temperature.

  As a method for producing a vinyl monomer having a crystalline polyester component, the crystalline polyester component and a hydroxyl group-containing vinyl monomer are urethanated with a diisocyanate as a binder. By doing so, the method of introduce | transducing the unsaturated group which can be radically polymerized into a polyester chain, and manufacturing the monomer which has a urethane bond is mentioned. For this reason, the crystalline polyester component is preferably alcohol-terminated. Therefore, in the preparation of the crystalline polyester component, the molar ratio of the acid component to the alcohol component (alcohol component / carboxylic acid component) is preferably 1.02 or more and 1.20 or less.

  As the hydroxyl group-containing vinyl monomer, hydroxystyrene, N-methylolacrylamide, N-methylolmethacrylamide, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, polyethylene glycol monoacrylate, polyethylene glycol monomethacrylate, allyl Alcohol, methallyl alcohol, crotyl alcohol, isocrotyl alcohol, 1-buten-3-ol, 2-buten-1-ol, 2-butene-1,4-diol, propargyl alcohol, 2-hydroxyethylpropenyl ether Sucrose allyl ether. Of these, preferred are hydroxyethyl acrylate and hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

  Examples of the diisocyanate include the following. C6-C20 aromatic diisocyanate, C2-C18 aliphatic diisocyanate, C4-C15 alicyclic diisocyanate, C8 or more (except for carbon in the NCO group) 15 or less aromatic hydrocarbon diisocyanates and modified products of these diisocyanates (urethane group, carbodiimide group, allophanate group, urea group, burette group, uretdione group, uretoimine group, isocyanurate group, oxazolidone group-containing modified product) , Also called modified diisocyanate), and mixtures of two or more thereof.

  Examples of the aliphatic diisocyanate include the following. Ethylene diisocyanate, tetramethylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), dodecamethylene diisocyanate.

  Examples of the alicyclic diisocyanate include the following. Isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), dicyclohexylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate, cyclohexylene diisocyanate, methylcyclohexylene diisocyanate.

  Examples of the aromatic hydrocarbon diisocyanate include the following. m- and / or p-xylylene diisocyanate (XDI), α, α, α ', α'-tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate.

  Of these, preferred are aromatic diisocyanates having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, aliphatic diisocyanates having 4 to 12 carbon atoms and alicyclic diisocyanates having 4 to 15 carbon atoms, and aromatic carbonization having 8 to 15 carbon atoms. Hydrogen diisocyanate. Particularly preferred are HDI, IPDI and XDI.

  In addition to the diisocyanates described above, trifunctional or higher isocyanate compounds can also be used.

In the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, the resin A is
A vinyl monomer having an organic polysiloxane structure represented by the formula (22) and the formula (23) of 5.0% by mass or more and 20.0% by mass or less;
It is preferable that it is a vinyl resin obtained by copolymerizing 80.0 mass% or more and 95.0 mass% or less of other vinyl monomers. By setting the composition of the resin A as described above, the organic polysiloxane structure in the resin A is likely to have an appropriate amount.

  The value of the degree of polymerization n in the formula (22) is preferably an integer of 2 or more and 133 or less, and more preferably an integer of 2 or more and 18 or less from the viewpoint of resin hardness.

  In addition, by setting the composition of the resin A as described above, the amount of Si derived from the organic polysiloxane structure measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) of the toner particles is controlled within a numerical range defined by the present invention. It becomes easy.

  The toner used in the fixing method of the present invention may contain other resin B in addition to the resin A contained in the shell phase. The resin B will be described. As the resin B, either a crystalline resin or an amorphous resin can be used. These may be used in combination. As the crystalline resin, a crystalline alkyl resin can be used in addition to the crystalline polyester resin. Examples of the amorphous resin include, but are not limited to, a vinyl resin such as polyurethane resin, polyester resin, styrene acrylic resin, and polystyrene. These resins may be modified with urethane, urea, or epoxy.

  The crystalline alkyl resin is a vinyl resin obtained by polymerizing an alkyl acrylate and alkyl methacrylate having 12 to 30 carbon atoms for expressing crystallinity. Further, when the vinyl monomer is copolymerized to such an extent that the crystallinity is not impaired, it can be regarded as the crystalline alkyl resin.

  The polyurethane resin as the amorphous resin is a reaction product of a diol component and a diisocyanate component containing a diisocyanate group, and resins having various functions can be obtained by adjusting the diol component and the diisocyanate component. The diisocyanate component is preferably the diisocyanate. Examples of the diol component include the following. Alkylene glycol (ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol), alkylene ether glycol (polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol) alicyclic diol (1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol), bisphenols (bisphenol A) ), An alkylene oxide (ethylene oxide, propylene oxide) adduct of the alicyclic diol. The alkyl part of the alkylene ether glycol may be linear or branched. In the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, a branched alkylene glycol can also be preferably used.

  Examples of the monomer used for the polyester resin as the amorphous resin include divalent or trivalent or higher carboxylic acids and divalent or trivalent or higher alcohols. Specific examples of these monomer components include the following compounds. Examples of divalent carboxylic acids include succinic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, malonic acid, dodecenyl succinic acid dibasic acid, anhydrides thereof and lower alkyl esters thereof, maleic acid , Fumaric acid, itaconic acid, citraconic acid aliphatic unsaturated dicarboxylic acid. Examples of the trivalent or higher carboxylic acid include 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic acid, anhydrides thereof, and lower alkyl esters thereof. These may be used individually by 1 type and may use 2 or more types together.

  Examples of the divalent alcohol include the following compounds. Bisphenol A, hydrogenated bisphenol A, ethylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A, propylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A, 1,4-cyclohexanediol, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol. Examples of the trivalent or higher alcohols include the following compounds. Glycerin, trimethylol ethane, trimethylol propane, pentaerythritol. These may be used individually by 1 type and may use 2 or more types together. If necessary, monovalent acids such as acetic acid and benzoic acid, and monovalent alcohols such as cyclohexanol and benzyl alcohol can be used for the purpose of adjusting the acid value and the hydroxyl value.

  The polyester resin as the amorphous resin can be synthesized by a conventionally known method using the monomer component.

  The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the amorphous resin in the resin B of the present invention is preferably 50 ° C. or higher and 130 ° C. or lower. More preferably, it is 50 degreeC or more and 100 degrees C or less.

  The ratio of the resin B in the resin forming the shell phase in the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 50.0% by mass or less, and it is particularly preferable that the resin B is not used as the shell phase.

  The toner particles used in the fixing method of the present invention preferably contain 3.0% by mass or more and 15.0% by mass or less of the resin A. By setting the content of the resin A in the toner particles as described above, the offset resistance can be further improved.

  The shell phase in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention is preferably contained in an amount of 3.0% by mass or more and 30.0% by mass or less based on the toner particles from the viewpoint of uniformly covering the core surface. More preferably, it is 3.0 mass% or more and 20.0 mass% or less.

  The weight average molecular weight (Mw) determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) of the tetrahydrofuran (THF) soluble content of the resin forming the shell phase in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention is 20,000 or more and 80,000 or less. It is desirable that By being in this range, the shell phase has an appropriate hardness and durability is improved. If it is smaller than 20,000, the durability tends to be lowered, and if it is larger than 80,000, the fixability may be lowered.

  The binder resin in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention will be described. As the binder resin in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, either a crystalline resin or an amorphous resin can be used. Moreover, you may mix and use these. Among these, it is preferable to contain a crystalline resin. The crystalline resin means a resin having a structure in which polymer molecular chains are regularly arranged. Therefore, it hardly softens to the vicinity of the melting point, but melts from the vicinity of the melting point and softens rapidly. Such a resin exhibits a clear melting point peak in differential scanning calorimetry using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). By including the crystalline resin, it becomes easy to make a structure that does not soften at the storage temperature but softens at the time of fixing. In particular, the crystalline resin is preferably a crystalline polyester (crystalline polyester resin).

  By including a crystalline resin in the binder resin in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, G ″ (80) in the measurement of viscoelasticity of the toner can be easily controlled within the numerical range defined by the present invention. .

  The crystalline polyester resin that can be used as the binder resin in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention will be described.

  As the monomer used for the crystalline polyester resin in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, a monomer constituting the component of the crystalline polyester resin that can be used for the resin A is preferably used.

  An aliphatic diol having a double bond can also be used as the aliphatic diol. Examples of the aliphatic diol having a double bond include the following compounds. 2-butene-1,4-diol, 3-hexene-1,6-diol, 4-octene-1,8-diol. Furthermore, a dicarboxylic acid having a double bond can also be used. Examples of such dicarboxylic acids include, but are not limited to, fumaric acid, maleic acid, 3-hexenedioic acid, and 3-octenedioic acid. Moreover, these lower alkyl esters and acid anhydrides are also included. Among these, fumaric acid and maleic acid are preferable in terms of cost.

  The melting point of the crystalline resin contained in the binder resin in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention is preferably 50 ° C. or higher and 90 ° C. or lower.

  Further, when both the binder resin and the resin forming the shell phase contain a crystalline resin, the melting point of the binder resin is desirably set to be the same as or lower than the melting point of the shell phase.

  Next, the amorphous resin that can be used for the binder resin will be described. Examples of the amorphous resin include, but are not limited to, vinyl resins such as polyurethane resins, polyester resins, styrene acrylic resins, and polystyrene. These resins may be modified with urethane, urea, or epoxy. Among these, from the viewpoint of maintaining elasticity, the polyester resin and the polyurethane resin are preferably used.

  As the polyester resin as the amorphous resin, a resin that can be used for the resin B as the shell phase described above is preferably used. As the polyurethane resin as the amorphous resin, a resin that can be used for the resin B as the shell phase described above is preferably used.

  The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the amorphous resin in the binder resin is preferably 50 ° C. or higher and 130 ° C. or lower, and more preferably 50 ° C. or higher and 100 ° C. or lower. By being in this range, the elasticity in the fixing region is easily maintained.

  In the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, when a crystalline resin is used as the binder resin, the ratio of the crystalline resin and the amorphous resin in the binder resin can be arbitrarily adjusted. The crystalline resin is preferably 30% by mass or more and 85% by mass or less. By being in the above range, it becomes easy to control G ″ (80) in the measurement of viscoelasticity of the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention within the numerical range defined by the present invention.

  Further, in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, a block polymer in which a portion that can take a crystal structure, that is, a crystalline resin component, and a portion that cannot take a crystal structure, that is, an amorphous resin component are chemically bonded. It is also one of the preferable forms to use.

  The block polymer comprises an XY type diblock polymer, an XYX type triblock polymer, a YXY type triblock polymer, an XYXY... Type multiblock of the crystalline resin component (X) and the amorphous resin component (Y). Any form of polymer can be used.

In the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, as a method for preparing the block polymer,
A method of separately preparing a component that forms a crystal part composed of the crystalline resin component and a component that forms an amorphous part composed of the amorphous resin component, and combining them (two-stage method),
A method that prepares the raw material of the component that forms the crystal part and the component that forms the amorphous part at the same time (one-step method)
Can be used.

  The block polymer in the present invention can be selected from various methods in consideration of the reactivity of each terminal functional group to be the block polymer.

  In the case where both the crystalline resin component and the amorphous resin component are polyester resins, they can be prepared by preparing each component separately and then using a binder. In particular, when one of the polyesters has a high acid value and the other polyester has a high hydroxyl value, the reaction proceeds smoothly. The reaction temperature is preferably about 200 ° C.

  When the binder is used, the following binders are exemplified. Polyvalent carboxylic acid, polyhydric alcohol, polyvalent isocyanate, polyfunctional epoxy, polyhydric acid anhydride. These binders can be used for synthesis by dehydration reaction or addition reaction.

  On the other hand, when the crystalline resin component is the crystalline polyester resin and the amorphous resin component is the polyurethane resin, it can be prepared as follows. That is, after preparing each component separately, it can prepare by making the alcohol terminal of the said crystalline polyester resin and the isocyanate terminal of a polyurethane urethanate. The synthesis can also be performed by mixing and heating the crystalline polyester resin having an alcohol terminal and the diol and diisocyanate constituting the polyurethane resin. At the initial stage of the reaction when the diol and diisocyanate concentrations are high, the diol and diisocyanate react selectively to form a polyurethane resin. And after molecular weight becomes large to some extent, the urethanation reaction of the isocyanate terminal of a polyurethane resin and the alcohol terminal of a crystalline polyester resin occurs, and it can be set as the said block polymer.

  The toner particles used in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention contain a wax. Examples of the wax used in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention include the following. Low molecular weight polyethylene, low molecular weight polypropylene, low molecular weight olefin copolymer, aliphatic hydrocarbon wax such as microcrystalline wax, paraffin wax, Fischer-Tropsch wax; oxide of aliphatic hydrocarbon wax such as oxidized polyethylene wax Waxes based on fatty acid esters such as aliphatic hydrocarbon ester waxes, and partially or fully deoxidized fatty acid esters such as deoxidized carnauba wax; fatty acids such as behenic monoglyceride A partially esterified product of a monohydric alcohol; a methyl ester compound having a hydroxyl group obtained by hydrogenating vegetable oils and fats.

  Waxes particularly preferably used in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention are aliphatic hydrocarbon waxes and ester waxes.

In the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, the ester wax only needs to have at least one ester bond in one molecule, and either natural ester wax or synthetic ester wax may be used. Examples of the synthetic ester wax include monoester wax synthesized from a long-chain linear saturated fatty acid and a long-chain linear saturated aliphatic alcohol. The long-chain linear saturated fatty acid is represented by the general formula C _n H _{2n + 1} COOH, and those having n = 5 to 28 are preferably used. The long-chain straight-chain saturated aliphatic alcohol is represented by C _n H _{2n + 1} OH, and n = 5 or more and 28 or less are preferably used.

  Examples of natural ester waxes include candelilla wax, carnauba wax, rice wax, and derivatives thereof.

  Among the above, more preferable waxes are synthetic ester waxes composed of long-chain linear saturated fatty acids and long-chain linear saturated aliphatic alcohols, or natural waxes based on the above esters.

  In the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, the wax content in the toner is preferably 2.0% by mass or more and 20.0% by mass, more preferably 2.0% by mass or more and 15.0% by mass. is there.

  In the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, the wax preferably has a maximum endothermic peak at 60 ° C. or higher and 120 ° C. or lower in differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). More preferably, it is 60 degreeC or more and 90 degrees C or less.

  The toner used in the fixing method of the present invention contains a colorant. Examples of the colorant preferably used in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention include organic pigments, organic dyes, inorganic pigments, carbon black as a black colorant, and magnetic particles. An agent can be used.

  Examples of the colorant for yellow include the following. Condensed azo compounds, isoindolinone compounds, anthraquinone compounds, azo metal complexes, methine compounds, allylamide compounds. Specifically, C.I. I. Pigment Yellow 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 62, 74, 83, 93, 94, 95, 109, 110, 111, 128, 129, 147, 168, 180 are preferably used.

  Examples of the magenta colorant include the following. Condensed azo compounds, diketopyrrolopyrrole compounds, anthraquinones, quinacridone compounds, basic dye lake compounds, naphthol compounds, benzimidazolone compounds, thioindigo compounds, perylene compounds. Specifically, C.I. I. Pigment Red 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 23, 48: 2, 48: 3, 48: 4, 57: 1, 81: 1, 122, 144, 146, 166, 169, 177, 184, 185, 202, 206, 220, 221, and 254 are preferably used.

  Examples of the colorant for cyan include the following. Copper phthalocyanine compounds and derivatives thereof, anthraquinone compounds, basic dye lake compounds. Specifically, C.I. I. Pigment Blue 1, 7, 15, 15: 1, 15: 2, 15: 3, 15: 4, 60, 62, 66 are preferably used.

  The colorant used in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention is selected from the viewpoints of hue angle, saturation, brightness, light resistance, OHP transparency, and dispersibility in the toner.

  The colorant is preferably used by adding 1.0% by mass or more and 20.0% by mass or less to the toner. When magnetic particles are used as the colorant, the amount added is preferably 40.0% by mass or more and 150.0% by mass or less based on the toner.

  In the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, a charge control agent may be contained in the toner particles as necessary. Further, the toner particles may be externally added. By adding a charge control agent, the charge characteristics can be stabilized, and the optimum triboelectric charge amount can be controlled according to the development system.

  A known charge control agent can be used as the charge control agent, and in particular, a charge control agent that has a high charging speed and can stably maintain a constant charge amount is preferable.

  Examples of the charge control agent that control the toner to be negatively charged include the following. Organic metal compounds and chelate compounds are effective, and examples include monoazo metal compounds, acetylacetone metal compounds, aromatic oxycarboxylic acids, aromatic dicarboxylic acids, oxycarboxylic acids, and dicarboxylic acid-based metal compounds. Examples of controlling the toner to be positively charged include the following. Examples include nigrosine, quaternary ammonium salts, metal salts of higher fatty acids, diorganotin borates, guanidine compounds and imidazole compounds. A preferable blending amount of the charge control agent is 0.01 parts by mass or more and 20.0 parts by mass or less, more preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more and 10.0 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the binder resin. .

  Examples of the method for producing toner particles used in the fixing method of the present invention include various methods for forming a core-shell structure. The shell phase may be formed at the same time as the core formation step or after the core is formed. From the viewpoint of simplicity, it is preferable to simultaneously perform the core manufacturing process and the shell phase forming process.

  The method for forming the shell phase is not limited in any way. For example, when the shell phase is provided after the core is formed, there is a method in which the resin particles forming the core and the shell phase are dispersed in an aqueous medium, and then the resin particles are aggregated and adsorbed on the core surface. . Further, when the shell phase is formed simultaneously with the core forming step, the binder resin for forming the core is dissolved in an organic medium in a dispersion medium in which resin fine particles forming the shell phase are dispersed. The resin composition is dispersed. Thereafter, a dissolution suspension method in which the organic medium is removed to obtain toner particles is preferably used.

  The toner particles used in the fixing method of the present invention are particularly preferably those produced in a non-aqueous medium. By being non-aqueous, the organic polysiloxane structure of the resin A is more easily oriented on the surface. Therefore, in the production of the toner particles of the present invention, the dissolution suspension method using high pressure carbon dioxide as a dispersion medium is particularly suitable.

  That is, in the toner used in the fixing method of the present invention, the toner particles are preferably toner particles produced by the following production method. That is, a resin composition is prepared by dissolving or dispersing a binder resin, a colorant and a wax in a medium containing an organic solvent. And a resin composition is disperse | distributed to the dispersion medium which contains the resin microparticles | fine-particles containing the resin A and which has a carbon dioxide of a high pressure state as a main component. Then, toner particles are produced by removing the organic solvent from the obtained dispersion.

  Here, the high-pressure carbon dioxide is preferably carbon dioxide having a pressure of 1.5 MPa or more. Further, liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide may be used alone as a dispersion medium, and an organic solvent may be contained as another component. In this case, it is preferable that the high-pressure carbon dioxide and the organic solvent form a homogeneous phase.

  Hereinafter, a method for producing toner particles using a dispersion medium containing carbon dioxide in a high pressure state, which is suitable for obtaining toner particles used in the fixing method of the present invention, will be described as an example.

  First, in the resin solution preparation step, a colorant, wax, and other additives as necessary are added to an organic solvent capable of dissolving the binder resin, and a homogenizer, a ball mill, a colloid mill, or an ultrasonic disperser is added. It is uniformly dissolved or dispersed by such a disperser.

  Next, in the granulation step, the resin solution thus obtained and high-pressure carbon dioxide are mixed to form droplets of the resin solution.

  At this time, it is necessary to disperse a dispersing agent in carbon dioxide in a high pressure state as a dispersion medium. As the dispersant, when resin A is used as the shell phase, resin fine particles containing resin A for forming the shell phase can be mentioned, but other components may be mixed as a dispersant. For example, any of an inorganic fine particle dispersant, an organic fine particle dispersant, and a mixture thereof may be used, and two or more kinds may be used in combination according to the purpose.

  Further, a dispersion stabilizer in a liquid state may be added. Examples of the dispersion stabilizer include various surfactants having a high affinity for carbon dioxide, such as the above-mentioned organic polysiloxane structure and fluorine-containing compounds, nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, and cationic surfactants. It is done. These dispersion stabilizers are discharged out of the system together with carbon dioxide in a solvent removal step described later. Therefore, after the toner particles are produced, the amount remaining in the toner particles is extremely small.

  In the method for producing toner particles used in the fixing method of the present invention, any method may be used for dispersing the dispersant in a dispersion medium containing carbon dioxide in a high pressure state. Specific examples include a method in which a dispersion medium containing the dispersant and high-pressure carbon dioxide is charged into a container and directly dispersed by stirring or ultrasonic irradiation. Another example is a method in which a dispersion liquid in which the dispersant is dispersed in an organic solvent is introduced into a container charged with a dispersion medium containing carbon dioxide in a high-pressure state using a high-pressure pump.

  In the present invention, any method may be used for dispersing the resin composition in a dispersion medium containing carbon dioxide in a high pressure state. As a specific example, there is a method of introducing the resin composition into a container containing a dispersion medium containing high-pressure carbon dioxide in a state where the dispersant is dispersed, using a high-pressure pump. Moreover, a dispersion medium containing carbon dioxide in a high-pressure state in which the dispersant is dispersed may be introduced into a container charged with the resin composition.

  In the present invention, it is important that the dispersion medium containing carbon dioxide in a high-pressure state is a single phase. When granulating by dispersing the resin composition in carbon dioxide in a high pressure state, a part of the organic solvent in the droplets moves into the dispersion. At this time, it is not preferable that the carbon dioxide phase and the organic solvent phase exist in a separated state, which causes a drop in the stability of the droplets. Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the temperature and pressure of the dispersion medium and the amount of the resin composition with respect to the high-pressure carbon dioxide within a range in which the carbon dioxide and the organic solvent can form a homogeneous phase.

  In addition, regarding the temperature and pressure of the dispersion medium, attention should be paid to granulation properties (ease of forming droplets) and solubility of constituent components in the resin composition in the dispersion medium. For example, the binder resin and wax in the resin composition may be dissolved in the dispersion medium depending on temperature conditions and pressure conditions. Usually, the lower the temperature and the lower the pressure, the more the solubility of the above components in the dispersion medium is suppressed, but the formed droplets are likely to agglomerate and coalesce, and the granulation property is lowered. On the other hand, although the granulation property improves as the temperature and pressure increase, the component tends to be easily dissolved in the dispersion medium. Therefore, in the production of the toner particles of the present invention, the temperature of the dispersion medium is preferably in the temperature range of 10 ° C. or higher and 40 ° C. or lower.

  Further, the pressure in the container forming the dispersion medium is preferably 1.5 MPa or more and 20.0 MPa or less, and more preferably 2.0 MPa or more and 15.0 MPa or less. In addition, the pressure in this invention shows the total pressure, when components other than a carbon dioxide are contained in a dispersion medium.

  After granulation is completed in this way, in the solvent removal step, the organic solvent remaining in the droplets is removed through a dispersion medium of carbon dioxide in a high pressure state. Specifically, carbon dioxide in a high-pressure state is further mixed with the dispersion medium in which droplets are dispersed, and the remaining organic solvent is extracted into a carbon dioxide phase. By replacing with carbon dioxide in the state.

  In the mixing of the dispersion medium and the high-pressure carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide having a higher pressure may be added to the dispersion medium, and the dispersion medium may be added to carbon dioxide having a lower pressure. Also good.

  And as a method of substituting the carbon dioxide containing an organic solvent with the carbon dioxide of a high pressure state, the method of distribute | circulating a high pressure carbon dioxide is mentioned, keeping the pressure in a container constant. At this time, the toner particles formed are captured while being captured by a filter.

  When the replacement with carbon dioxide in the high-pressure state was not sufficient and the organic solvent remained in the dispersion medium, it was dissolved in the dispersion medium when the container was decompressed to recover the obtained toner particles. The organic solvent may condense and the toner particles may be redissolved. Further, there may be a problem that toner particles are united with each other. Therefore, the replacement with carbon dioxide in the high pressure state needs to be performed until the organic solvent is completely removed. The amount of carbon dioxide in a high-pressure state to circulate is preferably 1 to 100 times, more preferably 1 to 50 times, more preferably 1 to 30 times the volume of the dispersion medium. is there.

  When removing the toner particles from the dispersion containing high-pressure carbon dioxide in which the toner particles are dispersed, the container may be decompressed to room temperature and normal pressure at once. The pressure may be reduced stepwise by providing. The decompression speed is preferably set within a range where the toner particles do not foam.

  Note that the organic solvent and carbon dioxide used in the present invention can be recycled.

  In the present invention, it is preferable to add inorganic fine particles as a fluidity improver to the toner particles. Examples of the inorganic fine particles added to the toner particles include fine particles such as silica fine particles, titanium oxide fine particles, alumina fine particles, or double oxide fine particles thereof. Among the inorganic fine particles, silica fine particles and titanium oxide fine particles are preferable.

Examples of the silica fine particles include dry silica or fumed silica produced by vapor phase oxidation of silicon halide, and wet silica produced from water glass. As the inorganic fine particles, dry silica having less silanol groups on the surface and inside of the silica fine particles and less Na ₂ O and SO ₃ ²⁻ is preferable. The dry silica may be composite fine particles of silica and other metal oxides produced by using a metal halogen compound such as aluminum chloride or titanium chloride together with a silicon halogen compound in the production process.

  The inorganic fine particles are preferably externally added to the toner particles in order to improve the fluidity of the toner and to make the toner uniform. In addition, hydrophobic treatment of the inorganic fine particles can achieve adjustment of the charge amount of the toner, improvement of environmental stability, and improvement of characteristics under a high humidity environment. More preferably, it is used. When the inorganic fine particles added to the toner absorb moisture, the charge amount as the toner is lowered and the developability and transferability are likely to be lowered.

  As treatment agents for hydrophobic treatment of inorganic fine particles, unmodified silicone varnish, various modified silicone varnishes, unmodified silicone oil, various modified silicone oils, silane compounds, silane coupling agents, other organosilicon compounds, organotitanium compounds Is mentioned. These treatment agents may be used alone or in combination.

  Among these, inorganic fine particles treated with silicone oil are preferable. More preferably, the inorganic fine particles treated with silicone oil at the same time as or after the hydrophobic treatment of the inorganic fine particles with the coupling agent maintain the charge amount of the toner particles high even in a high-humidity environment. It is good for reducing the property.

  The amount of the hydrophobized particles treated with silicone oil at the same time as or after the hydrophobizing treatment of the inorganic fine particles with a coupling agent is 0.1 parts by mass or more and 4.0 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the toner particles. Part or less. More preferably, it is 0.2 to 3.5 parts by mass.

  The toner of the present invention preferably has a weight average particle diameter (D4) of 3.0 μm or more and 8.0 μm or less. More preferably, it is 5.0 μm or more and 7.0 μm or less. The use of a toner having such a weight average particle diameter (D4) is preferable in terms of sufficiently satisfying the dot reproducibility while improving the handleability.

  Further, the ratio D4 / D1 of the weight average particle diameter (D4) to the number average particle diameter (D1) of the toner of the present invention is preferably 1.25 or less. More preferably, it is 1.20 or less.

  The toner of the present invention has a number average molecular weight (Mn) of 8,000 to 40,000 and a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 15,0 in gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measurement of tetrahydrofuran (THF) solubles. It is preferably from 000 to 60,000. By being in this range, it is possible to impart appropriate viscoelasticity to the toner. A more preferable range of Mn is 10,000 or more and 20,000 or less, and a more preferable range of Mw is 20,000 or more and 50,000 or less. Furthermore, it is desirable that Mw / Mn is 6 or less. A more preferable range of Mw / Mn is 3 or less.

  Measurement methods for various physical properties of the toner and toner material of the present invention will be described below.

<Measurement Method of Loss Elastic Modulus Viscoelasticity G ″ (80) of Toner>
Measurement is performed using a viscoelasticity measuring device (rheometer) ARES (manufactured by Rheometrics Scientific). The measurement is as follows.
・ Measurement jig: torsion rectangular
Measurement sample: A rectangular parallelepiped sample having a width of about 12 mm, a height of about 20 mm, and a thickness of about 2.5 mm is prepared using a pressure molding machine (maintaining 15 kN at room temperature for 30 minutes). The pressure molding machine uses a 100 kN press NT-100H manufactured by NPa Systems.

The jig and the sample are left at room temperature (23 ° C.) for 1 hour, and then the sample is attached to the jig. The measurement part is fixed so that the width is about 12 mm, the thickness is about 2.5 mm, and the height is 5 mm. The temperature is adjusted over 10 minutes to the measurement start temperature of 30.00 ° C., and then measured with the following settings.
・ Measurement frequency: 6.28 radians / second ・ Measurement distortion setting: initial value is set to 0.1% and measurement is performed in automatic measurement mode ・ Sample extension correction: adjustment in automatic measurement mode ・ Measurement temperature : Temperature rise from 30 ° C to 150 ° C at a rate of 2 ° C / min. Measurement interval: Viscoelasticity data is measured every 30 seconds, ie every 1 ° C. RSI Orchestrator (control, data) operating on Microsoft Windows 2000 Data collection and analysis software) (Rheometrics Scientific) through the interface.
Among these, the value of the loss elastic modulus of the toner at 80 ° C. is read.

<Measurement method of Si amount derived from organic polysiloxane structure by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA)>
In the present invention, the amount of Si derived from the organic polysiloxane structure present on the toner particle surface is calculated by performing surface composition analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA). The ESCA apparatus and measurement conditions are as follows.
Equipment used: Quantum 2000 manufactured by ULVAC-PHI
Analysis method: Narrow analysis Measurement conditions:
X-ray source: Al-Kα
X-ray conditions: 100μ25W15kV
Photoelectron capture angle: 45 °
PassEnergy: 58.70eV
Measurement range: φ100μm

Measurement is performed under the above conditions, and the peak derived from the C—C bond of the carbon 1s orbital is corrected to 285 eV. After that, from the peak area of SiO bond of silicon 2p orbit where the peak top is detected at 100 eV or more and 103 eV or less, it is derived from the organic polysiloxane structure with respect to the total amount of the constituent elements by using the relative sensitivity factor provided by ULVAC-PHI. Si amount is calculated. If another peak of Si2p orbit (SiO ₂ : larger than 103 eV and 105 eV or less) is detected, the peak area of SiO bond is calculated by performing waveform separation on the peak of SiO bond.

<Method of measuring number average molecular weight (Mn) and weight average molecular weight (Mw)>
In the present invention, the molecular weight (Mn, Mw) of a tetrahydrofuran (THF) soluble component such as a toner is measured by GPC as follows.

First, a sample is dissolved in THF at room temperature for 24 hours. Then, the obtained solution is filtered through a solvent-resistant membrane filter “Mysholy disk” (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation) having a pore diameter of 0.2 μm to obtain a sample solution. The sample solution is adjusted so that the concentration of the component soluble in THF is about 0.8% by mass. Using this sample solution, measurement is performed under the following conditions.
Apparatus: HLC8120 GPC (detector: RI) (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation)
Column: Seven series of Shodex KF-801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807 (manufactured by Showa Denko KK)
Eluent: Tetrahydrofuran (THF)
Flow rate: 1.0 ml / min Oven temperature: 40.0 ° C
Sample injection volume: 0.10 ml
In calculating the molecular weight of the sample, standard polystyrene resin (trade names “TSK Standard Polystyrene F-850, F-450, F-288, F-128, F-80, F-40, F-20, F-10, F-4, F-2, F-1, A-5000, A-2500, A-1000, A-500 ", manufactured by Tosoh Corporation) are used.

<Measurement method of particle diameter of colorant particle, wax particle, resin fine particle for shell>
The particle diameter of resin fine particles is measured using a Microtrac particle size distribution measuring device HRA (X-100) (manufactured by Nikkiso Co., Ltd.) with a range setting of 0.001 μm to 10 μm, and the number average particle diameter (μm or nm) Measure as In addition, water was selected as a dilution solvent.

<Measuring method of crystalline polyester resin, block polymer, and melting point of wax>
The melting points of the crystalline polyester resin, the block polymer, and the wax were measured using DSC Q1000 (manufactured by TA Instruments) under the following conditions.
Temperature increase rate: 10 ° C / min Measurement start temperature: 20 ° C
Measurement end temperature: 200 ° C

  The temperature correction of the device detection unit uses the melting points of indium and zinc, and the correction of heat uses the heat of fusion of indium. Specifically, about 2 mg of a sample is precisely weighed, placed in a silver pan, and measured using an empty silver pan as a reference. In the measurement, the temperature is once raised to 200 ° C., subsequently lowered to 20 ° C., and then heated again. In the case of the crystalline polyester resin and the block polymer, the peak temperature of the maximum endothermic peak of the DSC curve in the temperature range of 20 ° C. to 200 ° C. is set as the melting point of the crystalline polyester resin and the block polymer in the first temperature raising process. In the case of wax, the peak temperature of the maximum endothermic peak of the DSC curve in the temperature range of 20 ° C. to 200 ° C. is set as the melting point of the wax in the second temperature raising process. The maximum endothermic peak means a peak having the largest endothermic amount when there are a plurality of peaks.

<Measuring method of glass transition temperature (Tg) of amorphous resin>
The measuring method of Tg in the present invention was measured using DSC Q1000 (manufactured by TA Instruments) under the following conditions.
・ Modulation mode ・ Temperature increase rate: 0.5 ℃ / min ・ Modulation temperature amplitude: ± 1.0 ℃ / min ・ Measurement start temperature: 25 ℃
-Measurement end temperature: 130 ° C
The temperature was raised only once, the DSC curve was obtained by taking “Reversing Heat Flow” on the vertical axis, and the onset value was defined as the glass transition temperature (Tg) in the present invention.

<Method for Measuring Weight Average Particle Size (D4) and Number Average Particle Size (D1) of Toner>
The weight average particle diameter (D4) and number average particle diameter (D1) of the toner are calculated as follows.

  As a measuring device, a precise particle size distribution measuring device “Coulter Counter Multisizer 3” (registered trademark, manufactured by Beckman Coulter, Inc.) using a pore electrical resistance method equipped with a 100 μm aperture tube is used. For setting the measurement conditions and analyzing the measurement data, the attached dedicated software “Beckman Coulter Multisizer 3 Version 3.51” (manufactured by Beckman Coulter, Inc.) is used. The measurement is performed with 25,000 effective measurement channels.

  As the electrolytic aqueous solution used for the measurement, special grade sodium chloride is dissolved in ion-exchanged water so as to have a concentration of about 1% by mass, for example, “ISOTON II” (manufactured by Beckman Coulter, Inc.) can be used.

  Prior to measurement and analysis, the dedicated software is set as follows.

  On the “Change Standard Measurement Method (SOM)” screen of the dedicated software, set the total count in the control mode to 50,000 particles, set the number of measurements once, and set the Kd value to “standard particles 10.0 μm” (Beckman・ Set the value obtained using Coulter). By pressing the “Threshold / Noise Level Measurement Button”, the threshold and noise level are automatically set. In addition, the current is set to 1600 μA, the gain is set to 2, the electrolyte is set to ISOTON II, and the “aperture tube flush after measurement” is checked.

  In the “Pulse to particle size conversion setting” screen of the dedicated software, the bin interval is set to logarithmic particle size, the particle size bin is set to 256 particle size bin, and the particle size range is set to 2 μm to 60 μm.

  The specific measurement method is as follows.

  (1) About 200 ml of the electrolytic aqueous solution is put in a glass 250 ml round bottom beaker exclusively for the Multisizer 3 and set on a sample stand, and the stirrer rod is stirred counterclockwise at 24 rpm. Then, the dirt and bubbles in the aperture tube are removed by the “aperture flush” function of the dedicated software.

  (2) About 30 ml of the electrolytic aqueous solution is put into a glass 100 ml flat bottom beaker. In this, "Contaminone N" (nonionic surfactant, anionic surfactant, 10% by weight aqueous solution of neutral detergent for pH7 precision measuring instrument cleaning, made by organic builder, manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. About 0.3 ml of a diluted solution obtained by diluting 3) with ion-exchanged water is added.

  (3) Two oscillators with an oscillation frequency of 50 kHz are incorporated with the phase shifted by 180 degrees, and an ultrasonic disperser “Ultrasonic Dispersion System Tetora 150” (manufactured by Nikka Ki Bios) having an electrical output of 120 W is prepared. About 3.3 l of ion-exchanged water is placed in the water tank of the ultrasonic disperser, and about 2 ml of Contaminone N is added to the water tank.

  (4) The beaker of (2) is set in the beaker fixing hole of the ultrasonic disperser, and the ultrasonic disperser is operated. And the height position of a beaker is adjusted so that the resonance state of the liquid level of the electrolyte solution in a beaker may become the maximum.

  (5) In a state where the electrolytic aqueous solution in the beaker of (4) is irradiated with ultrasonic waves, about 10 mg of toner is added to the electrolytic aqueous solution little by little and dispersed. Then, the ultrasonic dispersion process is continued for another 60 seconds. In ultrasonic dispersion, the water temperature in the water tank is appropriately adjusted so as to be 10 ° C. or higher and 40 ° C. or lower.

  (6) To the round bottom beaker of (1) installed in the sample stand, the electrolyte solution of (5) in which the toner is dispersed is dropped using a pipette, and the measurement concentration is adjusted to about 5%. . The measurement is performed until the number of measured particles reaches 50,000.

  (7) The measurement data is analyzed with the dedicated software attached to the apparatus, and the weight average particle diameter (D4) and the number average particle diameter (D1) are calculated. The “average diameter” on the “analysis / volume statistics (arithmetic average)” screen when the graph / volume% is set by the dedicated software is the weight average particle diameter (D4). The “average diameter” on the “analysis / number statistics (arithmetic average)” screen when the graph / number% is set in the dedicated software is the number average particle diameter (D1).

  Although the basic configuration and features of the present invention have been described above, the present invention will be specifically described below based on examples. However, this does not limit the present invention.

<Fixing device 1>
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the fixing device of the present invention. The pressure roller 7 includes an elastic layer having a thickness of 3 mm such as silicone solid or sponge rubber on the outer side of, for example, φ14 aluminum or iron core, and PFA. The release layer is laminated with a thickness of 30 μm. A fixing film is sandwiched between the film guide 9 and pressed with a total pressure of about 200 N to 100 N (about 20 kgf to about 10 kgf) by bearing means and biasing means (not shown). The fixing device rotation control means (not shown) rotationally drives the pressure roller 7 in the direction of the arrow, and the rotational force acts on the fixing sleeve 1 by the frictional force in the nip portion N having a width of about 5 to 10 mm. It becomes a state. The film guide 9 is made of heat-resistant resin polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) or the like. The fixing film 1 has a cylindrical structure having a composite structure of a heat generation layer 1a made of a conductive member serving as a base layer having a diameter of 50 to 10 mm, an elastic layer 1b laminated on the outer surface, and a release layer 1c laminated on the outer surface. It is a rotating body. In this device, the heat generating layer 1a is a cylindrical member made of aluminum having a relative permeability of 1 having a thickness of 20 μm, a cross-sectional area of 1.5 × 10 ⁻⁶ m ² and a diameter of 24 mm. The elastic layer 1b is formed from 0.3 mm to 0.1 mm of silicone rubber having a hardness of 20 degrees (JIS-A, 1 kg load). And the fluororesin tube of 50 micrometers-10 micrometers thickness is coat | covered as the surface layer 1c (release layer) on the elastic layer 1b. Inside the fixing film 1 which is a cylindrical member, the magnetic core 2 is inserted in the direction of the rotation axis. An exciting coil 3 is wound around the magnetic core 2.

The magnetic core 2 has a cylindrical shape as an integral part that is not divided. The magnetic core 2 is arranged in the fixing film 1 by a fixing means (not shown), and induces a magnetic force line (magnetic flux) generated by the alternating magnetic field generated by the exciting coil 3 into the fixing film 1 so as to pass the magnetic force lines (magnetic field). It functions as a member that forms a path. The magnetic core 2 is a ferrite having a relative permeability of 1800, a diameter of 14 mm, a cross-sectional area of 1.5 × 10 ⁻⁴ m ² , and a length B = 230 mm.

The film guide 9 is a PPS having a relative permeability of 1, and has a cross-sectional area of 1.0 × 10 ⁻⁴ [m ² ]. Details are given in Table 4.

  The elastic layer 1b of the fixing film and the surface layer 1c of the fixing film are outside the cylindrical rotating body (conductive layer) 1a, which is a heat generating layer, and do not contribute to heat generation. Therefore, it is not necessary to calculate permeance (or magnetoresistance), and in this magnetic circuit model, it can be included in “air outside the cylinder”.

  Table 4 below summarizes “permeance and magnetic resistance per unit length” of each component of the fixing device 1 calculated from the above dimensions and relative magnetic permeability.

With respect to “permeance per unit length”, the correspondence between the magnetic equivalent circuit diagram of FIG. The permeance Pc per unit length of the magnetic core is expressed as follows.
Pc = 3.5 × 10 ⁻⁷ [H · m]
The permeance Pa_in per unit length of the region between the conductive layer and the magnetic core is a combination of the permeance per unit length of the film guide and the permeance per unit length of air in the cylindrical body as follows: expressed.
Pa_in = 1.3 × 10 ⁻¹⁰ + 2.5 × 10 ⁻¹⁰ [H · m]
The permeance Pcy per unit length of the conductive layer is the cylindrical body described in Table 4, and is expressed as follows.
Pcy = 1.9 × 10 ⁻¹² [H · m]
a_out is the air outside the cylinder described in Table 4 and can be expressed as follows.
Pa_out = Pc−Pa_in−Pcy = 3.5 × 10 ⁻⁷ [H · m]
Therefore, the fixing device 1 satisfies the following permeance relational expression.
Pcy + Pa_in ≦ 0.30 × Pc
Next, the case where a magnetic resistance, which is the inverse of permeance, is used will be described.

The magnetic resistance per unit length of the magnetic core is as follows.
Rc = 2.9 × 10 ⁶ [1 / (H · m)]
Since the magnetic resistance in the region between the conductive layer and the magnetic core is a combined resistance of the resistance Rf of the film guide and the resistance Ra of the air in the cylinder, it is calculated using the following equation:
Ra = 2.7 × 10 ⁹ [1 / (H · m)].

Rcy corresponds to the cylindrical body shown in Table 4, and Rcy = Rs = 5.3 × 10 ¹¹ [1 / (H · m)], so that the combined magnetoresistance of Rs and Ra Rsa can be calculated by the following formula, and Rsa = 2.7 × 10 ⁹ [1 / (H · m)].

  The cross-sectional area of air in the region between the cylindrical body and the magnetic core was calculated by subtracting the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core and the cross-sectional area of the film guide from the cross-sectional area of the hollow portion of the cylindrical body having a diameter of 24 [mm]. .

Therefore, the fixing device 1 satisfies the following equation of magnetic resistance, and the magnetic resistance of the core is
A magnetic resistance of the conductive layer;
The magnetoresistance of the region between the conductive layer and the core;
30% or less of the combined magnetoresistance.

<Fixing device 2>
The fixing device 2 used as a comparative example differs from the configuration of the fixing device of the fixing device 1 in the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core and the material and cross-sectional area of the cylindrical rotating body. That is, it is a configuration that does not satisfy “the magnetic resistance of the core is 30% or less of the combined magnetic resistance of the magnetic resistance of the conductive layer and the magnetic resistance of the region between the conductive layer and the core”. This configuration will be described. In particular, a configuration in which a cylindrical rotating body is a main magnetic path will be described. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the fixing device of the fixing device 2. The electromagnetic induction heat generating rotator uses the fixing roller 11 instead of the fixing film. The nip N is formed by the pressing force of the fixing roller 11 and the pressure roller 7, and the image carrier P and the toner image T are sandwiched and rotated in the direction of the arrow.

  The cylindrical body (cylindrical rotating body) 11a of the fixing roller 11 uses nickel (Ni) having a relative magnetic permeability of 600, a thickness of 100 μm, and a diameter of 48 mm. The material of the cylindrical body is not limited to nickel, and a magnetic metal having a high relative magnetic permeability such as iron (Fe) or cobalt (Co) may be used. The cylindrical body (cylindrical rotating body) of the fixing device 1 is aluminum which is a nonmagnetic material, whereas the fixing device 2 uses nickel which is a magnetic material.

  The magnetic core 2 has a cylindrical shape as an integral part that is not divided. The magnetic core 2 is arranged in the fixing roller 11 by a fixing means (not shown). The magnetic core 2 induces a magnetic line of force (magnetic flux) due to an alternating magnetic field generated by the exciting coil 3 into the fixing roller 11, thereby causing a path of magnetic lines of force (magnetic field). It functions as a member that forms a path. The magnetic core 2 is a ferrite having a relative permeability of 1800, a saturation magnetic flux density of 500 mT, a diameter of 5 mm, and a length B = 230 mm. Other configurations are the same as those of the fixing device 1. As shown in the schematic diagram of heat generation (FIG. 17), in this configuration, there are magnetic lines of force that pass through the cylindrical body as a magnetic path. The magnetic field lines passing through the inside of the cylindrical body flow eddy current as shown by E // in the figure and contribute to heat generation. The path of the magnetic field lines concentrates on the portion where the sleeve and the core are located in the vicinity, and heat generation is concentrated at a place closest to the core as shown in the figure.

  Table 5 summarizes calculation results of permeance and magnetic resistance of each component of the fixing device 2.

Further, the permeance of each component of the fixing device 2 is as follows.
Permeance of magnetic core Pc = 4.4 × 10 ⁻⁸ [H · m]
Permeance Pa = 1.3 × 10 ⁻¹⁰ + 2.1 × 10 ⁻⁹ [H · m] inside the cylindrical body
Permeance of cylindrical body Ps = 1.1 × 10 ⁻⁸ [H · m]
Therefore, the fixing device 2 does not satisfy the following permeance relational expression.
Ps + Pa ≦ 0.30 × Pc
If you replace this with a magnetic resistance,
Magnetic resistance Rc of magnetic core = 2.3 × 10 ⁷ [1 / (H · m)]
Since the magnetic resistance inside the cylinder is a combined resistance of the film guide Rf and the air resistance of the air inside the cylinder, when calculated using the following equation, Ra = 4.5 × 10 ⁸ [1 / (H · m) ].

Since the cylindrical magnetic resistance Rs = 8.8 × 10 ⁷ [1 / (H · m)], the combined magnetic resistance Rsa of Rs and Ra is obtained as follows, and Rsa = 7.4 × 10 ⁷ [1 / (H · m)].

  Therefore, the fixing device 2 does not satisfy the following equation of magnetic resistance, and the fixing device 2 states that “the magnetic resistance of the core is the magnetic resistance of the conductive layer and the magnetic field in the region between the conductive layer and the core. It is not “30% or less of the combined magnetoresistance of the resistance”.

In this case, it is considered that part of the circulating current and part of the eddy current E⊥ in the direction shown in FIG. 15 flow inside the aluminum cylindrical rotating body, and both contribute to heat generation. This eddy current E⊥ will be described. E⊥ has a property that it is larger as it is closer to the surface of the material and exponentially decreases as it goes into the material. This depth is called the penetration depth δ, and is expressed by the following equation.
δ = 503 × (ρ / fμ) ^1/2 (30)
δ: penetration depth [m]
f: Excitation circuit frequency [Hz]
μ: Permeability [H / m]
ρ: resistivity [Ωm]
The penetration depth δ indicates the absorption depth of the electromagnetic wave, and the intensity of the electromagnetic wave becomes 1 / e or less deeper than this. The depth depends on the frequency, permeability, and resistivity.

<Fixing device 3>
The fixing device 3 is another example of the fixing device 1 described above, and is different from the fixing device 1 in that austenitic stainless steel (SUS304) is used as a cylindrical rotating body (conductive layer). The following is a summary of the resistivity and relative permeability of various metals for reference, and the results of calculating the penetration depth δ at 21 kHz, 40 kHz, and 100 kHz according to the equation (30).

  According to Table 6, since SUS304 has a high resistance value and a low relative permeability, the penetration depth δ is large. That is, since electromagnetic waves are easily transmitted, it is rarely used as a heating element for induction heating. Therefore, it has been difficult to achieve high power conversion efficiency in the conventional electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device. However, this fixing device shows that high power conversion efficiency can be realized.

  The configuration of the fixing device 3 is the same as the configuration of the fixing device 1 except that SUS304 is used as the material of the cylindrical rotating body. The cross-sectional shape of the fixing device is the same as that of the fixing device 1. The heat generating layer was made of SUS304 having a relative magnetic permeability of 1.0, a film thickness of 30 μm, and a diameter of φ24 mm. The elastic layer and the surface layer are the same as those of the fixing device 1. The magnetic core, exciting coil, temperature detection member, and temperature control are the same as those of the fixing device 1.

  The permeance and magnetic resistance of each component of the fixing device 3 are shown in Table 7 below.

From Table 7, the permeance of each component of the fixing device 3 is as follows.
Core permeance Pc = 3.5 × 10 ⁻⁷ [H · m]
Permeance Pa = 1.3 × 10 ⁻¹⁰ + 2.5 × 10 ⁻¹⁰ [H · m] inside the cylindrical body
Permeance of cylindrical body Ps = 2.8 × 10 ⁻¹² [H · m]
Therefore, the fixing device 3 satisfies the following permeance relational expression.
Ps + Pa ≦ 0.30 × Pc
If you replace this with a magnetic resistance,
Magnetic resistance Rc of magnetic core = 2.9 × 10 ⁶ [1 / (H · m)]
Since the magnetic resistance inside the cylinder is a combined resistance of the film guide Rf and the air resistance of the air in the cylinder, it is calculated using the following formula: Ra = 2.7 × 10 ⁹ [1 / (H · m) ].

Since the magnetic resistance Rs of the cylindrical body is Rs = 3.5 × 10 ¹¹ [1 / (H · m)], the combined magnetic resistance Rsa of Rs and Ra can be calculated by the following equation:
Rsa = 2.7 × 10 ⁹ [1 / (H · m)]
It becomes.

  From the above, the fixing device of the fixing device 3 satisfies the following equation of magnetic resistance, and the magnetic resistance of the core includes the magnetic resistance of the conductive layer and the magnetic resistance of the region between the conductive layer and the core. And 30% or less of the combined magnetoresistance.

<Fixing device 4>
The fixing device 4 will be described with respect to a configuration using a metal having a high relative permeability as a cylindrical rotating body. The structure in which the cylindrical rotating body generates heat mainly by the circulating current as in this fixing device does not necessarily use a metal having a low relative permeability as the cylindrical rotating body, and even a metal having a high relative permeability is used. can do.

  In a conventional electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device, even when nickel having a high relative permeability is used as the cylindrical rotating body, the conversion efficiency of power is reduced by reducing the thickness of the cylindrical rotating body. There was a problem. Therefore, in this example, it is shown that the cylindrical rotating body can generate heat with high efficiency even when the thickness of nickel is thin. By reducing the thickness of the cylindrical rotating body, there are merits such as improved durability against repeated bending and improved quick start by reducing heat capacity.

  The configuration of the image forming apparatus is the same as that of the fixing apparatus 1 except that nickel is used for the cylindrical rotating body. In the fixing device 4, nickel having a relative permeability of 600 is used as the cylindrical rotating body. The thickness of the cylindrical rotating body was 75 μm and the diameter was φ24 mm. Since the elastic layer and the surface layer are the same as those of the fixing device 1, description thereof is omitted. Further, the excitation coil, temperature detection member, and temperature control are the same as those of the fixing device 1. The magnetic core 2 is a ferrite having a relative permeability of 1800, a saturation magnetic flux density of 500 mT, a diameter of 14 mm, and a length B = 230 mm.

  Table 8 below shows permeance and magnetic resistance of each component of the fixing device 4.

From Table 8, the permeance of each component of the fixing device 4 is as follows.
Permeance of magnetic core: Pc = 3.5 × 10 ⁻⁷ [H · m]
Permeance inside cylindrical body: Pa = 1.3 × 10 ⁻¹⁰ + 2.4 × 10 ⁻¹⁰ [H · m]
Permeance of cylindrical body: Ps = 4.2 × 10 ⁻⁹ [H · m]
Therefore, the following permeance relational expression is satisfied.
Ps + Pa ≦ 0.30 × Pc
Here, when the permeance relational expression is replaced with the magnetic resistance relational expression, the following expression is obtained.
Magnetoresistance of magnetic core: Rc = 2.9 × 10 ⁶ [1 / (H · m)]
Magnetoresistance in the region between the cylinder and the magnetic core: Ra = 2.7 × 10 ⁹ [1 / (H · m)]
Magnetoresistance of cylindrical body: Rs = 2.4 × 10 ⁸ [1 / (H · m)]
Combined magnetoresistance of Rs and Ra: Rsa = 2.2 × 10 ⁸ [1 / (H · m)]
Therefore, the fixing device 4 satisfies the following equation of magnetic resistance, and the magnetic resistance of the core is the magnetic resistance of the conductive layer and the magnetic resistance of the region between the conductive layer and the core. 30% or less of the combined magnetoresistance.

<Fixing device 5>
As the fixing device 5, a configuration in which the cross-sectional area of the magnetic core 2 and the material and cross-sectional area of the cylindrical rotating body are different from the configuration of the fixing device 1 will be described. Although this configuration satisfies "the magnetoresistance of the core is 30% or less of the combined magnetoresistance of the magnetoresistance of the conductive layer and the magnetoresistance of the region between the conductive layer and the core", the cylinder A part of the shaped rotator is a magnetic path.

  FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the fixing device of the fixing device 5. A nickel fixing film having a thickness of 200 μm is used as the electromagnetic induction heating rotator. The nip N is formed by the pressing force of the fixing roller 11 and the pressure roller 7, and the image carrier P and the toner image T are sandwiched and rotated in the direction of the arrow.

  The cylindrical body (cylindrical rotating body) 11a of the fixing roller 11 uses nickel (Ni) having a relative magnetic permeability of 600, a thickness of 0.2 mm, and a diameter of 48 mm. The material of the cylindrical body is not limited to nickel, and a magnetic metal having a high relative magnetic permeability such as iron (Fe) or cobalt (Co) may be used.

  The magnetic core 2 has a cylindrical shape as an integral part that is not divided. The magnetic core 2 is arranged in the fixing roller 11 by a fixing means (not shown). The magnetic core 2 induces a magnetic line of force (magnetic flux) due to an alternating magnetic field generated by the exciting coil 3 into the fixing roller 11, thereby causing a path of magnetic lines of force (magnetic field). It functions as a member that forms a path. The magnetic core 2 is a ferrite having a relative permeability of 1800, a saturation magnetic flux density of 500 mT, a diameter of 12 mm, and a length B = 230 mm. Other configurations are the same as those of the fixing device 1. As shown in the schematic diagram of heat generation, in this configuration, there are lines of magnetic force that pass through the cylindrical body as a magnetic path. The magnetic field lines passing through the inside of the cylindrical body flow eddy current as shown by E // in the figure and contribute to heat generation. The path of the magnetic lines of force is partially concentrated in the portion where the sleeve and the core are located in the vicinity, and the amount of heat generation is increased by about 10% at the place closest to the core as shown in the figure.

  Table 9 summarizes the calculation results of the permeance of each component of the fixing device 5 of the fixing device 5.

From Table 9, the permeance of each component of the fixing device 5 is as follows.
Permeance of magnetic core: Pc = 2.6 × 10 ⁻⁷ [H · m]
Permeance inside cylindrical body: Pa = 1.3 × 10 ⁻¹⁰ + 2.0 × 10 ⁻⁹ [H · m]
Permeance of cylindrical body: Ps = 2.3 × 10 ⁻⁸ [H · m]
Therefore, the fixing device 5 satisfies the following permeance relational expression.
Ps + Pa ≦ 0.30 × Pc
If you replace this with a magnetic resistance,
Magnetoresistance of magnetic core: Rc = 3.9 × 10 ⁶ [1 / (H · m)]
Magnetoresistance inside the cylinder: Ra = 4.8 × 10 ⁸ [1 / (H · m)]
Magnetoresistance of cylindrical body: Rs = 4.4 × 10 ⁷ [1 / (H · m)]
Combined magnetoresistance of Rs and Ra: Rsa = 4.0 × 10 ⁷ [1 / (H · m)]
Therefore, the fixing device 5 satisfies the following equation of magnetic resistance, and the magnetic resistance of the core is a combination of the magnetic resistance of the conductive layer and the magnetic resistance of the region between the conductive layer and the core. It is 30% or less of the magnetic resistance.

  Next, the toner will be described.

  In the following production examples, the number of parts is based on parts by mass.

<Synthesis of crystalline polyester 1>
The following raw materials were charged into a heat-dried two-necked flask while introducing nitrogen.
-Sebacic acid 124.0 parts by mass-1,6-hexanediol 76.0 parts by mass-Dibutyltin oxide 0.1 part by mass The system was purged with nitrogen by depressurization, and then stirred at 180 ° C for 6 hours. Thereafter, the temperature was gradually raised to 230 ° C. under reduced pressure while continuing the stirring, and was further maintained for 2 hours. Crystalline polyester 1 was synthesize | combined by air-cooling when it became a viscous state and stopping reaction. The melting point of the crystalline polyester 1 was 73 ° C., Mn was 5,800, and Mw was 11,800.

<Synthesis of crystalline polyester 2>
In the synthesis of the crystalline polyester 1, everything is changed except that the addition amount of sebacic acid is 134.0 parts by mass, and 66.0 parts by mass of 1,4-butanediol is added instead of 1,6-hexanediol. Similarly, crystalline polyester 2 was synthesized. The crystalline polyester 2 had a melting point of 66 ° C., Mn of 2,500, and Mw of 4,600.

<Synthesis of block polymer 1>
-Crystalline polyester 1 210.0 parts by mass-Xylylene diisocyanate (XDI) 56.0 parts by mass-Cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) 34.0 parts by mass-Tetrahydrofuran (THF) 300.0 parts by mass The above was charged into a reaction vessel equipped with nitrogen substitution. The mixture was heated to 50 ° C. and subjected to urethanization reaction for 15 hours. The solvent, THF, was distilled off to obtain block polymer 1. Table 10 shows the physical properties of Block Polymer 1.

<Synthesis of block polymers 2 to 4>
In the synthesis of block polymer 1, block polymers 2 to 4 were synthesized in the same manner except that the addition amounts of crystalline polyester 1, CHDM, and XDI were changed to the addition amounts shown in Table 7. Table 10 shows the physical properties of the block polymers 2 to 4.

<Preparation of block polymer solution 1>
Into a beaker equipped with a stirrer, 500.0 parts by mass of acetone and 500.0 parts by mass of block polymer 1 were charged, and stirring was continued until the solution was completely dissolved at a temperature of 40 ° C. to prepare block polymer solution 1.

<Preparation of block polymer solutions 2-4>
In the preparation of the block polymer solution 1, the block polymer 1 was changed to the block polymers 2 to 4, and the block polymer solutions 2 to 4 were prepared.

<Synthesis of vinyl-modified polyester monomer>
In a reaction vessel with a stir bar and thermometer set,
-Xylylene diisocyanate (XDI) 59.0 parts by mass was charged, 41.0 parts by mass of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate was added dropwise, and reacted at 55 ° C for 4 hours to obtain a vinyl-modified monomer intermediate.

Next, in a reaction vessel with a stir bar and thermometer set,
-Crystalline polyester 2 83.0 mass parts-THF 100.0 mass parts was prepared, and it was made to melt | dissolve at 50 degreeC. Thereafter, 10.0 parts by mass of the vinyl-modified monomer intermediate was dropped and reacted at 50 ° C. for 4 hours to obtain a vinyl-modified polyester monomer solution. The solvent, THF, was distilled off to obtain a vinyl-modified polyester monomer.

<Preparation of resin dispersion 1 for shell>
-15.0 parts by mass of vinyl-modified organopolysiloxane (X-22-2475: degree of polymerization n = 3, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.)
-Vinyl-modified polyester monomer 30.0 parts by mass-Styrene (St) 45.0 parts by mass-Methacrylic acid (MAA) 10.0 parts by mass-Azobismethoxydimethylvaleronitrile 0.3 parts by mass-THF 50.0 Part by mass A beaker was charged with the above, stirred and mixed at 20 ° C. to prepare a monomer solution, and introduced into a dropping funnel that had been heated and dried in advance. Separately, 100 parts by mass of THF was charged into a heat-dried two-necked flask. After substituting with nitrogen, a dropping funnel was attached, and the monomer solution was added dropwise at 70 ° C. over 1 hour in a sealed state. Stirring was continued for 3 hours from the end of dropping, and a mixture of 0.3 parts by mass of azobismethoxydimethylvaleronitrile and 20.0 parts by mass of THF was added again, followed by stirring at 70 ° C. for 3 hours to obtain a reaction mixture. .

  Subsequently, the reaction mixture is dropped in 400.0 parts by mass of acetone adjusted to 20 ° C. with stirring at 5000 rpm with a TK homomixer (manufactured by Tokushu Kika Co., Ltd.) over 10 minutes, thereby forming resin fine particles. A dispersion was obtained. Acetone was added to a solid content concentration of 20% by mass to prepare a shell resin dispersion 1. The obtained shell resin dispersion 1 was dried, and the number average diameter of the primary particles was measured. Table 11 shows the physical properties of the resin dispersion 1 for shell.

<Preparation of Resin Dispersions 2 to 4 for Shell>
In the preparation of the shell resin dispersion 1, the amounts of various monomers used were changed to those shown in Table 8 to prepare shell resin dispersions 2 to 4. The obtained shell resin dispersions 2 to 4 were dried, and the number average diameter of the primary particles was measured. Table 11 shows the physical properties of the resin dispersions 2 to 4 for the shell.

<Preparation of colorant dispersion>
・ C. I. Pigment Blue 15: 3 100.0 parts by mass Acetone 150.0 parts by mass Glass beads (1 mm) 300.0 parts by mass The above materials were put into a heat-resistant glass container, and a paint shaker (manufactured by Toyo Seiki Co., Ltd.) for 5 hours. Dispersion was performed, glass beads were removed with a nylon mesh, and a colorant dispersion having a volume average particle size of 200 nm and a solid content of 40% by mass was obtained.

<Preparation of wax dispersion>
Paraffin wax HNP10 (melting point: 75 ° C., manufactured by Nippon Seiwa Co., Ltd.) 16.0 parts by mass Nitrile group-containing styrene acrylic resin (in the presence of 15.0 parts by mass of polyethylene, 50.0 parts by mass of styrene, n-butyl acrylate) A copolymer having a peak molecular weight of 8,500 obtained by graft copolymerization of 25.0 parts by mass and 10.0 parts by mass of acrylonitrile) 8.0 parts by mass Acetone 76.0 parts by mass The above is a glass beaker with a stirring blade (IWAKI) Glass), and the system was heated to 70 ° C. to dissolve the paraffin wax in acetone.

  Then, the system was gradually cooled while gently stirring at 50 rpm, and cooled to 25 ° C. over 3 hours to obtain a milky white liquid.

  This solution was put into a heat-resistant container together with 20 parts by mass of 1 mm glass beads and dispersed for 3 hours with a paint shaker to obtain a wax dispersion having a volume average particle size of 270 nm and a solid content of 16% by mass.

<Manufacture of toner 1>
In the apparatus shown in FIG. 18, first, the valves V1 and V2 and the pressure adjusting valve V3 are closed, and the shell resin dispersion 25 is placed in a pressure-resistant granulation tank T1 having a filter and a stirring mechanism for capturing toner particles. 0.0 parts by mass were charged, and the internal temperature was adjusted to 25 ° C. Next, the valve V1 was opened, carbon dioxide (purity 99.99%) was introduced into the pressure vessel T1 from the cylinder B1 using the pump P1, and the valve V1 was closed when the internal pressure reached 2.0 MPa. On the other hand, block polymer solution 1, wax dispersion, colorant dispersion, and acetone were charged into resin solution tank T2, and the internal temperature was adjusted to 25 ° C.

  Next, the valve V2 is opened and the contents of the resin solution tank T2 are introduced into the granulation tank T1 using the pump P2 while stirring the inside of the granulation tank T1 at 1000 rpm. Valve V2 was closed. After the introduction, the internal pressure of the granulation tank T1 was 5.0 MPa.

In addition, the material preparation amount (mass ratio) to T2 is as follows.
Block polymer solution 1 100.0 parts by mass Wax dispersion 20.0 parts by weight Colorant dispersion 8.0 parts by mass Acetone 20.0 parts by mass Carbon dioxide 160.0 parts by mass Was calculated using a mass flow meter.

  After the introduction of the contents of the resin solution tank T2 to the granulation tank T1, granulation was performed by further stirring at 1000 rpm for 3 minutes.

  Next, the valve V1 was opened, and carbon dioxide was introduced into the granulation tank T1 from the cylinder B1 using the pump P1. At this time, the pressure regulating valve V3 was set to 10.0 MPa, and carbon dioxide was further circulated while maintaining the internal pressure of the granulation tank T1 at 10.0 MPa. By this operation, carbon dioxide containing the organic solvent (mainly acetone) extracted from the granulated droplets was discharged to the solvent recovery tank T3, and the organic solvent and carbon dioxide were separated.

  The introduction of carbon dioxide into the granulation tank T1 was stopped when it reached 15 times the mass of carbon dioxide initially introduced into the granulation tank T1. At this point, the operation of replacing carbon dioxide containing an organic solvent with carbon dioxide containing no organic solvent was completed.

  Further, the pressure regulating valve V3 was opened little by little, and the internal pressure of the granulation tank T1 was reduced to atmospheric pressure, whereby the toner particles 1 captured by the filter were collected. Table 12 shows the physical properties of Toner Particles 1.

  To 100.0 parts by mass of the toner particles 1, 1.8 parts by mass of hydrophobic silica fine particles (number average diameter of primary particles: 7 nm) treated with hexamethyldisilazane are added to a Henschel mixer (Mitsui Mining Co., Ltd.). For 5 minutes to obtain toner 1 of the present invention. Table 12 shows the physical properties of Toner 1.

<Manufacture of toners 2-7>
In the production of the toner 1, toners 2 to 7 were obtained in the same manner except that the block polymer solution 1 and the shell resin dispersion 1 were changed to those shown in Table 9. Table 12 shows the physical properties of Toner 2-7.

<Example 1>
A commercially available color laser printer Color Laser Jet CP4525 (manufactured by HP) was used for imaging an unfixed image in the examples.

  The fixing device of the evaluation machine was removed, and modifications were made so that an unfixed image could be output.

As a recording material, A4 size color laser copier paper (manufactured by Canon, 80 g / m ² ) was used. The product toner was extracted from a commercially available black cartridge, the interior was cleaned by air blow, and 150 g of toner 1 was filled. In each of the magenta, yellow, and cyan stations, product toner was extracted and magenta, yellow, and cyan cartridges with the remaining toner amount detection mechanism disabled were inserted.

In an environment of a temperature of 23 ° C. and a relative humidity of 50%, an unfixed image was output so that the applied toner amount was 0.55 mg / cm ² . In the image, an unfixed toner image (0.6 mg / cm ² ) of 2.0 cm in length and width was formed at 2.0 cm from the upper end and the center from the left and right ends in the sheet passing direction.

  Next, the unfixed image was passed through the fixing device 1, and the passed image was evaluated.

  First, based on the temperature control means described above, the input power of the fixing device was controlled in accordance with the target temperature in the central portion of the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the rotation speed of the pressure roller was 250 mm / second.

  The unfixed image was passed through the fixing device 1 continuously for 10 sheets so that the distance between the sheets was 5 cm. When the paper was passed, the target temperature was set in steps of 1 ° C. from 100 ° C. to 130 ° C.

  The temperature at which the offset occurred on the first and tenth sheets was evaluated for the image after passing. The evaluation results are shown in Table 13.

<Examples 2 to 9>
Evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the toner 1 and the fixing device 1 were changed as shown in Table 10. The results are shown in Table 13.

<Comparative Examples 1-5>
Evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the toner 1 and the fixing device 1 were changed as shown in Table 10. The results are shown in Table 13.

1 Fixing film 1a Conductive layer (cylindrical rotating body)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1b Elastic layer 1c Release layer 2 Magnetic core 2c Magnetic core of closed magnetic circuit 3 Excitation coil 4 Temperature detection member 7 Pressure roller 9 Nip part formation member N Nip part M Induction electromotive force stable area Bin Roller 1 as a cylindrical rotating body Line of magnetic force toward the back of the paper surface Bout Magnetic line of force returning to the front of the paper surface outside the roller 1 as a cylindrical rotating body 11a Conductive layer 11b Elastic layer 11c Release layer 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j Divided magnetic core 100 Image forming apparatus according to this embodiment 200 Cylindrical rotating body 200a Inside of material of cylindrical rotating body B // Magnetic field generated in a direction parallel to axis X E // B / Eddy current generated by / B 磁場 Magnetic field generated in the direction of axis X and ⊥ E eddy current generated by B⊥

Claims (10)

In a fixing method in which a toner image on a recording material is heated and pressurized and fixed by a heating and pressing unit to form a fixed image on the recording material.
The heating and pressurizing means is
A heating member;
A pressure member,
The heating member is
A cylindrical rotating body having a conductive layer;
A coil for forming an alternating magnetic field that is disposed inside the rotating body and has a spiral-shaped portion whose spiral axis is substantially parallel to a generatrix direction of the rotating body, and that causes the conductive layer to generate electromagnetic induction heat;
A core disposed in the spiral-shaped portion for inducing magnetic field lines of the alternating magnetic field;
Have
In the section from one end to the other end of the maximum passage area of the image on the recording material with respect to the bus line direction, the magnetic resistance of the core is:
A magnetic resistance of the conductive layer;
The magnetoresistance of the region between the conductive layer and the core;
30% or less of the combined magnetoresistance of
The toner for forming the toner image is a toner having toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a wax;
In the measurement of the viscoelasticity of the toner, the loss elastic modulus G ″ (80) at 80 ° C. is 1 × 10 ⁴ Pa or more and 1 × 10 ⁷ Pa or less,
The toner particles have an organic polysiloxane structure;
An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis (ESCA) of the toner particles, wherein a Si amount derived from the organic polysiloxane structure is 0.5 atomic% or more and 5.0 atomic% or less.   The fixing method according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of silver, aluminum, austenitic stainless steel, and copper.   The fixing method according to claim 1, wherein the rotating body is a cylindrical film.   The fixing method according to claim 1, wherein the toner particles contain a crystalline resin.   The fixing method according to claim 4, wherein the crystalline resin is a crystalline polyester resin.   The fixing method according to claim 1, wherein the toner particles contain the resin A having the organic polysiloxane structure. Among them, the resin A having an organic polysiloxane structure is obtained by using a vinyl monomer having an organic polysiloxane structure represented by the following formula (22) and having a structure represented by the following formula (23). The fixing method according to claim 6, wherein the fixing method is a resin.


(Here, R ₁ represents an alkyl group, R ₄ represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and n represents the degree of polymerization and is an integer of 2 or more.)   The toner particles are core-shell structure toner particles in which a shell phase containing the resin A having the organic polysiloxane structure is formed on a core containing the binder resin, the colorant, and the wax. 8. The fixing method according to 7.   The fixing method according to claim 1, wherein the toner particles contain an amorphous resin.   The fixing method according to claim 9, wherein the amorphous resin is a polyurethane resin.