JP2557364Y2 - Pressurized can for supplying electrophotographic developer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a pressure can used for storing an electrophotographic developer and supplying it to a developing section of a copying apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a liquid developer for electrophotography has been filled in a polyethylene bottle or the like, and the developer and the carrier liquid have been supplied by a feeder cap method. In the feeder method,
By pushing up the nozzle of the feeder cap, the developer or the carrier liquid is discharged.

The outlet of the developer in the feeder cap could not be made large due to leakage from the natural fall and reliability, and the amount of the developer supplied at one time was 5 to 10 g. Therefore, if an attempt is made to increase the solid content of the developer to increase the toner viscosity, the developer will not be sufficiently supplied from the feeder cap. As described above, when the replenishment amount of the developer or the carrier liquid is large due to the increase in the speed of the copying machine, there is a disadvantage that the replenishment is insufficient in the conventional method.

Further, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-125457 proposes a pressurized can for spraying and supplying an electrophotographic developer, and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-153560 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-153561 disclose a pressurized can for electrophotographic developer. A method has been proposed in which the material is filled and supplied. The use of these pressurized cans makes it possible to mechanically replenish a developer which is clean in handling and has a high solid content, a high viscosity and a thixotropic property. However, when a developer in a pressurized can is used in a copier, when the temperature inside the copier rises, the pressure source in the can and the solvent of the developer are heated, and the vapor pressure increases the internal pressure, causing an explosion or flame. There is danger.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The purpose of this invention is to be able to quickly supply a fixed amount of a developer having a high solid content, a high viscosity or a thixotropic property,
In addition, in an electrophotographic developer injection type supply device in which the developer can be quickly and uniformly dispersed in the developing section of the electrophotographic copying machine, even if the supply device is heated and the internal pressure increases, the pressure can is reduced. An object of the present invention is to provide an injection type supply device of an electrophotographic developer which does not cause explosion flame.

[Means for solving the problem]

The invention comprises an inflatable first chamber containing a material that generates a gas that inflates the first chamber, a second chamber filled with an electrophotographic developer, an electrophotographic developer supply valve, and a metal. In the electrophotographic developer supply device formed from the exterior part, a part of the metal of the exterior part is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tin, antimony, cadmium, zinc, bismuth, nickel, aluminum, and indium. Alloy made of lead (however, when using tin and lead, an alloy combining at least one other metal)
It is characterized by comprising a low-temperature melting and solvent-resistant metal comprising:

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows Enviro Spray Systems' grow
This is an example in the case where the −pak method is used. "First room"
Is a pressure-resistant bag corresponding to 3 in FIG.
Corresponds to 8 in FIG. The first room is composed of a citric acid aqueous solution containing bag 7, a sodium bicarbonate containing bag 6, and an internal pressure holding bag 4, and the citric acid aqueous solution containing small bags 5 are contained in the internal pressure holding bag. The second chamber 8 is filled with a developer, and the developer is expanded from the nozzle by the expansion pressure of the first chamber, which expands due to carbon dioxide generated by a chemical reaction between citric acid and sodium bicarbonate. It is injected. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a pressure vessel.

The pressure vessel 1 is generally made of tinplate steel and has an internal pressure of 15 mm.
Pressures up to kg / cm ² can be tolerated. However, when the pressure can containing developer is heated, the internal pressure becomes 15 kg / cm ² or more,
A sealed pressurized can has the danger of explosion.

Therefore, in this invention, the low-temperature fusible metal is used for a part of the pressurized can, and the low-temperature fusible metal is melted by heating, and the internal pressure is reduced by discharging the contents to lower the explosion flame of the pressurized can. That is to prevent.

The low-melting metal preferably contains a Pb-Sn-based metal, and more preferably has a melting temperature in the range of 60C to 400C. In this invention, a small hole is made in a can, and the hole is joined with a low-melting metal to produce a pressurized can. Further, the can bottom and the side surface of the can may be joined by a low-temperature fusible metal. Thus the pressure can made with high solvent resistance, and in the normal temperature as it is well tolerated in the internal pressure of 15 kg / cm ² before and after, at high temperatures and functions to lower the internal pressure to dissolve the low melting metal .

As a specific example of a low-melting metal, The percentages in parentheses are% by weight.
In addition to these, Pb (96%)-Ag (3%)-In (1
%) Can also be used.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a valve arranged such that a portion facing the first room is in surface contact with the first room. As described above, since the first chamber and the valve are in surface contact with each other, the internal pressure is uniformly applied to the toner in the can, and the ejection rate is improved. The first room (glow pack pouch)
Is less likely to break.

The electrophotographic developer may be a dry developer or a liquid developer, or may be one of these materials. Among these, a liquid developer containing a carrier liquid having high insulating properties and a low dielectric constant, a coloring agent, a dispersing or binding resin, and a dispersion medium is preferable. The liquid developer is made of a liquid developer to which a polarity control agent or the like is added in some cases.

As the carrier liquid, cyclohexane, n-hexane, n-hexane
-Heptane, n-nonane, n-octane, isooctane, isododecane, ligroin and the like;
Commercial products of aliphatic hydrocarbons of these mixtures include Isopar E, G, H, L, K manufactured by Exxon Corporation and Shell Sol-71, Solvesso 100, 150 manufactured by Shell Petroleum Corporation.

Colorants include Printex V, Printex U, Printex G, Special Black 15, Special Black 4, Special Black 4-B (manufactured by Degussa), Mitsubishi # 44, # 30, MR-11, MA- 100 (Mitsubishi Kasei), Raven 1035, Raven 1252, NewsPectra II (Columbia Carbon), Legal
400,600, Black Pearl 900,1100,1300, Mogall L
Inorganic pigments such as carbon black (such as manufactured by Cabot Corporation), zinc oxide, and titanium oxide; and phthalocyanine blue, phthalocyanine green, sky blue, rhodamine lake, malachite green lake, methyl violet lake, peacock blue lake, naphthol green B, Naphthol Green Y, Naphthol Yellow S, Naphthol Red, Risor Fast Yellow 2G, Permanent Red 4R, Brilliant Fast Scarlet, Hansa Yellow, Benzidine Yellow, Risor Red, Lake Red C, Lake Red D, Brilliant Carmine 6B, Permanent Red F5R, Pigment Organic pigments such as Scarlet 3B, Indigo, Thioindigo, Oil Pink and Bordeaux 10B.

The colorant is preferably treated with a modified polyolefin. The modified polyolefin is, for example, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, ethylene- (meth) acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene- (meth) acrylic acid ester copolymer, propylene- (meth) acrylic acid copolymer, propylene- ( (Meth) acrylic acid ester copolymers, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-ethyl acrylate-acrylic acid copolymers, etc., which can be uniformly dispersed with an inorganic or organic colorant by heat kneading, flushing or the like. desirable.

Other resins include Mitsui Petrochemical Company 110P, 22P, 220MK, 820MK, 410MP, 210MP, 310MP, 405MP, 200P,
4202E, 4053E SANYO KASEI 131P, 151P, 161P, 171P, E300, E250P Eastman Chemical N-10, N-11, N-12, N-14, N-34, N-45, C −10, C−13, C
−15, C−16, E−10, E−11, E−12, E−14, E−15 Sasol H1, H2, A1, A2, A3, A4 BASF (BASF) OA WAX, A WAX Petro Light (Petrolite) BARECO 500, BARECO 200, E-730, E-
2018, E-2020, E-1040, Petronaba C, Petronaba C-36, Petronaba
C-400, Petronaba C-7500 Hoechst PE580, PE130, PED121, PED136, PED153, PED521, PED522, PED
534 Union Carbide Company DYNI, DYNF, DYNH, DYNJ, DYNK Monsanto Company ORUZON 805,705,50 Dupont Company ALATHON 3,10,12,14,16,20,22,23 Allied Chemical Company AC polyethylene 6, 6A, 615, etc., synthetic polyethylene, polypropylene and its modified products, carnauba wax, montan wax, candelilla wax, sugar cane wax, natural wax such as auricurie wax, beeswax, wood wax, brass wax, ester gum, cured Natural resin such as rosin,
Natural resin modified maleic resin, natural resin modified phenolic resin, natural resin modified polyester resin, natural resin modified pentaerythritol resin, natural resin modified cured resin such as epoxy resin and the like.

As the resin for dispersion, a general formula With a vinyl monomer A represented by the general formula A copolymer or a copolymer of one or more of each with a vinyl monomer represented by and a monomer B selected from vinylpyridine ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, styrene, divinylbenzene, and vinyltoluene, or a graft copolymer thereof is used . Surfactants and the like are also useful.

The amount of the dispersing resin used is usually 0.1 to 3 parts by weight, preferably 0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight, based on 1 part by weight of the resin component. The total resin component which may be present in the toner composition is 5 to 100 parts by weight, preferably 5 to 20 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the liquid component.

As described above, in the present invention, the developer is not limited, but a high solid content developer is preferable.

In order to achieve high solid differentiation, it is necessary to improve the separability between the colorant or the resin and the dispersion medium in the developer, and it is difficult for the colorant or the resin to hold the dispersion medium. For that purpose, the diffusion speed of the toner or the dispersion medium of the toner is preferably 1 mm / min or more.

The diffusion rate of the dispersion medium of the toner, using Toyo Filter Paper No. 2 as a filter paper, 0.30 g of a developer was dropped,
The rate at which the dispersion medium diffuses through the filter paper was measured at room temperature (20 ° C.). Some of them increase or decrease the diffusion speed by heating.

When the diffusion rate is high, the viscosity is not easily increased even at a high solid content of 30% or more, and the toner discharged from the pressure can is well dispersed in the dispersion medium.

〔Example〕

Example 1 A pressurized can was prepared by making a hole of 2 mm in diameter at the bottom of a 500-ml tin plate container having the same internal volume as shown in FIG. 1 and closing the hole with the No. 1 alloy. On the other hand, a colorant Ketjen Black (200g) / E-300 (300g) Flashing colorant 500g Resin CMA-AMA-MMA (85/5/10) graft polymer 100g Isopar E A mixture consisting of 540g is dispersed by Keddy mill for 6 hours. Then, a wet toner was prepared. Liquid developer with 55% solids and 1800 cp viscosity
200 g, and then the bag 7 containing a part of the aqueous citric acid solution of the grow-pak was crushed and placed in a can containing a developer. Subsequently, a valve was attached, and a canned liquid developer was prepared.

When the pressure can containing the electrophotographic developer according to the present invention was immersed in a silicone oil bath at 300 ° C., the contents flowed out from the hole at the bottom of the can after one minute.

 In contrast, conventional pressure cans exploded after 20 minutes.

Example 2 Two holes having a diameter of 2 mm were formed on the side surface of a tin plate container having an inner volume of 610 ml similar to that shown in FIG. 1 to prepare a pressurized can in which those holes were filled with the No. 3 alloy.

On the other hand, a mixture comprising 500 g of a coloring agent, Mitsubishi MA-11 resin, 100 g of resin, LMA-GMA-MAA (80/10/10) copolymer (molar ratio), and 100 g of kerosene was dispersed in a ball mill for 48 hours to prepare a wet toner. Wet developer 2 with 54.5% solids and 580 cp viscosity
00g and Isopar H200g were mixed and charged, and then a glow pack was charged in the same manner as in Example 1, and a valve was attached to prepare a canned liquid developer.

When the pressure can containing the electrophotographic developer according to the present invention was immersed in a 300 ° C. silicone oil bath, the contents leaked from the side of the can after 3 minutes.

 In contrast, conventional pressure cans exploded after 10 minutes.

Example 3 (Production of colorant) 300 g of phthalocyanine green and 700 g of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (molar ratio 70/30) were kneaded at 90 ° C with a two-roll mill. After cooling, it was pulverized to produce a colorant.

(Resin production) Transfer 1000 g of isododecane into a 2 liter four-necked flask at 90 ° C
Was heated. Stearyl acrylate 300 g and allyl butyl acrylate 10 g, fumaric acid 4 g, benzoyl peroxide 3
g was added dropwise over 1 hour. After polymerization at 90 ° C. for 6 hours after the addition, 100 g of n-butyl methacrylate monomer and 4 g of azobisisobutyronitrile were added dropwise over 1 hour.
After dropping, polymerization is carried out at 85 ° C for 6 hours, polymerization rate 96.4%, viscosity 890 cps
Was synthesized.

Manufacture of developer Charge the toner material of the following formulation into a ball mill,
For 15 hours to prepare a concentrated toner.

A mixture consisting of 400 g of the above-prepared coloring agent, 10 g of the above-prepared resin 600 g, and 10 g of resin powder (BR102, an acrylic resin manufactured by Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.) was dispersed, and Isopar G was added to a solid content of 35%. The diffusion speed of the dispersion medium was 3.5 mm / min.

280 g of this liquid developer was added, and then the glow pack was partially reacted with an aqueous citric acid solution and sodium bicarbonate to form a can containing the developer (diameters were set at two places, each at the bottom and side of a tin-plated steel can). Drill 1mm holes and insert those holes
(A pressure can that was heat-sealed with the above alloy). Subsequently, the valve was attached.

 For comparison, a conventional pressure can developer was prepared.

There was no explosion when the device was immersed in a silicone oil bath at 250 ° C, but it exploded after 12 minutes with a conventional pressure can.

[Effect of the invention]

With this inventor, by packing the electrophotographic developer into the pressurized can of this invention, even if the pressurized can is exposed to high temperatures, the internal pressure rises and the low-temperature fusible metal melts and escapes there, which effectively explodes. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a pressure can for ejecting an electrophotographic developer according to the present invention using a grow-pak type. FIG. 2 is a view showing the vicinity of a portion facing the first compartment. FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a conventional feeder cap type electrophotographic developer supply device. Materials in parentheses below are examples of materials. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Pressure-resistant container (tin) 2 ... Valve (nylon, brass) 3 ... First chamber [Pressure-resistant bag for pressurization (aluminum inner surface resin processing)] 4 ... Bag for internal pressure holding 5 ... Contains citric acid aqueous solution Small bag (Povar) 6 ... Bag containing sodium bicarbonate (Poval) 7 ... Bag containing citric acid aqueous solution (Poval) 8 ... Second room (developer storage section) 10 ... Flow tube (Polyethylene, nylon) 11 …… Feeder container (polyethylene) 13 …… Developer 31 …… Nozzle (nylon, brass) 32 …… Rubber packing (nitrile rubber) 33 …… Caulking member (stainless steel) 35 …… Quantitative container 37 …… Mounting cup (tinplate) ) 40 Guard guard (polyethylene) 41 Spray cap (polyethylene) 42 Spray port (polyethylene, nylon)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hidemi Uematsu 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-56-70199 (JP, A) 1-88890 (JP, U) Actually open 47-2610 (JP, U) Actually open 57-10600 (JP, U) Actually open 61-62872 (JP, U) Tokubo Sho 51-25610 (JP, U) B1)

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] An inflatable first chamber containing a material that generates a gas that inflates the first chamber; a second chamber filled with an electrophotographic developer; an electrophotographic developer supply valve; In an electrophotographic developer supply device formed from a metal exterior part, at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tin, antimony, cadmium, zinc, bismuth, nickel, aluminum and indium is used as a part of the metal of the exterior part. An electrophotographic developer comprising a low-temperature fusible and solvent-resistant metal comprising an alloy of lead and lead (however, if tin and lead are used, an alloy combining at least one other metal). Feeding device.