JPH02161463A - Heat fixing method and its fixing toner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance fixability, to prevent offset, and to reduce waiting time and power consumption by using a polymer of a specified alpha,beta-ethylenically unsaturated monomer for the main component of the binder resin of the specified toner. CONSTITUTION:The main component of the binder resin is the polymer of the alpha,beta-ehylenically unsaturated monomer having one peak in the molecular weight region of 1X10<3> - 8X10<4> and another peak in that of 1X10<5> - 1X10<7> in the chromatogram measured by the gel permeation chromatography. The toner particles contains those of 8 - 12.7mum diameters in an amount of 1 - 33 number % and those of >=16mum diameters in an amount of <=2.0 volume %, they have a volume average particle diameter of 4 - 10mum, and a picture developed with this toner is heat fixed to a recording material 19 by using a fixed heating body 11 and a pressing member 18 opposite to the body 11 and pressing the recording material 19 into close contact with the body 11 through the medium of an endless film 15, thus permitting waiting time and power consumption to be reduced and fixability of the toner image to be enhanced.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is applicable to electrophotography, electrostatic printing, magnetic recording, etc.
The present invention relates to a fixing method for fixing a visible image formed with toner to a recording material, and a toner used in the fixing method.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as a method for fixing a toner image on a recording material, a heated roller maintained at a predetermined temperature and a pressure roller having an elastic layer and pressed against the heated roller are used.
A hot roll fixing method is often used in which a recording material holding an unfixed toner image is heated while being nipped and conveyed.

In addition, the belt fixing method described in US Pat. There is a so-called wait time, which is a period during which the image forming operation is prohibited.

(2) The heating roller is maintained at an optimal temperature in order to prevent fixing failure and toner transfer to the heating roller due to fluctuations in the temperature of the heating roller due to passage of the recording material or other external factors. There is a need,
For this purpose, the heat capacity of the heating roller or heating body must be increased, which requires a large amount of electric power and also causes an increase in temperature inside the machine, such as an electrophotographic system.

. (3) Since the roller is at a constant temperature, when the recording material passes through the heated roller and is discharged, the recording material and the toner on the recording material are slowly cooled, resulting in a highly sticky state of the toner, and the roller Coupled with the curvature of the recording material, paper jams may occur due to offset or entrainment of the recording material.

(4) The high-temperature heating roller is directly touched by the hands, which may pose a safety problem or require a protective member.

In addition, the belt fixing method described in US Pat.
2) has not been fundamentally resolved.

[Purpose of the invention]

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing virtually no or very short wait time, low power consumption, no offset phenomenon, and good fixation of toner images on recording materials. A new heat fixing method is provided.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toner for heat fixing that is preferably used in the heat fixing method provided in the present invention.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a heat fixing method that does not require a special heat-resistant bearing because it does not use a high-temperature rotating roller.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a heat fixing method that has a fixing device configuration that does not require direct hand contact with a high-temperature body, and is highly safe or does not require a protective member.

In Japanese Patent Application No. 62-147884, which was previously proposed by the present applicant, a toner image is heated via a heat-resistant sheet moved by a low-heat-capacity heating element that generates heat through pulsed electricity, and is fixed onto a recording material. An image forming apparatus has been proposed that uses a fixing device that has a short wait time and low power consumption. Similarly, the patent application No. 1, 1983, which was previously proposed by Ganto Motoyama,
In No. 2069, in a fixing device that heats and fixes a toner image onto a recording material via a heat-resistant sheet, the heat-resistant sheet has a heat-resistant layer and a release layer or a low-resistance layer, thereby effectively suppressing the offset phenomenon. A fixing device that prevents this problem has been proposed.

However, in order to achieve a fixing method that achieves excellent fixation of toner images on recording materials, prevents offset, etc., and has a short wait time (low power consumption), in addition to the above-mentioned fixing device, This is largely due to the characteristics of the toner.

Means for Solving Problem C] In the present invention, in a method of heating and fixing a toner image on a recording material, the toner is prepared using gel permeability chromatography (GPC) as a main component of a binder resin.
) The chromatogram measured by
~8x104 and having at least one maximum value in each molecular weight region of 105 to 105, α, β-
The toner contains a polymer formed from an unsaturated ethylenic monomer, and contains 1 to 33% by number of toner particles having a particle size of 8 to 12.7 μm, and toner particles having a particle size of 16 μm or more. Using a toner containing 2.0% by volume or less and having a volume average particle diameter of 4 to IO μm, a heating element having a visible image of the toner fixedly supported on a recording material, and a heating element facing the heating element. A heat fixing method is proposed in which heat fixing is carried out using a pressure member that presses the recording material and brings the recording material into close contact with the heating body through a film.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides a method for heating and fixing a toner image on a recording material, in which the toner has a binder resin having a molecular weight of 103 to 100 chromatography 11 as a main component of a binder resin, as measured by gel permeability chromatography (GPC). s x
i o' and each molecule 1 with a molecular weight of 106 to 10'
containing a polymer formed from an α,β-unsaturated ethylenically monomer having at least one maximum value in the region;
The toner contains 1 to 33% by number of toner particles having a particle size of 8 to 12.7 μm, 2.0% by volume or less of toner particles having a particle size of 16 μm or more, and the volume of the toner particles A toner having an average particle size of 4 to 10 μm is used, and a visual image of the toner is pressed against a heating body that is fixedly supported on a recording material, and the recording material is transferred to the heating body through a film. The present invention relates to a heat fixing method characterized in that heat fixing is carried out using a pressure member brought into close contact with the heat fixing method.

Further, the present invention includes a heating body that fixes and supports a toner image on a recording material, and a pressure member that is in opposing pressure contact with the heating body and brings the recording material into close contact with the heating body through a film. In toners used in heat-fixing methods,
The binder resin of the toner has a molecular weight of 103 to 8 x 104 and a molecular filo' to 10 in a chromatogram measured by gel permini-diene chromatography (GPC).
The toner contains a polymer formed from α,β-unsaturated ethylenically monomers having at least one maximum value in each of the molecular weight regions of 7. 2.0% by volume of toner particles containing 1 to 33% by number and having a particle size of 16 μm or more
and the volume average particle diameter of the toner particles is 4 to 4.
The present invention relates to a heat fixing toner having a particle diameter of 10 μm.

[Detailed description of the invention]

The structural features of the heat fixing method and the heat fixing toner of the present invention are as follows: in a chromatogram measured by GPC chromatography, the molecular weight is 1. has at least one local maximum at Os-8×104, and the molecule [105-1
The main binder resin is a polymer comprising an α,β-unsaturated ethylenic monomer having at least one maximum value of 0.07.

The peak on the low molecular weight side in the GPC chromatogram is 1
By being in the range of 0.03 to 8.times.10.sup.4, the toner can be heated and fixed on the recording material with lower power consumption. When the above-mentioned molecular weight is 103 or less, the glass transition temperature (Tg) decreases significantly, and the toner may seep into the offset recording material into the fixing member due to excessive melting of the toner in the heat fixing process.
This may cause image bleeding due to set-off or spreading of melted toner.

However, a toner using a polymer having a maximum value only in the range of 10 3 to 8×10 4 as a binder resin tends to cake or aggregate during storage or in an electrophotographic system. Such toner has poor triboelectric charging characteristics and flow characteristics due to environmental temperature changes. For this reason, the density of the obtained toner image changes, or
Background density increases, reducing the quality of the resulting image.

Furthermore, if the toner is left at high temperatures, blocking is likely to occur.

The features of the present invention are to solve the above-mentioned problems and to obtain a toner that has excellent impact resistance and durability and is resistant to agglomeration even under environmental changes. The objective is to have at least one maximum value on the high molecular weight side at a position corresponding to .

When the above-mentioned molecular weight is 105 or less, a decrease in impact resistance, deterioration in environmental characteristics, and deterioration in fluidity when used as a toner are observed. Furthermore, if the molecular weight is 107 or more, more energy is required to heat and fix the toner onto the recording material. If the fixing temperature is increased, there is a risk of damaging the durability of the film located between the heating element and the pressure member, and if the conveyance speed of the recording material is lowered to prolong the fixing time, the image forming operation may be When widening the fixing nip in order to restrict the speed and increase the contact time with the heating element, it is necessary to increase the pressure from the pressure member, so a Durability in terms of mechanical strength of the film on which it is placed is an issue.

Such a polymer is adjusted in the synthesis stage so that the molecular weight thereof in the GPC chromatogram has at least one maximum value in the regions of to' to 8×10 4 and 10 5 to 10 7 , respectively.

The above polymers are produced using bulk polymerization.

General synthesis methods such as solution polymerization and suspension polymerization can be applied.

In the present invention, the molecular weight distribution of the polymer is 103 to 8 x 104 and 1 in a chromatogram measured using GPC.
It is essential to have at least one maximum value or shoulder in the 05-105 region, but it is not necessarily limited to the above region, and if necessary, it may have a peak in the above region and have a peak in other molecular weight regions. Furthermore, it may be a polymer having multiple peaks.

Another structural feature of the heat fixing method of the present invention is that the volume average particle diameter of the toner to be applied is 4 to 10 μm. As a result of extensive studies, the present inventors have found that by applying a toner with a smaller particle size of 4 to 10 μm, compared to the particle size that has been commonly used in the past, the fixing method of the present invention can be improved. It has been found that the method produces an anti-offset effect. Although this is not necessarily clear, the present inventors estimate as follows.

That is, by setting the particle size of the toner particles to 4 to 10 μm,
In the toner microscopic image on the recording material before fixing, the way the toner particles are arranged is that the surface has fewer irregularities (uniformly, It is observed that the toner particles are densely arranged and the contact area between the toner particles is increased.

When an unfixed toner image is applied to a preferred example of the fixing device used in the fixing method of the present invention shown in FIG. The particles melt almost simultaneously, resulting in a strong bond. If this adhesive force is inferior to the adhesive force between the fixing member and the molten toner, an offset phenomenon occurs.

In the present invention, the volume average particle size of the toner is 4 to 1.
If the contact area between the toner particles increases due to the small size of 0μ, when the toner particles in contact with each other melt almost simultaneously, the adhesive force between the toner particles increases as the contact area between the toner particles increases. We believe that the offset phenomenon is suppressed because of the increased strength.

Such a remarkable difference in the offset phenomenon due to the state of aggregation and arrangement of toner particles forming a visible image of toner on an unfixed recording material is due to the fact that the fixedly supported heating element and the heating element are brought into opposing pressure contact in the present invention. However, this problem has been observed in a heat fixing method in which a toner image is heated and fixed on a recording material using a pressure member that presses the recording material against a heating body through a film.

However, such remarkable effects have not been observed in hot roll fixing, which has been widely used in the past.

When the volume average particle diameter of the toner is larger than 10 μm, the above-mentioned effects cannot be sufficiently obtained, and when it is less than 4 μm, productivity becomes difficult.

Further, another feature of the structure of the heat fixing method of the present invention is 8.
The method is to use a toner containing 1 to 33 number % of toner particles having a particle size of 12.7 μm.

In electrostatic latent images in electrophotography, the electric field strength at the edges around the latent image itself is higher than at the center, so toner particles are more likely to be deposited inside the latent image than at the edges, and the toner particles on the recording material are Even in microscopic images, the toner inside the image is less likely to be placed on the edges of the image, and the toner particles tend to be aggregated and arranged in a disordered state with many irregularities on the surface and uneven density. Because of the relationship between the aggregation and arrangement of toner particles and the offset phenomenon, it is disadvantageous in preventing the offset phenomenon.

However, the present inventors have found that this problem can be solved by containing 1 to 33% by number of toner particles having a particle size in the range of 8 to 12.7 μm.

That is, in the toner used in the present invention having a volume average particle size of 4 to 9 μm, this is thought to be because toner particles having a particle size in the range of 8 to 12.7 μm have an appropriately controlled amount of charge. The toner is supplied to the inner side of the latent image, where the electric field strength is lower than the edge part, and compensates for the small amount of toner particles on the inside against the edge part, thereby obtaining a uniform and dense toner image. As a result, the effect of preventing the offset phenomenon by the toner used in the present invention having a volume average particle diameter of 4 to 9 μm is made more effective.

1% by number of toner particles with a particle size range of q ~ 12.7 μm
If it is less than 3, the above effects cannot be obtained and
If the amount is more than 3% by number, more development than necessary occurs, that is, too much toner is placed on the recording material, and the upper part of the toner layer becomes molten during heat fixing, but the lower part of the toner layer becomes molten.
It is difficult to obtain a molten state due to insufficient heat transfer.
Because the lower part of the toner layer does not exhibit sufficient tackiness,
It is easy to cause an offset phenomenon.

Furthermore, another feature of the heat fixing method of the present invention is 16
The purpose is to use a toner containing 2.0% by volume or less of toner particles having a particle size of μm or more.

If the amount of toner particles with a particle size of 16 μm or more is more than 2.0% by volume, coarse toner particles with a particle size of 16 μm or more will protrude from the thin layer surface of toner particles developed on a latent image carrier in electrophotography, etc. Its presence makes the delicate state of close contact between the latent image carrier and the recording material via the toner layer irregular, causing fluctuations in the transfer conditions of the toner image from the latent image carrier to the recording material. This significantly disturbs the state of aggregation and arrangement of toner particles that form a toner image on the recording material, making it easy to induce an offset phenomenon.

Therefore, the amount of toner particles having a particle size of 16 μm or more is preferably 2.0% by volume or less, and preferably as little as possible.

In the present invention, the molecular weight of the peak and/or shoulder of a chromatogram by GPC (gel permeation chromatography) is measured under the following conditions.

That is, the column was stabilized in a heat chamber at 40°C, and THF was added to the column at this temperature as a solvent.
(tetrahydrofuran) at a flow rate of 1 ml per minute,
Measurement is performed by injecting 50 to 200 μl of a THF sample solution of the resin adjusted to a sample concentration of 0.05 to 0.6% by weight. In measuring the molecular weight of the sample, the molecular weight distribution of the sample was calculated from the relationship between the logarithm value and the count number of a calibration curve prepared using several types of monodisperse polystyrene standard samples. As a standard polystyrene sample for creating a calibration curve, for example, Pressure Chemical
Co, manufactured by Toyo Tsudani Gyo Co., Ltd., with a molecular weight of 6
X103, 2. lX105, 4X103, 1.
75XIO', 5.1X10', 1. lX105, 3.
9X105.

It is appropriate to use at least 10 standard polystyrene samples of 8.6 x 10', 2 x 105, and 4.48 x 104. Further, an RI (refractive index) detector is used as a detector.

In addition, in order to accurately measure the molecular weight range of 103 to 4X105, it is recommended to combine multiple commercially available polystyrene gel columns (for example, water column).
μmstyrage! manufactured by R.S. 500. 10
3, 105, 105.

106 combinations and 5hodex manufactured by Showa Denko
KF80M, KF-801, 802, 803, 804
, 805°806 combination, or Toyo Soda type TS
KgelGlooOH, G2000H, G2500H,
G3000H.

G 4000 H, G 5000 H, G 6000
H, G 70001-1.

Any combination of GMH is preferred.

Examples of vinyl monomers constituting the main component of the binder resin of the toner applied to the present invention include styrene, α-
Styrene and its substituted products such as methylstyrene and p-chlorostyrene, acrylic acid, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, dodecyl acrylate,
Monocarboxylic acids with double bonds or substituted products thereof, such as actyl arsylate, phenyl acrylate, methacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, octyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrylamide, etc. , dicarboxylic acids having double bonds such as maleic acid, butyl maleate, methyl maleate, dimethyl maleate, etc., and substituted products thereof, vinyl esters such as vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, vinyl benzoate, etc.
For example, vinyl monomers such as vinyl ketones such as vinyl methyl ketone and vinyl exyl ketone, and vinyl ethyl ethers such as vinyl methyl ether, vinyl ether, and vinyl isobutyl ether may be used alone or in combination.

Among these, styrene, which has styrene as its main component, is preferred because it is relatively easy to design a material that satisfies the molecular weight and distribution characteristics of the binder resin specified in the present invention, and because it is inexpensive. Copolymers are preferably used.

In addition to the binder resin component described above, the toner used in the present invention may contain the following compounds in a proportion smaller than the content of the binder resin component. For example, styrene-butadiene resin, silicone resin, polyester, polyurethane,
These include polyamide, epoxy resin, polyvinyl butyral, rosin, modified rosin, terpene resin, phenol resin, aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbon resin, aromatic petroleum resin, chlorinated paraffin, and paraffin wax.

Further, the toner used in the present invention may contain various release agents as necessary. For example, polyfluorinated ethylene, fluororesin, fluorinated carbon oil, silicone oil,
Low molecular weight polyethylene, low molecular weight polypropylene, etc. are used in an amount of 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the toner.

When the toner used is a magnetic toner containing magnetic fine particles, the magnetic fine particles may be any material that exhibits magnetism or can be magnetized, such as metals such as iron, manganese, nickel, cobalt, and chromium, magnetite, and hematite. , various ferrites, manganese alloys, and other ferromagnetic alloys, which have an average grain size of approximately 0.05 to 5
A fine powder of μ can be used. The amount of magnetic fine particles contained in the magnetic toner is 15 to 15% of the total weight of the magnetic toner.
70% by weight (more preferably 25 to 45% by weight) is good.

Further, various substances can be added to the toner used in the present invention for the purpose of coloring, controlling charge, etc.

Examples include carbon black, iron black, graphite, nigrosine, metal complexes of monoazo dyes, ultramarine blue, phthalocyanine blue, Hansa yellow, benzine yellow, and various quinacridone lake pigments.

Alternatively, colloidal silica or the like may be contained in the toner in an amount of 10 to 40% by weight as a fluidity improver. Of course, this fluidity improver may be used by being mixed outside the toner, and in that case, the amount added 1 is 0.2 to 5% by weight (based on the weight of the toner).

The toner used in the heat fixing method of the present invention is DS
As a result of measurement using C in the measurement range from 10℃ to 200℃, the maximum value of the first endothermic peak that appears is from 40℃ to 1
A toner exhibiting a temperature of 20°C is preferable, particularly a temperature of 55°C to 100°C.
More preferred are toners exhibiting characteristics of °C.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the temperature at which the film is peeled off from the surface to which the toner is fixed is higher than the endothermic temperature,
More preferably, under conditions higher than the endothermic temperature by 30° C. or more (more preferably 40 to 140° C.), it is preferable to separate the temperature.

The method of measuring the maximum value of the endothermic peak in the present invention is calculated based on ASTM D-3418-82.

Specifically, 10 to 15 mg of toner is collected, heated in a nitrogen atmosphere from room temperature to 200°C at a heating rate of 105c/min, held at 200°C for 10 minutes, and then rapidly cooled to prepare the toner. After pre-processing, 1
The sample was held at 0°C for 10 minutes and then heated to 200°C at a rate of IO'C/min for measurement. Generally, the data shown in FIG. 1 is obtained, and the maximum value of the endothermic peak that appears first is defined as the endothermic temperature (To) in the present invention.

In the present invention, the heating body has a smaller heat capacity than a conventional heating roll and has a linear heating section, and the maximum temperature of the heating section is preferably 100 to 300°C.

Further, the film located between the heating body and the pressure member is preferably a heat-resistant sheet with a thickness of 1 to 100 μm, and these heat-resistant sheets are made of highly heat-resistant polyester, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), etc. ), P
In addition to polymer sheets such as FA (tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), polyimide, and polyamide, metal sheets such as aluminum, and laminates composed of metal sheets and polymer sheets. A sheet is used.

A more preferable film configuration is that these heat-resistant sheets have a release layer and/or a low resistance layer.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings, but this is not intended to limit the present invention in any way.

FIG. 2(a) shows a structural diagram of the fixing device of this embodiment.

(11) is a low heat capacity linear heating element that is fixedly supported on the device, and has a thickness of 1 mm and a width of 10 m, for example.
m.

Resistance material (
13) coated with a width of 1 mm and 0 mm, and electricity is applied from both ends in the longitudinal direction. Energization is DClooV cycle 20
A pulse corresponding to the desired temperature and energy release amount controlled by the temperature measuring element (14) is given by changing the duration of the pulse with a pulse-like waveform of msec. Approximately during the pulse, it is 0.5 m5 ec to 5 m sec. The fixing film (15) moves in the direction of the arrow in the figure while coming into contact with the heating body (ti) whose energy and temperature are controlled in this way. An example of this fixing film is a heat-resistant film with a thickness of 20 μm, such as polyimide, polyetherimide, P
ES, PFA, PTFE, P at least on the image contact side
A 10 μm release layer made of a fluororesin such as AF with a conductive material added.
It is an endless film coated with M. Generally, the total thickness is less than 100μ, preferably less than 40μ.The film is moved in the direction of the arrow without wrinkles by the drive and tension of the drive roller (16) and the driven roller (17).

(18) is a transfer material (1) which is rotated in pressure contact with the film by pressing the heating body through the film with a total pressure of 4 to 20 kg using a pressure roller having a rubber elastic layer with good release properties such as silicone rubber.
9) The upper unfixed toner (20) is guided to the fixing section by the entrance guide (21) and is heated as described above to obtain a fixed image.

The above explanation was made using an endless belt, but as shown in FIG. 2(b), using the sheet feed shaft 24 and the winding shaft 27,
The fixing film may be an edged film.

Further, as an image forming apparatus, the present invention is applicable to all types of fixing devices that form images using toner, such as copying machines, printers, and fax machines.

Temperature measuring element (14) in the low heat capacity linear heating element (11)
When the detected temperature is T, the surface temperature T2 of the film (15) facing the resistive material (13) is about 10-30° C. lower than T1. Further, the film surface temperature T3 at a portion where the film (15) is peeled off from the toner fixed surface is approximately equal to the temperature T2.

Synthesis Example 1 300 parts by weight of xylene was added to a 21-5 Turow flask equipped with a dropping funnel, thermometer, nitrogen inlet tube, stirring bar, and Dimroth type condenser, heated using an oil bath equipped with a temperature controller, and then the following The composition was gradually added dropwise over 3 hours and 20 minutes using a dropping funnel under reflux, and the polymerization reaction was continued for an additional 4 hours. After the reaction, vacuum distillation was performed to remove the solvent and obtain a polymer. The molecular weight of this polymer was measured using GPC and showed a value having a peak at 3 x 105 and 6.3 x 105.

Synthesis Example 2 600 parts by weight of xylene was added to a 21-5 Turow flask equipped with a dropping funnel, thermometer, nitrogen inlet tube, stirring bar, and Dimroth type condenser, heated using an oil bath equipped with a temperature controller, and then the following The composition was gradually added dropwise over 4 hours using a dropping funnel under reflux, and the polymerization reaction was continued for an additional 4 hours. After the reaction, vacuum distillation was performed to remove the solvent and obtain a polymer. The molecular weight of this polymer was measured using GPC and showed a value with peaks at 9X103 and 6XIO'.

Example (1) After premixing the above materials with a Henschel mixer, 150
The mixture was kneaded for 20 minutes in a two-roll mill heated to .degree.

After cooling the kneaded material, it was roughly pulverized using a cutter mill, then pulverized using a pulverizer using a jet stream, and further classified using an air classifier to obtain a black fine powder with a volume average particle size of 9.3 μm. I got it.

Incidentally, particles of 8 to 12.7 μm accounted for 21% by number, and particles of 16 μm or more accounted for 0.0% by volume.

0.4 parts by weight of colloidal silica fine powder was dry mixed with 100 parts by weight of the black fine powder to prepare a developer (toner). Also, the T of this toner. =73°C.

Next, in order to evaluate the fixing performance and anti-offset property using the heat fixing method of the present invention shown in FIG. The unfixed image was imaged.

The fixing test and evaluation of offset resistance were carried out by setting the temperature T1 at the temperature measuring element (14) of the heating body to 210°C as shown in Fig. 2(a).
℃, and the fixing film (15) was set at 100 mm/se.
I set it to rotate with c. Further, adjustment was made so that a pressure of 20 kg was applied between the heating element (11) and the pressure roller (18). Furthermore, the temperature T2 at this time was 197°C, and the temperature T3 was 195°C.

The fixing performance was measured by applying a load of 50 g/c% and rubbing the fixed image with Silbon paper, and measuring the reduction rate of image density (%) before and after rubbing.
). In addition, evaluation images were obtained by passing 200 unfixed images in succession, and 1. 10.50.
This was done on the 100th and 200th sheets.

The anti-offset property was evaluated by passing an unfixed image having an image area ratio of 5% on paper and determining how many sheets the image was smudged.

As a result, the fixability was approximately average until the 200th sheet.
It was good at 1% or less. In addition, the offset resistance was good, with no stains observed on the images even after fixing too many images, and almost no toner adhesion on the surfaces of the fixing film and pressure roller. .

It should be noted that the heat fixing machine of the present invention requires approximately 2
It took seconds.

Example (2) After premixing the above materials with a Henschel mixer, 150
The mixture was kneaded for 20 minutes in a two-roll mill heated to .degree.

After cooling the kneaded material, it was roughly pulverized using a cutter mill, then pulverized using a pulverizer using a jet stream, and further classified using an air classifier to obtain a black fine powder with a volume average particle size of 9.9 μm. I got it.

Incidentally, particles with a size of 8 to 12.7 μm accounted for 20% by number, and particles with a size of 16 μm or more accounted for 0.2% by volume.

0.4 parts by weight of colloidal fine powder was dry mixed with 100 parts by weight of the black fine powder to prepare a developer (toner). Further, the TD of this toner was 75°C.

Next, in order to evaluate the fixing performance and anti-offset property using the heat fixing method of the present invention shown in FIG. The unfixed image was imaged.

The fixing test and evaluation of anti-offset properties were performed using the temperature T at the temperature measuring element (14) of the heating body shown in FIG. 2(a).

was adjusted to 220°C, and the fixing film (15) was adjusted to 160°C.
It was made to rotate at m m/sec. Further, adjustment was made so that a pressure of 20 kg was applied between the heating element (11) and the pressure roller (18). Furthermore, the temperature T at this time
2=203°C, and the temperature T was 3 to 201°C.

The fixing performance was measured by applying a load of 50 g/crd, rubbing the fixed image with Silbon paper, and determining the rate of decrease in image density before and after rubbing (
%). In addition, the evaluation image is an unfixed image of 200
1 of the fixed images obtained by passing the sheets in succession. 10.50
．． This was done on the 100th and 200th sheets.

Offset resistance was evaluated by passing an unfixed image with an image area ratio of about 5% through paper and determining at which number of sheets stains appeared on the image.

As a result, the fixability was approximately average until the 200th sheet.
It was about 2%, which was good. Further, the anti-offset properties were good, with no stains observed on the images even after fixing 10,000 sheets, and almost no toner adhesion on the surfaces of the fixing film and pressure roller.

The heat fixing machine of the present invention reached 220°C in about 2 seconds.Example (3) After pre-mixing the above materials with a Henschel mixer,
The mixture was kneaded for 20 minutes in a two-roll mill heated to .degree.

After cooling the kneaded material, it was roughly pulverized using a cutter mill, then pulverized using a pulverizer using a jet stream, and further classified using an air classifier to obtain a black fine powder with a volume average particle size of 7.01 tm. I got it.

Incidentally, particles with a size of 8 to 12.7 μm accounted for 11% by number, and particles with a size of 16 μm or more accounted for 0.0% by volume.

0.4 parts by weight of colloidal silica fine powder was dry mixed with 100 parts by weight of the black fine powder to prepare a developer (toner). Further, the TD of this toner was 74°C.

Next, in order to evaluate the fixing performance and anti-offset property using the heat fixing method of the present invention shown in FIG. I created an image of the costume.

The fixing test and evaluation of offset resistance were carried out by setting the temperature T1 at the temperature measuring element (14) of the heating body to 190°C as shown in Fig. 2(a).
℃, and the fixing film (15) was heated at 50 m m/s.
I made it rotate with ec. Further, adjustment was made so that a pressure of 4 kg was applied between the heating element (11) and the pressure roller (18). Furthermore, the temperature Tz"1766C1 temperature T3 at this time was 174°C.

The fixability was measured by rubbing the fixed image with Silbon paper under a load of 50 g/crrf, and expressing the rate of decrease in image density (%) before and after rubbing. In addition, the evaluation images include 20 unfixed images.
1 of the fixed images obtained by passing 0 sheets in a row. 10.
50. This was done on the 100th and 200th sheets.

Offset resistance was evaluated by passing an unfixed image with an image area ratio of about 5% through paper and determining at which number of sheets stains appeared on the image.

As a result, the fixability was approximately average until the 200th sheet.
It was good at 2% or less. In addition, the anti-offset properties were good, with no stains observed on the images even after fixing 10,000 sheets, and almost no toner adhesion on the surfaces of the fixing film and pressure roller.

Note that the heat fixing machine of the present invention reached 190° C. in about 2 seconds.

Example (4) After premixing the above materials with a Henschel mixer, 150
The mixture was kneaded for 20 minutes in a two-roll mill heated to .degree.

After cooling the mixed material, it was roughly pulverized using a cutter mill, then pulverized using a pulverizer using a jet stream, and further classified using an air classifier to obtain a black fine powder with a volume average particle size of 6.9 μm. I got it.

Incidentally, particles with a size of 8 to 12.7 μm accounted for 9% by number, and particles with a size of 16 μm or more accounted for O1O volume%.

0.4 parts by weight of colloidal silica fine powder was dry mixed with 100 parts by weight of the black fine powder to prepare a developer (toner). Also, the T of this toner. The temperature was -69°C.

Next, in order to evaluate the fixing performance and anti-offset property using the heat fixing method of the present invention shown in FIG. The unfixed image was imaged.

For the fixing test and offset resistance evaluation, the temperature at the temperature measuring element (14) of the heating body shown in FIG.
I set it to rotate with sec. In addition, the heating body (11)
Adjustment was made so that a pressure of 12 kg was applied between the roller and the pressure roller (18). Furthermore, the temperature T2=18 at this time
7001 temperature T, = 185°C.

Fixability is 50g/err? The fixed image was rubbed with silbon paper under a load of 1000 ml, and the image density was expressed as a reduction rate (%) before and after rubbing. In addition, the evaluation images include 20 unfixed images.
1.10,50 of the fixed image obtained by passing 0 sheets in a row
, 100th and 200th sheet.

The offset resistance was evaluated by passing an unfixed image with an image area ratio of about 5% and determining how many sheets it took before stains appeared on the image.

As a result, the fixability was approximately average until the 200th sheet.
It was good at 1% or less. In addition, as for offset resistance, no stains were observed on the image even after fixing 10,000 sheets, and there was no stain on the surface of the fixing film and pressure roller.
・There was almost no adhesion of glue, and the product was in good condition.

Note that the heat fixing machine of the present invention reached 200°C in about 2 seconds.

Comparative Example (1) Using the toner of Example (1), the fixing properties and anti-offset properties were evaluated using a fixing machine NP-1215 (manufactured by Canon) from which the fixing roller cleaning mechanism was removed. When evaluated using the same method as in Example (1), the fixing performance was poor at about 15%, and the offset resistance was 3.
When 00 sheets were passed through, stains appeared on the image, and it was clearly inferior. Note that it took about 1 minute for the fixing device to reach 210°C.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

In the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 is a graph showing the endothermic peak of toner. FIG. 2(a) shows a schematic sectional view of a fixing device for implementing the fixing method of the present invention, and FIG. 2(b) shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a fixing device for implementing the fixing method of another aspect of the present invention. A schematic cross-sectional view of a fixing device is shown. 11 ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Heating body 12 ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Alumina substrate 13・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Resistance material 14・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Temperature measurement element 15・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Fixing film 16 ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・Drive roller 17・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・Followed roller 18・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・Pressure roller 19・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・Recording material unfixed toner image entrance guide

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a method of heating and fixing a toner image on a recording material, the toner has a binder resin as its main component, and a chromatogram measured by gel permeability chromatography (GPC) shows a molecular weight of 10^3. ~8×10^
The toner contains a polymer formed from an α,β-unsaturated ethylenic monomer having at least one maximum value in each of the molecular weight ranges of 4 and 10^5 to 10^7, and the toner contains a polymer formed from an .1 to 33% by number of toner particles having a particle size of 7 μm are contained, 2.0% by volume or less of toner particles having a particle size of 16 μm or more are contained, and the volume average particle size of the toner particles is 4 to 10 μm. a heating member that fixes and supports a visual image of the toner on a recording material, and a pressure member that is in pressure contact with the heating member and brings the recording material into close contact with the heating member via a film. A heat fixing method characterized by heat fixing. (2) Heating and fixing the toner image on the recording material using a heating body that is fixedly supported and a pressure member that is in opposing pressure contact with the heating body and brings the recording material into close contact with the heating body through a film. In the toner used in the fixing method, the binder resin of the toner is gel permeable chromatography (
Molecular weight 1 in the chromatogram measured by GPC)
Contains a polymer formed from an α,β-unsaturated ethylenically monomer having at least one maximum value in each of the molecular weight ranges of 0^3 to 8 x 10^4 and molecular weights of 10^5 to 10^7, The toner contains toner particles having a particle size of 8 to 12.7 μm in an amount of 1 to 33% by number or less, and contains toner particles having a particle size of 16 μm or more in an amount of not more than 2.0% by volume, and the toner particles The volume average particle size of
A heat-fixing toner having a particle diameter of 10 μm.