JPH11153538A - Method and apparatus for measurement of adhesion of powder as well as toner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To measure the adhesion of a powder such as a toner or the like, whose particle size is small and which is electrically charged, by a simple method, stably and properly. SOLUTION: An object 10, to be stuck, to which electrically charged powders (t) are stuck is vibrated by a vibration means 20 so as to give the vibration to the powders (t). In addition, an electric field which attracts the powders (t) to collectors 30 which collect the powders (t) flying from the object 10, to be stuck, is made to act by an electric field means 40 between the collectors 30 and the object 10 to be stuck. Then, the adhesion of the powders (t) is computed by an adhesion computing means 50 on the basis of a force applied to the powders (t) by the vibration, on the basis of a force acting on the powders (t) by the electric field means 40 and on the basis of the mass (m) of the powders (t) collected by the collectors 30.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and a device for measuring the adhesion of a powder for measuring the adhesion of a powder such as a toner, and more particularly to a toner having an appropriate adhesion. The characteristic feature is that the adhesive force of a powder such as a charged toner having a small particle diameter can be easily and appropriately measured.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method for measuring the adhesive force of a powder, a powder physical property measuring method (Asakura Shoten, Sohachiro Hayakawa, 19)
Spring balance method and pendulum method shown in 1969)
Proceedings of the IEICE Joint Symposium
Shock method and centrifugation method shown in the Electrostatics Society of Japan (1995),
Further, a toner flying method of flying a toner by applying an electric field has been known.

Here, it is difficult to measure the adhesion of powder having a small particle size such as toner by the above-mentioned spring balance method and the pendulum method, and it is difficult to measure the adhesion force by the impact method and the centrifugal method. The procedure and operation are complicated, so that it takes a long time to check the adhesive force of the powder, and the measured adhesive force has a large fluctuation range, so that stable adhesive force measurement cannot be performed.

In the toner flying method, since an electric field is applied to measure the adhesion of toner, it is necessary to apply a high electric field to a toner having a high adhesion such as an insulating toner. Aerial discharge occurs,
There is a problem that the adhesion of such toner cannot be measured.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned various problems in measuring the adhesion of powder such as toner. A toner capable of stably and appropriately measuring the adhesion of powder such as a small charged toner by a simple method, and having an appropriate adhesion to a photoreceptor and capable of performing an appropriate transfer. It is an object to provide

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the method for measuring the adhesive force of a powder according to the present invention, a vibration is applied to the powder adhered to the adherend, and the vibration is applied by the vibration. The powder flying from the adhered body is collected, and the adhesive force of the powder is measured from the force applied to the powder by the vibration and the mass of the collected powder.

Further, in the first powder adhesion measuring device of the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an object to which the powder is adhered; A vibrating means for applying vibration to the adhered powder; a collecting body for collecting the powder flying from the adherend by the vibration of the vibrating means; a force applied to the powder by the vibrating means; An adhesive force calculating means for calculating the adhesive force of the powder based on the mass of the collected powder is provided.

Here, as shown in the powder adhesion measuring method and the first powder adhesion measuring device of the present invention, the adherend is vibrated by vibrating means to adhere to the adherend. Vibration is applied to the powder, and the powder flying from the adherend is collected by the collector by the vibration, and the adhesion force calculating means is used based on the force applied to the powder by the vibration and the mass of the collected powder. When the adhesion of the powder is measured, the appropriate adhesion of the powder can be stably measured by a simple device.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a second powder adhesion measuring device according to the present invention includes: an adherend to which a charged powder is adhered; Vibrating means for vibrating the powder attached by vibrating;
A collector for collecting the powder flying from the adherend;
An electric field means for applying an electric field for attracting the powder to the collector between the adherend and the collector; a force applied to the powder by the vibration means; An adhesive force calculating means for calculating the adhesive force of the powder based on the acting force and the mass of the powder collected by the collector is provided.

[0010] Then, as in the second powder adhesion measuring device of the present invention, the object to which the charged powder is adhered is vibrated by the vibrating means, and the charged powder is vibrated. At the same time, an electric field is applied between the adherend and the collector that collects the flying powder by the electric field means to attract the powder to the collector, and the force applied to the powder by vibration and the When the adhesive force of the powder is calculated by the adhesive force calculating means based on the force acting on the body and the mass of the powder collected by the collecting body, the powder having a small particle size, such as charged toner, is used. The adhesive force can be measured appropriately and stably with a simple device.

Further, when the adhesion of the charged powder is calculated by the adhesion calculating means as described above, the total amount of charge of the powder adhered to the adherend is collected by the collector. When the adhesive force of the powder at the time when the charge amount of the powder reaches 50% is calculated as the average adhesive force, the average adhesive force of the powder such as charged toner having a small particle diameter is appropriately stabilized. Measurement.

When a toner having an average adhesion of 1.0 × 10 ⁻⁸ N or less is used,
This toner attached to the photoconductor is efficiently transferred to a recording medium such as plain paper.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A powder adhesion measuring method and a powder adhesion measuring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Clarify that the transfer efficiency is improved when the

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, an S 10 having a thickness of 0.5 mm
On the surface of a US-made electrode plate 11, a charge generation layer 12 containing butyral resin and titanyl phthalocyanine at a ratio of 1: 1 to a thickness of about 0.2 μm, a polycarbonate resin and a hydrazone-based compound A charge transport layer 13 having a film thickness of about 20 μm, which is contained at a ratio of 1: 1 was used, while the toner 1 was used as the powder 1.

Then, the charged toner t was supplied to the surface of the adherend 10, and one layer of the toner t was adhered to the surface of the adherend 10 so that the toner t did not overlap. When a layer of the toner t is adhered to the surface of the adherend 10 in this manner, for example, the surface of the adherend 10 is slightly charged by a charging device (not shown), and Can be supplied from a developing roller (not shown) so that more toner t adheres to the surface of the adherend 10.

Here, in order to determine the adhesive force of the toner t adhered to the surface of the adherend 10 in this manner, as shown in FIG.
As a vibrating means 20 for vibrating the adherend 10, a piezo element 21 is mounted, and an AC voltage is applied to the piezo element 21 from an AC power supply 22 to vibrate the piezo element 21.

On the other hand, the toner t flying from the adherend 10 with a predetermined distance from the surface of the adherend 10
A collecting electrode 30 is provided as a collecting body 30 for collecting the liquid, and a DC power supply 40 is provided as an electric field means 40 for applying an electric field between the adherend 10 and the collecting electrode 30.

Then, from the DC power source 40, the adherend 1
0 and a collecting electrode 30 to apply an electric field for attracting the charged toner t to the collecting electrode 30 as described above, and to apply an alternating current from the AC power supply 22 to the piezo element 21. By applying a voltage, the adherend 10 is vibrated up and down by the piezo element 21 to vibrate the toner t adhered to the surface of the adherend 10, and the toner t flying from the surface of the adherend 10 is removed. The collection was performed by the collection electrode 30.

Then, a force F1 applied to the toner t by the vibration of the adherend 10 and a force F2 acting in a direction of attracting the toner t to the collection electrode 30 by the electric field between the adherend 10 and the collection electrode 30. The adhesion force of the toner t is calculated by the computer 50, which is the adhesion force calculation means 50, based on and the mass m of the toner t collected on the collection electrode 30.

Here, when obtaining the force F1 applied to the toner t by the vibration of the adherend 10, the high-precision displacement sensor 51 is disposed so as to face the adherend 10.
Is given to the computer 50 with the amplitude A and the vibration frequency f of the adherend 10 measured by the high-precision displacement sensor 51, and the computer 50 calculates the vibration acceleration α applied to the toner t, The above-mentioned F1 was obtained from α and the mass m of the toner t by the following equation 1.

[0021]

F1 = mα = mA (2πf) ² (1)

In determining the force F2 for attracting the toner t to the collecting electrode 30 by the electric field acting between the adherend 10 and the collecting electrode 30, the distance between the adherent 10 and the collecting electrode 30 is determined. Is supplied to the computer 50 from the DC power supply 40, and the distance between the adherend 10 and the collection electrode 30 is determined based on the DC voltage and the distance between the adherend 10 and the collection electrode 30. The acting electric field strength E was calculated, and the above-mentioned F2 was obtained from the electric field strength E and the average charge amount q of the toner t by the following equation 2.

[0023]

## EQU2 ## F2 = qE (2)

Then, in the computer 50, the adhesive force Fa of the toner t was obtained from the above F1, F2, the mass m of the toner t, and the gravitational acceleration g by the following equation (3).

[0025]

## EQU3 ## Fa = F1 + F2-mg = mA (2πf) ² + qE-mg (3)

Here, when the value of (F1 + F2-mg) becomes larger than the adhesion Fa of the toner t obtained as described above, the toner t flies from the adherend 10 and is collected.
Will be caught in

Then, the ratio of the charge amount Q ₁ of the toner t collected by the collection electrode 30 to the total charge amount Q ₀ of the toner t adhered to the adherend 10 is calculated as described above. FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the obtained toner t and the adhesion Fa of the toner t.

Further, the toner t adhered to the adherend 10
The ratio of the charge amount to Q ₁ the collected toner t to the collecting electrode 30 with respect to the total charge amount Q ₀ of determined values of adhesion of the average adhesive force at the time it reaches 50%.

Next, the toners t1 to t9 obtained as described below were used as the toner t, and the average adhesive force of each of the toners t1 to t9 was determined as described above.

(Toner t1) The toner t1 has a surface area of 110 m with respect to 100 parts by weight of toner particles having an average particle diameter of 8 μm using a linear polyester resin obtained from an aromatic diol and an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid. ² /
g of 0.75 parts by weight of hydrophobic silica fine particles, 0.75 parts by weight of anatase type titanium oxide particles having a primary particle diameter of 50 nm, and 1.5 parts by weight of strontium titanate particles having a particle diameter of 300 nm. The processing was performed, and further, the shape processing was performed for 10 minutes using a hybridization system NHS-3 type (manufactured by Nara Machinery Co., Ltd.) at a peripheral speed of the blade tip of 80 m / s.

(Toner t2) In the toner t2, the same toner particles as the toner t1 were used, and anatase type titanium oxide particles having a primary particle diameter of 50 nm were added to 0.75 parts by weight of 100 parts by weight of the toner particles. 0.75 parts by weight of hydrophobic silica fine particles having a surface area of 225 m ² / g was added to the mixture, and the post-treatment was carried out. / S for 5 minutes.

(Toner t3) In this toner t3, in the above-mentioned toner t2, the shape processing by the above-mentioned hybridization system NHS-3 was changed to 10 minutes, and the other conditions were the same as the above-mentioned toner t2. .

(Toner t4) In the toner t4, the same toner particles as those of the toner t1 were used, and 0.6 parts by weight of anatase type titanium oxide particles having a primary particle diameter of 50 nm was added to 100 parts by weight of the toner particles. And 1.2 parts by weight of hydrophobic silica fine particles having a surface area of 110 m ² / g.

(Toner t5) In the toner t5, the toner particles in the toner t1 described above are used as they are.

(Toner t6) The toner t6 uses the same toner particles as the toner t1 and has a surface area of 110 m ^{2 with} respect to 100 parts by weight of the toner particles.
/ G of hydrophobic silica fine particles of 0.2 g / g and 0.1 parts by weight of anatase-type titanium oxide particles having a primary particle size of 250 nm were subjected to post-treatment.

(Toner t7) In the toner t7, the same toner particles as those of the toner t1 are used, and the surface area is 110 m ^{2 with} respect to 100 parts by weight of the toner particles.
/ G of hydrophobic silica fine particles of 0.4 g / g and 0.2 parts by weight of anatase-type titanium oxide particles having a primary particle size of 250 nm were subjected to post-treatment.

(Toner t8) In the toner t8, the same toner particles as the toner t1 are used, and the surface area is 110 m ^{2 with} respect to 100 parts by weight of the toner particles.
/ G of hydrophobic silica fine particles of 0.75 parts by weight, 0.75 parts by weight of anatase type titanium oxide particles having a primary particle diameter of 50 nm, and 1.5 parts by weight of strontium titanate particles having a particle diameter of 300 nm. After the post-treatment, further using the above-mentioned hybridization system NHS-3 type,
Shape processing was performed for 5 minutes at a peripheral speed of the blade tip of 80 m / s.

Then, each of the toners t1 to t8 is charged so as to have a predetermined charge amount, and each of the toners t1 to t8 thus charged is applied to the surface of the adherend 10 with a thickness. The average charge amount of each of the toners t1 to t8 thus adhered was measured by a blow-off method, and the result is shown in Table 1 below.
The total charge amount Q ₀ of the toner t1~t8 attached to the surface of the average mass m and the attachment member 10 of ~t8 was measured.

Further, the distance between the adherend 10 to which the toners t1 to t8 are adhered and the collecting electrode 30 is set to 1 mm, and the toners t1 to t8 thus adhered to the adherend 10 are removed. So as to be attracted to the collecting electrode 30,
From the DC power source 40, the adherend 10 and the collecting electrode 3
0 and a frequency of 45 kHz from the AC power supply 22 to the piezoelectric element 21 provided on the back surface of the adherend 10.
The AC voltage of z was applied for 100 msec each time.

Then, the amplitude of the AC voltage applied from the AC power supply 22 to the piezo element 21 is gradually increased, so that the vibration in the piezo element 21 is gradually increased, and the amplitude of each adherend 10 is set to 0 to 2 μm. The average adhesive force of each of the toners t1 to t8 was determined as described above, and the results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0041]

[Table 1]

[0042] As a result, while the average adhesive force of the toner t1~t3 had become less 1.0 × 10 ^-8 N, the average adhesion of the toner t4~t8 is 1.0 × 10 ^{- 8} N
Was larger.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, butyral resin and titanyl phthalocyanine are formed on the surface of an electrode plate 11a made of aluminum having a thickness of 1 mm as the adherend 10 in the same manner as the adherend 10. The charge generation layer 12 contained in a ratio of 1: 1 and having a film thickness of about 0.2 μm, and the polycarbonate resin and the hydrazone-based compound were contained in a ratio of 1: 1 and a film thickness of about 20 μm. Charge transport layer 1
The toners t1 to t8 charged as described above were attached to the surface of the adherend 10 with a thickness of one layer, respectively.

Then, a DC voltage of +1.6 kV is applied to the transfer roller 3 using conductive urethane rubber, and the toners t1 to t8 adhered to the adherend 10 are recorded on plain paper. The toner was transferred to the medium 2, and the transfer efficiency of each of the toners t1 to t8 was determined by the following equation 4, and the results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0045]

## EQU4 ## Transfer efficiency (%) = [(M2−M1) / M2] × 100 (4)

In the above formula 4, M1 is the weight of each toner t1 to t8 remaining on the adherend 10 without being transferred, M2
Is the total weight of each of the toners t1 to t8 adhered to the adherend 10.

[0047]

[Table 2]

As is apparent from the results, the toner t1 having the above average adhesion value of 1.0 × 10 ⁻⁸ N or less.
When t3 was used, the value of the average adhesive force was 1.0 × 1
The transfer efficiency was remarkably improved as compared with the case where toners t4 to t8 higher than 0 ^-8 N were used.

[0049]

As described in detail above, in the method for measuring the adhesion of powder according to the first aspect of the present invention and the apparatus for measuring the adhesion of powder according to the third aspect of the present invention, the adherend is controlled by the vibrating means. By vibrating, the powder attached to the adherend is vibrated, and the powder flying from the adherend is collected by the collector by the vibration, and the force applied to the powder by the vibration is collected. Since the adhesive force of the powder is measured by the adhesive force calculating means from the mass of the powder, the appropriate adhesive force of the powder can be stably measured by a simple device.

Further, as in the powder adhesion measuring device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the object to which the charged powder is adhered is vibrated by vibrating means so that the charged powder is vibrated. While applying vibration, an electric field is applied between the adherend and the collector that collects the flying powder by an electric field means to attract the powder to the collector, and the force applied to the powder by the vibration and the electric field means When the adhesive force of the powder is calculated by the adhesive force calculating means based on the force acting in the direction of attracting the powder to the collector by the mass and the mass of the powder collected by the collector,
The adhesion force of a powder such as a charged toner having a small particle diameter can be appropriately and stably measured by a simple device.

When the adhesion of the charged powder is calculated by the adhesion calculation means, the total amount of charge of the powder adhered to the adherend is collected by the collector. If the adhesive force of the powder at the time when the charge amount of the powder reaches 50% is calculated as the average adhesive force, the average adhesive force of a powder such as a charged toner having a small particle diameter can be appropriately measured. It became so.

When a toner having an average adhesion of 1.0 × 10 ⁻⁸ N or less is used, the toner adhered to the photoreceptor is efficiently applied to a recording medium such as plain paper. It is now transcribed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a state in which powder (toner) is adhered to the surface of an adherend in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the adhesive force of toner adhered to the surface of an adherend is measured in the embodiment.

[3] In this embodiment, the ratio of the charge amount to Q ₁ toner collected on the collecting electrode with respect to the total charge amount Q ₀ of toner adhering to the attachment member, the surface of the attachment member FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between an attached toner and an adhesive force Fa.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the toner adhered to the surface of the adherend is transferred to transfer paper in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Powder 10 Adhered body 20 Vibration means 30 Collector (collecting electrode) 40 Electric field means (DC power supply) 50 Adhesion force calculation means (computer) t Toner

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] January 7, 1998

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0018

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Then, from the DC power source 40, the adherend 1
0 and a collecting electrode 30 to apply an electric field for attracting the charged toner t to the collecting electrode 30 as described above, and to apply an alternating current from the AC power supply 22 to the piezo element 21. By applying a voltage, the adherend 10 is vibrated up and down by the piezo element 21 to vibrate the toner t adhered to the surface of the adherend 10, and the toner t flying from the surface of the adherend 10 is removed. The collection was performed by the collection electrode 30. In this embodiment, the DC power supply
The toner t charged by 40 is attracted to the collecting electrode 30.
The DC power supply 40 is installed.
The collecting electrode 30 is provided below the adherend 10 without shaking.
The toner t detached from the adherend 10 by the movement
Of course, it is also possible to cause the collector electrode 30 to collect.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A vibration is applied to the powder adhered to the adherend, the powder flying from the adherend is collected by the vibration, and the force applied to the powder by the vibration and the collected force are collected. A method for measuring the adhesion of a powder, comprising measuring the adhesion of the powder from the mass of the powder. 2. An adherend to which the powder is attached; vibrating means for vibrating the adhered body to apply vibration to the adhered powder; and powder flying from the adherend by the vibration of the vibrating means. A collector for collecting the body; and an adhesive force calculating means for calculating the adhesive force of the powder based on the force applied to the powder by the vibrating means and the mass of the powder collected by the collector. An apparatus for measuring the adhesive force of a powder, comprising: 3. An adherend to which the charged powder is attached; vibrating means for vibrating the adherend to apply vibration to the adhered powder; and powder flying from the adherend. And an electric field means for applying an electric field for attracting the powder to the collector between the adherend and the collector; a force applied to the powder by the vibration means; Powder having a force acting on the powder by the electric field generating means, and an adhesive force calculating means for calculating the adhesive force of the powder based on the mass of the powder collected by the collector. Adhesive force measuring device. 4. The powder adhesion measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the amount of charge of the powder collected by the collector is 50 relative to the total amount of charge of the powder adhered to the adherend. %, At which time the powder adhesion calculated by the adhesion calculation means is used as an average adhesion. 5. The toner according to claim 4, wherein the average adhesive force is 1.0 × 10 ⁻⁸ N or less.