Toner for use in a chilled finish roller system

• US 7,867,678 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Chowdry, Arun, Bobo, Robert D., Hurst, James H., Aslam, Muhammed, Ciaschi, Andrew, Stelter, Eric C., Tyagi, Dinesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman; Mark A
• Application Number:
  US12/476,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20090239172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 430/108.1, 430/109.1, 430/111.4
• US Class Current: 430/108.1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/20 for fixing, e.g. by using heat
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/2007 using radiant heat, e.g. infrared lamps, microwave heaters
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/2021 Plurality of separate fixing and/or cooling areas or units, two step fixing
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/2098 using light, e.g. UV photohardening
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/6573 Feeding path after the fixing point and up to the discharge tray or the finisher, e.g. special treatment of copy material to compensate for effects from the fixing
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00805 Gloss adding or lowering device
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0081 Gloss level being selectable
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0821 characterised by physical parameters magnetic parameters G03G9/083
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08782 Waxes
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08795 characterised by their chemical properties, e.g. acidity, molecular weight, sensitivity to reactants
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08797 characterised by their physical properties, e.g. viscosity, solubility, melting temperature, softening temperature, glass transition temperature

Abstract

A toner composition for fixing onto a receiver in conjunction with non-contact fuser capable of fusing one or more layers of toner on the receiver such that one or more toner layers reach a fusing temperature above a glass transition temperature. One or more cooling finish rollers are located downstream from the non-contact fuser to lower the toner temperature.

Claims

1. A toner composition suitable for non-contact heating comprising:

a) an amorphous binder of a number average molecular weight between 1000 and 20,000 and having a glass transition temperature between 50 and 100 C, and

b) crystalline rheology modifier capable of lowering the melt viscosity of the said polymer binder with a melting temperature in the range of 60 to 120 C.

2. The toner in claim 1, further having the half-width of the melting transition less than 10 C.

3. The toner in claim 1 further having a melt viscosity in the range of 200 to 20,000 poise or more preferably between 400 and 2000 poise.

4. The toner of claim 1, said toner heated during non-contact fusing to reach a fusing temperature above a glass transition temperature before cooling by a cooling roller to lower the toner to a temperature below said glass transition temperature.

5. The toner of claim 4, said cooling by said cooling roller at a specific cooling rate of change in temperature to achieve a desired receiver luster.

6. The toner of claim 4, said cooling by said cooler roller to cool the toner until it exhibits a sharp increase in a module of elasticity.

7. The toner of claim 1, further capable of being cooled quickly to stabilize crystals in a state with a smallest possible size to provide a highest possible gloss and being cooled more slowly to allow allows the crystals to grow larger than if they were cooled quickly to provide a level of gloss that is lower than the highest possible gloss.