Patents by Inventor Kazumi Suzuki

Kazumi Suzuki has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • TONER, METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE TONER, TWO-COMPONENT DEVELOPER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20150037718
    Abstract: A toner, including: a crystalline resin; a non-crystalline resin; and a colorant, wherein the toner has a sea-island structure which includes a sea containing the crystalline resin and an island containing the non-crystalline resin and the colorant, wherein the island is 1.0 ?m or less in domain diameter, and wherein the toner is 1.7×104 Pa or less in storage elastic modulus at 160° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Tatsuya Morita, Kazumi Suzuki, Shingo Sakashita, Masana Shiba, Taichi Nemoto, Yoshitaka Yamauchi, Azumi Miyaake, Rintaro Takahashi
  • TONER, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE
    Publication number: 20150030819
    Abstract: Toner contains a binder resin, a releasing agent, and a tri- or higher metal salt, wherein the toner has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from 7,000 to 10,000, a ratio of the weight average molecular weight (Mw) to a number average molecular weight (Mn) of 5 or less, and an acid value of from 6 mgKOH/g to 12 mgKOH/g, wherein the binder resin is a polyester resin, wherein the releasing agent is a monoester wax.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Yu Naito, Kazumi Suzuki, Yoshitaka Yamauchi, Masashi Nagayama, Hisashi Nakajima, Saori Yamada
  • Toner, method for producing the same, and developer
    Patent number: 8916324
    Abstract: The present invention provides a toner containing base particles formed by emulsifying or dispersing, in an aqueous medium, a toner composition liquid which is obtained by dissolving or dispersing, in an organic solvent, at least a binder resin soluble in the organic solvent and a colorant masterbatch containing a colorant and a colorant dispersion resin, wherein the colorant dispersion resin is a resin having sparing solubility defined below: where the “sparing solubility” means that when 4 parts by mass of the colorant dispersion resin are added to and mixed with 10 parts by mass of the organic solvent, the mixture becomes white turbid at 25° C. or becomes a transparent solution once at 25° C. and then becomes white turbid within 12 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumi Suzuki, Tatsuya Morita
  • Toner, toner set, developer, developer set, image forming apparatus, image forming method, and process cartridge
    Patent number: 8865383
    Abstract: A toner comprising an amorphous polyester, a crystalline polyester that is forming domains in the toner, and a colorant that is being dispersed at least in the domains of the crystalline polyester. The toner may be obtained by dispersing an oil phase including the amorphous polyester or a precursor capable of producing the amorphous polyester, the crystalline polyester, the colorant, and an organic solvent, in an aqueous medium to prepare an O/W dispersion, the oil phase; and removing the organic solvent from the O/W dispersion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumi Suzuki, Tatsuya Morita, Shingo Sakashita, Tsuyoshi Sugimoto
  • Developer for electrophotography, image forming apparatus and process cartridge
    Patent number: 8859179
    Abstract: A developer, including a toner including a binder resin comprising a crystalline resin; and a colorant, and a resin carrier comprising a resin; a magnetic particulate material having a magnetic anisotropy, dispersed in the resin, and having a saturated magnetization of from 16 to 30 emu/g, a coercive force of from 15 to 40 kA/m and an average particle diameter not less than 15 ?m and less than 100 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Santo, Masahide Yamada, Kazumi Suzuki, Shinya Nakayama, Atsushi Yamamoto, Tatsuya Morita, Shingo Sakashita, Yukiko Nakajima, Keiji Makabe, Daiki Yamashita
  • TONER, TWO-COMPONENT DEVELOPER, TONER SET, TONER CONTAINER, PRINTED MATTER, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD
    Publication number: 20140272690
    Abstract: To provide a toner, containing: a noncrystalline resin; and a crystalline resin, wherein the crystalline resin has a weight average molecular weight of 100,000 to 180,000, wherein a temperature range of the toner, within which a loss tangent (tan ?) as measured by a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement is 6 or greater, is 20° C. or greater, and wherein a fixed toner image has 60° glossiness of 30 to 50, where the fixed toner image is obtained by forming an unfixed toner image having a deposition amount of 0.4 mg/cm2 on a recording medium having 60° glossiness of 30 for a measurement, and fixing at temperature at which temperature of the toner image is a lowest temperature of the temperature range +10° C., at 0.15 MPa, for a nipping duration of 50 msec.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Kazumi SUZUKI, Yoshitaka YAMAUCHI
  • POLYMER PRODUCT, POLYMER COMPACT, POLYMER COMPACT FOR MEDICAL USE, TONER, AND POLYMER COMPOSITION
    Publication number: 20140200326
    Abstract: To provide a polymer product, which is substantially free from an organic solvent and a metal atom, and has a number average molecular weight of 12,000 or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Yamauchi, Chiaki Tanaka, Taichi Nemoto, Kazumi Suzuki, Keiko Osaka, Shinichi Wakamatsu, Satomi Sabu
  • Toner set for electrophotography, and image forming method and apparatus
    Patent number: 8778578
    Abstract: A toner set for electrophotography, including a black toner; a yellow toner; a magenta toner; a cyan toner; and a bright yellow toner, wherein the magenta toner includes a magenta colorant mainly including C.I. Pigment Red 122, the yellow toner has a hue angle of from 93 to 100° and the bright yellow toner has a hue angle of from 60 to 85° in L*a*b* color system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumi Suzuki, Tatsuya Morita, Shingo Sakashita
  • Method and apparatus for producing toner
    Patent number: 8748072
    Abstract: A method for producing a toner, including ejecting a toner composition liquid containing at least a resin and a colorant periodically from a plurality of nozzles into a chamber using a vibration unit, so as to form droplets in a gas phase; and solidifying the droplets, wherein the droplets are transported by transport air flow selected from at least one of vertical downward air flow and rotational air flow, and the method can prevent toner particles from aggregation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Honda, Yukio Tabata, Yohichiroh Watanabe, Kazumi Suzuki, Shinji Ohtani, Yoshihiro Norikane
  • ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC TONER, TWO-COMPONENT DEVELOPER CONTAINING TONER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20140080047
    Abstract: To provide an electrophotographic toner, which contains a crystalline resin, a non-crystalline resin, a colorant, and a releasing agent, wherein the toner has a storage elastic modulus of 5.0×104 Pa to 5.0×106 Pa at 80° C., and a storage elastic modulus of 2.0×102 Pa to 2.0×103 Pa at 140° C., and wherein the toner has a ratio (C)/((C)+(A)) of 0.10 or greater, where (C) is an integrated intensity of a diffraction spectrum derived from a crystalline structure, (A) is an integrated intensity of a diffraction spectrum derived from a non-crystalline structure, and the diffraction spectrum is a diffraction spectrum of the toner as measured by an X-ray diffraction spectrometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Rintaro TAKAHASHI, Kazumi SUZUKI, Masana SHIBA, Tatsuya MORITA, Yoshitaka YAMAUCHI, Azumi MIYAAKE
  • WHITE TONER, METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND DEVELOPMENT AGENT, RECORDING MEDIUM, PRINTED MATTER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20130330522
    Abstract: White toner contains a binder resin, a white pigment, and a releasing agent, wherein the white pigment is coated with the releasing agent and dispersed in the binder resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Kazumi SUZUKI, Tatsuya MORITA, Yoshitaka YAMAUCHI, Masana SHIBA, Azumi MIYAAKE
  • Anisotropic magnetic material-dispersed resin carrier, electrophotographic developer, and developing device
    Patent number: 8603718
    Abstract: An anisotropic magnetic material-dispersed resin carrier including: fine magnetic particles; and a binder resin in which at least the fine magnetic particles are dispersed, wherein the anisotropic magnetic material-dispersed resin carrier has a magnetic anisotropy where magnetic fields of the fine magnetic particles are orientated in the same direction, and wherein the anisotropic magnetic material-dispersed resin carrier has a saturation magnetization of 16 emu/g to 30 emu/g, a coercive force of 15 kA/m to 40 kA/m, and a number average particle diameter of 15 ?m or more but less than 100 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumi Suzuki, Masaki Yoshino, Hisao Kurosu, Tatsuya Morita, Tomoko Kino, Shingo Sakashita
  • Toner, developer, image forming apparatus, and image forming method
    Patent number: 8592118
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a toner including a first binder resin, a release agent, a release agent dispersing resin, and a colorant is provided. The first binder resin includes an amorphous polyester resin (a) having a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton in its main chain. The polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton comprises optically-active monomers having an optical purity X of 80% by mole or less. The optical purity X is represented by the following formula: X(% by mole)=|X(L-form)?X(D-form)| wherein X(L-form) and X(D-form) represent ratios (% by mole) of L-form and D-form optically-active monomers, respectively. The release agent includes an ester of a fatty acid having an average carbon number of 18 to 24 with glycerin or a polyglycerin having an average polymerization degree of 2 to 10. The ester has a melting point of 55 to 80° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Sakashita, Kazumi Suzuki, Tatsuya Morita
  • Toner preparation method and apparatus, and toner prepared thereby
    Patent number: 8568628
    Abstract: A method of preparing a toner, including periodically dripping and discharging droplets of a toner constituent liquid comprising a resin and a colorant with a dripper comprising a thin film comprising plural nozzles configured to discharge the droplets, and an electromechanical converter configured to oscillate the thin film; and solidifying the droplets to form toner particles, wherein the nozzle has an aperture discharging the droplet, having a circular or an ellipsoidal cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of another aperture contacting the toner constituent liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Norikane, Shinji Ohtani, Yohichiroh Watanabe, Kazumi Suzuki, Takahiro Honda
  • TONER FOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY, DEVELOPER AND METHOD OF PREPARING THE TONER
    Publication number: 20130236826
    Abstract: A toner for electrophotography, which is prepared by a method including dissolving or dispersing a toner composition including at least a binder resin, or binder resin and a binder resin precursor as a resin component; and a colorant in an organic solvent to form an oil phase; emulsifying or dispersing the oil phase in an aqueous medium to form an emulsion dispersion comprising emulsified particles; converging the emulsified particles to granulate mother toner particles, including controlling a temperature of the emulsion dispersion to control a circularity of the mother toner particles; and removing the organic solvent, wherein the resin component includes a crystalline resin in an amount not less than 50% by weight, and the mother toner particles have an average circularity of from 0.940 to 0.980.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Inventors: Keiji MAKABE, Masahide Yamada, Shinya Nakayama, Atsushi Yamamoto, Hideyuki Santo, Yukiko Nakajima, Daiki Yamashita, Kazumi Suzuki, Tatsuya Morita, Shingo Sakashita
  • TONER, DEVELOPER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20130196266
    Abstract: A toner produced by dissolving or dispersing toner components comprising a binder resin, a colorant, and a charge controlling agent in an organic solvent to prepare a toner components liquid, forming liquid droplets of the toner components liquid in a gas phase, and solidifying the liquid droplets into toner particles of the toner. The charge controlling agent includes a polycondensation reaction product of a phenol with an aldehyde.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Yohichiroh Watanabe, Kazumi Suzuki, Takahiro Honda, Shinji Ohtani, Yoshihiro Norikane
  • DEVELOPER FOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE
    Publication number: 20130157183
    Abstract: A developer, including a toner including a binder resin comprising a crystalline resin; and a colorant, and a resin carrier comprising a resin; a magnetic particulate material having a magnetic anisotropy, dispersed in the resin, and having a saturated magnetization of from 16 to 30 emu/g, a coercive force of from 15 to 40 kA/m and an average particle diameter not less than 15 ?m and less than 100 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: Hideyuki Santo, Masahide Yamada, Kazumi Suzuki, Shinya Nakayama, Atsushi Yamamoto, Tatsuya Morita, Shingo Sakashita, Yukiko Nakajima, Keiji Makabe, Daiki Yamashita
  • Toner for electrophotography and method of preparing the toner
    Patent number: 8445171
    Abstract: A method of preparing a toner, including dripping a toner constituent liquid comprising an organic solvent; and toner constituents comprising a resin and a colorant, which are dissolved or dispersed in the organic solvent through a nozzle to form a droplet; and removing the organic solvent from the droplet, wherein the droplet is dried while contacted with a first de-solvent gas comprising steam in a pre-heated period and at least a part of a constant-rate drying period, or the droplet is dried at least in a pre-heated period and a constant-rate drying period, which include two stages including a first stage and a second stage, wherein the droplet is contacted with the first de-solvent gas including steam in the first stage and a second de-solvent gas having a dew point not greater than ?10° C. under ordinary pressure in the second stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazumi Suzuki, Yohichiroh Watanabe
  • TONER SET FOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY, AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD AND APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20130017480
    Abstract: A toner set for electrophotography, including a black toner; a yellow toner; a magenta toner; a cyan toner; and a bright yellow toner, wherein the magenta toner includes a magenta colorant mainly including C.I. Pigment Red 122, the yellow toner has a hue angle of from 93 to 100° and the bright yellow toner has a hue angle of from 60 to 85° in L*a*b* color system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Kazumi SUZUKI, Tatsuya MORITA, Shingo SAKASHITA
  • Method of preparing toner and the toner, and developer and image forming method using the toner
    Patent number: 8318400
    Abstract: A method of preparing a toner, including periodically discharging a toner constituent liquid from plural nozzles having the same aperture diameter with a mechanical oscillator, wherein the toner constituent liquid includes: a binder resin, a colorant, and an organic solvent, wherein the binder resin and the colorant are dissolved or dispersed in the organic solvent; forming a droplet of the toner constituent liquid in a gas phase; and solidifying the droplet, wherein the aperture diameter is from 3 to 30 ?m, and the binder resin has a ratio (Mw/Mn) of a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) to a number-average molecular weight (Mn) of THF (tetrahydrofuran)-soluble components therein of from 1.5 to 15 in a molecular weight distribution measured by GPC (gel permeation chromatography), and a ½ flow temperature (Tm) of from 114 to 149° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohichiroh Watanabe, Kazumi Suzuki, Takahiro Honda, Shinji Ohtani, Yoshihiro Norikane