Patents by Inventor Masaaki Taya

Masaaki Taya 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).

  • Patent number: 5851714
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image is formed from toner particles containing at least a binder resin, a colorant and an organometallic compound. The binder resin in the toner particles has a tetrahydrofuran-insoluble (THF-insoluble) content of at most 5.0 wt.% based on the binder resin. The toner has a glass transition temperature of 50.degree.-80.degree. C. The toner further has storage modulus characteristics including a storage modulus at 80.degree. C. (G'.sub.80) of 1.times.10.sup.4 -5.times.10.sup.6 ?dyn/cm.sup.2 !, a storage modulus at 130.degree. C. (G'.sub.130) providing a ratio G'.sub.80 /G'.sub.130 of 10-5.times.10.sup.3, and a storage modulus curve showing a minimum (G'min) in a temperature region of 110.degree.-190.degree. C. The toner especially exhibits excellent low-temperature fixability, anti-high temperature offset characteristic, storage stability and color-miscibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Taya, Kenji Okado, Ryoichi Fujita, Makoto Kanbayashi, Tsuyoshi Takiguchi, Wakashi Iida, Tetsuya Ida
  • Patent number: 5747209
    Abstract: A toner for developing electrostatic images is formed of toner particles comprising (a) a binder resin, (b) a colorant or magnetic material, (c) an aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid (A), and (d) a metal compound of the aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid (A). The aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid (A) and the metal compound of the aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid (A) are contained in a weight ratio of 1:99 to 10:90. As a result of co-inclusion of a small amount of the aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid (A) in addition to the metal compound thereof, the resultant toner is provided with a quick chargeability in a low humidity environment and an improved level of triboelectric charge in a high humidity environment, presumably because of the stabilization effect of the small amount of the aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid (A) on the metal compound thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Takiguchi, Kenji Okado, Masaaki Taya, Ryoichi Fujita, Makoto Kanbayashi, Kohji Inaba, Wakashi Iida, Kazunori Kato, Tetsuya Ida, Shinya Yachi
  • Patent number: 5700617
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image is formed from toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a charge-controlling agent. The charge-controlling agent comprises an aromatic oxycarboxylic acid, a metal compound of the aromatic oxycarboxylic acid, and an inorganic compound formed from an inorganic anion and an inorganic cation. The aromatic oxycarboxylic acid, the metal compound of the aromatic carboxylic acid and the inorganic anion are contained in proportions of A (wt. %), B (wt. %) and C (ppm), respectively, satisfying the following conditions: 1/99.ltoreq.A/B.ltoreq.20/80, and 10.sup.2 .ltoreq.C. Because of the inclusion of an inorganic compound providing a sufficient amount of inorganic anion, the charge-controlling agent shows a stable charge-controlling characteristic, and the resultant toner exhibits a stable developing performance and transferability in continuous image formation in various environmental conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Takiguchi, Kenji Okado, Masaaki Taya, Ryoichi Fujita, Makoto Kanbayashi, Wakashi Iida, Tetsuya Ida
  • Patent number: 5665513
    Abstract: The present invention provides a toner, particularly color toner, for developing an electrostatic image, which comprises toner particles containing a mixture of a binder resin, a coloring agend and compounds (I) and (II).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ida, Masaaki Taya, Tsuyoshi Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 5578408
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image is constituted by a binder resin and a colorant. The toner is characterized by a percentage change .sub.G' of at most 50% as calculated by the following formula (1):.gamma..sub.G' =(1-G'.sub.50% /G'.sub.1%).times.100 (1),wherein .gamma..sub.G' denotes a percentage change of storage modulus, G'.sub.50% denotes a storage modulus at 50% strain at 150.degree. C., and G'.sub.1% denotes a storage modulus at 1% strain at 150.degree. C.; a percentage change .gamma..sub.G" of at most 50% as calculated by the following formula (2):.gamma..sub.G" =(1-G".sub.50% /G".sub.1%).times.100 (2),wherein .gamma..sub.G" denotes a percentage change of loss modulus, G".sub.50% denotes a loss modulus at 50% strain, and G".sub.1% denotes a loss modulus at 1% strain; and a storage modulus G' of 3.times.10.sup.3 -7.times.10.sup.4 dyn/cm.sup.2 in a range of 1-50% strain at 150.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Kohtaki, Masaaki Taya, Makoto Unno, Tadashi Doujo
  • Patent number: 5578409
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image has a binder resin and a colorant.The binder resin contains a polyester resin at least part of which has a long-chain alkyl group having 22 to carbon atoms and has a hydroxyl group or a carboxyl group at its terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Kotaki, Masaaki Taya, Makoto Unno, Yushi Mikuriya, Tadashi Dojyo
  • Patent number: 5547796
    Abstract: A developer for developing an electrostatic image is constituted by an insulating magnetic toner, inorganic fine powder and a flowability-improving agent having a BET specific surface area of at least 30 m.sup.2 /g. The insulating magnetic toner has a weight-average particle size (t-D.sub.4) of 4-14 .mu.m, a number-average particle size (t-D.sub.1) of 1-10 .mu.m, and a ratio (t-D.sub.4)/(t-D.sub.1) of 1.01-2. The inorganic fine powder has a weight-average particle size (m-D.sub.4) of 0.6-5 .mu.m, a number-average particle size (m-D.sub.1) of 0.5-4 .mu.m, and a ratio (m-D.sub.4)/(m-D.sub.1) which is in the range of 1.0-2.4 and is equal to or larger than the ratio (t-D.sub.4)/(t-D.sub.1). The inorganic fine powder is contained in an amount which is 2-8 times that of the flowability-improving agent by weight. The developer is able to retain stable developing performances by effecting suppressing preferential consumption of a particular particle size fraction in a long term of successive copying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Kohtaki, Masaaki Taya, Masami Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 5504272
    Abstract: An image forming method in which a toner-carrying member for carrying a specific magnetic toner is placed adjacent a latent image-bearing member for carrying an electrostatic latent image so as to form a developing region of a predetermined gap size. The magnetic toner on the toner-carrying member forms a toner layer of a regulated thickness smaller than the above-mentioned gap. An asymmetric bias is applied to the magnetic toner so as to cause the magnetic toner from the toner-carrying member to be conveyed to the latent image-bearing member thereby to develop the electrostatic latent image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Uchiyama, Hirohide Tanikawa, Yasutaka Akashi, Masaaki Taya, Makoto Unno
  • Patent number: 5500318
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image is constituted by a binder resin and a colorant The binder resin is characterized by containing at least 20 wt. % of an extraction residue after 6 hours of extraction and below 20 wt. % of an extraction residue after 72 hours of extraction respectively by Soxhlet extraction with tetrahydrofuran. The toner shows a dynamic modulus and a loss modulus, respectively at 200.degree. C. and 0.1 Hz, which are substantially unchanging with time. The properties provide the toner with a harmonization of anti-offset characteristic and fixability as well as stable viscoelasticity under heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohide Tanikawa, Masaki Uchiyama, Yoshinobu Joh, Yasutaka Akashi, Masaaki Taya, Makoto Unno
  • Patent number: 5483327
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a process cartridge includes a toner for developing an electrostatic image that is constituted by at least a binder resin and a charge control agent. The binder resin has an acid value of 5-50. The charge control agent includes an iron complex represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 independently denote hydrogen atom, lower alkyl group, lower alkoxy group, nitro group or halogen atom; m and m' denote an integer of 1-3; R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 independently denote hydrogen atom, C.sub.1-18 alkyl or alkenyl, sufonamide, mesyl, sulfonic acid group, carboxy ester group, hydroxy, C.sub.1-18 alkoxy, acetylamino, benzoylamino or halogen atom; n and n' denote an integer of 1-3; R.sub.2 and R.sub.4 denote hydrogen atom or nitro group; and A.sup.+ denotes hydrogen ion, sodium ion, potassium ion or ammonium ion. The toner has a weight-average particle size (D.sub.4) of 4-9 .mu.m and including toner particles having a particle size of 5 .mu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Taya, Takaaki Kohtaki, Makoto Unno, Tadashi Doujo
  • Patent number: 5480755
    Abstract: A magnetic toner has magnetic resin particles containing at least a binder resin, a charge control agent and a magnetic powder. The surface-modified fine silica powder being a fine silica powder has been treated with a hydrophobicizing agent. The fine silica powder has a specific surface area of not less than 180 m.sup.2 /g, a hydrophobicity of from 60% to 95% and a bulk density of from 35 g/lit. to 49 g/lit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Uchiyama, Yoshinobu Jo, Yasutaka Akashi, Masaaki Taya, Makoto Unno
  • Patent number: 5439770
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image is constituted by at least a binder resin and a charge control agent. The binder resin has an acid value of 5-50. The charge control agent comprises an iron complex represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 independently denote hydrogen atom, lower alkyl group, lower alkoxy group, nitro group or halogen atom; m and m' denote an integer of 1-3; R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 independently denote hydrogen atom, C.sub.1-18 alkyl or alkenyl, sufonamide, mesyl, sulfonic acid group, carboxy ester group, hydroxy, C.sub.1-18 alkoxy, acetylamino, benzoylamino or halogen atom; n and n' denote an integer of 1-3; R.sub.2 and R.sub.4 denote hydrogen atom or nitro group; and A.sup.+ denotes hydrogen ion, sodium ion, potassium ion or ammonium ion. The toner has a weight-average particle size (D.sub.4) of 4-9 .mu.m and including toner particles having a particle size of 5 .mu.m or smaller at 3-90% by number, toner particles having a particle size of 6.35-10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Taya, Takaaki Kohtaki, Makoto Unno, Tadashi Doujo
  • Patent number: 5348829
    Abstract: A monocomponent-type developer for developing electrostatic images, includes a magnetic toner containing at least a binder resin and magnetic powder, and 0.5-10 wt. % (based on the magnetic toner) of inorganic fine powder having a length-average particle size of 0.1-5 .mu.m. The developer has a number-basis particle size distribution such that particles of 4 .mu.m or smaller are contained at 5-18% by number and particles of 4-10 .mu.m are contained at at least 60% by number. The developer has a volume basis particle size distribution such that particles of 12.7 .mu.m or larger are contained at at most 10% by volume. The developer has a weight-average particle size of 7-11 .mu.m. The developer is particularly useful for development under application of a DC-superposed asymmetric AC bias electric field including a development-side voltage component with a larger magnitude and a shorter duration than a reverse development-side voltage component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Uchiyama, Yasutaka Akashi, Masaaki Taya, Makoto Unno
  • Patent number: 5338894
    Abstract: An image forming method in which a toner-carrying member for carrying a specific magnetic toner is placed adjacent a latent image-bearing member for carrying an electrostatic latent image so as to form a developing region of a predetermined gap size. The magnetic toner on the toner-carrying member forms a toner layer of a regulated thickness smaller than the above-mentioned gap. An asymmetric bias is applied to the magnetic toner so as to cause the magnetic toner from the toner-carrying member to be conveyed to the latent image-bearing member thereby to develop the electrostatic latent image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Uchiyama, Hirohide Tanikawa, Yasutaka Akashi, Masaaki Taya, Makoto Unno
  • Patent number: 5330871
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image is constituted by a binder resin and a colorant. The binder resin is characterized by containing at least 20 wt. % of an extraction residue after 6 hours of extraction and below 20 wt. % of an extraction residue after 72 hours of extraction respectively by Soxhlet extraction with tetrahydrofuran. The toner shows a dynamic modulus and a loss modulus, respectively at 200.degree. C. and 0.1 Hz, which are substantially unchanging with time. The properties provide the toner with a harmonization of anti-offset characteristic and fixability as well as stable viscoelasticity under heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohide Tanikawa, Masaki Uchiyama, Yoshinobu Joh, Yasutaka Akashi, Masaaki Taya, Makoto Unno
  • Patent number: 5296326
    Abstract: A magnetic toner for electrophotography having stable triboelectric chargeability under various environmental conditions may be provided by using magnetic iron oxide particles having a moderately high surface Feo content, specified by the following conditions: (a) a dissolved Fe (II) content in dissolved total iron of 14-33.3 wt. % at a dissolved total iron percentage of 5.+-.1 wt. %, (b) a dissolved Fe (II) content in dissolved total iron of 17-33.3 wt. % at a dissolved total iron percentage of 10.+-.1 wt. %, and (c) a dissolved Fe (II) content in dissolved total iron of 18-33.3 wt. % at a dissolved total iron percentage of 15.+-.1 wt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Taya, Hirohide Tanikawa, Yasutaka Akashi, Makoto Unno, Masaki Uchiyama, Kiichiro Sakashita
  • Patent number: 5268248
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image is provided as a pulverized mixture including a binder resin and a colorant. The binder resin is characterized by a molecular weight distribution on a GPC chromatogram of its tetrahydrofuran (THF)-soluble resin content including below 15% of a resin component in a molecular weight region of at most 5000 and at least 5 wt. % of a resin component in a molecular weight region of at least 5.times.10.sup.6 and showing a main peak in a molecular weight region of 5000 to 5.times.10.sup.6. The THF-soluble resin component in the molecular weight region of at least 5.times.10.sup.6 is extremely enriched during a melt-kneading step during the toner production, so as to effectively prevent toner flowout from a member for cleaning a fixing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohide Tanikawa, Masaki Uchiyama, Yoshinobu Joh, Yasutaka Akashi, Masaaki Taya, Makoto Unno, Kazuyoshi Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 5219946
    Abstract: A binder resin comprises a vinyl copolymer, a mixture of vinyl copolymers, or a mixture of a vinyl copolymer and a vinyl polymer. A resin component with a molecular weight of not more than 10,000 is contained in an amount of from 5 to 50% by weight based on the whole resin. The vinyl copolymer or the mixture of vinyl copolymers has an acid anhydride group and a carboxyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Inventors: Hirohide Tanikawa, Masaki Uchiyama, Tsutomu Kukimoto, Yasutaka Akashi, Masaaki Taya, Makoto Unno, Seiichi Takagi
  • Patent number: 5212524
    Abstract: A toner for developing electrostatic images, comprises a binder resin and a colorant, wherein the binder resin comprises a vinyl copolymer having an acid anhydride group, and the binder resin has a total acid value (A) of 2-100 mgKOH/g and a total acid value (B) attributable to acid anhydride group of below 6 mgKOH/g so that [(B)/(A)].times.100 is 60% or less. Because the binder resin has a specified acid value partly attributable to acid anhydride group, the toner is provided with an adequate balance between chargeability and dischargeability, so that the toner shows a stable performance under various environmental conditions. The toner is particularly advantageously constituted as a magnetic toner of fine particle sizes suitably used under application of unsymmetrical alternating bias electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohide Tanikawa, Yasutaka Akashi, Masaki Uchiyama, Makoto Unno, Masaaki Taya
  • Patent number: 5202731
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is formed by providing a latent image-bearing member for holding an electrostatic image thereon and a toner-carrying member for carrying a prescribed magnetic toner comprising a binder resin and magnetic powder and having a particle size distribution including 12% by number or more of magnetic toner particles of 5 microns or smaller, 33% by number or less of magnetic toner particles of 8-12.7 microns and 2% by volume or less of magnetic toner particles of 16 microns or larger so as to provide a volume-average particle size of 4-10 microns. At the developing station, an alternating bias voltage comprising a DC voltage and an unsymmetrical AC voltage in superposition is applied between the toner-carrying member and the latent image-bearing member to provide an alternating bias electric field comprising a development-side voltage component and a reverse-development side voltage component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohide Tanikawa, Yasutaka Akashi, Masaaki Taya, Kuniko Kobayashi, Masaki Uchiyama