Abstract: A method of preparation of a liquid electrostatographic toner or liquid ink jet ink which includes the steps of heating a marking particle mix of particles of a resin and a colourant blend in a carrier liquid to a temperature between about the first softening point of the resin and about the second softening point of the resin, maintaining the temperature of the heated marking particle mix for a selected period of time, cooling the marking particle mix to room temperature, and mixing the marking particle mix with high shear. The particle mix can be produced by coarse grinding in a ball mill. The resultant toner or ink has an improved Newtonian like flow behaviour, improved electrical properties, reduced sedimentation and agglomeration and significantly improved optical density and reduced background. The invention also includes toners and inks produced by the method.

Abstract: A liquid recording material containing at least a carrier liquid, a resin, a coloring agent, and a reactive silicone material, an image transfer sheet for use with the liquid recording material, and a method of fixing images, using the liquid recording material, are disclosed.

Abstract: A toner or developer for electrostatic images including a carrier liquid and insoluble marking particles. The carrier liquid comprises or includes a polybutene. The polybutene may be present in a range of 20 to 98 percent by weight. The carrier liquid can also includes one or a blend of other carrier liquids selected from aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, silicone fluids and vegetable oils. The insoluble marking particle is present in the range of 2 to 40 percent by weight of the toner or developer.

Abstract: A toner characterization cell used to determine characteristics of insoluble particles in a liquid medium. First and second electrode are spaced apart and an electric field is applied between the electrodes and a displacement current is measured. Optical density measuring devices measure the change in optical density in the cell adjacent each electrode. The characteristics are determined from the displacement current and the change in optical density. The characterizing feature may be particle mobility. The invention also relates to a method of determining the characteristics.

Abstract: A method of preparing a liquid ink or liquid toner for printing including the steps of dispersing a monomer in a carrier fluid and a polymerization stabilizer comprising a multi or single functional group containing polysiloxane, and in situ polymerizing the monomer to form uniform polymer particles dispersed in the carrier fluid. The multi or single functional group on the polysiloxane is amino, carboxylic acid, vinyl and hydroxyl.

Abstract: A liquid toner composition for use in high viscosity electrostatic printing processes. The liquid toner comprises a non-aqueous carrier liquid which is an electrically non-conductive liquid being a silicone fluid of straight chained or cyclic configuration, a silicone fluid of cyclic configuration, a silicone fluid of branched configuration, or a combination thereof having a viscosity in the range of from 0.5 to 1,000 mPa.s, an insoluble marking particle, and a dispersion additive, the dispersion additive comprising a polysiloxane having at least one functional group comprising a radical which introduces an active site into the polysiloxane and wherein the functional group is a radical selected from the group comprising a vinyl group, a carboxylic group, a hydroxyl group, or an amine group. The particular advantage of the liquid composition is that the formation of rivulets is minimised during printing with resultant improvement in image quality.

Abstract: A liquid developing method that uses a highly-concentrated liquid developing agent to develop an electrostatic latent image. A highly-concentrated liquid developing agent with a viscosity of 100 to 1,000 mPa.s can be used. Therefore, a film of developing agent from 5 to 40 &mgr;m thick can be formed on the surface of the developing roller or developing belt and this provides a soft contact with the photosensitive member surface where the electrostatic latent image has been formed. If the surface of the photosensitive member does not have good release properties, a film of pre-wet liquid can be formed on the surface of the photosensitive member.

Abstract: A polymer suitable for the preparation of liquid toners for developing electrostatic images and liquid toners incorporating such a polymer. The polymer is a reaction product of an epoxy resin and carrier soluble nitrogen bearing polymeric compound. The epoxy resin may be a reaction product of bisphenol A and epichlorhydrin and the carrier soluble nitrogen bearing polymeric compound may be an alkylated polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electrostatic latent image liquid developing method and liquid developing apparatus that can prevent adhesion of toner to the non-image parts on the image bearing member and thereby prevent the occurrence of image inaccuracies. The method provides a pre-wetting process that applies pre-wet liquid to photosensitive member 10 and a developing process. In the developing process, a thin layer of a highly viscous liquid developing agent, in which toner is dispersed at a high concentration in a non-conductive liquid, is formed on the elastic developing roller 506. Developing roller 506 is rotated and, at the same time, the liquid developing agent layer on developing roller 506 is brought into contact with the pre-wet liquid layer on photosensitive member 10 in order to supply liquid developing agent to the latent image on photosensitive member 10. Thus, the toner develops the electrostatic latent image formed on photosensitive member 10.

Abstract: A multi-color image formation apparatus that has multiple developed image formation devices, each corresponding to one color. Each of the developed image formation devices has a photosensitive member, charging apparatus that charges the photosensitive member, exposure apparatus that exposes the charged photosensitive member, and developing apparatus that supplies highly viscous and highly concentrated color liquid developing agent to the surface of the latent image on the photosensitive member. Each of the developed image formation devices is provided with transfer apparatus that sequentially transfers the developed images, each of which has been formed on the surface of the latent imgae on one of the photosensitive members, to the paper transported by the transfer belt and thereby forms a color image on the paper. An electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive member such that a developed image corresponding to the desired print image remains on the developing agent bearing member.

Abstract: A composition and a method of forming a liquid developer or a constituent of a liquid developer for electrostatography comprising the steps of dispersing at least one monomer in silicone fluid and polymerizing the at least one monomer to form polymer particles in the silicone fluid. A homopolymer or a copolymer may be formed and a colorant, such as a pigment or dye, and a charge control agent may be added before or after the polymerization.

Abstract: A method of production of microparticles of a thermoplastic polymer suitable as a toner for electrostatographic processes comprising the steps of melting the material in a continuous non-solvent phase having a boiling point higher than the melting point of the thermoplastic polymer, mixing the thermoplastic polymer in the continuous phase to produce an emulsion, and cooling the emulsion to produce a dispersion of solid microparticles of the thermoplastic polymer in the continuous phase. The thermoplastic polymer may include pigments or dyes to provide colored toner particles. A surface active agent may be used to control particle size.

Abstract: A liquid developer for electrostatography comprising a silicone fluid, marker particles and a charge control agent which is soluble in the silicone fluid. The charge control agent may be an organo-metallic compound such as an organo titanate selected from tetra-2-ethyl hexyl titanate, tetra-n-butyl titanate and tetra isopropyl titanate. The organo-metallic compound may be present in a range of from 0.01 to 10% by weight of the toner particles, with a preferred range of 0.1 to 2% by weight. A colourant may also be included.

Abstract: A method for testing electrostatic developer toners which comprises applying the toner to a stationary non-magnetic sleeve (4), moving the toner along the surface of the sleeve by an array of field lines generally normal to the surface produced by a multiple magnetic roll (1) rotating within the sleeve and determining the characteristics of the toner from the pattern (15) of the spread toner by reference to a calibrated scale (9) and a stop line (5) on the surface of the sleeve.