Patents by Inventor Katsuru Matsumoto

Katsuru Matsumoto 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).

  • Publication number: 20080063970
    Abstract: A functional particle is manufactured by a method including an aggregating step, a depressurizing step, and a cooling step. In the aggregating step, the functional particle is obtained by flowing a mixed slurry containing a core particle and a shell particle through a coiled pipeline while heating the mixed slurry to a glass transition temperature or higher of the core particle, to deposit the shell particles on the surface of the core particle. In the depressurizing step, the grain size of the functional particle is controlled and the coarse particle is pulverized to make the grain size of the functional particles uniform. In the cooling step, re-aggregation of the functional particles with unified grain size is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiichi KIKAWA, Katsuru MATSUMOTO, Nobuhiro MAEZAWA
  • Publication number: 20080032224
    Abstract: A toner in form of aggregate of resin-containing particles is manufactured by aggregating the resin-containing particles which contain binder resin and the colorant, with the aid of an aggregate dispersant containing a polymer in which anionic polar groups are bonded to a main chain. To be specific, salt of divalent or higher valent metal is added to a slurry of the resin-containing particles so that a metal ion and the anionic polar group are bonded to each other, and a temperature of the slurry is increased so that a bond between the anionic polar group and a water molecule is broken. This decreases water-solubility of the polymer so that the resin-containing particles are aggregated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Keiichi Kikawa, Katsuru Matsumoto, Yasuhiro Shibai
  • Publication number: 20080029924
    Abstract: The aggregated particles are manufactured through a method of manufacturing aggregated particles, which includes an aggregating step, a depressurizing step, and a cooling step. In the aggregating step, a slurry is prepared which contains aggregated particles obtained by flowing an aqueous slurry of resin fine particles having a volume average particle diameter in the range of 0.4 ?m to 3 ?m through a coiled piping in a heated and pressurized state and thereby aggregating the resin fine particles. In the depressurizing step, the slurry containing the aggregated particles is depressurized, and a particle size control is conducted by disintegrating coarse particles so as to homogenize particle diameters of the aggregated particles. In the cooling step, the slurry containing the aggregated particles of which particle diameters have been homogenized is cooled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Maezawa, Katsuru Matsumoto, Keiichi Kikawa
  • Publication number: 20070259284
    Abstract: There is provided a capsulated toner which has low-temperature fixing ability, good storage stability, excellent charge stability, high fixing strength to a sheet paper, and low consumption, and is capable of forming a color image of high-definition, high-gloss, and high-density. The capsulated toner for electrophotography includes a shell layer containing a cycloolefin copolymer resin and a core particle including a synthetic resin different from the cycloolefin copolymer resin, wherein the capsulated toner has a core/shell type structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shibai, Katsuru Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20070202433
    Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a toner, using a shearing force for granulation, in which bubbles are prevented from arising upon application of the shearing force, thus manufacturing a diameter-reduced toner having a particle diameter of about 5 ?m which is favorable for enhancement in definition and resolution of images. Upon granulating after a kneaded product of toner raw material is mixed with water dispersion, an interior part of granulating system is heated and pressurized and moreover, both of the shearing force and collision force are applied to the kneaded product of toner raw material by use of a high-speed rotating dispersion type granulator composed of a cylindrical pressure-resistant container, a spinning rotor, following screens, and a fixed screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuru Matsumoto, Yasuhiro Shibai, Satoru Ariyoshi
  • Publication number: 20070196754
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a toner in which toner particles are obtained by mixing resin particles and at least a colorant with each other to be coagulated, and heating an obtained coagulated product, binder resin is granulated into fine particles by a granulating method including a coarse particle preparing step, a slurry preparing step, a pulverizing step, a cooling step, and a depressurizing step. Slurry containing coarse particles of binder resin obtained by way of the coarse particle preparing step and the slurry preparing step is made to pass under heat and pressure through a pressure-resistant nozzle whereby the coarse particles of binder resin are pulverized into resin particles. By providing the cooling step and the depressurizing step immediately after the pulverizing step, the resin particles are prevented from coarsening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuru Matsumoto, Yasuhiro Shibai
  • Publication number: 20070196756
    Abstract: Resin particles containing at least binding resin and wax particles having a diameter of 30 to 600 nm are coagulated, and a resulting coagulated product is heated. Such wax particles are manufactured, for example, by way of a coarse particle preparing step, a slurry preparing step, a pulverizing step, a cooling step, and a depressurizing step. Slurry of wax coarse particles obtained by way of the coarse particle preparing step and the slurry preparing step is directed under heat and pressure through a pressure-resistant nozzle whereby the wax coarse particles are pulverized into the wax particles at the pulverizing step. The cooling step and the depressurizing step are disposed just after the pulverizing step to prevent the wax particles from coarsening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shibai, Satoru Ariyoshi, Katsuru Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20070166638
    Abstract: A toner is manufactured by way of a coarse particle preparing step, a slurry preparing step, a pulverizing step, a cooling step, and a depressurizing step. Slurry of toner coarse particles obtained by way of the coarse particle preparing step and the slurry preparing step is made to pass under heat and pressure through a pressure-resistant nozzle whereby toner coarse particles are pulverized into diameter-reduced toner particles. By providing the cooling step immediately after the pulverizing step, dispersion of wax component into the toner particles is promoted. And by further providing the depressurizing step, bubbling and coarsening of the toner particles due to the bubbling are prevented. By so doing, there is obtained a diameter-reduced toner particle in which wax is evenly dispersed and which does not cause bleeding out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuru Matsumoto, Yasuhiro Shibai
  • Publication number: 20070160923
    Abstract: There are provided a release agent capable of attaining a toner excellent in an anti-offset property and an anti-filming property, without detaching from a kneaded mass even in a case of granulating by heating a dispersion medium containing the kneaded mass, as well as a toner using the release agent and a manufacturing method thereof. A release agent containing a compatible site having compatibility with the binder resin and a releasing site chemically bonded with the compatible site and having the releasing ability is used as the release agent when preparing a kneaded mass by melt-kneading at least a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent, whereby detachment of the release agent from the kneaded mass can be prevented in producing particles of kneaded mass as the toner particles by mixing the kneaded mass to an aqueous medium prepared and heating and stirring them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuru Matsumoto, Yasuhiro Shibai
  • Publication number: 20070128537
    Abstract: A toner manufacturing method that allows production of toner having desired characteristics with stability in accordance with fusion emulsification technique for obtaining a toner by granulating a resin kneaded product while dispersing it in an aqueous medium. A resin kneaded product containing at least a binder resin and a colorant is mixed with a dispersant/water-containing aqueous medium. The resultant admixture is stirred by an stirring apparatus including a screen with an admixture discharge hole disposed internally of a vessel and a rotor disposed in an stirring space created by the screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Ariyoshi, Yoshitaka Kawase, Keiichi Kikawa, Katsuru Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20070065746
    Abstract: A toner of excellent anti-hot offsetting property, with no variety of the charging performance and suitable as a toner for the development of electrostatic images, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. At first, a crosslinked resin at least containing a tetrahydrofuran insoluble component and a colorant are dry-kneaded. Next, the obtained kneaded resin product is mixed with an aqueous dispersant solution prepared in advance and they are heated, to form colorant-containing resin particles in a liquid mixture of the kneaded resin product and the aqueous dispersant solution. Then, the liquid mixture is cooled and the colorant-containing resin particles are separated from the liquid mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Kawase, Satoru Ariyoshi, Katsuru Matsumoto, Yoshinori Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20070042283
    Abstract: According to the method of producing toner, toner is produced by (i) forming particles of a pigmented resin by applying shear stress to a mixture of a pigmented resin composition, an organic solvent, a polymer dispersing agent, and a hydrophobic medium, the organic solvent being capable of reducing viscosity of the pigmented resin composition, and said polymer dispersing agent having a glass transition point in a range of 50° C. to 80° C. and an SP value in a range of 8.5 to 10, (ii) distilling off the organic solvent, and (iii) separating the toner from the hydrophobic medium and drying the toner. With the above arrangement, the method makes it possible to (i) easily downsize toner particle without causing thermal decomposition of a resin or separation of a release agent, and (ii) produce toner that is small in particle size, excellent in humidity-resistance, and less likely to aggregate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shibai, Katsuru Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20060246368
    Abstract: This invention provides masterbatch (MB) comprising at least a colorant and polyester resin, wherein the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the softening point (Sp) of such polyester resin satisfy the correlations defined by formulae (1) and (2): 4Tg?170?Sp?4Tg?110 (1); and 90?Sp?120 (2), and toner using such masterbatch. The toner prepared from such masterbatch comprising base resin having excellent heat resistance and good dispersibility can produce images having stable and even glossiness, brilliant color, and a wide fusing temperature range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2004
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventors: Katsuru Matsumoto, Sayaka Fujita, Masahiro Sakai, Toshihiko Murakami, Mitsuhiro Toyoda
  • Patent number: 7045266
    Abstract: A lithographic printing original plate, a lithographic printing plate using the lithographic printing original plate and a process for producing the lithographic printing plate are disclosed. The lithographic printing original plate has, on a substrate, a photosensitive layer made of a crosslinked polymer comprising a hydrophilic polymer, a crosslinking agent and a light absorbing compound or comprising a hydrophilic polymer, a crosslinking agent, a light absorbing compound and a hydrophobic polymer, and has properties that the photosensitive layer is changed from ink-repellent to ink-receptive by irradiation with a light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mase, Sumio Hirose, Yuko Suzuki, Katsuru Matsumoto, Takayuki Sanada
  • Patent number: 7026088
    Abstract: The master comprises a polyester resin as a binder resin and a carbon black as a colorant having a primary particle size of 10 nm to 100 nm, is blended with 30 to 60 parts by weight of the carbon black, has a lightness L* of 20 or more; and the reflectance A at 400 nm thereof and the reflectance B at 700 nm thereof fall within the range satisfying the relation given by the following formula [1]: 0.5<B/A<5[1] The carbon black in the toner can be made to be present stably in the conditions such that the carbon black has a small primary particle size and is homogeneously dispersed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sayaka Fujita, Katsuru Matsumoto, Toshihiko Murakami, Eiji Tenjiku
  • Publication number: 20040087708
    Abstract: The master comprises a polyester resin as a binder resin and a carbon black as a colorant having a primary particle size of 10 nm to 100 nm, is blended with 30 to 60 parts by weight of the carbon black, has a lightness L* of 20 or more; and the reflectance A at 400 nm thereof and the reflectance B at 700 nm thereof fall within the range satisfying the relation given by the following formula [1]:
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sayaka Fujita, Katsuru Matsumoto, Toshihiko Murakami, Eiji Tenjiku
  • Publication number: 20020192590
    Abstract: A lithographic printing original plate, a lithographic printing plate using the lithographic printing original plate and a process for producing the lithographic printing plate are disclosed. The lithographic printing original plate has, on a substrate, a photosensitive layer made of a crosslinked polymer comprising a hydrophilic polymer, a crosslinking agent and a light absorbing compound or comprising a hydrophilic polymer, a crosslinking agent, a light absorbing compound and a hydrophobic polymer, and has properties that the photosensitive layer is changed from ink-repellent to ink-receptive by irradiation with a light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mase, Sumio Hirose, Yuko Suzuki, Katsuru Matsumoto, Takayuki Sanada
  • Patent number: 6011119
    Abstract: A resin composition is provided for an electro-photographic toner. The composition comprises 5 to 95 parts by weight of a high molecular weight vinyl copolymer polymer and 95 to 5 parts by weight of a low molecular weight vinyl copolymer. The former ethylene polymer has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from 200,000 to 1,000,000 and a ratio (Mw/Mn) of the weight average molecular weight (Mw) to a number average molecular weight (Mn) of from 8 to 300, and the latter vinyl copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of from 3,000 to 20,000. At least one of the former and latter vinyl copolymer, preferably, the former vinyl copolymer is an ethylene polymer which has been obtained by conducting polymerization in the presence of a monomer having an ionization potential of from 10.0 to 15.0 eV and a difference of from 9.0 to 15.0 eV in level between a highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), both determined by computational chemistry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuru Matsumoto, Nobuhiro Hirayama, Eishi Tanaka, Junko Tobita
  • Patent number: 5502110
    Abstract: A resin composition for an electrophotographic toner is here disclosed which comprises an ethylene series high polymer (Y) and an ethylene series polymer (X) prepared from 100 parts of a bifunctional ethylene series unsaturated monomer and 0.01-10 parts by weight of a substance having three or more peroxide groups in the molecule and/or a substance having one or more unsaturated functional groups and one or more peroxide groups in the molecule, Mw/Mb (Mw is weight-average molecular weight, and Mb is weight-average molecular weight between crosslinking points) of said polymer (X) being from 2 to 99, Mw of said polymer (X) being 50,000 or less. This resin composition is excellent in the balance of various physical properties required for the toner, and particularly, it is excellent in offset resistance and toner strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Incorporated
    Inventors: Katsuru Matsumoto, Nobuhiro Hirayama, Kenji Uchiyama, Shoji Kawasaki, Tamami Fukui, Katsuo Uramoto
  • Patent number: 5468585
    Abstract: A resin composition for use in an electrophotographic toner which comprises an ethylenic polymer (L) having a M.sub.w of not greater than 20,000 and an acid value of 2 to 100 mg KOH/g, and an ethylenic polymer (H) having a M.sub.w of not less than 150,000, a M.sub.w /M.sub.n ratio of not less than 5.0 and a time constant for triboelectric charging (.tau.) of 1.2 to 25, the ethylenic polymers (L) and (H) being present in a weight ratio ranging from 15:85 to 85:15. This resin composition can improve the triboelectric charging properties of the toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Incorporated
    Inventors: Katsuru Matsumoto, Nobuhiro Hirayama, Shoji Kawasaki, Kenji Uchiyama, Katsuo Uramoto, Tamami Fukui