Abstract: Provided are an electrophotographic toner and a method for producing the electrophotographic toner that satisfy high image quality, cleaning stability, and high productivity. The electrophotographic toner is produced by spray-drying a toner ingredient-containing liquid, wherein the toner ingredient-containing liquid dissolves or disperses at least a resin, a low molecular mass organic material, and a colorant in an organic solvent, the resin is soluble in the organic solvent, the low molecular mass organic material is a crystalline compound or a composition of crystalline compounds that is soluble in the organic solvent, the toner ingredient-containing liquid contains substantially no particles having a particle diameter of 500 nm or more, the crystalline compound or the composition of crystalline compounds crystallizes upon spray-drying to deform toner particles into a circularity of 0.93 or higher to 0.98 or less, and volume average particle diameter of the toner particles is 3.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a toner, including periodically forming liquid droplets of a toner constituent liquid comprising a resin and a colorant by vibrating a thin film having a plurality of holes provided on a retention part thereof to discharge the liquid droplets of the toner constituent liquid from the plurality of holes and forming toner particles by solidifying the liquid droplets discharged from the plurality of holes. In periodically forming the liquid droplets of the toner constituent liquid, a flow of gas in a direction of discharge of the liquid droplets is formed by a gas flow generation unit provided downstream from the thin film relative to the direction of discharge of the liquid droplets, including a tapered part forming an aperture corresponding to a hole formation area of the thin film.

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.

Abstract: A method of preparing a toner, including periodically dripping and discharging a droplet of a toner constituent liquid including a resin and a colorant; and solidifying and granulating the droplet, wherein the dripper includes a thin film including plural nozzles; and an oscillator including an oscillation generator generating an oscillation; and an oscillation amplifier, including an oscillation surface facing the thin film in parallel therewith, amplifying the oscillation, and wherein the toner constituent liquid is fed between the thin film and the oscillation surface.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a method of producing a separating agent for an enantiomeric isomer having a high optical resolution power together with sufficient solvent resistance. That is, a method of producing a separating agent for an enantiomeric isomer comprising the steps of allowing the porous carrier to carry the optically active polymer compound by bringing the porous carrier into contact with a dope of the optically active polymer compound and exposing a product to radiation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a developing apparatus and an image forming apparatus which are capable of outputting stable images with no surface staining and toner scattering even when an image forming process is repeated over a long time period, or even when image formation is performed after special use conditions in which little toner is consumed have continued over a long time period. An area in which a relationship of 0.6<Vlocal/Vaverage<0.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a method of producing a separating agent for an enantiomeric isomer having a high optical resolution power together with sufficient solvent resistance. That is, a method of producing a separating agent for an enantiomeric isomer comprising the steps of allowing the porous carrier to carry the optically active polymer compound by bringing the porous carrier into contact with a dope of the optically active polymer compound and exposing a product to radiation.

Abstract: An image forming method is provided including: charging an image bearing member; irradiating the image bearing member with a light beam to form an electrostatic latent image thereon; developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a toner image on the image bearing member; primarily transferring the toner image from the image bearing member onto an intermediate transfer member; secondarily transferring the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a transfer-fixing member; heating the toner image on the transfer-fixing member; and fixing the toner image on a recording medium passing through a nip formed between the transfer-fixing member and a pressing member, wherein the toner has a weight average particle diameter (D4) from 3 to 5 ?m.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier for bearing a visible image thereon, an endless transfer-fixing belt stretchedly disposed between a plurality of spanning members, a pressure member for pressing the transfer-fixing belt to the image carrier while contacting a backside of the transfer-fixing belt at the transfer nip, and a heater for heating the visible image. The visible image on the image carrier is transferred onto the front surface of the transfer-fixing belt at the transfer nip and is transported to the transfer-fixing nip while heated by the heater, where the visible image is transferred and fixed on a recording member. The transfer-fixing belt is stretchedly arranged such that the transfer-fixing belt travels in a direction substantially perpendicular to a pressure direction of the pressure member in the proximity of the transfer nip.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a toner, including: dissolving or dispersing toner constituents including a resin, a colorant, a release agent, and a graft polymer including a polyolefin resin unit and a vinyl resin unit in a solvent, to prepare a toner constituent liquid; supplying the toner constituent liquid to a retention part configured to retain the toner constituent liquid; discharging the toner constituent liquid from the retention part to a granulation space through plural holes arranged on the retention part, while exciting the toner constituent liquid by a vibration means in contact with a part of the retention part, so that the discharged columnar toner constituent liquid is constricted to form liquid droplets; and converting the liquid droplets into solid toner particles; together with a toner manufactured by the above method.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus including a first-color developing unit configured to form a toner image on the photoconductive belt; and a second-color developing unit and successive developing units, at least the second-color and successive developing units each include an electrostatic developing unit including, an electrostatic toner conveying device including a plurality of electrodes, and a toner feeding device configured to feed the toner to the electrostatic toner conveying device, wherein voltages applied to the plurality of electrodes form a traveling-wave electric field for electrostatically transferring the toner, an electric field for causing the toner to electrostatically move toward the latent image formed on the photoconductive belt is formed, and toners not moved toward the latent image are directly conveyed to the toner feeding device by the electrostatic toner conveying device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a latent electrostatic image forming unit, a developing unit, an intermediate transferring unit which has an intermediate transfer belt and a plurality of rollers supporting the intermediate transfer belt, and a transfer fixing unit. The transfer fixing unit has a transfer fixing belt, a plurality of rollers supporting the transfer fixing belt, a heating member, and a pressurizing member forming a transfer fixing nip with the transfer fixing belt. A first roller, which is one of the plurality of rollers supporting the intermediate transferring belt, is opposite to a second roller, which is one of the plurality of rollers supporting the fixing transfer belt. The first roller and the second roller form a transfer nip between the intermediate transferring belt and the fixing transfer belt. The diameter of the first roller is smaller than the diameter of the second roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of color toner development devices, a recycled toner development device, at least one cleaning device, a toner collecting and supplying device, and an image pattern generation device. The plurality of color toner development devices store separate color toners, and the recycled toner development device stores recycled toner. The at least one cleaning device removes toner remaining on at least one image carrying member after a transfer operation. The toner collecting and supplying device stores and supplies the removed toner to the recycled toner development device. The image pattern generation device generates image patterns developed by the plurality of color toner development devices and the recycled toner development device based on a characteristic of developer and a color of the recycled toner stored in the recycled toner development device.

Abstract: A process includes developing toner images on a photoconductor, transferring to an intermediate transfer belt and a transferring-and-fixing roller. The toner images are transferred to and fixed to a paper simultaneously while the paper moves between the transferring-and-fixing roller and a pressure roller which is pressed against the transferring-and-fixing roller. After transfer process to the paper, residual toner particles remaining on the transferring-and-fixing roller are removed by a cleaning roller. In order to achieve a cleanability from the transferring-and-fixing roller and prevent the intermediate belt from becoming too high temperature, the elastic modulus of the toner particles measured when the toner particles are heated is greater than the elastic modulus of the toner particles when cooled in a temperature range where the glass transition temperature and 10° C. lower than the melting temperature of the toner particles.

Abstract: A transfer unit for use in an image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt, and a counter member. The transfer belt, having a given circumferential length, receives an un-fixed image, formed of an image developer, from an image carrier at a first nip, which is defined between the transfer belt and the image carrier. The counter member faces the transfer belt to form a second nip with the transfer belt. The un-fixed image is transferred from the transfer belt to a recording medium passing through the second nip. A slack portion is generated in the transfer belt, when a front edge of the recording medium passes through the second nip. The slack portion of the transfer belt being generated in a first portion of the transfer belt returning from the second nip to the first nip.

Abstract: An image transfer device provided in an image forming apparatus in which, employing an endless belt as an intermediate transfer member, image transfer is performed at nip positions of a primary transfer portion and secondary transfer portion. Generation of warp in the transferred image resulting from transmission of fluctuations in load and torque of the endless belt generated at the nip position of one transfer portion nip to the nip position of the other transfer portion is prevented. The endless belt is turned between rollers and the endless belt is individually driven at the primary transfer portion and secondary transfer portion by drive sources to generate deflection between the primary transfer portion and the secondary transfer portion.

Abstract: A developing device configured to form toner cloud without making toner particles adhere to the electrostatic transport substrate having electrodes. By applying periodical voltages to electrodes, electrically charged toner particles float on the electrostatic transport substrate. Also, a rotatable toner transporter designed to carry toner particles floating on the electrostatic transport substrate. Also, a two-component developer bearer including a sleeve with magnets on which the two-component developer is borne. The two-component developer borne on the sleeve is sent to the toner transporter by rotation of the sleeve. There, toner particles are transported to the toner transporter because of the electric bias applied between the two-component developer bearer and the toner transporter. Toner particles electrically floating on the toner transporter are sent to the photoconductor for development.

Abstract: The present invention provides a developing apparatus and an image forming apparatus which are capable of outputting stable images with no surface staining and toner scattering even when an image forming process is repeated over a long time period, or even when image formation is performed after special use conditions in which little toner is consumed have continued over a long time period. An area in which a relationship of 0.6<Vlocal/Vaverage<0.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; an exposing unit that exposes the image carrier to light to form an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a developing unit that has at least a toner, and develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier as a toner image; a transfer unit that transfers the toner image onto a recording medium; a fixing unit that fixes the toner image transferred on the recording medium; an exposure-energy modulating unit that modulates exposure energy of the exposing unit; and a development-time detecting unit that detects operation time of the developing unit. The exposure-energy modulating unit modulates the exposure energy based on a result of detection by the development-time detecting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus equipped with an image bearing member, a latent electrostatic image forming unit which forms a latent electrostatic image on the image bearing member, a developing unit which develops the latent electrostatic image by using a toner to form a toner image, a transfer fixing member 13 which is roll shaped or belt shaped and bears the toner image T, a heating unit 15 which heats the toner image on the transfer fixing member; and a pressurizing member 14 which is roll shaped and forms a transfer fixing nip N with the transfer fixing member. And the toner image T on the transfer fixing member is transferred and fixed simultaneously to a recording medium P which passes through the transfer fixing nip to record an image on the recording medium.