Patents by Inventor Shinya Nakayama

Shinya Nakayama 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: 7172844
    Abstract: A toner for electrophotography contains a binder resin, a colorant and a releasing agent and has a viscosity, a storage modulus (G?) and a loss modulus (G?), in which the viscosity is 1×103 Pa·s or more and a loss tangent (tan ?) as the ratio of G? to G? is 0.4 or more at temperatures from 140° C. to 170° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Umemura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Hideki Sugiura, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Shinya Nakayama, Koichi Sakata, Tomoko Utsumi
  • Patent number: 7169525
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a toner which is excellent in shelf stability for a long term by producing the toner through controlling the dispersion condition of the wax around the toner surface and through improving, not only the off-set resistance of the toner for rendering the fixing properties of the toner advantageous, but also the blocking resistance of the toner, wherein the toner contains a binder resin, a colorant, and a wax, wherein the amount of the wax is 3% by mass to 21% by mass, and the amount of the wax which is present in the portion of the toner particle which is in the range of from the outermost surface to the depth of 0.3 ?m in the toner particle is in a specified range, and at least a part of the wax is present as plural individual wax dispersion particles involved in the toner particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Kazuhiko Umemura, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Shinya Nakayama, Tomoko Utsumi, Koichi Sakata
  • Patent number: 7163773
    Abstract: Spherical toners having excellent fusibility are disclosed. The toners are fusible at low temperatures and are excellent in preservability and therefore charge properties, flowability, and transferability do not deteriorate. The toners contain a colorant and a nitrogen-containing polyester resin, in which the concentration of nitrogen at the surface of toner particles is higher than the concentration of nitrogen of the entire particles. The ratio of the surface concentration to the overall concentration is from 1.2 to 10. Additionally, the nitrogen-containing resin is preferably a polyester resin modified by urea bonds. Also, it is preferred that the toner particles are substantially spherical having an average sphericity E of from 0.90 to 0.99.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Kazuhiko Umemura, Yasuo Asahina, Shinya Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20060240351
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a toner which has sufficiently high chargeability and less toner spent to a carrier or the like even when several tens of thousands of image sheets are output, is capable of keeping high-charge property and flowability without causing substantial background smear or toner fogging, excels in low-temperature fixing property and hot-offset property, and has a wide range of fixing temperature as well as to provide a developer, an image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, and an image forming method using the toner for developing electrostatic images. The toner of the present invention comprises a colorant, and a resin, and a fluoride compound, in which the fluoride compound exists on the surfaces of toner particles, and the atomic number ratio (F/C) of fluoride atoms to carbon atoms existing on the surfaces of the toner particles is 0.010 to 0.054.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Hisashi Nakajima, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Shinya Nakayama, Masayuki Ishii, Tomoko Utsumi, Koichi Sakata
  • Publication number: 20060204883
    Abstract: A toner which includes a toner material, wherein the toner satisfies the following formula: 0° C.??Tm?20° C. where ?Tm represents Tma (° C.)?Tmb (° C.), Tma (° C.) is ½ flown-out temperature of the toner by a capillary type flow tester, and Tmb (° C.) is ½ flown-out temperature of a melt kneaded mixture of the toner by the capillary type flow tester, and wherein Tma is from 130° C. to 200° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Shinya Nakayama, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Akihiro Kotsugai, Masayuki Ishii, Osamu Uchinokura, Hisashi Nakajima, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Tomoko Utsumi, Koichi Sakata, Hideki Sugiura, Shigeru Emoto, Junichi Awamura, Masami Tomita, Takahiro Honda, Shinichiro Yagi, Tomomi Suzuki, Hiroshi Yamada, Toshiki Nanya, Hiroto Higuchi, Fumihiro Sasaki, Naohito Shimota
  • Publication number: 20060068313
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a developer having a sharp charge amount distribution and bringing out high-quality image without substantially smearing a charging unit, developing units, a photoconductor, and an intermediate transferring member by the developer, namely, a developer capable of providing an appropriate image density and exhibiting extremely little background smear even when used over a long period of time and repeatedly used for a number of sheets of paper as well as to provide an image forming apparatus for electrophotography using the developer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Inventors: Shinya Nakayama, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hideki Sugiura, Hisashi Nakajima, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Tomoko Utsumi, Koichi Sakata, Akihiro Kotsugai, Osamu Uchinokura, Masayuki Ishii
  • Publication number: 20060063081
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a toner that can sustain favorable transferability and cleaning ability for prolonged periods; prevent photoconductor filming; exhibit no variation in image nonuniformity or external additive immersion induced by developer agitation at the time of use; excels in stability with flowability and charge stability over prolonged periods. Therefore, provided is the toner of which the quantity of aggregate of residual external additives found on the sieve of 635-mesh and 452 cm2 of mesh area, after 0.2 g of the toner on the sieve is blasted with air at a blow pressure of 0.2 MPa from 160 mm above the sieve while being air-suctioned at a suction force of 5 mmHg, and then air-suctioned at a suction force of 20 mmHg, is 4,500 or less and 5 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Tsuneyasu Nagatomo, Akihiro Kotsugai, Hiroshi Yamashita, Masayuki Ishii, Hiroto Higuchi, Osamu Uchinokura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Fumihiro Sasaki, Hisashi Nakajima, Hideki Sugiura, Yasuo Asahina, Shinya Nakayama, Koichi Sakata, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Takuya Saito, Sonoh Matsuoka
  • Publication number: 20060040194
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a toner which is excellent in shelf stability for a long term by producing the toner through controlling the dispersion condition of the wax around the toner surface and through improving, not only the off-set resistance of the toner for rendering the fixing properties of the toner advantageous, but also the blocking resistance of the toner, wherein the toner contains a binder resin, a colorant, and a wax, wherein the amount of the wax is 3% by mass to 21% by mass, and the amount of the wax which is present in the portion of the toner particle which is in the range of from the outermost surface to the depth of 0.3 ?m in the toner particle is in a specified range, and at least a part of the wax is present as plural individual wax dispersion particles involved in the toner particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Publication date: February 23, 2006
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Kazuhiko Umemura, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Shinya Nakayama, Tomoko Utsumi, Koichi Sakata
  • Publication number: 20050208411
    Abstract: A toner containing toner particles having a core-shell structure containing a binder resin, a colorant and a release agent. The toner particles are prepared by dissolving or dispersing at least one of the binder resin and a precursor thereof in an organic solvent or a polymeric monomer and reacting the resultant in an aqueous medium for reaction, wherein the toner satisfies the following relationship: ?Tm=Tm1?Tm2>10 ° C., wherein Tm1 represents half efflux temperature of the toner and Tm2 represents half efflux temperature of a toner which is prepared by melting and kneading the toner particles and wherein a content of the release agent existing close to the surface portion of the toner particles is from 7 to 30% by volume based on an entire portion close to the surface portion of the toner particles when the content is determined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Attenuated Total Reflection (FTIR-ATR) method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Shinya Nakayama, Fumihiro Sasaki, Satoshi Mochizuki, Akihiro Kotsugai, Yasuo Asahina, Osamu Uchinokura, Hisashi Nakajima, Sonoh Matsuoka, Takuya Saito, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Koichi Sakata
  • Publication number: 20050208408
    Abstract: A toner which is negatively charged to develop an electrostatic latent image is provided that contains a colorant; and a binder resin, wherein the toner has an acid value of from 5 to 20 mg KOH/g and an amine value of from 0.5 to 10 mg KOH/g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Osamu Uchinokura, Masami Tomita, Hisashi Nakajima, Shinya Nakayama, Koichi Sakata, Akihiro Kotsugai, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Yasuo Asahina, Hideki Sugiura, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Satoshi Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20050191575
    Abstract: A toner including toner particles including a binder resin, a colorant, and an inorganic particulate material present on a surface of the toner particles. The toner particles have a surface roughness (Ra) of from 1 to 30 nm, a standard deviation of the surface roughness of from 10 to 90 nm and include 1 to 20 convexities per 1 ?m, which have a height not less than 10 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Kazuhiko Umemura, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Shinya Nakayama, Koichi Sakata, Tomoko Utsumi
  • Patent number: 6934484
    Abstract: In a copier which is an image-forming apparatus comprising a photoconductor 1, a developing apparatus 4, transfer apparatus 5 which transfers a toner image formed on the photoconductor 1 to a transfer material by heat and pressure using a transfer roller 52, and a fixing apparatus which fixes the toner image transferred to the transfer material, on the transfer material, a heater 56, temperature detection apparatus 57 and temperature control apparatus are provided which controls the temperature to within a range of from the glass transition temperature (Tg) to the softening temperature (Tm) of the toner, and lower than the fixing temperature of the fixing apparatus 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Suzuki, Mitsuo Aoki, Hiroto Higuchi, Shinya Nakayama, Maiko Kondo, Bing Shu, Yasushi Koichi, Tadashi Kasai, Yutaka Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6924073
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, comprising a colorant, a releasing agent and a binder resin, wherein said binder resin comprises a first, non-linear resin, a second, linear resin, and a modified wax comprising a wax moiety and a vinyl polymer moiety having an ester group content of 8 to 30% by weight based on the weight of the vinyl polymer moiety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroto Higuchi, Mitsuo Aoki, Fumihiro Sasaki, Naohito Shimota, Kumi Hasegawa, Bing Shu, Maiko Kondo, Shinya Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20050089786
    Abstract: A toner including a binder resin; and a colorant, wherein a hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP)-soluble component satisfies the following relationship: 2,000?Mn?7,000 and 1.5?Mn/Mw?10 wherein Mn represents a number-average molecular weight and Mw represents a weight-average molecular weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Akihiro Kotsugai, Yasuo Asahina, Osamu Uchinokura, Hisashi Nakajima, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Shinya Nakayama, Kohichi Sakata, Tomoko Utsumi, Hitoshi Iwatsuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto
  • Publication number: 20050089787
    Abstract: An image forming method including: forming a toner image on a support using a toner including toner particles; and feeding the support bearing the toner image thereon through a nip between an endless toner heating member and a pressure roller to fix the toner image on the support, wherein the endless toner heating member is rotated while stretched by a fixing roller and a heat roller which includes a magnetic metal and which is heated by electromagnetic induction, and wherein the pressure roller presses the support to the endless toner heating member and the fixing roller at the nip, wherein the toner particles are prepared by a polymerizing method using a binder resin containing at least a modified polyester resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Osamu Uchinokura, Akihiro Kotsugai, Yasuo Asahina, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Shinya Nakayama, Kohichi Sakata, Tomoko Utsumi, Hisashi Nakajima, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20050026064
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image, includes: a colorant; and a binder resin. The toner has a particle including at least one pore having a diameter of 10 nm or over, and a porosity thereof is in a range from 0.01 to 0.60.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Akihiro Kotsugai, Shinya Nakayama, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Koichi Sakata, Tomoko Utsumi, Hisashi Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20040229143
    Abstract: A toner for electrophotography contains a binder resin, a colorant and a releasing agent and has a viscosity, a storage modulus (G′) and a loss modulus (G″), in which the viscosity is 1×103 Pa.s or more and a loss tangent (tan &dgr;) as the ratio of G′ to G″ is 0.4 or more at temperatures from 140° C. to 170° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Umemura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Hideki Sugiura, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Shinya Nakayama, Koichi Sakata, Tomoko Utsumi
  • Publication number: 20040115550
    Abstract: Spherical toners having excellent fusibility are disclosed. The toners are fusible at low temperatures and are excellent in preservability and therefore charge properties, flowability, and transferability do not deteriorate. The toners contain a colorant and a nitrogen-containing polyester resin, in which the concentration of nitrogen at the surface of toner particles is higher than the concentration of nitrogen of the entire particles. The ratio of the surface concentration to the overall concentration is from 1.2 to 10. Additionally, the nitrogen-containing resin is preferably a polyester resin modified by urea bonds. Also, it is preferred that the toner particles are substantially spherical having an average spherity E of from 0.90 to 0.99.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Kazuhiko Umemura, Yasuo Asahina, Shinya Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20040076443
    Abstract: In a copier which is an image-forming apparatus comprising a photoconductor 1, a developing apparatus 4, transfer apparatus 5 which transfers a toner image formed on the photoconductor 1 to a transfer material by heat and pressure using a transfer roller 52, and a fixing apparatus which fixes the toner image transferred to the transfer material, on the transfer material, a heater 56, temperature detection apparatus 57 and temperature control apparatus are provided which controls the temperature to within a range of from the glass transition temperature (Tg) to the softening temperature (Tm) of the toner, and lower than the fixing temperature of the fixing apparatus 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Koji Suzuki, Mitsuo Aoki, Hiroto Higuchi, Shinya Nakayama, Maiko Kondo, Bing Shu, Yasushi Koichi, Tadashi Kasai, Yutaka Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20040072091
    Abstract: A developer, which includes a base toner containing at least a binding resin and a coloring agent; and inorganic fine particles; wherein the base toner satisfies 105≦SF-1≦130 and 120≦SF-2≦180, wherein SF-1=((absolute maximum length of a particle of the base toner)2/area of the particle of the base toner)×(&pgr;/4)×100, wherein SF-2=(peripheral length of the particle of the base toner)2/(area of the base toner)×(¼&pgr;)×100, wherein the inorganic fine particles have an average particle diameter that ranges between 30 nm to 160 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Satoshi Mochizuki, Hideki Sugiura, Shinya Nakayama, Kazuhiko Umemura, Yasuo Asahina