Patents by Inventor Tomoko Mine

Tomoko Mine 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: 11106149
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming method using an electrophotographic photoreceptor provided with a photosensitive layer and a protective layer in this order on a conductive support, and a toner, and the image forming method containing a charging step, an exposure step, a development step, a transfer step, a fixing step, and a cleaning step, wherein the protective layer contains at least a cured resin obtained by curing a polymerizable compound; the toner contains 50% by number or more of toner particles having a shape factor calculated by the equation (1) in the range of 1.2 to 1.6, and a variation coefficient of the shape factor is 16% or less; and the toner contains alumina particles having a number average particle diameter in the range of 5 to 60 nm and silica particles having a number average particle diameter in the range of 80 to 200 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoko Mine, Michiyo Fujita, Ryuichi Hiramoto, Kaori Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20210033994
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming method for arranging powder particles on a resin image layer, wherein the powder particles are non-spherical powder particles; the image forming method containing the step of adjusting an orientation of the powder particles disposed on the resin image layer; and hd1 and hd2 are adjusted so as to satisfy a relation expressed by the following Equation (1), Equation (1): hd1<hd2, wherein hd1 and hd2 each are respectively a half-value width of a reflected light distributions before and after the step of adjusting the orientation of the powder particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Michiyo FUJITA, Ryuichi HIRAMOTO, Kaori MATSUSHIMA, Tomoko MINE
  • Publication number: 20200285162
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming method using an electrophotographic photoreceptor provided with a photosensitive layer and a protective layer in this order on a conductive support, and a toner, and the image forming method containing a charging step, an exposure step, a development step, a transfer step, a fixing step, and a cleaning step, wherein the protective layer contains at least a cured resin obtained by curing a polymerizable compound; the toner contains 50% by number or more of toner particles having a shape factor calculated by the equation (1) in the range of 1.2 to 1.6, and a variation coefficient of the shape factor is 16% or less; and the toner contains alumina particles having a number average particle diameter in the range of 5 to 60 nm and silica particles having a number average particle diameter in the range of 80 to 200 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Tomoko MINE, Michiyo FUJITA, Ryuichi HIRAMOTO, Kaori MATSUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20200285166
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image includes toner base particles containing a binder resin and an inorganic pigment, and an external additive, wherein the external additive contains alumina particles, and the number average particle size of primary particles of the alumina particles is in the range of 5 nm to 60 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Masaharu MATSUBARA, Ikuko SAKURADA, Tomoko MINE, Kazuhiko NAKAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20200174387
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming method including the step of: supplying powder particles to a resin image layer formed on a recording medium to adhere the powder particles to the resin image layer, wherein 80% or more of the powder particles out of the total number of the powder particles adhered to a surface and an inside of the resin image layer are adhered so that at least a part of each powder particle is exposed from the resin image layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Ryuichi Hiramoto, Michiyo Fujita, Tomoko Mine, Kaori Matsushima
  • Patent number: 10635021
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming method for forming a decorated image having a resin layer and a powder contacted with each other, the method including: forming a resin layer on a recording medium; and supplying a powder onto the recording medium, in which the recording medium has a surface with an arithmetic mean height Sa of 1.000 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Michiyo Fujita, Ryuichi Hiramoto, Tomoko Mine, Kaori Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20200125004
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming method for forming a decorated image having a resin layer and a powder contacted with each other, the method including: forming a resin layer on a recording medium; and supplying a powder onto the recording medium, in which the recording medium has a surface with an arithmetic mean height Sa of 1.000 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Michiyo FUJITA, Ryuichi Hiramoto, Tomoko Mine, Kaori Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20200125012
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming method for forming a decorated image, including: softening a resin layer contained in a resin image including a recording medium having a surface with an arithmetic mean height Sa less than 1.000 and the resin layer formed on the recording medium; and supplying a powder onto a surface of the resin layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Michiyo FUJITA, Ryuichi Hiramoto, Tomoko Mine, Kaori Matsushima
  • Patent number: 10591830
    Abstract: In an image forming method, a black toner and a color toner other than the black toner are used. The black toner and the color toner each include a binder resin including a polyester resin as a main component and a vinyl resin, a releasing agent, and an external additive. A content Vk % by mass of the vinyl resin relative to total mass of the binder resin included in the black toner, a content Vc % by mass of the vinyl resin relative to total mass of the binder resin included in the color toner, a content Wk % by mass of the releasing agent relative to the total mass of the binder resin included in the black toner, and a content Wc % by mass of the releasing agent relative to the total mass of the binder resin included in the color toner satisfy a specific relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kaori Matsushima, Tomoko Mine, Hitomi Motani
  • Patent number: 10539897
    Abstract: An image forming method uses a color toner including a yellow toner, a magenta toner, a cyan toner, and a black toner. The image forming method includes a toner image forming step of forming a toner image by developing the color toner on an electrostatic latent image formed by charging and exposing a surface of an electrostatic latent image bearing member, a transfer step of transferring the toner image onto a recording medium to form a color toner image, and a fixing step of fixing the color toner image on the recording medium. Each toner contain at least a binder resin, a coloring agent, a release agent, and a layered silicate compound. The volume average particle diameter of each toner is 4 to 6 ?m. The content of the aluminum element in each toner represented by the Net intensity by WDXRF analysis has a specific relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hitomi Motani, Tomoko Mine, Kaori Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20190137899
    Abstract: An image forming method uses a color toner including a yellow toner, a magenta toner, a cyan toner, and a black toner. The image forming method includes a toner image forming step of forming a toner image by developing the color toner on an electrostatic latent image formed by charging and exposing a surface of an electrostatic latent image bearing member, a transfer step of transferring the toner image onto a recording medium to form a color toner image, and a fixing step of fixing the color toner image on the recording medium. Each toner contain at least a binder resin, a coloring agent, a release agent, and a layered silicate compound. The volume average particle diameter of each toner is 4 to 6 ?m. The content of the aluminum element in each toner represented by the Net intensity by WDXRF analysis has a specific relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Hitomi MOTANI, Tomoko MINE, Kaori MATSUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20190094732
    Abstract: In an image forming method, a black toner and a color toner other than the black toner are used. The black toner and the color toner each include a binder resin including a polyester resin as a main component and a vinyl resin, a releasing agent, and an external additive. A content Vk % by mass of the vinyl resin relative to total mass of the binder resin included in the black toner, a content Vc % by mass of the vinyl resin relative to total mass of the binder resin included in the color toner, a content Wk % by mass of the releasing agent relative to the total mass of the binder resin included in the black toner, and a content Wc % by mass of the releasing agent relative to the total mass of the binder resin included in the color toner satisfy a specific relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Kaori MATSUSHIMA, Tomoko MINE, Hitomi MOTANI
  • Patent number: 9927729
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, the toner includes, a toner parent particle containing a binder resin, the binder resin including a crystalline resin and a hybrid resin, the hybrid resin having a main chain and a side chain, either one of or both of the main chain and the side chain including a unit derived from a crystal nucleating agent, and the crystal nucleating agent being one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of arachidyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, 1-tetracosanol, 1-hexacosanol, octacosanol, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, and lignoceric acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoko Mine, Kaori Matsushima
  • Patent number: 9772571
    Abstract: An electrostatic image developing toner includes: a binder resin containing a crystalline polyester resin and an amorphous resin, wherein when, in differential scanning calorimetry of the toner according to ASTM D3418-8, a temperature of an endothermic peak derived from the crystalline polyester resin in a first heating process is defined as Tm1 (° C.), an endothermic quantity based on the endothermic peak in the first heating process is defined as ?H1 (J/g), an endothermic quantity based on the endothermic peak in a second heating process is defined as ?H2 (J/g), and a softening temperature is defined as Tf1/2 (° C.), Tm1 is 60 to 80° C., Tf1/2 is 95 to 125° C., and ?H1 and ?H2 satisfy the relationship represented by the following Formula (1) and (2): [Math. 1] 0.65??H2/?H1?0.95??(1) 205?(1.4×Tm1)<Tf1/2?220?(1.4×Tm1)??(2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kaori Matsushima, Tomoko Mine, Tomomi Oshiba
  • Patent number: 9703222
    Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing toner includes toner base particles including a binder resin and a nucleating agent, wherein the binder resin includes a hybrid crystalline resin having a structure in which a crystalline polyester resin unit and an amorphous resin unit are chemically bonded to each other, and the nucleating agent is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of arachidyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, 1-tetracosanol, 1-hexacosanol, octacosanol, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, and lignoceric acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoko Mine, Kaori Matsushima
  • Patent number: 9696645
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a toner for electrostatic charge image development containing a binder resin, wherein the binder resin contains a hybrid crystalline polyester resin in which a crystalline polyester resin segment and a segment of an amorphous resin other than a polyester resin are chemically bonded, and an amorphous resin, the hybrid crystalline polyester resin and the amorphous resin having a specific phase-separated structure; and the hybrid crystalline polyester resin is a graft-copolymer having a specific structure, the toner having the specific thermal properties. According to the present invention, a means capable of providing an excellent low temperature fixability even to uneven media, and of improving both of image storability and heat-resistant can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoko Mine, Kaori Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20170010551
    Abstract: An electrostatic image developing toner includes: a binder resin containing a crystalline polyester resin and an amorphous resin, wherein when, in differential scanning calorimetry of the toner according to ASTM D3418-8, a temperature of an endothermic peak derived from the crystalline polyester resin in a first heating process is defined as Tm1 (° C.), an endothermic quantity based on the endothermic peak in the first heating process is defined as ?H1 (J/g), an endothermic quantity based on the endothermic peak in a second heating process is defined as ?H2 (J/g), and a softening temperature is defined as Tf1/2 (° C.), Tm1 is 60 to 80° C., Tf1/2 is 95 to 125° C., and ?H1 and ?H2 satisfy the relationship represented by the following Formulae (1) and (2): [Math. 1] 0.65??H2/?H1?0.95??(1) 205?(1.4×Tm1)<Tf1/2?220?(1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Kaori MATSUSHIMA, Tomoko Mine, Tomomi Oshiba
  • Publication number: 20160357123
    Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing toner includes toner base particles including a binder resin and a nucleating agent, wherein the binder resin includes a hybrid crystalline resin having a structure in which a crystalline polyester resin unit and an amorphous resin unit are chemically bonded to each other, and the nucleating agent is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of arachidyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, 1-tetracosanol, 1-hexacosanol, octacosanol, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, and lignoceric acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Tomoko MINE, Kaori MATSUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20160306286
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, the toner includes, a toner parent particle containing a binder resin, the binder resin including a crystalline resin and a hybrid resin, the hybrid resin having a main chain and a side chain, either one of or both of the main chain and the side chain including a unit derived from a crystal nucleating agent, and the crystal nucleating agent being one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of arachidyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, 1-tetracosanol, 1-hexacosanol, octacosanol, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, and lignoceric acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Tomoko MINE, Kaori MATSUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20160259258
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a toner for electrostatic charge image development containing a binder resin, wherein the binder resin contains a hybrid crystalline polyester resin in which a crystalline polyester resin segment and a segment of an amorphous resin other than a polyester resin are chemically bonded, and an amorphous resin, the hybrid crystalline polyester resin and the amorphous resin having a specific phase-separated structure; and the hybrid crystalline polyester resin is a graft-copolymer having a specific structure, the toner having the specific thermal properties. According to the present invention, a means capable of providing an excellent low temperature fixability even to uneven media, and of improving both of image storability and heat-resistant can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Tomoko MINE, Kaori MATSUSHIMA