Abstract: An example image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form a toner image on a print medium by using an electrophotographic method, a fixing unit to fix the toner image to the print medium by heat and pressure, a photo finishing unit to apply heat and pressure to the print medium after fixing and to cool the print medium, and a clear toner application unit located on an upstream side of the photo finishing unit with respect to a transporting direction of the print medium to apply 0.3 mg/cm2 or more of a clear toner to the print medium.

Abstract: A charging member 2 that charges an image bearing member 1 has an electrically conductive support and an elastic layer in contact with the image bearing member 1. The elastic layer includes a semi-conductive rubber composition having a matrix-domain structure including a matrix and domains having electric conductivity. The matrix has a higher volume resistivity than the domain. The developer includes a toner having toner particles. The toner particles each have a surface layer including an organosilicon polymer. The organosilicon polymer has a structure represented by R—SiO3/2 (R is a hydrocarbon group having at least 1 and not more than 6 carbon atoms). The adhesion ratio of the organosilicon polymer on the surface of the toner particle is 90% or more.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image former; and a hardware processor which detects a density of an image formed by the image former, controls the image former to continuously perform image formation on a predetermined number of sheets and thereafter form a plurality of types of halftone test images on a sheet, determines whether an image defect is generated and determines a factor causing the image defect by analyzing densities of the plurality of types of test images, executes a recovery mode which is set for each of the factor when the image defect is determined to be generated, and controls the image former to form a charged test image which is formed by the charger charging the surface of the image carrier and an uncharged test image which is formed without charging of the surface of the image carrier by the charger.

Abstract: A method of forming an image including an electrophotographic photoreceptor and a toner, wherein a photosensitive layer in the electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an undercoat layer including metal oxide particles, a charge generation layer including hydroxygallium phthalocyanine, and a charge transport layer, and the toner contains toner matrix particles formed in an aqueous medium; the toner has a volume median diameter (Dv50) of from 4.0 ?m to 7.0 ?m; and the relationship between the volume median diameter (Dv50) and the percentage in number (Dns) of toner particles having a particle diameter of from 2.00 ?m to 3.56 ?m satisfies—0.0517EXP(22.4/Dv50)?Dns?0.233EXP(17.3/Dv50) where Dv50 is the volume median diameter (?m) of the toner, and Dns is the percentage in number of toner particles having a particle diameter of from 2.00 ?m to 3.56 ?m.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles that contain a colorant, a binder resin and a release agent, and an external additive, in which the external additive contains inorganic particles including an aliphatic alcohol having 5 or more carbon atoms and a melting point of 20° C. or lower on the surfaces thereof.

Abstract: An electrostatic image developing toner of the exemplary embodiment of the invention contains an amorphous first polyester resin of a polycondenzation product of at least a carboxylic acid component and an alcohol component containing rosin, and a second polyester resin having the difference (absolute value) in parameter of solubility relative to the first polyester resin of from about 0.3 (cal/cm3)1/2 to about 3 (cal/cm3)1/2.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing toner including toner particles containing a colorant, a binder resin and a release agent; and an external additive, in which the external additive contains inorganic particles having hydrocarbon oil that contains a saturated hydrocarbon having a ring structure on the surfaces thereof.

Abstract: The present teachings describe an apparatus for mixing developer. The apparatus includes a first loader for dispensing a predetermined amount of toner particles into a container and a second loader for dispensing a predetermined amount and carrier particles in the container. A sealer seals the container. An acoustic mixer is provided for mixing the container, toner particles and carrier particles at a resonant frequency. A method of mixing developer is disclosed.

Abstract: A transparent toner includes toner particles having a volume average particle diameter in the range of 18 ?m to 28 ?m, and satisfying formulae (1) and (2): 0.1?Ntb/Nta×100?2.5??(1) 0?Ntc/Nta×100?1.0??(2) Nta is the number of particles under the measurement conditions satisfying 0.5 ?m?circle-equivalent diameter?200 ?m, and 0.40?circularity?1.00; Ntb is the number of particles under the measurement conditions satisfying 0.5×Dta (?m)?circle-equivalent diameter?2.5×Dta (?m), and 0.60?circularity?0.90; and Ntc is the number of particles under the measurement conditions satisfying 2.5×Dta (?m)?circle-equivalent diameter?200 ?m, and 0.40?circularity?1.00; Dta is the average circle-equivalent diameter under the measurement conditions satisfying 0.5?m?circle-equivalent diameter?200 ?m, and 0.40?circularity?1.00.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus including an electrophotographic photoreceptor of which photosensitive layer contains oxytitanium phthalocyanine showing main diffraction peaks at Bragg angles (2?) of 9.0° and 27.2° and at least one main diffraction peak in the range of 9.3° to 9.8° to CuK? rays, and the toner satisfies all the following requirements (1) to (3): (1) the volume median diameter (Dv50) is 4.0 ?m or more and 7.0 ?m or less, (2) the average sphericity is 0.93 or more, and (3) the relation between the volume median diameter (Dv50) and the content (% by number: Dns) of toner particles of 2.00 ?m or more and 3.56 ?m or less satisfies Dns?0.233EXP(17.3/Dv50).

Abstract: A toner comprising toner particles having at least one type of surface additive, the toner particles having an FPIA average circularity of at least 0.95, whereby at least 80% wt of the total amount of surface additives stays onto the surface of the toner particles when an ultrasonic treatment of 4500 to 4700 J/gram of toner is applied; a substrate printed or marked with the above-described toner; and a method for manufacturing a toner, said method including the steps of: mixing a binder resin, a colorant and optionally other additives, thereby forming a mixture, melting, kneading and milling said mixture, thereby obtaining a melted kneaded product, pulverizing said melted kneaded product, adding at least one surface additive before or while bringing the FPIA average circularity of said toner particles to 0.

Abstract: An image-forming method includes forming an electrostatic image on an electrostatic image bearing member which has been charged; developing the electrostatic image to form a toner image; transferring the toner image on the electrostatic image bearing member with or without mediating an intermediate transferring member onto a transfer material; and fixing the toner image on the transfer material. The electrostatic image bearing member is a photosensitive member obtained by sequentially laminating a photoconductive layer and a surface layer formed of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide, and a sum of an atomic density of silicon atoms and an atomic density of carbon atoms in the surface layer of the photosensitive member is 6.60×1022 atoms/cm3 or more. The toner has a binder resin and magnetic iron oxide particles, and the magnetic iron oxide particles contain Fe(2+) at a content of 20.0 mass % or more and 25.0 mass % or less.

Abstract: A method of forming an image on a substrate with an electrophotographic photoreceptor and a toner, a photosensitive layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains a resin having a structural unit represented by the following formula (A) the toner containing toner matrix particles formed in an aqueous medium; the toner has a volume median diameter (Dv50) of from 4.0 ?m to 7.0 ?m; and the relationship between the volume median diameter (Dv50) and the percentage in number (Dns) of toner particles having a particle diameter of from 2.00 ?m to 3.56 ?m satisfies following formula (1) Dns?0.233EXP(17.3/Dv50)??(1).

Abstract: Printed products, printing methods and methods for verifying authenticity of a printed product are provided. In one aspect, the printed product has a receiver and an image formed thereon by an electrophotographic process using toner particles, said image having at least one raised portion, wherein at least parts of said raised portion of said image comprise phosphorescent or fluorescent toner particles.

Abstract: The toner includes a binder resin; a release agent; a colorant; and a dispersing resin configured to disperse the release agent. The dispersing resin includes a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid unit obtained from an optically active monomer. The polyhydroxycarboxylic acid unit has an optical purity of not greater than 80%, wherein the optical purity is defined as the absolute value of difference between the mole percentage of a L-monomer in the optically active monomer and the mole percentage of a D-monomer in the optically active monomer.

Abstract: Provided is a method for forming an image containing the steps of: supplying a clear toner on a surface of an image forming support; heating the supplied clear toner on the surface of the image forming support to melt; close contacting the surface of the image forming support supplied with the clear toner with a belt; and cooling the clear toner in a state of close contacting with the belt so as to form a clear toner layer on the image forming support, wherein the aforesaid clear toner contains at least a resin formed with a polymerizable monomer represented by Formula (1) and a vinyl monomer, Formula (1): H2?CR1—COOR2, wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and R2 represents a chain alkyl group having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, or a cyclic alkyl group.

Abstract: A toner for developing electrostatic latent images, including a binder resin; a colorant; and a release agent, wherein the toner has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of from 55 to 75° C., a melting point (T1/2) of from 95 to 125° C. as measured by a flow tester in a ½ method, and ?Ts of from 1 to 5° C., and wherein ?Ts is defined by the following formula: ?Ts=Ts?T(Ls/2) wherein Ts is a softening point of the toner; T(Ls/2) is a temperature when a stroke is Ls/2; and Ls is a stroke (mm) at Ts.

Abstract: Disclosed is a full-color image forming method by which an image exhibiting comfortable image quality reliably suitable for a human visual system can be obtained in such a way that a halftone image exhibiting excellent granularity and evenness thereof is acquired.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including at least an image bearer; a charger charging the image bearer; an irradiator irradiating the image bearer to form an electrostatic latent image thereon; an image developer developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer comprising a toner and a carrier to form a toner image on the image bearer; a developer feeder feeding a supplemental developer including the toner and the carrier into the image developer; and a developer collector collecting the developer in the image developer, wherein the developer feeder includes a cylindrical supplemental developer container containing the supplemental developer, including a spiral developer guide race on the inner circumferential surface thereof; and a sub-hopper configured to store the supplemental developer, and wherein the carrier includes a core material; and a layer coated on the core material, including a binder resin and non-black or a non-color inorganic particulate material.

Abstract: A polymer is provided in which a sulfonic group or a derivative thereof is introduced. The polymer includes a unit represented by the following chemical formula (1): wherein R represents -A1-SO2R1; A1 is selected from an alkylene group, a heterocyclic ring, an aromatic ring; and —SO2R1 is a sulfonic group or of a derivative of a sulfonic acid.

Abstract: An image forming method and image forming apparatus based on the application thereof wherein comet-like deposits do not appear on the surface of the photoreceptor even after prolonged use of small-diameter toner, and there is no dropout or damage on the photoreceptor surface in the image forming process using an intermediate transfer member. This image forming method contains a process wherein the toner developed on an electrophotographic photoreceptor is transferred onto an intermediate transfer member, and the toner contains at least a metallic oxide and metallic soap added as external additive agents, and the protective layer contains a resin component obtained by reaction of at least a curable compound, and alumina particles.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus at least containing an electrophotographic photoconductor, a latent electrostatic image forming unit, a developing unit, a transferring unit, and a fixing unit, wherein a glass transition temperature of an outermost layer of the electrophotographic photoconductor is 100° C. or more, wherein the toner is obtained by dissolving and/or dispersing the toner material containing at least an active hydrogen group-containing compound and a polymer reactive with the active hydrogen group-containing compound in an organic solvent to form a solution and/or a dispersion, emulsifying and/or dispersing the solution and/or the dispersion in an aqueous medium containing resin fine particles, allowing the active hydrogen group-containing compound and the polymer reactive with the active hydrogen group-containing compound to react in the aqueous medium, and removing the organic solvent, wherein a glass transition temperature of the resin fine particles is 65° C. to 85° C.

Abstract: A process for forming a full-color image, wherein the 4 color toners each have an apparent viscosity at 105° C. of 50,000 to 300,000 Pa·s and an apparent viscosity at 130° C. of 3,000 to 30,000 Pa·s, and as a color toner arranged at the outermost layer on a transfer medium among the 4 color toners, a toner, in which a maximum peak or a shoulder peak is present between 105° C. and 130° C. in a temperature-logarithmic melt viscosity graph, is used, and as the other color toners arranged at lower layers than the outermost layer, toners, in which neither the maximum peak nor the shoulder peak is present between 105° C. and 130° C., are used.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide an image forming apparatus capable of producing high-quality images for a long period of time wherein the consumption of the opposite polarity particles is reduced, and a reduction in the amount of toner charge resulting from carrier deterioration is minimized, even if a great number of images having a low image area ratio were printed. This image forming apparatus is characterized in that the surface of an image carrying member, which is placed face to face with a toner carrying member, and on which an electrostatic latent image to be developed with the toner supported on the toner carrying member is formed, has an contact angle of 95 degrees or more with respect to pure water.

Abstract: A toner includes a polyol-based resin having multiple hydroxyl groups in a molecular chain thereof in which a ratio of epoxy group to hydroxyl group is from 0.990 to 1.010. A stirring and transfer device satisfies 1000000??×?×??16000000, wherein ? represents a number of rotation per minute, ? (mm) represents a pitch and ? (mm) represents a transfer path length of the stirring and transfer device. A temperature Tin (° C.) in a development device during stirring and transfer of a two component developing agent satisfies 3020 C.<Tin<60° C., and the toner satisfies Y??0.5X+45, 5?X<40, 5?Y?35, wherein X (%) represents a degree of agglomeration of a mother toner particle and Y (%) represents a degree of agglomeration of the toner which has been preserved at 55° C. for 24 hours.

Abstract: A positive electrified charge control agent comprising a silicon complex compound of an effective component represented by the following chemical formula (I) and/or chemical formula (II) (in the formula (I) and formula (II), [D-(SO3)2]2? is a bivalent anion of an organic acid having at least two sulfonic acid groups, p is 0 or 1, B is a bonding line when p is 0, B is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom when p is 1, J is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom, A is an organic group which forms a ring with (B)p and J, both of R are same or different to each other and are an organic group, and these both of R are independent or form a heterocyclic ring). A positive electrified toner for developing an electrostatic image comprises the positive electrified charge control agent. A charge control method of the positive electrified toner for developing the electrostatic image comprises a step for making the toner positively electrified by friction.

Abstract: A method to form an image using a trickle developing system, wherein (a) the toner comprises colorant particles with a volume median diameter of 3 to 8 ?m having first inorganic particles on surfaces of the colorant particles to form toner particles; (b) the carrier comprises magnetic particles with a weight average particle diameter (D4) of 20 to 40 ?m having second inorganic particles on surfaces of the magnetic particles to form carrier particles; and (c) an area ratio of element (A) based on a total area of surfaces of the carrier particles is 0.5 to 3.0 area % determined by using an X-ray analysis, provided that element (A) represents one or more elements commonly contained in the first inorganic particles and in the second inorganic particles.

Abstract: A method of forming an image comprising: (a) developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photoreceptor with an electrophotographic toner so as to obtain a toner image; (b) transferring the toner image on the electrophotographic photoreceptor to a recording paper; and (c) fixing the transferred toner image with a fixing device comprising a belt fixing member having an endless belt, wherein the electrophotographic toner comprises a polymer having a glass transition point of 20 to 40° C.; an interfacial adhesion force (Fr) between the electrophotographic toner and poly(tetrafluoroethylene) is 1 to 3.5 N; and the fixing device comprises a heating roller which is provided at a position apart from a fixing nip area.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is provided which can suppress a fluctuation in image density in a discontinuous printing mode provided with a pause period. The developing apparatus includes a developer for developing an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum, a developer bearing member for carrying and conveying the developer and a developer layer thickness-regulating unit placed close to the developer bearing member for regulating the amount of the developer carried and conveyed by the developer bearing member, the developer layer thickness-regulating unit being. As the developer, a negatively chargeable, one-component, magnetic toner is used having magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic iron oxide particle, and has a specific saturation magnetization, specific weight-average particle diameter and specific composition.

Abstract: A positively chargeable developer is provided which is capable of providing stable image quality without causing any image defect even in long-term use. The developer includes at least positively chargeable toner particles each containing at least a binder resin and magnetic iron oxide, silica and an inorganic fine powder. A unconfined yield strength at a major consolidation stress of 5 kPa of the developer is in the range of 0.1 to 2.5 kPa, and a unconfined yield strength at a major consolidation stress of 20 kPa of the developer is in the range of 2.5 to 5.5 kPa.

Abstract: Disclosed is a resin particle having a volume average particle diameter of 10 nm to 500 nm, obtained by polymerizing an addition polymerizable monomer containing a silsesquioxane (a) represented by Formula (I) or by copolymerizing the silsesquioxane (a) with an addition polymerizable monomer (b), where R1 to R7 each independently represent a group selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl having 1 to 40 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, and substituted or unsubstituted arylalkyl; any hydrogen in the alkyl group is optionally substituted by fluorine and any —CH2— is optionally substituted by —O—, —CH?CH—, cycloalkylene or cycloalkenylene; any hydrogen in alkylene in the arylalkyl group is optionally substituted by fluorine and any —CH2— is optionally substituted by —O— or —CH?CH—; and A1 represents an addition polymerizable functional group.

Abstract: A toner having at least one binder, at least one colorant and external additives. The external additives include at least one fluoropolymer. An electrophotographic image forming machine and method includes the toner with at least one fluoropolymer.

Abstract: An image-fixing method contains: passing a recording medium bearing an image through a nip between two or more fixing members to fix the image onto the recording medium; and ejecting the recording medium along with the fixing member contacting with a non-image-bearing surface of the recording medium, wherein the fixing member contacting with an image-bearing surface of the recording medium has a lower surface hardness than that of the fixing member contacting with the non-image-bearing surface, the image is comprised of a toner containing toner particles, each toner particle contains wax having an aliphatic hydrocarbon chain, and polyester resin having an aromatic ring, a total amount of the wax in the toner particle is 1 to 20 mass %, determined by DSC, an amount of the wax located in the specific region of the toner particle is 0.05 to 0.40 that is an intensity ratio (P2850/P828) determined by FTIR-ATR, and the wax is partially or entirely encapsulated in the toner particle as dispersed particles.

Abstract: An organic photoreceptor, comprising a conductive support, an intermediate layer provided on the conductive support, having a thickness of 6 to 25 ?m and containing inorganic particles having a number average primary particle diameter of 5 to 200 ?m; and a photosensitive layer provided on the intermediate layer and having a thickness of 8 to 18 ?m, wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is larger than that of the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming method is disclosed, which includes the steps of developing an electrostatic image on a electrophotographic photoreceptor by a developer, transferring a toner image formed by the development, and fixing the toner image on a recording medium. It is disclosed that a toner has a volume particle diameter (Dv50) of about 4.4 to about 5.8 ?m and displays two or more endothermic peaks measured by DSC being within the rang of from about 50 to about 73° C. and the endothermic heat amount thereof is from 12.6 to 24.5 J/mg and a transferring member and/or a fixing member constituted by a belt containing a polyimide resin are employed in the method.

Abstract: An image forming method comprising steps of forming a toner image by developing by a toner a latent image on a photoreceptor comprised of a layer formed on a substrate, transferring the toner image onto a recording medium on which the toner image is recorded and fixing, wherein the average circular degree of the toner is not less than 0.94, and the toner contains a wax comprising an ester of a carboxylic acid having carbon atoms of not less than 16 or an ester of an alcohol having carbon atoms of not less than 16, and the layer is a layer to be contacted to the toner in the developing step and contains an inorganic fine particles having a number average of primary particle diameter of approximately not less than 1 nm and less than 100 nm.

Abstract: There are described an image forming method and apparatus, which enable to form an electrophotographic image having high image density and excellent color reproducibility. The method includes: applying a uniform surface potential to an organic photoreceptor; irradiating light, having a wavelength in a range of 350-500 nm, on the photoreceptor, to form a latent image on the photoreceptor; and contacting a developing blush, containing toner and carrier, with the organic photoreceptor so as to form a visible toner image. The developing sleeve bears developing agent including the toner and the carrier. An absolute value of an electric charge potential of non-exposed area on the organic photoreceptor is in a range of 250-450 Volts and the developing sleeve is rotated in a counter direction, being counter to a rotating direction of the organic photoreceptor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and process cartridge that achieves extended operating life of a two-component developer without generating such problems as toner scattering, etc. either in the initial period or over time. The gap between the image support member and the developer support member is set to 0.3±0.1 mm. A substance having a resin cover layer on the surface of a core material is used as the carrier. The resin cover layer provides a conductive covering layer having a tin dioxide layer on the surface of base particles and an indium oxide layer, and contains conductive particles formed such that the oil adsorption is 10 to 300 mL/100 g. A substance that provides a bonding resin including a hybrid resin having vinyl polymers and polyester polymers is used as the toner. The amount of hybrid resin contained in relation to the amount of releasing agent is set to the range of 0.5 to 3.

Abstract: A carrier coating that may be used to coat carrier particles, including a specific additive that imparts the coating with superior storage stability and wherein the carrier coating includes an acrylic-based polymeric powder obtained from an emulsion of an acrylic-based polymer, a surfactant, a cationic initiator, and a conductive filler.