Abstract: The present invention provides a toner which, despite its spherical shape, makes it possible to prevent an external additive from being embedded in the toner easily or by a load generating low stress, reduce variation in image density, maintain cleaning ability and transfer ability throughout its long-term use and obtain excellent image quality, and further, provides a two-component developer, an image forming method and an image forming apparatus with the use of the toner. There is a toner including: base particles including a colorant and a resin, and hard fine particles, wherein the base particles and the hard fine particles are mixed together, and protruding portions formed of fine organic resin particles which are different in composition from a resin contained as a main component in the base particles are provided on surfaces of the base particles.

Abstract: A toner producing method is provided, which comprises preparing toner base particles in an aqueous medium, wherein the toner base particles comprise resin fine particles, and forming a coating layer on the surface of the toner base particles, wherein the coating layer is formed by attaching or coating a toner functional substance onto the surface of the toner base particles using at least one of supercritical fluids and sub-supercritical fluids.

Abstract: A toner for developing a latent electrostatic image produced by suspension polymerizing a polymerizable monomer composition in an aqueous dispersion medium, wherein the polymerizable monomer composition contains a polymerizable monomer, a colorant, and a layered inorganic mineral in which at least a part of an interlayer ion is replaced with an organic ion, and a process cartridge and an image forming method using the toner.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a recording medium is temporarily stopped at an upstream of a fixing unit when the recording medium needs to be stopped for a longer time between the fixing unit and a curved path.

Abstract: There is provided a toner which contains at least a binder resin, and filler including a layered inorganic compound, wherein the layered inorganic compound is cleaved to form particles in the toner, and the particles have a breadth of 0.5 nm to 4 nm, and a length of 10 nm to 90 nm.

Abstract: Objects of the present invention are to provide an image forming method and image forming apparatus which can secure stable toner transferability, prevent reverse transfer of the toner back to a latent image bearing member, have excellent fixing ability and produce high-quality images.

Abstract: An image formation method including charging an image bearing member; irradiating the surface of the image bearing member to form a latent electrostatic image thereon; developing the latent electrostatic image with a two component developing agent including a carrier and a toner including a mother toner particle and an external additive by a development device including a stirring and transfer device for transferring and stirring the developing agent; transferring the developed image to a transfer medium; and fixing the developed image on the transfer medium, wherein the toner includes a polyol-based resin as a binder resin, the polyol based resin having multiple hydroxyl groups in a molecular chain thereof in which the ratio (EX/OH) of epoxy group (EX) to hydroxyl group (OH) is from 0.990 to 1.010, the stirring and transfer device satisfies the following relationship (I): 1.0×106??×?×??16.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image transfer unit that transfers an image to continuous paper provided with a plurality of sprocket holes along a paper length direction on both sides in a paper width direction; an image fixing unit that fixes the image transported to the continuous paper by the image transfer unit; a transport unit that includes a plurality of protruding parts inserted into the sprocket holes on both sides in the paper width direction, that is placed downstream in a paper transport direction from the image fixing unit for moving the protruding parts in the paper transport direction, and that transports the continuous paper; a change unit that changes the spacing between the protruding parts in the paper width direction; and a control unit that controls drive of the change unit.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a carrier containing core material particles having magnetism and a coating layer on the surfaces of the core material particles, wherein the core material particles have a magnetization at a magnetic field of 1,000 Oersted of 40 emu/g to 100 emu/g, and the carrier has a weight average particle diameter of 20 ?m to 45 ?m, a resistance (LogR) of 11 ?·cm to 17 ?·cm and a relaxation time ? of 150 seconds to 800 seconds.

Abstract: The present invention provides an organic silicone fine particle for latent electrostatic image developing toners, wherein the organic silicone fine particle has a volume average particle diameter of 0.05 ?m to 6.0 ?m which is obtained by measurement based on Coulter principle, and has a hemispherical polysiloxane cross-linked structure. By mixing an appropriate amount of an organic silicone resin particle formed in a deformed shape (a hemispherical shape) in a toner or developer, the present invention prevents movement of the organic silicone resin particle from surface functional sites, the movement caused by a phenomenon such as detachment thereof from a toner surface or rolling movement on the toner surface, by the effect of its shape, and makes it possible to effectively achieve the expected function.

Abstract: A photolithography system for printing a pattern of at least one contact or via on a wafer is provided. The system comprises a reticle having a layout, the layout comprises at least one polygon-shaped hole, wherein the at least one polygon-shaped hole comprises at least eight sides.

Abstract: Disclosed is a developer containing toner and carrier, the toner containing as a binder resin a polyol resin having a plurality of OH groups in a molecule chain having an EX/OH ratio between epoxy groups (EX) and OH groups (OH) of 0.990 to 1.010. The rotational speed ?, pitch ? and conveyance path length ? of an stirring and conveying unit satisfies 1.0×106??×?×??16.0×106. Toner base particles having an electrostatic property satisfies 1.5<[QB/M3600]/[QB/M180]<2.5, toner having an electrostatic property satisfies 0.7<[QT/M3600]/[QT/M180]<1.3, the external additive comprises two types of fine inorganic particles having different resistance values, wherein the particle size distribution Y and added amount X of the fine inorganic particles with smaller resistance satisfy 0.1?x?2.0, and Y?2.6×10?3X+0.0048.

Abstract: To provide a toner including a binder resin and colorant and is granulated in aqueous medium, wherein the binder resin is a polymer having a polyester skeleton, the polyester skeleton is obtained by block copolymerization of a polyester skeleton A in which at least a constituent unit in which CH3—C*—H(—OH)(COOH) is dehydration condensed is contained in a repeated structure and a polyester skeleton B in which a constituent unit in which CH3—C*—H(—OH)(COOH) is dehydration condensed is not contained in a repeated structure, and an optical isomer ratio X (%) (monomer equivalent) is 80% or less, where the optical isomer ratio X (%)=|X (L-type)?X (D?type)| where X (L-type) denotes a ratio (%) of L-type (lactic acid monomer equivalent) and X (D-type) denotes a ratio (%) of D-type (lactic acid monomer equivalent)) in the constituent unit where CH3—C*—H(—OH)(COOH) is dehydration condensed.

Abstract: An image forming method, including recharging untransferred toner remaining on a latent electrostatic image bearing member by using a recharging member to remove the untransferred toner from the latent electrostatic image bearing member, wherein the recharging member is a conductive member a surface of which has a contact angle of 108° or more with pure water and a Shore D hardness of 50 to 65; the coverage of the surface of the toner by an external additive is 150% or less; and a releasing agent peak ratio obtained by ATR method is 0.02 to 0.1.

Abstract: A pattern forming device has a transfer unit which transfers a pattern image formed on a planographic plate held by a printing frame onto the surface of a glass plate held on an XY stage. After the glass plate and the planographic plate have been positioned by the XY stage, the transfer unit moves a stroke roller disposed on the rear surface side of the planographic plate in an arrow direction so that the stroke roller may be pressed against the planographic plate, thereby transferring the pattern image onto the glass plate by an electric field while, at the same time, stroking solvent components interposed between the planographic plate and the glass plate.

Abstract: A photoreceptor includes a conductive support body, an intermediate layer, and a photosensitive layer. The intermediate layer is made of gallium nitride (GaN) crystals having electron affinity greater than that of the photosensitive layer and formed between and in contact with the conductive support body and the photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer is composed of either a single layer type photosensitive layer or a laminated type photosensitive layer.

Abstract: An LD switch is turned ON to output image data outputted from an image processing section to a laser diode, and to irradiate a laser light to a photosensitive drum. The number of pixel dots included in the image data outputted from the image processing section is computed by line basis to detect an image density based on the total sum of the pixel dots of each color at a timing when the image data of Nth line is outputted from the image processing section. The detected image density is compared with a threshold value to turn OFF the LD switch at a timing when the image data of (N+?)th line is outputted when the image density is greater than the threshold value. This suppresses a variation in a rear-end-void length due to sheet slippage.

Abstract: To provide a toner manufacturing method including: continuously mixing an oil phase with an aqueous phase to form an emulsified liquid using an emulsifying mechanism having an emulsified liquid circulation pathway and an emulsifying device equipped with a stirring blade; forming liquid droplets from the emulsified liquid by controlling the equilibrium between atomization and integration of the liquid droplets; and feeding the liquid droplets with stirring to a series of treatments including at least desolvation, filtration, washing and drying; wherein a product T of the solid content concentration (% by mass) of the oil phase and viscosity (mPa·s) measured with a rotating viscometer at 25° C., and 6 rpm satisfies 30,000?T?50,000.

Abstract: Provided is a toner for developing electrostatic image, comprising particles of oil phase containing at least a toner composition and/or toner composition precursor in an aqueous medium, wherein the toner composition and/or toner composition precursor comprises an organic-modified layered inorganic mineral prepared by modifying at least partially an ion of a layered inorganic mineral into an organic ion, and the organic ion-modification ratio X satisfies the relation of 100<X(%)<150 in the organic-modified layered inorganic mineral.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a touchdown-development type developing apparatus, in which a toner collecting roller that collects scattered toner suspended in the vicinity of a toner holding body and a two-component developer holding body is arranged on the downstream side in a rotational direction of the two-component developer holding body from a closest position of the two-component developer holding body and the toner holding body, and between the two-component developer holding body and the housing wall, and further, bias means that applies a bias voltage for collecting the scattered toner to the toner collecting roller, and image density sensing means for sensing a density of a toner image developed on the electrostatic latent image holding body surface or a toner image on a transfer body onto which the toner image developed on the electrostatic latent image holding body surface is transferred to control the bias voltage are provided.

Abstract: The frame plating process of the invention comprises the dry film resist pattern formation step at which a part of the dry film resist is located in such a way as to cap the upper position of the given pattern of opening concavity corresponding to the site needing film thickness precision. It is thus possible to obtain a fairly good film thickness distribution at the specific site needing film thickness precision in a simple manner yet without depending on the film thickness distribution of the plated film based on plating conditions.

Abstract: In a disclosed image forming apparatus, a developing bias applied to a developer carrier or exposure energy with which an image carrier is exposed is adjusted such that an isolated one-dot image on the image carrier has a predetermined image density. When the image carrier is exposed to form dot images continuously arranged in a main scanning direction, the exposure time period for each dot image is shorter than that when the image carrier is exposed to form the isolated one-dot image.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing toner including a colorant and a resin, wherein the colorant includes a dye having at least one reactive group selected from the group consisting of SO2CnH2nOSO3H, NHCOCnH2nOSO3H, NHSO2CnH2nOSO3H, COCnH2nOSO3H and SO2CHCH2, wherein n represents an integer of from 1 to 4.

Abstract: An image forming method, includes: forming a latent electrostatic image on a latent electrostatic image carrier; developing the latent electrostatic image with a toner to thereby form a visible image; transferring the visible image to a recording medium; and fixing the image transferred to the recording medium. The latent electrostatic image carrier includes: a support, a photoconductive layer on the support, and a surface protective layer on the support. The surface protective layer includes a reactant made by cross-linking the following: an electric charge transporting material which comprises a reactive functional group, a cross-linking resin, and a fluorine surfactant. The toner comprises an inorganic fine particle which defines an effective inorganic fine particle amount in a range of 0.8% by mass to 3.

Abstract: An emulsion aggregation toner having toner particles comprising a gel latex, a high Tg latex and at least one wax, wherein the toner fuses at about 170° C. to about 220° C. at process speeds of from about 560 mm/s to about 870 mm/s, wherein the toner exhibits a crease fix property of less than about 60 and a half-toner rub fix property of less than about 0.15. The toner exhibits excellent half-tone rub fix performance and crease fix at high print speeds.

Abstract: To provide a toner manufacturing method including: dissolving or dispersing a toner material into an organic solvent to prepare a toner solution, the toner material containing at least an active hydrogen group-containing compound, polymer reactive with the active hydrogen group-containing compound, binder resin, releasing agent and coloring agent; emulsifying or dispersing the toner solution into an aqueous medium to prepare an emulsified dispersion; reacting the active hydrogen group-containing compound with the polymer reactive with the active hydrogen group-containing compound in the aqueous medium produce an adhesive base material in the form of particle; and removing the organic solvent, wherein time X (hour) from a point where the organic solvent starts to be removed to a point where the concentration of the organic solvent reaches less than 12% by mass and temperature T (° C.) of the emulsified dispersion at the time X satisfy the relationship 5{exp(?0.2 X)+1}?T?50 X?0.2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a color image forming developer comprising yellow, magenta, and cyan toners each containing an infrared absorber, wherein the cyan toner has a maximum infrared absorbance in the infrared region lower than that of the magenta toner and that of the yellow toner, to simultaneously attain sufficient fixation capacity and sufficient resistance to void formation, and also provides an improved image forming method and an image forming device using the developer.

Abstract: A toner for electrophotography is provided including a binder resin, a coloring agent, a charge controlling agent, and a releasing agent, wherein when the temperature of the toner is in the range from a temperature 40° C. lower than a fixing temperature of the toner to a temperature 10° C. lower than the fixing temperature of the toner, the D Log ?*/DT absolute value is 0.02 or more, when the temperature of the toner is in the range from a temperature 10° C. lower than the fixing temperature of the toner to a temperature 10° C. higher than the fixing temperature of the toner, the D Log ?*/DT absolute value is 0.005 or less, and the complex viscosity (?*) of the toner at a fixing temperature and an angular velocity of a fixing heat roller is in the range from about 5.0×101 Pa·s to 1.0×102 Pa·s. The toner has excellent fixing properties so that the quality of an image can be stabilized, and cause less contamination.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive medium to be charged with a predetermined potential by a charging member, an exposing unit to expose the photosensitive medium to vary a charging level of the photosensitive medium, a developing unit to form an image for one or more colors on the photosensitive medium, a transfer medium to transfer the image from the photosensitive medium, a cleaning unit to clean the transfer medium, and a controller to control an optical power of the exposing unit to be lower than that during forming of the image when a toner band is applied to lubricate at least one of the cleaning unit and the transfer medium.

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 toner preparation method is provided including: polymerizing a toner composition including a polyester-macromonomer having double bonds at the molecular chain ends and at least one polymerizable monomer to prepare a polymer latex; and mixing the polymer latex with a dispersed pigment solution obtained by dispersing a pigment in a macromonomer having both a hydrophilic group and a hydrophobic group and containing at least one reactive functional group and agglomerating the polymer latex in the presence of an inorganic salt, and a toner prepared using the toner preparation method. The toner has excellent properties of both a polyester-based monomer and a vinyl-based monomer and excellent gloss, durability, low-temperature fixing property, and storage stability, and the shape and size of the toner can be easily controlled.

Abstract: A developing device is provided to suppress image density unevenness by adjusting conditions of toner adhesion to an amorphous silicon photoconductor to a suitable range even when using both an amorphous silicon photoconductor and a nonmagnetic monocomponent toner and practicing development in a non-contact system. The developing device satisfies the relational expression: (f×1.5/?)2>?1.576×10?2×q/m×(Vpp/Ds2)+31.9×106 where Ds (m) is a distance between the photoconductor and the toner carrier, f (Hz) is a frequency of an AC bias applied to the toner carrier, Vpp (V) is an amplitude of the AC bias, ? (?) is a ratio of a peripheral speed of the toner carrier to a peripheral speed of the amorphous silicon photoconductor, and q/m (C/kg) is a charge quantity per unit mass of the toner.

Abstract: Image forming method comprising a step of fixing a toner image in a fixing device of a contact heating system, wherein the toner comprises a resin which comprises a polyester resin and a styrene-aryl resin and is formed by a process comprising allowing a polyvalent carboxylic acid and a polyvalent alcohol to condensation-polymerize in the presence of a styrene monomer and an acrylic acid ester monomer in an aqueous medium to form the polyester resin and allowing the styrene monomer and the acrylic acid ester monomer to radical-polymerize to form the styrene-acryl resin; the fixing device of a contact heating system comprises a heating roller and a belt-form pressure means.

Abstract: A printing method to form an electrophotographic image includes applying a transparent toner image to a surface of a printing medium, applying color toner images on the transparent toner image according to image information, and applying another transparent toner image onto the color toner images.

Abstract: The present invention provides a toner for developing an electrostatic latent image which is capable of obtaining sufficient image density and preventing transfer failure even in a state that a toner is likely to be deficient in charge amount or charge distribution such as when the consumption rate of toner is high or in the early stage of printing. A toner for developing an electrostatic latent image is a toner comprising a colored particle containing a colorant and a binder resin, wherein a work function X (eV) of the toner obtained in measuring work function and a gradient A (1/eV) of a normalized photoelectron yield with respect to an excitation energy calculated from a formula “normalized photoelectron yield/excitation energy” are in the ranges of 5.35<X<5.60 and A?55X+290>0, is disclosed.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a color image forming portion to transfer a color toner to a printing medium to form a color toner image, a fusing unit to fuse the color toner image on the printing medium, a transparent image forming portion to transfer a transparent toner to the printing medium and being detachable, and a guide member to move into a first location in which the printing medium passing the color image forming portion is guided to the fusing unit and a second location in which the printing medium is guided to the transparent image forming portion.

Abstract: A structure and method of using a reusable master printing plate is described. In one embodiment, the viscosity of an electrorheological fluid is adjusted using an electric field to control its flow and create the desired relief pattern in a flexible printed surface. After creating the relief pattern, the pattern is fixed and used for printing. After completion of printing, the relief pattern is removed from the master printing plate and the printing plate may be reused by applying a new pattern.

Abstract: A structure and method of using a reusable master printing plate is described. In one embodiment, the method uses an electric field to control a series of microvalves. The microvalves control a fluid flow that raises or lowers selected regions on a flexible printing surface to create a desired relief pattern. After creating the relief pattern, the pattern is fixed and used for printing. After completion of printing, the relief pattern is removed from the master printing plate and the printing plate may be reused by applying a new pattern.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus including first and second photosensitive bodies, first and second exposing units to form electrostatic latent images on the first and second photosensitive bodies respectively charged to a uniform electric potential, a first developing unit to develop an electrostatic latent image of the first photosensitive body by supplying a color toner to the electrostatic latent image of the first photosensitive body, and a second developing unit in which a transparent toner and a white toner charged to different polarities are contained and which develops a transparent toner image and a white toner image by respectively supplying the transparent toner and the white toner to an image portion and a non-image portion of an electrostatic latent image of the second photosensitive body.

Abstract: A non-magnetic toner, including a binder resin; a wax present dispersing in the toner in the shape of a particle; and a colorant, wherein the wax having a particle diameter not less than 2.0 ?m and less than 3.0 ?m is not less than 20% and less than 40% by number based on total number thereof; the wax has a mode value not less than 1.5 ?m and less than 2.0 ?m in a frequency distribution of 0.1 ?m width; and the following relationship is satisfied: 45<XZ/Y<62 wherein X represents a softening point (° C.) of the toner; Y represents a volume-average particle diameter (?m) of the toner; and Z represents a total parts by weight of the wax included in 100 parts by weight of the toner.

Abstract: A photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate; a photosensitive layer which is located overlying the electroconductive substrate and which is not radically crosslinked; and an outermost layer which is located overlying the photosensitive layer and which includes a radically crosslinked material, wherein the radically crosslinked material includes a unit having a specific formula. An image forming method, an image forming apparatus, and a process cartridge, which use the photoreceptor.

Abstract: A photoreceptor drum is disclosed with a charge transport layer comprising a substituted terphenyl diamine having the structure of Formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, halogen, and phenyl; and wherein at least one of R1 and R2 is not hydrogen.

Abstract: To provide a toner that contains at least a binder resin, a colorant, a releasing agent and zeolite, the toner being manufactured through O/W type wet granulation and having an average circularity of 0.970 or greater, and a developer and image forming method using the toner.

Abstract: A method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor, including forming a photosensitive layer on an electroconductive substrate; and forming a surface layer on the photosensitive layer, wherein the surface layer is formed by a spray coating comprising a spray droplet having an average diameter (D50) not greater than 10 ?m.

Abstract: A toner is provided including a binder resin and a colorant, wherein the toner has a displacement-load curve in which a maximum compression strength is from 0.65 to 1.0 mN and a slope of a line through an origin point and a first shoulder is not less than 1.1 mN/?m; along with an image forming method, an image forming apparatus, and a process cartridge using the toner.

Abstract: A toner is provided including toner particles A having a circularity of greater than 0.93 and not greater than 1.00 and toner particles B having a circularity of from 0.85 to 0.93, wherein the following relationships are satisfied: 70?RA?95, 5?RB?30, 0.014?SD?0.025, and 0.940?ED?0.950, wherein RA (% by number) represents a ratio of a number of the toner particles A to a total number of toner particles included in the toner, RB (% by number) represents a ratio of a number of the toner particles B to the total number of toner particles included in the toner, SD represents a standard deviation of circularity of the toner particles A, and ED represents an average envelope degree of the toner particles B.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that has high-durability and can prevent image degradation that could be caused by an increase in residual potential on a photoconductor, occurrence of image blur and incidental images and can stably form a high-quality image even when repetitively used for long hours, and includes at least an electrophotographic photoconductor, a non-contact type corona discharge charging unit, an exposing unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit and a charge eliminating unit configured to eliminate a residual charge on the photoconductor by irradiating the electrophotographic photoconductor with light, wherein the outermost surface layer of the electrophotographic photoconductor contains at least a filler and an is amine compound having a specific structure, and the exposure dose of the charge eliminating unit is controlled at at least two stages during a time from the start of image forming operation to the end of the image forming operation.

Abstract: An imaging member has a crosslinked overcoat layer. The overcoat layer is formed from an overcoat solution comprising a trisilanol polyhedral oligomeric polysilsesquioxane; two crosslinking agents; a hole transport molecule; an acid catalyst; and an alcohol solvent. The overcoat layer provides excellent wear resistance at a low cost.

Abstract: A photoreceptor with a substrate, a charge generating layer, a charge transport layer including N,N,N?N?-tetra(4-methylphenyl)-(1,1?-biphenyl)-4,4?-diamine, having a purity of from about 95 percent to about 100 percent, and a protective overcoating layer, optionally including a hole transport material other than N,N,N?N?-tetra(4-methylphenyl)-(1,1?-biphenyl)-4,4?-diamine, that will discharge form about 85% to about 100% of its surface potential in from 0 to about 40 milliseconds upon being subjected to xerographic charging and exposure to radiant energy of from about 1 erg/cm2 to about 5 ergs/cm2.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a toner enabling excellent transferring properties, cleanability, and fixability and forming a high-precision image without substantially degraded image quality even after printed on a number of sheets of paper. The invention also provides the toner-production method, an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and a process cartridge. To this end, the present invention provides a toner which comprises toner-base particles containing a binder resin and a filler, and inorganic fine particles, in which the filler is included in a filler-layer in the vicinity of surfaces of the toner-base particles, the number average particle diameter of the primary particles of the inorganic fine particles is 90 nm to 300 nm, and the average circularity of the toner is 0.95.