Method of Manufacturing Liquid Developer, Liquid Developer, and Image Forming Apparatus

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a liquid developer includes associating fine particles mainly containing a resin material so as to obtain associated particles, and disintegrating the associated particles in an insulation liquid so as to obtain toner particles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a contact type liquid developing device that constitutes an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a non-contact type liquid developing device that constitutes an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a fixing device that constitutes an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a liquid developer, the method comprising: associating fine particles mainly containing a resin material so as to obtain associated particles; anddisintegrating the associated particles in an insulation liquid so as to obtain toner particles.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, upon disintegration, a dispersant may be added to the insulation liquid.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, when electrical resistance of the liquid developer is A [Ωcm] and electrical resistance of the insulation liquid is B [Ωcm], the relationship 0.04≦A/B≦0.3 is satisfied.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the content of the dispersant in the liquid developer is 0.10 to 3.0 wt %.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the dispersant is a polymer dispersant.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein, when the content of the dispersant in the liquid developer is C [wt % ] and the content of toner particles is D [wt %] the relationship 0.006≦C/D≦0.12 is satisfied.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the insulation liquid used for disintegration contains fatty acid monoester.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the insulation liquid used for disintegration contains medium-chain fatty acid ester.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the medium-chain fatty acid ester is ester of medium-chain fatty acid and glycerine.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the insulation liquid used for disintegration contains low-viscosity paraffin oil.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein viscosity of the insulation liquid used for disintegration is 1000 mPa·s or less.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein interfacial tension of the insulation liquid used for disintegration with respect to the resin material is 35 mN/m or less.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resin material is polyester resin.

14. A liquid developer that is manufactured by a manufacturing method including: associating fine particles mainly containing a resin material so as to obtain associated particles; anddisintegrating the associated particles in an insulation liquid so as to obtain toner particles.

15. An image forming apparatus comprising: a liquid developer storage unit that stores a liquid developer;a developing unit that develops using the liquid developer supplied from the liquid developer storage unit;a transfer unit that transfers an image formed on the developing unit to a recording medium so as to form a transfer image on the recording medium; anda fixing unit that fixes the transfer image formed on the recording medium onto the recording medium,wherein the liquid developer is manufactured by a manufacturing method that includes associating fine particles mainly containing a resin material so as to obtain associated particles, and disintegrating the associated particles in an insulation liquid so as to obtain toner particles.