U.S. patent application number 16/986225 was filed with the patent office on 2021-09-02 for method for producing printed material and system for producing printed material.
This patent application is currently assigned to FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.. The applicant listed for this patent is FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.. Invention is credited to Yoshifumi IIDA, Takahiro ISHIZUKA, Satoshi KAMIWAKI, Satomi KASHIWAGI, Shigeru SEITOKU, Sakae TAKEUCHI, Kiyohiro YAMANAKA, Sumiaki YAMASAKI, Susumu YOSHINO.
Application Number | 20210269272 16/986225 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005779795 |
Filed Date | 2021-09-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210269272 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YOSHINO; Susumu ; et
al. |
September 2, 2021 |
METHOD FOR PRODUCING PRINTED MATERIAL AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING
PRINTED MATERIAL
Abstract
A method for producing a printed material includes providing
pressure-induced phase transition particles to a part of an outside
margin portion or a portion to be folded of a recording medium;
bonding the pressure-induced phase transition particles to the
recording medium; and pressure-bonding a multilayer body in which
plural recording media are stacked, the recording media including
the recording medium having the pressure-induced phase transition
particles bonded thereon.
Inventors: |
YOSHINO; Susumu; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; IIDA; Yoshifumi; (Kanagawa, JP) ;
KAMIWAKI; Satoshi; (Kanagawa, JP) ; TAKEUCHI;
Sakae; (Kanagawa, JP) ; KASHIWAGI; Satomi;
(Kanagawa, JP) ; YAMASAKI; Sumiaki; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; ISHIZUKA; Takahiro; (Kanagawa, JP) ;
SEITOKU; Shigeru; (Kanagawa, JP) ; YAMANAKA;
Kiyohiro; (Kanagawa, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp. |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
FUJIFILM Business Innovation
Corp.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
1000005779795 |
Appl. No.: |
16/986225 |
Filed: |
August 5, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2801/48 20130101;
B65H 37/04 20130101; C09J 125/14 20130101; B65H 37/02 20130101;
B65H 2519/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65H 37/04 20060101
B65H037/04; B65H 37/02 20060101 B65H037/02; C09J 125/14 20060101
C09J125/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 27, 2020 |
JP |
2020-032196 |
Claims
1. A method for producing a printed material, the method
comprising: providing pressure-induced phase transition particles
to a part of an outside margin portion or a portion to be folded of
a recording medium; bonding the pressure-induced phase transition
particles to the recording medium; and pressure-bonding a
multilayer body in which a plurality of recording media are
stacked, the recording media including the recording medium having
the pressure-induced phase transition particles bonded thereon,
wherein the pressure-induced phase transition particles contain a
styrene resin containing styrene and a vinyl monomer other than
styrene as polymerization components, and a (meth)acrylic acid
ester resin that contains at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as
polymerization components, and a mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic
acid esters relative to a total of polymerization components of the
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin is 90 mass % or more, and the
pressure-induced phase transition particles have at least two glass
transition temperatures, and the difference between the lowest
glass transition temperature and the highest glass transition
temperature among the glass transition temperatures exhibited by
the pressure-induced phase transition particles is 30.degree. C. or
more.
2. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein the pressure-induced phase transition particles are
provided to one side of an outside margin portion of the recording
medium.
3. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, further comprising performing folding.
4. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
3, wherein the pressure bonding is performed after the folding.
5. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein the portion to be folded of the recording medium is
positioned in a center portion of the recording medium.
6. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein a mass ratio of styrene is within a range of 60 mass %
to 95 mass % of a total of all polymerization components of the
styrene resin in the pressure-induced phase transition
particles.
7. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein a mass ratio between two (meth)acrylic acid esters
contained at the largest mass ratio and the second largest mass
ratio among the at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters contained as
polymerization components of the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin in
the pressure-induced phase transition particles is within a range
of 80:20 to 20:80.
8. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein two (meth)acrylic acid esters contained at the largest
mass ratio and the second largest mass ratio among the at least two
(meth)acrylic acid esters contained as polymerization components of
the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin in the pressure-induced phase
transition particles are (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters, and a
difference in the number of carbon atoms of alkyl groups in the two
(meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters is within a range of 1 to 4.
9. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein the vinyl monomer contained as a polymerization
component of the styrene resin in the pressure-induced phase
transition particles contains a (meth)acrylic acid ester.
10. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein the vinyl monomer contained as a polymerization
component of the styrene resin in the pressure-induced phase
transition particles is selected from n-butyl acrylate and
2-ethylhexyl acrylate.
11. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein the styrene resin and the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin
in the pressure-induced phase transition particles contain the same
(meth)acrylic acid ester as a polymerization component.
12. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin in the
pressure-induced phase transition particles contains 2-ethylhexyl
acrylate and n-butyl acrylate as polymerization components.
13. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein the pressure-induced phase transition particles contain
a larger amount of the styrene resin than the (meth)acrylic acid
ester resin.
14. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein the pressure-induced phase transition particles have a
sea phase containing the styrene resin and island phases containing
the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin and being dispersed in the sea
phase.
15. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
14, wherein the island phases have an average size within a range
of 200 nm to 500 nm.
16. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein the pressure-induced phase transition particles have a
core that contains the styrene resin and the (meth)acrylic acid
ester resin, and a shell layer covering the core.
17. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
16, wherein the shell layer contains the styrene resin.
18. The method for producing a printed material according to claim
1, wherein a temperature at which the pressure-induced phase
transition particles exhibit a viscosity of 10000 Pas at a pressure
of 4 MPa is 90.degree. C. or less.
19. A system for producing a printed material, the system
comprising: a pressure-induced phase transition particle providing
unit that contains pressure-induced phase transition particles and
provides the pressure-induced phase transition particles to one
part of an outside margin portion or a portion to be folded of a
recording medium; a bonding unit that bonds the pressure-induced
phase transition particles to the recording medium; and a pressure
bonding unit that pressure-bonds a multilayer body in which a
plurality of recording media are stacked, the recording media
including the recording medium having the pressure-induced phase
transition particles bonded thereon, wherein the pressure-induced
phase transition particles contain a styrene resin containing
styrene and a vinyl monomer other than styrene as polymerization
components, and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin that contains at
least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as polymerization components,
and a mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid esters relative to a
total of polymerization components of the (meth)acrylic acid ester
resin is 90 mass or more, and the pressure-induced phase transition
particles have at least two glass transition temperatures, and the
difference between the lowest glass transition temperature and the
highest glass transition temperature among the glass transition
temperatures exhibited by the pressure-induced phase transition
particles is 30.degree. C. or more.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority under 35
USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-032196 filed Feb.
27, 2020.
BACKGROUND
(i) Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a method for producing a
printed material and a system for producing a printed material.
(ii) Related Art
[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2009-269365 describes a booklet form that includes multiple
rectangular sheets that are stacked and are integrated by being
bonded at one side end. The multiple sheets include a top sheet, a
bottom sheet, and multiple intermediate sheets that are smaller in
size than the top sheet and the bottom sheet and are sandwiched
between the top sheet and the bottom sheet. In a portion where the
top sheet and the bottom sheet are directly bonded to each other,
an adhesive is applied to a particular position in a rear surface
of the top sheet so as to form multiple adhesive lines
corresponding to a set adhesive force, a releasing agent layer is
disposed on a front surface of the bottom sheet, and the adhesive
that is applied to the rear surface of the top sheet so as to form
multiple adhesive lines are peelably bonded to the releasing agent
layer on the front surface of the bottom sheet.
[0004] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2015-200813 describes an image forming apparatus that forms a toner
image, which is used for bonding, in a binding margin of a
recording medium and forms an image-forming toner image in an image
portion of the recording medium. The image forming apparatus
includes a latent image carrier having a surface on which a latent
image is to be formed, a developing device in which a developer is
carried on a surface of a developer carrier and conveyed so as to
develop the latent image on the latent image carrier into a toner
image by using the developer on the surface of the developer
carrier, and a transfer section that transfers the toner image on
the latent image carrier onto a sheet-shaped recording medium. The
amount of the developer per unit area on the developer carrier is
adjusted to be different between when a latent image corresponding
to the toner image used for bonding is developed and when a latent
image corresponding to the image-forming toner image is
developed.
[0005] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2016-169101 describes a sheet material processing apparatus
equipped with a sheet material bonding section that bonds multiple
sheet materials by heating toner images for bonding formed on the
sheet materials. In this apparatus, a heating section that heats
the toner images for bonding is a dielectric heating section that
dielectrically heats a toner for bonding by forming a
high-frequency AC field.
SUMMARY
[0006] One example of a method for producing a printed material is
a method that includes a step of providing pressure-induced phase
transition particles to at least part of an outside margin portion
or a portion to be folded of a recording medium, a step of bonding
the pressure-induced phase transition particles to the recording
medium, and a step of pressure-bonding a multilayer body obtained
by stacking multiple recording media including the recording medium
having the pressure-induced phase transition particles bonded
thereon (hereinafter, this method may be referred to as a
"particular method"). In this particular method, the bonding force
achieved by pressure bonding in the bound portion of the obtained
printed material is desirably high. Hereinafter, the bonding force
achieved by pressure bonding in the bound portion may simply be
referred to as the "bonding force in the bound portion".
[0007] Aspects of non-limiting embodiments of the present
disclosure relate to a method for producing a printed material with
which a printed material having a high bonding force in the bound
portion can be produced compared to when particles containing a
styrene resin and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin which is a
homopolymer of a (meth)acrylic acid ester are used as the
pressure-induced phase transition particles in the aforementioned
particular method.
[0008] Aspects of certain non-limiting embodiments of the present
disclosure address the above advantages and/or other advantages not
described above. However, aspects of the non-limiting embodiments
are not required to address the advantages described above, and
aspects of the non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure
may not address advantages described above.
[0009] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is
provided a method for producing a printed material, the method
including providing pressure-induced phase transition particles to
a part of an outside margin portion or a portion to be folded of a
recording medium; bonding the pressure-induced phase transition
particles to the recording medium; and pressure-bonding a
multilayer body in which a plurality of recording media are
stacked, the recording media including the recording medium having
the pressure-induced phase transition particles bonded thereon. The
pressure-induced phase transition particles contain a styrene resin
containing styrene and a vinyl monomer other than styrene as
polymerization components, and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin
that contains at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as
polymerization components, and a mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic
acid esters relative to a total of polymerization components of the
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin is 90 mass % or more. The
pressure-induced phase transition particles have at least two glass
transition temperatures, and the difference between the lowest
glass transition temperature and the highest glass transition
temperature among the glass transition temperatures exhibited by
the pressure-induced phase transition particles is 30.degree. C. or
more.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be
described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one example of a
recording medium and a printed material according to an exemplary
embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example
of the recording medium and the printed material according to an
exemplary embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating one example of a
system for producing a printed material according to an exemplary
embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example
of a system for producing a printed material according to an
exemplary embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example
of a system for producing a printed material according to an
exemplary embodiment; and
[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example
of a system for producing a printed material according to an
exemplary embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be
described. The following descriptions and examples are merely
exemplary embodiments and do not limit the scopes of the exemplary
embodiments.
[0018] When numerical ranges are described stepwise in the present
description, the upper limit or the lower limit of one numerical
range may be substituted with an upper limit or a lower limit of a
different numerical range also described stepwise. In the numerical
ranges described in the present description, the upper limit or the
lower limit of one numerical range may be substituted with a value
indicated in Examples.
[0019] In the present description, the term "step" not only refers
to an independent step but also refers to any instance that
achieves the desired purpose of that step although such a step is
not clearly distinguishable from other steps.
[0020] In the present description, when a drawing is referred to
describe an exemplary embodiment, the structure of that exemplary
embodiment is not limited to the structure illustrated in the
drawing. Moreover, the size of a member in each drawing is
schematic, and the relative size relationship between the members
is not limited to what is illustrated.
[0021] In the present description, each component may contain more
than one corresponding substances. In the present description, when
the amount of a component in a composition is referred and when
there are two or more substances that correspond to that component
in the composition, the amount is the total amount of the two or
more substances in the composition unless otherwise noted.
[0022] In the present description, particles corresponding to each
component may contain more than one types of particles. When there
are more than one types of particles corresponding to one component
in the composition, the particle diameter of each component is a
particle diameter of a mixture of the more than one types of
particles present in the composition unless otherwise noted.
[0023] In the present description, the notation "(meth)acryl" means
"acryl" or "methacryl".
Method for Producing Printed Material and System for Producing
Printed Material
[0024] A method for producing a printed material according to an
exemplary embodiment includes a pressure-induced phase transition
particle-providing step (hereinafter may be referred to as a
"providing step") of providing pressure-induced phase transition
particles to at least part of an outside margin portion or a
portion to be folded of a recording medium; a bonding step of
bonding the pressure-induced phase transition particles to the
recording medium; and a pressure-bonding step of pressure-bonding a
multilayer body in which multiple recording media are stacked, the
recording media including the recording medium having the
pressure-induced phase transition particles bonded thereon.
[0025] The pressure-induced phase transition particles contain a
styrene resin containing styrene and a vinyl monomer other than
styrene as polymerization components, and a (meth)acrylic acid
ester resin that contains at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as
polymerization components in which the mass ratio of the
(meth)acrylic acid esters relative to the total of polymerization
components of the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin is 90 mass % or
more.
[0026] The pressure-induced phase transition particles have at
least two glass transition temperatures, and the difference between
the lowest glass transition temperature and the highest glass
transition temperature among the glass transition temperatures
exhibited by the pressure-induced phase transition particles is
30.degree. C. or more.
[0027] The "pressure-induced phase transition particles" refer to
particles that undergo pressure-induced phase transition and
specifically refer to particles that satisfy formula 1 below:
10.degree. C..ltoreq.T1-T2 Formula 1:
[0028] In formula 1, T1 represents a temperature at which the
viscosity is 10000 Pas at a pressure of 1 MPa, and T2 represents a
temperature at which the viscosity is 10000 Pas at a pressure of 10
MPa. The method for determining the temperature T1 and the
temperature T2 is described below.
[0029] Hereinafter, among pressure-induced phase transition
particles, those pressure-induced phase transition particles which
have following properties are also referred to as "particular
particles": the pressure-induced phase transition particles contain
a styrene resin and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin, the styrene
resin contains styrene and a vinyl monomer other than styrene as
polymerization components, the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin
contains at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as polymerization
components, and a mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid esters is 90
mass % or more of a total of all polymerization components of the
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin; and the pressure-induced phase
transition particles have at least two glass transition
temperatures, and a difference between the lowest glass transition
temperature and the highest glass transition temperature among the
glass transition temperatures of the pressure-induced phase
transition particles is 30.degree. C. or more.
[0030] In addition, a recording medium after the particular
particles are provided to at least part of an outside margin
portion and a portion to be folded may also be referred to as a
"particle-provided recording medium".
[0031] The method for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment is used to obtain a printed material in
which at least part of the outside margin portion and the portion
to be folded of a multilayer body obtained by stacking multiple
recording media is bound. Hereinafter, a bound region in the
printed material (for example, when a printed material is a
booklet, this region is called a "bind margin") may also be
referred to as a "bound portion".
[0032] Examples of the printed material in which at least part of
the outside margin portion of the multilayer body is bound
(hereinafter, this printed material may be referred to as an
"outside margin portion-bound printed material") include a printed
material in which one side of the outside margin portion of a
multilayer body is bound (for example, a printed material 60
illustrated in FIG. 1), and a printed material in which one of four
corners of the multilayer body is bound.
[0033] An example of the printed material in which at least part of
the portion to be folded of the multilayer body is bound
(hereinafter, this printed material may be referred to as an
"folding portion-bound printed material") is a printed material in
which multiple recording media each having a portion to be folded
are stacked to form a multilayer body and the portions to be folded
of the multilayer body are bound (for example, a printed material
40 illustrated in FIG. 2).
[0034] The method for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment includes a providing step of providing
particular particles to at least part of an outside margin portion
and a portion to be folded of a recording medium, a bonding step,
and a pressure-bonding step of pressure-bonding a multilayer body
obtained by stacking multiple recording media, which include a
particle-provided recording medium. Thus, through these steps, it
becomes possible to produce a printed material that has a high
bonding force in the bound portion compared to when particles
containing a styrene resin and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin
which is a homopolymer of a (meth)acrylic acid ester are used
instead of the particular particles. The reason behind this is not
exactly clear, but is presumably as follows.
[0035] In general, a styrene resin and a (meth)acrylic acid ester
resin have low compatibility to each other, and thus it is
considered that these resins in the particles are in a phase
separated state. Moreover, when the particles are pressured, the
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin having a relatively low glass
transition temperature is fluidized first, and this fluidization
affects the styrene resin, resulting in fluidization of both
resins. It is also considered that when the two resins in the
particles solidify and form a resin layer as the pressure is
decreased after the two resins have fluidized under pressure, a
phase separated state is again formed due to their low
compatibility.
[0036] It is assumed that a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin that
contains at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as polymerization
components is easily fluidizable under pressure because there are
at least two types of ester groups bonded to the main chain and
thus the degree of molecular alignment in a solid state is low
compared to a homopolymer of a (meth)acrylic acid ester. Moreover,
it is assumed that when the mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid
esters relative to the total of the polymerization components is 90
mass % or more, at least two types of ester groups are present at a
high density; thus, the degree of molecular alignment in a solid
state becomes lower, and thus the resin becomes easily fluidizable
under pressure. Thus, it is assumed that the above-described
particular particles are easily fluidizable under pressure, in
other words, easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition,
compared to particles in which the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin
is a homopolymer of a (meth)acrylic acid ester.
[0037] In addition, it is assumed that a (meth)acrylic acid ester
resin containing at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as
polymerization components, in which the mass ratio of the
(meth)acrylic acid esters relative to the total of polymerization
components is 90 mass % or more, has a low degree of molecular
alignment during re-solidification, and, thus, a microphase
separation occurs with a styrene resin. The finer the state of
phase separation between the styrene resin and the (meth)acrylic
acid ester resin, the higher the uniformity of the state of the
bonding surface to an adherend, and the more excellent the
bondability achieved by pressure bonding. Thus, it is assumed that
the aforementioned particular particles have excellent bondability
achieved by pressure bonding compared to particles in which the
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin is a homopolymer of a (meth)acrylic
acid ester.
[0038] Thus, according to the method for producing a printed
material according to this exemplary embodiment in which particular
particles having excellent bondability achieved by pressure bonding
are used, a printed material having a high bonding force in the
bound portion can be produced compared to when particles containing
a styrene resin and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin which is a
homopolymer of a (meth)acrylic acid ester are used instead of the
particular particles.
[0039] A method for producing a printed material of this exemplary
embodiment is performed in a system for producing a printed
material according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0040] The system for producing a printed material according to an
exemplary embodiment includes a pressure-induced phase transition
particle-providing unit that stores particular particles and
provides the particular particles, which are pressure-induced phase
transition particles, to at least part of an outside margin portion
and a portion to be folded of a recording medium; a bonding unit
that bonds the particular particles onto the recording medium, and
a pressure-bonding unit that pressure-bonds a multilayer body
obtained by stacking multiple recording media that include the
aforementioned recording medium having the particular particles
bonded thereon (in other words, a particle-provided recording
medium).
[0041] Hereinafter, the steps of the method for producing a printed
material according to an exemplary embodiment are described
together with sections of the system for producing a printed
material according to an exemplary embodiment. Pressure-induced
phase transition particle-providing step and pressure-induced phase
transition particle-providing unit
[0042] In the providing step, the pressure-induced phase transition
particle-providing unit (hereinafter may also be referred to as a
"providing unit") provides particular particles to at least part of
an outside margin portion and a portion to be folded of a recording
medium. The particular particles are described in detail below.
[0043] A particular particle-providing section in the providing
unit is not particularly limited, and may be any section capable of
providing a desired amount of particular particles at a desired
position in a surface of a recording medium.
[0044] Specific examples of the particular particle-providing
section include a section that sprays particular particles, a
section that applies particular particles, and an
electrophotographic section that uses particular particles as a
toner.
[0045] Examples of the recording medium used in the providing step
include paper, coated paper obtained by coating the surface of
paper with a resin or the like, cloths, nonwoven cloths, resin
films, and resin sheets.
[0046] The recording medium may already have an image formed
thereon. Generally, it is difficult to open a bound portion of a
printed material having a bound portion. Thus, a recording medium
used to produce a printed material may have no image in a region
that will serve as a bound portion of a printed material to be
produced (hereinafter, this region may also be referred to as a
"particular region").
[0047] The recording medium may have a portion to be folded. The
portion to be folded of a recording medium includes not only a
region to be folded in the printed material production process but
also a region that is already folded in the providing step. When at
least a folding portion-bound printed material is to be produced,
recording media having portions to be folded are used. In contrast,
when an outside margin portion-bound printed material is to be
produced, the recording media to be used may or may not have
portions to be folded.
[0048] The position of the portion to be folded in the recording
medium is set according to the shape of the printed material to be
produced and is not particularly limited. The portion to be folded
may be, for example, a center portion of a recording medium. One
form of a recording medium having a portion to be folded in a
center portion is a rectangular recording medium that has a portion
to be folded extending along a line parallel to a short side at the
center of a long side.
Position where Particular Particles are Provided
[0049] Particular particles are provided on at least part of the
outside margin portion or the portion to be folded of the recording
medium and on at least one surface of the recording medium. In
other words, the particular particles are provided to at least part
of the particular region of the recording medium.
[0050] When an outside margin portion-bound printed material is to
be produced, at least part of the outside margin portion of the
recording medium constitutes a particular region. The outside
margin portion of the recording medium that that will form a
particular region is a region that is bound in producing a printed
material, and, for example, is a range extending 30 mm or less from
an edge of the recording medium, may be a range extending 50 mm or
less from an edge of the recording medium, or may be a range
extending 80 mm or less from an edge of the recording medium.
[0051] FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a recording medium used in
producing an outside margin portion-bound printed material. A
recording medium 50 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a particular region
54 that extends along a side 52, which is one of the sides of a
rectangle. In other words, this particular region 54 is positioned
in one side outside margin portion of the recording medium 50. When
a printed material is produced by using particle-provided recording
media 56 each obtained by providing particular particles to this
particular region 54, a printed material 60 formed of a multilayer
body 58 having a bound portion 64 in one side of outside margin
portion extending along the side 52 of the recording medium 50 is
obtained.
[0052] The particular region 54 of the recording medium 50
illustrated in FIG. 1 extends over the entire side 52, but this
feature is not limiting. Alternatively, a particular region may be
formed in only one part of the outside margin portion extending
along the side 52 (for example, in only one of the four corners of
the recording medium 50).
[0053] When producing a folding portion-bound printed material, at
least part of the portion to be folded of a recording medium serves
as a particular region. The portion to be folded of the recording
medium that will form a particular region is a region that is bound
in producing a printed material, and, for example, is a range
extending 30 mm or less from a folding line of the recording
medium, may be a range extending 50 mm or less from a folding line
of the recording medium, or may be a range extending 80 mm or less
from a folding line of the recording medium.
[0054] FIG. 2 illustrates one example of a recording medium used in
producing a folding portion-bound printed material. A recording
medium 30 illustrated in FIG. 2 has a particular region 34 that
extends along a folding line 32C parallel to a short side 32B at
the center of a long side 32A of a rectangle. In other words, this
particular region 34 is positioned in the center portion of the
recording medium 30. When a printed material is produced by using
particle-provided recording media 36 each obtained by providing
particular particles to this particular region 34 and folding each
recording medium 30 at this folding line 32C, a printed material 40
formed of a multilayer body 38 having a bound portion 44 that
extends along the folding line 32C of the recording medium 30 is
obtained.
[0055] The particular region 34 of the recording medium 30
illustrated in FIG. 2 extends over the entire folding line 32C, but
this feature is not limiting. Alternatively, a particular region
may be formed in only one part of the folding line 32C (for
example, only in the center portion of the folding line 32C, only
in two end portions of the folding line 32C, or only in the center
portion and the two end portions of the folding line 32C).
[0056] The particular may be provided to a particular region in one
of the surfaces of the recording medium or particular regions in
both surfaces of the recording medium. In particular, when another
recording medium is to be placed on top of each of the two surfaces
of a recording medium to which particular particles are to be
provided during formation of a multilayer body, particular
particles may be provided to both surfaces of the recording medium
from the viewpoint of increasing the bonding force in the bound
portion.
[0057] The particular particles may be provided to only a part of
the particular region. Specifically, for example, in the recording
medium 50 illustrated in FIG. 1, the particular particles may be
provided intermittently in a direction extending along the side 52,
the particular particles in form of a pattern may be provided to
the particular region 54, or the particular particles may be
provided to only one portion of the particular region 54 in a
direction perpendicular to the side 52. In the recording medium 30
illustrated in FIG. 2, the particular particles may be provided
intermittently in a direction extending along the side the folding
line 32C, the particular particles in form of a pattern may be
provided to the particular region 34, or the particular particles
may be provided to only one portion of the particular region 34 in
a direction perpendicular to the folding line 32C.
[0058] Examples of the pattern include dots, lattices, and
scattered figures (such as polygons and stars).
Provided State of Particular Particles
[0059] The provided state of the particular particles may be a
state in which the particle shape remains or a state in which the
particular particles are gathered to form a layer. From the
viewpoint of obtaining sufficient peel strength (or bondability
achieved by pressure bonding), the particular particles may form a
layer.
[0060] The layer formed of the particular particles may be a
continuous layer or a discontinuous layer.
[0061] From the viewpoint of obtaining sufficient bondability by
sufficient pressure bonding, the amount of the provided particular
particles is preferably 0.5 g/m.sup.2 or more and 8.0 g/m.sup.2 or
less, more preferably 1.0 g/m.sup.2 or more and 6.0 g/m.sup.2 or
less, and yet more preferably 1.5 g/m.sup.2 or more and 5.0
g/m.sup.2 or less.
Providing Particular Particles
[0062] As described above, the particular particles may be provided
in any manner as long as particular particles are provided at an
intended position, and specific examples thereof include a method
that sprays particular particles, a method that applies particular
particles, and an electrophotographic method that uses particular
particles as a toner. The particular particles may be provided
directly onto the particular region of the recording medium by
dropping or roll coating. The method for providing the particular
particles is not particularly limited as long as the particular
particles are provided to a particular region of a recording
medium.
[0063] Examples of particular particle-providing section in a unit
that provides particular particles onto a recording medium include
a spray-type particle-providing device that sprays particular
particles, an application-type particular particle-providing device
that applies particular particles, and an electrophotographic
particle-providing device that uses particular particles as a
toner.
[0064] The providing step that involves spraying includes, for
example, a step of preparing a dispersion containing dispersed
particular particles, a step of spraying the dispersion onto a
recording medium, and a step of drying the dispersion sprayed onto
the recording medium.
[0065] In addition, the providing unit that performs spraying is
equipped with, for example, a spraying section that sprays a
dispersion containing dispersed particular particles onto a
recording medium and a drying section that dries the dispersion
sprayed onto the recording medium.
[0066] One example of the spraying section include a sprayer.
Examples of the drying section include a hot air blower, an
infrared heater, and a laser irradiator.
[0067] The providing step that involves an application method
includes, for example, a step of applying particular particles to a
recording medium. In the application method, a coating solution
containing dispersed particular particles may be used. The
providing step that involves an application method using a coating
solution may include a step of preparing a coating solution
containing dispersed particular particles, a step of applying the
coating solution to a recording medium, and a step of drying the
coating solution applied to the recording medium.
[0068] The providing unit that involves an application method is,
for example, equipped with an applying section that applies
particular particles to a recording medium. The providing unit that
involves an application method using a coating solution may be
equipped with, for example, an application section that applies the
coating solution to a recording medium, and a drying section that
dries the applied coating solution on the recording medium.
[0069] One example of the application section is a roll.
[0070] The electrophotographic providing step includes, for
example, a charging step of charging a surface of an image carrier;
an electrostatic charge image forming step of forming an
electrostatic charge image on the charged surface of the image
carrier; a developing step of developing the electrostatic charge
image on the surface of the image carrier into a particular
particle region by using an electrostatic charge image developer
containing the particular particles; and a transfer step of
transferring the particular particle region on the surface of the
image carrier onto a recording medium.
[0071] An electrophotographic providing unit includes, for example,
an image carrier, a charging section that charges a surface of the
image carrier, an electrostatic charge image forming section that
forms an electrostatic charge image on the charged surface of the
image carrier, a developing section that stores an electrostatic
charge image developer containing the particular particles and
develops the electrostatic charge image on the surface of the image
carrier into a particular particle region by using the
electrostatic charge image developer, and a transfer section that
transfers the particular particle region on the surface of the
image carrier onto a surface of a recording medium.
[0072] In the electrophotographic providing unit, a part that
includes the developing section may be configurated as a cartridge
structure (in other words, a process cartridge) that is detachably
attachable to the particle providing device. For example, a process
cartridge detachably attachable to the particle providing device
and equipped with a developing section storing an electrostatic
charge image developer that contains the particular particles may
be used as this process cartridge.
[0073] The electrophotographic providing method and unit may
respectively use an image forming method and an image forming
apparatus, and known steps and sections employed in an
electrophotographic image forming method and an electrophotographic
image forming apparatus may be used.
[0074] In addition, the electrophotographic providing method and
unit may employ an intermediate transfer system. In the
intermediate transfer system, for example, a particular particle
region formed on the surface of the image carrier is temporarily
transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer body and
then ultimately transferred onto a surface of a recording medium
from the surface of the intermediate transfer body.
[0075] Furthermore, the electrophotographic providing method and
unit may, for example, respectively include the sections and steps
other than those described above, such as a step and section of
cleaning the surface of the image carrier and a device equipped
with a charge erasing section that erases charges by irradiating
the surface of the image carrier with charge erasing light.
[0076] When a recording medium with an image thereon is used,
particular particles may be provided to a recording medium already
having an image thereon or an image forming step of forming an
image on a recording medium and a step of providing particular
particles may be continuously performed.
[0077] Examples of the method for continuously performing the image
forming step and the providing step include a method that involves
performing a providing step after an image forming step that uses
an ink jet recording method, and a method that involves performing
both an image forming step and a providing step by an
electrophotographic system. A specific example is a method that
involves forming a composite image on a surface of a recording
medium by using both an image-forming coloring material (preferably
a color ink) in the image forming step and particular particles in
the providing step.
Bonding Step and Bonding Unit
[0078] In the bonding step, for example, the particular particles
provided to the recording medium are heated in the bonding
unit.
[0079] The section that heats the particular particles (particle
heating section) is not particularly limited and may be any section
that can heat the particular particles applied to the recording
medium.
[0080] The section that heats the particular particles (particle
heating section) may be of a contact type or a non-contact
type.
[0081] A contact-type particle heating section may involve heating
a member, such as a roll, a belt, or a pad, and causing the heated
member to contact the particular particles, for example.
[0082] A non-contact-type particle heating section may involve
passing a recording medium with the particular particles applied
thereto through a zone heated with a heater, an oven, or the like,
or may involve heating the particular particles with illuminating
light from a halogen lamp, a xenon lamp, or the like.
[0083] In particular, from the viewpoint of heating the particular
particles and suppressing movement, detachment, etc., of the
particular particles, a contact-type particle heating section may
be used in the bonding step.
[0084] In other words, the particle heating section may be a
contact-type particle heating section.
Heating Particular Particles by Contact-Type Method
[0085] When heating particular particles by a contact-type method,
the set temperature of the member (also referred to as a contact
member) contacting the particular particles may be any temperature
at which the particular particles can be plasticized. However, from
the viewpoint of efficiency of heating the particular particles,
etc., the set temperature is, for example, preferably 120.degree.
C. or more and 250.degree. C. or less, more preferably 130.degree.
C. or more and 200.degree. C. or less, and yet more preferably
150.degree. C. or more and 180.degree. C. or less.
[0086] Here, the set temperature of the contact member refers to
the target value of the surface temperature of the contact member
contacting the particular particles.
[0087] The contact member may be any member that has a surface
heated to the aforementioned set temperature, and examples thereof
include a roll, a belt, and a pad.
[0088] The bonding step may be a step of heating and pressurizing
the particular particles.
[0089] When the particular particles are heated and pressurized
simultaneously, the particular particle-applied surface (for
example, the surface of a layer formed of the particular particles)
can be made flat and smooth.
[0090] The pressure applied to the particular particles in the
bonding step is, for example, a pressure applied by an
electrophotographic fixing section.
[0091] Examples of the section that heats and pressurizes the
particular particles (this section is also referred to as a heating
and pressurizing member) are as follows:
[0092] A heating and pressurizing roll pair constituted by two
contacting rolls at least one of which applies heat and between
which a recording medium with the particular particles thereon is
passed to be heated and pressurized; a heating and pressurizing
member constituted by a roll and a belt in contact with each other,
in which at least one of the roll and the belt applies heat, and a
recording medium with the particular particles thereon is passed
between the roll and the belt to be heated and pressurized; and a
heating and pressurizing belt pair constituted by two contacting
belts at least one of which applies heat and between which a
recording medium with the particular particles thereon is passed to
be heated and pressurized.
Pressure-Bonding Step and Pressure-Bonding Unit
[0093] In the pressure-bonding step, a multilayer body obtained by
stacking multiple recording media including a recording medium
having particular particles bonded thereon (in other words, a
particle-provided recording medium) are pressure-bonded in a
pressure bonding unit.
[0094] The number of recording media constituting the multilayer
body is at least 2 and may be appropriately set according to a
printed material to be produced. The number of recording media is,
for example, 2 or more and 100 or less, is preferably 2 or more and
50 or less, and more preferably 2 or more and 30 or less from the
viewpoint of obtaining a bonding force in the bound portion.
[0095] The multilayer body includes at least a particle-provided
recording medium, all of the recording media constituting the
multilayer body may be particle-provided recording media, all of
the recording media except for at least one of a front cover and a
back cover may be particle-provided recording media, or
particle-provided recording media and recording media not provided
with particular particles may be alternately stacked.
[0096] The multilayer body may be obtained by stacking recording
media by aligning the particular regions of the recording media.
For example, when a particular region is at one side of outside
margin portion of a recording medium, the multilayer body may
include recording media stacked so that the one side of outside
margin portions are aligned. When a particular region is in the
portion to be folded of a recording medium, the multilayer body may
include recording media stacked so that the positions of the
folding lines are aligned. A multilayer body constituted by
recording media each having a particular region in a portion to be
folded may be obtained by stacking recording media in a spread
state or by stacking recording media in a folded state folded at
the folding line.
[0097] Pressurizing of the multilayer body is to be performed at
least on a region that will form a bound portion of a printed
material, and may be performed on only a region that will form the
bound portion or on the entirety of the multilayer body.
[0098] The section that pressurizes the multilayer body (multilayer
body pressurizing section) may be any section that can pressurize
the multilayer body in the thickness direction, and may be a
section that allows the multilayer body to pass between a pair of
rolls or a section that pressurizes the multilayer body by using a
pressing machine, a sealer, a stapler, or the like.
[0099] The multilayer body pressurizing section may be a
commercially available device. Specific examples thereof include
PRESSLE LEADA, PRESSLE CORE, and PRESSLE Bee produced by Toppan
Forms Co., Ltd., and PS-500H, PS-500, EX-4100WI, EX-4100W,
EX-4100/4150, and PS-100 produced by DUPLO SEIKO CORPORATION.
[0100] The pressure applied in the thickness direction of the
multilayer body (hereinafter this pressure may be referred to as
the "pressure bonding pressure") in the pressure-bonding step is
preferably 60 MPa or more and 150 MPa or less, more preferably 70
MPa or more and 130 MPa or less, and yet more preferably 90 MPa or
more and 110 MPa or less in terms of maximum pressure.
[0101] When the pressure bonding pressure is 60 MPa or more,
sufficient bondability is easily obtained by sufficient pressure
bonding. At a pressure bonding pressure of 150 MPa or less,
breaking, deformation, etc., of the recording medium during
pressurizing are easily suppressed.
[0102] The pressure bonding pressure is measured by a commercially
available pressure measuring film. A specific example of the
pressure measuring film is a pressure measuring film, PRESCALE
produced by FUJIFILM Corporation. Here, the "maximum pressure" is
the maximum value observed as the pressure applied to the
multilayer body by the multilayer body pressurizing section is
changed.
[0103] The pressure-bonding step may be performed without heating
or with heating.
[0104] In other words, the multilayer body pressurizing section may
be free of a heating section and may pressurize the multilayer body
without heating, or may be equipped with a heating section and may
heat the multilayer body while pressurizing.
[0105] The method for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment may include additional steps in addition
to the aforementioned providing step, bonding step, and
pressure-bonding step.
[0106] An example of the additional steps is a step of cutting a
recording medium after the bonding step or a multilayer body after
the pressure-bonding step into a desired size.
One Example of Production System and Method
[0107] In the description below, one example of a system for
producing a printed material according to an exemplary embodiment
is described, and a method for producing a printed material
according to an exemplary embodiment is described; however, the
exemplary embodiments are not limited by the description below.
[0108] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating one example of a
system for producing a printed material according to an exemplary
embodiment. The system for producing a printed material illustrated
in FIG. 3 includes a placing section 150 that has a providing unit
that stores particular particles and provides the particular
particles onto at least part of the outside margin portion and the
portion to be folded of the recording medium and a bonding unit
that bonds the particular particles onto the recording medium; and
a pressure bonding section 200 disposed downstream of the placing
section 150. The pressure bonding section 200 includes a pressure
bonding unit that pressure-bonds a multilayer body obtained by
stacking multiple recording media including a recording medium
having the particular particles bonded thereon. The arrow indicates
the direction in which the recording medium is conveyed.
[0109] The placing section 150 is a device that places the
particular particles on a recording medium P by an application
method. The recording medium P has, for example, an image formed on
one or both surfaces in advance.
[0110] The placing section 150 has a particle providing device 518
that provides particular particles 516 to the surface of the
recording medium P. The particle providing device 518 is one
example of the providing unit that provides the particular
particles to a position corresponding to a particular region in the
recording medium.
[0111] The particle providing device 518 supplies particular
particles 516 to the surface of the recording medium P and forms a
particular particle region 516A in the surface of the recording
medium P.
[0112] The particle providing device 518 has a supply roll 518A in
a portion opposing the recording medium P, and supplies the
particular particles 516 only to the corresponding application
region (in other words, the particular region). In the particle
providing device 518, the particular particles 516 are supplied to
the supply roll 518A to adjust the amount of the particular
particles 516 supplied to the supply roll 518A (in other words, the
thickness of the layer formed by supplying the particular particles
516 onto the recording medium P).
[0113] The placing section 150 is further equipped with a recording
medium storing unit (not illustrated) that stores the recording
medium P, a conveying unit (not illustrated) that conveys the
recording medium P stored in the recording medium storing unit, a
bonding device 564 that causes the particular particles 516 applied
to the recording medium P to bond to the recording medium P, and a
recording medium discharging unit (not illustrated) that discharges
the recording medium P having the particular particles 516 bonded
thereon by the bonding device 564.
[0114] The bonding device 564 includes a heating roll 564A having a
built-in heating source, and a pressurizing roll 564B that is
arranged to oppose the heating roll 564A.
[0115] The operation of the placing section 150 placing the
particular particles on the recording medium P will now be
described.
[0116] When the recording medium P is conveyed from the recording
medium storing unit by the conveying unit and is delivered to the
position of the particle providing device 518, the particular
particles 516 are provided onto the recording medium P by the
particle providing device 518 so as to form a particular particle
region 516A.
[0117] The recording medium P having the particular particle region
516A formed thereon is subsequently conveyed to the bonding device
564 (one example of the bonding unit). The pressure applied to the
recording medium P from the bonding device 564 may be low compared
to the pressure applied to the recording medium P from the
pressurizing device 230, and, specifically, may be 0.2 MPa or more
and 1 MPa or less. The surface temperature of the recording medium
P when heated by the heating roll 564A of the bonding device 564 is
preferably 150.degree. C. or more and 220.degree. C. or less, more
preferably 155.degree. C. or more and 210.degree. C. or less, and
yet more preferably 160.degree. C. or more and 200.degree. C. or
less.
[0118] The recording medium P passes the placing section 150 and
thus becomes a particle-provided recording medium P1 in which the
particular particles are provided to the particular region in the
outside margin portion. The particle-provided recording medium P1
is then conveyed toward the pressure-bonding section 200.
[0119] In the system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment, the placing section 150 and the
pressure-bonding section 200 may be close to each other or distant
from each other. When the placing section 150 and the
pressure-bonding section 200 are distant from each other, the
placing section 150 and the pressure-bonding section 200 are, for
example, linked via a conveying section (for example, a belt
conveyor) that conveys the particle-provided recording medium
P1.
[0120] The pressure-bonding section 200 is equipped with a
multilayer body forming device 220 and a pressurizing device 230,
and pressurizes a multilayer body P2 obtained by stacking
particle-provided recording media P1.
[0121] The multilayer body forming device 220 prepares the
multilayer body P2 by stacking multiple particle-provided recording
media P1, which have particular particles provided onto the
particular region in the outside margin portion and which have
passed the device. In the multilayer body P2, the particular
regions of the respective recording media are on top of each
other.
[0122] The multilayer body P2 that has exited the multilayer body
forming device 220 is conveyed toward the pressurizing device
230.
[0123] The pressurizing device 230 is equipped with a pair of
pressurizing members (in other words, pressurizing rolls 231 and
232). The pressurizing roll 231 and the pressurizing roll 232
contact and push each other at their outer peripheral surfaces to
apply pressure onto the passing multilayer body P2. The pair of
pressurizing members in the pressurizing device 230 is not limited
to the combination of pressurizing rolls and may be a combination
of a pressurizing roll and a pressurizing belt or a combination of
a pressurizing belt and a pressurizing belt.
[0124] When a pressure is applied to the multilayer body P2 passing
the pressurizing device 230, the particular particles on the
multilayer body P2 are fluidized under pressure and exhibit
bondability. The pressure that the pressurizing device 230 applies
to the multilayer body P2 is preferably 3 MPa or more and 300 MPa
or less, more preferably 10 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less, and
yet more preferably 30 MPa or more and 150 MPa or less.
[0125] The pressurizing device 230 may have therein a heating
source (for example, a halogen heater) for heating the multilayer
body P2, but this is optional. When the pressurizing device 230 has
a heating source inside, the surface temperature of the multilayer
body P2 heated by the heating source is preferably 30.degree. C. or
more and 120.degree. C. or less, more preferably 40.degree. C. or
more and 100.degree. C. or less, and yet more preferably 50.degree.
C. or more and 90.degree. C. or less. The pressurizing device 230
may have no heating source inside, and this does not exclude the
case in which the temperature inside the pressurizing device 230
increases to a temperature equal to or more than the environment
temperature due to heat from a motor in the pressurizing device 230
or the like.
[0126] As the multilayer body P2 passes the pressurizing device
230, the surfaces that are on top of each other bond with each
other via the fluidized particular particles, and a printed
material P3 is obtained. In the printed material P3, the particular
regions of the recording media are bonded to one another so that
the position corresponding to the particular region constitutes a
bound portion.
[0127] The finished printed material P3 is discharged from the
pressurizing device 230.
[0128] In the system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment, the multilayer body forming device 220
and the pressurizing device 230 may be close to each other or
distant from each other. When the multilayer body forming device
220 and the pressurizing device 230 are distant from each other,
the multilayer body forming device 220 and the pressurizing device
230 are, for example, linked via a conveying section (for example,
a belt conveyor) that conveys the multilayer body P2.
[0129] The system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment may be equipped with a cutting section
that cuts the recording medium into a predetermined size. Examples
of the cutting section include a cutting section that is disposed
between the placing section 150 and the pressure-bonding section
200 and cuts off a part of the particle-provided recording medium
P1; a cutting section that is disposed between the multilayer body
forming device 220 and the pressurizing device 230 and cuts off a
part of the multilayer body P2; and a cutting section that is
disposed downstream of the pressure-bonding section 200 and cuts
off a part of the printed material P3.
[0130] The system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment is not limited to a single-sheet type.
The apparatus for producing a printed material according to this
exemplary embodiment may be of a type that performs a placing step
and a pressure-bonding step on a long recording medium to form a
long printed material, and then cuts the long printed material into
a predetermined size.
[0131] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example
of a system for producing a printed material according to an
exemplary embodiment. The system for producing a printed material
illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a placing section 100 that has a
providing unit that stores particular particles and provides the
particular particles onto at least part of the outside margin
portion or the portion to be folded of the recording medium and a
bonding unit that bonds the particular particles onto the recording
medium; and a pressure bonding section 200 disposed downstream of
the placing section 100. The pressure bonding section 200 includes
a pressure bonding unit that pressure-bonds a multilayer body
obtained by stacking multiple recording media including a recording
medium having the particular particles bonded thereon. The arrow
indicates the direction in which the photoreceptor rotates or the
recording medium is conveyed.
[0132] The placing section 100 is a direct transfer type device
that places the particular particles on a recording medium P by an
electrophotographic method using a developer containing the
particular particles. The recording medium P has, for example, an
image formed on one or both surfaces in advance.
[0133] The placing section 100 includes a photoreceptor 101. A
charging roll (one example of the charging section) 102 that
charges the surface of the photoreceptor 101, an exposing device
(one example of the electrostatic charge image forming section) 103
that forms an electrostatic charge image by exposing the charged
surface of the photoreceptor 101 with a laser beam, a developing
device (one example of the developing section) 104 that develops
the electrostatic charge image into a particular particle region by
supplying the particular particles to the electrostatic charge
image, a transfer roll (one example of the transfer section) 105
that transfers the developed particular particle region onto a
recording medium P, and a photoreceptor cleaning device (one
example of the cleaning section) 106 that removes the particular
particles remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor 101 after
the transfer are provided in that order around the photoreceptor
101.
[0134] The operation of the placing section 100 placing the
particular particles on the recording medium P will now be
described.
[0135] First, the surface of the photoreceptor 101 is charged by
the charging roll 102. The developing device 103 applies a laser
beam onto the charged surface of the photoreceptor 101 in
accordance to image data sent from a controller (not illustrated).
As a result, an electrostatic charge image of a particular particle
placement pattern is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor
101.
[0136] The electrostatic charge image formed on the photoreceptor
101 is rotated to a developing position as the photoreceptor 101 is
run. The electrostatic charge image on the photoreceptor 101 at the
development position is developed by the developing device 104 and
visualized into a particular particle region.
[0137] A developer that contains at least the particular particles
and a carrier is stored in the developing device 104. The
particular particles are frictionally charged as they are stirred
with a carrier in the developing device 104, and are retained on
the developer roll. As the surface of the photoreceptor 101 passes
the developing device 104, the particular particles
electrostatically adhere to the electrostatic charge image on the
surface of the photoreceptor 101, and the electrostatic charge
image is thereby developed with the particular particles into a
particular particle region. The photoreceptor 101 having the
particular particle region thereon is continuously run, and the
particular particle region on the photoreceptor 101 is conveyed to
a transfer position.
[0138] After the particular particle region on the photoreceptor
101 is conveyed to the transfer position, a transfer bias is
applied to the transfer roll 105. An electrostatic force working
from the photoreceptor 101 toward the transfer roll 105 works on
the particular particle region, and the particular particle region
on the photoreceptor 101 is transferred onto the recording medium
P.
[0139] The particular particles remaining on the photoreceptor 101
are removed by the photoreceptor cleaning device 106 and recovered.
The photoreceptor cleaning device 106 is, for example, a cleaning
blade or a cleaning brush. From the viewpoint of suppressing the
phenomenon in which the particular particles of the exemplary
embodiment remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor fluidize
under a pressure and attach to the surface of the photoreceptor
while forming a film, the photoreceptor cleaning device 106 may be
a cleaning brush.
[0140] The recording medium P having the particular particle region
transferred thereon is conveyed to the bonding device (one example
of the bonding unit) 107. The bonding device 107 is, for example, a
pair of bonding members (roll/roll or belt/roll). The pressure
applied to the recording medium P from the bonding device 107 may
be low compared to the pressure applied to the recording medium P
from the pressurizing device 230, and, specifically, may be 0.2 MPa
or more and 1 MPa or less.
[0141] The bonding device 107 may optionally have therein a heating
source (for example, a halogen heater) for heating the recording
medium P. When the bonding device 107 has a heating source inside,
the surface temperature of the recording medium P heated by the
heating source is preferably 150.degree. C. or more and 220.degree.
C. or less, more preferably 155.degree. C. or more and 210.degree.
C. or less, and yet more preferably 160.degree. C. or more and
200.degree. C. or less. The bonding device 107 may have no heating
source inside, and this does not exclude that the temperature
inside the bonding device 107 increases to a temperature equal to
or more than the environment temperature due to heat from a motor
in the placing section 100 or the like.
[0142] The recording medium P passes the placing section 100 and
thus becomes a particle-provided recording medium P1 in which the
particular particles are provided to the particular region in the
outside margin portion. The particle-provided recording medium P1
is then conveyed toward the pressure-bonding section 200. A
pressure-bonding section similar to the pressure-bonding section
200 in the system for producing a printed material illustrated in
FIG. 3 is used as the pressure-bonding section 200 of the system
for producing a printed material illustrated in FIG. 4.
[0143] In the system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment, the placing section 100 and the
pressure-bonding section 200 may be close to each other or distant
from each other. When the placing section 100 and the
pressure-bonding section 200 are distant from each other, the
placing section 100 and the pressure-bonding section 200 are, for
example, linked via a conveying section (for example, a belt
conveyor) that conveys the particle-provided recording medium
P1.
[0144] The system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment may be equipped with a cutting section
that cuts the recording medium into a predetermined size. Examples
of the cutting section include a cutting section that is disposed
between the placing section 100 and the pressure-bonding section
200 and cuts off a part of the particle-provided recording medium
P1; a cutting section that is disposed between the multilayer body
forming device 220 and the pressurizing device 230 and cuts off a
part of the multilayer body P2; and a cutting section that is
disposed downstream of the pressure-bonding section 200 and cuts
off a part of the printed material P3.
[0145] The system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment is not limited to a single-sheet type.
The apparatus for producing a printed material according to this
exemplary embodiment may be of a type that performs a placing step
and a pressure-bonding step on a long recording medium to form a
long printed material, and then cuts the long printed material into
a predetermined size.
[0146] The system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment may further include a color image forming
section that forms a color image on a recording medium by using a
coloring material. Examples of the color image forming section
include a section that forms a color ink image on a recording
medium by an ink jet method using a color ink, and a section that
forms a color toner image on a recording medium by an
electrophotographic method using a color electrostatic charge image
developer.
[0147] The color image forming section that uses an ink jet method
is equipped with, for example, a liquid ejection head that ejects a
liquid that serves as an ink. The color image forming section that
uses an ink jet method may be of a direct ejection type in which a
liquid is directly ejected from a liquid ejection head onto a
recording medium, or of an intermediate transfer type in which a
liquid ejection head ejects a liquid onto an intermediate transfer
body and then the liquid ejected onto the intermediate transfer
body is transferred onto a recording medium.
[0148] The color image forming section that uses an
electrophotographic method is equipped with, for example, a
photoreceptor, a charging section that charges a surface of the
photoreceptor, an electrostatic charge image forming section that
forms an electrostatic charge image on the charged surface of the
photoreceptor, a developing section that stores a color
electrostatic charge image developer and develops the electrostatic
charge image on the surface of the photoreceptor into a color toner
image by using the color electrostatic charge image developer, a
transfer section that transfers the color toner image on the
surface of the photoreceptor onto a surface of a recording medium,
and a thermal fixing section that thermally fixes the color toner
image transferred onto the surface of the recording medium.
[0149] The aforementioned system for producing a printed material
is used to implement the method for producing a printed material of
the exemplary embodiment, the method further including the color
image forming step of forming a color image on the recording medium
by using a color material. Specific examples of the color image
forming step include a step of forming a color ink image on a
recording medium by an inkjet method using a color ink, and a step
of forming a color toner image by an electrophotographic method
using a color electrostatic charge image developer.
[0150] The color image forming step that uses an ink jet method
includes, for example, a liquid ejecting step of ejecting a liquid
that serves as an ink. The color image forming step that uses an
ink jet method may involve a direct ejection process in which a
liquid is directly ejected onto a recording medium, or an
intermediate transfer process in which a liquid is ejected onto an
intermediate transfer body and then the liquid ejected onto the
intermediate transfer body is transferred onto a recording
medium.
[0151] The color image forming step that uses an
electrophotographic method includes, for example, a charging step
of charging a surface of a photoreceptor, an electrostatic charge
image forming step of forming an electrostatic charge image on the
charged surface of the photoreceptor, a developing step of
developing the electrostatic charge image on the surface of the
photoreceptor into a color toner image by using a color
electrostatic charge image developer, a transfer step of
transferring the color toner image on the surface of the
photoreceptor onto a surface of a recording medium, and a thermal
fixing step of thermally fixing the color toner image transferred
onto the surface of the recording medium.
[0152] Examples of the color image forming section included in the
system for producing a printed material according to this exemplary
embodiment include a direct type device that directly forms a color
image on a recording medium; an intermediate transfer type device
that forms a color image on a surface of an intermediate transfer
body and transfers the color image on the surface of the
intermediate transfer body onto a recording medium; a device
equipped with a cleaning section for cleaning a surface of a
photoreceptor after transfer of a color image and before charging
when the color image is a color toner image; and a device equipped
with a charge erasing section that erases charges by irradiating
the surface of the photoreceptor with charge-erasing light after
transfer of a color image and before charging when the color image
is a color toner image. When the color image forming section that
uses an electrophotographic method is an intermediate transfer type
device, the transfer section has, for example, an intermediate
transfer body having a surface to which a color toner image is
transferred, a first transfer section that transfers (first
transfer) the color toner image on the surface of the photoreceptor
onto a surface of the intermediate transfer body, and a second
transfer section that transfers (second transfer) the color toner
image on the surface of the intermediate transfer body onto a
surface of a recording medium.
[0153] In the system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment, when the particular particle placing
section and the color image forming section both employ an
intermediate transfer method, the placing section and the color
image forming section may share the intermediate transfer body and
the transfer section.
[0154] In the system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment, when the color image forming section has
a bonding device that bonds a coloring material to a recording
medium, the bonding device of the particular particle placing
section and the bonding device of the color image forming section
may be one shared bonding device.
[0155] Other examples of the system for producing a printed
material according to the present exemplary embodiment equipped
with a color image forming section are described below, but these
examples are not limiting. Only relevant parts illustrated in the
drawing are described in the description below, and descriptions of
other parts are omitted.
[0156] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example
of a system for producing a printed material according to an
exemplary embodiment. The system for producing a printed material
illustrated in FIG. 5 is equipped with a printing section 500 that
forms a color image and provides particular particles onto a
recording medium by an ink jet method, and a pressure-bonding
section 600 disposed downstream of the printing section 500.
[0157] The printing section 500 is equipped with an ink jet
recording head 520, which is one example of color image color image
forming section, that ejects ink droplets onto a recording medium P
to form a color image.
[0158] When viewed from the ink jet recording head 520, a particle
providing device 518 that provides particular particles 516 to a
surface of a recording medium P is disposed on the downstream in
the recording medium P conveying direction (the arrow direction in
the drawing). The particle providing apparatus 518 is one example
of a providing unit that provides particular particles to a
position corresponding to the particular region in the recording
medium.
[0159] The printing section 500 includes a recording medium storing
unit (not illustrated) that stores the recording medium P, a
conveying unit (not illustrated) that conveys the recording medium
P stored in the recording medium storing unit, a bonding device 564
that causes ink droplets and particular particles 516 provided to
the recording medium P to bond with the recording medium P, and a
recording medium discharging unit (not illustrated) that discharges
the recording medium P having the ink droplets and the particular
particles 516 bonded thereon by the bonding device 564.
[0160] The bonding device 564 includes a heating roll 564A having a
built-in heating source, and a pressurizing roll 564B that is
arranged to oppose the heating roll 564A.
[0161] The particle providing device 518 supplies particular
particles 516 to the surface of the recording medium P and forms a
particular particle region 516A in the surface of the recording
medium P.
[0162] The particle providing device 518 has a supply roll 518A in
a portion opposing the recording medium P, and supplies the
particular particles 516 only to the corresponding application
region (in other words, the particular region in the recording
medium P).
[0163] The particular particles 516 are supplied to the supply roll
518A to adjust the amount of the particular particles 516 provided
to the recording medium P (in other words, the thickness of the
particular particle region 516A having a layer shape on the
recording medium P).
[0164] The ink jet recording head 520 includes an ink jet recording
head 520Y that ejects yellow ink droplets from nozzles, an ink jet
recording head 520M that ejects magenta ink droplets from nozzles,
an ink jet recording head 520C that ejects cyan ink droplets from
nozzles, and an ink jet recording head 520K that ejects black ink
droplets from nozzles. The ink jet recording head 520 is driven by
a piezoelectric system, a thermal system, or the like.
[0165] The ink jet recording head 520 may be a recording head that
has a recording width equal to or larger than a region to be
recorded and records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording
medium P without moving in a direction intersecting the recording
medium P-conveying direction, or may be a recording head that
records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium P
while moving in a direction intersecting the recording medium
P-conveying direction.
[0166] The ink ejected from the ink jet recording head 520 may be
an aqueous ink or an oil-based ink, and an aqueous ink may be used
from the viewpoint of environment. The aqueous ink contains a
recording material such as a coloring material and an ink solvent
(for example, water or a water-soluble organic solvent). If needed,
the aqueous ink may contain other additives.
[0167] In the printing section 500, first, the recording medium P
is conveyed from the recording medium storing unit by the conveying
unit and is delivered to the position of the ink jet recording head
520, and then ink droplets of respective colors are provided onto
the recording medium P by the ink jet recording head 520 to form a
color image. Next, the recording medium P having the color image
formed thereon is conveyed by the conveying unit and is delivered
to the position of the particle providing device 518, and then the
particular particles 516 are provided to the recording medium P by
the particle providing device 518 so as to form a particular
particle region 516A.
[0168] The recording medium P having the color image and the
particular particle region 516A formed thereon is subsequently
conveyed to the bonding device 564 (one example of the bonding
unit). The pressure applied to the recording medium P from the
bonding device 564 may be low compared to the pressure applied to
the recording medium P from the pressurizing device 230, and,
specifically, may be 0.2 MPa or more and 1 MPa or less. The surface
temperature of the recording medium P when heated by the heating
roll 564A of the bonding device 564 is preferably 150.degree. C. or
more and 220.degree. C. or less, more preferably 155.degree. C. or
more and 210.degree. C. or less, and yet more preferably
160.degree. C. or more and 200.degree. C. or less.
[0169] As described above, as the recording medium P passes the
printing section 500, the recording medium P turns into a
particle-provided recording medium P7 on which a color image is
formed and particular particles are provided to the particular
region constituting a part of the outside margin portion.
[0170] The particle-provided recording medium P7 is then conveyed
toward the pressure-bonding section 600.
[0171] As with the pressure bonding section 200 illustrated in FIG.
3, the pressure-bonding section 600 is equipped with a multilayer
body forming device 620 and a pressurizing device 630, and
pressurizes a multilayer body P8 obtained by stacking
particle-provided recording media P7.
[0172] The multilayer body P8 that has exited the multilayer body
forming device 620 passes between the pressurizing rolls 631 and
632 of the pressurizing device 630 so that the surfaces that are on
top of each other are bonded to each other via the fluidized
particular particles, and a printed material P9 is obtained. In the
printed material P9, the particular regions of the recording media
are bonded to one another so that the position corresponding to the
particular region constitutes a bound portion.
[0173] Subsequently, the finished printed material P9 is discharged
from the pressurizing device 630.
[0174] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating one example of a
system for producing a printed material according to an exemplary
embodiment. The system for producing a printed material illustrated
in FIG. 6 is equipped with a printing section 300 that forms color
images on and applies particular particles to a recording medium,
and a pressure-bonding section 400 disposed downstream of the
printing section 300.
[0175] The printing section 300 is a five-stand-tandem intermediate
transfer-type printing section.
[0176] The printing section 300 is equipped with a unit 10T that
provides the particular particles (T), and units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and
10K that respectively form yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and
black (K) images. The unit 10T is a particle providing section (in
other words, the providing unit) that provides the particular
particles onto a recording medium P by using a developer that
contains the particular particles. Each of the units 10Y, 10M, 10C,
and 10K is a section that forms a color image on f recording medium
P by using a developer that contains a color toner. The units 10T,
10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K employ an electrophotographic system.
[0177] The units 10T, 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K are disposed side by
side with spaces therebetween in the horizontal direction. The
units 10T, 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K may each be a process cartridge
detachably attachable to the printing section 300.
[0178] An intermediate transfer belt (one example of the
intermediate transfer body) 20 extends below and throughout the
units 10T, 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K. The intermediate transfer belt
20 is wound around a driving roll 22, a supporting roll 23, and a
counter roll 24 that are in contact with the inner surface of the
intermediate transfer belt 20, and runs in a direction from the
unit 10T to the unit 10K. An intermediate transfer body cleaning
device 21 is installed on the image carrying surface side of the
intermediate transfer belt 20 so as to face the driving roll
22.
[0179] The units 10T, 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K are respectively
equipped with developing devices (examples of the developing
sections) 4T, 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K. Particular particles, a yellow
toner, a magenta toner, a cyan toner, and a black toner contained
in cartridges 8T, 8Y, 8M, 8C, and 8K are respectively supplied to
the developing devices 4T, 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K.
[0180] Since the units 10T, 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K are identical in
structure and in operation, the unit 10T that provides the
particular particles to the recording medium is described as a
representative example.
[0181] The unit 10T has a photoreceptor (an example of the image
carrier) 1T. A charging roll (one example of the charging section)
2T that charges the surface of the photoreceptor 1T, an exposing
device (one example of the electrostatic charge image forming
section) 3T that forms an electrostatic charge image by exposing
the charged surface of the photoreceptor 1T with a laser beam, a
developing device (one example of the developing section) 4T that
develops the electrostatic charge image into a particular particle
region by supplying the particular particles to the electrostatic
charge image, a first transfer roll (one example of the first
transfer section) 5T that transfers the developed particular
particle region onto the intermediate transfer belt 20, and a
photoreceptor cleaning device (one example of the cleaning section)
6T that removes the particular particles remaining on the surface
of the photoreceptor 1T after the first transfer are provided in
that order around the photoreceptor 1T. The first transfer roll 5T
is disposed on the inner side of the intermediate transfer belt 20
and is positioned to face the photoreceptor 1T.
[0182] In the description below, operation of applying the
particular particles to the recording medium P and forming color
images is described by describing the operation of the unit 10T as
an example.
[0183] First, the surface of the photoreceptor 1T is charged by the
charging roll 2T. The developing device 3T applies a laser beam
onto the charged surface of the photoreceptor 1T in accordance to
image data sent from a controller (not illustrated). As a result,
an electrostatic charge image, which is the region where the
particular particles are to be applied, is formed on the surface of
the photoreceptor 1T.
[0184] The electrostatic charge image formed on the photoreceptor
1T is rotated to a developing position as the photoreceptor 1T is
run. The electrostatic charge image on the photoreceptor 1T is
developed by the developing device 4T into a particular particle
region.
[0185] A developer that contains at least the particular particles
and a carrier is stored in the developing device 4T. The particular
particles are frictionally charged as they are stirred with the
carrier in the developing device 4T, and are carried on the
developer roll. As the surface of the photoreceptor 1T passes the
developing device 4T, the particular particles electrostatically
adhere to the electrostatic charge image on the surface of the
photoreceptor 1T, and the electrostatic charge image is thereby
developed with the particular particles into a particular particle
region. The photoreceptor 1T having a particular particle region
thereon is continuously run, and the particular particle region on
the photoreceptor 1T is conveyed to a first transfer position.
[0186] After the particular particle region on the photoreceptor 1T
is conveyed to the first transfer position, a first transfer bias
is applied to the first transfer roll 5T. An electrostatic force
working from the photoreceptor 1T toward the first transfer roll 5T
also works on the particular particle region, and the particular
particle region on the photoreceptor 1T is transferred onto the
intermediate transfer belt 20. The particular particles remaining
on the photoreceptor 1T are removed by the photoreceptor cleaning
device 6T and recovered. The photoreceptor cleaning device 6T is,
for example, a cleaning blade or a cleaning brush, and is
preferably a cleaning brush.
[0187] An operation similar to that performed in the unit 10T is
also performed in the units 10Y, 10M, 100, and 10K by using
developers that contain color toners. The intermediate transfer
belt 20 onto which the particular particle region is transferred in
the unit 10T sequentially passes the units 10Y, 10M, 100, and 10K,
and toner images of respective colors are transferred onto the
intermediate transfer belt 20 in a superimposing manner.
[0188] The intermediate transfer belt 20 onto which a particular
particle region and four toner images are superimposed and
transferred as the intermediate transfer belt 20 passes the units
10T, 10Y, 10M, 100, and 10K reaches a second transfer section
constituted by the intermediate transfer belt 20, the counter roll
24 in contact with the inner surface of the intermediate transfer
belt 20, and a second transfer roll (one example of the second
transfer section) 26 disposed on the image carrying surface side of
the intermediate transfer belt 20. Meanwhile, a recording medium P
is supplied to a gap where the second transfer roll 26 and the
intermediate transfer belt 20 contact each other via a supplying
mechanism, and a second transfer bias is applied to the counter
roll 24. During this process, an electrostatic force working from
the intermediate transfer belt 20 toward the recording medium P
acts on the particular particle region and the toner images, and
the particular particle region and the toner images on the
intermediate transfer belt 20 are transferred onto the recording
medium P.
[0189] The recording medium P onto which the particular particle
region and the toner images have been transferred is conveyed to a
heating device (one example of the particle heating section) 28,
which is one example of the bonding unit. The color toner images
are thermally fixed to the recording medium P by being heated by
the heating device 28, and, at the same time, the particular
particle region is heated, thereby promoting plasticization of the
particular particles.
[0190] From the viewpoint of suppressing detachment of the
particular particles from the recording medium P, the viewpoint of
improving the fixability of the color toners to the recording
medium P, and the viewpoint of promoting plasticization of the
particular particles, the heating device 28 may be a device that
applies both heat and pressure (this device is also referred to as
a "heating and pressurizing device").
[0191] When the heating device 28 is a heating and pressurizing
device, for example, the heating device 28 may be equipped with a
heating source such as a halogen heater, and may include a pair of
rolls that contact and heat the particular particle region and the
toner images on the recording medium P. The color toner images are
thermally fixed to the recording medium P as the recording medium
having the particular particle region and toner images thereon
passes between the pair of rolls, and, at the same time, the
particular particle region is heated, thereby promoting
plasticization of the particular particles.
[0192] As described above, as the recording medium P passes the
printing section 300, the recording medium P turns into a
particle-provided recording medium P4 on which a color image is
formed and particular particles are provided in a particular region
that constitutes a portion to be folded.
[0193] The particle-provided recording medium P4 is then conveyed
toward the pressure-bonding section 400.
[0194] In the system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment, the printing section 300 and the
pressure-bonding section 400 may be close to each other or distant
from each other.
[0195] When the printing section 300 and the pressure-bonding
section 400 are distant from each other, the printing section 300
and the pressure-bonding section 400 are, for example, linked via a
conveying section (for example, a belt conveyor) that conveys the
particle-provided recording medium P4.
[0196] The pressure-bonding section 400 is equipped with a
multilayer body forming device 420 and a pressurizing device 230,
and pressurizes a multilayer body P5 obtained by stacking and
folding particle-provided recording media P4.
[0197] The multilayer body forming device 420 stack
particle-provided recording media P4 passing therethrough and folds
the particle-provided recording media P4 along the folding lines so
as to form a multilayer body P5. In the multilayer body P5, the
particular regions of the respective recording media are on top of
each other.
[0198] The multilayer body P5 that has exited the multilayer body
forming device 420 is conveyed toward the pressurizing device
230.
[0199] The pressurizing device 230 is equipped with, for example, a
pair of rolls (in other words, pressurizing rolls 231 and 232). The
pressurizing roll 231 and the pressurizing roll 232 are, for
example, spaced from each other, and as the multilayer body P5
passes between the pair of rolls, a pressure is applied to the
multilayer body P5 in the thickness direction.
[0200] As the multilayer body P5 passing the pressurizing device
230 is pressurized, the particular regions of the recording media
become bonded to each other with the fluidized particular
particles, and a printed material P6 is obtained.
[0201] The finished printed material P6 is discharged from the
pressurizing device 230.
[0202] In the system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment, the multilayer body forming device 420
and the pressurizing device 230 may be close to each other or
distant from each other. When the multilayer body forming device
420 and the pressurizing device 230 are distant from each other,
the multilayer body forming device 420 and the pressurizing device
230 are, for example, linked via a conveying section (for example,
a belt conveyor) that conveys the multilayer body P5.
[0203] The system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment may be equipped with a cutting section
that cuts the recording medium into a predetermined size. Examples
of the cutting section include a cutting section that is disposed
between the printing section 300 and the pressure-bonding section
400 and cuts off a part of the particle-provided recording medium
P4; a cutting section that is disposed between the multilayer body
forming device 420 and the pressurizing device 230 and cuts off a
part of the multilayer body P5; and a cutting section that is
disposed downstream of the pressure-bonding section 400 and cuts
off a part of the printed material P6.
[0204] The cutting section may cut off a part of the region where
the particular particles are placed or may cut off only the region
where the particular particles are not placed.
[0205] The system for producing a printed material according to
this exemplary embodiment is not limited to a single-sheet type.
The system for producing a printed material according to this
exemplary embodiment may be of a type that performs a placing step
and a pressure-bonding step on a long recording medium to form a
long printed material, and then cuts the long printed material into
a predetermined size.
Particular Particles
[0206] The particular particles of the exemplary embodiment contain
at least base particles and, if needed, an external additive.
[0207] In other words, the base particles contained in the
particular particles contain: a styrene resin containing styrene
and a vinyl monomer other than styrene as polymerization
components; and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin that contains at
least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as polymerization components,
in which the mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid esters relative
to the total of polymerization components is 90 mass or more. In
addition, the base particles have at least two glass transition
temperatures, and the difference between the highest glass
transition temperature and the lowest glass transition temperature
is 30.degree. C. or more.
Base Particles
Binder Resin
[0208] The base particles contain, as binder resins, a styrene
resin containing styrene and a vinyl monomer other than styrene as
polymerization components, and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin
that contains at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as
polymerization components, in which the mass ratio of the
(meth)acrylic acid esters relative to the total of polymerization
components is 90 mass or more.
[0209] In the description below, a "styrene resin that contains
styrene and a vinyl monomer other than styrene as polymerization
components" may be simply referred to as a "particular styrene
resin", and a "(meth)acrylic acid ester resin that contains at
least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as polymerization components,
in which the mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid esters relative
to the total of polymerization components is 90 mass % or more" may
be simply referred to as a "particular (meth)acrylic acid ester
resin".
[0210] From the viewpoint of maintaining bondability achieved by
pressure bonding, the base particles may contain a larger amount of
the particular styrene resin than the particular (meth)acrylic acid
ester resin. The amount of the particular styrene resin relative to
the total amount of the particular styrene resin and the particular
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin is preferably 55 mass % or more and
80 mass % or less, more preferably 60 mass % or more and 75 mass %
or less, and yet more preferably 65 mass % or more and 70 mass % or
less.
Particular Styrene Resin
[0211] The base particles that constitute the particular particles
contain a particular styrene resin that contains styrene and a
vinyl monomer other than styrene as polymerization components.
[0212] From the viewpoint of suppressing fluidization of the
particular particles in an unpressured state, the mass ratio of
styrene relative to the total of the polymerization components of
the particular styrene resin is preferably 60 mass % or more, more
preferably 70 mass % or more, and yet more preferably 75 mass % or
more.
[0213] From the viewpoint of forming particular particles that
easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition, the mass ratio of
styrene relative to the total of the polymerization components of
the particular styrene resin is preferably 95 mass % or less, more
preferably 90 mass % or less, and yet more preferably 85 mass % or
less.
[0214] In other words, the mass ratio of styrene relative to the
total of the polymerization components of the particular styrene
resin is preferably 60 mass % or more and 95 mass % or less.
[0215] Examples of the vinyl monomers other than styrene contained
as polymerization components of the particular styrene resin
(hereinafter, such monomers may also be referred to as "other vinyl
monomers") include styrene monomers and acryl monomers.
[0216] Examples of the styrene monomers used as other vinyl
monomers include vinyl naphthalene; alkyl-substituted styrenes such
as .alpha.-methylstyrene, o-methylstyrene, m-methylstyrene,
p-methylstyrene, p-ethylstyrene, 2,4-dimethylstyrene,
p-n-butylstyrene, p-tert-butylstyrene, p-n-hexylstyrene,
p-n-octylstyrene, p-n-nonylstyrene, p-n-decylstyrene, and
p-n-dodecylstyrene; aryl-substituted styrenes such as
p-phenylstyrene; alkoxy-substituted styrenes such as
p-methoxystyrene; halogen-substituted styrenes such as
p-chlorostyrene, 3,4-dichlorostyrene, p-fluorostyrene, and
2,5-difluorostyrene; and nitro-substituted styrenes such as
m-nitrostyrene, o-nitrostyrene, and p-nitrostyrene.
[0217] These styrene monomers may be used alone or in
combination.
[0218] The acryl monomer used as other vinyl monomers may be at
least one acryl monomer selected from the group consisting of
(meth)acrylic acid and (meth)acrylic acid esters. Examples of the
(meth)acrylic acid esters include (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters,
(meth)acrylic acid carboxy-substituted alkyl esters, (meth)acrylic
acid hydroxy-substituted alkyl esters, (meth)acrylic acid
alkoxy-substituted alkyl esters, and di(meth)acrylic acid
esters.
[0219] These acryl monomers may be used alone or in
combination.
[0220] Examples of the (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters include
methyl (meth)acrylate, ethyl (meth)acrylate, propyl (meth)acrylate,
isopropyl (meth)acrylate, n-butyl (meth)acrylate, isobutyl
(meth)acrylate, n-hexyl (meth)acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl
(meth)acrylate, lauryl (meth)acrylate, stearyl (meth)acrylate,
cyclohexyl (meth)acrylate, dicyclopentanyl (meth)acrylate, and
isobornyl (meth)acrylate.
[0221] An example of the (meth)acrylic acid carboxy-substituted
alkyl ester is 2-carboxylethyl (meth)acrylate.
[0222] Examples of the (meth)acrylic acid hydroxy-substituted alkyl
esters include 2-hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl
(meth)acrylate, 3-hydroxypropyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxybutyl
(meth)acrylate, 3-hydroxybutyl (meth)acrylate, and 4-hydroxybutyl
(meth)acrylate.
[0223] An example of the (meth)acrylic acid alkoxy-substituted
alkyl ester is 2-methoxyethyl (meth)acrylate.
[0224] Examples of the di(meth)acrylic acid esters include ethylene
glycol di(meth)acrylate, diethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate,
triethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, butanediol di(meth)acrylate,
pentanediol di(meth)acrylate, hexanediol di(meth)acrylate,
nonanediol di(meth)acrylate, and decanediol di(meth)acrylate.
[0225] Examples of the (meth)acrylic acid esters also include
2-(diethylamino)ethyl (meth)acrylate, benzyl (meth)acrylate, and
methoxypolyethylene glycol (meth)acrylate.
[0226] Examples of other vinyl monomers contained as the
polymerization components of the particular styrene resin include,
in addition to the styrene monomers and acryl monomers,
(meth)acrylonitrile; vinyl ethers such as vinyl methyl ether and
vinyl isobutyl ether; vinyl ketones such as vinyl methyl ketone,
vinyl ethyl ketone, and vinyl isopropenyl ketone; and olefins such
as isoprene, butene, and butadiene.
[0227] From the viewpoint of forming particular particles that
easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition, the other vinyl
monomers contained as polymerization components of the particular
styrene resin preferably contain a (meth)acrylic acid ester, more
preferably a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester, yet more preferably a
(meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester in which the alkyl group contains 2
to 10 carbon atoms, and still more preferably a (meth)acrylic acid
alkyl ester in which the alkyl group contains 4 to 8 carbon
atoms.
[0228] From the viewpoint of forming particular particles that
easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition, the other vinyl
monomers contained as the polymerization components of the
particular styrene resin particularly preferably contain at least
one of n-butyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate.
[0229] From the viewpoint of forming particular particles that
easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition, the particular
styrene resin and the particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin
described below may contain the same (meth)acrylic acid ester as a
polymerization component.
[0230] From the viewpoint of suppressing fluidization of the
particular particles in an unpressured state, the mass ratio of the
(meth)acrylic acid ester relative to the total of the
polymerization components of the particular styrene resin is
preferably 40 mass % or less, more preferably 30 mass % or less,
and yet more preferably 25 mass % or less. From the viewpoint of
forming particular particles that easily undergo pressure-induced
phase transition, the mass ratio is preferably 5 mass % or more,
more preferably 10 mass % or more, and yet more preferably 15 mass
% or more. The (meth)acrylic acid ester here is preferably a
(meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester, yet more preferably a (meth)acrylic
acid alkyl ester in which the alkyl group contains 2 to 10 carbon
atoms, and still more preferably a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester
in which the alkyl group contains 4 to 8 carbon atoms.
[0231] The particular styrene resin particularly preferably
contains, as a polymerization component, at least one of n-butyl
acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, and the total amount of n-butyl
acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate relative to the total of
polymerization components of the styrene resin is preferably 40
mass % or less, more preferably 30 mass % or less, and yet more
preferably 25 mass % or less from the viewpoint of suppressing
fluidization of the particles in an unpressured state. From the
viewpoint of forming particular particles that easily undergo
pressure-induced phase transition, the total amount is preferably 5
mass % or more, more preferably 10 mass % or more, and yet more
preferably 15 mass % or more.
[0232] From the viewpoint of suppressing fluidization of the
particular particles in an unpressured state, the weight-average
molecular weight of the particular styrene resin is preferably 3000
or more, more preferably 4000 or more, and yet more preferably 5000
or more. From the viewpoint of forming particular particles that
easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition, the
weight-average molecular weight is preferably 60000 or less, more
preferably 55000 or less, and yet more preferably 50000 or
less.
[0233] In the present disclosure, the weight-average molecular
weight of a resin is measured by gel permeation chromatography
(GPC). The molecular weight measurement by GPC is conducted by
using HLC-8120GPC produced by TOSOH CORPORATION as a GPC instrument
with columns, TSKgel Super HM-M (15 cm) produced by TOSOH
CORPORATION, and tetrahydrofuran as a solvent. The weight-average
molecular weight of a resin is calculated by using a molecular
weight calibration curve prepared by using monodisperse polystyrene
standard samples.
[0234] From the viewpoint of suppressing fluidization of the
particular particles in an unpressured state, the glass transition
temperature of the particular styrene resin is preferably
30.degree. C. or more, more preferably 40.degree. C. or more, and
yet more preferably 50.degree. C. or more. From the viewpoint of
forming particular particles that easily undergo pressure-induced
phase transition, the glass transition temperature is preferably
110.degree. C. or less, more preferably 100.degree. C. or less, and
yet more preferably 90.degree. C. or less.
[0235] In the present disclosure, the glass transition temperature
of a resin is determined from a differential scanning calorimetry
curve (DSC curve) obtained by performing differential scanning
calorimetry (DSC). More specifically, the glass transition
temperature is determined from the "extrapolated glass transition
onset temperature" described in the method for determining the
glass transition temperature in JIS K 7121:1987 "Testing Methods
for Transition Temperatures of Plastics".
[0236] The glass transition temperature of a resin is controlled by
the types of polymerization components and the polymerization
ratios. The glass transition temperature has a tendency to decrease
as the density of flexible units, such as a methylene group, an
ethylene group, and an oxyethylene group, contained in the main
chain increases, and has a tendency to increase as the density of
rigid units, such as aromatic rings and cyclohexane rings,
contained in the main chain increases. Moreover, the glass
transition temperature has a tendency to decrease as the density of
aliphatic groups in side chains increases.
[0237] From the viewpoint of suppressing fluidization of the
particular particles in an unpressured state, the mass ratio of the
particular styrene resin relative to the entire base particles is
preferably 55 mass % or more, more preferably 60 mass % or more,
and yet more preferably 65 mass % or more. From the viewpoint of
forming particular particles that easily undergo pressure-induced
phase transition, the mass ratio is preferably 80 mass % or less,
more preferably 75 mass % or less, and yet more preferably 70 mass
% or less.
Particular (Meth)Acrylic Acid Ester Resin
[0238] The base particles constituting the particular particles
contain at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as polymerization
components, and the mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid esters
relative to the total of polymerization components is 90 mass % or
more.
[0239] The mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid esters relative to
the total of the polymerization components of the (meth)acrylic
acid ester resin is 90 mass % or more, preferably 95 mass % or
more, more preferably 98 mass % or more, and yet more preferably
100 mass %.
[0240] Examples of the (meth)acrylic acid esters include
(meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters, (meth)acrylic acid
carboxy-substituted alkyl esters, (meth)acrylic acid
hydroxy-substituted alkyl esters, (meth)acrylic acid
alkoxy-substituted alkyl esters, and di(meth)acrylic acid
esters.
[0241] Examples of the (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters include
methyl (meth)acrylate, ethyl (meth)acrylate, propyl (meth)acrylate,
isopropyl (meth)acrylate, n-butyl (meth)acrylate, isobutyl
(meth)acrylate, n-hexyl (meth)acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl
(meth)acrylate, lauryl (meth)acrylate, stearyl (meth)acrylate,
cyclohexyl (meth)acrylate, dicyclopentanyl (meth)acrylate, and
isobornyl (meth)acrylate.
[0242] An example of the (meth)acrylic acid carboxy-substituted
alkyl ester is 2-carboxylethyl (meth)acrylate.
[0243] Examples of the (meth)acrylic acid hydroxy-substituted alkyl
esters include 2-hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl
(meth)acrylate, 3-hydroxypropyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxybutyl
(meth)acrylate, 3-hydroxybutyl (meth)acrylate, and 4-hydroxybutyl
(meth)acrylate.
[0244] An example of the (meth)acrylic acid alkoxy-substituted
alkyl ester is 2-methoxyethyl (meth)acrylate.
[0245] Examples of the di(meth)acrylic acid esters include ethylene
glycol di(meth)acrylate, diethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate,
triethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, butanediol di(meth)acrylate,
pentanediol di(meth)acrylate, hexanediol di(meth)acrylate,
nonanediol di(meth)acrylate, and decanediol di(meth)acrylate.
[0246] Examples of the (meth)acrylic acid esters also include
2-(diethylamino)ethyl (meth)acrylate, benzyl (meth)acrylate, and
methoxypolyethylene glycol (meth)acrylate.
[0247] These (meth)acrylic acid esters may be used alone or in
combination.
[0248] From the viewpoint of forming particular particles that
easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition and have excellent
bondability achieved by pressure bonding, the (meth)acrylic acid
esters are preferably (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters, yet more
preferably (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters in which the alkyl group
contains 2 to 10 carbon atoms, still more preferably (meth)acrylic
acid alkyl esters in which the alkyl group contains 4 to 8 carbon
atoms, and particularly preferably n-butyl acrylate and
2-ethylhexyl acrylate.
[0249] As described above, from the viewpoint of forming particular
particles that easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition,
the particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin and the particular
styrene resin may contain the same (meth)acrylic acid ester as a
polymerization component.
[0250] From the viewpoint of forming particular particles that
easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition and have excellent
bondability achieved by pressure bonding, the mass ratio of the
(meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters relative to the total of the
polymerization components of the particular (meth)acrylic acid
ester resin is preferably 90 mass % or more, more preferably 95
mass % or more, yet more preferably 98 mass or more, and still more
preferably 100 mass %. The (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters here
preferably each have an alkyl group containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms
and more preferably each have an alkyl group containing 4 to 8
carbon atoms.
[0251] From the viewpoint of forming particular particles that
easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition and have excellent
bondability achieved by pressure bonding, the mass ratio between
two (meth)acrylic acid esters having the largest and second-largest
mass ratios among the at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters
contained as polymerization components in the particular
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin is preferably 80:20 to 20:80, more
preferably 70:30 to 30:70, and yet more preferably 60:40 to
40:60.
[0252] The two (meth)acrylic acid esters having the largest and
second-largest mass ratios among the at least two (meth)acrylic
acid esters contained as polymerization components in the
particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin are preferably
(meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters. The (meth)acrylic acid alkyl
esters here preferably each have an alkyl group having 2 to 10
carbon atoms and more preferably each have an alkyl group
containing 4 to 8 carbon atoms.
[0253] When the two (meth)acrylic acid esters having the largest
and second-largest mass ratios among the at least two (meth)acrylic
acid esters contained as polymerization components in the
particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin are (meth)acrylic acid
alkyl esters, from the viewpoint of forming particular particles
that easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition and have
excellent bondability achieved by pressure bonding, the difference
in the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group between the two
(meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters is preferably 1 to 4, more
preferably 2 to 4, and yet more preferably 3 or 4.
[0254] From the viewpoint of forming particular particles that
easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition and have excellent
bondability achieved by pressure bonding, the particular
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin preferably contains, as
polymerization components, n-butyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl
acrylate. In particular, the two (meth)acrylic acid esters having
the largest and second-largest mass ratios among the at least two
(meth)acrylic acid esters contained as polymerization components in
the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin are preferably n-butyl acrylate
and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. The total amount of n-butyl acrylate and
2-ethylhexyl acrylate relative to the total of the polymerization
components of the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin is preferably 90
mass % or more, more preferably 95 mass % or more, yet more
preferably 98 mass % or more, and still more preferably 100 mass
%.
[0255] The particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin may further
contain, as polymerization components, vinyl monomers other than
(meth)acrylic acid esters.
[0256] Examples of the vinyl monomers other than the (meth)acrylic
acid esters include (meth)acrylic acid; styrene; styrene monomers
other than styrene; (meth)acrylonitrile; vinyl ethers such as vinyl
methyl ether and vinyl isobutyl ether; vinyl ketones such as vinyl
methyl ketone, vinyl ethyl ketone, and vinyl isopropenyl ketone;
and olefins such as isoprene, butene, and butadiene. These vinyl
monomers may be used alone or in combination.
[0257] When the particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin contains,
as a polymerization component, a vinyl monomer other than
(meth)acrylic acid esters, the vinyl monomer other than the
(meth)acrylic acid esters is preferably at least one of acrylic
acid and methacrylic acid and is more preferably acrylic acid.
[0258] From the viewpoint of suppressing fluidization of particles
in an unpressured state, the weight-average molecular weight of the
particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin is preferably 50,000 or
more, more preferably 100,000 or more, and yet more preferably
120,000 or more. From the viewpoint of forming particles that
easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition, the
weight-average molecular weight is preferably 250,000 or less, more
preferably 220,000 or less, and yet more preferably 200,000 or
less.
[0259] From the viewpoint of forming particles that easily undergo
pressure-induced phase transition, the glass transition temperature
of the particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin is preferably
10.degree. C. or less, more preferably 0.degree. C. or less, and
yet more preferably -10.degree. C. or less. From the viewpoint of
suppressing fluidization of the particles in an unpressured state,
the glass transition temperature is preferably -90.degree. C. or
more, more preferably -80.degree. C. or more, and yet more
preferably -70.degree. C. or more.
[0260] In this exemplary embodiment, from the viewpoint of forming
particles that easily undergo pressure-induced phase transition,
the mass ratio of the particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin
relative to the entire base particles is preferably 20 mass % or
more, more preferably 25 mass % or more, and yet more preferably 30
mass % or more. From the viewpoint of suppressing fluidization of
particles in an unpressured state, the mass ratio is preferably 45
mass % or less, more preferably 40 mass % or less, and yet more
preferably 35 mass % or less.
[0261] In this exemplary embodiment, the total amount of the
particular styrene resin and the particular (meth)acrylic acid
ester resin contained in the base particles relative to the entire
base particles is preferably 70 mass % or more, more preferably 80
mass % or more, yet more preferably 90 mass % or more, still
preferably 95 mass % or more, and most preferably 100 mass %.
[0262] If needed, the base particles may contain polystyrene,
non-vinyl resins such as epoxy resins, polyester resins,
polyurethane resins, polyamide resins, cellulose resins, polyether
resins, and modified rosin, or the like.
[0263] These resins may be used alone or in combination.
Other Components
[0264] The base particles may contain other components as
necessary.
[0265] Examples of other components include coloring agents (for
example, pigments and dyes), releasing agents (for example,
hydrocarbon wax; natural wax such as carnauba wax, rice wax, and
candelilla wax; synthetic or mineral or petroleum wax such as
montan wax; and ester wax such as fatty acid esters and montanic
acid esters), and charge controlling agents.
[0266] The particular particles may contain a coloring agent as
long as the visibility of the image is not impaired.
[0267] From the viewpoint of enhancing the transparency of the
particular particles, the amount of the coloring agent in the base
particles may be as small as possible.
[0268] Specifically, the amount of the coloring agent relative to
the entire base particles is preferably 1.0 mass % or less, more
preferably 0.1 mass % or less, yet more preferably 0.01 mass % or
less, and still more preferably zero.
[0269] The particular particles may be transparent.
[0270] In this exemplary embodiment, "transparent" means that the
average transmittance of the region in which the particular
particles are provided is 10% or more for light in the visible
range (400 nm or more and 700 nm or less). The average
transmittance is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 80% or
more, and yet more preferably 90% or more.
[0271] The average transmittance is measured with a
spectrophotometer V700 (produced by JASCO Corporation).
Structure of Base Particles
[0272] The inner structure of the base particles may be a
sea-island structure.
[0273] The sea-island structure may be a sea-island structure that
has a sea phase containing one of the two or more binder resins,
and island phases being dispersed in the sea phase and containing
another one of the two or more binder resins. From the viewpoint of
inducing the pressure-induced phase transition, more specifically,
a sea-island structure that includes a sea phase containing a
particular styrene resin and island phases dispersed in the sea
phase and containing a particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin is
preferable. The details of the particular styrene resin contained
in the sea phase and the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin contained
in the island phases are as described above. Alternatively, island
phases not containing a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin may be
dispersed in the sea phase.
[0274] When the base particles have a sea-island structure, the
average size of the island phases may be 200 nm or more and 500 nm
or less. When the average size of the island phases is 500 nm or
less, the base particles easily undergo pressure-induced phase
transition. When the average size of the island phases is 200 nm or
more, excellent mechanical strength desired for the base particles
(for example, the strength that withstands deformation during
stirring in a developing device) is exhibited. From these
viewpoints, the average size of the island phases is more
preferably 220 nm or more and 450 nm or less and yet more
preferably 250 nm or more and 400 nm or less.
[0275] Examples of the method for controlling the average size of
the island phases of the sea-island structure to be within the
aforementioned range include increasing or decreasing the amount of
the particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin relative to the
amount of the particular styrene resin and increasing or decreasing
the length of time of maintaining a high temperature in the step of
fusing and coalescing aggregated particles in the method for
producing base particles described below.
[0276] The sea-island structure is confirmed and the average size
of the island phases is measured as follows.
[0277] The particular particles are embedded in an epoxy resin, a
section is prepared by using a diamond knife or the like, and the
prepared section is stained with osmium tetroxide or ruthenium
tetroxide in a desiccator. The stained section is observed with a
scanning electron microscope (SEM). The sea phase and the island
phases of the sea-island structure are distinguished by the shade
created by the degree of staining with osmium tetroxide or
ruthenium tetroxide, and the presence or absence of the sea-island
structure is identified by the shade. From an SEM image, one
hundred island phases are selected at random, a long axis of each
island phase is measured, and the average of one hundred long axes
is used as the average size.
[0278] The base particles may be a single-layer-structure base
particles, or core-shell-structure base particles each constituted
by a core and a shell layer coating the core. From the viewpoint of
suppressing fluidization of the particular particles in an
unpressured state, the base particles may have a core-shell
structure.
[0279] From the viewpoint of inducing the phase transition under
pressure, when the base particles have a core-shell structure, the
core may contain the particular styrene resin and the particular
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin. From the viewpoint of suppressing
fluidization of the particular particles in an unpressured state,
the shell layer may contain the particular styrene resin.
[0280] When the base particles have a core-shell structure, the
core may have a sea phase containing the particular styrene resin
and island phases containing the particular (meth)acrylic acid
ester resin dispersed in the sea phase. The average size of the
island phases may be within the aforementioned range. In addition
to the core having the above-described structure, the shell layer
may contain the particular styrene resin. In such a case, the sea
phase of the core and the shell layer form a continuous structure,
and the base particles easily undergo pressure-induced phase
transition.
[0281] Examples of the resin contained in the shell layer also
include polystyrene, and non-vinyl resins such as epoxy resins,
polyester resins, polyurethane resins, polyamide resins, cellulose
resins polyether resins, and modified rosin.
[0282] These resins may be used alone or in combination.
[0283] From the viewpoint of suppressing deformation of the base
particles, the average thickness of the shell layer is preferably
120 nm or more, more preferably 130 nm or more, and yet more
preferably 140 nm or more. From the viewpoint of inducing the phase
transition of the base particles under pressure, the average
thickness is preferably 550 nm or less, more preferably 500 nm or
less, and yet more preferably 400 nm or less.
[0284] The average thickness of the shell layer is measured by the
following method.
[0285] The particles are embedded in an epoxy resin, a section is
prepared by using a diamond knife or the like, and the prepared
section is stained with osmium tetroxide or ruthenium tetroxide in
a desiccator. The stained section is observed with a scanning
electron microscope (SEM). From an SEM image, ten base particle
sections are selected at random, the thickness of the shell layer
is measured at twenty positions per base particle, and the average
thickness is calculated. The average value of ten base particles is
used as the average thickness.
[0286] From the viewpoint of ease of handling the base particles,
the volume-average particle diameter (D50v) of the base particles
is preferably 4 .mu.m or more, more preferably 5 .mu.m or more, and
yet more preferably 6 .mu.m or more. The volume-average particle
diameter of the base particles is preferably 15 .mu.m or less, more
preferably 12 .mu.m or less, and yet more preferably 10 .mu.m or
less.
[0287] The volume-average particle diameter (D50v) of the base
particles is determined by using a COULTER MULTISIZER II (produced
by Beckman Coulter Inc.) with apertures having an aperture diameter
of 100 .mu.m. Into 2 mL of a 5 mass % aqueous sodium alkyl
benzenesulfonate solution, 0.5 mg or more and 50 mg or less of base
particles are added and dispersed, and then the resulting
dispersion is mixed with 100 mL or more and 150 mL or less of an
electrolyte (ISOTON-II produced by Beckman Coulter Inc.). The
resulting mixture is dispersed for 1 minute in an ultrasonic
disperser, and the obtained dispersion is used as a sample. The
particle diameters of 50000 particles having a particle diameter of
2 .mu.m or more and 60 .mu.m or less in the sample are measured.
The particle diameter at 50% accumulation in a volume-based
particle size distribution calculated from the small diameter side
is used as the volume-average particle diameter (D50v).
External Additive
[0288] An example of the external additive is inorganic particles.
Examples of the inorganic particles include SiO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2,
Al.sub.2O.sub.3, CuO, ZnO, SnO.sub.2, CeO.sub.2, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3,
MgO, BaO, CaO, K.sub.2O, Na.sub.2O, ZrO.sub.2, CaO.SiO.sub.2,
K.sub.2O.(TiO.sub.2)n, Al.sub.2O.sub.3.2SiO.sub.2, CaCO.sub.3,
MgCo.sub.3, BaSO.sub.4, and MgSO.sub.4.
[0289] The surfaces of the inorganic particles serving as an
external additive may be hydrophobized. Hydrophobizing involves,
for example, immersing inorganic particles in a hydrophobizing
agent. The hydrophobizing agent may be any, and examples thereof
include silane coupling agents, silicone oils, titanate coupling
agents, and aluminum coupling agents. These may be used alone or in
combination. The amount of the hydrophobizing agent is, for
example, 1 part by mass or more and 10 parts by mass or less
relative to 100 parts by mass of the inorganic particles.
[0290] Other examples of the external additive include resin
particles (resin particles of polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate,
melamine resin, etc.), and cleaning activating agents (for example,
particles of metal salts of higher aliphatic acids such as zinc
stearate and fluorine high-molecular-weight materials).
[0291] The externally added amount of the external additive is
preferably 0.01 mass % or more and 5 mass % or less and is more
preferably 0.01 mass % or more and 2.0 mass % or less relative to
the base particles.
Properties of Particular Particles
[0292] The particular particles have at least two glass transition
temperatures, one of which is presumably derived from one of the
two or more binder resins, and another one of which is presumably
derived from another one of the two or more binder resins. As
described above, when a binder resin contains a particular styrene
resin and a particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin, one of the
glass transition temperatures is presumed to be that of the styrene
resin, and another glass transition temperature is presumed to be
that of the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin.
[0293] The particular particles may have three or more glass
transition temperatures; however, the number of glass transition
temperatures is preferably two. Examples of the case in which there
are two glass transition temperatures include the case in which a
particular styrene resin and a particular (meth)acrylic acid ester
resin are the only resins contained in the particular particles,
and the case in which the amount of resins other than the
particular styrene resin and the particular (meth)acrylic acid
ester resin is small (for example, the amount of other resins is 5
mass or less relative to the entire particular particles).
[0294] The particular particles have at least two glass transition
temperatures, and the difference between the lowest glass
transition temperature and the highest glass transition temperature
is 30.degree. C. or more. From the viewpoint of inducing the
particles to undergo phase transition under pressure, the
difference between the lowest glass transition temperature and the
highest glass transition temperature is preferably 40.degree. C. or
more, yet more preferably 50.degree. C. or more, and still more
preferably 60.degree. C. or more. The upper limit of the difference
between the highest glass transition temperature and the lowest
glass transition temperature is, for example, 140.degree. C. or
less, and may be 130.degree. C. or less or 120.degree. C. or
less.
[0295] From the viewpoint of inducing particles to undergo
pressure-induced phase transition, the glass transition temperature
of the particular particles is preferably 10.degree. C. or less,
more preferably 0.degree. C. or less, and yet more preferably
-10.degree. C. or less. From the viewpoint of suppressing
fluidization of the particles in an unpressured state, the glass
transition temperature is preferably -90.degree. C. or more, more
preferably -80.degree. C. or more, and yet more preferably
-70.degree. C. or more.
[0296] From the viewpoint of suppressing fluidization of particles
in an unpressured state, the highest glass transition temperature
of the particular particles is preferably 30.degree. C. or more,
more preferably 40.degree. C. or more, and yet more preferably
50.degree. C. or more. From the viewpoint of inducing particles to
undergo phase transition under pressure, the highest glass
transition temperature is preferably 70.degree. C. or less, more
preferably 65.degree. C. or less, and yet more preferably
60.degree. C. or less.
[0297] In the present disclosure, the glass transition temperatures
of the particular particles are determined from a differential
scanning calorimetry curve (DSC curve) obtained by performing
differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) on a plate-shaped sample
prepared by compressing the resin particles. More specifically, the
glass transition temperature is determined from the "extrapolated
glass transition onset temperature" described in the method for
determining the glass transition temperature in JIS K 7121:1987
"Testing Methods for Transition Temperatures of Plastics".
[0298] The particular particles are particles that undergo phase
transition under pressure, and satisfy formula 1 below:
10.degree. C..ltoreq.T1-T2 Formula 1:
[0299] In formula 1, T1 represents a temperature at which the
viscosity is 10000 Pas at a pressure of 1 MPa, and T2 represents a
temperature at which the viscosity is 10000 Pas at a pressure of 10
MPa. The method for determining T1 and T2 is described below.
[0300] From the viewpoint of inducing phase transition of the
particles under pressure, the temperature difference (T1-T2) is
preferably 10.degree. C. or more, more preferably 15.degree. C. or
more, and yet more preferably 20.degree. C. or more. From the
viewpoint of suppressing fluidization of the particular particles
in an unpressured state, the temperature difference (T1-T2) is
preferably 120.degree. C. or less, more preferably 100.degree. C.
or less, and yet more preferably 80.degree. C. or less.
[0301] The value of T1 is preferably 140.degree. C. or less, more
preferably 130.degree. C. or less, yet more preferably 120.degree.
C. or less, and still more preferably 115.degree. C. or less. The
lower limit of the temperature T1 is preferably 80.degree. C. or
more and more preferably 85.degree. C. or more.
[0302] The value of T2 is preferably 40.degree. C. or more, more
preferably 50.degree. C. or more, and yet more preferably
60.degree. C. or more. The upper limit of the temperature T2 may be
85.degree. C. or less.
[0303] One indicator of how easily the particular particles undergo
pressure-induced phase transition is the temperature difference
(T1-T3) between the temperature T1 at which the viscosity is 10000
Pas at a pressure of 1 MPa and the temperature T3 at which the
viscosity is 10000 Pas at a pressure of 4 MPa. The temperature
difference (T1-T3) may be 5.degree. C. or more. The temperature
difference (T.sub.1-T.sub.2) is typically 25.degree. C. or
less.
[0304] From the viewpoint of inducing the phase transition under
pressure, the temperature difference (T1-T2) of the particular
particles is preferably 5.degree. C. or more and more preferably
10.degree. C. or more.
[0305] The upper limit of the temperature difference (T1-T3) is
typically 25.degree. C. or less.
[0306] From the viewpoint of adjusting the temperature difference
(T1-T3) to 5.degree. C. or more, the temperature T3 at which the
particular particles show a viscosity of 10000 Pas at a pressure of
4 MPa is preferably 90.degree. C. or less, more preferably
85.degree. C. or less, and yet more preferably 80.degree. C. or
less. The lower limit of the temperature T3 may be 60.degree. C. or
more.
[0307] The method for determining the temperature T1, the
temperature T2, and the temperature T3 is as follows.
[0308] Particular particles are compressed into a pellet-shaped
sample. The pellet-shaped sample is placed in a Flowtester (CFT-500
produced by Shimadzu Corporation), the applied pressure is fixed at
1 MPa, and the viscosity at 1 MPa relative to the temperature is
measured. From the obtained viscosity graph, the temperature T1 at
which the viscosity is 10.sup.4 Pas at an applied pressure of 1 MPa
is determined. The temperature T2 is determined as with the method
for determining the temperature T1 except that the applied pressure
is changed from 1 MPa to 10 MPa. The temperature T3 is determined
as with the method for determining the temperature T1 except that
the applied pressure is changed from 1 MPa to 4 MPa. The
temperature difference (T1-T2) is calculated from the temperature
T1 and the temperature T2. The temperature difference (T1-T3) is
calculated from the temperature T1 and the temperature T3.
Method for Producing Particular Particles
[0309] The particular particles are obtained by first producing
base particles and then externally adding an external additive to
the base particles.
[0310] The base particles may be produced by a dry method (for
example, a kneading and pulverizing method) or a wet method (for
example, an aggregation and coalescence method, a suspension
polymerization method, or a dissolution suspension method). There
is no limitation on these methods, and any known method may be
employed. Among these methods, the aggregation and coalescence
method may be employed to produce base particles.
[0311] In the description below, a method for producing base
particles by an aggregation and coalescence method is described as
one example.
[0312] When the base particles are to be produced by the
aggregation and coalescence method, the base particles are produced
through, for example, the following steps:
[0313] a step of preparing a styrene resin particle dispersion in
which styrene resin particles containing a particular styrene resin
are dispersed (styrene resin particle dispersion preparation
step);
[0314] a step of polymerizing a particular (meth)acrylic acid ester
resin in the styrene resin particle dispersion so as to form
composite resin particles containing the particular styrene resin
and the particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin (composite resin
particle forming step);
[0315] a step aggregating the composite resin particles in the
composite resin particle dispersion in which the composite resin
particles are dispersed so as to form aggregated particles
(aggregated particle forming step); and a step of heating the
aggregated particle dispersion in which the aggregated particles
are dispersed so as to fuse and coalesce the aggregated particles
and thereby form base particles (fusing and coalescing step).
[0316] These steps will now be described in detail.
[0317] In the description below, a method for obtaining base
particles free of any releasing agent is described. A releasing
agent and other additives may be used as needed.
[0318] When a coloring agent and/or a releasing agent is to be
contained in the base particles, in the aggregated particle forming
step, a coloring agent particle dispersion and/or a releasing agent
particle dispersion is mixed with the composite resin particle
dispersion so as to aggregate the composite resin particles with
the coloring agent and/or releasing agent to form aggregated
particles.
[0319] The coloring agent particle dispersion and the releasing
agent particle dispersion can each be prepared by, for example,
mixing a coloring agent or a releasing agent with a dispersion
medium and then performing a dispersing treatment in a known
disperser machine.
Styrene Resin Particle Dispersion Preparation Step
[0320] In the styrene resin particle dispersion preparation step, a
styrene resin particle dispersion in which styrene resin particles
containing a particular styrene resin are dispersed is
prepared.
[0321] The styrene resin particle dispersion is, for example,
prepared by dispersing styrene resin particles in a dispersion
medium by using a surfactant.
[0322] Examples of the dispersion medium include aqueous media such
as water and alcohols. These may be used alone or in
combination.
[0323] Examples of the surfactant include anionic surfactants such
as sulfate esters, sulfonates, phosphate esters, and soaps;
cationic surfactants such as amine salts and quaternary ammonium
salts; and nonionic surfactants such as polyethylene glycol, alkyl
phenol-ethylene oxide adducts, and polyhydric alcohols. A nonionic
surfactant may be used in combination with an anionic surfactant or
a cationic surfactant. Among these, an anionic surfactant may be
used. The surfactants may be used alone or in combination.
[0324] Examples of the method for dispersing the styrene resin
particles in a dispersion medium include methods that involve
mixing a particular styrene resin and a dispersion medium and then
dispersing the resin by stirring in a rotational shear-type
homogenizer, or a mill that uses media such as a ball mill, a sand
mill, or a dyno mill.
[0325] Another example of the method for dispersing styrene resin
particles in a dispersion medium is an emulsion polymerization
method. Specifically, after polymerization components of a
particular styrene resin, and a chain transfer agent or a
polymerization initiator are mixed, an aqueous medium containing a
surfactant is further added to the resulting mixture, the resulting
mixture is stirred to prepare an emulsion, and the styrene resin is
polymerized in the emulsion. Here, the chain transfer agent may be
dodecanethiol.
[0326] The volume-average particle diameter of the styrene resin
particles dispersed in the styrene resin particle dispersion is
preferably 100 nm or more and 250 nm or less, more preferably 120
nm or more and 220 nm or less, and yet more preferably 150 nm or
more and 200 nm or less.
[0327] The volume-average particle diameter (D50v) of the resin
particles contained in the resin particle dispersion is determined
by measuring the particle diameter with a laser diffraction
scattering particle size distribution meter (for example, LA-700
produced by Horiba Ltd.) and determining the particle diameter at
50% accumulation in a volume-average particle size distribution
calculated from the small diameter side.
[0328] The amount of the styrene resin particles in the styrene
resin particle dispersion relative to the total mass of the styrene
resin particle dispersion is preferably 30 mass % or more and 60
mass % or less and is more preferably 40 mass % or more and 50 mass
% or less.
Composite Resin Particle Forming Step
[0329] In the composite resin particle forming step, the particular
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin is polymerized in the styrene resin
particle dispersion so as to form composite resin particles
containing the particular styrene resin and the particular
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin.
[0330] In the composite resin particle forming step, the styrene
resin particle dispersion and polymerization components of the
particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin are mixed, and the
particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin is polymerized in the
styrene resin particle dispersion so as to form composite resin
particles containing the particular styrene resin and the
particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin.
[0331] The composite resin particles may be resin particles
containing a particular styrene resin and a particular
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin that are in a microphase-separated
state. The resin particles are produced by the following method,
for example.
[0332] To a styrene resin particle dispersion, polymerization
components (a group of monomers including at least two
(meth)acrylic acid esters) of a particular (meth)acrylic acid ester
resin are added, and, if needed, an aqueous medium is added
thereto. Next, while slowly stirring the dispersion, the
temperature of the dispersion is elevated to a temperature higher
than or equal to the glass transition temperature of the particular
styrene resin (for example, a temperature 10.degree. C. to
30.degree. C. higher than the glass transition temperature of the
particular styrene resin). Next, while maintaining the temperature,
an aqueous medium containing a polymerization initiator is slowly
added dropwise, and then stirring is continued for a long time
within the range of 1 to 15 hours. Here, the polymerization
initiator may be ammonium persulfate.
[0333] The detailed mechanism is not clear; however, it is presumed
that when the aforementioned method is employed, the monomers and
the polymerization initiator penetrate into the styrene resin
particles, and the particular (meth)acrylic acid esters become
polymerized inside the styrene resin particles. It is presumed that
because of this mechanism, composite resin particles in which the
particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin is contained inside the
styrene resin particles and in which the particular styrene resin
and the particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin are in a
microphase-separated state inside the particles are obtained.
[0334] The volume-average particle diameter of the composite resin
particles dispersed in the composite resin particle dispersion is
preferably 140 nm or more and 300 nm or less, more preferably 150
nm or more and 280 nm or less, and yet more preferably 160 nm or
more and 250 nm or less.
[0335] The composite resin particle content in the composite resin
particle dispersion is preferably 20 mass or more and 50 mass or
less and is more preferably 30 mass %, or more and 40 mass or less
relative to the entire mass of the composite resin particle
dispersion.
Aggregated Particle Forming Step
[0336] In the aggregated particle forming step, the composite resin
particles in the composite resin particle dispersion are aggregated
to form aggregated particles.
[0337] In the aggregated particle forming step, the composite resin
particles are aggregated to form aggregated particles having
diameters close to the target diameter of the base particles.
[0338] Specifically, for example, in the aggregated particle
forming step, an aggregating agent is added to the composite resin
particle dispersion while the pH of the composite resin particle
dispersion is adjusted to acidic (for example, a pH of 2 or more
and 5 or less), and after a dispersion stabilizer is added as
needed, the dispersion is heated to a temperature close to the
glass transition temperature of the particular styrene resin
(specifically, for example, a temperature 10.degree. C. to
30.degree. C. lower than the glass transition temperature of the
particular styrene resin) so as to aggregate the composite resin
particles and form aggregated particles.
[0339] In the aggregated particle forming step, while the composite
resin particle dispersion is being stirred in a rotational
shear-type homogenizer, an aggregating agent may be added thereto
at room temperature (for example, 25.degree. C.) and the pH of the
composite resin particle dispersion may be adjusted to acidic (for
example, a pH2 or more and 5 or less), and then heating may be
performed after the dispersion stabilizer is added as needed.
[0340] Examples of the aggregating agent include a surfactant
having an opposite polarity to the surfactant contained in the
composite resin particle dispersion, an inorganic metal salt, and a
divalent or higher valent metal complex. When a metal complex is
used as the aggregating agent, the amount of the surfactant used is
reduced, and the charge properties are improved.
[0341] An additive that forms a complex with a metal ion in the
aggregating agent or that forms a similar bond therewith may be
used in combination with the aggregating agent as needed. An
example of such an additive is a chelating agent.
[0342] Examples of the inorganic metal salt include metal salts
such as calcium chloride, calcium nitrate, barium chloride,
magnesium chloride, zinc chloride, aluminum chloride, and aluminum
sulfate; and inorganic metal salt polymers such as polyaluminum
chloride, polyaluminum hydroxide, and calcium polysulfide.
[0343] A water-soluble chelating agent may be used as the chelating
agent. Examples of the chelating agent include oxycarboxylic acids
such as tartaric acid, citric acid, and gluconic acid; and
aminocarboxylic acids such as iminodiacetic acid (IDA),
nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
(EDTA).
[0344] The amount of the chelating agent added is preferably 0.01
parts by mass or more and 5.0 parts by mass or less and more
preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more and less than 3.0 parts by
mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the resin particles.
Fusing and Coalescing Step
[0345] In the fusing and coalescing step, the aggregated particle
dispersion in which the aggregated particles are dispersed is
heated so as to fuse and coalesce the aggregated particles and
thereby form base particles.
[0346] In the fusing and coalescing step, the aggregated particle
dispersion containing dispersed aggregated particles is heated to,
for example, a temperature equal to or higher than the glass
transition temperature of the particular styrene resin (for
example, a temperature 10.degree. C. to 30.degree. C. higher than
the glass transition temperature of the particular styrene resin)
to fuse and coalesce the aggregated particles and form base
particles.
[0347] The base particles obtained through the above-described
steps usually have a sea-island structure that has a sea phase
containing a particular styrene resin and island phases that are
dispersed in the sea phase and contain a particular (meth)acrylic
acid ester resin. It is presumed that although the particular
styrene resin and the particular (meth)acrylic acid ester resin are
in a microphase-separated state in the composite resin particles,
the particular styrene resin is gathered in the fusing and
coalescing step to form a sea phase, and the particular
(meth)acrylic acid ester resin is gathered to form island
phases.
[0348] The average size of the island phases of the sea-island
structure is controlled by, for example, increasing or decreasing
the amount of the styrene resin particle dispersion or the amount
of the at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters used in the composite
resin particle forming step, or by increasing or decreasing the
length of time of maintaining a high temperature in the fusing and
coalescing step.
[0349] The base particles having a core-shell structure are
produced through the following steps, for example:
[0350] after an aggregated particle dispersion (hereinafter may be
referred to as a first aggregated particle dispersion in which
first aggregated particles are dispersed) is obtained in the
aforementioned aggregated particle forming step, a step of mixing
the aggregated particle dispersion and a styrene resin particle
dispersion so that the styrene resin particles attach to the
surfaces of the aggregated particles and form second aggregated
particles (second aggregated particle forming step); and
[0351] a step of heating the second aggregated particle dispersion
in which the second aggregated particles are dispersed so as to
fuse and coalesce the second aggregated particles and thereby form
base particles having a core-shell structure (core-shell structure
forming step).
[0352] The base particles having a core-shell structure obtained
through the aforementioned steps have a shell layer containing a
particular styrene resin.
[0353] Instead of the styrene resin particle dispersion, a resin
particle dispersion in which a different type of resin particles
are dispersed may be used to form a shell layer that contains the
different type of resin.
[0354] After completion of the fusing and coalescing step, the base
particles formed in liquid are subjected to a washing step, a
solid-liquid separation step, and a drying step known in the art so
as to obtain dry base particles.
[0355] From the viewpoint of chargeability, the washing step may
involve thorough displacement washing with ion exchange water. From
the viewpoint of productivity, the solid-liquid separation step may
involve suction filtration, pressure filtration, or the like. From
the viewpoint of productivity, the drying step may involve
freeze-drying, flash-drying, fluid-drying, vibration-type
fluid-drying, or the like.
[0356] The particular particles are formed by, for example, adding
an external additive to the obtained dry base particles, and mixing
the resulting mixture.
[0357] Mixing may be performed by using a V blender, a HENSCHEL
mixer, a Lodige mixer, or the like.
[0358] If needed, a vibrating screen, an air screen, or the like
may be used to remove coarse particles.
[0359] The particular particles may be directly applied for use or
may be used as an electrostatic charge image developer. The
electrostatic charge image developer may be a one-component
developer that contains only the particular particles, or a
two-component developer that is a mixture of the particular
particles and a carrier.
[0360] The carrier is not particularly limited and may be any known
carrier. Examples of the carrier include a coated carrier prepared
by covering the surface of a magnetic powder core with a resin, a
magnetic powder-dispersed carrier prepared by dispersing and
blending magnetic powder in a matrix resin, and a resin-impregnated
carrier prepared by impregnating porous magnetic powder with a
resin. The magnetic powder-dispersed carrier and the
resin-impregnated carrier may each be a carrier that has a core
being composed of the particles constituting the carrier and having
a resin-coated surface.
[0361] Examples of the magnetic powder include magnetic metals such
as iron, nickel, and cobalt, and magnetic oxides such as ferrite
and magnetite.
[0362] Examples of the resin for coating and the matrix resin
include polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl
acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl chloride,
polyvinyl ether, polyvinyl ketone, a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate
copolymer, a styrene-acrylate copolymer, a straight silicone resin
containing an organosiloxane bond and modified products thereof,
fluororesin, polyester, polycarbonate, phenolic resin, and epoxy
resin. The resin for coating and the matrix resin may contain other
additives, such as conductive particles. Examples of the conductive
particles include particles of metals such as gold, silver, and
copper, and particles of carbon black, titanium oxide, zinc oxide,
tin oxide, barium sulfate, aluminum borate, and potassium
titanate.
[0363] An example of the method for covering the surface of the
core with the resin is a method that involves coating the surface
of the core with a coating layer-forming solution prepared by
dissolving the resin for coating and various additives (used as
needed) in an appropriate solvent. The solvent is not particularly
limited and may be selected by considering the type of the resin to
be used, suitability of application, etc.
[0364] Specific examples of the resin coating method include a
dipping method involving dipping cores in the coating-layer-forming
solution, a spraying method involving spraying the
coating-layer-forming solution onto core surfaces, a fluid bed
method involving spraying a coating-layer-forming solution while
having the cores float on a bed of air, and a kneader coater method
involving mixing cores serving as carriers and a
coating-layer-forming solution in a kneader coater and then
removing the solvent.
[0365] In a two-component developer, the particular
particles-to-carrier mixing ratio (mass ratio) is preferably 1:100
to 30:100 and is more preferably 3:100 to 20:100. EXAMPLES
[0366] The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now
be described in detail through examples, but the present disclosure
is not limited by these examples. In the description below, "parts"
and "%" are on a mass basis unless otherwise noted.
Preparation of Dispersion Containing Styrene Resin Particles
Preparation of Styrene Resin Particle Dispersion (St1)
[0367] Styrene: 390 parts [0368] n-Butyl acrylate: 100 parts [0369]
Acrylic acid: 10 parts [0370] Dodecanethiol: 7.5 parts
[0371] The above-described materials are mixed and dissolved to
prepare a monomer solution.
[0372] In 205 parts of ion exchange water, 8 parts of an anionic
surfactant (DOWFAX 2A1 produced by The Dow Chemical Company) is
dissolved, and is dispersed and emulsified by adding the
aforementioned monomer solution to obtain an emulsion.
[0373] In 462 parts of ion exchange water, 2.2 part of an anionic
surfactant (DOWFAX 2A1 produced by The Dow Chemical Company) is
dissolved. The resulting solution is charged into a polymerization
flask equipped with a stirrer, a thermometer, a reflux cooling
tube, and a nitrogen inlet tube and is heated to 73.degree. C.
under stirring, and the temperature is retained thereat.
[0374] In 21 parts of ion exchange water, 3 parts of ammonium
persulfate is dissolved, and the resulting solution is added
dropwise to the aforementioned polymerization flask over a period
of 15 minutes via a metering pump. Then, the aforementioned
emulsion is added dropwise thereto over a period of 160 minutes via
a metering pump.
[0375] Subsequently, while slow stirring is continued, the
polymerization flask is retained at 75.degree. C. for 3 hours, and
then the temperature is returned to room temperature (25.degree.
C.)
[0376] As a result, a styrene resin particle dispersion (St1) that
contains styrene resin particles having a volume-average particle
diameter (D50v) of 174 nm, a weight-average molecular weight of
49000 as determined by GPC (UV detection), and a glass transition
temperature of 54.degree. C., and that has a solid content of 42%
is obtained.
[0377] The styrene resin particle dispersion (St1) is dried to
obtain styrene resin particles, and the thermal behavior in the
temperature range of -100.degree. C. to 100.degree. C. is analyzed
with a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC-60A produced by
Shimadzu Corporation). One glass transition temperature is
observed. Table 1 indicates the glass transition temperature.
Preparation of Styrene Resin Particle Dispersions (St2) to
(St13)
[0378] Styrene resin particle dispersions (St2) to (St13) are
prepared as with the preparation of the styrene resin particle
dispersion (St1) except that the monomers are changed as indicated
in Table 1.
[0379] In Table 1, the monomers are abbreviated as follows.
[0380] Styrene: St, n-butyl acrylate: BA, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate:
2EHA, ethyl acrylate: EA, 4-hydroxybutyl acrylate: 4HBA, acrylic
acid: AA, methacrylic acid: MAA, 2-carboxyethyl acrylate: CEA
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Styrene resin particle dispersion D50v of
resin Polymerization component (mass ratio) particles Mw Tg No. St
BA 2EHA EA 4HBA AA MAA CEA nm -- .degree. C. St1 78 20 0 0 0 2 0 0
174 49000 54 St2 88 10 0 0 0 2 0 0 170 50000 76 St3 83 15 0 0 0 2 0
0 172 52000 65 St4 78 20 0 0 0 0 2 0 177 48000 57 St5 80 15 0 0 5 0
0 0 172 46000 55 St6 80 15 5 0 0 0 0 0 174 51000 54 St7 80 20 0 0 0
0 0 0 169 50000 54 St8 77 20 0 0 0 0 0 3 168 48000 54 St9 72 26 0 0
0 2 0 0 172 55000 43 St10 68 30 0 0 0 2 0 0 173 53000 35 St11 80 0
20 0 0 0 0 0 171 52000 56 St12 78 0 20 0 0 2 0 0 167 49000 56 St13
63 0 0 35 0 2 0 0 169 51000 54
Preparation of Dispersion Containing Composite Resin Particles
Preparation of Composite Resin Particle Dispersion (M1)
[0381] Styrene resin particle dispersion (St1): 1190 parts (solid
content: 500 parts) [0382] 2-Ethylhexyl acrylate: 250 parts [0383]
n-Butyl acrylate: 250 parts [0384] Ion exchange water: 982
parts
[0385] The above-described materials are charged into a
polymerization flask, stirred at 25.degree. C. for 1 hour, and
heated to 70.degree. C.
[0386] In 75 parts of ion exchange water, 2.5 parts of ammonium
persulfate is dissolved, and the resulting solution is added
dropwise to the aforementioned polymerization flask over a period
of 60 minutes via a metering pump.
[0387] Subsequently, while slow stirring is continued, the
polymerization flask is retained at 70.degree. C. for 3 hours, and
then the temperature is returned to room temperature.
[0388] As a result, a composite resin particle dispersion (M1) that
contains composite resin particles having a volume-average particle
diameter (D50v) of 219 nm and a weight-average molecular weight of
219000 as determined by GPC (UV detection) and that has a solid
content of 32% is obtained.
[0389] The composite resin particle dispersion (M1) is dried to
obtain composite resin particles, and the thermal behavior in the
temperature range of -150.degree. C. to 100.degree. C. is analyzed
with a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC-60A produced by
Shimadzu Corporation). Two glass transition temperatures are
observed. Table 2 indicates the glass transition temperatures.
Preparation of Composite Resin Particle Dispersions (M2) to (M21)
and (cM1) to (cM3)
[0390] Composite resin particle dispersions (M2) to (M21) and (cM1)
to (cM3) are prepared as with the preparation of the composite
resin particle dispersion (M1) except that the styrene resin
particle dispersion (St1) is changed as described in Table 2 or
that the polymerization components of the (meth)acrylic acid ester
resin are changed as described in Table 2.
Preparation of Composite Resin Particle Dispersions (M22) to
(M27)
[0391] Composite resin particle dispersions (M22) to (M27) are
prepared as with the preparation of the composite resin particle
dispersion (M1) except that the amounts of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate
and n-butyl acrylate used are adjusted.
[0392] In Table 2, the monomers are abbreviated as follows.
[0393] Styrene: St, n-butyl acrylate: BA, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate:
2EHA, ethyl acrylate: EA, 4-hydroxybutyl acrylate: 4HBA, acrylic
acid: AA, methacrylic acid: MAA, 2-carboxyethyl acrylate: CEA,
hexyl acrylate: HA, propyl acrylate: PA
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Composite resin particle dispersion
Composite resin particles (or comparative resin particles) St resin
D50v of St resin Ac resin St resin/Ac resin particle Polymerization
Tg Polymerization resin mass particles Mw Tg No. dispersion
component .degree. C. component ratio (St:Ac) nm -- .degree. C.
.degree. C. cM1 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA = 100 50:50 222
230000 -50 54 cM2 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 BA = 100 50:50 225
220000 -53 54 cM3 St12 St/2EHA/AA = 78/20/2 56 BA = 100 50:50 224
212000 -53 56 M1 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50
219 219000 -52 54 M2 St2 St/BA/AA = 88/10/2 76 2EHA/BA = 50/50
50:50 218 240000 -52 76 M3 St3 St/BA/AA = 83/15/2 65 2EHA/BA =
50/50 50:50 220 231000 -52 65 M4 St4 St/BA/MAA = 78/20/2 57 2EHA/BA
= 50/50 50:50 221 250000 -52 57 M5 St5 St/BA/4HBA = 80/15/5 55
2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 224 242000 -52 55 M6 St6 St/BA/2EHA = 80/15/5
54 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 225 233000 -52 54 M7 St7 St/BA = 80/20 54
2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 224 243000 -52 54 M8 St8 St/BA/CEA = 77/20/3
54 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 222 260000 -52 54 M9 St9 St/BA/AA =
72/26/2 43 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 223 251000 -52 43 M10 St10
St/BA/AA = 68/30/2 35 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 220 243000 -52 35 M11
St11 St/2EHA = 80/20 56 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 221 249000 -52 56 M12
St12 St/2EHA/AA = 78/20/2 56 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 227 237000 -52
56 M13 St12 St/2EHA/AA = 78/20/2 56 2EHA/HA = 50/50 50:50 224
226000 -55 56 M14 St13 St/EA/AA = 63/35/2 54 2EHA/PA = 50/50 50:50
224 243000 -45 54 M15 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA/HA = 50/50
50:50 226 270000 -54 54 M16 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA =
90/10 50:50 224 264000 -51 54 M17 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA
= 80/20 50:50 226 248000 -52 54 M18 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54
2EHA/BA = 70/30 50:50 226 260000 -52 54 M19 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2
54 2EHA/BA = 30/70 50:50 225 273000 -52 54 M20 St1 St/BA/AA =
78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA = 20/80 50:50 224 233000 -52 54 M21 St1 St/BA/AA
= 78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA = 10/90 50:50 223 243000 -53 54 M22 St1
St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA = 50/50 90:10 182 180000 -52 54 M23
St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA = 50/50 80:20 190 210000 -52 54
M24 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA = 50/50 70:30 199 223000 -52
54 M25 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA = 50/50 30:70 259 300000
-52 54 M26 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA = 50/50 20:80 300
320000 -52 54 M27 St1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 54 2EHA/BA = 50/50 10:90
380 331000 -52 54
Preparation of Particular Particles
Preparation of Particular Particles (1) and Developer (1)
[0394] Composite resin particle dispersion (M1): 504 parts [0395]
Ion exchange water: 710 parts [0396] Anionic surfactant (DOWFAX 2A1
produced by The Dow Chemical Company): 1 part
[0397] The above-described materials are placed in a reactor
equipped with a thermometer and a pH meter, and the pH is adjusted
to 3.0 by adding a 1.0% aqueous nitric acid solution at a
temperature of 25.degree. C. Then, while the resulting mixture is
dispersed in a homogenizer (ULTRA-TURRAX T50 produced by IKA Japan)
at a rotation rate of 5000 rpm, 23 parts of a 2.0% aqueous aluminum
sulfate solution is added. Subsequently, a stirrer and a heating
mantle are attached to the reactor. The temperature is elevated at
a temperature elevation rate of 0.2.degree. C./minute up to a
temperature of 40.degree. C. and then at 0.05.degree. C./minute
beyond 40.degree. C. The particle diameter is measured every 10
minutes with MULTISIZER II (aperture diameter: 50 .mu.m, produced
by Beckman Coulter Inc.). The temperature is retained when the
volume-average particle diameter reached 5.0 .mu.m, and 170 parts
of the styrene resin particle dispersion (St1) is added thereto
over a period of 5 minutes. After completion of addition, a
temperature of 50.degree. C. is held for 30 minutes, a 1.0% aqueous
sodium hydroxide solution is added thereto, and the pH of the
slurry is adjusted to 6.0. Subsequently, while the pH is adjusted
to 6.0 every 5.degree. C., the temperature is elevated at a
temperature elevation rate of 1.degree. C./minute up to 90.degree.
C., and the temperature is retained at 90.degree. C. The particle
shape and the surface property are observed with an optical
microscope and a field emission-type scanning electron microscope
(FE-SEM), and coalescence of particles is confirmed at the 10th
hour. The reactor is then cooled with cooling water over a period
of 5 minutes to 30.degree. C.
[0398] The cooled slurry is passed through a nylon mesh having an
aperture of 15 .mu.m to remove coarse particles, and the slurry
that has passed through the mesh is filtered at a reduced pressure
by using an aspirator. The solid matter remaining on the paper
filter is manually pulverized as finely as possible and is added to
ion exchange water (temperature: 30.degree. C.) in an amount ten
times the amount of the solid matter. The resulting mixture is
stirred for 30 minutes. Subsequently, the solid matter remaining on
the paper filter after filtration at a reduced pressure in an
aspirator is pulverized manually as finely as possible and is added
to ion exchange water (temperature: 30.degree. C.) in an amount ten
times the amount of the solid matter. The resulting mixture is
stirred for 30 minutes and is again filtered at a reduced pressure
with an aspirator. The electrical conductivity of the filtrate is
measured. This operation is repeated until the electrical
conductivity of the filtrate is 10 .mu.S/cm or less so as to wash
the solid matter.
[0399] The washed solid matter is finely pulverized in a
wet-dry-type particle sizer (Comil) and then vacuum-dried in an
oven at 25.degree. C. for 36 hours. As a result, base particles (1)
are obtained. The volume-average particle diameter of the base
particles (1) is 8.0 .mu.m.
[0400] One hundred parts of the base particles (1) and 1.5 parts of
hydrophobic silica (RY50 produced by Nippon Aerosil Co., Ltd.) are
mixed in a sample mill at a rotation rate of 13000 rpm for 30
seconds. The mixture is then screened through a vibrating screen
having an aperture of 45 .mu.m. As a result, particular particles
(1) are obtained.
[0401] Using the particular particles (1) as a sample, the thermal
behavior in the temperature range of -150.degree. C. to 100.degree.
C. is analyzed with a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC-60A
produced by Shimadzu Corporation). Two glass transition
temperatures are observed. Table 3 indicates the glass transition
temperatures.
[0402] The temperature T1 and the temperature T2 of the particular
particles (1) are measured with the aforementioned measuring
method, and the particular particles (1) satisfy formula 1,
"10.degree. C..ltoreq.T1-T2".
[0403] A section of the particular particles (1) is observed with a
scanning electron microscope (SEM). A sea-island structure is
observed. The particular particles (1) have a core in which island
phases are present, and a shell layer in which no island phases are
present. The sea phase contains a styrene resin, and the island
phases contain a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin. The average size
of the island phases is determined by the aforementioned measuring
method. The average size of the island phases is indicated in Table
3.
[0404] A chromatic color image including both black characters and
a full-color photographic image and having an image density of 30%
is formed over the entirety of an image forming surface of a
recording medium by using an ink jet recording apparatus.
[0405] Next, the particular particles (A1) are applied at 2.5
g/m.sup.2 from one end of a short side to the other end of the
short side such that the applied portion has a width of 1 cm and
extends parallel to an end portion of a recording medium while
leaving a margin in the range 3 mm from the end portion of the
recording medium. The recording medium is then passed through a
belt roll-type fixing device so as to fix the pressure-responsive
particles to the image forming surface of the recording medium and
form a layer of the pressure-responsive particles.
[0406] In the pressure bonding step, a multilayer body obtained by
collating thirty sheets of images obtained by bonding the particles
onto a recording medium is pressure-bonded by using a modified
model of pressure-bonding sealer PRESSELE LEADA (produced by Toppan
Forms Co., Ltd.) to prepare a printed material. The obtained
printed material is cut in a direction parallel to the short side
to form a rectangular sample having a width of 15 mm. The peel
force is confirmed in the first, tenth, and twentieth sheets of
that sample. All exhibit a peeling force exceeding 1N.
[0407] Into a V-type blender, 10 parts of the particular particles
(1) and 100 parts of the following resin-coated carrier are placed,
and the resulting mixture is stirred for 20 minutes. Then the
mixture is screened through a vibrating screen having an aperture
of 212 .mu.m to obtain a developer (1). [0408] Mn--Mg--Sr ferrite
particles (average particle diameter: 40 .mu.m: 100 parts [0409]
Toluene: 14 parts [0410] Polymethyl methacrylate: 2 parts [0411]
Carbon black (VXC72 produced by Cabot Corporation): 0.12 parts
[0412] Glass beads (diameter: 1 mm, in an amount equal to the
amount of toluene) and the above-described materials other than the
ferrite particles are mixed, and the resulting mixture is stirred
in a sand mill produced by KANSAI PAINT CO., LTD., at a rotation
rate of 1200 rpm for 30 minutes. As a result, a dispersion is
obtained. The dispersion and the ferrite particles are placed in a
vacuum deaerator-type kneader, and the resulting mixture is dried
at a reduced pressure under stirring to obtain a resin-coated
carrier.
Preparation of Particular Particles (2) to (27) and Developers (2)
to (27)
[0413] Particular particles (2) to (27) and developers (2) to (27)
are prepared as with the preparation of the particular particles
(1) except that the composite resin particle dispersion and the
styrene resin particle dispersion are changed as indicated in Table
3.
[0414] The temperature T1 and the temperature T2 of the particular
particles (2) to (27) are measured with the aforementioned
measuring method, and the particular particles (2) to (27) all
satisfy formula 1, "10.degree. C..ltoreq.T1-T2".
Preparation of Comparative Particles (c1) to (c3) and Developers
(c1) to (c3)
[0415] Particles (c1) to (c3) and developers (c1) to (c3) are
prepared as with the preparation of the particular particles (1)
except that the composite resin particle dispersion and the styrene
resin particle dispersion are changed as indicated in Table 3.
Evaluation of Pressure-Responsive Phase Transition
[0416] The temperature difference (T1-T3), which is the indicator
of how easily the particles undergo pressure-induced phase
transition, is determined. For each particle sample, the
temperature T1 and the temperature T3 are measured with a
Flowtester (CFT-500 produced by Shimadzu Corporation), and the
temperature difference (T1-T3) is calculated. Table 3 indicates the
temperature difference (T1-T3).
Evaluation of Bonding Force in Bound Portion
[0417] As the apparatus for producing a printed material, a printed
material producing apparatus (modified model of Color 1000 Press
produced by Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.) equipped with a five-stand-tandem
intermediate transfer-type printing section that performs placement
of the particular particles and formation of color images on a
recording medium, and a pressure bonding section that has a
multilayer body forming device and a pressurizing device is
prepared.
[0418] The particular particles (or comparative particles) of this
exemplary embodiment, a yellow toner, a magenta toner, a cyan
toner, and a black toner are respectively placed in five developing
devices in the printing section. Commercially available products
produced by Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., are used as the yellow toner, the
magenta toner, the cyan toner, and the black toner.
[0419] Recording sheets (C2 paper produced by Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.)
are prepared as the recording media.
[0420] The color image to be formed on a recording medium is an
image having an area density of 30% in which black characters and a
full-color photographic image are both contained. The image is
formed on one surface of the recording medium.
[0421] The particular particles of the exemplary embodiment (or
comparative particles) are provided by forming a solid image that
extends from one end to the other end of a short side so as to be
parallel to an end portion and has a width of 1 cm at a loading
amount of 2.5 g/m.sup.2 while leaving a margin in the range 3 mm or
less from the end portion in the particular region that extends
along the short side of the image forming surface of the recording
medium.
[0422] In the bonding step, the particles are bonded to the
recording medium at a particle heating temperature of 170.degree.
C. and an applied pressure of 4.0 kg/cm.sup.2.
[0423] In the pressure bonding step, a multilayer body obtained by
collating thirty sheets of images obtained by bonding the particles
onto recording media is pressure-bonded by using a modified model
of pressure-bonding sealer PRESSELE LEADA (produced by Toppan Forms
Co., Ltd.) to prepare a printed material. The obtained printed
material is cut in a direction parallel to the short side to form a
rectangular sample having a width of 15 mm. The peel force is
measured by a known method (90 degrees peel method) on the first,
tenth, and twentieth sheets of that sample, and the results are
averaged. The results are indicated in Table 3.
[0424] In the pressure-bonding step, the pressure applied is 90
MPa.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Core Shell layer Composite Polymerization
Polymerization St resin/Ac St resin Particles resin particle
components of components of resin mass particle D50v Particles
dispersion St resin Ac resin ratio (St:Ac) dispersion .mu.m c1 cM1
St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA = 100 50:50 St1 8.0 c2 cM2 St/BA/AA =
78/20/2 BA = 100 50:50 St1 8.0 c3 cM3 St/2EHA/AA = 78/20/2 BA = 100
50:50 St12 11.0 1 M1 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 St1
8.0 2 M2 St/BA/AA = 88/10/2 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 St2 11.0 3 M3
SVBA/AA = 83/15/2 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 St3 11.0 4 M4 St/BA/MAA =
78/20/2 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 St4 11.0 5 M5 St/BA/4HBA = 80/15/5
2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 St5 11.0 6 M6 St/BA/2EHA = 80/15/5 2EHA/BA =
50/50 50:50 St6 11.0 7 M7 St/BA = 80/20 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 St7
9.5 8 M8 St/BA/CEA = 77/20/3 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 St8 9.5 9 M9
St/BA/AA = 72/26/2 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 St9 9.5 10 M10 St/BA/AA =
68/30/2 2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 St10 9.5 11 M11 St/2EHA = 80/20
2EHA/BA = 50/50 50:50 St11 9.5 12 M12 St/2EHA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/BA
= 50/50 50:50 St12 9.5 13 M13 St/2EHA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/HA = 50/50
50:50 St12 5.8 14 M14 St/EA/AA = 63/35/2 2EHA/PA = 50/50 50:50 St13
5.8 15 M15 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/HA = 50/50 50:50 St1 5.8 16 M16
St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/BA = 90/10 50:50 St1 8.0 17 M17 SUBA/AA =
78/20/2 2EHA/BA = 80/20 50:50 St1 8.0 18 M18 SVBA/AA = 78/20/2
2EHA/BA = 70/30 50:50 St1 8.0 19 M19 St/BA/AA-78/20/2 2EHA/BA =
30/70 50:50 St1 8.0 20 M20 SVBA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/BA = 20/80 50:50
St1 8.0 21 M21 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/BA = 10/90 50:50 St1 8.0 22
M22 SVBA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/BA = 50/50 90:10 St1 8.0 23 M23 St/BA/AA
= 78/20/2 2EHA/BA = 50/50 80:20 St1 8.0 24 M24 SVBA/AA = 78/20/2
2EHA/BA = 50/50 70:30 St1 8.0 25 M25 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/BA =
50/50 30:70 St1 8.0 26 M26 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/BA = 50/50 20:80
St1 8.0 27 M27 St/BA/AA = 78/20/2 2EHA/BA = 50/50 10:90 St1 8.0
Particles Pressure-responsive Average size of Difference phase
transition island phases Tg in Tg T3 (T1-T3) Bonding force
Particles nm .degree. C. .degree. C. .degree. C. .degree. C.
.degree. C. (N) c1 600 -50 54 104 95 3 0.3 c2 550 -53 54 107 93 4
0.3 c3 570 -53 56 109 93 4 0.3 1 200 -52 54 106 75 15 1.4 2 250 -52
76 128 70 13 1.4 3 280 -52 65 117 78 15 1.6 4 240 -52 57 109 70 10
1.5 5 240 -52 55 107 74 16 1.6 6 250 -52 54 106 73 14 1.4 7 250 -52
54 106 73 13 1.4 8 250 -52 54 106 75 10 1.3 9 220 -52 43 95 75 15
1.6 10 230 -52 35 87 73 15 1.5 11 220 -52 56 108 72 15 1.6 12 230
-52 56 108 75 20 1.8 13 250 -55 56 111 70 15 1.5 14 350 -45 54 99
80 5 1.3 15 400 -54 54 108 81 7 1.3 16 400 -51 54 105 80 10 1.4 17
300 -52 54 106 70 20 1.7 18 250 -52 54 106 75 15 1.4 19 250 -52 54
106 73 15 1.5 20 300 -52 54 106 75 20 1.8 21 400 -53 54 107 80 9
1.3 22 450 -52 54 106 85 5 1.2 23 400 -52 54 106 80 10 1.3 24 250
-52 54 106 75 15 1.6 25 210 -52 54 106 73 13 1.2 26 230 -52 54 106
72 13 1.2 27 250 -52 54 106 72 13 1.1
[0425] As apparent from Table 3 above, the bonding force in the
bound portion is high in the examples that use the particular
particles compared to the examples in which particles c1 to c3 are
used.
[0426] The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of
the present disclosure has been provided for the purposes of
illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive
or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed.
Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to
practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and
described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure
and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in
the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments and
with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use
contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the disclosure be
defined by the following claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *