Xerox Corporation

Merrilee A Galloway

Scott M Silence

William H Hollenbaugh, Jr

Amy L Stamp

Bernard A Kelly

Deepak R Maniar

Michael J Duggan

Gerardo Leute

Padam K Angra

Dennis A Mattison, Jr

Susan J Lafica

Kenneth Derek Henderson

Timothy J Key

William T Delelys

Morris DeYoung

Richard J Muller

A toner for particular use in devices utilizing hybrid scavengeless development includes toner particles of at least one binder, at least one colorant, and optionally one or more additives, the toner exhibiting a charge per particle diameter (Q/D) of from &minus;0.1 to &minus;1.0 fC/&mgr;m with a variation during development of from 0 to 0.25 fC/&mgr;m and the distribution is substantially unimodal and possesses a peak width of less than 0.5 fC/&mgr;m, and the toner has a triboelectric charge of from &minus;25 to &minus;70 &mgr;C/g with a variation during development of from 0 to 15 &mgr;C/g following triboelectric contact with carrier particles. Use of a toner with such properties in a hybrid scavengeless development apparatus enables images to be achieved with properties similar to that achieved in offset lithography.

Toner and developer providing offset lithography print quality

A carrier and developer material for use in an electrostatographic imaging process comprises a metallic core material which has a diffusion-bonded surface alloy layer on the surface of the particle and an optional polymer layer overcoating the alloy layer. The carrier provides improved conductivity and triboelectric properties when used in an electrophotographic imaging process.

Surface alloyed cores for electrostatographic carriers and developers

An electrode wire for a hybrid scavengeless developer unit is electrostatically coated with a conductive coating comprised of a crosslinked polymer and a conductive material. The wire is coated by first electrostatically coating the wire with a coating composition including a crosslinkable polymer and a conductive material. Following electrostatic application of the coating, the coated wire is initially heated to a temperature above the melt temperature of the crosslinkable polymer and below the crosslinking temperature of the polymer for a time sufficient to permit the at least one polymer to flow out over the surface of the wire, and then further heated by increasing the temperature of heating above the crosslinking temperature of the polymer for a time sufficient to crosslink the polymer. A tough, substantially smooth coated electrode wire is achieved that, when used in a hybrid scavengeless developer unit, exhibits little to no buildup of toner or toner components on the surface of the wire, thereby eliminating image quality defects that might otherwise be caused by such buildup.

Electrostatic powder coated wire for hybrid scavengeless development applications and process for making same

Electrostatic powder coated wire for hybrid scavengeless development applications

A replenisher material of toner particles and carrier particles, wherein a replenisher ratio of the toner particles to the carrier particles in the replenisher is determined as a function of at least one property of the developer and at least one operational property of an apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image recorded on an image receiving member, and wherein the apparatus includes a housing defining a chamber having a supply of developer comprised of toner particles and carrier particles therein, a donor member spaced from the image receiving member and adapted to transport toner particles of the developer from the chamber to a development zone adjacent the image receiving member, at least one wire positioned in the development zone between the image receiving member and the donor member, a voltage supply for electrically biasing the at least one wire during a developing operation with a current to detach toner particles from the donor member, forming a cloud of toner particles in the development zone, and developing the latent image with toner particles from the cloud, and at least one dispenser for dispensing replenisher comprised of toner particles and carrier particles into the chamber, wherein a replenisher ratio of the toner particles to the carrier particles in the replenisher is determined as a function of at least one property of the developer and at least one operational property of the apparatus. The replenisher ratio is preferably determined as a function of the tribo stability of the developer in a non-replenishment mode of the apparatus and/or as a function of the conductivity of the developer in a non-replenishment mode of the apparatus.

Method of replenishing developer in a hybrid scavengeless development system

A developer of a mixture of carrier particles and toner particles containing at least one binder, at least one colorant, and optionally one or more additives, has a triboelectric value of from 35 to 60 &mgr;C/g, a charge distribution (Q/D) of from &minus;0.5 to &minus;1.0 fC/&mgr;m and the distribution is substantially unimodal and possesses a peak width of less than 0.5 fC/&mgr;m, preferably less than 0.3 fC/&mgr;m, and a conductivity of the developer ranges from 1&times;10,to 10&times;10,mho/cm as measured at 30 V. The carrier particles of the developer preferably have an average particle diameter of 65 to 90 microns and a size distribution wherein 2.0% or less of a total number of carrier particles have a size less than 38 micrometers. The ratio of carrier volume median diameter to toner volume median diameter is about 10:1. The developer finds particular use in devices utilizing hybrid scavengeless development. Use of a developer with such properties in a hybrid scavengeless development apparatus enables images to be achieved with properties similar to that achieved in offset lithography.

A carrier for a developer composition includes a steel core having a shape factor of 6 or more coated with a coating at a coating weight of from 0.1 to 3.0% by weight of a total core weight. The coating is most preferably polymethyl methacrylate. The steel core also preferably has an average particle diameter of 70 to 89 micrometers and a size distribution wherein 1.5% or less of a total number of carrier particles have a size less than 38 micrometers. The carrier is preferably used in conjunction with toner particles to form a developer for particular use in devices utilizing hybrid scavengeless development. Use of a carrier in such a developer in a hybrid scavengeless development apparatus enables images to be achieved with properties similar to that achieved in offset lithography.

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Macedon, NY, United States of America

Merrilee A Galloway