The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 19, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 21, 1997
Shinichi Kuramoto, Numazu, JP;
Youichi Asaba, Yokohama, JP;
Kiyoshi Tanikawa, Yokohama, JP;
Yoshiaki Miyashita, Kawasaki, JP;
Satoshi Shinguryo, Kawasaki, JP;
Sadao Takahashi, Tokyo, JP;
Yoshiyuki Kimura, Tokyo, JP;
Kazuhiro Ando, Satte, JP;
Tadashi Saitoh, Yokohama, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a method for repeatedly using an image holding member such as a sheet of paper, toner for an electronic photograph is constructed such that a maximum value of viscoelasticity of the toner shown by tan .delta. is equal to or smaller than 3 in the range of a heating temperature when the toner is heated and fixed to the image holding member. Such toner has sufficient elastic or cohesive force. Accordingly, when the toner is heated and fixed to the paper sheet, no excessive adhesive force is caused to such an extent that paper fibers of the paper sheet eat into the toner attached to the paper sheet. Accordingly, after an aqueous solution including a surfactant is supplied to the paper sheet by a liquid supplying unit, the toner is softened by heat from heating rollers so that the toner is attached to a surface of an offset belt. When the toner attached to the surface of the offset belt is separated from the paper sheet, the toner can be completely removed from the paper sheet without damaging paper fibers on a surface of the paper sheet.