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:
Apr. 26, 2011
Filed:
Dec. 17, 2008
Shinichi Nakano, Nara, JP;
Yasuhiro Shibai, Nara, JP;
Keiichi Kikawa, Osaka, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
The invention provides a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a developer, which can manufacture a developer having a uniform and fine particle shape in a narrow particle size distribution and having a coloring agent highly dispersed therein at the primary particle level, the method and apparatus at the same time enabling continuous and efficient production without opening and closing a reactor. The method comprises the steps of: dissolving a binding resin component in a supercritical or subcritical fluid so that the binding resin component is blended with a coloring agent component; and reducing the solubility of the binding resin component in the supercritical or subcritical fluid so that the binding resin component is precipitated in the form of particles with the coloring agent component dispersed in the interior thereof. In the aforementioned method and apparatus, the reactor provided with at least a stirring mechanism and a mechanism for discharging dissolved components has a developer material carrier comprising a mesh that prevents the passage of treated materials and allows the passage of the supercritical or subcritical fluid.