JP3451288B2 - Collision type air flow pulverizer, fine powder production apparatus and toner production method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fine powder having a collision type air flow pulverizer using a high pressure gas such as a jet air flow, an air flow classification means and a collision type air flow pulverization means for pulverizing using a high pressure gas. The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus and a method for manufacturing a toner for developing an electrostatic image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A collision type air flow crusher using a high pressure gas such as a jet air flow conveys a powder raw material by a jet air flow,
It is injected from the outlet of the acceleration tube, and the powder raw material is collided with the collision surface of the collision member provided facing the opening surface of the outlet of the acceleration tube,
The powder material is crushed by the impact force.

For example, in the collision type air flow crusher shown in FIG. 23, a collision member 43 is provided so as to face the outlet 45 of the acceleration pipe 46 to which the high pressure gas supply nozzle 47 is connected, and the acceleration pipe 46 is provided.
The high pressure gas supplied to the suction pipe 46 sucks the powder raw material into the acceleration pipe 46 from the powder raw material supply port communicating with the middle of the acceleration pipe 46 and ejects the powder raw material together with the high pressure gas to collide with the collision member 43.
It collides with the collision surface of and is crushed by the impact.

However, in the collision type air flow crusher of FIG. 23, since the supply port 40 for the object to be ground is provided in the middle of the acceleration pipe 46, the object to be ground sucked and introduced into the acceleration pipe 46 is Immediately after passing through the pulverized material supply port 40, the high-pressure gas jetted from the high-pressure gas supply nozzle 47 disperses in the high-pressure air stream while changing the flow path toward the exit of the accelerating pipe and is rapidly accelerated. In this state, the relatively coarse particles of the object to be crushed flow in the low flow part in the acceleration tube due to the influence of inertial force, and
Since the relatively fine particles flow in the high flow part in the acceleration tube, they are not sufficiently evenly dispersed in the high pressure air flow, and the objects to be ground face each other in a collision where the particles to be ground are separated into a high-concentration flow and a low-concentration flow. This results in a partial concentrated collision with the member, which tends to reduce the pulverization efficiency and the processing capacity.

In the vicinity of the collision surface 41, the crushed material and a portion of the crushed material having a high dust concentration are likely to be locally generated. Therefore, when the crushed material contains a low melting point substance such as resin, The objects to be crushed are likely to be fused, coarsened, or agglomerated. Further, when the crushed object has abradability, local powder wear is likely to occur on the collision surface of the collision member and the acceleration tube,
The collision member has to be replaced more frequently, and there is a point to be improved in terms of continuous and stable production.

The tip of the collision surface of the collision member has an apex angle of 11
Conical shape having 0 to 175 ° (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-25
No. 4266) or a collision plate shape having a projection on a plane where the collision surface intersects at right angles with the extension line of the central axis of the collision member (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-148740). These pulverizers can suppress the local increase in dust concentration in the vicinity of the collision surface, so that the fusion, coarsening, and agglomeration of the pulverized material can be somewhat softened, and the pulverization efficiency can be slightly improved. Although improved, further improvement is desired.

Various air classifiers have been proposed as an apparatus for producing fine powder, which are combined with a collision type air flow crusher. As a typical example thereof, a dispersion separator (manufactured by Nippon Pneumatic Mfg. Co., Ltd.) as shown in FIG. 24 is generally used.

The powder material supply portion to the classification chamber 64 of this type of air flow classifier as shown in FIG. 24 has a cyclone shape, and the guide pipe 62 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the upper cover 70. Is provided upright, and the supply pipe 63 is connected to the upper outer peripheral surface of the guide pipe 62. The supply pipe 63 is connected so that the powder material to be supplied is introduced in the circumferential tangential direction of the guide pipe.

In the air flow sucker shown in FIG. 24, a classification louver 65 arranged in the circumferential direction is provided in the lower portion of the main body casing 71, and classification air that causes a swirling flow from the outside to the classification chamber 64 is passed through the classification louver 65. I am taking it in.

At the bottom of the classifying chamber 64, a conical (umbrella) classifying plate 67 having a high central portion is provided, and a coarse powder discharge port 66 is formed on the outer periphery of the classifying plate 67. Further, a fine powder discharge pipe 68 is connected to the central portion of the classification plate 67, the lower end portion of the fine powder discharge pipe 68 is bent into an L shape, and the bent end portion is located outside the side wall of the lower casing 72. Further, the fine powder discharge pipe 68 is connected to a suction fan via a fine powder collecting means such as a cyclone or a dust collector, and a suction force is applied to the classification chamber 64 by the suction fan so that the classification chamber 64 is moved between the louvers 65. The swirling flow required for classification is caused by the inflowing suction air.

When the powder material is supplied from the supply pipe 63 into the guide tube 62, the powder material descends while swirling along the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube 62. In this case, the powder material is the supply pipe 6
3 descends in a strip shape along the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube 62,
The distribution and concentration of the powder material flowing into the classification chamber 64 becomes nonuniform (the powder material flows into the classification chamber only from a part of the inner peripheral surface of the guide cylinder), and the dispersion is poor.

Further, when the treatment amount is increased, the powder material is more likely to be agglomerated, the dispersion is not sufficiently performed, and high-precision classification cannot be performed. In addition, when the amount of air that conveys the powder material is large, the amount of air that flows into the classifying chamber is large, so that there is a problem that the velocity of the particles swirling in the classifying chamber toward the center becomes large and the separated particle size becomes large.

Therefore, in order to reduce the size of the separated particles, air is extracted from the upper part of the guide tube by controlling the damper 61. However, if the amount of air to be extracted is large, part of the powder material is also discharged and lost. There may be practical problems.

In recent years, high image quality of copying machines and printers,
The performance required for toner as a developer has become more severe with higher definition, and the particle size of the toner has become smaller, and the particle size distribution of the toner is sharp with no coarse particles and few fine powder. Are becoming required.

As a general method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image, a binder resin for fixing the toner on a transfer material, various colorants for giving a tint as a toner, and a charge for imparting an electric charge to particles are used. Charge control agent, and JP-A-54-4214
In the so-called one-component developing method as disclosed in JP-A No. 1 and JP-A No. 55-18656, various magnetic materials for imparting transportability and the like to the toner itself are used. Agent, a fluidity-imparting agent are dry-mixed, and then melt-kneaded with a roll mill, a general-purpose kneading device such as an extruder, and after cooling and solidifying, a jet stream type pulverizer,
Fine particles are pulverized by various crushing devices such as a mechanical impact crusher and classified by various air classifiers, so that the particle size required for the toner is adjusted. If necessary, a fluidizing agent, a lubricant and the like are dry mixed to obtain a toner. When used in the two-component developing method, various magnetic carriers and toner are mixed and then used for image formation.

As described above, in order to obtain toner particles which are fine particles, conventionally, the method shown in the flow chart of FIG. 25 or a method of using the method as a part is generally adopted.

The coarsely pulverized toner is continuously or sequentially supplied to the first classifying means to be classified, and the classified coarse powder mainly containing a group of coarse particles having a size not less than the specified size is sent to the pulverizing means and pulverized. , Is again circulated to the first classification means.

The finely pulverized toner particles containing other particles within the specified particle size range and particles with the specified particle size or less as the main component are sent to the second classifying means, and the intermediate powder containing the particle group having the specified particle size as the main component. It is classified into a body and a fine powder whose main component is a particle group having a particle size not larger than a prescribed size.

Various crushing devices may be used as the crushing means. To crush the coarsely crushed toner mainly composed of the binder resin, a jet airflow type crusher using a jet airflow as shown in FIG. 23, particularly a collision is used. Airflow crusher is used.
As described above, the pulverizer shown in FIG. 23 has low pulverization efficiency,
There are problems such as low processing capacity, generation of a fusion product of pulverized material on the collision surface, and frequent replacement due to local wear of the collision member.

As a classifier used as the first classifying means, a rotor type classifier forcibly creating a swirling airflow by rotation of a classifying blade or a classifying device that creates a swirling airflow by an airflow introduced from the outside Although there is a spiral airflow classifier that does this, a spiral airflow classifier having few moving parts in a portion in contact with the powder is preferably used for classifying a toner mainly composed of a binder resin.

As described above, the powder material (toner powder) is
In FIG. 24, the powder material (toner powder) flowing into the classification chamber 64 becomes uneven in distribution and concentration since it descends from the supply pipe 63 along the inner peripheral surface of the guide cylinder 62 in a strip shape ((guide cylinder to the classification chamber). Powder material (toner powder) only from a part of the inner surface
Flows in. ) Dispersion is poor, and if the amount of treatment is large, the powder material is more likely to agglomerate, and the dispersion is not performed sufficiently, so the classification accuracy deteriorates, and the finely pulverized toner product has a sharp particle size distribution. It is not obtained, and becomes broad, and problems such as quality as a toner and misalignment are likely to occur.

[0022]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a collision type airflow pulverizer, a fine powder producing apparatus and a method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic charge image, which solves the above problems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a collision type air flow crusher and a fine powder manufacturing apparatus capable of efficiently crushing an object to be crushed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a collision type air flow crusher and a fine powder manufacturing apparatus capable of preventing fusion and agglomeration of crushed products.

An object of the present invention is to provide a collision type air flow pulverizer and a fine powder manufacturing apparatus capable of preventing the generation of coarse particles.

An object of the present invention is to provide a collision type air flow crusher and a fine powder manufacturing apparatus capable of preventing local wear on the collision surface of the collision member and the acceleration tube.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing fine powder which has a high pulverization efficiency of the pulverized material and can produce a pulverized material having a sharp particle size distribution.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic charge image having a fine particle size distribution.

An object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method capable of efficiently producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image.

[0030]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an accelerating tube for conveying and accelerating an object to be crushed by a high pressure gas.
In a collision type air flow crusher having a crushing chamber for finely crushing an object to be crushed, a high pressure gas jet nozzle located coaxially with a central axis of the accelerating pipe is provided at a rear end portion of the accelerating pipe. The high-pressure gas ejection nozzle has a throat part in the middle of the long axis direction, and has a shape in which the flow passage cross-sectional area is once narrowed toward the downstream side in the long axis direction and then spreads again. Around the high-pressure gas ejection nozzle, there is provided a crushed object supply port for supplying the crushed object into the acceleration pipe by an ejector effect generated by ejecting high-pressure gas from the high-pressure gas injection nozzle. The crushing chamber is provided with a collision member having a collision surface provided facing the opening surface of the outlet of the acceleration tube, and the collision surface of the collision member is relative to the long axis of the acceleration tube. Has a slope with an inclination θ1 less than 90 ° The crushing chamber has a crushing chamber front wall having the accelerating pipe outlet and a crushing chamber side wall for further crushing the object to be crushed by the collision member by collision, and the crushing chamber front wall and the crushing chamber The chamber side walls are connected to each other, and the closest distance l ₁ between the crushing chamber side wall and the edge of the collision member is such that the crushing chamber front wall facing the collision surface and the edge of the collision member. It relates to a collision type airflow crusher characterized by being shorter than the closest distance l ₂ to.

Further, the present invention provides a fine powder manufacturing apparatus in which an air flow classifying means and a collision type air flow crushing means are in communication with each other, wherein (a) the air flow classifying means has a powder supply pipe and a classification chamber; A guide chamber communicating with the powder supply pipe is provided above the classification chamber; a plurality of introduction louvers are provided between the guide chamber and the classification chamber, and the powder is conveyed through the gap between the introduction louvers. Introduced from the guide room to the classifying chamber together with air; a classifying plate with a high central part is provided at the bottom of the classifying chamber; a classifying louver is provided on the side wall of the classifying chamber and is supplied together with the carrier air in the classifying chamber The separated powder is swirled and flowed by the air flowing in through the gap between the classification louvers, and the powder is classified into fine powder and coarse powder by centrifugal force; a fine powder discharge port for discharging the classified fine powder is provided. Installed in the center of the classifier , A fine powder discharge pipe is connected to the fine powder discharge port; a coarse powder discharge port for discharging the classified coarse powder is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the classification plate; A communication means for supplying the crushing means is provided, and (b) the collision type airflow crushing means is for accelerating the conveyance of the coarse powder supplied by the high-pressure gas, and for finely pulverizing the coarse powder. A crushing chamber; a high-pressure gas jet nozzle located coaxially with the central axis of the accelerating pipe is provided at the rear end of the accelerating pipe. Has a throat portion, and has a shape in which the flow passage cross-sectional area is once narrowed toward the downstream side in the major axis direction and then re-expanded, and the high pressure gas jet nozzle is surrounded by the high pressure gas. Due to the ejector effect generated by ejecting high-pressure gas from the ejection nozzle, A coarse powder supply port for supplying powder into the accelerating tube is provided; a collision member having a collision surface provided facing the opening surface of the outlet of the accelerating tube is provided in the crushing chamber. The impingement surface of the impingement member has a slope with an inclination θ1 of less than 90 ° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the acceleration tube; A crushing chamber side wall for further crushing the crushed coarse powder crushed by the collision member by collision is provided, and the crushing chamber front wall and the crushing chamber side wall are connected to each other; the crushing chamber side wall and the crushing chamber side wall. The closest distance l _{1 to} the edge of the collision member is smaller than the closest distance l ₂ between the front wall of the crushing chamber facing the collision surface and the edge of the collision member. The present invention relates to a body manufacturing device.

Further, in the present invention, a mixture containing at least a binder resin and a colorant is melt-kneaded, the kneaded product is cooled, and the cooled product is pulverized by a pulverizing means to obtain a pulverized product. Is classified into coarse powder and fine powder by the air flow classification means, and the classified coarse powder is finely pulverized by the collision type air flow pulverization means to generate fine powder, and the fine powder is classified from the generated fine powder by the air flow classification means. In the method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic charge image from classified fine powders, (a) the airflow classification means has a powder supply pipe and a classification chamber; the upper part of the classification chamber communicates with the powder supply pipe. A guide chamber is provided; a plurality of introduction louvers are provided between the guide chamber and the classification chamber, and the powder is introduced into the classification chamber from the guide chamber with the carrier air through the gap between the introduction louvers; Classification plate with a high central part at the bottom of the chamber Is provided; the side wall of the classification chamber has a classification louver, and the powder supplied together with the carrier air in the classification chamber is swirled by the air flowing in through the gap between the classification louvers, and the powder is Fine powder and coarse powder are classified by centrifugal force; a fine powder discharge port for discharging the classified fine powder is provided in the center of the classifying plate, and a fine powder discharge pipe is connected to the fine powder discharge port; A coarse powder discharge port for discharging the coarse powder is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the classifying plate, and (b) the collision type air flow crushing means is an acceleration pipe for accelerating the conveyance of the coarse powder supplied by the high pressure gas. A crushing chamber for finely crushing coarse powder; a high pressure gas jet nozzle located coaxially with the central axis of the acceleration pipe is provided at the rear end of the acceleration pipe, and the high pressure gas jet The nozzle has a throat part in the middle of the long axis direction, The cross-sectional area has a shape in which the cross-sectional area is once narrowed toward the downstream side in the major axis direction and then widens again, and high-pressure gas is jetted from the high-pressure gas jet nozzle to the periphery of the high-pressure gas jet nozzle. A coarse powder supply port for supplying coarse powder into the accelerating tube is provided by the ejector effect generated by; a collision surface provided opposite to the opening surface of the outlet of the accelerating tube is provided in the crushing chamber. And a collision surface of the collision member having a slope having an inclination θ1 of less than 90 ° with respect to a long axis of the acceleration tube; A crushing chamber front wall and a crushing chamber side wall for further crushing a crushed material of coarse powder crushed by the collision member, and the crushing chamber front wall and the crushing chamber side wall are connected to each other. Cage; closest distance l between the side wall of the crushing chamber and the edge of the collision member ₁ is shorter than the closest distance l ₂ between the crushing chamber front wall facing the collision surface and the edge of the collision member, and (c) the coarse powder discharged from the airflow classifying means is used in the collision type. The air-flow crushing means is supplied, and the coarse powder is collided with the collision surface of the collision member and the side wall of the pulverization chamber in the pulverization chamber to further pulverize the coarse powder and further pulverize the coarse powder. The present invention relates to a method for producing a toner.

[0033]

The present invention will be described in more detail below.

Embodiment 1 FIGS. 1 to 6 are views for explaining a specific example of the collision type airflow crusher of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the crushed material 80 supplied from the crushed material supply pipe 5 is the accelerating pipe throat portion 2 of the accelerating pipe 1.
Is supplied to the accelerating pipe 1 from the object to be crushed supply port 4 (which is also a throat portion) formed between the inner wall of the above and the outer wall of the high pressure gas jet nozzle 3.

The central axis of the high-pressure gas jet nozzle 3 and the central axis of the accelerating tube 1 are substantially coaxial.

On the other hand, the high-pressure gas is introduced from the high-pressure gas supply port 6, passes through the high-pressure gas chamber 7, preferably through a plurality of high-pressure gas introduction pipes 8, and from the high-pressure gas ejection nozzle 3 toward the acceleration pipe outlet 9. Ejects while rapidly expanding toward. At this time, due to the ejector effect generated in the vicinity of the accelerating tube throat portion 2, the crushed object 80 is crushed by the crushed object 8
While being mixed with the gas coexisting with 0, it is rapidly accelerated from the object to be crushed supply port 4 toward the acceleration pipe outlet 9 while being uniformly mixed with the high-pressure gas in the acceleration pipe throat section 2, and the acceleration pipe outlet 9 The collision surface 16 of the collision member 10 facing the
Collide with each other in the state of a uniform solid-gas mixture flow with no uneven dust concentration. Since the impact force generated at the time of collision is given to the sufficiently dispersed individual particles (object 80 to be crushed), crushing can be performed very efficiently.

The crushed material crushed by the collision surface 16 of the collision member 10 further collides with the side wall 14 of the crushing chamber 12 in a secondary collision (or tertiary collision), and the pulverized material disposed behind the collision member 10 is crushed. It is discharged from the discharge port 13.

Further, the collision surface 16 of the collision member 10 has a cone shape as shown in FIG. 1 or has a collision shape as shown in FIGS.
When the collision surface 16 is a collision surface having a conical projection, the crushed material is uniformly dispersed in the crushing chamber 12,
This is preferable for efficiently performing the secondary collision with the side wall 14. Further, when the crushed material discharge port 13 is located behind the collision member 10, the crushed material can be discharged smoothly.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the grinding chamber. In FIG. 2, the closest distance l ₁ between the edge 15 of the collision member 10 and the side wall 14 is shorter than the closest distance l ₂ between the front wall 17 and the edge 15 of the collision member 10. This is important in order not to increase the powder concentration in the crushing chamber near the tube outlet 9. Furthermore, since the closest distance l ₁ is shorter than the closest distance l ₂ ,
The secondary collision of the pulverized material on the side wall can be efficiently performed. Further, the collision member 10 is set to 9 with respect to the long axis of the acceleration tube.
Inclination θ ₁ smaller than 0 ° (more preferably 55 ° to
Inclination θ of 87.5 °, more preferably 60 ° to 85 °
It is preferable to have an inclined surface having ₁ ) as the collision surface in order to uniformly disperse the pulverized material and efficiently perform the secondary collision on the side wall 14.

As shown in FIG. 23, the collision surface 41 has the acceleration tube 4
In contrast to the crusher, which is a flat collision member of 90 degrees, the crusher having an inclined collision surface, when crushing resin or sticky substances, melts and agglomerates the crushed object. ， Agglomeration does not occur easily, and it is possible to pulverize with high dust concentration. Further, in the object to be crushed having wear properties, wear generated on the inner wall of the acceleration tube and the collision surface of the collision member is not locally concentrated, the life is extended, and stable operation is enabled.

If the inclination of the accelerating tube 1 in the long axis direction is preferably within the range of 0 to 45 ° with respect to the vertical direction, the crushed material 80 is blocked at the crushed material supply port 4. It can be processed without.

If the fluidity of the crushed material is not good, when the crushed material supply pipe 5 has a cone-shaped member below the crushed material, the crushed material tends to stay in the lower part of the cone-shaped member, although the amount is small. The inclination of the pipe 1 is 0 to 2 with respect to the vertical direction.
Within the range of 0 ° (more preferably 0 to 5 °), there is no retention of the material to be ground in the lower cone portion, and the material to be ground is smooth.
Can be supplied to the acceleration tube.

The shape of the crushing chamber is CC 'as shown in FIG.
It is preferable that the side wall has a substantially circular or elliptical shape in cross section, from the viewpoint of uniform crushing and smooth discharge of the crushed material.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA 'in FIG. From FIG. 3, it is understood that the object to be ground 80 is smoothly supplied to the acceleration tube 1.

The distance l ₂ between the surface of the accelerating tube outlet 9 and the outermost peripheral end portion 15 of the collision surface 16 of the collision member 10 which intersects the extension of the central axis of the accelerating tube at a right angle is 0 of the diameter of the collision member 10. A range of 2 times to 2.5 times is preferable in terms of grinding efficiency,
It is better if it is in the range of 0.4 to 1.0 times.

When the distance l ₂ is less than 0.2 times, the collision surface 16
The dust concentration in the vicinity may become abnormally high.
If it exceeds 2.5 times, the impact force will weaken, and as a result,
The crushed product tends to decrease.

The outermost peripheral end portion 15 and the side wall 14 of the collision member 10
The shortest distance l ₁ between and is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 2 times the diameter of the collision member 10.

If it is less than 0.1 times, the pressure loss during passage of the high-pressure gas is large, the pulverization efficiency is likely to be lowered, and the flow state of the pulverized product tends not to be smooth. There is a tendency that the effect of the secondary collision of the object to be crushed on the inner wall 14 is reduced and the crushing efficiency is lowered.

More specifically, the length of the accelerating tube is 50 to
500 mm is preferable, and the diameter of the collision member 10 is 30 to 3
It is preferable to have 00 mm.

Further, it is preferable that the collision surface 16 and the side wall 14 of the collision member 10 are made of ceramic in terms of durability.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line BB 'in FIG. In FIG. 4, the distribution state of the crushed objects in the vertical plane of the crushed object supply port 4 passing through the crushed object supply port 4 is distributed as the inclination of the acceleration tube 1 with respect to the vertical direction increases. Due to the bias, the smaller the inclination, the more uniform the distribution. It was confirmed that the inclination of the accelerating tube 1 was best in the range of 0 to 5 ° by changing the accelerating tube 1 to a transparent acrylic resin internal observation accelerating tube.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view taken along the line CC 'in FIG. In FIG. 5, the crushed material is discharged rearward through the crushing chamber 12 between the collision member support 11 and the side wall 14.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line DD 'in FIG. Although two high pressure gas introduction pipes 8 are installed in FIG. 6, the number of high pressure gas introduction pipes 8 may be one or three or more depending on the case.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are views showing a concrete example of a collision type airflow crusher having a secondary gas inlet 18 between the accelerating pipe outlet 9 and the object to be crushed supply 4. .

The secondary gas inlet 18 provided between the crushed material supply port 4 and the accelerating pipe outlet 9 allows the high-pressure gas ejected from the high-pressure gas ejection port to rapidly expand and accelerate in the accelerating pipe. This is a gas supply port for preventing turbulence of the air flow due to an overflow that occurs near the inner wall of the acceleration pipe and rectifying the gas.

When the object to be crushed entrained in the high-pressure gas that has rapidly expanded in the accelerating pipe is rapidly accelerated, the rectifying effect of the secondary gas supplied from the secondary gas inlet further improves the acceleration performance. This helps to improve the grinding efficiency.

The shape of the secondary gas inlet is shown in FIG.
As shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of them are provided on a concentric circle of the inner wall of the accelerating tube that intersects the central axis of the accelerating tube at right angles.
It is not limited to these.

As the pressure of the gas supplied from the secondary gas inlet, atmospheric pressure or pressurized gas can be used, and the pressure and flow rate of the gas such as air are appropriately adjusted according to the situation. It is possible.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are views showing a concrete example of a collision type air flow crusher having an annular secondary gas inlet 19 between the accelerating pipe outlet 9 and the crushed substance supply port 4. Is. To the secondary gas introduction port 19, normal pressure air or pressurized air or gas is supplied from the gas introduction member 20.

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view taken along the line FF 'in FIG.

Reference Example 1 FIGS. 11 to 13 are schematic views showing a specific example of a collision type air flow pulverizer as a reference example.

In FIG. 11, the same numbers as those in FIG. 1 indicate the same members.

In the collision type air flow crusher shown in FIG.
The crushed object installed such that the inclination of the acceleration tube 1 in the long axis direction is preferably 0 to 45 ° (more preferably 0 to 20 °, further preferably 0 to 5 °) with respect to the vertical line. The material to be crushed 8 from the supply port 20 through the accelerating tube throat section 4
0 is supplied to the acceleration tube 1. Compressed gas such as compressed air is introduced into the accelerating tube 1 from the inner wall of the throat portion and the outer wall of the crushed object supply port, and the crushed object 8 supplied to the accelerating tube 1
Zero is instantly accelerated to have a high speed. Then, the crushed object 80 ejected from the accelerating pipe outlet 9 into the crushing chamber 12 at a high speed collides with the collision surface 16 of the collision member 10 and is crushed.

The crushed object 80 is introduced from the central portion of the throat 4 of the acceleration tube 1 to disperse the crushed object 80 in the acceleration tube 1,
By uniformly ejecting the object 80 to be crushed from the acceleration tube outlet 9 and efficiently colliding with the collision surface 16 of the opposing collision member 10, the pulverization efficiency can be improved as compared with the conventional case.

Further, the collision surface 16 of the collision member 10 is shown in FIG.
1 and the cone shape as shown in FIG. 21 and FIG.
With a shape having a conical projection on the collision surface, dispersion after collision is good, and fusion, aggregation, and coarsening of the pulverized material do not occur, and pulverization with a high dust concentration is possible. In addition, in the case of an object to be crushed having wear, the wear generated on the inner wall of the acceleration tube and the collision surface of the collision member is not locally concentrated, the life is extended, and stable operation is possible.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line GG 'in FIG. The crushed material supply nozzle 20 supplies the crushed material 80 to the acceleration tube 1, and the high-pressure gas is supplied to the acceleration tube 1 through the throat portion 4.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line HH 'in FIG. Similar to the crusher shown in FIG. 1, if the inclination of the acceleration tube 1 in the major axis direction is within the range of 0 to 45 °, the object to be crushed 80
Can be processed without being blocked at the pulverized material supply port 20, but the pulverized material 80 having poor fluidity tends to stay in the lower portion of the pulverized material supply pipe 5, and the inclination of the acceleration pipe 1 As 0 to 20 ° (more preferably 0 to 5
Within the range of (°), there is no retention of the crushed object 80, and the crushed object 80 is smoothly supplied into the acceleration tube 1.

When the pulverizer shown in FIG. 1 and the pulverizer shown in FIG. 11 are compared, the pulverizer shown in FIG. 1 supplies the object 80 to be pulverized in a state of being well dispersed in the acceleration tube. The grinding efficiency was good.

Reference Example 2 FIGS. 14 and 15 are views showing a concrete example of a collision type air flow pulverizer as a reference example having a secondary gas inlet 18 between the accelerating tube outlet 9 and the throat section 4. is there.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line II 'in FIG.

Reference Example 3 FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 show a concrete example of a collision type air flow pulverizer as a reference example having an annular secondary gas inlet 19 between the accelerating tube outlet 9 and the throat section 4. It is a figure. To the secondary gas introduction port 19, normal pressure air or pressurized air or gas is supplied from the gas introduction member 20.

FIG. 17 shows a sectional view taken along the line JJ 'in FIG.

Embodiment 4 FIG. 18 is a schematic view showing a specific example of the fine powder manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

In FIG. 18, the crushed material supply pipe of the collision type airflow crusher is connected to the hopper having the coarse powder discharge port of the airflow classifier, and the crushed material discharge port 1 of the collision type airflow crusher is connected.
3 and the powder supply pipe 24 of the air flow classifier are in communication with each other.

The collision type airflow crusher used in this example had the same shape as the collision type airflow crusher shown in FIG.

In FIG. 18, reference numeral 36 indicates a cylindrical main body casing, 31 indicates a lower casing, and a hopper 32 for discharging coarse powder is connected to the lower portion thereof. A classification chamber 28 is formed inside the main body casing 36. An upper part of the classification chamber 28 is an annular guide chamber 26 attached to the upper part of the main body casing 36 and a conical (umbrella) upper part having a higher central portion. It is closed by a cover 25.

A plurality of introduction louvers 27 arranged in the circumferential direction are provided on the partition wall between the classification chamber 28 and the guide chamber 26, and the powder material and air sent into the guide chamber 26 are introduced between the respective introduction louvers 27. It swirls and flows into the classification chamber 28. In addition, it is preferable that the air and the powder material flowing in the guide chamber 45 via the supply cylinder 24 are uniformly distributed to the respective introduction louvers 27 for accurate classification. Introduction louver 2
It is necessary for the flow path to reach 7 to have a shape in which concentration due to centrifugal force does not easily occur. In this embodiment, the supply pipe 24 is connected from above in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the classification chamber 28. It is not limited to this.

In this manner, the air and the pulverized material are supplied to the classification chamber 28 via the introduction louver 27, and when the particles are supplied to the classification chamber 28 via the introduction louver 27, the dispersion is remarkably improved as compared with the conventional method. Is obtained. Further, the introduction louver 27 is movable, and the introduction louver interval can be adjusted.

A classification louver 37 arranged in the circumferential direction is provided at the bottom of the main body casing 36, and a classification chamber 28 is provided from the outside.
The classification air that causes a swirling flow is taken in through the classification louver 37.

At the bottom of the classifying chamber 28, a conical (umbrella) classifying plate 29 having a high central portion is provided, and a coarse powder discharge port 38 is formed on the outer periphery of the classifying plate 29. Further, a fine powder discharge pipe 30 having a fine powder discharge port 81 is connected to the center of the classifying plate 29, the lower end of the fine powder discharge pipe 30 is bent into an L-shape, and the bent end is formed from the side wall of the lower casing 31. Position it outside. Further, the fine powder discharge pipe 30 is connected to a suction fan 34 via a fine powder collecting means 33 such as a cyclone or a dust collector, and a suction force is applied to the classification chamber 28 by the suction fan 34, so that the classification louvers 37 are connected to each other. The suction air flowing into the classification chamber 28 causes a swirling flow required for classification.

The airflow classifier shown in this embodiment has the above-mentioned structure. When the powder material is supplied from the supply pipe 24 into the guide chamber 26 together with the air, the air containing the powder material is discharged from the guide chamber 26. It passes between the louvers 27 and swirls into the classification chamber 28 while being dispersed with a uniform concentration.

The powder material that swirls into the classifying chamber 28 while swirling is swirled by the suction fan 34 connected to the fine powder discharge pipe 30 along with the suction air flow flowing between the classifying louvers 27 in the lower part of the classifying chamber. The centrifugal force acting on each particle causes centrifugal force to separate into coarse powder and fine powder, and the coarse powder swirling around the outer periphery of the classification chamber 28 is discharged from the coarse powder discharge port 38 and discharged from the lower hopper 32. It is supplied to the pulverized material supply pipe 5. Further, the fine powder that moves to the central portion along the upper inclined surface of the classification plate 29 is discharged to the fine powder collecting means 33 by the fine powder discharge pipe 30.

Since the air flowing into the classification chamber 28 together with the powder material flows in as a swirling flow, the velocity of the particles swirling in the classification chamber 28 toward the center becomes relatively smaller than the centrifugal force, and the classification is performed. Particles having a small particle size are well classified in the chamber 28, and fine powder having a very small particle size can be efficiently discharged to the fine powder discharge pipe 30. Moreover, since the powder material flows into the classification chamber at a substantially uniform concentration, a finely distributed powder can be obtained.

The pulverizing raw material is supplied by an appropriate introducing means 35.
The pulverized material introduced into the supply pipe 24 and finally obtained is taken out of the system from the fine powder discharge pipe 30 through a fine powder collector such as a cyclone or a bag filter.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along the line KK 'of FIG.

By using the airflow classifier shown in FIG. 18 in combination with a collision type airflow crusher, fine powder is satisfactorily suppressed or prevented from being mixed into the crusher, and overcrushing of the crushed material is prevented. Further, the classified coarse powder is smoothly supplied to the crusher, further uniformly dispersed in the accelerating tube, and satisfactorily crushed in the crushing chamber, so that the yield of the crushed product and the energy efficiency per unit weight can be increased. it can.

Reference Example 4 FIG. 20 is a schematic view showing another specific example of the fine powder manufacturing apparatus as a reference example.

As the collision type air flow crusher, the crusher shown in FIG. 11 is used.

The fine powder producing apparatus of the present invention can be preferably used for producing toner particles used for developing an electrostatic image.

To prepare a toner for developing an electrostatic image (for example, a weight average molecular weight of 3 to 20 μm), a coloring agent or magnetic powder and a vinyl type or non-vinyl type thermoplastic resin, a charge control agent if necessary, and the like. The additives, etc. are thoroughly mixed with a mixer such as a Henschel mixer or a ball mill, and then melted, kneaded and kneaded with a heat kneader such as a heating roll, kneader, or extruder to make the resins compatible with each other. The toner can be obtained by dispersing or dissolving a pigment or a dye in the mixture, cooling and solidifying, and then pulverizing and classifying.

The fine powder producing apparatus of the present invention is used in the pulverizing step and the classifying step.

Next, the constituent materials of the toner will be described.

As the binder resin used for the toner, when a heating / pressurizing fixing device having an oil applying device or a heating / pressurizing roller fixing device is used, the following binder resin for toner can be used. is there.

For example, polystyrene, homopolymers of styrene such as polystyrene, poly-p-chlorostyrene, polyvinyltoluene and the like, and substitution products thereof; styrene-p-chlorostyrene copolymers, styrene-vinyltoluene copolymers, styrene-vinylnaphthalene. Copolymer, styrene-acrylic acid ester copolymer, styrene-methacrylic acid ester copolymer, styrene-α-chloromethyl methacrylate copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, styrene-
Styrene such as vinyl methyl ether copolymer, styrene-vinyl ethyl ether copolymer, styrene-vinyl methyl ketone copolymer, styrene-butadiene copolymer, styrene-isoprene copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile-indene copolymer -Based copolymer; polyvinyl chloride, phenol resin, natural modified phenol resin, natural resin modified maleic acid resin, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, polyvinyl acetate, silicone resin, polyester resin, polyurethane, polyamide resin, furan resin, epoxy resin , Xylene resin, polyvinyl butyral, terpene resin, coumarone indene resin, petroleum resin and the like can be used.

In the heating / pressurizing fixing method or the heating / pressurizing roller fixing method in which little or no oil is applied, a so-called offset phenomenon in which a part of the toner image on the toner image support member is transferred to the roller, and Adhesion of the toner to the toner image supporting member is an important issue. Toners that fix with less heat energy usually tend to be blocked or caked during storage or in a developing device, so these problems must be taken into consideration at the same time. The physical properties of the binder resin in the toner are most involved in these phenomena. However, according to the research conducted by the present inventors, when the content of the magnetic material in the toner is reduced, the toner image is supported at the time of fixing. Adhesion of the toner to the body is improved, but offset is likely to occur, and blocking or caking is likely to occur. therefore,
In the present invention, when the heating and pressure roller fixing method in which the oil is hardly applied is used, the selection of the binder resin is more important. Preferred binder materials include crosslinked styrenic copolymers or crosslinked polyesters.

Examples of the comonomer for the styrene monomer of the styrene type copolymer include acrylic acid, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate,
Duplex such as dodecyl acrylate, octyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, phenyl acrylate, methacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, octyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrylamide etc. A monocarboxylic acid having a bond or a substituted product thereof; for example, a dicarboxylic acid having a double bond such as maleic acid, butyl maleate, methyl maleate, dimethyl maleate and the like; and a substituted product thereof; for example, vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, Vinyl esters such as vinyl benzoate, etc .; Ethylene-based olefins such as ethylene, propylene, butylene, etc .; Vinyl ketones such as vinyl methyl ketone, vinyl hexyl ketone, etc .; Vinyl ethyl ether, vinyl ethers such as vinyl isobutyl ether; vinyl monomers are used alone or two or more.

As the cross-linking agent, a compound having two or more polymerizable double bonds is mainly used. For example, an aromatic divinyl compound such as divinylbenzene, divinylnaphthalene, etc .; for example, ethylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene. Glycol dimethacrylate,
A carboxylic acid ester having two double bonds such as 1,3-butanediol dimethacrylate; a divinyl compound such as divinylaniline, divinyl ether, divinyl sulfide, divinyl sulfone; and a compound having three or more vinyl groups; Are used alone or as a mixture.

When the pressure fixing method or the light heat pressure fixing method is used, it is possible to use the binder resin for the intelligent fixing toner, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethylene, polyurethane elastomer, ethylene-ethyl. There are acrylate copolymers, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ionomer resins, styrene-butadiene copolymers, styrene-isoprene copolymers, linear saturated polyesters, paraffins and the like.

Further, it is preferable that a charge control agent is blended (added internally) to the toner particles in the toner. The charge control agent makes it possible to control the optimum charge amount according to the developing system, and particularly in the present invention, it is possible to further stabilize the balance between the particle size distribution and the charge. As described above, it is possible to clarify the function separation and the mutual complementarity for improving the image quality according to each particle size range. As a positive charge control agent,
A modified product of nigrosine and a fatty acid metal salt or the like; a quaternary ammonium salt such as tributylbenzylammonium-1-hydroxy-4-naphthosulfonate, tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate; or a combination of two or more thereof may be used. it can. Among these, charge control agents such as nigrosine compounds and quaternary ammonium salts are particularly preferably used.

In addition, the general formula

[0102]

[Outer 1] _{R 1: H, CH 3 R} 2, R 3: ( preferably, C ₁ -C ₄₎ substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group homopolymers of monomers represented by: or styrene as described above, acrylic acid esters , A copolymer with a polymerizable monomer such as methacrylic acid ester can be used as a positive charge control agent, and in this case, these charge control agents also function as (all or part of) the binder resin. Have.

As the negative charge control agent, for example, an organometallic complex and a chelate compound are effective, and examples thereof include aluminum acetylacetonate, iron (II) acetylacetonate, 3,5-ditertiarybutyl salicylate chromium or zinc. Etc., acetylacetone metal complex, salicylic acid metal complex or salt are particularly preferable, and salicylic acid metal complex or salicylic acid metal salt are particularly preferable.

The above-mentioned charge control agent (which does not act as a binder resin) is preferably used in the form of fine particles. In this case, the number average particle size of this charge control agent is
Specifically, it is preferably 4 μm or less (further, 3 μm or less).

When internally added to the toner, such a charge control agent is preferably used in an amount of 0.1 to 20 parts by weight (more preferably 0.2 to 10 parts by weight) with respect to 100 parts by weight of the binder resin.

When the toner is a magnetic toner, the magnetic material contained in the magnetic toner is iron oxide such as magnetite, γ-iron monoxide, ferrite, iron-excess type ferrite or the like;
Metals such as iron, cobalt, nickel or these metals and aluminum, cobalt, copper, lead, magnesium, tin, zinc, antimony, beryllium, bismuth,
Cadmium, calcium, manganese, selenium, titanium,
Examples thereof include alloys with metals such as tungsten and vanadium, and mixtures thereof.

These ferromagnetic materials have an average particle size of 0.1 to 1
μm, preferably about 0.1 to 0.5 μm, and the resin component 1 is contained in the magnetic toner.
60 to 110 parts by weight with respect to 00 parts by weight, and preferably 65 to 100 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the resin component.

As the colorant used in the toner, conventionally known dyes and / or pigments can be used. For example, carbon black, phthalocyanine blue, peacock blue, permanent red, lake red, rhodamine lake, Hansa yellow, permanent yellow, benzidine yellow and the like can be used. Its content is 0.1 to 20 parts by weight, preferably 0.5 to 20 parts by weight, based on 100 parts of the binder resin,
Further, in order to improve the transparency of the OHP film on which the toner image is fixed, the amount is preferably 12 parts by weight or less, more preferably 0.5 to 9 parts by weight.

Next, a toner production example will be specifically described.

Example 5 Styrene-butyl acrylate-divinylbenzene copolymer 100 parts by weight (monomer polymerization weight ratio 80.0 /
19.0 / 1.0, weight average molecular weight Mw 350,000) Magnetic iron oxide (average particle size 0.18 μm) 100 parts by weight Nigrosine 2 parts by weight Low molecular weight ethylene-propylene copolymer 4 parts by weight

The ingredients of the above formulation were thoroughly mixed with a Henschel mixer (FM-75 type, manufactured by Mitsui Miike Kakoki Co., Ltd.), and then a twin-screw kneader (PCM-
It was kneaded with a 30-type, manufactured by Ikegai Tekko KK. The obtained kneaded product was cooled and coarsely pulverized to 1 mm or less with a hammer mill to obtain a coarsely pulverized product for toner production.

The obtained toner coarsely pulverized product was classified and pulverized by a fine powder production apparatus (hereinafter referred to as fine powder production apparatus A) composed of an air flow classifier and a collision type air flow pulverizer shown in FIG. In the collision type airflow crusher, the inclination of the acceleration tube in the long axis direction (hereinafter referred to as the acceleration tube inclination) with respect to the vertical line is about 0 °.
(I.e., installed substantially vertically), the collision member has a conical surface with an apex angle of 160 ° and an outer diameter (diameter) of 100.
mm, the shortest distance l ₂ between the acceleration pipe exit surface intersecting at right angles with the central axis of the acceleration tube and the outermost peripheral end of the collision surface of the collision member is 50 mm, and the shape of the crushing chamber is Used a cylindrical crushing chamber having an inner diameter of 150 mm. Therefore, the shortest distance l ₁ is 25 mm. The coarsely pulverized material was supplied at a rate of 35.4 kg / H using a table-type constant quantity feeder to the air flow classifier through the raw material introduction part and the supply pipe by the injection feeder, and the classified coarse powder was coarse powder. It is supplied from the object to be crushed supply pipe of the collision type airflow crusher through the discharge hopper, and the pressure is 6.0 kg / cm ² (G), 6.
After being pulverized using compressed air of 0 Nm ³ / min, while being mixed with the coarsely pulverized material supplied in the raw material introduction section,
The fine powder that was circulated through the airflow classifier again and was subjected to closed-circuit pulverization was classified by the cyclone while being entrained by the suction air from the exhaust fan, and the weight average diameter was 8.4 μm.
A finely pulverized and classified product having a sharp particle size distribution was obtained.

The finely pulverized and classified product thus obtained was further classified by using a dispersion separator DS5UR (manufactured by Nippon Pneumatic Mfg. Co., Ltd.) to remove fine powder having a particle size not larger than a prescribed particle size, whereby a high yield was prepared. The classified product was excellent for toner.

The particle size distributions of the finely pulverized and classified product and the toner can be measured by various methods. In this example, a Coulter counter was used.

As a measuring device, a Coulter counter T
An interface (made by Nikkaki) and a CX that outputs number distribution and volume distribution using A-II type (made by Coulter)
-1 Connect a personal computer (made by Canon),
As the electrolytic solution, a 1% NaCl aqueous solution is prepared using first grade sodium chloride. As a measuring method, the electrolytic aqueous solution 100 to
To 150 ml, 0.1 to 5 ml of a surfactant, preferably an alkylbenzene sulfonate, is added as a dispersant, and 2 to 20 mg of a measurement sample is further added. The electrolytic solution in which the sample is suspended is subjected to a dispersion treatment for about 1 to 3 minutes by an ultrasonic disperser, and the Coulter counter TA-II type is used to form a 100 μ aperture as an aperture, and the number of particles of 2 to 40 μ is based on the number. The particle size distribution was measured, and the values such as the weight average particle diameter and the volume average diameter were obtained from the measured particle size distribution.

Example 6 Using the same toner coarsely pulverized product as in Example 5, the same fine powder production apparatus A was used to pulverize the pulverized product supply rate 33.6 kg / H with the acceleration tube tilted at 15 °. Weight average diameter 8.6μ
A finely pulverized and classified product having a sharp particle size distribution of m was obtained.

Example 7 The same toner coarsely pulverized product as in Example 5 was used to pulverize with the same fine powder production apparatus A with the collision plate distance set to 100 mm and the coarsely pulverized product supply amount 32.6 kg / H. Average diameter 8.
A finely pulverized and classified product having a sharp particle size distribution of 5 μm was obtained.

Example 8 In the same apparatus A for producing coarsely pulverized toner and fine powder as in Example 5, the collision plate distance was set to 30 mm, and the pulverized toner was pulverized at a supply rate of 30.3 kg / H. 8.
A finely pulverized and classified product having a sharp particle size distribution of 4 μm was obtained.

Example 9 In the same apparatus A for producing coarsely pulverized toner and fine powder as in Example 5, the collision plate distance was 220 mm and the amount of coarsely pulverized material supplied was 2
When pulverized at 2.5 kg / H, the weight-average diameter of the finely pulverized and classified product was 8.4 μm.

Example 10 In the same apparatus A for producing coarsely pulverized toner and fine powder as in Example 5, the inner diameter of the cylindrical pulverization chamber was set to 120 mm, and the pulverized material was supplied at a rate of 32.6 kg / H. A finely pulverized and classified product having a sharp particle size distribution and a diameter of 8.6 μm was obtained.

Example 11 In the same apparatus A for producing a coarsely pulverized toner and fine powder as in Example 5, the inner diameter of the cylindrical pulverization chamber was set to 220 mm and the pulverized material was supplied at a rate of 28.6 kg / H. A finely pulverized and classified product having a sharp particle size distribution and a diameter of 8.5 μm was obtained.

Example 12 In the same apparatus A for producing coarsely pulverized toner and fine powder as in Example 5, the collision plate shape is 100 m in outer diameter shown in FIGS.
m, a projection-shaped conical portion having an apex angle of 55 °, a collision plate distance of l ₂ 50 mm, and a roughly crushed material supply amount of 35.4 kg / H
When pulverized with, a finely pulverized and classified product having a sharp particle size distribution and a weight average diameter of 8.4 μm was obtained.

Reference Example 5 A fine powder manufacturing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as fine powder manufacturing apparatus B) constituted by an airflow classifier and a collision type airflow crusher shown in FIG. And classified and crushed. The inclination of the accelerating tube is 0 °, and the collision member is a conical shape having a conical surface with an apex angle of 160 ° and an outer diameter of 100 mm. The collision plate distance l ₂ is 50 mm. Used a cylindrical crushing chamber having an inner diameter of 150 mm.
The shortest distance l ₁ was 25 mm.

[0124] A table-type quantitative feeder supplies the coarsely pulverized toner with an injection feeder at a rate of 26.5 kg / H, and the pressure is 6.0 kg / cm ^2.
(G), closed circuit pulverization was performed using compressed air of 6.0 Nm ³ / min to obtain a finely pulverized and classified product having a weight average diameter of 8.6 μm.

Comparative Example 1 The crusher shown in FIG. 23 was used as the collision type air flow crusher, the classifier shown in FIG. 24 was used as the air flow classifier, and the classification and pulverization system of the flow chart shown in FIG. 25 ( Hereinafter, the same crushed material as the crushed material prepared in Example 9 was introduced by "fine crushing production apparatus C"), and compressed air of 6.0 kg / cm ² (G), 6.0 Nm ³ / min was used. High-pressure gas was supplied to the collision-type airflow crusher at a ratio, and the crushed material was classified and crushed at a throughput of 16.4 kg / H.

The weight average particle diameter of the finely pulverized and classified product is 8.4 μm.
m, the content ratio of fine powder and coarse powder was large, and the particle size distribution was broad.

Furthermore, the smoothness of the supply of coarse powder to the accelerating tube and the uniformity of dispersion were inferior to those of Example 5.

Comparative Example 2 By the same classification and pulverization system as in Comparative Example 1 (hereinafter referred to as "fine pulverization production apparatus D"), except that the collision surface has a conical shape with an apex angle of 160 °. The same amount of the coarsely crushed material as that prepared in Example 9 was treated at 20.4 kg /
At H, classification and pulverization was performed.

The weight average particle diameter of the obtained finely pulverized and classified product was
It was 8.5 μm, and the particle size distribution compared with Example 5 was broad.

Examples 5 to 12, Reference Example 1 and Comparative Example 1
The production conditions and results of No. 2 and No. 2 are shown in the following table.

[0131]

[Table 1]

Compared with the comparative example which is a toner manufacturing method in which the toner is pulverized by the conventional method, the pulverization efficiency ratio of the example pulverized by the pulverizing method according to the toner manufacturing method of the present invention is the weight of the obtained finely pulverized product. When the average diameter is 8.4 to 8.6 μm, it is 1.1 to 1.74 times higher, and the particle size distribution is sharper with less coarse powder and fine powder than the comparative example. Is very good.

[0133]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The collision-type airflow crusher of the present invention crushes the object to be crushed more efficiently than the conventional collision-type airflow crusher, and prevents the object to be fused, aggregated, or coarsened. This has the effect of preventing local wear due to crushed objects such as collision members and acceleration tubes.

The fine powder manufacturing apparatus of the present invention has high pulverization efficiency and can obtain finely pulverized products having a sharp particle size distribution.

In the method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic charge image of the present invention, a toner having a sharp particle size distribution can be obtained with high pulverization efficiency, and further, fusion of toner, aggregation, and coarsening of toner can be prevented, and a toner component can be obtained. There is an advantage that local wear of the main part of the device due to the above can be prevented and continuous and stable production can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a specific example of the collision type airflow crusher of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a crushing chamber in FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB ′ in FIG.

5 is a sectional view taken along line CC ′ in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line DD ′ in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another specific example of the collision type airflow crusher of the present invention.

8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line EE 'in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view of another specific example of the collision type airflow crusher of the present invention.

10 is a sectional view taken along the line FF ′ in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a specific example of a collision type airflow pulverizer as a reference example.

12 is a sectional view taken along line GG ′ in FIG.

13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line HH 'in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a specific example of a collision type airflow crusher as a reference example.

15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I 'of FIG.

FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a specific example of a collision type airflow crusher as a reference example.

17 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line JJ ′ in FIG.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a specific example of a fine powder manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line KK 'of FIG.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a specific example of a fine powder manufacturing apparatus as a reference example.

FIG. 21 is a front view of a conical collision member having a protrusion in the center.

FIG. 22 is a plan view of a conical collision member having a protrusion in the center.

FIG. 23 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional collision type airflow crusher.

FIG. 24 shows a schematic sectional view of a conventional general airflow classifier.

FIG. 25 shows a flow chart of the classification and pulverization system used in the comparative example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Accelerator 2 Accelerator throat section 3 High-pressure gas jet nozzle 4 Grinding object supply port 5 crushed material supply pipe 6 High pressure gas supply port 7 High pressure gas chamber 8 High pressure gas introduction pipe 9 Accelerator outlet 10 Collision member 11 Collision member support 12 Grinding chamber 13 Crushed material outlet 14 Side wall 15 Edge of collision member 16 collision surface 17 front wall 80 crushed objects

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Satoshi Mitsumura               3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo               Non non corporation (72) Inventor Momosuke Takaichi               3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo               Non non corporation                (56) Reference JP-A-54-117971 (JP, A)                 JP-A-1-254266 (JP, A)                 JP-A-3-206466 (JP, A)

Claims (37)

(57) [Claims] 1. A collision type air flow crusher having an accelerating pipe for conveying and accelerating an object to be crushed by a high pressure gas, and a crushing chamber for finely crushing the object to be crushed, wherein a rear end portion of the accelerating tube Is located coaxially with the central axis of the accelerating tube.
High pressure gas ejection nozzle location is provided, the high pressure gas ejection
The nozzle has a throat part in the middle of the long axis direction,
Once the area has been narrowed down to the downstream side in the long axis direction,
It has a widened shape and ejects high-pressure gas from the high-pressure gas ejection nozzle around the high-pressure gas ejection nozzle.
The ejector effect generated by, the and grinding object supply opening for supplying to the acceleration tube is provided a grinding object, the said grinding chamber, opposite the opening surface of the outlet of the pressurized-speed tube A collision member having a provided collision surface is provided, and the collision surface of the collision member has a slope having an inclination θ1 smaller than 90 ° with respect to the long axis of the acceleration tube, and the crushing chamber is A crushing chamber front wall having the accelerating pipe outlet and a crushing chamber side wall for further crushing the object to be crushed by the collision member by collision, and the crushing chamber front wall and the crushing chamber side wall are connected to each other. The closest distance l ₁ between the side wall of the crushing chamber and the edge of the collision member is provided.
Is a shorter distance than the closest distance l ₂ between the crushing chamber front wall facing the collision surface and the edge of the collision member. 2. The collision type air flow crushing according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration tube is installed so that the inclination of the acceleration tube in the long axis direction is 0 ° to 45 ° with respect to the vertical line. Machine. 3. The collision type air flow crushing according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration tube is installed so that the inclination of the acceleration tube in the long axis direction is 0 ° to 20 ° with respect to the vertical line. Machine. 4. The collision-type airflow crushing according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration tube is installed such that the inclination of the acceleration tube in the long axis direction is 0 ° to 5 ° with respect to the vertical line. Machine. 5. The collision type airflow crusher according to claim 1, wherein the tip of the high-pressure gas jet nozzle is located in the vicinity of the accelerating pipe throat. 6. The collision type airflow crusher according to claim 1, wherein a crushed material discharge port for discharging the crushed crushed object is provided behind the collision surface of the collision member. 7. The collision type airflow crusher according to claim 1, further comprising a secondary air inlet between the accelerating pipe outlet and the crushed object supply port. 8. The collision according to claim 1, wherein the crushing chamber has a crushed material discharge port for discharging a crushed object to be crushed on a rear wall of the crushing chamber facing the exit surface of the acceleration tube. Type airflow crusher. 9. The collision surface of the collision member has a slope having an inclination θ1 smaller than 90 ° with respect to the long axis of the acceleration tube, and further has a cone-shaped protrusion having a central portion protruding. The collision type airflow crusher according to claim 1, which has. 10. The collision type airflow crusher according to claim 1, wherein the collision surface of the collision member has a slope having an inclination θ1 of 55 ° to 87.5 ° with respect to the long axis of the acceleration tube. . 11. The collision surface of the collision member has a sloped surface having an inclination θ1 of 55 ° to 87.5 ° with respect to the long axis of the accelerating tube, and has a cone-shaped protrusion with a central portion protruding. The collision type airflow crusher according to claim 10, further comprising a part. 12. A fine powder manufacturing apparatus in which an air flow classifying unit and a collision type air flow crushing unit communicate with each other, wherein (a) the air flow classifying unit has a powder supply pipe and a classifying chamber; and an upper part of the classifying chamber. Is provided with a guide chamber communicating with the powder supply pipe; a plurality of introduction louvers is provided between the guide chamber and the classification chamber, and the powder is guided together with the carrier air through the gap between the introduction louvers. From the bottom of the classification chamber is provided with a classifying plate whose center is higher; the side wall of the classification chamber has a classification louver, and the powder supplied with the carrier air in the classification chamber Is swirled and flowed by the air flowing in through the gap between the classification louvers, and the powder is classified into fine powder and coarse powder by centrifugal force; the fine powder discharge port for discharging the classified fine powder is at the center of the classification plate. Is provided in the A fine powder discharge pipe is connected; a coarse powder discharge port for discharging classified coarse powder is formed on the outer periphery of the classifying plate; for supplying the discharged coarse powder to the collision type air flow pulverizing means (B) The collision type air flow crushing means has an accelerating tube for accelerating the conveyance of the coarse powder supplied by the high-pressure gas, and a pulverizing chamber for finely pulverizing the coarse powder. teeth; the rear end of the pressurized-speed tube, the pressurized
A high-pressure gas jet nozzle located coaxially with the central axis of the speed tube is provided, and the high- pressure gas jet nozzle is provided in the middle of the long axis direction.
It has a throat part and the flow path cross-sectional area is directed to the downstream side in the long axis direction.
After being squeezed once, it has a shape that spreads again.
Ri, the periphery of the high pressure gas ejection nozzle, the high pressure gas ejection
The energy generated by ejecting high-pressure gas from the nozzle.
Due to the Zector effect, a coarse powder supply port for supplying coarse powder into the accelerating pipe is provided; a collision member having a collision surface provided in the crushing chamber so as to face the opening surface of the outlet of the accelerating pipe. The collision surface of the collision member has a slope having an inclination θ1 smaller than 90 ° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the acceleration tube; the crushing chamber has a crushing unit having the acceleration tube outlet. The chamber front wall and a crushing chamber side wall for further crushing the crushed material of the coarse powder crushed by the collision member, and the crushing chamber front wall and the crushing chamber side wall are connected to each other; The closest distance l ₁ between the side wall of the crushing chamber and the edge of the collision member is shorter than the closest distance l ₂ between the front wall of the crushing chamber facing the collision surface and the edge of the collision member. A fine powder manufacturing apparatus characterized by: 13. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the accelerating tube is installed such that the inclination of the accelerating tube in the longitudinal direction is 0 ° to 45 ° with respect to the vertical line. . 14. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the accelerating tube is installed such that the inclination of the accelerating tube in the major axis direction is 0 ° to 20 ° with respect to the vertical line. . 15. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the accelerating tube is installed such that the inclination of the accelerating tube in the major axis direction is 0 ° to 5 ° with respect to the vertical line. . 16. The dispersed coarse powder is stored in a coarse powder discharge hopper and then supplied to a fine pulverizing means.
2. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus described in 2. 17. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the tip of the high-pressure gas jet nozzle is located near the accelerating tube throat. 18. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a crushed material discharge port for discharging the crushed material of the crushed coarse powder is provided behind the collision surface of the collision member. 19. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a communicating means for circulating a pulverized product of the fine powder pulverized by the collision type air flow pulverizing means to the air stream classifying means. 20. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a secondary air introduction port between the acceleration pipe outlet and the pulverized material supply port. 21. The crushing chamber has a crushed material discharge port for discharging a crushed coarse crushed material on a rear wall of the crushing chamber facing the accelerating tube outlet surface. Fine powder manufacturing equipment. 22. The collision surface of the collision member has a sloped surface having an inclination θ1 smaller than 90 ° with respect to the long axis of the acceleration tube, and further has a cone-shaped protruding portion having a protruding central portion. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12, which has. 23. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the collision surface of the collision member has an inclined surface having an inclination θ1 of 55 ° to 87.5 ° with respect to the long axis of the acceleration tube. 24. The conical surface of the collision member has a sloped surface having an inclination θ1 of 55 ° to 87.5 ° with respect to the long axis of the accelerating tube, and has a cone-shaped protrusion with a central portion protruding. The fine powder manufacturing apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a part. 25. A mixture containing at least a binder resin and a colorant is melt-kneaded, the kneaded product is cooled, and the cooled product is crushed by a crushing device to obtain a crushed product. In, classified into coarse powder and fine powder, finely pulverized the classified coarse powder by collision type air flow pulverizing means to produce fine powder, classify the fine powder by the air stream classification means from the produced fine powder,
In the method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic charge image from classified fine powder, (a) the airflow classification means has a powder supply pipe and a classification chamber; a guide communicating with the powder supply pipe at the upper part of the classification chamber. A chamber is provided; a plurality of introduction louvers are provided between the guide chamber and the classification chamber, and the powder is introduced from the guide chamber to the classification chamber together with the carrier air through the gap between the introduction louvers; the classification chamber At the bottom of the, there is provided a classifying plate with a high central part; the side wall of the classifying chamber has a classifying louver, and the powder supplied with the conveying air in the classifying chamber passes through the gap between the classifying louvers. Is swirled and flowed by the inflowing air, and the powder is classified into fine powder and coarse powder by centrifugal force; a fine powder discharge port for discharging the classified fine powder is provided at the center of the classifying plate, and the fine powder discharge port is provided. Is connected to the fine powder discharge pipe Cage; a coarse powder discharge port for discharging the classified coarse powder is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the classifying plate, and (b) the collision type air flow crushing means conveys and accelerates the coarse powder supplied by the high pressure gas. It has an accelerating tube for the coarse powder and the grinding chamber for pulverizing; the rear end of the pressurized-speed tube, the pressurized
A high-pressure gas jet nozzle located coaxially with the central axis of the speed tube is provided, and the high- pressure gas jet nozzle is provided in the middle of the long axis direction.
It has a throat part and the flow path cross-sectional area is directed to the downstream side in the long axis direction.
After being squeezed once, it has a shape that spreads again.
Ri, the periphery of the high pressure gas ejection nozzle, the high pressure gas ejection
The energy generated by ejecting high-pressure gas from the nozzle.
Due to the Zector effect, a coarse powder supply port for supplying coarse powder into the accelerating pipe is provided; a collision member having a collision surface provided in the crushing chamber so as to face the opening surface of the outlet of the accelerating pipe. The collision surface of the collision member has a slope having an inclination θ1 smaller than 90 ° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the acceleration tube; the crushing chamber has a crushing unit having the acceleration tube outlet. The chamber front wall and a crushing chamber side wall for further crushing the crushed material of the coarse powder crushed by the collision member, and the crushing chamber front wall and the crushing chamber side wall are connected to each other; The closest distance l ₁ between the crushing chamber side wall and the edge of the collision member is shorter than the closest distance l ₂ between the crushing chamber front wall facing the collision surface and the edge of the collision member, (C) The coarse powder discharged from the airflow classifying means is supplied to the collision type airflow crushing means, and the coarse powder is supplied in the crushing chamber. Method for producing a toner, wherein a coarse powder for further grinding of the ground product of the milling and coarse coarse powder by colliding with the collision surface and the side of the grinding chamber of the impact member. 26. The method for producing a toner according to claim 25, wherein the accelerating tube is installed such that the inclination of the accelerating tube in the major axis direction is 0 ° to 45 ° with respect to the vertical line. . 27. The method for producing a toner according to claim 25, wherein the accelerating tube is installed such that the inclination of the accelerating tube in the major axis direction is 0 ° to 20 ° with respect to the vertical line. . 28. The method for producing a toner according to claim 25, wherein the accelerating tube is installed such that an inclination of the accelerating tube in a major axis direction is 0 ° to 5 ° with respect to a vertical line. . 29. The dispersed coarse powder is stored in a coarse powder discharge hopper and then supplied to a fine pulverizing means.
5. The method for producing the toner according to item 5. 30. The method for producing a toner according to claim 25, wherein the tip of the high-pressure gas jet nozzle is in the vicinity of the throat portion of the acceleration tube. 31. The method for producing a toner according to claim 25, wherein a crushed material discharge port for discharging a crushed material of the crushed coarse powder is provided behind the collision surface of the collision member. 32. The method for producing a toner according to claim 25, wherein the pulverized product of the fine powder pulverized by the collision type airflow pulverizing means is circulated and classified by the airstream classification means. 33. The method for producing a toner according to claim 25, further comprising a secondary air inlet between the outlet of the acceleration tube and the inlet for supplying the material to be crushed. 34. The crushing chamber has a crushed material discharge port for discharging the crushed material of the crushed coarse powder on the rear wall of the crushing chamber facing the exit surface of the acceleration tube. Manufacturing method of toner. 35. The collision surface of the collision member has a sloped surface having an inclination θ1 smaller than 90 ° with respect to the long axis of the acceleration tube, and further has a cone-shaped protruding portion having a protruding central portion. The method for producing a toner according to claim 25, which has. 36. The method for producing a toner according to claim 25, wherein the collision surface of the collision member has an inclined surface having an inclination θ1 of 55 ° to 87.5 ° with respect to the long axis of the acceleration tube. 37. The collision surface of the collision member has a sloped surface having an inclination θ1 of 55 ° to 87.5 ° with respect to the long axis of the acceleration tube, and has a cone-shaped projection with a central portion protruding. The method for producing a toner according to claim 36, further comprising a part.