Patent ID: 6309788
Filing Date: 2001-10-30
Classification: B01F,G03G

Abstract:
A process for producing a toner having toner particles, comprising;a dispersion step of dispersing a fine-particle colorant in a liquid monomer mixture containing at least a liquid polymerizable monomer, to obtain a fine-particle-colorant-dispersed liquid monomer mixture;a granulation step of dispersing the resulting fine-particle-colorant-dispersed liquid monomer mixture in an aqueous dispersion medium to form particles of a polymerizable monomer composition; anda polymerization step of polymerizing polymerizable monomers present in the particles of the polymerizable monomer composition, in the aqueous dispersion medium to form toner particles;wherein;(A) in said dispersion step, a media particle agitation type wet-dispersion machine is used as a dispersion means; the dispersion machine comprising;a cylindrical vessel having a first wall surface having a liquid-feed opening and a second wall surface having a liquid-discharge opening; the vessel being inside provided with an inner chamber and an outer chamber which are partitioned with a cylindrical separator having slits;a rotor set in the inner chamber rotatably by the rotary drive motion of a drive shaft; anda plurality of spherical media particles held in the inner chamber; and(B) (i) the fine-particle colorant is introduced to the center of the inner chamber through the liquid-feed opening together with the liquid monomer mixture while rotating the rotor by rotary-driving the drive shaft;(ii) the liquid monomer mixture and the fine-particle colorant are transported to the outer chamber through the slits of the separator by the aid of a centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the rotor while dispersing the fine-particle colorant in the liquid monomer mixture by the aid of a) the centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the rotor and b) the media particles; and(iii) the liquid monomer mixture in which the fine-particle colorant has been dispersed is discharged out of the outer chamber through the liquid-discharge opening to obtain a fine-particle-colorant-containing monomer mixture.