Patent ID: 7267922

Claim:
A method of preparing a particulate phase toner, the method comprising the steps of: mixing and melting a binder resin; an internal additive including a colorant, a charge controlling agent, and a releasing agent; and a water-soluble component selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble polymer, a polysaccharide, and mixtures thereof to produce a molten material; extruding and cooling the resulting molten material to obtain a cluster having a continuous phase formed from said water-soluble component and said binder resin in an isolated phase; pulverizing the cooled cluster to obtain particles having an average particle diameter of about 0.1 to about 5 mm; and placing the particles in an aqueous solvent and dissolving the water-soluble component of the continuous phase in the particles to obtain toner particles including said binder resin and said internal additive.