Patent ID: 7413841

Claim:
A method for producing toner comprising: (i) forming aggregated particles in an aqueous medium by mixing and aggregating (a) a first resin particle dispersion in which first resin particles are dispersed in a surface-active agent, (b) a colorant particle dispersion in which colorant particles are dispersed in a surface-active agent having the same polarity as that of the surface-active agent for the first resin particle dispersion, (c1) a wax particle dispersion in which at least ester wax that has an iodine value of not more than 25, a saponification value of 30 to 300, and an endothermic peak temperature (melting point) of 50° C. to 100° C. based on a DSC method is dispersed in a surface-active agent having the opposite polarity to that of the surface-active agent for the first resin particle dispersion, or (c2) a wax particle dispersion in which at least wax that is obtained by a reaction of alkyl alcohol having a carbon number of 4 to 30, unsaturated polycarboxylic acid or its anhydride, and unsaturated hydrocarbon wax and has an acid value of 1 to 80 mgKOH/g and an endothermic peak temperature (melting point) of 50° C. to 120° C. based on the DSC method is dispersed in a surface-active agent having the opposite polarity to that of the surface-active agent for the first resin particle dispersion, and (d) a surface-active agent having the same polarity as that of the surface-active agent for the wax particle dispersion that is added to the aqueous medium in addition to the surface-active agent in the wax particle dispersion, (ii) forming melted particles by heating the aggregated particles for a predetermined time in the aqueous medium; (iii) mixing the melted particles with a second resin particle dispersion in which second resin particles are dispersed in a surface-active agent (e) so that the second resin particles adhere to the melted particles; and (iv) forming fused films of the second resin particles on surfaces of the melted particles by heating.