Abstract
In order to enhance the image quality, the relationship between the powder behaviors of toners and developers with different toner concentrations was analyzed quantitatively using the rotary shearing tester with conical rotor ; further, and the effects of the fluidity of developers on the development characteristics (the relationships between the development charge Q and the surface potential of a photoconductor V and between the amount of developed toners M and V) were examined. As a result, it was found that there was a strong correlation between the macroscopic shearing torque of the toners and the macroscopic shearing torque of the developers. Moreover, it was understood that the macroscopic shearing torque of the developers and the equivalent thicknesses of the developer layer Db showed a linear strong positive correlation. Subsequently, the relationship between the charge-to-mass ratio of the toner particles q / m and the flow properties was examined. The value of q / m could be given by the slope of the plot of Q and V, tan Θ1 and the slope of the plot of M and V, tan Θ2. As a result, the macroscopic shearing torque of the developers and q / m showed a linear negative correlation. Thus, it was confirmed that the development characteristics could be quantitatively controlled by the flow properties of the developers.
