Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Composite – Of metal
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2002-03-12
Hess, Bruce H. (Department: 1774)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Composite
Of metal
C428S212000, C428S480000, C428S474400, C428S475500, C428S500000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06355355
ABSTRACT:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to packaging materials to package materials such as electrophotographic toner, developer material, etc., and a packaging method, and an electrophotographic toner and developer material.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
When packaging an electrophotographic toner and developer material, resins such as Saran film, comprising halogen, have widely been employed. However, such resins have not exhibited sufficient properties for moisture resistance and film strength required for a packaging material for developer material having a substantial weight.
Further, problems may occur in coping with the major environmental issue of much concern recently.
Accordingly, it is assumed that a packaging material, which is comprised of no halogens and exhibits improved moisture resistance, as well as film strength, is increasingly demanded while meeting requirements for high productivity and low cost.
A packaging material such as a container or a packaging film is employed for transportation or storage of the toner or developer for electrophotography. The packaging place or the packaging material are made dirty by scattered toner or other material due to electrification. Certain amount of toner or other material are lost since the scattered toner or other material are abolished. They are also lost in a package since they are not fully supplied to an developing apparatus of the electrophotographic machine because of electrification.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a packaging material which exhibits high moisture resistance and strength as well as adaptability to environmental issues.
The other object is to provide packaging material which makes it possible to reduce the amount of lost toner or developer and to reduce the environmental contamination at by scattered toner when they are supplied to the package or developing apparatus of the electrophotographic machine.
The still other object is to provide a packaging material giving reduced change of characteristics such as charging voltage or flocculation of toner or developer during storage or transportation.
Further, other properties as packaging materials include flexibility, facilitating bag production, no degradation of the external appearance due to formation of wrinkles, no defects which may cause problems during packaging, conveyance, etc. Obviously, packaging materials should exhibit these properties.
The inventors of the present invention have diligently investigated and have accomplished the present invention, while finding that in the packaging materials for electrophotographic toner, developer material, etc., in order to maintain an electrostatic charge, the material is required to have a moisture permeability of no more than 0.7 (g/m
2
)/day, and those having a moisture permeability of more than this value do not exhibit sufficient performance as a packaging material, and finding a specific means to result in high moisture resistance as well as strength particularly film strength.
The above-mentioned value of moisture permeability is required to maintain, in the initially provided appropriate level, the amount of a specific electrostatic charge. Accordingly, this is a characteristic property for electrophotographic development materials, which are not required of other packaging materials. However, this is an extremely important characteristic for packaging materials for the electrophotographic development materials. However, it has been not clarified yet how important they are, nor has it been known that a packaging material having a moisture permeability of no more than 0.7 (g/m
2
)/day is desirable.
A material which securely meets this value, is a nonpollutant to the environment, and sufficiently exhibits other performance characteristics as a packaging material, has not been specifically obtained.
The present invention and the embodiments are described below:
1. A packaging material for electrophotographic development material having a moisture permeability of no more than 0.7 (g/m
2
)/day.
2. The packaging material for electrophotographic development material of item 1 wherein surface resistivity of the packaging material is not more than 10
12
&OHgr;·cm.
3. The packaging material for electrophotographic development material of item 2 wherein the packaging material is a film composed of plural layers.
4. The packaging material for electrophotographic development material of item 1 wherein the packaging material is a film comprising an aluminum layer having a polyamide layer on one side of the aluminum layer and a polyester layer on the other side of the aluminum layer.
5. The packaging material for electrophotographic development material of item 4 wherein the packaging material further comprises an adhesion layer provided on the polyamide layer.
6. The packaging material for electrophotographic development material of item 4 wherein thickness of the aluminum layer, the polyamide layer and the polyester layer are 3 to 20 &mgr;m, 5 to 50 &mgr;m and 3 to 40 &mgr;m, respectively.
7. An electrophotographic development material packaged with a packaging material having a moisture permeability of no more than 0.7 (g/m
2
)/day.
8. An electrophotographic development material of item 7 wherein surface resistivity of the packaging material is not more than 10
12
&OHgr;·cm.
9. An electrophotographic development material of item 8 wherein the packaging material is a film comprising a metal layer having a polyamide layer on one side of the metal layer and a polyester layer on the other side of the metal layer.
10. An electrophotographic development material of item 8 wherein the electrophotographic development material comprises a toner whose binder resin is composed of styrene/acryl resin or polyester resin.
11. An electrophotographic development material of item 9 wherein polyester of the polyester layer is polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate.
12. An electrophotographic development material of item 9 wherein polyamide of the polyamide layer is nylon.
13. An electrophotographic development material of item 9wherein the metal layer is an aluminum layer and thickness of the metal layer, the polyamide layer and the polyester layer are 3 to 20 &mgr;m, 5 to 50 &mgr;m and 3 to 40 &mgr;m, respectively.
14. A package comprising an electrophotographic development material packaged with a packaging material which has a moisture permeability of no more than 0.7 (g/m
2
)/day, and is composed of a metal layer having, on one side of the metal layer, a polyamide layer having tensile strength of 4 to 20 kg/mm
2
and a polyester layer having tensile strength of 10 to 30 kg/mm
2
on the other side of the metal layer.
15. A package of item 14 wherein the packaging material further comprises an adhesion layer having tensile strength of 0.5 to 25 kg/mm
2
provided on the polyamide layer.
The layers of the packaging material are preferably arranged in such a manner that the inner-most layer is an adhesive layer, the uppermost layer is a polyester layer, and between these layers, there are at least an aluminum layer and a polyamide layer.
The layers may be also arranged in such a manner that the inner-most layer is an adhesive layer, the uppermost layer is a polyester layer, and between these layers, there are at least an aluminum layer and a polyamide layer, and the moisture permeability is no more than 0.7 g/m
2
/day.
The thickness of the aluminum layer is preferably 3 to 20 &mgr;m, which is composed of an aluminum foil or evaporated layer. The thickness of the polyester layer is preferably 3 to 40 &mgr;m.
The thickness of the polyamide layer is preferably 5 to 50 &mgr;m.
The entire layer thickness is preferably 30 to 200 &mgr;m. The inner-most layer is preferably an adhesive layer, and from the uppermost layer, layers are laminated in the order of a polyester layer, an aluminum layer, and an polyamide layer.
A bag is prepared employing a packaging material so that the inside has a adhesive layer and the opening of
Inoue Susumu
Kijima Eiichi
Nakanishi Tatsuo
Hess Bruce H.
Konica Corporation
Shewareged B.
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