1. A method of incentive distribution for cross client referral, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
providing a central manager with a database, wherein said data base comprises at least one set of entry data for each member of a group of at least one service provider;
performing, by at least one initiating service provider, a search to find at least one other service provider that is desirable to at least one client;
entering, by said at least one client, into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider; and
transferring, by said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider, to said central manager at least one divisible fungible commodity of value.
2. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises a step of allocating, by said central manager, at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value to said at least one client.
3. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 2, wherein said method further comprises a step of said allocating, by central manager, at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value to said at least one initiating service provider.
4. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 3, wherein said method further comprises a step of providing information to said central manager, by said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider and thereby informing said at least one initiating service provider and said at least one client when said step of at least one initiating service provider performing a search to find at least one other service provider that is desirable to at least one client is performed, that at least one divisible fungible commodity of value is transferrable to said at least one client upon completion of said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
5. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 4, wherein said method further comprises a step of transferring at least one divisible fungible commodity of value to said at least one client upon completion of said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
6. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 5, wherein said method further comprises a step of informing said at least one client that at least one divisible fungible commodity of value is transferrable to said at least one client upon completion of said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
7. A method of incentive distribution for cross client referral, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
providing a central manager with a database, wherein said data base comprises at least one set of entry data for each member of a group of at least one service provider and is accessible over a computing machine network;
performing a search to find at least one other service provider that is desirable to at least one client, by at least one initiating service provider, wherein said search to find at least one other service provider that is desirable to at least one client further comprises the step of logging into said computing machine network and searching on said computing machine network for an entry substantially corresponding to said at least one other service provider that is desirable to said at least one client;
entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider by said at least one client; and
transferring to said central manager at least one divisible fungible commodity of value by said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
8. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 7, wherein said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider further comprises a step of transferring, by said at least one client to said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider at least one divisible fungible commodity of value and wherein said method further comprises a step of said central manager allocating at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value to said at least one client. wherein said at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value comprises a percentage of a fee said at least one client transfers to said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
9. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises a step of allocating at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value to said at least one initiating service provider, by said central manager.
the method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 9, wherein said method further comprises a step of said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider of providing information to said central manager, and thereby informing said at least one initiating service provider and said at least one client when said step of at least one initiating service provider performing a search to find at least one other service provider that is desirable to at least one client is performed, that at least one divisible fungible commodity of value is transferrable to said at least one client upon completion of said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
10. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 10, wherein said method further comprises a step of said central manager transferring at least one divisible fungible commodity of value to said at least one client upon completion of said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
11. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 11, wherein said method further comprises a step of informing said at least one client that at least one divisible fungible commodity of value is transferable to said at least one client upon completion of said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
12. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises a step of wherein said method further comprises a step of updating said at least one database by inputting data reflecting that said at least one client is now in a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider to said business arrangement.
14. A method of incentive distribution for cross client referral, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
providing a central manager with a database, wherein said data base comprises at least one set of entry data for each member of a group of at least one service provider and is accessible over a computing machine network such as the Internet;
performing a search to find at least one other service provider that is desirable to at least one client, by at least one initiating service provider, wherein said search to find at least one other service provider that is desirable to at least one client further comprises the step of logging into said computing machine network such as the Internet, wherein said computing machine network is available by login through a World Wide Web page and searching on said computing machine network for an entry substantially corresponding to said at least one other service provider that is desirable to said at least one client;
entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider, by said at least one client; and
transferring to said central manager at least one divisible fungible commodity of value, by said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
15. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 14, wherein said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider further comprises a step of transferring to said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider at least one divisible fungible commodity of value, by said at least one client and, wherein said method further comprises a step of allocating at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value to said at least one client, by said central manager. wherein said at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a percentage of a fee said at least one client transfers to said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider and a flat rate fee.
16. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises a step of allocating at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value to said at least one initiating service provider, by said central manager, wherein said at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a percentage of a fee, wherein said at least one client transfers to said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider and a flat rate fee.
17. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 16, wherein said method further comprises a step of providing information to said central manager, and thereby informing said at least one initiating service provider and said at least one client when said step of at least one initiating service provider performing a search to find at least one other service provider that is desirable to at least one client is performed, that at least one divisible fungible commodity of value is transferrable to said at least one client upon completion of said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider, and informing said at least one client that said at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a percentage of a fee said at least one client transfers to said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider and a flat rate fee, by said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
18. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 17, wherein said method further comprises a step of transferring at least one divisible fungible commodity of value to said at least one client upon completion of said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider by said central manager, wherein said at least a portion of said at least one divisible fungible commodity of value comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a percentage of a fee said at least one client transfers to said at least one member of said group of at least one service provider and a flat rate fee.
19. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 18, wherein said method further comprises a step of informing said at least one client that at least one divisible fungible commodity of value is transferrable to said at least one client upon completion of said step of said at least one client entering into a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider.
20. The method of incentive distribution for cross client referral of claim 19, wherein said method further comprises a step of updating said at least one database by inputting data reflecting that said at least one client is now in a business arrangement with at least one member of said group of at least one service provider to said business arrangement, wherein access to said computing machine network is available by logging in through a World Wide Web page and searching on said computing machine network for an entry substantially corresponding to said at least one other service provider that is desirable to said at least one client.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A process for producing a toner particulate composition comprising:
(a) forming an aqueous dispersion comprising aggregates of polymer binder and colorant stabilized by an anionic surfactant and a cationic polymer flocculant containing a plurality of cationic functional groups;
(b) adjusting the pH of said dispersion to a value of greater than 7.0 to configure said cationic polymer flocculant into a random coil configuration and mixing;
(c) adjusting the pH of said dispersion to a value of greater than or equal to 4.0 and less than 7.0 to configure said cationic polymer flocculant into a relatively extended chain configuration wherein said plurality of cationic functional groups become available to promote flocculation and particle growth of said aggregates to a desired size; and
(d) heating to a temperature above a glass transition temperature of said polymer binder and collecting particulate.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein said collected particulate has a size range of 3-15 microns.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein said cationic polymer flocculant containing a plurality of cationic functional groups comprises:
wherein R1, R2 and R3 comprise alkyl groups, aromatic groups, or substituted aromatic groups and the value of n is 10-10,000.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein said cationic polymer flocculant containing a plurality of cationic functional groups comprises:
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 comprise alkyl groups, aromatic groups, or substituted aromatic groups and the values of n and m may each individually be between 10-10,000.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein said cationic polymer flocculant containing a plurality of cationic functional groups comprises:
wherein R1, R2 and R3 comprise alkyl groups, aromatic groups, or substituted aromatic groups and the values of n and m may each individually be between 10-10,000.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein said cationic polymer flocculant containing a plurality of cationic functional groups comprises:
wherein R1 and R2 are selected from alkyl groups, aromatic groups, substituted aromatic groups, or combination thereof and the value of n is between 10-10,000.
7. The process of claim 1 wherein said cationic polymer flocculant containing a plurality of cationic functional groups comprises:
wherein R1 and R2 are selected from alkyl groups, aromatic groups, substituted aromatic groups, or combination thereof and the value of n is between 10-10,000.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein flocculation of said aggregates by said extended chain configuration of said cationic polymer flocculant occurs by charge neutralization of said cationic functional groups on said anionic surfactant.
9. The process of claim 1 including adding an inorganic salt to promote flocculation of said aggregates to a desired size.
10. The process of claim 1 wherein said particulate is positioned within a toner cartridge for an image forming apparatus.
11. A process for producing toner particulate composition comprising:
(a) forming an aqueous dispersion comprising aggregates of polymer binder and colorant stabilized by an anionic surfactant and a cationic polymer flocculant containing a plurality of cationic functional groups, wherein said cationic polymer flocculant includes polyalkylamine type polymers, polyacrylamide type polymers, or combination thereof;
(b) adjusting the pH of said dispersion to a value of greater than 7.0 to configure said cationic polymer flocculant into a random coil configuration and mixing;
(c) adjusting the pH of said dispersion to a value of greater than 4.0 to less than 7.0 to configure said cationic polymer flocculant into a relatively extended chain configuration wherein said plurality of cationic functional groups become available to promote flocculation and particle growth of said aggregates to a desired size; and
(d) heating to a temperature above a glass transition temperature of said polymer binder and collecting particulate wherein said particulate has a size range of 3-15 microns.
12. The process of claim 11 wherein said cationic polyalkylamine flocculant comprises:
wherein R1, R2 and R3 comprise alkyl groups, aromatic groups, or substituted aromatic groups and the value of n is 10-10,000.
13. The process of claim 11 wherein said cationic polyalkylamine flocculant comprises:
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 comprise alkyl groups, aromatic groups, or substituted aromatic groups and the values of n and m may each individually be between 10-10,000.
14. The process of claim 11 wherein said cationic polyacrylamide flocculant comprises:
wherein R1, R2 and R3 comprise alkyl groups, aromatic groups, or substituted aromatic groups and the values of n and m may each individually be between 10-10,000.
15. The process of claim 11 wherein said cationic polyalkylamine flocculant containing a plurality of cationic functional groups comprises:
wherein R1 and R2 are selected from alkyl groups, aromatic groups, substituted aromatic groups, or combination thereof and the value of n is between 10-10,000.
16. The process of claim 11 wherein said cationic polyalkylamine flocculant containing a plurality of cationic functional groups comprises:
wherein R1 and R2 are selected from alkyl groups, aromatic groups, substituted aromatic groups, or combination thereof and the value of n is between 10-10,000.
17. The process of claim 11 wherein said particulate is positioned within a toner cartridge for an image forming apparatus.
18. A process for producing toner particulate composition comprising:
(a) forming an aqueous dispersion comprising aggregates of polyester binder and colorant stabilized by an anionic surfactant including a cationic polyalkylamine flocculant containing a plurality of cationic functional groups;
(b) adjusting the pH of said dispersion to a value of greater than 7.0 to configure said cationic polymer flocculant into a random coil configuration and mixing;
(c) adjusting the pH of said dispersion to a value of about 4.5 to about 5.5 to configure said cationic polymer flocculant into a relatively extended chain configuration wherein said plurality of cationic functional groups become available to promote flocculation and particle growth of said aggregates to a desired size; and
(d) heating to a temperature above a glass transition temperature of said polyester binder and collecting particulate wherein said particulate has a size range of 3-15 microns,
wherein said cationic polyalkylamine flocculant comprises:
wherein R1, R2 and R3 comprise alkyl groups, aromatic groups, or substituted aromatic groups and the value of n is 10-10,000.
19. The process of claim 18 further comprising re-adjusting the pH of said dispersion from a value of about 4.5 to about 5.5 to a value of greater than 7.0 prior to heating to control further flocculation of said aggregates.