EP0890142A1 - Procede d'impression electrophotographique pour imprimer un support - Google Patents

Procede d'impression electrophotographique pour imprimer un support

Info

Publication number
EP0890142A1
EP0890142A1 EP97920508A EP97920508A EP0890142A1 EP 0890142 A1 EP0890142 A1 EP 0890142A1 EP 97920508 A EP97920508 A EP 97920508A EP 97920508 A EP97920508 A EP 97920508A EP 0890142 A1 EP0890142 A1 EP 0890142A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
layer
image
printing
toner
operating state
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP97920508A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0890142B1 (fr
Inventor
Volkhard Maess
Martin Schleusener
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Canon Production Printing Germany GmbH and Co KG
Original Assignee
Oce Printing Systems GmbH and Co KG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Oce Printing Systems GmbH and Co KG filed Critical Oce Printing Systems GmbH and Co KG
Publication of EP0890142A1 publication Critical patent/EP0890142A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0890142B1 publication Critical patent/EP0890142B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G13/00—Electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G13/04—Exposing, i.e. imagewise exposure by optically projecting the original image on a photoconductive recording material
    • G03G13/045—Charging or discharging distinct portions of the charge pattern on the recording material, e.g. discharging non-image areas, contrast enhancement
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G13/00—Electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G13/22—Processes involving a combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an electrophotographic printing method for printing a support, in which a photosensitive layer system with an electrode layer, an insulating cover layer and a photoconductor layer arranged between the electrode layer and cover layer is brought into a homogeneous initial state by impressing an electrical field becomes.
  • the photoconductor layer is exposed imagewise with predetermined image structures through the cover layer or through the electrode layer, a second electric field having the opposite direction being impressed on the layer system, so that a charge image corresponding to the image structures is formed in and on the layer system.
  • the entire photoconductor layer is then exposed uniformly through the cover layer and / or through the electrode layer, so that a potential image corresponding to the image structures is formed on the surface of the cover layer.
  • charged toner particles are applied to the cover layer in a development step and are deposited according to the potential image as a toner image, which is then transferred to the carrier.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a simple printing method which alternatively prints between a page-to-page variable print and the print with a print run greater than 1 and which has a print speed comparable to offset printing when the print run is larger than 1.
  • This object is achieved for a method of the type mentioned at the outset in that, with a print run greater than 1, the development step and the transfer step are carried out several times while maintaining the electrical charge pattern present in the interior of the layer system.
  • the invention is based on the knowledge that electrophotographic processes have proven successful, but do not have a sufficiently high printing speed when the print run is greater than 1, but exposure is only required once, especially with a print run greater than 1, since the image structures are present in every print image are equal to the edition. Therefore, in a printing method according to the invention, the development step and the transfer step are carried out several times with a print run greater than 1 while maintaining the charge image present in the interior of the layer system. In particular, the imagewise exposure, the uniform exposure and the establishment of the homogeneous initial state are omitted. As a result, the print speed can be increased significantly for a print run greater than 1. In addition, printing is carried out with a print run greater than 1 with lower energy consumption, since the steps mentioned are omitted.
  • the development step and the transfer step are carried out several times in direct succession. This means that the development step and the transfer step are carried out in succession without any intermediate image-wise exposure and uniform exposure and production of the homogeneous initial state.
  • the charge image in the interior of the layer system is located between the cover layer and the photoconductor layer.
  • the charge pattern is localized in deep detention areas. This means that practically no lateral shift of the load can occur. Even when using conductive substances, e.g. liquid toner, there is no so-called image flow. In addition, this charge pattern remains practically unchanged when exposed to light. The result is that a high limit print run can be achieved up to which the print images of a print run are of sufficiently good quality.
  • measures are taken in exemplary embodiments of the invention by which the charge image remains essentially unchanged when the charged toner particles are applied in the development step and when the toner image is transferred to the carrier .
  • the application of the toner particles are carried out via an air gap between the cover layer and a toner particle carrier for the application of the toner particles.
  • the printing method according to the invention is preferably used in a high-performance printer.
  • a controller can be used to switch between a print with a print run of 1 and a print with a print run of more than 1.
  • the printing speed is significantly increased according to what has been said above by appropriate control of the printing process.
  • the imagewise exposure is carried out shortly before or at the beginning of the application of the second electrical field.
  • the image-wise exposure takes place line by line by means of an LED line driven according to the image structures or by a laser beam modulated according to the image structures, so that digital printing is carried out.
  • an intermediate carrier is used as the carrier, from which the toner image is transferred to a sheet material, e.g. If paper is transferred, the wear of the layer system can be reduced, since the intermediate carrier can be made from a material which only mechanically attacks the cover layer when the toner image is transferred.
  • the contrast and / or the sensitivity of the layer system during exposure can be increased, which further increases the quality of the printed images.
  • the invention also relates to an electrophotographic printer with the features of patent claim 15.
  • the effects mentioned above also apply mutatis mutandis to the electrographic printer according to the invention.
  • the electrographic printer according to the invention combines the advantages of known electrophotographic printing and offset printing, since without print mask preparation it provides electronic information with the edition 1 and variable print content from side to side at the speed of a known electrographic Printer or optionally with a print run greater than 1 with a clearly increased set printing speed prints, which is comparable to the printing speed of offset printing.
  • the layer system used in the invention can form a plane or a curved surface.
  • the layer system can optionally consist of a flexible or rigid material.
  • FIG. 1 shows a basic illustration of an electrophotographic printer with essential electronic and mechanical functional units
  • FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a photosensitive layer system
  • FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the charge image and the potential image in the photosensitive layer
  • Figure 4 is a flow diagram of the printing method according to the invention.
  • FIG. 1 shows a basic illustration of an electrographic printer 10 with essential electrical and mechanical functional units.
  • the printer 10 has a transport device 16, which is driven by a motor 12 via a shaft 14, which is arranged near a transfer printing station 18 and transports endless carrier material 20 past the transfer printing station 18 essentially according to a predetermined printing speed VD.
  • a transfer printing station 18 As an alternative to the endless carrier material 20, single sheets can also be printed on in the event of a changed transport.
  • a charge image applied to a photoconductor drum 22 and colored with toner is transferred to the carrier material 20 by means of a corona device (not shown).
  • the photoconductor drum 22 rotates in the direction of an arrow 24.
  • a residual charge image in a photoconductor layer on the photoconductor drum 22 is possibly erased.
  • the activation of the extinguishing device 26 depends on whether the printer 10 is in a first operating state I or in a second operating state II.
  • operating state I the printer 10 operates like a known electrographic printer, in which print information which can vary from print image to print image can be printed.
  • operating state II a single print specification with a print run greater than 1 is printed.
  • operating state II in contrast to operating state I, the photoconductor drum 22 is exposed only once per image with the aid of an exposure line 28 made of LED diodes in accordance with a predetermined image structure. This process is explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3. Subsequently, the photoconductor drum 22 is exposed uniformly by an exposure device, not shown. As a result of the two exposure steps and the action of external electrical fields explained below, a potential image is produced on the surface of the photoconductor drum 22 which corresponds to the image structures.
  • the photoconductor drum 22 continues to rotate, its surface is guided past a developer station 30 in both operating states I and II.
  • a developer station 30 In the developer station 30, charged solid toner particles are applied by a known method.
  • the charge image colored with toner is subsequently used in both operating states I and II of the corona device onto the carrier material 20 in one transfer step.
  • operating state II in contrast to operating state I, a predetermined number of printed images, for example 100 printed images, are subsequently printed on the carrier material 20 one after the other in time and space, without activating the erasing device 26 and the exposure line 28.
  • a first deflection unit 36 which feeds the carrier material 20 to the transfer printing station 18, is arranged in front of the transfer printing station 18 in the transport direction indicated by an arrow 34.
  • a second deflection unit 38 is arranged after the fixing station 32, as seen in the transport direction. This second deflection unit 38 stacks the printed carrier material 20 on a stack 40.
  • the carrier material 20 is removed from a stack 42 by the first deflection unit 36. Instead of the two stacks 40 and 42, rolls are also used, on which the carrier material 20 is rolled up.
  • the printing process is controlled by a print controller 44, which contains a microprocessor 46 and a memory 47.
  • the microprocessor 46 processes a print program stored in the memory 47.
  • the print controller 44 specifies the image structures and transmits image signals belonging to these image structures via a bus system 48 to the exposure line 28.
  • new image signals are transmitted by the print controller 44 when each individual print image is printed.
  • the motor 12 is controlled by the pressure control 44 via a control line 50 in such a way that it has a lower speed than in the operating state II.
  • the pressure control 44 can also be used The transport speed of the carrier material 20 in operating state II can be reduced with the aid of a transmission (not shown).
  • operating state II the motor 12 is accordingly controlled so that the carrier material 20 has a higher transport speed than in operating state I.
  • the exposure line 28 in operating state II is only used for exposing the first print image of the edition.
  • the extinguishing device 26 is not used in operating state II, since the charge image in the photoconductor layer of the photoconductor drum is retained over the entire print run.
  • the pressure controller 44 is connected via data lines 52 to an input / output device 54, via which, inter alia, the desired operating state I or II can be specified by an operator.
  • FIG. 2 shows a photosensitive layer system 70 which is applied to the photoconductor drum 22.
  • the layer system 70 contains an insulating cover layer 72 made of a transparent material, an underlying photoconductor layer 74, e.g. of an n-type flexible organic photoconductor (OPC), and a lower electrode layer 76 of a sufficiently conductive material such as e.g. Copper.
  • OPC n-type flexible organic photoconductor
  • a greatly enlarged boundary layer 78 is shown in FIG. 2 between the cover layer 72 and the photoconductor layer 74.
  • a barrier layer 80 is shown between the photoconductor layer 74 and the electrode layer 76.
  • the boundary layer 78 and the barrier layer 80 form in the respective edge regions of the photoconductor layer 74.
  • FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the charge images and the potential images in the layer system 70 during the printing process, which is used in the printer 10 to generate the charge image.
  • the charge pattern is in and shown on the layer system 70 for three steps A, B and C.
  • step A the layer system 70 is charged
  • step B a recharge and imagewise exposure are carried out
  • step C a uniform exposure of the layer system 70 is carried out.
  • Part B shows the potentials on the surface of the layer system 70 in each of the steps A to C for light and dark image structures.
  • Time t is plotted on the abscissa axis and potential P is plotted on the ordinate axis.
  • step A the layer system 70 applied to the photoconductor drum 22 is charged by a corona device (not shown). As a result, the layer system is brought into a homogeneous initial state. In this state, there are positive charge carriers on the surface of the insulating cover layer 72, which are evenly distributed. In the boundary layer 78 there are negative charge carriers as counter-poles to this, which are also essentially uniformly distributed in the boundary layer.
  • the course of the potential on the surface of the cover layer 72 is such that a positive potential that approaches the voltage of the corona device builds up during the time of step A, which is carried out between a time t0 and tl.
  • step B the layer system 70 is recharged and simultaneously exposed imagewise by means of the light-emitting diodes of the exposure line 28, an electrical field being impressed on the layer system 70 with the aid of a further corona device and having an opposite polarity to the electrical field in Step A.
  • the charge is made more difficult by the further corona device, since the photoconductor layer 74 has a high resistance in the dark.
  • the charge carriers present in the photoconductor layer 74 cannot leave them due to the photoelectric properties of the photoconductor layer. Due to the additional corona equipment, the battery is still transferred in the darkened areas. There are positive charge carriers in the electrode layer 76, which face negative charge carriers in the photoconductor layer 74, which no longer have positive charge carriers on the surface of the cover layer 72, since these have been removed by the further corona charge. Even these positive charge carriers cannot penetrate into the photoconductor layer 74 due to the photoelectric properties of the photoconductor layer 74.
  • Light rays 90 strike the areas of the layer system 70 illuminated by the exposure line 28.
  • the light beams 90 cause a changed photoelectric behavior of the photoconductor layer 74, which becomes low-resistance.
  • the transhipment caused by the further corona device can be carried out completely in the illuminated areas.
  • Negative charge carriers are deposited on the surface of the cover layer 72. These negative charge carriers are opposed by positive charge carriers in the photoconductor layer 74, which reach the photoconductor layer 74 from the electrode layer 76.
  • the potential distribution on the surface of the layer system 70 is shown in part b of FIG. 3 between the time t1 and a time t2.
  • the potentials for light and dark areas hardly differ in size at time t2.
  • the bright areas have a negative potential due to the negative charges on the surface of the cover layer 72 and the darkened areas have approximately the same negative potential on the surface of the cover layer 72 due to the negative charges in the photoconductor layer 74.
  • step C the entire layer system 70 is uniformly exposed in the longitudinal axis of the photoconductor drum 22 for a strip by rays 92.
  • the uniform exposure can be carried out, for example, by a further exposure line in which all the light-emitting diodes have a uniform brightness.
  • the entire photoconductor layer 74 becomes low-resistance due to the uniform exposure.
  • the charge image in the layer system 70 does not change.
  • a charge equalization takes place due to the changed properties of the photoconductor layer 74, which is now also low-resistance there, as a result of which the positive charge carriers of the electrode layer 76 penetrate into the photoconductor layer 74 and neutralize at least some of the negative charge carriers present there .
  • the potential image on the surface of the cover layer 72 is again shown in part b of FIG. 3.
  • the charge equalization increases the potential in the dark areas. This results in a potential difference D between light and dark areas. This potential difference means that the charged toner particles only adhere to the areas illuminated in step B on the surface of the cover layer 72.
  • FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram of the method according to the invention in operating state II of the printer 10.
  • a printing cycle for a print run N is started, e.g. an operator sets the operating state II via the input / output device 54 and inputs a start signal.
  • image data relating to image elements of a print image are stored in the memory 47 in a step 102.
  • the operator the edition height N is fixed, the edition height N being greater than 1 in operating state II.
  • step 106 The corona device for charging the layer system 70 is then activated in accordance with step A (step 106).
  • step 108 the layer system 70 is reloaded and simultaneously exposed through the exposure line 28 in accordance with the specifications of the print controller 44.
  • step 110 through a further exposure line in the direction of rotation 22 of the photoconductor drum, a uniform exposure of the layer system 70 according to step C is carried out behind the exposure line 38.
  • Toner is applied to the photoconductor drum 22 (step 114).
  • the length of a printed image in the transport direction 34 is limited by the circumference of the photoconductor drum 22.
  • the corona device for charging the photoconductor according to step A, the exposure line 28 and the exposure line for uniform exposure are no longer activated.
  • Steps 114, 116 and a step 118 can be carried out without the action of the pressure controller 44 if the counting process is carried out by a separate counter, which activates the pressure controller 44 again when a counter reading that corresponds to the print run N is reached.
  • the speed of the photoconductor drum 22 is still increased significantly by the pressure control 44, since in particular the imagewise exposure processing step when printing the additional print images of the edition is omitted.
  • the erasing device 26 is only actuated in operating state 2 if another edition is to be printed.
  • a step 118 it is checked whether the counter has a value that corresponds to the print run N. If this is not the case, the counter value is increased by the value 1 in a step 120 and the method is continued in a loop from steps 114 to 120. If it is determined in step 118 that the counter has a counter value which corresponds to the print run N, i.e. all print images of the edition have already been printed, the printing of the edition is ended in a step 122.
  • the printing method according to the invention ensures that a printing speed of over 1000 pages per minute is achieved in operating state II.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electrophotography Using Other Than Carlson'S Method (AREA)
  • Electrostatic Charge, Transfer And Separation In Electrography (AREA)
  • Combination Of More Than One Step In Electrophotography (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé d'impression électrophotographique pour imprimer un support (20), ainsi qu'une machine d'impression électrophotographique permettant de mettre ledit procédé en oeuvre. Selon ce procédé, un système multicouche photosensible est amené dans un état initial homogène par impression d'un champ électrique ayant une première direction. La couche photoconductrice (74) est exposée conformément à l'image, avec des structures d'image prédéfinies (étape 108), l'ensemble de la couche photoconductrice est exposée uniformément à travers la couche de couverture (72) et/ou la couche d'électrodes (étape 110). Des particules de poudre toner chargées sont appliquées dans l'étape de développement sur la couche de couverture. L'image révélée est ensuite transférée sur le support (étape 116). Selon ce procédé, lorsqu'il faut plus d'un tirage, l'étape de développement et l'étape de transfert sont effectuées plusieurs fois, l'image de charge électrique présente à l'intérieur du système multicouche étant conservée (étapes 114 à 120). Lorsqu'il faut plus d'un tirage, un dispositif de transport (16) transporte le support plus rapidement.
EP97920508A 1996-03-29 1997-03-13 Procede d'impression electrophotographique pour imprimer un support Expired - Lifetime EP0890142B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19612762 1996-03-29
DE19612762 1996-03-29
PCT/DE1997/000510 WO1997037286A1 (fr) 1996-03-29 1997-03-13 Procede d'impression electrophotographique pour imprimer un support

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0890142A1 true EP0890142A1 (fr) 1999-01-13
EP0890142B1 EP0890142B1 (fr) 2001-12-19

Family

ID=7789996

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97920508A Expired - Lifetime EP0890142B1 (fr) 1996-03-29 1997-03-13 Procede d'impression electrophotographique pour imprimer un support

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US6162570A (fr)
EP (1) EP0890142B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE59705891D1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1997037286A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8017293B2 (en) * 2007-04-09 2011-09-13 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Liquid toner-based pattern mask method and system
US8029964B1 (en) 2007-07-20 2011-10-04 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Polymer-based pattern mask system and method having enhanced adhesion
US10486452B2 (en) 2016-02-26 2019-11-26 Amcor Flexibles Selestat Sas Flexible packaging substrates compromising thermally-stable prints
RU2729570C2 (ru) 2016-03-18 2020-08-07 Амкор Флексибль Селеста Сас Гибкий слоистый материал для печатных реторт-упаковок
EP3714331A4 (fr) * 2018-04-30 2021-01-06 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Impression électrophotographique

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE584063A (fr) * 1958-10-30
US3457070A (en) * 1964-07-25 1969-07-22 Matsuragawa Electric Co Ltd Electrophotography
US4071361A (en) * 1965-01-09 1978-01-31 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Electrophotographic process and apparatus
DE1522567C3 (de) * 1965-07-12 1979-07-19 Canon K.K., Tokio Elektrophotographisches Verfahren zum Erzeugen eines Ladungsbildes auf einer isolierenden Schicht und Gerät zur Durchführung des Verfahrens
JPS4925218B1 (fr) * 1968-09-21 1974-06-28
US3821931A (en) * 1971-03-04 1974-07-02 Canon Kk Copying-printing apparatus
JPS6040024B2 (ja) * 1976-09-17 1985-09-09 キヤノン株式会社 静電潜像安定化方法
JPS6027026B2 (ja) * 1977-06-17 1985-06-26 キヤノン株式会社 電子写真方法及び装置
JPS57105755A (en) * 1980-12-24 1982-07-01 Canon Inc Image forming device
US4444859A (en) * 1981-05-30 1984-04-24 Olympus Optical Company Limited Electrophotographic process and photosensitive member for use in said process
US5053304A (en) * 1989-12-27 1991-10-01 Eastman Kodak Company Photoconductor element for making multiple copies and process for using same

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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Title
See references of WO9737286A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE59705891D1 (de) 2002-01-31
WO1997037286A1 (fr) 1997-10-09
US6162570A (en) 2000-12-19
EP0890142B1 (fr) 2001-12-19

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