JP2000137308A - Image carrier and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an excellent image whose edge is clear when the image is formed by using an image carrier provided with a photoisomerization layer on the surface of a substrate. SOLUTION: The image carrier 10 obtained by forming the pattern-like photoisomerization layers 13 whose wettability is reversibly changed by being irradiated with light on the surface 12 of the substrate 11 whose surface energy is low is used. Then a latent image whose wettability is changed is formed by selectively exposing the surface of the carrier 10 by a latent image forming means 20. By supplying ink to the latent image formed on the carrier 10 from an ink developing means 30, an ink image is formed on the surface of the carrier 10. Then the ink image is transferred on a recording medium 40 by a transfer means 50.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming an image using ink and an image carrier used in the image forming apparatus. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image bearing member provided with a photoisomerizable layer that changes to an image carrier, and an image forming apparatus that forms an image using the image bearing member.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of forming an image using ink, a dampening solution is applied to a portion of the plate surface where no image is formed, and an oil-based ink is applied to the portion to which the dampening solution is applied. Wet lithographic printing in which an image is formed by suppressing adhesion and dry lithographic printing that does not use such dampening water have been used, but in the case of either wet or dry lithographic printing However, there is a problem that it takes a long time to form the plate, and it is difficult to reproduce and repeatedly use the plate.

For this reason, in recent years, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
As shown in Japanese Patent No. 55857, an image carrier provided with a photoisomerization layer whose wettability is reversibly changed by light irradiation on the surface of a substrate is used, and the image carrier is selectively formed on the surface of the image carrier. Exposure is performed to selectively change the wettability of the photoisomerization layer provided on the surface of the image carrier to form a latent image having a changed wettability, and ink is supplied to the latent image to supply an image. There has been proposed a device in which an ink image is formed on a surface of a carrier, and the ink image is transferred to a recording medium to form an image.

However, when an image is formed using an image carrier having a photoisomerization layer provided on the surface in this way, the ink at the edge of the formed image is blurred, and the edge is clean. There was a problem that an image could not be obtained.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention,
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems when an image is formed using an image carrier having a photoisomerization layer provided on the surface of a substrate.

That is, according to the present invention, when an image is formed using an image carrier having a photoisomerization layer provided on the surface of a substrate as described above, a good image with clear edges can be obtained. The task is to do so.

Here, when the present inventor examined the cause of blurring of an image at an edge portion of the formed image when the image was formed by the image forming apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, it was shown in the above-mentioned publication. In the image forming apparatus, an image carrier having a photoisomerization layer provided on the entire surface of the substrate is used, and the surface of such an image carrier is selectively irradiated with light to form a latent image. Even in such a case, the difference in wettability between the latent image portion and the non-latent image portion in the photoisomerization layer is not large, so that the ink is not cut cleanly at the edge portion of the latent image portion, and the edge portion in the formed image is not Found that the image was blurred, and completed the present invention.

[0008]

In the image carrier according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a photoisomerization layer whose wettability is reversibly changed by light irradiation is provided on the surface of the substrate. In the image carrier, the photoisomerization layer is formed in a pattern on the surface of a substrate having a low surface energy.

Then, when a photoisomerizable layer whose wettability is reversibly changed by light irradiation is formed in a pattern on the surface of a substrate having a low surface energy, like the image carrier in the present invention, the image carrier has When the surface is selectively exposed to form a latent image in which the wettability of the photoisomerization layer is changed and ink is supplied to the surface of the image carrier on which such a latent image is formed, the wettability changes. While the ink is properly attached to the latent image portion of the photoisomerization layer having increased wettability, the portion of the photoisomerization layer where the wettability has not changed or the photoisomerization layer is not formed The ink is not attached to the surface portion of the image carrier having a low surface energy, and the wettability is changed in the photoisomerization layer so that the ink is appropriately cut at the edge portion of the latent image having increased wettability. Become.

Here, as the photoisomerizable material used for the photoisomerizable layer, the wettability of which is reversibly changed by light irradiation, for example, a triphenylmethane dye which is ion dissociated, such as malachite green, or the like; Compounds that cause a dehydration reaction, such as 2-hydroxyphenyldiphenylmethanol and derivatives thereof, azobenzene and its derivatives that undergo cis-trans isomerization, indigo compounds, azohydrazone compounds having keto-enol tautomerism, and ring opening and closing reactions The resulting stilbene, diarylethene, fluquids, spiropyran and its derivatives, spirooxazines and the like can be used.

When a photoisomerization layer is formed in a pattern on the surface of a substrate having a low surface energy using the above photoisomerization material, the photoisomerization material is dispersed in a polymer material. In this case, a polymer obtained by bonding a photoisomerization material to a main chain or a side chain of a polymer material is used. The pattern of the photoisomerization layer formed on the surface of the base is not particularly limited, as long as the ink is appropriately cut at the edge of the latent image whose wettability has changed in the photoisomerization layer. Good.

The kind of the polymer material used for dispersing the photoisomerizable material or bonding the photoisomerizable material to its main chain or side chain as described above depends on the type of the photoisomerizable material. There is no particular limitation as long as the isomerization can be sufficiently performed. For example, polystyrene, polyethylene, polymethacrylate, cellulose, polyvinyl butyral, polyester, phenoxy resin, polyurethane, polyacrylate, polycarbonate and the like can be used.

In forming the photoisomerization layer in a pattern on the surface of the substrate having a low surface energy as described above, if the photoisomerization layer contains fine particles as described above, The fine particles form irregularities on the surface of the photoisomerization layer, resulting in a rough state, and the wettability is changed, so that the ink is more appropriately adhered to the latent image portion of the photoisomerization layer having increased wettability. On the other hand, in the part of the photoisomerization layer where the wettability has not changed, the ink is in contact with the surface of the rough photoisomerization layer in the form of droplets, making it difficult for the ink to adhere and the Is changed, the ink is more appropriately cut at the edge portion of the latent image in the photoisomerized layer having increased wettability.

Here, when the photoisomerization layer contains fine particles as described above, if the particle size of the fine particles is too small, sufficient irregularities will not be formed on the surface of the photoisomerization layer. On the other hand, if the particle size of the fine particles is too large, the unevenness on the surface of the photoisomerization layer becomes too large, which is the same as the state without unevenness for a small ink droplet, Since the effects described above are no longer obtained, it is preferable that the photoisomerization layer contains fine particles having an average particle size in the range of 5 nm to 20,000 nm, more preferably 15 nm to 5000 nm. The fine particles falling within the range described above are contained.

On the other hand, when the amount of the fine particles contained in the photoisomerization layer is too small, sufficient irregularities are not formed on the surface of the photoisomerization layer, and the above effects cannot be sufficiently obtained. If the amount is too large, the ratio of the photoisomerizable material in the photoisomerization layer decreases, and the performance of the photoisomerization layer, whose wettability reversibly changes by light irradiation, decreases, Since the adhesive strength of the photoisomerization layer is reduced, it is preferable that the weight ratio of the fine particles to the photoisomerization layer be in the range of 0.1 to 2.0, more preferably, as described in claim 4. Is set so that the weight ratio of the fine particles to the photoisomerization layer is in the range of 0.3 to 1.2.

Further, when the photoisomerization layer contains fine particles as described above, when two or more types of fine particles having different particle diameters are contained, fractal irregularities are formed on the surface of the photoisomerization layer. The ink is more appropriately adhered to the latent image portion of the photoisomerization layer where the wettability has changed and the wettability has increased, while the portion of the photoisomerization layer where the wettability has not changed Ink is less likely to adhere to the
The ink is more appropriately cut at the edge portion of the latent image in the photoisomerization layer having increased wettability due to the change in wettability. Here, two particles having different particle diameters are used.
When containing more than one kind of fine particles, the average particle diameter of the smallest fine particles is compared with the average particle size of the largest fine particles so that appropriate fractal-like irregularities are formed on the surface of the photoisomerization layer. Is preferably in the range of 1/2 to 1/10000.

Here, the material of the fine particles to be contained in the photoisomerization layer as described above is not particularly limited. For example, silica, alumina, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, potassium titanate, calcium titanate, glass, etc. It is possible to use inorganic fine particles constituted and those obtained by coating the surfaces of these inorganic fine particles with a resin, or resin fine particles constituted of a polystyrene, a methacrylic resin, a fluororesin or the like.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image carrier having a photoisomerization layer formed in a pattern on the surface of a substrate having a low surface energy as described above is provided. A latent image forming means for selectively exposing the surface of the image carrier to form a latent image having changed wettability on the surface of the image carrier, and an ink on the latent image formed on the image carrier. And an ink developing means for forming an ink image on the surface of the image carrier by supplying the ink, and a transfer means for transferring the ink image formed on the surface of the image carrier to a recording medium.

Then, as in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, an image carrier having a photoisomerization layer formed in a pattern on the surface of a substrate having a low surface energy is used, and the surface of the image carrier is formed as a latent image forming means. To form a latent image by changing the wettability in the photoisomerization layer formed on the surface of the image carrier, and forming an ink on the surface of the image carrier on which such a latent image is formed. When ink is supplied from the developing means,
While the ink is properly applied to the latent image portion of the photoisomerization layer where the wettability has changed and the wettability has increased, the portion of the photoisomerization layer where the wettability has not changed or the photoisomerization layer is formed The ink is not attached to the surface portion of the image carrier having a low surface energy which has not been removed, and the ink is appropriately cut at the edge portion of the latent image where the wettability has changed and the wettability has increased in the photoisomerization layer. Become so. For this reason, the edge portion of the ink image formed on the surface of the image carrier becomes clear, and when the ink image thus formed on the surface of the image carrier is transferred to the recording medium by the transfer means, the edge portion becomes And a good image in which is clear is obtained.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image bearing member and an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the image carrier 10 of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a surface of a substrate 11 made of a material such as aluminum is made of a material having a small surface energy. A surface layer 12 is provided, and a photoisomerization layer 13 whose wettability is reversibly changed by light irradiation is formed in a predetermined pattern on the surface layer 12.

Here, the material constituting the surface layer 12 having a small surface energy is not particularly limited as long as its surface energy is lower than that of the photoisomerization layer 13.
It is preferable that the material has a large difference from the surface energy of the photoisomerization layer 13. Various materials such as a fluorine-based material and a silicon-based material can be used. resin,
It is preferable to use an ethylene tetrafluoride ethylene copolymer or the like.

When the photo-isomerization layer 13 is formed in a predetermined pattern on the surface layer 12, the photo-isomerization layer 13 is formed in order to improve the adhesion between the surface layer 12 and the photo-isomerization layer 13. According to the pattern for forming the layer 13, it is preferable that the surface layer 12 be subjected to a surface modification treatment such as a plasma treatment to improve the adhesiveness between the photoisomerization layer 13 and the surface layer 12. .

Here, as a material constituting the photoisomerization layer 13, a material in which a photoisomerization material whose wettability is reversibly changed by light irradiation is dispersed in a polymer material, or a main material of the polymer material is used. A chain or side chain to which a photoisomerization material is bonded should be used.

When forming the photoisomerization layer 13 using the above-described material in a pattern on the surface layer 12, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, In addition to dispersing the photoisomerization layer 13 in the form of dots on the layer 12, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, the photoisomerization layer 13 is formed on the surface layer 12. The layer 13 can be formed to have various lattice shapes.

In this embodiment, a photoisomerizable material whose wettability is reversibly changed by light irradiation is dispersed in a polymer material, or a photoisomerization material is added to the main chain or side chain of the polymer material. Photoisomerization layer 13 using a material to which
However, as shown in FIG. 3, two kinds of fine particles 13a and 13b having different average particle diameters are added to the material for forming the photoisomerization layer 13 as shown in FIG.
Are formed on the surface of the photoisomerization layer 13 by the two kinds of fine particles 13a and 13b.
It is also possible to form fractal irregularities due to

Further, in the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, the photoisomerization layer 13 is formed on the surface layer 12 having a low surface energy formed on the surface of the substrate 11 as described above.
Are used in a predetermined pattern.

Here, in the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
And the surface of the image carrier 10 is selectively irradiated with light of a predetermined wavelength that changes the wettability of the photoisomerization layer 13 from an exposure device (latent image forming means) 20. Thus, the wettability of the photoisomerization layer 13 formed on the surface of the image carrier 10 is changed, and a latent image having a higher wettability is formed on the surface of the image carrier 10.

Then, the ink 32 is held on the surface of an ink roller 31 provided in an ink developing device (ink developing means) 30, and the ink 32 is exposed to the latent image whose wettability of the photoisomerization layer 13 has changed as described above. The image is brought into contact with the surface of the image carrier 10 on which the image is formed.

The surface of the image carrier 10 on which the latent image having changed wettability of the photoisomerization layer 13 is formed,
Is brought into contact, the ink 32 is applied to the portion of the latent image where the wettability has changed and the wettability has increased in the photoisomerization layer 13, while the photoisomerization layer 13 where the wettability has not changed
The ink 32 is not applied to the portion of the surface layer 12 where the photoisomerization layer 13 is not formed or the surface layer 12 where the photoisomerization layer 13 is not formed. Is appropriately cut, and the edge portion of the ink image formed on the surface of the image carrier 10 becomes clear.

After the ink image is formed on the surface of the image carrier 10 as described above, the ink image formed on the surface of the image carrier 10 is moved to a position facing the transfer roller (transfer means) 50. At the same time, the recording medium 40 is guided between the transfer roller 50 and the image carrier 10, and the ink image formed on the surface of the image carrier 10 is transferred to the recording medium 40 by the transfer roller 50. When the ink image formed on the surface of the image carrier 10 is transferred to the recording medium 40 in this manner, the edge portion of the ink image formed on the surface of the image carrier 10 becomes clear. Also at 40, an ink image with a clear edge portion is formed.

After the ink image formed on the image carrier 10 is transferred onto the recording medium 40, the image carrier 10 is irradiated with visible light or the like by an eraser lamp 60. After irradiating light over the entire axial direction of the body 10 and erasing the latent image formed on the image carrier 10 by irradiating the light, the ink remaining on the surface of the image carrier 10 by the cleaning device 70 is removed. Then, the above operation is repeated to sequentially form an image.

[0033]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, specific embodiments of the image carrier and the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described, and according to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image with a clear edge portion. This will be clarified using a comparative example.

Example 1 In Example 1, to obtain the image carrier 10, a surface layer 12 of polytetrafluoroethylene having a low surface energy was formed on the surface of a substrate 11 composed of an aluminum tube. A plasma treatment is performed on the surface layer 12 using a mask having a dot pattern, and the surface layer 12 is surface-modified into a dot shape to increase the wettability of the surface layer 12. Was formed in a dot shape.

When the photoisomerization layer 13 is formed on the surface layer 12 formed on the surface of the substrate 11 as described above, the photoisomerization material in the photoisomerization layer 13 includes 1, 3 , 3-Trimethylindolino-6'-bromobenzopyrrolospirane (1,3,3-Trimethy
Lindolino-6'-bromobenzopy
while using polycarbonate as a polymer material for dispersing the photoisomerizable material, and using tetrahydrofuran such that the weight ratio of the photoisomerizable material to the polycarbonate is 1: 1. The dispersion is dispersed in a solvent, and this dispersion is applied on the surface layer 12 which has been surface-modified in a dot shape as described above, and a photoisomerization layer 13 having a dot-like pattern is formed on the surface layer 12. Was formed.

Here, as described above, the photoisomerization layer 1 in the form of a dot is formed on the surface layer 12 of the image carrier 10.
In forming the layer 3, the photoisomerization layer 13 is formed by applying the above dispersion by screen printing using a mask having the same pattern as that used for performing the plasma treatment on the surface layer 12 described above. Alternatively, the photoisomerization layer 13 can be formed by dip coating the above-described dispersion on the surface layer 12 that has been surface-treated as described above. In addition, even when the dispersion liquid is applied on the surface layer 12 by dip coating as described above, the portion having high wettability on the surface layer 12 is formed in a dot shape as described above. The liquid dispersion is applied only to the portion where the wettability has been increased to form the photoisomerization layer 13 in a dot-like pattern.

Using the image carrier 10 on which the photoisomerization layer 13 in the dot pattern is formed, the photoisomerization formed on the surface of the image carrier 10 from the exposure device 20 described above. The layer 13 was selectively irradiated with light to form a latent image having changed wettability on the surface of the image carrier 10. In this embodiment, an ultraviolet lamp is used as the above-described exposure apparatus 20, and ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet lamp is filtered by a filter (manufactured by Kino Melles Griot; 03FIU0).
12), the surface of the image carrier 10 was irradiated.

Next, the ink developing device 30 is placed on the surface of the image carrier 10 on which the latent image having changed wettability is formed.
Is brought into contact with the ink 32 held by the ink roller 31, and the ink 32 is supplied to the latent image portion formed on the surface of the image carrier 10 to form an ink image corresponding to the latent image on the surface of the image carrier 10. The ink image formed on the surface of the image carrier 10 is guided to a position facing the transfer roller 50, and the ink image is transferred from the image carrier 10 onto the recording medium 40 by the transfer roller 50. Then, an image was formed on the recording medium 40.

After the ink image thus formed on the image carrier 10 is transferred to the recording medium 40, the surface of the image carrier 10 is moved from the eraser lamp 60 in the axial direction of the image carrier 10. By irradiating the entire surface with visible light, the latent image having changed wettability formed on the photoisomerization layer 13 on the surface of the image carrier 10 is erased, and then the ink 32 remaining on the surface of the image carrier 10 is removed. Cleaning device 7
0 to remove.

Then, the radiiness of the image formed on the recording medium 40 as described above was measured with a reflectance of 60% as a threshold value.
μm, and the edge of the image formed on the recording medium 40 was clear.

(Comparative Example 1) In Comparative Example 1, to obtain the image carrier 10, as shown in FIG. 4, a surface layer 12 of polytetrafluoroethylene was formed on a substrate 11 formed of an aluminum tube. The entire surface of the surface layer 12 is subjected to plasma processing, and the surface layer 1 thus subjected to plasma processing is subjected to plasma processing.
2, the same photoisomerization layer 1 as in Example 1 above
3 was formed uniformly.

Then, the image carrier 10 in which the photoisomerization layer 13 is formed uniformly on the entire surface is used, and other than that, an image is formed in the same manner as in the case of the first embodiment. For the image formed on the recording medium 40,
As in the case of the first embodiment, when the radiance was measured with the reflectance at 60% as a threshold value, the result was 10 μm, and the edge portion in the formed image was the same as that of the first embodiment. It was blurred.

(Embodiment 2) In Embodiment 2, in order to obtain the image carrier 10, the surface of the substrate 11 made of an aluminum tube is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 described above. A surface layer 12 having a low surface energy is formed, and a plasma treatment is performed on the surface layer 12 using a mask having a dot-like pattern. A portion having high wettability was formed in the surface layer 12 in a dot shape.

Next, in forming the photoisomerization layer 13 on the surface layer 12 formed on the surface of the substrate 11 as described above, in this embodiment, the photoisomerization material in the photoisomerization layer 13 is used. 1,1 ', 3'-dihydro-3', 3 '
-Dimethyl-6-nitro-1'-octadecylspiro [2H] -1-benzopyran-2,2 '-[2H] indole (1', 3'-Dihydro-3 ', 3'-d
imethyl-6-nitro-1'-octade
cylspiro [2H] -1-benzopiran
-2,2 '-[2H] indole), polystyrene as a polymer material in which the photoisomerizable material is dispersed, and two types of fine particles 13a and 13b having different average particle diameters. Average particle size of 16
nm silica (Nippon Aerosil Co., Ltd .: R972) and resin fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1000 nm to 2000 nm made of polymethyl methacrylate / methacrylic crosslinked product (Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd .: Eposter MA1001) were used.

Then, the above photoisomerizable material, polystyrene, silica having an average particle size of 16 nm,
1.5: 1:
The dispersion was dispersed in a tetrahydrofuran solvent at a weight ratio of 0.6: 0.6.
In the same manner as in the above case, the composition was applied onto the surface layer 12 whose surface was modified in a dot shape, and a photoisomerization layer 13 in a dot pattern was formed on the surface layer 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the photoisomerization layer 13 thus formed was in a state in which fractal irregularities due to the two types of fine particles 13a and 13b were formed on the surface thereof.

Then, the image carrier 10 in which the photoisomerization layer 13 having the fractal irregularities formed on the surface as described above is formed on the surface layer 12 in a dot pattern is used.
Otherwise, image formation is performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the image formed on the recording medium 40 has a reflectance of 60% as in the first embodiment. When the rigidity was measured as a threshold value, the result was 4.5 μm, and the edge of the image formed on the recording medium 40 was clearer than in the case of Example 1 described above.

(Comparative Example 2) In Comparative Example 2, in order to obtain the image carrier 10, similarly to the case of Comparative Example 1, a surface layer 12 of polytetrafluoroethylene was formed on a substrate 11 made of an aluminum tube. The surface layer 12 is formed
Is applied to the entire surface of the photo-isomerized layer 1 on which the fractal-like irregularities are formed on the same surface as in the case of the above-described Example 2.
3 was provided uniformly.

Then, the image carrier 10 in which the photoisomerization layer 13 having the fractal irregularities formed on the surface is uniformly formed on the entire surface of the surface layer 12 is used. Image formation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1, and the radiiness of the image formed on the recording medium 40 was measured using the reflectance of 60% as a threshold value in the same manner as in Example 1 above. However, the result was 9 μm, and the edge portion in the formed image was
It was unclear compared to those of Examples 1 and 2.

[0049]

As described in detail above, in the present invention, an image carrier having a photoisomerization layer formed in a pattern on the surface of a substrate having a low surface energy is used, and the surface of this image carrier is a latent image. The latent image is selectively exposed to light by the forming means to form a latent image having a changed wettability on the photoisomerization layer formed on the surface of the image carrier. Since the ink image is formed on the surface of the body, the ink is appropriately supplied to the portion of the photoisomerization layer where the wettability has changed and the wettability has increased, while the light having the same wettability has not changed. The ink is not attached to the isomerized layer portion or the surface portion of the image carrier having a low surface energy where the photoisomerized layer is not formed, and the wettability changes to increase the photoisomerizable layer. Ink is cut properly at the edge of the latent image at It came to be.

As a result, in the present invention, the edge portion of the ink image formed on the surface of the image carrier becomes clear, and the ink image thus formed on the surface of the image carrier is recorded by the transfer means. When transferred to a medium, a good image with a clear edge was obtained.

When the photoisomerization layer is formed in a pattern on the surface of the substrate having a low surface energy, fine particles are contained in the photoisomerization layer. And become devastated,
In the latent image portion of the photoisomerization layer where the wettability has changed and the wettability has increased, the ink can be more appropriately adhered, while in the portion of the photoisomerization layer where the wettability has not changed. The ink becomes more difficult to adhere, and the ink is more appropriately cut at the edge portion of the latent image in the photoisomerization layer whose wettability has changed, so that a good image with a clearer edge portion can be obtained. Became.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view and a partial explanatory view showing an image carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an image carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It is the partial explanatory view showing the example of a change of the pattern of the photoisomerization layer formed in the surface.

FIG. 3 shows an image carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged explanatory view of a modification in which fine particles are contained in the photoisomerization layer to form irregularities on the surface.

FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view showing an image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial explanatory view of an image carrier used in Comparative Example 1.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image carrier 11 Substrate 12 Surface layer 13 Photoisomerization layer 13a, 13b Fine particles 20 Exposure apparatus (latent image forming means) 30 Ink developing apparatus (ink developing means) 40 Recording medium 50 Transfer roller (transfer means)

Claims (5)

[Claims] In an image bearing member provided with a photoisomerizable layer whose wettability is reversibly changed by light irradiation on the surface of the substrate, the photoisomerizable layer is patterned on the surface of the substrate having a low surface energy. An image bearing member characterized in that the image bearing member is formed on a substrate. 2. The image bearing member according to claim 1, wherein
An image carrier, wherein the photoisomerization layer contains fine particles. 3. The image bearing member according to claim 2, wherein
The above photoisomerization layer has an average particle size of 5 nm to 20,000 nm.
An image bearing member characterized by containing fine particles falling within the range described in (1). 4. The image bearing member according to claim 2, wherein the weight ratio of the fine particles to the photoisomerizable layer is 0.1.
An image bearing member, which is contained in a range of 1 to 2.0. 5. An image carrier according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the image carrier is selectively exposed to light, and the surface of the image carrier has changed wettability. Latent image forming means for forming an image, ink developing means for supplying ink to the latent image formed on the image carrier to form an ink image on the surface of the image carrier, and forming on the surface of the image carrier An image forming apparatus comprising: a transfer unit configured to transfer the formed ink image to a recording medium.