JP2001010224A - Method and apparatus for recording - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure an excellent image repeatedly by removing a residual material on an intermediate transfer body completely, irrespective of the state of the material, on the occasion of removing the material from the intermediate transfer body. SOLUTION: This method comprises a process wherein a material 11 which can be dissolved in or swollen with a liquid and can increase the viscosity of the liquid is formed beforehand on a intermediate transfer body 21, a process wherein the liquid is brought into contact with the material thereafter and an image is formed on the intermediate transfer body, a process wherein the image is then transferred onto a recording body and a process wherein the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body after the transferring process is removed entirely by sticking.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording method and apparatus suitable for forming an image by ejecting a liquid containing a coloring material in accordance with an image signal, such as an ink jet head recording apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for removing a material formed on an intermediate transfer member in order to repeatedly record an image in an ink jet recording apparatus using an intermediate transfer member.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As in an ink jet recording system, a recording method in which a liquid containing a colorant is ejected as droplets in accordance with an image signal to perform recording on recording paper,
It is an important technical problem to perform recording with little bleeding on plain paper such as high-quality paper. For this reason, various inventions have been conventionally proposed. The following three are typical examples of these prior arts. 1. A method in which an ink curing agent is dropped in the same place at the same time as when the ink is dropped on the recording paper, or before and after that: for example, JP-A-6-92009 and JP-A-6-9201.
The invention described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 0 is directed to dropping ink on recording paper only in a region of plain paper where ink droplets are dropped,
Alternatively, before and after that, an ink curing agent is dropped on the same location on the recording paper to prevent bleeding on the recording paper. However, in this invention, a means dedicated to the ink curing liquid is required, and since the curing time is long, the recording time is longer than usual. 2. Apply a material that reduces ink bleeding on the recording paper in advance,
After recording, how to fix the material on recording paper:
The invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-97720 is to apply particles for reducing ink bleeding on plain paper in advance, fix the ink, and then fix the particles on paper. But,
Since the particle material used in the present invention is a material that shows a reaction such as dissolution with respect to the ink, there is a possibility that after the particles are fixed, the particle material may show a reaction such as dissolution with water or oil as an ink solvent on paper. Yes, storage stability after recording is poor. 3. Method for transferring ink onto recording paper after increasing the viscosity of ink using an intermediate transfer member: For example, the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-89067 is a recording device called an intermediate transfer member type ink jet, and temporarily prints an ink image. The ink is formed on an intermediate transfer member and transferred to recording paper when the viscosity becomes moderate, thereby solving ink bleeding on plain paper. However, the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-89067 discloses a method in which a surfactant is applied to an intermediate transfer member in advance to increase the wettability. Therefore, bleeding occurs on the intermediate transfer body and eventually on the recording paper, and is unsuitable for high-speed recording. In particular, bleeding is large in the case of a solid image. However, there is a limit to speeding up in terms of this bleeding.

[0003] The applicant has already proposed a recording method and apparatus for solving the problems common to the prior art (Japanese Patent Application No. 9-3).
No. 59208). According to the invention, a material which can be dissolved or swelled with a liquid in advance and which can increase the viscosity of the liquid and which reacts with the liquid, such as dissolution, is applied onto the intermediate transfer body, and then the liquid is signaled. From the one that forms a visible image on the intermediate transfer member by jetting according to
In image recording using plain paper or the like, a high-speed and good image without bleeding can be obtained. However, Japanese Patent Application No. 9-359208 does not disclose a method and an apparatus for treating a material after transfer. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application No. 10-336741, which is also a prior application filed by the present applicant, discloses that a material which can be dissolved or swelled by a liquid and which increases the viscosity of a liquid is coated on an intermediate transfer member, and this material is used for image information. A technique has been disclosed in which a visible image is formed by ejecting a corresponding liquid, this is transferred to plain paper, and then the material is removed from the intermediate transfer body. From this description, a roller that removes the material from the intermediate transfer body is disclosed. The technique of adhering and removing using is readable. However, the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body after transfer is a material that has swelled in contact with the liquid but swelled but not transferred, an unused material that has not contacted or swelled with the liquid, and has not been in contact with the liquid. However, residual materials in various states, such as materials whose viscosity has increased to some extent by absorbing moisture in the air, are mixed. In the content described in the earlier application,
It is not possible to sufficiently cope with these plural types of remaining materials, and if the material on the intermediate transfer member is not completely removed, the next recording may be hindered.

[0004]

The materials remaining on the intermediate transfer member include materials remaining in contact with the liquid but swollen but not transferred, unused materials not in contact with the liquid and not swelling, and liquids. Since there is a mixture of residual materials in various states, such as materials that have not been in contact but have increased in viscosity due to absorption of moisture in the air, the above-described conventional recording method and an apparatus using the method use these materials. However, the remaining material cannot be completely removed, which causes a problem that the initial characteristic value cannot be obtained in the next recording. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve such a problem. That is, the present invention is directed to a recording method and apparatus capable of repeatedly securing a good image by completely removing the remaining material on the intermediate transfer member regardless of the state of the material when removing the material from the intermediate transfer member. Is to provide.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording method comprising: a material which can be dissolved or swelled by a liquid on an intermediate transfer member in advance and which can increase the viscosity of the liquid. Forming an image on the intermediate transfer body after contacting the liquid with the material,
The most main feature of the method is to transfer the image onto a recording medium and, after the transferring step, to attach and remove all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body. In the recording method according to the present invention, as described in claim 2, the step of attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body is performed by applying a liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body after the transfer step. The main feature of this process is to contact and remove all the materials changed by the liquid thereafter. In the recording method according to the present invention, the step of attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body includes:
The main feature is that, after the transferring step, heat is applied to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body, and thereafter, all the material changed by the heat is attached and removed. In the recording method according to the present invention, as described in claim 4, as a step of adhering and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member, after the transfer step, a step between the intermediate transfer member and the adhesion removing means is performed. The main feature is that a step of applying a voltage is provided. The recording apparatus according to the present invention is, as described in claim 5, a material forming means for forming a material which can be dissolved or swelled by a liquid in advance and which can increase the viscosity of the liquid on the intermediate transfer member. Image forming means for forming an image on an intermediate transfer member by bringing a liquid into contact with the material, transfer means for transferring the image onto recording paper, and adhesion removal for attaching and removing the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body The most main feature of the recording apparatus having the means is that an adhesion removing means for attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is provided.

In the recording apparatus according to the present invention, the adhesion removing means for attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member applies liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member. The main feature is that it includes a liquid applying means. The main feature of the recording apparatus according to the present invention is that the liquid applying means for applying liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is a liquid ejecting means. The main feature of the recording apparatus according to the present invention is that the liquid ejecting means for applying liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is an ink jet writing head. The main feature of the recording apparatus according to the present invention is that the liquid ejecting means for applying liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is a liquid spraying means. The main feature of the recording apparatus according to the present invention is that the liquid applying means for applying liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is a liquid applying roller. The recording device according to the present invention includes:
As described in the eleventh aspect, the liquid applying means for applying the liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is a mist liquid applying means as a main feature. According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the recording apparatus, the adhesion removing means for attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is provided by applying heat to apply heat to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member. The main feature is to include means. The recording device according to the present invention includes:
According to a thirteenth aspect, the main feature is that the heating means for attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is a heating applying roller. The recording apparatus according to the present invention, as described in claim 14, on the intermediate transfer member,
A material forming unit that forms a material that can be dissolved or swelled by a liquid in advance and that can increase the viscosity of the liquid; an image forming unit that forms an image on an intermediate transfer body by contacting the liquid with the material; In a recording apparatus having a transfer unit that transfers the image onto recording paper and an adhesion removing unit that attaches and removes a material formed on the intermediate transfer body, the intermediate transfer body and the material formed on the intermediate transfer body are The main feature is that a voltage applying means is provided between the adhesion removing means and the adhesion removing means.

[0007]

The recording method and apparatus according to the present invention are described in claim 1
And 5) forming a material which can be dissolved or swelled by a liquid in advance and which can increase the viscosity of the liquid on the intermediate transfer member, and then contacting the liquid with the material to form a material on the intermediate transfer member A method of forming an image on a recording medium, and a step of transferring the image onto a recording medium, and after the transferring step, a step of attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body, and a method thereof. Since the apparatus is realized, it is possible to provide a removing step and an apparatus in which the residual material on the surface of the intermediate transfer member is completely removed,
It is possible to provide a recording method capable of repeatedly securing a good image. In the recording method and apparatus according to the present invention, the step of adhering and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is performed after the step of transferring the image on the intermediate transfer member. The method and apparatus comprise the steps of contacting the liquid with the remaining material, and then attaching and removing all the material changed by the liquid. Unused materials that have not contacted or swelled, and materials that have not contacted liquid but have increased in viscosity due to absorption of moisture in the air, can be reliably removed without distinction, resulting in good images repeatedly. Can be provided. According to a third aspect of the present invention, as a recording method and a recording apparatus, a step of attaching and removing a material formed on an intermediate transfer body is performed on a material formed on the intermediate transfer body. The method and the apparatus are characterized by a step of applying heat and thereafter attaching and removing the material changed by the heat.
It is possible to provide a recording method and apparatus capable of repeatedly securing a good image. The recording method and apparatus according to the present invention are characterized by a method and an apparatus comprising a step of applying a voltage between a material remaining on an intermediate transfer member and the intermediate transfer member, as described in claims 4 and 14. Therefore, the material is easily separated from the intermediate transfer member, and a removal method and apparatus with high removal efficiency can be provided, and a recording method and apparatus capable of repeatedly securing a good image can be provided.

[0008]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional recording method and a conventional recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and includes a material (hereinafter, referred to as a setting agent) application unit 10, an intermediate transfer body unit 20, a printing unit 30, a paper supply unit 40, Transfer means 5
0, paper discharging means 60, and set agent removing means 70. The operation of the recording apparatus having such a configuration is as follows. First, when a printing start signal is received, the set agent applying unit 10 applies the set agent 11 to the intermediate transfer belt 21 of the intermediate transfer body unit 20. Here, the setting agent 11 is a powder exhibiting water absorption, such as an acrylic acid resin, an acrylic acid / methacrylic acid copolymer resin, a methacrylic acid resin, a cellulose resin, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and starch. In conjunction with the operation of the set agent applying unit 10, the intermediate transfer unit 20 also operates.
The setting agent 11 is applied on the top of the base material 1. Intermediate transfer belt 21
Is a belt made of a fluorine-based resin, but at least the surface in contact with the setting agent 11 is made of a substance exhibiting a releasability from a thickener generated when the setting agent 11 comes into contact with the ink droplets. It may be silicone rubber, fluorine rubber, silicone resin, fluorine resin, polyimide resin, or the like. FIG. 1 shows the form of the belt, but it may be constituted by a drum or the like. The surface may be made of a substance exhibiting releasability from the thickener generated when the setting agent 11 comes into contact with the ink droplets, and the base may be made of another resin such as PET or a metal.

The intermediate transfer means 20 includes three rollers 22,
23, 24, the intermediate transfer belt 21, a drive motor (not shown), a position control encoder, a housing, and the like.
24, the intermediate transfer belt 21 is rotated. Next, when the application portion moves to the position of the printing means 30, the printing operation starts, and the printing means 30 prints image information such as an image and text on the set agent 11 on the intermediate transfer belt 21. In this embodiment, the inkjet head 31 of the printing unit 30 is shown in a shuttle scanning system in which the inkjet head 31 slides along the rod-shaped member 32, but may be constituted by a line head or the like. When the printing mechanism is constituted by line heads, it is characterized in that printing and transfer are performed at high speed and continuously. Next, the paper 42 is sent out from the paper feed cassette 41 of the paper feeding means 40 and sent to the registration rollers 43. In accordance with the timing of the image information printed on the intermediate transfer belt 21,
The recording paper 42 is sent out from the registration roller 43, and the transfer roller 51 of the transfer unit 50 pushes the recording paper 42 up from the back surface, whereby the image information on the intermediate transfer belt 21 is transferred to the recording paper 42. Thereafter, the paper is discharged and stocked by the paper discharging means 60. Since the dissolved and swollen setting agent 11 which has not been involved in printing remains on the intermediate transfer belt 21 which has passed through the transfer unit 50, the setting agent 11 is attached and removed by a setting agent removing unit 70 such as a blade or a roller.

Referring to FIG. 2, a specific configuration of the setting agent removing means 70 of the present invention will be described in detail. Components performing the same functions as those described in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1, and description thereof is omitted. In the first embodiment, the setting agent removing means 70 including the removing roller 71 removes the setting agent 11 remaining in the intermediate transfer body after the transfer, which is to be removed in contact with the liquid, swells but is not transferred and remains. All of the unused setting agent 11 that is not in contact with the liquid and does not swell, and the setting agent 11 that is not in contact with the liquid but has increased in viscosity by absorbing moisture in the air but adhered to the surface of the removing roller 71. To try to remove. A setting agent remaining in contact with the liquid but swollen but not transferred, an unused setting agent not in contact with the liquid and not swelling, and a viscosity increase due to moisture absorption in the air which is not in contact with the liquid but absorbs moisture in the air The adhesive force between the set agent and the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 21 and the contact with the liquid but the remaining set agent that has swelled but not transferred, the unused set agent that has not contacted and swelled without contacting the liquid, Although not shown, the magnitude relationship of the adhesive force between the setting agent and the removing roller 71 whose viscosity has increased due to the absorption of moisture in the air is such that the latter has stronger adhesive force.
It is not necessary to provide a speed difference between the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 21 and the removal roller 71, and the two surfaces may be set to rotate at a constant speed, or the removal roller 71 may be associated with the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 21. You may make it rotate.
The surface of the removing roller 71 is in contact with the liquid and swells but remains untransferred, remaining setting agent, unused setting agent not in contact with and swelling with the liquid, and moisture in the air which is not in contact with the liquid but is in contact with the liquid. Is made of a material having adhesive strength to all of the setting agent 11 whose viscosity has increased due to moisture absorption, the removing roller 71 can completely remove all the setting agent remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 21. . The applicant conducted an experiment for the purpose of confirming the effects of the above-described contents. In this experiment, a water-based inkjet printer was used as the recording means, Ricoh PPC paper was used as the recording paper, polyacrylic acid was used as the setting agent, the SUS surface was coated with a Teflon resin as the removing roller 71, and the Teflon resin was used as the aluminum drum surface. A coated intermediate transfer belt was used. As a result, the setting agent 1 on the intermediate transfer belt
All of 1 adhered to the removing roller 71 and could be removed better than the intermediate transfer belt. When the recording operation was performed again using the intermediate transfer belt after the removal, a good image was obtained.

Next, another embodiment of the setting agent removing means 70 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIG.
Although all the remaining setting agents 11 are removed by utilizing the surface property of No. 1, the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 is the second embodiment for ensuring the effect of the embodiment described in FIG. In the example,
The liquid applying means 72 is added to the first embodiment to facilitate the removal of the setting agent 11. More specifically,
Removal roller 71 and transfer roller 5 serving as set agent removing means
The liquid applying means 72 is disposed between the first and second liquid supply units. In other words, since the setting agent 11 on the intermediate transfer belt 21 has a property of increasing the viscosity when it comes into contact with the liquid ink, when the setting agent 11 is removed, the setting agent 11 comes into contact with the setting agent and increases like the ink. The set agent becomes sticky when it comes into contact with a viscous liquid. By utilizing this property, removal of the setting agent can be promoted. In FIG. 3, after the transfer of the image to the recording paper 42 is completed, the setting agent 11 remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 21 is transferred to the liquid applying unit 72.
, All the setting agents 11 come into contact with the liquid 73. All the setting agents become tacky and then completely removed by contacting the removing roller 71. As the material of the removing roller 71, urethane, silicone rubber, rubber such as EPDM, polypropylene,
Various materials such as resin such as PET, aluminum, and SUS can be used. The liquid applying means 72 for applying the liquid 73 to the setting agent 11 may have the same configuration as an ink jet writing head, or may use a liquid ejecting means such as a spray.

Further, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As schematically shown in FIG. 5, it is also possible to pass the setting agent 11 through the mist of the liquid 73 to apply the liquid. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 74 denotes a box body which holds the liquid 73 which comes into contact with the setting agent 11 and thickens the setting agent in a mist state. The setting agent remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 21 becomes all sticky by passing through the position where the box 74 is provided, and then adheres to the removing roller 71 as shown in FIG. At the intermediate transfer belt 21. The color of the liquid to be brought into contact with the setting agent is preferably colorless from the viewpoint of preventing contamination. As described with reference to FIG. 2, the applicant conducted an experiment for the purpose of confirming the effect of the above embodiment. Polyacrylic acid was used as a setting agent, a removing roller 71 having a SUS roller coated with Teflon resin, an intermediate transfer belt having an aluminum drum coated with Teflon resin, and an aqueous inkjet vehicle as a liquid applying means. As a result, the setting agent 11 on the intermediate transfer body that passed through the liquid applying means 72 all increased in viscosity, adhered to the removal roller 71 rotated together with the intermediate transfer belt, and could be removed much better than the intermediate transfer belt 21. . When the recording operation was performed again using the intermediate transfer belt after the removal, a good image was obtained.

Further, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The difference between this embodiment and the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and the like is that the removing roller 71 serving as the removing unit also serves as the liquid applying unit 72. That is, since the liquid 73 is soaked out from the peripheral surface of the removing roller 71, the liquid 73 can be brought into contact with the setting agent at the same time that the removing roller 71 contacts the setting agent 11. The adhesive is made to adhere to the removing roller 71. FIG. 6A shows the removal roller 71.
Is shown. A urethane sponge 75 is disposed inside the removing roller 71, and the urethane sponge 75 contains the liquid 73. Removal roller 7
The surface of 1 is a nylon tube, which is provided with a number of holes 77. When the removing roller 71 comes into contact with the setting agent 11 on the intermediate transfer belt 21, an amount of the liquid 73 suitable for imparting tackiness to the setting agent is released from the holes 77 formed on the surface of the removing roller. . The setting agent that has come into contact with the removing roller 71 becomes tacky with the liquid 73 and is removed by attaching to the removing roller 71. Such a roller 71 is arranged at the position shown in FIG. 6B in the same manner as described in FIG. By employing a configuration in which the removing roller 71 serving as the removing unit also serves as the liquid supply unit 72, space saving is achieved. The applicant conducted an experiment for the purpose of confirming the effect of the above-described embodiment. Aqueous inkjet printer as recording means, Ricoh PPC paper as recording paper, polyacrylic acid as setting agent,
A removal roller provided with a urethane sponge impregnated with a liquid therein by a urethane loop brush rotating in the opposite direction to the intermediate transfer belt, and an intermediate transfer belt composed of a silicone rubber belt were used. As a result, all of the setting agent 11 on the intermediate transfer belt adhered to the removing roller 71 irrespective of the state, and could be removed more favorably than the intermediate transfer belt. When the recording operation was performed again using the intermediate transfer belt after the removal, a good image was obtained.

Further, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The difference between the present embodiment and the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is that a heating means 78 is arranged inside the removing roller 71 so that the set agent 11 becomes tacky and the removing roller 7
1 to promote removal of the setting agent. When the removing roller 71 comes into contact with the setting agent 11 on the intermediate transfer belt 21, the heat generated by the heating means 78 applied inside the removing roller is transmitted to the setting agent 11, and the setting agent 11 becomes soft and tacky. . As a result, the setting agent 11 is completely removed by adhering to the removing roller 71. Using polyacrylic acid as a setting agent for trial,
The temperature of the heating means 78 inside the removing roller 71 is set to 110 ° C.
When the contact was determined to a certain degree, it could be removed better than the intermediate transfer belt. A good image was obtained as a result of performing the recording operation again using the intermediate transfer belt after the removal. That is,
This heating means 78 may be applied to the removing roller shown in FIGS. 2, 3 or the like, or may be applied to the removing roller shown in FIG. FIG. 8 shows a sixth embodiment having contents common to the first to fifth embodiments described above. In FIG. 8, a voltage is applied between the removing roller 71 shown as the removing means and the intermediate transfer belt 21. Specifically, the setting agent layer 11 of polyacrylic acid was formed on the intermediate transfer belt 21 made of a fluorine-based resin, and the removal roller 71, which was a resin-coated aluminum roller, was brought into contact with the roller. On this occasion,
Between them (between the removing roller 71 and the intermediate transfer belt 21)
When a voltage of 500 V was applied to the removing roller 71, the setting agent 11 adhered to the removing roller 71, and the setting agent on the intermediate transfer member was successfully removed. As described above, it has been clarified that the application of the electric field between the two makes it easier to separate the setting agent from the intermediate transfer member, and that a good removing effect can be obtained.

[0015]

According to the above description, the effects of the present invention are clarified as follows. That is, the recording method and apparatus according to the present invention can be dissolved or swelled in advance with a liquid (ink or the like) on the intermediate transfer member and increase the viscosity of the liquid, as described in claims 1 and 5. A material applying step of applying and forming a material (setting agent), an image forming step of forming an image on an intermediate transfer body by bringing a liquid into contact with the material, and a transferring step of transferring the image onto a recording medium; After the transfer step, a method comprising a removing step of attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body and an apparatus for realizing the method are characterized, so that the remaining material on the surface of the intermediate transfer body is completely removed. It is possible to provide a removing step and an apparatus to be removed, and it is possible to provide a recording method capable of repeatedly securing a good image. In the recording method and apparatus according to the present invention, the step of attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body is performed on the intermediate transfer body after the transfer step. The method and apparatus are characterized by the step of contacting the liquid with the remaining material, and then adhering and removing all the material changed by the liquid. Unused materials that have not swelled without swelling, and materials that do not come into contact with liquid but have increased viscosity due to absorption of moisture in the air can be reliably removed without distinction, and good images can be repeatedly obtained. A secure recording method can be provided. The recording method and apparatus according to the present invention include:
As described in claims 3, 12 and 13, in the step of attaching and removing the material formed on the intermediate transfer member, heat is applied to the material formed on the intermediate transfer member, and thereafter, the material is changed by the heat. Since the method and apparatus comprising the step of attaching and removing the material are characterized, it is possible to provide a recording method and apparatus which can remove the material without using a liquid and which can be removed with good maintainability, and which can repeatedly obtain a good image. Was. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording method and apparatus comprising a step of applying a voltage between a removing unit for removing a material remaining on an intermediate transfer body and an intermediate transfer body. And an apparatus, the material can be easily separated from the intermediate transfer member, and it is possible to provide a removal method and apparatus with high removal efficiency, and to provide a recording method and apparatus capable of repeatedly securing a good image. Was completed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating a conventional recording method and a conventional recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a first embodiment of a setting agent removing means of the recording method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a second embodiment of the set agent removing means of the recording method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a detailed explanatory view of a second embodiment of the set agent removing means of the recording method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a third embodiment of the set agent removing means of the recording method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIGS. 6 (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of a fourth embodiment of the set agent removing means of the recording method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a fifth embodiment of the set agent removing means of the recording method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a sixth embodiment of the setting agent applying means of the recording method and apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 material (setting agent) application means, 11 setting agent, 1
2 replenishing brush, 13 application roller, 20 intermediate transfer body means, 21 intermediate transfer belt, 22 rollers, 23 rollers, 24 rollers, 30 printing means, 31 inkjet head, 32 rod-shaped member, 40 paper feeding means, 41
Paper cassette, 42 recording paper, 43 registration roller,
50 transfer means, 51 transfer roller, 60 paper discharge means,
70 material (setting agent) removing means, 71 removing roller,
72 liquid applying means, 73 liquid, 74 box, 75
Urethane sponge, 76 nylon tube, 77
Hole, 78 heating means, 79 voltage applying means

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A step of forming a material which can be dissolved or swelled by a liquid in advance and which can increase the viscosity of the liquid on an intermediate transfer member, and thereafter, the liquid is brought into contact with the material to form an image on the intermediate transfer member. Forming an image, then transferring the image onto a recording medium, and after the transferring step, adhering and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body. . 2. The step of adhering and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body, the method comprising, after the step of transferring, contacting a liquid with the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body, and then removing the material changed by the liquid. 2. The recording method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of removing and attaching all of them. 3. The step of adhering and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body, wherein, after the transferring step, heat is applied to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body, and then the material changed by the heat is removed. 2. The recording method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of removing and attaching all of them. 4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of applying a voltage between the intermediate transfer body and the adhesion removing means after the transferring step, as a step of attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body. The recording method according to claim 1, wherein: 5. A material forming means for forming a material which can be dissolved or swelled with a liquid in advance and which can increase the viscosity of the liquid, on the intermediate transfer member, and the liquid is brought into contact with the material to form an intermediate transfer member. An image forming unit for forming an image on the recording medium, a transfer unit for transferring the image onto recording paper, and an adhesion removing unit for attaching and removing a material remaining on the intermediate transfer body; A recording device provided with an adhering and removing means for adhering and removing all the material remaining on the recording medium. 6. An adhesion removing means for attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body, comprising liquid applying means for applying a liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body. 5. The recording device according to 5. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the liquid applying means for applying liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is a liquid ejecting means. 8. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the liquid ejecting means for applying liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is an ink jet writing head. 9. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the liquid ejecting means for applying a liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is a liquid spraying means. 10. The recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the liquid applying means for applying liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is a liquid applying roller. 11. The recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the liquid applying means for applying liquid to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is a mist liquid applying means. 12. The adhesion removing means for attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body includes a heating applying means for applying heat to the material remaining on the intermediate transfer body. 5. The recording device according to 5. 13. The recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the heating means for attaching and removing all the material remaining on the intermediate transfer member is a heating roller. 14. A material forming means for forming a material which can be dissolved or swelled by a liquid in advance and which can increase the viscosity of the liquid, on the intermediate transfer member, and the liquid is brought into contact with the material to form an intermediate transfer member. A recording device having an image forming means for forming an image thereon, a transfer means for transferring the image onto recording paper, and an adhesion removing means for adhering and removing a material formed on the intermediate transfer body; 6. A voltage applying means is provided between the image forming apparatus and an adhesion removing means for attaching and removing a material formed on the intermediate transfer member.
14. The recording device according to any one of claims 13 to 13.