JP2002357992A - Image forming apparatus and peeling layer forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thin and even peeling layer in an image forming apparatus where the peeling layer is provided between a coloring layer and transfer material for recovery of the transfer material. SOLUTION: In the apparatus, the peeling layer is first formed on the transfer material and then the coloring layer is formed when forming an image for recovery of the transfer material. The formation of the peeling layer is carried out by spray coating the peeling agent.

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 on a transfer material such as paper and resin, and a release layer forming apparatus for forming a release layer before image formation for the purpose of reproducing the transfer material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a transfer material such as paper or resin is widely used, and a large amount of the transfer material is consumed every day. Paper is used for much of the transfer material consumed in large quantities, and most of it is used for temporary transmission of information. Therefore, a lot of paper becomes waste. Since paper is made from trees, it is not preferable to use paper as waste from the viewpoint of environmental protection.

[0003] On the other hand, discarded paper is melted, deinked, and reused as a raw material for paper. However, the quality of the paper is reduced due to damage to paper fibers in the recycling process. The number is very limited. Also,
Due to the high cost, it is used only in a limited area.

In addition, a method and an apparatus have been proposed which enable a transfer material on which an image has been formed using a resin toner to be reused as it is by removing the resin toner or decoloring the resin toner. However, the toner cannot be completely removed, and the lamination of the resins interferes with image formation. Therefore, the number of possible reproduction times is small, and it has not been widely used.

[0005] In order to improve this, the image forming apparatus is provided with a means for forming a release layer between the colored layer constituting the image and the transfer material which does not cause visual smear of the transfer material even if it remains on the transfer material. Proposed. The release layer prevents the colored layer from directly contacting the surface structure of the transfer material. In the transfer material regenerating process, the adhesion of the release layer to the transfer material is weakened, and the colored layer is removed from the transfer material.

When an unnecessary image on a transfer material is removed by some physical (thermal, mechanical, etc.) means in a reproduction process, a conventional method in which the surface of the transfer material is directly in contact with the colored layer of the image. In the method, the coloring agent at the interface with the transfer material is hardly peeled off, and it is extremely difficult to completely remove the colored layer without damaging the transfer material.

On the other hand, according to this method in which a release layer is provided between a colored layer of an image and a transfer material, the release layer itself is made of a material which does not cause visual smearing of the transfer material, so that an interface with the transfer material can be obtained. Even if a part of the release agent remains, the colored layer formed on the release layer can be removed as long as the upper surface of the release layer can be removed, so that the transfer material can be reused. The removal of the colorant is easier than in the conventional method in which all the colorant at the interface with the transfer material must be removed. In addition, since the colorant is removed every time, resin lamination hardly occurs so as to hinder image formation.

[0008]

At present, specific examples of means for forming a release layer include: a) a method of immersing a transfer material in a solution tank filled with a release agent dilution solution; There has been proposed a method of applying by using a coating. However, these methods have the following problems. a) In the method of immersing the transfer material in a solution filled with the release agent dilution solution, it is difficult to selectively form a release layer only on a part of the transfer material, and thus a large amount of the release agent is required.
In addition, since both surfaces of the transfer material are wetted with the release agent diluted solution, it takes time to dry the release agent diluted solution, and when performing a series of jobs from the formation of the release layer to the image formation, the release layer The required time from the start of formation to the end of image formation becomes longer. b) With respect to the method of applying the release agent powder using an electrophotographic method, the entire apparatus is likely to be large. In addition, since the release agent is a powder, it is difficult to form a thin layer film with a uniform thickness, and there is a limit to thinning the release layer. If the release layer is excessively thinned, microscopic holes are formed in the release layer, and the colorant in the color layer formed in these holes is in a small amount but directly contacts the surface of the transfer material. May not be removed.

Therefore, a technique for forming a release layer that solves these problems has been long-awaited as an important technique.

[0010]

According to the present invention, an image forming apparatus is provided with a release layer between a colored layer constituting an image and a transfer material which does not cause visual smear of the transfer material even if the release layer remains on the transfer material. As a means for forming, a method of spraying and applying a release agent solution to a transfer material is proposed. This makes it possible to quickly, uniformly and thinly form a release layer which can prevent the colored layer from directly contacting the surface structure of the transfer material. Further, by applying the coating only to the region corresponding to the region of the coloring layer, it is possible to further save the release agent.

In this case, although it depends on the means for removing the image, the characteristics of the transfer material are not remarkably deteriorated even in repeated use, and the transfer material can be reused many times.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) A continuous transfer material from a paper supply means for supplying roll paper is provided with a release layer on its surface by a release layer forming means. Thereafter, a colored layer forming an image is formed on the release layer by the colored layer forming means, and post-processing such as cutting, stacking, and binding is performed by the post-processing means (FIG. 1).

The coloring layer forming means comprises an offset printing means, an image information storing means for editing and storing an image, and a computer typesetting means. The offset printing unit performs printing by transferring ink, which is a colored layer constituting an image, to a transfer material by using a printing plate created by computer engraving based on information of the image storage unit. At this time, the image information storage unit sends the image information, and the offset printing unit sends the printing timing information to the release layer forming unit.

The release layer forming means comprises a release agent applying means for forming a release layer on the transfer material and a release layer formation controlling means for controlling the formation of the release layer. The release agent applying means will be described with reference to FIG. The transport belt 23 is stretched over the driving roller 32 and the driven roller 31, and is circulated in the direction of arrow K3. The surface of the conveyor belt 23 is charged by the charging roller 21 to attract the recording paper. The surface of the recording paper is neutralized by the neutralizing roller 22, and the release agent is applied and sprayed toward the transfer material by the release agent application head block 27. A paper pressing roller 25 is disposed between the neutralizing roller 22 and the release agent applying head block 27 so as to be able to rotate freely. The recording paper, which tends to peel off from the surface of the charging belt 23 when passing through the nip portion of the charge removing roller 22, is pressed against the platen 26 by the paper pressing roller 25 to ensure the suction.

As the release agent application head block 27, an ink jet type head was used. The ink-jet type release agent application head generates a liquid ejection port (orifice), a liquid flow path and an energy action section provided in a part of the liquid flow path, and generates droplet forming energy to act on the liquid in the action section. Energy generating means.

As an energy generating means, one using an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element, irradiating electromagnetic waves such as a laser, absorbing the liquid in the liquid path to generate heat, and discharging droplets by the action of the heat generation , Using an energy generating means to fly the liquid, or using an energy generating means to discharge the liquid by heating the liquid with an electrothermal converter such as a heating element having a heating resistor. However, this time, a head that discharges a stripping liquid by thermal energy was used. This is because the release agent solution discharge ports for discharging the release agent solution to form flying droplets can be arranged at a high density, so that the release liquid can be applied with high resolution.

The release agent coating head is provided with liquid paths corresponding to the respective discharge ports, and applies thermal energy to the release agent solution filling the liquid paths for each of these liquid paths, and An electrothermal converter is provided for discharging the release agent solution from the discharge port to form flying droplets. Also,
These liquid paths are supplied with a release agent solution from a common liquid chamber communicating with each liquid path. Thus, the release agent solution can be continuously applied to the transfer material. The release agent application head is provided in the entire region in the longitudinal direction orthogonal to the transfer material transport direction, and forms a release layer of an arbitrary pattern at an arbitrary position on the entire surface of the transfer material based on a signal from the release layer formation control means. Can be done.

Basically, the pattern for forming the release layer may be such that the entire surface on which an image is formed is uniformly covered (FIG. 2A).
However, considering the cost of the release agent, a pattern corresponding to the colored layer forming portion forming an image obtained from the image information from the image forming unit is preferable (FIG. 2B).

Based on the image information of the image to be formed on the transfer material, the release layer formation control means is provided so that the release layer is formed only under the colored layer of the transfer material after the image formation and in the vicinity thereof. A release layer forming pattern is generated based on the image information and timing information from the area specifying unit that specifies the image area, and the image forming unit, and transferred to the release agent applying unit, and the release layer is placed at an appropriate position on the transfer material. Let it form.

However, the colored layer formed by the image forming apparatus slightly shifts from the release layer on the transfer material formed by the release layer forming apparatus due to skew or slippage of the transfer material, play of the driving system, or the like. If the colored layer is formed by protruding from the release layer, it becomes difficult to efficiently remove the colorant during reproduction of the transfer material.

By appropriately setting the amount of bleeding of the transfer material of the release agent by a method such as diluting the release agent with a water-soluble solvent, the bleeding of the release agent dilution liquid itself into the transfer material causes the release layer to be formed. It can be formed in a wider area than the colored layer formation region at the time of image formation. When the present invention in which the release agent diluted solution is applied to the transfer material is used, it is possible to cover the gap between the release layer forming region and the colored layer forming region and prevent the release layer from protruding and forming the colored layer.

The release agent solution is dried by natural drying or the like,
A release layer is formed on the transfer material. The release agent solution used this time was a polyester resin (melting temperature 25
(0 ° C.) as a release agent and dissolved in a solvent. When the release agent is heated in the transfer material reproducing device, the fixability of the release agent to the transfer agent is reduced, and the colored layer together with the colored layer is easily released from the transfer material. Of course, the release agent reduces the fixability with the transfer material during reproduction, or separates the colored layer from the transfer material by reducing the strength of the release layer, and enables other separation of the colored layer during reproduction. Materials having various characteristics may be used.

Incidentally, the solution referred to individually includes a state such as a dispersion in which a release agent is dispersed in a liquid.

In order to realize the above, it is necessary that the release layer forming position in the release layer forming unit and the image forming position in the image forming unit match with a predetermined accuracy. This is realized by using timing information sent from the image forming unit to the release layer forming unit.

Usually, a transparent resin is used for the release layer. A colored resin may be used depending on the purpose.

The image forming method can be applied to any other method such as ink jet.

(Second Embodiment) As a second embodiment, an example in which electrophotographic technology is used for a colored layer forming station will be described. A transfer material fed from a paper feeding device (not shown) is conveyed on a transfer belt (broken arrow in the figure), and a release layer forming station for forming an image and a release layer based on image information from image formation control means, and a coloring layer. Go through the forming station,
The resin toner constituting the release layer and the color toner forming the colored layer are respectively transferred. Thereafter, the toner is fixed by a fixing unit. The configuration of the release layer forming station is the same as that of the first embodiment.

The colored layer forming station includes an image carrier, a latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier,
Developing means for developing a resin toner for forming a release layer or a colored layer constituting an image on the electrostatic latent image; transfer means for transferring the toner image on the image carrier to a transfer material on a transfer belt; image carrying after transfer It has cleaning means for cleaning the body.

The image forming control means includes: a colored layer forming station such that the colored toner layer constituting the image and the corresponding release layer are transferred on the transfer material so as to overlap with each other within a predetermined shift range. An image and a pattern to be a release layer are formed in a release layer forming station. In the image formed by the above-described image forming apparatus, a release layer is formed between the colored layer forming the image and the transfer material, and the colored layer can be completely removed during reproduction.

The stripping solution is, for example, a solution obtained by dissolving a heat-denatured material in a solvent. When heated in a transfer material reproducing apparatus, the fixability with a recording agent is reduced and the stripping solution is easily separated from the transfer material. Also, by setting the denaturation temperature of the heat-denatured material higher than the release agent temperature (approximately the transfer material temperature) at the time of heating by the electrophotographic fixing temperature, the heat-denatured material is prevented from being stripped by the electrophotographic fixing device. I can do it. Needless to say, the fixing property between the release agent and the transfer material is reduced, or the strength of the release layer is reduced and the colored layer is separated from the transfer material, and various other characteristics that enable the peeling of the colored layer during reproduction are provided. A material having the same may be used.

When a colored layer is formed by an electrophotographic method, toner particles are scattered beyond a desired image area in each of development, transfer, and fixing means, so-called "toner splatter". But easily adhere to a very wide area of the transfer material.

Such a case can be dealt with by forming a peeling layer in a region where a predetermined margin is added outside the colored layer forming portion (FIG. 2C). If the margin is small, characters printed on the transfer material may be unreadable from the pattern of the release layer remaining on the transfer material after reproduction, or the pattern of the remaining release layer may appear visually unpleasant. It may roll (FIG. 3A). To prevent this, the margin for forming the peeling layer may be increased (FIG. 3B). This makes the release layer fill up the details of the character, making it difficult to read the original character after reproduction. Further, since the release layer forms a circular solid pattern having a diameter of at least twice the margin, it does not have a very complicated structure and can improve the appearance of the transferred transfer material after reproduction. The image can be divided into several regions by the region specifying means, and a release layer forming method suitable for each region can be specified. By prohibiting the formation of a peeling layer in a predetermined area, it is possible to perform recording in which it is preferable that history information and the like cannot be erased in that area.

[0033]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in an image forming apparatus for forming a colored layer on a transfer material and forming an image by the colored layer, a colored layer forming means, An exfoliation layer forming means for forming a release layer capable of exfoliating the colored layer from the transfer material if necessary, forming an exfoliation layer on the transfer material prior to formation of the colored layer, and then forming an image of the colored layer In the forming apparatus, the release layer is formed by spray-coating a release agent or a release agent solution with a transfer material to form a release layer, thereby forming a uniform release layer that is easy to dry on the transfer material. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the means for forming a release layer is to spray and apply a release agent or a release agent solution to the entire surface of the transfer material on which an image is formed,
A uniform release layer can be formed on the transfer material.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the means for forming the peeling layer includes the step of forming the peeling layer on a region of the transfer material on which the image is to be formed on the transfer material based on the image information from the image forming means. By forming, a uniform release layer can be formed only in the image forming area on the transfer material, and the cost of the release liquid can be reduced.
Further, according to the fourth aspect, the means for forming the release layer has a predetermined or designated area in the area where the image is formed on the surface of the transfer material on which the image is formed, based on the image information from the image forming means. By forming the release layer wide only by the margin, while reliably forming a uniform release layer on the lower surface of the colored layer on the transfer material,
In addition, the cost of the stripping solution can be reduced.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus has an image area specifying means, and the means for forming the release layer does not form the release layer based on the area information from the image area specifying means. At the time of material reproduction, an image to be removed from the transfer material and an image not to be removed can be selected at the time of image formation.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, as a pretreatment of an image forming apparatus having a colored layer forming means for forming a colored layer on a transfer material and forming an image by the colored layer,
A release layer forming means for forming a release layer capable of peeling the colored layer from the transfer material as required, and spraying and applying a release agent or a release agent solution onto the transfer material prior to forming the colored layer of the image forming apparatus. By using a release layer forming apparatus that forms a release layer according to the present invention, a uniform release layer can be easily dried on a transfer material and a uniform release layer can be formed. A uniform release layer can be formed on the transfer material by spraying and applying a release agent or a release agent solution to the entire surface of the transfer material on which an image is formed.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the means for forming the release layer includes the step of forming the release layer in an area where an image can be formed on the surface of the transfer material on which the image is formed, based on the image information from the image forming means. By forming, a uniform release layer can be formed only in the image forming area on the transfer material, and the cost of the release liquid can be reduced.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the means for forming the release layer is provided in the area where the image is formed on the surface of the transfer material on which the image is to be formed, based on the image information from the image forming means. By forming the release layer wider by the specified margin or by a specified margin, it is possible to surely form a uniform release layer on the lower surface of the colored layer on the transfer material and reduce the cost of the release liquid.

According to the tenth aspect, the image forming apparatus further includes an image area designating means, and the means for forming the peeling layer does not form the peeling layer based on the area information from the image area designating means. At the time of material reproduction, an image to be removed from the transfer material and an image not to be removed can be selected at the time of image formation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cross section when a release layer and a coloring layer are overlaid on a transfer material.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which a release layer and a coloring layer are stacked on a transfer material, and
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a transfer material surface after a colorant is peeled off.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a view schematically showing a release layer forming station according to the first embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21 charging roller 22 static elimination roller 23 conveyance belt

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for forming a colored layer on a transfer material and forming an image using the colored layer, comprising: a colored layer forming means; and, if necessary, peeling the colored layer from the transfer material on the transfer material. Having a release layer forming means for forming a release layer capable of forming a release layer on a transfer material prior to the formation of a colored layer, and then, in an image forming apparatus for forming a colored layer, forming the release layer, An image forming apparatus, wherein a release layer is formed by spraying and applying a release agent or a release agent solution onto a transfer material. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for forming the release layer forms the release layer on the entire surface of the transfer material on which an image is formed. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for forming the release layer forms the release layer in a region where an image can be formed on the surface of the transfer material on which the image is formed, based on image information from the image forming means. Item 2. The image forming apparatus according to Item 1. 4. A method for forming a release layer, wherein the release layer is formed by a predetermined or designated margin in a region where an image is formed on a surface of a transfer material on which an image is formed based on image information from the image forming means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is formed. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image area designating means, wherein the means for forming the peeling layer does not form the peeling layer based on the area information from the image area designating means. apparatus. 6. As a pretreatment of an image forming apparatus having a colored layer forming means for forming a colored layer on a transfer material and forming an image with the colored layer, a colored layer may be formed on the transfer material, if necessary, from the transfer material. Release layer forming means for forming a release layer capable of being peeled off, and forming a release layer by spraying and applying a release agent or a release agent solution onto a transfer material prior to forming a colored layer of an image forming apparatus. apparatus. 7. The release layer forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for forming the release layer forms the release layer on the entire surface of the transfer material on which the image is formed. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the means for forming the release layer forms the release layer in a region where an image can be formed on the surface of the transfer material on which the image is formed, based on image information from the image forming means. Item 7. An apparatus for forming a release layer according to Item 6. 9. A method for forming a peeling layer, the peeling layer being wider by a predetermined or designated margin in a region where an image is formed on a surface of a transfer material on which an image is formed, based on image information from the image forming means. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein
The release layer forming apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims. 10. The release layer according to claim 6, further comprising an image area designating means, wherein the means for forming the release layer does not form the release layer based on the area information from the image area designating means. Forming equipment.