JP2008049525A - Sticking method of repeelable adhesion sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sticking method of a reliable and good repeelable adhesion sheet which uses a powder adhesive after a manufacturing method of a thermoplastic resin powder as the powder adhesive of practical use is established. <P>SOLUTION: Contact bonding equipment 70 which sticks the repeelable adhesive sheet has a preliminary heating device 72 and a heating/pressing roller couple 71a and 71b located on the downstream side of the device. The sheet folded in two or three and coated with the powder adhesive is conveyed in the direction of an arrow b, passed through the preliminary heating device 72 and contact-bonded by the heating/pressing roller couple 71a and 71b. The speed of conveyance of the sheet is made a (mm/sec), a heating area length in the sheet conveyance direction of the preliminary heating device L (mm), an inter-sheet temperature after passing through the preliminary heating device Tp (°C) and a set temperature of the preliminary heating device Ts (°C), and a and L are so set as to satisfy Tp/Ts≥90(%) and "(set temperature of preliminary heating device)-(the lower of the 1/2 method melting temperature of the powder adhesive and that of variable information toner)≤80°C". <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for attaching a releasable adhesive sheet for producing a releasable adhesive sheet using a thermoplastic transparent resin powder.

Conventionally, in order to transmit character information only to a specific individual, generally, the character description is in a sealed form so that the individual can confirm the character information only after opening.
In recent years, personal information protection has become a strict question, and various business establishments, for example, personal information such as various personal data, gradebooks, salary statements, etc., are printed on the printed part of the written text. It is recorded and distributed in the form of envelopes or cards by bonding or crimping the peripheral edge of the printed part or the entire surface of the written text.

  Among these, postcard-sized cards are called crimped postcards and can be used at the same charge as regular postcards. Therefore, as a printing information concealment system that is highly convenient for information providers, advertising It is also widely used for advertising direct mail.

  In order to use such a printing information concealment system for crimping postcards, etc., secret information has conventionally been created by entrusting it to a specialized manufacturer or introducing an expensive crimping postcard or other manufacturing / printing device. .

  There are two methods for creating confidential information using a manufacturing / printing device such as a crimping postcard, such as a method of applying adhesive after information printing or a method of applying adhesive before information printing. The premise of creating a large amount of information is essential and expensive.

Further, such outsourcing to a manufacturer is not a preferable method for creating confidential information because there is a potential problem of leakage of personal information.
By the way, in recent years, along with the development of personal computers and printers, there has been proposed one that can easily create a crimp postcard even in a small unit so that it can be used by small-scale offices and individuals.

  For example, postcard paper with release paper pre-applied with a pressure sensitive adhesive is on the market. In this method, after printing predetermined character information or the like on the printing surface inside the two-fold, the pressure-sensitive adhesive portion is crimped to complete a postcard for postage.

  For example, a set of adhesive film and postcard paper is sold. In this method, after printing predetermined character information or the like on the printing surface inside the double fold, the adhesive film is pressure-bonded with the adhesive film sandwiched inside, so that a postcard for posting can be created.

  However, this is unavoidable, and it is inevitable that handling is complicated, and it is better to make several crimping postcards personally, but it is cheap, quick, and responsive to demand in a certain number of sheets. It can not be created with.

Therefore, a toner-like adhesive composed of microcapsules containing an adhesive is transferred onto the surface of the substrate by electrostatic printing and flash-fixed. During adhesion, the microcapsules are destroyed by pressure and the adhesive in the capsule is leached. In this way, a proposal has been made that it is possible to easily create a pressure-bonded postcard. This proposal also suggests a pulverized toner obtained by melting, kneading, and pulverizing an adhesive. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1.)
In addition, the pressure-bonding substance is put in a replacement printing cartridge for an office printer or copying machine, and the pressure-bonding substance is applied to a government-made postcard or envelope by the same operation as the printing operation by the office printer or copying machine. After that, a proposal has been made that it can be applied to a dedicated crimping machine, and a single printer or copying machine can be used to reach the dedicated crimping machine. In addition, this proposal suggests that a crimping substance is applied to one side of a fold and one side of a center of a fold. (For example, see Patent Document 2.)
In addition, a method has been proposed in which a toner containing a heat-sensitive adhesive is used, and an image is created in a demand-responsive manner by an electrophotographic method. In this proposal, the softening temperature of the heat-sensitive adhesive is configured to be higher than the softening temperature of the binder resin of the toner for electrophotography, and the ratio of the heat-sensitive adhesive to the toner for electrophotography is 5 to 5. It has been proposed that the composition be 60% by weight and that the composition of the heat-sensitive adhesive contains at least one selected from the group consisting of a heat-adhesive resin, a hot melt, and waxes. (For example, refer to Patent Document 3.)
However, although the technology of Patent Document 1 describes the configuration and composition of the microcapsule toner, the pulverized toner is merely suggested to the extent that it is conceived, and the specific composition, production method, There is no description about the usage, and this makes it possible for even those skilled in the art to produce useful pulverized toners and, of course, not even make prototypes.

  In addition, the technology of Patent Document 2 is to create a print information concealment document by a public postcard or envelope before being applied to a dedicated crimping machine, and it is convenient in that it must be applied to the dedicated crimping machine to complete for posting. It must be said that it is lacking in performance and economy and is far from being responsive to demand.

  In the technique of Patent Document 3, the softening temperature of the heat-sensitive adhesive is simply set higher than the softening temperature of the binder resin of the toner for the electrophotographic system. There is no explanation of prescription.

  By the way, as a method of creating a pressure-sensitive postcard that is responsive to demand, a powder adhesive that can be used by being housed in a toner cartridge of a small electrophotographic printer that can be used personally is specifically realized. It is considered that the powder adhesive may be applied to the paper surface on which variable information is printed (or printed, the same applies hereinafter) by the same printer by developing, transferring and fixing.

  However, if the adhesive is applied to the paper after printing using an electrophotographic printer, the powder adhesive must be applied as an adhesive unless it is of the same form as a normal toner ( Development, transfer, and fixing) are considered impossible.

  However, although the powder adhesive for toner-like pressure-adhesive postcards is suggested to the extent of conceiving in the above-mentioned patent documents, which are the conventional proposed technologies, the specific material formulation is also specific as described above. Neither usage is disclosed.

Also, such a toner adhesive powder adhesive for postcards has not been distributed to the market to date. The pressure-sensitive adhesive for postcards in circulation is only liquid or adhesive sheet.
Therefore, the present inventor decided to make a prototype of a toner-like adhesive on the premise that it can be applied using a printer, based on the suggestion of the conventional proposed technique.

  FIG. 14 (a) is a chart showing a material prescription of a toner-like adhesive produced on the premise that it can be applied using a printer or a copying machine, and FIG. 14 (b) shows the toner-like adhesive produced as a prototype. It is a table | surface which shows the result of having evaluated the pressure-bonded postcard produced by adhere | attaching for every preset temperature.

  As shown in FIG. 14 (a), in the toner-like adhesive material formulation, the binder resin is about 95% polyester, the charge control agent is LR147 is about 2%, the wax is pp (polypropylene resin). About 2%.

  The above-mentioned material prescription is based on the idea that it satisfies both the requirements of a pressure-sensitive adhesive for postcards and that it can be applied with a printer (that is, it has powder properties similar to toner). Polyester is a binder resin material that is currently used mainly as a toner for printers.

  Next, these materials were mixed with a Henschel mixer FM20 manufactured by Mitsui Mine, and kneaded with a biaxial continuous kneader. Thereafter, the mixture was roughly crushed, pulverized, and classified, and finally mixed with hydrophobic silica by a Henschel mixer to obtain a powder similar to a toner having a center particle size of 9 μm.

  This powder was developed on a photosensitive drum as a powder adhesive, transferred to the folding surface of a reciprocating postcard, fixed, taken out of paper, and pasted on a crimping machine. At this time, the setting temperature of the bonding roller to be bonded was set in four stages of 120 ° C., 130 ° C., 140 ° C., and 150 ° C., and the pressure-bonded postcard bonded at each set temperature was created.

  The use of a dedicated crimping machine as described above for pasting this postcard, and the temperature setting of the pasting roller includes a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the normal toner, suggesting that each of the conventional proposed techniques It is a response.

When the pressure-bonded postcard created by bonding at each set temperature as described above is evaluated, a chart shown in FIG. 14B is obtained.
Note that the peel force shown in the table of FIG. 4B is the strength of the force when peeling the attached part of the crimped postcard, and the character offset property is that the attached part of the crimped postcard is opened (peeled). In some cases, the variable information printing toner is detached from the originally printed surface, and is transferred to and adhered to the adhesive surface.

  FIGS. 15A to 15E are diagrams for explaining character offsets that appear to occur in the prior art as described above. FIG. 4A shows a developed state before the Z-fold (tri-fold) crimped postcard is attached.

  Moreover, although the figure (a) is not certain in the figure, the above-mentioned transparent knurled adhesive is applied to the surfaces A and B, and the surfaces E and F. In addition, the entire surface (surfaces A, B, C, D, E, and F) of the crimped postcard in the developed state is shown only on the surface A in the figure, but characters (variable information) are displayed by a page printer or the like. Printed (printed).

  The unfolded crimped postcard is bent as shown in FIG. Then, surface A and surface B are overlapped, surface E and surface F are further overlapped, and pasted through a pasting device (not shown), and a single sheet is bonded as shown in FIG. Created as a postcard.

  When such a postcard is received by mail, the recipient must peel off the bonding surface of the postcard and read the confidential variable information printed on the surfaces A, B, E and F. become.

  FIG. 4D shows an example of a good state (good re-peeling property) where no character offset occurs. FIG. 5E shows an example in which the character offset of the surface A is generated on the surface B and the removability is poor.

  In this way, the character offset is a state in which the surface of the variable information on the bonding surface (surface A in the example in the figure) is partially peeled off, and is transferred as a mirror image to the opposite surface (surface B in the example in the figure). Become. This is named character offset (hereinafter also referred to as surface peeling failure).

In the table shown in FIG. 14B, “x” indicates that the evaluation result of the removability was bad. As is apparent from this table, in the adhesive prepared as described above, a character offset occurs in the temperature setting region (140 ° C., 150 ° C.) of the adhesive force (= peeling force) to which the postcard sticks. It turns out that there is a problem.
JP 09-104849 A (paragraphs 0005, 0014, FIG. 1, FIG. 3, FIG. 6) JP 2000-006553 A (summary, no figure) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-126231 (paragraphs 0085 to 0087, not shown)

  In other words, with adhesives created within the range suggested by the prior art (adhesives whose softening temperature is higher than the softening temperature of the binder resin of the toner), variable information is printed with normal toner and then applied to the printing surface as a single adhesive. Or when a variable information image is formed with a toner containing a heat-sensitive adhesive, the toner fixed on the paper surface is re-melted by heating to realize adhesion by the subsequent adhesive, It was found that a character offset occurred.

  This character offset phenomenon is caused by the fact that both the variable information printing toner softened and melted by thermocompression bonding and the adhesive are strongly bound together, and when the postcard is opened, the variable information printing toner is strongly pulled by the adhesive on the opposite surface. However, it is considered that this occurs when the adhesive force between the paper and the variable information printing toner exceeds the adhesive force, and the variable information printing toner is transferred to the opposite surface side.

  Therefore, it turns out that some control is necessary with respect to the thermal properties of the adhesive in producing a powder adhesive having a sufficient adhesive force (= peeling force) and no character offset.

  In view of the above-described conventional situation, the object of the present invention is to establish a method for producing a thermoplastic resin powder as a practical powder adhesive, and to perform reliable and high-quality re-peeling using the powder adhesive. It is providing the sticking method of an adhesive sheet.

  First, the releasable adhesive sheet sticking method of the first invention is a two-fold or three-fold method in which a powder adhesive is applied by a pre-heating device and a pressure-bonding device having a heat / press roller pair on the downstream side. A method of attaching a releasable adhesive sheet for pressure-bonding the sheet, wherein the sheet conveying speed is a (mm / sec), the heating area length in the sheet conveying direction of the preheating device is L (mm), When the temperature between the sheets after passing through the preheating device is Tp (° C.) and the set temperature of the preheating device is Ts (° C.), Tp / Ts ≧ 90 (%) and “(the preheating device Set temperature) − (1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive and 1/2 method melting temperature of variable information toner, whichever is the lower half method melting temperature) ≦ 80 ° C. ” And a and L are set.

  Next, the releasable adhesive sheet bonding method according to the second aspect of the present invention is a method in which a two-fold or three-fold sheet coated with a powder adhesive is pressure-bonded by a pressure bonding apparatus equipped with a flat plate type hot press. A method for applying a peelable adhesive sheet, where the press time is t (sec), the temperature between the sheets after the press is Tp (° C.), and the set temperature of the press surface metal plate is Ts (° C.). Ts ≧ 90 (%) and “(set temperature of preheating device) − (1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive and 1/2 method melting temperature of variable information toner, whichever is lower) / 2 method melting temperature) ≦ 80 ° C. ”, the above-described t is set.

  In the releasable adhesive sheet affixing method, the powder adhesive is, for example, a ½ method melt having an average particle diameter of about 9 μm made of a binder resin and others and 5 ° C. higher than the printing toner. It is configured to be a transparent resinous powder adhesive having temperature.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a reliable and high-quality releasable adhesive sheet attaching method using a powder adhesive made of a toner-like thermoplastic transparent resin powder.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment 1)
In order to prevent the above-described character offset phenomenon, the variable information printing toner and the powder adhesive are in a state where the variable information printing toner is not softened in the step of applying the postcard coated with the powder adhesive by applying pressure and heating. It is considered necessary to have a thermal characteristic that the body adhesive starts to soften and can be bonded, that is, the powder adhesive starts to soften at a low temperature with respect to the variable information printing toner.

  In order to realize a toner-like powder adhesive having a practical specific composition, firstly, it is verified whether or not the above idea is correct, and secondly, the above If the above concept is correct, it is considered important to verify the specific difference between the thermal characteristics of the variable information printing toner and the thermal characteristics of the powder adhesive.

For this verification, the present inventor prepared four powder adhesives having various thermal characteristics based on the thermal characteristics of the variable information printing toner, and evaluated the adhesive force and the character offset property.
Hereinafter, the formulation of the powder adhesive, the method for producing the powder adhesive, the evaluation test method for the powder adhesive, the results and the considerations will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a chart showing the composition of four powder adhesives prepared in the first embodiment. In the same table, four powder adhesives are shown as Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, and Example 4 from left to right in the horizontal column, and from top to bottom in the vertical column. For each example, the composition ratios of the binder resin, the charge control agent, and the wax (WAX) are shown.

  In the production of Examples 1 to 4, polyester is used as the binder resin material among polyester and styrene acrylic that are mainly used in printers and copying machines.

  As shown in the figure, in Example 1, polyester A is used as the binder resin, the mixing ratio is about 95%, the charge control agent is LR147, the mixing ratio is about 2%, and As the wax, pp (polypropylene resin) is used, and the mixing ratio is about 3%.

In Example 2, polyester B is used as the binder resin, the mixing ratio is about 95%, and the charge control agent and wax are the same as in Example 1.
In Example 3, polyester C is used as the binder resin, the mixing ratio is about 95%, and the charge control agent and wax are the same as in Example 1.

In Example 4, polyester D is used as the binder resin, the mixing ratio is about 95%, and the charge control agent and wax are the same as in Example 1.
The three types of materials, the binder resin, the charge control agent, and the wax, are mixed by the Henschel mixer FM20 manufactured by Mitsui Mining Co., Ltd. for each type of polyester contained therein, that is, for each example. The mixture was kneaded with a biaxial continuous kneader.

  Thereafter, the mixture is crushed, pulverized, and classified, and finally mixed with hydrophobic silica by a Henschel mixer, and a transparent powder adhesive having a center particle diameter of 9 μm, that is, a thermoplastic transparent resin powder (transparent toner). )

  FIG. 2 shows an electrophotographic color used to print variable information on a paper surface and to apply the powder adhesive of the above-described Examples 1 to 4 made of transparent toner on the printed surface of the paper. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an image forming apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as a printer).

The printer of this example is an example of a tandem color printer. The printer of this example is an example of a color printer for duplex printing.
In FIG. 1, a printer 1 is connected to a host device such as a personal computer (not shown) by a cable. The printer 1 includes an apparatus main body upper part 2 and an apparatus main body lower part 3, an operation panel 4 is disposed on the upper surface of the apparatus main body upper part 2, and a paper discharge unit 5 for printing paper is further formed.

The operation panel 4 includes a key operation unit 4a having a plurality of keys and a liquid crystal display 4b that performs display based on display information output from a CPU (not shown).
Further, on the paper discharge unit 5, a paper on which a color image is formed by an image forming unit (to be described later) by the rotation of the paper discharge roller 6 and further coated with the powder adhesive of the first, second, third, or fourth embodiment described above. Are discharged and sequentially stacked on the paper discharge unit 5.

  On the lower part 3 of the apparatus main body, a paper feed cassette 7 and a transport unit for duplex printing described later are mounted. In addition, a front cover 8 that can be opened and closed is provided on the front surface of the lower portion 3 of the apparatus main body, and the paper feed cassette 7 is detachably provided below the front cover 8. The paper feed cassette 7 can be pulled forward as shown by an arrow a in the figure by pulling the handle 7a toward the front of the apparatus when supplying paper.

  The front cover 8 is opened when, for example, jam processing or maintenance is performed. The duplex printing transport unit can be attached and detached by opening the horizontal lid 9 provided on the right side surface of the lower part 3 of the apparatus main body. The horizontal lid 9 also serves as a side opening lid for maintenance.

  Also, an MPF (multi paper feeder) tray mounting portion cover 11 is disposed on the upper right side of the lower part 3 of the apparatus main body with the horizontal lid 9, and the mounting portion cover 11 is opened downward. An MPF tray can be mounted on the top. However, the MPF tray is not attached to the attachment portion cover 11 in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing the internal configuration of the printer 1 having the above-described appearance. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 1 includes an image forming unit 12, a belt unit 13, a duplex printing transport unit 14, a paper feeding unit 15, and a fixing unit 16.

  The image forming unit 12 includes four image forming units 17 (17-1, 17-2, 17-3, 17-4) arranged in a multistage manner. Each of these image forming units 17 has the same configuration except for the type of toner that is a developer housed in a developing container, which will be described later. Therefore, hereinafter, image forming unit 17-3 for yellow (Y) is used. The configuration will be described with reference to FIG.

  The image forming unit 17 is configured by integrally assembling a drum set 18 and a toner set 19. The drum set 18 includes a photosensitive drum 21, and a cleaner 22 and a charger 23 are disposed around the periphery of the photosensitive drum 21.

  Subsequently, the recording head 24 supported by the frame of the apparatus main body is arranged, and further, the developing container 25 and the developing roller 26 constituting the toner set 19 are arranged. At the bottom, the sheet conveying surface of the sheet conveying belt 27 of the belt unit 13 abuts, and the transfer unit 28 supported by the frame of the belt unit 13 is disposed with the sheet conveying surface of the sheet conveying belt 27 interposed therebetween. Has been.

The developer container 25 contains toner therein and supports a developing roller 26 in the opening on the lower side surface.
The sheet conveying belt 27 is stretched between the driving roller 29 and the driven roller 31 and is stretched by the tension roller 32, and circulates and moves counterclockwise as indicated by arrows B and B 'in the drawing.

  A standby roller pair 33 is disposed on the upstream side of the sheet conveying belt 27. The upstream side of the standby roller pair 33 branches sideways and down, and in the lateral direction, a separation feeding mechanism comprising a paper feeding roller 34 and a separating member is disposed, and the above-described mounting portion cover 11 is opened downward on the side. An MPF tray 35 is mounted on the top.

  In the downward branch direction, a second guide path 36, a second paper feed roller pair 37, a first guide path 38, and a first paper feed roller pair 39 are disposed, and are almost directly below the first paper feed roller pair 39. The paper feed end of the paper feed cassette 7 is located at the top. A paper guide roller 41 and a paper feed roller 42 having a semicircular cross section are disposed above the paper feed end.

  A fixing unit 16 is provided on the downstream side of the paper transport belt 27. A fixing unit 43 is detachably disposed in the fixing unit 16. The fixing unit 43 includes a heat roller 44, a pressure roller 45, an oil application roller 46, a cleaning roller 47, a temperature sensor 48, a paper separation claw 49, a discharge roller pair 51 and the like in a heat insulating casing.

  A switching flap 52 and a paper discharge roller pair 53 are disposed downstream of the fixing unit 16, and a paper discharge port 54 is formed on the left side surface of the apparatus main body behind the paper discharge roller pair 53. Further, a pair of carry-out rollers 55 and a guide path 56 are arranged above the switching flap 52, the guide path 56 is reversed from the upper side to the right side, and the end thereof opens above the left end of the paper discharge unit 5, The paper discharge roller 6 described above is disposed in the opening.

  Further, a duplex printing conveyance unit 14 is disposed between the sheet conveyance belt 27 and the paper feed cassette 7. The duplex printing transport unit 14 includes a return transport path including a plurality of feed back roller pairs 57 and a feed back guide path 58 that feeds the sheet that has been printed on one side to the upstream side. The end of the return conveyance path opens in the inner guide wall of the first guide path 38.

  Between the return conveyance path (57, 58) and the paper feed cassette 7, an electrical unit 59 on which a predetermined number of circuit boards can be mounted is disposed. A control device composed of a plurality of electronic components is mounted on the circuit board disposed in the electrical component 59.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the control device. As shown in the figure, the control device 60 includes an interface controller (hereinafter referred to as an I / F controller) 61 and a printer controller (PR_CONT) 62 connected to the I / F controller 61. Is connected to a host computer (not shown), and a printer printing unit 63 is connected to the printer controller 62.

  A CPU 64 is connected to the I / F controller 61 and the printer controller 62, and the CPU 64 controls the I / F controller 61 and the printer controller 62 in accordance with a system program stored in the ROM 65.

The I / F controller 61 creates pattern data corresponding to one page of the paper in accordance with print information or application information output from the host computer.
At this time, the pattern data created by the I / F controller 61 is image data corresponding to, for example, magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y), and black (K) at first, and the next print In the processing, it is the application data of the powder adhesive (B) in the monochrome printing mode.

  The pattern data for each color or the pattern data for the powder adhesive is stored in the storage areas 66K, 66M, 66C, and 66Y for each powder adhesive or each color of the frame memory 66 disposed in the I / F controller 61. Remembered.

  Further, these pattern data are output to the printer controller 62 under the control of the CPU 64, and for each toner of black (K) (powder adhesive (B)), magenta (M), cyan (C), and yellow (Y). Is output to the printer printing unit 63.

The operation panel 4 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to the CPU 64, and various operation signals from the outside are input to the CPU 64 through the operation panel 4.
An EEPROM 67 is connected to the CPU 64. The EEPROM 67 stores, for example, a paper size detected by a paper feed sensor (not shown), double-sided printing instruction and timing data, powder adhesive application instruction data, and the like.

  In the above configuration, the three image forming units 17-1, 17-2, and 17-3 on the upstream side (right side in the drawing) of the four image forming units 17 are in the developing container 25. Each of the three subtractive primary colors, magenta (M), cyan (C), and yellow (Y), is accommodated, and a color image is formed using these color toners.

The most downstream image forming unit 17-4 is usually configured to form a dark image portion or a monochrome image portion of a character image with black (K) toner.
However, in this example, the most downstream image forming unit 17-4 first superimposes the black (K) toner monochrome image on the other three color images as described above in the full-color printing mode. Form.

  As a result, first, the same full-color image (variable information) is formed (printed and printed) on a plurality of sheets of paper using magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y), and black (K) toners. The

  Next, the monochrome printing mode is set, and the developing container 25 containing the black (K) toner of the most downstream image forming unit 17-4 is made of transparent toner. The developing container 25 that contains the body adhesive (B) is sequentially replaced. Then, a transparent adhesive image is formed (applied) on the variable information forming surface of the paper surface on which the full color variable information is formed as described above.

  The operation of the printer 1 having such a configuration will be described in more detail below. In this example, a plurality of plain papers having an integral multiple area of a postcard (in this example, pre-cut into an A5 size which is twice the area of a postcard) are placed and accommodated in the paper feed cassette 7. Has been.

  First, when the power is turned on and the number of sheets to be used, the printing mode, and other specifications are input as a key input or a signal from the connected host device, variable information is printed (printing) and the following powder is printed. Application of body adhesive is started.

  First, the uppermost sheet of paper placed in the paper feed cassette 7 is rotated by the paper feed roller 42 so that the paper guide roller 41, the first paper feed roller pair 39, the first guide path 38, and the second paper feed. The paper is fed to the standby roller pair 33 through the paper roller pair 37 and the second guide path 36. Alternatively, the uppermost sheet of paper placed on the MPF tray 35 is fed to the standby roller pair 33 by the rotation of the paper feed roller 34. The standby roller pair 33 temporarily stops the rotation, stops the progress of the paper by abutting the leading edge of the paper against the clamping unit, corrects the skew of the paper, and waits for the conveyance timing.

  The sheet conveying belt 27 starts to circulate counterclockwise when the drive roller 29 is started. Each image forming unit 17 excluding the powder adhesive (B) is sequentially driven in accordance with the printing timing, and the photosensitive drum 21 of the drum set 18 rotates in the clockwise direction.

  The charger 23 of the drum set 18 applies a uniform high charge while being in contact with the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 21 to initialize the photosensitive drum 21. The recording head 24 selectively exposes the peripheral surface of the initialized photosensitive drum 21 according to an image signal to form a low potential portion where the potential is attenuated. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 21. The electrostatic latent image includes a high potential portion by initialization and a low potential portion by exposure.

  The developing roller 26 of the toner set 19 is applied with a developing bias from a bias power source (not shown), and rotates and conveys the toner in the developing container 25 to a portion facing the photosensitive drum 21, so that the toner is transferred to the electrostatic latent image. A toner image is formed (developed) by transferring to a low potential portion (or high potential portion). This toner image is conveyed to the opposite portion between the photosensitive drum 21 and the paper conveying belt 27 as the photosensitive drum 21 rotates.

  At the timing when the leading edge of the magenta toner image on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 21 of the image forming unit 17-1 at the most upstream in the sheet conveying direction is rotated and conveyed to the opposite part to the sheet conveying belt 27, The standby roller pair 33 starts rotating and feeds the paper toward the paper transport belt 27 so that the print start positions of the paper coincide.

  The paper transport belt 27 electrostatically attracts the paper and transports it downstream. Thus, the sheet is conveyed to the first image transfer unit where the photosensitive drum 21 and the sheet conveying belt 27 of the image forming unit 17-1 face each other.

  In the image transfer unit, a magenta toner image on the photosensitive drum 21 is transferred by a transfer current (or voltage) applied to the paper via the paper transport belt 27 by a transfer device 28 that is in pressure contact with the back surface of the paper transport belt 27. Is transferred to the paper. The sheet is conveyed as it is, and then the cyan toner image on the photosensitive drum 21 of the second image forming unit 17-2 from the upstream in the sheet conveying direction is transferred, and further the photosensitive element of the third image forming unit 17-3. The yellow toner image on the drum 21 is transferred, and the black toner image on the photosensitive drum 21 of the most downstream image forming unit 17-4 is transferred.

  The sheet on which the four color toner images are transferred is separated from the sheet conveying belt 27 and carried into the fixing unit 43 of the fixing unit 16. The fixing unit 43 presses and holds the paper between the heating roller 44 and the pressure roller 45 and fixes the toner image on the paper surface by heat and pressure while conveying the paper in the downstream direction, and discharges it backward by the discharge roller pair 51. To do.

  For example, in the case of single-sided printing, the sheet discharged from the fixing unit 16 is sent almost horizontally to the left when the switching flap 52 is in the horizontal position as shown by the solid line in FIG. 53, the sheet is taken over and discharged from the discharge port 54 with the image forming surface facing upward.

  Further, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 4, when the switching flap 52 is rotated obliquely from the horizontal position in the clockwise direction, the paper is taken over by the pair of carry-out rollers 55 and is moved along the guide path 56. Then, it is further reversed to the right of the main device at the end, and is discharged by the paper discharge roller 6 onto the paper discharge unit 5 with the image forming surface facing downward.

  In the case of duplex printing, the switching flap 52 is initially rotated to the position indicated by the broken line in FIG. 3 in the same manner as when the paper is discharged to the paper discharge unit 5, and the paper is once transported to the pair of carry-out rollers 55. And is guided upward along the guide path 56, and stops when the trailing edge of the paper reaches the pair of carry-out rollers 55.

  This stop timing is based on the detection of the paper size by a paper feed sensor (not shown) at the time of paper feeding, and the number of drive pulses of, for example, a stepping motor that drives the carry-out roller pair 55 by a control unit (not shown) is a predetermined value. To be determined. Of course, a sensor may be provided in the vicinity of the carry-out roller pair 55 to detect the trailing edge of the paper.

  Next, when the pair of carry-out rollers 55 starts to rotate in the opposite direction, the sheet is guided to the opposite side surface of the switching flap 52, the image forming surface is directed upward, and the rear end portion so far is the leading side. It is carried into the printing transport unit 14.

  Then, the sheet is fed into the first guide path 38 via the plurality of feed-back roller pairs 57 and the feed-back guide path 58 of the duplex printing transport unit 14 and is reversed from the upper side to the downstream side (left side). One surface (the first image forming surface) faces downward, and the surface on which no image is formed faces upward, and is fed to the standby roller pair 33.

  As a result, the toner images of four colors are sequentially transferred onto the second surface of the paper in the same manner as in the first surface, and are fixed by the fixing unit 43 and discharged out of the apparatus from the paper discharge unit 5 or the paper discharge port 54. Is done.

  Thereafter, the discharged printed paper is placed and accommodated in the paper feed cassette 7 with its adhesive surface facing downward. As a result, the above-described printed paper is ready to be fed to the image forming unit 12 with the printed side up.

  Next, the monochrome printing mode is set in the printer 1 by the operator, and the developing container 25 containing the black (K) toner of the image forming unit 17-4 at the most downstream position is the above-described transparent toner powder adhesive. For example, the developing container 25 in which the first embodiment is accommodated in (B) is replaced.

  Then, the operator instructs execution of a printing process with a predetermined printing pattern (in this example, full-surface application, that is, solid printing). As the fixing temperature, a temperature corresponding to the transparent toner of Example 1 is set.

  As a result, the entire printed image with the transparent toner (transparent powder adhesive) of Example 1 is developed, transferred onto the variable information forming surface of the sheet on which the full color variable information is formed as described above, and fixed. Thus, the application of Example 1 is completed. This printing process (coating process) is performed on a predetermined number of printed sheets.

  Subsequently, the developer container 25 containing the powder adhesive of Example 1 of the most downstream image forming unit 17-4 is replaced with, for example, the developer container 25 containing the powder adhesive of Example 2 by the operator. The Then, the execution instruction of the printing process using the same solid printing pattern as described above and the setting of the fixing temperature corresponding to the transparent toner of Example 2 are performed.

  As a result, the developed image of the transparent toner (transparent powder adhesive) of Example 2 with the same solid print pattern as described above is superimposed on the variable information forming surface of the paper on which the same full color variable information as described above is formed. Are transferred and fixed, and the application of Example 2 is completed. This printing process (coating process) is also performed on the same number of the printed sheets as described above.

In the same manner as described above, the coating process was performed for Example 3 and Example 4 under the same conditions as described above.
FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an A5 size paper on which full-color variable information is formed as described above, and FIG. FIG. 3C is a diagram showing a sheet coated with 3 or 4, and FIG. 4C is a diagram in which the sheet coated with the embodiment 1, 2, 3 or 4 is folded in two with the variable information forming surface inside. FIG. 4 (d) is a diagram showing a paper pasting process (process for creating a postcard just before posting) in which the folded paper is thermocompression bonded.

  Further, in the sheet affixing (crimping) process shown in FIG. 4D, the fixing unit 43 of the printer 1 is used, and the set temperature of the heating roller 44 of the fixing unit 43 is 120 ° C., 130 ° C., 140 ° C., 150 The temperature was set in four stages of ° C., and the paper was bonded (compressed) by thermocompression bonding at each set fixing temperature.

  In this process, the surface linear velocity of the heating roller 44 and the pressure roller 45 was about 30 mm / sec, and the temperature of the heating roller 44 was set while measuring with a thermistor.

FIG. 6 is a chart showing the evaluation of the peeling force (adhesive strength) of the pressure-bonded postcard created as described above and the character offset property of variable information characters.
In this evaluation, the character offset property of the variable information character was evaluated by opening the bonded postcard adhesive portion and visually confirming the presence or absence of the character offset.

  In the evaluation of peel strength (adhesive strength), a tensile tester AGS-20NJ manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation was used as a measuring instrument, and a T-shaped test was performed with a test paper width of 25 mm and a test speed of 300 mm / min as measurement conditions. Adhesive strength) was confirmed. Suitability values for the peel force were about 0.3N to 1.5N.

  As shown in the chart, the powder adhesive of Example 1 had no peeling force (adhesive force) at the thermocompression bonding temperatures of 120 ° C. and 130 ° C., and therefore the character offset property could not be specified (indicated by diagonal lines). ). At 140 ° C., an effective peeling force (adhesive force) was shown (0.3 N), but character offset occurred (×). Moreover, although effective peeling force (adhesive force) was shown also at 150 degreeC (1.0N), the character offset generate | occur | produced (x).

  The powder adhesive of Example 2 also had no peeling force (adhesive force) at the thermocompression bonding temperatures of 120 ° C. and 130 ° C., and therefore the character offset property could not be specified (indicated by diagonal lines). At 140 ° C., the peel force (adhesive force) was weak (0.2 N) and character offset occurred (×). At 150 ° C., the peel force (adhesive force) was sufficient (1.0 N), but character offset occurred (×).

  The powder adhesive of Example 3 also had no peeling force (adhesive force) at the thermocompression bonding temperatures of 120 ° C. and 130 ° C., and therefore the character offset property could not be specified (indicated by hatching). At 140 ° C., an effective peeling force (adhesive force) was shown (0.3 N), but character offset occurred (×). Further, at 150 ° C., a strong peeling force (adhesive force) was shown (1.3 N), but a character offset occurred (×).

  Subsequently, the powder adhesive of Example 4 had a weak peeling force (adhesive strength) at 120 ° C. (0.2 N), and no character offset occurred (◯). Further, an effective peeling force (adhesive force) was exhibited at a thermocompression bonding temperature of 130 ° C. (0.7 N), and character offset did not occur (◯). At 140 ° C., a strong peeling force (adhesive force) was exhibited (1.5 N), but character offset occurred (×). Further, at 150 ° C., the peel force (adhesive force) was too strong, causing paper breakage, and character offset occurred at the partially peeled portions (×).

  As described above, according to the above evaluation, in Examples 1 to 3, there is no peeling force (adhesive force) at any thermocompression bonding temperature, or character offset occurs even if there is a peeling force (adhesive force). Therefore, it has been found that it is not practical as an adhesive for crimping postcards.

  In Example 4, the evaluation of “good peeling force (adhesive force) (0.7 N)” and “no character offset generation (◯)” was shown at a thermocompression bonding temperature of 130 ° C., and the other thermocompression bonding temperatures. Then it was impossible.

Here, it was decided to examine the relationship between the thermal characteristics between the examples with good and bad evaluations and the genuine toner used for printing variable information.
In the investigation of the relationship between the thermal characteristics, each thermal characteristic was measured using a flow tester CFT-500D manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation.

  In the above-mentioned apparatus, two types of test modes are selected: a constant temperature method for testing at a constant temperature and a temperature rising method for continuously measuring the fluidity of a sample while raising the temperature as the test time elapses. However, in this example, measurement was performed by the temperature raising method.

  The temperature rising method is a method in which the temperature is raised at a certain rate as the test time elapses as described above, and a wide temperature range from the solid region of the sample to the transition region, the rubbery elastic region, and the flow region. There is an advantage that the rheological properties of can be obtained continuously in one measurement.

  When the flow tester CFT-500D is used, the fluidity of the sample, that is, the melt viscosity is obtained, and highly practical data can be obtained. In addition, it is possible to accurately measure a high viscosity sample that cannot be measured with a rotary viscometer.

In the above test, the softening temperature, the outflow start temperature, and the 1/2 method melting temperature were determined for each sample (Examples 1 to 4, genuine toner).
The 1/2 method melting temperature is conventionally used to measure the temperature characteristics of toner materials used in printers and copiers as a guideline for evaluating the melting characteristics of a sample in a temperature raising method using a flow tester. It is.

  From the thermal characteristics (softening temperature, outflow start temperature, and flow tester measurement values of 1/2 method melting temperature) for each sample (Examples 1 to 4, genuine toner) measured as described above, FIG. In Examples 1 to 3, which showed poor evaluation in the evaluation of the peeling force (adhesive force) and the character offset property of the variable information character, the softening temperature was 78 ° C. with respect to the softening temperature of the genuine toner ( 77 ° C) or higher (78 ° C, 83 ° C).

  In addition, the outflow start temperature is higher than the outflow start temperature of genuine toner 91 ° C. (92 ° C., 91 ° C., 91 ° C.). The temperature difference is within ± 10 ° C (121 ° C, 119 ° C, 110 ° C) with respect to the / 2 method melting temperature of 120 ° C.

  On the other hand, Example 4 which showed good evaluation by the evaluation of the peeling force (adhesive force) and the character offset property of the variable information character shown in FIG. , Indicating a very low temperature (71 ° C.).

  Further, the outflow start temperature is extremely low (81 ° C.) with respect to the outflow start temperature of genuine toner of 91 ° C., and the 1/2 method melting temperature of the genuine toner is ½ method melting temperature of 120 ° C. On the other hand, this also shows a very low temperature (100 ° C.).

  Thus, in Examples 1-3 which showed bad evaluation by evaluation of the peeling force (adhesive force) and the character offset property of a variable information character shown in FIG. 6, and Example 4 which showed good evaluation, softening It has been found that there are significant differences in the temperature characteristics exhibited by the temperature, the outflow start temperature, and the 1/2 method melting temperature.

  Here, considering the above measurement results, in Examples 1, 2, and 3, the peel force (adhesive force) is sufficient in the relationship between the temperature of the heating roller 44 in the attaching step and the characteristics of the pressure-bonded postcard. In addition, there is no suitable area where there is no character offset.

In Example 4, both the peel strength (adhesive strength) and the character offset property are suitable in the region around 130 ° C.
Next, considering the results of suitability and improperness and the thermal characteristics of each powder adhesive and variable information printing toner, the thermal characteristics of the powder adhesive and the thermal characteristics of the variable information printing toner are large and small. In relation, it turns out that:

That is, it is necessary for the powder adhesive to have a thermal characteristic that begins to soften at a low temperature with respect to the variable information printing toner. And the difference of the thermal characteristic has the following relationship specifically.
(A) At the 1/2 method melting temperature, there is a relationship of “(1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive) − (1/2 method melting temperature of variable information printing toner) <− 10 ° C.”.
(B) The outflow start temperature has a relationship of “outflow start temperature of powder adhesive <outflow start temperature of variable information printing toner”.
(C) There is a relationship of “softening point temperature of powder adhesive <softening point temperature of variable information printing toner” at the softening point temperature.

It can be said that a powder adhesive having a thermal characteristic such that such a relationship exists with the variable information printing toner is a preferable powder adhesive.
And by using such a powder adhesive, it is possible to create a pressure-sensitive postcard that sticks with sufficient adhesive force and does not cause character offset when opened using a printer near you. It becomes.

(Embodiment 2)
By the way, in response to the social demand for an energy-saving device that is shorter in start-up time and environmentally friendly, the toner for printing (printing) variable information of printers currently on the market is There is a tendency that the temperature characteristics are designed to be gradually lowered so that the fixing temperature functions at a lower temperature.

  Since the powder adhesive must satisfy the above-mentioned condition of “softening point temperature of powder adhesive <softening point temperature of variable information printing toner”, it follows the tendency of toners designed to have lower temperature characteristics. Thus, it is necessary to further lower the temperature characteristics.

  However, it is predicted that lowering of temperature characteristics will lead to deterioration of storage stability, mechanical strength, etc., and further causes aggregation in stock, aggregation in the developing device (when printer is not used), etc. Is done.

  Therefore, in order to avoid such a problem, the relationship of “(1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive) − (1/2 method melting temperature of variable information printing toner) <− 10 ° C.” is satisfied. Character offset (variable information) even if the condition is not satisfied, that is, “(1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive) − (1/2 method melting temperature of variable information printing toner)> − 10 ° C.” Development of a method for attaching a releasable adhesive sheet that does not cause surface peeling) is desired.

  Therefore, the present inventor changed the viewpoint, that is, not limited only to the temperature characteristics of the powder adhesive, and variously changed the processing conditions of the crimping device to change the character offset (variable information surface by the powder adhesive). An experiment was conducted to see how (exfoliation) appears or does not appear.

  As a result, even in the combination of the powder adhesive and the variable information printing toner that does not satisfy the above condition of “<−10 ° C.”, if certain conditions are added to the setting of the pressure bonding device, It has been found that it is possible to produce a pressure-bonded sheet having no surface peeling failure. This will be described below as a second embodiment.

<Experiment 1>
First, as a pressure bonding device replacing the fixing unit 43 shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 5 (d), a total of three different types of heat / press roller system with a preheating unit and a heat / press roller only system without a preheating unit. Four crimping devices were prototyped.

  FIG. 8A is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a heat / pressing roller type pressure bonding apparatus with a preheating unit, and also shows upstream and downstream transport systems in the vicinity of the apparatus. FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing only the preheating unit of the crimping apparatus and showing its internal structure.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, in the pressure bonding apparatus 70, a preheating unit 72 is installed immediately before the upstream side of the heat roller pair 71 (71a, 71b). The heat roller pair 71 has substantially the same configuration as a general printer fixing device. That is, while being heated to a certain temperature, the heat rollers 71a and 71b are pressed against each other with a specified pressure. Moreover, it rotates by being driven by a drive system (not shown).

  The other preheating unit 72, as shown in FIG. 5B, is a sheet metal 75 having two sets of assembly members 76 formed by sequentially laminating a heat insulating material 73, a heating element 74 and a sheet metal 75 with a predetermined gap therebetween. Are placed with their outer surfaces facing each other.

In other words, the stacking order of the sheet metal 75, the heating element 74, and the heat insulating material 73 is reversed above and below the two sets of assembly members 76.
In order to prevent adverse effects such as rubbing, for example, on the surface of the sheet metal 75 that faces through a predetermined gap, such as rubbing and the like, for example, addressing and printing on the pressure-bonding sheet passing through the gap, for example, Teflon (registered trademark) ) And other surface treatments with good releasability.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, the crimping apparatus 70 has a length L (mm) of the preheating unit 72 in the sheet conveying direction indicated by an arrow b, L = 100 mm in the prototype device 1 and L in the prototype device 2. = 200 mm, L = 400 was set for the prototype device 3. The prototype device 4 has only a configuration of a heat roller pair 71 without a preheating unit. In addition, the sheet conveyance linear velocity was set to 100 mm / second for all prototypes.

  In addition, the temperature was set to five variable temperatures of 100 ° C., 120 ° C., 140 ° C., 160 ° C., and 180 ° C. In this case, both the preheating device 70 and the heat roller pair 71 were always set to the same temperature.

  Further, if the preheating unit 72 and the heat roller pair 71 are separated as much as possible in the prototype devices 1 to 3, the separated gap becomes a non-heating section, and the paper heated by the preheating unit 72 is cooled. End up.

  Therefore, in order to avoid this inconvenience, as shown in FIG. 8A, there is almost no gap between the paper discharge port 72-1 of the preheating unit 72 and the paper advancement port 71-1 of the heat roller pair 71. It is arranged as close as possible to.

Further, a page printer N6000 manufactured by Casio Computer Co., Ltd. was used for printing variable information on sheets carried into the prototype devices 1 to 4. The toner used was a genuine one.
Moreover, the powder adhesive was produced by the substantially same method as described in the first embodiment. Thus, a powder having an average particle size of about 9 μm made of a binder resin and others produced by a manufacturing method similar to that of the toner, but in this example, a powder having a T1 / 2 higher by 5 ° C. than the toner. The body was obtained as a powder adhesive.

  The variable information was printed on the test sheet for checking the re-peeled state by the above printer. Thereafter, the powder adhesive was applied to the entire surface of the test sheet on which the variable information was printed, although not particularly shown, using a prototype applicator using an electrophotographic developing system. Then, the variable information of the toner and the powder adhesive were fixed on the surface of the test sheet through a normal fixing device.

  The test sheet printed with variable information, coated with powder adhesive, fixed, and subjected to V-folding or Z-folding paper folding is then crimped to the prototype device 1, 2, 3 or 4. Inserted into device 70.

  The test sheet carried into the crimping device 70 of the prototype device 1, 2 or 3 by the conveying roller pair 77 (77a, 77b) is first heated while passing through the conveying path 78 of the preheating unit 72. The sheet is fed from the preheating unit 72 to the heat roller pair 71, heated and pressed by the heat roller pair 71 to be pressure-bonded, and conveyed to the outside by the unloading roller pair 79 (79 a, 79 b).

  The test sheet carried into the crimping device 70 of the prototype device 4 is immediately heated and pressed by the heat roller pair 71 to be pressure-bonded and carried out to the outside by the carry-out roller pair 79 (79a, 79b).

  FIG. 9 is a chart showing the evaluation results when each of the crimping device prototypes 1 to 4 is set with five variable temperatures and subjected to crimping. In addition, evaluation "-" shown to the same figure has shown that there is no adhesive force. Moreover, evaluation "(circle) / x" has shown that adhesive force determination is favorable and surface peeling determination is unsatisfactory. And evaluation "(circle) / (circle)" has shown that both adhesive-force determination and surface peeling determination are favorable.

  That is, it is found that the prototype device 1 or 2 has no adhesive force in the low temperature range up to the set temperature of 100 ° C. or 120 ° C., and the surface peelability is poor although the adhesive force is generated in the high temperature region.

In addition, it is found that in the prototype device 4 having only the heat roller pair 71 without the preheating unit 72, no adhesive force is generated at any of the five set temperatures.
And it turns out that the trial production apparatus 3 has the good adhesive force and surface peelability in the range of 100 degreeC-140 degreeC. That is, the target result is obtained for the first time under some conditions set in the prototype device 3.

<Experiment 2>
First, it was decided to measure the rate of temperature rise from room temperature when the Z-folded sheet was sandwiched between preheating devices 72 that had been heated to a preset temperature.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the rate of temperature rise of the sheet from room temperature is measured. As shown in the figure, a Z-folded sheet 82 with a temperature sensor 81 sandwiched in advance was inserted into a preheating device 72 that had been heated to a preset temperature in advance. The temperature detection result of the temperature sensor 81 can be observed with a thermometer 83.

  FIG. 11 (a) is a graph obtained by plotting the above measurement results, and FIG. 11 (b) shows each measurement point, adhesion start temperature, variable information surface peelability good region, and the same defect. It is a figure which shows the relationship of an area | region.

  In each of FIGS. 9A and 9B, the horizontal axis indicates the heating time (sec), and the vertical axis indicates the inter-paper temperature measured by the temperature sensor 81. Naturally, the rate of temperature rise is slow at 100 ° C. (graph indicated by the plot of ◆), and the rate of temperature rise is slightly high at 110 ° C. (graph indicated by the plot of ■), and 130 ° C. (graph indicated by the plot of ▲) ), The rate of temperature rise is much faster, and at 150 ° C. (the graph shown by the x plot), the temperature rises very quickly.

  In either case, the temperature starts to increase from 25 ° C (room temperature) until 2 seconds later, and then increases rapidly until 2 seconds later (4 seconds after the start of measurement). Since then, it has been rising gradually, but has been almost in equilibrium.

  Figure (b) shows the inter-sheet temperature, the adhesion start temperature, the variable information surface peelability good region, and the same failure by combining the evaluation result obtained in Experiment 1 and the result of Experiment 2 above. The relationship of the area is shown.

  In FIG. 5B, “←” or “→” indicates the temperature at which the Z-fold sheet starts to be bonded. “◯” indicates an area where the variable information surface peelability is good (character offset does not occur). “●” indicates a region where the variable information surface peelability is poor (character offset occurs).

The following matters are found from the above experimental results.
First, regarding the relationship between the temperature at which adhesive force starts to be generated and the thermal characteristics of the powder adhesive, the outflow start temperature of the powder adhesive≈the temperature at which the adhesive force is generated (the outflow start temperature is measured by CFT-500D manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation).

  Next, for the region where the defect does not occur due to the variable information surface peelability, first, “temperature gradient of sheet cross section = temperature between sheets ÷ sheet surface temperature” is considered. The surface temperature of the sheet 82 (the portion of the sheet 82 that is in direct contact with the surface of the preheating device 72 (the surface on the sheet metal 75 side, hereinafter the same)) and the surface temperature of the preheating device 72 are substantially equal. it is conceivable that.

Therefore, it can be considered that “temperature gradient of sheet cross section = temperature between sheets ÷ temperature of sheet surface” ≈ “temperature between sheets ÷ set temperature of preheating device”.
FIG. 12 is a chart showing the relationship between “temperature between sheets ÷ set temperature of preheating device” and variable information surface peelability failure under the above condition setting.

  In the figure, from left to right, device no. The temperature between sheets / the set temperature (%) of the preheating device and the surface peeling failure (variable information surface peeling property failure) are shown for each of the prototype devices 1 to 3 in three stages.

  The figure shows that in the prototype device 1, the temperature between sheets ÷ the set temperature of the preheating device≈64 (%), and surface peeling failure occurs. In the prototype device 2, the temperature between sheets ÷ the set temperature of the preheating device≈75 (%), and surface peeling failure occurred. In the prototype device 3, the temperature between the sheets ÷ the set temperature of the preheating device≈90 (%), and the surface peeling failure does not occur.

  From this result, surface peeling defects are less likely to occur when “temperature between sheets ÷ set temperature of preheating device” is large, in other words, when the difference Δ (° C.) between the sheet surface temperature and the sheet temperature is small. It turns out that there is a tendency.

  However, it has been experimentally found that there is a region where surface peeling failure occurs despite the condition “temperature between sheets ÷ set temperature of preheating device≈90 (%)”. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, in the prototype device 3, when the setting is 180 ° C., surface peeling occurs even though the difference Δ (° C.) between the sheet surface temperature and the sheet is small.

  This is because, even in the case of the condition “temperature between sheets ÷ preset temperature of the preheating device≈90 (%)” as described above, the preheating device 72 has a thermal characteristic of the variable information toner and the powder adhesive. If the set temperature is too high, the variable information toner and the powder adhesive are melted by heat and the viscosity is extremely lowered and mixed, resulting in poor surface peeling.

  Therefore, it is considered that when the viscosity of either or both of the variable information toner and the powder adhesive is extremely lowered by heat, surface peeling failure occurs. In other words, “preset temperature of preheating device” − “1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive and 1/2 method melting temperature of variable information toner, whichever is lower, 1/2 method melting temperature” ≧ In the case of 80 ° C., it is considered that surface peeling occurs.

  Therefore, each element set in the above experiment is defined as follows. Sheet conveyance speed = amm / sec, heating area of the preheating device = Lmm (see FIG. 8A), inter-sheet temperature after passing the preheating device = Tp ° C. (see FIG. 10), set temperature of the preheating device = Ts ° C.

  Tp / Ts ≧ 90 (%), “Preheating device setting temperature− (1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive and 1/2 method melting temperature of variable information toner, whichever is lower) If the sheet conveying speed a (mm / sec) of the pressure bonding device 70 and the heating region L (mm) of the preheating device are set so as to satisfy “1/2 method melting temperature) ≦ 80 ° C.”, “5 ° C. ≧ Even when (1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive) − (1/2 method melting temperature of variable information toner) ≧ −10 ° C. ”, a good pressure-bonding sheet free from surface peeling can be produced.

(Modification of Embodiment 2)
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which a press is used in a crimping apparatus as a modification of the second embodiment. This case is also almost the same as in the second embodiment, but in this case, since the sheet is not transported and moved, each element for setting the conditions is as follows.

  Press time = t (sec), temperature between sheets after press end = Tp (° C.), set temperature of press surface metal plate = Ts (° C.), Tp / Ts ≧ 90 (%), “(preheating device of Set temperature) − (1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive and 1/2 method melting temperature of variable information toner, whichever is the lower half method melting temperature) ≦ 80 ° C. ” What is necessary is just to set t of a sticking apparatus.

  As a result, a good pressure-bonding sheet that does not peel off even when “(5 ° C. ≧ 1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive) − (1/2 method melting temperature of variable information toner) ≧ −10 ° C.” is created. can do.

  In addition, the experimental result in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 mentioned above is not only as a crimping postcard, but an envelope or a medicine bag having one side that can be created with a continuous sheet, a bill or a salary specification with four sides sealed, and the like. It can also be applied to the creation of confidential information documents.

It is a chart which shows a composition of four adhesives created in a 1st embodiment. It is an external appearance perspective view of the printer which apply | coats the adhesive agent in 1st Embodiment to the paper surface after variable information printing. FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of the printer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of a printer control device according to the first embodiment. (a) is a diagram showing A5 size paper on which full-color variable information is formed, (b) is a diagram showing paper on which the adhesive of the embodiment is applied on the variable information forming surface, and (c) is an adhesive. FIG. 8D is a diagram illustrating a paper pasting process in which the paper coated with the agent is folded in half with the variable information forming surface facing inward, and FIG. It is a table | surface which shows evaluation of the character offset property of the peeling force (adhesion force) and variable information character of the crimping postcard created in 1st Embodiment. 4 is a chart showing measured values of a softening temperature, an outflow start temperature, and a 1/2 method melting temperature as thermal characteristics for each of four examples and genuine toners created and measured in the first embodiment. (a) is the figure which shows the whole structure of the heat | fever and pressure roller type crimping apparatus with a preheating unit in 2nd Embodiment, (b) is taking out only the preheating unit of a crimping apparatus, and seeing through the internal structure transparently FIG. It is a table | surface which shows the evaluation result at the time of each crimping process being set in the variable temperature of 5 steps | paragraphs in the trial production apparatuses 1-4 of the crimping | compression-bonding apparatus in 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows a mode that the temperature rise rate from the room temperature of a sheet | seat when a folded sheet | seat was pinched | interposed into the preheating apparatus heated beforehand to preset temperature was measured. (a) is a graph obtained by plotting the measurement results of the temperature rise rate, (b) is a diagram showing the relationship between each measurement point and the adhesion start temperature, the variable information surface peelability good area, and the defective area. is there. 6 is a chart showing a relationship between “temperature between sheets / set temperature of preheating device” and variable information surface peelability failure under each condition setting. It is a figure which shows the structure which utilized the press for the crimping | compression-bonding apparatus as a modification of Embodiment 2. (a) is a chart showing the material prescription of a toner-like adhesive prototyped on the premise that it can be applied using a conventionally proposed printer or copier, and (b) is a set temperature for each temperature set by the prototyped toner-like adhesive. It is a table | surface which shows the result of having evaluated the crimping postcard produced by adhere | attaching. (a)-(e) is a figure explaining the character offset considered to generate | occur | produce with a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

1 Color image forming device (printer)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Upper part of apparatus main body 3 Lower part of apparatus main body 4 Operation panel 4a Key operation part 4b Liquid crystal display 5 Paper discharge part 6 Paper discharge roller 7 Paper feed cassette 7a Handle 8 Front cover 9 Horizontal cover 11 Mounting part cover 12 Image forming part 13 Belt unit 14 Transport unit for double-sided printing 15 Paper feeding unit 16 Fixing unit 17 (17-1, 17-2, 17-3, 17-4) Image forming unit 18 Drum set 19 Toner set 21 Photosensitive drum 22 Cleaner 23 Charger 24 Recording Head 25 Developing container 26 Developing roller 27 Paper transport belt 28 Transfer device 29 Drive roller 31 Driven roller 32 Tension roller 33 Standby roller pair 34 Paper feed roller 35 MPF tray 36 Second guide path 37 Second paper feed roller pair 38 First guide Path 39 First paper feed roller pair 41 Paper guide roller 42 Feed roller 43 Fixing unit 44 Heating roller 45 Pressure roller 46 Oil application roller 47 Cleaning roller 48 Temperature sensor 49 Paper separation claw 51 Discharge roller pair 52 Switching flap 53 Discharge roller pair 54 Discharge port 55 Discharge roller pair 56 Guide path 57 Feed-back roller pair 58 Feed-back guide path 59 Electrical component 60 Control device 61 I / F controller 62 Printer controller 63 Printer printing unit 64 CPU
65 ROM
66 Frame memory 66B, 66M, 66C, 66Y Storage area for each adhesive and color 67 EEPROM
70 Crimping device 71 (71a, 71b) Heat roller pair 72 Preheating unit 73 Heat insulating material 74 Heat generating element 75 Sheet metal 76 Assembly member 77 (77a, 77b) Conveying roller pair 78 Conveying path 79 (79a, 79b) Unloading roller pair 81 Temperature Sensor 82 Z-fold sheet 83 Thermometer

Claims (3)

A releasable adhesive sheet affixing method for crimping a bi-fold or tri-fold sheet coated with a powder adhesive by a pre-heating device and a crimping device provided with a heat / pressing roller pair downstream thereof,
The sheet conveying speed is a (mm / sec), the heating area length in the sheet conveying direction of the preheating device is L (mm), the temperature between the sheets after passing through the preheating device is Tp (° C.), When the set temperature of the preheating device is Ts (° C.),
Tp / Ts ≧ 90 (%), and “(preset temperature of preheating device) − (1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive and 1/2 method melting temperature of variable information toner, whichever is lower) Of 1/2 method melting temperature) ≦ 80 ° C. ”, and a and L are set.
A method for attaching a releasable adhesive sheet, characterized in that: A releasable adhesive sheet affixing method for crimping a bi-fold or tri-fold sheet coated with a powder adhesive by a crimping device equipped with a flat plate-type heat press machine,
When the press time is t (sec), the temperature between sheets after the press is Tp (° C.), and the set temperature of the press surface metal plate is Ts (° C.),
Tp / Ts ≧ 90 (%), and “(preset temperature of preheating device) − (1/2 method melting temperature of powder adhesive and 1/2 method melting temperature of variable information toner, whichever is lower) Of 1/2 method melting temperature) ≦ 80 ° C. ”
A method for attaching a releasable adhesive sheet, characterized in that:   The powder adhesive is a transparent resinous powder adhesive having an average particle diameter of about 9 μm made of a binder resin and others, and having a 1/2 method melting temperature higher by 5 ° C. than the printing toner. The method for applying a releasable adhesive sheet according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that