JP2008083671A - Image recorder forming device, image recorder forming method, and holder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image recorder forming method with which an image recorder with an image formed in a desired position can be formed without causing positional deviation even in the case of formation of an image recorder with the image formed on a small-sized recording medium whose thickness is ≥300 μm. <P>SOLUTION: The image recorder forming method includes: an overlapping process to make a transfer material having an image on the surface thereof and a holder that holds the recording medium overlap each other so that the surface with the image formed of the transfer body may face the surface of the recording medium held by the holder; and a transfer process to transfer the image from the surface of the transfer body to the surface of the recording medium by applying one processing selected out of heating processing and pressurizing processing on the transfer body and the recording medium that overlapped each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording body forming apparatus, an image recording body forming method, and a holding body.

Cards with images formed on plastic sheets such as cash cards, employee cards, student cards, individual membership cards, residence cards, various driver's licenses, and various qualification certificates are widely used. In recent years, so-called IC cards having a configuration in which a concave portion is provided in a part of a base material for a card and an IC module in which an IC chip is mounted in the concave portion are arranged are becoming widespread (for example, , See Patent Document 1).
On the other hand, as an image forming apparatus used for producing a card, a sublimation thermal transfer apparatus is known (see Patent Document 2).
In this apparatus, the ink applied to the ink donor film is transferred to the intermediate transfer member by the first heating unit to form an ink image, and the ink image transferred to the intermediate transfer member is received by the second heating unit. An image is formed by retransfer to the body.

Also, an image forming apparatus that forms a color image on a plastic sheet or the like by an electrophotographic method instead of a sublimation type thermal transfer method has been proposed (see Patent Document 3).
Image formation by this apparatus is carried out as follows. First, an image forming material transfer film provided with an image receiving layer on the surface of a substrate is used to form an image on the transfer film by an existing electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and then applied to an image support such as a plastic sheet. By laminating and laminating with heat and pressure, the image forming material transfer film is peeled off, and the image is transferred onto an image support, whereby an electrophotographic image is formed on a plastic sheet.

Furthermore, a method of forming an image by an electrophotographic method on an information card that has been processed into a card shape in advance has been proposed (see Patent Document 4). In this method, an information card is placed in a recessed portion of a member composed of a support plate having a window hole and a holding sheet that is fixed to the surface of one side of the support plate so as to cover the window hole and forms a recess together with the window hole. After being inserted and adhered, it is supplied to an electrophotographic image recording apparatus and printed on an information card.
In this method, it is assumed that an information card having a thickness of about 0.008 to 0.010 inch (203.2 to 254 μm) is used. The member made of is made of a material that can be passed through a conventional image forming apparatus.
JP-A-6-234291 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-0667019 JP 2005-227377 A JP-A-7-014633

  The present invention forms an image recording body in which an image is formed at a desired position without causing a positional shift even when forming an image recording body in which an image is formed on a small-sized recording medium having a thickness of 300 μm or more. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording body forming method that can be used, an image recording body forming apparatus using the same, and a holding body that is used when forming the image recording body.

The above object is achieved by the present invention described below. That is,
The invention according to claim 1
A transfer body having an image on the surface;
A holding member that holds at least a recording medium on at least one surface of the substrate, and a holding member that holds the recording medium on the surface provided with the holding member;
Superimposing means for superimposing the surface of the transfer body on which the image is provided and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body face each other;
Transfer means for transferring the image from the surface of the transfer body to the surface of the recording medium by performing at least one process selected from heat treatment and pressure treatment on the superimposed transfer body and the recording medium; An image recording body forming apparatus comprising at least the image recording body forming apparatus.

The invention according to claim 2
An image carrier,
Toner image forming means for forming a toner image on the surface of the image carrier;
At least a belt-shaped intermediate transfer member including a substrate and an image holding layer provided on the surface of the substrate, and transferring the toner image from the surface of the image holding member to the surface of the intermediate transfer member on the image holding layer side. Transfer means to perform,
The surface of the intermediate transfer body onto which the toner image is transferred and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body are overlapped, and the intermediate transfer body and the recording medium are heated and pressed to form the toner image. An image recording body forming apparatus comprising: a fixing means for fixing and fixing the intermediate transfer body and the recording medium.

The invention according to claim 3 is:
A cooling means for cooling the joined body in which the intermediate transfer body and the recording medium are joined by the joining means together with the holding body that holds the recording medium side of the joined body;
The cooling means includes at least a pair of members whose surfaces facing each other are planar, and cooling of the stacked body including the joined body and the holding body is performed in a state where the stacked body is sandwiched between the pair of members. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is an image recording body forming apparatus.

The invention according to claim 4 is:
The toner image transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer member by the transfer unit,
Presuming means for pre-heating and pre-attaching the surface of the intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image is transferred and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding member. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 2.

The invention according to claim 5 is:
5. The image recording body according to claim 1, wherein the holding body is a holding body having at least a base and a holding member that holds the recording medium on at least one surface of the base. Forming device.

The invention according to claim 6 is:
The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
6. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the convex member is continuously provided on the surface of the base so as to surround a region on the base surface where the recording medium is held.

The invention according to claim 7 is:
The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
6. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a height of the convex member is in a range of 610 μm or more and 820 μm or less.

The invention according to claim 8 is:
The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
6. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the height of the convex member is in the range of the thickness of the recording medium−150 μm or more and the thickness of the recording medium + 60 μm or less.

The invention according to claim 9 is
9. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the height of the convex member is within a range of a thickness of the recording medium of −100 μm to a thickness of the recording medium.

The invention according to claim 10 is:
The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
6. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a release layer is provided on the surface of the convex member.

The invention according to claim 11 is
The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the holding body has a convex portion in a region where the recording medium on the surface of the base is held.

The invention according to claim 12 is
The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a height of the convex portion is in a range of 50 μm to 75 μm.

The invention according to claim 13 is:
A transfer body having an image on the surface;
A holding member that holds at least a recording medium on at least one surface of the substrate, and a holding member that holds the recording medium on the surface provided with the holding member;
A superposition step of superposing the surface of the transfer body on which the image is provided and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body face each other;
A transfer step of transferring the image from the surface of the transfer body to the surface of the recording medium by performing at least one process selected from heat treatment and pressure treatment on the superimposed transfer body and the recording medium; It is an image recording body forming method characterized by comprising at least.

The invention according to claim 14 is:
A toner image forming step of forming a toner image on the surface of the image carrier;
A transfer step of transferring the toner image from the surface of the image holding member to the surface of the belt-shaped intermediate transfer member provided with an image holding layer on the surface of the substrate, on the image holding layer side;
A superimposing step of superimposing the surface of the intermediate transfer body onto which the toner image has been transferred and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body;
A fixing process for fixing the toner image by heating and pressurizing, and a bonding process for joining the superimposed intermediate transfer member and the recording medium by performing at least one process selected from a heating process and a pressurizing process. It is an image recording body forming method comprising at least a step and a peeling step of peeling an interface between the base material of the intermediate transfer body and the image holding layer.

The invention according to claim 15 is:
The recording medium has a recess on either side;
The recording medium is held by the holding body so that the surface having the concave portion is in contact with the holding body,
The holding body has a convex portion on the surface side of the substrate surface that holds the recording medium, and in a region facing the concave portion when holding the recording medium,
The image recording body forming method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the following expression (1) is satisfied.
Formula (1) ΔG + 50 ≧ ΔH ≧ ΔG−20
[In Formula (1), ΔG represents the depth (μm) of the concave portion, and ΔH represents the height (μm) of the convex portion. ]

The invention according to claim 16 is:
Image recording for carrying out at least one process selected from heat treatment and pressure treatment in a state in which a transfer member having an image on the surface is superposed so that the surface provided with the image and the recording medium face each other Used in body shaping devices,
A holding body having at least a base and a holding member for holding the recording medium on at least one surface of the base.

The invention according to claim 17 is:
The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The holding member according to claim 16, wherein the convex member is continuously provided on the surface of the base so as to surround a region where the recording medium on the surface of the base is held.

The invention according to claim 18 is:
The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The holder according to claim 16, wherein a height of the convex member is in a range of 610 μm to 820 μm.

The invention according to claim 19 is
The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The holder according to claim 16, wherein a height of the convex member is in a range of a thickness of the recording medium−150 μm or more and a thickness of the recording medium + 60 μm or less.

The invention according to claim 20 is
The holder according to claim 19, wherein the height of the convex member is within a range of a thickness of the recording medium of −100 μm or more and a thickness of the recording medium or less.

The invention according to claim 21 is
The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The holding body according to claim 16, wherein a release layer is provided on a surface of the convex member.

The invention according to claim 22 is
The holding body according to claim 16, wherein a convex portion is provided in a region where the recording medium is held on the surface of the substrate.

The invention according to claim 23 is
The holder according to claim 22, wherein the height of the convex portion is in a range of 50 µm or more and 75 µm or less.

As explained above,
According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to form an image recording body in which an image recording body in which an image is formed at a desired position without causing a positional shift on a small-sized recording medium having a thickness of 300 μm or more. A body forming device can be provided.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to form an image recording body in which an image recording body in which an image is formed at a desired position without causing a positional shift on a small-sized recording medium having a thickness of 300 μm or more. A body forming device can be provided.
According to the invention of claim 3, in the invention of claim 2, the recording medium is made of a thermoplastic plastic sheet, and the plastic sheet is heated to a temperature at which it is easily thermally deformed by heating by the joining means. Even so, an image recording body forming apparatus capable of suppressing thermal deformation of the formed image recording body can be provided.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image recording body forming apparatus capable of preventing occurrence of fixing failure even when a thick recording medium is used.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, even when an image recording body in which an image is formed on a small-sized recording medium having a thickness of 300 μm or more is formed, an image is formed at a desired position without causing a positional shift. It is possible to provide an image recording body forming apparatus from which an obtained image recording body can be obtained.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, even when an image recording body is formed using a recording medium made of a thermoplastic plastic sheet, an image recording body in which elongation deformation in the plane direction of the image recording body is suppressed can be obtained. An image recording body forming apparatus can be provided.
According to the invention described in claim 7, even if the image recording body is formed using a recording medium having a thickness of 760 μm, an image recording body can be obtained in which generation of defects around the edge of the image recording body is suppressed. A body forming device can be provided.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image recording body forming apparatus that can suppress the occurrence of defects around the edges of the image recording body.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image recording body forming apparatus that can further suppress the occurrence of defects around the edge of the image recording body.
According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the image provided on the surface of the transfer body or the surface of the belt-shaped intermediate transfer body by preventing adhesion of the image forming material to the surface of the convex member is a solid or liquid state such as toner or ink. Even in the case of the image forming material, it is possible to provide an image recording body forming apparatus capable of repeatedly producing an image recording body.
According to the eleventh aspect of the invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of image omission when producing an image recording body using a recording medium having a concave portion on one side as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided. An image recording body forming apparatus can be provided.
According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, an image recording body is produced using a recording medium having a recess having a recess depth in the range of 25 μm or more and 70 μm or less, compared to the case where the present configuration is not provided. In this case, it is possible to provide an image recording body forming apparatus capable of suppressing the occurrence of image loss and image density unevenness.

According to the invention of the thirteenth aspect, even when an image recording body in which an image is formed on a small-sized recording medium having a thickness of 300 μm or more is formed, an image is formed at a desired position without causing a positional shift. It is possible to provide an image recording body forming method capable of forming an image recording body.
According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, even in the case of forming an image recording body in which an image is formed by an electrophotographic method on a small-sized recording medium having a thickness of 300 μm or more, a desired position can be obtained without causing a positional shift. An image recording body forming method capable of forming an image recording body on which an image is formed can be provided.
According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, when an image recording body is produced using a recording medium having a concave portion, image omission and image density unevenness are generated as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided. Can be provided.

According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the process of forming the image recording body by the image recording body forming apparatus, an image recording body in which an image is formed at a desired position without causing a positional shift is obtained. A holding body that holds the recording medium can be provided.
According to the invention described in claim 17, even if the image recording body is formed by using the recording medium made of a thermoplastic plastic sheet according to the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 15, the image recording body is formed. It is possible to provide a holding body capable of suppressing elongation deformation in the plane direction.
According to the invention of claim 18, even if the image recording body is formed by using the recording medium having a thickness of 760 μm according to the invention of any one of claims 1 to 15, the end of the image recording body A holding body capable of suppressing the generation of peripheral defects can be provided.
According to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, even if the image recording body is formed by the invention according to any one of the first to fifteenth aspects, the holding body that can suppress the occurrence of peripheral edge defects of the image recording body. Can be provided.
According to the twentieth aspect of the present invention, even when the image recording body is formed by the invention according to any one of the first to fifteenth aspects, the holding that can further suppress the occurrence of the peripheral edge defect of the image recording body. The body can be provided.
According to the twenty-first aspect of the present invention, the image provided on the surface of the transfer body or the surface of the belt-like intermediate transfer body is solid or liquid such as toner or ink as compared with the case where this configuration is not provided. Even when the image recording material is repeatedly formed by the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 15 in the case of an image forming material, it prevents adhesion of the image forming material to the surface of the convex member. It is possible to provide a holding body that can be repeatedly used for production of an image recording body.
According to the twenty-second aspect of the present invention, an image using a recording medium having a concave portion on one side according to the invention of any one of the first to fifteenth aspects as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided. It is possible to provide an image recording body forming apparatus capable of suppressing the occurrence of image omission when producing a recording body.
According to the invention described in claim 23, the depth of the recess is within the range of 25 μm or more and 70 μm or less by the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 15 as compared with the case where this configuration is not provided. When an image recording body is produced using a recording medium having a concave portion, an image recording body forming apparatus capable of suppressing the occurrence of image loss and image density unevenness can be provided.

(First embodiment)
The image recording body forming method of the first embodiment has at least a transfer body having an image on the surface, a base and a holding member for holding a recording medium on at least one side of the base, and the holding member is provided. A superimposing step of superimposing a holding body holding a recording medium on a surface so that the surface of the transfer body on which the image is provided and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body face each other. And a transfer step of transferring the image from the surface of the transfer body to the surface of the recording medium by performing at least one process selected from heat treatment and pressure treatment on the transfer body and the recording medium. (Hereinafter, the method and the invention using the method may be referred to as “first embodiment”).

Note that the recording medium used in the first embodiment has a thickness of, for example, 300 μm or more and an oval size. On the other hand, in the first embodiment, at least the process from the superimposition process to the completion of the transfer process is performed using mechanical means. For example, at least one process from the superposition process to the completion of the transfer process is performed. In the process of the part, at least one member selected from the transfer body and the recording medium is conveyed by a conveying means such as a roll or an endless belt.
However, a small-sized image recording body such as a cash card or a card on which an image is formed on a plastic sheet such as an employee ID card is usually used after forming an image on a large-sized and standard-sized transfer body such as an A3 size or an A4 size. The image is produced by transferring an image onto a recording medium having the same size as the transfer body using a transfer body, and subsequently cutting the recording medium onto which the image has been transferred into a predetermined oval size.

In addition to ensuring productivity, the reason for producing a small-sized image recording body by the above process is to use a small-sized recording medium and a transfer body of the same size so that the cutting process can be omitted. Even if an image recording body is to be manufactured, the size of the recording medium or the transfer body is too small, and mechanical handling becomes difficult, for example, positional displacement occurs during transportation.
In other words, when mechanical handling becomes difficult, the overlaying process is performed with the recording medium and the transfer body shifted, or the overlaying process is performed during the process from the overlaying process to the transfer process or during the transfer process. As a result, the relative position between the recording medium and the transfer body is shifted, and as a result, the position of the image formed on the surface of the image recording body is likely to be shifted.

In order to solve this problem, at least the transfer process and the transfer process are performed in a state where the recording medium is held by a member that is larger than the recording medium and capable of stable mechanical handling without causing positional deviation. It is effective to be able to carry out the entire process up to the end.
In view of the above, the present inventors consider that it is effective to perform at least the entire process from the superimposing process to the completion of the transfer process using the holding body that holds the recording medium. I found.

Here, in the first embodiment and the second embodiment which will be described later, it is difficult to form an image directly by an image forming apparatus such as a normal electrophotographic system as a recording medium, or even the conveyance in the apparatus. Also, a material having a difficult thickness is used, and the thickness is, for example, 300 μm or more. The thickness of the recording medium is preferably in the range of 300 μm or more and 10 mm or less, and more preferably in the range of 500 μm or more and 5 mm.
The recording medium used in the first embodiment is an oval size. The “oval size” is the most standard size of paper used in commercially available image forming apparatuses such as an electrophotographic system. It means a size that is smaller than a small size (postcard size) and cannot form an image with this apparatus.
Specifically, when the shape of the recording medium is a quadrangle, for example, the vertical and horizontal lengths are each in the range of 10 mm to 120 mm, and the vertical: horizontal aspect ratio is in the range of 1: 1 to 1:12. Means things. The vertical and horizontal lengths are each more preferably in the range of 30 mm or more and 90 mm or less, and the aspect ratio between the vertical and horizontal is preferably in the range of 1: 1 to 1: 3. From the viewpoint of practicality, the size specified in JIS X-6302 is preferable.

On the other hand, when the shape of the recording medium is a shape other than a quadrangle, for example, a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a star, etc., the maximum length is in the range of 10 mm to 120 mm, and the maximum length is in the direction orthogonal to the maximum length direction. It means that the aspect ratio with the length is in the range of 1: 1 to 1:12. The maximum length is more preferably in the range of 30 mm to 90 mm, and the aspect ratio between the maximum length and the length in the direction orthogonal to the maximum length direction is more preferably in the range of 1: 1 to 1: 3. Further, a concave portion may be provided on any one surface of the recording medium.
Other configurations other than the size of the recording medium will be described later. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the description will be made on the assumption that the shape in the planar direction of the recording medium and the holder used in the first embodiment and the second embodiment described later is a quadrangle. Details of the holding body used in the first embodiment and the second embodiment described later will be described later.

-Image and image formation-
In the first embodiment, a method for forming an image provided on the surface of a transfer member used for producing an image recording body is not particularly limited, and a known image forming method such as an electrophotographic method or an inkjet method can be used.
When an image is formed by electrophotography, an unfixed image (toner image) may be formed. In this case, for example, fixing can be performed using heating in the transfer process.

-Overlay process-
In the superimposing step, the transfer body having the image on the surface and the holding body for holding the recording medium are overlapped so that the surface on which the image of the transfer body is provided and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body face each other. Done by combining.
This superposition is performed by aligning the position of the transfer body and the recording medium held by the holding body so that the image can be transferred to a desired position on the surface of the recording medium. The size of the transfer member to be used is not particularly limited, but is preferably the same size as the holding member that holds the recording medium. In this case, an image is formed on the surface of the transfer body so that the image faces a desired position on the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body when the transfer body and the holding body are overlapped so that the four corners coincide with each other. In addition, they are overlapped so that the four corners of the transfer member and the holding member coincide with each other at the time of overlapping.

  In addition, in order to reliably prevent misalignment between the transfer body and the recording medium before the transfer process is completed, the stacked body after the transfer body and the holding body that holds the recording medium are overlaid. In addition, it is possible to carry out temporary fixing by using heat welding, bonding with an adhesive or the like, and mechanical fixing with a staple, etc., between the transfer body surface and the recording medium surface (and / or the holding body surface).

In the case where the recording medium has a concave portion on one surface, the recording medium is held by the holding body so that the surface having the concave portion is in contact with the holding body.
However, in this case, on the surface opposite to the surface on which the concave portion of the recording medium is provided, the region where the concave portion is present on the back side is more pressurized than the region where the concave portion is not present on the rear side. It becomes easy to deform. For this reason, there is a case where an image formed on the image recording body is missing in the vicinity of the region where the concave portion exists on the back side.
Further, when the image of the image recording body is formed so as to be positioned between the recording medium and a member (for example, an image holding layer described later) constituting a part of the transfer body, the concave portion is on the back side. In some cases, bubbles may remain between the recording medium and a member constituting a part of the transfer body in the vicinity of the region existing in the area.

Therefore, in the case where the recording medium has a concave portion on one surface, the holding body is the surface side of the substrate surface that holds the recording medium, and when the recording medium is held (recording) It is preferable to use one having a convex portion in a region facing the concave portion (medium) and satisfying the following formula (1).
Formula (1) ΔG + 50 ≧ ΔH ≧ ΔG−20
In formula (1), ΔG represents the depth (μm) of the concave portion (of the recording medium), and ΔH represents the height (μm) of the convex portion (of the holding body).

When the convex portion height ΔH exceeds the concave portion depth ΔG + 50 μm of the recording medium, when the recording medium is pressurized, there is a concave portion on the surface opposite to the surface on which the concave portion of the recording medium is provided. It is easier to apply pressure by concentrating the recesses toward the region on the back side than the region not existing on the back side. For this reason, the image density of the image on the region where the concave portion exists on the back surface side is higher than the image on the region where the concave portion does not exist on the back surface side, and image density unevenness may occur.
On the other hand, when the convex portion height ΔH is less than the concave portion depth ΔG−20 μm of the recording medium, image omission may occur as described above, and the image on the image recording medium may be transferred to the recording medium. When formed so as to be positioned between members (for example, an image holding layer described later) constituting a part of the body, bubbles may be generated.

  The convex portion height ΔH is more preferably in the range of ΔG−10 μm to ΔG + 30 μm, and further preferably ΔG μm to ΔG + 10 μm.

-Transfer process-
The transfer step is performed by transferring an image from the surface of the transfer body to the surface of the recording medium by performing at least one process selected from heat treatment and pressure treatment on the superimposed transfer body and recording medium. The transfer method is not particularly limited, and any conventionally known various laminating techniques can be suitably employed. For example, a contact formed by contacting a laminated body in which a transfer body and a holding body for holding a recording medium are overlapped with each other so that a heating roll and a pressure roll, which are arranged so as to press each other, press each other. Ordinary laminating technique in which the image and the recording medium are melted to some extent and heat-sealed by inserting them into the part, or heat press technique, or simply press-bonding may be used.
Note that “transferring the image from the surface of the transfer body to the surface of the recording medium” not only refers to the case of transferring only the image to the surface of the recording medium, but also a member (for example, an image holding layer described later) constituting a part of the transfer body Etc.) and transferring the image onto the surface of the recording medium.

-Transcript-
In the first embodiment, since the recording medium to be used is thick, a general design designed to form an image using a sheet having a general commercially available thickness (about 80 μm to 254 μm). An image cannot be formed by the image forming apparatus. For this reason, after an image is formed on a member other than the recording medium, a transfer body is used for the purpose of transferring the image to the recording medium.

The transfer body used in the first embodiment has a substrate and an image holding layer provided on at least one side of the substrate. If necessary, one or more intermediate layers and an image holding layer are provided on the surface of the substrate. The structure which laminated | stacked the layer in this order may be sufficient. The image is formed on the image holding layer. Examples of the transfer body include a type that transfers only an image, and a transfer body that transfers an image together with a part of members constituting the transfer body.
That is, in the type transfer body that transfers only the image, the image holding layer contains at least a releasable material, and in the transfer process using this transfer body, only the image is transferred from the transfer body to the recording medium. Is done.
Further, the image formed on the image holding layer is not particularly limited as long as it is formed by a known recording method. However, since the image holding layer surface is excellent in releasability, a solid image is formed on the image holding layer surface. An image formed by a method of applying a forming material is preferable, and an image formed by an electrophotographic method is particularly preferable.

On the other hand, a transfer body of a type that transfers an image together with a part of a member constituting the transfer body has one or more layers adjacent to the image holding layer or the image holding layer side, and 1 adjacent to the substrate or the substrate side. The interface with the above layers is peelable. The transfer process using the transfer body is performed by peeling the image holding layer or one or more layers adjacent to the image holding layer side from the transfer body and transferring the image holding layer together with the image onto a recording medium.
The image formed on the image holding layer is not particularly limited as long as it is formed by a known recording method. For example, the image may be an image formed by a method of applying a solid or liquid image forming material to the surface of the image holding layer. In this case, the image is typically formed by an electrophotographic method or an ink jet recording method. Images. Further, when the image holding layer has a function of changing color or coloring by applying an external stimulus such as heat or light, the image is formed by changing or coloring the surface of the image holding layer by applying an external stimulus. In this case, typically, an image formed by a photosensitive recording method, a thermal recording method, or a photosensitive thermal recording method can be given.

  The two types of transfer bodies described above are known to be used for transferring an image to another member such as a plastic sheet after an image is formed on the surface by electrophotography. These known transfer members can also be used in the first embodiment.

In addition, the size of the transfer body used in the first embodiment is not particularly limited, but an image is formed by a commercially available image forming apparatus using a known image forming method such as an electrophotographic method or an ink jet method. A standard size such as A4 or A3 that can be used in the present invention is preferable.
In addition, the image formation on the surface of the transfer body is performed so as to correspond to the region where the image on the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body is to be provided. At this time, in order to facilitate alignment between the transfer body and the recording medium held on the holding body, the outline of the recording medium, the line that is slightly outside the outline of the recording medium, and the outline of the recording medium It is desirable that marks or the like indicating the four corners of the outer frame are formed on the surface of the transfer body together with the image portion to be transferred to the recording medium surface.

  Hereinafter, regarding the suitable transfer body used in the first embodiment, divided into the above two types, the details provided on the premise that the image provided on the surface of the transfer body is formed by electrophotography as an example. Explained.

-Type of transfer body that only transfers images-
In this type of transfer body, the surface resistivity of the image holding layer is 1.0 × 10 ^{8 at} 23 ° C. and 55% RH in order to improve the transferability of an image formed by electrophotography. The range is preferably 3.2 × 10 ¹³ Ω or less, and more preferably 1.0 × 10 ⁹ or more and 1.0 × 10 ¹¹ Ω or less.

If the surface resistivity is less than 1.0 × 10 ⁸ Ω, the resistance value of the transfer body used as the image receiver at high temperature and high humidity becomes too low. For this reason, the toner image may be disturbed when an unfixed image (toner image) is transferred to the surface of the transfer member in the electrophotographic apparatus. On the other hand, if the surface resistivity exceeds 3.2 × 10 ¹³ Ω, the resistance value of the transfer member used as the image receiver becomes too high, and the toner image cannot be transferred to the transfer member surface in the electrophotographic apparatus. In some cases, image defects may occur due to transfer defects.

For the same reason, when the image holding layer is provided only on one side of the substrate, the surface resistivity at 23 ° C. and 55% RH of the substrate surface on the side where the image holding layer is not provided is 1.0. The range is preferably from 10 ⁸ Ω to 1.0 × 10 ¹³ Ω, and more preferably from 1.0 × 10 ⁹ Ω to 1.0 × 10 ¹¹ Ω.

  The surface resistivity difference between the front and back surfaces of the transfer body at 23 ° C. and 55% RH is preferably within 4 digits, more preferably within 3 digits. If the surface resistivity difference between the front and back surfaces exceeds 4 digits, toner transfer failure is likely to occur and image deterioration may occur. The difference in surface resistivity within 4 digits means that the difference in common logarithm is within 4 when each surface resistivity is expressed in common logarithm.

  The surface resistivity is measured by a method based on the double ring electrode method in JIS K 6911, and is obtained by following the calculation formula presented at the same time. More specifically, a digital ultra-high resistance / microammeter R8340 manufactured by Advantest Co., Ltd. connected to a circular electrode (for example, “HR probe” of Hiresta IP manufactured by Mitsubishi Yuka Co., Ltd.) It calculated | required from the calculation formula prescribed | regulated to JISK6911 based on the electric current value 60 second after by the applied voltage 1000V in the environment of (degreeC) and 55% RH.

In controlling the surface resistivity of the image holding layer within the range of 1.0 × 10 ^{8 to} 1.0 × 10 ¹³ Ω, it is preferable to include a charge control agent in the image holding layer. As the charge control agent, for example, a polymer conductive agent, a surfactant, conductive metal oxide particles, or the like can be used.

Further, since the image holding layer contains a releasable material, an image forming material such as toner can be satisfactorily transferred to the recording medium.
The releasable material is used for an image holding layer for once fixing and fixing the image forming material on the transfer body and releasing the image forming material when the image forming material is thermocompression bonded to the recording medium. Therefore, it is desirable that the releasable material has adhesion and releasability with respect to toner generally used as an image forming material in electrophotography.

  The releasable material is not particularly limited, and a silicone-based hard coat material can be used. The silicone-based hard coat material may include a condensate resin containing a silane-based composition or a material composed of a mixture of a condensate resin containing the silane-based composition and a colloidal silica dispersion.

  The image holding layer may contain a resin in addition to the releasable material, and may contain, for example, a polyester resin or a styrene acrylic resin. Since polyester resins and styrene acrylic resins are used as binder resins for toners, fixing the image forming material to the surface of the transfer body is appropriate by including the same resin in the image holding layer. Can be controlled. In addition, as said polyester resin, you may use silicone modified polyester resin, urethane modified polyester resin, acrylic modified polyester, etc. other than general polyester resin, for example.

  Furthermore, in order to improve the adhesiveness to the substrate or improve the blocking property, a conventional known resin can be mixed as necessary and used as a resin material constituting the image holding layer. As this resin material, it is preferable to use polyvinyl acetal resin.

  In order to improve the conveyance of the transfer body in the electrophotographic apparatus, the image holding layer may contain a filler. The volume average particle size of the filler is preferably 0.1 μm or more and 30 μm or less, but considering the image holding layer thickness, it is preferably 1.2 times or more the image holding layer thickness. If it is too large, the filler may be detached from the image holding layer, the surface of the transfer member is likely to be damaged by wear, and the haze (degree of haze) may increase.

  As the shape of the filler, spherical particles are generally used, but may be a plate shape, a needle shape, or an indefinite shape. Moreover, as a material which comprises a filler, a well-known resin material and an inorganic material can be utilized.

  Although it does not specifically limit as a base | substrate, A plastic film can be used typically. Among these, polyacetate film, cellulose triacetate film, nylon film, polyester film, polycarbonate film, polysulfone film, polystyrene film, polyphenylene sulfide film, polyphenylene ether film, cyclohexane film, which are light transmissive films that can be used as OHP films. An olefin film, a polypropylene film, a polyimide film, a cellophane, an ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin film, or the like can be preferably used. Paper (plain paper, coated paper, etc.), metal (aluminum, etc.), ceramics (alumina, etc.) can also be used.

  The surface of the substrate on which the image holding layer is provided is preferably 1 μm or less in surface roughness (centerline average roughness Ra), more preferably 0.1 μm or less. When the surface roughness (centerline average roughness Ra) exceeds 1 μm, high glossiness may not be obtained.

  Further, since the thickness of the image holding layer is about 0.1 μm or more and 20 μm or less, the thickness of the transfer body is determined by the thickness of the substrate. Therefore, the thickness of the substrate is preferably in the range of 50 μm to 200 μm, and more preferably in the range of 75 μm to 150 μm. If the thickness is less than 50 μm, a conveyance failure may be caused in the electrophotographic apparatus, and if it exceeds 200 μm, it becomes difficult to transfer the toner image to the surface of the transfer body in the electrophotographic apparatus. An image defect may occur.

-A transfer body of a type that transfers an image together with a part of members constituting the transfer body-
In this type of transfer body, at least one layer including an image holding layer is provided on the same surface of a substrate, and at least one of these layers is a layer containing a curable resin. Particularly preferred. In this case, the layer containing the curable resin is a layer that can be peeled from the substrate or a layer adjacent to the substrate.
Thus, when the layer containing the curable resin is peeled off from the substrate or the adjacent layer on the substrate side, an image formed by electrophotography is transferred onto the recording medium. The layer containing the curable resin is peeled from the adjacent layer, covering the image transferred onto the recording medium and protecting this image.

  The peel force at the interface between the layer containing the curable resin and the layer in contact with the substrate or the layer containing the curable resin in the transfer body is 0.098 N / cm or more and 4.90 N / cm or less ( 10 gf / cm or more and 500 gf / cm or less), preferably 0.196 N / cm or more and 3.92 N / cm or less (20 gf / cm or more and 400 gf / cm or less), more preferably 0.490 N / cm or more. More preferably, it is 2.41 N / cm or less (50 gf / cm or more and 250 gf / cm or less).

When the peeling force is less than 0.098 N / cm (10 gf / cm), the release layer and the layer containing the curable resin are easily peeled off, and the curable resin is applied to the fixing device of the electrophotographic apparatus at the time of image fixing. The contained layer is transferred, or slippage occurs at the interface between the layer containing the curable resin and the substrate or the adjacent layer on the substrate side when producing an image recording body, and finally the image is May be disorganized and transferred. On the other hand, if the peeling force exceeds 4.90 N / cm (500 gf / cm), a layer partially containing a curable resin may remain on the surface of the substrate or the adjacent layer on the substrate side. In some cases, defects on the surface of the image recording body are caused.
Here, the peeling force is a measured value when measurement is performed according to the 180-degree peeling adhesive strength in the measurement of adhesive strength according to JIS standard Z0237.

  In addition, regarding the electrical characteristics such as the surface of the image holding layer in the transfer body that transfers only the image, the filler used in the substrate and the image holding layer, and various additives, the image is printed together with a part of the members constituting the transfer body. The present invention can also be applied to a transfer body of a transfer type.

-First transcript-
Next, each form of a transfer body that transfers an image together with a part of the members constituting the transfer body will be described.
In the first form of the transfer body (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “first transfer body”), the release layer and the curable resin layer are formed on the surface of the substrate on which the image holding layer is provided. And an image holding layer are sequentially provided.

  In the first transfer body, the curable resin layer is a layer containing the curable resin described above, and the curable resin layer is a layer that can be peeled from the release layer that is a layer adjacent to the substrate side. That is, when an image formed by electrophotography is transferred onto a recording medium, the curable resin layer is peeled off from the release layer, and the curable resin layer and the image holding layer are transferred onto the recording medium. To protect the image.

  In the first transfer body, since the image holding layer is provided on the curable resin layer, when an image is formed with toner on the image holding layer, the toner does not spread and the resolution is improved.

  On the other hand, the image holding layer in the first transfer body has a film thickness of 2 to 25 μm, and contains a thermoplastic resin and particles having a volume average particle diameter larger than the film thickness of the image holding layer. It is preferable. In this case, the image-holding layer contains particles larger than the thickness of the layer, and the release layer can transfer the image forming material described later to the recording medium satisfactorily. It also has excellent image fixing characteristics.

  The release layer includes a release material similar to that used for a transfer body that transfers only an image. Thereby, the peelability at the interface between the release layer and the curable resin layer can be ensured in the transfer step.

The curable resin layer in the first transfer body constitutes a layer on one surface of the image recording body obtained through the transfer process, and bears a function of protecting the image.
In order to exhibit this function, the curable resin layer needs to be resistant to scratches and drugs. Therefore, it is preferable to include a photocurable or thermosetting resin such as the silicone-based hard coat material described above. In addition to these, various materials can be added as necessary. Of the total resins constituting the curable resin layer, the silicone-based hard coat material is included in the range of 0.5% by mass to 98% by mass. Preferably, it is contained in the range of 1% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less. If the content of the silicone-based hard coat material is less than 0.5% by mass, peeling at the interface between the release layer and the curable resin layer may be difficult in the transfer step, and if it exceeds 98% by mass. In some cases, the image transfer or fixing state is deteriorated and the image quality is deteriorated.

The image holding layer contains a resin. As the resin, for example, one or more polyester resins or styrene acrylic resins are used. In general, polyester resins and styrene acrylic resins are used for image forming materials. Therefore, fixing the image forming material onto the surface of the transfer body can be achieved by incorporating a resin of the same type into the image holding layer. Can be controlled appropriately. As the polyester resin, in addition to a general polyester resin, for example, a silicone-modified polyester resin, a urethane-modified polyester resin, an acrylic-modified polyester, or the like may be used.
In addition, the image holding layer is formed of natural wax, synthetic wax, release resin, reactive silicone or the like in order to prevent adhesion and winding to the fixing member of the electrophotographic apparatus when fixing the image with the electrophotographic apparatus. You may contain mold release agents, such as a compound and modified silicone oil.

  In the first transfer body, the thickness of the image holding layer is preferably 2 μm or more and 25 μm or less, more preferably 5 μm or more and 20 μm or less, and further preferably 7.5 μm or more and 15 μm or less. If the film thickness of the image holding layer is 2 μm or more and 25 μm or less, the image is hardly deteriorated by embedding the image in the film thickness direction of the image holding layer, and an effect of protecting the image is also obtained.

-Second transcript-
In the second form of the transfer body (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “second transfer body”), an image holding layer is provided on the surface of the substrate, and the image holding layer includes a curable silicone resin and a curing agent. And a resin other than the conductive silicone resin.
In the second transfer body, the image holding layer is a layer containing a curable resin, and the image holding layer is a layer that can be peeled from the substrate. Since the resin constituting the image holding layer is a mixed resin containing a curable silicone resin and a resin other than the curable silicone resin, it can be peeled off from the substrate, and an image formed by electrophotography is recorded. When transferred onto the medium, the image holding layer peels off from the substrate, covers the image transferred onto the recording medium, and protects this image. Further, since the curable silicone resin is tough, it is excellent in scratch resistance of the image recording body.

  As the curable silicone resin, a known curable silicone resin can be used. However, in order to promote compatibility between the image holding layer and the image at the time of fixing, it is compatible with an acrylic resin or a polyester resin used as a toner binder resin. It preferably contains a curable silicone resin having excellent solubility. Moreover, as resin other than curable silicone resin, it is preferable to use an acrylic resin or a polyester resin for the same reason.

The curable silicone resin contained in the image holding layer will be described below.
In general, silicone resins are classified according to their molecular structure into silicone resins having a linear structure, which is a material such as silicone oil and silicone rubber, and silicone resins having a three-dimensionally crosslinked structure. In addition, various properties such as releasability, adhesiveness, heat resistance, insulation, and chemical stability are determined by molecules (organic molecules) bonded to silicon atoms, the degree of polymerization thereof, and the like.

The curable silicone resin is preferably a silicone resin having a three-dimensionally crosslinked structure. A silicone resin having a three-dimensionally crosslinked structure is usually polymerized from polyfunctional (trifunctional or tetrafunctional) units and has a crosslinked structure.
A silicone resin having a linear structure has a low molecular weight, and as a silicone oil, an insulating oil, a liquid coupling, a buffer oil, a lubricating oil, a heating medium, a water repellent, a surface treatment agent, a mold release agent, Examples include those used for foaming agents, and silicone rubbers that are polymerized to a molecular weight (siloxane unit) of about 5,000 to 10,000 by heat curing after adding a vulcanizing agent.

  Curable silicone resins are classified according to their molecular weight units into silicone varnishes that are soluble in organic solvents and have a relatively low molecular weight, silicone resins with a high degree of polymerization, and the like. The curable silicone resin is classified into a condensation type, an addition type, a radiation type (ultraviolet ray curable type, an electron beam curable type), and the like, depending on a curing reaction in the generation stage. Further, depending on the application form, it is classified into a solvent type, a solventless type and the like.

  The reason why the image holding layer needs to contain a curable silicone resin is as follows. That is, first, since the curable silicone resin has a low surface energy due to Si—O bonds, it is essentially excellent in releasability and incompatibility. However, since it is possible to develop excellent adhesiveness by controlling the curing conditions and the like, it is possible to obtain an image recording body having both image releasability and image fixability. It is.

There is no restriction | limiting in particular as curable silicone resin, Although it can select from well-known curable silicone resin, curable acrylic modified silicone resin (curable acrylic silicone resin) is especially preferable for the following reasons.
The curable acrylic silicone resin includes a silicone resin portion that is usually used as an image forming material and contains a styrene-acrylic resin or an acrylic chain having a high chemical affinity with a polyester resin in the molecule, thereby exhibiting releasability. Have both. Therefore, in one molecule, there are a part that easily adheres to the toner and a part that hardly adheres to the toner. Further, since these are homogeneously compatible, image peelability and image fixability are expressed on a molecular order.
In the case of the curable acrylic silicone resin, the ratio of the acrylic chain to the silicone chain, the curing conditions, the addition amount of the curable silicone compound and the modified silicone oil described later, and the like can be controlled to control the image fixability and image peelability. Can be controlled more freely.

As the curable silicone resin, a thermosetting silicone resin can also be particularly preferably used.
The thermosetting silicone resin has a lower surface hardness than the acrylic silicone resin known as a photo-curing type, and accordingly, the image forming material tends to be encased in the image receiving layer and tends to be excellent in image fixability. is there.
In addition, the thermosetting silicone resin has a high mold releasability compared to an acrylic silicone resin and the like, and as a result, is excellent in image peelability.
In the case of a thermosetting silicone resin, in the case of a mixed system of a silicone component and a non-silicone component, the image fixing property can be controlled by controlling the ratio, the curing conditions, and the addition amount of the curable silicone compound and the modified silicone oil. And image peelability can be further freely controlled.

  A mixture of an acrylic silicone resin and a thermosetting silicone resin can be preferably used. When mixing the acryl silicone resin and the thermosetting silicone resin, the mixing ratio will show an intermediate performance between the two, the ratio, the curing conditions, the addition amount of the curable silicone compound and the modified silicone oil, etc. By controlling this, it is possible to further freely control the image fixing property and the image peeling property.

  Suitable examples of the curable silicone resin include the following when classified into a condensation type, an addition type, and an ultraviolet curable type.

As the condensation type curable silicone resin, for example, a polysiloxane such as polydimethylsiloxane having a silanol group at the terminal is used as a base polymer, and polymethylhydrogensiloxane or the like is blended as a crosslinking agent, and an organic acid such as an organic tin catalyst. A curable silicone resin synthesized by heat condensation in the presence of a metal salt or amine, or a curable silicone synthesized by reacting a polydiorganosiloxane having a reactive functional group such as a hydroxyl group or an alkoxy group at the terminal. Examples thereof include polysiloxane resins synthesized by condensing a silanol obtained by hydrolyzing a resin, a trifunctional or higher functional chlorosilane, or a mixture of these with a monofunctional chlorosilane.
The condensed type is classified into a solution type and an emulsion type in terms of form, and any of them can be used preferably.

As an addition-type curable silicone resin, for example, a polysiloxane such as polydimethylsiloxane containing a vinyl group is used as a base polymer, and polydimethylhydrogensiloxane is blended as a cross-linking agent to react in the presence of a platinum catalyst. Examples thereof include a curable silicone resin synthesized by curing.
The addition type is classified into a solvent type, an emulsion type, and a useless type in terms of form, and any of them can be used preferably.

  Examples of the ultraviolet curable curable silicone resin include a curable silicone resin synthesized using a photocationic catalyst and a curable silicone resin synthesized using a radical curing mechanism.

  A modified silicone resin obtained by reacting a low molecular weight polysiloxane having a hydroxyl group or an alkoxy group bonded to a silicon atom with an alkyd resin, a polyester resin, an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, a phenol resin, a polyurethane, or a melamine resin. Etc. are also preferred. These curable silicone resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  The molecular weight of the curable silicone resin used for the image holding layer is preferably 10,000 or more and 1,000,000 or less in terms of weight average molecular weight. Moreover, as a ratio of the phenyl group in all the organic groups in curable silicone resin, 0.1 mol% or more and 50 mol% or less are preferable, and as functionality, 1 or more and 4 or less are preferable.

  The content of the curable silicone resin in the image holding layer is preferably 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, and more preferably 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. When the content is less than 30% by mass, the release performance may not be exhibited.

As the resin other than the curable silicone resin, an acrylic resin or a polyester resin excellent in compatibility with the toner is preferably used, but other hot-melt resins and curable resins can also be used.
The acrylic resin as a resin other than the curable silicone resin preferably has a glass transition point (Tg) in the range of 50 ° C to 120 ° C, and more preferably in the range of 60 ° C to 105 ° C.

  In addition to the acrylic resin and the polyester resin as the resin other than the curable silicone resin, the image holding layer may be used in combination with other resins as necessary.

  In order to prevent the image holding layer from adhering to and wrapping around the fixing member when fixing the image, natural wax or synthetic wax which is a low adhesion material to the fixing member, or a release resin, a reactive silicone compound It is preferable to contain modified silicone oil and the like.

-Third transcript-
In the third form of the transfer body (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “third transfer body”), the release layer and the image holding layer are sequentially formed from the substrate side on the surface of the substrate on which the image holding layer is provided. The image holding layer is provided and contains a curable silicone resin.
In the third transfer body, the image holding layer is a layer containing a curable resin, and the image holding layer is a layer that can be peeled from a release layer that is a layer adjacent to the substrate side.

  Since the third transfer body has a release layer, when an image formed by electrophotography is transferred onto a recording medium, the image holding layer peels off from the release layer, and the image holding layer is The image transferred onto the recording medium is covered and the image is protected. Further, since the curable silicone resin contained in the image holding layer is tough, covering the image is excellent in scratch resistance.

  In the third transfer body, in the image holding layer, only the curable silicone resin is used instead of the mixed resin containing the curable silicone resin and the resin other than the curable silicone resin, and the release agent is further applied to the substrate surface. The configuration is the same as that of the second transfer member except that the layer and the image holding layer are provided in this order, and the preferred embodiment is also the same.

  In the third transfer body, the curable silicone resin used for the image holding layer is the same as the curable silicone resin used for the image holding layer in the second transfer body, and the preferred embodiment is also the same. Furthermore, the release layer in the third transfer member is the same as the release layer in the first transfer member, and the preferred embodiment is also the same.

-Fourth transcript-
In the fourth form of the transfer body (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “fourth transfer body”), an image holding layer is provided on at least one surface of the substrate, and this image holding layer is photocured. Containing a self-healing resin. It is also possible to provide a structure in which a release layer is provided on the surface of the substrate as necessary, and an image holding layer is provided on the surface.
In the fourth transfer body, the image holding layer is a layer containing the curable resin, and the image holding layer is a layer that can be peeled off from the substrate or a layer adjacent to the substrate side (release layer).

  Here, the “image holding layer having self-healing properties” means an image holding layer having the following properties. Self-healing means that a 10 cm × 10 cm color OHP film (color OHP film HG) is fixed to a measuring table with a double-sided tape in an atmosphere of 23 ° C. and a relative humidity of 55%. The Suga test machine was used to determine whether or not there was any damage caused by repeating the act of moving the object to be measured horizontally by 10 cm horizontally by placing a 500 g weight on the image holding layer side inward and moving the object to be measured horizontally by 10 cm. This is a value measured by using a haze meter HGM-2 manufactured by Co., Ltd., and the difference in haze values before and after the above series of operations is within 10%.

  It is preferable that the difference in haze value is within 10% because surface light scattering caused by scratches is hardly noticeable. The difference in haze value is preferably within 5%, more preferably within 3%.

  In the fourth transfer body, when an image formed by electrophotography is transferred onto a recording medium, the image holding layer peels off from the substrate or the release layer (if it has a release layer) and The image transferred to the cover is covered and the image is protected. Further, since the image holding layer has self-healing properties, it is excellent in scratch resistance by covering the image (scratches are not noticeable).

Since the image holding layer in the fourth transfer body contains the following photocurable resin, it has self-repairing properties.
This photocurable resin is a composition containing a photopolymerizable monomer and a photocuring initiator, and is cured by irradiating electromagnetic waves such as ultraviolet rays to become a cured product having self-healing properties. . The photocuring initiator is an excited state by absorbing light energy and generates radicals that initiate the polymerization reaction of the photopolymerizable monomer.

  Examples of the reactive group of the photopolymerizable monomer include an acryloyl group, a methacryloyl group, a vinyl group, an allyl group, a mercapto group, and an amino group, and an acryloyl group and a methacryloyl group are preferably used because of their particularly high reactivity. .

  Specific examples of the photopolymerizable monomer include unsaturated polyester, epoxy acrylate, urethane acrylate, urethane methacrylate, polyester acrylate, alkyd acrylate, silicone acrylate, polyene / polythiol spirane, aminoalkyd, hydroxyethyl acrylate, vinyl ether, and the like. It is done. Among these, urethane acrylate and urethane methacrylate are preferably used because of their low transparency and low shrinkage during photocuring. Moreover, these monomers can also use 2 or more types together.

  As urethane acrylate and urethane methacrylate, for example, a non-yellowing polyisocyanate compound is preferably used. Examples of the non-yellowing polyisocyanate compound include 4,4′-methylenebis (cyclohexyl isocyanate), isophorone diisocyanate, cyclohexane diisocyanate, tetramethylene diisocyanate, and hexamethylene diisocyanate.

  Examples of the photocuring initiator include benzoyl ether, 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone, 2-methyl-1- (4- (methylthio) phenyl) -2-morpholinopropan-1-one, 2,2-dimethoxy-1, Examples include 2-diphenylethane-1-one, benzophenone, thioxanthone, xanthone, 2-chlorothioxanthone, Michler's ketone, 2-isopropylthioxanthone, benzyl, 9,10-phenanthrenequinone, and 9,10-anthraquinone. Two or more of these photocuring initiators can be used in combination.

  The addition amount of the photocuring initiator is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, and more preferably 0.2% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less with respect to the photopolymerizable monomer. Furthermore, you may add a light stabilizer, antioxidant, a ultraviolet absorber, an antibacterial agent, a flame retardant, and an antistatic agent with respect to photocurable resin.

  Light sources for curing photocurable resins include low-pressure mercury lamps, high-pressure mercury lamps, ultrahigh-pressure mercury lamps, metal halide lamps, ultraviolet lasers, electrodeless discharge lamps, electron beams, and X-rays. Anything that wakes you up.

  In the fourth transfer body, it is also preferable to use a resin other than the photocurable resin together with the above-described photocurable resin. Examples of the resin other than the photocurable resin include a curable silicone resin. This curable silicone resin is the same as the curable silicone resin used for the image holding layer in the second transfer body, and the preferred embodiment is also the same.

  Components other than the photocurable resin and the curable silicone resin in the fourth transfer body are the same as the components other than the curable silicone resin in the third transfer body. Further, the release layer in the third transfer body is the same as the release layer in the first transfer body, and the preferred embodiment is also the same.

-Recording media-
The material constituting the recording medium used in the present invention is not particularly limited. In addition to resin, paper, metal, ceramic, and the like can be used, but resin is most preferable. By using a resin, an image recording body using a plastic sheet as a recording medium can be obtained.
Specific examples of the plastic include PET (polyethylene terephthalate), vinyl chloride, acetate, cellulose triacetate, nylon, polyester, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polypropylene film, polyimide, and cellophane. Among them, PET and polyester are preferably used. It is done. In particular, modified PET (PETG) or biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate in which about half of the ethylene glycol component of PET is replaced with 1,4-cyclohexanemethanol component is preferable.

  Further, the plastic may be thermosetting, but is more preferably thermoplastic. Furthermore, the plastic is preferably opaque and more preferably colored white.

  When the material constituting the recording medium is a resin or paper, it can be colored by adding a pigment, a dye, or the like. Further, the recording medium used in the present invention may be in the form of a film, but is more preferably in the form of a plate, and unlike a commercially available electrophotographic or inkjet recording paper, it can be easily folded by hand. It is preferable to have a certain degree of rigidity.

  In order to manufacture an image recording body that can be used as an IC card or a magnetic card, an IC memory, an antenna, an external terminal, or the like may be embedded in the recording medium in advance. Further, a magnetic stripe, a hologram, or the like may be separately printed on the recording medium.

Further, the recording medium may have a concave portion provided on any one surface. Here, the depth (ΔG) of the recess is not particularly limited, and is not particularly limited as long as it is in the range exceeding 0 μm and less than the thickness of the recording medium. When an image recording body is produced using a holder having no projections on the surface of the substrate, image omission is likely to occur when the depth (ΔG) of the depressions is 20 μm or more, and image omission is caused when the depth is 50 μm or more. Etc. tend to occur remarkably.
From this point of view, if an image recording body is produced using a holder having a convex portion satisfying the formula (1), the depth (ΔG) of the concave portion is preferably 20 μm or more, and more preferably 50 μm or more. .
The upper limit of the depth (ΔG) of the recess may be less than the thickness of the recording medium as described above, but is practically 400 μm or less, and preferably 200 μm or less.

In addition, the maximum distance W between the concave contour lines at positions facing each other among the contour lines of the concave portions is not particularly limited as long as it is less than the maximum length in the recording medium plane direction. In the case of producing an image recording body using a holder that does not have any of the above, image omission is likely to occur when the maximum distance W between the contours of the recesses is 5 mm or more, and image omissions are noticeable when the distance is 10 mm or more. Will occur.
From this point of view, if the image recording body is produced using a holding body having a convex portion satisfying the formula (1), the maximum distance W between the concave contour lines is preferably 5 mm or more, more preferably 10 mm or more. I can say that.
As described above, the maximum distance W between the concave contour lines may be less than the maximum length in the recording medium plane direction, but is practically 50 mm or less, and preferably 25 mm or less.

  Further, the concave portion may be formed as a simple concave portion by embossing a sheet-like member used for producing a recording medium, or the concave portion has a thickness less than the depth thereof. (In this case, ΔG is the thickness in the recording medium thickness direction from the surface of the member disposed in the recess to the surface of the recording medium in the region where the recess is not provided). Means distance). In addition, although it does not specifically limit as a member arrange | positioned in a recessed part, For example, information chip, such as an IC chip or an IC module carrying this, thin display elements, such as an organic EL display element, etc. are mentioned.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a recording medium used in the present invention, in which 300 and 302 are recording media, 310 is the surface of the recording medium (the surface on the side in contact with the holder when the image recording body is formed), 312 is a concave portion, 314 is a bottom surface (of the concave portion 312), 320 is a recording medium surface (a surface on which an image is formed when an image recording body is formed), 330 is an in-recess arrangement member, and 332 is a surface of the in-recess arrangement member 330. (The surface on the side not in contact with the bottom surface 314).
Here, the recording medium 300 shown in FIG. 1A is provided with a recess 312 in a predetermined region of the recording medium surface 310. In this case, the recess depth (ΔG) means the distance between the recording medium surface 310 and the bottom surface 314.
Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, the recording medium 302 is provided with a recess 312 in a predetermined region of the recording medium surface 310 and the depth of the recess 312 (substrate surface 310 on the bottom surface 314 of the recess 312. The distance between the bottom surface 314 and the in-recess arrangement member 330 having a thickness smaller than that of the bottom surface 314 is arranged. In this case, the recess depth (ΔG) means the distance between the recording medium surface 310 and the bottom surface 314. Note that the net recess depth (ΔG) in this case means the distance between the recording medium surface 310 and the surface 332 of the in-recess arrangement member 330.

-Image recording material-
The image recording body formed using the first embodiment has a configuration including at least a recording medium and an image formed on the surface thereof, and is a transfer body used for forming an image recording body. Depending on the type, a part of the layer (such as an image holding layer) constituting the transfer body may be provided on the recording medium so as to cover the image.
Examples of the image recording body described above include (1) the configuration of an image sheet, an image panel, etc., in which an image is transferred to a recording medium from a transfer body having an image according to information formed on the surface, and (2) recording. And at least an information chip capable of reading information by using at least one means selected from an electric means, a magnetic means, and an optical means, which is arranged in at least one place of the medium. An information recording medium that stores predetermined information and can communicate with an external device in a contact or non-contact manner, such as an IC card, a magnetic card, an optical card, or a combination of these, can be used.

  In the image recording material described in the above item (1), the image partially or entirely serves as information having some identification function, and includes an image functioning as identifiable information such as image information and character information. If it is, it will not specifically limit. Further, the identification of the image as information is not particularly limited as to whether or not it can be visually identified, and may be mechanically identifiable.

  In the image recording body (information recording medium) shown in the above item (2), the information chip has information having some kind of identification function, and is selected from at least electrical means, magnetic means, and optical means. There is no particular limitation as long as it can be read by using one means. This information chip may be dedicated to reading information, but may be one that can both read and write information (including “rewriting”) as necessary. A specific example of the information chip is an IC chip (semiconductor circuit).

  It should be noted that whether or not the image formed when the information chip is used as the information source of the image recording body has information having some identification function is not particularly limited.

On the other hand, the information included in the image and the information chip is not particularly limited as long as it can be identified, but may include variable information. The variable information means that information possessed by individual image recording bodies is different among a plurality of image recording bodies manufactured according to the same standard or standard.
For example, when the image includes variable information, the image corresponding to the variable information can be different for each image recording medium.

  Further, the variable information may include personal information. In this case, the image recording medium (information recording medium) of the present invention can be applied to a cash card, an employee card, a student card, an individual membership card, a residence card, various driver's licenses, various qualification acquisition certificates, etc. When used for a purpose, the personal information includes, for example, a face photograph, personal verification image information, name, address, date of birth, and combinations thereof.

-Image recording body forming apparatus-
Next, an image recording body forming apparatus using the image forming method of the first embodiment will be described.
In this case, the image recording body forming apparatus according to the first embodiment includes at least a transfer body having an image on the surface, a base and a holding member that holds a recording medium on at least one side of the base, and the holding member includes Superimposing means for superimposing a holding body for holding a recording medium on the provided surface so that the surface of the transfer body on which the image is provided and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body face each other; Transfer means for transferring the image from the surface of the transfer body to the surface of the recording medium by performing at least one process selected from heat treatment and pressure treatment on the superimposed transfer body and the recording medium. It is particularly preferable to have at least one.
Hereinafter, the image recording body forming apparatus will be described in more detail with specific examples.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an image recording body forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.
An image recording body forming apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 2 includes a collating device 12 that is an overlapping unit and a transfer device 14 (transfer unit) that is a transferring unit. The collating device 12 and the transfer device 14 are, for example, They are arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction.

  The collating device 12 includes a transfer body storage section 32 that stores the transfer body 20 having an image, a holding body storage section 34 that is disposed below the transfer body storage section 32 and stores the holding body 22, and a holding body storage section. 34 is provided on the side where the transfer device 14 is disposed, on the side where the transfer device 14 of the transfer body storage portion 32 is arranged, and the collating means 36 (positioning portion) disposed adjacent to the holding body storage portion 34. The transfer path 40 for supplying the transfer body 20 having an image from the transfer body storage section 32 to the collating means 36, and the holding body storage section 34 are provided on the side where the transfer device 14 is disposed. A conveying path 42 for supplying the holding body 22 from 34 to the collating means 36.

The conveyance paths 40 and 42 may have a configuration in which a plate-like member having a smooth surface, a transfer roll 20 having an image on the surface, and a conveyance roll for conveying the holding body 22 are provided. It may be composed of possible endless belts.
These conveyance paths 40 and 42 are arranged so that the conveyance rolls and belts are moved at a predetermined timing so that the holding unit 22 and the transfer body 20 having an image are overlapped by the collating means 36 when the image recording body is formed. The transfer body 20 rotates and conveys the transfer body 20 and the holding body 22 having images from the transfer body storage section 32 and the holding body storage section 34 to the collating means 36.

The holding body storage section 34 holds the holding body 22 holding the recording medium, and also includes a pickup roll and a paper feed roll provided in a normal paper feeding device, and the paper feed roll and the like rotate. Then, one holding member 22 is conveyed to the collating means 36.
The transfer body storage unit 32 stores a transfer body 20 having a predetermined image formed by using, for example, an electrophotographic method, and also includes a pickup roll and a supply roller provided in a normal sheet feeding device. A paper roll is provided, and a paper feed roll or the like rotates at a timing immediately after the holding body 22 is discharged to the collating means 36, and conveys one transfer body 20 having an image to the collating means 36.

  The collating means 36 is provided at a position below the vertical direction on the discharge side of the transfer body having the image on the conveyance path 40 and at the same height as the portion of the conveyance path 42 where the holding body 22 is discharged. Further, the position of the transfer body having the image and the holding body 22 is overlapped so that the image on the surface of the transfer body 20 having the image faces a desired position on the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body 22. Positioning means is provided.

The configuration of the positioning means is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include the configurations shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
3 and 4 are schematic views for explaining an example of positioning means used in the image recording body forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 is a plan view when the collating means 36 is viewed from above. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the collating means 36 (cross-sectional view between X1 and X2 in FIG. 3), in which 61, 61a, 61b, 62 are reference walls, and 63, 64 are regulating members. , 70 is received, and 71 is a connecting portion.

  The collating means 36 has four sides with respect to the conveying direction indicated by the arrows in the figure (in FIG. 2, the side on which the transfer body storage section 32 and the holding body storage section 34 are arranged with respect to the collating means 36). Square receiver 70 whose two sides are orthogonal to each other, reference wall 61 arranged along the downstream side in the conveying direction, and reference arranged along one of the two sides orthogonal to the side. A wall 62, a regulating member 63 arranged so that the surface of the receiver 70 can be moved by a drive mechanism (not shown) in the direction of arrow A (a direction parallel to the conveying direction), and the surface of the receiver 70 in the direction of arrow B (perpendicular to the direction of arrow A) And a regulating member 64 that is movably arranged by a drive mechanism (not shown).

Here, positioning is performed with respect to a laminated body P (a member indicated by a dotted line in the figure) laminated so that the transfer body 20 and the holding body 22 are superimposed on the surface of the receiver 70 through the conveyance paths 40 and 42. This is performed by pressing the restricting members 63 and 64 against the reference walls 61 and 62. Specifically, the regulating member 63 is pressed against one of the two orthogonal sides of the stacked body P (first side), and in this state, the regulating member 63 is positioned at the position of symbol C (downstream in the transport direction). The side facing the regulating member 63 of the laminate P is abutted against the reference wall 61, and the regulating member 64 is pressed against the side (second side) orthogonal to the first side. In this state, the regulating member 64 is moved in the direction of the reference wall 62, and the side facing the side that contacts the regulating member 64 of the stacked body P is abutted against the reference wall 62.
As described above, by using the two regulating members 63 and 64 and the two reference walls 61 and 62 in combination, even if the size of the laminate P is various such as A4 or A3, the collation that is accurately positioned can be obtained. Is possible.

In addition, since the reference wall 61 shown in FIG. 3 is provided at a position orthogonal to the transport direction,
It is necessary to be able to move so as not to hinder the conveyance of the stacked body P after the collation is completed and the temporary fixing performed as necessary is completed.
In order to give such a function to the reference wall 61, for example, it is preferable that the reference wall 61 is movable as shown in FIG.
For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the reference wall 61 moves in the direction of arrow D (that is, up and down movement) and moves to the position indicated by 61a, so that the laminate P is transported downstream in the conveyance direction. Can be transported to.
Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the reference wall 61 can be moved in the direction of arrow E (that is, in the circumferential direction around the connection portion 71) via the connection portion 71 at the end portion of the receiver 70. If the reference wall 61 is moved to a location indicated by 61b, the laminate P can be transported downstream in the transport direction.

  The collating means 36 may be provided with a temporary fixing device for temporarily fixing a laminated body in which the holding body 22 and the transfer body 20 having an image are overlapped. As this temporary fixing device, for example, a device composed of a pair of protruding pieces made of metal so as to be heated by a heater or the like can be used. If this device is used, the laminate is sandwiched by a pair of heated protruding pieces. Thus, the transfer body 20 having an image and the holding body 22 and / or the recording medium held by the holding body 22 are welded by heat, and the laminated body is temporarily fixed.

Here, as the transfer device 14, for example, a device having a configuration using a pair of endless belts can be used.
The transfer device 14 shown in the drawing is disposed on the collating device 12 side so as to stretch a pair of endless belts 46 arranged in contact with each other so that the outer peripheral surfaces are pressed against each other. A pair of heating / pressurizing rolls 48 and a pair of stretching rolls 50 arranged on the side opposite to the side where the collating device 12 of the heating / pressurizing rolls 48 is arranged, and a pair of stretching An image recording medium discharge unit 56 disposed on the opposite side to the side on which the heating / pressurizing roll 48 of the roll 50 is disposed.

  The configuration of the transfer device 14 is not limited to the configuration shown in the drawing, and any device having a configuration capable of performing various conventionally known laminating techniques and hot pressing techniques can be used.

Next, a process for forming an image recording body by the image recording body forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2 will be described.
First, in the collating apparatus 12, the holding body 22 is supplied from the holding body storage part 34 through the conveying path 42 to the collating means 36 and set to a predetermined position of the collating means 36.
Next, the transfer body 20 having an image is supplied from the transfer body storage portion 32 to the collating means 36 via the conveyance path 40. Here, the transfer body 20 having the image that has exited the discharge section of the conveyance path 40 is supplied to the collating means 36 by its own weight so that the surface on which the image is provided faces downward, and is superposed on the holding body 22. (Superposition process).
In this superposition, the position of the transfer body having the image and the holding body 22 is set so that the image on the surface of the transfer body 20 having the image faces a desired position on the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body 22. Overlapped together.

  Next, the laminated body composed of the transfer body 20 having the image superimposed by the collating means 36 and the holding body 22 is temporarily fixed by the temporary fixing apparatus and then transferred by the conveying means (not shown). 14 is conveyed.

Next, in the transfer device 14, the laminated body composed of the transfer body 20 having the image and the holding body 22 is heated and pressurized by passing through contact portions where the outer peripheral surfaces of the pair of endless belts 46 are in contact with each other. As a result, the image is transferred onto the surface of the recording medium (transfer process).
The laminated body that has passed through the contact portion is discharged to the image recording body discharge portion 56. Subsequently, the transfer body portion (the entire transfer body or a part of the transfer body excluding the peelable portion such as the image holding layer) was peeled from the laminate, and an image was formed by removing from the holding body 22. An image recording body can be obtained.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment in which an image recording body is formed by a method different from the first embodiment will be described.
In the second embodiment, a toner image forming step of forming a toner image on the surface of the image holding member, and a belt-like intermediate transfer member in which the toner image is provided from the surface of the image holding member and an image holding layer is provided on the substrate surface. A transfer step of transferring to the surface of the image holding layer, an overlapping step of overlapping the surface of the intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image has been transferred and the surface of the recording medium held by the holder, heating and heating A fixing step for fixing the toner image by pressing, and a joining step for joining the superimposed intermediate transfer member and the recording medium by performing at least one treatment selected from a heat treatment and a pressure treatment; And a peeling step of peeling the interface between the base material of the intermediate transfer member and the image holding layer.

The recording medium used in the second embodiment is, for example, a small-sized recording medium having a thickness of 300 μm or more. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, at least the entire process from the superposition process to the end of the joining process is performed using mechanical means. For example, at least the process from the superposition process to the end of the joining process is performed. In some processes, the recording medium is conveyed by a conveying means such as a roll or an endless belt.
Therefore, it is difficult to mechanically handle the recording medium itself, and the recording medium is likely to be displaced with respect to the transfer body.

In order to solve this problem, at least the superposition process and the joining process are performed in a state where the recording medium is held by a member that is larger than the recording medium and capable of stable mechanical handling without causing a positional shift. It is effective to be able to carry out the entire process up to the end.
In view of the above, the present inventors consider that it is effective to perform at least the entire process from the superimposition process to the joining process using the holding body that holds the recording medium, and the second embodiment. I found.
Thus, according to the second embodiment, even when an image recording body in which an image is formed on a small-sized recording medium is formed, the image recording body in which an image is formed at a desired position without causing a positional shift. Can be formed.

On the other hand, the recording medium used in the second embodiment is as described above, but the degree of unevenness on the surface varies depending on the type of the recording medium. Also, the image to be formed depends on whether a monochrome image or a color image is formed, the particle diameter of the toner used to form the image, or the conditions for forming the image (for example, the fixing temperature). The degree of unevenness on the surface varies. Therefore, in the conventional image forming method, it is extremely difficult to always match the smoothness of the surface of the recording medium to be used and the image to be formed. For this reason, it is inevitable that a difference in glossiness occurs between the image portion on the image forming surface and the non-image portion.
However, in the second embodiment, since the entire surface of the image forming surface is covered with the image holding layer, the surface unevenness of the entire surface of the image forming surface becomes uniform regardless of the degree of surface unevenness of the recording medium and the image. It is also possible to prevent a difference between the glossiness of the image and the glossiness of the non-image area.

The process of the image forming method of the second embodiment is a base material and the base material as an intermediate transfer body as compared with an electrophotographic image forming method using an intermediate transfer body such as a conventional intermediate transfer belt. This is largely different in that a belt-like transfer body (intermediate transfer body) having an image holding layer provided on one side is used.
The intermediate transfer member is not particularly limited as long as it has a belt shape, but the aspect ratio (length / width) is preferably 5 or more, more preferably 10 or more, and still more preferably 20 or more. Further, the length of the intermediate transfer member is preferably 1 m or more, preferably 2 m or more, and more preferably 4 m or more.
The width of the belt-shaped intermediate transfer member means the length in the direction perpendicular to the rotation direction of the image carrier, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a width that covers the entire recording medium. It may be set to be the same as the width of the image carrier or the same as the width of the recording medium to be used (the length in the direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the recording medium) (or the width of the recording medium + 10%). preferable.
The intermediate transfer member may be an endless cylinder. The length of the intermediate transfer member in this case means the length of one endless cylindrical body.

On the other hand, conventionally, when mass-producing recording media on which images are formed using an intermediate transfer member, an image is formed on the recording medium using a large sheet-like intermediate transfer member and then cut into a predetermined size. There was a need to do. However, high productivity has not always been obtained because cutting is necessary after image formation.
However, since the recording medium used in the second embodiment is a small-sized recording medium, if the final product is the same small size as the recording medium, there is no need to cut the recording medium after image formation. Productivity can also be gained.
The length of the intermediate transfer member is preferably 5 times or more, preferably 10 times or more, and more preferably 20 times or more the length in the recording medium supply direction.

In the image forming method according to the second embodiment, not only a single color image using one type of toner but also a color image using two or more types of different color toners can be formed. Since a color image is fixed after overlapping and laminating two or more different color toner images, the unevenness of the image surface is more likely to be larger than that of a single color image. The difference in glossiness from the image becomes large, and the gloss on the entire image forming surface tends to be uneven.
However, in the image forming method of the second embodiment, since both the image portion and the non-image portion are covered with the image holding layer, the occurrence of this problem can be prevented and a uniform glossiness can be obtained over the entire image forming surface. it can.

Next, the image forming method of the second embodiment will be described for each process. As described above, the image forming method of the present invention includes a toner image forming step, a transfer step, a superimposing step, a fixing step, a joining step, and a peeling step. Steps employed in a known electrophotographic image forming method, such as a cleaning step of cleaning the surface of the image carrier after being transferred to the surface, can be combined.
Here, the toner image forming step can be carried out in the same manner as in the conventional image forming method, and the transfer step is also performed in the same manner as in the conventional image forming method except that the above-described intermediate transfer member is used as the intermediate transfer member. Can be implemented.

The overlaying process, fixing process, and joining process are performed after the transfer process and before the peeling process. The overlaying process, the fixing process, and the joining process can be performed in this order (Process A) or fixed. The process, the overlaying process, and the joining process are performed in this order (Process B), and after the overlaying process, the fixing process and the joining process are performed simultaneously (Process C). The joining process can be performed substantially simultaneously (Process D). However, from the viewpoint of simplification of the steps, it is preferable to perform the overlapping step, the fixing step, and the joining step substantially simultaneously (Process E). Strictly speaking, in the process E, the fixing step and the joining step are simultaneously performed immediately after the overlaying step.
In the processes A, C, D, and E in which the fixing step is performed after the superimposing step, the heating unit such as a heating roll used for fixing and the toner image are not in direct contact with each other when the toner image is fixed. There is also an advantage that the toner is not offset to the side.

  In order to carry out the process E, a device having the same configuration as that of a conventional fixing device can be used. For example, a joining means comprising a heating roll and a pressure roll disposed so as to be in pressure contact with the heating roll. Available. In this case, fixing and transfer can be performed by inserting the press contact portion between the heating roll and the pressure roll in a state where the intermediate transfer member and the recording medium are overlapped. In the case where the joining process is not performed substantially simultaneously with the fixing process, the heating process and the pressurizing process may be performed simultaneously in the joining process, but only one of them may be performed.

After the above three steps are finished, a peeling step for peeling the interface between the base material of the joined body in which the recording medium and the intermediate transfer body are joined and the image holding layer is performed. Thereby, it is possible to obtain a recording medium (image recording body) in which the entire surface on which the image is formed is covered with the image holding layer.
The peeling step is not particularly limited as long as the interface between the image holding layer and the substrate can be peeled off. It is preferable to implement by adding. In addition, when applying the tension | pulling force with respect to one side of a conjugate | zygote, it is preferable that the other side is fixed.

  On the other hand, when producing a plastic card as an image recording body using a recording medium composed of a plastic film using the second embodiment, if the heat resistance of the plastic film constituting the joined body is low, the peeling step The plastic card obtained through the process may be deformed. In this deformation, since the joined body after the fixing process and the joining process is heated to a high temperature, even if the peeling process is performed on the joined body in a state heated to this high temperature, the plastic card itself is This is because it is easy to deform just by applying an external force. The problem is that a plastic film made of a material having a relatively low glass transition temperature such as a vinyl chloride film or a PETG film (a modified PET resin film obtained by copolymerizing at least ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol). It tends to occur when used or when the fixing temperature is higher than the glass transition temperature of the resin material constituting the plastic film.

Therefore, when it is desired to prevent the above-described deformation, after the fixing process and the joining process are finished, the surfaces facing both surfaces of the laminate including the joined body and the holding body that holds the recording medium side portion of the joined body. However, it is preferable to carry out a cooling step of cooling while sandwiched between a pair of planar members, and subsequently to carry out a peeling step.
By carrying out the cooling step described above, the bonded body heated to a high temperature after passing through the fixing step and the bonding step is cooled to a temperature at which it is difficult to deform even when an external force is applied while maintaining a flat shape. Since the peeling step is performed later, it is possible to reliably prevent the finally obtained plastic card from being deformed. This method is particularly effective when a vinyl chloride film or PETG film is used as the recording medium, or when the fixing temperature is higher than the glass transition temperature of the resin material constituting the plastic card.
The cooling performed in the cooling step may be natural cooling, but is more preferably forced cooling that can shorten the cooling time.

Further, in the image forming method of the second embodiment, after the transfer process is completed and before the fixing process is performed, the toner image transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer member is preheated and is presumed to be worn. It is preferable to implement. As a result, it is possible to prevent the toner images constituting the toner image from fusing with each other and the toner particles and the image holding layer from fusing and preventing the toner image from being disturbed in the fixing process. It is possible to prevent the image from being disturbed.
When the post-fixing process is performed, heating means such as a heating roll is disposed on both or one side of the intermediate transfer member, and a temperature lower than the temperature at which the toner image is fixed in the fixing process (60 ° C. to 80 ° C.). It is preferable to carry out the heating at a lower temperature.

Furthermore, the superposition process may be performed after the preheating process for heating the recording medium.
Thus, by heating the recording medium before the fixing step or before the superimposing step performed simultaneously with the fixing step, the recording medium is preheated to a temperature suitable for fixing (for example, 70 ° C. to 100 ° C.). (In the range of ° C.).
As a result, it becomes easy to prevent the occurrence of defective fixing, and the fixing temperature in the fixing step can be made lower than that in the past. The above-described preheating step is particularly effective when using the thick recording medium used in the present invention. The recording medium used in the present invention has a larger heat capacity due to its thickness compared to a recording medium having a thickness of about 100 μm used for printing a normal document or the like. In addition, it is difficult to heat the recording medium to a temperature suitable for fixing, and when the recording medium such as a plastic film is sufficiently heated, the recording medium may easily be thermally deformed. However, if the preheating step is performed to preheat the recording medium before fixing, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of fixing failure and thermal deformation of the recording medium due to the heating failure of the recording medium.
From the viewpoint described above, the preheating step may be performed when the recording medium to be used is a medium containing a thermoplastic material such as a plastic film and the thickness thereof is in the range of about 500 μm to about 10 mm. Particularly preferred.

  In addition, when forming an image recording body using the second embodiment described above, if a recording medium having a concave portion on either side is used, the recording medium has a concave portion. The surface is held by the holding body so that the surface is in contact with the holding body, and the holding body is on the surface side of the substrate surface that holds the recording medium and faces the concave portion (of the recording medium) when the recording medium is held. It is preferable to use a projection that has a convex portion in the region that satisfies the above-described formula (1). In this case, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of image density unevenness, image omission, and bubbles in the image recording body.

-Intermediate transfer member-
Next, the belt-shaped intermediate transfer member used in the second embodiment will be described in more detail. The intermediate transfer member used in the present invention includes a base material and an image holding layer provided on one side of the base material.

The toner image formed on the surface of the image holding member in the transfer process is transferred onto the surface of the image holding layer. Further, it is necessary that the image holding layer and the substrate have releasability. Therefore, a structure in which a release layer containing a releasable material and an image holding layer are laminated in this order on the surface of the base material, a surface of the image holding layer on the base material side, or a surface of the base material on the image holding layer side Any one of the above may be coated with a releasable material to impart releasability.
As the releasable material, a silicone-based hard coat material can be used. Specifically, a condensate resin containing a silane-based composition, a condensate resin containing the silane-based composition, and a colloidal silica dispersion liquid. The material which consists of a mixture with may be contained.

In the case where the intermediate transfer member has a structure in which a release layer and an image holding layer are laminated in this order on the substrate surface, the peel force between the release layer and the image holding layer is 9.8 mN / cm or more 4 1.9 N / cm or less (1 gf / cm or more and 500 gf / cm or less), preferably 19.6 mN / cm or more and 0.98 N / cm or less (2 gf / cm or more and 100 gf / cm or less). Preferably there is.
When the peeling force is less than 9.8 mN / cm (1 gf / cm), spontaneous peeling between the substrate and the image holding layer may occur. In addition, when exceeding 4.9 N / cm (500 gf / cm), when a force to peel off is applied to both surfaces of the laminate obtained after joining the intermediate transfer member to the recording medium, There may be a case where the film cannot be peeled cleanly at the interface with the image holding layer.
Here, the peel force between the release layer and the image holding layer was measured by applying a 10 g wide acrylic adhesive tape (Nitto Denko Corporation, Nitto Polyester Tape 31B) to the surface of the image transfer layer of the intermediate transfer member at a line of 500 g / cm. The pressure was applied to a length of 200 mm, the stress at a peeling angle of 180 degrees was measured at a speed of 10 mm / sec, and the value was taken as the peeling force.

  The image holding layer contains a thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material is not particularly limited, but preferably contains a resin of the same type as the binder resin contained in the toner used for image formation, particularly a polyester resin. Polyester resin is often used as a binder resin for toner. By including the same type of resin in the image holding layer, the fixing property of the image forming material to the image holding layer can be improved. it can. In addition, as said polyester resin, you may use silicone modified polyester resin, urethane modified polyester resin, acrylic modified polyester etc. other than general polyester resin, for example.

Although it does not specifically limit as a base material, A plastic film can be used typically. Among these, for example, polyacetate film, cellulose triacetate film, nylon film, polyester film, polycarbonate film, polysulfone film, polystyrene film, polyphenylene ether film, cycloolefin film, polypropylene film, cellophane, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin A film, a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, or the like can be preferably used. Among these, it is preferable to use biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate from the viewpoint of cost performance.
On the other hand, the substrate is heated and pressed during fixing. In addition, when using a recording medium such as a plastic sheet having a relatively large thickness, since the heat capacity is large, the fixing temperature must be set high, and the substrate is heated to a high temperature. There is also a case. This heating and pressurization and excessive heating conditions may cause elongation in the longitudinal direction of the base material during fixing, which may cause image elongation.
Therefore, from the viewpoint of suppressing image elongation, it is preferable to use a plastic film excellent in stretching resistance during heating and pressing. Examples of this film include a biaxially stretched polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) film, an aromatic polyamide (aramid) film, a polyimide film, a polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) film, and a polyetherimide (PEI) film.
In addition, as a film for base materials, a laminated film obtained by laminating two or more kinds of the above-described films in combination can be used as necessary.

The surface roughness of the surface of the substrate on which the image holding layer is provided is not particularly limited, but in order to obtain a high glossiness on the entire image forming surface, the center line average roughness Ra is 1 μm or less. It is preferable that the thickness is 0.1 μm or less. When the center line average roughness Ra exceeds 1 μm, high glossiness may not be obtained. In addition, from the viewpoint of obtaining a high gloss feeling, it is preferable that the center line average roughness Ra of the base material is small, but practically it is preferably 0.05 μm or more.
On the other hand, when the entire surface of the image forming surface has a matte finish (low glossiness), the center line average roughness Ra is preferably 20 μm or more, and more preferably 25 μm or more. If the center line average roughness Ra is less than 20 μm, the entire image forming surface may not be matte. In addition, from the viewpoint of obtaining a mat finish, it is preferable that the center line average roughness Ra of the substrate is large, but practically, it is preferably 50 μm or less.
The measurement of the center line average roughness (Ra) was made by ULVAC, Inc .: stylus type surface shape measuring device Dektak 3ST.

The thickness of the base material in the intermediate transfer member is preferably in the range of 10 μm or more and 200 μm or less, more preferably in the range of 25 μm or more and 100 μm or less from the viewpoint of conveyance failure and image quality deterioration prevention. If the thickness is less than 10 μm, the image recording body forming apparatus may cause a conveyance failure, and if it exceeds 200 μm, the image quality may be deteriorated in the transfer process.
Further, from the viewpoint of preventing generation of minute residual air on the image forming surface after bonding, the thickness of the substrate is preferably 50 μm or less, and more preferably 40 μm or less. If the thickness of the substrate exceeds 50 μm, the intermediate transfer member cannot follow and adhere to the unevenness present on the bonding surface of the recording medium at the time of bonding, so that minute residual air may be generated on the image forming surface. . From the viewpoint of suppressing the generation of minute residual air, the thinner the substrate, the better. However, from the viewpoint of preventing the occurrence of poor conveyance due to insufficient strength of the substrate, it is practically 10 μm. It is preferable that it is above, and it is more preferable that it is 18 μm or more.
In addition to ensuring the strength of the substrate and suppressing minute residual air, the plastic film suitable for use as a substrate having a thickness in the range of 10 μm or more and 50 μm or less can be used, for example, It is preferable to use the above-described biaxially stretched PEN film, aromatic polyamide (aramid) film, polyimide film, PPS film, or PEI film.

The surface resistivity of at least the surface of the intermediate transfer member on which the image holding layer is formed at a temperature of 23 ° C. and a humidity of 55 RH% is in the range of 1.0 × 10 ⁸ Ω to 1.0 × 10 ¹³ Ω. More preferably, it is in the range of 1.0 × 10 ⁹ Ω or more and 1.0 × 10 ¹¹ Ω or less, and it is more preferable that the above range is satisfied on both sides of the intermediate transfer member.
If the surface resistivity is less than 1.0 × 10 ⁸ Ω, the resistance value of the intermediate transfer member becomes too low particularly at high temperature and high humidity, and for example, the transfer toner from the image carrier may be disturbed. When the resistivity exceeds 1.0 × 10 ¹³ Ω, the resistance value of the intermediate transfer member becomes too high, and for example, the toner from the image carrier cannot be transferred to the film surface and image defects may occur.

The surface resistivity is a current after 60 seconds at 1000 V using a circular electrode (for example, “HR probe” of Hiresta IP manufactured by Mitsubishi Oil Chemical Co., Ltd.) in an environment of 23 ° C. and 55% RH. The value can be determined according to JIS K6911.
In controlling the surface resistivity within the range of 1.0 × 10 ⁸ or more and 1.0 × 10 ¹³ Ω or less, a polymer conductive agent, surfactant or conductive metal is used as a charge control agent in the image holding layer. Add oxide particles, etc., or add a surfactant, polymer conductive agent, conductive particles, etc. to the resin during the production of the film to be the substrate, or apply a surfactant to the film surface It can be adjusted by depositing a metal thin film or adding an appropriate amount of a surfactant to an adhesive or the like.

-Toner / Developer-
In the second embodiment, as the developer used for forming the toner image, either a one-component developer composed of toner or a two-component developer composed of toner and carrier may be used. Agents are available.
As the toner, any conventionally known toner can be used without limitation as long as it contains at least a binder resin and a colorant. In addition, as a binder resin, although a well-known binder resin can be utilized, a polyester-type resin is preferable and it is preferable that it is 5000-12000 as the weight average molecular weight.
The colorant is not particularly limited as long as it is a colorant usually used for toners, and is selected from among known cyan pigments or dyes, magenta pigments or dyes, yellow pigments or dyes, black pigments or dyes. You can choose. Preferably, in order to enhance the effect of obtaining high gloss, it is important to suppress irregular reflection at the interface between the pigment of the colorant and the binder, and the small particle size disclosed in JP-A-4-2422752. A combination with a colorant in which a pigment is highly dispersed is effective.
The particle size of the toner is not particularly limited, but is preferably 4 μm or more and 8 μm or less from the viewpoint of obtaining a high-definition image.
The toner and carrier used in the second embodiment may be manufactured or commercially available.

-Image recording material-
An image recording body formed using the second embodiment is a recording medium, an image formed on the surface thereof, and a layer provided so as to cover the entire surface on which the image of the recording medium is formed ( A layer corresponding to the image holding layer of the intermediate transfer member).
The use etc. of this image recording body is the same as that of the image recording body obtained using the first embodiment.

-Image recording body forming apparatus-
Next, an image recording body forming apparatus according to a second embodiment will be described. The image recording body forming apparatus according to the second embodiment is not particularly limited as long as the image recording body forming method according to the second embodiment is used. Specifically, the image recording body forming apparatus preferably has the following configuration.
That is, an image recording body forming apparatus according to the second embodiment includes an image holding body, a toner image forming means for forming a toner image on the surface of the image holding body, a base material, and an image holding provided on the base material surface. A transfer means for transferring the toner image from the surface of the image holding member to the surface of the intermediate transferring member on the side of the image holding layer; and the toner image of the intermediate transferring member. The toner image is fixed by heating and pressurizing the intermediate transfer body and the recording medium by superimposing the surface on which the toner is transferred and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body, and the intermediate transfer body It is preferable to have at least joining means for joining the recording medium and the recording medium.

The joining means is means for performing the superimposing step, fixing step, and joining step substantially simultaneously (means for carrying out process E). However, in order to carry out each step separately, the joining means For example, a superimposing unit that superimposes the recording medium and the intermediate transfer member, a fixing unit that fixes the toner image by heat and pressure, and a bonding unit that bonds the recording medium and the intermediate transfer member by heat and pressure (for example, It is also possible to provide means that does not have a function of performing the superimposing step and the fixing step.
Here, the image recording body forming apparatus according to the second embodiment includes other means used in the conventional image forming apparatus, for example, a cleaning means such as a cleaning blade for cleaning the surface of the image holding body. Also good. Further, it is more preferable that the toner image transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer member by the transfer unit is preliminarily attached by preheating before being fixed by the joining unit.
Further, if necessary, a preheating means for preheating the recording medium before being superimposed on the surface on which the toner image of the intermediate transfer member is transferred may be provided.

Below, the form of the image recording body forming apparatus of 2nd Embodiment is demonstrated with reference to drawings.
Embodiment 1
FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of an image recording body forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. In FIG. 5, 100 is an image recording body forming apparatus, 101 is a housing, 102K, 102C, 102M, and 102Y are Image forming unit (toner image forming means), 103Y is a photosensitive drum (image holding member), 104Y is a primary charger, 105Y is an LED array, 106Y is a developing device, 107K, 107C, 107M, and 107Y are charging rolls, and 108 is Intermediate transfer body, 109 is a delivery roll, 110 is a heating roll, 111 is a winding roll, 112 is a pressure roll, 113 is a heating source, 114 is a peeling roll, 115 and 116 are stretching rolls, and 117 is a holder. Part 200 represents a holding body.

The image recording body forming apparatus 100 includes four image forming units 102K and 102C that form toner images of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) in a housing 101. , 102M, 102Y are provided, and so-called tandem type apparatuses, the tension rolls 115 and 116 of the intermediate transfer body 108 are extended along the intermediate transfer body 108 stretched in the vertical direction by the tension rolls 115 and 116. The image forming units 102K, 102C, 102M, and 102Y are arranged in this order in the vertical direction at regular intervals from the tension roll 115 side to the tension roll 116 side on the opposite side surface. ing.
In the present embodiment, the four sets of the image forming units 102K, 102C, 102M, and 102Y are black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y). Others have the same configuration, but only the configuration of the image forming unit of a specific color may be changed according to the use frequency or the like. For example, the system can be changed to a system having a long service life by increasing the diameter of the photosensitive drum of the image forming unit that is frequently used or changing the surface material of the photosensitive member to a highly durable one.

Further, in the housing 101, a feed roll 109 for sending out an intermediate transfer body 108, which is a strip-like long film, a winding roll 111 for taking up the intermediate transfer body 108 sent out from the feed roll 109, and In order to stretch the intermediate transfer body 108 along the winding direction of the intermediate transfer body 108 (arrow B direction), a stretching roll 115 and a stretching roll 116 are stretched from the feed roll 109 side to the winding roll 111 side. , Heating roll 110 and four rolls arranged in order of peeling roll 114.
The take-up roll 111 is connected to a drive source (not shown) and can take up the intermediate transfer member 108.
One end side of the intermediate transfer body 108 is wound around a delivery roll 109, and the intermediate transfer body 108 is sequentially delivered from the delivery roll 109 when an image is formed. In addition, the intermediate transfer member 108 wound around the feed roll 109 is wound so that the surface on which the image holding layer is provided becomes the outer surface. The intermediate transfer member 108 sent out from the sending roll 109 is sequentially taken up in the arrow B direction by the take-up roll 111 during image formation.
The intermediate transfer body 108 fixed so that both ends are wound by the feeding roll 109 and the winding roll 111 comes into contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer body 108 on the substrate side, and from the feeding roll 109 side to the winding roll 111 side. Are stretched with a predetermined tension by a tension roll 115, a tension roll 116, a heating roll 110, and a peeling roll 114 arranged in the following order.

  The heating roll 110 includes a heating source 113 therein, and a pressure roll 112 is disposed so as to press the heating roll 110 with the intermediate transfer member 108 interposed therebetween. And constitutes a joining means. Further, the contact portion where the pressure roll 112 and the intermediate transfer body 108 come into contact is conveyed in the direction of arrow C (horizontal direction) by a conveying means (not shown) from a holder storage unit 117 attached outside the casing 101. The holding body 200 that holds the recording medium can be inserted. When the holding body 200 passes through the contact portion, the recording medium held by the holding body 200 and the intermediate transfer body 108 are superposed at the same time. The toner image is fixed and joined.

  The heating roll 110 may be configured to be retractable so that the pressure roll 112 comes into pressure contact with a predetermined timing. For example, while the toner images of the respective colors are formed on the intermediate transfer body 108, the pressure roll 112 is retracted to the standby position, and the heating roll 110 and the pressure roll 112 are separated from each other, and the intermediate transfer is performed. The press roll 112 is replaced by the heating roll 110 in accordance with the timing at which the formation of the multicolor toner image on the body 108 is completed and the holding body 200 holding the recording medium is supplied from the holding body storage portion 117 to the joining means. It can be moved to the pressing position. Note that the pressure roll 112 may be configured to include a heat source therein. As a joining means, a heating roll fixing device used in a conventional image forming apparatus can be used.

On the discharge side of the holding body 200 of the joining means, a small diameter peeling roll 114 is disposed as a peeling means on the heating roll 110 side of the conveyance path of the holding body 200. Further, the winding roll 111 is arranged such that the intermediate transfer body 108 in a portion stretched between the winding roll 111 and the peeling roll 114 forms an angle of about 70 ° with respect to the conveyance direction of the holding body 200. ing.
Here, since a recording medium having rigidity is used as the recording medium used in the image recording body forming apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. 5, a pulling force acts on the substrate side of the laminate formed by the joining means. The recording medium itself is pulled to the base material side due to its rigidity and is not easily deformed, so that peeling occurs at the interface between the image holding layer and the base material. If the recording medium has low rigidity, it may be prevented from being deformed to the base material side by adsorbing the recording medium side of the laminate.
In addition, as a peeling means, the peeling nail | claw inserted in the interface of the image holding layer of a laminated body and a base material may be used, and you may use together with the peeling roll mentioned above.

Next, a specific configuration of the four image forming units will be described using the image forming unit 102Y as a specific example. The image forming unit 102Y includes a photosensitive drum 103Y, a primary charger 104Y, an LED array 105Y, and a developing device 106Y. Here, the photosensitive drum 103Y contacts the surface of the intermediate transfer member 108 on which the image holding layer is provided, and is rotated at a predetermined speed along the arrow A direction by a driving unit (not shown). A primary charger 104Y, an LED array 105Y, a developing device 106Y, and a charging roll 107Y are arranged in this order along the direction of arrow A around the photosensitive drum 103Y. Is disposed opposite to the photosensitive drum 103Y.
The photosensitive drum 103Y is not particularly limited and a known one can be used. The photosensitive drum 103Y may have a single layer structure, or may have a multilayer structure and a function separation type. The material may be an inorganic material such as selenium or amorphous silicon, or an organic material.

  The developing device 106Y forms a color toner image on the photosensitive drum 103Y. Any known developing device can be used as long as this purpose is satisfied. For example, a known developing device having a function of attaching toner to an electrophotographic photosensitive member using a corotron, a brush, or the like can be used. Further, as the developing device 106Y, a toner image mixed with a known carrier and charged may be used to form a toner image on the photosensitive drum 103Y. For example, as disclosed in JP-A-63-58374. Known devices can be used. Further, a color image may be formed by employing a developing device using a one-component developer that does not use a carrier.

  The color toner used in the developing device 106Y is an insulating particle containing at least a binder resin and a colorant. In the developing device 106Y, yellow toner is used, and development in other image forming units is performed. For the apparatus, cyan toner, magenta toner, and black toner are used. The composition, average particle diameter, and the like of these color toners are selected from a general known toner range.

The yellow (Y) toner image is formed by the image forming unit 102Y as follows. First, the surface of the photosensitive drum 103Y is charged to a predetermined potential by a primary charger 104Y made of a charging roll or the like, and then responds to a halftone image (raster data) corresponding to an input image signal by an LED array 105Y. Exposure is performed to form an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 103Y is developed by a developing device 106Y as a developing unit that stores toner of a corresponding color, and a yellow (Y) toner image is formed. This yellow (Y) toner image is transferred from the surface of the photoreceptor drum 103Y to the surface of the intermediate transfer body 108 by the charging roll 107Y as the primary transfer means at the contact portion between the photoreceptor drum 103Y and the intermediate transfer body 108. The The surface of the photoconductive drum 103Y after the transfer is completed is subjected to removal of residual toner and the like by a cleaning device (not shown) as necessary. This toner image is formed except that the color of the toner used is different. The formation units 102K, 102C, and 102M are the same as 102Y.

  Thus, the toner images of the respective colors formed by the image forming units 102K, 102C, 102M, and 102Y are sequentially transferred in the order of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow by the charging rolls 107K, 107C, 107M, and 107Y that are primary transfer units. Then, primary transfer is performed on the intermediate transfer member 108 while being superimposed on each other, and a multicolor toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer member 108.

  The four-color toner images transferred on the surface of the intermediate transfer body 108 are further conveyed in the direction of arrow B, moved to the joining means, the toner image is fixed at the contact portion, and the holding body 200. The intermediate transfer member 108 is bonded to the recording medium held on the surface. Subsequently, after passing through the contact portion, the recording medium in which the interface between the base material of the laminate and the image holding layer is peeled off by the peeling roll 114 and the entire image forming surface is covered with the image holding layer is conveyed (not shown). It is discharged out of the housing 101 by the means. On the other hand, only the base material portion of the intermediate transfer body 108 is wound on the winding roll 111.

  As a result, the image recording body forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 5 can obtain a uniform glossiness on the entire image forming surface regardless of the type of recording medium used for image formation. Further, since the heating roll 110 is not in direct contact with the toner image, the occurrence of toner offset can be prevented. Furthermore, if a recording medium used for forming an image is cut to the same size as the final product, the recording medium on which the image is formed can be produced in large quantities and at high speed without being cut after the image is formed. Can do.

  When fixing and joining are performed by the joining unit after the toner image is superimposed and transferred to the intermediate transfer member 108, image distortion or registration misalignment may occur. In order to prevent the occurrence of this problem, it is preferable to provide hypothetical attachment means for presuming the toner image on the intermediate transfer body 108 in the portion stretched by the stretching roll 116 and the heating roll 110. As this hypothetical attachment means, a contact means or a non-contact heating means is arranged on the base material side and / or the image holding layer side of the intermediate transfer body 108 in a portion stretched by the stretching roll 116 and the heating roll 110. For example, it is possible to dispose a hypothetical heating roll so as to contact the surface of the intermediate transfer member 108 on the base material side.

Next, another embodiment of the image recording body forming apparatus of the second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
-Embodiment 2-
FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating another example of the image recording body forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. In FIG. 6, 160 is an image recording body forming apparatus, 162 is a heating roll, 164 is a heating source, and 166. Represents a pressure roll, and members indicated by other reference numerals are the same as those shown in FIG.
The image recording body forming apparatus 160 shown in FIG. 6 has a recording medium from the holding body storage portion 117 to the joining means composed of the heating roll 110 and the pressure roll 112 with respect to the image recording body forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. A preheating means is provided on a transport path on which the holding body 200 that holds the heat is transported.
This preheating means is composed of a heating roll 162 containing a heating source 164 and a pressure roll 166 disposed opposite to the heating roll 162, and the holder 200 for holding the recording medium is heated by the heating roll 162 at the time of image formation. The recording medium can be preheated by passing in the direction of arrow C through the contact portion where the pressure roller 166 and the pressure roll 166 are in contact with each other. For example, a known fixing machine can be used as the preheating means composed of the pair of rolls.

In addition to the above description, the image recording body forming apparatus according to the second embodiment includes an intermediate transfer body and a recording medium by a joining unit as necessary so that the cooling process described above can be performed. You may provide the cooling means which cools the joined joined body. In this case, a plastic card having no deformation can be efficiently produced even if a plastic film that easily undergoes thermal deformation is used as the recording medium or fixing is performed at a high fixing temperature.
Note that the cooling means has at least a pair of members whose surfaces facing each other are flat. Cooling of the laminated body composed of the joined body and the holding body in the cooling means is performed by sandwiching the laminated body between the pair of members. It is carried out in the state.
Here, the “pair of members” means that the laminated body is maintained in a flat state by directly or indirectly contacting the laminated body at the time of cooling the laminated body, The member which has a function which cools a laminated body by taking heat from the heated laminated body is meant. The pair of members may be a simple plate-shaped member or a belt that forms a flat surface by being stretched by a roll, but is made of a material having high thermal conductivity and has high heat dissipation. It is preferable to have a structure, and for example, a metal member provided with a radiation fin or a liquid cooling mechanism can be used. Further, the cooling means may be provided with an air cooling fan or the like in order to promote cooling of the pair of members transferred from the laminated body.

  The image recording body forming apparatus provided with this cooling means preferably has an apparatus having at least the functions of a joining means and a cooling means. Here, as an apparatus having at least the functions of a joining unit and a cooling unit, a heating roll that stretches the intermediate transfer member in contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer member on which the base material is provided, an endless belt, A pressure roll disposed opposite to the heating roll so as to stretch the endless belt and press the intermediate transfer member and the endless belt to form a pressure contact portion; and in the downstream direction of the rotation direction of the heating roll. A tension roll that stretches the endless belt together with the pressure roll, and an image holding layer of the intermediate transfer body are provided so that the outer peripheral surface of the endless belt faces the surface of the intermediate transfer body to be fed on the image holding layer side. The surface of the intermediate transfer member on which the base material is provided and the inner periphery of the endless belt so that the intermediate transfer member and the endless belt are pressed against each other along a portion where the outer surface of the endless belt and the outer peripheral surface of the endless belt face each other. In contact with the surface and inside Surface in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the surface and the endless belt of the base material of the transfer member side provided are those having a structure comprising at least a pair of cooling members is planar, the. Note that the pressure roll may have a heating source therein and also have a function as a heating roll.

-Embodiment 3-
FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another example of the image recording body forming apparatus of the second embodiment, and an example of an image recording body forming apparatus having an apparatus having at least the functions of the above-described joining means and cooling means. Is shown. In the figure, reference numeral 170 denotes an image recording body forming apparatus, 180 denotes a tension roll, 182 denotes an endless belt, 184 denotes a pair of cooling members, and other members indicated by reference numerals are the same as those shown in FIG. .
The image recording body forming apparatus 170 shown in FIG. 7 functions as a cooling means by expanding a part composed of the joining means (heating roll 110 and pressure roll 112) in the image recording body forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. In addition, the above-described configuration is employed. The tension roll 180 is also arranged so as to face the peeling roll 114, and thus includes a heating roll 110, a pressure roll 112, a tension roll 180, an endless belt 182, a pair of cooling members 184, and a peeling roll 114. The part has a structure in which the parts are integrally formed, and the part constituted by these members has a function of a peeling means in addition to a function of a joining means and a cooling means.

  Here, each of the pair of cooling members 184 is made of a metal plate provided with cooling fins (not shown in the drawing), and is connected to the endless belt 182 between the pair of cooling members 184 by a pressure contact means (not shown). And the intermediate transfer member 108 are pressed from both sides. An air cooling fan (not shown) is installed at a position where air can be blown to the cooling member 184 in order to increase the heat radiation efficiency from the pair of cooling members 184. When the heating roll 110 and the pressure roll 112 can be retracted, the pair of cooling members 184 may be configured to be retractable so as to be synchronized with the pair of rolls 110 and 112.

  In the image recording body forming apparatus 170 shown in FIG. 7, a laminate formed by passing through a contact portion where the heating roll 113 and the pressure roll 112 are in contact with each other is pressed by an endless belt 182. It is conveyed between the members 184. At this time, since the laminated body is pressed from both sides by the pair of cooling members 184, the heat of the laminated body is directly applied to the pair of cooling members 184 while the joined body constituting the laminated body is kept flat. And it is taken indirectly through the endless belt 182 and cooled, and then further conveyed to a contact portion where the tension roll 180 and the peeling roll 114 are in contact with each other so as to press each other.

(Holding body)
Next, an embodiment of the holding body of the present invention will be described.
The holding member has at least one process selected from a heating process and a pressurizing process in a state in which a transfer member having an image on the surface is overlapped so that the surface on which the image is provided faces the recording medium. It is used in an image recording body forming apparatus having at least a function to be implemented, and has at least a base and a holding member for holding a recording medium on at least one side of the base.
Here, the holding body has at least one selected from a heat treatment and a pressure treatment in a state where a transfer member having an image on the surface is overlapped so that the surface on which the image is provided faces the recording medium. As long as it is an image recording body forming apparatus having at least the function of performing the above process, it can be used for any image recording body forming apparatus. You can get a body. Further, this image recording body forming apparatus is particularly suitable for use in the image recording body forming apparatus of the first embodiment or the second embodiment.
As an image recording body forming apparatus other than the first embodiment and the second embodiment, for example, in the image recording body forming apparatus of the second embodiment, an ink jet recording head is used instead of the toner image forming means. An apparatus for forming an ink image on the surface of the intermediate transfer member having an ink image forming unit is provided as an example.

-Substrate-
Here, the substrate used for the holding body preferably has a size and shape that can be easily handled mechanically in the process of forming the image recording body by the image recording body forming apparatus. From this viewpoint, the holding body Is not particularly limited as long as it has a size larger than the recording medium to be held, but is preferably a quadrangular shape within a range of 100 × 148 mm to 64 × 521 mm, and is preferably A3 (297 × 420 mm) or A4. A standard size such as (210 × 297 mm) is more preferable.

  In the process of forming the image recording body according to the first and second embodiments, a transfer member such as a transfer body or an intermediate transfer body is pressed against the recording medium surface with a strong pressure. The pressing pressure at this time is a transfer load when transferring a toner image directly from a transfer member holding a toner image such as a photosensitive member to a commercially available paper by using an electrophotographic method together with electrostatic force ( 10 kN to 100 kN), and about 1 kN to 10 kN.

On the other hand, in order to hold the recording medium, a hole having a size corresponding to the recording medium is provided in the base, and one side of the hole is covered with a thin sheet having a thickness of about 25 μm to 50 μm (0.001 to 0.002 inch). Therefore, it is conceivable to use a holding body having a window hole for holding the recording medium.
However, in the process of forming the image recording body according to the first and second embodiments, if the transfer member is pressed against the entire surface of the holding body, the rigidity of the sheet portion is lacking. Unevenness occurs in the pressing pressure on the surface of the substrate other than the holes. In addition to this, the support member such as a roll or a belt that supports the holding member is disposed at a position facing the transfer member across the holding member, and the surface of the supporting member such as a rubber or a resin is easily deformed when an external force such as rubber or resin is applied. Since the recording medium is usually used, it is inevitable that the recording medium is deformed or bent and the positional deviation is likely to occur.

  The present inventors have found the above-described holding body of the present invention in consideration of these points. Thereby, in the process of forming the image recording body according to the first embodiment or the second embodiment, it is possible to obtain an image recording body in which an image is formed at a desired position without causing a positional shift.

  The thickness of the substrate used for the holding body depends on the shape of the holding member provided on the surface of the substrate, but is preferably in the range of 75 μm to 500 μm. If the thickness of the substrate is less than 75 μm, the rigidity of the holding body is insufficient and the holding body is easily deformed, so that the recording medium may be misaligned or mechanical handling may be difficult. Further, when the thickness of the substrate exceeds 500 μm, it is difficult for heat to be transferred from the back surface to the recording medium, and image transfer failure may occur.

In the case where an image recording body is produced using a recording medium having a concave portion on either side, it is preferable that a convex portion is provided in a region where the recording medium is held on the substrate surface. In this case, the convex portion only needs to be provided in a region facing the concave portion of the recording medium when the recording medium is held by the holding body.
The contour shape of the convex portion in the substrate plane direction is not particularly limited as long as the contour line is within the contour line of the concave portion of the recording medium in the recording medium plane direction. However, when the area of the convex part is too small with respect to the area of the concave part, image omission may occur. (For example, an image holding layer, which will be described later) is formed so as to be positioned between the recording medium and a member constituting a part of the transfer body around the area where the concave portion exists on the back side In some cases, bubbles may remain.
Therefore, from this viewpoint, the area of the convex part is preferably 70% or more of the area of the concave part, preferably 90% or more, and more preferably close to 100%.

In addition, when the area of the convex portion is less than the area of the concave portion, from the same viewpoint as described above, in the state where the recording medium is held by the holding body, the contour line of the concave portion of the recording medium (hereinafter referred to as “concave contour line”). The distance S1 between the contour of the convex portion of the holding body facing the contour line (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “convex contour line”) is preferably 5 mm or less. It is preferable that the value is closer to 0 mm. It is most preferable that this condition is satisfied in all regions where the contour line of the concave portion and the contour line of the convex portion face each other.
The distance S1 means a distance from this reference point to a point (intersection) where a line perpendicular to the tangent line at the reference point intersects the concave contour line when one point on the convex outline is used as a reference point. .

Further, among the contour lines of the concave portions of the recording medium, the convex portions located between the concave contour lines that are opposed to each other intersect the straight line that intersects the concave contour lines facing each other by four or more contour lines. When there is a shape to be formed, there are two or more convex contour lines that may not be opposed to the concave contour lines (hereinafter may be referred to as “convex contour lines”). In this case, any two convex outlines face each other.
Also in this case, from the same viewpoint as described above, the distance S2 between the convex outlines facing each other is preferably 5 mm or less, preferably 2 mm or less, and more preferably close to 0 mm. Moreover, it is most preferable that this condition is satisfied in all regions where the convex outlines are opposed.
Note that the distance S2 is, in principle, a point where a point perpendicular to the tangent at the reference point from this reference point intersects another convex contour line (intersection) when one point on the convex outline line is used as a reference point. ).
However, the contour line and / or the reference at a position further away from the reference point to the intersection on the contour line of the convex portion in the area having the radius from the reference point to the intersection with the reference point as the center point There is a convex contour outline that is not continuous from the point (hereinafter referred to as “contour line beyond the intersection”), and the shortest straight line distance S3 between any point on the contour line beyond the intersection and the reference point is the reference When it is shorter than the straight line distance between the point and the intersection, this distance S3 is set as the distance S2.

  On the other hand, the height of the convex portion provided on the substrate surface is not particularly limited as long as the above-described formula (1) is satisfied. However, in an image recording body used for applications such as an IC card, the value of the recess depth ΔG is generally in the range of 25 μm or more and 70 μm or less, or a commercially available plastic film is used for forming the protrusion. Considering that it is desirable also from the viewpoint of improving the productivity of the holder, the height of the convex portion is preferably in the range of 50 μm or more and 75 μm or less, and 50 μm corresponding to the thickness of a commercially available PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film. Or 75 μm is most preferred.

The material constituting the substrate is a material that can secure the rigidity of the holding body within the above-mentioned thickness range so that the recording medium does not shift in the process of forming the image recording body or mechanical handling becomes difficult. Any known material can be used, and two or more types may be used in combination.
For example, examples of the inorganic material include metals such as stainless steel and aluminum. Examples of the organic material include resins such as nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyamideimide, polyetheretherketone, polyphenylene sulfide, and polyacetal, wood such as firewood, and paper.

In addition, when providing a convex part on the base | substrate surface, the thing similar to the material which comprises a base | substrate can be utilized for a convex part. However, the material constituting the convex portion and the material constituting the base body may be the same or different. However, a PET film is preferable from the viewpoint of easy formation of the convex portion.
Moreover, the formation method of a convex part is not specifically limited, A well-known method can be utilized, However As mentioned above, you may adhere | attach the member which has the shape and thickness equivalent to convex parts, such as PET film, to the base-material surface. The convex portion can also be formed by pressing the substrate itself.

  Note that a line or a recording medium slightly outside the area where the recording medium is held is held on the surface of the substrate on which the holding member is not provided so that the area where the recording medium is held can be easily grasped visually. It is preferable that marks indicating the four corners of the area to be printed are printed.

-Holding member-
The holding member is provided with a holding member that holds the recording medium on at least one side of the substrate.
The holding member is not particularly limited as long as it has a function that allows the recording medium to continue to be fixed so as not to be displaced with respect to the plane direction of the base of the holder in the process of forming the image recording body. It is particularly preferable that the convex member is provided on the surface.
This convex member is provided on the surface of the base, and has a function of holding the recording medium when its side surface is in contact with the side of the recording medium. Therefore, if the convex member can achieve this function, the shape and arrangement position in the plane direction of the substrate are not particularly limited, but basically, the convex member is provided on the surface of the substrate along the outline of the recording medium to be held. The recording medium is preferably disposed so as to be in contact with any of the four sides.

  In order to hold the recording medium on the holder, it is possible to adhere the recording medium to the surface of the substrate using an adhesive, and the present inventors have also intensively studied this point. However, after the image recording body is formed, an operation of peeling off the holding body and the image recording body is required, and the formed image recording body and the substrate are soiled by the adhesive. For this reason, the aesthetics of the obtained image recording material may be lowered and cannot be used. In addition, when the substrate soiled by the adhesive is repeatedly used, the substrate surface becomes uneven. In this case, since the recording medium is tilted and held with respect to the substrate surface, for example, when a thermoplastic plastic sheet is used as the recording medium, uneven deformation occurs in the thickness direction of the obtained image recording body. It may occur. For this reason, it is difficult to repeatedly use the substrate itself as a holding body. From these viewpoints, it is considered that it is more effective to provide a holding member on the surface of the substrate than to use an adhesive.

  The convex member described above may be continuously provided on the surface of the base so as to surround a region where the recording medium on the surface of the base is held. In this case, the displacement of the recording medium can be prevented more reliably. In addition to this, the recording medium is composed of a thermoplastic plastic sheet, and this plastic sheet is heated in the transfer process in the first embodiment, the fixing process in the second embodiment, or the heating in the joining process. This can be suppressed even when the film is easily deformed due to stretching. Therefore, it is possible to suppress elongation deformation in the planar direction of the image recording body.

When the convex member is continuously provided on the surface of the base so as to surround the area where the recording medium on the surface of the base is held, the convex member can also contribute to securing the rigidity of the holding body. Therefore, in order to ensure the rigidity of the entire holding body, the thickness of the substrate is more preferably 75 μm or more.
On the other hand, when the convex members are discretely provided so as to surround the area on the substrate surface where the recording medium is held, it is difficult to make the convex members contribute to securing the rigidity of the holding body. Therefore, in order to ensure the rigidity of the entire holding body, the thickness of the base is more preferably 150 μm or more.

  The height of the convex member is not particularly limited as long as it can secure a function capable of continuing to fix the recording medium so that it does not shift with respect to the substrate plane direction of the holding body in the process of forming the image recording body, From the viewpoint of suppressing defects around the edge of the image recording body, it is preferably in the range of the thickness of the recording medium−150 μm or more and the thickness of the recording medium + 60 μm or less, and the thickness of the recording medium−100 μm or more and below the thickness of the recording medium. More preferably, it is the same as the thickness of the recording medium.

When the height of the convex member is less than the recording medium thickness of −150 μm, the pressing force applied to the periphery of the end of the recording medium is strong when the transfer body or the intermediate transfer body is pressed against the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body. In some cases, deformation around the end of the image recording body may occur. Further, when the image is formed up to the periphery of the end portion of the image recording body, the image extension around the end portion may occur due to the deformation around the end portion.
Further, when the height of the convex member exceeds the thickness of the recording medium + 60 μm, when the transfer body or the intermediate transfer body is pressed against the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body, the transfer body is placed around the end of the recording medium. Since the intermediate transfer member cannot contact the intermediate transfer member, if the image is formed up to the periphery of the end portion of the image recording member, the image omission around the end portion of the image recording member may occur.
In addition, since the thickness of the recording medium used for producing cards such as cash cards is usually 760 μm, from this viewpoint, the height of the convex member should be 610 μm or more and 820 μm so as to satisfy the above-mentioned range. Is particularly preferred.

  The material constituting the convex member is not particularly limited as long as it is not deformed and crushed when the transfer body or the intermediate transfer body is pressed against the holding body. For example, the same material as that constituting the substrate is used. Things can be used. In addition, the material which comprises a base | substrate and the material which comprises a convex member may be the same, or may differ.

On the other hand, the holding body in which the holding member is composed of a convex member may be disposable but is preferably reusable. However, the first embodiment in the case where the image provided on the surface of the transfer body is made of a solid or liquid image forming material such as toner or ink, or the image formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer body uses toner. According to the second embodiment formed by electrophotography, when an image recording body is produced by repeatedly using a holding body, an image forming material such as toner may adhere to the surface of the convex member and be contaminated. This contamination is particularly likely to occur when an image is provided up to the periphery of the edge of the image recording body. Therefore, when the surface of the convex member is contaminated with the image forming material, the image forming material on the surface of the convex member is transferred to another member, and eventually the image quality of the image formed on the image recording body is deteriorated. May end up.
For example, when the holder is stored in the holder storage portion of the image recording body forming apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5 to 7, the image forming material on the surface of the convex member is adjacent to another holder. When the other holding body is transported, it is re-transferred to the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body arranged in contact with the base side of the holding body and transferred to the recording medium. For example, it may contaminate the surface.

  Therefore, in order to suppress the occurrence of this problem, it is preferable that a release layer is provided on the surface of the convex member. Examples of the material constituting the release layer include polytetrafluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene / hexafluoropropylene copolymer, and tetrafluoroethylene / ethylene copolymer. Fluorine resin, silicone rubber and the like can be suitably used.

  The surface of the convex member shows lines slightly outside the area where the recording medium is held and the four corners of the area where the recording medium is held so that the area where the recording medium is held can be easily grasped visually. It is preferable that a mark or the like is printed.

On the other hand, as the holding member, in addition to the convex member described above, a belt member having both ends fixed to the base surface and / or the end surface can be used. The belt member can be held so that the recording medium is not displaced in the plane direction of the substrate by sandwiching the recording medium between the belt member and the surface of the substrate. In order to perform this function with certainty, for example, the belt member can be disposed on the surface of the substrate at a position where two opposing corner portions of the recording medium to be held can be sandwiched. Further, one end or both ends of the belt member may be detachable from the substrate in order to facilitate mounting of the recording medium on the holding body and detaching the image recording body from the holding body.
As the belt member, for example, a resin film, a rubber band, or the like can be used. However, the belt member is preferably made of a material having heat resistance of 120 ° C. or higher.
On the other hand, when an image recording body is formed using a holding member provided with a belt member on a base, it is preferable that the image is formed at some distance from the portion where the belt member is located. This is to prevent the occurrence of image omission.

  The holding member may be configured to hold only one recording medium, but in order to further improve the productivity of the image recording body, two or more recording media can be held. It is preferable that it is comprised.

Next, a specific example of the holding body of the present invention will be described. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an example of the holding body of the present invention, and shows the surface of the holding body on which the holding member is provided. In the figure, 202 denotes a base, 204 denotes a convex member (holding member), 210, 220, 230, and 240 denote holders, and the hatched portion denotes an area where a recording medium is held.
Here, the holding body 210 shown in FIG. 8A is a base body 202, and a convex member 204 is continuously provided on the surface of the base body 202 so as to surround a region where the recording medium is held. The holding body 220 shown in FIG. 8B is provided so that the base 202 and the four “L-shaped” convex members 204 on the surface of the base 202 are in contact with the four corners of the area where the recording medium is held. A holding body 230 shown in FIG. 8C is provided so that the base 202 and four belt-like convex members 204 on the surface of the base 202 are in contact with the four sides of the area where the recording medium is held. It is a thing.
A holding body 240 shown in FIG. 8D is provided so that the base 202 and the six convex members 204 on the surface of the base 202 are in contact with the four sides of the area where the recording medium is held. Here, two convex members 204 are arranged so as to be in contact with the two long sides of the area where the recording medium is held, and one convex so as to be in contact with the two short sides of the area where the recording medium is held. The member 204 is arranged.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing another example of the holding body of the present invention, and shows the surface of the holding body on which the holding member is provided. In the figure, reference numeral 206 denotes a belt member (holding member), 250 denotes a holding body, and other symbols and hatched portions are the same as those shown in FIG.
Here, the holding body 250 shown in FIG. 9 is provided with the base body 202 and four belt members 206 on the surface of the base body 202 so as to cross the four corners of the area where the recording medium is held.

8 and 9 show a holding body having a configuration capable of holding one recording medium. However, a plurality of recording media in which the holding bodies illustrated in these drawings are two-dimensionally arranged in the plane direction are shown. The holding body of the structure which can hold | maintain may be sufficient. This example is illustrated below.
FIG. 10 is a plan view showing another example of the holding body of the present invention, showing the holding body capable of holding a maximum of 6 recording media, and the surface of the holding body where the holding member is provided. It is.
In the figure, 260 represents a holding body, and other symbols and shaded parts are the same as those shown in FIG. The rectangular holder 260 shown in FIG. 10 has a configuration in which two units in the short direction and three units in the longitudinal direction are arranged when the holder 210 shown in FIG. is there.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the cross-sectional configuration of the holding body of the present invention. Specifically, the cross-sectional configuration between AA of the holding body 210 shown in FIG. 8A is shown. It is. In the figure, 210A denotes a holding body, 204A denotes a release layer, 204B denotes a convex member main body portion, and the other symbols are the same as those shown in FIG.
The holding body 210A shown in FIG. 10 is provided with convex members 204 on both ends of the surface of the base body 202. The convex member 204 has a convex member main body portion 204B and a release layer 204A laminated on the surface of the base body 202 in this order. Have a configuration.

  FIG. 12 is a plan view showing another example of the holding body of the present invention, and shows the surface of the holding body on which the holding member is provided. In the figure, 210B is a holding body, a dotted line indicated by 400 is a concave outline (a position of a concave outline when a recording medium having a concave (not shown) is held by the holding body 210B), 410, 420, Reference numerals 430, 430A, 430B, 430C, 440, 440A, and 440B denote convex portions, and the other symbols and shaded portions are the same as those shown in FIG. 12A is a plan view of the entire holding body 210B, and FIGS. 12B to 12E are plan views of convex portions provided in a region within the concave contour 400 on the surface of the base body 202. FIG. It is an enlarged view which shows an example of a shape.

The holding body 210B shown in FIG. 12A is basically the same as the holding body 210 shown in FIG. 8 except that a convex portion is provided in the area where the recording medium shown by the hatched portion is held. It has the structure of. Here, a convex part is arrange | positioned in the rectangular-shaped recessed part outline 400, As a planar shape, what is shown to FIG. 12 (B)-FIG.12 (E) is mentioned as an example.
A convex portion 410 shown in FIG. 12B shows a case where the convex portion 410 has a quadrangular shape with a shape similar to the concave portion outline 400 and substantially the same area.
A convex portion 420 shown in FIG. 12C has a shape similar to the concave contour 400, and is arranged so that the convex contour of the convex 420 is parallel to the concave contour 400. . In this case, the distance S1 between the concave contour line and the convex contour line shows the maximum value at a portion where the corner of the concave contour line 400 and the corner of the convex contour line of the convex portion 420 face each other (see FIG. The distance indicated by the double arrow symbol S). In this case, it is preferable that the distance S is 5 mm or less in all four corners.

FIG. 12D shows a case where the convex portion 430 is composed of three rectangular convex portions 430A, 430B, and 430C having the same shape and area. Here, the three convex portions 430A, 430B, and 430C are positioned such that the convex portions 430A and 430C maintain a certain distance on both sides of the convex portion 430B, and the convex portions 430A and 430C correspond to the three sides of the concave contour 400. The convex portion 430 </ b> B is in contact with the two sides (sides facing each other) of the concave portion contour line 400 and is disposed in the concave portion contour line 400.
Note that the contour line of the convex portion 430A and the contour line of the convex portion 430B are opposed to each other, and these contour lines constitute a convex inner contour line, and the contour line of the convex portion 430B and the contour line of the convex portion 430C are Opposite to each other, these contour lines also form a convex outline. Here, in the present embodiment, the distance Sa between the convex outlines of the convex portions 430A and 430B and the distance Sb between the convex outlines of the convex portions 430B and 430C are: It is constant in all the regions where the convex contour lines are opposed. In this case, the distances Sa and Sb are preferably 5 mm or less as described above.

In FIG. 12E, the convex portion 440 includes a first convex portion 440A having a square annular shape, and a quadrangular second convex portion 440B positioned within the ring of the first convex portion 440A. It is shown about the case.
Here, the first convex portion 440 </ b> A is arranged such that the convex outer contour line thereof is parallel to the concave contour line 400. In this case, the distance S1 between the concave contour line and the convex outline contour shows the maximum value at a portion where the corner of the concave contour line 400 and the corner of the convex outline of the first convex portion 440A face each other. Yes (distance indicated by double-arrow symbol Sc in the figure). In this case, it is preferable that the distance Sc is 5 mm or less in all four corners.
Further, the second convex portion 440B is arranged so that the convex outline of the convex portion is parallel to the convex outline of the first convex portion 440A. In this case, the distance S2 between the convex outlines shows the maximum value because the convex outline outline of the first convex part 440A and the convex outline outline of the second convex part 440B Are portions facing each other (distance indicated by a double arrow symbol Sd in the figure). In this case, the distance Sd is preferably 5 mm or less at all four corners.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the following examples.
(Example A1)
-Image recording body forming apparatus-
As the image recording body forming apparatus, the above-described image recording body forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2 was used. Detailed conditions are described below. The collating means 36 of this apparatus has the configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (a).

-Recording media-
As a recording medium used for image formation, a recording medium made of PETG (manufactured by Mitsubishi Plastics, Diafix WHI), which was previously punched into a thickness of 760 μm and a size of 85.6 mm × 54 mm was used.

-Transcript-
As the transfer member, a transfer layer having a two-layer structure composed of a base layer (substrate) and an image holding layer was used. As the base layer, a belt-like film (Lumirror T60, manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc., thickness: 50 μm, width: 100 mm, length: 5 m) obtained by subjecting one surface of the PET film to a release treatment in advance was used.
The image holding layer is composed of 10 parts by mass of a silicone hard coating agent (GE Toshiba Silicone, SHC900, solid content 30% by mass) containing an organosilane condensate, a melamine resin, and an alkyd resin, and Pionein B144V (Takemoto Yushi Co., Ltd.) as a charge control agent. 0.2 parts by mass) is added to 30 parts by mass of a mixture of cyclohexanone and methyl ethyl ketone at a mass ratio of 10:90, and the mixture is sufficiently stirred, and the image-retaining layer coating solution is dried on one side of a PET film. The film was formed by coating using a wire bar so that the thickness of the film became 1 μm.
After the above film is cut into A4 size (297 mm × 210 mm), the image on the image holding layer side of the film is printed by Fuji Xerox DocuColor1256GA (electrophotographic apparatus), and two images are arranged at equal intervals in the short-side direction. A total of 6 pieces were formed by left-right reversal printing so that three were arranged at equal intervals, and a transfer body having an image on the surface was produced.
The pattern is formed in a size (85.6 mm × 54 mm) corresponding to the recording medium to be used.

-Retainer-
The holding body has an A4 size in which holding members provided on the substrate surface for holding individual recording media have the arrangement shown in FIG. 8A, and six units are arranged as shown in FIG. A size (297 mm × 210 mm) that is one size larger than that was used.
This holding body has the cross-sectional structure shown in FIG. 11, and the base body 202 is provided with a PET base material (thickness of 100 μm), and the convex member main body portion 204B is provided with six window holes of 85.65 × 54.05 mm. The obtained stainless steel plate (thickness: 660 μm) and the release layer 204A are made of a Teflon (registered trademark) sheet (Nitto Denko Corporation, Nitflon tape No903UL, thickness: 100 μm). (Registered trademark) sheet (manufactured by Nitto Denko Co., Ltd., Nitoflon Tape No903UL, thickness 100 μm) is used for bonding.
In addition, when the transfer body having the above-mentioned image is overlapped with the position of the holding body, the contour lines of the individual patterns formed on the transfer body are displayed on the window holes of the holding body. And an area for holding the medium).

-Image formation-
To form an image, a transfer body having an image on the surface is set in the transfer body storage section 32, and a holding body for holding six recording media is set in the holding body storage section 34. The load between the pair of heating / pressure rolls 48 in the means was set to 5 kN, and the feed speed of the endless belt was set to 10 mm / s.

(Example A2)
An image was formed in the same manner as in Example A1 except that the following holding body was used.
The holding member used is a convex member 204 (made of four stainless steel “L-shaped” exemplified in FIG. 8B as the holding member provided on the surface of the base for holding each recording medium. As shown in FIG. 13, the arrangement of the recording medium is as shown in FIG. 13 with a unit having a thickness of 660 μm) in contact with the four corners of the area (85.65 × 54.05 mm) where the recording medium is held. An A4 size (297 mm × 210 mm) that can hold six recording media in which two units are arranged in the short direction and three in the longitudinal direction is used.
In FIG. 13, reference numeral 270 denotes a holding body, and other symbols and shaded portions are the same as those shown in FIG. Moreover, the size of the convex member 204 shown in the drawing indicates the size of the holding body 270 used in Example A2.

(Example A3)
An image was formed in the same manner as in Example A1 except that the following holding body was used.
The holder used was obtained by changing the thickness of the stainless steel plate of the holder used in Example A1 to 520 μm.

(Example A4)
An image was formed in the same manner as in Example A1 except that the following holding body was used.
The holder used was obtained by changing the thickness of the stainless steel plate of the holder used in Example A1 to 490 μm.

(Example A5)
An image was formed in the same manner as in Example A1 except that the following holding body was used.
The holder used was obtained by changing the thickness of the stainless steel plate used in Example A1 to 700 μm.

(Example A6)
An image was formed in the same manner as in Example A1 except that the following holding body was used.
The holder used was obtained by changing the thickness of the stainless steel plate used in Example A1 to 740 μm.

(Example A7)
An image was formed in the same manner as in Example A1 except that the following holding body was used.
In addition, the thickness of the stainless steel plate of the holding body used in Example A1 was changed to 760 μm, and a Teflon (registered trademark) sheet (manufactured by Nitto Denko, Nitoflon tape No903UL was used on the stainless steel plate surface. , A thickness of 100 μm) is not provided.

(Example A8)
An image was formed in the same manner as in Example A1 except that the following recording medium and holder were used.
The recording medium used was made of PETG (manufactured by Mitsubishi Plastics, Diafix WHI) and was punched into a thickness of 500 μm and a size of 85.6 mm × 54 mm in advance. The thickness of the stainless steel plate of the holding body used in Example A1 is changed to 400 μm.

(Example A9)
An image was formed in the same manner as in Example A1 except that the following recording medium and holder were used.
The recording medium used was made of PETG (manufactured by Mitsubishi Plastics, Diafix WHI), which had been previously punched into a thickness of 800 μm and a size of 85.6 mm × 54 mm. The thickness of the stainless steel plate of the holding body used in Example A1 is changed to 700 μm.

(Comparative Example A1)
As the transfer body, the transfer body having the image used in Example A1 was cut so as to correspond to the outline of the portion where the pattern of 85.6 mm × 54 mm size was formed, and the size was 85.6 mm × 54 mm. The thing of was used.
Subsequently, an image was formed in the same manner as in Example A1 except that the above transfer member was used without using the holding member.

-Evaluation-
Table 1 shows the evaluation results of the image positional deviation, elongation, edge peripheral defects, and toner adhesion on the surface of the holding member obtained in the above Examples and Comparative Examples.

Note that the evaluation methods and evaluation criteria for the positional deviation, elongation, edge peripheral defect and toner adhesion shown in Table 1 are as follows.
-Image misalignment-
The image misregistration was evaluated based on the following criteria for the misregistration between the contour of the image recording medium and the contour of the image.
A: The contour line of the image recording body matches the contour line of the image, and there is no positional deviation.
B: Deviation occurs between the contour line of the image recording body and the contour line of the image, and the maximum width of the blank portion where no image is formed around the image recording body is less than 0.5 mm.
C: Deviation occurs between the contour line of the image recording body and the contour line of the image, and the maximum width of the blank portion where no image is formed around the image recording body is 0.5 mm or more. A practically problematic level.

-Elongation-
The elongation was evaluated based on the following criteria by measuring the maximum elongation in the short side and long side direction of the image recording material obtained with reference to the short side and long side sizes of the recording medium with calipers.
A: Maximum elongation is less than 0.1 mm B: Maximum elongation is more than 0.1 mm and less than 0.2 mm.
C: The maximum elongation exceeds 0.2 mm, which is a practically problematic level.

-Edge defect-
The edge peripheral defects were evaluated by the following criteria by visually observing the degree of deformation, image omission, and image extension in the periphery of the obtained image recording body.
A: Neither deformation, image omission, or image extension occurred in the vicinity of the end portion.
B: At least one of deformation, image omission, and image extension is slightly confirmed around the edge, but this is a level that is not a problem for practical use.
C: Level at which any of deformation, image omission, and image extension can be confirmed at a glance at the periphery of the edge, which is problematic in practice.

-Toner adhesion-
For toner adhesion, after forming the image recording body 10 times using the same holder, the surface of the convex member on the holder is visually observed to determine the toner adhesion on the surface of the convex member according to the following criteria. evaluated.
The toner adhesion was evaluated using a transfer body on which a pattern (88 mm × 57 mm) larger than the size (85.6 mm × 54 mm) corresponding to the recording medium to be used was formed.
A: No toner adhesion is observed on the surface of the convex member.
B: Some adhesion of toner is observed on the surface of the convex member.
C: Level at which toner adhesion is remarkably observed on the surface of the convex member, causing a practical problem.

(Example B1)
-Image recording body forming apparatus-
As the image recording body forming apparatus, the above-described image recording body forming apparatus shown in FIG. 5 was used, and a plastic sheet was used as the recording medium. Detailed conditions are described below.

-Developer-
As a developer, a cyan developer, a magenta developer, a yellow developer and a black developer for Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd .: DocuColor1255 were used. The volume average particle diameter of the toner was 7 μm.

-Recording media-
The recording medium used for image formation was PETG (Made by Mitsubishi Plastics, Diafix WHI), which had been punched in advance to a thickness of 760 μm and a size of 85.6 mm × 54 mm.

-Retainer-
As the holding body, a holding member having a size of 100 mm × 70 mm, which can hold one recording medium having the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 8A, was used.
This holding body has the cross-sectional structure shown in FIG. 11, the base body 202 is a PET base material (thickness 100 μm), and the convex member main body portion 204B is provided with one window hole of 85.65 × 65.05 mm. The obtained stainless steel plate (thickness: 660 μm) and the release layer 204A are made of a Teflon (registered trademark) sheet (Nitto Denko Corporation, Nitflon tape No903UL, thickness: 100 μm). It is produced by bonding a (registered trademark) sheet.

-Color toner development weight and image signal-
The color toner weight to be developed was set to 0.5 mg / cm 2 at the portion where the image signal Cin = 100% for each color. Data read by the scanner was subjected to color, gradation, and sharpness correction by an image processing apparatus, and an image signal of toner of each color was generated.

-Intermediate transfer member-
As the intermediate transfer member 108, a two-layer structure having a base layer (base material) and an image holding layer was used. The base layer is a strip-shaped film (Panac, PET100SG-2, thickness: 50 μm, width: 60 mm, length: 5 m, surface of the release-treated surface, which has been subjected to release treatment on one side of the PET film in advance. (Roughness Ra: 0.05 μm) was used. The image-holding layer is composed of 40 parts by mass of an organic solvent (cyclohexanone and methyl ethyl ketone in a mass ratio of 10: 40 parts by mass (UR-4122, solid content: 30% by mass, manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.) containing a urethane-modified polyester resin. The solution dissolved in 30 parts by mass) was formed by applying a solution using a wire bar so that the thickness after drying was 10 μm on the surface of the PET film subjected to the release treatment. .

-Image formation-
For image formation, the holder 200 is set so that the short direction of the holder 200 is the supply direction, the heating temperature of the joining means is 180 ° C., and the load between the heating roll 110 and the pressure roll 112 is set. The measurement was carried out at 1 kN and the feed speed of the intermediate transfer member 108 set to 25 mm / s.
When forming the image, conditions were set so that an image including a person could be formed on the entire surface of the obtained image recording body when the intermediate transfer body and the recording medium could be joined without causing a positional shift. At this time, the size of the unfixed image (toner image) formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer member is 85.6 mm on the side parallel to the longitudinal direction of the intermediate transfer member and 54 mm on the side in the width direction of the intermediate transfer member. Was set as follows.

(Example B2)
Using the image recording body forming apparatus shown in FIG. 7, the heating temperature of the joining means is set to 180 ° C., the load between the heating roll 110 and the pressure roll 112 is set to 1 kN, and the feed speed of the intermediate transfer body 108 is set to 25 mm / s. Other than this, an image recording body was formed in the same manner as in Example B1.

In addition, the apparatus used for the evaluation has a configuration in which a cooling unit including a tension roll 180, an endless belt 182 and a pair of cooling members 184 is added to the apparatus having the configuration shown in FIG. 5 used in Example B1. It is what has.
Here, the endless belt 182 is a belt having a thickness of 0.3 mm and a width of 60 mm in which a silicon rubber layer is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the polyimide base material, and the pair of cooling members 184 has one surface which is a flat surface and the other surface. Is a metal plate made of aluminum having a thickness of 5 mm, a width of 80 mm, and a length of 40 mm provided with radiation fins. In addition, two small cooling fans having a propeller having a diameter of 40 mm are arranged side by side on the surface of the metal plate where the heat dissipating fins are provided.

(Example B3)
Instead of the image recording body forming apparatus used in Example B1, an image recording body forming apparatus having the same configuration as that of the apparatus used in Example B1 is used except that a preheating means is provided as shown in FIG. An image recording material was formed in the same manner as in Example B1, except that the heating temperature of the preheating means was set to 90 ° C.

(Comparative Example B1)
An image recording body was formed in the same manner as in Example B1 except that the holding body was not used.

-Evaluation-
Results of evaluation of image misregistration, elongation, edge peripheral defects, toner adhesion on the surface of the support, image disturbance and deformation formed on the image recording body obtained in the above Examples and Comparative Examples Is shown in Table 2.

Note that the evaluation method and evaluation criteria for the positional deviation, elongation, edge peripheral defect and toner adhesion shown in Table 2 are the same as those shown in Table 1, and the image distortion and deformation are as shown below.
-Image disturbance-
The image disturbance was evaluated by visually observing the image of the obtained image recording material and using the following criteria.
A: No disturbance is observed over the entire image.
B: Although some characters and photographs have blurs observed, there is no problem in practical use.
C: A level in which a part or all of the image is blurred and characters are crushed or blurred, which is a practical problem.

-Deformation-
Regarding the deformation of the image recording body due to heat, the image recording body is continuously formed, and 10 image recording bodies obtained after the temperature inside the apparatus is in a steady state are placed on a surface plate, and the following: The presence or absence and degree of deformation of the image recording medium were evaluated by visual observation based on the criteria.
A: No gap is observed between all the image recording bodies and the surface plate.
B: There was a case where a gap was observed between some image recording bodies and the surface plate. However, the surface of the image recording body is less than 1.5 mm from the surface plate in every part, and there is no problem in practical use.
C: A gap was observed between a part or all of the image recording medium and the surface plate. In addition, the surface of the image recording body is deformed by more than 1.5 mm from the surface plate, and this is a practically problematic level.

(Example C1)
-Image recording body forming apparatus-
As the image recording body forming apparatus, the above-described image recording body forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2 was used. Detailed conditions are described below. The collating means 36 of this apparatus has the configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (a).

-Recording media-
As a recording medium used for forming an image, a PETG (Made by Mitsubishi Plastics, Diafix WHI) film having a thickness of 760 μm is subjected to heat press processing, and a concave depth (ΔG) is 50 μm on one side, 13 mm × 12 mm in length and width. After forming a recess having a size of 5 mm, a material that was previously punched into 85.6 mm × 54 mm so as to include the recess was used.

-Transcript-
As the transfer member, a transfer layer having a two-layer structure composed of a base layer (substrate) and an image holding layer was used. As the base layer, a belt-like film (Lumirror T60, manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc., thickness: 50 μm, width: 100 mm, length: 5 m) obtained by subjecting one surface of the PET film to a release treatment in advance was used.
The image holding layer is composed of 10 parts by mass of a silicone hard coating agent (GE Toshiba Silicone, SHC900, solid content 30% by mass) containing an organosilane condensate, a melamine resin, and an alkyd resin, and Pionein B144V (Takemoto Yushi Co., Ltd.) as a charge control agent. (Manufactured) After adding 0.2 parts by mass to 30 parts by mass of a liquid in which cyclohexanone and methyl ethyl ketone are mixed at a mass ratio of 10:90 and sufficiently stirring, the image holding layer coating liquid is dried on one side of a PET film. The film was formed by coating using a wire bar so that the thickness of the film became 1 μm.
After the above film is cut into A4 size (297 mm × 210 mm), the image on the image holding layer side of the film is printed by Fuji Xerox DocuColor1256GA (electrophotographic apparatus), and two images are arranged at equal intervals in the short-side direction. A total of 6 pieces were formed by left-right reversal printing so that three were arranged at equal intervals, and a transfer body having an image on the surface was produced.
The pattern is formed in a size (85.6 mm × 54 mm) corresponding to the recording medium to be used.

-Retainer-
The holding body has an A4 size in which holding members provided on the substrate surface for holding individual recording media have the arrangement shown in FIG. 8A, and six units are arranged as shown in FIG. (297 mm × 210 mm) was used. However, when the recording medium is held in a state where the surface on which the concave portion of the recording medium is formed and the substrate surface of the holding body face each other in the area where the individual recording medium of the holding body is held, the contour of the concave portion A convex portion (convex height ΔH = 50 μm, vertical and horizontal 12.4 mm × 11.4 mm, made of stainless steel) as shown in FIG.
This holding body has the cross-sectional structure shown in FIG. 14 and is the same as the cross-sectional structure shown in FIG. 11 except that the convex portion 400 is provided on the surface of the base body 202.

Here, regarding the materials and dimensions of the members shown in FIG. 14, in Example C1, the base body 202 is a stainless steel plate (thickness: 100 μm), and the convex member main body portion 204B has six window holes of 85.65 × 54.05 mm. Two stainless steel plates (thickness: 660 μm), convex portions 400 provided at positions corresponding to the concave portions when the recording medium is held are 13 mm × 12 mm stainless steel plates (thickness: 50 μm), and the release layer 204A is Teflon. It consists of a (registered trademark) sheet (thickness 100 μm). The holding body used in Example C1 becomes a release layer on the surface of the convex member main body part after bonding and fixing the convex member main body part and the stainless steel plate serving as the convex part to one side of the stainless steel plate as the base. It is produced by adhering a Teflon (registered trademark) sheet.
In addition, when the transfer body having the above-mentioned image is overlapped with the position of the holding body, the contour lines of the individual patterns formed on the transfer body are displayed on the window holes of the holding body. And an area for holding the medium). Further, the convex portion provided in the area for holding the recording medium is provided so as to coincide with the concave portion of the recording medium when the recording medium is inserted into the window hole.

-Image formation-
To form an image, a transfer body having an image on the surface is set in the transfer body storage section 32, and a holding body for holding six recording media is set in the holding body storage section 34. The pressure was set to 5 kN, and the feed speed of the endless belt was set to 10 mm / s.

(Example C2)
A holder similar to that used in Example C1 except that the height ΔH of the convex part was changed to 100 μm by changing the thickness of the stainless steel plate used for producing the convex part of the holder used in Example C1. Got ready. Then, an image formation test was performed in the same manner as in Example C1 except that this holder was used.

(Example C3)
A holder similar to that used in Example C1 except that the height ΔH of the convex part was changed to 120 μm by changing the thickness of the stainless steel plate used for producing the convex part of the holder used in Example C1. Got ready. Then, an image formation test was performed in the same manner as in Example C1 except that this holder was used.

(Example C4)
A holder similar to that used in Example C1 except that the height ΔH of the convex part was changed to 30 μm by changing the thickness of the stainless steel plate used for producing the convex part of the holder used in Example C1. Got ready. Then, an image formation test was performed in the same manner as in Example C1 except that this holder was used.

(Example C5)
A holder similar to that used in Example C1 except that the height ΔH of the convex part was changed to 20 μm by changing the thickness of the stainless steel plate used for producing the convex part of the holder used in Example C1. Got ready. Then, an image formation test was performed in the same manner as in Example C1 except that this holder was used.

(Example C6)
A holding body similar to that used in Example C1 was prepared except that the convex part was not provided in the holding body used in Example C1 (the convex part height ΔH was set to 0 μm). Then, an image formation test was performed in the same manner as in Example C1 except that this holder was used.

-Evaluation-
With respect to the images of the image recording bodies obtained in the above examples and comparative examples, image omission at the inside and outside of the area corresponding to the concave portion of the recording medium, bubbles at the interface between the image holding layer and the recording medium, and image density unevenness Table 3 shows the results of the evaluation.
Although not shown in Table 3, when Examples C1 to C6 were evaluated for image displacement, elongation, edge peripheral defects, and toner adhesion in the same manner as in Example A1, the same results as in Example A1 were obtained. Obtained.

The evaluation methods and evaluation criteria for image omission, bubbles at the interface between the image holding layer and the recording medium, and image density unevenness shown in Table 3 are as follows.
-Image loss-
The image of the image recording medium was visually observed, and the presence or absence or degree of image omission in the periphery of the area corresponding to the concave portion of the recording medium was observed according to the following criteria.
A: No missing image is observed.
B: The image in the region corresponding to the concave portion of the recording medium has an overall lower image density than the image outside the region corresponding to the concave portion of the recording medium, and some image omission is observed, but there is no problem in practical use. . C: Level in which the image in the region corresponding to the concave portion of the recording medium is noticeably missing and causes a problem in practice.

-Bubbles at the interface between the image holding layer and the recording medium-
The image of the image recording material was observed visually and with an optical microscope, and the presence / absence and degree of bubbles at the interface between the image holding layer and the recording medium in the periphery corresponding to the concave portion of the recording medium were observed according to the following criteria.
A: No bubble is observed at the interface in both visual observation and optical microscope observation.
B: Bubbles were observed by observation with an optical microscope, but as long as visual observation was performed, the presence of bubbles at the interface was not recognized, and there was no practical problem.
C: A level in which a remarkable bubble is observed by visual observation and is problematic in practical use.

-Image density unevenness-
The image of the image recording medium was visually observed, and the presence or absence of the image density difference between the inside and outside of the area corresponding to the concave portion of the recording medium was evaluated.
A: There is no difference in image density around the inside and outside of the area corresponding to the concave portion of the recording medium.
B: Although there is a slight difference in image density near the boundary line of the region corresponding to the concave portion of the recording medium, there is no practical problem.
C: A level in which a significant difference in image density is confirmed in the vicinity of the boundary line of the region corresponding to the concave portion of the recording medium, which causes a problem in practice.

It is a schematic cross section which shows an example of the recording medium used for this invention. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an image recording body forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating an example of the positioning means utilized for the image recording body formation apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating an example of the positioning means utilized for the image recording body formation apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic block diagram which shows an example of the image recording body formation apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the other example of the image recording body formation apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the other example of the image recording body formation apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a top view which shows an example of a holding body. It is a top view which shows the other example of a holding body. It is a top view which shows the other example of a holding body. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the cross-sectional structure of a holding body. It is a top view which shows the other example of a holding body. It is a top view which shows the other example of a holding body. It is sectional drawing which shows the other example of the cross-sectional structure of a holding body.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image recording body forming apparatus 12 Apparatus 14 Transfer apparatus 20 Transfer body 22 Holding body 32 Transfer body accommodating part 34 Holding body accommodating part 36 Collating means 40 Conveying path 42 Conveying path 46 Endless belt 48 Heating / pressurizing roll 50 Stretching roll 56 Image recording body discharge sections 61, 61a, 61b, 62 Reference walls 63, 64 Restriction member 70 Receiving section 71 Connection section 100 Image recording body forming apparatus 101 Housing 102K, 102C, 102M, 102Y Image forming section 103Y Photosensitive drum 104Y Primary Charger 105Y LED array 106Y Developing devices 107K, 107C, 107M, 107Y Charging roll 108 Intermediate transfer member 109 Delivery roll 110 Heating roll 111 Winding roll 112 Pressure roll 113 Heating source 114 Peeling roll 115, 116 Stretching roll 117 Holding Body storage unit 160 Image recording body formation Stand 162 Heating roll 164 Heating source 166 Pressure roll 170 Image recording body forming apparatus 180 Tension roll 182 Endless belt 184 Cooling member 200 Holding body 202 Base 204 Protruding member 204A Release layer 204B Convex member main body 206 Belt members 210, 210A, 210B, 210C Holder 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270 Holder 300, 302 Recording medium 310 Recording medium surface (surface on the side in contact with the holder when the image recording body is formed)
312 Concave portion 314 Bottom surface 320 Recording medium surface (surface on which an image is formed when an image recording body is formed)
330 In-recess arrangement member 332 Surface of the in-recess arrangement member 330 (surface not in contact with the bottom surface 314)
400 Concave part 410, 420, 430, 430A, 430B, 430C Convex part 440, 440A, 440B Convex part

Claims (23)

A transfer body having an image on the surface;
A holding member that holds at least a recording medium on at least one surface of the substrate, and a holding member that holds the recording medium on the surface provided with the holding member;
Superimposing means for superimposing the surface of the transfer body on which the image is provided and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body face each other;
Transfer means for transferring the image from the surface of the transfer body to the surface of the recording medium by performing at least one process selected from heat treatment and pressure treatment on the superimposed transfer body and the recording medium; An image recording body forming apparatus comprising at least an image recording body. An image carrier,
Toner image forming means for forming a toner image on the surface of the image carrier;
At least a belt-shaped intermediate transfer member including a substrate and an image holding layer provided on the surface of the substrate, and transferring the toner image from the surface of the image holding member to the surface of the intermediate transfer member on the image holding layer side. Transfer means to perform,
The surface of the intermediate transfer body onto which the toner image is transferred and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body are overlapped, and the intermediate transfer body and the recording medium are heated and pressed to form the toner image. An image recording body forming apparatus comprising: a fixing unit that fixes and fixes the intermediate transfer body and the recording medium. A cooling means for cooling the joined body in which the intermediate transfer body and the recording medium are joined by the joining means together with the holding body that holds the recording medium side of the joined body;
The cooling means includes at least a pair of members whose surfaces facing each other are planar, and cooling of the stacked body including the joined body and the holding body is performed in a state where the stacked body is sandwiched between the pair of members. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The toner image transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer member by the transfer unit,
Presuming means for pre-heating and pre-attaching the surface of the intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image is transferred and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding member. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 2.   5. The image recording body according to claim 1, wherein the holding body is a holding body having at least a base and a holding member that holds the recording medium on at least one surface of the base. Forming equipment. The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the convex member is continuously provided on the surface of the base so as to surround a region where the recording medium on the surface of the base is held. The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the height of the convex member is in a range of 610 μm to 820 μm. The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
6. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a height of the convex member is in a range of thickness of the recording medium−150 μm or more and thickness of the recording medium + 60 μm or less.   9. The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a height of the convex member is in a range of a thickness of the recording medium of −100 μm or more and a thickness of the recording medium or less. The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The image recording body forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a release layer is provided on a surface of the convex member.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the holding body has a convex portion in a region where the recording medium on the surface of the base is held.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a height of the convex portion is in a range of 50 μm to 75 μm. A transfer body having an image on the surface;
A holding member that holds at least a recording medium on at least one surface of the substrate, and a holding member that holds the recording medium on the surface provided with the holding member;
A superposition step of superposing the surface of the transfer body on which the image is provided and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body face each other;
A transfer step of transferring the image from the surface of the transfer body to the surface of the recording medium by performing at least one process selected from heat treatment and pressure treatment on the superimposed transfer body and the recording medium; An image recording body forming method comprising: A toner image forming step of forming a toner image on the surface of the image carrier;
A transfer step of transferring the toner image from the surface of the image holding member to the surface of the belt-shaped intermediate transfer member provided with an image holding layer on the surface of the substrate, on the image holding layer side;
A superimposing step of superimposing the surface of the intermediate transfer body onto which the toner image has been transferred and the surface of the recording medium held by the holding body;
A fixing process for fixing the toner image by heating and pressurizing, and a bonding process for joining the superimposed intermediate transfer member and the recording medium by performing at least one process selected from a heating process and a pressurizing process. An image recording body forming method comprising: a step and a peeling step of peeling an interface between the base material of the intermediate transfer body and the image holding layer. The recording medium has a recess on either side;
The recording medium is held by the holding body so that the surface having the concave portion is in contact with the holding body,
The holding body has a convex portion on the surface side of the substrate surface that holds the recording medium, and in a region facing the concave portion when holding the recording medium,
The image recording body forming method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the following expression (1) is satisfied.
Formula (1) ΔG + 50 ≧ ΔH ≧ ΔG−20
[In Formula (1), ΔG represents the depth (μm) of the concave portion, and ΔH represents the height (μm) of the convex portion. ] Image recording for carrying out at least one process selected from heat treatment and pressure treatment in a state in which a transfer member having an image on the surface is superposed so that the surface provided with the image and the recording medium face each other Used in body shaping devices,
A holding body comprising at least a base and a holding member for holding the recording medium on at least one surface of the base. The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The holder according to claim 16, wherein the convex member is continuously provided on the surface of the base so as to surround a region where the recording medium on the surface of the base is held. The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The holder according to claim 16, wherein a height of the convex member is in a range of 610 µm or more and 820 µm or less. The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The holder according to claim 16, wherein the height of the convex member is in a range of thickness of the recording medium−150 μm or more and thickness of the recording medium + 60 μm or less.   The holder according to claim 19, wherein a height of the convex member is in a range of a thickness of the recording medium−100 μm to a thickness of the recording medium. The holding member is a convex member that is provided on the surface of the base and holds the recording medium by contacting the side of the side of the recording medium;
The holding body according to claim 16, wherein a release layer is provided on a surface of the convex member.   The holding body according to claim 16, wherein a convex portion is provided in a region where the recording medium is held on the surface of the substrate.   The holder according to claim 22, wherein a height of the convex portion is in a range of 50 µm to 75 µm.

Images