JP2011002769A - Fixing device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fixing device for softening resin particles by using a foamy fixing liquid to fix the softened resin particles on a recording medium, wherein the fixing device can excellently collect a foamy fixing liquid to be collected, which does not contribute to fixing, even if the collection amount varies; and to provide an image forming apparatus including the same.SOLUTION: The fixing device 60 includes a fixing liquid-collecting device 200 for collecting the remained foamy fixing liquid Fb. The fixing liquid-collecting device 200 includes: a remained foamy fixing liquid-storing unit 202; and a fixing liquid-liquidizing unit 400. The remained foamy fixing liquid-storing unit is a collected foamy fixing liquid-storing unit for storing the remained foamy fixing liquid Fb. The fixing liquid-liquidizing unit includes functions of using water as a foamy auxiliary liquid Fc in which voids are dispersed in the liquid, wherein the water 211 is an auxiliary liquid to be collected together with the remained foamy fixing liquid Fb by mixing it with the remained foamy fixing liquid Fb; supplying the foamy auxiliary liquid Fc to the remained foamy fixing liquid Fb stored in the remained foamy fixing liquid-storing unit 202; and liquidizing a foamy liquid formed by mixing the foamy auxiliary liquid Fc with the remained foamy fixing liquid Fb to collect the liquidized liquid.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fixing device used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, and a printer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fixing device that fixes a resin fine particle on a recording medium by applying a fixing solution that dissolves or swells resin fine particles such as toner to the resin fine particles, and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device.

At present, there are many image forming apparatuses that form an image on a transfer sheet as a recording medium, such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile machine. Among them, a so-called electrophotographic image forming apparatus using toner is the mainstream. 2. Description of the Related Art An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is widely used in offices and the like because it can easily create color images with plain paper at high speed, high density, and recently. In this electrophotographic image forming apparatus, as a fixing device for fixing an unfixed toner image formed on the transfer paper onto the transfer paper, a heat fixing type fixing device using heat is often used. This is because a heating element such as a halogen heater or a ceramic heater is used to heat a roller or a film, and a transfer paper on which unfixed toner is placed is sandwiched between heating and pressurizing elements to melt and deform the toner. Fix by anchoring inside. This method is widely used because of its excellent uniformity and stability, but on the other hand, it requires a large amount of energy to heat using a heating element and has a drawback that it is a fixing device that consumes a large amount of energy. .
The conventional heat fixing type fixing device consumes a lot of electric power for the heat treatment. Therefore, as a fixing method capable of realizing energy saving as compared with the conventional fixing method, a wet fixing method in which heating is not performed to fix the toner is known. (For example, a fixing method used in the fixing device described in Patent Document 1). The wet fixing method fixes a toner image by applying a fixing solution containing a softening agent that softens the toner by dissolving or swelling at least a part of the resin component of the toner to the toner image on the transfer paper surface. Therefore, energy saving can be realized compared to the thermal fixing method.

  In the fixing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a fixing liquid is applied to unfixed toner by pressing an application roller carrying a liquid fixing solution on the surface against a transfer paper carrying unfixed toner. However, when the fixing liquid is supplied in a liquid state to the unfixed toner on the transfer paper as in Patent Document 1, the fixing roller remains on the surface of the application roller after passing through the application position where the application liquid is applied to the transfer paper. A part of the unfixed toner was transferred into the liquid, and the toner image on the transfer paper deteriorated. This is because the unfixed toner on the transfer paper is carried on the transfer paper by electrostatic force, so when the liquid touches, the force carried by the electrostatic force is significantly reduced, and the unfixed toner diffuses into the fixing liquid, This occurs because a part of the fixing liquid in which the unfixed toner is diffused in the liquid remains on the coating roller.

  Such a problem is not limited to the configuration in which the fixing liquid is supplied to the unfixed toner on the transfer paper, but the fixing liquid is supplied to the toner on the toner image carrier such as an intermediate transfer belt as in Patent Document 2. This is a problem that may also occur in a configuration in which a toner image in which the resin on the toner image carrier is softened is transferred to transfer paper and the fixing liquid is applied to the toner on the toner image carrier using an application roller.

  As described above, there is a fixing device described in Patent Document 3 as a fixing device that can suppress a problem that a part of unfixed toner adheres to the application roller. In this fixing device, the fixing solution is a foam-like fixing solution in which bubbles are dispersed in the solution, and this foam-like fixing solution is applied to the unfixed toner on the transfer paper by the application roller in the same manner as the fixing solution of Patent Document 1. is there. By making the fixing solution foam like this, a large amount of air is present in the bubbles of the fixing solution, so that the force of diffusing unfixed toner into the fixing solution is difficult to work, and the toner on the transfer paper is used as the fixing solution. Even if it is applied, it is fixed on the spot by the action of the fixing solution without moving from the transfer paper. For this reason, the problem that a part of the unfixed toner adheres to the application roller can be suppressed, and a better image can be obtained as compared with the configuration in which the liquid fixing liquid is applied to the transfer paper.

In the case of a configuration in which a foaming fixing solution and a recording medium are applied using a coating member as in the fixing device described in Patent Document 3, the coating member that cleans the coating member after the foaming fixing solution is applied to the recording medium. It is desirable to provide a cleaning means. This is because the remaining foamy fixing solution remaining on the recording medium without being applied to the recording medium adheres to the coating member after passing through the coating position where the foamy fixing solution is applied to the recording medium. It is for recovering.
Since the residual foam-fixing solution is supplied as a foam-fixing solution to the coating member, time has passed and a mechanical force is applied at the coating position, so a part of the foam is defoamed. For example, it is conceivable that the density of the fixing solution is higher than that when supplied to the coating member. For this reason, if a new foam-like fixing solution is supplied to the coating member in a state where the residual foam-like fixing solution remains on the surface of the coating member, the foam-like fixing solutions having different densities are mixed and foam-fixed on the recording medium. There is a possibility that the liquid cannot be uniformly applied. Further, by using a foamy fixing solution, the amount of toner that is offset and adheres to the coating member is reduced as compared with a configuration using a normal liquid fixing solution, but offset can occur. Then, when the offset toner remains on the surface of the coating member, a new foam-like fixing liquid is supplied, and when applied to the recording medium, the offset toner is retransferred to the recording medium, There is a risk of image degradation.
As described above, in order to prevent the foam-like fixing liquid applied to the recording medium from becoming non-uniform or preventing the offset toner from being retransferred to the recording medium, the application member cleaning unit is provided to fix the residual foam-like fixing. It is desirable to remove the liquid.

  However, the foamy fixing solution removed by the applying member cleaning means has a lower density and more bulk than a normal liquid fixing solution. Since the volume of the fixing solution swells several tens of times that of the fixing solution that is not foamed, a large tank is required to contain the fixing solution in the form of bubbles. Note that the foam-like fixing solution naturally defoams over time and the volume gradually decreases, but it takes time to defoam naturally, so it is collected from the coating member and erased to support continuous printing. A large tank for storing the foamy fixing solution before foaming is required. If a large tank capable of storing such a foam-like fixing solution is disposed in the image forming apparatus, there is a problem that the apparatus is increased in size.

For this reason, the residual foamy fixing solution is required to be liquefied and recovered. The following methods are known as methods for liquefying a foamy liquid. First, in the method of sucking a foamy liquid into a porous body having a continuous foam structure, the foamed liquid can be broken and liquefied by passing through micropores constituting the porous body. Moreover, in the method of heating a foam liquid with a heating member, the foam liquid can be broken by heat and liquefied. Furthermore, in the method of imparting the foam promoting component to the foam liquid, the foam liquid can be chemically broken to be liquefied.
In the method of liquefying using a porous material, a position where the foamed liquid in the position facing the micropores is liquefied by generating a negative pressure in the micropores of the porous material (inside the micropores) Giving the power to go to. In the heating method or the chemical liquefaction method, at the position where the foamed liquid is liquefied by the pressing member, conveying member, inclination, etc. (position facing the heating member or position that imparts a component that promotes bubble breakage). Gives the power to go.
However, since the foam-like liquid has low fluidity, it may not be possible to move all of the residual foam-like fixer collected in the residual foam-like fixer container by the applying member cleaning means to the position where it is liquefied. There was a problem. Hereinafter, this problem will be described.

Since the foam-like liquid has low fluidity, the residual foam-like fixing liquid collected on the residual foam-like fixing liquid container by the coating member cleaning means and adhered to the wall surface in the residual foam-like fixing liquid container is It is easy to remain held.
When applying a force toward the liquefying position with respect to the residual foam-fixing solution in the residual foam-fixing solution container, the residual foam-fixing solution present at the position where this force is applied and the position where this force is not applied. There are cases where the residual foam-like fixing liquid held on the wall surface becomes one continuous foam and where it does not. In the case where the residual foam fixing solution at two positions forms a continuous bubble, when a force toward the liquefying position is applied, the residual foam fixing liquid present at the position where the force is applied is pulled. The residual foam-like fixing liquid held on the wall surface where the lever force is not applied can also move to a position where it liquefies.
On the other hand, when the residual foam-fixing solution at two positions is separated without forming a continuous bubble, only the residual foam-fixing liquid present at the position where the force toward the liquefying position is applied is liquefied. The residual foam-like fixer that moves to the position and is held on the wall surface at the position where this force is not applied remains held on the wall surface.
As described above, when the residual foam-like fixing liquids are separated from each other in the residual foam-like fixing liquid container, even if a force toward the position to be liquefied is given to a part, A force toward the liquefying position does not act on a part of the residual foamy fixing solution. As a result, there arises a problem that the remaining part of the remaining foamy fixing solution cannot be moved to the position to be liquefied.

  Furthermore, since the residual foam-like fixing liquid collected by the application member cleaning means remains on the surface of the application member after passing through the application position, the amount of recovery depends on the recovery timing and the recovery position. Causes unevenness. The unevenness between the locations where the residual foam-like fixer is present and the locations where there is no residual foam-like fixer also occurs in the residual foam-like fixer containing portion that contains the recovered residual foam-like fixer due to the unevenness of the recovered amount. As a result, the residual foam-like fixing solutions are separated from each other in the residual foam-fixing solution container, and the above-described problem occurs.

Such a problem is not limited to toner particles that form a toner image on a recording medium as a resin, but in any case where a foamy fixing solution is applied to resin fine particles on a recording medium and the coating member is cleaned. This is a problem that can occur.
Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to the configuration in which the coating member is cleaned, and any configuration that collects the foamy fixing solution collected in the fixing device as a recovered foamy fixing solution, such as a pressure member that contacts the coating member at the coating position. Similar problems arise.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to soften resin fine particles using a foam-like fixing solution and fix them on a recording medium. An object of the present invention is to provide a fixing device capable of performing good recovery even when the amount of recovery is uneven when recovering the liquid, and an image forming apparatus provided with the same.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a fixer foam is formed by using a liquid fixer containing a softening agent that softens resin fine particles by dissolving or swelling at least part of a resin as a foamy fixer in which bubbles are dispersed in the solution. And a foam-like fixing solution applying means for applying the foam-like fixing solution to the surface of the fixing solution application target carrying the resin particle layer composed of the resin particles, and applying the foam-like fixing solution. In a fixing device for fixing the softened resin fine particles to a recording medium, the fixing solution foaming means converts the foamed fixing solution into the foamed fixing solution, and recovers the foamed fixing solution that has not been applied to the fixing solution application target. A foam fixing solution recovery means for recovering as a liquid, the foam fixing solution recovery means comprising: a recovered foam fixing solution storage portion for storing the recovered foam fix solution; and the recovery foam fixing solution storage portion in the recovery foam fixing solution storage portion. The recovered foamy fixing solution mixed with the recovered foamy fixing solution Auxiliary liquid foaming means that uses an auxiliary liquid that assists recovery by being collected together as a foamy auxiliary liquid in which bubbles are dispersed in the liquid, and the recovered foamy fixing liquid in the recovered foamy fixing liquid container includes It comprises a foam auxiliary liquid supply means for supplying a foam auxiliary liquid, and a liquefaction recovery means for liquefying and recovering a foam liquid obtained by mixing the foam auxiliary liquid and the recovered foam fixing liquid. To do.
Further, the invention of claim 2 is the fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the foam-like fixing liquid application unit applies the foam-type fixing liquid supplied to the surface moving surface to face the fixing liquid application target. A coating member that is applied to the surface of the fixing liquid application target at the position, and the foamy fixing liquid recovery unit is removed from the surface of the coating member after passing through the coating position by the coating member cleaning unit. The foam fixing solution is recovered as the recovered foam fixing solution.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the fixing device according to the second aspect, the application member cleaning unit includes a rubber cleaning blade that contacts the surface of the application member as a cleaning member, and the foamy auxiliary liquid supply unit is provided. Is arranged such that the position where the foamy auxiliary liquid is supplied is in the vicinity of the cleaning blade.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the fixing device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the foamy auxiliary liquid supply means feeds air into the porous body containing the auxiliary liquid. The auxiliary liquid is foamed to provide an auxiliary liquid foaming means for generating the foamy auxiliary liquid.
Further, the invention according to claim 5 is the fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquefaction recovery means is attached to one side of the communicating hole of the porous body having the open cell structure. A bubble-like liquid is sucked by applying a negative pressure from the other side of the hole, and the bubble-like liquid is broken by passing through the hole, whereby the bubble-like liquid is liquefied. It is.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fixing device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the foam-like liquid adhering to one side of the communicating hole of the porous body having the continuous-bubble structure is provided in the fixing device. Air is sucked from the other side of the hole and sucked by applying a negative pressure, and the foam-like liquid breaks down by passing through the hole, and includes the liquefaction recovery means for liquefying the foam-like liquid, The foamy auxiliary liquid supply means includes auxiliary liquid foaming means for foaming the auxiliary liquid by sending air into the porous body containing the auxiliary liquid and generating the foamy auxiliary liquid. By switching the flow of air to the body to suction or feeding, the member for foaming the auxiliary liquid by the auxiliary liquid foaming means and the member for liquefying the foamed liquid by the liquefaction recovery means are formed as one porous body. It is characterized by being used together.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the fixing device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the foam auxiliary liquid has a higher ratio of the liquid component to the gas component than the recovered foamed fixing liquid. It is characterized by this.
The invention according to claim 8 is a toner image forming means for forming a toner image on a recording medium based on image information using a toner containing resin fine particles containing a resin and a colorant, and transferring the toner image to the recording medium. A foam-like fixing solution is applied to the surface of the toner image carrier that carries the toner image or the surface of the fixing liquid application target that is the surface of the recording medium that carries the toner image, and the toner image is fixed on the recording medium. An image forming apparatus including a fixing unit for fixing, wherein the fixing unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is used as the fixing unit.

  In the fixing device having the above-mentioned configuration, the foamy auxiliary liquid in which the auxiliary liquid is foamed is supplied to and mixed with the recovered foamy fixer in the recovered foamy fixer container. When the foamy auxiliary liquid comes into contact with the recovered foamy fixer in the recovered foamy fixer container, the two foamy liquids behave as one continuous foamy liquid. For this reason, even if the recovered foamy fixing solutions in the recovered foamed fixing solution container are separated from each other, a continuous foamy solution can be formed by supplying the foamy auxiliary liquid. Then, by applying a force toward the liquefying position to the one continuous foam liquid, the liquid foam fixing liquid contained in one continuous foam liquid is liquefied with respect to the whole. A countering force can be applied, and the recovered foam-like fixer can be recovered satisfactorily.

  According to the present invention, even if the recovered amount of the recovered foamy fixer is uneven and the recovered foamy fixer in the recovered foamy fixer container is separated from each other, By supplying, an excellent effect is obtained that the entire recovered foam-like fixing solution can be recovered well as a continuous foam-like solution.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating a fixing device according to an embodiment. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a copier according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged configuration diagram illustrating a part of an internal configuration of a printer unit in the copier. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view showing one of four image forming units in the copier. FIG. 3 is an enlarged explanatory view in the vicinity of a grindstone of a fixing liquid recovery device provided in the fixing device according to the embodiment. The perspective view which looked at the grindstone vicinity from the arrow D direction in FIG. The perspective explanatory drawing which enabled it to visually recognize the connection part of a grindstone and a base with the grindstone shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view of a fixing solution recovery apparatus that does not include an auxiliary liquid supply unit and an auxiliary liquid foaming unit. Explanatory drawing of the structure which supplies a foamy auxiliary liquid in the residual foam-like fixing liquid accommodating part. The perspective view which looked at the grindstone in the state which is supplying the foamy auxiliary liquid in the residual foamy fixing liquid accommodating part from the upper direction. Explanatory drawing of the vicinity of a grindstone when a negative pressure is generated by the fixer recovery pump. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a fixing solution recovery device of a fixing device according to a modification.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a copying machine (hereinafter referred to as a copying machine 100), which is an image forming apparatus that forms an image by electrophotography, will be described. In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus having the fixing device including the bubble generating apparatus of the present invention is described as a copying machine. However, other image forming apparatuses such as a printer and a facsimile may be used.
First, a basic configuration of the copying machine 100 according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating the copying machine 100 according to the embodiment. The copying machine 100 includes a printer unit 1, a paper feeding device 40, and a document conveyance reading unit 50. The document conveyance reading unit 50 includes a scanner unit 150 that is a document reading device fixed on the printer unit 1 and an ADF 51 that is a document conveyance device supported by the scanner unit 150.

  The paper feeding device 40 separates and feeds two paper feeding cassettes 42 arranged in multiple stages in the paper bank 41, a feed roller 43 that feeds the transfer paper P from the paper feeding cassette 42, and the fed transfer paper P. A separation roller 45 supplied to the path 44 is provided. Further, a plurality of transport rollers 46 for transporting the transfer paper P to the paper transport path 37 of the printer unit 1 are also provided. Then, the transfer paper P in the paper feed cassette 42 is fed into the paper transport path 37 in the printer unit 1.

  The scanner unit 150 fixed on the printer unit 1 has a fixed reading unit 151 and a moving reading unit 152 as reading means for reading an image of the document MS. A fixed reading unit 151 having a light source, a reflection mirror, an image reading sensor such as a CCD, etc. is disposed immediately below a first contact glass (not shown) fixed to the upper wall of the casing of the scanner unit 150 so as to contact the document MS. ing. When the document MS conveyed by the ADF 51 passes over the first contact glass, the image reading sensor 153 receives the light from the light source through the plurality of reflection mirrors while sequentially reflecting the light emitted from the light source on the document surface. . Thereby, the document MS is scanned without moving the optical system including the light source and the reflection mirror.

On the other hand, the moving reading unit 152 is disposed directly below a second contact glass (not shown) fixed to the upper wall of the casing of the scanner unit 150 so as to come into contact with the document MS, and is arranged on the right side of the fixed reading unit 151 in the drawing. Therefore, an optical system including a light source and a reflection mirror can be moved in the left-right direction in the figure. Then, in the process of moving the optical system from the left side to the right side in the figure, the light emitted from the light source is reflected by a document (not shown) placed on the second contact glass and then passed through a plurality of reflecting mirrors. The light is received by an image reading sensor 153 fixed to the scanner body. Thereby, the original MS is scanned while moving the optical system.
In this way, the scanner unit 150 scans the document MS and, based on the image information obtained by the image reading sensor 153, the optical writing device 2 drives the light source, as will be described later, to form four drum-shaped photoconductors. The laser beam L is irradiated toward 4 (K, Y, M, C).

  FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged configuration diagram illustrating a part of the internal configuration of the printer unit 1 in an enlarged manner. The printer unit 1 includes an optical writing device 2, four image forming units 3 (K, Y, M, and C) that form toner images of respective colors K, Y, M, and C, a transfer unit 90, and a paper transport unit 28. , A registration roller pair 33, a fixing device 60, and the like. Then, a light source such as a laser diode or LED (not shown) disposed in the optical writing device 2 is driven, and laser light L is directed toward the four drum-shaped photosensitive members 4 (K, Y, M, C). Irradiate. By this irradiation, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive member 4 (K, Y, M, C) as a latent image carrier, and this latent image is developed into a toner image through a predetermined development process. The Note that the subscripts K, Y, M, and C added after the reference numerals indicate specifications for black, yellow, magenta, and cyan. The toner corresponding to each color is made of a resin material colored in each color, and these resin materials are dissolved or swollen by a fixing solution of the fixing device 60 described later.

  Each of the image forming units 3 (K, Y, M, and C) supports the photosensitive member 4 as a latent image carrier and various devices disposed around the photosensitive member 4 as a single unit by a common support. It can be attached to and detached from the copying machine 100 main body. Taking the black image forming unit 3K as an example, this has a developing device 6K for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member 4K into a black toner image in addition to the photosensitive member 4K. Further, it also includes a drum cleaning device 15K that cleans transfer residual toner adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor 4K after passing through a primary transfer nip for K described later. In the copying machine 100, a so-called tandem type in which four image forming units 3 (K, Y, M, and C) are arranged to face an intermediate transfer belt 91 described later so as to be arranged along the endless movement direction. It is configured.

  FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of one of the four image forming units 3 (K, Y, M, C). The four image forming units 3 (K, Y, M, and C) have substantially the same configuration except that the colors of the toners to be used are different from each other. Therefore, in FIG. , M, and C are omitted. As shown in FIG. 4, the image forming unit 3 includes a charging roller 5 as a charging device, a developing device 6, a drum cleaning device 15, a static elimination lamp 22 as a static elimination device, and the like around the photoreceptor 4.

  In the copying machine 100, a drum-shaped member in which a photosensitive layer is formed by coating a photosensitive organic photosensitive material on a base tube made of aluminum or the like is used as the photosensitive member 4. However, an endless belt may be used as the photoreceptor.

The developing device 6 carries a two-component developer containing a magnetic carrier (not shown) and a non-magnetic toner on a developing roller 12 that is a developer carrying member, and a developing region that is a facing portion between the developing roller 12 and the photosensitive member 4. Then, toner is supplied to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member 4 to visualize the electrostatic imagination. Further, the developing device 6 includes a developer accommodating portion that accommodates a two-component developer supplied to the surface of the developing roller 12, and the developer accommodating portion is provided with a stirring member (not illustrated) that agitates the accommodated two-component developer. It has been.
The developing roller 12 includes a non-magnetic cylindrical developing sleeve that is rotatably arranged, and a magnet roller that is non-rotatably provided therein. The magnet roller has a plurality of magnetic poles that are sequentially arranged in the rotation direction of the developing sleeve. Each of these magnetic poles applies a magnetic force to the two-component developer on the developing sleeve at a predetermined position in the rotational direction. As a result, the two-component developer in the developer accommodating portion is attracted and carried on the surface of the developing sleeve, and a magnetic brush is formed along the magnetic force lines on the surface of the developing sleeve.
The magnetic brush is transported to the developing area after being regulated to an appropriate layer thickness when passing through a position facing a developer regulating member (not shown) as the developing sleeve rotates. Then, development is performed by transferring toner onto the electrostatic latent image by a potential difference between the developing bias applied to the developing sleeve and the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 4. Further, the two-component developer constituting the magnetic brush that has passed through the developing area and then returned to the developing device 6 again with the rotation of the developing sleeve is developed under the influence of the repulsive magnetic field formed between the magnetic poles of the magnet roller. After detachment from the sleeve surface, it is returned to the developer container. A toner concentration sensor (not shown) is disposed in the developer accommodating portion, and the toner concentration of the two-component developer in the developer accommodating container is within a predetermined range based on the detection result by the toner concentration sensor. As described above, a toner replenishing device (not shown) is controlled so that an appropriate amount of toner is replenished to the two-component developer.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the printer unit 1 includes the image forming process described so far in the photosensitive members 4 (K, Y, M, C) of the four image forming units 3 (K, Y, M, C). As a result, K, Y, M, and C toner images are formed.

As shown in FIG. 3, a transfer unit 90 is disposed below the four image forming units 3 (K, Y, M, C). The transfer unit 90 includes an intermediate transfer belt 91 as a toner image carrier stretched by a plurality of stretching rollers (92, 93, 94), and the first stretching roller 92 sandwiches the intermediate transfer belt 91. A belt cleaning device 32 is disposed at the facing position. The belt cleaning device 32 is arranged to remove toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 91 after passing through a secondary transfer nip described later.
In the transfer unit 90, the intermediate transfer belt 91 is moved endlessly in the clockwise direction in the figure (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3) while contacting the photoreceptor 4 (K, Y, M, C). As a result, primary transfer nips for K, Y, M, and C where the photoreceptors 4 (K, Y, M, and C) and the intermediate transfer belt 91 abut are formed. In the vicinity of the primary transfer nips for K, Y, M, and C, the intermediate transfer belt 91 is moved to the photosensitive member 4 by a primary transfer roller 95 (K, Y, M, and C) disposed in the belt loop. It is pressed toward (K, Y, M, C). A primary transfer bias is applied to the four primary transfer rollers 95 (K, Y, M, C) by a power source (not shown). Thus, in the primary transfer nip for K, Y, M, and C, primary transfer that electrostatically moves the toner image on the photoreceptor 4 (K, Y, M, and C) toward the intermediate transfer belt 91 that is a transfer body. An electric field is formed. In the drawing, toner images are successively superimposed at the primary transfer nips on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 91 that sequentially passes through the primary transfer nips for K, Y, M, and C with endless movement in the clockwise direction. Primary transcription. By this primary transfer of superposition, a four-color superposed toner image (hereinafter referred to as a four-color toner image) is formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 91.
The primary transfer device according to the present embodiment employs a configuration including a primary transfer roller 95 as a primary transfer member, but a conductive brush, a non-contact corona charger, or the like can also be employed as the primary transfer member.

  In FIG. 4, untransferred toner that has not been primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 91 adheres to the surface of the photoreceptor 4 after passing through the primary transfer nip. This transfer residual toner is removed from the surface of the photoreceptor 4 by the drum cleaning device 15 of the image forming unit 3.

As the drum cleaning device 15, a device that scrapes off and removes transfer residual toner from the surface of the photoconductor 4 after passing through the primary transfer nip by a polyurethane rubber cleaning blade 16 in contact with the photoconductor 4 is used. . The cleaning blade 16 is bonded (hot melt) to a metal support member fixed to the casing of the image forming unit 3, and comes into contact with the photoconductor 4 in the counter direction. The counter direction is the direction of the blade such that the front end side of the cleaning blade 16 cantilevered by the support member is positioned upstream of the rear end side (free end side) in the rotation direction of the photosensitive member 4. .
Here, the toner recovered by the drum cleaning device 15 is recovered by the developing device 6 and reused by a recovery screw and a toner recycling device (not shown).

  The static eliminator included in the image forming unit 3 of the present embodiment has a configuration including a static eliminator lamp 22, and irradiates light to initialize the surface potential of the photoreceptor 4. The surface of the photoreceptor 4 that has been neutralized by the static elimination lamp 22 is uniformly charged by a charging roller 5 that generates a discharge with the photoreceptor 4 by applying a charging bias, and then the light from the optical writing device 2 is used. Write processing is performed. The charging device provided in the image forming unit 3 is a contact charging type charging device employing a charging roller 5. This charging device uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive member 4 by bringing the charging roller 5 into contact with the surface of the photosensitive member 4 and applying a voltage to the charging roller 5. In addition, as a charging device for uniformly charging the photosensitive member 4, a charging device of a non-contact charging type using a scorotron charger or the like can be used instead of the charging roller type.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the printer unit 1, an endless paper conveyance belt 29, which is a secondary transfer belt, is hung between a driving roller 30 and a secondary transfer roller 31 below the transfer unit 90 in the drawing. A paper transport unit 28 is provided as a secondary transfer unit that passes and moves endlessly. In the copying machine 100, the intermediate transfer belt 91 and the paper transport belt 29 are sandwiched between the secondary transfer roller 31 of the paper transport unit 28 and the lower stretching roller 94 of the transfer unit 90. As a result, a secondary transfer nip is formed in which the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 91 and the surface of the paper transport belt 29 abut. A secondary transfer bias is applied to the secondary transfer roller 31 by a power source (not shown). On the other hand, the lower stretching roller 94 of the transfer unit 90 is grounded. Thereby, a secondary transfer electric field is formed in the secondary transfer nip. The member that forms the secondary transfer nip in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 91 is not limited to a belt-like member such as the paper transport belt 29, and a roller-like transfer roller may be used.

  A registration roller pair 33 is disposed on the right side of the secondary transfer nip in the figure. The registration roller pair 33 sends the transfer paper P sandwiched between the rollers to the secondary transfer nip at a timing at which the transfer paper P can be synchronized with the four-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 91. In the secondary transfer nip, the four-color toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 91 are collectively secondary transferred onto the transfer paper P due to the influence of the secondary transfer electric field and the nip pressure, and become a full color image combined with the white color of the transfer paper P. The transfer paper P that has passed through the secondary transfer nip and has a toner image transferred to the surface thereof is separated from the intermediate transfer belt 91 and held on the surface of the paper transport belt 29, while the endless movement of the transfer paper P is performed. It is conveyed to.

  The transfer residual toner that has not been transferred to the transfer paper P at the secondary transfer nip adheres to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 91 that has passed through the secondary transfer nip. This transfer residual toner is scraped off and removed by the belt cleaning device 32 arranged so that the cleaning member contacts the intermediate transfer belt 91.

  The transfer paper P conveyed to the fixing device 60 is sent out from the fixing device 60 after the full color image is fixed by applying a fixing liquid in the fixing device 60, as will be described in detail later. 10 is discharged.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the copying machine 100, a switchback device 36 that is a transfer paper reversing device is disposed below the paper transport unit 28 and the fixing device 60. When image formation is performed on both sides, the path of the transfer paper P that has undergone image fixing processing on one side is switched to the switchback device 36 side by controlling the switching claw, and the transfer paper P is reversed there, and then again. Transport toward the next transfer transfer nip. Then, the transfer sheet P on which the image is subjected to the secondary transfer process and the fixing process on the other side is discharged onto the discharge tray 10.

Next, the fixing device 60 including the characterizing portion of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view schematically showing a fixing device 60 of the present embodiment. The resin fine particles in the present invention are toner particles.
The fixing device 60 includes a foam-like fixer generating unit 130 as a foam-like fixer generating unit for generating a foam-like fixer F in which a liquid fixer 132 containing a softening agent is foamed, and the generated foam-like fixer F. And a fixer application unit 600 which is a fixer application unit for applying the toner to the transfer paper P as a recording medium.
The foam-like fixer generation unit 130 includes a fixer bottle 131 serving as a fixer containing unit for storing the liquid fixer 132, and a foam-like foam containing a large amount of bubbles by dispersing bubbles in the liquid fixer 132. A fixing liquid foaming device 500 serving as a fixing liquid foaming means serving as a fixing liquid F; The liquid fixer 132 in the fixer bottle 131 is transported to the fixer foaming device 500 via the fixer transport pipe by driving a fixer transport pump (not shown). The foamed fixing solution F is obtained by mixing and foaming. As the fixer foaming device 500, for example, a foam-like fixer generating unit described in Patent Document 3 can be used. If the liquid fixer 132 can be a foamy fixer F having a desired bubble diameter, this can be used. It is not limited to.

The fixer application unit 600 applies the foamy fixer F having a desired bubble diameter generated by the foamy fixer generator 130 to the unfixed toner image T on the transfer paper P. The fixing liquid application unit 600 is supplied with the foamy fixing liquid F from the fixing liquid foaming device 500 and applies the foaming fixing liquid F to the transfer paper P at the application position C, and an application roller 61 61, and a pressure roller 62 disposed so as to face the coating position C.
The foam-like fixer F supplied in a thin film form from the foam-like fixer generator 130 onto the surface of the application roller 61 reaches the application position C by the surface movement of the application roller 61. The transfer paper P carrying the unfixed toner image T conveyed to the fixing device 60 by a conveyance member (not shown) is sandwiched between the nip portion between the application roller 61 and the pressure roller 62 at the application position C, and is fixed in a foam state. The liquid F is applied to the unfixed toner image T. After passing through the nip portion, the toner particles that have been softened or swollen by being applied with a fixing solution are hardened again and are fixed on the transfer paper P, thereby forming a fixed toner image Ta.

  The fixing liquid application unit 600 is downstream of the application position C in the surface movement direction of the application roller 61 and upstream of the position where the foamy fixing liquid F is supplied from the foamy fixing liquid generator 130. An application roller cleaning device 20 is provided. By this application roller cleaning device 20, the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb composed of the foam-like fixing liquid F that has not been transferred from the application roller 61 to the transfer paper P at the application position C and the small amount of offset toner Tb that has been transferred from the transfer paper P. Remove.

In the fixing device 60 shown in FIG. 1, the foamy fixing solution F supplied from the foamed fixing solution generator 130 to the application roller 61 is supplied in a thin film state. As a configuration for forming a thin layer of the foam fixing solution F on the coating roller 61, the coating roller 61 is provided between the position where the foam fixing solution F is supplied from the foam fixing solution generator 130 and the coating position C. You may provide the film thickness control means which makes the above foamy fixing solution F a desired film thickness.
As the foamed fixing solution F to be applied using the coating member, an experiment was performed in which the density of the foamed fixing solution F was changed and fixed, and the ratio of the fixing solution and the air constituting the foamed fixing solution F was determined. Is about 1:25 to 1:50, that is, the density is preferably in the range of 0.04 to 0.02 [cm ³ ].
If the density of the foam-like fixing solution F is higher than this range, it becomes a liquid state and on the surface of the coating roller that has passed through the coating position in the same manner as a conventional fixing device that applied a normal liquid fixing solution. A so-called offset in which the toner is caught in the fixing liquid and the application roller shifts to a warp easily occurs, and image deterioration occurs. On the contrary, when the density of the foam fixing solution F is lower than this range, the foam fixing solution F is in a state called dry foam. When in a dry foam state, it is difficult for bubbles to break, and the required amount of fixer does not migrate to the recording medium, resulting in poor fixing, or lower use efficiency of the fixer, which consumes more fixer than necessary. Troubles such as.

Further, as a result of experiments, it was found that the bubble diameter of the foam-like fixing solution F is desirably about 20 [μm] on average. The foam-like fixer F is composed of a fixer part and an air part, but since there is no fixer in the air part, if the bubble diameter is large, the toner in the air part is not softened and fixed. In other words, uneven fixing occurs. On the other hand, when the bubble diameter is too small, the wettability to the application roller 61 becomes extremely low, and the film becomes a uniform thin film on the application roller 61, resulting in uneven fixing.
For these reasons, the density and bubble diameter of the foam-like fixing solution F have a good range for the fixing performance. Of course, good portions differ depending on the type of fixing solution, the type of toner, and the like, but such a range basically exists in a method in which a fixing solution is foamed and applied to toner.

The required film thickness of the foamy fixing solution F on the application roller 61 can be easily obtained by the following calculation.
First, it is assumed that the amount of the fixing solution necessary for the A4-size (297 [mm] × 210 [mm]) transfer paper P is 0.1 [g].
It is assumed that 0.1 [g] per A4 size sheet, and the necessary amount of fixing solution may change if the type of transfer paper P changes. It was 0.1 [g] per A4 size sheet. If the amount of the fixing solution is larger than this, the paper swells and curls become conspicuous, and the commercial value is significantly reduced. If the amount is too small, of course, fixing failure occurs.

When the density of the above-described foamed fixing solution F is 0.02 [g / cm ³ ], the specific gravity of the fixing solution is 1, and the necessary foam film thickness on the application roller 61 is t [mm]
(297 [mm] × 210 [mm] × t [mm]) × 0.02 / 1000 [g / mm ³ ] = 0.1 [g]
∴t = 0.08 [mm]
Thus, the film thickness required for the foamy fixing solution F on the application roller 61 is about 80 [μm]. Actually, not all of the foamy fixing solution F is transferred to the recording paper. Therefore, if the transfer rate of the foam-like fixing liquid F from the application roller 61 to the transfer paper P is 90 [%], 80 [μm] /0.9=88 [μm].

Thus, a thin foam fixing solution F having a film thickness of about 90 [μm] is formed on the surface of the application roller 61, and this is input to the application position C and applied to the transfer paper P. Not all of the foamy fixing solution F on the application roller 61 is applied to the transfer paper P at the application position C.
As described above, the transfer rate (the amount of the foam-like fixing solution F per unit area on the coating roller 61 just before reaching the coating position C is defined as the amount of the foam-like fixing solution F on the transfer paper P just after passing through the coating position C. The value divided by the amount is about 90% at best. That is, about 10% of the fixing solution of the foamy fixing solution F supplied on the surface of the application roller 61 remains on the application roller 61 after passing through the application position C.
At the application position C, a small amount of toner on the transfer paper P is peeled off (offset) and remains in a form mixed with the foamy fixing liquid F remaining on the application roller 61. Then, it is necessary to remove the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb composed of the offset toner Tb and the foam-like fixing liquid F by the application roller cleaning device 20. If the residual foam fixing solution Fb is not removed well, when the new foam fixing solution F is supplied again from the foam fixing solution generator 130, it remains in the new foam fixing solution F controlled to a desired state. As the foam-like fixing solution Fb is mixed, the uniformity and supply amount of the foam-like fixing solution F change from the desired state. Further, when the offset toner Tb is re-transferred to the next transfer paper P, an image defect may occur, and the fixing quality may be seriously damaged.
Therefore, the fixing device 60 is required to reliably remove the residual foamy fixing solution Fb by the application roller cleaning device 20.

Next, the characteristic part of the fixing device 60 of the present embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the fixing device 60 includes a coating roller cleaning device 20 as a coating member cleaning unit that cleans the coating roller 61. Then, the application roller cleaning device 20 removes the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb remaining on the surface of the application roller 61 after the application roller 61 has passed the application position C where the foam-type fixing liquid F is applied to the transfer paper P. A liquid removal blade 201 is provided. Further, the application roller cleaning device 20 includes a residual foam-like fixer storage unit 202 that stores the foam-like fixer F removed from the surface of the application roller 61 by the fixer removal blade 201, and a residual foam-type fixer storage unit 202. A fixer recovery apparatus 200 that liquefies and recovers the foamy fixer F is provided.

The fixer recovery device 200 recovers the residual foam fixer Fb on the application roller 61 and stores it in the fixer recovery bottle 220. However, since the residual foam-like fixer Fb has a larger volume than the normal liquid fixer, if the residual foam-like fixer Fb is stored in the form of foam, a large-capacity fixer recovery bottle 220 is required. In order to increase the size of the apparatus, it is necessary to liquefy and collect the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb. The residual foam-like fixer Fb removed by the fixer-removing blade 201 is contained in the foam-like fixer containing part 202, and the residual foam-like fixer Fb in the foam-like fixer containing part 202 is naturally defoamed over time. Although the volume gradually decreases, it takes time to naturally defoam. Then, when the remaining foam-like fixing solution Fb that has been naturally defoamed is collected, the foam-like fixing solution container 202 is filled up immediately, and then the remaining foam-like fixing solution Fb removed by the fixing solution removing blade 201 is used. Cannot be recovered. Further, when the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb is recovered after naturally defoaming and becomes liquid, the offset toner Tb dissolved or swollen in the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb is solidified to fix the fixing solution removing blade 201 or the like. There is a risk of adhering to the inner wall forming the foam-like fixing liquid storage unit 202.
For this reason, the application roller cleaning device 20 uses a grindstone 217 made of a porous body in which micropores having a continuous bubble structure are formed as liquefaction means for liquefying the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb recovered from the application roller 61, and recovery of the fixing liquid. A fixing liquid liquefying apparatus 400 having a pump 225 is provided.
As shown in FIG. 1, the grindstone 217 and the fixer recovery pump 225 are connected by a fixer recovery pipe 226. By driving the fixer recovery pump 225 and applying a negative pressure to the grindstone 217, The residual foamy fixing solution Fb located above is sucked. By this suction, the residual foam-like fixer Fb is liquefied by passing through a number of micropores of the grindstone 217 forming the porous body, and the recovered fixer in liquid form is conveyed through the fixer recovery tube 226. And stored in the fixer recovery bottle 220. As described above, the fixer recovery apparatus 200 includes the fixer liquefaction apparatus 400 including the grindstone 217, the fixer recovery pump 225, the fixer recovery pipe 226, and the fixer recovery bottle 220.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged explanatory view of the vicinity of the grindstone 217 of the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200. As shown in FIG. 5, the grindstone 217 is attached to the base 227. 6 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the grindstone 217 of the fixer recovery apparatus 200 as seen from the direction of arrow D in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 shows the grindstone 217 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective explanatory view in which a connection portion between a grindstone 217 and a base 227 can be visually recognized by rotating in an arrow H direction.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a foam-like fixing solution storage unit 202 is provided immediately below the fixing solution removing blade 201, and a grindstone 217 is disposed on the bottom surface of the foam-like fixing solution storage unit 202. The grindstone 217 has a large number of minute holes composing a continuous bubble structure at its upper and lower surfaces, and the minute holes on the surface of the grindstone 217 are blocked by the grindstone cover portion 217a indicated by the hatched portion in FIG. . The grindstone cover portion 217a can be formed by applying a curable resin resistant to a fixing solution such as an epoxy resin on the side surface of the grindstone 217.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a recess 250 is formed on the lower surface of the grindstone 217, and a recovery hole 228 is provided in the base 227. A fixing solution recovery tube 226 is attached to the side surface of the base 227, and the recovery hole 228 on the upper surface of the base 227 is connected to the fixing solution recovery tube 226. By driving the fixing liquid recovery pump 225, negative pressure is generated in the recovery hole 228, and negative pressure is also generated in a large number of micro holes in the porous body through the recess 250, so that a large number of micro holes on the upper surface of the grindstone 217 are generated. Negative pressure is generated at the opening of the. As a result, the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb existing above the grindstone 217 is sucked, and becomes a recovered fixing solution that is liquefied and liquefied while reaching the recess 250 through a large number of minute holes. Further, the recovered fixer is stored in the fixer recovery bottle 220 through the fixer recovery tube 226 and the fixer recovery pump 225.

Furthermore, the fixer recovery apparatus 200 of this embodiment supplies water 211 that is an auxiliary liquid that is mixed with the residual foam-like fixer Fb in the residual foam-type fixer container 202 and recovered together with the fixer to the grindstone 217. A liquid auxiliary liquid supply device 300 is provided as auxiliary liquid supply means. The liquid auxiliary liquid supply device 300 includes a water bottle 210, a water supply pump 215, and a water supply pipe 216. Further, the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 includes an auxiliary liquid foaming means that uses water 211 as an auxiliary liquid as a foamy auxiliary liquid in which bubbles are dispersed in the liquid, and a foam that is supplied into the residual foamy fixing liquid storage unit 202. Auxiliary liquid supply means.
In the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200, the water supply pipe 216 is connected to the grindstone 217, and the curable resin constituting the grindstone cover portion 217a is not applied to the position where the water supply pipe 216 is attached. The conveyance path in 216 is connected to the minute holes forming the continuous bubble structure of the grindstone 217. When foaming the water 211 into the foam auxiliary liquid, the fixing liquid recovery pump 225 generates a pressure in a direction opposite to that when the fixing liquid is recovered while the grindstone 217 is filled with the water 211. . As a result, air is sucked from the air filter 221, and air is sent from below the grindstone 217 through the fixer recovery pipe 226. As a result, the water discharged from the upper surface of the grindstone 217 becomes foamy, and the foamy auxiliary liquid is supplied into the residual foamy fixing liquid container 202 and mixed with the residual foamy fixing liquid Fb. As described above, in the fixer recovery apparatus 200 of the present embodiment, the grindstone 217 and the fixer recovery pump 225 of the fixer liquefaction apparatus 400 have a function as an auxiliary liquid foaming means and a function as a foamy auxiliary liquid supply means. .
In the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 of the present embodiment, the foam auxiliary liquid is supplied into the residual foam fixing liquid storage unit 202 and mixed with the residual foam fixing liquid Fb, and then the foam auxiliary liquid is supplied. The fixer recovery pump 225 is driven so as to generate a pressure in the opposite direction. As a result, the foamy liquid composed of the foamy auxiliary liquid and the residual foamy fixing liquid Fb is sucked into the minute holes of the grindstone 217, and is liquefied while passing through the grindstone 217. 220.
In this manner, air is sucked or sent out from the fixer recovery pipe 226 by driving the fixer recovery pump 225. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a recess 250 on the bottom surface of the grindstone 217 communicates with the recovery hole 228, and allows the air sucked or sent out by driving the fixing liquid recovery pump 225 to enter and exit the entire longitudinal direction.

Next, the reason why the residual foam fixing solution Fb is recovered after being mixed with the foam auxiliary liquid will be described.
As a technique for defoaming a foam-like liquid to obtain a normal liquid, there are those described in Patent Document 4, but most of them are techniques used in manufacturing factories, etc. Therefore, diversion to a fixing device provided in the image forming apparatus is difficult.
Among the techniques for defoaming described in Patent Document 4, as a technique that can be relatively reduced in size, by sucking a foamy liquid so that it passes through the porous body, the foamed liquid is removed from the porous body. Some are forced to break up by passing through micropores and liquefied and recovered.
This is because a negative pressure is applied to the micropores from one of the two surfaces where the micropores of the porous body having the continuous bubble structure communicate with each other, and the bubble-like liquid existing on the other surface is sucked into the micropores. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size.

However, in such a configuration in which the micropores of the porous body are passed, if the whole surface on the side where the foam-like liquid exists is not covered with the foam-like liquid, a suction failure may occur. This is due to the following reason.
That is, when a part of the surface of the porous body on which the foam-like liquid exists is not covered with the foam-like liquid and is in communication with the surface on the negative pressure acting side through the micropores, When the pressure is applied, air is sucked from the minute holes communicated. In this state, negative pressure is less likely to act on the micropores covered with the bubble-like liquid having a larger fluid resistance than air, resulting in poor suction. If a suction failure occurs, there is a problem that the foamy liquid cannot be liquefied. Even when some of the micropores are in communication, it is possible to suck the foamy liquid from the micropores covered with the foamy liquid by increasing the suction force. However, since air with low fluid resistance is sucked from the communicating micropores and bubble-like liquid with high fluid resistance is sucked from the micropores that are not communicating, a very large suction force is required, and a pump with a large output is required. This is necessary and causes a problem that miniaturization of the apparatus is hindered.

Considering the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb collected by the application roller cleaning device 20, the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb remains on the surface of the application roller 61 after passing through the application position C. Unevenness occurs in the collected amount. The unevenness between the places where the residual foam-like fixer Fb is present and the places where the residual foam-like fixer Fb is present also occurs in the residual foam-like fixer containing part 202 containing the recovered residual foam-like fixer Fb due to the unevenness of the recovered amount.
As a configuration for recovering the residual foam fixing solution Fb in the residual foam fixing solution storage unit 202, the liquid auxiliary liquid supply means, the auxiliary liquid foaming means, and the foam auxiliary liquid supply means are not provided, and the fixing liquid removing blade 201 is used. A configuration is conceivable in which the residual foam-like fixer Fb that has been removed and remains in the foam-like fixer container 202 is sucked through the grindstone 217 as it is. However, the residual foam fixing solution Fb is not applied to the transfer paper P at the application position C, but consists of the foam fixing solution F and the offset toner Tb remaining on the application roller 61, and the recovered amount is uneven. In detail, the surface of the application roller 61 at a portion facing the transfer paper P at the application position C and the surface of the application roller 61 at a portion not facing the transfer paper P at the application position C due to a gap between the papers are the latter. However, since the recovered amount of the residual foamy fixing liquid Fb increases, the recovered amount varies depending on the timing. Also, the width direction in the direction perpendicular to the surface movement direction of the application roller 61 is also on the inner side (location in contact with the transfer paper P) or on the outer side (pressure roller) than the end in the width direction of the transfer paper P at the application position C. The amount of the collected toner varies due to the difference in the position of the contact with the image 62 and the state of the image on the transfer paper P.
Further, since the foam liquid has low fluidity, even if it is collected in the foam fixer container 202 in an uneven state, it does not spread uniformly like a normal liquid, and the influence of unevenness at the time of recovery is exerted. While being received, it is held on the upper surface of the grindstone 217 disposed on the bottom surface of the foam-like fixing liquid storage unit 202.

FIG. 8 shows a fixing liquid recovery device 200 of only the fixing liquid liquefier 400 that does not include the auxiliary liquid supply means, the auxiliary liquid foaming means, and the foam auxiliary liquid supply means. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a residual foamy fixing solution Fb is held on the upper surface.
As described above, when the residual foam fixing solution Fb with uneven recovery amount is stored in the foam fixing solution storage unit 202 as it is, the residual foam fixing solution Fb is present on the upper surface of the grindstone 217 as shown in FIG. In many cases, a portion and a portion having no residual foamy fixing solution Fb exist. In this state, the minute holes on the upper surface of the grindstone 217 are blocked by the fixing liquid in the portion where the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb is present, and the minute holes on the upper surface of the grindstone 217 are opened in the portion where the remaining foam-like fixing solution Fb is absent. It becomes a state.
In this state, when suction is performed by generating a negative pressure as indicated by an arrow G2 in FIG. 8 by the fixer recovery pump 225, suction is performed at the microholes where there is no residual foamy fixer Fb on the upper surface of the grindstone 217. Since there is little resistance, only air is sucked in from there and negative pressure is released. When the negative pressure is released in this way, the negative pressure does not act on the minute holes on the upper surface of the grindstone 217 in the portion where the residual foam fixing solution Fb is present, and the residual foam fixing solution Fb cannot be sucked. Arise.

  Further, since the foam-like liquid has low fluidity, the residual foam-like fixer Fb removed from the surface of the application roller 61 by the fixer-removing blade 201 is at the tip of the fixer-removing blade 201 as shown in FIG. It is easy to stay in the vicinity. As shown in FIG. 5, even if the residual foam-like fixer Fb stays in the vicinity of the tip of the fixer removal blade 201, the residual foam-like fixer Fb on the upper surface of the grindstone 217, which is a porous body, If the bubbles are not connected to each other, the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb staying at the tip of the fixing solution removing blade 201 cannot be sucked. That is, when the residual foam-like fixer Fb staying at the tip of the fixer-removing blade 201 and the residual foam-like fixer Fb in contact with the upper surface of the grindstone 217 are separated without becoming one continuous foam, When a negative pressure is applied to the grindstone 217, only the residual foam-like fixer Fb that is in contact with the grindstone 217 is sucked. Then, the residual foamy fixing solution Fb staying at the tip of the fixing solution removing blade 201 stays at the tip of the fixing solution removing blade 201. As described above, since the foam-like fixing solution naturally defoams with time and the volume gradually decreases, the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb staying at the tip of the fixing solution removing blade 201 also disappears with time. The volume gradually decreases. However, since the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb contains toner, the toner stays in the vicinity of the tip of the fixing solution removing blade 201 and the toner contained in the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb stays with time. The toner is fixed to the tip of the fixing solution removing blade 201, and the cleaning performance is seriously affected.

Note that the target in which the residual foamy fixing solution Fb remains is not limited to the fixing solution removing blade 201. When the residual foam-like fixer Fb adhering to the member that forms the wall surface other than the upper surface of the grindstone 217 in the foam-like fixer accommodating portion 202 is separated from the residual foam-like fixer Fb on the upper surface of the grindstone 217, the fixing is performed. As in the case of the liquid removal blade 201, the state is maintained on the wall surface.
As described above, when a part of the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb in the foam-like fixing solution storage unit 202 exists separately from the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb on the upper surface of the grindstone 217, the upper surface of the grindstone 217. Even if a force toward the liquefying position (in the minute holes of the grindstone 217) is applied to the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb, the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb on the upper surface of the grindstone 217 exists separately. A force toward the liquefying position does not act on the residual foamy fixing solution Fb. As a result, the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb existing separately from the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb on the upper surface of the grindstone 217 cannot be liquefied and recovered.

For such a problem, the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment foams the water 211 to form a foam auxiliary liquid, and sucks it in a mixed state with the residual foam fixing liquid Fb. The fixing solution Fb is collected.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration in which the foamy auxiliary liquid is supplied into the residual foamy fixing liquid storage unit 202, and FIG. 10 is a diagram in which the foamy auxiliary liquid is supplied into the residual foamy fixing liquid storage unit 202. It is the perspective view which looked at the grindstone 217 in a state from above.
In the case of foaming the water 211 to make a foamy auxiliary liquid, first, the water supply pump 215 is driven to supply the water 211 in the water bottle 210 into the grindstone 217 as indicated by arrow E in the figure. Since a large number of micropores constituting the continuous bubble structure of the grindstone 217 are small-diameter holes, the many micropores communicate with the lower surface, but the water 211 supplied into the grindstone 217 almost leaks from the lower surface. Without being held in the grindstone 217. Note that the water 211 may include a small amount of a surfactant.

After supplying an appropriate amount of water 211, the water supply pump 215 continues to be driven, and the fixing liquid recovery pump 225 is driven to feed air from below the grindstone 217, so that the water 211 in the grindstone 217 is caused by the grindstone cover portion 217a. It is pushed out from the upper surface of the grindstone 217 that is not covered. As described above, the water 211 in the micropores is pushed out by the air, so that the water 211 is foamed to become the foam auxiliary liquid Fc. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the foam auxiliary liquid is located above the grindstone 217. Fc rises.
The reason why the water 211 is supplied to the grindstone 217 prior to the air by the fixer recovery apparatus 200 is as follows.
That is, if air is supplied without filling the water 211 into the grindstone 217, the air escapes from some of the micropores not blocked by the water 211, and the efficiency of foaming the water 211 is reduced. On the other hand, by supplying the water 211 to the grindstone 217 prior to the air, the air can be supplied in a state where almost all the micro holes are closed with the water 211. It is possible to prevent the efficiency of foaming the water 211 from being reduced.

As the foam auxiliary liquid Fc swells above the grindstone 217, as shown in FIG. 9, the foam obtained by foaming the residual foam fixing liquid Fb and water remaining in the vicinity of the tip of the fixing liquid removing blade 201 Can be brought into contact with the liquid auxiliary fluid Fc. Furthermore, the foam auxiliary liquid Fc and the residual foam fixing liquid Fb can be mixed by continuing to supply the foam auxiliary liquid Fc.
Further, as shown in FIG. 8, even if the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb exists on the upper surface of the grindstone 217 in an uneven state, the foam-like auxiliary liquid Fc is accumulated above the grindstone 217 as shown in FIG. By supplying the foam auxiliary liquid Fc so as to rise, the foam auxiliary liquid Fc and the residual foam fixing liquid Fb can be mixed.
As described above, the foam auxiliary liquid Fc and the residual foam fixing liquid Fb mixed in the foam fixing liquid storage unit 202 become one continuous foam liquid. For this reason, the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb containing the offset toner Tb adhering to the tip of the fixing liquid removing blade 201 is mixed with the foam-like auxiliary liquid Fc made of water 211 to form one continuous foam-like liquid. The fixing liquid removing blade 201 can be cleaned by facilitating the recovery.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of the vicinity of the grindstone 217 when a negative pressure is generated in the recovery hole 228 by the fixing liquid recovery pump 225.
When the supply of the water 211 and the air is stopped in a state where the foam auxiliary liquid Fc and the residual foam fixer Fb mixed in the foam fixing liquid storage unit 202 become one continuous foam liquid, It remains in the form of bubbles, slowly disappears and disappears. On the other hand, the fixing solution recovery apparatus 200 of the present embodiment stops the supply of water 211 and air, and at the same time switches the direction in which pressure is generated by the fixing solution recovery pump 225 in the reverse direction. By this switching, an air flow indicated by an arrow G2 in FIG. As described above, when a negative pressure is generated in the recovery hole 228 by the fixing liquid recovery pump 225, the foam liquid in which the foam auxiliary liquid Fc and the residual foam fixing liquid Fb are connected is instantaneously sucked into the grindstone 217 and disappears. It was confirmed that the liquid foamed.

As described above, when there are a portion having the residual foam fixing solution Fb and a portion without the residual foam fixing solution Fb on the upper surface of the grindstone 217, the negative pressure is released at the portion without the residual foam fixing solution Fb, and the residual foam fixing solution Fb is removed. It was not possible to inhale with the grindstone 217. On the other hand, in the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 of the present embodiment, the foam auxiliary liquid Fc is supplied into the foam fixing liquid storage unit 202, and the entire upper surface of the grindstone 217 is covered with the foam liquid. Since there is no portion where there is no negative pressure, it is possible to prevent the negative pressure from being released, and it is possible to satisfactorily suck the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb together with the foam-like auxiliary liquid Fc with the grindstone 217.
Further, as described above, since the foam-like liquid has low fluidity, the foam-like liquid remains on the upper surface of the grindstone 217 even when the residual foam-like fixer Fb stays in the vicinity of the tip of the fixer removing blade 201. Without the foamy fixing solution Fb, the residual foamy fixing solution Fb could not be sucked. On the other hand, in the fixer recovery apparatus 200 of this embodiment, the foamy auxiliary liquid Fc is supplied into the foamy fixer container 202, and the residual bubbles staying in the vicinity of the tip of the fixer removal blade 201 are retained. The fixing solution Fb and the foamy auxiliary solution Fc are brought into contact with each other. As a result, the foam auxiliary liquid Fc and the residual foam fixing liquid Fb become one continuous foam liquid. By sucking the continuous foam station, the residual foam fixer Fb staying in the vicinity of the tip of the fixer removing blade 201 is sucked together with the foam auxiliary liquid Fc by the grindstone 217 and becomes liquid. It is recovered in the fixer recovery bottle 220, and the residual foam fixer Fb can be removed cleanly from the foam fixer container 202.

  In addition, since a foam-like liquid has low fluidity, a part of the foam-like liquid may remain in the foam-like fixing liquid storage unit 202 even if sucked as a continuous foam-like liquid. Thus, a part of the foam-like liquid may remain even in the case of only the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb. Further, the location where a part of the fixing solution may remain without being limited to the foam shape is not limited to the inside of the foam-like fixing solution storage unit 202, but the fixing solution such as the grindstone 217, the fixing solution recovery pipe 226, the fixing solution recovery pump 225, or the like. There is a recovery route. Here, if the fixing solution stays in the foam-like fixing solution storage unit 202 or in the fixing solution recovery path at the concentration used for fixing, the members that form the foam-like fixing solution storage unit 202 and the fixing solution recovery route are deteriorated by the fixing solution. There is a risk. On the other hand, in the fixing solution recovery apparatus 200 of the present embodiment, since the foam auxiliary liquid Fc using water as a raw material and the residual foam fixing solution Fb are mixed and recovered, the recovered fixing solution may be diluted. it can. As a result, a part of the liquid obtained by mixing the recovered foam and the foam-like fixing solution is not collected and stays in the foam-like fixing solution storage unit 202, or the liquid mixture that has become liquid stays in the fixing-solution collecting path. Even if the fixing solution remains, the deterioration of the members forming them can be suppressed as compared with the case where the fixing solution remains.

  Further, by generating the foam auxiliary liquid Fc so that the water content is higher than that of the residual foam fixing liquid Fb, the viscosity of the foam liquid obtained by mixing the foam auxiliary liquid Fc and the residual foam fixing liquid Fb is increased. The viscosity can be lower than that of the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb alone. As a result, it is difficult for the foamy liquid containing the residual foamy fixer Fb to remain in the foamy fixer container 202.

[Modification]
Here, a modified example in which the configuration of the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 is different from the fixing apparatus 60 of the above-described embodiment will be described.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory view schematically showing a fixing liquid recovery device 200 of a fixing device 60 according to a modification.
The fixing device 60 shown in FIG. 1 has a configuration in which the grindstone 217 and the fixing solution recovery pump 225 of the fixing solution liquefying device 400 also have functions as an auxiliary liquid foaming means and a foamy auxiliary liquid supply means. On the other hand, the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 of the fixing apparatus 60 of the modified example shown in FIG. 12 is provided with a foam auxiliary liquid supply as an auxiliary liquid foaming means and a foam auxiliary liquid supply means separately from the fixing liquid liquefying apparatus 400. It differs from the fixer recovery apparatus 200 of the above-described embodiment in that the apparatus 700 is provided.

The modified foam-like auxiliary liquid supply apparatus 700 includes an auxiliary liquid-foaming grindstone 317 and an air supply pump 325 made of a porous body in which micropores having a continuous foam structure are formed. Of the six surfaces of the cuboid auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317, the left and right surfaces in FIG. 12 communicate with a number of micropores constituting the continuous foam structure, and the other four surfaces are auxiliary liquid foaming grindstones. The surface micropores are blocked by the cover portion 317a. The auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317 is attached to the auxiliary liquid foaming base 327, and is connected to the air supply pump 325 through an air supply pipe 326 connected to the auxiliary liquid foaming base 327.
In the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 of the modified example, the water supply pipe 216 is connected to the auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317, and the conveyance path in the water supply pipe 216 and the micropores forming the continuous foam structure of the auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317 are provided. linked.
As described above, the configuration in the vicinity of the auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317 of the modified foamed auxiliary liquid supply device 700 is the same as the configuration in the vicinity of the grindstone 217 of the fixing liquid liquefying device 400 of the above-described embodiment.
On the other hand, the fixing liquid liquefying apparatus 400 according to the embodiment described above is that the water supply pipe 216 is not supplied to the auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317 and the air filter 221 is not provided. And different. That is, the configuration is the same as that of the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 including only the fixing liquid liquefying apparatus 400 that does not include the auxiliary liquid supplying means, the auxiliary liquid foaming means, and the foamed auxiliary liquid supplying means described with reference to FIG. Further, the liquid auxiliary liquid supply device 300 of the modification has the same configuration as the liquid auxiliary liquid supply device 300 of the above-described embodiment.

When the water 211 is foamed into the foam auxiliary liquid Fc by the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 of such a modified example, the water 211 in the water bottle 210 is driven to the auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317 by driving the water supply pump 215. The auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317 is supplied and filled with water 211. Thereafter, by driving the air supply pump 325, air is sucked from the air filter 221, and air is fed from the left side of the auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317 in FIG. 12 through the air supply pipe 326. As a result, as indicated by an arrow I in FIG. 12, the foam auxiliary liquid Fc is discharged from the right side surface of the auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317 in FIG. The liquid Fc is supplied and mixed with the residual foam fixing liquid Fb. As a result, the foam auxiliary liquid Fc and the residual foam fixing liquid Fb mixed in the foam fixing liquid storage unit 202 become one continuous foam liquid.
After the foam auxiliary liquid Fc is supplied into the residual foam fixing liquid storage unit 202, the fixing liquid recovery pump 225 is driven, so that the foam auxiliary liquid and the residual foam state are indicated by an arrow J in FIG. A foamy liquid composed of the fixing liquid Fb is sucked into the minute holes of the grindstone 217. Thereafter, the foamed liquid is liquefied while passing through the grindstone 217 and is stored in the fixing liquid recovery bottle 220 in a liquid state.
Note that when the fixing liquid recovery pump 225 is driven, the water supply pump 215 and the air supply pump 325 may be driven or stopped.
Even if the configuration is such that the auxiliary liquid foaming means and the foam auxiliary liquid supply device 700 as the foam auxiliary liquid supply means are provided separately from the fixing liquid liquefying apparatus 400 as in the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 of the modified example. Similar to the fixing solution recovery apparatus 200 of the embodiment, the residual foam fixing solution Fb can be removed cleanly from the foam fixing solution storage unit 202.

Note that the porous bodies (the grindstone 217 and the auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317) provided in the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 according to the above-described embodiments and modifications are not limited to the grindstone, and the fixing liquid has a continuous foam structure through which liquid can pass. As long as it is a porous body made of a material resistant to the above.
Further, the fixing liquid recovery apparatus 200 according to the embodiment and the modification described above removes the foam-like fixing liquid F that is carried on the surface of the application roller 61 and remains on the application roller 61 without being applied to the transfer paper P at the application position C. The application roller cleaning device 20 is arranged. The apparatus for applying the fixer recovery apparatus 200 of the present invention as an apparatus for liquefying and recovering the foamy fixer F is not limited to the application roller cleaning apparatus 20. For example, the present invention can be applied to a pressure roller cleaning device (not shown) that removes the foamy fixing liquid adhering to the pressure roller 62, and is not necessary at any location in the fixing device 60. The present invention is applicable to any fixing solution recovery device where it is necessary to recover the foam fixing solution F as a recovered foam fixing solution.
Further, in the fixing solution recovery apparatus 200 according to the embodiment and the modification described above, the liquefaction recovery unit liquefies and recovers the foam-like fixing solution using a porous material. The liquefaction recovery means applicable to the configuration in which the auxiliary liquid is mixed and recovered is not limited to the configuration using the porous body. Even if the foam fixer is heated and liquefied, or a component that promotes bubble breakage is supplied and scientifically broken to liquefy, the recovered foam fixer is mixed with the foam auxiliary liquid. It may be liquefied and recovered later.
Further, in the fixing solution recovery apparatus 200 according to the above-described embodiment and the modified example, the water 211 as the auxiliary liquid is foamed in the vicinity of the residual foam-like fixing liquid storage unit 202, and the auxiliary liquid is foamed and the foam-like assistance is performed. Since the liquid is supplied at the same time, one apparatus has both the function as the auxiliary liquid foaming means and the function as the foam auxiliary liquid supplying means. As a configuration in which the auxiliary liquid is foamed and supplied to the residual foam fixing liquid storage unit 202, a device having a function as the auxiliary liquid foaming means and a device having the function as the foam auxiliary liquid supplying means are separately provided. May be provided.

As described above, the fixing device 60 of the present embodiment is a foam-like fixing solution F in which bubbles are dispersed in a liquid fixing solution 132 containing a softening agent that softens resin fine particles by dissolving or swelling at least part of the resin. A fixing liquid foaming device 500 which is a fixing liquid foaming means, and a foaming fixing liquid applying means for applying a foaming fixing liquid F to the surface of a fixing liquid application target carrying a resin fine particle layer made of resin fine particles. The fixing device has a fixing liquid application unit 600 and fixes an unfixed toner image T softened with toner particles softened by applying a foamy fixing liquid F to a transfer paper P as a recording medium. Then, the fixing device 60 becomes the foamy fixing solution F by the fixing solution foaming device 500 and the residual foamy fixing solution Fb that has not been applied to the transfer paper P at the application position C is recovered as the recovered foaming fixing solution. A fixer recovery device 200 as a fixer recovery unit. This fixing solution recovery apparatus 200 is mixed with residual foam fixing solution storage unit 202, which is a recovered foam fixing solution storage unit for storing residual foam fixing solution Fb, and residual foam fixing solution Fb. A function as an auxiliary liquid foaming means that uses water 211, which is an auxiliary liquid recovered together with the liquid Fb, as a foam auxiliary liquid Fc in which bubbles are dispersed in the liquid, and the foam auxiliary liquid Fc as a residual foam fixing liquid container A function as a foam auxiliary liquid supply means for supplying to the residual foam fixing liquid Fb in 202, and a liquefaction recovery for liquefying and recovering a foam liquid mixed with the foam auxiliary liquid Fc and the residual foam fixing liquid Fb A fixing liquid liquefying apparatus 400 having a function as means is provided. Further, the fixer recovery apparatus 200 includes a liquid auxiliary liquid supply device 300 that is a liquid auxiliary liquid supply unit that supplies water 211 that is a liquid auxiliary liquid to the grindstone 217 of the fixer liquid liquefier 400.
In such a fixing device 60, the foam auxiliary liquid Fc in which water 211 is foamed is supplied to and mixed with the residual foam fixing liquid Fb in the residual foam fixing liquid storage unit 202. When the foam auxiliary liquid Fc comes into contact with the residual foam fixing liquid Fb in the residual foam fixing liquid storage unit 202, the two types of foam liquid behave as one continuous foam liquid. For this reason, even if the residual foam fixing liquid Fb in the residual foam fixing liquid storage unit 202 exists separately from each other, a continuous foam liquid is formed by supplying the foam auxiliary liquid Fc. be able to. Then, by applying a force toward the liquefying position to the one continuous foam liquid, it is suitable for a position to liquefy the entire residual foam fixer Fb contained in the one continuous foam liquid. A dodging force can be applied, and the residual foamy fixing solution Fb can be recovered satisfactorily.
If the fixing solution in which the residual foamy fixing solution Fb is liquefied stays in the recovery path of the fixing solution including the residual foamed fixing solution storage unit 202 at the concentration used for fixing, the member forming the recovery path is deteriorated by the fixing solution. There is a risk. On the other hand, in the fixing device 60 of the present embodiment, the liquid fixer that passes through the recovery path can be diluted because the auxiliary liquid is made of water 211. For this reason, a part of the foam-like liquid obtained by mixing the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb and the foam-like auxiliary liquid Fc is not collected and stays in the residual foam-like fixing liquid storage unit 202, or the foam-like liquid is not collected. Even if the liquid is liquefied and stays in other parts of the recovery path, deterioration of the members forming the recovery path can be suppressed as compared with the case where only the fixing liquid remains.

  In addition, the fixing liquid application unit 600 that is a foamy fixing liquid application unit of the fixing device 60 is configured to apply the foamy fixing liquid F supplied to the surface moving surface to the transfer paper P that is the target of the fixing liquid application. The fixing roller recovery device 200 has an application roller 61 which is an application member cleaning unit from the surface of the application roller 61 after passing through the application position C. The residual foamy fixer Fb removed by the cleaning device 20 is recovered as a recovered foamy fixer. By applying the foam-like fixing liquid F to the transfer paper P using the application roller 61, the foam-like fixing liquid F is directly discharged from the fixing liquid foaming device 500 onto the transfer paper P carrying the unfixed toner image T. Compared with the structure of supplying, it becomes easy to make the foamy fixing solution F applied to the transfer paper P thinner.

  The application roller cleaning device 20 of the fixing device 60 includes a fixing solution removing blade 201 that is a rubber cleaning blade that contacts the surface of the application roller 61 as a cleaning member, and the fixer recovery device 200 is a foam auxiliary liquid Fc. The grindstone 217 is arranged so that the position where the toner is supplied is in the vicinity of the fixing solution removing blade 201. As a result, it is possible to remove the residual foam-like fixing liquid Fb that comes into contact with the fixing-liquid removing blade 201 when removed from the coating roller 61 as a continuous foam-like liquid together with the foam-like auxiliary liquid Fc. Become.

  Further, the fixing liquid liquefying apparatus 400 having a function as auxiliary liquid foaming means of the fixing apparatus 60 sends air to the grindstone 217 which is a porous body containing water 211 as the auxiliary liquid by the fixing liquid recovery pump 225. As a result, the water 211 is foamed to produce a foam-like auxiliary liquid Fc. Further, in the fixing device 60 according to claim 1 of the modified example, the auxiliary liquid foaming means provided separately from the fixing liquid liquefying device 400 and the foamed auxiliary liquid supply device 700 as a auxiliary liquid foaming means are a porous body containing water 211. By sending air to an auxiliary liquid foaming grindstone 317 to the air supply pump 325, the water 211 is caused to foam, thereby generating a foamy auxiliary liquid Fc. Thus, by using the auxiliary liquid foaming means as a device using a porous body, the foamed auxiliary liquid Fc can be easily generated from the water 211 as the auxiliary liquid.

  Further, the fixing liquid liquefying apparatus 400 as a liquefaction recovery means applies a negative pressure from the other of the micropores to the foamy liquid adhering to one side of the micropores communicating with the grindstone 217 which is a porous body having a continuous foam structure. Then, the bubble-like liquid is broken by passing through the micropores, and the bubble-like liquid is liquefied, so that the bubble-like liquid can be liquefied and recovered as a liquid liquid.

  Further, the fixing device 60 of the embodiment includes auxiliary liquid foaming means that foams the water 211 by sending air to the grindstone 217 containing the water 211 by the fixing liquid recovery pump 225 to generate the foam auxiliary liquid Fc. The bubble-like liquid adhering to one side of the minute holes communicating with the grindstone 217, which is a porous body having a continuous bubble structure, is sucked from the other of the minute holes by sucking air by the fixing liquid recovery pump 225 and applying negative pressure. Then, the fixing liquid liquefying apparatus 400 has a function of a liquefaction recovery unit that breaks the foamed liquid by passing through the micropores and liquefies the foamed liquid. Then, by switching the air flow to the grindstone 217, which is a porous body, to suction or infeed, the porous body that foams the water 211 and the porous body that liquefies the foam-like liquid are used together in one grindstone 217. ing. Thereby, with a simple configuration of reversing the air flow by the fixing liquid recovery pump 225, the creation of the foam auxiliary liquid Fc and the bubble breaking and suction of the foam liquid including the residual foam fixing liquid Fb are performed in one. It can be performed continuously with the grindstone 217.

  Further, the foam auxiliary liquid Fc supplied by the apparatus functioning as the foam auxiliary liquid supply unit in the fixing device 60 has a ratio of the liquid component to the gas component as compared with the residual foam fixing liquid Fb which is the recovered foam fixing liquid. As a result, the composition of the foamy liquid recovered by liquefaction becomes closer to liquid than the residual foamy fixing liquid Fb. As a result, the viscosity of the foamy liquid to be collected can be reduced, and the residual foamy fixing liquid Fb can be sucked more easily than it is collected.

  A copying machine 100 as an image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a toner image forming unit that forms an unfixed toner image T on a transfer paper P that is a recording medium using toner including resin fine particles containing a resin and a colorant. And the fixing unit 60 for fixing the toner image on the transfer paper P, and the fixing device 60 of the present embodiment is used as the fixing unit. Since the fixing device 60 can satisfactorily collect the residual foam-like fixing solution Fb, the copying machine 100 can prevent fixing failure caused by the recovered foam-like fixing solution F remaining on the application roller 61. And good image formation can be performed. Further, since the fixing device 60 is a non-heating fixing method, energy saving can be realized as compared with a configuration including a heat fixing type fixing device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer part 2 Optical writing device 3 Image forming unit 4 Photoconductor 5 Charging roller 6 Developing device 10 Paper discharge tray 12 Developing roller 15 Drum cleaning device 16 Cleaning blade 20 Coating roller cleaning device 22 Static elimination lamp 28 Paper conveyance unit 29 Paper conveyance Belt 30 Drive roller 31 Secondary transfer roller 32 Belt cleaning device 33 Registration roller pair 36 Switchback device 37 Paper transport path 40 Paper feed device 41 Paper bank 42 Paper feed cassette 43 Delivery roller 44 Paper feed path 45 Separation roller 46 Transport roller 50 Document transport reading unit 51 ADF
60 fixing device 61 application roller 62 pressure roller 90 transfer unit 91 intermediate transfer belt 92 first tension roller 94 lower tension roller 95 primary transfer roller 100 copier 130 foam-like fixer generator 131 fixer bottle 132 liquid fixer 150 Scanner Unit 151 Fixed Reading Unit 152 Moving Reading Unit 153 Image Reading Sensor 200 Fixing Solution Recovery Device 201 Fixing Solution Removal Blade 202 Foam Fixing Solution Storage Unit 210 Water Bottle 211 Water 215 Water Supply Pump 216 Water Supply Pipe 217 Grinding Wheel 217a Grinding Wheel Cover Part 220 fixing liquid recovery bottle 221 air filter 225 fixing liquid recovery pump 226 fixing liquid recovery pipe 227 base 228 recovery hole 250 recess 300 liquid auxiliary liquid supply device 317 auxiliary liquid foaming whetstone 317a auxiliary liquid foaming whetstone cover section 325 air supply pump 327 auxiliary Liquid foam base 4 00 Fixing liquid liquefier 500 Fixing liquid foaming apparatus 600 Fixing liquid application unit 700 Foam auxiliary liquid supply apparatus C Application position F Foam fixing liquid Fb Residual foam fixing liquid Fc Foam auxiliary liquid P Transfer paper T Unfixed toner image Ta fixing toner image Tb offset toner

JP 2006-78573 A JP 2004-109749 A JP 2007-219105 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-94561

Claims (8)

A fixing liquid foaming means for forming a liquid fixing liquid containing a softening agent that softens resin fine particles by dissolving or swelling at least a part of the resin into a foamy fixing liquid in which bubbles are dispersed in the liquid;
A foam-like fixing solution applying means for applying the foam-like fixing solution to the surface of the fixing solution application target carrying the resin particle layer composed of the resin particles;
In a fixing device for fixing the resin fine particles softened by applying the foamy fixing solution to a recording medium,
A foam fixing solution collecting unit that becomes the foam fixing solution by the fixing solution foaming means and collects the foam fixing solution that has not been applied to the fixing solution application target as a recovered foam fixing solution;
The foamy fixer recovery means includes a recovered foamy fixer container that stores the recovered foamy fixer;
The auxiliary liquid that assists recovery by mixing with the recovered foam-like fixer in the recovered foam-type fixing liquid container and recovering together with the recovered foam-like fixer is a foam-type auxiliary liquid in which bubbles are dispersed in the liquid. Auxiliary liquid foaming means;
A foam auxiliary liquid supply means for supplying the foam auxiliary liquid to the recovered foam fixing liquid in the recovered foam fixing liquid container;
And a liquefying and collecting means for liquefying and collecting the foamy liquid obtained by mixing the foamy auxiliary liquid and the recovered foamy fixing liquid. The fixing device according to claim 1.
The foam-like fixing liquid application means has an application member that applies the foam-type fixing liquid supplied to the surface moving surface to the surface of the fixing liquid application target at an application position opposite to the fixing liquid application target. ,
The foamy fixer recovery means collects the foamy fixer removed by the application member cleaning means from the surface of the application member after passing through the application position as the recovered foamy fixer. Fixing device to do. The fixing device according to claim 2.
The application member cleaning means includes a rubber cleaning blade that contacts the surface of the application member as a cleaning member, and the foam auxiliary liquid supply means has a position where the foam auxiliary liquid is supplied near the cleaning blade. A fixing device characterized by being arranged as described above. The fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The foamy auxiliary liquid supply means includes auxiliary liquid foaming means for foaming the auxiliary liquid by sending air into the porous body containing the auxiliary liquid and generating the foamy auxiliary liquid. A fixing device. The fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The liquefaction recovery means sucks the foamy liquid adhering to one side of the communicating hole of the porous body having a continuous foam structure by applying a negative pressure from the other of the holes, and the foamed liquid is A fixing device that breaks bubbles by passing through a hole to liquefy the foam-like liquid. The fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The bubble-like liquid adhering to one side of the communicating hole of the porous body having the continuous-bubble structure is sucked by sucking air from the other of the holes and applying a negative pressure, and the bubble-like liquid passes through the hole. Comprising the above-described liquefaction recovery means for breaking bubbles by passing through and liquefying the foam-like liquid;
The foamy auxiliary liquid supply means includes auxiliary liquid foaming means for foaming the auxiliary liquid by sending air into the porous body containing the auxiliary liquid and generating the foamy auxiliary liquid.
By switching the air flow with respect to the porous body to suction or infeed, the member for foaming the auxiliary liquid by the auxiliary liquid foaming means and the member for liquefying the foamed liquid by the liquefaction recovery means are combined into one porous body. A fixing device that is used in combination with a material. The fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The fixing device characterized in that the foam auxiliary liquid has a higher ratio of liquid component to gas component than the recovered foam fixing solution. A toner image forming means for forming a toner image on a recording medium based on image information using a toner containing resin fine particles containing a resin and a colorant;
Applying a foamy fixing solution to the surface of the toner image carrier that carries the toner image to be transferred to the recording medium, or the surface of the fixing liquid application target that is the surface of the recording medium that carries the toner image,
An image forming apparatus comprising fixing means for fixing the toner image on the recording medium,
An image forming apparatus using the fixing device according to claim 1 as the fixing unit.

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