JP2011123220A - Fixing device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fixing device that has a configuration using a foamy fixing liquid, ensures fixing performance for a long period of time, and suppresses consumption of a fixing liquid, and to provide an image forming apparatus that has the fixing device. <P>SOLUTION: The fixing device 60, which includes a foamy fixing liquid generating device 400, and a die coater head 500 and a coating roller 61 composing a fixing liquid application means, applies a foamy fixing liquid F, thereby fixing softened toner to transfer paper P. The fixing device 60 further includes: a large-diameter conveying pipe 201 composing a fixing liquid conveyance passage through which fixing liquid 210 changing into foamy fixing liquid F of predetermined foamy state from a liquid form by means of the foamy fixing liquid generating device 400 and the fixing foamy liquid F pass; a foam stirrer 310; a small-diameter foam-conveyance pipe 202; and a fixing liquid recycling device 600 for recovering foamy fixing liquid and fixing liquid in the die coater head 500 and returning them to a fixing liquid tank 200 disposed upstream of the foam stirrer 310 in the direction of fixing liquid conveyance. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a printer, and a fixing device applicable to the image forming apparatus. Specifically, a fixing device that applies a fixing solution that dissolves or swells at least part of a resin component of resin fine particles, such as toner, to be fixed on a fixing medium, to the resin fine particles on the fixing medium or the resin fine particle carrier, And an image forming apparatus including the same.

  2. Description of the Related Art Image forming apparatuses such as printers, facsimile machines, and copying apparatuses are apparatuses that form images including characters and symbols on a fixing medium such as paper, cloth, and OHP sheets based on image information. There are various types of image forming apparatuses, and electrophotographic image forming apparatuses are widely used in offices because they can form high-definition images on plain paper at high speed. In such an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the toner on the recording medium, which is a fixing medium, is heated and softened or melted, and the softened toner is pressed to fix the toner on the recording medium. A heat fixing type fixing device is widely used. This thermal fixing method is preferably used because it can provide a high fixing speed and high fixed image quality.

However, more than half of the power consumption in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus adopting such a heat fixing method is consumed for heat treatment in the heat fixing type fixing device. On the other hand, an image forming apparatus with low power consumption (energy saving) is desired from the viewpoint of countermeasures for environmental problems in recent years. Therefore, there is a demand for energy saving in the fixing device that consumes more than half of the power consumption in the conventional image forming apparatus. The conventional heat fixing type fixing device consumes a lot of electric power for the heat treatment, so the fixing method for heating the toner to fix the toner is extremely lower than before, or the toner is heated. A fixing method that does not require this is desired. In particular, a non-heat fixing method in which toner is fixed to a recording medium without heating the toner is ideal in terms of low power consumption.
In such a non-heat fixing type fixing device, 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 is applied to the toner image on the surface of the recording medium. There are known wet-type fixing devices that fix toner images (for example, fixing devices described in Patent Documents 1 to 4). In such a wet fixing type fixing device, heat treatment is not required to soften the toner, and energy saving can be realized as compared with the thermal fixing method.

  The fixing device described in any of Patent Documents 1 to 3 uses a coating roller that is a contact-type fixing liquid application unit, and the fixing liquid is applied to a fixing medium such as a recording medium or an intermediate transfer member while the fixing liquid remains liquid. By applying the toner, the fixing liquid is applied to the unfixed toner image on the fixing liquid application target. In such a configuration in which the liquid fixing solution is applied to the toner image for fixing, it is extremely difficult to achieve both the application of a small amount of the fixing solution to the toner image on the fixing liquid application target and the prevention of toner offset to the application roller. There was a problem. Hereinafter, this problem will be described.

  In a configuration in which a fixing liquid is applied to an unfixed toner image on a fixing liquid application target using a coating roller, the thickness of the fixing liquid layer on the coating roller is undetermined in order to apply a small amount of the fixing liquid to the fixing liquid application target. When it is made thinner than the layer of the toner image, the following problem may occur. After the surface of the coating roller comes into contact with the fixing liquid application target, the surface of the coating roller peels off from the fixing liquid application target, and is generated by a liquid film of the fixing liquid that is not applied to the fixing liquid application target and remains on the coating roller surface. The toner particles in the toner layer on the fixing liquid application target are pulled by the surface tension. As a result, offset toner particles adhere to the surface of the coating roller, and the toner image on the fixing liquid application target after peeling off from the coating roller is greatly disturbed.

  Conversely, if the thickness of the fixing liquid layer on the coating roller is made sufficiently thicker than that of the unfixed toner layer, the amount of liquid is large at the position where the coating roller is peeled off from the fixing liquid application target. The surface tension is less likely to act on the toner particles of the toner layer on the fixing liquid application target. This makes it difficult for toner to adhere to the application roller side, but a large amount of the fixing liquid is applied to the surface of the fixing liquid application target. For this reason, the toner particles flow due to the diffusion of the fixing liquid due to the excessive fixing liquid on the target to which the fixing liquid is applied, and the image quality deteriorates, or the drying time of the fixing liquid becomes long, causing a problem in fixing responsiveness. In addition, a remarkable residual liquid feeling (a wet feeling when touching paper) is generated on the recording medium. In addition, when the fixing solution contains water, when the amount of fixing solution applied to a recording medium containing cellulose such as paper is large, the recording medium such as paper curls remarkably, and an apparatus such as an image forming apparatus There is a risk of paper jams when the recording medium is transported inside.

As described above, in the configuration in which the fixing liquid is applied using the application roller, if the amount of the fixing liquid applied is too large, the image quality deteriorates due to the flow of toner particles, and the fixing responsiveness due to the longer drying time of the fixing liquid. And a problem that paper jam easily occurs depending on the recording medium. On the other hand, if a configuration in which a small amount of fixing solution is applied to prevent these problems, the toner particles are offset on the surface of the application roller as described above.
Therefore, in the configuration in which the fixing solution is applied by the application roller, a small amount of the fixing solution is applied to the toner layer on the object to which the fixing solution is applied and the toner to the application roller is used to improve the fixing response, reduce the residual liquid feeling, and prevent curling. It is extremely difficult to achieve both offset prevention.

  As a fixing method capable of achieving both a small amount of fixing solution and prevention of toner offset, Patent Document 4 includes a fixing solution foaming device that uses a fixing solution as a foam-like fixing solution in which bubbles are dispersed in the solution. A configuration is described in which a foamy fixing solution is applied to a toner image on a recording medium to which a fixing solution is applied. Thus, the bulk density of the fixing solution can be lowered by making the fixing solution foam. For this reason, it is possible to increase the film thickness of the fixing solution on the surface of the coating roller with a smaller amount of fixing solution than before, and to reduce the influence of the surface tension of the liquid on the toner particles on the fixing solution application target. Further, since the amount of the fixing solution is small, it is possible to suppress the residual liquid feeling on the recording medium. Further, since the foam-like fixing solution is less likely to flow than a normal liquid fixing solution, it is possible to prevent image deterioration caused by the toner particles on the fixing solution application target being caused to flow by the fixing solution. Therefore, by performing fixing using a foamy fixing solution as in the fixing device described in Patent Document 4, it is possible to fix the toner image without disturbing the toner by applying a smaller amount of fixing solution than before.

  However, the fixing method for applying the foamy fixing solution has a problem that the state of the foamy fixing solution is easily changed unlike the liquid fixing solution. If the fixing solution in a foamed state is left as it is, bubbles may break, and the foamy fixing solution may be reduced in volume or returned to a liquid state to deteriorate the foamed fixing solution. When the bubble state of the foam-like fixing solution is deteriorated, a fixing operation is performed on the assumption that a foam-like fixing solution in a desired bubble state is prepared and supplied to the toner image. If this is the case, desired fixability may not be obtained. For example, when an operation for applying the fixing liquid is performed in a state where the fixing liquid is in a liquid state without being applied to the toner image without applying the liquid fixing liquid from the liquid to the toner image, the liquid is applied to the toner image. The fixing solution is applied, and the same problems as the configurations described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 described above may occur, and the fixability expected by using the foamy fixing solution may not be obtained. .

  In the Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-117635 (hereinafter referred to as a prior application), the applicant of the present application discharges a foamy fixer whose foam state has deteriorated in the fixer foaming device before discharging operation for image formation. A configuration for performing the operation is proposed. Specifically, after the foam state has been changed from a liquid state to a foam state, the foam-like fixing solution left in the fixer foaming device for a time period during which the foam state deteriorates so as to be unsuitable for use is applied to the surface of the application roller before the printing operation. It is configured to be supplied and collected by a cleaning means for cleaning the surface of the application roller, and discarded. In the fixing device having such a configuration, even if the foamy fixing solution remaining in the fixing solution foaming device is different from the desired foaming state, it is removed, and a new desired solution is obtained in the fixing solution foaming device. The foam-like fixing solution produced so as to be in the foam state can be used for fixing. Therefore, the foamed fixing solution in a desired state can always be used for fixing, and fixing performance can be secured over time.

  However, the fixing liquid supplied to the surface of the coating roller from the fixing liquid foaming device in the discarding operation and discarded is not in contact with the toner image or transfer paper, and there is no mixing of toner or paper dust. Therefore, even if the bubble state is deteriorated, the composition as the fixing solution is not changed from the fixing solution before foaming. For this reason, the fixing solution discarded in the discarding operation is a fixing solution that can be used for fixing by making the foam fixing solution in a desired bubble state again. Therefore, discarding the foam-like fixing solution whose foam state has deteriorated in the fixing-solution foaming device discards the usable fixing solution, resulting in an increase in the consumption of the fixing solution.

  As a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording medium using a foam-like fixing solution, a foam-like fixing solution is applied to a toner image carrier such as an intermediate transfer belt carrying a toner image, and then the toner image on the toner image carrier. Some transfer a toner image to a recording medium together with a fixing solution. As described above, the above-described problem may also occur when the application target to which the fixing device applies the foamy fixing solution is not the recording medium but the toner image carrier. Further, the above-described problem is not limited to the case where the resin-containing fine particles are toners, and may be caused by any fixing device that applies a foamy fixing solution to the resin-containing fine particles and fixes the resin-containing fine particles on a medium to be fixed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to secure fixing performance over time and suppress consumption of the fixing solution with a configuration using a foamy fixing solution. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fixing device that can be used, and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is characterized in that bubbles are dispersed in a liquid fixing solution containing a softening agent that softens resin-containing fine particles by dissolving or swelling at least part of the resin. A fixing solution foaming means for forming a foamy fixing solution; a foaming fixing solution applying means for applying the foamed fixing solution to a surface of a fixing solution application target carrying a resin-containing fine particle layer comprising the resin-containing fine particles; A fixing solution in a state of being converted from the liquid fixing solution to the foamed fixing solution by the fixing solution foaming means, and a fixing solution conveyance path through which the foamed fixing solution passes, and applying the foamed fixing solution In the fixing device for fixing the resin-containing fine particles softened on the medium to be fixed, the foam-like and liquid fixer in the above-mentioned fixer transport path is collected, and the fixer foaming means generates a foam-like fixer. To the upstream of the fixer transport direction Is characterized in further comprising a fixing fluid recycling means for returning the fixing solution.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the fixing device according to the first aspect, wherein the fixing liquid applying means discharges the foamy fixing liquid at a position facing the surface of the fixing liquid supply target that moves on the surface. A discharge unit configured to supply a foam-like fixing solution to the surface of the supply target, the discharge unit filling a foam-type fixing solution supplied from the fixing solution foaming unit; And a discharge port opening / closing member that opens and closes the discharge port, and the discharge means fills the filling portion with a foam-like fixer, The internal pressure of the filling unit is higher than the external pressure, and the discharge port opening / closing member is opened to discharge the fixer from the discharge port. The fixer is collected from the space and the inside of the discharge means Through between and is characterized in that recovering the fixing solution of the fixer conveying path.
Further, the invention of claim 3 is the fixing device according to claim 2, wherein the fixing solution applying means carries a foamy fixing solution on the surface and moves on the surface, and on the surface at a position facing the fixing solution application target. A fixing solution applying member for applying the fixing solution to the fixing solution application target, and the fixing solution applying member is the fixing solution supply target.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the fixing device of the third aspect, a direction orthogonal to the surface movement direction at a proximity position upstream of the surface of the fixing liquid application member with respect to the position where the discharge means faces. And a supply position upstream side shielding member for contacting the surface of the fixing solution applying member so as to extend to the surface and shielding the space on the surface of the fixing solution applying member.
The invention according to claim 5 is the fixing device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the surface of the fixing liquid application member is on the downstream side in the surface moving direction with respect to a position facing the fixing liquid application target, and the discharge is performed. Supplying a foam-like fixing liquid from the discharge means with an application member cleaning means for removing the fixing liquid on the surface of the fixing liquid application member at a position downstream of the position where the means faces While the ink is stopped, the surface of the fixing liquid application member is periodically moved for a predetermined time.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fixing device according to any one of the third to fifth aspects, the surface moving direction with respect to a position facing the fixing liquid application target on the surface of the fixing liquid coating member. An application member cleaning unit that removes the fixing solution on the surface of the fixing solution application member is provided on the downstream side and on the downstream side in the surface movement direction with respect to the position where the discharge unit faces, and the discharge unit The surface of the fixing solution applying member is moved before the supply of the foamy fixing solution is performed.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the fixing device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the fixing liquid recycling means includes a suction collecting means for sucking and collecting the fixing liquid in the fixing liquid conveying path. It is what.
The invention of claim 8 is characterized in that, in the fixing device of claim 7, the suction operation of the suction recovery means is an intermittent operation.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the fixing device according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, a filtering unit is provided in a fixing liquid transport path in the fixing liquid reusing unit. To do.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toner image forming means for forming a toner image on a recording medium using a toner containing resin fine particles containing a resin and a colorant, and a toner carrying a toner image transferred to the recording medium. An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing unit that applies a fixing liquid to a surface of an image carrier or a surface of a recording medium that carries a toner image, and fixes the toner image on the recording medium. The fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is used.

  In the present invention, the foam-like and liquid fixer whose state has changed from the desired foam-like fixer can be recovered from the fixer transport path by the fixer recycling means. For this reason, even if the foamy fixing solution remaining in the fixing solution conveyance path is in a state different from the desired bubble state, it is recovered and generated so as to be in the desired bubble state by the fixing solution foaming means. A foamy fixer can be used for fixing. Therefore, it is possible to always use a foamy fixing solution in a desired foam state for fixing, and it is possible to ensure fixing performance over time. Further, the fixing liquid recycling means returns the recovered fixing liquid to the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the fixing liquid from the position where the fixing liquid foaming means generates the foam fixing liquid in a desired bubble state. Since the liquid can be reused, the consumption of the fixing liquid can be suppressed without discarding the usable fixing liquid.

  According to the present invention, there are excellent effects that fixing performance can be secured over time and consumption of the fixing solution can be suppressed.

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. 1 is a schematic diagram of a fixing device according to Embodiment 1. FIG. Expansion explanatory drawing of a die coater head. The perspective view of a die-coater head. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the fixing device according to the first exemplary embodiment in a state where a recovery path is shielded. The perspective view of the die-coater head of the state which shielded the collection | recovery path, the foam collection | recovery bracket, and the application | coating roller. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control circuit provided in the fixing device. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a fixing device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a fixing device that does not include a fixing liquid recycling device.

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 configuration in which the image forming apparatus including the characterizing portion of the present invention is a copying machine will be described. 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. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a 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 has two paper feeding cassettes 42 arranged in multiple stages in the paper bank 41, and a feed roller 43 that feeds the transfer paper P from the paper feeding cassette 42. Further, a separation roller 45 is provided that separates the uppermost sheet of the transfer sheet P fed from the sheet feed cassette 42 from the other transfer sheet P and supplies it to the sheet feed path 44. In addition, a plurality of transport rollers 47 that transport 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 above the printer unit 1 includes 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 on 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 fixed reading unit 151 scans the document MS 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. Has been. The moving reading unit 152 can move an optical system including a light source and a reflecting mirror in the left-right direction in the drawing. 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. Thereafter, the reflected light from the document is received by the image reading sensor 153 fixed to the scanner body via a plurality of reflecting mirrors. Accordingly, the moving reading unit 152 scans the document MS while moving the optical system.
As described above, the document MS is scanned by the scanner unit 150, and image information is acquired by the image reading sensor 153. Then, based on the obtained image information, the optical writing device 2 drives the light source to irradiate the four drum-shaped photosensitive members 4 (K, Y, M, C) with the laser light L.

  FIG. 2 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 photoreceptor 4 (K, Y, M, C) which is a latent image carrier, and this latent image is developed into a toner image through a predetermined development process. Is done. Note that the subscripts K, Y, M, and C added after the reference numerals indicate specifications for black, yellow, magenta, and cyan.

  Each of the image forming units 3 (K, Y, M, and C) supports the photosensitive member 4 that is a latent image carrier and various devices disposed around the photosensitive member 4 as a single unit on 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, in addition to the photoconductor 4K, the image forming unit 3K has a developing device 6K for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoconductor 4K into a black toner image. Further, it also includes a photoconductor cleaning device 15K that cleans transfer residual toner adhering to the surface of the photoconductor 4K after passing through a K primary transfer nip 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. 3 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, 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. 3, the image forming unit 3 includes a charging roller 5 as a charging device, a developing device 6, a photosensitive member cleaning device 15, a static eliminating lamp 22 as a static eliminating device, and the like around the photosensitive member 4.

  In the copying machine 100, the photosensitive member 4 is a drum-like member in which a photosensitive layer is formed by applying a photosensitive organic photosensitive material to a base tube such as aluminum. 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. Then, toner is supplied to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member 4 in the developing region which is the opposite portion between the developing roller 12 and the photosensitive member 4 to visualize the electrostatic imagination. In addition, the developing device 6 includes a developer accommodating portion 6b that accommodates a two-component developer supplied to the surface of the developing roller 12, and the developer accommodating portion 6b is agitated to convey the two-component developer accommodated while stirring. A stirring screw 6a, which is a conveying member, is provided.
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 the plurality of magnetic poles applies a magnetic force to the two-component developer on the developing sleeve at a predetermined position in the rotation direction. By the action of the magnetic force of each of the plurality of magnetic poles, the two-component developer in the developer accommodating portion 6b is attracted and carried on the surface of the developing sleeve, and a magnetic brush along the magnetic force line is formed 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. Detach from the sleeve surface. The two-component developer separated from the surface of the developing sleeve is returned to the developer containing portion 6b. A toner concentration sensor 6s is disposed in the developer containing portion 6b. Based on the detection result by the toner concentration sensor 6s, a toner replenishing device (not shown) is controlled so that the toner concentration of the two-component developer in the developer container 6b is within a predetermined range, and the two-component developer is controlled. An appropriate amount of toner is supplied.

  In the printer unit 1, as shown in FIG. 2, the image forming process described so far is applied to 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. 2, 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). Further, a belt cleaning device 32 is disposed at a position facing the first stretching roller 92 with the intermediate transfer belt 91 interposed therebetween. 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. 2) 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 (K, Y) by a primary transfer roller 95 (K, Y, M, and C) disposed inside the belt loop. , 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, the toner image on the photosensitive member 4 (K, Y, M, C) is electrostatically moved toward the intermediate transfer belt 91 as a transfer member in the primary transfer nip for K, Y, M, C. A primary transfer 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 superimposing primary transfer, a four-color superimposed 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 of the copying machine 100 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. 3, 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 photoconductor 4 by the photoconductor cleaning device 15 of the image forming unit 3.

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

  The static eliminator included in the image forming unit 3 of the copying machine 100 is configured to include the 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 included in the image forming unit 3 of the copying machine 100 is a contact charging type charging device that employs 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. 2, a paper transport unit 28 as a secondary transfer unit is provided below the transfer unit 90 in the printer unit 1 in the drawing. The paper transport unit 28 is configured to endlessly move an endless paper transport belt 29 that is a secondary transfer belt between a driving roller 30 and a secondary transfer roller 31.
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.

  A registration roller pair 33 is disposed on the right side of the secondary transfer nip in the drawing. 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 image on the intermediate transfer belt 91 is secondarily transferred onto the transfer paper P under the influence of the secondary transfer electric field and the nip pressure, and becomes 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. The transfer residual toner is scraped and removed by the belt cleaning device 32 that 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 a full color image is fixed by applying a fixing liquid in the fixing device 60, as will be described in detail later.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the copying machine 100, a switchback device 36 is disposed below the paper transport unit 28 and the fixing device 60. As a result, the transfer paper P that has undergone the image fixing process on one side is switched by the switching claw to the transfer paper P path to the transfer paper P reversing device side, where it is reversed and enters the secondary transfer nip again. Then, after the secondary transfer process and the fixing process of the image are performed on the other side, the sheet is discharged onto the discharge tray 10.

[Example 1]
Next, a first embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as a first embodiment) of the fixing device 60 including the characterizing portion of the present invention applicable to the copying machine 100 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the fixing device 60 of the first embodiment.
The fixing device 60 according to the first exemplary embodiment includes a foam-like fixer generating unit 400 that generates a foam-like fixer and a fixer applying unit 70. The fixer application unit 70 is configured to apply the foam-like fixer F generated by the foam-type fixer generation unit 400 to the transfer paper P carrying an unfixed image composed of the unfixed toner layer T.
The foam-like fixer generator 400 stores the fixer bottle 200 in which the liquid fixer 210 is stored, and sends air into the fixer bottle 200 to cause the liquid fixer 210 to foam roughly, thereby forming a foam-like fixer composed of coarse bubbles. And an air pump 300 that generates F. Further, it has a fixer bottle atmosphere release valve 250 that controls closing or opening of the valve by ON / OFF control of a solenoid (not shown). The fixer bottle air release valve 250 closes the valve so that the pressure inside the fixer bottle 200 is not affected by the outside air pressure, and the pressure inside the fixer bottle 200 is reduced by opening the valve. It can be set to the same value as the atmospheric pressure.

In addition, it has a bubble stirrer 310 that makes the bubbles of the foam-like fixing solution F in a state of being roughly foamed in the fixing solution bottle 200 into fine bubbles.
The fixing liquid application unit 70 includes a die coater head 500, an application roller 61, and a pressure roller 62. The application roller 61 is a member that applies the foam-like fixing liquid F generated by the foam-like fixing liquid generation unit 400 to the surface of the transfer paper P on which the unfixed toner layer T is formed at the application position J.
The die coater head 500 is a discharge unit that discharges and supplies the foam-like fixing liquid F whose bubbles have been made fine by the bubble stirrer 310 toward the surface of the application roller 61. The pressure roller 62 is a member that applies pressure at the application position J so that the foam-like fixing solution F penetrates into the unfixed toner layer T after the foam-like fixing solution F is applied. It is preferable that the foam-like fixing solution F is supplied from the die coater head 500 so that the foam-like fixing solution F supplied to the surface of the application roller 61 is in a thin layer state.

  The fixing device 60 collects and reuses the foamy fixing solution F in the conveyance path from the foamed fixing solution generator 400 to the die coater head 500, the details of which will be described later. Is provided. The fixer recycling apparatus 600 includes a foam recovery bracket 610 disposed in the vicinity of the die coater head 500, and drives the recovery suction pump 620 to cause the foam recovery bracket 610 to transfer the foam fixer from the die coater head 500. It is the structure which collects F.

Two screw members are arranged in parallel and close to each other in the foam stirrer 310 provided in the foam-like fixing liquid generating unit 400, and the two screw members are connected via a gear for transmitting driving. A foam stirring motor M3 as a drive source is connected. The two screws are rotated by driving the bubble stirring motor M3. The large bubbles of the foam-like fixing solution F are minutely formed by passing the foam-like fixing solution F made of coarse bubbles created in the fixing solution bottle 200 between two rotating screws, stirring, and applying a shearing force. It turns into a bubble.
In the fixing device 60, an air pump 300 that is a gas supply unit sends air into the fixing solution bottle 200 that is a fixing solution supply unit via an air supply pipe 300 a. As a result, the liquid fixer 210 in the fixer bottle 200 and air are mixed to foam the liquid fixer 210 to generate a foamy fixer F composed of coarse bubbles. Further, the two screws in the bubble stirrer 310 are rotated, and a shearing force is applied to the foam-like fixing solution F made of coarse bubbles, thereby generating the foam-like fixing solution F made of fine bubbles. As described above, in the fixing device 60, the fixing liquid foaming unit is configured by the air pump 300, the fixing liquid bottle 200, the bubble stirrer 310, and the like. Then, by fixing using the foamy fixing solution F, it is possible to fix the toner image without disturbing the toner with a smaller amount of fixing solution applied than the conventional configuration using the liquid fixing solution.

The pressure roller 62 provided in the fixing liquid application unit 70 is a sponge roller whose surface is elastically deformed. In addition, the fixing liquid application unit 70 includes an application roller cleaning blade 63 on the downstream side of the application roller 61 in the surface movement direction with respect to the application position J. The application roller cleaning blade 63 constitutes a cleaning mechanism for recovering the foamy fixing liquid F remaining on the surface of the application roller 61 that has passed through the application position J. Further, on the downstream side in the surface movement direction of the pressure roller 62 with respect to the application position J, foreign substances such as the foam-like fixing liquid F adhering to the surface of the pressure roller 62 that has passed the application position J are cleaned. A pressure roller cleaning blade 64 is provided. The foamy fixing solution F cleaned by the application roller cleaning blade 63 is stored in the application-side fixing solution recovery tank 63a. Similarly, the foamy fixing solution F cleaned by the pressure roller cleaning blade 64 is stored in the pressure-side fixing solution recovery tank 64a.
On the surface of the coating roller 61, a roller surface bubble sensor S3 is disposed at a position downstream of the surface of the coating roller 61 in the surface movement direction with respect to the position facing the die coater head 500 and upstream of the coating position J in the surface movement direction. Yes. The roller surface foam sensor S3 is an optical sensor that detects the presence or absence of the foam-like fixing liquid F on the application roller 61.

  As the roller surface bubble sensor S3, a reflection type optical sensor is used, and as the coating roller 61, a color whose surface is difficult to reflect light such as black or brown is used. In such a roller surface bubble sensor S3, when there is no fixer on the surface of the application roller 61, or when the fixer is present and in the liquid state, it is more than when the foamy fixer F is present. The amount of light incident on the light receiving element is reduced. When there is no fixing solution on the application roller 61 and when the fixing solution is present, the light emitted from the light-emitting element reaches the surface of the application roller 61 and is almost absorbed, and is incident on the light-receiving element. There is little light quantity. On the other hand, when the foam-like fixing liquid F exists on the surface of the application roller 61, the surface becomes whiter than the liquid state and the incident light is reflected, so that the reflected light is reflected as compared with the case where the foam-like fixing liquid F is not present. The amount of light incident on the light receiving element of the type optical sensor increases. As described above, the amount of light received by the light receiving element of the roller surface bubble sensor S3 varies depending on whether or not the fixer is present in the state of the foamy fixer F on the application roller 61. Depending on the amount of light, it is possible to detect whether or not the foamy fixing solution F exists on the surface of the application roller 61 on which the sensor is arranged. Further, by confirming that the amount of light returning from the reflected light to the light receiving element varies depending on the thickness of the foam-like fixing solution F, the thickness of the foam-like fixing solution F on the application roller 61 is detected, and the rotation of the air pump 300 is detected. By changing the number, it is possible to control the head pressure and control the coating thickness.

  A separation claw 65 that promotes separation of the transfer paper P from the application roller 61 is disposed downstream of the application position J of the fixing device 60 in the conveyance direction of the transfer paper P. On the other hand, on the upstream side of the transfer position of the transfer paper P with respect to the application position J, a paper front end detection sensor S2 that detects the front end of the transfer paper P carrying the toner layer T composed of an unfixed toner image is disposed. .

  In the fixing liquid application unit 70, the die coater head 500 discharges the foam-like fixing liquid F onto the surface of the application roller 61 moving on the surface, whereby the foam-like fixing liquid F is supplied to the surface of the application roller 61. The application roller 61 moves the surface in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 4 to convey the foamy fixing liquid F to the application position J where the surface faces the transfer paper P. Then, the foam-like fixing liquid F is applied on the surface of the transfer paper P on which the toner layer T is transported in the same direction as the surface movement direction of the application roller 61 at the application position J (the direction of arrow I in FIG. 4). . Thereby, the foamy fixing solution F is applied to the surface of the transfer paper P on which the toner layer T is formed.

  The fixing device 60 includes a coating roller motor M1 as a driving source for the coating roller 61 and a pressure roller motor M2 as a driving source for the pressure roller 62. Further, the fixing device 60 includes a fixing device control CPU 700 which is a fixing control means for controlling these components, details of which will be described later.

Next, the die coater head 500 provided in the fixing device 60 will be described.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged explanatory view of the die coater head 500. In FIG. 5, illustration of the foam recovery bracket 610 that constitutes the fixing liquid recycling apparatus 600 is omitted. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the die coater head 500 provided in the fixing device 60 as seen from the direction of the arrow H in FIG. Further, in FIG. 6, the casing on the left side is transmitted through the manifold 510 of the die coater head 500 shown in FIG. 5 and indicated by a broken line, and the front-back direction in FIG. 5 and the arrow W in FIG. The direction indicates the width direction.

The die coater head 500 includes an intra-head transfer pipe 512, a manifold 510 serving as a filling unit, and a discharge slit 511 serving as a discharge port. An air release valve 507 is connected to the manifold 510 and includes a pressure sensor S 1 that detects the pressure in the manifold 510. A supply width adjusting roller 550 that is a columnar columnar rotating member is disposed between the slit upstream portion 511a and the slit downstream portion 511b of the discharge slit 511.
The die coder head atmospheric release valve 507 controls closing or opening of the valve by ON / OFF control of a solenoid (not shown). By closing the valve, the pressure in the manifold 510 is not affected by the pressure of the outside air, and by opening the valve, the pressure in the manifold 510 can be set to the same value as the pressure of the outside air.
Although not shown, the in-head transport pipe 512 is divided into three parts on the way, and is connected to the manifold 510 at three transport pipe discharge ports 512a as shown in FIG.

  The manifold 510 has a sufficiently wide space with respect to the cross section of the in-head transport pipe 512 and the discharge slit 511, and therefore has a lower pressure resistance than the in-head transport pipe 512 and the discharge slit 511. For this reason, the foam-like fixing solution F supplied from the in-head transport pipe 512 to the manifold 510 spreads throughout the manifold 510, and the foam-like fixing solution F can be spread evenly in the manifold 510. Further, the manifold 510 has a smaller pressure resistance than the discharge slit 511. Therefore, the foamy fixing solution F is difficult to move from the manifold 510 to the discharge slit 511, and can be discharged by a pressure difference when the atmospheric pressure in the manifold 510 is higher than the external atmospheric pressure.

  At the connection position of the pipe manifold connected to the die coder head atmosphere release valve 507, an atmosphere release pipe seal member 507s for preventing air leakage and fixing solution leakage from the connection portion is disposed. A rotation shaft seal member 552 is also disposed at the base of the supply width adjustment roller rotation shaft 551 that is the rotation shaft of the supply width adjustment roller 550. The rotation shaft seal member 552 prevents air leakage and fixing liquid leakage from a gap between the supply width adjusting roller rotation shaft 551 and the casing of the die coater head 500. Further, a discharge port seal member 511 s is disposed in the casing of the die coater head 500 in the vicinity of the discharge slit 511. The discharge port seal member 511 s prevents the fixing liquid from flowing between the side surface of the supply width adjusting roller 550 and the casing of the die coater head 500.

The supply width adjusting roller 550 is provided with two through slits 570 having different lengths in the width direction. The die coater head 500 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is in a state in which the first through slit 570 a having a long width in the two through slits 570 is opposed to the discharge slit 511. Both the first through slit 570a and the second through slit 570b are through holes provided so as to penetrate the cylindrical supply width adjusting roller 550 in the diameter direction. These two through slits 570 intersect and are connected at the central axis of the supply width adjusting roller 550.
A supply width adjustment rotation motor M4 as a drive source is connected to the supply width adjustment roller rotation shaft 551, and the cylindrical supply width adjustment roller 550 rotates by transmitting the drive from the supply width adjustment rotation motor M4. It is a configuration.

  In the die coater head 500, the discharge slit 511 is closed when the roller side surface portion 571, which is a region other than the position where the through slit 570 is provided in the supply width adjustment roller 550, faces the discharge slit 511. . In this state, the supply of the foamy fixing solution F onto the surface of the application roller 61 is stopped. When the supply width adjustment rotation motor M4 is driven and the supply width adjustment roller 550 is rotated from the state in which the discharge slit 511 is closed, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, one of the two through slits 570 becomes the discharge slit. It will be in the state which opposes 511. In this state, the manifold 510 communicates with the outside via the discharge slit 511 and the through slit 570, and the foamy fixing solution F in the manifold 510 is discharged toward the surface of the application roller 61.

  The discharge slit 511 and the two through slits 570 are openings that are not partitioned in the width direction. Moreover, the length of the width direction of the discharge slit 511 and the 1st penetration slit 570a is the length corresponding to the provision width | variety used as the maximum. On the other hand, the length in the width direction of the second through slit 570b is shorter than that of the ejection slit 511 and the first through slit 570a, and is, for example, a length corresponding to the application width of the transfer paper P that is frequently used.

In the fixing device 60, the foam-like fixing liquid F discharged from the die coater head 500 serving as a discharge unit is discharged through a discharge slit 511 serving as a discharge port and a through slit 570 serving as a discharge port communication portion. The length in the width direction of the discharge slit 511 is constant at a length corresponding to the maximum application width. On the other hand, the length in the width direction of the through slit 570 through which the foamy fixing liquid F passes is changed by rotating the supply width adjusting roller 550 which is a columnar rotating member and switching the through slit 570 facing the discharge slit 511. can do.
Further, the foam-like fixing liquid F passes through the second downstream slit 570 b whose length in the width direction is shorter than the ejection slit 511 and then passes through the slit downstream portion 511 b of the ejection slit 511. Even in such a case, since the foamy fixing solution F hardly spreads, the length of the foamy fixing solution F in the width direction hardly changes from the length of the second through slit 570b in the width direction. For this reason, by changing the through slit 570 facing the discharge slit 511, the length in the width direction of the foam-like fixing liquid F discharged onto the surface of the application roller 61 that is the supply target is changed according to the applied width. be able to.

  In the fixing device 60, when image formation is performed on the transfer paper P having the maximum width capable of image formation by the copying machine 100, the foaming fixing liquid F application roller with the first through slit 570 a facing the discharge slit 511. Supply to 61. Further, when forming an image on a narrow transfer paper P, the foam-like fixing liquid F is supplied to the application roller 61 in a state where the second through slit 570 b is opposed to the discharge slit 511.

  Further, the ejection slit 511 and the two through slits 570 have no partition in the width direction. Therefore, the foam-like fixing liquid F that passes through the discharge slit 511 and the through slit 570 and is discharged from the die coater head 500 and supplied to the surface of the application roller 61 is not divided in the width direction but is supplied in an integrated state. The For this reason, it is possible to prevent the supply amount of the foam-like fixing solution F from being insufficient in a part of the width direction within the width to which the foam-like fixing solution F is supplied on the surface of the coating roller 61. It is possible to prevent unevenness in the supply amount of the foamy fixing solution F in the width direction. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unevenness in the width direction from occurring in the toner image on the transfer paper P after fixing due to unevenness in the supply amount of the foam-like fixing liquid F in the width direction on the surface of the application roller 61.

  The two through slits 570 intersect and are connected at the central axis of the supply width adjusting roller 550. For this reason, when one of the through slits 570 faces the ejection slit 511 and the foamy fixing solution F passes, the foamy fixing solution F may flow into the other through slit 570 at the intersecting portion. In the example shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the two fixing slits 570 (a and b) intersect the foamy fixing liquid F that has passed through the slit upstream portion 511 a of the ejection slit 511 and entered the first through slit 570 a. The portion may enter the second through slit 570b. For this reason, the fixing liquid that has entered the second through slit 570b is provided with a through slit seal member 550s that prevents the fixing liquid from entering the gap between the casing of the die coater head 500 and the side surface of the supply width adjusting roller 550. The through slit seal member 550 s is fixed to the casing of the die coater head 500. The through slit seal member 550s is a sponge-like elastic member. The through slit seal member 550s contacts the roller side surface portion 571 when the roller side surface portion 571 of the supply width adjusting roller 550 is opposed, and rubs the roller side surface portion 571 when the supply width adjusting roller 550 rotates. When the first through slit 570a or the second through slit 570b faces the through slit seal member 550s, the through slit seal member 550s comes into close contact with the roller side surface portion 571 forming the edge of the through slit 570, and the through slit 570 Seal the opening.

  As described above, in the die coater head 500, the opening / closing of the discharge slit 511 can be controlled depending on which of the through slit 570 and the roller side surface portion 571 is opposed to the discharge slit 511. Thereby, ON / OFF control of discharge can be performed. Further, when the discharge slit 511 is opened, the length in the width direction of the foamed fixing liquid F to be supplied can be controlled depending on which of the first through slit 570a and the second through slit 570b is opposed to the discharge slit 511. .

  When the fixing device 60 is being driven, the pressure in the manifold 510 and the fixing liquid transport path is higher than the atmospheric pressure in order to discharge the foamy fixing liquid F from the die coater head 500. For this reason, even if the air pump 300 and the bubble stirrer 310 are stopped, the pressure in the manifold 510 and the conveyance path is increased, so that the foam-like fixing solution F may be broken and liquefied. In order to suppress this liquefaction, the fixing device 60 releases the die coder head atmospheric release valve 507 during the standby state when the foam-like fixing solution F is not discharged from the die coater head 500, and transports the fixing solution into the manifold 510 and the fixing solution. Make the air pressure in the path the same as the atmospheric pressure. Further, the rotation position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 is controlled so that the roller side surface portion 571 faces the discharge slit 511. This prevents the fixer from being liquefied during standby for ejection.

Next, a configuration for controlling the rotational position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 6, the die coater head 500 includes a disk 553 on the supply width adjusting roller rotating shaft 551 on the side opposite to the side to which the drive is transmitted by the supply width adjusting rotary motor M4. The circular plate 553 is provided with a plurality of types of notches at the edge thereof, and rotates in conjunction with the supply width adjusting roller 550. Further, the light emitting element S8a emits light to the edge of the circular plate 553, and reflects light. A rotational position sensor S8 is provided that includes an optical sensor that reads the notch pattern of the disk 553 at the reading position by receiving light with the light receiving element S8b. The circular plate 553 has three types of cutout patterns with one to three cutouts, and the rotation position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 can be detected by reading the cutout pattern with the rotation position sensor S8.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when there are two notch patterns at the reading position of the rotational position sensor S8, the first through slit 570a is opposed to the ejection slit 511. Similarly, when there are three notch patterns, the second through slit 570b is opposed to the discharge slit 511, and when there is one notch pattern, the discharge slit 511 is closed by the roller side surface portion 571. It becomes. Therefore, the fixing device control CPU 700 controls the drive of the supply width adjusting rotation motor M4 based on the information detected by the rotation position sensor S8, whereby the rotation position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 can be controlled.

In the configuration of FIG. 6, the disc 553 has two cutout patterns at two places, three cutout patterns at two places, and one cutout pattern at four places. In the case of a configuration in which the fixing device control CPU 700 controls the rotation position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 to be the initial position when the die coater head 500 does not discharge the foamy fixing solution F, the notch patterns It is good also as one place at a time. Then, the rotation position of the supply width adjustment roller 550 is in a state where the discharge slit 511 is closed by the roller side surface portion 571. The state where one notch pattern is at the reading position of the rotation position sensor S8 is the home position. And
In such a home position state, the supply width adjusting roller 550 closes the discharge slit 511 at the roller side surface portion 571, and thus the discharge of the foamy fixing liquid F from the die coater head 500 is stopped. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the fixing liquid from leaking from the ejection slit 511 during ejection standby.
As described above, the fixing device 60 includes the disk 553, the rotational position sensor S8, and the fixing device control CPU 700, and the initial position detection for detecting that the rotational position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 is the initial position. Functions as a means.

  In this configuration, the fixing device control CPU 700 confirms the rotational position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 at the time of ejection standby based on the detection result of the rotational position sensor S8. When the rotation position is not at the home position, control is performed so that the rotation position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 becomes the home position. In the configuration in which such control is performed, the supply width adjusting roller 550 is rotated from the home position so that the through slit 570 having a size used for the next discharge of the foamy fixing solution F is positioned at the rotation position facing the discharge slit 511. Control the angle. In this configuration, information on the rotation angle from the home position of the rotation position at which each of the two through slits 570 faces the discharge slit 511 is input in advance to the storage unit of the CPU 700 for fixing device control. Based on the rotation angle information from the home position, the rotation position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 is controlled. In the example shown in FIG. 6, when the supply width adjusting roller 550 is rotated 45 ° in the direction of arrow E in FIG. 6 from the home position, the first through slit 570 a faces the discharge slit 511. Further, when the supply width adjusting roller 550 is rotated 45 [°] in the direction opposite to the arrow E direction in FIG. 6 from the home position, the second through slit 570b faces the discharge slit 511. Thereby, it is possible to easily control the switching of the through slit 570 facing the discharge slit 511 when starting the discharge, in other words, the head of the given width of the predetermined size can be easily performed.

In the fixing device 60 according to the first exemplary embodiment, as described above, the rotation direction from the home position differs depending on the through slit 570 facing the discharge slit 511. This is due to the following reason.
The die coater head 500 provided in the fixing device 60 controls the opening and closing of the discharge slit 511 depending on whether the roller side surface portion 571 faces the discharge slit 511 or the through slit 570 faces. In other words, in addition to the supply width adjusting roller 550, no discharge port opening / closing control member for controlling the opening / closing of the discharge slit 511 is provided. For this reason, when the supply width adjusting roller 550 is rotated in a certain direction until the predetermined through slit 570 faces the discharge slit 511, the other through slit 570 and the discharge slit 511 are moved before the predetermined through slit 570 faces. May face each other. In this case, when the other through slit 570 is opposed to the ejection slit 511, the foam-like fixing solution F is ejected, and the foam-like fixing solution F before the predetermined ejection timing is supplied onto the application roller 61.
On the other hand, in the fixing device 60 of the first embodiment, the rotation direction from the home position is reversed by the through slit 570 to be used. Thus, the predetermined through slit 570 can be made to face the discharge slit 511 without the other through slit 570 facing the discharge slit 511 from the home position.

  Further, as a configuration capable of controlling the length in the width direction of the foam-like fixing liquid F supplied from the die coater head 500 to the surface of the application roller 61, a discharge port for controlling the opening / closing of the discharge slit 511 separately from the supply width adjustment roller 550. There may be a configuration including an opening / closing control member. In such a configuration, the supply width adjustment is performed by rotating the supply width adjustment roller 550 in a certain direction until the predetermined through slit 570 faces the discharge slit 511 in a state where the discharge slit 511 is closed by the discharge port opening / closing control member. The rotational position of the roller 550 may be controlled.

  In the configuration for detecting the home position, the timing for controlling the rotation position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 to be the home position is when the copier 100 is turned on. As other timings, there are a return time after stopping the copying machine when an abnormality occurs, and a finish time of discharge of the foamy fixing solution F by the die coater head 500 such as after the end of image formation. By setting the rotation position of the supply width adjustment roller 550 as the home position at each timing, the fixing device control CPU 700 can always grasp the rotation position of the supply width adjustment roller 550.

Next, features of the fixing device 60 according to the first exemplary embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4, the fixing device 60 according to the first embodiment includes a fixing solution conveyance path (a large diameter bubble conveyance tube 201, a bubble stirrer 310, a small diameter bubble conveyance tube 202, and a die coater through which the foamy fixing solution F passes. The fixing solution in the head 500) is collected, and the bubble stirrer 310 is also returned to the upstream side in the conveying direction of the fixing solution from the position where the foamed fixing solution generator 400 generates the foamed fixing solution F in a desired bubble state. A fixing liquid recycling apparatus 600 is provided.

  FIG. 4 shows that the foam suction port 603a of the foam recovery bracket 610 and the recovery opening 563 of the die coater head 500 face each other, and the foam recovery path 603 in the foam recovery bracket 610 communicates with the space in the die coater head 500. It is explanatory drawing of the state which carried out. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the foam recovery bracket 610 is lowered with respect to the state of FIG. 4. The foam suction port 603a and the recovery opening 563 are not opposed to each other, and the foam recovery path 603 and the die coater head 500 are not opposed to each other. It is explanatory drawing of the state with which inner space was shielded. FIG. 8 is a perspective explanatory view of the die coater head 500, the bubble recovery bracket 610, and the application roller 61 in a state where the bubble recovery path 603 and the space in the die coater head 500 are shielded as shown in FIG. Further, FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a control circuit provided in the fixing device 60 of the first embodiment. The foam recovery tank 340 in FIG. 9 is a member provided in the fixing device 60 according to the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10 and does not include the fixing device 60 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a fixing device 60 that does not include the fixing liquid recycling device 600.
Also in the fixing device 60 having the configuration shown in FIG. 15, when performing fixing, first, the air pump 300 is driven to send air into the fixing liquid bottle 200. As a result, the liquid fixer 210 in the fixer bottle 200 is foamed to generate a foamy fixer F consisting of coarse bubbles. Further, the two screws in the bubble stirrer 310 are rotated, and a shearing force is applied to the foam-like fixing solution F made of coarse bubbles, thereby generating the foam-like fixing solution F made of fine bubbles. As described above, the foam-like fixing liquid F in the desired foam state generated by the foam-like fixing liquid generating unit 400 is supplied to the die coater head 500. Then, by opening the supply width adjusting roller 550 as a shutter member at a predetermined timing, the foamy fixing solution F is supplied to the application roller 61 from the discharge slit 511 that is the discharge port, and the toner that has not been fixed at the application position J. Application is performed on the surface of the transfer paper P on which the layer T is formed, and fixing is performed.

In the fixing device 60 of the first embodiment and the fixing device 60 shown in FIG. 15, the supply width adjusting roller 550 shields the discharge slit 511 at a timing when the foam-like fixing liquid F is not supplied from the die coater head 500 to the coating roller 61. Then, it becomes a discharge standby state. In this discharge standby state, the inside of the die coater head 500 and the bubble stirrer 310 is filled with the foam-like fixer F, and when the next print signal comes, the air pump 300 and the bubble stirrer 310 are driven to adjust the supply width. By opening the roller 550, the supply of the foamy fixing liquid F from the application roller 61 can be immediately executed.
However, if the copying machine 100 is left for a long time after the initialization operation or after the previous printing operation and until the next print signal is received, the foam fixing in the die coater head 500 or the bubble stirrer 310 is performed. In the liquid F, the density of the foam-like fixing liquid F rapidly increases due to bubble breakage or the like, and the foam density is changed to deteriorate the foam state. Then, applying the foamy fixing solution F having a high density to the transfer paper P leads to an increase in the amount of fixing solution applied. When the application amount of the fixing liquid is increased, there is a possibility that the leading edge of the transfer paper P is wavy and the fixing liquid oozes on the back side of the surface on which the image of the transfer paper P is formed. . In addition, there is a problem that the leading edge of the transfer paper P gets wet with the fixing liquid, so that there is an increased risk of winding around the roller that causes jamming, and the time required for drying the fixed image becomes longer. In addition, in the case where images are continuously formed and stacked and discharged on the discharge tray 10, if the time required for drying the fixed image becomes long, it may cause sticking of the transfer sheets P that are stacked and discharged. There is sex.

With respect to such a problem, in the fixing device 60 configured as shown in FIG. 15, when a fixed time has elapsed in the fixing standby state, the foam fixing solution F in the die coater head 500 or the bubble stirrer 310 is discharged. Perform the strike action. As a specific operation of the discarding operation, the air release valve 507 connected to the manifold 510 of the die coater head 500 is turned ON (closed state) simultaneously with turning on the bubble stirring motor M3 of the air pump 300 or the bubble stirrer 310. To do. Thereby, the pressure in the manifold 510 is increased.
Next, the application roller 61 and the pressure roller 62 are driven by turning on the application roller motor M1 and the pressure roller motor M2. Further, when the motors (M1, M2) of the rollers (61, 62) start to rotate and the pressure in the manifold 510 increases, the fixing device control CPU 700 rotates the supply width so as to open the discharge slit 511. Controls the motor M4. Then, the value set in the ROM data in the fixing device control CPU 700 is compared with the count value of the timer in advance to supply the foamy fixing liquid F to the application roller 61 for a predetermined time.
By this discarding operation, the foam-like fixing liquid F supplied onto the application roller 61 and the pressure roller 62 is collected in the recovery tanks (63a, 64a) of each cleaning mechanism and finally discarded.
In the above description, “predetermined time” refers to the time required to discharge the foam-like fixing liquid F stored in the die coater head 500 or the bubble stirrer 310. is doing.

By performing such a discarding operation, even if the foam-like fixing liquid F remaining in the die coater head 500 or the foam stirrer 310 is in a state different from the desired foam state, it is removed and newly foamed. The foamy fixing solution F generated in the fixing solution generator 400 so as to have a desired bubble state can be used for fixing. Therefore, it is possible to always use the foamy fixing solution F in a desired foam state for fixing, and it is possible to ensure the fixing performance over time.
However, the fixing liquid supplied to the surface of the coating roller 61 from the die coater head 500 or the bubble stirrer 310 by this discarding operation is not in contact with the toner image or the transfer paper, but the toner, paper dust, etc. Therefore, it is a fixing solution that can be used for fixing by making the foamed fixing solution F in a desired foam state again. Therefore, discarding the foam-like fixing solution F whose foam state has deteriorated with the die coater head 500 or the bubble stirrer 310 results in discarding the usable fixing solution, leading to an increase in the consumption of the fixing solution. Occurs.

  On the other hand, the fixing device 60 according to the first exemplary embodiment includes a fixing solution reuse device 600, and converts the foam-like and liquid fixing solution whose state has changed from the desired foam-like fixing solution F into the die coater head 500 and the bubble stirring device. It can be recovered from the vessel 310 by the fixer reuse device 600. For this reason, even if the foam-like fixing liquid F remaining in the die coater head 500 or the bubble stirrer 310 is in a state different from the desired foam state, it is recovered and the foam-like fixing liquid generating unit 400 collects the desired foam state. The foamy fixing solution produced so as to become can be used for fixing. Therefore, it is possible to always use the foamy fixing solution F in a desired foam state for fixing, and it is possible to ensure the fixing performance over time. Further, the fixer reusing apparatus 600 is further upstream of the fixer transport direction than the bubble stirrer 310, which is a position where the foamy fixer generator 400 generates the foamy fixer in a desired bubble state. Return to the side fixer bottle 200. Since the fixing solution returned to the fixing solution bottle 200 can be reused, the consumption of the fixing solution can be suppressed without discarding the usable fixing solution.

Hereinafter, the fixing liquid reuse device 600 provided in the fixing device 60 of Embodiment 1 will be described in more detail.
The fixer recycling apparatus 600 is provided with a foam recovery path 603 that is in communication with the inside of the die coater head 500, with the foam suction port 603 a facing the foam recovery opening 563 provided in the middle of the discharge slit 511 of the die coater head 500. A foam collecting bracket 610 is provided. The foam recovery bracket 610 is supported by the foam recovery bracket support member 611 via a recovery control solenoid 630. When the recovery control solenoid 630 is turned ON, the foam recovery bracket 610 is raised, and the foam recovery opening 563 and the foam suction port 603a face each other as shown in FIG. The collection path 603 is in communication. On the other hand, when the recovery control solenoid 630 is turned OFF, the foam recovery bracket 610 is lowered by the biasing force of the spring 630S, and the foam recovery opening 563 and the foam suction port 603a are moved as shown in FIGS. The position is shifted and the space between the die coater head 500 and the bubble recovery path 603 is shielded.

Further, the foam recovery bracket 610 is fitted in the die coater head 500 by the foam recovery bracket sliding portion 601 and is moved up and down by ON / OFF control of the recovery control solenoid 630 with respect to the die coder head. It is the structure which slides.
The fixing liquid reuse device 600 has one end connected to the foam recovery port 603 b that is the opening of the foam recovery path 603 on the opposite side of the foam suction port 603 a in the foam recovery bracket 610, and the other end to the fixing liquid bottle 200. A connected foam return pipe 604 is provided. Further, in the middle of the foam return pipe 604, a recovery suction pump 620 that generates a negative pressure at the foam suction port 603 a to suck the fixer in the die coater head 500, and the fixer bottle 200 toward the foam recovery bracket 610. And a valve 605 with a check valve for preventing the fixer from flowing backward and allowing the fixer to pass in only one direction. That is, when the pressure on the recovery suction pump 620 side is high, the fixer is transported from the recovery suction pump 620 to the fixer bottle 200, but the fixer bottle 200 side is driven by the air pump 300 during the fixing operation. Even if the pressure increases, the backflow of the fixer from the fixer bottle 200 to the recovery suction pump 620 side is prevented by the valve 605 with a check valve. In addition, a suction port seal member 602 for preventing the fixer from leaking from the gap between the foam recovery opening 563 and the foam suction port 603a is disposed in the foam recovery bracket sliding portion 601.

Next, a series of operations in the fixing device 60 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 9 of the control circuit. Note that the flow of a series of movements of the fixing device 60 described below is applicable not only to the fixing device 60 shown in FIG. 4 but also to the fixing device 60 of Example 2 described later.
As shown in FIG. 9, the control circuit of the fixing device 60 includes a fixing device control CPU 700 having A / D and D / A terminals and storage means such as ROM and RAM, an external timer 710 and a memory 711. Is done. The fixing device control CPU 700 is connected to the driving motors (M1 to M4) of the rollers and the bubble agitator 310 and the air pump 300 connected to the fixing liquid bottle 200 in accordance with input signals from the sensors (S3, S8, etc.). Etc. are controlled.

  The fixing device control CPU 700 provided in the fixing device 60 and the copying machine main body CPU 750 provided in the copying machine 100 main body are connected by an I / F (interface) communication connection unit 730. In the fixing device control CPU 700, signals such as a power ON / OFF signal, a print start signal, and an emergency stop signal of the copying machine 100 are input from the interrupt terminal via the I / F communication connection unit 730.

First, when the power source of the copying machine 100 is turned on with the fixing unit mounted on the copying machine 100, the copying machine body CPU 750 recognizes that the fixing unit is mounted on the copying machine 100 body. Next, the fixing device control CPU 700 and the copying machine main body CPU 750 communicate with each other by using the I / F communication connection unit 730 to confirm that they can communicate with each other. Further, at this time, the fixing device control CPU 700 recognizes that the power of the copying machine 100 main body is turned on by communication with the copying machine main body CPU 750.
The I / F communication connection unit 730 can be realized as long as it has a bidirectional communication mode such as a parallel interface, a serial interface, or a local interface.
When the power is turned on, the fixing device control CPU 700 controls the driving of the supply width adjusting rotation motor M4 so that the rotation position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 becomes the home position based on the detection result of the rotation position sensor S8. When it is confirmed that the rotation position of the supply width adjustment roller 550 is the home position, the drive of the supply width adjustment rotation motor M4 is stopped.

At this time, the fixer bottle atmosphere release valve 250 and the atmosphere release valve 507 are turned on (closed). Further, the recovery control solenoid 630 is also turned OFF (the state in which the foam recovery bracket 610 is lowered by the bias of the spring 630S).
After it is confirmed that the rotation position of the supply width adjustment roller 550 is the home position and the supply width adjustment rotation motor M4 is stopped, the fixing device 60 performs an initialization operation and waits after the initialization operation or the print job is completed. Perform the action.

Here, the initialization operation of the fixing device 60 will be described.
When recognizing that the power source of the copying machine 100 is turned on, the fixing device control CPU 700 in the fixing device 60 operates the air pump 300 and the bubble stirring motor M3. In the fixer bottle 200 to which air is sent by the operation of the air pump 300, the liquid fixer 210 and air are mixed, and large bubbles are bubbled into the liquid fixer 210 to generate a foamy fixer F. Next, the foam-like fixer F in the fixer bottle 200 passes through the large-diameter bubble transport pipe 201 by the pressure from the air pump 300 and is sent to the foam stirrer 310.
The foam fixer F injected into the foam stirrer 310 is shaped into a foam fixer F containing extremely fine bubbles by the bubble stirrer 310, and the foam fixer F consisting of extremely fine bubbles is formed into a die coater head. 500 to fill the manifold 510.
At this time, the atmosphere release valve 507 connected to the manifold 510 is turned off (opened) in order to prevent the filled foamy fixing solution F from seeping out. Further, the drive of the supply width adjustment rotation motor M4 is controlled based on the detection result of the rotation position sensor S8 so that the discharge slit 511 is closed, and the rotation position of the supply width adjustment roller 550 is set as the home position. .

  Next, the fixing device control CPU 700 turns on the air release valve 507 (closed state), and uses the detection result of the pressure sensor S1 provided in the manifold 510 and the timer function of the timer 710 to generate bubbles per unit time. Understand changes in pressure. Then, the voltage of the air pump 300 is adjusted in accordance with the pressure change to control the rotation speed of the air pump 300, and control is performed so that the bubble pressure is always kept substantially constant. By such an initialization operation, the film thickness of the foam-like fixing liquid F applied in a film shape on the application roller 61 can be controlled to be always constant.

After completion of the initialization operation, when the start button of the copying machine 100 is pressed or a print signal is transmitted from an external device such as a PC during the standby operation, the fixing device control CPU 700 starts the fixing operation.
In the fixing operation, by turning off the collection control solenoid 630, the bubble collection bracket 610 is lowered to the application roller 61 side by the biasing force of the spring 630S, and the bubble collection path 603 and the die coater head 500 in the bubble collection bracket 610 are lowered. The inner space is shielded.

  Next, the foam stirring motor M3 and the air pump 300 which are driving sources of the foam stirrer 310 are turned on. When the air pump 300 is turned on, air is sent into the fixer bottle 200, and the foamed fixer F comprising coarse bubbles is started by foaming in the fixer bottle 200 by mixing the sent air and the fixer. Is generated. Here, the generated foamy fixing solution F having coarse foam is sent to a foam stirrer 310 driven by a foam stirring motor M3. The foam fixer F sent to the bubble stirrer 310 passes between the two spiral blades provided in the bubble stirrer 310, so that the shear is applied and the bubbles are finely stirred, and the foam diameter is fixed finely. The foam-like fixing solution F in a desired foam state suitable for the above is obtained. The foam-like fixing solution F in a desired foam state generated here is sent to the die coater head 500.

By sending the foam-like fixing solution F to the die coater head 500, the inside of the die coater head 500 eventually spreads in the lateral direction (image width direction) by the manifold 510 and is filled with the foam-like fixing solution F in a desired foam state.
At this time, the fixing device control CPU 700 turns on the drive signals for the application roller motor M1 and the pressure roller motor M2, thereby starting the rotation of the application roller 61 and the pressure roller 62.

  After the foam fixing solution F starts to be sent to the die coater head 500, the air pump 300 is further operated to increase the pressure in the die coater head 500. When the transfer paper P carrying an unfixed image is conveyed from the transfer unit 90 which is a previous process of the fixing device 60 to the fixing device 60 in a state where the pressure in the die coater head 500 is increased, the leading edge of the transfer paper P is moved. Paper leading edge detection sensor S2 detects. On the other hand, the fixing device control CPU 700 selects the through slit 570 corresponding to the paper size based on the paper information transmitted from the copying machine main body CPU 750 in advance. Then, the fixing device control CPU 700 that has received the paper leading edge detection signal from the paper leading edge detection sensor S2 measures the application timing of the foamy fixing solution F, and supplies the selected through slit 570 to a position facing the ejection slit 511. The supply width adjusting rotation motor M4 is driven so as to rotate the width adjusting roller 550.

  When the supply width adjusting roller 550 is rotated to the position where the selected through slit 570 is opposed to the discharge slit 511, the pressure of the air pump 300 is made higher than the pressure in the normal application state in order to advance the start time of application start. The voltage output from the DC / DC converter to the air pump 300 is set. By such control, the position where the foam application tip position on the application roller 61 supplied with the foam-like fixing liquid F is slightly delayed from the position of the transfer paper P on which the unfixed image is formed (transfer paper P The supply of the foam-like fixing solution F is started on the coating roller 61 at a timing that is an intermediate position between the leading edge of the image area and the leading edge of the image area, and a thin film of the foam-like fixing solution F is formed on the coating roller 61.

At this time, the opening timer setting time of the supply width adjusting roller 550 corresponding to the sheet set in the ROM data in the fixing device control CPU 700 is compared with the count value of the execution timer, and the supply width adjusting roller 550 is opened. Foamed fixing liquid F is applied onto the application roller 61 until the timer set time and the count value of the execution timer match. Then, when the transfer paper P carrying the unfixed image enters the application position J, the fixing liquid is applied to the unfixed image on the transfer paper P.
At the application position J, the fixing liquid penetrates deeply between the toner layer T of the unfixed image and the transfer paper P by the pressure of the pressure roller 62, and is pressurized by passing through the nip at the application position J. By fixing the resin in the toner softened by the fibers and the fibers of the transfer paper P and curing with time, fixing is performed. The transfer paper P on which the image to be carried is fixed by the fixing device 60 is discharged from the copying machine 100 as a printed matter.
When the opening timer set time and the count value of the execution timer coincide with each other, the supply width adjusting rotation motor M4 is driven so that the rotation position of the supply width adjusting roller 550 becomes the home position, and the foam fixing to the application roller 61 is performed. The application operation of the liquid F is finished.

When the application operation is finished, a time during which all the fixing liquid remaining on the application roller 61 and the pressure roller 62 can be collected (executed while comparing the value set in the ROM data in the fixing device control CPU 700 with the count value of the timer. Only after the application roller motor M1 and the pressure roller motor M2 are driven, the motor and the air pump 300 are stopped, and the series of fixing operations is completed.
In a series of application operations, the foamy fixing solution F applied on the application roller 61 and the pressure roller 62 and remaining on the surface after passing through the application position J is collected in the recovery tanks (63a, 64a) of each cleaning mechanism and finally. Is discarded.

  When the application operation is completed, the die coater head 500 is turned off so that the atmosphere release valve 507 is turned off (open state) with the supply width adjusting roller 550 serving as a shutter member blocking the discharge slit 511 so that the inside of the manifold 510 is at atmospheric pressure. Is put into a standby state.

Next, the bubble recovery operation will be described.
If the foam-like fixer F in the die coater head 500 or the bubble stirrer 310 is left for a long time, the bubble state deteriorates, for example, the bubble density changes due to bubble breakage or the like. When the bubble state of the foam-like fixing liquid F deteriorates, the fixing property changes. Therefore, the fixing device control CPU 700 that has recognized that the print signal has been received after being left for a long time starts the bubble collecting operation.

When the bubble collection operation is started, the fixing device control CPU 700 turns on the collection control solenoid 630 and raises the bubble collection bracket 610. When the foam recovery bracket 610 is raised, the foam recovery opening 563 and the foam suction port 603a face each other as shown in FIG. 4, and the space in the die coater head 500 and the foam recovery path 603 are in communication with each other. . At this time, the fixer bottle air release valve 250 provided in the fixer bottle 200 is turned off (atmosphere open state).
Thereafter, the suction pump 620 is turned on while the air pump 300 remains off. As a result, the fixing liquid in the die coater head 500 is sucked into the foam recovery bracket 610 by the residual pressure inside the die coater head 500 or the suction force of the recovery suction pump 620. Further, the fixing liquid in the large-diameter bubble transport pipe 201, the bubble stirrer 310, and the small-diameter foam transport pipe 202 is also sucked into the foam recovery bracket 610 through the space in the die coater head 500. The fixer sucked into the foam recovery bracket 610 passes through the bubble return pipe 604, passes through the valve 605 with a check valve, and is returned to the fixer bottle 200.

The recovery suction pump 620 is turned off and the recovery control solenoid 630 is turned off after the recovery suction pump 620 is operated for a certain period of time so that the fixer stored in the die coater head 500 or the bubble stirrer 310 is removed. . When the recovery control solenoid 630 is turned off, the foam recovery bracket 610 is lowered, and the space between the die coater head 500 and the foam recovery path 603 is shielded, and the next application operation is prepared.
By executing such a bubble recovery operation, the fixing solution in a state different from the foam fixing solution F in the desired bubble state can be returned to the fixing solution bottle 200 and reused, and the consumption of the fixing solution is reduced. Can be suppressed. In addition, even when the waiting time of the fixing device 60 is long, the foamy fixing solution F is always started from the process of forming, so that it is possible to prevent the use of the fixing solution having a higher bubble density due to bubble breakage, and always as new bubbles. It can be applied to an unfixed image.
It should be noted that if the foam-like fixing liquid F is not left for a certain period of time or longer, such as during a continuous printing operation, it is determined that there is no change in the foam density, and the foam recovery operation is not performed.

[Example 2]
Next, a second embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as a second embodiment) of the fixing device 60 having the features of the present invention that can be applied to the copying machine 100 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the fixing device 60 of the second embodiment.
The fixing device 60 according to the first exemplary embodiment is configured such that the foam return pipe 604 between the foam recovery bracket 610 and the fixer bottle 200 does not include a filtering unit. In the die coater head 500, the discharge slit 511 is disposed close to the surface of the application roller 61. Therefore, when foreign matter such as paper dust or toner under offset adheres on the application roller 61, the discharge slit 511 causes the foreign matter to pass through the discharge slit 511. May enter and contaminate the liquid fixer 210 in the fixer bottle 200.

With respect to such a problem, the fixing device 60 according to the second embodiment is configured to prevent the liquid fixing solution 210 in the fixing solution bottle 200 from being contaminated by foreign matters, from the foam recovery bracket 610 to the fixing solution bottle 200. The bubble return pipe 604 between the two is provided with a filtering means for removing foreign substances.
As shown in FIG. 10, the fixing device 60 of the second embodiment is different from the fixing device 60 of the first embodiment in that it includes a foam recovery tank 340 and a foam recovery tank air release valve 350 as filtering means, and other configurations are common. Therefore, a description of the common configuration and operation will be omitted, and a bubble recovery operation with a different operation will be described.

When the bubble recovery operation is started, the fixing device control CPU 700 of the fixing device 60 according to the second embodiment turns on the recovery control solenoid 630 and raises the bubble recovery bracket 610. When the foam recovery bracket 610 is raised, the foam recovery opening 563 and the foam suction port 603a face each other as shown in FIG. 4, and the space in the die coater head 500 and the foam recovery path 603 are in communication with each other. . At this time, the foam recovery tank air release valve 350 provided in the foam recovery tank 340 and the fixer bottle air release valve 250 provided in the fixer bottle 200 are kept OFF (atmosphere open state).
Thereafter, the suction pump 620 is turned on while the air pump 300 remains off. As a result, the fixing liquid in the die coater head 500 is sucked into the foam recovery bracket 610 by the residual pressure inside the die coater head 500 or the suction force of the recovery suction pump 620. Further, the fixing liquid in the large-diameter bubble transport pipe 201, the bubble stirrer 310, and the small-diameter foam transport pipe 202 is also sucked into the foam recovery bracket 610 through the space in the die coater head 500.
The fixer sucked into the foam recovery bracket 610 passes through the foam return pipe 604, is transported into the foam recovery tank 340, and is temporarily held in the foam recovery tank 340 as the recovered fixer Fc. Thereafter, the recovery suction pump 620 is temporarily stopped.

  Next, the foam recovery tank air release valve 350 provided in the foam recovery tank 340 is turned ON (sealed state), and the recovery suction pump 620 is put into an operating state again. As a result, the recovered fixing solution Fc held in the foam recovery tank 340 is returned to the fixing solution bottle 200 by the pressure of the recovery suction pump 620. Thereafter, the recovery suction pump 620 is operated for a certain period of time, and after the recovered fixing liquid Fc retained in the foam recovery tank 340 is returned to the fixing liquid bottle 200, the foam recovery tank air release valve 350 is turned off (atmosphere release state). And the collection suction pump 620 is also turned off. Further, the fixer bottle air release valve 250 provided in the fixer bottle 200 is turned on (sealed) to prepare for the next coating operation.

In the second embodiment, the recovery suction pump 620 is operated for a certain period of time. However, in reality, the fixer bottle 200 and the foam recovery tank 340 are provided with a fullness detection sensor, a water level sensor, etc. (not shown), and the tanks overflow each other. It is desirable to control so that there is no. If the fixer bottle 200 is full and the foam recovery tank 340 is full, there is a risk that the fixer overflows from the tank and causes contamination inside the apparatus, so that the fixer in the foam recovery tank 340 is given to the user. Announcement is made through the operation panel 751 so as to be discarded as waste liquid. Needless to say, the copying machine 100 is brought to a stopped state under such circumstances.
Further, when the liquid in the foam recovery tank 340 is discarded as waste liquid, discarding everything leads to an increase in the consumption of the fixing liquid. Therefore, the predetermined amount is discarded, and the remaining fixing liquid is fixed later. It may be returned to the liquid bottle 200 and reused.

By executing such a bubble recovery operation, the fixing solution in a state different from the foam fixing solution F in a desired bubble state is recovered in the bubble recovery tank 340 as the recovered fixing solution Fc, and the fixing solution bottle is recovered. It can be returned to 200 and reused, and consumption of the fixing solution can be suppressed. In addition, even when the waiting time of the fixing device 60 is long, the foamy fixing solution F is always started from the process of forming, so that it is possible to prevent the use of the fixing solution having a higher bubble density due to bubble breakage, and always as new bubbles. It can be applied to an unfixed image.
It should be noted that if the foam-like fixing liquid F is not left for a certain period of time or longer, such as during a continuous printing operation, it is determined that there is no change in the foam density, and the foam recovery operation is not performed.

Further, the fixing device 60 according to the second embodiment includes a foam recovery tank 340 as a filtering unit. In the bubble recovery tank 340, the recovered fixing solution Fc is temporarily held, so that foreign matters such as toner and paper dust contained in the recovered fixing solution Fc are precipitated. Then, after the recovery suction pump 620 is temporarily stopped, the recovery suction pump 620 is driven again, so that the supernatant liquid that does not contain the foreign substance of the recovery fixing liquid Fc in the foam recovery tank 340 is transferred to the fixing liquid bottle 200. It is conveyed toward. As a result, it is possible to exhibit a filtering function for preventing toner, paper powder, and the like during jamming from entering the liquid fixing liquid 210 in the fixing liquid bottle 200.
The filtering means is not limited to the foam recovery tank 340 that sends the supernatant of the recovered fixing solution Fc to the fixing solution bottle 200, and any means that can remove foreign matters such as toner and paper dust contained in the fixing solution may be used. For example, it is only necessary to provide a filter as a filtering means and prevent entry into the fixer bottle 200 with a trap function for foreign matters that have passed through the supply position upstream side shielding member 650.

In the fixing device 60 of the first and second embodiments, the recovered fixing solution is returned to the fixing solution bottle 200, that is, the fixing solution is returned to the step of forming coarse bubbles and reused. The step of returning the fixing solution is not limited to the step of forming coarse bubbles, and depending on the standing time of the foam-like fixing solution F in a desired bubble state, it may remain in the state of coarse bubbles. Even if it is the structure which returns to the foam stirrer 310 through the stirring return piping 604a as shown by the broken line in FIG. good.
Further, the fixing solution reuse device 600 provided in the fixing device 60 of the first and second embodiments is configured to collect the foamy fixing solution F remaining in the foamed fixing solution generator 400 from the die coater head 500. The fixing liquid recycling apparatus 600, which is a feature of the present invention, can be applied even to the fixing apparatus 60 that does not include the die coater head 500. Any fixing solution may be used as long as the fixing solution can be recovered from the bubble fixing solution conveyance path including the fixing solution conveyance path through which the foamy fixing solution F passes. Further, it is desirable that the recovery position is a path through which the foamed fixing solution passes and is as downstream as possible in a range where no contact with foreign matter occurs. In the fixing device 60 according to the first and second embodiments, the foam-like fixing liquid F comes into contact with the foreign matter on the surface of the application roller 61, and therefore, the position where the recovery is performed on the die coater head 500 immediately upstream in the path (recovery opening) 563) is provided, it is possible to more reliably collect the foam-like fixing liquid F having a deteriorated foam state.

  As described above, the fixing device 60 according to the present exemplary embodiment has a foam-like state in which bubbles are dispersed in the liquid fixing liquid 210 containing the softening agent that softens the toner composed of resin fine particles by dissolving or swelling at least part of the resin. A foam-like fixing liquid generating unit 400 which is a fixing liquid foaming means to be the fixing liquid F, a die coater head 500 which is a fixing liquid applying means for applying to the surface of the transfer paper P which is a fixing liquid application target carrying a toner image, and The fixing roller in the middle of the formation of the foamy fixing solution F in the desired foam state from the liquid fixing solution 210 and the fixing solution transport path through which the foaming fixing solution F passes by the application roller 61 and the foaming fixing solution generator 400. And a fixing device that fixes toner softened by applying a foam-like fixing liquid F onto a transfer paper P that is a fixing medium. Further, the foam-like and liquid fixing solutions in the fixing solution conveyance path (large-diameter bubble conveyance tube 201, bubble stirrer 310, small-diameter bubble conveyance tube 202, and die coater head 500) through which the bubble-like fixing solution F passes are collected. Then, the fixing solution generator 400 returns the fixing solution to the fixing solution bottle 200 on the upstream side in the conveying direction of the fixing solution from the bubble stirrer 310 which is the position where the foam fixing solution F in the desired bubble state is generated. A fixing solution reuse device 600 is provided as a utilization means. Such a fixing device 60 collects the foam-like and liquid fixing solution whose state has changed from the foam-like fixing solution F in a desired foam state by the fixing solution reuse device 600 from the die coater head 500 or the bubble stirrer 310. I can do it. For this reason, even if the foam-like fixing liquid F remaining in the die coater head 500 or the foam stirrer 310 is in a state different from the desired foam state, it is recovered and the foam-like fixing liquid generating unit 400 collects the desired foam-like state. The foam-like fixing solution produced so as to be in a state can be used for fixing. Therefore, it is possible to always use the foamy fixing solution F in a desired foam state for fixing, and it is possible to ensure the fixing performance over time. Further, the fixer reusing apparatus 600 is further upstream of the fixer transport direction than the bubble stirrer 310, which is a position where the foamy fixer generator 400 generates the foamy fixer in a desired bubble state. It is returned to the side fixing solution bottle 200 and reused. For this reason, the consumption of the fixing solution can be suppressed without discarding the usable fixing solution.

  Further, the die coater head 500 of the fixing device 60 discharges the foam-like fixing liquid F onto the surface of the coating roller 61 by discharging the foam-like fixing liquid F to a position facing the surface of the coating roller 61 that is the surface of the fixing liquid supply target. It is a discharge means for supplying F. The die coater head 500 is a space elongated in the width direction that is a direction orthogonal to the surface movement direction on the surface of the coating roller 61, and the foam coater F supplied from the foam fixer generator 400 is contained inside the die coater head 500. A manifold 510 that is a filling portion for filling the inside of the manifold 510, a discharge slit 511 that is a discharge port formed of an opening portion that is long in the width direction, and the inside of the manifold 510 communicates with the outside where the application roller 61 is provided. And a supply width adjusting roller 550 which is a discharge port opening / closing member for opening and closing. Then, the die coater head 500 fills the manifold 510 with the foam-like fixing liquid F, raises the pressure inside the manifold 510 to be higher than the outside pressure, and opens the supply width adjusting roller 550 to thereby fix the foam-like fixing from the discharge slit 511. The liquid F is discharged. In such a configuration, the fixer reuse device 600 collects the fixer from the internal space of the die coater head 500 and also has a large-diameter bubble transport pipe 201 that is a fixer transport path through the internal space of the die coater head 500. The fixer in the bubble stirrer 310 and the small-diameter bubble transport pipe 202 is collected. With such a configuration, it is possible to realize a configuration in which the fixing solution in a state different from the desired bubble-shaped fixing solution F in the fixing solution conveyance path is recovered.

  Further, the fixing solution application unit 70 of the fixing device 60 carries the foamy fixing solution F on the surface, moves on the surface, and on the surface at the application position J that is the position facing the transfer paper P to which the fixing solution is applied. A coating roller 61 that is a fixing solution coating member that applies the foamy fixing solution F to the transfer paper P is provided, and the coating roller 61 is a fixing solution supply target of the die coater head 500. Compared to the configuration in which the foam-like fixing liquid F is discharged and directly supplied from the die coater head 500 to the transfer paper P carrying the unfixed toner image, the foam-like fixing liquid F applied to the transfer paper P can be easily thinned. . The fixing liquid application member is not limited to a roller shape but may be a belt shape.

Further, the fixing device 60 extends in a direction orthogonal to the surface movement direction at a position close to the discharge slit 511 of the die coater head 500 on the upstream side in the surface movement direction of the coating roller 61 with respect to the position facing the die coater head 500. Thus, a supply position upstream side shielding member 650 that contacts the surface of the application roller 61 and shields the space on the surface of the application roller 61 is provided. In the fixing device 60, a lip member 631 is provided on the downstream side in the surface movement direction of the coating roller 61 with respect to the position where the die coater head 500 is opposed, for uniforming the film-like fixing liquid F and making the film pressure uniform. Yes. Therefore, the gap between the lower end portion of the die coater head 500 and the application roller 61 in the region where the lower end portion of the die coater head 500 and the application roller 61 face each other is more upstream than the position where the discharge slit 511 faces. Wide and easy to escape pressure. Since the die coater head 500 is configured to increase the internal pressure and discharge the foam-like fixing solution F to the outside whose pressure is lower than the inside, the discharged foam-like fixing solution F easily escapes in a direction in which the gap is wide and the pressure easily escapes. . For this reason, even if the foam-like fixing liquid F is discharged onto the application roller 61 that moves on the surface, the foam-like fixing liquid F does not spread only in the surface movement direction of the application roller 61 with respect to the discharge position. As shown by Fb, the foamy fixing solution F may spread in the direction opposite to the surface moving direction. When the foam-like fixing solution F spreads in the direction opposite to the surface moving direction, it becomes difficult to adjust the coating amount. As a configuration for preventing the occurrence of such a problem, the fixing device 60 includes a supply position upstream side shielding member 650. The supply position upstream side shielding member 650 is disposed so as to be always in contact with the application roller 61, and is a seal member processed with foam plastic or felt, for example. By providing such a supply position upstream side shielding member 650, it is possible to prevent the foamy fixing solution F from leaking from the upstream side of the die coater head 500 when the foaming solution F is applied to the application roller 61.
Furthermore, by providing the supply position upstream side shielding member 650, foreign matters such as paper dust and offset toner that have passed through the cleaning mechanism due to an abnormality due to a jam or the like or deterioration of the cleaning blade, etc., reach the position where the fixing liquid is discharged. Can be prevented. The gap between the die coater head 500 and the application roller 61 may be set to 100 [μm] or less. With such a configuration, when foreign matter reaches the position where the fixing liquid is discharged, the gap between the die coater head 500 and the application roller 61 is set. There is a risk of foreign matter getting caught in the gap. When a foreign substance is caught in the gap, vertical streak-like fixing unevenness in which the foam-like fixing liquid F is not applied on the surface of the application roller 61 occurs. In the fixing device 60, the supply position upstream side shielding member 650 is provided, whereby foreign matter is prevented from being caught in the gap, and vertical streak-like fixing unevenness caused by this can be prevented.

  Further, the fixing device 60 has a surface movement direction downstream with respect to the application position J facing the transfer paper P on the surface of the application roller 61 and a surface movement direction downstream with respect to a position facing the die coater head 500. In this position, an application roller cleaning blade 63 that is an application member cleaning means for removing the fixing liquid on the surface of the application roller 61 is provided. Also, a pressure roller cleaning blade 64 is provided on the surface of the pressure roller 62 in a manner. Then, while the supply of the foam-like fixing liquid F from the die coater head 500 is stopped, the application roller motor M1 and the pressure roller motor M2 are periodically driven for a certain time, and the application roller 61 and the pressure roller 62 are driven. Are periodically moved for a certain time. Most of the fixing solution that has changed in a state different from the foam-like fixing solution F in the desired foam state due to the deterioration of the foam state in the die coater head 500 is collected in the fixing solution recycling apparatus 600, but the foam state has deteriorated. It is difficult to collect all of the fixer with the die coater head 500. For this reason, if the discharge slit 511 is closed by the supply width adjusting roller 550 when it is not recovered by the fixing liquid recycling apparatus 600 and is liquefied in the die coater head 500, the gap cannot be passed in the form of foam. There is a possibility that the fixing solution leaks and is supplied onto the application roller 61. If left in this state, there is a risk that it will sag on the floor inside the machine, contaminating components of other devices, or softening depending on the type of resin material. Further, if the fixing solution applying member is a belt-like member, the liquid fixing solution may flow on the inner peripheral surface of the belt and cause a back periphery, which may cause slippage of the belt. On the other hand, even when the supply of the foam-like fixing liquid F from the die coater head 500 is stopped, the application roller 61 and the pressure roller 62 are periodically moved over the surface for a certain period of time, thereby leaking from the die coater head 500. Thus, the fixing liquid supplied to the surface of the application roller 61 can be removed by the application roller cleaning blade 63 or the pressure roller cleaning blade 64. As a result, it is possible to prevent the above-described problems caused by leaving the fixing solution dripping on the fixing solution application member.

  Further, in the fixing device 60, it is desirable to move the application roller 61 on the surface before supplying the foamy fixing solution F by the die coater head 500. When returning from the standby state of the system to the printing state, the application roller 61 and the pressure roller 62 are rotated first, so that even if liquid dripping occurs on the roller, the foam-like fixing liquid Before supplying F to the application roller 61, the dripping on the roller is collected by a cleaning mechanism, and it is possible to prevent the foamy fixing solution F and the dripping fixing solution from being mixed. Thereby, a liquid with a high bubble density locally adheres to the image, and problems such as bleeding of the transfer paper P can be prevented. Further, when the foamy fixing solution F and the dripping fixing solution are mixed, a large amount of fixing solution may be partially applied to the transfer paper P at the start of application to the transfer paper P in the next fixing operation. . On the other hand, it is possible to prevent a large amount of the fixing solution from being partially applied to the transfer paper P by preventing the foamy fixing solution F and the dripping fixing solution from being mixed.

  In the fixing device 60, the fixing solution recycling device 600 includes a recovery suction pump 620 that is a suction recovery unit that sucks and recovers the fixing solution in the fixing solution conveyance path. As a result, it is possible to realize a reuse mechanism that collects the foam-like fixer F having a deteriorated foam state from the die coater head 500 and returns it to the fixer bottle 200.

  In the fixing device 60, it is desirable that the suction operation of the collection suction pump 620 is an intermittent operation. This is because the fixing liquid sucked from the die coater head 500 is in a foam state even if the foam state is deteriorated as compared with the foam-like fixing liquid F in a desired foam state. When a bubble is to be sucked, if a passage is formed through a part of the bubble by suction, air is sucked from the passage and the pressure escapes, making it difficult to suck another bubble. On the other hand, even if a passage is formed by suction at the time of driving due to the intermittent operation, the recovery suction pump 620 is temporarily stopped, so that the passage is closed by bubbles remaining at the time of stop. Thereafter, by driving the recovery suction pump 620, suction can be performed without escaping pressure. As a result, it is possible to more efficiently collect the foam-like fixing liquid F whose foam state has deteriorated.

  Further, the fixing device 60 according to the second embodiment is provided with a foam recovery tank 340 as a filtering means in the middle of a foam return pipe 604 that forms the inside of the fixing liquid transport path in the fixing liquid recycling apparatus 600. As a result, even if foreign matter enters the die coater head 500 and foreign matter is contained in the recovered fixing solution Fc, the foreign matter is removed by the foam recovery tank 340, whereby the liquid fixing solution 210 in the fixing solution bottle 200 is removed. It is possible to prevent foreign matter from being mixed into the.

  The copying machine 100 according to the present embodiment includes a printer unit 1 that is a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image on a transfer paper P that is a recording medium using toner including resin fine particles containing a resin and a colorant, and a toner. An image forming apparatus including a fixing unit that applies a foamy fixing solution F to the surface of a transfer paper P carrying an image and fixes a toner image on the transfer paper P. The fixing device 60 of Example 2 is used. The fixing liquid F before being supplied to the application roller 61 and having a bubble state deteriorated in the fixing device 60 is recovered by the fixing liquid recycling apparatus 600 and returned to the fixing liquid bottle 200. . Since the fixing solution in which the bubble state has deteriorated is collected, fixing performance can be secured over time, and the copying machine 100 can perform image formation in which fixing is stable over time. Further, by returning the recovered fixing solution to the fixing solution bottle 200, consumption of the fixing solution can be suppressed and the running cost of the copying machine 100 can be suppressed.

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 Photoconductor cleaning device 16 Photoconductor cleaning blade 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 47 Transport roller 50 Document transport Reading unit 51 ADF
60 Fixing device 61 Application roller 62 Pressure roller 63 Application roller cleaning blade 63a Application side fixing liquid recovery tank 64 Pressure roller cleaning blade 64a Pressure side fixing liquid recovery tank 65 Separation claw 70 Fixing liquid application part 91 Intermediate transfer belt 92 First Stretching roller 94 Lower stretching roller 95 Primary transfer roller 100 Copying machine 150 Scanner unit 151 Fixed reading unit 152 Moving reading unit 153 Image reading sensor 200 Fixing liquid bottle 201 Large-diameter bubble conveyance tube 202 Small-diameter bubble conveyance tube 210 Liquid fixing solution 250 Fixer bottle atmosphere release valve 300 Air pump 300a Air supply pipe 310 Foam stirrer 340 Foam recovery tank 350 Foam recovery tank atmosphere release valve 400 Foam fixer generator 500 Die coater head 507 Atmosphere release valve 507s Atmosphere release pipe seal member 510 Manifold 51 Discharge slit 511a Slit upstream portion 511b Slit downstream portion 511s Discharge port seal member 512 In-head transport tube 512a Transport tube discharge port 550 Supply width adjusting roller 550s Through slit seal member 551 Supply width adjusting roller rotating shaft 552 Rotating shaft sealing member 553 Disc 563 Recovery opening 570 Through slit 570a First through slit 570b Second through slit 571 Roller side surface portion 600 Fixing liquid recycling device 601 Foam recovery bracket sliding portion 602 Suction port seal member 603 Foam recovery path 603a Foam suction port 603b Foam recovery port 604 Foam return pipe 604a Stir return pipe 605 Valve with check valve 610 Foam collection bracket 611 Foam collection bracket support member 620 Collection suction pump 630 Collection control solenoid 630S Spring 631 Ri Member 650 supply position upstream shield member 700 fixing device control CPU
710 Timer 711 Memory 730 I / F communication connection unit 750 Copy machine main body CPU
751 Operation Panel F Foam Fixing Solution Fc Recovered Fixing Solution J Application Position M1 Application Roller Motor M2 Pressure Roller Motor M3 Bubble Agitating Motor M4 Supply Width Adjusting Rotation Motor P Transfer Paper S1 Pressure Sensor S2 Paper Edge Detection Sensor S3 Roller Surface foam sensor S8 Rotational position sensor S8a Light emitting element S8b Light receiving element T Toner layer

Japanese Patent No. 3290513 Japanese Patent No. 4185742 JP 59-119364 A JP 2009-008967 A

Claims (10)

A fixer foaming means that uses a liquid fixer containing a softening agent that softens resin-containing fine particles by dissolving or swelling at least a part of the resin as a foamy fixer 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-containing fine particle layer comprising the resin-containing fine particles;
A fixing solution in the middle of becoming the foamy fixing solution from the liquid fixing solution by the fixing solution foaming means, and a fixing solution transport path through which the foamy fixing solution passes,
In a fixing device for fixing the resin-containing fine particles softened by applying the foamy fixing solution to a fixing medium,
Fixing the foamed and liquid fixing solution in the fixing solution transporting path and returning the recovered fixing solution upstream of the fixing solution transporting direction from the position where the fixing solution foaming means generates the foamy fixing solution. A fixing device comprising a liquid recycling unit. The fixing device according to claim 1.
The fixing solution applying means has discharge means for supplying the foam-like fixing solution to the surface of the fixing solution supply target by discharging the foam-like fixing solution to a position facing the surface of the fixing solution supply target that moves on the surface. ,
The discharge means includes a filling portion that fills the foam-like fixing liquid supplied from the fixing liquid foaming means, a discharge port that communicates the inside of the filling portion with the outside of the supply target, and the discharge port. A discharge port opening and closing member that opens and closes,
The discharge means fills the filling portion with a foamy fixing solution, raises the internal pressure of the filling portion over the external pressure, and discharges the fixing solution from the discharge port by opening the discharge port opening / closing member. Is a configuration to
The fixing liquid recycling means collects the fixing liquid from the internal space of the discharge means and collects the fixing liquid in the fixing liquid conveyance path through the internal space of the discharge means. . The fixing device according to claim 2.
The fixing solution applying means includes a fixing solution applying member that carries a foamy fixing solution on a surface, moves on the surface, and applies the fixing solution on the surface to the fixing solution application target at a position facing the fixing solution application target. Prepared,
The fixing device, wherein the fixing solution applying member is the supply target of the fixing solution. The fixing device according to claim 3.
Contacting the surface of the fixing liquid application member so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the surface movement direction at a position adjacent to the upstream side of the surface movement direction of the fixing liquid application member with respect to the position where the discharge means is opposed. A fixing device comprising a supply position upstream side shielding member that shields a space on the surface of the fixing liquid application member. The fixing device according to claim 3 or 4,
The position on the surface of the fixing liquid application member on the downstream side in the surface movement direction with respect to the position facing the fixing liquid application target and the position on the downstream side in the surface movement direction with respect to the position facing the discharge means A coating member cleaning means for removing the fixing solution on the surface of the fixing solution coating member;
A fixing device characterized in that the surface of the fixing liquid application member is periodically moved for a certain period of time while the supply of foamy fixing liquid from the discharge means is stopped. The fixing device according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
At a position on the surface of the fixing liquid application member that is downstream of the surface moving direction with respect to the position facing the fixing liquid application target and at a position that is downstream of the position facing the discharge means in the surface moving direction, A coating member cleaning means for removing the fixing solution on the surface of the fixing solution coating member;
A fixing device characterized in that the surface of the fixing solution applying member is moved before the supply of the foamy fixing solution by the discharging means is executed. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein:
The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing solution reuse means includes suction collecting means for sucking and collecting the fixing solution in the fixing solution conveyance path. The fixing device according to claim 7.
A fixing device characterized in that the suction operation of the suction recovery means is an intermittent operation. The fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A fixing device comprising a fixing means in a fixing liquid transport path in the fixing liquid reuse means. A toner image forming means for forming a toner image on a recording medium using a toner containing resin fine particles containing a resin and a colorant;
A fixing liquid is applied 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 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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