JP2013195909A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable image formation using foil without extra cost and labor.SOLUTION: The image forming device has a fixing part 150 for making a sheet P on which a toner image of unfixed toner is formed pass though, and fixing the unfixed toner to the sheet P. The image forming device includes: a foil feeding tray 140, a foil feeding roller 141 and multiple conveyance rollers on a foil conveyance path, for feeding and conveying hot stamping foil S which does not adhere to the sheet P and adheres to toner; and an overlapping roller 142 for overlapping the hot stamping foil S with the sheet P on which the unfixed toner image is formed, upstream of the fixing part 150, and sending off the hot stamping foil S and the sheet P in a state of overlapping with each other, to the fixing part 150.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a digital multifunction peripheral, a facsimile (FAX) apparatus, and a printer.

In recent years, high value-added images have been printed on image forming apparatuses such as digital multi-function peripherals (MFPs) that perform image formation by electrophotography.
This high value-added image is an image in which an image of a special color different from the above four colors is formed using a special color toner other than the four CMYK toners which are electrophotographic process colors.

As a technique using this special color toner, for example, a technique for forming an image having gloss different from the conventional one using a transparent toner, or an image using a toner such as red, blue, green and orange is formed. A technique for forming an image having a wider color reproduction range than the conventional one is known. A technique for forming a metallic image using gold or silver toner is also known.
There are many known techniques for adding values different from conventional ones to images by using special color toners other than CMYK toners that are process colors.

  Here, a technique called hot stamp is known as a technique for reproducing a spot color without using a spot color toner. In this method, a hot stamp foil, which is a sheet in which a metallic or gold-silver coating layer is superimposed on an adhesive layer that adheres to toner, is superimposed on a sheet of recording medium after toner fixing and heated with an electric iron or the like. In this way, a special color is reproduced by attaching a metallic or gold-silver coating surface to the toner portion of the paper.

As a technique using such a hot stamping technique, Patent Document 1 can be cited. In Patent Document 1, in order to create a cover of a book using hot stamp foil, a character printing apparatus that prints characters with toner on a sheet that becomes the cover of a book, and a toner on a sheet on which the characters are printed. And a foil bonding apparatus that heats and presses hot stamping foils having excellent adhesive properties.
Although not related to the hot stamping technique, Patent Document 2 discloses another technique capable of recycling paper and toner.

  By the way, when a high-value-added image is formed using the above-mentioned special color toner, the toner must be designed and produced for each color for expressing the special color, resulting in an increase in cost. Further, a station for spot color toner must be added in the image forming apparatus, and the larger the number of spot color toners to be added, the larger the image forming apparatus becomes. With respect to this point, according to the hot stamping method that does not use the special color toner, the design and production for each special color toner and the increase in size due to the addition of the station do not cause a problem.

However, when the hot stamping method is used, there is a problem that it takes time and effort because the user must superimpose the hot stamping foil on the paper on which the toner is fixed and then pressurize it with an iron or the like.
In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, after a character printing apparatus heats and presses unfixed toner to fix the toner on a sheet and prints it out, the user applies a hot stamp foil to the sheet. There was a problem that it took time and labor to perform heating and pressurization again with the foil bonding apparatus. In addition, there has been a problem in that the paper must be heated and pressed twice to increase the power cost.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to enable image formation using a foil without cost and effort in an image forming apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image provided with fixing means for passing a recording medium on which a toner image is formed with unfixed toner and fixing the unfixed toner on the recording medium. A forming apparatus, a conveying unit that conveys a foil that adheres to the toner without adhering to the storage medium, and a recording in which a toner image is formed by the unfixed toner upstream of the fixing unit. A superimposing unit for superimposing on the medium; and a sending unit for sending out the foil to the fixing unit in a state where the foil is superimposed on the recording medium by the superimposing unit.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention as described above, it is possible to form an image using a foil without cost and labor.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a hardware configuration of a controller included in the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a detailed configuration in the vicinity of an overlapping roller provided in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1. It is a figure showing an example of image data of RGB format displayed as a preview. 6 is a flowchart of processing performed by a CPU when an instruction to start image formation using a hot stamp foil S is received from a user. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body 100 (hereinafter referred to as “main body 100”), an operation unit 200, and a scanner 300.

The main body 100 includes a controller 101, a laser writing unit 110, an image forming unit 120, a paper feed tray 130, a paper feed roller 131, a foil paper feed tray 140, a foil paper feed roller 141, a superposition roller 142, a fixing unit 150, paper discharge. A roller 151 and a paper discharge tray 152 are provided.
Of these, the controller 101 controls the image forming apparatus. The controller 101 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the hardware configuration of the controller 101.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the controller 101 includes a CPU 102, a ROM 103, a RAM 104, a communication I / F 105, an HDD 106, and an engine I / F 107.

The CPU 102 is a central processing unit that manages and controls the entire image forming apparatus.
The ROM 103 is a read-only storage unit that stores a program executed by the CPU 102.
The RAM 104 is a readable / writable storage unit used as a work area when the program executed by the CPU 102 is expanded and various processes are performed.
The communication I / F 105 is an interface for the image forming apparatus to communicate with an external apparatus such as a personal computer 400 described later via a network.
The HDD 106 is mass storage means for storing various data. These various data include a color conversion look-up table to be described later.
The engine I / F 107 is an interface for allowing the CPU 101 to control an engine unit including various hardware shown in FIG. 1 related to image formation of the image forming apparatus.

  The CPU 102 reads out various programs in the ROM 103 and develops them in the RAM 104, and then operates according to the various programs to control various members and various rollers provided in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. A series of processes such as image formation on a certain sheet P and sheet P feeding, conveyance, transfer, fixing, and sheet discharge are executed.

Next, the laser writing unit 110 irradiates and exposes the surface of each of the charged photosensitive drums 122Y to 122K of the image forming unit 120 with a laser beam corresponding to the image information, thereby exposing the surface of each of the photosensitive drums 121Y to 121K. This is a laser scanning mechanism for forming an electrostatic latent image.
Specifically, the laser writing unit 110 includes a light source (not shown), a polygon mirror, a reflection mirror, an fθ lens, and the like. The laser light emitted from the light source is scanned by a rotating polygon mirror, and the scanned light beam is scanned. Is deflected by a reflecting mirror, and is condensed on the bus bar of each of the photosensitive drums 122Y to 122K by an fθ lens and subjected to scanning exposure.

Next, the image forming unit 120 includes image forming units 121Y to 121Y, an intermediate transfer belt 125, and a transfer unit 126.
Among these, the image forming units 121Y to 121K include photosensitive drums 122Y to 122K, developing units 123Y to 123K for developing a toner image on the electrostatic latent image formed by the laser writing unit 110,
Chargers 124Y to 124K for charging the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 122Y to 122K to a predetermined polarity and potential, a drum cleaner (not shown), and the like are integrally provided.

The suffixes Y to K after the symbols of the image forming units 121Y to 121K indicate Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black), respectively. Also, since the image forming units 121Y to 121K have the same configuration, when it is not necessary to identify each color, the subscripts are omitted for the sake of convenience.
Here, the toner used for development is a mixture of magnetic carrier particles, and each of the developing devices 123Y to 123K contains YMCK color toners mixed with magnetic carrier particles. The toner of each color is replenished and controlled from a supply device (not shown) so that the density of the toner of each color stored in the developing devices 123Y to 123K is maintained at a predetermined density.

Further, four image forming units 121 are arranged side by side on the intermediate transfer belt 125 for each color, and the toner images are sequentially transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 125 by these four image forming units 121 and synthesized. A colored toner image can be formed.
Next, the intermediate transfer belt 125 is an endless belt that is wound around a center of the main body 100 by a plurality of rollers and is rotatable in the clockwise direction, and carries the toner image primarily transferred by the image forming unit 121. Then, the image carrier is conveyed.

The transfer unit 126 includes a transfer roller and a counter roller. The toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 125 is transferred to the paper P by pressing the paper P at the nip portion, and the toner image is formed on the paper P. Is to do.
Next, the paper feed tray 130 is for loading and storing the paper P.
The paper feed roller 131 is for feeding the uppermost paper P among the papers stacked on the paper feed tray 130 to the paper transport path.

  The foil feed tray 140 is for placing hot stamp foil. The hot stamp foil used here is a sheet in which a coating layer such as metallic or gold-silver color is overlaid on an adhesive layer that does not adhere to the paper P but adheres to some color toner. As an example, it is conceivable to use a golden hot stamp foil S of “stamping leaf (148 × 100 mm)” of Yoshida Kinshiten. In this embodiment, paper P having the same size as that of the hot stamp foil S is used.

  Here, the hot stamp foil S adheres to K toner containing carbon among toners of a plurality of colors. Then, the CPU 102 performs control so that the K toner is transferred onto the region where the hot stamp foil S is to be bonded on the paper P. In this embodiment, the gold hot stamp foil S is used, but the color may be other colors. Further, hot stamp foil having a pattern such as a hologram or a geometric pattern instead of a color may be used.

Next, the foil feed roller 141 is for feeding the hot stamp foil S of the foil feed tray 140 to the foil transport path.
The superimposing roller 142 is a roller at a point where the paper P on which the unfixed toner image is formed and the hot stamp foil S are merged. Here, the details of the overlapping roller 142 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a detailed configuration near the overlapping roller. In the drawing, an arrow A indicates the conveyance direction of the paper P, and an arrow B indicates the conveyance direction of the hot stamp foil S.

As shown in FIG. 3, a foil guide plate 143 is provided in the foil transport path to guide the hot stamp foil S fed from the foil feed roller 141 to the superimposing roller 142.
The superimposing roller 142 positions and superimposes the hot stamp foil S on the paper P on which the unfixed toner image is formed, upstream from the fixing unit 150. Then, the hot stamp foil S is sent to the fixing unit 150 in a state where the hot stamp foil S is superimposed on the paper P. The superimposing roller 142 corresponds to the superimposing means and the feeding means, and the foil feeding tray 140, the foil feeding roller 141, and a plurality of conveying rollers provided in the foil conveying path correspond to the feeding and conveying means. .

  The fixing unit 150 includes a heating roller and a pressure roller. The sheet P on which a toner image of unfixed toner is formed is passed through the nip portion between the heating roller and the pressure roller while being heated and pressed. It is a fixing means for fixing toner. In this embodiment, the superimposing roller 142 upstream of the fixing unit 150 feeds the hot stamping foil S on the paper P so that the fixing unit 150 heats the hot stamping foil S and the paper P at the same time. Will be pressed. As a result, the adhesive layer of the hot stamp foil S adheres to the K toner on the paper P.

The paper discharge roller 151 is for discharging the fixed paper P to the paper discharge tray 152. When the paper P and the hot stamp foil S are in an overlapping state, the paper P is discharged to the paper discharge tray 152 in that state.
The paper discharge tray 152 is for stacking and holding the discharged paper P. When the hot stamping foil S overlaps the discharged paper P, it is stacked and held in that state.

Next, the operation unit 200 in FIG. 1 includes a touch panel in which a touch sensor that accepts a touch operation from a user is stacked on a liquid crystal display, a hardware button, and the like, and displays the state of the image forming apparatus on the screen. Or a touch operation from the user is accepted. The operation unit 200 corresponds to a receiving unit.
The scanner 300 includes a sheet press 310, a contact glass 320, and a reading unit (not shown), and an original placed on the contact glass 320 is optically scanned by the reading unit and separated into three colors of RGB. This is for obtaining image data in RGB format.

A personal computer (PC) 400 is an external host device connected to the communication I / F 105 of the controller 101 via a network. For example, the PC 400 transmits RGB format image data to the image forming apparatus in accordance with a user operation.
Note that the RGB format image data read by the scanner 300 and the RGB format image data received from the PC 400 are color-converted by the CPU 102 into YMCK format image data, which is an image-formable format. A specific method of this conversion will be described later.

The image forming apparatus described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 performs the following operation based on the control of the CPU 102 and a control circuit (not shown) when performing image formation using the hot stamp foil S. First, the image forming units 121Y to 121K are sequentially driven in accordance with a predetermined control timing to rotate the photosensitive drums 122Y to 122K counterclockwise and to charge the photosensitive drums 122Y to 122K by the chargers 124Y to K. .
Further, the intermediate transfer belt 125 is rotated clockwise and the laser writing unit 110 is controlled so that the electrostatic latent images corresponding to the YMCK format image data obtained by the color conversion are transferred onto the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 122Y to 122K. Then, the developing devices 123Y to 123K develop yellow, magenta, cyan and black single color toner images on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 122Y to 122K.

Then, along with the conveyance of the intermediate transfer belt 125, the single color toner images are sequentially transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 125 to form a synthesized toner image.
Further, the paper feed roller 131 of the paper feed tray 130 is rotated to feed the paper P to the paper transport path, and the combined toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 125 is transferred to the paper P at a time by the transfer unit 126. A toner image is formed on the paper P.
On the other hand, at an appropriate timing, the foil feed roller 141 of the foil feed tray 140 is rotated to feed the hot stamp foil S to the foil transport path.

Then, alignment is performed by an appropriate method such as a registration roller so that the hot stamping foil S and the paper P on which the toner image is formed are overlapped by the overlapping roller 142. Then, the sheet P on which the hot stamp foil S overlaps is sent to the fixing unit 150 by rotating the overlapping roller 142, and simultaneously heated and pressed by the fixing unit 150, and then the sheet on which the hot stamp foil S is overlapped by the paper discharge roller 151. P is discharged out of the apparatus and stacked on the discharge tray 152.
Thereafter, when the user peels off the hot stamping foil S from the paper P on which the hot stamping foil S overlaps, the paper P in which the toner image portion formed by the K toner is gold can be obtained.

Next, the configuration of the image forming apparatus for accepting designation of the formation region of the golden hot stamp image formed on the paper P by the hot stamp foil S from the user will be described. The hot stamp image forming area is referred to as a stamp image forming area for convenience and will be described below.
In this embodiment, the CPU 102 previews the RGB image data obtained by reading with the scanner 300 or the RGB image data received from the PC 400 on the touch panel of the operation unit 200, and the stamp image formation region is displayed by the user. I accept it. Here, FIG. 4 shows an example of image data in RGB format for preview display.

In FIG. 4, “RICOH (registered trademark)” is displayed on the touch panel with red solid characters as image data in RGB format. If the user traces a portion where “R” is displayed on the touch panel, for example, the CPU 102 accepts the “R” portion as a stamp image formation region. Specifically, it is conceivable to use an image processing method such as image contour extraction, for example, to extract the edge of the “R” image traced by the user and accept the stamp image formation region.
After that, the CPU 102 labels “1” in the received stamp image formation area, and “0” in areas other than the stamp image formation area, so that the stamp image formation area other than the stamp image formation area and the stamp image formation area in the RGB format image data. Are distinguished from each other by labeling information.

  It should be noted that the labeling “1” indicated by the stamp image forming area is set in a portion where a character image is formed in the example of FIG. The area designation from the user can be accepted by a range designation using coordinates or the like, but even in that case, the character image is labeled “1” within the designated range. However, on the contrary, it does not preclude taking other methods such as performing labeling on a background or the like other than characters, or performing labeling only on a specific part of the pattern.

In addition, the CPU 102 receives an instruction to start image formation using the hot stamp foil S along with the designation of the stamp image formation region. This instruction can be received by, for example, a button displayed on the touch panel or a hardware button of the operation unit 200.
Here, a flowchart of processing performed by the CPU 102 when an instruction to start image formation using the hot stamp foil S is received from the user will be described with reference to FIG. It is assumed that the CPU 102 receives designation of a stamp image formation area from the user before the above instruction and generates labeling information of image data in RGB format.

  First, the CPU 102 converts image data in RGB format into image data in YMC format (basically, the color is expressed using the YMCK color space but called K in the sense that K is not used as in the prior art). (S11). Here, in this embodiment, since the hot stamp foil S adheres to the K toner, the toner image must be formed with the K toner in the stamp image forming region. For this reason, it is necessary to reproduce the color of the image in the region other than the stamp image forming region with the three colors of YMC toner. That is, the black color in the area other than the stamp image forming area needs to be reproduced by the color mixture of YMC toner without using K toner.

  In step S11, the CPU 102 refers to a lookup table for color conversion from the RGB color space to the YMC color space, and converts the RGB format image data into YMC format image data. The YMC format image data includes three YMC color components. This color component indicates the gradation value (0% to 100%) of the toner, and the gradation value of the toner corresponds to the toner adhesion amount per unit area when the toner is transferred to the paper P. The CPU 102 can determine the tone values of the YMC three color toners with reference to a look-up table that reproduces colors in the RGB color space, for example.

  After step S11, the CPU 102 refers to the labeling information and specifies an area corresponding to the stamp image forming area in the YMC format image data (S12). Here, the CPU 102 specifies an area corresponding to an area labeled “1” in the RGB format image data from the YMC format image data.

  After step S12, the CPU 102 replaces the area corresponding to the stamp image formation area specified in step S12 in the YMC format image data with the K image data to generate YMCK format image data (S13). Here, for example, the color information of the area corresponding to the stamp image forming area in the YMC format image data may be replaced with the gradation value 100% of the K1 color. As a result, a K toner image is formed in the stamp image forming area with a solid K toner dot area ratio of 100%.

By the processing in step S13, image data in YMCK format for performing image formation using K toner for the stamp image forming area designated by the user and YMC toner for areas other than the stamp image forming area is obtained. Can do.
Then, the CPU 102 starts image formation using the hot stamp foil S after step S13. This is performed based on the YMCK image data generated in step S13.

  Here, the flow chart of FIG. 5 will be described using the RGB format image data of FIG. 4 as an example. The CPU 102 converts the red solid character “RICOH” into YMC format image data (S11), and refers to the labeling information. Then, a stamp image forming area set by the user (in this case, the area of the letter “R”) is specified (S12), and the area is replaced with the K1 color gradation value of 100% to obtain YMCK format image data. Is generated (S13). Then, image formation using the hot stamp foil S is started based on the YMCK format image data.

  Here, the CPU 102 and a control circuit (not shown) control the image forming units 121Y to 121K with toner images corresponding to the image data in the YMCK format while controlling the feeding and conveyance of the paper P and the hot stamp foil S as described above. Formed on the intermediate transfer belt 125. As a result, the toner image of the letter “R” is formed by the K toner, and the toner image of the letter “ICOH” is formed by the YMC toner. Thereafter, the formed toner image is transferred onto the paper P, and then superimposed on the hot stamp foil S, and simultaneously heated and pressurized by the fixing unit 150 and discharged.

In this state, the hot stamp foil S adheres only to the portion of the letter “R” formed with K toner, and the portion where the toner image of another color is formed or the portion where the toner image is not formed is adhered. Does not adhere.
Then, when the user takes out the paper P on which the hot stamp foil S overlaps from the paper discharge tray and peels off the hot stamp foil S, the hot stamp foil S remains only in the portion “R”, and only that portion is gold and “ICOH” The paper P on which a high value-added image having a red portion is formed can be obtained.

  The image forming apparatus described above includes a foil feed tray 140 for feeding and transporting the hot stamp foil S, a foil feed roller 141, and a plurality of transport rollers in the foil transport path. Is superimposed on a sheet P on which an unfixed toner image is formed upstream of the fixing unit 150, and a superimposing roller 142 that sends the hot stamp foil S to the fixing unit 150 in a state where the hot stamp foil S is superimposed on the sheet P is provided. ing.

  This eliminates the need for the user to apply heat and pressure with an iron or the like after the hot stamp foil is superimposed on the paper on which the toner is fixed. Further, since the hot stamp foil S is superposed on the paper P, the hot stamp foil S is sent to the fixing unit 150, so that the heating / pressing by the fixing unit 150 is only required once. For this reason, after heating and pressurizing unfixed toner to fix the toner on the paper and printing it out, the user can save time and effort to heat and press the hot stamping foil again on the paper. In addition, since it is not necessary to heat and press the paper twice, the power cost can be reduced. Accordingly, it is possible to perform image formation using the hot stamp foil without cost and labor.

  The hot stamp foil S adheres to carbon-containing K toner (specific color toner) and does not adhere to other color toners. Therefore, the hot stamp foil S is selected as a specific color toner among a plurality of color toners. In particular, the hot stamp foil S can be adhered. Therefore, a high value-added image in which a hot stamp image by the hot stamp foil S and a full color image by CMY toner are mixed can be formed on the paper P.

  In the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment, designation of a stamp image forming area of a hot stamp image formed on the paper P by the hot stamp foil S is received from the user. As a result, the user can easily designate a stamp image forming area where a hot stamp image is to be formed while viewing the RGB format image data previewed on the touch panel.

  In this embodiment, image formation using the hot stamp foil S has been described. However, image formation without using the hot stamp foil S is also possible. In this case, for example, when an instruction is received from the user as to whether or not to form a hot stamp image on the paper P using the hot stamp foil S, and an instruction not to form a hot stamp image is received from the user, It is conceivable not to feed and convey the stamp foil S.

  In this case, it goes without saying that a full color image using CMYK toner may be formed on the paper P without considering the adhesion of the hot stamp foil S. In order to determine whether or not to form a hot stamp image, for example, the CPU 102 displays a screen for selecting whether or not to form a hot stamp image on the touch panel to accept selection from the user. Such a method can be considered.

Although the description of the embodiment has been completed above, in the present invention, the specific configuration of the image forming apparatus is of course not limited to the contents of the above-described embodiment.
For example, an image forming apparatus as shown in FIG. 6 can be considered as a modification of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 6 shows a modified example of the image forming apparatus, and shows the modified part mainly for convenience of explanation.

  Here, there are various kinds of colors, patterns, etc. even if the hot stamping foil is only commercially available. Therefore, in the image forming apparatus according to the modification, a plurality of foil feed trays are provided so that the user can set various types of hot stamping foils at the same time in advance, and this is the image shown in FIG. Since it is different from the forming apparatus, this difference will be mainly described.

As shown in FIG. 6, the image forming apparatus according to the modification includes foil sheet feeding trays 160A to 160C, and hot stamp foils SA to SC having different colors and patterns are set on the foil sheet feeding trays 160A to 160C, respectively. Has been.
The CPU 102 displays image data in RGB format on the touch panel, receives a designation of a stamp image formation area from the user, and then displays a selection screen for selecting any one of the foil paper feed trays 160A to 160C on the touch panel. To do.

Then, the CPU 102 accepts selection of any one of the foil feed trays 160A to 160C from the user. Thereafter, when receiving an instruction to start image formation using the hot stamp foil from the user, the CPU 102 sequentially performs the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 and starts image formation using the hot stamp foil.
At this time, the CPU 102 rotates the foil feeding roller of the foil feeding tray that has received selection from the user. For example, when the CPU 102 has received selection of the foil feed tray 160B from the user, the foil feed roller 161B is rotated to feed the hot stamp foil SB to the foil transport path.

Then, the CPU 102 appropriately controls the rotation speeds of the transport rollers in the foil transport path and the paper transport path, superimposes the hot stamp foil SB on the paper P by the superimposing roller 142, and simultaneously heats and presses it in the fixing unit 150. The paper is discharged to a paper discharge tray 152.
The correspondence relationship between the hot stamp foils SA to SC set by the user with the foil feed trays A to C can be set in advance on the touch panel. Thus, when the CPU 102 accepts the above setting, it replaces the selection screen for selecting any one of the foil feed trays 160A to 160C with a screen for accepting selection of the hot stamp foils SA to SC. It can be displayed on the touch panel to accept selection from the user.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the modification described above, a plurality of foil sheet feeding trays are provided, and the hot stamp foil set in the foil sheet feeding tray selected by the user is fed. In the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 described above, there is one foil sheet feeding tray 140. Therefore, when an image is formed using a hot stamp foil of a different type from the hot stamp foil S, the user has to replace it. In the image forming apparatus according to the modification, the user can set various types of hot stamping foils on the market simultaneously on a plurality of foil feeding trays to perform image formation using the desired hot stamping foils. Therefore, the trouble of replacement can be saved.

  In FIG. 1, the PC 400 has been described as being connected to the communication I / F 105 of the image forming apparatus via the network, but a facsimile (FAX) apparatus may be used. For example, the CPU 102 of the image forming apparatus may preview the RGB image data received from the FAX apparatus on the touch panel and output the FAX after accepting the designation of the stamp image forming area.

  Further, the CPU 102 previews the RGB format image data received from the PC 400 on the touch panel of the operation unit 200 and accepts the stamp image forming area from the user, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a CPU (not shown) of the PC 400 executes a program related to a printer driver installed in the PC 400 to display RGB format image data on a display (not shown) of the PC 400, and an area designated by the user with a mouse or the like is displayed. You may make it accept as a stamp image formation area.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 1 described above, the hot stamp foil S and the paper P have been described on the assumption that they are the same size, but they may be different sizes. For example, if the paper is larger than the hot stamp foil, the CPU 102 calculates how many centimeters the stamp image forming area designated by the user is shifted from the front end in the paper transport direction, and the hot stamp foil is determined according to the calculated shift. It is conceivable to control the sheet feeding timing and the conveying speed so that the hot stamp foil overlaps the stamp image forming area of the sheet by the overlapping roller 142.

In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the image forming apparatus using the intermediate transfer belt 125 has been described as an example. However, a composite toner image is formed on one photosensitive drum without using the intermediate transfer belt 125. The present invention may be applied to an image forming apparatus that performs transfer.
Further, the color of the toner to be used is not limited to four colors of YMCK, and the fixing of the foil to the paper is not limited to the hot stamp method.
In addition, it goes without saying that the embodiments and modifications described above can be implemented in any combination as long as they do not contradict each other.

100: Image forming apparatus body 101: Controller 102: CPU
103: ROM 104: RAM 105: Communication I / F
106: HDD 110: Laser writing unit 120: Image forming unit 121Y to K: Image forming unit 122Y to K: Photosensitive drum 123Y to K: Developer 124Y to K: Charger 125: Intermediate transfer belt 126: Transfer unit 130: Paper feed tray 131: Paper feed rollers 140, 160A to C: Foil paper feed trays 141, 161A to C: Foil paper feed roller 142: Overlay roller 143: Foil guide plate 150: Fixing unit 151: Paper discharge roller 152: Ejection Paper tray 200: Operation unit 300: Scanner 310: Paper presser 320: Contact glass 400: Personal computer

JP-A-8-2098 JP 2011-107629 A

Claims (5)

An image forming apparatus comprising fixing means for passing a recording medium on which a toner image is formed with unfixed toner and fixing the unfixed toner on the recording medium,
Conveying means for conveying a foil that does not adhere to the storage medium and adheres to the toner;
Superimposing means for superimposing the foil on a recording medium on which a toner image of the unfixed toner is formed upstream of the fixing means;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a feeding unit that feeds the foil to the fixing unit in a state where the foil is superimposed on the recording medium by the overlapping unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The foil adheres to a specific color toner among a plurality of colors of toner,
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form the toner image with the specific color toner in a region to which the foil is adhered when forming a toner image with the toner on the recording medium. . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,
A receiving unit that receives designation of a stamp image formation region indicating a formation region of a hot stamp image formed on the recording medium by the foil from a user;
The image forming unit forms, on the recording medium, a toner image of the specific toner in an area where the foil is determined based on the stamp image forming area received by the receiving unit. An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
An image forming apparatus comprising the conveying unit for each type of the foil. An image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Comprising a receiving means for receiving an instruction from a user whether to form an image using a foil on the recording medium;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the reception unit receives an instruction not to form an image using the foil, the transfer unit does not transfer the foil.

Images