JP2764117B2 - Apparatus for removing image forming substance from image carrier - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, a printing machine, and the like, which removes an image forming substance from an image holding body on which the image forming substance is stably adhered. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for removing an image forming substance such as toner from an image supporting body made of a material which is stretched by liquid absorption such as paper. The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing an image forming substance from an image carrier, which can prevent wrinkles from occurring.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there have been known various image forming substance removing methods and apparatuses for removing an image forming substance such as toner from an image holding member as a recorded image holding member. For example, a method using a solvent is disclosed in
Japanese Patent No. 1576 discloses a method of removing an image forming substance in which an image carrier having toner adhered thereto is immersed in a soluble solvent of a toner resin, and ultrasonic vibration is applied to release the toner dissolved in the solvent from the surface of the image carrier. Have been. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
JP-A-300395 discloses a method in which a solvent is applied to a print portion of a waste image holding member by immersion, spraying, coating or the like to dissolve the toner, and the dissolved toner is washed, air suctioned, and the like.
There is disclosed a method for removing an image forming substance which is removed by a method such as contact with an adsorbent, mechanical peeling or electrostatic adsorption.

On the other hand, as a method without using a solvent, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-55195 discloses a hot-melt ink or an electrophotographic method in which a release agent is coated on a support and printed on an electrophotographic or thermal transfer system. An image-forming substance removing method in which toner is adhered to the ink peeling member by removing the ink peeling member by passing an ink peeling member between the heating roller and the pressure roller after superposing the ink peeling member on the printed body and cooling the toner. Is disclosed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-64472 discloses at least an endless sheet having a hot-melt resin on its surface, a heat roller and a cooling roller for supporting and rotating the endless sheet, and an image carrier (erasable There is disclosed an eraser comprising a pressing roller for pressing paper) against a softened or molten hot-melt resin, and a drive unit capable of moving these together. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-82983 discloses two rollers provided in parallel to rotate while being pressed against each other to pass an image holding member to a pressed position, and a heater for heating at least one of the two rollers. An image forming substance removing apparatus including a scraper for separating an image holding body that has passed through the pressure contact point from the roller, and a peeling device for removing the image forming substance attached to the roller from the roller is disclosed. I have.

By the way, the above-mentioned method and apparatus which do not use a solvent are used for removing an image forming substance from a recorded image carrier having an image recorded on a normal image carrier having an image carrier fiber exposed on the surface. When used, the image-forming substance is firmly fixed to the fibers on the surface of the image-holding body, for example, by fusing the image-forming substance mainly composed of a heat-fusible resin to the image-holding body in an electrophotographic fixing step. Therefore, when the image-forming substance is removed, the image-bearing material is peeled off together with the image-forming substance, thereby damaging the image-bearing substance. In particular, when heat or pressure is applied to the above-mentioned ink peeling member, endless sheet or roller in order to enhance the removability of the image forming substance, depending on various conditions, the image forming substance and the image carrier may be conversely reversed. In some cases, the fixability of the resin was increased, making removal difficult.

Accordingly, the applicant of the present invention has previously reported that a recorded image carrier is provided with water as a destabilizing agent, an aqueous solution containing a surfactant, an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polymer, and a mixture of a surfactant and a water-soluble polymer. Holding at least one kind of water or an aqueous solution selected from the group consisting of aqueous solutions containing, and interposing a peeling member, and peeling the image forming substance from the image holding member by heat bonding or pressure bonding to the peeling member. A method for removing an image forming substance has been proposed (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 4-255).
No. 916). According to this, only the image forming substance can be removed without relatively damaging the image holding material of the image holding member.

[0007]

However, according to the apparatus configuration for implementing the method for removing an image forming substance from an image carrier proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 4-255916, the image forming substance is removed. It was confirmed that a wrinkle extending in the transport direction might occur on the image carrier. After intensive research into the cause, it was found that the wrinkles were caused by the wavy deformation of the image carrier that absorbed the predetermined liquid. For example, in the example of FIG. 6A, the transfer paper 10 as the image holding member is partially regulated by the regulating roller 3 for regulating the movement of the image holding member in the vertical direction and the aqueous solution of the surfactant in the liquid container 1. Application roller 2 that rotates while submerging
The liquid is being supplied by the application roller 2 when the liquid passes between the two. A wavy deformation is generated in the image holding portion (the portion indicated by reference numeral A in the drawing) that has absorbed the supplied liquid. It has been found that in such a state where the wavy deformation is caused by the liquid absorption, the wrinkle occurs when the paper passes through a pair of transport rollers as a nipping transport device for transporting the image carrier. The arrow indicated by the symbol B in the figure indicates the paper making direction of the transfer image holding member 10. This figure 6
As shown in (b), when the transfer paper 10 is transported in the papermaking direction (the direction of the paper fibers), the wrinkles are more likely to occur.
Such wave shape causes deformation of is considered to be a stress that occurs at the boundary C ₁ between it and parts as yet supply fluid that is not part Nobiyo by liquid absorption.

In the case where an immersion type liquid supply unit is used instead of the liquid application roller 2 and the regulating roller 3 to transport the transfer paper 10 so as to pass through the liquid in the liquid container and supply the liquid. According to the specific configuration, it was also found that the rippled deformation of the transfer paper from which the liquid applying unit was removed can be reduced.

Such a wrinkle of the transfer paper 10 is not limited to the apparatus for implementing the method for removing the image forming substance from the image carrier proposed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application No. 4-255916. It may also occur in an image forming substance removing apparatus using the above-mentioned solvent to be applied to the paper 10.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to remove an image forming substance such as toner from an image carrier made of a material which causes elongation due to liquid absorption such as paper. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for removing an image forming substance from an image carrier, which can reduce the occurrence of wrinkles on the image carrier.

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

[0019]

[MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS] To achieve the above object
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid applying means for applying a liquid to an image holding member made of a material which is stretched by liquid absorption to which an image forming substance is stably attached, and the liquid is applied by the liquid applying means. In an apparatus for removing an image-forming substance from an image carrier having a clamping and conveying means for clamping and transporting the image carrier, the liquid applying means is configured so that the image carrier passes through the liquid along a predetermined path. In addition, the configuration is such that the passage time of each part of the image holding member in the liquid is equal to or longer than the saturation time of the elongation of the image holding member due to the liquid absorption in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

[0020]

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid applying means for applying a liquid to an image holding member made of a material which is stretched by liquid absorption to which a forming substance stably adheres, and the liquid is applied by the liquid applying means. An apparatus for removing an image forming substance from an image holding member having a holding and conveying means for holding and conveying the image holding member, wherein the liquid applying means is arranged so that the image holding member moves along a predetermined path in the liquid in the liquid container. And a liquid flow in the liquid container in the image carrier transport direction.

[0022]

[0023]

[0024]

According to the study of the present inventor, according to the application of the liquid by the liquid applying means, the elongation of the image holder in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction due to the absorption of the liquid proceeds sufficiently, and the immersion in the liquid is continued until it is completed. It was found that the wavy deformation was eliminated. Therefore,
In the apparatus for removing an image formed matter from the image carrier of the present invention,
In the liquid applying means, the image carrier is conveyed so that the elongation of the image carrier due to liquid absorption proceeds sufficiently and ends. With this transport,
It is possible to avoid the occurrence of wavy deformation caused by the elongation due to the liquid absorption on the image holding member downstream of the liquid application unit in the transport direction from the liquid application unit.

[0025]

According to the study of the present inventor, the wavy deformation caused by the liquid absorption of the image carrier by the application of the liquid by the liquid application means causes the liquid flow in the liquid in the transport direction of the image carrier. It was found that it was alleviated by raising. Therefore, in the apparatus for removing an image formed matter from an image holding member according to the present invention, a liquid flows in the liquid in the liquid applying means in the transport direction of the image holding member. By this liquid flow, the wavy deformation of the image holding member is positively eliminated in the liquid applying means, and the image holding member is also used as an auxiliary driving force.

[0027]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described by using a transfer type electrophotographic copying machine as an image carrier to transfer a hydrophobic and thermo-flexible electrophotographic image forming material from a transfer image carrier as an image carrier. An embodiment applied to an apparatus for removing an image forming substance from an image carrier (hereinafter, referred to as a toner removing apparatus) for removing toner (hereinafter, referred to as toner) will be described.

First, an outline of an example of a toner removing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied will be described. In FIG. 1, the toner removing device includes a paper supply unit (not shown) that separates and feeds the transfer paper 10 on which a toner image is formed one by one, and a liquid that is supplied to the transfer paper 10 sent from the paper supply unit. Supply unit 20 for supplying liquid and transfer paper 10 to which liquid has been supplied.
Peeling unit 50 as an image forming substance peeling means for peeling toner from the toner, and transfer paper 10 from which toner has been removed
A drying unit (not shown) for drying the paper, an image carrier receiving unit for receiving the transfer paper 10 discharged from the drying unit, and the like are provided.

The liquid supply unit 20 supplies the transfer paper 10 with a liquid such as water or an aqueous solution containing a surfactant in order to improve the permeability of the transfer paper 10. In the illustrated example, the pumping roller 21 is provided so as to be partially submerged in the liquid in the liquid container, and pumps up the liquid by rotation.
And a coating roller 2 that carries the liquid from the pumping roller 21 and applies the liquid to the lower surface side of the transfer paper 10 which is the toner image surface.
2 and a guide plate 23 for separating and guiding the transfer paper 10 from the application roller 22. An annular concave portion 22 a is formed on the peripheral surface of the application roller 22.
The guide plate 23 is arranged so that the leading end enters into a. As the pumping roller 21 and the application roller 22, a material having a liquid retaining property, for example, a roller made of a hydrophilic porous material or sponge, or a roller made of an elastic material such as rubber or a rigid material such as metal is used. Can be.

The toner peeling unit 50 includes a lamp 5
1a, 52a are composed of roller pairs 51, 52 built in,
The toner image surface of the transfer paper 10 is brought into close contact with the offset belt 44, and the toner adhered to the transfer paper 10 is heated and softened. The rollers 51 and 52 are disposed in pressure contact with each other, and at least the surface of the roller 51 on the side of the transfer paper 10 facing the toner image surface has an adhesive force between the softened toner and the surface of the transfer paper 10. It is formed of a material having a larger adhesive force. For example, the roller itself is formed of a metal material such as an aluminum-based, copper-based, or nickel-based, or a surface layer formed of a polymer-based material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in which titanium oxide is dispersed.

The toner removing device according to the present embodiment includes:
The liquid is supplied by the liquid supply unit 20 and the transfer paper 1
6 is provided with a transport unit 30 for transporting the toner image to the toner peeling unit 50 while reducing the wavy deformation generated as shown in FIG. 6B. The transport unit 30 is constituted by a belt transport device having a pair of support rollers 31 and 32 and a belt 33 stretched between the two support rollers 31 and 32. This belt 33
An annular concave portion 33a is formed in the peripheral surface portion so as to make one round, and the rear end of the guide plate 23 enters the annular concave portion 33a around the support roller 31 on the upstream side in the transport direction. Further, a guide plate 34 for guiding the transfer paper 10 to the peeling unit 50 is disposed such that the leading end enters the annular concave portion 33a around the support roller 32 on the downstream side in the transport direction. Instead of a single flat belt 33 as shown in the figure, a plurality of belts divided at portions facing the guides 23 and 34 may be wound around support rollers 31 and 32 to convey the transfer paper 10. good.

Further, a brush member 40 is provided as a waving correcting means for rubbing the transfer paper 10 being carried on the belt 33 of the carrying belt device 30 in a direction 40a perpendicular to the belt carrying direction. This brush member 40
The reciprocation in the direction 40a is performed by a moving device (not shown). It is desirable that the bristle feet of the brush member 40 have a softness comparable to a brush.

In the above configuration, the transfer paper 10 sent from the paper supply unit is supplied uniformly to the toner image surface by the liquid supply unit 20. At this time, if the papermaking direction of the transfer paper 10 matches the transport direction, a wavy deformation as shown in FIG. 6B occurs. The transfer paper 10 having the wavy deformation is guided while being supported by the guide plate 33 on the lower surface, and is sent onto the belt 33 of the transport unit 30. During the period guided by the guide plate 33 and while the sheet is conveyed on the belt 33, the liquid continues to permeate into the respective portions in the transfer paper 10, and the above-described deformation is reduced. In addition, belt 3
The transfer paper 10 on 3 is rubbed by the brush member 40 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, whereby the wavy deformation is positively corrected. As a result, the sheet is separated from the belt 33 by the guide plate 34 in a state where the wavy deformation is almost eliminated, and is sent to the toner peeling unit 50. In the toner peeling unit 50, the toner fixed to the transfer paper 10 is softened by heating from the lamps 51a and 52a in the heating rollers 51 and 52, and is adhered to the surface of the lower roller 51 under a pressing force. . When the transfer paper 10 is separated from the lower roller 51 by a separation claw or the like (not shown), the toner attached to the surface of the lower roller 51 is peeled off from the transfer paper 10 and the toner is removed from the transfer paper 10. . The transfer paper 10 from which the toner has been removed is dried by the drying unit and discharged to the image carrier receiving unit.

As shown in FIG. 2, the brush member 40 in the embodiment of FIG. 1 has the longest bristle at the center in the direction perpendicular to the transfer direction of the transfer paper 10 (the direction of the arrow 40a). May be used in which a brush is formed such that the fur becomes shorter as the brush gets closer. Further, a mechanism for vertically moving the brush member 40 is provided as shown by an arrow 40b in FIG. 2, and the brush member 40 is lowered to the rubbing position only when the transfer paper 10 is opposed to perform the rubbing operation as shown by an arrow 40a. You may make it perform.

Instead of moving the brush member 40 for rubbing the transfer sheet as in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the brush member 40 itself is kept stationary and the belt 3 is moved.
The movement of the transfer paper 10 by 3 may rub against the brush member 40. In this case, transfer paper 1
For example, FIG. 3A shows that the wavy deformation of 0 can be eliminated.
As shown in (c), a brush 40 is provided so that the transfer paper 10 can be rubbed so as to spread to both outer sides in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction.
It is desirable to form c. 3A is a plan view of the brush member 40, FIG. 3B is a rear view of the brush member 40, and FIG. 3C is a front view of the brush member 40.

As shown in FIG. 4, a rotating brush roller 41 as shown in FIG. 4 may be used as a brush member for positively eliminating the wavy deformation of the transfer paper 10 on the belt 33. Here, in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, a flat plate 42 is provided as a backup member at a position facing the rotating brush roller 41 with the belt 33 interposed therebetween. Such a backup member is effective not only when the rotary brush roller 41 is used but also when the brush member 40 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is used. In the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the toner peeling unit 50 includes a plurality of belt support rollers (hereinafter, referred to as support rollers) 53, 54, 55, and 56.
A peeling belt 57 made of the same material as the lower roller 51 in the apparatus of FIG.
Upper and lower heating rollers 5 with built-in heating lamps 52a and 53a provided so as to be pressed against each other with the belt 57 interposed therebetween.
2 and 53. The diameter of the downstream support roller 32 for supporting the belt of the transport unit is set to such a degree that the transfer paper 10 can be separated from the belt 33 by a curvature, for example, about 10 mm. According to this, the transfer paper 1 is transferred from the belt 33 using the guide plate 34 as in the apparatus shown in FIG.
Unlike the device for separating and guiding the transfer paper 10, the transfer paper 10 whose curvature is separated from the belt 33 is directly transferred to the toner removing unit
The transfer sheet 10 in which the wavy deformation is eliminated on the belt 33 is guided by the guide plate 3.
Deformation again can be prevented by partial support from below by 4.

As described above, instead of using the brush members 40 and 41 to correct the wavy deformation of the transfer paper 10 on the belt 33, a scraper made of rubber or the like, for example, may be used. . In this case, the scraper is, for example, opposed to the surface of the belt 33 in a posture perpendicular to the surface of the belt 33, and the shape of the lower end portion is formed so that the transfer paper 10 can be spread outward on both sides in a direction perpendicular to the transfer paper transport direction. For example,
In the case of a flat scraper, the lower end is formed in a V-shape with the central portion in the longitudinal direction most protruding. A scraper having a V-shaped cross section instead of a flat scraper may be arranged such that the bent apex is located on the upstream side in the transfer paper transport direction in the same manner as the brush part 40c of the brush member 40 in FIG. good.

Further, instead of using another member such as the brush members 40 and 41 and a scraper to correct the wavy deformation of the transfer paper 10 on the belt 33, the belt is conveyed as shown in FIG. The device itself may have a deformation correcting function. As shown in FIG. 5B, for example, as shown in FIG. 5B, the belt conveying device shown in FIG. 5A has a belt support roller 31 on the upstream side in the conveying direction. The annular concave portion 31a that enters is formed corresponding to the plurality of belts 35 made of an elastic body such as rubber. In the support roller 32 on the downstream side in the transport direction, a plurality of recesses for positioning a plurality of belts are formed such that the interval between at least a pair of adjacent belts increases toward the downstream side in the transport direction. Since the distance between the pair of adjacent belts increases toward the downstream side in the transport direction, the force between the pair of adjacent belts spreads in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction for 10 copies of the transfer paper supported and receiving the transport force. Receive. As a result, the wavy deformation generated between the transfer paper portions is corrected.

In the example shown in FIG. 5 (a), the belts on both sides of the seven belts 35 whose central direction and the running direction coincide with the conveying direction are the same as the conveying direction of the central belt. The belt is wrapped so that the distance from the central belt is increased toward the downstream side, and the two belts on the left and right outside the adjacent belts are further spaced apart from the adjacent belts toward the downstream in the transport direction. Is hung to spread. For this reason, as indicated by the arrow in the figure, the transport force component outside in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction becomes larger outward at various points in the width direction of the transfer paper 10, and the transport force component becomes larger throughout the width direction of the transfer paper 10. The transfer paper 10 can be provided with a force that expands the transfer paper 10. As described above, instead of expanding the transfer paper 10 to the outside in the width direction by setting the traveling direction of the plurality of belts 35, the traveling speed is increased as the plurality of belts 35 become more outward in the support roller axial direction. The paper 10 may be spread outward in the width direction. For this purpose, for example, drum-shaped support rollers 31 and 32 having a smaller diameter toward the center in the width direction are used.

Here, the structure of the belt device of FIG. 5A can be used only as a wavy correcting means, paying attention only to its wavy correcting function. That is, instead of the brush member 40 in the apparatus of FIG. 1, the belt device of FIG. 5A may be arranged so as to be in contact with the upper surface side of the transfer paper 10.

In the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a toner peeling unit, which is the first clamping / transporting means, is located at a position downstream of the liquid absorbing portion of the liquid supply unit 20 in the transfer paper transport direction from the liquid absorbing portion. 50 pressing portions (both rollers 5 in FIG. 1)
The distance between the nips 1 and 51 and the nip between the rollers 52 and 53 in FIG.
Is set to be longer than the length in the transport direction. In particular, in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the length of the belt 33 of the transport unit is set to be longer than the length of the transfer paper 10 in the transport direction. Moreover, between the liquid supply unit 20 and the toner peeling unit 50, only the transport unit 30 that transports the transfer paper 10 while supporting the transfer paper 10 from below only applies a transfer force to the transfer paper 10. For this reason, unlike the case where the transfer paper 10 to which the liquid is supplied by the liquid supply unit 20 is arranged at a distance smaller than the length of the transfer paper in the transport direction, a pair of nipping and transporting means is provided. Inevitably occurring linear velocity difference (because an error always occurs between the linear velocity setting and the actual linear velocity, for example, even if the set linear velocity is the same between the two conveying means, this linear velocity difference ) And the variation of the clamping force in the width direction of the transfer sheet, it is possible to prevent the transfer sheet from undergoing, for example, a wavy deformation in an oblique direction, and to prevent the deformation from wrinkling when passing through the holding portion of the downstream holding and conveying means. .

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 7, the toner removing device is a transfer paper 1 on which a toner image is formed, as in FIG.
Paper supply unit (not shown) for separating and supplying paper sheets 0 separately from each other, and the transfer paper 10 sent from this paper supply unit.
A liquid supply unit 20 for supplying a liquid, a transport unit 30 for transporting the transfer paper 10 supplied with the liquid to a unit for peeling the toner, and a toner as an image forming material peeling means for peeling the toner. It includes a peeling unit 50, a drying unit (not shown) for drying the transfer paper 10 from which the toner has been removed, an image holder receiving unit (not shown) for receiving the transfer paper 10 discharged from the drying unit, and the like. ing. The paper supply unit, the drying unit, and the image carrier receiving unit, which are not shown, are the same as those in the above-described example of FIG.
And the liquid supply unit 20 will be described.

The toner peeling unit 50 includes two rollers (not shown) and a heat roller opposed to the transfer paper transport path.
A toner offset belt 77 as a belt-like peeling member wrapped around a heating block 76 with a built-in heater, and a heating lamp with a built-in heating lamp provided to press the offset block 77 against the heating block. LA 75 is provided. Further, an upper roller 73 and a lower roller 74 which are in pressure contact with each other are provided upstream of the toner peeling unit 50 in the transfer paper transport direction. The pair of aperture rollers 73 and 74
After the excess liquid is squeezed out while the transfer paper 10 is pinched and conveyed, the paper is conveyed to the toner-peeling unit 50, so that the transfer paper passes through the toner-peeling unit 50 in a sufficiently wet state. , To increase the heating efficiency.

The transport unit 30 has two support rollers 31, 3 like the transport unit 30 in FIG.
2. It is provided with a transport belt 33 and guide plates 23 and 34 for transporting the transfer paper 10 that has absorbed the destabilizing liquid while supporting it. However, the transport unit 30 in FIG. 7 does not have a structure for correcting the wavy deformation of the transfer paper 10 described above. Here, a tray 78 was provided below the device from the transport unit to the above-mentioned pair of aperture rollers. This is for receiving and discharging the liquid dripping from the transfer paper 10 absorbed by the liquid supply unit.

The liquid supply unit 20 includes a destabilizing liquid 69
Is supplied to the transfer paper 10. The liquid supply unit 20 includes an in-liquid transport unit 60 for transporting the transfer paper 10 and a liquid supply device (not shown) for storing the destabilizing liquid 69.

The in-liquid transport unit 60 is configured to transport the transfer paper while supporting the transfer paper from entry into the liquid to exit from the liquid in order to minimize an external force which hinders expansion of the transfer paper due to liquid absorption. I have. For this reason, the first-stage transport belt 65 for transporting the liquid to enter the liquid and the second-stage transport belt 6 for transporting the liquid to escape from the liquid
6. Here, the transport belts 65, 66
Is made of a material through which the liquid can freely permeate and drop. The first-stage transport belt 65 (consisting of three belts in the example of FIG. 8)
An inlet roller (first-stage lower roller) 64 provided at the upstream end of the liquid container 70 in the paper transport direction so that the top is exposed above the liquid surface, and is provided such that the top is submerged in the liquid. And a relatively small diameter intermediate roller 67. 2
The stage transport belt 66 (which is composed of two belts in the example of FIG. 8) is provided at the downstream end of the intermediate roller 67 and the liquid container in the paper transport direction such that the top portion substantially coincides with the liquid level. And a second exit roller (second-stage roller) 68. In the example of FIG. 8, the height is set to be higher in the order of the top of the entrance roller 64, the top of the exit roller 68, and the top of the intermediate roller 67. This secures a certain paper entry angle (angle of inclination with respect to the liquid surface) in order to smoothly enter the paper into the liquid, suppresses the change in the paper traveling direction in the liquid as much as possible, This is to ensure a submerged transport path of a desired length. Further, the intermediate roller 67 is connected to the first-stage transport belt 65 and the second-stage transport belt 6.
The reason why the image carrier is also used as 6 is to prevent a discontinuous portion from being provided in the submerged transport belt system and to prevent the image carrier from being jammed during the transport in the liquid.

Here, the insertion into the submerged transfer unit 60 is carried out by clamping and transporting a pair of rollers. The first-stage lower roller 64 is in pressure contact with the first-stage upper roller 63 via the first-stage transport belt 65, and transfers the transfer paper 10 sent from the paper feed guide plate 61 to the two rollers. The liquid is supplied to the liquid supply unit 20 while being sandwiched between the rollers 64 and 63 on the belt. Also, before the first transfer belt 65 rises above the liquid level and puts the next transfer paper 10 on, the belt surface wiping member 62 made of an elastic plate material such as rubber is used.
It is provided so as to be in contact with the roller 63 above the step. As a result, the liquid film on the surface of the upper roller 63 is wiped off to prevent the liquid film from causing a curl.

In the above configuration of the submerged transfer unit 60 of this embodiment, depending on the setting of the immersion length L in FIG. 7, the transfer paper 10 tends to expand due to the liquid absorption described in the above operation. The stress generated at the boundary between the portion where the liquid is supplied and the portion where the liquid has not been supplied yet may be applied, and the generated wavy deformation portion Ls may be exposed from the liquid surface, and the wrinkle may remain on the transfer paper 10 at this exposed stage. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the immersion length L in FIG. 7 is changed to the deformed portion L so that the wavy deformed portion where the stress is generated is not exposed from the liquid surface.
three rollers 64, 67, 68 so as to take longer than s.
Is set by the interval of Further, if the liquid surface entry point and the liquid exit point do not exist at the same time in the same transfer paper, the above-mentioned stress and the generated wavy deformation portion will not be exposed from the liquid surface. Paper 10
May be set to be longer than the length in the transport direction.

Further, for example, when the transfer paper is passed through the transport path in the liquid at a constant transport speed without being temporarily stopped halfway, depending on the setting of the transport speed, the elongation of the transfer paper due to the liquid absorption may be insufficient. There is a possibility that the liquid may fall off the liquid surface without progressing, and may be further deformed by ripples downstream in the transport direction. Therefore, the time during which each part of the transfer paper passes through the liquid (hereinafter, the liquid time) is longer than the time required for the elongation of the transfer paper in the liquid to be completed (hereinafter, elongation saturation time). The transfer in the liquid is set so as to be as follows. In particular,
The immersion length L and the transport speed V are set so that the time L / V, which is obtained by dividing the immersion length L by the transport speed V as the above-mentioned in-liquid time, is equal to or longer than the elongation saturation time.

The transfer means in the liquid is configured such that the transfer paper is conveyed while being supported by a conveying belt so that the elongation of the transfer paper due to the liquid absorption becomes free as compared with the nipping conveyance. As a transporting method, for example, both sides of the leading end of the transfer paper may be clamped by a pair of clampers and transported. Also in this case, the transfer paper can be stretched, for example, in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the transfer paper only sags while being clamped by the clamper, and no waving occurs. Also, the immersion length L and the transport speed V can be set by the operation path of the clamper so as to prevent the transfer paper from waving.

Next, the liquid supply device includes a refillable liquid bottle (not shown) that can be freely replaced, a tank (not shown) for supplying the destabilizing liquid from the replenisher liquid bottle, and a drawing (not shown) built in the tank. Supply pump, an unillustrated supply pipe for sending the destabilizing liquid from the supply pump to the liquid container 70, and an illustration for discharging the destabilizing liquid from the liquid container 70 to the tank are omitted. It is composed of a drain pipe and the like.

In the liquid supply apparatus of this embodiment, the shape of the liquid container 70 is made lower at the downstream end in the transfer paper transport direction, so that the destabilizing liquid in the container is turned off downstream in the transfer paper transport direction. The liquid is discharged from the liquid discharging section 72 to the drain pipe together with the liquid stored in the tray 78.
As a result, a liquid flow is generated in the container in the transport direction, and the transfer paper is prevented from being bent or crimped in the liquid, and
It also serves as an auxiliary driving force for the transfer paper.

[0053]

[0054]

[0055]

[0056]

[0057]

[0058]

[0059]

[0060]

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, since the elongation perpendicular to the conveying direction of the liquid absorption of the image carrier sufficiently proceeds in the liquid application means is immersed in the liquid until the end of the conveying direction downstream of the In the conveyance, it is possible to avoid generation of a wavy deformation due to the elongation of the image holding member. Therefore, there is an effect that the generation of wrinkles caused by the continuous deformation of the image holding body in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction due to the liquid absorption downstream of the liquid applying means in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction can be reduced.

[0061]

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the liquid flows in the liquid container of the liquid applying means in the direction in which the image carrier is transported, it is useful for the smooth transport of the image carrier and breakage in the liquid. It is possible to provide an auxiliary conveying force and prevent the image carrier from being wavy deformed positively.

[0063]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a toner removing device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a modified example of a brush member of the toner removing device.

FIGS. 3A to 3C are explanatory views of another modified example of the brush member.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of still another modified example of the brush member.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a modified example of the transport unit 30 of the toner removing device.

6 (a), (b) and (c) are explanatory diagrams of problems to be solved by the present invention.

FIG. 7A is a plan view of the toner removing device according to the embodiment. (B) is a schematic block diagram of the toner removing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Transfer paper 20 Liquid supply unit 30 Transport unit 31 Support roller 32 Support roller 33 Belt 40 Brush member 50 Toner peeling unit 60 In-liquid transport unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Toru Maruyama 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-7-129047 (JP, A) JP-A-Hei 7-287488 (JP, A) JP-A-4-300395 (JP, A) JP-A-4-82983 (JP, A) JP-A-57-184837 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B65H 9/00-9/20 B65H 13/00 B65H 15/00-15/02 B65H 23/00-23/16 B65H 23/24-23/34 B65H 27/00 G03G 21 / 00 570

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A liquid applying means for applying a liquid to an image holding member made of a material which elongates due to a liquid absorption to which an image forming substance is stably attached; and an image holding member to which the liquid is applied by the liquid applying means. An apparatus for removing an image forming substance from an image carrier having a clamping and conveying means for clamping and conveying, wherein the liquid applying means is configured so that the image carrier passes through a liquid along a predetermined path, and An image-forming substance from the image carrier, wherein the passage time in the liquid of each part of the carrier is equal to or longer than the saturation time of the elongation of the image carrier due to liquid absorption in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. Removal device. 2. A liquid applying means for applying a liquid to an image holding member made of a material which elongates due to a liquid absorption to which an image forming substance stably adheres, and an image holding member to which the liquid is applied by the liquid applying means. In an apparatus for removing an image forming substance from an image carrier having clamping and conveying means for clamping and conveying, the liquid applying means is configured so that the image carrier passes through the liquid in the liquid container along a predetermined path. An apparatus for removing an image-forming substance from an image carrier, wherein a liquid flows in the liquid container in the image carrier transport direction.