JP3173346B2 - Image transfer device with air discharge pipe and image transfer method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image transfer apparatus with an air discharge pipe and an image transfer method which are excellent in workability.
More specifically, an image receptor mounted on a tray that can be freely tilted toward the impression cylinder side or transfer cylinder side on which the image receptor or the image forming material is placed is easily and accurately placed on the image receiving side. The present invention relates to an image transfer device and an image transfer method that can be held by a body clamp.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, an image-forming material having a photosensitive layer coated on one side of a support is image-exposed, and then the image formed on the photosensitive layer is heated, generally at about 100.degree. Monochromatic or multicolor prepress proofs suitable for proof printing or the like transferred to an image receptor such as paper have been produced. The image forming material includes a support, a photosensitive layer formed on one surface of the support, and a protective film. As the support and the protective film, a thin film or sheet made of a material such as cellulose acetate, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, or polyethylene terephthalate is used. As the image receiver, a printing material selected as appropriate, such as paper or film, is employed.

As an apparatus for producing the above-mentioned prepress proof or the like, an impression cylinder having an image forming material attached thereto and a transfer cylinder having an image receptor attached thereto are arranged such that a photosensitive layer of the image forming material and the image receptor are opposed to each other. In general, an apparatus has been proposed in which an image formed on a photosensitive layer is transferred to an image receptor in a nip between the two cylinders by contacting and pressing the cylinders. To produce a multicolor print or prepress proof, a color original is color-separated to produce image-exposed image forming materials of each color, for example, yellow, magenta, cyan and black, and then these image forming materials are sequentially formed. The image formed on the photosensitive layer of the material will be transferred to the image receptor.

For this reason, when preparing a multicolor prepress proof or the like, several image forming materials are used for the same image receptor. For this reason, in order to facilitate attachment and detachment operations of the image receptor and the image forming material,
The applicant of the present invention has proposed an image transfer apparatus provided with an image receiver or a tray for mounting image forming material that can be freely tilted on the impression cylinder side or the transfer cylinder side (Japanese Patent Application Nos. Hei 3-206516 and Hei 3-206). 206517). As a result of further study, when the image receptor such as paper was gripped by the clamp provided in the notch of the transfer cylinder, the tip of the image receptor was curled by heat and hot air generated from the transfer cylinder. It has been found that it is difficult to reliably and stably feed the image receptor into the clamp, and to hold it by the clamp. This curl is more intense as the image receptor such as paper is thinner.
For this reason, the mounting failure of the image receptor to the clamp is apt to occur, which makes handling difficult.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to easily and reliably mount an image receptor on a transfer cylinder.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image transfer apparatus and an image transfer method capable of promptly and smoothly performing a transfer operation.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an impression cylinder having an image forming material attached thereto and a transfer cylinder having an image receptor attached thereto, and the image forming material and image receptor are rotated by rotating the impression cylinder and the transfer cylinder. For transferring an image formed on the photosensitive layer of the forming material to an image receiving member by introducing the toner into a nip between the impression cylinder and the transfer cylinder, the apparatus comprising: A tray having a tip that can be inclined and approached to the impression cylinder side or the transfer cylinder side with the fulcrum as the center, and the image receiving device attaching device has a cutout provided on a part of the transfer cylinder surface;
An air discharge pipe that includes an image receptor gripping side clamp and a gripping tail side clamp provided in the cutout portion, and discharges air toward the transfer cylinder side near an intermediate position between the gripping side clamp and the transfer cylinder side tip of the tray; An image transfer device with an air discharge pipe is provided. Further, the present invention includes an impression cylinder having an image forming material attached thereto and a transfer cylinder having an image receptor attached thereto, and the image forming material and the image receptor are moved between the impression cylinder and the transfer cylinder by rotating the impression cylinder and the transfer cylinder. Transferring an image formed on the photosensitive layer of the forming material to an image receiver by introducing the image formed on the photosensitive layer of the forming material into a nip between the image forming drum and the transfer cylinder. The image receptor is placed on a tray whose section can be inclined and approached to the impression cylinder side or the transfer cylinder side, and the tray is inclined and approached to the transfer cylinder side to move the image receptor in the direction of the clamp on the grip side of the image receptor. When the image receiver is fed between the opened clamps, air is discharged toward the transfer cylinder side from an air discharge pipe provided above the intermediate position between the grip on the clamp side and the tip of the transfer cylinder side of the tray. Then clamp the image receptor To provide an image transfer method which is characterized in that.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 3 are partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional views showing attachment positions of an air discharge pipe showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of an image transfer device suitable for use in the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a trouble that occurs when the air discharge pipe is not installed.

Hereinafter, the configuration of an image transfer apparatus suitable for use in the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. A partially cut-out portion 2 provided on the surface of the transfer cylinder 1 includes a claw 3 and a claw seat 4, a holding clamp serving as an upper side attachment means of an image receptor opened and closed by a shaft 7, a claw 5, and a claw A lower end side clamp, which is a lower side attaching means of an image receptor, which is constituted by a seat 6 and is opened and closed by a shaft 8, is provided. An ironing roll 9 and a holding bar 10 that are movable in the radial direction of the transfer cylinder 1 are provided above the transfer cylinder 1. Claw seat 4
Alternatively, an inclined portion may be provided near the partially cutout portion 2 on the surface of the transfer cylinder 1, and the claw seat 4 may be provided in the inclined portion. A cutout 12 is provided in the surface of the impression cylinder 11, and a blanket 13 wound around the surface of the impression cylinder 11 is fixed by a member 14 in the cutout. An inclined portion 15 is provided between the partially notched portion 12 and the impression cylinder surface (circumferential surface), and a pin bar 16 is provided. An adhesive tape 17 is provided on the surface of the impression cylinder near the inclined portion 15 where the pin bar 16 is installed on the surface of the impression cylinder and near the other inclined portion of the partially cutout portion. An ironing roll 18 movable in the radial direction of the impression cylinder is installed near the impression cylinder surface. Above an intermediate portion between the transfer cylinder 1 and the impression cylinder 11, a tray 20 that is rotatable around a shaft 19 is provided.

After the image receptor is placed on the tray 20, the tray 20 is tilted toward the transfer cylinder 1, and the image receptor is gripped by the holding clamp which is moved to the vicinity of the tip of the tray. The transfer cylinder 1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in the drawing, and the image receptor is gripped by the clamp on the rear side. The image receptor is pressed against the surface of the transfer cylinder by the ironing roll 9 during rotation so that the image receptor is brought into close contact with the surface of the transfer cylinder. Next, the image forming material is placed on the tray 19, the tray 19 is inclined toward the impression cylinder, and a hole provided on the upper side of the image forming material is fed into the pin bar. The holes provided in the image forming material are provided so as to correspond to the pin bars. Next, the impression cylinder is rotated in the direction of the arrow in the figure, and the upper side and the lower side of the image forming material are fixed to the surface of the impression cylinder with the adhesive tape 17. The image forming material is brought into close contact with the surface of the impression cylinder by the ironing roll 18 during rotation. The protective film provided on the image forming material,
It is preferable that the film be peeled off after the attachment to the impression cylinder. After the attachment of the image receiving material and the image forming material is completed, the transfer cylinder and the impression cylinder are rotated in the direction of the arrow, and the image formed on the photosensitive layer of the image forming material is pressure-transferred to the image receiving material. In a multicolor image, the operation of attaching the image forming material to the impression cylinder is repeated.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a trouble that occurs when the image receiver is attached. The image receptor 23 is slid down from the tray 20 inclined toward the transfer cylinder 1, and is gripped by the claw 3 and the claw seat 4. At this time, since the transfer cylinder surface is heated to about 100 ° C., the image receptor curls. For this reason, it is difficult to reliably feed the image receptor into the clamp, and there has been a problem that mounting failure is likely to occur. Poor mounting of the image receptor prevents uniform adhesion of the image receptor to the surface of the transfer drum and causes wrinkles. The present invention solves the above problem.

FIGS. 1 to 3 are explanatory views showing an image transfer apparatus and a transfer method of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows an air discharge pipe 22.
Is attached to the inside of the upper part of the exterior cover 21.
FIG. 2 shows a case where the air discharge pipe 22 is attached to a lower outside of the outer cover 21. FIG. 3 shows a case where the air discharge pipe 22 is provided above the tip of the tray 20 on the transfer drum side. The air discharge pipe is installed such that the pipe length direction is the transfer cylinder axis direction. The air discharge pipe is provided with at least two air discharge holes, and blows air to the surface of the image receptor. The direction of ejection is perpendicular to the surface of the image receptor or oblique toward the grip on the grip. In any case, by discharging air from the air discharge pipe toward the image receptor, curling due to heat generated in the image receptor can be suppressed. Further, hot air generated from the transfer cylinder can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent improper attachment of the image receptor to the clamp on the grip side. Also, handling of the image receptor can be facilitated. The outer cover is useful in preventing heat and hot air generated from the transfer cylinder from being transmitted to an operator, and ensuring work safety. The outer cover is installed so as to be removable. In the case of an air discharge pipe installed above the tray, it is installed so as to be movable in the radial direction of the transfer cylinder. In this case, an air discharge pipe may be provided at the transfer drum side end of the tray so as to provide a gap between the tray and the surface of the tray so as not to hinder the movement of the image receptor. The air discharge pipe provided in the present invention is also useful when removing the image receptor from the transfer cylinder. When the image receptor is removed, the image receptor may wind around the ironing roll due to static electricity generated in the ironing roll. In such a case, by discharging the air from the air discharge pipe, it is possible to prevent the image receptor from winding around the ironing roll.

[0012]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image transfer apparatus and an image transfer method which can easily attach and detach an image receptor and an image forming material, and can carry out the above operations reliably and quickly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of an image transfer device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the image transfer device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the image transfer device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional image transfer device.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional image transfer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 transfer cylinder 3 gripper on side 4 gripper side of gripper 9 ironing roll 11 impression cylinder 20 tray 22 air discharge tube 23 image receptor

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-6-206306 (JP, A) JP-A-5-24356 (JP, A) JP-A 7-132673 (JP, A) 153123 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 63-44144 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 63-182127 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Utility Model 53-158303 (JP, U) Japanese Patent Publication No. 44-2176 (JP, B1) (58) Investigated field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41F 21/04-21/05 B41F 13/08-13/18 B41F 16/00 B41L 13/14

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an impression cylinder having an image forming material attached thereto; and a transfer cylinder having an image receptor attached thereto. The image forming material and the image receiving member are moved between the impression cylinder and the transfer cylinder by rotating the impression cylinder and the transfer cylinder. An image transfer device for transferring an image formed on the photosensitive layer of the forming material to an image receiver by introducing the image formed on the photosensitive layer of the forming material into an intermediate nip. Has a tray that can be inclined and approached to the impression cylinder side or the transfer cylinder side, and a device for attaching an image receptor has a notch provided in a part of the surface of the transfer cylinder, and an image receptor grip provided in the notch. An air discharge pipe provided with a side clamp and a grip end side clamp, and an air discharge pipe for discharging air to the transfer cylinder side near the intermediate position between the grip clamp and the transfer drum side tip of the tray. With image transfer device. 2. An image forming apparatus comprising: an impression cylinder having an image forming material attached thereto; and a transfer cylinder having an image receiving member attached thereto. The image forming material and the image receiving member are moved between the impression cylinder and the transfer cylinder by rotating the impression cylinder and the transfer cylinder. A method of transferring an image formed on the photosensitive layer of the forming material to an image receiver by introducing the image into a nip between the image forming apparatus, the method comprising: The image receptor is placed on a tray whose section can be inclined and approached to the impression cylinder side or the transfer cylinder side, and the tray is inclined and approached to the transfer cylinder side to move the image receptor in the direction of the clamp on the grip side of the image receptor. When the image receiver is fed between the opened clamps, air is discharged toward the transfer cylinder side from an air discharge pipe provided above the intermediate position between the grip on the clamp side and the tip of the transfer cylinder side of the tray. Then clamps image receptor by clamp Image transfer method according to claim Rukoto.