JPH02173773A - Method and device for forming image - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need of a transfer stage and to simplify the constitution of a device by making a recording body in contact with an electrostatic latent image surface, directly sticking developer to the recording body and performing development. CONSTITUTION:The electrostatic latent image is recorded on an electrostatic latent image recording medium 13. In a state where the recording body 17 is made in contact with the electrostatic latent image surface of the recording medium 13, the recording medium 13 and the recording body 17 are moved at the same speed to pass the position of a developing device 16. Therefore, the electrostatic latent image is recorded on the recording medium 13. When the recording body 17 is made in contact with the electrostatic latent image surface of the recording medium 13 and both of them are moved at the same speed to pass the position of the developing device, the developer is directly stuck to the recording body 17 in accordance with the electrostatic latent image by the developing device 16 and the image is formed on the recording body 17. Thus, the stages for forming the image are reduced and the constitution is simplified.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming method and apparatus for forming an image on recording paper or the like using an electrostatic latent image.

[Prior Art] Electrophotography has conventionally been used as an image forming method that utilizes electrostatic latent images. In the conventional electrophotographic method, as shown in FIG. 5, a photoreceptor 1 on which a photoconductive layer is formed is irradiated with laser light from, for example, a laser scanner 2 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 1. Then, the developer carrier 4 of the developing device 3
The developer 5 is supplied to the electrostatic latent image surface to develop the electrostatic latent image as a visible image, and then the transfer charger 6 transfers it to a recording medium 7 such as recording paper, and then the fixing device 8 This is a transfer method in which the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 1 is developed as a visible image using a developer and then transferred to the recording medium 7. Note that 9 is a charger for static elimination, 10 is a cleaning unit, 11 is an eraser, and 12 is an initial charger.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The above-mentioned conventional electrophotographic method is a transfer method in which an electrostatic latent image is developed as a visible image with a developer on the photoreceptor 1 and then transferred to a recording medium. Since there are many steps up to this point, the configuration of the device is complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method and apparatus with a simple configuration and fewer image forming steps.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The invention of claim 1 which solves the above problems records an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image recording medium, and records the electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image surface of the electrostatic latent image recording medium. By moving the electrostatic latent image recording medium and the recording body at the same speed while keeping their bodies in close contact with each other and passing the developing device position, the developer is directly attached to the recording body according to the electrostatic latent image, and an image is formed. This is an image forming method characterized by forming.

The invention of claim 2 provides an electrostatic latent image recording medium, a latent image recording means for recording an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image recording medium, and a latent image recording means for recording an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image surface of the electrostatic latent image recording medium. a same-speed moving means for moving the electrostatic latent image recording medium and the recording body at the same speed while in close contact with each other; The image forming apparatus is characterized in that it includes a developing device that applies developer to the recording medium according to the electrostatic latent image.

The electrostatic latent image recording medium may be a photoreceptor or a dielectric.

Further, the shape of the electrostatic latent image recording medium may be a drum shape or a sheet shape.

The above-mentioned developing device may use a powdered developer or a mist developer.

[Function] In the above configuration, an electrostatic latent image is recorded on the electrostatic latent image recording medium, and then the recording body is brought into close contact with the electrostatic latent image surface of the electrostatic latent image recording medium, and both are moved at the same speed. When the recording medium moves and passes a developing device position, the developing device causes a developer to directly adhere to the recording medium in accordance with the electrostatic latent image, thereby forming an image on the recording medium.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the image forming method and apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the main parts. This embodiment is a method of forming an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor drum. So, and
It is a type of development using a mist developer 1
In the figure, reference numeral 13 denotes a photosensitive drum, which is an electrostatic latent image recording medium having a photoconductive layer formed on its surface, and is driven to rotate as shown by the arrow. 14 is a laser scanner which is an electrostatic latent image recording means that irradiates the photosensitive drum 13 with signal light according to image data; 15 is a charger that performs initial charging; 1;
6 is an ink mist type developing device. Reference numeral 17 denotes a recording paper which is a recording body, and this recording paper 17 is kept in close contact with the photoconductor drum 13 by the photoconductor drum 13 which is rotationally driven and paper feed rollers 18 and 19 provided before and after the developing device 16. , and is fed at the same speed as the circumferential speed of the photosensitive drum 13. Note that the paper feed roller 1819 is
A same-speed moving means for moving the photosensitive drum 13 and the recording paper 17 at the same speed is constituted. Note that one of the paper feed rollers 19 described above is provided with a function of eliminating electricity from the recording paper 17.

The developing device 16 includes a cylindrical shield 2 having an opening 20a facing the photosensitive drum 13, as shown in detail in FIG.
The corona discharger 21 has a structure in which a high voltage is applied between the wire electrode 22 in the center and the shield 20 by a high voltage power supply 23 to perform corona discharge. and further, the opening 2
A grid 25 for ink mist movement control to which a bias voltage is applied by a bias voltage power source 24 is arranged at 0a. Further, 26 is an ink mist holding wire for generating ink mist in the corona discharger 21. Although the details are omitted, the ink mist holding wire 26 is used to supply ink to the endless ink mist holding wire 26. 26 and vibrates to generate ink mist.

Further, 27 is a paper feed roller on the recording paper ejection side, 28 is a cleaning pad, and 29 is a cleaning pad that irradiates light onto the photosensitive drum 24.
This is an eraser that erases the electrostatic latent image on the top.

To explain the image forming process in the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, the photosensitive drum 13 uniformly charged by the initial charger 15 is irradiated with signal light by the laser scanner 14.
A silent mVa image is formed on the photoreceptor drum 13. Recording paper 1
7 is moving at the same speed in close contact with the photoreceptor drum 13, and when it passes the developing device 16 position, ink mist is directly attached by the developing device 16 according to the electrostatic latent image, thereby recording. An image is formed on the paper 17.

To explain in detail the developing process using the ink mist developing device 16, when corona discharge is performed with ink mist generated in the corona discharger 21, corona ions are generated and some of the corona ions become ink mist. The ink mist is adsorbed, giving the ink mist the charge necessary for development, and the ink mist is attracted by the Coulomb force acting between this charge and the charge of opposite polarity to the charge pattern of the electrostatic latent image, and the ink mist is drawn into the opening of the shield 20. 20a, the ink mist adheres to the recording paper 17 according to the electrostatic latent image. In this way, a visible ink image is formed on the recording paper 17 in direct correspondence with the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor drum 13. In this case, a fixing device is not required.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment, and FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the main parts thereof. In this embodiment, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a dielectric sheet, and development is performed using a powdered developer. As shown in FIG. 4, the sheet 30 has a structure in which a conductive film 32 is attached to an insulating base film 31, and a dielectric layer 33 made of resin or the like is formed thereon. 36.
37 so as to form an approximately inverted trapezoidal path, and for example, the roller 37 is used as a driving roller to rotate in the direction of the arrow.

A toner type developer 3 is provided on the lower surface side of the dielectric sheet 30.
8 is disposed between the lower surface of the dielectric sheet 30 and this developing device 38, the recording paper 1 is
7 is fed at the same speed as the feeding speed of the dielectric sheet 30.

The paper feed roller 39 constitutes a same-speed moving means. Also, 4
0 is a fixing roller that also serves as paper feed.

The developing device 38 is of a type that performs development by carrying toner 41, which is a powdered developer, on a developer carrier 42, and the developer carrier 42 forms a magnetic brush inside the developing sleeve 43. A magnetic roll 44 is provided for this purpose. 45 is the conductive film 32 of the dielectric sheet 30
This is a bias voltage power source for applying a bias voltage between the developing sleeve 43 and the developing sleeve 43.

Further, on the upper surface side of the dielectric sheet 30, the dielectric sheet 3
ion cartridge 46 for forming an electrostatic latent image on
is located. This ion cartridge 46 uses an electrostatic latent image forming method called ionography, although the details are omitted, and ions are generated by electric discharge between two internally provided electrodes, and the generated ions are controlled. The configuration is such that an electrostatic latent image corresponding to image data is formed on the dielectric sheet 30 by irradiating the dielectric material (in this case, the dielectric sheet 30) at the same time.

Further, 47 is a cleaning unit mainly for removing toner adhering to the dielectric sheet 30 when no recording paper is present, and 48 is an AC corona discharger which is an eraser for erasing the electrostatic latent image on the dielectric sheet 30. be.

To explain the image forming process of the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, the dielectric sheet 30 circulates as shown by the arrow, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the dielectric sheet 30 by the ion cartridge 46 according to image data. The recording paper 17 is moving at the same speed while being in close contact with the lower surface of the dielectric sheet 30, and when it passes the position of the developer carrier 42 of the developer 38, the developer 38 converts the electrostatic latent image into the recording paper 17. Accordingly, the toner 41 is directly attached, and then the toner is fixed by a fixing roll 40 on the downstream side to form a final image on the recording paper 17.

In addition, when adopting a method of forming an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor, it is also possible to form the photoreceptor into a sheet form as shown in Figure 3, and it is also possible to use a toner development method. However, it is also possible to employ an electrostatic latent image recording means other than a laser scanner.

In addition, in the case where a method of forming an electrostatic latent image on a dielectric material is adopted, it is also possible to form the dielectric material into a drum shape as shown in Fig. 1, and it is also possible to adopt an ink mist development method. It is also possible to employ an electrostatic latent image recording means other than an ion cartridge.

Although not shown in the drawings, a part of the image forming process in each of the embodiments described above can be integrally provided within a cartridge case to form a cartridge that is removably mountable to the main body of the image forming apparatus.

That is, for example, the first. In the embodiment, the photosensitive drum 13
, laser scanner 14, initial charger 15, developer 16,
At least two or more of the paper feed rollers 18, 19, cleaning pad 28, and two erasers can be integrated as a cartridge.

Further, in the second embodiment, each roller 35, 36, 37, 38
The dielectric sheet 30, the developing device 38, the paper feed roller 39, the cleaning unit 47, and the eraser 4 wrapped around the
8. At least two or more of the ion cartridge 46 and the fixing roller 40 can be integrated as a cartridge.

By forming the image forming apparatus into a cartridge, each part can be easily attached and detached when assembling the image forming apparatus, and maintenance is also facilitated.

[Effects] Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects are achieved.

Since the recording medium is brought into close contact with the surface of the electrostatic latent image and the developer is applied directly to the recording medium to perform development, a transfer step is not required and the structure is simplified.

Further, since the developer does not normally adhere directly to the electrostatic latent image surface, a simple cleaner is required to remove the stains caused by the developer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of main parts in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus showing a second embodiment. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional image forming apparatus. 13... Photosensitive drum (electrostatic latent image recording medium), 30...
... Dielectric sheet (electrostatic latent image recording medium), 14... Laser scanner electrostatic latent image recording means) 40... Ion cartridge (electrostatic latent image recording means), 16.38... Development Equipment, 17... Recording paper (recording body), 18.19.39
. . . Paper feed roller (same speed moving means), 21 . . Corona discharger, 42 . . . Developer carrier. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Recording an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image recording medium, and recording with the electrostatic latent image recording medium while bringing the recording body into close contact with the electrostatic latent image surface of the electrostatic latent image recording medium. An image forming method characterized in that an image is formed by directly depositing a developer on a recording medium in accordance with the electrostatic latent image by moving the recording medium at the same speed as the recording medium and passing through a developing device position. 2. An electrostatic latent image recording medium, a latent image recording means for recording an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image recording medium, and a recording body brought into close contact with the electrostatic latent image surface of the electrostatic latent image recording medium. A means for moving the electrostatic latent image recording medium and the recording body at the same speed; and a means for moving the electrostatic latent image recording medium and the recording body at the same speed; An image forming apparatus comprising: a developing device that applies a developer to an electrolytic latent image. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electrostatic latent image recording medium is a photoreceptor having a photoconductive layer on its surface. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electrostatic latent image recording medium is a dielectric material. 5. Claim 2, wherein the electrostatic latent image recording medium is drum-shaped.
, 3 or 4. The image forming apparatus according to . 6. Claim 2, wherein the electrostatic latent image recording medium is in the form of a sheet.
5. The image forming apparatus according to 3 or 4. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the developing device uses a powdered developer. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the developing device uses a mist developer.