JPH03160448A - Ordinary paper transfer type image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an image having a sufficient density and luster on arbitrary paper by sealing a thermoplastic resin into microcapsules to constitute a photosensitive sheet, subjecting this sheet to image exposing, superposing the arbitrary paper thereon, pressurizing the sheet and further heating the sheet. CONSTITUTION:The photosensitive sheet 2 is subjected to the image exposing by an exposing device P1 and is thereby formed with the latent image. The arbitrary paper 6 is superposed on this latent image and is pressurized. On the other hand, the thermoplastic resin 2d is sealed into the microcapsules 2b and is applied on this photosensitive sheet 2 or is directly applied on a base 2a. The thermoplastic resin 2d on the photosensitive sheet 2 is transferred onto the arbitrary paper 6 when such sheet 2 is superposed on the paper 6 and is pressurized. The thermoplastic resin 2d is softened or melted to cover the surface to apply luster to the image when the paper 6 is heated. Since a color development reaction is accelerated by the heating, the image of the sufficient density is obtd. The image having the sufficient density, the luster and the good quality is obtd. even if any paper is used in such a manner.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Industrial field of application This invention relates to photocurable materials, color-forming dyes. This article relates to an image forming method for forming an image on any surface using a photosensitive sheet coated with a developing material encapsulated in microcapsules or as is. Yama》Prior art In recent years, images have been produced using a photosensitive sheet coated with microcapsules containing a photocurable material, a color-forming dye, etc., and an image-receiving sheet coated with a developing material that develops the color-forming dye. Development of an image forming device for forming images is progressing.
In this image forming apparatus, the microcapsules are ruptured by pressure, and the encapsulated color-forming dye flows out onto the image-receiving sheet and develops color with the developing material on the image-receiving sheet.

However, with this method, the paper on which the image is formed must be coated with a developing material, and it is not possible to print the image on any desired surface. In contrast, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-251837. Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication 1986
No.-251838, JP-A No. 6 2-3 9 844.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-54248, USP 4,701,397
No. 1, etc. shows a photosensitive sheet coated with a photocurable material, a color-forming dye, a developing material, etc. Using this photosensitive sheet, it is possible to form an image on any sheet of paper (plain paper) that is not coated with a developing material. (C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, the images produced by conventional plain paper transfer type image forming apparatuses have insufficient image density and are not glossy, so they cannot be said to be of good quality. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can provide glossy images with sufficient density.

(Means for Solving Problem d1) The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a photo-curing material, a color-forming dye, and a developing material for color-forming the color-forming dye, which is encapsulated in microcapsules or directly coated on a support. In a plain paper transfer type image forming apparatus that forms an image using a photosensitive sheet, the photosensitive sheet is constructed by encapsulating a thermoplastic resin in the microcapsules or directly coating it on a support. It is characterized by comprising: an exposure device that exposes a sheet to form an image; a pressure device that superimposes arbitrary paper sheets on the exposed photosensitive sheet and presses the sheets; and a heating device that heats the pressurized paper sheets. do.

(e) Function In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the exposure device exposes the photosensitive sheet to form a latent image, and this latent image (n
An arbitrary layer of Giyo is layered on a photosensitive sheet (Kousai Photosensitive Sheet) and then pressurized. The paper may be any paper that is commonly used, and does not need to be specially coated with a developing material.

On the other hand, in a photosensitive sheet, a thermoplastic resin is encapsulated in microcapsules or directly coated on a support. When such a photosensitive sheet is overlapped with an arbitrary paper sheet and pressed, the thermoplastic resin on the photosensitive sheet is transferred onto the arbitrary paper sheet. Therefore, when this sheet of paper is heated, the thermoplastic resin softens or melts, covering the surface and giving the image a glossy appearance. Furthermore, since the color-forming reaction of this color-forming dye is accelerated by heating, an image of sufficient density can be obtained (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-24495). FIG.

A media cartridge l is removably installed on the left side of the center of the copying machine body. The media cartridge 1 includes a supply shaft 1a and a take-up shaft 1b, and an unused photosensitive sheet 2 is wound around the supply shaft 1a. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the photosensitive sheet 2. The photosensitive sheet is prepared by coating microcapsules 2b, developing material 2c, and powdered thermoplastic resin 2d on a support 2a made of a resin film such as polyethylene terephthalate.

The microcapsules 2b have a particle size of approximately 10 to 20 μm, and contain a photocurable material in a resin shell. A photosensitive sheet 2 containing color-forming dye is drawn out from a supply shaft 1a, passed through an exposure section P1 and a pressure development section P2 on the main body of the copying machine, and then wound onto a take-up shaft 1b. A document table 3 made of transparent hard glass is provided on the top surface of the copying machine body, and a document 3a to be copied is placed on the document table 3. Below the document table 3 is a light source, a mirror,
An optical system (exposure device) 4 including a lens is provided, which scans the original 3a on the original table and sends the reflected light to the above-mentioned exposure section P1.
Lead to. The pressure developing section P2 is composed of pressure developing rollers 7a and 7b. The pressure developing rollers 7a and 7b are eccentric cams (not shown). Pressure can be applied/released using a pressure mechanism including a spring, and pressure is applied only during pressurization processing. On the right side of the copying machine body, there is a paper cassette 5a. 5b, 5c
is provided. Paper cassettes 5a, 5b, and 5c store paper cassettes 6a, 6b, and 6c of different sizes, respectively. The materials 6a to 6c do not need to be coated with any developing material, and are generally used for plain paper or OHP used for image formation.
etc. are used. When forming an image, depending on the size of the formed image, sheets 6a to 6 are loaded from any of the paper cassettes 5a to 5C.
Either one of C is fed. Paper fed paper 6a to 6C
(hereinafter referred to as paper 6) is discharged to the paper discharge tray 9 on the left side of the copying machine main body via the pressure developing section P2 and the heating device 8. The heating device 8 includes a heat roller 8l equipped with a heater such as a halogen lamp inside a metal cylinder, a peeling roller 82 provided downstream of the heat roller 8l, and a heat roller 81.
A heat-resistant glosser belt 83 is stretched between the peeling roller 82 and the peeling roller 82, and a pressure roller 84 is brought into pressure contact with the heat roller 81 via the glosser belt 83. The paper 64 to be heated passes between the heat roller 81 and the pressure roller 84, and is heated at this time. Then, it is gradually cooled by being conveyed downstream along the glosser belt 83 and separated from the glosser belt 83 at the position of the peeling roller 82 .

Next, image shape processing will be explained step by step.

Photosensitive sheet 2 pulled out from media cartridge 1
is first exposed to reflected light from the original in the exposure section P1, and the microcapsules on the sheet that are hit by the light harden to form a latent image. This latent image area is sent to the pressure development copying machine P2, and in parallel with this, paper 6 is sent from the paper cassette to the pressure development section P2. Then, in the pressure developing section P2, the latent image on the photosensitive sheet 2 and the paper 6 are superimposed and pressed. As a result, the uncured microcapsules (microcapsules not exposed to light) on the photosensitive sheet 2 are destroyed, and the encapsulated coloring dye flows out onto the paper 6. At the same time, the developing material and thermoplastic resin on the photosensitive sheet 2 are also transferred onto the paper 6. The color-forming dye develops color depending on the developing material. The paper 6 that has passed through the pressure developing section P2 is separated from the photosensitive sheet 2 and conveyed to the heating device 8. In the heating device 8 , the paper 6 is heated between a heat roller 81 and a pressure roller 84 . The coloring reaction of the coloring dye is accelerated by heating, and the color is developed to a sufficient density.

Further, the thermoplastic resin transferred onto the paper becomes softened or melted by heating and covers the surface of the paper 6. This thermoplastic resin is smoothed by a glosser belt 83 to obtain a glossy surface. After the paper 6 is pressed between the heat roller 81 and the pressure roller 84, it is further conveyed along the glosser belt 83, where it is gradually cooled and the thermoplastic resin solidifies. By separating the thermoplastic resin from the glosser belt 83 in a sufficiently cooled state, it is possible to prevent the thermoplastic resin from adhering to the glosser belt 83. The paper 6 separated from the glosser belt 83 is discharged to the stray paper tray 9.

In this example, the developing material is directly coated on the support 2a, but the microcapsules 2 containing the color-forming dye are coated directly on the support 2a.
(g) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, any Miyo resin may be encapsulated with a photo-curing material in a capsule other than the microcapsules 2d, or the thermoplastic resin 2d may be encapsulated in these microcapsules. It is possible to obtain high-quality images with sufficient density and gloss even when using . Therefore, even when obtaining high-quality images, there is no need to use specially processed paper unlike conventional image-receiving sheets.
This will reduce costs. Furthermore, since images can be formed on suitable paper such as OHP and colored paper, there is an advantage in expanding the range of image forming applications.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Plain paper transfer in which an image is formed using a photosensitive sheet in which a photocurable material, a color-forming dye, and a developing material that develops a color-forming dye are encapsulated in microcapsules or coated directly on a support. In the type image forming apparatus, a thermoplastic resin is encapsulated in the microcapsules or directly coated on a support to form a photosensitive sheet, and an exposure device that exposes the photosensitive sheet to form an image, and an optional ink on the exposed photosensitive sheet. 1. A plain paper transfer type image forming apparatus comprising: a pressure device that stacks and presses paper sheets; and a heating device that heats the pressurized paper sheets.