JPH04201381A - Recorder for forming image by applying voltage to recording material - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically conduct a cleaning of a blanket as required by applying a predetermined voltage between the blanket and a cleaning means in the direction that ink on the blanket moves to the cleaning means. CONSTITUTION:A cleaning roll 26 is constructed similarly to an ink holding roll 1 and an ink supply roll 6, detachably mounted on a side plate 24, and connected to a positive electrode of a power source V3. The cleaning roll 26 is normally separated from a blanket cylinder 11, but abutted on a blanket 10 on the blanket cylinder 11 connected to a negative electrode of the power source V3 only when being instructed on an instruction signal, thereby rotatively the cleaning roll 26 is recovered by a recovery means as required or discharged as a waste.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus to which an image forming method using a recording material whose adhesion changes depending on the polarity of an applied voltage is applied.

[Prior Art] Desktop publishing (DTP) has been attracting attention in recent years, and various recording devices have been used as output means. The typical conventional devices are listed below.
These include thermal transfer printers, impact printers, laser beam printers, fully automatic stencil printing machines (plate making to printing), offset printing machines, etc.

These conventional devices each have the following problems when considering medium-scale printing formats such as in-house printing.

(1) Thermal transfer printers, impact printers, and laser beam printers do not have fast printing speeds, so they cannot increase the number of prints and increase running costs.

(2) Fully automatic all-in-one stencil printing machines have poor image quality.

(3) Although offset printing machines can achieve high speed, high-volume printing, low running costs, and high image quality, they have a complicated device configuration (especially the inking roll), require a dedicated operator, and require cleaning. There are problems, and it is difficult to say that it is preferable as a DTP output means.

Therefore, an invention filed by the present applicant in order to solve these problems is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-316288.

5 to 10 briefly explain the basic principle of the invention described in the above publication.

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged sectional view of the image forming section, and shows the electrode a.
The recording material C is sandwiched between the pair of electrodes a and b, and the insulating part d is disposed on the electrode.

FIG. 6 shows a state where one of the pair of electrodes constituting this image forming section, electrode a, is used as an anode and the other electrode is used as a cathode, and a voltage is applied.

FIG. 7 shows a situation in which the opposing positions of electrodes a and b are separated from each other while a voltage is still applied between the pair of electrodes a and b, and the electrodes are in contact with the recording material C. is recording material C
When the recording material C selectively adheres to the insulating portion d on the electrode without adhering to the recording material C, an image is formed by the recording material C on the insulating pattern d of the electrode.

FIG. 8 shows that the polarity of the voltage applied between a pair of electrodes a and b is reversed from that in FIGS. 6 and 7, and the voltage is applied with electrode A as an anode and electrode A as a cathode.

FIG. 9 shows a situation where the opposing positions of electrodes a and b are separated from each other while voltage is still applied between the pair of electrodes a and b, and the recording material C is adhered onto the electrodes.

FIG. 10 shows that without applying voltage between a pair of electrodes a and b,
The figure shows electrodes a and b separated from each other, and recording material C is attached to both electrode a and electrode b.

An image forming apparatus constructed using this principle was capable of high speed, excellent environmental stability, and was able to form high-quality images without distortion.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] ``However, conventionally, this image forming apparatus has not been equipped with a device for cleaning the blanket on the blanket cylinder, so cleaning must be done manually when necessary. I had to.

Therefore, the inventor of the present application came up with the idea of improving the above-mentioned image forming apparatus by adding a cleaning means while utilizing the principle of the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, and provides the apparatus.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The recording device of the present invention is arranged between a plate whose surface is formed with a conductive portion and a non-conductive portion and a pair of electrodes according to an image to be recorded. A recording material supplying means for supplying a layer of recording material whose adhesion changes depending on the polarity of the voltage applied to the electrode of a recording voltage supply means that applies a voltage of a predetermined polarity to adhere the recording material predominantly to either the conductive portion or the non-conductive portion of the plate, and a blanket that is made of a conductive member and forms a transfer surface. a transfer means that contacts the recording material on the plate, receives an image from the recording material on the plate, and transfers the received image to the recording material; A voltage with a polarity determined depending on the recording material is applied between the cleaning means in contact with the transfer surface of the blanket and the cleaning means, and the recording material remaining on the blanket is transferred to the cleaning means in contact with the blanket. and cleaning voltage supply means for moving the cleaner.

Furthermore, it may include support means for electrically insulating and supporting the transfer means to which the blanket is attached and the cleaning means from other members, and a first attachment means for detachably attaching the blanket to the transfer means. and a second attachment means for removably attaching the cleaning means to the main body, and the transfer means and the cleaning means may have a roll shape.

[Operation] When a timely instruction is given and the cleaning means comes into contact with the blanket, a voltage with a polarity matching the properties of the recording material is applied between the cleaning means and the blanket, so that the recording material on the blanket is removed from the blanket. The blanket is then moved to the cleaning means and the blanket is cleaned.

[Embodiments] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the recording apparatus of the present invention.

Note that the ink that is the recording material used in this example adheres to the positive electrode side between the positive and negative electrodes.

Specifically, glycerin, lithium borofluoride, water, colloidal hydrated silicates, colorants (e.g. carbon black)
It has conductive properties.

The present embodiment is roughly divided into three parts: an inking section, a paper feeding section, and a recording section.

The inking section consists of ink 2 supplied in a pool shape, an ink carrying roll l provided with a blade 3, an ink film thickness regulating roll 4, a leveling roll 5, and an ink supply roll 6.

The paper feed section includes a paper feed roll 13, a paper feed guide 14, a guide 38 with a slit 15, a weight 16, a recording paper 17, a guide 18, a table 19, a timing roll 20, and a cam 21.
, spring 22.

The recording section includes a plate cylinder 9 provided with a plate 8 and a conductive blanket 1.
Blanket cylinder 11 provided with 0, cleaning roll 2
6, an impression cylinder 12, and a paper discharge tray 23.

Further, each of the above parts is supported by side plates 24 and a bottom plate 25. Further, each roll rotates in the direction of the arrow.

First, let's talk about the paper feed section.

The recording paper 17 is aligned in the guides 18 provided on the left, right and rear sides of the table 19, as well as the guide 38 provided in the front, and the weight 16 is placed on the recording paper 17. The top and bottom are almost in close contact with each other.

A slit 15 is provided in the front guide 38,
The distance between the slit 15 and the table 19 is 1 of the recording paper 17.
The thickness is larger than the thickness of one sheet and smaller than the thickness of two sheets. Further, the surface of the timing roll 20 is covered with chloroprene rubber (rubber hardness: 20' to 40°), and is brought into contact with the recording paper 17 at the lowest position by a spring 22 or the like.

The timing roll 20 includes a plate cylinder 9, a blanket cylinder 11,
Each time the impression cylinder 12 rotates, the timing is adjusted,
By cylindrical cam 21 etc., 20~30+nm forward and backward1
It is configured to travel back and forth. Therefore, the recording paper 17 at the lowest position passes between the slit 15 and the table 19 and is sent to the pair of paper feed rolls 13. At this time,
A one-way clutch (not shown) provided on the timing roll 20 causes the timing roll 20 to feed the recording paper 17 using frictional force without rotating in the paper feeding direction A. In the return direction, it rotates for smooth return, and the recording paper 1
7 so as not to damage the surface. The pair of paper feed rolls 13 have a circumferential speed of 100 to 1000 mm/sec, which is approximately the same as the circumferential speed of the plate cylinder 9, blanket cylinder 11, and impression cylinder 12.
The recording paper 17 is conveyed through the paper feed guide 14 into a predetermined nip between the blanket cylinder 11 and the impression cylinder 12.

Next, the inking section will be described.

The ink carrying roll 1 is a conductive rubber roll, and is constructed by covering a stainless steel core material with a rubber hardness of 30 to 50 inches, which is silicone rubber with carbon dispersed therein.
The supplied ink 2 is attached to the surface and rotated, and the blade 3 limits the thickness of the ink 2 attached.

The ink film thickness regulating roll 4 has a non-conductive pattern (for example, an ultraviolet curable resin etc.). For example, this pattern has a pitch of about 4 mm and a pattern width of about 0.6 mm so that the area ratio is about 15% when the roll diameter is about 40 mm.

Therefore, a certain amount of ink on the non-conductive pattern of the ink film thickness regulating roll 4 is supplied to the ink supply roll 6 via the leveling roll 5.

The leveling roll 5 is constructed of a stainless steel core coated with chloroprene rubber, silicone rubber, etc., and the ink supply roll 6 has the same construction as the ink carrying roll 1.

The ink on the ink supply roll 6 after contacting the plate 8 is
Due to the polarity of the power supply v2, the ink adheres to the ink carrying roll 1 and is collected.

Next, let's talk about the recording section.

The plate 8 has a non-conductive area formed by photopolymerizing an ultraviolet curable resin corresponding to a predetermined image area on a copper plate having a thickness of about 0.1 mm, and a conductive area serving as a non-image area.

The plate 8 is removably attached to a plate cylinder 9 made of metal such as aluminum or stainless steel and having a diameter of 60 to 100 mm by a chucking means (not shown).

In addition, the power supply V, (V, = 15 to 20 V) (7) Since the positive electrode is connected to the ink supply roll 6 and the negative electrode is connected to the plate cylinder 9, the ink 2 supplied from the leveling roll 5 to the ink supply roll 6 is adheres to the non-conductive portions of the plate 8 mounted on the plate cylinder 9 that form the image, and does not adhere to the conductive portions.

The conductive blanket 10 is made of approximately 2 mm of rubber such as urethane or ethylene propylene in which carbon or the like is dispersed, and reinforcing fibers are added inside to reduce deformation. Conductive blanket 10
is removably attached to a blanket cylinder 11 made of metal such as aluminum or stainless steel and having a diameter of 60 to 100 mm by a chucking means (not shown).

As the blanket cylinder 11 rotates, an image formed by the ink adhered to the non-conductive portion of the plate 8 is transferred onto the blanket 10. The impression cylinder 12 is made of metal such as aluminum or stainless steel and has a diameter of 6 o to 100 mm.

The plate cylinder 9, the blanket cylinder 11, and the impression cylinder 12 have the same diameter, and the respective pieces are interlocked by gears (not shown) so that their circumferential speeds are the same.

The impression cylinder 12 cooperates with the blanket cylinder 11 to press and record the image transferred onto the blanket 10 onto the recording paper 17.

The cleaning roll 26 has the same configuration as the ink carrying roll 1 and the ink supply roll 6, is removably attached to the side plate 24, and is powered by a power source V3 (v3.1).
5-20V) is connected to the positive electrode. Further, the cleaning roll 26 is normally separated from the blanket cylinder 11, and is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply V only when an instruction signal is received (for example, when a switch is operated to change the printing color). Blanket 1 on the torso
0 and clean the ink remaining on the blanket while rotating. The ink on the cleaning fluid roll 26 may be collected or discarded by a collection means (not shown) at an appropriate time.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, an example of controlling the ink film thickness in the case where the transfer rate between the rolls in the non-energized state is set to 50% in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

Note that the numbers surrounded by O in FIG. 2 represent the ink film thickness, and the unit is μm.

A retainer for ink 2 is formed on the ink carrying roll 1, and the ink 2 is coated onto the ink carrying roll 1 to a thickness of about 100 μm by a metal blade 3, and is in contact with the ink supply roll 6, and is used in an electrical recording method. The ink is recovered from the ink supply roll 6 using the principle described below. In this process, the ink film thickness becomes approximately 103 μm.

Then, it comes into contact with the ink film thickness regulating roll 4, and forms an ink film only on the non-conductive pattern using the principle of the current recording method. At this time, the ink film thickness is approximately 52 μm. Since the ink 2 is on this pattern with an area ratio of 15%, it is leveled by the leveling roll 5.
An ink film of about 8 μm is formed on the top. At this time, the circumferential speed of the leveling roll 5 is effectively leveled by differentially moving at a speed two to three times that of the ink regulating roll 4. Next, it comes into contact with the ink supply roll 6, and the ink film thickness becomes 4 μm on the ink supply roll 6, and then the ink film thickness becomes 3 μm on the plate 8, and comes into contact with the conductive blanket 10.

Then, the ink film thickness becomes 2 μm on the conductive blanket 10, and an image is recorded on the recording paper 17 with an ink film thickness of 1 μm.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the cleaning roll 2 of the embodiment shown in FIG.
6, a cleaning device 27 using a cleaning belt is employed. The cleaning belt is made of a conductive material and is connected between the conductive blanket 10 and the conductive blanket 10.
A voltage of 3.15 to 20V is applied.

The other configurations and operations are completely the same as the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment uses the cleaning roll 26 of the embodiment shown in FIG.
A conductive doctor blade 28 is used instead. Doctor blade 28 and conductive blanket 1
0 and a voltage of v3.15 to 20V is applied.

The other configurations and operations are completely the same as the embodiment shown in FIG.

Although the above embodiments have been described on the assumption that the ink adheres to the positive electrode side, it is clear that if the ink adheres to the negative electrode side, it can be easily understood by reversing the logic.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention includes removably attaching a conductive blanket to the transfer means, bringing the removably attached conductive cleaning means into contact with the blanket at appropriate times, and removing the conductive blanket from the transfer means. By applying a predetermined voltage between the blanket and the cleaning means in a direction in which the ink on the blanket moves to the cleaning means, the blanket can be cleaned automatically at a timely manner, and maintenance of the blanket and the cleaning means is facilitated. be.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the recording apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of ink control in the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIGS. The configuration diagrams illustrating the second and third embodiments, respectively, and FIGS. 5, 6, 10, and 10 are diagrams illustrating the principle of recording material adhesion in conventional examples. 1... Ink carrying roll, 2... Ink, 3...
Blade, 4... Ink film thickness regulation roll, 5... Leveling roll, 6... Ink supply roll, 8... Plate, 9... Plate cylinder, 10... Blanket, 11...・Blanket cylinder, 12... Blanket cylinder, 13... Paper feed roll, 14... Paper feed guide,
15...Slit, 16...Weight, 17
...recording paper, 18...guide, 19 table, 26...cleaning roll, 27...cleaning device, 28...doctor blade. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plate whose surface is formed with a conductive part and a non-conductive part according to the image to be recorded, and a voltage applied to a pair of electrodes when the plate is placed between a pair of electrodes. A recording material supply means that supplies a layer of recording material whose adhesion changes depending on the polarity onto the plate, and a voltage with a polarity determined depending on the recording material is applied between the plate and the recording material supply means. A recording voltage supply means that applies a recording voltage to adhere the recording material predominantly to either a conductive portion or a non-conductive portion of the plate, and a blanket that is made of a conductive member and forms a transfer surface that contacts the recording material on the plate. a transfer means that receives an image from the recording material on the plate and transfers the received image to the recording material; and a cleaning means that is made of a conductive member and contacts the transfer surface of the blanket after the transfer process according to an instruction signal. and a cleaning voltage supply means for applying a voltage of a polarity determined depending on the recording material between the blanket and the cleaning means to move the recording material remaining on the blanket to the cleaning means in contact with the blanket. Recording device. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising support means for electrically insulating and supporting the transfer means and the cleaning means to which the blanket is attached from other members. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a first mounting means for removably mounting the blanket on the transfer means, and a second mounting means for removably mounting the cleaning means on the main body. 4. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transfer means and the cleaning means have a roll shape. 5. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaning means is a cleaning device that brings a cleaning belt driven according to an instruction signal into contact with the transfer surface of the transfer means. 6. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaning means is a doctor blade that comes into contact with the transfer surface of the transfer means in accordance with an instruction signal.