JPH04293049A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer an image forming device where the waste of color developer toner is eliminated and an image excellent in weather resistance is formed by preventing the color developer toner from being applied on the entire surface of a recording medium and applying the photoconductive color developer toner only to the position of an image or a character, where the recording medium is colored. CONSTITUTION:When image information is exposed by an exposing device 7 in a state where a photoconductive color developer toner layer on a conductive carrier 17 and a photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2 where a microcapsule is carried are allowed to approach, the photoconductive color developer toner 16 is applied at a specified position, and development is performed. The medium 2 is superposed on a medium to be recorded 9 and sent to a transfer device 10, then the image information is transferred to the medium 9 to be recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that utilizes the principle of color development through the action of a color developer and a dye or a dye precursor, and particularly relates to an image forming apparatus that uses a color developer as a photoconductive toner and irradiates it with light. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that controls charging performance and forms an image by overlapping a photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium and a recording medium and fixing them under pressure.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, color developer sheets used in this type of image forming apparatus are made into paper by mixing a color developer dispersed as ultrafine particles in an aqueous solvent with a binder, additives, etc. It existed as a special paper coated with paper. Image forming technology using this color developer sheet was disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-8
It is described in JP-A No. 8739, JP-A-59-30537, JP-A-59-137944, etc. Image forming technology is the process by which two or more material components isolated from each other are released from their isolation by physical external forces such as pressure or temperature changes, and react with each other to produce optical changes, light absorption regions, Alternatively, it refers to all functions that cause changes in absorption intensity and are recorded in response to external forces.

According to this image forming system, for example, a photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium in which microcapsules whose mechanical breaking strength changes upon irradiation with light is supported on an arbitrary medium and a color developer sheet are superimposed. , a substance that causes selective collapse of microcapsules with different mechanical breaking strengths by pressure fixing, and that reacts with colorless or slightly colored dyes or dye precursors contained in the microcapsules to develop a dye. That is, it reacts with the dye receptor or developer to form a developed image on the developer sheet.

[0004] In accordance with this image forming technology, as a means of forming an image on an arbitrary recording medium, a color developer is made into powder and electrostatically flung onto the recording medium, thereby forming a base on the recording medium. There is a technique in which an image is formed by forming a color developer sheet as a color developer sheet, superimposing a microcapsule sheet on the color developer sheet, and fixing the image under pressure. In this technology, the developer toner, which is developer powder, is electrostatically caused to fly onto the recording medium by an electric field generated between the carrier and a back electrode facing the recording medium. Therefore, it is applied onto any recording medium with a width equal to the length of the developer toner carrier. Therefore, the developer toner is applied to the entire surface of the arbitrary recording medium, and the developer toner is also applied to the portions of the document where no characters or images are formed, and is fixed onto the arbitrary recording medium.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when the color developer toner is electrostatically applied to areas where no image is formed on the document, that is, white areas, the original function of the color developer toner is colorless or slightly colored. The colored dye or dye precursor is fixed on the recording medium without using its coloring function. This is a waste of developer toner,
The cost per outputted image also increases. Further, developer toner fixed on any recording medium that does not participate in color development of dyes or dye precursors changes color when exposed to light or air. Discoloration of the developer toner lowers the image contrast and clearly indicates the poor storage stability of the developer toner layer formed on the recording medium. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and avoids applying developer toner to the entire surface of any recording medium, and applies photoconductive color development only to the positions of images and characters to be colored on any recording medium. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image with good weather resistance by applying developer toner and eliminating wasteful use of color developer toner.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a photosensitive material containing microcapsules containing a dye or a dye precursor that develops color by the action of a photopolymerizable monomer and a color developer. In image forming apparatuses that use pressure recording media, when irradiated with light, it becomes conductive,
It has a carrier that forms and carries a uniform layer of a photoconductive developer toner that develops color by interacting with a dye or a dye precursor, and the developer toner is deposited on a photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium that has been exposed to light. Image information is formed on the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium or the carrier with a developing means for selectively applying the image, and the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium and the photoconductive color developer toner layer on the carrier are brought close to each other. A dye or a dye precursor contained in a microcapsule is applied onto an arbitrary recording medium along with an exposure means for exposing to light and a photoconductive color developer toner layer selectively coated on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium by the above-mentioned exposure. It is equipped with a transfer means for transferring.

[0007]

[Function] According to the above structure, the photoconductive color developer toner, which becomes conductive when irradiated with light and can be colored by the action with a dye or a dye precursor, is uniformly distributed on the carrier of the developing means. The photoconductive color developer toner layer on this support is brought into close proximity to a photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium carrying microcapsules that have different mechanical breaking strengths when irradiated with light. Image information is exposed onto a recording medium or a photoconductive developer toner by an exposure means. By this exposure, a photoconductive color developer toner is applied onto the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium in accordance with the image information, and development is performed. This photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium is superimposed on an arbitrary recording medium and sent to a transfer means. Here, the photoconductive developer toner reacts with the dye or dye precursor to develop color, which is transferred onto the recording medium.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of the present image forming apparatus. In the figure, a photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 used in an image forming apparatus 1 is housed in a cartridge 3, and is transported by transport rollers 4, 4a and a take-up roller 5 to undergo an image forming process. The transport path includes a charger 6 for applying a potential to the surface of the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2, an exposure device 7 for exposing image information of the original 11 to the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2 using a light source, and a photoconductive Color developer toner 1
6, and a developing device 8 that selectively coats the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2, and two pressure transfer/fixing rollers 10a and 10b that transfer the image of the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 onto the recording medium 9. A device 10 is provided.

The exposure device 7 includes a light source 12 that illuminates the original;
It has a reflecting mirror 13 and a filter unit 14, and after the reflected light from the original 11 set on the original platen 11a passes through the filter unit 14, it is irradiated onto the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2. Further, the developing device 8 is formed of a toner case 15, and a photoconductive color developer toner 16 is housed therein.
The electroconductive carrier 17 is a conductive cylindrical roller to which photoconductive color developer toner 16 is attached, and a supply roller 18 and a blade 19 are provided to supply the photoconductive color developer toner 16 to the conductive carrier 17. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a thermal fixing device 20 that thermally fixes the photoconductive developer toner 16 fixed on the recording medium 9, and this thermal fixing device 20 has a heater 23 provided therein. It is formed by a heat fixing belt 21 and a heat fixing belt 22 for conveying the recording medium 9.

FIG. 2 shows how the photoconductive color developer toner 16 is selectively applied to the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2 and developed in the developing device 8. As shown in FIG. In the figure, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 includes a photoconductive color developer toner on a plastic film base 31 (lower surface in the figure) made of a material such as polyethylene terephthalate or polypropylene that is transparent and transmits visible light. Photocurable microcapsules 32 containing a leuco dye or a dye precursor such as crystal violet lactone and 3-diethylamino-7-chlorofluoran, which develop color when reacted with 16, are supported. The amount of hardening of the photocurable resin contained in the microcapsules 32 changes depending on the amount of light irradiation, and its mechanical breaking strength changes.

The conductive carrier 17 carrying the photoconductive developer toner 16 is a conductive cylindrical roller and is grounded to remove the potential of the photoconductive developer toner 16. Further, the conductive carrier 17 is connected to a drive system (not shown) so that it can rotate at a predetermined speed. The surface of the conductive carrier 17 may be roughened so that the photoconductive color developer toner 16 is easily held and transported, thereby increasing the adhesion force. The supply roller 18 supplies a large amount of photoconductive developer toner 16 to the conductive carrier 17.
In order to convey the material without crushing it, it is desirable to use a flexible and soft roller such as a sponge roller. The blade 19 that comes into contact with the supply roller 18 is harder than the supply roller 18 so that even if the photoconductive color developer toner 16 is pressed against the supply roller 18, it will not adhere to the blade or the supply roller 18. Second, the amount of photoconductive developer toner 16 applied to the conductive carrier 17 is controlled by limiting the gap.

FIG. 3 shows how the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 is colored by the transfer device 10. As shown in FIG. In the same figure, pressure transfer
The fixing rollers 10a and 10b are applied with pressure necessary for transfer and fixing by an auxiliary roller (not shown), which crushes the microcapsules 32 on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 and causes the encapsulated dye to flow out. The dye precursor acts with the selectively applied photoconductive color developer toner 16 to develop color, and the photoconductive color developer toner 16 in which the dye precursor has smeared is removed from the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2. Transfer it to the recording medium 9,
It has the effect of fixing pressure on the recording medium 9. The photoconductive color developer toner 16 that has been pressure-fixed onto the recording medium 9 may be further fixed by heat in order to firmly fix the toner onto the recording medium 9 . The heat fixing device 20 illustrated in this embodiment is heated between a heat fixing belt 21 provided with a heater 23 inside and a heat fixing belt 22 for conveying the recording medium 9, and the recording medium 9 is heated. The photoconductive color developer toner 16 is firmly fixed to the surface.

Returning to FIG. 1, the light source 12 as an exposure means is preferably a light source in the visible light range that can faithfully reproduce the image of the original 11, such as a halogen lamp, tungsten flood lamp, metal halide lamp, laser, or L.
This is a light source that emits visible light such as an ED array. The role of the light source is to accurately reproduce the color of the image on the original and print it on the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2.
It is necessary to have enough light intensity to completely cure the upper microcapsules 32. The microcapsules 32 of the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 are red, green,
Blue sensitive to each light, photoconductive color developer toner 1
Since microcapsule 6 needs to be exposed to white light, which is a mixture of red, green, and blue light, to be in an uncharged state, a microcapsule with lower sensitivity than the microcapsule 32 is used.

The sensitivity of the microcapsule 32 is determined by the light source 12.
Assuming that is a halogen lamp, the light intensity of the halogen lamp decreases in the order of blue, green, and red, so the microcapsules 32 that are sensitive to blue, green, and red light are Sensitivity improves in the order of microcapsules. Only the portions of the photoconductive developer toner 16 that are exposed to the white light become conductive toner, and do not fly to the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2, but are conveyed while adhering to the conductive carrier 17. Even if the light intensity of the light source 12 and the irradiation exposure amount and sensitivity of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 are made to be exposed at the same time in any wavelength region, the sensitivities may differ slightly. The filter unit 14 is provided to correct intensity changes in the wavelength of the light from the light source 12.

In FIG. 1, a charger 6 applies a surface potential to the surface of the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 to charge the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2.
It has the ability to charge positively. The positively charged photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2 has electrostatic attraction that has the effect of causing the negatively charged photoconductive color developer toner 16 to fly toward the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2 side in the developing device 8. There is. The photoconductive color developer toner 16 requires a sufficient amount of developer to color the dye precursor contained in the microcapsules 32 supported on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2.
Since it is preferable to coat the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2 with a thickness of 0 μm, the gap between the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2 and the conductive carrier 17 is required to be 50 to 500 μm.

Next, FIGS. 2 and 4 show the operation when applying the photoconductive color developer toner 16 to the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2.
, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6. FIG. 4 shows a light source 12 applied to the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2 and the photoconductive color developer toner 16.
FIG. 5 shows an example of the light intensity of the photoconductive developer toner 16.
FIG. 6 shows that the photoconductive color developer toner 16 has a sensitivity corresponding to the light to which it is exposed. In these figures, the image information of the original 11 is exposed to light from the base material 31 side of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 to harden the microcapsules 32 in a portion corresponding to the image information, and the light transmitted through the microcapsules 32 is made conductive. When the photoconductive developer toner 16 on the carrier 17 is exposed, the blade 1
9. The photoconductive color developer toner 16 triboelectrically charged by the supply roller 18 etc. loses its charge via the conductive carrier 17.
It becomes impossible to fly toward the charged photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the photoconductive color developer toner 16 has a sensitivity corresponding to the characteristics of the light to which it is exposed, and blue light is a photoconductive color developer. agent toner 1
6, the sensitivity of the photoconductive developer toner 16 is highest in the wavelength range near blue light, so even if the intensity of the irradiated light is low, it will photoconductively detect green and red light. As in the case of exposure to the color developer toner 16, the surface charge of the negatively charged toner decreases from -a[mu]C to -b[mu]C. Even when exposing the photoconductive color developer toner 16 to green light, the sensitivity of the photoconductive color developer toner 16 changes depending on the wavelength, so the way the charge decreases depends on the irradiation with other light. Similarly to how the charge decreases when -aμC
decreases from -bμC. The same is true when exposed to red light. Since the charge is not lost when the photoconductive color developer toner 16 is exposed to only monochromatic light of blue, green, and red, the portion exposed to monochromatic light is photoconductive to the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 side. The developer toner 16 flies.

Furthermore, as described above, by making the amount of change in surface charge the same during light irradiation, it is possible to prevent the charge of the photoconductive color developer toner 16 from being lost only when exposed to a certain light. Then, the toner 16 flies evenly toward the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 and is used for image formation. On the other hand, only when the three colors of blue, green, and red light are simultaneously exposed, the surface charge of the photoconductive color developer toner 16 becomes 0 μC, and the toner 16 does not fly toward the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2. It is transported while remaining on the conductive carrier 17 and is not used for image formation.

The main component of the photoconductive color developer toner 16 is a dye receptor that develops color by reacting with a dye or a dye precursor, examples of which include natural clay minerals such as acid clay, bentonite, and attapulgite; Organic acids and their esters such as tannic acid, gallic acid, propyl gallic acid ester, etc.; phenolic resins, maleic acid resins, phenol-acetylene resins, condensation polymers of formaldehyde and carboxylic acids having at least one hydroxyl group; acidic polymers such as; aromatic carboxylic acids such as zinc salicylate, tin salicylate, zinc 2-hydroxynaphthoate, zinc 3,5-di-t-butylsalicylate, zinc 3,5-di(α-methylbenzyl)salicylate; metal salt;
Examples include metal salt-modified phenolic resin compounds modified with polyvalent metals such as zinc and nickel.

In particular, in the present invention, a condensate of phenol and formaldehyde or a metal salt of an aromatic carboxylic acid such as salicylic acid is used as a color developer in the photoconductive color developer toner 1.
It is very effective as a component of No.6. Examples of condensates of phenol and formaldehyde include p-phenylphenol, p-t-butylphenol, p-octylphenol, bisphenol A, etc. and formaldehyde, and examples of metal salts of salicylic acid include 3,5
-Dicyclohexylsalicylic acid, 3-cyclohexyl-
5-phenylsalicylic acid, 3-cyclohexyl-5-benzylsalicylic acid, 3-cyclohexyl-5-(α-methylbenzyl)salicylic acid, 3-(dicyclohexyl)
Salicylic acid, 3-(dicyclohexyl)-5-methylsalicylic acid, 3-(dicyclohexyl)-5-ethylsalicylic acid, 3-(dicyclohexyl)-5-t-butylsalicylic acid, 3-phenyl-5-(α-methylbenzyl)
Salicylic acid, 3-phenyl-5-(α,α-dimethylbenzyl)salicylic acid, 3-(α-methylbenzyl)-5
-Cyclohexylsalicylic acid, 3,5-di(α-methylbenzyl)salicylic acid, 3-(α-methylbenzyl)-
5-(α,α-dimethylbenzyl)salicylic acid, 3-(
α,α-dimethylbenzyl)-5-cyclohexylsalicylic acid, 3-(α,α-dimethylbenzyl)-5-(α
-methylbenzyl)salicylic acid, 3,5-di-(α,α
Examples include salts of magnesium, aluminum, calcium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, and tin, such as -dimethylbenzyl)salicylic acid.

Furthermore, when using only a color developer, when applying it electrostatically to the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 and fixing it on the recording medium 9, the powder characteristics of the color developer will affect the The developer may adhere to the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 side, causing gaps in the image on the recording medium 9 and making it impossible to reliably fix the image on the recording medium 9. To prevent this, The color developer, which is a dye receiver, is given pressure fixing performance to adhere only to the recording medium 9 side. The pressure fixing performance of the photoconductive color developer toner 16 to the recording medium 9 is related to the entanglement and adhesiveness of its constituent components, and wax and adhesive having good compatibility and adhesiveness with the color developer are mixed. By doing so, pressure fixing performance can be improved. For example, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl ether, which is known as an adhesive,
Examples include vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, polyacrylic acid ester, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl butyral, and the like.

[0022] Waxes include carnauba wax, candelilla wax, rice wax, lanolin wax, Japan wax, beeswax wax, paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, montanic acid wax, halogenated paraffin wax, amide wax, ozokerite, and , polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene. By using these alone or in combination, it is possible to create a photoconductive color developer toner 16 with better fixing properties. The color developer component and the pressure fixing component are melt-kneaded, pulverized and classified if necessary to form one particle, and the photoconductive color developer toner 16 has a volume average particle size of 5 to 50 μm. Forms a core substance. After the fine powder of photoconductive material is mixed on the surface of the core material of the photoconductive developer toner 16 using a mixer, mechanical or thermal action is applied around the core material of the photoconductive developer toner 16. Apply and coat. As the photoconductive material, it is preferable to use a material obtained by sensitizing a naphthol dye with benzophenone, acetophenone, or the like.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus of this embodiment having the above configuration will be explained using FIG. The photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 supplied from the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium storage case 3 is transported by transport rollers 4 and 4a and a winding roller 5.
The image forming process is carried out while the image is being conveyed by the image forming apparatus. First, a positive surface potential is applied to the surface of the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2 by the charger 6. In synchronization with this, the light from the light source 12 and the light from the reflecting mirror 13 are focused on the original 11, and the light reflected by the original 11 is transmitted through the filter unit 14, and the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 and the photoconductive The color developer toner 16 is irradiated. Since the light irradiated onto the original 11 has a certain width, naturally the light that is exposed to the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 also has a certain width. Manuscript 11
is conveyed to the document table 11a, and the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 is also conveyed, and exposure is started over a certain width from the portion where the surface potential is applied by the charger 6.

The image information of the original 11 exposed through the filter unit 14 is exposed from the transparent base material 31 side of the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 to harden the microcapsules 32 and at the same time to conduct photoconductive color development. The agent toner 16 is also exposed. The photoconductive developer toner 16 is negatively charged by friction between the supply roller 18 and the blade 19 . The light transmitted through the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 leaks the charge of the photoconductive developer toner 16, which was negatively charged upon exposure to the photoconductive developer toner 16, and becomes conductive. Conductive carrier 17
The photoconductive color developer toner 16 that has been charged and conveyed above does not fly toward the light-sensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 in the irradiated portion, whereas the image on the original 11 is irradiated with light. The portion where the information is reproduced and the amount of irradiation has not reached enough to remove the charge of the photoconductive color developer toner 16 flies to the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 2 side and is conveyed. The photoconductive color developer toner 16 remaining on the conductive carrier 17 is transported and stirred in the toner case 15, loses its conductivity, becomes charged, and is converted into a photoconductive developer toner in the developing device 8 again. It is used as toner 16.

The photoconductive color developer toner 16 adhering to the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium 2 is transferred to the pressure transfer/fixing rollers 10a and 10.
At b, the recording medium 9 supplied from the recording medium storage case 24 is overlapped with the recording medium 9 and pressure is applied. As a result, the microcapsules 3 hardened by light irradiation
The microcapsules 32 in the areas not irradiated with light are crushed by the pressure transfer/fixing rollers 10a and 10b, and the dye precursor contained therein flows out, and an electrostatic force is applied to the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2. The dye precursor bleeds into the photoconductive color developer toner 16 that has adhered thereto, causing color development. On the surface, it appears that the photoconductive color developer toner 16 has developed color. This photoconductive color developer toner 16 is transferred onto the recording medium 9 by pressure transfer/fixing rollers 10a and 10b, and further fixed by pressure. The transfer rate at this time is as follows:
and depends largely on the wettability of the surface of the recording medium 9,
100% transfer possible. The image formed on the recording medium 9 is fixed at 12 by a thermal fixing device 20 in order to obtain strong fixation.
When heat of 0° C. to 180° C. is applied, an image output with a glossy surface can be obtained.

The thus obtained image on the recording medium 9 has photoconductive color developer toner 16 coated on the portions that are white when exposed to light, that is, the portions of the microcapsules 32 that are not crushed. Since the image is transparent, it is possible to prevent the white portion from being stored against light and discoloration, and it is possible to obtain a clear image. Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium 2 is exactly the photoconductive color developer toner 1.
6 was negatively charged, but the polarity may be completely reversed.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the photoconductive color developer toner and the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium are exposed to light by the exposure means that provides image information of the original, and the photoconductive color developer toner is An agent toner is selectively applied to the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium. Therefore, the color developer toner is not applied to the portions of the document where no characters or images are formed. As a result, since the color developer toner is not transferred or fixed to the white portion of the output image, it is possible to obtain an image with good weather resistance and long-lasting storage stability. Furthermore, compared to the conventional method in which developer toner is applied over the entire surface, only a small amount of developer toner is used, which helps reduce costs.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing how photoconductive developer toner is developed in the same image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing how color is developed on a photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium by a pressure transfer/fixing roller in the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing an example of the light intensity of a light source applied to a photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium and a photoconductive developer toner.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the sensitivity of a photoconductive developer toner in the visible light region.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the sensitivity of a photoconductive developer toner in response to light exposure.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium 7 Exposure device 8 Developing device 9 Recording medium 10 Transfer device 16 Photoconductive color developer toner 17 Conductive carrier 32 Microcapsule

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: In an image forming apparatus using a photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium carrying microcapsules containing a dye or a dye precursor that develops color by the action of a photopolymerizable monomer and a color developer, when irradiated with light, It has a carrier that forms and carries a uniform layer of photoconductive color developer toner that becomes conductive and develops color by interacting with a dye or dye precursor, and the developer is deposited on a photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium that has been exposed to light. A developing means for selectively applying a colorant toner is placed on the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium or the carrier in a state in which the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium and the photoconductive color developer toner layer on the carrier are brought close to each other. an exposure means for exposing image information to light; An image forming apparatus comprising: a transfer means for transferring onto a recording medium.