JPH06118601A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the destruction of photosensitive capsules by the effect of friction, sliding, etc., at the time of handling by using photosensitive capsule powder formed by externally adding a fluidizing agent to the surface of the outer side of the outside wall material of the photosensitive capsule. CONSTITUTION:The photosensitive capsule toner 1 used for an image forming device consists of the outside wall material 2 and the fluidizing agent 4 and liquid component 3 which are the inclusions therein. A photosetting material which is cured by sensing a prescribed wavelength and a pigment which is a color material are incorporated as the liquid component 8. Since the powder characteristic of the photosensitive capsule toner 1 has a good flow property for the effect of the external addition of the fluidizing agent 4, the fluidizing agent 4 plays the role of a roller and relieves the shearing force to destroy the capsule as the rotating motion of the fluidizing agent 4 and the external wall part 2 even if the sliding between a supply roller, electrostatic charging blade and carrying roller and the photosensitive capsule toner 1 arises. The destruction of the capsule is thereby prevented and the sufficient electrostatic charge capacity is imparted thereto. Namely, the destruction of the capsule during storage and image formation is prevented for the photosensitive capsule powder prior to exposure having low mechanical strength.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention contains a coloring material such as a leuco dye, a colored dye or a pigment as an encapsulating material, and uses a photosensitive capsule whose mechanical strength changes in response to light. Image recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a photosensitive medium coated with microcapsules containing a dye precursor and a photocurable substance is exposed on the basis of image information, and the microcapsules are cured to form a chemical latent image on the photosensitive medium. Then, the image receiving paper on which the color developing agent that reacts with the dye precursor to develop a color is previously coated, and the photosensitive medium are superposed and pressed with a roller to develop a chemical latent image by pressure. An image forming apparatus of a type that fixes an image on an image receiving paper is known.

As a type of photo-curing, there is a method in which a photopolymerization initiator and a polymerizable compound are used, and microcapsules are photopolymerized and cured by irradiation of image light to obtain a chemical latent image, for example, JP-A-57-179836. No. 62-150238
It is disclosed in each publication of the issue.

Further, as a method of improving the sensitivity of photopolymerization and hardening by improving the above constitution, a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent and a polymerizable compound are used to form a photosensitive silver halide by irradiation of image light. There is a method of forming a latent image nucleus and then thermally polymerizing and curing the latent image nucleus to obtain a chemical latent image, which is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-61-278849 and JP-A-62-232652.

In any of the above image forming apparatuses,
Image formation was possible only on a special paper having a developer layer on the surface.

As another example of an image forming apparatus using the above-mentioned photosensitive medium, the present applicant has a photosensitive medium on which the above-mentioned chemical latent image is formed and an image-receiving paper which is plain paper, with a developer layer in between. We have devised an apparatus that forms images on plain paper by stacking and pressing.

However, in any of the above image forming apparatuses, the photosensitive medium used is a medium in which a plastic film such as PET is used as a support and photosensitive microcapsules are carried on the surface thereof.

This photosensitive medium is collected after use and discarded in a lump, or is cut and discarded every time an image is formed. Therefore, the support, which is not necessary for forming an image, which is originally a plastic film, is consumed, so that the cost of consumables becomes high and the image forming cost becomes high.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present applicant uses a capsule powder obtained by converting photosensitive microcapsules into toner (photosensitive capsule powder) and supports it in a known image forming process such as electrophotography. An image forming apparatus which is applied on the body and has a structure in which only necessary microcapsule toner is consumed is disclosed in the specification and drawings attached to the application of Japanese Patent Application No. 3-124919.

[0010]

However, in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus which uses a photosensitive capsule powder in an image forming process such as a known electrophotographic method, the mechanical strength of the capsule is very high. It was very low and the handling was very difficult because the capsule was broken inside the device.

In particular, when the capsules before curing are to be charged, a conventional method for frictionally charging a normal non-magnetic one-component electrophotographic toner, that is, friction with a rigid body such as a metal blade or an elastomer is used. In the method of charging, the capsule cannot be withstood the pressure and sliding at the time of friction, and the capsule is destroyed, which causes a serious problem that the inside of the device is soiled with the capsule contents, and the capsule is corona charged in a non-contact manner. The method has a problem that the apparatus becomes complicated and harmful ozone is generated due to the corona discharge.

Further, in the hopper storing the photosensitive capsule powder in the apparatus, the capsule is broken due to the stirring operation of the capsule powder, which causes the capsule in the hopper. There has been a serious problem that the powder is agglomerated and the fluidity is lowered, and the capsule powder is clogged in the device to cause a failure.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the photosensitive capsule powder before exposure, which has low mechanical strength, is broken during storage or during the image forming process. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can achieve a sufficient amount of charge without a need for a simple configuration.

[0014]

In order to achieve this object, the image forming apparatus of the present invention contains at least a coloring material such as a leuco dye, a colored dye or a pigment, a polymerizable substance, and a photopolymerization initiator. In addition to using a photosensitive capsule powder in which a fluidizing agent is externally added to the outer surface of the outer wall material of the photosensitive capsule, which is composed of an inclusion and an outer wall material containing a resin such as a polymer or an inorganic material such as a metal as a main component Capsule powder charging means for charging the photosensitive capsule powder by rubbing the photosensitive capsule powder with a charging member composed of a solid dielectric, and the charged photosensitive capsule powder on the support by an electric field. And a capsule electric field applying means for causing the flying.

[0015]

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention having the above structure, a photosensitive capsule powder is used in which a fluidizing agent is externally added to the outer surface of the outer wall material of the photosensitive capsule. Therefore, in order to show good fluidity, the capsule will not be broken by the action of friction and sliding during handling in the device, and therefore, the solid powder dielectric means will prevent solid capsules from being broken. The charging of the photosensitive capsule powder by rubbing the charging member composed of a body and the like with the photosensitive capsule powder can be performed without destroying the photosensitive capsule, and the photosensitive capsule thus charged can be charged. The capsule electric field coating means causes the powder to fly onto the support by the electric field.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the outline of the construction of an embodiment of a photosensitive capsule powder for use in the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

The photosensitive capsule toner 1 used in the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment is composed of an outer wall material 2, a liquid component 3 which is an inclusion thereof, and a fluidizing agent 4. Also,
The liquid component 3 contains at least a photocurable substance that cures in response to a predetermined wavelength and a pigment that is a coloring material.

As one of the components constituting the photocurable substance, there is a polymerizable compound, for example, N-vinyl-2.
-Pyrrolidone, bisphenol A diacrylates and methacrylates, tripropylene glycol diacrylates and methacrylates, polyethylene glycol diacrylates and methacrylates, pentaerythritol triacrylate and methacrylates, dipentaerythritol hexaacrylates and methacrylates, trimethylolpropane triacrylate and methacrylates, oligoesters Examples thereof include acrylate and methacrylate. Further, these polymerizable compounds may be used alone or as a mixture of two or more kinds.

In the case of constituting the photocurable substance, usually, these polymerizable compounds, a photopolymerization initiator and a dye are used in combination. The photopolymerization initiator is one which is sensitive to light and initiates polymerization of a resin, and examples thereof include benzoyl alkyl ethers such as benzophenone and benzoyl isopropyl ether, Michler's ketone, metal arene compounds, and 2,4-diethylthioxanthone. However, the invention is not limited to these.

The dye is for absorbing light having a predetermined wavelength and transferring the energy to the photopolymerization initiator to cause a photo-curing reaction with light having a predetermined wavelength. The dye is a xanthene type or coumarin type. , Merocyanine, thiazine, azine, methine, oxazine, phenylmethane, cyanine, azo, anthraquinone, pyrazoline, stilbene, quinoline, phthalocyanine, etc., but not limited to these. Not something.

The material forming the outer wall material 2 is preferably gelatin, gum arabic, starch, sodium alginate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, polyurethane, polyurea, polyurethane, polystyrene, nitrocellulose, ethylcellulose, methylcellulose, A melamine-formaldehyde resin, a urea-formaldehyde resin, or the like is used, but a material that allows sufficient light transmission is more preferable.

The photosensitive capsule toner 1 having the above-mentioned structure can be manufactured by a method which is already known in the art. For example, US Pat. No. 28004
57, No. 2800458 and the like, a phase separation method from an aqueous solution, an interface as shown in Japanese Examined Patent Publication Nos. 38-1974, 42-446, 42-771 and the like. Polymerization method, Japanese Patent Publication No. 36-9168, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 51-9079, etc., in-situ method by polymerization of monomers, and British Patent Nos. 952807 and 965074, the melt dispersion cooling method. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

Further, according to the above-mentioned manufacturing method, the particle size of the photosensitive capsule toner 1 having the above-mentioned structure is several to 100 μm.
Can be arbitrarily adjusted within the range.

As the fluidizing agent 4, styrene-n-butyl acrylate copolymer, plastic fine particles of PMMA, nylon, etc., fine particles of titanium / aluminum oxide, etc. can be used. PMMA ultrafine powder (MP-1000 ... average particle size 0.4 μm), nylon fine particles (SP-5) manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc.
00 ... 5 μm), Benzoquanamine manufactured by Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
Formaldehyde condensate (Eposter MS ... 2 μm),
Benzoquanamine-melamine-formaldehyde condensate (Eposter M30 ... 3 μm), melamine-formaldehyde condensate (Eposter S12 ... 1.2 μm, Eposter S6 ... 6 μm, Eposter S ... 0.3 μm), anhydrous silica ultrafine powder manufactured by Degussa, Germany (Aerosil OX50 ... about 40 nm, Aerosil R972 ... about 16 n
m, Aerosil R805 ... about 12 nm), aluminum oxide ultrafine particles (Aluminium Oxide C ...
Approximately 13 nm, titanium oxide ultrafine particles (Titanium)
Dioxide P25 ... Approximately 21 nm) can be used, but is not limited thereto.

The fluidizing agent 4 is externally added to the periphery of the outer wall material 3 as if it were sprinkled, and the powder characteristics of the photosensitive capsule toner 1 thus constructed have very good fluidity. Have

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a configuration showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus embodying the present invention.

The image forming apparatus 10 of the embodiment is an image forming apparatus 1 described in the following embodiment according to an image information signal.
A control unit 12 is provided to control all movable parts and light emitting parts (hereinafter abbreviated as movable parts) in 0 so as to operate properly for image formation.

The control unit 12 sends a command to a driver, a switch or the like connected to the movable part or the like while monitoring the operating conditions of the movable part or the like with a sensor or the like to control the movable part or the like. is doing.

A document supporting glass 16 is attached to the upper surface of a casing 14 of the image forming apparatus 10. The document is sandwiched between the document support glass 16 and the document retainer 18 and held so that the image surface faces downward.

Below the document supporting glass 16, a light source lamp 20 for illuminating the document, a solid-state image pickup device 22 for reading the reflected light from the document, and reflected light from the document on the solid-state image pickup device. A scanner unit 28 having an optical system 24 for forming an image and an arithmetic element 26 for converting an electric signal generated by forming an image of light according to image information on the solid-state image pickup device into an image information signal. Is equipped with.

When a copy start button (not shown) is pressed, the scanner unit 28 moves in the direction of arrow 30 by a motor (not shown) or the like in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 12 to move the original document. The reading operation is performed and the read image information signal is transferred to the control unit 12.

The capsule powder charging means 31 comprises a toner case 32, an agitator 33, a supply roller 34,
Charging blade 35 as a charging member, and carrying roller 36
It has and. The photosensitive capsule toner 1 is stored in the toner case 32 while being shielded from light,
It is agitated by the agitator 33.

As the agitator 33, a wire rod-shaped metal rod having a diameter of about 1 mm bent into a U-shape or a plate made of metal or resin having a thickness of about 1 mm is attached to an appropriate rotating shaft. The thing etc. can be used.

When the photosensitive capsule toner 1 is continuously consumed in the toner case 32, the amount of the photosensitive capsule toner 1 in the vicinity of the supply roller 34 becomes insufficient, so that the agitator 33 stirs the toner. The density of the photosensitive capsule toner 1 in the toner case 32 is always kept constant. Here, the powder characteristics of the photosensitive capsule toner 1 have extremely good fluidity due to the effect of the external addition of the fluidizing agent 4, so that the photosensitive capsule toners 1 themselves during stirring, Even if sliding occurs between this and the agitator 33, the fluidizing agent 4 plays the role of a roller, and the shearing force that breaks the capsule is released as rotational movement of the fluidizing agent 4 and the outer wall portion 2. As a result, the capsule is not broken in the toner case 33.

The supply roller 34 has a cylindrical shape and has a diameter of φ1.
About 0 mm, the material is urethane sponge.

The charging blade 35 is a plate material having a thickness of about 1 to 2 mm, and the material is preferably nylon, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, fluororesin (P
TFE, PCTFE, PFA, FEP, ETFE, etc.),
PMMA, vinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate,
Dielectric resins such as natural rubber, polybutadiene and polyacrylonitrile can be used.

More preferably, the material of the charging blade 35 is selected so that the combination of the material of the outer wall material 2 of the photosensitive capsule toner 1 and the material of the outer wall material 2 of the photosensitive capsule toner 1 is separated as much as possible on the charging column to make the photosensitive capsule toner 1 have a constant polarity. When the outer wall material 2 is a melamine-formaldehyde resin, the above-mentioned fluororesin such as PTFE or polyethylene can be preferably used as the above-mentioned dielectric resin. .

The charging blade 35 has a thickness of about 1
It is also possible to use a metal plate material having a thickness of up to 2 mm and having the above-mentioned dielectric resin film attached thereto.

The carrying roller 36 is about 200 to 1000 μm.
A metal core rod having a diameter of about 25 mm is coated with m-thick nylon resin. The metal core rod of the carrying roller 36 is grounded.

The supply roller 34 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 1 in response to a command from the control unit 12, and the carrier roller 36 also rotates in the direction of arrow 37.

By rotating the supply roller 34, the photosensitive capsule toner 1 is pulled out from the toner case 32, and at this time, the charging blade 35 and the photosensitive capsule toner 1 rub against each other, and the photosensitive capsule toner 1 is Get charged.

At this time, as described above, the powder characteristics of the photosensitive capsule toner 1 have extremely good fluidity due to the effect of the external addition of the fluidizing agent 4, so that the supply roller 34, Even when the charging blade 35, the carrying roller 36 and the photosensitive capsule toner 1 slide, the fluidizing agent 4 plays the role of a roller, and the shearing force that breaks the capsule is applied to the fluidizing agent 4. Capsule destruction does not occur by letting it escape as a rotational movement of the outer wall portion 2,
Therefore, the photosensitive capsule toner 1 can be provided with a sufficient charge amount.

The intermediate belt 38 is a belt made of silicon rubber, which is excellent in releasability, and is wound around the intermediate belt driving roller 40 and the high pressure roller 42, which are made of metal, and is controlled by the control unit 12. It is driven in the direction of arrow 44 by the intermediate belt drive roller 40. The high-pressure roller 42 has a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the photosensitive capsule toner 1 in order to fly the frictionally charged photosensitive capsule toner 1 from the carrying roller 36 and apply it to the intermediate belt 38. 1 kV
Apply a high DC voltage.

The supply roller 34 and the carrying roller 36 are always in friction with each other, and due to this friction, a charging blade is formed on the surface of the carrying roller 36 charged to the opposite polarity to the photosensitive capsule toner 1. The photosensitive capsule toner 1 frictionally charged by 35 is electrostatically adsorbed and carried.

The photosensitive encapsulated toner 1 carried on the carrying roller 36 is acted upon by the action of an electric field generated between the high pressure roller 42 and the core rod of the carrying roller 36 which is grounded. It is electrostatically applied on the belt 38.

As described above, when the photosensitive capsule toner 1 of the present embodiment is used, the photosensitive capsule powder before exposure having a low mechanical strength is subjected to a conventional electrophotographic method such as frictional charging or stirring operation. Even if a simple powder handling method such as that used in the above is used, it is possible to give a sufficient amount of charge without causing capsule destruction during storage or during the image forming process. Is achieved in.

After electrostatically applying the microcapsule toner 1 onto the intermediate belt 38, the control unit 1 is responsive to the image information read by the scanner unit 28.
2 is exposed by the exposure source 58 controlled to 2 and is pressed by the press transfer roller 62 rotating in the direction of the arrow, and only the microcapsule toner 1 that has not been photopolymerized and cured is destroyed to remove the coloring material. The inclusions containing are carried on the press transfer roller 62.

The fragments of the microcapsule toner 1 remaining on the intermediate belt 38 after the pressure development and the microcapsule toner 1 photopolymerized and cured are removed by sliding with the cleaning blade 64, and the inside of the dust box 66 is removed. Thrown away.

The image receiving paper 70 stored in the image receiving paper cassette 68 is fed out by the paper feed roller 72, and the arrow 78 is drawn by the paper guide 74 and the paper guide roller 76.
Is guided in the gap between the nip roller 80 rotating in the direction of and the press transfer roller 62, and is nipped and pressed by the nip roller 80 and the press transfer roller 62,
The inclusion containing the coloring material carried on the pressure transfer roller 62 is transferred onto the image receiving paper 70 to form an image on the image receiving paper 7.
Form on 0.

The image receiving paper 70 having the formed image.
Is guided by the paper discharge roller 82 and discharged to the exit tray 84.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described in detail above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For example, although static electricity and gravity were used as the means for applying the microcapsule toner and the fine powder, other mechanical / chemical actions such as magnetism and physical adsorption may be used.

[0054]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the photosensitive capsule powder before exposure, which has low mechanical strength, undergoes capsule breakage during storage or during the image forming process. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that does not require a sufficient amount of charge and that can be achieved with a simple configuration.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a photosensitive capsule powder used in an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an embodiment of an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Photosensitive Capsule Toner 2 Outer Wall Material 3 Liquid Component 4 Fluidizing Agent 31 Capsule Powder Charging Means 33 Agitator 34 Supply Roller 35 Charging Blade 36 Supporting Roller 42 High Pressure Roller 62 Pressure Current Transfer Roller

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A main component is an inclusion containing at least a coloring material such as a leuco dye, a colored dye or a pigment, a polymerizable substance, and a photopolymerization initiator, and a resin such as a polymer or an inorganic substance such as a metal. In addition to using a photosensitive capsule powder in which a fluidizing agent is externally added to the outer surface of the outer wall material of the photosensitive capsule composed of the outer wall material, the photosensitive capsule powder and a charging member composed of a solid dielectric etc. Image formation characterized by comprising a capsule powder charging means for charging the photosensitive capsule powder by friction, and a capsule electric field applying means for flying the charged photosensitive capsule powder onto the support by an electric field. apparatus.