JPH07311522A - Method and device for regenerating material to be recorded - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve cleaning ability by making difference between the surface energy of an image forming substance in the case of removing the image forming substance on a peeling member and the surface energy of the contact surface of the peeling member equal to or more than a specified value. CONSTITUTION:A material to be recorded carried from a paper supplying tray 1 while passing through a paper supplying roller 2 and a guide board 3 is coated and impregnated with an image removing accelerating liquid 7 by a paper supplying roller 6, then, is guided to a peeling member belt 5 by a carrying roller 4. The material to be recorded which is brought into contact with the peeling member is heated and is brought into press-contact with a heating roller 8, then is separated from the peeling member by a separation pawl 9, and a toner image on the material to be recorded is transferred to the peeling member, and the toner image on the peeling member is cleaned from the surface of the belt 5 by a cleaning part 10. In this case, a member in which the difference between the surface energy of the image forming substance in the case of removing the image forming substance on the peeling member and the surface energy or the contact surface of the peeling member is >5mN/m, is used.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is for reusing a recording material by removing a film-like image formed on the recording material by electrophotography, a thermal transfer system, an inkjet system using a hot melt ink, or the like. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus, in particular, a method and an apparatus for reusing a recording material by bringing a peeling member into contact with the recording material and transferring an image forming substance on the recording material onto the peeling member. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Due to recent OA, printer paper and copying paper have come to be used in large quantities. As a result, the problem of deteriorating the global environment due to deforestation has become a problem. Conventionally, to solve this problem, the only method is to remove the ink or the like from the used paper, soak it again, and use it as recycled waste paper. However, recently, a paper has been developed in which a character image on a used paper can be removed by cleaning and reused for copying or printing. For example, in JP-A-4-67043, the surface of a sheet-like support,
In particular, it is disclosed that only one side is subjected to a release treatment, and the support subjected to the release treatment is marked to distinguish it from plain paper. However, this is a special paper and has problems such as poor fixability, and thus there is a problem in using it as general copying paper. Further, JP-A-1-101576 and JP-A-1-101577 disclose that an image is removed by ultrasonically treating a toner on an image forming support in an organic solvent that dissolves the toner. However, there is a problem with pollution due to organic solvents, ignition and toxicity, and there is a problem with using it in general offices and homes. JP-A 1-297
In Japanese Patent No. 294, an image forming support made of plastic, metal, paper having poor liquid permeability, ceramics or the like is used, and an image formed on the support is provided with a heat-meltable peeling member. Although a cleaning method is disclosed in which an image is peeled off from the support by heating by interposing it, a special paper having a release treatment on its surface must be used. Further, the method of cleaning the peeling body is not specified. In addition, the present applicant did not use a special paper before, but dip a toner image obtained by an ordinary copying machine in a peeling solution containing water, and heat it together with a peeling body for peeling the image to erase it. Proposed copy and printing papers available. However, when the peeling member is repeatedly used in a recording material reproducing apparatus for recording material, the image forming substance removed from the recording material adheres to the surface of the peeling member on the unevenness, resulting in peeling failure or the like. There was a problem. Therefore, there is a method of scraping with a brush etc. as a method for maintaining the performance of the peeling member for a long period of time. There is a problem that the transfer characteristics of the forming substance are deteriorated. In particular, when the transfer is performed by using a material similar to the image forming substance, the transferability is excellent, but the cleaning property is poor. Therefore, there is a problem that the number of times the peeling material is repeated is small and the maintenance cost is high.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to repeatedly perform good reproduction of a recording material by using a peeling member having an excellent cleaning property in an image forming substance removing apparatus from the recording material. It is to provide a possible method and device.

[0004]

According to the present invention, a film-like image formed on a recording material is removed by electrophotography, a thermal transfer method, an ink jet method using a hot melt ink, etc., and the recording material is reused. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus, and particularly to a method and an apparatus for reusing a recording material by bringing a peeling member into contact with the recording material and transferring an image-forming substance on the recording material onto the peeling member. is there. First, a method of reproducing a recording material used in the present invention will be described. The image forming substance used in the image forming method for forming the film-like image is usually formed of a material which is softened by heat or pressure. The peeling member is brought into contact with the image forming substance on the recording material, and the image forming substance is transferred onto the peeling member by heating and / or pressurizing and is removed from the recording material. The peeling member used at this time must have a larger adhesive force with the image forming substance than the recording material, but it is also possible to facilitate transfer by using a recording material subjected to a special treatment. For example, if the surface is coated with a release agent that decomposes by heat, it is easily transferred by heating. According to the present invention, as the peeling member, a member having a difference of 5 mN / m or more between the surface energy of the image forming substance and the surface energy of the contact surface of the peeling member when the image forming substance on the peeling member is removed is used. It was found that the cleaning property of the peeling member is improved. This is because the surface chemical adhesive force decreases as the surface energy difference increases.

On the recording material having an image, a liquid which is water or alcohols or a mixture of water and alcohols, or a surfactant and / or a water-soluble polymer is used as a solvent as an image removal promoting liquid composition. By carrying out a treatment for holding at least one kind of liquid or solution selected from the group containing the solution, it is possible to reduce the adhesive force between the recording material and the image forming substance, and a member having a low adhesive force. We have found that bonding is possible even at temperatures. In particular, according to this method, even when plain paper or OHP is used as the recording material,
The recorded material can be reproduced. According to the present invention, by the above-mentioned treatment, a recording material which does not have a special coating or the like on its surface as a recording material, particularly plain paper or OH
Even when P is used, it is also possible to use a member in which the difference between the surface energy of the image forming material and the surface energy of the contact surface of the peeling member when removing the image forming substance on the peeling member is 5 mN / m or more. It has been found that various transfer is possible and the cleaning property of the peeling member is improved.

An image forming substance that can be used in the present invention includes toner. The toner comprises a resin, a charge control agent, a coloring agent, a release agent, etc., but the surface energy is mainly determined by the resin. Polystyrene, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, styrene-butyl acrylic copolymer, styrene-butadiene copolymer, polyester, epoxy resin, etc. are used as the component resin of the toner, and the surface energy is a value of 20-35 mN / m. Becomes

The peeling member used in the present invention can be selected depending on the physical properties of the image forming substance to be transferred. For example, when used for removing toner, the surface energy of the toner is 20-3.
The surface energy is 25-
It is only necessary to select one having a rate of 40 mN / m or more or 20 mN / m or less. However, since the softening temperature of the toner is about 70 ° C., heat resistance higher than that is required. Polymer materials for such a peeling member include phenol resin, melamine resin, allyl resin, silicone resin, olefin resin, styrene resin, polyamide, polyester, diarylate resin, xylene resin, alkylbenzene resin,
Epoxy resin, epoxy allylate resin, silicon resin, urethane resin, vinyl chloride resin, polyethylene,
Examples thereof include chlorinated polyolefin, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyamide, methacrylic resin, polyacetal, polycarbonate, cellulosic resin, polyvinyl alcohol, polyimide and polyamideimide.
Polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, general-purpose engineering plastics, polyester, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide, special engineering plastics, polyether ether ketone, polyether sulfone, polyether imide, polyimide, polysulfone, polyarylate, polyphenylene sulfide , Aramid, as a fluororesin, polytetrafluoroethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene-polyhexafluoropropylene copolymer, polytetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkylvinyl ether copolymer, polytetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer, poly Chlorotrifluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polytrifluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer, etc. have high heat resistance, And, mechanical properties, excellent chemical properties, preferred is in use. In addition, these materials may be used alone or may obtain desired physical properties by adding a reinforcing material and a filler. Further, as the rubber material, polypropylene-based, nittle rubber-based, recycled rubber-based, SBR
Rubber-based materials such as those based on aluminum, aluminum alloys, iron, nickel,
Examples include nickel alloys, stainless steel, zirconium, titanium, steel and the like. As a method of measuring the surface energy of the peeling member, there is a method of determining it by dropping an appropriate solvent or the like on the peeling member and measuring the contact angle thereof. Further, if the structure of the peeling member is known, it is possible to make an approximate calculation using a structural formula. The shape of the peeling member used in the present invention may be a belt shape or a roll shape, and various polymers or metals such as aluminum and nickel are directly formed into a sheet, a belt shape or a roller shape as its material. Alternatively, it may be carried on the surface of another support.

As the image removal promoting liquid composition, water, an aqueous solution containing a surfactant, an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polymer, an aqueous solution containing a surfactant and a water-soluble polymer, alcohol, an alcohol solution containing a surfactant, Alcohol solution containing water-soluble polymer, and alcohol solution containing surfactant and water-soluble polymer, mixture of water and alcohol, alcohol, aqueous solution containing surfactant, alcohol, aqueous solution containing water-soluble polymer, and alcohol, surface-active At least one kind of water or solution selected from the group consisting of an agent and an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polymer can be used. Examples of the water-soluble polymer include starchy substances (branch starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, wheat starch, corn starch, etc.), mannan (konjac, etc.), seaweeds (fungi, agar, sodium alginate, etc.), plant mucilages ( Natural polymers such as Trolo mallow, tragacanth gum, gum arabic, etc., microbial mucilages (dextran, levan etc.), proteins (nikawa, gelatin, casein, collagen etc.), and cellulosic polymers (viscose, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxy) Examples thereof include methyl cellulose and the like), starch-based (soluble starch, carboxymethyl starch, dialdehyde starch) semi-synthetic polymers, synthetic polymers and the like. Examples of the above-mentioned surfactant include anionic (carboxylic acid salt, sulfonic acid salt, sulfuric acid ester salt, phosphoric acid ester salt, phosphonic acid salt, etc.) and cationic (aminic acid, quaternary ammonium salt). , Benzalkonium salt, benzethonium chloride salt, pyridinium salt, imidazolinium salt, sulfonium salt, polyethylene polyamine, etc.), amphoteric system (amino acid, carboxybetaine, sulfobetaine, aminosulfate, aminocarboxylic acid salt, imidazoline derivative, etc.) , Non-ionic type (ether type, ether ester type,
Ester type, nitrogen-containing type, polyhydric alcohol, amino alcohol, polyethylene glycol, etc.) usual surfactants, fluorine-based surfactants and the like can be mentioned.

An example of the device used in the present invention is shown in FIG. By a paper feed roller (6) to a recording material conveyed from a paper feed tray (1) which supplies a recording material having a toner image as an image forming substance through a guide plate (3) from a paper feeding roller (2) The image removal promoting liquid (7) is applied and impregnated. The transport roller (4) guides the peeling member belt (5). The recording material in contact with the peeling member is heated and pressure-contacted by the heating roller (8), and then the separating member (9) separates the peeling member from the recording material, and the toner image on the recording material is separated by the peeling member. Transcribed. The toner image on the peeling member is cleaned from the surface of the peeling member belt (5) by the cleaning unit (10). The recording material is guided onto the drying belt (12) by the transport roller (11) and dried. The dried image-free recording medium is discharged to the paper discharge tray (13) by the conveying roller (11) to obtain a recording material that can be recopied and reprinted. As a member used for cleaning, a member capable of exerting a shearing force on the foreign matter on the peeling member and capable of scraping off the foreign matter is preferable. Specifically, materials such as a roll brush, metal, hard plastics, brass, stainless steel, and nylon can be used. In particular, a member having low hardness such as nylon can be cleaned without scratching the surface. Further, a method of removing by applying vibration can be used. According to the method of the present invention, since the toner can be removed relatively easily, the surface of the peeling member is less scratched, and the peeling member can be cleaned without being damaged. Further, FIG. 2 shows an example of the apparatus configuration when the image removal promoting liquid is not used. In this case, the liquid is not supplied and is directly sent from the paper feed tray to the peeling member drum (16). A blade (17) is used for cleaning.

[0010]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described below with reference to examples. The surface energy shown in the examples was determined from the contact angle of water and glycerin dropped on the material. The toner was obtained by molding in the form of pellets. Also,
For Ni, literature values (Chemical Handbook Basic Edition 1) were used. Toner A was prepared according to the following formulation. The manufacturing method is as follows: After mixing the following substances with a blender for 10 minutes,
It was melted and kneaded by two rolls heated to the above. . After naturally cooling the kneaded product, it was roughly crushed by a cutter mill and crushed by a fine crusher using a jet stream. The surface energy was 35 mN / m (25 ° C). Further, a toner B was obtained in the same manner as in the production method, except that the formulation was changed as follows. The surface energy was 28 mN / m (25 ° C).

Example 1 Toner A was used to thinly coat a commercially available OHP film with a silicone sealant as a release agent to prepare a recording material, and toner A was used to form an image thereon. Polyethylene terephthalate in which titanium oxide is dispersed (white PE
T) The sheets were brought into contact with each other and heated and pressed by a heat roller at 100 ° C., and then separated, all the toner was transferred, and the recording medium was regenerated without leaving any residue. Further, when the peeling member was soaked in water and wiped with a towel, the toner was removed and the cleaning was good. In addition, white P at room temperature
The surface energy of ET was 42 mN / m.

Example 2 An image was formed on a high quality paper using the above toner B. Then, the paper was recycled using the apparatus shown in FIG. At this time, an aqueous solution containing 1% of an anionic surfactant diacylsulfosuccinic acid type surfactant as a surfactant was used as the image removal promoting liquid. Further, as the peeling member, a polycarbonate belt was used. Set the heating roller temperature to 10
When passed at 0 ° C, the image was well removed. Further, when cleaning was performed using a nylon brush, there was no residual toner, and the cleaning was good. At this time, no scratches or the like were found on the peeling member.
The surface energy of polycarbonate at room temperature was 36 mN / m.

Example 3 An image was formed on a commercially available OHP film by using Toner A, and the image removal accelerating liquid used in Example 2 was dipped to obtain a white P
After being brought into contact with ET and heated and pressurized at 100 ° C. with a heat roller, when separated, all the toner was transferred, and the OHP sheet was regenerated without leaving any residue. Further, after cooling to room temperature and rubbing with an electric toothbrush, the toner was removed and cleaning was good.

Example 4 An experiment was carried out in the same manner as in Example 2 except that polytetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer was used as the peeling member and Toner A was used in place of Toner B. Both regeneration and cleaning of the peeling member were good. The surface energy of the polytetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer at room temperature was 20 mN / m.

Example 5 An experiment was conducted in the same manner as in Example 2 except that polyimide was used as the peeling member, and it was found that both the reproduction of the recording material and the cleaning of the peeling member were good. The surface energy of the polyimide at room temperature was 53 mN / m.

Example 6 An experiment was conducted in the same manner as in Example 2 using Ni as the peeling member, and it was found that both the reproduction of the recording material and the cleaning of the peeling member were good. The surface energy of Ni at room temperature was 1615 mN / m.

Comparative Example 1 Toner A was fixed on the entire surface of a commercially available OHP film in place of white PET by using a copying machine. An experiment was conducted in the same manner as in Example 1 except that this sheet was used as a peeling member. As a result, the transfer was good, but the toner on the peeling member could not be removed. Comparative Example 2 An experiment was conducted in the same manner as in Example 2 except that the above toner A was used. The transfer was good, but the toner on the peeling member could not be removed. Comparative Example 3 An experiment was performed in the same manner as in Example 3 except that the image removal promoting liquid was not dipped. The image on the recording material was not removed at all.

[0018]

According to the present invention, the difference between the surface energy of the image-forming substance and the surface energy of the contact surface of the peeling member at the time of removing the image-forming substance on the peeling member is 5 mN / m or more in the method for reproducing the recording material. As a result, it is possible to reduce the interfacial chemical adhesive force, and to provide a recording material reproducing method using a peeling member having excellent cleaning properties.
According to the present invention, in the recording material reproducing apparatus having the means for removing the image-forming substance transferred from the recording material to the peeling member, the surface energy of the peeling member at the time of removing the image-forming substance on the peeling member becomes an image. The difference is 5 mN / m compared with the surface energy of the contact surface of the forming material with the peeling member.
If it is above, it is possible to provide a highly reliable recording material reproducing apparatus having a peeling member having a reduced surface chemical adhesive force and an excellent cleaning property. According to the present invention, a liquid which is water or alcohols or a mixture of water and alcohols, or a surfactant and / or a water-soluble solvent is used as an image removal promoting liquid composition for a recording material having an image. By holding at least one liquid or solution selected from the group consisting of solutions containing a water-soluble polymer, the adhesive force between the recording material and the image-forming substance can be weakened, and the recording material is not subjected to any special treatment. The effect according to claim 1 can be obtained especially for paper and OHP. According to the present invention, a liquid which is water or alcohol or a mixture of water and alcohol is used as an image removal accelerating liquid composition on a recorded material to be recorded, or a surfactant and / or a water-soluble substance using these liquids as a solvent. A recording material which is not specially treated by having a means for holding at least one liquid or solution selected from the group consisting of polymers-containing solutions, particularly paper and OHP
It is possible to provide a recording material reproducing apparatus which can be used with excellent reliability.

[0019]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a reproducing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the reproducing apparatus of the present invention when an image removal promoting liquid is not used.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Feeding Tray 2 Feeding Roller 3 Guide Plate 4 Conveying Roller 5 Peeling Drum 6 Liquid Supply Roller 7 Image Removal Accelerating Liquid 8 Heating Roller 9 Separation Claw 10 Toner Cleaning Section 11 Conveying Roller 12 Drying Belt 13 Discharging Tray 14 Liquid Storage 15 Toner receiver 16 Peeling belt 17 Blade

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Saiaki Tokita, 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Riko Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image after the transfer on the peeling member, in which the image forming substance is heated and / or pressed on the peeling member to transfer it from the recording member to the peeling member with the peeling member interposed. In the recording material reproducing method in which the forming material is also removed and the peeling member is repeatedly used, the difference between the surface energy of the image forming material and the surface energy at the contact surface of the peeling member is 5 mN when the image forming material on the peeling member is removed. / m
The above is a method for reproducing a recording material. 2. A peeling member for transferring and peeling an image forming substance from a recording material having an image, means for heating and / or pressurizing the recording material to the peeling member, and peeling the image forming substance transferred to the peeling member. In a recording material reproducing apparatus having means for removing from a member, when the image forming substance on the peeling member is removed, the difference between the surface energy of the peeling member and the surface energy of the contact surface of the peeling member with the image forming substance is 5 mN.
/ m or more, a recording material reproducing device characterized by. 3. A liquid containing water or alcohols or a mixture of water and alcohols as an image removal promoting liquid composition for a recording material having an image, or a surfactant and / or a water-soluble liquid using these liquids as a solvent. After holding at least one liquid or solution selected from the group consisting of solutions containing a polymer, transferring the image-forming substance on the recording material to the peeling member by heat adhesion and / or pressure adhesion. The method for reproducing a recording material according to claim 1, wherein the recording material is reproduced. 4. A liquid, which is water or alcohols or a mixture of water and alcohols, as an image removal promoting liquid composition for a recording material having an image, or a surfactant and / or a water-soluble liquid using these liquids as a solvent. 3. The recording material reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for holding at least one liquid or solution selected from the group consisting of solutions containing a polymer.