JPH08179662A - Image forming device using decolorizing toner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent the decolorization of transfer paper ejected on a tray from progressing by shielding a transfer paper receiving part from light by a light shielding member intercepting the light of decolorizing wavelength. CONSTITUTION: An electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image carrier 10 is developed by a developing device 14(16). In such a case, the developing device 14 performs development by using normal toner T and the developing device 16 performs development by using decolorizing toner T'. Namely, the decolorizing toner can be used and the selection of the toner is performed by an operation part 40. The light shielding member 62 is provided above the tray 60 so as to cover the upper part of the tray 60. In addition to the upper part of the tray 60, the member 62 covers the side thereof orthogonal to a drawing by the use of a side surface part. Then, a cover member 64 which can be opened/closed to the member 62 is attached to the leading end side of the member 62. Therefore, when transfer paper S on which the toner image is fixed is ejected on the tray 60, it can be taken out from the tray 60 by opening the cover member 64.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using decoloring toner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An "image forming apparatus" which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image carrier and transfers and fixes a toner image obtained on a transfer paper to form a recorded image is an analog system or a digital system. Are widely known as electronic copiers, optical printers, etc.

With the widespread use of such image forming apparatuses, the amount of paper used as transfer paper has become enormous, which is a resource saving problem.

As a method for answering such a resource saving problem, it has been proposed to use a toner which is made transparent by irradiation with light (electromagnetic wave) having a specific wavelength such as near infrared rays or a wavelength range, that is, "decoloring toner". ing.

When the decoloring toner is used, the toner image formed on the transfer paper can be decolorized and the transfer paper can be reused. Therefore, the repeated use of the transfer paper effectively reduces the consumption of the transfer paper. be able to.

By the way, not only natural light but also light emitted from a fluorescent lamp or the like, which is extremely common as an interior lighting fixture, contains a component for erasing the erasable toner, and has an image with the erasable toner. If the transfer paper is left in a bright room, the toner image is gradually erased.

Although it takes several days or more for the image formed by the decoloring toner to be "completely decolored" in such a state of being left unattended, if the toner image formed by the decoloring toner is inadvertently exposed to light, a decoloring reaction occurs. Progresses, the density of the toner image becomes low, and the toner image becomes difficult to see in a relatively short time.

Since the image forming apparatus is generally in a bright room, for example, it is preferable that the transfer sheet on which an image is formed is not inadvertently exposed to light on the tray. However, conventionally, the influence of light on the decolorized toner image on the transfer paper discharged onto the tray has not been considered.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is effective to promote the progress of decoloring on the tray of the image by the decoloring toner on the transfer paper discharged onto the tray. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new image forming apparatus using a decolorizable toner which can be prevented.
6).

[0010]

The "image forming apparatus using decoloring toner" of the present invention "develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image carrier and transfers the obtained toner image onto a transfer paper. An image forming apparatus that fixes and forms a recorded image "(claims 1 to 6).

The electrostatic latent image is formed on the "latent image carrier". As the latent image carrier, "photoconductive or dielectric" can be used.

In the case of a photoconductive latent image carrier, the electrostatic latent image is formed by uniformly charging the latent image carrier and exposing the image (irradiating an optical image of an original or the like or optically writing by an optical writing means. It is performed by doing or).

In the case of a dielectric latent image bearing member, the surface of the latent image bearing member is position-selectively charged according to a recorded image by a multi-needle electrode, or the surface of the latent image bearing member uniformly charged is multi-needle. An electrostatic latent image can be formed by position-selective charge removal by electrodes.

The toner image visualized by the developing device is transferred and fixed on "transfer paper". To transfer the toner image to the transfer paper, the toner image can be transferred directly from the latent image carrier to the transfer paper, or the toner image can be temporarily transferred to the "intermediate transfer member".
After the transfer, the intermediate transfer member may be transferred to the transfer paper.

The invention according to claim 1 is characterized by the following points. That is, decolorizable toner can be used as the toner, and the tray from which the transfer sheet on which the toner image is fixed is discharged is shielded from the transfer sheet receiving section by the "shielding member that blocks light of the decolorizing wavelength". Has become. "Decoloring wavelength light"
Is light having a wavelength or wavelength range that exerts an erasing effect on the erasable toner.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized by the following points. That is, decolorizable toner can be used as the toner, and has a light-shielding sheet cassette, a tray, and a light-shielding sheet discharging means.

The "light-shielding sheet cassette" is loaded with a "light-shielding sheet that blocks light of decolorizing wavelength".

The "tray" is fixed with the toner image and receives the discharged transfer paper "toner image side up".

The "light-shielding sheet discharging means" delivers the light-shielding sheets one by one from the light-shielding sheet cassette and discharges them onto the tray.

The light-shielding sheet discharging means "delivers the light-shielding sheet from the cassette for the light-shielding sheet after the transfer sheet having the toner image fixed thereon is discharged to the tray, and discharges the transfer sheet so as to cover the transfer sheet on the tray". .

"After the transfer paper on which the toner image is fixed is discharged to the tray" means "following the discharge of the transfer paper" when the number of the transfer paper discharged onto the tray is one. is there.

When a plurality of transfer papers are sequentially ejected onto the tray in a continuous image forming process, the light shielding sheet may be ejected "every time each transfer paper is ejected".
The light-shielding sheet may be ejected “every time a certain number of transfer sheets are ejected and after the last transfer sheet is ejected”,
Alternatively, the light-shielding sheet may be discharged after all the plurality of transfer sheets have been discharged onto the tray, and the uppermost transfer sheet may be covered with the light-shielding sheet.

In the above description, "the decolorizable toner can be used as the toner" means that only the decolorized toner can be used, or the decolorized toner and the normal toner can be selectively used. And when.

When "the decoloring toner and the normal toner can be selectively used", the decoloring toner and the normal toner are accommodated in separate developing devices, and these separate developing devices are installed in the image forming apparatus. The developing device may be provided and the toner may be selected by selecting the developing device, or the developing device containing the normal toner and the developing device containing the decolorizing toner can be exchanged with the image forming apparatus main body. Alternatively, the developing device unit may be replaced with another one according to the selection of toner.

In the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, when the toner used for forming the electrostatic latent image is "normal toner and decolorizable toner can be selectively used",
It is possible to configure such that "when the normal use of toner is selected, the operation of the light-shielding sheet discharging means is stopped" (claim 3).

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the use of the decoloring toner is selected (including the case where only the decoloring toner can be used). Can be stopped ”(Claim 4).

The invention according to claim 5 is the above-mentioned claims 1 to 4.
Like the invention described above, "a decolorizable toner can be used as the toner", and is characterized by the following points.

That is, there is provided a transfer paper reversing means for reversing the front and back sides of the transfer paper on which the toner image is fixed and discharging it onto the tray while the transfer paper is being conveyed to the tray.

Also in the image forming apparatus according to claim 5,
Normal toner and decolorizable toner can be selectively used as the toner used for forming the electrostatic latent image. In this case, when the use of the normal toner is selected, It is possible to “do not reverse the front and back” (claim 6).

In the fifth aspect of the present invention, even when the decoloring toner is used, the transfer sheet reversing means may not be used to reverse the front and back sides of the transfer sheet according to the intention of the operator of the image forming apparatus.

Since the image forming apparatus generally has a control means (computer or the like) for controlling the execution of the image forming process, the operation of the "light-shielding sheet discharging means" in the invention according to claims 2 to 4, The operation of the "transfer paper reversing means" in the inventions of claims 5 and 6 may be controlled by the control means.

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, "the tray has a structure in which the transfer paper receiving portion is shielded by the light shielding member for shielding the light of the decolorizing wavelength", so that it is discharged onto the tray. The toner image on the transfer paper is not illuminated by the decolorizing wavelength light.

According to the present invention, the transfer paper on which the toner image is fixed is discharged to the tray, and then the light-shielding sheet is delivered from the light-shielding sheet cassette by the light-shielding sheet discharging means to transfer the toner on the tray. Since the paper is ejected so as to cover it, the toner image on the transfer paper ejected onto the tray is covered with a light shielding sheet, and is shielded against the decolorizing wavelength light.

Further, in the invention described in claim 3, "when the use of normal toner is selected", and in the invention described in claim 4, "when it is judged that the use of the light shielding sheet is unnecessary",
"Discharging the light shielding sheet is stopped".

According to the fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention, the transfer sheet having the toner image fixed thereon is discharged onto the tray with the toner image side facing downward, so the toner image is directly exposed to outside light. There is nothing.

[0036]

EXAMPLES Specific examples will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
Only an essential part of the embodiment is schematically shown.

The image forming apparatus of this embodiment is a digital type electronic copying machine.

The portion indicated by the reference numeral 30 on the upper portion of the apparatus indicates the "auto document feeder", and the portion indicated by the reference numeral 40 indicates the operation portion. The document to be copied is set in the automatic document feeder 30, and necessary information such as the number of copies and copy magnification is set by the operation unit 40.

The latent image carrier denoted by reference numeral 10 is a photoconductive photosensitive member, is formed in a drum shape, rotates at a constant speed in the direction of the arrow, and its surface is uniformly charged by the charger 12.

The set document is set on the document glass by the auto document feeder 30, read by a known document reading device 32, converted into image information, and written on the latent image carrier 10 by the optical scanning device 34.

In this way, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original image is formed on the latent image carrier 10. The image information or text information recorded on a floppy disk or the like can be read and written to the latent image carrier 10 by the optical scanning device 34, or the information can be read from an external computer or the like to read the optical scanning device 34. With latent image carrier 1
It is also possible to write 0.

The electrostatic latent image formed on the latent image carrier 10 is developed by the developing device 14 or 16. The developing device 14 develops with the normal toner T, and the developing device 16 develops with the decoloring toner T ′. That is, "use of decolorizable toner is possible". Toner selection is on operation unit 4
Perform at 0.

After development, the latent image carrier 10 is the pre-transfer static eliminator 1
After being neutralized by 8, the image is transferred onto the transfer sheet S at the transfer section.

That is, the transfer sheets S are stacked and accommodated in the cassette 50, and when they are distributed by the paper distribution roller 52,
It is conveyed to the position of the registration roller 54. The registration roller 54 feeds the transfer sheet S to the transfer section at the transfer timing.

At this time, the transfer separation charger 20 charges the back side of the transfer sheet S to transfer the toner image on the latent image carrier 10 to the front side of the transfer sheet S. Subsequently, the transfer / separation charger 20 removes charge for separation. In this way,
The transfer sheet S onto which the toner image has been transferred has the toner image fixed by the fixing device 22, and is then ejected onto the tray 60.

After the transfer of the toner image, the latent image carrier 10 is cleaned of residual toner by the cleaning device 24. The above is the outline of the “image forming process”.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, "The tray from which the transfer paper having the toner image fixed thereon is discharged has a structure in which the transfer paper receiving portion is shielded from light by a light shielding member which blocks light of the decoloring wavelength. However, in this example, the structure is implemented as follows.

That is, the light shielding member 62 is provided on the tray 60.
Is provided to cover the upper portion of the tray 60. The light shielding member 62 covers not only the upper portion of the tray 60 but also the side surface orthogonal to the drawing by a side surface portion (not shown), and a lid member 64 that can be opened and closed with respect to the light shielding member 62 is provided on the tip end portion side. It is installed.

As described above, when the transfer sheet S on which the toner image is fixed is discharged onto the tray 60, the cover member 64 can be opened and the transfer sheet S can be taken out from the tray 60.

Of the tray 60, the light blocking member 62, and the lid member 62, at least the light blocking member is made of a material capable of "blocking light of decolorizing wavelength". The tray 64 is preferably made of the above material, and more preferably the lid member 64 is also made of a material capable of blocking light having a decoloring wavelength.

In this embodiment, the decolorizing toner T'is
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-270431, which is described in the identifier numbers 0003 and 0004 in the column of the detailed description of the invention,
That is, a functional infrared absorbing dye: IR820B (the molecular structure of which is shown in FIG. 6 of the above publication) and an ammonium salt of an organic boron such as tetrabutylammoniumbutyltriphenylborate are dispersed in a transparent resin. The decolorizing wavelength light is light in the wavelength region near 825 nm.

The decoloring toner shows "blue" before decoloring.

Therefore, as the material capable of blocking the light of the decolorizing wavelength, a material capable of blocking the light in the "near infrared region" near 825 nm can be appropriately used. For example, metal, black, blue,
It is possible to use a plastic or the like that is colored in a color that absorbs light having a decoloring wavelength well.

From the viewpoint of use detection, it is preferable that the light shielding member 62 is transparent to light other than the decoloring wavelength light so that the transfer paper discharged onto the tray can be seen. The colored plastic is suitable as the material of the light shielding member 62.

The transfer paper discharged onto the tray 60 is effectively shielded from the decolorizing light by the light shielding member 62.
Decoloring does not proceed on the tray 60.

The light shielding member 62 may be brought close to the tray 60, and when the space between them is small, the side portion in the direction orthogonal to the drawing may be left open.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention described in claims 2, 3 and 4. The image forming apparatus according to this embodiment is similar to the digital type electronic copying machine shown in FIG.
Therefore, if you think that there is no fear of confusion,
The same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 were used.

The difference from FIG. 1 will be described. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the light-shielding sheet cassette 70 for accommodating and storing the light-shielding sheet S1 for blocking the light of the erasing wavelength, and the light-shielding sheet S1 from the light-shielding sheet cassette 70 are arranged. Tray 61 delivered one by one
It has a light-shielding sheet discharging means for discharging on the top. The transfer sheet S on which the toner image is fixed is discharged onto the tray 61 (by the discharge roller 73) with the "toner image side up" as in the embodiment of FIG.

The control means 80 is a computer or the like and controls the "light-shielding sheet discharging means". The light-shielding sheet discharging means includes a sending roller 71, a guide (not shown), and a discharging roller 73. That is, the light shielding sheet S1
Is delivered from the light-shielding sheet cassette 70 by the delivery roller 71, guided to the ejection roller 73 by the guide (not shown), and the tray 61 by the ejection roller 73.
It is designed to be discharged upward.

In this embodiment, when the use of the decoloring toner T'is selected in the operation unit 40 and the original is set in the automatic document feeder 30 to perform copying, the image forming process is performed in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIG. Then, the transfer paper S on which the toner image by the decoloring toner T ′ is fixed is discharged onto the tray 61.

When the automatic document feeder 30 finishes feeding all the originals, it sends a signal of the completion of the original feeding to the control means 80. The control means 80 stands by based on this signal, the image forming process designated by the operation unit 40 is completed, and after all the transfer sheets on which the toner images have been transferred are discharged onto the tray 61, the above-mentioned “light-shielding sheet” is performed. The light-shielding sheet S1 is delivered from the light-shielding sheet cassette 70 by the "discharging means" and discharged so as to cover the uppermost transfer sheet S on the tray 61.

The light-shielding sheet is a paper or plastic sheet colored in an appropriate color, that is, black or the like so as to shield the decolorizing wavelength light (light in the near infrared region), which is the topmost layer on the tray 61. By covering the transfer paper S, the progress of the color erasing of the image by the color erasing toner on the transfer paper is effectively prevented. Of course, the light shielding sheet can be collected and reused.

When the normal use of the toner T is selected by the operation unit 40, the light-shielding sheet need not be discharged.
In such a case, the control means 80 does not send out the light shielding sheet S1. That is, in this case, the operation of the light shielding sheet discharging means is stopped (claim 3).

When the number of sheets to be copied for image formation is large, the operator often leaves the image formation to the side of the apparatus, and after a while comes to pick up the finished copy. In such a case, it is effective to cover the transfer paper with a light shielding sheet as described above as a measure against erasing.

However, when the operator does not leave the image forming apparatus, such as when the number of copies is small, the operator
Since the transfer paper discharged onto the tray can be immediately taken out, in such a case, "it is not necessary to discharge the light-shielding sheet". Therefore, select "stop discharging the light-shielding sheet" in the operation unit 40. (Claim 4).

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention described in claim 5. The image forming apparatus of this embodiment is also the same as the digital type electronic copying machine of FIG. 1, and the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are used for those thought not to cause confusion. .

The difference from FIG. 1 will be described. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the transfer sheet S on which the toner image is fixed is discharged to the tray 61. It has a "transfer paper reversing means" for discharging.

That is, the transfer sheet S that has passed the fixing device 22 is
It is guided to the position of the roller 91 by a guide (not shown). The roller 91 initially rotates counterclockwise,
The transfer sheet S is guided onto the stocker 93. The transfer paper S guided onto the stocker 93 has a surface on the side on which a toner image is formed facing downward. From this state, the roller 91 rotates clockwise, and the transfer sheet S is set to "back side up" to the tray 6
Discharge up 1.

Therefore, the guide (not shown), the roller 91 (controlled by the control means (not shown)) and the stocker 93 constitute "transfer sheet reversing means".

As described above, in this embodiment, since the transfer sheet S is discharged on the tray with the back side up, the toner image formed by the decoloring toner is not directly exposed to the decoloring wavelength light, and the decoloring is performed. The progress of decolorization due to wavelength light is effectively prevented.

Also in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the normal toner T and the decoloring toner T'can be selectively used, and when the use of the normal toner T is selected, the front and back of the transfer paper is reversed. In such a case, the rotation of the roller 91 is stopped so that the transfer paper is directly discharged onto the tray 61 (the side on which the toner image is formed is up) because it is not necessary to perform the operation. (Claim 6).

[0073]

As described above, according to the present invention, a novel image forming apparatus can be provided. Since the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, the toner image formed by the decolorizing toner on the transfer paper is not erased carelessly on the tray.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the invention according to claim 1;

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the invention described in claims 2, 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the invention described in claims 5 and 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 T ′ Decoloring toner S Transfer paper 60 Tray 62 Light blocking member

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image carrier and transferring and fixing the obtained toner image on a transfer paper to form a recorded image, using a decolorizable toner as a toner. The tray from which the transfer paper with the toner image fixed is ejected is
An image forming apparatus using decoloring toner, characterized in that it has a structure in which a transfer paper receiving portion is shielded by a light blocking member that blocks light of decoloring wavelength. 2. An image forming apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image carrier and transferring and fixing the obtained toner image on a transfer paper to form a recorded image, using a decolorizable toner as a toner. And a tray for ejecting the transfer paper on which the toner image has been fixed, the transfer paper having the toner image fixed up, and the above-mentioned light-shielding sheet. A light-shielding sheet discharging means for discharging the light-shielding sheets one by one from the sheet cassette and discharging the light-shielding sheets onto the tray, and after the transfer paper having the toner image fixed thereon is discharged to the tray, the light-shielding sheet discharging means. An image forming apparatus using decolorizable toner, characterized in that the light shielding sheet is delivered from the light shielding sheet cassette and discharged so as to cover the transfer paper on the tray. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein as a toner used for forming an electrostatic latent image, a normal toner and a decoloring toner can be selectively used, and a normal toner is selected for use. An image forming apparatus using decolorizable toner, characterized in that the operation of the light-shielding sheet discharging means is stopped when the image is discharged. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the use of the decoloring toner is selected, the operation of the operation unit can stop the discharge of the light shielding sheet. Image forming apparatus using a decolorizing toner that does. 5. An image forming apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image carrier and transferring and fixing the resulting toner image on a transfer paper to form a recorded image, using a decolorizable toner as a toner. A decoloring toner having a transfer paper reversing means for reversing the front and back sides of a transfer sheet on which a toner image is fixed and discharging it onto a tray while the transfer sheet is being conveyed to the tray. Image forming apparatus using. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein as the toner used for forming the electrostatic latent image, a normal toner and a decoloring toner can be selectively used, and the use of the normal toner is selected. An image forming apparatus using decoloring toner, wherein the transfer paper reversing means does not reverse the front and back of the transfer paper.