JPH10186974A - Reproducer and preprocessor for image carrier and the image carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form an excellent hydrophobic image and to obtain excellent fixability for a hydrophobic image as well, in reuse by executing processing for enhancing the permeability of an image removing accelerator, with respect to both surfaces of the hydrophobic image of an image carrier, before the image removing accelerator is imparted to the image carrier. SOLUTION: This reproducer is provided with a liquid imparting means for applying the image removing accelerator 106 to the image carrier on which the hydrophobic image with a thermoplastic or thermosoftening image forming material is formed and a peeling means 112 for peeling/removing the' hydrophobic image from the surface of the image carrier to which the image removing accelerator 106 is applied. Further, the reproducer is provided with a preprocessing means A1 for executing preprocessing for enhancing the permeability of the image removing accelerator 106, with respect to both surfaces of the hydrophobic image of the image carrier, before the image removing accelerator 106 is imparted to the image carrier.

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 such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, a printing machine, etc., which can form a hydrophobic image made of a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image-forming substance. The present invention relates to a holder, a method and an apparatus for reproducing an image holder for peeling and removing the hydrophobic image from the image holder, and a post-processing apparatus for post-processing the image holder after peeling and removing the hydrophobic image from the image holder. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the recent adoption of OA, printer paper and copy paper as image carriers have been used in large quantities. As a result, the problem of deteriorating the global environment due to deforestation has been caused. In addition, a large amount of waste paper has been generated from offices, and most of the paper has been wasted. Conventionally, the only solution to these problems has been to remove ink or the like on the used paper, dip it again, and recycle it into waste paper. However, recently, a method has been developed in which a character image on paper that has been used once is removed by cleaning, reproduced, and reused for copying or printing.

[0003] For example, JP-A-6-289754 and JP-A-7-13383 disclose that at least a part of a paper layer mainly composed of cellulose fiber, An image carrier for forming a hydrophobic image made of an ink (toner) as an image forming substance is impregnated with an image removal accelerating liquid such as water or an aqueous solution of a surfactant and / or a water-soluble polymer, thereby obtaining a hydrophobic image. Has been proposed, in which a hydrophobic image is removed from a paper layer by transferring the image to an image peeling member. This regenerating method is an extremely effective method for regenerating an image carrier because a hydrophobic image can be peeled off without damaging the image carrier, but an image removal accelerating liquid is often used (for example, 0 .4-4 g / A4), the reproduced image carrier may be stretched and wrinkled, wavy or curled.

[0004] As a method of solving such a problem,
The present inventors have disclosed Japanese Patent Application Nos. 6-42050 and 7-2.
No. 55585 proposes to use an image removal accelerating liquid composed of an aqueous solution containing a high concentration of a surfactant. By impregnating the image carrier on which the hydrophobic image is formed with a small amount of the image removal accelerating liquid and transferring the hydrophobic image to the image peeling member, the hydrophobic image can be sufficiently removed from the image carrier. In addition, it is possible to prevent the reproduced image carrier from being stretched, wrinkled, wavy or curled.

[0005]

However, when the image removal accelerating liquid composed of the aqueous solution containing a high-concentration surfactant is used, a large amount of the surfactant adheres and remains on the surface of the reproduced image carrier. Therefore, when the reproduced image carrier is used again for copying or recording, the fixability of the hydrophobic image formed on the image carrier may be deteriorated.

In addition, as the image removal accelerating liquid, a conductive substance, an electrolyte substance (ionic substance), a water-soluble high-boiling organic solvent, a water-soluble polymer substance, etc. in place of or in addition to the above-mentioned surfactant. May be used, but if such a substance remains on the surface of the reproduced image carrier,
The surface of the image carrier may have conductivity that adversely affects the re-formation of a hydrophobic image, or the fixability of the hydrophobic image re-formed on the surface of the image carrier may be deteriorated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to form a good hydrophobic image when the reproduced image carrier is reused for image formation such as copying or recording, and to improve the good quality of the hydrophobic image. An object of the present invention is to provide a reproducing apparatus for an image carrier capable of obtaining a fixing property.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image carrier having a hydrophobic image formed of a heat-flexible or heat-softening image-forming substance. An image holding member reproducing apparatus comprising: a liquid applying unit for applying a removal accelerating liquid; and a peeling unit for separating and removing the hydrophobic image from the surface of the image holding member to which the image removal accelerating liquid is applied. Before applying the image removal accelerating liquid to the surface of the image carrier, a pre-processing means for performing a pre-treatment for increasing the permeability of the image removal accelerating liquid to the hydrophobic image surface of the image carrier is provided. Before applying the accelerating liquid, the pre-processing means is configured to perform the above-described pre-processing on both the front and back surfaces of the image carrier in which a hydrophobic image is formed on both the front and back surfaces. is there.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image carrier reproducing apparatus of the first aspect, the pre-processing is a process of forming countless minute holes in a hydrophobic image surface.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image carrier reproducing apparatus of the first aspect, the pre-processing is a process of thinly shaving the image forming substance on the hydrophobic image surface.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image carrier reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect, the pre-processing includes bending the image carrier to at least partially remove the image forming substance having a hydrophobic image surface. From the substrate.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pretreatment device for an image carrier, wherein an image carrier having a hydrophobic image formed of a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image-forming substance is formed on the image carrier. It is characterized by performing a process for increasing the permeability of the liquid.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the pretreatment apparatus for an image carrier according to the second aspect, the pretreatment is performed by bending the image carrier to at least partially retain the image forming substance on the hydrophobic image surface. It is characterized in that it is a process of peeling off from the body.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image holding member in which a hydrophobic image made of a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image forming substance is formed. It is characterized by being processed by a pre-processing device.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. First, before applying an image removal accelerating liquid to an image carrier on which a hydrophobic image made of a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image-forming substance is formed, the hydrophobic image surface of the image carrier is physically Treatment, thereafter applying an image removal accelerating liquid to the image carrier, and peeling off the hydrophobic image from the surface of the image carrier, thereby removing the hydrophobic image from the surface of the image carrier having been peeled off. A description will be given of an embodiment of a method of reproducing an image carrier in which the amount of a residual substance which remains and adversely affects the formation of a hydrophobic image is reduced as compared with the related art.

As the image carrier which can be reproduced by the present reproducing method, an image carrier having at least a hydrophobic image forming surface formed of a layer which swells with water or an aqueous solution is preferable. Examples of such an image carrier include an image carrier having at least a hydrophobic image forming surface composed of a paper-based layer containing cellulose fibers as a main component and a crosslinked structure having at least a hydrophobic image forming surface containing a water-soluble polymer as a main component. And an image carrier comprising a layer having the following. More specifically, commercially available paper such as general copy paper and recording paper containing cellulose fiber as a main component, and a plastic film obtained by laminating a paper material layer containing cellulose fiber as a main component on at least a hydrophobic image forming surface of a plastic film. Can be mentioned.

Here, the water-soluble polymer needs to swell with water or an aqueous solution, and the water-soluble polymer can be simply swollen without being washed away by water or an aqueous solution by crosslinking the water-soluble polymer. Examples of the functional group used for the crosslinking include an epoxy group, an isocyanate group, and a double bond. These can be used as a crosslinking agent or a functional group in a resin molecule. As the crosslinking agent, an epoxy crosslinking agent, an isocyanate crosslinking agent, a radiation crosslinking agent, or the like is suitably used.

Examples of the water-soluble polymer include a resin having a polar functional group or a hydrophilic chain. Specific examples of the polar functional group or the hydrophilic chain include a carboxylic acid, a hydroxyl group, a sulfonic acid group, an amide group, an amino group, a phosphate group or a salt thereof, and a polyethylene glycol chain. Further, specific examples of the resin include acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, vinyl alcohol, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, dihydroxypropyl methacrylate, acrylacid-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid,
Acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, N, N-dimethylacrylic acid, N-acrylglycinamide, N-isopropylacrylamide, N, N-dimethylaminopropylacrylamide, vinylpyrrolidone, N, N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate, N, N- Examples include homopolymers, copolymers, and copolymers with substances other than the above, such as dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, allylamine or salts thereof, quaternized amino groups, and polyethylene glycol.

The above-mentioned image carrier can be obtained by supporting these water-soluble polymers on a resin such as polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate.

Examples of the image carrier having a hydrophobic image suitable for reproduction by the reproduction method of the present invention include a conventional electrophotographic method, a thermal transfer method, an ink jet method using a hot melt ink, and a printing method. Having a hydrophobic image formed using a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image forming substance (dry toner or wet toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, hot-melt ink sheet, hot melt ink, etc.) Holding bodies.

The thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image forming substance constituting a hydrophobic image which can be peeled off from the image carrier by the present reproducing method is used in an ink jet type image forming apparatus. Examples include inks, inks used in thermal ribbon image forming apparatuses, inks used in impact type image forming apparatuses, ribbon inks used in typewriters, toners used in electrophotographic copying machines and laser printers, and the like. Can be Among these image forming substances, toner is particularly effective for countermeasures against paper dust in offices.

The toner is mainly composed of a resin component, a colorant, a polarity control agent, and the like, as is conventionally known. Here, as the resin component, for example, a styrene-based resin, an acrylic-based resin, a methacryl-based resin, a styrene-acryl-based copolymer, a styrene-butadiene-based copolymer, a polyester-based resin, and an epoxy-based thermoplastic resin And thermosetting resins, or a mixture of two or more of these resins. These resins have a glass transition point of 55 to 70 ° C. and a softening point of 80 to 140 ° C., and are generally water-insoluble and hydrophobic.

Various pigments and dyes are used as the colorant. Examples of the black colorant include carbon black, copper oxide, manganese dioxide, aniline black, and the like.
Activated carbon, ferrite, magnetite, etc. are used, and as a yellow colorant, cadmium yellow, graphite, zinc yellow, mineral fast yellow, navel yellow, banza yellow G, banza yellow 10G, quinoline yellow lake, yellow iron oxide, nickel titanium Yellow, naphthol yellow S, benzidine yellow G, benzidine yellow GR, permanent yellow NCG,
Tartrazine lake and the like are used, and as a red colorant, red lead, molybdenum orange, permanent orange GTR, pyrazolo orange, baical orange, industrial brilliant orange RK, benzidine orange G, industrial brilliant orange GK,
Bengala, Cadmium Red, Lead Red, Permanent Red 4R, Risor Red, Pyrazolone Red, Watching Red, Lake Red C, Lake Red D, Brilliant Carmine 6B, Eosin Lake, Rhodamine Lake B, Alizarin Lake, Brilliant Carmine 3B,
Permanent Orange GTR, Vulcan Fast Orange GG, Permanent Red F4RH, Permanent Carmine FB and the like are used, and as a blue colorant,
Navy blue, cobalt blue, alkali blue lake, Victoria blue lake, phthalocyanine blue and the like are used.

The above-mentioned polarity control agent includes a positive charge control agent and a negative charge control agent. Examples of the positive charge control agent include nigrosine-based EX, quaternary ammonium salts, polyamine compounds, imidazole compounds and the like. However, chromium complex salt type azo dyes, copper phthalocyanine dyes, chromium complex salts, zinc complex salts, aluminum complex salts, calixarene compounds and the like are known as negative charge control agents.

Generally, when paper is moistened with water, the so-called waist becomes weak. Therefore, the adhesion between the hydrophobic image formed of the thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image forming substance formed on the surface of the paper-like image carrier and the image carrier is extremely weak. Become.

In the case of an image carrier having a paper layer mainly composed of cellulose fibers, the surface of the paper layer is innumerably uneven due to the entanglement of the fibers, and the inside of the paper layer is also innumerable minute. There are voids. When the hydrophobic image is carried on the paper layer in such a state, rather than unevenness or minute voids due to the entanglement of the cellulose fibers, the hydrophobic image of the heat-flexible or thermo-softening image forming substance is formed. Therefore, a large number of spaces exist at the contact portion between the cellulose fiber and the image. When the image carrier having a paper-like layer carrying such a hydrophobic image is coated with an image removal accelerating solution containing at least water, immersion, or spraying, the image removal accelerating solution contains cellulose fibers and voids thereof. The image removal accelerating liquid penetrates into the space by capillary action, and penetrates to the contact portion between the hydrophobic image made of a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image forming substance and the cellulose fiber. As a result, the action of lowering the adhesive force between the thermoflexible or thermosoftening hydrophobic image and the cellulose fiber, and
Cellulose fibers absorb the image removal accelerating liquid, and the so-called swelling phenomenon deforms the cellulose fibers to increase the space at the contact portion with the heat-flexible or thermo-softening hydrophobic image, and the cellulose fibers and the heat-flexibility Alternatively, the adhesive force between the cellulose fibers of the image carrier and the heat-flexible or heat-softening hydrophobic image is extremely low due to the effect of reducing the contact area with the heat-softening hydrophobic image and reducing the adhesive force. Vulnerable to

Here, in order to promote the above-mentioned capillary phenomenon and to promptly infiltrate the above-mentioned water-containing image removal accelerating liquid into the image holding member holding the heat-flexible or heat-softening hydrophobic image, A surfactant may be added to the removal promoting liquid.
This surfactant is generally one whose molecule is constituted by a combination of a lipophilic group and a hydrophilic group, but the type of the surfactant used in the present embodiment is not particularly limited, and for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 6-2 filed by the present applicant
No. 72826 can be used. Examples of the surfactant include anionic (anionic) surfactants such as fatty acid derivative sulfate, sulfonic acid type and phosphate ester type, and cation (cation) such as quaternary ammonium salt, heterocyclic amine and amine derivative. ) Surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and the like.

Specific examples of the surfactant include polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkyl phenyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkyl esters, polyoxyethylene alkyl sorbitan esters, and polyoxyethylene alkyl amine. , Glycerin fatty acid esters, decaglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene poly Oxypropylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene block polymers, perfluoroalkyl phosphates, poly Nonionic surfactants such as xylene-modified polydimethylsiloxanes, higher fatty acid salts, N-acyl amino acid salts, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether carboxylates, acylated peptides, alkyl sulfonates, alkyl benzene sulfonates, alkyl naphthalene sulfones Acid salt, mono- or dialkyl sulfosuccinate, α-olefin sulfonate, N-acyl sulfonate, alkyl sulfate, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate, polyoxyethylene alkyl aryl ether sulfate, alkydamide sulfate , Monoalkyl phosphate, dialkyl phosphate, trialkyl phosphate, monopolyoxyethylene alkyl ether phosphate,
Bispolyoxyethylene alkyl ether phosphate, tris polyoxyethylene alkyl ether phosphate, polyoxyethylene alkyl annealed ether phosphate, perfluoroalkyl carboxylate, perfluoroalkyl sulfonate, perfluoroalkenyl annealed sulfonate, N -Perfluorooctanesulfonyl glutamate, perfluoroalkyl-N-ethylsulfonylglycine salt, 3- (ω-perfluoroalkanoyl-N-
Anionic surfactants such as ethylamino) -1-propanesulfonate, perfluoroalkylethyl phosphate, carboxylic acid-modified polydimethylsiloxane, sulfonic acid-modified polydimethylsiloxane, higher alkylamine salts, higher alkyl quaternary Examples include cationic surfactants such as ammonium salts, alkylbenzeneamine salts, alkylbenzene quaternary ammonium salts, and alkylheterocyclic quaternary ammonium salts, and amphoteric surfactants such as betaine and aminocarboxylic acid.

When the image removal accelerating liquid is applied to an image carrier having a hydrophobic image, for example, the image removal accelerating liquid quickly and sufficiently penetrates a paper layer mainly composed of cellulose fibers. As a result, even when the amount of the image removal accelerating liquid applied is small, the cellulose fibers are quickly swollen and deformed by water, and the contact area and the contact area between the cellulose fibers and the hydrophobic image are reduced, so that the hydrophobic image and the image are reduced. Since the adhesive strength to the holding member is reduced, the hydrophobic image is easily peeled and removed from the image holding member. By adhering the image peeling member to the image forming material on the image carrier in which the hydrophobic image is easily peeled and removed as described above, the image carrier may be stretched, wrinkled, wavy, curled, etc. In addition, the hydrophobic image can be sufficiently peeled and removed from the image carrier.

The image peeling member is a member for transferring and peeling the image forming material from the image holding member by adhering to the image forming material on the image holding member. As a material constituting a contact portion of the image peeling member with the image forming substance, it is necessary to exhibit a certain degree of adhesiveness and heat resistance with the image forming substance, and specific examples thereof include, for example, isoprene rubber. ,
Neoprene rubber, chloroprene rubber, silicone rubber,
Butadiene rubber, synthetic rubber such as fluoro rubber, natural rubber, epoxy resin such as bisphenol, epichlorohydrin condensate, alkyd resin, urea formaldehyde resin, butyl urea formaldehyde resin, amino resin such as butylated melanin formaldehyde resin, benzoguanamine formaldehyde resin, Phenolic thermosetting resins such as terpene phenolic resin, phenol ether resin and phenolic resin, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, vinylidene chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer,
Vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, vinyl copolymer such as polyvinylidene fluoride, vinyl-based such as polyvinyl bityral, polyvinyl formal, polypropylene and polyethylene Acrylic resin such as copolymer, polybutyl acrylate, polymethacrylic acid, and polymethyl methacrylate, polyimide, polyamide such as 6,6-nylon, 6-nylon, polycarbonate, polyether sulfone, polyether ether ketone, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyethylene Polyesters such as naphthalate and aromatic polyesters, thermoplastic or thermosetting synthetic resins such as polyphenylene sulfide, polyparavalanic acid, polyether nitrile, and aramid; Kell, stainless steel, metals and oxides such as aluminum, may be mentioned ceramic materials.

The optimum material of the image peeling member should be selected according to the kind of the image forming substance constituting the hydrophobic image to be peeled, the conditions of the hydrophobic image peeling removal process, and the like. Repeated use is advantageous in various points, such as lowering the cost of regeneration. Such repeated use requires relatively high heat resistance and surface stability. Examples of preferable materials for the image peeling member from the image removal characteristics and durability include polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyether ether ketone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyparabaranic acid, polyether nitrile, aramid, polyimide, polyether imide, and stainless steel. Steel, nickel, and anodized.

Although the above materials can be used alone,
Laminated, alloyed, or combined with other additives such as glass fiber, whisker, carbon, silica, and titanium oxide to improve properties such as durability or peeling properties. .

In the image carrier reproducing method for physically processing the hydrophobic image surface of the image carrier in the present embodiment, the surface area of the hydrophobic image is obtained by physically processing the hydrophobic image surface of the image carrier. , The image removal accelerating liquid is applied. By performing the treatment with the pretreatment means in this manner, even if the amount of the image removal accelerating liquid used is small, the hydrophobic image can be satisfactorily removed from the image carrier. As a result, on the surface of the reconstructed image holder from which the hydrophobic image has been removed,
The amount of residual substances that adversely affect the re-formation of the hydrophobic image is also very small, the fixability in the re-formation of the hydrophobic image is good, and the hydrophobic quality is the same as when using a new unused image carrier. An image is obtained.

In general, as described above, as an image holding member,
At least the hydrophobic image forming surface is composed of a layer which swells with water or an aqueous solution, or commercially available paper such as general copying paper or recording paper, and a cellulose film mainly comprising at least the hydrophobic image forming surface of a plastic film. Laminated with a paper layer. The surface of these image carriers generally has many irregularities, and is in a state where there is almost no uniform smoothness.

On the surface of the image carrier having such non-uniform smoothness, a heat-flexible or heat-softening image is formed by an electrophotographic method, an ink jet method using a hot melt ink, or a printing method. A hydrophobic image formed using the substance is formed. Therefore, these hydrophobic image surfaces are increasingly uneven and have significantly non-uniform smoothness,
At room temperature, it is rigid and hard. In particular, in a toner image formed by an electrophotographic method, a hydrophobic image is formed by applying a powder toner electrostatically to the surface of paper and then performing heat development. Since the developing means does not completely melt the toner, the toner particles do not completely fuse with each other, and there are gaps in the toner at some places, and the surface has unevenness, showing extremely uneven smoothness.

Physically treating such a hydrophobic image surface results in an increase in the surface area of the hydrophobic image. For example,
When processing with a metal brush, sand brush, file, etc.,
Numerous scratches are made on the surface of the hydrophobic image, and the image removal accelerating liquid easily penetrates through the scratches. Also,
By processing with a needle or the like, countless micropores are generated in the hydrophobic image, and the image removal promoting liquid easily penetrates through the micropores. Further, the hydrophobic image is scraped off by processing with a blade or the like, and the image removal accelerating liquid easily penetrates through the cut off surface. Further, by transporting the image carrier forming the hydrophobic image in a plurality of zigzags at a small radius of curvature (0.5 to 5 mm), the hydrophobic image is peeled off from the image carrier, and this peeled off. The image removal accelerating liquid easily permeates through the portion. In addition, the image holding member forming the hydrophobic image is brought into continuous contact, and is conveyed between a plurality of rollers having protrusions formed on the outer peripheral portion arranged in a zigzag shape, whereby the hydrophobic image is formed. The image-removing accelerating liquid easily permeates from the part where it is peeled off from the holder. Examples of the physical processing method as described above are exemplified, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Next, in another embodiment of the present invention, in the means for peeling off the hydrophobic image from the surface of the image carrier, the surface of the peeling member which comes into close contact with the hydrophobic image surface is subjected to a physical treatment. To put. By subjecting such a release member to physical pretreatment, the surface area of the release member increases. By bringing the peeling member having the increased surface area into close contact with the hydrophobic image and performing a peeling operation under heat and pressure,
The hydrophobic image made of a heat-flexible or heat-softening image-forming substance is melt-softened and penetrates and adheres to the pretreated portion of the pretreated release member. That is, the adhesive area between the hydrophobic image and the peeling member increases, so that the adhesive strength increases. On the other hand, the adhesive force between the image carrier and the hydrophobic image is
Since the image removal accelerating liquid is present at the contact interface between the image carrier and the hydrophobic image, the adhesive strength is weak. Therefore, as the adhesive strength between the peeling member and the hydrophobic image is increased,
Even if the adhesive force between the image carrier and the hydrophobic image becomes weak, the hydrophobic image can be peeled off from the image carrier as usual. Therefore, even when the amount of the image removal accelerating liquid used is small, good peeling and removal can be performed.

The pretreatment method for the image holding member and the peeling member described in the above embodiment is applied to an image holding member having a hydrophobic image made of a heat-flexible or heat-softening image forming substance.
It is preferable to apply the present invention to a reproducing method and an apparatus therefor, in which an image removal accelerating liquid containing a surfactant is applied, and the hydrophobic image is peeled and removed by transferring the hydrophobic image from an image carrier to an image peeling member under heat and pressure. . The preferred range of the concentration of the surfactant in the image removal accelerating liquid in such a reproducing method and the apparatus is 1 to 70% by weight, more preferably 5 to 50% by weight. The application of the image removal accelerating liquid to the image carrier is performed by applying a low-density image removing accelerating liquid immediately after the application of the high-density image removing accelerating liquid. A reverse two-step coating method in which a high-concentration image removal accelerating liquid is applied immediately after the application of the accelerating liquid, or a one-step coating method in which only a high-concentration or low-density image removal accelerating liquid is applied can be used.

The amount of the image removal accelerating liquid applied to the image carrier in the present invention is 0.01 to 0.5 g / A4 (A4
(The weight of the liquid contained in the printing paper) is preferable, and particularly preferably 0.1%.
It is preferably from 0.5 to 0.2 g / A4. When the application amount of the image removal accelerating liquid is less than 0.01 g / A4, the peeling and removal of the hydrophobic image becomes insufficient, and when the application amount exceeds 0.2 g / A4, the removal of the image-removed image carrier is reduced. As a post-treatment, it is desirable to remove the accumulated and remaining components of the image removal accelerating liquid by treating the image carrier with water or an aqueous solution.

Next, a description will be given of an image carrier reproducing apparatus capable of realizing the above-mentioned reproducing method. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration example of the reproducing apparatus. In FIG. 1, an image carrier on which a hydrophobic image formed of a toner as a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image forming substance is formed is fed from a paper feed tray 101 through a guide plate 103 by a paper feed roller 102 to a pre-processing unit. Transfer to A1.

The pre-processing section includes a plurality of rollers 10 arranged in a staggered manner in a continuous contact state and having irregularities on the surface.
4. The plurality of rollers 104 in the pretreatment means are configured to mesh with each other in a gear shape, and the pitch is preferably at least 3 mm or less, and the tooth height is preferably at least 3 mm or more. When an image carrier forming a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening hydrophobic image passes between the meshing of a plurality of such rollers, the image carrier pairs are staggered upwardly convex. As a result, the hydrophobic image of the image carrier is cracked, scratched, or partially peeled off. The image carrier in such a state is then conveyed to the liquid application unit through the guide plate.

According to the above-described staggered arrangement, each roller functions as a member for directly contacting the front and back sides of the image holding member and generating a crack, a scratch, or partial peeling by directly contacting the one side. On the other hand, it functions as a backup when the image carrier comes into contact with another roller that directly contacts the roller and functions as a member that generates cracks, scratches or partial peeling. As described above, since each roller simultaneously exerts a function as a member directly contacting the target surface of the image holding member and a function as a backup in order to generate cracks, scratches or partial peeling, a special The apparatus can be downsized as compared with a case where a backup member is separately provided.

In the liquid application section, first, an image removing accelerating liquid (hereinafter, referred to as a “low concentration liquid”) 106 containing a surfactant in a liquid container 105 is pumped up by a roller 107 and the application roller 10.
8 is applied to the hydrophobic image forming surface of the image carrier by the application roller 108, and the image carrier is transported by the transport roller 109.

As described above, when the hydrophobic image surface is subjected to physical treatment in the pre-processing section A1 to roughen the hydrophobic image surface and increase the surface area, and then apply the image removal accelerating liquid, the applied amount of the liquid is small. And the liquid easily penetrates through the hydrophobic image, thereby facilitating peeling and removal of the hydrophobic image. Next, the image carrier to which the liquid has been applied in the liquid applying section is guided to the peeling section.

In the peeling section, the image holding body to which the liquid has been applied is
Two belt-shaped peeling members (hereinafter referred to as “peeling belts”) 112 and 11 are formed by the integrated rollers 110 and 111.
3, the rollers 114 and the rotating bodies 11 arranged in a staggered manner in a continuous contact state.
5, the hydrophobic image is transferred from the image carrier to the peeling belt 113 and removed (in this example, the hydrophobic image is in contact with the peeling belt 113). Here, when heating the integrated body of the peeling belts 112 and 113 and the image holding member, the plurality of rollers 114 and / or the plurality of rotating members 115 may be used as a heating member, or the heater boxes 116 and 117 may be used. For heating in a hot atmosphere. The integrated material is formed by separating rollers 118 and 119 around which peeling belts 112 and 113 are wound and separating claws 120 and
121, the image carrier and the respective peeling belts 112, 11
And 3. Release belt 1 separated from image carrier
At 13, the toner transferred to the surface is cleaned by the cleaning member 122. The cleaning member 1
The toner removed from the surface of the peeling belt 113 at 22 is stored in the toner container 123. Next, the peeling belt 113 cleaned by the cleaning member 122 is guided to the pretreatment section B1 of the peeling member.

In the pre-processing section B1, the pre-processing roller 124 having a thin plate formed on its surface scratches the surface of the peeling belt to increase the surface area of the hydrophobic image to be adhered to the peeling belt. ramp up. Although FIG. 2 shows an example in which a single pretreatment roller is used, it may be preferable to use a plurality of pretreatment rollers. Pretreatment roller 1
The peeling belt 113 that has been subjected to the pretreatment in 24 is used again for the peeling removal processing of the hydrophobic image. Further, the separation belt 113 powder and toner residue 125 generated when the pre-processing is performed in the pre-processing unit B1 are collected in the container 126.

On the other hand, the image holders separated from the peeling belts 112 and 113 are in a state in which no hydrophobic image is present on the surface. The holding members are transported by the transport rollers 127 and 128.
Then, the paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 130 by the paper discharge roller 129.

By the above-described processing, the amount of a surfactant or a conductive substance remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the image is peeled, which causes deterioration of the reproducible copy / recording and fixing properties, is measured. It is possible to obtain an image carrier capable of forming an image well in recording and fixing the image.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing another example of the structure of the reproducing apparatus. The present reproducing apparatus is configured so that a hydrophobic image can be peeled off from both the front surface and the rear surface of the image carrier. In FIG. 2, an image carrier having a hydrophobic image formed of a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image forming material formed on both front and back sides is fed from a paper feed tray 201 by a paper feed roller 202, and a guide plate 203 is provided. While changing the direction of conveyance from the horizontal direction to the vertical direction (upward), the sheet is conveyed to the preprocessing unit A2 by the conveyance roller pair 204.

This pretreatment section is provided with a plurality of rollers 20 arranged in a staggered manner in a continuous contact state and having irregularities on the surface.
5. The plurality of rollers 205 in the pre-processing means are configured to mesh with each other in a gear shape, the pitch is preferably at least 3 mm, and the height of the teeth is preferably at least 3 mm. When an image carrier forming a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening hydrophobic image passes between the meshing of such a plurality of rollers, the image carrier may be staggered upwardly convex. As a result, the hydrophobic image of the image carrier is cracked, scratched, or partially peeled off. The image carrier in such a state is then conveyed to the liquid application unit through the guide plate.

In the liquid application section, first, the image removal accelerating liquid 207 containing the surfactant in the liquid containers 206a and 206b is pumped up to the surfaces of the application rollers 209a and 209b by the pumping rollers 208a and 208b, and the image is enhanced by the application rollers 209a and 209b. A hydrophobic image is formed on both sides of the holding member at the same time, and the image holding member is transported by the transport roller 210. Although the liquid containers 206a and 206b for the image removal accelerating liquid 207 are illustrated as being independent from each other in this drawing, the liquid containers 206a and b are actually connected to each other by a communication pipe (not shown). The liquids 207 in the containers 206a and 206b always have the same concentration. Further, when the hydrophobic image surface is subjected to physical treatment in the pre-processing portion A2 to roughen the hydrophobic image surface as described above, and the surface area is increased, and then the image removal accelerating liquid is applied, the applied amount of the liquid is small. In addition, the liquid easily penetrates through the hydrophobic image, so that the hydrophobic image can be easily removed and removed. Next, the image carrier on which liquid has been applied to both surfaces in the liquid application section is guided to a peeling section.

In the peeling section, two belt-like peeling members (hereinafter, referred to as “peeling belts”) 213, which hold the image holding body having the liquid applied to both sides thereof by two integrated rollers 211, 212.
After tightly sandwiching and integrating with each other at 214, heating and pressurizing are performed by a plurality of rollers 215 and a plurality of rotating bodies 216 arranged in a staggered manner in a continuous contact state, so that hydrophobic images on both sides of the image carrier are formed. Is transferred to the peeling belts 213 and 214 and removed. Here, when heating the integrated body of the peeling belts 213 and 214 and the image holding member, the plurality of rollers 2
Fifteen and / or a plurality of rotating bodies 216 may be used as heating bodies, or heating atmosphere heating may be performed by heater boxes 217 and 218. The integrated product is a peeling belt 21
The image bearing member and the peeling belts 213 and 214 are separated by separating rollers 219 and 220 around which the roller 3214 is wound. Release belt 213, 2 separated from image carrier
In 14, the toner transferred to the surface is cleaned by the cleaning members 221 and 222. The toner removed from the surfaces of the peeling belts 213 and 214 by the cleaning members 221 and 222 is the toner containers 223 and 22 respectively.
4. Next, the cleaning member 223,
Release belts 213 and 214 cleaned in 224
Is guided to the pretreatment sections B2 and C2 of the peeling member.

In the pretreatment sections B2 and C2, the pretreatment rollers 225 and 226, each having a thin plate formed on the surface, scratch the surface of the peeling belt to increase the surface area of the hydrophobic image adhered to the peeling belt. Strengthens the adhesive strength of Although FIG. 2 shows an example in which a single pretreatment roller is used, it may be preferable to use a plurality of pretreatment rollers. The peeling belts 213 and 214 that have been pre-processed by the pre-processing rollers 225 and 226 are used again for the peeling removal processing of the hydrophobic image. Further, 227b and c such as powder and toner residue of the peeling belts 213 and 214 generated at the time of pre-processing by the pre-processing units B2 and C2 are collected in the containers 228b and c.

On the other hand, the image carrier separated from the peeling belts 213 and 214 has no hydrophobic image on both front and back surfaces. The image carrier is discharged onto a discharge tray 230 by a discharge roller 229.

By the above-described processing, the amount of a surfactant or a conductive substance remaining on both the front and back surfaces of the image carrier after image peeling, which causes deterioration of re-copying / recording and fixability, is reduced. It is possible to obtain an image carrier capable of forming an image well in re-copying / recording on both sides and fixing the image.

Next, before applying the image removing accelerating liquid, the hydrophobic image surface of the image carrier is physically treated, and then the image removing accelerating liquid is applied, and a heat-flexible or heat-softening image forming substance is applied. An example of the configuration of a pre-processing apparatus for reducing a residual substance that adversely affects image formation in an image carrier obtained by peeling and removing a hydrophobic image formed of the following will be described.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example of the configuration of a pre-processing apparatus for performing physical processing on the image surface of an image carrier having a hydrophobic image formed on one side. In the pretreatment device of FIG.
The image carrier having an image formed on one side in the paper feed tray 301 is introduced into a pre-processing unit by a paper feed roller 302 and a transport roller 303. In the preprocessing section, the hydrophobic image surface is abraded by rubbing the image surface of the image carrier with a plurality of metal brushes 304 and 305 to increase the image surface area. At this time, the rubbing effect can be improved by pressing the rubbing surface from the back side with the backup rollers 306 and 307. The hydrophobic image is composed of a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening resin component (particularly an electrophotographic toner).
Therefore, it is hard at room temperature and may be scratched or partially peeled off when rubbed with a metal brush or the like. Although FIG. 1 shows an example of a metal brush, the present invention is not limited to this. The rubbing powder of the image rubbed with the metal brushes 304 and 305 is collected in the containers 308 and 309. Further, in particular, since the toner has a property of being easily charged, if the abrasion powder from the metal brushes 304 and 305 sometimes adheres to the surface of the pretreated image carrier, the toner is pressed by the backup roller 310 and the cleaning roller 311 is pressed. After removing the image powder adhering to the surface, the discharge tray 3
Lead to 13.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing an example of the configuration of a pre-processing apparatus for performing physical processing on the image surface of an image carrier having a hydrophobic image formed on both front and back surfaces. In the pre-processing device of FIG. 4, an image carrier on which images are formed on both sides in a paper feed tray 401 is introduced into a pre-processing unit by a paper feed roller 402 and a transport roller 403. In the preprocessing section, first, one side of the image surface of the image carrier is rubbed with a plurality of metal brushes 404, 405, thereby scratching the hydrophobic image surface to increase the image surface area. At this time, the backup rollers 406 and 40
The rubbing effect can be improved by pressing the rubbing surface from the back side at 7. A hydrophobic image is composed of a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening resin component (especially an electrophotographic toner or the like), so it is hard at room temperature and is scratched or partially peeled off when rubbed with a metal brush or the like. . Although FIG. 1 shows an example of a metal brush, the present invention is not limited to this. Metal brush 404, 405
The rubbing powder of the image rubbed in the above is collected in containers 408 and 409. Further, in particular, since the toner has a property of being easily charged, if the abrasion powder from the metal brushes 404 and 405 sometimes adheres to the surface of the pre-processed image carrier, the toner is pressed by the backup roller 410 and pressed by the cleaning roller 411. After removing the image powder adhering to the surface, the discharge rollers 41
2,413, and then the hydrophobic image surface on the back side is backed up by the metal brushes 414,415 for the backup rollers 416,41.
By rubbing while backing up in step 7, physical processing is performed on the hydrophobic image surface on the back surface. The image holder having been subjected to the physical processing on both the front and back sides is pressed by a backup roller 420 to remove the rubbing powder adhered to the image holder by a cleaning roller 421, and the transport roller 422 and the paper discharge roller 42
At 3, the paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 424.

FIGS. 5 to 9 are schematic illustrations showing the surface shape of the pretreatment roller of the image carrier. When a roller having such a shape is used as the roller in the pretreatment in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 or 4, physical treatments such as abrasion,
Innumerable micro holes, thin shavings, or partial peeling of images can be provided.

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a metal brush made of a thin metal wire or plate. The surface area of the hydrophobic image surface and / or the release belt is increased by rubbing the hydrophobic image surface and / or the release belt surface of the image carrier with the metal brush.

FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory view of a gear shape in which a gear-shaped projection is formed on the surface and the tip of the projection has a radius of curvature of at least 0.7 mm or more. The plurality of combinations of the gear shapes make the image carrier upwardly convex or downwardly convex or rub against each other to partially peel off the hydrophobic image of the image carrier starving or to give scratches. To increase the surface area of the hydrophobic image.

FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of a needle roller having needle-like projections formed on its surface. FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view of a needle roller having a projection formed on the surface of the needle roller.
By using a plurality of the needle rollers, countless micropores can be provided on the hydrophobic image surface of the image holding member surface, and the surface area of the hydrophobic image can be increased.

FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory view showing a roller having a projection formed on the outer peripheral surface. A concave state 801 and a convex state 802 are formed on the outer peripheral surface, and the hydrophobic image on the image holding partly becomes convex or concave by repeating the irregularities. It will come off.

FIG. 9 is a schematic explanatory view of a roller having a smooth surface. A plurality of the rollers are used to convey the image carrier while making the image carrier convex or concave, thereby causing partial peeling of the hydrophobic image on the image carrier.

FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory view in which a pre-processing roller for an image carrier is combined. Rollers 1001, 1002,
1003, 1004, and 1005 have a gear-shaped surface, and the roller 1002 meshes and contacts the rollers 1001 and 1003 in a gear shape. The roller 1004 is in mesh with the roller 1003 and the roller 1005 and is in contact therewith. As the image carrier is conveyed through the guide plate 1006 between the gear-shaped meshes, the image carrier becomes convex upward or downward, and a plurality of gear-shaped meshes are formed. As a result, the hydrophobic image surface on the image carrier is rubbed, and cracks, scratches or partial peeling occur in the hydrophobic image.

FIG. 11 is a schematic explanatory view in which a pre-processing roller of the image carrier is combined. Rollers 1101, 1102
When the image carrier is conveyed at an acute angle upward or downward at an acute angle, cracks, scratches or partial peeling are generated in the hydrophobic image on the image carrier.

FIG. 12 is a schematic explanatory view in which a pretreatment roller for an image carrier is combined. Rollers 1201 and 1202 having a diameter of at least 4 mm or less are provided in the peaks and valleys of the zigzag guide in a guide 1203 formed in an acute zigzag shape.

FIG. 13 is a schematic illustration of a blade for pre-processing an image carrier. By rubbing the hydrophobic image surface 1301 of the image carrier with a blade 1302 forming a sharp tip, the hydrophobic image surface can be scratched and abraded, and the surface can be thinly scraped.

FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of the pretreatment of the surface of the image carrier or the peeling member. A plate 1402 in which fine wires 1401 of metal or plastics are embedded in a comb shape is brought into contact with the hydrophobic image surface 1403 of the image carrier or the surface 1403 of the peeling member which comes into contact with the hydrophobic image, and the image carrier and the peeling member are transported. By repeatedly moving in a direction 1405 different from the direction 1404, abrasion and abrasion can be uniformly applied to the hydrophobic image surface and the peeling member surface.

FIG. 15 is a schematic explanatory view of the preprocessing of the image carrier. A fine line 1501 of a needle-like metal or plastics is moved up and down 1502 to form an infinite number of fine holes on the hydrophobic image surface.

FIG. 16 is a schematic explanatory view of the preprocessing of the image carrier. By rotating the roller 1601 in which needle-like metal or plastic is embedded, countless micro holes are provided in the hydrophobic image 1603 on the image carrier 1602.

According to the apparatus for performing the pretreatment of the image holding member on the surface of the peeling member as described above, the surface of the peeling member which comes into contact with the hydrophobic image surface has scratches and micropores. Since the surface area of the release member surface is increased, when a hydrophobic image adheres to the increased surface area,
The bonding area is large and the bonding strength increases. Therefore, even if the amount of the image removal accelerating liquid is small and the peeling efficiency is poor, there is an effect that the peeling and removal of the hydrophobic image from the image holding member becomes good.

[0073]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. [Example 1] A normal PPC copier (trade name: RICOPY FT2200, manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd.) was used to print a copy image surface of a sheet as an image carrier having a hydrophobic image formed of a heat-flexible toner on one side. Arranged in a staggered manner with continuous contact,
After passing through a plurality of rollers configured to mesh with each other in a gear shape having irregularities on the surface, 35% by weight of an image removal accelerating liquid containing a surfactant is contained in the image carrier. % Aerosol OT-100 surfactant (Mitsui Cytec Co., Ltd., trade name: sometimes referred to as AOT), 13.6% by weight of an equimolar mixture of a mixture of perfluorooctanoic acid and glycine, 8.8% by weight
Ethylene glycol, 8.8% by weight of 2-methyl 2,
0.06 g of an aqueous solution containing 4 pentanediol / A4
Granted. After that, the sheet was tightly clamped by a peeling belt as an image peeling member made of polyetheretherketone, and the integrated material was staggered and placed in a continuous contact state at 98 °.
The hydrophobic copy image was separated and removed from the paper by transporting the peeled belt wound around a plurality of rollers and a plurality of rotating bodies heated to C.
As a result, the recycled paper did not need to be dried, had no copy image, and had no paper elongation, wrinkles, waving, or curling, and could be reproduced and recorded again. Further, the above pre-processing, image peeling removal processing and re-copying / recording were repeated five times. However, the fixing property of the copied image to the paper was excellent, and the paper which was not used repeatedly (new unused paper) A copy image having almost the same copy quality as that of paper was obtained.

[Comparative Example 1] As a comparative example with respect to Example 1, the same image peeling and removing processing as in Example 1 was performed except that the image holding member was not processed by the preprocessing means. When the image was not completely removed and removed and re-copied / recorded, the fixability of the copied image on paper was poor.
The re-copied image was unusable in a double-depressed state with the original image.

[Example 2] A paper as an image holding member having a hydrophobic image formed of a thermo-flexible toner formed on both front and back sides by a normal PPC copying machine (trade name: RICOPY FT2200, manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd.) The copied images are arranged in a staggered manner in a continuous contact state, and after passing between a plurality of rollers configured to mesh with each other in a gear shape having irregularities on the surface, the image is transferred to the image holding member. 35% by weight of aerosol OT-100 as an image removal accelerating liquid containing a surfactant
A surfactant (manufactured by Mitsui Cytec, trade name: sometimes referred to as AOT), a mixture of perfluorooctanoic acid and glycine, which is an equimolar mixture of 13.6% by weight,
8.8% by weight of ethylene glycol, 8.8% by weight of 2
An aqueous solution containing -methyl 2,4 pentanediol was applied at 0.12 g / A4 on both sides. Then, a plurality of rollers and a plurality of rollers, which are heated at 98 ° C., are arranged in a zigzag manner in continuous contact with the sheet, which is tightly clamped by a peeling belt as an image peeling member made of polyetheretherketone. The peeled belt was wound around the rotator and conveyed to remove the hydrophobic copy image from the paper. As a result, the recycled paper does not need to be dried, and there is no copy image on both sides,
The paper was reproducible and recordable without any paper stretching, wrinkling, waving, or curling. Further, the above pre-processing, image peeling removal processing and re-copying / recording were repeated five times, and the fixability of the copied image to paper was excellent.
A copy image having a copy quality almost equal to that of paper not repeatedly used (new unused paper) was obtained.

[Comparative Example 2] As a comparative example to the above-mentioned Example 2, the same image peeling and removing processing as in Example 2 was performed except that the image carrier was not processed by the pre-processing means. When the image was not completely removed and removed and re-copied / recorded, the fixability of the copied image on paper was poor.
The re-copied image was unusable in use with the original image double-depressed.

[Embodiment 3] In Embodiment 1, a plurality of image carriers are arranged in a staggered manner in a continuous contact state, and are configured so as to mesh with each other in a gear shape having irregularities on the surface. Example 1 was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1 except that a pretreatment for rubbing the hydrophobic image surface with a plurality of metal brushes was performed instead of the pretreatment passing between the rollers. As a result, the recycled paper did not need to be dried, had no copied image on both sides, and had no paper elongation, wrinkling, waving, or curling, and could be re-copied and recorded. Further, the above pre-processing, image peeling removal processing and re-copying / recording were repeated five times. However, the fixing property of the copied image to the paper was excellent, and the paper which was not used repeatedly (new unused paper) was used. A copy image having almost the same copy quality as that of paper was obtained.

[Embodiment 4] In Embodiment 1, a plurality of image carriers are arranged in a staggered manner in a continuous contact state, and are configured so as to mesh with each other in a gear shape having irregularities on the surface. The same procedure as in Example 1 was performed, except that a pretreatment for forming countless fine holes only in the hydrophobic image with a sewing needle was performed instead of the pretreatment passing between the rollers. As a result, the recycled paper did not need to be dried, had no copied image on both sides, and had no paper elongation, wrinkling, waving, or curling, and could be re-copied and recorded. Further, the above pre-processing, image peeling removal processing and re-copying / recording were repeated five times. However, the fixing property of the copied image to the paper was excellent, and the paper which was not used repeatedly (new unused paper) was used. A copy image having almost the same copy quality as that of paper was obtained.

[Embodiment 5] In Embodiment 1, a plurality of image carriers are arranged in a staggered manner in a continuous contact state, and are configured to mesh with each other in a gear shape having an uneven surface. The same procedure as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the pretreatment for thinly shaving the hydrophobic image surface several times with a metal blade having a sharp tip was performed instead of the pretreatment passing between the rollers.
As a result, the recycled paper did not need to be dried, had no copied image on both sides, and had no paper elongation, wrinkling, waving, or curling, and could be re-copied and recorded. Further, the above pre-processing, image peeling removal processing and re-copying / recording were repeated five times. However, the fixing property of the copied image to the paper was excellent, and the paper which was not used repeatedly (new unused paper) was used. A copy image having almost the same copy quality as that of paper was obtained.

Example 6 A surface of a polyethylene terephthalate film as a peeling member, which was in contact with a hydrophobic image on an image carrier, was pretreated by a pretreatment device comprising a metal brush. On the other hand, an ordinary PPC copier (manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd., trade name: RICOPY FT2200) has a surface activity image on a copy image surface of a sheet as an image holding member having a hydrophobic image formed of a thermo-flexible toner formed on one side. 35% by weight aerosol OT as an image removal accelerating liquid containing an agent
-100 surfactant (Mitsui Cytec, trade name),
It contained 13.6% by weight of an equimolar mixture of perfluorooctanoic acid and glycine, 8.8% by weight of ethylene glycol, and 8.8% by weight of 2-methyl 2,4-pentanediol. The aqueous solution was applied at 0.15 g / A4. Next, the pretreated surface of the release member that has been subjected to the pretreatment is brought into close contact with the hydrophobic image surface of the image holder to which the liquid has been applied, and the release member also contacts the back surface of the image holder,
After sandwiching the image carrier in a sandwich shape with a peeling member,
The integrated product obtained by further tightly holding the tightly sandwiched object with a peeling belt made of polyetheretherketone is arranged in a staggered continuous contact state and heated to 100 ° C. by a plurality of rollers and a plurality of rotating bodies. By transporting the paper with the peeling belt wound thereon, the hydrophobic copy image was peeled off from the paper. As a result, the recycled paper did not need to be dried, had no copied image on both sides, and had no paper elongation, wrinkling, waving, or curling, and could be re-copied and recorded. Further, the above pre-processing, image peeling removal processing and re-copying / recording were repeated five times. However, the fixing property of the copied image to the paper was excellent, and the paper which was not used repeatedly (new unused paper) A copy image having almost the same copy quality as that of paper was obtained.

[Comparative Example 3] As a comparative example with respect to Example 6, the same image peeling and removing processing as in Example 6 was performed except that the peeling member was not treated by the pretreatment means. Was not completely peeled off and re-copied and recorded. Poor fixability of the copied image on paper was poor.
The re-copied image was unusable in a double-depressed state with the original image.

Example 7 An OHP sheet having a hydrophilic water-swellable layer formed of a resin layer containing acrylic acid, an acrylate and a crosslinking agent as main components was formed on a polyethylene terephthalate film. PPC copier (manufactured by Ricoh, trade name: RICOPYFT2200)
After applying a pre-processing to thinly cut a hydrophobic image composed of a thermo-flexible toner with a blade forming a sharp tip, the removal of the image containing a surfactant is promoted. As a liquid, 0.1 g / A4 of an aqueous solution containing 3% by weight of AOT, 6% by weight of glycine hydrochloride, 4% by weight of ethylene glycol and 2% by weight of 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol was applied. Thereafter, a plurality of rollers and a plurality of rollers heated to 98 ° C. are arranged in a staggered manner in a unitary manner in which the OHP is tightly sandwiched by a peeling belt as an image peeling member made of polyetheretherketone and placed in a staggered manner. By transporting the peeling belt wound around a rotating body, a hydrophobic copy image was peeled and removed from the OHP. As a result, the reproduced OHP was an OHP that had no copy image and could be copied and recorded again. Further, the above pre-processing, image peeling removal processing and re-copying / recording were repeated five times. However, the fixability of the copied image to OHP was excellent, and O was not used repeatedly.
A copy image having a copy quality almost equal to that of HP (new unused OHP) was obtained.

[Comparative Example 4] As Comparative Example 4 with respect to Example 7 described above, the same image peeling and removing processing as in Example 7 was performed except that the OHP was not treated by the pretreatment means. Was not completely removed and re-copied / recorded. As a result, the fixability of the copied image to the OHP was poor, and the re-copied image was unusable in a double-contained state with the original image.

[0084]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the hydrophobic image surface of the image carrier is physically pre-treated to increase the surface area of the hydrophobic image, the permeability of the image removal accelerating liquid is increased. . Therefore, even if the applied amount of the image removal accelerating liquid required for peeling and removing the hydrophobic image is small, the same peeling quality as when no pretreatment is performed can be obtained. In addition, if the applied amount of the image removal accelerating liquid is small, the amount of the image removal accelerating liquid remaining on the image carrier on which the hydrophobic image has been peeled off is inevitably small. Residual substances that affect the fixability are reduced, and the fixability is improved. In addition, the hydrophobic image can be satisfactorily removed from the image carrier having the hydrophobic image formed on both the front and back surfaces, so that an energy-saving reproducing apparatus can be provided.

According to the second to sixth aspects of the present invention, scratches, minute holes, abrasions or partial peeling are imparted to the hydrophobic image surface of the image carrier. By applying scratches, micropores, abrasions or partial peeling to the hydrophobic image surface of the image carrier, it is possible to increase the surface area of the hydrophobic image surface and reduce the amount of the image forming substance present on the image carrier. . In addition, due to the increase in the surface area and the reduction in the amount of the image forming substance, a small amount of the image removal accelerating liquid required for peeling and removing the hydrophobic image from the image holding member may be used. Has good permeability to hydrophobic images. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the residual substances which adversely affect the fixability in the re-forming of the hydrophobic image remaining on the image carrier after the hydrophobic image has been peeled off, and the peeling and removing of the hydrophobic image from the image carrier can be favorably performed. This has the effect that the fixability can be improved and the fixability in re-forming a hydrophobic image can be improved.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, before applying the image removal accelerating liquid, the image carrier having a hydrophobic image made of a thermo-flexible or thermo-softening image forming substance is brought into contact with the hydrophobic image. By performing a physical pre-treatment on the surface to be cleaned, the amount of the image removal accelerating liquid required for peeling and removing the hydrophobic image from the surface of the image holding member can be reduced, and the apparatus can be manufactured at a low running cost. Can be realized, and when the reproduced image carrier is reused for image formation such as copying or recording, a good hydrophobic image can be formed, and good fixing of the hydrophobic image can be achieved. There is an effect that the property can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a reproducing apparatus for an image carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a reproducing apparatus of an image carrier according to another embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a post-processing device of the image carrier according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating a schematic configuration of a post-processing device of an image carrier according to another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view schematically showing an example of a surface shape of a pretreatment roller.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view schematically showing an example of a surface shape of a pretreatment roller.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an example of a surface shape of a pretreatment roller.

FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory view showing an example of a surface shape of a pretreatment roller.

FIG. 9 is a schematic explanatory view showing an example of a surface shape of a pretreatment roller.

FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a means for performing a pre-processing.

FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a means for performing a pre-processing.

FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a unit that performs preprocessing.

FIG. 13 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a means for performing a pre-processing.

FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a means for performing preprocessing.

FIG. 15 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a means for performing pre-processing.

FIG. 16 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a means for performing pre-processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 106 Liquid 107 Pumping roller 108 Application roller 110 High concentration liquid 114, 115 Integrated roller 116, 117 Peeling belt 124 Cleaning member 126 Toner container A1, A2 Pre-processing part of image carrier B1, B2, C2 Pre-processing part of peeling member

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yumi Ichikawa 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Stock inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Kawanishi 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Stock Inside the company Ricoh

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A liquid applying means for applying an image removal accelerating liquid to an image carrier on which a hydrophobic image comprising a heat-flexible or thermosoftening image forming substance is formed, and applying the image removal accelerating liquid. And a peeling means for peeling and removing the hydrophobic image from the surface of the image holding member, wherein the hydrophobicity of the image holding member is adjusted before the image removal accelerating liquid is applied to the image holding member. Pre-processing means for performing pre-processing to enhance the permeability of the image removal promoting liquid to the image surface, provided before applying the image removal promoting liquid by the liquid applying means,
An apparatus for reproducing an image carrier, wherein the pre-processing means is configured to perform the pre-processing on both the front and back surfaces of the image carrier having a hydrophobic image formed on both sides. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pre-processing is a process for forming countless minute holes in a hydrophobic image surface. 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pre-processing is a step of thinly removing an image forming substance on a hydrophobic image surface. 4. The apparatus for reproducing an image carrier according to claim 1, wherein the pre-processing is a process of bending the image carrier and peeling off the image forming substance on the hydrophobic image surface at least partially from the image carrier. A reproducing apparatus for an image carrier, characterized in that: 5. An image holding member on which a hydrophobic image made of a heat-flexible or heat-softening image forming substance is formed, wherein the image holding member is subjected to a process for increasing the permeability of an image removal accelerating liquid. Processing equipment. 6. The pre-processing apparatus for an image carrier according to claim 2, wherein the pre-processing is a process of bending the image carrier to peel off the image forming substance on the hydrophobic image surface at least partially from the image carrier. A pretreatment device for an image carrier, comprising: 7. An image holding member on which a hydrophobic image formed of a heat-flexible or heat-softening image forming substance is formed, which is processed by the image holding member pre-processing device according to claim 5. An image carrier characterized by the above.