JPH11258785A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize the copying actions of many sheets per one job and to enable a page-variable high-definition image to be formed at a high-speed in an image forming device forming the image consisting of a color material such as powder grains or liquid ink by using a plate. SOLUTION: A cis-trans photoisomerization layer 35 formed on a supporting body 34 is contracted as a whole by being uniformly irradiated with ultraviolet rays first (figure 1). Next, it is returned to an original trans state by being irradiated with visible light 36 being stimulation inputted based on image information. Therefore, only the part 37 thereof irradiated with the light 36 is swollen (figure 2). Until a step 2 is attained, surface recessed and projection patterns obtained based on the image information are formed at the surface of the layer 35. At a next step 3, the uniformly formed thin layer of the color material 38 is closely brought into contact with a grain supply supporting body 39 (figure 3) and the grains 38 are attached to the swollen part 37 by attaching force such as adhesive strength, for example (figure 4). Then, the grains of the color materials attached to the swollen part 37, that means, an image area is transferred on a medium to be recorded 40 next (figure 5).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming an image using a plate using powder particles, liquid ink or the like (these are collectively referred to as “coloring material”).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various techniques have been commercialized or proposed as recording techniques using plates. The most common equipment is a printing press. FIG. 8 shows Heidelber.
Quickmaster announced at IGAS '95 by g
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing machine called rDI46-4. The paper is conveyed from the paper feed tray 6 in the direction of arrow 8 and gripped by the impression cylinder 1 having a diameter of 720 mm. The impression cylinder 1 is rotating in the direction of arrow 9, and the paper gripped by the impression cylinder 1 is transported to the black printing unit 5, the cyan printing unit 4, the magenta printing unit 3, and the yellow printing unit 2 in this order. In the printing unit of each color, a transfer roll group 5K composed of a large number of pressurized transfer rolls from an ink tank (not shown, the ink viscosity is very high),
By sequentially transferring the toner through the transfer rolls constituting 5C, 5M, and 5Y, the "thixotropic property" peculiar to the printing ink is exhibited, and the ink viscosity is reduced. Usually 10 ¹⁰
The inks having a viscosity of Pa or higher are plate cylinders 2K, 2C,
At the time of transfer to 2M and 2Y, by decreasing to about 10 Pa, an extremely thin ink film can be formed.
As described above, the ink is sequentially transferred while being thinned, and reaches the plate cylinders 2K, 2C, 2M, and 2Y, where an image is formed. The plate cylinder of each color is constituted by a yellow plate cylinder 2Y, a magenta plate cylinder 2M, a cyan plate cylinder 2C, and a black plate cylinder 2K for each color, and a film for each color called a DI plate is rolled inside the plate cylinder of each color. It is wound up in the shape of a plate (master) and rolled up inside each time it is made.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a DI plate plate making process. The DI plate has a three-layer structure as shown in Step 1, and has a silicon layer 12, a titanium layer 13, and a polyester layer 14 in order from the surface layer. Each printing unit is provided with a total of 64 infrared laser diodes 15 of 1270 or 2540 dpi, each of which is 16 in number. The DI plate is irradiated with light according to image information.
Step 2 shows a state in which the laser beam is being irradiated. The infrared ray is absorbed in the titanium layer 13 and the region 16 generates heat. Due to the generation of heat, the silicon layer 1 which is the surface layer
2 causes a rupture phenomenon, that is, ablation, and skips the silicon layer 12 and the titanium layer 13 in that portion. In this way, countless depressions 17 corresponding to the image information are completed (step 3), in which ink is received (the surface of the polyester layer 14 easily adheres to the printing ink), and other unprocessed portions 18 are formed. In the (non-image portion), image contrast is formed by repelling ink (step 4).

[0004] The ink on the DI plate on the plate cylinder of each color is further transferred to the transfer cylinders 3Y, 3M, 3C, and 3K of each color, and is sequentially printed on paper gripped on the impression cylinder 1 in black, cyan, and black. Magenta and yellow are superimposed. The recording medium on which color printing has been performed in this manner is peeled in the direction of arrow 11, and all the printing is completed when the recording medium is delivered to the delivery gripper unit 10.
As described above, the recording technology having a printing plate requires only one time to apply ink on the printing plate once the printing plate has been created.
Multiple prints per job can be obtained with high reliability. This printing method has been spotlighted as a technology that changes the conventional technology, particularly as one that realizes on-demand printing.

As another application example of the printing technique, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
Japanese Patent No. 300599 proposes a direct offset plate-making method using a pulsed laser which also aims at waterless printing. This also irradiates the plate surface, which is formed by applying a resin film made of a substance that repels water and oil, such as Teflon or silicon, onto the surface of the plate base material that has ink absorption properties, using a pulsed laser focused on a minute beam. The plate is obtained by instantaneously melting and vaporizing the resin film on the plate surface.

FIG. 10 shows another prior art in which electrophotographic technology is applied using powder toner. In general, a photosensitive layer 20 having a light semiconducting property such as zinc oxide is applied on a base paper 21 containing a conductive powder such as carbon and the like. Then, negative charging is performed. This photoconductor is moving in the direction of arrow 23, and a uniform negative charge is applied on the zinc oxide photoconductive layer 20 (step 1). Next, in step 2, light irradiation 26 corresponding to the image information is applied to the photoconductor, the charge of the irradiated portion of the photoconductor is erased, and an electrostatic latent image is formed there.
Next, the electrostatic latent image is developed with powder toner (step 3). The powder toner image 27 thus developed by the normal electrophotographic process is thermally fused by the flash fixing device 28 (step 4). The toner image 27 is melted and fixed on the photoconductor, thereby completing the preparation of the plate 27 '. Further, in step 5, negative charging is performed again, and in step 6, uniform exposure 29 is performed. Then, as shown in step 7, a negative charge remains only on the plate 27 '. Here, this is used as the image contrast instead of the electrostatic latent image in the next step. That is, in step 8, version 2
7 'is developed using powder toner 27 ", and this is transferred to paper 30, which is the final recording medium (steps 9 and 10), and is fixed (step 11) to obtain the same image as plate 27'. Will be done.

[0007] This process is also called Quickmaster.
Similarly to DI 46-4, the photoreceptor having the plate 27 'is wound up by a take-up roll (not shown) to provide a new photoreceptor surface for the next copy. That is, in this recording method, the photoreceptor on which the plate 27 'has been once formed cannot be applied to the next writing of new image information. The advantage of this recording method is that a plate can be easily prepared by a well-known electrophotographic technique, and that high-speed multi-copy printing is also possible. Moreover, since no ink is used as in the printing process, it is odorless, and there is almost no poor handling such as stains on the hands, thereby achieving low cost and miniaturization. As another example belonging to this type, a photosensitive paper is wound on a rotating drum, and a visible image is formed by a well-known electrophotographic technique.
After the visible image is formed, the image is fixed by a fixing device, and thereafter, the fixed image is recharged and subjected to uniform exposure, so that the electric charge can be held only on the fixed image and multi-copy printing is possible.
There is an example of a recording method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 85. In the case of this recording method, the deterioration of the charging characteristics of the plate greatly affects the quality of the final image. That is, if the charge retention of the plate is low, the image density is reduced, so that the toner image needs to have high charge retention. Further, in the printing process, the uniform irradiation light passes through the fixed image portion and reaches the photoconductor, so that the charge leaks, so that the image density also decreases. In order to increase the charge retention of the plate and prevent light during uniform exposure from reaching the photoreceptor layer, a sufficiently colored toner must be used. For this purpose, it is necessary to contain a large amount of carbon black. In this case, charges are easily injected into the interface of the photosensitive layer, and it becomes difficult to obtain sufficient charging characteristics.

[0008] As another problem related to the above recording method,
The printing durability of the plate is improved. Abrasion of the developer by the magnetic brush, that is, scavenging, may cause abrasion of the plate itself and decrease in fixing strength to the photosensitive layer.
This also comes up as a problem such as a decrease in image density and a missing or disordered image. FIG. 11 shows an example in which a liquid ink is applied by applying an electrophotographic technique. This recording method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-114255 is executed by a well-known electrophotographic process up to Step 2 for forming a toner image 27, and is transferred onto an adhesive film 32 (Step 3,
4). The colored ink 33 is held in the gap between the particles of the toner image 27 in the transferred toner image 27 by utilizing the capillary phenomenon (Step 5). By bringing it into close contact with the recording medium 30 such as paper (step 6), the ink 33 is formed (step 7). This is also a recording method excellent in high speed and high resolution because it is based on the electrophotographic technology similarly to the recording process shown in FIG.

[0009]

Since these prior arts are recording techniques using an irreversible plate, when printing using the plate is completed, a new plate must be prepared for the next writing. Must. In other words, a process of storing the old plate and exposing the recording surface to be the new plate is always required.
This results in the waste of having to discard the recording member created as a plate, and this can be said to be the greatest drawback of the recording method using the plate.

There is another problem that the plate making process itself takes time. Quickmaster DI mentioned above
In the case of 46-4, RIP (Raster Image)
Processing: It takes about 18 minutes (A3 / 4 color / 500 sheets) as a total printing time from development / data transfer to printing of 500 copies of one job. When the time for plate replacement, preparation, cleaning, ink filling, and ink fine adjustment is extracted, it can be seen that the time occupies about 9.5 minutes, which is more than half. As described above, the recording technology using the plate necessarily requires time in the process of preparing the plate, which is a cause of preventing the page-variable quick print.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances in the prior art, and has an object to improve the disadvantages. That is, the object of the present invention is:
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which enables a large number of copies per job and also can stably obtain high-speed, high-definition images in a page variable manner.

[0012]

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention, which achieves the above object, comprises a plate forming body having a surface on which an uneven pattern is reversibly formed in response to a stimulus; A plate forming means for forming a plate with a concavo-convex pattern on the surface of the plate forming body by giving a stimulus of a corresponding pattern, and a predetermined recording medium using the plate formed on the surface of the plate forming body by the plate forming means. Image forming means for forming an image.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. One of the embodiments described below uses a cis-trans change of a photoisomer as a reversible plate making / recording method, in which mechanical irregularities are formed on the surface of a plate forming body, and a coloring material is formed on the convex portions. High image contrast between the image part and non-image part (this is the physical action that separates the image part from the non-image part) The first characteristic is that a force, for example, a difference in adhesive force, wetting force, electrostatic force, magnetic force, or the like is obtained. Even if the time required to reduce the shape of the photoisomers from trans to cis by irradiation with ultraviolet light and the time required to return (expand) the shape from cis to trans by irradiation with visible light are slow, the image formation process is performed as Move and develop the color material at least one desired image area or one length longer than the stimulus input point to create the plate so that a variable on-demand print output of about 10 to 20 ppm can be obtained. The second feature is that a process such as transfer is performed. By combining the above first and second features, for example, the same or different plate surfaces are formed on a plate forming body for black and white print output, or yellow, magenta, cyan, Create a black multi-color printing plate. As a result,
It enables variable on-demand high-speed print output.

In the following, as another means for imparting the plate-form body with unevenness, a method of using a shape memory material will be described. The most typical material is Ti
-Ni shape memory alloy. The surface of the plate-form is discretized into desired pixel units, and an input signal corresponding to image information is added by, for example, heat by light irradiation or direct heat application by a thermal head, so that the surface of the plate-form is mechanically applied. Can be formed.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the cis-trans photoisomerization phenomenon of an azobenzene group. By synthesizing a photosensitive molecule and a polymer monomer represented by polyethyl acrylate, a photosensitive material having photoisomerization properties can be obtained. The intermolecular distance in the trans state is 9 Å on average, but upon receiving light having an ultraviolet wavelength hν ₁ , the intermolecular distance shrinks to 5.5 Å on average and isomerizes to the cis state. The pressure can be converted into mechanical pressure using the photomechanical effect, or can be applied to a recording process using the unevenness of the surface shape itself. or,
Regarding the high-speed response, the cis-trans photoisomerization time of a single molecule is 10 ^-7 sec on average, and the time until the stress imbalance in each part of the polymer is equalized is 10 ^-4 s to 10 ^-3 s on average.
By optimizing the conditions so that ec is satisfied, a pressure or shape actuator in the recording process can be sufficiently configured. In addition, the cis-trans photoisomerization can be returned to the original trans state by irradiating light having a visible light wavelength hν ₂ , and is reversible.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which this photoisomerizable material is used in a recording process. First, the entire cis-trans photoisomer layer 35 formed on the support 34 is contracted by irradiation with light having a uniform ultraviolet light wavelength hν ₁ (step 1). Returning now to the original trance by irradiation with visible light wavelength hv ₂ of light 36 which is the input stimulus based on the image information, so that only the portion 37 which has received the irradiation of visible light 36 is raised (Step 2). The cis-trans photoisomer layer 35 up to step 2
A surface irregular pattern based on image information is formed on the surface of
Further, in the next step 3, the color material 38 having a uniform thin layer formed thereon is brought into close contact with the particle supply support 39 (step 3), and the particles 38 are adhered to the raised portion 37 by an adhesive force such as adhesive force (step 3). 4). Thus, the raised portion 3
7, that is, the color material particles adhered to the image area are transferred to the recording medium 40 in the next step 5. As the driving force generating transfer device for transferring the color material particles to the recording medium, for example, in FIG. 2, either the back plate 41 that uniformly generates heat or a high-definition thermal head having a resolution equivalent to 300 to 2400 dpi may be used. . Alternatively, the device is not particularly limited, such as a device that generates an electrostatic force, such as a charger, a charging roll, and a charging brush, or a device that generates a magnetic force if the color material particles 38 are a magnetic material.
The adhesive force between the color material particles 38 and the raised portion 37 of the cis-trans photoisomeric layer 35 is not limited to the adhesive force alone. Various forces, such as electrostatic force, magnetic force, and wetting force, are applicable. Needless to say, there is no necessity for a single driving force and a single acting force, and a combination of these acting forces may be used. The particles 38 may be transferred to the recording medium 40 by a tug-of-war between the adhesive force between the color material particles 38 and the raised portions 37 and the force acting between the particles 38 and the recording medium 40.

Thus, an image is formed on the recording medium 40 by the particles 38. Another example of the recording process is shown in FIG. The cis-trans photoisomer layer surface is uniformly shrunk by ultraviolet light (step 1), and the formation of the raised portion 37 by irradiation of visible light 36 based on image information (step 2) is the same as the above-described recording process. As shown in Step 3, in the recording process shown here, instead of attaching the coloring material particles 38 on the raised portions 37, a mechanical pressure is applied from the back surface of the recording medium 40. In FIG. 3, the irradiation light 42 having the same pattern as the pattern of the raised portion 37 based on the image information is irradiated from the back surface of the transparent support 34 supporting the cis-trans photoisomer layer, and at the same time, on the opposite surface. Irradiation is performed from the back of the transparent support 34, which supports the transfer energy generating layer 43. The transfer energy generating layer used here may be a light heating element that generates heat by receiving light energy. Therefore, the color material particles 38 in step 3 are applied with pressure by being fixed by heat, and thus more reliable. The color material transfer to the recording medium 40 is performed.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a recording process using a shape memory material to obtain another mechanical uneven surface property.
The most common shape memory materials are Ti-Ni and C
A u-Zn-Al alloy is commercially available. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a crystal change in a shape memory alloy, which is cited from the content described in “Encyclopedia of Advanced Materials” (published by the Industrial Research Institute). As shown in FIG. 5, the shape memory alloy is
In state (1), austenite is stable at a temperature _{equal to} or higher than A _{f and} has a cubic crystal structure. In the state (2), if the parent phase is cooled to a temperature of _Mf or less in twinned martensite, the parent phase changes to a martensite phase. In this state, generally, not a cubic crystal but a lattice deformation accompanied by a twin structure mixed with a lattice non-deformed structure. State (3) is generated when an external force is applied to twinned martensite to deform it. The martensite twins disappear and become a single variant. By heating this deformed martensitic phase to a temperature _{equal to} or higher than A _f , reverse martensitic transformation occurs and the phase returns to the parent phase.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the characteristics of such a shape memory material are applied to plate making of a recording technique. FIG.
As shown in (1), a single shape memory pixel 63 discrete for each pixel is provided on a support 62. Partitions are provided between the shape memory pixels 63 so as not to affect the diffusion of heat to adjacent pixels. Now, FIG. 4 (1)
When the input stimulating light 64 is irradiated on the shape memory pixel 63 ′ corresponding to the image information as shown in FIG.
3 ′ protrudes like a shape memory pixel 63 ″ shown in FIG. 4 (2) due to the shape memory characteristics described above (of course,
Deformation is possible.) Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4 (3), a light-generating support 65 may be employed, and the light-generating support 65 may be irradiated with stimulating light, as shown in FIG. 4 (4). Of the heat generating devices 67 made of the device 67 ′ according to the image information may be activated. When an input stimulus based on such image information is applied, a mechanical uneven pattern is formed on the shape memory device 61, and this is used as a recording process using the above-described printing plate.

A semiconductor laser, CO
₂ , CO2 laser such as CO, _Ar ion laser,
N _d: YAG solid-state _{laser, K r F, X e F} , excimer lasers, such as X _e CL corresponds. Although the current output level has a wide range of 5 mW to 500 W, for example, about 5 W is obtained in a semiconductor laser by changing the mode from the single mode to the multi mode. Semiconductor lasers still stand out as the lasers that can be handled most easily.
It is highly possible to obtain up to about 0-30 W. At this time, the resolution is about Φ500 μm at the element aperture, and when irradiating this on the plate molding, it is optically reduced (100:
1) can be used for a process corresponding to 1200 to 2400 dpi. Also, the light heating layer 65
An example using a metal film (generally an Al film) of about several nm as the material
MAGING AND TECHNOLOGY (Vol
Ume37, Number4, July / Augu
st 1993). According to this, 3
ablation threshold J _th = 0.0 nm for Al film
It has been confirmed by numerical calculation and verification experiments that the temperature is raised to about 600 ° C. by irradiating near infrared pulsed light at 8 J / cm ² . The aforementioned shape memory material, Ti
Critical temperature M _s for stress-induced martensite, such -Ni and Cu-Zn-Al is in the range of -180 ° C. to 100, the temperature change can be induced if 10 to 30 ° C., sufficient thermal energy It is possible to obtain

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which the plate making process described with reference to FIG. 2 is applied to a color recording technique. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the image forming means according to the present invention includes a color material supply means for supplying a color material to the plate formed on the surface of the plate formation body, and a color material supply means for forming the color material on the surface of the plate formation body by supplying the color material. Transfer means for transferring an image of the color material to a recording medium, wherein the plate forming body has a circumferential length on which a plurality of plates are formed and circulates in a predetermined process direction, and The plate forming position where the plate is formed on the plate forming body surface by the forming means, and the color material supply position where the color material is supplied by the color material supplying means to the plate formed on the plate forming surface by the plate forming means are in the process direction. The plate forming means and the color material supply means are arranged so as to separate at least one plate.
Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the pair of the plate forming means and the color material supply means for supplying the color material to the plate formed on the surface of the plate forming body by the plate forming means comprises a process of the plate forming body. A plurality of sets are arranged along the direction, thereby realizing color image formation. Further, the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is provided with temporary fixing means for temporarily fixing an image of the color material formed on the surface of the plate forming body by supplying the color material by the color material supplying means to the surface of the plate forming body. .

Hereinafter, the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 will be specifically described. This image forming apparatus is provided with a master preparation belt 45 in which a cis-trans photoisomer layer 59 is formed on a support 60, and a printing unit is provided for each color on the peripheral surface of the belt 45. I have. The belt 45 is circulated in the direction of an arrow 58 by a stretching roll 46 (one of which is a belt driving roll and the other is a driven roll). Each printing unit is an image exposure unit 47Y-
47K, color material supply devices 48Y to 48K, temporary immobilization device 4
9Y to 49K, and further includes a uniform ultraviolet light irradiation device 50 for further reducing the cis-trans photoisomer layer 59,
A cleaning device 51 is provided. First, the belt 45 is uniformly irradiated with ultraviolet light by the ultraviolet light irradiation device 50, and its thickness is reduced over the entire belt. Next, when the yellow image exposure device 47Y irradiates visible light according to the image information, it returns to the original transformer state, and only that portion (only the area based on the image information) is raised to become a convex portion. As described above, as a bulk, the time until the stress imbalance in each part of the polymer is equalized is 10 ^-4 to 10 on average.
^Although it was described that the condition should be optimized so as to be ^-3 sec, the recording speed required for the actual recording process is becoming increasingly higher, and the allowable range of the cis-trans photoisomerization material design is expanded as much as possible. In view of this, it is necessary to devise a recording process so as to make the reaction time as long as possible. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the image exposure point of each color and the development point of the color material particles of each color are shifted by at least one desired image area or one image length.

FIG. 7 shows image exposure points 47Y to 47Y for each color.
The case where the development point is delayed by two planes with respect to 7K is illustrated. With this configuration, it is possible to increase the time until the surface of the cis-trans photoisomer layer is formed unevenly based on image information. On the surface of the belt 45 shown in FIG. 6, four plates of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are thus created, and four color materials are supplied to the four plates in one pass. If four colors are transferred onto a recording medium such as a sheet fed from the paper tray 54 and wound on the transfer roll 52, a desired color image can be obtained at high speed. In addition, it is needless to say that, for page variable color recording, since the plate making process is reversible, print copying for each page is possible. FIG. 6 shows a case where the transfer to the recording medium is performed by thermal fusion transfer by a heater 53 provided inside the transfer roll 52, and the complete fixing is performed in the passage of the recording medium separated from the transfer roll 52. The fixing is performed by the provided fixing device 56, and the sheet is discharged to a sheet discharge tray 57.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is a problem of the recording technology using the conventional plate, that it takes time until the plate is created, and that the plate is wasted after the plate is used. It is possible to provide a recording technique that solves various problems such as the inability to perform variable on-demand printing. In particular, not only the high speed in the print mode but also the high speed copy in the copy mode can be realized by the breakthrough of delaying the image exposure point and the color material transfer point while ensuring the reversibility of the plate.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. It is possible to realize high-speed on-demand copying with variable pages as well as high-speed high-speed printing using one plate. (2) The plate making process is linked to the material, that is, by utilizing the cis-trans photoisomerism such as azobenzene group and the shape return characteristic of the shape memory material, thereby eliminating waste of the plate and realizing resource saving. Because of the printing and copy recording technology using the three plates, the problem of reliability which has been a problem with the conventional electrophotographic technology has been solved. That is, the cause of image quality deterioration such as toner scattering caused by dulling or spreading of the electrostatic force in the space field is reduced. That is, high image quality can be obtained with high reliability. 4 Compared with printing, according to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to greatly reduce the apparatus cost, and it is possible to provide a printing machine with high cost performance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing cis-trans photoisomerization.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a recording process using cis-trans photoisomerization.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another recording process using cis-trans photoisomerization.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a process of forming mechanical irregularities on the surface of a plate-making recording member using a shape memory material.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a crystal change in a shape memory alloy.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a color image forming apparatus using cis-trans photoisomerization.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing that image exposure and transfer positions are shifted for each color in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a Quickmaster DI 46-4.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a DI plate plate making process.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a printing process and a copying process using a toner plate using a conventional electrophotographic technique and powder toner.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a printing and copying process using a toner plate and liquid ink using a conventional electrophotographic technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 34 support 35 cis-trans photoisomer layer 36 light of visible light wavelength hν ₂ 37 raised portion 38 color material particles 39 particle supply support 40 recording medium 41 back plate 42 irradiation light 43 transfer energy generation layer 45 master preparation belt 46 Tension rolls 47Y, 47M, 47C, 47K Image exposure unit 48Y, 48M, 48C, 48K Color material supply device 49Y, 49M, 49C, 49K Temporary immobilization device 50 Ultraviolet light irradiation device 51 Cleaning device 52 Transfer roll 53 Heater 54 Paper feed tray 56 Fixing device 57 Paper discharge tray 61 Shape memory device 62 Support 63, 63 ', 63 "Shape memory pixel 64 Input stimulating light 65 Light exothermic support 67 Heat generating device 67' Device

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A plate forming body having a surface on which an uneven pattern is reversibly formed in response to a stimulus, and an uneven pattern is formed on the surface of the plate forming body by applying a stimulus of a pattern corresponding to image information to the plate forming body. Plate forming means for forming a plate according to the above, and image forming means for forming an image on a predetermined recording medium using a plate formed on the surface of the plate forming body by the plate forming means, Image forming apparatus. 2. An image forming apparatus comprising: a color material supply unit configured to supply a color material to a plate formed on a surface of the plate forming body; and an image formed by the color material formed on the surface of the plate forming body by supplying the color material. And a transfer means for transferring the printing medium to a recording medium, wherein the plate forming body has a circumferential length on which a plurality of printing plates are formed and circulates in a predetermined process direction. The plate forming position where the plate is formed on the plate forming body surface, and the color material supply position where the color material is supplied by the color material supplying means to the plate formed on the plate forming body surface by the plate forming means is the 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plate forming unit and the color material supply unit are arranged so that at least one plate is separated in a process direction. 3. A pair of the plate forming means and a color material supply means for supplying a color material to a plate formed on the surface of the plate forming body by the plate forming means, the pair being in the process direction of the plate forming body. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of sets are arranged along the line. 4. The plate forming body forms a reversible uneven surface by light stimulation, and the plate forming means gives the plate forming body a light stimulus of a pattern corresponding to image information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said plate forming body has a layer formed of a photoisomerizable material. 6. The plate forming body forms a reversible uneven surface by photostimulation, and the plate forming means applies a thermal stimulus to the plate forming body in a pattern corresponding to image information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the plate forming body has a layer formed of a shape memory material. 8. A color material supply means for supplying a color material to a plate formed on the surface of the plate forming body, and a color material supply means for forming a color material on the surface of the plate formation body by the color material supply means. Temporary fixing means for temporarily fixing the image formed by the coloring material to the surface of the plate forming body, and transfer means for transferring the image fixed to the surface of the plate forming body by the temporary fixing means to a recording medium. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: