JPS63298380A - Transfer and fixing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an image free from disturbance by allowing a belt-shaped electrified particle carrying means having the optical semiconductor property to pass between a roll and a supporting body close to each other and heating the supporting body to transfer and fix a toner image on the belt-shaped electrified particle carrying means to a copy form. CONSTITUTION:An electrostatic latent image is formed on a belt-shaped electrified particle carrying means 64 having an optical semiconductor layer 54 by an image forming part 18, and the carrying means 64 is moved to the position of a developing device 4 and toner is used to develop the image. The carrying means 64 is moved between a heating member 62 and a backup roll 66 and is matched to a copy form 6 in this position, and the toner image on the carrying means 64 is transferred to the copy form 6. In this case, the carrying means 64 is heated from the side of a supporting material 50 by the heating member 62 simultaneously with transfer to fuse toner and the image is fixed on the copy form 6. Thus, the toner image is stably transferred and fixed on the copy form 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to electronic copying machines, printers, and facsimile machines, and in particular to a transfer/fixing method for transferring and fixing a toner image onto copy paper using a belt-shaped organic photoreceptor. It is related to.

Conventional technology In recent years, digital copying machines have become the preferred method of transfer and fixing.

It is used in image output equipment such as laser printers, and in recent years, there has been a strong trend toward smaller and lower cost equipment, and efforts have been made to simplify the processes surrounding the photoreceptor. There is.

An example of the conventional transfer/fixing method described above will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the configuration of a conventional electronic copying machine.

In FIG. 3, 1 is a photoreceptor charger, 2 is a photoreceptor drum whose surface is provided with an optical semiconductor, 3 is an exposure device, 4 is a developing device, 5 is a copy paper supply device, 6 is a copy paper, and 7 is a photoconductor drum. A charger for transfer, 8 a charger for static elimination separation, 9 a conveyor belt, 10
11 is a fixing device, and 11 is a photoreceptor cleaning device. To explain the operation of this device, the photoreceptor charger 1 positively charges the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 uniformly. Photoreceptor charger 1
After the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 is uniformly charged, the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 is exposed to light at an exposure rate of 3 to form a charge pattern by light. Thereafter, a developing device uses negatively charged toner to transfer the toner onto the surface of the photoreceptor drum according to the charge pattern and visualize it. After the image has been visualized, the copy paper 6 supplied from the copy paper supply device 5 is pressed against the photoreceptor drum 2, which is an image carrier, and the transfer charger 7 is positively discharged from behind the copy paper 6. 2. Transferring the toner on the surface to the copy paper 6 After the transfer, in order to neutralize the charged copy paper 6 and separate it from the photoreceptor drum 2, high AC voltage is applied to the charger 8 to discharge the charged copy paper 6 and make copies. The paper 6 is neutralized and the copy paper 6 is separated from the photoreceptor drum 2. The separated copy paper 6 is conveyed by a conveyor belt 9 and inserted into the pressure contact portion of the heating roller IO and the pressure roller 11 that are in pressure contact with each other. The toner is melted and fixed onto the copy paper 6. After the transfer, toner remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 is cleaned by a photoreceptor cleaning device 12.

Further, FIG. 4 shows an example in which a toner image on a photoreceptor is transferred and fixed onto copy paper using an intermediate. Fourth
In the figure, 18 is an image forming section, 20 is a bias power supply,
22 is a conductive roller, 24 is a belt-like intermediate transfer body, 26
and 28 are rollers, 30 is a cleaning member, and 32 is a static eliminator.

To explain the operation of this device, as explained in FIG. The image is electrostatically transferred onto a belt-shaped intermediate transfer member 24 by a conductive roller 22 which is provided with a conductive roller 22 . The toner image electrostatically transferred onto the belt-like intermediate transfer member 24 is transferred as a pair and pressed onto the copy paper 6 by two rollers 26 and 2B forming a heating roller system.
The image is transferred and fixed by the action of heating (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-8569).

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, as shown in the first half of the above, in a copy paper transfer/conveyance device that does not use a belt, the copy paper is charged and electrostatic charges are generated on the photoreceptor drum due to the transfer charger. In order to attract the copy paper, it is necessary to remove the static electricity from the copy paper using a static elimination/separation charger and separate it from the photosensitive drum.For this reason, in addition to the power supply for the transfer charger, a power supply for the static elimination/separation charger must be prepared. In addition, in order to ensure transferability and separation of the transfer paper from the photoreceptor drum, the discharge efficiency between the transfer charger and the neutralization separation charger must be adjusted to find the point that works best. Moreover, this discharge is greatly affected by the environment, and requires readjustment in response to environmental changes, so the tolerance range for reliability is extremely narrow.Furthermore, it is the charge of the copy paper itself that determines the transfer performance. There are many factors that affect charging, such as the physical properties of copy paper, storage stability, and transfer environment, and it is quite difficult to control the charge on copy paper itself. This means that it is difficult to control the neutralization of the copy paper if it is turned over, which affects the separation performance of the copy paper from the drum.

As shown in the conventional transfer/fixing methods, the following was proposed to compensate for the drawbacks of the electrostatic transfer and electrostatic separation mentioned above, and to simplify the process and reduce costs.
This is an intermediate transfer/fixing method. However, since this method performs two transfers, image disturbances are likely to occur due to speed differences between the photoreceptor, the belt-like intermediate transfer member, and the copy paper.

For this reason, the structure of the device becomes complicated and the number of factors involved in controlling the mechanism increases. Also, bias application during transfer complicates the structure of the device, and even when physically adsorbing, two transfers are not considered from the viewpoint of transfer efficiency. However, it has some disadvantages, such as being disadvantageous.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the transfer/fixing method of the present invention includes a belt-shaped charged particle conveying means having an optical semiconductor, which is passed between a roller and a support adjacent to the support. The apparatus is characterized in that the toner image on the belt-shaped charged particle conveying means is transferred and fixed onto copy paper by heating the toner image.

Function As described above, the present invention uses a belt-shaped charged particle conveying means to transfer the developed toner image onto a copy sheet at the same time, instead of electrostatically transferring it as in the conventional method. This solves the problems associated with static electricity that occur in the prior art.

Furthermore, since transfer and fixing are performed simultaneously, the number of transfers can be reduced to one, and image disturbance due to transfer can be prevented. This kind of thinking has existed for a long time, but with current drum-shaped photoreceptors, heating the toner side on the copy paper not only heats the photoreceptor itself and deteriorates the photoreceptor itself, but also causes the toner to develop at the development position. However, by using a belt-shaped charged particle conveying means as in the present invention, a lower heat capacity of the photoreceptor, which could not be achieved conventionally with a drum-shaped photoreceptor, has been achieved. This makes it possible to protect the photoreceptor layer used as the belt-shaped charged particle conveying means from heat deterioration, thereby increasing the service life of the photoreceptor layer.

Furthermore, by using a belt-shaped charged particle conveying means, whereas conventionally, during fixing, copying paper was sandwiched between rollers, the opposing members other than the roller that drives the copying paper are rollers. It does not have to be the same, and the tolerance as a heating source increases, making it easier to design the mechanism.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, a transfer/fixing method according to an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a belt-shaped charged particle conveying means of a transfer/fixing method in an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 50 denotes a support material, which is made of a polymer film made of polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, or the like and processed into an endless shape. It is desirable that the film be thin in order to minimize its heat capacity, but since polymers have lower thermal conductivity than metals, there is some tolerance; In addition, due to the drive, dimensional accuracy is required over a wide temperature range.For example, at temperatures below 100°C, polyethylene terephthalate film is used, and for temperatures above 100°C, polyimide film is used. Reference numeral 52 denotes a conductor layer which, when the support material 50 is a polymer film, serves to leak charge. The conductor layer 52 may be provided with a functional film that not only allows charges to leak or flow, but also selectively blocks or flows charges depending on the polarity of the charges.As an example, carbon atoms are included in the resin. Some contain zinc oxide molecules in the resin. When zinc oxide molecules are used, they can also be used as functional films. 54 is an optical semiconductor layer. A typical example of optical semiconductors is amorphous silicon, which uses chalcogenide.

There are many materials such as CdS and organic materials, but organic photoconductors are suitable for those that can follow the high flexibility of films, and organic photoreceptors can be formed into films by coating methods, so compared to other materials. Photoreceptors that utilize organic optical semiconductors, which have a high degree of freedom, come in a variety of forms, depending on the purpose, such as those sensitive to the visible range for copying machines, those sensitive to the long wavelength range for lasers, etc. The structure also differs depending on the purpose. A typical example is a phthalocyanine photoreceptor. For example, phthalocyanine pigments are dispersed in polyester resin (phthalocyanine pigments have different crystal systems such as α, β, γ, ε, and τ), or phthalocyanine pigments are dispersed in melamine-modified acrylic resin at a relatively high concentration. There is a functionally separated type photoreceptor that is cured to form a photocarrier generation layer, on which a polymer such as polyvinylcarbazole is attached to form a carrier transport layer. As an example of the carrier transport layer, it is also possible to use a polycarnate resin in which a relatively low-molecular carrier transport material (for example, a hydrazone compound, pyrazoline, etc.) is dispersed. 2. The electric layer 52 also needs to be determined from the relationship with the optical semiconductor layer 54 laminated thereon. FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the transfer/fixing method of the present invention,
60 is a belt driving roller, 61 is a roller, and 62 is a heating member. The heating member 62 may include a nichrome wire or the like, a resistor such as a ceramic may be used, or another heating means such as a lamp may be used behind the heating member 62 to heat the heating member 62. The heating member 62 itself may be shaped like a roller; however, in this case, a heat source (
(A resistor may be used for the roller), which makes the mechanism somewhat complicated. Other advantages arise when heating with lamps or the like. Since the support 50 is made of a polymer film, the material shown in the example has excellent transparency. Here, if a transparent electrode (for example, 1, T, O indium oxide, M tin oxide compound) is used as the conductor F152, it is possible to eliminate static electricity from the optical semiconductor layer 54 from the support side, which is not only effective in increasing the transfer efficiency. , it is possible to omit the normally used static eliminating means. Reference numeral 64 denotes a belt-shaped charged particle conveying means, which is stretched between a belt driving roller 60, a roller 61, and a heating member 62. A backup roller 66 is in contact with the belt-shaped charged particle conveying means 64 at a position facing the heating member 62. Reference numeral 68 is a static eliminating means, and a belt-shaped charged particle conveying means 6
4 to the exposed conductor of the opto-semiconductor N54
Referring to FIG. 2, the operation of the transfer/fixing method configured as above, in which the photo-semiconductor layer 54 is charged at the same time as the optical semiconductor layer 54 is removed, will be described below with reference to FIG. First, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the belt-shaped charged particle conveying means 64 by the image forming section 18 . (Charge distribution is created depending on the intensity of light.

(It is necessary to uniformly remove the charge after the transfer.) Next, the belt-shaped charged particle conveying means 64 is moved to the position of the developing device 4, and a toner is used to develop the image. Further, the belt-shaped charged particle conveyance means 64 is moved between the heating member 62 and the bank up roller 66, and at the same time, it is aligned with the copy paper 6 at this position, and the toner image on the belt-like charged particle conveyance means 64 is transferred to the copy paper 6. Make a transcription. At this time, at the same time as the transfer, the belt-shaped charged particle conveying means 64 is heated from the support material 50 side by the heating member 62 to melt the toner and fix it on the copy paper 6. After fixing, in order to separate the copy paper 6 and the belt-shaped charged particle transport means 64, it is necessary to devise a shape of the heating member 62 so that the belt-like charged particle transport means 64 has a large curvature. Throughout this transfer and fixing, there is no static electricity involved, and there is no problem with toner scattering due to static electricity. Also, if a polymer film is used for the support material 50, the heat capacity can be reduced, and the belt-shaped charged particle conveying means 6
4 moves from the heating member 62 toward the neutralizing member 68, the amount of remaining heat decreases, and the influence of heat on the optical semiconductor layer 54 can be minimized. The disadvantage of a small heat capacity can be compensated for by increasing heat conduction during transfer and fixing by making the film as thin as possible. Furthermore, by limiting the number of transfers to one time, the disturbance during image transfer can be minimized. Thereafter, the belt-shaped charged particle transport means 64 that has moved to the static eliminating member 68 leaks the remaining charges.

As described above, in the present invention, the heat capacity can be reduced by forming the belt-shaped charged particle transport means from a film-like material, and the belt-like charged particle transport means can be passed between the roller and the heated support. The toner image can be extremely stably transferred and fixed onto the copy paper. At the same time, the optical semiconductor layer can be protected and the mechanism can be simplified.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention allows a belt-shaped charged particle transport means having photosemiconducting properties to pass between a roller and a support close to each other, and heats the support to transport the belt-shaped charged particles. By transferring and fixing the toner image on the means to copy paper, an image that does not cause image disturbance can be obtained, the apparatus can be simplified, and the optical semiconductor layer can be protected.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a belt-shaped charged particle conveying means of a transfer/fixing method in an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a transfer/fixing method in an embodiment, and FIGS. FIG. 3 is a front view of the transfer/fixing method. 50...Supporting material, 52...Conductor layer,
54... Optical semiconductor layer, 60... Belt driving roller, 61... Roller, 62...
・・Heating member, 64・・Belt-shaped charged particle conveying means, 66・・Back unroller, 68・・・
・Electrification member. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao (1 person) Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] A belt-shaped charged particle conveying means having optical semiconductor properties is passed between a roller and a support in close proximity to the roller, and the support is heated, thereby transferring the toner image on the belt-like charged particle conveying means to copy paper. A transfer/fixing method characterized by fixing.