JPH04324863A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

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

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, attempts have been made to form photosensitive media (so-called microcapsule paper) coated with microcapsules containing dye precursors, photocurable substances, etc., by exposing them to light based on image information. A chemical latent image is formed on the photosensitive medium by curing microcapsules corresponding to the image, and an image receiving paper is coated in advance with a color developer that reacts with the dye precursor to develop color; are superimposed and pressurized, and the chemical latent image is developed by pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus that fixes an image on image receiving paper has been devised.

[0003] As a different example of an image forming apparatus using the photosensitive medium, the present applicants have developed a method in which the photosensitive medium on which the chemical latent image is formed and the image receiving paper, which is plain paper, are placed with a color developer layer in between. We have devised a device that forms an image on image-receiving paper by interposing and overlapping and applying pressure.

In addition, an image forming apparatus using a photosensitive medium carrying microcapsules encapsulating a colored dye instead of the dye precursor is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-2326.
It is disclosed in Publication No. 52.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in any of the above image forming apparatuses, the photosensitive medium used therein has a structure in which a plastic film such as PET is used as a support and photosensitive microcapsules are supported on the surface of the support. This type of photosensitive medium is used as an intermediate medium in image formation, so after use it is collected and disposed of all at once, or it is cut up each time an image is formed. are being disposed of. Further, in the above-mentioned conventional devices other than the device described in the above-mentioned publication, a developer for color development is additionally required. Therefore, in conventional image forming apparatuses, at least the plastic film that is the support that is not originally necessary for forming the image itself is discarded, which increases the cost of so-called consumables and reduces the overall cost of image formation. The cost was high.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and realizes inexpensive image formation by omitting consumables (intermediate image forming media) that are not originally necessary for image formation. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can perform

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the image forming apparatus of the present invention uses a photocurable composition containing a polymerizable compound, a photoinitiator, and a sensitizing dye as a core material. A microcapsule toner whose shell member (also referred to as microcapsule) is a highly chargeable substance is used.

Examples of polymerizable compounds include N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, bisphenol A diacrylate and methacrylate, tripropylene glycol diacrylate and methacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylate and methacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate and methacrylate, dipenta Examples include erythritol hexaacrylate and methacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate and methacrylate, oligoester acrylate and methacrylate, and the like.

Highly chargeable substances for the shell member include compounds having electron-donating groups such as ammonium groups, amino groups, and hydroxyl groups as materials that easily become positively charged, and nitro groups as materials that easily become negatively charged. There are compounds having electron-accepting groups such as , sulfone groups, carboxyl groups, and halogen groups.

Methods for encapsulating the photocurable composition inside the shell member include coacervation, interfacial polymerization, and monomer polymerization in oil, which are known techniques in the field of so-called carbonless paper. .

The image forming apparatus of the present invention further includes an exposure means for exposing the photoreceptor to light according to image information, and a microcapsule toner on the electrostatic latent image of the photoreceptor formed by the exposure means according to the image information. a microcapsule toner coating means for coating the photoconductor, and the microcapsule toner coated on the photoconductor is re-exposed and photocured according to image information by the exposure device to form a chemical latent image, and then the microcapsule toner coated on the photoconductor is The apparatus includes a transfer means for transferring the microcapsule toner onto a recording paper, and a pressure developing means for developing the chemical latent image of the microcapsule toner transferred onto the recording paper by applying pressure.

0012

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention having the above structure, an electrostatic latent image is first formed on the photoreceptor by the exposure means in accordance with image information. According to this electrostatic latent image, positively or negatively charged microcapsule toner is applied onto the photoreceptor by electrostatic force by the application means. Next, the microcapsule toner coated on the photoreceptor is re-exposed by the exposure means based on the image information. During this exposure, the wavelength for curing the capsules is selected by the sensitizing dye contained in the microcapsules. That is, the microcapsules containing the cyan sensitizing dye are cured by exposure to light with a wavelength around 650 nm. Microcapsules containing a magenta sensitizing dye are hardened by exposure to light with a wavelength around 550 nm. Furthermore, the microcapsules containing the yellow sensitizing dye are cured by exposure to light with a wavelength around 450 nm. In this way, a chemical latent image corresponding to full-color image information is formed on the microcapsule.

Next, the microcapsule toner on which the chemical latent image has been formed is transferred from the photoreceptor to the recording paper by the transfer means. Finally, when pressure is applied to the microcapsule toner on the recording paper by the pressure developing means, the core material flows out from the microcapsule toner whose shell member (microcapsule) has not been hardened, and this causes an increase in the number of microcapsules. The sensitive dye penetrates into the recording paper, and a full-color image corresponding to the image information is formed on the recording paper. As a result,
The image forming apparatus of the present invention does not require a medium having a structure in which photosensitive microcapsules are supported on the surface of a plastic film as a support, which has conventionally been used as an intermediate medium in the image forming process. Furthermore, since the microcapsule toner itself has coloring properties, a color developer for color development is also unnecessary.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the microcapsule toner used in the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, microcapsule toner 1
is composed of a shell member 2 forming a microcapsule and a core material 3 encapsulated therein. Core material 3 includes 10 parts by weight of a radically polymerizable unsaturated group-containing compound containing polyethylene glycol diacrylate and dipentaerythrhexaacrylate in a ratio of 3:4, and 1.5 parts by weight of an iron arene compound as a photoinitiator. and sensitizing dye 0.1~
This is a photocurable composition containing 0.5 parts by weight. The shell member 2 is made of a highly chargeable material, and in this embodiment is a material that is easily positively charged, specifically polyamide (nylon) having an electron-donating amino group.

Next, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 2, which is a schematic diagram of its configuration. As shown in FIG. 2, a photoreceptor drum 31 is provided inside the image forming apparatus 5, and around the photoreceptor drum 31, a corotron or scorotron pre-charger 32 and an exposure section (exposure means) are arranged in the rotational direction of the drum 31. ) 10 and the microcapsule toner application part (
Coating means) 20 and a transfer charger (transfer means) 33 are installed.

A recording paper 52 is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 31 and the transfer charger 33. Note that plain paper is usually used as the recording paper 52. The recording paper 52 is housed in a paper feed cassette 50 that is removably attached to a side wall of the image forming apparatus 5, and is transported by pickup rollers 53 and 54. Furthermore, an outlet 56 for the recording paper 52 is provided on the side wall surface of the device 5 opposite to the paper feed cassette 50.

Further, in the conveying direction of the recording paper 52, a pressure developing section (pressure developing means) 40 is provided which is composed of a pair of pressure rollers 41a and 41b. This pressure developing section 40
In order to prevent the microcapsule toner 1 from adhering to the surfaces of the pressure rollers 41a and 41b, the surfaces of the pressure rollers 41a and 41b are made of a material with excellent mold releasability such as fluororesin or silicone resin, or are made of a material with excellent mold release properties such as fluororesin or silicone resin. It is desirable to apply silicone resin or the like.

The exposure section 10 includes an exposure halogen lamp 11 equipped with an arcuate reflecting plate 11a, an original glass 15, an original cover 13 for an original 12 placed on the glass 15, and a color tone of an image. It is composed of a filter 14 for adjusting the image quality, and an imaging lens 18. Of these components, the halogen lamp 11, filter 14, and lens 18 are arranged inside a box-shaped light shielding plate 19.

The microcapsule toner applying section 20 includes a toner case 21 that stores the toner 1, and in the toner case 21, a stirring mechanism 23 for the toner 1, a supply roller 24, and a toner carrying roller 25 that carries the toner.
are arranged rotatably. The microcapsule toner 1 is classified into three types depending on the yellow, magenta, and cyan sensitizing dyes contained therein.
These three types of microcapsule toner are mixed and stored in a toner case 21.

Furthermore, a diaphragm 46 made of an ultrasonic vibrator or the like is disposed in close contact with the recording paper 52 on the downstream side of the pressure developing section 40 in the conveying direction of the recording paper 52. A toner collection case 47 is installed below the plate 46.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 5 having the above configuration will be explained. Turn on the start switch (not shown)
, the halogen lamp 11 in the exposure section 10 lights up,
This light is reflected by the original 12 via the original table glass 15. At the same time, the document table glass 15 on which the document 12 is placed moves, and scanning exposure is performed.

On the other hand, the photosensitive drum 31 starts rotating,
A voltage is supplied to the pre-charger 32 from a negative power source (not shown). Therefore, the pre-charger 32 generates corona ions, and the surface of the photoreceptor drum 31 is charged to approximately -600V. Further, the reflected light from the original 12 passes through the filter 14 and the imaging lens 18, and then enters the charged area on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 31. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoreceptor 31 in accordance with the image on the original 12.

In the microcapsule toner applying section 20, the toner 1 is charged and carried on the carrying roller 25 by the rotation of the stirring mechanism 23 and the supply roller 24. At this time, the microcapsule toner 1 is positively charged because its shell member 2 (FIG. 1) is made of nylon, which is easily and strongly charged to a positive polarity. The toner 1 carried on the carrying roller 25 is attached to the photosensitive drum 31 by an electric field formed between the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 31 and the carrying roll 25 . This process uses known xerographic techniques. In this way, the microcapsule toner 1 adheres to the photosensitive drum 31 corresponding to the image portion of the original 12.

The photosensitive drum 31 to which the microcapsule toner 1 is attached further rotates and reaches the lower part of the exposure section 10 again. At this time, the pre-charger 32 does not operate. Then, scanning exposure is performed again in the exposure section 10. This exposure is performed to harden the microcapsule toner 1 attached to the photoreceptor drum 31 in accordance with the image on the original 12, that is, to form a chemical latent image. The photosensitive drum 31 further rotates, and the microcapsule toner 1 on which the chemical latent image is formed is conveyed to the vicinity of the transfer charger 33 at the center of the lower part of the image forming apparatus 5.

When the above-mentioned exposure for forming the chemical latent image is performed, at the same time, the pickup roller 53 of the recording paper 52 rotates, the recording paper 52 is taken out from the paper feed cassette 50, and the recording paper 52 is taken out by the action of the feed roller 54. , and are conveyed to the lower part of the photoreceptor drum 31. Here, the transfer charger 33 is activated, and the microcapsule toner 1 is transferred onto the recording paper 52 by electrostatic force. The recording paper 52 is further conveyed toward the pressure developing section 40 . In the pressure developing section 40, the recording paper 52 carrying the microcapsule toner 1 is pressed by a pair of pressure rollers 41a and 41b.

Of the toner 1 pressurized in this manner, the core substance 3 (FIG. 1) contained therein flows out from the toner 1 whose shell member (capsule) 2 (FIG. 1) has not yet hardened. Therefore, the sensitizing dye corresponding to the image on the original document 12 is transferred to the recording paper 52, and an image is formed on the recording paper 52. The microcapsule toner 1 whose shell member 2 (FIG. 1) is hardened is not destroyed even by pressure and remains supported on the recording paper 52.

In this state, the recording paper 52 is further moved to the diaphragm 4.
6. Since the recording paper 52 contacts the diaphragm 46, it is vibrated. Therefore, the microcapsule toner 1 whose shell member 2 (FIG. 1) is hardened is shaken off by the vibration, and the toner collection case 4 below it is shaken off.
It will be collected on 7th. In this way, the recording paper 55 on which an image corresponding to the image of the original document 12 is formed is outputted from the output port 56 to the outside of the image forming apparatus 5.

By the way, the image forming apparatus 5 of the present invention described above is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be implemented with the following modifications, for example. That is, the shell member 2 of the microcapsule toner 1 may be formed from a material that is easily negatively charged. In this case, the polarities of the power supplies connected to the pre-charger 32 and the transfer charger 33 may be changed. Further, in order to improve the fixability of the image to the recording paper 52, a thermal fixing device may be provided downstream of the pressure developing device 40.

[0030]

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above explanation, the image forming apparatus of the present invention forms an image by applying microcapsule toner to recording paper via a photoreceptor. There is no need for any intermediate medium carrying photosensitive microcapsules on its surface. In addition, microcapsule toner is used only for the image part of image information such as a manuscript, and not for the non-image part.
Wasteful consumption of microcapsule toner can be suppressed. Therefore, the running cost is very low and there is an excellent economical effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view showing a microcapsule toner used in an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Microcapsule toner 2 Shell member (microcapsule) 3 Core substance 5 Image forming device 10 Exposure section (exposure means) 12 Original 20 Microcapsule toner application section (application means) 3
1 Photosensitive drum 32 Front charger 33 Transfer charger (transfer means) 40 Pressure development section (pressure development means) 46 Vibration plate 52 Recording paper

Claims (1)

[Claims] [Claim 1] An image is formed using a microcapsule toner whose core material is a photocurable composition containing a polymerizable compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and a sensitizing dye as its main components, and whose shell material is a highly chargeable substance. The apparatus includes an exposure means for exposing a photoreceptor according to image information, and a microcapsule toner application for applying microcapsule toner onto an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor formed by the exposure means according to the image information. and the microcapsule toner coated on the photoreceptor is re-exposed and photocured according to the image information by the exposure means to form a chemical latent image, and then the microcapsule toner on the photoreceptor is transferred to recording paper. An image forming apparatus comprising: a transfer means for transferring; and a pressure developing means for developing the chemical latent image of the microcapsule toner transferred onto the recording paper by applying pressure.