JP2777897B2 - Recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Summary] The present invention relates to a recording device to which electrophotographic technology, printing technology and the like are applied, and aims at providing a high-definition recording device which is small in size, low in cost and consumes low power. Forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive layer by irradiating light from a light source provided on the transparent conductive layer side of the three-layered photosensitive member including a photosensitive layer and an insulating layer, thereby forming the electrostatic latent image. A recording device that forms an ink image on the photoconductor by changing the ink viscosity by the electric field of the electrostatic latent image by contacting a developing ink having an electric field viscosity characteristic with the photoconductor; Further, a minute concave portion for holding the developing ink whose viscosity has been improved by the electric field of the electrostatic latent image of the photosensitive layer is uniformly formed.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a recording apparatus to which electrophotographic technology, printing technology and the like are applied.

In recent years, with the rapid development of the information industry, various information systems have been developed, and demands for output machines (printers) suitable for them have been increasing. For example, there is a demand for high-definition image output for placing photographs, figures, and the like in a document.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as this type of output device, there are various printers depending on the application, but there are advantages and disadvantages and there is no definitive one. Generally, recording methods are classified into an impact method and a non-impact method. The impact method has advantages such as small size, low price, and maintenance-free, but has a problem in terms of noise. On the other hand, the non-impact method includes a serial method and a page method. The serial system has advantages of small size and low cost, but the thermal transfer system has a slow recording speed, and the ink jet system has problems such as clogging. In the page method, the electrophotographic method is a typical example, and has advantages such as high-speed printing and high printing quality. However, due to the complexity of the process, it has reached the limit level at present at low cost and downsizing of the device. I have.

Among the above recording methods, the electrophotographic method is suitable for high-speed, high-definition recording. This electrophotographic method includes processes of charging, exposure (latent image formation), development, transfer, and fixing. Here, it is roughly classified into two depending on the difference in the development process. Dry development in which a powder called toner of 5 to 20 μm is attached to an electrostatic latent image portion on a photosensitive drum (photoreceptor) to form a visible image, and toner particles (0.1
(0.5 μm) is dispersed and adhered to the electrostatic latent image portion.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, these dry and wet developing systems have the following disadvantages.

First, in order to realize high-resolution recording by dry development, it is necessary to further reduce the current toner particle diameter. Resolution 10
In the case of 00 dpi, the toner particle diameter is set to 6 μm or less, and the resolution is set to 2000 dpi.
In pi, the particle diameter needs to be 3 μm or less. However, there is a limit in terms of satisfying the characteristics of the toner even for finer powder. From the manufacturing point of view, it is difficult to produce uniform particles of 6 μm or less, and it is also difficult to obtain a uniform toner charge. Further, when the toner is made finer, the toner is agglomerated, so that the transportability is deteriorated, which causes a problem of deteriorating the image quality. On the other hand, in wet development,
Since toner particles of 0.1 to 0.5 μm are dispersed, there is no problem during development, but when the toner image formed on the drum is transferred to the recording paper, the insulating liquid permeates the recording paper,
A heat source for drying it is necessary, and at the time of high-speed recording, a large amount of combustible gas is generated and its odor becomes a problem. Further, in order to keep the toner concentration of the developing solution constant, a mechanism for stirring the developing solution and a mechanism for forcibly supplying the developing solution to the developing section are required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-definition recording apparatus which is small in size, low in cost, and consumes little power.

[Means for solving the problem]

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining the principle of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the photoreceptor 1, FIG. 1 (b) is a view for explaining an electrostatic latent image forming procedure, and FIG. () Is an explanatory diagram of an ink image forming procedure. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a photosensitive member, 2 denotes a light source, and 3 denotes a developing ink.

The photoreceptor 1 has a transparent conductive layer as shown in FIG.
It has a three-layer structure including a photosensitive layer 5, a photosensitive layer 5, and an insulating layer 6, and fine concave portions 7 are uniformly formed on the surface of the insulating layer 6.

The developing ink 3 is used to develop an electrostatic latent image (formation procedure will be described later) formed on the photosensitive layer 5 into an ink image. In FIG. Is shown. This developing ink 3
Has an electric field viscosity whose viscosity changes with an electric field.

The light source 2 is provided on the transparent conductive layer 4 side of the photoconductor 1 as shown in FIG. 1 (b).

In the example of FIG. 1, the transparent conductive layer 4 and the ink supply drum 8 are connected to a bias power supply 9.

[Action]

At the time of recording, as shown in FIG.
Light irradiation is performed in accordance with the image signal. As a result, photogenerated carriers are generated inside the photosensitive layer 5, and a latent image charge corresponding to the polarity of the bias applied by the bias power supply 9 is formed between the ink supply drum 8 and the transparent conductive layer 4.
The electric field of the latent image charges changes (increases) the viscosity of the developing ink 3 which is conveyed onto the insulating layer 7 by the ink supply drum 8 and accumulated in the concave portion 7 and is held in the concave portion 7. In FIG. 1, in the following process, as shown in FIG. 1 (c), the ink held in the concave portion 7 is transferred to the recording paper 100 pressed against the insulating layer 6 by the pressing roller 10, and Ink image 1 by fixing
1 shows an example in which 1 is formed. If at least the surface of the insulating layer 6 is formed of a material that repels the developing ink during this recording, the developing ink is not retained in the non-printing portion (the portion where no electric field is generated), and a higher-definition ink image is obtained. Can be Further, since the power consumption is small and the ink itself is the developing solution, there is no generation of gas or odor, and the structure of the developing section is simple.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG.

 FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an outline of the structure of the recording apparatus of the present embodiment.
In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes a photosensitive member (photosensitive drum), 22 denotes a lamp for removing electricity, and 23 denotes an ink supply unit. The same members as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The photoreceptor 21 has a three-layer structure in which a photosensitive layer 25 and an insulating layer 26 are formed on a cylindrical transparent conductive layer 24.
22 is provided inside the photoconductor 21. Transparent conductive layer
24 is a transparent conductive material such as ITO deposited on a transparent material such as glass or acrylic resin, and the photosensitive layer 25 is made of Se-based, CdS, a
-Si, formed of an organic photosensitive material. In addition, insulation layer 2
6 coats a hydrophilic material (sodium polyacrylate, polyvinylpyrrolidone) on the surface. Also,
The surface of the insulating layer 26 has a diameter of several μm to 100 μm and a depth of several μm.
A recess 27 having a thickness of about 30 μm is formed uniformly.

The ink supply unit 23 includes an ink supply drum 8 and an ink reservoir 28, and the ink supply drum 8
Of the latent image charge. The ink reservoir 28 contains a developing ink 3 having an electric field viscous characteristic. The developing ink 3 is formed on the insulating layer 26 of the photoreceptor 21 by the rotation of an ink supply drum 8 whose lower part is immersed in the developing ink 3. It is supplied to the surface. The developing ink 3 contains silicone oil, zeolite fine powder, and a surfactant as main components, and is mixed with carbon black, color pigments, dyes, and the like for coloring.

At the time of recording, the photosensitive member 21 is rotated clockwise and the ink supply drum 8 is rotated counterclockwise, and the light source 2 performs non-irradiation according to the image signal. As a result, photogenerated carriers are generated inside the photosensitive layer 25, and a latent image charge corresponding to the polarity of the bias applied by the bias power supply 9 is formed between the ink supply drum 8 and the transparent conductive layer 24. By the electric field of the latent image charge, the viscosity of the developing ink 3 which is conveyed onto the insulating layer 26 by the ink supply drum 8 and accumulated in the concave portion 27 is changed and is held in the concave portion 27.
Since the surface of the insulating layer 26 is formed of a hydrophilic material in the non-print portion where no electric field is generated, the developing ink 3 is not held. The ink held in the predetermined recess 27 in this manner is:
At the portion A, the ink is transferred to and fixed on the recording paper 100 pressed against the insulating layer 26 by the pressing roller 10 to form an ink image. The lamp 22 erases the latent image charges in the photosensitive layer 25 of the photoreceptor 21 and reduces the viscosity of the ink.
Transfer to the recording paper 100 is facilitated.

As described above, in the liquid development recording apparatus of the present embodiment, the photoconductor 21
This is a simple process in which an ink image is formed on the recording paper, and the ink image is pressed against the recording paper to transfer and fix it on the recording paper.
In addition, a high-definition recording device with low power consumption is realized.

 FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an outline of the structure of the recording apparatus of this embodiment.
In the figure, 31 is an ink supply unit, and 32 is a pressing roller. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same members as the other previous examples.

The ink supply unit 31 includes the same ink supply drum 8 and ink reservoir 28 as in the previous example, and a heater 33 for heating the ink reservoir 28.
Mainly composed of fine zeolite powder and paraffin wax,
Carbon black and color pigments for coloring,
A developer ink 34 having an electric field viscous property mixed with a dye or the like is stored. This developing ink is in a solid state at room temperature, and is heated by the heater 33 at the time of recording to be used as a liquid.

 The pressing roller 32 has a built-in heater 35.

At the time of recording, the photosensitive member 21 and the ink supply drum 8 are rotated as in the previous example, and the light source 2 irradiates light according to the image signal. As a result, a latent image charge is formed inside the photosensitive layer 25, and the electric field of the latent image charge changes the viscosity of the developing ink 34 conveyed onto the insulating layer 26 by the ink supply drum 8 and collected in the concave portion 27. Then, it is held in the concave portion 27. Since the surface of the insulating layer 26 is formed of a hydrophilic material in the non-print portion where no electric field is generated, the developing ink 34 is not held. In this way, the developing ink 34 held in the predetermined concave portion 27 is pressed by the pressing roller 32 in the portion A to form the insulating layer.
The ink image is formed by being transferred and fixed to the recording paper 100 pressed against 26, but since the developing ink 34 is solid at normal temperature, it is solidified before moving to the portion A after development. Then, the ink image is melted by heating from the back side of the recording paper 100 by the heater 35 of the pressing roller 32, and is transferred to the recording paper 100.
Establish. In the case of this transfer and fixing method, a pressing roller
The setting temperature of 32 may be 100 ° C. or less because the melting point of the wax may be sufficient, and the power consumption is considerably smaller than that of the heat fixing in the dry type of electrophotography. As another transfer and fixing method, a flash lamp is provided inside the photoreceptor 21, and the flash light melts an ink image to transfer it to recording paper.
There is also a fixing method.

 In the case of this example, the same effect as in the previous example can be obtained.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a high-definition recording apparatus that is small in size, low in cost, and low in power consumption.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 (a), 1 (b) and 1 (c) are diagrams for explaining the principle of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing an outline of the structure of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the outline of the structure of a recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention, in which 1, 21 is a photosensitive member, 2 is a light source, 3, 34 is developing ink, 4, 24 is a transparent conductive layer, 25 is a photosensitive layer, 6, 26 are insulating layers, 7, 27 are concave portions,
100 is a recording paper.

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-57-23964 (JP, A) JP-A-63-82754 (JP, A) JP-A-57-66974 (JP, A) JP-A-58-46359 (JP, A) , A) JP-A-62-79476 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G03G 15/00 115 G03G 15/10

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A light source (2) provided on the transparent conductive layer (4) side of a photoconductor (1) having a three-layer structure including a transparent conductive layer (4), a photosensitive layer (5), and an insulating layer (6). ) To form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive layer (5), and contact the photoreceptor (1) on which the electrostatic latent image is formed with a developing ink (3) having an electric field viscosity characteristic. Accordingly, in a recording apparatus for forming an ink image on the photoreceptor (1) by changing ink viscosity by an electric field of the electrostatic latent image, the surface of the insulating layer (6) is provided with the photosensitive layer (5). A recording apparatus, wherein a minute concave portion (7) for holding a developing ink whose viscosity is improved by an electric field of an electrostatic latent image is uniformly formed.