JPH0670715B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming an image using a light and pressure sensitive sheet comprising a light receiving sheet and an image receiving sheet. This is to prevent damage to the capsule.

(B) Conventional Technology Photosensitivity composed of a light-receiving sheet in which microcapsules containing a colorless dye or a photopolymerization agent are coated on a base sheet, and an image-receiving sheet coated with a developer for coloring the colorless dye. Pressure sheets (light-sensitive pressure-sensitive image forming materials) have already been disclosed in JP-A-58-88739 and JP-A-59-149343.

To form an image using such a light and pressure sensitive sheet, for example, a copying machine as shown in FIG.
By irradiating the reflected light from the microcapsule surface of 51, the partial microcapsules are polymerized and cured by the photopolymerizing agent contained therein to form a cured image. Then, the surface of the developing material of the image receiving sheet 52 is superposed on the cured image and pressure is applied by the pressure rollers 53a and 53b. Then, the uncured microcapsules are cleaved, the colorless dye contained therein flows out, and reacts with the developing material to form a color image on the image receiving sheet 52. After that, the light receiving sheet 51 and the image receiving sheet 52 are peeled off, and the image receiving sheet 52 is discharged by the paper discharging roller 54 to a paper discharge tray 55.
Eject the paper. The image receiving sheet 52 on which the color image is formed as described above is discharged to the discharge tray 55.

Similarly, in a printer or the like, after the light receiving sheet is irradiated with image forming light to form a cured image, the image receiving sheet is superposed on the light receiving sheet and pressed.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the method of superposing the image receiving sheet 52 after exposing the light receiving sheet 51 as described above,
Since the 51 is transported without being protected, the microcapsules on the surface of the light receiving sheet 51 may be damaged or cleaved by some external force. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, a complicated conveying device such as a suction device 56 is used to convey the light receiving sheet 51, and the light receiving sheet 51 is held so that external force is not applied.

According to the present invention, by storing a light receiving sheet and an image receiving sheet in a state in which they are stacked in advance in a storage case, the light receiving sheet is protected even during transportation and scratches of microcapsules are prevented. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can be used.

(D) Means for Solving the Problems In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, a microcapsule surface of a light-receiving sheet obtained by coating a colorless transparent base sheet with microcapsules containing a colorless dye and a photopolymerization agent, and the above-mentioned colorless A photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet accommodating means for accommodating a photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet formed by superimposing a developing material surface of an image receiving sheet having a base sheet coated with a developing material for coloring a dye, and the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet accommodating means Exposure means for irradiating the supplied photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet with image forming light such as document reflected light from the colorless and transparent substrate sheet surface; and pressing means for pressing the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet exposed by the exposing means. , Is provided.

(E) Action In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the light receiving sheet and the image receiving sheet are stacked and housed, and this light and pressure sensitive sheet is supplied to the exposure means and exposed to the image forming light. At the time of this supply, since the image receiving sheet is superposed on the surface of the microcapsule of the light receiving sheet, the microcapsule is protected by the image receiving sheet and scratches and tears of the microcapsule are prevented.

Then, at the time of exposure, the light and pressure sensitive sheet is irradiated with light from the colorless and transparent base sheet side of the light receiving sheet, and the light transmitted through the colorless and transparent base sheet exposes the microcapsules. This cures the microcapsules exposed to the light. At this time, since the base sheet is made of a colorless transparent material, there is almost no light loss, and the microcapsules can be efficiently exposed.

Then, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet is pressed by the pressing means, the uncured microcapsules (microcapsules that were not exposed to light) are cleaved, the inclusions flow out, and react with the developing material on the image receiving sheet, It develops color.

(F) Embodiment FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a copying machine which is an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

A storage case 2 is detachably provided in the lower left part of the main body 1, and a roll-shaped photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 3 is stored in the storage case 2. The light and pressure sensitive sheet 3 can be replenished by attaching and detaching the storage case 2. Storage case 22
Is a light and pressure sensitive sheet storing means. A discharge tray 4 and a discharge roller 5 are arranged on the right side surface of the main body 1. A guide roller 6, an exposure table 7, a pressure roller 8, a cutter 9, and a heat roller 10 are arranged in the above order on a substantially straight line connecting the storage case 2 of the light and pressure sensitive sheet and the discharge roller 5. There is. The light and pressure sensitive sheet 3 has these guide rollers.
6, the exposure table 7, the pressure roller 8, the cutter 9, the heat roller 10, and the sheet discharge roller 5 are discharged to the sheet discharge tray 4. A document table 11 made of transparent glass or the like is provided on the upper surface of the main body 1, and an optical device 12 including a light source, a mirror, etc. is provided below the document table 11.

FIG. 1A is a partial perspective view of the light and pressure sensitive sheet 3, and FIG. 1B is a partial sectional view thereof.

The light and pressure sensitive sheet 3 has a light receiving sheet 31 on the upper surface and an image receiving sheet on the lower surface. The light-receiving sheet 31 is formed by coating the lower surface of the base sheet 31a with microcapsules 31b using a binder 31c. The base sheet 3
Reference numeral 1a is a colorless and transparent film made of polyester, polyethylene or the like and having a thickness of several tens to several tens of μm, and transmits light. Further, the microcapsules 31b include a colorless dye in a resin shell or a photopolymerizing agent which is polymerized and cured by exposure. The image receiving sheet 32 is provided on the surface of the paper (base sheet) 32a.
By coating a known thermoplastic polymer pigment (not shown) with a developing material 32b that develops the colorless dye. The thermoplastic polymer pigment imparts gloss to the color image described later.

Both ends of the light receiving sheet 31 and the image receiving sheet 32 along the longitudinal direction are not coated with the microcapsules 31b or the developing material 32b, and the base sheet 31a and the paper 3 are bonded by the adhesive 33.
2a and 2a are glued together. The light and pressure sensitive sheets 3 thus bonded at both ends are rolled into a roll and laminated like the light and pressure sensitive sheets 3a and 3b. When the adhesive 33 that is in a softened state at a temperature of about several tens of degrees to a hundred and several tens of degrees is used, the adhesive 33 becomes a softened state by heating by the heat roller 10 described later and the light receiving sheet 31. The image receiving sheet 32 can be easily peeled off.

In this embodiment, the light receiving sheet 31 and the image receiving sheet 32 are adhered to each other with the adhesive 33. However, when the roll-shaped light and pressure sensitive sheet 3 is used, the leading end portion of the light and pressure sensitive sheet 3 is guided by the guide roller. If it is supported by 6 or the like, the light-receiving sheet 31 and the image-receiving sheet 32 are pulled out while they are superposed thereafter, so there is no particular need to bond them, and only one end in the longitudinal direction may be bonded.

The guide roller 6 is made of a rubber roller or the like, and supports the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 3 with a pressure that does not cleave the microcapsules 31b, and the pressure roller 8 has a pressure enough to cleave the microcapsules 31b that have not been polymerized and cured. The pressure sheet 3 is supported. The surface temperature of the heat roller 10 is maintained at several tens to several hundreds of degrees.

The image forming process by the copying machine configured as described above will be described.

First, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 3 pulled out from the storage case 2 is supported by the guide roller 6 and the pressure roller 8 while being exposed to the exposure table 7.
Sliding up, the document reflected light is emitted by the optical device 12 at the exposure point P. This original reflected light is a colorless and transparent base sheet
The microcapsules 31b are exposed through the light 31a to form a cured image. The photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 3 on which the cured image is formed is pressed by the pressure roller 8 to cleave the microcapsules 31b in which the photopolymerization agent is not polymerized and cured, and the colorless dye or the like inside flows out. The colorless dye reacts with the developing material 32b on the surface of the image receiving sheet 32 to develop a color. As a result, a colored image is formed on the image receiving sheet 32.

Further, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 3 is cut into a predetermined length by the cutter 9 and heated by the heat roller 10. This heating causes the thermoplastic polymer pigment applied to the image receiving sheet 32 to be in a softened state, covering the surface of the color image and giving gloss to the color image. When a thermoplastic resin is used as the adhesive 33 of the light and pressure sensitive sheet 3, the thermoplastic resin is in a softened state at this time. Then, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 3 is ejected to the paper ejection tray 4 by the paper ejection roller 5. Light and pressure sensitive sheet 3 discharged
Since the light-receiving sheet 3 and the image-receiving sheet 4 are still superposed on each other, they are peeled off. At this time, when a thermoplastic resin is used as the adhesive 33, the adhesive 33 is in a softened state by the heat roller 10 and thus can be easily peeled off.

2 and 3 are perspective views showing another embodiment of the light and pressure sensitive sheet 3.

The light and pressure sensitive sheet 3'shown in FIG.
It is made by cutting off both ends from 34. In addition, the pressure-sensitive sheet 3 ″ in FIG.
In the case of 3 ″ -bonding, a peeling margin 35 is provided on the outside of one adhesive 33 ″ so that the peeling margin 35 can be easily peeled off at the time of peeling.

Further, in this embodiment, a roll-shaped photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 3 is used and housed in the storage case 3. However, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet may be a single-cut sheet or a single-cut sheet. It is sufficient to feed them in sequence. FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copying machine using a single-sheet photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet. The overall configuration is almost the same as that of the copying machine shown in FIG. 4, except that the copying machine shown in FIG. 4 includes a roll-shaped photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 3 and a storage case 2 thereof. This copying machine includes a single-sheet photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 22, a storage cassette (storage case) 21 for the sheet, and a paper feed roller 23.
Paper is fed by the paper feed roller 23 sequentially from the upper photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 22. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the light and pressure sensitive sheet 22 may be obtained by cutting the light receiving sheet and the image receiving sheet with an adhesive and cutting them to a predetermined length.
Unlike the roll-shaped case, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 22 is fed by friction with the sheet-feeding roller 23, so that the light-receptive sheet and the image-receiving sheet are adhered by an adhesive to prevent them from being fed independently. Is absolutely necessary. However, the bonding location is not limited to the both ends in the longitudinal direction, but may be the front and rear ends. Further, since the pre-cut photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 22 is fed to form an image, it is not necessary to provide a cutter in the copying machine.

(G) Effect of the Invention According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the light-receiving sheet and the image-receiving sheet are preliminarily overlapped and stored, and it is possible to prevent the light-receiving sheet from being conveyed alone during conveyance. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the microcapsules on the surface of the light receiving sheet from being scratched or cleaved, and to prevent stains or the like from being formed on the formed image. Further, it is not necessary to provide a complicated conveying device for preventing scratches and tears of the microcapsules, and the light receiving sheet and the image receiving sheet, which are separately stored, can be made compact in one place, and the cost can be reduced. There is an advantage that can be made cheap.
Further, since the light receiving sheet and the image receiving sheet can be replenished at the same time by replenishing only the light and pressure sensitive sheet, there is an advantage that the work load on the operator can be reduced.

In addition, since the base sheet of the light receiving sheet is colorless and transparent, and light is radiated from its surface, almost no light loss occurs even when the light receiving sheet and the image receiving sheet are superposed, and the microcapsules can be efficiently used. Exposure can be performed.

Further, in the past, the light receiving sheet and the image receiving sheet were superposed on each other after exposure, but in the present invention, the light receiving sheet and the image receiving sheet are housed in an integrated state (as a light and pressure sensitive sheet). Since they are supplied to the exposure means and the pressurizing means in an integrated state, there is no step of superimposing them during conveyance. Therefore, there is no risk of misalignment between the light-receiving sheet and the image-receiving sheet, and wrinkling is unlikely to occur even when high pressure (usually about 25 to 125 kg / cm) is applied by the pressing means. In addition, since it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for preventing misalignment, the cost is low.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 (A) and 1 (B) are views showing an example of a light and pressure sensitive sheet used in a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (A) is a perspective view thereof and FIG. Is a sectional view thereof, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing other embodiments of the light and pressure sensitive sheet, respectively. FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic configuration diagrams of a copying machine which is an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a copying machine using a roll-shaped photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram of a copying machine using a single-sheet photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional copying machine. 2-storage case, 3- (roll-shaped) photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet, 21-storage cassette (storage case), 22- (single sheet) photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A microcapsule surface of a light-receiving sheet in which microcapsules containing a colorless dye and a photopolymerizing agent are coated on a colorless and transparent base sheet, and an image-receiving sheet in which a base sheet is coated with a developing material for developing the color of the colorless dye. Of the developing material surface, and a light and pressure sensitive sheet accommodating means for accommodating a light and pressure sensitive sheet, wherein the light and pressure sensitive sheet supplied from the light and pressure sensitive sheet accommodating means has the colorless and transparent substrate. An image forming apparatus comprising: an exposing unit that irradiates an image forming light such as a reflected light of a document from a sheet surface; and a pressing unit that pressurizes the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet exposed by the exposing unit.