Printing – Planographic – Lithographic plate making – and processes of making or using...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-05
2001-11-27
Funk, Stephen R. (Department: 2854)
Printing
Planographic
Lithographic plate making, and processes of making or using...
C101S467000, C101S478000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321652
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and a platemaking method. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and a platemaking method, which are characterized in their image forming body used as a printing plate.
BACKGROUND ART
Known as conventional printers are electrophotographic printers, mimeograph printers, and the like.
In the electrophotographic printer, the whole surface of a clean drum is electrically charged by corona discharge, and the electrically charged drum surface is selectively exposed to light. The exposed surface is discharged, whereby a latent image can be formed on the drum surface by a charged area and an uncharged area. After the latent image is formed, toner is attached to the drum surface by a developing section, so as to form a visual image. Thus formed visual image is transferred onto a recording medium in a transfer section, and then is fixated to the recording medium by a fixating section.
Since the electrophotographic printer necessitates a process of forming a latent image per sheet at the time of printing a plurality of sheets, however, there is a limit to increasing the printing speed.
In the mimeograph printer, which is known as a light-duty printer for business use, on the other hand, a thermal head selectively forms holes in a stencil, so as to form a printing plate. Thus formed plate is wound about a drum, and then ink is supplied to the plate from the inside of the drum, whereby an ink image is formed by the ink passed through the above-mentioned holes. Thereafter, the ink image is transferred to a recording medium in a transfer section.
The mimeograph printer, however, has the following drawbacks. Namely, the plate wound about the drum has to be discarded after the printing is over. As a consequence, it is necessary to provide a mechanism for removing the plate to be discarded from the drum, a space for storing thus removed plate carrying ink, and a complicated mechanism for taking the plate out of the apparatus. Since ink attaches to the plate to be discarded, the amount of use of ink unnecessarily increases, thereby raising the cost of prints. Further, since no new image can be formed on a mimeograph stencil which has once been prepared, a new mimeograph stencil is necessary for forming a new plate. Thus, it is disadvantageous in that, while the running cost per sheet at the time of copy-printing a large number of sheets becomes lower, the running cost per sheet at the time of copy-printing a small number of sheets becomes higher. Also, since processes of discarding the used stencil, forming a new plate, winding the plate about a drum, and so forth are necessary for printing a new image, it is disadvantageous in that the apparatus complicates its structure and enhances its dimensions.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-mentioned problems inherent in the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel image forming apparatus and image forming method in which a printing plate can easily be formed and erased, and the same printing plate can be used repeatedly, thereby making it possible to reduce the dimensions of the apparatus, lower the running cost at the time of copy-printing a small number of sheets, and realize a higher resolution; and a method of making such a printing plate for image formation.
As a result of diligent studies for achieving the above-mentioned object, the inventors have found that the object can be attained when a printing plate is formed by using, as an image forming body, a substrate covered with a film (i.e., self-assembling monomolecular film) formed by a material (i.e., self-assembling compound) which is detachably adsorbed to the surface of the substrate and is substantially regularly arranged due to intermolecular mutual actions, and then selectively desorbing at least a part of the self-assembling compound forming the self-assembling monomolecular film; thereby accomplishing the present invention.
Namely, the image forming apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises:
an image forming body comprising a substrate and a self-assembling compound adsorbed to a surface of the substrate to form a self-assembling monomolecular film;
a first desorbing device for selectively desorbing at least a part of the self-assembling compound forming the self-assembling monomolecular film from the surface of the image forming body, so as to provide the surface of the image forming body with a desorbed face and an undesorbed face which have wettabilities different from each other;
a developing device for supplying the surface of the image forming body with ink which preferentially attaches to one of the desorbed face or undesorbed face; and
a transfer device for transferring to a recording medium the ink attached to the surface of the image forming body.
The image forming apparatus in accordance with the present invention may further comprise a first film forming device which supplies the surface of the substrate with the self-assembling compound and forms the self-assembling monomolecular film on the surface of the substrate.
The image forming apparatus in accordance with the present invention may further comprise a second film forming device which supplies the surface of the image forming body with the self-assembling compound and forms the self-assembling monomolecular film on the desorbed face again. In this case, it is preferred that the image forming apparatus further comprise a second desorbing device which desorbs the self-assembling compound forming the undesorbed surface from the surface of the image forming body, so as to cause the whole surface of the image forming body to become the desorbed face.
The image forming apparatus in accordance with the present invention may further comprise a moisture supply device which supplies, before the ink is supplied, moisture which preferentially attaches to one of the desorbed face or undesorbed face, to the surface of the image forming body.
Preferable as the desorbing device in the image forming apparatus in accordance with the present invention is a heating device which applies thermal energy to the self-assembling compound forming the self-assembling monomolecular film, so as to desorb the compound.
The image forming method in accordance with the present invention is a method including:
a first desorbing step of selectively desorbing, from a surface of an image forming body comprising a substrate and a self-assembling compound adsorbed to a surface of the substrate to form a self-assembling film, at least a part of the self-assembling compound forming the self-assembling monomolecular film, so as to provide the surface of the image forming body with a desorbed face and an undesorbed face which have wettabilities different from each other;
a developing step of supplying the surface of the image forming body with ink which preferentially attaches to one of the desorbed face or undesorbed face; and
a transfer step of transferring to a recording medium the ink attached to the surface of the image forming body.
The image forming method in accordance with the present invention may further comprise a first film forming step of supplying the surface of the substrate with the self-assembling compound and forming the self-assembling monomolecular film on the surface of the substrate.
The image forming method in accordance with the present invention may further comprise a second film forming step of supplying the surface of the image forming body with the self-assembling compound and forming the self-assembling monomolecular film on the desorbed face again. In this case, it is preferred that the image forming method further comprise a second desorbing step of desorbing the self-assembling compound forming the undesorbed surface from the surface of the image forming body, so as to cause the whole surface of the image forming body to become the desorbed face.
The image forming method in accordance with the presen
Fujinami Tatsuo
Iwayama Masami
Mitsumori Yoshio
Sasakura Kouichi
Funk Stephen R.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Star Micronics Co. Ltd.
LandOfFree
Image forming and plate making method and apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image forming and plate making method and apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image forming and plate making method and apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2571580