Electrophotography – Image formation – Treatment of developed image prior to transfer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-24
2001-02-27
Royer, William J. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Image formation
Treatment of developed image prior to transfer
C399S307000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195523
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a image forming apparatus, a method therefor, and a recording medium for realizing the image forming, and more particularly, relates to a image forming apparatus, a method therefor, and a recording medium for realizing the image formation, which uses the particular characteristics of the ink that the solidified ink is transferred to a material having a higher affinity with the dried ink when the ink comprised of toner particles dispersed in a solvent is used, and that the ink is solidified by removing the solvent in the ink.
This invention is based on Patent Application No. Hei 10-161535 filed in Japan, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Background Art
Conventional electronic image forming apparatuses obtain copies by the steps of forming latent electric images on a photosensitive material, developing latent images by using toner, and fixing by heating or pressing after transferring the toner images to transfer materials such as paper.
Such an image forming apparatus based on the electrophotographic technique uses the principle that the solidified ink is transferred to a material having higher affinity to the ink when an ink comprised of toner particles dispersed in a solvent is used, and the ink is solidified by removing the solvent. This ink is characterized in that it can be solidified by removing the solvent in an environment having temperatures of more than 10° C.
However, inks used for the conventional image forming apparatuses have the drawbacks that the bonding strength of the toner image to the paper is low, and that blocking, which is the phenomenon of the image surfaces sticking to each other, is likely to occur.
A cross-linking of the molecular structure of the ink may be effective for improving the bonding strength of the toner image with the printing paper. However, cross-linking of the ink generally increases the solidification temperature of the ink, which causes problems in that it becomes difficult to solidify the ink when the solvent of the ink is squeezed by a roller and the developed images are deformed or even flown off the paper.
The objects of the present invention are to solve the above problems. That is, one object is to increase the bonding strength of the developed images to the printing paper, and another object is to improve the anti-blocking property of the image surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the first aspect of the present invention, an image forming device includes: a photosensitive belt made of a photosensitive body for forming latent images; a developing roller for developing the latent images by the ink composed of toner particles dispersed in a specified solvent; a transfer roller which is in contact with the photosensitive belt and which has a internal heater; a fuser roller which is in contact with the transfer roller and which has a internal heater; and a transporting roller for transporting the printing paper between the transfer roller and the fuser roller and for transferring the ink to the printing paper.
The image forming machine further includes: a coating means for coating a cross-linking material for cross-linking the molecular structure of the ink forming the picture image by developing the image formed on the photosensitive belt. The coating means is in contact with the photosensitive belt between the developing roller and the transfer roller.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect further includes a removing means for removing a designated amount of the solvent of the ink by pressurizing the ink. The removing means is located at a specified position between the coating means and the developing roller.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the ink for forming images by developing the images formed on said photosensitive belt has the characteristics that it is solidified by removing the solvent of the ink by heat or pressure, and that it is transferable to a material which has a higher affinity to the ink.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the affinities of the photosensitive belt, the transfer roller, and the printing paper increases according to the above order, and the printing paper has the highest affinity to the ink.
Coating a cross-linking material for cross-linking the molecular structure of the ink which forms the developed images on the photosensitive belt at a specified position between the developing roller and the transfer roller.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a recording medium which stores a program for executing the method of forming images according to the fifth aspect.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5558970 (1996-09-01), Landa et al.
patent: 5572274 (1996-11-01), Lior et al.
NEC Corporation
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Royer William J.
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