Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Medium and processing means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-23
2001-12-25
Eickholt, Eugene (Department: 2854)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Medium and processing means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332679
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming method and an image forming apparatus for forming images using a recording section for recording visible images and a nip region for effecting a flattening process after the visible images are formed.
2. Description of Related Art
A majority of known image forming methods form images by forming visual images using color materials such as dyes and pigments on a recording medium. Such methods, however, raise problems when the recording medium is to be preserved, in that the color materials may be discolored or faded due to operation of ozone or light or that bleeding or the like may occur due to contact with water. There is also a problem that glossing property of the visible image cannot be obtained adequately because the color materials form the surface layer. To treat with this problem, a method for flattening a sheet after recording is effective. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-21446 discloses an image forming apparatus of this kind.
FIG. 4
shows a schematic structure of such an apparatus. In
FIG. 4
, numeral
1
is a fan for blowing warm air; numeral
2
is a heater for warm air; numeral
3
is a belt drive roller; numeral
4
is a fixing belt; numeral
5
is a press roller; numeral
6
is a separation roller; numeral
7
is a heater for pre-drying; numeral
8
is a heat-resistance film; numeral
9
is a fixing heater; numeral
10
is a cooling fan; numeral
11
is a roller; and numeral
13
is a conveyance roller. A recording medium is guided by the heater for pre-drying, and after melting by means of the press roller
5
and the fixing heater
9
with pressure and heat while sandwiched by the fixing belt
4
and the heat-resistance film
8
, the recording medium is cooled down to obtain a stable transparent flattened layer.
Such a conventional apparatus has an advantage in that the transparent flattened layer can be obtained stably. The apparatus, however, raises problems where the recording medium with a flattening layer and an ink reception layer is processed with heat and pressure as a flattening process right after the inks create visual images, such that image density is lowered, that the flattening layer is deformed, and that peeling or swelling or cracking of films may occur, since the ink solvent remains in the flattening layer or between the flattening layer and the ink reception layer. Other approaches to cope with such a problem were mainly to arrange multiple dryers and a laminating means for processing the recording medium after images are formed thereon using color materials such as dyes and pigments in a manner as described in the above conventional art or to place a considerable length for conveyance before the recording medium enters such a laminating means. Such an apparatus, however, raises problems such as its structure becomes complicated, manufacturing costs are increased, and the size of the apparatus is enlarged. In any event, the main object of the invention is to process good images with high speed and to eliminate partial image defects that occur when the medium formed with images using inks including color materials and an ink solvent on a porous layer is heated and pressed, or namely, to eliminate partial “peeling” in the multilayer structure occurring due to the gaseous solvent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an image forming method for realizing formation of a good flattened layer by means of a relatively simplified structure. It is another object of the invention to provide a method for solving the above problem and thereby to accomplish high speed, high quality image formation in a heating and pressing process.
A method and apparatus for forming images according to the invention can solve the above problems, where the image forming apparatus has an ink jet recording section for forming visible images on a recording medium that has on a surface thereof a porous layer having thermoplastic resin particles and a nip region using a thermal pressing member for pressing and heating a recording medium surface on which the visible images are formed. The recording medium is conveyed, with a prescribed conveyance speed, to the nip region while drying, right before the recording medium reaches the nip region, solvent components of inks for forming visual images.
With such an image forming apparatus forming images by means of the thermal pressing member having the nip portion according to the inventions, high quality images can be formed because the ink solvent in the recording medium is dried and evaporated before the recording medium reaches the thermal pressing member, wherein a point that water contained in the recording medium reaches the boiling point is set as point A, a point that the porous layer of the recording medium loses its liquid permeation property is set as point B in the nip region that the recording medium formed with visual images is pressed, and the point A is located upstream of the point B. According to the invention, the apparatus can also be structured in a relatively simple form, so that the cost and size of the apparatus can be reduced.
Particularly, where the recording medium includes an ink reception layer and a porous layer having thermoplastic resin particles formed on the ink reception layer, the porous layer can be flattened to form a protection layer for the ink reception layer after the ink solvent is evaporated so as to eliminate the “peeling” occurring as mentioned before, while the color materials of the inks are held in the ink reception layer.
Where the recording medium includes at least a base material, a separation layer formed on the base material, and a transfer layer formed of a porous layer having thermoplastic resin particles formed on the separation layer, the transfer layer can be flattened to form a color retaining layer after the ink solvent is evaporated so as to eliminate the “peeling” occurring while the color materials of the inks are held in the transfer layer.
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patent: 0 805 049 (1997-11-01), None
patent: 1-85767 (1989-03-01), None
patent: 4-21446 (1992-01-01), None
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patent: 1-85768 (1999-03-01), None
Higuma Masahiko
Kaneko Hajime
Sugama Sadayuki
Takekoshi Nobuhiko
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Eickholt Eugene
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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