JP3304758B2 - Image forming apparatus and image forming method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer medium in which an image is recorded on an image forming layer on a substrate by thermal recording or other means, and the image forming layer is transferred from the transfer medium to an object to be transferred. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming method and an image forming apparatus in which an image is formed efficiently even when the transferred object is a so-called weak one.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a normal transfer image is formed by forming an inverted transfer image on an image forming layer of an intermediate transfer medium on which an image is formed on one surface, and transferring the image information to a transfer object. An image forming method for forming an image has been proposed.

In this method, an intermediate transfer film as a transfer medium has a base material and an image forming layer, and in a primary transfer, ink of an ink ribbon is printed on the intermediate transfer film by a thermal head. After the image is formed on the image forming layer, the printed image on the intermediate transfer film is moved onto the transfer object, and is transferred by heating and pressing with a heat roller. As a result, the image forming layer is transferred to the surface of the transfer object, and the image formed on the image formation layer is also transferred. When the intermediate transfer film is peeled from the transfer object, a transfer image is formed on the surface of the transfer object. You.

[0004] In general, it has been considered impossible to transfer an image rich in gradation by heat-sensitive sublimation transfer to paper, because paper has poor acceptability of a sublimable dye. According to various image forming means, if an image forming layer of a transfer medium is made of a material having an appropriate receptivity to a sublimable dye (a specific synthetic resin such as polyester),
Images with rich gradation can be formed on papers by thermal sublimation transfer.

Similarly, metals, glasses, ceramics, or many plastics do not have the above receptivity, but can form images by thermal sublimation transfer. Therefore,
According to this method, a wide variety of papers (plain paper, high-quality paper, art paper, synthetic paper, processed paper, etc.), plastic goods, metal goods, glasses, ceramics, etc. can be handled. As the object to be transferred, for example, it is possible to form an image on a wide variety of objects, such as a booklet such as a bankbook, a passport (the page or cover desired to be transferred is made of paper), or on various cards. is there.

[0006]

However, when the transfer is performed by such an image forming method, when the intermediate transfer film is peeled from the transferred body, the transferred body is damaged depending on the material of the transferred body. Sometimes.

FIG. 10 illustrates this state. After the intermediate transfer film 2 is transferred to the booklet 1 (transfer member) on the stage S by heating and pressing, the intermediate transfer is performed from the surface of the booklet 1. This shows a state where the film 2 is peeled off.
When the booklet 1 is transferred to the cover of the paper booklet 1 having low stiffness by the intermediate transfer film 2, the booklet 1 adheres to the intermediate transfer film 2 after being heated and pressed by the heat roller HR, and the booklet 1 is transported together with the intermediate transfer film 2. There was a problem that the transfer surface 1A of the booklet 1 was broken and stuck to the transfer film 2. 3 is a guide roller, 4 is a peeling roller,
5 is a guide plate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an image forming apparatus and method for performing stable transfer without trouble and trouble by removing a transfer medium from a transfer object without difficulty. The purpose is to provide.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention holds an object to be transferred integrally on a holding member so as to regulate a displacement thereof. A transfer medium having at least an image forming layer as a peelable layer on a base material and writing an image on the image forming layer, and transferring an image of the transfer medium onto a transfer target on the holding member. Supplied so that the cambium side abuts,
The heating and pressurizing means and the holding member heat and press both of them, and at least one of the heating and pressurizing means and the holding member is moved along the longitudinal direction of the transfer medium, so that a portion on the transfer object is moved. An image forming apparatus that separates the image forming layer and the base material at the portion where the heating and pressurization to the transfer area of the first stage has been completed and transfers the written image together with the image forming layer to an object to be transferred. A guide member that projects the transfer medium adhered to the transfer object from the front end of the transfer object to the opposite side to bend and separates the transfer medium from the transfer object; and a transfer object after the transfer medium has been separated. And a guide member for pressing the transfer medium from above onto the holding member side, wherein the guide member is provided between the base material and the image forming layer when the transfer medium is bent in the opposite direction from the surface of the transfer-receiving body . Peels when bent
Is disposed close to the object to be transferred to such an extent as to cause the following.

Further, in the image forming method of the present invention, the transfer object is integrally held on a holding member so as to regulate the displacement thereof, and at least the image forming layer is detachable on the substrate. And supplying a transfer medium having an image written on the image forming layer so that the image forming layer side of the transfer medium comes into contact with a transfer object on the holding member. Heating and pressurizing both of them, and moving at least one of the heating and pressurizing means and the holding member along the longitudinal direction of the transfer medium, thereby heating and pressurizing the desired transfer area on the transfer object. An image forming apparatus that separates the image forming layer and the base material at a portion where the image formation has been completed and transfers the written image together with the image forming layer to the transfer receiving body, The transferred transfer medium is Together protrudes on the opposite side from the front end of Utsushitai, extruded transfer medium, wherein between the substrate and the image forming layer, the higher <br/> degree peeling occurs when a curved The method is characterized in that the transfer object that is close to the transfer object and from which the transfer medium has been peeled off is pressed from above toward the holding member.

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention and the image forming method of the present invention, when the transfer medium is pushed out by the guide member in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the transfer object, the transfer medium and the transfer medium are transferred. Since the distance between the transfer medium and the image forming layer is set close enough to facilitate the separation between the base material of the transfer medium and the image forming layer, the transfer medium can be easily separated from the transfer object.

The image forming apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the front surface of the holding member surface in the moving direction is slightly adhered to the image forming layer of the transfer medium. It is characterized in that a sex edge is formed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming method of the third aspect, the image forming layer of the transfer medium is slightly adhered to a front edge of the surface of the holding member in the moving direction. It is characterized by.

According to the image forming method according to claim 2 of the image forming apparatus and 請 Motomeko 4 of the present invention, since the slightly adhesive edge in the moving direction front end portion of the holding member surface is provided, the transfer medium The transfer medium adheres to this slightly tacky edge at the time of heating and pressing.

In such a state, since the peeling means guides the transfer medium to the opposite side of the moving direction of the holding member, the radius of curvature of the transfer medium becomes very small, and the peeling between the base material and the image forming layer is promoted. Since the image forming layer is adhered to the surface of the transfer-receiving member by heating and pressing, when the holding member is moved after the heating and pressing, the image forming layer is easily separated from the substrate.
Therefore, even if the material of the transfer target is a material such as paper which is liable to cause delamination, a beautiful transfer image can be formed without damaging the transfer target, and stable transfer can be performed without any trouble.

In the case where the image forming layer according to the present invention is made of a material which exhibits adhesiveness to the transfer object by the heat generated when the transfer object is heated and pressurized, the image forming layer may be used. The layer will also act as an adhesive layer. if,
If the image forming layer is a material that does not itself have an adhesive property to the transferred object (or lacks the desired adhesive property), an image is formed on the image forming layer and then transferred to the transferred object. It should be done.

[0017]

Next, an image forming apparatus and an image forming method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus 10. This image forming apparatus 10 transfers a transfer film 11 as a transfer medium from a take-out reel 12 to a take-up reel 13.
A transfer drum 14 for primary transfer is provided halfway along the guide path of the transfer film 11. The transfer film 11 wound on the peripheral surface of the transfer drum 14 is fixed to the peripheral surface of the transfer drum 14 by fixed rollers 15, 15 supported by arms (not shown) supported on both ends of the transfer drum 14. . The transfer film 11 wound around the transfer drum 14 has an adhesive layer 11 as an image forming layer on the outside.
A (see FIG. 4) is directed, and the sublimation ink of the ink ribbon 16 is printed on the adhesive layer 11A. The primary transfer to the transfer film 11 is performed by controlling the heat generation of the ink ribbon 16 by the thermal head 17. From the unwinding roller 18 of the ink ribbon 16 to the winding roller 19
Sent to The ink ribbon 16 is yellow, magenta,
Many sets of color ink bands of four colors of cyan and black are formed, and after yellow printing, magenta,
Printing of cyan and black is performed. At this time, the transfer drum 14 swings so that a fixed transfer area performs primary transfer of multicolor printing. As a result, a transfer image made of the sublimable ink is formed on the adhesive layer 11A of the transfer film 11. The transfer film 11 on which the transfer image has been transferred is sent to the secondary transfer step.

In the secondary transfer step, a heat roller 20 as a heating / pressing means and a booklet 21 (FIG.
Stage) (holding member for a transferred object)
And a slide rail 23 for reciprocating the stage 22
And are provided. The heat roller 20 is a metal cylindrical tube provided with a heater inside, and moves up and down in a direction perpendicular to the slide rail 23. The stage 22 has a silicon rubber (HTV) layer 22A formed on the upper part, and includes a clamper 22B for fixing the booklet 21. The stage 22 has a slidable bearing 24 on a slide rail 23 and reciprocates between both ends along the slide rail 23. The slide of the stage 22 is performed by rotation control of a screw rod (not shown) that extends in parallel with the slide rail 23 and penetrates through the stage 22. The control of the screw rod and the sequence control such as the heat generation and vertical movement of the heat roller 20 and the supply and stop of the transfer film 11 are the same as those of the well-known one proposed by the applicant, and therefore detailed description is omitted. The slide of the stage 22 can be performed, for example, by fixing the stage 22 to a timing belt. Heat roller 2
The transfer film 11 stuck to the booklet 21 of the stage 22 by heating and pressing of 0 is peeled off from the booklet 21 as the stage 22 moves. GR1 to GR7 are guide rollers for the transfer film 11, and GR8 and GR9 are guide rollers for the ink ribbon 16.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a peeling mechanism of the transfer film 11. The transfer film 11 is peeled off by the silicon rubber layer 22A at the front end in the moving direction after the heating and pressing of the stage 22, the guide plate 25 (guide member) of the transfer film 11, and the end of the booklet 21 after the transfer film 11 is peeled off. And a roller 27 (pressing member) that presses the stage 22 against the stage 22. On the upper part of the stage 22, a silicone rubber layer 22A is
Is formed so that it is exposed with the
The end of the cover 21A of FIG.
3 (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3). The booklet 21 is held in an adhesive state on the surface of the silicone rubber due to the slight adhesiveness of the silicone rubber, and its planar position is fixed.

The guide plate 25 projects in a direction opposite to the moving direction A of the stage 22 after the heating and pressing. Information board 2
The distance between the silicone rubber 5 and the silicone rubber is determined by the transfer film 11 (base material).
11B and the adhesive layer 11A) (see FIG. 4), the degree is set such that peeling occurs between the base material 11B and the adhesive layer 11A.

That is, the base material 11B is formed of a film such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
The adhesive layer 11A is less likely to bend than the base material 11B, though it is easy to bend because of its thin thickness. Therefore, the radius of curvature of the base 11B due to elastic deformation is smaller than the radius of curvature of the adhesive layer 11A due to elastic deformation. Further, since the adhesive layer 11A and the base material 11B are laminated in advance so as to be easily peeled off for the secondary transfer, the transfer film 11 is attached to the silicone rubber having a slight adhesiveness, and When curved in parallel with the stage 22, the adhesive layer 11A is easily peeled from the base material 11B.

When the transfer film 11 is bent so that the fold can be clearly formed, the transfer film 11 may be broken from the fold depending on the acceleration of the input when the transfer film 11 is pulled. Curve so that it becomes smaller.

As described above, the booklet 21 is held on the surface of the silicon rubber layer 22A of the stage 22 so as not to move horizontally.
Silicon rubber layer 22A protruding from the cover of booklet 21
When the adhesive layer 11A is attached in advance at the front end A1 of the substrate and the transfer film 11 is pulled to the opposite side in the moving direction by the guide plate 25, the transfer film 11 is curved so that delamination between the base material 11B and the adhesive 11A occurs. Then, the transfer film 11 is easily peeled off from the booklet 21.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the guide plate 25 is provided with a pair of openings 26, 26 in the longitudinal direction of the transfer film 11 in the longitudinal direction. Arrangement hole 2
Each of the pair of rollers 26 is provided with a pair of rollers 27 for pressing the front end of the cover 21A after heating and pressing toward the silicone rubber side. The rotation shaft 27A of the roller 27 is fixed to the edge of the arrangement hole 26 by a leaf spring 28 and can move up and down. The front and rear ends of the guide plate 25 are bent upward.
A vertical flange 30 is erected near the center of the upper surface of the guide plate 25, and the vertical flange 30 is bolted to a bracket 31 attached to a frame of the image forming apparatus 10.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus will be described.

In this embodiment, the cover 21A of the booklet 21
When the image is transferred to the back page of the booklet 21, as shown in FIG. 6, the booklet 21 is opened on the silicone rubber layer 22A of the stage 22, the back side of the cover 21A is set at a position facing the heat roller 20, and The transcription site is fixed by the clamper 22B.

When the image forming apparatus receives the start signal and starts operating, and enters the primary transfer step, the transfer which is reversed on the ink ribbon 16 and the transfer drum 14 to the adhesive layer 11A of the transfer film 11 is performed. An image is formed.

After completion of the primary transfer, when the transfer film 11 is conveyed by a predetermined amount and enters a secondary transfer step, the transfer film 11 having the transfer image 11F formed on the adhesive layer 11A is attached to the transfer image 11F and the cover of the booklet 21. 21A is conveyed to a position opposite to the transfer position of the booklet 21A.
The adhesive layer 11A is reversely transferred to the transfer position of the cover 21A by being heated and pressed together with the cover 21A.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the starting position of the heating and pressurizing by the heat roller 20 is on the front side in the traveling direction of the stage 22 from the transfer start end 21FE of the cover 21A.

Next, when the process of peeling the transfer film 11 is started, as shown in FIG.
The winding of the intermediate transfer film 11 is not performed until the intermediate transfer film 11 is arranged below the intermediate transfer film 11. At this time, the intermediate transfer film 11 enters under the guide plate 25 in a slack state with the conveyance of the stage 22. Further, as the conveyance of the stage 22 proceeds, the intermediate transfer film 11 enters the lower part of the guide plate 25 while overlapping the booklet 21 together with the booklet 21. From this point, winding of the intermediate transfer film 11 is started,
Is wound in the direction opposite to the transport direction. Further, when the stage 22 is transported in the direction of arrow A, the intermediate transfer film 11 stuck on the booklet 21 is transferred to the transfer surface from the front side to the rear side in the traveling direction with the transfer of the stage 22, and the transferred image 11F is transferred to the transfer surface. Is wound up while being separated from the booklet 21. As described above, the stage 22 is conveyed and returns to the work setting position when the peeling step of the intermediate transfer film 11 proceeds, and the transfer operation is completed.

In this embodiment, since the silicon rubber 22A is used on the surface of the stage 22, the intermediate transfer film 11 is temporarily adhered due to the adhesion of the silicon rubber 22A. Is easy.

The material of the stage 22 as the holding member of the present invention is not limited to silicon rubber, but may be a material using another rubber material, resin or polymer material.

In this embodiment, the intermediate transfer film 11 and the booklet 21 are pressed by the guide plate 25 so that the intermediate transfer film 11 is wound substantially parallel to the booklet 21 when the intermediate transfer film 11 is peeled off. However, the guide plate 25 is not limited as long as it holds the intermediate transfer film 11 and the booklet 21.

Further, in the present embodiment, the transfer start position by the heat roller 20 as the heating and pressing means is located on the forward side in the movement direction from the transfer start end of the booklet 21, so that the intermediate transfer film 11 and the silicone rubber 22A Although the transfer of the intermediate transfer film 11 is facilitated due to the temporary sticking of the intermediate transfer film 11, the present invention is not limited to this. The transfer may be started from the inside of the portion.

[0036]

According to the image forming apparatus of the first aspect and the image forming method of the third aspect of the present invention, when the transfer medium is projected by the guide member in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the transfer target, the transfer medium and the transfer medium are not moved. Since the distance between the transfer medium and the transfer medium is set close enough to facilitate the separation between the base material of the transfer medium and the image forming layer, the transfer medium can be easily separated from the transfer medium.

According to the image forming apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention and the image forming method of the fourth aspect, since the slightly adhesive edge is provided at the front end of the holding member surface in the moving direction, the transfer medium The transfer medium adheres to the slightly tacky edge during heating and pressing. In such a state, since the peeling means guides the transfer medium to the opposite side of the moving direction of the holding member, the radius of curvature of the transfer medium becomes very small, and the peeling between the base material and the image forming layer is promoted. Since the image forming layer is adhered to the surface of the transfer-receiving member by heating and pressing, when the holding member is moved after the heating and pressing, the image forming layer is easily separated from the substrate. Therefore, even if the material of the transfer target is a material such as paper which is liable to cause delamination, a beautiful transfer image can be formed without damaging the transfer target, and stable transfer can be performed without any trouble.

Therefore, according to the image forming apparatus and the image forming method of the present invention, the object to be transferred can be securely fixed.
Stable transfer without trouble can be realized without transferring the transfer medium and the transfer object together and without causing peeling or tearing of the transfer object.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a peeled state of an intermediate transfer film according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in which the stage of FIG. 1 is moved in a peeling direction.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view in which the stage of FIG. 2 is further moved in a peeling progress direction.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing a state where an intermediate transfer film is peeled off from a booklet cover;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an overall schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which a booklet and a transfer medium are arranged on a stage.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a guide plate that guides the transfer target separated from the transfer medium.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view when a transfer medium is heated and pressurized before the transfer target is heated and pressurized.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a case where only the heating and pressurizing of the transfer target is performed.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing peeling of the booklet in a state where the transfer medium is peeled from the booklet in the conventional image forming apparatus

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 11 Intermediate transfer film (transfer medium) 20 Heat roller 21 Booklet (transfer object) 22 Stage (holding member) 25 Guide plate (transfer member guide member) 27 Roller (transfer member pressing member)

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Michio Shinozaki 1-5-1, Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo Letterpress Printing Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-8-58124 (JP, A) JP JP-A-6-72046 (JP, A) JP-A-9-131934 (JP, A) JP-A-7-237291 (JP, A) JP-A-59-33158 (JP, A) JP-A-5-229199 (JP) , A) JP-A-9-30015 (JP, A) JP-A-5-85159 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/325 B41F 16/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] An image forming apparatus comprising: a holding means for integrally holding a transfer-receiving member on a holding member so as to regulate a displacement thereof; and at least an image-forming layer as a peelable layer on a base material. The transfer medium having the image formed on the formation layer is supplied so that the image formation layer side of the transfer medium comes into contact with the transfer object on the holding member, and both are heated and pressed by the heating and pressing means and the holding member. By moving at least one of the heating and pressurizing means and the holding member along the longitudinal direction of the transfer medium, the heating and pressurizing of a portion of the transfer object on the transfer object where the heating and pressurization is completed is performed. An image forming apparatus that separates an image forming layer and a base material and transfers the written image together with the image forming layer to a transfer receiving body, wherein a transfer medium attached to the transfer receiving body is moved to a front end of the transfer receiving body.
Includes a guide member separated from the transfer member is curved to project to the opposite side from the part, and a pressing member for pressing the holding member side the transferred body after peeling of the transfer medium from above said guide member When the transfer medium is bent in the opposite direction from the surface of the transfer object, the transfer medium is disposed so close to the transfer object that the separation occurs when the transfer medium is bent. An image forming apparatus, which is provided. 2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a slightly adhesive edge to an image forming layer of said transfer medium is formed at a front edge of said holding member surface in said moving direction. An image forming apparatus comprising: 3. An image forming layer which is integrally held on a holding member so as to regulate displacement of the transfer object, and has at least an image forming layer as a releasable layer on a substrate. The transfer medium having the image written thereon is supplied so that the image forming layer side of the transfer medium comes into contact with the transfer-receiving body on the holding member, and both are heated and pressed by the heating and pressing means and the holding member. By moving at least one of the heating and pressurizing means and the holding member along the longitudinal direction of the transfer medium, a portion of the image forming portion on which heat and pressurization to the intended transfer area is completed on the transfer target body is completed. An image forming apparatus for separating a layer and a base material and transferring the written image together with the image forming layer to a transfer receiving body, wherein the transfer medium adhered to the transfer receiving body by the heating and pressurization is the transfer receiving medium. against the opposite side from the front end portion of Together issued, extruded transfer medium, between the image forming layer and the base material, wherein a degree that the peeling occurs when the is curved are close to the transfer member, after the separation of the transfer medium An image forming method comprising: pressing the transfer object from above toward the holding member from above. 4. The image forming method according to claim 3, wherein the image forming layer of the transfer medium is slightly adhered to a front edge of the surface of the holding member in the moving direction.