JPH03172841A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain easy erasing of images and to prevent the leakage of recorded information by providing the device, for which a photosensitive member coated with microcapsules is used, with a function to erase the images of the used photosensitive member subjected to pressure fixing. CONSTITUTION:The transfer sheet S from a paper feed cassette 7 is brought into pressurized contact with the photosensitive film f dispersed and coated with the microcapsules to break down the capsules failing to be cured in an exposing stage and the internal dye precursors are transferred onto the transfer sheet 8 when the above-mentioned film is fed between rollers 5 and 6 in a pressure developing unit. An erasing member 19 penetrated with a liquid is brought into contact with the microcapsules M to remove the capsules M from the film f at the time when the film f passes an erasing part 18. The film f is thereafter taken up on a take-up roller 12 in the cassette 10 and the sheet S develops colors by passing the inside of a heat fixing unit 8. This sheet is discharged onto a tray. Thus, the images of the used photosensitive member are easily erased and the leakage of the recorded information is prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Fields] A photosensitive member whose surface is coated with microcapsules containing a photocurable substance or a photosoftening substance and a transfer substance is used to transfer images onto the photosensitive member. [Prior art] Related to a photosensitive transfer type image forming apparatus that presses a pressure member with a pressure roller, in which a transfer member is superimposed on the photosensitive member after exposure, to form an image on the transfer member. For example, U.S. Pat. Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-5055
The image forming method disclosed in Publication No. 7 and the like has the advantage that the post-exposure process is simpler than silver salt photography, and it has superior gradation expressiveness compared to electrophotography.

However, on the other hand, this type of image forming method requires that a film-like photosensitive member that has been subjected to image exposure processing be passed between rollers together with a transfer sheet and transferred under pressure. Since the image remains on the imagewise exposed portion of the photosensitive member even after the transfer, the imagewise exposed portion can be seen by opening the wound and housed photosensitive member, so that confidentiality cannot be maintained.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to improve the image quality of this type of sheet-like photosensitive material after it has been subjected to image exposure processing and pressure transfer. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can easily erase images.

[Means for Solving the Problems] An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a photosensitive member having on its surface a large number of microcapsules each containing at least a photocurable substance or a photosoftening substance and a coloring agent, before or after image exposure. In an image forming apparatus that is placed over a transfer member and subjected to image exposure and then pressure is applied to develop and fix the image, it is possible to erase the image on a used sheet-like photosensitive member that has been pressure-fixed after image exposure.

In addition, in this image forming apparatus, both ends of a sheet-like photosensitive member coated with a photosensitive material for controlling the transfer of coloring material are wound around a pivotally supported supply roller and a take-up roller, and are stored in a photosensitive member storage container. , the image on the used sheet-like photosensitive member that has been pressure-fixed after one drop of exposure can be erased.

[Example code] Examples will be described below.

First, an example of an image forming apparatus to which a mechanism for erasing an image on a sheet-like photosensitive member according to the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG.

This image forming device 1 is coated with dispersed microcapsules that contain cyan, magenta, and yellow dye precursors (g-forms) as photosensitive materials and that harden when exposed to light energy of each wavelength of red, green, and blue. The photosensitive film f wound around the supply roller 11 in the cassette 10 is fed to the exposure table 2, where the original d is
A latent image corresponding to the original image is formed by the light of the exposure lamp 4 guided from the surface through the condensing lens unit 3 onto the film f, and then the film is fed between the upper and lower rows 25 and 6 in the pressure developing unit. On the other hand, the transfer sheet) S stored in the paper feed cassette 7 is guided between these rollers 5 and 6, and by pressing them together, the photosensitive film f that was not cured during the exposure process is removed.
The upper capsule is destroyed and the dye precursor inside is transferred onto the transfer sheet S. After that, an erasing section erases the image on the film f provided in the image forming device 1 after image exposure and pressure fixing. 18, the transfer sheet s is wound up by the take-up roller 12 in the cassette 10, and the transfer sheet s is transferred to the heat fixing unit 8.
It is configured to accelerate the coloring reaction and perform gloss treatment through the inside of the container, and then discharge it to a tray (not shown).

FIG. 2 shows that in the image forming apparatus, an erasing section 18 for erasing the image of the film f is provided in the cassette 10, and the image is erased by being wound in the direction of arrow 50 by the winding roller 12. Film f in Figure 6 is arrow 51
It could have the same function even if it was wound in the same direction.

Next, the erasing section 18 will be explained based on an embodiment. Since the erasing sections 18 in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 have the same function, they will be explained together below.

First, in Fig. 4 (α), microcapsules M are attached to film f by an adhesive, but since this adhesive is water-soluble, the erasing member 19 impregnated with liquid is brought into contact with the microcapsules Mill on film f. By winding up the film f, the microcapsules M are rolled up into the film f.
can be removed more easily. Further, the removed microcapsules M were provided inside the cassette 10 when it was inside the cassette 10, and were provided inside the apparatus outside the cassette 10. Sometimes it is removed into the device, but if it is removed into the device, there is a risk that it will interfere with the conveyance of the transfer sheet (S), etc. in the device, so as shown in Fig. 4(b), the erasing member 19 By providing a tray 20 for receiving the microcapsules M so that the removed microcapsules M do not cause trouble within the device, the inside of the device is not contaminated and the functions within the device are not hindered. I was able to do that.

In FIG. 5 (α), the erasing member 21 is removed from the microcapsule Ml11 of the film f! Microcapsules M can be scraped off by bringing them into contact with I, but as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the scraped microcapsules M come out. By providing the saucer 22 in the device, there is no possibility that the inside of the device will get dirty and the functions of the device will be affected.

In FIG. 6(α), the erasing member 2!1 is brought into contact with the film f, but since this erasing member 23 is impregnated with an adhesive member, the film tb is brought into contact with the arm-eliminating member 21, and the film f is removed. As the film f is attached to the film f and the film f is wound up, the film f is firmly adhered to the film f, so that there is no risk of the image of the film f leaking to other parts.

In the case of the above example, the same function could be achieved even if the adhesive member was attached to either side of the film f.

Fig. 6Cb) shows the erasing member 24 in which the ink member is dyed.
is brought into contact with the microcapsule M side of the film f, and the ink member is transferred to the film f, thereby making it possible to make the image on the film f illegible.

Film f in Figure 7 (α) is transferred from pressure fixing to cassette 10.
The erasing member 25, which is a preparation, is provided with countless cutting members 26 while the film is being wound up on the winding roller 12, and when the film f comes into contact with it, it is cut into thin pieces by the countless cutting members 26 as shown in FIG. 7(b). This allows it to be made unreadable.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a part of the image forming apparatus or the cassette that accommodates the photosensitive member has a function of erasing traces left on the used film. This has the effect that the image can be easily erased without contaminating the image or interfering with the functions within the device, and recorded information will not leak.

Furthermore, since cassettes are discarded when all of the photosensitive films contained therein are used up, providing the erasing device according to the present invention within the cassettes has the effect of removing foreign substances created during erasing when replacing cassettes. has.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1, 2, and 5 are exploded perspective views of a device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 (α) s (b), and FIG. 5 (α) #
Cb), FIG. 6(α), FIG. 7(b) and FIG. 7(α) are side views showing details of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7Cb) is a front view of FIG. 7 showing details of an embodiment of the invention. 1... Image forming device 2...
......Exposure stage 5.6...Pressure fixing roller 10...Cassette 1 1...Supply roller 2...Volume Take-off roller f...Photosensitive film M...Microcapsule S...Transfer sheet or higher

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) A photosensitive member having a large number of microcapsules on its surface containing at least a photocurable substance or a photosoftening substance and a coloring agent is superimposed on a transfer member before or after image exposure, and after image exposure, pressure is applied and developed. What is claimed is: 1. An image forming apparatus for fixing, comprising a mechanism for erasing an image on a used sheet-like photosensitive member that has been pressure-fixed after image exposure. (2) In the image forming apparatus, a photosensitive member in which both ends of a sheet-like photosensitive member coated with a photosensitive material for controlling the transfer of coloring material are wound around a supply roller and a take-up roller on which the erasing function is pivotally supported. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is located in a storage container. (3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an erasing function for erasing an image by applying a liquid.
The image forming apparatus described above. (4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising the erasing function of scraping off the microcapsules on the photosensitive film using a fingernail (plate) or the like. (5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus has the erasing function of cutting the photosensitive film into thin pieces using a cutting member. (6) Claim 2 characterized in that the image forming apparatus has the erasing function of erasing an image by applying a liquid.
The image forming apparatus described above. (7) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming apparatus has the erasing function of scraping off the microcapsules on the photosensitive film using a fingernail (plate) or the like. (8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming apparatus has the erasing function of cutting the photosensitive film into thin pieces using a cutting member.