阅读说明：本技术 图像形成装置以及图像形成方法 (Image forming apparatus and image forming method ) 是由 福本和子 田畑英二 渡边麻纪子 于 2020-03-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：图像形成装置(1)具备：预涂层形成部(10),在记录介质(M)的表面形成预涂层；图像形成部(20),通过墨水在上述预涂层上形成图像；以及光能照射部(30),向上述记录介质(M)照射用于使上述墨水干燥的光能。上述预涂层包含反射上述光能的反射剂。(An image forming apparatus (1) is provided with: a precoat layer forming section (10) for forming a precoat layer on the surface of a recording medium (M); an image forming section (20) for forming an image on the precoat layer by ink; and a light energy irradiation unit (30) that irradiates the recording medium (M) with light energy for drying the ink. The precoat layer contains a reflecting agent that reflects the light energy.)

1. An image forming apparatus includes:

a precoat layer forming section for forming a precoat layer on a surface of a recording medium;

an image forming section for forming an image on the precoat layer with ink; and

an optical energy irradiation unit for irradiating the recording medium with optical energy for drying the ink,

the precoat layer contains a reflecting agent that reflects the light energy.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

the light energy irradiation part irradiates infrared ray as the light energy,

the precoat layer forming portion forms the precoat layer containing an infrared reflecting agent as the reflecting agent.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

the light energy irradiation part irradiates ultraviolet rays as the light energy,

the precoat layer forming portion forms the precoat layer containing an ultraviolet reflecting agent as the reflecting agent.

4. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the precoat layer contains a urethane resin or an acrylic resin.

5. An image forming method includes:

a step of applying an aqueous solution for forming a precoat layer on the surface of a recording medium;

forming the precoat layer by drying the aqueous solution;

forming an image by supplying ink onto the precoat layer; and

irradiating the recording medium with light energy for drying the ink,

the aqueous solution applied in the step of applying the aqueous solution includes a reflecting agent that reflects the light energy.

Technical Field

The invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method.

Background

Conventionally, an inkjet printing technique is known. For example, japanese patent application laid-open No. 2016-: a treatment liquid discharge unit for discharging a treatment liquid onto a recording medium such as a resin film by an ink jet method, an ink discharge unit for discharging an ink for ink jet recording onto the recording medium, and an irradiation unit for irradiating infrared rays onto the treatment liquid adhering to the recording medium. The treatment liquid discharged by the treatment liquid discharge unit contains an infrared absorber. The ink discharge unit discharges ink droplets through the inkjet head onto the recording medium from which the processing liquid is discharged. The irradiation unit irradiates infrared rays to the processing liquid attached to the recording medium. The irradiation unit irradiates infrared rays until the ink is dried. In this image recording apparatus, since the processing liquid contains the infrared absorber, the drying rate of the ink is increased.

In the image forming apparatus described in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2016 and 65137, since the infrared absorber is contained in the processing liquid, the recording medium may be heated to a high temperature during irradiation with infrared rays, and the recording medium may be deformed. This is particularly remarkable when a resin film is used as a recording medium.

Further, since the ink drying time varies depending on the thickness and material of the recording medium, the task of finding a preferable drying condition for each recording medium within a range in which the recording medium is not deformed and the task of changing the setting of the drying condition depending on the thickness and type of the recording medium become complicated.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of achieving both suppression of deformation of a recording medium and reduction of frequency of changing setting of drying conditions of ink.

An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a precoat layer forming section for forming a precoat layer on a surface of a recording medium; an image forming section for forming an image on the precoat layer with ink; and a light energy irradiation unit that irradiates the recording medium with light energy for drying the ink. The precoat layer contains a reflecting agent that reflects the light energy.

In this image forming apparatus, the precoat layer contains a reflecting agent that reflects light energy, so absorption of light energy in the precoat layer can be suppressed. This can suppress a significant temperature rise of the recording medium during irradiation with light energy and after irradiation, and thus can suppress deformation of the recording medium. This can alleviate the drying condition that does not deform the recording medium, and therefore can reduce the frequency of changing the setting of the drying condition of the ink.

For example, the light energy irradiation part may irradiate infrared rays as the light energy, and the precoat layer forming part may form the precoat layer containing an infrared ray reflecting agent as the reflecting agent.

Alternatively, the light energy irradiation part may irradiate ultraviolet rays as the light energy, and the precoat layer forming part may form the precoat layer containing an ultraviolet reflecting agent as the reflecting agent.

Preferably, the precoat layer contains a urethane resin or an acrylic resin.

An image forming method according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a step of applying an aqueous solution for forming a precoat layer on the surface of a recording medium; forming the precoat layer by drying the aqueous solution; forming an image by supplying ink onto the precoat layer; and irradiating the recording medium with light energy for drying the ink. The aqueous solution applied in the step of applying the aqueous solution includes a reflecting agent that reflects the light energy.

In this image forming method, deformation of the recording medium can be suppressed, and the frequency of changing the setting of the drying condition of the ink can be reduced.

Drawings

The above and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view schematically showing the structure of the precoat layer.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the drawings referred to below, the same or corresponding components are attached with the same reference numerals.

Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 is, for example, an inkjet printer.

As shown in fig. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a precoat forming portion 10, an image forming portion 20, and an ink drying portion 30.

The precoat layer forming unit 10 forms a precoat layer 100 (see fig. 2) on the surface of the recording medium M. The precoat layer 100 is provided in order to suppress water permeation or bleeding of the aqueous ink on the recording medium M. The precoat forming portion 10 has a pair of conveyor rollers 11, an aqueous solution supply portion 12, a heater 13, and a hot air blower 14.

The pair of conveying rollers 11 conveys the recording medium M. The recording medium M may be a resin film (e.g., PET film, PP film, PE film) or plain paper.

The aqueous solution supply unit 12 supplies the aqueous solution to the transport roller 11 that is in contact with the print surface of the recording medium M out of the pair of transport rollers 11. Thus, the aqueous solution is supplied to the print surface of the recording medium M. That is, the conveying roller 11 and the aqueous solution supply unit 12 perform a step of applying the aqueous solution for forming the precoat layer 100 to the surface of the recording medium M.

The aqueous solution contains a resin material, a surfactant, and a reflecting agent. Examples of the resin material include a urethane resin, an acrylic resin, a mixture of the two, or a urethane olefin.

The reflecting agent reflects infrared rays or ultraviolet rays. Examples of the infrared reflecting agent for reflecting infrared rays and the ultraviolet reflecting agent for reflecting ultraviolet rays include titanium oxide (TiO)₂) Zinc oxide, lead white, zinc sulfide, and the like. Preferably the reflective agent is transparent. In order to ensure the transparency of the reflecting agent, the particle size of the reflecting agent is preferably 100nm or less. For example, as the infrared reflecting agent having transparency, titanium oxide having a particle diameter of 50nm to 100nm, or flat plate-like silver nanoparticles having a particle diameter of about 100nm can be cited.

The aqueous solution may contain hollow particles. In this case, low refraction is expected.

The heater 13 is disposed below the recording medium M. The heater 13 heats the recording medium M from the back surface (the surface opposite to the print surface) side of the recording medium M.

The hot air blower 14 is disposed above the recording medium M. The hot air blower 14 blows hot air to the print surface of the recording medium M.

The precoat layer 100 is formed by the aqueous solution supplied to the printing surface of the recording medium M by heating with the heater 13 and the hot air blower 14. In other words, the heater 13 and the hot air blower 14 perform a step of forming the precoat layer 100 by drying the aqueous solution. Fig. 2 is a view schematically showing the structure of the precoat layer. The thickness of the precoat layer 100 is preferably greater than the particle size of the reflective agent 102. For example, the thickness of the precoat layer 100 is preferably 0.1 μm or more, more preferably 0.2 μm or more. However, from the viewpoint of suppressing energy consumption for drying the aqueous solution, the thickness of the precoat layer 100 is preferably 0.5 μm or less.

The image forming section 20 is provided downstream of the precoat forming section 10 in the conveying direction of the recording medium M. The image forming section 20 forms an image on the precoat layer 100 with ink. In other words, the image forming section 20 performs a process of forming an image by supplying ink onto the precoat layer 100. The image forming unit 20 of the present embodiment is of an aqueous inkjet type. The image forming portion 20 has a first discharge head 21C, a second discharge head 21M, a third discharge head 21Y, and a fourth discharge head 21K. The discharge heads 21C, 21M, 21Y, and 21K supply inks of respective colors of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black) to the precoat layer 100.

The ink drying section 30 is provided on the downstream side of the image forming section 20 in the conveying direction of the recording medium M. The ink drying unit 30 dries the ink (aqueous ink) supplied to the precoat layer 100. The ink drying unit 30 includes a light energy irradiation unit 31, a heating drum 32, and a hot air blower 33.

The light energy irradiation portion 31 irradiates light energy for drying the ink supplied to the precoat layer 100 to the recording medium M. In other words, the light energy irradiation unit 31 performs a process of irradiating the recording medium M with light energy for drying the ink. The light energy irradiation unit 31 is disposed above the recording medium M. In the case of using an infrared reflecting agent as the reflecting agent 102, the light energy irradiation section 31 irradiates infrared light as light energy. In the case of using an ultraviolet reflecting agent as the reflecting agent 102, the light energy irradiation section 31 irradiates ultraviolet light as light energy. The optical energy irradiation unit 31 is preferably an infrared heater or an ultraviolet heater.

The heating drum 32 heats the recording medium M from the back side thereof, and conveys the recording medium M.

The hot air blower 33 is disposed above the recording medium M. The hot air blower 33 blows hot air to the print surface of the recording medium M.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the precoat layer 100 contains the reflective agent 102 that reflects light energy, and therefore, absorption of light energy in the precoat layer 100 can be suppressed. This can suppress a significant temperature rise of the recording medium M during and after irradiation with light energy, and thus can suppress deformation of the recording medium M. This can alleviate the drying condition that causes no deformation of the recording medium M, and therefore can reduce the frequency of changing the setting of the drying condition of the ink.

The embodiments disclosed herein are merely illustrative and should not be construed as restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims rather than the description above, and includes all modifications equivalent in meaning and scope to the claims.

For example, the precoat layer 100 may be composed of a plurality of protective layers. In this case, the light energy may be reflected by making the refractive index of each protective layer different. In the case where the precoat layer 100 is formed of two layers, a first protective layer may be formed before the precoat forming portion 10, and a second protective layer may be formed in the precoat forming portion 10.