Method of forming an electrophotographic transfer image
First Claim
1. A method of forming an electrophotographic transfer image comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a peelable transfer layer consisting essentially of a thermoplastic resin on a surface of an electrophotographic light-sensitive element by an electrodeposition coating method, wherein the electrophotographic light-sensitive element comprises a polymer comprising;
(i) a polymer component having at least one atom selected from the group consisting of a silicon atom and a fluorine atom, and(ii) a polymer component comprising a cross-linking structure having as a partial structure thereof a group selected from the group consisting of a photo-curable group, a heat-curable group, and a photo- and heat-curable group, wherein said polymer is at or near the surface of the electrophotographic light-sensitive element, and wherein said polymer provides the surface of the electrophotographic light-sensitive element with releasability,(b) forming a toner image by an electrophotographic process on the transfer layer,(c) heat-transferring the toner image together with the transfer layer onto a receiving material, and(d) repeating steps (a), (b), and (c) using the electrophotographic element resulting from step (c);
wherein the electrodeposition coating method comprises supplying a dispersion of grains consisting essentially of the thermoplastic resin having a glass transition point of from 20°
C. to 90°
C. or a softening point of from 40°
C. to 150°
C. in an electrical insulating solvent having an electric resistance of not less than 108 Ω
·
cm and a dielectric constant of not more that 3.5 between the electrophotographic light-sensitive element and an electrode placed face-to-face with the light-sensitive element, said grains migrating due to electrophoresis according to potential gradient applied from an external power source to adhere to or electrodeposit on the electrophotographic light-sensitive element, and transforming the adhered or electrodeposited grains into a uniform film to produce said peelable transfer layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of forming an electrophotographic transfer image is disclosed which provides color images free from color shear, by which toner images are completely transferred onto a receiving material without being accompanied by degradation of image quality upon the transfer, and in which a light-sensitive element can be repeatedly used without throwing the light-sensitive element away after using it only once.
A method and apparatus for forming an electrophotographic transfer image comprising forming a transfer layer containing a thermoplastic resin on the surface of an electrophotographic light-sensitive element which surface has releasability in the apparatus for forming an electrophotographic transfer image, forming a toner image by an electrophotographic process on the transfer layer, and heat-transferring the toner image together with the transfer layer onto a receiving material.
12 Citations
5 Claims
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1. A method of forming an electrophotographic transfer image comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a peelable transfer layer consisting essentially of a thermoplastic resin on a surface of an electrophotographic light-sensitive element by an electrodeposition coating method, wherein the electrophotographic light-sensitive element comprises a polymer comprising; (i) a polymer component having at least one atom selected from the group consisting of a silicon atom and a fluorine atom, and (ii) a polymer component comprising a cross-linking structure having as a partial structure thereof a group selected from the group consisting of a photo-curable group, a heat-curable group, and a photo- and heat-curable group, wherein said polymer is at or near the surface of the electrophotographic light-sensitive element, and wherein said polymer provides the surface of the electrophotographic light-sensitive element with releasability, (b) forming a toner image by an electrophotographic process on the transfer layer, (c) heat-transferring the toner image together with the transfer layer onto a receiving material, and (d) repeating steps (a), (b), and (c) using the electrophotographic element resulting from step (c); wherein the electrodeposition coating method comprises supplying a dispersion of grains consisting essentially of the thermoplastic resin having a glass transition point of from 20°
C. to 90°
C. or a softening point of from 40°
C. to 150°
C. in an electrical insulating solvent having an electric resistance of not less than 108 Ω
·
cm and a dielectric constant of not more that 3.5 between the electrophotographic light-sensitive element and an electrode placed face-to-face with the light-sensitive element, said grains migrating due to electrophoresis according to potential gradient applied from an external power source to adhere to or electrodeposit on the electrophotographic light-sensitive element, and transforming the adhered or electrodeposited grains into a uniform film to produce said peelable transfer layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for forming an electrophotographic transfer image comprising:
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(a) an electrophotographic light-sensitive element a surface of which has releasability, (b) a means for forming a peelable transfer layer consisting essentially of a thermoplastic resin on the surface of the electrophotographic light-sensitive element by an electrodeposition coating method, (c) a means for forming a toner image by an electrophotographic process on the transfer layer, and (d) a means for repeatedly heat-transferring the toner image together with the transfer layer onto a receiving material, wherein said electrophotographic light-sensitive element (a) comprises a polymer comprising (i) a polymer component having at least one atom selected from the group consisting of a silicon atom and a fluorine atom and (ii) a polymer component comprising a cross-linking structure having as a partial structure thereof a group selected from the group consisting of a photo-curable group, a heat-curable group, and a photo- and heat-curable group; and wherein the means for forming a peelable transfer layer by an electrodeposition coating method comprises a means for supplying a dispersion of grains consisting essentially of the thermoplastic resin having a glass transition point of from 20°
C. to 90°
C. or a softening point of from 40°
C. to 150°
C. in an electrical insulating solvent having an electric resistance of not less than 108 Ω
·
cm and a dielectric constant of not more than 3.5 between the electrophotographic light-sensitive element and an electrode placed face-to-face with the light-sensitive element, said grains migrating due to electrophoresis according to potential gradient applied from an external power source to adhere to or electrodeposit on the electrophotographic light-sensitive element, and for transforming the adhered or electrodeposited grains into a uniform film to produce said peelable transfer layer.
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Specification