Chemical application device, image forming device, and method for forming antibacterial or antiviral image

Abstract

To provide a chemical application device capable of imparting an antibacterial or antiviral effect to paper.SOLUTION: This chemical application device for applying a chemical solution exhibiting an antibacterial or antiviral effect to paper applies the chemical solution so as to satisfy C≥104T / MR, in which C% denotes a chemical concentration of the chemical solution, Tg / m2 denotes an effective application amount of the chemical, Mg denotes the basis weight of the paper, and R% denotes a permissible increase in moisture content of the paper.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a drug application device, an image forming device, and a method for producing an antibacterial or antiviral image. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been a demand for antibacterial treatment of printed materials (for example, magazines, booklets, catalogs, flyers, calendars, etc.) so that such printed materials can always be used in a clean state.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a post-treatment device that can apply an antibacterial agent diluted with water using a roller while a printed material is being transported. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-70377 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a chemical applicator that can impart antibacterial or antiviral properties to paper. It also aims to provide an image forming apparatus that includes such a chemical applicator. It also aims to provide a method for producing an image that has antibacterial or antiviral properties using such an image forming apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] [1] A chemical application device that applies a solution of a chemical having antibacterial or antiviral effects to paper, wherein the chemical concentration of the chemical solution is C%, and the effective application amount of the chemical is Tg / m 2 When the basis weight of the paper is Mg and the allowable increased moisture content of the paper is R%, C≧10 4A drug application device that applies the drug solution so as to satisfy the T / MR. [2] The drug application device according to [1], wherein the drug is silver zeolite or an antibacterial agent containing silver and titanium oxide. [3] The drug application device according to [1] or [2], wherein the drug solution contains a surfactant or a thickener. [4] The drug applicator according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant, an anionic nonionic complex surfactant, an amino acid surfactant, or a glycerin-based surfactant. [5] The drug applicator according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the thickener is xanthan gum, carrageenan, gelatin, cellulose gum, pectin, or an acrylic acid-based polymer. [6] The drug application device according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the amount of drug solution to be applied is adjusted by adjusting the liquid level in a reservoir that stores the drug solution. [7] The drug applicator according to any one of [1] to [6], which has a mixing mechanism capable of adjusting the mixing ratio of the drug, the additive, and the solvent. [8] The drug application device according to any one of [1] to [7], which has a roller or a spray for applying the drug solution to paper. [9] An image forming apparatus having the drug application device according to any one of [1] to [8].

[10] A method for producing an antibacterial or antiviral image using the image forming apparatus described in [9]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention provides a chemical applicator that can impart antibacterial or antiviral effects to paper. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that includes such a chemical applicator. The present invention also provides a method for producing an image having antibacterial or antiviral effects using such an image forming apparatus. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the antibacterial agent application unit (drug application device). [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the liquid circulation path. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the spray mechanism. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an outline of the mixer. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the mixing process in the mixer. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a graph showing the relationship between the amount of agent applied and the antibacterial activity value. [Figure 8] 8A and 8B are graphs showing the relationship between drug concentration and antibacterial activity value. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following embodiments, an antibacterial agent is applied to paper to impart antibacterial properties to the paper. However, generally, an agent having antibacterial properties and an agent having antiviral properties share components, and an agent having antibacterial properties may also have antiviral properties. Therefore, in the following disclosure, "antibacterial" may be read as "antiviral," or "antibacterial" may be read as "antibacterial and antiviral." Similarly, "antibacterial" may be read as "antiviral" or "antibacterial and antiviral."

[0010] [Overall configuration of image forming device] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus 100. The image forming apparatus 100 has an image forming unit 1 and an antibacterial agent application unit (drug application device) 2. In the image forming apparatus 100, the antibacterial agent application unit 2 applies an antibacterial agent to paper on which an image has been formed and which has been conveyed from the image forming unit 1. The image forming unit 1 and the antibacterial agent application unit 2 will be described below.

[0011] (Image forming unit) The image forming unit 1 is a unit that forms an image on a sheet S. In this embodiment, the image forming unit 1 is an image forming unit of an intermediate transfer type that utilizes electrophotographic process technology.

[0012] The image forming unit 1 has an image reading section 10, an operation display section 20, an image processing section 30, an image forming section 40, a paper transport section 50, a fixing section 60, a pre-processing side transport section 70, and a control section 101.

[0013] The image reading unit 10 is a unit that reads an image of a document D. Based on the data of the image of the document D read by the image reading unit 10, an image processing unit 30 performs image processing.

[0014] The operation display unit 20 is configured, for example, with a liquid crystal display with a touch panel, and functions as a display unit and an operation unit.

[0015] The image processing unit 30 includes a circuit for performing digital image processing on input image data according to initial settings or user settings. For example, under the control of the control unit 101, the image processing unit 30 performs gradation correction based on gradation correction data (gradation correction table). In addition to gradation correction, the image processing unit 30 also performs various correction processes such as color correction and shading correction, as well as compression, on the input image data. The image forming unit 40 is controlled based on the image data that has undergone these processes.

[0016] Image forming unit 40 forms a toner image based on input image data. Specifically, image forming unit 40 has toner image forming units 41Y, 41M, 41C, and 41K for forming images using color toners of Y, M, C, and K components, respectively, and intermediate transfer unit 42. Each toner image forming unit performs primary transfer of the toner image onto intermediate transfer belt 421 of intermediate transfer unit 42.

[0017] The paper transport section 50 transports the paper S to the image forming section 40. The toner image is secondarily transferred onto the paper S transported to the image forming section 40 by the intermediate transfer belt 421.

[0018] The fixing unit 60 fixes the toner image onto the sheet S by applying heat and pressure to the sheet S, which has been transported after the toner image has been secondarily transferred, at a fixing nip. The fixing unit 60 is disposed inside the fixing device F.

[0019] The pretreatment side transport section 70 transports the paper S on which the toner image has been fixed to the antibacterial agent application unit 2.

[0020] (Antibacterial agent application unit) FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing an example of the configuration of the antibacterial agent application unit (drug application device) 2 of FIG.

[0021] The antibacterial agent application unit 2 includes a post-treatment conveying section 80, an upper application roller 90A, a lower application roller 90B, an upper tray 100A, a lower tray 100B, and a liquid supply section 110.

[0022] The sheet S delivered from the image forming unit 1 is carried into the antibacterial agent application unit 2 through the entry port 2A and passes between the upper application roller 90A and the lower application roller 90B. The sheet S that has passed between the upper application roller 90A and the lower application roller 90B is coated with the antibacterial agent and is then carried out of the antibacterial agent application unit 2.

[0023] Within the antibacterial agent application unit 2, a post-processing side conveying section 80 is provided, which forms a conveying path continuous with the pre-processing side conveying section 70 of the image forming unit (see Figure 1), and the paper S is transported within the antibacterial agent application unit 2 by the post-processing side conveying section 80.

[0024] As a result, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to this embodiment, the antibacterial agent application unit 2 is disposed immediately downstream of the fixing section 60. This means that the process of applying the antibacterial agent to the sheet S is performed while the sheet S is in a heated state (for example, at about 80°C) in the fixing section 60 and then dried. As a result, immediately after the process of applying the antibacterial agent to the sheet S, much of the liquid components, such as water and alcohol, that were applied to the sheet S evaporate over time, leaving only the powdered antibacterial agent on the sheet S. In other words, this allows the powdered antibacterial agent to remain uniformly and stably on the surface of the sheet S without leaving excess liquid components, such as water and alcohol, on the surface of the sheet S.

[0025] The upper application roller 90A is placed above the paper S and applies the medicinal solution W to the upper surface of the paper S. On the other hand, the lower application roller 90B is placed below the paper S and applies the medicinal solution W to the lower surface of the paper S.

[0026] The upper and lower application rollers 90A and 90B are made of a porous material and can receive a supply of chemical solution from their surfaces. The upper and lower application rollers 90A and 90B can apply the chemical solution W to the front and back surfaces of the paper S while sandwiching the paper S and transporting it.

[0027] Upper tray 100A is a storage unit that stores chemical solution W. Upper tray 100A is disposed above paper S and upper application roller 90A, and supplies chemical solution W to upper application roller 90A.

[0028] The lower tray 100B is a storage unit that stores the chemical solution W. The lower tray 100B is disposed below the paper S and the lower application roller 90B, and supplies the chemical solution W to the lower application roller 90B.

[0029] The liquid supply unit 110 is a roller mechanism that supplies the chemical solution W from the upper tray 100A and the lower tray 100B to the upper application roller 90A and the lower application roller 90B. The liquid supply unit 110 has a pumping roller 111, an intermediate roller 112, an upper supply roller 113A, a lower supply roller 113B, a first draining roller 114A, and a second draining roller 114B.

[0030] The pumping roller 111 is disposed in a state where it is partially immersed in the upper tray 100A, and pumps up the chemical solution W from the upper tray 100A. The chemical solution W passes through the pumping roller 111, the intermediate roller 112, and the upper supply roller 113A and is supplied to the upper application roller 90A.

[0031] Meanwhile, in lower tray 100B, lower supply roller 113B is disposed in a partially immersed state and draws up chemical solution W from lower tray 100B. Chemical solution W is supplied from lower supply roller 113B to lower application roller 90B.

[0032] The first draining roller 114A and the second draining roller 114B come into contact with the upper supply roller 113A and the lower supply roller 113B, respectively, to remove a portion of the drug solution W.

[0033] In the antibacterial agent application unit 2 having the above-described configuration, the liquid supply section 110 is configured so as to be able to adjust the amount of the antibacterial agent solution W applied to the paper S.

[0034] Specifically, the amount of chemical solution W supplied per unit time to upper applying roller 90A and lower applying roller 90B depends on the amount of chemical solution W pumped per unit time from upper tray 100A and the amount of chemical solution W pumped per unit time from lower tray 100B. These amounts depend on the amount (level) of chemical solution W stored in upper tray 100A and lower tray 100B. In other words, the amount of chemical solution W applied to paper S is adjusted by controlling the amount (level) of chemical solution W stored in upper tray 100A and lower tray 100B.

[0035] The amount (level) of the drug solution W stored in the upper tray 100A and the lower tray 100B is controlled by the output of a pump 152 that transfers the drug solution W from a tank 151 (see FIG. 3).

[0036] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the liquid circulation path 150. In Fig. 3, the upper side of the paper surface corresponds to the vertically upward direction, and the lower side of the paper surface corresponds to the vertically downward direction.

[0037] The liquid circulation path 150 is a flow path for the drug solution W that sucks up the drug solution W from a tank 151 that stores the drug solution W and circulates it to the upper tray 100A and the lower tray 100B, and has a pump 152, a delivery path 153, a first return path 154, and a second return path 155.

[0038] Pump 152 sucks up the drug solution W stored in tank 151 and sends it out to delivery path 153. Delivery path 153 has one end connected to pump 152 and the other end connected to the top of upper tray 100A, and guides drug solution W delivered from pump 152 into upper tray 100A. First return path 154 has one end connected to the bottom of upper tray 100A and the other end connected to the top of lower tray 100B, and guides drug solution W stored in upper tray 100A into lower tray 100B. Second return path 155 has one end connected to the bottom of lower tray 100B and the other end connected to the top of tank 151, and guides drug solution W stored in lower tray 100B into tank 151.

[0039] The amount (level) of chemical solution W stored in upper tray 100A and lower tray 100B is controlled by the rotation speed of pump 152. That is, the amount of chemical solution W pumped out by driving pump 152 is stored in upper tray 100A and lower tray 100B. The movement of chemical solution W from upper tray 100A to lower tray 100B, and the movement of chemical solution W from lower tray 100B to tank 151 are due to the weight of chemical solution W. The operation of pump 152 is controlled by, for example, control unit 101 of image forming unit 1.

[0040] The chemical solution may be applied by spraying instead of by roller. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a spray mechanism 160 when chemical solution W is sprayed. As shown in Fig. 4, the spray mechanism 160 has a paper detection sensor 161, a spray ejection unit 162, and a storage unit 163. When the paper detection sensor 161 of the spray mechanism 160 detects the introduction of paper S, the chemical solution is sprayed from the spray ejection unit 162. The chemical solution W sprayed from the spray ejection unit 162 is supplied from the storage unit 163.

[0041] 5 shows a mixing mechanism 170 that mixes a drug, a solvent, and an additive (for example, a surfactant or a thickener, which will be described later). The mixing mechanism 170 has a drug concentration of C % in the drug solution, and the mixing mechanism 170 has a drug concentration of C ≥ 104 The drug, solvent, and additive are mixed to obtain T / MR. In this embodiment, mixing mechanism 170 has drug storage section 171, additive storage section 172, solvent storage section 173, stirring tank 174, and drug solution storage tank 175.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the flow of mixing by the mixing mechanism 170. First, the mixing ratio of the drug, solvent, and additive is input based on C determined based on the above conditional expression (mixing ratio input). Then, the supply amounts of the drug, solvent, and additive are determined (supply amount determination). Next, the supply of the drug, solvent, and additive from their respective storage units to the stirring tank begins (three-type supply start). Next, stirring in the stirring tank begins (stirring start). Next, supply to the stirring tank ends (supply end). Next, stirring in the stirring tank ends (stirring end). Next, supply of the drug solution to the drug solution storage tank begins (solution supply start). Next, supply of the drug solution is completed (solution supply completion). This flow may be controlled, for example, by the above-mentioned control unit 101.

[0043] [Medicinal application] In the image forming apparatus 100 of the present invention, the drug concentration of the drug solution is C%, and the effective amount of drug applied is Tg / m 2 Let the basis weight of the paper be Mg and the allowable increased moisture content of the paper be R%, then C≧10 4 The solution of the agent is applied so that T / MR is satisfied. Below, we will explain R and T in this conditional formula, and C≧10 4 Explain about T / MR.

[0044] (Allowable increase in moisture content: R%) The allowable moisture content increase is the amount of chemical solution that the paper can contain. If the paper contains the chemical solution so that the allowable moisture content increase is less than the allowable moisture content increase, the paper will not wrinkle. Therefore, from the perspective of preventing the paper from wrinkle, it is preferable that the amount of chemical solution applied to the paper be less than the allowable moisture content increase.

[0045] The allowable increased moisture content can be expressed by the following relational expression. Allowable increase moisture content (%) = Limit moisture content (%) - Uncoated moisture content (%)

[0046] Here, the critical moisture content and the uncoated moisture content in the formula can be measured using a moisture content meter (Moistrex MX8000 model manufactured by Shinmei General Co., Ltd.).

[0047] As can be seen from this relation, the allowable increased moisture content represents the amount of chemical solution that the paper can contain.

[0048] For example, if the paper is highly absorbent, the allowable moisture content will increase. Also, under low humidity conditions, the allowable moisture content will increase. Thus, the allowable moisture content will vary depending on the type of paper and the environmental conditions.

[0049] As described above, applying the chemical to the paper until the critical moisture content is reached can be achieved by adjusting the liquid levels in the upper tray 100A and the lower tray 100B of the image forming apparatus, or by adjusting the amount of spray in the spray mechanism 160. As described above, the chemical solution W is applied to the paper at a temperature of nearly 80°C, so the solvent in the chemical solution evaporates, and the chemical remains on the paper S.

[0050] (Effective application amount of drug: Tg / m 2 ) The effective amount of agent applied is the amount of agent required to have antibacterial properties evaluated in accordance with JIS Z 2801:2012 per 1 m of paper. 2 The effective amount of agent applied is determined by applying the agent evenly to the paper using the PET adhesion method as shown below, and then evaluating the antibacterial activity value of the paper with the agent evenly applied based on JIS Z 2801:2012.

[0051] First, a 5cm x 5cm polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet is placed in a 5cm x 5cm square Petri dish. Next, a solution of chemicals is added onto the sheet to make up half of the allowable increased moisture content of the 5cm x 5cm test piece (paper). Next, the 5cm x 5cm test piece (paper) is placed in the Petri dish. Next, a solution of chemicals is added onto the test piece to make up half of the remaining allowable moisture content. Next, a 5cm x 5cm PET sheet is placed on top of the chemical solution. Next, a lid is placed over the PET sheet to press it down, and the sheet is left for 96 hours to produce antibacterial paper. Various chemical concentrations (C) of the chemical solution are used to manufacture papers having various amounts of chemical applied per area.

[0052] The antibacterial activity value of the antibacterial paper produced as described above was measured in accordance with JIS Z 2801:2012, and the amount of agent applied when the antibacterial activity value reached 2 was defined as the effective amount of agent applied: Tg / m 2 Let's say.

[0053] (C≧10 4 T / MR) The drug concentration of the drug solution is C%, and the effective application amount of the drug is Tg / m 2 The basis weight of the paper is Mg, and the allowable increased moisture content of the paper is R%. Here, MRC is 1m 2 The amount of drug that can be contained in this form is MRC ≥ 10 4 If T, the antibacterial activity value of the paper is 2 or more. Therefore, C≧10 4 If the drug concentration in the drug solution is adjusted so that T / MR is achieved, the antibacterial activity value will be 2 or higher. For example, if the effective application amount of the drug: T = 0.15 (g / m 2 ) and the paper basis weight: M = 157 (g / m 2 ) and the allowable increase in water content: R = 2.5 (%), the drug concentration in the drug solution: C = 3.8 (%).

[0054] The type of drug may be either an organic drug or an inorganic drug.

[0055] Organic chemicals are fast-acting and relatively inexpensive, but they have problems such as a short effective period, poor heat resistance, and their antibacterial properties being weakened by UV rays.

[0056] In contrast, inorganic agents have long-lasting effects, are safe, and are less susceptible to UV rays. However, inorganic agents are expensive, which increases printing costs.

[0057] Examples of organic agents include benzalkonium chloride, linear alkylbenzenesulfonate sodium, alkylglycoside, alkylamine oxide, benzethonium chloride, dialkyldimethylammonium chloride, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, fatty acid potassium, and fatty acid sodium. These may be used alone or in combination. Includes:

[0058] Examples of inorganic agents include silver, copper, zinc, titanium oxide, silver zeolite, and antibacterial agents containing silver and titanium oxide. These may be used alone or in combination. Zeolite is a general term for minerals with a skeletal structure composed of elements such as aluminum, silicon, and oxygen, and can be natural or artificial. Silver zeolite contains silver ions and is used in many products as a raw material to generate antibacterial and antiviral properties. Titanium oxide exhibits antibacterial and antiviral properties through photocatalysis under the influence of UV light. Titanium oxide, when used with silver, can more effectively exert its antibacterial effects in a variety of environments.

[0059] The drug solution may contain a surfactant or thickener to disperse the drug in the solution.

[0060] Surfactants have hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties within their molecules, which allow them to stabilize immiscible substances such as water and oil, exhibiting dispersing and emulsifying properties. Types of surfactants include cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, anionic-nonionic complex surfactants, amino acid surfactants, glycerin-based surfactants, and plant-derived surfactants such as saponin. Of these, cationic surfactants are generally highly viscous, and saponin is not suitable due to its tendency to foam, so surfactants other than these are preferred.

[0061] Thickeners are chemicals that increase the viscosity of liquids or solutions and are used as dispersants to prevent the settling of inorganic agents. Examples of thickeners include xanthan gum, carrageenan, gelatin, cellulose gum, pectin, and acrylic acid polymers.

[0062] Solvents used in chemical solutions include alcohol-based solvents and water. Because inorganic chemicals are powders, alcohol-based solvents are often used. However, alcohol-based solvents are undesirable because they can corrode metal parts inside image-forming devices (e.g., printing machines) and cause chemical attacks on plastic parts. Therefore, water is used as the solvent. However, inorganic chemicals are compounds primarily composed of metal elements and are non-hydrophilic, so they tend to precipitate in water. Therefore, it is preferable to improve dispersibility by adding surfactants or thickeners as additives. [Example]

[0063] The present invention will be specifically explained below by showing examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0064] (Measurement of allowable moisture content increase: R) First, various amounts of chemical solution were applied to fine paper and coated paper to increase the moisture content, and the occurrence of waviness was visually confirmed. The results are shown in Table 1. The increased moisture content was measured using the moisture content meter (Moistrex MX8000 model, manufactured by Shinmei General Co., Ltd.) mentioned above.

[0065] [Table 1]

[0066] In Table 1, cases where waviness did not occur are indicated by a circle, and cases where waviness did occur are indicated by an x. From Table 1, it can be seen that for fine paper, if the increased moisture content is 2.5% or less, it is below the allowable increased moisture content, and for coated paper, if the increased moisture content is 2.00% or less, it is below the allowable increased moisture content and waviness will not occur.

[0067] (Creating antibacterial paper) Based on Table 1, the chemical solution was applied to the fine paper so that the increased moisture content was 2.5%, and to the coated paper so that the increased moisture content was 2.0%. The chemical solutions used had various concentrations, and the applied amount of chemical was 0.05 g / m 2 , 0.1g / m 2 , 0.15g / m 2 , 0.2g / m 2 , 0.25g / m 2 , 0.3 g / m 2 , 0.35g / m 2 It was made to be like this.

[0068] (Measurement of effective application amount) The antibacterial activity value of the test piece of paper coated with the agent prepared as described above was measured in accordance with JIS Z 2801: 2012. Specifically, the test piece was inoculated with a test bacterial solution to evaluate the antibacterial effect.

[0069] The test bacterial solution to be inoculated onto the test specimen was prepared as follows: A 1 / 500 bouillon medium was prepared by diluting a normal bouillon medium 500 times, and the number of Escherichia coli bacteria was 2.5 x 10 5 ~10×10 5 The concentration was adjusted to cells / mL, and this was used as the test bacterial solution.

[0070] The test specimen was placed in a petri dish and inoculated with 0.4 mL of test bacterial solution. A 4 cm x 4 cm film was placed over the inoculated specimen and cultured in an incubator at 36°C for 24 hours. After incubation, 10 mL of SCDLP medium was added to the specimen to wash out the bacteria.

[0071] The number of viable bacteria in the washout solution was measured using a standard agar medium. As a control, a test piece without any agent was used. The same procedure was carried out on this test piece, and the number of viable bacteria was measured in the same way.

[0072] The antibacterial activity value was calculated using the following formula using a test piece coated with an antibacterial agent (antibacterial treated test piece) and a test piece not coated with an antibacterial agent (untreated test piece).

[0073] V=UA V: Antibacterial activity value, U: Logarithm of viable bacteria count on untreated test piece, A: Logarithm of viable bacteria count on antibacterial treated test piece

[0074] When the antibacterial activity value, V, is 2.0 or higher, the antibacterial treated test piece can be evaluated as having sufficient antibacterial properties. Figure 7 shows a graph plotting the relationship between the test piece and the antibacterial activity value for each amount of agent applied. From this graph, the effective amount of agent applied, T, was calculated from the amount of agent applied that resulted in an antibacterial activity value of 2.

[0075] In other words, in the case of high-quality paper, the effective coating amount of chemicals is 0.15 g / m 2 On the other hand, in the case of coated paper, the effective amount of chemical applied was 0.16 g / m 2 When the effective coating amount of this agent, T, was substituted into the conditional formula to find C, it was 3.8% for fine paper and 5.1% for coated paper. The values ​​of the conditional formula are summarized in Table 2.

[0076] [Table 2]

[0077] We investigated whether antibacterial paper prepared using the PET method as described above would have sufficient antibacterial properties if an image was formed using an image-forming device so that the drug concentration in the solution met the calculated drug concentration: C. The results are shown in Figure 8A and B.

[0078] Figure 8A shows the antibacterial activity value when an image is formed on high-quality paper using an image forming apparatus, and Figure 8B shows the antibacterial activity value when an image is formed on coated paper. Figures 8A and 8B show the antibacterial activity value when images are formed with different concentrations of chemical solution. Table 2 shows that for high-quality paper, an antibacterial activity value of 2 is obtained when the concentration of the chemical solution is 3.8%, and for coated paper, an antibacterial activity value of 2 is obtained when the concentration of the chemical solution is 5.1%. The results for these antibacterial activity values ​​in Figures 8A and 8B are nearly identical to the results in Table 2. This shows that if the conditional formula is satisfied, an image with sufficient antibacterial activity can be obtained. [Industrial Applicability]

[0079] According to the present invention, it is possible to impart antibacterial or antiviral properties to paper, and it is also possible to impart antibacterial or antiviral properties to an image formed by an electrophotographic method, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1 Image forming unit 2 Antibacterial agent application unit (drug application device) 10 Image reading unit 20 Operation display section 30 Image processing section 40 Image forming unit 42 Intermediate transfer unit 50 Paper transport section 60 Fixing unit 70 Pre-processing side transport section 80 Post-processing side conveying section 100 Image forming device 101 Control section 90A Upper application roller 90B Lower Application Roller 100A Upper Tray 100B Lower Tray 110 Liquid supply section 111 Pumping roller 112 Intermediate Roller 113A Upper supply roller 113B Lower supply roller 114A First draining roller 114B Second draining roller 150 Liquid circulation path 151 Tank 152 Pump 153 Sending Route 154 First Return Route 155 Second Return Route 160 spray mechanism 161 Paper detection sensor 162 Spray injection part 163 Storage Unit 170 Mixing mechanism 171 Drug storage section 172 Additive storage section 173 Solvent reservoir 174 Mixing Tank 175 Storage Tank S paper W Drug solution

Claims

1. A chemical application device that applies a solution of a chemical having an antibacterial or antiviral effect to paper, The drug concentration of the drug solution is C%, and the effective application amount of the drug is Tg / m ２ When the basis weight of the paper is Mg and the allowable increased moisture content of the paper is R%, C≧10 ４ Applying a solution of the drug to satisfy the T / MR; Drug application device.

2. The drug application device according to claim 1 , wherein the drug is silver zeolite or an antibacterial agent containing silver and titanium oxide.

3. The drug application device according to claim 1 , wherein the drug solution contains a surfactant or a thickener.

4. The drug application device according to claim 3 , wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant, an anionic nonionic complex surfactant, an amino acid surfactant, or a glycerin-based surfactant.

5. The drug application device according to claim 3 , wherein the thickener is xanthan gum, carrageenan, gelatin, cellulose gum, pectin, or an acrylic acid-based polymer.

6. The drug application device according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of drug solution applied is adjusted by adjusting a liquid level in a reservoir that stores the drug solution.

7. The drug application device according to claim 1 , further comprising a mixing mechanism capable of adjusting a mixing ratio of the drug, the additive, and the solvent.

8. The drug application device according to claim 1 , further comprising a roller or a spray for applying the drug solution to the paper.

9. An image forming apparatus comprising the drug application device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A method for producing an antibacterial or antiviral image, using the image forming apparatus according to claim 9.

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