Powder Holding Member Adhesion Control for Metallic Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In metallic printing techniques, there is a risk that powder adhered to the powder holding surface of the powder holding member is transferred to the background portion of the recording medium, resulting in visible powder on the background even in small amounts, which adversely affects the image characteristics.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus comprising a powder holding member that holds a powder pattern constituted by powder on a surface and a transfer member that constitutes a nip part for nipping a recording medium with the powder holding member, pasting powder constituting the powder pattern to the image pattern at the nip part.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If powder is adhesively held to the entire surface of the powder holding surface, then the powder can be easily transferred to the image pattern, but the powder is also transferred to the background portion where the image pattern is not formed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a powder holding surface with different adhesion properties in different regions. The powder holding surface is divided into a powder holding portion with high adhesion for efficient powder collection and a non-holding portion with low adhesion to prevent powder transfer to background areas. This spatial differentiation of surface properties allows the system to achieve both high powder transfer efficiency to the image pattern and precise powder placement by preventing background contamination.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the powder holding surface has high adhesion to hold powder, then powder can be maintained in an oriented state, but powder is transferred to the background portion due to the nip part contact
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the powder holding surface into distinct functional regions: a powder holding portion with high adhesion for maintaining oriented powder, and a non-holding portion with low adhesion to prevent background contamination. This segmentation allows the system to maintain powder orientation stability where needed while eliminating the harmful effect of background powder transfer by creating a physical and functional boundary between the holding area and the transfer area.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the harmful function of the entire powder holding surface by removing the powder holding capability from the region that contacts the background portion. The non-holding portion is specifically designed to lack adhesion properties, effectively taking out the powder holding function from the background contact area, thereby preventing powder transfer to the background while preserving it in the image pattern contact area.
3Quantity of substance
If powder is transferred to the background portion, then the powder can be distributed evenly, but the glossiness of the powder is visible and adversely affects image characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating spatially differentiated adhesion properties across the powder holding surface. The powder holding portion maintains high adhesion for uniform powder collection, while the non-holding portion has low adhesion to prevent powder transfer to the background. This local differentiation allows the system to achieve uniform powder distribution to the image pattern without creating the harmful effect of visible background powder, as the non-holding portion specifically prevents powder deposition in the background area.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents powder from being transferred to the background of the image, allowing for the fine formation of decorative images with patterns, thereby enhancing the image characteristics by minimizing background powder visibility.
Implementation Method 1
a transfer member (14) that constitutes a nip part for nipping a recording medium (S) with the powder holding member (11), and pastes powder constituting the powder pattern to the image pattern at the nip part
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a powder holding member and a transfer member. The powder holding member holds a powder pattern constituted by powder on a surface. The transfer member constitutes a nip part for nipping a recording medium on which an image pattern is formed with the powder holding member, and pastes powder constituting the powder pattern to the image pattern at the nip part. The image forming apparatus also includes a powder supply member that supplies powder to the surface of the powder holding member, and an adhesion force of the powder to the conveyance member is smaller than an adhesion force of the powder to a part where the powder pattern is formed on the surface of the powder holding member.