JPH11143238A - Solvent recovery device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the convenience of a liquefying mechanism and liquefaction efficiency in the case of a liquid developing type electrophotographic printing device. SOLUTION: The device is constituted so that a liquefying chamber 7 having an entrance port 6 and an exit port 9 is formed, the solvent 8 of liquid constituting developer 2 in the chamber 7 is stored by an amount by which the port 6 is filled, the vapor of the solvent flows in the chamber 7 through the port 6, and the vapor of the solvent passes through the solvent 8 of the liquid. The device is equipped with a gas pump 5 blowing off the vapor of the solvent which flows in the chamber 7 after solvent liquid flows out from the port 9. A means for separation which is required because a cooling liquid which is not admixed with developer is used is disused and recovery efficiency is improved in comparison with the conventional solvent recovery device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solvent recovery apparatus, and more particularly, to a solvent recovery apparatus for condensing and recovering a vaporized solvent in a liquid developing type electrophotographic printing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Electrophotographic printing apparatuses using liquids are used in printers and copiers. The printing process is performed according to the following procedure.

First, a photosensitive member is charged to a substantially uniform potential. Subsequently, based on the image to be printed, the photoconductor is irradiated with light such as a semiconductor laser. By this exposure, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image to be printed is recorded on the photoconductor. Next, the developer in which the toner and the solvent are mixed wets the photoconductor. The toner adheres to the photoreceptor corresponding to the electrostatic latent image, and the solvent adheres to the entire surface. Subsequently, it passes through a drying device to remove the solvent. As a result, only the toner remains on the photoconductor. The image formed only with the toner is transferred to a printing medium.

[0004] Exhausting the solvent vaporized in the drying apparatus into the atmosphere has adverse effects on the environment and the human body, and various attempts have been made to recover it.

[0005] There are the following two known documents relating to a conventional solvent recovery apparatus.

In JP-A-63-236072, a cooling liquid that is immiscible with the developing liquid is used in order to condense the vaporized developing liquid vapor.

In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-5373,
In order to condense the vaporized developing liquid vapor, a suction means is arranged below the dew of the cooling unit, the vapor is sucked into the cooled housing, the vapor is directly cooled, and dew is condensed on the wall surface.

[0008]

The conventional solvent recovery apparatus described above uses a cooling liquid that is immiscible with the developing liquid in the system disclosed in JP-A-63-236072. There is a problem that the above-mentioned means is required.

In the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-5373, a suction means is arranged below the dew of a cooling unit, steam is sucked into a cooled housing, and dew is formed by directly cooling the steam. Therefore, there is a problem that the collection efficiency is poor.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide a solvent recovery apparatus which does not require means for separation and has improved recovery efficiency.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided a solvent recovery apparatus, wherein a chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port is formed, and a solvent liquid constituting a developing solution is blocked in the chamber. Store as much as possible, the solvent vapor flows into the chamber through the inlet port, and the solvent vapor passes through the solvent liquid, and the solvent liquid flows out of the outlet port. In the solvent recovery apparatus having the above structure, a means for blowing the vapor of the solvent flowing into the chamber is provided.

[0012] The solvent recovery apparatus of the present invention may be provided with means for cooling the solvent liquid stored in the chamber.

[0013] In the solvent recovery apparatus of the present invention, a portion where the inlet port is open to the chamber may be constituted by a plurality of holes.

In the solvent recovery apparatus according to the present invention, the size of the plurality of holes may be smaller than the diameter of the tip of the inlet port.

[0015] The solvent recovery apparatus of the present invention is provided with means for detecting a liquid surface position of the solvent liquid in the chamber, and controlling discharge of an excessive solvent liquid from the chamber, and controlling the amount of the solvent liquid in the chamber. The height may be maintained at an intermediate level between the inlet port and the outlet port.

In the solvent recovery apparatus according to the present invention, the outlet port may be disposed above the inlet port, and the amount of the solvent in the chamber may be maintained above the inlet port.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention.

The solvent recovery device of the present invention comprises a gas pump 5,
It comprises an inlet port 6, a liquefaction chamber 7, a solvent 8, and an outlet port 9. Further, there are a heating element 3 and a vaporization chamber 4 as a solvent vaporizer.

The leading end of the inlet port 6 entering the liquefaction chamber 7 is located lower than the leading end of the outlet port 9. A solvent 8 is stored in the liquefaction chamber 7. The amount of the solvent 8 is at the same position as the tip position of the outlet port 9, and a larger amount of the solvent 8 overflows from the outlet port 9 and is stored in a solvent tank (not shown). The solvent 8 is one component of the developer 2. In other words, the developer 2 is composed of the solvent 8 and a toner (not shown) for forming an image.

The vaporization chamber 4 and the inlet 5a of the gas pump 5 are connected by a pipe 10. The outlet 5b of the gas pump 5 is connected to the inlet port 6.

Next, the operation will be described.

First, the photosensitive belt 1 is charged to a substantially uniform potential. Subsequently, based on the image to be printed, the photosensitive belt 1 is irradiated with light such as a semiconductor laser. By this exposure, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image to be printed is recorded on the photosensitive belt 1. Next, the developer 2 composed of the toner and the solvent 8 wets the photoreceptor belt 1. The toner adheres to the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 corresponding to the electrostatic latent image, and the solvent 8 adheres to the entire surface. Subsequently, the developer 2 on the photoreceptor belt 1 is heated by the heat of the heating element 3 in order to dry and remove the solvent 8 from the photoreceptor belt 1. When the developer 2 is heated, only the solvent 8 having a low boiling point is vaporized. The photoreceptor belt 1 is moved in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 by a motor (not shown) or the like. Although the photoreceptor belt 1 before entering the vaporization chamber 4 is moistened by the developer 2, the solvent 8 is vaporized in the vaporization chamber 4, and the solvent 8 is applied to the photoreceptor belt 1 at a position where the solvent exits the vaporization chamber 4. No residue. That is, only the toner remains on the photosensitive belt 1. The vaporized solvent 8 fills the vaporization chamber 4.

The filled vaporized solvent 8 is sucked by a gas pump 5 through a pipe 10. Then, the liquid is discharged to the liquefaction chamber 7 through the inlet port 6. The vaporized solvent 8 entering the liquefaction chamber 7 rises through the liquid phase solvent 8 of the same substance. Naturally, since the temperature in the liquefied state is lower than that in the vaporized state, the vaporized solvent 8 enters the liquid-phase solvent 8 while being cooled.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention. Parts different from the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 1 will be described.

A plurality of holes 6a are formed at the tip of the inlet port 6 entering the liquefaction chamber 7. This hole 6 a is smaller than the diameter of the inlet port 6.

The vaporized solvent 8 is blown into the liquid solvent 8 from these holes 6a. Since the hole 6a is smaller than in the first embodiment, the size of the bubble is smaller. Therefore, it is possible to liquefy the solvent faster and more efficiently.

Further, by installing a cooling device in the liquefaction chamber 7, more efficient solvent recovery becomes possible.

In order to maintain the liquid level of the solvent 8 between the inlet port 6 and the outlet port 9, a sensor capable of detecting the liquid level of the solvent 8 is provided. When the amount of the solvent 8 is further increased, by providing a discharge device such as a pump for discharging the excess solvent 8 from the liquefaction chamber 7, the amount of the solvent 8 in the liquefaction chamber 7 can be appropriately controlled.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, a chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port is formed, and the solvent liquid constituting the developer is stored in the chamber in an amount sufficient to block the inlet port. The vapor of the solvent flows into the chamber through the inlet port, and the vapor of the solvent passes through the liquid solvent, the liquid solvent flows out of the liquid solvent from the outlet port, and the recovery efficiency is improved. To improve the collection speed,
Since means for injecting the vapor of the solvent liquid flowing into the chamber is provided, a means for separation necessary for using a cooling liquid that is immiscible with the developing liquid is not required,
Further, there is an effect of improving the collection efficiency.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Photoconductor belt 2 Developing solution 3 Heating element 4 Vaporization chamber 5 Gas pump 5a Inlet 5b Outlet 6 Inlet port 6a hole 7 Liquefaction chamber 8 Solvent 9 Outlet port 10 Pipe A Moving direction of photoconductor belt

Claims (8)

[Claims] A chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port is formed, and a solvent liquid constituting a developing solution is stored in the chamber in an amount sufficient to block the inlet port, and the vapor of the solvent is stored in the chamber. The solvent recovery device is configured to flow into the chamber through the inlet port, through which the vapor of the solvent passes through the solvent liquid, and wherein the solvent liquid flows out of the outlet port. And a means for injecting the vapor of the solvent. 2. The solvent recovery device according to claim 1, further comprising means for cooling the solvent liquid stored in the chamber. 3. The solvent recovery device according to claim 1, wherein a portion where the inlet port is opened to the chamber is constituted by a plurality of holes. 4. The solvent recovery device according to claim 3, wherein the size of the plurality of holes is smaller than the diameter of the tip of the inlet port. 5. A means for detecting a liquid surface position of the solvent liquid in the chamber and controlling to discharge an excess solvent liquid from the chamber, wherein the amount of the solvent liquid in the chamber is controlled by the inlet port and the outlet. 5. The solvent recovery device according to claim 1, wherein the height is maintained at an intermediate level with the port. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the outlet port is disposed above the inlet port, and the amount of the solvent in the chamber is maintained above the inlet port. Solvent recovery device. 7. A printer comprising the solvent recovery device according to claim 1. Description: 8. A copier comprising the solvent recovery device according to at least one of claims 1 to 6.