Non-fixing type image receiving sheet, method and device for cleaning convexity of non-fixing type image receiving sheet, convexity-cleaning unit, and method and apparatus for forming toner image on image receiving sheet

A convexity-cleaning device for removing toner adhering to a convexity or convexities of an irregular surface of a non-fixing type image receiving sheet, the irregular surface including at least one concavity for receiving the toner and at least one convexity for protecting the toner received in the concavity, the non-fixing type image receiving sheet being for carrying a toner image to be formed on the irregular surface by removably adhering the toner to the concavity or concavities of the irregular surface, the convexity-cleaning device comprising:

• a cleaning member having a contact surface to be in contact with the convexity or convexities of the irregular surface of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet;
• a first driving device for relatively moving the non-fixing type image receiving sheet with respect to the cleaning member;
• and
• a second driving device for moving the contact surface of the cleaning member;
• wherein
• the contact surface of the cleaning member is brought into contact with the convexity or convexities when removing the toner adhering to the convexity or convexities of the irregular surface of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet;
• the non-fixing type image receiving sheet is moved by the first driving device relatively to the cleaning member so that the irregular surface of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet moves relatively to the cleaning member at a first surface moving speed when removing the toner;
• the contact surface of the cleaning member is moved by the second driving device at a second surface moving speed when removing the toner;
• and
• a difference is made between the first and second surface moving speeds.

A convexity-cleaning method for cleaning a convexity or convexities of an irregular surface of a non-fixing type image receiving sheet, the irregular surface including at least one concavity for receiving toner and at least one convexity for protecting the toner received in the concavity, the non-fixing type image receiving sheet being for carrying a toner image to be formed on the irregular surface by removably adhering the toner to the concavity or concavities of the irregular surface, wherein

• the toner adhering to a top portion of the convexity is removed with a cleaning roller having a contact surface to be in contact with the top portion of the convexity, and thereby the convexity of the irregular surface of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet carrying the toner image formed thereon is cleaned;
• the contact surface of the cleaning roller is brought into contact with the top portion of the convexity while rotating the cleaning roller when removing the toner;
• and
• the top portion of the convexity of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet and the contact surface of the cleaning roller satisfy:
• Fw1<Fw2
• where Fw1 is Van Der Waals force between the top portion of the convexity and the toner adhering thereto, and Fw2 is Van Der Waals force between the contact surface of the cleaning roller and the toner adhering to the top portion of the convexity.

A convexity-cleaning method for cleaning a convexity or convexities of an irregular surface of a non-fixing type image receiving sheet, the irregular surface including at least one concavity for receiving toner and at least one convexity for protecting the toner received in the concavity, the non-fixing type image receiving sheet being for carrying a toner image to be formed on the irregular surface by removably adhering the toner to the concavity or concavities of the irregular surface, wherein

• the toner adhering to a top portion of the convexity is removed with a cleaning roller having a contact surface to be in contact with the top portion of the convexity, and thereby the convexity of the irregular surface of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet carrying the toner image formed thereon is cleaned;
• the contact surface of the cleaning roller is brought into contact with the top portion of the convexity while rotating the cleaning roller when removing the toner;
• and
• the top portion of the convexity of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet and the contact surface of the cleaning roller satisfy:
• Fe1<Fe2
• where Fe1 is an electrostatic attracting force between the top portion of the convexity and the toner adhering thereto, and Fe2 is an electrostatic attracting force between the contact surface of the cleaning roller and the toner adhering to the top portion of the convexity.

A convexity-cleaning method for cleaning a convexity or convexities of an irregular surface of a non-fixing type image receiving sheet, the irregular surface including at least one concavity for receiving toner and at least one convexity for protecting the toner received in the concavity, the non-fixing type image receiving sheet being for carrying a toner image to be formed on the irregular surface by removably adhering the toner to the concavity or concavities of the irregular surface, wherein

• the toner adhering to a top portion of the convexity is removed with a cleaning roller having a contact surface to be in contact with the top portion of the convexity, and thereby the convexity of the irregular surface of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet carrying the toner image formed thereon is cleaned;
• the contact surface of the cleaning roller is brought into contact with the top portion of the convexity while rotating the cleaning roller when removing the toner;
• and
• the top portion of the convexity of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet and the contact surface of the cleaning roller satisfy:
• Fb1<Fb2
• where Fb1 is a water bridging force between the top portion of the convexity and the toner adhering thereto, and Fb2 is a water bridging force between the contact surface of the cleaning roller and the toner adhering to the top portion of the convexity.

A convexity-cleaning method for cleaning a convexity or convexities of an irregular surface of a non-fixing type image receiving sheet, the irregular surface including at least one concavity for receiving toner and at least one convexity for protecting the toner received in the concavity, the non-fixing type image receiving sheet being for carrying a toner image to be formed on the irregular surface by removably adhering the toner to the concavity or concavities of the irregular surface, wherein

• the toner adhering to a top portion of the convexity is removed with a cleaning roller having a contact surface to be in contact with the top portion of the convexity, and thereby the convexity of the irregular surface of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet carrying the toner image formed thereon is cleaned;
• the contact surface of the cleaning roller is brought into contact with the top portion of the convexity while rotating the cleaning roller when removing the toner;
• and
• a surface of the top portion of the convexity of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet has a center line average height in the range of 0.2 μm to 1.0 μm.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a toner image forming device for forming a toner image both on an ordinary image receiving sheet and on a non-fixing type image receiving sheet, the non-fixing type image receiving sheet having an irregular surface including at least one concavity for receiving toner and at least one convexity for protecting the toner adhering to the concavity, the non-fixing type image receiving sheet being for carrying the toner image to be formed on the irregular surface by removably adhering the toner to the concavity or concavities of the irregular surface;
• and
• a unit-fit part arranged at downstream side of the toner image forming device in a sheet feed direction;
• wherein
• any one of a fixing unit and a convexity-cleaning unit can detachably fit to the unit-fit part, and thereby one of the fixing unit and the convexity-cleaning unit fitted to the unit-fit part can be exchanged to the other, the fixing unit being for fixing the toner image formed on the ordinary image receiving sheet to the ordinary image receiving sheet, the convexity-cleaning unit being for removing the toner adhering to the convexity of the irregular surface of the non-fixing type image receiving sheet.