Patent ID: 9492956
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: B29C,B41J

Claim Text:
1. A three-dimensional image forming apparatus comprising: selectively extracts a specific portion from an image to be printed; converting the specific portion into an image of a color having a thermal energy absorptivity higher than portions of the image to be printed other than the specific portion, so as to form a conversion image; printing the conversion image on a foaming layer side surface or a back face of a thermally expandable sheet; forming a three-dimensional image by expanding the forming layer side surface corresponding to the conversion image with thermal energy generated in the printed conversion image by light/heat irradiation on the thermally expandable sheet printed with the conversion image, using a light source unit having a first body portion with a light/heat irradiation temperature set to be lower than a light/heat irradiation temperature of a second body portion; and controlling a first density of a first area in the conversion image of the specific portion corresponding to the first body portion of the light source unit to be higher than a second density of a second area in the conversion image of the specific portion corresponding to the second body portion of the light source unit, whenin a degree of expansion of the thermally expandable sheet is equally set over an area corresponding to the specific portion.