JPS63114673A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable high-quality image recording, particularly, advantageous multicolor recording with a simple construction, by applying a thermal energy modulated according to a recording signal together with an optical energy with a wavelength selected according to a tone. CONSTITUTION:Each image-forming element 31 is hardened through rapid crosslinking when optical energy and thermal energy are applied thereto in addition to a coloring material. A transfer recording medium 1 is set in contact with a thermal head 20, light is so projected as to cover the entire region of a heat generating part of the head 20, and heat generating resistors 20b, 20d, 20e and 20f of the head 20 are energized to generate heat. The image-forming elements 31 in the shaded areas supplied with both heat and light of a wavelength lambda(Y) are hardened. Next, heat and light of a wavelength lambda(M) are applied, and further, light of a wavelength lambda(C) and light of a wavelength lambda(K) are projected to cause desired ones of the heat generating resistors to generate heat, whereby a transfer image is formed in a transfer recording layer 1 by the unhardened image-forming elements 31.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Field) The present invention relates to a recording device such as a printer, a copying machine, or a facsimile.

(Prior Art) In recent years, with the rapid development of the information industry, various information processing systems have been developed, and recording methods and devices suitable for each information processing system have also been developed and adopted. One such recording method is the thermal transfer recording method, which uses a lightweight, compact, and noiseless device.
It has excellent operability and maintainability, and has been widely used recently.

In this thermal transfer recording method, generally, on a sheet-like support,
Using a heat-sensitive transfer medium coated with a heat-transferable ink consisting of a colorant dispersed in a heat-melting binder, this heat-sensitive transfer medium is superimposed on the transfer-receiving medium so that the heat-transferable ink layer is in contact with the transfer-receiving medium. By supplying heat with a thermal head from the support side of the thermal transfer medium and transferring the melted ink layer to the transfer medium, a transfer ink image is formed on the transfer medium according to the shape of the heat supply. be. According to this method, plain paper can be used as the transfer medium.

However, conventional thermal transfer recording methods are not without drawbacks. In the conventional thermal transfer recording method, the transfer recording performance, that is, the printing quality, is greatly affected by the surface smoothness. Good printing is performed on highly smooth transfer media, but when the transfer medium is less smooth, In some cases, the print quality deteriorates significantly. However, even when using paper, which is the most typical transfer medium, highly smooth paper is rather special, and ordinary paper has various degrees of unevenness due to entangled fibers.

Therefore, in the case of paper with large surface irregularities, the hot-melted ink cannot penetrate into the paper fibers during printing and only adheres to the convexities on the surface or the vicinity thereof, resulting in sharp edges of the printed image. The image may be missing, or part of the image may be missing, resulting in a decrease in print quality.

In addition, the transfer of the ink layer to the transfer medium is performed only by heat from the thermal head, but the amount of heat supplied from the thermal head is generally limited, and a large amount of recording signal is generated within a limited short period of time. In order to convert the thermal head into a thermal pulse, it is necessary to cool the thermal head to a predetermined temperature between the thermal pulses during recording, and to prevent thermal crosstalk between the heat-generating segments that make up the thermal head surface. However, it is difficult to increase the amount of heat supplied from the thermal head.

Therefore, high-speed recording is difficult or impossible using conventional thermal transfer recording methods.

In addition, since thermal conduction has a slower response than electricity or light, it is generally difficult to control the heat pulse to the extent that halftones can be reproduced when recording with a thermal head. Since the ink layer does not have a gradation transfer function, halftone recording was not possible.

In addition, with conventional thermal transfer recording methods, only one color image can be obtained with one transfer, so to obtain a multicolor image, the colors must be overlapped by repeating the transfer multiple times. was necessary.

However, it is very difficult to accurately superimpose images of different colors, and it is difficult to obtain images without color shift. In particular, when focusing on a single pixel, colors are rarely superimposed in a single pixel, and in the end, in conventional thermal transfer recording methods, multi-colored images are created by aggregation of pixels with misaligned colors. It was forming an image. For this reason, clear multicolor images cannot be obtained using conventional thermal transfer recording methods.

In addition, when trying to obtain multicolor images using conventional thermal transfer recording methods, it is necessary to install multiple thermal heads or to make complicated movements such as reverse feeding and stopping of the transfer medium, which requires the entire device. This method has drawbacks such as large and complicated data and a decrease in recording speed.

(Objective) An object of the present invention is to provide a recording device that eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art. In particular, the present invention aims to provide a recording apparatus having a control circuit suitable for recording with a thermal head and a light source.

(Embodiment) Next, the principle of the image forming apparatus of this embodiment will be explained.

Figures 2a to 2d are partial diagrams showing the relationship between the multicolor transfer recording medium and the thermal head of this embodiment, in which the thermal energy modulated according to the recording signal is used to change the physical properties governing the transfer characteristics. It is applied along with light energy of a wavelength selected depending on the color tone of the image forming element. "Modulation J" refers to changing the position where energy is applied according to the image signal, and "both" may mean applying light energy and thermal energy at the same time, or applying light energy and thermal energy separately. It is okay if you do.

The multicolor transfer recording medium 1 of this embodiment has a base film 1b
A transfer recording layer 1a is provided thereon. The transfer recording layer 1a is a layer in which minute image forming elements 31 are distributed, and each image forming element 31 exhibits a different color tone. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a to 2d, each image forming material 31 contains any one of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). Contains. However, the coloring material contained in each image forming material 31 is not limited to cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, and any coloring material may be used depending on the purpose.

In addition to the coloring material, each image forming element 31 contains a sensitive component whose physical properties governing transfer characteristics change rapidly when light and heat energy is applied.

The sensitive component of each image forming element 31 has wavelength dependence depending on the coloring material it contains. That is, when the image forming element 31 containing the yellow coloring material is exposed to heat and light having the wavelength λ(Y), crosslinking rapidly progresses and the image forming element 31 is cured. Similarly, the image forming element 31 containing the magenta coloring material is heated, the image forming element 31 containing the cyan coloring material is
When heat and light with a wavelength λ(C) are applied to image forming element 31 containing a black coloring material, crosslinking progresses and hardening occurs when heat and light with a wavelength λ(K) are applied, respectively.

Even when the cured image forming element 31 is heated in the next transfer step, the viscosity does not decrease and the image forming element 31 is not transferred to the transfer medium. Heat and light are applied depending on the recorded information.

Now, the multicolor image forming apparatus using this embodiment connects the transfer recording medium 1 to the thermal head 20.
Light is irradiated to cover the entire area of the heat generating part. The irradiated light has a wavelength that the image forming element body 31 reacts to, and is sequentially irradiated.

For example, the image forming element 31 is cyan and magenta.

If it is colored yellow or black,
Light of wavelengths λ(C), λ(M), λ(Y), and λ(K) is sequentially irradiated.

That is, first, light of wavelength λ(Y) is irradiated from the transfer recording layer 1a side of the multicolor transfer recording medium 1, and the heating resistors 20b, 20d, 20'e, and 20f of the thermal head 20, for example, are caused to generate heat. Then, of the image forming element 31 containing the yellow coloring material, the image forming element 31 to which both heat and light of wavelength λ(Y) are applied (the hatched part in FIG. 2a, below) , the cured image forming element is shown by hatching) is cured.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2b, the transfer recording layer 1a is coated with a wavelength λ(
At the same time, the heating resistors 20a, 20
When e and 20f are generated, the image forming element 31 containing the magenta coloring material, to which the heat and the light having the wavelength λ(M 2 ) have been applied, is cured. Furthermore, the second C
figure.

As shown in Figure 2d, light of wavelength λ(C), light of wavelength λ(K
) is irradiated with light and a desired heating resistor is heated, the image forming element 31 to which the light and heat have been applied is cured, and finally the image forming element 31 that has not been cured forms a transfer recording layer. A transfer image is formed on 1. This transferred image is transferred to the transfer medium 10 in the next transfer step as shown in FIG. 2e.

In the transfer process, the transfer recording medium on which the transferred image has been formed is brought into contact with the transfer medium, and the transferred image is selectively transferred to the transfer medium by heating from the transfer recording medium or the transfer medium side to form an image. do. Therefore, the heating temperature at this time is determined so that only the transferred image is selectively transferred with respect to the physical properties that govern the transfer characteristics. Further, in order to perform the transfer efficiently, it is also effective to apply pressure at the same time. This is particularly effective when applying pressure to a transfer medium with low surface smoothness. Furthermore, if the physical property that governs the transfer characteristics is viscosity at room temperature,
Transfer is possible only by applying pressure.

Furthermore, heating during the transfer process is suitable for obtaining stable, durable, and durable multicolor images.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a recording apparatus.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a transfer recording medium in the form of a long sheet, which is wound into a roll and used as a supply roll 2 in the apparatus main body M.
It is removably incorporated into the.

That is, this supply roll 2 is removably loaded onto a rotatable shaft 2a provided in the main body M of the apparatus.

Therefore, first, the leading edge of this transfer recording medium 1 is transferred to the supply roll 2.
It passes through the guide roller 14a1, the thermal head 20, and the heat roller 4a, and is changed direction from between the transfer roller 5a and the pressure roller 5b by the peeling roller 6 and the guide roller 14b to reach the winding roll 7, and the tip thereof is wound. It is secured to the take-up roll 7 by means such as a gripper (not shown).

Thereafter, by driving and rotating the take-up roll 7 by a known driving means, the transfer recording medium 1 is fed out in the direction of arrow a, and is sequentially wound around the circumferential surface of the take-up roll 7.

Note that during the winding, a certain back tension is applied to the supply roll 2 by, for example, a hysteresis brake (not shown), and this tension, the guide roller 14a, and the heat roller 4a cause the transfer recording medium 1 to be thermally It is configured to be conveyed while being pressed against the head 20 at a constant pressure and at a constant angle.

Furthermore, the transfer recording medium 1 is in pressure contact with the thermal head 20.
Fluorescent lamps 3a, 3b,
Slit plate 3e so that light is directly irradiated on 3c and 3d.
, 3f are provided at a distance of about 0.5 mm from the transfer recording medium 1, and the opening width is 1.2 mm.

Next, the non-transfer means 4 is disposed downstream of the recording section 3 in the transport direction of the transfer recording medium 1, and contacts the support 1a side of the transfer recording medium 1 to uniformly spread it. A heat roller 4a that heats the ink layer lb and a light source 4b that irradiates light onto the ink layer 1b are disposed to face each other. Further, a light shielding plate 4d having a slit 4c with a width of 3 mm is disposed between the light source 4b and the transfer recording medium 1, so that the light from the light source 4b passes through the slit 4C and comes into contact with the heat roller 4a. It is designed so that it does not irradiate areas other than the transfer recording medium where it is located.

The light from the light source 4b has a wavelength that causes the photoinitiator to react with the photoinitiator, and is configured to blink according to the conveyance of the transfer recording medium 1 by a signal from a control section (not shown).

Next, the transfer section 5 will be explained. The transfer section 5 is disposed downstream of the non-transfer means 4 in the conveyance direction of the transfer recording medium 1, and is in pressure contact with a transfer roller 5a which is driven and rotated in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. Pressure roller 5
It is composed of b. The transfer roller 5a is
It consists of an aluminum roller whose surface is covered with silicone rubber with a thickness of 1 mm and a hardness of 70 degrees, and a built-in 80 mm roller.
The surface is heated to 90~100 by using 0W halogen heater 5C.
It is configured to be maintained at ℃.

The pressure roller 5b is made of an aluminum roller made of silicone rubber with a hardness of 70 degrees, and has a pressure of 6 to 7 kg f by pressure means (not shown) such as a spring. / cm is set.

Furthermore, recording paper 9 as a recording medium loaded in the cassette 8
As the transfer recording medium 1 is conveyed, a feed motor (not shown) is driven to move the feed roller 10 shown in FIG. Register roller pair 11a.

11b, and at this time, the leading edge of the recording paper 9 is detected by a registration sensor consisting of a light emitting element 12a and a light receiving element 12b, and the recording paper 9 is conveyed by one tatami mat in the image forming area formed on the transfer recording medium 1. It is configured to be controlled and conveyed.

Then, in accordance with the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black image signals, the thermal head 20 is controlled to form a negative image on the transfer recording layer 1b in the manner described above, and the image is transferred over 200 m.
The transfer recording medium 1 is stopped and fed synchronously at a repeating period of s/1 i, ne.

Further, when the transfer recording medium 1 on which the image has been formed as described above passes through the non-transfer means 4, the transfer recording layer 1b outside the image forming area is processed to become non-transferable.

Then, light energy is applied by controlling the blinking of the light source 4b, and thermal energy is applied from the heat roller 4a to make the transfer recording layer 1b other than the image forming area non-transferable.

The transfer recording medium 1 and the recording paper 9 are superimposed on each other in the transfer section 5, and the two are heated and pressed together to transfer the image formed on the transfer recording medium 1 onto the recording paper 9.

As described above, a transfer image of two colors, red and black, is recorded on the recording paper 9, and since the exposed portion of the transfer recording layer 1b has non-transferability, this portion comes into contact with the pressure roller 5b. However, the transfer recording layer does not adhere to the roller 5b.

Thereafter, the recording paper 9 on which the image has been transferred is separated from the transfer recording medium 1 by a separation roller 6, and is ejected by an ejection tray 13.

As described above, it is possible to perform four-color recording in one shot without attaching a transfer recording layer to the pressure roller 5b or the like.

Next, the thermal head 20 and lamp 3a.

A control circuit for controlling 3b, 3c, and 3d as described above will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Figure 3 is a control circuit diagram, 100 is the overall controller,
114a to 114d are drivers for the lamps 3a to 3d, respectively; 115a to 115d are line memories for storing data for one line of yellow Y1 magenta M, cyan C1 black, respectively.

105.106 is the or gate.

- Image data for each color for a line is stored in the line memory 115a
~115d, and the respective read clock signals TCLK
The signals Y to TCLKK are read out and sequentially supplied to the line memory 120 of the thermal head 20 via the OR gate 106.

The data in the line memory 120 is transferred to the latch circuit 1 by the strobe signal 5TROBE from the controller 100.
It is latched at 25. And the thermal head 20 is
Controller 1 synchronized with strobe signal 5 TROBE
Heat is generated based on the latched data only during the period of the enable signal ENABLE from 00.

Then, while the thermal head 20 is generating heat, data for the next color is stored in the line memory 120, and recording operations are sequentially performed.

On the other hand, the lamps 3a to 3d for each color are turned on by a signal LAMPON synchronized with the strobe signal 5TROBH.

Therefore, the turning on of the lamp 3a and the recording of the Y signal of the thermal head are synchronized, and similarly the recording of the Y signal of the thermal head and the M signal 3b.

The signals are synchronized with 3C, C signal, and 3d.

In the manner described above, four-color recording in Y, M, and C is possible.

It is not limited to four colors, but three colors of Y, M, and C, or two colors of red and black, etc. can be similarly realized.

(Effects) As described above, high quality image recording can be performed with a simple configuration. This is especially advantageous when used for multi-color recording.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the recording device of this embodiment, and FIGS.
FIG. e is an explanatory diagram of the recording process of this embodiment, FIG. 3 is a control circuit diagram of this embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a signal waveform diagram of each part of FIG. 3.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A line memory that stores multiple types of image signals in raster format,
A thermal head that generates heat in response to an image signal from a line memory, multiple types of light sources with different spectral distributions, and a type of light source selected according to the type of image signal generated by energizing the thermal head and turned on. 1. A recording device comprising a control circuit for controlling