EP0111297B1 - Thermischer Druckapparat - Google Patents

Thermischer Druckapparat Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0111297B1
EP0111297B1 EP83112272A EP83112272A EP0111297B1 EP 0111297 B1 EP0111297 B1 EP 0111297B1 EP 83112272 A EP83112272 A EP 83112272A EP 83112272 A EP83112272 A EP 83112272A EP 0111297 B1 EP0111297 B1 EP 0111297B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
printing medium
light
thermal printing
printing apparatus
printing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP83112272A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0111297A3 (en
EP0111297A2 (de
Inventor
Kimiyoshi Arai
Shigeki Kimata
Hiroyuki Takamatsu
Yuichi Kozuchi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Toshiba Corp
Original Assignee
Toshiba Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP57214849A external-priority patent/JPS59104960A/ja
Priority claimed from JP23068382A external-priority patent/JPS59123681A/ja
Application filed by Toshiba Corp filed Critical Toshiba Corp
Publication of EP0111297A2 publication Critical patent/EP0111297A2/de
Publication of EP0111297A3 publication Critical patent/EP0111297A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0111297B1 publication Critical patent/EP0111297B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03C—PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR, STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
    • G03C5/00—Photographic processes or agents therefor; Regeneration of such processing agents
    • G03C5/18—Diazo-type processes, e.g. thermal development, or agents therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B1/00—Machines for printing and issuing tickets

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a thermal printing apparatus for making a print on a printing medium which develops color by the heat applied, but loses the color developing function when it is exposed to light.
  • the thermal printing apparatuses have widely been used for printing passenger tickets in the field of transportation such as railroads and buses, securities issued in banking organs, and certificates issued in government offices.
  • the printing medium develops color when it is heated to form an image such as characters, graphical configuration, etc.
  • the printing medium is unable to develop color when exposed to light. Because of this nature, if the printing medium is exposed to light after an image is formed thereon, the non-image-formed portion (non-color-developed portion) of the printing medium never produces color, vis. the formed image is fixed.
  • a xenon flash lamp is used as a light source, and in the fixing process it instantaneously fixes the image formed with the flash light.
  • the xenon flash lamp makes large the size of the thermal printing apparatus for the following reasons.
  • a large capacitor capable of storing large energy must be used for discharging the flash lamp, leading to increase of the size of the apparatus. Since the capacitor is charged up to a high tension voltage 800 V, there is danger of electric shock to human body. If some measure is taken for avoiding such danger, it also contributes to the increase of the size. Further, the light rays emitted from the flash lamp include much ultraviolet rays, Such rays must be shielded for the safety of human. This also results in the increase of the size.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide a small-sized thermal printing apparatus with a good safety and a reliable fixing performance.
  • a thermal printing apparatus comprising thermal printing means for selectively heating a printing medium which develops color with heat applied and loses its color developing function by light applied, thereby to form an image on the printing medium, and photo-fixing means for illuminating the printing medium bearing the image formed by said thermal printing means with light, thereby to disable the color development in the portions not heated of the printing medium, characterized in that said photo-fixing means irradiates light which appears continuous to the naked eye with a wavelength from 300 to 400 nm, and that said printing medium is coated with a diazonium compound sensitive to the irradiated light.
  • a printing medium is a commutation ticket widely used in railroads or buses, for example.
  • a cross section of the printing medium is illustrated in Fig. 1.
  • Some of the commutation tickets are sealed with a transparent film by a laminating process, but the commutation ticket used here is of a called sealless type.
  • the printing medium has a three- layer structure that a heatsensitive color developing layer 12 and a magnetic recording layer 14 are layered on both sides of a base 10, such as a sheet or plastic plate.
  • the heatsensitive color developing layer 12 gives rise to color when it is heated and forms an image thereon.
  • the heatsensitive color developing layer 12 loses the color developing function when it is exposed to light. This indicates that the image formed on the heatsensitive color developing layer 12 is fixed when it is exposed to light.
  • a photosensing characteristic of the heat-sensitive color developing layer 12 is so selected that an absorption wavelength region is centered in a range 300 to 450 nm. This is because that the heat sensitive color developing layer 12 is insensitive to flash light, but sensitive to the light which appears continuous to the naked eye, for example, the light emitted from the fluorescent lamp, and insensitive to the light emitted from ordinary room lamps. The light rays, which appears continuous to the naked eye will be herein called normal light, to thereby distinguish it from flash light.
  • a ground design may be thinly printed on the surface of the heatsensitive color developing layer 12.
  • a ticket available section, a valid period, name, age, etc. are printed on the surface of the heatsensitive color developing layer 12.
  • the magnetic recording layer 14 also stores the information as those printed on the heat-sensitive color developing layer 12 in a coded form.
  • the heatsensitive color developing layer 12 is a diazo photosensitive layer of the thermodeveloping type comprising a diazonium compound, a coupling agent, a base yielding agent, which is transformed into bases by the heat applied, and a stabilizer such as an organic acid.
  • a diazo photosensitive layer is used as a photosensitive sheet, a non-image formation portion of the photosensitive sheet is selectively exposed to light, so that the diazonium compound thereon is optically decomposed. Then, the entire photosensitive sheet is heated at temperature 100 to 200°C.
  • the base yielding agent in the layer is pyrolyzed into bases, and the not pyrolyzed diazonium compound and the coupling agent in an image formation portion thermochemically react with each other, yield color azo dyes.
  • the image formation on the diazo photosensitive layer is also possible by heating.
  • the diazo photosensitive layer is heated according to a configuration of an image to be formed. Through this heating process, the diazonium compound and the coupling agent in the heated portion thermochemically react with each other. Then, the diazo photosensitive layer is entirely illuminated with normal light, for example, the light emitted from the fluorescent lamp. Under this illumination, the unreactive diazonium compounds are optically decompsed. After the decomposition, no color is developed even if it is further heated.
  • the reaction formulae are
  • 1.5 wt.% of zinc chloride double salt of N,N dimethylamino paraaniline diazonium chlorite is dissolved into 1.5 wt.% of methanol, and is filtered to remove most of the zinc chloride. Then, it is added with 1 wt.% of acrylic acid - methaacrylic ester copolymer resin. The obtained coating agent is applied to a paper and the coated paper is dried.
  • the surface of the resin layer containing the photosensitive diazonium compound is coated and dried with another coating agent in which 2 wt.% of naphthol AS-D as a coupling agent, 2 wt.% of urea as a base yielding agent, and 3 wt.% of butyl rubber and 1 wt.% of ester gum as a binder are dispersed into benzine.
  • thermodeveloping diazo photosensitive paper is heated, by a thermal head, for example, to 70 to 90°C according to a configuration of a picture to be formed.
  • the diazonium compound and the coupling agent in the resin layer thermochemically react with each other to yield color dyes, resulting in a coloration configured according to the picture.
  • the photosensitive paper is illuminated with light from the fluorescent lamp, so that the diazonium compound is optically decompsed. Therefore, even if the photosensitive paper is heated again, coloration never occurs in the non-image formation portion in the paper.
  • a coupling accelerating agent such as steroamide, an accelerating agent for accelerating the pyrolysis of the steroamide, such as stearic acid zinc, and a stabilizer for preventing the coupling in storage such as ascorbic acid are dispersed into a solvent including a diazo compound stabilized in a double salt with a polyvalent metal salt such as zinc chloride and a coupling agent containing ⁇ -naphthol and its derivative.
  • a paper is coated.
  • the coupling is carried out between the diazo compound and the coupling agent, when the coated paper is heated.
  • normal light is used as in the previous example.
  • FIG. 3A the heatsensitive color developing layer 12 is selectively heated by a dot type thermal head or a thermal stamp according to a configuration of an image to be printed.
  • arrows as indicated by solid lines indicate conduction or radiation heat.
  • the heated portions of the heatsensitive color developing layer 12 develop color as indicated by black painted portions.
  • the diazonium compounds as decomposed lie as indicated by dotted portions.
  • the entire surface of the heatsensitive color developing layer 12 is illuminated with normal light (arrows as indicated by broken lines).
  • the diazonium compound in the unheated portion is optically decomposed, so that a further coloration is impossible, and the image formed by the heating is fixed.
  • the white portions in Fig. 3B indicate the portion where the diazonium compound is optically decomposed to disappear.
  • FIG. 4 illustrate in cross-sectional form an overall structure of the thermal printing apparatus.
  • This apparatus generally comprises a feeder section 20, a thermal printing section 22, a photo-fixing section 24, a magnetic recording section 26 and a discharge section 28.
  • the feeder section 20 is so designed that it accepts both the printing mediums cut in a definite form like cards and a continuous rolled printing medium.
  • a batch of card like printing mediums 30 is stored in a hopper 32 and is taken out sheet by sheet from the lower part of the hopper 32 by a combination of a picker 34 and a roller 36, which are provided below the hopper 32, and transported outside from the feeder section 20 through a first take-out path 38.
  • a rolled printing medium 40 disposed under the hopper 32, is cut to a predetermined size and is transported outside through a second take-out path 44.
  • Each of the first and second take-out paths 38 and 44 includes a pair of endless belts each with a wide width which endlessly rotate. In transferring the printing medium, the pair of the endless belts rotate, while nipping the printing medium therebetween.
  • Input sensors 46 and 48 for sensing the passage of the printing medium are provided in the middle of the first and second take-out paths 38 and 44, respectively. The thermal printing is carried out in synchronism with the sensing by the input sensors 46 and 48.
  • the feeder section 20 is housed in a housing 50 with a light shielding ability, since the printing mediums 30 and 40 can not be printed if it is exposed to light.
  • an empty detector 52 is provided near lower part of the hopper 32.
  • the empty detector 52 provided in a holder 54, comprises a spring 56, a rod 58, and a microswitch 60.
  • the spring 56 presses the rod 58 toward the hopper 32. Normally, however, the pressing against the rod 58 is constrained by the printing mediums 30 stacked in the hopper 32.
  • the microswitch 60 is in contact with the end of the rod 58.
  • the rod 58 is detached from the microswitch 60.
  • the printing medium taken out from the hopper 32 is not used for the regular printing but for printing statistical characters, as will be described later.
  • a remainder detector 62 for detecting the remainder of the printing medium in the hopper 32 is located at the middle height of the hopper 32.
  • the first and second take-out paths 38 and 44 meet each other in the vicinity of an outlet hole of the feeder section 20.
  • the thermal printing section 22 comprises a thermal head 64 and a platen roller 66, which are oppositely disposed with respect to the transfer path of the printing medium.
  • the thermal head 64 also shields the printing medium from light.
  • the printing medium of course, is transported with the heatsensitive color developing layer facing the thermal head 64, i.e. upward as viewed in the drawing.
  • the thermal head 64 with the printing surface facing the platen roller 66 is pushed toward the platen roller 66, by an appropriate resilient member.
  • the platen roller 66 transports the printing medium at a given speed pressing the printing medium against the printing surface of the thermal head 64.
  • the thermal head 64 selectively heats the heatsensitive color developing layer 12 to develop color, as shown in Fig. 3A.
  • the printing medium color developed by the thermal printing section 22 is transferred to the photo-fixing section 24 having fluorescent lamps 68A, 68B, 68C, 68D, 68E, 68F as a light source.
  • the photo-fixing section 24 is provided near the thermal printing section 22. This leads to a size reduction of the apparatus and reduces a time period from the end of printing to the end of fixing. Further, since the normal light source, notthe flash lamp, is used for the light source, the increase of the size of the apparatus is prevented. Further, the operation of the apparatus is safety since there are no application of a high tension and a large dosage of ultraviolet rays.
  • the fluorescent lamps 68A to 68F are specially designed so that an intensity of the light emitted is high in the region of the wavelength from 300 to 450 nm so as to satisfy the fixing sensitivity characteristic of the heatsensitive color developing layer 12.
  • These six fluorescent lamps 68A to 68F are arranged orthogonal to the transfer direction of the printing medium 30, as illustrated in a plan view of Fig. 6A. Since one fluorescent lamp is much smaller than the printing medium 30, a plurality of fluorescent lamps must be arranged in order to uniformly illuminate the printing medium. If the fluorescent lamps are arranged along the transfer direction of the printing medium, as shown in Fig. 68, the portions of the printing medium corresponding to the spaces each adjacent fluorescent lamps are insufficiently illuminated.
  • the transfer path is longer by the length corresponding to the non-illumination parts.
  • the group of the fluorescent lamps are not necessary orthogonal to the transfer path, but a slight amount of inclination of the lamps to the transfer path is allowed.
  • the fluorescent area of the fluorescent lamps 68A to 68F is larger than the area of the printing medium.
  • a length 1 1 (Fig. 4) of the lamps 68A to 68F along the transfer path is longer than the length 1 2 (Fig. 7) along the transfer path of the printing medium 30 (1 1 > 1 2 ).
  • An effective fluorescent length 1 3 of one fluorescent lamp 68 (length of the fluorescent lamp except the length of the blackened parts BE of the fluorescent lamp when it is lit for a long time), is also longer than the width 1 4 of the printing medium 30 (1 3 > 1 4 ).
  • the effective fluorescent lengths 1 3 of the fluorescent lamps slightly vary. However, this length variation is negligible if is - 1 4 ? 10 mm (1 5 is the filament length), it is empirically showed that a satisfactory fixing is ensured.
  • the fluorescent lamp of the aperture type As shown in Fig. 8A.
  • This fluorescent lamp except a necessary projection window 78 (angle a), is coated with reflecting film and fluorescent material or a reflecting fluorescent material 80.
  • the preferable angle a is 70 to 120° in order to ensure an efficient projection of fluorescent light.
  • the projection windows 78 of the fluorescent lamps 68 In use of the aperture type fluorescent lamps 68, the projection windows 78 of the fluorescent lamps 68 must be aligned in the same direction.
  • the fluorescent lamps 68 with a fixed relative angle of cap terminal pins 82 to a center of the projection window 78, as shown in Fig. 8B, and further to use connectors 86 with lined holes 84 for holding the cap terminal pins 82.
  • a reflecting mirror 88 above the fluorescent lamps (Fig. 4).
  • the reflecting mirror 88 is preferably provided with photosensors 90A, 90B, 90C, 90D, 90E, 90F corresponding to the fluorescent lamps 68A to 68F, in order to compensate for the decrease of emitting light amount.
  • the photosensor 90 and the fluorescent lamp 68 are interconnected, as shown in Fig. 9.
  • the output signal from the photosensor 90 is applied through an amplifier 92 to a comparator 94 where it is compared with a reference level Vt,,.
  • the output signal of the comparator 94 is supplied to a switch 96 provided in a current path for lamp current increment.
  • Reference numeral 98 designates a switch for lighting the fluorescent lamp.
  • the illumination of the fluorescent lamp reduces in winter.
  • a temperature sensor is provided and the lamp current or the power voltage is controlled on the basis of the result of the temperature sensed, thereby to prevent the imperfect fixing.
  • the fluorescent lamp 68 is turned on at the start of the printing work, and is turned off at the end of the work, frequent turn on and off operations are avoidable, elongating a lifetime of the fluorescent lamp.
  • Use of a rapid start tube or a rapid type starter could light the fluorescent lamp quickly, for about one second, enabling the thermal printing apparatus to be ready for use instantly.
  • Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of a transfer mechanism of the photo-fixing section 24.
  • Two pairs of take-in belts 100 and 102 respectively comprise upper endless belts 100A and 102A and lower endless belts 100B and 102B, which transfer the thermally printed printing medium 30 from the thermal printing section 22 to the photo-fixing section 24 while nipping the printing medium 30.
  • the lower belts 100B and 102B are provided extending to the photo-fixing section 24, and carry the printing medium 30 released from the upper belts 100A and 102A.
  • a moving table 104 which is movable vertically and horizontally, is provided below the lower belts 100B and 102B.
  • the trailing edge of the printing medium 30 is appropriately set by a backup hook 106 projecting from the moving table 104, thereby ensuring a reliable transfer of the printing medium 30.
  • the printing medium 30 travels and stops for several seconds or slows down at the location near the center of a fluorescent lamp box 108 disposed above the photo-fixing section 24, for ensuring a perfect fixing. Then, the printing medium 30 together with the moving table 104 moves to the entrance of two pairs of take-out belts 110 and 112 comprising upper belts 110A and 112A and lower belts 1108 and 112B. Then, the printing medium 30 is transferred to the endlessly running take-out belts 110 and 112.
  • a sensor for sensing the passage of the printing medium 30 is provided between the take-out belts 110 and 112, which are provided at the outlet of the photo-fixing section 24.
  • the output signal from the sensor is used for stopping the light emission of the fluorescent lamp, and in cooperation with the input senors in the feeder section 20 detects a jam.
  • the magnetic recording section 26 is provided downstream of the photo-fixing section 24.
  • the same contents as those thermally printed are recorded, by means of a recording head 114, into the magnetic recording layer 14 of the printing medium after it is fixed.
  • a playback head 116 is also provided on the transfer path in the magnetic recording section 26 to check whether or not the magnetic recording is properly done.
  • the discharge section 28 with first and second discharge ports 118 and 119 is further provided downstream of the magnetic recording section 26. The printed matter is directed to either of these first and second discharge ports by a directing gate 122 which swings according to the data read out by the playback head 116.
  • the printing medium is directed to the first discharge port 118, while if it is improper, the printing medium, to the second discharge port 119.
  • the printing medium used is a sheet like one.
  • data to be printed (Fig. 2) is input by key operations on a keyboard (not shown), as shown in a step 1000.
  • a step 1005 a sheet of the printing medium is picked out from the hopper 32.
  • the detection of decrease of the printing mediums stored in the hopper by the remainder detector 62 is judged in a step 1010, and if no decrease of the printing mediums is detected, a step 1035 is immediately executed.
  • the result of detection by the empty detector 52 is judged in a step 1015.
  • step 1035 is executed.
  • the data for discarding processing is prepared as the printing data in stead of the data input in the step 1000. The discarding process will subsequently be described.
  • a step 1035 is executed following the step 1030. In the step 1035, it is judged whether or not the printing medium has passed the input sensor 46. If it has passed, in a step 1040, the heatsensitive color developing layer 12 of the printing medium is selectively heated and color-developed according to the data input in the step 1000.
  • the fluorescent lamps 68A to 68F are turned on to disable the subsequent coloration of the heatsensitive color developing layer 12, as indicated by a step 1045.
  • the light emitting amounts of the fluorescent lamps 68A to 68F are respectively sensed by the photosensors 90A to 90F.
  • the process flows to a step 1060. If it is insufficient, as in a step 1055, the lamp current is increased and the process flows to a step 1060.
  • the increase of the lamp current is performed by the circuit shown in Fig. 9.
  • an alarm is issued for notifying a replacement of the defective fluorescent lamp to an operator.
  • the same data as the thermally printed data is coded and recorded into the magnetic recording layer 14.
  • the printing medium is directed to either of the first and second discharge ports 118 and 120.
  • the ordinary commutation ticket issuing processing ends.
  • normal light source e.g. the fluorescent lamp
  • the fixing light source e.g. the fluorescent lamp
  • the fixing light amount is detected, there is eliminated a danger that the fixing is unsatisfactory and the printed characters/numerals may be altered.
  • the printing medium is shielded from light before the thermal printing, there is no case that the printing medium is disabled in the color developing before the thermal printing.
  • FIG. 13 shows a cross section of the photo-fixing section 24 in the second embodiment.
  • an auxiliary fluorescent lamp 120 is provided in addition to the regular fluorescent lamps 68A to 68F.
  • the auxiliary fluorescent lamp 120 is provided at the last place as viewed in the traveling direction of the printing medium.
  • the auxiliary fluorescent lamp 120 may be provided in the discharge port 118, as shown in Fig. 14. According to this arrangement, since the inside of the first discharge port 118 is illuminated, one rearely fails to pick up the prepared commutation ticket.
  • Fig. 15 shows a lighting circuit for the fluorescent lamps containing the auxiliary fluorescent lamp 120.
  • the regular fluorescent lamp 68 is connected to an AC power source 124, and the auxiliary fluorescent lamp 120 is connected through a relay switch 126 to the same.
  • a photosensor 90 for sensing a total amount of the light emitted from the regular fluorescent lamp 68 produces an output signal which in turn is supplied to a comparator 130 via an amplifier 128.
  • the comparator 130 compares the output signal of the photosensor 90 with a reference level Vth.
  • the output of the comparator 130 is supplied to the gate of a thyristor 132 to connect the anode of the thyristor 132 to the relay switch 126.
  • the relay switch 126 is also connected to a driver 138 for driving an alarm lamp 134 and an alarm buzzer 136.
  • the photosensor 90 produces a signal in a level representing the total amount of the light emitted from the regular fluorescent lamp 68. As the light amount is larger, the signal level is lower. On the other hand, as the light amount is smaller, the signal level is higher. Assume now that the total amount of the light from the regular fluorescent lamp 68 decreases, and the output signal level of the photosensor 90 rises, and further that the output signal of the amplifier 128 rises as shown in Fig. 16A to reach the reference level Vt,, as indicated by a broken line shown in Fig. 16A.
  • the output signal from the comparator 130 is in "1" level as shown in Fig. 16B, so that the thyristor 132 is turned on as shown in Fig. 16C.
  • the relay switch 126 is conducted to light the auxiliary fluorescent lamp 120 to increase the amount of the fixing light.
  • the driver 138 is energized to sound the alarm buzzer 136 and to lit the alarm lamp 134 to notify the decrease of the fixing light amount from the regulator fluorescent lamps 68 to an operator.
  • FIG. 17 A modification of the photo-fixing section is shown in Fig. 17.
  • the moving table for backup of Fig. 10 is not used, but the transfer belt 142 per se is magnetized alternately S, N, S, N, ... along its extension.
  • the magnetized belt 142 rotates endlessly, the magnetic recording layer is attracted by the belt to ensure the transfer of the printing medium.
  • the photosensors are not provided for the fluorescent lamps, respectively, sufficient is the use of only a single photosensor 146 to which the light of the fluorescent lamps is led by an optical fiber 144.
  • Fig. 18 shows another modification of the transfer mechanism in the photo-fixing section.
  • a moving table of which the surface is magnetized is provided movable along guide rails 150 and 152 by means of a motor 154. Also this modification can reliably transfer the printing medium by the magnetic force. Further, the printing medium is not limited to the commutation ticket, but may be any other things.

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Claims (13)

1. Thermischer Druckapparat, umfassend eine Thermodruckeinrichtung (22) für wahlweises Erwärmen eines Druckmediums, welches bei angelegter Wärme Farbe entwickelt und durch angelegtes Licht seine Farbentwicklungsfunktion verliert, um dadurch ein Bild auf dem Druckmedium zu bilden, und eine Photofixiereinrichtung (24) zum Bestrahlen des Druckmediums, welches das von der Thermodruckeinrichtung (22) gebildete Bild trägt, mit Licht, um dadurch Farbentwicklung in den nicht erwärmten Teilen des Druckmediums unwirksam zu machen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Photofixiereinrichtung (24) Licht abstrahlt, welches dem bloßen Auge kontinuierlich erscheint und eine Wellenlänge von 300 bis 450 nm hat, und daß das Druckmedium mit einer Diazoniumverbindung überzogen oder beschichtet ist, die gegenüber dem abgestrahlten Licht empfindlich ist.
2. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Druckmedium gegenüber dem Licht abgeschirmt ist, bis das Druckmedium durch die Thermodruckeinrichtung (22) erwärmt ist.
3. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Druckmedium wie eine Karte gestaltet ist, eine Mehrzahl dieser Druckmedien in einem Trichter gespeichert und Blatt für Blatt der Thermodruckeinrichtung (22) zugeführt wird, und das oberste dieser Druckmedien nicht für gewöhnliches Drucken verwendet wird.
4. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Photofixiereinrichtung (24) eine Mehrzahl von Fluoreszenzlampen aufweist, die in einem Winkel mit Bezug auf die Übertragungsrichtung des Druckmediums angeordnet sind.
5. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Fluoreszenzlampen orthogonal zur Übertragungsrichtung des Druckmediums angeordnet sind, und der Teil, ausgenommen die geschwärzten Teile, wenn die Fluoreszenzlampe während langer Zeit verwendet ist, für das Fixieren verwendet wird.
6. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Spalt zwischen den Fäden der Fluoreszenzlampe wenigsten 10 mm länger ist als die Abmessung orthogonal zu dem Übertragungsweg des Druckmediums.
7. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß Fluoreszenzlampe von der Öffnungsart ist, die eine Öffnung hat, welche dem Übertragungsweg des Druckmediums zugewandt ist.
.8. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Photofixiereinrichtung (24) Lichtfeststellmittel zum Feststellen des Beleuchtungslichtes aufweist und die Beleuchtungslichtmenge erhöht, wenn die festgestellte Lichtmenge unterhalb einer vorhestimmten Menge liegt.
9. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Photofixiereinrichtung (24) eine Mehrzahl von Fluoreszenzlampen aufweist, und den Lampenstrom oder die Energiespannung der Fluoreszenzlampen erhöht.
10. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Photofixiereinrichtung (24) reguläre Fluoreszenzlampen und eine Hilfsfluoreszenzlampe (120), die verwendet wird, wenn die Beleuchtungsmenge sich verringert, umfaßt.
11. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß weiterhin eine Einrichtung (134, 136) vorgesehen ist zum Ausgeben eines Alarmes, wenn die Beleuchtungsmenge unterhalb einer vorbestimmten Menge liegt.
12. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Photofixiereinrichtung (24) eine Mehrzahl von Lichtsensoren umfaßt, die jeweils für die Fluoreszenzlampen vorgesehen sind.
13. Thermischer Druckapparat nach Anspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Photofixiereinrichtung (24) einen Lichtsensor aufweist zum Feststellen einer Gesamtlichtmenge von den regulären Fluoreszenzlampen.
EP83112272A 1982-12-07 1983-12-06 Thermischer Druckapparat Expired EP0111297B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP214849/82 1982-12-07
JP57214849A JPS59104960A (ja) 1982-12-07 1982-12-07 感熱印刷装置
JP23068382A JPS59123681A (ja) 1982-12-28 1982-12-28 感熱印刷装置
JP230683/82 1982-12-28

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0111297A2 EP0111297A2 (de) 1984-06-20
EP0111297A3 EP0111297A3 (en) 1985-09-04
EP0111297B1 true EP0111297B1 (de) 1989-08-09

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP83112272A Expired EP0111297B1 (de) 1982-12-07 1983-12-06 Thermischer Druckapparat

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EP (1) EP0111297B1 (de)
DE (1) DE3380346D1 (de)

Families Citing this family (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3577063D1 (de) * 1984-11-30 1990-05-17 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd Thermisches aufzeichnungsgeraet.
EP0205083B1 (de) * 1985-06-03 1993-09-01 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Aufzeichnungsverfahren und Übertragungsaufzeichnungsmaterial dafür
JPH0737142B2 (ja) * 1986-11-27 1995-04-26 キヤノン株式会社 記録装置
GB2209137A (en) * 1987-08-27 1989-05-04 Alcatel Business Systems Printing of franking on mail items
DE3732622A1 (de) * 1987-09-28 1989-04-06 Computer Ges Konstanz Vorrichtung zum bedrucken von belegen
US5007370A (en) * 1988-12-28 1991-04-16 Dannatt Hugh St L Mailing machine tape module and tape take-up and moistening system thereof
EP0433984A3 (en) * 1989-12-21 1992-12-09 Texas Instruments Incorporated Printer having separate paper handling and printing sections and method of printer operation
ZA929840B (en) * 1991-12-19 1993-06-23 Telkor Pty Ltd Ticket issuing device.
JP3711427B2 (ja) * 1997-09-18 2005-11-02 カシオ計算機株式会社 テープ印字装置
JP3610929B2 (ja) * 2000-08-11 2005-01-19 神鋼電機株式会社 感熱式プリンタ及びその熱陰極蛍光管の設計方法
US6943815B2 (en) * 2002-03-01 2005-09-13 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Thermal printer and electromagnetic wave source device

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4422376A (en) * 1980-02-09 1983-12-27 Teraoka Seikosho Co., Ltd. Printing control apparatus for a label printer

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, editor Robert C. West published by CRC press, page E-206 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0111297A3 (en) 1985-09-04
EP0111297A2 (de) 1984-06-20
DE3380346D1 (en) 1989-09-14

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