JP2002137425A - Recorder for thermal recording material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recorder for thermal recording material in which good erasure is ensured regardless of the time elapsed after writing in information, the storage environment, the writing conditions and the number of times of repeating write and erase. SOLUTION: In a recorder comprising a member for writing information onto a thermal recording material in which writing of information at a first temperature and erasure of information at a second temperature can be repeated, and a member for erasing the written information, the erasing member is disposed on the upstream side of the writing member in the carrying direction of the thermal recording material at the time of writing operation and a controller controls the heating temperature higher than a temperature required for erasing the information after the information is written in.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for a thermosensitive recording medium, and more particularly, to writing information on a thermosensitive recording medium at a second temperature when writing the information at a first temperature. Then, the present invention relates to a recording device for a thermal recording medium which writes new information and visualizes the new information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional recording apparatus for a thermosensitive recording medium, when erasing information once written on the thermosensitive recording medium, a voltage applied to a thermal head as an erasing member is changed after the information is written. It was constant irrespective of the passage of time, etc., and did not change the amount of heat generated according to the state of the thermal recording medium.

[0003]

The heat-sensitive recording medium used in the above-mentioned recording apparatus has a problem that the time elapsed since information was once written, the storage environment during that time, and the number of times writing and erasing were repeated. As the number increases, the erase characteristic shifts from A in FIGS. 9 and 10 to B, C, and D. In such a case, when erasing information at the same temperature at all times, there is a problem that written information is difficult to erase or cannot be completely erased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional recording apparatus for a heat-sensitive recording medium, and to describe an elapsed time since information is written, a storage environment, writing conditions, and repetition of writing and erasing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus for a thermosensitive recording medium which always performs good erasing regardless of the number of times.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is directed to a method for writing information at a first temperature and erasing information at a second temperature. In a recording apparatus comprising a writing member for writing information on a thermosensitive recording medium which can be repeated, and an erasing member for erasing the written information, the erasing member is moved in a direction in which the thermosensitive recording medium is conveyed during a writing operation. The recording device is disposed upstream of the writing member, and the heating temperature is controlled by a control device to be higher than a temperature required for erasing the information after the information is written. The erasing member provided on the upstream side of the writing member with respect to the transport direction of the thermal recording medium at the time of writing operation is controlled by the control device so that the heat generation temperature is the temperature required for erasing the information after writing the information. Controlled to a higher temperature than Even without the detection of elapsed time also that time has elapsed from the writing of the previous information securely to the erasing of information.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, description will be made using a thermosensitive recording material 7 made of a thermosensitive material in which information is written (cloudy or colored) at a first temperature and erased (transparent or decolored) is repeated at a second temperature higher than the first temperature.

In FIG. 1, the erasing member 1 and the writing member 5 use a thermal head, and the erasing member 1 is provided on the upstream side of the writing member 5 with respect to the conveying direction of the writing operation of the thermal recording medium 7. . The first and second platen rollers 2 and 6 made of an elastic member are disposed to face the erasing member 1 and the writing member 5. The density detecting means 20 of the thermosensitive recording medium 7 is disposed between the two members 1 and 5, and the density detecting means 20 faces the light source 3 for irradiating the thermosensitive recording medium 7 with the thermosensitive recording medium 7 therebetween. And a light detecting member 4 comprising an optical sensor for detecting light transmitted from the light source 3 to the thermal recording medium 7 and transmitted therethrough. The output of the light detecting member 4 is controlled. Input to the device 13. The output of the controller 13 is the heat generated by the erasing member 1 and the first and second transport roller pairs 8, 9
Is controlled in accordance with a preset program. A write signal of the write information circuit 14 is input to a write member control circuit 15, and an output of the write member control circuit 15 controls the write member 5 to perform a write operation.

In FIG. 1, the structure has two thermal heads, an erasing member 1 and a writing member 5.
These may use one thermal head as an erasing member and a writing member. Although not shown, the light detecting member may be a reflection type provided on the light source 3 side. When a reflection type is used, a reflection plate is provided on the other surface on which the light source 3 is provided. Alternatively, a method such as applying a light reflecting member to the thermal recording medium 7 may be used.

FIG. 2 is a chart showing a control flow of the control device 13 in the present invention. To start the erase operation of the information written in a thermosensitive recording medium 7 (step 1) time, a voltage of V = V ₁ in the first erase member 1 (step 3) to perform the erasure. At this time, the thermal recording medium 7 is conveyed rightward in FIG. 1, and the transparency of the thermal recording medium 7 is detected by the light source 3 and the light detecting member 4 (step 4). Next, the control device 13 determines whether or not the detected transparency is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step 5). If it is smaller than the value (that is, if the transparency is insufficient), the first value is determined. , and reverse rotation of the second conveyor rollers 8, 9 (step 8,9), high applied than the application voltages V ₁ for the first erased back to the original position of the thermosensitive recording medium 7 (erase operation before starting position) erasing operation of driving the erasing member 1 second at a voltage V _2. Thus, the erasing operation is repeatedly performed until the transparency exceeds a predetermined value. When the transparency exceeds a predetermined value, the control device 13 determines that the erasing is completed (step 6), conveys the thermosensitive recording medium 7 to the right side in FIG. 1, and writes information by the writing member 5 (step 6). 7) is performed.

In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, the control device 13 controls the erasing member 1 in each of the above-described repetitive erasing operations so that a different voltage is applied to the erasing member 1 in each of the repetitions. Although the applied voltage is set to increase as shown in FIG. 3, it may be set to decrease. In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, control may be performed such that the application time to the erasing member 1 is changed in each repetition. In this case as well, the application time is set to increase with each repetition, but may be reversed. While the method shown in FIG. 3 attempts to control the heat generation temperature of the erasing member 1 depending on the level of the voltage applied to the erasing member 1, the method shown in FIG. The heating temperature of the erasing member 1 is controlled by changing the time. The minimum application time (t _{0 in} FIG. 4) is set to 10 ms or more in order to avoid the phenomenon that only a small amount of erasure is performed and the number of repetitions of erasure is increased, as indicated by D in FIG.

In the above-described embodiment, the thermal recording medium 7
Whether storage conditions and elapsed time since writing are known
Erase if there are restrictions such as limited in specifications
The maximum value and the minimum value of the voltage applied to the erasing member 1
V shown in FIGS. 9 and 10_CAnd V_AIn known information such as
V shown_L≤V_A, V_H≧ V_CV such that_L, V_HAppropriately
If it is divided and driven by controlling the applied voltage of the erasing member 1,
That all conditions that meet the conditions can be erased
become. At this time, a time t for applying a single voltage ₀Is t₀≧
It is set to satisfy 10ms. You can do this erasure
For example, an optical density detecting means 20 as shown in the first embodiment.
Need not be provided, and the erase operation can be performed quickly.
You. However, if the density detecting means 20 is provided and its transparency is
If it is smaller than the predetermined value, the thermosensitive recording medium 7 cannot be used.
The information that there is may be displayed on a display device (not shown).
No.

In FIG. 6, a heating member 10 is provided on the upstream side of the erasing member 1, and a pressure roller 11 is provided to face the heating member 10 via a thermosensitive recording medium 7, and these are heated by a driving device (not shown). And rotation are performed. The elapsed time detecting means 21 of the thermosensitive recording medium 7 is disposed between the two members 1 and 10,
The elapsed time detecting means 21 irradiates the light-sensitive recording medium 7 with light from the light source 3 that irradiates the light to the heat-sensitive recording medium 7 and the light source 3 disposed at a position facing the light-sensitive recording medium 7 via the heat-sensitive recording medium 7. And a correction circuit 12 to which the detection output is input.
Is output to the control circuit 13, which controls the erasing member 1 in accordance with a preset program to perform an erasing operation.

The heat-sensitive recording body 7 on which information is written is a heating member.
It is sent to 10 and heated by the heating member 10. The information written in the heated thermosensitive recording medium 7 is erased, but the erased state changes depending on the elapsed time from the previous writing. The longer the elapsed time since the information was written, the stronger the cloudy state remains. In this erased state, the amount of transmitted light from the light source 3 is received by the light detection member 4. The density of the heat-sensitive recording medium 7 is converted into a voltage proportional to the amount of light received by the light detecting member 4 and output, and is input to the correction circuit 12. Transparency when heated at a certain temperature from the data in FIG. 10, that is, a memory of data for converting from a certain transparency to an elapsed time is input to the correction circuit 12, and is compared with an output signal from the light detection member 4. Detect time.

The data output of the detected elapsed time is input to the control device 13 and controls the erasing member 1 to erase the information written on the thermosensitive recording medium 7. At this time, the erasing member 1 is driven by an applied voltage, an applied pulse width, or the number of applied pulses under optimum conditions according to the elapsed time. The thermosensitive recording medium 7 from which information has been completely erased is sent to the nip portion between the writing member 5 and the second platen roller 6, and the information is written. The range as the temperature is shown in Figure 10 of the heating member 10, that is clearing temperature range of the heat-sensitive recording material 7 (T _L ~T _H)
To

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a magnetic reading member 16 and a magnetic recording member 17 are used as the elapsed time detecting means 21. In FIG. 7, the magnetic reading member 16 is located on the upstream side of the erasing member 1,
A magnetic recording member 17 is provided downstream of the writing member 5, a correction circuit 12, a magnetic recording circuit 18, and a clock circuit 19 are provided, and the heating member 10 and the pressure roller 11 are removed. . A magnetic recording medium (not shown) is provided in a part of the thermosensitive recording medium 7, and date and time information is recorded on the magnetic recording medium by a magnetic recording member 17.

In FIG. 7, date and time information recorded at the time of previous recording by the magnetic reading member 16 is read, and the data is input to the correction circuit 12. The correction circuit 12 has a memory for date and time elapsed time data, and calculates the elapsed time from the read data and the date and time data of the clock circuit 19. The signal of the calculation result is input to the control device 13, and the control device 13 controls the erasing member 1 to erase the information of the thermosensitive recording medium 7.
In the thermosensitive recording medium 7 from which information has been erased, information is written by the writing member 5, and then the magnetic recording member 17 is moved to the magnetic recording medium unit via the magnetic recording circuit 18 to which date and time data from the clock circuit 19 is input. The date and time data is recorded magnetically.

A feature of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is that a writing member for writing information on a thermosensitive recording medium capable of repeatedly writing information at a first temperature and erasing information at a second temperature, and a writing member. And an erasing member for erasing the recorded information, the erasing member is disposed on the upstream side of the writing member with respect to the transport direction of the thermosensitive recording medium at the time of the writing operation, and the heat generation temperature of the information is controlled by the control device. That is, the temperature is controlled to be higher than the temperature required for erasing the information after writing. That is,
As shown in FIG. 8, it has an erasing member 1, a writing member 5, and a control device 13 for controlling the erasing member 1, and performs erasing and writing of information without detecting elapsed time.
In this embodiment, the heating temperature of the erasing member 1 is controlled by the control device 13 so as to be higher than the maximum transparency temperature at the time of erasing after writing information. It is Figure 10
Is higher than the temperature t when the transparency of the curve A (elapsed days 0) shown in FIG.

[0018]

The present invention is as described above. According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermosensitive recording medium capable of repeatedly writing information at a first temperature and erasing information at a second temperature. And a erasing member for erasing the written information, the erasing member is located upstream of the writing member with respect to the transport direction of the thermosensitive recording medium during the writing operation. It is placed and the control device controls the heat generation temperature to be higher than the temperature required to erase the information after writing the information. Is accurately controlled so that good erasure can always be performed irrespective of the time elapsed since the information was written, the storage environment, the writing conditions, and the number of repetitions of writing and erasing. The effect is that the image quality is good.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing control of the control device of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between the number of repetitions of erasing and a voltage applied to an erasing member in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between the number of repetitions of erasing and the application time of a pulse application voltage applied to an erasing member in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a relationship between an elapsed time after information of the embodiment is written on the thermosensitive recording medium and a voltage applied to the erasing member.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of another embodiment of the above.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of another embodiment of the above.

FIG. 9 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a voltage applied to an erasing member and transparency in an elapsed time after information is written on a conventional thermosensitive recording medium.

FIG. 10 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a heating temperature and transparency in the number of days elapsed since information was written on another conventional thermosensitive recording medium.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 erasing member 2 first platen roller 3 light source 4 light detecting member 5 writing member 6 second platen roller 7 thermal recording medium 8 first transport roller pair 9 second transport roller pair 10 heating member 11 pressure roller 12 correction circuit 13 Controller 14 Write information circuit 15 Write member control circuit 16 Magnetic reading member 17 Magnetic recording member 18 Magnetic recording circuit 19 Clock circuit 20 Concentration detecting means 21 Elapsed time detecting means

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Toshio Kawakubo 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Makoto Shino 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshihiko Hotta 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Fumito Masuchi 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Ricoh Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A writing member for writing information on a thermosensitive recording medium capable of repeatedly writing information at a first temperature and erasing information at a second temperature, and erasing to erase the written information. And a erasing member disposed at an upstream side of the writing member with respect to a transport direction of the thermosensitive recording medium during a writing operation, and the control device erases the information after writing the information. A recording device for a thermosensitive recording medium, wherein the recording device is controlled to a temperature higher than a temperature required for the recording.