JP2003237164A - Recording medium treating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device which can continuously treat a recording medium through a fixing process, and at the same time can realize a uniform fixing process based on controlled ambience heating of bringing the recording medium in contact with only a gas in a recording medium-treating apparatus which sublimates and fixes a dye held by an ink receiving layer to the side of a base face by heating the recording medium with the sheet-shaped base and the ink receiving layer tightly attached to the base face. <P>SOLUTION: The device is provided with a heating region 70 where the recording medium M is heated in a mechanically noncontact state to a heat source 6, and a transfer means for passing the recording medium M through the heating region 70. The transfer means is constituted of medium operating means 12 and 13 for applying a stress in a transfer direction to the recording medium M at only an operation position deviated from the heating fixing region 70. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method of heating a recording medium having a sheet-shaped base material and an ink receiving layer adhered to the surface of the base material to heat the dye carried on the ink receiving layer. The present invention relates to a recording medium processing device that sublimates and fixes a substrate surface side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an example of a technique relating to the treatment of such a recording medium, a method for manufacturing a metal decorative body is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-242242.
No. 297197 is known. In the method described here, on the inkjet receiving layer of the recording medium consisting of the flat metal substrate, the transparent resin layer and the inkjet receiving layer,
A colored pattern made of a sublimation type coloring material is formed by jetting with an ink jet printer, and then heated in a heating furnace or a hot press to cause at least a part of the sublimation type coloring material to enter the inside of the transparent resin layer. Further, after the inkjet receiving layer is softened with warm water and then wiped off with a cloth or the like, the metal decorative body having a colored pattern is completed.

However, in this known recording medium processing technique, since a highly rigid metal base material is used as a base material, it is necessary to form colored patterns one by one in a batch process. A series of processes in which the formed recording medium is heat-treated in a heating furnace or a hot press in a batch process, and further, the inkjet receiving layer of the recording medium which has finished the sublimation stage by heating is wiped off with a cloth or the like in a batch process. The complicated processing operation of was required.

Therefore, in order to continuously form a colored pattern by using an ink jet head or the like which reciprocates in the main scanning direction, the metal base material described in the above known recording medium processing technique is used instead. For example, a sheet-like base material which is made of a PET film and a transparent protective layer which is integrally provided on the upper surface of the film, and which has high flexibility so that it can be accumulated in a roll shape is used. A recording medium has been proposed in which an ink receiving layer having a high affinity with a water-based ink is adhered and adhered on the upper surface of a material. When the recording medium on which the image is formed on the ink receiving layer is heated under predetermined heating conditions, the sublimable dye sublimes (vaporizes) from the ink located on the ink receiving layer and moves to the inside of the ink receiving layer. , Passes through the protective layer, reaches the interface between the film and the protective layer, and is fixed. Moreover, when the fixing process is completed, the adhesive force of the adhesive agent that adheres the ink receiving layer to the base material is weakened, so that the ink receiving layer can be easily peeled from the base material in a sheet form. When the ink receiving layer is peeled off, the dye fixed in the base material of the recording medium M is protected from the front surface by the weather resistant protective layer and from the back surface by the film, and at the same time from the upper surface side of the base material. Has a shape that can be easily seen through a highly transparent protective layer.

By the way, the applicant of the present invention has earnestly continued to develop a recording medium processing apparatus capable of continuously performing a heating process for sublimation of a dye after image formation on such a recording medium. Then, in realizing continuous processing by carrying the recording medium toward the downstream side while heating it, the carrying means is temporarily used when continuously processing a flexible sheet material. If the recording medium is composed of a roller that is driven to rotate or a medium operating unit such as an endless belt, the recording medium receives a local or excessive heat history from the medium operating unit where the temperature of the recording medium has risen, and the dye may be recorded in a part of the recording medium. It has been found that there is a possibility that sublimation proceeds excessively to cause unevenness in image density, or the base material is permanently deformed by the influence of excessive heat from the medium operating means.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording medium having sufficient flexibility as exemplified above easily and continuously, in other words, efficiently, and image forming. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium processing device capable of fixing processing without causing uneven density of the toner and permanent deformation of the substrate due to heat.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a recording medium processing apparatus according to the present invention has the characteristic configurations described in claims 1 to 4 of the scope of claims. That is, the recording medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is carried on the ink receiving layer by heating a recording medium having a sheet-shaped base material and an ink receiving layer attached to the surface of the base material. A recording medium processing device for sublimating and fixing a dye to the substrate surface side, wherein a heating region for heating the recording medium in a mechanically non-contact state with a heat source, and the heating for the recording medium. And a conveying means for passing through the area, wherein the conveying means is constituted by a medium operating means for applying a stress in the conveying direction to the recording medium only at an operation position outside the heat fixing area. .

Because of having such a characteristic structure,
In the recording medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention, first, since the recording medium is automatically conveyed by the conveying means through the heating area, continuous heat fixing is performed rather than batch processing. Processing becomes possible. Further, since the recording medium is automatically conveyed by the conveying means through the heating region, the heating region is integrally formed on the downstream side of the printing unit for forming an image with the ink containing the sublimable dye in the ink receiving layer of the recording medium. If provided, it becomes possible to realize a recording medium processing device that continuously performs from image formation to fixing processing through sublimation by heating.

Further, in the heating region, the recording medium is heated in a mechanically non-contact state with the heat source. A uniform fixing process is performed on the basis of (heating by radiant heat that does not come into contact). Therefore, uneven heating is unlikely to occur in the recording medium, and the finally fixed image is also a high-quality image in which uneven density is suppressed, and permanent deformation due to heat of the base material is also prevented. In addition, when the printing apparatus is arranged integrally with the recording medium processing apparatus or adjacent to the recording medium processing apparatus, the recording medium on which the image is formed sent from the printing apparatus is printed. The fixing process can be performed reliably and continuously without depending on the conveyance force of the recording medium by the mechanism in the apparatus. Further, it is also possible to perform a fixing process of the recording medium in a form in which the operator manually inputs the recording medium instead of the input from the printing apparatus.

Further, since the medium operating means constituting the conveying means is configured to apply the stress in the conveying direction to the recording medium only at the operation position deviated from the heating and fixing area, a part of the recording medium is Less likely to receive abnormal heat history. That is, since the medium operating means, which has been heated to a high temperature by receiving heat from the heat fixing area, applies a stress in the transport direction to a predetermined portion of the recording medium, uneven density may occur at this predetermined portion due to excessive sublimation, or the substrate Is less likely to be thermally deformed, or a part of the recording medium, which has been heated to a high temperature by receiving heat from the heat fixing area, is deprived of the heat by the medium operating means and is not sufficiently heat-fixed.

Incidentally, since the recording medium targeted in the recording medium processing apparatus of the present invention is provided with the ink receiving layer adhered and adhered to the substrate, the recording medium is mechanically non-contacted with the heat source. It has a feature that uniform heating treatment can be realized even by a heating operation of heating in a stable state. Therefore, if the transporting means is configured to pressure-grip and transport a wide area including the inside of the recording medium in the width direction = image area, the transporting means heated by the heat from the heating area is used for recording. Excessive heating operation is applied to a part of the medium,
Sublimation of this portion may proceed too much, and the image density may be excessive. In addition, the ink receiving layer used in the target recording medium in the recording medium processing apparatus of the present invention is adhered to the base material by an adhesive whose adhesive strength is largely lost by the heat treatment. After completion of the above step, the ink receiving layer can be easily peeled off as a sheet by an operator or a consumer at any time before using the recording medium by hand. Therefore, the state where the heat fixing process is completed and the ink receiving layer is still attached can be defined as the process completed state of the recording medium.

Further, an attitude control means for controlling the attitude of the recording medium in the heat fixing area to be constant can be provided. According to this structure, the attitude control unit controls the attitude of the recording medium in the heating and fixing area to be constant, so that, for example, the leading end of the recording medium bends due to its own weight or other action, and the heat source provided in the heating and fixing area. It prevents you from approaching your side and being oversublimated.

More specifically, the attitude control means may be configured to have shape correction means for correcting the cross-sectional shape cut along a plane perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium into a curved shape. According to this structure, since the recording medium is corrected to have a curved shape, the rigidity is obtained at least along the curved generatrix, so that the leading end of the recording medium is prevented from bending due to its own weight or other effects. . Further, for example, when the medium operating means is provided both upstream and downstream of the heating and fixing area, the leading end of the recording medium sent from the upstream medium operating means is relatively far away from the upstream medium operating means. It is possible to reliably hand over to the downstream medium operating means.

More specifically, the shape correcting means may have at least a pair of rollers which sandwich the recording medium from the front and back sides and one of which has a barrel-shaped peripheral surface. . With this configuration, for example, when a pair of rollers are provided both upstream and downstream of the heating and fixing area, the leading edge of the recording medium sent from the upstream roller is relatively far away from the upstream roller. It is possible to reliably hand over to the downstream roller.

Further, drive means for rotating and driving at least one of the roller pair can be provided so that the roller pair also serves as the medium operating means. According to this structure, the shape correcting unit and the medium manipulating unit can be configured by a common member, and a cheaper, simpler and more compact recording medium processing device can be obtained. Also, an independent recording medium processing device that is separate from the printing device for forming an image on the ink receiving layer with ink can be obtained. This recording medium processing device has an advantage that a recording medium to be processed can be manually input, for example.

Other features and advantages of the present invention include:
It will be apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a recording medium processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
The recording medium processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 mainly includes a print unit 50 that forms an image on a sheet-shaped recording medium M with ink containing a sublimable dye, and the recording medium M discharged from the print unit 50.
A heating unit 70 for fixing the dye by heating
It comprises a controller C for controlling the operations of the printing unit 50, the heating unit 70 and the like. The printing unit 50 and the heating unit 7
During 0, the gap between the discharging speed of the recording medium M from the printing unit 50 and the heating and fixing speed in the heating unit 70 is absorbed by the formation of a loop of the recording medium M that hangs down by its own weight. The loop forming part 60 is provided. The recording medium M is provided on the downstream side of the heating unit 70.
A cutter 80 that cuts at a boundary between images is arranged.

The ink mainly used here is, for example,
"Black", "Cyan", "Magenta", "Yellow",
It is composed of inks of six colors of "light cyan" and "light magenta", and each is basically a water-based ink containing a sublimable dye. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the recording medium M mainly used here is a sheet-shaped base material B having appropriate flexibility and rigidity, and an adhesive layer ( And an ink receiving layer R that is adhered to the ink receiving layer R via an adhesive layer. The base material B is made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or the like and has a relatively thick flexible film F having a thickness of, for example, 50 μm or more, and a film having a weather resistance of approximately 5 to 10 μm which is integrally provided on the upper surface of the film F. And a protective layer P. The protective layer P is made of fluororesin or the like.
The thickness of the ink receiving layer R is, for example, about several tens of μm. Although the protective layer P has a low affinity with the water-based ink used for image formation in the printing section 50, the ink receiving layer R
Has a sufficiently high affinity with this aqueous ink.

In the printing section 50, a water-based ink containing a sublimable dye is placed near the surface of the ink receiving layer R of the recording medium P at room temperature. When the recording medium P discharged from the printing unit 20 is heated by the heating unit 70 under the condition of about 180 ° C. × 2 minutes, the sublimable dye sublimes (vaporizes) from the ink located near the surface of the receiving layer R, It moves to the inside of the receiving layer R, further passes through the protective layer P, and reaches the interface between the film F and the protective layer P, or to the inside near the surface of the film F (for example, a portion marked with X in FIG. 2). It arrives and is fixed here. When the fixing process is completed in this way, the base material B
Since the adhesive strength of the adhesive that adheres the ink receiving layer R to the ink weakens, the ink receiving layer R can be
Can be peeled off from the base material B in the form of a sheet.
When the ink receiving layer R is peeled off, the dye fixed in the substrate B of the recording medium M is protected from the front surface by the weather-resistant protective layer P and from the back surface by the film F, and at the same time, at least From the upper surface side of the material B, it becomes possible to see through the protective layer P having high transparency.

As shown in FIG. 1, the print unit 50 has a storage unit 2 which can rotatably support a roll-shaped recording medium M.
And a printing unit transport mechanism 3 that pulls out the recording medium M from the storage unit 2 and transports it in the sub-scanning direction, and the recording medium M transported in the sub-scanning direction by the printing unit transport mechanism 3 with respect to the sub-scanning direction. And an ink jet type print head 4 that forms an image with ink while reciprocating in the main scanning direction orthogonal to the above. The storage unit 2 has a support 2a that rotatably supports the roll-shaped recording medium M via its cylindrical core. The print head 4 has a recording medium M.
Is supported movably by a guide rod 5 extending linearly in the width direction of the guide rod 5, and is guided by a stepping motor type scanning motor M2 via an operation system (not shown) such as a timing belt and a screw shaft. Is driven back and forth along. The print head 4 is provided with an ejection mechanism (not shown) including a piezo element and the like, and at the same time, a cartridge type ink reservoir (not shown) is attached. The print unit transport mechanism 3 is configured to transfer the recording medium M from the storage unit 2.
And a discharge roller 3b for discharging the image-formed recording medium M from the printing section 50.
And a stepping motor M1 for driving these rollers via a timing belt or the like. The print unit transport mechanism 3 also includes a guide member (not shown) that guides the transport direction of the recording medium M and that supports and positions the recording medium M from the back side particularly at the drive position of the print head 4. There is. Further, the printing section transport mechanism 3 is
It also serves as a discharging unit that discharges the recording medium M on which an image is formed from the printing unit 50.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inside of the heating portion 70 is substantially closed from the outside in all directions of up, down, left, right, front and back by a partition wall 70A including a heat insulating layer (not shown). A heating housing 71a whose bottom surface is open is disposed in the upper portion of the heating unit 70. Similarly, the heating unit 70
A heating housing 71b whose upper surface is open is disposed in the lower part of the inside. Near the bottoms of the heating casings 71a and 71b, planar infrared heaters 6 and 6 extending substantially horizontally are arranged. The opening formed on the lower surface of the upper heating housing 71a has an arc shape in which the left and right central portions project downward when viewed from the cutter 80 side. On the other hand, the opening formed on the upper surface of the lower casing 71b, on the contrary, has an arc shape in which the left and right central portions are recessed downward when viewed from the cutter 80 side. Therefore, a downward arc-shaped slit is formed between the upper heating housing 71a and the lower heating housing 71b.

Upper heating housing 71a and lower heating housing 7
A curved space formed between 1b (a space between a pair of front and rear arc-shaped slits) is a heating and fixing area for sublimating and fixing the dye carried on the recording medium M by heating the recording medium M. Has become. That is, the recording medium M sent from the loop forming unit 60 is mainly conveyed by being horizontally conveyed in the curved space without contacting the upper and lower heating casings 71a and 71b themselves. Heating operation by radiant heat from the infrared heaters 6 and 6 and heat of high temperature air in the heating casings 71a and 71b (an example of heating operation of heating a recording medium in a mechanical non-contact state with a heat source) It is heated and fixed by. In order to realize this, the heating unit 70 is provided with a shape correcting means for correcting the recording medium M into a predetermined shape. Specifically, the shape correcting means uses the upper and lower heating casings 71a and 71b for the cross-sectional shape cut along a plane perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium M.
Is corrected so that it does not come into contact with the curved shape (which may be called a gutter shape) substantially matching the shape of the arc-shaped slit. It can be said that the shape correcting unit is an example of a posture control unit that controls the posture of the recording medium M in the heat fixing area to be constant.

More specifically, the shape correcting means is
The heating housings 71a and 71b are composed of a pair of deformed rollers 12a and 12b adjacent to each other on the upstream side and a pair of deformed rollers 13a and 13b adjacent to each other on the downstream side. First, regarding the upstream deforming roller pair 12a, 12b, the upper deforming roller 12a has a maximum diameter at the central portion in the axially extending horizontal direction, and the diameter of the barrel is smaller toward both ends. It has a surface (the contour shape of the cross section taken along a plane including the axis is arcuate). Lower deformed roller 12
b has an axis parallel to the upper deforming roller 12a, and has a peripheral surface that is in close contact with the peripheral surface of the upper deforming roller 12a on the generatrix line.

Also, the upper and lower profiled rollers 12a, 1
At least the peripheral surface of 2b is formed of rubber or the like that generates a sufficient coefficient of friction with the recording medium M. Then, the stepping motor M3, which is rotationally driven at a predetermined number of rotations based on the given drive signal, and the driving force from the stepping motor M3 are applied to the upper and lower deformed roller pairs 12a, 12
A transmission system 15 is provided for transmitting to at least one of b. Note that FIG. 4 shows, as an example, a configuration in which the transmission system 15 including the timing pulley and the timing belt transmits the driving force from the stepping motor M3 to the lower deforming roller 12b. Deformed roller pair 1 on the downstream side
3a and 13b also have a pair of upstream deforming rollers 12a and 12b.
It has substantially the same configuration as. In order to reliably pinch and convey the recording medium M having various thicknesses, one of the upper and lower deforming roller pairs 12a and 12b on the upstream side and one of the upper and lower deforming roller pairs 13a and 13b on the downstream side are provided. Biasing means (not shown) may be provided that is movably supported in the up-down direction and that biases the upper and lower deformed roller pairs so that the distance between the axes of the deformed rollers becomes closer to each other. However, the configuration is such that the upper and lower deformed roller pairs are supported so that the distance between the shaft centers of them does not change,
Due to the elastic deformability of the elastic material used on at least one of the peripheral surfaces of the upper and lower deformed roller pairs, the recording medium M having a predetermined thickness range to be used can be pressure-bonded with an appropriate pressure-bonding force. You may set the distance.

Therefore, the leading end of the recording medium M sent from the loop forming section 60 enters between the upper deforming roller 12a and the lower deforming roller 12b and is sandwiched between them.
The sandwiched recording medium M has upper and lower deforming rollers 12
Due to the action of the special shape of the peripheral surfaces of a and 12b, the shape is corrected so that the cross-sectional shape cut along a plane perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium M has a curved shape with the central portion protruding downward. By correcting the shape in this manner, the recording medium M is provided with a large rigidity (may be referred to as “strength” strength) with respect to the transport direction, so that the recording medium M can be applied between the upstream deformed roller pair 12a and 12b. A portion of the recording medium M sent to the downstream side, which is separated from the deforming rollers 12a and 12b by several tens of cm on the downstream side, also maintains the horizontal posture in FIG. Therefore, the upstream deformed roller pair 12
Recording medium M sent downstream from between a and 12b
Is surely entered between the deformed roller pairs 13a and 13b on the downstream side and delivered there, without showing any behavior such that the tip thereof hangs down by its own weight.

Thereafter, the upstream deformed roller pair 12a, 12
b and the portion of the recording medium M sandwiched and supported by both the pair of deformed rollers 13a and 13b on the downstream side, as described above, the curved space (or slit) formed between the heating housings 71a and 71b. ) Inside, heating housings 71a, 71b
By being conveyed horizontally without contacting itself, the recording medium is heated and fixed by a heating operation for heating the recording medium in a mechanically non-contact state with the heat source. As described above, the upstream and downstream deformed roller pairs 12a, 12b, 13a,
13b, the stepping motor M3, and the transmission system 15 are
It is a heating unit transport mechanism (an example of a transport unit) that allows the recording medium M to pass through the heating region, and serves as a “medium operating unit that applies a stress in the transport direction to the recording medium M only at an operation position outside the heating and fixing region”. And the role of "attitude control means for controlling the attitude of the recording medium M in the heating and fixing area to be constant".

The infrared heater 6 is divided into three segments 6a, 6b, 6c arranged in the width direction of the recording medium M, and ON / OFF of energization or control of heat generation can be performed for each segment. . Also, the heating unit 70
Inside, a plurality of fans 8 for agitating air are arranged to alleviate or regulate the occurrence of specific convection in the heating unit 70. Further, a plurality of temperature sensors (not shown) that measure the temperature near the passage surface of the recording medium M are
Are arranged side by side in the transport direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the front and rear walls 7a and 7b forming the partition wall 70A are
While thermally insulating the inside of the partition 70A from the outside as much as possible,
Horizontally extending slits 10a and 10b for receiving the recording medium M in the heating unit 70 and then discharging it are formed.

Further, the slit 10 on the upstream side of the partition wall 70A.
An ordinary cylindrical conveying roller pair 17a, 17a having a generatrix extending linearly along the axial direction is arranged between a and the upstream deformed roller pair 12a, 12b, and is shown in the drawing. When the recording medium M is driven by a stepping motor, the leading end of the recording medium M sent from the loop forming section 60 is inserted between the upstream deforming roller pairs 12a and 12b and handed, and thereafter the recording medium M is downstream. Works to send to the side. Similarly, the deformed roller pair 13a on the downstream side,
Between the 13b and the cutter 80, a pair of conveying rollers 17b, 17b each having a normal cylindrical shape are arranged, and the pair of deforming roller pairs on the downstream side is driven by a stepping motor (not shown). 13a, 13
The recording medium M sent from b and having a straightened cross section is supplied to the position of the cutter 80 while being straightened back to a shape having a straight cross section.

As shown in FIG. 1, a recording medium processing device 1
Is a general-purpose computer 36, a monitor 37, a keyboard 38, a mouse 39, and a film scanner 40 for photoelectrically converting the image information of the developed photographic film Pf.
And the like, and is connected to the image processing system 90. The computer 36 is provided with a media drive (not shown) for taking out image data and the like from various electronic data recording media such as MO and compact flash card. Therefore, if the image data stored in the electronic data recording medium is processed by the image processing system 90 and transferred to the control unit C of the recording medium processing apparatus 1, an image based on the transferred image data is recorded on the recording medium. Can be formed into M.

The control unit C of the recording medium processing apparatus 1 has a built-in microprocessor (not shown).
A data input system for inputting the image data transferred from the above is formed, and a signal input system for receiving feedback signals from the plurality of temperature sensors of the heating unit 70 is formed. Further, the control unit C controls the printing unit transport mechanism 3, the ejection mechanism of the print head 4, the scanning motor M2, the segments 6a, 6b and 6c of the infrared heater 6, and the operation motor (not shown) of the cutter 80. A signal system for outputting a control signal is provided. Further, the control unit C, based on the temperature detection signals sent from the plurality of temperature sensors S in the heating unit 70, the ON / OFF state and the heat generation amount of each segment 6a, 6b, 6c of the infrared heater 6, In addition, the conveyance speed of the recording medium M in the heating region is controlled so that substantially all the region of the recording medium M fed into the heating unit 70 receives a thermal history of 180 ° C. × 2 minutes or its equivalent. To When the width of the recording medium M is small, it may be controlled so that only the central segment 6b generates heat.

[Other Embodiments] <1> In the case where the discharge speed of the recording medium M from the printing unit 50 does not change in the middle and is limited to a fixed use method,
The loop forming part 60 can be omitted. Further, the stepping motor M3 and the transmission system 15 are omitted, and the deformed roller pairs 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b on the upstream side and the downstream side are formed.
Can be configured to freely support. In this case, the recording medium M on which an image is formed is formed in a slit shape between the deformed roller pairs 12a and 12b on the upstream side and the heating casings 71a and 71b by the conveyance force of the print section conveyance mechanism 3 of the print section 50. It may be configured such that the sheet is fed to the heat fixing area of (1) and the deformed roller pair 13a, 13b on the downstream side.

<2> The heating unit 70 may be separated from the printing unit 50 to be independent. In this case, the upstream and downstream deformed roller pairs 12a, 12b, 13a, 13
Stepping motor M3 for rotating b and transmission system 1
5 is provided, a stand-alone heat fixing device capable of heating and fixing the recording medium M on which an image is formed by manual input is obtained.

<3> In the heating area, the heating medium for applying the heating operation to the recording medium M is not limited to high temperature air, but the ink receiving layer, the ink component placed on the ink receiving layer,
It is also possible to use a high temperature liquid (an example of a fluid) that does not react with the substrate. In addition, the recording medium M is heated by only the radiant heat emitted from the heat source without passing through the high temperature fluid.
It is also possible to carry out fixing. Of course, it is also possible to fix the recording medium M by a heating operation in which a heating operation via a high-temperature fluid and a heating operation by radiant heat emitted from a heat source are combined at an appropriate ratio.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a recording medium processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section of a recording medium used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a heating unit of the recording medium processing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a heating unit of the recording medium processing apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

M recording medium y blank area B base material R ink receiving layer F film (base material) P protective layer (base material) C control section M3 stepping motor 2 storage section 3 print section transport mechanism 4 print head 6 infrared heater 8 fan 12 Upstream deformed roller pair (medium operating means, attitude control means, shape correcting means) 13 downstream deformed roller pair (medium operating means, attitude control means, shape correcting means) 15 transmission system 16 vertical plate 50 printing unit 60 loop Forming unit 70 Heating unit (heat fixing region) 80 Cutter

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Masazumi Ishikawa             No. 1 at 579 Umehara, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture             Inside Ritsu Koki Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C056 EC12 EC13 EC14 EC29 FC06                       FD03                 2C060 BC04 BC12 BC15 BC22

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A dye supported on the ink receiving layer is sublimated to the surface side of the substrate by heating a recording medium having a sheet-shaped substrate and an ink receiving layer attached to the surface of the substrate. A recording medium processing device for fixing the recording medium, comprising: a heating region that heats the recording medium in a mechanically non-contact state with respect to a heat source; and a conveying unit that causes the recording medium to pass through the heating region. A recording medium processing apparatus, wherein the transporting unit is configured by a medium handling unit that applies a stress in the transporting direction to the recording medium only at an operation position outside the heat fixing area. 2. The recording medium processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an attitude control unit for controlling the attitude of the recording medium in the heat fixing area to be constant. 3. The recording medium processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the attitude control unit has a shape correction unit that corrects a cross-sectional shape of the recording medium cut along a plane perpendicular to the transport direction into a curved shape. 4. The recording medium processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the shape correcting unit has at least a pair of rollers which sandwich the recording medium from the front and back sides and one of which has a barrel-shaped peripheral surface. 5. The recording medium processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a driving unit that rotationally drives at least one of the roller pair so that the roller pair also serves as the medium operating unit.