JP2005103823A - Surface treatment apparatus and image recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surface treatment apparatus which can easily and efficiently apply desired surface treatment to a variety of recording media, and an image recording apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: This surface treatment apparatus comprises at least the recording medium wherein at least a thermal foamed layer and an image recording layer are provided on a substrate in this order, and a thermal energy imparting means for imparting thermal energy to the recording medium. The surface treatment apparatus forms a surface property on the recording medium. Preferably, the thermal energy imparting means is one of a heating element and a laser light irradiation device, the surface property is one selected from mat, semi-mat, emboss and luster, and at least part of the surface property of the recording medium can be changed. The image recording apparatus comprises an image recording means for recording an image on the recording medium, and a surface treatment means for applying the surface treatment onto the recording medium whereon the image is recorded by the image recording means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a surface treatment apparatus capable of easily and efficiently imparting desired surface properties to various recording media by simple means, and an image recording apparatus equipped with the surface treatment apparatus.

  Conventionally, image recording by various methods such as a silver halide photographic method, a heat developing method, an ink jet recording method, a thermal recording method, and an electrophotographic method has been actively performed. Little is known about techniques for efficiently controlling the surface properties of the surface of image prints obtained by the above-described various methods by simple means.

By the way, Patent Document 1 proposes a thermal recording apparatus in which an expansion surface that is thermally expanded is supported on a recording medium, and heat can be applied from a rear surface by a thermal head to form an uneven shape according to a signal. . However, the thermal recording apparatus of Patent Document 1 is mainly used for Braille recording and the like, and an image recording layer is not formed on a recording medium, and there is no description that associates an image of a photograph or printed material with a surface property.
Patent Document 2 proposes an image forming apparatus capable of forming an “image that is visually and stereoscopically appealing” on a support using a foamable toner and a non-foamable toner. However, the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 2 can form a three-dimensional image by combining foaming toner and non-foamable toner, but has a desired surface property such as mat, semi-matt, emboss, raster, etc. It is difficult to form on the surface of an image print.

JP-A-7-125266 JP 2002-278370 A

  An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems and achieve the following objects. That is, the present invention provides a surface treatment apparatus capable of easily and efficiently imparting desired surface properties such as mats, semi-mats, embosses, and rasters to various recording media by simple means, and the surface treatment apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus.

Means for solving the problems are as follows. That is,
<1> A recording medium having at least a heat-sensitive foam layer and an image recording layer in this order on a substrate, and at least thermal energy application means for applying thermal energy to the recording medium, and forming surface properties on the recording medium The surface treatment apparatus is characterized in that: The surface treatment apparatus according to <1> has an energy application unit. As the recording medium, various recording media having a heat-sensitive foam layer having a surface unevenness generating function are used. As a result, the heat-sensitive foamed layer in the recording medium is heated by applying thermal energy, and the foaming agent in the heated portion is foamed and expanded, so that the image recording layer is raised and a minute amount is formed on the surface of the recording medium. Surface properties (irregularities) can be efficiently formed.

  <2> The surface treatment apparatus according to <1>, wherein the thermal energy is applied from at least one of a front surface side and a back surface side of the recording medium. In the surface treatment apparatus according to <2>, thermal energy can be efficiently applied from either the front side or the back side of the recording medium.

<3> The surface treatment apparatus according to any one of <1> to <2>, wherein the thermal energy application unit is any one of a heating element and a laser beam irradiation apparatus.
<4> The application of thermal energy by the heating element is performed by any one of the heating element driving means alone and the heating element driving means and the relative scanning driving means of the recording medium and the heating element. > Is a surface treatment apparatus.
<5> The application of thermal energy by the laser beam irradiation apparatus irradiates a laser beam having a near-infrared wavelength while scanning the recording medium. The laser beam driving unit alone, the laser beam driving unit, and the recording medium The surface treatment apparatus according to <3>, wherein the surface treatment apparatus is performed by either of the laser beam and the laser beam relative scanning drive unit.
In the surface treatment apparatus according to any one of <3> to <5>, any one of a heating element and a laser irradiation apparatus is used as the thermal energy application unit. As a result, it is possible to efficiently apply heat energy to the heat-sensitive foamed layer in the recording medium by a simple means and form surface properties.

<6> The surface treatment apparatus according to any one of <1> to <5>, wherein the surface property is any one selected from a mat, a semi mat, an emboss, a raster, and a combination thereof.
<7> The surface treatment apparatus according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein the surface property of at least part of the recording medium is changed.
In the surface treatment apparatus according to any one of <6> and <7>, desired surface properties such as a mat, a semi mat, an emboss, and a raster can be efficiently and freely formed on at least a part of the recording medium. it can.

<8> The surface treatment apparatus according to any one of <1> to <7>, wherein the heat-sensitive foam layer includes at least a foaming agent and a binder resin.
<9> The surface treatment apparatus according to <8>, wherein the foaming agent is any one selected from a carbon dioxide generating compound, a nitrogen gas generating compound, an oxygen gas generating compound, and a microcapsule foaming agent.
In the surface treatment apparatus according to any one of <8> and <9>, the heat-sensitive foamed layer in the recording medium can be foamed efficiently by applying thermal energy, and the image-recording layer can be raised. Therefore, desired surface properties such as mats, semi-mats, embosses, and rasters can be efficiently formed on various recording media.

  <10> The surface treatment apparatus according to any one of <1> to <9>, further including a preheating unit that preheats the recording medium before the thermal energy application unit. In the surface treatment apparatus according to <10>, since the recording medium is previously heated by the preheating unit, the thermal energy can be efficiently applied by the thermal energy applying unit.

  <11> Any one of <1> to <10>, wherein the substrate in the recording medium is any one selected from a transparent or opaque sheet-like support, a read-only optical disc, a write-once optical disc, and a rewritable optical disc It is a surface treatment apparatus of description. In the surface treatment apparatus described in <11>, not only a transparent or opaque sheet-like support but also a read-only optical disc, a write-once optical disc, a rewritable optical disc, and the like can be used as a substrate in a recording medium. It can be used in a wide range of fields.

  <12> Image recording means for recording an image on a recording medium, and surface treatment means according to any one of <1> to <11>, wherein surface treatment is performed on the recording medium on which an image is recorded by the image recording means. It is an image recording device characterized by having. In the image forming apparatus according to <12>, since the thermal energy is applied to the surface treatment apparatus immediately after the heating process of the image forming process, the recording medium is preheated in the image forming process. Can be used to efficiently use thermal energy.

  <13> The image recording apparatus according to <12>, further including a control unit that drives or stops the surface treatment unit to control the presence or absence of the surface treatment of the recording medium. In the image forming apparatus according to <13>, when the surface treatment is not performed, the surface treatment apparatus is retracted so that the recording medium does not pass through the surface treatment apparatus, or passes through the surface treatment apparatus. And a control means for allowing the recording medium to pass through the bypass. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently perform the printing process without waste depending on the presence or absence of the surface treatment of the recording medium.

  According to the present invention, various conventional problems can be solved, and various recording media selected from inkjet recording media, thermal recording media, thermal development recording media, electrophotographic recording media, and silver halide photographic recording media can be used. On the other hand, desired surface properties such as mat, semi-mat, emboss, and raster can be easily and efficiently imparted by simple means.

(Surface treatment equipment)
The surface treatment apparatus of the present invention has a recording medium and thermal energy application means, and has a preheating means and further other means as required.

-Recording media-
The recording medium has at least a heat-sensitive foam layer and an image recording layer on a substrate, and if necessary, a surface protective layer, an intermediate layer, an undercoat layer, a cushion layer, a charge control (prevention) layer, a reflection layer. A layer, a color adjusting layer, a storage stability improving layer, an adhesion preventing layer, an anti-curl layer, a smoothing layer, and the like.

--Substrate--
The material, shape, structure, size and the like of the substrate are not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, the shape may be a sheet shape, a belt shape, a roll shape, a disk shape, or the like. The structure may be a single-layer structure or a laminated structure, and the size may be appropriately selected according to the application or the like.

Specifically, the substrate is preferably selected from a transparent or opaque sheet-like support, a read-only optical disc, a write-once optical disc, and a rewritable optical disc.
Examples of the transparent or opaque sheet-like support include, for example, synthetic paper (for example, synthetic paper such as polyolefin and polystyrene), fine paper, art paper, (double-sided) coated paper, (double-sided) cast-coated paper, Mixed paper made from synthetic resin pulp such as polyethylene and natural pulp, Yankee paper, baryta paper, wallpaper, backing paper, synthetic resin or emulsion impregnated paper, synthetic rubber latex impregnated paper, synthetic resin internal paper, paperboard, cellulose fiber Papers such as paper, various plastics such as polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene methacrylate, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyimide, celluloses (for example, triacetyl cellulose) Film or paper And films or sheets subjected to a treatment for giving white reflectivity to the plastic film or sheet (for example, a treatment for containing a pigment such as titanium oxide in the film), cloth, metal, glass, and the like. .
These may be used individually by 1 type and may use 2 or more types together as a laminated body.

  Examples of the read-only optical disk include a CD-ROM and a DVD-ROM. Examples of the write-once optical disc include CD-R and DVD-R. Examples of the rewritable optical disk include CD-RW and DVD-RW.

Examples of the substrate further include JP-A-62-253159, pages (29) to (31), JP-A-1-61236, pages (14) to (17), JP-A-63-331648, The substrates described in Kaihei 2-22651, 3-56955, U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,033 and the like are also preferred.
As thickness of the said base | substrate, 25-300 micrometers is preferable normally, 50-260 micrometers is more preferable, 75-220 micrometers is still more preferable.

Various additives appropriately selected according to the purpose can be added to the substrate within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.
Examples of the additive include whitening agents, conductive agents, fillers, pigments such as titanium oxide, ultramarine blue, and carbon black, and dyes.

In addition, one surface or both surfaces of the substrate may be subjected to various surface treatments and undercoating treatments for the purpose of improving adhesion with a layer provided thereon.
Examples of the surface treatment include a glossy surface or an activation treatment such as a mold forming treatment, corona discharge treatment, flame treatment, glow discharge treatment, and plasma treatment described in JP-A No. 55-26507.
These treatments may be performed singly, or may be performed after performing the above-mentioned mold forming treatment or the like, or may be performed after the surface treatment such as the above-described activation treatment. It can be combined arbitrarily.

  In the substrate, a hydrophilic binder, a semiconductive metal oxide such as alumina sol or tin oxide, and carbon black or other antistatic agent may be applied on the surface or the back surface of the substrate, or a combination thereof. . As such a substrate, specifically, a support described in JP-A No. 63-220246 is preferable.

--- Heat-sensitive foam layer--
The heat-sensitive foamed layer includes at least a foaming agent and a binder resin, and further includes other components as necessary.
The foaming agent is not particularly limited as long as it can be foamed by application of thermal energy by the thermal energy application unit, and can be appropriately selected from known foaming agents according to the purpose. For example, a carbon dioxide generating compound, a nitrogen gas generating compound, an oxygen gas generating compound, a microcapsule type foaming agent, and the like are preferable.
Examples of the carbon dioxide generating compound include bicarbonates such as sodium bicarbonate.
Examples of the nitrogen gas generating compound include a mixture of NaNO ₂ and NH ₄ Cl; an azo compound such as azobisirobutyronitrile and diazoaminobenzene; p-diazodimethylaniline chloride zinc chloride, morpholinobenzenediazonium chloride zinc chloride. , Morpholinobenzenediazonium chloride, fluoroborate, p-diazoethylaniline chloride zinc chloride, 4- (p-methyl-benzoylamino) -2,5-diethoxybenzenediazonium zinc chloride, 1,2diazonaphthol-5-sulfone And diazonium salts such as sodium acid salts.
Examples of the oxygen gas generating compound include peroxides.
Examples of the microcapsule-type foaming agent include microcapsule particle foaming agents that contain a low-boiling substance that vaporizes at a low temperature (which may be in a liquid state or a solid state at room temperature). Examples of the microcapsule-type foaming agent include a microcapsule wall material made of polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polybutadiene, or a copolymer thereof. For example, a microcapsule having a diameter of 10 to 20 μm encapsulated with a low boiling point vaporizable substance such as propane, butane, neopentane, neohexane, isopentane, or isobutylene.
The content of the foaming agent in the composition for the heat-sensitive foamed layer varies depending on the type of the foaming agent and cannot be specified unconditionally, but is usually preferably 1 to 50% by mass.

The binder resin is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. Examples thereof include polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polymethacrylate, polycarbonate, polyimide, and triacetyl cellulose. . These resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
The content of the binder resin in the composition for heat-sensitive foam layer is usually preferably 1 to 50% by mass.

There are no particular limitations on the other components in the heat-sensitive foamed layer, which can be appropriately selected according to the purpose, and various additives such as a solvent, a colorant, and a laser absorber can be blended.
The solvent is not particularly limited as long as it can dissolve the foaming agent and the binder resin, and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, cyclohexanone, methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl cellosolve, ethyl cellosolve, Examples include octane, decane, propylene glycol, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate.
These may be used individually by 1 type and may use 2 or more types together.

There is no restriction | limiting in particular in the said heat-sensitive foaming layer, Although it can select suitably according to the objective, It can form by apply | coating the composition for heat-sensitive foaming layers on a base | substrate.
In this case, the coating method is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. For example, blade coating method, air knife coating method, gravure coating method, roll coating coating method, spray coating method, dip coating Examples thereof include a coating method, a bar coating method, a spin coating method, and a kneader coating method.
The thickness of the heat-sensitive foamed layer is preferably 5 μm to several tens of μm, for example.

-Image recording layer-
For example, in the case of a silver salt photograph, the image recording layer corresponds to an emulsion layer that develops YMC. In the present invention, it means both an emulsion layer before the exposure phenomenon and an emulsion layer after the exposure phenomenon.
In the case of inkjet, it corresponds to an ink image-receiving layer that receives and holds ink. In the present invention, it means both an ink image-receiving layer to which no ink is attached and an ink image-receiving layer after ink is attached.
In the case of electrophotography, it corresponds to a toner image-receiving layer, and in the present invention, it means both a toner image-receiving layer with no toner attached and a toner image-receiving layer after toner adhesion.

  The recording medium is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. Examples thereof include an inkjet recording medium, a thermal recording medium, a thermal development recording medium, an electrophotographic recording medium, and a silver halide. Photographic recording media can be used. Further, the recording medium may be either before recording an image or after recording an image.

  The inkjet recording medium has, for example, a porous color material receiving layer on a support, and an aqueous ink (using a dye or pigment as the color material), an oil-based ink, or the like in the color material receiving layer. The liquid ink, or solid at room temperature, is melted and liquefied, and solid ink to be used for printing is absorbed to record an image.

  The electrophotographic recording medium has, for example, at least a toner image-receiving layer on a support, and the toner image-receiving layer receives at least one of color toner and black toner to form an image. .

  As the recording medium for thermal recording, for example, the one described in JP-A-6-130632 is suitable. Specifically, (1) a thermal transfer recording medium having a structure in which at least a heat-meltable ink layer as an image recording layer is provided on a support, and the ink is heated from the heat-meltable ink layer by heating with a heat-sensitive head. (2) A thermal transfer recording medium used in the method of melt transfer on the top, (2) It has a configuration in which an ink layer containing at least a thermal diffusible dye (sublimation dye) is provided on a support, and is heated by a thermal head. A thermal transfer recording medium used in a sublimation transfer method for transferring a thermal diffusible dye from an ink layer onto a thermal transfer recording medium, and (3) a thermal head having a configuration in which at least a thermal coloring layer is provided on a support. And a thermosensitive recording medium used in a thermoautochrome system (TA system) for recording an image by repeating heating and fixing with ultraviolet rays.

-Thermal energy application means-
As the thermal energy application means, thermal energy is applied to the heat-sensitive foam layer in the recording medium.
The temperature for foaming the heat-sensitive foamed layer by the thermal energy application means is not particularly limited as long as the temperature can expand the foaming agent of the heat-sensitive foam layer, and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. Usually, 80-120 degreeC is preferable.
In this case, it is preferable to apply thermal energy from at least one of the front surface and the back surface of the recording medium. Here, the surface means the side of the substrate on which the image recording layer is provided. Moreover, the said back surface means the side which does not provide the image recording layer in a base | substrate.

There is no restriction | limiting in particular as said thermal energy provision means, According to the objective, it can select suitably, For example, either a heat generating element or a laser beam irradiation apparatus is suitable.
As the heating element, for example, a thermal head in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged in a line or a staggered manner, an area heater array including a thermal head in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged vertically and horizontally in a predetermined area, etc. Is mentioned.
It is preferable that the application of thermal energy by the heating element is performed by any one of a heating element driving unit and a heating element driving unit, a recording medium, and a relative scanning driving unit of the heating element. In this case, the heating element driving means is indispensable, and the recording medium and the heating element relative scanning driving means may be omitted. For example, when an A4 size thermal head (area head) is used, the thermal energy can be applied only by the heating element driving means.

The heater array which is the thermal head or an assembly thereof is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. However, each heating element of the heater array corresponding to the heating pattern is turned on according to the movement of the recording medium. Or what can be heated and controlled by turning OFF is preferable.
In this case, the detection of the head of the recording medium is triggered as the recording medium moves, the positional relationship between the recording medium and the heater array is detected, and the recording medium is heated by the movement of the recording medium (heating required area). It is preferable that the heating is continued while passing, and the heating is stopped when the passing is finished. As a result, the recording medium can be heated sufficiently efficiently even if the amount of heat of each heating element in the heater array is small and the moving speed of the recording medium is high.
The means for controlling the driving of the heating elements in the heater array is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. Examples thereof include a computer based on a predetermined heating pattern.

There is no restriction | limiting in particular as said laser beam irradiation apparatus, Although it can select suitably according to the objective, For example, what scans and irradiates the laser beam of a near-infrared wavelength within a recording medium is suitable.
As the near-infrared wavelength laser light, for example, a light source having a light emission wavelength of 760 to 1080 nm in the near infrared to infrared region is preferable, and helium-neon laser, argon laser, carbon dioxide laser, YAG laser, Semiconductor laser, etc. are mentioned.

The application of thermal energy by the laser beam irradiation apparatus, the application of thermal energy by the laser beam irradiation apparatus, irradiates laser light having a near-infrared wavelength within the recording medium and irradiates laser light alone, and laser It is preferably performed by any one of a light driving unit, a recording medium, and a laser beam relative scanning driving unit. In this case, the laser beam driving means is indispensable, and the recording medium and the laser beam relative scanning driving means may be omitted.
The laser beam scanning method is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended purpose. For example, (1) a method using a polygonal rotating mirror, (2) a method using a resonant galvanometer mirror (3) A method using a normal galvanometer mirror, (4) a method of moving a stage on which a recording medium is placed, and the like. Among these methods, a method suitable for the scanning speed range set by the exposure energy amount (heat amount) necessary for the recording medium and the laser beam power is appropriately selected.

The laser beam scanning method includes a raster scanning method and a vector scanning method.
In the raster scanning method, the surface is scanned by main scanning using polygon mirrors or the like whose directions are orthogonal to each other and sub-scanning of the recording medium. In this case, the above-described methods may be used as the main scanning and sub-scanning methods. However, the same method is not necessary, and a method capable of high scanning speed is used for main scanning, and a slow scanning method is used for sub-scanning. You may combine them.
In the case of image recording by the vector scanning method, for example, the scanning direction of the recording laser beam irradiation means is determined from the combination of scanning in the X direction and the Y direction, and a line segment is formed in an arbitrary direction. The scanning method is preferably the same method.

  In the raster scanning method, when a light emitting point such as a laser beam is scanned two-dimensionally, after scanning from a certain starting point to the ending point in the X direction (main scanning direction), the next scanning starting point is determined. This is a system in which the screen is sequentially scanned by repeating the operation of performing the next scanning in the same manner after shifting in the Y direction (sub-scanning direction). A CRT image such as a TV is a typical example. The vector scanning method is a method in which a light emitting point such as a laser beam is scanned linearly or curvedly along the contour of an image such as a character or a picture. In both scanning methods, recording is performed by irradiating or not irradiating a light source corresponding to an image such as a character or a picture during scanning. In the raster scanning method, a recorded image is formed from a set of points placed at intervals determined by a scanning density in the Y direction (sub-scanning direction). On the other hand, the vector scanning method is formed by a set of lines and curves regardless of the scanning direction. A surface shape is formed by the scanning means and the driving frequency of the laser.

  The laser light is preferably condensed and irradiated on the heat-sensitive foam layer of the recording medium. The condensing method is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, various lenses such as a convex lens, a conical conduit lens, a rod lens, a lens group for a collimator, and an optical element such as a spatial filter. Examples thereof include a light beam formed by an element and a short focus condenser lens unit.

The surface treatment apparatus preferably changes the surface properties of at least a part of the recording medium. Thereby, different desired surface properties can be formed in sheet units or in one sheet.
Moreover, it is preferable that the surface texture is any one selected from a mat, a semi-matt, an emboss, a raster, and a combination thereof.
In this case, the change in the surface property can be controlled by appropriately adjusting the amount of thermal energy, the scanning method, the irradiation time, etc. in the thermal energy applying means.

-Other means-
There is no restriction | limiting in particular as said other means, According to the objective, it can select suitably, For example, a preheating means, an alignment means, a process control means etc. are mentioned suitably.

The preheating unit is a unit that preheats the recording medium before applying thermal energy by the thermal energy applying unit.
Having the preheating means is advantageous in that the amount of heat required by the energy applying means is small, and energy can be reliably applied to the recording medium. The preheating means is effective when using a thermal head that has a small heat capacity and heats the recording medium while it is transported, and the heating time must be shortened.
A specific example of the preheating means is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. A heating roller, a heater, a heating unit of an image recording apparatus (a drying unit of a silver salt photography minilab, an electrophotographic apparatus) And the like, and the like.

The alignment unit is a unit that performs alignment with the thermal energy application unit when applying thermal energy to the recording medium. The positioning means is advantageous in that the surface treatment can be performed without causing a positional shift on the surface to be treated of the recording medium, and the surface treatment efficiency and reliability are excellent.
There is no restriction | limiting in particular as a specific example of the said alignment means, According to the objective, it can select suitably, A sensor etc. are mentioned suitably. There is no restriction | limiting in particular as this sensor, For example, the sensor etc. which detect reflected light, reflected sound, etc. are mentioned.

The process control means is a process for controlling each process, and can be suitably performed by the process control means.
The processing control means is not particularly limited as long as the movement of each means can be controlled, and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. Examples thereof include devices such as sequencers and computers.

(Image recording device)
The image recording apparatus of the present invention includes an image recording unit and a surface treatment unit in this order, and further includes other units appropriately selected as necessary.
That is, surface properties are imparted to the recording medium after image recording by the surface treatment means.
It is possible to use an image recording apparatus having a surface treatment means and an image recording means in this order (which imparts surface properties to the recording medium before image recording by the surface treatment means). The threshold of thermal energy at the time and thermal energy in the surface treatment is different, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of achieving thermal energy efficiency.

  The inkjet recording medium has, for example, a porous ink-receiving layer on a support, and a liquid such as an aqueous ink (using a dye or pigment as a coloring material) and an oil-based ink. An image is recorded by absorbing ink or solid ink that is solid at normal temperature and melted and liquefied and used for printing.

  The electrophotographic recording medium has, for example, at least a toner image-receiving layer on a support, and the toner image-receiving layer receives at least one of color toner and black toner to form an image. .

  The heat-sensitive recording medium includes, for example, (1) a structure in which at least a heat-meltable ink layer as an image recording layer is provided on a support, and is heated from a heat-meltable ink layer by a heat-sensitive head. A thermal transfer recording medium used in a system in which ink is melt-transferred onto a thermal transfer recording medium, and (2) a structure in which an ink layer containing at least a heat-diffusible dye (sublimation dye) is provided on a support. , A thermal transfer recording medium used in a sublimation transfer method in which a thermal diffusible dye is transferred from an ink layer to a thermal transfer recording medium by heating with a thermal head, and (3) a configuration in which at least a thermal coloring layer is provided on a support. And a thermal recording medium used in a thermoautochrome system (TA system) for recording an image by repeating heating with a thermal head and fixing with ultraviolet rays.

-Image recording means-
The image recording means is not particularly limited as long as an image can be recorded on the recording medium, and can be appropriately selected from known image recording methods. For example, an ink jet recording method or a thermal recording method can be used. It is only necessary to be able to record an image by a method, a silver halide photographic method, a heat development recording method, an electrophotographic method, and the like, and can be appropriately selected from known image recording apparatuses.
In the process of using thermal energy for image recording, it is preferable to record an image with lower thermal energy than the thermal energy of the surface treatment. For example, in the thermal recording system, image recording is performed at 70 to 100 ° C., and surface treatment is performed at 110 to 140 ° C.

-Surface treatment means-
The surface treatment means is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected as long as the surface treatment can be performed on the recording medium on which the image is formed by the image recording means. Can be used particularly preferably.
In the image recording apparatus, the surface treatment means may be built in the image recording means or may be externally attached to the image recording means.

-Other means-
There is no restriction | limiting in particular as said other means, Although it can select suitably according to the objective, For example, a control means etc. are mentioned suitably.
The control means is not particularly limited and preferably includes those used in known image recording apparatuses. For example, the surface treatment means is driven or stopped, and the presence or absence of surface treatment of the recording medium is performed. What can control is preferable. The control means may not be provided independently, and the function of the control means may be achieved by the treatment control means in the surface treatment apparatus.

  In the case of having the control means, if the control means stops driving the surface treatment means, the image formed by the image recording means is directly passed from the image recording apparatus without passing through the surface treatment means. Can be discharged (bypass route). Further, when the surface processing means is driven, the image formed by the image recording means can be discharged from the image recording apparatus after passing through the surface processing means and performing the surface treatment.

  According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, a desired surface property such as a mat, a semi-raster, an emboss, or a raster can be formed on the entire surface or part of the surface of the obtained image. Multiple types having different surface properties can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, although one example of the present invention is described concretely using a drawing, the present invention is not limited to this example at all.

(Example 1)
In Example 1, a known ink jet recording apparatus is used as an image recording apparatus. As a recording medium 10, a base 9 as shown in FIG. 1, a heat-sensitive foam layer 8 on the base, and an ink on the heat-sensitive foam layer are used. An inkjet sheet having a receiving layer 6 was used.
As shown in FIG. 1 (A), the heat-sensitive foamed layer 8 is formed by emulsifying and dispersing a mixture of a volatile liquid such as n-butane and a vinyl monomer in water and encapsulating by radical polymerization to form hollow microcapsules. To do. The microcapsules contain a gas, and the microcapsules can be expanded about 2 to 100 times by heating with a thermal head. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1B, the image recording layer 6 swells and irregularities are formed on the surface of the recording medium.
As shown in FIG. 2, the image recording apparatus according to the first embodiment includes an image recording unit (not shown) and a thermal energy applying unit.

  As the thermal energy applying means, one having the thermal head 20, the platen roller 3, and the pinch roller 5 shown in FIG. 2 was used. The thermal energy applying means is connected to the image recording means and is designed so that energy can be continuously applied to the recording medium on which the image is recorded.

  The thermal energy applying means is connected to the processing control means 18 and controls the driving of the thermal head 20 based on the heating pattern recorded in the processing control means. Moreover, based on the detection information by the alignment sensor (positioning sensor), the rotational speed of the conveyance roller, the pinch roller, and the like are controlled. As a result, the surface property can be changed efficiently without causing a positional shift or the like.

  The thermal head 20 in the thermal energy application unit has, for example, a heater array 35. As shown in FIG. 3, the heater array 35 is an area type heater array 35 including a thermal head 20 in which a plurality of heating elements 20 a are arranged in a predetermined area vertically and horizontally. As shown in FIG. 4, a heater array 35 in which a plurality of line-type thermal heads 20A, 20B, 20C,... In which a plurality of heating elements 20a are arranged vertically may be used.

  The heating elements 20a constituting the thermal head 20 in the area type heater array 35 are driven by a heating element driver that drives each heating element 20a based on the selected heating pattern, thereby driving the heating elements 20a. It is designed so that only a predetermined part can be driven to generate heat. Therefore, the recording medium 10 is heated by the heater array 35 in accordance with a predetermined heating pattern, and the foaming agent in the heated portion is foamed and expanded, whereby the image recording layer is raised (raised), and the uneven shape (mat). Is formed.

(Example 2)
In Example 2, surface properties were imparted to the recording medium in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the laser irradiation apparatus shown in FIG.
The laser irradiation apparatus shown in FIG. 5 uses a semiconductor laser as a laser unit.
This semiconductor laser irradiation apparatus includes a semiconductor laser unit 15 and a control means 18. Reference numeral 19 denotes a transport roller.

The operation of the semiconductor laser unit 15 is controlled by a computer 18 as processing control means, as shown in FIG. 5, and is scanned so as to obtain a desired surface property in the recording medium. The computer 18 stores a desired heating pattern.
Further, the semiconductor laser irradiation apparatus can condense the heat-sensitive foamed layer with the condensing lens 16 and can apply the laser light selectively and efficiently.

  In this embodiment 2, the laser unit as the thermal energy applying means scans the inside of the recording medium based on the heating pattern recorded in the processing control means, and the laser irradiated portion is heated, The foaming agent in the heated portion foams and expands, whereby the image recording layer rises (raises), and an uneven shape (mat) is formed.

  Although the embodiments of the surface treatment apparatus and the image recording apparatus of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. .

  The surface treatment apparatus of the present invention can easily and efficiently impart desired surface properties such as mats, semi-mats, embosses, and rasters to a recording medium by simple means. Further, since the image recording apparatus of the present invention has the surface treatment apparatus of the present invention, it is an inkjet medium, a thermal recording medium, a thermal development recording medium, an electrophotographic recording medium, and a silver halide photographic medium. It can be suitably used for various recording media selected from recording media.

FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the recording medium of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a state in which the foaming agent in the heat-sensitive foam layer of the recording medium is expanded and irregularities are formed on the surface of the recording medium. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of the surface treatment apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a thermal head. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating another example of the thermal head. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing another example of the surface treatment apparatus of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Platen roller 5 Pinch roller 6 Image recording layer 8 Heat-sensitive foam layer 9 Base 10 Recording medium 15 Laser 16 Condensing lens 18 Processing control means 19 Conveyance roller 20 Thermal head 20a Heating element 22A Line-shaped thermal head 22B Line-shaped thermal head 22C Line Thermal head 35 heater array

Claims (13)

  A recording medium having at least a heat-sensitive foam layer and an image recording layer in this order on a substrate; and a thermal energy applying means for applying thermal energy to the recording medium; and forming a surface property on the recording medium. A featured surface treatment apparatus.   The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thermal energy is applied from at least one of a front surface side and a back surface side of the recording medium.   The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thermal energy applying means is any one of a heating element and a laser beam irradiation apparatus.   4. The surface according to claim 3, wherein the application of thermal energy by the heating element is performed by any one of the heating element driving means alone and the heating element driving means, the recording medium, and the relative scanning driving means of the heating element. Processing equipment.   The application of thermal energy by the laser beam irradiation device irradiates a laser beam with a near infrared wavelength by scanning it within the recording medium, and the laser beam driving means alone, the laser beam driving means, the recording medium and the laser beam. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the surface treatment apparatus is performed by either of the relative scanning driving means.   The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface property is any one selected from a mat, a semi mat, an emboss, a raster, and a combination thereof.   The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface property of at least a part of the recording medium is changed.   The surface treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heat-sensitive foam layer includes at least a foaming agent and a binder resin.   The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the foaming agent is any one selected from a carbon dioxide generating compound, a nitrogen gas generating compound, an oxygen gas generating compound, and a microcapsule type foaming agent.   The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising preheating means for preheating the recording medium before the heat energy applying means.   The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate in the recording medium is selected from a transparent or opaque sheet-like support, a read-only optical disc, a write-once optical disc, and a rewritable optical disc.   12. An image recording means for recording an image on a recording medium; and a surface treatment means according to claim 1 for performing a surface treatment on the recording medium on which an image is recorded by the image recording means. Image recording device. The image recording apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a control unit that drives or stops the surface treatment unit to control the presence or absence of the surface treatment of the recording medium.

Images