JP2005343175A - Reversible thermal sensitive recording medium and reversible thermal sensitive recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reversible thermal sensitive recording medium difficult to generate heat deformation (curling) by heating for recording/erasing. <P>SOLUTION: A recording area is formed by a width of ≤50% of total width in a cross direction or a longitudinal direction in a central part, or the recording area is formed by an area of ≤60% of total area in the central part, and the remainder is made non recording area to obtain the reversible thermal sensitive recording medium. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention provides a reversible thermosensitive recording medium having a recording area that can be stably formed in a colored state and a decolored state reversibly by controlling thermal energy, and for printing and erasing the same. The present invention relates to a reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus to be used.

  Conventional hard copy generally forms images by attaching and fixing a colorant such as ink or toner to a recording medium such as paper from the outside, or heat-sensitive recording on a substrate such as paper, like heat-sensitive recording paper. A permanent image was formed by providing a layer and applying energy to the layer to form a visible image.

  However, due to the recent spread of copiers and facsimiles and the output of information from computers, the consumption of recording media has increased dramatically. Natural destruction resulting from the felling of trees due to the demand for wood as a raw material for paper and waste disposal Causing social problems. In order to solve this problem, a recording medium that can erase a recorded visible image and can be used repeatedly has attracted attention.

  Examples of such a repetitive recording medium include a recording medium capable of reversibly forming two states of transparency and cloudiness by utilizing the light scattering property of a polymer film in which organic low-molecular crystal particles are dispersed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho). 55-154198 etc.). This recording medium has already been put into practical use as a content display section of a magnetic card. However, since the displayed image is printed in white on a black or blue colored background or a light-reflective background such as an aluminum vapor deposition film, an uncomfortable feeling is not suitable as a normal hard copy.

  In response to this problem, there is provided a reversible thermosensitive recording medium using a leuco dye capable of reversibly developing and decoloring, together with a developer, and capable of reversibly forming a color printed image on a white background. (JP-A-5-124360, JP-A-10-119440, etc.).

  However, since this leuco dye type has high printing energy and erasing energy, this reversible thermosensitive recording medium undergoes thermal deformation (curl) by recording and erasing, especially by erasing. When curling occurs in the reversible thermosensitive recording medium, subsequent recording / erasing is not performed smoothly, and a high-quality image cannot be obtained, or the image is not completely erased. Usually, erasing is performed by transporting and heating a reversible thermosensitive recording medium to a predetermined position of the recording apparatus. The degree of curling is remarkable in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction (width direction). This is because the heating state is uniform (uniform) in the transport direction of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium, and in many cases, vertical lines of the support are formed in the transport direction of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium. It seems that expansion and contraction is likely to occur.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a reversible thermosensitive recording medium that hardly undergoes thermal deformation (curl) even by recording and erasing, and a reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus used for recording / erasing the same.

  According to the present invention, first, on the surface of the support, a recording area having a width of 50% or less of the total width in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction is formed at the center, and each of the recording areas is sandwiched between the recording areas. Two non-recording areas are formed with a width of 25% or more of the entire width, and the whole area is square or short, and the recording area is mainly composed of an electron-donating color-forming compound and an electron-accepting compound. And a reversible thermosensitive recording layer containing a reversible thermochromic composition capable of forming a relatively colored state and a decolored state due to a difference in heating temperature and / or cooling rate after heating. A reversible thermosensitive recording medium is provided.

  Second, on the surface of the support, a recording area is formed in the central portion with an area of 60% or less of the total area, and a non-recording area is formed so as to surround the recording area, and it has a square or short shape as a whole. And the recording area is mainly composed of an electron-donating color-forming compound and an electron-accepting compound, and is relatively colored and decolored depending on the heating temperature and / or the cooling rate after heating. There is provided a reversible thermosensitive recording medium, which is a reversible thermosensitive recording layer containing a reversible thermochromic composition capable of forming a color.

  Third, the first or second reversible thermosensitive recording medium is provided, wherein an adhesive layer is provided on the back surface of the support.

  Fourthly, the reversible thermosensitive recording medium described in any one of the first to third is characterized in that the whole form is a card shape.

  Fifth, the recording apparatus for forming an image in the recording area of the first to fourth reversible thermosensitive recording media, and an erasing means for erasing the image formed in the recording area are provided. A reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus is provided.

  Sixth, the recording means and the erasing means are in a non-contact or non-pressurized contact state with the reversible thermosensitive recording medium except during recording / erasing, and are added only to the recording area of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium during recording / erasing. The fifth reversible thermosensitive recording device is provided, which is in a pressure contact state.

  Seventh, the fifth or sixth reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus comprising a back surface heating means for heating the back surface of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium at the time of erasing an image, after erasing or simultaneously with erasing. Is provided.

  Eighth, the reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus according to any one of the fifth to seventh aspects, further comprising a cooling means for cooling the reversible thermosensitive recording medium heated by recording or erasing. Is done.

  According to the use of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium and the reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus of the present invention, deformation due to heating can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 1A, the layer structure of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium 11 of the present invention is formed on a support 12 made of plastic, paper, synthetic paper or the like and having a thickness of 1 mm or less, preferably 50 to 500 μm. A reversible thermosensitive recording layer 13 forming a recording area, and a transparent protective layer 14 for preventing the recording layer from being deteriorated are laminated on the recording layer. However, as is clear from the above and below, the reversible thermosensitive recording layer 13 is not formed on the entire surface of the support 12. In addition to this, an undercoat layer between the support and the reversible thermosensitive recording layer, an intermediate layer between the reversible thermosensitive recording layer and the protective layer, a colored printing ink layer on a part or the entire surface of the protective layer, Further, a transparent protective layer may be provided on the surface including the ink layer portion or non-ink adhesion.

  The thickness of the reversible thermosensitive recording layer 13 is preferably 1 to 30 μm, and more preferably 2 to 20 μm. This reversible thermosensitive recording layer is formed by dispersing a leuco dye and a developer in a binder resin.

  The binder resin used for the reversible thermosensitive recording layer preferably has a glass transition temperature of 50 ° C. or higher, more preferably 60 ° C. or higher, preferably 100 ° C. or lower, and more preferably 80 ° C. or lower. Specifically, polyvinyl chloride, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate-maleic acid copolymer, vinyl chloride-acrylate copolymer, etc. A vinyl chloride copolymer of polyvinylidene chloride such as polyvinylidene chloride, vinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymer, vinylidene chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer; polyester; polyamide; polyacrylate or polymethacrylate or acrylate; Methacrylate copolymer; silicone resin, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, natural rubber, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrolein, polycarbonate and the like. These resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  The leuco dye used for the reversible thermosensitive recording layer is a known dye precursor such as a phthalide compound, an azaphthalide compound, a fluoran compound, a phenothiazine compound, or a leucooramine compound.

  The developer used in the reversible thermosensitive recording layer controls the cohesive force between molecules, such as phenolic hydroxyl groups, carboxylic acid groups, and phosphate groups, which have the ability to develop leuco dyes in the molecule. For example, a compound having a structure in which long-chain hydrocarbon groups are linked. The connecting part may be through a divalent group containing a hetero atom, and the long chain hydrocarbon group may contain a divalent group or an aromatic group containing a hetero atom. Specifically, a known developer described in JP-A-5-124360 can be used. The melting point of the developer is preferably 120 ° C. or higher, and more preferably 140 ° C.

  The melting point of the developer is preferably 120 ° C. or higher, and more preferably 140 ° C. Examples of the material for the transparent protective layer (thickness 0.1 to 5 μm) provided to protect the reversible thermosensitive recording layer include silicone rubber, silicone resin (described in JP-A-63-221087), polysiloxane. Examples thereof include a graft polymer (described in JP-A No. 63-317385), an ultraviolet curable resin, an electron beam curable resin (described in JP-A No. 02-566), and the like. In these, an organic or inorganic filler can be contained.

  As a material for the intermediate layer (thickness 0.2 to 2 μm) provided to protect the reversible thermosensitive recording layer from the solvent, monomer component, etc. of the transparent protective layer forming liquid, as a resin used for the reversible thermosensitive recording layer In addition to those listed above, the following thermosetting resins, thermoplastic resins, UV curable resins, and EB curable resins can be used. That is, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral, polyurethane, saturated polyester, unsaturated polyester, epoxy resin, phenol resin, polycarbonate, polyamide and the like can be mentioned.

  Examples of the material for the undercoat layer (thickness of 0.1 to 2 μm) provided to improve the adhesion between the support and the reversible thermosensitive recording layer include conventionally known water-soluble polymers and / or aqueous polymer emulsions. Is preferably selected from the following. Specific examples thereof include water-soluble polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol, starch and derivatives thereof, cellulose derivatives such as methoxycellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, and ethylcellulose, sodium polyacrylate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and acrylamide-acrylic acid. Examples include ester copolymers, acrylamide-acrylic acid ester-methacrylic acid terpolymers, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer alkali salts, polyacrylamide, sodium alginate, gelatin, and casein. Examples of the aqueous polymer emulsion include latex such as styrene-butadiene copolymer and styrene-butadiene-acrylic copolymer, vinyl acetate resin, vinyl acetate-acrylic acid copolymer, styrene-acrylic acid ester copolymer. Examples thereof include emulsions such as coalescence, acrylic ester resin, and polyurethane resin.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, the reversible thermosensitive recording medium of the present invention is a layer containing a recording / memory material of a type different from the reversible thermosensitive recording layer 13 on the back surface of the support 12 ( For example, a magnetic layer 15 or the like may be provided. The magnetic layer 15 has a thickness of about 5 to 15 μm, and is formed on the back surface of the support by using a commonly used iron oxide, barium ferrite or the like and a vinyl resin, a urethane resin, or a nylon resin, or vapor deposition, It is formed without using a resin by a method such as sputtering.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1 (c), the reversible thermosensitive recording medium of the present invention is provided with an adhesive layer 16 on the opposite side of the support 12 from the reversible thermosensitive recording layer 13, and affixed to another support 12 ′. It may be possible to use a reversible thermosensitive recording label. As the material for the adhesive layer (thickness: 10 to 30 μm), those generally used as an adhesive can be used. Specific examples include urea resin, melamine resin, phenol resin, epoxy resin, vinyl acetate resin, vinyl acetate-acrylic copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, acrylic resin, polyvinyl ether resin, vinyl chloride. -Vinyl acetate copolymer, polystyrene resin, polyester resin, polyurethane resin, polyamide resin, chlorinated polyolefin resin, polyvinyl butyral resin, acrylate copolymer, methacrylate ester copolymer , Natural rubber, cyanoacrylate resin, silicon resin, and the like, but are not limited thereto. The material of the adhesive layer may be a hot melt type. Further, release paper may be used or non-release paper type may be used.

A reversible thermosensitive recording medium using these leuco dyes and developer develops and decolors by the process shown in FIG. That is, when the initial decolored state (A) is heated, the leuco dye and the developer are melted and mixed at a temperature T ₁ or higher (B), and when this state is rapidly cooled, the colored state is fixed (C). . When the color development state (C) is heated, the color is erased at a temperature T ₂ lower than the color development temperature T ₁ (D). Here, when cooling from the melt coloring state (B) is gradually cooled, the concentration is lowered in the process of lowering the temperature, and in an extreme case, the state is almost decolored.

  In a reversible thermosensitive recording medium, it is a normal usage method to erase a color image that has already been printed, and perform another printing to rewrite it. In general, the erasing process and the printing process are performed continuously. In the erasing process, the reversible thermosensitive recording medium is heated to an erasing temperature (usually 100 to 180 ° C.). A heating time of about 0.1 to 2 seconds is required to completely erase the printed color portion of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium.

  Incidentally, in order to perform such heating, conventionally, for example, a so-called stamper erasing means 51 called a stamper as shown in FIG. 3 has been taken. This is because a pressing member 52 having an elastic member 53 is provided on the entire portion (recording area) where the reversible thermosensitive recording medium 11 is erased by a heating member 54 controlled to an erasing temperature by a heating resistor, for example, a metal plate or a metal block. This is a pressing method (hot stamp method). However, this hot stamping method applies pressure only to the erasing area 100 in a reversible thermosensitive recording portion, that is, a recording medium having a large recording area (corresponding to the erasing area 100 here) as shown in FIGS. Since it is not heated, partial thermal deformation (curl) of the medium occurs. 4A and 4B, reference numerals 101 and 102 denote non-erased areas (non-recording areas).

  However, such partial thermal deformation (curl) of the medium is reversible thermosensitive recording in the central part of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium or in a narrow part of the central part as shown in FIGS. When there is a portion (erasing area 100), thermal deformation (curl) occurs but remains in that portion, and the degree of deformation (degree of curl) has been found to be significantly reduced, leading to the present invention.

FIG. 5A is an example showing the positional relationship of the recording area (erasing area 100) in the entire reversible thermosensitive recording medium of the present invention, and the erasing area 100 is sandwiched between non-erasing areas 101 and 102 provided above and below. It is of the form. Here, when the total width in the vertical direction is L ₁ in the drawing, the width m ₁ of the erase region 100 in the center is 50% or less of L ₁ , and the widths n ₁ and n _{2 of the} non-erasable regions 101 and 102 Is 25% or more of L ₁ . Here, n ₁ = n ₂ is preferable. FIG. 5R> 5 (b) shows a state in which the reversible thermosensitive recording medium of FIG. 5 (a) is rotated by 90 °, or when the total width in the lateral direction is L _{2 in} the drawing, the erased area at the center. The width m ₂ of 100 is 50% or less of L ₂ , and the widths n ₃ and n ₄ of the non-erasable areas 101 and 102 are 25% or more of L ₂ , respectively. Here, it is preferable that n ₃ = n ₄ .

  These reversible thermosensitive recording media shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B can remarkably reduce thermal deformation (curl) by moving in the direction of the arrow during recording and erasing.

FIG. 6 is another example showing the positional relationship of the erasure area 100 in the entire reversible thermosensitive recording medium of the present invention. The erasure area 100 is provided at the center and is surrounded by the non-erasure area 103. is there. Here, in the drawing, the erase area 100 occupies an area of 60% or less of the entire medium. Further, in the widths n ₅ , n ₆ , n ₇ , and n ₈ of the non-erasable region 103, it is preferable that n ₅ = n ₆ and n ₇ = n ₈ . The reversible thermosensitive recording medium shown in FIG. 6 differs from that shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b) in that it is thermally deformed (curl) when it is moved in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the drawing during recording / erasing. Can be significantly reduced.

  Naturally, the smaller the area of the recording area, the less curling due to heating. Therefore, when the reversible thermosensitive recording medium shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is subjected to the same heat treatment from the back as shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, or 7C, the deformation is further improved. This is because heat is also applied to the back surface of the medium, and the back surface shrinks as much as shrinkage. 7A shows double-sided heating (non-simultaneous), FIG. 7B shows double-sided heating (simultaneous), and FIG. 7C shows reverse-sided heating (non-simultaneous). In the hot stamp method, heat is trapped in the medium, so that a cooling device is necessary depending on the case, and curling is reduced when cooling is performed immediately after erasing. Further, as a characteristic of curling, there is a characteristic that curling is less when a contact is made for a short time at a high temperature than for a long time contact at a low temperature.

  From this point, it is preferable that the erasing unit in the reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus realizes the same medium temperature with a short contact time by increasing the surface temperature to shorten the width of the erasing unit. As a result of the experiment, although depending on the surface temperature, the contact width of the erasing means is preferably in the range of 1.2 to 5.0 mm. If the thickness is 1.2 mm or less, sufficient heat supply cannot be obtained, and if it is 5.0 mm or more, curling cannot be reduced.

  FIG. 8 shows a main part of a preferred reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus of the present invention. In the erasing means 6, a heating element 62 is provided on a ceramic substrate 61 and the upper part is covered with a protective layer 63. Opposing is a platen roller 71 composed of a rotating roller (automatic or driven). This platen roller may be heated.

  Next, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to examples. The “curl degree” here refers to forming an image on a reversible thermosensitive recording medium, and further erasing the image 10 times, and then leaving it in an atmosphere of 20 ° C. and 50% RH for 1 hour. The maximum swell (x) is a value measured with a ruler from the position of the side surface perpendicular to the traveling direction of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium.

Example 1
A recording area (27.9 cm ² occupies 60% of the entire card) of a JIS size card (8.6 cm × 5.4 cm, thickness 0.3 mm) with a magnetic recording layer of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium of FIG. When the image erasing process was performed under the conditions of a metal block hot stamping at a temperature of 130 to 140 ° C. for 1 sec and a load of 1200 g to 1500 g, the deformation was as shown in FIG. It was 5 mm.

Example 2
The same as in Example 1 except that the area of the recording area was changed to 23.2 cm ² (50%) with the FIG. 5 (a) type reversible thermosensitive recording card (8.6 cm × 5.4 cm, thickness 0.3 mm). As a result, the deformation was as shown in FIG. 9B, and the curl degree (x) was 3.0 mm. In this case, the image is erased by moving the card in the direction of the arrow in FIG.

Example 3
Example 5 (b) type reversible thermosensitive recording card (8.6 cm × 5.4 cm, thickness 0.3 mm), except that the area of the recording area was set to 23.2 cm ² (50%). As a result, the deformation was as shown in FIG. 9C, and the curl degree (x) was 3.0 mm. In this image erasing, the card is moved in the direction of the arrow in FIG.

Example 4
Immediately after erasing the image in the same manner as in Example 1 with a recording area of 27.9 cm ² (60%) using a 6-type reversible thermosensitive recording card (8.6 cm × 5.4 cm, thickness 0.3 mm), immediately When contacted with the metal plate and cooled, the deformation was as shown in FIG. 9 (d), and the curl degree (x) was 3.0 mm.

Example 5
An image of the same reversible thermosensitive recording medium as in Example 4 in an erasing range using an apparatus that uses an erasing (heating) bar and a backside heating bar heated as a receiver as shown in FIG. 7R> 7 (b). When deleted, the deformation was as shown in FIG. 9E, and the curl degree (x) was 3 mm. The length of the erasure bar was 70% of the card width, and the erasure bar was controlled to be pressed / released by a device (not shown) to erase about 70% of the length.

Example 6
FIG. 5A shows a reversible thermosensitive recording medium (8.6 cm × 5.4 cm, thickness 0.3 mm) having a recording area of 23.2 cm ² (50%). When a ceramic heater having a contact width of 2 mm in the medium traveling direction was used to control the erase bar with a load of 200 g, 25% release in the longitudinal direction, 50% erase, and 25% (length), the recorded image was erased. ) And the degree of curl (x) was 2.5 mm. The erasing is performed at a speed of 30 mm / sec, a temperature of 150 to 160 ° C., and a processing length of 4.3 cm (50%).

Example 7
6R> 6 type reversible thermosensitive recording medium (8.6 cm × 5.4 cm, having a support on paper and an adhesive layer on the back side on the opposite side of a DS-1731 magnetic card manufactured by Dainippon Ink & Chemicals, Inc. When the material with a thickness of 0.3 mm was affixed (thickness: 500 μm) in the same manner as in Example 6, the deformation was as shown in FIG. 9 (G), and the curl degree (x) was 1.5 mm. .

Comparative Example 1
The reversible thermosensitive recording medium of FIG. 4B type (8.6 cm × 5.4 cm, thickness 0.3 mm) having the upper 50% recording area and the lower 50% non-recording area as in Example 1. When the single-sided erasure processing of the recording area was performed by the erasing method, the deformation was as shown in FIG. 9 (h), and the curl degree (x) was 5 mm.

Comparative Example 2
When the entire surface was erased from a recording medium having a reversible thermosensitive recording layer (8.6 cm × 5.4 cm, thickness 0.3 mm) and then erased with a metal plate in the same manner as in Example 4, the result shown in FIG. The curl degree (x) was 5.0 mm.

(A) (b) (c) is a figure which showed the layer structure of three examples of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium of this invention. It is explanatory drawing that color development and erasing of a recording layer are performed. It is explanatory drawing that a decoloring means uses the conventional pot stick. (A) and (b) are diagrams showing the positional relationship between the decoloring area and the non-erasing area of two examples of a conventional reversible thermosensitive recording medium. (A) and (b) are diagrams showing the positional relationship between the erased area and the non-erased area of two examples of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium of the present invention. It is a figure showing the positional relationship of the erasure | elimination area | region of the other reversible thermosensitive recording medium of this invention, and a non-erasable area | region. (A), (b), and (c) are three examples showing that when erasing an image, the erase area is heated and the back surface of the medium is also heated. It is the figure which showed the outline of the erasing part of the preferable reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus of this invention. (A), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) are diagrams schematically showing the curling state of the reversible thermosensitive recording media of Examples 1 to 7. ) Is a diagram showing the curl of the reversible thermosensitive recording media of Comparative Examples 1 and 2. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

6 Erasing means 11 Reversible thermosensitive recording medium (color erasable recording medium)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 Support body 12 'Other support bodies 13 Reversible thermosensitive recording layer 14 Transparent protective layer 15 Magnetic layer 16 Adhesive layer 51 Erasing means (erasing bar)
51 'Back surface heating bar 52 Pressing member 53 Elastic member 54 Heating member 61 Ceramic substrate 62 Heating element 63 Protective layer 71 Platen roller 100 Erase area 101, 102, 103 Non-erase area

Claims (8)

  On the surface of the support, a recording area is formed in the central portion with a width of 50% or less of the total width in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction, and each has a width of 25% or more of the total width so as to sandwich the recording area. One non-recording area is formed, and the recording area has a square or short shape as a whole, and the recording area is mainly composed of an electron-donating color-forming compound and an electron-accepting compound, and is heated and / or after heating. A reversible thermosensitive recording layer comprising a reversible thermochromic composition capable of forming a relatively colored state and a decolored state due to a difference in cooling rate.   On the surface of the support, a recording area is formed in the central portion with an area of 60% or less of the total area, a non-recording area is formed so as to surround the recording area, and the whole has a square or short shape, and The recording region is mainly composed of an electron-donating color-forming compound and an electron-accepting compound, and can form a relatively colored state and a decolored state depending on the heating temperature and / or the cooling rate after heating. A reversible thermosensitive recording medium comprising a reversible thermosensitive recording layer containing a reversible thermochromic composition.   The reversible thermosensitive recording medium according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive layer is provided on the back surface of the support.   The reversible thermosensitive recording medium according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the entire form is card-like.   A recording means for forming an image on a recording area of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and an erasing means for erasing an image formed in the recording area. A reversible thermosensitive recording device.   The recording means and the erasing means are in a non-contact or non-pressing contact state with the reversible thermosensitive recording medium except during recording / erasing, and only in a recording contact area of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium during recording / erasing. The reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein   7. The reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a back surface heating means for heating the back surface of the support of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium at the time of erasing the image, after erasing or simultaneously with erasing. The reversible thermosensitive recording apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, further comprising a cooling means for cooling the reversible thermosensitive recording medium heated by recording or erasing.

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