JP2590836B2 - Thermal recording method and thermal recording apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a thermal recording method and apparatus.

[Prior art and problems] Conventionally, as a copier utilizing heat, a light source housing case having a light source inside is detachably mounted on a movable plate which is pressably mounted on a base on which a document is placed. A plate making / printing apparatus is known in which a heat-sensitive stencil sheet is attached to the open end of the light source housing case (for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 59-192355). According to this type of plate making / printing apparatus, by pressing a movable plate against a base on which a document is placed, a document and a heat-sensitive stencil sheet are closely overlapped,
In this state, a light source is irradiated to generate heat in an image portion drawn on the document, and the heat forms a hole in the heat-sensitive stencil sheet. Thus, plate making of the heat-sensitive stencil sheet is completed. Thereafter, ink is applied to the thermosensitive stencil sheet, and stencil printing is performed on the recording paper placed on the base.

Therefore, in the above-described conventional apparatus, a plate making process and a printing process are required to obtain a copy of a document, and the operation is time-consuming and troublesome. Especially in the printing process, handling was difficult because a wet ink was used.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a thermal recording method capable of copying an original in a simplified process.

A second object is to provide an apparatus for performing such a thermal recording method.

According to the present invention, a tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium having a heat-sensitive layer formed on one side is wound and housed in a recording medium housing portion provided in a light source housing case having a light source therein. Disposing a thermo-sensitive recording medium in the shape of an opening at the opening end of the light source storage case; and arranging a document on which an image portion is formed on the other side of the tape-shaped thermo-sensitive recording medium, In a state where the thermal recording medium and the original are pressed against each other and superimposed, the light source is driven to generate heat in an image portion on the original, and the corresponding thermal layer area in the tape-shaped thermal recording medium is discolored. Recording, and drawing out the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium wound and housed in the recording medium housing portion and newly disposing the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium at an open end of the light source housing case. Recording method is Provided.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, a light source storage case having a light source therein, a recording medium storage portion provided in the light source storage case, and a heat-sensitive layer formed on one surface wound and stored in the recording medium storage portion are formed. A tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium, and a holding portion for holding the tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium at an opening end position of the light source storage case, wherein the tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium wound and stored in the recording medium storage portion is provided. The heat-sensitive recording medium is pulled out, and the tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium is held at the opening end position of the light source storage case by the holding portion, and an image is formed on the other side of the held tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium. The original on which the portion is formed is disposed to face, and under a state in which the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium and the original are overlapped while being pressed against each other, the light source is driven to generate heat in an image portion on the original, The tape-like heat sensitivity Thermal recording apparatus being characterized in that so as to record the image in the corresponding heat-sensitive layer region by discolored recorded on the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium corresponding to the image portion in the recording medium.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a thermal copying apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The thermal copying machine comprises a main body 1 and a base 2,
The housing of the main body 1 is formed by a light source housing case 3 and a thermal paper supply roller housing case 4 which are integrally formed. The thermal paper supply roller housing case portion 4 is opened downward as viewed in the figure, and accommodates therein a thermal paper supply roller 7 in which a thermal recording paper 6 is wound around a roller shaft 5. On the other hand, the light source accommodating case portion 3 is also opened downward, and a lamp 8 that emits, for example, infrared light as a light source for thermal recording is arranged in the center of the inside. A reflection plate 9 made of aluminum foil or the like is formed on the inner wall of the light source accommodating case portion 3 in order to increase the irradiation efficiency of the light from the lamp 8.

The main body 1 is mounted on the base 2 above the light source housing case 3.
A grip portion 10 is formed to make it easy to press against. On the other hand, a glass plate 12 is stretched at the opening end 11 of the light source housing case portion 3, so that the thermal recording paper 6 can be pulled out from the thermal paper supply roller 7 and can be made to conform to the glass plate 12. ing. Further, adhesive portions 13 are formed on both sides of the glass plate 12 to fix the drawn thermal recording paper 6 at the time of copying, and a cutter 14 is provided to cut the thermal recording paper 6 after copying is completed. It is provided on the side of the case near the open end 11. The thermal recording paper 6 records an image using physical or chemical change of a substance due to thermal energy. At present, many types of thermal recording papers have been developed. Various thermal recording papers can be appropriately selected and used.
In the examples, the ground color is generally white, the appearance and feel are almost the same as those of plain paper, the heat sensitivity is good, the contrast of recording is high, clear images are obtained, and the apparatus is small and inexpensive. Dye-coloring type thermosensitive recording paper is used which has various advantages such as low noise, no maintenance, no impact, and no noise. The heat-sensitive recording paper 7 is a transparent or translucent base layer (preferably a sheet of vinyl, cellophane, or the like having a glossy surface, or a sheet of glass or the like slightly lightened).
15 and a heat-sensitive layer 16 mainly composed of a colorless dye (electron donor) and phenols and other acidic substances (electron acceptors). The heat-sensitive layer 16 reacts to heat energy exceeding a predetermined level. The color changes to various colors such as black, blue, red, orange, and green. It is preferable that the heat-sensitive layer 16 contain, for example, a milky white ground color material, since the contrast between the milky white ground color and the image portion colored black or the like can be made clear. As shown, in this example, the heat-sensitive layer 16 of the heat-sensitive recording paper 6 faces outward so as to face a document described later.

On the other hand, the above-described base 2 has a structure in which a sponge plate 18 is formed on a suitable support base 17, and a document 19 to be copied is placed on the sponge plate 18 with an image portion 20 of characters, graphics, etc. facing up. Is placed.

Next, a description will be given of a copying process in a case where the original 19 is copied on the thermal recording paper 6 using the thermal copying apparatus having the above-described configuration.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, an original 19 is set on the sponge plate 18 of the base 2 so that the image section 20 faces up. As shown in FIG. 1, in order to set the thermal recording paper 6, the necessary length of the thermal recording paper 6 is pulled out from the thermal paper supply roller 7 and is attached to the bonding portions 13 provided at both ends of the glass plate 12. Fix it. Then, the user grips the grip portion 10 of the main body 1 so that the set thermal recording paper 6 is opposed to the original 19 set on the base 2 and pressed on the original 19 as shown in FIG. When pressed for more than a predetermined amount, a pressure-sensitive mechanism (not shown) is activated, and the lamp 8 is turned on as shown in FIG. The light from the lamp 8 passes through the glass plate 12 and the heat-sensitive recording paper 6 and irradiates the original 19 which is closely overlapped with the heat-sensitive recording paper 6. Due to this irradiation, the image portion 20 formed on the surface of the document 19 generates heat at a temperature sufficiently higher than the other portions, and this heat energy causes a color-forming reaction in the corresponding heat-sensitive layer 16 of the heat-sensitive recording paper 6. As a result, an image obtained by copying the image portion 20 of the original is formed on the thermal recording paper 6. After the completion of the thermal copying by light irradiation, the copied thermal recording paper 6
With a cutter 14. As shown in FIG. 5, in this example, the same image a as that of the image portion 20 of the original 19 is observed by seeing through the thermosensitive layer 16 with the back side facing the other side. Therefore, by attaching the copied thermosensitive recording paper 6 with the thermosensitive layer 16 facing down, the base layer 15 functions as a protective layer against surface abrasion and the like, and the copy can be stored for a long time.

<Second Embodiment (FIG. 6)> FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment. The main difference from the first embodiment is that the original 19 to be copied can be set on the main body 1 'and the thermal recording paper 6 can be set on the base 2'. Accordingly, the components and cutter related to the thermal paper supply on the main body side are not required.

The relationship in which the surface of the original 19 on which the image section 20 is present and the surface of the thermal recording paper 6 on which the heat sensitive layer 16 is located are opposed to each other and are the same as in the first embodiment. . Note that 21
Indicates an adhesive portion formed on the sponge plate for fixing the thermal recording paper.

<Third Embodiment (FIGS. 7 and 8)> FIGS. 7 and 8 show a third embodiment. The difference from the above embodiment is that the surface of the thermosensitive recording paper 6 which directly faces the surface of the image portion 20 of the original 19 is turned upside down. That is, the seventh
As illustrated in the drawing, of the surface of the heat-sensitive recording paper 6 ′ set on the main body 1 ″, the heat-sensitive layer 16 faces the inside and the base layer 15 faces the outside and faces the image portion 20 of the original 19. In this configuration, the heat-sensitive recording paper 6 'is not necessarily required to be transparent, and may be any thin sheet that can suppress the diffusion of thermal energy from the image portion 20 of the document 19 to a necessary degree.

In the case of this example, the surface to which the heat-sensitive layer 16 faces is reversed.
As illustrated in the figure, when the thermosensitive recording paper 6 'after copying is viewed with the thermosensitive layer 16 facing the front, an image a in the same direction as the image of the original is obtained.

In the above embodiment, the opening end 11 of the light source accommodating case portion 3 is provided so that the entire heat-sensitive layer 16 of the heat-sensitive recording paper 6 comes into close contact with the image portion 20 formed on the original 19 to be copied.
Has a glass plate 12, but the glass plate 12 is eliminated, and the opening end 11 itself is used as a mounting portion for detachably attaching the thermal recording paper 6. Is also good. In the above embodiment, the lamp 8 is arranged on the main body 1, the original 19 to be copied is placed on the base 2, and the thermal recording paper 6 is interposed between them. Although described, the invention is not limited to this, and a lamp and a document to be copied are arranged in a positional relationship opposite to that of the embodiment,
The base layer and the thermosensitive layer of the thermosensitive recording paper may be arranged in a predetermined direction.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail, according to the configuration of the present invention, the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium (6) wound and stored in the recording medium storage section (4) is pulled out, and the light source is The light source (8) is driven while the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium (6) and the original (19) are placed in pressure contact with each other and placed at the open end (11) of the storage case (3). Then, the image portion (20) on the original (19) is heated, and the corresponding heat-sensitive layer area of the tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium (6) is discolored and recorded. An image is recorded on the recording medium (6), and thereafter, the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium (6) wound and stored in the recording medium storage section (4) is pulled out, and the light source storage case (3) is pulled out. It is possible to sequentially record the same or different images in different thermosensitive layer areas while arranging them at the open end (11). it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 5 show a copying process according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the setting of thermal recording paper in a copying apparatus main body, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a process of pressing the original against the thermal recording paper, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a discoloration process by light irradiation under pressure, and FIG. 5 is a thermosensitive image after copying. FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the second embodiment, FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the third embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the thermosensitive recording paper copied by the third embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Body, 2 ... Base, 3 ... Light source accommodating case part, 6
... thermal recording paper, 8 ... lamp, 11 ... opening, 16 ...
Thermal layer, 19 ... Original, 20 ... Image section.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium having a heat-sensitive layer formed on one side is wound and housed in a recording-medium accommodating portion provided in a light source housing case having a light source therein. Arranging an original having an image portion formed on the other side of the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium facing the other end of the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium; and arranging the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium and the original. Driving the light source to generate heat in the image portion on the original under a state in which the tapes are superimposed on each other and causing the corresponding heat-sensitive layer region in the tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium to undergo discoloration recording; Drawing out the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium wound and stored in the recording medium storage part and newly disposing the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium at the opening end of the light source storage case. 2. A light source storage case having a light source therein, a recording medium storage portion provided in the light source storage case, and a tape-shaped one wound on the recording medium storage portion and having a heat-sensitive layer formed on one surface. And a holding portion for holding the tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium at an opening end position of the light source storage case, wherein the tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording wound and housed in the recording medium housing portion is provided. The medium is pulled out, and the tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium is held at the opening end position of the light source storage case by the holding portion.An image portion is formed on the other side of the held tape-shaped heat-sensitive recording medium. The formed document is placed facing,
In a state in which the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium and the document are overlapped by pressing against each other, the light source is driven to generate an image portion on the document, and a corresponding heat-sensitive material in the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium is heated. A thermosensitive recording medium device, wherein an image is recorded on the tape-shaped thermosensitive recording medium corresponding to the image portion by discoloring recording of a layer area.