JP3040043B2 - Thermal recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal recording apparatus for recording a full-color image or the like on a multicolor thermal recording material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Thermal recording apparatuses for recording an image or the like by applying thermal energy to a thermosensitive recording material have become widespread. In particular, in recent years, there has been a strong demand for reproducing a clear full-color image or the like using a multicolor heat-sensitive recording material that develops multicolors.

[0003] In order to respond to such a demand, the present applicant has provided a thermochromic element comprising a diazo compound and a coupling component on a support, and the thermochromic element has a plurality of heat or heat components having different temperature ranges. A novel multicolor heat-sensitive recording material which develops color by heat in the same temperature range and in which the diazo compound is decomposed by a plurality of electromagnetic rays having different wavelengths has been proposed (JP-A-61-40192). ,
JP-A-61-40193).

Further, the present applicant has disclosed that three heat-sensitive layers are laminated on a support, at least the outermost and second heat-sensitive layers are substantially transparent heat-sensitive layers, and at least those two heat-sensitive layers are used. A multicolor heat-sensitive recording material in which the color developing system of the layer comprises a combination of a photo-decomposable diazo compound and a coupler has been proposed (see JP-A-2-141279). This multicolor heat-sensitive recording material has a transparent cyan heat-sensitive layer, a transparent yellow heat-sensitive layer and a transparent magenta heat-sensitive layer which are sequentially laminated on one side of an opaque support, and at least the magenta heat-sensitive layer and the yellow heat-sensitive layer have a coloring system. It is a diazo type and the cyan thermosensitive layer may be a diazo type or not. In this case, the diazo compound is selected such that its decomposition wavelength range becomes longer as it is used for the outer thermosensitive layer. As a coloring system other than the diazo system, it is preferable to use a combination (leuco system) of an electron-donating dye precursor and a developer from the viewpoint of thermal sensitivity and color density.

On the other hand, the present applicant has proposed a heat-sensitive recording material which can be applied to a thermal recording apparatus using a laser as a heat source and can record a good image with high quality. And a material which is provided with a light absorbing dye and develops a color at a concentration corresponding to the applied heat energy, and has applied for a patent (Japanese Patent Application No. 3-62684, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-2421
No. 9). Therefore, by laminating a cyan thermosensitive layer, a yellow thermosensitive layer and a magenta thermosensitive layer containing such a color former, a developer and a light absorbing dye, a multicolor thermosensitive recording material corresponding to full color reproduction can be obtained. .

In the case of coloring a multi-color heat-sensitive recording material of this type, when the color-forming temperatures of the respective heat-sensitive layers are different, first the magenta color of the outermost heat-sensitive layer is formed with low heat energy, and then the outermost layer is formed. The diazo compound contained in the heat-sensitive layer is decomposed by light irradiation to fix the recorded image, and then the second heat-sensitive layer of the second layer is yellow-colored with heat energy larger than the magenta coloration. Established,
Further, the third heat-sensitive layer is colored cyan with heat energy larger than the yellow color. In addition, this third layer is fixed if necessary.

[0007]

However, in the above-described multicolor heat-sensitive recording material, it is necessary to apply a predetermined heat energy to each heat-sensitive layer in accordance with the coloring temperature of each heat-sensitive layer. There is a considerable temperature range from the temperature of the room in which is installed to the color development temperature of the outermost heat-sensitive layer, and it is necessary to apply considerably large thermal energy to the second and third heat-sensitive layers. No. Therefore, the load on the apparatus side for developing color becomes considerably large, and the control becomes difficult, the desired heat energy cannot be reliably applied, and a high-quality full-color image cannot be obtained. Has been pointed out.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a thermal recording apparatus capable of easily obtaining a high-quality color image with a simple control.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a heat-sensitive layer comprising a plurality of heat-sensitive layers laminated on a support, and each of the heat-sensitive layers excluding at least one of the plurality of layers. A thermal recording apparatus for performing multicolor recording on a multicolor thermosensitive recording material fixed with light of different wavelengths, wherein the thermal recording apparatus laminates the multicolor thermosensitive recording material on the multicolor thermosensitive recording material. Among the heat-sensitive layers of the plurality of layers, a pre-heating means for pre-heating to a predetermined temperature lower than the coloring temperature at which at least one heat-sensitive layer develops, and a heat-sensitive layer of a plurality of layers laminated on the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material, And heating means for heating each to a predetermined coloring temperature.

[0010] Further, the plurality of layers are three layers, and the three thermosensitive layers develop colors at different temperatures, respectively. And a low-temperature preheating means for preheating to a predetermined temperature lower than the coloration temperature of the heat-sensitive layer which develops the color at the lowest temperature, and the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material is colored at an intermediate temperature among the three heat-sensitive layers. A medium-temperature preheating means for preheating to a predetermined temperature lower than the coloration temperature of the heat-sensitive layer to be heated, and the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material is heated to a predetermined temperature lower than the coloration temperature of the heat-sensitive layer which develops color at the highest temperature among the three heat-sensitive layers And a high-temperature preheating means for preheating.

It is preferable that the heating means includes a thermal head.

Further, the heating means includes a laser beam generating source for scanning the polychromatic thermosensitive recording material with a laser beam, and the thermosensitive layer of the multicolor thermosensitive recording material includes a light absorbing dye. Is preferred.

[0013]

In the thermal recording apparatus according to the present invention, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material in which a plurality of heat-sensitive layers are laminated is preheated to a predetermined temperature lower than the coloring temperature of the heat-sensitive layer. The material itself is heated to a temperature just before the color-forming temperature, and the heat-sensitive layer reliably develops a desired color only by applying relatively small heat energy to each heat-sensitive layer.

If the thermosensitive layers of the multicolor thermosensitive recording material develop colors at different temperatures, the multicolor thermosensitive recording material is preheated to a predetermined temperature lower than the coloring temperature of the thermosensitive layer which develops the color at the lowest temperature. By doing so, it is not necessary to apply so much heat energy to the heat-sensitive layer that develops the color at the lowest temperature, as well as to the heat-sensitive layer of a plurality of layers that develops the color at a higher temperature, and it is easy to control the heating means. Become.

In addition, for example, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material having a three-layer structure is preheated to a temperature lower than the coloration temperature of the medium-temperature heat-sensitive layer after the coloration of the low-temperature heat-sensitive layer, and is further lower than the coloration temperature of the high-temperature heat-sensitive layer after the coloration of the medium-temperature heat-sensitive layer By pre-heating, heat energy can be easily and accurately applied to each heat-sensitive layer, and a high-quality full-color image can be obtained.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A thermal recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 indicates a thermal recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. This thermal recording device 10
The multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 performs full-color image recording. As shown in FIG. 2, the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 has a transparent cyan thermosensitive layer 16 on one side of an opaque support 14 and a transparent cyan thermosensitive layer 16. The yellow heat-sensitive layer 18 and the transparent magenta heat-sensitive layer 20 are sequentially laminated with the intermediate layers 22 and 22 interposed therebetween, and a transparent protective layer 24 is formed on the magenta heat-sensitive layer 20.
Is provided. The coloring system of at least the magenta thermosensitive layer 20 and the yellow thermosensitive layer 18 is a diazo system, and the cyan thermosensitive layer 16 may be a diazo system or a non-diazo system. The diazo compound is selected such that its decomposition wavelength range becomes longer as it is used for the outer thermosensitive layer.
As a coloring system other than the diazo system, it is preferable to use a combination (leuco system) of an electron-donating dye precursor and a developer from the viewpoint of thermal sensitivity and color density.

As shown in FIG. 1, a stocker 28 for accommodating a plurality of multicolor heat-sensitive recording materials 12 is disposed at one end (right side in the figure) of a casing 26 constituting the heat recording apparatus 10. . An opening 30 for taking out the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 is formed at the bottom of the stocker 28, and a conveying system 32 for conveying the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 in the direction of arrow A near the opening 30. Is arranged.

Downstream of the transport system 32, nip roller pairs 34, 36 are disposed at predetermined intervals, respectively. Between the nip roller pairs 34, 36, a linear thermal head 38, a preheating means 40, and a fixing device Means 42 are provided.

The preheating means 40 includes a heater 44a for preheating to a predetermined temperature lower than the coloring temperature of the magenta thermosensitive layer 20 which develops the color at the lowest temperature among the three thermosensitive layers of the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12. Rubber platen roller 46a (low-temperature preheating means). The preheating means 40 further includes a heater 44b for preheating to a predetermined temperature lower than the color development temperature of the yellow thermosensitive layer 18 which develops color at an intermediate temperature among the three thermosensitive layers of the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12. Rubber platen roller 46b (medium temperature preheating means)
Among the three thermosensitive layers of the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12, in order to preheat to a predetermined temperature lower than the coloring temperature of the cyan thermosensitive layer 16 which develops the color at the highest temperature, a rubber platen roller 46c (heater 44c is installed). High-temperature preheating means). The platen rollers 46a to 46c are rotatable via a driving unit (not shown), and selectively rotate the thermal head 38.
Are arranged opposite to each other.

The fixing means 42 includes first and second fixing units 48a and 48b arranged on both sides of the preheating means 40, and the first and second fixing units 48a and 48b are provided.
First and second light sources 50a and 50b that emit light at different frequencies are disposed therein.

Outside the nip roller pairs 34 and 36, first and second sensors 52 and 54 for detecting the ends of the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 are provided, and on the downstream side of the nip roller pairs 36. Is the multicolor thermal recording material 1
A stacking unit 56 for stacking and housing 2 is arranged.

The operation of the thus configured thermal recording apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment will be described.

From the opening 30 formed at the lower end of the stocker 28, the multicolor thermosensitive recording materials 12 are taken out one by one via a transport system 32. This multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 is
A predetermined temperature TM lower than the coloring temperature of the magenta thermosensitive layer 20 via the platen roller 46a under the action of the heater 44a while being conveyed in the direction of arrow A while being nipped by the nip roller pair 34.
(See FIG. 3).

Then, after the thermal head 38 applies low heat energy to the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 and the magenta heat-sensitive layer 20 develops a color, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material recorded from the first light source 50a constituting the fixing means 42 is recorded. 12 is irradiated with fixing light. The first light source 50a is provided in the magenta thermosensitive layer 2
The light in the decomposition wavelength range of the diazo compound contained in 0 is derived, and the diazo compound is decomposed and the recorded image of the magenta thermosensitive layer 20 is fixed.

The multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 is transferred from the nip roller pair 34 to the nip roller pair 36 and conveyed in the direction of arrow A. When the leading end is detected by the first sensor 52, the nip roller pair 36 The recording material 12 is conveyed in the direction of arrow B by rotating in the opposite direction. Here, a platen roller 46b constituting the preheating means 40 is disposed at a position facing the thermal head 38, and a heater 44b in the platen roller 46b is provided.
Is applied to heat the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12. Therefore, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 is preheated to a predetermined temperature TY lower than the coloring temperature of the yellow heat-sensitive layer 18 (see FIG. 3).

Next, the thermal energy required for the magenta coloring is applied to the multicolor thermal recording material 12 via the thermal head 38, and the yellow thermal layer 18 develops color. And
The multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 after recording is irradiated with light in the wavelength range in which the diazo compound contained in the yellow heat-sensitive layer 18 is decomposed from the second light source 50b constituting the fixing means 42, and the diazo compound is decomposed and the yellow heat-sensitive material is decomposed. The recorded image of the layer 18 is fixed.

When the end of the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 conveyed in the direction of arrow B is detected by the second sensor 54,
The nip roller pair 34 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 is transported in the direction of arrow A. At this time, the platen roller 46c is disposed so as to face the thermal head 38, and the heater 44 in the platen roller 46c is disposed.
c) the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 is moved to the cyan heat-sensitive layer 16
(See FIG. 3).

Thereafter, the thermal energy necessary for the yellow color development is applied to the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 via the thermal head 38, and the cyan heat-sensitive layer 16 develops color. When the cyan thermosensitive layer 16 employs a diazo coloring system, the cyan thermosensitive layer 1 is irradiated with light in the decomposition wavelength range.
It is preferable to fix the recorded image of No. 6.

As described above, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 on which a desired full-color image is recorded by individually developing magenta, yellow, and cyan is stored in the stacking section 56 in a stacked state. Although the first and second light sources 50a and 50b are employed as the fixing unit 42, the invention is not limited to this. For example, only the second light source 50b is used and the second light source 50b and a filter (not shown) are used. The multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 may be configured to irradiate light of different wavelengths to the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 by using the combination of (1) and (2).

In this case, in the first embodiment, immediately before the magenta heat-sensitive layer 20 is colored on the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 via the thermal head 38, the heat is applied by the heater 44a constituting the preheating means 40. This multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12
Is the temperature TM immediately before the color development temperature of the magenta thermosensitive layer 20.
Is preheating. Therefore, the thermal energy required for the color development of the magenta thermosensitive layer 20 can be easily and reliably applied under the action of the thermal head 38.
8 is simplified, and high-precision magenta coloring is enabled.

Further, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 is preheated to a predetermined temperature TY lower than the coloring temperature of the yellow heat-sensitive layer 18 immediately before the yellow heat-sensitive layer 18 develops color, and is heated immediately before the cyan heat-sensitive layer 16 develops color. It is preheated to a predetermined temperature TC lower than the coloring temperature of the heat-sensitive layer 16. For this reason, it is usually necessary to apply so much heat energy to the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 to the color development of the yellow heat-sensitive layer 18 and the cyan heat-sensitive layer 16 that require considerably large heat energy when the pre-heat treatment is not performed. Therefore, there is an advantage that the control of the thermal head 38 is facilitated, high output is not required for the thermal head 38, and the entire structure of the thermal recording apparatus 10 is simplified.

As a result, magenta, yellow, and cyan colors can be formed with high precision, and an effect that a high-quality full-color image can be obtained efficiently can be obtained.

In the first embodiment, the yellow thermosensitive layer 1
8 and the color of the cyan thermosensitive layer 16, the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 was heated to a predetermined temperature TY and TC, respectively.
After the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 is once preheated to a predetermined temperature TM, the yellow thermosensitive layer 18 and the cyan thermosensitive layer 16 are colored without preheating to the predetermined temperatures TY and TC. Can be. At this time, since the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 is pre-heated to a predetermined temperature TM as shown in FIG. 3, the heat energy required for coloring the yellow heat-sensitive layer 18 and the cyan heat-sensitive layer 16 is reduced by the conventional room temperature. , Which is considerably reduced as compared with the case of heating.

Further, by using a single platen roller 46a as the preheating means 40 and controlling the output of the heater 44a, the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12 is preheated to predetermined temperatures TM, TY and TC, respectively. The thermal head 38 itself is heated without using the platen rollers 46a to 46c, so that the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12 is heated to predetermined temperatures TM, TY and TC.
Can be preheated.

Next, the thermal recording device 6 according to the second embodiment
0 will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the same components as those of the thermal recording device 10 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

This thermal recording device 60 is provided with laser generating means (laser beam generating source) 62 instead of a thermal head. The laser generating means 62 irradiates the laser beam L in the main scanning direction on the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12a to record an image or the like. This multicolor thermal recording material 1
2a can be used which is substantially the same as the above-described multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12, but the laser beam L
, The magenta, yellow, and cyan colors need to be formed, so that each heat-sensitive layer contains a light absorbing agent, or the protective layer 24 that is the uppermost layer of the heat-sensitive layer.
(See FIG. 2) contains a light absorbing agent.

In the thermal recording device 60, a full-color image or the like is recorded on the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12a in the same manner as the thermal recording device 10 described above. To explain this roughly,
When the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12a is conveyed in the direction of arrow C via the nip roller pair 34, the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12a is heated to a predetermined temperature TM via the preheating means 40.
After the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12a develops magenta color by the main scanning of the laser beam L derived from the laser generating means 62, it is fixed under the action of the first light source 50a. Further, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12a is heated to a predetermined temperature TY via the preheating means 40 while being conveyed in the direction of arrow D, is yellow-colored by the laser generation means 62, and is fixed under the action of the second light source 50b. Is done. After that, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material 12a is heated to a predetermined temperature TC while being conveyed in the direction of arrow C, and is irradiated with the laser beam L to be cyan-colored and carried out.

Therefore, in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, a large amount of heat energy is not required for magenta, yellow and cyan colors, and the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material is A high-gradation full-color image can be formed with high precision on 12a. Moreover, since the laser generator 62 does not need to have a high output, there is an advantage that the configuration of the entire thermal recording device 60 is simplified.

The preheating means 40 comprises only a single platen roller 46a, and once heats the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12a to a predetermined temperature TM lower than the magenta coloring temperature, and then preheats it to the predetermined temperatures TY and TC. Instead, it is also possible to perform magenta, yellow and cyan coloring on the multicolor thermosensitive recording material 12a.

Further, an electrode layer is provided on the multicolor thermosensitive recording material,
The multicolor thermosensitive recording material can be preheated by applying an electric current by bringing an electrode roller into contact with the electrode layer, and various other configurations are employed. Such a preheating means is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-38888 filed by the present applicant.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which full-color recording is performed using three layers of heat-sensitive recording materials of a magenta coloring layer, a yellow coloring layer, and a cyan coloring layer has been described.
Further, four layers having a black coloring layer may be provided, and two-color recording may be performed using two layers of a thermosensitive recording material of a black coloring layer and a red coloring layer.

[0043]

According to the thermal recording apparatus of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

Since the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material having the three heat-sensitive layers laminated thereon is preheated to a predetermined temperature lower than the color-forming temperature of the heat-sensitive layer, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material itself is heated to a temperature immediately before the color-forming temperature. In this state, only a relatively small amount of heat energy is applied to each heat-sensitive layer, so that the heat-sensitive layer reliably develops a desired color. Therefore, the heating means can be easily controlled, and the heating means does not need to have a high output, and the configuration of the entire thermal recording apparatus is simplified.

If the thermosensitive layers of the multicolor thermosensitive recording material develop colors at different temperatures, the multicolor thermosensitive recording material is preheated to a predetermined temperature lower than the coloring temperature of the thermosensitive layer which develops the color at the lowest temperature. By doing so, it is not necessary to apply so much thermal energy to the heat-sensitive layer that develops color at medium temperature and the heat-sensitive layer that develops color at high temperature, in addition to the heat-sensitive layer that develops color at the lowest temperature, and the control of the heating means is not required. It will be easier.

Further, if the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material is preheated to a temperature lower than the coloration temperature of the medium-temperature heat-sensitive layer after the coloration of the low-temperature heat-sensitive layer, and further pre-heated to a temperature lower than the coloration temperature of the high-temperature heat-sensitive layer after the coloration of the medium-temperature heat-sensitive layer, Predetermined heat energy can be easily and accurately applied to the heat-sensitive layer, and a high-quality full-color image can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration explanatory view of a thermal recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a multicolor heat-sensitive recording material used in the heat recording apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship between the color development temperature and the density of each thermosensitive layer of the multicolor thermosensitive recording material.

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural explanatory view of a thermal recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Thermal recording device 12, 12a ... Multicolor thermal recording material 16, 18, 20 ... Thermal layer 38 ... Thermal head 40 ... Preheating means 42 ... Fixing means 44a-44c ... Heaters 46a-46c ... Platen rollers 48a, 48b ... Fixing Units 50a, 50b Light source 60 Thermal recording device 62 Laser generating means

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/32-2/325 B41J 2/35 B41J 2/38 B41J 11/04 B41M 5/26

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of heat-sensitive layers are laminated on a support,
A heat recording apparatus for performing multicolor recording on a multicolor heat-sensitive recording material in which at least a heat-sensitive layer of one of the plurality of layers is fixed with light having a different wavelength, wherein the heat recording apparatus includes: A preheating means for preheating the color heat-sensitive recording material to a predetermined temperature lower than a coloration temperature at which at least one of the heat-sensitive layers among the plurality of heat-sensitive layers laminated on the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material; A heating means for heating a plurality of heat-sensitive layers laminated on the recording material to a predetermined coloring temperature, respectively. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers are three layers, and the three heat-sensitive layers are colored at different temperatures, respectively. A low-temperature preheating means for preheating the heat-sensitive recording material to a predetermined temperature lower than the color-forming temperature of the heat-sensitive layer which forms a color at the lowest temperature among the three heat-sensitive layers; and the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material, Medium-temperature preheating means for preheating to a predetermined temperature lower than the color development temperature of the heat-sensitive layer that develops a color at an intermediate temperature; and a heat-sensitive layer that develops the multicolor heat-sensitive recording material at the highest temperature among the three heat-sensitive layers. And a high-temperature preheating means for preheating to a predetermined temperature lower than the color development temperature. 3. A thermal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heating means includes a thermal head. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heating means includes a laser beam source for scanning said multicolor thermosensitive recording material with a laser beam, and heat-sensitive the multicolor thermosensitive recording material. A thermal recording device, wherein the layer comprises a light absorbing dye.