JP3443717B2 - Image forming method and pressing member - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming method using a laser beam, and more particularly to a non-contact heat-sensitive recording method utilizing the light energy of the laser beam as heat energy.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A thermal head is contact-scanned on a surface of a heat-sensitive recording sheet having a heat-sensitive color forming layer provided on a support or a back surface of a heat-sensitive transfer recording medium having a heat-sensitive transfer layer provided on a support to apply heat energy. Therefore, a heat-sensitive recording method for recording an image by color development or melt transfer or sublimation transfer is widely known, and is applied to a facsimile, various printers and the like. However, in such a thermal recording system, since the thermal head is brought into close contact with the thermosensitive coloring layer or the support for scanning, the thermal head is worn or the surface of the thermal recording material or the component of the support is debris. As a result, the printed image may not be obtained correctly, and the thermal head may be destroyed. Further, the thermal recording method using such a thermal head has limitations in high-speed control of heating and cooling of the heating elements and increasing the heating element density due to the structural characteristics of the thermal head, and thus high-speed recording and high-density recording are possible. However, there was a limit to high quality recording.

On the other hand, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the thermal recording system using a thermal head, it has been proposed to perform thermal recording at high speed with high density in a non-contact manner with a thermal recording material using a laser beam. (For example, JP-A-5
0-23617, JP-A-54-121140, JP-A-57-11090, JP-A-58-56890, JP-A-58-94494, and JP-A-58-134791.
JP-A-58-145493 and JP-A-59-891.
92, JP-A-62-56195, etc.). However, in the recording method using such a laser beam, the thermosensitive coloring layer and the support generally do not easily absorb light in the visible and near-infrared regions, so that it is necessary for coloring and thermal transfer unless the laser output is increased. It is very difficult to make a small and inexpensive device because it cannot obtain thermal energy. For this reason, it has been proposed that the thermosensitive coloring layer, the support, and the surface of the support contain and retain a light-absorbing substance matching the wavelength of the laser beam to efficiently absorb the laser light.

When the light absorbing substance is contained in the thermosensitive coloring layer, if the light absorbing substance is not white, the background of the thermosensitive recording sheet is colored and the contrast is low, resulting in poor quality recording, which is not preferable. In general, white light-absorbing substances are mostly in inorganic compounds, but most of them have low light-absorbing efficiency, and organic compounds with high light-absorbing efficiency and little coloring have not yet been developed. For this reason, for example, in JP-A-3-43294, a method in which a film containing a light absorbing substance (carbon black in the publication) is brought into close contact with a heat-sensitive recording sheet, and the film containing the light absorbing substance is irradiated with laser light to perform printing However, in this method, in order to efficiently transfer the heat generated in the light-absorbing substance-containing film to the thermosensitive color developing layer, it is necessary to completely adhere the film. Moreover, it is necessary to apply a laser beam to the closely contacted portion, but in this publication, there is no specific method for the difficult technical problem of irradiating the closely adhered portion with the laser beam while making the extremely tightly adhered portion. Is not disclosed, and the examples merely describe that they are held in close contact. Therefore, in order to carry out the concept of the method, it is necessary to invent a specific method of irradiating the heat-sensitive recording sheet with the light-absorbing substance-containing film while strongly adhering the laser beam to the adhered portion.

Further, in the thermal transfer recording medium, when a light absorbing substance is contained in the support or on the surface of the support,
As long as the light absorbing substance is not a heat transferable substance, it does not matter whether or not it is a colored product, and therefore, it is not necessary to specifically prepare a light absorbing substance-containing film and bring it into close contact with the heat-sensitive transfer recording medium, When thermal transfer is performed by irradiating a laser beam, the thermal transfer recording medium and the receiving sheet need to be strongly adhered to each other in order to improve transferability, as in recording with a thermal head. In this case as well, it is necessary to invent a specific method of irradiating the heat-sensitive transfer recording medium and the receiving sheet with a strong contact while irradiating the contact portion with a laser beam.

Further, in order to avoid problems caused by the use of a special support, such as increase in cost of the support and decrease in strength due to inclusion of the light absorption substance, the above-mentioned film containing the light absorption substance is used as an ordinary thermal transfer recording medium. When closely contacting and irradiating the light absorbing substance-containing film with a laser beam to perform thermal transfer, similarly, the light absorbing substance-containing film,
It is necessary to invent a concrete method of irradiating the heat-sensitive transfer recording medium and the receiving sheet with each other while strongly adhering the laser beam to the adhered portion.

[0007]

Therefore, the objects of the present invention are as follows. The first purpose is to bring a thermosensitive recording sheet into close contact with a film containing a photothermal conversion material (light absorbing substance), irradiate a laser beam on the film containing a photothermal conversion material to generate heat, and record this heat. An object of the present invention is to provide a specific method for efficiently transmitting generated heat in an image forming method for transmitting a heat to a sheet to obtain a color image. The second purpose is to bring the receiving sheet, the heat-sensitive transfer recording medium and the film containing the photothermal conversion material (light absorbing substance) into close contact with each other, and irradiate the laser beam to the film containing the photothermal conversion material to generate heat. An object of the present invention is to provide a specific method for efficiently transferring generated heat and improving transferability in an image forming method for transferring heat to a heat-sensitive transfer recording medium to obtain a transferred image on a receiving sheet. The third purpose is to bring the receiving sheet into close contact with a heat-sensitive transfer recording medium containing a light-heat converting material (light-absorbing substance), irradiate the heat-sensitive transfer recording medium containing the light-heat converting material with a laser beam, and receive the heat by the generated heat. An object of the present invention is to provide a specific method for improving transferability in an image forming method for obtaining a transferred image on a sheet. A fourth object is to reduce the cost without disposing of the film containing the photothermal conversion material (light absorbing substance) as a disposable film in the above first and second objects. A fifth object is, in the above-mentioned first to third objects, the printing runnability of the heat-sensitive recording sheet and / or the heat-sensitive transfer recording medium and / or the film containing the photothermal conversion material (light absorbing substance) and / or the receiving sheet. To be good. A sixth object is, in the above-mentioned first to third objects, the printing runnability of a film containing a heat-sensitive recording sheet and / or a heat-sensitive transfer recording medium and / or a photothermal conversion material (light absorbing substance) and / or a receiving sheet. Can be improved and the cost can be reduced. The seventh purpose is to define the material for producing the press contact member at low cost in the above first to third and fifth to sixth purposes. An eighth object is to secure the durability of the pressure contact member and to specify the material for producing the pressure contact member at low cost in the above first to third and fifth to sixth purposes. A ninth object is to achieve both the durability of the press contact member and the laser beam transmission efficiency in the above first to third and fifth to eighth objects.

That is, the object of the present invention is to solve the problems found in the prior art and to enable non-contact, high-speed, high-definition recording with a laser beam and with a relatively low energy. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method that can realize low cost.

[0009]

The first object of the present invention is to provide a heat-sensitive recording sheet, a film containing a photothermal conversion material, and a pressure-contact member which is transparent or transmits light having a wavelength of a laser light source.
An image forming method is characterized in that the heat-sensitive recording sheet is pressed in this order, and the film containing the photothermal conversion material is irradiated with a laser beam through the pressing member to develop the color of the thermosensitive recording sheet. The second of the present invention is a receiving sheet, a thermal transfer recording medium,
A film containing a photothermal conversion material and a pressure contact member that transmits light having a wavelength of a transparent or laser light source are pressed in this order, and the film containing the photoheat conversion material is irradiated with laser light through the pressure contact member, An image forming method is characterized in that melt transfer and / or sublimation transfer is performed from the heat-sensitive transfer recording medium to a receiving sheet. Third of the present invention
Is a press contact portion used in the first and second image forming methods.
It is in wood.

In the image forming method described in the first or second aspect, the pressure contact member has a cylindrical shape and is rotatable, and a laser beam is irradiated from the inside of the cylinder, is plate-shaped, and has rounded ends. It is preferable that it has a curved shape and / or a curved end. Further, the material of the pressure contact member is preferably glass, and more preferable glass is heat resistant glass. Further, in the image forming method described in the first or second, the film containing the photothermal conversion material is not limited as long as it has a shape or material capable of achieving the object of the present invention. Although not limited to this, an endless belt is particularly preferable because it can be used without being disposable.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention is described in detail below.
The heat-sensitive recording sheet used in the present invention is a sheet-like support, a substantially colorless electron-donating dye precursor formed on one surface of the sheet-like support, and a reaction with the dye precursor under heating. And a thermosensitive coloring layer containing a color developing agent (for example, JP-B-43-4160,
JP-B-45-14039, JP-A-48-27736
JP-A-5-270135, JP-A-2-26909
No. 2, JP-B-4-4359, etc.) and a recording material for forming an azo dye by utilizing the reaction between a diazonium salt and a coupler (JP-A-57-169391).
No. JP-A-59-190886) and long-chain aliphatic iron salts such as ferric stearate and ferric myristate, and phenols such as gallic acid and ammonium salicylate. In combination with organic acid heavy metal salts such as nickel, cobalt, mercury, lead, copper, iron and silver salts such as acetic acid, stearic acid and palmitic acid and alkaline earth metals such as calcium sulfide, strontium sulfide and potassium sulfide. A combination with a sulfide, an organic metal salt such as silver behenate and silver stearate and an aromatic organic reducing agent such as procatechin acid, spiroindane and hydroquinone are shown. It also includes so-called transparent thermosensitive paper in which a transparent thermosensitive coloring layer is provided on a transparent support.
In this case, in addition to the order described in claim 2, "a film containing a photothermal conversion material, a transparent thermosensitive paper, and a pressure-contact member that transmits light of a wavelength of a transparent or laser light source, in this order. It can also be used by pressing. Also,
A so-called reversible thermosensitive recording medium containing a low molecular weight compound having a long-chain aliphatic group in a resin matrix and capable of repeatedly displaying transparent-white turbidity due to a difference in heating temperature or a difference in cooling rate after heating (for example, JP-A-3-193386). Issue, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-2
78331, JP-A-5-229264, etc.) are also included. Further, a so-called reversible thermosensitive dye which can be repeatedly displayed with color-decoloring by causing a substantially colorless electron-donating dye precursor and the present dye precursor to develop color under heating, and by the temperature of post-heating or the difference in cooling rate after heating. Recording medium (for example, JP-A-4-14482 and JP-A-5-262032)
And those disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 12436/1993).

As the sheet-like support, paper, synthetic paper, various films and the like are used. The thermal transfer recording medium used in the present invention includes so-called melt transfer recording type and sublimation transfer recording type. The melt transfer recording method has a structure in which at least a heat-melt transfer layer is provided on a sheet-shaped support. The heat-melt transfer layer has only to have a property of being melted by heat and exhibiting adhesiveness to a receiving sheet, and contains dyes, pigments, waxes, binders, additives and the like as constituent components. Examples of dyes and pigments include alkaline earth metal carbonates, TiO ₂ , MgO, ZnO, alumina, silica, carbon black, nigrosine dye, Sudan black SM, fast yellow G, benzidine yellow, pigment yellow, oil yellow GG,
Zabon First Yellow CGG, Sumiplast Yellow GG, India First Orange, Sumiplast Orange G, Pigment Orange R, Zabon First Orange GG, Irgadine Red, Paranitroaniline Red, Toluidine Red, Resor Red 2G, Lake Red O, Oil Scarlet , Pomelo Scarlet OG, Eisenspiron Red BEH, Methyl Violet B Lake, Phthalocyanine Blue, Pigment Blue, Fast Gen Blue 5007, Victoria Blue F4R, Sudan Blue, Oil Peacock Blue, Brilliant Green B, Phthalocyanine Green, and other known dyes, All pigments can be used.

As waxes, carnauba wax,
Examples thereof include montan wax, beeswax, rice wax, candelilla wax, lanolin wax, paraffin wax, microcristan wax, polyethylene wax, sazol wax, oxidation wax, amide wax, and silicone wax.

As the binder, polyamide resin (nylon etc.), polyester resin, poly (meth) acrylic acid ester type resin (polymethyl methacrylate, polyethyl acrylate etc.), polyurethane resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyvinylidene chloride resin, Polystyrene resin, polyvinyl acetate resin, polyvinyl chloride-vinyl acetate resin, polystyrene-acrylic resin, polyethylene-vinyl acetate resin, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polybutadiene resin, polyvinyl alcohol resin,
Phenolic resin, cellulosic resin (methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose,
(Nitrocellulose, acetylcellulose, etc.), polyvinyl ether resin, polyvinylpyrrolidone resin, polyvinylaniline resin, polysulfone resin, polycarbonate resin, ionomer resin, polysiloxane resin, acetal resin (polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetal, polyvinyl formal, etc.), petroleum resin Resin, rosin resin, coumarone-indene resin, terpene resin,
Examples thereof include styrene-butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber and nitrile rubber.

As additives, various surfactants, higher fatty acids (stearic acid, palmitic acid, lauric acid, etc.), long-chain alcohols (stearyl alcohol, etc.),
Examples thereof include metal salts of long-chain fatty acids (calcium stearate, zinc palmitate, etc.), antioxidants, various plasticizers, silicone oils and the like. The preferable composition ratio of each of these materials is completely different depending on the layer structure used. The melt transfer receiving sheet is not particularly limited, but paper, synthetic paper, various films such as polyester film, cloth and the like are used.

The sublimation transfer recording system has a structure in which at least a sublimation transfer layer is provided on a sheet-shaped support. The sublimation transfer layer is composed of a sublimable dye, a binder, an additive and the like. Sublimable dyes include yellow dyes, magenta dyes,
Any of cyan dyes may be contained, and one kind or a combination of two or more kinds may be used depending on the color tone of the image to be formed.

Yellow dyes include: Kayaset Yellow AG, Kayaset Yellow 963, MS Yellow V
P, MS Yellow VPH, MS Yellow HSO-24
6, Macrolex Yellow 6G, Foram Brilliant Yellow S-6GL, SYS-1, JP-A-59-78
No. 896, No. 60-27594, No. 60-31560
No. 60-53565, No. 61-12394, No. 63-122594, and other methine dyes, quinophthalone dyes, azo dyes, and the like. Set Red TD-F
B, MS Magenta VP, MS Magenta HM-1450,
MS Magenta HSO-147, MS Magenta HM-14
50, MS Red G, Macrolex Red Violet R, Kayaset Red 130, SMS-2, SMS-
3, SMS-4, JP-A-60-30392 and 60-
No. 30394, No. 60-253595, No. 61-28
No. 2190, No. 63-5892, No. 63-20528
No. 8, No. 64-159, No. 64-63184, and other anthraquinone dyes, azomethine dyes, azo dyes, and the like. Examples of cyan dyes include: Kayaset Blue 714 and Kaya. Set blue FR,
Kayaset Blue 136, Kayaset Blue 814, Kayaset T Blue 776, MS Cyan VPG, MS Cyan HM-1238, MS Cyan HSO-144, MS Cyan HSO-16, Ceres Blue, SCM-1, JP-A-59-78898. No. 59-227948, No. 60
-24996, 60-53563, 60-13
0735, 60-131292, 60-239.
No. 289, No. 61-19396, No. 61-22893.
No. 61, No. 61-31292, No. 61-31467, No. 61-35884, No. 61-48893, No. 61-.
No. 148269, No. 62-191181, No. 63-9.
No. 1288, No. 63-91287, No. 63-2907
Examples thereof include naphthoquinone dyes, anthraquinone dyes, azomethine dyes and the like described in each publication such as No. 93.

As the binder, polyamide resin (nylon, etc.), polyester resin, poly (meth) acrylic acid ester resin (polymethylmethacrylate, polyethyl acrylate, etc.), polyurethane resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyvinylidene chloride resin, Polystyrene resin, polyvinyl acetate resin, polyvinyl chloride-vinyl acetate resin, polystyrene-acrylic resin, polyethylene-vinyl acetate resin, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polybutadiene resin, polyvinyl alcohol resin,
Phenolic resin, cellulosic resin (methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose,
(Nitrocellulose, acetylcellulose, etc.), polyvinyl ether resin, polyvinylpyrrolidone resin, polyvinylaniline resin, polysulfone resin, polycarbonate resin, ionomer resin, polysiloxane resin, acetal resin (polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetal, polyvinyl formal, etc.), petroleum resin Resin, rosin resin, coumarone-indene resin, terpene resin,
Examples thereof include styrene-butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber and nitrile rubber.

As additives, various surfactants, higher fatty acids (stearic acid, palmitic acid, lauric acid, etc.), long-chain alcohols (stearyl alcohol, etc.),
Examples thereof include metal salts of long-chain fatty acids (calcium stearate, zinc palmitate, etc.), antioxidants, various plasticizers, silicone oils and the like.

As the sheet-like support, polyester,
Polyamide, polyimide, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyacrylic acid ester, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polystyrene, phenol resin, cellulose triacetate, condenser paper, glassine paper, etc. can be used, and the thickness thereof is 2 to
12 μm is preferable.

As the receiving sheet for sublimation transfer, the following image receiving support and image receiving support having an image receiving layer can be used. As the image receiving support, synthetic paper {Yupo (manufactured by Oji Yuka Co., Ltd.), peach coat (manufactured by Nisshinbo Co., Ltd.), fine paper, art paper, coated paper, cast coated paper, resin coated paper, synthetic resin impregnated paper, Papers such as latex impregnated paper,
Various plastic films or sheets such as polyester, polyamide, polyimide, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyacrylic acid ester, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polystyrene, phenol resin, cellulose triacetate, glass, metal (aluminum, stainless steel) Etc.) are used.

These plastic films or sheets may contain pigments or air for coloring or for increasing the bending strength of the films or sheets. Examples of pigments include alkaline earth metal carbonates, T
Examples thereof include iO ₂ , MgO, ZnO, alumina, silica, carbon black and the like.

The image receiving support may have an image receiving layer. The image receiving layer is composed of various resins and additives. Examples of the resin include polyamide resin (nylon, etc.), polyester resin, poly (meth) acrylic acid ester-based resin (polymethyl methacrylate, polyethyl acrylate, etc.), polyurethane resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyvinylidene chloride resin, polystyrene resin, Polyvinyl acetate resin, polyvinyl chloride-vinyl acetate resin, polystyrene-acrylic resin, polyethylene-vinyl acetate resin, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polybutadiene resin, polyvinyl alcohol resin, phenol resin, cellulose resin (methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose,
(Carboxymethyl cellulose, nitrocellulose, acetyl cellulose, etc.), polyvinyl ether resin, polyvinyl pyrrolidone resin, polyvinyl aniline resin, polysulfone resin, polycarbonate resin, ionomer resin, polysiloxane resin, acetal resin (polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetal, polyvinyl formal, etc.) , Petroleum resin, rosin resin, coumarone-indene resin, terpene resin, styrene-butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, nitrile rubber and the like.

In the case of a sublimation type image receiving layer, the additive is
It is preferable to contain a basic compound, a mordant and the like. Examples of the basic compound include calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium acetate, alkylamine and the like. Examples of the mordant include compounds having a tertiary amino group, compounds having a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group, and compounds having a quaternary cation group thereof.

The laser beam used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and any laser beam known in the art (eg, helium neon laser, argon laser, carbon dioxide gas laser, YAG laser, semiconductor laser) may be used. be able to. Above all, semiconductor lasers have made remarkable progress in recent years, and small-sized, inexpensive, and high-power products are easily available. The oscillation wavelengths of these semiconductor lasers are in the near infrared region of 700 to 1100 nm. Of these, the oscillation wavelengths are 780 nm, 830 to 850 nm, and 980 n.
Many lasers in the vicinity of m are commercially available, and substances having sufficient absorption in this region are preferable as the photothermal conversion material used in the present invention.

As specific examples of these light-heat conversion materials, known materials such as inorganic pigments, organic pigments and organic dyes can be used. The inorganic pigment is preferably carbon black, and Sn, Sb, Pb, Bi, As, Z
There are n, Cd, Ir, Au, Al, Cu, Te and the like, those containing Se and C components, and oxides thereof.

Examples of the organic pigments and dyes include polymethine dyes, azulene dyes, naphthoquinone dyes,
Pyrylium dyes, phthalocyanine dyes, naphthalocyanine dyes, cyanine dyes, fluorene dyes, rhodamine dyes, triarylamine dyes, aminium dyes, diimonium dyes, central gold storages are Ni, C
Examples thereof include chelate compounds such as u, Pd and Co.

In order to prepare a photothermal conversion material-containing film using these photothermal conversion materials, the sublimable dye used in the preparation of the "sheet provided with the sublimation transfer layer" used in the sublimation transfer recording method is used. It can be prepared by the same method and material as those for preparing the above-mentioned "sheet provided with the sublimation transfer layer" except that the light-heat conversion material is used. Further, it is dissolved and / or mixed and stretched with the material of the sheet-like support used for preparing the above-mentioned "sheet provided with a sublimation transfer layer" to form a film containing a photothermal conversion material therein. You can also

The pressure contact member used in the present invention may be made of any material which is transparent or allows the light of the wavelength of the laser light source used to pass therethrough. For example, glass, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide, polystyrene or the like may be used. Molecular materials can be used. Of these, heat-resistant glass is particularly preferable in terms of durability, thermal and mechanical strength, moldability, and cost.

As the shape of the pressure contact member, the "light absorbing substance (photothermal conversion material) -containing film and the heat-sensitive recording sheet or the heat-sensitive transfer recording medium and the receiving sheet, which are the object of the present invention, are strongly adhered to each other while being strongly adhered to each other. Laser beam irradiation "
Alternatively, any shape may be used as long as it satisfies the purpose of "irradiating a laser beam to the contact portion while strongly adhering the heat-sensitive transfer recording medium containing the light absorbing substance (photothermal conversion material) and the receiving sheet". For example, a plate shape, a prism shape, a cylindrical shape, a spherical shape, a cylindrical shape, and the like can be given. Among these, a cylindrical one that is rotatable in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical press-contact member is preferable because of good transportability in a state where each sheet is pressed. Further, in the case of the plate shape or the prism shape, it is more preferable to round the end portion (attach R) or bend the sheet in order to improve the transportability in the state where the sheets are pressed against each other. Further, it is more preferable that the laser light irradiation member is installed inside the cylinder, and the laser light is irradiated from the inside of the cylinder through the wall of the cylindrical pressure contact member to the contact portion of each sheet. The thickness of the pressing member is not particularly limited as long as it satisfies the gist of the present invention, but the range of 0.01 mm to 30 mm is preferable in terms of durability, mechanical properties, moldability, and laser light transmissivity.

[0031]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same or equivalent constituent elements. In addition, the parts shown below are
All are based on weight.

Example 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an apparatus for carrying out an image forming method using a thermosensitive recording sheet according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a heat-resistant glass cylindrical pressure contact member, 2 is a laser light irradiation member, 3 is laser light, 4 is a film containing a photoheat exchange material, 5 is a color image, 6 is a platen roller, and 7 is a heat-sensitive recording sheet. , Respectively.

(Preparation of Film Containing Photothermal Conversion Material) A coating solution having the following composition was applied onto a polyimide film having a thickness of 7.5 μm (two dispersion treatments were carried out by a steel bead dispersion method at room temperature for 2 hours using a paint shaker. Carbon. The average particle size of the black dispersion product was 0.15 μm) was applied using a wire bar so that the adhesion film thickness after drying was 0.8 μm to prepare a photothermal conversion material-containing film. <Light-to-heat conversion layer> Carbon black (Mogul-L, product of Cabot, USA, average primary particle diameter: 0.02 μm) 0.7 part Cellulose acetate butyrate (385-0.5, product of Hercules, USA) 1.3 Part Dispersant {SOLSPERSE 24000, UK ICI product, SOLSPERSE is a registered trademark of ICI} 0.074 part Tetrahydrofuran 17.9 part

The light-heat converting layer surface of the film containing the light-heat converting material prepared as described above and the heat-sensitive color forming layer surface of the heat-sensitive recording sheet (Ricoh Facsimile Paper Type 135FA) are overlapped, and the device shown in FIG.
A cylinder made of Pyrex heat-resistant glass having a thickness of m, a thickness of 1 mm and a length of 200 mm was used, and during irradiation printing, the cylindrical pressure contact member was allowed to rotate in the forward direction of conveyance of each sheet. While closely adhering with each other, each sheet was conveyed and irradiated with a semiconductor laser (wavelength 830 mm) to obtain a color image.
The laser light output is 1 ms on the surface of the coloring layer of the thermosensitive recording sheet.
The ec was adjusted to give an energy of 35 mJ / mm ² . After the irradiation, the photothermal conversion material-containing film was peeled off, and the color-developed portion of the heat-sensitive recording sheet was measured by a Macbeth densitometer and found to be 1.30. In addition, the transportability of each sheet was good, and wrinkles and jams did not occur.

Comparative Example Irradiation with a laser beam was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the pressure contact member was not used, and the film containing the photothermal conversion material and the thermosensitive recording sheet were used for irradiation. As a result, the density of the colored portion was 0.41.

Example 2 (Preparation of Melt Transfer Recording Sheet) A polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 4.5 μm was coated with a release layer coating solution having the following composition using a wire bar to give an adhesion amount of 0.5 /. It was applied so as to be m ² . Paraffin wax emulsion 50 parts Low-molecular-weight polyethylene resin 50 parts A thermal transfer layer having the following composition was applied on this release layer so that the amount of adhesion after drying was 2 g / m ² , to prepare a melt transfer recording sheet. Cyan pigment (Rionol Blue FG-7330 manufactured by Toyo Ink Co., Ltd.) 10 parts Paraffin wax 20 parts Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer 20 parts

The surface opposite to the heat transfer layer of the melt transfer recording sheet prepared above was superposed on the light heat conversion layer surface of the film containing the light heat conversion material prepared in Example 1, and P was formed on the surface of the heat transfer layer.
PC paper (Ricoh type 6000 paper) is overlaid and
(The pressure contact member has an outer diameter of 50 mm and a wall thickness of 3 m.)
m Pyrex heat-resistant glass cylinder with a length of 300 mm is used, and during irradiation printing, the cylindrical pressure contact member is driven to rotate in the forward direction of conveyance of each sheet by an external motor at the same linear velocity as the platen roller. While closely adhering each sheet, a semiconductor laser (wavelength 830 nm) was irradiated to obtain a clear blue transfer image on the PPC paper. The output of laser light was adjusted so that energy of 31 mJ / mm ² was applied to the surface of the photothermal conversion layer in 1 msec. In FIG. 2, 8 is a thermal transfer recording medium, 9 is a receiving sheet, and 10 is a melt transfer or sublimation transfer image. After the irradiation, the photothermal conversion material-containing film and the melt transfer recording sheet were peeled off, and the blue transfer image on the PPC paper as the receiving sheet was measured by a Macbeth densitometer and found to be 1.20. In addition, the transportability of each sheet was good, and wrinkles and jams did not occur.

Example 3 In Example 2, a Pyrex heat-resistant glass plate having a thickness of 5 mm, a width of 20 mm (a portion where a film containing a photothermal conversion material is pressed), and a length of 300 mm, whose end portion is bent as a pressure-contacting member, is 300 mm long [ other using shape] in FIG. 3 (a), all was irradiated with laser light as in example 2, the blue transfer image density was 1.08. In addition, the transportability of each sheet was good, and wrinkles and jams did not occur.

[0039]

Effect of the Invention Claims 1 and 2 An image forming method is provided which has an effect of improving transferability together with efficient transfer of heat. 2. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first and second aspects, an image forming method is provided in which the printing runnability of the thermal recording sheet and / or the thermal transfer recording medium is improved. 3. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first and second aspects, an image forming method is provided in which the printing runnability of the heat-sensitive recording sheet and / or the heat-sensitive transfer recording medium is improved and the cost can be reduced. 4. Claims 5 and 6 In addition to the effects of claims 1 and 2, since the material of the pressure contact member is glass or heat resistant glass, there is provided a pressure contact member which can be manufactured at low cost while ensuring durability. Was done. 5. Claim 7 In addition to the effects of claims 1 and 2, there is provided a pressure contact member capable of achieving both durability and laser beam transmission efficiency. 6. An image forming method is provided in which, in addition to the effects of claims 1 and 2, a film containing a photothermal conversion material (light absorbing substance) is not disposable and cost reduction can be achieved. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an apparatus for carrying out an image forming method using a thermosensitive recording sheet of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an apparatus for carrying out an image forming method using the thermal transfer recording medium of the present invention.

3 (a) to 3 (h) are perspective views each showing an example of the shape of the pressure contact member of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Heat-resistant glass cylindrical pressure welding member 2 Laser light irradiation member 3 laser light 4 Photothermal conversion material-containing film 5 color image 6 Platen roller 7 Thermal recording sheet 8 Thermal transfer recording medium 9 Receiving sheet 10 Melt transfer or sublimation transfer image 11 Thermal transfer recording medium containing photothermal conversion material

Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-7-178937 (JP, A) JP-A-6-40070 (JP, A) JP-A-7-148948 (JP, A) JP-A-7-171992 (JP , A) JP-A-6-198923 (JP, A) JP-A-7-304194 (JP, A) JP-A-55-101475 (JP, A) Actual development Sho-53-35037 (JP, U) Actual development Sho 62-185042 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/32-2/325 B41M 5/26

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. A heat-sensitive recording sheet, a film containing a photothermal conversion material, and a pressure-contact member which is transparent or transmits light having a wavelength of a laser light source are pressure-contacted in this order, and the light-heat conversion material is contained via the pressure-contact member. An image forming method comprising irradiating the film to be irradiated with laser light to color the thermosensitive recording sheet. 2. A receiving sheet, a heat-sensitive transfer recording medium, a film containing a photothermal conversion material, and a pressing member which is transparent or transmits light of a wavelength of a laser light source are pressed in this order,
An image forming method characterized in that a film containing the photothermal conversion material is irradiated with a laser beam through the pressure contact member to perform melt transfer and / or sublimation transfer from the thermal transfer recording medium to a receiving sheet. 3. The pressure contact member is cylindrical and rotatable,
The image forming method according to claim 1, wherein laser light is emitted from the inside of the cylindrical shape. 4. The image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member has a plate shape, and the end portion is rounded or the end portion is rounded and bent. 5. The image according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
A pressure contact member for use in an image forming method, pressing member, wherein the material of its is glass. 6. The image according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
A pressure contact member used in an image forming method, characterized in that the material is heat resistant glass. 7. The image according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
A pressure contact member used in an image forming method, wherein the wall thickness is in the range of 0.01 mm to 30 mm. 8. The image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the film containing the photothermal conversion material has an endless belt shape.