JP3784384B2 - Recording apparatus and recording method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a recording method , more specifically, a receding contact angle (latent image) corresponding to a heating temperature is formed on the surface of a recording material, the latent image is developed using ink, and the development is recorded. The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a recording method for obtaining a desired image by transferring onto a medium (for example, transfer paper).

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a main part for explaining an example of a recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, 1 is a recording belt, 2 is a driving roller for driving the recording belt 1 in the direction of an arrow, 3 is a driven roller, 4 is a cleaning roller, 5 is a thermal head, 6 is a developing roller, 7 is an image removal heater, 8 is a transfer roller, and 9 is a recording medium (for example, transfer paper). A latent image corresponding to the heating temperature is formed on the body belt 1, and at the same time, development is performed by the developing roller 6. The recording belt moves in the direction of the arrow, and the image on the recording medium is transferred to the transfer paper 9 by the transfer roller 8. Thereafter, the untransferred link on the recording belt 1 is cleaned by the cleaning roller 4 and removed by the image removing heater 7.

In the recording apparatus as described above, when an ink exhibiting viscoelasticity is used as the developing ink, if the viscosity is not sufficiently high, background smear occurs during development, and if the viscosity is sufficient, the transfer efficiency decreases and the image density on the transfer paper decreases. There is a contradiction that goes down.
The present invention provides a recording apparatus or a recording method such as described above, increases the transfer efficiency without causing scumming has been made for the purpose of providing a recording apparatus or a recording method with improved image density.
Thus, in the recording apparatus or recording method as described above, one of the methods for increasing the transfer efficiency without smearing is to develop with sufficiently high viscosity ink that does not cause background smearing, and before or during transfer. In other words, the viscosity of the ink on the recording medium is lowered by some method, and the ink is made sticky before transferring.

The present invention, in order to solve the above problems, (1) a recording surface is heated while being in contact with the recording agent dissolved coloring material in a solvent, by varying the receding contact angle in accordance with the heating temperature In the recording apparatus that forms a latent image, forms a visible image by bringing a recording agent in which a colorant is dissolved in a solvent into contact with the latent image portion, and transfers the visible image to a recording medium. And the visible image are simultaneously formed, and at the time of transfer, the microcapsules mixed in the recording agent are destroyed, and the solvent contained in the microcapsules is scattered, before transfer or before transfer. Transferring the solvent after applying the solvent to the image on the recording medium, and lowering the viscosity of the recording agent on the recording medium as compared with that during development; and (2) , and heated while being in contact with the recording agent dissolved coloring material in a solvent, the receding contact depending on the heating temperature A latent image is formed by changing the, the latent image portion to form a visible image by contacting the ink dissolved coloring material in a solvent, in the recording apparatus onto a recording medium the visible image, wherein After forming the latent image and the visible image at the same time, using thixotropic ink as the ink, before transferring, apply ultrasonic waves to the ink on the recording medium to develop the viscosity of the ink on the recording medium. (3) The surface of the recording medium is heated in contact with a recording agent in which a colorant is dissolved in a solvent, and the receding contact angle is changed according to the heating temperature . In the recording method, a latent image is formed, a visible image is formed by bringing a recording agent in which a colorant is dissolved in a solvent into contact with the latent image portion, and the visible image is transferred to a recording medium. After forming the visible image and forming the visible image at the same time, The microcapsules that have been allowed to break are destroyed, the solvent contained in the microcapsules is scattered, and the solvent is applied to the image on the recording medium before or during the transfer. Transfer after making the viscosity of the recording agent lower than that during development, and (4) heating the surface of the recording body in contact with the recording agent in which the colorant is dissolved in a solvent. Accordingly, a latent image is formed by changing the receding contact angle , and a visible image is formed by bringing ink in which a colorant is dissolved in a solvent into contact with the latent image portion, and the visible image is transferred to a recording medium. In the recording method, after forming the latent image and the visible image at the same time, using a thixotropic ink as the ink and before transferring, applying ultrasonic waves to the ink on the recording body, Transfer after lowering the viscosity of the ink than during development. Features.

  According to the present invention, since the transfer efficiency is increased, the density of the transferred image can be increased. In addition, since the transfer residue of the image on the recording medium can be reduced, the burden on the cleaning unit can be suppressed.

  The present invention performs development using a sufficiently high viscosity ink that does not cause soiling on the recording medium, and lowers the viscosity of the ink on the recording medium before or during the transfer, thereby giving the ink stickiness. It will be transcribed.

Specifically, in the thermal recording apparatus or the heat-sensitive recording method using the thermal heater, to raise the stain without transfer efficiency, ink of about sufficiently high viscosity no background stain 10000 P (recording material) using a developing The viscosity of the ink on the recording medium is lowered by some method before or during the transfer, and the ink is made sticky before transferring.
In the following, each embodiment for reducing the viscosity of the ink will be described. However, the same reference numerals are given to parts having the same function, and detailed description of each embodiment will be omitted.

Example 1 In FIG. 1, a visible image (development) formed on a recording medium 1 by a thermal head 5 and a developing roller 6 is transferred to a recording medium 9 by a transfer roller 8. The ink solvent is directly applied to the ink on the recording medium 1 being transferred or transferred. As a result, the viscosity of the ink on the recording medium 1 decreases, the transfer efficiency improves, and the image density increases.

Example 2: As shown in FIG. 2, the viscosity of the ink is lowered by spraying the vapor 10a of the ink solvent heated by the heater 10 against the ink on the recording medium 1 before or during the transfer.

Example 3 As shown in FIG. 3, the ink viscosity is lowered by spraying the ink solvent made into a mist 11a using the humidifier 11 against the ink on the recording medium 1 before or during the transfer. To do.

Example 4: Same configuration as FIG. 1, that the microcapsules were free of solvent in the developing ink is mixed different. When the image developed on the recording medium passes through the transfer roller 8 part, the microcapsule is broken by the pressure applied to the recording medium 1 and the ink solvent in the microcapsule is ejected, and the ink viscosity is lowered by the ink solvent.

Example 5: In FIG. 4, the development is performed using thixotropic ink. When the ultrasonic wave 12a is applied to the ink on the developed recording medium by the ultrasonic oscillator 12, the viscosity of the ink is lowered. Can do.

Example 6: In FIG. 5, development is performed using supercooled ink, and when the ink on the recording medium 1 after development is heated by the heater 13, the viscosity of the ink decreases. What is important here is that since the recording body 1 is heated, less energy is required than when the transfer roller 8 is heated (heat transfer).

Example 7: In FIG. 1, an ink solvent is applied to a recording medium (transfer paper) 9 before or during transfer. As a result, at the time of transfer, the viscosity of the ink on the recording medium 1 is lowered by the ink solvent on the transfer paper 9, so that the transfer efficiency is improved and the image density is increased.

Example 8: As shown in FIG. 6, the ink solvent vapor 14a heated by the heater 14 is sprayed onto the transfer paper 9 before or during transfer. Thereby, the viscosity of the ink on the recording medium 1 can be lowered at the time of transfer.

Example 9: As shown in FIG. 7, the ink solvent made into the mist 15a using the humidifier 15 is sprayed to the transfer paper 9 before or during the transfer. Thereby, the viscosity of the ink on the recording medium 1 can be lowered at the time of transfer.

Example 10 0: As shown in FIG. 8, an ink solvent is applied to the transfer paper 9 before transfer using a sponge roller 16 (17 is a pressing roller). Thereby, the viscosity of the ink on the recording medium 1 can be lowered at the time of transfer.

About each said Example, the following experiment was conducted and the following results were obtained. However, the following conditions were fixed for each experimental example.
Recording material: Fluorine-containing acrylate material TG-702 (manufactured by Daikin Industries) diluted with Freon 113 and coated on a polyimide film.
Developing ink: Dye BKS-207 and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) dissolved in ethylene glycol (Wako Pure Chemical Industries) to have a viscosity of about 10,000 P. However, different inks were used in Examples 4, 5, and 6.
Printing speed: 10mm / sec

Experimental example 1 (Experimental example of Example 2 )
Solvent: Steam was sprayed with hot water at 100 ° C.
Experimental results: The transfer efficiency was improved and the density of the transferred image was increased.

Experimental example 2 (Experimental example of Example 3 )
Solvent: Water Experimental results: The transfer efficiency was improved and the density of the transferred image was increased.

Experimental Example 3 (Experimental Example of Example 4 )
Developing ink: The above ink mixed with microcapsules.
Solvent: Water Microcapsule: Created by emulsion polymerization. The diameter is about 10 μm.
Experimental results: The transfer efficiency was improved and the density of the transferred image was increased.

Experimental Example 4 (Experimental Example of Example 5 )
Developing ink: Paogen PX-3014 (Daiichi Kogyo Seiyaku) dissolved in ethylene glycol. This ink exhibits thixotropic properties.
Experimental results: The transfer efficiency was improved and the density of the transferred image was increased.

Experimental Example 5 (Experimental Example of Example 6 )
Developing ink: A dye carbon black and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) dissolved in ethylene glycol, to which p-benzylphenol was added as a supercooling agent.
Experimental conditions: The ink on the recording medium was heated at 100 ° C. before transfer.
Experimental results: The transfer efficiency was improved and the density of the transferred image was increased.

Experimental Example 6 (Experimental Example of Example 8 )
Solvent: Water-100 ° C hot water vapor was applied.
Experimental results: The transfer efficiency was improved and the density of the transferred image was increased.

Experimental Example 7 (Experimental example of Example 9 )
Solvent: Water Experimental conditions: Water was atomized with an ultrasonic humidifier.
Experimental results: The transfer efficiency was improved and the density of the transferred image was increased.

Experimental Example 8 (Experimental example of Example 10 )
Solvent: Water Sponge: Rubycell Sponge Results of Experiment: Transfer efficiency was improved and the density of the transferred image was increased.

A main part schematic diagram for explaining an example of a recording apparatus to which the present onset bright applies. A main part schematic diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present onset bright. A main part schematic diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present onset bright. A main part schematic diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present onset bright. A main part schematic diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present onset bright. A main part schematic diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present onset bright. A main part schematic diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present onset bright. A main part schematic diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present onset bright.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Recording body, 2 ... Drive roller, 3 ... Driven roller, 4 ... Cleaning roller, 5 ... Thermal head, 6 ... Developing roller, 7 ... Image removal heater, 8 ... Transfer roller, 9 ... Transfer paper, 10 ... Heater DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10a ... Steam, 11 ... Ultrasonic humidifier, 11a ... Fog, 12 ... Ultrasonic oscillator, 12a ... Ultrasonic, 13 ... Heater, 14 ... Solvent, 14a ... Steam, 15 ... Ultrasonic humidifier, 15a ... Fog , 16 ... sponge roller, 17 ... presser roller.

Claims (4)

The surface of the recording body is heated in contact with a recording agent in which a colorant is dissolved in a solvent, and a latent image is formed by changing the receding contact angle according to the heating temperature. In a recording apparatus for forming a visible image by bringing a recording agent dissolved in the medium into contact with the recording agent and transferring the visible image to a recording medium, the latent image and the visible image are formed at the same time. The microcapsules mixed in the recording agent are broken, the solvent contained in the microcapsules is scattered, and the solvent is applied to the image on the recording medium before or during transfer. Then, the transfer is performed after the viscosity of the recording agent on the recording body is made lower than that during development. The surface of the recording body is heated in contact with a recording agent in which a colorant is dissolved in a solvent, and a latent image is formed by changing the receding contact angle according to the heating temperature. In a recording apparatus for forming a visible image by bringing ink dissolved in a liquid into contact, and transferring the visible image to a recording medium, the latent image and the visible image are simultaneously formed, and then the thixotropy is used as the ink. A recording apparatus, wherein transfer is performed after applying an ultrasonic wave to the ink on the recording medium to lower the viscosity of the ink on the recording body than that at the time of development before transfer using the conductive ink. The surface of the recording body is heated in contact with a recording agent in which a colorant is dissolved in a solvent, and a latent image is formed by changing the receding contact angle according to the heating temperature. In the recording method of forming a visible image by bringing a recording agent dissolved in the medium into contact with the recording agent and transferring the visible image to a recording medium, the latent image and the visible image are simultaneously formed. The microcapsules mixed in the recording agent are broken, the solvent contained in the microcapsules is scattered, and the solvent is applied to the image on the recording medium before or during transfer. Then, the transfer is performed after the viscosity of the recording agent on the recording medium is made lower than that during development. The surface of the recording body is heated in contact with a recording agent in which a colorant is dissolved in a solvent, and a latent image is formed by changing the receding contact angle according to the heating temperature. In the recording method of forming a visible image by bringing ink dissolved in a liquid into contact, and transferring the visible image to a recording medium, the latent image and the visible image are simultaneously formed, and then the thixotropy is used as the ink. A recording method comprising transferring the ink after applying the ultrasonic wave to the ink on the recording medium to lower the viscosity of the ink on the recording body before the development using the transfer ink.

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