JPH01159669A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily form a two-color image with the color of an ink coloring agent and a different color by mixing the magnetic capsule ink of different color into the ink, combining magnetization and the application of a current with the aid of a magnetic energy impressing means and a recording electrode and using it. CONSTITUTION:The fluid ink 2 contains the magnetic capsule ink of the color different from the ink coloring agent. And the magnetic energy impressing means 4A for selectively impressing the magnetic energy on the ink shifted by an ink shifting means on the upstream side from an electric energy impressing means 4B is also provided. Namely, the magnetic capsule ink is attracted to the surface of an ink layer and the ink layer where colors are different between the surface layer and the lower layer is formed in the ink layer by shifting the fluid ink by the ink shifting means 1 and 3 and impressing the magnetic energy on said ink. By selectively impressing the magnetic energy and the electric energy, the ink images 2a whose colors are different respectively and whose transfer characteristic is changed can be formed. Thus, two-color recording can be accomplished.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image recording device, and particularly to an image recording device that can record a color image on a recording medium at low cost using fluid ink.

[Prior Art] Today, among the recording methods for information processing, those that can record on plain paper include impact printers, electrophotography, laser beam printers, and thermal transfer printers.
Various formats have been developed.

Among these, thermal transfer type recording devices are widely used because they have low noise and can be miniaturized. This recording method uses an ink ribbon made by coating hot-melt ink on a base sheet, heats the ink ribbon in an image pattern with a recording head, and transfers the molten ink to recording paper. This has advantages such as low noise, relatively small size of the device, and low device cost.

However, in the conventional thermal transfer method described above, when manufacturing an ink ribbon, it is necessary to apply heat-melting ink onto a heat-resistant base sheet in a complicated process, and this ink ribbon cannot be used for one recording. There were problems such as high running costs because the devices had to be disposed of only after being used.

Therefore, as a means to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present applicant has developed a method of transferring fluid ink in the form of a film using an ink transfer means, selectively applying a predetermined amount of energy to this ink, and making it sticky in the form of an image pattern. proposed a recording apparatus that forms an ink image to which is applied and transfers this ink image onto a recording medium (Japanese Patent Application No. 175191/1982).

According to this recording device, there is no need to use an ink ribbon as in the conventional thermal transfer method, and only the ink that has formed an ink image is transferred to the recording medium, and the ink that does not form an ink image can be repeatedly used. This is something that can be done.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the above-mentioned apparatus is intended for monochrome printing, and there is a problem in that sufficient consideration has not been given to colorization.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus that further develops the above-mentioned apparatus, enables multicolor recording, and can obtain images of multiple colors with a simple configuration.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image recording apparatus that is capable of transferring fluid ink to a recording medium in response to selective application of energy. includes an ink colorant and a magnetic capsule ink of a different color, an ink transport means for transporting the fluid ink, and an electrical energy application means for selectively applying electrical energy to the ink transported by the ink transport means. a magnetic energy applying means for selectively applying magnetic energy to the ink transferred by the ink transporting means on the upstream side of the electric energy applying means; and an ink whose transfer characteristics have changed in accordance with the selective application of energy. and a transfer means for transferring the image to a recording medium.

[For production]

According to the present invention, the fluid ink is transferred by the ink transfer means, and magnetic energy is applied to the fluid ink to attract the magnetic capsule ink to the surface of the ink layer. Ink layers of different colors are formed.

Therefore, by selectively applying this magnetic energy,
By selectively applying electrical energy, ink images with different colors and different transfer characteristics are formed.

Then, by transferring this ink image to a recording medium, it is possible to obtain recording in at least two colors.

[Examples] Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, to explain the general structure of the whole, an ink transport roller 1 serving as an ink transport means moves in the direction of arrow A (counterclockwise) while transporting fluid ink 2 with it attached to its surface.
It is rotatably installed.

The ink 2 has a fluid film-forming property and does not normally have tackiness as described later, but has a property of tackiness when a predetermined energy, for example, electric energy is applied. Therefore, when the ink transfer roller 1 rotates, the ink 2 is transferred to the ink transfer roller 1 by the coating means 3.
is transferred in the direction of arrow A with a constant layer thickness on the surface.

Magnetic energy is selectively applied to the ink 2 formed in a certain layer on the surface of the ink transfer roller 1 by a magnetic energy applying means 4^ controlled by a control means.

Ink 2 to which magnetic energy is selectively applied
Electric energy is applied in an image pattern by an electric energy applying means 4B further controlled by a control means, and an ink image 2a imparted with tackiness is formed by applying this energy.

This sticky ink image 2a comes into contact with an intermediate transfer roller 5, which is an intermediate transfer medium, rotating in the direction of arrow B (clockwise) and is transferred onto the surface of the roller 5. On the other hand, the remaining ink 2 that has not been transferred to the intermediate transfer roller 5 is stored again in the ink reservoir 3a as the ink transfer roller 1 rotates.

The ink image 2b transferred to the intermediate transfer roller 5 moves as the roller 5 rotates clockwise, and the ink image 2b is transferred to the intermediate transfer roller 5.
A recording medium (for example, plain paper, plastic sheet, etc., hereinafter referred to as "recording paper") is conveyed between the transfer roller 7 and the transfer roller 7, which is provided in pressure contact with the transfer roller 7 and is rotatable in the direction of arrow C (counterclockwise). ) is transferred to 8.

Next, the configuration of each part of the image recording apparatus will be explained in detail.

The ink transfer roller 1 is made of a material capable of transferring fluid ink 2, which will be described later, by forming a film on its surface, and is made of a cylindrical conductor made of stainless steel, aluminum, or metal such as iron. , is configured to be rotatable at a constant speed in six directions indicated by arrows by a driving means.

The surface of the ink transfer roller 1 made of the above-mentioned material may be a smooth surface, but in order to further improve the transferability of the fluid ink 2, it is preferable that the surface be appropriately roughened.

Next, the fluid ink 2 transferred by the ink transfer roller 1 will be explained. This ink 2 has a fluid film forming property in which it flows under the application of a certain external force and forms an ink film. Specifically, as the ink transfer roller 1 rotates, an ink layer is formed on the surface of the roller 1 and is transferred. Further, it is preferable that the ink 2 has a property of being able to restore its adhesiveness over time after being cut by an external force. That is, it is preferable that the ink lumps have a property such that when they come into contact with each other, the interface disappears and they become one piece.

The ink 2 having such properties is an ink having a gel state in a broad sense in which the solvent is retained by a cross-linked structure substance, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 17519/1988 filed by the applicant of the present invention.
Inks described in No. 1 or Japanese Patent Application No. 131586/1986 are preferred.

Such an ink 2 has fluid film-forming properties, but is substantially sticky and becomes sticky when a predetermined energy (for example, electrical energy, thermal energy, etc.) is applied. have a property. Note that "adhesiveness" herein refers to selective adhesiveness, and when the ink 2 is brought into contact with an object such as the intermediate transfer roller 5, a part of the ink 2 separates from the entire ink and adheres to the object. It doesn't matter whether the ink is sticky or not.

Therefore, when the ink layer formed on the surface of the ink transport roller 1 is in a state where no energy is applied, even if the ink 2 comes into contact with another medium, for example, the intermediate transfer roller 5, there is no substantial impact on the ink layer. Not transcribed. This is because in gel ink, the solvent is held in a crosslinked structure (
It is considered that the ink is not transferred to the intermediate transfer roller 5 (except for some amount of solvent).

When electrical energy is applied to the gel ink,
It is thought that the change in the crosslinked structure imparts tackiness to these fluid inks in response to the application of energy.

Further, the ink 2 preferably has a certain degree of viscoelasticity (complex elasticity having an elastic term and a viscous term).

As the range of viscoelasticity, for example, the ink 2 has a diameter of 2
When a sample of 5 mm and 2 mm thickness is given a sinusoidal strain r with an angular velocity of 1 rad/sec in the shear direction, and the stress σ and phase shift δ are detected to determine the complex modulus of elasticity G◆, G*= σ/r=G'+, iG'G': Storage modulus G'': Loss modulus storage modulus G
′ and the loss modulus G″, the value of the ratio G″/G′ is about 0.1 to
10 is preferably used.

In the complex elastic modulus, if the G''/G' is less than 0.1, the behavior as a plastic body will be insufficient, and the ink coating on the ink transfer roller 1 will be insufficient, and the G''/G' will be less than 0.1. This is because if the value of ' exceeds 10, the behavior as an elastic body becomes insufficient, and elastic recovery from the electrical energy applying means 4B to the intermediate transfer roller 5 becomes insufficient.

Note that the size of the sample and the method of applying distortion are values that are considered appropriate for the recording apparatus.

In this example, 3 parts of water-soluble phthalocyanine (blue) was mixed into the above-mentioned fluid film-forming ink 2 as a coloring agent.
Three parts of brown Magnetner (registered trademark) is diffused as a magnetic capsule ink.

Therefore, in a normal state, the ink 2 as a whole has a black color due to a mixture of the blue colorant of the water-soluble phthalocyanine and the brown colorant of the magnetic toner.

An example of the formulation of the ink 2 used here is as follows.

(Parts by weight) Ethylene glycol 80 parts Water
16 parts Polyvinyl alcohol 20 parts (@Nippon Gosei GL-03
) Magnetner (brown) 3 parts (Canon PC
(registered trademark) toner) 20% borax aqueous solution 10 parts lN-NaO
4 parts H, 13 parts C, 5 parts pH 1O buffer (Kishida Chemical Co., Ltd., main component Na) Ico 3. NaOH, water) water-soluble phthalocyanine 3 parts (coloring agent) Next, the coating means 3 is arranged upstream of the energy application means 4^ and 4B with respect to the rotational direction of the ink transport roller 1, and This is for coating the surface with the ink 2 at a constant thickness. In this embodiment, the coating means 3 is composed of a rotating roller member, as shown in FIG. 1, and the outer peripheral surface of the roller member 3 is separated from the surface of the ink transport roller 1 by about 0.3 to 3 mm.

The layer thickness is regulated by the roller member 3, and the thickness of the ink layer formed on the surface of the ink transfer roller 1 is limited when the transfer roller 1 is at high speed (for example, at a peripheral speed of 50 fflIII/S or more).
In this case, the distance between the roller member 3 and the ink transport roller 1 is slightly smaller than the distance between the roller member 3 and the ink transport roller 1. Therefore, in this case, the distance between the roller member 3 and the ink transport roller 1 is slightly smaller than the thickness of the ink layer to be set. It is desirable to set this.

The layer thickness of the fluid ink 2 formed on the surface of the ink transfer roller 1 depends on the fluidity or viscosity of the ink 2, the material or roughness of the surface of the ink transfer roller 1, the rotation speed of the roller 1, etc. Although it varies depending on
It is preferable that it is about mm.

If the layer thickness of this ink 2 is less than 0.1 mm, it will be difficult to form a uniform ink layer on the ink transfer roller 1, and if the layer thickness exceeds 511II11, it will be difficult to form a uniform ink layer on the ink transfer roller 1. , it becomes difficult to convey the ink 2, and it becomes difficult to energize the ink 8 feeding roller 1 from the energy applying means 4 via the ink 2.

Next, the magnetic energy applying means 4^ will be explained. This is constructed by winding a coil around a magnetic material. Although it may be constructed integrally in the width direction of the ink transport roller 1, that is, in the recording main scanning direction, if the magnetic material is divided into a plurality of parts in the recording scanning direction and a coil is wound around each part, multi-color printing can be achieved. Precise recording control is possible.

Next, the electric energy applying means 4B will be explained.
This may be done by applying thermal energy using a conventional thermal head, but from the viewpoint of energy efficiency, in this embodiment, the recording electrode 4 is used to apply electrical energy.

As shown in FIG. 4, the recording electrode 4 has a structure in which a plurality of electrode elements 4b made of a metal such as copper are arranged in -rows on a base 4a made of glass epoxy, alumina, glass, etc. An insulating film 4c made of, for example, polyimide is provided on a portion of the electrode element 4b other than the tip, that is, a portion other than the portion that contacts the ink 2, and the ink transfer roller is grounded with a ground a. The roller 1 and the electrode element 4
The structure is such that electricity can be applied between the ink 2 and the ink 2 between the ink 2 and the ink 2. The portion of the electrode element 4b exposed from the insulating skin 11i4c is preferably plated with gold, platinum, rhodium, or the like, and from the viewpoint of durability, platinum plating is more preferable.

When the recording electrode 4B is arranged, it is preferable to arrange it so that the electrode element 4b is slightly submerged in the ink layer formed on the ink transport roller 1, as shown in FIG.

The amount of penetration is set to about 0 to 1+ nm, more preferably about 0.1 to 0.5 mm. By slightly penetrating the ink layer in this way, the energizing effect can be further enhanced.

A driver IO is connected to the coil of the magnetic energy applying means 4A and the electrode element 4b of the recording electrode 4, and drives both with electricity. A control means (not shown) is connected to the driver 10.

Next, the intermediate transfer roller 5 is used to transfer the ink image 2a to which the electrical energy has been applied and which has been given adhesiveness, and the cylindrical member is approximately 0.1 to 3 m111 from the surface of the ink transfer roller 1. The ink transfer roller 1 is disposed above the ink transfer roller 1 with a distance of 1 and is in contact with the ink layer formed on the ink transfer roller 1, and is configured to be rotatable in the direction of arrow B by a driving means (not shown).

The surface of the intermediate transfer roller 5 may be made of the same material as the surface of the ink transfer roller 1, but the surface of the intermediate transfer roller 5 may be plated with chrome plating or the like. Alternatively, it is preferable to improve smoothness, stain resistance, or ease of cleaning by coating with silicone resin, fluororesin, polyethylene resin, or the like. Also, in order to improve the transferability of the ink 2 at the ink transfer position, it is preferable that the surface of the intermediate transfer roller 5 be made smoother than the surface of the ink transfer roller l.

Next, the transfer roller 7 is for transferring the ink image 2b transferred and formed on the intermediate transfer roller 5 to the recording paper 8, and is a cylindrical piece of nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, etc. on a metal shaft. A formed spring or the like (not shown) presses against the intermediate transfer roller 5 with a pressing force of about 0.1 to 5 kgf/cm, and as the intermediate transfer roller 5 rotates, it rotates in the direction of arrow C, and the recording paper 8 is It is configured to hold the colored ink image 2b on the surface and to transfer the colored ink image 2b formed on the intermediate transfer roller 5 onto the recording paper 8.

Next, the operation when using the recording apparatus configured as described above will be explained.

When each member is driven and the ink transfer roller 1 is rotated in the direction of arrow A, the fluid ink 2 colored black by mixing and diffusion is formed in a layer on the surface of the ink transfer roller 1 by the coating member 3, and the ink transfer roller 1 is rotated in the direction of arrow A. It is fed eight times as the transfer roller 1 rotates.

A voltage is applied to each coil of the magnetic energy applying means 4A in a pattern corresponding to the image signal to the ink 2 thus sent. Then, the magnetic material to which the voltage is applied is magnetized, and the magnetic capsule 2-1 near its tip is drawn toward the magnetic material.

This situation is shown in FIG. That is, the state shown in FIG. 2(a) indicates a state in which the magnetic material is non-magnetized, and the magnetic capsule 2-
1 is a state in which the ink is evenly dispersed in the fluid ink 2. When the magnetic material is magnetized from this state, the brown magnetic capsules 2-1 are attracted to the magnetic material and concentrate on the surface layer of the ink 2, so that the surface layer becomes brown.

From this state, the ink transfer roller 1 further rotates, and at the energy application position where the ink 2 contacts the recording electrode 4A, image signals of the first color and the second color are transmitted from the recording electrode 4 controlled by the control means. A voltage in a corresponding pattern is applied, and in response, a current flows from the electrode element 4b to the ink transfer roller 1 via the ink 2, and for example, the crosslinked structure in the ink 2 changes due to an electrochemical reaction. Selective tackiness is imparted to the ink 2.

Here, magnetic energy application means 4A and recording electrode 4B
By properly controlling the energy application by , it is possible to perform multicolor recording according to the image signal.

That is, to show an example of the control, all the coils of the magnetic energy applying means 4A are energized, and the colors of all the ink layers are made different between the surface layer and the lower layer. The amount of current applied to each electrode element 4b of the recording electrode 4B is varied depending on the image information of the first color and the second color.

Then, the ink 2 changes from a gel state to a sol state on the anode side, that is, on the recording electrode 4B side, and becomes sticky at a depth corresponding to the amount of current applied.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, when the amount of current is small, only the surface layer of the ink image 2a-1, which is brown in this example, is formed.
is obtained, and when the amount of current applied is increased, a black ink image 2a-2 is obtained in this example including the lower layer portion.

The amount of current applied to the recording electrode 4B, that is, the application of energy, can be varied by varying the applied voltage at a predetermined period, by varying the application period at a constant voltage, or by a combination of both. Bye.

Furthermore, magnetic energy application means 4A and recording electrode 4
As another example of controlling energy application by B, color information may be applied to the width of the magnetic energy application means, and image information may be applied to the recording electrode 4B.

That is, by applying a voltage to the ink layer 2 whose surface layer color is controlled in advance depending on whether or not it concentrates magnetic capsules, in a pattern according to the image information while keeping the amount of current applied to the recording electrode 4B constant. A two-color ink image is formed.

Thus, the ink image 2a-1 is selectively tackified.
and 2a-2 are further conveyed in the direction of the arrow from the contact portion of the recording electrode 4 and reach the transfer position where the intermediate transfer roller 5 contacts, and the intermediate transfer roller 5 rotates in the direction of the arrow B based on the above-mentioned adhesiveness. The ink images 2b-1 and 2b-2 are transferred and developed on the surface of the roller 5.

The image is then transferred onto recording paper 8 to obtain a two-color recorded image.

An example of the control procedure by the control means 10 in the present embodiment will be explained based on the flowchart of FIG. 5.

First, in one example, when control starts, step S
At t, the presence or absence of image information is determined, and if there is, magnetic energy is applied at step S2, and step S
At step 3, a color determination is made.

When black is designated, the process proceeds to step S4, where a high voltage (20V) is applied from the driver 10; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S5, where a low voltage (IOV) is applied from the driver 10. Then, in step S6, energization is terminated,
Also, the process returns to step S1 for the next image information processing (fifth
(See figure (a)).

In other examples, when control starts, step Sl
The presence or absence of image information is determined in step S1, and if there is, the color is determined in step S12. When black is specified, the process proceeds to step 514, and otherwise, the process proceeds to step 513, where magnetic energy is applied, and then the process proceeds to step 514, where the recording electrode 4B is energized. Then, in step 515, the energization is ended, and the process returns to step Sl for the next image information processing.

In this embodiment, an example is shown in which an electromagnetic type is used as the magnetic energy applying means 48, but this is similar to the fifth example.
It goes without saying that permanent magnets may be used if the control procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.

Further, when a permanent magnet is used, a magnet 11 may be incorporated into the coating roller 3 as shown in FIG.

Furthermore, although not shown, if thermal energy is applied at the same time as magnetic energy is applied, the movement of the magnetic capsules diffused in the ink can be accelerated, and the filling rate of the magnetic capsule ink to the ink surface layer can be increased. It is preferable that it can be improved.

[Experimental example] In an apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, an ink layer with a thickness of about 2 mm was formed on a stainless steel ink transport roller 1 with a diameter of 40 mm by a coating roller 3, and an ink layer of about 2 mm in thickness was formed upstream of a recording electrode 4B as a magnetic energy applying means 4A. A magnet of approximately 1000 Gauss was placed. As a result, a brown ink layer of about 10 to 20 μm was formed on the surface layer of the ink layer. The recording electrode 4B is connected to the driver 1 according to the two color image signals.
0, low energy application (IOV 1m5ec
) sometimes brown image 2b-2, high energy application (20
V tmsec), even the inner layer of the ink layer was transferred, and a black image 2b-1 was obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, magnetic capsule ink of another color is mixed into the ink, and magnetization and energization are used in combination with the magnetic energy application means and the recording electrode. The color of the ink colorant and the other color by
Color images can be easily formed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a diagram explaining the behavior of magnetic capsule ink, Figure 3 is a sectional view explaining the formation of an ink image, and Figure 4 is a recording electrode. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Ink transfer roller, 2... Fluid ink, 3... Coating roller, 48... Magnetic energy application means, 4B... Recording electrode, 4b... Electrode material, 5...・Intermediate transfer roller, 7...Transfer roller. Figure 1 (See Figure 1) Figure 3 Figure 2 Figure 6

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An image recording device capable of transferring fluid ink to a recording medium in response to selective application of energy, wherein the fluid ink includes magnetic capsule ink of a different color from an ink colorant, and the fluid ink includes a magnetic capsule ink of a different color from an ink colorant, an ink transfer means for transferring ink; an electric energy applying means for selectively applying electric energy to the ink transferred by the ink transfer means; magnetic energy applying means for selectively applying magnetic energy upstream of the electric energy applying means; and magnetic energy applying means for transferring the ink, the transfer characteristics of which have changed in accordance with the selective application of the energy, to a recording medium. An image recording device comprising a transfer means. (2) The image recording apparatus according to claim (1), wherein the energy application by the electric energy application means has two or more types of energy application levels.