JPH0236988A - Electro-transfer recording system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize an electro-transfer recording system with superior half-tone density reproducibility by installing return electrodes in parallel at different intervals and providing a selection device which selects between the return electrodes for recording with recording electrodes which constitute a recording head. CONSTITUTION:To record data at low density on a recording medium 1, a switch SW1 is closed to supply power. Consequently, heat generates between a recording electrode 5 and a return electrode 16A. This results in the transfer of ink dots 2A to the recording medium 1. In addition, to record data at half- tone density on the recording medium, only a switch SW2 is closed to supply power. Subsequently, heat generates between the recording electrode 5 and the return electrode 16B and therefore, ink dots 2B are transferred to the recording medium 1. In other words, it is possible to make the number of the return electrodes 16 coincide with density gradation in performing the recording.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an electric transfer recording system, and in particular, an electric transfer recording system that can expand the density reproduction range. [Prior Art] An electric transfer recording system that can expand the density reproduction range. Compared to the dye-sublimation thermal transfer recording method for recording on plain paper, which is a type of thermal recording method using a thermal head, the electric transfer recording method has the advantage of lower power consumption because it does not use sublimation dyes. Since the recording head for this purpose does not have a heating element unlike a thermal head, there is no need for a thermal head heat storage control device to prevent heat storage that occurs during continuous energization, and the advantage is that the entire device can be constructed at a low cost. There is.

Furthermore, when compared with the melting type thermal transfer recording method for recording on plain paper, which is the mainstream thermal recording method, the melting temperature of the ink ribbon used for recording is constant, so the melting temperature of the ink ribbon used for recording is constant. Since the head is controlled to a predetermined temperature, only a certain area of ink dots can be transferred onto the recording medium, but the current transfer recording method controls the electric field between the recording electrode and the return electrode, which will be described later. This has the advantage that the area of the ink dot can be controlled.

However, the current-carrying recording paper, which accounts for a large proportion of the running cost of a current-carrying transfer recording apparatus using a current-carrying transfer recording system, has the disadvantage that it is relatively expensive compared to an ink ribbon or the like using a heat-sensitive recording system.

To explain such a conventional current transfer recording method using a diagram, FIG. This is an indication.

In FIG. 2, the structure of the current recording sheet 30 is as follows: a conductive base layer 4 having a uniform thickness; a resistive layer 3 coated on the base layer 4 to a uniform thickness; It has a three-layer structure in which an ink layer 2 is laminated with an ink layer 2 applied to a uniform thickness.

On the other hand, the recording medium 1 is a recording medium that does not have a coloring function by itself, such as a ○1-iP sheet, in addition to ordinary plain paper, and has external dimensions that are interleaved with the energized recording sheet 30 described above. It is prepared integrally with or separately from the energization recording sheet 30 described above. The configuration of the recording head 10 is such that a large number of recording electrodes 5 are formed by printing a metal such as tungsten on a substrate 7 such as a ceramic and then processing the burn-through, and a common return electrode 6 is provided. These recording electrodes 5 and return type ji 6 are connected to a drive device 20 via a power supply line. A power supply device 22 that supplies DC power is connected to this drive device 20, and is configured to selectively apply the DC power to the recording electrodes 5 via the drive device 20.

Furthermore, the energized recording sheet h30 and the recording medium 1 are each held between two sets of rollers 25 which are brought into pressure contact with each other and rotated in the direction of the arrow in the figure. and the recording medium l are conveyed by the same amount while performing a recording operation to be described later.

The operation of the current transfer recording device configured as described above is based on a common return path with the recording electrodes 5 provided at positions corresponding to image information sent from an image generating device (not shown) to the driving device 20. As a result of selectively passing a predetermined current between the electrode 6 and the electrode 6, this current passes through the base layer 4 that is in contact with the recording electrode 5 and the common return electrode 6 and reaches the resistance layer 3. This causes the resistance layer 3 to generate heat.

As a result, the ink layer 2 coated on the resistive layer 3 with a uniform thickness is dissolved, and the ink dots 2A are transferred onto the recording medium 1 as shown in the figure.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, according to the above-mentioned conventional example, the ink dots 2A transferred to the recording medium 1'2 are connected to the recording electrode 5 and the return electrode 6.
The result is limited to area control within the interval of, e.g.
When compared to methods such as sublimation thermal transfer recording methods, which control the degree of sublimation of sublimable dyes and have the ability to express several gradations of density, conventional electrical transfer recording methods have poor midtone density reproducibility. There were some disadvantages.

Furthermore, when transferring to rough paper with a low surface smoothness or an OHP sheet, there is a problem in that the amount of heat is insufficient and a sufficient recording state cannot be obtained.

Therefore, the current transfer recording method of the present invention has been developed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a current transfer recording method that is excellent in density reproducibility of halftones, and to provide a smooth surface. Low-strength rough paper or OHF'
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical transfer recording method that can provide an optimal amount of heat and obtain a sufficient recording state when transferring a receipt.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the purpose, the current transfer recording method of the present invention has the following configuration. In an electric transfer recording method that generates heat to melt an ink layer and transfer the melted ink to a recording medium, a plurality of recording electrodes are arranged in parallel at different intervals with respect to the recording electrodes that constitute the recording spatula. A return electrode is provided on the recording head, and
A selection means for selecting the return path electrode is provided to select and record.

[Function] In the current transfer recording method, in which the resistance layer of the current-carrying recording sheet is heated by a recording head to melt the ink layer and the melted ink is transferred to the recording medium, different A selection means connected to a plurality of return electrodes arranged in parallel at intervals functions to select and record according to the density to be recorded and the recording medium.

[Embodiment 1] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1(a) is a plan view showing the recording surface side of a recording head 100 used in an electric transfer recording apparatus of an electric transfer recording method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Further, FIG. 1(b) is a diagram showing the printing results by the print head of FIG. 1(a).

Here, the current transfer recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is similar to the conventional current transfer recording apparatus described based on FIG. 2, except that the recording head 100 shown in FIG. 1(a) is used. Since the configuration is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, common parts are given the same numbers and explanations are omitted, and only the different parts will be explained.

In FIG. 1(a), on the substrate 7 of the recording head 100, three return electrodes 16Δ, 16B, and 16C are formed parallel to the recording electrode 5 and are processed to remove burn-in after printing. The return electrodes 16A, 1. ．． 6B, 16C
A switch S for electronically switching
One end of WI, SW2, and SW3 are connected, and the other end is connected to the drive device 20 in parallel. That is, the recording type (which interval between the electrode 5 and the return electrode 16 is the switch SWI, S
It is configured so that three types can be selected by switching W2 and SW3.

The operation of the energization transfer recording apparatus configured as described above is such that, in order to perform low-density recording on the recording medium 1, when the switch SWI is closed and energization is performed, the recording electrode 5 and the return electrode], 6. As a result, the ink dots 2A shown in FIG. When only SW2 is closed and energized, heat is generated between the recording electrode 5 and the return electrode 16B, resulting in the ink dot 2B shown in FIG. 1(b).
will be transferred onto the recording medium 1.

Furthermore, in order to perform high-density recording on the recording medium 1, if only the switch SW3 is closed and energized as shown in the figure, heat is generated between the recording electrode 5 and the return electrode 16C. Ink dot 2C shown in FIG. 1(b)
will be transferred onto the recording medium 1. In other words, it becomes possible to match the number of return electrodes 16 and the density level and record.

Next, when using rough paper, ○HP sheet, or the like as a recording medium, for example, the above-mentioned high-density recording is selected to perform recording with an optimum amount of heat.

Here, in principle, the greater the number of return electrodes 16, the more density stages there will be.
Considering the resistance value of the resistive layer 3 on the top of the recording electrode 3 and the fact that the ink dots become elongated, there are at most three electrodes. It is also possible to prevent the recording medium 1 from becoming elongated in the running direction and to double the number of return electrodes 16 to increase the number of density steps.

Also, instead of the electrical selection means as explained above,
For example, the return electrode 1 is mechanically controlled by a piezoelectric actuator or the like.
may also be driven.

(The following is a blank space)] 1 [Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the current transfer recording method of the present invention can provide a current transfer recording method that is excellent in density reproducibility of halftones, and also improves surface smoothness. Low rough paper or O
When transferring to a HP sheet, it is possible to provide an electric transfer recording method that can obtain an optimal recording state using an optimal amount of heat.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1(a) is a plan view showing the recording surface side of a recording head 100 used in an electric transfer recording apparatus of an electric transfer recording method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a current transfer recording apparatus for explaining a conventional current transfer recording method. In the figure, ]...Recording medium, 2...Ink layer, 2A, 2
B, 2C... Ink dot, 3... Resistance layer, 4...
・Base layer, 5... Recording electrode, 6.16Δ, 16B,
16 C... Return electrode, 7... Substrate, 10.100
. . . recording head, 20 . . . drive device, 22 . . . power supply device, SWI, SW2, SW3 . . . switches.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In the current transfer recording method, in which the resistive layer of the current-carrying recording sheet is heated by a recording head to melt the ink layer and the melted ink is transferred to the recording medium, recording electrodes constituting the recording head are set at different intervals. 1. A current transfer recording method, characterized in that the recording head is provided with a plurality of return electrodes that are arranged in parallel in parallel, and a selection means for selecting the return electrode is provided to select and record on a recording medium.