JPH03104685A - Recording method and recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make heat-build-up hard to occur and to make it possible to perform uniform recording even for heat sensitive paper having the surface with large irregularities by increasing temperature with a gas stream by which an image receiving body having a heat sensitive layer that is colored by temperature increase is heated, and performing the recording. CONSTITUTION:The insides of a heating chamber 13 and a nozzle 14 are filled with electrolyte 11 from an electrolyte tank 16 through an electrolyte feeding path 17. When a signal voltage from a signal generator 18 is applied, a current flows through the electrolyte 11 between an electrode 12a and an electrode 12b, and Joule's heat is generated. Vapor 15 of the electrolyte 11 is generated by said Joule's heat. The vapor 15 is exhausted into atmosphere through the nozzle 14. The vapor 15 is blown on heat sensitive paper 21 wherein a heat sensitive layer 19 is arranged on base paper 20. The heat sensitive paper 21 is conveyed into the direction of an arrow, and recorded images 23 are obtained. When the signal voltage from the signal generator 18 is stopped, the electrolyte 11 is replenished into the nozzle 14 and the heating chamber 13 through the electrolyte feeding path 17, and said steps are repeated. Therefore, as long as the gas stream is brought in contact with the surface, recording characterized by uniform density can be performed even if an image receiving body having large irregularities on its surface is used.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording method and a recording apparatus for recording by selectively raising the temperature of the heat-sensitive layer using thermal paper having a heat-sensitive layer that develops color when the temperature is raised. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a heat-sensitive recording device, which is a conventional recording device. In other words, the heat-sensitive layer 10 that develops color as the temperature rises
A thermal head 104 is pressed against the surface of this thermal layer 101 by a platen roller 105, and the heating elements 106 of this thermal head 104 are selectively energized. A recording method and a recording apparatus that record by bringing the selectively heated heating element 106 into contact with an image receiving paper are already known. Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, the above-mentioned conventional thermal recording method and recording device using a thermal head have the following problems. The thermal head must be in complete contact with the image receptor by heat conduction (1
When using a thermal paper with a concave surface that requires a means of pressing the image receptor, there are parts that do not come into contact even when the thermal head is pressed. Heat is accumulated in the thermal head.Even though the stamping energy is the same, the U records are different.

In view of this, the present invention aims to provide a recording method and a recording device that are capable of uniformly recording even heat-sensitive paper that does not easily accumulate heat and has a large surface unevenness. Means of the Invention 1. A recording method using an image receptor having a heat-sensitive layer that develops color when the temperature is increased. The recording method is characterized in that recording is performed by raising the temperature of the heat-sensitive layer using a heated gas flow. The following two recording devices using this recording method include (1) an image receptor having a heat-sensitive layer that develops color when the temperature is raised, a heating element that generates heat when energized, and a gas flow source. The recording apparatus is characterized in that the heating element energized heats a gas flow generated by the gas generation source, and the heated gas flow raises the temperature of the heat-sensitive layer for recording (2). The method includes an image receptor having a heat-sensitive layer that develops color when the temperature is increased, and a heating chamber for evaporating a liquid, and discharging vapor of the liquid from the heating chamber to raise the temperature of the heat-sensitive layer with the vapor for recording. According to the above-described recording method, the recording device can color the heat-sensitive layer with a constantly fresh and selectively heated gas flow. At the same time, it is possible to always supply a gas flow with a constant amount of heat to the heat-sensitive layer, and as long as the gas flow is in contact with the heat-sensitive layer, recording with uniform density can be achieved even when using an image receptor with a large uneven surface. According to the recording device having the above-mentioned configuration (1), the gas flow is configured to cool the heating element and carry the heat to the heat-sensitive layer, which suppresses heat accumulation in the heat-generating part. According to the recording device of the structure (2), the selectively generated steam is used as a gas flow, and the heat-sensitive layer is colored by the amount of heat contained in this vapor. There is no need to continuously generate steam, and heating and discharge can be performed at the same time. Although it is easy to downsize the device, the heat generating part after steam discharge is cooled by the supply of new liquid, and heat accumulation can be suppressed. Like? ,, The structure of (1) and (2) is a structure in which heat accumulation is suppressed, and the repetition period of heat generation can be shortened, so high-speed recording is possible.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 11 is an electrolytic solution, and 12a (L2b) is a pair that conducts electricity to the electrolytic solution 11. Electrode 12a (12b) is placed on the wall of the electric ffi 13. L is a heating chamber that can be filled with electrolyte 11.
Nozzle Jl is the part that discharges vapor 15 generated by heating the electrolytic solution 11 to the atmosphere, +6 is the electrolytic solution tank that stores the electrolytic solution 11, and 17 is the part that contains the electrolytic solution tank 15 in the heating chamber 13 and the nozzle 14. The electrolyte supply line 18 is a signal generator that applies a signal voltage to the electrodes 12a (12b). It is also possible to fill the heating chamber 13 and nozzle l4 with the electrolyte 11 from the electrolyte tank l6.
Next, by applying a signal voltage from the signal generator 18, a current flows through the electrolytic solution 11 between the electrodes 12a and 12b, and Joule heat is generated. Due to this Joule heat,
The vapor 15 of the electrolytic solution 11 passes through the nozzle 14 and is discharged into the atmosphere.
is sprayed onto the thermal paper 21 placed on the base paper 20'', and the thermal paper 2l is conveyed in the direction of the arrow 22 to obtain the recorded image 23.
When the signal voltage from the signal generator 18 disappears, the electrolytic solution 11 is replenished from the electrolytic solution supply path 17 into the nozzle 14 and the heating chamber 13, returning to the initial state, and the above-mentioned process is repeated. The amount of vapor discharged can be continuously changed in proportion to the time when the electrolytic solution 11 is energized via 12a and 12b. For example, by controlling the pulse width of the signal voltage, gradation recording can be performed.

Electrode 12a and electrode 12b? You can also choose a non-corrosive electrolyte for electrolyte 11. For example, Niktsuke/5 white ffif.
fiaLiR Iron, graphite, etc. can be used, and the materials of the electrode 12a and the electrode 12b may be different.

Electrolyte 11 (Top) The solute and the solvent that dissolves the solute. For the solute, choose sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, etc., and as a solvent, choose methanol, acetonitrile, etc. In order to efficiently color the heat-sensitive layer 19, electrolyte solution jilt can be selected.
In addition to the above-mentioned solvents, for example, the wall material forming the nozzle 14, the electrolyte supply path 17, and the electrolyte tank 16 may contain, for example, isoprobil alcohol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, etc., so that it is corrosion resistant to the electrolyte 11. The electrodes 12a and 12b can be arranged using various materials such as ceramics such as quartz glass-filled alumina, brass, gold-plated materials such as aluminum, hardening resins such as epoxy resin, and plastic resins such as acrylic resin. The wall material of the heating chamber 13 (above) Among the various materials mentioned above, at least the inner wall of the heating chamber 13 may be made of quartz glass or an insulating material such as silicon oxide. For example, if we consider that water vapor 15 with a volume of (100 μm)3 is generated, it is necessary to evaporate about 10-'g of water, but the heat of vaporization of water at 25°C is about 5830 a.l.
/g, so 0. 6xlO-”cal
(2.5 2 x 1 0-"J) of heat is given to the chicken. If we record the density of L.IO dots/mm, then 2.5 2 x IO-"J/cm.
It is possible to generate the steam I5 necessary to develop the color "Icm", and this steam 15 can also be used for thermosensitive recording.
This (Friend) Conventional heat-sensitive recording can be done by using a thermal head.
Considering that recording was performed at J/cm2, it can be seen that a large amount of labor can be saved.The recording device according to this embodiment is one that uses steam generated by Joule heat due to energization, and has a fast response to signal voltage. 1, Xo Mana There is a pair of electrodes t in the heating chamber 13.
2a and 12b, the recording device can be made smaller and lower in cost.Also, this structure can easily be made into a multi-nozzle, and high-speed recording can be achieved by making it a multi-nozzle. A mixture of water: 20 M starched sodium hydroxide: 5 parts by weight was used as the electrolyte l1, and Panafax UF- manufactured by Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd. was used as the image receiving paper.
The signal generator 18 was driven with a pulse width (500 Hz, dut)': 20%), and the thermal paper was printed with a printing energy of 0.8 J/cm" at an interelectrode voltage of 20 V. The color can be selectively changed to black depending on the signal, and it is possible to record on thermal paper using only electrolyte solution +1 (a solution consisting of water and sodium hydroxide). In order to obtain the color development, a printing energy of 2.2 J/cm' was required.The printing energy of the recording device according to this embodiment is slightly larger than the above-mentioned recording energy because of the heat generation required to generate excess steam. At this time, if a beaker containing cold water is placed at the discharge part of nozzle 14, water droplets will turn into raw water in response to the signal.Nozzle I4
Confirm that steam is coming out from the At this time, the vapor 15 is squeezed by the inner diameter of the nozzle 14 and recorded on the image receptor without the vapor 18 diffusing, so it is also possible to increase the resolution in this embodiment. The force that generates steam using Joule heat generated by energization.It is also possible to generate steam discharge by discharge electrolysis between both electrodes, and also to selectively directly heat the liquid using a heating element to generate steam at the nozzle. It is also possible to have a structure in which vapor is discharged from the surface, and this vapor may also contain droplets (1) Furthermore, in this embodiment, an image receptor with a surface with few convexities was used. ,
The present invention (1) Since it is possible to perform non-contact recording using the discharge of steam, it is also possible to record on three-dimensional objects. In Figure 2, which shows a cross-sectional diagram of the device,
3l is an airflow generating bomb that generates a certain amount of airflow, 32
33 is a heating bale that selectively heats the airflow generated by the gas generating pump 3l; 33 is a nozzle which is a part that discharges the hot airflow 34 selectively heated by the heating element 32 to the atmosphere;
Reference numeral 35 denotes a signal generator that applies a signal voltage to the heating element 32.It is carried out as shown below. First, the gas generating bomb 31 continuously generates an air stream, and the nozzle 33 discharges this air stream. Next, the signal generator 35 selectively energizes the heating element 32 to generate heat.The amount of heat generated by this heat is conducted to the airflow, forming a hot airflow 34. Base paper 37
The thermal paper 38 placed above is sprayed onto the thermal paper 38, and the thermal paper 38 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow 39 to obtain the recorded image 40. At this time, the amount of heat generated during heat generation is transferred to the gas generating pump 3l.
Cooled by the airflow continuously generated by
The heat storage in the heating element 32 is small, heating can be repeated in a short period of time, and high-speed recording is possible. For example, alloys such as nichrome and kanthal, nitrided titanium carbide such as titanium nitride, and carbides such as silicon carbide and tungsten carbide may be used. However, there is a heating element 3 at the airflow outlet.
In this embodiment, the airflow continuously generated from the airflow generating bomb 31 is divided into a plurality of nozzles 33 each having at least one heating element 32. As an alternative, the recording device can be configured with multiple nozzles, or the airflow can be selectively heated by thermal conduction of heat generated by a heating element, or selectively heated by radiant heat from a light source such as a xenon lamp. Although this embodiment has a structure in which airflow is continuously generated, steam is selectively generated as described in the first embodiment. It is also not possible to create a structure in which the steam is further heated by radiant heat from a light source such as a lamp.In this example, the gas flow is drawn in from the base paper side of the thermal paper through the thermal paper, so that the gas flow is heat-sensitive. In this example, thermal paper was used as the image receptor, but other than thermal paper, it was possible to prevent the resolution from decreasing in the surface direction and to prevent the resolution from decreasing. However, in the present invention, it is not possible to use the placed object as an image receptor.
The force of using an image receptor that has a heat-sensitive layer that develops color as the temperature rises.The image receptor does not produce a recorded image as the temperature rises.For example, when the image receptor foams as the temperature rises and the surface of the image receptor swells to form an image. Even if a thermal head is used as an image receptor, the same effect as that of a thermal head can be obtained. The heat-sensitive layer can be colored by the gas flow treated with the heat-sensitive layer, and the recording device can color the heat-sensitive layer and record without contact.
A recording method and a recording device that can always supply a gas flow having a constant amount of heat to a heat-sensitive layer, and that can perform recording with uniform density even when using an image receptor with a large surface unevenness as long as the gas flow is in contact with the heat-sensitive layer. There is less heat accumulation than when using a thermal head, and high-speed recording is possible, and its practical effects are significant (1

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional structure of a recording device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional structure of a recording device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional structure of a conventional thermal recording device. In the cross-sectional diagram, 11... Electrolyte 12a, l 2 b... Electric tank 13... Heating chamber 14, 33... Nozzle k 15... Steam l6... Electrolyte tank 17... Electrolyte supply level 18, 35... Signal generation level 19, 36, 101... Heat sensitive 20, 37, 102... Group 21, 38, 103... Heat sensitive class 23, 40 , 107... Recording copying 31... Air flow generation pump, 32... Heating element 34... Hot air phoenix +04... Thermal head, 105... Platen roller, 106... Heat generating element.

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) A recording method characterized by using an image receptor having a heat-sensitive layer that develops color when the temperature is raised, and recording by raising the temperature of the heat-sensitive layer using a heated gas flow. (2) The recording method according to claim 1, wherein the heated gas flow is a continuously generated gas flow that is selectively heated. (3) Claim 1, characterized in that the heated gas flow is vapor generated by selectively heating a liquid.
Recording method described in section. (4) It has an image receptor having a heat-sensitive layer that develops color when the temperature is raised, a heating element that generates heat when energized, and a gas flow generation source, and the heating element selectively energizes the gas generated by the gas generation source. 1. A recording apparatus characterized by heating a gas flow, and recording by raising the temperature of the heat-sensitive layer by the heated gas flow. (5) It has an image receptor having a heat-sensitive layer that develops color when the temperature is raised, and a heating chamber that evaporates a liquid, and the vapor of the liquid is discharged from the heating chamber, and the temperature of the heat-sensitive layer is raised by the vapor. A recording device characterized in that it records data.