JPH038274B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an ink layer on an ink sheet after a part of the ink layer is transferred to a recording medium for recording. The present invention relates to an ink sheet recycling method.

Conventionally, an ink layer of an ink sheet made by laminating an ink layer on a conductive base layer is stacked on a recording medium, and a needle-shaped recording electrode and a return electrode are arranged at a predetermined distance from the base layer of the ink sheet. The current transfer method involves applying an image signal voltage between the recording medium and the return electrode, energizing the ink sheet, and melting a part of the ink layer using Joule heat and transferring it to the recording medium. Are known.

In addition, the ink layer of an ink sheet made by laminating an ink layer on a base layer is stacked on a recording medium, a heating element is placed on the base layer side, and an image signal current is passed through the heating element to cause the heating element to generate heat, thereby forming a base layer. A thermal transfer method is known in which a layer and an ink layer are heated to melt a portion of the ink layer and transferred to a recording medium.

Then, as an ink sheet regeneration method, an ink sheet regeneration method is used to regenerate the ink sheet by attaching ink to the missing portions of the ink layer after a part of the ink layer is transferred to the recording medium by these current transfer methods and heat transfer methods. After applying a predetermined charge to the ink layer by a corona shear, powder ink having a polarity opposite to these charges is supplied to the ink layer, and the powder ink is attached to the ink layer by electrostatic force. It has been known.

However, in this ink sheet recycling method, the amount of charge in the missing part of the ink layer after giving charge to the ink layer by the corona charger is smaller than the amount of charge in the ink layer other than the missing part. Since a sufficient amount of powder ink cannot be supplied, there is a drawback that depressions remain on the surface of the ink layer even after regeneration.

In addition, as an ink sheet recycling method, a heated roller is pressed against an ink roller coated with hot-melt ink to melt the ink on the ink roller, and then the melted ink is applied to the ink layer of the ink sheet to form the ink layer. Those that reproduce are known.

However, this ink sheet recycling method does not apply more ink to the missing portions of the ink layer than other portions, and therefore has the drawback that recesses remain on the surface of the ink layer even after recycling.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ink sheet recycling method that can eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks.

A feature of the present invention is that an electrode for electrodeposition is arranged on the base layer side of an ink sheet formed by forming an ink layer on one side of the base layer, and a counter electrode is arranged on the ink layer side at a predetermined interval from this. While a predetermined voltage is applied between the electrodeposition electrode and the counter electrode, a powder ink consisting of almost the same components as the ink layer is supplied between the ink layer and the counter electrode to reduce the electric charge or powder of the powder ink. The powder ink is attached to the ink layer by the electrostatic force that the charge induced in the body ink receives from the electric field formed between the electrodeposition electrode and the counter electrode, and then the powder ink attached to this ink layer is The purpose is to apply pressure to fix the base layer.

The present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates an ink sheet. This ink sheet 1 is formed by laminating a heat-meltable ink layer 1b having a resistivity of 10 Ωcm or more on one surface of a conductive base layer 1a.

The base layer 1a is made of conductive resin, or
It is made by uniformly dispersing or dissolving a conductive material in a binder resin. Resins suitable for the binder resin of this base layer 1a include polyester, polycarbonate, polyvinyl butyral resin with a softening point of 150°C or higher, styrene resin,
Examples include acrylic resins such as methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, and n-butyl methacrylate, silicone resins, urea resins, fluororesins, polyurethanes, vinyl chloride resins, polyimide resins, and various thermosetting resins. As the conductive material for the base layer 1a, carbon black, metal powder, polymeric quaternary ammonium salt, and various other organic and inorganic conductive substances are used.

The base layer 1a may have anisotropic conductivity, in which the resistivity in the thickness direction is lower than the resistivity in the planar direction, and the resistivity in the thickness direction varies depending on the position. This base layer 1a having anisotropic conductivity
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a large number of conductive wire materials 1a1 are embedded in an insulating resin layer 1a2 in a columnar manner in the thickness direction, and as shown in FIG. A conductive powder 1a3 is dispersed in an insulating resin 1a2 and conductive powder 1a3 is oriented in the thickness direction, or a conductive material 1a4 is filled into the holes of a net-shaped insulating resin 1a2 as shown in FIG. There are things like that.

The ink layer 1b is made of a pressure plastic resin that plastically deforms when a predetermined pressure or more is applied, and a pressure plastic resin with a melting point of 50°C or more.
It is made by uniformly dispersing powder coloring material in a mixture of thermoplastic resin at 200℃, which melts when the temperature exceeds a certain level, and deforms plastically when pressure above a specified level is applied. .

The pressure plastic resin of the ink layer 1b is as follows:
In addition to naturally occurring waxes such as vegetable waxes, animal waxes, solid fats, and mineral waxes, higher fatty acids or derivatives thereof, and other waxes with an internal melting point of 60°C or higher are used. Suitable examples of the pressure plastic resin for the ink layer 1b include narrow waxes such as carnauba wax, cotton wax, candelilla wax, sugar cane wax, beeswax, and wool wax; mineral waxes such as montan wax, paraffin wax, and microcrystalline wax; and palmitin wax. acid,
Solid higher fatty acids having 16 to 22 carbon atoms such as stearic acid, hydroxystearic acid, behenic acid; oleic acid amide, stearic acid amide, palmitic acid amide, N-hydroxyethyl-hydroxystearamide, N,N ¹ ethylene-bis - Higher carbon atoms having 16 to 22 carbon atoms such as stearamide, N,N ¹ -ethylene-bis-ricinolamide, N,N ¹ -ethylene-bis-hydroxystearylamide (hereinafter, the term "higher" refers to those having 16 to 22 carbon atoms) Amides of fatty acids; for example, alkali metal salts and alkaline earth metal salts of higher fatty acids such as aluminum stearate, magnesium stearate, and calcium palmitate;
Metal salts such as zinc acid and aluminum salts; hydrazides of higher fatty acids such as palmitic acid hydrazide and stearic acid hydrazide; P-hydroxyanilides of higher fatty acids such as P-hydroxyanilide of myristic acid and P-hydroxyanilide of stearic acid; β-higher fatty acids such as β-diethylaminoethyl ester hydrochloride of lauric acid and β-diethylaminoethyl ester hydrochloride of stearic acid.
- diethylaminoethyl ester hydrochloride; higher fatty acid amide-formaldehyde condensate, such as stearic acid amide-formaldehyde condensate, palmitic acid amide-formaldehyde condensate; dye or dye base having an amino group and 4 mol per dye or dye base; Salt-forming reaction products with higher fatty acids, such as stearic acid, palmitic acid or myristic acid, and dyes or dye bases; hardened oils such as hardened castor oil and hardened tallow oil; polyethylene waxes , oxidized polyethylene, etc. The pressure plastic resin of the ink layer 1b may be composed of a combination of two or more of these.

Examples of the thermoplastic resin for the ink layer 1b include vinyl chloride vinyl acetate copolymer, vinyl chloride vinylidene chloride copolymer, vinyl chloride acrylonitrile copolymer, acrylic acid ester acrylonitrile copolymer, and acrylic acid ester vinylidene chloride copolymer. Polymer, acrylic acid ester styrene copolymer, methacrylic acid ester acrylonitrile copolymer, methacrylic acid ester vinylidene chloride copolymer, methacrylic acid ester styrene copolymer, urethane elastomer, nylon-silicon resin, nitrocellulose-polyamide resin , polyvinyl fluoride, vinylidene chloride acrylonitrile copolymer, butadiene acrylonitrile copolymer, polyamide resin, polyvinyl butyral, cellulose derivatives (cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose probionate, nitrocellulose, etc.), polycarbonate, Styrene-butadiene copolymers, polyester resins, chlorovinyl ether acrylate copolymers, amino resins, various synthetic rubber-based thermoplastic resins, and mixtures thereof are used. The above ink layer 1
It is preferable to mix the pressure plastic resin in a proportion of 20% by weight or more with respect to the thermoplastic resin b.

As the coloring material for the ink layer 1b, various pigments and dyes such as carbon black, phthalocyanine, spirit black, alkali blue, benzidine yellow, fast red, methyl red, crystal violet, iron oxide, and cadmium sulfide are used.

The above ink sheet 1 is produced by sputtering method,
It is manufactured using an ion plating method, a vacuum evaporation method, a solvent coating method, or the like. Ink sheet 1
The film thickness l ₁ of the base layer 1a is approximately 1 μm<l ₁ <95 μm, preferably 7 μm<l ₁ <40 μm.
The film thickness _l2 of the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1 is 5 μm.
<l ₂ <about 50 μm, preferably 10 μm <l ₂ <
It is 30 μm. Base layer 1a of ink sheet 1
may be electrically conductive, and preferably has a resistivity of 10 Ωcm or less. The ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1 needs to have a resistivity of 10 Ωcm or more.

As a recording method using the above ink sheet 1,
The ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1 is stacked on the recording medium, and the needle-shaped recording electrode and the return electrode arranged at a predetermined distance from the base layer 1b of the ink sheet 1 are brought into contact with each other, and the connection between the recording medium and the return electrode is made. There is a current transfer method in which an image signal voltage is applied during the recording process to energize the ink sheet 1, and a part of the ink layer 1b is melted by Joule heat and transferred to a recording medium.

In addition, as a recording method using the ink sheet 1, the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1 is placed on the recording medium, a heating element is arranged on the base layer 1a side, and an image signal current is passed through the heating element to cause the heating element to generate heat. or apply laser light to the ink sheet 1.
There is also a thermal transfer method in which the base layer 1a and the ink layer 1b are heated by irradiation to melt a part of the ink layer 1b and transferred to the recording medium.

After a part of the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1 is transferred to the recording medium by these current transfer methods and heat transfer methods and recording is performed on the recording medium, the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1 has the following properties as shown in FIG. A missing portion 1c is formed as shown in FIG.

Ink sheet 1 having such a missing portion 1c
An ink regeneration method for regenerating the ink sheet 1 by depositing powder ink on the missing portions 1c of the ink layer 1b will now be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 1, an electrode for electrodeposition 2 is placed in contact with the base layer 1a of the ink sheet 1. A voltage application circuit 3 is connected to this electrode for electrode 2 to set it to a predetermined potential. A counter electrode sleeve 4 is rotatably disposed on the ink layer 1b side of the ink sheet 1 at a predetermined distance therefrom. This counter electrode sleeve 4 is
It is rotated in the direction of arrow a by a drive means (not shown). A holding member 5 is disposed inside the counter electrode sleeve 4, and a plurality of magnets 6 are fixed to the holding member 5 at predetermined intervals.
The outer peripheral surface of the counter electrode sleeve 4 is coated with powder ink made by mixing a powder ink 71 made of the same components as the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1 and having a predetermined electric charge with magnetic powder 72 such as iron powder. The mixture 7 in which a predetermined triboelectric charge has been applied to the mixture 71 is held by the magnetic force of the magnet 6. The powder ink 71 has an average particle size of 1 μm to 100 μm, preferably 3 μm.
m ~ 30 μm, and the square root of unbiased variance σ is 0.5 μm
It is desirable that the thickness is ~30 μm. The mixture 7 of the powder ink 71 and magnetic powder 72 is moved as the counter electrode sleeve 4 rotates.

The ink sheet 1 is moved in the direction of arrow b by a transport means (not shown). A pair of pressure rollers 8 and 9 are arranged on the side of the counter electrode sleeve 4 in the direction of movement of the ink sheet 1 so as to be in pressure contact therewith. These pressure rollers 8 and 9 are rotated in the directions of arrows c and d by driving means (not shown). After the ink sheet 1 passes between the electrode for electrodeposition 2 and the counter electrode sleeve 4, it is inserted between a pair of pressure rollers 8 and 9.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pressure rollers 8, 9
Rotating shafts 8a and 9a at both ends are rotatably held by holding members 10 and 11, respectively. The holding member 11 is fixed to an immovable member. One end of the holding member 10 is rotatably connected to one end of the holding member 11 by a connecting pin 12 .
A hole 10 is provided at the other end of these holding members 10 and 11.
a, 11a are formed. Shafts 13 are arranged to pass through holes 10a, 11a of these holding members 10, 11, and these shafts 13 are fixed to immovable members. The holding member 10 is the shaft 1
3, it can be rotated within a predetermined range. A locking piece 14 is provided at the upper end of the shaft 13, and between this locking piece 14 and the holding member 10,
A pressing spring 15 is provided on the shaft 13. This spring 15 presses the holding member 10 downward to bring the pressure roller 8 into pressure contact with the pressure roller 9.

A voltage application circuit 16 is connected to the counter electrode sleeve 4 to set it to a predetermined potential. An electric field is formed between the electrode for electrodeposition 2 and the counter electrode sleeve 4 by the voltage application circuits 3 and 16, which generates an electrostatic force that moves the charge of the powder ink 71 toward the electrode for electrodeposition 2. . For example, when the powder ink 71 has a positive charge, the voltage application circuit 3 sets the electrodeposition electrode 2 to a predetermined negative potential, and the voltage application circuit 16 sets the counter electrode sleeve 4 to a predetermined negative potential. The positive potential of Note that in this case, the counter electrode sleeve 4 may be grounded.

When an electric field is formed between the electrode for electrode 2 and the counter electrode sleeve 4, a mixture 7 of powdered ink 71 and magnetic powder 72 is supplied between them as shown in FIG. The powder ink 7
1 is moved toward the electrode for electrodeposition 2 and adheres to the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1. In this case, since a current substantially flows between the electrode for electrodeposition 2 and the counter electrode sleeve 4, the potential of the surface of the missing part 1c of the ink layer 1b is set as V _A , and the potential of the surface of the missing part 1c of the ink layer 1b is
If the potential of the surface other than the missing part is V _B , there is a voltage drop in the ink layer 1b, so |V _A |>|V _B
| Therefore, the magnitude of the electrostatic force acting on the charge of the powder ink 71 is larger in the missing portion 1c of the ink layer 1b than in the portion of the ink layer 1b other than the missing portion 1c. Therefore, more powder ink 71 adheres to the missing portion 1c of the ink layer 1b than to the portions other than the missing portion 1c of the ink layer 1b. the above
In order to make the difference between V _A and V _B more than a predetermined value, the resistivity of the ink layer 1b is set to more than 10 Ωcm. When the base layer 1a is an ink sheet 1 having anisotropic conductivity, the electric flux is concentrated, so there is an advantage that the powder ink 71 can be more concentrated in the missing portion 1c of the ink layer 1b. be. The distance between the base layer 1 of the ink sheet 1a and the counter electrode sleeve 4 is set to be much larger than the thickness of the ink layer 1b.

The missing portion 1 of the ink layer 1b is caused by the electric field formed between the electrode for electrodeposition 2 and the counter electrode sleeve 4.
Ink sheet 1 with powder ink 71 attached to c
is inserted between the pressure rollers 8 and 9, and the pressure rollers 8 and 9 are inserted into the missing portion 1 of the ink layer 1b.
A predetermined pressure is applied to the powder ink 71a of step c to plastically deform the powder ink 71a and fix it on the base layer 1a. The pressure means for fixing the powder ink 71a supplied to the missing portion 1c of the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1 on the base layer 1a by applying pressure and plastically deforming it is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. do not have.

Note that instead of the opposed electrode sleeve 4 that moves the mixture 7 of powder ink 71 and magnetic powder 72 and also serves as an electrode, a sleeve that moves the mixture 7 of powder ink 71 and magnetic powder 72 and a counter electrode sleeve 4 that moves the mixture 7 of powder ink 71 and magnetic powder 72 are used. The electrodes may be arranged separately.

Further, while the powder ink having conductivity and magnetism is held on the surface of the counter electrode sleeve 4, this powder ink may be supplied to the missing portion 1c of the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1. In this case, when the powder ink approaches the base layer 1a of the missing portion 1c of the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1,
Charges of opposite polarity to those of the base layer 1a are induced in the powder ink, and the electrostatic force overcomes the magnetic binding force, causing the powder ink to adhere to the missing portions 1c of the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1.

Furthermore, the means for supplying the charged powder ink between the electrode for electrodeposition 2 and the counter electrode and between the missing portion 1c of the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1 and the counter electrode is as described in the above embodiment. The method is not limited to the above, and may be an application of a fur brush development method, a pressure development method, a microfield donor method, a powder cloud method, etc., which are known as methods for developing electrostatic latent images in electrophotography.

Next, an experimental example will be shown to confirm the effects of the present invention.

Experimental example A mixture of 40 parts by weight of ferrite fine powder with an average particle size of 0.7 μm, 10 parts by weight of conductive carbon black, 48 parts by weight of polyethylene wax with a melting point of 90°C, and 2 parts by weight of nigrosine. The mixture was kneaded with a heated roll mill, cooled, and then ground with a jet mill to obtain a powder ink. These powder inks were classified using a classifier to obtain powder ink having an average particle size of 11 μm and a square root of unbiased dispersion σ of 6.1 μm.

The ink sheet 1 is an anisotropically conductive base layer 1 having a thickness of 30 μm, a resistance in the thickness direction of 3Ω, and a surface resistance of 3×10 ³ Ω/hole.
In a, ferrite fine powder with an average particle size of 0.7 μm
40 parts by weight of polyethylene wax having a melting point of 90°C, 2 parts by weight of nigrosine, and 10 parts by weight of conductive carbon black, and the ink layer 1b has a thickness of 25 μm. I used something.

This ink sheet 1 was used to record on a recording medium by the above-described current transfer method to form a plurality of missing portions 1c in the ink layer 1b of the ink sheet 1.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the powder ink is held in the counter electrode sleeve 4, and
The ink sheet 1 is moved so as to pass between the counter electrode sleeve 4 and the electrode for electrodeposition 2 with a distance of 1000 μm from the ink sheet 1, and the counter electrode sleeve 4 is grounded and the electrode for electrodeposition 2 is Ink layer 1 of ink sheet 1 with a potential of -250V
Powder ink was supplied and adhered to the missing portion 1c of b.

Next, the pressure rollers 8 and 9 have a diameter of 80 mm.
Using stainless steel rollers with a diameter of 1 mm, the nip width of the pressure rollers 8 and 9 is 1 mm, and the pressure rollers 8 and 9 are in pressure contact with each other with a linear pressure of 50 kg/line. , 9 while rotating the missing portion 1c of the ink layer 1b.
When the ink sheet 1 supplied with powder ink is inserted and the powder ink is pressurized, the powder ink is plastically deformed and fixed on the base layer 1a, and the surface of the ink layer 1b becomes almost flat. Ta.

In the ink sheet recycling method of the present invention, more powder ink is attached to the missing parts of the ink layer than to other parts, so the ink sheet can be recycled so that the surface of the ink layer becomes substantially flat.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an apparatus for carrying out the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the present invention, and FIGS. 3 to 5 are other embodiments of the base layer of the ink sheet used in the present invention. FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an example, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a pressure roller of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. 1... Ink sheet, 1a... Base layer, 1b
... Ink layer, 1c ... Missing part, 2 ... Electrodeposition electrode, 3, 16 ... Voltage application circuit, 4 ... Counter electrode sleeve, 8, 9 ... Pressure roller, 71 ... Powder ink, 72...Magnetic powder.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A part of the ink layer of an ink sheet formed by forming an ink layer having a resistivity of 10 Ωcm or more on one surface of a conductive base layer is transferred to the base layer of the ink sheet for recording purposes. The electrodes for electrodeposition are placed in contact with each other, and the counter electrodes are placed at a predetermined interval on the ink layer side of the ink sheet, and a predetermined voltage is applied between these electrodes for electrodeposition and the counter electrode. Powder ink consisting of almost the same components as the ink layer is supplied between the ink layer and the counter electrode, and the charge possessed by the powder ink or the charge induced in the powder ink is transferred between the electrodeposition electrode and the counter electrode. An ink sheet recycling method characterized by adhering powder ink to an ink layer by electrostatic force received from the generated electric field, and then applying pressure to the powder ink adhering to this ink layer to fix it to the base layer. .