JPH04344285A - Color image formation and recording sheet using the same technique - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide color image formation technique by which a color image can be formed with satisfactory reproduction properties without the use of color toners or color films under a simple control, and a recording sheet using said technique. CONSTITUTION:A recording sheet 1 consisting of coloring materials such as white 12, black 13, yellow 14 magenta 15 and cyan 16 laminated is scanned using a laser beam L adjusted to any appropriate intensity corresponding to the shading and color tone of an original image which is read to form a recessed part 22 of varying depth on the recording shoot 1. Thus a color image is formed using this scanning technique ad the varying depth of the recessed part 22.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of forming a color image and a recording paper used therefor.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, color images have been formed by developing with yellow, magenta, and cyan color toners. FIG. 4 shows this conventional method of color image formation. The original image is read by illuminating the original placed on the platen with light from the optical system (step S1)
). This reading is performed by color separation through R (red), G (green), and B (blue) filters, so three irradiation scans are performed. The color-separated original image undergoes image processing such as gradation, color tone adjustment, correction, and gradation processing, and then, based on the video signal of this image processing, exposure is performed by scanning the photoreceptor with laser light. (Step S2). Then, the photoreceptor is developed with Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) color toners (step S3). In these steps S2 and S3, in order to electrostatically attract the Y, M, and C color toners to the photoconductor in order, the photoconductor is scanned and exposed with laser light at least three times, and the photoconductor is exposed at least three times. Development is required. After the developed toner image is transferred from the photoreceptor to recording paper (step S4)
, is fixed on the recording paper by thermocompression bonding (step S5),
A color image is formed. In addition to the above procedure, if it is necessary to emphasize the outline etc., use BC (black).
Color toners are also used in combination as appropriate. Furthermore, instead of such color toners, conventionally, Y, M, C, and BC color films have been used to form color images on recording paper by thermal transfer, but even with such thermal transfer, To transfer from all color films,
Four thermal transfers are required.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional color image forming method described above, development and thermal transfer must be performed multiple times depending on the number of colors used, resulting in long processing times, low resolution, and poor reproducibility. was decreasing. In addition, a photoreceptor, a developing device for developing each color, a color film feeding mechanism, etc. are required, making the device structure larger and more complicated, and the control is also complicated.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and it is possible to form a color image with simple control and good reproducibility without using a large number of color toners or color films. The object of the present invention is to provide a color image forming method and a recording paper used therein.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 provides a recording paper on which coloring materials of white, black, yellow, magenta, and cyan are laminated. The present invention is characterized in that a laser beam is scanned while varying its intensity in accordance with the color tone to form recesses in depths as desired on the recording paper, and a color image is formed by this scanning and the degree of depth of the recesses.

[0006] The invention of claim 2 scans a laser beam while varying its intensity in accordance with the shading and color tone of the read original image to form recesses in depths and depths at will on the surface. This recording paper is used in a color image forming method for forming color images depending on the degree of color, and is characterized by having coloring materials of white, black, yellow, magenta, and cyan laminated on a base paper.

[0007]

[Operation] When a laser beam is scanned on a recording paper layered with white, black, yellow, magenta, and cyan coloring materials, the recording paper is etched according to the intensity of the laser beam during scanning, creating shallow and shallow recesses. . Depending on the depth and shallowness of the recesses, a color image is formed by monochromatic exposure of each color or partial exposure of a plurality of colors to form a color image, so there is no need to use color toner or color film.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an image recording system applied to the color image forming method of the present invention. This image recording system includes a laser light source 3 such as a semiconductor laser that outputs laser light L driven by a laser driver 2, a polygon mirror 5 that rotates at high speed by a scanner motor 4, and scans the laser light L in the main scanning direction. A reflecting mirror 6 that directly reflects the laser beam L scanned by the polygon mirror 5 onto the recording paper 1 is provided. Further, a collimator lens 7 and a cylindrical lens 8 are provided on the optical path between the laser light source 3 and the polygon mirror 5, and a spherical lens 9 and a toric lens 10 are provided on the optical path between the polygon mirror 5 and the reflective mirror 6. It is set up. The recording paper 1 is scanned in the sub-scanning direction by a feeder mechanism (not shown), and a color image is formed by irradiating the recording paper 1 with laser light L while it is traveling.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the recording paper 1, which is composed of a base paper 11 and a plurality of colored papers as coloring materials laminated thereon. In the illustrated example, the colored papers are, from top to bottom, a white (W) layer 12, a black (BC) layer 13, a yellow (Y) layer 14, a magenta (M) layer 15, and a cyan (C) layer.
The layers 16 are laminated in order, and the cyan layer 16 is the base paper 1.
It is glued on top of 1. This lamination order takes into consideration the actual color image formation, and the top layer W layer 12 reproduces the margins of the recording paper, and the second layer BC layer 13 reproduces characters, outlines, or different color portions of the image. On the other hand, Y layer 14, M layer 1
5. Each layer of the C layer 16 constitutes the three primary colors of coloring materials that are complementary to the three primary colors of light, and the color portion of the image is reproduced using these monochromatic colors or intermediate colors obtained by subtractive mixing. The colored papers 12 to 16 are formed by impregnating or coloring transparent paper with each color, and each colored paper has a uniform color density.

Next, a method for forming a color image using the above configuration will be explained. A document is set on a platen, and the original image is read by an image reading system (not shown). In the case of this reading, the original image is color separated using a B filter, a G filter, and an R filter. The color-separated original image is subjected to gradation adjustment and color tone adjustment using a digital or analog method by a computer, and this video signal is output from the computer to the laser driver 2 (see FIG. 1). The laser driver 2 drives the laser light source 3 based on this video signal. In this drive, shading and color tone adjustment have already been performed, and the laser output of the laser light source by the laser driver 2 is adjusted. With this adjustment, the laser intensity irradiated onto the recording paper 1 is varied, so that the recording paper 1 is etched deep and shallow as appropriate by the laser beam L.

FIG. 3 shows the action of the laser beam L, in which the recording paper 1 is scanned by the laser beam L while traveling in the direction of arrow A. The recording paper 1 is etched by the scanning of the laser beam L, and a recess 22 of depth and depth corresponding to the video signal is formed. In the figure, area a of the recess 22 is a gray portion of the original image, and the W layer 12 and the BC layer 13 are etched to match the shading of the original image. Also b
The area is the part where the original image is yellow, and the Y layer 14
is exposed. Area c is the black part of the original image, and BC
Layer 13 is exposed. Hereinafter, the d area is the yellow part of the original image, the e area is the bluish-green part of the original image, the f area is the reddish-purple part of the original image, and the g area is the bluish-green part of the original image. The colored paper according to the color is exposed. Further, in the concave portion 22, a portion where two or more colored papers are partially exposed reproduces an intermediate color by subtractive color mixing of the two colors. Therefore, in such a color image forming method, the recording paper 1 on which the color papers 12 to 16 are stacked is scanned with a laser beam L to form deep and shallow recesses 22 that match the shading and tone of the original image. Since the image is recorded in color, the image is recorded only once, making it possible to record in a short time, and the resolution is high, allowing for good reproduction. Further, since it is not necessary to use a large number of color toners and color films for recording, and a photoreceptor is also not required, the configuration is simple and control is easy.

In the above embodiment, the intensity of the laser beam L is adjusted by the computer and the laser driver 2, but as shown in FIG.
The intensity of the laser beam L outputted from the laser light source 3 may be adjusted by mechanically advancing and retracting the laser beam L (see FIG. 1). Also,
The stacking order of the colored papers 12 to 16 of the recording paper 1 may be changed, and since yellow has a weak hiding power, white or black may be inserted between them. On the other hand, instead of colored paper, the coloring material may be composed of a coating of paint.

[0013]

[Effect of the invention] The present invention provides white, black, yellow, magenta,
A laser beam is irradiated onto the recording paper on which the cyan coloring material is laminated to form a recess, and a color image is formed depending on the depth and shallowness of the recess, which allows for a simple configuration and control. Recording can be done in a short time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image recording system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of recording paper applied to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the area around the recording paper during image formation according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a process diagram of color image formation by a conventional method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1... Recording paper 2...Laser driver 11...Base paper 12...White layer (W layer) 13...Black layer (BC layer) 14...Yellow layer (Y layer) 15...Magenta layer (M layer) 16...Cyan layer (C layer) 21...Aperture lens 22... recess L...Laser light

Claims (2)

[Claims] [Claim 1] Recording paper on which color materials of white, black, yellow, magenta, and cyan are laminated is scanned with a laser beam while varying its intensity in accordance with the shading and tone of the original image read. A method for forming a color image, characterized in that recesses are formed in a recording paper at various depths and depths, and a color image is formed by this scanning and the degree of depth of the recesses. 2. A laser beam is scanned while varying its intensity in accordance with the shading and color tone of the read original image to form recesses in depth and depth on the surface, and by this scanning and the degree of depth of the recesses, a color image is created. A recording paper used in a color image forming method to form a color image, the recording paper being used in a color image forming method, characterized in that coloring materials of white, black, yellow, magenta, and cyan are layered on a base paper. paper.