JPH05185712A - Recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive to form high density image by enlarging the amount of adherend of recording agent adhering to the latent image on recording medium by a method wherein the distance between the surface of the recording medium and the liquid surface of the recording agent is changed intermittently by the applying means of the recording agent. CONSTITUTION:The distance between the surface of recording medium 1 and the liquid surface of recording agent 3 (the space between the tip of the recording agent 3 and the surface of the recording medium 1) is changed intermittently. Thus, the amount of adherend of the recording agent 3 adhering to the latent image of the recording medium 1 becomes larger, resulting in contriving to form a high density image.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a novel recording device,
More specifically, the surface of the recording medium having a specific property is selectively and reversibly formed so that a region having a receding contact angle corresponding to the heating temperature is formed, and a coloring material is applied to this region (latent image). The present invention relates to an apparatus useful for a recording system in which a recording agent (used in the form of a solution or a dispersion) contained therein is supplied to make it visible, and the image can be transferred in good condition to plain paper or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An offset printing method using a lithographic printing plate is a typical means for dividing a surface into a liquid adhesive area and a non-liquid adhesive area for use in image formation. However, in this offset printing method, it is inevitable that the apparatus becomes large in size by incorporating the plate making process from the original plate and the printing process from the printing plate (printing plate) into one device. For example, even in a relatively small office offset plate making printing machine, in many cases, the plate making apparatus and the printing apparatus are separate.

In order to eliminate such a defect of the offset printing method, a liquid adhesive area and a non-liquid adhesive area can be formed according to image information, and can be repeatedly used (reversible Recording methods and devices have been proposed. Some of them are as follows. (1) Aqueous development method After applying a charge to the hydrophobic photoconductor layer from the outside, it is exposed to form a pattern having a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion on the surface of the photoconductor layer, and only the hydrophilic portion is formed. Aqueous developer is attached and transferred to paper (Japanese Patent Publication No. 40-18992, Japanese Patent Publication No. 40-18993)
(Japanese Patent Publication No. 44-9512, JP-A No. 63-264392, etc.). (2) Method utilizing photochemical reaction of photochromic material The layer containing materials such as spiropyran and azo dye is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and these photochromic compounds are hydrophilized by photochemical reaction [for example, "Polymer Papers", No. 37 Volume 4
No., 287 (1980)]. (3) Method utilizing the action of internal biasing force The amorphous state and the crystalline state are formed by physical change,
Forming areas where liquid ink is attached / not attached (Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-41)
No. 902).

According to the method (1), after the water-based ink is transferred onto paper or the like, the hydrophilic portion is erased by the charge removal, and another image information can be recorded. That is, one original plate (photoconductor) can be repeatedly used. However, since this method is based on the electrophotographic process, charging → exposure →
It requires a long process of development → transfer → static elimination, and has the drawbacks that it is difficult to downsize the device, reduce the cost, and make it maintenance-free. According to the method (2), the hydrophilicity and the hydrophobicity can be freely and reversibly controlled by selectively changing the irradiation of ultraviolet rays and visible light, but the reaction time is very long because of poor quantum efficiency. However, the recording speed is slow and the stability is lacking, and it is the fact that it has not reached the practical level yet. Further, according to the method of (3), the information recording member used there is stable after recording,
Before recording, there is a possibility that the physical structure may change due to the temperature change, so that there is a problem in storage stability.
In addition to this, since a means for applying a heat pulse and then quenching is adopted for erasing the recorded information pattern, there is a disadvantage that repeated image formation cannot imitate complexity.

The inventors of the present invention have conducted research and studies to solve the conventional drawbacks and inconveniences. As a result, a specific recording medium (a recording medium that has a surface whose receding contact angle decreases when it is heated and brought into contact with a liquid, simply referred to as "recording medium" or "recording medium (A)" for convenience) and contact Use a material (liquid, vapor, or solid that becomes liquid or generates liquid or vapor at the temperature below the receding contact angle reduction start temperature referred to in recording body (A)), and contact the surface of recording body (A) with contact material (B) To the heating temperature on the surface of the recording material (A) by selectively heating the surface of the recording material (A) or by contacting the surface of the recording material (A) with the contact material (B). A latent image showing a receding contact angle corresponding to the latent image is formed, and the latent image is visualized with a recording agent solution or dispersion containing a colorant, and then this visible image is transferred to a recording paper or the like. In addition, a device related thereto has been proposed (West German Patent Laid-Open No. 4010275). According to the method proposed here, the latent image and the visible image can be formed on the recording medium, the visible image can be transferred to the plain paper, and the latent image can be erased very easily and reversibly. ,
A large number of copied images can be easily obtained, and different copied images can be continuously obtained.

[0006]

In the recording apparatus proposed above, a thin film of the recording agent is formed between the developing roller and the surface of the recording medium in the developing process, and the thin film of the recording agent is The operation of adhering to the latent image on the recording medium (A) and developing it is mainly used by utilizing the shearing force (Fig. 11). In addition,
In FIG. 11, 1 is a recording material, 2 is a developing roller, 3 is a recording material (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “ink”), S is a latent image, and 3a is ink attached to the latent image (S). There is. However, after the latent image on the recording medium (A) is developed by such a method, it is transferred to the recording paper and the image does not always have a sufficient image density. The reason seems to be that the amount of the ink 3a on the latent image (S) is not always sufficient. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus capable of increasing the amount of recording agent adhered per unit surface of the recording surface by changing the coating method of the recording agent on the surface of the recording medium.

[0007]

The present invention provides the following recording medium
By selectively heating the surface of (A) in contact with the following contact material (B) or by contacting the surface of the recording material (A) with contact material (B) The means for supplying the contact material (B) that forms a latent image showing a receding contact angle according to the heating temperature on the surface of the recording material (A) by the Means for selectively heating a latent image to form a latent image in response to a signal, means for applying a recording agent for visualizing the latent image, and means for transferring the recording agent adhered on the recording medium (A) to a recording sheet In the recording device provided with
The means for applying the recording agent is characterized in that the distance between the surface of the recording material (A) and the liquid surface of the recording agent is intermittently changed. (A) A recording material having a surface layer having a property that the receding contact angle decreases when it is heated and brought into contact with a liquid. (B) A liquid, a vapor, or a solid that becomes a liquid or generates a liquid or a vapor at a temperature at which the receding contact angle of the recording medium (A) starts to decrease.

In the apparatus of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the distance between the liquid surface of the recording material 3 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ink liquid surface") and the surface of the recording medium 1 is intermittently changed. As a result, the recording agent 3 can be separated from the inac holding unit 4 and attached to the latent image (S) on the recording body 1 without depending on the shearing force. 3a ″ is ink attached to the latent image (S).

Further, in the apparatus of the present invention, if a recording material such as liquid ink 3 is used, the means for supplying the contact material (B) can be omitted.
In the apparatus of the present invention, the latent image can be erased by heating the surface of the recording medium (A) on which the latent image is formed in the absence of the contact material (B), and reversible image formation is possible. It can be done.

The present invention will be described in more detail below. When the recording medium (A) used in the apparatus of the present invention is heated in contact with a liquid, its receding contact angle becomes low even after cooling, and the receding contact angle becomes high due to heating in the absence of liquid. A member having a function, at least the surface of which is formed. The surface of the recording material (A) having such a function is (1) a member containing an organic compound having a surface self-alignment function of a hydrophobic group, or (2) an organic compound having a hydrophobic group and having a hydrophobic group. Is a member whose surface is oriented.

The "surface self-orienting function" referred to in (1) means that when a solid compound formed on a support or a solid formed by the compound itself is heated in air, the hydrophobic group on the surface becomes free to the air side (free). It means that it has a property of being oriented toward the surface side). This also applies to (2). Generally, in an organic compound, the hydrophobic group has a property of being easily oriented toward the hydrophobic atmosphere. This is a phenomenon that occurs because the interfacial energy at the solid-gas interface tends to decrease. Further, this phenomenon tends to occur as the molecular length of the hydrophobic group becomes longer, but this is because the mobility of the molecule upon heating increases as the molecular length becomes longer.

More specifically, the terminal has a hydrophobic group.
If it is a molecule (that is, lowering the surface energy), it will be on the air side.
It is easy to orient to the surface (free surface side). Similarly, (-CH ₂
-) The linear molecule containing n (-CH ₂ CH ₂ - has a partial planar structures), each other molecular chain is easily oriented. Further, in the molecule containing (-Ph-) n, the -Ph- portion has a planar structure, and the molecular chains are easily oriented. Note that −Ph−
Is a p-phenylene group (hereinafter the same). Particularly, a linear molecule containing an element having a high electronegativity such as fluorine has a high self-aggregating property, and the molecular chains are easily oriented.

Summarizing the results of these investigations, it is more preferable to include a molecule having a high self-aggregating property or a molecule having a planar structure, and a linear molecule having a hydrophobic group at the terminal, or such a straight chain molecule. It can be said that the compound containing a chain molecule has a high surface self-orientation function.

As is clear from the above description, there is a relation between the surface self-orientation state and the receding contact angle, and also between the receding contact angle and the liquid adhesion. That is, the adhesion of the liquid on the solid surface occurs mainly by the tacking of the liquid on the solid surface. This tacking can be regarded as a kind of frictional force when a liquid slides on a solid surface. Therefore, the "receding contact angle" θr in the present invention includes cos θr = γ (γs-γse-πe + γf) / γev (where γ: surface tension of solid in vacuum γse: solid-liquid interfacial tension γev liquid Surface tension when is in contact with its saturated vapor πe: Equilibrium surface tension γf: Friction tension γs: Surface tension of a solid without an adsorbed layer) (Saito, Kitazaki et al. Vol. 22, No. 12, 1986). Therefore, when the value of θr decreases, the γf value increases. That is, the liquid does not easily slide on the solid surface, and as a result, the liquid adheres to the solid surface.

As can be inferred from these mutual relationships,
The liquid adhesion depends on the degree of the receding contact angle θr, and the receding contact angle θr is determined by how the member having the surface self-orienting function on the surface. Therefore, in the apparatus of the present invention, the recording material (A) is necessarily a member having a surface self-aligning function on the surface because of the necessity of forming a desired pattern area on the surface and / or visualizing with a recording agent. Must be selected.

In short, the contact material (B) is a liquid or a vapor from the beginning, or a liquid is eventually produced at a temperature below the temperature at which the receding contact angle θr of the recording medium (A) is lowered. It is solid. The vapor here is at least on the surface of the recording material (A) or near the surface thereof, at least a part of which is condensed to form a liquid, and the liquid can wet the surface of the recording material (A). Is enough. On the other hand, the solid here is a liquid, a liquid is generated, or a vapor is generated at a temperature at which the receding contact angle θr is reduced or lower. The vapor generated from the solid is condensed on the surface of the recording medium (A) or in the vicinity thereof to generate a liquid, as in the case described above.

More specifically, the contact materials (B) are as follows.

That is, as the liquid which is one of the contact materials (B), in addition to water, an aqueous solution containing an electrolyte, ethanol, n-
Alcohols such as butanol, polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin and ethylene glycol, polar liquids such as ketones such as methyl ethyl ketone, straight chain hydrocarbons such as n-nonane and n-octane, and cyclic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane. , Non-polar liquids such as m-xylene and aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene. Also, a mixture of these may be used, and various dispersions and liquid inks can also be used. More desirably, polar liquids are superior.

As the vapor which is another one of the contact materials (B), in addition to water vapor, any liquid vapor of the contact material (B) can be used. In particular, organic vapor such as ethanol vapor and m-xylene vapor can be used. Examples include vapors of compounds (including those in a spray state). The temperature of this organic compound vapor needs to be lower than the melting point or softening point of the compound forming the surface of the recording material (A).

Other solids which are another contact material (B) include higher fatty acids, low molecular weight polyethylene, polymer gels (polyacrylamide gel, polyvinyl alcohol gel), silica gel, compounds containing water of crystallization, etc. can give.

The most desirable contact material (B) of the present invention has a viscosity of 1000 cp or less, or a surface tension in the range of 30 to 70 dyn / cm.

As a means for supplying the contact material (B), for example, a plate is provided below the recording medium (A) so that the liquid is filled so that the recording medium (A) is always in contact with the liquid in the dish, and the heating source is near the plate. Alternatively, the simplest configuration is to place it in a dish. Instead of the dish, a sponge-like porous body containing a liquid may be used. The latent image forming means using light or an electron beam is basically the same as the above configuration.

As a heating means for forming a latent image, in addition to contact heating with a heater, a thermal head, etc., an electromagnetic wave is used.
There is non-contact heating by (the light from the light source such as a laser light source and an infrared lamp is condensed by a lens).

When the transfer of one image information is completed, the surface of the recording medium (A) is heated in the absence of liquid or vapor (in air, in vacuum or in an inert gas) (heating temperature: 50-). Thirty
0 ° C, preferably 100 to 180 ° C, heating time: 1 msec to
If the latent image is erased for 10 seconds, preferably 10 milliseconds to 1 second, the recording medium (A) can be used repeatedly.

As a heating source for erasing the latent image, a contact heating source such as a heater or a thermal head or a non-contact heating source using electromagnetic waves such as a laser or an infrared lamp is desirable. The heating may be performed only on the latent image portion, but may be performed on the entire surface of the recording material (A). Rather, it is more preferable to heat the entire surface because the device structure can be simplified.

The latent image erasing means is provided at a position where the surface of the recording medium (A) is substantially cooled during the time until the latent image is formed again after heating for erasing. The heating temperature required to erase the latent image is as described above. A temperature below the point is desirable.

As the recording paper (transferred material), a transparent or opaque resin film, plain paper, synthetic paper, ink jet recording paper, type paper or the like can be used.

As the recording agent, among the recording agents used in conventional print recording methods such as writing ink, ink jet recording ink, printing ink and electrophotographic toner,
A device compatible with the device of the present invention can be selected and used. The viscosity of the recording agent is suitably 1000 CP or less, and the surface tension is suitably in the range of 30 to 70 dyn / cm. As a more specific and preferable example, for example, as the water-based ink, water-based ink containing water, a wetting agent, a dye as a main component or water, a pigment, a polymer compound for dispersion, and a water-based pigment dispersion containing a wetting agent as a main component are dispersed. An emulsion ink in which ink, pigment or dye is dispersed in water using a surfactant is used.

Although the relationship between the receding contact angle and the liquid adhesion property has been described so far, these matters are described in detail in the above-mentioned West German Laid-Open Patent No. 4010275.

Now, in the device of the present invention, in practice,
A recording medium 1 having a region having a different liquid adhesive force (a region having a strong adhesive force is a latent image portion), a liquid ink, an ink protection mechanism (ink holding unit) 4 for keeping the ink at a substantially constant distance from the recording medium, An ink liquid level moving mechanism (contact mechanism) 5 for intermittently moving the ink liquid level to contact the surface of the recording medium, an ink supply mechanism 6 and the like (FIG. 2).

The device shown in FIG. 2 operates as follows.
The recording agent 3 held in the ink holding unit 4 is contacted by the contact mechanism 5.
The contact and non-contact with the recording body 1 are repeated at a period equal to or less than the interval of the latent image portion (S). When the latent image portion does not exist on the surface of the recording material at the time of contact, the ink 3 separates from the holding portion 4 to form the ink droplet 3a ″ on the surface of the recording material. On the other hand, when the latent image portion does not exist, The ink 3 returns to the holding unit 4. By this operation, the ink droplets 3a ″ are selectively applied to the surface of the recording medium.

However, in the case where the recording agent applying means is made by moving the liquid surface of the recording agent, only the ink and some devices are required as the operating parts, and their mass is small. , Can be operated at high speed. Further, the moving amount thereof is smaller than that of the conventional ink jet recording apparatus, and the required pressure is small, so that the apparatus can be downsized.

The ink holding portion 4 is shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b).
It is advantageous to use a thin tube or a slit as shown in FIG. The inner diameter of the thin tube and the interval of the slits are equal to or less than the interval of the latent image, and particularly when such a thin tube is used, higher resolution can be obtained.

The displacement amount (b) of the ink liquid surface is set to a height high enough to form ink droplets on the recording medium 1, and it is appropriate that the displacement amount (b) is approximately twice the latent image interval (m) (FIG. 4). ). The movement period of the ink liquid surface is less than or equal to the interval of the latent image, but by providing a period device for the movement of the recording medium and synchronizing with the interval of the latent image, higher quality development can be performed.

Some examples of the contact mechanism will be described below. (i) A piezoelectric element 5a is attached to the side of the holding device 4, and the voltage is applied to this to deform the voltage element 5a, thereby changing the volume of the holding device 4 and displacing the ink liquid surface (FIG. 5).
In the figure, 5b is an oscillator. (ii) A coil 5c is provided on the outer periphery of the storage device 4a, and a magnetic force is generated with respect to the magnetic ink 3'to displace the ink liquid surface (FIG. 6). (iii) A cam mechanism 5d is provided beside the holding device 4, and the volume of the holding device is changed by rotating the cam mechanism 5d to displace the ink surface (FIG. 7). In the figure, 5e is a cam drive device.

In the recording apparatus of the present invention, heating of the recording medium and displacement of the ink liquid surface can be synchronized by simultaneously performing latent image formation and development by heat.
Furthermore, in the present invention, by using a thin film-shaped recording medium 1, it is possible to arrange the thermal head 7 and the developing means 3 used for latent image formation above and below the recording medium 1. Therefore, the device can be downsized (FIG. 8).

In order to form a visible image composed of ink droplets 3a "on the recording medium 1, the latent image is formed by bringing the surface of the recording medium 1 into contact with the contact material (B) while being heated according to the image signal. After forming the image, it is developed with a recording material or a recording material
1 In the state where the surface is in contact with the contact material (B), it may be heated according to an image signal and then developed with a recording material. However, if a recording agent is used as the contact material (B), the latent image is formed and visualized in a single period, so that the process can be simplified.

EXAMPLES Next, the present invention will be described more specifically by way of examples.

Example 1 A metal support member 43 was prepared by forming a hole 42 in a metal plate 41.
It was pasted on and used as the holding part 4. A piezoelectric element 5a was attached to the side of the holding portion 4 as a contact mechanism (FIG. 10). A tank 8 filled with ink 3 to be used as an ink supply device
When ink 8 is applied to the latent image on the recording body 1 by applying electricity to the piezoelectric element 5a, it can be confirmed visually that the amount of ink attached is increased compared to the conventional one using a roller. did. The ink used was an aqueous ink containing a black direct dye as a coloring agent, and viscoat 17F, which is a fluorine-containing acrylate monomer, as a recording material.
A polymer obtained by solution polymerization using as a raw material is used.

[0040]

When the apparatus of the present invention is used, the amount of ink deposited on the recording medium is further increased, so that a high density image can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing that a recording material droplet having a large adhered amount is formed on a latent image portion of a recording body.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of three typical examples of an ink holding unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the amount of change in the ink surface and the interval between latent images.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example of a contact mechanism for supplying ink from an ink holding unit to a recording medium.

FIG. 6 is a view of still another example of the contact mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a view of still another example of the contact mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an operation for performing development simultaneously with formation of a latent image on the surface of a recording medium.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an outline of an example of implementation of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example in which a contact mechanism is attached to a holding unit.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which a recording material is mainly attached to a latent image on a recording body by using a shearing force.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 recording medium 2 developing roller 3 ink (recording agent) 4 ink holding section 5 contact mechanism 6 ink supply mechanism 7 thermal head 8 ink storage tank

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. The following contact material (B) is applied to the surface of the following recording medium (A).
To the heating temperature on the surface of the recording material (A) by selectively heating the surface of the recording material (A) or by contacting the surface of the recording material (A) with the contact material (B). Contact material (B) that forms a latent image with a receding contact angle
A means for supplying the surface of the recording material (A), and means for selectively heating the surface of the recording material (A) to form a latent image,
A recording material applying means for making the latent image visible, and a recording material (A)
In a recording apparatus provided with a unit for transferring the recording agent adhered onto a recording sheet, the recording agent applying unit is a recording medium.
(A) A recording apparatus characterized in that the distance between the surface and the liquid surface of the recording material is intermittently changed. (A) A recording material having a surface layer having a property that the receding contact angle decreases when it is heated and brought into contact with a liquid. (B) A liquid, a vapor, or a solid that becomes a liquid or generates a liquid or a vapor at a temperature at which the receding contact angle of the recording medium (A) starts to decrease. 2. The recording medium application means is formed by moving the liquid surface of the recording medium.
The recording device described. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a recording material is used as the contact material (B) so that the supply means for the contact material (B) and the application means for the recording material are integrated.