JPH05200965A - Image recording method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize image recording without using an expensive thermal head in positionally selective heating for reducing a contact angle of sweepback. CONSTITUTION:The surface of a recording object 1A formed from a material whose contact angle of sweepback becomes small by the heating in the contact state with a recording auxiliary agent and becoming large by the heating in the absence of the recording auxiliary agent is heated in a positionally selective state corresponding to an image signal by a pixel electrode 5 to form a latent image as the pattern of the surface part where the contact angle of sweepback becomes small and a recording solution containing a developer is bonded to the surface of the recording object reduced in its contact angle of sweepback to visualize the latent image and the visible image is transferred to recording paper S to obtain a recording image. The recording auxiliary agent and/or the recording object 1A are used as electric resistance elements and the positionally selective heating for forming a latent image is performed by Joule heat due to the local current supply to the solid or liquid agent 2 and/or the recording object 1A.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording method and apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The material is formed of a material which has a receding contact angle reduced by being heated in contact with a solid or a liquid which becomes a liquid by heating, and which has a large receding contact angle by heating in the absence of the solid or the liquid. An image recording method using a recording medium is known (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 3-
205185). The above-mentioned "solid or liquid which becomes liquid by heating" is referred to as "recording aid" in this specification.

The "receding contact angle", where θ is θ, is the surface tension of solid in air: γ, the solid-liquid interfacial tension: γ _g , and the surface tension when the liquid is in contact with its saturated vapor: γ. _g1 ,
Parallel surface tension: π _e , surface tension: γ _i , surface tension of a solid without an adsorption layer: γ _s tan θ = (γ / γ _g1 ) (γ _s −γ _g −π _e + γ _i ). It is a physical quantity. When the receding contact angle: θ is small, the surface of the object is easily wet with the liquid, and conversely, when the receding contact angle: θ is large, the surface of the object is easy to repel the liquid.
Therefore, the surface of the recording material made of the above material is position-selectively heated according to the image signal to reduce the receding contact angle in the heated portion, and the recording material containing the developer can be selectively adhered to this portion. For example, since a visible image with a recording material is obtained on the surface of the recording material, by transferring this visible image onto recording paper,
It is possible to obtain a recorded image corresponding to the image signal.

In the image recording system as described above, an expensive thermal head for heat-sensitive recording has conventionally been used to selectively heat the surface of the recording medium in accordance with an image signal, which reduces the cost of the image recording apparatus. It was difficult to reduce. Further, the recording auxiliary agent is interposed between the heat generating element of the thermal head and the recording medium, and the recording element is first heated by the heat generating element and the surface of the recording medium is heated by its heat conduction, so that the recording speed is increased. In order to do so, it is necessary to increase the amount of heat generated by the heating element.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a novel image recording method and apparatus capable of realizing the above image recording method without using an expensive thermal head. With the goal.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the receding contact angle of the recording material is reduced by being heated in contact with the recording auxiliary agent, and the receding contact angle is decreased by heating in the absence of the recording auxiliary agent. A material formed of a material having a large size is used. As the above-mentioned material constituting the recording body, a material widely known from the above-mentioned JP-A-3-205185 can be appropriately used.

According to the image recording method of claim 1, "the surface of the recording medium is position-selectively heated according to an image signal in a state of being in contact with a recording aid, and a latent pattern is formed as a pattern of a surface portion having a small receding contact angle. An image is formed, a recording liquid containing a color developer is attached to the surface of the recording material with a small receding contact angle to visualize the latent image, and the obtained visible image is transferred onto recording paper to form the recorded image. "To obtain" the recording auxiliary agent and / or the recording medium is made electrically resistive, and the position-selective heating for latent image formation is performed by Joule heat due to local energization of the recording auxiliary agent and / or recording medium. It is performed by ".

In this specification, "developing agent" means a coloring material such as a dye or a pigment.

In the image forming method according to the second aspect of the present invention, "the surface of the recording material is heated in a position-selective manner in accordance with an image signal in a state where the surface of the recording material is in contact with a recording material containing a color developing agent in a recording auxiliary, and then retreated. A recording agent is selectively adhered to the surface portion having a reduced contact angle to obtain a visible image corresponding to an image signal, and the visible image is transferred onto a recording paper to obtain a recorded image.
“The recording agent and / or recording medium is made electrically resistive, and regioselective heating for latent image formation is performed by the above recording agent and / or
Alternatively, it is performed by Joule heat generated by local energization of the recording medium. "

"Position-selective heating" means to selectively heat a portion which becomes a pixel portion of a recorded image on the surface of a recording medium, and "local energization" means a portion corresponding to one pixel. Means energization.

Comparing the methods described in claims 1 and 2, in the method described in claim 1, a latent image forming step of forming a latent image according to an image signal and a developing step of visualizing the latent image are performed. They are separated, and in the method according to claim 2, these steps are combined as one step. That is, claim 2
In the method described, the recording aid which is interposed in the position-selective heating section in order to reduce the receding contact angle by heating contains a developer, which is used as a "recording agent" for performing development. It

The "solid which becomes a liquid by heating" which is an example of the above-mentioned recording aid is "a solid which is liquefied at a temperature equal to or lower than the temperature at which the receding contact angle of the recording medium starts to decrease".

An image recording apparatus according to a third aspect is the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect.
An apparatus for carrying out the described image recording method, which has a recording member, a recording electrode, a heat erasing means, a developing means, and a transfer means. The "recording member" is formed by layering a recording body on a substrate. The "recording electrode" is formed by arranging pixel electrodes in one direction. The "heat erasing means" uniformly heats the recording material in the absence of a recording auxiliary. The "counter electrode" faces the recording electrode via the recording body or the recording body and the substrate.
The "developing means" develops a latent image formed on the surface of the recording medium according to an image signal with a recording liquid containing a developer. The "transfer means" transfers a visible image, which is formed on the surface of the recording medium according to an image signal by development, onto the recording paper.

Then, this apparatus is arranged such that "an image signal is input to a recording electrode in a state where a recording auxiliary agent is in contact with the surface of a recording medium, and a current is applied between a pixel electrode to which the image signal is applied and a counter electrode. It has been configured ”.

An image recording apparatus according to a fourth aspect is the image recording apparatus according to the second aspect.
An apparatus for carrying out the described image recording method, which has a recording member, a recording electrode, a heating erasing means, a counter electrode, a developing means, and a transfer means. Among these, as the recording member, the recording electrode, the heat erasing means, the counter electrode, and the transfer means, the same ones as those in the apparatus according to the third aspect can be used.

The "developing means" has a recording material which is a recording auxiliary material containing a color developer.

Then, this apparatus is arranged such that "a recording material is brought into contact with the surface of the recording medium by a developing means, an image signal is inputted to the recording electrode and an electric current is applied between the pixel electrode to which the image signal is applied and the counter electrode. It is configured as described above. "

In the image recording apparatus according to the third or fourth aspect of the invention, it is possible that "the substrate of the recording member also serves as the counter electrode of the recording electrode". In this case, "the area of the end face of each pixel electrode facing the surface of the recording medium is S, the gap between the end face and the recording medium surface is g, the thickness of the layered recording medium is t, and the recording assistance in contact with the recording medium surface. When the volume resistivity of the recording material or the recording material is R _i and the volume resistivity of the recording material is R _k , these are conditions: 100Ω ≦ {(R _i · g) /
S} + {(R _k · t) / S} ≦ 1000Ω ”is satisfied (Claim 5).

Further, in the image recording apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, "the base of the recording member is made of an electrically resistive material, the recording electrode is provided in contact with the base, and the surface of the recording body is opposed to the recording electrode. By using the counter electrode provided on the side,
The recording auxiliary agent or the recording agent may be supplied to the surface of the recording medium by heating "(claim 6).

[0020]

As described above, in the present invention, the thermal head is not used to heat the surface of the recording material. The surface of the recording medium is positioned by the Joule heat generated in the recording medium, the recording auxiliary agent or the recording agent, or both by locally energizing between the pixel electrode to which the image signal is applied and the counter electrode. Heated selectively. Therefore, according to the present invention, neither the recording material, nor the solid or liquid or the recording material contacting the surface of the recording material at the current-carrying portion is electrically insulating.

To make the recording medium electrically resistive, it is sufficient to mix a conductive filler or conductive fine particles into the recording medium.
The volume resistivity can be adjusted depending on the amount of mixture. Also, in the case of "solids that liquefy by heating," it is sufficient to select a solid that produces ions when liquefied or to disperse conductive fine particles. The fine particles may be dispersed.

FIG. 1 schematically shows each step of the image recording of the present invention. In FIG. 1A, reference numeral 1 indicates a recording member. The recording member 1 is layered on the substrate 1B by "a material whose receding contact angle is reduced by being heated while being in contact with a recording auxiliary agent and which is increased by heating in the absence of the recording auxiliary agent". It has a recording body 1A formed on the.

In the method according to the first aspect, as shown in FIG. 1 (B), with the recording auxiliary agent 2 in contact with the surface of the recording material, the pixel electrode 5 is position-selectively energized to the substrate 1B side. .. During this energization, Joule heat generated in the energization path selectively heats the recording body portion 1A1 close to the pixel electrode 5 to reduce the receding contact angle (latent image forming step).
When the recording liquid 3 is brought into contact with the surface of the recording body in this state (see FIG.
(C)), the recording liquid 3 selectively adheres to the "portion where the receding contact angle becomes small" to visualize the latent image (developing step), and a visible image I is formed (FIG. 1D). ).

In the method according to the second aspect, as shown in FIG. 1 (B '), the recording material 3'"which is a recording aid containing a color developer" is brought into contact with the surface of the recording medium. , Pixel electrode 5
To the base 1B side in a position-selective manner. The recording material portion 1A1 close to the pixel electrode 5 is selectively heated by the Joule heat generated in the conduction path at the time of energization, and the receding contact angle becomes small, and the recording agent 3 ′ selectively adheres to this portion. To form a visible image I (FIG. 1D).

By transferring the visible image I onto the recording paper S as shown in FIG. 1 (E), a recorded image can be obtained.

[0026]

EXAMPLE FIG. 2A shows an example of an image recording apparatus according to claims 3 and 5. A recording member denoted by reference numeral 10 has a conductive drum as a base body 10B and a recording body formed in layers on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and is rotated in the arrow direction. As shown in FIG. 1B, the recording electrode denoted by reference numeral 12 has a pixel electrode 12 on one side of a thin flexible plastic sheet.
a is arranged in one direction, which is shown in FIG.
As shown in (A), the recording material is lightly abutted against the surface of the recording member, and the liquid recording auxiliary agent 13 is stored in the abutting portion.
With this configuration, the gap between the individual pixel electrodes 12 a and the surface of the recording body 10 is 1 to 10 μm due to the recording auxiliary agent 3.
A liquid film having a thickness of m is interposed, and there is almost no difference in the thickness of the liquid film in each gap. Further, since the contact pressure between the recording electrode 12 and the recording member 10 is not so large, the surface of the recording body 10A is unlikely to be damaged even when the recording electrode 12 and the recording member 10 are in direct physical contact with each other.

Each pixel electrode 1 in the recording electrode 12
If the distance between the pixel electrodes 12a is too small, so-called "crosstalk" may occur between the pixel electrode to which the image signal is applied and the adjacent pixel electrode when the image signal is applied. It is preferable to set the thickness sufficiently larger than the thickness of the liquid film of the "part", and more preferably, it is set as shown in FIG.
Like the recording electrode 12A shown in (C), the pixel electrode 12a
It is preferable to separate the formation part of the in a comb shape.

Reference numeral 14 indicates a developing device which is a developing means, reference numeral 16 indicates a transfer roller which is a transfer means, and reference numeral 17 indicates an infrared lamp as a heat erasing means. In order to carry out the image recording method according to claim 1, the recording member 1
While rotating 0 in the direction of the arrow, an image signal is input to the recording electrode to form a latent image, and the developing solution 14 supplies the recording liquid 15 to the latent image to visualize the latent image. A desired recorded image can be obtained by transferring the visual image onto the recording paper S that is fed “while being in contact with the recording member 10” by the transfer roller 16. After the visible image is transferred, the surface of the recording medium is uniformly heated by the infrared lamp 17 to erase the latent image, if necessary. The latent image once formed can be repeatedly used a plurality of times as necessary.

FIG. 3A shows only the characterizing part of an embodiment of the device according to claims 4 and 5 for carrying out the method according to claim 2. Reference numeral 10 indicates a recording member similar to that in FIG. The developing device 14A as a developing means has a liquid recording material 15A, and the surface of the recording material of the recording member 10 is immersed in the recording material 15A at the developing portion. In the developing section, the recording electrode 12B closely faces the surface of the recording medium.

The recording electrode 12B is a so-called stylus electrode array which has been conventionally known in relation to a facsimile device or the like, and each stylus electrode is a pixel electrode. While rotating the recording member 10, the stylus electrodes are locally energized to the side of the substrate 10B according to the image signal, and the recording material 15
A is selectively heated by the Joule heat generated between the recording material 1A and the recording material 10A, and the recording material 1 is applied to the portion where the receding contact angle becomes small.
5A is selectively attached to obtain a visible image. The transfer of the visible image and the erasing of the latent image (the pattern of the portion on the surface of the recording body where the receding contact angle is reduced after the transfer of the visible image) are the same as in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3B shows only an essential part of the embodiment of the image recording apparatus described in claim 6. The recording member 100 is formed in a belt shape by forming a recording body 100A in layers on an electrically resistive substrate 100B. A recording electrode 12B similar to that in FIG. 2A is provided in contact with the substrate 100B, and the counter electrode 20 provided on the front surface side of the recording body 100A facing the recording electrode 12B is roller-shaped and rotates in the arrow direction. Liquid recording aid 1 stored in the container 14B
3 is supplied to the surface of the recording body 100A.

When an image signal is input to the recording electrode 12B, the stylus electrode to which the image signal is applied is energized to the counter electrode 20, and the Joule heat generated at that time selectively heats the recording medium 100A to form a latent image. To form. Alternatively, if a liquid recording material is used instead of the recording auxiliary agent 13, a visible image corresponding to the latent image can be obtained together with the formation of the latent image.

As in the embodiment of FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 (A), FIG. 4 (A) schematically shows the selective heating state of the recording body when the substrate itself of the recording member is the counter electrode. Is. Reference numerals 1, 2, and 3'indicate the recording member, the recording auxiliary agent, and the recording agent, respectively, as in FIG. Reference numeral 50 indicates an image electrode. It is assumed that the end surface of the image electrode 50 facing the surface of the recording body 1A has an area: S = a · b as shown in FIG. 4B, and the gap between this end surface and the surface of the recording body 1A is g. Where t is the thickness of the recording medium, R _i is the volume resistivity of the solid or liquid 2.3 ′ in contact with the surface of the recording medium, and R _k is the volume resistivity of the recording medium. It can be represented by an equivalent circuit as shown in FIG. At this time, the electric resistance of the electric resistor between the end surface of the pixel electrode 50 and the base body 1B is {(R _i · g) / S} + {(R _k
・ T) / S}. According to the research by the inventors,
When this electrical resistance satisfies the condition 100Ω ≦ {(R _i · g) / S} + {(R _k · t) / S} ≦ 1000Ω, the image signal voltage applied between the pixel electrode 50 and the base 1B: V = 5 to 20V, signal voltage application time:
It was found that the temperature of the selectively heated portion of the surface of the recording medium reached 100 to 150 ° C. in 0.1 to 10 ms, and extremely good recording was possible.

The gap g is 0.5 to 0.5 in consideration of loss due to heat dissipation and frictional wear of the surface of the recording medium.
10 μm is suitable, and the thickness t of the recording body 1A is 10 nm to 1 μ in consideration of a decrease in recording pixel density due to thermal diffusion.
m is suitable. Area where the pixel electrode faces the surface of the recording medium:
Length of FIG. 4 (B) giving S: a and b are image recording densities n (dpi) a≈b = {25.4 / (n · 10 ³ )} × (0.7 to 0.9 ) Is desirable. The range of R _i and R _k is n = 20.
For 0 dpi, R _i : 0.1 to 10 (Ω · m), R _k :
1 to 1000 (Ω · m), R for n = 400 dpi
_i : 0.01 to 1 (Ω · m), R _k : 0.1 to 100 (Ω
-M) is preferred.

Two specific examples of image recording will be given below.

Concrete Example 1 A fluorine-containing acrylate material having the structural formula shown in FIG.
It was synthesized by solution polymerization using 1,1 trichloroethane as a solution and diluted with Freon 113 to obtain a dip solution. Diameter: 1
The outer surface of a 00 mm aluminum drum was dip-coated with the dipping solution and dried at 130 ° C. for 1 hour to obtain a layered recording material. An apparatus as shown in FIG. 2A was constructed by using the recording member thus constructed. The recording electrode 12 is a pixel electrode (width: 100 μm) formed on a polyimide film.
m, gap between electrodes: 25 μm) and a lead electrode formed by screen printing, and salt water having a resistance value of 400Ω was used as the recording auxiliary agent 13. Aqueous black ink was used as the recording liquid. The image recording described with reference to FIG. 2 was performed, and a good recorded image could be obtained. Image signal applied voltage per dot: 20v, application time: 1m
s.

Concrete Example 2 Carbon black was dispersed in the dipping solution in Concrete Example 1, and the same aluminum drum as in Concrete Example 1 was coated with this to obtain a recording medium having a resistance value of 1 kΩ.
Using this recording member, image recording was performed under the same apparatus and recording conditions as in Example 1, and a good recorded image could be obtained.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, a novel image recording method and apparatus can be provided. According to the present invention, since the expensive thermal head is not used as described above, it can be realized at a low cost, and the position selective heating of the recording medium is performed by Joule heat by energizing the recording medium or the like, so that the heating time can be shortened.

In carrying out the image recording method according to the first or second aspect, the substrate of the recording medium may have a recording electrode structure, and a common counter electrode may be provided on the surface side of the recording medium.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a recording process of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the invention of claim 5;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a structural formula of a fluorine-containing acrylate which is an example of a material of a recording body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 recording member 2 solid or liquid forming a liquid pair by heating 3 recording liquid 5 pixel electrode

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A receding contact angle is decreased by being heated in a state of being in contact with a solid or liquid recording auxiliary agent by heating, and a receding contact angle is increased by heating in the absence of the recording auxiliary agent. The surface of the recording material formed of the material is heated in a position-selective manner in accordance with an image signal in a state of being in contact with the recording auxiliary agent to form a latent image as a pattern of the surface portion having a reduced receding contact angle. A recording liquid containing a colorant is attached to the surface of the recording material having a reduced receding contact angle to visualize the latent image, and the obtained visible image is transferred onto a recording paper to obtain a recorded image. Then, the recording aid and / or the recording medium are made electrically resistive, and the position-selective heating for forming a latent image is performed by Joule heat due to local energization of the recording aid and / or recording medium. An image recording method characterized by the above. 2. A receding contact angle is decreased by heating in a state of being in contact with a solid or liquid recording auxiliary agent by heating, and a receding contact angle is increased by heating in the absence of the recording auxiliary agent. A surface having a receding contact angle reduced by position-selectively heating according to an image signal in a state in which the surface of the recording material formed of the material is in contact with the recording material containing the above-mentioned recording aid containing a color developer. A method for obtaining a recorded image by selectively attaching the recording agent to a portion to obtain a visible image corresponding to an image signal, and obtaining the recorded image by transferring the visible image onto a recording paper. An image recording method characterized in that the body is made electrically resistive, and the selective heating for forming a latent image is performed by Joule heat due to local energization of the recording material and / or the recording body. 3. An apparatus for carrying out the image recording method according to claim 1, comprising a recording member formed by layering a recording body on a substrate, and a recording electrode formed by arranging pixel electrodes in one direction. A heating and erasing means for uniformly heating the recording medium in the absence of a recording aid; a counter electrode facing the recording electrode via the recording medium or the recording medium and the substrate; Developing means for developing the latent image formed by a recording liquid containing a color developer, and transfer for transferring the visible image formed on the surface of the recording medium by the developing means according to the image signal onto the recording paper. Means for supplying an image signal to the recording electrode in a state where the recording auxiliary agent is brought into contact with the surface of the recording medium and energizing the pixel electrode to which the image signal is applied and the counter electrode. An image recording device characterized by being configured. 4. An apparatus for carrying out the image recording method according to claim 2, wherein a recording member is formed by layering a recording material on a substrate, and a recording electrode is formed by arranging pixel electrodes in one direction. A heating and erasing means for uniformly heating the recording material in the absence of a recording auxiliary, a counter electrode facing the recording electrode via the recording material or the recording material and the substrate, and a developing means having a recording material, The recording medium has a transfer means for transferring a visible image formed in accordance with an image signal on a recording paper by the development by the developing means, and a recording agent is brought into contact with the recording body surface by the developing means. An image recording apparatus, characterized in that an image signal is inputted to the recording electrode and a current is applied between a pixel electrode to which the image signal is applied and a counter electrode. 5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the substrate of the recording member also serves as a counter electrode of the recording electrode, and the area of the end face of each pixel electrode facing the surface of the recording medium is S. When the gap with the surface of the recording medium is g, the thickness of the layered recording medium is t, the volume electric resistivity of the recording auxiliary agent in contact with the surface of the recording medium is R _i , and the volume electrical resistivity of the recording medium is R _k , An image recording apparatus characterized by satisfying the following condition: 100Ω ≦ {(R _i · g) / S} + {(R _k · t) / S} ≦ 1000Ω. 6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the base of the recording member is made of an electrically resistive material, and the recording electrode is provided in contact with the base of the recording member so as to face the recording electrode. The counter electrode provided on the surface side of the recording body is
An image recording apparatus having a function of supplying a recording auxiliary agent or a recording agent to the surface of a recording medium.