JPH0534611A - Image recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily record an image which is based on digital data inputted. CONSTITUTION:A recording material 12 is irradiated with laser beams which are projected from laser devices 72, 74, and 76, and whose wavelengths corresponding to the photosensitive wavelength area of the recording material 12 are 355nm, 390nm, and 410nm. The exposure of each laser beam is changed based on image data inputted to a controller 26 at this time. And a dye-staff image corresponding to the wavelength and the exposure of each laser beam is formed by heating the recording material 12, and a color image is recorded on the recording material 12. Consequently, the color image which is based on the image data can be easily recorded on the recording material 12.

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 more particularly to image recording for recording an image based on a digital signal by using a recording material capable of controlling color development by photoreaction such as photopolymerization or photolysis. Regarding the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of recording an image on a recording material, there is a method of exposing the image and then developing it by heating it uniformly to obtain the image. This method is also called photothermography (light and heat sensitive image recording method), and is characterized in that an image can be obtained by a simple process including only a dry process.

To record an image by this recording method, for example, a color-separated image original is brought into close contact with a recording material, and the recording material is exposed through the image original in order to correspond to the color of the original. A color image is formed and a color image is created.

For example, there is a recording material which enables color formation by irradiating light beams of different wavelengths corresponding to the color forming layer to record an image. Such a recording material comprises two components of a two-component type thermosensitive coloring medium, which are separated and arranged with a microcapsule containing a photocurable composition (see JP-A-52-89915) and an acidic group. Which is a laminate of a layer containing a vinyl monomer having a vinyl group and a photopolymerizable composition, an isolation layer, and a layer composed of an electron-donating colorless dye (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 61-61).
No. 123,838), a plurality of photosensitive layers that emit different colors are provided, and each photosensitive layer has a different center wavelength (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 1-224930 and 2-197).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10) has been proposed. According to this
For example, by irradiating the recording material with light according to the recorded image, the color development of the area of the irradiated light is suppressed. Then, by heating the recording material, the recording material in the area not irradiated with light is colored to form an image.

In such a recording field, along with the rapid development of the information industry, there is a demand for easily obtaining a color hard copy from a terminal of an information device such as a computer or facsimile.

However, by recording an image by the conventional contact type method, it is impossible to record the digital data of the image output from the information equipment or the like.

Therefore, there is one in which an image based on digital data is recorded by a laser beam that emits visible light or infrared light. However, since the recording material to be used has a property of absorbing visible light or infrared light, it is necessary to store the recording material so that unnecessary light does not enter or to work in a dark room, and The recording material may be irradiated with light due to ready irradiation of light, for example, withdrawal of the storage bag or breakage of the storage bag, so that the color may not be developed at an appropriate density. Further, the light beam of visible light or infrared light has a long wavelength, so that the energy of the light beam is low and photoreaction is unlikely to occur.

By the way, in order to form an image on a recording material which develops a color corresponding to a light beam of each wavelength as described above, the wavelengths must be separated, and the wavelength range used over the entire image area is Fabrication of an optical filter for strict separation into a light beam is complicated and expensive to manufacture. In addition, if an optical filter that can obtain a transmitted light amount that does not hinder practical use and that is relatively easy to manufacture is used, it is difficult to finely specify the wavelength range to be transmitted, and other specific wavelengths are difficult to specify. Even in the region, the light beam is transmitted (crosstalk). Therefore, there is a problem in that density unevenness and color mixing occur.

[0009]

In consideration of the above facts, the present invention makes it possible to easily record an image based on input digital data and to form an image by developing a plurality of colors. An object of the present invention is to obtain an image recording method capable of recording an image without color mixture.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 records an image on a recording material on which an image is formed by irradiating light having a wavelength near the ultraviolet wavelength range. In doing so, an image is recorded by changing the exposure amount of a light beam having a wavelength in the vicinity of the ultraviolet wavelength range based on the input image data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an image is recorded on a recording medium provided with a plurality of recording materials on which a dye image is formed by irradiating light having a wavelength in the visible wavelength range near the ultraviolet wavelength range. On the basis of the input image data, a plurality of exposure light beams of different wavelengths corresponding to the respective photosensitive wavelength ranges of the recording material of the recording medium and near the ultraviolet wavelength range are independently changed. It is characterized in that the color image is recorded.

A third aspect of the present invention is the image recording method according to the first or second aspect, wherein the recording material has a coloring density according to an exposure amount of a light beam having a wavelength near the ultraviolet wavelength range. Alternatively, the recording medium is characterized in that the coloring area changes.

[0013]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the recording material is irradiated with light having a wavelength in the vicinity of the ultraviolet wavelength range. Then, an image is formed by heating the recording material irradiated with this light. As a result, an image is recorded on the recording material. When the recording material is irradiated with light, the exposure amount of a light beam having a wavelength near the ultraviolet wavelength range is changed based on the input image data. For example, if the data for each pixel is used as the image data, the light irradiated on the recording material is irradiated with the light beam having the exposure amount based on the image data for each pixel. As a result, an image is recorded on the recording material. Therefore, an image based on the image data can be easily recorded on the recording material. Here, when a recording medium whose color density or color area changes according to the exposure amount of a light beam having a wavelength in the vicinity of the ultraviolet wavelength range described in claim 3 is used as the recording material, the color density of which changes. When it is used, it is possible to record a gradation image corresponding to the image data in correspondence with the color density. When the one whose color development area changes is used, a gradation image corresponding to the image data can be recorded corresponding to the color development area as in the case of the halftone dot printing method.
When this recording material is provided with a recording medium capable of controlling color development by the action of photoreaction by light having a wavelength near the ultraviolet wavelength range, for example, the recording material has low photosensitivity in the wavelength range of visible light. Therefore, processing in a bright room is possible. Further, since the exposure amount can be changed according to the input image data, it is possible to record an image based on a digital output signal from a control device such as a computer.
Furthermore, since the light beam can be irradiated with, for example, an image formed by a thin light beam, the resolution of the image to be recorded can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the recording medium is irradiated with light having a wavelength in the vicinity of the ultraviolet wavelength range. Then, a color image is formed by heating the recording material irradiated with this light. This recording medium is provided with a plurality of recording materials on which color images are formed, and each recording material has a different photosensitive wavelength range. As a result, a color image is recorded on the recording medium by irradiating light with different wavelengths near the ultraviolet wavelength range. Here, the light with which the recording medium is irradiated is light having different wavelengths near the ultraviolet wavelength range. The light with which the recording medium is irradiated has a wavelength corresponding to each photosensitive wavelength range of the recording material of the recording medium. At this time, the exposure amount of each light beam is independently changed based on the input image data. Therefore, each color image is recorded on the recording material of the recording medium, and the color image is recorded on the recording medium. Therefore, a color image based on the image data can be easily recorded on the recording medium. Here, when a recording medium whose color density or color area changes according to the exposure amount of a light beam having a wavelength in the vicinity of the ultraviolet wavelength range described in claim 3 is used as the recording material, the color density of which changes. When used, a gradation image corresponding to the image data can be recorded on each recording medium corresponding to the color density. When the one whose color development area changes is used, a gradation image corresponding to the image data can be recorded on each recording medium corresponding to the color development area, for example, by a printing halftone method. Further, as described in claim 1, by using the recording material provided with the recording medium capable of controlling the color development by the action of the photoreaction by the light having the wavelength near the ultraviolet wavelength range, the treatment in the bright room can be performed. Becomes possible,
By changing the exposure amount according to the input image data, it becomes possible to record an image based on a digital output signal from a control device such as a computer, and by making each light beam thin, It is possible to improve the resolution. The light beams in the different wavelength ranges can be easily realized by using, for example, a laser beam having a narrow half-width of the wavelength of the emitted light beam.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Embodiment 1] In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a digital color printer 10. First, the recording medium 12 used in the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This recording medium is the same as that described in Example 1 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-87827. This recording medium 12
Is irradiated with light beams having different wavelengths (wavelength of 450 nm or less), and thus the coloring of the hue corresponding to the site of the irradiated light beam and the wavelength of the light beam is suppressed. Then, by heating the recording medium 12, the recording medium 12 in the region not irradiated with the light beam is colored to form an image.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the recording medium 12 used in this embodiment, a coloring layer composed of first, second and third recording layers 20, 18 and 16 is laminated on a support 22 in order. Has been done. A protective layer 14 is applied to the surface of the third recording layer 16 in order to protect the coloring layer from scratches and the like. Similarly, a back coat layer 24 is applied to the surface of the support 22. This coloring layer 20, 18, 1
Each of 6 has a photocurable composition containing an electron-accepting and polymerizable vinyl monomer and a photopolymerization initiator, and an electron-donating dye as main components.

Image recording on each recording layer of the recording medium 12 is carried out by curing the electron-accepting photocurable composition by exposure and then uniformly heating it to obtain an electron-accepting monomer in the uncured portion. It is carried out by bringing an electron-donating dye into contact with it to develop a color. At this time, in the cured portion, the contact between the electron-accepting monomer and the electron-donating dye is hindered and no color is developed. The recording medium 12 of the present embodiment is laminated in three layers, and by making the photosensitive wavelength range of each recording layer different, each layer is exposed to a different wavelength and, after development, has the hue of the exposed layer. Color develops independently.

As shown in FIG. 6, for example, the relationship between the exposure amount and the color density of a specific color forming layer will be explained. After forming a latent image on the photocurable composition by exposure to ultraviolet light, heating is performed. When forming a visible image by
The color density D decreases as the exposure amount E increases.

Here, in this embodiment, the first, second and third
The coloring hue of each recording layer is selected so as to be the three primary colors in the subtractive color mixture, yellow, magenta, and cyan. That is, the first recording layer is the Y layer 2 having a yellow hue.
0, the second recording layer is an M layer 18 having a magenta coloring hue
And the third recording layer is set to the C layer 16 which has a hue of cyan. As a result, the C layer 16, the M layer 18, and the Y layer 20 are colored in accordance with the exposure amount of the light beam having the wavelength with which the recording medium 12 is exposed. Therefore, if recording is performed as described above, full-color image recording can be performed on the recording medium 12.

Next, a digital color printer 10 applicable to the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic structure shown in FIG.

From the right side of FIG. 3 of the casing 50, a carrier table 52 for the recording medium 12 is projected. This carrier 5
The recording medium 12 is conveyed to the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3 by inserting the recording medium 12 into the casing 50 and the leading end of the recording medium 12 into the casing 50.

A pair of conveying rollers 54 are arranged on the downstream side of the conveying table 52 to sandwich and convey the recording medium 12. A plurality of guide plates 56 are sequentially arranged on the downstream side of the transport roller 54 so that the recording medium 12 is guided. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the recording medium 12 is conveyed in a substantially C shape by the plurality of guide plates 56.

The carrying roller 54 is connected to a rotating shaft of a motor (not shown). The motor is connected to the control device 26, and the rotation of the motor in the forward and reverse directions is controlled by the control device 26 according to the insertion or unloading of the recording medium 12.

A pair of transport rollers 58 are arranged between each of the plurality of guide plates 56. These transport rollers 58 are connected by a belt, and this belt is connected to the rotating shaft of a motor 66. The motor 66 is connected to the control device 26, and a signal from the control device 26 causes 1
Direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 3).

A roller 6 is provided in the middle of the conveying path of the recording medium 12, corresponding to the side of the recording medium 12 where the coloring layer is not formed.
0 is placed. The roller 60 is connected to the rotating shaft of the motor 68 via a drive belt. Motor 6
8 is rotated in one direction by a signal from the control device 26.

A roller 61 is provided corresponding to the roller 60, and the recording medium 12 can be nipped and conveyed by the roller 60 and the roller 61. An exposure unit 28 is provided on the downstream side of the rollers 60 and 61 and on the side where the color forming layer of the recording medium 12 is formed. The exposure unit 28 includes a laser device, and the laser beam emitted from the exposure unit 28 enables the recording medium 12 to develop an image. The exposure unit 28 has a controller 26
When an image signal is supplied from the control device 26 to the exposure unit 28, a light beam is emitted according to the image signal to expose the recording medium 12. Also,
The color density of the recording medium 12 can be changed by the exposure amount of the laser beam emitted from the exposure unit 28.

A pair of guide plates 62 are arranged on the downstream side of the rollers 60 and 61, and the guide plates 62 are provided.
On one side (on the color forming layer side of the recording medium 12), the recording medium 12
A long hole is formed so that scanning exposure can be performed. The pair of guide plates 62 allows the rollers 60,
The recording medium 12 carried out from 61 is guided to the carrying roller 64.

Further, a photoelectric sensor 70 is arranged upstream of the rollers 60 and 61, and recording (exposure) of an image is performed after a predetermined time has passed since the photoelectric sensor 70 detected the leading end of the recording medium 12. Be started.

A pair of conveying rollers 64 are arranged downstream of the rollers 60, and the recording medium 12 is conveyed by the conveying rollers 64.
It is supposed to be sandwiched between. The conveyance roller 64 is connected to a rotation shaft of a motor (not shown), and the control device 2
It rotates in one direction in response to a signal from 6.

At the downstream side of the conveying roller 64, the heat developing section 4 is provided.
6 is provided, and a pair of heat rollers 48 is incorporated in the heat developing section 46. A drive unit (not shown) is connected to the heat roller 48, and rotation is controlled by a signal from the control circuit 26. This allows
The heat roller 48 sandwiches and conveys the recording medium 12. Further, the heater (not shown) and the temperature sensor (not shown) of the heat roller 48 are respectively provided in the controller 26.
The heat roller 48 is controlled to be heated to a predetermined temperature by the control device 26.
Therefore, the exposed recording medium 12 is thermally developed by passing through the thermal developing section 46.

A guide plate 63 is provided on the downstream side of the heat developing section 46.
Is provided, and the heat-developed recording medium 12 discharged from the heat developing section 46 is guided in the direction of the transport roller 54. Recording medium 12 guided in the ejection direction
Are transported to the vicinity of the transport roller 54. Here, by rotating the conveying roller 54 in the reverse direction, the recording medium 12 guided and guided by the guide plate is nipped and conveyed onto the conveying table 52.

The exposure unit 28 of the digital color printer 10 will be described below. The exposure unit 28 is configured to form latent images corresponding to the colors Y, M, and C by exposing three light beams having different wavelengths at one time.

As shown in FIG. 1, the exposure unit 28 uses the SH
Laser devices 72 and 7 for emitting a laser beam modulated to a predetermined wavelength by a G element (second harmonic generation element) or the like
4 and 76 are provided. This laser device 72, 74, 7
6 is driven by drivers 78a, 78b, 78c, a laser device 72 outputs a laser beam L1 in the ultraviolet region having a wavelength of, for example, 355 nm, and laser devices 74 and 76 respectively have wavelengths of 390 nm and 410 nm. The laser beams L2 and L3 are output. Also, the laser beam L
The wavelengths of 1, L2, and L3 correspond to the respective colors of C, M, and Y that develop color when the recording medium 12 is exposed and thermally developed.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the laser device 72
Is equipped with a semiconductor laser 72a, and in this embodiment,
The semiconductor laser 72a is a multimode laser having a wavelength of 809 nm and emitting a laser beam with a power of 1 W. The laser device 72 uses a laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser 72a as a lens 72b, a rare earth-doped paramagnetic solid state laser Nd: YuO ₄ 72c, and a KTP 72.
The mirror 72f is irradiated through the d and BBO 72e, and a laser beam having a wavelength of 355 nm and a power of 5 mW that has passed through the mirror 72f is emitted. Each element is provided with a high reflection coat (HR) and an antireflection coat (AR). The left side of the figure of Nd: YuO ₄ 72c is 1064 nm HR, the right side is 1064 nm AR, KT.
The left side of P72d in the figure is 532 nm HR, 1064 nm AR,
The right side is 532nmAR, 1064nmAR, BBO72e, and the left side is 1064nmAR, 355nmHR, 532nmA.
R, right side is 355 nm AR, 1064 nm AR, 532 nm A
R, the left side of the mirror 72f in the figure is 1064 nm HR, 532
nmHR and 355 nmAR are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the laser device 74 is equipped with a semiconductor laser 74a. In this embodiment,
The semiconductor laser 74a has a single mode and a wavelength of 780 nm.
And that emits a laser beam with a power of 100 mW. The laser device 74 is a semiconductor laser 72.
The laser beam emitted from a through the lens 74b irradiates the LiTiO ₃ 72c is a waveguide of a domain inversion, LiTiO ₃ 72c the transmitted wavelength 390 nm, which is the laser beam power 6mW to can be emitted.

Similarly, the laser device 76 is provided with a semiconductor laser 76a, as shown in FIG. 2C. In this embodiment, the semiconductor laser 76a is in single mode and has a wavelength of 8 nm.
It is 20 nm and emits a laser beam with a power of 100 mW. The laser device 76 receives the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 76a from the lens 76b.
Via a domain inversion waveguide through LiTiO ₃ 76
wavelength of 410 radiated to LiC ₃ and transmitted through LiTiO ₃ 76c
A laser beam having a wavelength of 6 nm and a power of 6 mW is emitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, on the laser beam emitting side of the laser device 72, a collimator lens 82a and a cylindrical lens 84 for collimating the laser beam L1 are formed.
a and a reflection mirror 86 are arranged in order, and the laser beam L1 emitted from the laser device 72 is configured to reach the optical path 88. A collimator lens 82b, a cylindrical lens 84b, and a dichroic mirror 90a are provided on the laser beam emitting side of the laser device 74.
Are sequentially arranged, and the laser beam L2 emitted from the laser device 74 is configured to reach the same optical path 88 as described above. Similarly, a collimator lens 82c, a cylindrical lens 84c, and a dichroic mirror 90b are sequentially arranged on the laser beam emitting side of the laser device 76, and the laser beam L2 emitted from the laser device 76 travels to the same optical path 88 as described above. It is configured to reach.

Laser beam L reaching the same optical path 88
1, L2 and L3 are reflected by the two reflecting mirrors 92 and then incident on the polygon mirror 94. The polygon mirror 94 rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the laser beams L1, L2, and L3 reflected by the polygon mirror 94 pass through the fθ lens 96 and are reflected by the cylindrical mirror 98 for surface tilt correction. Is scanned in the direction of arrow A. The recording medium 12 is transported in the sub-scanning direction (arrow B direction) substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction by the above-described transport rollers 64 (see FIG. 3). Therefore, the recording medium 12
Is irradiated with a light beam corresponding to an image for one line by main scanning. Then, the recording medium 12 is sequentially sub-scanned by one image, so that a light beam corresponding to the image is emitted. The lenses and dichroic mirrors used above are made of quartz that transmits ultraviolet rays.

The control unit 26 also includes a driver 78a,
78b and 78c, and each driver is connected to the semiconductor laser of the laser device. The digital color printer 10 also includes a heater and a roller 48 (see FIG. 3), and an image is formed on the recording medium 12 by the heat of the heat roller 48. At this time, in the recording medium 12, the coloring of the portion irradiated with the laser beam emitted from the laser device is suppressed.

Next, the control device 26 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. A host computer 30 is connected to the control device 26.

Image data is stored in the host computer 30 as a digital image signal, and the digital image signal supplied from the host computer 30 is input to the conversion circuit 32.

In the case of subtractive color mixing, Y, M, C
It is known that a black color is obtained by mixing the respective colors at a predetermined mixing ratio. For example, black (character) data can be converted and output by outputting black (character) data as the same density for each of Y, M, and C colors. Therefore, the conversion circuit 32 converts the input digital image signal into Y, M
And the signals of the respective colors of C and C, and then the converted signals of the respective colors of Y, M, and C are associated with the corresponding frame memory 3
4a, 34b, 34c.

The frame memories 34a, 34b, 34
The image signal for one image of the corresponding color is stored in c. In addition, the host computer 30 is the controller 4
0 and the controller 40 receives the horizontal synchronizing signal and the vertical synchronizing signal from the host computer 30. This horizontal sync signal and vertical sync signal are
The data is output to the conversion circuit 32 and the frame memory 34 and synchronized.

YMC output from the frame memory 34
The signal, that is, the image density data is converted into a YMC color drive value corresponding to the color density by a look-up table (hereinafter, LUT) 36, and then output to the buffers 43a, 43b, 43c corresponding to the YMC color. .

The above look-up table (LUT) is
It depends on the characteristics of the recording medium 12. For example, the Y layer 16
As shown in FIG. 7, the characteristic of the color density D with respect to the exposure amount E corresponding to the image density data is not optimum. As a result, even if recording is performed in order to obtain a desired color density, the color density of the recording medium 12 is different and an image having the desired density cannot be obtained. Therefore, the relationship between the exposure amount E and the color density D with respect to the exposure amount E is optimized. For example, at the exposure amount Ea, the recording medium 12 has the color density Da. Since the desired color density D at this exposure amount Ea is the density Da ', the exposure amount Ea' is necessary. Therefore, a table is prepared for extracting the driving value of the semiconductor laser so that the color density D becomes the exposure amount Ea ′ corresponding to the density Da ′ at the exposure amount Ea. That is,
As shown in FIG. 8, the drive value of the semiconductor laser (for example,
Drive pulse width, drive current, etc.) and image data characteristics
UT. This LUT is prepared for each color of YMC.

As shown in FIG. 4, the buffers 43a, 4a,
Each of 3b and 43c is connected to the controller 40. A horizontal synchronizing signal and a vertical synchronizing signal are input from the controller 40 to each of the buffers 43a, 43b, 43c, and the values stored in the respective buffers based on the horizontal synchronizing signal and the vertical synchronizing signal are the drivers 78a, 78, respectively.
b, 78c.

The drivers 78a, 78b, 78c drive the laser devices 72, 74, 76 according to the input values. As a result, the recording medium 12 is irradiated with the light beam, and the image is recorded in a color-developable manner.

The controller 40 is connected to the motor 68 via the driver 69 and sends a signal to rotate the roller 60. Further, the controller 40 is connected to the heater of the heat roller 48 via the heater driver 49, and controls the heat roller 48 to a predetermined temperature. When the recording medium 12 passes through the heat roller 48, the image of the recording medium 12 recorded by the laser beam emitted from the laser device is developed.

By doing so, the exposure recording of Y color, M color and C color is simultaneously performed by one scanning, and the image is formed by thermal development.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 9 according to the flow chart stored in the control device.

First, when the main routine shown in FIG. 9 is executed, the device is initialized in step 102. At the time of this initialization, the heat roller 48 of the heat developing section 46 is raised to a temperature at which the color-forming heat energy of the recording medium 12 can be supplied. When the initialization is completed, the process proceeds to step 104. In step 104, the pixel data D (i) is fetched and the process proceeds to step 106. In step 106, the input image data is converted into data (Y, M, C) corresponding to the color at the time of recording.
When the conversion of the image data is completed, each of the image data converted in step 108 is stored in the corresponding frame memories 34a to 34c. In step 110,
It is determined whether or not reading of all pixel data has been completed. If not completed, the process returns to step 104, and pixel data for one screen is repeatedly converted.

When the pixel data conversion is completed, step 1
Go to 12 and read the image data of 1 pixel and LU
The operating value of each semiconductor laser 80 is stored in each buffer 43a, 43b, 43c with reference to T36. Therefore,
The YMC color pixel data for forming one pixel is held in the buffers 43a to 43c. In step 114, one pixel of image recording is performed by simultaneously driving each of the semiconductor lasers 80a, 80b, 80c corresponding to each color to be emitted in accordance with the operation value.
When the image recording of one pixel is completed, the process proceeds to step 116,
It is determined whether or not the irradiation of the light beam for one line (main scanning) is completed. If not completed, the process returns to step 112 and recording is repeated until the recording for one line is completed. When the recording of one line is completed, the process proceeds to step 118, and it is determined whether or not the irradiation of the light beam for one sub-scanning, that is, one screen, is completed. Returning to, the recording is repeated until the irradiation of one screen is completed. When the irradiation of one screen is completed, the process proceeds to step 120, the recording medium 12 is thermally developed, and an image is formed on the recording medium 12.

As described above, in this embodiment, the recording medium 12
By simultaneously turning on the laser devices that emit laser beams of three wavelengths corresponding to the colors to be colored in the main scanning and the sub-scanning, three images of YMC colors in one image are colored on the recording medium 12. Since the images are recorded in the hues at the same time, it is possible to omit the process of repeating the process for each color to be developed, like the thermal recording on the recording medium having a plurality of thermal recording layers. Can be recorded. Therefore, the processing steps can be simplified.

Further, since the color density of the recording medium is controlled by controlling the exposure amount of the laser beam based on the image data output from the control device such as the host computer, it is possible to adjust the gradation data to be input. Accordingly, the exposure amount can be delicately controlled. As a result, it is possible to easily record an image based on a digital image signal from the control device, and it is possible to express the image with a delicate gradation that cannot be obtained by thermal recording using a recording head such as a thermal head. Further, by irradiating with a laser beam having a wavelength corresponding to the color forming layer of the recording medium, a dye image that is colored in a color corresponding to the wavelength of the laser beam is formed on the recording medium 12. Since the wavelength of this laser beam can be easily selected, only the dye image corresponding to the wavelength of the laser beam can be formed, and the color mixture of the color image generated on the recording medium 12 due to the overlapping of the wavelengths is reduced. effective.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a digital color printer has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and information is recorded on a recording medium (for example, an optical memory) by a light beam. It can also be applied to writing devices. In this case, information can be recorded at high density by irradiating the laser beam finely. Further, by using a light beam having a wavelength in the ultraviolet region, the light beam can be made thinner than the light beam of the light beam in the visible region, so that the information density can be further increased.

In the above embodiment, the image data is Y,
Although the example in which the calculation is performed to convert the data of three colors of M and C has been described, it may be configured by an electric circuit in which a digital-analog conversion circuit, an amplification circuit, and the like are combined.

In the above embodiment, LiTiO ₃ was used as the domain inversion waveguide material in FIGS. 2 (2) and 2 (3).
TP or LiNbO ₃ may be used. Also, FIG.
In (1), a laser having a wavelength of 355 nm was output, but in order to output another wavelength, the following may be done.
To obtain a wavelength of 340 nm, LiTiO ₃ 72C is added as Y.
b: YAG may be changed, and the wavelengths of the HR and AR coats may be changed according to the examples. To get a wavelength of 373 nm,
LiTiO ₃ 72C may be changed to Nd: YAG, the semiconductor laser 72a may be changed to a laser having an output of 2 W, and the wavelengths of the HR and AR coats may be changed according to the embodiment.

In the above embodiment, an example in which a small and simple SHG element is used to modulate the wavelength of a semiconductor laser in order to obtain a predetermined wavelength has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead, another laser device and a discharge tube may be used to obtain the predetermined wavelength.

Further, although the driver is used to drive the semiconductor laser in the above-mentioned embodiment, the output of the laser beam is output by using the modulation element (eg acousto-optic element) for directly modulating the intensity of light and the modulation circuit. May be modulated.

In the above embodiment, the YMC is used as the image.
An example in which a color image is formed by dye images of three colors has been described, but the present invention is not limited to the number and hue of colors to be developed, and a single recording medium that emits a specific color can be used. The present invention may be applied. Furthermore, 2
The present invention may be applied to a recording medium which is a combination of recording media capable of developing colors or more.

In the above embodiments, the case where the photothermographic material of the light and heat sensitive type was used as the recording medium was explained, but the present invention can be easily applied to the photopolymerizable material of the transfer type.

An example of the transfer type will be shown below. [Example 2] A 100 µm PET film was coated with the following formulation coating solution by a spin coater (whirler) and dried to obtain a photosensitive adhesive layer having a dry film thickness of 0.5 µm.

[0064]   Polyester resin 1.5 Superposed part     (Toyobo Co., Ltd. product name, Byron 200)   Fluorosurfactant 0.3 Superposed part     (Sumitomo 3M Ltd. product name, Florard FC-430)   Photopolymerization initiator 1.5 Superposed part     [2-trichloromethyl-5- (p-styrylstyryl)           1, 3, 4 oxadiazole]   Methyl ethyl ketone 200 superposed section   Methoxypropyl acetate 100 superposed part

Next, a 25 μm PET film was coated with the following formulation coating solution by a spin coater and dried to give a dry film thickness of 0.
An 8 μm photosensitive adhesive layer was obtained.

[0066]   Copper phthalocyanine pigment 6 superposed part     (Pigment Blue 15: 4)   Binder 15 overlapping section     (Benzyl methacrylate / methacrylic acid         / Acrylic acid copolymer           : Copolymer composition ratio 50/35/15, molar ratio)   Photopolymerizable monomer 9 overlapping part     (Pentaerythritol tetraacrylate)   Fluorosurfactant 0.5 Superposed part     (Sumitomo 3M Ltd. product name, Florard FC-430)   n-propanol 200 superposed section   Methanol 75 superposition section   Methoxy propanol 25 overlapping part

Next, a photosensitive color material layer film was laminated on the above photosensitive adhesive layer film through a laminator (heat roll surface temperature 120 ° C.) (laminating speed 900 mm / min).

Next, this laminate was irradiated with the ultraviolet laser light (wavelength 390 nm) shown in FIG. 2B in the same manner as in Example 1. Laser beam diameter 10μ
m, scanning linear velocity 2 m / sec, and 5 mW on the sample surface. After exposure, the support of the photosensitive color material layer film was peeled off, the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape was laminated on the photosensitive layer, and then the adhesive tape was peeled off at room temperature. After transfer and adhesion, the color material layer in the non-irradiated portion was peeled off on the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. As a result, an image corresponding to laser irradiation was formed on the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.

[0069]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, since the exposure amount is controlled based on the image data, the image can be easily recorded by the digital signal which is the output signal of the control device or the like. The effect is that you can.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the exposure amount of the light beam is controlled according to a plurality of recording media having different photosensitive wavelength regions, a color image is displayed by a plurality of signals output from a controller or the like. Even when it is formed, there is an effect that a color image can be easily recorded with good color separation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an exposure unit of a digital color printer to which the present invention is applicable.

2A and 2B show the configuration of a laser device in the exposure unit in FIG. 1, where FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a laser device that emits a laser beam having a wavelength of 355 nm, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a laser device that emits a 0 nm laser beam, and FIG. 3C is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a laser device that emits a laser beam having a wavelength of 410 nm.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a digital color printer to which the present invention is applicable.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control device for a digital color printer in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a recording medium used in an example of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a relationship between an exposure amount and a color density in a specific color forming layer of the recording medium used in this example.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between an exposure amount (image data) and a coloring density in a specific color of a recording medium.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship between image data (exposure amount) and a drive value in a specific color of a recording medium.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a control main routine of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Digital color printer 12 recording media 26 Control device 28 Exposure Department 46 Thermal development section 72 Laser device 74 Laser device 76 Laser device

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yonosuke Takahashi             200, Onakazato, Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture Fuji Photo             Within Film Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A light beam having a wavelength in the vicinity of the ultraviolet wavelength range based on input image data when recording an image on a recording material on which an image is formed by irradiating light having a wavelength in the ultraviolet wavelength range. An image recording method characterized in that an image is recorded by changing the exposure amount of the image. 2. Image data input when recording an image on a recording medium provided with a plurality of recording materials on which a dye image is formed by irradiating light having a wavelength in the visible wavelength range near the ultraviolet wavelength range. Based on the above, a plurality of color images are recorded by independently changing the exposure amounts of light beams of different wavelengths corresponding to the respective photosensitive wavelength regions of the recording material of the recording medium and near the ultraviolet wavelength region. An image recording method characterized by the above. 3. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the recording material is a recording medium whose color density or color area changes according to the exposure amount of a light beam having a wavelength near the ultraviolet wavelength range. Image recording method.