JPH0548855A - Recording device using thermo-chromic film - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a recording device using a thermo chromic film capable of improving the positioning accuracy of a film and retrieving images formed efficiently on the film. CONSTITUTION:A control part 11 outputs bar code data with picture data to a thermal head 15. The thermal head 15 is constituted to form an image on a thermo-chromic film 1 based on the picture data and at the same time, to record a bar code based on bar code data. The bar code is read by a code scanner 10 and the bar code data is outputted as control information to a control part 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus using a thermochromic film capable of writing and erasing an image on the film.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Thermochromic film (hereinafter TC
The film) has the characteristics shown in FIG. That is, when the TC film at room temperature a (transparent state) or d (opaque state) is heated to the first temperature b (63 to 67 ° C.), it becomes optically transparent and even if it is returned to room temperature. Stay transparent. Next, the TC film is exposed to the second temperature c (around 72 ° C)
When it is heated to, it becomes cloudy, and when it is returned to room temperature, it becomes the opaque state of d.

Therefore, if the first temperature (clearing temperature) is applied to the TC film on which the image is already formed, the image is erased. In addition, the erased and transparent TC film has a second temperature corresponding to the image data.
A new image is formed by selectively applying (whitening temperature). In this way, by deleting unnecessary images and forming a desired image, a large number of projection films can be made with a TC film having a limited length.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a recording apparatus using a conventional TC film.

Reference numeral 1 is a TC film, which is wound around a roller 2 for a predetermined length and is movable in the direction of arrow A. Three
Is an image erasing roller, and has a halogen heater (not shown) inside. Reference numeral 4 denotes a pressure roller for pressing the TC film 1 to the image erasing roller 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes a thermal head, which sequentially forms images as the platen roller 6 conveys the image. Reference numeral 7 is a static elimination brush for eliminating static electricity on the surface of the TC film 1. Reference numeral 8 denotes a contact-type scanner that sequentially reads images as the platen roller 9 is conveyed.

In the recording apparatus constructed as described above, the TC film 1 on which the image is erased by the image erasing roller 3 to which the clearing temperature is applied is sequentially sent out, and the charge eliminating brush 7 eliminates the charge. The thermal head 5 selectively applies the clouding temperature to the erased TC film 1 based on the image data to form an image.

Further, the scanner 8 reads an image formed on the TC film 1 and outputs image data of a desired image.

[0008]

In the recording apparatus having the above structure, the TC film 1 for reading an image with the scanner 8 is positioned, and the relative angular changes of the roller 2, the platen rollers 6, 9 and the like are detected. It does not take into consideration the case where the platen rollers 6 and 9 slip or the roller diameter of the roller 2 changes when the TC film 1 having a predetermined length is wound. Therefore, T
An error may occur in the positioning of the C film 1. Furthermore, there is no means for efficiently searching for a desired image when reading a recorded image.

An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus using a TC film which can improve the positioning accuracy of the film to solve the above problems and can efficiently retrieve an image formed on the film. is there.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an optically transparent material when heated at a predetermined first temperature and maintains the transparency even when the temperature is returned to room temperature. A TC film which becomes optically opaque when heated at a predetermined second temperature higher than the temperature of 1 and which remains opaque even when returned to room temperature is formed by adding the first temperature. In a recording device for erasing an image and selectively applying the second temperature to form an image, control information recording means for selectively applying the second temperature to the TC film to record control information; It is characterized in that a control information reading means for reading the control information and a control means for controlling the recording apparatus by the control information read by the control information reading means are provided.

Further, the control information recording means is configured to record positioning information for positioning an image formed on the TC film at a predetermined position as control information.

Further, the control information recording means is characterized in that the position identification information corresponding to the position of the image formed on the TC film is recorded as the control information.

Further, the control information recording means is configured to record image-related information regarding an image formed on the TC film as control information.

[0014]

According to the above means, the control information recording means for recording the control information on the TC film, the control information reading means,
The control means allows the control means to control the recording apparatus based on the control information.

Further, by recording the positioning information for positioning the image at a predetermined position as the control information,
The movement of the film can be controlled by the control means so as to position the image on the TC film based on the positioning information.

Further, by recording the position identification information corresponding to the position of the image formed as the control information, the control means can control the movement of the TC film based on the position identification information.

Further, by recording the image-related information relating to the image formed as the control information, the control means can control the movement of the TC film based on the image-related information.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. Members corresponding to the members described in FIG. 5 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an example of the TC film on which the image of this embodiment is formed.

The thermal head 15 forms an image in the image forming area 1a of the TC film 1, and at the same time, the TC film 1 is formed.
Control information recording area 1 provided on one end side with respect to the moving direction of
It is configured to record a barcode on b.

The control section 11 outputs to the thermal head 15 bar code data which is control information for controlling the apparatus together with image data for forming an image. The thermal head 15 forms an image based on the image data and records a barcode for each image based on the barcode data. The barcode data includes position identification information for identifying a relative position in the moving direction of the TC film 1,
It is data that encodes various image-related information such as the input date and time regarding the formed image and the name of the image.

When a desired image is searched from the TC film 1, specific information in the position identification information or the image-related information is set in the control unit 11 as search information, and if a search command is input, the control unit The bar code scanner 11 fast-forwards the TC film 1 until the bar code scanner 10 reads a bar code in which information matching the search information is recorded. Barcode scanner
When 10 reads the bar code in which the data matching the search information is recorded, the control unit 11 detects the position where the image is formed by the bar code read signal and stops the TC film 1 at a predetermined position. By inputting a predetermined command to the control unit 11 in this state, the retrieved image is scanned by the scanner 8
The image can be read by the user, the retrieved image can be erased by the image erasing roller 3, and a new image can be formed by the thermal head at the position where the retrieved image is formed.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a facsimile apparatus using this embodiment as an image memory for temporarily storing image data.

The facsimile machine has a system control unit 51 and controls the entire facsimile machine. Operation display section 52
Is equipped with operation keys and a display (not shown) necessary for operating the facsimile apparatus. When transmitting data to another station, the image data read by the scanner 53 is temporarily recorded in the recording device 20 using the TC film 1 together with predetermined control information. The image to be transmitted is retrieved from the recording device 20 according to the search information input to the operation display unit 52,
After being compression-encoded by the encoding / decoding unit 54, it is transmitted to another facsimile apparatus via the communication control unit 55, the modem 56, and the network control device 57.

When data is received from another station, code data is received via the network control device 57, the modem 56, and the communication control unit 55, decoded by the coding / decoding unit 54 into the original image data, and the recording device. Temporarily recorded at 20. The desired image is recorded in the recording device 20 according to the input of the search information from the operation display unit 52.
Then, the plotter 58 records and discharges it.
Here, the data transfer between the blocks constituting the facsimile apparatus is performed via the data bus 59.

In the recording apparatus using the TC film 1, the position identification information for identifying the position in the control information recording area 1b of the TC film 1 at the time of image formation and the image-related information which is the information about the image are coded. By recording the barcode as a barcode and reading the barcode by the barcode scanner 10 during reproduction, the control unit 11 can search for a desired image and detect the position of the image. Therefore, the recording apparatus can search for a desired image in a short time, and can perform positioning for reading the searched image with high accuracy.

Since the recording apparatus of this embodiment has an image retrieval function, it can be used as an image memory for temporarily recording image data in a facsimile machine or the like.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By the control information recording means for recording the control information on the TC film, the control information reading means and the control means, the control means can control the recording device based on the control information, and by recording the positioning information as the control information. The control means can control the movement of the film so as to position the image formed on the TC film with high accuracy, and by recording the position identification information or the image-related information as the control information, the control means forms the TC film. It is possible to provide a recording apparatus capable of searching for a desired image based on the information on the relative position of the image or various information related to the image, and further for reading, erasing, or forming a new image of the searched image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a TC film on which an image of this embodiment is formed.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus using this embodiment as an image memory.

FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the temperature of the TC film and the transmittance.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a recording apparatus using a conventional TC film.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Thermochromic film (TC film), 1a
... image forming area, 1b ... control information recording area, 5, 15
… Thermal head, 8… Scanner, 10… Bar code scanner, 11… Control unit, 20… Recording device.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location B41J 3/44 9110-2C 29/36 8804-2C

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. When it is heated at a predetermined first temperature, it becomes optically transparent, and when it is returned to room temperature it remains transparent, and when it is heated at a predetermined second temperature higher than the first temperature. Using a thermochromic film that becomes optically opaque and remains opaque even after returning to room temperature,
In a recording apparatus that erases an image that has already been formed by applying the second temperature and selectively adds the second temperature to form an image, and controls the second temperature by selectively applying the second temperature to the thermochromic film. Control information recording means for recording information, control information reading means for reading the control information,
A recording device using a thermochromic film, comprising: a control device for controlling the recording device according to the control information read by the control information reading device. 2. The control information recording means is configured to record, as control information, positioning information for positioning an image formed on a thermochromic film at a predetermined position. Recording device using thermochromic film. 3. The control information recording means is configured to record position identification information corresponding to a position of an image formed on a thermochromic film as control information. Recording device using the thermochromic film of 2. 4. The control information recording means is configured to record image-related information relating to an image formed on a thermochromic film as control information. Recording device using the thermochromic film of.