JPH0577547A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize a device, and to reduce cost by constituting the device of a small-sized laser beam source such as a semiconductor laser element. CONSTITUTION:In an image forming device, an image is written and erased while relatively moving an optical recording medium 10, in which an optical recording layer 12, in which a photochromic compound having excellent thermal stability and repeated durability and a high molecule are mixed, is formed on a base body 11 such as a resin. A heating means 3 being disposed at the specific position of the optical recording medium 10 and heating the optical recording medium 10, an erasing means 2, which is arranged at the position of the heating means 3 or the downstream side of the position in the optical recording layer side 12 and irradiates the optical recording medium 10 with light restoring a section, where the color of the optical recording layer 12 is changed, to the state of an original color, and a writing means 1, which is disposed on the stream side lower than the erasing means 2 in the optical recording layer side 12 and applies light partially changing the color of the optical recording layer 12, are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of writing and erasing an image on a reusable optical recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a photochromic compound whose optical properties are changed or restored by irradiation with light of a certain wavelength, for example, thermal stability (no chemical change at room temperature) and repeated durability. An excellent diarylethene derivative is known, and an optical recording layer in which the diarylethene derivative is dispersed in a polymer that imparts thermal dependence of quantum efficiency, for example, polymethacrylic acid resin and thinned, is applied to a substrate such as resin or paper. Optical recording media have been proposed. (1-7-20, "Dithienylethenoic anhydride photochromic reaction with temperature dependence in polymer thin film", Toshio Harada, Fumio Tachizono, Kotaro Matsuura, Masahiro Irie, Polymer Preprints, Japan
vol. 40, No. 3 (1991) reference) In order to record or erase an image using such an optical recording medium, it is necessary to raise the temperature of the optical recording layer to a temperature considerably higher than room temperature, for example 140 ° C. .. Therefore, when recording an image, a laser beam having a short wavelength, for example, a wavelength of 436 nm is irradiated while moving the optical recording medium, and a part of the laser beam is consumed as energy for heating, and the optical recording layer optical Change the physical properties. When erasing the recorded image, while moving the optical recording medium on which the image is recorded, a laser beam having a long wavelength, for example, a wavelength of 577 nm is irradiated, and a part of the laser beam is used as energy for heating. It is consumed and the optical properties of the optical recording layer are returned to the original state. Therefore, by using a laser light source of short wavelength and long wavelength for writing and erasing an image using this optical recording medium, a reusable image forming paper or the like can be obtained in principle.

[0003]

However, in the method of writing and erasing only with the laser light as described above,
Since a part of the energy of the laser light is used for heating the optical recording layer, a device such as a laser light source having a large output, such as a gas laser, is required, and the device for recording and erasing becomes large and the cost is high. There is.

In view of the above problems of the prior art, the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which can be constituted by a small laser light source such as a semiconductor laser element, which makes the apparatus small and the cost low. It is intended.

[0005]

The present invention according to claim 1 provides an optical recording layer obtained by mixing a polymer with a photochromic compound such as a diarylethene derivative having excellent thermal stability and cyclic durability, and a resin or the like. An image forming apparatus for writing and erasing an image while relatively moving an optical recording medium formed on a substrate, comprising: a heating unit arranged at a predetermined position of the optical recording medium to heat the optical recording medium; The optical recording layer side of the recording medium is arranged at the position of the heating means or on the downstream side of the heating means, and the optical recording medium is irradiated with light that restores the color-changed portion of the optical recording layer to the original color state. Image provided with erasing means and writing means arranged on the optical recording layer side of the optical recording medium, downstream of the erasing means, and irradiating the optical recording medium with light for partially changing the color of the optical recording layer It is a forming device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the erasing means has a light-shielding portion on the writing means side so that the erasing means irradiates the diffused light and the diffused light does not hit the writing means side. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is for irradiating.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the heating means heats the optical recording medium while the optical recording medium on which the optical recording layer is formed is moved relatively, and the erasing means changes the color of the optical recording layer to the optical recording medium. The writing means irradiates light for restoring the original color state, and the writing means irradiates the optical recording medium with light for partially changing the color of the optical recording layer.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings showing its embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a part of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. That is, the heat roller 3, which is a heating means for heating the optical recording layer 12 of the recording sheet 10, is arranged inside the main body of the image forming apparatus on the optical recording layer 12 side, and for example, a heater or the like is built-in so that the heating can be performed. Is formed in. Below the recording paper 10 sandwiched between
A roller 31 is provided to convey the recording paper 10 in the direction of arrow A together with the heat roller 3.

On the side of the optical recording layer 12 on the downstream side of the heat roller 3, a semiconductor laser element for irradiating an erasing laser beam 22 having a wavelength of 577 nm, for example, for erasing an image written in the optical recording layer 12 is provided. The erasing means 2 having the erasing means 2 is provided, and on the optical recording layer 12 side further downstream of the erasing means 2, a semiconductor for irradiating a writing laser beam 21 having a wavelength of 436 nm, for example, for writing an image or the like on the optical recording layer 12. A writing means 1 having a laser element is provided. The heat roller 3, the erasing means 2, and the writing means 1 are the optical recording layer 1 heated by the heat roller 3.
It is arranged at a position where it can pass under the writing means 1 within a time period when the temperature of the writing medium 2 does not drop to a writable temperature.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, a recording paper 10 which is an optical recording medium has a substrate 11 made of a resin or paper, and a photochromic compound such as diarylethene having excellent thermal stability and repeated durability. An optical recording layer 12 in which a derivative and a polymer compound that gives the diarylethene derivative thermal dependence of quantum efficiency are mixed, such as polymethacrylic acid resin or polystyrene, is formed by a method such as coating.

First, the recording paper 10 shown in the figure is written once, and the color changing portion 13 indicating writing is present. The recording sheet 10 is conveyed from right to left in the drawing as indicated by arrow A. Optical recording layer 1 reaching the position of heat roller 3
The temperature of 2 is raised to a temperature sufficiently higher than the temperature at which writing and erasing can be performed by the heat of the heat roller 3.
This is because the temperature lowers until the recording sheet 10 is written by the writing unit 1, and it is necessary to maintain a writable temperature until the writing is completed. When the temperature of the optical recording layer 12 is increased to a position below the erasing means 2, the erasing means 2 emits the erasing laser beam 22 having a wavelength of 577 nm to the optical recording layer 12, and the optical recording layer 12 at that portion is optically irradiated. The color changing portion 1 is formed by returning the properties to the original state and changing the optical properties during writing.
3 becomes the color recovery unit 14 and the image and the like are erased.

As described above, the optical recording layer 12 from which an image or the like has been erased can be rewritten. After that, the recording sheet 10 is further conveyed and erased, and the optical recording layer 12 is
When it reaches the position below the writing means 1, the writing means 1
Irradiates the writing laser beam 21 having a wavelength of 436 nm according to the image information to change the optical properties of the optical recording layer 12 and form the color changing portion 13. As described above, when the recording sheet 10 is conveyed and an image or the like is written, and the recording sheet 10 is further conveyed and the writing is finished, the temperature of the optical recording layer 12 is lower than the temperature at which writing and erasing are possible. Even when exposed to extraneous light, the written image is not erased or faded.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a part of an image forming apparatus of another embodiment. That is, the heat roller 3 as the heating means
Is disposed below the recording paper 10, the recording paper 10 is heated from the opposite side of the optical recording layer 12, and the erasing means 2 is provided on the side of the optical recording layer 12 at the heating position to erase the laser having a wavelength of 577 nm. The light recovery layer 14 is irradiated onto the optical recording layer 12 by irradiating it with light 22.
To form. Next, the writing means 1 is provided on the downstream side of the erasing means 2, and the writing laser beam 21 having a wavelength of 436 nm is provided.
Is irradiated according to the image information to form the color changing portion 13 on the optical recording layer 12. With the above configuration, the time from heating to writing can be shortened, and the heating amount can be smaller than that in the above embodiment.

In the above embodiment, laser light was used for erasing and writing images, but if a light output and convergent light necessary for erasing and writing are obtained, for example, light emitting diodes may be used. Good.

In the above embodiment, the recording paper is moved. However, the heating means, the erasing means, and the writing means are housed in a single casing, or they can be moved integrally on the recording paper. You may comprise.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a part of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. That is, the heat roller 3 serving as a heating unit is arranged below the recording paper 10 and the recording paper 10 is heated from the side opposite to the optical recording layer 12. A transparent roller 25 formed of heat-resistant glass or the like is provided on the optical recording layer 12 side at the heating position, and the transparent roller 2
An erasing lamp 27 for irradiating diffused light having a wavelength of 577 nm is arranged inside 5, and a light-shielding plate 26, which is a light-shielding portion, is provided on the downstream side of the transparent roller 25 so that the erasing light 22 does not strike the writing position. They are arranged and the erasing means 2 is constituted by them.

The wavelength 4 is provided on the downstream side of the light shield plate 26.
A writing means 1 for irradiating a 36 nm writing laser beam 21 is provided.

In the above structure, the erasing light is diffused light, so that the optical recording layer 12 is
Erase light 2 while moving from the heating position to the position of the shading plate 26
2 is irradiated, and the color changing portion 13 is more reliably connected to the color restoring portion 14
Restored to. The subsequent writing of an image or the like is performed by irradiating the optical recording layer 12 with the writing laser light 21 from the writing means 1 to form the color changing portion 13.

In the above embodiment, the light shielding plate 26 is provided between the erasing lamp 27 and the writing means 1 in order to shield the erasing light 22, but instead of this, the transparent roller 25 is used.
It is also possible to arrange a cylindrical light-shielding cylinder that covers the periphery of the, and to provide a slit portion with a predetermined width on the lower side of the cylinder so that the erasing light can be emitted from the slit portion.

In the above embodiment, the heat roller 3 is brought into contact with the recording paper 10 to heat the optical recording layer 12, but instead, a far infrared heater or the like is provided at a position close to the optical recording layer 12 side. The recording paper 10 may be heated in a non-contact state.

[0023]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides an optical recording layer prepared by mixing a polymer with a photochromic compound such as a diarylethene derivative having excellent thermal stability and repeated durability and a resin or the like. Writing an image while relatively moving the optical recording medium formed on the substrate,
An image forming apparatus for erasing, comprising heating means arranged at a predetermined position of an optical recording medium to heat the optical recording medium, and a position of the heating means on the optical recording layer side of the optical recording medium or a downstream side of the heating means. Erasing means for irradiating the optical recording medium with light for restoring the color-changed portion of the optical recording layer to the original color state, and the optical recording layer side of the optical recording medium, downstream of the erasing means. And a writing means for irradiating the optical recording medium with light for partially changing the color of the optical recording layer, the device can be configured with a small laser light source such as a semiconductor laser device. It has the advantages of being compact and low in cost.

According to the present invention of claim 2, the erasing means has a light-shielding portion on the writing means side so that the erasing means irradiates the diffused light and the diffused light does not hit the writing means side. Since the convergent light is emitted, there is an advantage that the erasing can be surely performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a part of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a part of an image forming apparatus according to another embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a part of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Writing Means 2 Erasing Means 3 Heat Roller 10 Recording Paper 11 Base 12 Optical Recording Layer 21 Writing Laser Light 22 Erasing Laser Light 23 Erasing Light 25 Transparent Roller 26 Light-Shielding Plate 27 Erasing Lamp

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical indication H04N 1/036 Z 9070-5C 1/23 103 Z 9186-5C

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A photochromic compound such as a diarylethene derivative having excellent thermal stability and repeated durability,
An image forming apparatus for writing and erasing an image while relatively moving an optical recording medium, which is formed on a substrate such as a resin, with an optical recording layer mixed with a polymer, at a predetermined position of the optical recording medium. And heating means for heating the optical recording medium, and the optical recording layer side of the optical recording medium, the position of the heating means or the downstream side of the heating means, the optical recording medium, An erasing means for irradiating light that restores the color-changed portion of the optical recording layer to the original color state; and an optical erasing means disposed on the optical recording layer side of the optical recording medium, downstream of the erasing means. An image forming apparatus comprising: a recording medium; and a writing unit that emits light that partially changes the color of the optical recording layer. 2. The erasing means irradiates diffused light and has a light shielding part on the writing means side so that the diffused light does not hit the writing means side, and the writing means comprises:
The convergent light is emitted, and the converged light is emitted.
The image forming apparatus described.