JPH0596763A - Multicolor thermal recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a multicolor thermal recording device which has been in miniaturized. CONSTITUTION:For a multicolor thermal recording device 10, a multicolor thermal recording sheet 14 is laminated on a bottom plate 18 supported with a spring 16 in a box body 12a. For the uppermost multicolor thermal recording sheet 14, a thermal head 38 and fixing light sources 40, 42 are displaced along a rail 26 by rotation of pinion gears interlocking with a rack 28 of the rail 26 to color and optically fix the multicolor thermal recording sheet 14. Since it is constructed thus the box body 12a is built in the multicolor thermal recording device 10, and a carrying means of the multicolor thermal recording sheet 14 can be omitted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multicolor thermal recording apparatus used in color printers, plotters, fax machines, recorders and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A thermal head is brought into contact with a multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet having a plurality of color-developing layers laminated on a support to thermally record characters, images, etc., and then a light from a fixing light source is irradiated. Thus, a multicolor thermal recording apparatus has been proposed which can fix the characters, images, etc. to obtain a color recording sheet.

For example, the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet is Y
It has (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) color-developing layers. When recording characters, images, etc. on this multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet, first, a predetermined amount of thermal energy is supplied from the thermal head to the Y color forming layer for recording, and the light from the light source for fixing is irradiated. To fix the Y color. Then, the same processing is performed on the M coloring layer and the C coloring layer,
It is possible to obtain a recording sheet on which color characters and images are displayed.

[0004]

It is desired that office equipment including a multi-color thermal recording apparatus be used in an office or the like so that the space can be effectively utilized by miniaturization. Considering the miniaturization of the multicolor thermal recording apparatus from such a viewpoint, the following problems can be pointed out.

That is, the cassette in which the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheets are stacked projects to the outside of the main body of the apparatus, and in relation to the position of the cassette, the multicolor thermosensitive recording apparatus is provided with a conveying means such as a conveying drum. This hinders the miniaturization of the device.

The present invention has been made in order to solve this kind of problem, and provides a multicolor thermal recording apparatus which is miniaturized and is convenient for use and can obtain clear characters, images and the like. To aim.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet in which a plurality of coloring layers having different coloring wavelengths are laminated on a support, characters, images, etc. A multicolor thermosensitive recording apparatus for recording a multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet, and a thermal recording means for supplying different thermal energy to each color forming layer of the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet to develop a color. A plurality of fixing light sources having different wavelengths for fixing characters, images, etc. recorded by the thermal recording means to the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet; and the multicolor laminated with the thermal recording means and the fixing light source. Displacement means for displacing with respect to the heat-sensitive recording sheet.

[0008]

In the multicolor thermosensitive recording apparatus of the present invention, the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheets are laminated in the housing, and the thermal recording means and the fixing light source are displaced by the displacement means with respect to the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet, Color and light fix. According to the present invention, the housing does not project to the outside of the multicolor thermal recording apparatus, and a large space for the transport mechanism is not required inside the apparatus.

Moreover, since the thermal recording means and the fixing means move with respect to the laminated and positioned multicolor thermosensitive recording sheets, the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheets are not displaced and are not bent. Clear characters and images can be obtained.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A multicolor thermosensitive recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are a perspective view and a vertical cross-sectional view of a multicolor thermal recording apparatus of this embodiment in an open state.

The multicolor thermal recording apparatus 10 has a main body 12 capable of shielding light. The main body 12 is a multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 1
It is composed of both a housing 12a in which four layers are stacked and a lid portion 12b which is openable and closable with respect to the housing 12a.

The housing 12a has a plurality of springs 16 as pressing means arranged vertically upward from the bottom surface. A bottom plate 18 is placed on the tip of the spring 16 and a multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet is placed on the bottom plate 18. 14 are stacked. Locking portions 20a and 20b are provided at the ends of the housing 12a so as to project inward.

The lid portion 12b can be opened and closed with respect to the housing 12a via a hinge member (not shown).
A hole is provided in the lower part of one side surface of b, and this is used as an outlet 24. The multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14 is provided near the carry-out port 24.
There is provided a carry-out roller 25 having a cutout portion for carrying out. Further, pressing rollers 22, 22 are provided near the side surface of the housing 12a.

A pair of rails 26 is provided on one side face opposite to the one side face on which the carry-out port 24 is formed. Rack 2 formed on the rail 26 as a displacement means
The pinion gears 30, 30 meshing with the gear 8 and the gear 34 meshing with the pinion gears 30, 30 and coupled to the motor 32 are provided. Further, the motor 32 holds the thermal head 38 by the holding member 36. The holding member 36 holds the first and second fixing light sources 40 and 42 on both sides of the thermal head 38.

As shown in FIG. 3, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording sheet 14 is provided with a support 44 made of paper or film, and one surface of the support 44 has a C (cyan) coloring layer 46 and an M.
A (magenta) coloring layer 48 and a Y (yellow) coloring layer 50 are laminated with intermediate layers 52a and 52b interposed therebetween. A protective layer 54 is provided on the Y coloring layer 50. In order to prevent the so-called curl, which is the curl of the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14, the other surface side of the support 44 is
A back coat layer 56 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 4, the multicolor heat-sensitive recording sheet 14 thus constructed has different image density characteristics of the color-developing layers 46, 48 and 50 with respect to the applied heat energy. That is, by adjusting the heat energy applied to the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14, it becomes possible to color only a specific color forming layer, for example, the Y color forming layer 50.
By making these coloring layers 46, 48 and 50 sequentially develop colors, clear characters, images and the like can be obtained.

The multicolor thermal recording apparatus 1 having the above structure
0 operates as follows.

First, the lid portion 12b of the multicolor thermal recording apparatus 10
And open a predetermined number of multicolor thermosensitive recording sheets 14 in the housing 12
It is laminated on the upper part of the bottom plate 18 inside a. Since the bottom plate 18 is supported by the plurality of springs 16, the bottom plate 18 is maintained in a horizontal state in the drawing, and the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 1 is laminated.
The uppermost sheet of 4 is arranged at a predetermined position depending on the relationship between the engaging portions 20, 20, the pressing rollers 22, 22 and the elastic force of the spring 16. In this state, the lid 12b
Is blocked. At this time, the thermal head 38 and the fixing light sources 40 and 42 are arranged on the discharge port 24 side.
Next, the motor 32 is energized to drive the gear 34 and the pinion gear 3
Rotate 0, 30. As a result, the pinion gear 3
Since 0 and 30 move in the direction of arrow B along the rack 28 of the rail 26, the integrated thermal head 3
8 and the fixing light sources 40 and 42 move in the direction of arrow B. At this time, the thermal head 38 supplies a predetermined amount of heat energy to the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14 to supply the Y color forming layer 5
Then, 0 is colored, and then the first fixing light source 40 irradiates light of a predetermined wavelength to perform optical fixing. In this way, Y
Multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14 for coloring and fixing work of coloring layer 50.
When it is performed up to the end portion in the direction of arrow B, the motor is biased in the opposite direction this time, and the thermal head 38 and the like are displaced in the direction of arrow A. In this case, the thermal head 38 performs thermal recording on the M coloring layer 48 of the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14 with higher energy than in the case of the Y coloring layer 50. The Y coloring layer has already been fixed by the first fixing light source 40, and therefore is not recorded again by the thermal head 38. The multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14 is subjected to optical fixing of the image recorded on the M coloring layer 48 by the second fixing light source 42 adjacent to the M coloring layer 48 after recording. In this way, the motor 32 is deenergized after the thermal head 38 and the fixing light sources 40 and 42 are displaced to the ends in the direction of arrow A.

Then, after the coloring and fixing operations are completed, the uppermost multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14 is rolled up by the carry-out roller 25 and carried out from the carry-out port 24 to the outside. That is, since the discharge roller 25 has a short diameter portion and a long diameter portion as shown in FIG. 2, the long diameter portion is applied to the uppermost multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14 under the urging action of a rotary drive source (not shown). Make sliding contact. As a result, the sheet 14 is led out from the carry-out port 24. At this time, the stationary thermal head 38 supplies the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14 with energy higher than that of the M coloring layer 48, and the thermosensitive recording of the C coloring layer 46 is performed.

According to this embodiment, the multicolor thermal recording apparatus 10 is used.
Since the housing 12a is provided inside and the upper portion of the thermal head 38 and the fixing light sources 40 and 42 are configured to be displaced along the rail 26, the cassette does not project to the outside of the multicolor thermal recording apparatus. Further, since the transport mechanism for the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet 14 can be omitted, the multicolor thermosensitive recording apparatus can be downsized. Further, in the multicolor thermal recording apparatus 10, the multicolor thermal recording sheet 14 is positioned and fixed during recording, while the thermal head 38 and the fixing light source 40,
Since 42 is guided and displaced by the rail 26, the reproduction accuracy of characters, images, etc. is improved.

In the present embodiment, the color formation of the C color forming layer 46 is carried out by carrying out the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet, but it may be carried out by moving the thermal head 38. Also, the first
Of course, it is also included in the present invention that the fixing light source 40 and the second fixing light source 42 are interchanged so that the operation direction is reversed.

[0023]

According to the multicolor thermal recording apparatus of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

In the multicolor thermosensitive recording apparatus, a multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet is laminated on a cassette, and a thermal recording means and a fixing light source are displaced with respect to the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet by a displacing means to perform color development and optical fixing. To do. Therefore, the cassette does not project outside the multicolor thermosensitive recording apparatus, and there is no need for a space for a mechanism for transporting the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet inside the apparatus. Therefore, the multicolor thermosensitive recording apparatus can be downsized, and the effect of sufficiently reducing the occupied space can be obtained.

Since the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet is recorded in a fixed state, the sheet itself does not bend, and therefore,
Clear characters and images are recorded.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multicolor thermosensitive recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram of a multicolor thermal recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of thermal energy and image density applied to a multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Multicolor thermal recording device 12 ... Main body 12a ... Housing 12b ... Lid 14 ... Multicolor thermal recording sheet 16 ... Spring 18 ... Bottom plate 20a, 20b ... Engagement part 22 ... Pressing roller 24 ... Outgoing port 26 ... Rail 30 ... pinion gear 34 ... gear 38 ... thermal head 40, 42 ... fixing light source

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A multicolor thermosensitive recording apparatus for recording characters, images and the like on a multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet comprising a support and a plurality of color forming layers having different coloring wavelengths laminated on the support. A case in which sheets are laminated, a thermal recording unit that supplies different thermal energy to each color forming layer of the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet to develop a color, and a character, an image, etc. recorded by the thermal recording unit are recorded in the multicolor A plurality of fixing light sources having different wavelengths for fixing the heat sensitive recording sheet, and a displacement means for displacing the heat recording means and the fixing light source with respect to the laminated multicolor heat sensitive recording sheet. Multicolor thermal recording device. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pressing means is arranged in the housing, and the multicolor thermosensitive recording sheet is pressed by the thermal recording means via the pressing means. apparatus.