JPH07285232A - Image display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form an image over a broad area without using a long and large recording head, in an image skin device which scans using a thermal recording head and creates a latent image on a visible image carrier having a contact angle of sweepback which changes in accordance with a heating temperature, and visually recognizes this latent image in a display part after being made visible. CONSTITUTION:A latent image forming means consists of a thermal recording head 4 having an array of thermal elements 5 arranged in a straight-line fashion, and the array of thermal elements 5 can come into contact with the front or rear of a visible image carrier 1. In addition, the array of thermal elements 5 is held in parallel with the rotating direction of the visible image carrier 1, while a thermal recording head 4 moves in a direction A which is orthogonal with the rotating direction of the visible image carrier 1. The visible image carrier is scanned to record data during the movement.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image display device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a surface of a recording medium is heated while being in contact with a liquid or vapor or a solid recording aid which becomes liquid or vapor by heating, the receding contact angle becomes small, and the upper recording aid becomes unusable. A material is known in which the receding contact angle is increased by heating in the presence (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-2.
No. 05185).

Further, as a technique using the above-mentioned material as an image forming material, when the surface of a recording medium is heated while being in contact with a recording aid which is liquid or vapor or solid which becomes liquid or vapor by heating, A visible image carrier having a recording layer formed on an endless belt substrate, the receding contact angle of which changes depending on the heating temperature, and the receding contact angle of the visible image carrier, which is position-selectively heated according to an image signal. Latent image forming means for forming a latent image according to the change pattern, developing means for making a latent image visible by bringing a recording material containing a coloring material into contact with the latent image portion, and the visible image is visible , A recording material removing means for removing the recording material from the surface of the recording layer, and a latent image erasing means for erasing the latent image by heating the visible image carrier in the atmosphere. An image display device is known (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 46,134 JP).

[0004]

In the conventional image display device, since the thermal recording head has a size in the width direction of the visible image carrier and is fixed to the immovable member, the large size of the display portion is provided. In order to realize this, a large-sized thermal recording head must be used as a latent image forming means, and it is unavoidable that the thermal recording head becomes large in weight and large in cost. Further, there is a limit to the belt material selection from the viewpoint of thermal conductivity at the time of latent image formation, and it is difficult to meet the demand for enhancing durability and visibility.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to increase the size of the display section in the same manner as when a large recording head is used with a relatively small thermal recording head. Another object is to increase the degree of freedom in selecting belt materials, improve durability, and improve visibility on the display unit.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows.

(1). An endless belt substrate is provided with a recording layer whose receding contact angle changes according to the heating temperature when heated on a surface of a recording medium in contact with a recording aid which is liquid or vapor or solid which becomes liquid or vapor by heating. A visible image carrier formed on the upper surface, a latent image forming means for position-selectively heating the visible image carrier according to an image signal to form a latent image with a receding contact angle change pattern, and a color material. Developing means for bringing the latent image portion into contact with a recording agent containing a visible image, a display portion for visually displaying the visible image, and removing the recording agent from the surface of the recording layer. In the image display device, the thermal agent array is arranged linearly in the image display device including a recording agent removing unit for removing the latent image by heating the visible image carrier in the atmosphere. The thermal recording head is used as the latent image forming means, and The heat-sensitive recording head can be attached to the front surface or the back surface of the visible image carrier while maintaining the heat element array parallel to the direction of rotation of the visible image carrier. The visual image carrier can be moved in a direction orthogonal to the rotating direction, and at the time of this movement, the visible image carrier is scanned and recorded (claim 1).

(2). In (1), the thermal recording head records by scanning in both reciprocating directions (claim 2).

(3). In (1), a first enabling contact / separation operation between the visible image carrier and the thermal element array
The contacting / separating means and the first driving means for driving the contacting / separating means to perform the contacting / separating operation are defined (claim 3).

(4). In (1), a platen roller that receives a pressing force due to the contact of the thermal element array with the visible image carrier and a contact / separation operation of the platen roller with respect to the visible image carrier are possible. The contacting / separating unit and the second driving unit for driving the second contacting / separating unit to bring the platen roller into contact with and separate from the visible image carrier are defined (claim 4).

(5). An endless belt substrate is provided with a recording layer whose receding contact angle changes according to the heating temperature when heated on a surface of a recording medium in contact with a recording aid which is liquid or vapor or solid which becomes liquid or vapor by heating. A visible image carrier formed on the upper surface, a latent image forming means for position-selectively heating the visible image carrier according to an image signal to form a latent image with a receding contact angle change pattern, and a color material. A developing means for contacting a latent image containing a recording agent with the latent image portion to make the latent image visible, a recording agent removing means for removing the recording agent from the surface of the recording layer, and the visible image carrier. An image forming unit having a latent image erasing unit that erases the latent image by heating in the atmosphere, a display endless belt for displaying a visible image, and a visible image on the display endless belt. On the display endless belt for visually displaying A recording agent removing means for removing the recording material, an image display unit provided with the, the, the visible image bearing member and said display endless belt,
The visible image formed on the visible image carrier is brought into contact with the display endless belt in such a manner that the visible image can be transferred (claim 5).

(6). In (5), the contact is released and the separating operation can be performed (claim 6).

[0013]

According to the first to fourth aspects, a thermal recording head having a short length can scan an area equivalent to a scanning area by a long and large thermal recording head. In the fifth to sixth aspects, the endless belt is divided into the image forming section and the image display section, and the endless belts are assigned to the respective functions, so that there is more room for material selection.

[0014]

【Example】

(1). 1 to 2, the reference numeral 1 indicates a visible image carrier, and the receding contact angle is reduced by heating while being in contact with a recording aid, and recording is performed. An image forming material having a large receding contact angle by heating in the absence of an auxiliary agent is formed as a thin surface layer on a belt-shaped substrate.

The recording aid is a solid or a liquid or a vapor which becomes a liquid or a vapor by heating. The phrase "the liquid becomes vapor or liquid by heating" means "liquefy or sublimate at a temperature equal to or lower than the temperature at which the receding contact angle of the recording medium starts to decrease".

_Let the receding contact angle be θ, the surface tension of solid in air: γ, the solid-liquid interfacial tension γ _g , the surface tension when the liquid is in contact with its saturated vapor, γ _g1 , the parallel surface tension. π _e , surface tension γ _i , surface tension of solid without adsorption layer γ _s
Is a physical quantity given by tan θ = (γ / γ _g1 ) (γ _s −γ _g −π _e + γ _i ). When the receding contact angle: θ is small, the surface of the object is easily wetted by the liquid, and the receding contact is When the angle: θ increases, the surface of the object easily repels the liquid.

Therefore, the endless belt is used as a thin surface layer of the recording layer in which the receding contact angle is reduced by being heated in contact with the recording auxiliary agent, and the receding contact angle is increased by heating in the absence of the recording auxiliary agent. When the recording layer is formed on the substrate and is heated position-selectively in accordance with an image signal by a thermal recording head or the like as a latent image forming means in a state where the recording layer is in contact with a recording auxiliary, the contact receding angle becomes small. A latent image can be formed according to the image signal as a pattern.

This latent image portion is easily wet with a recording agent such as ink, and repels the recording agent at a portion where the contact receding angle does not become small. Therefore, if the recording agent is supplied to the latent image, a visible image corresponding to an image signal is obtained. Can be obtained as an ink image, etc.,
If the visible image carrier having this visible image is held flat in the display unit, image display can be performed.

Here, the thickness of the recording layer is as thin as a few μm or less, and therefore the appearance of the visible image bearing member 1 is determined by the base material, and by using a transparent or nearly white base, A visible image can be displayed well.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the visible image carrier 1 is formed as an endless belt and is wound between two rollers 2 and 3. These rollers 2 and 3 are rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow by rotational driving means (not shown), and the visible image carrier 1 is also rotated.

The inside (rear surface) of the visible image carrier 1 which is stretched between the rollers 2 and 3 and maintains a planar shape, that is,
A thermal recording head 4 is provided as a latent image forming means by contacting the thermal element array 5 on the back side of the surface on which the recorded image is formed (see FIGS. 5 and 6). In this example, the thermal recording head 4 has a size for A6 size.

A platen roller 6 as a latent image forming means composed of a sponge roller impregnated with water as a recording auxiliary is positioned at a position facing the thermal recording head 4 with the visible image carrier 1 interposed therebetween. is doing.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a visible image is formed on the roller 3 at a position downstream of the positions where the thermal recording head 4 and the platen roller 6 are arranged in the rotating direction of the visible image carrier 1. A developing unit 7 including a sponge roller impregnated with ink is provided so as to press the carrier 1.
This sponge roller contacts the peripheral surface of the visible image carrier and supplies the impregnated ink to the latent image to develop the latent image.

A window portion of a case 8 covering the entire apparatus is provided on a plane portion of the visible image carrier 1 stretched by the rollers 2 and 3, which corresponds to a position further downstream than the position where the developing means 7 is provided. Corresponds, and the window portion constitutes the image display portion 9.

The display section 9 has a rectangular shape and has an appropriate width within the scanning area of the thermal recording head 4 in the width direction of the visible image carrier, that is, in the direction of penetrating the paper surface in FIG. The rotating direction of the visual image carrier 1 is not limited by the length of the thermal recording head 4 in the thermal element array direction (the rotating direction of the visible image carrier), and can be set to an appropriate length suitable for visual recognition. .

The roller 2 located downstream of the display unit 9
Cleaning rollers 10 and 11 as a recording agent removing unit for removing the recording agent by pressing the visible image bearing member 1 are provided in the area.

In this embodiment, the cleaning roller 10 is a sponge roller impregnated with a solvent liquid, and the cleaning roller 11 is a blotter roller made of a material having a high hygroscopic property such as absorbent paper. The ink forming the visible image is dry and solid at the time when cleaning is performed by these cleaning rollers.

The cleaning roller 10 is a visible image carrier 1.
The surface of the visible image bearing member is wiped from the visible image bearing member while being forcibly rotated in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the surface of the visible image bearing member while applying the solvent liquid to dissolve the ink. The cleaning roller 11 located downstream of the cleaning roller 10 completely wipes off the residual ink on the surface of the visible image bearing member which could not be wiped off by the cleaning roller 10, and brings the surface of the visible image bearing member into a dry state.

Downstream of the cleaning rollers 10, 11, etc.,
Latent image erasing means 12 is provided at a position upstream of the thermal recording head 4. The latent image erasing means 12 is composed of a ceramic heater, and is provided over the entire width of the visible image carrier 1 so as to closely face the back surface thereof. The latent image erasing means 12 erases the latent image by uniformly heating the surface of the visible image carrier in the atmosphere in the absence of a recording aid.

In the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, the platen roller 6 as the latent image forming means and the developing means 7 are independent of each other. However, the invention is not limited to this example, and the platen roller also serves as the developing means 7. It is also possible to have an integrated configuration.

The thermal recording head 4 is arranged so that the direction of the thermal element array 5 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) is parallel to the direction of rotation of the visible image carrier 1 and the surface of the visible image carrier 1. Are arranged in parallel with each other and are capable of forming a latent image by scanning in a direction (direction indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 1) orthogonal to the rotation direction.

In order to enable such scanning, the thermal recording head 4 and the platen roller 6 are slidably fitted to the guide bars 40 and 60 whose supporting portions extend in the direction of arrow A, respectively. That is, the guide bar 40 is fitted to the support portion 15 of the thermal recording head 4, and the guide bar 60 is slidably fitted to the support portion of the platen roller 6.

The thermal recording head 4 and the platen roller 6 must be moved in synchronism while sandwiching the visible image carrier 1 in a sandwich shape and maintaining the positional relationship in which they face each other. As the moving means, a linear motor for moving the thermal recording head 4 or a linear motor for moving the platen roller 6 may be used, or two pulleys having the same diameter may be provided on the same motor shaft while facing the pulleys. Two pulleys having the same diameter as the two pulleys are provided, and wires are respectively wound between these corresponding pairs of pulleys, and the thermal recording head 4 and the platen roller 6 are fixed to a part of each of these wires. It is possible by Alternatively, if a chain or sprocket is used instead of these wires and pulleys, there is no risk of slippage.

In scanning by these latent image forming means, the scanning is stopped when the latent image forming means reaches from one end to the other end of the visible image carrier 1, and then the thermal element of the thermal recording head 4 is used. The visible image carrier 1 is rotated by the length of the thermal element array in the array direction.

During this rotation, the first contacting / separating means (described later) formed in the thermosensitive recording head section and the first driving means (described later) for driving the first contacting / separating means are made to function to make a visible image. Carrier 1
On the other hand, the thermal element array 5 of the thermal recording head 4 is separated (claim 3). Due to this separation, it is possible to prevent damage to the visible image carrier by the thermal recording head and abrasion of the thermal element portion of the thermal recording head.

After the visible image carrier 1 has been rotated by the length of the thermal element array 5, the thermal recording head and the platen roller are returned to the scanning start position, and then the thermal recording head 4 is moved. The contact is made again, and scanning is performed in the same direction as the previous scanning direction, that is, scanning is always performed in the same direction and recording is performed.

Alternatively, after the visible image carrier 1 has been rotated by the length of the thermal element array 5, the thermal recording head 4 is brought into contact again, and the thermal recording head and the platen roller are moved in the return direction. Scan and record while moving. That is, printing is performed by reciprocal scanning (claim 2).

A support mechanism for the platen roller and the thermal recording head will be described. In FIG. 3, the platen roller 6 is penetrated by a shaft 70, and a bearing (not shown) is provided between the platen roller and the shaft so as to be rotatable. On both ends of this shaft 70,
The protrusions 13 and 14 project.

On the other hand, as for the supporting portion 16, the protrusion 1 is also used.
Protrusions 17 and 18 are provided to face 3 and 14, respectively. These protrusions 13 and 17 are provided with an expandable coil spring 19 in common, and similarly, the protrusions 14 and 18 are also provided with an expandable coil spring 20 in common.

Due to the elasticity of these coil springs 20, the platen roller 6 is always urged toward the visible image carrier 1 with respect to the support 16. In order to limit the amount of movement of the platen roller 6 due to this biasing force, the support portion 16 is provided with stoppers 21 and 22. In order to stably hold the platen roller 6 on the support portion 16, the protrusions 13, 14, 17, and 18 are all columns or prisms having the same diameter, and a cylinder is commonly fitted to these columns or prisms. It is also possible to move them together by using this cylindrical body as a guide means.

Next, regarding the thermal recording head 4, the surface of the thermal recording head 4 on the side opposite to the thermal element row arrangement side and the surface of the supporting portion 15 facing this are circular at opposite positions. Holes 23 and 24 and circular holes 25 and 26 are formed. These holes 23 to 26 have the same diameter.

An extensible coil spring 27 is provided in the holes 23 and 25, and an extensible coil spring 28 is similarly provided in the holes 24 and 26. These coil springs 2
Due to the elasticity of 7, 28, the thermal recording head 4 is constantly urged toward the visible image carrier 1 with respect to the support 15.

The movement of the platen roller 6 due to the biasing force and the movement of the thermal recording head 4 due to the biasing force cause the visible image carrier 1 to platen at a position where the visible image carrier 1 is naturally stretched. The roller and the thermal recording head are sandwiched and are blocked and balanced.

One end of an L-shaped arm 29 is pivotally attached to an intermediate position of the thermal recording head 4 by a shaft 30. The bent portion of the arm 29 is pivotally supported by a fulcrum shaft 31 provided on an arm (not shown) extending from the support portion 15. The other end of the arm 29 is pivotally attached to a plunger 32a of a solenoid 32 attached to the support portion 15.

With this configuration, when the solenoid 32 is turned on, the plunger 32a retracts, the arm 29 rotates about the fulcrum 31, and the thermal recording head 4 is visualized against the biasing force of the spring. It is separated from the carrier 1. The platen roller 6 also moves due to the biasing force of the spring in accordance with this separating operation, but this movement is limited by the stoppers 21 and 22 within a range that does not affect the image display on the visible image carrier 1. . The solenoid is driven by the control circuit 33.

In the above, the first contact / separation means that enables the contact / separation operation between the visible image carrier 1 and the thermal recording head 4 (thermal element array 5) is the thermal recording head with respect to the support portion 15. 4 has a divided structure, holes 23, 24, 25 and 26 are provided, and coil springs 27 and 28 are provided in these holes.

In order to make the support of the thermal recording head 4 on the support portion 15 more stable, an appropriate guide means is provided. For example, a guide bar is provided on one side and a hole for fitting the guide bar is provided on the other side, and a stable contact / separation operation is obtained by utilizing the fitting relationship between these.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, the thermal recording head 4 is brought into contact with and separated from the visible image carrier 1, but the platen roller 6 is used.
About, it is not separated. In order to bring the platen roller 6 into contact with and separate from the platen roller, a configuration similar to the first contacting / separating means and the first driving means in the thermal recording head 4 may be provided to the platen roller.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example thereof, and members having the same functions as those in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 3, and the description thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 4, after the platen roller 6 is supported by the intermediate member 35,
A cam 36 is interposed between the intermediate member 35 and the support portion 16, and a guide bar 39 provided on the intermediate member 35,
40 is fitted to the support portion 16, and the platen roller 6 is controlled to come into contact with or separate from the visible image carrier 1 according to the rotational position of the cam 36 (claim 4).

The cam 36 is rotated by a rotary solenoid 37 attached to the support portion 16. In this example,
The drive circuit 38 controls both the solenoid 32 and the rotary solenoid 37 so that the thermal recording head 4 and the platen roller 6 can be separated and brought into contact with the visible image carrier 1 at the same time.

In this example, the guide bars 39 and 40, the coil springs 19 and 20, the intermediate member 35, the cam 36, etc. are in contact with the visible image bearing member 1 by the second contact. It constitutes the separating means. Further, the rotary solenoid 37 constitutes second drive means for bringing the platen roller into contact with and away from the visible image carrier 1.

In the examples of FIGS. 1 to 4, the thermal recording head can be attached to and detached from the surface of the visible image carrier 1, and the platen roller can be attached to and detached from the opposite side. it can.

As described above, according to the present example, a short thermal recording head is used to scan an area similar to the case where a long and large recording head is used to form an image, resulting in a significant cost reduction. The weight can be reduced.
In addition, the display speed can be increased by further performing reciprocal scanning.

Further, since the thermal element array can be brought into contact with and separated from the visible image bearing member, such an operation can damage the visible image bearing member by the thermal recording head when the visible image bearing member 1 is rotated. It is possible to prevent abrasion of the thermal element portion of the thermal recording head. Further, since the platen roller can be separated, abrasion can be prevented in accordance with the above.

(2). Description corresponding to claim 5 and claim 6 In Fig. 7, a pair of rollers 50 arranged in the left-right direction,
The visible image carrier 1 is wound between 51. Further, a thermal recording head 4 as a latent image forming means and a platen roller 6 are arranged around the visible image carrier 1 according to the configuration described in FIGS. 1 and 2. One of these rollers 50 and 51 is a drive roller, and is rotationally driven by a rotating means (not shown).

In this example, the thermal element array of the thermal recording head 4 is arranged in the direction orthogonal to the rotating direction of the visible image carrier 1, that is, the direction penetrating the plane of FIG.
Its length is substantially equal to the width of the visible image carrier 1.

At a position downstream of the position where the platen roller 6 is arranged in the rotation direction of the visible image carrier 1,
Developing means 7 comprising a sponge roller impregnated with ink
Is provided.

A display endless belt 63 for displaying a visible image is provided at a portion of the roller 50 further downstream than the position where the developing means 7 is arranged, via the visible image carrier 1. One of the pair of wound rollers 61, 62,
In this example, the roller 62 is in contact.

The visible image formed on the visible image carrier 1 by the developing means 7 is transferred onto the display endless belt 63. The transferred image transferred onto the display endless belt 63 is visually observed while passing through the display section 90 which is an opening formed in the case 91.

Further downstream of the display section 90, cleaning rollers 64 and 65 are provided as a recording agent removing means that are in contact with the roller 61 via the visible image carrier 1. These cleaning rollers 64 and 65 are the cleaning rollers 10 and 1 in the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively.
Same as 1. The visible image carrier from which the recording material has been removed by these cleaning rollers transfers the next recording image at the contact portion with the roller 50.

On the other hand, with respect to the visible image carrier 1, the cleaning rollers 66 and 67 are also in contact with the roller 51.
Is provided. These cleaning rollers 66, 6
7 is the same as the cleaning rollers 10 and 11.

A latent image erasing means 12 composed of a ceramic heater is provided on the back side of the visible image carrier 1 and upstream of the thermal recording head 4.

In the above structure, the thermal recording head 4 as the latent image forming means, the platen roller 6, the developing means 7, and the cleaning rollers 66, 67 as the recording agent removing means, which are the structures around the visible image carrier 1, are arranged. , Latent image erasing means 1
A configuration including 2 and the like is referred to as an image forming unit, and a configuration around the display endless belt 63 including the display unit 90 and the cleaning rollers 64 and 65 as a recording agent removing unit is referred to as an image display unit.

The difference between this example and the above example is that the visible image carrier 1
In addition to the display endless belt 63, the visible image carrier 1
The visible image developed above is transferred onto the display endless belt 63 and displayed.

In operation, first, the thermal recording head 4 is brought into contact with the back surface of the visible image carrier 1 to form a latent image. At this time, since the thermal recording head 4 is heating from the back side of the visible image carrier 1, a polyimide film having a thickness of 15 μm is used so that the heat can be easily transmitted.

After the latent image is formed, the visible image carrier 1 is developed by the developing means 7.
A visible image is formed (developed) on the upper surface, and the visible image 71 is transferred to the display endless belt 63 through a roller 62 in contact with the display endless belt 63, and the transferred image is rotated to the display unit 90. Is displayed.

The display endless belt 63 is white in order to enhance the visibility of a visible image and is made of a film having a thickness of about 100 μm. During the visible image display, the abutment of both belts at the transfer portion is separated, a new image is formed on the visible image carrier 1 by using the thermal recording head 4 and the developing means 7, and the next image is displayed. In preparation for this, it is possible to cope with the speedup of display switching. An example of this separating means is a structure in which one end side of the belt unit is pivotally attached to the immovable member and the other end side is rocked by a cam to be separated.

In this example, since the visible image to be displayed next is formed in advance, it is possible to speed up the display switching. Further, materials, colors, thicknesses and the like suitable for the endless belts of the image forming portion and the image display portion can be selected, and the durability of the display endless belt and the visibility of the display can be improved.

[0069]

According to the inventions of claims 1 to 4,
The size of the display unit can be increased by using a relatively small thermal recording head. According to the inventions of claims 5 to 6, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in selecting the material of the endless belt for display, and to enhance durability and visibility.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an essential part for explaining an image display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view illustrating an image display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a latent image forming unit that describes a first contacting / separating unit and a first driving unit.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a latent image forming unit that describes a second contacting / separating unit and a second driving unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a thermal recording head and a platen roller viewed from a moving direction of a visible image carrier.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a thermal recording head and a supporting portion.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an image display device illustrating an embodiment of the present invention according to claim 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Visible image carrier 4 Thermal recording head 5 Thermal element array 63 Endless belt for display 90 Display section

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A recording in which the receding contact angle changes according to the heating temperature when the recording medium is heated while being in contact with the surface of a recording medium with a recording aid which is a liquid or a vapor or a solid which becomes a liquid or a vapor by heating. A visible image carrier in which a layer is formed on an endless belt substrate, and a latent image formation in which the visible image carrier is position-selectively heated according to an image signal to form a latent image with a receding contact angle change pattern. Means, a developing means for bringing a recording material containing a coloring material into contact with the latent image portion to visualize the latent image, a display portion for visually displaying the visible image, and a recording layer surface Recording agent removing means for removing the recording agent,
An image display device comprising: a latent image erasing means for erasing the latent image by heating the visible image carrier in the atmosphere, comprising a thermal recording head having a linear array of thermal elements. As the latent image forming means, the thermal element array can be brought into contact with the front surface or the back surface of the visible image carrier, and the thermal element array is held parallel to the rotation direction of the visible image carrier. At the same time, the thermal recording head is movable in a direction orthogonal to the direction of rotation of the visible image carrier, and the visible image carrier is scanned and recorded during this movement. 2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the thermal recording head records by scanning in both reciprocating directions. 3. The first contact / separation means for enabling the contact / separation operation between the visible image carrier and the thermal element array according to claim 1, and the contact / separation operation by driving the contact / separation means. An image display device having a first drive means for driving. 4. The platen roller according to claim 3, which receives a pressing force due to the contact of the thermal element array with the visible image carrier, and the contact of the platen roller with the visible image carrier.
An image display having a second contacting / separating unit that enables a separating operation, and a second driving unit that drives the second contacting / separating unit to bring the platen roller into contact with and separate from the visible image carrier. apparatus. 5. A recording in which the receding contact angle changes according to the heating temperature when the recording medium is heated while being in contact with the surface of the recording medium, which is in the form of a liquid or vapor or a solid which becomes a liquid or vapor by heating. A visible image carrier in which a layer is formed on an endless belt substrate, and latent image formation in which the visible image carrier is position-selectively heated according to an image signal to form a latent image with a receding contact angle change pattern. Means, a developing means for bringing a recording material containing a coloring material into contact with the latent image portion to visualize the latent image, a recording agent removing means for removing the recording agent from the surface of the recording layer, An image forming unit having latent image erasing means for erasing the latent image by heating a visual image carrier in the atmosphere, an endless belt for display for displaying a visible image, and the endless belt for display. A display unit that visually displays the visible image above, An image display unit having a recording agent removing unit for removing the recording agent on the endless belt for display, wherein the visible image carrier and the endless belt for display are the visible image carrier. An image display device in contact with the visible image formed on the display endless belt in a manner capable of being transferred to the display endless belt. 6. The image display device according to claim 5, wherein the contact can be released to perform a separating operation.