JPS5816865A - Color recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a color image of buitiful natural colors, by a method wherein heat-transfer and heat-fixing are performed using ink films of various colors in a color recording device, and adjacent colored layers are heated and melted thereby mixed in colors. CONSTITUTION:A recording paper is fed from a recording paper roll 1 and passed through a platen 2 and a conveyor roll 6 and then exhausted. A thermal head 3 travels in A direction with respect to the recording paper and color image is printed through an ink film 4 of three primary colors. In this device, when picture image of various color inks is transferred in sequence and heat- fixed by a heat roller 5, an ink layer 7a formed by the previous operation and an ink layer 7b formed by the present operation are heated and melted and completely mixed as an ink 7 being blended uniformly, thereby intermediate mixed color is indicated clearly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a color recording apparatus that performs thermal transfer using an ink film and further performs thermal fixing.

In the thermal transfer recording method, an ink film coated with relatively low melting point ink is placed on a thin film base, and a recording paper is placed on top of the ink film.By heating the ink film, the ink coated on the ink film is transferred onto the recording paper. It is something that makes you

In principle, there are no restrictions on the quality of the recording paper that can be used in such a thermal transfer recording method, and plain paper may be used. Furthermore, since the recording is obtained by transferring ink, a robust recording similar to electrostatic recording can be obtained.

Color recording using thermal transfer conventionally uses multiple sheets of ink film (usually three colors of cyan, magenta, and yellow are used as color elements), which are selectively heated by a thermal transfer means such as a thermal head to record. Coloring is achieved by sequentially overlapping and transferring images onto paper.

In this method, for example, in order to express green, either cyan or yellow is first transferred onto the recording paper, and then the other is superimposed on top of that and transferred. in this case,
Since the two colors of ink, cyan and yellow, adhere to the recording paper in layers, the color of the upper layer becomes stronger, making it impossible to obtain a beautiful green color.

As described above, the conventional thermal transfer type color recording apparatus has the disadvantage that natural and beautiful colors cannot be obtained.

An object of the present invention is to obtain a thermal transfer color recording device that enables more natural and beautiful color recording.

The present invention will be described below based on illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram (perspective view) of a color recording apparatus according to the present invention, and details such as a mechanical drive system for conveying recording paper and an electrical drive circuit for a thermal head are not shown.

It is discharged. Transfer of ink to recording paper is performed in the following manner.

While the thermal head 6 is scanned five times in the main scanning direction (in the direction of arrow B), the ink film 4, which is divided into strips (divided into three) by a mechanism not shown, is moved up and down (in the direction of arrow B or (in the opposite direction), and the three colors of ink are sequentially transferred onto the recording paper. Each time the above process is completed, the recording paper is fed by a fixed amount in the sub-scanning direction (direction of arrow B). The recording paper after the ink transfer is thermally fixed by a heat roller 5.

When a recording apparatus configured as described above is used, when the transfer is completed, the ink 7 forms a layer as shown in FIG. 2(a).
a and 7b are reheated and melted by the heat roller 5, forming a fused ink 7 as shown in FIG. 2(b). In this way, in the color recording apparatus of the present invention, the inks are completely mixed, so very natural and beautiful colors can be obtained.

Here, a recording apparatus using a semi-multi system has been described as an example, but, of course, similar effects can be obtained with recording apparatuses having other configurations by providing the above-described heat fixing process.

In addition, although a heat roller was used here as the heat fixing means, it is of course possible to provide a heat fixing process in a color recording device that uses other heat fixing means to obtain very natural and beautiful colors and improve recording quality. effective.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows an outline of a recording device according to the present invention. 2nd □□□ (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams showing the heat fixing process according to the present invention. 1... Fist recording paper roll, 21111 a 1 platen, 6... Thermal head, 4... - Fist - ink film, 50... - Heat roller, 6... Conveyance roller. Patent applicant: Canon Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] an ink film comprising a plurality of color elements; a thermal transfer means for selectively heating the color elements of the ink film and transferring the plurality of color elements in layers onto a recording paper; A color recording device characterized by having a heat fixing means for heating and fusing.