JPS59225990A - Filmless thermal transfer recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate base film, simplify mechanism construction of a recorder and reduce the cost of recording, by a method wherein an ink is melted by a heating element, and is adhered to a recording paper. CONSTITUTION:The heating element 4 is provided in proximity to the part of a container 6 making contact with a recording paper 2, and consists of a thin film or thick film resistor used for an ordinary thermal head. The containers 6 and 7 are faced to each other with an appropriate gap provided therebetween on the paper 2. When the heating element 4 is operated to generate heat, the ink proximate to the element 4 is melted, and the melted ink is transferred onto the paper 2 through the gap between the containers 6 and 7, whereby a desired recorded image is obtained. The heat-fusible ink in an ink member 8 is semi-solid, and can freely move in a porous substance supporting the ink, so that deficiency of the ink at the part from which the ink is transferred onto the paper 2 is compensated for by the supply of the ink from the surroundings. A large number of the heating elements 4 are arranged in a scanning direction, and an electric current is passed selectively to a predetermined one or ones of the elements 4 in accordance with an image signal to generate Joule heat.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording method used in facsimiles, printers, etc., which makes it possible to remove a base film.

Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of the conventional thermal transfer recording method.
1 is a transfer film, 2 is a recording paper (recording medium), 3 is a thermal head, 4 is a heating element, and 5 is a pressure roller. As shown in the figure, the transfer film 1 is made by coating a base film 1a such as Mylar film or capacitor paper with an ink layer 1b, and the thermal head 3, transfer film 1, and recording paper 2 are pressed against each other by a pressure roller 5. When the heating element 4 in the thermal head 3 generates heat in response to the image signal, the ink layer 1b adjacent to the heating element 4 melts, and the ink is transferred to the recording paper 2. As a result, an ink image is formed on the recording paper 2. Note that at the same time as the recording paper 2 runs, the transfer film 1
A new layer of ink is constantly fed out.

However, in the case of this conventional thermal transfer recording method, since the transfer film 1 is constantly fed out, used transfer film is generated every time a desired recorded image is obtained.

Therefore, it is necessary for the device to have a built-in mechanism for winding up the used transfer film 1, or to dispose of the used transfer film 1 after each transfer outside the device. Furthermore, although the recording paper 2 is plain paper and is often inexpensive, the transfer film 1 is expensive, and the recording cost per copy is high, and the transfer film 1 has the drawbacks of being time-consuming to attach and dispose of. Ta.

In order to eliminate such conventional drawbacks, the present invention is designed to transfer ink to recording paper without using a base film.One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. .

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the first embodiment of the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention, in which 6 and 7 are housings of the recording head;
is an ink member in which a porous material is impregnated with a heat-melting ink material. Also, the heating element 4 is connected to the recording paper 2 of the housing 6.
This is a thin-film or thick-film resistor that is formed near the point of contact with the thermal head and is used in normal thermal heads.

The housings 6 and 7 face each other on the recording paper 2 with an appropriate gap between them, and when the heating element 4 generates heat, it melts the ink in the vicinity, and the melted ink is recorded in the gap between the housings 6 and 7. Paper 2 (RC transfer is performed and a desired recorded image is obtained. By the way, the heat-melting ink in the ink member 8 is semi-solid and can move freely in the porous material that holds the ink. Therefore, the recording paper 2 The ink shortage in the area where the ink has been transferred is supplied from the surrounding area.In order to supply this ink more smoothly, the ink member 8 must be connected to a heater (other than the heating element 4) to the extent that the ink is not transferred. It is also effective to uniformly heat the material (not shown). FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. Hame.

It is a sea-shaped ink holding material. The ink material 9' is a powdered ink having an appropriate particle size, and when heated, it melts and is transferred to the recording paper. The ink holding material 10 is a mesh-like film that holds the powdered ink and allows the melted ink to pass through. When the heating element 4 generates heat, it melts the ink powder 9 in the vicinity and passes through the ink holding material IO. The molten ink then adheres to the recording paper 2 and a desired recorded image is obtained.

Actually, not all of the melted ink is transferred to the recording paper 2, and some of the melted ink is transferred to the ink holding material 10.
and solidifies near the heating element 4.

However, this solidified ink retains its heat-melting properties.
At the next recording timing, it is melted again by heating and transferred to the recording paper 2, so there is no particular problem.

FIG. 4 shows a first example of a heat generating unit to which the present invention is applied, in which No is a lead and 12 is a substrate. The heating element 4 is preferably formed at the tip. Although the wire connection process for step 1 is not shown, the same wire connection process as for a normal thermal recording head may be performed. Further, a large number of heating elements 4 are arranged in the scanning line direction, and a predetermined heating element 4 is selectively energized according to the image signal to generate norl heat. The method of forming the heating element 4 is exactly the same as the conventional thermal
A thin film such as Ta or Ta2N is formed on the substrate 12 by a technique such as sintering or vapor deposition, but a thick film such as RuO2 may be formed by screen printing. However, unlike a normal thermal head, there is no wear associated with the running of the recording paper, so there is no need for a wear-resistant layer, and the head can be manufactured at a lower cost. Note that if the housing body 6 is made of a ceramic substrate, the heating element 4 is placed on the housing body 6.
can be directly formed, and the housing 6 and the substrate 12 can be used in common.

FIG. 5 shows a second example of a heat generating unit applied to the present invention. The heating element 4 is not separated and is rod-shaped. However, electricity is selectively applied to predetermined points using a large number of leads 1). In order to drive such a rod-shaped heating element,
Known methods such as those shown in No. 5-26984 are applicable. However, it is preferable that the leads 1 be drawn out in one direction and that the heating element 4 be formed at the end as much as possible. In addition,
In this method, the heating element is not completely separated and driven, and unnecessary current is generated, but it has the advantage that the number of leads 11 can be drawn out by half compared to the example shown in FIG.

As explained above, according to the present invention, since a base film is not used, the mechanical configuration of the recording device can be simplified, the cost required for recording can be reduced, and energy efficiency can be improved compared to a normal thermal transfer recording method. There are other effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of a conventional thermal transfer recording method, FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a first embodiment of the thermal transfer recording method of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention. The schematic explanatory drawings, FIGS. 4 and 5, are diagrams showing examples of heating element units used in the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Transfer film, 2... Recording paper, 3... Thermal head, 4... Heating element, 5... Pressure roller, 6
, 7... Housing, 8... Ink member, 9... Powdered ink, 10... Ink holding material, 11... Lead, 12... Substrate. Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A heating element unit consisting of a heat-melting ink member and a number of heating elements is provided on one side of the recording paper, and the number of heating elements are selectively heated to generate ink. A filmless thermal transfer recording method characterized by melting ink and adhering it to recording paper. 2. The filmless thermal transfer recording method according to claim 1, wherein the ink member comprises a heat-melting semi-solid ink and a porous material impregnated with the semi-solid ink. 3. The filmless thermal transfer recording method according to claim 1, wherein the ink member is a heat-melting powder ink material. 4. The filmless thermal transfer recording method according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is a thin film or thick film resistor. 5. The filmless thermal transfer recording method according to claim 4, wherein the thin film or thick film resistor is formed into a rod shape.