JPS61179767A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable image to be recorded at high speed with high resolution by a simple construction without using ink ribbons, by a system wherein recording electrodes are disposed in the vicinity of a recording material, and an arbitrary voltage is impressed on a powdered ink in accordance with an image recording signal, thereby melting the ink itself. CONSTITUTION:The powdered ink 2 is placed between electrodes so that it makes contact with first and second recording electrodes 6a, 6b. The second recording electrode 6b is provided as one body, while the first recording electrode is constituted of a multiplicity of split electrodes 6a-1, 6a-2...6a-n arranged in a row at minute intervals. The potential of the first electrode 6a is set by switching elements 8-1, 8-2...8-n, and an electric current according to the resistance of the powdered ink 2a located between the first and second electrodes is passed through the ink 2a. As a result, the powdered ink 2a is rapidly melted, and the melted ink 2a is adhered to a recording paper 3, thereby forming a recording dot.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to an image recording device, and particularly to a resistant powder developer (
The present invention relates to a non-impact type image recording device that records high-speed, high-resolution images by thermally welding powder ink (hereinafter referred to as powder ink) onto a recording medium such as recording paper.

[Background of the invention]

Conventional non-impact type image recording devices include, for example, energized trochanter recording devices disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-21790 and the Proceedings of the 12th National Conference of the Society of Image Electronics Engineers in 1981. In this current transfer recording device, an ink ribbon is formed of a conductor or semiconductor layer and a thermally transferable ink layer. Localized heat generation caused by local energization of the transferable ink layer causes thermal transfer in the ink layer at that portion, thereby recording an image on recording paper.

However, in such an electric transfer recording device, when a certain thermal transfer occurs in the ink layer of the ink ribbon and the ink layer is transferred onto the recording paper, the ink layer in that portion disappears. Therefore, an ink ribbon having even a portion of the ink layer thermally transferred cannot be used again.

For this reason, new ink ribbons must be constantly supplied to the recording section, making the apparatus complicated and large.

Moreover, the cost required for recording becomes high.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus that has a simple structure and can record images at high speed and high resolution without using an ink ribbon.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention is an image recording apparatus that records by thermally welding powder ink to a recording medium. The resistive powder ink having heat-melting properties is conveyed to the recording electrode portion by a pressure means so as to come into contact with the recording electrode. This recording electrode is located near the recording medium, and an arbitrary voltage is applied according to the image recording signal. Then, this recording electrode applies a voltage to the powder ink and melts the powder ink itself by the Joule heat generated by the powder ink, thereby welding the melted powder ink to the recording medium and forming a desired image. It records images.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a hopper for storing powder ink 2, which is made of an insulating material and is fixed to the main body of the recording apparatus (not shown). The powder ink 2 has a low melting point and resistance, for example, an electrical conductivity of 4 x 10-'0/, a particle size of 10 to 30
It is on the order of μm. Reference numeral 3 denotes a recording sheet, which is conveyed in the direction of arrow X shown in the figure by a drive motor and a drive roller, which are also not shown. A platen 4 is made of a material whose surface has a relatively low rubber hardness, and has the role of positioning the recording paper 3 at the bottom of the hopper 1. Even though the surface of the platen 4 is hard, it is supported by a spring or the like. When the recording paper 3 passes through the bottom of the hopper 1, recording is completed.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a motor that rotates a roller that conveys and presses the powder ink 2.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the vicinity of the recording electrode in the moving direction of the recording paper 3 in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

Here, 6a and 6b indicate first and second recording electrodes, the surfaces of which are conductive and are subjected to a treatment such as gold plating or nickel plating. powder ink 2
is filled between the electrodes, and the first and second recording electrodes 6
It is in contact with a and 6b.

FIG. 4 shows a method of connecting the first and second recording electrodes 6a and 6b at the bottom of the hopper 1 to the drive circuit. In FIG. 4, the second recording electrode 6b is integrated, but the first recording electrode 6a is a plurality of divided electrodes 6a-1, 6a-2, . . . arranged in a row at minute intervals.
It consists of a-n. Although the powder ink 2 is omitted in this figure, the first and second recording electrodes 6a,
It is filled between 6b. Reference numeral 7 designates a driving power source, which includes switches 8 and switching elements 8-1, 8-2 corresponding to the divided electrodes 6a-1, 6a-2, . . . 6a-n constituting the first recording electrode 6a, respectively. ．． ...8-n sets the voltage of the first recording electrode 6a. This switch 8
may be an element such as a transistor, and is opened and closed by a recording image signal. In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, switching 8-1.8-3°8-6. ...8-n is closed, and the corresponding divided electrodes 6a-1, 6
a-3, 6a 6. ... 6a-n have the same voltage as the drive power source 7, creating a potential difference between them and the second recording electrode 6b.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken at the same position as FIG. 3, and shows the state when there is a potential difference between the first and second recording electrodes 6a and 6b explained in FIG. 4. A current corresponding to the resistance of the powder ink 2a flows through the powder ink 2a between the two electrodes. Power source 7, first and second recording electrodes 6
In the closed circuit passing through a and 6b, there is very little voltage drop other than this powder ink 2a, so the electrical energy consumed is due to the powder ink 2a generated by flowing through the powder ink 2a. Most of the losses are joule losses. by this Joule heat.

The powder ink 2a melts in a very short time, and the melted powder ink 2a adheres to the recording paper 3 to form recording dots. Thereafter, the recording operation is completed by opening the switch 8 and moving the recording paper in the direction of the arrow X shown in FIG.

For example, the current standard level of recording resolution is 1
Since it is approximately 0 dot/■, the pitch between the first recording electrodes 6a, which are individually divided, is 0.
1 m, similarly opposing first and second recording electrodes 6a;
The distance between 6b is also set to 0.1 m.

In order to reliably record images using the printing method described above,
It is necessary that the powder ink 2 is reliably filled between the first and second recording electrodes 6a and 6b. If there is no powder ink 2 between the recording electrodes, recording will not be performed, and if the powder ink 2 is insufficiently filled between the recording electrodes, the powder ink will be filled with each other or with each other. A very small air gap may be created between the recording electrodes. When a voltage is applied to the recording electrode at this time, a very high electric field is generated in the gap, and as a result, a discharge phenomenon occurs in the gap. In this case, larger recording dots than necessary may be recorded on the recording paper 3, resulting in a decrease in resolution.

In order to prevent this discharge phenomenon, it is desirable to convey the powder ink 2 to the recording electrode section with a certain degree of pressure. Roll 9 is arranged.

It has approximately the same length as the hopper 1, and is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2 by a drive motor 5 shown in FIG. 1
0 is a doctor blade located in a place with a small gap between it and the magnet roll 9. Reference numeral 11 denotes a bellows made of a non-conductor, and a switch 12 as pressure detection means is built in the bellows 11. That is, terminals 13a, 13b and terminal 13a.

The tongues 14 are fixed to 13b, and these are conductors. Further, the powder ink 2 includes a small amount of magnetic material inside. When the magnet roller 9 rotates,
Powder ink 2 near the magnet roller 9 moves along the rotation direction of the magnet roller 9. However, since the movement of the powder ink 2 is restricted by the doctor blade 10, the powder ink 2 moves toward the lower electrode of the hopper 1. Since the lower opening of the hopper 1 is closed by the recording paper 3, the powder ink on the lower electrode side of the hopper 1 tries to move to the upper side.
The movement toward the upper part of the hopper is regulated by a hopper protrusion 1a provided on the side opposite to the magnet roller 9. As a result, pressure is applied inside the hopper 1, and powder ink 2 is constantly filled between the recording electrodes.

However, if the pressure of the powder ink 2 becomes unnecessarily high, problems such as condensation of the powder ink 2 will occur.

When the pressure increases, a force acts in a direction opposite to the restoring force of the bellows 11, causing the bellows 11 to further contract and closing the tongue piece 14 of the internal switch 12. Detecting that this switch 12 is closed, the magnet roll 9
By stopping the rotation of the powder ink 2, it is possible to prevent the pressure of the powder ink 2 from increasing unnecessarily. The pressure of powder ink 2 is reduced.

If the magnet roll 9 is rotated again when this switch 12 is opened, the pressure of the powder ink 2 will increase, so the pressure of the powder ink 2 can be kept constant within a certain range. Further, when the supply amount of the powder ink 2 is not sufficient, the pressure of the powder ink does not increase even if the magnet roll 9 is rotated, so the tongue piece 14 of the switch 12 remains open. Therefore, even if the magnet roll 9 is rotated for a certain period of time, if the tongue piece 14 of the switch 12 does not close, there is no powder ink 2 in the hopper 1.
Utilizing this, it is possible to detect the presence or absence of powder ink 2. Therefore, at this time, the recording operation of the image recording apparatus can be stopped. In addition, the increase in the pressure of the powder ink 2 inside the hopper 1 has the effect of quickly fixing the powder ink 2 welded to the recording paper 3 when the powder ink 2 melts near the recording electrode. .

In this embodiment, the powder ink 2 is limited to magnetic material, and the magnetic roll 9 is used as a conveying means to restrict the movement of the powder ink 2 in the hopper 1 and to cause the powder ink 2 to move. However, it is not necessary to limit the scope of the invention to ordinary powder ink conveying means, such as conveying means using a belt, conveying means using a snake pump, simply conveying means such as rollers, or conveying means using compressed gas. However, it is clear that they have the same effect. in this case.

Note that the powder ink 2 does not need to have magnetism.

When using powdered ink with good fluidity, the powdered ink may spill from the gap between the hopper 1 and the recording medium 3.In this case, a powdered ink collection device must be installed. Spilled powder ink can be collected.

6 and 7 are for explaining other examples of the powder ink pressure detection means in the above embodiment, FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view, and FIG. 7 is a powder ink pressure P FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between R and resistance value R.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the pressure of resistive powder ink is increased, the voids between the powder particles decrease and the resistance value decreases.

Figure 6 utilizes this effect to connect two conductive terminals 13.
This is a method of detecting pressure using the change in resistance value between a and 13b. According to this method, since the detected signal is a continuous quantity, it is possible to control the rotation of the magnet roll 9 more precisely than in the embodiment shown in FIG.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is an effective method when using magnetic and resistive powder ink that is further subjected to pressure, and is equipped with permanent magnets 15a and 15b near the electrodes. . This embodiment has the effect of preventing unnecessary powder ink from flowing out from the lower opening of the hopper 1.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 9, 17 is a piston, 18 is a spring that pushes the piston 17, and 19 is a lid. At the bottom of the hopper 1, a recording electrode group similar to that of the previous embodiment is arranged. Although not shown in the figure, the lid 19 is fixed to the hopper 1 by fitting means, engaging means, or fixing means such as screws. The piston 17 presses the powder ink 2 by the force of the spring 18. By doing so, the powder ink can be supplied to the recording electrode while applying pressure uniformly to the powder ink. Furthermore, the same effect can be obtained by simply using a weight instead of the spring 18.

The present invention enables printers that use a large number of powders to
Previously, a complicated recording process was used, including irradiation with light on a photosensitive drum, development by applying powdered toner, and transfer to recording paper, but the present invention is extremely simple.

Furthermore, there is the problem of print head deterioration due to rapid heating of the print head, which is a problem with thermal printers.
In the present invention, since the powder itself generates heat, the extent to which the print head, that is, the electrodes are heated, is extremely small compared to conventional inventions.

Furthermore, the only materials consumed are powder ink and recording paper, and the cost of recording is much lower than that of conventional inventions.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the recording electrodes are less likely to be clogged with powder ink, and even if they are, the powder ink is dissolved by the application of voltage, so the phenomenon of ink clogging, which is a problem in inkjet printers, does not occur.

In addition, in the present invention, since fine powder ink is used before development, the powder ink can be supplied along the electrode shape, and there is no need to worry about poor electrical contact between the electrode and the powder ink. High definition.

High-speed recording becomes possible.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the device can be downsized with a simple structure.

Images can be recorded at high speed and high resolution.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of essential parts of an embodiment of the image recording device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the recording electrode section in FIGS. 1 and 2. , FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the recording electrode and its drive circuit in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining the state when voltage is applied to the recording electrode in FIG. 3, and FIGS. FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the main part, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between pressure and resistance of powder ink, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams explaining other embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a main part showing still another example. 1...Hopper, 2...Powder ink, 3...Recording paper. 6a... First recording electrode, 6b... Second recording electrode, 12... Pressure detection switch, 15a, 15b...
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Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Using a powder ink that melts at a low melting point and has resistance, it is equipped with a means for storing the powder ink and an electrode group to which a voltage is applied according to an arbitrary recording signal, and the powder in the vicinity of the electrode group is provided. In an image recording apparatus that applies a current to the ink from the electrode group to heat and melt the powder to perform desired recording on a recording paper, means for pressurizing the powder ink within the means for storing the powder ink; An image recording device characterized by being provided with means for detecting the pressure of powder.