JPS61181690A - Method and apparatus for recording image - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To record images with good reproductivity on image signals by a simple method in which dye vapors generated by heating a sublimable dye are mixed into an intermittent single flow of air gas by a fixed pulse and jetted from nozzles. CONSTITUTION:In dye chamber 30, a sublimable dye 31 is heated by a heater 33 to become dye vapor 32. The dye vapor 32 is flowed out according to an image signal S from a dye vapor path 34, mixed into the intermittent flow of air gas by a fixed pulse from a nozzle 27, and jetted from a jet nozzle 26. Since the dye vapor 32 is forcibly jetted toward a recording material 21, the vapor 32 can be exactly flown, whereby eliminating the needs to heat the dye 31 up to high temperatures and permitting even dyes which can not e heated to high temperatures to be used. Also, since the image signal S is synchronized with pulse signal P, the dye vapor 32 can be exactly jetted on the image signal S to obtain high-quality images having good reproductivity.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording method and apparatus using a sublimable dye.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1983-1984 has proposed a recording method in which a sublimable dye is used, the sublimable dye is heated to form a dye vapor, and the dye vapor is ejected from a nozzle to adhere to a recording medium. Some of these are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1771 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-22759.

First, the former method shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 57-1771 heats dyes of multiple colors in each tank to generate dye vapor, and then collects the multicolored dye vapors into a single stream. This allows the jet to be ejected from a single nozzle. FIG. 17 illustrates this. That is, using sublimable color ink.

Dye inks of four colors, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, are each supplied into an inkjet nozzle 3 through a conduit 2 by a pressurizing means 1 such as a pump. Therefore, by heating with a heating means 4 such as a nichrome wire, the dye ink is heated and sublimated to generate dye vapor. This dye vapor is excited by each electromechanical transducer rod 5 and ejected from a single orifice 6 as ink gas particles 7 toward the recording medium 8. At this time, the heating of the dye ink is controlled by each heating signal generator to adjust the amount of generation.
Color adjustment is achieved by mixing them.

On the other hand, the latter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-22759, as shown in FIG.
Book sublimation dye frame 11, laser light source 12 and air system 1
3 will be provided. Therefore, the lens 14 is driven to irradiate a desired dye frame 11 of the three colors with focused laser light from the laser light source 12 to generate dye vapor. The generated dye vapor is blown out from the tip of the nozzle 10 by compressed air from the air system 13 and is deposited on the recording paper 15.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention First, in the case of the method described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-1771 shown in FIG. do not have. In other words, the dye vapor is simply separated into ink gas particles 7 by the vibration of the electromechanical conversion rod 5.

The ejection relies solely on the vapor pressure of the dye vapor itself. Therefore, dye vapor tends to remain in the nozzle 6. In this way, the dye vapor remaining in the nozzle 6 will be mixed with the dye vapor generated by the next heating signal and ejected, so the dye vapor remaining in the nozzle 6 will cause a decline in color reproducibility. becomes. In addition, in order to increase the recording speed (jetting power), the heating temperature of the sublimable dye must be raised to a considerably high temperature, which is disadvantageous in that the types of sublimable dyes that can be used are limited. Furthermore, the amount of dye vapor ejected is controlled by heating by the heating means 4 in accordance with an image signal and by synchronizing the timing of this heating with the vibrations by the electromechanical conversion rod 5. However, this jetting amount control part of the dye vapor is located far behind the single nozzle 6, and the heating means 4 is also located far away from the single nozzle 6. It is difficult to properly control the amount, and it is difficult to eject the ink gas particles 7 from the nozzle 6 faithfully to the image signal.

As mentioned above, the second type does not have a means for forcibly ejecting the dye vapor, and the vibration of the electromechanical conversion rod 5 is absorbed by the dye vapor in the nozzle between the heating means 4 and the orifice 6, and the external air is ejected to the nozzle. It also becomes unstable due to the risk of backflow.

On the other hand, in the case of the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 59-22759 shown in FIG. 18, a lens 14 and a laser light source 12 are required for one nozzle 10, and
In order to incorporate the dye frame 11 into the nozzle 10 from around 0,
Due to its structure, it is difficult to use multiple heads. Further, the amount of dye vapor ejected is controlled by driving the lens 14 to selectively condense laser light from the laser light source 12 onto the dye frame 11. However, the generation of dye vapor by the laser light occurs in the dye frame 11. After the laser light irradiation starts, the temperature of the light irradiated area gradually rises and sublimation gradually begins, and then even after the laser light irradiation has stopped, the dye vapor does not emit light. Sublimation will continue until the temperature of the irradiated area falls. During this time, the dye vapor generated by heating is transferred to the air system 13.
The compressed air flow continuously flows through the nozzle 1o.
It will be ejected from. Therefore, dye vapor is ejected even when the recording head moves, and when looking at the shape of the dots 16 formed on the recording medium 15, the shape is broken and flowing as shown in FIG. 19, resulting in poor quality. becomes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording method and apparatus that can record an image signal with good reproducibility using a simple method.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention mixes dye vapor 32 generated by heating a sublimable dye 31 into a single intermittent gas flow by constant pulses, Along with this gas flow, dye vapor 32 is ejected from the nozzle 26, and the nozzle 2
This method employs a method of forming an image by adhering it onto a recording medium 21 facing the recording medium 6.

Function: The dye vapor 32 generated by heating the sublimable dye 31 is not at its own vapor pressure, but is mixed into an intermittent gas flow with constant pulses, so that the dye vapor 32 is mixed with the gas flow into the nozzle 26 with this gas flow.
Since the dye vapor 32 is forcibly ejected from the nozzle 26, the dye vapor 32 does not remain in the nozzle 26, and the dye vapor 32 can be ejected smoothly. Furthermore, it is possible to perform high-quality recording without dot shape deviation.

Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. First, the recording medium 21 wound around the platen 20
is provided, and a recording head 2 is provided facing the recording medium 21.
2 is provided. The recording head 22 is mounted on a carriage 23 as shown in FIG.
Driven by. A small-diameter ejection nozzle 26 is formed at the center of the front end of the recording head 22 facing the recording medium 21 . An air nozzle 27 is formed in the central portion in electrical communication with the ejection nozzle 26, and is connected to an air system 28 on the rear end side.

A gas flow control device 29 is provided on the inner tip side of this air nozzle 27.
is provided. On the other hand, a dye chamber 30 is formed in the lower part of the recording head 22, and a sublimable dye 31 is set therein. Around this dye chamber 30, the sublimable dye 31
A heater 33 serving as a heating device for heating the dye vapor 32 to generate dye vapor 32 is provided. The dye chamber 30 is communicated with the jet nozzle 26 via a dye vapor passage 34 for the dye vapor 32. This dye vapor passage 3
4 is equipped with an ejection amount control device 35 that serves as a mixing control device.
is provided. Further, a dye supply port 36 is formed in the dye chamber 3°, so that the sublimable dye 31 can be supplied.

Here, the gas flow control device 29 and the ejection amount control device 35
For example, a cantilever, a surface tension valve, an electrostrictive or magnetostrictive vibrator, a shutter using a magnetic fluid, etc. can be used, and the gas flow control device 29 is controlled by a constant pulse P at a constant timing output from a pulse signal source 37. The ejection amount control device 35 is controlled by an image signal S from an image signal source 38. A gate circuit 39 is provided to synchronize the timing of both.

FIG. 3 shows an example in which electrostrictive vibrators 40 and 41 are used as an example of the gas flow control device 29 and the ejection amount control device 35. and a valve 42 that opens and closes the opening of the dye vapor passage 34.
, 43. As a result, the pulse signal source 3
When a voltage is applied to the electrostrictive vibrator 40 by a constant pulse P from 7, the electrostrictive vibrator 4o vibrates, and in response to this vibration, the valve 42 opens and closes the opening of the air nozzle 27. Since such an operation is performed every fixed pulse P, the gas flow by the air system 28 is ejected from the air nozzle 47 as an intermittent gas flow. On the other hand 1
The electrostrictive vibrator 41 is activated by the image signal S from the image signal source 38.
When a voltage is applied to the electrostrictive vibrator 41, the electrostrictive vibrator 41 vibrates, and in response to this vibration, the valve 43 opens and closes the opening of the dye vapor passage 34. Since such an operation is performed in accordance with the image signal S, the jet nozzle 26 is ejected from the dye vapor passage 34.
Due to its vapor pressure, the dye vapor 32 will flow out of the area. At this time, since the sublimable dye 31 has a high sublimation temperature of 200 to 250° C., the electrostrictive vibrator 41 used has excellent temperature resistance. The same applies to magnetostrictive vibrators.

A single cucumber with a temperature of about 300°C is suitable.

In such a configuration, a gas flow constantly flows into the air nozzle 27 from the air system 28, and the gas flow control device f! 29 is controlled to open and close by a pulse signal P from a pulse signal source 37, and since this is a constant pulse, an intermittent gas flow is ejected from the air nozzle 27 and the jet nozzle 26 by a constant pulse. . Here, FIG. 4(a) shows the pulse signal P given to the gas flow control device 29, and one period of time is the period required to record one dot, and the period TON.
On the other hand, ToFF is a non-ejection period (a period of movement of the recording head 22).

In the dye chamber 30, the sublimable dye 31 is heated by the heater 33 and sublimated, becoming dye vapor 32 and flowing into the dye chamber 3.
0 and the dye vapor passage 34. and,
The ejection amount control device 35 at the tip of the dye vapor passage 34 controls the dye vapor passage 3 when the image signal S is given from the image signal source 38.
4 is opened, the dye vapor 32 flows out to the jet nozzle 26 in accordance with the image signal S and is mixed with the air gas flow from the air nozzle 27, and the dye vapor 32 flows out from the jet nozzle 26 along with this gas flow. Steam 32 is ejected,
Recording is performed by flying and adhering onto the opposing recording medium 21.

On the other hand, when there is no one image signal S, the dye vapor 32 is not mixed with the gas flow, so only the gas flow is ejected and is not recorded.

According to this embodiment, the dye vapor 32 that is constantly generated in the dye chamber 30 flows out from the dye vapor passage 34 in response to the image signal S, and flows intermittently with constant pulses. Since the dye vapor 32 is mixed in the air gas flow and ejected from the ejection nozzle cloud 6, the ejection of the dye vapor 32 toward the recording medium 21 is forced, and the dye vapor 32 can be reliably attached to the recording medium 21 by flying. . Therefore, even if the vapor pressure of the dye itself is small, it can be reliably ejected, and there is no need to raise the heating temperature of the sublimable dye 31 to a high temperature. Even dyes that could not be used due to the requirement can now be used, and the range of choices for sublimable dyes 31 is expanded. or,
Since the image signal S and the pulse signal P are synchronized, the dye vapor 32 can be ejected faithfully to the image signal S, resulting in a high-quality recorded image with good reproducibility. In particular, during the period TOFF during which the scanning movement of the recording head 22 is a non-ejection period of the air gas flow, the stepping motor 2
5, there is no jetting out of dye vapor during the movement of the recording head, unlike in the prior art, and the shape of the resulting dots 44 is of high quality without deformation, as shown in FIG.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 6. In this embodiment, instead of the air system 28 and gas flow control device 29 in the previous embodiment, It uses an intermittent air system 45 that is directly controlled and generates an intermittent gas flow with constant pulses.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. In this embodiment, a dye supply device 46 is provided below the recording head 22, and the dye is supplied in advance by this dye supply device 46. The sublimable dye 47 on the verge of sublimation is heated and supplied to the vicinity of the ejection nozzle 26, and 1
Laser light from a laser light source 48 controlled by an image signal S is irradiated through a lens 50 and a mirror 51 arranged in a light irradiation path 49 to heat the sublimable dye 47 and generate dye vapor 32. This dye vapor 32 is ejected from the ejection nozzle 26 along with an intermittent gas flow of constant pulses. At this time, the sublimable dye 47 is supplied near the ejection nozzle 26 in a state on the verge of sublimation.

Immediate sublimation occurs due to laser light irradiation, resulting in one image signal S
faithful records will be made. Also in this case, since no gas flow is ejected when the recording head 22 is moved, no misalignment of the recording dots occurs. Here, FIG. 8 shows a signal. In the image signal S for the laser light source 48 shown in FIG. The light irradiation time is arbitrarily controlled for each image signal.

Further, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, instead of the air system 28 and gas flow control device 29 in the third embodiment, an intermittent gas flow is generated that is directly controlled by a pulse signal P from a signal source 37 to generate an intermittent gas flow of constant pulses. This uses a target air system 45.

Furthermore, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. This embodiment is based on the light irradiation path 4 in the third embodiment.
9 is provided with a shutter 52 that is controlled to close and close by the image signal S from the image signal source 38, and the shutter 52 turns the laser light from the laser light source 48 ON and OFF in accordance with the image signal S to dye the sublimable dye 47. The heating is controlled.

Next, an example of color recording will be described.

First, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14. In this embodiment, four dye chambers 30a to 30d are formed around the air nozzle 27, and the dye chamber 30a
A cyan dye 31a is set in the dye chamber 30b, a magenta dye 31b is set in the dye chamber 30b, a yellow dye 31c is set in the dye chamber 30c, and a black dye 31d is set in the dye chamber 30d. The dye vapor passages 34a to 34d of the dye chambers 30a to 30d are formed to communicate with the jetting nozzle 26, and are each provided with a jetting amount control device [35a to 35d]. These ejection amount control devices 35a to 35d are individually controlled by each color image signal 5a=Sd from the image signal source 38. Moreover, each of the dye chambers 30a to 3
Heaters 33a to 33d are provided around 0d,
It is configured to heat and sublimate each of the sublimable dyes 31a to 31d to generate dye vapors 32a to 32d of each dye.

In such a configuration, the amount of dye vapor 32a to 32d generated in each dye chamber 30a to 30d flowing out to the ejection nozzle 26 is controlled by each ejection amount control device 35a to 35d based on the image signal Sa''Sd of each color. adjusted by
These dye vapors 32a to 32d are discharged from the jetting nozzle 26.
They will be mixed at a desired mixing ratio nearby. An intermittent air gas flow is ejected from the air nozzle 27 with constant pulses against such mixed dye vapor, so that it is mixed with this gas flow and is ejected from the ejection nozzle 26 to the recording medium 2.
1, and color recording is made.

In this way, according to this embodiment, even in color recording,
Since the mixed dye vapor is forced to be ejected from the ejection nozzle 26 by the intermittent gas flow, the ejection nozzle 2
Dye vapor does not remain in the dye 6, and flight is performed smoothly, allowing color recording with good color reproducibility. This results in high-quality color recording in that there is no dot pattern deviation.

Here, an example of the timing chart of each signal is shown in FIG. 14. In this figure, one color image signal Sa ” S d
are given to the ejection amount control devices 35a to 35d, respectively, and are synchronized with the pulse signal P.

While these color image signals 5a=Sd are being output, each of the ejection amount control devices 35a to 35d is opened to mix the respective dye vapors 32a to 32d, and each color image signal S a ” S The hue of the dot is controlled according to the time ratio of d.In this case,
By making the time ratio between each color image signal Sa"Sd the same and changing their overall length (time), it is possible to control the shading even in color recording of the same hue. For example, This FIG. 14 shows image formation for four dots, and the time ratio of each color image signal Sa''Sd is the same for the second to fourth dots.
Since the overall time ratio is set to a ratio of 4:2:1 from the second dot to the fourth dot,
The resulting dots all have the same hue, but the second dot is the darkest and the fourth dot is the lightest.

Next, the seventh embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 15 and 16.
In this embodiment, which will be explained with figures, three colors of sublimable dye 31, cyan dye 31a, magenta dye 31b, and yellow dye 31c, are used, and the dye chambers 30a to 30 are
c are independently provided in parallel, and these dye chambers 30a to 30a are arranged in parallel.
Air nozzles 27a to 27c are individually provided for each dye chamber 30c, and an ejection amount control device 35a is installed from each dye chamber 30a to 30c.
Each dye vapor 328-3 supplied via ~35c
2c is mixed with an intermittent air gas flow generated by constant pulses from each of the air nozzles 27a to 27c, and is ejected from the ejection nozzles 26a to 26c. The dye vapors 32a to 3 ejected in this way
2c adheres to the recording body 21, but by scanning the recording head 22, each dye vapor 32a to 32
c is appropriately mixed on this recording body 21 at a time difference,
The colors are mixed and color recording is performed. That is, in the sixth embodiment, dye vapor is mixed in the jet nozzle 26, but in this embodiment, the dye vapor is mixed in the jet nozzles 26a to 26.
The colors are mixed on the recording body 21 after being ejected from c.

In addition, in these examples, color recording using cyan, magenta, yellow, etc. was explained. This can be similarly applied to the case of key recording.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention mixes the dye vapor generated by heating the sublimable dye into a single intermittent gas flow by constant pulses, and utilizes this gas flow to expel the dye vapor from the nozzle. I forced it to erupt and recorded it, so
Dye vapor is ejected smoothly, dye vapor does not remain in the nozzle, image signals and color image signals can be faithfully recorded, and the heating temperature for sublimable dyes can be reduced. It does not need to be expensive, it can widen the range of types of sublimable dyes that can be used, and it can also perform high-quality recording without dot pattern deviation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a vertical side view, FIG. 2 is an external side view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a gas flow control device and an ejection amount control device. 4 is a timing chart, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the state of the dots, FIG. 6 is a longitudinal side view showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a side view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal side view showing a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a timing chart thereof, FIG. 9 is a longitudinal side view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a vertical side view showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a longitudinal side view showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 11, FIG. 14 is a timing chart, FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the seventh embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 16 is a vertical side view, and FIG. An explanatory diagram showing a conventional example,
FIG. 18 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing another conventional example, and FIG. 19 is a plan view showing the shape of the printed dots. 21...Recording body, 26...Ejection nozzle, 27...
Air nozzle, 28...Air system, 29...Gas flow control device, 31...Sublimable dye, 32...Dye vapor, 33...Heater (heating device), 35...Ejection amount Control bag W (mixing control bag [), 45... intermittent air system,
47...Sublimable dye, 48...Laser light source (heating device) Applicant: Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd. - Kuzu, 3 Figure J■Figure 35 Figure J5J6 Figure Jib

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Dye vapor generated by heating a sublimable dye is mixed into a single intermittent gas flow by constant pulses, and the dye vapor is ejected from a nozzle together with this gas flow; An image recording method characterized in that an image is formed by depositing the image on a recording medium facing the nozzle. 2. An air system that generates a gas flow, a nozzle that ejects this gas flow, a gas flow control device that controls the gas flow ejected from this nozzle into an intermittent gas flow using constant pulses, and a sublimable dye. 1. An image recording apparatus comprising: a heating device for heating dye vapor; and a mixing control device for mixing dye vapor generated by heating into a gas flow in accordance with an image signal. 3. An intermittent air system that generates an intermittent gas flow using constant pulses, a nozzle that ejects this gas flow, a heating device that heats the sublimable dye, and a dye vapor generated by heating that generates an intermittent gas flow according to an image signal. 1. An image recording device comprising: a mixing control device for mixing in a gas flow. 4. An air system that generates a gas flow, a nozzle that ejects this gas flow, a gas flow control device that controls the gas flow ejected from this nozzle to an intermittent gas flow using constant pulses, and a sublimable dye. and a heating device for heating dye vapor according to an image signal to generate dye vapor to be mixed into the gas stream. 5. An intermittent air system that generates an intermittent gas flow with constant pulses, a nozzle that jets out this gas flow, and a dye vapor that heats a sublimable dye in accordance with an image signal and mixes it into the gas flow. An image recording device characterized by comprising a heating device for.