JPS61219652A - Ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To supply color inks on a block basis and obtain a favorable color image, by a system wherein an ink support member is split into a plurality of regions, and ink-supplying means supply inks to the split regions. CONSTITUTION:A recording paper 1 to be printed by a liner printer 10 is fed sequentially by rotating a platen roller 8, and the feeding length is, for example, three times of a recording length in the case of three colors. Supply of inks to a perforated film 14 guidedly moved by rotating pulleys 6, 7 is effected when the film 14 is passed through an ink-supplying part 3, which comprises ink-supplying bodies 3a, 3b, 3c which have colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C), respectively. Each of the ink-supplying bodies 3a, 3b, 3c is connected to an ink reservoir, and is brought into contact with and released from the film 4 by an energizing means such as a solenoid, whereby supply of the ink is conducted and stopped.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus, and more particularly to an inkjet recording apparatus that performs ink jetting thermally.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

A recorded image is obtained on recording paper by ejecting minute ink droplets from a capillary nozzle (orifice). In so-called inkjet recording, there is a means of ejecting ink from a nozzle by using the vibration of a piezoelectric element in an orifice to instantaneously increase the pressure of the ink liquid (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 48-9622), or
Means for ejecting ink from a nozzle by providing a heating element in the ink chamber (orifice) to generate air bubbles in the ink chamber to increase the pressure of the ink liquid (Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-9429)
) etc. have been proposed. These are called on-demand methods that eject ink only when needed.

Although it has the advantage of not wasting ink and has a relatively high recording speed, it is complicated to manufacture the recording head, such as drilling holes in the nozzle and arranging piezoelectric elements and heating elements in the ink chamber. There is a major problem in that the ink in the nozzle coagulates due to heat generation, causing clogging and malfunction.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above drawbacks.

Simple structure prevents ink from clogging or spilling.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new inkjet recording device that can obtain color images without increasing the number of recording heads.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention relates to an ink support member having a large number of micropores or recesses for holding ink.

an ink means for supplying ink corresponding to a plurality of colors to the ink support member;

and a recording head having a plurality of heating elements that selectively apply heat to the ink supporting member holding ink.

An ink jet that performs recording by ejecting ink held by the ink support member by heat applied by the recording head onto a recording paper disposed to face the recording head while sandwiching the ink support member. It is a recording device.

An inkjet recording apparatus is provided, wherein the ink support member is divided into a plurality of regions, and the ink supply means supplies ink to each of the divided regions.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention, no nozzle is used as an ink ejecting means.

Since ink is ejected from holes or recesses formed on the film, there is no ink clogging.

Furthermore, since inks of a plurality of colors are supplied to the same film, color recording can be performed using a single recording head, and ink of each color can be supplied to each divided block on the film.

Good color images can be obtained without mixing inks of different colors.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

First, the recording principle of the present invention will be briefly explained using FIG. A recording paper (not shown) is disposed at a position facing the thermal head C3 with the ink support interposed therebetween. For example, this ink support (to) is made by electroforming.
Etched onto a 30 μm nickel plate with a diameter of 10 mm.
A large number of pores of about 60 μm are formed.

The ink support (hereinafter referred to as ink) retains liquid ink (hereinafter referred to as ink) in its pores in a process before reaching the thermal head Oa. The ink held in this hole.

It moves in the direction of the arrow in the figure. The space between the ink supports comes into contact with a thermal head (32) having a plurality of heat generating elements (C34) arranged therein.Here, the heat generating elements (B) selectively generate heat according to the image signal. The ink that comes into contact with (b) rapidly generates bubbles inside it and is ejected from the hole. In the figure, - indicates a state in which it is being ejected. It is transferred to the recording paper facing the thermal head (3a) to obtain a recording dot. The ink support (to) in the figure shows the holes after the ink has been ejected. Go in the direction of the arrow,
By repeating the above recording process, a desired image can be obtained on the recording paper.

In this method of transporting ink by providing a large number of holes in the ink support, one image point is formed by ink filled in a plurality of holes, and this is a recording method that does not use nozzles. Since no pickles or nozzles are used, clogging is virtually non-existent. Also, even if some holes become clogged due to some reason, it will not affect the majority of printing because one pixel corresponds to multiple holes. Additionally, there is always an ink support (
7) is a new recording method in which fresh ink is transported, so there are no recording errors caused by air bubbles in the ink.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a line printer using an inkjet recording apparatus including the above-described recording principle. In the line printer (11), recording paper (1) supplied from a paper feed source (5) is supported by a recording paper support (1υ) and sequentially conveyed by rotation of a platen roller (8). The length is the number of colors times the recording length (maximum recording paper width) on the recording paper (1). For example, in the case of three colors, it is three times the recording length. This perforated film I is ) and (guided by rotation of force).

The ink supply to the perforated film α is carried out by the ink supply section (3
, ) is done when passing through. The ink supply section (3) has built-in ink supply bodies (3a), (3b), and (3c).

This ink supply body (3a) has colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C), respectively.
(3b) and (3C) are connected to an ink reservoir (not shown) made of a felt-like member. Furthermore, the perforated film (4) is brought into contact with and released by a biasing means such as a solenoid, and the ink supply and supply stop operations are performed accordingly.

The operation of sequentially recording yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) will be described below. Perforated film (4
) is moving in the direction of arrow A and is supplied with yellow ink by the ink supply body (3a) while passing through the ink supply section (3), and reaches the recording head (2).

This recording head (2) discharges ink as described above, and a yellow image is obtained on the recording paper (1) which faces the recording paper (1) and rotates in the direction of arrow B. To record this yellow image, approximately one-third of the total length O of the perforated film (4) is connected to the recording head (2).
It is carried out only during the period when the The ink supply (3a) is then deenergized and the ink supply (3b)
A perforated film (with 4 volts energized).

Supply magenta ink to the perforated film (4). The perforated film (4) holding this magenta ink is rubbed against the recording head (2) to record a magenta image, but at this time the recording paper (1) is rotated in the opposite direction of arrow B and The yellow image is recorded over the recording area of the yellow image. Also, the record of this magenta image.

The previous recording of the yellow image is performed from the opposite direction on the recording paper, and accordingly, the order of the image signals applied to the recording head 2) is also reversed. In this way, the magenta image is recorded on the perforated film (4) in the same way as the yellow image.
This is performed only during the period during which approximately one-third of the length of the recording head (2) passes through the recording head (2). Next, in recording a cyan image, the ink supply body (3b) is released and the ink supply body (3b) is released.
C) is energized and supplies cyan ink to the perforated film (4). Furthermore, cyan ink is ejected from the recording head (2), and as in the case of recording a yellow image, it is superimposed on the previous yellow and magenta recording areas on the recording paper that is rotating in the direction of arrow B, facing the recording head (2). A cyan image is recorded.

In this way, a desired three-color image is recorded on the recording paper (1). And this recording paper (1) is placed in the tray (9).
is accepted and the recording ends.

As described above, three colors of ink are superimposed on the recording paper and recorded using the same recording head, and a color image is obtained. In addition, in this case, the ink supply of three colors to the perforated film is divided into 1/3 blocks and one color is assigned to each block to avoid mixing of inks of different colors on the perforated film. This allows the perforated film to be used multiple times.

In this way, since no nozzles are used as ink ejecting means, there is no ink clogging caused by nozzles. Furthermore,
Since multiple color inks are supplied to the same perforated film, color images can be recorded with a single recording head, and since each color ink is supplied to each divided block on the film, different color inks can be recorded. Good color images can be obtained without mixing.

[Other embodiments of the invention]

In the above embodiment, the perforated film is divided into blocks for each ink color, but the recording area may be made even finer by dividing the perforated film into blocks that are n times the number of ink colors. Further, the ink colors are not limited to the three colors of yellow, mazemme, and cyan, but various colors and combinations such as four colors mixed with black or two colors of magenta and black are possible.

Furthermore.

It is also effective when recording a specific color from among colors such as yellow, magenta, and cyan by specifying the color.

Note that although this embodiment has been explained using a line printer configuration,
Various modifications may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention, such as being applicable to serial printers.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention used in a line printer, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the recording principle. 1... Recording paper 2... Recording head 2a.
...Heating element 3...Ink supply section 3a,
3b, 3C... Ink supply body 4... Perforated film 5... Recording paper roll Agent Patent attorney Noriyuki Chika (and 1 other person) Figure 1 L/. Figure 2 Procedures Amendment Oath (Voluntary)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An ink support member having a large number of micropores or recesses for holding ink; an ink supply means for supplying ink corresponding to a plurality of colors to the ink support member; a recording head having a plurality of heating elements that apply heat to the recording head, and the ink held on the ink support member by the heat applied by the recording head is opposed to the recording head with the ink support member sandwiched between the recording heads. An inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging onto recording paper arranged as shown in FIG. An inkjet recording device characterized by supplying. (2) The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink support member is endless.