JPS61227067A - Thermal recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a small-type inexpensive thermal recording head capable of securely providing color images at high speed, by a construction wherein a slit with an optical guide member disposed thereat is provided between rows of heating resistors. CONSTITUTION:The recording head comprises on a flat substrate 100 two heating resistors rows 101, 102, which are driven at different temperatures or the same temperature by driving circuits 103, 104 disposed in the vicinity thereof, to generate heat, thereby causing thermal color forming elements on a thermal recording material to form colors with the result of recording. An end of the optical guide member 110 is embedded in the slit 105 provided between the heating resistor rows, and the other end is connected with a light source box 111. Accordingly, the head is made to be extremely small in size, the period of time required for feeding the recording material from the row 101 to the row 102 is shortened, and overall recording speed in multicolor recording can be markedly enhanced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field of the Invention) The present invention relates to a thermal recording head, and particularly to a recording head for a thermal recording material that develops multiple colors.

More specifically, recorded images (color images) of different hues are produced by selectively photodegrading at least one coloring component in a specific unit coloring group in a substantial sense between thermal printing. The present invention relates to a small and inexpensive thermal recording head that can be obtained reliably and at high speed.

(Technical background of the invention and its problems) With the rapid development of the information industry, there has been an increasing demand for obtaining color hard copies in tubes from information equipment terminals such as computers and facsimiles. There is. As this method, an inkjet method and a thermal transfer method are being considered. However, the inkjet method uses a fine nozzle to inject the colorant and spray the ink.
The major drawback is that the nozzle is easily clogged with coloring material and other contents, resulting in unreliable recording. In addition, the thermal transfer method heats and melts the sheet on the ink sheet in an image-like manner.

Since it is a method of transferring onto paper, it is necessary to use four ink sheets to obtain a four-color image, for example.
It is uneconomical as it uses a large amount of ink sheets. Also, in the case of the inkjet method, the user must always be careful not to run out of ink, and in the case of the thermal transfer method.

You need to be careful not to run out of ink sheets.

That is, both methods force the user to perform complicated management.

On the other hand, a thermal coloring method is known as a highly reliable recording method that does not require this complicated management, and has rapidly become popular in the fields of black and white facsimiles and printers in recent years. This method is characterized by a recording material in which a layer having a coloring mechanism is coated on a support, and because it is a simple method for users, development of a multicolor heat-sensitive coloring method has been delayed.

However, in order to produce multiple colors, it is necessary to incorporate a number of coloring mechanisms corresponding to the number of colors on the same support and to control each coloring mechanism to make it work, and many efforts have been made in the past. However, none of them had sufficient control over color development.

For example, as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-H, a recording material in which two types of coloring components that develop different tones at different coloring temperatures are mixed in the same heat-sensitive coloring layer, or as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-11E189. As described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-1331191, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-811135, etc., depending on the coloring temperature of the coloring component, it is used separately for the high-temperature thermosensitive coloring layer and the low-temperature thermosensitive coloring layer, and these two layers are used separately. There is a recording material in which the following are sequentially laminated on a support. Moreover,
As shown in Japanese Patent Publications No. 50-17888 and No. 51-5791, in addition to the above-mentioned high temperature and low temperature heat generating layers, when forming an image on a high temperature thermosensitive coloring layer, a low temperature layer corresponding to this image forming area is used. Examples include recording materials incorporating a decoloring agent that exhibits a decoloring effect on the coloring component in the heat-sensitive coloring layer. However, all of these conventional multicolor heat-sensitive recording materials had the disadvantage of 5t, and none were satisfactory.

For example, when low-temperature and high-temperature coloring images with different tones are formed by low-temperature and high-temperature recording using a recording material with one or two heat-sensitive coloring layers provided on a support, the tone of the high-temperature coloring image differs from the low-temperature coloring. This may cause color mixing with the image tone,
When recording conditions (temperature, humidity, printing model) change, the degree of color mixing changes, making it difficult to obtain images with a constant and stable color tone.Also, when recording at high temperatures, the surrounding area may be at the same temperature as when recording. Because of this area, a low-temperature colored image is generated around the high-temperature recorded image. This phenomenon is generally referred to as shading or blurring, and has been a cause of deteriorating the clarity of images. Furthermore, although color mixing can be prevented in recording materials having a color erasing mechanism, the problem of color blurring remains unsolved.

In order to eliminate such drawbacks, the present applicant provided a thermochromic element on a support that thermally colors the diazo compound and the coupling component, and the thermochromic element heats the diazo compound and the coupling component in a plurality of different temperature ranges or in the same temperature range. (Japanese Patent Application No. 513-182131, Japanese Patent Application No. 59-182132) Furthermore, as a device for recording characters or images on such heat-sensitive recording materials, a heat-sensitive recording device as shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-252890 was proposed. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, heat-sensitive recording materials 1 cut to predetermined dimensions are accumulated and stored in a stocker 2, and are taken out one by one from the bottom of the stocker 2 by a conveying mechanism 3. The thermosensitive recording material IA is conveyed to the recording section, and the conveyed heat-sensitive recording material IA is placed on a belt 1 wound around a plurality of rollers 11.
It is designed to be transported to the collection box 4 by a transport mechanism 10 consisting of 2. On the horizontal part of the upper side of the bell N2 of the transport mechanism 10, line-shaped thermal heads 21. 22 and 23 are arranged in order, and downstream of each of these thermal heads 21 to 23, light source units (31) and 32 and 33 (32 and 33) emit external light by emitting light beams of different wavelengths to separate colors. These light source unit, ) 31 ~
33 includes a light source 34 that emits light at a predetermined frequency.
．． 35 and 3B are arranged. Further, a cover 40 that does not block light in the ultraviolet region is provided over the entire apparatus to prevent decomposition of the thermochromic elements of the heat-sensitive recording material l due to external light, thereby preventing a decrease in sensitivity.

With this recording device, when the coloring temperature ranges of the coloring elements of the heat-sensitive recording material are different, the yellow coloring element is first colored by the thermal head 21, and after the yellow component is recorded, the light source unit 31 Then, the magenta coloring element is developed by the thermal head 22, and after the magenta component is recorded, the magenta coloring element is separated by the light source unit 32. Furthermore, the thermal head 23
As a result, the cyan coloring element is colored, and after the cyan component is recorded, the cyan coloring element is separated by the light source unit 33 and a color image is recorded.

Here, if the coloring temperature of each coloring element is the same, all of the coloring elements of each color are first colored, the combined color of each color is recorded, and then the colors of the coloring elements separated one after another are removed and the recording is completed. It is done.

In the thermal recording device described above, the light source unit is installed in the light irradiation zone between the thermal heads, so a considerable amount of space is required between the thermal heads, resulting in an increase in the size of the device and the need for recording between the thermal heads. This method has the disadvantage that it takes time to transport the material, which slows down the overall recording.

(Object of the invention) This invention was made under the above circumstances,
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording head that has a nine-color development mechanism that develops colors in the intended hue, and that is capable of recording on color-developing multicolor thermosensitive recording materials without color mixing with a compact and inexpensive configuration. Our goal is to provide the following. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording head which can obtain clear images without any bleed in one color at high speed and improve the overall recording speed.

(Summary of the Invention) The present invention relates to a heat-sensitive recording head for recording on a heat-sensitive recording material. A slit is provided.

(Embodiments of the invention) First, patent application No. 511-162381 used in this invention
The heat-sensitive recording material disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-182382 will be explained. This thermosensitive recording material has a plurality of unit coloring groups (thermocoloring elements) G that develop colors in different hues.
1. G2...G (n is an integer of 2 or more) on the support, each unit coloring group G+ (i is an integer)
a) consists of two or more compounds to realize the function of developing color when heated to a specific temperature T1° C. above room temperature.

b) The coloring temperatures T1 in a) above are different, and 'h <
72 <T3・・・・・・1 sentence (2≦also≦n)
and C) at least one of the two or more compounds in a) above,
Wavelength input i(n) given from outside the recording material (200
This light contains components (n×λic700nm) and selectively photodecomposes in a practical sense.

d) Compounds other than this photodegradable compound may be common to compounds belonging to other unit coloring groups, if necessary.

First, a heat-sensitive recording material having a temperature higher than T1<72
Coloring only the unit coloring group G1 at a higher abrasive temperature.Next, irradiate light containing one component to the wavelength to photodecompose the photodegradable compound in the unit coloring group G1 to prevent G1 from coloring. . Then, if only unit coloring group G2 is colored at a temperature higher than T2 and lower than 73, photolysis and temperature-controlled recording are repeated in the same manner, and each unit coloring group is independently recorded and colored one after another. A multicolor image having the intended hue can be obtained.

According to the above-described method, only the intended unit coloring groups can be sequentially and independently colored, and by utilizing this characteristic, it is possible to obtain a multicolor image without bleeding in one mixed color.

Note that when selectively photodegrading the photodegradable compounds in the unit coloring group G1, it is not necessarily necessary to use only light with a wavelength of 1, and it is sufficient not to photodecompose other photodegradable compounds at the same time. , if necessary, other photodegradable compounds may be photodegraded at the same time, and the unit coloring group that develops color at the end does not need to be photodegraded;
), each coloring temperature Tt is substantially the same, and TI=
T, =...=T sentence (2≦l≦n) may be used.

The above-mentioned multicolor heat-sensitive recording material will be explained in more detail.

Each unit coloring group basically consists of a diazo compound,
It consists of a coupler and, if necessary, a basic substance or an acidic substance. Further, the hue when each unit coloring group develops a color is determined mainly by the diazo dye produced by the reaction between the diazo compound and the coupler. Therefore, as is well known, by changing the chemical structure of the diazo compound or the chemical structure of the coupler, the color hue can be easily changed, and almost any color hue can be obtained depending on one combination. can. For this reason, various diazo compounds may be dispersed in one layer, and one type of coupler or other additives may be incorporated into the same layer, in which case each unit coloring group is a different diazo compound. and common couplers and other additives. Alternatively, separate couplers may be dispersed in several layers, and the same diazo compound or additive may be incorporated into each layer. in this case,
Each unit color forming group is composed of a different coupler and other common diazo compounds and additives. In any case, each unit color forming group is composed of one or more diazo compounds combined so as to produce different color hues, and one or more couplers and other additives.

Next, selective photolysis will be explained.

Photodegradable compounds mainly refer to aromatic diazo compounds, and more specifically to compounds such as aromatic diazonium salts, diazosulfonate compounds, and diazoamino compounds. explain. As a method of selective photolysis that can be used here,
There are mainly two methods: ■ and ■. Namely, there are two methods: (1) changing the chemical structure of the diazonium salt used to change its photodecomposition wavelength; and (2) dividing the light that reaches the photodegradable compound in the unit coloring group Gi into smaller parts using a filter layer or the like. Method ■ is generally well known. It is generally said that the photodecomposition wavelength of a diazonium salt is its maximum absorption wavelength. Also, the maximum absorption wavelength of diazonium salts depends on its chemical structure.

It is known that the thickness varies from about 20Qnm to about 700nm. In other words, if a diazonium salt is used as a photodegradable compound, it will be decomposed by light of a specific wavelength depending on its chemical structure, and if the chemical structure of the diazonium salt is changed, the dye will change when coupled with the same coupler. The hue also changes and can be preferably used.Next, method (1) will be explained.0For example, the upper layer contains a dispersion of a diazonium salt, a dispersion of a coupler, and a dispersion of an alkali that photodecompose at 400 to 430 nm. 41 below.
A filter layer in which a light-absorbing compound that blocks light of 5 mm or less is dispersed is provided, and below it is provided a layer that differs only in the coupler from the upper layer and has a different color hue than the upper layer. This recording material is first subjected to recording color development, and then the 0th order in which the upper and lower layers are colored.
The recording material is irradiated with light having only light components of 415 nm or more, and the diazonium salt in the upper layer is photodecomposed, thermal recording is performed, only the lower layer is colored, and then the recording material is exposed to light with a light source having light components of 415 nm or less. Selective photodecomposition can also be carried out by providing an optical filter layer inside the recording material or by covering the diazonium salt particles with an optical filtering material, which can be usefully used.

On the other hand, there are two methods for controlling the coloring temperature. One is a method that can be used advantageously mainly when a capsule wall is used, and is a method in which the substance permeation characteristics of the capsule wall are changed by changing the material of the capsule wall, thereby significantly changing the coloring temperature. Examples of this method include, for example, making the capsule wall with polyurethane, making it with polyurea, making urea by mixing polyurethane/polyurea, or changing the chemical structure between urethanes. The other method uses a multi-layer structure, in which a coloring aid is used to lower the coloring temperature, but coloring can be easily achieved by changing the amount of this coloring aid added for each layer. Temperature can be controlled.

Regarding each component in the unit coloring group of the heat-sensitive recording material, some components may be applied in the form of a dispersion, some components may be applied as a solution, and all components may be applied in the form of a dispersion. When coating as this dispersion, each component may be used as a so-called "solid dispersion" using a sand mill, ball mill, dyno mill, etc., but it may also be microencapsulated with a water-insoluble organic solvent. Also, some components may be used in the form of "solid dispersion" and some components may be used in the form of being encapsulated in microcapsules. When heated, the substance passes through the microcapsule walls and reacts. In this case, the presence of an organic solvent can greatly reduce the color fog during storage, and can be used desirably because it greatly increases the color development rate and color density. It is thought that this is to expand the capsule wall and promote the permeation of reactive substances. In addition, the rate-determining step in the color development reaction is the mutual dissolution of the reactants, and in this case, the presence of an organic solvent increases the rate of mutual dissolution of the reactants during heating, which is thought to increase the color development rate and concentration.

In particular, when the diazo compound of each unit color-forming component is included in microcapsules, the effect of reducing color fog during storage can be increased.

In the heat-sensitive recording material used in this invention, at least one reactive substance such as a diazo compound serving as a core substance, a coupling component, or a coloring aid is dissolved or dispersed in an organic solvent, and then interfacial polymerization, external polymerization, and internal polymerization are performed. It is preferable to microencapsulate a core material containing a reactive substance and an organic solvent with a wall material produced by a polymerization method such as polyurethane, polyurea, polyamide, or polyester. The solvent is a highly sensitive solvent that is insoluble in water. The temperature is preferably 180°C or higher, and specific examples thereof include phosphoric acid esters, phthalic acid esters, and other carboxylic acid esters.

Fatty acid amides, alkylated biphenyls, etc. are used.

Additionally, during encapsulation, halogenated alkyl compounds such as methylene chloride and dichloroethane, or various ester compounds such as ethyl acetate and propyl acetate may be used in combination with a high-boiling organic solvent as an auxiliary solvent for the substance to be encapsulated in the capsule. good.

Diazo compounds that can be used in heat-sensitive recording materials are compounds that can undergo a coupling reaction with coupling components represented by diazonium salts, diazosulfonates, and diazoamino compounds represented by the general formula ArN2°X-, and can be photodecomposed. . The diazonium salt has the general formula rN2
This is a compound represented by ゛X-.

In the heat-sensitive recording material used in this invention, it is desirable to use diazonium salts with different photodecomposition wavelengths, but as a compound having a photodecomposition wavelength near 4GOn+s, 4-diazo-1-dimethylaminobenzene is preferable. , 4-diazo-1-diethylaminobenzene, 4-diazo-1-dipropylaminobenzene, etc. As a compound having a photolysis wavelength of 300 to 370 nm, l-diazo-4-(N, The aromatic diazonium compounds represented by the above eight examples include N-dioctylcarbamoyl)benzene, 1-diazo-2-octadecyloxybenzene, etc. l!
! By arbitrarily changing the group, the photolysis wavelength can be varied widely.

Specific examples of acid anions include CnF2n◆+C00-
(n represents 3 to 9), CsF25++5(h-
(* represents 2 to 8), etc.

The coupling component used in the heat-sensitive recording material of the present invention is one that forms a dye by coupling with a diazo compound (diazonium salt) in a basic atmosphere, and specific examples thereof include resorcinol, phloroglucin, 2.
Examples include sodium 3-dihydroxynaphthalene-6-sulfonate. Furthermore, these coupling components are 2
By using more than one species in combination, an image of any tone can be obtained. As the basic substance used in the heat-sensitive recording material, there are used basic substances that are sparingly soluble or insoluble in water, and substances that generate alkali when heated. Examples of these are inorganic and organic ammonium salts, organic amines, amides, urea and urea and their derivatives.

Examples include nitrogen-containing compounds such as thiazoles and pyrroles. In addition, coloring agents that can be used in heat-sensitive recording materials are substances that increase the coloring density or lower the minimum coloring temperature during heating recording, lower the melting point of couplers, alkalis, or diazo compounds, and soften the capsule wall. Color development aids that create a situation in which diazo, alkali, and couplers are likely to react due to their action of lowering the point include phenolic compounds, alcoholic compounds, etc. Specific examples include pt-octylphenol and P-t-octylphenol. Compounds such as benzyloxyphenol and phenyl P-oxybenzoate can be mentioned.

Microcapsules used in heat-sensitive recording materials are made by emulsifying a core substance and then forming a wall of a polymeric substance around the oil droplets through a polymerization reaction.

The actant that forms the polymer substance is inside the oil droplet and/or
Specific examples of polymeric substances added to the outside of the oil droplets include polyurethane, polyurea, polyamide, and polyester. Regarding the physical properties of the polymer material, it is desirable to have a polymer material with a melting point of 50°C or higher that does not melt at the temperature during thermal recording. independence,
Alternatively, a combination of two or more diazo compound couplers or basic substances may be encapsulated in the same microcapsule.
It may also be encapsulated in different microcapsules.

The method for making microcapsule walls is particularly effective when used in the microencapsulation method by polymerizing adhesive actant from inside oil droplets, that is, it has a uniform particle size within a short time and has excellent storage stability. For example, when polyurethane is used as the capsule wall material, an oily liquid to encapsulate the polyvalent isocyanate and a second substance (for example, a polyol) that reacts with it to form the capsule wall. By mixing the oil into water, emulsifying and dispersing it in water, and then increasing the temperature, a polymer formation reaction occurs at the interface of the oil droplets, forming microcapsule walls. At this time, an adjuvant with a low boiling point and strong melting power can be used in the oily liquid. When making microcapsules, water-soluble polymers can be used for the purpose of emulsification and prevention of agglomeration of emulsions.
It contains an amphoteric polymer, and both natural and synthetic anionic polymers can be used, such as those having -COO-, -3O3- groups, etc. In addition, synthetic products include maleic anhydride-based (including hydrolyzed) copolymers, acrylic acid-based (including methacrylic acid-based) polymers and copolymers, and vinylbenzenesulfonic acid-based polymers and copolymers. , carboxy-modified polyvinyl alcohol, etc. These water-soluble polymers are 0.01
-Used as an aqueous solution of 10% Itz. The particle size of the microcapsules is adjusted to 20 mm or less. In general, if the particle size exceeds 20μ, the recorded image quality tends to deteriorate.Especially when heating with a thermal head is performed from the coated layer side, the particle size is preferably 8μ or less to avoid pressure fog.When making microcapsules, It can be made from an emulsion containing 0.2 wt$ or more of the components to be converted. 0 coupling component per 1 part by weight of diazo compound
．． It is preferable to use the basic substance in an amount of 1 to 10 parts by weight, the basic substance in an amount of 0.1 to 20 parts by weight, and the organic solvent to be used in an amount of 2 to 50 parts by weight, preferably 5 to 25 parts by weight. In addition, it is preferable to apply the diazo compound at 0.05 to 20 g/m2. When the diazo compound, coupling component, and basic substance are not microencapsulated, it is preferable to use them as a solid dispersion using a sand mill or the like. In this case, , each separately dispersed in a water-soluble polymer solution. Preferred water-soluble polymers include water-soluble polymers used when making microcapsules. At this time, the concentration of the water-soluble polymer is 2 to 30 wt$, and the diazo compound, coupling component, and basic substance are each added to the water-soluble polymer solution in an amount of 5 to 40 vtl.
The dispersed particle size is preferably 10 liters or less.

As the optical filter layer, various compounds having spectral absorption in the corresponding wavelength range can be used. In addition, when using these compounds in the optical filter layer, it is desirable that the compounds exist as uniformly as possible in the optical filter layer, and exist in the form of being incorporated into various polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinylpyrrolidone. Alternatively, a light-absorbing compound having an anionic group may be immobilized on a polymer having a cationic group by ionic interaction, and a light-absorbing compound having a cationic group may be immobilized on a polymer having an anionic group. Alternatively, a polymer having a light-absorbing site as a main chain or as a pendant group within the molecule may be used.Also, a light-absorbing compound may be dissolved and emulsified in a water-insoluble oil to emulsify it. It may be used in the form of a dispersion, or this emulsified dispersion may be absorbed into a polymer latex and made into fine particles, or the light-absorbing compound may be dissolved in a water-miscible organic solvent and mixed into a polymer latex liquid. A dispersion obtained by impregnating polymer particles and removing the organic solvent later may be used. Examples of light-absorbing compounds that can be used include salicylic acid compounds such as phenyl salicylate, benzophenone compounds such as aqueous polyester,
Benzotriazole compounds such as 2-(2'-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)benzotriazole.

A compound that absorbs at a desired wavelength can be appropriately selected and used from a wide range of compounds such as acridine compounds such as 9-7minoacridine.

Further, in the case of a multilayer structure, depending on the case, the upper layer itself may be used as a filter layer by utilizing the spectral absorption characteristics of the upper layer.

The above heat-sensitive recording material contains silica, barium sulfate, and titanium oxide for the purpose of preventing sticking to the thermal head and improving writing performance.

Pigments such as aluminum hydroxide, zinc oxide, and calcium carbonate, and fine powders such as styrene pieces and urea-melamine resins can be used. Similarly, metal soaps can also be used to prevent sticking. The amount of these used is 0.2 to 7 g/2.

Furthermore, a heat-melting substance can be used in the heat-sensitive recording material in order to increase the heat-recording density. The heat-melting substance is a substance that is solid at room temperature, has a melting point of 50 to 150°C and melts when heated by a thermal head, and is a substance that dissolves a diazo compound, a coupling component, or a coloring aid. The heat-fusible substance is dispersed in the form of particles of 0.1 to 10 JL and used at a solid content of 0.2 to 7 g/m2. Specific examples of thermofusible substances include fatty acid amides, N-substituted fatty acid amides, and the like.

The heat-sensitive recording material can be coated using a suitable binder, and various emulsions such as polyvinyl alcohol and methyl cellulose can be used as the binder. The amount used is solid content 0.5-5g/shoe? It is.

In the above-mentioned recording materials, diazo compounds.

At least one of the coupling components and the basic substance 9 and the color development aid is dissolved or dispersed in an organic solvent and then microencapsulated. The remaining reactive substance is either solidly dispersed or made into an aqueous solution and mixed with the above-mentioned microcapsule dispersion to make a coating solution, which is coated on a support such as paper or synthetic resin film by bar coating, blade coating, air knife coating, etc. The solid content is 2.5 to 15 g/m2 after coating and drying using the coating method.
A heat-sensitive layer is provided. Another method includes a layered structure in which a microcapsule layer containing one reactive substance and an organic solvent and a layer containing the remaining reactive substance are laminated. Also, as a support for heat-sensitive recording materials.

Paper can be particularly advantageously used, but it is also possible to use paper coated with a liquid in which pigments such as kaolin, talc, alumina, etc. are dispersed in polyvinyl alcohol, gelatin, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, or hydroxypropyl cellulose synthetic resin latex and dried. It's okay.

The above-mentioned heat-sensitive recording material can be used as printer paper for facsimiles and computers that require high-speed recording. In this case, unlike ordinary facsimiles and printers, it is necessary to have an exposure zone for photolysis. As a light source for photolysis, various light sources that emit light at a desired wavelength can be used, such as fluorescent lamps, fluorescent lamps used in wet diazocopy, and fluorescent lamps used in electrostatic cameras. , xenon lamps, xenon flash lamps, low-pressure, medium-pressure, high-pressure or ultra-high pressure mercury lamps, photographic flashes, strobes, halogen lamps, and other axial light sources can be used.

With respect to the above-mentioned heat-sensitive recording material, the present invention provides the first
Recording is performed with the recording head shown in Figures (A) and (B),
That is, two heating resistor rows 101 and 102 are arranged in parallel on a flat substrate 100, and one heating resistor row 10
1 and 102 are heated at different or the same temperature by drive circuits 103 and 104, which are arranged in the vicinity of each other, and are arranged at different temperatures or at the same temperature, so that the thermochromic elements of the thermosensitive recording material develop color to perform recording. There is. In addition, heating resistor row 1
A long slit 105 is formed between 01 and 102, and one end of a light guide member 110 made of bundled optical fibers is embedded in the slit 105, and the other end of the light guide member 110 is A light source box 111 containing a light source as described above is connected.

By arranging such a heat-sensitive recording head to face the heat-sensitive recording material, the above-described recording can be performed. That is, the dye d1 is colored by heating at a temperature TI using the heating resistor array 101, and the dye di is inactivated by light emitted from the tip of the light guide member 110.

The dye d2 is heated by the heating resistor array 102 at a temperature of 2 (≧1) to develop color. By using such a recording head, the light source box 111 can be placed at a position away from the irradiation position, and the light can be transmitted and irradiated by the light guide member 110, so that one heating resistor row 101 and 102 can be narrowed. Therefore, the head becomes extremely compact, the time required to transport the heat-sensitive recording material from the heating resistor arrays 101 to 102 is shortened, and the overall recording speed can be greatly improved in multicolor recording.

FIG. 3 shows the control system, and a CPU 40 that performs overall control is connected to a ROM 4 via a system bus CB.
1 and RAM 42 are connected, and a transport control unit 43 for controlling the transport mechanism is also connected, so that the image signal PS is input to the RG color buffer memories 48R and 4flB via the input interface 43 and stored therein. It has become. These buffer memories 413R and 48B are each controlled by a memory control unit 44, and are controlled by an interface 4.
3 and the memory control unit 44 are controlled by the CPO 40. Further, a light source control unit 45 is connected to the system bus CB,
The light source in the light source box 111 is controlled, and the CPO 40 further controls the thermal head control units 47R and 47B to perform the low heat generation small song sequence 10! based on the data stored in the buffer memories 48R and 46G, respectively. and 102 to send a predetermined signal.

In such a configuration, the thermosensitive recording material 1 is provided with a thermochromic element on which the diazo compound and the coupling component are thermally colored on the support, as described above, and the thermochromic element is heated by a plurality of heats at different temperatures or by the same temperature. The diazo compound develops a color and is decomposed by a plurality of light beams with different wavelengths. Here, one image signal PS is input to the input interface 43.
The signals are separated into colors via the memory controller 44 and stored in the RB buffer memories 48R and 48B corresponding to each color. Further, the CPU 40 takes out the heat-sensitive recording material 1 one by one from the storage/force via the conveyance control section 43, and controls the conveyance to the recording section by the conveyance mechanism.
According to the conveyance, the heating resistor array 10! and 102. In this case, the light source control section 45 is already turned on at the start of the recording operation via the CPO 40, and the light source provided in the light source box 111 is connected to the light guide member 111.
Light of a predetermined wavelength is irradiated through the slit 105.
The diazo compound is decomposed by light beams of different wavelengths on the heat-sensitive recording material IA passing below or above it.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, two heating resistor rows are used for recording in two colors, but it is also possible to use three or more rows for multicolor recording. can also be changed arbitrarily. In addition, Fig. 2 (A) and (B)
), the slit 105 may be a hole as it is, or a transparent member may be embedded and illuminated by the light source 1!
02 to color the thermochromic element.

After recording, the coloring elements are decomposed by light irradiation,
Although fixing is not performed, the heating resistor array 102
A light source pole 111 and a light guide member 110 are provided downstream of the
A light irradiation mechanism similar to that is provided.

The fixing may be performed by decomposing the coloring elements.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the recording head of the present invention, it is possible to perform recording similar to the conventional one with a small and simple structure, and it is possible to perform recording at low cost and quickly as a whole.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1(A) and (B) are a plan view and a side view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2(A) and (B) are a plan view and a side view showing another embodiment of the present invention. , FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a control system of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional thermosensitive recording apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Heat-sensitive recording material, 2... Stocker, 4... Collection box, 21-23... Thermal head, 31-33.
...Light source unit, 34-3B...Light source, 40...
CPU, 41...RUN, 42-RAIII, 43
"・m forwarding f'JH1m, 41...l Mo!j 1g
J control, 100... Board, 101, 102... Heating resistor array, 105... Slit, 110... Light guide member, 111... Light source box, 112... Light source. Fig.4
−

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) A thermal recording head characterized by having a row of heating resistors arranged in parallel on a substrate and a slit arranged between the rows of heating resistors. (2) The thermal recording head according to claim 1, wherein a drive circuit is provided in the vicinity of each heating resistor array. (3) The thermal recording head according to claim 1, wherein one end of the light guide member is embedded in the slit. (4) The thermal recording head according to claim 1, wherein the heating resistor rows are two. (5) The thermal recording head according to claim 1, wherein there are three or more heating resistor rows, and the slit is provided between each heating resistor row.