JPS6153086A - Thermal image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an operation in a normal recording mode and an operation in a plate-making mode to be performed by a single thermal image recorder, by making a recording medium feeding means reversible. CONSTITUTION:A recording medium 1 is passed between a thermal recording head 2 and a pressure roll 4 so that it makes close contact with heating elements 3 of the head 2. The pressure roll 4 is so fitted that it can be rotated in two directions as indicated by arrows, functions to feed the recording medium 1 and to press the medium 1 against the heating elements 3 of the head 2. Further, feeding rollers 5, 6 and counter rollers 7, 8 are provided respectively on opposite sides of the head 2 so that they can be rotated in the directions of arrows. A belt 9 is engaged to rotary shafts of the rollers 7, 8 so as to transmit the rotation of a motor 10 to the rollers 7, 8. The motor 10 is a reversible motor, that is, the rotating direction is switched between the plate-making mode and the normal recording mode.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] A thermal recording head that records an image by applying heat to a recording medium, and a means for conveying the recording medium to the thermal recording head so as to pass through a heating element section of the head. The present invention relates to a thermal image recording device having the following.

[Conventional technology]

Various types of thermal image recording techniques using such thermal recording heads have been proposed. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-33117, a dot-like perforation image is formed on a sheet made only of a stretched thermoplastic synthetic resin film using a printing device having a dot-like heating element, and the perforation of the sheet is A method has been proposed in which a recording cylinder is formed by allowing ink to pass through an image area. Furthermore, in JP-A-56-371.91, a heat-sensitive transfer ink layer of hectograph carbon paper is placed in contact with the lower surface of a master image-forming substrate, and a heat-sensitive transfer ink layer is placed on the upper surface of the master image-forming substrate. Techniques have been disclosed for transferring a master image from a thermal transfer ink layer to the lower surface of a master imaging substrate by selectively applying heat from a recording head.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, all of these techniques involve forming a perforated image or a master image, that is, plate-making techniques, and in either case, only a mirror image is formed on the recording medium. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal image recording apparatus that is capable of recording not only a mirror image necessary for such plate-making technology but also a normal image.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a thermal recording head that applies heat to a recording medium to record an image, and a means for conveying the recording medium so as to pass through a heating element section of the thermal recording head. The thermal image recording apparatus is characterized in that the recording medium transport means is reversible so that a normal image or a mirror image can be recorded on the recording medium.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the thermal image recording apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1, a recording medium 1 is passed between a thermal recording head 2 and a pressure roll 4 in close contact with a heating element 3 of the thermal recording head 2. As shown in FIG. This pressure roll 4 is attached so as to be rotatable in two directions as shown by the arrows, and functions to convey the recording medium 1 and press the recording medium 1 against the heating element 3 of the thermal recording head 2. Furthermore, a conveyance roller 5.6 and a counter roller 7.8 are provided on both sides of the thermal recording pad 2 so as to be rotatable in the direction of the arrow.

A belt 9 is wrapped around the rotating shaft of the opposing roller 7.8,
The rotation of the motor 10 is transmitted to the counter roller 7.8. Note that the motor 10 is a reversible motor, and its rotation direction can be switched between a plate-making mode and a normal recording mode.

That is, in the plate-making mode, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the perforated master 11 is used as the recording medium 1, and the pressure roll 4 is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow. As a result, a mirror image is formed on the perforated master 11. On the other hand, in the conventional recording mode 5-, a conventional thermoplastic material (not shown) is used as the recording medium 1, and the pressure roll 4 is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. As a result, a normal image is formed on the recording medium 1. Note that if the printing conditions are different between the plate making mode and the normal recording mode, it is desirable to switch the printing conditions at the same time as switching the rotational direction of the motor.

Next, FIG. 1 shows the basic structure of the perforable master used in the plate-making mode. The perforated master 11 is made by laminating a biaxially stretched film 13 on one side of a porous base material 12. As the porous base material 12, materials whose main raw materials are natural fibers such as Manila hemp, kozo, and mitsumata, synthetic fibers such as Tetoron, vinylon, and acrylic, and semi-synthetic fibers such as rayon can be used. Other base materials that can be used include woven fibers of nylon, polyester, polypropylene, Tetron, etc. having a thickness of about 20 to 70 μm. The biaxially stretched film 13 is preferably a polyester film with a thickness of 1 to 5 μm.

The biaxially stretched film 13 is bonded to the porous base material 12 with an adhesive. As the adhesive, adhesives made of saturated polyester resin, acrylic resin, polyvinyl resin, polystyrene resin, etc. can be used. The adhesive is used by dissolving the solid content of 0.5 to 2.0 g/rrr in an appropriate amount of solvent after drying.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the basic principle of a plate-making mode using the perforated master 11 of FIG. 1. The perforating master 11 is
The film is passed between the heat recording pad 2 and the pressure roll 4 so that the film surface is in close contact with the heating element array 13. The pressure roll 4 presses the perforated master 11 against the thermal recording head 2 and moves the perforated master 11 in a predetermined direction (sub-scanning direction) by rotating in the direction of the arrow.

The thermal recording head 2 is operated in a direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction (
This is a recording element in which a large number of heating elements 3 are arranged in a straight line in the main scanning direction), and is driven by a drive signal supplied from a drive circuit 14 of a thermal recording head. That is, RIS
When an image signal created by reading an original (a raster imprint scanner) or an output signal from a word processor is supplied to the thermal recording head drive circuit 14, a drive signal is generated, and the heating element 3 is selected according to the image information. is energized and generates heat. When the heating element 3 generates heat, a corresponding portion of the biaxially stretched film 13 on the surface of the perforated master 11 is heated. As a result, the two-wheel stretched film is heat-shrinked, perforated in a mirror image, and plate-made.

Next, the results of an experiment using the above-mentioned thermal image recording device will be explained.

First, in the plate-making mode, a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate film of about 3 μm was pasted on a base made of thin paper, and a perforated hole was attached to the heat generating element part of the thermal recording head, which had a heat generating element formed in a straight line at 8 dots/n. The perforated master was brought into close contact with the film surface of the perforated master, and the perforated master was moved in a direction such that a mirror image was formed on the film surface, thereby forming a perforated image. The printing condition of the thermal recording head is that the applied voltage is 25V.
, the application time was 2111 seconds. By printing the thus perforated master using a mimeograph machine in the usual manner, a clear, normal printed image was obtained. Next, in the normal recording mode, recording was performed by using thermal recording paper instead of the above-mentioned perforated master, bringing the thermal recording layer into close contact with the heating element part, and moving the thermal recording paper in the opposite direction to the plate-making mode. .

The printing conditions of the thermal recording head were that the applied voltage was 25 V and the application time was 1 m5 ec. As a result, a clear, normal image was obtained on the thermosensitive recording paper.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the normal recording mode and the plate making mode can be performed by a single thermal image recording apparatus, and switching between the two modes can be performed simply by reversing the conveying direction of the recording medium. Therefore, compared to providing separate devices for both of these modes, it is not only cost-effective but also reduces the space required.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a perforation master that can be used, and is a schematic diagram showing the principle of a plate-making mode using the perforation master of FIG. 2. l...Recording medium 2...Thermal recording head 3...Heating element 4...Pressure roll 5.6...Conveyance roller 7.8...Opposing roller 9...-Belt lO... Motor 11...Perforation master 12...Porous base material 13...Biaxially stretched film 14...Drive circuit 1-11 String body 2--14 To the home 3--one heating element 4-m-pressure roll 5.6--one conveying roller 7.8-one opposing loaf 9-m-belt+0-1-21-perforated master 12-m-porous paste material 13 -112 section qshin film +4-, cantering day ``each

Claims (1)

[Claims] A thermal image recording apparatus comprising a thermal recording head that records an image by applying heat to a recording medium, and means for conveying the recording medium so as to pass through a heating element portion of the thermal recording head,
A thermal image recording apparatus characterized in that the recording medium transport means is reversible so that a normal image or a mirror image can be recorded on the recording medium.