JPS62108094A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a recorded image to be favorably erased, by driving a belt supporting a high molecular weight recording material on a base, while disposing a thermal recording means and a means for erasing by entire-surface heating sequentially along the belt, and ensuring the temperature distribution of the erasing means can be controlled to be lowered in the moving direction of the belt. CONSTITUTION:When a high molecular weight recording material is cooled form the state in which a phase separation is caused by heating, the phase separated (opaque) state can be fixed. When the material in this condition is again heated to or above a phase separation temperature and is slowly cooled, it is returned to an initial compatible (transparent) state. An image is formed on an image-forming sheet 4 by bringing a heat pen 7 into contact with the sheet 4, or an image is formed as a dot pattern by operating a thermal recording means such as a thermal head 8 and laser according to external signals. A heater 10 is provided on the upstream side, with respect to the moving direction of the sheet 4, of a heat-transmitting medium 11 consisting of an SuS plate making contact with the sheet 4, and the temperature distribution of the medium 1 is so set as to be lowered in the moving direction of a belt. Therefore, the image-forming sheet 4 is heated and is then slowly cooled, whereby a displayed image is erased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an apparatus for recording on a polymeric recording material using thermal means.

(Prior Art) It has been practiced for a long time to record information such as images using substances that change their state within a short period of time when energy is applied and the temperature exceeds a certain level.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Among these recording methods, photochromic substances,
Thermochromic materials, magnetic recording materials, etc. are known. Various organic and inorganic coloring materials are known as thermochromic materials, but like photochromic materials, they are difficult to fix. Recently, chalcogenide glasses, which utilize the phase change between crystalline and amorphous, have been developed as thermal recording materials to replace thermochromic materials.

A system utilizing thermal substance change of a low-molecular fatty acid, its amide, ester, or ammonium salt dissolved in a thermoplastic polymer has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11714.0/1983). However, since the recording layer of chalcogenide glass is produced by vapor deposition, it is expensive and there are also problems with toxicity.

In addition, films made by dissolving low-molecular substances in thermoplastic polymers record and erase information using slight temperature differences.
At present, it has not been put into practical use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus that eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art described above.

(Configuration for solving the problem) The recording device of the present invention records an image pattern on a polymeric recording material that changes from a transparent state to an X-transparent state by heating, and after heating, can fix the opaque state by controlling the cooling time. This apparatus drives a belt having a polymeric recording material on a support, and sequentially disposes a heating recording means and an erasing means by heating the entire surface along the belt, and this erasing means is arranged in the direction of travel of the belt. It has a configuration that allows adjustment of the temperature distribution where the temperature decreases as the temperature increases.

(Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which a thermal pen 7, a thermal head 8. An erasing section 9, a heater 10, and a heat medium 11 are arranged.

The polymeric recording material used in the recording device of the present invention is composed of a thin layer of a stable blend of two or more types of polymers, and is in a uniformly compatible state at a low temperature below a certain temperature, and at a temperature higher than this temperature. In this case, the polymers are in a state of phase separation.

If polymers with different light refractive indexes are used, the film will have uniform transparency in a compatible state, but will become opaque due to light scattering in a phase-separated state at high temperatures. Polymer blend system.

LC5T type (Lower Crltical Solu
Combinations of several types of polymers are known as systems exhibiting a phase diagram. For example, combinations of polyvinylidene fluoride and polymethyl acrylate, polyethyl acrylate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethyl methacrylate, etc., and combinations of polycaprolactone and polycarbonate (R
,E.Bernsteinet, al., ,Macrom.
OF681~(1977)), polystyrene and polyvinyl methyl ether (M, Banke
t,ak,,1. polym, Sci.

A-2, 10P1097-(1972)).

Styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer and polycaprolactone (L, P, McMaster.

Macromolecule 6 F760~(
1973)), styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer and polymethyl methacrylate (L, P, Mc Mas
ter PolymPrepr,, 15 F25
4~ (1974).

Polyvinyl nitrate and polymethyl acrylate (Akiyama Sanbe,
et al., Polymer Papers 33 P238-(1976)),
Polyvinylidene fluoride and polyvinyl methyl ketone (D
,R,Paulet,al, ,Polym,Eng,S.
ci,.

18 P1225-(1978)), or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and chlorinated rubber (J, Leffi
ngwell, et al.

Pulym, Prepr, ±4F596~ (1973
)) etc.

The combination of these polymers depends on the blend ratio, but
By heating to 100-200'C, the phase fraction j?
Although there are differences in degree, light scattering is observed and the area becomes opaque compared to areas that are not heated.

Furthermore, the polymer recording material can be fixed in a phase-separated state (opaque) by cooling it from a heated phase-separated state, and the fixed phase-separated state can be heated again to a temperature higher than the separation temperature to gradually transform it. When cooled, it returns to its original compatible state (transparent). Therefore, the uninvented recording device can build up a heating signal that exceeds the phase separation of this polymeric recording material, rapidly cools it, and performs recording. In order to erase the recorded image, the entire surface or the recorded portion is heated and slowly cooled.

The image forming sheet 4 made of such a polymeric recording material is stretched like an endless belt by a driving roller 2 and a rhythmic roller 3, and is driven intermittently. The rotation direction of each roller is indicated by an arrow in the figure.

The image forming sheet is transparent at room temperature due to the above-mentioned principle, but becomes white and opaque when heated and left to cool. Further, as described above, this sheet changes from white opaque to transparent state 1E depending on the cooling rate. Here, a polymeric recording material made of a mixed polymer of fluororesin and methyl methacrylate was used.

1j17 The image on the image forming sheet 4 is transparent at room temperature (transparent 1d
The specific method for recording and displaying on the image forming sheet 4 which becomes white (transmittance 10% or less) by heating and cooling after heating at V-<90% or higher) may be any heating means. For example, by bringing a thermal pen 7 having a pen-shaped tip with a heater into contact with the image forming sheet 4, an image can be directly written and recorded on the image forming sheet 4. This pen 7 is used so that when it is removed from the image forming sheet 4, the internal heater is automatically turned off and the pen is turned off. Furthermore, an image can be directly written and displayed on the display surface using a recording device such as a pen-shaped device that utilizes heat generation by a light source. On the other hand, an image can be formed by converting an external signal from a computer, a word processor, etc. into a dot pattern using a thermal head 9 or a heating recording means such as a laser. Such a thermal head or the like may be of a fixed type or a scanning type with respect to the sheet 4.

If the above-mentioned recording methods are used in combination, it becomes possible to further write with a thermal pen or the like on an image recorded and displayed using an external signal using a thermal head or the like.

Further, erasing of the displayed image is achieved by heating the image forming sheet 4 above the phase separation point by the erasing section 9 and then slowly cooling it to make it transparent again according to the above-mentioned principle.

This erasing section is configured as No. N3 or Onma 4,
The image forming sheet is heated and then slowly cooled. In the example shown in FIG. 3, a heater lO is provided on the upstream side in the traveling direction of the image forming sheet 4 of the heat medium 11 made of a SuS plate that contacts the image forming sheet 4, so that the temperature distribution of the f8 medium 11 is low toward the belt traveling direction. It is configured to be. Therefore, since the image forming sheet 4 is slowly cooled after being heated, the displayed image is erased.

On the side shown in FIG. 4, the heaters 12 to 16 are sequentially in contact with the image forming sheet from the upstream side in the moving direction, and the respective temperatures T1 to T5 of the heaters 12 to 16 are T1>T2>T3>T4.
＞ T 5 relationship is maintained.

Therefore, as in the previous example, the sheet is heated and then gradually cooled, so that erasure of the displayed image is achieved.

Furthermore, each of the above-mentioned heaters was of a type in which a nichrome wire was held by a ceramic plate made of alumina or the like. Further, the temperature control of the heaters 12 to 16 uses a control means consisting of a thermistor and a temperature control circuit, and the temperature setting can be made so that each heat generating part can be adjusted to a desired temperature of 2gI. It can be adapted to the environment in which it is used and the characteristics of the sheet itself.

Effects of the Invention) As explained above, a belt consisting of a polymeric recording layer that changes from transparent to opaque by heating and returns to transparent by reheating and slow cooling is moved around, and a heating recording means and an erasing device are moved along this belt. In a display device in which the erasing means are sequentially arranged, the set temperature can be adjusted by slowly cooling the erasing means after heating, so that the recorded image can be erased satisfactorily in accordance with the environment in which it is used and the characteristics of the polymeric recording material. It has become possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the recording/displaying device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of the erasing section. In fig. 2 indicates the exterior of the device, 4 indicates an image forming sheet, 5 indicates a black heat absorber, 6 indicates a display section, 7 indicates a thermal pen, and 9 indicates an erasing section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A device for recording an image pattern on a polymeric recording material that changes from a transparent state to an opaque state by heating and can be fixed in an opaque state by controlling cooling time after heating, the polymeric recording material being a support. A heating recording means and an erasing means by heating the entire surface are sequentially arranged along the belt, and this erasing means can adjust the temperature distribution where the temperature decreases in the direction of travel of the belt. A recording device characterized by: