JPS62191194A - Color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a fine grain pattern on an image sheet, by irradiating the image sheet, which is coated with microcapsules each having a color former and a responsive substance sealed therein and a developer, with beams having different wavelengths to destruct the capsules and reacting the color former with the developer. CONSTITUTION:An image sheet 1, wherein color forming precursors a1, a2, a3 and responsive compositions b1, b2, b3 responding to laser beams to immobilize said precursors are applied to the surface of a developer D, is moved at a constant speed from a supply roll 2 through an exposing apparatus 3 and a developing apparatus 4. When signals wherein an original is separated into the three primary colors are inputted to the exposing apparatus 3, a shutter member 8 is operated to permit the transmission of each of spectrum beams only for the time corresponding to the magnitude of each primary color signal. The microcapsules respond to spectrum beams lambda1, lambda2, lambda3 and the hardnesses of the responsive compositions b1, b2, b3 change corresponding to the quantities of beams to form a latent image. The developing apparatus 4 destructs the microcapsules of the image sheet 1 and the color forming precursors a1, a2, a3 are exuded onto the developer D to show cyan, magneta and yellow colors.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] <Utilization period for IL business) The present invention relates to a color printer.

(Summary of the Invention) The present invention provides microcapsules encapsulating color formers of different colors and a sensitive substance that immobilizes the color formers by being sensitive to beams of specific wavelengths, and an image sheet coated with a developer.
After irradiating the dots with beams with different wavelengths corresponding to the colors (ii .

(Prior Art) Conventionally, printers using an inkjet method, a thermal transfer method, or the like are widely known as devices for obtaining a hard copy of a display screen such as a CRT.

Furthermore, the same applicant has proposed a dot matrix type color printer in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-60480.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, in these types of printers, the a3
Not only does it take a long time to print, but each dot requires 1
Since only colors can be expressed, a pixel must be composed of multiple dots in order to express multiple colors, and 1
Since the pixel area inevitably increases, there is a problem in that both printed edges are rough.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention solves these problems and provides a new IA color printer that can print fine color prints on wood at high speed. ] and will be used in the detailed description of the present invention below.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram that does not show the structure of an image sheet used in the present invention. D is a developer, which is uniformly coated on the surface of the sheet B. A1゜A2. A3 is a microcapsule that is colored cyan, magenta, and yellow, respectively, and is cyan.

Color precursor a1 that develops magenta and yellow colors. a
2. a3, and a coloring precursor of each color with a different wavelength λ1.
λ2. The sensitive composition bt, b2°b3, which immobilizes the coloring precursor by changing the viscosity etc. in response to an electromagnetic wave beam of λ3, for example, a light beam, is surrounded by 5PI4C such as gelatin and encapsulated into microcapsules. The surface of the agent is evenly coated.

Exposure means is provided opposite the coated surface of the image sheet, and the exposed image sheet t
The structure is such that it passes through the psel destruction means.

(Function) The sensitive compositions b+, b2. When b3 is exposed to light of a wavelength sensitive to it, 1. Sensitive composition bl in A2°A3, b2. The viscosity of b3 changes. By applying pressure to the exposed image sheet in this way, microcapsules A+
, A2, and A3, a difference occurs in the set of color precursors flowing out from the photosensitized capsule and the unsensitized capsule, and a color that correlates to the exposure wavelength appears on the image sheet. A color pattern that matches the pattern at the time of exposure will emerge.

(Example) The details of the present invention will be explained below based on the illustrated example. FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the present invention, and the reference numeral 1 in the figure indicates that a developer paste is coated on a sheet B as shown in FIG. 3, a sectional view showing an image sheet. A coloring precursor a1. which develops cyan, magenta and yellow colors is applied to the surface of the developer layer. a2. a3, and a different wavelength λ1 for each color precursor. λ2. A sensitive composition b1゜b2. that is sensitive to an electromagnetic wave beam of λ3, such as a light beam, and changes its viscosity etc. to immobilize a coloring precursor. b3
Microcapsules A1. A2. This is an image sheet formed by uniformly coating an A3 sheet with ink, and is supplied from a supply roll 2 to an exposure section 3. Current &F
[It is configured to move at a constant speed via l/l. 3 is the above-mentioned exposure device, and as shown in FIG. 2(A), at least a microphone [1 capsule A1. A2.
Spectrum of wavelengths λ1.A3 is sensitive to. λ2. Each spectrum λ1. from the light source 7 waiting for λ3 (Fig. 4). λ2゜A
3, a shutter member 8 that transmits and connects light and an imaging optical system 9 that focuses light from a shack member on the surface of an image sheet are disposed above and below. This shack member 8 is shown in FIG. Filters 8a, 8 that transmit λ2°A3
b, 8c are formed parallel to the longitudinal direction, and below these are disposed liquid crystal jitter elements 8a', 8b', 8c' which are opened and closed by image signals from a post device (not shown) to form a pixel forming area of the image sheet 1. three types of spectrum light λ1.
λ2. It is configured so that λ3 can be irradiated.

Reference numeral 4 denotes the above-mentioned developing device, which includes two upper and lower rollers 4a, 4.
b', and compresses the image sheet 1 to form microcapsules A1.b' of the image sheet 1. A2.
It is configured to destroy A3. Note that reference numeral 5 in the figure indicates a roll heater that heats the image sheet 1 discharged from the developing device 4 to assist in color development.

In this embodiment, while moving the image sheet 1 at a constant rate, a cyan signal, a magenta B signal, and a yellow signal obtained by separating the original image into ternary colors are sent from a host device (not shown) to the exposure device 3. When input, the shack member 8 is activated to generate the spectral light λ1 for a time corresponding to the magnitude of each source signal. λ2. λ3 is transmitted. As a result, each pixel-shaped bottom area of the image sheet 1 receives spectral light λ1, λ2, . Receives λ3 irradiation. As expected, a large number of microcapsules of each original color, AI, A2, . Since A3 exists, the spectral light λ1. λ2. Many microphones on λ3 [
The cocapsules A1..., A2..., A3... are sensitive and the sensitive composition L)i,
b2. The 'WA degree of b3 changes to form a Tpi image.

Thereafter, while moving the image sheet 1, the spectral light λ is applied to the unexposed area of the image sheet in accordance with the color signal.
1. λ2. A latent image is formed by irradiating with λ3.

In this way, the image sheet 1 in the area where the latent image is formed
is moved to the developing device 4. The developing device F4 applies pressure to the image sheet 1 that has been conveyed to the microphone [ ] capsule A1 . of the image sheet 1 . Destroy A2゜A3. This and 8, each microcapsule A+, AA2 on the image sheet
, A3 contains the photosensitive composition b1. b2. b
3 is cured according to the amount of exposure, so
1 Correspondingly, to Kabrel 1. Δ2. Coloring precursor a2 flowing out from inside A3. a2. The five in a3 is different. As a result, from the portion of the image sheet 1 that has been rolled down in the developing device 4, M coloring precursors a+ and a2 corresponding to the exposure amount are released.
．． A3 leaches onto the developer layer and reacts with the developer layer to produce cyan, magenta and yellow colors, respectively.6δ
Well, one pixel is coded with a large number of microcapsules that produce ternary colors.
One pixel is expressed as a collection of minute 3-dimensional color pigments,
The pigment appears in a state where each original color is fused. Developing device 4
The image sheet 1 that has exited is heated by a roll heater 5,
The coloring precursor a1゜a2. that has oozed out onto the developer layer. a3
The reaction between the image signal and the developer rapidly progresses to produce a color corresponding to the image signal, and a color pattern corresponding to input image No. 13 is printed.

In this embodiment, the optical shutter was disposed across the entire width of the image sheet, but the optical shutter 1 is smaller than the width of the image sheet. A similar effect can be obtained by using a vine and moving it in the width direction of the sheet to perform scanning exposure.

In addition, in this example, the sensitive composition in the microcapsules is caused to react with light, but the same effect can be achieved even if multiple electron beams with different energies or electromagnetic waves such as XIa are irradiated. .

In this example, the microcapsules on both image sheets are destroyed by a calender roll, but they can also be destroyed by elastic vibration by contacting a vibrating piece with an ultrasonic vibrator attached, or by irradiating microwaves, heat rays, etc. The same effect can be achieved even if the microcapsules are thermally destroyed.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, the color density can be changed for each dot by controlling the amount of light irradiated to the microcapsules, so that a color printer with high resolution can be used. can be obtained. Furthermore, since 4% production is easier than in the conventional method, a high-speed and highly reliable color printer can be realized.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1' is a sectional view of an apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention, and Figs. and side view, 3rd ti2
1 shows the image sheet! is a cross-sectional view, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an exposure spectrum. 1...Image sheet 3...Exposure device 4...Developing device 7...Light source 8...Light shutter member Applicant: Seiko Electronics Co., Ltd.-1 Example showing T-scape 1 City map Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] an image sheet coated with microcapsules enclosing color formers of different colors and a sensitive substance that immobilizes the color formers in response to beams of specific wavelengths, and a developer that reacts with the color formers to cause a color reaction; It consists of a means for conveying the sheet, an exposure means for irradiating the image sheet with beams of different wavelengths in dots corresponding to color signals, and a means for destroying the microcapsules of the image sheet on the downstream side of the exposure means. color printer.