JPS63111069A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable long-time recording with the same recording material and obtain stable images with high quality, by providing an ink-supplying means for a recording material comprising a first porous layer impregnated with an ink and a second porous layer. CONSTITUTION:A recording material 1 comprises a porous thin film layer 1b provided on the outer surface of a porous base 1a comprising a mesh of alloy fibers. The porous thin film layer 1b has the property of being permeable to an ink 2 only when the ink 2 is lowered in viscosity by heat. The ink 2 supplied into the interior of the recording material 1 through a rotary shaft 1c in the direction of an arrow C flows when the material 1 is rotated in the direction of an arrow A, and makes contact with or is adhered to the inner wall of the first porous layer 1a. At this time, the ink 2 penetrates between the fibers of the first porous layer 1a in the direction of an arrow E under the capillary action of the fibers, and the layer 1a is entirely impregnated with the ink 2. Thus, since the ink can be supplied to the recording material, the same recording material can be used for a long time, image quality can be prevented from being lowered due to run-out of the ink or the like, and stable images with high quality can be obtained.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a recording device and a recording method, such as a recording device and a recording device used in an image processor, an electronic typewriter 1, a facsimile machine, various bulletin boards, etc. This relates to a recording method using.

<Prior Art> Today, the thermal transfer recording method is the mainstream recording method for information processing. This recording method uses an ink film formed by coating a support with hot-melt ink, heats the ink film in an image pattern using a recording gutter, and transfers the molten ink to recording paper. It is. This method has the advantage that the device used can be made smaller and lighter, and recording can be performed on plain paper.

<Problems sought to be solved by the invention> However, the thermal transfer recording method described above has drawbacks such as high running costs and complicated processing of used ink films because the ink film must be disposed of once used. was there.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to improve these shortcomings, the applicant has already developed a recording device and a recording method as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.
He also filed a patent application under Japanese Patent Application No. 141322/1983. The apparatus according to FIGS. 4 and 5 includes a roll-shaped recording medium 1
and a heat generating section 4 having a heat generating element 5.
The ink 2 impregnated into the porous base la of the heating element 5
In this method and apparatus, the viscosity is lowered by heating, the porous thin film layer 1b is permeated, and this is transferred onto the recording medium 3 pressed against the recording body 1 by the platen roller 6 for recording. The technique shown in FIG. 6 is a technique in which a thick sponge base 7 is provided inside the recording medium 1'' and this sponge base 7 is impregnated with ink.

The present invention is a further development of the above-mentioned invention, and its means includes a recording body comprising a first porous layer impregnated with ink and a second porous layer provided on the first porous layer; This recording apparatus has means for applying heat in a pattern to the surface of the recording medium, and is characterized in that it is provided with means for replenishing the recording medium with ink.

<Function> As described above, the present invention is provided with a means for replenishing ink to a recording body consisting of a first porous layer impregnated with ink and a second porous layer, so that it is possible to replenish ink to the first porous layer. This allows the thickness of the first porous layer to be reduced, allows continuous recording for a long period of time with the same recording medium, and also reduces image quality due to ink shortage. It is possible to prevent a decrease in image quality and obtain stable high-quality images.

<Embodiment> Next, an embodiment of a recording apparatus to which the above means is applied will be described.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the recording device according to this embodiment, and the second
The figure is an explanatory cross-sectional view of the recording device.

In the figure, 1 is a recording medium formed in a cylindrical shape, and is constructed by laminating a porous thin film layer 1b on the outer surface of a porous base 1a made of a mesh of various alloy fibers such as stainless steel. . The porous base la has a hollow cylindrical shape as a whole, and is configured to store ink, which will be described later, inside the porous base la. This porous thin film FJ1b is made of porous tetrafluoroethylene resin (for example, Fluorobor, manufactured by Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.) with a thickness of 100 μm and an average pore diameter of 10 μm. 2 is a heat-melting ink, which is impregnated into the entire surface of the porous base la.

3 is a recording medium such as paper, which is in contact with the recording medium 1;

Further, the rotation shaft IC of the recording body 1 is formed in a hollow shape, and the above-mentioned ink 2 is injected from the direction C shown in FIG. It is structured in such a way that it can be done.

Next, reference numeral 4 denotes a heat generating section provided on the upstream side of the recording medium 3, which is constructed by arranging a large number of heat generating elements 5 in parallel in an array, which can selectively generate heat based on external image information signals. has been done. This heat generating section 4 contacts the recording medium 1, lowers the viscosity of the ink inside the recording medium 1 by the heat generated by the heating element 5, and transfers the low viscosity ink to the porous thin film layer 1.
It is constructed so that it can be transmitted from A platen roller 6 presses the recording medium 3 against the recording medium 1 at a position corresponding to the recording medium l.

Next, a recording method using the apparatus of the present invention will be explained.

First, an external signal is sent to the heat generating section 4 to selectively cause the heat generating elements 5 arranged in an array in the heat generating section 4 to generate heat, and the porous thin film layer of the recording medium 1 that the heat generating section 4 is in contact with is heated. By conducting the heat to the porous base 1b and the porous base 1a, the viscosity of the ink 2 impregnated in this portion is reduced. On the other hand, the ink 2 whose viscosity has been reduced passes through the porous thin film layer 1b, and forms an ink image having a predetermined shape corresponding to the heat generating portion of the heat generating section 4 on the porous thin film layer 1b.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the ink image formed on the porous thin film layer lb moves as the recording body 1 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow, and comes into contact with the recording body 1 in the downstream direction. The image is transferred onto the recording medium 3 which is pressed by the platen roller 6 rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow at the opposing position, and an image is formed on the recording medium 3. At this time, the recording medium 3 is arrow B
being transported in the direction.

Further, the porous 'gi film layer 1b is constructed to have a property that allows the ink 2 to pass therethrough only when the viscosity of the ink 2 is reduced by heat.

Furthermore, the ink 2 replenished into the recording medium 1 from the direction of arrow C in FIG.
rotates in the direction of the arrow and flows, and the first porous layer 1
Contact or adhere to the inner wall of a. At this time, the ink 2 enters between the fibers in the direction of arrow E as shown in FIG. 2 due to the capillarity caused by the fibers of the first porous layer 1a,
It is constructed so that the entire surface of a is impregnated.

In the above embodiment, the recording medium 1 was constructed by using a porous base la made of a mesh of alloy fibers and laminating a porous thin film layer 1b on the outer surface of the porous base la.
As shown in the figure, the structure of the recording medium 1' uses a pipe-shaped core material 8 made of alloy mesh through which ink 2 can pass from its peripheral wall surface, and a silicone rubber sponge impregnated with ink 2 on its outer surface. It is also possible to provide a base 7 and further laminate a porous thin film layer 1b similar to the above embodiment on its outer surface. When this recording medium 1' is used, the other configuration and recording method are exactly the same as in the previous embodiment.

Since the inside of this recording medium 1' is composed of a sponge base 7, it has elasticity itself, and therefore, the adhesion to the recording medium 3 is improved, so that the ink image is transferred more efficiently. I can do it.

Further, since the ink 2 is stored in the pipe-shaped core material 8 at the core of the sponge base 7, the ink 2 can be gradually replenished into the sponge base 7 as the sponge base 7 rotates.

Here, the ink contained in the recording medium 1 will be explained. Typically, a heat-melting ink can be used. Furthermore, it is preferable that the ink be one that keeps the porous base filled with ink at all times, such as a semi-solid ink.

Heat-melt ink is made by dispersing or dissolving a coloring agent in a heat-melting binder, and elastomers and the like are added to the heat-melting binder to adjust melt viscosity, adhesive strength, etc.

Regarding the heat-melting binder of the heat-melting ink used in the present invention, the coloring agent mixed into this binder, and the content of the coloring agent, please refer to the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application No. 61-141.
Since it was explained in detail in the specification of No. 322, it will be omitted.

In the above embodiment, the porous thin film layer 1b was made of tetrafluoroethylene resin, but other porous resins such as fluorine-based resins, silicon-based resins, etc., may be used as long as they satisfy the above-mentioned conditions. Alternatively, a porous metal thin film or the like can also be used.

As the recording medium 3, in addition to paper, it is also possible to use a material generally used as a blackboard sheet whose surface is coated or laminated with a polymer film such as Teflon or polypropylene.

In the above embodiment, if a pressurizing means such as a compressor is provided when replenishing the ink, the ink is
It can be easily impregnated into the porous layer.

In the above embodiment, when a heating means such as a heater is provided when replenishing the ink, the viscosity of the ink can be lowered and it can be easily impregnated into the first porous layer.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, the present invention is provided with a means for replenishing the recording medium with ink, so that the recording medium can be replenished with ink, and the same recording medium can be used for a long time, making it possible to reduce running time. Since the cost can be reduced and the recording medium can be refilled with ink, the first porous layer or sponge base that holds the ink can be made thinner, thereby reducing the diameter and weight of the recording medium. Furthermore, it is easy to refill ink, which prevents deterioration of image quality due to running out of ink, etc.
It has features such as being able to obtain stable high-quality images.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a recording device according to this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of the recording device, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the other side, and FIG.
6 through 6 are explanatory diagrams showing the basic apparatus of the present invention, respectively. (2) is a recording body, 1a is a porous base, 1b is a porous thin film layer, lc is a rotating shaft, 2 is an ink, 3 is a recording medium, 4 is a heating section, 5 is a heating element, 6 is a platen roller, 7 is a The sponge base 8 is an alloy mesh core material.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A recording body consisting of a first porous layer impregnated with ink and a second porous layer provided on the first porous layer, and means for applying heat in a pattern to the surface of the recording body. What is claimed is: 1. A recording device comprising means for replenishing a recording medium with ink. (2) The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording body is replenished with ink and the ink is supplied from inside the recording body to the first porous layer and the second porous layer.