JPS63197670A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize a recorder by using a recording head having a picture element density equal to one half of a desired picture element density, by providing a controlling means for applying a voltage between an arbitrary recording electrode and a return circuit electrode, and a controlling means for applying a voltage between arbitrary adjacent recording electrodes. CONSTITUTION:A voltage V0 is applied between 8 recording electrode E2 and a return circuit electrode R, so that a current i0 flows through a resistor layer between the electrode E2 and the electrode R, generating Joule heat. The current i0 gradually diffuses while flowing from the electrode E2 toward the electrode R, with a decrease in current density. Therefore, the heating value is highest in the vicinity of the recording electrode E2, so that when a voltage and an energizing time are selected, only an ink beneath the vicinity of the electrode E2 is melted to form a record dot 10. A voltage V1 is applied between the electrode E2 and a recording electrode E3, so that a current i1 flows through the resistor layer between the electrodes E2 and E3, generating Joule heat. In this case, the current i1 is concentrated on opposed end parts of the electrodes E2, E3 to form a record dot 11. By using the two driving methods, the record dots can be formed in a density equal to two times the arranging pitch of the recording electrodes.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Industrial Field of Application J] The present invention relates to a recording device using an electric thermal transfer method. [Prior art J] As a recording device using the conventional electrical thermal transfer recording method,
"Printing Device" (Japanese Patent Application No. 186496/1983). This invention makes it possible to modulate the area of recording dots using a recording element, resulting in high speed, high image quality, and low cost full color printing! ! I! J recording device was realized. Problem 1 to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional example described above, the same number of recording electrodes and drive circuits as the number of recording pixels of the recording head were required. Therefore, if an attempt was made to increase the density of recording Im elements in order to improve the N quality, it was necessary to simultaneously increase the density of the recording head. Furthermore, when attempting to expand the recording area, the number of control mechanisms including drive circuits increases as the number of recording pixels increases. As described above, many factors that lead to higher prices of products appear, such as higher density of pixel arrays, increased number of drive circuits, and higher density of drive IT road mounting parts. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to arbitrarily generate recording pixels with a density twice the arrangement pitch of recording electrodes, thereby improving the design of the recording head and drive circuit. The object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost, high-quality electrical thermal transfer recording device that reduces the load on the manufacturing process. [Means for solving the L-interval point] The recording device of the present invention has a plurality of recording electrodes and a return electrode arranged in parallel to the recording electrode array, and there is no space between any recording electrode and the return electrode. It is characterized by having a control means for applying a voltage and a control means for applying a voltage between arbitrary adjacent recording electrodes. [Example] A full color gradation recording device using the present invention was manufactured. The input image signal is an NTSC video signal, a line head is used, and the recording density is 6 dOt/l1m1. , Iiii prime numbers are 511 in the main scanning direction and 480 in the sub-scanning direction. FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the recording head. FIG. 2(a) shows an overview of the entire recording head, and FIG. 2(b) shows a cross section of the structure of the tip of the recording head. In FIG. 2(a), 92 is a recording section, 94 is a drive IC mounting section, and 93 is a coupling section for electrically coupling the recording section 92 and the drive IC mounting section 94. The drive circuit C95 is an IC version of the drive circuit according to the present invention, and includes 64 drive elements per chip. Four drives 1C95 were mounted on the mounting section 94. The tip of the recording section 92 is connected to the recording electrode E as shown in Figure 2.
n, a return electrode R, an insulating layer 96 for electrically insulating the recording electrode and the return electrode, and a support 91 for supporting the recording electrode, the return electrode, and the insulating layer. Although tungsten was used as the material for the recording electrode En and return electrode R, it is desirable to use a conductive material that is hard and resistant to mechanical sliding wear and electrical discharge wear. Further, for the insulating layer 96, a machinable ceramic having a thickness of 100 μm and mainly composed of mica was used. Depending on the specifications of the recording device, this insulating layer may be an organic polymer film such as Voimide resin or a glass material, but it must have appropriate heat resistance, dielectric strength, and ease of tearing. FIG. 3(a) shows the structure of a roll of a film-like recording medium of a recording apparatus based on the present invention. 73 is a film-like recording medium with a roll of about 2 om. To perform color recording, magenta (M), cyan (C), and yellow (Y) inks are sequentially applied to the area of the image. FIG. 3(b) is a sectional view of the film-like recording medium. The film-like recording medium is 6 μm thick PET pace/1
182, and on one side there is a resistance layer 81 made of carbon grains dispersed in a resin and coated to a thickness of 4 to 5 μm, and on the other side.
An ink layer 83 made of 1114 dispersed in wax and coated to a thickness of 2 to 3 μm is provided on one side. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of an electrically conductive thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the present invention. A transfer paper 71 is supplied from a transfer paper roll 72, and a film-like recording medium 73 is similarly supplied from a film supply roller 74, and is pressed and electrically recorded by a recording head 76 on a platen 75. At this time, the resistance layer (not shown) of the film-like recording medium 73 and the recording head 76
It goes without saying that the recording electrode En and the return electrode R maintain sufficient electrical contact. After recording, the film-like recording medium is peeled off from the transfer paper 71 by the edge of the recording head and then wound up by a film winding roller 77. This recording apparatus performs color recording by repeating the above steps three times in the order of magenta, cyan, and yellow to form a color image. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of recording dot formation based on the present invention. This figure shows recording electrodes E1, E2, and E on the resistance layer.
3 shows the contact shape of the base electrode R and the path i of the recording current. In the present invention, there are two types of recording dot formation processes. FIG. 1(a) shows one of the recording dot formation patterns. In FIG. 1(a), a voltage vO is now applied between the recording electrode E2 and the base electrode R. Therefore, a current 10 flows between the recording electrode E2 and the base path 1 pole R through a resistance layer (not shown), generating Joule heat. At this time, the current jO gradually diffuses from the recording electrode E2 toward the base electrode R, and the current density decreases. Therefore, recording electrode E2
Since the amount of heat generated is the largest near the recording electrode E2, if a certain appropriate voltage and current application time are selected, only the ink immediately below the recording electrode E2 will be melted and the recording dot 10 will be formed. Further, in FIG. 1(b), a voltage Vl is now being applied between the recording electrode E2 and the recording electrode E3. Therefore, current 11 flows through a resistance layer (not shown) between recording electrode E2 and recording electrode E3, generating Joule heat. In this case, the current i1 is concentrated at the opposite ends of the recording electrodes E2 and E3, forming recording dots 11 as shown in the figure. By making full use of the above-mentioned 2m type driving method, recording dots 10 and 11 can be arbitrarily formed directly below the recording electrode and between the two recording electrodes. In other words, recording dots can be formed at a density twice the arrangement pitch of the recording electrodes. When recording was performed using the recording apparatus having the above configuration, very good image quality was obtained. Furthermore, it was possible to obtain an image with a pixel density of 6 dat/mm using a recording head with a density of 3 dots/mm and half the number of drive circuits.

【Effect of the invention】

As described above, according to the present invention, a recording device can be realized using a recording head having a density that is half of the desired pixel density. Furthermore, the number of drive circuits and associated control circuits can be reduced by half. It also makes it easier to mount ICs with integrated drive circuits onto substrates, etc.
This simplifies the structure of the recording apparatus, mainly the recording head, and has a great effect on productivity and cost reduction of the apparatus.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are diagrams showing a driving method of a recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are diagrams showing the structure of the recording head of the recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are diagrams showing the structure of a film-like recording medium of a recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a recording apparatus according to the present invention. 72...Transfer paper 73...Film-like recording medium 76...Recording head 81...Resistance layer 83...Ink layer 91...Support 95... Drive IC En..., Recording electrode R...Return electrode and above Applicant Seiko Epson Corporation (Q) 'Broom 1 Figure (Q) (b) Figure 2 iI 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A film-like recording medium having an ink layer that can be activated by thermal stimulation and selectively transferred to the recording medium and a resistive layer that generates heat when energized, a plurality of recording electrodes, and a return path arranged in parallel to the recording electrode array. In a recording apparatus having an electrode, a mechanism for contacting and scanning the recording electrode with the resistive layer, and a driving means for selectively heating the ink by supplying current to the resistive layer through the recording electrode, any of the recording electrode and the A recording apparatus comprising: a control means for applying a voltage between return electrodes; and a control means for applying a voltage between arbitrary adjacent recording electrodes.