JPS63280274A - Method for forming multi-color image - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a clear multi-color image free from color deviation using a recording medium carrying a latent image forming layer including specific element bodies on its supporting body and continuously radiating light with a different wavelength for a unit time to form a multi-color latent image. CONSTITUTION:The recording medium 3 carrying the latent image forming layer 1 including the element bodies 1a-1c containing respectively photosensitive components having respectively different photosensitive wavelengths, different adhesive temperatures T1-Tn and changing its adhesive temperature to TB(TB> Tn) or more on the supporting body 2 is used. A heat pulse based upon an image signal is applied from a thermal head 8a to the recording medium 3 and light beams having different wavelengths are successively radiated from lamps 7a-7c to form a latent image. Then, coloring materials 5A-5C having different color tones are stuck to the recording medium 3 under respective heating conditions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming multicolor images. In particular, the present invention relates to a multicolor image forming method in which multicolor latent images can be easily formed in one process.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, recording methods such as inkjet, thermal transfer, electrostatic recording, and electrophotography are known as methods for forming multicolor images using various color hard copies, color printers, and the like.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Among these, inkjet has drawbacks such as clogging and high cost of the head. Other methods repeatedly record the three primary color signals from a color display, etc.
In order to obtain a multicolored image, it is necessary to repeat the transfer multiple times to superimpose the colors. However, it is difficult to accurately superimpose images of different colors, and it is difficult to obtain an image without color shift. Particularly when looking at individual pixels, there is almost no superposition of colors in one pixel, and in the end, in the conventional method, multicolored pixels are formed by a collection of pixels with shifted colors.

For this reason, with conventional multicolor image forming methods, clear multicolor images have not been obtained.

In addition, with conventional thermal transfer recording methods, when attempting to obtain multicolor pixels, it is necessary to install multiple thermal heads or make complicated movements such as reversing and stopping the recording medium, which makes the entire device It has drawbacks such as being large and complicated and reducing the recording speed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multicolor pixel forming method that solves the above problems.

That is, the main object of the present invention is to provide a method for obtaining clear multicolor images without color shift without using an expensive head or making complicated movements of the recording medium.

(Means for solving problems) The above objective can be achieved by the following means.

That is, there are a plurality of types of element bodies each containing photosensitive components with different photosensitive wavelength ranges, and each type has an adhesion temperature TA of T, , T, . . . Tn (T, <T2< .・
...Tn), and each type has a latent image-forming layer containing an element whose adhesion temperature changes to Ta (Ta>Tn) or higher upon application of light and heat or energy that can be converted into heat. , using a recording medium supported on a support, (a
) At least one of the energies is applied to the recording medium in correspondence with the recorded information, and the other energy is applied to raise the adhesive temperature of the desired element above Ta to form a latent image, ( b) The recording medium is sequentially T2, Tb,...T,
I(T, < T ll < T 2 , T 2 < T
b<T3,...T,<TX<Ta)
(c) Under each heating condition, a colorant having a different tone from that used under other heating conditions is attached to the recording medium.

Here, the adhesion temperature is defined as follows.

That is, when a sensitive material containing a sensitive component is gradually heated, tackiness develops from a certain temperature To° C. due to softening or melting, and the tackiness increases as the material is further heated.

When a granular coloring material, for example, is brought into contact with a photosensitive material at a temperature of 10° C. or higher, the coloring material adheres to the adhesive portion because the photosensitive material has tackiness. The amount of colorant added increases as the tackiness increases due to heating, and above a certain temperature, the amount of attached colorant reaches a saturation amount.

In the present invention, the tack temperature is defined as the temperature at which the sensitive material develops tackiness and the colorant starts to adhere when the sensitive material is heated (the environment is the one at the time of recording). The amount of colorant attached is approximately 30%
The above is preferable from a practical point of view.

Sticking temperature is a value that varies depending on the form, environment, or type of colorant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The multicolor image forming method of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a recording medium 3 used in the present invention. That is, the latent image forming elements 1a each contain sensitive components having different sensitive wavelengths.

A structure is shown in which a latent image forming layer 1 consisting of lb and lc is supported on a support. Each latent image forming element 1a.

The adhesion temperatures of lb and lc are TI, T2, and Ts, respectively.
(TI < T2 < T3).

FIGS. 2(a) to 2(b) are partial diagrams showing the relationship between the recording medium of the present invention and the thermal head. It is applied in conjunction with light energy of a wavelength selected depending on the latent image forming element to be changed. Here “
"Modulation" refers to changing the position where energy is applied according to the image signal, and "together" refers not only to applying light energy and thermal energy at the same time, but also to applying light energy and thermal energy separately. This also includes cases.

The physical properties of each latent image forming element 1a, lb, and lc have wavelength dependence. For example, when heat and light of wavelength λ1 are applied to the latent image forming element 1a, the reaction of the sensitive components in the latent image forming element 1a rapidly progresses and the latent image forming element 1a is cured. At this time, the adhesion temperature of the latent image forming element 1a increases from T1 to TI'.

Further, when heat and light having a wavelength λ2 are applied to the latent image forming element 1b, the adhesion temperature increases from T2 to T2'. Similarly, when heat and light of wavelength λ3 are applied to the latent image forming element IC, the adhesive temperature increases from T3 to 731.

The latent image forming element is constructed so that TI<T2<T3<Tl', T2', T,', and the amount of energy applied during recording is controlled.

The image forming method of the present invention is carried out as follows.

The recording medium 3 is stacked on the thermal head 4, and light is irradiated so as to cover the entire heated part of the thermal head 4. The irradiation light has a wavelength to which each latent image forming element reacts and is sequentially irradiated.

That is, first, from the latent image forming layer 1 side of the recording medium 3, the wavelength λ
At the same time, the heat generating resistor 4a of the thermal head 4 is caused to generate heat. Then, the latent image forming element 1
A, the latent image forming element 1a' to which both heat and light of wavelength λ1 are applied (the hatched part in FIG. (The element body is shown by hatching) is hardened. Next, as shown in FIG. 2(b), when the latent image forming layer 1 is irradiated with light with a wavelength λ2 and the heating resistor 4b is made to generate heat, the latent image forming element is exposed to heat and light with a wavelength λ2. 1b'' is cured.Similarly, the second
As shown in FIG. 3(c), a desired image forming element 1c' is cured by causing the heat generating resistor 4c to generate heat using light having a wavelength λ3.

. Through the above steps, a multicolor latent image is formed on the recording medium 3. .

Next, as shown in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c), when a coloring material is attached to the latent image of the multicolor image obtained above, a multicolor image is obtained. That is, first, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the recording medium 3 is heated by the heating means from the support 2 side to T-(TI<T-
<Tb, Tb will be described later). When heated, the uncured latent image forming element 1std adhesiveness develops, while the cured latent image forming element 1g' and other latent image forming elements 1b, lb', lc, lc' exhibit adhesiveness. It remains in a state where it does not express its sexuality. Therefore, when the colorant A is brought into contact with the latent image forming element 1a in this state, an image having the color of the colorant A can be obtained by adhering only to the latent image forming element 1a. Then the third
As shown in Figure (b), the recording medium 3 is heated to T b (T 2 < T > T3) by the heating means 5b. At this time, only the latent image forming element 1b exhibits adhesiveness, and the other latent image forming elements 1b, lc, and lc' remain in a state in which they do not exhibit adhesiveness. In addition, the latent image forming element 1
Since the coloring material A has already adhered to the surface a, tackiness does not develop. Therefore, when the coloring material B is brought into contact with the latent image forming element 1b in this state, it will adhere only to the latent image forming element 1b, and an image exhibiting the colors of the coloring materials A and B can be obtained.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3(c), the recording medium 3 is heated by heating means 5C at Tc (T, <Te<Tn, TB = m
In (TI', T2', T3')) and brought into contact with coloring material C, a multicolor image consisting of the three colors of coloring materials A, B, and C can finally be obtained.

The method for forming three-color images has been explained above.
Depending on the application, the method of the present invention can also be applied to forming images of 1.2 or 4 or more colors.

The physical properties related to adhesiveness such as melt viscosity, softening point, glass transition point, and viscosity of the latent image forming layer constituting the recording medium used in the present invention change upon application of light and heat or energy that can be converted into heat. Any layer can be used as long as it does.

The sensitive component in the latent image forming layer is a component that causes a polymerization reaction or a crosslinking reaction, and can be a polymer, an oligomer, or a polymer. 1 as an oligomer or polymer
, e.g. polyvinyl cinnamate, p-methoxycinnamic acid-
Succinic acid half ester, polyvinylstyrylpyridium,
Polymethyl vinyl ketone, polyethylene glycol acrylate, polypropylene glycol acrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate or epoxy resin, unsaturated polyester resin, polyurethane resin, polyvinyl alcohol resin, polyamide resin, polyacrylic acid resin, polymaleic acid resin Examples include resins and silicone resins having reactive groups at their terminals or side chains. More specific examples include acrylic acid ester, acrylic acid amide, methacrylic acid ester, and methacrylic acid amide.

Examples of polymerizable monomers include ethylene glycol diacrylate, propylene glycol diacrylate,
Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,4-butanediol diacrylate, N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl acrylate, benzyl acrylate, acrylamide, methacrylamide, N-methyl-
Lua 1 acrylamide, N-diacetone acrylamide,
Styrene, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, ethylene glycol diacrylate, butylene gelicold dimethacrylate, 1,4-butanediol diacrylate, 1,6-hexanethiol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol diacrylate, triethylene glycol diacrylate, etc. can be mentioned.

A reaction initiator is added as necessary to cause the reaction of the sensitive components. As the reaction initiator, radical initiators such as azo compounds, organic sulfur compounds, carbonyl compounds, and halogen compounds are preferable. For example, benzophenone, benzyl, benzoin ethyl ether, 4-N
, carbonyl compounds such as N-dimethylamino-4°-methoxy-benzophenone, organic sulfur compounds such as dibutyl sulfide, benzyl disulfide, and decylphenyl sulfide, and peroxide tetrachloride such as di-tert-butyl peroxide and benzoyl peroxide. carbon, silver bromide,
Examples include halogen compounds such as 2-naphthalenesulfonyl chloride, nitrogen compounds such as azobisisobutyronitrile, and benzenediazonium chloride.

The combination of the above-mentioned sensitive component and reaction initiator is preferably selected so that the temperature dependence of the reaction rate in the reaction between the reaction initiator and the sensitive component, which acts upon receiving light energy, is as large as possible.

For example, a combination of a heat-melting urethane acrylate polymerizable monomer as a polymerization component and a reaction initiator of 2-chlorothioxanthone or ethyl-p-dimethylaminobenzoate may be used. A system resin can be added as a binder.

Furthermore, a sensitizer such as p-nitroaniline, 1,2-benzoanthraquinone, p,p'-dimethylaminobenzoate, acitraquinone, 2,6-sinitroaniline Hiller ketone, etc. to increase the energy activation of the reaction initiator. may be included in the latent image forming layer.

In addition to the sensitive component, the latent image forming layer of the present invention may contain a resin, wax, or liquid crystal as a binder.

Examples of resins used as binders include polyester-based, polyamide-based, polyurethane-based, polyurea-based, polyvinyl-based, polysilicon-based, polyacetylene-based, and polyether-based homopolymers or copolymers. May be mixed.

Wax binders include vegetable waxes such as candelilla wax, carnauba wax, and rice wax, animal waxes such as beeswax and spermaceti, mineral waxes such as ceresin and montan wax, and petroleum waxes such as paraffin wax. There are synthetic waxes made of fatty acids and fatty acid amide esters such as polyethylene wax, Sasol wax, montan wax derivatives, paraffin wax derivatives, hydrogenated castor oil, hydrogenated castor oil derivatives, and stearic acid. In the present invention, one type or a mixture of two or more types of these waxes may be used.

Liquid crystals that can be used as binders include cholesterol hexanoate, cholesterol decanoate, cholesterol m-aluminum carbonate, cholesterol methyl carbonate, and 4'-methoxybenlylidene-4.
-acetoxyaniline, 4'-methoxybenzylidene-
4-Methylaniline, 4'-ethoxybenzylidene-4
-cyanoaniline, N,N'-bisbenzylidene-3,
Examples include 3'-dimethoxybenzidine.

Methods for constructing a latent image forming layer containing multiple types of sensitive components with different sensitive wavelength ranges include, for example, a method in which each sensitive component is formed into particles and supported on a support, a gravure printing method, an offset printing method, etc. A method of printing on a support can be used.

In the case of the former method, the particle size of the particulate element is preferably 1 to 20 microns, particularly preferably 3 to 10 microns. In the latter method, the thickness of the latent image forming layer is preferably 81 to 20 .mu.s, particularly preferably 1 to 10 .mu.s.

In the case of the former method, in order to support the particulate element on the support, an adhesive such as epoxy, urethane, acrylic, or polyester, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, etc. is used as a supporting binder. .

As the coloring material used in this image forming method, various pigments and dyes can be used as appropriate. Examples of such pigments and dyes include carbon black, yellow lead, molybdenum red, inorganic pigments such as Red Red, Banza Yellow, Benzidine Yellow, Brilliant Carmine 6B, Lake Red C1 Permanent Red F5R, Phthalocyanine Blue, Victoria Blue Lake, Examples include organic pigments such as Fast Sky Blue, colorants such as leuco dyes, and phthalocyanine dyes.

In addition to the above-mentioned coloring materials, a resin, wax, etc. may be mixed as a binder. As these binders, those of the same type as the binder with which the above-mentioned sensitive component is mixed can be used.

The support used for the recording medium is not particularly limited, and conventionally known supports can be used as they are. Examples include films such as polyester, polycarbonate, and polyimide, and papers such as capacitor paper, gravure paper, art paper, coated paper, and high-quality paper.

Next, two representative processes of the multicolor image forming method of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The devices shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are both examples of devices that form a multicolor image by attaching a coloring material to the latent image formed on the latent image forming layer of the recording medium of the present invention. It has a heating means, a light irradiation means, and a coloring material adhesion means, and at least one of the heating means and the light irradiation means operates based on an image signal.

First, the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 will be explained in more detail. This device selectively drives a single heating means equipped with a plurality of heating elements in accordance with an image signal, and at least positions the driven heating elements in accordance with the tone of an image to be formed. A method is implemented in which a multicolor latent image is formed by irradiating a specific light with a wafer, and then a coloring material is attached to form a multicolor image. Note that this apparatus is an example for forming an image of three colors or less.

1 is a latent image forming layer whose adhesion temperature increases when irradiated with light while melted or softened by heat; 3 is a recording medium of the present invention in which the latent image forming layer 1 is disposed on a film 2; and 6 is a recording medium. A supply roll with one turn of the medium 3; 7 a light irradiation means such as a low-pressure mercury lamp, a high-pressure mercury lamp, a metal halide fluorescent lamp, a xenon lamp, etc. for uniformly irradiating light onto the recording medium 3;
Reference numeral 8 denotes heating means such as a thermal head 8a, which causes a control circuit 8b to generate heat pulses based on an image signal.

Note that as the recording medium 3, it is also possible to use an energized heat generating type that generates heat by being energized. In this case, the heating means is an energizing head that generates electrical pulses for energizing.

The illustrated heating means 8 includes a plurality of heating elements (for example, when the heating means is a thermal head, the heating element refers to a heating resistor shown in FIG. 2; when the heating means is a current-carrying head, it refers to an electrode). ing. The heating elements may be arranged in one arrangement, in a matrix, or in multiple rows. Further, the heating elements may be separated from each other, or may be formed by separating a continuous rod-shaped energized heat-generating material by a plurality of electrodes.

5 is a coloring material adhesion means; 5a, 5b, 5c are heat plates having a heater 5e inside; 5A, 5B, 5
C is a hopper that holds the coloring material and applies the coloring material onto the latent image forming layer 1, and 5d is a gas jetting means for blowing a gas flow onto unnecessary coloring material to remove it. To remove the unnecessary coloring material, in addition to blowing a gas stream, it may be suctioned, separated by gravity, or attached to a member such as an adhesive tape.

Now, the recording medium 3 fed out from the supply roll 6 is given a heat pulse based on the image signal by the thermal head 8a. At the same time that a thermal pulse is applied to the recording medium 3 by the thermal head 8a, light of different wavelengths is sequentially irradiated from the lamps 7a, 7b, and 7c in synchronization with the thermal pulse based on the image signal.

In this way, the thermal head 8a and the lamps 7a to 7C
Thus, a latent image is formed on the latent image forming layer 1 based on the principle explained in FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c). after that,
On this latent image, a colorant adhering means is applied as shown in FIG.
~ Based on the principle explained in FIG. 3(c), the coloring material is sequentially deposited.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for carrying out another embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. In the device shown in this figure, light irradiation is controlled based on image signals, and heat is applied all at once. That is, to explain using the example shown in FIG. 2, instead of causing the heating resistors 4a, 4b, and 4c to generate heat, the entire thermal head 4 is made to generate heat uniformly, and the wavelength is placed at the position corresponding to the heating resistor. Light of wavelength λ1 is irradiated. When irradiating light of wavelength λ2, the position corresponding to the heating resistor is also irradiated with light. The same applies when irradiating light of wavelength λ3.

Therefore, 80 in FIG. 5 is a heater that uniformly heats the recording medium 3, and for example, it may be a beat roller or a heater arranged on a ceramic base material. Of course, a temperature sensor and a feedback heater control circuit may be provided for the purpose of highly accurate control of heating temperature. On the other hand, 7d, 7e, and 7f are lamp arrays that emit light by a control circuit based on image signals, and are selected depending on the spectral sensitivity of the latent image forming layer 1. When sensitive to visible light, an LED array, laser array, liquid crystal shutter array, etc. may be used, and a laser scanning system may be used instead of a lamp array. On the other hand, in the case of sensitivity in the ultraviolet region, an ultraviolet lamp array or a method of scanning ultraviolet light with an optical system is used.

With the apparatus shown in FIG. 5, it is particularly easy to obtain high speed and high image quality. This is because the light that is controlled based on the image signal basically has excellent responsiveness and can be made less diffusive.

(Example) Examples will be described below.

The components shown in Tables 1, 2, and 3 were mixed in a chloroform solvent, and three types of latent image forming elements were prepared by spray drying. The particle size of the latent image forming element was in the range of about 8-12.

'f51 Table 2 Table 3 The photoinitiator of the latent image forming element shown in Table 1 absorbs light in the band of graph A in the light absorption characteristics shown in Fig. 6 and starts a reaction. The photoinitiator in the latent image forming element shown in graph B of the same figure
The photoreaction initiator in the latent image forming element shown in Table 3 absorbs the light in the band C of the figure and starts the reaction.

The adhesion temperatures of the latent image forming elements shown in Tables 1 to 3 were 70°C, 90°C, and 110°C, respectively.

Furthermore, these latent image forming elements have a sticking temperature of 150 after reaction.
The temperature rose above ℃.

On the other hand, an epoxy adhesive EAI/E manufactured by Kanebo SSC Co., Ltd.
BI was applied to a dry thickness of approximately 1 #Ij. A mixture of the three types of latent image forming elements described above in equal amounts was sprinkled thereon, and then the adhesive was dried. Subsequently, the latent image forming element not attached to the adhesive was removed to obtain the recording medium shown in FIG. This recording medium was wound into a roll and incorporated into the apparatus shown in FIG.

The thermal head 8a used in this example has 8 dots')/1
111 A4 size line type with heating element rows arranged at the edges. Furthermore, the following light irradiation means was used. The fluorescent lamp with the spectral characteristics shown in graph A in Figure 8 is a 20W health fluorescent lamp manufactured by Toshiba Corporation, and the fluorescent lamp 72 with the spectral characteristics shown in graph B is the 20W fluorescent lamp FLIO^ manufactured by Toshiba Corporation. 70E39, and the fluorescent lamp FL10A70B manufactured by the same company has the spectral characteristics shown in graph C1.

The heating element of the thermal head 8a is controlled by a control circuit (not shown) according to the image signal. In this case, the latent image forming layer is treated with light and heat, which increases the adhesion temperature.
It becomes a negative record. Therefore, when it is desired to attach a coloring material, no electricity is applied, and on the other hand, when it is not desired that a coloring material is attached, an electricity is applied. Current energy when generating heat is 0.8W
/dotX 2.0 sec.

FIG. 9 is a driving chart of this example, and a multicolor latent image was formed according to this chart as follows.

First, the heating resistor corresponding to the part to which the coloring material 57 is to be attached is not energized, and the heating resistor corresponding to the part to which the coloring material 57 is not to be attached is energized at 2 m5ec and uniformly irradiated with fluorescent light, etc. . The irradiation time was 4 m5ec from the start of energization to the heating resistor. 1 m5 after irradiation
ec elapsed (i.e., 5 m5ec from the start of energization)
Later), a latent image corresponding to the colorant 58 was formed in the same manner. After completion of the process, a latent image corresponding to the coloring material 59 is finally formed, and one cycle (one scanning line) of multicolor latent image formation is completed.

In the manner described above, the corresponding multicolor latent images of the coloring materials 57, 58, and 59 were sequentially and repeatedly driven in synchronization, and in synchronization with this, the recording medium 3 was transported by a stepping motor (not shown) and a transport roll.

The formed multicolor latent image on the recording medium 3 is transferred to the coloring material adhesion means 5
- was transported to. The colorant adhering means 5 includes a hopper 51,52,53 that holds the colorant 57,58,59 and supplies it to the recording medium 3, a hot plate 54,55,56 that heats the recording medium 3, and a hot plate 54,55,56 that heats the recording medium 3. A removing means 9 for removing the attached colorant was used. Removal means 9
A fur brush cleaner 10 with electrostatic flocking was used, a bar 11 for scraping off the coloring material adhering to the brush, and a means for sucking up the scraped off coloring material.

As the coloring material, the components shown in Table 4 were formed into particles by the following methods. That is, after melting and kneading in a heated two-roll mill, the mixture is cooled and pulverized in a hammer mill to a size of about 3III11, and further in a jet mill to form colored fine particles of about 1 to 5 μm in size.

Table 4 Colorants 57, 58, and 59 were yellow, red, and blue, respectively. In addition, the hot plates 54, 55, and 56 have built-in heaters that allow temperatures of 80°C, 100°C, and 100°C, respectively.
It was kept heated at 120°C.

Recording medium 3 conveyed to coloring material adhesion means 5 as described above
was first heated to 80° C. in a hot plate 54. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, only the latent image forming element body developed tackiness. Furthermore, at the same time, a yellow coloring material is supplied from the hopper to the latent image forming layer, and then the coloring material 57 on the latent image forming elements other than the latent image forming element 1a is removed by the removing means 9.
has been removed. Next, the recording medium 3 was conveyed to a hot plate 55, and a red colorant 58 was deposited on the latent image forming element through a process similar to that described above. Next, a blue coloring material 59 was similarly deposited on the latent image forming element.

The recording medium with the coloring material attached thereto is transferred to two pairs of rollers TB. It was transported for 14 days. The roller TB used was an aluminum roller with a diameter of 20 m+a coated with silicone rubber having a thickness of 0.5 mm and a hardness of 70°, and further coated with Teflon coated with a thickness of 20+ mm, while the roller 14 used was a roller with a diameter of 20 ffiI11. there was. Note that the surface temperature of roller TB is 120
The temperature was maintained at ℃.

The multicolor image on the recording medium 3 that had passed through the rollers TB and 14 had no color shift, was clear and highly saturated, and had pixels to which the coloring material was firmly adhered.

(Effects of the Invention) In the multicolor image forming method according to the present invention, a multicolor latent image is formed by continuously irradiating light with different wavelengths in a single time period, and a coloring material is subsequently attached on the latent image. This has made it possible to form clear multicolor images without color shift.

Moreover, whereas the conventional multicolor thermal transfer recording method forms a multicolor image by making the transfer recording medium or the recording medium make complicated movements, the present invention enables the recording medium to make complicated movements. It is possible to obtain multicolor images at high speed without any problems.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a recording medium used in the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are explanatory diagrams showing the principle of the multicolor image forming method according to the present invention, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are respectively according to the present invention. A diagram showing one embodiment of a multicolor image forming method, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing light absorption characteristics of a photoinitiator in a latent image forming element, and FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a recording medium using an embodiment of the present invention. , FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the spectral characteristics of a fluorescent lamp, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a drive timing chart, and FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the state of the embodiment. 1 is a latent image forming layer; 1a, 1b, 1c are latent image forming elements; 1d is an adhesive; 2 is a support; 3 is a recording medium; 4
are thermal heads, 4a, 4b. 4C is a heating resistor, 5 is a coloring material adhesion means, 5a, 5b
, 5c is a hot plate, 5 is a gas jetting means,
5e is a heater, 5A, 5B, 5C are hoppers,
51, 52, 53 are coloring materials, 6 is a supply roll,
7 is a light irradiation means, 7a, 7b, 7c are lamps,
7d, 7e, and 7f are lamp arrays, g is a control circuit, 7 is a heating means, 8a is a thermal head, 8b is a control circuit, and 8 is a heater.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A plurality of types of elements each containing photosensitive components having different photosensitive wavelength ranges, each of which has a sticking temperature T_A.
are T_1, T_2, ...T_n (T_1<T_2<・
...<T_n), and each species also has
Using a recording medium in which a latent image forming layer including an element whose adhesion temperature changes to T_B (T_B>T_n) or more upon application of light and heat or energy convertible to heat is carried on a support, a) forming a latent image by applying at least one of the energies to the recording medium in correspondence with recorded information and applying the other energy to raise the adhesion temperature of the desired element above T_B; (b) The recording medium is sequentially T_a, T_b,...
T_x(T_1<T_a<T_2, T_2<T_b<T
_3, ...T_n<T_x<T_B), and (c) under each heating condition, a coloring material of a different tone from that used under other heating conditions is attached to the recording medium. A multicolor image forming method.