US3838431A - Apparatus for thermally recording character patterns - Google Patents
Apparatus for thermally recording character patterns Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3838431A US3838431A US00350389A US35038973A US3838431A US 3838431 A US3838431 A US 3838431A US 00350389 A US00350389 A US 00350389A US 35038973 A US35038973 A US 35038973A US 3838431 A US3838431 A US 3838431A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- photoconductive layer
- radiation
- heat
- recited
- character
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/435—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material
- B41J2/475—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material for heating selectively by radiation or ultrasonic waves
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/435—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material
- B41J2/465—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material using masks, e.g. light-switching masks
- B41J2/4655—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material using masks, e.g. light-switching masks using character templates
Definitions
- ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data K d 1 .df h b pparatus 1s 1sc ose orrecor mg 1g timages yex- Apr. 18, 1972 Germany 2218640 posure of a photoconductor thereto torender charge "[52] s U 346/76 R 96/1 E 250/316 carriers therein mobile, subjecting the mobile charge [51] m m 17/00 carriers to a high frequency magnetic field to thereby [58] w 4 P 74 effect induction heating of the photoconductor where 6 3 96/1 exposed, and utilizing the heat generated in the photov conductor to act on a contacting heat sensitive record- [56] References Cited mg Substance UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 3,386,551 6/1968 DOnofrio 346/76 R X Pmmmsamma.
- the present invention relates to a device for recording written characters or the like, on at least one data carrier, by means of electromagnetic radiation which arbitrarily projects the pattern of the character, and by means of particles susceptible to influence by said radiation, which particles are responsible for the recording of the characters.
- a method of producing written characters which remain visible, on a data carrier in which method, in dependence upon a beam of electromagnetic radiation, the ink particles provided for the representation of the written character on the data carrier, are supplied with an amount of energy such as to render said particles visible whilst the radiation is still acting upon them, and leave them behind in the form of the character concerned, on the data carmet.
- the beam should project the characters, selected individually by an input device, in the direction of arbitrarily selectable printing positions in a row on the data carrier, and that the beam should act upon the ink particles used for recording, which particles are located upon the data carrier or on a special ink carrier, and/or on the holder for same, the beam yielding up a quantity of energy which chemically or physically modifies the ink particles, e.g., German Pat. Application No. 1436647.
- thermographic printers which, in order to produce a printed result on for example thermographic paper, use 20 directly (electrically) heated grid elements which are arranged in the field of five rows and four columns, e.g., type EPN 2100 Texas instruments Corporation, PO. Box 5012, Dallas, Tex., USA. v
- the disadvantage is that only a limited number of grid elements, at the current time no more than 50, can be accommodated and operated on the area required for a normal kind of typewriter.
- the kind of printed result obtainable in this fashion although suitable for some purposes, is very far removed from the sharp print produced by conventional typewriters or printers.
- at least 200 grid elements would be required to cover the type area.
- numbers of this order cannot be obtained.
- the grid elements have to be driven and heated by electronic means, and this means an additional expense.
- the object of the invention is to provide a device for recording written characters or the like on at least one data carrier, which device on the one hand requires a less intense radiation source and a less elaborate system of control for same, than in the case with the known and proposed methods or arrangements, and on the other hand records a better printed result than thermal printers, preferably a printed result which is in keeping with the sharp print received by a typewriter.
- this is achieved by means of a radiation-electrical transducer arranged in the path of radiation, and a power source cooperating therewith, e.g., a generator for supplying energy to the charge carriers liberated whenever radiation is incident upon the transducer, these charge carriers increasing the temperature in the irradiated zones of the transducer, yielding up heat to recording particles.
- a power source cooperating therewith, e.g., a generator for supplying energy to the charge carriers liberated whenever radiation is incident upon the transducer, these charge carriers increasing the temperature in the irradiated zones of the transducer, yielding up heat to recording particles.
- the radiation-electrical transducer normally a photoelectric device, can equally be designed to operate as an amplifier system. At the points encountered by the radiation, for example in a photoconducting substance, charge carriers are liberated which give rise to a selective increase in conductivity, in accordance with the particular character pattern.
- the generator which is functionally associated with the radiation-electrical transducer, influences the liberated charge carriers so that current fractions, i.e., eddy currents, are generated in the transducer and produce there a thermal pattern which, in the particular required areas of the data carrier' transfers to the recording particles. Accordingly, the transducer is provided with a time-modulated and- /or position-modulated optical signal, through radiation, and with electrical power from a power source, so
- the transducer yields up a heat pattern to the recording particles.
- the transducer is responsible for local modulation of a flow-field produced by the power source in accordance with optical information.
- the power source is a high frequency generator which supplies a field winding that generates a high frequency magnetic field.
- the high frequency generator can be continuously switched on.
- a switch for the high frequency generator and a switch for the radiation source (and possibly an arrangement for generating the beam).
- the high frequency generator is switched in in a desired timed relationship to the other elements.
- the field winding for the high frequency magnetic field can surround the radiation-electrical transducer in ring-fashion.
- the radiation-electrical transducer in another embodiment, is arranged between the two electrodes of a voltage source.
- the voltage source in this example acts as a generator that passes current through the irradiated areas of the transducer thereby heating up the irradiated areas of the transducer.
- One of the electrodes is transparent vis-a-vis the excitatory radiation.
- the radiation-electrical transducer normally contains a photoconducting substance. This can be arranged upon a radiation-transmissive carrier. In order to improve the efficiency of the arrangement, the photoconducting substance can be functionally associated with a phosphorescent substance. This latter continues to produce light until the liberated charge carriers have been provided with sufficient energy by the power source and are able to reliably produce the desired thermal pattern.
- the radiation-electrical transducer is subdivided into mutually independent elementary areas. In this way, it is possible when required to avoid the production of blurred thermal patterns.
- the invention is furthermore characterized by a carrier for thermoplastic ink in contact with the transducer.
- the radiation-electrical transducer, the thermoplastic ink and a recording sheet are in contact with one another.
- the recording particles can also be arranged upon the data carrier.
- Losses are minimized if the generator contains a ferromagnetic circuit for the high frequency magnetic field.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of the device
- FIG. 2 illustrates a fragment of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale
- FIG. 3 illustrates a modified radiation-electrical transducer
- FIG. 4 illustrates a graph
- FIG. 5 illustrates a further graph
- FIG. 6 illustrates a construction detail
- FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-section through a further radiation-electrical transducer
- FIG. 8 schematically indicates a detail of an example of the invention, in side elevation
- FIG. 9 illustrates the arrangement of FIG. 8 in plan
- FIG. 10 illustrates a construction detail.
- FIG. 1 a schematic illustration of a device in accordance with on embodiment of the invention including a data carrier 16 on which written characters or the like can be recorded according to electromagnetic radiation images.
- a radiation source 1 is provided which can be connected by a switch 3 to a voltage source 2.
- a radiation source 1 a suitable electric lightbulb, a flash bulb or the like can be used.
- the electromagnetic radiation produced by it is incident upon an arrangement 4 which produces a so-callcd radiation path or beam.
- This arrangement 4 can. for example. contain templates which can be introduced intermittently to the radiation or passed continuously through it.
- the templates are shaped to accord with the characters and in each case profile the radiation to produce the radiation path or beam 6 corresponding to the characters selected.
- the selection, for example, of the templates of the arrangement 4 is effected here in functional relationship with the operation of the radiation source 1, through a number of switches 13 of which, for reasons of clarity, only one has been shown in the Figure.
- the arrangement 4 can consist of known, mechanically and/or electromechanically or electrodynamically selectable templates upon the servo elements of which the switches 13 operate.
- the switches 13 as well as the switch 3 will conveniently take the form of electronic timer switches because the circuits of the radiation source 1 and the arrangement 4 must be so matched to one another that the radiation path or beam 6 is maintained in each case for the requisite interval of time.
- the switch 3 as well as the switching elements 13, can be operated in a manner known per se and therefore not illustrated here directly by the keyboard of a typewriter, by a punched tape or magnetic tape reader, or for that matter by the output equipment of a data-processing system.
- the arrangement 4 for producing a beam 6 can also include devices by means of which a beam generated by the radiation source 1 is guided and intensity-modulated in accordance with the nature of a character to be recorded.
- the corresponding processes and sequences are likewise triggered by the switch 13.
- the term radiation path or beam 6 is intended to indicate radiation profile in accordance with the desired character, or a correspondingly guided beam.
- an optical system 5 In the beam or radiation path 6 there is provided an optical system 5, indicated purely schematically by means of which an adaptation to the particular situation can be effected.
- the beam 6 is incident upon a radiation-electrical transducer 7, explained in more detail hereinafter, which is normally arranged upon a carrier 8.
- the radiation-electrical transducer 7 is followed by a mobile carrier 14, schematically illustrated in the present example, for thermoplastic ink 15 which is in contact with the likewise mobile data carrier 16.
- a plate 18 can be provided as support or the like.
- a field winding 12 for a high frequency magnetic field which winding is connected to a high frequency generator 9.
- This generator can be continuously switched on or, alternatively, may be connected to a voltage source 10 via a drive arrangement schematically represented over switch 11.
- the switch 11, too, can be designed as an electronic timer switch and be operated by the typewriter keyboard or by other input equipment.
- thermoplastic ink 15 In front of the printing position, a known type of preheating station 17 for the thermoplastic ink 15 is illustrated. By means of the preheating station 17 the particular desired plasticity on the part of the thermoplastic ink 15 can be developed prior to the recording operation.
- FIG. 2 an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 1.
- the radiation path or beam 6 corresponding to the character is stencilled through an arrangement 4 illustrated in section as a template and is directed through the radiationtransmissive carrier 8 on the radiation-electrical transducer 7 which may, for example, be a photoconductive layer.
- the radiation-electrical transducer 7 which may, for example, be a photoconductive layer.
- charge carriers 7a are liberated which selectively increase the conductivity of the photoconducting substance.
- the high frequency magnetic field produced by the winding 12 influences the liberated charge carriers 7a so that eddy currents are produced in accordance with the character pattern. These eddy currents produce a thermal pattern in the photoconductive layer and this thermal pattemis transferred by direct contact to the carrier 14 carrying the thermoplastic ink 15.
- the thermoplastic ink 15 is softened in accordance with the pattern of the character so that recording particles 15a are released to the surface of the data carrier 16.
- the result can be achieved that different characters are transferred with equal quality to the data carrier 16.
- the photoconducting substance is in intimate contact with the carrier 14 for the thermoplastic ink 15, and this in turn touches the data carrier 16.
- thermoplastic ink 15 in front of the printing position can be preheated to a threshold such that the thermal image of the radiation-electrical transducer 7 has only to produce a tiny additional amount of heating, sufficient for local selective attainment of the melting temperature and there fore for transmission of the recording particles 15a to the data carrier 16.
- the dwell time of a template in the radiation in order to produce a beam or radiation path is between and milliseconds. This is sufficient time, with a small economically viable high frequency generator 9, to produce an adequate temperature rise in the radiation-electrical transducer 7 for the softening of the thermoplastic ink 15.
- the recording particles 15a can also be arranged upon the data carrier 16.
- they may comprise a material which changes color when subjected to the action of heat, in the manner well-known for example from thermal copiers.
- a preferred embodiment of the invention employs a radiation-electrical transducer 7 whose conductivity changes have a sufficiently long recovery time. As shown in FIG.
- the conductivity K can remain, for example, for a period of t l l0ms above the conductivity k,, illustrated in broken line, which is sufficient to maintain a fully effective thermal pattern.
- the value represents the duration of radiation incidence which is, for example, 4ms.
- the photoconductive layer of FIG. 3 can be functionally associated with a phosphorescent substance 19.
- the phosphorescent substance 19 may take the form of a thin film which is arranged between the carrier 8 and the radiationelectrical transducer 7.
- the conductivity decay characteristic can be influenced within wide limits.
- the transducer can be subdivided into mutually independent elementary areas.
- a radiation transmissive grid or grating 20 can be used which is either arranged directly over the transducer 7 or also, for example, directly on a template within the arrangement 4 used to produce the radiation path or beam 6.
- elementary areas 2ll are defined which are effectively isolated from one another. In this fashion, a pattern of liberated charge carriers 7a, on the lines of a checker arrangement, is produced in the radiation-electrical transducer 7.
- a radiationelectrical transducer 7b contains a grainy, photoconductive substance for the purpose of subdivision. Through the graininess or granulation, once again, mutually independent areas are created.
- FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate in detail a schematic view of a possible design of the subject of the invention.
- the high frequency magnetic field excited by the field winding 12 is for the major part guided through a ferromagnetic core 22 provided with air gaps 23 and 24 for the passage of the carrier 14 carrying the thermoplastic ink 15, and of the data carrier 16.
- the ferromagnetic circuit 22 consists of the two arms 22a and 22b.
- the arm 22a contains an opening 220 for the passage of the radiation path or beam 6. Beneath the opening 22c, the radiation-electrical transducer 7, with its carrier 8, is
- the field winding 12 is connected to the high frequency generator 9.
- the ferromagnetic core consists, preferably, of sintered magnetic material.
- the design of the ferromagnetic core 22 can, of course, readily be modified to exclude the air gap 23.
- the power source which supplies the energy to the liberated charge carrier 7a, to heat the transducer 7 and thereby the thermoplastic ink 15, can operate without a magnetic field.
- the radiation-electrical trans ducer 7 could also be arranged between two electrodes 25 and 26 of which heat 25 is radiation-transmissive in design.
- the two electrodes 25 and 26 are connected to a voltage source 27 which supplies, through the irradiated areas of the transducer 7, currents which heat the transducer 7 at the desired locations.
- phosphorescent materials for example, zinc-sulphide and cadmium-sulphide, activated with suitable heavy metal such as copper, silver, manganese, can be used.
- photoconductive substances advantageously selenium, copper suboxide, lead sulphide, zinc sulphide and cadmium sulphice, can be used.
- the mutually independent elementary areas shown in FIG. 7, can, for example, be small equisized spheres of photoconducting substance which are sintered using a suitable heat resistant material.
- the small spheres of photoconducting substance can also be formed as a deposit in any suitable liquid which later solidifies.
- any solid material can be used which will withstand the temperatures developed and will pass at least the majority of the radiation.
- Particularly suitable in this context are gas, and in many cases, too, a silicon synthetic. Because of its good antifriction properties, a fluorated hydrocarbon, for example, Teflon, can be used.
- said means responsive to generated heat in said photoconductive layer comprising particles incorporated in a record element.
- said means responsive to heat generated in said photoconductive layer comprising particles in a discrete layer and a record element in contact with said particles.
- said photoconductive layer including a phosphorescent material.
- said photoconductive layer comprising mutually independent elementary areas.
- Apparatus for recording type characters defined by light patterns comprising,
- transfer element having a carrier and a transfer material coated thereon meltable in response to heat
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Toxicology (AREA)
- Electronic Switches (AREA)
- Thermal Transfer Or Thermal Recording In General (AREA)
- Heat Sensitive Colour Forming Recording (AREA)
- Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
- Printers Or Recording Devices Using Electromagnetic And Radiation Means (AREA)
- Combination Of More Than One Step In Electrophotography (AREA)
- Fax Reproducing Arrangements (AREA)
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DE2218640A DE2218640C3 (de) | 1972-04-18 | 1972-04-18 | Einrichtung zum Aufzeichnen von Schriftzeichen o.dgl |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3838431A true US3838431A (en) | 1974-09-24 |
Family
ID=5842282
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US00350389A Expired - Lifetime US3838431A (en) | 1972-04-18 | 1973-04-12 | Apparatus for thermally recording character patterns |
Country Status (5)
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3916420A (en) * | 1974-05-06 | 1975-10-28 | Ncr Co | Printer and display system |
US4052208A (en) * | 1973-05-04 | 1977-10-04 | Martinelli Michael A | Image recording medium employing photoconductive granules and a heat disintegrable layer |
US5191214A (en) * | 1990-10-17 | 1993-03-02 | Kotaro Hiranami | Method of manufacturing design carrier |
EP0593364A2 (en) * | 1992-10-14 | 1994-04-20 | Sony Corporation | Printing device and photographic paper |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPS6138710A (ja) * | 1984-07-31 | 1986-02-24 | Nisshin Steel Co Ltd | クラツド管の製造方法 |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3386551A (en) * | 1966-11-14 | 1968-06-04 | Litton Business Systems Inc | Method of and apparatus for using radio or high frequency energy to produce printed matter |
US3570380A (en) * | 1968-06-07 | 1971-03-16 | Olivetti & Co Spa | Impactless typewriter |
US3673594A (en) * | 1970-03-16 | 1972-06-27 | Ibm | Photocopying device |
US3752667A (en) * | 1971-10-01 | 1973-08-14 | Litton Business Systems Inc | Method for directly recording light patterns |
-
1972
- 1972-04-18 DE DE2218640A patent/DE2218640C3/de not_active Expired
- 1972-10-04 FR FR7235189A patent/FR2181267A5/fr not_active Expired
- 1972-10-06 CH CH1463772A patent/CH543968A/de not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1972-10-26 JP JP47106749A patent/JPS4921033A/ja active Pending
-
1973
- 1973-04-12 US US00350389A patent/US3838431A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3386551A (en) * | 1966-11-14 | 1968-06-04 | Litton Business Systems Inc | Method of and apparatus for using radio or high frequency energy to produce printed matter |
US3570380A (en) * | 1968-06-07 | 1971-03-16 | Olivetti & Co Spa | Impactless typewriter |
US3673594A (en) * | 1970-03-16 | 1972-06-27 | Ibm | Photocopying device |
US3752667A (en) * | 1971-10-01 | 1973-08-14 | Litton Business Systems Inc | Method for directly recording light patterns |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4052208A (en) * | 1973-05-04 | 1977-10-04 | Martinelli Michael A | Image recording medium employing photoconductive granules and a heat disintegrable layer |
US3916420A (en) * | 1974-05-06 | 1975-10-28 | Ncr Co | Printer and display system |
US5191214A (en) * | 1990-10-17 | 1993-03-02 | Kotaro Hiranami | Method of manufacturing design carrier |
EP0593364A2 (en) * | 1992-10-14 | 1994-04-20 | Sony Corporation | Printing device and photographic paper |
EP0593364A3 (en) * | 1992-10-14 | 1994-05-25 | Sony Corp | Printing device and photographic paper |
US5594480A (en) * | 1992-10-14 | 1997-01-14 | Sony Corporation | Printing device and photographic paper |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JPS4921033A (US08197722-20120612-C00042.png) | 1974-02-25 |
CH543968A (de) | 1973-11-15 |
FR2181267A5 (US08197722-20120612-C00042.png) | 1973-11-30 |
DE2218640C3 (de) | 1980-03-06 |
DE2218640B2 (de) | 1979-07-26 |
DE2218640A1 (de) | 1973-10-31 |
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