JPH0112678B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an image forming method in which at least two or more types of image forming materials are ejected in a state where they are susceptible to electrical action, and the ejecting direction or ejecting amount is controlled to form an image onto a recording medium according to an image signal. This invention relates to a method for recording color images.

Conventionally, this type of recording method includes an inkjet method and a powder electrostatic coating method. In the inkjet method, ink from an image forming material stored in a tank is ejected from an ejection nozzle in the form of fine particles, and at the same time it is charged and electrostatically controls the ejection direction or ejection amount to print on a recording medium according to an image signal. It records images. Further, the powder electrostatic coating method uses pre-pulverized colored fine powder as an image forming material.

Both the inkjet method and the powder electrostatic coating method have the disadvantage that the image forming material adheres to the ejection nozzle, causing it to stop coming out or becoming clogged. In addition, in the case of the ink jet method, when the solvent of the ink stored in the image forming material tank evaporates, the viscosity of the ink increases, which increases the particle size, and if the evaporation progresses further, it becomes impossible to atomize the ink. Become. In addition, the ink in the tank leaks to the outside due to vibrations of the device and contaminates the surrounding area, making it inconvenient to carry. In addition, in the case of powder electrostatic coating method, when the temperature inside the image forming material storage container rises,
The colored fine powder that is the image forming material blocks and hardens, making it impossible to spray. or,
Fine powder may scatter to the surrounding area and cause contamination.
Both the inkjet method and the powder electrostatic coating method have a number of drawbacks. Furthermore, in the conventional method, especially when reproducing color images, at least three jet nozzles, each independent, were required. That is, inks or fine powders colored yellow, magenta, and cyan were ejected from independent ejection nozzles in correspondence with each color signal so that color mixing was possible. Therefore, in the conventional method, the spray angle must be controlled so that the three types of coloring materials are focused on one point on the recording paper, which has the disadvantage of complicating the control method and increasing the size of the entire apparatus.

The present invention relates to a recording method and apparatus for obtaining a color image by electrically controlling a colorless sublimable dye gas to react with an electron-accepting substance. Therefore,
An object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful color image recording method and apparatus that completely solves the drawbacks of the conventional methods as described above. An object of the present invention is to provide a color image recording method with high resolution and excellent gradation. Another object is to provide a color image recording method with excellent color reproducibility. That is, the present invention provides a color image recording method that enables nearly ideal color reproduction by mixing two or more types of colorless sublimable dyes to be mixed in a molecular state before being attached to a recording medium.

Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
Colorless sublimable dyes that develop magenta, cyan, and yellow colors are separately provided in containers 1a, 1b, and 1c, respectively, and heated by a heating device 2 to become a gas. The heating device 2 does not need to be particularly considered for the purpose of the present invention, and any general heating means can be used. The dye gas generated by heating is sent to a color signal source 3 provided in the injection path of each container.
The injection amount is controlled by an electromagnetic shutter 4 that operates according to a signal from the injection nozzle 5, and the mixture is mixed in an injection nozzle 5. Next, the injection amount of the mixed gas is controlled according to an image signal applied by an image signal source 8 inserted between an electrode 6 provided on the injection nozzle 5 and an accelerating electrode 7. Ru. The injected gas flies toward the back electrode 9. Then, it adheres to the recording medium 10. The recording medium must contain in advance an electron-accepting substance that causes the colorless sublimable dye to develop color. That is, when a colorless sublimable dye adheres to an electron-accepting substance contained in a recording medium, it reacts and develops color, forming a color image.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. Colorless sublimable dyes that develop magenta, cyan, and yellow colors are separately provided in containers 1a, 1b, and 1c, respectively, and heated by a heating device 2.
It becomes a gas. The amount of the generated gas is controlled by an electromagnetic shutter 4 operated in accordance with a signal from a color signal source 3 provided in the injection path of each container, and the gas is mixed in an injection nozzle 5. Next, the mixed gas is transferred to an electrode 6 provided on the injection nozzle 5,
It is ejected and simultaneously charged by a power source 11 inserted between the accelerating electrode 7 and the accelerating electrode 7. The charged gas mixture is focused by electric field lenses 12 and 13,
Next, when passing between the electrostatic deflection electrodes 14 and 15, it is deflected by the image signal source 8 and flies toward the back electrode 9. Then, it adheres to the recording medium 10, reacts with the electron-accepting substance contained in advance, and develops color to form a color image.

Specific examples of materials that can be used in the present invention carried out as described above will be described below.

Colorless sublimable dyes include, for example, magenta developing dyes such as phenazine dye, astrazone dye,
Cyan color developing dyes include stilbene dyes, and yellow color developing dyes include leuco auramine dyes. Further, as the electron-accepting substance used as a coloring agent for the colorless sublimable dye, oxalic acid,
Characic acid, trichloroacetic acid, citric acid, malic acid,
These include fatty acids such as fumaric acid, citraconic acid, suberic acid, maleic acid, and behenic acid, and acids with cyclic structures such as ascorbic acid, phenylacetic acid, salicylic acid, gallic acid, and picric acid. In addition to the above-mentioned organic acids, inorganic acids such as activated Shiraki and acidic polymers such as polyparaphenylphenol can also be used. Furthermore, phenolic substances and the like can also be used.

Specific examples will be described below.

Example 1 As shown in Fig. 1, an injection nozzle 5 having a nozzle diameter of 50 μ and having three containers 1a, 1b, and 1c made of brass is prepared, and each container is filled with a colorless sublimation agent that develops a magenta color. Dye 2-(4-N,N-diethylamino-2-methylstyryl)-3,3-dimethyl-3H-indole, colorless sublimable dye bis(4,4'-dialkylaminodiphenyl) that develops in cyan color. Filled with cyclic elements of ethylene and Michler's ketone, a colorless sublimable dye that develops yellow color, the mixture is heated to 140°C with a nichrome wire heater to create a dye gas, and the required amount of each is applied to the color signal from the color signal source 3. Therefore, it is controlled by the electromagnetic shutter 4 and sent to the injection nozzle 5 for mixing. Next, the mixed gas is supplied from an image signal source 8 inserted between an electrode 6 provided on the injection nozzle 5 and an accelerating electrode 7, from 0 to
Applying an 800V image signal and injecting the gas,
A clear color image was obtained when it was attached to a recording paper coated with activated white paper, which was moving at 10 mm/sec in the y-axis direction.

Example 2 As shown in FIG. 2, a colorless sublimable dye 2-amino-3-methyl-7-dimethylphenylene which develops a magenta color was placed in each of the containers 1a, 1b, and 1c of the injection nozzle used in Example 1. Filled with Nadine, a colorless sublimable dye bis(4,4'-dialkylamino-diphenyl)ethylene that develops a cyan color, and Michler's ketone, a colorless sublimable dye that develops a yellow color, the mixture was heated to 150℃ using a nichrome wire heater. The dyes are heated to form a gas, and the required amounts of each dye are sent to the injection nozzle 5 and mixed under control by the electromagnetic shutter 4 in accordance with the color signal from the color signal source 3. Next, an electric field of 2.8 KV/mm is applied between the accelerating electrode 7 and the injection nozzle 5 to inject the mixed gas, and voltages of 2 KV and 6 KV are applied to the electric field lenses 12 and 13, each consisting of a cylindrical electrode, to converge the mixture. to obtain a gas beam, deflection electrode 1
Apply an image signal of 0 to 600 V from the image signal source 8 to 4 and 15 to deflect the air beam in the y-axis direction,
When it was attached to recording paper coated with tartaric acid in advance, a clear color image was obtained.

As described above, the present invention is characterized in that a color image is recorded using a colorless sublimable dye. Recording occurs when the dye reacts with an electron-accepting substance that develops color. Therefore, since the colors are mixed in the molecular state, the recorded color images have extremely excellent color reproducibility. Moreover, it is a color image recording method with excellent gradation. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the colorless sublimable dye gas is mixed in a colorless state and then reacts with the electron-accepting substance to develop color, so one injection nozzle only has three containers. 3 so that the color material focuses on one point on the recording paper.
There is no need to control the spray angle of the book spray nozzle. Therefore, the control method is simple and the device can be made smaller.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 illustrate the principle of the recording method of the present invention. 1a, 1b, 1c... Dye storage container, 2...
Heating device, 3... Color signal source, 4... Electromagnetic shutter, 5... Spray nozzle, 6, 7... Electrode, 8...
Image signal source.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1 Gases of two or more colorless sublimable dyes obtained by heating are mixed according to the respective color signals, and then the mixed gas is injected according to the image signal, and the dye is A color image recording method characterized in that a colored image is obtained by adhering a color developer to a recording medium. 2.Equipped with two or more storage containers for colorless sublimable dye, each having a heating device and an injection control device that electrically controls the amount of gas injection in accordance with a color signal,
A color image recording apparatus characterized in that the apparatus further comprises an injection device which combines the gas passages directly connected to each of the containers in one place and injects the mixed gas by electrical action.