JPH04331946A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To record an image on normal paper and an optional medium at low cost by providing coating devices which coat the recording paper with a developer and microcapsules. CONSTITUTION:A movable photosensitive plate 60 can be arranged below an LCD 7, and a corotron 56 which charges the photosensitive plate 60 electrostatically and uniformly is provided left below the photosensitive plate 60 in its moving direction; and the microcapsule coating device 54 is installed on its left adjacent side and the developer coating device 52 is installed further on its left adjacent side. A destaticized 57 which removes electrostatic charges from the photosensitive plate 60 is provided further on the left side and the recording paper 51 is sent by a feed roller 58 from left below it at the same speed with the photosensitive plate 60 and superposed having its left end aligned. At this time, the corotron 59 charges the recording paper 51 to the opposite polarity from the developer 53 and microcapsules 55, so the developer 53 and microcapsules 55 sticking on the photosensitive plate 60 are transferred to the recording paper 51 and the recording paper 51 is coated with the developer 53 and microcapsules 55 in conformity with the image of the LCD 7.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording images by exposing a photosensitive recording medium, and more particularly to an image recording apparatus for printing out video signals, images and text data from a personal computer, etc.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an image recording apparatus for recording an image by exposing a photosensitive recording medium, as described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 63-140524. A photosensitive recording medium has a substrate coated with microcapsules containing a photosensitive substance whose hardness changes in response to light and a dye precursor, and after forming a latent image by exposure with an exposure device, pressure is applied. The latent image is developed by the developing device. The exposure device forms a latent image corresponding to image information by exposing the photosensitive recording medium to cause a change in the hardness of the master cylinder, and the pressure developing device pressurizes the photosensitive recording medium after exposure. The latent image is developed by destroying the soft microcapsules and allowing the dye precursor and a color developer to develop color from the dye precursor to act on the microcapsules. At this time, a color developer is applied to a substrate different from the substrate on which the microcapsules are applied, exposure is performed on the photosensitive recording medium, and the photosensitive recording medium and color developer after exposure are applied to the substrate. In one case, a latent image is formed on the image recording medium by applying pressure while the two coated image recording media are overlapped, and in the other case, a color developer and microcapsules are coated on the same base material and exposed and developed. There are cases where this is done for a single medium.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-mentioned image recording apparatus, recording is performed using a ready-made recording medium coated with microcapsules or a color developer, and the user can use any medium desired by the user. There was a problem in that it was not possible to record data. For this reason, the applicant of the present invention proposed an image recording medium producing apparatus for applying a color developer to an arbitrary medium in Japanese Patent Application No. 1983-256003. Using this device, an image can be recorded on a medium desired by the user, such as paper or a resin sheet.

However, in this case, a photosensitive recording medium coated with microcapsules is required in addition to the image recording medium, and since the photosensitive recording medium cannot be reused once it has been exposed, consumables are required for recording. There was a problem that this increased the recording cost. An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording device that can inexpensively record an image formed on a light valve panel onto any recording medium.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the image recording device of the present invention includes a light bubble panel comprising a light source, a light modulation element that forms an image with the light from the light source, and a light bubble panel. A capsule coating device coats microcapsules containing a photosensitive material and a dye precursor whose hardness changes in response to the light from the light source passed through them onto a substrate on which an image is to be formed, and a dye precursor in the microcapsules. and a color developer application device that applies a color developer to a base material on which an image is to be formed.

[0006]

[Operation] The image recording device of the present invention having the above configuration has the following features:
First, a charge is uniformly applied to a desired base material so that only the exposed portion is uncharged, and then a color developer is transferred to recording paper. Thereafter, microcapsules are attached to the exposed areas, and at the same time as the color developer is transferred to the recording paper, the microcapsules are transferred to the base material. In this way, a photosensitive recording medium is created by applying microcapsules and a color developer to a base material desired by the user, which has the effect of expanding the range of recording objects and widening the scope of use of the image recording device. . In addition, since both the microcapsules and the color developer are coated on one base material, compared to the case where images are recorded using two types of media in which both are coated on different base materials, Recording costs can be reduced.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the present invention will be explained with reference to an embodiment embodied in an image recording apparatus using a liquid crystal display panel as a light valve panel.In the image recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 3
is provided, and a reflector 2 that reflects the light from the halogen lamp 3 is placed above it. Further, a condensing lens 4 is arranged below the halogen lamp 3 to collect the light from the halogen lamp 3, and an infrared cut filter 5 is arranged below so as to block the light from the halogen lamp 3. Below the infrared cut filter 5 is a color filter 6 that allows the light from the infrared cut filter 5 to pass through the entire surface.
A filter unit 6 consisting of R, 6G, and 6B is arranged, and can be switched by a motor 27 to select any of the color filters 6R, 6G, and 6B, and below it, a liquid crystal display panel serving as a light valve panel is placed a little apart. 7 (hereinafter referred to as LCD) are arranged.

A movable thin film photosensitive plate 60 can be disposed adjacently below the LCD 7, and the photosensitive plate 60
A corotron 56 is provided at the lower left in the moving direction of the photosensitive plate 60 to uniformly charge the entire surface of the photosensitive plate 60 so that the next coating is applied by the coating device. A developer coating device 52 containing a developer 53 is installed next to the device 54 on the left. Furthermore, on the left side, a static eliminator 57 is provided to remove the electric charge from the entire surface of the photosensitive plate 60, and from the lower left side, the recording paper 51 is fed by a feed roller 58 at the same speed as the photosensitive plate 60, and the left end of each are coincidentally superimposed. At this time, the corotron 59 charges the recording paper 51 to a polarity different from that of the color developer 53 and microcapsules 55, so that the color developer 53 and microcapsules 55 attached to the photosensitive plate 60 are transferred to the recording paper 51. , the color developer 53 and the microcapsules 55 are applied to the recording paper 51 in a state corresponding to the image on the LCD 7. After the exposure, the recording paper 51 passes through a pressure roller 11, is developed by a thermal fixing device 12 equipped with a heater 13, and is output as a recording paper 51 with a printed image.

Next, the electrical configuration of this embodiment will be explained. Image data from the outside is inputted to the video I/F 25, and the data is converted into digital data by the A/D converter 22 and recorded in RAMs provided correspondingly for R, G, and B of the video RAM 23. Ru. When a start command is input from outside, the signal of start SW25 becomes CP.
Transferred to U29, lamp control circuit 26, filter replacement control circuit 28, LCD controller 24, video RA
The CPU 29 controls M23 to start exposure.

Next, FIG. 2 shows the operation of the image recording device 1.
This will be explained using FIGS. Print start SW25
When is pressed, image data from the outside is taken in from the video I/F 21, and the A/D conversion 22 converts the image data into digital signals separately for R, G, and B.
Data is stored in each block in the video RAM 23.

The photosensitive plate 60 is moved to the right as shown in FIG.
The surface of the LCD 7 is uniformly charged with electric charge and is placed close to or in close contact with the lower part of the LCD 7. Next, as shown in FIG. 2(b), the CPU 29 calculates and closes non-white pixels on the LCD 7 from the R, G, and B data in the video RAM 23.
The halogen lamp 3 is turned on by the lamp control circuit, but
As a result, the exposed portion of the photosensitive plate 60 becomes uncharged. At this time, the light from the halogen lamp 3 is efficiently focused by the reflector 2 and the condensing lens 4 into parallel light, which is uniformly irradiated over the entire surface of the LCD 7 via the infrared cut filter 5 and the red filter 6R. When the exposure is completed, the photosensitive plate 60 moves to the left as shown in FIG. However, since the capsule coating device 54 is in a non-coating state, the color developer 53 is attached to the portion of the photosensitive plate 60 where the electrostatic latent image is formed by the color developer coating device 52 and the color is developed. The agent image is on the photosensitive plate 60
is formed. The recording paper 51 is fed by a feeding roller 58 at the same speed as the photosensitive plate 60, and the recording paper 51 is aligned so that their upper ends are aligned with each other. At the point where the recording paper 51 and the photosensitive plate 60 are overlapped, the recording paper 51 is charged with a polarity different from that of the color developer 53 by the corotron 59, so that the color developer 53 attached on the photosensitive plate 60 is charged to the recording paper. 51 and transferred.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2(d), while moving the photosensitive plate 60 to the right, the recording paper 51 is also retracted to its original position. While the photosensitive plate 60 is moving, a static eliminator 57 removes all charges on the surface, and a corotron 56 further removes the charges on the surface of the photosensitive plate 60.
The surface of the LCD 7 is uniformly charged and is placed close to or in close contact with the LCD 7 below. Next, as shown in FIG. 3(A), the CPU 29 calculates and closes non-white pixels on the LCD 7 based on the R, G, and B data in the video RAM 23, and the halogen lamp 3 is turned on by the lamp control circuit. As a result, the exposed portion of the photosensitive plate 60 becomes uncharged.

When the exposure is completed as shown in FIG. 3(b), the photosensitive plate 60 moves to the left, but at this time the corotron 56 is in the off state, and the capsule coating device 5
4 is in a coating state, but since the color developer coating device 52 is in a non-coating state, microcapsules are coated on the portion of the photosensitive plate 60 where the electrostatic latent image is formed by the capsule coating device 54. 55 is attached and a microcapsule image is formed on the photosensitive plate 60. The recording paper 51 is then transported by a feed roller 58.
The paper is fed at the same speed as the photosensitive plate 60, and the upper ends of the paper are aligned so that they coincide with each other. Recording paper 51
In order to charge the recording paper 51 to a polarity different from that of the color developer 53 in the corotron 59 at the place where the photosensitive plate 60 and the photosensitive plate 60 are superimposed,
The color developer 53 deposited on the photosensitive plate 60 is applied to the recording paper 51 and transferred.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, the photosensitive plate 60 waits at the transfer end position, but only the recording paper 51 coated with the color developer 53 and the microcapsules 55 moves to the right and moves to the L position.
It is placed below or in close contact with CD7. Next, Figure 3 (
As shown in (d), images with R, G, and B gradations on the recording paper 51 are displayed on the LCD 7, and full-color exposure is performed as follows.

In order to prevent the microcapsule paper 10 from being exposed to excess light, all the pixels of the LCD 7 are closed, the motor 27 is driven to set the red filter 6R, and a signal is sent to the lamp control circuit 26 to turn off the halogen lamp. Turn on 3. After a while, an image corresponding to the red image data is displayed on the LCD 7, red exposure is started, and the recording paper 51 is
The red image to be recorded on top is exposed. When the red exposure is completed, the motor 27 sets the green filter 6G, and the motor 27 removes the red filter 6R. Red data is switched to green data, and green exposure is started in the same manner as above. When the green exposure is finished,
The motor 27 sets the blue filter 6B, and the motor 27 removes the green filter 6G. The green data is switched to blue data and blue exposure is started in the same manner as above. When the exposure of the three colors is completed, the LC is
All pixels of D7 are shielded from light in a closed state, and finally a signal is sent to the lamp control circuit to turn off the halogen lamp 3.

There, the recording paper 51 on which the latent image has been formed is sent toward the pressure roller 11 on the right side, is pressurized, and is conveyed by the conveyor belt 14 to the thermal fixing device 12 having a heater 13.
color development is promoted and output as an image (Figure 4
(stomach)). The present invention is not limited to the embodiments detailed above, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, although a halogen lamp is used as a light source in this embodiment, a metal halide lamp may also be used, and the order of color filter replacement is not limited to RGB.

Alternatively, a corresponding image may be formed on the photosensitive plate 60 using only one of the color developer 53 and the microcapsules 55, and the other may be applied directly and uniformly onto the recording paper 51. Further, without forming an image-corresponding image, the recording paper 51
Both the color developer 53 and the microcapsules 55 may be uniformly applied. In this case, a support may be used, and the support may be charged to have the developer 53 and microcapsules 55 attached thereto, and then transferred onto the recording paper 51, or alternatively, the developer 53 and the microcapsules 55 may be transferred directly onto the recording paper 51. and microcapsule 55
may be applied.

Note that when applying the opaque color developer 53 directly and uniformly to the recording paper 51, if the capsule image coated on the recording paper 51 is exposed but before development, the microcapsules 55 are It may be applied on top. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the color developer 53 and the microcapsules 55 are housed in separate cases to develop electrostatic latent images separately, but the color developer 53 and the microcapsules 55 are combined into one case. It is also possible to accommodate it in a case and perform development only once. In this way, the electrostatic latent image only needs to be formed once, which can shorten printing time, and there is no need to align the transfer positions of the developed color image and the capsule image onto the recording paper 51, making control easier. You can get the effect of

[0019] The photosensitive substance encapsulated in the microcapsules may be a photosensitive resin whose hardness becomes soft when irradiated with light.

[0020]

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above explanation, the image recording apparatus of the present invention is equipped with a coating device that applies a color developer and microcapsules to recording paper during image formation, so it can be used on plain paper or any paper. images can be recorded on media. In addition, since this coating device is designed to apply color developer and microcapsules to the recording paper only on the portion corresponding to the image of the light bulb, the amount of color developer and microcapsules used is small, and printing Costs can be reduced, and image quality is improved because no color developer or microcapsules are applied to areas that do not develop color.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the liquid crystal exposure apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the liquid crystal exposure apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of application of the color developer and microcapsules of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...Image recording device 3...Halogen lamp 7...LCD 51...Recording paper 52...Developer coating device 54...Capsule application device 60...Photosensitive plate

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light bubble panel comprising a light source, a light modulation element that forms an image using the light from the light source, and a photosensitive material and dye whose hardness changes in response to the light from the light source that passes through the light bubble panel. A capsule coating device that coats microcapsules containing a precursor onto a substrate on which an image is to be formed, and a color developer that coats the dye precursor in the microcapsules onto the substrate on which an image is to be formed. An image recording device comprising: a coating device.