JPH06218968A - Image recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image recording apparatus capable of properly fixing an image and enhancing the reproducibility of the color image based on an image signal. CONSTITUTION:A thermal head 32 supplies heat energy to a thermal recording material 10 in the order of color forming layers lower in energy on the basis of image data and an image is recorded by rotating a support drum 30 and the color forming layers are fixed by the irradiation with light. The recording and fixing of the image are repeated corresponding to the color forming layers to form the image. The thermal recording material 10 after the completion of recording is fed and discharged by a heat roller 166. The heat roller applies predetermined temp. and predetermined pressure to the thermal recording material 10. Therefore, predetermined heat energy is supplied to the discharged thermal recording material 10 to uniformize the surface roughness thereof and the gloss feeling of the obtained thermal recording material 10 becomes proper.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording head for recording each image on a thermosensitive recording material provided with a plurality of thermosensitive coloring layers each having different sensitivity and coloring in different hues. The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that records an image by repeating image recording and fixing by irradiation of light.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, there is a heat-sensitive recording method as a method of recording an image on a recording sheet using a heating element. In this heat-sensitive recording method, a heat-sensitive recording material in which a color former and a developer are applied to a support such as paper or synthetic paper is used, and the heat-sensitive recording material is heat-treated by a thermal head for recording. Such a heat-sensitive recording method does not require development, when the support is paper, the quality of the paper is similar to general paper, it is easy to handle, the color density is high, the recording device is simple and inexpensive, It is advantageous in that it produces less noise when compared to a dot printer, etc., and has rapidly become widespread in the fields of monochrome facsimiles and printers in recent years.

Further, in such a recording field, with the rapid development of the information industry, there is an increasing demand for easily obtaining a color hard copy from a terminal of an information device such as a computer or facsimile.

The applicant of the present invention has proposed a multicolor thermosensitive recording material capable of obtaining an excellent thermosensitive color image which has never been obtained by providing a support with a plurality of color forming layers which develop different hues. (Japanese Patent Application No. 2-89384, Japanese Patent Application No. 2
-134303). On this heat-sensitive recording material, a heat-sensitive head having heads arranged in the main scanning direction is scanned and recorded in the sub-scanning direction to record an image.

According to this, it is possible to obtain a multicolor image having excellent hue, excellent color separation, and good image storability which could not be obtained by the conventional thermal recording method.
Further, the obtained image may be a transmission image or a reflection image.

In order to supply heat corresponding to each color forming layer of such a thermal recording paper, the amount of heat applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head is changed so that the heat supplied per unit area of the thermal recording material. The heat is set to be sufficient for the color to be developed. In addition, in this thermal recording paper, when multiple color forming layers are provided on one side, the upper layer is heated and colored with a heat quantity such that the lower layer is not heated, and the heat for recording the next image is set. Therefore, it is necessary to heat the lower color-forming layer after the fixing process of the color-forming layer is completed so that the current image is not colored. Therefore, the light for fixing the recorded color image is emitted after the image recording is completed.

By the way, since there are a portion to be recorded and a portion not to be recorded depending on an image signal when an image is recorded, the portion to be recorded and the portion not to be recorded, that is, the heat-free portion and the heat-free portion of the heat-sensitive recording material are applied. There is a difference in the finished state of the heat-sensitive recording material, that is, the glossy feeling, between the exposed portion and the exposed portion. Further, an image formed by this difference in glossiness becomes unnatural, and an appropriate image based on an image signal may not be reproduced.

In order to solve this problem, after the heat treatment of all the color-developing layers is completed, a heating means is provided on the downstream side in the conveying direction, and the whole surface of the thermosensitive recording paper is heat-treated with a predetermined energy by this heating means. Conceivable.

As a result, the glossiness can be made uniform, the reproducibility of the image can be improved, and the unnaturalness of the image can be eliminated.

[0010]

However, the thermal energy supplied to the thermosensitive recording material fluctuates according to the image density to be recorded, and the large thermal energy of the high density portion and the small thermal energy of the low density portion are applied. Since the surface state of the heat-sensitive recording material is different from that of the portion to which energy is applied, the difference in the surface roughness of the heat-sensitive recording material becomes noticeable. Therefore, even if the entire surface is heated by the heating means, the surface roughness of the heat-sensitive recording material cannot be eliminated, and a difference in gloss feeling occurs, resulting in a reduction in image reproducibility.

Further, the support and color forming layer of the heat-sensitive recording material contain water, and when the heat-sensitive recording material is heated, the water may appear on the surface of the heat-sensitive recording material.
Therefore, when the heat-sensitive recording material on which moisture appears on the surface is heated by a heating means, for example, a heat roller or the like, the energy applied to the heat-sensitive recording material is increased between the portion where moisture is attached and the portion where moisture is not attached. It will be different. For this reason,
There is a difference in glossiness, and the image reproducibility is reduced.

In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain an image recording apparatus capable of making glossiness of a finished image uniform and improving reproducibility based on an image signal.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of color forming layers having different sensitivities for forming different colors by being supplied with heat energy are laminated, and all layers or the final recording layer. A layer other than the above is a thermosensitive recording material that is a thermosensitive color forming layer that can be fixed by irradiation of light, and heat energy is supplied in order from the color forming layer with the lowest heat energy for color formation to form multiple color images. In an image recording apparatus that discharges the heat-sensitive recording material after overlapping recording, after recording all images and fixing all layers or layers other than the final recording layer, heating and pressurization are performed on the heat-sensitive recording material. The feature is that a pressure means is provided.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the heating / pressurizing means heats the heat-sensitive recording material to a predetermined temperature and then pressurizes it. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the heating and pressing means is disposed on the color developing layer side of the heat-sensitive recording material and supplies heat energy to a heat roller. It is characterized by having.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the heating / pressurizing means is disposed on the color forming layer side of the heat-sensitive recording material and supplies heat energy and absorbs water. It is characterized by having a heat roller having a property.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect, in the case of a heat-sensitive recording material in which layers other than the final recording layer are heat-sensitive color forming layers which can be fixed by irradiation of light. The heating and pressing means supplies energy to the heat-sensitive recording material that is less than the heat energy required to develop the color of the final recording layer.

[0018]

According to the image recording apparatus of the invention described in claim 1, a plurality of color-developing layers having different sensitivities to develop different colors by being supplied with thermal energy are laminated, and all layers or a layer other than the final recording layer are laminated. The heat-sensitive recording material, which is a heat-sensitive color-developing layer that can be fixed by irradiation with light, supplies heat energy based on image data in order from the color-developing layer with the lowest thermal energy for color development to superimpose a plurality of color images. After recording, the thermosensitive recording material is discharged. After recording the entire image on the thermosensitive recording material and fixing all layers or layers other than the final recording layer,
Heating and pressurization are performed by the heating and pressurizing means. Thus, the heat-sensitive recording material is heated and pressed after recording and fixing a plurality of images. As a result, due to the difference in heat energy supplied to the heat-sensitive recording material, even if there is a portion to which heat energy is supplied by recording an image and a portion to which unrecorded or minute heat energy is supplied, it is uniform. By heating, an appropriate image based on the image signal can be reproduced without causing a difference in gloss feeling. Further, different thermal energy is applied to form a high-concentration portion to a low-concentration portion, so that even if the surface state of the heat-sensitive recording material becomes different in surface roughness, the heat-sensitive recording material is pressed. By doing so, the surface roughness of the thermosensitive recording material can be eliminated, so that a difference in gloss feeling does not occur and the reproducibility of the image does not deteriorate, and an appropriate image based on the image signal can be reproduced.

According to the invention of claim 2, claim 1
In the image recording apparatus described in the paragraph 1,
The heat-sensitive recording material is heated to a predetermined temperature and then pressed. As a result, the heat-sensitive recording material is heated to a predetermined temperature by heating, so that heat energy up to the predetermined temperature is also supplied to a portion where no image is recorded and a portion where heat energy is not supplied. Therefore, there is no difference in gloss feeling. Since the pressure is applied after this heating, even if the surface state of the heat-sensitive recording material becomes different due to the recording and heating of the image, the heat-sensitive recording material is pressed and the surface roughness of the heat-sensitive recording material is increased. Therefore, the glossiness does not differ.

According to the invention of claim 3, claim 1
In the image recording apparatus described in the item (1), the heating / pressurizing means is provided with a heat roller arranged on the color forming layer side of the heat-sensitive recording material and supplying heat energy. As described above, by using the heat roller provided on the color developing layer side of the heat-sensitive recording material, the device configuration is simplified and the device capable of reproducing an appropriate image based on the image signal without causing a difference in gloss feeling. Can be provided.

According to the invention of claim 4, claim 1
In the image recording apparatus described in (1), the heating / pressurizing means is provided on the color-forming layer side of the heat-sensitive recording material and includes a heat roller that supplies heat energy and has water absorbability. Therefore, since the heat roller has water absorbency, it is possible to absorb the water generated in the heat-sensitive recording material by heating and pressurization, and prevent the glossiness from being deteriorated by the generated water.

According to the invention of claim 5, claim 1
In the image recording apparatus according to the item (1), in the case of a heat-sensitive recording material in which the layers other than the final recording layer are heat-sensitive color forming layers that can be fixed by irradiation of light, the thermal energy required to develop the color of the final recording layer is It is stated that a small amount of energy is supplied to the heat-sensitive recording material by the heating / pressurizing means. Therefore, even if heat energy is supplied to the heat-sensitive recording material by the heating / pressurizing means, the heat-sensitive recording material does not develop color again due to this heating.

[0023]

FIG. 1 shows the schematic structure of an image recording apparatus according to this embodiment.

On the front surface of the image recording apparatus, there is an insertion slot 1 for a cassette 150 containing a thermal recording material 10 in the form of a slit hole.
12 and a discharge port 114 through which the processed thermal recording material is discharged are provided vertically. Cassette 150
, The sheet-shaped thermal recording materials 10 of the same size are stacked and accommodated, and the uppermost thermal recording material 1
It is configured to be sent from 0 to the inside of the device.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the thermal recording material 10, a cyan dye layer (hereinafter C
A dye layer 108, a magenta dye layer (hereinafter M dye layer) 104, and a yellow dye layer (hereinafter Y dye layer) 106 are provided and all transparent. In addition,
The Y dye layer 106 and the M dye layer 104 are light fixing type,
By irradiating with light having a wavelength of 420 nm and light having a wavelength of 365 nm, the layer does not change even after being heated.

In the heat-sensitive recording material 10 used in the present invention, all the color-forming layers have their color-forming components, that is, the electron-donating dye precursor and the electron-accepting compound in the C dye layer, the M dye layer and the Y dye layer. In the above, it is necessary that the diazonium salt compound and the coupler are held in the recording layer in the form of being uniformly dispersed in the binder so as not to come into contact with each other. As a specific method, each material is separately dispersed in a water-soluble polymer (for example, polyvinyl alcohol, PVA) aqueous solution, and the water-soluble polymer is sufficiently adsorbed on the surface of each material, and then mixed. A method of microencapsulating at least one of the components, a method of further separating the reaction components to form a two-layer structure, and the like are known.

As the water-soluble polymer to be used, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and its dielectric, polyacrylamide and its copolymer, hydroxyethyl cellulose, starch dielectric and the like are particularly preferable.

A so-called half-moon roller 164 is disposed on the inner side of the insertion slot 112. The half-moon roller 164 is stopped with its notch 164A facing the uppermost thermal recording material 10 in the cassette 150, and a gap is created in this state.

Here, when the half-moon roller 164 makes one rotation, its peripheral surface comes into contact with the uppermost thermosensitive recording material 10, and only the uppermost thermosensitive recording material 10 is pulled out from the cassette 150 by the frictional force, and the insertion port 112 is inserted. Can be transported to the back side of the.

A pair of conveying rollers 72 are provided further on the inner side of the insertion port 112, and the heat-sensitive recording material 10 pulled out by the half-moon roller 164 has the pair of conveying rollers 7.
It is sandwiched by 2 and further transported.

For example, a VTR 116 is connected to the image recording device, and an image recording signal at the time of image recording by a thermal head 32 (see FIG. 3) described later is created based on the image signal from the VTR 116. Has become. A CCD camera or the like may be used as an image signal source connected to the image recording apparatus.

A front panel 117 provided with the insertion port 112 and the ejection port 114 is provided with a power switch 120, a display device 122 for displaying the number of prints, and a print button 124. Also, the print button 12
A sub-cover 126 that can be opened and closed is provided below 4, and a fine adjustment knob (not shown) for image quality and the like is attached.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the cassette 1
The thermal recording material 10 pulled out from 50 detects this by the limit switch 118, and by this, the driver 7
It is nipped by a pair of conveyance rollers 72 driven by the driving force of 4 and guided by the guide plate 70 to be conveyed.
You will be guided to 8.

The heat treatment section 28 is provided with a support drum 30 which is a rotating body and a line type thermal head 32 which is a recording head. The heat-sensitive recording material 10 is thermally wrapped around the support drum 30. The head 32 is adapted to be heated. The support drum 30 is formed of a metallic cylindrical body 34, and an elastic body 36 is formed on the outer periphery thereof.
Is wrapped around. The support drum 30 is the driver 3
It is designed to rotate at a constant speed in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 by the driving force of 8, and has a role of sequentially making the thermal recording material 10 wound around the supporting drum 30 correspond to the thermal head 32. There is.

The thermal head 32 is attached to the frame of the apparatus so as to be movable in the normal line direction of the outer peripheral circle of the support drum 30, and is in the normal line direction of the outer peripheral circle of the support drum 30 by the driving force of the driver 41. 3 to FIG. 5 so that the heating element 42, which is moved in the direction of arrow C and the opposite direction thereof and is disposed near the tip of the thermal head 32, comes into contact with and separates from the heat-sensitive recording material 10 wound around the support drum 30. Has become. An image signal is output from the control device 45 to the heating element 42 when it contacts the heat-sensitive recording material 10, and an image is formed on the heat-sensitive recording material 10 by heat generation according to the image signal 100.

The heat-sensitive recording material 10 transported to the heat treatment section 28 by the transport roller 26 is guided in the transport direction by the guide plate 70 and constitutes a part of the holding section 46 provided on the outer periphery of the support drum 30. It reaches the recess 48. A latch claw 52, which constitutes a holding portion together with the concave portion 48, is axially supported by the concave portion 48 via a shaft 50 arranged in parallel with the rotation axis of the support drum 30. The latch claw 52 rotates in the direction of arrow D in FIGS. 3 to 5 via the shaft 50 by the driving force of the driver 49 when one end of the thermosensitive recording material 10 guided by the guide plate 44 is accommodated in the recess 48. By doing so, it has a role of holding one end of the thermal recording material. When the thermal recording material 10 is held by the latch claws 52, the thermal recording material 10 is sequentially wound around the outer circumference of the support drum 30 by the rotation of the support drum 30.

The timing at which the latch claw 52 holds the heat-sensitive recording material 10 is set by the limit switch 54 provided in the middle of the conveying path of the heat-sensitive recording material 10.
That is, the thermal recording material 10 is the limit switch 5
When the position 4 is reached, the actuator 56 of the limit switch 54 interferes with the thermal recording material 10 to switch the contact (in the present embodiment, the normally open type limit switch is applied to the thermal recording material 10). It is turned on when it comes into contact with). An ON (high level) / OFF (low level) signal from the limit switch 54 is supplied to the control device 45, and the control device 45 controls the predetermined time (at least the heat sensitive recording material 10 according to the transport speed of the heat sensitive recording material 10). 10 is a concave portion 4
8 and the latch claw 52 is operated (see FIG. 3).
(Rotation in the direction of arrow D). This allows
In the holding state by the latch claw 52, the relative position between the thermosensitive recording material 10 and the support drum 30 is always constant, and the positioning is accurately performed.

Idle rollers 58, 60, 62 are provided at a plurality of locations (three locations in this embodiment) on the outer periphery of the support drum 30, and the support drum 30 and the idle rollers 58,
The heat-sensitive recording material 10 is supported by the supporting drums 3 and 60.
It is wrapped around the outer circumference of 0 in close contact.
Further, light sources 64A and 64B connected to the control device 45 via drivers 63A and 63B are disposed on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the support drum 30 at the position where the thermal recording material 10 is heated by the thermal head 32. 10 is irradiated with light. The wavelengths of this light are 420 nm and 365 nm, respectively, and the light source 64A is for fixing the Y dye layer 106 of the thermal recording material 10 and the light source 64B is for fixing the M dye layer 104. That is, in this embodiment, the support drum 30 is rotated three times in succession after the rotation is started. In the first rotation of the thermal recording material 10, the thermal head 32 heats the Y dye layer 106. Processing is performed and fixing is performed immediately after this processing.

At the next rotation of the support drum 30, that is, 2
The M dye layer 1 provided below the Y dye layer 106 in the rotation
04 (see FIG. 2) was heat treated and fixed, then 3
The C dye layer is heat-treated at the turn of rotation.

The heating element 4 that the thermal recording material 10 receives
The energy (heat amount) from 2 is "weak" during the first rotation of the support drum 30, has no effect on the lower M dye layer 104 and the C dye layer 108, and "is low" during the second rotation. It is controlled by the control device 45 so that it is "medium" and "strong" during the third rotation.

A heating / pressurizing section 190 as heating / pressurizing means is disposed on the downstream side of the conveying path through which the thermosensitive recording material 10 is discharged. The heating / pressurizing unit 190 includes a pair of heat rollers 166. The heat-sensitive recording material on which an image is formed after the heating process is completed is the pair of heat rollers 16
The heat roller 166 is nipped by 6 and is rotated to be guided to the discharge port 114 and discharged.

As shown in FIG. 7, the pair of heat rollers 166 has a water absorbing member (for example, a water absorbing member) on the outer periphery of the heat roller 166A arranged corresponding to the image recording surface (color forming layer) of the thermosensitive recording material 10. , Sponge) 166C is applied. Therefore, the moisture adhering to the surface of the thermal recording material 10 is absorbed. Heat roller 166
A and 166B each have a heater (not shown),
The heat amount of the heat roller 166 is controlled by the control device 45 so as to supply a predetermined energy to the thermal recording material 10.

Further, the pair of heat rollers 166 are
The thermal recording materials 1 are mutually urged by a predetermined pressure F.
It is designed to press 0 from both sides. Therefore, when the heat-sensitive recording material 10 passes between the pair of heat rollers 166, the heat-sensitive recording material 10 is heated and conveyed while being pressurized, that is, discharged.

An example of the heating temperature and pressure of the heat roller 166 is shown in Table 1 below.

[0045]

[Table 1] The heating temperature of the heat roller 166 is preferably set to a temperature not lower than the glass transition point of the binder of the uppermost layer of the thermal recording material 10, that is, the Y color layer. Further, even when the heat-sensitive recording material 10 having seratin as a binder is used, the same value may be used, and a setting for gelatin may be added.

As described above, in this embodiment, the heat-sensitive recording material 10 is nipped and conveyed by the pair of heat rollers 166 heated and pressurized to a predetermined temperature. This allows
When the heat treatment (image recording) of the thermal recording material 10 is completed, predetermined energy having the maximum energy for heating the M dye layer 104 and the Y dye layer 106 is applied to the entire surface of the thermal recording material 10. Together with this, it is pressurized at a predetermined pressure.

It is generally known that a glossy feeling is different in a finished image between a part to which a predetermined amount of energy is applied and a part to which no energy is applied. Furthermore, 1
One of the factors is the difference in surface roughness of the thermal recording material 10. The above-described processing in this embodiment has a role of eliminating this nonuniform glossy feeling.

The control device 45 includes a CPU 82 and a RAM 8
4, a ROM 86, an input port 88, an output port 90, and a micro computer 94 including a bus 92 such as a data bus or a control bus connecting these. A print button 124 and a limit switch 118 are connected to the input port 88, and a series of heat treatments are performed by operating the print button 124 and detecting the thermal recording material 10 by the limit switch 118. Further, the signal line 98 from the limit switch 54 is connected to the input port 88.

The output port 90 has a support drum 30, a thermal head 32, a latch claw 52, and light sources 64A, 64.
B, the conveyance roller 72, the half-moon roller 164, and the heat roller 166 are drivers 38, 41, 49, 63A, respectively.
63B, 74, 165, 167 are connected to each other, and the drive of each is controlled. A signal line 100 for supplying the image signal to the thermal head 32 is also connected to the output port 90. A driver 170 is connected to the output port 90, and a signal is output to the heater of the heat roller 166 via the driver 170 so that the heat roller 166 reaches a predetermined temperature.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a flow for heating each heating element 42 of the thermal head 32 based on the image signal.

The image signal from the VTR 116 includes Y,
A K (black) signal indicating other characters such as M and C colors is included. These signals are Y,
Converted to three colors, M and C.

The converted image signal of each color is represented by gradation (0 to 255 for 256 gradations) indicating the density, and the LUT
The data for one line is output to the line buffer 182 via the (lookup table) 180. A pulse signal from the driver 38 that rotates the support drum 30 is input to the line buffer 182, and a signal for one line is output to the driver 184 in synchronization with the rotation of the support drum 30. As a result, each heating element 42 of the thermal head 32 is heated according to the output from the driver 184, and energy (amount of heat generation) is applied to each coloring layer.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. When the print button 124 is operated, the half-moon roller 164 becomes 1
Rotate. As a result, the uppermost thermal recording material 10 comes into contact with the peripheral surface of the half-moon roller 164 and is pulled out by the frictional force.

The thermosensitive recording material 10 pulled out by the half-moon roller 164 is guided and moved by the guide plate 70. When the limit switch 118 is turned on, the conveyance roller 72 starts driving and is conveyed by a predetermined amount.

When the thermal recording material 10 is further conveyed, it comes into contact with the actuator 56 of the limit switch 54. Here, when the limit switch 54 is turned on, a high-level signal is input to the input port 88, and the latch claw 52 is rotated in the direction of arrow D after a predetermined time has elapsed. The recording material 10 is accommodated in the recessed portion 48 of the support drum 30, and the leading end portion of the recording material 10 is in contact with the locking portion 49. The latch claw 52 holds the leading end portion.

The tip of the thermal recording material 10 has a latch claw 52.
When held by, the support drum 30 starts rotating in the direction of arrow B (first rotation). First heat treatment control is performed. That is, the holding portion 46 is the thermal head 3
When passing through the second heating element 42, a drive signal is output from the output port 90 via the driver 41, and the thermal head 32 is indicated by an arrow C which is the direction normal to the outer peripheral circle of the support drum 30.
The heating element 42 contacts the thermal recording material 10 by being moved in the direction. As a result, the support drum 30 is rotated with the heating element 42 in contact with the thermal recording material 10, and an image signal is output to the heating element 42 in response to this rotation.

The heating element 42 is set to "weak" in the amount of heat,
The thermal recording material 10 is heated according to this image signal, and only the Y dye layer 106 is colored. The heating element 4
When the heating process by 2 is completed, the thermal head 32 is moved in the direction of arrow C, which is the normal line direction of the outer peripheral circle of the support drum 30, and the heating element 42 is separated from the thermal recording material 10.

Next, a wavelength of 42 is applied to the image surface of the photosensitive material 10.
Light of 0 nm is emitted from the light source 64A. This makes Y
The dye layer 106 is fixed.

Next, the process continuously moves to the second rotation, and the M dye layer 104 is heated. That is, the amount of heat for the heating process by the heating element 42 is switched to "medium", the same process as the heating of the Y dye layer 106 is performed, the thermal recording material 10 is heated according to the image signal, and M Dye layer 1
Only 04 is colored.

The heat-sensitive recording material 10 after the heat treatment of the M dye layer is irradiated with light having a wavelength of 365 nm by the light source 64B, and the M dye layer 104 is fixed thereby.

Next, in the third rotation, the C dye layer 108
Heat treatment is performed. That is, the amount of heat for the heat treatment by the heating element 42 is switched to "strong", the heat-sensitive recording material 10 is heated according to the image signal, and the C dye layer 10 is heated.
Only 8 is colored.

During the heat treatment of the C dye layer 108, the liner buffer 182 has an indicated density of 0 based on the image signal.
Since the maximum value of energy for heating the M dye layer 104 (corresponding to “medium”) is input to the table corresponding to the pixel of, the indicated density based on the image signal is obtained at the same time as the heating process of the C dye layer 108. Predetermined energy is applied to the 0 pixel.

When the heat treatment of each color forming layer is completed, the heating element 42 of the thermal head 32 is separated from the heat-sensitive recording material 10, and after a lapse of a predetermined time, the holding portion 46 passes the idle roller 62, and at this time, the holding portion The heat-sensitive recording material 10 is released from being nipped by 46, and is conveyed between the guide plates 66 and 68 according to the rotation of the support drum 30.

The heat-sensitive recording material 10 between the guide plate 66 and the guide plate 68 is sandwiched by the heat roller 166, and is conveyed by the heat roller 166 by a predetermined amount, and is sent out to the discharge port 114 and discharged. As a result, the heat treatment of one thermal recording material is completed.

Here, in the present embodiment, a pair of heat rollers 166 are used as the conveying rollers for discharging. For this reason, the pair of heat rollers 166 are used for the thermal recording material 1.
While 0 is conveyed, the entire surface is heated with a predetermined energy and is pressurized with a predetermined pressure. As a result, the surface roughness is made uniform by supplying a predetermined energy to each portion where the image is recorded to have a low density and a high density and applying pressure. As described above, in this embodiment, the predetermined energy is applied to all the pixels, and the uneven glossiness of the finished image is eliminated. As a result, the glossy feeling becomes uniform and the reproducibility of the finished image is improved.

Further, the heat roller 166A disposed on the image recording surface (coloring layer) side has a water-absorbing member 166C.
Since it is applied, it is possible to absorb the water generated by the above heating and pressurization, and it is possible to eliminate that the generated water causes a difference in gloss feeling.

In particular, when a medium such as PVA is conventionally used, the moisture generated by heating causes a difference in glossiness, which can be solved in this embodiment, and an unnatural image is produced in a finished image. The image reproducibility based on the image signal is improved.

In the above embodiment, the case where the heat roller 166 which simultaneously heats and pressurizes the heat sensitive recording material 10 is used as the heating and pressurizing means, but as another embodiment, the heat sensitive recording in which image recording and fixing are completed. An example of heating and then pressing the material 10 will be described. In addition,
Since the configuration of this embodiment is substantially the same as that of the above-described embodiment, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted, and the periphery of the heating and pressing unit 190 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 8, heaters 172, 17 are provided on the upstream side of the conveying path for discharging the thermal recording material 10.
3 are provided. A pair of transport rollers 166 is arranged downstream of the heaters 172 and 173. Of the transport rollers 166, the transport roller 166 arranged corresponding to the image recording surface (coloring layer) of the thermosensitive recording material 10.
A water-absorbing member (eg, sponge) 166 is provided on the outer periphery of A.
C is applied. Therefore, the moisture adhering to the surface of the thermal recording material 10 is absorbed. Also,
The pair of heat rollers 166 mutually apply a predetermined pressure F to each other.
The heat-sensitive recording material 10 is pressed so as to be sandwiched from both sides.

Therefore, the thermal recording material 10 is the heater 1
It is heated by passing between 72 and 173. By passing between the pair of heat rollers 166, the thermal recording material 10 is conveyed, that is, discharged while being pressurized. In this way, by separating the heating part and the pressurizing part, and heating and then pressurizing the thermosensitive recording material 10, the water generated by the heating can be easily absorbed by the conveying roller, and the gloss feeling is good and the reproducibility is good. It is possible to form a high-quality image.

[0071]

As described above, the image recording apparatus according to the present invention heats and presses the heat-sensitive recording material on which the recording and fixing of the image have been completed, so that the glossiness of the finished image can be made uniform and the image signal It has an excellent effect that the reproducibility based on can be improved.

Further, since the heating and pressing means on the color developing layer side is a heat-absorbing heat roller, it absorbs moisture generated on the surface of the heat-sensitive recording material to make the glossiness of the finished image uniform, It has an excellent effect that the reproducibility based on can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of an image recording apparatus according to this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a multicolor heat-sensitive recording material applied to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an internal configuration of the image recording apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the periphery of a support drum.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a flow of an image signal in the control device.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a heat roller according to an example of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a heat roller according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of Codes] 10 Heat-sensitive recording material 28 Heat treatment section 30 Support drum 32 Thermal head 45 Control device 166 Heat roller 166C Absorbing member 190 Heating / pressurizing section (heating / pressurizing means)

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location 6956-2H B41M 5/18 T

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A heat-sensitive photosensitive layer in which a plurality of color-developing layers having different sensitivities to develop different colors when heat energy is supplied are laminated and all layers or layers other than the final recording layer can be fixed by irradiation of light. For the thermosensitive recording material that is the coloring layer,
In the image recording apparatus that supplies thermal energy based on image data in order from a color-forming layer having a low thermal energy for color formation to record a plurality of color images in an overlapping manner and then discharges the heat-sensitive recording material, all images are recorded. An image recording apparatus characterized by further comprising heating and pressing means for heating and pressing the heat-sensitive recording material after fixing all layers or layers other than the final recording layer. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating / pressurizing means heats the heat-sensitive recording material to a predetermined temperature and then pressurizes it. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating / pressurizing unit includes a heat roller which is disposed on the color developing layer side of the heat-sensitive recording material and supplies heat energy. 4. The heating / pressurizing means is provided on the color-forming layer side of the heat-sensitive recording material, and comprises a heat roller which supplies heat energy and has water absorbability. Image recording device. 5. In the case of a heat-sensitive recording material in which layers other than the final recording layer are heat-sensitive photosensitive color-forming layers that can be fixed by irradiation of light, energy lower than the heat energy required to develop color in the final recording layer is used. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat-pressurizing means supplies the heat-sensitive recording material.