JPH07214802A - Perforating image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit the recording of a high-density, gradated image by providing a means to register and superpose the recorded face of a recording material and the image reception area of an image receiving material together. CONSTITUTION:After exposure is completed, a recording material 1 is separated from a substance by a separation roll 10 and transferred to a crimp roll 11 to crimp to an image receiving material by a transfer roll. In response hereto, the image receiving material 8 is unwound out from an image receiving material supplying means 9 and is superposed by the crimp roll 11 so that the recording face of the recording material 1 and the image receiving face of the image receiving material 8 may meet. When the image receiving material 8 is wound into a roll form, winding the material with the image receiving face faced outside is preferable from the storage point of view. It is preferable to make the image receiving material larger than the recording material in both width and length. These lightly larger parts should preferably stick out of the top and bottom and the right and left margins of the recording material. As a result, coloring matter 1 ejected from the recording material when it passes through a hot pressing means 12, does not stick to the heat emission means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a perforated image recording apparatus for recording an image on a perforated transfer type image recording material capable of obtaining an image with high density and high gradation.

[0002]

As one of conventional transfer recording methods, JP-A-63-35383 and 63-35387 disclose a sublimable ink layer and a protective layer containing a thermoplastic resin as a main component on a support. After perforating the protective layer by melting the protective layer with a laser beam, the protective layer and the image receiving paper are brought into close contact with each other, and heating by a laser or a thermal head is applied from the side of the support having the sublimable ink layer. Thus, a technique for thermally transferring image information to the image receiving layer is described. As a technique similar to this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-201486 discloses a technique of using a metal vapor deposition film for the dye barrier layer (corresponding to the above-mentioned protective layer).

On the other hand, US Pat. Nos. 5,156,938 and 5,171,650.
As another technique, an explosion is caused by irradiating the ink layer or a layer between the support and the ink layer with a laser beam having an extremely high power density, and this force causes the ink layer together with the binder to form an image receptor. It is described that the image is blown off and transferred.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In 5-73927 and 5-230482, we proposed a perforated image recording method with high density and high gradation.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a punched image recording apparatus which can effectively carry out these punched image recording methods.

By the way, in these recording methods,
There are disadvantages that the constituent components of the perforated layer scatter due to the perforation and stain the surroundings, and particularly when the perforated layer surface faces the optical system side for perforation, the lens and the like are soiled.

Further, the perforated layer generally has a low film strength, and there is a drawback that when it is touched by human hands and then superposed with an image receiving material, it is scratched and an image defect occurs.

Secondly, in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention can record an image with high density and high gradation, prevent contamination of an optical system or the like by a substance scattered by perforation, and
An object of the present invention is to provide a perforated image recording apparatus in which the occurrence of image defects is prevented by integrating the transfer process.

[0009]

The above object of the present invention is to provide perforated recording material supplying means, optical perforation recording means, and means for holding the recording material so that the recording surface of the recording material faces the recording means.
Means for conveying recording material to the holding means, means for conveying recorded recording material to image transfer means, image receiving material supplying means,
A means for conveying the image receiving material to the image transfer means, a means for aligning the recording surface of the recorded recording material and the image receiving surface of the image receiving material and superimposing them, and a perforated image recording apparatus further comprising an optical image recording means. Having a suction means capable of synchronizing with the exposure by the perforation recording means, having an optical system protection means, having an optical perforation recording means having an optical system protection means, an optical system protection member of the optical system protection means being automatically It is achieved by being updated.

First, the punched image recording apparatus of the present invention will be described along with the image forming process.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming process comprises a step of first perforating the colorant barrier layer imagewise by performing high-intensity exposure from the colorant barrier layer side of the recording material, and then, The recording material and the image receiving material which are perforated are superposed so that the coloring material barrier layer and the image receiving layer face each other, and the whole surface is heated or pressed.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the punched image recording apparatus of the present invention. The perforated recording material 1 loaded in the perforated recording material supplying means 2 is unwound by a perforated recording material conveying means (conveying roll 4 in this case), formed into a sheet by a cutting means (not shown), and a pressure bonding means (compression roll). It is wound around the recording material holding means (hereinafter referred to as the substrate 6) by 5). The perforated recording material supply means may be in the form of a cassette to hold the perforated recording material therein, or may simply hold the perforated recording material with a cantilevered shaft.

The perforated recording material is, for example, in the form of a paper core coated with a resin that does not easily generate dust, and preferably the recording surface is wound on the outside. By wrapping the recording surface (color material barrier layer supporting surface) on the outer side, it is generally easier to take measures against peeling and blocking of the recording surface.

Further, the perforated recording material may be cut into a sheet form from the beginning, and in this case, the cutting means is unnecessary.

The recording material 1 is applied to the substrate 6 by the pressure-bonding roll 5.
In order to hold the
It is possible to employ a generally used means such as depressurizing the inside of the device to hold it by suction or electrostatically holding it.

After the perforation recording material 1 is carried on the substrate 6, the substrate is rotated, and when the rotation reaches a constant speed, the optical perforation recording means 3 performs exposure according to the image information.

The suction means 13 is started in synchronism with the start of exposure to remove gas or dust generated from the perforated recording material by exposure. The tip of the suction nozzle 14 extending from the suction means is preferably as close as possible to the exposed spot portion of the exposed recording material. 2 mm with respect to the exposed spot with the arrangement that does not hinder the rotation of the optical system and the substrate
It is preferable that the distance is within the range.

The suction port of the suction nozzle 14 preferably has an inner diameter of 5 mm or less, and in order to prevent pressure loss from the tip to the suction means 13, the diameter is preferably larger than the suction port until the size of the device allows it.

In the structure shown in FIG. 2, the optical writing means moves in parallel with the rotation axis of the substrate drum in accordance with image exposure, so that the suction nozzle portion also needs to move integrally with this. The suction means 13 may be moved in synchronization with the optical perforation recording means 3, or may be fixed and connected to the tip of the suction nozzle 14 by a flexible hose or the like. The amount of suction from the suction nozzle is appropriately 10 to 10,000 cc / sec, but is not limited to this.

In order to protect the optical system from gas or dust generated from the recording material, it is possible to employ a protective member as shown in FIG. The protective member can be made of a transparent plastic film (for example, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, triacetyl cellulose, polycarbonate, etc.). In this embodiment, at the same time when the exposure is started from the optical perforation recording means, the protective member supplying means 15 and the protective member winding means are provided.
By rotating 16 and slowly moving the protection member, it is possible to always move the dirt attached on the exposure path to the outside of the exposure path. A moving speed of the protective member of 1 cm / min or less is sufficient, and it may be slower if there is little dirt. As another aspect, the protective member is fixed during exposure,
The protective member may be wound up for a certain length each time one image is created.

The protective member may be any transparent member,
Those that generate strong polarized light or strongly scatter the exposure light are not preferable. The protective member is preferably a thin film of, for example, about 3 to 25 μm so that it can be used as long as possible.

After the exposure is completed, the recording material 1 is peeled from the substrate by the peeling roll 10 and is conveyed by the conveying roll toward the pressure-bonding roll 11 with the image receiving material. In response to this, the image receiving material 8 is unwound from the image receiving material supplying means 9 and is superposed by the pressure-bonding roll 11 so that the recording surface of the recording material 1 and the image receiving layer surface of the image receiving material 8 face each other.

When the image-receiving material 8 is also formed into a roll, it is preferable for storage that the image-receiving material 8 is wound with the image-receiving layer surface facing outward.
It is preferable that the image receiving material is cut to be slightly larger in width and length than the recording material (for example, about 1 to 10 mm),
It is preferable that these slightly large portions extend outside the recording material in the front, rear, left and right. By doing this,
The dye emitted from the recording material 1 does not adhere to the heating and pressing means when passing through the image transfer means (heating and pressing means 12).

The heating / heating means 12 can be constituted by, for example, a heat roll including therein a heating means such as a halogen lamp. The surface of the heat roll is made of rubber having a rubber hardness of about 40 to 90, and the recording material and the image receiving material, which are superposed on each other, are in good contact with each other. Adjust the heating temperature at about 60 to 200 ° C. The pressurizing pressure is preferably 0.1 to 3 kg / cm ² . The feeding speed of both materials by the heating and pressing means is preferably 0.1 to 10 cm / sec.

As a heating method, it is preferable to increase the temperature from the recording material 1 side and decrease the temperature on the image receiving material 8 side in the sense of preventing thermal influence on the image receiving material which finally forms an image. In this case, the heating roll on the recording material side and the heating on the image receiving material side (or just holding) while the material is not passing
It is preferable to have a means for moving the roll in conjunction with the material conveyance so that the temperature does not become even when it comes into contact with the roll. The temperature difference between both rolls cannot be specified unconditionally, but it is 0
It can be adjusted at ~ 50 ℃.

The exposure means, that is, the light source for high-intensity exposure, is preferably capable of emitting light having a wavelength that is easily condensed by an optical system, has a large output energy, and is easily converted into heat. Examples of such a light source include xenon light, halogen light, semiconductor laser, LED, helium neon laser, argon laser, YAG laser and carbon dioxide laser. Among these, examples of light sources that can be easily used as an array composed of a plurality of light emitting elements include semiconductor lasers and LEDs.

The light emitting element is preferably one capable of emitting light having a wavelength capable of efficiently converting exposure energy into heat energy, and a preferable emission wavelength is, for example,
It is 600 to 2000 nm.

When a semiconductor laser is used, an automatic output control (APC) method or an automatic current control (ACC) method can be adopted as a light source driving method. In any case, it is preferable to provide a protection circuit for preventing the semiconductor laser from being destroyed by a temporary excessive current.

A plurality of light sources may be arranged in parallel if necessary. In that case, the exposure system is preferably arranged such that a plurality of light sources scan different scanning lines, and the number of channels of the light sources is preferably 1 or more and 100 or less.

7 and 8 show an embodiment of the arrangement of the light emitting elements as the recording light source. In FIG. 7, a total of 16 light emitting element arrays arranged in parallel are used. In FIG. 8, the light emitting element array has a total of 16 light emitting elements,
The light emitting elements are, for example, semiconductor lasers having the same rated output of 100 mW, which are arranged in groups of 6, 6 and 4, respectively, and are inclined at a predetermined angle θ.

The exposure spot diameter of each light emitting element of this light emitting element array is basically determined by the required image resolution. For example, a spot diameter of 1 / e ² is 3
The range of ˜40 μm is preferred. The light emitting element has a size of, for example, 1 mm or more, whereas the spot diameter is, for example, 3 to 40 μm in the exposed portion, so that the exposure direction is not bent toward the inner side as the outer light emitting element is. must not. However, if the exposure direction is bent too much, the spot diameter will be distorted, which is not preferable. In order to reduce as much as possible the restriction of the arrangement of the light emitting elements as an array, it is preferable to arrange the light emitting elements in the array as shown in FIG.

In such laser perforation recording,
By shortening the exposure time, energy loss due to heat conduction from the coloring material barrier layer of the recording material to the coloring material layer is reduced. In laser perforation recording, thermal energy is directly applied in the vicinity of the colorant barrier layer, as compared with ordinary thermal transfer recording in which a thermal head is used and the ink layer is heated by heat conduction from the support side.

For this reason, it is preferable that the exposure is performed with high illuminance and in a short time as much as possible. A preferable exposure speed is a linear velocity of 1 m / sec or more, more preferably 3 m / sec or more. The preferable exposure power density is 100,000 W / cm ² or more, more preferably 200,000 W / cm ² or more.

As a scanning method of the semiconductor laser, a polygon mirror or a galvano mirror and an fθ lens are combined to perform main scanning of laser light, and sub-scanning is performed by moving a recording medium, or a so-called plane operation method, or rotating a drum. However, there is a cylindrical scan in which laser exposure is performed and the rotation of the drum is the main scan and the movement of the laser light is the sub-scan, but the cylindrical scan is easier to improve the accuracy of the optical system and is suitable for high-density recording. .

In order to make full use of the characteristics of laser perforation recording, it is preferable that the dot pitch is smaller than that of a general thermal head, and it is 2.5 μm or more and 25.4 μm or less, more preferably 3 μm or more and 12.7 μm or less. Further, it is preferable that the dot pitches in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction match.

Next, the exposure control means for the pulse width / irradiation intensity / pulse number of the laser light used for perforating each dot will be described with reference to FIGS.

4 and 5 show an embodiment of the control means,
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the image signal processing circuit, and FIG. 4 is a timing chart of the image signal when controlling the exposure energy in the main scanning direction.

This embodiment has a pulse width variable circuit 200. The pulse width variable circuit 200 outputs a pulse having a width set a predetermined time T1 after the image signal b from the raster image processor 83 is turned on. , Again OF of image signal b
A pulse having a set width is sent to the combination circuit 89 after a predetermined time T2 from F.

In the combination circuit 89, an image signal c shown in FIG. 4 is obtained from the image signal b from the shift register 86 and the image signal from the pulse width variable circuit 200, and this image signal c is sent to the laser light source modulation circuit 85. The laser light source is controlled by the modulation by the laser light source modulation circuit 85.

A pulse width control signal is input from the raster image processor 83 to the pulse width variable circuit 200,
This pulse width control signal controls the pulse width output from the pulse width variable circuit 200. As a result, the image signal c from the combination circuit 89 is output as shown in FIG. 4, and this image signal c is output to the laser light source modulation circuit 85.
Then, the laser light source is controlled by the modulation by the laser light source modulation circuit 85. Thus, the control means 82
It has a mechanism for changing the pulse width of exposure.

Similarly, FIG. 6 is a timing chart of an image signal when the number of pulses having the same pulse width is changed.

The image signal processing method shown here is an example, and any processing method or circuit that can obtain the same effect can be used.
The original image data may be an analog signal or a digital signal.

The holes formed by the high intensity exposure may be halftone dots or continuous holes.

The heat energy may be applied from the image receiving material side, the recording material side, or both sides when the recording material and the image receiving material are superposed and heated over the entire surface. By this heating, the heat diffusible dye of the color material layer diffuses and transfers from the color material layer to the image receiving layer of the image receiving material through the holes of the color material barrier layer to form an image. The heating temperature is not particularly limited, but is usually preferably in the range of 60 to 200 ° C, more preferably 80 to 150 ° C.

In this case, the image is formed corresponding to the shape of the holes of the color material barrier layer, and becomes an image with halftone dots or a solid image. In the case of halftone dots, the image density increases as the number of halftone dots increases (the image density increases according to the number of holes).

The perforated recording material (also simply referred to as "recording material") used in the present invention is, for example, as shown in FIG.
Basically, a color material layer 102 and a color material barrier layer 103 are provided on a support 101.
And are laminated in this order, but they may have other layers if necessary.

The support is not particularly limited as long as it has good dimensional stability and can withstand a heat source such as a laser during image recording. For example, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyamide, polycarbonate,
A heat resistant plastic film such as polystyrene can be used, and its thickness is usually preferably in the range of 2 to 200 μm, more preferably 25 to 100 μm.

The color material layer contains a binder as an essential component in addition to the color material, and further contains optional components such as additives as required.

The color material transferred to the image receiving layer is preferably a heat diffusible dye, but not limited to this, other dyes or pigments may be used. It may take a molten form.

The heat diffusing dye is not particularly limited as long as it has a heat diffusing property or a subliming property.

Further, the chelating heat diffusible dye represented by the following general formula is used as the dye, and the image receiving material contains a metal source capable of chelating with the dye, whereby the durability of the dye image after transfer is remarkably improved. Can be made.

[0052]

[Chemical 1]

Wherein X ₁ has at least one ring of 5 to 7
Represents an atomic group necessary for completing an aromatic carbocyclic ring or heterocyclic ring composed of 4 atoms, and at least one of adjacent positions of carbon atoms bonded to an azo bond is substituted with a nitrogen atom or a chelating group. X ₂ represents an aromatic heterocycle or an aromatic carbocycle in which at least one ring is composed of 5 to 7 atoms, and G represents a chelating group.

When such a chelateable dye is used in the color material layer, it is preferable to add a metal source to the image receiving layer.

As the metal source, the complex represented by the following general formula can be particularly preferably used.

[M (Q ₁ ) _l (Q ₂ ) _m (Q ₃ ) _n ] ^{P +} (Y ⁻ ) _{P In the} formula, M is a metal ion, preferably Ni ²⁺ , Cu ²⁺ , Cr ²⁺ ,
Represents Co ²⁺ and Zn ²⁺ . Q ₁ , Q ₂ and Q ₃ each represent a coordination compound capable of forming a coordination bond with the metal ion M, and may be the same as or different from each other. These coordination compounds can be selected, for example, from the coordination compounds described in “Chelate Science (5)” (Nankodo).
Y represents an organic anion group, and specific examples thereof include a tetraphenylboron anion and an alkylbenzene sulfonate anion. l represents an integer of 1 to 3, m represents an integer of 0 to 2, and n represents 0 or 1, which is a 4-coordinated or 6-coordinated complex represented by the above general formula. Or the number of Q ₁ , Q ₂ and Q ₃ ligands. p represents 1 or 2. Specific examples of the complex represented by the above general formula are described in US Pat. No. 4,987,049.

The amount of metal source added is 0.5 per 1 m ^2.
-20g is preferable and 1-15g is more preferable.

The amount of these heat diffusible dyes to be used depends on the amount of the support 1
It is usually 0.1 to 20 g, preferably 0.2 to 5 g per m ² .
The content of the heat diffusible dye in the color material layer is usually 5 to 5.
It is in the range of 70% by weight, preferably 30 to 70% by weight.

As the binder used in the color material layer, one or more resins selected from resins known in the thermal transfer recording field can be appropriately selected and used, and preferably polyvinyl acetal resin and cellulose resin. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is preferable that the binder is usually added in an amount of 30 to 70% by weight based on the entire coloring material layer. The weight ratio of the binder to the heat diffusible dye in the color material layer is 1:10 to
The range of 10: 1 is preferable, and 2: 8 to 8: 2 is particularly preferable.

The thickness of the color material layer is such that it can be peeled off from the image receptor.
Moreover, it is sufficient that the dye can be moved by the application of heat energy, and it is usually in the range of 0.2 to 10 μm, preferably 0.4 to 5 μm.

For the coating of the color material layer, it is possible to use the conventionally known surface sequential separate coating using a gravure roll, extrusion coating, wire bar coating, roll coating and the like.

The colorant barrier layer must have at least the property of not passing the colorant (heat diffusible dye) of the colorant layer even under heat or pressure, and the property of absorbing high intensity exposure.
For this purpose, the colorant barrier material is (1) a water-soluble resin, (2) a resin having an ionic bond, or (3) Tg (glass transition point) of 80 ° C or higher, preferably 100 ° C or higher, It is preferable to contain a resin at 120 ° C. or higher as a main component.

As the water-soluble resin, gelatin, polyvinyl alcohol, water-soluble polyvinyl formal, water-soluble polyvinyl acetal, water-soluble polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, water-soluble polyester, water-soluble nylon, polyacrylic acid, water-soluble polyurethane, methyl cellulose, Examples thereof include hydroxypropyl cellulose.

Further, a thermosetting resin having no glass transition point and a metal vapor deposition layer are also used as the colorant barrier layer.

The ratio of the colorant barrier material to the colorant barrier layer is preferably 50 to 99% by weight. Of all resin components of the colorant barrier layer, the ratio of colorant barrier material is 50
It is preferably at least wt%.

The colorant barrier layer may also contain a light absorbing substance for absorbing high intensity exposure. For example,
Functional materials, such as near-infrared absorbing dyes described in June 1990, pp. 64-68 and functional dyes for optical recording described in coloring materials 61 (1988) 218-223, cyanine-based, squarylium-based, Azurenium-based, phthalocyanine-based, naphthalocyanine-based, anthraquinone-based, dithiol metal complex salt-based, indoaniline metal complex-based, intermolecular CT complex-based, transition metal chelate-based, and aluminum diimmonium-based dyes can be selected and used.

When a water-soluble resin is used as the colorant barrier material, the light absorbing substance is also preferably water-soluble, and a tricarbocyanine dye having a water-soluble substituent such as a sulfo group is particularly preferable.

The light-absorbing substance may be added if necessary, but when the exposure wavelength is in the infrared region, it is preferable to contain the above-mentioned near-infrared absorbing dye in an amount of 1 to 50% by weight.

The film thickness of the colorant barrier layer is preferably as thin as possible unless the barrier function is deteriorated, specifically, it is in the range of 0.01 to 2.0 μm, preferably 0.1 to 1.0.
μm.

The color material barrier layer may be formed of a plurality of layers having different functions as required. The functions to be separated include, for example, colorant barrier property, conductivity, light absorption,
Blocking resistance and the like can be mentioned, and these functions can be provided in different layers.

The colorant barrier layer can be applied in the same manner as the colorant layer.

If necessary, in addition to the color material layer and the color material barrier layer, a backing layer may be provided for the purpose of imparting running stability, heat resistance, antistatic property and the like. The thickness of this backing layer is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 1 μm.

Further, the recording material may be provided with detection marks for forming perforations or detecting the positions of areas having different hues for convenience of use.

Next, the image receiving material used together with the recording material will be described.

The image-receiving material is composed of a support and an image-receiving layer, but the image-receiving material may be formed of the self-supporting image-receiving layer itself.

The image receiving layer is formed of a binder for the image receiving layer and various additives. As the binder for the image receiving layer,
Polyvinyl chloride resin, copolymer resin of vinyl chloride and other monomers (eg alkyl vinyl ether, vinyl acetate, etc.), polyester resin, acrylic ester, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polycarbonate, cellulose triacetate, styrene acrylate resin, vinyl toluene acrylate Resin, polyurethane resin, polyamide resin, urea resin, polycaprolactone resin, styrene-maleic anhydride resin, polyacrylonitrile resin and the like can be mentioned.

The image receiving layer may be formed on the entire surface of the support or may be formed on a part of the surface.

The thickness of the image receiving layer is generally 1 to 50 μm, preferably about 2 to 10 μm. On the other hand, when the self-supporting image-receiving layer itself forms the image-receiving material, the thickness of the image-receiving layer is usually 60 to 200 μm, preferably about 90 to 150 μm.

An overcoat layer may be laminated on the surface of the image receiving material for the purpose of preventing fusion and improving image storability. The thickness of this layer is usually 0.05 to 3 μm.

[0080]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in more detail based on the following examples, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.
In addition, "part" of material prescription represents "part by weight", and the formed image density is Sakura Densitometer PDA65 (manufactured by Konica).
The measurement was carried out using a green filter.

Example 1 (Production of Recording Material) The following compositions were mixed and dispersed to prepare a coating material for a color material layer containing a heat diffusible dye.

Coating liquid for color material layer Thermal diffusible dye [Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd .: Kayaset Blue 714] 4 parts Polyvinyl butyral resin 4 parts [Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd .: S-REC BX-1] Methyl ethyl ketone 90 parts Cyclohexanone 10 parts The coating liquid for a color material layer was applied onto a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film having a thickness of 100 μm using a wire bar and dried to form a color material layer having a thickness of 4 μm. In addition,
On the back surface of the PET film, a nitrocellulose layer containing a silicon-modified urethane resin (manufactured by Dainichiseika: SP-2105) was provided as a backing layer.

Next, a coloring material barrier layer having the following formulation is applied onto the coloring material layer with a wire bar and dried to give a thickness of 0.5.
A color material barrier layer of μm was formed to obtain a recording material.

Colorant barrier layer composition Gelatin 3.5 parts Near infrared absorbing dye (IR-1) 1.5 parts Pure water 95 parts

[0085]

[Chemical 2]

(Production of Image Receiving Material) On a synthetic paper having a thickness of 150 μm (Yupo FPG-150 manufactured by Oji Yuka Synthetic Paper Co., Ltd.), a coating solution for forming an image receiving layer having the following composition was applied using a wire bar, and further, After temporary drying with a dryer, 1 in an oven at 100 ° C
After drying for an hour, an image receiving layer having a thickness of 5 μm was provided on the synthetic paper to obtain an image receiving material.

Coating liquid for forming image-receiving layer Vinyl chloride-vinyl isobutyl ether copolymer 9 parts [BASF Corporation: Laroflex MP25] Polyester modified silicone resin 1 part [Shin-Etsu Silicone: X-24-8300] Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts Cyclohexanone 10 parts (image formation) << Perforation of colorant barrier layer >> Optical perforation A laser exposure device is set as a recording means, and the recording material and the image receiving material are loaded into the apparatus having a basic configuration shown in FIG. Semiconductor laser (wavelength 810μm, maximum light output 15
The laser beam of 0 mW) was condensed and the exposure was performed with the beam diameter of the full width at half maximum at the maximum output being 5 μm. Optical efficiency is 70%
At the exposed surface, the output is 105mW, which is about 540,000W / c.
This corresponds to an exposure power density of m ² . The layout of the laser exposure device is as shown in FIG. 8, 16 semiconductor lasers are used, the area gradation is 8 bits (256 gradations), and the density gradation for each minimum dot is 2 bits (4 gradations). Exposure of 10 bits (1024 gradations) was performed on an 80 μm square pixel formed by 16 × 16 pixels.

The exposure energy density during solid exposure calculated from the exposure scanning speed was 150 mJ / cm ² . In addition, 100cc with the nozzle of the suction port with the inner diameter of 3mm facing the recording surface
/ Sec of suction was performed simultaneously.

<< Transfer of Color Material >> The color material barrier layer of the recording material having the color material barrier layer perforated as described above and the image receiving layer of the image receiving material are superposed and heated at 180 ° C. for 2 kg / cm ^2. The coloring material was transferred to the image receiving layer only on the perforated portion through a heat roll capable of pressing.

On the image receiving material to which the color material was transferred, a gradation pattern having a gentle density change corresponding to a gradation of 10 bits was obtained from the unexposed area to the solid exposed area. The color tone was almost black or gray. The PET film transmission density was 0.02, the unexposed area transmission density was 0.02, and the solid exposure area transmission density was 3.28. Further, in order to confirm the storability of the obtained image, the image was stored at 50 ° C. for one month, but even when compared with a reference stored at room temperature, the image did not bleed and showed good storability.

After performing continuous perforation transfer 100 times,
Observation of the laser oscillating surface of the laser exposure device revealed no stains.

Example 2 An apparatus having the basic structure of FIG. 9 of the type having an optical system protection means independent of the optical perforation recording means and holding the perforation recording material by an inner drum having a pressure reducing hole was used as the first embodiment. Images were formed using the same materials.

In FIG. 9, the optical perforation recording means is composed of a rotatable mirror tilted at 45 ° with respect to the paper surface, and a laser light source (not shown) for exposing the paper perpendicularly to the paper surface.
The perforated recording material is exposed by reflecting the laser beam from the.

The light source used here is a YAG with an output of 6W.
A laser beam is used to expose the recording surface for perforation with a beam having a half width of 5 μm.

As in Example 1, the laser power for each dot was controlled in four steps, and the number of dots was 80 with 16 × 16 dots.
By forming pixels of μm square, exposure of 1024 gradations was performed per pixel. The exposure power at the focal plane was 3.2 W, and the exposure power density was calculated to be about 16.3 million W / cm ² .
The exposure energy density during solid exposure calculated from the exposure scanning speed was 85 mJ / cm ² . It should be noted that the laser was made to output at each of four output values of 1W, 2W, 3.5W, 6W for each dot.

The scattered matter generated at the time of perforation due to the exposure did not adhere to the optical system protection member (updated every time one image was formed) and did not contaminate the optical system.

Image transfer was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1,
An image with smooth gradation equivalent to 1024 gradations was obtained with an unexposed area transmission density of 0.02 and a solid area transmission density of 3.42.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a time-series process schematic diagram of a punched image recording method.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an embodiment of an optical perforation recorder.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart of image signals when controlling exposure energy in the main scanning direction.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an image signal processing circuit.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart of image signals when the number of pulses having the same pulse width is changed.

FIG. 7 shows an example of arrangement of light emitting elements of a light source.

FIG. 8 shows another example of arrangement of light emitting elements of a light source.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Perforated Recording Material 2 Perforated Recording Material Supplying Means 3 Optical Perforation Recording Means 6 Recording Material Holding Means Bases 7 Cases 8 Image Receiving Materials 9 Image Receiving Material Supplying Means 11 Crimping Rolls 12 Heat Pressing Means 13 Suction Means 14 Suction Nozzles 15 Protective Members Supplying means 16 Protecting member winding means 17 Optical perforation Recording means holding member 18 Optical system protective cover 19 Cutter unit 101 Recording material support 102 Color material layer 103 Color material barrier layer 801 Image receiving material support 802 Image receiving layer 81 Light emitting element

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical indication location 9121-2H B41M 5/26 A (72) Inventor Ai Katsuta 1 Sakura-cho, Hino-shi, Tokyo Konica Stocks Meeting

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A perforated recording material supply means, an optical perforated recording means, a means for holding the recording material so that the recording surface of the recording material faces the recording means, a means for conveying the recording material to the holding means, and a recorded recording. Means for conveying the material to the image transfer means,
An image receiving material supply means, a means for conveying the image receiving material to the image transfer means, a means for aligning and superimposing a recording surface of a recorded recording material and an image receiving surface of the image receiving material, and an image transfer means. Image recording device. 2. A perforated image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising suction means capable of synchronizing with the exposure by the optical perforation recording means. 3. The punched image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an optical system protection unit. 4. The perforated image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the optical perforation recording means has an optical system protection means. 5. The punched image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the optical system protection member of the optical system protection means is automatically updated.