JPH10138548A - Image recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To record an image having high density uniformity, in an image recording apparatus utilizing a pyroelectric material, by enhancing the uniformity of charge neutralization at a time of heating. SOLUTION: An image carrier 1 composed of a laminated structure consisting of a pohotoconductor layer 2, a pyroelectric layer 3 and a conductive layer 4 is selectively heated corresponding to an image signal by a thermal head 5 and the charge generated in a part to be heated is removed by irradiating the photoconductor layer 2 with light from a light source 21 to made the same conductive to uniformly neutralize the surface charge of the pyroelectric layer 3. The image carrier 1 after the completion of heating is cooled and a latent image 17 due to inverse polarity charge is formed accompanying the return of the polarization within the pyroelectric layer 3 and developed by the toner from a developing device 10 and the obtained toner image is transferred and fixed to recording paper 11 to obtain an image 19.

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, and more particularly, to an image recording apparatus applied to a printer, a facsimile, a copying machine, a display board, and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that forms an image by developing an electrostatic latent image using a pyroelectric effect with a charged colored medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A pyroelectric material is heated according to an image signal,
An electric charge is generated on the surface of the material to form an electrostatic latent image, and the colored medium charged to the electrostatic latent image (hereinafter, referred to as toner).
There have been disclosed several methods for performing image recording by adhering and visualizing images. For example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,824,098, Bergman
man) et al. have proposed a copying apparatus using lamp light as a heating means. That is, the pyroelectric material is selectively heated by the lamp light transmitted through the document to form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image, and is developed with charged toner to obtain a copy image of the document. ing.

Also, as an image recording apparatus using a pyroelectric material, Yamazaki et al. In JP-A-56-158350 discloses an apparatus using a laser beam and a thermal head as heating means.

[0004] By the way, Bergman et al., Applied Physics Letters.
s Letteers), Vol. 21 (10), 19
On pages 72,497-499, the formation of a latent image by the opposite polarity charge described below is described.

[0005] The latent image formation by the opposite polarity charge means that the charge generated on the surface of the pyroelectric material is neutralized during or immediately after the heating of the pyroelectric material according to an image signal, and the pyroelectric material is cooled to room temperature. Means that a charge of the opposite polarity to that at the time of heating is generated on the surface of the pyroelectric material to form a latent image. Such an opposite polarity charge, compared to the charge generated during heating,
It has the feature that it can be stably maintained over time. Therefore,
If a latent image is formed by the inverse characteristic charge, it is possible to form a temporally stable latent image. In the device of Yamazaki et al., Latent image formation by such reverse characteristic charges is used. Note that a latent image formed by such a process is hereinafter referred to as a “latent image due to opposite polarity charges”.

In the above-mentioned prior art by Bergman and Yamazaki et al., Although the latent image formation by the opposite polarity charge is mentioned, the specific means is not disclosed. On the other hand, Taylor, in the example described in US Patent No. 3,935,327,
A method of positively neutralizing the charge on the surface of a pyroelectric material during heating using a charge neutralizing means composed of a conductive brush is disclosed. Snelling is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,619 and JP-A-5-134506.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 11 (1995) -175, a method is disclosed in which a conductor layer is provided on the surface of a heating needle serving as a heating means, and the electric charge generated during heating is neutralized by the conductor layer.

Referring to FIG. 6, the basic configuration of an image recording apparatus proposed for snelling will be described.

A belt-shaped image carrier 31 on which a latent image is formed
Is composed of a pyroelectric layer 32 and a conductor layer 33. The heating needle 34 in contact with the pyroelectric layer 32 is controlled by the controller 35, and selectively heats the surface of the pyroelectric layer 32 according to an image signal. On the surface of the heating needle 34, a grounded conductive layer 36 is formed as a charge neutralizing means, and the charge generated on the surface of the pyroelectric layer 32 by heating is applied to the conductive layer 3
The charge is neutralized through 6. When the image carrier 31 is cooled, charges of the opposite polarity are generated on the surface of the pyroelectric layer 32, and a latent image 37 is formed. The formed latent image 37 is developed
Toner development 39, and then transfer means 40
(In the snelling method, the transfer means also uses the pyroelectric effect.) The image is transferred to the recording medium 41 by an image, and is formed.

The configuration of the image carrier 31 in the above operation will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7A is a diagram showing the image carrier 31 before being heated, that is, in an initial state.

FIG. 7B shows a state in which the area a of the pyroelectric layer 32 is heated by the heating needle 34 to change the molecular orientation state.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image carrier 31 in a state where a polarization charge amount is reduced.

FIG. 7C is a view showing a state in which charges are attached to the surface of the pyroelectric layer 32 by the conductive layer 36 formed on the surface of the heating needle 34 to neutralize the surface charges. .

FIG. 7D is a view showing a state in which the image carrier 31 in the state shown in FIG. 7C has been cooled and the polarized charges in the pyroelectric layer 32 have returned to the initial state. is there.

FIG. 7E is a view showing the operation of attaching the toner 55 to the image carrier 31 shown in the state of FIG. 7D.

When the latent image is formed by the opposite polarity charge as described above, it is important to uniformly and uniformly neutralize the charge during the formation of the latent image (at the time of heating) in order to obtain high recording quality. (FIG. 7 (c)). In particular, halftone recording (gradation recording) by controlling the amount of heat generated by the heating means and controlling the amount of polarization charge that decreases by changing the heating temperature of the pyroelectric layer.
, A particularly high uniformity is required for charge neutralization. This is because if the charge neutralization is not uniform, when the pyroelectric layer is cooled and the polarization charge returns to the initial state, a latent image potential faithfully corresponding to the heating temperature cannot be obtained, and the uniformity of the image density is reduced. This is because it is significantly deteriorated. Therefore, in order to perform high-quality halftone recording, it is indispensable to perform uniform charge neutralization.

[0016]

However, the charge neutralization method used in the conventional apparatus has a problem that it is difficult to secure sufficient uniformity for charge neutralization. That is, as in the conventional example shown in FIG. 6, in the method in which the charge neutralizing means (the conductive layer 36 in FIG. 6) is brought into contact with the surface of the pyroelectric layer to neutralize the charge, the charge neutralizing means surface In addition, since fine irregularities are present on the surface of the pyroelectric layer, it is difficult to bring the two into perfect contact with each other, which causes deterioration of uniformity of charge neutralization. In other words, in the portion where the contact state is insufficient, the charge neutralizing action does not work sufficiently, so that the latent image potential which should be originally obtained cannot be obtained. The contact unevenness easily appears as non-uniform recording density as it is. In particular, it is very difficult to obtain a uniform image density when performing halftone printing.

As a method for improving the contact state, the surface of the charge neutralizing means and the surface of the pyroelectric body are finished to a surface precision having extremely high flatness and surface roughness, or both are pressed with high pressure. For example, a method of making close contact using elastic deformation can be considered. However, these methods cause problems such as an increase in the cost of the apparatus and an increase in the size of the apparatus to increase the rigidity, so that it has been practically difficult to use the method.

In addition to the problem that it is difficult to perform uniform charge neutralization as described above, it is difficult to form a low-potential latent image by the conventional charge neutralization method, and it is difficult to form a halftone image (gradation). Image), there is a problem that a highlight portion cannot be recorded well. That is, when the heating temperature of the pyroelectric layer is set low and a low latent image potential of 100 V or less is to be obtained, a phenomenon that a latent image cannot be formed has been observed. Such a phenomenon is considered to be related to the fact that the form of charge transfer in the charge neutralization process is governed by the discharge phenomenon. That is, even if the pyroelectric layer and the charge neutralizing means are brought into close contact with each other, there is a minute gap between them both microscopically. When the charge is neutralized, it is considered that the charge is moved by the discharge in this interval to perform the charge neutralization. At this time, a discharge phenomenon does not occur unless an electric field of a certain level or more is formed between the pyroelectric body surface and the charge neutralizing means. Therefore, when the heating temperature of the pyroelectric layer is low and the surface charge generated by the pyroelectric effect is small, the electric field intensity between the surface of the pyroelectric layer and the charge neutralizing means becomes small, so that sufficient charge neutralization is performed. It is difficult to obtain the function, and as a result, the latent image cannot be formed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has been made to improve the uniformity of charge neutralization during heating and to provide an image capable of outputting an image having high density uniformity and high gradation recordability. It is an object to provide a recording device.

[0020]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
In an image recording apparatus having an image carrier having a pyroelectric layer and first heating means for heating the pyroelectric layer in accordance with an image signal, a photoconductor layer is provided on the surface of the pyroelectric layer. Forming
It is characterized by having first light irradiation means for irradiating the photoconductor layer on the surface of the pyroelectric layer heated by the heating means with light.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the first light irradiating means is arranged so as to face the first heating means arranged on the surface side of the image carrier. The pyroelectric layer is disposed on the back side of the image carrier, and the pyroelectric layer is transparent to a wavelength of light emitted from the first light irradiating means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the image carrier has a conductor layer, and the conductor layer has a wavelength of light irradiated from the first light irradiation means. Characterized by having transparency to the

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second or third aspect of the present invention, a support member for supporting the image bearing member is disposed at a position facing the first heating means. The member is transparent to the wavelength of light emitted from the first light emitting means.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image carrier comprising a conductor layer, a pyroelectric layer, and a photoconductor layer which is made conductive while being irradiated with light, and the image carrier comprising a control means. Second heating means for heating in accordance with an image signal by control; second light irradiating means for irradiating light to the heated area of the image carrier; and a surface of the image carrier heated by the heating means A developing means for developing an image corresponding to the charge distribution by adhering a charged coloring medium to the charge distribution generated in the step (a), and a grounding means for grounding the conductive layer.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect, the second light irradiating means sandwiches the image carrier between the second heating means and the second light irradiating means. And the conductive layer and the pyroelectric layer are transparent to the light irradiated by the second light irradiation means.

The latent image forming mechanism in the image recording apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of the image carrier 50 of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.
The image carrier 50 includes a conductor layer 55, a pyroelectric layer 52, and a photoconductor layer 51 which becomes a conductor while being irradiated with light. Here, the photoconductor layer 2 is grounded. In the initial state shown in FIG. 5A, on the surface of the photoconductor layer 51, there is a surface charge (true charge) 54 that balances with the polarization charge 53 of the pyroelectric layer 52. The surface of the carrier is electrically neutralized. In this initial state, the photoconductor layer is insulative since no light irradiation is performed on the photoconductor layer. Here, the polarity of the polarization charge (surface side) of the pyroelectric layer will be described as positive polarity, and the polarity of the surface charge attached to the photoconductor layer surface will be described as negative polarity. The latent image formation can be performed with the configuration described above.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the image carrier 5
When 0 is heated by the heating means, the molecular orientation state changes inside the pyroelectric layer at the heated portion, and the amount of polarization charge decreases. As a result, the amount of negative charges attached to the surface of the photoconductor layer becomes excessive, and the surface of the image carrier is apparently charged to a negative polarity.

Here, when the photoconductor layer 51 is irradiated with light, the photoconductor layer 51 becomes a conductor while the light irradiation is performed, so that the excess charge generated on the surface of the photoconductor layer 51 is reduced. Is removed through the photoconductor layer (FIG. 5 (c)).

When the light irradiation is completed, the photoconductor layer 51 is insulated again, and a surface charge corresponding to the polarization charge appears on the surface of the photoconductor layer 51 (FIG. 5D). As a result, the surface of the image carrier 50 is again in a neutralized state.

When the heating is completed and the image carrier 50 is returned to the initial temperature, the polarization charges in the pyroelectric layer 52 return to the initial state. Then, the negative charge on the surface of the photoconductor layer 51 becomes insufficient, and the surface of the photoconductor layer is apparently charged to a positive polarity. That is, the heated portion of the image carrier has
After cooling, a positive latent image is formed (FIG. 5E). At this point, since the light irradiation on the photoconductor layer has been completed, the photoconductor layer 51 is insulated, and the formed latent image is stably maintained in time. The latent image is visualized by attaching a negatively charged coloring medium (toner) 55 to the positive latent image thus formed (FIG. 5 (f)).

In addition, since the pyroelectric layer and the conductive layer are made of a material having transparency to irradiation light, the above-described light irradiation can be performed from the back side of the image carrier. It is possible to easily limit the irradiation range.

[0032]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a first embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention. The image recording apparatus includes an endless belt-shaped image carrier 1 including a photoconductor layer 2, a pyroelectric layer 3, and a conductor layer 4, and heating means for heating the image carrier 1 according to an image signal. Thermal head 5 and image carrier 1
, A developing unit 10, a transfer roller 12 for transferring toner to recording paper 11, and a fixing unit 15
And a light source 21 for making the photoconductor layer 2 conductive.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the structure of the image carrier 1 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
An endless belt made of a film including a photoconductor layer 2 having a thickness of about 100 μm, a pyroelectric layer 3 having a thickness of about 100 μm, and a conductor layer 4 having a thickness of about 0.1 μm is used. In this embodiment, the photoconductor layer 2 is made of a phthalocyanine-based photosensitive material, and the pyroelectric layer 3
Is made of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and the conductor layer 4
For aluminum. The conductor layer 4
Is always kept at the ground potential via the conductive roller 20.

The material used for the image carrier is not limited to the above-mentioned materials. The pyroelectric layer 3 may be a layer whose polarization orientation changes by heating. For example, the pyroelectric layer 3 may be a copolymer of PDVF and ethylene trifluoride, or a copolymer of PDVF and tetrafluoride. Pyroelectric polymer materials such as copolymers with ethylene, PZT (Pb (2) Z
Ceramic pyroelectric materials such as rO (3) -PbTiO (3)) can be used. Further, since the photoconductor layer 2 may be made of a material that becomes conductive by giving energy, for example, other photosensitive materials such as crystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, zinc oxide, cadmium sulfide, and a perylene-based coloring material can be used. Materials can be used. The conductor layer 4 is made of another metal material such as gold or chromium,
Various conductive materials, such as a conductive organic material, can be used.

The thermal head 5 shown in FIG. 1 is used as a heating means, and a line type thermal head in which minute heating elements which generate heat by Joule heat are arranged in a line in the width direction of the image carrier 1 at a pitch of about 83 μm (300 dots / inch). Head. The line type thermal head has a flat type, an end surface type, a corner type, and the like, depending on the position where the heating element array is formed. In the present embodiment, the heating elements are used in order to facilitate the light irradiation by the light source 21. Use a corner type thermal head formed at a corner (edge portion) of a thermal head substrate. The thermal head 5 is controlled by a controller 16 and selectively heats the image carrier 1 according to an image signal.

The surface of the image carrier 1 that is heated by the thermal head 5 is irradiated with light by a light source 21 disposed near the thermal head, thereby making the photoconductor layer 2 on the surface of the image carrier conductive. An LED light emitting element was used as a light source, and a light irradiation area was restricted using a light shielding plate 22. In this embodiment, the setting is made so that light irradiation is performed in a range from the heating unit to 0.3 mm on the downstream side.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the latent image forming section of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention. The latent image forming section has a thermal head 5 and a platen roller 6 for rotating the image carrier 1. Electrodes 23 are provided on both right and left ends of a light irradiation area as shown in FIG. The photoconductive layer in the conductive portion is grounded.

Charges are generated on the surface of the pyroelectric layer 3 of the heated image carrier 1 by the pyroelectric effect, and the charges are neutralized through the photoconductive layer 2 which has been made conductive. In addition, besides the LED emitting element used in the present embodiment, another light source having a wavelength corresponding to the photosensitive characteristic of the photoconductor layer can be used as the light source 21. Further, a method may be used in which a special light source is not provided in the apparatus, and light outside the apparatus is taken in and used. Further, instead of directly irradiating the light emitted from the light source to the image carrier as in the present embodiment, it is also possible to use a method of guiding the light using an optical fiber or the like. Further, in this embodiment, the light source is arranged downstream of the thermal head, but may be arranged upstream if light can be irradiated to a necessary range. Further, in the present embodiment, the corner type thermal head was used in order to facilitate the light irradiation, but the shape of the thermal head is not limited to this, and other shapes such as a flat type and an end face type may be used. It may be used. It is also possible to use a serial type thermal head.

When the heating and the charge neutralization of the image carrier 1 are completed, the image carrier is naturally cooled, and a latent image 17 is formed by the opposite polarity charge. At this point, the image carrier 1
Is not performed, the surface of the image carrier becomes insulative, and the latent image charge is stably held.

The formed latent image 17 is developed by applying toner using the developing device 10. In this embodiment, a contact type non-magnetic one-component developing system was used as a developing method. The developed image carrier 1 is superimposed on a recording paper 11 as a recording medium. Thereafter, the transfer roller 12 to which the voltage is applied is pressed from the back of the recording paper 11, so that the toner is electrostatically transferred to the surface of the recording paper 11. The recording paper 11 onto which the toner has been transferred is passed through a fixing device 15 including a heat roller 13 and a pressure roller 14. Here, the toner is fixed on the recording paper 11, and an image 19 is formed on the recording paper 11. The method of developing a latent image, the type of developer, the method of transferring to a recording medium, the method of fixing to a recording medium, and the like are not limited to the method used in this embodiment. Other methods used in the recording method and the like may be used.

After the toner has been transferred to the recording paper 11, the image carrier 1 is again conveyed to the latent image forming section (thermal head section) and the next latent image is formed. Prior to this, if untransferred toner remains on the image carrier 1, removal using a cleaner (not shown) is performed as necessary. If the latent image charge remains, the charge is removed by a charge removing means (not shown) such as a conductive brush if necessary.

As a result of performing a recording experiment under the above-described apparatus configuration, it was confirmed that a latent image potential of about 870 V was obtained when the maximum temperature rise of the pyroelectric layer was set to 40 ° C. Was done. This is about 1.5 times the latent image potential as compared with the conventional apparatus in which the charge neutralizing means is provided outside the image carrier, and the present invention is effective for improving the efficiency of latent image formation. Was confirmed. Further, when the recording of the intermediate density was executed by setting the temperature rise amount of the pyroelectric layer to 20 ° C., it was confirmed that the recording with extremely small density unevenness could be executed. It was confirmed that it was very effective in improving the quality. Furthermore, when the amount of temperature rise of the pyroelectric layer was set at 5 ° C. and a low potential latent image of about 100 V was formed, it was confirmed that a stable latent image potential was obtained. It was confirmed that formation of a latent image, that is, stable formation of a latent image in a highlight portion was enabled.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.
It is a figure which shows the Example of. Except for the latent image forming unit, the apparatus configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are used for members similar to those in FIG.

In this embodiment, the light source 26 is arranged on the back side of the image carrier 1 and irradiates the heating area of the image carrier 1 with light from the back side of the image carrier. Light emitted from the light source 26 is applied to the photoconductor layer 2 through the support member 25 of the image carrier 1, the conductor layer 4 of the image carrier, and the pyroelectric layer 3. Therefore, the support member 25, the conductor layer 4, and the pyroelectric layer 3
Needs to be transparent to the wavelength of light emitted from the light source 26. In this embodiment, an LED light emitting element is used as the light source 26, the support member 25 is made of acrylic resin, the conductive layer 4 of the image carrier is made of an ITO sputtered film, and the pyroelectric layer 3 is made of PVD.
F was used. The materials of the support member and the image carrier are not limited to the above materials. For example, the support member 25
Can be glass or another transparent resin, and the conductor layer 4 can be made of SnO (2), I
Other light-transmitting conductive thin film materials such as n (2) O (3) and ZnO can be used. Further, a layer of another material may be laminated on the surface of the conductor layer 4 for the purpose of preventing the conductor layer 4 from being worn. However,
All of these layers also need to be transparent to the wavelength of the light source 26.

The light emitted from the light source 26 is
5, the photoconductor layer 2 is irradiated through the conductor layer 4 and the pyroelectric layer 3. In this embodiment, a phthalocyanine photosensitive material is used for the photoconductor layer 2. The range of light irradiation is limited by the mask 27. In this embodiment, the light irradiation is performed in a range of 0.3 mm downstream from the heating unit and 10 mm upstream. As in the case of the first embodiment, the photoconductor layer in the portion irradiated with light is grounded by an electrode 23 provided at the end of the image carrier as shown in FIG.

When the light irradiation is performed from the back side of the image carrier, the heated area of the image carrier 1 can be irradiated with light regardless of the shape of the heating means, and there is no restriction on the shape of the heating means. Therefore, in this embodiment, a general flat thermal head 24 was used as the thermal head. However, it is clear that the heating means is not limited to the flat thermal head 24.

In the portion heated by the flat thermal head 24, electric charges are generated on the surface of the image carrier 1. In this area, light is irradiated from the back side of the image carrier. The photoconductor layer 2 becomes conductive, and the generated charges are neutralized through the photoconductor layer. As the heating is completed and the temperature of the image carrier 1 decreases, charges of opposite polarity are generated, and a latent image 17 is formed. At this time, since the image carrier is not irradiated with light, the surface of the image carrier, that is, the photoconductor layer 2 is insulated, and the formed latent image is stably held. The subsequent development, transfer, and fixing processes are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

As a result of performing a recording experiment under the above-described apparatus configuration, it was confirmed that when the maximum temperature rise of the pyroelectric layer was set at 40 ° C., a latent image potential of about 900 V was obtained. Was done. This is about 1.6 times the latent image potential as compared with the conventional apparatus in which the charge neutralizing means is provided outside the image carrier, and the present invention improves the latent image forming efficiency. Confirmed to be valid. Further, it was confirmed that even when halftone recording was performed, it was possible to execute image recording with high density uniformity, and it was confirmed that the present invention was effective in improving the uniformity of charge neutralization.

In this embodiment, the light from the light source 26 is applied to the photoconductor layer 2 through the support member 25, but it is not always necessary to pass the light through the support member. For example, the support member may be replaced by a platen roller as described in the first embodiment, and the light irradiation may be performed by disposing the light source 26 near the platen roller.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, a thermal head is used as the heating means, but any heating means may be used as long as it heats the image carrier in accordance with an image signal. It is also possible to use other heating means, such as and lamp light.

In the above embodiment, all the image carriers are belt-shaped, but other shapes such as a drum shape and a flat plate shape may be used.

In the above embodiments, the recording medium is all paper. However, it is apparent that the present invention is effective for various other recording media.

Further, the transfer and fixing of the coloring medium to the recording medium are not always necessary, and by temporarily holding the coloring medium on the recording medium or the image carrier,
The present invention is also applicable to a device for temporarily displaying information such as a display board.

[0055]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the charge neutralization can be performed with high uniformity at the time of forming the latent image, so that the latent image potential can be controlled with high precision and the density uniformity can be improved. It is possible to output an image excellent in quality. In addition, since the efficiency of charge neutralization is improved, a sufficient image density can be obtained even when high-speed recording or the like is performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image carrier according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a latent image forming unit of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a process of forming a latent image on the image carrier according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional image recording apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a process of forming a latent image on a conventional image carrier.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 image carrier 2 photoconductor layer 3 pyroelectric layer 4 conductor layer 5 thermal head 10 developing device 11 recording paper 12 transfer roller 15 fixing device 16 controller 17 latent image 21 light source

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image recording apparatus comprising: an image carrier having a pyroelectric layer; and first heating means for heating the pyroelectric layer in accordance with an image signal. An image recording apparatus, comprising: a first light irradiating unit that forms a photoconductor layer and irradiates the photoconductor layer on the surface of the pyroelectric layer heated by the heating unit with light. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first light irradiating unit is disposed on a back side of the image carrier so as to face the first heating unit disposed on a surface side of the image carrier, and 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body layer has transparency with respect to the wavelength of the light emitted from the first light emitting means. 3. The image carrier according to claim 1, wherein the image carrier has a conductive layer, and the conductive layer has a transmittance with respect to a wavelength of light emitted from the first light irradiating means. 2. The image recording apparatus according to 2. 4. A support member for supporting the image bearing member is provided at a position facing the first heating means, and the support member is adapted to adjust a wavelength of light emitted from the first light irradiation means. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image recording apparatus has transparency. 5. An image carrier comprising a conductor layer, a pyroelectric layer, and a photoconductor layer which is made conductive during irradiation with light, and the image carrier is responsive to an image signal under the control of control means. A second heating unit for irradiating light to a region of the heated image carrier; and a charge distribution generated on a surface of the image carrier heated by the heating unit. An image recording apparatus, comprising: a developing unit that applies a charged coloring medium to develop an image corresponding to a charge distribution; and a grounding unit that grounds the conductive layer. 6. The second light irradiating means is located at a position sandwiching the image carrier between the second heating means and the second light irradiating means, wherein the conductive layer and the pyroelectric layer are The image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image recording apparatus has transparency with respect to light irradiated by the second light irradiation unit.