JPH10119322A - Vaporization type thermal transfer recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the adhesion of dust, dirt and refuse such as paper powder to a vaporization section of a vaporization type thermal transfer recording device. SOLUTION: A vaporization type thermal transfer recording device for vaporizing recording liquid 102 and transferring the same onto a material to be recorded is constituted of a vaporization section 104 for vaporizing the recording liquid 102, a recording head 110 with a heating means 105 for applying heat for vaporizing the recording liquid 102 in the vaporization section 104 to the vaporization section 104 and a recording liquid introduction line 103 for introducing the recording liquid 102 to the vaporization section 104, a recording liquid storage means 101 communicated with the recording liquid introduction line 103 and storing the recording liquid 102 and a cap 106 for covering the vaporization section 104 so as to communicate the section with atmosphere at the time of not recording.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus for vaporizing a recording material and transferring the recording material to a recording material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as colorization of video cameras, computer graphics, and the like has progressed, the need for colorization of hard copies as well as monocolor recording has increased. In response to this, color hard copy systems such as a dye diffusion thermal transfer recording system (sublimation thermal transfer recording system), a melt thermal transfer recording system, an ink jet recording system, an electrophotographic recording system, and a thermally developed silver salt recording system have been proposed. I have. Among these methods, a dye diffusion type thermal transfer recording method and an ink jet method are examples of a method for easily outputting a high-quality image with a simple device.

[0003] In the dye diffusion type thermal transfer recording system, an ink ribbon in which an ink layer in which a high concentration dye is dispersed in an appropriate binder resin is laminated on a base substrate,
A transfer receiving material (for example, photographic paper or the like) on which a dye receiving layer made of a dye-receiving resin for receiving a dye is formed is brought into close contact with a platen roller provided in a printer and a thermal head with a constant pressure. Then, heat corresponding to image information is applied from the thermal head to the ink layer from the back surface of the ink ribbon, and the dye is thermally transferred from the ink layer to the dye receiving layer.
This transfer operation is repeated for each of the image signals decomposed into three subtractive primary colors, yellow, magenta, and cyan, to obtain a full-color image having continuous gradation. Therefore, this dye diffusion type thermal transfer recording method
It has attracted attention as an excellent technique for easily miniaturizing and maintaining a recording apparatus, providing immediacy in image formation, and obtaining high-quality images equivalent to silver halide color photographs.

However, in the case of the dye diffusion type thermal transfer recording system, it is necessary to use a special photographic paper in order to obtain a high quality image, and a large amount of waste is generated due to disposable use of the ink ribbon. However, there is a problem that the running cost increases. Moreover, generation of a large amount of waste is not preferable from the viewpoint of the global environment. These problems also occur in the case of the fusion thermal transfer recording system.

In the case of the heat-developable silver salt recording system, a high-quality image can be obtained. However, the use of a dedicated photographic paper and a disposable transfer ribbon also increases running costs and equipment costs. There is a problem of high.

On the other hand, in the case of the ink jet recording system, as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-59911 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-217, etc., an electrostatic attraction method according to image information,
The recording is performed by causing small droplets of the recording liquid to fly from the nozzles provided in the recording head and adhere to the transfer target using a method such as a continuous vibration generation method (piezo method) or thermal method (bubble jet method). is there. Here, in the ink jet recording method, a recording liquid that is absorbed by plain paper is used, so that plain paper can be transferred, and the running cost is low because there is almost no waste generated. Have. Recently, the thermal method has been widely used because it can easily output a color image.

However, in the ink-jet method, the density gradation in a pixel is difficult in principle, and a high-quality image comparable to a silver halide photograph, which can be obtained by a dye diffusion type thermal transfer method, is reproduced in a short time. It is difficult.

That is, in the conventional ink jet recording method, since one droplet of ink ejected from the jet nozzle of the ink jet printer forms one pixel, in-pixel gradation is difficult in principle and high image quality is obtained. Image cannot be formed. Attempts have been made to express the pseudo-gradation by the dither method using the high resolution of the ink jet, but the image quality equivalent to that of the sublimation type thermal transfer method cannot be obtained, and the transfer speed has been significantly reduced.

On the other hand, the electrophotographic method has a low running cost and a high transfer speed, but has a high apparatus cost.

As described above, in the conventional recording method, the image quality,
At present, it is impossible to simultaneously satisfy all requirements such as running cost, apparatus cost, and transfer time.

Recently, a non-contact type thermal transfer recording system, which simultaneously satisfies these requirements, is a method in which a recording material such as a dye itself or a recording liquid is vaporized or mist and transferred to a recording material such as photographic paper. (EP 9410120).
1.5).

In the recording head used in this recording method, as shown in FIG. 9, a recording liquid 92 stored in a recording material storage tank 91 is passed through a recording liquid introduction passage 93 communicating with the storage tank 91, and is subjected to a capillary action. Leads to the vaporizing section 94 having a porous structure, where it is held. Then, the recording liquid held in the vaporizing section 94 is selectively heated by a heating means 95 such as a resistance heater or a laser in accordance with the recording information to vaporize the recording liquid, or has a diameter of 1 μm or less. Generate mist. Then, the vaporized or mist-formed recording liquid is transferred to a dye receiving layer on a recording material such as photographic paper disposed opposite to the vaporizing section 94 via a gap of 10 μm to 300 μm. Here, the surface area of the vaporizing section 94 is increased by making the vaporizing section 94 have a porous structure, so that the recording liquid is always supplied to the vaporizing section 94 by capillary action and is efficiently held. I do.

Accordingly, in the vaporized thermal transfer recording system, a large number of recording material droplets having a smaller size can be formed as compared with the known ink jet system, and the heating energy applied to the recording material can be increased or decreased according to the image information to be recorded. By doing so, it is possible to freely control the number of droplets of the recording material, so that multi-value density gradation is possible, and recording (for example, full color) having an image quality equal to or higher than that of a silver halide image Image).

Further, in this vaporized thermal transfer recording system, the recording material is vaporized or misted. However, it is necessary to heat the ink layer of the ink ribbon as in the conventional sublimation thermal transfer recording system. In addition, there is no need to press the ink ribbon and the recording medium with high pressure, and this is also advantageous in reducing the size and weight of the printer. Then, since the portion for vaporizing the recording material (vaporizing portion or heating portion) does not come into contact with the recording material, thermal fusion does not occur between them,
Moreover, recording is possible even if the compatibility between the dye and the resin of the dye receiving layer of the recording material is low. Therefore, there is an advantage that the design and selection of the dye and the dye-receiving layer resin are significantly widened.

As described above, in the vaporized thermal transfer recording system, the printer to be used can be reduced in size and maintenance can be facilitated as in the case of the conventional thermal transfer recording system. Further, a recorded image can be obtained immediately for the thermal transfer operation, and the obtained image has high quality and good gradation.

[0016]

However, in the case of a recording apparatus used in such a vaporized thermal transfer recording system,
Since the vaporized portion is always exposed to the outside air, dust such as dust and dirt and paper powder derived from photographic paper adhere to the vaporized portion, carbonize and clog the vaporized portion, and as a result, the recording liquid There was a problem that vaporization was hindered. In particular, at the time of recording, since the distance between the photographic paper and the vaporized portion of the recording head is as short as about 10 to 300 μm, there is a problem that paper dust generated from the photographic paper easily adheres to the vaporized portion.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to prevent dust, dust, paper dust and the like from adhering to a vaporizing portion.

[0018]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventors cap the vaporizing portion of the recording head during non-recording to prevent dust and dirt from adhering to the vaporizing portion. If clogging can be prevented, and if the vaporizing section is communicated with the atmosphere when the cap is closed, the atmospheric pressure of the vaporizing section can be prevented from increasing when the cap is closed, so that the recording liquid is not evaporated. The present inventors have found that it is possible to prevent retreat from the above, and have completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention relates to a vaporization type thermal transfer recording apparatus for vaporizing a recording liquid and transferring the recording liquid to a recording material, wherein a vaporizing section in which the recording liquid is vaporized, and a recording liquid existing in the vaporizing section are vaporized. A recording head having a heating means for applying heat to the vaporizing section to the vaporizing section, and a recording liquid introduction path for guiding the recording liquid to the vaporizing section, for communicating with the recording liquid introduction path and storing the recording liquid. And a cap for covering the vaporizing portion so as to communicate with the atmosphere when recording is not performed.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention. This apparatus basically includes a recording liquid 102
And a heating unit for heating the vaporization unit 104
105, a recording head 101 including a recording liquid introduction path 103 communicating with the vaporizing section 104, and a recording liquid communicating with the recording liquid introduction path 103.
It comprises a recording liquid storage means 110 for storing 102, and a cap 106 for covering the vaporizing section 104 so as to communicate with the atmosphere during non-recording. Further, on the side of the vaporizing section 104 of the cap 106, a recording liquid absorber 107 capable of absorbing the recording liquid 102 near the vaporizing section 104 together with dust is disposed.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the vaporizing section 104 is provided with a porous structure capable of absorbing and holding the recording liquid by a capillary action and capable of withstanding the heating by the heating means 105. Examples of the porous structure include a sponge-like structure having open cells and a group of small pillars in which small pillars made of SiO ₂ are arranged with a minute gap therebetween.
In particular, a small column group structure is preferable because it can be relatively easily manufactured by a lithography technique.

As the heating means 105, a laser, a resistance heater, or the like can be used. However, a resistance heater which can easily be reduced in size of the recording apparatus and can be formed at low cost can be preferably used.

The position where the resistance heater is provided is determined by the vaporizing section.
Any position can be used as long as the recording liquid 102 held by the porous structure of 104 can be sufficiently heated. However, it is possible to form a resistance heater directly under the porous structure such as a group of small columns in the vaporization unit 104. preferable. Thereby, the recording liquid 102 can be efficiently heated, and its vaporization can be promoted.

The recording liquid introduction path 103 may have a structure capable of continuously supplying the recording liquid 102 to the vaporizing section 104 by a capillary action at such a speed that the recording liquid 102 is not depleted during recording.

The recording head 110 comprises at least the vaporizing section 104, the heating means 105, and the recording liquid introduction passage 103 as described above. Other than these, it seems that a general recording head of this type is used. It may be configured by appropriately adding various members.

The recording liquid storage means 101 is not particularly limited, and a general ink tank applied to an ink jet recording head can be used.

The cap 106 may have any structure as long as it can block the vaporization section 104 from the outside, and may be a flat plate or a box-shaped box with one surface removed.

Examples of the recording liquid absorber 107 in the cap 106 include a nonwoven fabric sheet made of polypropylene or the like, a sponge, and the like.

In the present invention, the cap 10
When covering the vaporizing section 104 in 6, it is necessary that the vaporizing section 104 communicates with the atmosphere. This is to prevent the recording liquid 102 from retreating from the vaporizing unit 104 due to an increase in the atmospheric pressure of the vaporizing unit 104. For this reason, the recording head 11
It is preferable to provide an air communication section near the zero vaporization section 104 or in the cap 106 itself. More specifically, for example, a groove may be formed on the surface of the recording head 110 as an air communication section provided near the vaporization section 104 of the recording head 110. Further, as the air communication portion provided in the cap 106,
A hole or notch may be formed in the cap 106.

The vaporizing type thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention comprises a recording head 110 having a vaporizing section 104, a heating means 105, and a recording liquid introduction path 103, a recording liquid storage means 101, and a cap.
Although it is composed of 106 or the like, it may be appropriately provided with other means such as a recording head driving means and a photographic paper conveying means as used in a normal recording apparatus such as an ink jet recording apparatus.

[0032]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A specific example of a vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, the recording head of the vaporizing type thermal transfer apparatus will be described. As shown in FIG. 2 (FIG. 2 (a) sectional view, FIG. 2 (b) perspective view), FIG. 3 (top view) and FIG. 4 (top view with cover 7 described below removed), the recording head 1
Is an aluminum head base 2 that also serves as a heat sink,
A heater chip 3 integrally formed on a silicon substrate with a vaporizing section heated by a heater according to image information and a recording liquid introduction path for guiding a recording liquid to the vaporizing section by capillary action;
A printed circuit board 6 on which a driver IC 5 covered with a potting resin 4 is mounted and a wiring is formed so as to supply a current to each heater in accordance with image data to be transferred, and also serves as a protection path for the driver IC 5 and a dye supply path. And a cover 7.

Here, the head base 2 has a recording liquid introduction hole 8 for introducing a recording liquid into the recording head 1, and an extra adhesive which protrudes when the heater chip 3 is attached to the head base 2. A groove 9 serving as an escape space is formed, and the inside of the cover 7 is a recording liquid supply path 10 for supplying a recording liquid to a recording liquid introduction path of the heater chip 3. The printed circuit board 6 is provided with connector terminals 11.

The surface of the heater chip 3 is covered with a Ni sheet 3a for protection, and a sheet resist 3b for forming a recording liquid introduction path is formed in a line inside the Ni sheet 3a.

As described above, the heater chip 3 includes a plurality of heaters for heating and evaporating the recording liquid, wiring for applying a signal voltage based on an image signal to each heater, and supplying a current to each heater. A recording liquid introduction passage for supplying the recording liquid is formed by a lithography process.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5 (a partial enlarged view of the vaporizing portion 13 at the tip of the heater chip 3 and its vicinity), for example, with a pitch Lp = 84.7 μm and a total of 25 heaters 14
Six are formed. At this time, since one heater 14 transfers one dot, a resolution of 300 DPI can be realized. Each of the heaters 14 is formed of polysilicon having a size of 20 μm × 20 μm. The heater 14 is connected to an individual electrode 15 made of aluminum and a common electrode 16 for applying and energizing a signal voltage based on an image signal. Have been. Here, the vaporizing sections 13 are separated from each other by the partition walls 17, and the recording liquid is stored in the concave portion (the recording liquid storing section 18) surrounded by the partition walls 17. On the heater 14 and around it, a fine columnar column 19 having a diameter of 2 μm, an interval of 2 μm, and a height of 6 μm is formed of 13 × 13 via a protective film SiO ₂ (not shown). A group of books is provided as one of the constituent elements of the vaporizing unit 13.

The height of the small column 19 is determined by the recording liquid container 1.
8, that is, the height from the bottom surface to the top surface thereof, that is, the height of the partition wall 17 surrounding the recording liquid storage portion 18 of each heater 14, Are provided with a minute gap from each other so as to have a porous structure. Accordingly, the porous structure causes a capillary action, and thus each of the small columns 19 can hold the recording liquid in the recording liquid storage portion 18. At the same time, heater 1
When the recording liquid is heated in step 4, the surface tension of the recording liquid decreases as the temperature rises, but the recording liquid can be prevented from escaping from the vicinity of the surface of the heater 14 by the capillary action. Therefore, at the time of image transfer, a necessary recording liquid is continuously supplied.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the recording head 1 makes contact with a recording material (printing paper) 12 at only one end 2a of the head base, and makes a predetermined angle with respect to the recording material 12. It is held to be. Thereby, the vaporization unit 1
The distance between the recording material 3 and the recording material 12 can be kept constant.

For example, the center position of the heater 14 of the vaporizing section 13 (the dashed line in FIG. 2A) is set to be 1.85 mm from the head base end 2a in contact with the recording material 12, The distance between the heater 14 and the recording material 12 formed on a 0.4 mm thick silicon substrate is 50 μm.
(However, the angle between the head base 2 and the recording material 12 is kept at 14 ° so that the thickness of the adhesive layer between the silicon substrate and the head base 2 is 10 μm).

As described above, by appropriately changing the distance from the end portion 2a of the head base to the center position of the heater and the angle between the recording material 12 and the head base 2, the heater 14 and the recording material 12 Can be set to an arbitrary size.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the vaporization type thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention, the recording head 1 as described above is used for each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) (1).
Y, 1M and 1C), it becomes a serial type recording apparatus. Each recording head is connected to a head drive circuit board (not shown) via a flexible harness.

This serial type recording apparatus has a rotatable paper feed roller 20 for conveying paper in the vertical direction (X direction).
And a head feed shaft 21 for scanning the recording head 1 in a direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the X direction, and the head feed shaft 21 is freely rotated by a motor (not shown) based on image information to perform printing. The head 1 can be scanned. The paper feed in the vertical direction and the head scan in the horizontal direction are configured to be performed alternately.

Here, the recording heads 1Y, 1M and 1C
Are provided with 256 heaters 14, respectively, so that the printing apparatus of this embodiment has a performance of printing 256 lines in one scan. Moreover,
At the end of one scan, the recording material (printing paper) 12 on the platen 22 is fed for 256 lines by the paper feed roller 20 also serving as a head support, and the heads 1Y, 1Y,
Since the printing can be started by sequentially changing the timing for each color so that M and 1C start printing from a predetermined position on the printing paper 12, a color image can be printed by one scan. .

In this recording apparatus, as shown in FIG. 6, the right end of the head feed shaft 21 (recording head 1)
Y, 1M, 1C)
Is provided with a capping mechanism 23 including a cap for covering the vaporizing portion of the recording head.

In the capping mechanism 23, as shown in the cross section of the apparatus in FIG.
Is provided so as to cover the capping region 25 including the vaporizing portion 13 of the recording head 1 shown in FIG. On the other hand, from above the recording head 1, for example, a spring 26
Press the recording head 1 with. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent dust and the like from entering the capping area 25 of the recording head 1.

Further, a resin sponge 27 is provided inside the cap 24, and when capping is performed,
The recording liquid in the capping area including the vaporizing section 13 of the recording head 1 can be sucked together with dust.

Since the groove 15 is formed at the tip of the magnetic head 1 as described above, this groove functions as the atmosphere communicating means.

Although the specific example of the vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this specific example, and the vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus provided with a cap for covering the vaporized portion during non-recording. It broadly includes equipment.

For example, the recording apparatus of the present invention may have a configuration in which a recording head is arranged in a known line type in place of the serial type printer shown in FIG.

[0051]

According to the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention, dust, dust, dust such as paper dust, etc. can be prevented from adhering to the vaporizing section. Therefore, clogging of the vaporizing section can be prevented, and the number of recorded images can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view (FIG. 2 (a)) and a perspective view (FIG. 2 (b)) of a recording head constituting the vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus of the embodiment.
It is.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a recording head constituting the vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a recording head constituting the vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of a recording head constituting the vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a recording apparatus provided with a vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory sectional view of a capping mechanism of the vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a capping area in the vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a conventional vaporized thermal transfer recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 recording head, 2 head base, 3 heater chip, 4 potting resin, 5 driver IC, 6
Printed circuit board, 7 cover, 8 recording liquid inlet, 9
Groove, 10 Recording liquid supply path, 11 Connector terminal, 12 Recording material (printing paper), 13 Vaporization section, 14 Heater, 15 Individual electrode, 16 Common electrode, 17 Partition wall, 18 Recording liquid storage section, 19
Small column, 20 paper feed rollers, 21 head feed shaft, 22
Platen, 23 capping mechanism, 24 cap, 25 capping area, 26 spring, 27 recording liquid absorber, 101
Recording liquid storage means, 102 Recording liquid, 103 Recording liquid introduction path, 10
4 Vaporizing section, 105 heating means, 106 cap, 107 recording liquid absorber, 110 recording head

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A vaporizing thermal transfer recording apparatus for vaporizing a recording liquid and transferring the recording liquid to a recording material, comprising: a vaporizing section in which the recording liquid is vaporized; and a heat source for vaporizing the recording liquid present in the vaporizing section. A recording head having a heating means for applying pressure to the vaporizing section and a recording liquid introduction path for guiding the recording liquid to the vaporizing section; a recording liquid storage for communicating with the recording liquid introduction path and storing the recording liquid Means and a cap for covering the vaporizing section so as to communicate with the atmosphere during non-recording. 2. The vaporization type thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of small pillars provided with a minute gap from each other are arranged in the vaporization section. 3. The vaporization type thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of small pillars are formed on a resistance heater as heating means. 4. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein an air communication portion is provided near the vaporizing portion of the recording head so that the vaporizing portion communicates with the atmosphere when the vaporizing portion is covered with the cap. Vaporized thermal transfer recording device. 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the air communication portion is a groove formed on the surface of the recording head. 6. The vaporization type thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cap is provided with an air communication portion so that the vaporization portion communicates with the atmosphere when the vaporization portion is covered with the cap. . 7. The vaporization type thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the air communication portion is a hole or a cutout provided in the cap. 8. The vaporization type thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a recording liquid absorber is disposed on an inner surface of the cap facing the vaporization section. 9. The vaporization type thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the recording liquid absorber is a nonwoven fabric sheet or a resin sponge.