JPH0587398B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a direct image recording method, and more particularly to a direct image recording method using discharge development.

Conventional technology Image recording methods used in image output terminals such as computers and word processors include:
Various types are known. Among these methods, the method of directly forming an image on recording paper is suitable for use as an image output terminal because the device is small and inexpensive.

Well-known direct image recording methods include the wire dot impact method and the inkjet method. In the former case, an ink ribbon coated with pressure-sensitive wax and recording paper are layered and struck with a metal wire. Although the device is small, the sound of the wire striking the ribbon is generated and the mechanical strength is maintained. Therefore, since the wire diameter cannot be made small, the image density cannot be increased and it is difficult to make a high-resolution printer.

On the other hand, in the case of the inkjet method, various methods have been proposed in principle, but the common drawback is that an ink outlet path of several tens of micrometers is used, corresponding to the size of the ink dot to be formed.
It has the disadvantage that the outlet path is easily clogged by insoluble substances and mold contained in the ink, or by solidification of the ink.

On the other hand, recently, a direct image recording method using a discharge phenomenon has been proposed. In this method, a nozzle made of glass or the like is filled with resin or wax material in which carbon black or the like is dispersed, and the recording material is ejected from the nozzle end using energy generated by discharge from the nozzle end. It is something that forces you to do something. Although this method has lower noise than the impact method, it basically requires a nozzle, so in order to record high-resolution images, it is necessary to move the nozzle slightly for scanning, which increases the size of the device. However, it has the disadvantage of slow operation.
Furthermore, since a nozzle is required, the problem of clogging cannot be avoided.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Therefore, the present applicant has proposed a new direct image recording method that differs in principle from these conventional techniques. That is, this recording method consists of a recording medium comprising an electrically conductive substrate and a recording layer formed by dispersing a colorant in a low-temperature melting material on the electrically conductive substrate, and a high voltage applying electrode consisting of a plurality of electrodes. The groups are arranged facing each other, and a recording paper is further arranged between the recording medium and the high voltage application electrode group, and an image is formed on the recording paper by discharging from the high voltage application electrode group to the recording medium through the recording paper. It is characterized by forming.

However, in the image recording method configured in this way, discharge often occurs between adjacent electrodes in the electrode group, and in order to prevent discharge from occurring between the recording medium and the recording medium through the recording paper, the pixel This often resulted in formation defects. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a direct image recording method as described above, which prevents discharge between adjacent electrodes and enables reliable formation of pixels.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention comprises a conductive substrate and a recording layer formed by dispersing a colorant in a low temperature melting material on the conductive substrate. A high voltage applying electrode group consisting of a plurality of electrodes is placed facing the recording medium to be applied, and a recording paper is further placed between the recording medium and the high voltage applying electrode group. In an image recording method in which an image is formed on recording paper by discharging electricity to the recording medium through the paper, each electrode constituting the high voltage application electrode group is separated from the adjacent electrode by a partition made of an insulating material. Provided is an image recording method characterized in that the image recording method is isolated by

Since such individual electrodes are isolated from adjacent electrodes by insulating partition walls, discharge between the electrodes can be prevented, and as a result, stable discharge can be maintained between the electrodes and the recording medium, so that it is possible to maintain stable discharge between the electrodes and the recording medium. can form good images.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the image recording method of the present invention. Recording paper 1 is moving in the direction indicated by arrow 2. On one side of the recording paper, an electrode group 3 for applying high voltage, which is composed of a plurality of electrodes, is arranged. A power source 4 for applying a high voltage is connected to each electrode. A roller 7 connected to the recording paper 1 is provided on the other side of the recording paper 1, and the surface thereof is coated with a recording material 5 in which a coloring agent such as carbon black or pigment is dispersed in wax resin or the like. 7
The core 6 is made of metal and is grounded.

When a high-voltage pulse sufficient to induce discharge is applied to the recording electrode 3 under such an arrangement, a pixelization phenomenon will occur due to dislocation of the recording material on the surface of the recording paper that is in contact with the recording material roll. The present inventor has come to discover this. This phenomenon differs from the method of dispersing and discharging recording material sealed in a glass nozzle or the like by using discharge energy, and the recording material is dissolved and decomposed by electric shock through the recording paper.
This is understood to be a phenomenon in which the recording material is transferred to the recording paper at the location where dissolution and decomposition has occurred. Therefore, the recording paper in the present invention not only functions as a final image carrier, but also functions as a discharge path.

It has been found that when such a pixelization phenomenon occurs, the gaps between the paper fibers of recording paper, which is ordinary paper, function to secure a discharge path. As the porosity decreases, it becomes difficult for discharge to occur, and in the case of an insulating film such as Mylar (trade name), pixels are not formed by discharge. However, computer output paper,
It has been found that such pixel formation can occur in high-quality paper for copying and the like. In addition, if the discharge voltage is increased or the paper has a small porosity, small pinholes may occur in the discharge area of the recording paper, but since they are irregularly shaped holes ranging from several μm to several tens of μm, they will stick to the surrounding area. It is hidden in the recording material and cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Since such pixel formation occurs on the surface layer of the recording material roller, it operates stably until the recording material on the recording material roller is completely consumed. Pixels formed in this way have a strong adhesion to the recording paper because they are transferred onto the recording paper with a coloring agent such as carbon black dispersed in a low-temperature melting material such as wax resin, and are heated under pressure. No special fixing process is required.

However, as a result of subsequent experiments, in the image recording method configured in this way, discharge often occurs between adjacent electrodes in the electrode group, and discharge between the recording medium and the recording medium through the recording paper. It has been discovered that this causes defects in pixel formation. Methods to prevent this discharge between electrodes include (1) lowering the density of the electrodes, (2) narrowing the distance between the electrodes and the recording material, and (3) applying a bias voltage to the electrodes or recording material that do not induce discharge. A possible method is to reduce the potential difference between the electrodes, but in order to obtain high-quality images, it is not desirable to reduce the density of the electrodes, and the distance between the electrodes and the recording medium should be Because it is necessary to insert paper, it is impossible to reduce the thickness to less than the thickness of the recording paper.Furthermore, the method using bias voltage is susceptible to changes in the conductivity of the recording paper due to environmental changes, stains on the electrode surface, etc. Therefore, it has the drawback that the appropriate bias value changes and stable operation is difficult.

The inventors of the present invention have conducted studies in view of the above-mentioned problems, and as a result, the structure of the electrode group to which high voltage is applied is such that each electrode is isolated from adjacent electrodes by an insulating partition wall. It has been discovered that stable discharge can be performed at all times without being affected by the environment or dirt, and good pixels can be formed.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the electrodes used in the method of the present invention. The electrodes are arranged in a line and hardened with acrylic resin, and the tip discharge part 10 of each electrode is exposed at the bottom of the cylindrical hole 11. In other words, the tip portion 10 of the electrode formed the bottom wall of the hole 11. The distance between the surface 13 of the block body 12 in which the electrode is embedded, where the hole 11 is formed, and the tip discharge part 10 of the electrode,
That is, the depth of the hole 11 is about 0.5 mm, and the partition wall 9 partitions between the individual electrodes and between the electrode tip 10 and the surface 13 of the block body 12 in which the hole is formed.

Operation When the electrode group configured as shown in Fig. 2 is arranged as shown in Fig. 1 and a high voltage is applied to any electrode and the other electrodes are grounded, the gap between the electrodes is as shown in Fig. 3. Since the discharge path B between the electrode and the recording medium is shorter than the mutual discharge path A between the electrodes and the recording medium, discharge is stably performed between the electrode and the recording medium, and stable, approximately circular, good pixels are formed on the recording paper. can be formed. It has been confirmed that by configuring the electrodes in this manner, image formation can be performed stably even when the resistance changes due to environmental changes of the recording paper. High quality paper for electrophotography was used as recording paper at 10℃ relative humidity 40%, 20℃ relative humidity 60% and 30℃ relative humidity.
Stable pixel formation was possible even when the humidity was adjusted by leaving it in an 85% environment for a day and night.

Furthermore, since the above-mentioned electrode group used in the method of the present invention is located in a hole, it is less susceptible to dirt, and even if the electrode group is placed in contact with the recording paper,
Stable operation is possible without being affected by paper dust, etc.

Examples The shape of the electrode group used in the present invention is not limited to that shown in FIG. It is also possible to have holes formed therein. Further, the arrangement of the electrodes is not limited to one row, but may be arranged in a staggered manner as shown in FIG. 6, or in multiple rows as shown in FIG. In addition to electrodes made of metal wire,
Needless to say, it may be formed by sputtering or the like or by printing.

Effects of the Invention In the present invention, each electrode in an electrode group consisting of a plurality of electrodes is isolated from adjacent electrodes by an insulating partition, so that discharge between the electrodes can be prevented. Since stable discharge can be maintained between recording bodies, good images can be formed on recording paper without being affected by the surrounding environment or dirt.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of each element of the image recording method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an electrode group used in the present invention, and FIG. The schematic diagrams illustrating the operation and FIGS. 4 to 7 are modified examples of the electrode group that can be used in the present invention. 1: Recording paper, 3: Electrode group, 4: Power source, 5: Recording layer, 6: Metal core, 7: Recording body, 8: Electrode, 9: Partition wall, 10: Electrode tip, 11: Hole, 12: Electrode Block typeface.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A recording body consisting of a conductive substrate and a recording layer formed by dispersing a colorant in a low-temperature melting material on the conductive substrate is opposed to a high voltage applying electrode group consisting of a plurality of electrodes. image recording, in which a recording paper is further arranged between the recording medium and the high voltage application electrode group, and an image is formed on the recording paper by discharging from the high voltage application electrode group to the recording medium through the recording paper. An image recording method, characterized in that each electrode constituting the high voltage application electrode group is isolated from adjacent electrodes by a partition wall made of an insulating material.