Color thermal printer and color thermal printing method

Details Color thermal printer and color thermal printing method Color thermal printer and color thermal printing method

1998-04-02

2001-04-24

Tran, Huan (Department: 2861)

Incremental printing of symbolic information

Thermal marking apparatus or processes

Multicolor

Reexamination Certificate

active

06222571

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color thermal printer and color thermal printing method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a color thermal printer and color thermal printing method in which the entire surface of color thermosensitive recording material after recording can be fixed and bleached.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A direct type of a color thermal printer is known in the field of thermal recording, and is operated to record a full-color image in a three-color frame-sequential method. A full-color thermosensitive recording material of a direct recording type is used, which includes a support, a cyan thermosensitive coloring layer, a magenta thermosensitive coloring layer and a yellow thermosensitive coloring layer. The yellow coloring layer among those has the highest heat sensitivity. The cyan coloring layer has the lowest heat sensitivity. Three-color images are recorded in the order of yellow, magenta and cyan. In order to avoid further coloring of the yellow coloring component in the course of the magenta recording, a yellow fixer lamp emanates visible violet rays or near ultraviolet rays in a wavelength range peaking at the wavelength of 420 nm, and fixes the yellow coloring layer of the recording material. In order to avoid further coloring of the magenta coloring component in the course of the cyan recording, the magenta fixer lamp emanates ultraviolet rays in a wavelength range peaking at the wavelength of 365 nm, and fixes the magenta coloring layer. As unrecorded regions on the recording material defined around the full-color image has a very light yellow-greenish color, the magenta fixer lamp is driven after the cyan recording to apply rays to all the unrecorded portions to bleach them.
The direct type of the thermal recording has an advantage in that no ink ribbon is used, in contrast to the melt-type or wax transfer type of thermal transfer printer. The direct type does not have any mechanism for feeding ink ribbon, and is mechanically simpler. However the set of the fixer lamps is required for fixation of the yellow and magenta coloring layers.
If the thermal printer has the fixer lamps disposed higher than the recording material, the entire surface of the recording material can receive application of fixing rays. But if a thermal printer has the fixer lamps disposed lower than the recording material, the thermal printer requires guide members for supporting the recording material in contact with its lower surface. The guide members have shapes for supporting only lateral sides of the recording material as viewed in the width direction, for sufficient fixation. Unfixed regions in a belt-shape remain on the lateral sides of the recording material after the recording material is fixed in passage through the guide members. If it is desired to bleach the unfixed regions, an additional ultraviolet lamp must be used for bleaching the recording material having been conveyed out of the guide members. The requirement of the additional lamp is unadvantageous, as it is inconsistent to the small cost and the structural simplicity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a color thermal printer and color thermal printing method in which the entire surface of color thermosensitive recording material after recording can be fixed and bleached.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a color thermal printer and color thermal printing method in which a user can be caused to recognize a finish of the printing operation.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a color thermal printer and color thermal printing method in which a margin of the recording sheet is fixed and bleached with increased efficiency.
In order to achieve the above and other objects and advantages of this invention, a thermal printer is used with thermosensitive recording material, the recording material including a support, and at least one thermosensitive coloring layer, formed on the support, colorable with heat, and fixable with electromagnetic rays, the recording material having a recording region, and first and second lateral sides between which the recording region is disposed. The thermal printer includes a feeder unit for conveying the recording material along a conveying path, the first and second lateral sides being set to extend in a direction of the conveying path. A thermal head applies the heat to the coloring layer during conveyance of the recording material along the conveying path, to record an image. A fixer applies the electromagnetic rays to the recording material being colored during conveyance of the recording material along the conveying path, to fix the coloring layer. At least two guide tooth portions, being first and second, are disposed between the fixer and the recording material, for guiding respectively the first and second lateral sides along the conveying path, there being first and second gaps respectively defined adjacent to the first and second guide tooth portions, the first and second gaps allowing the electromagnetic rays to pass between the fixer and the recording material, to fix the first and second lateral sides,
In a preferred embodiment, the first and second guide tooth portions are transparent.
The thermal head and the fixer are disposed under the conveying path, and the recording material is conveyed with the support upwards oriented.
The recording material includes first and second margins, the recording region being surrounded by the first and second lateral sides and the first and second margins. The feeder unit conveys the recording material by advancing either of the first and second margins along the conveying path. Furthermore a controller (i.e., means for controlling) controls the feeder unit and the fixer, wherein the controller causes the feeder unit to convey the recording region past the fixer, and while the recording region is conveyed, causes the fixer to apply the electromagnetic rays to the recording region for fixing the recording region, and then causes the feeder unit to convey the first margin past the fixer, and while the first margin is conveyed, causes the fixer to apply the electromagnetic rays to the first margin for fixing the first margin, thereby the first and second lateral sides being fixed entirely through the first and second gaps.
The at least one coloring layer comprises at least first to third coloring layers colorable in colors different from each other, the first coloring layer being disposed at a recording surface, the third coloring layer being disposed deepest from the recording surface, and the first and second coloring layers being fixable with the electromagnetic rays of respectively first and second wavelength ranges. The fixer includes a first fixer lamp for emanating the electromagnetic rays of the first wavelength range, to fix the first coloring layer. A second fixer lamp emanates the electromagnetic rays of the second wavelength range, to fix the second coloring layer, the second fixer lamp applying the electromagnetic rays of the second wavelength range to the recording region and afterwards to the first margin, thereby the first margin being fixed and bleached.
Each of the first and second guide tooth portions includes plural teeth arranged in a comb shape, and there are gaps defined between the plural teeth to constitute the first and second gaps.
The controller causes the feeder unit to convey the recording region at a first speed past the fixer, for fixation of the recording region, and causes the feeder unit to convey the first margin at a second speed smaller than the first speed, past the fixer, for fixing and bleaching the first margin.
The controller causes the feeder unit to convey the first margin intermittently past the fixer, for fixing and bleaching the first margin.
The thermal printer further includes a printer body. An entrance opening is formed in the printer body, for allowing the recording material to mov

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