Typewriting machines – Means auxiliary to typewriting function – Means for cleaning – or facilitating cleaning of – type-face
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2002-06-11
Hirshfeld, Andrew H. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Means auxiliary to typewriting function
Means for cleaning, or facilitating cleaning of, type-face
C400S702000, C101S423000, C101S425000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06402406
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus having an adhesive roller for removing foreign objects from a recording medium, and the recording apparatus records information such as images or characters on the recording medium. Especially, the recording apparatus records information such as color images and characters with color toners of K (black), C (cyan), M (magenta) and Y (yellow).
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional recording apparatus of the above type, image recording is conducted when laser beams are irradiated from an optical head onto a recording medium fixed on a rotary drum used for recording. In this case, a toner sheet having a toner layer, which is formed on a permeable support, capable of conducting heat-transfer, and an image receiving sheet are used as a recording medium, and the toner sheet is heated according to image data to be recorded, so that a heated portion or a non-heated portion of the toner layer is transferred onto the image receiving sheet. In this way, an image is formed on the image receiving sheet.
Specifically, image recording is conducted as follows. A toner sheet is used, on which a heat-fusible, heat adhesive or sublimate coloring material layer (light-heat conversion+toner layer) is formed. At least at a recording position, the toner sheet is put on the image receiving sheet, that is, the toner sheet is closely contacted with the image receiving sheet, and the toner layer is heated according to image data by laser beams from a reverse side of the toner sheet or the image receiving sheet, so that a latent image is formed on the toner layer. After that, the toner sheet and the image receiving sheet are separated from each other. In this way, a portion of the toner layer, which has been exposed to laser beams, is transferred onto the image receiving layer, so that the image can be transferred onto the image receiving sheet.
First, explanation will be made referring to
FIG. 15
which is a perspective view of a primary portion of the recording apparatus used for the present invention.
In
FIG. 15
, reference numeral
1
is an optical head having a plurality of lasers, and the respective lasers are turned on and off for modulation according to data to be recorded and the modulated laser beams are irradiated, and the optical head
1
is capable of moving in a direction of one dimension.
Reference numeral
2
is a rotary drum for recording on which a recording medium is attached, and this rotary drum is rotated at high speed.
Reference numeral
3
is a recording medium, the structure of which is different according to the use, that is, reference numeral
3
is a recording medium for CTP (computer to plate), DDCP (direct digital color proofer) or lease.
Reference numeral
4
is a movable stage or an auxiliary scanning stage, on which the optical head
1
is mounted, capable of moving on a rail in parallel with the recording medium
3
attached onto the rotary drum
2
for recording. While the movable stage
4
is moving, the recording medium
3
is irradiated with laser beams emitted from the optical head
1
, so that an image can be recorded. The moving direction of the optical head
1
corresponds to the auxiliary scanning direction in the image formation, and the rotary direction of the rotary drum
2
for recording corresponds to the primary scanning direction.
Next, referring to
FIG. 16
, the structure of the recording medium
3
attached to this recording apparatus will be explained below. Also, referring to
FIG. 17
, the specific procedure of image recording will be explained below.
FIG. 16
is a view showing an image receiving sheet
31
and a toner sheet
32
composing the recording medium
3
shown in FIG.
15
. In the actual recording process, image recording is conducted on the recording medium
3
by a heat transfer sheet composing the recording medium shown in FIG.
16
. The toner sheet
32
is composed of “a support, light-heat conversion layer and toner layer” which are arranged in this order from the laser beam irradiating side. On the other hand, the image receiving layer
31
is composed of “an image receiving layer, cushion layer and support” which are arranged in this order from the toner sheet
32
side. The toner sheet
32
is put on the image receiving sheet
31
in such a manner that the toner layer of the toner sheet
32
is directed to the image receiving sheet
31
side, and laser beams are irradiated onto the toner sheet
32
and the image receiving sheet
31
. Then, the irradiated toner layer is heated and transferred onto the image receiving layer.
The support of the toner sheet
32
shown in
FIG. 16
is made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), TAC (triacetyl cellulose) or PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) through which laser beams can be transmitted. For the light-heat conversion layer, carbon, black substance, infrared ray absorbing pigment and specific wave-length absorbing substance, which can effectively convert laser beam energy into heat, are used. On the toner sheet, there are provided toner sheets of K (black), C (cyan), M (magenta) and Y (yellow). In some cases, there are provided toner sheets of gold, silver, light-brown, gray, green and orange. Characteristics of heating and recording are different with respect to these toner sheets of various colors.
The image receiving layer of the image receiving sheet
31
receives toner to be transferred. The cushion layer functions to absorb steps when a plurality of toner layers are put on each other. In this connection, the above structure is different according to the use. The detail of the toner sheet and image receiving sheet to be used are described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A-4-296594, JP-A-4-327982 and JP-A-4-327983 which are applied by the present applicant.
FIG. 17
is a process drawing of recording which shows each recording process carried out for each color of K, C, M and Y. Each recording process is composed of a laminate process, a laser beam recording process in which recording is conducted by laser beams according to color data, and a process in which the toner sheet
32
is peeled off from the image receiving sheet
31
.
Process (1)
The image receiving sheet is wound round the rotary drum
2
for recording (
FIG. 17
a
).
Process (2)
First, in order to execute a process of color K, the toner sheet of color K is wound round the image receiving sheet (
FIG. 17
b
).
Process (3)
When necessary, the toner sheet of color K is laminated on the image receiving sheet by the rotary roller, one portion of which is shown in the drawing (
FIG. 17
c
).
Process (4)
Laser beams are irradiated according to image and character data of color K, so that recording is conducted (
FIG. 17
d
).
Process (5)
The toner sheet of color K is peeled off from the image receiving sheet. In this way, the process of color K is completed (
FIG. 17
e
).
Process (6)
In the same manner as that of the process of color K, the process of color C is executed. The toner sheet of color C is wound round the image receiving sheet.
Process (7)
Under certain circumstances, the toner sheet of color C is laminated.
Process (8)
Recording is conducted by laser beams according to data of color C.
Process (9)
Finally, the toner sheet of color C is peeled off from the image receiving sheet. In this way, the process of color C is completed.
Process (10)
Successively, in the same manner, the process of color M is executed. The toner sheet of color M is wound round the image receiving sheet.
Process (11)
Under certain circumstances, lamination is carried out.
Process (12)
Recording is conducted by laser beams according to data of color M.
Process (13)
The toner sheet of color M is peeled off from the image receiving sheet. In this way, the process of color M is completed.
Process (14)
Finally, in the same manner, the process of color Y is executed. The toner sheet of color Y is wound round the image receiving sheet.
Process (15)
Under certain circumstances, the toner sheet of color Y is laminated.
Sasaki Yoshiharu
Satou Hironobu
Chau Minh H.
Hirshfeld Andrew H.
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