Direct heat-sensitive recording method and device

Abstract

A direct heat-sensitive recording method and device using a light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material in which are layered on a support a heat-sensitive recording layer and at least one light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer, which have heat recording sensitivities higher than a heat recording sensitivity of the heat-sensitive recording layer and which are fixed by electromagnetic waves of respectively different wavelengths, each layer of the light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material developing to a respectively different color, including: an exposing device for deactivating imagewise each of the light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layers corresponding to respective colors by modulating light amounts of electromagnetic waves having respectively different wavelengths and illuminating the electromagnetic waves onto the light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer; and a heat recording device for developing the heat-sensitive recording layer imagewise and developing undeactivated portions of the light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer by applying to the light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material heat energy needed to develop the heat-sensitive recording layer. High-speed recording of images onto a recording material is made possible, and the device can be made compact and inexpensive.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A direct heat-sensitive recording method using a light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material in which are layered on a support a heat-sensitive recording layer and at least one light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer, which have heat recording sensitivities higher than a heat recording sensitivity of said heat-sensitive recording layer and which are fixed by electromagnetic waves of respectively different wavelengths, each layer of said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material developing to a respectively different color, comprising: 
 a step of deactivating imagewise each of said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layers corresponding to respective colors by modulating light amounts of electromagnetic waves having respectively different wavelengths and illuminating the electromagnetic waves onto said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer; and    a step of developing said heat-sensitive recording layer imagewise and developing undeactivated portions of said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer by applying to said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material heat energy needed to develop said heat-sensitive recording layer.    
     
     
         2 . A direct heat-sensitive recording method according to    claim 1   , wherein the heat amount of the heat energy applied to said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material is modulated on the basis of heat energy which is less than the minimum heat energy needed to develop said heat-sensitive recording layer and which can develop said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer.  
     
     
         3 . A direct heat-sensitive recording device using a light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material in which are layered on a support a heat-sensitive recording layer and at least one light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer, which have heat recording sensitivities higher than a heat recording sensitivity of said heat-sensitive recording layer and which are fixed by electromagnetic waves of respectively different wavelengths, each layer of said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material developing to a respectively different color, comprising: 
 exposing means for deactivating imagewise each of said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layers corresponding to respective colors by modulating light amounts of electromagnetic waves having respectively different wavelengths and illuminating the electromagnetic waves onto said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer; and    heat recording means for developing said heat-sensitive recording layer imagewise and developing undeactivated portions of said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer by applying to said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material heat energy needed to develop said heat-sensitive recording layer.    
     
     
         4 . A direct heat-sensitive recording device according to    claim 3   , wherein the heat amount of the heat energy applied to said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material is modulated on the basis of heat energy which is less than the minimum heat energy needed to develop said heat-sensitive recording layer and which can develop said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording layer.  
     
     
         5 . A direct heat-sensitive recording device according to    claim 3   , wherein said exposing means comprises: 
 a fluorescent tube;    filters separating light from said fluorescent tube into the electromagnetic waves having respectively different wavelengths; and    a plurality of light-emitting portions which are arranged linearly in a main scanning direction for each of said filters.    
     
     
         6 . A direct heat-sensitive recording device according to    claim 3   , wherein said exposing means comprises a plurality of fluorescent substance light-emitting elements which are arranged linearly in a main scanning direction for each of the electromagnetic waves having respectively different wavelengths.  
     
     
         7 . A direct heat-sensitive recording device according to    claim 3   , wherein said exposing means comprises a plurality of LED light-emitting elements which are arranged linearly in a main scanning direction for each of the electromagnetic waves having respectively different wavelengths.  
     
     
         8 . A direct heat-sensitive recording device according to    claim 3   , wherein said exposing means comprises: 
 laser light-emitting elements which modulate a laser beam in accordance with recording information; and    an optical system which scans a modulated laser beam onto said light-fixing-type heat-sensitive recording material.    
     
     
         9 . A direct heat-sensitive recording device according to    claim 3   , wherein said exposing means comprises a linear-light-emitting means and a line control element.  
     
     
         10 . A direct heat-sensitive recording device according to    claim 9   , wherein said line control element is a liquid crystal matrix.  
     
     
         11 . A direct heat-sensitive recording device according to    claim 9   , wherein said line control element is an active semiconductor device having a plurality of mirrors which are arranged linearly in a main scanning direction and which can vary reflection of electromagnetic waves by one of deflecting the electromagnetic waves and displacement of the plurality of mirrors.  
     
     
         12 . A direct heat-sensitive recording device according to    claim 4   , wherein said heat recording means is a thermal head whose energization time is controllable and which has a plurality of heat-emitting elements arranged linearly in a main scanning direction. recording of images onto a recording material is made possible, and the device can be made compact and inexpensive.