초록 ▼

An image-recording apparatus. In a housing of the apparatus are a casing section that encases a light and heat sensitive recording material, an optical recording section that exposes the light and heat sensitive recording material fed from the casing section to record a latent image, a thermal devel

An image-recording apparatus. In a housing of the apparatus are a casing section that encases a light and heat sensitive recording material, an optical recording section that exposes the light and heat sensitive recording material fed from the casing section to record a latent image, a thermal developing section that develops the latent image by heating, an optical fixing section that fixes the developed image by irradiating it with light, and an outlet through which the image-recorded material is taken out.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases a light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes the light and heat sensitive recording material to visible light, which has bee

What is claimed is: 1. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases a light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes the light and heat sensitive recording material to visible light, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiates visible light for fixing the developed image wherein the light and heat sensitive recording material is provided with a light and heat sensitive recording layer containing: a color-forming component A encapsulated in heat-responsive microcapsules; and a photo-polymerizable composition outside the heat-responsive microcapsules, the photo-polymerizable composition including at least a substantially colorless compound B, which has in one molecule a polymerizable group and a site capable of reacting with the color-forming component A to form color, and a photo-polymerization initiator. 2. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical recording section records the latent image with recording light having an intensity maximum at at least one wavelength selected from a wavelength range of 300 to 1100 nm. 3. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein a maximum irradiation energy of the recording light on the surface of the light and heat sensitive recording material is from 0.01 to 50 mJ/cm2. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises non-contact heating. 5. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermal developing section develops with a heating temperature of 50 to 200째 C. 6. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical fixing section fixes with light having intensity so as to provide an illumination of 10,000 to 50,000,000 lux. 7. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermal developing section heats such that a range of variation with respect to a heating temperature setting is at most 짹5째 C. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the casing section, the optical recording section, the thermal developing section and the optical fixing section are arranged in a vertical configuration. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image recording relates only to processing of a single sheet. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical recording section uses at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300-450 nm. 11. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the short wavelength light source is a semiconductor laser. 12. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the semiconductor laser is a Group III element nitride semiconductor laser. 13. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the optical recording section exposes, for recording the latent image, using the short wavelength light source and another light source, whose intensity maximum wavelength is different from the intensity maximum of the short wavelength light source. 14. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the other light source is selected from the group consisting of semiconductor lasers, solid state lasers, fiber lasers, wavelength conversion solid state lasers, and gas lasers. 15. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases a light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes the light and heat sensitive recording material to visible light, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiates visible light for fixing the developed image wherein the light and heat sensitive recording material is provided with a light and heat sensitive recording layer containing: a color-forming component A encapsulated in heat-responsive microcapsules; and a photo-polymerizable composition outside the heat-responsive microcapsules, the photo-polymerizable composition including at least a substantially colorless compound C capable of reacting with the color-forming component A to form color, a photo-polymerizable compound D, and a photo-polymerization initiator. 16. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the optical recording section records the latent image with recording light having an intensity maximum at at least one wavelength selected from a wavelength range of 300 to 1100 nm. 17. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein a maximum irradiation energy of the recording light on the surface of the light and heat sensitive recording material is from 0.01 to 50 mJ/cm2. 18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises non-contact heating. 19. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the thermal developing section develops with a heating temperature of 50 to 200째 C. 20. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the optical fixing section fixes with light having intensity so as to provide an illumination of 10,000 to 50,000,000 lux. 21. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the thermal developing section heats such that a range of variation with respect to a heating temperature setting is at most 짹5째 C. 22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the casing section, the optical recording section, the thermal developing section and the optical fixing section are arranged in a vertical configuration. 23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image recording relates only to processing of a single sheet. 24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the optical recording section uses at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300-450 nm. 25. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the short wavelength light source is a semiconductor laser. 26. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the semiconductor laser is a Group III element nitride semiconductor laser. 27. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the optical recording section exposes, for recording the latent image, using the short wavelength light source and another light source, whose intensity maximum wavelength is different from the intensity maximum of the short wavelength light source. 28. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the other light source is selected from the group consisting of semiconductor lasers, solid state lasers, fiber lasers, wavelength conversion solid state lasers, and gas lasers. 29. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases a light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes the light and heat sensitive recording material to visible light, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiates visible light for fixing the developed image wherein the light and heat sensitive recording material is provided with a light and heat sensitive recording layer containing: a substantially colorless compound C that is encapsulated in heat-responsive microcapsules and is capable of reacting with a color-forming component A to form color; and a photo-polymerizable composition outside the heat-responsive microcapsules, the photo-polymerizable composition including at least the color-forming component A, a photo-polymerizable compound D, and a photo-polymerization initiator. 30. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the optical recording section records the latent image with recording light having an intensity maximum at at least one wavelength selected from a wavelength range of 300 to 1100 nm. 31. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein a maximum irradiation energy of the recording light on the surface of the light and heat sensitive recording material is from 0.01 to 50 mJ/cm2. 32. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises non-contact heating. 33. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the thermal developing section develops with a heating temperature of 50 to 200째 C. 34. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the optical fixing section fixes with light having intensity so as to provide an illumination of 10,000 to 50,000,000 lux. 35. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the thermal developing section heats such that a range of variation with respect to a heating temperature setting is at most 짹5째 C. 36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the casing section, the optical recording section, the thermal developing section and the optical fixing section are arranged in a vertical configuration. 37. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the image recording relates only to processing of a single sheet. 38. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the optical recording section uses at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300-450 nm. 39. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 38, wherein the short wavelength light source is a semiconductor laser. 40. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 39, wherein the semiconductor laser is a Group III element nitride semiconductor laser. 41. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 38, wherein the optical recording section exposes, for recording the latent image, using the short wavelength light source and another light source, whose intensity maximum wavelength is different from the intensity maximum of the short wavelength light source. 42. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 41, wherein the other light source is selected from the group consisting of semiconductor lasers, solid state lasers, fiber lasers, wavelength conversion solid state lasers, and gas lasers. 43. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases a light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes the light and heat sensitive recording material to visible light, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiates visible light for fixing the developed image wherein the light and heat sensitive recording material is provided with a photo-curable light and heat sensitive recording layer which contains: an oxidant precursor E encapsulated in heat-responsive microcapsules; an activator G outside the heat-responsive microcapsules, the activator G being capable of reacting with the oxidant precursor E to form an oxidant F; and a dye-forming coupler H capable of coupling with the oxidant F to form a dye, and wherein light irradiation cures an irradiated portion of the light and heat sensitive recording layer. 44. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein the optical recording section records the latent image with recording light having an intensity maximum at at least one wavelength selected from a wavelength range of 300 to 1100 nm. 45. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 44, wherein a maximum irradiation energy of the recording light on the surface of the light and heat sensitive recording material is from 0.01 to 50 mJ/cm2. 46. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises non-contact heating. 47. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein the thermal developing section develops with a heating temperature of 50 to 200째 C. 48. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein the optical fixing section fixes with light having intensity so as to provide an illumination of 10,000 to 50,000,000 lux. 49. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein the thermal developing section heats such that a range of variation with respect to a heating temperature setting is at most 짹5째 C. 50. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the casing section, the optical recording section, the thermal developing section and the optical fixing section are arranged in a vertical configuration. 51. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the image recording relates only to processing of a single sheet. 52. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the optical recording section uses at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300-450 nm. 53. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 52, wherein the short wavelength light source is a semiconductor laser. 54. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 53, wherein the semiconductor laser is a Group III element nitride semiconductor laser. 55. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 52, wherein the optical recording section exposes, for recording the latent image, using the short wavelength light source and another light source, whose intensity maximum wavelength is different from the intensity maximum of the short wavelength light source. 56. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 55, wherein the other light source is selected from the group consisting of semiconductor lasers, solid state lasers, fiber lasers, wavelength conversion solid state lasers, and gas lasers. 57. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases a light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes the light and heat sensitive recording material to visible light, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiates visible light for fixing the developed image wherein the light and heat sensitive recording material is provided with a photo-curable light and heat sensitive recording layer which contains: an oxidant precursor E outside heat-responsive microcapsules; an activator G encapsulated in the heat-responsive microcapsules, the activator G being capable of reacting with the oxidant precursor E to form an oxidant F; and a dye-forming coupler H capable of coupling with the oxidant F to form a dye, and wherein light irradiation cures an irradiated portion of the light and heat sensitive recording layer. 58. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 57, wherein the optical recording section records the latent image with recording light having an intensity maximum at at least one wavelength selected from a wavelength range of 300 to 1100 nm. 59. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 58, wherein a maximum irradiation energy of the recording light on the surface of the light and heat sensitive recording material is from 0.01 to 50 mJ/cm2. 60. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises non-contact heating. 61. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 57, wherein the thermal developing section develops with a heating temperature of 50 to 200째 C. 62. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 57, wherein the optical fixing section fixes with light having intensity so as to provide an illumination of 10,000 to 50,000,000 lux. 63. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 57, wherein the thermal developing section heats such that a range of variation with respect to a heating temperature setting is at most 짹5째 C. 64. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the casing section, the optical recording section, the thermal developing section and the optical fixing section are arranged in a vertical configuration. 65. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the image recording relates only to processing of a single sheet. 66. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the optical recording section uses at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300-450 nm. 67. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 66, wherein the short wavelength light source is a semiconductor laser. 68. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 67 wherein the semiconductor laser is a Group III element nitride semiconductor laser. 69. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 66, wherein the optical recording section exposes, for recording the latent image, using the short wavelength light source and another light source, whose intensity maximum wavelength is different from the intensity maximum of the short wavelength light source. 70. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 69, wherein the other light source is selected from the group consisting of semiconductor lasers, solid state lasers, fiber lasers, wavelength conversion solid state lasers, and gas lasers. 71. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes, using at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300 to 450 nm, the light and heat sensitive recording material, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiated visible light for fixing the developed image, wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises non-contact heating wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises a far infrared heat source, and wherein the light and heat sensitive recording material is provided with a light and heat sensitive recording layer containing: a color-forming component A encapsulated in heat-responsive microcapsules; and a photo-polymerizable composition outside the heat-responsive microcapsules, the photo-polymerizable composition including at least a substantially colorless compound B, which has in one molecule a polymerizable group and a site capable of reacting with the color-forming component A to form color, and a photo-polymerization initiator. 72. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 71, wherein a maximum irradiation energy of the recording light on the surface of the light and heat sensitive recording material is from 0.01 to 50 mJ/cm2. 73. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 71, wherein the thermal developing section develops with a heating temperature of 50 to 200째 C. 74. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 71, wherein the optical fixing section fixes with light having intensity so as to provide an illumination of 10,000 to 50,000,000 lux. 75. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 71, wherein the thermal developing section heats such that a range of variation with respect to a heating temperature setting is at most 짹5째 C. 76. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the casing section, the optical recording section, the thermal developing section and the optical fixing section are arranged in a vertical configuration. 77. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the image recording relates only to processing of a single sheet. 78. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 71, wherein the short wavelength light source is a semiconductor laser. 79. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 78, wherein the semiconductor laser is a Group III element nitride semiconductor laser. 80. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 71, wherein the optical recording section exposes, for recording the latent image, using the short wavelength light source and another light source, whose intensity maximum wavelength is different from the intensity maximum of the short wavelength light source. 81. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 80, wherein the other light source is selected from the group consisting of semiconductor lasers, solid state lasers, fiber lasers, wavelength conversion solid state lasers, and gas lasers. 82. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases a light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes the light and heat sensitive recording material to visible light, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiates visible light for fixing the developed image provided with a cutter after said optical fixing section, wherein the optical recording section uses at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300-450 nm, wherein the short wavelength light source is a semiconductor laser, and wherein the semiconductor laser is a Group III element nitride semiconductor laser. 83. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes, using at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300 to 450 nm, the light and heat sensitive recording material, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiated visible light for fixing the developed image, wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises non-contact heating wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises a far infrared heat source, and wherein the light and heat sensitive recording material is provided with a light and heat sensitive recording layer containing: a color-forming component A encapsulated in heat-responsive microcapsules; and a photo-polymerizable composition outside the heat-responsive microcapsules, the photo-polymerizable composition including at least a substantially colorless compound C capable of reacting with the color-forming component A to form color, a photo-polymerizable compound D, and a photo-polymerization initiator. 84. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 83, wherein a maximum irradiation energy of the recording light on the surface of the light and heat sensitive recording material is from 0.01 to 50 mJ/cm2. 85. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes, using at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300 to 450 nm, the light and heat sensitive recording material, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiated visible light for fixing the developed image, wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises non-contact heating wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises a far infrared heat source, and wherein the light and heat sensitive recording material is provided with a light and heat sensitive recording layer containing: a substantially colorless compound C that is encapsulated in heat-responsive microcapsules and is capable of reacting with a color-forming component A to form color; and a photo-polymerizable composition outside the heat-responsive microcapsules, the photo-polymerizable composition including at least the color-forming component A, a photo-polymerizable compound D, and a photo-polymerization initiator. 86. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 85, wherein a maximum irradiation energy of the recording light on the surface of the light and heat sensitive recording material is from 0.01 to 50 mJ/cm2. 87. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes, using at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300 to 450 nm, the light and heat sensitive recording material, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiated visible light for fixing the developed image, wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises non-contact heating wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises a far infrared heat source, and wherein the light and heat sensitive recording material is provided with a photo-curable light and heat sensitive recording layer which contains: an oxidant precursor E encapsulated in heat-responsive microcapsules; an activator G outside the heat-responsive microcapsules, the activator G being capable of reacting with the oxidant precursor E to form an oxidant F; and a dye-forming coupler H capable of coupling with the oxidant F to form a dye, and wherein light irradiation cures an irradiated portion of the light and heat sensitive recording layer. 88. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 87, wherein a maximum irradiation energy of the recording light on the surface of the light and heat sensitive recording material is from 0.01 to 50 mJ/cm2. 89. An image-recording apparatus comprising: a casing section which encases light and heat sensitive recording material; an optical recording section, downstream of the casing section, which exposes, using at least a short wavelength light source that has an intensity maximum in a wavelength range of 300 to 450 nm, the light and heat sensitive recording material, which has been fed from the casing section, for recording a latent image; a thermal developing section, downstream of the optical recording section, which develops the latent image by heating; and an optical fixing section, downstream of the thermal developing section, which irradiated visible light for fixing the developed image, wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises non-contact heating wherein the thermal developing apparatus comprises a far infrared heat source, and wherein the light and heat sensitive recording material is provided with a photo-curable light and heat sensitive recording layer which contains: an oxidant precursor E outside heat-responsive microcapsules; an activator G encapsulated in the heat-responsive microcapsules, the activator G being capable of reacting with the oxidant precursor E to form an oxidant F; and a dye-forming coupler H capable of coupling with the oxidant F to form a dye, and wherein light irradiation cures an irradiated portion of the light and heat sensitive recording layer. 90. The image-recording apparatus as claimed in claim 89, wherein a maximum irradiation energy of the recording light on the surface of the light and heat sensitive recording material is from 0.01 to 50 mJ/cm2.