DE4132288A1 - Paper and ink for repeated printing and erasing - uses arrangement which can be changed from visible to invisible state such as a layer of photochromic material - Google Patents

Abstract

Paper is made of materials (112) which can be reversibly changed from a visible to an invisible state so that a printed pattern can be erased and the paper reused. The material can have a refractive index or reflectance which changes with heat die to a phase change, or an opto-magnetic layer whose polarisation plane can be changed magnetically, or it can be photochromic and respond to light of different wavelengths. The system has equipment for printing and erasing and can use an ink which has visible/invisible properties. USE/ADVANTAGE - The reusable paper is partic. useful in office automation applications.

Description

The invention relates to erasable and re-printable Pa pier, ink for printing and a printing and erasing system that such paper and ink used, and more in one individual the invention relates to printing and / or extinguishing systems, who are able to use papers or forms to reuse such paper or ink.

Lately, forest reserves are approaching on Earth a serious crisis, and depletion of forest reserves is now an increasing international issue. With the Developing various industries is the amount of paper and paper products used in households, institutions and Corporations are consumed far from decreasing and shows a rapid upward trend every year. Even though in such circumstances the need to reuse (Recycling) of paper and paper products used is faced with major obstacles as it is Sor animal work and special treatments for such paper required as it is for copying machines and facsimile machines is used because the paper has some chemical materials contains.  

From the use of for the copier and facsimile machines used paper are considered in the in most cases the printed papers in a certain time Folders saved and then thrown away if desired. The Removing such paper takes a lot of time and takes high costs as it is necessary to write the written In just keep secret in the paper.

The development of industries and the increased standard of living make people believe that paper is a way throwing article. The depletion of forest reserves goes white ter. The increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has the Earth has a so-called greenhouse effect brings.

In Japan, where paper consumption comes first or second Position within the advanced countries remains the reuse of used paper, which is an ab case problem, which in turn relates to the Everyday life affects people.

Consider the aforementioned reuse of paper from the point of view of the prior art, that increases Reuse ratio due to used paper the associated costs. Generally will classified papers used in offices and households and then collected by waste collectors for reuse. In The procedure of paper reuse is many to provide services and include transport costs, in addition to the cost of treatment of ink and chemical materials used in specialty papers are included. In this way, reuse pays off not currently using paper. In addition to the The above disadvantages are the quality of the recovered paper much worse compared to the quality anew Paper what is another factor in delaying the Popu Larization of the recovered paper is.  

The preservation of forest reserves and the protection of the environment of the Earth is very important to us. For this very important on gift must be that of corporations, institutions and households reuse of used paper be accelerated to miniaturize the consumption of forest reserves lubricate. This is one of the factors in producing great ones Effects that are easily carried out in our everyday life that can.

The existing regeneration technique for used Pa pier requires a great deal of burden on users Lich higher associated costs compared to the Ko Most new paper in addition to disadvantages of the lesser Quality of the recovered paper, which is a big hindrance nis for reusing paper so that it is does not spread widely in the general public. There ago requires the regeneration technique using state of the art a lot of labor and facilities, which increases the cost of recovered paper. It exists therefore no advantage from an economic point of view. In the primary advantage of the prior art system problem in the fact that a classification differs from users the types of papers used, such as Ge business forms provided by office automation equipment be given, or simple paper must be made. Second, personnel expenses and transportation costs become Collection of used paper needs as well as large stocks space for storing collected paper before the start of the re production process. It is therefore in this situation difficult to find the area for a replenishment factory in the Outskirts of a large city. Furthermore, a such a replenishment factory, which large amounts of chemi materials used, pollution into the bring this area with it.

Therefore, an object of the invention is to create erasable and Reprintable forms or papers and from ink to  Use with these as well as recording and erasing systems using the paper or ink mentioned above, which are able to match the above with the state of the art Eliminate disadvantages associated with technology.

To achieve the object of the invention, a paper is ge create that is made of materials that are not in visible / visible condition are transformable, creating a pattern printed on the paper can be erased to remove the Reuse paper repeatedly.

A system for printing and / or is also created Erase a paper that is made from materials that are in invisible / visible state reversible transformable are, which comprises an extinguishing device for transforming the patterns printed on paper from a visible zu stood in an invisible condition and a printing facility to transform the pattern printed on the paper an invisible state into a visible state.

A printing system is also created for a paper which consists of materials that are invisible / visible Reversible condition, which is a paper Transport mechanism includes for transporting a paper through a printing position, a laser source for generating Laser beams and a scanning device for scanning the the paper thrown laser beams through the printing posi tion is transported.

Furthermore, an extinguishing system is created for a paper that consists of materials that are reversibly convertible into invisible / visible condition, which is a paper Transport mechanism includes for transporting a paper through an erase position, a laser source for generating Laser beams and a scanning device for scanning the the paper thrown by the laser Delete position is transported.  

Furthermore, an ink is created which be made of materials stands, which is reversible in invisible / visible state are transformable.

Furthermore, a system for printing and / or deleting a Ink created that is made of materials that are reversible are transformable into invisible / visible state, wel ches includes an extinguishing device for converting the to Paper printed pattern of visible condition in not visible condition and a printing device for transforming of the pattern of invisible Zu printed on the paper stood in visible condition.

A system is also created for printing and / or deletion ink that is made from materials that are reversible are transformable into invisible / visible state, wel ches includes an ink jet device for spraying one Ink on the paper and a control device for control of splashing ink according to the printing on the paper the patterns.

Furthermore, an erasure system for an ink is created consists of materials that are reversibly convertible into invisible / visible condition, which is a paper Transport mechanism includes for transporting a paper through a deletion position which is loaded with ink, a laser source for generating laser beams and an Ab touch device for rasterizing the La thrown on the paper rays that are transported through the delete position.

In the following the invention based on one in the drawing shown embodiment described in more detail. In the Show drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of paper made from materials that are reversibly convertible to invisible / visible condition with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an overall configuration of a printing device using the paper;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the printing device;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an extinguishing unit;

Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the printing device;

Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the erasing unit;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the printing apparatus using ink made of materials that are reversibly convertible into an invisible / visible state;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of an overall configuration of another printing device;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an embodiment of another erase unit; and

Fig. 10 is a block diagram of the erase unit.

First, the characteristics of papers or forms according to described the invention. The materials that come with paper too are to be mixed or to be applied on paper are in invisible / visible state reversible transformable Materials. That means the materials are not made from visible state in visible state and vice versa visible state changed to invisible state or transformed. This can be a single material or together set materials. These materials include a Phase change material, the refractive index of which is reversible, above all depending on the application of heat (for example Connection material, which ent a chemical connection holds such as a chalcoganate compound, antimonyver bond or germanioma compound), and a photochromic mate rial (spiro-spiran-based and fulgid-based material), its blackening (colorless coloring) reversibly varies by Use of laser beams with different wavelengths.  

The printing paper used in the present system includes Office paper such as paper for copying machines and printers and notepaper as well as notes for Office use and the like.

The provision of the material on the paper can be made are made by applying the material to the paper, by the mixing of the material and the paper material or by Evaporation of material onto the paper.

Any suitable pattern such as characters, Symbols, figures or bar codes can be printed on the paper be printed.

Furthermore, the means for printing the pattern on the Paper or to delete the patterns printed on the paper a thermal head, a laser print and laser beams with un different wavelength. The procedure using a laser used printer, requires more expensive equipment in the ver same as the one that uses a thermal head. However, it can achieve a print quality of high resolution because of the light point diameter of laser beams can be sharply focused can. In addition, the durability of the paper and the Printing device can be greatly improved because in this Ver driving contactless printing can be performed.

With the delete operation, the delete time can become longer due to the smaller spot diameter for the rays. It is therefore preferable to provide two laser beam systems one for the delete operation and the other for the print op ration, or there are laser beams for the printing operation used while a thermal head for the erase operation ver is applied.

In another access, the system is divided into one Erase area and a print area, and in the erase area  the deletion time can be shortened by overwriting area on the paper is enlarged or the excess stroke speed is made larger.

The following description is for convenience of explanation exercise directed to a printer for computers in which a Laser printer is used in a printing device and a La overcoating system is used in a deletion unit. With the increase in the consumption of printing paper for office automation machines is used to manufacture Documents or drawings, the laser printer is now far spread. Therefore, the combination of the system according to the Invention and such a computer system to great effect gene.

In Fig. 1, a paper 110 is shown, which is made in this embodiment so that photochromic material 112 based on spiropirane (hydroxybenzorospiran) is formed into microcapsules of 10 microns in diameter by a conventional microcapsulating method (microcapsulating) Microcapsules are mixed uniformly with the binder and the resulting material is applied to plain paper 114 . Photochromic material based on spirospiran (spiropirane) has the property that it changes from a colorless, achromatic state to a coloring state when it is exposed to light of a specific wavelength (ultraviolet wavelength range) and, conversely, returns to a colorless state by heat absorption, which means when it is exposed to white light.

Further, in this embodiment, helium neon (waves length 632.8 nm) used as a laser for the extinguishing process, and Argon (wavelength 360 nm / multilines) as a laser for the Deletion process used.

Fig. 2 shows a printing apparatus 2 in connection with a per sonal computer 1. In this case, patterns such as characters etc. are transmitted from the personal computer 1 to the printing unit 2 in the form of bit map information.

A structure of the printing unit 2 is shown in FIG. 3. The papers 110 produced according to the invention are inserted into the printing paper housing 4 in a conventional manner (only the location is shown). In the printing process, the papers 110 are removed one by one by a detaching mechanism 3 from the paper housing 4 and inserted into a printing mechanism. A paper feed or transport mechanism 5 has the task of transporting the removed paper at a uniform speed and transporting the paper 110 a at a uniform speed via a lambda theta lens 11 .

Laser beams emitted by a helium-neon laser 7 are condensed by a condenser lens 8 , refracted at right angles (90 °) by a half mirror (semi-transparent) 9 and thrown onto a light modulating element 10 . A part of the rays incident on the half mirror 9 passes through it and reaches a laser power sensor 15 , which is used to regulate the power of the laser to uniform levels. The laser beams are selectively blocked and transmitted through the light modulating element 10 in response to on / off signals supplied to it from a control circuit 14 . These on / off signals are formed synchronously with the bit map information received from the computer 1 . That is, the laser beams are only allowed to pass through when the paper comes to the bit position for printing. The lambda theta lens has the task of throwing the laser beams, which are reflected by a polygon mirror 12 and are deflected by its rotation by a motor 13 , perpendicularly onto the paper. Thus, the laser beams are thrown or struck at the areas to be printed on the paper, and only the photochromic material on the areas comes to be colored and that printing is carried out. The reference numeral 16 denotes a signal sensor for synchronization.

Fig. 4 shows an erasing unit which erases a pattern printed on the paper. When the printed paper is introduced b 110 to cause that the ge thereon printed pattern is deleted, first transfers a paper transport mechanism 18, the paper over an image scanner 19, and then transfers it via a Lambda-theta lens 20th The image scanner 19 reads the pattern printed on the paper, and the reading information is stored by a control circuit 24 in a recorder 23 before the erasing is performed. If the information storage is not necessary, the image scanner 19 and the recording device 23 can be omitted.

The paper is conveyed or transported via the lambda theta lens 20 after the pattern has been read by the image scanner 19 and recorded by the recording device 23 . At the same time go from an argon laser 25 emitted laser beams through a condenser lens 26 , are broken at right angle by a half mirror 27 and thrown onto a polygon mirror 20 a in a similar manner to that in the aforementioned printing device. The argon laser beams are thrown vertically onto the paper by the polygon mirror 20 a through the lambda theta lens 20 and deflected by rotation of the polygon mirror 20 a driven by a motor 21 . The argon laser beams used to erase the pattern on the paper sweep the entire surface of the paper and cause the microencapsulated photochromic material to change to its original colorless state.

Fig. 5 shows a configuration of the printing device described with reference to Fig. 3 be. This printing device basically comprises a laser scanning optical system, a paper transport system and a system control system and, in addition, an interface for transmitting and receiving signals between these systems and a processing computer. Pattern information is transmitted from the processing computer 47 through the interface 46 to a system control device 40 of the system control system. A mechanism control system 44 of the system controller 40 transmits signals to a paper feed mechanism 30 of the paper transport system to output the first paper to the paper transport mechanism 32 , which corresponds to that indicated at 3 in FIG. 3.

A paper sensor 31 determines the transport of the paper and informs the system controller 40 that the paper is being transported correctly. The paper transport mechanism 32 controls the transport speed using signals from a paper position sensor 33 .

A laser controller 42 has the task of maintaining the output power of the helium-neon laser 34 , which corresponds to that indicated at reference numeral 7 in Fig. 3, at a specific level, and its power is always determined by a laser power sensor 41 , which is the corresponds to that indicated at 14 in FIG. 3, and is controlled by a control loop in the case of fluctuation.

Print information signals are transmitted as switching signals for lasers by a bitmap signal processing circuit 45 to a light modulating element 35 , which corresponds to that indicated at 10 in FIG. 3. The laser beams scan the paper or sweep it through a lambda sita lens 38 , which corresponds to that indicated at 11 in FIG. 3, through a polygon mirror 37 , which corresponds to that indicated at 12 in FIG. 3. The print position is set by the signals from a synchronous signal sensor 39 , which corresponds to that given at 16 in FIG. 3.

In Fig. 6, a configuration of the erase unit described with reference to Fig. 4 is shown. This erasing unit comprises a paper transport system, a laser scanning optical system and a system control system similar to that of the above-mentioned printing device. An image scanner 62 , which corresponds to that shown at 19 in FIG. 4, for reading patterns such as characters and a memory device 63 , which corresponds to that shown at 23 in FIG. 4, are provided in the erasing unit for storing the data of the Patterns instead of the interface provided in the printing device and the processing computer.

The paper having the printed pattern to be erased is first transported through the image scanner 62 by a paper transport mechanism 50 which corresponds to that shown at 18 in FIG. 4. At the same time, the patterns printed on the paper are read by the image scanner 62 , and the information thus obtained is stored in the storage device 63 . The output of a quenching laser 52 , which corresponds to that shown at 25 in FIG. 4, is always monitored by a laser power sensor 58 , which corresponds to that shown at 28 in FIG. 4, and is controlled to obtain a predetermined output level. The laser beams are condensed by a condenser lens and scan the paper vertically from a polygon mirror 54 , which corresponds to that shown at 20 a in FIG. 4, and a lambda theta lens 55 , which corresponds to that shown at 20 in FIG. 4 . This causes the photochromic material to be reversibly thermally converted to a colorless state.

The other arrangements of the quenching unit are essentially the same as those of the printing device, and therefore their detailed explanation is omitted.

The aforementioned embodiments include the paper that consists of materials that are reversibly transformable  in invisible / visible condition as well as the printing and Extinguishing units that use the same. Instead of the previous one imagined to use paper, the invention can also use the ink concern that consists of the materials that are reversible are invisible / visible, and therefore, embodiments of such an ink and the Described printing and erasing units ver ver the ink turn.

The ink is first discussed in detail. The ge with the ink mixed materials are those in invisible / visible State of reversible convertible materials, that is, in essentially the same used in the aforementioned paper Materials.

The pattern and the means for deleting the pattern are the same as those of the aforementioned embodiment men, and therefore their detailed discussion is omitted.

Preferred embodiments will now be described in detail of the figures. For convenience of explanation The following description is directed to a printer for Computers in which an ink jet printer is used. The aforementioned extinguishing unit can also be used in this embodiment form can be used.

In Fig. 7, an ink jet head is shown for the printing unit using the ink. A pulse beam system in which the particles of the ink are sprayed with a piezoelectric element by applying an instantaneous pressure is shown as an example. The ink 64 , which is poured into an ink container 65 , is supplied through a tube 66 to an ink chamber 67 . Pulse voltages are applied to a piezoelectric element 68 in synchronization with the bit map from the processing computer ( Fig. 8) and the ink stored in the ink chamber 67 is sprayed through a nozzle opening 69 to print the desired pattern on the moving paper.

In Fig. 8 a link between a printing unit 71 and a host computer 70 is shown. As mentioned above, the patterns to be printed on the paper are transferred from the processing computer 70 to the printing unit 71 .

In Fig. 9 there is shown an erasing unit which erases the patterns printed on the paper by ink. When the Pa is pier on which to remove the ink pattern, introduced transports a paper transport mechanism 73 first a paper 110 b on an image scanner 74, and then to a theta lens 75 miles. The image scanner 74 reads the pattern to be deleted on the paper, and the data thus obtained are stored in a storage device 77 by a control circuit 76 before the deletion process. If the storage of the data is not required, the image scanner 74 and the storage device 77 can be omitted.

After the data has been read by the image scanner 74 and stored in the storage device 77, the paper is transported to the lambda theta lens 75 . At the same time, laser beams emitted by an argon laser 78 pass through a condenser lens 79 , then reflected at right angles by a half mirror 80 and to a polygon mirror 81 . By means of a motor 82 , which rotates the polygon mirror 81 , the argon laser beams hit the paper surface perpendicularly for the erasing process. The argon laser beams for the erase operation sweep the entire surface of the paper to cause the ink attached to the paper to change to its original colorless state. Numeral 83 denotes a synchronization sensor, and numeral 84 denotes a laser power sensor.

In Fig. 10, a configuration of the erase unit described with reference to Fig. 9 is shown. This erase unit comprises a paper transport system, a laser scanning optical system and a system control system similar to the printing unit of Fig. 6. The erase unit is provided with an image scanner 99 , which corresponds to that shown at 74 in Fig. 9, for reading the patterns and a storage device 100 , which corresponds to that shown at 77 in FIG. 9, for storing the data thus obtained.

The paper having the pattern to be erased is first transported onto the image scanner 99 by a paper transport mechanism 87 which corresponds to that shown at 73 in FIG. 9. At this time, the patterns printed on the paper are read by the image scanner 99 , and the information data thus obtained is stored in the storage device 100 . The output of a quenching argon laser 89 , which corresponds to that indicated at 78 in FIG. 9, is always monitored and controlled by a laser line sensor 95 , which corresponds to that shown at 84 in FIG. 9, in order to obtain a predetermined output level. The laser beams are condensed by the condenser lens and thrown perpendicularly onto the paper surface by a polygon mirror 91 , which corresponds to that shown at 81 in FIG. 9, and a lambda sita lens 92 , which corresponds to that shown at 75 in FIG. 9, to be rasterized. This causes the ink to thermally transform and reversibly return to the colorless state.

Claims (17)

1. Paper made from materials ( 112 ) that are convertible to invisible / visible condition, whereby a pattern printed on the paper can be erased to repeatedly reuse the paper. 2. Paper according to claim 1, characterized in that the materials are selected from a group consisting of a phase-convertible material in which its refractive index or reflectance varies according to the amount of heat applied, from composite materials of an opto-magnetic layer and a polarization layer , in which the plane of polarization varies according to the applied external magnetic field, and of a photochromic material ( 112 ) in which the blackening varies when light is used at different wavelengths. 3. Paper according to claim 1, characterized in that the materials ( 112 ) are applied or mixed on the paper, or mixed or brought up by microcapsule formation, or are beaten down by atomization evaporation. 4. System for printing and / or deleting paper that consists of materials that are invisible / visible Are reversibly transformable, characterized by  an eraser to transform the ge on paper did not print patterns from a visible state to one visible condition and a printing device for transforming the pattern printed on paper from a non-visible state to a visible state. 5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that the Extinguishing and printing device a thermal printer and / or a laser printer. 6. Printing system for a paper, which consists of materials that are reversibly transformable in invisible / visible state, characterized by a Papiertransportmecha mechanism ( 5 ) for transporting a paper ( 110 a) through a printing position, a laser source ( 7 ) for generating of laser beams and a scanning device ( 11 , 12 ) for rastering the laser beams thrown onto the paper ( 110 a), which is transported through the printing position. 7. Printing system according to claim 6, characterized by a control circuit ( 14 ) for on / off control of the generation of laser beams. 8. extinguishing system for a paper, which consists of materials that are reversibly convertible in invisible / visible state, characterized by a paper transport mechanism ( 18 ) for transporting a paper ( 110 b) through a delete position, a laser source ( 25 ) for generating Lasers radiate and a scanning device ( 20 , 20 a) for rasterizing the erase laser beams thrown onto the paper ( 110 b), which is transported through the erase position. 9. Erasing system according to claim 8, characterized by a recording device ( 23 ) for reading and recording of patterns printed on the paper before deleting the patterns. 10. Ink made from materials that are invisible visible / visible state are reversibly transformable. 11. Ink according to claim 10, characterized in that the Materials are chosen from a group that consists of a phase-changing material in which its reflexi onsindex or its reflectance changes accordingly the amount of heat applied to it, from composite materials of an optomagnetic layer and one Polarization layer in which the polarization plane is changes according to the applied external magnetic field, and made of a photochromic material in which the Schwär tongue changes when light of different wavelengths is indicated is applied. 12. System for printing and / or erasing an ink from Materials exist that are in invisible / visible to are reversibly convertible, characterized by a Eraser to transform what is printed on the paper Pattern from visible state to invisible state and a printing device for converting the ge onto the paper printed patterns from invisible condition in visible Status. 13. System according to claim 12, characterized in that the Extinguishing device a thermal printer and / or Includes laser printer. 14. System according to claim 12, characterized in that the Printing device includes or an inkjet printing system Printing hammer printing system, which has an ink ribbon the ink is applied, and a print hammer head for Printing the ink on the ribbon onto the Pa pier.   15. A system for printing and / or erasing an ink consisting of materials which are reversibly convertible to invisible / not visible condition, characterized by an ink jet device ( 68 , 69 ) for spraying an ink onto the paper and a control device for controlling the Splashing ink according to the patterns to be printed on the paper. 16. extinguishing system for an ink, which consists of materials that are reversibly convertible in the invisible / visible state, characterized by a paper transport mechanism ( 73 ) for transporting a paper ( 110 b) through a delete position, which is acted upon by ink, a La water source ( 78 ) for generating laser beams and a scanning device for scanning the laser beams thrown onto the paper ( 110 b), which is transported through the erase position. 17. Erasing system according to claim 8, characterized by a recording device ( 77 ) for reading and recording of patterns printed on the paper ( 110 b) before deleting the pattern.