Reversible thermosensitive recording medium, reversible thermosensitive recording label, reversible thermosensitive recording member, image-processing apparatus and image-processing method

Abstract

There is provided a reversible thermosensitive recording medium including a support, an intermediate layer, and a thermosensitive recording layer which reversibly changes a color thereof depending on a temperature, wherein the thermosensitive recording layer contains an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound represented by the following general formula 1:

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing coloring and decoloring phenomena of a reversible thermosensitive coloring composite for use in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a reversible thermosensitive recording label attached on a disk cartridge of Mini Disk.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a reversible thermosensitive recording label attached on CD-RW.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a reversible thermosensitive recording label for use as a display label of a video tape cassette.

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an example of the image-processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram showing an example of the image-processing apparatus of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reversible thermosensitive recording medium comprising: a support;an intermediate layer; anda thermosensitive recording layer which reversibly changes a color thereof depending on a temperature,wherein the thermosensitive recording layer comprises an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound represented by the following general formula 1:

2. The reversible thermosensitive recording medium according to claim 1, wherein n is an integer in the range of 27 to 32.

3. The reversible thermosensitive recording medium according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the hollow particles having a diameter of 2 μm or less is 5% to 10% with respect to the total hollow particles.

4. The reversible thermosensitive recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the hollow particles are formed of vinyl polymer having a crosslinking structure.

5. A reversible thermosensitive recording label comprising: a reversible thermosensitive recording medium, which comprises: a support; an intermediate layer; a thermosensitive recording layer which reversibly changes a color thereof depending on a temperature; andeither an adhesive layer or a tacky layer disposed on a face of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium opposite to a face thereof on which an image is formed,wherein the thermosensitive recording layer comprises an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound represented by the following general formula 1:

6. A reversible thermosensitive recording member comprising: an information-memorizing part; anda reversible display part,wherein the reversible display part comprises: a support;an intermediate layer; anda thermosensitive recording layer which reversibly changes a color thereof depending on a temperature,wherein the thermosensitive recording layer comprises an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound represented by the following general formula 1:

7. The reversible thermosensitive recording member according to claim 6, wherein the information-memorizing part is selected from a card, a disk, a disk cartridge, and a tape cassette.

8. An image-processing apparatus comprising: a reversible thermosensitive recording medium housed therein; andat lest one ofan image-forming unit configured to heat the reversible thermosensitive recording medium so as to form an image on the reversible thermosensitive recording medium; andan image-erasing unit configured to heat so as to erase the image formed on the reversible thermosensitive recording medium,wherein the reversible thermosensitive recording medium comprises:a support;an intermediate layer; anda thermosensitive recording layer which reversibly changes a color thereof depending on a temperature,wherein the thermosensitive recording layer comprises an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound represented by the following general formula 1:

9. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image-forming unit is a thermal head.

10. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image-erasing unit is either a thermal head or a ceramic heater.

11. An image-processing method comprising at least one of: heating a reversible thermosensitive recording medium so as to form an image thereon; andheating the reversible thermosensitive recording medium so as to erase the image formed thereon,wherein the reversible thermosensitive recording medium comprises:a support;an intermediate layer; anda thermosensitive recording layer which reversibly changes a color thereof depending on a temperature,wherein the thermosensitive recording layer comprises an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound represented by the following general formula 1:

12. The image-processing method according claim 11, wherein the heating for the image formation is performed by means of a thermal head.

13. The image-processing method according to claim 11, wherein the heating for the image erasure is performed by means of either a thermal head or a ceramic heater.