Patent ID: 6486905
Filing Date: 2002-11-26
Classification: B41J,B41M,Y10S

Abstract:
An image-forming system comprising:an image-forming substrate including a base member, and a layer of microcapsules, coated over said base member, that contains at least one type of microcapsule filled with a dye, said at least one type of microcapsule exhibiting a pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when said at least one type of microcapsule is squashed and broken under a predetermined pressure at a predetermined temperature, said dye seeps from said squashed and broken microcapsule; an image-forming apparatus that forms an image on said image-forming substrate, said image-forming apparatus including a pressure application unit that exerts said predetermined pressure on said layer of microcapsules, said pressure application unit including a transparent plate member, a layer of radiation absorbent material coated over a surface of said transparent plate member, and a platen member elastically pressed against said layer of radiation absorbent material at said predetermined pressure, with said image-forming substrate being interposed between said platen member and said layer of radiation absorbent material, said image-forming apparatus further including an irradiating unit that irradiates said layer of radiation absorbent material with a beam of radiation, such that a portion of said layer of microcapsules, encompassed by a local area of said layer of radiation absorbent material irradiated by said beam of radiation, is heated to said predetermined temperature.