Patent Publication Number: US-6341846-B1

Title: Printing device and photographic paper

Description:
This application is a divisional application of Ser. No. 09/340,157, filed Jun. 28, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,284, which is a divisional application of Ser. No. 08/661,380, filed on Jun. 11, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,800, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/134,677, filed Oct. 12, 1993 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,480 of Shuji SATO, et al., entitled PRINTING DEVICE AND PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a printing device for printing a still picture, such as a picture formed by a video camera or a still television picture, using a vaporized dye, and a photographic paper on which printing is made by such printing device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There has hitherto been known a printing device, such as a sublimation printer, in which a sublimation ink ribbon, coated with a sublimable dye, is superposed on the photographic paper, and an electric energy corresponding to the picture information is applied to a thermal head for subliming the dye on the ink ribbon under a heat energy supplied from the thermal head for transcribing the sublimed dye onto the photographic paper. 
     The sublimation ink ribbon is prepared by dissolving a sublimable dye in e.g. a solution of acetate or polyester and adding a dispersant to the resulting solution to form a colloidal solution in the form of an ink which is mixed with a binder and subsequently coated on a base paper. 
     The photographic paper usually has a receptor layer of a heat transfer recording material on a photographic base paper. Among the heat transcription recording materials in current use is a dye-like resin, such as polyester or polycarbonate resin, admixed with a lubricant. 
     The thermal head is a device which translates an electrical energy into a heat energy, that is a device in which the dye is sublimed from the sublimation ink ribbon under the Joule&#39;s heat generated on flowing the current through a resistor for transcribing the sublimed dye onto the photographic paper. 
     When the recording picture is formed on the photographic paper by the above-mentioned sublimation ink ribbon and thermal head, the receptor layer of the photographic paper undergoes the following changes: 
     That is, when the heat energy is applied from the thermal head, the polyester resin, for example, of the receptor layer undergoes glass transition and softening and thereby turned into the liquid, at the same time that the dye in the sublimation ink ribbon is transferred onto the receptor layer so as to be dissolved or dispersed in the layer to form the recording picture. 
     With the above-described sublimation printer, in which printing is made on the photographic paper using the sublimation ink ribbon and the thermal head, it is necessary to provide an ink ribbon takeup mechanism for rewinding the ink ribbon and a heat radiating mechanism for the thermal head. On the other hand, the thermal head usually has a heat conversion efficiency of not higher than 10%, thus leading to considerable power consumption. Thus it has been difficult with the conventional sublimation type printer to realize saving in power and reduction in size and costs. 
     On the other hand, the sublimation ink ribbon can be used only once for each picture and hence is not economically desirable. Besides, the used-up ink ribbon cassette can not be regenerated and hence is to be discarded in a manner of not destroying the earth&#39;s environment. 
     Besides, the printing by such printing device is carried out by stacking dyes of yellow (Y), magenta (M).and cyan (C), so that it becomes necessary to perform three cycles of the complicated and time-consuming operations of feeding the ink ribbon, vertically moving the thermal head and feeding the photographic paper. 
     The thermal head generally has the line-head structure of thin resistors generated by sputtering being arranged in a line, thus the size of the printing paper cannot be set freely. 
     Since it is generally desirable to heat the receptor layer on the photographic paper when subliming and transcribing the sublimable dye onto the photographic paper by the thermal head, it has been a conventional practice to increase the thrusting force of the thermal head to raise the tightness of contact between the ink ribbon and the photographic paper and to apply heat to the receptor layer of the photographic paper by the thermal head. It should be noted that, if the force of thrusting the thermal head to the ink ribbon and the photographic paper is increased, the driving force necessary for the movement of the thermal head, rewinding of the ink ribbon and the feed of the photographic paper has to be correspondingly increased. In addition, since the ink ribbon is prepared by coating the dye processed into an ink on the base paper, as described above, the heat reaches the receptor layer via the base paper and the dye layer. Besides, since air layers tend to be produced between the respective layers, the heat to be applied to the receptor layer needs to be set to take account of heat losses produced in each layer, thus lowering the heat efficiency. 
     On the other hand, the produced picture tends to be lowered in quality if the photographic paper is not whitened at least directly after printing. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above-described status of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device in which saving in power and reduction in size and costs may be realized without employing a thermal head or an ink ribbon. It is another object of the present invention to provide a printing device in which the printing time may be shortened and the printing paper size may be set freely to assure high picture quality of the printed picture. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a photographic paper a receptor layer of which may be heated efficiently by the printing device to assure high picture quality of the printed picture. 
     According to the present invention, there is provided a printing device for thermal transcription of a vaporizable dye onto a photographic paper comprising a dye tank for containing a vaporizable dye, an entrance section for liquefying the vaporizable dye contained in the dye tank and transporting the vaporized dye, and a vaporizing section for vaporizing the liquified dye transported by the entrance section, wherein the dye vaporized by the vaporizing section is thermally transcribed onto the photographic paper. 
     Preferably, the vaporizable dye contained in the dye tank is powdered. 
     Preferably, the vaporizing section vaporizes the liquefied dye transported by the entrance section by the heat of vaporization generated responsive to a laser light. 
     Preferably, the laser light employed for generating the heat of vaporization in the vaporizing section is a laser light having equalized radiation intensity distribution. 
     Preferably, a region from the dye tank to the vaporizing section is maintained at a temperature of 50° C. to 300° C. 
     Preferably, the entrance section transports the liquefied dye to the vaporizing section by taking advantage of the capillary phenomenon. 
     Also preferably, the vaporizing section causes the vaporized dye to be deposited on the photographic paper by taking advantage of a diffusion phenomenon with the aid of beads. 
     According to the present invention, there is also provided a printing device for thermal transcription of a vaporizable dye onto a photographic paper comprising a containing section for containing a vaporizable dye, a supplying section for supplying the vaporizable dye supplied from the containing section, and a vaporizing section for vaporizing the vaporizable dye supplied by the supplying section under the heat of vaporization, wherein the vaporizable dye vaporized by the vaporizing section is thermally transcribed onto the photographic paper. 
     Preferably, the vaporizable dye contained in the containing section is a particulate vaporizable dye and the vaporizable dye supplied by the supplying section to the vaporizing section is also a particulate vaporizable dye. 
     Preferably, the vaporizable dye contained in the containing section is the vaporizable dye deposited on spherical-shaped bodies and the vaporizable dye supplied by the supplying section is also a vaporizable dye deposited on spherical-shaped bodies. 
     Preferably, the supplying section puts any excess amount of the vaporizable dye to circulation. 
     The supplying section may put any excess amount of the vaporizable dye to circulation with the aid of beads. 
     Preferably, the supplying section adds heat responsive to the laser light to the vaporizable dye as the heat of vaporization. 
     Preferably, the laser light employed for generating the heat of vaporization in the vaporizing section is a laser light having equalized radiation intensity distribution. 
     According to the present invention, there is also provided a photographic paper in which a vaporized vaporizable dye is absorbed on a receptor layer provided as an upper layer of the photographic paper base, wherein a light absorbing layer formed by a light absorbing agent is provided between the photographic paper base and the receptor layer. 
     Preferably, the light absorbing layer is whitened in color by thermal destruction of the light absorbing agent itself by a light radiating body in a printing device. 
     Preferably, the light absorbing layer is whitened in color by thermal destruction of a capsule enclosing a whitening agent therein by a light radiating body in a printing device, wherein the capsule is mixed into the light absorbing layer. 
     As the light absorbing agent, an infrared ray absorber capable of absorbing infrared rays may be employed. Some of the infrared ray absorbers exhibit color extinguishing characteristics. 
     Typical of the light absorbing agent is a functional near-IR absorption coloring matter manufactured by SHOWA DENKO KK under the trade name of IR 820B which exhibits maximum absorption for the light having a wavelength of 825 nm. If it is allowed to exist along with an ammonium salt of organic boron, such as tetrabutyl ammoniumbutyl triphenyl borate, in a solution, it absorbs the near IR rays, so that its color is extinguished. 
     Examples of the whitening agents include titanium oxide, zinc oxide and calcium oxide. 
     The capsules employed for enclosure of the whitening agents may be formed of condensates, such as polyurea or polyurethane, homopolymers such as polyethylene or polyvinyl alcohol or waxes such as paraffins or lipids. 
     According to the present invention, there is also provided a printing device in which a vaporizable dye is thermally transcribed onto a receptor layer provided as an upper layer of the photographic paper base, comprising a light radiating body for whitening the color of a light absorbing agent of a light absorbing layer provided between the photographic paper base and the receptor layer. 
     Preferably, the light emitting body radiates a laser light. 
     Meanwhile, the term “vaporizable dye” used in the present invention means collectively a solidified disperse dye, a liquefied disperse dye, a vaporized disperse dye, a sublimable dye and a disperse dye. Thus the vaporizable dye is defined as a dye having a temperature domain, in a temperature range of from 25° C. up to a decomposition temperature, for which temperature domain the vapor pressure is not less than 0.01 Pascal, on the provision that, if the dye molecules are associated in a gaseous phase at an average association number of  n , the vapor pressure divided by the average number of association  n  is not less than 0.01 Pascal. 
     Although a sublimable dye changed from its solid state to a gaseous state may be contemplated as the vaporizable dye, a dye having the state of a liquid between a solid state and a gaseous state is also included within the meaning of the vaporizable dye. 
     Among a variety of the vaporizable dyes, a yellow dye, having a color index number “C. I. Disperse yellow 201”, manufactured by SUMITOMO KAGAKU KK under the trade name of “ESC-Yellow 155” and a cyan dye having a color index number “C. I. Solvent Blue 63”, manufactured by SUMITOMO KAGAKU KK under the trade name of “ESC-Blue 655” are employed in the printing device of the present invention. As a magenta dye, a tricyanomethine dye manufactured by MITSUBISHI KASEI KK under the trade name of “HSR-2031” is employed. 
     With the printing device according to the present invention, the dye tank stows the particulate vaporizable dye, and the entrance section liquefies the vaporizable dye and transports the thus liquefied dye to a vaporizing section, which vaporizes the liquefied dye transported by the entrance section under the heat of vaporization supplied by the laser light for transcription of the vaporized dye onto the photographic paper. The heat generating effect of the vaporizing section is improved by the laser light to enable the size of the heat radiating mechanism to be reduced. Printing becomes possible without employing an ink ribbon or a thermal head, as a result of which power saving and reduction in size and costs may be achieved. By preliminary heating within a low heat conducting material and employing the heat corresponding to the intensity of the laser light for vaporization, the heat efficiency may be improved. The degree of freedom in photographic paper size may be increased because no ink ribbon is necessitated. By providing a light absorbing layer in the photographic paper, the operating efficiency is improved. Besides, the printing time may be shortened. 
     It is also possible to conduct the liquefied vaporizable Y-dye to the vaporizing section by taking advantage of the capillary phenomenon with the aid of beads, or to use beads in the vaporizing section. 
     Since the receptor layer of the photographic paper may be heated by the laser light, the portions of the photographic paper other than the receptor layer are not affected by heat. 
     If the laser light has a flat light intensity distribution, the photo-thermal conversion efficiency may be improved. 
     With the sublimation type printing device according to the present invention, the containing section stows the particulate vaporizable dye, and the entrance section liquefies the particulate vaporizable dye and transports the thus liquefied dye to a vaporizing section, which vaporizes the liquefied dye transported by the entrance section under the heat of vaporization corresponding to the laser light intensity for transcription of the vaporized dye onto the photographic paper. In this manner, printing becomes possible without employing an ink ribbon or a thermal head so that the printing device may be reduced in size and weight. Dye exchange may be facilitated because the containing section stowing the dye therein may be dismounted and exchanged for new ones. Since the heat of vaporization corresponds to the laser light, excess heat or heat radiation is not required to enable the energy saving. Since the dye may be supplied singly, the photographic paper needs to be fed only once so that the printing time may be shortened. Free-size printing becomes possible because there is no limitation as to the photographic paper size imposed by the ink ribbon. 
     Besides, since the light absorbing layer formed of a light absorbing agent capable of generating heat by efficiently absorbing the light is provided between the receptor layer and the photographic paper base, the receptor layer may be heated directly to assure a high quality of the printed picture. 
     In addition, since a light radiating body interposed between the receptor layer and the photographic paper base of the photographic paper whitens the color of the light absorbing agent of the light absorbing layer to assure the high quality of the printed picture. 
     Consequently, if printing is made on the above-mentioned photographic paper by the above-mentioned printing device, the printing efficiency may be improved and the thrusting force between the dye and the receptor layer may be reduced, while resistance to abrasion may be improved. The picture quality may be improved because the light absorbing agent may be whitened in color. 
     If the laser light radiated by a laser block as the above-mentioned light radiating body may be of equalized light intensity distribution, it becomes possible to equalize the heat conversion occurring at the light absorbing layer of the photographic paper. 
     The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments and the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing essential portions of a first embodiment. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing essential portions of the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing essential portions of a vaporizable portion of the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing essential portions of a first embodiment employing beads in the vaporizable portion. 
     FIG. 5 is a back side view showing essential portions of the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 6 is an illustrative view showing essential portions of the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a typical printing mechanism for the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing essential portions of a second embodiment. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a typical printing mechanism for the second embodiment. 
     FIG. 10 is a back side view showing a laser block provided for the printing mechanism shown in FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 shows an arrangement of an optical system for equalizing the distribution of the laser light intensity. 
     FIG. 12A is a graph showing the distribution of the laser light intensity in case of not employing the optical system shown in FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 12B is a graph showing the distribution of the laser light intensity in case of employing the optical system shown in FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing essential parts of a third embodiment. 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the construction of a dye pack playing the role of a container for the third embodiment. 
     FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a connecting portion between a dye feed pre-stage and the dye pack playing the role of a container for the third embodiment. 
     FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the dye supply pre-stage of the embodiment. 
     FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing an inner structure of a feed supply post-stage and the feed supply pre-stage for the third embodiment. 
     FIG. 18 is a schematic perspective view showing essential portions of a laser block according to the third embodiment. 
     FIG. 19 is a schematic perspective view showing a fourth embodiment. 
     FIG. 20 is a reverse side view showing a laser block for the second embodiment. 
     FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a modified inner structure of a dye supply pre-stage. 
     FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing a fifth embodiment. 
     FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing a sixth embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings, preferred embodiments of the printing device and the photographic paper according to the present invention will be explained in detail. 
     In the first embodiment of the present invention, concerning a printing device, a vaporizable dye is employed as a dye. 
     The vaporizable dye collectively means a solidified disperse dyes, liquified disperse dyes, vaporized disperse dyes, sublimable dyes and disperse dyes, in which a temperature range with a vapor pressure of not lower than 0.01 pascal exists in a temperature range from 25° C. to the dye decomposition temperature. If the dye molecules are associated in the gaseous phase with one another with a mean number of association of  n , the vapor pressure divided by the mean number of association is to be not less than 0.01 Pascal. 
     In the present first embodiment, among the above-mentioned vaporized dyes, a vaporized dye manufactured by SUMITOMO KAGAKU KK under a trade name of “ESC-Yellow 155” having a color index number of “C. I. Disperse Yellow 201” is employed as a yellow dye, referred to herein as Y. 
     As a C dye, a dye manufactured by SUMITOMO KAGAKU KK under the trade name of “ESC-Blue 655”, having a color index number of “C. I. Solvent Blue 63” is employed. 
     As an M dye, a tricyanomethine dye of the following chemical formula                    
     manufactured by MITSUBISHI KASEI KK under the trade name of “HSR-2031” is employed. 
     With the first embodiment, the above-mentioned vaporizable dyes Y, C and M are ultimately vaporized and thermally transcribed onto the photographic paper. Therefore, a printer of the first embodiment is referred to hereinafter as a sublimation type printer. 
     The sublimation type printer of the first embodiment, main portions of which are shown schematically in FIG. 1, includes a main body  10 , formed of special high melting plastics, such as polyimide, having low heat conductivity and devoid of heat moldability, dye tanks  11 ,  12  and  13  containing the above-mentioned vaporizable Y, M and C dyes in a powdery state, entrance sections  14 ,  15  and  16  for dissolving the powdery dyes Y, M and C contained in the dye tanks  11  to  13  to the melting points thereof for transporting the dissolved liquified dyes, and vaporizing sections  17 ,  18  and  19  for vaporizing the vaporizable dyes, dissolved and liquified by these entrance sections  14  to  16 , under the heat of vaporization supplied by a laser light beam. The vaporized dyes are deposited on a photographic paper  21  via vaporization openings, not shown, in the bottom parts of recesses or sinks  20  for dyes for each of the vaporizing sections  17  to  19 . These vaporizing sections  17  to  19  are irradiated with laser beams from laser emitting sections for dyes Y, M and C, not shown, as shown by arrows  35 ,  36  and  37 , respectively. A transparent section  22 , formed of a glass material with high transmittance to permit a laser light to be transmitted therethrough without losses, is also irradiated with another laser light beam, as shown by an arrow  38 , from a laser radiating section, not shown. 
     FIG. 2 shows a detailed construction of a sublimation type printer according to the present first embodiment. 
     In FIG. 2, which is a sectional view showing essential portions shown in FIG. 1, a laser radiating portion  34  and vaporization openings  23 , not shown in FIG. 1, are shown. Meanwhile, since the dye tanks  11  to  13 , entrance sections  14  to  16  and the vaporizing sections  17  to  19  are each of an identical construction, only the dye tank  11  for dye Y, entrance section  14  and the vaporizing section  17  are explained herein for brevity. 
     The entrance section  14  and the vaporizing section  17  are associated with a first heating member  31  designed for not imparting the heat directly to the photographic paper  21 . The first heating member  31  has its one end  31   a  bent substantially vertically upwards and introduced into the dye tank  11 . The first heating member  31  has its other end  31   b  extended up to a terminal end of the vaporizing section  17 . 
     The vaporizable dye Y, dissolved and liquified by being heated by the end  31   a  of the first heating member  31 , referred to herein as the liquefied vaporizable dye  32 , is transported by the entrance section  14  up to the entrance section  14 . The entrance section  14  is associated with the first heating member  31 , as mentioned above. This first heating member  31  is formed e.g. of carbon or silicon compounds and capable of radiating the heat of 50° C. to 300° C. on current conduction therethrough to liquefy the vaporizable dye and to maintain the latter in the liquefied and heated state. Besides, the first heating member  31  is of a capillary construction having superficial grooves and is adapted for transporting the liquefied vaporizable dye  32  up to the vaporizing section  17 . 
     That is, the first heating member  31  transports the vaporizable dye  32 , liquefied under the heat e.g. of 50° C. to 300° C., as far as the vaporizing section  17 , while keeping the dye warm enough not to be solidified or thickened. 
     The vaporizing section  17  includes a first heating member similar to that provided in the entrance section  14 . The first heating member  31  of the vaporizing section  17  has a plurality of dye sink recesses  20  for stowing the liquefied vaporizable dye. The bottom of each dye sink recess  20  has a large number of vaporizing openings  23  which are fine through-holes each being of a diameter of several microns. 
     The vaporizing section  17  is provided with a second heating member, not shown, in addition to the first heating member  31 . The second heating member is formed as a layer of a semi-transparent light absorbing agent coated on the surface of the first heating member  31  and each of the dye sink recesses  20 . The second heating member is occasionally referred to herein as a light absorbing layer. 
     The light absorbing layer efficiently translates the laser light indicated by arrow  35  from laser emitting section  34  into heat. That is, the liquefied vaporizable dye  32 , transported by the entrance section  14  as far as the vaporizing section  17 , is heated up to the vaporizing temperature by the light absorbing layer adapted for efficiently translating the laser light indicated by arrow  35  from laser radiating section  34  into heat. The vaporized dye is transferred onto the receptor layer  21   a  of the photographic paper  21  via the vaporizing openings  23  formed in the bottom of the dye sink recesses  20 . 
     The concrete construction of the vaporizing section  17  is shown in FIG.  3 . 
     In this figure, the semi-transparent light absorbing agent, as the above-mentioned second heating member, is coated on the first heating member  31  and on the surface of the bottom of the dye sink recesses  20 . 
     The liquefied vaporizable dye  32 , shown in FIG. 2, transported as far as the vaporizing section  17  by the first heating member  31  having a trenched or grooved structure, is stowed in the dye sink recesses  20 . At this time, the laser light is radiated from the laser radiating section  34  shown in FIG. 2 onto the dye sink recesses  20  so that the laser light is efficiently translated into heat by the light absorbing layer of the light absorbing agent for vaporizing the liquefied vaporizable dye  32 . The vaporized dye is absorbed by diffusion into the fine vaporizing openings  23  each of a diameter not larger than several microns, formed in the bottom of the dye sink recesses  20 . Since the vaporizing openings  23  are formed so as to be passed through a protective layer  33  so that the vaporized dye is transcribed by diffusion onto the receptor layer  21   a  of the photographic paper  21  shown in FIG.  2 . 
     Besides, part of the laser light is transmitted through the semi-transparent light-absorbing layer as far as the photographic paper  21 . Part of the light which has reached the photographic paper  21  is used for heating the receptor layer  21   a  to aid in deposition of the vaporizable dye vaporized by the vaporizing section  17 . 
     The operation of the sublimation type printer according to the above-described first embodiment is hereinafter summarized by referring to FIGS. 1 to  3 . 
     With the sublimation type printer of the first embodiment, the vaporizable dye contained within the dye tank  11  is liquefied by being heated by the first heating member  31  of the entrance section  14  up to its melting point. The liquefied vaporizable dye  32  is transported to the vaporizing section  17  by the capillary phenomenon of the entrance section  14 . The entrance section  14  heats the liquefied vaporizable dye  32  by its first heating member  31  to keep its temperature. In addition to the first heating member  31 , which is the same as that provided in the entrance section  14 , a semi-transparent light absorbing layer as the second heating member is provided in the vaporizing section  17  for translating the laser light into heat. The vaporized dye is transferred onto the receptor layer  21   a  of the photographic paper  21  by a phenomenon of diffusion brought about by the vaporizing openings  23  in the bottom of each of the dye sink recesses  20  of the vaporizing section  17 . 
     The vaporizing section  17  of the sublimation type printer according to the first embodiment may also be designed for transcribing the vaporized dye onto the receptor layer  21   a  of the photographic paper  21  by the diffusion phenomenon brought about by beads, as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     In FIG. 4, the dye tank for the dye Y, as an essential portion, is shown in cross-section. 
     In this figure, the first heating member  43  has its one end  43   a  introduced into a dye supply opening  42  formed in the lower end of the dye tank  41 . This one end  43   a  of the first heating member  43  melts and liquefies the vaporizable dye. The liquefied vaporizable dye is supplied to the entrance section  44 . In the entrance section  44 , a number of beads  45  are arrayed along the first heating member  43 . Each bead  45  has its upper part bonded to the first heating member  43  with an adhesive and its lower end covered by a protective layer  46 . Similarly, a number of beads  45  are bonded to the first heating member  43  and to a second heating member  48 . The lower part of the beads  45  of the vaporizing section  47  are not covered. The first heating member  43  and the second heating member  48  are bonded to a base  49 . 
     The base  49  is transparent or otherwise formed with a through-hole in a light transmitting portion thereof for transmitting the light. Besides, it needs to be of as thin a structure as possible. To this end, a reinforcement  50  is provided on the top of the base  49 . 
     The adhesive employed for bonding the beads  45 , first heating member  43  and the second heating member  48  is heat resistant and transparent. 
     The protective layer  46  is employed for preventing intrusion of impurities or dust and dirt, so that it is formed of a material which is resistant to heat and abrasion and which is low in heat conductivity. The beads  45  are also heat-resistant and are formed of glass or a heat-resistant synthetic material. 
     As for the vaporizing section  47  for depositing the vaporized dye onto the photographic paper  21  by relying upon the capillary phenomenon brought about by the beads  45 , the beads  45  are arrayed along the first heating member  43  and the second heating member  48 , so that the arraying area for the beads  45  is extended as shown in FIG. 5 which is a back side view showing the vaporizing section  47  and the entrance section  44 . 
     The second heating member  48 , employed in the vaporizing section  47  along with the first heating member  43 , is formed of a light absorbing material. 
     In the vaporizing section  47 , the second heating member  48  is surrounded in its entirety by the first heating member  43 , as shown in FIG. 6, which is a view similar to FIG. 5 except that the beads  45  are not shown. 
     The operation of the vaporizing section  47 , employing the beads  45 , is hereinafter explained by referring to FIGS. 4 to  6 . 
     The vaporizable dye contained in the dye tank  41  is heated to e.g. 50° C. to 300° C. by the first heating member  43  so as to be turned into the liquefied vaporizable dye which is then permeated through voids defined between beads  45  kept at the above temperature by the first heating member  43 . The liquefied vaporizable dye is then guided under the capillary phenomenon brought about by beads  45  to reach the vaporizing section  47 . 
     The liquefied vaporizable dye which has reached the vaporizing section  47  is vaporized by being heated by the second heating member  48  adapted for efficiently generating the heat by the laser light radiated from a laser generating section  51 . The dye thus vaporized is passed through voids defined by adjacent beads  45  by diffusion so as to be transcribed onto the receptor layer  21   a  of the photographic paper  21  via the lower ends of the beads  45  not covered by the protective layer  46 . 
     As a modification of the above-described embodiment in which the beads  45  are employed in the vaporizing section  47 , carbon compounds or light absorbing materials may be contained in or otherwise coated on the surface of the beads so that the beads  45  may simultaneously be employed as the light absorbing material for the second heating member  48 . 
     With the use of the beads  45  in the vaporizing section  47 , the vaporizing openings are of uniform size to assure a constant amount of vaporization of the vaporizable dye. The light absorbing agent may be coated on or contained in the beads  45  for simplifying the construction. The capillary phenomenon may be easily brought about with a material that cannot be etched. Gradation control may be facilitated by the constant amount of vaporization. Besides, the bead size may be suitably chosen for controlling the air quantity and adjusting the amount of the heat storage. The heat efficiency may be improved by combining the reinforcement with base  49 . Intrusion of dust and dirt or impurities may be inhibited by coating an area other than the vaporizing openings with the protective layer  46 . The beads may be used simultaneously as the wear-resistant layer in contact with the photographic paper  21  to simplify the construction. 
     An illustrative example of a printing mechanism employing the sublimation type printing device according to the above-described first embodiment is explained by referring to FIG.  7 . 
     The printing mechanism includes vaporizing units  51 ,  52  each consisting in a laser emitting unit built into a sublimation type printer of the first embodiment the essential part of which is shown in FIG.  1 . The two vaporizing units  51 ,  52  are of identical construction comprising dye layers  11 ,  12  and  13 , entrance sections  14 ,  15  and  16 , vaporizing sections  17 ,  18  and  19 , four laser radiating sections and a transparent section  22 . 
     These vaporizing units  51 ,  52  are connected to signal lines  53 ,  54  and are moved by a vaporizing unit feed shaft  55  and a vaporizing unit supporting shaft  56  in the vaporizing unit feed direction indicated by arrow L. 
     The photographic paper  21  is fed by a photographic paper driving roll  57  in the paper feed direction indicated by arrow N. The vaporizing units  51 ,  52  and the photographic paper  21  are pressed into tight contact with each other by a vaporizing unit supporting roll  58 . 
     The photographic paper  21  is introduced into a space between the vaporizing units  51 ,  52  and the vaporizing unit supporting roll  58 . With the printing mechanism shown in FIG. 7, the two vaporizing units  51 ,  52  are provided for printing in two sections, with the vaporizing unit being fed in one line. The vaporizable dyes Y, M and C are simultaneously heated and melted by the heating members within the vaporizing units  51 ,  52  so as to be turned into liquefied vaporizable dyes. 
     The vaporizable dye liquefied in the vaporizing units  51 ,  52  is heated by the laser light beams associated with picture signals from the Y, M and C laser radiating units so as to be turned into the vaporized dye which is transcribed onto the receptor layer  21   a  of the photographic paper  21 . 
     After completion of one-line printing, the photographic paper  21  is fed by one-line length by a photographic paper driving roll  57 . Printing is started sequentially for each color and performed in a similar manner after the third dot. 
     A second embodiment concerning a printing device according to the present invention is hereinafter explained by referring to FIG.  8 . 
     Each dye employed in the present second embodiment is similar to the sublimable dye employed in the sublimation type printer according to the first embodiment. Since the vaporizable dyes Y, C and M of the present second embodiment are also ultimately vaporized and thermally transcribed onto the photographic paper, the present device is referred to herein as a sublimation type printer according to the second embodiment. 
     The sublimation type printer according to the second embodiment, essential parts of which are shown schematically in FIG. 8, includes dye tanks  61 ,  62  and  63  containing powdered vaporizable dyes Y, M and C, entrance sections  64 ,  65  and  66  for liquefying the vaporizable dyes supplied from the vaporizing sections  61  to  63  and transporting the liquefied dyes and vaporizing sections  67 ,  68  and  69  for vaporizing the vaporizable dyes liquefied by these entrance sections  64  to  66  by the vaporizing heat supplied by the laser light from laser light emitting means, not shown. The vaporizable dye is transcribed onto the photographic paper  21  via the vaporizing openings formed in the vaporizing sections  67  to  69 . It is noted that a plurality of each of the vaporizing sections  67  to  69  are provided along each of the entrance sections  64  to  66 . For example, a number of the vaporizing sections  67  corresponding to the number of dots of a picture are provided along the line direction of the photographic paper shown by arrow L in FIG.  8 . The same is true of the vaporizing sections  68  and  69 . 
     The operation of the sublimation type printer according to the second embodiment is explained in connection with the dye tank  61 , entrance section  64  and the vaporizing sections  67  shown in FIG.  8 . 
     A first heating member  71  at the entrance section  64  heats the vaporizable dye in the dye tank  61  so that the vaporizable dye is turned into a liquefied vaporizable dye. The entrance section  64  transports the liquefied vaporizable dye up to the vaporizing sections  67  under a capillary phenomenon as in the case of the sublimation type printer of the previously explained first embodiment. 
     The liquefied vaporizable dye from the dye tank  61  is transported by the entrance section  64  onto the plural vaporizing sections  67  which are sequentially irradiated with the laser light radiated by laser radiating means, not shown. That is, the first heating member  71  of the entrance section  64  liquefies the vaporizable dye contained in the dye tank  61  at its one end and transports the liquefied vaporizable dye as far as the vaporizing sections  67  by its capillary structure provided by the beads or flutes as it maintains the temperature of 50° C. to 300° C. of the dye to prevent its solidification. 
     The vaporizing sections  67  are also provided with the first heating member  71  similar to that provided for the entrance section  64 . Each vaporizing section  67  is provided with a plurality of fine vaporizing openings each being of a diameter of several microns. Besides the first heating member  71 , a second heating member  72  is also provided for the vaporizing sections  67 . The second heating member is a light absorbing layer formed by coating a semi-transparent light absorbing agent on the first heating member  71  and the vaporizing openings. The second heating member efficiently translates the laser light from a laser radiating section, not shown, into heat, so that the vaporizable dye introduced into the vaporizing sections  67  is vaporized so as to be transcribed onto the receptor layer of the photographic paper via the vaporizing openings formed in the vaporizing sections  67 . The same construction is employed for the dye tanks  62 ,  63 , entrance sections  65 ,  66  and the vaporizing sections  68 ,  69 . 
     Besides, since the light absorbing layer is semi-transparent, part of the light which has reached the photographic paper  21  is used for heating its receptor layer  21   a  to aid in deposition of the vaporizable dye vaporized by the vaporizing sections  67 . 
     An illustrative example of a printing mechanism employing the sublimation type printer according to the second embodiment is hereinafter explained by referring to FIG.  9 . 
     This printing mechanism comprises a sublimation type printer of the second embodiment, the essential portions of which are shown schematically in FIG. 8, and a pair of movable laser blocks  82 ,  83  of identical construction for radiating the laser light on the laser block  81  for printing. The sublimation type printer is secured in position as a head block. 
     Each of the laser blocks  82 ,  83 , the reverse side of which is shown in FIG. 10, has a laser light outgoing opening  89   a  for Y printing, a laser light outgoing opening  89   b  for M printing, a laser light outgoing opening  89   c  for C printing and a laser light outgoing opening  89   d  for the photographic paper. These laser blocks  82 ,  83  are connected to a signal line  84  for laser light and is moved by a laser block feed shaft  85  and a laser block supporting shaft  86  in the line direction as indicated by arrow L. At this time, the laser light outgoing opening  89   a  for Y printing, the laser light outgoing opening  89   b  for M printing and the laser light outgoing opening  89   c  for C printing are positioned directly above the vaporizing sections  67 ,  68  and  69  of the head block  81 , respectively. 
     The photographic paper  21  is fed by paper driving rolls  87  in the paper feed direction indicated by arrow N. The photographic paper  21  is pressed by the paper supporting roll  88  into intimate contact with the head block  81 . 
     The photographic paper  21  is inserted into a space between the head block  81  and the supporting roll  88 . The vaporizing sections  67 ,  68  and  69  are arrayed in alignment with the printing direction indicated by arrow N, with the number of each of the vaporizing sections  67  to  69  along the line direction indicated by arrow L being the same as the number of pixels. The laser light radiating openings in the laser blocks  82 ,  83  are set so as to be in register with the vaporizing sections  67 ,  68  and  69  of the head block  81  in the paper feed direction or printing direction and arrayed at a rate of the number of the openings to the number of the vaporizing sections  67  to  69  of the head block  81  in the line direction of 1:1 or 1:1/n. If the laser light radiating openings are arranged at a number rate of 1:1 with respect to the vaporizing sections in the head block  81 , the laser radiating openings may be provided in the laser block  81 . Even if the laser light radiating openings are arranged at a number rate of 1:n with respect to vaporizing sections in the head block  81 , the laser radiating openings may be provided in the laser bloc  81  at a number rate of 1/n. 
     The vaporizable dyes Y, M and C are heated simultaneously by the first heating member within the head block  81  so as to be turned into the liquefied vaporizable dye. 
     The vaporizable dyes, liquefied by the vaporizing sections  67 ,  68  and  69  within the head block  81 , are additively heated by the laser light beams corresponding to the picture signals from the laser blocks  82 ,  83  so as to be transcribed onto the receptor layer  21   a  of the photographic paper  21  via the vaporizing openings which provide for dye diffusion. If the laser radiating openings are provided at the number rate of 1/n with respect to the vaporizing sections, the laser blocks  82 ,  83  are moved in the line direction indicated by arrow N for completing the printing for one line. The same operation is performed for each of the dyes M and C. The printing for three lines at the start and end of printing is made sequentially and that for the remaining lines is performed simultaneously for the Y, M and C dyes. On completion of printing for one line, the photographic paper  21  is fed by one line by the photographic paper driving roll  87 . 
     Thus, with the present sublimation type printer according to the present second embodiment, the head block  81 , provided with a plurality of each of the vaporizing sections  67  to  69 , is fixed, while the laser blocks  82 ,  83 , having the laser radiating openings thereof aligned with the vaporizing sections  67  to  69 , are moved and the vaporizable dyes, liquefied by the laser light beams @@Corresponding to the picture signals, are additively heated and vaporized for transcription on the photographic paper. 
     Meanwhile, each vaporizing section of the sublimation type printer according to the second embodiment may also be arranged in accordance with the principle of the capillary phenomenon brought about by beads. 
     It should be noted that, if a laser light is radiated on the vaporizing sections of the sublimation type printer according to the first or second embodiment after being equalized in intensity in the laser generating section and in the laser blocks over its range of distribution, heat transformation in the light absorbing layer may be equalized and, besides, the energy transformation efficiency may be maximized. 
     If a semiconductor laser having a light distribution in which the energy density becomes higher towards its mid portion is radiated onto a light absorbing layer is provided in close proximity thereto, a non-uniform thermal energy having only poor efficiency as the energy used for transcribing the dye is produced. Besides, since the energy density is high at the mid region, the receptor layer of the photographic paper onto which the dye is transferred tends to be dissolved or even scorched under the high heat. Also, in view of the angle of light diffusion, the distance between the light source and the an object receiving the light tends to be limited. In addition, because of the non-uniform light distribution, the density of transcription tends to be thicker and thinner towards the mid region and towards the rim portion of the photographic paper, respectively. 
     It may be contemplated to expand the light distribution of the laser light from the laser light source by a diffusion plate or a concave lens for providing a uniform light distribution on the irradiated surface. That is, it suffices to diminish the degree of concentration towards the mid region in the above-described energy distribution to relax the light concentration to provide a flat light distribution. 
     FIG. 11 shows an optical system for generating a laser light having an equalized range of distribution of laser light intensity. 
     Referring to FIG. 11, showing such optical system, a laser light radiated from a semiconductor laser  91  is collimated by a collimator lens  92  which is converted into diffused light by e.g. a flat plate micro-lens  93  of a fine micro-lens array construction. The diffused light is then caused to fall on a convex lens  94  which condenses the diffused light to radiate a light having a uniform light intensity distribution onto a light absorbing layer. In this manner, the light distribution similar to a Gaussian distribution, as shown in FIG. 12A, is converted into a trapezoidal light distribution as shown in FIG.  12 B. 
     Therefore, if the distribution of irradiation of the laser light, employed for generating the heat of vaporization at a vaporizing section, is equalized by the optical system shown in FIG. 11, the light energy may be converted into a heat energy at a high efficiency. Besides, the use of the above-described optical system leads to a uniform transcription density and coloration with high resolution. The distance between the light source and the irradiated member may be set freely. Besides, a suitable size of coloration may be achieved depending on the manner of designing of the optical system and the semiconductor laser power. 
     A third embodiment of the present invention concerning the printing device is hereinafter explained by referring to FIG.  13 . 
     In the present third embodiment, a particulate vaporizable dye, consisting in a mixture of the vaporizable dyes Y, M and C as used in the sublimation type printer of the first or second embodiment and a dispersant compatible with the vaporizable dyes, such as a volatile binder, is employed and vaporized so as to be transcribed under heat onto the photographic paper. For this reason, the third embodiment is referred to herein as a sublimation type printer according to the third embodiment. 
     The sublimation type printer according to the third embodiment, shown schematically in FIG. 13, comprises a dye pack  110  having separate tanks for the particulate Y, M and C dyes, a dye supply pre-stage section  120  for shifting the particulate vaporizable dyes from the dye pack  110  in one predetermined direction, a dye supply post-stage section  140  for receiving the particulate vaporizable dye from the pre-stage section  120 , a vaporizing section, not shown, for receiving and vaporizing the particulate vaporizable dye supplied from the post-stage section  140 , a laser block  150  for radiating a laser light onto the vaporizing section for generating the heat of vaporization therein, a paper feed roll  102  for feeding a photographic paper  21  in a direction shown by arrow N so that the vaporized dye is transcribed thereon, and a photographic paper tray  103  for storing a roll of the photographic paper  21 . 
     Referring to FIG. 14, the construction of the dye pack  110  is first explained. 
     The dye pack  110  has three separate tanks, that is a Y-tank  111 , an M-tank  112  and a C-tank  113 , in which the above-mentioned particulate vaporizable dyes Y, M and C are stored, respectively. The dye pack  110  is dismountable for exchange and has a hermetically sealed structure to prevent intrusion of humidity or foreign matter or vaporization of the dyes under the effect of ambient light. However, the dye pack  110  also has a fine pore area  114  to permit air venting. 
     As the dye pack  110  is secured to the dye supply pre-stage section  120  shown in FIG. 3 by set screws  104   a  to  104   d , the particulate vaporizable dyes are fed onto the dye supply pre-stage section  120  via a Y-dye outlet  115 , an M-dye outlet  116  and a C-dye outlet  117 , each in the form of protrusions, provided on the bottom of the pre-stage section  120 . 
     These dye outlets  115  to  117 , in the form of protrusions, are introduced into a Y-dye reception opening  121 , an M-dye reception opening  122  and a C-dye reception opening  123 , formed in the dye supply pre-stage section  120  shown in FIG.  13 . This state is shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG.  15 . Although only the structure of a connecting portion between the Y-dye outlet  115  shown in FIG.  14  and the Y-dye receiving opening  121  shown in FIG. 13 is shown in the cross-sectional view in FIG. 15, the same structure is used for connecting portion between the M-dye outlet  116  and the C-dye outlet  117  and that between the C-dye outlet  117  and the M-dye outlet  123 . 
     First, a simplified resilient valve  115   b  is provided at a tubular portion  115   a  of the dye outlet  115  to permit the dye pack  110  to be hermetically sealed under the usual condition of the dye pack in which the dye pack is not mounted onto the dye supply pre-stage section  120 . A spring section  124  and a lid  125  having a conical portion  125   b  formed with flutes  125   a  is provided in the vicinity of the dye receiving opening  121  of the dye supply pre-stage section  120  to permit the pre-stage section  120  to be hermetically sealed under the usual condition in which the dye pack  110  is not mounted in position on the pre-stage section  120 . 
     When the dye pack  110  is mounted on the pre-stage section  120 , the lid  125  fitted with the conical portion  125   b  formed with the flutes  125   a  is thrust upwards for opening slit-shaped openings  118  and  127  formed in the pre-stage section  120  and the dye outlet  115 . At this time, the conical portion  125   b  of the lid  125  formed with the flutes  125   a  thrusts the valve  115   b  at the dye outlet  15  open, so that the particulate vaporizable dye contained in the dye pack  110  descends along the flutes  125   a  of the lid  125  which has thrust open the valve  15   b  of the dye outlet  115 . The dye is then guided via the slit-shaped openings  118 ,  127  towards the dye supply pre-stage section  120 . A resilient member  126  is mounted in the vicinity of the dye supply pre-stage section  120  for maintaining a hermetically sealed structure after connection of the pre-stage section  120  to the dye pack  110 . The flutes  125   a  may be designed to allow passage only of the particulate dye having a size not larger than a predetermined size. 
     Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, the constructions of the dye supply pre-stage, the dye supply post-stage section  140  and vaporizing sections are hereinafter explained. 
     The dye supply pre-stage section  120  separately receives the particulate vaporizable dyes Y, M and C, separately contained in the Y-tank  111 , M-tank  112  and in the C-tank  113  of the dye pack  110 , shown in FIG. 14, in its Y-dye supply pre-stage section  128 , M-dye receiving pre-stage section  129  and in the C-dye receiving pre-stage section  130 , respectively, by virtue of the connection between the Y-dye outlet  115 , M-dye outlet  116  and the C-dye outlet  117  of the dye pack  110 , on one hand, and the Y-dye receiving opening  121 , M-dye receiving opening  122  and the C-dye receiving opening  123 , on the other hand. The particulate vaporizable dyes Y, M and C, supplied to the Y-dye supply pre-stage section  128 , M-dye receiving pre-stage section  129  and the C-dye receiving pre-stage section  130 , are rollingly moved along the direction shown by arrow E. 
     Such rolling movement of the particulate vaporizable dyes Y, M and C is rendered possible by the internal structure of the dye supply pre-stage section  120  as shown in FIG. 17, in which the internal structure of the Y-dye supply pre-stage section  128 , M-dye supply pre-stage section  129  and the C-dye supply pre-stage section  130  is shown with a lid  120   b  of the pre-stage section  120  detached from a casing section  120   a.    
     The Y-dye supply pre-stage section  128 , M-dye receiving pre-stage section  129  and the C-dye receiving pre-stage section  130  are provided with feed screws  134 ,  135  and  136 , respectively, which are formed in shafts  131 ,  132  and  133 , respectively. These feed screws  134  to  136  are rotated about their own axes by a rotational torque which the shafts  131  to  133  receive from a gear  105 , shown in FIG. 16, which is rotated under a driving force of feeding the photographic paper  21 . Thus the particulate vaporizable Y-dye  137 , for example, is rollingly moved in the direction shown by arrow E in FIG.  16 . 
     The particulate vaporizable Y-dye, for example, is fed onto the dye supply post-stage section  140  via through-holes  138 . The internal structure of the post-stage section  140  is also shown in FIG.  17 . 
     The dye supply post-stage section  140  is formed by stacking a plate  140   a , formed of a glass material having low light absorbance and a low heat conductivity, on a plate  141  formed with a number of slits  148 , each being several p microns in diameter. The post-stage section  140  also includes a Y-dye supplying patterned groove  142 , about 50 to 80 pm deep, for conducting the particulate vaporizable dye  137  fed via the through-holes  140 . An M-dye supplying patterned groove  143  and a C-dye supplying patterned groove  144  are formed in a similar manner. These grooves  142 ,  143  and  144  are each formed with a plurality of vaporizing sections  145 ,  146  and  147 , respectively. 
     The particulate vaporizable Y-dye  137  is fed in a direction shown by arrow F in the Y-dye supplying groove  142 , for example, so as to be stored in the vaporizing section  145 . The laser light transmitted through a lid  140   b  formed of a glass material exhibiting high transmittance is radiated on the particulate vaporizable Y-dye  137  stored in the vaporizing section  145 . 
     Each of the vaporizing sections  145  to  147 , irradiated with the laser light from a laser block  150  via the lid  140   b , absorbs about one half of the volume of the laser light to transform it into heat for vaporizing the dye. The remaining one-half of the laser light is used for heating the reception layer on the photographic paper  1 . 
     The dye vaporized by the vaporizing sections  145  to  147  is permeated towards below through the vaporizing openings  148  formed in the plate  141  under the capillary phenomenon so as to be transcribed on the receptor layer of the photographic plate  21 . 
     Each of the particulate dyes which has not been stowed in the vaporizing sections  145  to  147 , that is not vaporized, is circulated via the grooves  142 ,  143  and  144  of the dye supply post-stage section  140  to the dye supply pre-stage section  120 . 
     The, laser block  150  is explained by referring to FIG.  18 . 
     The laser block  150  has its arms  151 ,  152 ,  153  and  154  secured to a base section  161 . Each of these arms  151  to  154  is provided with a plurality of semiconductor laser devices so that several laser light beams  155 ,  156 ,  157  and  158  are radiated simultaneously from these arms  151  to  154  in a downward direction, that is towards the vaporizing sections  145 ,  146  and  147 . 
     The driving of the laser block  150  in the direction of arrow G is controlled by e.g. a rotary actuator  159 , such as an electric motor, so that the laser block is advanced and receded each in e.g. three stages via an offset cam  160 . The driving of the rotary actuator  159  is carried out in a timed relation to the Y, M and C color signals. 
     The driving of the laser block  150  in the direction of arrow H is controlled e.g. by a feed mechanism or by a linear motor. This enables the number of the laser devices to be reduced to lower the costs and to improve the yield. The driving in the direction of arrow H or in the transverse direction is carried out in a timed relation to the color dot signals. 
     With the sublimation type printer according to the third embodiment, the particulate vaporizable dyes Y, M and C, contained in separate tanks of the dye pack  110 , are transported in one direction by the dye supply pre-stage section  120  up to the vaporizing sections  145 ,  146  and  147  of the dye supply post-stage  140 , so as to be vaporized in the vaporizing sections  145 ,  146  and  147  by the vaporizing heat corresponding to the laser light for transcription onto the photographic paper  21 . Thus there is no necessity of providing an ink ribbon or a thermal head and the device may be reduced in size while dye exchange may be facilitated. Besides, any excess dye left in the vaporizing sections  145 ,  146  and  147  may be circulated for achieving saving to assure printing with high picture quality. 
     Referring to FIG. 19, a fourth embodiment of the present invention concerning the printing device is explained. 
     In the present fourth embodiment, similarly to the above-described third embodiment, the particulate vaporizable dye is employed and vaporized so as to be thermally transcribed onto the photographic paper. Thus the device of the present fourth embodiment is hereinafter referred to as a sublimation type printer according to the fourth embodiment. 
     Although the dye pack in the sublimation type printer is not shown in FIG. 19 showing the schematic arrangement of the printer, the construction of the printer and the manner of feeding the dye to the dye supply pre-stage section  171 , corresponding to the dye supply pre-stage section  120  according to the third embodiment, is similar to the sublimation type printer according to the third embodiment. Besides, the manner of transporting the dye within the dye supply pre-stage section  171  is similar to that performed with the sublimation type printer according to the third embodiment. 
     With the sublimation type printer according to the fourth embodiment, a head block  170 , comprised of a dye pack, not shown, the dye supply pre-stage section  171  and a dye-supply post-stage section  172  having a vaporizing section, not shown, is fixed, and laser blocks  173 ,  174 , for radiating the laser light onto the head block  170 , are moved for performing the printing on the photographic paper  21 . The laser blocks  173 ,  174  are of identical construction. 
     The laser blocks  173 ,  174 , the back sides of which are shown in FIG. 20, are each formed with Y-printing laser outgoing openings  176   a , M-printing laser outgoing openings  176   b , C-printing laser outgoing openings  176   c  and outgoing openings for a laser for photographic paper  176   d , and are connected to a signal line for laser  175 . The laser blocks  173 ,  174  are moved by a laser block feed shaft  177  and a laser block supporting shaft  178  so as to be moved in the line direction as indicated by an arrow L. At this time, the Y-printing laser outgoing openings  176   a , M-printing laser outgoing openings  176   b , C-printing laser outgoing openings  176   c  and the outgoing openings for laser for photographic paper  176   d  of the laser blocks  173  and  174  are positioned directly above the vaporizing sections formed in the dye supply post-stage section  172  of the head block  170 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, the operation of the sublimation type printer according to the present fourth embodiment is hereinafter explained. 
     The photographic paper  21  is fed by a photographic paper driving roll  179  is the paper feed direction shown by arrow N. The photographic paper  21  is pressed by a printing paper supporting roll  180  into intimate pressure contact with the head block  170 . 
     The photographic paper  21  is introduced into a space between the head block  170  and the photographic paper supporting roll  180 . The vaporizing sections of the head block  170  are arrayed in alignment with the printing direction indicated by arrow N, with the number of each of the vaporizing sections in the head block  170  along the line direction indicated by arrow L being the same as the number of pixels. The laser light radiating openings in the laser blocks  173 ,  174  are set so as to be in register with the vaporizing sections in the paper feed direction or printing direction, and are arrayed at the number rate of 1:1 or 1:1/n in the line direction. If the laser light radiating openings are arranged at the number rate of 1:1 with respect to the vaporizing sections, the laser radiating openings may be provided in the laser block  170 . Even if the laser light radiating openings are arranged at the number rate of 1:n with respect to the head block  170 , the laser radiating openings may be provided in the laser block at the number rate of 1/n. 
     The vaporizable dyes in the vaporizing sections within the head block  170  are vaporized by the laser light corresponding to picture signals from the laser blocks  173  and  174  so as to be transcribed onto the photographic paper  21 . If the number of the laser radiating openings bears a ratio of 1/n with respect to the number of the vaporizing sections, the laser blocks  173 ,  174  are moved in the line direction indicated by arrow N a distance corresponding to the number of pixels to complete one line. The same operation is performed for the dyes M and C. The Y, M and C dyes are printed sequentially for three printing start and end lines and simultaneously for the remaining lines. After the end of printing for one line, the photographic paper  21  is fed by one line by the printing paper driving roll  179 . 
     Thus, with the sublimation type printer according to the present fourth embodiment, since the head block  170  is fixed, and the laser blocks  173 ,  174 , having the respective laser radiating openings aligned with the vaporizing sections, are moved, for vaporizing the particulate vaporizable dyes, moved in one direction by the dye supply pre-stage section  171 , by the laser light corresponding to the picture signals, for transcription onto the photographic paper  21 , there is no necessity of providing an ink ribbon or a thermal head, so that the device may be reduced in size. Besides, dye exchange may be simplified. In addition, since any excess dye left in the vaporizing sections  145 ,  146  and  147  may be circulated for achieving the saving in the dye to assure the printing with high picture quality. 
     It is noted that, with the sublimation type printers according to the third and fourth embodiments, the particulate vaporizable dye is contained in the dye pack and used in circulation. Alternatively, the particulate vaporizable dye contained in the dye pack may also be deposited in the dye supply pre-stage section on the surfaces of spherical-shaped beads, each being several microns in diameter, so as to be moved in one direction for being supplied to the vaporizing sections formed in the dye supply post-stage section. The dye may also be circulated in the manner as described above. 
     The beads, on the surfaces of which the particulate vaporizable dye is deposited, may also be moved in one direction by transverse vibrations as shown in FIG.  21 . In such case, the particulate vaporizable dye supplied from the dye pack, herein not shown, via dye reception openings  191 ,  192  and  193  is moved through the inside of the dye supply pre-stage section  190  by a transverse oscillation generating device  194 , so as to be supplied to a dye supply post-stage section  200  having the vaporizing sections formed therein. The transverse oscillation generating device  194  generates transverse oscillation by a shaft  195 . Shafts  196 ,  197  are also the shafts for generating transverse oscillation in transverse oscillation generating devices, not shown, having the same construction as the transverse oscillation generating device  194 . 
     The beads, on the surfaces of which the particulate or powdered vaporizable dye is deposited, may also be moved by pneumatic feed means, in a manner not shown. 
     On the other hand, if the laser light radiated on the sublimation type printers according to the third and fourth embodiments is radiated in each laser block with equalized intensity distribution, as in the case of the sublimation type printer according to the first and second embodiments, it becomes possible to equalize the transformation into heat in the light absorbing layer and to maximize the energy conversion efficiency. 
     Meanwhile, with the sublimation type printers according to the first to fourth embodiments, the vaporized dye is deposited on the photographic paper  21  for printing. In any of these embodiments, the receptor layer on the surface of the photographic paper  21  may be heated to aid in deposition of the vaporized dye. 
     Referring to FIGS. 22 and 23, fifth and sixth embodiments of the present invention, relating to the photographic paper capable of heating the receptor layer efficiently, will be explained. In the following, the fifth and sixth embodiments are referred to as a photographic paper according to the fifth embodiment and a photographic paper according to the sixth embodiment, respectively. 
     Referring first to FIG. 22, the photographic paper according to the fifth embodiment includes, looking from the upper side, a receptor layer  211  which is formed of a resin, such as cellulose resin, and which is capable of transmitting the light therethrough and absorbing the vaporizable dye, a light absorbing layer  212  formed of a light absorbing agent capable of efficiently absorbing the laser light and generating the heat efficiently, a first protective layer  213  formed of a highly heat-resistant and non-hygroscopic material, such as polypropylene, a photographic paper base  214  formed e.g. of polyethylene terephthalate, and a second protective layer  215  having properties similar to those of the first protective layer  213  and playing the role of not causing the warping of the photographic paper of the fifth embodiment  210 , these layers  211  to  215  being bonded and stacked one upon the other with the aid of an adhesive, not shown. 
     The receptor layer  211  absorbs the dye vaporized under the heat of vaporization generated by a laser light from a printing device, not shown. That is, a semi-transparent heating member, provided within a vaporizing section of the printing device, not shown, generates the heat efficiently by the laser light to vaporize the vaporizable dye. The vaporized dye is released via the vaporizing openings provided in the vaporizing section so as to be deposited on the receptor layer  211 . 
     Part of the laser light is transmitted through the semi-transparent heating member so as to be radiated on the photographic paper  210 . Since the receptor layer  211  formed on the surface of the photographic paper transmits the light, the laser light reaches the light absorbing layer  212 . 
     The light absorbing layer  212  is formed e.g. of a light absorbing agent, such as an IR absorber, and hence absorbs the laser light efficiently, so that heat may be generated efficiently. The heat generated in the light absorbing layer  212  is transmitted to the receptor layer  211  and tends to be transmitted to the first protective layer  213 . However, since the first protective layer  213  is formed of a highly heat-resistant and low heat conducting material, such as polypropylene, it is transmitted only to the receptor layer  211  without being transmitted to the first protective layer  213 . Thus the receptor layer  211  is heated efficiently by the light absorbing layer  212 . 
     In general, the light absorbing agent, used for absorbing the light, reflects the light if the agent has a white hue. For this reason, the light absorbing layer  212  has a pale color hue, instead of a white hue. Such color hue of the light absorbing layer  212  deteriorates the quality of the printed picture. For this reason, the light absorbing layer  212  needs to be whitened after printing. For whiting the light absorbing layer  212  after printing, the light absorbing agent, such as the above-mentioned IR light absorber, which has its color extinguished on irradiation with a laser light, is employed. 
     As such light absorbing agent, a functional near-infrared ray absorbing coloring matter, manufactured by SHOWA DENKO KK under the trade name of IR 820B, is employed. This functional near-infrared ray absorbing coloring matter IR 820B, exhibits an absorption maximum for the light having a wavelength of 825 nm, such that, if it is used along with an ammonium salt of organic boron, such as tetrabutyl ammoniumbutyl triphenyl borate, in a solution, it absorbs the near infrared rays to extinguish the color. 
     Thus, with the photographic paper  210  of the fifth embodiment, the receptor layer  211  may be directly heated by the light absorbing layer  212 , while the pale color of the light absorbing layer  212  is extinguished by the laser light, so that the printed picture is not degraded in picture quality. 
     The construction of the photographic paper according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention is explained. 
     The construction of the photographic paper according to the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 23 is approximately similar to that of the above-described first embodiment shown in FIG. 22, so that similar parts or components are depicted by the same numerals and the corresponding description is omitted for simplicity. 
     The photographic paper  220  of the present sixth embodiment includes, looking from the upper side, a receptor layer  211 , a light absorbing layer  221 , a first protective layer  213 , a photographic paper base  214  and a second protective layer  215 , bonded and stacked together with the aid of an adhesive, not shown, applied between the adjacent layers. 
     The light absorbing layer  221  efficiently absorbs a laser light, not shown, for generating the heat efficiently, as in the case of the photographic paper of the fifth embodiment. The receptor layer  211  is heated by the light absorbing layer  221 . 
     With the photographic paper  220  according to the sixth embodiment, a capsule having an enclosed whitening agent is destroyed by the laser light for permeating the whitening agent for whitening the light absorbing layer  221 . 
     That is, the light absorbing layer  221  contains a light absorbing agent and a whitening agent, such as titanium oxide, enclosed in a number of capsules  222  formed e.g. of polyurea, as shown in FIG.  23 . The capsule  222  is thermally destroyed by the laser light for permeating the whitening agent into the light absorbing agent for extinguishing the color of the light absorbing agent for whitening the light absorbing layer  221 . 
     The whitening agents may be enumerated by titanium oxide, zinc oxide or calcium oxide. 
     The capsule for enclosing the whitening agent may be formed of condensates, such as polyurea or polyurethane, homopolymers such as polyvinyl alcohols or waxes, such as paraffin or lipid. 
     Thus, with the photographic paper  220  of the present sixth embodiment, the receptor player  211  may be heated directly by the light absorbing layer  221  to assure a high heat efficiency, while the light absorbing layer  221  is whitened by the whitening agent which is distributed on thermal capsule destruction to maintain a high picture quality of the printed picture. 
     With the use of the photographic paper according to the fifth or sixth embodiment, the light absorbing layer  211  or  221  of the photographic paper  210  or  220  may be whitened by the laser light which has its output increased by employing a transparent section of vaporizing sections  51 ,  52 , corresponding to the transparent section  22  in FIG. 1, if the above-mentioned typical printing mechanism shown in FIG. 7 provided with the sublimation printer according to the first embodiment is employed. In such case, the laser light employed in the vaporizing sections  51 ,  52  is of a four-beam construction. 
     With the illustrative printing mechanism, provided with the sublimation type printer according to the above-mentioned second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, a laser light which has its output increased is radiated after the end of printing on the transparent section of the head block  81 , corresponding to the transparent section  70  of FIG. 8, via the laser radiating opening  89   d  for photographic paper formed in the laser locks  82 ,  83 , for whitening the light absorbing layers  211  or  221  of the photographic papers  210  or  220 , respectively. 
     With the sublimation type printer according to the third embodiment, shown in FIG. 13, the light absorbing layers  211  or  221  of the photographic paper  210  or  220  may be whitened by one-half of the laser light from the laser block  150 . 
     With the sublimation type printer according to the fourth embodiment, shown in FIG. 19, the light absorbing layers  211  or  221  of the photographic paper  210  or  220  may be whitened by radiating a laser light of an increased output via the laser radiating opening for photographic paper  176   d  formed in the laser block  173  or  174  after the end of printing. 
     Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the operation of the sublimation type printer of the second embodiment up to the whitening of the light absorbing layer  211  or  221  is explained. 
     With the sublimation type printer according to the second embodiment, the vaporizable dye contained in e.g. the dye tank  61  is liquefied or melted by being heated by the first heating member  71  of the entrance section  64 . The vaporizable dye thus liquefied is moved by the capillary phenomenon of the entrance section  64  onto the vaporizing section  67 . The entrance section  64  heats the liquefied vaporizable dye by the first heating member and maintains its temperature. The liquefied vaporizable dye, moved onto the vaporizing section  67 , is vaporized under the heat of vaporization from the second heating member which efficiently generates heat by the laser light radiated from the laser block  82  or  83 . The vaporized dye is passed through the vaporizing openings in the vaporizing section  67  by the diffusion phenomenon so as to be deposited on the receptor layer  211  or  211  of the photographic paper  210  or  220 . At this time, the light absorbing layers  211  or  221  of the photographic paper  210  or  220  is heated by the laser light transmitted through the semi-transparent second heating member of the vaporizing section  67  for heating the receptor layer  211  or  211  to aid in transcription of the vaporized dye. Subsequently, the laser light transmitted through the transparent section  70  thermally destroys the light absorbing agent of the light absorbing layer  211  or  221  or the capsules,  222  enclosing the whitening agent for whitening the color hue of the light absorbing layer  211  or  221 . The order of the intensity or temperature of the laser light may be expressed by (the laser light for dye transcription)&lt;(laser light for heating the receptor layer)&lt;(laser light for whitening the light absorbing layer). 
     It is noted that the photographic paper according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described fifth and sixth embodiments. For example, the receptor layer, light absorbing layer, first protective layer, photographic paper base and the second protective layer may be formed of materials different from those given above if these layers are endowed with the properties required of them. The same may be said of the light absorbing agents, whitening agents or capsules provided in the light absorbing layer. 
     The whitening of the light absorbing layer may also be realized by the combination of thermal destruction of the light absorbing agent and thermal destruction of the whitening agent enclosing capsules brought about by the laser light.