JP2000075412A - Fluorescent printer and fluorescent printing head used in the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fluorescent printer with measures against the deterioration of light emission characteristics of each fluorescent body with time. SOLUTION: The printer is provided with a work control part 7f for integrating an exposure working quantity and also for storing the integration value, and a light emission correction part 7e for storing the emitted light correction coefficient of each fluorescent element decided based on the measured density value of the test dot of a test print sheet formed by exposing the test dot on a photosensitive material by each fluorescent element in a correction coefficient table 7d.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fluorescent printer for exposing a photosensitive material by illuminating a plurality of fluorescent light emitting elements constituting a linear array type fluorescent print head in accordance with image data, and a fluorescent print used in the fluorescent printer. About the head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A fluorescent printer for forming an image on a photosensitive material is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-92622, a cathode electrode for emitting thermoelectrons, a grid electrode, and a predetermined pitch. A plurality of strip-shaped anode electrodes, each of which is covered with a phosphor by its size, are enclosed in a vacuum vessel, and a control signal based on image data is applied to a grid electrode, so that thermoelectrons collide with the phosphor. That is, the light emission of the phosphor is controlled. One phosphor corresponds to one pixel constituting the image, that is, one dot,
A linear array type print head is configured by arranging a plurality of phosphors in the main scanning direction.However, in order to obtain high resolution, the arrangement pitch of the phosphors must be reduced to the order of microns, so usually the main scanning is performed. The rows of phosphors extending in the direction are arranged in multiple rows, and the emission timing of the phosphors in each row is appropriately matched with the relative movement in the sub-scanning direction with the photosensitive material, so that the dots exposed by the multiple rows of phosphors are subordinate. It is configured to be aligned on a straight line in the scanning direction (the direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction). By supplying a drive signal modulated in accordance with density data based on image information to a fluorescent print head to emit a phosphor with a desired amount of light, dot rows formed in order in the sub-scanning direction are desired. The photosensitive material can be exposed to a light-sensitive image having a density of about 1% and subjected to an appropriate developing treatment to obtain a hard copy such as a photographic print. At that time, in order to obtain a high-quality image, it is necessary for each phosphor to produce dots of the same density when the same density data is input. For this reason, the difference in the unique light emission characteristics of each phosphor is checked in advance and shipped in a corrected form.

[0003]

However, it has been recognized that the emission characteristics of the phosphor decrease with the elapse of the operation time, and the rate of decrease in the emission characteristic over time also increases with each phosphor. It turned out to be slightly different. Even if this problem can be neglected in a field where a very high quality is not required, the dots produced by the phosphor having one reduced light emission characteristic in the linear array type print head have a linear pattern in the sub-scanning direction. When used in fields requiring high image quality such as photographic prints, they cannot be ignored. In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent printer and a fluorescent print head used in the fluorescent printer in which measures are taken against a decrease in the luminescence characteristics of each phosphor over time.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, a fluorescent printer which exposes a photosensitive material by exposing a plurality of fluorescent light emitting elements constituting a linear array type fluorescent print head in accordance with image data is provided by the present invention. In the work management unit that integrates the exposure work amount and stores the integrated value, and the measured density value of the test dot of the test print sheet created by exposing the test dot to the photosensitive material by each of the fluorescent light emitting elements. A light emission correction unit for storing the light emission amount correction coefficient of each of the fluorescent light emitting elements determined based on the correction coefficient table in a correction coefficient table.

In this configuration, the amount of use of the fluorescent print head, that is, the integrated value of the amount of exposure work, is stored.
Operators and service engineers can check the workload at any time. Then, when the amount of work has reached a level that leads to a non-negligible temporal decrease in the emission characteristics of the fluorescent light-emitting element, which has been determined empirically and experimentally in advance,
Create a test print sheet, check the density of the test dots formed by each fluorescent light emitting element with a scanner, and access the light emission correction unit if necessary, and adjust the light emission amount correction coefficient for the corresponding fluorescent light emitting element. To correct.
This allows each fluorescent light emitting element to produce dots of the same density for the same density data input, despite the deterioration of the light emitting characteristics of the fluorescent light emitting element over time, thereby ensuring high image quality. Can be. In addition, as the exposure work amount, the operation time of the fluorescent print head, the exposure processing length of the photosensitive material, the number of processed prints, and the like can be adopted.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the notification for prompting the update of the light emission amount correction coefficient is performed when the above-mentioned integrated value reaches a predetermined value, the time of the fluorescent light emitting element can be reduced. When the time when it is necessary to check for a decrease in the target light emission characteristics comes, the fact is automatically notified, so that it is possible to avoid the inconvenience of continuing to provide prints of reduced quality without knowing it.

In order to update the light emission amount correction coefficient, the density of the test dot formed by each fluorescent light emitting element is read by a scanner, and the light emission amount correction coefficient is newly obtained from the measured density value and the reference density value. It is necessary to correct the luminescence amount correction coefficient stored in the luminescence correction unit. However, in order to simplify this operation, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the luminescence correction unit includes an ID of a corresponding fluorescent light emitting element. There is a method of automatically calculating a light emission amount correction coefficient of each fluorescent light emitting element from a measured density value of each test dot input in a format linked with the above. The measured density value of the test dot obtained by reading the test print sheet with the scanner is measured because the ID of the fluorescent light emitting element corresponding to each test dot, for example, the element number is determined from the position of the test dot on the test print sheet. By inputting the density value to the light emission correction unit in a form linked to the fluorescent light emitting element number, the light emission correcting unit calculates the light emission amount correction coefficient from the reference density value and the measured density value for each fluorescent light emitting element. Then, the light emission amount correction coefficient is updated. If the data transfer between the scanner and the fluorescent printer is performed using a cable, infrared rays, or the like, the work of updating the light emission amount correction coefficient can be almost automatically automated.

In the step of reading the test print sheet by the scanner, the test dots by the adjacent fluorescent light emitting elements are connected to the auxiliary of the fluorescent print head in order to reliably distinguish the test dots by the fluorescent light emitting elements arranged at a pitch of the order of microns. It is proposed to be exposed at intervals in the scanning direction. As a result, a gap is formed between the test dots, thereby preventing mutual influence upon reading.

In order to obtain easy maintenance and inspection, the fluorescent print head may be configured to be detachable from the fluorescent printer in a cassette type. In such a case, it is proposed that the fluorescent print head itself be provided with a work management unit for integrating the exposure work amount and storing the integrated value. As a result, since the fluorescent print head stores the amount of exposure work, even if the fluorescent print head is brought into a service center or the like for maintenance and inspection, the amount of work can be checked, and the luminescence characteristics of the fluorescent light emitting element with time decrease. It is also possible to use it for purposes other than compensation. Further, when the fluorescent print head of the present invention is mounted on a fluorescent printer that does not have a function of compensating for the deterioration of the light-emitting characteristics of the light-emitting element over time, at least the amount of exposure work can be checked. Simple measures such as manually increasing the overall concentration according to the amount can also be taken. Other features and advantages according to the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An example of a linear array type fluorescent print head used in a fluorescent printer according to the present invention is schematically shown in a sectional view of FIG. This fluorescent print head 30 actually has R (red), G (green), B
Although three (blue) light-emitting blocks are provided, only the R light-emitting block is shown here. The other two light-emitting blocks have the same configuration.

On the inner surface of the substrate 61 made of a translucent material,
A first strip-shaped anode electrode 62 and a second strip-shaped anode electrode 63 made of an aluminum thin film are formed. As can be clearly understood from FIG. 2, the two strip-shaped anode electrodes 62 and 63 are at right angles to the transport direction of the photographic printing paper (hereinafter simply referred to as photographic printing paper) 3 exposed by the fluorescent print head 30. Extending in the scanning direction, rectangular transmission holes 62a and 63a are provided at a predetermined pitch. Transmission hole 62a of first belt-shaped anode electrode 62
The transmission holes 63a of the second strip-shaped anode electrode 63 are arranged in a staggered manner.

Each of the transmission holes 62a and 63a has a phosphor 64
Is coated, and spaced from the phosphor 64,
A plurality of grid electrodes 65 corresponding to the phosphors 64 extend in a direction transverse to the main scanning direction. In the grid electrode 65, a slit hole 65a as a light transmitting portion is formed in an area facing the phosphor 64. Each grid electrode 65 is electrically independent of each other, and an independent control voltage is applied to each grid electrode 65. An acceleration electrode 66 is provided further away from the grid electrode 65. The acceleration electrode 66 is made of a single metal plate provided with slit holes 66a corresponding to the slit holes 65a of the grid electrode 65, and a common acceleration voltage is applied. Further, a linear cathode electrode 67 as a filament is provided at a position away from the grid electrode 65 along the main scanning direction. The phosphor 64, the first strip-shaped anode electrode 62 or the second strip-shaped anode electrode 63, the grid electrode 6, and the acceleration electrode 66 constitute each fluorescent light emitting element 60.
The light illuminated by 0 forms a one-dot latent image on the photographic paper 3.

As described above, the strip-shaped anode electrodes 62 and 6
3, grid electrode 65, acceleration electrode 66, cathode electrode 6
Reference numeral 7 is housed in a vacuum space created by the inner surface of the substrate 61 and the cover body 68. On the outer surface of the substrate 61,
A red filter 69 as a color filter is provided to face the phosphor 64. The light beam 70 emitted from the phosphor 64 is modulated by the red filter 69 and is imaged on the photographic paper 3 by the selfoc lens 71.

While a predetermined voltage is applied to the cathode electrode 67 and the accelerating electrode 66, a voltage is alternately applied to the first band-shaped anode electrode 62 and the second band-shaped anode electrode 63 at a predetermined timing. By applying a positive exposure signal to the desired grid electrode 65, the thermoelectrons jumping from the cathode electrode 67 pass through the slit holes 65 a according to the state of the grid electrode 65 and collide with the phosphor 64. The phosphor 64 hit by the thermal electrons emits light, and the light beam 70 passes through the transmission hole and reaches the photographic paper 3, so that the photographic paper 3 is exposed in light beam dot units.

For example, when all the phosphors 64 emit light, the photographic paper 3 becomes 1 by the two rows of fluorescent light emitting elements 60.
Exposure is performed on a straight line with a dot width. By performing such line exposure on the photographic paper 3 while moving the print head 30 in the sub-scanning direction, a latent image corresponding to the image to be printed is formed in the print area of the photographic paper 3. . At this time, the light emission characteristics of each of the fluorescent light emitting elements 60 are determined by the light emission characteristics of the phosphor 64 itself, the light emission area of the phosphor 64, the unevenness in exposure due to variations in the distance between the electrodes, etc. (the light emission operation is performed based on the same In this case, the time width of the drive signal applied to the grid electrode 65 is adjusted. This should eliminate exposure unevenness due to the inherent difference between the respective fluorescent light emitting elements 60. However, if the print head 30 is operated for a long period of time of several hundred hours, depending on the fluorescent substance 64, the time may be reduced. The light emission characteristics are significantly reduced.

For this reason, in the fluorescent printer according to the present invention, when the total operation (exposure) time of the print head 30 reaches a predetermined time, a test print sheet is prepared by a method which will be described in detail later, and each fluorescent light emitting element is manufactured. The density of the test dots is measured by 60, and if the decrease in the light emission characteristics cannot be ignored, a light emission amount correction coefficient corresponding to the degree of the decrease is given to compensate for the decrease.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a correction table including a light emission amount correction coefficient for compensating for the deterioration of the light emission characteristic with time. The light emission amount correction is performed using the element number for determining the fluorescent light emitting element 60 as an address. The coefficient is stored. In this table, for reference, a reference density value, which is a measured density value of a test dot created by an ideal fluorescent light emitting element 60, and a measured density value of a test dot created on a test print sheet by each fluorescent light emitting element 60 are also shown. Have been. Since the ratio of the measured density to the reference density value indicates a decrease in the light emission characteristics with time of each fluorescent light emitting element 60, the reduction in the light emission characteristics with time is compensated by performing more exposures corresponding to the ratio. Is done.

For example, when a measurement result from a test print sheet as shown in this table is input, the measured density value corresponding to the fluorescent light emitting element 60 having the ID number of 001 is 273 and the reference density value is 90. %, The light emission correction coefficient of the fluorescent light emitting element 60 is 1.1, and the lighting time calculated from the density data sent during actual printing is increased by 1.1 times. Similarly, 002 I
The lighting time of the fluorescent light emitting element 60 having the D number is 1.04 times the lighting time calculated from the transmitted density data.

In this embodiment, the density data is 8 bits.
The gradation signal is represented by (256), and a control signal having a time width for obtaining a desired density is supplied to the grid electrode 65 by supplying the reference pulse by the value. For example, when the gradation value is low, the printing paper 3 is hardly exposed and the dot remains almost white. When the gradation value is large, the printing paper 3 is exposed for a long time and becomes a dark dot. At a time point having a large correction value, the corrected value may exceed 256, but these values are assumed to be 256. This is because a value close to 256 is not visually recognized as a very large difference. Particularly important in photographic prints and the like is accurate correction in the intermediate gradation region, and accurate compensation of the light emission characteristics over time in the intermediate gradation region can be achieved by the above-described correction method. In the example of FIG.
If the density data for the fluorescent light emitting element 60 having the ID number of 100 is 100, the result of the correction is 110. In practice, this fluorescent light emitting element 60 has a time width of 110 reference pulses.
Is turned on, and if the density data for the fluorescent light emitting element 60 having the ID number of 001 is 150, the correction result 156
In fact, the fluorescent light emitting element 60 is turned on with a time width of 156 reference pulses. Such a correction is performed for all the fluorescent light emitting elements 60.

Next, a method of preparing a test print sheet will be described; as described above, the fluorescent light emitting elements 60 are arranged in a zigzag pattern, and the fluorescent light emitting elements 60 (hereinafter referred to as the fluorescent light emitting elements 60) provided on the first strip-shaped anode electrode 62 are described. Odd (fluorescent light emitting element) forms odd (odd) dots at the time of line exposure, and the fluorescent light emitting element (hereinafter referred to as even fluorescent light emitting element) 60 provided on the second belt-shaped anode electrode 63 is
Form even (even) dots. At this time, the odd (odd) dots of the odd fluorescent light emitting element 60 and the even (even) dots of the even fluorescent light emitting element 60 form a line-like dot pattern as shown in FIG. Here, the white square is the odd (odd number)
The dots indicate dots, and the black squares indicate even (even) dots. The numbers enclosed in parentheses indicate the I of the fluorescent light emitting element 60.
D number is shown, so that it is possible to understand which fluorescent light emitting element 60 formed the illustrated dot.

When this line-shaped dot pattern is enlarged and viewed, as shown in FIG. 4B, adjacent dots in the main scanning direction partially overlap each other in the outermost region, and the dots are scanned by a scanner or the like. When reading the unit density and inspecting the light emitting state of each fluorescent light emitting element, it is affected by another adjacent dot. In order to avoid this, the exposure operation is performed such that the dots formed by the odd fluorescent light emitting element 60 and the dots formed by the even fluorescent light emitting element 60 can obtain dot patterns that are not adjacent to each other in the main scanning direction of the exposure print head 60. Is performed.

First, only the odd fluorescent light emitting element 60 is exposed, and odd (odd) dots are formed. With a sufficient interval in the sub-scanning direction, only the even fluorescent light emitting element 60 is exposed. (Even) dots are formed, and as shown in FIG. 5 (a), an odd (odd) dot row and an even (even) dot row are formed. The dot patterns arranged are formed on the photographic paper 3 by exposure. By developing this, a test print sheet is completed. In such a test print sheet, as can be seen from FIG. 5B in which a part of FIG. 5A is enlarged, odd (odd) dots and even (even) dots have mutually overlapping portions. In addition, no odd (odd) dots and even (even) dots overlap each other.

Hereinafter, an overall configuration of a photographic printing apparatus using the fluorescent printer of the present invention will be described. As is apparent from the schematic block diagram shown in FIG. 6, this photographic printing processing apparatus is the same as a fluorescent printer 20A as a digital exposure apparatus for exposing an image on a photographic paper 3 at an exposure point 1 according to digital image data. An optical exposure device 20B for projecting and exposing the image of the photographic film 2 on a photographic paper 3 as a photosensitive material at an exposure point 1; a developing processing unit 5 for developing the photographic paper 3 exposed at the exposure point 1; A photographic paper transport mechanism 6 for transporting the printer 3 from the photographic paper magazine 4 via the exposure point 1 to the development processing unit 5 and a controller 7 for controlling each part of the printer processor 1 are provided. Photographic paper 3 at exposure point 1
A paper mask 40 for determining an exposure area by the optical exposure device 20 for the image forming apparatus is provided. An operation console 8 for inputting various information and a monitor 9 for displaying images and characters are connected to the controller 7. The sub-controller 107 communicably connected to the controller 7 includes:
It performs an auxiliary function of the controller 7.

The photographic paper 3 pulled out from the photographic paper magazine 4 containing the photographic paper 3 in a roll shape is exposed by the fluorescent printer 20A or the optical exposure device 20B or both exposure devices. , And is cut into a size including one frame of image information and discharged. Of course, a configuration in which the photographic paper 3 is cut to a required length before exposure may be adopted.

Hereinafter, each component will be described. The optical exposure device 20B includes a light source 21 for optical exposure composed of a halogen lamp, a light control filter 22 for adjusting the color balance of light applied to the film 2, and a mirror for uniformly mixing light passing through the light control filter 22. A tunnel 23, a printing lens 24 for forming an image of the film 2 on the photographic paper 3, and a shutter 25 are provided on the same optical axis forming an exposure optical path.

A scanner 10 for reading an image formed on the film 2 is provided upstream of the optical exposure device 20 on the film transport path. This scanner 10
Irradiates the film 2 with white light, decomposes the intensity of the reflected light or transmitted light into the three primary colors of red, green, and blue, and measures the image density with, for example, a CCD line sensor or a CCD image sensor. Is what you do. The image information read by the scanner 10 is sent to the controller 7 and used to display a simulated image of an image formed on the exposed photographic paper 3 on the monitor 9.

As shown in detail in FIG. 7, the fluorescent printer 20A includes a fluorescent print head 30 having an R light emitting block 32, a G light emitting block 33, and a B light emitting block 34 having the above-described structure. A reciprocating mechanism 50 for scanning the fluorescent print head 30 in the transport direction of the printing paper 3 is provided. Each light-emitting block of the fluorescent print head 30 is connected to the controller 7, and the drive system of the reciprocating mechanism 50 is a sub-controller 1
07. Phosphor 6 by controller 7
Image data and character data are color-exposed on the photographic paper 3 based on the control of the control unit 4 and the scanning control of the fluorescent print head 30 in the sub-scanning direction by the sub-controller 107 via the reciprocating mechanism 50.

The paper mask 40 itself is a known one, and detailed description thereof is omitted. As shown schematically in FIG. 7, the paper mask 40 extends parallel to the transport direction of the photographic paper 3 and crosses the transport direction. Upper member 41 that can reciprocate in the direction
And a lower side member 43, a left side member 43 extending in the transverse direction of the transport direction of the photographic paper 3 and capable of reciprocating in the transport direction.
And a right side member 44, a base 45 supporting these members.
The exposure range in the width direction of the printing paper 3 is determined by the distance between the upper side member 41 and the lower side member 42, and the exposure range in the length direction of the printing paper 3 is determined by the distance between the left side member 43 and the right side member 44. . The movements of the upper side member 41, the lower side member 42, the left side member 43, and the right side member 44 are controlled by the controller 7 via a drive mechanism (not shown).

The reciprocating mechanism 50 for the fluorescent print head 30 is attached to the base 45 of the paper mask 40, and its basic components are guides provided at both ends of the fluorescent print head 30. A member 51, a guide rail 52 inserted into a guide hole provided in the guide member 51, a wire fastener 53 provided in one guide member 51, a wire 54 having an end fixed to the wire fastener 53, a wire 54 And a pulse motor 56 for rotating one of the sprockets 55 under the control of the sub-controller 107. The rotation of the pulse motor 56 moves the fluorescent print head 30 along the guide rail 52 through the movement of the wire 54.

Controller 7 and sub-controller 107
Also has a function as a control unit of the fluorescent printer 20A. This function, in particular, the exposure control of the photographic paper 3 by the fluorescent print head 30 will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG. The controller 7 has input ports 7a for inputting digital image data not only from the negative film 2 obtained by the built-in scanner 10 but also from external devices such as digital cameras, scanners, and CDs that obtain digital images. An image processing unit 7b that performs image processing on input image data and bit-converted character data and generates density data divided into 256 levels (8 bits) in dot units, and a printer that sets driving conditions for the fluorescent print head 30 A control unit 7c, a correction coefficient table 7d including a memory device such as an EEPROM that stores the above-described light emission amount correction coefficient (see FIG. 3) so as to be accessible from the printer control unit 7c, Calculated based on the measured density value of the test dot of the fluorescent light emitting element 60 Emitting correcting unit 7e to update the contents of the correction coefficient table 7d in light emission amount correction coefficient,
There is provided a work management unit 7f which calculates the exposure work amount of the fluorescent light emitting element 60 from the exposure operation time of the print head 30 or the exposure processing length of the printing paper 3 and integrates the amount until the reset operation is performed. The printer control unit 7c
A cathode control unit 91 controls the cathode voltage, a grid control unit 92 controls the grid voltage, and an anode control unit 93 controls the anode voltage.

If there is a request for exposure using the print head 30, the printer control unit 7c causes the correction coefficient table 7d
To read the light emission amount correction coefficient for each fluorescent light emitting element 60, and as described with reference to FIG. 3, the density (image) data sent to drive each fluorescent light emitting element 60 to emit light. The correction is performed using the correction coefficient, and the corrected value is sent to the print head driver 7e by the grid control unit 92. The data of each color corrected in this way and sent to the print head driver 7e is converted there into a drive pulse width, and
It is sent to the R light emission block 32, the G light emission block 33, and the B light emission block 34 of 0.

Further, a communication port 107a of the sub-controller 107 is connected to a communication port 7h of the controller 7. The sub-controller 107 is provided with a scanning control unit 107b that generates a control signal relating to the scanning speed and timing of the fluorescent print head 30, and the sub-controller 107 operates in cooperation with the controller 7 via an output port 107c and a motor driver 107d. And sends a control signal to the pulse motor 56. By the cooperation of the controller 7 and the sub-controller 107, image printing is performed by the fluorescent print head 30 at a predetermined position on the photographic paper 3.

Next, a schematic operation of the printer processor will be described. When the film 2 is supplied to the optical exposure device 20 by the roller 11 driven by the motor 12, the controller 7 controls the light control filter 22 based on image information of the film 2 read by the scanner 10. Thereby, the irradiation light of the light source 21 is
Adjust the color balance according to the color density of the image. The optical exposure device 20 irradiates the film 2 with the adjusted light, irradiates the image information of the film 2 as transmitted light to the photographic paper 3 located at the exposure point 1, and prints the image of the film 2 on the photographic paper 3. . If necessary, the optical exposure device 20
By the scanning of the fluorescent print head 30 of the fluorescent printer 30 on the periphery of the printing area, additional illustrations such as characters and logos are printed. Of course, when printing an image captured by a digital camera on the photographic paper 3, only the fluorescent printer 30 prints on the photographic paper 3 located at the exposure point 1. The photographic paper 3 on which the image is printed at the exposure point 1 is processed by a photographic paper transport mechanism 6 having a plurality of rollers 13 and a motor 14 controlled by a controller 7 for driving the rollers 13, and then subjected to a developing processing section 5.
And sequentially passes through a plurality of tanks filled with a processing liquid for developing the photographic paper 3, and is subjected to development processing.

The work management unit 7f includes a fluorescent print head 30.
The exposure work amount is calculated each time the exposure work is performed, and the integrated value is written in a non-volatile memory. When a display command of the integrated exposure work amount is given from an operator or a service engineer through the console 8, the numerical value is calculated. The information is displayed on the monitor 9 together with a predetermined limit work amount as a guide for updating the light emission amount correction coefficient. In addition, when the integrated exposure work amount exceeds the limit work amount, the work management unit 7f displays a warning prompting to update the light emission amount correction coefficient.

When updating the light emission amount correction coefficient, first, the controller 7 is instructed to create the test print sheet described above. When the test print sheet is obtained, the test print sheet is read by the scanner 90, and the obtained digital image data is sent to the image processing unit 91. The image processing unit 91 measures the density of each test dot, creates measurement data in which the measured density value is linked to the ID number of the fluorescent light emitting element 60 specified from the position of the corresponding test dot, and performs cable communication or infrared communication. The data is transmitted to the communication port 7h of the controller 7 through communication. The light emission correction unit 7e calculates a light emission amount correction coefficient using the transmitted measurement data and the reference density value, and updates the correction coefficient table 7d. When the correction coefficient table 7d is updated, the work management unit 7f resets the integrated exposure work amount and newly starts the integration of the exposure work amount.

In the above description, the light emission correction unit 7e calculates the light emission amount correction coefficient. Instead, the image processing unit 91 performs the calculation up to the light emission amount correction coefficient, and the ID number of the fluorescent light emitting element 60 is changed. The data linked with the light emission amount correction coefficient may be sent to the light emission correction unit 7e, and the light emission correction unit 7e may be configured to simply update the light emission amount correction coefficient.

The work management section 7f may be built in the fluorescent print head 30. In any case, since a drive signal is sent to the fluorescent print head 30 at the time of exposure, the amount of exposure work can be determined from this. Since the fluorescent print head 30 itself has the work management unit 7f built therein, it can be used for checking consumable parts and the like when performing maintenance and inspection of the fluorescent print head 30 in a form detached at a service center or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a fluorescent light emitting element employed in a fluorescent printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view as viewed from an arrow A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating calculation of a light emission amount correction coefficient for each fluorescent light emitting element and a correction coefficient table that stores the light emission amount correction coefficient.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating formation of a dot pattern by a fluorescent light emitting element.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating creation of a test print sheet.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a photographic printing processing apparatus employing a fluorescent printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a fluorescent print head.

FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating light emission control of a fluorescent printer head.

[Explanation of symbols]

 7c Printer control unit 7d Correction coefficient table 7e Light emission correction unit 7f Work management unit 7g Print head driver 30 Fluorescent print head 60 Fluorescent light emitting element 90 Scanner 91 Image processing unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C162 AE12 AE23 AE28 AE77 AF07 AF21 AF39 AF83 FA19 FA34 2H106 AA02 AA33 AA47 AA82 AB04 AB95 5C051 AA02 CA10 DB02 DE00 DE03 DE12 DE30 DE33 EA02

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A fluorescent printer for exposing a photosensitive material by exposing a plurality of fluorescent light emitting elements constituting a linear array type fluorescent print head in accordance with image data, and storing the integrated value of the exposure work amount. A work management unit, and a light emission amount correction coefficient of each of the fluorescent light emitting elements, which is determined based on a measured density value of a test dot on a test print sheet created by exposing a test dot to a photosensitive material by each of the fluorescent light emitting elements. And a light emission correction unit that stores the light intensity in a correction coefficient table. 2. The fluorescent printer according to claim 1, wherein the work management unit issues a notification urging the update of the light emission amount correction coefficient when the integrated value reaches a predetermined value. 3. The light emission correcting section automatically calculates a light emission amount correction coefficient of each fluorescent light emitting element from a measured density value of each test dot input in a format linked to a corresponding fluorescent light emitting element ID. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein
Or the fluorescent printer according to 2. 4. The fluorescent printer according to claim 1, wherein test dots formed by adjacent fluorescent light emitting elements are exposed at intervals in the sub-scanning direction of the fluorescent print head. 5. A work for accumulating an exposure work amount and storing the integrated value in a fluorescent print head comprising a plurality of fluorescent light emitting elements which emit light by a drive signal generated based on image data for exposing a photosensitive material. A fluorescent print head comprising a management unit.