JP2000335046A - Printer mounting exposing head - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To dissipate heat generated from a semiconductor light source efficiently by cooling (air cooling) a substrate mounting a plurality of semiconductor light sources efficiently. SOLUTION: An exposing head 10 comprises an aluminum substrate 12 mounting a plurality of LED bare chips 11 being irradiated with exposing light, and a head carriage 13 moving in the main scanning direction X while carrying the aluminum substrate 12 wherein the head carriage 13 has a through vent 131 in the main scanning direction X, and a hole 132 extending to the contact face with the aluminum substrate while communicating with the vent 131. The head carriage 13 is also provided, in the center of the vent 131, with a protrusion 133 for directing air flow F from the vent toward the aluminum substrate 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cycolor printer, and more particularly, to a heat radiation structure of an exposure head for forming an image on photosensitive paper such as cycolor media.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one of methods for producing a color photograph or a color print, a method of exposing a photosensitive paper to form an image such as a picture or a character is known. As photosensitive paper, photosensitive paper called Cycolor media (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “media”) has been developed (see, for example, JP-A-10-76706).

[0003] Saicolor media uses three types (cyan, magenta, and yellow) of microcapsules (silis) each containing a different color-forming substance and a photoinitiator as a photosensitive material. This cycolor media has a support made of thin polyester or the like coated with a layer of photosensitive material provided with a myriad of very small thyris. After activating only the thyristor, it is possible to form an image of a predetermined color by crushing by applying pressure and developing.

[0004] The operation (coloring principle) when color printing is performed by a printing apparatus (saicolor printer) on this sicolor medium will be briefly described below. First,
Exposure light having a wavelength matching the image to be formed is applied to the CYCOLOR medium using an exposure head. By this exposure light, the iris containing a color-forming substance (Lucody) that has a complementary color with the wavelength of the exposure light is hardened,
The luco die contained inside the thyris is deactivated. For example, assume that the exposure light is red light. In this case, since the complementary color of the red light is cyan light, the cyris including the cyan lukodai (hereinafter referred to as “cyan thyris”) are inactivated.

The area exposed by the exposure head is fed by a paper feed roller in the paper feed direction (sub-scanning direction), and the next area is fed to the exposure head by paper. On the other hand, in the exposed area, the iris is pressurized by the developing ball moved in the main scanning direction by the carriage together with the exposure head. The active thyris (magenta thyris and yellow thyris) other than those inactivated by the exposure light (red light) are crushed when pressed by a developing ball, and an image receiving layer in which a luco die is formed of transparent polyester. And a chemical reaction occurs to develop a desired color (red). Also,
In order to promote this color development, a heater is used to heat the psy-color medium so that the printing apparatus can output a printed psy-color medium in a state where color development is substantially completed.

It can be easily understood from the above-described principle of color development that when the exposure light is red light and green light, the color develops into yellow (yellow).

Referring to FIG. 2, a conventional exposure head 2 used in such a cycolor printer will be described.
The structure of 0 will be described.

The conventional exposure head 20 includes a plurality of LEs.
An aluminum substrate 22 on which a D bear chip 21 is mounted, and an aluminum substrate 22 on which the aluminum substrate 22 is mounted. The aluminum substrate 22 is moved along a guide rail (shaft) 30 in a main scanning direction indicated by an arrow X in the figure. Head carriage 23
And That is, the exposure head 20 is
The photosensitive paper (cycloid medium) is moved in the main scanning direction by a head feeding device (not shown). The head carriage 23 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is made of resin. Each LED bare chip 21 is mounted on an aluminum substrate 22 by die bonding, and its size is about 0.3 mm □.

As shown in FIG. 2, a flexible printed cable (FPC) 24 is joined to the aluminum substrate 22, and the aluminum substrate 22 is fixed on the head carriage 23 integrally with the aperture 25. The aperture 25 is provided with a plurality of apertures 25a at positions corresponding to the plurality of LED bare chips 21, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of LED bare chips 21 as semiconductor light sources are mounted on an aluminum substrate 22.
It is regularly arranged on the top. Exposure head 2 of this example
0 indicates that color printing can be performed on a psy-color medium (not shown). Therefore, multiple LEDs
The bare chips 21 are classified into three types. One is a red (R) LED bare chip and the other is
One is a green (G) LED bare chip, and the last one is a blue (B) LED bare chip.

In any case, the conventional exposure head 20 is an aluminum substrate 22 on which a plurality of LED bare chips 21 are mounted.
Has a structure mounted on a substantially rectangular parallelepiped head carriage 23.

[0012]

In the exposure head 20 having the above-described structure, a current is supplied to each LED bare chip 21 via the FPC 24 in order to emit exposure light from each LED bare chip 21. As a result, each LED bare chip 21 emits light. At this time, heat is also generated from each LED bare chip 21. Under the influence of the generated heat, it is difficult to increase the intensity of the exposure light emitted from each LED bare chip 21 too much.

In order to increase the intensity of the exposure light, the aluminum substrate 22 on which the LED bare chip 21 is mounted may be cooled. However, with the structure of the conventional exposure head 20, it is difficult to efficiently cool the aluminum substrate 22. This is because the aluminum substrate 22 is mounted on the head carriage 23 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is covered with the aperture 25.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer equipped with an exposure head, which can efficiently cool (air-cool) a substrate on which a plurality of semiconductor light sources are mounted.

[0015]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventor has conducted various studies on what kind of structure should be adopted in order to efficiently cool a substrate on which a plurality of semiconductor light sources are mounted. . During this study, the inventor paid attention to the fact that the exposure head moves in the main scanning direction during printing. In addition, while the exposure head is moving in the main scanning direction, a current is supplied to the semiconductor light source mounted on the substrate, and the exposure light is emitted from the semiconductor light source. Also occurs. Therefore, the present inventor has come to the conclusion that the structure should be such that the substrate can be efficiently cooled (air-cooled) while moving in the main scanning direction.

That is, according to the present invention, there is provided an exposure head which is capable of irradiating exposure light to form an image on photosensitive paper and is movable in the main scanning direction of the photosensitive paper. In an exposure head including a substrate on which a plurality of possible semiconductor light sources are arranged, and a head carriage for mounting the substrate and moving the substrate in the main scanning direction,
A printer equipped with an exposure head, wherein a vent hole penetrating in the main scanning direction and a hole communicating with the vent hole and reaching a contact surface with the substrate are formed in the head carriage. Is obtained.

In the printer equipped with the exposure head, the head carriage preferably has a projection at the center of the ventilation hole for controlling the flow of the air passing through the ventilation hole to the substrate. .

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, the structure of an exposure head 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 1A is an exploded perspective view, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view.

The exposure head 10 shown in the figure has an aluminum substrate 12 on which a plurality of LED bare chips 11 as semiconductor light sources are mounted, and the aluminum substrate 12 is mounted thereon. And a head carriage 23 for moving in the main scanning direction indicated by arrow X in FIG. That is, the exposure head 10 is moved by a head feeding device (not shown).
It is moved in the main scanning direction of the photosensitive paper (cyclone media). The head carriage 13 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is made of resin. Each LED bare chip 11 is mounted on an aluminum substrate 12 by die bonding, and its size is about 0.3 mm □.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, the aluminum substrate 1
2, a flexible printed cable (FPC) 24 (FIG. 2) is joined thereto, and the aluminum substrate 12 is fixed on the head carriage 13 integrally with the aperture 25 (FIG. 2). .

The head carriage 13 has a main scanning direction X
And a hole 132 communicating with the air hole 131 and reaching the contact surface with the aluminum substrate 12 is formed. Further, the head carriage 13 controls the flow of the air that has passed through the vent hole 131 at the center of the vent hole 131 so as to direct the air flow toward the aluminum substrate 12 as indicated by an arrow F in FIG. The projection 133 has a substantially triangular shape.

In such a structure, the exposure head 1
0 is a main scanning direction X by a head feeder (not shown).
When the air moves into the hole 132, the air entering through the air hole 131 with this movement flows upward by the projection 133, and
, The aluminum substrate 12 can be directly applied. That is, the aluminum substrate 12 can be air-cooled. Thus, heat generated by the LED bare chip 11 mounted on the aluminum substrate 12 can be efficiently radiated.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, the present invention is, of course, not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, the aluminum substrate 12 is used as the substrate, but other substrates may be used. Further, in the above embodiment, the LED bare chip 12 is used as the semiconductor light source, but it goes without saying that another semiconductor light source may be used. Further, in the above embodiment, the ventilation holes 131
The projection 133 is provided at the center of the
33 is not required. That is, since the projections 133 are for improving the efficiency of air cooling of the aluminum substrate 12, the projections 133 may be omitted if the efficiency may be slightly reduced.

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a ventilation hole penetrating in the main scanning direction, a ventilation hole penetrating in the main scanning direction, and a head carriage on which a substrate on which a plurality of semiconductor light sources are mounted are mounted. Since the communication hole and the hole reaching the contact surface with the substrate are formed, the substrate can be air-cooled when the exposure head moves in the main scanning direction. Thus, there is an effect that heat generated by the semiconductor light source mounted on the substrate can be efficiently radiated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view (A) and a sectional view (B) showing a structure of an exposure head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a conventional exposure head.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Exposure head 11 LED bare chip (semiconductor light source) 12 Aluminum substrate 13 Head carriage 131 Vent hole 132 Hole 133 Projection

Continued on front page F-term (reference) 2C061 AQ03 AR01 AS11 BB27 CN03 CN07 CN13 2C162 AE12 AE24 AE28 AE48 AE52 AE96 AF06 FA04 FA17 FA34 FA64 5C051 AA02 CA08 DA06 DB02 DB04 DB05 DB29 DB34 DC05 DC07 DE09

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An exposure head capable of irradiating exposure light to form an image on photosensitive paper and movable in a main scanning direction of the photosensitive paper, wherein the plurality of exposure heads are capable of irradiating the exposure light. The exposure head comprising: a substrate on which the semiconductor light source is disposed; and a head carriage for mounting the substrate and moving the substrate in the main scanning direction. And a hole that communicates with the air hole and reaches a contact surface with the substrate. 2. The head carriage according to claim 1, further comprising a projection at a central portion of the air hole, the protrusion controlling air flowing through the air hole to be directed to the substrate.
A printer equipped with the exposure head according to 1.