JP2001010111A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image recording device that realizes always high definition image recording. SOLUTION: A pressing plate 140 for pressing a photosensitive and pressure sensitive paper (trademark) 10 in an image area, and a roller 56 provided in a carriage 55 and sliding over the pressing plate 140 are provided. The pressing plate 140 is arranged rotatably in the F direction and the G direction using a pressing shaft 141 as a rotation shaft. A platen 105 urges a platen plate 106 in the H direction by a platen pressing spring 107. The pressing plate 140 is pressed under pressure of the platen plate 106 to the top face of the roller 56, and holds a cycolor film 10 between the bottom of the platen plate 106 and the top face of the pressing plate 140. The slit plane 66 of an exposure head 60 is arranged, shifted downward by a tiny gap ε against the exposure face of the cycolor film 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a configuration for realizing high-definition image recording when forming an image with a color light source in an image recording apparatus using photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper. In particular, the present invention relates to an image recording apparatus of a cycolor system using cycolor paper (registered trademark of Cycolor INC).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a cycolor image recording apparatus, a cycolor film coated with a cycolor capsule (hereinafter referred to as a cyris) is used as photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, and a color printer as shown in FIG. Is adopted.

Referring to FIG. 8, the structure of a conventional image recording apparatus will be described in detail.

[0004] In FIG. 8, in a color printer main body 20, a psy-color film 10, which is a photosensitive and heat-sensitive paper loaded in a recording paper cassette 30, is conveyed one by one from a paper feed roller 40 while being pressed from a lift plate 31. The paper is supplied (in the direction A in the figure), the leading end of the cycolor film 10 is detected by the paper detection sensor 101, and the sub-scanning roller 70 and the pinch roller 71 feed the step with high precision.

The carriage 50 includes a carriage motor 11
0 is transmitted to the belt 112 via the pulley 111, and the carriage 50 is fixed to the belt 112, so that the carriage 50 reciprocates in the main scanning direction along the two guide rails 90 and 91.

The exposure head 60 mounted on the carriage 50 synchronizes the linear encoder 120 erected on the circuit board 130 with the encoder head 121 at a predetermined resolution while exposing the cyclone film 10 on the platen 100. Is done. After that, heating
While being heated by the heating plate 102 transferred from the pressure fixing unit 80, the pressure is fixed by the pressing ball 81 pressed by the pressing spring 82 in the pressure fixing unit 80 mounted on the carriage 50, and then the discharge roller 75 and the discharging roller 75 are discharged. The paper is discharged in the B direction by the paper pinch roller 76.

[0007] Saicolor film 10 used above
As shown in FIG. G. FIG. The recording layer 11, the transparent PET layer 15, and the white PET layer 16 that develop color in response to B light
It consists of.

The recording layer 11 has a C (cyan) thyrist 14 which cures in response to R light (red light), an M (magenta) thyrist 13 which cures in response to G light (green light), and B light (blue light).
It is composed of three types of Y-type iris 12, which are hardened by reaction, and a developer layer 17 containing them.

When the recording layer 11 is exposed to the corresponding light, the capsule corresponding to the light is cured and does not develop a color even if pressure fixing is performed. Destroys the capsule,
It reacts with the developer contained in the developer layer 17 to form a color.

Next, the configuration of the exposure head 60 mounted on the carriage 50 of the color printer main body 20 will be described with reference to FIG.
I will explain using.

The exposure head 60 has a configuration using bare chip LEDs as R, G, and B light sources.

LEDs are provided on an aluminum substrate 61 having excellent heat radiation at intervals of an integral pitch of a predetermined resolution in the sub-scanning direction.
(R) 62, LED (G) 63, and LED (B) 64 are mounted, and are electrically connected by wire bonding 65. Wire bonding 6 is provided on the upper surface of each LED.
The aperture 67 of the slit plate 66 is formed while securing the space of No. 5.

The aperture 67 is formed by a circular hole having a size capable of obtaining a predetermined resolution (for example, a resolution of 20).
At 0 dpi, the aperture diameter is 130 μm). The bare chip LED is diffused light, and the light emitted from the LED passes through the aperture 67 as shown by the arrow C in FIG.

With the above configuration, exposure is performed with the cycolor film 10 in close contact with the aperture surface.

Next, a conventional exposure method for the carriage 50 on which the exposure head 60 is mounted will be described with reference to an enlarged view of a printing section in FIG.

The cycolor film 10 is transported by the sub-scanning roller 70 and the pinch roller 71 to a position where the carriage 50 faces the exposure head 60. Here, the carriage 50 scans in the main scanning direction while being guided by the guide rails 90 and 91, and the LED in the exposure head is
An image is formed by exposing at a predetermined resolution while synchronizing with the linear encoder 120.

After the exposure, the heat generated by the heater 103 is transferred to the cycolor film 10 via the heating plate 102 to promote the color development reaction. Further, the cycolor film 10 is pressurized by the pressurizing ball 81 of the pressure fixing unit 80, and the uncured thyris capsule is destroyed to develop a color. Finally, the color discharge film 10 is discharged by a discharge roller 75 and a discharge pinch roller 76.

With the above configuration, a conventional image formation has been performed.

[0019]

However, in the configuration of the conventional cycolor image recording apparatus described above, the gap between the platen 100 and the exposure surface of the exposure head 60 mounted on the carriage 50 as shown in FIG. y is a dimension obtained by adding the thickness of the cycolor film 10 and the margin for conveyance. Usually, in consideration of securing the paper passing performance, the gap y needs to be at least 1.0 mm or more.

However, if the above gap is secured, when the color film 10 is close to the platen 100 side, it separates from the aperture 67 in FIG. 9, and the light passing through the aperture 67 is diffused, and the color film 10 1
On the exposure surface of 0, blur occurs and the distance from the light emission becomes longer, so that the light quantity becomes insufficient and the color density is reduced.

When the CYCOLOR film 10 is close to the exposure head 60 side, the carriage 50 scans, so that the slit plate 66 and the transparent PET layer 15 (FIG. 7) of the CYCOLOR film 10 are brought into sliding contact with each other. There has been a problem that the surface of the transparent PET layer is damaged and the quality of the output image is significantly reduced.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology, and has as its object to provide an image recording apparatus which always realizes high-definition image recording. .

[0023]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is directed to a carriage for mounting an exposure head for forming a color image using photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper and moving a printing area. A heating device for promoting a color development reaction of a color image formed on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, and a pressure fixing unit for pressing the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper to form a color, wherein the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper is printed in the printing area. It is characterized by comprising a pressing member for pressing against the platen, and a sliding means provided on the carriage and sliding on the pressing member.

With this arrangement, the exposure is performed in an optimal state by scanning while sliding on the pressing member by the sliding means mounted on the carriage and holding and exposing the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper with the platen and the pressing member. Therefore, a high-definition image without blur can be formed.

Further, since the exposure head mounted on the carriage can be brought as close as possible to the exposure surface of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, the luminous energy can be utilized to the maximum.

Further, since the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper is pressed toward the platen, the carriage does not slide on the upper surface of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper even when scanning, so that the surface is not damaged and the image quality is degraded. Nor.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus of the first aspect, the pressing member presses the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper by the sliding means only when the carriage is in the printing area, and the pressing member is not in the printing area. In some cases, the pressing force is released.

As described above, the pressure is released and the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper is fed in the sub-scanning direction.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the sliding means is constituted by a roller member rotatable in the same direction as the transfer direction of the carriage.

If a roller member is used as the sliding means, the roller member rolls with the movement of the carriage, and the frictional resistance can be reduced.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the sliding means is constituted by a low friction member slidable in the same direction as the moving direction of the carriage. .

If a low friction member is used as the sliding means,
Since the number of components can be reduced as compared with the roller member, cost reduction can be realized.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus of the first aspect, the pressing member is disposed at a position facing the heating means, and the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper is pressed against the heating means. It is characterized by the following.

Since the pressure-sensitive paper and the heating means can be pressed against each other by the pressing member, there is no heat insulating layer for air, and effective promotion of color development reaction of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper can be realized, and power saving can be realized.

[0035]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components as those in the above-described conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals and described.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a cyclone type image recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

This image recording apparatus is equipped with an exposure head 60 for forming a color image using the cycolor film 10 of FIG. 7 described in the conventional example as a photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, and a carriage 55 for moving a printing area. A heating plate 102 and a heating heater 1 as heating means for promoting a color development reaction of a color image formed on the color film 10
03, a pressure fixing unit 80 as a pressure fixing unit that pressurizes the color film 10 to form a color, and a pressing plate 140 as a pressing member that presses the color film 10 in the printing area; And a roller 56 as a sliding means that slides on the pressing plate 140.

That is, in the color printer main body 20,
While pressing the CYCOLOR film 10 loaded in the recording paper cassette 30 from the lift plate 31,
The sheet is conveyed and supplied one sheet at a time from 0 (in the direction D in the drawing), the leading end of the cycolor film 10 is detected by the paper detection sensor 101, and is fed stepwise with high accuracy by the sub-scanning roller 70 and the pinch roller 71.

The carriage 55 includes a carriage motor 11
The drive of “0” is transmitted to the belt 112 via the pulley 111, and the carriage 50 is leap-fixed to the belt 112, so that the carriage 50 reciprocates along the two guide rails 90 and 91 in the main scanning direction.

The exposure head 60 mounted on the carriage 55 synchronizes with the linear encoder 120 erected on the circuit board 130 and the encoder head 121 at a predetermined resolution while synchronizing with the predetermined color on the platen plate 106. Then, while being heated by the heating plate 102 transferred from the heater 103, the pressing spring 8 in the pressure fixing unit 80 mounted on the carriage 55 is exposed.
After the pressure is fixed by the pressure ball 81 pressed by the sheet discharge roller 2, the sheet is discharged by the sheet discharge roller 75 and the sheet discharge pinch roller 76.
The paper is ejected in the direction.

Next, the carriage unit and the pressing unit, which are features of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 2, the carriage 55 is provided with two rollers 56 and two roller shafts 57 rotatable in the main scanning direction, and slides on the lower surface of the pressing plate 140.

The pressing plate 140 is disposed so as to be rotatable in the F direction and the G direction (illustrated) using the pressing shaft 141 as a rotation axis. The platen 105 has a configuration in which the platen plate 106 is urged in an H direction (illustrated) by a platen pressing spring 107.

In the above configuration, the pressing plate 140 is pressed against the upper surface of the roller 56 by the urging force of the platen plate 106, and holds the color film 10 between the lower surface of the platen plate 106 and the upper surface of the pressing plate 140. It is supposed to. Further, the slit surface 66 of the exposure head 60 is arranged to be shifted downward by a small gap ε (illustrated) with respect to the exposure surface of the cycolor film 10 in the above state.

With such a structure, the exposed surface of the CYCOLOR film 10 is vertically arranged on the upper surface of the roller 56 (FIG. 2).
Since the position of (middle) is determined, by determining the vertical position of the slit surface 66 of the exposure head 60 with respect to the upper surface of the roller 56, the minute gap ε can be suppressed to 0.2 mm or less. .

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the portion shown in FIG.

The pressing plate 140 has a pressing shaft 141 as an axis,
The pressing shaft 141 is rotatable in the directions G and G (shown).
The pressing shaft spring 145 located on the same axis as the above is always urged in the G direction. Here, while the carriage 5 is scanning on the color film 10, the roller 56 in the carriage 55 pushes up the pressing plate in the F direction, thereby holding the color film 10 in a predetermined state, and opening the exposure aperture. Aperture 67 formed on slit 66 from 142
More exposure is performed.

The carriage 55 is provided with the color film 1
In a state of being off the upper side, the roller 56 in the carriage 55 is separated from the lower surface of the pressing plate 140 by the roller opening 143, and the pressing plate 140 is rotated in the G direction by the pressing shaft spring 145.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a state in which the carriage 55 is on the color film 10, and FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a state in which the carriage 55 is detached from the color film 10. In the state shown in FIG. 4A, the CYCOLOR film 10 is held by the platen plate 106 and the pressing plate 140,
Exposure is performed by the exposure head 60.

In the state of FIG. 4B, as described above,
The roller 56 is detached from the pressing plate 40 by the roller opening 143, the pressing plate 140 rotates in the F direction, and the holding of the color film 10 is released. Therefore, even if the cycolor film 10 is transported by the sub-scanning roller, the holding of the cycolor film 10 is released, so that the pressing plate 14
Zero does not affect the feeding accuracy.

With the above-described configuration, in the state where the color film 10 is exposed, the exposure is performed while maintaining the optimal state for the exposure, so that a high-definition image without blur can be formed. Further, since the exposure head 60 can be brought close to the exposure surface of the cycolor film 10 as much as possible, the luminous energy can be used to the maximum.

Further, even when the carriage 55 scans, the upper surface of the psy-color film 10 does not slide.
There is no damage to the surface and no deterioration in image quality.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, only differences from the first embodiment will be described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a carriage unit and a pressing unit according to Embodiment 2 of a cycolor image recording apparatus of the present invention.

In the first embodiment, the sliding between the carriage 55 and the pressing plate 140 is constituted by the rollers 56. However, in the second embodiment, the low friction member 150 (for example, Teflon (registered trademark) resin or the like) is attached to the carriage 55. 55, an effect equivalent to that of the first embodiment is obtained. If the low friction member 150 is used as described above, the number of components is smaller than that of the roller 56, so that cost reduction can be realized.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a carriage unit, a pressing unit, and a heating unit according to Embodiment 3 of the cycolor image recording apparatus of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pressing plate 160 is extended to a position facing the heating plate 102, and a portion of the pressure fixing unit 80 facing the pressing ball 81 is formed as a pressure opening 161. Notched. In the state shown in FIG. 6, the cycolor film 10 is
, And the heat generated from the heater 103 is transmitted in the J direction (shown), and is effectively transmitted to the color film 10.

In the conventional configuration, a space for passing paper is required, and an air gap is formed between the heating plate 102 and the cycolor film 10. However, by employing the above configuration, the air There is no heat insulation layer, and effective promotion of the color-forming reaction of the CYCOLOR film 10 can be realized.
Power saving can be realized.

[0059]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it has the following effects.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, scanning is performed by slidingly contacting the pressing member by the sliding means mounted on the carriage.
Exposure can be performed in an optimal state by holding and exposing the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper with a platen and a pressing plate, so that a high-definition image without blur can be formed.
Further, since the exposure head mounted on the carriage can be brought as close as possible to the exposure surface of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, the luminous energy can be used to the maximum.

Further, since the carriage does not slide on the upper surface of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, the surface is not damaged and the image quality is not deteriorated.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the pressing member presses the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper by the sliding means only when the carriage is in the printing area, and the pressing member is not in the printing area. In some cases, the pressing force is released.

As described above, the pressing force is released, and the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper is fed in the sub-scanning direction.

Further, when the roller member is used as the sliding means for contacting the upper surface of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, the roller member rolls with the movement of the carriage, thereby reducing the frictional resistance. Can be.

Further, by using a low friction member as the sliding means as described in claim 4, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the roller member, so that cost reduction can be realized.

[0066] Further, in the fifth aspect,
Since the pressing member can press the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper against the heating means, there is no air heat insulation layer, and effective color development of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper can be promoted, and power consumption can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a cycolor image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a carriage unit and a pressing unit of the image recording apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a carriage unit and a pressing unit of the image recording apparatus of FIG.

4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating an operation of a pressing plate by movement of a carriage of the image recording apparatus of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 4A illustrates a state where the carriage is in a printing area, and FIG. 4B illustrates a state where the carriage is out of a printing area. It is.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a carriage unit and a pressing unit of a cycolor image recording apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a carriage unit, a pressing unit, and a heating unit of a cycolor image recording apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a cycolor film used in a cycolor image recording apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional cycolor image recording apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a conventional exposure head.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a carriage unit and its periphery of a conventional cycolor image recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10. 10. Psycolor film (photosensitive paper) Recording layer 12. Y thyris 13. M thyris 14. C thyris 15. PET layer 16. White PET layer 17. Developer layer 20. Main body 30. Recording paper cassette 31. Lift plate 40. Paper feed roller 55. Carriage 56. Roller (sliding means) Roller shaft 60. Photosensitive head 61. Aluminum substrate 62. LED (R) 63. LED (G) 64. LED (B) 65. Wire bonding 66. Slit plate 67. Aperture 70. Sub-scan roller 71. Pinch roller 75. Discharge roller 76. Discharge pinch roller 80. Pressure fixing section 81. Pressed ball 82. Pressure spring 90. Guide rail 1 91. Guide rail 2 101. Paper detection sensor 102. Heating plate 103. Heater 105. Platen 106. Platen plate 107. Platen pressure spring 110. Carriage motor 111. Pulley 112. Belt 120. Linear encoder 121. Encoder head 130. Circuit board 140. Press plate 141. Pressing shaft 142. Opening for exposure 143. Roller hole 145. Pressed pongee spring 150. Low friction member (Embodiment 2) 160. Press plate (Embodiment 3) 161. Opening for pressurization

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A carriage mounted with an exposure head for forming a color image using a photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper and moving a printing area, and promoting a color development reaction of a color image formed on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper (registered trademark). And a pressure fixing unit that pressurizes the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper to form a color by pressurizing the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, wherein a pressing member that presses the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper against a platen in the printing area; An image recording apparatus comprising: a sliding unit that slides on the pressing member. 2. The pressure member is configured to press the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper by the sliding means only when the carriage is in the printing area, and to release the pressing force when the carriage is not in the printing area. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1. 3. An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sliding means comprises a roller member rotatable in the same direction as the moving direction of said carriage. 4. An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sliding means comprises a low-friction member slidable in the same direction as the moving direction of said carriage. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressing member is disposed at a position facing said heating means, and is configured to press photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper against said heating means. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1.