JP2001075260A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make loadable a processing sheet from a cassette loaded on an image forming device onto a heating drum. SOLUTION: The processing sheets 70 and 72 inside the cassettes 74 and 76 loaded inside an image forming device main body 52 are loaded in a using state in which they are wound on the heating drum 54 by a loading mechanism. A device is simply constituted and is miniaturized by excluding a sticking roller to wind the processing sheets 70 and 72 on the heating drum 54 and a peeling roller from the cassettes 74 and 76, so that it is inexpensively manufactured. Plural miniaturized cassettes 74 and 76 are loaded at the inside of the image forming device main body 52, so that the plural kinds of processing are executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for developing a photosensitive material in a dry manner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, instead of a wet developing system in which a photosensitive material such as an exposed photographic film is sequentially immersed in a developing solution, a fixing solution, washing water and the like to make a latent image recorded on the photosensitive material visible, a dry system is used. Incorporating the development system and simply developing the exposed photosensitive material to form an image,
In order to further improve the maintainability, the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIGS.
No. 120609 (JP-A-9-304906).

In this image forming apparatus, the exposed photographic film stored in the patrone is heated by superimposing it on a processing sheet and winding it around a heating drum.

For this reason, the image forming apparatus main body 10 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is provided with a patrone loading section 14 in which a patrone 12 containing an exposed photographic film 11 as a material to be processed is loaded. ing.

The photographic film 11 pulled out from the patrone 12 loaded in the patrone loading section 14 is transported on a transport path and is applied to a processing liquid application section 16 for applying a diffusion aid (water).
Transported to

In the processing liquid application section 16, the supply roller 18 feeds the photographic film 11 into water filled in a slit having a U-shaped cross section, and applies water by so-called rubbing.
Excess water is removed by the squeeze roller 20 at the exit of the slit, and is sent to the bonding roller 24 located on the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 22. This bonding roller 24
Are mounted on the processing member cassette 26 loaded in the image forming apparatus main body 10.

The processing member cassette 26 is formed in a box shape having an inverted U-shaped side surface. This processing member cassette 26
Are removably mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 10 by being slidably supported from a pull-out position to a mounting position by slide holding portions 28 provided at upper and lower portions in the image forming apparatus main body 10, respectively. You.

Inside the processing member cassette 26, a processing member roll 32, a bonding roller 24, a peeling roller 34, and a winding roller 36 are arranged. A processing sheet 30 as a processing member having a layer containing a mordant for developing the photographic film 11 on a support is wound around the processing member roll 32 in a roll shape.

Inside the processing member cassette 26, a processing sheet 30 drawn from the processing member roll 32 is set so as to be wound around the peeling roller 34 from the bonding roller 24 and further wound up by the winding roller 36. A predetermined transport path is provided.

The processing member cassette 26 is set to be wound around the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 22 from the bonding roller 24 to the peeling roller 34 in a state where the processing member cassette 26 is mounted at a predetermined position inside the image forming apparatus main body 10. Is done.

The photographic film 11 is applied with water in the processing liquid application section 16 and sent to the bonding roller 24.
Is sandwiched between the processing sheet 30 on the bonding roller 24 and the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 22. In this state, the heating drum 22 is driven to rotate by a drive system (not shown), and the halogen lamp in the heating drum 22 is turned on to raise the temperature, so that the photographic film 11 is placed on the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 22. The heating is performed while the processing sheet 30 is bonded and conveyed to perform a thermal phenomenon treatment.

In this thermal phenomenon treatment, when the photographic film 11 is heated in a state of being superimposed on the processing sheet 30, the diffusible dye is released or diffused imagewise from the coloring material contained in the photographic film 11, and Some or all of the dyes are removed from the photographic film 11,
This is performed by forming at least three color images on the top.

When the thermal phenomena processing is completed, the photographic film 11 reaches the peeling claw 38, is peeled off from the heating drum 22, and is carried out from the outlet. At the same time, the used processing sheet 30 is peeled off by the peeling roller 34 and then wound up by the winding roller 36.

The photographic film 11 subjected to the heat development processing as described above digitally reads an image recorded on the photographic film 11 by a digital image reader (not shown) or the like. Then, by inputting the read image data to a digital printer or the like, the photographic film 11 is read.
To obtain a photographic print of each frame image.

[0015]

In the above-described image forming apparatus, the laminating roller 24 for pressing and attaching the photographic film 11 to the single heating drum 22 via the processing sheet 30 and the processing sheet 30 are pulled. Peeling roller 3 to peel off
4 are disposed in the processing member cassette 26. Therefore, the processing member cassette 26 has a large number of parts, a complicated structure, a large size, and is expensive.

Further, the photographic film 11 is
The development of an image forming apparatus that performs development and fixing processing by heating at a high speed is progressing. However, as described above, a large processing member cassette 26 for development that occupies a space around a half circumference of the heating drum 22 and a large processing member cassette 26 for fixing having the same shape Therefore, it is difficult to construct an image forming apparatus that uses a plurality of large processing member cassettes 26 and heats them with a single heating drum 22 to perform development and fixing processing.

In consideration of the above facts, the present invention makes it possible to use a cassette containing simple and small processing sheets, and furthermore, heats with a single heating drum using a plurality of cassettes containing simple and small processing sheets. It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of executing a plurality of processes.

[0018]

The image forming apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention heats the photosensitive drum and the processing sheet in a state where the photosensitive material and the processing sheet are wound around a heating drum mounted to be driven to rotate. In an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a photosensitive material by processing, a cassette that is detachably mounted near a heating drum and stores processing sheets,
And a loading mechanism for loading the processing sheet in a standby state in the cassette so as to be set in a use state wound around a heating drum, or performing an unloading operation in the opposite direction.

With the above-described configuration, it is not necessary to provide a laminating roller or a peeling roller for winding the processing sheet around the heating drum in the cassette, so that the cassette for storing the processing sheet is simply configured. Can be downsized. When performing a plurality of processes using a plurality of processing sheets in the image forming apparatus, a plurality of miniaturized cassettes are loaded into the image forming apparatus main body, and each processing sheet is loaded from the plurality of cassettes into a single unit by a loading mechanism. A plurality of processings can be executed by winding around a heating drum and setting it in a use state, and heating with the heating drum.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the photosensitive material and the processing sheet are heat-treated in a state where the photosensitive material and the processing sheet are bonded and wound around a heating drum which is mounted to be driven to rotate. 2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a material, a cassette that is detachably mounted near a heating drum and stores processing sheets and a processing sheet in a standby state in the cassette are pulled out using a bonding roller, and the heating drum is drawn. The laminating roller is stopped at a position where the laminating roller moves along the tangential direction at a position where the laminating roller is pressed, and the processing sheet is loaded so as to be set in a use state wound around a heating drum, or And a loading mechanism for performing a reverse unloading operation.

With the above construction, in addition to the functions and effects of the first aspect of the present invention, even if the stop position of the laminating roller is slightly shifted at the time of completion of the loading operation, the center of the heating drum is shifted. Since the distance from the stop position of the bonding roller does not change much, the fluctuation of the pressing force for pressing the bonding roller against the heating drum can be reduced.

In the image forming apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the photosensitive material and the processing sheet are bonded to and wound around a heating drum which is mounted to be rotatably driven, so that the photosensitive drum is heated. 2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a material, a cassette which is removably mounted near a heating drum and stores processing sheets, and a laminating roller which is disposed on an operation member for moving the processing sheets in the cassette. At the position where the laminating roller is pressed against the heating drum while being pulled out, stop at a position where it moves along the tangential direction and load the processing sheet so that the processing sheet is set in a use state wound around the heating drum, or vice versa. A loading mechanism for performing the unloading operation, and a laminating roller when the operating member reaches the loading position. Ri is disposed radially outward near the heating drum, combined roller attached in pressure contact with the operating member and having a holding member which 支受 the reaction force of the force that presses the heating drum.

With the above-described structure, in addition to the functions and effects of the first and second aspects of the present invention, the loading mechanism can also use the loading mechanism to react the force of the laminating roller pressing the heating drum. Since the portion for guiding the loading operation is not required, the structure of the loading mechanism can be simplified and the loading operation can be made smoother because the configuration of the loading mechanism is not a strengthened structure.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus which heats an outer peripheral surface thereof and is detachably mounted near a heating drum mounted to be rotatably driven, and is provided for developing. A cassette containing processing sheets,
A processing mechanism for developing the processing sheet in the cassette, a loading mechanism for winding the processing sheet around a heating drum using a bonding roller and a peeling roller, and a detachable loading near the heating drum;
A cassette containing processing sheets for fixing, and a loading mechanism for winding the processing sheets for fixing in the cassette around a heating drum using a bonding roller and a peeling roller; Photosensitive material that came
The sheet is transported by the rotation of the heating drum, and a processing sheet for development is adhered to the photosensitive material and heated while being transported together to perform development processing. A processing sheet for fixing is adhered to the developed photosensitive material and integrated. And heating to carry out the fixing process.

With the above-described configuration, two simple and miniaturized cassettes can be arranged around a single heating drum, so that the configuration of the image forming apparatus main body for performing development and fixing can be simplified. Since the processing sheet for development and the processing sheet for fixing used in the image forming apparatus main body are stored in the respective cassettes, their handling can be facilitated.

[0026]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration inside an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, this image forming apparatus is configured as a dry developing apparatus for a photographic film 50 as a photosensitive material. Inside the image forming apparatus main body 52,
A processing unit 56 for developing and fixing the photographic film 50 by a single heating drum 54 and a reading scanner unit 58 for digitally reading an image recorded on the developed photographic film 50 are arranged.

The photographic film 50, which is a photosensitive material processed by this image forming apparatus, is a so-called color material-containing photothermographic material, and has at least photosensitive silver halide, a binder, and It has at least three types of photosensitive layers containing a coloring material having a function of releasing or diffusing a coloring matter, and having different photosensitive wavelength regions and different hues after development processing of the coloring material.

The photographic film 50, which is a photosensitive material, contains at least a photosensitive silver halide, a binder, and a dye-donating coupler on a support, and has a photosensitive wavelength region and a dye formed from the dye-donating coupler. Of course, a coupler-containing photothermographic material having at least three types of photosensitive layers having different hues may be used.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus main body 52
A patrone 60 containing a photographic film 50 on which an image serving as a photosensitive material is recorded (a photographic film photographed by a camera or the like) is loaded into a processing unit 56 provided therein.

In the processing section 56, the loaded cartridge 6
The photographic film 50 is pulled out from the position 0, and is conveyed by a conveying roller (not shown) to the side of the coating device 62 as a processing liquid coating unit.

A photographic film detection sensor 64 for detecting the presence or absence of the photographic film 50 is provided at a predetermined position between the patrone 60 and the transporting path from the coating device 62. The photographic film detection sensor 64 detects the presence or absence of the photographic film 50 sent along the transport path, sends a detection signal to a control device (not shown),
0 processing operation.

The coating apparatus 62 has a slit having a U-shaped cross section and a diffusion aid as a processing liquid (water is used in the present embodiment).
The supply roller 66 is attached to the entrance of the slit, and the squeeze roller 68 is attached to the exit of the slit.

In the coating device 62, the photographic film 50 is fed by the supply roller 66 into water filled in a slit having a U-shaped cross section, and water is applied by so-called rubbing.
The excess water is removed by a squeeze roller 68 at the exit of the slit, and then sent to the heating drum 54.

The heating drum 54 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a heater such as an electric heating lamp (not shown) is mounted inside the heating drum 54 to heat the outer peripheral surface uniformly.
Further, it is mounted so as to be rotated by a rotation driving device (not shown).

The heating drum 54 includes a photographic film 50
The photographic film 50 is conveyed by rotating the heating drum 54 in a state where is wound around the outer peripheral surface for heating. At the same time, the heating drum 54 performs development processing by heating the photographic film 50 wrapped around the outer peripheral surface thereof while the processing sheet 70 is wrapped around the photographic film 50, and then wraps the processing sheet 72 for fixing. The fixing process is performed by heating in a state of being hung.

The processing sheet 70 for development is a sheet having a support provided with a layer containing a mordant for developing the photographic film 50. The fixing processing sheet 72 is configured as a sheet provided with a layer containing a chemical for fixing the photographic film 50 on a support.

The image forming apparatus main body 52 utilizes a processing sheet 70 for development and a processing sheet 72 for fixing stored in cassettes 74 and 76, respectively. In the image forming apparatus main body 52, with the cassettes 74 and 76 loaded in the respective predetermined positions in the image forming apparatus main body 52, the processing sheets 70 for development and the processing sheets for fixing are respectively loaded by the corresponding loading mechanisms. 72 is loaded or unloaded on the heating drum 54 side.

Each of the cassettes 74 and 76 has a supply reel 78 in which a corresponding processing sheet 70 and 72 is wound, and a corresponding used processing sheet 7
A take-up reel 80 for winding 0 and 72 is mounted on the shaft.

Each of the cassettes 74 and 76 is configured such that the path of each processing sheet 70 and 72 from the supply reel 78 to the take-up reel 80 inside the cassette 74 and 76 is shifted toward the sheet drawing side of each cassette 74 and 76. Set to
A space is provided on the back side of each of the processing sheets 70 and 72 so that an operation member of each loading mechanism can be inserted.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, in the loading mechanism for the processing sheet 70 for development in the developing section, the operating member 84 slides on the arc-shaped guide rail 82 attached to the fixed member. Mounted movably. The operation member 84 has an arc-shaped body portion 86 and a substantially triangular support plate portion 88 integrally formed at the distal end thereof.

A bonding roller 90 is mounted on the support plate 88 at the tip end of the body 86 so as to be able to elastically press against the heating drum 54. The laminating roller 90 rotatably supports shafts extended at both ends of the roller with respective bearing members 92, and supports a predetermined portion of each bearing member 92 eccentric from the roller shaft with a supporting plate portion. It is attached to a shaft 88.

Further, a tension coil spring 96 is provided between the end of the arm 94 bent and extended from the bearing member 92 and a predetermined portion of the support plate 88, and the bonding roller 90 is pressed against the heating drum 54. It is urged to rotate by a predetermined angle in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

Further, in this loading mechanism, when the operation member 84 is moved along the arcuate guide rail 82 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. It is configured to move in a tangential direction with respect to a position pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral surface 54.

With this configuration, the bonding roller 90 moved together with the operating member 84 is
4. The position of the heating drum 54 with respect to the outer peripheral surface, even if the position where the pressing is stopped by pressing against the outer peripheral surface is slightly shifted in the direction along the outer peripheral surface.
Lamination roller 9 because there is little variation in (radial position)
0 can be stably pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 with a predetermined pressure force having a small error.

A holding roller 98 is mounted on a predetermined position of a fixing member in the image forming apparatus main body 52 (not shown), and an operating member 84 connects the laminating roller 90 to the heating drum 5.
The holding roller 98 is configured to be in rolling contact with the tip side of the body portion 86 when the holding roller 98 is moved to a position where the holding roller 98 is pressed against the holding member 98.

As shown in FIG. 3, the holding roller 98 is formed in a so-called drum shape, and its thin shaft portion has a body portion 86.
Are held in contact with each other, and the body portion 86 is held by the flange-shaped portions formed on both sides of the thin shaft portion of the holding roller 98 so as not to come off from the thin shaft portion.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
Is disposed radially outward with respect to a position where the bonding roller 90 moved together with the operation member 84 is pressed against the heating drum 54 and stopped.

Accordingly, the holding roller 98 receives a reaction force when the bonding roller 90 presses the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 so as to press strongly, so that a load is not applied to the guide rail 82 and the body 86. it can.

For this reason, since the portions of the guide rail 82 and the trunk portion 86 do not need to be reinforced, the configuration can be reduced in weight, and the operation between the guide rail 82 and the trunk portion 86 can be made smooth.

For example, when the bonding roller 90 is to be pressed against the heating drum 54 by moving the bonding roller 90 in the radial direction of the heating drum 54,
The moving force of the laminating roller 90 must be as large as the force when the laminating roller 90 presses the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 so as to press strongly. If the position where the bonding roller 90 is pressed against the heating drum 54 is slightly shifted in the radial direction of the heating drum 54, the bonding roller 9
In this case, the pressing force applied to the 0 heating drum 54 greatly varies.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the holding roller 98 receives a reaction force when the bonding roller 90 is pressed against the heating drum 54, the bonding roller 90 is moved in a tangential direction to the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54. The force for moving can be made relatively weak. Further, even if there is a slight error in the position when the operation member 84 is stopped to move the bonding roller 90 so as to press the bonding roller 90 against the heating drum 54, the pressing force of the bonding roller 90 to the heating drum 54 has almost no effect. The operation control of the operation member 84 does not need to be so strict.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the support plate 8
A peeling roller 100 is axially mounted on the free end of the roller 8. The peeling roller 100 is configured to peel off only the processing sheet 70 for development further wound on the photographic film 50 wound on the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54.

The loading mechanism for the processing sheet 70 for development configured as described above includes a heating drum 54 as shown by a solid line in FIG. 1 (as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 2).
When the operation member 84 is at the standby position away from the cassette 74, the cassette 74 is loaded into or removed from the image forming apparatus main body 52. At the time of this loading, the bonding roller 9 of the operation member 84
0 and the peeling roller 100 face the back side of the path of the processing sheet for development 70 in the cassette 74.

Next, when performing the thermal development processing, the operating member 8 of the loading mechanism is driven by a driving mechanism (not shown).
4 is moved in the direction of arrow B and the position indicated by the imaginary line in FIG.
In the position indicated by the solid line). When unloading, the operation member 84 may be operated in the opposite manner to the above.

In this use state, the laminating roller 90 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 by the urging force of the tension coil spring 96 via the processing sheet for development, and the peeling roller 100 also operates the operating member 84. The applied force causes the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 to be pressed relatively weakly via the processing sheet 70 for development. Further, the processing sheet for development 70 stretched between the laminating roller 90 and the peeling roller 100 is stretched on the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54.

In this use state, the heating drum 54 is driven to rotate, whereby the processing sheet 70 for development stretched over the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 is pulled out from the supply reel 78 and taken up on the take-up reel 80. Transported to be

In the above-described use condition, the photographic film 50 which has been coated with water by the coating device 62 and conveyed is processed by the processing sheet 70 for development wound around the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 and the bonding roller 90. And is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 so as to be sandwiched between them. That is, the photographic film 50 is pressed and adhered onto the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 by the laminating roller 90, and the processing sheet 70 for development is pressed thereon and adhered thereto.

The photographic film 50 and the processing sheet 70 for development adhered to each other on the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 move between the laminating roller 90 and the peeling roller 100 with the rotation of the heating drum 54. While being transported, it is subjected to thermal development processing.

Next, after the heat development process is completed, the release roller 100
The used processing sheet 70 conveyed to the separation roller 1
00, the film is peeled off from the photographic film 50 and wound on a take-up reel 80. Further, the photographic film 50 that has been subjected to the heat development processing is transported while being adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54, and is transported to the next fixing processing unit side.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the loading mechanism for the fixing processing sheet 72 in the fixing processing section,
Linear guide rail 104 attached to a fixed member
The operation member 106 is slidably mounted. The operation member 106 has a substantially triangular shape as a whole, and has a sliding portion 108 configured to slide on a guide rail 104 formed so as to cross an intermediate portion thereof.

At one end of the operating member 106, a bonding roller 110 is mounted so as to be able to elastically press against the heating drum 54. This laminating roller 1
10 has the same configuration as the laminating roller 90 described above.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a tension coil spring 96 is provided between the end of the arm 94 extending from the bearing member 92 of the laminating roller 110 and a predetermined portion of the operating member 106. Is biased so as to rotate by a predetermined angle in a direction in which it is pressed against the heating drum 54.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, in the loading mechanism, when the operation member 106 is moved in the direction of arrow C along the linear guide rail 104 and pressed against the heating drum 54, the bonding roller 110 Is heating drum 5
4 is configured to move in a tangential direction to the outer peripheral surface. That is, the guide rail 104 is configured to be parallel to a tangent line at a position where the bonding roller 110 contacts the heating drum 54.

With this configuration, even if the position at which the laminating roller 110 moved with the operation member 106 comes into pressure contact with the heating drum 54 and stops there is slightly shifted in the direction along the outer peripheral surface, the outer periphery of the heating drum 54 Since there is little variation in the height position (radial position) with respect to the surface, the bonding roller 110 can be stably pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 with a predetermined pressure force having a small error.

The holding roller 112 is pivotally mounted on a predetermined position of a fixing member (not shown) in the image forming apparatus main body 52, and the operation is performed when the operating member 106 moves to a position where the bonding roller 110 is pressed against the heating drum 54. Member 106
The holding roller 112 is configured to be in rolling contact with one of the front end sides.

The holding roller 112 has the same configuration as the holding roller 98 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the holding roller 11
2 is a laminating roller 1 that has moved together with the operating member 106.
Numeral 10 is disposed radially outward with respect to a position where the heating drum 10 is pressed against the heating drum 54 and stopped.

Therefore, the holding roller 112 receives a reaction force when the bonding roller 110 presses the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 so as to press strongly, so that a load is not applied to the guide rail 104 and the sliding portion 108. Can be.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a peeling roller 114 is mounted on the other free end of the operating member 106. The peeling roller 114 is configured to peel off only the fixing processing sheet 72 further wound on the photographic film 50 wound on the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54.

The loading mechanism for the fixing processing sheet 72 configured as described above, as shown by a solid line in FIG. It is loaded into or removed from the image forming apparatus main body 52. At the time of loading, the bonding roller 110 and the peeling roller 114 of the operation member 106 face the back side of the path of the fixing processing sheet 72 in the cassette 76.

Next, when the fixing process is performed by heating, the operating member 106 of the loading mechanism is moved in the direction of arrow C by a drive mechanism (not shown) to move it to the position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. (The roller 110 portion is shown by a solid line.)
Use condition set to.

In this use state, the bonding roller 110
Is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 by the urging force of the tension coil spring 96 via the fixing processing sheet 72, and the peeling roller 114 also moves the fixing processing sheet 72 by the force of operating the operation member 106. The pressure is relatively weakly pressed to the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 via the heating drum 54. Further, the fixing processing sheet 72 stretched between the laminating roller 110 and the peeling roller 114 is stretched on the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54.

In this use state, the heating drum 54 is driven to rotate, whereby the fixing processing sheet 72 stretched over the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 is pulled out from the supply reel 78 and taken up on the take-up reel 80. Transported to be

In the above-mentioned use condition, the photographic film 50 which has been conveyed while being adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 after the heat development processing is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 and the bonding roller 110. The heating drum 54 is conveyed on the outer peripheral surface thereof so as to be sandwiched between the fixing processing sheet 72 mounted thereon. That is, the fixing processing sheet 72 is pressed onto the photographic film 50 bonded on the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 by the bonding roller 110 and bonded.

The photographic film 50 and the fixing processing sheet 72 adhered to each other on the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 move between the laminating roller 110 and the peeling roller 114 with the rotation of the heating drum 54. The heat fixing process is performed during the conveyance.

Next, after the heat fixing process is completed, the release roller 11
The used processing sheet 72 conveyed to 4 is peeled off from the photographic film 50 by the peeling roller 114 and taken up on the take-up reel 80. Further, the photographic film 50 that has completed the heat fixing process is peeled off from the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 by a peeling claw (not shown) on the downstream side in the transport direction from the peeling roller 114, sent to the drying unit 116, and dried. The document is conveyed to the reading scanner unit 58.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the reading scanner section 58, the light emitted from the light source 120 is transmitted through the condenser 122 to the photographic film 50 conveyed to the conveying section 118 of the photographic film 50. Lens 1
At 24, the light is focused on the CCD 126, and the image is converted into a digital signal and read.

Next, the operation and operation of the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment will be described.

In the image forming apparatus configured as described above,
The photographic film 50 is pulled out from the patrone 60 loaded in the image forming apparatus main body 52, and the coating device 62 is moved on the conveyance path.
Send to the side. At this time, the photographic film detection sensor 64 detects the passage of the leading end of the photographic film 50, sends a signal to the control device, and starts a predetermined control operation.

The photographic film 50 is rubbed in a coating device 62 and coated with water, and then sent to a bonding roller 90 serving as an entrance of the heating drum 54.

The photographic film 50 has a laminating roller 90
As a result, the photosensitive drum 50 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54, and the processing sheet 70 for development is bonded onto the photographic film 50 and pressed.

In this state, the photographic film 50 and the processing sheet 70 for development are heated while the photographic film 50 is conveyed from the laminating roller 90 to the peeling roller 100 in accordance with the rotation of the heating drum 54. 50 is developed.

Next, the photographic film 50 is transferred to the next fixing processing sheet laminating roller 110 after the developing processing sheet 70 is peeled off by the developing sheet peeling roller 100. The photographic film 50 is conveyed to the peeling roller 114 by the rotation of the heating drum 54 by the lamination roller 110 bonding the processing sheet 72 for fixing to the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 54 and heating it. In the meantime, the photographic film 50 is fixed.

Next, the photographic film 50 is separated from the peeling roller 11
After the fixing processing sheet 72 is peeled off in Step 4, the drying unit 1
16 is sent. The photographic film 50 dried by the drying unit 116 is sent to the reading scanner unit 58, and each frame image of the photographic film 50 is read as a digital image signal, stored in a memory device (not shown), or printed by a digital printer or the like. You.

The photographic film 50 is drawn out of the image forming apparatus main body 52 and discarded after completion of the developing and fixing processes as described above, or is transported to another storage place and stored. You.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment,
A processing sheet 70 for development and a processing sheet 72 for fixing are stored in respective cassettes 74 and 76.
For this reason, the processing sheet 70 for development or the processing sheet 72 for fixing can be carried in a state of being housed in the cassettes 74 and 76, and can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 52, thereby facilitating the handling.

The processing sheet 70 for development or the processing sheet 7 for fixing wound on a reel in the form of a long strip, for example.
The handling can be made much easier as compared to handling bare 2 as it is.

After the cassettes 74 and 76 are loaded in the image forming apparatus main body 52, the processing sheets 70 for development stored in the cassettes 74 and 76 by the loading mechanisms of the image forming apparatus main body 52, respectively. Since the fixing processing sheet 72 and the fixing processing sheet 72 are configured to be loaded on the heating drum 54, the processing sheet 70 for development and the processing sheet 72 for fixing are reliably and stably placed on the heating drum 54 as predetermined. Can be wrapped around.

Further, when the conventional processing member cassette is loaded into the image forming apparatus main body, the processing sheet of the processing member cassette is appropriately wound around the heating drum together with the operation of pushing the processing member cassette into the image forming apparatus main body. This operation required considerable attention because the hanging operation had to be performed at the same time. However, in the image forming apparatus main body 52 of the present embodiment, the operation of automatically winding the cumbersome processing sheet around the heating drum by the loading mechanism is performed. Performance can be improved.

Further, each of the cassettes 74 and 7 of this embodiment
6 is a laminating roller 90, 110 and a peeling roller 10
It can be manufactured at a low cost because it has a simple configuration without 0 and 114. Therefore, when the processing sheet 70 for development or the processing sheet 72 for fixing stored in the cassettes 74 and 76 has been used, it can be conveniently disposable.

[0092]

As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, first, a cassette accommodating processing sheets is loaded inside the image forming apparatus main body, and the processing sheets in the cassette are imaged. An image is formed on the photosensitive material by loading the photosensitive drum and the processing sheet by laminating the photosensitive drum and the processing sheet by heating the photosensitive drum and the processing sheet by setting the used state in which the photosensitive drum is wound around the heating drum by the loading mechanism of the forming apparatus main body. With this configuration, it is not necessary to provide a laminating roller or a peeling roller for winding the processing sheet around the heating drum in this cassette. Therefore, the cassette for storing the processing sheet can be simply configured, miniaturized, and manufactured at low cost. This has the effect of making it possible. In addition, when performing a plurality of processes using a plurality of processing sheets in the image forming apparatus,
A plurality of miniaturized cassettes are loaded into the main body of the image forming apparatus, and each processing sheet from the plurality of cassettes is wound around a single heating drum by a loading mechanism, set in a use state, and heated by the heating drum. Has the effect that it can be configured to be able to execute the processing described above.

Second, the processing sheet stored in the cassette loaded inside the image forming apparatus main body is pulled out by using the bonding roller of the loading mechanism, and is tangentially at the position where the bonding roller is pressed against the heating drum. When the laminating roller completes the loading operation where it moves, the center of the heating drum and the laminating roller stop position may be slightly shifted at the completion of the loading operation, even if the laminating roller stop position is slightly shifted. Since the distance between them does not change much, there is an effect that the fluctuation of the pressing force for pressing the bonding roller against the heating drum can be reduced.

Third, a position where the processing sheet stored in the cassette loaded inside the image forming apparatus main body is pulled out using the bonding roller arranged on the operation member of the loading mechanism, and the bonding roller is pressed against the heating drum. When loaded, the holding member disposed closer to the outside of the heating drum in the radial direction than the laminating roller is pressed against the operating member so that the laminating roller receives the reaction force of pressing the heating drum. In this case, the part that guides the loading operation of the loading mechanism does not have to handle the reaction force of the pressing force of the laminating roller against the heating drum, so the configuration is simplified because the loading mechanism does not have a reinforced structure. And the loading operation can be smoothed.

Fourthly, a cassette accommodating a processing sheet for development is removably loaded near the rotatingly driven heating drum, and the developing device in the cassette is loaded using a laminating roller and a peeling roller of a loading mechanism. The processing sheet is wound around the heating drum, a cassette containing the processing sheet for fixing is removably loaded near the heating drum, and the fixing roller in the cassette is mounted using the laminating roller and the peeling roller of the loading mechanism. The processing sheet is wound around the heating drum and set for use. The photosensitive material that has been transported onto the heating drum is transported by the rotating operation of the heating drum, and a processing sheet for development is attached to the photosensitive material. Performs development processing by heating while being transported together, and attaches a processing sheet for fixing to the developed photosensitive material, and heats and transports while integrally transporting, fixing processing When configured to perform the around the single heating drum, a simple and miniaturized cassette 2
Since the image forming apparatus can be individually arranged, the configuration of the image forming apparatus main body that performs development and fixing processing can be simplified, and the processing sheet for development and the processing sheet for fixing used in the image forming apparatus main body are stored in cassettes, respectively. Therefore, there is an effect that the handling can be facilitated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic front view showing a main part in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic front view of a main part of a portion for loading a processing sheet onto a heating drum in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic plan view of a main part of a portion where a holding member is pressed against an operation member of a loading mechanism in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing a state where a processing member cassette is pulled out from a conventional image forming apparatus main body.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an internal configuration of a conventional image forming apparatus main body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 50 photographic film 52 main body of image forming apparatus 54 heating drum 56 processing unit 70 processing sheet for developing 72 processing sheet for fixing 74 cassette 76 cassette 78 supply reel 80 take-up reel 82 guide rail 84 operating member 86 body 88 support plate REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 90 bonding roller 98 holding roller (holding member) 100 peeling roller 104 guide rail 106 operating member 110 bonding roller 112 holding roller 114 peeling roller

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a photosensitive material by performing a heating process in a state where a photosensitive material and a processing sheet are bonded and wound around a heating drum mounted to be rotationally driven, A cassette that is detachably loaded near the heating drum and stores the processing sheet, and the processing sheet in a standby state in the cassette is loaded so as to be set to a use state wound around the heating drum, or An image forming apparatus, comprising: a loading mechanism that performs the reverse unloading operation. 2. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a photosensitive material by performing a heat treatment in a state where a photosensitive material and a processing sheet are bonded and wound around a heating drum mounted to be driven to rotate, A cassette that is detachably loaded near the heating drum and stores the processing sheet, and the processing sheet in a standby state in the cassette is pulled out using a bonding roller, and the bonding roller is attached to the heating drum. The laminating roller is stopped where it moves along the tangential direction at the pressed position, and the processing sheet is loaded so as to be set in a use state wound around the heating drum, or vice versa. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a loading mechanism that performs a loading operation. 3. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a photosensitive material by performing a heating process in a state where a photosensitive material and a processing sheet are bonded and wound around a heating drum mounted to be rotationally driven, thereby forming an image on the photosensitive material. A cassette which is detachably loaded near the heating drum and stores the processing sheet, and the processing sheet in the cassette is pulled out by a bonding roller arranged on an operation member to be moved, and the heating sheet is pulled out with respect to the heating drum. Stop at a position where the laminating roller moves along a tangential direction at a position where the laminating roller is pressed, and load the processing sheet so that the processing sheet is set in a use state wound around the heating drum, or vice versa. A loading mechanism for performing an operation, and when the operation member reaches a loading position, A holding member that is disposed closer to the outside of the heating drum in the radial direction than the heating drum, and receives a reaction force of a force that presses the heating drum when the bonding roller is pressed against the operation member. Image forming apparatus. 4. A heating drum which is mounted so as to be driven to rotate while heating an outer peripheral surface portion; a cassette which is detachably mounted near the heating drum and stores a processing sheet for development; A loading mechanism that winds the processing sheet for development around the heating drum using a bonding roller and a peeling roller; and a cassette that is detachably mounted near the heating drum and stores the processing sheet for fixing. A loading mechanism that winds the processing sheet for fixing in the cassette around the heating drum using a bonding roller and a peeling roller, wherein the photosensitive material conveyed onto the heating drum is The developer is transported by the rotating operation of the heating drum, and the processing sheet for development is bonded to the photosensitive material and heated while being transported integrally to perform development processing. There, the image forming apparatus and performing heating and fixing process while conveying integrally bonded to process sheet for the fixing to the light-sensitive material is developed.