JP2001228556A - Sheet body feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet body feeding device by which the scanning and feeding of a sheet body is smoothly and highly accurately performed without causing vibration and an impact which cause the exposure unevenness and the reading fluctuation of a light beam as the sub-scanning feeding mechanism of a light beam scanner. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a pair of feeding rollers used as the sub-scanning feeding means of the sheet body for optical scanning and a sheet body feeding means disposed on the upstream side of the pair of the feeding rollers in a feeding direction and having a driving roller and a first sheet body feeding nip means that is a freely rotatable rotary body having a rotary shaft on the upstream side of the rotary shaft position of the driving roller in the feeding direction, and in close to the driving roller and applies energizing force in the direction of the driving roller and having a second sheet body feeding nip means that is the freely rotatable rotary body having the rotary shaft on the downstream side of the rotary shaft position of the driving roller in the feeding direction and abuts on and energizes the driving roller.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet transport apparatus for transporting a sheet in a sub-scanning transport direction in order to record or read an image by irradiating the sheet with a light beam. Sheet conveying device of a light beam scanning device such as an image recording device that records an image on a sheet by optical scanning with a light beam or the like deflected or arranged in a one-dimensional direction or an image reading device that reads a recorded image of the sheet. Belongs to the technical field.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of image recording, an image photographed on a photographic film (hereinafter, referred to as a film) such as a negative film or a reversal film is printed on a photosensitive material such as photographic paper and then developed to produce a finished photographic print. An analog photo printer that performs surface exposure (direct exposure) of a carried image of a film on a photosensitive material has been used as a photo printer to obtain the image. At present, however, a CCD or the like of an image reading device such as a scanner can read the carried image of the film. Is read photoelectrically by an image sensor, converted into digital image data, and subjected to predetermined image processing by an image processing device, and then obtained by a light beam scanning device of an image recording device (printing device). Scans and exposes the photosensitive material with a recording light beam modulated based on the digital image data Recording an image (latent image) is subjected to a developing treatment by the developing device, a digital photo printer has been commercialized by the applicant to be output as a finished photographic print.

In this digital photo printer, after exposing a film photoelectrically and converting it into digital image information (data), tone correction and the like are performed by digital image processing to determine exposure conditions. Therefore, it is also possible to freely edit a print image such as synthesizing a plurality of images or dividing an image by digital image processing, and various kinds of image processing such as color / density adjustment, contour enhancement, dodging, peripheral light amount correction, distortion aberration correction, and chromatic aberration correction. It has excellent features such as being able to output a print processed freely according to the application.
Further, it has an excellent feature that image data of a print image can be supplied to a computer or the like, and can be stored in a recording medium such as a floppy disk. Furthermore, according to the digital photo printer,
Resolution, color / color
It has excellent features such as excellent density reproducibility and the ability to output prints with better image quality.

[0004] However, the digital photo printer according to the present applicant has such excellent features, but as an image recording apparatus, a long photosensitive material is cut into a roll without cutting along the way. An image printing apparatus that records a large number of images by continuously repeating main scanning with a light beam deflected in a one-dimensional direction while conveying the wound long photosensitive material in the sub-scanning direction as it is, After the exposed photosensitive material on which the image is recorded is developed while being long, the long photosensitive material is finally cut into a predetermined length corresponding to the image to obtain one finished print. Therefore, although a large amount of processing can be performed with extremely high efficiency, the operation is difficult to perform a small amount of processing because the apparatus configuration is large, and the apparatus becomes expensive and large, and is not suitable as an apparatus for a small amount of processing. There was a problem.

For this reason, a long photosensitive material is printed 1
Printing that cuts the sheet corresponding to the sheet into cut sheets and then performs light beam scanning exposure on the cut sheet-shaped photosensitive material. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the equipment and greatly reduce equipment costs and running costs. Realization of a device (hereinafter, referred to as a sheet type image recording device) is strongly desired. In such a sheet-type image recording apparatus, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Hei 5-281635 and Hei 10-293
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 364, a sheet conveying device using two pairs of rollers used as a sub-scanning conveying mechanism of a light beam scanning device is applied.

[0006]

By the way, as shown in FIG. 5, such a sheet conveying apparatus conveys the sheet by using a pair of conveying rollers 102 and 104, and at the same time, the optical scanning apparatus 1
The photosensitive material Z in the form of a cut sheet is subjected to optical scanning exposure at the optical scanning position X using the light beam L emitted from the light source 00. In order to convey to the place, in addition to the conveying roller pairs 102 and 104, conveying roller pairs 106 and 108 are required. In particular, the transport roller pairs 106 and 1
08 is, for example, 82.5 mm to 38
In order to convey photosensitive materials Z of various sizes such as 1 mm, of the photosensitive materials Z to be conveyed, the distance in the conveyance direction is shorter than the length of the shortest size, for example, 70 mm to 7 mm.
They must be arranged at intervals of 5 mm.

In order to cope with the conveyance of the shortest length in the conveyance direction, the conveyance roller pairs 106 and 10
When the photosensitive material Z having a long length in the transport direction is supplied, the transport during the optical scanning at the optical scanning position X is performed by the transport roller pairs 102 and 104, as shown in FIG. In addition, the conveying roller pair 108, and further the conveying roller pair 106
May be transported simultaneously. In this case, when the photosensitive material Z is discharged from the transport roller pair 106 or the transport roller pair 108, the photosensitive material Z is released from the nip pressure, that is, the force applied to secure the transport force to pinch the photosensitive material Z between the rollers. In addition, the photosensitive material Z generates shock and vibration, and causes the exposure unevenness of the optical scanning at the optical scanning position X.

On the other hand, utilizing the mechanism disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-281635, the sheet-shaped photosensitive material Z is caused by load fluctuations such as shock, vibration and displacement when entering and discharging between the rollers. Although the exposure unevenness (density unevenness) can be reduced, this mechanism selectively opens and closes the transport roller pairs 102 and 104 disposed before and after the optical scanning position X, and the transport direction of the transport roller pair 102 Providing a mechanism for applying up to the conveying roller pairs 106 and 108 provided on the upstream side complicates the mechanism itself, has a space problem of the sheet conveying device itself, and further increases the cost. It is difficult.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above problems,
A sheet-shaped scanned object such as a sheet-shaped photosensitive material as a sub-scanning transport mechanism of the light beam scanning device, that is, a sheet body,
Small, compact, low-cost, high-precision image recording and image reading with a simple configuration that enables smooth and high-precision sub-scanning conveyance without generating vibration or shock that causes light beam exposure unevenness or reading fluctuation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet conveying apparatus which is most suitable for a sheet.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a method for optically scanning a sheet body in a one-dimensional direction at an optical scanning position while simultaneously scanning the sheet body in a transport direction substantially orthogonal to the one-dimensional direction. A first pair of conveying rollers disposed on the upstream side in the conveying direction near the optical scanning position and a second pair of conveying rollers disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction near the optical scanning position for conveying a body; Sub-scanning conveyance means having: and sheet body conveyance means arranged upstream of the first conveyance roller pair in the conveyance direction, wherein the driving roller is driven to rotate,
A rotatable rotator having a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of the drive roller on the upstream side of the rotation axis position of the drive roller in the transport direction, wherein the rotation roller is close to the drive roller, A first sheet body transport nip means associated with the drive roller, for urging the sheet body in a direction, parallel to the rotation axis of the drive roller, downstream of the rotation axis position of the drive roller in the transport direction; A rotatable rotator having a rotating shaft, the second rotator being in contact with and biasing the drive roller.
And a sheet conveying means having a sheet conveying nip means.

Here, the rotation axis of the first sheet body nip means and the rotation axis of the second sheet body nip means are arranged in the carrying direction including the rotation axis of the drive roller. It is preferable that the second sheet is disposed at an asymmetric position with respect to a vertical center plane, in which case the distance of the rotation axis of the first sheet body conveying nip means from the center plane is the second sheet. It is preferable that the length is longer than the distance from the center plane of the rotation shaft of the body transport nip means. Here, it is preferable that the first nip means for conveying a sheet body or the second nip means for conveying a sheet body is a nip roller.

[0012] The value of the distance between the rotating shafts of the first sheet-body conveying nip means and the second sheet-body conveying nip means may be different from that of the first sheet-body conveying nip means. Preferably, it is equal to or less than the sum of the radii of the rotating bodies of the second sheet body conveying nip means. In addition, the first
The value of the radius of the rotating body of the sheet body conveying nip means, the value of the radius of the rotating body of the second sheet body conveying nip means, the rotation axis of the first sheet body conveying nip means, It is preferable that the sum of the value of the distance between the rotating shafts of the second sheet conveying nip means and the value of the diameter of the driving roller is equal to or less than the value of the diameter of the driving roller. A straight line connecting the rotation axis position of the drive roller and the position of the rotation axis of the first sheet body nip means; the rotation axis position of the drive roller and the second sheet body nip means; It is preferable that an angle formed by a straight line connecting the positions of the rotation axes is 45 degrees or less. Further, a plurality of the sheet conveying means are horizontally arranged adjacent to each other in a conveying path, and a rib for supporting the sheet from below in the conveying path of the sheet between the adjacent sheet conveying means. Wherein, from the vicinity of the position in the conveying direction of the second sheet conveying nip means of the sheet conveying means disposed on the upstream side of the adjacent sheet conveying means, toward the downstream in the conveying direction. It is preferable to provide a sheet support guide having a downwardly inclined rib that gradually lowers the rib height. Further, a plurality of the sheet conveying means are horizontally arranged adjacent to each other in a conveying path, and a rib for supporting the sheet from below in the conveying path of the sheet between the adjacent sheet conveying means. It is preferable that a sheet support guide is provided, which is provided with an upwardly inclined rib that is inclined upward from the approximate middle of the transport path toward the downstream in the transport direction and supports the sheet body from below.

[0013]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows the basic configuration of an image recording apparatus to which the sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention is applied as a sub-scanning conveying mechanism. The present embodiment is applied to an image recording apparatus that scans and exposes a photosensitive material Z with a light beam. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention may be applied to a radiation image reading device or the like that irradiates visible light or the like onto a storage phosphor sheet or the like that stores energy to cause stimulated emission to read.
The image recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1 (hereinafter, referred to as a recording apparatus)
Reference numeral 10 denotes a long photographic photosensitive material wound in a roll shape and stored in a magazine, cut into a predetermined length corresponding to a print to be produced to form a cut sheet, and then a back print (back printing) is performed. Then, digital scanning exposure is performed by the sheet conveying device of the present invention while conveying in the sub-scanning direction by the two pairs of rollers 36 and 38.
, A recording unit 18 having a photosensitive material supply unit 12, a back printing unit 14, and a sub-scanning conveyance unit 16 to which the sheet body conveyance device of the present invention is applied.
And a distribution means 20.

Although not shown in the drawing for clarifying the basic configuration of the apparatus, the recording apparatus 10 includes a conveying means such as a conveying roller, a conveying guide, and a photosensitive guide for detecting the photosensitive material. Various members arranged in a known image recording apparatus, such as the sensor described above, are arranged as necessary. Here, the interval between the conveying rollers provided as the conveying means is set to be smaller than the minimum length of the cut sheet-shaped photosensitive material Z so as not to hinder the conveying direction of the photosensitive material Z. Not even.

The photosensitive material supply unit 12 includes magazines 22a and 22b in which a long photosensitive material Z wound in a roll shape with the emulsion surface (photosensitive surface) outside is housed in a light-shielding housing. Loading sections 24a and 2 for loading respectively
4b is arranged. Here, magazines 22a and 22
A pair of pull-out rollers 26a and 26b are disposed in the position b in a position corresponding to the pull-out port of the photosensitive material Z. Then, the cutters 28a and 28b respectively corresponding to the loading units 24a and 24b are mounted on the loading unit 2 respectively.
Magazines 22a and 2 loaded in 4a and 24b
It is arranged so as to be close to the downstream side of the pull-out roller pair 26a and 26b of 2b. As shown in FIG. 1, in the recording apparatus 10, the loading section 24 is located below the loading section 24a.
b is disposed, and the recording position X is located above it.

The recording apparatus 10 in the illustrated example is an apparatus capable of loading two magazines 22a and 22b, and both of them usually have a size (width), a surface type (silk or mat, etc.), and a specification (thickness or base). The photosensitive materials Z of different types (e.g., types) are stored. Of course, the same type of photosensitive materials Z may be used. In the illustrated recording apparatus 10, the number of magazines that can be loaded is not limited to two in the illustrated example, but may be one, or three or more magazines may be loaded. . In such a photosensitive material supply section 12, the pull-out roller pairs 26a and 26
The corresponding photosensitive material Z of the magazine is drawn out by b, and is conveyed to the back printing unit 14 downstream. This conveyance stops when the photosensitive material Z conveyed downstream from the cutters 28a and 28b has a length corresponding to the print to be made, and then the cutters 28a and 28b operate to move the photosensitive material Z to a predetermined length. It is a long cut sheet.

The recording apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a cutter 28a for each of the two magazines 22a and 22b.
And 28b are provided, and the photosensitive material Z drawn from these magazines is cut by separate cutters 28a and 28b, respectively. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is cut by one common cutter. It may be.
The sheet-shaped photosensitive material Z pulled out from the photosensitive material supply unit 12 and cut as described above is conveyed to the upper back printing unit 14.

The back printing unit 14 includes a photographing date, print printing date, frame number,
Film ID number (code), I of camera used for shooting
This is a section for recording (back printing) various kinds of information such as a D number and a photo printer ID number, so-called back printing information (back printing information). Such a back printing unit 14 can use, for example, a dot impact type back printing printer 30 as a contact type printing device, and records back printing information on a photosensitive material Z guided and conveyed by a guide 32. However, the method and apparatus (printer) for recording the back print information are not limited thereto, and various methods and apparatuses for recording the back print information used in known photo printers such as an ink jet printer and a thermal transfer printer can be used. Above all, a non-contact type recording method and apparatus such as an ink jet printer can be suitably used, in that the non-contact type can eliminate the load fluctuation applied to the scanning conveyance by recording the back print information. An ink jet printer using a water-insoluble, heat-meltable ink that is solid at room temperature is preferably exemplified. Further, it is preferable that the back printing unit 14 is configured to be capable of printing two or more lines in accordance with a new standard new photo system (Advanced Photo System).

In this manner, the photosensitive material Z cut into a predetermined length and having the back print information recorded thereon is then stored in the recording section 18.
Transported to The recording unit 18 has an exposure optical unit (hereinafter, referred to as an exposure unit) 34 and a sub-scanning conveyance unit 16 to which the sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention is applied. In the recording apparatus 10 in the illustrated example, image recording by the exposure unit 34 is modulated according to digital image data while scanning and transporting the sheet-shaped photosensitive material Z, and
Scanning exposure of the photosensitive material Z at an optical scanning position X using a light beam deflected in a main scanning direction (perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1) substantially perpendicular to the sub-scanning conveyance direction
This is performed by so-called digital scanning exposure.

The exposure unit 34 is an optical unit for performing such digital exposure. Although not shown, for example, each of a red (R) exposure, a green (G) exposure, and a blue (B) exposure of the photosensitive material Z is provided. A light source that emits a light beam corresponding to the above, a modulating unit such as an AOM (acousto-optic modulator) that modulates the light beam emitted from the light source in accordance with digital image data, and a sub-scanning conveyance direction of the modulated light beam. An optical deflector, such as a polygon mirror, which deflects in the main scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the optical axis; fθ which forms a light beam deflected in the main scanning direction at a predetermined position on a recording position X (scanning line) by a predetermined beam system
A known light beam scanning device constituted by a (scanning) lens or the like can be used.

The exposure unit 34 is not limited to such a light beam scanning device, but may be any of various light emitting arrays or spaces extending in the main scanning direction orthogonal to the sub-scanning conveyance direction (or the conveyance direction) Y. Using a modulation element array or the like,
Exposing the photosensitive material Z with a plurality of light beams modulated by digital image signals arranged in the main scanning direction;
Various digital exposure means are available. Specifically, PDP (plasma display) array, ELD
(Electroluminescent display) Array, LE
Digital exposure means using a D (light emitting diode) array, an LCD (liquid crystal display) array, a DMD (digital micromirror device) array, a laser array, and the like are exemplified.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section of the sub-scanning conveyance means 16. The sub-scanning conveyance means 16 is applied with the sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention, and applies the sheet-shaped scanned object of the present invention, that is, the sheet-shaped photosensitive material Z, to the light scanning exposure of the exposure unit 34 in the main scanning direction. Synchronously, the sheet is nipped and conveyed in a sub-scanning direction (conveying direction) substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction. The sheet-shaped photosensitive member is sandwiched by an optical scanning position X on an optical scanning guide 44 where a main scanning line is defined. Two pairs of upstream conveying roller pairs 36 and downstream conveying roller pairs 38 disposed at intervals shorter than the length of the material Z in the sub-scanning direction, and a driving roller 40 a on the upstream side of the conveying roller pair 38. Nip roller 4
0b and 40c, a twin nip roller transport section 40 having a housing 40d, a driving roller 42a, nip rollers 42b and 42c, a twin nip roller transport section 42 having a housing 42d, a guide 44, and a substrate 4
6 mainly.

The transport roller pair 36 has a fixed drive roller 36a which is driven to rotate, and a nip roller 36b which is driven to rotate in sliding contact therewith. The transport roller pair 38 is a fixed drive roller which is driven to rotate. 38a and a nip roller 38b which is slidably contacted with and rotated by the nip roller 38b. The transport roller pairs 36 and 38 are portions corresponding to the first transport roller pair and the second transport roller pair of the sub-scan transport device in the present invention. An optical scanning guide 44 is disposed between the pair of conveying rollers 36 and 38, and the leading end of the photosensitive material Z conveyed by the pair of conveying rollers 36 is moved from a low position to the downstream side of the conveyance so as to be able to be placed even if there is a curl. To the vicinity of the height of the optical scanning position X and the photosensitive material Z
Is a member having an inclined surface portion for guiding the tip of the photosensitive material Z to the press roller pair 44a and a flat portion for placing the photosensitive material Z sandwiched and conveyed by the press roller pair 44a at the recording position X in a plane.

The nip rollers 36b and 38b of the pair of transport rollers 36 and 38 are moved up and down when the leading end of the photosensitive material Z enters and the trailing end of the photosensitive material Z is discharged.
The transport rollers 36 and 38 are configured to be opened and closed between the rollers. That is, when the leading end of the photosensitive material Z enters between the rollers of the drive roller pair 38, the nip roller 38b is raised so that the photosensitive material Z does not hit the drive roller 38a or the nip roller 38b and generate impact or vibration. Further, when the rear end of the photosensitive material Z is discharged from between the rollers of the conveying roller pair 36, the impact or vibration is not generated on the photosensitive material Z by releasing the nip pressure for holding the photosensitive material Z. When discharging the rear end of the photosensitive material Z, the nip roller 36b is raised.

The twin nip roller conveying section 40 is a conveying means for nipping and conveying the photosensitive material Z, and is a sheet conveying means disposed upstream of the conveying roller pair 36 of the sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention in the conveying direction. Is the part corresponding to. The twin nip roller transport section 40 mainly includes a driving roller 40 a
, A nip roller 40b, a nip roller 40c, and a housing 40d. The driving roller 40a is a roller that rotates at a predetermined rotation speed, and is connected to a driving source directly or via a transmission.

The nip roller 40b is a rotatable roller having a rotation axis on the upstream side of the rotation axis position of the drive roller 40a in the transport direction Y.
0a is provided in parallel with the rotation axis. The nip roller 40b is a portion corresponding to the first sheet conveying nip means of the sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention. Nip roller 4
The rotation shaft 40g of Ob is connected via a member to a biasing spring 40e whose upper end is fixed in the housing 40d, and is provided in the housing 40d in a biased state using the lower member 40i of the housing 40d as a stopper. . Further, the nip roller 40b is arranged close to the driving roller 40a without coming into contact therewith. The gap between the driving roller 40a and the nip roller 40b is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 170 μm or more in consideration of the thickness of the photosensitive material Z. When the nip roller 40b is brought into contact with the drive roller 40a and pre-biased, when the photosensitive material Z enters between the drive roller 40a and the nip roller 40b, the photosensitive material Z is wrinkled. The photosensitive material Z between the rollers
May be bent or jammed.

When the photosensitive material Z passes through the gap between the driving roller 40a and the nip roller 40b, the nip roller 40b is separated from the driving roller 40a, that is, as shown in FIG.
When the urging spring 40e receives a force from the photosensitive material Z in the upward direction in the drawing, the urging spring 40e applies an urging force to the photosensitive material Z via the nip roller 40b in a direction approaching the drive roller 40a.
The photosensitive material Z acts so as to wind around the drive roller 40a. Also, the nip roller 40b does not rotate by itself, but rotates following the conveyance of the photosensitive material Z.

The nip roller 40c includes a driving roller 40a.
Is a rotatable roller having a rotating shaft 40h downstream of the rotating shaft position in the transport direction, and the rotating shaft 40h is provided in parallel with the rotating shaft of the driving roller 40a. The nip roller 40c is a part corresponding to the second sheet conveying nip means of the present invention. The rotation shaft 40h of the nip roller 40c is connected via a member to a biasing spring 40f whose upper end is fixed in the housing 40d, and is connected to the drive roller 40a.
Is configured to abut. That is, the nip roller 40c acts to press the photosensitive material Z passing between the drive roller 40a and the nip roller 40c against the drive roller 40a at a predetermined pressure (nip pressure).

Such nip rollers 40b and 40
c is integrally attached to a housing 40d as shown in FIG. 3 and is mounted and fixed at a predetermined position on the base 46. The nip rollers 40b and 40c have a roller width of, for example, 5 mm.
mm roller is provided at two locations in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport of the photosensitive material Z. The present invention is not limited to the case where the nip rollers 40b and 40c are provided at two places in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the photosensitive material Z.
It may be provided at a location or the like. The diameters of the nip rollers 40b and 40c are the same, but need not be the same in the present invention.

The rotation shaft 40 of the nip roller 40b
g and the rotation axis 40h of the nip roller 40c are disposed at asymmetric positions with respect to a center plane A perpendicular to the conveyance direction Y including the rotation axis of the drive roller 40a. , The rotating shaft 40 of the nip roller 40b
g is arranged so that the distance from the center plane A is longer than the distance from the center plane A of the rotation shaft 40h of the nip roller 40c. By arranging in this manner, the nip roller 40b is disposed more upstream of the driving roller 40a in the transport direction than in the case where the nip roller 40b and the nip roller 40c are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center plane A, and the nip roller 40b By the urging force applied to the photosensitive material Z, a large winding angle at which the photosensitive material Z is wound around the drive roller 40a can be secured. Such an arrangement is achieved by appropriately setting a fixing position where the housing 40d is placed and fixed on the substrate 46 in the transport direction Y.

In the present embodiment, rollers such as the nip roller 40b are used as the first and second nip means for transporting the sheet body from the viewpoint of dimensional accuracy. For example, a rotatable roller or the like may be used. As described above, the photosensitive material Z is provided with the nip roller 40b and the nip roller 40b, which are adjacent to the drive roller 40a without being in contact with the drive roller 40a and the nip roller 40c that is in contact with the drive roller 40a. When the photosensitive material Z is discharged from between the rollers 40a, that is, when the photosensitive material Z is discharged after passing, the nip pressure between the driving roller 40a and the nip roller 40b does not exist. Does not occur, and when the paper is discharged from between the nip roller 40c and the driving roller 40a, the nip pressure of the nip roller 40c can be set smaller than that of a conventional single nip roller as shown in FIG. The vibrations and shocks associated with are suppressed.

Further, the rotating shaft 40 of the nip roller 40b
The distance between the rotation shafts 40g and 40c is determined by the drive roller 4
0a, the radius of the nip roller 40b and the nip roller 4 are adjusted so that the photosensitive material Z is properly wound around and the conveying force can be secured.
0c is preferably equal to or less than the sum of the radii of the drive roller 40a and a straight line connecting the position of the rotation axis of the drive roller 40a and the position of the rotation axis 40g of the nip roller 40b.
It is preferable that the angle between the rotation axis position and the straight line connecting the position of the rotation axis 40g of the nip roller 40c is 45 degrees or less. When the angle exceeds 45 degrees, the photosensitive material Z
Is not smoothly transported to the gap between the nip roller 40b and the driving roller 40a, and even if the transport is performed, when the rear end of the photosensitive material Z comes out of the space between the rollers, an impact or vibration is generated and exposure unevenness easily occurs. . The sum of the radius value of the nip roller 40b, the radius value of the nip roller 40c, and the value of the distance between the axes of the rotating shaft 40g of the nip roller 40b and the rotating shaft 40h of the nip roller 40c is equal to or less than the diameter of the driving roller 40a. It is desirable that This is because if the roller diameters of the nip rollers 40b and 40c are increased, the photosensitive material Z easily becomes jammed between the drive roller 40a and the nip rollers 40b and 40c like a paper jam. The twin nip roller transport section 40 is configured as described above.

The twin nip roller transport section 42 is a transport means for nipping the photosensitive material Z transported from the twin nip roller transport section 40 and transporting the photosensitive material Z to the transport roller pair 36. And a portion corresponding to a sheet conveying means disposed upstream of the optical scanning position X of the sheet conveying device. The twin nip roller transport section 42 mainly includes a driving roller 42a, a nip roller 42b, a nip roller 42c, and a housing 42.
d, and these configurations are the same as the configurations of the respective components of the twin nip roller transport unit 40, and a description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in the plan view of FIG. 4, the guide 44 is a substantially flat plate-like member for supporting the photosensitive material Z passing between the twin nip roller transport section 40 and the twin nip roller transport section 42 from below. , Two openings 46, 46 opened corresponding to the two drive rollers 40 a of the twin nip roller transfer section 40 and two openings 48, 48 opened corresponding to the two drive rollers 42 a of the twin nip roller transfer section 42. In addition, a rib 50 and a rib 52 for supporting the photosensitive material Z from below are provided.

The rib 50 is a convex portion protruding in the transport direction Y from the surface of the guide 44, and is provided in the transport direction Y of the twin nip roller transport unit 40 disposed on the upstream side in the transport direction.
Is a downward inclined rib that gradually lowers the height of the rib from the vicinity of the arrangement position of the nip roller 40c toward the downstream in the transport direction, and supports the photosensitive material Z discharged from between the nip roller 40c and the drive roller 40a from below. . The provision of the downward inclined ribs in this manner causes the photosensitive material Z discharged downward from between the nip roller 40c and the drive roller 40a to fall from the slope of the drive roller 40a, causing exposure unevenness. This is because no impact or vibration is generated, and an unnecessary force is applied to the photosensitive material Z discharged downward and an impact or vibration that causes exposure unevenness is not generated. This enables smooth conveyance.

The rib 52 is a convex portion that protrudes from the surface of the guide 44 in the transport direction Y in a convex manner. The rib 52 extends from substantially the middle of the transport path between the twin nip roller transport section 40 and the twin nip roller transport section 42, in the transport direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the height of the rib intersects with the height of the rib 50, and the height of the rib 52 becomes higher than the height of the rib 50. Is an upper inclined rib that supports the photosensitive material Z from below. By providing the ribs 52 in this manner, the photosensitive material Z conveyed downward along the ribs 50 which are the downward inclined ribs is transported upward by the ribs 52 which are the upward inclined ribs. Nip roller 42b and drive roller 42
It is possible to smoothly enter the gap a without generating unnecessary force. In other words, the nip roller 42b of the twin nip roller transport section 42 is disposed close to the drive roller 42a on the upstream side in the transport direction of the drive roller 40a in the same manner as the nip roller 40b in order to secure the transport force. The entrance of the gap between the rollers formed by the nip roller 42b and the nip roller 42b faces downward. Therefore, if the ribs 52, which are upwardly inclined ribs, are not provided, the photosensitive material Z having a large width in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction and a short length in the transport direction, for example, a photosensitive material having a width of 254 mm is transported. Nip roller 40c
When the photosensitive material Z is discharged from between the rollers of the drive roller 40a and the drive roller 40a, the photosensitive material Z strongly hits the guide surface of the guide 44, and vibrations and impacts that cause exposure unevenness are likely to occur. Therefore, a rib 52 is provided to relieve the vibration and the impact.

Specific dimensions of the sub-scanning and conveying means 16 include, for example, the following dimensions. Drive roller 40
The diameter of a is 20 mm, and the nip rollers 40b and 40c
Is 11 mm, the distance between the rotation axes of the nip rollers 40b and 40c is 8 mm, and the gap between the drive roller 40a and the nip roller 40b is about 170 μm. An angle formed by a straight line connecting the rotation axis of the drive roller 40a and the position of the rotation axis of the nip roller 40b and a straight line connecting the rotation axis of the drive roller 40a and the position of the rotation axis of the nip roller 40c is about 30 degrees. . The same applies to the twin nip roller transport section 42. The maximum rib projection height of the ribs 50 and 52 is 1 mm from the surface of the guide 44.

The photosensitive material Z that has passed through the twin nip roller conveyance section 40 and the twin nip roller conveyance section 42 is sent to the conveyance roller pair 36, subjected to light scanning exposure at the optical scanning position X, and sent to the conveyance roller pair 38. Then, distribution means 2
Transported to zero. The sub-scanning conveyance means 16 is configured as described above.

The distribution means 20 distributes the photosensitive material Z in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (hereinafter referred to as a lateral direction). At present, in general silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials used for photographic printing, development processing and exposure require more time for development processing. Therefore, if exposure is performed continuously, development processing cannot be completed in time. The distributing means 20 is arranged to eliminate this inconvenience. The distributing means 20 distributes the photosensitive material Z in the horizontal direction and forms a plurality of rows overlapping in the transport direction to improve the processing capacity of the developing device. For example, 2
If it is a row, it is possible to perform processing less than twice that of a single row, and if it is three rows, it is possible to perform processing that is slightly less than three times, and the processing time difference between development processing and exposure can be offset.

The distribution method in the distribution means 20 includes:
Various sheet material sorting methods are available, for example,
Examples include a method of sorting using a turret rotating about an axis, and a method of dividing the conveying means of the photosensitive material Z into a plurality of, for example, three blocks, and moving the middle block in the horizontal direction to sort the blocks. You.

The photosensitive material Z distributed in a plurality of rows as required by the distribution means 20 is transported to a developing machine 92 by a transport roller pair 90, and is subjected to development, fixing, washing, and the like according to the photosensitive material Z. Each process is performed, dried, and printed. The recording device 10 is configured as described above.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sub-scanning and conveying means 16 pulls out the rolled photosensitive material Z from the magazine 22a or 22b of the recording apparatus 10 and makes the material to a predetermined length by the cutter 28a or 28b. The cut sheet-shaped photosensitive material Z that has been cut and back-printed by the back-printing printer 30 is supplied to the sub-scanning conveyance means 16 while changing its direction from the upward conveyance direction to the right conveyance direction along a guide (not shown). You.

When the transport direction of the photosensitive material Z supplied to the sub-scanning transport means 16 is changed from upward to right along a guide (not shown), the leading end of the photosensitive material Z is curled by the guide (not shown). In this state, it proceeds to the gap between the drive roller 40a and the nip roller 40b. The curled photosensitive material Z at the leading end portion that has reached the gap between the drive roller 40a and the nip roller 40b tries to lift the nip roller 40b away from the drive roller 40a, that is, in the upward direction in the figure. The force is applied in the direction, that is, the direction in which it comes into contact with the drive roller 40a. Thus, the curled photosensitive material Z is smoothly brought into contact with the drive roller 40a and conveyed.

Since a gap is provided between the driving roller 40a and the nip roller 40b, the leading end of the photosensitive material Z is more distant than when the nip roller 40a is in contact with the driving roller 40a and is pre-energized. Is the drive roller 40a
When entering the gap between the nip roller 40b and the nip roller 40b, the force received from the nip roller 40b is small, and the photosensitive material Z smoothly enters, and as a result, wrinkles occur at the leading end of the photosensitive material Z or the photosensitive material Z is clogged between the rollers. I don't have to. The nip roller 40b and the nip roller 4
0c is arranged symmetrically with respect to the center plane A shown in FIG. 2 (a plane perpendicular to the transport direction Y including the center of the rotation axis of the drive roller 40a). And a nip roller 40b
Are arranged close to the surface of the drive roller 40a, as shown in FIG.
A large winding angle around 0a can be ensured. When the end of the photosensitive material Z passes through the gap between the nip roller 40b and the drive roller 40a, the drive roller 40a
Since the nip roller 40b and the nip roller 40b are not in contact with each other, the nip pressure itself does not exist. Therefore, no vibration or impact is caused by the release of the nip pressure, and no exposure unevenness occurs at the optical scanning position X.

The leading end of the photosensitive material Z is conveyed by the drive roller 40a and enters between the nip roller 40c and the drive roller 40a which are urged by contacting the drive roller 40a. Here, the urging force of the nip roller 40c is a nip pressure for pressing the photosensitive material Z against the drive roller 40a. As described above, the nip roller 40b secures a large winding angle at which the photosensitive material Z is wound around the drive roller 40a. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the nip pressure of the nip roller 40c to increase the conveying force, and as a result, the urging force of the nip roller 40c is set to be small. Such a nip roller 40c and a driving roller 40a
When the photosensitive material Z passes through the gap and the end of the photosensitive material Z is discharged, the nip pressure is small, so that the vibration and impact caused by the release of the nip pressure due to the discharge can be reduced, and the optical scanning position can be reduced. The exposure unevenness in X is suppressed.

The photosensitive material Z carried out from between the drive roller 40a and the nip roller 40c is transported while the photosensitive material Z is supported from below by a rib 50 which is a downwardly inclined rib. Since the nip position at which the nip roller 40c is in contact with and nips the photosensitive material Z is located on the slope of the drive roller 40a on the downstream side of the center plane A, the discharge when the photosensitive material Z is discharged from the drive roller 40a and the nip roller 40c. The direction is downward. However, since the downwardly inclined ribs are provided in accordance with the discharging direction of the photosensitive material Z, it is possible to smoothly transport the photosensitive material Z without generating unnecessary force.
The photosensitive material Z supported and transported by the ribs 50 from below is replaced by the ribs 50 instead of the ribs 50 as the transported material is transported. That is, the photosensitive material Z is lifted upward by the ribs 52 while being transported. In this manner, the photosensitive material Z discharged downward from between the nip roller 40c and the drive roller 40a is supported by the ribs 50, which are downwardly inclined ribs, so that the photosensitive material Z can be smoothly conveyed. Since the photosensitive material Z is transported toward the gap between the nip roller 42b and the drive roller 42a of the twin nip roller transport section 42 while being supported by the ribs 52, which are upwardly inclined ribs, the photosensitive material Z can be transported smoothly.

Thus, the photosensitive material Z is transported to the twin nip roller transport section 42. The transport of the twin nip roller transport section 42 is performed in the same manner as the twin nip roller transport section 40, and the drive roller section 42a and the nip roller 42c
Is discharged from The leading end of the photosensitive material Z discharged from the twin nip roller transport unit 42 is sent to a transport roller pair 36, transported between the rollers, and is scanned and exposed at the optical scanning position X from the edge of the photosensitive material Z. Further, the leading end of the photosensitive material Z to be transported reaches the transport roller pair 38. At this time, the nip roller 38b rises upward and opens and closes between the rollers, and does not hit between the rollers. Therefore, at the optical scanning position X where the scanning exposure is performed, exposure unevenness due to shock or vibration does not occur.

After the leading end of the photosensitive material Z has passed through the transport roller pair 38, the nip roller 38b descends and is nipped between the nip roller 38b and the drive roller 38a.
8 is started. In this case, depending on the length of the photosensitive material Z in the transport direction, the photosensitive material Z is transported by the twin nip roller transport unit 40 or the twin nip roller transport unit 42 in addition to the transport roller pair 36 and the transport roller pair 38. At this time, when the trailing end of the photosensitive material Z is discharged from the twin nip roller transport unit 40 or the twin nip roller transport unit 42, as described above, the vibration or the impact that causes the exposure unevenness is not generated. Further, when the trailing end of the photosensitive material Z is discharged from between the rollers of the transport roller pair 36, the nip roller 36b rises, so that vibrations and shocks that cause exposure unevenness are not generated. When the scanning exposure at the optical scanning position X is completed in this manner, the sheet is conveyed to the distribution unit 20.

In the distribution means 20, as described above, the light is distributed in a plurality of rows as necessary, and is conveyed to the developing machine 92 by the conveying roller pair 90. It is processed, dried and printed.

Although the sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Of course it is good.

[0052]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, at a predetermined position, a sheet body such as a sheet-like photosensitive material is subjected to light scanning exposure with a light beam such as a laser beam to thereby obtain an image. It is suitable as a sub-scanning transport mechanism used in a light beam scanning device that performs reading, image recording, etc., and is provided with transport nip means such as two nip rollers attached to a drive roller as shown in this embodiment. As a result, it is possible to provide a small, compact, and low-cost sheet transport apparatus with a simple configuration that can reduce the impact and vibration that cause exposure unevenness and reading variation due to optical scanning, and that can transport smoothly and with high accuracy. In particular, a large winding angle of the sheet body around the drive roller can be ensured, and the nip pressure of the nip roller or the like can be correspondingly reduced, so that the above-described impact and vibration can be further reduced. Further, by supporting the sheet body from below using the downwardly inclined ribs and the upwardly inclined ribs, it is possible to smoothly convey the sheet body without applying unnecessary force to the sheet body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a basic configuration of an embodiment of an image recording apparatus to which a sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a sub-scanning conveyance unit of the image recording apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a housing and a nip roller shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the guide shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram schematically illustrating a sub-scanning transport unit of a conventional image recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Recording device 12 Photosensitive material supply part 14 Back printing part 16 Sub-scanning conveyance means 18 Recording part 20 Distributing means 34 Exposure unit 36, 38 Conveyance roller pair 40, 42 Twin nip roller conveyance parts 40a, 42a Drive rollers 40b, 40c, 42b , 42c Nip roller 40d, 42d Housing

Claims (9)

[Claims] An optical scanning unit that optically scans the sheet body in a one-dimensional direction at an optical scanning position and conveys the sheet body in a conveying direction substantially orthogonal to the one-dimensional direction; A first transport roller pair disposed on the first side, and a sub-scanning transport unit having a second transport roller pair disposed downstream in the transport direction near the optical scanning position; and the first transport roller pair. A sheet conveying means disposed on the upstream side in the conveying direction, wherein the driving roller is driven to rotate, and the rotating shaft of the driving roller is located on the upstream side of the rotating shaft position of the driving roller in the conveying direction. A rotatable rotator having a rotation axis parallel to the first roller, and a first sheet-conveying nip associated with the drive roller, the nip being adjacent to the drive roller and biasing the sheet member in the direction of the drive roller Means A rotatable rotating body having a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of the drive roller on the downstream side of the rotation axis position of the drive roller in the transport direction, wherein the rotatable rotation body contacts and urges the drive roller. And a sheet conveying means having a second sheet conveying nip means attached to the driving roller. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotation axis of the first sheet conveyance nip means and the rotation axis of the second sheet conveyance nip means are perpendicular to the conveyance direction including the rotation axis of the driving roller. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet conveying device is disposed at an asymmetric position with respect to a central plane. 3. The distance between the rotation axis of the first sheet body nip means and the center plane is equal to the distance of the rotation axis of the second sheet body nip means from the center plane. The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sheet conveying apparatus is longer than the sheet conveying apparatus. 4. The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first sheet conveying nip means or said second sheet conveying nip means is a nip roller. 5. The value of the distance between the rotation axes of the first sheet body nip means and the second sheet body nip means, wherein the distance between the first sheet body nip means and the second sheet body nip means is the same as that of the first sheet body nip means. The sheet conveying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the distance is equal to or less than the sum of the radii of the rotating bodies of the second sheet conveying nip means. 6. A value of a radius of a rotating body of said first sheet conveying nip means, a value of a radius of a rotating body of said second sheet conveying nip means, and said first sheet conveying nip. The sum of the value of the distance between the axes of the rotation axis of the nip means for use and the axis of rotation of the nip means for conveying the second sheet body is equal to or less than the value of the diameter of the drive roller. The sheet conveying device according to any one of the preceding claims. 7. A straight line connecting the rotation axis position of the drive roller and the position of the rotation axis of the first sheet body conveyance nip means, the rotation axis position of the drive roller, and the second sheet body conveyance. The sheet conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein an angle formed by a straight line connecting the positions of the rotating shafts of the nip means is 45 degrees or less. 8. A plurality of said sheet conveying means are disposed horizontally adjacent to each other in a conveying path, and said sheet is transported from below in a conveying path of said sheet between said adjacent sheet conveying means. A supporting rib, which is arranged in the conveying direction from near the conveying direction position of the second sheet conveying nip means of the sheet conveying means arranged on the upstream side of the adjacent sheet conveying means. The sheet conveying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a sheet supporting guide provided with a downwardly inclined rib that gradually lowers the rib height toward a downstream side. 9. A plurality of said sheet conveying means are horizontally arranged adjacent to each other in a conveying path, and said sheet is transported from below in a conveying path of said sheet between said adjacent sheet conveying means. A sheet member support guide, comprising: a rib for supporting, wherein the sheet member support guide includes an upwardly inclined rib that is inclined upward from a substantially middle of the transport path toward the downstream in the transport direction and supports the sheet member from below. 1 to
8. The sheet conveying device according to any one of 8 above.