JP2001233507A - Sheet body feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet body feeder capable of optically scanning a sheet body fed in an appropriate atitude with small size and low costs in a sheet body feeder sub-scanning and sub-feeding while optically scanning sheet bodies in cluding a sensitive material. SOLUTION: This sheet body feeder comprises a first sub-scanning and feeding means disposed on the upstream side of an optical scanning position and a second sub-scanning and feeding means disposed on the downstream side thereof sub-scanning and feeding a sheet body in a transfer direction generally perpendicular to a one-dimensional direction while optically scanning the sheet body in the one-dimensional direction at the optical scanning position, a transfer and supply means transferring and supplying the sheet body to the first sub- scanning and feeding means, and a sheet body tip position correction means provided in a transfer route for the transferring and supplying means and the first sub-scanning and feeding means and positioning the tip of the sheet body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

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

[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 that outputs as a finished photographic print is practically by the applicant.

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.

In such a digital photo printer, since it is desired to efficiently process various print sizes little by little, a long photosensitive material wound up in a roll shape is not cut off in the middle without being cut off. When scanning exposure (main scanning) is performed by a light beam while scanning and transporting, processing efficiency is poor, and wasteful photosensitive material is often used. Therefore, the long photosensitive material is cut in accordance with one print to form a cut sheet, and then the cut sheet-shaped photosensitive material is subjected to light beam scanning exposure. There is a strong demand for a printing apparatus capable of greatly reducing the running cost, that is, a digital photo printer that performs exposure writing on a sheet type photosensitive material.

[0005] In order to achieve such a digital photo printer, as described above, the photosensitive material in the form of a cut sheet cut to a predetermined length is subjected to light beam scanning exposure. Unlike the case, the photosensitive material conveyed to the light beam scanning position is moved in the conveying direction so that an image is recorded in an appropriate direction from the front end of the cut sheet-shaped photosensitive material conveyed in the sub-scanning position to the light beam scanning position. On the other hand, it is required that the sheet be conveyed in an appropriate posture without inclination (skew).

For this reason, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-109520 discloses a method in which a pair of transport rollers as a sub-scan transport means for light beam scanning exposure is used so that an image is recorded in an appropriate direction from the leading end of the photosensitive material. A printer is disclosed that uses a pair of sub-scanning conveyance rollers positioned upstream of a light beam scanning exposure position in the conveyance direction as skew adjustment means for adjusting a photosensitive material to an appropriate posture without inclination (skew) with respect to the conveyance direction. ing.

[0007]

However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
In the case of using the printer disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 109520, the distance between the sub-scanning conveyance roller pair used as the skew adjusting means and the light beam scanning exposure position is reduced in order to reduce the size of the digital photo printer. Therefore, when the rollers are driven for sub-scanning conveyance from the state where the pair of sub-scanning conveyance rollers is stopped in a state where the photosensitive material is sandwiched between the rollers, the photosensitive material is exposed to light beam scanning exposure. The transport speed of the photosensitive material is not accelerated to a desired speed until the position is reached, and the recorded image is distorted.

In order to prevent distortion of a recorded image,
The distance between the sub-scanning conveyance roller pair and the light beam scanning exposure position may be narrowed, and a conveyance roller pair adjacent to the sub-scanning conveyance roller pair on the upstream side in the conveyance direction may be used as a skew adjusting unit. However, there is a case where the pair of conveying rollers adjacent to the upstream side in the conveying direction may be used at the same time in the sub-scanning conveyance of the light beam scanning exposure. From the viewpoint of suppressing vibrations and shocks that occur when the paper is discharged from the gap and cause image unevenness, the nipping pressure (nip pressure) of the transport roller pair cannot be increased to the same degree as the sub-scanning transport roller pair. Therefore, when the transport roller with the reduced nip pressure is used as a skew adjustment unit for stopping the photosensitive material in order to properly adjust the direction of the photosensitive material being transported, the nip pressure between the rollers is low. There is a case where the conveyed photosensitive material does not stop after penetrating between the rollers. Therefore, it cannot function as a skew adjusting unit.

Such a problem is not limited to the case where the photosensitive material cut into a predetermined length is exposed and written by light beam scanning. The storage phosphor which records and holds image information due to radiation by irradiating a light beam is provided. A similar problem occurs when the recorded image information is read by stimulating the sheet to emit light.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention conveys a sheet body including a photosensitive material and the like in a sub-scanning manner while performing optical scanning on the sheet body. A small-sized and low-cost sheet conveying apparatus capable of optically scanning a sheet, particularly a sheet conveying apparatus of an image recording apparatus that optically scans and exposes an image on a photosensitive material in an appropriate direction. To provide.

[0011]

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 sub-scanning conveyance unit arranged on the upstream side in the conveyance direction near the optical scanning position for conveying the body in a sub-scanning direction, and a second sub-scanning conveyance unit arranged on the downstream side in the conveyance direction near the optical scanning position near the optical scanning position A sub-scanning conveying unit, a conveying supplying unit disposed upstream of the first sub-scanning conveying unit in the conveying direction, and conveying and supplying the sheet body to the first sub-scanning conveying unit; And a sheet body leading end position correcting means provided in a carrying path of the first sub-scanning carrying means and performing alignment of a leading end of the sheet body. is there.

Here, the sheet body leading end position correcting means is preferably a plate-like stopper which freely protrudes into the conveyance path, and the conveyance of the conveyance supply means and the projection of the plate-like stopper are single. It is preferable that the control is performed by a driving source. Further, it is preferable that a side edge guide extending in the conveyance direction of the conveyance supply unit and the first sub-scanning conveyance unit in the conveyance path and performing alignment of a width direction end surface of the sheet body is provided. It is preferable that the transport supply unit includes a transport drive roller whose rotation axis has a tilt angle with respect to a direction orthogonal to the transport direction.
At that time, in accordance with the width of the sheet body, the front end position of the sheet body is adjusted by the sheet body front end position correcting means,
Alternatively, it is preferable that the widthwise end surface of the sheet body is aligned.

[0013]

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a printer to which an embodiment of a sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention is applied and which exposes and records an image by sub-scanning and conveying a photosensitive material while scanning a light beam on the photosensitive material. . In the present embodiment, a printer that exposes and records an image on a photosensitive material will be described as an example.However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an image reading apparatus that reads image information recorded on a sheet member, for example, It is used in an apparatus for reading image information by irradiating a storage phosphor sheet with photostimulated light by irradiating a light beam. A printer 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a device for printing an image on a photosensitive material of a digital photo printer by scanning exposure with a light beam, and cuts a long photosensitive material (photographic paper) into a predetermined length according to a print to be made. To make a cut sheet,
This is a device that performs recording of back print (back print) and digital scanning exposure, and supplies it to a processor (developing device) 80.

The printer 10 includes a photosensitive material supply unit 12 and back printing means 14 for recording a back print.
An exposure unit 16 that irradiates the photosensitive material A with a light beam at a light beam scanning exposure position (hereinafter, referred to as an exposure position) X that is a light scanning position and performs one-dimensional optical scanning in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction Y; The photosensitive material transport unit 18 corresponding to the sheet transport apparatus of the present invention, which transports and supplies the photosensitive material A to the exposure position X and transports the photosensitive material A in the sub-scanning direction by transporting the photosensitive material A during the optical scanning exposure. And a distribution unit 19 for distributing the photosensitive material A on which an image is recorded by light beam exposure. Note that, in addition to the members shown in the drawing, various members such as a conveyance unit for the photosensitive material A such as a conveyance roller, a conveyance guide, and a sensor are arranged as necessary.

In the printer 10, the photosensitive material supply unit 1
2 (hereinafter, referred to as a supply unit 12) includes loading units 20 and 2
2, a pair of pull-out rollers 24 and 26, and a cutter 28
And 30. Loading sections 20 and 2
Reference numeral 2 denotes a magazine 32 in which a long photosensitive material Z wound in a roll shape with the recording surface outside is housed in a light-shielding housing.
Is the part to be loaded. The magazines 32 loaded in both loading sections 20 and 22 usually have a size (width), a surface type (silk or mat, etc.), and a specification (thickness, base type, etc.).
For example, photosensitive materials A of different types are stored.

The draw-out roller pairs 24 and 26 draw out and transport the photosensitive material A stored in the magazine 32 loaded in the loading units 20 and 22. This conveyance is stopped when the photosensitive material A conveyed downstream from the corresponding cutters 28 and 30 has a length corresponding to the print to be produced, and then the cutters 28 and 30 are activated to operate the photosensitive material A. Is cut into a cut sheet of a predetermined length.

The photosensitive material A pulled out of the magazine 32 of the loading section 22 and cut to a predetermined length by the cutter 30
The photosensitive material A pulled out of the magazine 32 of the loading unit 20 and cut by the cutter 28 on the other hand is transported by the first transport unit 34 and the second transport unit 36 composed of a number of transport roller pairs. 36, both are transported upward and then transported rightward (Y direction in FIG. 1),
The sheet is conveyed to the photosensitive material conveying unit 18 with the recording surface facing upward.

In the middle of the second transport section 36, the back printing means 1
4 are arranged. The back printing means 14 prints, on the non-recording side (non-emulsion side = back side) of the photosensitive material A, the photographing date, print printing date, frame number, film ID number (sign), camera ID number used for photographing, A variety of information such as an ID number of a photo printer, so-called back print is recorded (back print). The back print is recorded by the back print unit 14 while the photosensitive material A is transported by the second transport unit 36. Back printing means 1 for recording back print
As No. 4, a back print printer used in a known photo printer such as an ink jet printer, a dot impact printer, and a thermal transfer printer is exemplified.
The back printing means 14 is a new photo system (Advanced Ph
(oto System), it is preferable to be able to print two or more lines.

The exposure unit 16 irradiates the photosensitive material A with a light beam at the exposure position X and performs one-dimensional optical scanning in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction Y, for example, records a light beam such as a laser beam. A known light beam scanning device used as light L, for example, a red (R) light-sensitive material A
A light source that emits light beams corresponding to each of the exposure, green (G) exposure, and blue (B) exposure, and A that modulates the light beam emitted from the light source according to digital image data
A modulating means such as an OM (acousto-optic modulator), an optical deflector such as a polygon mirror for deflecting the modulated light beam in the main scanning direction, and a light beam deflected in the main scanning direction at a predetermined position on the recording position X It has an fθ (scanning) lens for forming an image with a predetermined beam diameter, and the like. In the present invention,
In addition to this, transportation of PDP (plasma display) array, ELD (electroluminescent display) array, LED (light emitting diode) array, LCD (liquid crystal display) array, DMD (digital micromirror device) array, laser array, etc. Digital exposure means using various light emitting arrays or spatial modulation element arrays extending in a direction orthogonal to the direction Y can also be used.

The photosensitive material transport unit 18 transports the photosensitive material A, which has been transported upward from the second transport unit 36 and then has been transported rightward in a different transport direction, to the exposure position X, and supplies the photosensitive material A to the exposure position X. FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a portion where the photosensitive material A is transported in the sub-scanning direction by being transported during scanning. FIG. 3 shows a cross section taken along the line BB 'shown in FIG. The photosensitive material transport unit 18
From the upstream side in the transport direction, the transport roller pairs 18a and 18b
And a pair of sub-scanning conveyance rollers 18c and 18d, and a photosensitive material tip position adjusting unit 18e is provided between the pair of conveyance rollers 18b and the pair of sub-scanning conveyance rollers 18c. 18f, control unit 18
g, a drive motor 18h, a guide 18i, and a side edge guide 18j.

The transport roller pairs 18a and 18b are
The photosensitive material A transported from the transport unit 36 is moved to the exposure position X
In a conveying means for supplying the sub-scanning conveying roller pair 18c to the sub-scanning conveying, via a gear 18a ₃ and 18b ₃ provided at one end of the gear 18h ₁ of the drive shaft of the drive motor 18h rotating shaft driving rotational driving force is connected so as to transmit the roller 18a ₁ and 18b ₁
If, nip roller 18a ₂ and 1 for conveying the photosensitive material A is nipped with the drive roller 18a ₁ and 18b ₁
8b ₂ . Conveying roller pair 18a and 1
Each of the gears 18a ₃ and 18b ₃ of the 8b is provided with one-way clutches 18a ₄ and 18b ₄ for transmitting rotational driving force only in one direction, and for one-way rotation (forward rotation) of the drive motor 18h. , Drive rollers 18a ₁ and 1
8b ₁ rotates so as to transport the photosensitive material A in the transport direction Y, but the reverse rotation causes the drive rollers 18a ₁ and 18b ₁ not to rotate, so that the transport of the photosensitive material A stops. Be composed. Such a one-way clutch may be any known one, for example, one using a gear (one-way gear).

Further, the rotation shaft of the driving roller 18a ₁ and 18b ₁ of the conveying roller pair 18a and 18b is a tilt angle with respect to the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction Y, for example, 0.2
It has a tilt angle of 8 degrees and is inclined leftward in FIG. This is for performing the alignment of the end surface in the width direction of the photosensitive material A (the end surface of the photosensitive material A substantially parallel to the transport direction Y), that is, the alignment of the side edge, which will be described later in detail. As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of transport rollers 18a is located at a position symmetrical with respect to the center line of the transport path.
And 18b are provided. In this embodiment, two pairs of transport rollers 18a and 18b are provided as a transport supply unit for supplying the photosensitive material A to the sub-scanning transport roller pair 18c, but in the transport direction Y of the photosensitive material A to be cut. The number of arrangements is not limited as long as they are arranged at intervals shorter than the length. Further, the transporting means in the present invention is not limited to the transporting roller pair, and a known transporting means may be used. For example, the transporting means may include a driving roller and two nip rollers.

Sub-scanning conveying roller pair 18c and 18d
Is by conveying in the optical scanning exposure in the conveying direction Y at the exposure position X, the light-sensitive material A in a sub-scanning conveyance means of the sub-scanning conveying drive roller 18c ₁ and itself rotates driven by a drive means (not shown) 18d ₁ and
Nip rollers 18c ₂ and 18d for conveying the photosensitive material A is nipped with the drive roller 18c ₁ and 18d _{1
And 2} . Further, the sub-scanning conveyance unit in the present invention is not limited to the pair of sub-scanning conveyance rollers, and a known conveyance unit may be used. For example, the sub-scanning conveyance unit may include a driving roller and two nip rollers. .

The light-sensitive material tip position adjusting portion 18e is provided with a rotating shaft 18e ₂ fixed at one end of the plate-shaped stopper 18e ₁ a plate-shaped stopper 18e _1. Plate stopper 18
e ₁ is a plate member having a width 10mm for example, disposed two at regular intervals symmetrically to the center line of the conveying path. The photosensitive material tip position adjusting unit 18e includes a drive motor 18
h to gear 18h ₁ , gear 18b ₃ and gear 18e ₃
By rotating the plate-like stopper 18e ₁ in the direction C (see FIG. 2) through, by projecting into the conveying path, the conveying direction downstream of the tip of the photosensitive material A, which has been conveyed from the upstream side in the transport direction ( Hereinafter, this is simply referred to as a front end).

[0026] The gear 18e _3, the one-way clutch 18e
₄ is provided to rotate the rotating shaft 18e ₂ in the reverse rotation of the drive motor 18h, by rotating in the arrow C direction in FIG. 2, configured as a plate-shaped stopper 18e ₁ protrudes freely into the conveying path Is done. In the forward rotation of the drive motor 18h, the rotational shaft 18e ₂ does not rotate, the plate-shaped stopper 18e ₁ maintains its position. Such one-way clutch 18e ₄ one-way clutch 18a ₄ and 18
those known as with b _4, for example, one using a gear may be a (one-way gear) or the like.

Further, sheet leading edge position adjusting means in the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the light-sensitive material tip position adjusting portion 18e is protruded freely during the conveyance path by rotating the plate-like stopper 18e _1, rotary solenoid For example, the stopper may be moved upward and downward in the transport path so as to be able to advance and retreat.

Further, the opposite end to the end of the gear 18e ₃ provided on the rotating shaft 18e _2, as shown in FIG. 4,
Fixing spring 18e ₆ cam 18e ₆ and end with a cutout portion 18e ₇ and 18e ₈ in a part of the circumference shape is fixed to the guide 18i is provided, the light-sensitive material A which has been conveyed from the upstream side in the transport direction as not resist to the conveying force plate stopper 18e ₁ is never rotated in the direction of arrow C,
Fixing the rotation of the rotating shaft 18e ₂ by cam 18e ₆ and the fixed spring 18e _5. That is, when the plate-shaped stopper 18e ₁ is to position the tip of the protrusion to the light-sensitive material A in the conveying path, as shown in FIG. 4, the fixed spring 18e ₅
There it abuts against the notch 18e ₇ of the cam 18e _5,
It is possible to fix the plate-like stopper 18e ₁ in conveyance path projected state, it is possible to stop the conveyance of the photosensitive material A hits the plate stopper 18e _1. Meanwhile, when the plate-shaped stopper 18e ₁ is retracted from the conveying path, it is possible to fix the spring 18e ₆ to notch 18e ₈ of the cam 18e ₂ abuts, to fix the plate-like stopper 18e ₁ into a predetermined holding position .

The position detecting sensor 18f is a sensor that detects the passage of the leading end of the photosensitive material A and sends a detection signal to the control unit 18g, and is a known sensor, for example, a photoelectric sensor. Position detection sensor 18f, as described later, a plate-like stopper 18e of the drive roller 18a ₁ and the rotation of the driving roller 18b ₁ and the photosensitive material leading edge position adjusting portion 18e
_A trigger signal serving as a reference for controlling _one rotation is sent to the control unit 18g.

The control unit 18g issues a forward or reverse rotation command signal to a drive motor 18h for rotating the drive rollers 18a ₁ and 18b ₁ and rotating the plate-like stopper 18e ₁ of the photosensitive material tip position adjustment unit 18e. Is the part that gives The drive motor 18h is driven by a drive roller 18a.
₁ , a single driving source for applying a rotational driving force to the driving roller 18b ₁ and the plate-like stopper 18e _1;
controlled by g. The sequence control of the drive motor 18h is performed based on the rotation pulse of the drive motor 18h. When the control unit 18g and the drive motor 18h detect the passage of the leading end of the photosensitive material A from the position detection sensor 18f and receive a trigger signal, the drive motor 18h rotates forward based on the trigger signal as described later. And outputs a control signal for controlling the reverse rotation drive. In this embodiment, the drive roller 18a ₁ and the drive roller 1a are rotated by rotating the single drive motor 18h forward and backward.
8b ₁ and the plate-like stopper 18e ₁ are controlled so as to perform a desired operation. However, in the present invention, it is not necessary to integrally control the single drive motor 18h. The operation may be controlled.

The guide 18i is a plate-like guide for supporting the photosensitive material A from below.
8 are provided along the transport direction Y. The side edge guide 18j is a guide that extends in the transport direction Y in the transport path of the transport roller pair 18a and the sub-scan transport roller pair 18c, and aligns the side edge of the photosensitive material A.
, A pair is provided on both left and right sides. The pair of left and right side edge guides 18j can be moved by a driving unit (not shown) in accordance with the width of the photosensitive material A.

The rotating shaft of the pair of conveying rollers 18a and 18b has a tilt angle of, for example, 0.28 degrees with respect to the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction Y, as described above, and moves leftward in FIG. Leaning on. This is because the ratio of the width of the photosensitive material A to the length of the photosensitive material A in the transport direction, that is, the photosensitive material A whose aspect ratio is smaller than a predetermined value, for example, the aspect ratio is smaller than 2.45 (the length is longer in the transport direction and the width is longer) for short) photosensitive material a, as described below, to move the side edge guide 18j to correspond to the width of the photosensitive material a, without using a plate-shaped stopper 18e _1, no inclination by the side edge guide 18j This is for performing adjustment in an appropriate direction. That is, the photosensitive material A having a relatively small aspect ratio and a long length in the transport direction is applied to the driving roller
During conveyance by 8a and 18b, the photosensitive material A moves leftward in FIG. 3 according to the tilt angle, and the widthwise end surface of the photosensitive material A, that is, the side edge, can be regulated by the side edge guide 18j provided on the left side. is there. Thus, the photosensitive material A whose side edge position is regulated by the left side edge guide 18j in FIG. 3 is supplied to the sub-scanning conveyance roller pair 18c, and the photosensitive material A is properly inclined without any inclination in the conveyance path. Scanning exposure is performed while being adjusted in the direction.

The position of the side edge guide 18j can be freely moved according to the width of the photosensitive material A. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the photosensitive material leading edge position adjusting portion 18e of the side edge guide 18j so that the distance from the installation width of the plate-like stopper 18e ₁ provided on right and left sides of the transport path center line is narrowed in The position can be moved (a broken side edge guide 18j 'in the figure). In this case, the photosensitive material tip position adjusting unit 1
The positioning of the front end by 8e is not performed, and only the positioning of the side edge by the side edge guide 18j is performed. Such narrow light-sensitive material A from the installation width of the plate-shaped stopper 18e _1, since the length in the conveying direction is longer, the slope of adjustment to the alignment only in the conveying direction of the side edge is because it sufficiently. On the other hand, the plate-like stopper 1
The photosensitive material A wider than the installation width of the photosensitive material 8e ₁ has a short length in the carrying direction, so that the carrying distance carried by the carrying roller pairs 18a and 18b is short, and only the alignment of the side edges is not enough. The tip of the photosensitive material A is efficiently adjusted by performing the tip position adjustment by the position adjusting unit 18e. Thus, in the present embodiment, according to the width of the photosensitive material A, that is, the plate-like stopper 18e _1.
For the photosensitive material A that is narrower than the installation width of the photosensitive material A, the inclination of the photosensitive material A is adjusted (to zero) by aligning the leading end.
An image can be recorded in an appropriate direction. The photosensitive material transport unit 18 is configured as described above.

The distributing section 19 includes a photosensitive material transport unit 18
Receiving the photosensitive material A discharged from the printer, and according to a sequence appropriately determined according to the size of the photosensitive material A, etc.,
The photosensitive material A is sorted in a direction (horizontal direction) orthogonal to the transport direction Y, and is transported to the transport roller pair 48 that supplies the photosensitive material A to the processor 80 as a plurality of rows overlapping in the transport direction Y. Is improved, for example, about two times for two rows and about three times for three rows.
The distributing unit 19 in the illustrated example is configured to include a belt conveyor 52 and a distributing device 56, and the photosensitive material A is discharged and placed on the belt conveyor 52 to be conveyed, and is conveyed to a predetermined position. , Lifted up by the suction unit of the distribution device 56, conveyed in the oblique downstream direction on the downstream side and distributed,
It is again placed on the belt conveyor 52, transported as it is, and supplied to the transport roller pair 48. As described above, the photosensitive material A transported by the distribution unit 19 is supplied to the processor 80 by the transport roller pair 48, subjected to development processing such as color development, bleach-fixing, and washing with water, and then dried.
It is discharged as a (finished) print. Printer 10
Is configured as described above.

Next, the operation of the sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to a printer 10 to which an embodiment of the sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention is applied. In the printer 10, as shown in FIG.
2, the photosensitive material A in the form of a roll is pulled out from the cutter 24.
Alternatively, the cut sheet-shaped photosensitive material A cut to a predetermined length by 26 and back-printed by the back printing means 14 is turned along the guide (not shown) from the upward transport direction to the right transport direction Y. Is supplied to the photosensitive material transport unit 18.

When the leading end of the photosensitive material A passes through the position detecting sensor 18f, the leading end of the photosensitive material A is detected by the position detecting sensor 18f. The position detection signal is output to the control unit 18g. As shown in FIG. 5, the detection signal from the detection sensor 18f is used as a trigger signal,
In the control unit 18g, counting of forward rotation and reverse rotation pulses by the drive motor 18h is started. When the position detection signal is output from the position detection sensor 18f, the drive motor A continues to rotate in the forward direction for unloading the photosensitive material A that has been subjected to the previous scanning exposure process. .

[0037] When the rotation pulses are counted in the forward rotation of the drive motor 18h reaches P _1, the control unit 18g gives a command signal of the reverse rotation to the drive motor 18h, the drive motor 1
8h starts reverse rotation. When the drive motor 18h starts reverse rotation, driven by a one-way clutch 18a ₄ and 18b ₄ rollers 18a ₁ and 18b ₁ stops rotating,
The conveyance of the photosensitive material A stops. Here, the stop position of the photosensitive material A is a projected position in front of the plate stopper 18e _1. On the other hand, the rotating shaft 18e ₂ to rotate via the gear 18e _3, the plate-shaped stopper 18e ₁ protrudes upward from below the transport path during rotation to the arrow C direction as shown in FIG. Such operation, rotation pulses counted is performed until the P _2.

Thereafter, the control unit 18g controls the drive motor 18
h, a forward rotation command signal is given, and the rotation pulse becomes P_Threebecome
The drive motor 18h is rotated forward until the rotation. by this,
Drive roller 18a₁And 18b₁Resume rotation and feel
The tip of the optical material A is a plate-like stopper 18e.₁I will hit you
And the tip is aligned. Plate stopper
18e₁Is a cam 18e as shown in FIG._FiveAnd solid
Constant spring 18e₆Fixed by a plate-shaped stopper
18e₁Stops the end of photosensitive material A that is transported and abuts
Can be done. Further, the photosensitive material A has a plate-like tip.
Stopper 18e ₁The drive roller 18a
₁And 18b₁Sent by the photosensitive material
A is deflected.

[0039] Here, as the light-sensitive material A is shown in Figure 6, when which has been conveyed tilted, the tip of the edge in the conveying direction Y of the photosensitive material A comes into contact abuts against the plate-shaped stopper 18e _1, Further, the drive rollers 18a ₁ and 18b ₁
, It rotates in the direction of arrow D around the edge portion of the tip that comes into contact with the plate-like stopper 18 e ₁ ,
Tilt is adjusted tabular stopper 18e ₁ as a reference.
As a result, the leading end of the photosensitive material A is parallel to the exposure position X, so that an appropriate posture is obtained. When the width of the photosensitive material A is narrower than the predetermined width and longer in the transport direction, the transport roller pair 18a and 18b
Has a tilt angle, for example, a tilt angle of 0.28 degrees with respect to the direction orthogonal to the transport direction Y as described above, and is tilted leftward in FIG. 3, so that the drive roller pair 18a and The photosensitive material A conveyed at 18b is conveyed in the direction of arrow E as shown in FIG. 6 according to the tilt angle, and is appropriately moved according to the width of the photosensitive material A. By contacting the side edge guide 18j, the side edge of the photosensitive material A is regulated. In this manner, the photosensitive material A is adjusted with reference to the end face position in the width direction.
Is placed in an appropriate posture. As described above, the pair of side edge guides 1 that move according to the width of the photosensitive material A
Spacing 8j is, if narrower than a pair of spacing plate stopper 18e ₁ in FIG. 6, regulation by the plate-shaped stopper 18e ₁ is not performed, restricted by the side edge guide 18j is performed.

Thereafter, the control unit 18g controls the drive motor 18
h, a reverse rotation command signal is given, and in response to this, the drive motor 18h starts reverse rotation. At this time, the driving roller 18a ₁ and 18b ₁ stops the rotation, the photosensitive material A
Stops the feed, the plate-shaped stopper 18e ₁ withdrew from within the transport path to rotate in the arrow C direction in FIG. 2, fixed notch 18e ₈ of the cam 18e ₅ shown in FIG. 4 the spring 18e ₆
And is fixed at a predetermined retracted position. Such reverse rotation, the rotation pulse is performed until the P _4.

Thereafter, the control unit 18g controls the drive motor 18
A command signal for forward rotation is given to h, and in response to this, the drive motor 18h starts forward rotation. Thus, the photosensitive material A starts to be conveyed by being driven by the conveying roller pairs 18a and 18b, and is sent to the sub-scanning conveying roller pair 18c.

The conveying speed of the sub-scanning conveying roller pair 18c is set higher than the conveying speed of the conveying roller pairs 18a and 18b. For example, the conveying roller pairs 18a and 18b
80 mm / sec for a conveyance speed of 75.6 mm / sec.
And the photosensitive material A nipped by the sub-scanning conveying roller pair 18c is transferred to the conveying roller pairs 18a and 18b.
The transfer is started at a transfer speed higher than the transfer speed by. In this case, the driving roller 18a ₁ and 18b ₁ of the pair of conveying rollers 18a and 18b, an idling state by a one-way clutch 18a ₄ and 18b _4. The photosensitive material A conveyed and supplied to the sub-scanning conveyance roller pair 18c in this manner.
Is transported at the sub-scanning transport speed. The photosensitive material A starts scanning exposure with a light beam in an appropriate position at the exposure position X. Further, the sheet is nipped by the pair of sub-scanning conveyance rollers 18 d and conveyed in the sub-scanning direction, and sent to the distribution unit 19. The photosensitive material transport unit 18 performs transport and sub-scan transport in this manner, and stands by for transport of the next photosensitive material A and sub-scan transport.

In the distribution section 19, the photosensitive material A is discharged and placed on the belt conveyor 52 and conveyed.
Is lifted up by the suction unit, and is conveyed and sorted in the obliquely horizontal direction on the downstream side.
And a processor 80 via the transport roller pair 48.
Supplied to In the processor 80, after being subjected to development processing such as color development, bleach-fixing, and washing with water, it is dried and discharged as a (finished) print.

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 gist of the present invention. Of course it is good.

[0045]

As described above in detail, in the sheet conveying apparatus, the sheet feeding means such as the pair of conveying rollers of the above-described embodiment and the conveying path of the sub-conveying means such as the pair of sub-scanning conveying rollers are used. , By providing a sheet body tip position correcting means, for example, a plate-like stopper that freely projects,
The sheet body can be adjusted to an appropriate inclination and conveyed in the sub-scanning direction. Further, since the conveyance of the sheet and the protrusion of the sheet body front end position correcting means are controlled by a single driving source such as a driving motor, it is possible to provide a small and low-cost apparatus for conveying the sheet. Further, by adjusting the position of the leading end of the sheet member or the position in the width direction of the sheet member in accordance with the width of the sheet member, the inclination of the sheet member can be efficiently and appropriately adjusted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a printer to which an embodiment of a sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a photosensitive material transport unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing the photosensitive material transport unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a configuration around a rotary shaft of a photosensitive material tip position adjusting unit shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of a photosensitive material transport unit which is an embodiment of the sheet transport apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating adjustment of a photosensitive material in a photosensitive material transport unit of one embodiment of the sheet transport device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 Printer 12 Photosensitive material supply unit 14 Back printing means 16 Exposure unit 18 Photosensitive material transport unit 18a, 18b Transport roller pair 18c, 18d Sub-scan transport roller pair 18e Photosensitive material tip position adjustment unit 18f Position detection sensor 18g Control unit 18h Drive motor 18i Guide 18j Side Edge Guide 19 Distributor 80 Processor

Claims (6)

[Claims] An optical scanning unit that optically scans the sheet body in a one-dimensional direction at an optical scanning position and sub-scans and conveys the sheet body in a conveying direction substantially orthogonal to the one-dimensional direction; A first sub-scanning transport unit disposed on the upstream side in the direction, a second sub-scanning transport unit disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction near the optical scanning position, and the first sub-scanning transport unit. A transport supply unit that is disposed on the upstream side in the transport direction and transports and supplies the sheet body to the first sub-scanning transport unit; and is provided in a transport path of the transport supply unit and the first sub-scanning transport unit. And a sheet body leading end position correcting means for positioning the leading end of the sheet body. 2. The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sheet member front end position correcting means is a plate-like stopper freely projecting into said conveying path. 3. The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the conveyance of the conveyance supply unit and the projection of the plate-shaped stopper are performed by being controlled by a single driving source. 4. A side edge guide that extends in the transport direction of the transport supply unit and the first sub-scanning transport unit in the transport path and that aligns a width direction end surface of the sheet member. Item 4. The sheet conveying device according to any one of Items 1 to 3. 5. The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said conveying and supplying means includes a conveying driving roller having a rotation axis having a tilt angle with respect to a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. 6. The sheet body leading end position correcting means performs positioning of the leading end of the sheet body or positioning of the widthwise end face of the sheet body in accordance with the width of the sheet body. 3. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1.