JP2002287264A - Conveyance guide for photosensitive material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a conveyance guide for a photosensitive material which form an abrasion mark on neither the exposure surface nor the reverse surface of the photosensitive material when the photosensitive material is conveyed. SOLUTION: An image recording device which forms an image by exposing the photosensitive material is equipped with a side wall part which is a conveyance guide restricting at least the width-directional end parts of the photosensitive material during the conveyance and has the side wall surface restricting the width-directional end parts of the photosensitive material and an upper wall part and a lower wall part which extend from the side wall part to cover the width-directional end parts of the photosensitive material; and the elevation angle of the upper wall part and the depression angle of the lower wall part are 0 to 40 deg..

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus such as a digital photo printer for printing a photograph by printing and exposing a transmission image recorded on a negative film or the like and a digital signal converted image to a photosensitive material. In the device,
The present invention relates to a conveyance guide that regulates at least a widthwise end of the photosensitive material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an image recording apparatus using digital exposure, that is, an image recorded on a film is photoelectrically read, the read image is converted into a digital signal, and then various image processings are performed to perform recording. Image data (exposure conditions) are used to scan and expose the photosensitive material with recording light modulated according to the image data (exposure conditions) to record an image (latent image), develop it, and output it as a print (photograph) Digital photo printers have been put to practical use.

In this digital photo printer (image recording apparatus), since exposure conditions (image recording conditions) are determined by digital image processing, editing of a printed image such as synthesis of a plurality of images and image division, or Various image processing such as color / density adjustment and contour emphasis can be freely performed, and a print that has been freely processed according to the application can be output. Therefore, it is possible to output a print having better resolution and color / density reproducibility and better image quality than the conventional direct exposure printing. Further, the image data of the print image can be supplied to a computer or the like, and can be stored in a recording medium such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk.

In such an image recording apparatus, the photosensitive material is drawn out of the magazine by a pair of pull-out rollers provided on the apparatus main body side, and is conveyed along a predetermined path. A pair of width guide members, which are conveyance guides for regulating at least the widthwise side end portions of the photosensitive material, are provided at predetermined positions.

As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional width guide member 140 has side walls 142, an upper wall 144 and a lower wall whose inner wall faces the widthwise side edge of the photosensitive material, the exposed surface and the back surface thereof, respectively. It has a wall portion 146, and its inner wall surface has a substantially “U” shape in a front view. The photosensitive material inserted into the width guide member 140 from the loading section 148 is
The widthwise side end portion is regulated by the side wall portion 142, and is conveyed continuously while meandering and skewing are reduced.
It is designed to be discharged from 0 to the outside.

[0006]

As described above, the width guide member can regulate the widthwise side end of the photosensitive material, but a long photosensitive material is not necessarily conveyed linearly. In some cases, for example, the photosensitive material must be curved in the direction of the exposure surface or in the direction of its back surface and pass through a predetermined transport path due to, for example, a problem in the arrangement of the components in the image recording apparatus.

That is, when the photosensitive material is used as the width guide member 140,
Is curved in the direction of the exposed surface or the back surface in the vicinity of the carry-out portion 150, the exposed surface of the photosensitive material or the back surface thereof, and the upper wall portion 144 of the width guide member 140 in the vicinity of the carry-out portion 150.
Alternatively, there is a problem in that the inner wall surface or the side edge (edge portion) of the lower wall portion 146 comes into strong contact and is rubbed, thereby causing fine scratches on the exposed surface or the back surface of the photosensitive material.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a photosensitive material transport guide which does not scratch the exposed surface or the back surface of the photosensitive material when transporting the photosensitive material. It is.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image recording apparatus for exposing a photosensitive material to form an image. A transport guide that regulates at least the widthwise side edge of the photosensitive material when transporting the photosensitive material, a side wall having a side wall surface that regulates the widthwise side end of the photosensitive material, and An upper wall portion and a lower wall portion extending so as to cover the ends in the width direction, wherein the elevation angle of the upper wall portion and the depression angle of the lower wall portion are greater than 0 ° and 40 °.
° or less.

According to this, even when the photosensitive material is curved in the direction of the exposure surface or in the direction of the back surface, the inner wall surface of the upper wall or the lower wall of the width guide member and the exposed surface of the photosensitive material or the same. Contact with the back surface can be suitably prevented. Therefore, it is possible to prevent abrasion on the exposed surface or the back surface of the photosensitive material.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image recording apparatus for exposing a photosensitive material to form an image by exposing the photosensitive material, wherein the transport guide regulates at least a widthwise end of the photosensitive material when the photosensitive material is transported, A side wall portion having a side wall surface for regulating the width direction side end portion of the photosensitive material, and an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion extending from the side wall portion to cover the width direction end portion of the photosensitive material, respectively. At least the contact surfaces of the side wall, the upper wall, and the lower wall with the photosensitive material are formed of polycarbonate containing a trifluoride resin or a tetrafluoride resin.

The invention according to claim 3 is that the content of the trifluoride resin or tetrafluoride resin is 3% by weight or less.
It is characterized by being 30% by weight.

According to the second and third aspects of the present invention, the friction between the abutting surfaces of the side wall surface, the upper wall surface, and the lower wall surface of the conveyance guide and the widthwise end of the photosensitive material can be reduced. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of scratches and the like due to.

Further, the invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the width of the upper wall and the lower wall is 2 mm to 20 mm. According to this, the photosensitive material can be suitably transported.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the height of the side wall surface is 1 mm to 10 mm. According to this, at the time of transporting the photosensitive material, it is possible to suitably regulate the widthwise side end.

Further, the invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the lengths of the upper wall and the lower wall are 20 mm or more. According to this, the photosensitive material can be suitably transported.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to examples shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a digital photo printer 10 including a width guide member that is a transport guide according to the present invention, and includes a printer unit 12 and a processor unit 14. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the printer unit 12.

The printer unit 12 has a magazine 16 containing the photosensitive material A wound in a roll shape, and the magazine 16 is removably loaded on the upper part.
The photosensitive material A is pulled out of the magazine 16, recorded with image position information, subjected to image exposure (printing processing), back-printed, etc. while being conveyed along a predetermined path, and conveyed to the developing section 78 of the processor section 14 which is the next step. A transport section 18 having transport means, and a projection light of an image photographed on a film
Photoelectrically read by an image sensor such as D sensor,
The analog image data of the read film is converted into digital image data, and the converted digital image data is subjected to predetermined image processing such as gradation correction, so that output image data for image recording (exposure conditions) is obtained. An image processing unit 20 to be derived, an electrical unit 22 containing a control board and a power supply unit for controlling each unit, and an exposed photosensitive material A
And a reservoir 24 for temporarily storing.

The magazine 16 in which the photosensitive material A wound in a roll is accommodated is a light-shielding housing, and is located substantially at the center of an outlet serving as a supply port of the photosensitive material A to the transport unit 18. A notch (not shown) having a substantially U-shape in plan view is formed. A pull-out roller pair 26 that is freely movable toward and away from each other by a driving device such as a solenoid is disposed inside the transport unit 18 at a position facing the pull-out port of the magazine 16. 26 is Magazine 1
The photosensitive material A is supplied to a predetermined path in the transport unit 18 by holding the starting end of the photosensitive material A exposed from the cutout of the outlet 6 and pulling it out.

A width guide member 28 for regulating the width direction of the photosensitive material A is provided downstream of the pair of draw-out rollers 26. The width guide member 28 is configured such that the guide width can be adjusted according to the width of the photosensitive material A by a guide width adjustment mechanism 100 (see FIG. 3) that is operated by a signal from a control device (not shown). . Note that the pull-out roller pair 26 and the width guide member 28 release the photosensitive material A when the apparatus is interrupted or stopped, such as when the magazine 16 is replaced, and when the photosensitive material A is passed through the paper feeding unit 18 or in the transport unit 18. This is when the remaining photosensitive material A is wound into the magazine 16.

On the downstream side of the width guide member 28, a first loop (slack) 30 having a substantially U-shape in side view is formed, and on the downstream side of the first loop 30, a punch hole is formed in the photosensitive material A. Is provided. The first loop 30 is for absorbing the intermittent conveyance / stop of the photosensitive material A during the operation of the punch 32 disposed on the downstream side thereof. The photosensitive material A is cut or exposed, scanned or back-printed, and perforated in the photosensitive material A for positional information for each print or positional information for a unit number of sheets set appropriately for one film. Is what is done.

On the downstream side of the punch 32, a transport roller 34 for changing the transport direction of the photosensitive material A by approximately 90 °, and an endless wound around three guide rollers 36 so as to face the transport roller 34. A belt 38 is disposed, and further downstream thereof, a second loop 40 having a substantially U-shape in side view.
Are formed. An exposure unit 42 is disposed downstream of the second loop 40, and a third loop 50 that is substantially U-shaped in side view is formed downstream of the exposure unit 42.

The exposure section 42 detects a punch hole provided by the punch 32 to determine an image exposure start position.
The photosensitive material A conveyed in the sub-scanning direction (from right to left in FIG. 2) is two-dimensionally deflected by a light beam deflected in the main scanning direction (perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2) orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction. The scanning exposure is performed, and a sub-scanning transport device 44 and a light beam scanning device 46 are provided.

The sub-scanning conveyance device 44 includes two pairs of registration rollers 52 for guiding the photosensitive material A to the exposure position and a width guide member 54, and further includes two pairs of conveyance rollers 56 downstream thereof. The photosensitive material A can be transported to the exposure position of the light beam scanning device 46 with high accuracy. Note that the width guide member 54 is also a guide width adjustment mechanism 10 that is operated by a signal from a control device (not shown).
With 0, the interval can be adjusted.

The light beam scanning device 46 includes the image processing unit 20
The photosensitive material A conveyed with high accuracy by the sub-scanning conveyance device 44 using a light beam that is modulated according to the output image data (exposure conditions) derived and is deflected in the main scanning direction. A latent image is formed on the photosensitive material A by performing scanning exposure.

The second loop 40 and the third loop 50
Is provided in order to absorb a problem caused by transport means (transport rollers and the like) arranged upstream and downstream with respect to the transport of the photosensitive material A in the sub-scanning transport device 44, that is, so-called back tension or pulling. Accordingly, highly accurate conveyance of the photosensitive material A can be realized.

On the downstream side of the third loop 50, a photosensitive material A
Roller 48 that changes the direction of conveyance by approximately 90 °
Is disposed, and a back print unit 58 is disposed downstream thereof. In the back print unit 58, various data such as the photographing date of the original film and the recording date on the photosensitive material A are recorded on the back surface of the print (photosensitive material) by the printing device 62.

A transport roller 64 for changing the transport direction of the photosensitive material A by approximately 90 ° is disposed downstream of the back print section 58, and a first cutter 66 is disposed downstream thereof. . And this first cutter 6
6, a side view substantially U accommodated in the reservoir 24
A letter-shaped fourth loop 60 is formed.

The first cutter 66 is a cutter that is not used in a normal operation state. For example, the exposed photosensitive material A stored in the reservoir 24 after the exposure scan is completed.
Is to cut the photosensitive material A, for example, when all of the light is discharged. The fourth loop 60 accommodated in the reservoir 24 includes the printer unit 12 and the processor unit 1.
This is provided to absorb the difference in processing speed from the print data No. 4 and perform efficient print creation.

A transport roller 68 is disposed downstream of the fourth loop 60, and a second cutter 72 is disposed further downstream thereof. The second cutter 72 is a cutter for cutting the photosensitive material A when a trouble or the like occurs, for example, the photosensitive material A stored in the reservoir 24.
When the amount of light is less than a predetermined amount, or when the processor unit 14
When a trouble occurs, the second cutter 72
By cutting the photosensitive material A, the problem with the photosensitive material A accommodated in the reservoir 24 can be eliminated, or the photosensitive material A is unnecessarily pulled into the processor unit 14,
Each transport unit in the transport unit 18 is prevented from being damaged.

On the downstream side of the second cutter 72, a fifth loop 70 having a substantially U-shape in side view is formed. The fifth loop 70 includes a difference between the processing speed in the transport unit 18 and the processing speed in the processor unit 14, and the transport unit 1
The purpose is to finally absorb the transport / stop of the photosensitive material A by each transport means in 8 and prevent the photosensitive material A from being unnecessarily pulled and damaged by the transport means in the processor unit 14. .

On the downstream side of the fifth loop 70, a final transport roller 74 for supplying to the processor section 14 is provided.
Two nip rollers 76 are arranged opposite to the nip roller 76 at a predetermined interval, whereby the processor unit 1
The exposed photosensitive material A is sent to the developing section 78 of No. 4.

The processor section 14 includes a developing section 78 for developing, fixing and washing the exposed photosensitive material A on which the latent image is formed, a drying section 80 for subsequent drying processing, and a long photosensitive material. A discharge section 82 having a third cutter 84 for cutting and separating A into predetermined lengths for each image frame, and a sorter section 86 for storing the finished prints thus formed are provided. The exposed photosensitive material A that has been sent is transported by transporting means (transporting rollers and the like) provided in the processor unit 14 while passing through each unit.

The developing section 78 includes a developing tank 88, a fixing tank 90, and a washing tank 92. The exposed photosensitive material A is conveyed in each tank in a substantially U-shaped loop in a side view. You. Further, the photosensitive material A after the water washing
Are housed in a substantially U-shaped loop when viewed from the side, and are conveyed to the discharge unit 82 in the next step.

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with respect to the above-described image recording apparatus. As described above, photosensitive material A
The width guide members 28 and 54, which are transport guides for regulating at least the widthwise side end portions of the guide width adjusting mechanism 1 during transport, are operated by a signal from a control device (not shown).
00, the guide width can be automatically adjusted in accordance with the width of the photosensitive material A, and a pair is provided on the left and right. The guide width adjusting mechanism 100 will be described by taking the width guide member 28 as an example for convenience of description, but it goes without saying that the width guide member 54 is also the same.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pair of width guide members 28A and 28B has a side wall portion 122 having a side wall surface 122a for regulating the width of the photosensitive material A, and the side wall portion 1A.
22 has an upper wall portion 124 and a lower wall portion 126 which extend so as to cover the widthwise ends of the photosensitive material A, respectively, and the side wall portions 122, the upper wall portion 124, the lower wall portion 126, and Thus, a concave portion 120 having a substantially U shape in a front view is formed. The recesses 120 are arranged such that the open sides thereof face each other.

That is, three slide shafts 102, 104, and 106 are pivotally supported on the unit side plate 96 that faces the unit side plate 96, and the base 98a of the width guide member 28A is
The base 98b of the width guide member 28B is inserted through the slide shafts 102 and 104,
106, the width guide members 28A, 28B
The concave portions 120 are supported so as to be slidable in the width direction of the photosensitive material A while facing each other.

A drive gear 110 connected to the motor 108 is provided outside one side of the unit side plate 96, and a driven gear 112 is provided inside the other side of the unit side plate 96. A belt 114 is wound. Then, the front-back direction of the belt 114 (the photosensitive material A
The bases 98a and 98b of the width guide members 28A and 28B are respectively attached to the portions 114a and 114b opposed to each other in the transport direction (the transport direction of the guide width adjustment mechanism 100).

According to such a guide width adjusting mechanism 100, the opposed belts 114a and 114b move in opposite directions, so that the left and right width guide members 28
A and 28B move inward or outward synchronously. That is, the motor 108 is driven by a signal from a control device (not shown), and the drive gear 110 connected thereto is rotated by a predetermined amount in both the forward and reverse directions, so that the left and right width guide members 28A and 28B are moved to the slide shafts 102 and 104. , 106 in a direction approaching or separating from each other by a predetermined amount, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the interval between the width guide members 28.

Next, the width guide members 28 and 54, which are conveyance guides for the photosensitive material A, will be described in more detail. The width guide members 28 and 54 are arranged at both ends in the width direction of the photosensitive material A in order to regulate at least the widthwise side ends of the photosensitive material A. As described above, the width guide members 28 and 54 A side wall portion 122 having a side wall surface 122a with which the width direction side end abuts, and an upper wall portion 124 and a lower wall portion 126 extending from the side wall portion 122 so as to cover the width direction end of the photosensitive material A, respectively. have.

The main material of the width guide members 28 and 54 is polycarbonate, and at least the side wall surface 122a of the side wall portion 122 with which the photosensitive material A contacts, and the inner wall surfaces 124a and 126a of the upper wall portion 124 and the lower wall portion 126. Contains a trifluoride resin or a tetrafluoride resin. The optimum content at this time is 3% by weight to 30% by weight. According to this, the side end portion of the photosensitive material A and the side wall surface 12
Friction with 2a is reduced, and generation of scratches and the like due to rubbing can be prevented.

The expansion angle of the upper wall portion 124 and the lower wall portion 126 with respect to the horizontal direction is set to be more than 0 ° and 40 ° or less. That is, as shown in FIG.
24 and the depression angle β of the lower wall 126 are each 0 ° <
α ≦ 40 ° and 0 ° <β ≦ 40 °. The reason why the upper limit is set to 40 ° is that the photosensitive material A comes off the width guide members 28 and 54 when it is expanded at an angle larger than that. β = 3 ° is optimal.

With such an angle, even when the photosensitive material A is curved in the direction of the exposure surface or the back surface thereof, the inner wall surface 124 of the upper wall portion 124 or the lower wall portion 126 can be formed.
a, 126a and the exposed surface of the photosensitive material A or the back surface thereof can be suitably prevented. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent abrasion on the exposed surface or the back surface of the photosensitive material A.

The height H of the side wall surface 122a on the side of the carry-out portion 130 is preferably 1 mm to 10 mm, so that the widthwise side end of the photosensitive material A can be suitably regulated when the photosensitive material A is conveyed. it can. The width W of the upper wall portion 124 and the lower wall portion 126 is preferably 2 mm to 20 mm, and the length L of the upper wall portion 124 and the lower wall portion 126 is 20 m.
m or more. By setting such a range, the photosensitive material A can be suitably transported.

The side wall surface 122a of the side wall portion 122
As the photosensitive material A is moved toward the carry-in portion 128 into which the photosensitive material A is inserted, the photosensitive material A is inclined outward in the width direction. Similarly, the inner wall surfaces 124a and 126a of the upper wall portion 124 and the lower wall portion 126 are formed.
Is inclined in a direction in which the distance between the inner wall surfaces of the upper wall portion 124 and the lower wall portion 126 increases toward the carry-in portion 128. Therefore, the photosensitive material A is easily inserted into the recess 120 of the width guide members 28 and 54.

The width guide members 28, 5 having the above configuration
4, the operation will be described below. In the long photosensitive material A, first, the side end in the width direction, the exposed surface, and the back surface thereof are respectively formed by the side wall surface 122a of the side wall portion 122, the inner wall surface 124a of the upper wall portion 124, and The photosensitive material A is inserted from the loading portion 128 side so as to face the inner wall surface 126a of the wall portion 126.

At this time, the side wall surface 122a of the side wall portion 122
Are inclined outward in the width direction of the photosensitive material A toward the carry-in portion 128, and further, the upper wall portion 124 and the lower wall portion 126
Since the distance between the inner wall surfaces 124a and 126a of the photosensitive material A is increased toward the carry-in portion 128 and the vicinity of the carry-in portion 128 is enlarged, the long photosensitive material A does not cause conveyance failure such as a jam. It is smoothly inserted into the width guide members 28 and 54 from the carry-in portion 128 side.

Then, the widthwise interval between the width guide members 28 and 54 is set by the guide width adjusting mechanism 100 so as to substantially coincide with the length of the photosensitive material A in the widthwise direction. Thereby, bending or damage of the side end in the width direction of the photosensitive material A is prevented. And the photosensitive material A is
Along the side wall surface 122a of the side wall portion 122, while being confined at the width direction end, the paper is continuously conveyed at a predetermined speed in the recess 120 of the width guide members 28 and 54. In the case of the width guide member 54, it is conveyed while the exposure position is adjusted with high precision.

At this time, the width guide members 28, 54
Is expanded by a predetermined angle in the vertical direction, that is, the upper wall 1
24 and the depression angle β of the lower wall 126 are, for example, α = 3
°, β = 3 °, so that the space in the concave portion 120 of the width guide members 28, 54 expands in the vertical direction, and the exposed surface of the photosensitive material A or its back surface is the upper wall portion. The problem of contact with the inner wall surface 124a, 126a of the lower wall portion 124 or the lower wall portion 126 is prevented, and abrasion on the exposed surface or the back surface of the photosensitive material A is prevented. Thus, the photosensitive material A is prevented from being scratched, and
While the width direction side end is regulated, the width guide members 28, 5
4 are continuously discharged from the carry-out section 130.

[0050]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the exposure surface or the back surface of the photosensitive material from being scratched by the contact with the transport guide.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a digital photo printer (image recording device).

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a printer unit.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a guide width adjusting mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a plan view, a side view, and the like of the transport guide according to the present invention.
Front view

FIG. 5 is a plan view, a side view, and a front view of a conventional conveyance guide.

[Explanation of symbols]

 28 Width Guide Member 54 Width Guide Member 100 Guide Width Adjusting Mechanism 102-106 Slide Shaft 120 Depression 122 Side Wall 124 Upper Wall 126 Lower Wall 128 Loading Port 130 Loading Port

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image recording apparatus for forming an image by exposing a photosensitive material, comprising: a conveyance guide for regulating at least a widthwise end of the photosensitive material when the photosensitive material is conveyed; A side wall portion having a side wall surface for regulating the portion, and an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion extending from the side wall portion so as to cover an end in the width direction of the photosensitive material. When the elevation angle and the depression angle of the lower wall are above 0 °, 4
A photosensitive material conveyance guide, wherein the angle is set to 0 ° or less. 2. An image recording apparatus for forming an image by exposing a photosensitive material, comprising: a conveyance guide for regulating at least a widthwise end of the photosensitive material when the photosensitive material is conveyed; A side wall portion having a side wall surface for regulating the portion, and an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion respectively extending from the side wall portion so as to cover an end portion in the width direction of the photosensitive material. A photosensitive material transport guide, wherein at least a contact surface of the wall portion and the lower wall portion with the photosensitive material is formed of polycarbonate containing trifluoride resin or tetrafluoride resin. 3. The photosensitive material transport guide according to claim 2, wherein the content of the trifluoride resin or the tetrafluoride resin is 3% by weight to 30% by weight. 4. The width of the upper wall and the lower wall is 2 mm to 2 mm.
4. The photosensitive material conveying guide according to claim 1, wherein the distance is 0 mm. 5. The conveyance guide according to claim 1, wherein the height of the side wall surface is 1 mm to 10 mm. 6. The length of the upper wall and the lower wall is 20 mm.
The photosensitive material conveying guide according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: