JP2003315972A - Thermal developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain a small-sized, simply constituted heating drum, and to provide a thermal developing device capable of making the temperature distribution in the circumferential direction of the heating drum uniform and preventing the uneven density of a visible image formed on a heat developable material. <P>SOLUTION: As for the thermal developing device, the heat developable material with a latent image is developed to obtain the visible image by heating by bringing the material into contact with a heating member and heating the material. The heating member is provided with a cylindrical heating drum 14 which is made rotatable around a rotary shaft, and a rod-shaped halogen heater 20 for heating the heating drum from the inner peripheral surface is arranged inside the heating drum. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat developing apparatus for obtaining a visible image by performing heat development by bringing a heat developing material having a latent image into contact with a heating member to heat it, and particularly to a medical image output apparatus. And is suitable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a heat developing apparatus for obtaining a visible image by heat-developing a heat-developable material having a latent image formed by exposure with a laser by bringing it into contact with a rotatable heating drum having a heating means therein to obtain a visible image. It has been developed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-500497). As shown in FIG. 11, the heating drum 500 in such a heat developing apparatus is obtained by attaching a plate-shaped planar heater 502 to an inner peripheral surface of a metal cylinder 501 that rotates around a rotation axis while curving it in an annular shape. It is configured. The planar heater 502 has a heating element 503 formed in a plate shape therein as shown in FIG.

However, as shown in FIG. 12, the heating element 50 is provided at the abutting portions of both ends of the planar heater 502 that is rolled into an annular shape.
Since there is a gap portion 504 that does not have the number 3, the heat generation efficiency is lowered in the gap portion 504, and the temperature distribution becomes nonuniform. FIG. 13 shows the relationship between the surface temperature of the conventional heating drum 500 and time. The set temperature of the heating drum 500 is shown by the broken line in the figure. As is clear from FIG. 13, the temperature variation becomes steep at the position corresponding to the gap portion 504, and the temperature variation during heat development may cause uneven density in the image of the heat development material.

Further, in the heating drum 500 using the sheet heater 502, it is difficult to manufacture a heating drum 500 having a small diameter, and the heating drum 500 has an outer diameter of 160 m.
The diameter was relatively large, from m to 200 mm. Further, since the planar heater 502 rotates together with the heating drum 500, it is necessary to provide a temperature controller or the like on the heating drum 500 side, and the structure is complicated.

[0005]

In view of the above problems of the prior art, the present invention realizes a heating drum having a small size and a simple structure, and makes the temperature distribution in the circumferential direction of the heating drum uniform, thereby providing a heat developing material. It is an object of the present invention to provide a heat developing device capable of preventing uneven density in a visible image formed on a sheet.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the heat developing apparatus according to the present invention is a heat developing apparatus for bringing a heat developing material having a latent image into contact with a heating member to heat the material so as to carry out heat development to obtain a visible image. In the developing device, the heating member includes a cylindrical heating drum rotatable about a rotation shaft, and a rod-shaped heating means for heating the heating drum from an inner peripheral surface is provided inside the heating drum. It is characterized by

According to this heat developing apparatus, since the heating drum is heated from the inner peripheral surface by the rod-shaped heating means, the temperature distribution in the circumferential direction of the heating drum can be made uniform, and the visible image formed on the heat developing material can be obtained. No uneven density occurs. Further, since the space for accommodating the heating means in the heating drum is small, it is possible to manufacture a heating drum having a small outer diameter, which contributes to downsizing of the entire heat developing apparatus.

In the above heat developing apparatus, the heating means may be provided so as to extend along the rotation axis of the heating drum. As a result, the temperature distribution can be made uniform not only in the circumferential direction of the heating drum but also in the rotation axis direction, and a temperature controller or the like can be provided outside the heating drum.
A simplification of the structure of the heating drum is achieved.

A plurality of the heating means may be provided and arranged so as to be located at equal intervals on a circle centered on the rotation axis of the heating drum. A single heating means may be provided on the rotating shaft, but a plurality of heating means may be provided so that the heating drum can be efficiently heated from the inner peripheral surface, and the temperature distribution is more uniform not only in the circumferential direction but also in the rotating shaft direction. Can be realized. In this case, each of the plurality of heating units may have a heating unit divided in the rotation axis direction, and each heating unit may be independently controlled.
As a result, the temperature distribution in the rotation axis direction of the heating drum can be made more uniform.

The heating means is preferably a halogen heater, but it may be a ceramic heater. With such a configuration, a space for accommodating the heating means in the heating drum can be small, so that a heating drum having a small outer diameter can be manufactured.

Further, it is preferable that a light shielding member is provided at an end of the heating member to prevent the heat developing material from being exposed to light generated by the heating means. Thereby, the light leaking from the end of the heating drum is shielded, the exposure of the heat developing material can be prevented, and the heat developing material is not adversely affected.

Further, it is preferable that the light shielding member is made of a heat resistant resin material having heat resistance and a heat deformation temperature of at least 130 ° C. or higher. As a result, the light shielding member is not deformed by the heat from the heating means, and the heat development of the heat development material is not hindered.

Further, it is preferable that the light shielding member is provided with a holding means for holding an end portion of the heating means and a power supply means for supplying power to the heating means. In the case of such a configuration, the light from the heating means is blocked by the light blocking member, the holding of the heating means and the supply of power are simplified, and the simplification of the structure is achieved by reducing the number of parts.

The outer diameter of the heating drum is 140 mm.
The following is preferable. As a result, the heating drum can be miniaturized, and the thermal developing device can be miniaturized, which cannot be realized by the conventional heating drum using the sheet heater.

The heat developing material is preferably a silver salt dry film. Further, it is preferable that a guide member is provided around the heating member to bring the heat-developable material into pressure contact with the surface of the heating member and to convey the heat-developable material. In this case, it is preferable that the guide member is constituted by a guide roller made of a metal having a large thermal conductivity and rotating while contacting the surface of the heating drum with a predetermined pressure. With such a configuration, the guide roller also prevents uneven density in the heating member in the rotating shaft direction.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a front view schematically showing a heat developing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a left side view of the heat developing device of FIG. 1. 3 is shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing the power supply path by breaking the heating drum of the heat developing device in the longitudinal direction, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a light shielding member is attached to the right end portion of the heating drum in FIG. It is a side view. Further, FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing the heating drum of FIG. 3 broken in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the heat developing device 10
0 is a feeding unit 110 that feeds the film F, which is a sheet-shaped heat developing material, one by one, an exposure unit 120 that exposes the fed film F, and a heat development that develops the exposed film F. And a section 130.

In FIG. 2, in the feeding section 110, trays T for accommodating a plurality of deposited films F are provided in upper and lower two stages. An adsorption unit 1 that adsorbs the front end of the film F and moves up and down on the upper part on the front end side of each tray T.
11 is provided. In the vicinity of the suction unit 111, a feed roller pair 112 that feeds the film F supplied by the suction unit 111 in the arrow (1) direction (horizontal direction) is provided. In addition, the suction unit 111
Can be moved back and forth, and the adsorbed film F can be carried to the feeding roller pair 112. And the feeding roller pair 1
A plurality of conveying roller pairs 141 for vertically conveying the film F fed by 12 are provided. The film F is transported in the direction (downward) indicated by the arrow (2) in FIG. 2 by the pair of transport rollers 141.

At the lower part of the heat developing device 100, a transfer direction changing portion 145 is provided. This transport direction conversion unit 14
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, 5 is a pair of conveyance rollers 141.
2 conveys the film F conveyed vertically downward as indicated by the arrow (2) in FIG. 2 in the horizontal direction as indicated by the arrow (3), and then conveys the film F at a right angle from the arrow (3) to the arrow (4). Then, the film F having its transport direction changed and transported is transported upward in the vertical direction as indicated by an arrow (5) in FIG.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the film F conveyed from the conveying direction changing section 145 is fed with an arrow (6) shown in FIG.
A plurality of conveying roller pairs 14 that convey upward in the vertical direction
2 is provided, and the film F is conveyed from the left side surface of the heat developing device 100 upward in the vertical direction indicated by the arrow (6) in FIG.

During the above-described vertical conveyance, the exposure section 120 causes the photosensitive surface of the film F to have a wavelength of 780 in the infrared region.
Exposure is performed while scanning with a laser beam L in the range of ˜860 nm to form a latent image according to the exposure image signal.

A thermal developing section 130 is provided above the apparatus of the thermal developing apparatus 100, and the heating drum 14 of the thermal developing section 130 is provided.
A supply roller pair 143 that supplies the film F, which has been conveyed upward by the conveyance roller pair 142 in the vertical direction shown by the arrow (6) in FIG.
The timing of supplying the film F to the heating drum 14 is
Supply at random timing depending on the circumstances.

Note that the supply may be performed at a timing instead of the random timing. As an example of timing and supply, a supply roller pair 143 is used.
Stops until the next supply position on the circumference of the heating drum 14 reaches the predetermined rotation position, and rotates at the time when the next supply position on the circumference of the heating drum 14 reaches the predetermined rotation position. May be. That is, the film F may be supplied to a predetermined supply position on the heating drum 14 by controlling the rotation of the supply roller pair 143.

In the heating drum 14 of the heat developing section 130, the film F is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the heating drum 14 between the outer circumferential surface of the heating drum 14 and the plurality of guide rollers 16.
The heating drum 14 heats and thermally develops the film F while rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow (7) in FIG. 1 to form a latent image of the film F on a visible image. After that, when rotating to the right with respect to the heating drum 14 of FIG. 1, the film F is separated from the heating drum 14. A plurality of conveying roller pairs 144 are provided on the right side of the heat developing section 130, and while conveying the film F separated from the heating drum 14 obliquely downward to the right as shown by an arrow (8) in FIG. ,Cooling. Then, the densitometer 118 measures the density of the film F while the pair of transport rollers 144 transports the cooled film F. After that, the plurality of conveying roller pairs 144 convey the film F separated from the heating drum 14 in the horizontal direction as shown by the arrow (9) in FIG. 1 so that the film F can be taken out from the upper portion of the heat developing device 100. The sheet is discharged to a discharge tray 160 provided in the upper right portion of 100.

Next, each member constituting the heat developing section 130 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4
As shown in FIG. 3, the heat developing unit 130 includes rotating shafts 17a and 17b.
The heating drum 14 which rotates around the center and is used for the heat development of the film F, and the heating drum 14 which are arranged at substantially equal intervals along the outer circumference of the heating drum 14 and which have a predetermined pressure contact force as shown in FIG. A plurality of guide rollers 16 are provided to press the film F against the surface and to convey the film F.

The heating drum 14 is provided with a halogen heater 20 as a rod-shaped heating means serving as a heat source inside a hollow cylindrical drum main body 19, and the outer peripheral surface 1 of the drum main body 19.
4a, for example, an elastic layer 2 having a thickness of about 0.1 to 2 mm
1 is formed. One halogen heater 20 is provided near the center of rotation of the drum body 19 so as to extend along the rotation axis. With such a configuration, the inner peripheral surface of the drum body 19 is as shown in FIG. Radiant heat from the halogen heater 20 heats the surface evenly in the circumferential direction and also in the direction of the rotation axis.

Lead wires 22 extend from both ends of the halogen heater 20 as shown in FIG.
A power supply path 24 for supplying power to 0 is formed. The power supply path 24 includes a power supply circuit including a power supply 26,
Control circuit 30 including temperature controller 28 and relay
And

Further, as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 4, a light shielding member 32 for preventing the film F from being exposed to the light emitted from the halogen heater 20 is provided at both ends of the rotating shafts 17a and 17b at the end of the heating drum 14. It is provided in. The light shielding member 32 is formed of a heat resistant resin material having a heat deformation temperature of at least 130 ° C. or higher, preferably 200 ° C. or higher.

The light shielding member 32 is the halogen heater 2
A hollow cylindrical holding portion 3 for holding the end portion 20a of 0.
4 and a lead-out hole 36 for pulling out the lead wire 22 to the outside of the heating drum 14 are provided near the center. In addition, the base portion of the holding portion 34 is formed to extend further outward,
The rotary shafts 17a and 17b are bent toward the drum body 19 near the outer diameters thereof, and are configured to cover the vicinity of the ends of the rotary shafts 17a and 17b. The effect of preventing light leakage from the halogen heater 20 is further increased by narrowing the gap between the rotary shafts 17a and 17b and lengthening the covering length.

The heating drum 14 is rotationally driven during thermal development. At this time, the light shielding member 32 can also be configured to rotate, but the halogen heater 20 can be configured not to rotate. That is, in FIG. 4, it is possible to prevent the halogen heater 20 from rotating by disposing a bearing or the like between the end portion 20a of the halogen heater 20 and the holding portion 34. Further, a bearing or the like may be arranged between the light blocking member 32 and the rotating shaft 17a so that the light blocking member 32 and the halogen heater 20 are not rotated. By thus preventing the halogen heater 20 from rotating, a mechanism for supplying power to the halogen heater 20 can be easily configured. If the light shielding member 32 is not provided, in FIG. 3, a bearing or the like can be appropriately arranged between the inner peripheral surfaces of the rotating shafts 17a and 17b and the halogen heater 20 side.

The outer diameter of the heating drum 14 is set to about 140 mm as an example. Of course, with a smaller diameter, 10
It is also possible to set it to about 0 mm. This is achieved by adopting the halogen heater 20 and arranging it near the center of rotation of the heating drum 14, but by using the heating drum 14 having such a small diameter, the heating drum 14 and thus the heat developing apparatus 100 can be provided. Overall downsizing can be realized.

The guide roller 16 is provided by a hollow cylindrical member so as to cover a range of about 180 ° of the outer peripheral surface 14a of the heating drum 14, and is heated by a biasing means such as a coil spring (not shown). The film F conveyed along the outer peripheral surface of the drum 14 is urged so that the pressure contact force per unit length becomes 3 g / cm or more (particularly 5 g / cm or more). Pressure contact force per unit length is 3g / c
If it is less than m, the heat from the heating drum 14 is non-uniformly conducted to the film F, so that the heat development may be incomplete. Also, the pressure contact force per unit length is 200g
/ Cm or less. This is because if the pressure contact force per unit length becomes unnecessarily large, there is a possibility that an indentation may occur on the film F.

The guide roller 16 is preferably made of a material having a high thermal conductivity, for example, a metal such as aluminum, brass or stainless steel. With such a structure, the heat of the heating drum 14 is pressed against it. Guide roller 16
Due to the existence of the above, it becomes uniform in the directions of the rotating shafts 17a and 17b. The heating drum 14 is made of aluminum,
It may be composed of other metals such as brass and stainless steel.

The light-shielding member 32 is made of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) which is a heat-resistant resin material, and is made of polyether sulfone (PES), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), glass reinforced polyethylene terephthalate (GR-PET), polyimide (PI). ), Polyamideimide (PAI), polyetheretherketone (PE
EK) or the like may be used.

The heat distortion temperature of the heat-resistant resin material for the light shielding member 32 is 260 ° C. (heat distortion temperature under a stress of 18.6 kgf / cm ² ) in PPS (trade name: Ryton R-4). , Higher than the maximum development temperature (about 135 ° C.).
Therefore, even if the light shielding member 32 is heated during use, it is not thermally deformed, strength can be maintained, and durability is improved. The heat distortion temperature of other heat resistant resin materials at a stress of 18.6 kgf / cm ² is, for example, PES (trade name: VICTREX 4100G).
At 203 ° C and PBT (trade name: DURANEX 3300) at 213
22 ° C at GR-PET (trade name: Rinite 530)
4 ℃, PI (trade name: Pespel SP-1) 360 ℃, PA
I (trade name: TORLON 4203L) is 278 ° C, PEEK (trade name: VICTREX 450GL30) is 315 ° C, and any heat resistant resin material can be used for the light shielding member 32, and the same effect as PPS can be obtained. . Of course, other products can be used as the heat-resistant resin material.

The formation of a latent image on the film F by the exposure section 120 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the film F in the present embodiment, and is a diagram schematically showing the chemical reaction in the film F at the time of exposure as described above.

In the film F, a photosensitive layer containing polyvinyl butyral as a main material is formed on a support (base layer) made of PET, and a protective layer made of cellulose butyrate is further formed thereon. The photosensitive layer contains photosensitive halogen particles and organic acid silver silver behenate (Beh. Ag).
And a silver ion reducing agent, and a toning agent is blended in order to improve developability, maximum density and silver image color tone. When the film F is irradiated with the laser beam L from the exposure section 120, the silver halide grains are exposed to the area irradiated with the laser beam L to form a latent image, as shown in FIG.

The film F on which the latent image is formed is then subjected to a plurality of conveying roller pairs 14 in the arrow direction (6) as shown in FIG.
2, 143 is conveyed into the thermal developing section 130, and is sandwiched between the heating drum 14 heated by the heater 20 (FIG. 4) and the plurality of guide rollers 16 and is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 14. With heating drum 14 and guide roller 1
While being transported by the rotation of 6, heat development is performed by heating at a predetermined temperature of 115 ° C. or higher and 135 ° C. or lower.
It is discharged to the discharge tray 160 through 0A.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 7, schematically showing the chemical reaction in the film F at the time of heating as described above. The film F is not substantially heat-developed at a temperature of 40 ° C. or lower, but is heated when the film F is heated to the development temperature of the minimum development temperature or higher as described above. As shown in FIG. 8, the silver ion (Ag +) is released from silver behenate, and the behenic acid that released the silver ion forms a complex with the toning agent and has a high silver ion diffusing ability. It is considered that the silver image is formed by a chemical reaction by diffusing up to the exposed silver halide grains, acting as a nucleus with the exposed silver halide grains as a nucleus.

In the heat development of the film F by the heating drum 14 as described above, the temperature of the outer peripheral surface 14a of the heating drum 14 is substantially constant regardless of the passage of time as shown in FIG. Since the temperature distribution is uniform not only in the circumferential direction but also in the rotation axis direction, the film F is uniformly heated and heat development is performed. Therefore, in the image visualized on the film F, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of uneven density due to the uneven temperature distribution on the heating drum 14.

Next, the film F will be described. This film is a silver salt dry film made of a photothermographic material containing fine silver halide grains, an organic silver salt, and a reducing agent.

Details of the photothermographic material are described in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 3,152,904 and 3,457,075,
And D. "Dry Silver Photogr" by Morgan.
apical Material) "and D.I. Morgan (M
Organ) and B. “Thermal Systems Treated by Heat (Thermally)” by Shelly
Processed Silver Systems) "
(Imaging Processes and Materials)
materials) Neblette 8th Edition, Sturge, V, Walworth
rth), A. Edited by Shepp, page 2,
1969) and the like.

Among them, in the present invention, the photosensitive material is 115
This is useful for those in which an image is formed by heat development at a temperature of not lower than 135 ° C. and not higher than 135 ° C. and fixing is not performed. In this case, usually, the silver halide and the organic silver salt remaining in the unexposed area are not removed but remain in the light-sensitive material as they are.

The silver halide grains preferably have a small average grain size in order to suppress white turbidity after image formation and obtain good image quality, and the average grain size is 0.1.
μm or less, more preferably 0.01 μm to 0.1 μm,
In particular, 0.02 μm to 0.08 μm is preferable. The term "grain size" as used herein means the length of the edges of silver halide grains when the silver halide grains are cubic or octahedral so-called normal crystals. Further, in the case of non-normal crystals, for example, in the case of spherical, rod-shaped or tabular grains, it means the diameter when considering a sphere equivalent to the volume of silver halide grains. The silver halide is preferably monodisperse. The monodispersion as used herein means that the monodispersity calculated by the following formula is 40% or less. It is more preferably 30% or less, and particularly preferably 0.1% or more and 20% or less.

Monodispersity (%) = (standard deviation of particle size) /
(Average particle size) x 100

It is more preferable that the silver halide grains have an average grain size of 0.1 μm or less and that they are monodisperse grains, and if they are in this range, the graininess of the image is also improved.

The shape of the silver halide grains is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the ratio of Miller index {100} planes is high, and this ratio is 50% or more, and further 7
It is preferably 0% or more, and particularly preferably 80% or more. The ratio of the Miller index {100} planes is measured by T.W. Tani, J .; Imaging Sci. , 29,
165 (1985).

Another preferred silver halide shape is tabular grain. Here, the tabular grains mean that the square root of the projected area is the grain size r μm, and the vertical thickness is h.
Aspect ratio = r / h when μm is 3 or more. Among them, the aspect ratio is preferably 3 or more and 5
It is 0 or less. The particle size is preferably 0.1 μm or less, more preferably 0.01 μm to 0.08 μm.
These are US Pat. Nos. 5,264,337 and 5,31
No. 4,798,5,320,958, etc., and the target tabular grain can be easily obtained. When these tabular grains are used, the image quality such as image sharpness and fog density is further improved.

The halogen composition is not particularly limited and may be any of silver chloride, silver chlorobromide, silver chloroiodobromide, silver bromide, silver iodobromide and silver iodide. The photographic emulsion is P.I. Glaf
chides et physique by Kides
Photographique (Paul Monte
1 company, 1967), G.I. F. Duffin Ph
otographic Emulsion Chemi
story (published by The Focal Press, 196
6 years), V. L. Ma by Zelikman et al
king and Coating Photogra
phic Emulsion (The Focal P
Res., 1964) and the like. That is, any of the acidic method, the neutral method, the ammonia method, etc. may be used, and as the formation of reacting the soluble silver salt and the soluble halogen salt, any one-side mixing method, simultaneous mixing method, a combination thereof and the like may be used. Good. The silver halide may be added to the imaging layer in any manner, with the silver halide being placed in close proximity to the reducible silver source. The silver halide may be prepared by converting a part or all of silver in the organic acid silver into silver halide by the reaction of the organic acid silver and a halogen ion, or the silver halide may be prepared in advance. It may be added to the solution for preparing the organic silver salt, or a combination of these methods is possible, but the latter is preferable. Generally, silver halide is 0.75 to organic silver salt.
It is preferably contained in an amount of 30% by weight.

The silver halide preferably contains an ion or a complex ion of a metal belonging to Groups 6 to 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements in order to improve illuminance failure or to adjust the improvement.
The above metals include W, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, R
u, Rh, Pd, Re, Os, Ir, Pt and Au are preferable.

These metals can be introduced into the silver halide in the form of a complex. The transfer metal complex is represented by the following general formula 6
Coordination complexes are preferred.

General formula [ML6] m

In the formula, M is a transition metal selected from the elements of groups 6 to 10 of the periodic table, L is a bridging ligand, m is 0,-,
Represents 2- or 3-. Specific examples of the ligand represented by L include halides (fluorides, chlorides, bromides and iodides), cyanides, cyanates, thiocyanates, selenocyanates, tellurocyanates, azides and aco. Examples include ligands, nitrosyl, thionitrosyl, and the like, with preference given to ako, nitrosyl, thionitrosyl, and the like. When an aco ligand is present, it preferably occupies one or two of the ligands. L may be the same or different.

Particularly preferred specific examples of M are rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), rhenium (Re), iridium (Ir) and osmium (Os).

Specific examples of the transition metal coordination complex are shown below. 1: [RhC16] 3- 2: [RuC16] 3- 3: [ReC16] 3- 4: [RuBr6] 3- 5: [OsC16] 3- 6; [IrC16] 2- 7; [Ru (NO) C15] 2- 8: [RuBr4 (H2O)] 2- 9: [Ru (NO) (H2O) C14]- 10: [RhCl5 (H2O)] 2- 11: [Re (NO) C15] 2- 12: [Re (NO) CN5] 2- 13: [Re (NO) ClCN4] 2- 14: [Rh (NO) 2Cl4]- 15: [Rh (NO) (H2O) Cl4]- 16: [Ru (NO) CN5] 2- 17: [Fe (CN) 6] 3- 18: [Rh (NS) Cl5] 2- 19: [Os (NO) Cl5] 2- 20: [Cr (NO) Cl5] 2- 21: [Re (NO) Cl5]- 22: [Os (NS) Cl4 (TeCN)] 2- 23: [Ru (NS) Cl5] 2- 24: [Re (NS) Cl4 (SeCN)] 2- 25: [Os (NS) Cl (SCN) 4] 2- 26: [Ir (NO) Cl5] 2- 27: [Ir (NS) Cl5] 2-

One kind of these metal ions or complex ions may be used, or two or more kinds of the same kind of metal and different kinds of metal may be used in combination. The content of these metal ions or complex ions, in general 1 mol of silver halide per ^{1 × 10 -9 ~1 × 10 -} 2 moles are suitable, preferably 1 × ¹⁰ -8 to 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol. A compound providing an ion or a complex ion of these metals is preferably added at the time of silver halide grain formation and incorporated into the silver halide grain. Preparation of the silver halide grain, that is, nucleation, growth and physical ripening. , It may be added at any stage before and after the chemical sensitization, but it is particularly preferable to add it at the stage of nucleation, growth and physical ripening, more preferably at the stage of nucleation and growth. It is preferably added at the stage of nucleation. Upon addition, it may be added dividedly over several times, or it may be added uniformly in the silver halide grains, and JP-A-63-29603,
JP-A-2-306236, JP-A-3-167545, JP-A-4-76534, JP-A-6-110146 and JP-A-5-27.
As described in No. 3683 and the like, the particles can be contained with a distribution. Preferably, it can have a distribution inside the particles. These metal compounds can be dissolved in water or a suitable organic solvent (eg, alcohols, ethers, glycols, ketones, esters, amides) and added. Aqueous solution or metal compound and NaCl, K
A method of adding an aqueous solution in which Cl is dissolved together to a water-soluble silver salt solution or a water-soluble halide solution during grain formation, or as a third aqueous solution when the silver salt solution and the halide solution are simultaneously mixed A method of preparing silver halide grains by a method of simultaneous mixing with three liquids, a method of adding a necessary amount of an aqueous solution of a metal compound to a reaction vessel during grain formation, or a metal ion or complex in advance during silver halide preparation. There is a method of adding and dissolving another silver halide grain doped with ions. In particular, a method of adding an aqueous solution of a powder of a metal compound or an aqueous solution in which a metal compound and NaCl or KCl are dissolved together to a water-soluble halide solution is preferable. When added to the surface of the particles, a necessary amount of an aqueous solution of the metal compound may be added to the reaction vessel immediately after the particles are formed, during or during physical ripening, or at the end of chemical ripening.

The photosensitive silver halide grain can be desalted by washing with a method known in the art, such as a noodle method or a flocculation method, but it may or may not be desalted.

The photosensitive silver halide grains are preferably chemically sensitized. Preferred chemical sensitization methods are, as well known in the art, a sulfur sensitization method, a selenium sensitization method, a tellurium sensitization method, a noble metal sensitization method such as a gold compound, platinum, palladium, or an iridium compound, or a reduction sensitization method. Sensitive methods can be used. Known compounds can be used as the compounds preferably used in the sulfur sensitization method, the selenium sensitization method, and the tellurium sensitization method, and the compounds described in JP-A-7-128768 and the like can be used. Examples of compounds preferably used in the noble metal sensitization method include chloroauric acid, potassium chloroaurate, potassium aurithiocyanate, gold sulfide, gold selenide, and US Pat.
The compounds described in 8,060, British Patent 618,061 and the like can be preferably used. As a specific compound of the reduction sensitization method, ascorbic acid, in addition to thiourea dioxide, for example, stannous chloride, aminoiminomethyl sulfinic acid, a hydrazine derivative, a borane compound,
A silane compound, a polyamine compound, etc. can be used. Further, reduction sensitization can be carried out by ripening while maintaining the pH of the emulsion at 7 or higher or pAg at 8.3 or lower. Further, reduction sensitization can be performed by introducing a single addition portion of silver ions during grain formation.

The photosensitive silver halide used in the heat developing material can be used in the range of 0.75 to 25 mol% with respect to the organic silver salt, preferably 2 to 20 m.
It can be used in the range of ol%.

The organic silver salt includes all organic materials that are sources of silver ions. Organic acids (especially long chain fatty acids (10-3
Silver salts of 0 carbon atoms: preferably 15 to 28 carbon atoms)) are preferred. It is preferable that the ligand is an organic or inorganic silver salt complex having a certain stability as a whole between 4.0 and 10.0. Then, the weight of the image forming layer is about 5 to
It is preferably 30%.

This organic silver salt, in the presence of an exposed photocatalyst (for example, photographic silver halide) and a reducing agent,
A silver salt that supplies silver ions when heated to a temperature of 80 ° C. or higher, preferably 115 ° C. or higher, and particularly 120 ° C. or higher is desirable.

Preferred organic silver salts include silver salts of organic compounds having a carboxyl group. They include silver salts of aliphatic carboxylic acids and silver salts of aromatic carboxylic acids. Preferred examples of the silver salt of an aliphatic carboxylic acid include silver behenate, silver stearate and the like. A silver salt with a halogen atom or hydroxyl in an aliphatic carboxylic acid can also be effectively used. Silver salts of compounds having a mercapto or thione group and their derivatives can also be used. Further, a silver salt of a compound having an imino group can be used.

The organic silver salt is a reducible silver source, and a silver salt of an organic acid or a heteroorganic acid containing a reducible silver ion source, particularly a long chain (10 to 30, preferably 15 to 25). It preferably contains an aliphatic carboxylic acid having a carbon atom number) and a nitrogen-containing heterocycle. Also useful are organic or inorganic silver salt complexes in which the ligand has a total stability constant for silver ions of 4.0 to 10.0. Examples of suitable silver salts are Research
Disclosure (hereinafter referred to as RD) No. 170
29 and 29963, and include the following: salts of organic acids (eg, gallic acid, oxalic acid, behenic acid, arachidic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, lauric acid, etc.); silver A carboxyalkyl thiourea salt of (for example, 1- (3-carboxypropyl) thiourea,
1- (3-carboxypropyl) -3,3-dimethylthiourea); a silver complex of a polymer reaction product of an aldehyde and a hydroxy-substituted aromatic carboxylic acid (for example, aldehydes (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, butyraldehyde, etc.), Hydroxy-substituted acids (eg salicylic acid, benzoic acid, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 5,
5-thiodisalicylic acid), silver salts or complexes of thioenes (for example, 3- (2-carboxyethyl) -4-hydroxymethyl-4- (thiazoline-2-thioene, and 3
-Carboxymethyl-4-thiazoline-2-thioene), imidazole, pyrazole, urazole, 1,
Complex or salt of nitric acid and silver selected from 2,4-thiazole and 1H-tetrazole, 3-amino-5-benzylthio-1,2,4-triazole and benzotriazole; saccharin, 5-chloro Silver salts such as salicylaldoxime; and silver salts of mercaptides. Of these, the preferred silver source is silver behenate, arachidic acid and / or stearic acid.

The organic silver salt compound can be obtained by mixing a water-soluble silver compound and a compound that forms a complex with silver. The normal mixing method, the reverse mixing method, the simultaneous mixing method, and JP-A-9-12764.
The controlled double jet method described in No. 3 is preferably used. For example, by adding an alkali metal salt (for example, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, etc.) to an organic acid, an organic acid alkali metal salt soap (for example,
After producing sodium behenate, sodium arachidate, etc.), by controlled double jet,
Crystals of an organic silver salt are prepared by adding the soap and silver nitrate. At that time, silver halide grains may be mixed.

The organic silver salt preferably has an average particle size of 2 μm or less and is monodisperse. The average particle size of the organic silver salt refers to the diameter when considering a sphere equivalent to the volume of the organic silver salt particles when the particles of the organic silver salt are, for example, spherical, rod-shaped or tabular particles. Average particle size is preferably 0.05
μm to 1.5 μm, particularly preferably 0.05 μm to 1.0 μm. The monodisperse has the same meaning as in the case of silver halide, and the monodispersity is preferably 1 to 30. Further, it is preferable that 60% or more of all organic silver salts are tabular grains.
The tabular grains are those having an aspect ratio (abbreviated as AR) represented by the following formula, which is a ratio of average grain size to thickness, of 3 or more.

AR = average particle size (μm) / thickness (μm)

In order to form the organic silver salt into these forms,
The organic silver crystals can be obtained by dispersing and pulverizing a binder, a surfactant and the like in a ball mill or the like. Within this range, a light-sensitive material having high density and excellent image storability can be obtained.

In order to prevent devitrification of the light-sensitive material, the total amount of silver halide and organic silver salt is preferably 0.5 g or more and 2.2 g or less per 1 m ² in terms of silver amount. Within this range, a high contrast image can be obtained. The amount of silver halide with respect to the total amount of silver is 50% or less, preferably 25% or less, and more preferably 0.1% to 15% by weight.

The reducing agent may be any material capable of reducing silver ions to metallic silver, and is preferably an organic material. Conventional photographic developers such as phenidone, hydroquinone and catechol are useful. However, phenol reducing agents are preferred. The reducing agent should be present in 1 to 10% by weight of the image forming layer. In a multi-layer construction, a slightly higher proportion of about 2-15% by weight is more desirable when the reducing agent is added to the phase other than the emulsion layer.

Examples of suitable reducing agents are described in US Pat. No. 3,773.
0,448, 3,773,512, 3,5
93,863, and RD17029 and 29963, including:

Aminohydroxycycloalkenone compounds (eg, 2-hydroxypiperidino-2-cyclohexenone); aminoreductones (eg, piperidinohexose reductone monoacetate) as a precursor of a reducing agent. An N-hydroxyurea derivative (for example, Np-methylphenyl-N
-Hydroxyurea); aldehyde or ketone hydrazones (eg, anthracene aldehyde phenylhydrazone); phosphoramidophenols; phosphoramidoanilines; polyhydroxybenzenes (eg,
Hydroquinone, t-butyl-hydroquinone, isopropylhydroquinone and (2,5-dihydroxy-phenyl) methylsulfone); sulfhydroxamic acids (eg benzenesulfhydroxamic acid); sulfonamideanilines (eg 4- (N- Methanesulfonamido) aniline); 2-tetrazolylthiohydroquinones (eg, 2-methyl-5- (1-phenyl-5-tetrazolylthio) hydroquinone): tetrahydroquinoxalines (eg, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro) Quinoxaline); amidoximes; azines (for example, aryl carboxylic acid aryl hydrazides and ascorbic acid); polyhydroxybenzene and hydroxylamine, reductone and / or hydrazine; hydroxanoic acids Combination of azines and sulfonamidephenols; α-cyanophenylacetic acid derivative; Combination of bis-β-naphthol and 1,3-dihydroxybenzene derivative; 5-pyrazolones; sulfonamidephenol reducing agent; 2-phenylindane- 1,
Chromane; 1,4-dihydropyridines (eg, 2,6-dimethoxy-3,5-dicarboethoxy-1,4-dihydropyridine); bisphenols (eg, bis (2-hydroxy-3-t). -Butyl-5
-Methylphenyl) methane, bis (6-hydroxy-m
-Tri) mesitol, 2,2-bis (4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl) propane,
4,5-ethylidene-bis (2-t-butyl-6-methyl) phenol), a UV-sensitive ascorbic acid derivative and 3-pyrazolidones. Of these, particularly preferred.

The reducing agent is a hindered phenol.
Examples of the hindered phenols include compounds represented by the general formula (A) shown in the following chemical formula 1.

[0073]

[Chemical 1]

In the formula, R is a hydrogen atom or 1 to 1 carbon atoms.
10 alkyl groups (eg, -C4H9, 2,4,4-
Trimethylpentyl), wherein R ′ and R ″ are alkyl groups having 1 to 5 carbon atoms (eg, methyl, ethyl, t-).
Butyl).

Specific examples of the compound represented by formula (A) are shown in the following chemical formulas 2 and 3. However, it is not limited to the following compounds.

[0076]

[Chemical 2]

[0077]

[Chemical 3]

The amount of the reducing agent such as the compound represented by the general formula (A) used is preferably 1 × 1 per mol of silver.
It is 0 ⁻² to 10 mol, particularly 1 × 10 ^{−2 to} 1.5 mol.

The binder suitable for the photothermographic material is preferably transparent or translucent and generally colorless, and natural polymers or synthetic resin polymers and copolymers are preferred. Further, in order to accelerate the rate of heat development, the binder amount in the photosensitive layer is 10 g / m ² or less (especially 8 g / m ² or less).
Is preferred. In addition, the density of the unexposed area increases significantly, so that there are cases where it cannot withstand use, namely,
1.5 g / m ² or more (especially, in order to stabilize the concentration)
It is preferably 1.7 g / m ² or more).

Examples of such binders are: gelatin, gum arabic, poly (vinyl alcohol), hydroxyethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, poly (vinylpyrrolidone), casein, starch, poly (acrylic acid), Poly (methylmethacrylic acid), poly (vinyl chloride), poly (methacrylic acid), copoly (styrene-maleic anhydride), copoly (styrene-acrylonitrile), copoly (styrene-butadiene), poly (vinyl acetal)
(For example, poly (vinyl formal) and poly (vinyl butyral)), poly (ester) s, poly (urethane) s, phenoxy resin, poly (vinylidene chloride), poly (epoxides), poly (carbonates), There are poly (vinyl acetate), cellulose esters, and poly (amide) s. The binder may be hydrophilic or hydrophobic, but it is preferable to use a hydrophobic transparent binder in order to reduce fog after heat development. Preferred binders include poly (vinyl butyral), cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, polyester, polycarbonate, polyacrylic acid, polyurethane and the like. Among them, polyvinyl butyral, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, and polyester are particularly preferably used.

In the case of the hydrophobic binder, it is preferable that the residual solvent is contained. Examples of the residual solvent include methyl-ethyl-ketone and acetone.
It is not limited to these. The residual solvent amount is 20
It is preferably at least mg / m ² (particularly at least 25 mg / m ² ) and at most 500 mg / m ² (particularly 3).
00 mg / m ² or less) is preferable. Gas chromatography may be used to measure the amount of residual soot.

The heat-developable light-sensitive material forms a photographic image by a heat-development treatment, and includes a reducible silver source (organic silver salt), a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent and, if necessary, a silver tone. It is preferable that the photothermographic material contains a suppressing tone agent in a state of being normally dispersed in an (organic) binder matrix. The photothermographic material is stable at room temperature, but is developed by being heated to a high temperature (for example, 80 ° C. to 140 ° C.) after exposure. When heated, silver is produced through a redox reaction between an organic silver salt (which functions as an oxidizing agent) and a reducing agent. This redox reaction is promoted by the catalytic action of the latent image generated on the silver halide upon exposure. The silver produced by the reaction of the organic silver salt in the exposed areas provides a black image, which contrasts with the unexposed areas and forms an image. This reaction process proceeds without supplying a treatment liquid such as water from the outside.

Examples of suitable toning agents are disclosed in RD 17029 and include: Imides (eg, phthalimide); cyclic imides, pyrazolin-5-ones, and quinazolinones (eg, succinimide, 3-
Phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one, 1-phenylurazole, quinazoline and 2,4-thiazolidinedione); naphthalimides (eg N-hydroxy-
1,8-naphthalimide); cobalt complex (for example,
Hexamine trifluoroacetate of cobalt), mercaptans (for example, 3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole); N- (aminomethyl) aryldicarboximides (for example, N- (dimethylaminomethyl))
Phthalimide); a combination of blocked pyrazoles, isothiuronium derivatives and certain photobleaching agents (eg N, N'-hexamethylene (1-carbamoyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole), 1,8- (3,6-dioxaoctane) bis (isothiuronium trifluoroacetate), and 2- (tribromomethylsulfonyl) benzothiazole in combination); merocyanine dye (for example, 3-ethyl-5-((3-ethyl 2-Benzothiazolinylidene (benzothiazolinylidene))-1-methylethylidene) -2-thio-2,4-oxazolidinedione): phthalazinone, a phthalazinone derivative or a metal salt of these derivatives (for example, 4 -(1-naphthyl) phthalazinone,
6-chlorophthalazinone, 5,7-dimethyloxyphthalazinone, and 2,3-dihydro-1,4-phthalazinedione); a combination of phthalazinone and a sulfinic acid derivative (for example, 6-chlorophthalazinone + benzenesulfine Sodium acid or 8-methylphthalazinone + p-
Sodium trisulfonate); Combination of phthalazine + phthalic acid; Phthalazine (including phthalazine adduct)
And maleic anhydride, and phthalic acid, 2,3-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid or o-phenylene acid derivative and its anhydride (for example, phthalic acid, 4-methylphthalic acid, 4-nitrophthalic acid and tetrachlorophthalic anhydride) A combination with at least one compound selected from: quinazolinediones, benzoxazine, naltoxazine derivatives; benzoxazine-2,4-diones (for example,
1,3-benzoxazine-2,4-dione); pyrimidines and asymmetric-triazines (e.g. 2,4-dihydroxypyrimidine), and tetraazapentalene derivatives (e.g. 3,6-dimercapto-1, 4-diphenyl-1H, 4H-2,3a, 5,6a-tetraazapentalene). Among these, phthalazone or phthalazine is preferable as a toning agent.

A mercapto compound, a disulfide compound or a thione compound may be contained in order to suppress or accelerate the development and control the development, to improve the spectral sensitization efficiency, or to improve the storage stability before and after the development.

When the mercapto compound is used, it may have any structure, but Ar-SM, Ar-SS-
Those represented by Ar are preferable.

In the formula, M is a hydrogen atom or an alkali metal atom, and Ar is an aromatic ring or a condensed aromatic ring having one or more nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, selenium or tellurium atoms. Preferably, the heteroaromatic ring is benzimidazole, naphthimidazole, benzothiazole, naphthothiazole, benzoxazole, naphthoxazole,
It is benzoselenazole, benzoterrazole, imidazole, oxazole, pyrazole, triazole, thiadiazole, tetrazole, triazine, pyrimidine, pyridazine, pyrazine, pyridine, purine, quinoline or quinazolinone. The heteroaromatic ring may be, for example, halogen (eg Br and Cl), hydroxy, amino,
Carboxy, alkyl (eg, one or more carbon atoms,
Preferably having 1 to 4 carbon atoms) and alkoxy (eg one or more carbon atoms, preferably 1 to
It may have one selected from the group of substituents consisting of (having 4 carbon atoms). Examples of the mercapto-substituted heteroaromatic compound include 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, 2-mercaptobenzoxazole, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 2-mercapto-5-methylbenzazothiazole, 3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole, 2-mercaptoquinoline, 8-mercaptopurine, 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-4-pyridinethiol, 4-hydroxy-2-mercaptopyrimidine, 2
-Mercapto-4-phenyloxazole and the like, but not limited thereto.

An antifoggant may be contained in the photothermographic material. Mercury compounds known as effective antifoggants, for example, in US Pat. No. 3,589,903, are environmentally unfavorable. Therefore, non-mercury antifoggants have been studied for a long time. As the non-mercury antifoggant, for example, the antifoggants disclosed in US Pat. Nos. 4,546,075 and 4,452,885 and JP-A-59-57234 are preferable.

Particularly preferred non-mercury antifoggants are US Pat. Nos. 3,874,946 and 4,756,99.
A compound as disclosed in No. 9, --C (X1) (X
2) (X3) (where X1 and X2 are halogens,
X3 is a heterocyclic compound having one or more substituents represented by hydrogen or halogen). Examples of suitable antifoggants are disclosed in paragraph No. [00 of JP-A-9-288328].
30] to [0036] are preferably used. Another preferred example of an antifoggant is disclosed in paragraph No. [006 of JP-A-9-90550.
2] to [0063]. Still other suitable antifoggants are described in US Pat.
No. 8,523 and British Patent Application No. 92221383.4.
No. 9300147.7, No. 9311790.
No. 1 is disclosed.

For the photothermographic material, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-
159841, 60-140335, 63-2
No. 31437, No. 63-259651, No. 63-30
4242, 63-15245, U.S. Pat.
39,414, 4,740,455, and 4,
The sensitizing dyes described in Nos. 741,966, 4,751,175 and 4,835,096 can be used. Useful sensitizing dyes used are eg RD17643
Item IV-A (p.23, December 1978), Item
1831X (p.437, August 1978) or cited therein. In particular, a sensitizing dye having a spectral sensitivity suitable for the spectral characteristics of various scanner light sources can be advantageously selected. For example, JP-A-9-34
The compounds described in Nos. 078, 9-54409 and 9-80679 are preferably used.

The photothermographic material has at least one photosensitive layer on a support. Although only the photosensitive layer may be formed on the support, it is preferable to form at least one non-photosensitive layer on the photosensitive layer. The binder used in the non-photosensitive layer may be the same or different from the binder used in the photosensitive layer. A filter dye layer on the same side as the photosensitive layer and / or an antihalation dye layer on the opposite side to control the amount or wavelength distribution of light passing through the photosensitive layer,
A so-called backing layer may be formed, or the photosensitive layer may contain a dye or a pigment. The dye used may be any compound as long as it has the desired absorption in the desired wavelength range. For example, JP-A-59-6481.
No. 59-182436, US Pat. No. 4,27.
1,263, U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,312, European Patent Publication No. 533008, European Patent Publication No. 652473,
JP-A-2-216140, JP-A-4-348339
No. 7, JP-A-7-191432, and JP-A-7-30189.
The compounds described in No. 0 and the like are preferably used.

Further, these non-photosensitive layers preferably contain the above-mentioned binder and matting agent, and may further contain a polysiloxane compound, a sliding agent such as wax and liquid paraffin.

The photosensitive layer may be a plurality of layers, or the photosensitive layer may be a high sensitivity layer / low sensitivity layer or a low sensitivity layer / high sensitivity layer for adjusting gradation.

Further, in order to protect the surface of the photosensitive material and prevent scratches, a protective layer can be provided as a non-photosensitive layer outside the photosensitive layer.

A matting agent is preferably contained on the photosensitive layer side (particularly the protective layer), and a matting agent is preferably provided on the surface of the photosensitive material in order to prevent scratching of an image after heat development. The matting agent is preferably contained in an amount of 0.5 to 30% by weight with respect to the total binder on the photosensitive layer side. When a non-photosensitive layer is provided on the surface opposite to the photosensitive layer with the support interposed, it is preferable to include a matting agent in at least one layer on the non-photosensitive layer side so that the slipperiness of the photosensitive material and the fingerprint adhesion For prevention, it is preferable to dispose a matting agent on the surface of the light-sensitive material, and the matting agent should be contained in an amount of 0.5 to 40% by weight relative to the total binder of the layer on the side opposite to the photosensitive layer. preferable.

The material of the matting agent may be either organic or inorganic. For example, as the inorganic substance, silica described in Swiss Patent No. 330,158, French Patent Nos. 1 and 2 are used.
Glass powder described in 96,995 etc., British Patent No. 1,1.
The alkaline earth metals or the carbonates such as cadmium and zinc described in No. 73,181 and the like can be used as a matting agent. Organic substances include US Pat. No. 2,322,0
Starch described in 37, Belgian Patent No. 625,451
No. 1 and British Patent No. 981,198 and the like, polyvinyl alcohol described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 44-3643 and the like, polystyrene or polymethacrylate described in Swiss Patent No. 330,158, US Patent No. Organic matting agents such as polyacrylonitrile described in US Pat. No. 3,079,257 and polycarbonate described in US Pat. No. 3,022,169 can be used.

The shape of the matting agent may be either a fixed shape or an amorphous shape, but a fixed shape is preferable, and a spherical shape is preferably used. The size of the matting agent is represented by the diameter when the volume of the matting agent is converted into a spherical shape. The particle size of the matting agent means the spherically converted diameter.

The matting agent has an average particle size of 0.5 μm to 10 μm.
μm is preferable, and 1.0 μm is more preferable.
Is about 8.0 μm. Further, the coefficient of variation of the particle size distribution is preferably 50% or less, more preferably 40% or less, and particularly preferably 30% or less.

Here, the coefficient of variation of the particle size distribution is a value represented by the following formula.

(Standard deviation of particle size) / (average value of particle size) ×
100

The matting agent can be contained in any constituent layer, but is preferably a constituent layer other than the photosensitive layer, more preferably the outermost layer as viewed from the support.

The matting agent may be added by dispersing it in the coating solution in advance and coating it, or by spraying the matting agent after coating the coating solution and before drying is completed. Good. When a plurality of types of matting agents are added, both methods may be used together.

Various additives may be added to any of the light-sensitive layer, the non-light-sensitive layer, and other forming layers. For the photothermographic material, for example, a surfactant, an antioxidant, a stabilizer, a plasticizer, an ultraviolet absorber, a coating aid and the like may be used. These additives and the other additives mentioned above are RD1702.
9 (p. 9-15, June 1978) can be preferably used.

The support is preferably a plastic film (for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate, polyimide, nylon, cellulose triacetate, polyethylene naphthalate) in order to prevent the deformation of the image after development processing. The thickness of the support is about 50 to 300 μm, preferably 70 to 18
It is 0 μm. It is also possible to use a heat-treated plastic support. The plastics to be adopted include the above-mentioned plastics. What is heat treatment of the support, after the film formation of these supports, until the photosensitive layer is coated,
It is preferable to heat to a temperature higher than the glass transition point of the support by 30 ° C. or higher, preferably 35 ° C. or higher, more preferably 40 ° C. or higher.

Known methods can be used as the method for forming the support and the method for producing the subbing film, but it is preferable to use the method described in JP-A No. 9-96952.
The method described in paragraphs [0030] to [0070] of No. -50094 is used.

Metal oxide and / or
Alternatively, a conductive compound such as a conductive polymer can be included in the constituent layer. These may be contained in any layer, but are preferably contained in an undercoat layer, a backing layer, a layer between the photosensitive layer and the undercoat layer, and the like. US Patent 5,244,7
The conductive compounds described in No. 73 columns 14 to 20 are preferably used.

[0106]

EXAMPLE A heat developing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 was produced, whereby 10 sheets of X-ray photographic images according to image information inputted from the outside were continuously produced for each of film 1 and film 2 shown below. I printed it out. Then, the obtained film image was visually inspected for variations in density.
As a result, good results were obtained without any variation in the density which is a problem in practical use.

<Film 1 of Silver Halide Photosensitive Photothermographic Material>

[Preparation of Support] 8 w / m on both sides of a PET film having a thickness of 175 μm and colored in blue with a density of 0.170 (densitometer PDA-65 manufactured by Konica Corporation).
A corona discharge treatment of ² minutes was performed.

[Preparation of Photosensitive Silver Halide Emulsion A] Water 9
7.Ocein gelatin having an average molecular weight of 100,000 in 00 ml.
5 g and 10 mg of potassium bromide were dissolved and the temperature was 35 ° C.,
After adjusting the pH to 3.0, 370 ml of an aqueous solution containing 74 g of silver nitrate, an aqueous solution containing potassium bromide and potassium iodide in a molar ratio of (98/2) and iridium chloride were added at 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol per mol of silver. Was added by the controlled double jet method over 10 minutes while maintaining the pAg at 7.7. Then 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3
Cubic silver iodobromide having an average grain size of 0.06 μm, a grain size variation coefficient of 12%, and a [100] plane ratio of 87% by adding 0.3 g of a, 7-tetrazaindene and adjusting the pH to 5 with NaOH. The particles were obtained. This emulsion was coagulated and precipitated using a gelatin coagulant, desalted, and 0.1 g of phenoxyethanol was added to adjust the pH to 5.9 and pAg to 7.5 to obtain a photosensitive silver halide emulsion A.

[Preparation of Na Behenate Solution] 34 g of behenic acid was dissolved in 340 ml of isopropanol at 65 ° C. Next, with stirring, a 0.25N sodium hydroxide aqueous solution was added so as to have a pH of 8.7. At this time, about 400 ml of sodium hydroxide aqueous solution was required. Next, this sodium behenate aqueous solution was concentrated under reduced pressure to adjust the concentration of sodium behenate to 8.9% by weight.

[Preparation of silver behenate] 2.9 in a solution of 30 g of ossein gelatin dissolved in 750 ml of distilled water.
A 4M silver nitrate solution was added to adjust the silver potential to 400 mV. 78 ° C using the controlled double jet method
374 ml of the sodium behenate solution under the temperature of 4
The solution was added at a speed of 4.6 ml / min, and at the same time, a 2.94 M silver nitrate aqueous solution was added so that the silver potential became 400 mV. The amounts of sodium behenate and silver nitrate used at the time of addition were 0.092 mol and 0.101 mol, respectively.

After the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred for another 30 minutes, and the water-soluble salts were removed by ultrafiltration.

[Preparation of Photosensitive Emulsion B] 0.01 mol of each of the silver halide emulsions A was added to this silver behenate dispersion, and while stirring, a solution of polyvinyl acetate in n-butyl acetate (1. (2 wt%) 100 g was gradually added to form flocs in the dispersion, water was removed, and washing with water and removal of water were further performed twice.
Polyvinyl butyral as binder (average molecular weight 3
000) was added while stirring 60 g of a 1: 2 mixed solution of 2.5 wt% butyl acetate and isopropylate alcohol, and polyvinyl alcohol as a binder was added to the gelled mixture of behenic acid and silver halide thus obtained. A photosensitive emulsion B was prepared by adding 1.5 g of butyral (average molecular weight 4000) and 240 ml of isopropyl alcohol and finishing the dispersion to 500 g.

[Preparation of Photosensitive Layer Coating Solution B] The photosensitive emulsion B (500 g) and 100 g of MEK were agitated while stirring.
The temperature was kept at 1 ° C. Pyrinidium hydrobromide perbromide (PHP, 0.45 g) was added and stirred for 1 hour.
Further calcium bromide (10% methanol solution 3.25
ml) was added and stirred for 30 minutes.

Next, the sensitizing dye-1,4-chloro-2-benzoylbenzoic acid and the supersensitizer (5-methyl-2-
(Mercapto benzimidazole) mixed solution (mixing ratio 1: 250: 20, 0.1% methanol solution with sensitizing dye, 7 ml) was added and stirred for 1 hour, then the temperature was adjusted to 13
The temperature is lowered to ℃ and the mixture is stirred for another 30 minutes.

While keeping the temperature at 13 ° C., 48 g of polyvinyl butyral was added and sufficiently dissolved, and then the following additives were added to prepare a photosensitive layer coating solution B. Reducing agent-1: 15 g (0.0484 mol) Desmodu N3300 (Movey, aliphatic isocyanate) 1.10 g Phthalazine (toning agent) 1.5 g Tetrachlorophthalic acid 0.5 g 4-Methylphthalic acid 0.5 g IR dye: 8 mg

[Coating on Photosensitive Layer Side] After preparing the photosensitive layer coating liquid B, the temperature was kept at 13 ° C. and the liquid was kept stagnant for a predetermined time, and then the following layers were sequentially formed on a support to prepare a sample. . Drying is performed at 75 ° C for 5 minutes, and film 1
Got

Photosensitive layer 1: Photosensitive layer coating solution B is coated with silver of 2 g
/ M ^{2 so} that it is applied.

<Silver Halide Photosensitive Photothermographic Material Film 2>

[Preparation of Photosensitive Emulsion C] A silver halide-silver behenate dry emulsion was prepared according to US Pat. No. 3,839,049.
It was prepared by the method described in No. The silver halide has 9 mol% of the total silver amount, while silver behenate has 9 mol% of the total silver amount.
It had 1 mol%. The above silver halide is 2% iodide
Was a 0.055 μm silver bromoiodide emulsion.

[Preparation of Coating Solution C for Photosensitive Layer]
The mixture was homogenized with 455 g of the above silver halide-silver behenate dry emulsion, 27 g of toluene, 1918 g of 2-butanone, and polyvinyl butyral (B-79 manufactured by Monsanto). The homogenized heat-developable emulsion (698 g) and 2-butanone (60 g) were cooled to 12.8 ° C with stirring. Pyridinium hydrobromide perbromide (0.92g)
Was added and stirred for 2 hours.

3.25 ml of a calcium bromide solution (CaBr (1 g) and 10 ml of methanol) was added, and the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes. Furthermore, polyvinyl butyral (158 g; B-79 made by Monsanto) was added, and
Stir for minutes. The temperature was raised to 21.1 ° C., and the following components were added with stirring over 15 minutes.
Was prepared. 2- (tribromomethylsulfone) quinoline 3.42 g, 1,1-bis (2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl) -3,5,5-trimethylhexane 28.1 g, 5-methylmercaptovene A solution containing 0.545 g of imidazole 41.1 g, 2- (4-chlorobenzoyl) benzoic acid 6.12 g S-1 (a sensitizing dye) 0.104 g methanol 34.3 g isocyanate (Desmoder N3300, manufactured by Movey) ) 2.14 g Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride 0.97 g Phthalazine 2.88 g The dye S-1 has the following structure.

[0123]

[Chemical 4]

[Preparation of Protective Layer Solution C] Protective layer solution C was prepared using the following components. 2-butanone 80.0 g Methanol 10.7 g Cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB-171-155, Eastman Chemicals) 8.0 g 4-Methylphthalic acid 0.52 g MRA-1, mottle reducing agent, N-ethylperfluoro Octane sulfonyl amide ethyl methacrylate / hydroxyethyl methacrylate / acrylic acid weight ratio 70:20:10 tertiary polymer 0.80 g

The photosensitive layer coating solution C and the protective layer solution C were
Coat to 0.18 mm blue polyester film base simultaneously with a knife coater. At this time, the protective layer melted night C is applied on the photosensitive layer coating liquid C. Further, the photosensitive layer coating liquid is applied such that the dry coating weight per 1 m ² is 23 g, and the protective layer solution C is applied such that the dry coating weight per 1 m ² is 2.4 g. Then, the applied polyester base is dried at 79.4 ° C. for 4 minutes to obtain a film 2.

The present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments and examples. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. . For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS.
Although only one halogen heater 20 is provided at the center of rotation of the heating drum 14, a plurality of halogen heaters 20 may be provided. 9 and 10 show a modified example in which a plurality of halogen heaters 20 are provided. In the modified example of FIG. 9, three halogen heaters 20 are provided, and in the modified example of FIG.
Are arranged so as to be located at substantially equal intervals on a circle centered on the rotation center of. Even in the case of such a configuration, as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the inner peripheral surface of the drum body 19 can be uniformly and efficiently heated, and the heating drum 1
The temperature of the outer peripheral surface 14a of No. 4 can be maintained at a substantially constant temperature regardless of the passage of time, and the temperature distribution can be made more uniform.

As the heating means, the halogen heater 2 is used.
The heating means is not limited to 0, and other rod-shaped heating means such as a ceramic heater may be used.

As another structure of the power supply means, the lead wire 22 from the power supply path 24 provided outside can be connected to a portion corresponding to the extraction hole 36 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. It is also possible to provide terminals, connectors, sockets or the like.

Further, in FIG. 14, a plurality of halogen heaters are arranged at substantially equal intervals on a circle centered on the center of rotation of the heating drum as shown in FIG. A modification in which the heating unit) is divided in the direction of the rotation axis is shown. As shown in FIG. 14, each light emitting unit 1
71 to 173 are partially provided in each of the halogen heaters 161 to 163 in the rotation axis direction, the light emitting section 172 is provided substantially in the center of the rotation axis direction, and the light emitting sections 171 and 173 are provided in the rotation axis direction. It is provided on both sides of 172. The light emitting units 171 to 173 are arranged so as to be continuous in the direction of the rotation axis as a whole. Power supply to each of the light emitting units 171 to 173 is independently controlled by providing a plurality of control circuits 30 as shown in FIG. 3, for example. According to the configuration of FIG. 14, since the heating by each of the light emitting units 171 to 173 can be independently controlled, the outer peripheral surface 14 of the heating drum 14 can be controlled.
The temperature distribution in a can be made more uniform in the rotation axis direction. The light emitting units 171 to 173 can be manufactured by partially arranging a coiled heater made of, for example, tungsten by a predetermined length in each glass tube forming the outer shell of the halogen heaters 161 to 163. Further, when a larger number of halogen heaters are provided as shown in FIG. 10, the light emitting portions (heating portions) of each halogen heater may be divided into a larger number.

[0130]

According to the heat developing apparatus of the present invention, a heating drum having a small size and a simple structure is realized, and the temperature distribution in the circumferential direction of the heating drum is made uniform to form a visible image on the heat developing material. Unevenness can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing a heat developing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the heat developing device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing the heating drum of the heat developing apparatus of FIG. 1 in a longitudinal direction and also showing a power supply path.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a state in which a light blocking member is attached to the right end portion of the heating drum of FIG.

5 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing the heating drum of FIG. 3 cut along a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis.

6 is a graph showing the relationship between the surface temperature of the heating drum of FIG. 3 and time.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the film according to the present embodiment, schematically showing a chemical reaction in the film during exposure with a laser beam from the optical scanning unit.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the film in the present embodiment, schematically showing the chemical reaction in the film when the film having the latent image as shown in FIG. 7 is heated.

9 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the heating means of FIG.

10 is a cross-sectional view showing another modified example of the heating means of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an outline of a manufacturing procedure in a conventional heating drum.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a conventional heating drum.

FIG. 13 is a graph showing the relationship between the surface temperature of a conventional heating drum and time.

FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional side view similar to FIG. 3, showing a modified example in which three halogen heaters are arranged as shown in FIG. 9 and the light emitting portion of each halogen heater is divided in the rotation axis direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 heat development device 130 heat development section 14 Heating drum (heating member) 14a Outer peripheral surface of heating drum 16 Guide roller (guide member) 17a, 17b rotating shaft 20 Halogen heater (heating means) 24 power supply route 32 Light-shielding member 34 holding unit (holding means) 36 Draw-out hole (power supply means) 161 to 163 halogen heater 171 to 173 Light emitting part (heating part) F film (heat development material)

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A heat developing apparatus for obtaining a visible image by heat-developing a heat-developable material having a latent image by bringing it into contact with a heating member, wherein the heating member is cylindrical heating rotatable about a rotation axis. A heat developing apparatus comprising a drum, and rod-shaped heating means for heating the heating drum from an inner peripheral surface thereof is provided inside the heating drum. 2. The heat developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is provided so as to extend along a rotation axis of the heating drum. 3. The heating means is provided in plurality, and is arranged so as to be located at equal intervals on a circle centered on the rotation axis of the heating drum.
The heat developing apparatus according to. 4. The thermal development according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of heating units has a heating unit divided in a rotation axis direction, and each heating unit is independently controlled. apparatus. 5. The heat developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is a halogen heater. 6. The heat developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is a ceramic heater. 7. The light-shielding member is provided at an end of the heating member so as to prevent the heat-developable material from being exposed to light generated by the heating means. The heat developing apparatus according to any one of 1. 8. The heat developing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the light shielding member is made of a heat resistant resin material having heat resistance and a heat deformation temperature of at least 130 ° C. or higher. 9. The light-shielding member is provided with holding means for holding an end portion of the heating means, and power supply means for supplying power to the heating means. 8. The heat developing apparatus according to item 8. 10. The heating drum according to claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the heating drum is 140 mm or less.
The thermal development device according to the item. 11. The heat-developable material is a silver salt dry film, according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
The thermal development device according to the item. 12. A guide member is provided around the heating member to guide the heat developing material to the surface of the heating member so as to convey the heat developing material. 11. The thermal development device according to claim 11. 13. The guide member according to claim 12, wherein the guide member is composed of a guide roller made of metal having a large thermal conductivity, which rotates while being in contact with the surface of the heating drum at a predetermined pressure. Thermal development device.