JP2005346111A - Photographic processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photographic processing apparatus with which maintenance work, such as cleaning of rollers within, for example, an exposure position carrying unit can be carried out, even without the work of attaching or detaching the exposure position carrying unit. <P>SOLUTION: The photographic processing apparatus comprises a line-like exposure head for printing image data in a line-like form to photographic paper and the exposure position carrying unit, having a carrying mechanism for carrying a photosensitive material into or out of an exposure surface to be exposed by the exposure head. The exposure position carrying unit is constituted to be made movable between a carrying position, in proximity to the exposure head and a retreat position distant from the exposure head. The carrying mechanism comprises a carrying roller pair, constituted of a drive roller and a pressure contact roller coming into pressurized contact with the drive roller. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a line-shaped exposure head for printing image data on a photosensitive material in a line, and an exposure position transport unit including a transport mechanism for carrying the photosensitive material into and out of an exposure surface exposed by the exposure head. The present invention relates to a photographic processing apparatus having

  In general, a photographic processing apparatus performs an image printing process and a development process on photographic paper as a photographic photosensitive material. Further, when printing an image on the photographic paper, the image is processed by an exposure apparatus while conveying the photographic paper. In some cases, an image is printed by a so-called digital exposure method in which a dot is exposed line by line.

As an exposure apparatus that performs line exposure, for example, there is an apparatus equipped with a PLZT shutter type line exposure head extending in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the photographic paper. Since exposure is performed while being conveyed one by one, a dedicated exposure conveyance device is required.
In order to improve the assembly workability to the airframe, this exposure transport apparatus generally includes a transport roller pair composed of a drive roller that is rotationally driven by a drive motor and a pressure roller that is elastically pressed against the drive roller. Two pairs of units are mounted, and this exposure position transport unit is assembled to the airframe.

  By the way, the exposure surface is located on the same surface as the conveyance surface of the photographic paper, and the exposure position conveyance unit is usually located on the exposure surface facing the exposure head.

  For this reason, in a conventional photographic processing apparatus, for example, when a paper jam occurs in the exposure position transport unit, the exposure position transport unit must be removed in order to take out the photographic paper jammed. Even when performing maintenance such as cleaning of the rollers, the exposure position transport unit must be removed, and in this case as well, there is a problem that the operation becomes complicated.

  The present invention has been developed in view of the above circumstances, and provides a photographic processing apparatus capable of performing maintenance work such as cleaning of the rollers in the exposure position transport unit, for example, without performing the work of removing and attaching the exposure position transport unit. There is to do.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 carries a photosensitive material onto a photosensitive material and a linear exposure head for printing image data on the photosensitive material in a linear form, and an exposure surface exposed by the exposure head. In a photographic processing apparatus equipped with an exposure position transport unit having a transport mechanism for unloading, the exposure position transport unit can be moved to a transport position close to the exposure head and a retracted position separated from the exposure head It is characterized by having the configuration as follows.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the photographic processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the transport mechanism for carrying the photosensitive material into and out of the exposure surface comprises a driving roller and a pressure roller that presses the driving roller. It is characterized by comprising a pair of transport rollers.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the photographic processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect further comprises positioning means for positioning the exposure position conveying unit at a predetermined conveying position. is there.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the photographic processing apparatus according to the third aspect, the exposure position transport unit is retracted by the driving means for moving the exposure position transport unit to the transport position and the retracted position. The control unit is configured to control so that the driving unit is driven even after the exposure position transport unit reaches a predetermined transport position when it is forcibly moved from the position to the transport position.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a linear exposure head for printing image data on the photosensitive material in a line, and a transport mechanism for carrying the photosensitive material into and out of the exposure surface exposed by the exposure head In the photo processing apparatus provided with the exposure position transport unit, the exposure position transport unit is configured to be movable between a transport position close to the exposure head and a retracted position separated from the exposure head. For example, even if a paper jam occurs in the exposure position transport unit, you can remove the paper jam by simply moving the exposure position transport unit to the retracted position. Maintenance work becomes easy.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the invention, the driving roller and the pressure roller constituting the conveying roller pair of the conveying mechanism are also moved integrally to the conveying position or the retracted position. Therefore, it is easier to perform maintenance work.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1 or 2, even when the transport unit is moved from the retracted position to the transport position, the positioning means allows the predetermined focus surface to be matched. It can be easily positioned at the transfer position.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 3, the overrun control by the control means allows the exposure position transport unit even if some external vibration is input to the exposure position transport unit. The exposure position transport unit can be reliably maintained at a predetermined position without shaking, and as a result, there is no deviation of the transport surface of the exposure position transport unit with respect to the exposure surface (focus surface), and the amount of deviation is focused. Thus, the color deviation can be kept within the specified range, and the reproducibility of the position and the stability of the focus can be improved.

  Furthermore, there is no need to directly scan and correct the printed out print, and the correction function can be automated.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The photographic processing apparatus of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 shows a printing processing unit 2 that prints image information on photographic paper P, which is a photosensitive material, and includes two paper magazines 31, 31 and PLZT on the machine body 1. A shutter type exposure device 32, a printing device 33, and a photosensitive material transport device 4 for transporting the photographic paper P are mounted.

  The photosensitive material conveying device 4 is mainly composed of a driving roller 41 that is rotated by a rotational drive of a driving motor, a pressing roller 42 that is in pressure contact with the driving roller 41, and a conveying belt 43. The photosensitive material transport device 4 is transported while being sandwiched between the driving roller 41 and the pressure roller 42 or sandwiched by the transport belt 43.

  Further, an exposure unit 22 in which the exposure device 32 is disposed and a printing unit 23 in which the printing device 33 is disposed are provided in the conveyance path 21 of the photosensitive material conveyance device 4 described above.

  Further, two cutters 34 are provided near the paper magazines 31 and 31 in the transport path 21 for cutting the photographic paper P having a predetermined width drawn from the two paper magazines 31 and 31 into a predetermined length.

  The photographic processing apparatus is provided with sorting means 35 for sorting the printing paper P cut by the cutter 34 to a predetermined position before reaching the exposure unit 22. The sorting unit 35 includes a chuck 35 a that holds the cut photographic paper P and conveys it to a predetermined position of the exposure unit 22 at the exit of the cutter 34.

The chuck 35 a can reciprocate in the roller width direction of the drive roller 41 and the pressure roller 42, and reciprocates along the transport path 21.
Then, before the exposure unit 22, the photographic paper P is distributed by the distribution unit 35, so that the line exposure in the exposure unit 22 and the printing process in the printing unit 23 are performed in the distributed state. It is conveyed to the development processing unit.

  In addition, the photographic processing apparatus of the present invention includes a controller 5 (control means) constituted by a computer, and the controller 5 controls the driving of each device of the photographic processing apparatus.

  The exposure device 32 provided in the exposure unit 22 is connected to a light source 32a via a light source bundle 32a and an optical fiber bundle (not shown), and is a PLZT shutter type line provided in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the photographic paper P. The exposure head 32b is composed of a light quality modulation filter (not shown) disposed in the optical path between the light source 32a and the line exposure head 32b. The line exposure head 32b is provided in the exposure case 32c together with the optical fiber. It is assembled to.

  An image is output from the controller 5 to the line exposure head 32b, and light transmitted through the light quality modulation filter is sent from the light source 32a to the line exposure head 32b. The photographic paper P is line-exposed by transferring the P one by one.

  The exposure device 32 is not limited to the PLZT shutter method, and may be another digital exposure method such as a laser beam method, a fluorescent beam method, or a liquid crystal shutter method as long as it is subjected to line exposure. Any scheme can be selected.

  In the exposure unit 22, a transfer device 4 including an exposure position transfer unit 6 that includes an exposure first transfer roller pair 4 a provided on the entrance side of the exposure unit and an exposure second transfer roller pair 4 b provided on the exit side is used as an exposure position. The photosensitive material is carried in and out of the exposure surface exposed by the exposure head by the exposure position transport unit 6.

  The exposure is performed while the printing paper P is conveyed by the first conveying roller pair 4a for exposure, and the printing paper P is exposed while being conveyed by the second conveying roller pair 4b for exposure.

  The first conveying roller pair 4a for exposure and the second conveying roller pair 4b for exposure are also composed of a driving roller 41 and a pressure roller 42 that is in pressure contact with the driving roller 41 and rotates together. Both ends of the roller shaft are rotatably supported by the support plate 61 of the transport unit 6, and the pressure contact roller 42 is also capable of rotating both ends of the roller shaft to the support plate 61 of the transport unit 6 and with respect to the drive roller 41. So that they are pressed or separated.

  The first conveying roller pair 4a for exposure and the second conveying roller pair 4b for exposure are controlled by the controller 5, and when one roller pair is in a pressure contact state, the other roller pair is in a separated state. In this way, the photographic paper P is conveyed by either one of the roller pairs.

  Specifically, the conveyance of the photographic paper P by the exposure first conveyance roller pair 4a and the exposure second conveyance roller pair 4b is first sandwiched by the first exposure conveyance roller pair 4a on the entrance side. When the leading edge of the photographic paper P passes through the line exposure head 32b, the line exposure head 32b starts exposure to the photographic paper P.

  When the leading edge of the photographic paper P reaches the second exposure conveyance roller pair 4b on the exit side, the pressure contact roller 42 of the second exposure conveyance roller pair 4b comes into pressure contact, and immediately after that, the first conveyance roller pair 4a for exposure. The pressure contact roller 42 is separated, and the photographic paper P is transferred from the exposure first conveyance roller pair 4a to the exposure second conveyance roller pair 4b, and the photographic paper P is nipped by the exposure second conveyance roller pair 4b. Then, it is conveyed and discharged toward the printing unit 23.

  The printing unit 23 includes a printing device 33 for printing necessary data on the back surface of the line-exposed photographic paper P. The photographic paper P line-exposed by the exposure unit 22 is provided with a driving roller 41 and a pressure roller. Data is printed by the print head 33 a of the printing device 33 while being conveyed by the printer 42.

  In the above photographic processing apparatus, the photographic paper P transported from the paper magazines 31 and 31 is cut by the cutter 34 by the drive of the photosensitive material transport device 4, and then is transferred to the exposure unit 22 via the paper distributing means 35. The photographic paper P sent to the exposure unit 22 is 1 dot to the line exposure head 32b by the exposure first transport roller pair 4a and the exposure second transport roller pair 4b of the exposure position transport unit 6. After line exposure while being transferred row by row, various data are printed by the printing device 33.

  In the above configuration, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the exposure case 32 c assembled with the exposure head 32 b is attached to the frame 11 of the machine body 1, and the exposure position transport unit 6 is attached to the frame 11. Is attached.

  The exposure position transport unit 6 can move to a transport position close to the exposure head 32b shown in FIG. 2 and a retracted position separated from the exposure head 32b shown in FIG.

  Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, both ends of the shaft 7 extending parallel to the line direction of the exposure head 32 b can be rotated via bearings at a position above the exposure case 32 c in the frame 11. While supporting, one end of the shaft 7 is connected to a DC motor 8 (drive means) capable of rotating in the forward and reverse directions via a worm gear mechanism 81 and a torque limiter 82.

  Further, by fixing a support plate 61 of the exposure position transport unit 6 in which the first transport roller pair 4a for exposure and the second transport roller pair 4b for exposure are assembled to the shaft 7, the exposure position transport unit 6 is connected to the shaft. It is supported by the frame 11 of the airframe 1 through.

  Then, by driving the DC motor 8, the exposure position transport unit 6 is swung with the rotation of the shaft 7, and from the transport position close to the exposure head 32b shown in FIG. 2, the exposure head shown in FIG. It is forcibly moved to the retracted position away from 32b and in the opposite direction.

  In addition, when a foreign object is caught between the exposure position transport unit 6 and the machine body 1 and the exposure position transport unit 6 does not move, a load greater than a predetermined load is applied to the DC motor 8. When a load is applied, the torque limiter 82 disposed between the shaft 7 and the DC motor 8 is idled.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, position sensors 71 and 71 for detecting the transport device and the retracted position of the exposure position transport unit 6 near one end support position of the shaft 7 in the frame 11 of the body 1. Are provided in two places. The position sensors 71 and 71 are configured to detect the sensor bar 72 at the transport position or the retracted position when the sensor bar 72 that can be attached to the shaft 7 swings as the shaft 7 rotates.

  When the position sensor 71, 71 detects the transport position and the retracted position of the exposure position transport unit 6, the detection result is input to the controller 5, and the output from the controller 5 has reached a predetermined transport position or retracted position. The driving of the DC motor 8 is stopped.

  When the exposure position transport unit 6 is moved from the retracted position to the transport position, the DC motor 8 is overrun controlled as will be described in detail later.

  Further, the controller 5 determines that an abnormal situation has occurred when the position sensors 71 and 71 cannot detect the position within a certain time after the DC motor 8 starts to rotate in a predetermined direction, and stops the DC motor 8. The control which performs is also performed.

  Further, a positioning means 9 is provided between the exposure position transport unit 6 and the frame 11 for positioning the exposure position transport unit 6 at a predetermined transport position (positioning with respect to the line exposure head 32b). The positioning means 9 is fixed to projecting pieces 62 extending outward in the axial direction, such as the driving roller 41, from the support plates 61 on both sides of the exposure position transport unit 6, and position restricting pins 91 projecting toward the frame 11. The focal length is maintained by the position restricting pin 91.

  That is, when the tip of the position regulating pin 91 comes into contact with the frame 11 of the machine body 1, the conveyance constituted by the exposure first conveyance roller pair 4 a and the exposure second conveyance roller pair 4 b of the exposure position conveyance unit 6. The surface coincides with the exposure surface (focus surface) exposed by the exposure head 32b.

  Further, since the position of the exposure position transport unit 6 with respect to the exposure head 32b is positioned by bringing the tip of the position regulation pin 91 into contact with the frame 11, for example, some vibration is input to the exposure position transport unit 6. If the distance between the exposure head 32b and the exposure position transport unit 6 fluctuates, it may become out of focus.

  Therefore, when the exposure position transport unit 6 returns from the retracted position to the transport position, the DC motor 8 is overrun for about 2 seconds so that the exposure position transport unit is always pressed against the exposure head 32b. ing.

  Specifically, when the exposure position transport unit 6 is forcibly moved from the retracted position to the transport position by the DC motor 8 that is a driving means, the exposure position transport unit 6 has reached a predetermined transport position by the position regulation pin 91. Thereafter, the DC motor 8 is driven and controlled by the controller 5 so that the DC motor 8 is driven for a predetermined time (for example, about 2 seconds).

  By this overrun control, when the DC motor 8 is stopped, the exposure position transport unit 6 is always stopped with the position regulating pin 91 pressed against the frame 11, and some external vibration is input to the exposure position transport unit 6. However, the exposure position transport unit 6 is reliably maintained at a predetermined transport position without shaking.

  Further, in the photographic processing apparatus, a light emission amount measuring sensor 10 for measuring the light emission amount from the line exposure head 32b is mounted on the machine body 1, and this light emission amount measurement sensor 10 has many on the exposure surface of the line exposure head 32b. The amount of light emitted from each element is sequentially measured along the line.

  Since the light emission amount measuring sensor 10 measures the light emission amount on the exposure surface that coincides with the conveyance surface of the conveyance unit 6, the light emission amount measurement unit 10 does not interfere with the exposure position conveyance unit 6 when measuring the light emission amount. The exposure position transport unit 6 is positioned at the retracted position.

  In order to measure the light emission amount measuring sensor 10 while moving along the line of the exposure head 32b, first, although not shown, the line direction of the exposure head 32b is arranged below the frame 11 of the body 1. A guide rail 14 provided in parallel is attached, and a support base 13 is slidably attached to the guide rail 14.

  Further, a long ball screw 12 is supported on the lower part of the frame 11 of the machine body 1, and the ball screw 12 rotates on both sides of the frame 11 in a state parallel to the line direction of the exposure head 32 b and the guide rail 14. A support base 13 for supporting the light emission amount measuring sensor 10 is screwed onto the ball screw 12 so that the support base 13 can move in the axial direction as the ball screw 12 is driven to rotate. Yes.

  The ball screw 12 has a first pulley 15 attached to one end thereof, and an endless belt 18 is attached to the first pulley 15 and a second pulley 17 of a drive shaft 16 provided in a motor for driving the ball screw 12 (not shown). The ball screw 12 is driven to rotate. This motor is also driven under the control of the controller 5.

  When the ball screw 12 is rotated, the support base 13 is moved in one of the axial directions while being guided by the guide rail 14, and when the exposure position transport unit 6 is at the transport position shown in FIG. When the light emission amount measuring sensor 10 is positioned at a non-interfering position that does not interfere with the unit 6 (the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5), the exposure position conveying unit 6 is opposed to the exposure head 32b when it is positioned at the retracted position shown in FIG. It moves in the line direction along the guide rail 14 while being positioned at the light emission amount measurement position.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, for example, even when a paper jam occurs in the exposure position transport unit 6, the exposure position transport unit 6 can be swung to the retracted position to take out the paper jam. Maintenance work such as taking out jammed paper and cleaning rollers can be performed easily.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, when the light emission amount measuring sensor 10 measures the light emission amount of the exposure head 32b, the DC motor 8 is driven and the exposure position transport unit 6 is directed to the retracted position with the shaft 7 as an axis. By forcibly swinging and rotating, the exposure position transport unit 6 can be retracted to a retract position that does not interfere with the light emission amount measuring sensor 10.

  As a result, even if the exposure surface for measuring the amount of light emitted from the exposure head 32b and the transport surface of the exposure position transport unit 6 are on the same surface, the exposure position transport unit 6 is removed from the machine body 1 without being removed from the body 1. Therefore, the workability can be improved.

  Further, since the position restricting pin 91 for positioning the exposure position transport unit 6 at the predetermined transport position is provided, even when the transport unit 6 is moved from the retracted position to the transport position, the predetermined focus position coincides with the focus surface. It can be easily positioned.

  Further, even when the exposure position transport unit 6 is moved from the retracted position to the transport position, the position regulating pin 91 of the positioning means 9 is provided, and the exposure position transport unit 6 is moved between the transport position and the retracted position by the DC motor 8. When the exposure position transport unit 6 is forcibly moved from the retracted position to the transport position by the DC motor 8, the DC motor 8 is also moved after the exposure position transport unit 6 reaches the predetermined transport position. Is controlled by the controller 5 so as to drive the exposure position for a certain period of time, so that even if some external vibration is input to the exposure position transport unit 6 by this overrun control, the exposure position transport unit 6 does not shake. 6 can be reliably maintained at a predetermined position.

  As a result, there is no deviation of the transport surface of the exposure position transport unit 6 with respect to the exposure surface (focus surface), the amount of shift can be kept within the specified range of focus and color shift, position reproducibility, focus Stability can be improved.

  Furthermore, there is no need to directly scan and correct the printed out print, and the correction function can be automated.

  In addition, a scanning device such as a flat bed scanner is not required, which is advantageous in terms of cost and space.

  In the present embodiment, the exposure position transport unit 6 is supported by the frame 11 so as to be swingable so that the exposure position transport unit 6 can be moved between the transport position and the retracted position. The transport unit 6 may be configured to move between the transport position and the retracted position while being parallel to the exposure head 32b.

  In addition, the transport unit 6 is forcibly moved by the DC motor 8, but may be moved manually.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention. The principal part side view which shows the state which has the exposure position conveyance unit of the photographic processing apparatus concerning this invention in a conveyance position. The principal part side view which shows the state which has the exposure position conveyance unit of the photographic processing apparatus concerning this invention in a retracted position. It is the side view seen from the A direction in FIG. 3, Comprising: The exposure position conveyance unit is shown with the virtual line. FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols

P Photographic paper (photosensitive material)
32b Exposure head 4a, 4b Conveying roller pair 5 Controller (control means)
6 Exposure position transport unit 8 DC motor (drive means)
9 Positioning means

Claims (4)

  A line-shaped exposure head for printing image data on the photosensitive material in a line, and an exposure position transport unit having a transport mechanism for carrying the photosensitive material into and out of the exposure surface exposed by the exposure head are provided. In the photographic processing apparatus, the exposure position transport unit is configured to be movable between a transport position close to the exposure head and a retracted position separated from the exposure head.   The conveyance mechanism for carrying in and carrying out the photosensitive material to and from the exposure surface includes a pair of conveyance rollers including a driving roller and a pressure roller in pressure contact with the driving roller. Photo processing device.   3. The photographic processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising positioning means for positioning the exposure position transport unit at a predetermined transport position.   Driving means for moving the exposure position transport unit between the transport position and the retracted position, and when the exposure position transport unit is forcibly moved from the retracted position to the transport position by the drive means, the exposure position transport unit is moved to a predetermined transport position. 4. The photographic processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising control means for controlling the driving means to drive even after reaching the position.

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