JP2006327806A - Recording medium process device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a recording medium process device provided with a magazine storing a recording medium, a print part forming an image, a paper feeding roller arranged between the magazine and the print part and an auxiliary roller pair arranged in the magazine, and capable of driving the paper feeding roller and the auxiliary roller pair in a regular rotation direction feeding the recording medium toward the print part and in a reverse rotation direction returning the same into the magazine, to eliminate a phenomenon that a slack part of a collected recording medium jams in a space of a merge part even in a structure in which a plurality of the recording medium conveyance passages merge on an outer circumference surface of the paper feeding roller. <P>SOLUTION: In the magazine corresponding to the recording medium conveyance passage circumscribing the paper feeding roller in an upstream side in relation to a regular rotation direction, the auxiliary roller pair consists of an auxiliary paper feeding roller 25 driven in a regular rotation direction at circumferential speed slower than the paper feeding roller 11 and an auxiliary collecting roller 26 driven in a reverse rotation direction at circumferential speed faster than the paper feeding roller 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a magazine for storing a long recording medium wound in a roll shape, a printing unit for forming an image on the recording medium, and a transport mechanism for pulling out the recording medium from the magazine and transporting it to the printing unit. And the transport mechanism includes a supply roller disposed between the magazine and the print unit, and an auxiliary roller pair disposed in the magazine, and the supply roller and the auxiliary roller pair Are coupled to each other by a transmission mechanism for transmitting a rotational driving force, and a forward rotation direction for feeding the recording medium pulled out from the magazine toward the print unit and a reverse rotation direction for returning the recording medium into the magazine. The present invention relates to a recording medium processing apparatus configured to be switchable between the two.

  An example of this type of recording medium processing apparatus is described in Patent Document 1 below. In the recording medium processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, in order to suppress the occurrence of slack in the recording medium being conveyed due to the difference in conveyance speed between the supply roller and the auxiliary roller pair, the auxiliary roller pair is The auxiliary supply roller is driven in the forward direction at a peripheral speed smaller than the peripheral speed of the supply roller, and the auxiliary collection roller is driven in the reverse direction at a peripheral speed larger than the peripheral speed of the supply roller. A one-way clutch mechanism is provided that transmits only the driving force in the forward direction to the auxiliary supply roller and transmits only the driving force in the reverse direction to the auxiliary recovery roller.

JP-A-8-254807 (paragraph numbers 0017, 0019, FIG. 2, FIG. 3)

  However, the invention described in Patent Document 1 is premised on a configuration in which a single magazine is provided, and a recording medium in which a plurality of magazines are provided and a recording medium is selectively extracted from one of the magazines. More specifically, a plurality of recording medium conveyance paths extending from the openings of the plurality of magazines are merged in the vicinity of the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller. The problems that occur in the recording medium processing apparatus were not considered. That is, in the latter case, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the recording medium conveyance path T <b> 1 circumscribing the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller 41 at a position upstream of the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller 41 in the normal rotation direction (the direction of the arrow R <b> 1). In FIG. 2, the guide plate 52 constituting the conveyance path needs to have a shape with a chamfered portion 52c that hardly damages the recording medium P, and therefore, a triangular shape having a vertex at a position separated from the supply roller 41 is exhibited. The special situation in which the space V, which is a dead volume, is formed at the merging position, more specifically, at a position on the upstream side in the paper feeding direction on the outer side in the radial direction of the supply roller 41 around which the recording medium P is wound and conveyed. It occurs without obtaining. In addition, the recording medium P has a curl tendency to be curved in an arc shape having a center near the axis of the supply roller 41. The rotational driving force of the supply roller 41 is transmitted to the auxiliary roller pairs 50a and 50b by a transmission mechanism including two idle gears 53 and 54. As a result, when the recording medium P is collected in the magazine M1, when the reverse rotation of the supply roller 41 (in the direction of the arrow R2) is started, the auxiliary collection of the auxiliary roller pair is caused by backlash or the like generated in the transmission mechanism. As a result of the roller 50b starting to rotate later than the supply roller 41, a slack portion P 'is formed in the recording medium P, and this slack portion P' is clogged in the space V which is a dead volume in the recording medium conveyance path T1. There was a risk of jamming.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium that includes a plurality of magazines and that is configured such that a plurality of recording medium conveyance paths extending from the openings of the plurality of magazines merge near the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium processing apparatus capable of suppressing a phenomenon that a slack portion of a recording medium is clogged in a space that is a dead volume when the recording medium is returned to a magazine.

The characteristic configuration of the present invention includes a magazine for storing a long recording medium wound in a roll shape, a printing unit for forming an image on the recording medium, and a recording medium drawn from the magazine and conveyed to the printing unit. A transport mechanism, and the transport mechanism includes a supply roller disposed between the magazine and the print unit, and a pair of auxiliary rollers disposed in the magazine, and the supply roller and the auxiliary The roller pair is connected to each other by a transmission mechanism that transmits a rotational driving force, and the normal rotation direction in which the recording medium pulled out from the magazine is sent to the printing unit and the recording medium are returned into the magazine. A recording medium processing apparatus configured to be switchable between a reverse direction and
The magazine is composed of a plurality of magazines, and is configured such that a plurality of recording medium conveyance paths extending from the plurality of magazines merge near the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller,
Among the plurality of recording medium conveyance paths, in the magazine corresponding to the recording medium conveyance path that circumscribes at least an upstream position on the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller in the forward rotation direction, the auxiliary roller pair includes the supply roller An auxiliary supply roller driven in the forward direction at a peripheral speed smaller than the peripheral speed of the roller, and an auxiliary recovery roller driven in the reverse direction at a peripheral speed larger than the peripheral speed of the supply roller, and A one-way clutch mechanism that transmits only the driving force in the forward direction to the auxiliary supply roller and transmits only the driving force in the reverse direction to the auxiliary recovery roller is provided.

  Therefore, in the recording medium processing apparatus according to the characteristic configuration of the present invention, when the recording medium is returned to the magazine, even if a slack portion occurs in the recording medium due to backlash or the like generated in the transmission mechanism, the auxiliary collection roller is Since it is driven in the reverse direction at a peripheral speed larger than the peripheral speed of the supply roller, the slack of the recording medium is quickly eliminated, and the phenomenon that the recording medium is jammed in the space that is a dead volume in the recording medium conveyance path can be suppressed. . Further, when the recording medium is supplied from the magazine to the printing unit, the auxiliary supply roller is driven in the normal rotation direction at a peripheral speed smaller than the peripheral speed of the supply roller, so that the recording medium does not become slack.

The best embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[Configuration of photo printing device]
The photographic printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has an operating unit A for creating print data based on given image data, and a print processing unit B for printing this print data on photographic paper (of the recording medium processing apparatus). Example).

  The operating unit A includes a film scanner 3 that captures image information of the photographic film 1 into three primary colors of R, G, and B and converts it into a digital signal, a display 4 that displays processing information, and a keyboard 5. A data processing device 7 comprising a general-purpose computer is provided on the upper surface and below the table 6. The data processing device 7 is provided with a media drive 8 that acquires image data recorded on a CD-R, DVD-R, or the like, or image data recorded on a semiconductor medium.

  The print processing unit B develops the photographic paper P (an example of a recording medium) on the photographic paper P (an example of a recording medium), and develops the photographic paper P sent from the exposure unit EX in a plurality of development processing tanks. A development processing unit DE that performs processing and a drying processing unit DR that dries the print after the development processing are provided. The print dried by the drying processing unit DR is sent out on the conveyor belt 9 and sent out from the conveyor belt 9 to a sorter (not shown). Further, between the exposure unit EX and the development processing unit DE, a vertical transport device CV that reverses the exposed photographic paper P to the entrance of the development processing unit DE located above is interposed. .

The exposure unit EX includes a first magazine M1 that stores the photographic paper P in a roll shape, a supply unit S that pulls the photographic paper P from the first magazine M1, cuts it into a print size, and conveys it in the horizontal direction. And an exposure unit Em that exposes image data to the photographic paper P that has been sent by the above method.
The supply unit S includes a supply roller 11 that sends out the photographic paper P drawn from the first magazine M1 in the horizontal direction, a cutter 13 that cuts the photographic paper P into a print size, and a clamp that sends the cut photographic paper P in the horizontal direction. And a horizontal conveyance mechanism 14 of the mold.

  The exposure unit Em received from the pair of press-in type carry-in rollers 16 for receiving the photographic paper P from the lateral conveyance device 13, the exposure engine 15 for sending the laser beams of the three primary colors of RGB downward, and the pair of carry-in rollers 16. In order to convey the photographic paper P in the sub-scanning direction while scanning the laser beam emitted from the exposure engine 15 in the main scanning direction, the conveyance of the photographic paper P is good with reference to the beam emitting portion 15a of the exposure engine 15 There are provided two pairs of exposure rollers 17 and 18 disposed on the side and the lower conveyance side. Each of the exposure roller pairs 17 and 18 includes a lower exposure conveyance roller 17 having a fixed axis, and a driven roller 18 capable of pressing the printing paper P against the exposure conveyance roller 17 from above.

The vertical conveyance device CV receives the photographic paper P sent out in a single row in the horizontal direction from the exposure unit Em, and discharges it upward (downstream in the conveyance direction) with the front and back sides of the photographic paper P reversed. And a single clamping mechanism C that receives the photographic paper P discharged from the reverse mechanism R, moves upward, and transfers it to the receiving unit D positioned at the entrance of the development processing unit DE. The clamping mechanism C alternately transfers the photographic paper P to two positions in the receiving unit D that are separated from each other in the width direction of the photographic paper P, so that two rows of the photographic paper P conveyed in the development processing unit DE are provided. Can be sorted.
In addition to the first magazine M1, a spare second magazine M2 can be attached as an option to the print processing unit B. The supply unit S includes the first and second magazines M1. , M2 is provided with a receiving turn part 10 for receiving the photographic paper P supplied from one of the curved edges.

As shown in FIG. 2, the receiving turn part 10 includes a supply roller 11 and a pair of driven rollers 12a and 12b. The pair of driven rollers 12a and 12b are supported on the lower surface of a rod-shaped frame 12F extending in the width direction of the photographic paper P via a compression coil spring 12s for pressure bonding, and the urging force of the compression coil spring 12s. Is pressed against the supply roller 11.
Further, the receiving turn section 10 is provided with a paper guide 30 for guiding the photographic paper P along the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller 11. The paper guide 30 has a first guide plate 31 provided with a vertical guide surface 31a facing the substrate surface of the photographic paper P from the first magazine M1, and the emulsion surface of the photographic paper P from the first magazine M1. The second guide plate 32 provided with the vertical guide surface 32a to be inclined, the inclined guide surface 32b facing the base material surface of the photographic paper P from the second magazine M2, and the emulsion of the photographic paper P from the second magazine M2 A third guide plate 33 having an inclined guide surface 33a facing the surface is included.

  The vertical guide surface 31 a of the first guide plate 31 and the vertical guide surface 32 a of the second guide plate 32 cooperate to extend vertically to guide the printing paper P from the first magazine M 1 to the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller 11. The first transport path T1 is formed. Similarly, the inclined guide surface 32b of the second guide plate 32 and the inclined guide surface 33a of the third guide plate 33 cooperate to guide the printing paper P from the second magazine M2 to the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller 11. A part of the inclined second transport path T2 is formed. Here, the second conveyance path T2 shows an inclination of about 45 ° with respect to the first conveyance path T1 extending vertically, but the inclination angle is not limited to this and ranges from 10 ° to 70 °. Of these, a value that falls within the range of 20 ° to 60 ° is more preferable. The first guide plate 31 is formed with an opening that exposes a part of the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller 11, and the third guide plate 33 is formed with an opening that exposes a part of the outer peripheral surface of the driven rollers 12a and 12b. Has been.

  It should be noted that between the vertical guide surface 32a and the inclined guide surface 32b of the second guide plate 32, it is difficult to damage the sharp edge of the guide member to the emulsion surface of the photographic paper P from the first magazine M1. Is formed with a chamfered inclined surface 32c intersecting with the second transport path T2, and as a result, the first transport path T1 and the second transport path T2 located near the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller 11 are formed. A space V, which is a dead volume, is formed at a position on the merging portion, more specifically, on the radially outer side of the supply roller 11 that winds and conveys the photographic paper P and on the upstream side in the paper feeding direction. The space V has a horizontal triangle having a bottom extending vertically along the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller 11 and a vertex located on the radially outer side of the supply roller 11.

Inside the first magazine M1, there are provided auxiliary roller pairs 20a and 20b that convey the photographic paper P by pressure. The auxiliary roller pair 20a, 20b is displaced along the arrow R3 between the auxiliary supply roller 20a having a fixed axis, and the pressure-bonded state pressed against the auxiliary supply roller 20a and the pressure-released state separated from each other. It consists of a possible auxiliary collection roller 20b. Biasing means such as a spring for pressing the auxiliary recovery roller 20b against the auxiliary supply roller 20a is omitted from the drawing.
The supply roller 11 is rotated forward (arrow R1) for supplying the photographic paper P toward the exposure engine 15 by the motor M1, and reversely rotated for collecting the photographic paper P once drawn out to the first magazine M1. It is configured to be able to be rotationally driven in either direction (arrow R2). The rotational driving force by the motor M1 is transmitted from the output gear 22 fixed to the rotating shaft of the supply roller 11 to the rotating shaft member of the auxiliary supply roller 20a through a transmission mechanism including two idle gears 23 and 24 meshed with each other. It is transmitted to the fixed input gear 25. The input gear 25 of the auxiliary supply roller 20a meshes with the interlocking gear 26 fixed to the rotating shaft member of the auxiliary collection roller 20b.

A one-way clutch 40a is provided between the auxiliary supply roller 20a and its rotating shaft member, which transmits the driving force in the forward direction from the input gear 25 to the auxiliary supply roller 20a but does not transmit the driving force in the reverse direction. It has been. On the other hand, a one-way clutch 40b is provided between the auxiliary recovery roller 20b and its rotating shaft member, which transmits the driving force in the reverse direction from the interlocking gear 26 to the auxiliary recovery roller 20b but does not transmit the driving force in the forward direction. It has been.
The input gear 25 and the interlocking gear 26 have the same number of teeth and rotate at the same rotational speed, but the auxiliary supply roller 20a has a slightly smaller outer diameter than the auxiliary collection roller 20b (the figure shows the outer diameter). The auxiliary supply roller 20a is rotationally driven only in the forward rotation direction at a peripheral speed slightly smaller than the peripheral speed of the supply roller 11, while the auxiliary recovery roller 20b is supplied to the supply roller 11). It is driven in the reverse direction at a peripheral speed slightly larger than the peripheral speed.

  As a result of applying such a configuration, when the motor M1 is driven in reverse to collect the photographic paper P, the output gear 22, the two idle gears 23 and 24, the input gear 25, and the interlocking gear 26 are included. Even if the start of rotation of the interlocking gear 26 is delayed due to backlash that occurs inside the transmission mechanism and the photographic paper P is loosened between the supply roller 11 and the auxiliary roller pair 20a, 20b, this loosening Since the auxiliary recovery roller 20b driven at a higher peripheral speed than the supply roller 11 is quickly absorbed and eliminated, the occurrence of jamming in the space V or the like is suppressed. On the other hand, when the motor M1 is started to rotate forward to supply the photographic paper P to the exposure engine 15 side, a transmission mechanism comprising the output gear 22, the two idle gears 23 and 24, the input gear 25, and the interlocking gear 26. Even if the rotation start of the input gear 25 is delayed due to the backlash that occurs inside, and the photographic paper P is loosened between the supply roller 11 and the auxiliary roller pair 20a, 20b, this loosening is not supported. The supply roller 11 driven at a larger peripheral speed than the supply roller 20a is quickly absorbed and eliminated, so that jamming in the first transport path T1 is also suppressed.

  Note that the biasing force of the pressure-bonding means (not shown) for pressing the auxiliary recovery roller 20b to the auxiliary supply roller 20a is the biasing force of the compression coil spring 12s pressing the driven rollers 12a and 12b to the supply roller 11. Therefore, excessive tension that damages the photographic paper P does not occur due to the difference in transport speed between the supply roller 11 and the auxiliary roller pair 20a, 20b. The conveying speed of the photographic paper P is basically controlled by the peripheral speed of the supply roller 11.

Here, the first magazine M1 is located on the upstream side of the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller 11 in the normal rotation direction of the supply roller 11 among the first conveyance path T1 and the second conveyance path T2 (an example of a plurality of recording medium conveyance paths). It means the magazine corresponding to the transport path circumscribing the position, that is, the first transport path T1.
The other second magazine M2 may have the same configuration as that of the first magazine M1, but the photographic paper P collected in the second magazine M2 has a positional relationship between the direction of the curl tendency and the space V. Since it is difficult to cause jamming in the space V, only the configuration of the one-way clutches 40a and 40b may be applied, and the conveyance speed between the auxiliary supply roller and the auxiliary recovery roller may be equal.

[Another embodiment]
<1> In order to suppress the tendency of the recording medium to jam in the space V, which is a dead volume, when collecting the photographic paper P in the magazine M1 along the first transport path T1, a transmission mechanism is configured. It is also effective to eliminate or reduce backlash by eliminating the idle gear. That is, in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3, the timing gear 56 that rotates integrally with the supply roller 11, the timing gear 57 that rotates integrally with the auxiliary recovery roller 36, and the timing belt wound between these two timing gears 56, 57. 58 and a belt driving mechanism including a tension pulley 59 for holding the tension in the timing belt 58 is used as a transmission mechanism. Here, although the one-way clutches 40a and 40b are provided, the outer diameter and the conveying speed of the rollers are equal to each other between the auxiliary supply roller 35 and the auxiliary collection roller 36.

<2> Alternatively, in order to suppress the tendency of the recording medium to jam in the space V that is a dead volume when the photographic paper P is collected in the magazine M1 along the first conveyance path T1, FIG. As illustrated, it is also effective to eliminate or reduce backlash by adopting a configuration in which the idle gears 53 and 54 are pivotally supported via bearings. In other words, in the conventional configuration, since the idle gears 53 and 54 are directly fitted on the shafts 51a and 51b having a circular cross section, the diameter of the shaft core with respect to the shafts 51a and 51b fixed to the casing of the print processing unit B. Although there was relatively large play in the direction, the idle gears 53 and 54 are fixed on the bearings 60 fitted on the shafts 51a and 51b to eliminate or significantly reduce the play in the radial direction of the shaft core. Can do. That is, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the inner races of the pair of bearings 60 arranged in parallel in the axial direction are fitted and fixed to the shafts 51a and 51b without play, and the idle gears 53 and 54 are free from play. Since the outer race of the bearing 60 is fixed to the outer race, the idle gears 53 and 54 have little play in the radial direction of the shaft core with respect to the shafts 51a and 51b. Here, the one-way clutches 40a and 40b are provided, but the outer diameter and the conveyance speed are the same between the auxiliary supply roller and the auxiliary recovery roller.

  The present invention includes a magazine for storing a roll-shaped recording medium, a printing unit that forms an image on the recording medium, and a conveyance mechanism that pulls out the recording medium from the magazine and conveys the recording medium to the printing unit. The apparatus includes a supply roller disposed between the magazine and the printing unit, and an auxiliary roller pair disposed in the magazine. The supply roller and the auxiliary roller pair direct the recording medium drawn from the magazine toward the printing unit. A recording medium processing apparatus configured to be able to switch between a forward rotation direction to be fed out and a reverse rotation direction in which the recording medium is returned into the magazine, and a plurality of recording medium conveyance paths extending from the plurality of magazines are provided between the supply rollers. Even when it is configured to merge near the outer peripheral surface, when the recording medium is returned to the magazine, the slack portion of the recording medium is a dead volume formed in the merging section. Available to be improved in order to eliminate the phenomenon of clogging that space.

Configuration diagram of photo printing device Side view showing receiving turn section for receiving photographic paper from magazine Side view showing another embodiment Side view showing still another embodiment Side view showing the configuration of the prior art

Explanation of symbols

A Operate part B Print processing part (recording medium processing device)
DE Development processing section DR Drying processing section P Printing paper (recording medium)
M1, M2 Magazine Em Exposure unit (printing section)
10 Accepting turn part 11 Supply roller (conveyance mechanism)
12a, 12b Follower roller 14 Horizontal transport mechanism 15 Exposure engine (printing unit)
25 Auxiliary supply roller (auxiliary roller pair, transport mechanism)
26 Auxiliary recovery roller (auxiliary roller pair, transport mechanism)
23, 24 Idle gear (transmission mechanism)
31 First guide plate 32 Second guide plate 33 Third guide plates 40a, 40b One-way clutch T1 First transport path (recording medium transport path)
T2 Second transport path (recording medium transport path)
V space (dead volume)

Claims (1)

A magazine for storing a long recording medium wound in a roll; a printing unit for forming an image on the recording medium; and a transport mechanism for pulling out the recording medium from the magazine and transporting the recording medium to the printing unit. The transport mechanism includes a supply roller disposed between the magazine and the print unit, and an auxiliary roller pair disposed in the magazine, and the supply roller and the auxiliary roller pair are rotationally driven. Switching between a forward rotation direction in which the recording medium is connected to each other by a transmission mechanism for transmitting force and the recording medium pulled out from the magazine is sent to the print unit and a reverse rotation direction in which the recording medium is returned into the magazine. A recording medium processing apparatus configured to be capable of:
The magazine is composed of a plurality of magazines, and is configured such that a plurality of recording medium conveyance paths extending from the plurality of magazines merge near the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller,
Among the plurality of recording medium conveyance paths, in the magazine corresponding to the recording medium conveyance path that circumscribes at least an upstream position on the outer peripheral surface of the supply roller in the forward rotation direction, the auxiliary roller pair includes the supply roller An auxiliary supply roller driven in the forward direction at a peripheral speed smaller than the peripheral speed of the roller, and an auxiliary recovery roller driven in the reverse direction at a peripheral speed larger than the peripheral speed of the supply roller, and A recording medium processing apparatus provided with a one-way clutch mechanism that transmits only the driving force in the forward direction to the auxiliary supply roller and transmits only the driving force in the reverse direction to the auxiliary recovery roller.

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