JP2511509B2 - Exposure control apparatus and image recording apparatus using the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Field of Industrial Application> The present invention is capable of switching exposure control means between a color image and an achromatic image such as a character contour line image or a background or background, particularly a white or black image. The present invention relates to an exposure control device capable of reproducing the achromatic image with good color balance and high contrast, and an image recording device using the same.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, an image recording apparatus using a photosensitive material has been used in printing, printing, copying and the like. In such an image recording apparatus, a light-sensitive material having spectral sensitivity with wavelength dependence and a plurality of narrow-band wavelength light sources are used.

A light emitting element such as a semiconductor laser (hereinafter, LD) or a light emitting diode (hereinafter, LED) is used as such a light source. In the case of color image recording, for example, these light emitting elements have an emission center wavelength of 810 nm for cyan (hereinafter, referred to as C) light as shown in FIG.
, LD having a center emission wavelength of 750 nm for yellow (hereinafter referred to as Y) light, and LD having a center emission wavelength of 670 nm for magenta (hereinafter referred to as M) light can be used.

Further, as the above-mentioned photosensitive material, for example,
A photosensitive material having a spectral sensitivity as shown in the figure can be given.
By the way, such a light-sensitive material has an input / output characteristic as shown in FIG. 1 for Y, M, and C, that is, an exposure amount-image density characteristic when exposed with the above-mentioned light source, The mold has density characteristics (input / output characteristics) for Y, M, and C as shown in FIG. Here, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, both the negative type and the positive type have different density characteristics for each of Y, M, and C colors. Further, taking the negative photosensitive material shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the pictorial modulation range by the LD light source of the above wavelength is different for the three light sources of Y, M, and C as shown in the figure.

When the photosensitive material is exposed by the LD light source, if the image to be exposed is color, Y depending on the color image,
Color correction is performed so that the exposure amounts of the three light sources of M and C are reproduced with good color balance.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, when reproducing a dark black character, a graph, a background, or a background, a negative-type photosensitive material has three light sources of Y, M, and C. Color correction is performed so that the exposure amounts Y ₂ , M ₂ , and C ₂ at the right end of the pictorial modulation range in the figure are obtained, but the density of each color becomes D _Y2 , D _M2 , and D _C2, and the density balance is not balanced. It was not jet black, had a strong M taste, and had an M tint, or could only provide a gray balance with low contrast.

As described above, when reproducing a black image in the conventional exposure apparatus, the density characteristics of the photosensitive material differ depending on the light sources having three different wavelengths (colors) in the pictorial modulation range. However, the density of the three primary colors corresponding to the light source wavelength could not be balanced, and it was not jet black and had a tint.

On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 2, in the case of a positive type photosensitive material, when reproducing a pure white background, background or blank characters or graphs, for example, Y, M, C
In some cases, depending on the intensity balance of the three light sources or the density characteristics of the light-sensitive material, the density balance may not be achieved, and a tint may be produced.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to use a color light-sensitive material having different density characteristics with respect to a light source of each color wavelength, and to provide an achromatic image such as black or white of characters, graphs, backgrounds, backgrounds, etc. When reproducing, the normal or continuous exposure amount modulation for each light source is switched, and the exposure amount modulation is performed by a dedicated combination for each light source, resulting in good color balance (color balance). An object of the present invention is to provide an exposure control device capable of reproducing an achromatic color (tasteless) and high contrast, in particular black or pure white, and an image recording device using the same.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an exposure control for controlling the exposure amount of three narrow-band wavelength light sources for exposing a color light-sensitive material having wavelength dependence in spectral sensitivity. An apparatus for controlling the exposure of the three light sources by modulating the exposure amount of each of the three light sources continuously or in finite steps for a color image, and for the colorless image, An exposure control device having means for controlling the exposure by modulating the exposure amount in a predetermined combination.

Further, the present invention relates to an image exposure apparatus equipped with three narrow band wavelength light sources for exposing a color light-sensitive material having spectral sensitivity wavelength dependency, and for a color image, the exposure amount of each of the three light sources is continuous. Or, an exposure control device having means for controlling exposure by modulating in a finite step and for achromatic images, and means for controlling exposure by modulating the exposure amount of the three light sources in a predetermined combination; An image reading device for reading the image, a means for detecting a color image and an achromatic image from the image information read by the image reading device, and the exposure control means of the exposure control device is switched based on the result of the detecting means. The present invention provides an image recording device including:

Further, the present invention relates to an image exposure apparatus equipped with three narrow band wavelength light sources for exposing a color light-sensitive material having spectral sensitivity wavelength dependency, and for a color image, the exposure amount of each of the three light sources is continuous. Or, an exposure control device having a means for controlling the exposure by modulating in a finite step and a means for controlling the achromatic image by controlling the exposure amount of the three light sources in a predetermined combination for exposure. An interface for receiving image information transmitted from the processing device as an electric signal and transmitting it to the exposure control device,
An image recording apparatus comprising: an exposure control unit of the exposure control apparatus based on the image information from the interface.

Furthermore, the present invention provides the above-mentioned image recording apparatus, wherein the exposure amount when the exposure amount of each of the three light sources is modulated continuously or in a finite step and the exposure is performed;
The present invention provides an image recording apparatus having means for controlling the exposure speed at the time of exposing by modulating the exposure amount of one light source with a predetermined combination.

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail.

The exposure control device according to the present invention performs exposure with three narrow-band wavelength light sources corresponding to three colors, which are driven based on image signals electrically processed on a color photosensitive material having spectral sensitivity wavelength dependency. Any device may be used as long as it controls the exposure amount of the exposure device.

Further, an image recording apparatus according to the present invention is an image recording apparatus using the color photosensitive material, comprising: the exposure device that exposes the photosensitive material by the light source of three colors or four colors; and the exposed photosensitive material. Any device may be used as long as it is provided with a processing device that performs processing such as development, transfer, bleaching, and fixing to obtain a visible image. In the present invention, the color light-sensitive material is any material as long as a visible image can be obtained by subjecting a latent image obtained by imagewise exposure to development, transfer, fixing and the like. Good.

For example, color paper, color reversal paper, direct positive color light-sensitive material, color diffusion transfer light-sensitive material, and heat development color light-sensitive material can be mentioned.

As the silver halide emulsion of the color light-sensitive material, any of silver chloride, silver bromide, silver chlorobromide, silver iodobromide, silver chloroiodobromide and the like can be used, but color paper, color reversal paper, Silver chlorobromide emulsion for direct printing such as positive color paper.
90 mol% or more) is preferable.

The silver halide grains are spherical, cubic, octahedral,
It may be a rhombohedral dodecahedron, a tetradecahedron, or a flat plate having a high aspect ratio. These particles may be particles having a uniform phase or particles having a multilayer structure.

The silver halide emulsion may be a surface latent image type or an internal latent image type. In the case of an internal latent image type emulsion, a positive image can be directly obtained by causing light or a nucleating agent to act in the processing step.

The grain size distribution of the silver halide emulsion is either polydisperse or monodisperse (preferably standard deviation / average grain size ≦ 15.
%), But the latter is preferred. These silver halide emulsions may be used alone or in combination according to the purpose.

The above photographic emulsion is available from Research Disclosure (R
D) vol.176 Item No.17643 (I, II, III)
It can be prepared using the method described in (February).

The emulsion used is usually one which has been physically ripened, chemically ripened and spectrally sensitized. Additives used in such processes are Research Disclosure Vol. 176, N
o.17643 (December 1978) and Vol.187, No.18716 (19
November 1979), and the relevant locations are summarized in the table below.

Further, known photographic additives that can be used are also described in the above two Research Disclosures, and the description places are shown in the table below.

The color light-sensitive material may contain various color couplers, specific examples of which are described in the patents described in Research Disclosure (RD) No. 17643 and VII-C to G above. ing. As the color-forming coupler, a coupler capable of giving three subtractive colors (that is, yellow, magenta, and cyan) of color-reduction method by color development is important, and specific examples of the diffusion-resistant 4-equivalent or 2-equivalent coupler are described above. In addition to the couplers described in the patents described in Sections VII-C and D, the following can be preferably used.

Typical examples of the yellow coupler that can be used include known oxygen atom-eliminable yellow couplers and nitrogen atom-eliminable yellow couplers. α-
Pivaloyl acetanilide type couplers are excellent in color fastness of color forming dyes, especially light fastness, while α-benzoyl acetanilide type couplers can obtain high color density.

Examples of magenta couplers that can be used include hydrophobic 5-pyrazolone-type and pyrazoloazole-type couplers having a ballast group. The 5-pyrazolone-based coupler is preferably a coupler in which the 3-position is substituted with an arylamino group or an acylamino group, from the viewpoint of the hue and color density of the color forming dye.

Cyan couplers that can be used include hydrophobic and non-diffusible naphthol-based couplers and phenol-based couplers, and a preferred example is an oxygen atom-eliminating double-equivalent naphthol-based coupler. Further, a coupler capable of forming a cyan dye that is fast against humidity and temperature is preferably used, and typical examples thereof include U.S. Pat.
No. 772,002, a phenolic cyan coupler having an alkyl group of ethyl group or more at the meta position of the phenol nucleus, a 2,5-diacylamino-substituted phenolic coupler, a phenylureido group at the 2-position and a 5-position. Examples thereof include phenol-based couplers having an acylamino group, and 5-amidonaphthol-based cyan couplers described in European Patent 161,626A.

The graininess can be improved by using a coupler in which the color forming dye has an appropriate diffusibility. Such couplers are specific examples of magenta couplers in U.S. Pat.No. 4,366,237 and the like, and yellow in European Patent No. 96,570 and the like.
Specific examples of magenta or cyan couplers are described.

The dye-forming coupler and the above-mentioned special coupler may form a dimer or higher polymer. Typical examples of polymerized dye forming couplers are described in US Pat. No. 3,451,820. Specific examples of the polymerized magenta coupler are described in US Pat. No. 4,367,282 and the like.

A coupler that releases a photographically useful residue upon coupling is also preferably used.

DIR couplers that release development inhibitors are RD 1764 described above.
The couplers of the patents described in Section 3, VII-F are useful.

Furthermore, a coupler that releases a nucleating agent or a development accelerator or a precursor thereof imagewise during development can be used in the color light-sensitive material. Specific examples of such compounds are described in British Patent Nos. 2,097,140 and 2,13.
No. 1,188. In addition, the DAR redox compound releasing coupler described in JP-A-60-185950 and the like, and the coupler releasing a dye that restores color after separation described in European Patent 173,302A can be used.

In the case of a color diffusion transfer light-sensitive material, it is possible to form a diffusible dye image corresponding to or opposite to the development of silver halide, such as a dye developing agent, a diffusible dye releasing coupler, a diffusible dye releasing redox compound. A compound (coloring material) is used.

Color materials suitable for use are described, for example, in Research Disclosure 17630 (1978), 16475 (1977), and European Patent Publication 220,746A2.

A color light-sensitive material using the above-mentioned coupler typically forms an image through the following processing steps.

(1) Color development → bleach-fixing → washing (or stabilizing) →
Drying (2) Black development → Washing → Reversal → Color development → Bleach fixing →
Washing (or stabilizing) → Drying (3) Light fog → Color development → Bleach fixing → Washing (or stabilization) → Drying (4) Color development and light fog → Color development → Bleach fixing →
Washing (or stabilization) → drying In the above, bleach-fixing may be divided into a bleaching step and a fixing step.

The processing steps (3) and (4) above are for directly obtaining a positive image by using an internal latent image type emulsion. However, when a nucleating agent is incorporated in a light-sensitive material, no light fog occurs. It is not essential, and a positive image can be directly obtained in the processing step (1).

Regarding the processing solutions used in each processing step, Research Disclosure No. 17643 (1978), Akira Sasai "Latest Photographic Prescriptive Handbook (Separate Edition of Photographic Industry)" (Photographic Publishing Company, Showa Showa)
1983) etc.

In the case of color diffusion transfer, it is preferable to use a viscous developer. This viscous developer is a liquid composition containing the processing components necessary for the development of silver halide and the formation of a diffusion transfer dye image, the main solvent being water, and a hydrophilic solvent,
Contains a hydrophilic polymer. This viscous developer and a destructible pod containing it are described, for example, in US Pat. Nos. 2,543,181 and 3,152,515.

Next, the heat-developable color photosensitive material will be described. The heat-developable color light-sensitive material contains a dye-donor compound that releases a diffusible dye by heat development. Basically, a photosensitive silver halide, a binder, a dye-donor compound, a reducing agent (on a support) The dye-providing compound may also serve as a reducing agent), and may further contain an organic silver salt and other additives, if necessary.

The photothermographic material described above may give a negative image or a positive image upon exposure. As a method of giving a positive image, a method of directly using a positive emulsion (a method using a nucleating agent and a method of covering with light) is used as a silver halide emulsion, and a dye donor that emits a positive diffusible dye image. Any method using a volatile compound can be adopted.

There are various methods of transferring the diffusible dye, for example, a method of transferring to the image receiving material (dye fixing element) with an aqueous solvent such as water, and a method of transferring to the dye fixing element with a high boiling point organic solvent are hydrophilic heat. A method of transferring to a dye-fixing element with a solvent and a method of transferring to a dye-fixing element having a dye-accepting polymer by utilizing the thermal diffusivity or sublimability of a diffusible dye have been proposed.

The transfer of the diffusible dye to the image receiving material may be carried out simultaneously with the heat development, or may be carried out continuously or at a time interval after the heat development. The heat development may be carried out in the presence of a very small amount of water.

References specifically describing the heat-developable color light-sensitive material and the dye fixing element (image-receiving material) are listed below. U.S. Patent No.
No. 4,463,079, No. 4,474,867, No. 4,478,927, No. 4,507,380, No. 4,500,626, No. 4,483,914,
JP-A-58-149046, 58-149047, 59-152440,
59-154445, 59-165054, 59-180548, 59-
168439, 59-174832, 59-174833, 59-17483
No. 4, No. 59-174835, No. 62-65038, No. 61-23245, European Patent Publication No. 210,660A2, No. 220,746A2, etc.

The light source used in the present invention may be any light source that emits a light beam having a narrow band wavelength, and various types of light sources such as a semiconductor laser (LD) and a light emitting diode (LED), as well as a gas laser and a liquid laser. Examples include lasers.

In the following description, as the light-sensitive material, the light-sensitive material having the spectral sensitivity shown in FIG. 8 and the light source having the oscillation wavelengths of 670 nm (for M), 750 nm (for Y) and 81 as shown in FIG.
An example using three LDs of 0 nm (for C) will be described as a typical example.

When the above-mentioned light-sensitive material is exposed with the above-mentioned three LDs, if it is a negative-type light-sensitive material, for example, it exhibits density characteristics as shown in FIG. 1, but in order to achieve good color development, Y, M, C
There is a range of exposure amount (logE) for each color to have an appropriate color density (D). This range is called a pictorial range.

The exposure control apparatus of the present invention comprises a memory element such as ROM and RAM, a microprocessor (μP), and the like, and has color exposure control means and monochrome exposure control means.

In the case of a color image, the color exposure control means continuously or finitely sets the exposure amount for each color so as to obtain a desired color density within the pictorial range of each color of Y, M, and C as shown in FIG. It is a means of controlling so that the LD is modulated in steps and exposed by the LD of each color. On the other hand, the monochrome exposure control means Y, M, in the case of an achromatic color, that is, a monochrome image such as a line image of a character or a graph or a background or background.
For at least one of the three colors of C, an exposure amount range outside the pictorial range is preferable, but a combination that provides a density balance (gray balance) of the three colors of Y, M, and C,
For example, concentrations as shown in FIG. 1 (D) is Y, M, given three colors with three colors becomes equal to a D _CA of C Y, M, C
Of the three colors Y, M, and C, which are combinations of the exposure amounts (logE) of (1) and (2), are modulated by a combination of (CA, CA, CA) and are controlled by the LD of each color. .

In the example of the negative-type photosensitive material shown in FIG. 1, the monochrome exposure control means is a black (jet black) dedicated exposure means because all three colors Y, M, and C are out of the pictorial range.

The monochrome exposure control means of the present invention is not limited to the case where the three colors Y, M and C intersect at one point as shown in FIG. 1 and the density and the exposure amount are the same. The combinations of the exposure amounts of the three colors may be different as long as the densities of the three colors are the same and the densities are balanced and are determined as a predetermined combination. Further, the predetermined combination of the exposure amounts of the monochrome exposure control means does not necessarily require that at least one color is out of the pictorial range, and all may be within the pictorial range as long as the density is balanced. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the monochrome exposure control means is a combination for black only, but black or gray may be used as long as it is an achromatic color, and it is not limited to one combination, and a plurality of achromatic colors may be used. A plurality of types of combinations may be determined in advance. Further, in the case of a hosi-type photosensitive material as shown in FIG. 2, monochrome exposure control is performed in order to obtain pure white or to obtain white or gray characters or graphs or background or background white or gray. Means may be used. In particular, combinations of Y, M, and C with exposure amounts exceeding the pictorial range, such as (CB, CB, C in FIG.
Pure white can be obtained by performing monochrome exposure control so that it becomes B).

Here, the exposure amount E is the product of the light output P and the exposure time T, but since the light output of the light emitting source is finite, it is necessary to increase T in order to increase E. If the exposure speed, that is, the photosensitive material conveying speed is limited in accordance with the maximum exposure amount, there is a margin in the case of exposure only in the pictorial modulation range.

In the present invention, in the case of only pictorial modulation, the exposure time is limited to the minimum value that satisfies the maximum exposure amount in the same modulation, high-speed recording becomes possible, and in the case of monochrome exposure, the exposure amount CA or BA is satisfied. Since the exposure time is set, it is possible to record a good and high-contrast monochrome image although the exposure speed is reduced.

Hereinafter, an image recording apparatus using the exposure control apparatus according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the suitable embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an exposure path of an embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the image recording apparatus 10 according to the present invention,
An image reading device 12 for a document image for copying and a printer interface 14 for a printer, a data selector 16 for selecting one of the color image signals from the reading device 12 and the printer interface 14, and the most characteristic part of the present invention. An exposure control device 18, and a light source unit 20 and a light source unit 20 that emit light of an exposure amount determined by the exposure control device 18.
An image exposure device 24 comprising a scanning unit 22 for scanning and exposing the light beam emitted by
Judges the color tone of the color image signal from the reading device 12 or the printer interface 14, and determines whether it is a color image,
It has a color tone discriminating device 26 for detecting whether it is an achromatic image, and an image forming portion (not shown) for developing the exposed photosensitive material to finally form a visible image.

The reading device 12 includes a document table 32 made of a transparent glass plate or the like on which the document S is placed, a certification lamp 34 that integrally scans the lower surface of the document table 32, and a first reflecting mirror 36.
Mirrors 38 and 40 that move in the same direction at a speed half that of the certification lamp 34, are certified by the certification lamp 34, are reflected by the document S, and reflect the light carrying the document image information in the same direction.
And an image forming lens 42, and the light passing through the image forming lens 42 is time-divided into three colors for each pixel, for example, red (R) light, green (G) light, and blue (B) light, and photoelectric conversion is performed. However, it has an electric signal of three colors, for example, a CCD sensor 44 that takes R ₁ , G ₁ , and B _1, and the electric signals R ₁ , G ₁ , and B ₁ of these three colors are input to the data selector 16.

The printer interface 14 converts the color image signal processed by a computer, various image processing devices, and an image processing device suitable for video, optical disk, etc. into electric signals R ₂ , G ₂ , B of three colors of each pixel. ₂ , and the information of whether the three-color electric signals R ₂ , G ₂ , and B _{2 of} each pixel are color or achromatic color is used as a color tone discrimination signal S, or achromatic character information is used as a character code SC to record an image according to the present invention. Which is to be taken into the device 10, and which have the three color electrical signals R ₂ ,
The G ₂ , B ₂ and color tone discrimination signal S or character code SC are input to the data selector 16.

The electric signals R, G, B of the three colors or the signals of the three colors and the color tone discrimination signal S or the character code SC are transmitted from the data selector 16 and input to the exposure control device 18. In the present invention, the exposure control device 18 has three pixels for each pixel.
When only the color electrical signals R, G, B are input, the color tone discriminating device 26 has a plurality of pixels to discriminate whether the image formed by the plurality of pixels is a color image or an achromatic color. The electric signals R, G, and B of the three colors are input.

The color tone determination device 26 determines the color tone of an image composed of a plurality of pixels by the following method and determines whether the image is a color image or a monochrome achromatic image. FIG. 4a is a graph showing the color tone information of a monochrome achromatic image, and the waveforms of S _R , S _G , and S _B are almost equal. FIG. 4b is a graph showing the color tone information of the color image, and the waveforms of S _R , S _G , and S _B are different. That is, since the color tone information of the color image is completely different for each color, it is possible to determine whether the image is a monochrome achromatic color or a color by comparing S _R , S _G and S _B by the color tone determination device 26. More specifically, the difference between S _R and S _G , the difference between S _G and S _B , and S _B
By comparing the difference in S _R with a predetermined threshold value, it is possible to determine whether the image is white achromatic or color.

Thus, the color tone determination device 26 determines the color tone of the image,
A color image and an achromatic image are detected, and the detection result is transmitted to the exposure control device 18 as an exposure control switching signal.

The exposure control device 18 switches the exposure control means according to the exposure control switching signal from the color tone discrimination device 26. That is,
As described above, in the case of a color image, the exposure control device 18 continuously or within a finite step within the pictorial modulation range according to the density characteristics as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 by the color exposure control means. Input electrical signal (R,
G, B) is converted into an exposure amount output signal (C, M, Y) of the light source of each color according to the color development amount of each color, while in the case of an achromatic image, at least one is preferably provided by the monochrome exposure control means. Is converted into an exposure amount output signal of a predetermined combination outside the pictorial modulation range. For example, when the input electric signals (R, G, B) are black images, the exposure amount output signals (C, M, Y) are (CA, CA, C) in the negative photosensitive material of FIG.
In the case of a white image converted into A), the exposure amount output signals (C, M, Y) are (CB, CB, CB) in the positive photosensitive material of FIG.
Is converted to.

On the other hand, when the signals input to the printer interface 14 include the color tone discrimination signal S and the character code SC in addition to the signals of the three colors of R, G, and B, the exposure control device 18 includes the data selector 16. These signals are input via. Switching of the exposure control means in the exposure control device 18 in such a case is performed by the following two methods, for example.

(1) When the color image area and the character or graph contour line image area are defined in advance and programmed in the exposure control device 18 in advance, for example, as shown in FIG. 4a, the color image area is located at a predetermined position m. When the character area is composed of × n pixels and the character area is composed of a predetermined number of w characters and a predetermined number of lines at a predetermined position in advance, as shown in FIG. If the w character information is transmitted as w character codes after m × n pixels of pixel information have been transmitted, the exposure control device 18 can perform m × n (R, G,
The signal B) is subjected to color exposure control, and then the monochrome exposure control means is automatically switched to output an exposure amount output signal dedicated to black characters.

(2) When a dedicated control code is inserted between the color image signal and the black and white achromatic signal as a switching code, for example, when the color image signal is switched to the black and white achromatic signal, it is inserted as a dedicated switching code _SW1 . On the contrary, when the monochrome achromatic signal is switched to the color image signal,
_Insert as the dedicated switching code S _W2 . At this time, switching code S
_W1 and _SW2 may be the same or different.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4b, the color tone discrimination signal S is inserted as a switching code at the head of the three color signals (R, G, B) of each pixel and transmitted. Such switching codes S _W1 , S _W2 , S
The color exposure control and the monochrome exposure control are switched by.

Here, the exposure control switching signal from the color tone discriminating device 26, the switching codes S _W1 , S _W2 and the color tone discriminating signal S which have been given in advance constitute the exposure control switching means of the exposure control device 18.

In the light source unit 20 of the image exposure device 24, the exposure amount output signal of the light source of each color corresponding to the color development amount of each color output from the exposure control device 18 is modulated into the light emission amount of the light source and output as an output modulation signal. Modulation circuit 46C, 46M, 46Y and each modulation circuit 46C, 46M, 4
Semiconductor lasers (LD) 48C, 48M, 48Y that receive output modulation signals from 6Y and emit light at a predetermined light emission amount, and LDs 48C, 48M, 48Y
Collimator lens 50 that shapes the laser light emitted from
C, 50M, 50Y and LD48Y, collimator lens 50
A total reflection mirror 52Y that reflects the yellow colored laser light shaped by Y and directs it toward the polygon mirror 54, and a cyan colored laser light that passes through the yellow colored laser light and is emitted from the LD48C and shaped by the collimator lens 50C. Dichroic mirror 52C that reflects light and directs it toward polygon mirror 54
And a dichroic mirror 52M that passes the yellow coloring laser light and the cyan coloring laser light, reflects the magenta coloring laser light emitted from the LD 48M and shaped by the collimator lens 50M, and directs it toward the polygon mirror 54. .

The scanning unit 22 deflects the yellow-coloring laser light, the cyan-coloring laser light, and the magenta-coloring laser light, which have been formed into the same optical path by the total reflection mirror 52Y and the dichroic mirrors 52C and 52M, in a one-dimensional direction. The polygon mirror 54 for main scanning and the fθ lens 56 for adjusting the focus of the color-developing laser light reflected and deflected by the polygon mirror 54.
And a long reflection mirror 58 that lowers the laser light passing through the fθ lens 56 toward the photosensitive material A. Here, the photosensitive material A is sub-scanned and transported in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction by a sub-scanning transporting device (not shown).

After exposure, the photosensitive material A is developed, bleached, and fixed by a processing device (not shown), and finally a visualized copy image is obtained.

Since the data selector 16 switches the input destination of the image signal from the copying reading device 12 and the printer interface 14, it is necessary for an image recording device having both a copying device and a printer. However, the image recording apparatus of the present invention is not limited to this, and may be an image recording apparatus that functions only as a copying apparatus or a printer. In this case, the data selector 16 may not be provided.

Further, the color tone discrimination device 26 is necessary for a copying machine or a printer to which only color image signals are input, but the exposure control device has a signal capable of discriminating a color image or a black and white colorless image in the input signal in advance. It is not necessary for printers that are running. Further, the color tone determination device 26 may be provided on the upstream side of the exposure control device 18.

Hereinafter, as another embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention,
FIG. 7 shows an apparatus that uses a copying type photosensitive material that requires a heat development step and that transfers and forms an image on an image receiving material having an image receiving layer in the presence of an image forming solvent such as water. Shown in.

Water is typically used as the image forming solvent, but the water is not limited to so-called pure water, but includes water in a meaning commonly used widely. Further, a mixed solvent of pure water and a low boiling point solvent such as methanol, DMF, acetone, and diisobutyl ketone may be used. Further, an image formation accelerator,
It may be a solution containing an antifoggant, a development terminator, a hydrophilic thermal solvent and the like.

In the housing 82 that constitutes the image recording device 80, the photosensitive material supply portion 84 that accommodates the photosensitive material A, the image reading device 12 that reads the image information carried on the document S, and the color tone discrimination is performed based on the read image information. A color tone determination device 26, an exposure control device 18 that determines an exposure amount according to the image information according to the result of the color tone determination, and an image exposure device that exposes the photosensitive material A according to the exposure amount to form a latent image. 24 and an image forming section for finally obtaining a visible image from the exposed light-sensitive material.

Here, the image forming unit is a water applying unit 86 for applying water to the photosensitive material A, and an image receiving paper supplying unit containing the image receiving paper C.
88, a superimposing section 90 for superimposing the image receiving paper C on the photosensitive material A, a heat developing and transferring section 92 for heating the photosensitive material A and the image receiving paper C, and the image receiving paper C from the photosensitive material A. And a peeling portion 94 for peeling.

A transparent document table 32 on which the document S is placed is arranged on the upper surface of the housing 82, and the image exposure device 24 and the like are arranged below the document table 32. The image reading device 12, the exposure control device 18, the color tone determination device 26, and the image exposure device 24 are the same as those shown in FIG. 1, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. The image exposure device 24 is surrounded by a partition 98 except an exposure opening 96 through which an optical axis for exposing the photosensitive material A passes,
Optically shielded from other parts. A shutter device 100 and a shutter control device 102 may be arranged in the exposure opening 96.

In addition, in the vicinity of the original table 32, a standard white plate 104 for color correction such as white balance so that the light source 34 can be irradiated.
Is provided.

On the other hand, the photosensitive material supply portion 84 is light-tightly provided in the left side portion of the housing 82.

The photosensitive material supply section 84 is loaded with a removable photosensitive material magazine 106 in which the photosensitive material A is wound.

The photosensitive material supply unit 84 has roller pairs 110a to 110d for conveying the photosensitive material A from the magazine 106 to the exposure position 108.
In this case, a cutter 112 that cuts the photosensitive material A at predetermined intervals is provided between the roller pair 110a and 110b. Further, the exposure table 114 arranged between the roller pair 110c and 110d is the image exposure device 30.
Faces the exposure opening 96 defined on the bottom surface of the partition wall 98 surrounding the.

A transport path including a roller pair 110C and a guide plate is provided in front of the exposure position 108 (hereinafter, “front” refers to the downstream side in the traveling direction of the photosensitive material and the like).

At the exposure position 108, the photosensitive material A is subjected to imagewise exposure to form a latent image, and the photosensitive material A on which the latent image is formed is conveyed to the water coating section 86 via the conveying path.

The water application section 86 is for facilitating the transfer of the latent image formed on the photosensitive material A, and is a water tank 120 containing water.
And a guide plate 118 for guiding the photosensitive material A into the water, and a roller pair 110f for conveying the photosensitive material A along the guide plate 118.
And a squeeze roller pair 116 for scraping excess water from the swelled photosensitive material A coated with water. The squeeze roller pair 116 is made of an elastic material such as rubber, and it is preferable to provide a water repellent resin layer such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) on the peripheral surface.

The photosensitive material A coated with water is squeeze roller pair 116.
Are conveyed to the superposing section 90.

On the other hand, on the right side of the housing 82, an image receiving paper supply section 88 for supplying the image receiving paper C is provided. The image receiving paper supply unit 88
Is loaded with the image receiving paper magazine 122 containing the wound image receiving paper C. The image receiving paper C in the magazine 122 is a roller pair 110g.
And is cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 124 arranged in front of the roller pair 110g.

The cut image receiving paper C is conveyed to the superposing section 90 by the roller pair 110h.

In front of the superposition section 90, the superposed photosensitive material A
Further, there is provided a heat development transfer section 92 which heats the image receiving paper C to develop the latent image on the photosensitive material A and transfer it to the image receiving paper C.

The heating and developing transfer section 92 is surrounded by a heat insulating partition wall 126, and has a hollow cylindrical heating drum 130 containing a halogen lamp 128 and an outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 130 of about 27 mm.
4 belt support rollers 13 wrapped around at an angle of 0 °
Endless belt 136 supported by 2,133,134,135
And the photosensitive material A and the image receiving paper C are heated in a superposed state. By this heating, the latent image on the photosensitive material A is developed and transferred onto the image receiving paper C to form a color.

A peeling portion 94 is provided in the partition wall 126, and the partition wall portion 94 is
First peeling claw 13 for peeling the photosensitive material A from the image receiving paper C
8 and the second for separating the image receiving paper C from the heating drum 130
The peeling claw 140 and the roller 14 that discharges the image receiving paper C to the outside of the partition 126.
It consists of 2 and.

In front of one side of the heat development transfer section 92, a waste tray 144 for discarding the heated photosensitive material A separated from the image receiving paper C by the separation claw 138 and the photosensitive material A in the waste tray 144.
A roller pair 110i is provided for loading. The waste tray 14
Reference numeral 4 is provided below the heat development transfer section 92. Further, in front of the other side of the heat developing / transferring section 92, a take-out tray 146 for containing the image-receiving paper C after heating and a pair of rollers 110j, 110k, 110l for conveying to the take-out tray 146 are provided, and the image is transferred. The image receiving paper C is led out to the takeout tray 146.

Further, a color density detection unit 148 for detecting the color density of the image on the image receiving paper C is arranged between the roller pair 110k and 110l. The color density detection unit 148 includes an illuminating device 150 that illuminates the image surface of the image receiving paper C, and a color photosensor 152 that receives the reflected light from the image receiving paper C by this illumination.

The apparatus further includes an exposure control device 24 and a photo sensor.
A color density control unit 154 connected to the 152 and arranged at a proper position in the housing 82, and the color density control unit 154,
Photosensitive material supply unit 84, image reading device 12, exposure control device 26,
Image exposure device 24, image reading device 12 and image exposure device 24
Drive system (not shown), a photosensitive material transport system, in particular, a drive system of the transport roller pair 110c, 110d at the exposure position 108, an image receiving paper supply unit 88, cutters 112, 124, a shutter control device 102, a water coating unit 86, A system controller (not shown) is provided which is connected to the heat development transfer section 92 and the peeling section 94 and controls the entire apparatus.

The image recording apparatus of the present invention has been described above by taking as a typical example an image recording apparatus for copying, which uses a photosensitive material of a type in which an image is heat-developed and transferred onto an image receiving material having an image receiving layer in the presence of an image forming solvent such as water. However, depending on the photosensitive material used, any type of photosensitive material can be used as long as it is equipped with devices and members that realize the necessary steps among the steps of exposure, development, bleaching, fixing and transfer. It may be used.

The exposure control apparatus and the image recording apparatus using the same according to the present invention are configured as described above, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various improvements and designs within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course, it is possible to change.

<Effects of the Invention> As described in detail above, according to the present invention, when a color light-sensitive material having wavelength dependence of spectral sensitivity is imagewise exposed with light sources of three narrow band wavelengths, a color image is Each of them is continuously or modulated in a finite step and exposed, and the achromatic image is modulated and exposed with a predetermined combination of exposure amounts to obtain a color image with a good color balance and a gray image with no tint. A well-balanced achromatic image can be obtained.

In particular, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a jet-black character or a graph or a background or another color having no tint in a negative photosensitive material, and in a positive photosensitive material, a pure white character or a graph having no tint. You can get the background or the background.

Further, according to the present invention, since a color image and an achromatic image are automatically discriminated, even if a document or an original image includes a color image and a black and white achromatic image, a color with a good color balance can be easily obtained. It is possible to obtain an image and an achromatic image with good gray balance and high contrast at the same time.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 and 2 are graphs showing the exposure control of the exposure control device according to the present invention and the conventional exposure control. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an exposure path of an embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIGS. 4a and 4b are graphs showing an example of the tone information signals of a monochrome achromatic image and a color image, respectively. FIG. 5a is an original image reproduced by the image recording apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 5b is a diagram showing a method of transmitting a color image and characters of this original image. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a method of transmitting an image to the exposure controller of the image recording apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an explanatory sectional view of another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a graph showing the spectral sensitivity of an example of a color photosensitive material used in the image recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a graph showing wavelength characteristics of an example of three types of light sources used in the image recording apparatus according to the present invention. Explanation of reference numerals 10 …… image device, 12 …… reading unit, 14 …… printer interface, 16 …… data selector, 18 …… exposure control device, 20 …… light source unit, 22 …… scanning unit, 24 …… image Exposure device, 32 ... Original plate, 34 ... Illumination lamp, 36, 38, 40 ... Mirror, 42 ... Imaging lens, 44 ... CCD sensor, 46C, 46M, 4
6Y …… Modulation circuit, 48C, 48M, 48Y …… Semiconductor laser, 50C, 5
0M, 50Y …… Collimator lens, 52C, 52M …… Dichroic mirror, 52Y …… Total reflection mirror, 54 …… Polygon mirror, 56 …… fθ lens, 58 …… Long total reflection mirror, 80…
... image recording device, 82 ... housing, 84 ... photosensitive material supply section, 86 ... water application section, 88 ... image receiving paper supply section, 90 ... overlay section, 92 ... heat development transfer section, 94 ... … Peeling part, 96…
… Aperture, 98… Partition, 100… Shutter, 102… Shutter control device, 104… White plate, 106… Sensitive material magazine, 108… Exposure position, 110a to 110l… Roller pair, 112, 1
24 ... Cutter, 114 ... Exposure stage, 116 ... Squeeze roller, 118 ... Guide plate, 120 ... Water tank, 122 ... Image receiving paper magazine, 126 ... Partition, 128 ... Halogen lamp, 130 ...
… Heating drum, 132,133,134,135 …… Belt support roller, 136 …… Endless belt, 138,140 …… Peeling claw, 14
2 …… Roller, 144 …… Disposal tray, 146 …… Eject tray, 150 …… Lighting device, 152 …… Color photo sensor,
154 ... Color density control unit, S ... Original, A ... Photosensitive material, C ... Image receiving paper

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location H04N 1/113 B41J 3/00 D

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An exposure control device for controlling the exposure amount of three light sources of narrow band wavelength for exposing a color light-sensitive material having wavelength dependence of spectral sensitivity, wherein the three light sources are used for color images. A means for controlling the exposure amount so as to be modulated continuously or in a finite step, and a means for controlling the achromatic image so that the exposure amounts of the three light sources are modulated and exposed in a predetermined combination. And an exposure control device. 2. An image exposure apparatus comprising three light sources of narrow band wavelength for exposing a color light-sensitive material having wavelength dependence of spectral sensitivity, and for color images, the exposure amounts of the three light sources are continuous or continuous, respectively. The means for controlling the exposure by modulating in a finite step and the achromatic image described above in 3
An exposure control device having means for controlling exposure by modulating the exposure amount of one light source in a predetermined combination, an image reading device for reading an original image, and a color image based on the image information read by the image reading device. An image recording apparatus comprising: a means for detecting a colored image; and means for switching the exposure control means of the exposure control device based on the result of the detection means. 3. An image exposure apparatus comprising three light sources of narrow band wavelength for exposing a color light-sensitive material having wavelength dependence of spectral sensitivity, and for a color image, the exposure amounts of the three light sources are continuous or respectively. The means for controlling the exposure by modulating in a finite step and the achromatic image described above in 3
An exposure control device having means for controlling exposure by modulating the exposure amount of one light source in a predetermined combination; and an interface for receiving image information transmitted from the image processing device as an electric signal and transmitting it to the exposure control device. An image recording apparatus, comprising means for switching the exposure control means of the exposure control apparatus based on the image information from the interface. 4. An exposure speed when the exposure amounts of the three light sources are modulated continuously or in finite steps, and an exposure speed when the exposure amounts of the three light sources are modulated by a predetermined combination. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for controlling an exposure speed of the image recording apparatus.