JP2575722B2 - Image recording method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image recording method for recording an image on a photosensitive material and processing the image efficiently.

(Technical Background and Problems to be Solved) Conventionally, when a color image is recorded by optically exposing an electric image signal to a photosensitive material, a so-called drum system has been generally used. In this method, a photosensitive material cut to a predetermined size is wound around a drum and rotated, and a point light source scanned in parallel with the drum axis is modulated and recorded. However, this recording method has a limitation on the number of rotations of the drum, so it is difficult to reduce the recording time, and the time required for attaching and detaching the photosensitive material to and from the drum is also required, and the mechanism becomes relatively complicated, The device also becomes large and complicated.
Further, since batch processing is performed for each photosensitive material cut into a predetermined size, the number of processed photosensitive materials per unit time is small.

4 and 5 show an example of the above-described image recording apparatus (Japanese Patent Application No. 61-124406). In this image recording device 10,
A magazine 14 is mounted on a machine base 12, and a photothermographic material 16 is accommodated as a photosensitive material. The photothermographic material 16 in the magazine 14 is pulled out from the outer periphery thereof, cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 18, and wound around the outer periphery of the exposure drum 20 (in the direction of arrow A). An exposure head 22 having light-emitting elements of three color point light sources is provided on the outer periphery of the exposure drum 20 so as to face each other. After exposing one screen, the exposure drum 20 is reversed and the photothermographic material 16 is peeled off by a scraper 24. Then, it is sent to the development transfer unit 28 via the water application unit 26. On the other hand, the image receiving paper 32 accommodated in the tray 30 is sent to the development transfer section 28 and is superposed on the photothermographic material 16 and then heated by the heater in the development transfer section 28. Thus, the photothermographic material 16 is developed, and the developed image is transferred to the image receiving paper 32. After the transfer is completed, the photothermographic material 16 is stored in the waste tray 38 via the scraper 36, and the image receiving paper 32 is sent to the takeout tray 42 via the drying unit 40.

As shown in FIG. 5, the exposure head 22 is a photothermographic material.
While the exposure roller 16 is wound around the exposure drum 20, it is rotated at high speed (A direction) around its axis to perform main scanning. The exposure head 22 is provided with three light emitting elements 44 of three primary colors.
Sub-scanning can be performed in the B direction along a guide bar 46 arranged on a parallel axis to the exposure head 22. A pair of pulleys 48 and 50 are arranged in a parallel axis for sub-scanning the exposure head 22, and a wire 52 is wound around these. That is, one end of the wire 52 is fixed to the exposure head 22, the intermediate portion is wound around the pulleys 48 and 50, and the tension applying means 5
4 to the exposure head 22.

After the photothermographic material 16 in the magazine 14 is cut to a predetermined length by the cutter 18, the photothermographic material 16 is wound around the outer periphery of the exposure drum 20, and thereafter the exposure drum 20 is rotated in the direction A by a motor (not shown). The exposure head 22 is moved in the direction B by sub-scanning by rotating the pulley 48. In this sub-scanning, the exposure operation is performed by the light emitting element 44 only when the pulley 48 is driven clockwise (C). After the exposure, the exposure drum 20 is reversed, and the photothermographic material 16 is separated from the outer periphery of the exposure drum 20 by a scraper 24 and sent to a development transfer unit 28 via a water application unit 26.

On the other hand, the image receiving paper 32 taken out of the tray 30 is sent to the development transfer section 28 and is superposed on the photothermographic material 16, so that the emulsion surfaces of both materials are in close contact with each other. Here, when the heater in the development transfer section 28 is heated, the image exposed on the photothermographic material 16 is thermally developed, and thereafter, this image is transferred to the image receiving paper 32.
In this image transfer, since the water has already been applied to the emulsion surface of the photothermographic material 16 by the water application unit 26, reliable transfer is performed. After the transfer, the photothermographic material 16 is scraped by a scraper 36.
, And is discarded to a waste tray 38, and the image receiving paper 32 is taken out to a takeout tray 42 via a drying unit 40.

In an image recording apparatus using such a photosensitive material, a photothermographic material 16 cut to a predetermined size is wound around an exposure drum 20 to record a color image. , The cutting to a predetermined size, the winding around the exposure drum 20, and the attachment / detachment from the drum 20 take time, and the mechanism is complicated. The main scanning and sub-scanning are performed by three light emitting elements 44 for performing exposure of three colors on the photothermographic material 16 of the exposure head 20 in accordance with the light sensitivity characteristics of the photothermographic material 16. In this case, the recording time becomes very long. Further, the recording size is limited to a size corresponding to the diameter of the exposure drum 20, and a scraper 36 for separating the image receiving paper 32 from the photothermographic material 16 is provided.
Since 38 is provided, the device becomes large.

Further, the photothermographic material for supply is provided in the magazine 14.
Since the thermal development photosensitive material 16 is stored in the waste tray 38 after the thermal transfer recording, the handling and management of the photothermographic material 16 are complicated.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made under the circumstances described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording method that simplifies the handling and management of photosensitive materials. Of the photosensitive material and the image receiving material are superimposed on each other and the image is transferred without the need for a separate separating member. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording method which can reduce the size of the apparatus so that the image recording method can be performed in a short time.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention relates to an image recording method using a photosensitive material. An object of the present invention is to store a supply roll around which a photosensitive material is wound so as to be rotatable. A first magazine having a light-shielded feeding section for feeding the photosensitive material, and a winding roll for winding the photosensitive material fed from the first magazine are rotatably housed, and the photosensitive material is rotatably housed. And a second magazine having a curved introduction portion for smoothly introducing the photosensitive material in the first magazine and continuously winding the photosensitive material in the second magazine on the winding roll in the second magazine. While exposing an image to the photosensitive material,
After the image receiving material separately supplied to the photosensitive material is superimposed and transferred, the image receiving material is separated from the photosensitive material by the weight of the image receiving material at the curved introduction portion provided in the second magazine. Achieved by removing the image receiving material onto which the image has been peeled off and onto which the image has been transferred.

(Effect of the Invention) In the present invention, the supply section and the take-up section of the photosensitive material are provided as separate magazines, and handling and management thereof are facilitated. Further, the image recording apparatus according to the method of the present invention performs image recording while being continuously wound on another roll from a state wound in a roll shape, and enables image recording without cutting with a cutter. If an exposure unit for performing linear exposure with image light having different wavelengths in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction is provided, continuous image recording can be performed at a high speed without a moving mechanism of the exposure unit.

In the present invention, the photosensitive material may be of any type as long as the image exposed on the photosensitive material is transferred to an image receiving material to obtain a visible image. Specific examples of the photosensitive material and the image receiving material include, for example, US Pat.
No. 30415, No. 4483914, No. 4500626, No. 4503137
No., JP-A-59-154445, JP-A-59-165054, JP-A
59-180548, JP-A-59-218443, JP-A-60-120356
No., Japanese Patent Application No. 59-209563, Japanese Patent Application No. 60-79709, Japanese Patent Application No. 6
Photothermographic materials (photothermographic elements) and image-receiving materials (dye-fixing elements) described in Japanese Patent Application No. 0-169585 and Japanese Patent Application No. 60-244873 can be used.

In the present invention, the solvent for image formation is a solvent required for image formation, for example, water, low-boiling organic solvents (alcohols, ketones, amides, etc.) or a surfactant, a developing agent, etc. Examples include those to which various additives such as an accelerator and a development terminator are added.

(Embodiment of the Invention) Fig. 1 schematically shows an image recording apparatus according to the method of the present invention, in which a photothermographic material 100 is wound and stored on a supply roll 105 in a magazine 103, and has a sheet shape. The photothermographic material fed from the feeding section 120 is conveyed to a take-up roll 102 provided in another magazine 104 arranged at a substantially horizontal position and wound. An exposure unit 200, a water application unit 400, and a development transfer unit 500 are continuously provided along the conveyance path of the photothermographic material 100 that is conveyed in a substantially horizontal straight line, and below the development transfer unit 500. An image receiving paper supply unit 300 is provided. Photothermographic material 1
The transport path of 00 is provided with a pair of upper and lower transport rollers 110, 111, 112 for smooth and accurate transport. Further, a light shielding mechanism 106 for shielding external light is provided at the end of the transport path, and a curved introduction section 1 that guides the smooth introduction of the photosensitive material 100 provided in the magazine 104 is provided.
With 07, the developed photothermographic material is smoothly wound around the winding roll 102 from the inlet 108. A leader having a predetermined length is connected to the leading end of the photothermographic material 100 wound around the supply roll 105, and a light-shielding member 123 is provided inside the feeding unit 120 in the magazine 103. .

An exposure unit 200 is provided between the transport rollers 110 and 111, and a setting plate 201 for guiding and positioning the photothermographic material 100 to be transported at a predetermined position above the transport path of the exposure unit 200, It is arranged via a spring member 208. The entire main body 202 below the transport path can be moved up and down by a mechanism not shown, and a linear white light source 203 such as a fluorescent lamp is provided in the main body 202. Is arranged. A filter plate 205 movable left and right is provided above the light source 203. The filter plate 205 has, for example, C (cyan), M (magenta), and Y (yellow) with respect to the photothermographic material 100. )
A striped filter of three colors having wavelength characteristics for causing the photothermographic material 100 to be colored is attached, and is automatically switched according to the exposure operation of the photothermographic material 100. Above the filter plate 205, an optical lens 206 for forming an image on the photothermographic material 100 is provided. Between the optical lens 206 and the transport path, ON / OFF of pixels arranged in a row is provided. LCD shutter array 20 that controls light transmission with
7 are provided. The optical lens includes a general lens (such as a cylindrical lens), a micro lens array, a selfoc lens array, and the like.

A water application section 400 is provided between the transport rollers 111 and 112 so as to be vertically movable, and the transport roller 112 is
To form the entrance.

Above the transport path of the development transfer section 500, a developing press plate 501 for stably performing thermal development is provided. Below the transport path, a developing plate that moves up and down as indicated by A and B positions.
502 is provided, and a heater 503 for heating to a predetermined temperature is provided on the surface of the developing plate 502. Developing plate 502
Is in the position A in the standby state, and is the position B in the state where the thermal development is performed. In order to avoid the thermal effect on the next frame,
The developer holding plate 501 may be moved up and down. Further, when improving the development efficiency, a development heater may be attached to the development holding plate 501 side.

A cassette 302 for stacking image receiving papers 301 cut to a predetermined size is mounted below the development transfer unit 500. The image receiving papers 301 are taken out one by one by a sending roller 303, and are formed into a curved pair. Are transported to the transport roller 112 through the space between the guide members 304 and 305, and are superimposed on the photothermographic material 100 being transported by the transport roller 112, and are delivered. The guide members 304 and 305 have light-shielding and light-shielding characteristics, and perform exposure and heat development in a stable state, respectively.

In such a configuration, in the standby state, the leading end of the photothermographic material 100 to be recorded is in the exposure unit 200, and the developing plate 502
Is in the A position. Further, the exposure unit 200 and the water application unit 400 are respectively located at lower positions in the figure. When image recording is instructed by the control means, the conveyance of the photothermographic material 100 is controlled by driving the supply roll 105, the take-up roll 102, and the conveyance rollers 110, 111, 112, and the exposure 200 and the water application unit 400 are raised. Then, the filter position of the filter plate 205 and ON / OFF of each pixel of the liquid crystal shutter array 207 are controlled. In this line exposure, the three-color filter positions of the filter plate 205 are sequentially switched as shown in FIG.
The transmitted light is applied to the line-shaped liquid crystal shutter array 207 via the optical lens 206, and the light transmitted through the on / off control of each pixel based on the image signal of the liquid crystal shutter array 207 exposes the photothermographic material 100 to the line. Scanning is performed. Therefore, the filter plate for one line
The exposure for one screen is completed by sequentially switching the three-color filter 205 and repeating the recording for one line of the next image after the recording.

Thereafter, water is applied by a water application unit 400, and the water-applied photothermographic material 100 is supplied to the development transfer unit 500. In this case, the exposure speed of the exposure unit 200 and the water application speed of the water application unit 400 are the same (for example, about 2 mm / sec), and thermal development is performed at this speed. And the heater 503
Is heated to a predetermined temperature, and the developing plate 502 is at the position B. At the same time, the image receiving paper 301 is sent out one by one from the cassette 302 via the sending roller 303, and is conveyed between the guide members 304 and 305 to be nipped by the conveying roller 112. With this conveyance, the photothermographic material 100 and the image receiving paper 301 is superimposed and B
It passes over the developing plate 502 at the position. This allows the receiving paper 1
20 is a photothermographic material that has been exposed and coated with water,
The image is transferred by being heated to a predetermined temperature by 503. Thereafter, by transporting the photothermographic material 100 so as to be wound up on the take-up roll 102, the image-receiving paper 301A to which the image has been transferred is also transported at the same time, and the photothermographic material 100 follows the shape of the curved introduction portion 107. Although being conveyed, the relatively stiff image receiving paper 301A is naturally separated and falls by its own weight. After this recording output, the unexposed photothermographic material 100 that has reached the inside of the light shielding mechanism 106 is returned to the position of the exposure unit 200, and the developing plate 502 is returned from the position B to the position A. The section 200 and the water application section 400 are lowered.

FIG. 3 shows an example of another image recording apparatus in which the magazines 103 and 104 of the present invention are loaded, and the development transfer section 600 performs development transfer in a stopped state. A photosensitive material sag sending device 630 is provided between the conveying rollers 111 and 112, and the sag generating member 632 is moved up and down by the rotation of the eccentric cam 631, whereby the photothermographic material 100 on the conveying path is moved as necessary. A slack of 100A is generated. The slack 100A is for adjusting the exposure speed (for example, several mm / sec) of the exposure unit 200 and the water application speed (for example, several tens mm / sec) in the next water application unit 400.

A developing press plate 601 for stably performing thermal development is disposed above the transport path of the development transfer unit 600, and is located below the transport path, such as a C position (standby) and a D position (development). A rotating developing plate 602 is provided.
A heater 603 is provided on the surface of the substrate for heating to a predetermined temperature. Further, in the lower body of the magazine 104, a cassette 6 in which the image receiving paper 620 cut to a predetermined size is accumulated.
The image receiving paper is sent one by one onto the developing plate 602 at the C position by the sending roller 622. Above and below the transport roller 112, members 130 for blocking light and blocking heat are arranged so that exposure and heat development are performed in a stable state.

In the above-described embodiment, white light and three-color image light are obtained by switching between the liquid crystal shutter array and the filter plate. However, a thermomagnetic shutter array can also be used. It is also possible to use a laser diode array. When three-color light is output by a filter, a cylindrical cylindrical filter may be used, and a beam light such as a laser beam may be line-scanned and exposed instead of a linear light source.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the image recording method of the present invention, the photosensitive material is wound on the supply roll in the first magazine, and is wound on the winding roll in the second magazine. The waste roll tray is not required, and the supply roll and take-up roll are housed in separate magazines for easy attachment and detachment to the recording device, and easy handling and management of photosensitive materials. It has the effect of becoming.

Further, the separation of the light receiving material of the image transfer from the photosensitive material of the image exposure becomes a natural separation due to its own weight of the image receiving material at a curved introduction portion provided in the second magazine to guide the smooth introduction of the photosensitive material. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a scraper or the like dedicated to peeling, and it is possible to reduce the size of the apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an image recording apparatus according to the method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an imaging optical system, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing another image recording device, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a recording apparatus using a conventional photothermographic material, and FIG. 5 is a view showing the structure of an exposure unit. 100 photothermographic material, 103, 104 magazine, 200
Exposure unit, 300 receiving paper supply unit, 301 receiving paper, 400
…… Water application section, 500 …… Heat development section.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A first magazine having a light-shielding feeding section for feeding a photosensitive material and rotatably accommodating a supply roll around which the photosensitive material is wound, and feeding from the first magazine; And a second magazine having a curved introduction portion for smoothly introducing the photosensitive material into which the winding roll for winding the photosensitive material is rotatably housed, and a second magazine having a curved introduction portion for smoothly introducing the photosensitive material. An image is exposed on the photosensitive material while the photosensitive material is fed out and continuously wound on the take-up roll in the second magazine, and an image receiving material separately supplied to the photosensitive material is superimposed and transferred. After that, in the curved introduction portion provided in the second magazine, the image receiving material is naturally separated from the photosensitive material by its own weight, and the image receiving material on which the image is transferred is taken out. Features and Image recording method that.