JP2686769B2 - Thermal development image forming device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat development image forming apparatus that prevents transfer unevenness during development of a superimposed heat development transfer material.

[Background of the Invention]

A diffusion transfer type thermal development method has been proposed in which a diffusible dye is released by heat development and the dye is transferred to an image receiving element to separate a silver image and a dye to obtain a color image. Further, many techniques have been disclosed for the photosensitive element, the image receiving element, the heat development method and the apparatus in the heat development.

As an apparatus utilizing such a heat development method, for example, a dry type color hard copy apparatus is proposed in JP-A-62-201433. The outline of this device is that a photosensitive sheet is imagewise exposed to form a latent image on it, and the latent image is superposed on the image receiving sheet, and the latent image is sandwiched between a rotary drum and an endless belt pressure-bonded to the rotary drum. After heating and pressurizing to release the diffusible dye in the image portion from the photosensitive sheet and transferring it to the image receiving sheet, both sheets are peeled off to obtain an image receiving sheet on which a color image is formed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the above-mentioned heat development method, the photosensitive sheet and the image receiving sheet are superposed, and both are brought into close contact with each other to perform development and transfer, but transfer to the image receiving sheet is not carried out favorably and transfer unevenness occurs. Is occurring a lot. The cause of this problem is considered as follows. That is, both of the above-mentioned sheets contain water in the emulsion and the base, and the water and the like contained in the photosensitive sheet and the image-receiving sheet are vaporized by heating the rotary drum for development, but the vaporization is insufficient and excess vaporized water is removed. If the above-mentioned transfer is carried out while it is contained, for example, a portion in which vaporized water intervenes is generated between the photosensitive sheet and the image-receiving sheet, and transfer unevenness occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to remove this vaporized water before the transfer process.

On the contrary, if it takes more time than necessary before the transfer step in which both sheets are evenly adhered to each other, the transfer is performed from the part where both sheets are in contact with each other, and in this case, transfer unevenness is partially generated. Will end up.

However, it is difficult to efficiently and appropriately vaporize and eliminate the moisture contained in the bases of both sheets, because the moisture content varies depending on the material, thickness, humidity and temperature of the atmosphere. . In particular, for image-receiving sheets, there are various materials and thicknesses for the base. The materials are plain paper, baryta paper, white PET, and PET (Polyethlen terep).
hthalate), vinyl chloride, acrylic, etc. are used, and the hygroscopicity is different, and the above problems are large.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a heat-development image formation is performed in which the moisture contained in both sheets is appropriately vaporized and eliminated according to the content, and development and transfer are performed in an optimum state. It is to provide a device.

[Means for solving the problem]

To this end, the heat-development image forming apparatus of the present invention is provided with a means for measuring the water content of the image-receiving material and the light-sensitive material in the heat-development image forming apparatus, and the heat-development / transfer section is provided with the above-described water content measuring means. A pressure contact means for further pressure contact between the two materials is arranged so as to be movable in the conveying direction, and the position of the pressure contact means is controlled by the output signal of the measuring means.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, a heat development image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the whole of the heat development image forming apparatus. In the figure, A is a photothermographic material supply section, which accommodates a plurality of photosensitive sheets N and supplies them one by one from the supply port. Near the outside of the supply port 10, a pair of first conveying rollers 11, a photosensor PS1 for detecting the conveyed photosensitive sheet N, and the photosensitive sheet N.
Is provided with a first guide 12 and the like for guiding the vehicle in a predetermined direction.

Reference numeral B denotes an exposure unit disposed above the photothermographic material supply unit A, which is to expose a photosensitive sheet N passing through the first guide 12 to form a latent image.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a second transport roller, and reference numeral 21 denotes a second guide, which are devices for transporting the photosensitive sheet N after image exposure to a predetermined position.

C is an image receiving material supply unit for accommodating a plurality of image receiving sheets P and automatically supplying the image receiving sheets P one by one from a supply port 30. In the vicinity of the outside of the supply port 30, a pair of third transport rollers 31, a third guide 32 for guiding the image receiving sheet P in a predetermined direction, a photosensor PS2 for sensing the image receiving sheet P on the guide 32, and the like are provided. It is arranged.

Reference numeral D denotes a heat-development transfer section for developing the latent image of the photosensitive sheet N subjected to image exposure and transferring the image to the image-receiving sheet P. Reference numeral 400 denotes a rotary drum device rotatably arranged at the center thereof. Is an endless belt that is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum device 400 by pressure bonding and rotates at the same speed as the rotary drum device 400 rotates.

The rotating drum 400A, which is the base of the rotating drum device 400,
A heat-resistant and smooth surface is used, and it is formed of a cylindrical aluminum having an outer surface coated with Teflon, another metal such as iron or stainless steel, or a heat-resistant plastic. In the case of aluminum, the thickness is set to 5 mm or more to have a heat capacity. Further, both sides of the rotary drum 400A are formed into a heat insulating structure by sticking silicon gum. As a heat insulating material, asbestos, bake or other materials are effective if they have a large heat capacity. As shown in FIG. 4, a heater (800 W) 400B is attached inside so that it can be heated at room temperature to 200 ° C. There are various types of the heater 400B,
For example, a sheet heater (a heating element pattern formed in silicon rubber) may be used. The heating of the heater 400B is preferably performed so that the temperature distribution of the part of the rotary drum 400A actually used is constant. Further, a temperature sensor 400C is attached to the inside, so that servo control of the internal temperature is possible.

400D is two wires to supply power to heater 400B, 400E
Are two wires for transmitting the signal of the temperature sensor 400C.
These wirings 400D and 400E are respectively connected to two rotary electrodes 400G and two rotary electrodes 400H attached to a shaft 400F that rotatably supports the rotary drum 400A, and two wiring electrodes 400G and 400H are slidably in contact with each other. It is connected to two external wirings 400K and 400L via brushes 400I and 400J, respectively.

The belt 401 is attached to an appropriate portion on the rotation line of the belt 401.
A heating device 402 for heating the heater is provided.

403 is a group of rollers for rotatably holding the endless belt 401, an inlet roller 403A provided at the position of the inlet 400a of the rotary drum 400A, an outlet roller 403B provided at the position of the delivery unit 400b of the rotary drum 400A, and a drum. It comprises a holding roller 403C and a tension adjusting roller 403D provided at a position distant from 400A.

A drive motor 404 is attached to the exit roller 403B,
The outlet roller 403B serves as a drive source to rotate or rotate the belt 401, the group of rollers 403, and the rotating drum 400A.

The outlet roller 403B and the entire drive motor 404 are pressed against the rotating drum 400A by the pressing mechanism 405, and the outlet roller 403B is pressed against the rotating drum 400A via the belt 401.

In order to prevent the belt 401 from meandering due to thermal expansion or the like, it is effective to use a type roller as the tension adjusting roller 403D and the holding roller 404C.

Reference numeral 406 denotes a laminating roller which is a press-contact means mounted on the outer periphery of the rotary drum 400A, and is for pressing the image receiving sheet and the photosensitive sheet onto the rotary drum 400A. The laminating roller 406 is also formed of silicon rubber, neoprene rubber, or the like in order to increase the coefficient of friction with the belt 401 and to provide appropriate elasticity.

407 is a cleaning roller arranged on the upper side of the inlet roller 403A, 408 is a static elimination brush arranged at an appropriate portion on the rotation line to prevent the belt 401 from being charged,
These are for cleaning fine sheet pieces, dust and the like remaining on the belt 401 of the belt 401 and for preventing them from adhering.

409 is the third guide 32 and the entrance 400a of the rotary drum 400A
And a fourth guide disposed between and for feeding the image receiving sheet P to the inlet portion 400a of the rotary drum 400A.

Similarly, reference numeral 410 denotes a fifth transport roller disposed on the outlet side of the second guide 21, and reference numeral 411 denotes the transport roller 410 and the rotating drum 40.
A fifth guide is provided between the 0A inlet portion 400a and the fifth guides, and these are devices for feeding the photosensitive sheet N into the rotating drum 400A inlet portion 400a. Therefore, the fourth guide 409
The fifth guide 411 and the fifth guide 411 are arranged such that their respective tip portions meet each other at a predetermined angle with respect to the inlet portion 400a.

On the other hand, the scraper 41 is attached to the delivery section 400b of the rotating drum 400A.
Two are arranged. The scraper 412 has the sharp portion oriented to the delivery portion 400b and comes into contact with the rotating drum 400A, and the sheets P and N which are superimposed and conveyed are rotated by the rotating drum 400A.
It is for peeling from.

413 is a curl straightening guide arranged on the side of the sending section 400b of the rotating drum 400A.
It is provided in the vicinity of the sending section 400b of 400A. A sixth conveyance roller 414 is provided in the middle of the curl correction guide 413. The roller 414 has a one-way clutch, and can follow the sheets P and N even if they are pulled at a high speed in the feed direction.

415 is a dark box type light-shielding roller unit arranged at the exit of the curl straightening guide 413, and has slits through which the overlapping sheets P and N pass on the left and right wall surfaces in the figure, and the inside is left and right inside. A slit plate 415a for partitioning is attached. The slit plate 415a also has a sheet P at the center thereof,
A slit through which N passes is formed. Further, a pair of sliding rollers 415b, 415c and the like are provided in both rooms of the slit plate 415a in the light shielding roller unit 415, respectively.

Since the arrangement direction lines a and b of the mounting of each pair of the sliding rollers 415b and 415c are not parallel to each other and are set at a certain angle, it is possible to prevent light from directly passing through. A sixth guide 416 is provided on the exit side of the light blocking roller unit 415.

E is a sheet peeling portion disposed on the outlet side of the sixth guide 416, 50 is a pair of meandering correction rollers disposed on the outlet portion of the guide 416, and 51 is a sheet discharge side of the correction roller 50. It is a pair of sliding rollers arranged.

Upon receipt of a predetermined signal, the upper sliding roller 51a is configured so that the whole of the upper sliding roller 51a is inclined toward the feeding side by an angle α about the rotation axis of the lower sliding roller 51b. This sliding drive is performed by a pulse motor.

Reference numeral 53 is a separator disposed on the sheet discharge side of the sliding roller 51, and is arranged such that the leading end faces the overlapping sheets P and N fed from the sliding roller 51. 54, 55
Are the seventh diagonally provided on the obliquely upper and lower portions behind the separator 53.
And an eighth transport roller for feeding the separated image receiving sheet P and photosensitive sheet N to the outside of the sheet peeling section E, respectively. 514 and 515 are guide plates for guiding the sheets separated by the separator 53 and the transport rollers 54 and 55, respectively.
In the apparatus of this embodiment, the peel angle of the two sheets can be adjusted by changing the mounting angle or shape of the guide plate.

The separator 53, the transport rollers 54, 55, and the like are incorporated in an integral frame body 56, and the whole is configured to be able to move in a predetermined range in the arrow X direction. Therefore, when a sheet jam occurs on the side of the separator 53, the jammed sheet can be easily removed by moving the frame body 56 in the direction of the arrow X to open the gap between the tip of the separator 53 and the sliding roller 51. You can

In the present embodiment, the laminating roller 406 is positioned within the range between the vicinity of the drawing-in portion 400a of the rotary drum 400A and the vicinity of the midpoint between the drawing-in portion 400a and the sending-out portion 400b as shown in FIG. It can be changed, and its setting is set based on the water content of the image receiving sheet P and the photosensitive sheet N (hereinafter,
The part between the pull-in part 400a and the laminating roller 406 is called a preheat part). That is, both sheets N and P are heated in this preheating section to vaporize the water. Therefore, when the water content is large, the preheat distance is large, and when the water content is small, it is set small.

Therefore, the laminating roller 406 is attached to the gear 419 rotatably mounted on the shaft 418 via the arm 406a. The gear 419 is the gear 420a of the geared motor 420.
, And the motor 420 is controlled by a control signal from the control unit 421 to rotate forward and backward (see FIG. 1). The axis
418 is also used as the shaft 400F of the rotary drum A.

The signal taken in by the control unit 421 is a factor that affects the water content of the image receiving sheet P and the photosensitive sheet N as shown in FIG. 2, and is, for example, a humidity sensor arranged in the image receiving heat developing and transferring section D. The measurement data signal from the temperature sensor 423 and the temperature sensor 423, a material / thickness setting signal selected according to the material and thickness of the bases of both sheets P and N, and the like.

In this way, the laminating roller 406 is automatically set to the optimum position by the humidity / temperature detection signal and the operation of the material / thickness setting unit 424, and the belt 401 is sandwiched and pressed against the rotary drum 400A.

Although there are various materials for the base of the image receiving sheet P as described above, baryta paper is the most hygroscopic and tends to increase the distance of the preheat portion. Other materials such as white PET, PET, vinyl chloride, acrylic, etc. have less hygroscopicity and are less susceptible to humidity than baryta paper, so the distance of the preheating part is small and less susceptible to humidity. Further, the thickness of the image receiving sheet P and the water content are in a substantially proportional relationship, and when the image receiving sheet P is thick, it is necessary to set the distance of the preheat portion large.

Now, in order to use the device of this embodiment, first,
The thickness setting unit 424 is set according to the material and thickness of the bases of the image receiving sheet P and the photosensitive sheet N. Then, when the device enters the operating state, the rotary drum 400A is connected to the internal heater 4
It is heated at 00B and the surface temperature is adjusted to 130-155 ℃. Further, the humidity sensor 422 and the temperature sensor 423 measure the humidity and the temperature in the thermal development transfer portion D, transmit the data signal to the control portion 421, drive the motor 420, drive the gear 420a,
The gear 419 and the laminating roller 406 work together. in this case,
When the humidity is high, that is, when the moisture content of the bases of both sheets N and P is large, the laminating roller 406 moves in a direction away from the pull-in portion 400a to increase the distance of the preheat portion, and when the humidity is low, that is, both sides. When the water content of the base of the sheets N and P is small, the distance to the preheat portion is reduced by approaching the drawing-in portion 400a.

Next, when a start button (not shown) for starting copying is pressed, the photosensitive sheet N is fed from the supply port of the heat developing material supplying device A.
Are fed out and conveyed along the first guide 12.

On the other hand, the image receiving sheet P is fed out from the supply port 30 of the image receiving material supplying apparatus C by the third roller 31, and the leading end portion thereof is
Cross PS2 and wait for a certain time. Third roller 3
Reference numeral 1 is provided with a clutch and a brake mechanism, and is configured so that driving and stopping can be controlled by a signal from a control unit (not shown).

During this time, the photosensitive sheet N passing through the first guide 12 is image-exposed by the FOT or the like of the exposure section B, and a latent image is formed. The latent image is a so-called mirror image opposite to the normal image. Then, the photosensitive sheet N is secondly moved by the second transport roller 20.
Guide 21 is guided and conveyed, and microswitch MS1
When it is detected, the signal is transmitted to the control unit, and the clutch and brake of the third roller 31 are driven to start the conveyance of the image receiving sheet P.

As a result, the image receiving sheet P is guided by the fourth guide 409 to the position of the pull-in portion 400a of the rotary drum 400A, and similarly, the photosensitive sheet N is guided by the fifth guide 411 to rotate the rotary drum 400A.
Each of the sheets P and N is conveyed to the position of the pull-in portion 400a of A, and both sheets P and N are superposed at the pull-in portion 400a.

At this time, the image receiving sheet P is superposed with the front end thereof slightly protruding (for example, 3 to 10 mm) from the front end of the photosensitive sheet N. In order to obtain such timing, the position of the micro switch MS1, the feed speed of the transport rollers 408 and 410, and the distances of the guides 409 and 411 are preset.

In this way, the two sheets P and N that have advanced to the drawing-in section 400a of the rotary drum 400A are superposed, but the photosensitive sheet N and the image-receiving sheet P are not completely adhered to each other in the vicinity of the drawing-in section 400a, and the preheating process proceeds. It is made to adhere gradually while doing. Since both sheets P and N are heated to about 150 ° C., the development of the photosensitive sheet N is started and the water content in the emulsion and the base is vaporized. When the vaporized water reaches the laminating roller 406 by the progress of both sheets P and N,
Extruded and eliminated.

Both sheets P and N that have passed the laminating roller 406 are completely pressed by the rotary drum 400A and the endless belt 401, the latent image on the photosensitive sheet N is further developed, and the image is evenly formed on the image receiving sheet P. Transferred well. The image is inverted by this transfer and becomes a normal image. This transfer is completed before both sheets P and N that have passed through the laminating roller 406 reach the delivery section 400b of the rotary drum 400A.

Then, both sheets P and N are sent to the sending section 400b in a state of being in close contact with and sticking to the rotating drum 400A side, where they are separated from the rotating drum 400A by the scraper 412. Thereafter, both sheets P and N are curled by the curl straightening guide 41.
The curl is corrected during conveyance to 3, is passed through the light blocking roller unit 415, is sent out from the guide 416, abuts on the correction roller 50, and if the direction is shifted, the shift is corrected.

Then, both sheets P and N are conveyed to the swing roller 51,
The leading end is fed out from the roller 51. Since the front end portions of the fed-out sheets P and N project on the image receiving sheet P side of the upper surface, the front end portion of the image receiving sheet P is placed on the upper side of the separator 53, and the swing roller 51 is shown in the figure. The photosensitive sheet N is peeled off from the image receiving sheet P by inclining downward by the α angle.

After that, the leading edge of the separator 53 separates both sheets P and N as the sheets P and N progress. The separated image receiving sheet P is sent to the outside by the seventh transport roller 54, and the photosensitive sheet N is discarded by the eighth transport roller 55 in the dust box.

The humidity sensor 422 and the temperature sensor 423 may be provided in each of the photothermographic element supplying section A and the image receiving element supplying section C. Further, only one of the signals from the humidity sensor 422 and the temperature sensor 423 can be used as the signal to be taken into the control unit 421. Further, as a method for measuring the water content of both sheets P and N, other than the method of measuring the weight of the sheets P and N and obtaining it from the relationship with the material, or the method of directly determining by measuring the conductivity of the sheets P and N Well-known methods can be used.

Further, as the light-sensitive material used in the present invention,
It can be obtained, for example, by applying a material containing a dye-donating substance and silver halide on a support, using a hydrophilic binder as a binder, and drying.

In addition, as the image receiving material, an image receiving layer containing a polymer for fixing the heat transferable dye that diffuses and moves from the photothermographic material is applied to a support such as paper or other synthetic polymer sheet to be manufactured. be able to.

Further, the present invention relates to JP-A-62-253140 and JP-A-62-2491.
The invention can also be applied to a photosensitive and pressure-sensitive thermal developing material as disclosed in JP-A-64-64, or a thermal developing device therefor.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the laminating roller is automatically set to the optimum position according to the water contents of the image receiving material and the photosensitive material. Can be efficiently vaporized and eliminated, and optimum transfer without unevenness can be performed on the image receiving material.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a rotary drum and a laminating roller, which are essential parts of a heat development image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control of the motor, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the entire thermal development image forming apparatus, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the rotary drum. A ... Heat development photosensitive element supply section, B ... Exposure section, C ... Image receiving element supply section, D ... Heat development transfer section, E ... Sheet peeling section, 10 ... Supply port, 11 ... First Transport roller, 12 ... first guide, 20 ... second transport roller, 21 ... first guide, 30 ... supply port, 31 ... third transport roller, 32 ...
3rd guide, 400 ... Rotary drum device, 400a ... Inlet part, 400b ... Sending part, 400A ... Rotary drum, 400B ... Heater, 400C ... Temperature sensor, 400D, 400E ... Wiring, 400F
…… Axis, 400G, 400H …… Rotary electrode, 400I, 400J …… Brush, 400K, 400L …… External wiring, 401 …… Endless belt, 402 …… Heating device, 403 …… Roller group, 403A …… Inlet roller , 403B …… Exit roller, 403C …… Holding roller, 40
3D: tension adjustment roller, 404: drive motor, 406
... Laminating roller, 406a ... Arm, 407 ... Cleaning roller, 408 ... Static elimination brush, 409 ... 4th guide, 410 ... 5th transport roller, 411 ... 5th guide, 412 ... Scraper, 413 …… Curl correction guide, 41
4 …… Sixth conveying roller, 415 …… Shading roller unit,
415a …… slit plate, 415b, 415c …… sliding roller, 416
…… Sixth guide, 418 …… Axis, 419 …… Gear, 420 ……
Motor, 420a Gear, 421 Control unit, 422 Humidity sensor, 423 Temperature sensor, 424 Mode setting unit, E ...
… Sheet peeling part, 50 …… Correcting roller, 51 …… Rotating roller, 53 …… Separator, 54 …… Seventh transport roller, 55…
… Eighth transport roller, 56… Frame, PS1, PS2… Photo sensor, MS1, MS2, MS3… Micro switch, N… Photosensitive sheet, P… Image receiving sheet.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A development transfer means for superimposing a light-sensitive material on which a latent image has been formed by imagewise exposure and an image-receiving material and superposing them under heat and pressure in a heat developing section to develop the latent image and transfer it to the image-receiving material. In the heat development image forming apparatus, the water content measuring means for the image receiving material and the photosensitive material is provided in the heat development image forming apparatus, and the water content measuring means is provided between the inlet portion and the outlet portion of the both materials of the rotary drum. A pressing means for pressing both materials is arranged so as to be movable in the transport direction,
A thermal development image forming apparatus characterized in that the position of the pressing means is controlled by an output signal of the measuring means.