JP3166099B2 - Digital exposure equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital exposure apparatus using an exposure shutter such as PLZT or liquid crystal used in a photographic exposure apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A digital exposure apparatus performs exposure of exposure data on a photosensitive material in dot units, and has a problem in that notches appear sharply on a digital image and the outline of the digital image becomes jagged. Therefore, the conventional apparatus performs exposure by applying anti-aliasing or the like by software processing, or slightly defocuses a SELFOC lens (refractive index distribution type lens) that projects an image of a PLZT shutter onto a photosensitive material, thereby obtaining a digital image. Was blurred.

However, in the former case, there is a problem that the capacity of image data to be exposed is several times larger, and in the latter case, the focus of the selfoc lens is reduced by defocusing the selfoc lens. There is a problem that unevenness in the arrangement pitch appears in a digital image.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to obtain a digital image having a smooth outline, and to obtain a large amount of image data. It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital exposure apparatus which does not require the above and does not cause uneven pitch of the SELFOC lens.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A digital exposure apparatus according to the present invention is a digital exposure apparatus for exposing exposure data on a photosensitive material in dot units. An exposure shutter that is controlled in dot units based on an image, a lens that is arranged on the light emission side of the exposure shutter, and projects a digital image of the exposure shutter onto the photographic paper, and a lens and a photosensitive material. And a diffuser for exposing the photosensitive material by diffusing exposure light emitted from the exposure shutter.

[0006]

According to the digital exposure apparatus of the present invention, since the diffuser is provided on the light exit side of the exposure shutter, when the exposure light emitted from the exposure shutter passes through the diffuser, the optical unevenness of the diffuser is increased. Exposure light is diffused due to the nature and the like. Then, the photosensitive material is exposed for each dot by the diffused and transmitted exposure light, and a digital image having a smooth contour is recorded on the photosensitive material.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a photographic exposure apparatus having an exposure apparatus. In the figure, 1 is a magazine for supplying photographic paper as a photosensitive material, 2 is photographic paper (photosensitive material), 3 is a negative exposure stage having a light source 31 for exposing an image on a negative film 32 and a lens 33, 4 Denotes a line exposure stage for exposing a digital image.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a developing section for developing the exposed photographic paper, and 6 denotes a transfer mechanism as transfer means.
Is carried out line by line and frame by frame in the longitudinal direction.

The photographic exposure apparatus is provided with a line exposure control unit (not shown) as voltage switching means. The line exposure control unit controls the exposure timing and the like in the line exposure stage 4 and the transfer timing in the transfer mechanism 6. And the like.

The line exposure stage 4 records a digital image read by a scanner or a digital image separately created by an electronic processing device such as a computer on the photographic paper 2. In the line exposure stage 4,
As shown in FIG. 3, a PLZT head 41 is provided. The PLZT head 41 has a PLZT shutter array 41a and a selfoc lens array 41b that projects an image of the PLZT shutter array 41a onto the photographic paper 2.
Are arranged.

The PLZT shutter array 41a is a PLZT shutter array.
A plurality of T elements are arranged in the width direction of the photographic paper 2. Each SELFOC lens of the SELFOC lens array 41b is connected to each PLZT of the PLZT shutter array 41a.
It is arranged corresponding to the element.

A plate-like diffuser 41c is provided on the light emission side of the PLZT head 41. The diffuser 41c is made of frosted glass, opal glass, or the like. Therefore, after the exposure light diffuses and transmits through the diffuser 41c,
It is hit.

The PLZT head 41 is provided with an optical fiber bundle 42 for transmitting exposure light from a light source 43, and the base end (light incident side) of the optical fiber bundle 42 is located in the PLZT light source unit 43.

As shown in FIG. 2, the PLZT light source unit 43 includes a lamp 43a, a mirror tunnel 43b, and a base end of the optical fiber bundle 42.

The digital exposure apparatus thus configured supplies an applied voltage to the PLZT element under the control of the line exposure control unit, and transmits the exposure data to the line exposure stage 4.
Exposure is performed on predetermined dots of the photographic paper 2. At this time, the exposure light emitted from the exposure head 41 is diffused by transmitting through the diffuser 41c, and the photosensitive material 2 is exposed for each dot by the diffused exposure light. Therefore, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the image A of the PLZT shutter array 41a is changed to an image A1 having a smooth outline, and
It is recorded in.

The developing section 5 develops the photographic paper 2 exposed on one or both of the negative exposure stage 3 and the line exposure stage 4, and cuts and discharges one frame at a time.

The digital exposure apparatus of the present invention is not limited to a photographic exposure apparatus, but can be applied to exposure of various photosensitive materials.

[0018]

According to the digital exposure apparatus of the present invention, a digital image having a smooth contour can be obtained by diffusing and transmitting the exposure light through the diffuser. In addition, the capacity of the image data does not increase, and the pitch unevenness of the Selfoc lens does not appear.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a photographic printing apparatus provided with a digital exposure apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a light source unit for PLZT of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an exposure stage unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating digital exposure according to the embodiment.

[Description of Signs] 41a PLZT shutter 41c Diffuser

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-4-55848 (JP, A) JP-A-4-1666861 (JP, A) JP-A-4-96050 (JP, A) JP-A-63-1988 239423 (JP, A) JP-A-3-180366 (JP, A) JP-A-63-5970 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A digital exposure apparatus for exposing exposure data on a photosensitive material in dot units, wherein an exposure shutter for controlling transmission / blocking of light guided from a light source in dot units based on a digital image to be exposed. A lens disposed on the light emission side of the exposure shutter to project a digital image of the exposure shutter onto the photographic paper; and a lens disposed between the lens and a photosensitive material, the exposure shutter And a diffuser for exposing the photosensitive material by diffusing exposure light emitted from the digital exposure apparatus.