JP3331049B2 - Image forming solvent coating method and image forming solvent coating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming solvent coating method and an image forming solvent coating apparatus for applying an image forming solvent for obtaining an image on an image recording material to the image recording material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an image recording apparatus for obtaining a color image,
Using a photothermographic material and an image receiving material, an image is exposed on the photothermographic material and then sent to a heat developing section, and the image receiving material is brought into close contact with the exposed photosensitive material to obtain an image on the image receiving material by a heat development transfer process. An image recording apparatus configured as described above is known.

Before the photothermographic material or the image receiving material processed in such an image recording apparatus is sent to the thermal development transfer section, a transfer aid such as water is used in advance to improve the thermal development transfer efficiency. Solvent) is applied.

A coating apparatus for applying such a transfer aid (solvent for image formation) such as water is generally provided with a coating tank filled with the solvent for image formation and a coating roller. The image forming solvent is applied by transporting the photothermographic material or the image receiving material while contacting the coating roller immersed in the image forming solvent. Further, some other coating apparatuses include a coating tank filled with a solvent for image formation and a guide plate fixed to an upper portion of the coating tank, and a guide conveyance path is provided between the coating tank and the guide plate. The heat-developable photosensitive material or the image receiving material is directly immersed in the coating tank (guide conveyance path) while being conveyed, and the image forming solvent is applied.

[0005]

However, the image forming solvent coating apparatus having the above-described coating roller has a configuration in which the coating roller is applied only once in contact with the conveyance of the image recording material. However, when an image forming solvent is applied to an image recording material having low hydrophilicity, there are disadvantages that the amount of liquid penetration (the amount of infiltration) does not become sufficiently large or it is difficult to apply the solution uniformly. On the other hand, in an image forming solvent coating apparatus configured to directly immerse the image recording material in the coating tank and apply the image forming solvent, the size of the coating tank is large and a large arrangement space is required, so that the entire apparatus is required. There is a drawback that the shape becomes large, and further, there is a drawback that the solvent (water) for image formation filled in the coating tank is deteriorated, is easily stained, and requires time and labor such as cleaning.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object to provide an image forming solvent applying method and an image forming solvent applying apparatus which can surely and uniformly apply an image forming solvent to an image recording material.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming solvent coating method for coating an image forming solvent with an image forming solvent for obtaining an image on an image recording material. a is, after once applied the previous SL image forming solvent by the first coating member for applying the solvent for the image formed in contact with the image recording material located in a plane, before
The first coated body is at least one of a shape and a material.
The image forming solvent is applied one or more times on the area where the image forming solvent is applied by the second applying body that is different from the other, and the application amount in each part of the application area is made uniform. And

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming solvent applying apparatus for applying an image forming solvent for obtaining an image on an image recording material to the image recording material, the image forming solvent applying apparatus comprising: first a coating member, a second coating member for applying the image forming solvent superimposed on the image forming solvent has been applied area in contact with the image recording material coating the image forming solvent located And the first application
The body and the second applied body have at least one of a shape and a material.
It is characterized in that either one is different .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming solvent coating apparatus according to the second aspect , wherein the first coating body and the second coating body are separately moved. Then, an image forming solvent is applied to the same area of the image recording material.

[0010]

In the method for applying a solvent for image formation according to claim 1,
The image forming solvent is once applied to the image recording material positioned in a plane by the first applying body, and then overlaid on the same area where the image forming solvent has been applied, again by the second applying body.
Thus, the image forming solvent is applied. At this time, the contact angle of the image recording material with the image forming solvent (the angle formed between the image forming solvent and the image recording material such as applied water droplets) is reduced, so that the coating amount in each part of the coating area is uniform. And an image forming solvent is applied.

As described above, even when an image forming solvent is applied to an image recording material having low hydrophilicity, it can be applied reliably and uniformly.

[0012] In the image forming solvent coating apparatus according to the second aspect, the image forming solvent is once applied to the image recording material positioned in a plane by the first coating body, whereby the applied image forming solvent is applied. The contact angle of the image recording material with respect to is reduced. Next, the image forming solvent is applied again by the second application body on the same area where the image forming solvent is applied. At this time, since the contact angle of the image recording material with respect to the image forming solvent is reduced, the amount of application in each part of the application area is made uniform, and the image forming solvent is applied.

As described above, even when an image forming solvent is applied to an image recording material having low hydrophilicity, it can be applied reliably and uniformly.

In the image forming solvent coating apparatus according to the third aspect , the first coating body and the second coating body are separately moved, so that the coating time interval and the coating time interval may be adjusted according to the hydrophilicity of the image recording material. It becomes easier to control the moving speed and the like, which is more effective.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall construction of an image recording apparatus 10 to which an image forming solvent applying method according to the present invention is applied and which includes an image forming solvent applying apparatus.

The image recording apparatus 10 has a box shape as a whole.
4 are provided. The exposure transfer stage 14 is formed in a flat plate shape.

On one end side of the exposure transfer stage 14, a photosensitive material 18 as an image recording material is wound around a roller 16 and arranged. This photosensitive material 18
Has a photosensitive silver halide, a binder, a dye-providing substance, and a reducing agent on a support, and its photosensitive (exposed) surface is wound up toward the top of the apparatus. A nip roller 20 is disposed in the vicinity of the unwinding portion of the roller 16 (photosensitive material 18), so that the roll-shaped photosensitive material 18 can be pulled out and conveyed. The pulled-out photosensitive material 18 is configured to be held in a planar shape by the exposure transfer stage 14.

On the other hand, a take-up roller 22 is disposed below the other end of the exposure transfer stage 14, and the photosensitive material 1
8 can be sequentially wound up. That is, the photosensitive material 18 wound and arranged in a roll shape by the roller 16 has an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction at the exposure transfer stage 14.
, And the longitudinal end portion is locked by the take-up roller 22 so that the take-up can be performed sequentially.

The machine base 12 facing the exposure transfer stage 14
An original mounting table 24 made of a transparent glass plate is arranged on the upper surface of the, and a reflective original can be mounted thereon.

Between the document table 24 and the exposure transfer stage 14, there are provided an exposure device 26, a pair of coating members 28 and 30 as a solvent coating device for image formation, and a receiving material magazine 42.

The exposure device 26 comprises a light source 34 and a lens array 36. The exposure device 26 irradiates the original with light from the light source 34 while moving in the direction of arrow A in FIG. Can be sequentially scanned and exposed on the photosensitive material 18 held on the exposure transfer stage 14.

On the other hand, the coating body 28 and the coating body 30 are arranged adjacent to each other,
B, a tank unit 30A and a coating unit 30B. Each of the tank sections 28A and 30A is filled with water as a solvent for image formation.
B, the application section 30B is the tank section 28A, the tank section 30A
Are connected to each other. Thereby, the application unit 28
B, tank part 28A, tank part 30A
The water inside has been infiltrated. The coated body 28 and the coated body 3
Reference numeral 0 indicates that the coating unit 28B and the coating unit 30B can move in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 along the exposure transfer stage 14 while contacting the photosensitive material 18 held on the exposure transfer stage 14. Thereby, the application body 28 and the application body 30 move together along the exposure transfer stage 14, and
In this configuration, water can be applied to the photosensitive material 18 sequentially (twice). The application unit 28B and the application unit 30B
Is made of felt or sponge so that the photosensitive material 18 is not damaged during the contact movement.

A receiving material magazine 42 is arranged on the side of the coating body 30, and an image receiving material 44 cut to a predetermined length is stored in an overlapping manner. A dye fixing material having a mordant is applied to the image forming surface of the image receiving material 44, and the image forming surface is accommodated facing upward of the material receiving magazine 42. An endless pressure contact belt 46 is disposed immediately below the receiving material magazine 42. This endless pressure contact belt 46
Is wound around a pair of winding rollers 48, 50, and a lower portion of a winding intermediate portion between the winding roller 48 and the winding roller 50 corresponds to the exposure transfer stage 14. ing. Receiving magazine 42
The image receiving material 44 pulled out of the printer is turned upside down (in a state where the image forming surface faces outward) and is brought into close contact with the outer periphery of the endless pressure contact belt 46. Further, the material receiving magazine 42 and the endless pressure contact belt 46 1 is moved in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 1 along the exposure transfer stage 14 so that the drawn image receiving material 44 is sequentially superimposed on the photosensitive material 18 between the endless pressure contact belt 46 and the exposure transfer stage 14. It is a configuration that is performed. Further, when the photosensitive material 18 and the image receiving material 44 are completely contained and overlapped between the endless pressure contact belt 46 and the exposure transfer stage 14, the material receiving magazine 42 and the endless pressure contact belt 46 temporarily stop moving and are nipped. The photosensitive material 18 and the image receiving material 44 are heated. When the photosensitive material 18 is heated during the nipping conveyance and the stop, the movable dye is released, and at the same time, the dye is transferred to the dye fixing layer of the image receiving material 44 to obtain an image.

A tray 52 is arranged below one end of the machine base 12. After an image is obtained on the image receiving material 44, the take-up roller 22 rotates and the material receiving magazine 42 and the endless pressure contact belt 46 move in the opposite direction to the outside of the machine base 12 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. By moving, the photosensitive material 18 is wound up, and the image receiving material 44 is separated from the photosensitive material 18 and is accumulated on the tray 52.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In the image recording apparatus 10 having the above-described configuration, the photosensitive material 18 is pulled out, and a longitudinal intermediate portion thereof is held by the exposure transfer stage 14, and a longitudinal end portion is locked by the winding roller 22. Here, after the document is placed on the document table 24, the exposure device 26 is operated, and the light source 34 and the lens array 36 irradiate the document with light from the light source 34 while moving along the document table 24. I do. Light reflected from the document is sequentially scanned and exposed on a photosensitive material 18 held on an exposure transfer stage 14.

Next, the adjacent coated body 28 and coated body 3
0 moves along the exposure transfer stage 14 and the photosensitive material 1
8 is coated with water.

In this case, the photosensitive material 18 held on the exposure transfer stage 14 first has
8, water is applied once by the application unit 28B,
The water is applied again (second time) to the same area of the photosensitive material 18 to which the water has been applied, by the application section 30B of the application body 30. At this point, the photosensitive material 1 for water
Since the contact angle of 8 (the angle formed between the applied water droplet and the photosensitive material 18) is reduced, the amount of application in each part of the application area is uniformed, and water is applied reliably.

Thereafter, the receiving material magazine 42 and the endless pressure contact belt 46 move along the exposure transfer stage 14. As a result, the image receiving material 44 is
The image receiving material 44 pulled out from the endless pressure contact belt 46 is closely overlapped with the photosensitive material 18 between the endless pressure contact belt 46 and the exposure transfer stage 14 while closely contacting the outer periphery of the endless pressure contact belt 46. Endless pressure contact belt 46 and exposure transfer stage 1
When the photosensitive material 18 and the image receiving material 44 are completely accommodated and overlapped with each other, the movement of the material receiving magazine 42 and the endless pressure contact belt 46 is temporarily stopped, and the sandwiched photosensitive material 18 is stopped.
And the image receiving material 44 is heated. When the photosensitive material 18 is heated during the nipping conveyance and the stop, the movable dye is released, and at the same time, the dye is transferred to the dye fixing layer of the image receiving material 44 to obtain an image.

After the image is transferred to the image receiving material 44,
As the take-up roller 22 rotates, the receiving material magazine 42 and the endless pressure contact belt 46 move outward from the machine base 12 in a direction opposite to the above. Thereby, the photosensitive material 18 is wound up, and the image receiving material 44 is separated from the photosensitive material 18 and is accumulated on the tray 52.

When a plurality of image recording processes are performed, the above steps are sequentially and continuously performed.

As described above, in the image recording apparatus 10 (coated body 28 and coated body 30) according to the present embodiment, the photosensitive material 18
Is applied once to reduce the contact angle of the photosensitive material 18 with water, and further, the water is applied again over the same area. Therefore, even if the photosensitive material 18 has a low hydrophilicity, The coating amount in the step is uniformed and applied reliably. Therefore, a good image can be obtained by appropriately performing the subsequent image processing.

In this embodiment, the coating body 28 and the coating body 30 which are arranged adjacent to each other are simultaneously moved so as to overlap the photosensitive material 18 with water, but the invention is not limited to this. After the application body 28 moves and applies water, the application body 30 may newly move and apply water again. Even in this case, once the water is once applied by the preceding application body 28, the photosensitive material 1 against the applied water
The contact angle of No. 8 is reduced, and water is applied again by the application body 30 so as to overlap the same area, so that the application amount in each part of the application area is uniformed and water is applied.

Further, in this embodiment, the coating body 28 and the coating body 30 which are independent from each other are provided adjacent to each other. However, it is not necessary to separately provide the coating body 28 and the coating body 30. As long as water can be applied to the same application area in a superimposed manner, an integrally formed application body may be used. For example,
As shown in FIG. 2, the application body 54 may be constituted by a tank portion 54A and an application portion 54B. The application portion 54B of the application body 54 has a configuration in which a pre-application portion 56 and a post-application portion 58 are provided integrally, and each tip portion is formed to be tapered and inclined. According to this application body 54, water can be applied twice to the same area by one movement of the single application body 54, which is efficient. Further, since the leading ends of the first coating section 56 and the second coating section 58 are formed to be tapered, the photosensitive material 18 can be prevented from being damaged.

Further, as in the case of a coating body 60 shown in FIG. 3, a configuration may be adopted in which the coating section 62 and the coating section 64 are provided independently of each other as a single unit. In the application body 60, since the shapes and materials of the application section 62 and the application section 64 can be uniquely set, the optimum state can be set according to the properties of the photosensitive material 18 to which water is applied. It will be easier.

The moving directions of the above-mentioned coated bodies 28 and 30, the coated body 54, the coated body 60 and the like are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment. The application may be performed, and the second application may be performed on the return path.

[0036]

As described above, the image forming solvent coating method and the image forming solvent coating apparatus according to the present invention have an excellent effect that the image forming solvent can be applied to the image recording material reliably and uniformly. have.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing another example of the application body according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing another example of the application body according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 image recording device 18 photosensitive material (image recording material) 28 coated body (solvent coating apparatus for image formation) 28A tank section 28B coating section 30 coated body (solvent coating apparatus for image formation) 30A tank section 30B coating section 54 coated body 60 Application body

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An image forming solvent applying method for applying an image forming solvent for obtaining an image on an image recording material to an image recording material, the method comprising: first after temporarily applying a pre-Symbol image forming solvent by the coating material, the first coating member and the shape及 applying a use solvent
And at least one of the materials is different
The method of applying an image forming solvent , comprising applying the image forming solvent one or more times to the area where the image forming solvent is applied by using the applied body to make the application amount uniform in each part of the application area. . 2. An image forming solvent application device for applying an image forming solvent for obtaining an image on an image recording material to the image recording material, wherein the image forming material is applied to the image recording material by contacting the image recording material in a plane. A first coating body for applying the solvent for image formation , and a first coating body for applying the solvent for image formation to overlap the area where the solvent for image formation is applied .
And a first application body and a second application body.
The coated body is at least one of a shape and a material.
A solvent application device for forming an image. 3. The first application body and the second application body,
3. The image forming solvent applying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming solvent is applied to the same area of the image recording material by separately moving.