JP3331050B2 - Image recording device - 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 recording apparatus for obtaining an image on an image receiving material by subjecting a photosensitive material to image exposure and then superimposing the image on the image receiving material and performing a heat development transfer process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an image recording apparatus for obtaining a color image,
2. Description of the Related Art There is known an image recording apparatus configured to use a photosensitive material and an image receiving material, expose the image to the photosensitive material, and then bring the image into close contact with the image receiving material to obtain an image on the image receiving material by a heat development transfer process.

In such an image recording apparatus, the photosensitive material taken out of the magazine and conveyed is scanned and exposed to an image of a document in an exposure section, and the exposed photosensitive material is conveyed to a heat development transfer section. And closely overlap with the image receiving material. Further, the two materials are heated in an overlapped state, and the photosensitive material is thermally developed, and the image is transferred to the image receiving material. A predetermined image is formed on the image receiving material (recording).
It is a configuration that is performed.

[0004]

By the way, in the conventional image recording apparatus as described above, the photosensitive material to be image-exposed in the exposing section is simply exposed at the ambient temperature. However, due to the characteristics of the photosensitive material, the color density and the color balance are liable to fluctuate due to the change in the exposure temperature. Therefore, if the ambient temperature at the time of exposure changes, this has been an obstacle to obtaining a stable high-quality image. In particular, in order to reduce the size of the image recording apparatus as a whole, it is necessary to dispose a heat development transfer section near the exposure section, and the temperature change of the heat development transfer section directly affects the exposure section, so that the above-mentioned drawbacks are caused. It is necessary to take countermeasures to solve the problem.

In view of the above facts, the present invention can obtain a stable high-quality image by reducing fluctuations in color density and color balance even with a photosensitive material whose photosensitive characteristics are liable to fluctuate due to temperature changes. The purpose is to obtain an image recording device.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image recording apparatus, comprising: an exposure section for exposing an image on a photosensitive material;
A heat development transfer unit that performs a heat development transfer process by superimposing the photosensitive material and the image receiving material after the image exposure, and, in an image recording apparatus that obtains an image on the image receiving material, disposed in the exposure unit, It is characterized in that a heating means is provided for raising the temperature of the photosensitive material to substantially the same as that of the thermal development transfer section and maintaining the temperature at the time of exposure of the photosensitive material.

[0007]

In the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the photosensitive material is subjected to image exposure by an exposure unit, and then the photosensitive material after the image exposure is superposed on the image receiving material by a heat development transfer unit and subjected to heat development transfer processing. You. Thereby, the image is transferred to the image receiving material while the photosensitive material is thermally developed, and a predetermined image is formed (recorded) on the image receiving material.

In the exposure section, the temperature of the photosensitive material is raised to substantially the same temperature as that of the thermal development transfer section by the temperature raising means and is maintained at a constant temperature, and the exposure is performed in this state. Therefore, even if the ambient temperature changes, the photosensitive material is exposed at a constant temperature, whereby fluctuations in the color density and color balance of the photosensitive material are reduced, and a stable high-quality image can be obtained. Further, the exposure unit and the heat development transfer unit can be arranged close to each other, and the apparatus can be downsized as a whole.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of an image recording apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The image recording apparatus 10 is formed in a box shape as a whole. An exposure section and a heat development transfer section are formed at the center of the machine base 12, and an exposure transfer stage 14 as a temperature raising means is provided. I have. The exposure transfer stage 14 is a heat plate formed in a flat plate shape, and can hold a photosensitive material 18 to be described later in a flat shape and can also maintain the photosensitive material 18 at a predetermined temperature (for example, about 80 ° C.).

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 held in a planar state by the exposure transfer stage 14, and in this state, the temperature is raised to a predetermined temperature (about 80 degrees).

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.

Machine base 12 facing 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.

An exposure device 26, a pair of coating bodies 28 and 30, and a receiving material magazine 42 are provided between the document table 24 and the exposure transfer stage 14.

The exposure device 26 comprises a light source 34 and a lens array 36, and 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 an image processing liquid, and the application section 28B and the application section 30B are connected to each of the tank sections 28A and 30A, respectively. Thereby, the water in tank part 28A and tank part 30A has permeated to application part 28B and application part 30B. The application body 28 and the application body 30
The application unit 28B and the application 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. Thus, the coating body 28 and the coating body 30 move together along the exposure transfer stage 14 so that water can be applied to the photosensitive material 18 sequentially (twice). The application section 28B and the application section 30B are 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 placing table 24, the exposure transfer stage 14 generates heat and the photosensitive material 18 held on the exposure transfer stage 14 is heated and maintained. Next, the exposure device 26 operates, and the light source 34 and the lens array 36 irradiate the original with light from the light source 34 while moving along the original placing table 24. 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 coating body 28 and coating 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 is applied once by the application unit 28B, whereby the contact angle of the photosensitive material 18 with the applied water is reduced. Further, the water is applied again (second time) to the same region of the photosensitive material 18 to which the water has been applied, by the application section 30B of the application body 30. At this time, since the contact angle of the photosensitive material 18 with water has already been reduced, the amount of application in each part of the application area is uniformed, and the water is surely applied.

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-described steps are sequentially and continuously performed.

As described above, in the image recording apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the photosensitive material 18 to which the image of the original is exposed by the exposure device 26 is heated to a constant temperature by being held on the exposure transfer stage 14. Therefore, even if the ambient temperature changes, the photosensitive material 18 is exposed at a constant temperature. Therefore, fluctuations in the color density and color balance of the photosensitive material 18 are reduced, and a stable high-quality image can be obtained.

Further, as in the image recording apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the exposure transfer stage 14 which forms the heat development transfer unit by sandwiching the photosensitive material 18 and the image receiving material 44 with the endless pressure contact belt 46 may be used as an exposure unit. It is possible to use them together, and it is possible to reduce the size of the device as a whole.

In this embodiment, the photosensitive material 18 is held flat by the exposure transfer stage 14 which is formed into a flat plate and is a heat plate, and is maintained at a predetermined temperature. The configuration is not limited to this, and a configuration may be adopted in which a temperature raising unit is provided separately from the exposure transfer stage 14.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, reflected light S from a document is irradiated to an exposure point X using a plurality of mirrors (not shown) or the like, and the photosensitive material
In the case of an image recording apparatus configured to carry out scanning exposure while passing through the exposure point X while transporting the photosensitive material 8, the photosensitive material 18 to be transported is maintained at a predetermined temperature by providing a light-transmitting heat block 56 at the exposure point X. The temperature can be raised and maintained for exposure. Even in this case, since the photosensitive material 18 to which the image of the document is exposed passes through the exposure section (exposure point X), the temperature is raised to a constant temperature by the heat block 56 and is maintained. The photosensitive material 18 is exposed at a constant temperature even if the
Fluctuations in color density and color balance are reduced, and a stable high-quality image is obtained.

In the above embodiment, the light from the light source 34 is applied to the original and the reflected light is applied to the exposure transfer stage 1.
Although the image recording apparatus 10 has a configuration in which the photosensitive material 18 held in 4 is sequentially scanned and exposed in a slit shape, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image recording apparatus 10 is configured to scan and expose a photosensitive material to a light beam by an image signal. It may be a recording device.
Even in this case, the photosensitive material is exposed at a constant temperature irrespective of changes in the ambient temperature, and fluctuations in color density and color balance are reduced, so that a stable high-quality image can be obtained.

[0030]

As described above, in the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, even if the photosensitive material is liable to change in the photosensitive characteristic due to the temperature change, the change in the color density and the color balance is reduced to obtain a stable high image quality. It has an excellent effect that an image can be obtained.

[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 temperature raising means according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image recording apparatus 14 Exposure transfer stage (exposure part, thermal development transfer part, temperature raising means) 18 Photosensitive material 26 Exposure device 42 Receiving magazine 44 Image receiving material 46 Endless pressure contact belt (thermal development transfer part)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An exposure unit for imagewise exposing an image on a photosensitive material;
A heat development transfer unit that performs a heat development transfer process by superimposing the photosensitive material and the image receiving material after the image exposure, in an image recording apparatus that obtains an image on the image receiving material, An image recording apparatus, comprising: a temperature raising unit configured to raise and maintain the temperature of the photosensitive material at substantially the same temperature as that of the thermal development transfer unit when exposing the photosensitive material.