JPH01186954A - Device for applying image forming solvent - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the uniformity of the coating quantity of an image forming solvent by detecting the temperature of the solvent in a tank and operating a temperature raising member based on the detection signal to control the solvent so that it is kept at a prescribed temperature. CONSTITUTION:The image forming solvent is supplied into a tank 72 by a supply pipe 74, and this supply is successively and continuously performed in accordance with the image forming solvent applying processing. When the temperature of the solvent is raised for the purpose of coating a sufficient quantity of the solvent, the solvent is heated by a temperature raising member 50 fixed to the supply pipe 74 and is supplied into the tank 72. The raised temperature of the solvent is directly detected by a detecting means 53 arranged in the tank 72, and a control means 80 operates or stops the temperature raising member 50 based on the detection signal to keep the solvent at a prescribed temperature. Therefore, the temperature control free from time lag is possible. Thus, the temperature distribution of the image forming solvent in the tank is uniform and the uniformity of the coating quantity is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides an image recording method for transferring an image recorded on a heat-developable photosensitive material to the image-receiving material in the presence of an image-forming solvent. The present invention relates to an image forming solvent coating device used in an image recording device.

[Prior Art] As shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 75247/1983, an image recording device for obtaining a color image using a heat-developable photosensitive material exposes an image to the heat-developable photosensitive material and then sends the image to a heat developing section.
There is known a method in which an image-receiving material is closely attached to a photosensitive material after heat development, and an image is transferred to image-receiving paper through a transfer process.

Before this photosensitive material or image-receiving material is sent to a transfer section, a transfer aid (image forming solvent) such as water is applied in advance to improve transfer efficiency.

For this reason, in the apparatus shown in the above-mentioned JP-A-59-75247, water is applied using a roller impregnated with water. This water is accumulated in a main tank, and the roller is arranged so that a part of its outer periphery is immersed in the water surface in the main tank. When applying water, the roller is rotated to bring out the water around the outer periphery of the roller, and this roller directly contacts the photosensitive material or image-receiving material to apply the water.

Here, the temperature of the water in the main tank is raised by a heat source such as a heater in order to increase the amount of coating, so that even if the conveyance speed of the photosensitive material or image-receiving material is increased, a sufficient amount of water is always coated. It is now possible to do so. Therefore, the time required for processing can be reduced.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] By the way, in conventional water application devices, the heat source such as a heater for raising the temperature of the water in the main tank is relatively thick and fixed to the outer periphery of the bottom of the metal main tank. It had been. Therefore, when raising the temperature of water, the water filled in this main tank is heated all at once. For this reason, a considerable amount of time is required after the heater is activated until the temperature of the water in the main tank is substantially raised, making it impossible to immediately start the water application process. In addition, the temperature sensor used to determine the heating state was configured to detect the temperature of the heater itself, so even if the heater is stopped based on the temperature sensor's detection signal, the water in the main tank will still remain at the specified temperature. In some cases, it was not reached.

Furthermore, when the water in the main tank decreases due to the water application process and new water is replenished, this replenishment water is unheated low-temperature water and is mixed with the high-temperature water in the main tank. There was also a problem in that the temperature distribution of the water in the main tank became non-uniform and the uniformity of the amount of water applied decreased.

The present invention has been developed in consideration of the above-mentioned facts, and when the image forming solvent filled in the tank is heated and used, the heating efficiency is high and the temperature can be raised in a short time. The purpose of the present invention is to obtain an image-forming solvent coating device that has a uniform temperature distribution of the image-forming solvent, improves the uniformity of the coating amount, and has a simple structure that facilitates manufacturing and installation, thereby reducing costs. be.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The image-forming solvent coating device according to the present invention obtains an image on the image-receiving material by transferring the image recorded on the heat-developable photosensitive material to the image-receiving material in a heat-developable transfer section. An image-forming solvent coating device used in an image recording device to apply an image-forming solvent to a heat-developable photosensitive material or an image-receiving material, the device comprising: a tank filled with the image-forming solvent; and a device for forming an image in the tank. a supply pipe for supplying the image forming solvent; a temperature raising member fixed to the supply pipe for raising the temperature of the image forming solvent; and a detection means disposed in the tank for detecting the temperature of the image forming solvent;
The image forming apparatus further includes a control means for operating the temperature raising member based on a detection signal from the detection means to maintain the image forming solvent at a predetermined temperature.

[Function] In the image-forming solvent coating apparatus having the above configuration, the image-forming solvent is supplied into the tank through the supply pipe, and this is successively carried out in accordance with the image-forming solvent coating process.

Here, when raising the temperature of the image forming solvent so that a sufficient amount of the image forming solvent is coated, the image forming solvent is heated and the temperature is raised by a temperature increasing member fixed to the supply pipe. It is supplied into the tank in this condition. Therefore, the image forming solvent is already in a heated state when it is filled into the tank, and the coating process of the image forming solvent can be started immediately. Furthermore, even if the amount of image forming solvent in the tank decreases with the coating process and a new image forming solvent is replenished, the image forming solvent to be replenished will already be in a heated and high temperature state. Therefore, the temperature distribution of the image forming solvent in the tank becomes uniform, and the uniformity of the coating amount is improved.

The temperature of the image forming solvent that has been heated up is directly detected by a detection means placed in the tank, and based on this detection signal, the control means operates and stops the temperature raising member to maintain the image forming solvent at a predetermined temperature. do.

Therefore, temperature control without time lag is possible.

Further, since the temperature raising member has a simple structure in that it is fixed to the supply pipe, there is no need to modify the tank, and the degree of freedom in manufacturing and installation is improved, and costs can be reduced.

The image recording apparatus applied to the present invention includes a heat developing section that heat-develops the exposed heat-developable photosensitive material, and a heat-developable photosensitive material and an image-receiving material that are overlapped and heated to form an image on the image-receiving material. The transfer section for transferring the image may be provided separately, or the heat development section and the transfer section may be provided at the same location, that is, the exposed heat-developable photosensitive material and the image-receiving material may be overlapped. A thermal development and transfer section may be provided that heats the image and performs thermal development and thermal transfer at the same time.

Further, in the image recording device applied to the present invention, for example,
U.S. Patent No. 4430415, U.S. Patent No. 4483914,
4500626, 4503137, JP 59-154445, JP 59-165054,
JP-A-59-180548, JP-A-59-21844
No. 3, JP 60-120356, Patent Application 1982-20
No. 9563, Patent Application No. 79709, Patent Application No. 1988-
169585, Japanese Patent Application No. 60-244873, and the like can be used.゛In the present invention, the image-forming solvent is a solvent required for image formation, such as water, a low-boiling organic solvent (
(alconopeketones, amides, etc.) or those obtained by adding various additives such as surfactants, development accelerators, and development stoppers to these solvents.

[Example code] An image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 2 shows an image recording apparatus 10 to which an image forming solvent coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the image recording apparatus 10, a magazine 14 accommodated in a machine base 12 accommodates a roll-shaped photothermographic material 16. The photosensitive material 16 is pulled out from its outer periphery, cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 18, and then wound around the outer periphery of a rotating drum 20. An exposure head 22 is disposed corresponding to the outer periphery of the rotating drum 20, and rotates the rotating drum 20 in the direction of arrow A to expose an image onto the wound photosensitive material 16.

After exposure, the photosensitive material 16 is rotated in the reverse direction of the rotating drum 20.
After being peeled off from the rotating drum 20 by a scraper 24 and applied with water as an image forming solvent in a water applying section 26 which is an image forming solvent coating device, it is transferred to a thermal development transfer section 28 whose interior is a heating section. is sent.

On the other hand, the uppermost layer of the plurality of image receiving materials 32 accommodated in the tray 30 is sent to the thermal development transfer section 28 .

In the thermal development transfer section 28, conveyance rollers 34 are in close contact with each other.
36 is provided in the population section, and a photosensitive material 16 and an image receiving material 32 are provided.
After the sheets are brought into close contact with each other, they are sent to the conveyance rollers 38 and 40 at the exit section.

Conveyance rollers 42, 44 are provided in the intermediate portion, and the adhered photosensitive material 16 is sent out from the conveyance rollers 34, 36.
and the image-receiving material 32 to the transport rollers 38, 40. Each conveyance roller is configured to receive rotational force by transmitting the driving force of a motor (not shown).

Each conveyance roller has a heater 46 arranged on the opposite side of the conveyance path for the photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32, and is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heating element constituted by an energized heating element.

A peeling means 48 is disposed downstream of the heat development transfer section 28, and a peeling means 48 is arranged downstream of the heat development transfer section 28, and removes the photosensitive material 16 sent out from the heat development transfer section 28.
The image receiving material 32 is separated and sent to a waste photosensitive material storage box 59 and an image receiving material 32 to a drying device 52. After the image-receiving material 32 is dried in a drying device 52, it is delivered onto a take-out tray 54 formed at the top of the machine stand 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of conveyance rollers 56 and 58 are arranged in the water application section 26 to sandwich the photosensitive material 16 being conveyed, and a pair of conveyance rollers 56 and 58 are similarly arranged downstream of these conveyance rollers 56 and 58. Conveyance rollers 60 and 62 are arranged to nip and convey the photosensitive material 16.

These rollers are rotated by the driving force of a motor (not shown) and send out the photosensitive material 16 in the direction of arrow B to the thermal development transfer section 28.

Moreover, between these conveyance rollers, the photosensitive material 1 to be conveyed is
Guide brakes 51A and 51B are provided corresponding to the rollers 6 to guide the photosensitive material 16 from between the conveyance rollers 56 and 58 to between the conveyance rollers 60 and 62.

The photosensitive material 1 is placed between the conveyance roller 58 and the conveyance roller 62.
Application roller 64 corresponds to the center part of the back side (emulsion side) of 6.
is located. This application roller 64 has its rotating shaft 6
5 is pivotally supported on the machine base 12. In addition, this rotating shaft 65
is connected to a motor (both not shown) via a shaft coupling, and the application roller 64 moves in the direction of arrow C by the driving force of this motor.
direction (direction along the conveyance direction of the photosensitive material 16).

The application roller 64 is arranged so that a portion thereof is immersed in the main tank 72. Main tank? 21"! It is a synthetic resin molded product with high heat insulation properties, and is filled with water 70, which is a solvent for image formation. When the coating roller 64 rotates, its peripheral surface takes out the water 70 in the main tank 72. The water 70 taken out by the application roller 64 forms a bead 7OA with the photosensitive material 16 when the application roller 64 contacts the photosensitive material 16, and in this state, the water 70 is removed from the photosensitive material 16. Water is applied to the back surface of the photosensitive material 16 as it is transported.

A main tank 72 filled with water 70 is supplied with water 70, and a supply pipe 74 made of aluminum or copper is connected to the main tank 72.
A discharge pipe 76 for discharging the water 70 in 2 is attached. This supply pipe 74 is connected via a pump 75 to a reserve tank storage section 77 (third
(See figure). Further, one end of the discharge pipe 76 is also connected to a reserve tank 79.

The main tank 72 contains water 7 that is filled into the main tank 72.
An overflow pipe 78 is attached to discharge the surplus amount. Opening 7 of this overflow vibe 78
Is 8A the bottom of the main tank 72? 2A, and when the water 70 supplied from the supply pipe 74 reaches above this opening 78A, the water 70 is discharged to the outside of the main tank 72 (the middle part of the discharge pipe 76). The amount of water (water surface height) in the main tank 72 can be kept constant. This overflow vibe 7
8 is also connected to a reserve tank 79.

The middle part of the supply pipe 74 attached to the main tank 72 (
A heater 50 as a temperature raising member is fixed between the main tank 72 and the pump 75, and is designed to raise the temperature of the water 70 pumped into the main tank 72 by the pump 75 to 35 to 40°C. ing. This heater 50 has a control circuit 80
It is connected to the.

Further, a temperature sensor 53 is arranged inside the main tank 72 so that the temperature of the water 70 can be directly detected. This temperature sensor 53 is also connected to the control circuit 80.

The control circuit 80 operates the heater 50 to raise the temperature of the water 70 that is pumped into the main tank 72 by the pump 75, and also turns the heater 50 to O based on the detection signal from the temperature sensor 53.
The temperature of the water 70 that is pressure-fed and filled into the main tank 72 is maintained at a predetermined temperature (35 to 40°C) under N.○FF control.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The photosensitive material 16 pulled out from the magazine 14 is cutter 1
8 and then wrapped around the outer circumference of the rotating drum 20, the rotating drum 20 rotates at high speed and the exposure head 2
2, the image is exposed.

After exposure, the photosensitive material 16 is peeled off by a scraper 24, coated with water at a water coating section 26, and sent to a thermal development transfer section 28.

Part of the image receiving material 32 in the tray 30 is sent from its uppermost layer to the thermal development transfer section 28 and brought into close contact with the photosensitive material 16.

The photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 after being brought into close contact with each other are sent to the transport rollers 42.44 through the transport rollers 34.36. Furthermore, it is sent out from between the transport rollers 42, 40 and through the transport rollers 38, 40. In this way, since the plurality of pairs of conveyance rollers are heated by the heater 46,
The photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 32 are immediately brought to a predetermined temperature, and the image recorded on the photosensitive material 16 is thermally developed and thermally transferred to the image receiving material 32.

After the transfer, the photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 are separated by a peeling means 48, and the photo-sensitive material 16 is transferred to a waste photo-sensitive material storage box 59, and the image-receiving material 32 is transferred by a reversing roller 56 to a substantially perpendicular direction (upper part of the figure). It is turned over and taken out to a takeout tray 54 via a drying device 52.

Next, the procedure for applying water to the photosensitive material in the water applying section 26 will be explained.

In the water application section 26 , water 70 is pumped into the main tank 72 by a pump 75 . The water 70 is applied from 35 to
The temperature is raised to 40°C.

In this case, the control circuit 80 operates the heater 50 to raise the temperature of the water 70 in the supply pipe 74, and the water 70 is supplied into the main tank 72 in this heated state. For this reason water 7
0 is already in a heated state when the main tank 72 is filled, and the application process of the water 70 can be started immediately.

Furthermore, since the supply pipe 74 is made of aluminum or copper and has a relatively thin wall compared to the bottom wall of the main tank 72, compared to the case where heat transfer is performed through the bottom wall of the main tank 72, Heating efficiency is improved and the temperature of the water 70 is increased in a short time.

The temperature of the heated water 70 is directly detected by the temperature sensor 53 disposed in the main tank 72, and based on this detection signal, the control circuit 80 controls the heater 50 to turn on and off. temperature to a predetermined temperature (35 to 4
0°C).

Therefore, temperature control without time lag is possible.

Furthermore, since the heater 50 has a simple structure in that it is fixed to the supply pipe 74, there is no need to modify the main tank 72, which increases the degree of freedom in manufacturing and installation, and reduces costs.

When the main tank 72 is filled with water 70 and the photosensitive material 16 is conveyed, it is held between the conveyance rollers 56 and 58 and guided between the guide plates 51A and 51B. The photosensitive material 16 is conveyed while being in contact with the outer periphery of the application roller 64 at intermediate portions of the guide plates 51A and 51B, and is further held between conveyance rollers 60 and 62.

Here, when the photosensitive material 16 is conveyed and its leading end passes the application roller 64 by a predetermined amount, the application roller 64 rotates in the direction of arrow C in FIG. The bead 70A is formed between the adhesive and the emulsion surface of the photosensitive material 16 by being carried out and applied to the photosensitive material 16.

When the photosensitive material 16 passes the coating roller 64 and its rear end reaches a predetermined amount in front of the coating roller 66, the coating roller 6
4 is stopped, so that a predetermined amount of excess moisture is not applied from the rear end of the photosensitive material 16.

The application roller 64 is moved in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 1 (photosensitive material 1
The photosensitive material 16 may be rotated in a direction opposite to the direction in which the photosensitive material 16 is transported (although the same effect can be obtained even in this case).

When the rear end of the photosensitive material 16 passes through the application roller 64 and is transported to the next process (image transfer processing in the thermal development transfer section 28) by the transport rollers 60, 62, the bead 7OA is transferred to the main tank 72 by its own weight. be returned to.

After that, the water 70 in the main tank 72 is
Even if new water 70 is replenished due to a decrease in water, the replenished water 70 has already been heated to a high temperature, so the temperature distribution of the water 70 in the main tank 72 becomes uniform, and the coating Improved amount uniformity. Therefore, a high-quality image without unevenness can be obtained.

In this embodiment, the water application process is performed using the application roller 64.
However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the photosensitive material 1
6 may be directly inserted into the main tank 72 to perform the water application process.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the image forming solvent coating device according to the present invention transfers an image recorded on a heat-developable photosensitive material to the image-receiving material in the heat-developable transfer section, thereby obtaining an image on the image-receiving material. An image-forming solvent coating device used in a recording device to apply an image-forming solvent to a heat-developable photosensitive material or an image-receiving material, the tank being filled with the image-forming solvent;
a supply pipe that supplies an image forming solvent into the tank; a temperature raising member that is fixed to the supply pipe and raises the temperature of the image forming solvent; and a sensor that is arranged in the tank and that detects the temperature of the image forming solvent. and a control means for operating the temperature raising member and maintaining the image forming solvent at a predetermined temperature based on a detection signal from the detecting means, so that the image forming solvent filled in the tank can be controlled. When using at elevated temperature,
It has good heating efficiency, which allows the temperature to be raised in a short time, and the temperature distribution of the image forming solvent in the tank is uniform, improving the uniformity of the coating amount.The structure is simple and easy to manufacture and install. It has the excellent effect of being easy to use and reducing costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a water application part according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an image recording apparatus to which this water application section is applied. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Image recording device, 16... Photosensitive material, 26... Water application part, 50... Heater, 53... Temperature sensor, 64... Application roller. 70...Water, 70A...Bead, 72...Main tank, 74...Supply pipe, 80...Control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Used in an image recording device that obtains an image on an image-receiving material by transferring an image recorded on a heat-developable photosensitive material to an image-receiving material in a heat-developable transfer section; An image forming solvent coating device for coating an image forming solvent, comprising: a tank filled with the image forming solvent; a supply pipe supplying the image forming solvent into the tank; and an image forming solvent fixed to the supply pipe. a temperature-raising member for raising the temperature of the image-forming solvent, a detection means arranged in the tank for detecting the temperature of the image-forming solvent, and a temperature-raising member actuated based on a detection signal from the detection means to increase the temperature of the image-forming solvent. 1. A solvent coating device for image formation, comprising: a control means for maintaining the temperature at a predetermined temperature.