JPH01234817A - Exposure head for image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily and efficiently form a high-accuracy color image by refracting light beams emitted by light emitting elements which differ in wavelength through a prism, and converging them on a recording carrier one over another on one and the same line. CONSTITUTION:A photosensitive material F is exposed by 1st LEDs 56a and 56b, 2nd LEDs 58a and 58b, and 3rd LEDs 60a and 60b mounted on the exposure head. Then the light beams LC, LM and LY emitted by the respective LEDs are refracted by the prism 40 and superposed one over another on the same line. Namely, the light beams LC, LM and LY are refracted by the prism 40 and superposed one over another on one end the same line by selecting the angle positions of the 1st LEDs 56a and 56b, 2nd LEDs 58a and 58b, and 3rd LEDs 60a and 60b for the prism 40 according to the refractive indexes to the light beams LC, LM and LY. Consequently, color blurring is precluded and the color image with superior accuracy is easily and securely formed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an exposure head for an image recording device. In addition, a prism is disposed between the light emitting element and the condensing lens, and the lights of different wavelengths emitted from the various light emitting elements are refracted by the prism so that they overlap on the same line and are simultaneously directed to a predetermined location on the record carrier. The present invention relates to an exposure head for an image recording device that allows a desired color image to be formed easily and with high precision by irradiating the image.

[Background of the Invention] For example, an image recording device has been proposed that reads a color image signal recorded on a recording medium such as a floppy disk or an optical disk and reproduces a visible image on a recording medium such as photographic paper.

In such an apparatus, a plurality of light emitting elements having different output wavelengths are driven based on a human-powered image signal to produce cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) colors on color photographic paper.

In this case, a color image is formed by superimposing light from each light emitting element, each controlled to a predetermined output, onto the same location on color photographic paper.

Here, in practice, an exposure head is employed to form a color image on a recording medium such as photographic paper. The exposure head has a plurality of supports incorporating each light emitting element and a condensing optical system, and the supports are arranged offset by a predetermined distance in the main scanning direction of the record carrier through the housing.

Then, the record carrier is wound around an image recording drum and rotated in the main scanning direction, and the housing is moved in the sub-scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction to form a two-dimensional color image on the record carrier. is forming.

At this time, in order to superimpose the light from each light emitting element and obtain a desired color, it is necessary to electrically control the light emission timing of each light emitting element, etc. according to the recording position. Therefore, it has been pointed out that the control system becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost of the entire image recording apparatus increases.

Furthermore, in order to form high-quality color images,
In addition to the electrical control described above, mechanical adjustment is required to accurately focus the light from each light emitting element onto a desired position on the record carrier. For this reason, specifically, the dimensions of the support in which each light-emitting element is installed, the position of the optical system provided on each support to focus the light from the light-emitting element onto the record carrier, and the dimensions of the housing must be determined with high precision. must be secured.

As a result, the manufacturing operation of the exposure head becomes complicated, and it becomes difficult to obtain the exposure head economically.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages, and focuses on the fact that light of different colors emitted from various light emitting elements has different refractive indexes. Various light emitting elements are arranged on the body according to their respective refractive indices, and a prism is arranged between the light emitting elements and a condensing lens, and light of different colors emitted from each light emitting element is refracted by the prism. The exposure head and the record carrier are moved relative to each other, and the light is emitted from various light emitting elements. An image recording device that eliminates the need to superimpose individual lights, simplifies electrical control and mechanical adjustment, can be manufactured economically, and easily forms highly accurate color images. The purpose is to provide an exposure head for

[Means for achieving the object] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an exposure method for forming a color image by selectively superimposing light of different wavelengths emitted from various light emitting elements on a recording carrier. A head, comprising: a support on which the various light emitting elements are mounted at predetermined intervals according to the refractive index of the light emitted from each; and one or more supports that refract the light emitted from the respective light emitting elements and overlap them on the same line. The present invention is characterized in that it includes a prism, and a condensing lens that simultaneously condenses each of the lights onto a predetermined portion on the recording carrier.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that one or more of each of substantially three different types of light emitting elements are arranged on the support.

[Embodiments] Next, preferred embodiments of the exposure head for an image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 indicates a main body of an image recording apparatus incorporating an exposure head according to this embodiment. This main body part 10 is surrounded by a casing 12, and inside thereof, an exposure part 14, a water application part 16, a thermal development transfer part 18, and a control part 20 for controlling these parts are provided.

A magazine 22 for storing a photosensitive material F wound into a roll is loaded in the main body 10, and the photosensitive material F taken out from the magazine 22 is passed through a cutter 24 to the exposure section 1.
Transferred to 4. The exposure section 14 includes a drum 26 that rotates at high speed in the direction of the arrow (main scanning direction), and an exposure head 30 according to this embodiment is disposed close to the drum 26. In this case, the exposure head 30 moves in the direction of arrow B (sub-scanning direction) via a wire (not shown) or the like (see FIG. 2).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the exposure head 30
includes a housing 32, and the housing 32 includes a relatively short first cylindrical portion 34 and a long second cylindrical portion integrally formed at an end of the first cylindrical portion 34 at a predetermined angle. Consists of 36. A condensing lens 3 is provided in the first cylindrical portion 34.
8 is attached, and a prism 40 is disposed at a bent portion between the first cylindrical portion 34 and the second cylindrical portion 36. In this case, the prism 40 has a relatively large dispersion rate.

A disk-shaped mounting member 42 is fitted into the second cylindrical portion 36 . The mounting member 42 is substantially made of a heat-resistant electrically insulating material such as a ceramic material, and has relatively large diameter holes 43 a and 4 .
3b is formed. Further, the mounting member 42 is provided with six small diameter holes (not shown) located on both sides of the holes 43a and 43b and equidistantly spaced from the center of the mounting member 42.

Therefore, the first base 44 and the second base 46 are attached to the mounting member 42. The first base 44 is made of a conductive metal material, has an octagonal shape, and has an elongated heat dissipation base 48 integrally formed on one side thereof to fit into the hole 43a of the mounting member 42. . Further, the second base 46 has an octagonal shape like the first base 44, and is integrally provided with a long heat dissipation base 50 that fits into the hole 43b of the mounting member 42. On the other hand, electrode pins 52 are fitted into six holes (not shown) of the mounting member 42, respectively, and a large diameter joint 54 is integrally formed at the end of the electrode pin 52.

Next, a pair of first LEDs 56a, 5 are mounted on the first base 44.
6b and a pair of second LEDs 58a, 58b are fixed to the second base 46 with a predetermined distance between them.
A pair of third LEDs separated by a predetermined distance from 8a and 58b.
60a and 60b are fixed.

In this case, the first LEDs 56a and 56b irradiate the photosensitive material F with infrared light that develops a cyan (C) dye, and the second LED
The EDs 58a and 58b emit red light that causes a magenta (M) dye to develop, and the third LEDs 60a and 60b irradiate yellow light that causes a yellow (Y) dye to develop. In fact, the wavelength of the first LEDs 56a and 56d is 8Q.
5nm, the wavelength of the second LED 58a, 58b is 660n
m, further, the wavelength of the third LED 60a, 60b is 570
It is 0m. Therefore, as described later, the first LED 5
The light beam Lc emitted from 6a and 56b and the second LE
Light beams L8 and 13 emitted from D58a and 58b
LED60a.

The light beam L emitted from the first LE 60b is refracted by the prism 40 and overlapped on the same line.
D56a, 56b and second LED58a.

58b and the third LEDs 60a and 60b are connected to the prism 4.
It is arranged at a predetermined angular position with respect to 0.

Further, the first LEDs 56a and 56b are arranged so as to condense light onto two pixels adjacent to each other in the sub-scanning direction of the photosensitive material via the condenser lens 38, and the other LEDs 56a and 56b
Similarly, a and 58b and 603 and 60b are positioned to form two pixels in the sub-scanning direction of the photosensitive material F.

Note that the first LEDs 56a and 56b and the second LED 58
a, 58b, the third LEDs 60a, 60b, and the respective joint portions 54 are electrically connected via conducting wires 62a to 62f.

The water application section 16 applies dampening water to the exposed surface of the photosensitive material F transferred from the exposure section 14 and transfers this photosensitive material F to the thermal development transfer section 18 . A tray 64 for storing a sheet-like image receiving material P is loaded in the upper part of the thermal development transfer section 18 . The image receiving material P is sheeted by a conveying roller 66 and transferred to the thermal development transfer section 18 . In this case, the photosensitive material F and the image-receiving material P are superimposed on each other in the thermal development transfer section 18, and are subjected to a heat development process and a color image transfer process. On the other hand, a take-out tray 68 is provided on the upper surface of the casing 12, and the image-receiving material P onto which the color image has been transferred is delivered to the take-out tray 68. Further, a waste box 70 is provided at the bottom of the casing 12, and the photosensitive material F carried out from the thermal development transfer section 18 is stored in this waste box 70.

The exposure head according to this embodiment is basically constructed as described above, and its operation and effects will be explained next.

First, the processing procedure for transferring and forming a color image onto the image-receiving material P will be explained based on FIG.

Therefore, the photosensitive material F stored in the magazine 22 is sent out to the exposure section 14, and the rear end portion is cut by the cutter 24 when it is sent out a predetermined number of times.

Next, the photosensitive material F transferred to the exposure section 14 is wound around the drum 26, and then the first LED 56a, 56b1, the second LED 58a,
58b and third LEDs 60a, 60b. In this case, the photosensitive material F has the first LED 56a.
, 56b, and the second LEDs 58a, 58b.
magenta color and 3rd LED 60a, 60
The yellow color from b is simultaneously superimposed to form a pixel of a desired color. Further, identical LEDs 56a, 56b, 158a, 58b, and 60a, 60b are arranged in parallel on the mounting member 42, so that two pixels are simultaneously formed in the sub-scanning direction of the photosensitive material F. Therefore,
As the drum 26 rotates in the direction of arrow A (main scanning direction) and the exposure head 30 moves in the direction of arrow B (sub-scanning direction), a two-dimensional color image is recorded on the photosensitive material F. .

Next, the photosensitive material F on which the color image has been recorded is transferred to a drum 2.
By rotating 6 in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow A, the water is transferred to the water application section 16. The photosensitive material F transferred to the water application section 16 has its exposure surface coated with dampening water, and is sent to the thermal development transfer section 18 .

On the other hand, the image-receiving material P stored in the tray 64 is conveyed into sheets by a conveyance roller 66, and is overlapped with the photosensitive material F in the thermal development transfer section 18. In this case, the thermal development transfer section 18
Then, a color image is developed by heating the photosensitive material F, and then this color image is transferred to the image-receiving material P.

The image-receiving material P on which the color image has been transferred is discharged to a take-out tray 68, and the photosensitive material F is discharged into a waste box 70.

In this case, according to this embodiment, the first LED 56a,
56b, second LED58a, 58b and third LED6
Light beam L emitted from 0a and 60b. , LM and RI are refracted by the prism 40 and superimposed on the same line, whereby a highly accurate color image can be easily formed on the photosensitive material F.

That is, it is essentially a light beam L. The wavelength of is 805nm
, the wavelength of the light beams L, I is 660 nm, and the wavelength of the light beam L is 570 nm. Therefore, each light beam L
The refractive index values of c, Lx, and RI are different, and the refractive index of the light beam L with the shortest wavelength is the maximum, and the refractive index of the light beam Lc with the shortest wavelength is the minimum. Therefore, each light beam L. The first LEDs 56a, 56b, the second LEDs 58a, 58b and the third LEDs 60a, 60 for the prism 40 according to the refractive index of the SL A and SL.
0b by selecting the angular position of each light beam L. , L>1 and ri are refracted by the prism 40 and are superimposed on the same line.

In this way, the light beams L emitted from different positions
. , LX, and RI are refracted by the prism 40 and superimposed on the same line, which eliminates the need for complicated electrical control compared to the conventional method that focuses each light on different positions on the photosensitive material. , there is no problem that the lights of different colors are not accurately superimposed on the same position. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of color blurring, etc., and to easily and reliably form a color image with excellent accuracy. Moreover, the effect of simplifying control can be obtained particularly when forming an enlarged image or a reduced image.

Moreover, there are essentially six LEDs 56a and 56b.

58a, 58b and 5Qa, 60b are mounted in a single housing 32, and each is provided with a single prism 40 and a condenser lens 38. Therefore, compared to the conventional method in which a plurality of condensing lenses are provided corresponding to the number of LEDs, the number of parts is drastically reduced, and the exposure head 30 can be manufactured at a lower cost. Effects can be obtained.

Furthermore, if the prism 40 is selected to have a large dispersion rate, it is possible to narrow the distance between the prism 40 and the mounting member 42, which has the advantage that the exposure lens 30 can be made smaller. .

In this case, respective LEDs 56a, 56b, 58a.

The shapes of 58b, 60a, and 60b may be selected to be rectangular, and they may be arranged with their short lengths oriented in the main scanning direction.

As a result, the first LE D56a.

56b and the second LED 58a, 58b and the third LED 60
The mounting member 42 can be disposed as close as possible to the prism 40 by narrowing the distance between the prism 40 and the prism 40, and the exposure head 30 can be further downsized.

Note that although the mounting member 42 is disposed perpendicularly to the central axis of the second cylindrical portion 36, this mounting member 42 is
It may be inclined with respect to the central axis of the cylindrical portion 36. With this configuration, it is possible to cancel the difference in the focal length of the condenser lens for the light of 03 colors, and it is possible to more accurately
It becomes possible to focus colored light on the same point.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of light emitting elements emitting light of different wavelengths are mounted on a support to form a color image, and each light emitted from each light emitting element is After being refracted by a prism and superimposed on the same line, the lights are simultaneously focused onto the record carrier. This eliminates the need for complex electrical control and allows the light of different colors emitted from each light emitting element to be accurately irradiated onto predetermined areas of the record carrier with an extremely simple configuration, making it easy to create highly accurate color images. It becomes possible to form the structure efficiently. Furthermore, compared to the conventional method in which multiple supports and optical systems are provided for each light emitting element, there is an advantage that the number of parts can be reduced and the exposure head can be manufactured economically. It will be done.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
For example, it is possible to use an LD instead of an LED as a light emitting element, and it is also possible to use a plurality of prisms as necessary. Various improvements and improvements can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course, the design can be changed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image recording apparatus incorporating an exposure head according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially omitted perspective explanatory diagram of the exposure head according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section of the exposure head according to the present invention. It is a front view. IO... Main body part 12... Casing 14... Exposure part 16... Water application part 1
8... Heat development transfer section 20... Control section 26.
・Drum 30 ・Exposure head 32 ・
...Housing 34.36...Cylindrical part 38
...Condensing lens 40...Prism 42.
・・Mounting parts

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An exposure head for forming a color image by selectively superimposing light of different wavelengths emitted from various light emitting elements on a recording carrier, the refractive index of the light emitted from each of the various light emitting elements. one or more prisms that refract the light emitted from each of the light emitting elements and overlap them on the same line; An exposure head for an image recording device, comprising a condensing lens for condensing light. (2) The exposure head for an image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support has substantially three different types of light emitting elements arranged one or more each.