JPH02118629A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten time up to the output of a by arranging a second aliger having no image information which exposes a photosensitive medium in the vicinity of a position where exposure is performed by means of a first aliger having image information. CONSTITUTION:The light source (the first aliger) composed of a halogen lamp 4 and a semicylindrical reflecting mirror 5 is disposed in the upper right part of a copying machine 1. The sub-exposure unit 41 (the second aliger) is arranged under a pressure developing device 18. In this case, an original image is irradiated onto a microcapsule sheet 11 on an exposure table 14 through a slit through hole, thereby performing exposure. The side facing the optical axis 43 of the sub-exposure unit 41 is constituted in such a way that its plane absorbs light or reflects incident light in an incident direction. In such a manner, by arranging the sub-exposure unit 41 in the vicinity of the exposure table 14, the carrying extent of a photosensitive recording medium until an exposure picture passes a first exposure position and it passes a second exposure position is reduced and also shortens the time until the image is outputted is shortened, as well.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a first exposure device that scans an original for exposure and irradiates the original image onto a photosensitive recording medium, and a The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus having a second exposure device that irradiates the same medium onto the same medium.

[Conventional technique v#] Light-sensitive and pressure-sensitive paper capable of forming color images (U.S. Pat. No. 439
In an image recording device using the 9209 publication),
In order to improve the gradation of an image, it is known to include an exposure device that irradiates light and pressure sensitive paper with uniform white light, which is not image information.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-mentioned apparatus, the first exposure position with image information and the second exposure position without image information are separated from each other with respect to the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper. Therefore, there is a large gap between the exposed end of the image on the photosensitive and pressure-sensitive paper and the exposed end of the next image, and as a result, it takes time to transport the photosensitive and pressure-sensitive paper.
As a result, there were problems in that it took time from exposure scanning of the document to outputting the image, and that the photosensitive recording medium was wasted at a high rate.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and can shorten the time required from the foggy light of the original to the image output, and can also reduce the consumption rate of photosensitive recording media. The purpose is to provide an image recording device.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a first exposure device that exposes and scans a document surface and irradiates the document image onto a photosensitive recording medium; In an image recording apparatus equipped with a second exposure device that irradiates upward, the second exposure device is arranged near a position where the photosensitive recording medium is irradiated with light by the first exposure device.

Furthermore, at least the side surface of the second exposure device that faces the optical axis of the original image is a surface that absorbs light or reflects light in the direction of incident light.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, the second exposure without image information can be performed in the vicinity of the first exposure with image information, and the second exposure without image information can be performed in the vicinity of the first exposure with image information. , the amount of transport of the photosensitive recording medium until the trailing edge passes the second exposure position can be reduced, and the time until image output can also be shortened.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a light- and pressure-sensitive copying machine capable of full-color copying according to an embodiment of the present invention. The photosensitive paper made of microcapsule paper and developer paper used in the copying machine of this embodiment has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5888739, and will not be described in detail here.

The photosensitive and pressure-sensitive copying machine 1 is composed of a document table glass 2 and a document table cover 3, the top plate of which is movable in the left and right directions, and a desired document is set face down on the document table glass 2. Ru.

Copy I! ! At the upper right side of 11, there is a light source (first exposure device) consisting of a halogen lamp 4 extending in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the document platen glass 2 and a semi-cylindrical reflecting mirror 5 arranged so as to surround it. The light is emitted in a line toward the document table glass 2 through a slit hole provided on the upper surface of the body. Therefore, the light emitted from the halogen lamp 4 sequentially illuminates the entire surface of the document table glass 2 from the left end to the right end as the document table glass 2 moves in the left-right direction. The light emitted from the light source passes through the transparent document table glass 2 and is reflected by the document placed thereon, thereby exposing and scanning the document. Note that the upper surface of the document table glass 2 is covered with a document table cover 3 so that the irradiated light does not leak from parts other than the document.

In addition, in order to use the light emitted from the halogen lamp 4 to irradiate the document with high efficiency, a reflector 6 is placed on the left side of the light source to reflect the light that is not directed directly toward the document and use it again to irradiate the document. . A fan 7 and a louver 8 are provided on the right side of the halogen lamp 4 to draw air from the outside.
This allows cooling air to be applied to the document table glass 2 efficiently.

Light emitted from the halogen lamp 4 and reflected from the document placed on the document table glass 2 passes through the filter 9 and enters the lens 10 . This filter 9 is for adjusting the color tone of the copied image, and changes and controls the light transmission characteristics according to the sensitivity characteristics of the microcapsule paper 11. lens 10
is attached to the lens mounting plate 12, and allows minute angle adjustment with respect to the optical path.

The light focused by the lens 10 passes through a pair of reflective mirrors 13
．． The direction is changed by 180@ by 13, and an image is formed on the microcapsule paper 11 closely placed below the exposure table 14.

The reflecting mirrors 13.13 are mounted on a mirror mounting plate 15, and by finely adjusting the mounting position of the mirror mounting plate 15, the optical path length and focus are adjusted.

On the other hand, a long microcapsule paper 11 is wound around a cartridge shaft 16 and housed in a removable cartridge 17 placed below the document table glass 2. and the pressure developing device 18 before reaching the winding shaft 19. That is, the microcapsule paper 11 coming out from the lower part of the cartridge 17 is transferred to the feed roller 20, tie roller 21, and nip roller 21-.
After passing under the exposure table 14 , it is supplied to the pressure developing device 18 . The microcapsule paper 11 that has passed through the pressure developing device 18 is guided to a peeling roller 22 and a meandering adjustment roller 23, and then wound onto a winding shaft 19. The unexposed microcapsule paper 11 after leaving the cartridge 17 is maintained in an unexposed state by the light-shielding cover 24.

The transport speed of the microcapsule paper 11 is controlled to be constant by the capsule paper feed roller 25, and is made to match the moving speed of the document platen glass 2, so that the microcapsule paper 11 is Latent images of predetermined lines of the document are sequentially formed.

Further, a developer paper cassette 27 is provided below the pressure developing device 18, and the developer paper 26 is taken out one by one by a half-moon-shaped paper feed roller 28. After the leading end is aligned by the rollers 29 and the registration gate 30, the paper is transported to the paper entrance of the pressure developing device 18.

Thus, the pressure developing device 18 is loaded with microcapsule paper 1.
1 and the developer paper 26 are supplied in a state where they are in close contact with each other and are integrated. The pressure developing device 18 is composed of a small diameter roller 31 and a backup roller 32. The microcapsule surface of the microcapsule paper 11 on which the latent image is formed and the developer-coated surface of the color developer paper 26 are brought into contact with each other on the inside and are sandwiched between the small-diameter roller 31 and the backup roller 32, and pressure is applied. Added. This pressure destroys the unexposed microcapsules and forms an image on the color developing paper 26. The pressure developing device 18 and heat fixing device 33 (described later)
constitute the process means for image formation.

The microcapsule paper 11 and color developer paper 26 that have come out of the pressure developing device 18 are conveyed by a capsule paper feed roller 25.
The microcapsule paper 11 and the color developing paper 26 are separated by the peeling roller 22 . The color developing paper 26 is accelerated to develop color by the heat fixing device 33 to form an image, and then transferred to the paper output tray 34.
It is transported with the image side up. The heat fixing device 33 includes a hollow heat roller 37 having a heater 35 and a temperature sensor 36 therein, and a developing paper feed roller 38. Note that the separated microcapsule paper 11 is passed through a meandering adjustment roller 23 and wound around a winding shaft 19.

Furthermore, below the pressure developing device 18, in the vicinity of the exposure table 14, an exposure table 1 is provided on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the capsule paper 11.
A sub-exposure unit 41 (second exposure device) is arranged so as to face the exposure unit 4 . This sub-exposure unit 41 is turned on to increase the gradation of the image when the original is a photograph, etc., and emits white light without image information. The light is irradiated toward the microcapsule paper 11 (in the illustration, upward) that is being conveyed along the direction. This sub-exposure unit 41 is turned ON as necessary.
When turned on, it turns on and off in synchronization with the halogen lamp 4, which is the main light source.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the fog light table 14 and the sub-exposure unit 41. Reflection mirror 13 and exposure table 14 on the left side of the figure
A slit through hole 42a through which an optical axis 43 of the original image passes is provided in a partition wall 42 inside the body lying between the two, and the original image is irradiated onto the microcapsule paper 11 at the exposure stage 14 through the slit through hole 42a. , exposure is performed. Further, the side surface of the sub-exposure unit 41 facing the optical axis 43 is configured to absorb light or reflect incident light in the direction of incidence.

This is because the sub-exposure unit 41 is connected to the exposure table 14.
Due to the arrangement near the optical axis 43, the light from the original image passing through the optical axis 43 is reflected by the side surface of the unit 41 and directed toward the microcapsule paper 11 on the exposure table 14, which adversely affects the exposure of the original image. This is to ensure that you do not give up.

Note that the sub-exposure unit 41 can be configured using a plurality of optical fibers. Further, in order to prevent unnecessary light from hitting the microcapsule paper 11 other than when exposing the original image, a shutter 44 and a shutter drive mechanism (not shown) are provided to open and close the slit hole 42a.

In the above configuration, the operation thereof will be explained below.

Now, after opening the document cover 3 and placing the original on the document glass 2, when you press the exposure start switch (not shown), the document glass 2 moves to the right and the document glass 2 Stops at the position where the left end faces the light source. after that,
The document table crow 2 is moved to the left while the halogen lamp 4 is lit. The light emitted from the halogen lamp 4 is reflected by the original, and then passes through the filter 9 and the lens 1.
0 and a pair of reflective mirrors 13.13,
An image is formed on the microcapsule paper 11 located below the exposure table 14. At this time, the microcapsule paper 11 is moved to the left on the exposure table 14 at the same speed as the moving speed of the document table crow 2, so the image on the document is formed as a latent image on the microcapsule paper 11. Ru.

As the document platen glass 2 moves to the left, the paper feed roller 2
The color developer paper 26 is taken out from the color developer paper cassette 27 by 8, and is supplied to the pressure developing device 18 in a superimposed state with the exposed microcapsule paper 11, and the latent image on the microcapsule paper 11 is developed. The image is transferred onto developer paper 26. Thereafter, the developing paper 26 is thermally fixed by a thermal fixing device 133 and then discharged outside the copying machine. on the other hand,
The microcapsule paper 11 that has passed through the pressure developing device 18 is sequentially wound around a winding shaft 19. Original table glass 2
When the right end has moved to a position facing the light source, copying of the original is completed and the halogen lamp 4 is turned off.

Next, the effect of providing the sub-exposure unit 41 having the above-described configuration in the vicinity of the exposure table 14 will be explained.

The sub-exposure may be performed to improve the gradation of the image, but if the sub-exposure unit 41 is placed not near the exposure table 14 but away from it in the downstream direction, the leading edge of the exposed image may be placed on the exposure table 14. The amount of transport of the microcapsule paper 11 is large until the trailing edge passes through the sub-exposure unit 41, and it takes time to output an image. The length of the microcapsule paper 11 between the tip of the image and the image exposure becomes large, resulting in a lot of waste.

On the other hand, the above-mentioned problem is solved by configuring as in the present invention. In addition, the sub-exposure unit 41 may be provided close to the exposure table 14, or the side surface of the unit 41 facing the optical axis 43 may be a surface that absorbs light or reflects light in the direction of incident light. , it is possible to prevent the light of the original image passing through the optical axis 43 from being diffusely reflected, which would adversely affect the exposure.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, in order to improve the gradation of the formed image, the second exposure device, which does not have image information and which exposes the photosensitive recording medium, can be used in the same way. By arranging the medium near the position where it is exposed by the first exposure device having image information, it is possible to shorten the time until image output and to reduce wasteful consumption of the photosensitive recording medium. can.

In addition, since the side surface of the second exposure device is designed to prevent light from being diffusely reflected, the second exposure device is installed near the exposure position of the photosensitive recording medium by the first exposure device, so that the exposure of the original image does not occur. There will be no impact.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the main parts of the apparatus. 4...Halogen lamp (first exposure device), 11...
Microcapsule paper, 14... Exposure stage, 41... Sub exposure unit (second exposure device), 42a... Slit through hole, 43... Optical axis. Applicant: Brother Industries, Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Equipped with a first exposure device that scans the surface of a document for exposure and irradiates the image of the document onto a photosensitive recording medium, and a second exposure device that irradiates light without document image information onto the photosensitive recording medium. 1. An image recording apparatus characterized in that said second exposure device is disposed near a position where said photosensitive recording medium is irradiated with light by said first exposure device. (2) The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a side surface of the second exposure device facing the optical axis of the original image is a surface that absorbs light or reflects light in the direction of incident light.