JPH02221947A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the occurrence of the folding and bending of a large-size sensitive material even when it is carried by providing a switch-back path and a movable plate on a carrying path from an exposing part to a processing part. CONSTITUTION:A color sensitive material 20 is drawn out of a magazine 21 and carried by sucking the material into the sucker 25 of a traveling head 24, and cut into a prescribed length by a cutter 23 and further transferred to be exposed at the exposing part 26. Then the sensitive material 20 is carried to a developing chamber 10b with a carrying roller 27 and further carried to the switch-back path constituted of the carrying roller 30 and a guide plate 34. At this time, a movable plate 32 provided on the entrance of the above- mentioned path is moved to a position (a) where the carrying of the sensitive material 20 is not prevented. After the sensitive material 20 is carried, the movable plate 32 is moved to the plate (b) blocking the carrying path. Then, a switch-back mechanism operates to carry the sensitive material 20 to a processing part 36 with rollers 33 and 35.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus applicable to large-sized color photographic light-sensitive materials, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus with an improved conveyance path for the photographic light-sensitive material.

[Prior Art] In an image forming apparatus that uses a color photographic light-sensitive material (hereinafter also referred to as "light-sensitive material") and performs image exposure of an original plate for printing, there is a step in which image exposure is performed to increase the sensitivity h of the light-sensitive material. can be done at high speed, but the subsequent development,
Processing steps such as fixing, washing, and drying had to be performed at a much slower speed than the image exposure step. For this reason, the finishing process for color photographs is usually carried out by a printer that pulls out the photosensitive material from a long roll of photographic paper, projects and exposes the corresponding negative master, and then sequentially winds the material into a roll and exposes and prints it. The machine is divided into an automatic developing machine that is filled with finished photographic paper and performs special processes such as development, bleaching, fixing, washing, and drying, and a cutter that cuts out the processed printed image for each screen. Because of its throughput, it was customary to use a combination of 81 printers and cutters and several automatic processors.

Although such a device and its organization are suitable for making Inuyama prints in a photo lab, they can be rather inconvenient when one-touch copying, such as color copying, is needed in small quantities as part of office processing. Therefore, it is desirable that each of the steps described above be incorporated into one device.

In particular, when processing large-sized photosensitive materials such as A-2 size and B-2 size, the handling of the photosensitive materials is poor.
More preferably, it is an integrated device.

In addition, as mentioned above, in an image forming apparatus that incorporates all processes from supplying photosensitive materials to exposure and processing, the apparatus becomes complicated due to the differences in processing speed of each process as described above, resulting in processing efficiency. However, there is a need for an image forming apparatus that is more efficient and more compact. For this reason, various studies have been carried out, particularly on the conveyance path for photosensitive materials from the exposure process at high processing speed to the processing process at low processing speed.

For example, Tokukai It! Japanese Patent No. 162-21136 discloses a method of providing a storage section for a photosensitive material in a conveyance path from a scanning exposure step to a processing step. Also, JP-A-62-1
Japanese Patent No. 08234 discloses a method in which a switchback path is provided in each of the conveyance path from the photosensitive material supply section to the exposure section and the conveyance path from the exposure section to the processing section.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-21136, the photosensitive material is accumulated in a loop in the accumulation section, or a plurality of sheets are Therefore, especially when using a large-sized photosensitive material, there are drawbacks such as the photosensitive material being folded or bent, or the apparatus becoming extremely large.

On the other hand, in the method disclosed in JP-A-62-108234, the transport path from the switchback path to the processing section overlaps with the transport path for supplying and exposing the photosensitive material.
There is a problem in that the next photosensitive material cannot be supplied or exposed until the transfer of the photosensitive material to the processing section is completed, and if the respective transfer paths do not overlap, the apparatus becomes larger.

Moreover, since the switchback path does not ensure a light-tight state for any of the upstream paths of the photosensitive material supply section and the exposure section, until the photosensitive material in the exposure section has been transported to the processing section. The upstream part of the switchback path cannot be made into a bright room, which also has the disadvantage of poor workability.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to form an image that incorporates at least all steps from supplying photosensitive materials to exposure and processing.
In this case, the photosensitive material, especially the large-sized photosensitive material, is not bent or bent in the conveyance path from the exposure section to the processing section, and the conveyance path is not complicated and the processing speed is reduced. An image forming apparatus in which the apparatus does not become large in size, and furthermore, restrictions on process 1 operations such as photosensitive material supply and exposure that are present in the upstream part of the conveyance path due to the fact that the optical tightness of the path is not ensured are relaxed. Our goal is to provide the following.

Further, the object of the present invention is to provide a color proof production device, a map,
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can be applied to large-sized color photographic materials such as copying machines for posters and the like.

Means for Solving Problem 1 As a result of intensive research, the inventors of the present invention established a switchback path in the transport path from exposure to processing, and roughly installed a movable plate at the entrance of the switchback path. By discovering a forming device, the above problems were solved.

That is, the above object of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that includes at least a supply section, an exposure section, and a processing section for color photographic light-sensitive material, and which obtains a visible image from the color photographic light-sensitive material, from the exposure section to the processing section. This has been achieved by providing an image forming apparatus characterized in that a switchback path is provided in the color photographic light-sensitive material transport path, and a movable plate is provided at the entrance to the switchback path.

[Examples] The present invention will be explained in more detail based on the drawings, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

The first factor is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

According to FIG. 1, the apparatus main body 10 has an exposure chamber 10 at its upper part.
a is arranged, and a developing chamber 10b is arranged in the lower part.

A magazine 21 is detachably attached to the exposure 'J10a, and the magazine 21 is loaded with a photosensitive material 20. The photosensitive material 20 pulled out from the magazine 21 by the pair of pull-out rollers 22 has its leading end moved to the running head 24.
The cutter 2
3 to cut into a predetermined length. The cut photosensitive material is further transported to a predetermined exposure position in the exposure section 26.

Examples of light sources used for exposure in the exposure section 26 include natural light, tungsten lamps, fluorescent lamps, mercury lamps, and halogen lamps. Exposure methods include static exposure, scanning exposure, etc., and are carried out depending on the purpose of the apparatus, such as contact exposure and projection exposure, respectively. For example, in an apparatus that creates a color blueprint using a color separation mesh film original, it is preferable to bring the original into close contact with the photosensitive material, and in a color copying apparatus, scanning projection exposure is preferable, but it is not limited to this. .

The photosensitive material exposed as described above is transported by the traveling head 24 to the transport roller 27. After the leading edge of the photosensitive material is pinched by the conveying rollers 27, the traveling head 24 returns to its initial position.

The photosensitive material held between the conveyance rollers 27 is conveyed to the developing chamber 10b by a guide plate 28 and conveyance rollers 29 and 30. At this point, the exposure chamber 10a can be supplied with photosensitive material for the next exposure.

The photosensitive material conveyed to the developing chamber 10b is transferred to the conveyor 0-ra3.
1, the paper is conveyed to a switchback path composed of a conveyance roller 33 and a guide plate 34. At this time,
The movable plate 32 provided at the entrance of the switchback path has moved to a position a where it does not obstruct the conveyance of the photosensitive material to the switchback path, and the conveyance of the photosensitive material to the switchback path is completed. After that, it moves to a position that blocks the conveyance path. In addition, the conveyor row 527, 29°30
The rotational speeds of 31 and 31 are not affected by any of the exposure and processing steps, so they can be set arbitrarily high to the extent that no load is placed on the photosensitive material. After the movement of the movable plate 32 is completed, the switchback mechanism is activated, and the photosensitive material is transported to the processing section 36 by the transport rollers 33 and 35. At this time, since the transport path leading to the exposure chamber 10a is closed by the movable plate 32, the transport of the photosensitive material to the processing section is carried out extremely smoothly.

The means for holding the photosensitive material within the switchback path may include, but is not limited to, one of the transport rollers, e.g.
There is a method of holding it with 533. This method does not require additional holding means and is a preferred form for storing one sheet of photosensitive material in the switchback path.

Of course, in addition to the roller, it is also possible to use a suction member such as a suction cup or a photosensitive material suction member. In addition, in order to store multiple sheets of photosensitive material, JP-A-62-21136
A photosensitive material stock case as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 of the publication No. Mei All is provided in the switchback path, and the photosensitive material in the stock case is transported to the processing section by a method consistent with the gist of the present invention. It is also possible to do so.

Next, the photosensitive material transported to the processing section 36 is subjected to photographic development processing and then discharged onto a tray 37.

On the other hand, after the movable plate 32 blocks the switchback path and the exposure chamber 10a, the next photosensitive material can be exposed in the exposure section 26.

That is, the movable plate 32 controls the traveling direction of the photosensitive material and makes the transport path downstream from the entrance of the switchback path light-dense. Therefore, the movable plate 32 may have a thin plate shape or a thick shape as long as it completely blocks the entrance of the switchback path. It is also possible to take the shape of a shutter.

The material of the movable plate 32 may be plastic, rubber, metal, etc., but it is preferable that the surface of the plate be black. In particular, various methods can be used to increase the light density using the movable plate.
For example, at least the tip of the movable plate may be made of an elastic member such as rubber, or a light-shielding thermometer cloth may be applied at least near the tip of the movable plate 32 and at least near the portion of the inner wall of the guide plate 34 to which the tip of the movable plate is pressed. There are ways to attach it.

Further, it is preferable that the movable plate 32 is urged against the guide plate 34 by a spring or the like.

Of course, the shape and material of the movable plate are not limited to this description.

Another method for making the transport path from the exposure section to the processing section light-dense is to use a black member as the member constituting the transport path and make the curve of the guide plate 28 a steep curve, for example, an acute curve. There are methods such as making the conveyance path extremely narrow and long, or pressing each conveyance roller with high pressure. However, if the curve of the guide plate 28 is adjusted to increase the light density, the leading edge of the photosensitive material may collide with the guide plate, resulting in bending or bending. This not only worsens the problem, but also causes the problem that the device becomes larger. Furthermore, if the conveyance roller pressure is increased, the photosensitive material may be bent or bent when it is gripped, or the surface of the photosensitive material may be damaged, and furthermore, high-speed operation becomes difficult. is insufficient.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, the configuration of the present invention prevents the photosensitive material from bending or bending even when the large-sized photosensitive material is transported, and also prevents the material from being transported to the processing section. Since other tasks are not restricted during the time it takes to finish, work efficiency is greatly improved.

In addition, by providing a movable plate, the area after the switchback path is kept light-tight, so the work is carried out with the upstream part turned into a bright room while the photosensitive material in the exposed area is pooled in the path. and maintenance is easy. Moreover, since the conveyance path according to the present invention has an extremely simple structure and is compact, a compact image forming apparatus can be provided even though a large-sized photosensitive material is used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. 10... Image forming apparatus 10b... Developing chamber 21... Magazine 23... Cutter 25... Suction cup 27... Conveying roller 29... Conveying roller 31... Conveying roller 5 33... - Conveying row 5 35... Conveying roller 37... Tray 10a... Exposure chamber 20... Photosensitive material 22... Pull-out roller pair 24... Traveling head 26... Exposure section 28... Guide plate 30...Conveyance row 5 32...Movable plate 34...Guide plate 36...Processing section

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image forming apparatus that includes at least a supply section, an exposure section, and a processing section for a color photographic material and obtains a visible image from the color photographic material, a switchback is made to a color photographic material transport path from the exposure section to the processing section. An image forming apparatus characterized in that a path is provided and a movable plate is provided at an entrance to the switchback path.