JPH02230230A - Reader printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase a 1st copy speed by arranging a photometry sensor on the end part side in the moving direction of moving light when a rotary mirror rotates from a 1st angle position to a 2nd angle position. CONSTITUTION:The photometry sensor Se is arranged nearby a screen S and on the end part side in the moving direction of the moving light when the rotary mirror M rotates from the 1st angle position mr to the 2nd angle position me. Therefore, when the reader printer is switched from the reader mode to the print mode, a photometric scan by the photometry sensor Se can be made by the series continuous operation of the mirror M during the rotation of the rotary mirror M from the 1st angle position mr to the 2nd angle position me. Consequently, when the reader printer is switched from the reader mode to the print mode, the 1st copy speed can be increased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention is directed to improving a reader printer, particularly a rotating mirror scan type reader printer.

<Prior art> As a conventional reader printer of this type, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6
One disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3-32531 is known.

This is a print image density automatic adjustment type reader printer that automatically adjusts the image density of the film frame image to be printed, and automatically changes the image formation execution condition value of the print image appropriately according to the adjustment value. .

When in reader mode, it is held at a first angular posture position to form a reader system optical path from the film frame image illumination unit to the projection screen, and when switched to print mode, it is held at a first angular posture position around the support shaft. A rotating mirror is rotatably driven at a predetermined speed from a posture position to a second angular posture position, and slit-exposes a film frame image to an image exposure section of a printing mechanism by movement of reflected light due to the rotation. There is.

In addition, this reader printer allows the photo sensor to sequentially receive the moving reflected light from the rotating mirror during the rotating operation of the rotating mirror when switching to the print mode, and prints film frames for automatic print image density adjustment. This configuration performs image density dimming.

In this reader/binder, the light control sensor is placed at the end of the mirror in the middle of the printing optical path, and while scanning the rotating mirror for both image printing, the light metering results by the sensor are sequentially exposed. The light was controlled by feedback to the lamp. That is, this photometric sensor is placed at the edge of the mirror in the middle of the optical path in order to detect the amount of light obtained by averaging the light from the image area and the light from the background area.

By the way, as a sensor that measures the projected light from the film, there are sensors that separate and detect the image area and the frame around the image area, and erase the frame of the image according to the detected data, and sensors that accurately determine whether the film is negative or positive. , there are methods that create histograms of images, and these require photometry to be performed at the focal plane of the image. Furthermore, these photometric sensors need to photometer the entire image. Therefore, even if the light control sensor of the reader printer described above is provided, desired photometric data cannot be obtained.

On the other hand, in slit exposure type electrophotographic copying machines, the area near the photoreceptor (
Some types have a dimming sensor located approximately at the focal plane. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an expanded optical path that is normally folded in a mirror scan type reader/interface.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, in such a virtual reader printer, as shown in FIG. From the first angular position mr (reader mode position where the image is projected onto the screen S) to the second angular position! After rotating to me (the print mode end position where the image has been projected onto the photoconductor PC) and performing photometric scanning using the photometric sensor Seo, at least the leading edge of the image is at the slit position again in the direction of the first angular position mr. The user must scan the image for printing by returning to the intermediate angular position m1 that coincides with , and then rotating to the second angular position me. ．． As a result, after the first scan, the mirror M has to return to at least the intermediate angular position mj, which is considered to cause a problem in that the speed of the first covey is slow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a reader printer that can increase the first copy speed, perform photometry over the entire image in a focused state, and thereby control print conditions.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The reader printer according to the present invention includes a screen on which an image recorded on a film is projected via a reader optical path, and a photometer for photometering the film image to obtain data related to printing. a sensor, an image recording means for recording the film image projected through the print optical path based on photometered data; In the reader printer, the photometric sensor includes a rotating mirror that rotates from the first angular position to the second angular position in the mode and sequentially projects the film image onto the print optical path during the rotation. The rotary mirror is disposed near the end in the moving direction of the moving light when the rotating mirror rotates from the first angular position to the second angular position.

Function> In the reader/interface according to the present invention, as explained with reference to FIG. 1, in the reader mode, the rotating mirror M is held at the first angular position mr to form the reader optical path Wr,
The image recorded on the film is projected onto the screen S via this reader optical path Wr. In the print mode, by rotating the rotating mirror M from the first angular position tn r toward the second angular position me, the photometric sensor Se provided below the screen S rotates the rotating mirror M. The film image is photometered, and the printing conditions are controlled based on this photometric value, and the printing is started from the printing start optical path Wi (rotating mirror M is at the intermediate angle position imi) shown by the dashed-dotted line in the figure, as shown by the dashed-double-dotted line in the figure. The image is slit-exposed onto the photoreceptor through the final optical path We (the rotating mirror M is at the second angular position me).

Here, the photometric sensor Se is arranged so that the rotating mirror M moves from the first angular position mr to the second angular position m in the vicinity of the screen S.
It is disposed on the end side in the moving direction of the moving light when rotating in the direction e. Therefore, in the reader printer, when switching from the reader mode to the print mode, the photometric sensor Se performs a photometric scan while the rotating mirror M is rotating from the first angular position amr to the second angular position me. can be performed by a series of continuous movements of the mirror M. Note that Seo is the position of the photometric sensor in the virtual arrangement described above, and as shown in the figure, it is arranged near the exposure slit of the photosensitive drum PC.

Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

2 to 6 are schematic configuration diagrams of a reader/interface showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, 11 is a light source for illumination (exposure lamp), and 13 is a microfilm carrier set above this light source 1l.

This carrier 13 has a fish film F sandwiched between two pieces of pressure-bonded glass. Predetermined frame images (negative or blur images) are recorded on this film F. Further, a projection lens 15 and a prism 17 are arranged directly above the carrier 3, and the rotating mirror M is connected to these light sources 1.
1, the carrier 13, the projection lens 15, and the prism 17. When the rotating mirror M is held at the first angular position mr indicated by the solid line in the figure, it forms a reader optical path Wr that guides the transmitted light from the light source 11 to the screen 25 via the fixed mirror 23. In addition, the broken line in the figure indicates the image recording unit 36 which captures the central part of the image produced by the light from the light source 11 via the fixed mirrors 31, 33, and 35 while the rotating mirror M is rotating toward the second angular position me. Photosensitive drum 37
is guided through an exposure slit. The broken line in the figure indicates the printing intermediate optical path Wm.

Therefore, each optical path Wr, Wi at the time of reading and printing
, Wm, and We share a rotating mirror M, and the rotation of this rotating mirror M switches these optical paths.

In the reader mode, the rotating mirror M is at the position indicated by the solid line in the figure, the microfilm F held between the carriers 13 is irradiated by the exposure lamp (light source) 11, and the projection lens 15
After being enlarged, the enlarged image is projected onto the screen 25 via the prism l7, the rotating mirror M, and the fixed mirror 23. The center line of the optical path Wr is a solid line in the figure. On the other hand, in the print mode, the rotating mirror M rotates by a predetermined angle to the position indicated by the broken line, and an enlarged image of the film F is exposed onto the photosensitive drum 37 via the fixed mirrors 3l, 33, and 35.

The optical path We is a broken line.

Further, at this time, the rotating mirror M is rotating at a predetermined speed in synchronization with the circumferential speed of the photosensitive drum 37.

This image recording section 36 has a well-known configuration, and includes a charger 39, a charger 39,
An erase lamp 41, a cleaning unit 43, a transfer charger 45, a reversal developer (NP developer) 47, a regular developer (PP developer) 49, and an LED array 61 are provided. . Further, 53 indicates a paper feed cassette, and sheets from the cassette 53 are discharged to a tray 57 after printing through a paper feed path 55.

In the image forming process, the photosensitive drum 37 is charged by the charging charger 39, and the photosensitive drum 37 is charged by the charging charger 39, and the photosensitive drum 37 is
An electrostatic latent image is formed on 7. If the film F is a positive film, regular development is performed by a regular developing device 49 to visualize the electrostatic latent image.

In the case of negative film, a reversal developing device 47 is used. Next, the developed image on the photosensitive drum 37 is transferred to a transfer material by the transfer charger 45. The transfer material is fixed by a fixing device. The toner (developer) that has not been transferred to the transfer material (sheet) is collected by the cleaning unit 43, and the photosensitive drum 37 is neutralized.

Here, as shown in detail in FIG. 5, a photometric sensor array 63 consisting of a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements 61 is arranged below and close to the screen 25. These photoelectric conversion elements 61
are arranged in a line along the width direction of the screen 25 (direction perpendicular to the scanning direction) at equal intervals. For example, in order to use the photoelectric conversion element 61 for automatic frame erasure and automatic negative/positive discrimination, it is necessary to photometer the image plane projected onto the screen 25 over a wide range. Two central elements 65 and 67 arranged apart from each other are AE sensors. This is for adjusting exposure. Further, the photometric sensor array 63 is arranged on the same plane as the screen 25, which is a focal plane.

Therefore, when the rotating mirror M rotates from the first angular position mr to the second angular position me, images projected onto the screen 25 are sequentially projected onto the photometric sensor array 63.

Note that the LED array 51, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of a plurality of ED elements 52 arranged at equal intervals L in the width direction. This LED array 5l is used to expose the photosensitive surface (black frame part) corresponding to the outer part of the edge position of the image. In this way, the arrangement spacing between the LED elements 52 of the LED array 51 is the same as the spacing between the photoelectric conversion elements 61 (L). As a result, highly accurate border erasing can be performed.

Furthermore, FIGS. 3 and 4 show the drive mechanism section of the rotating mirror M.

In these figures, a rotating mirror M is fixed to a mirror mount 71 in the form of a flat plate. The mirror mount 71 is a rotating mirror shaft support member 75 erected on the scan base plate 73.
is rotatably supported. Note that a circular through hole 77 is located below the rotating mirror M in the center of the scan base plate 73.
is formed. The rotating mirror M is irradiated with light from the light source 11.

Further, the rotating mirror M is driven and rotated by a scan motor 79. This scan motor 79 is attached to a gear box 81, and this gear box 8l is rotatably supported by a fulcrum shaft 83 parallel to the rotation center axis of the rotating mirror M.

Further, the gear box 81 houses a worm gear 85 directly connected to the output shaft of the scan motor 79 and a worm wheel 87 that meshes with the worm gear. The worm wheel 87 is provided integrally with a drive shaft 89, and one end portion 89a of the drive shaft 89 protrudes from the gear box 81. The protruding end 89a of the drive shaft 89 is connected to the drive lever 91.
It is in sliding contact with the circular arc-shaped portion 91a. This arcuate portion 9
The center of curvature of 1a is made to coincide with the rotation center axis 93 of the rotating mirror M.

Further, the arcuate portion 91a and the protruding end portion 89a are pressed together with a predetermined force by a spring 95 that biases the gear box 81. Therefore, the worm gear 86 and the worm wheel 87 function as a first speed reduction mechanism using gears.
The drive shaft 89 and the drive lever 91 each constitute a second deceleration mechanism using frictional force.

The drive lever 91 is fixed to the mirror mount 71, as shown in FIG.

97 is a control plate fixed to the mirror mount 71,
It rotates together with the rotating mirror M. control board 97
includes an edge 97a for detecting the reader position, an edge 97b for detecting the leading edge position of the image, and an edge 97b for detecting the trailing edge position of the image.
7c are formed at positions shifted by a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction. Further, two sensors 99 and 101 each having a U-shaped cross section are arranged corresponding to this edge portion. The sensor 99 is a reader position sensor, and the edge 9
The position of 7a is detected. The sensor 101 is located at the tip of the image.
The rear end position detection sensor detects these positions using the edges 97b and 97c. These sensors 99, 101 can also be configured by photocouplers, for example.

Therefore, the rotation of the scan motor 790 is first decelerated by the worm gear 85 and the worm wheel 87 and then transmitted to the drive shaft 89. The rotation of the drive shaft 89 is transmitted to the drive lever 9I, or more specifically, to the rotating mirror M, at a reduced speed due to friction between the protruding end 89a and the fan-shaped portion 91a. Since such transmission is used, there is no need to use a multi-stage gear mechanism, and a large reduction ratio can be achieved. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent uneven rotation from occurring. Further, the fan-shaped lever 91 can easily improve processing accuracy compared to a gear. Also from this point of view, it is easy to prevent uneven rotation. Furthermore, the drive shaft 89 is supported by a spring 95 (a plate spring may also be used).
The rotating mirror M and its rotating portion, which have a predetermined weight, are more firmly supported against external vibrations than when directly supporting the rotating shaft 93. It happens.

Further, as the scan motor 79, a stepping motor is used. In order to perform image scanning with high precision, a stepping motor with an appropriate reduction ratio and appropriate resolution is used. Further, the motor 79 is driven in microsteps during image scanning for image formation. This microstepping refers to dividing the basic step angle of the stepping motor 79 into multiple parts by controlling the winding current.

The position of the rotating mirror M in the reader converter having the above configuration will be explained with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11.

FIG. 7 schematically shows the positional relationship between the optical path and the rotating mirror M.

In this figure, mirror M is in a first angular position mr in reader mode. Therefore, the reader optical path Wr is configured as shown in the figure, and the light from the optical fill is directed to the fixed mirror 2.
3 and is enlarged and projected onto the screen 25. Further, when the rotating mirror M rotates clockwise as shown by the broken line in the figure and rotates toward the second angular position me,
The film projection light from light source II is transmitted through mirrors 31 and 33.
．． The photosensitive drum 37 is guided through the photosensitive drum 35 . Print optical paths Wi, Wm, and We are configured in this order.

Specifically, when the rotating mirror M is in the leader position, the edge 97a of the control plate 97 fixed to the mirror mount 71
is detected by the reader position detection sensor 99 and the rotation of the scan motor 79 is stopped, so the rotating mirror M is also stopped and held at the first angular position mr.

Further, the control of the rotating mirror M in the print mode is performed as follows. First, when a print switch (not shown) is turned on, the scan motor (stepping motor) 79 is driven.

High-precision drive using microsteps. As a result, the rotating mirror M and the control plate 97 both rotate in the direction of the arrow X in FIG. Then, when the sensor 10I detects the image leading edge detection edge 97b of the control board 97, image formation in the image recording section is started.

The optical path during image formation will be explained with reference to FIG. 7.

In the figure, when the sensor 1o1 detects the tip edge 97b, the rotating mirror M is at the position mi in the figure. As a result, the image is projected onto the photosensitive drum 37 via the optical path indicated by Wi and is formed. mi is the image forming start position of the rotating mirror M.

The rotating mirror M is driven to rotate at a constant speed in synchronization with the circumferential speed of the light trapping drum 37.

Further, as the mirror M rotates, it reaches the image forming end position me via the position mm. The optical path to the photosensitive drum 37 at the mm position is Wm, and the optical path at the me position is We.

Then, when the sensor 101 detects the edge 97c, the rotating mirror M stops at this position me.

That is, the image forming start position mi is at the second position of the rotating mirror M.
This shows the angular position.

After this, when the rotating mirror M stops, the scan motor 7
9 rotates in a direction opposite to that during image formation, and mirror M also rotates in a direction opposite to the X direction. Then, the sensor 99 is connected to the edge 97a.
is detected and the drive of the motor 79 is stopped. Rotating mirror M
will return to the reader mode position mr.

Note that during image scanning, the stepping motor 79 is driven in microsteps to increase resolution on the motor side and to make the reduction ratio of the drive system as large as possible. This suppresses drive system noise and enables highly accurate scanning.

Further, during photometry and when the rotating mirror M returns, the rotation speed of the stepping motor 79 is increased to increase the copying speed of the reader/interface, so that the operation is completed in as short a time as possible. For example, the motor 79 is driven in full steps. This full step drive refers to two-phase excitation drive because a two-phase stepping motor 79 is used in this embodiment.

Next, the operation of the rotating mirror M and the like during photometry by the photometry sensor 63 will be explained.

FIG. 8 shows the mirror position mr and the optical path in the reader mode. The image on the film F is reflected by a fixed mirror 23 and projected onto a screen 25.

When the print switch is turned on from this state, the rotating mirror M rotates at a constant photometric speed in the direction of the arrow X shown in FIG. Therefore, the projected image on the screen 25 also moves toward the bottom of the screen 25.

Then, when the rotating mirror M moves to position A1 shown in FIG.
The image is projected at the position of , and photometry begins. When the rotating mirror M further rotates in the direction of the arrow X, the focal plane screen 25
Images substantially the same as the projected images are sequentially projected onto the photometric sensor array 63, and photometry is performed. That is, FIG. 9 shows a state where photometry is started.

FIG. 10 shows the state in the middle of this photometry.

A2 in the figure indicates the position of the rotating mirror M.

Further, FIG. 11 shows a state in which photometry is completed.

The position of the rotating mirror M in this case is indicated by A3.

In image scanning for image formation, after the mirror M is located at the photometry end position 83 and the photometry operation is completed, the mirror M is returned in the opposite direction to the arrow Return to a position slightly beyond . That is, the rotating mirror M is returned to the mr side further than the scan start position mi and stopped. From this position, the mirror M is rotated in the direction of the arrow X to perform the image forming scan described above.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the control program from the reader mode to the print mode.

When the print switch is turned on in step S1, the scan motor 79 rotates forward at the photometric speed in step S2. As a result, the rotating mirror M located at the reader position mr starts rotating in the X direction at a speed approximately 2.5 times the image scanning speed. At step S3, at the same time, a photometry start position detection timer T+ is started.

In step S4, the process waits until the time measured by the timer T1 exceeds a predetermined time TI. This time T1 is the time during which the rotating mirror M rotates from the reader position mr to the photometry start position A1. That is, the photometry start position of the rotating mirror M is determined based on the time from the reader position.

Step S5 is the start of photometry, and step S6 is to turn on the photometry end position detection timer T2. Therefore, in step S7, the process waits until a predetermined time T2 has elapsed, and determines the photometry end position A3 of the rotating mirror M based on the time T2 from the photometry start position AI. During this time, the photometric sensor 63
A photometric scan is performed using the following method.

In the next step S8 after the end of photometry, the scan monitor 79
is reversed at the return velocity. The rotating mirror M is rotated in the opposite direction to the X direction and returned to the reader position mr at the same time. In this case as well, the process waits until the sensor 101 detects the image leading edge 97b of the control board 97 in step S9, and then turns on the scan start position detection timer T3 in step 510. Furthermore, step Sll
Then, after a predetermined time T3, the image is overrun from the leading edge position to the reader position by a predetermined angle. The overrun position of the rotating mirror M in the opposite direction is also determined by time T3. The reason for overrunning the image scan start position during printing in this way is to take the amount of preliminary scanning into consideration.

When the rotating mirror M reaches the scanning start position, step S
At step 12, the scan motor 79 is rotated forward at the scan speed to rotate the rotary mirror M in the X direction. After the sensor 101 detects the leading edge 97b of the image in step S13, image formation is started as shown in step S14. This is continued until the sensor 101 detects the trailing edge 97c of the image (step S15).

Next, when the trailing edge 97c is detected, image formation is ended and the scan motor 79 is reversed at the return speed (step 816). This is to reverse the rotation until the sensor 99 detects the leader position detection edge 97a (step S17), and after detection, the scan motor 79 is stopped (step S18). As a result, the rotating mirror M returns to the leader position rnr.

FIG. 13 is a mirror arrangement diagram showing a printing optical path in a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the fixed angle and fixed position of the fixed mirror 31 are changed, and the fixed mirror 31a is newly set to correspond to a position where the distance between the screen S and the photoreceptor PC is one screen or more as shown in FIG. By fixing the broken line Wj2
A new print start optical path shown by is formed. Therefore, in this embodiment, there is no need to reverse the rotary mirror M after photometry is completed, and the rotary mirror M can be rotated for image scanning directly from the position of the rotary mirror after photometry is completed. In other words, projection onto the screen 25, photometry, and scanning are performed by rotating the rotating mirror in one direction, so that the processing speed is even faster than in the first embodiment, and the first covey speed is increased. Can be done.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a control program when the operation of this rotating mirror M is controlled by the CPU.

In this flowchart, steps 8101 to S107 correspond to steps S] to S7 in the flowchart of the above embodiment. In other words, after turning on the print switch, the scan mode is rotated forward at the photometry speed, and at the same time, the timer T1 is turned on.After a certain period of time T1 has elapsed, photometry is started, and at the same time, the timer T2 is turned on, and the photometry end position is set according to the timer time T2. decide.

Then, in step S108, the scan motor 79 is rotated forward at the scan speed without reversing the scan motor 79. Next, the sensor 101 detects the edge 9 for the leading edge of the image.
7b is detected (step S109), image formation is started (step S110). After this, step Sill
When the sensor 101 detects the trailing edge 97c of the image, in the next step S1 12-114, the scan motor 79 is reversed to return the rotating mirror M to the reader position.

<Effects> As described above, according to the present invention, when switching from reader mode to print mode, the first copy speed can be increased. At the same time, photometric accuracy can also be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an optical path of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a league printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a drive of a rotating mirror in the same embodiment. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the drive mechanism, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the screen and the photometric sensor according to the embodiment, and FIG. 6 is the L
FIG. 7 is a front view showing the correspondence between the ED array and the photometric sensor; FIG.
Figures 8 to 11 are optical path diagrams showing each state of the rotating mirror;
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a control program according to the first embodiment, FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram showing a mirror arrangement according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 14 is a program for controlling the operation of a rotating mirror according to the second embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows. M eye 25 ・ 36 37 ・ 63 ・・・・・・・Rotating mirror・・・Screen, ・・・Image recording section, ・・・Photosensitive drum, ・・・・・・・Photometric sensor. Patent Applicant Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Seiichi Kuwai (and 1 other person) Go to Figure 41 Figure 5 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 10 Figure 9 Figure 11

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A screen on which the image recorded on the film is projected via the reader optical path, a photometric sensor for photometrically measuring the film image to obtain data related to printing, and a screen on which the film image projected via the printing optical path is projected. an image recording means for recording based on photometered data, and an image recording means that is held at a first angular position to form a reader optical path when in reader mode, and from this first angular position to a second angular position when in print mode. and a rotating mirror that rotates and sequentially projects a film image onto a printing optical path during rotation, and the photometric sensor is arranged so that the rotating mirror moves from a first angular position to a second angular position in the vicinity of the screen. A reader printer characterized in that the reader printer is disposed on an end side in a moving direction of moving light when rotating toward an angular position.