JPH02235672A - Reading/recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a compact reading/recording device at a low cost by providing a recording medium holding device which holds part of a recording medium during recording and is moved by a drive device to transport a recording medium. CONSTITUTION:A moving unit 4 consists of the holding lever 16 of a recording medium holding device which holds one end of recording paper 11. If the unit is used for a color duplicator, the recording medium holding device moves the moving unit 4 over a guide rail 5 to stop the holding lever 16 in open state. Next an origin 2 is placed on an origin table 1, and an operating cover 3 is closed to start the device. Consequently, recording paper 11a is taken out of a pickup roller 12, and is pressed by a thermally transferable ink sheet 14 between a thermal head 13 and a platen roller 15. Then the tip of the recording paper 11a is held by the holding lever 16. After this, the moving unit 4 starts moving, and an image sensor unit 6 moves scanning data along the origin table 1. The image sensor unit 6 reads at the specified resolution in a vertically linear direction for each displacement over a prearranged length, and stores the data which is read in page memory. Consequently, part of a scanning mechanism for reading and recording data is shared by these two functions, and can be made compact at a low cost.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a reading/recording device, for example, a reading/recording device such as a digital copying machine or a facsimile machine that needs to be equipped with a reading section and a recording section, particularly its mechanism. The present invention relates to a reading/recording device that is simpler and lower in cost.

[Conventional technology] Conventionally, in order to realize a reading/recording device such as a digital copying machine that is equipped with a reading section that reads an original image and a recording section that records the image on a recording medium such as paper, it is necessary to ,
For example, it was common to provide a reading section with a mechanism as shown in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 62-75675, and to have a configuration as shown in FIG.

In this Figure 3, reference numeral (1) is a document platen such as glass on which the document (2) is placed, and (22) is a contact type line which is a reading means for reading the image on the document platen (1) and obtaining an image signal. The sensor (23) is a driving means consisting of a motor, roller, wire, etc. that scans and moves this line sensor (22);
(24) is a reading signal processing circuit that processes the image signal from the line sensor (22), and from these, the reading unit (
25) is constructed.

Also, (26) is a recording signal processing circuit, (27) is a thermal head, (28) is a sublimation type or melting type thermal transfer ink sheet, (29) is a recording paper, and (30) is this recording paper (29). Paper cassette to accommodate (31). (32)
are rollers, and these constitute the recording section (33).

Next, the operation of the above-mentioned conventional device will be explained.

The driving means (23) scans and moves the line sensor (22) in the direction of the arrow while scanning the document placed on the document table (1).
2) Obtain an image signal from the image.

This image signal is processed by a read signal processing circuit (24) that corrects image distortion that occurs during the reading operation due to the characteristics of the filter in the reading means (22), and image distortion that occurs due to the characteristics of the printer's scanner (28). The signal is transmitted to the thermal head (27) via a recording signal processing circuit (26) that performs corrections and the like. and thermal head (2
7) generates heat according to the image signal, and the rollers (31),
(32) etc., the ink image from the ink sheet (28) is thermally transferred onto the recording paper (29) which has been taken out from the paper cassette (30) and cut.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] In such a conventional reading/recording device, the two elements of the reading section and the recording section are simply arranged mechanically, and the number of motors and various rollers is equal to the sum of the numbers of each. This made the device complicated and required a circuit for color correction.
This did not provide a configuration that was satisfactory in terms of either low cost or miniaturization. Therefore, conventional devices have had problems in solving such dissatisfaction.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a compact and low-cost reading and recording device that has both reading and recording functions.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A reading and recording device according to the present invention includes a reading means that reads an original image with a filter that separates color signals and generates an image signal, and a reading means that generates an image signal by reading a document image using a filter that separates color signals, and a reading device that has the same spectral reflectance as the filter in the reading means. a recording means that uses an ink sheet having an ink sheet and records an image on a recording medium using an image signal generated by the reading means; and a driving means that holds a part of the recording medium and scans and moves the reading means when recording by the recording means. and a recording medium holding means that is moved by and conveys the recording medium.

[Function] In the present invention, a part of the recording medium is held by the recording medium holding means during recording by the recording means, and this recording medium holding means is moved by the driving means that scans and moves the reading means when reading an image. Since the recording medium is transported, part of the mechanical scanning mechanism for reading and recording is shared, and the image signal separated by a filter installed in the reading means is transmitted to the recording means without color correction. be done.

[Embodiment 1] Hereinafter, a reading/recording apparatus according to the present invention will be explained based on FIGS. 1A and 1B showing one embodiment thereof.

In FIG. 1A, the reference numeral (1) denotes a document table such as a glass plate on which the document (2) is held while being held by the opening/closing lid (3), as in the conventional device, and (4) the document table (4) is placed along the document table (2). This is a moving unit that is movable on the guide rail (5) and reads the image of the document on the document table (1) (2), separates color signals using a built-in filter, and generates an image signal. An image sensor unit (6) as a reading means is fixed.

(7) is a wire that is fixed at both ends to the moving unit (4) and is suspended between pulleys (8a) and (8b), and (9) is a wire that is connected to the wire (7) via a pulley (8a). ) is a stepping motor that moves the moving unit 7h (4), and a driving means (10) is constituted by these wires (7), pulleys (8a), (8b), and stepping motor (9). The paper (lla) is stored in the paper cassette (llb) and the pick up roller (lla) is stored in the paper cassette (llb).
12) Recording paper as a recording medium pulled out by (
13), this recording paper (lla) is pressed into contact with a sublimation type or melted type thermal transfer ink sheet (14) having the same spectral reflectance as the filter in the image sensor unit (6) by a platen roller (15), and the ink is Sheet (1
The ink image from 4) is transferred to the image sensor unit (6).
This is a thermal head as a recording means that records an image on recording paper (lla) by thermally transferring an image signal from ). Reference numeral (16) is a supporting lever provided on the moving unit (4) and serving as a recording medium holding means for supporting one end of the recording paper (lla).

Next, an enlarged view of the image sensor unit (6) is shown in FIG. 1B.

In the figure, code (17) is the document (2) on the document table (1).
The illuminated document image is reflected by the mirror (18a) and is reflected by the lens (18a).
9), the light is collected by a filter that separates it into color signals, that is, a color filter plate (20), and is separated into yellow, cyan, or magenta color signals, which enter the image sensor (21) and perform a reading operation. Complete.

Next, the operation of the reading/recording apparatus having such a configuration when applied to a color copying machine will be explained.

First, move the mobile unit (4) so that its right end is C-
Move it on the guide rail (5) to position C,
Stop the supporting lever (l6) in the open state.

Next, place the original (2) on the original table (1) and open/close the cover (3).
) close.

Next, when the copying operation is started by pressing the copy start button etc., a big up roller (12
) takes out the recording paper (lla) from the paper cassette (llb), and this recording paper (lla) is transferred to the thermal head (
13) and the platen roller (15), the thermal transfer ink sheet (14) is brought into pressure contact, and its tip is supported by the supporting lever (16). The thermal transfer ink sheet (14) is coated with sublimation ink layers of three colors, yellow, cyan, and magenta, which have the same spectral reflectance as the filter built into the image sensor unit (6). The leading edge position of the ink surface for the first color, for example yellow, is set in advance. Stepping motor (9
), pulleys (8a), (8b), and wire (7), the moving unit (4) starts moving from the position C-C in the direction of arrow b in the figure, and moves toward the image sensor unit (6).
) scans and moves along the document table (1).

Every time the moving unit (4) moves a predetermined distance, the image sensor unit (6) reads an image at a predetermined resolution in a line direction perpendicular to the direction of movement, and uses the built-in yellow color filter plate (20) to detect the color. The signals are separated to generate one line of yellow component image signals, which are stored in a page memory (not shown). By performing this operation until the image sensor unit (6) scans the length of the document (2), the image signal of the yellow component for the (1) screen is recorded in the page memory.

At this time, as the moving unit (4) moves in the direction of arrow b, the integrally formed holding lever (16) also moves, so that the leading edge of the recording paper (lla
) also moves together, and therefore, when one screen worth of reading is finished, the recording paper (ILa) has also moved one screen size.

Next, the stepping motor (9) is reversely rotated to return the moving unit (4) to the position C--C in FIG.

At this time, the platen roller (I5) is also rotated in the reverse direction, and the recording paper (lla) is also returned to its initial position. During this return operation, the yellow component image signal stored in the page memory is transferred line by line to the thermal head ( 13) to generate heat, and the yellow ink of the thermal transfer ink sheet (14) having the same spectral reflectance as the yellow component filter in the image sensor unit (6) is thermally transferred onto the recording paper (lla). A yellow image of is recorded on recording paper (lla).

Next, the thermal transfer ink sheet (14) is wound up so that the tip of the coated surface of the second color, for example magenta, is at the printing position of the thermal head (I3), and the color filter in the image sensor unit (6) is rolled up. After switching the plate (20) to magenta, one screen worth of magenta image is read and recorded in the same manner as the first color.

Next, the third color cyan image is similarly read and recorded for one screen.

Through the above operations, a full-color image is read and recorded, and a full-color image is formed on the recording paper (Ila).

After the recording operation is completed, the recording paper (lla}, is indicated by the dotted arrow C
The entire operation is completed.

In this way, since the supporting lever (16) that holds the leading edge of the recording paper (lla) is integrally formed with the image sensor unit (6), the driving means used for reading and recording, that is, the mechanical scanning At least a part of the mechanism is shared, and since the thermal transfer ink sheet (14) having the same spectral reflectance as the color filter plate (20) in the image sensor unit (6) is used, the read signal processing circuit and Even if at least a part of the recording signal processing circuit is omitted, faithful color reproduction is possible, and therefore the device can be made smaller and the number of parts can be reduced.

When reading and recording such full-color images, it is necessary to move the image sensor or the recording paper back and forth multiple times. Although the mechanism for this is complicated, a simple mechanism can be realized by the above-mentioned configuration.

In addition, since the image sensor (21) may be monochrome,
The device can be realized at a lower cost than the conventional method using a color image sensor.

In addition, since at least one side of the reciprocating movement of the moving unit (4) performs the reading operation and the other side performs the recording operation, the travel time is greater than when only one direction of movement is used for reading or recording. The time is cut in half and all operations can be performed at high speed. One line may be read and recorded immediately, and the reading and recording may be performed together by moving the moving unit (4) in one direction.

In the above embodiment, the image sensor unit (6) as a reading means and the supporting lever (16) as a recording medium holding means are integrally provided in the moving unit (4), but they are not necessarily integrally provided. There is no need to provide one; for example, even if the supporting lever (16) is attached to another part of the wire (7), the driving means can be shared.

Further, in the above embodiment, a color copying machine is shown as an example, but a monochrome copying machine may also use thermal transfer ink sheets that use not only black but also four or two colors of ink other than the three primary colors.

In addition, by performing pixel conversion on the read signal for one line when it enters the page memory, and by changing the paper conveyance speed by controlling the reverse rotation speed of the stepping mode, it is possible to arbitrarily enlarge or enlarge the recorded image. Reduction is possible.

Furthermore, although the description has been given only of a device that records the read image signal as it is, a transmission function like a facsimile may be added, and image processing functions such as edge enhancement and gradation correction may be added.

In particular, when applied to facsimile machines, only reading
Alternatively, only recording needs to work. In this case, if the image sensor unit (6) is operated without supporting the recording paper (lla) on the supporting lever (l6), the reader will not be able to read the image, and conversely, if the image sensor unit (6) is not operated and the recording paper (lla) is By supporting and moving the lla), only recording can be performed respectively.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which a stepping motor was used as the driving means, but in the reading/recording apparatus of the present invention, the reading image sensor unit y} (6) and the supporting lever (l6
) are integrally formed on the moving unit (4), so their movements are always synchronized, and it is also possible to use a DC induction motor or the like.

Furthermore, an image sensor unit (6
) was integrated with the recording medium holding means, but the fluorescent lamp (1
7) and the mirror (18a) may be integrated with the recording medium holding means, and the lens (19) serving as the light receiving section, the color filter plate (20), and the image sensor (21) may be fixed within the apparatus.

An example in this case is shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numbers (22a) and (22b) are mirrors, and the mirrors (8c) and (8d) move in the same direction as the moving unit (4) at a speed of 172 so as not to change the optical path length.
Move by.

In addition, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the ink sheet (14
) had the same spectral reflectance as the color filter plate (20) in the image sensor unit (6).
It goes without saying that the same effect can be obtained even if a color filter plate (20) having the same spectral reflectance as the ink sheet (14) is used.

Furthermore, reading has been explained only when an image sensor is used, but the line sensor can be used with a reduced optical system such as COD,
It may also be used as a contact line sensor.

Furthermore, although sublimation type or melt type thermal transfer recording is used in the recording section, an inkjet type or wire dot type can be used as well.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the reading means for generating image signals by reading an original image with a filter that separates color signals is replaced with ink having the same spectral reflectance as the filter in the reading means. A recording means that uses a sheet and records an image on a recording medium using an image signal generated by the reading means, and a drive means that holds a part of the recording medium during recording by the recording means and moves the reading means in a scanning manner. and a recording medium holding means for transporting the recording medium, a part of the mechanical scanning mechanism for reading and recording is shared, and a correction circuit for correcting image distortion is not required. This has the effect of making it possible to obtain a reading/recording device that can be made lower in price and smaller in size.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a reading/recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a diagram of the image sensor unit (
6), FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a reading/recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional reading/recording apparatus. In the figure, (1)...original table, (2)...original 1, (6
)...reading means (image sensor unit), (1
0)...Drive means, (lla)...Recording medium (recording paper), (13)...Recording means (thermal head), (
14) Ink sheet, (16) Recording medium holding means (supporting lever), (20) Filter for separating color signals (color filter plate), (2l) Image sensor. In each figure, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a reading means that is provided so as to be able to scan and move along the document table and that reads the document image on the document table using a filter that separates the document image into color signals to generate an image signal; and a reading device that scans and moves the reading device along the document table. a recording means that uses an ink sheet having the same spectral reflectance as the filter built in the reading means and records an image on a recording medium using an image signal generated by the reading means; A reading/recording apparatus comprising: recording medium holding means for holding a part of the recording medium and conveying the recording medium by being moved by the driving means.