JPH02300738A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform alignment of high precision in a short time by always applying tensile forces pulling against each other to the exposure area of a carrying belt from its entrance and exit. CONSTITUTION:Plural mask negatives 22 are stuck to a carrying belt 35 and are carried one by one by a static electricity generator 36. This carrying belt 35 is moved by rotation of a roll 43a on the upstream side, and the driving force to rotate and energize a roll 43 on the downstream side is energized at a speed lower than the movement speed of the carrying belt 35. This is, the roll 43b on the downstream side is energized to rotate in the same direction as the roll 43a above at the speed lower than that of this roll 43a or is energized to rotate the direction opposite to that of the roll 43a on the upstrean-side. Consequently, a prescribed tension is applied to the carrying belt 35 and this belt 35 is stretched without slacking, and stuck mask negatives 22 do not slack. Thus, play of backlash of gears in belt feed relations or the like is cancelled to perform alignment of high precision in a short time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus using a mask original.

[Prior Art @1 Conventionally, as this type of image recording apparatus, an apparatus shown in the specification and drawings of Japanese Patent Application No. 1983-256000 filed by the present applicant has been proposed.

In this device, mask originals corresponding to the three primary colors output from a monochrome printer section are stretched between two rollers, and are affixed to the exposure position by electrostatic force on a conveyor belt charged by a charging means. After being conveyed and aligned, the light and pressure sensitive recording medium is closely exposed to light, thereby forming a color latent image on the light and pressure sensitive recording medium. Furthermore, a color image is formed on the color developer sheet by combining the color developer sheet with the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium and applying pressure using a pressure developing device.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-mentioned apparatus, the conveyor belt is only fed by driving a roller on the mask original exit side by a motor.

In this case, there may be backlash in the reduction gear, or during reverse feed for alignment, the conveyor belt on the side carrying the mask original may become slack because even if the rollers on the entrance side are configured to be light, they become a load. As a result, the feeding of the conveyor belt became unstable, and it took a long time to perform highly accurate alignment.

Furthermore, since the conveyor belt is charged with a charge by the charging means, the conveyor belt is electrostatically attracted to the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium, and especially at low temperatures, the conveyor belt sometimes rubs against each other, causing the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium to If the image was scratched, the image quality would drop significantly. To prevent this, adjusting the tension of the conveyor belt that is stretched across the rollers would require a considerable increase in tension, and the roller bearings would require an extremely large drive torque due to frictional forces at the parts. becomes. This results in a number of drawbacks, such as the motor used being larger in size, higher in cost, and higher in power consumption.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to improve
At each time of reverse feeding, a relatively attractive tension is always applied to the exposure area of the conveyor belt from both the entrance and exit directions, thereby eliminating play such as backlash of the gears of the driving means, and ensuring that the mask original is not exposed even during reverse feeding. To provide an image recording device in which a conveyor belt on the side carrying the image does not loosen, that is, highly accurate positioning can be performed in a short time, and the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium is not damaged even without using an expensive and large motor. There is a particular thing.

[Means for Solving the Problems 1] In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a transport system that transports a plurality of mask originals, each of which is realized by dividing color image information into predetermined colors, to an exposure position one by one. An image recording apparatus comprising means for forming an image by exposing the same photosensitive recording medium through the mask original each time the mask original is transported to an exposure position by the transport means, the fine transport means has two rollers that are pivotally supported in parallel and an endless conveyor belt that is placed between the two rollers and is capable of supporting the mask original, and a position on the conveyor belt that supports the mask original. The rotational driving force of the roller on the downstream side in the moving direction of is set to be stronger than the rotational driving force of the roller on the upstream side.

[Operation] In the present invention having the above configuration, the plurality of mask originals are conveyed one by one while being attached to the conveyor belt. This conveyor belt is moved by the rotation of the rollers on the second-stream side. On the other hand, the driving force that urges the downstream roller to rotate is
It is activated at a speed relatively slower than the moving speed of the conveyor belt. That is, the downstream roller is biased to rotate in the same direction at a slower speed than the upstream roller, or biased in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the upstream roller. Therefore, a predetermined tension is applied to the conveyor belt. In other words, the conveyor bell 1 is stretched without loosening, and the attached mask original also does not loosen. The photosensitive recording medium is exposed to light through the mask originals that are sequentially conveyed in this manner, and an image is formed.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a monochrome printer and a color image recording apparatus according to the present invention in a combined arrangement. In FIG. 1, a monochrome laser printer 1 is arranged as an example. The polygon scanner 2 draws an electrostatic latent image by irradiating a charged photoreceptor 3 with laser light. The photoreceptor 3 on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed is developed by a developing device 4, and the toner image is transferred onto plain paper or OHP sheet 2 supplied from a feeding cassette 5, and fixed by a fixing device 6. Typically, the monochrome laser printer 1 records data transmitted from a host computer. The color image recording apparatus 20 according to the present invention is an apparatus that records an image using a mask original created from color image information. The configuration of this apparatus is such that when normal black and white image output is required, a sheet of paper with a fixed black and white image outputted from a monochrome laser printer 1 is sent to a monochrome paper output tray 11 or 12.

On the other hand, this color image recording device 20 includes mask originals 22R and 22G output from the monochrome laser printer 1,
22B (hereinafter referred to as intermediate sheet 22) to the exposure unit 36 of this apparatus, which switches the approach path, and a transparent intermediate sheet conveying belt 35 (hereinafter simply referred to as intermediate sheet 22) that conveys and positions the intermediate sheet 22. a roller 43a on the entrance side and a roller 431 on the exit side for tensioning and driving the belt 35], a static electricity generator 38 for pasting the intermediate sheet 22 on the belt 35, and a photosensitive material for the intermediate sheet 22. An exposure table 25 that is brought into close contact with the pressure-sensitive paper 24, and three primary color light sources 21R and 21 for exposure.
G, 21.8, and a storage section that stores a color developer sheet 26 coated with a color developer that develops color by reacting with the dye precursor contained in the microcapsules coated on the surface of the photosensitive and pressure sensitive paper 24. 27, a pressure developing means 28 for stacking the color developer sheet and the photosensitive pressure sensitive paper 24 and crushing uncured microcapsules under pressure to develop an image on the color developer sheet 26, and a heat fixing device for promoting color development. 29 and color image output tray 3
0 and a manual feed tray 31 for feeding intermediate sheets from the outside.
, an intermediate sheet discharge tray 32 for discharging the exposed intermediate sheet 22, and a manual feed tray 33 for color developer sheets.

Next, the detailed configuration of the exposure unit 36 related to positioning and exposure of the intermediate sheet will be explained with reference to FIG. 2. The exposure unit 36 includes a sensor ring 39 fixed to the exposure unit, a reflective optical sensor 39a that is held by the sensor ring and reads a positioning mark in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the intermediate sheet 22, and Sensors 39b and 39c, which are reflective optical sensors that read positioning marks in the feeding direction of the input-side belt feeding motor 41a, which is connected to the exit-side belt feeding motor 41b, which is connected by a gear to the exit-side belt feeding motor 41a, and the belt roller support unit 4.
Two belt-based moving motors 42a and 42b are provided for independently moving the sheet 0 in a direction perpendicular to the intermediate sheet feeding direction.

Further, the intermediate sheet 22 will be explained with reference to FIG. 3. On the lower surface of the leading end of the intermediate sheet 22 in the feeding direction, a positioning mark 44 having a substantially T-shape is printed for the sensors 39a, 39b, and 39c to read. ing. When a reflective optical sensor was used as the reading sensor as in this embodiment, reading was performed well when the line width of the positioning mark 44 was 5+nf white or more.

Next, I will explain the effect of color mode. In the color mode, the intermediate sheet 22R created by the monochrome laser printer 1 passes through the intermediate sheet path switching section 10, and the intermediate sheet leading edge position is determined by the intermediate sheet leading edge positioning roller 34. The intermediate sheet) 22R uses a static electricity generating device 38 such as a core (a) a) to generate static electricity on a transparent insulating intermediate sheet transport belt 35 made of polyethylene terephthalate, etc., which is routed around the intermediate sheet to transport the sheet. 2431]
The film is transported into the exposure unit 36 by being driven while being controlled by the microcomputer 50 so that the peripheral speed of the roller 43a is faster than that of the roller 43a on the entrance side. At this time, a higher tension than usual is applied to the lower side of the belt 35 due to the difference in circumferential speed between the rollers 43a and 43b, and the belt 35 does not rub against the photosensitive pressure sensitive paper 24 even though static electricity is used. On the other hand, the tension on the upper side of the belt 35 is weakened, reducing the force applied to the unillustrated bearings of the rollers 43a and 43b. After the positioning mark 44 is detected by one of the sensors 39b and 39c, the outputs of the sensors 39a, 39b, and 39c are calculated by, for example, a microcomputer 50, and the inlet side belt is adjusted based on the results. feed motor 41
a, the belt 35 and the belt roller support unit 40 themselves move by controlling the output side belt feeding motor 41b and the belt system movement motors 42a and 42b. In other words, the forward feeding direction of the intermediate sheet 22 is reversely fed in the same way as when the intermediate sheet 22 is conveyed by the feeding of the input side belt feeding motor 41a and the output side belt feeding motor 41b which feeds at a higher speed. Inlet side belt feed motor 4ja
The reverse feeding direction of the intermediate sheet 22 is corrected by cooperation with the belt feeding motor 411 on the exit side which feeds the intermediate sheet 22 backward at a lower speed. In addition, belt system moving motors 42a, 42b
By sending the same amount in the same direction, the direction perpendicular to it is corrected. Furthermore, the inclination is corrected by the difference in relative feed between the belt-based moving motors 42a and 42b. Note that even if the belt 35 does not need to move in the feeding direction during the positioning operation, the input side belt feeding motor 41a continues to apply force in the reverse feeding direction, and the exit side belt feeding roller 241b continues to apply force in the forward feeding direction. microcomputer 5
0 continues to control, the tension on the lower side of the belt 35 will not loosen, and in other words, backlash and other backlash of gears related to belt feeding will be substantially canceled, and the positioning operation will be stable. . As a result, the positioning mark 44 of the intermediate sheet 22R and its image are aligned to a very specific position in a very short time. In the exposure unit 36, the intermediate sheet (22R) is exposed by the exposure table 25.
A latent image corresponding to the intermediate sheet 22R is formed by bringing the photosensitive and pressure sensitive paper 24 into close contact with each other and exposing it to light from the light source 21R. The microcomputer 50 continues to control each motor so that the intermediate sheet 22R does not shift even until the intermediate sheet 22R and the photosensitive pressure sensitive paper 24 are brought into close contact with each other. After exposure, the intermediate sheet 22R is
=m~ is discharged to the paper tray 32. The same process is performed for the intermediate sheets 22G and 22B, thereby forming a color latent image on the photosensitive pressure sensitive paper 24. The exposed photosensitive pressure sensitive paper 24 is superimposed on a color developer sheet 26 and developed by a pressure developing means 28. The color developer sheet 26 is then discharged to a color paper tray 30 via a heat fixing device 29. The used photosensitive and pressure sensitive paper 24 that has been subjected to pressure development is wound up by a winding hand y, 37.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments detailed above, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

For example, the monochrome laser printer 1 is not limited to a laser printer, and may be any type of printer capable of producing RGB three-color separation documents, such as an LED printer, a liquid crystal printer, or a geothermal transfer printer.

In addition, if you have a desk type printer, you can stack it on the top of this color image recording device and perform tonking, and if you have a larger printer, you can load the created 3-color document onto the manual feed tray.
A color image can be easily obtained by feeding the image from 1 to this device.

Alternatively, in this embodiment, the belt roller support unit 40
Belt system moving motors 42a, 421+ and light source 21R
, 21G, 21B, etc., but this is not necessarily the case; for example, belt-based moving motors 42a, 42b are attached.
may be attached to the exposure unit 36 and placed on the belt roller support unit 40 so as to be pushed by a cam or a link arm.

Alternatively, the intermediate sheet conveyance belt 35 does not need to be endless as in this embodiment, and may be a scroll-shaped belt, for example.

Alternatively, in this embodiment, although the microcomputer 50 is applied as an example of the control means, this is not necessarily the case, and the control means may be configured using electronic circuit hardware, for example.

Alternatively, the microcomputer 50 that feeds the belt 35 during positioning may control the inlet side belt feed motor 41a and the exit side belt feed motor 411] so as to apply tension to the lower side of the belt 35. For example, during reverse feed, The inlet side belt feed motor 41a rotates in the reverse feed direction with normal torque, but the outlet side belt feed motor 41b may be controlled to rotate in the forward feed direction with weak torque.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the present invention, it is possible to substantially eliminate the play of backlash in the gears of the drive system that rotates the conveyor belt, so that highly accurate positioning can be achieved. The alignment can be done in a short time, that is, high quality printing can be obtained in a short time.

Furthermore, since damage to the photosensitive recording medium can be prevented even at low temperatures without using an expensive and large motor, cost reduction and size reduction can be achieved at the same time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 4 show embodiments embodying the present invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a color image recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a -1- notation. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the exposure unit of the color image recording device, and FIG.
- FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a printing surface of a mask original used in the color image recording apparatus described above, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram. In the figure, 22 is a mask original, 35 is a conveyor belt, 43a,
43b is a robe. Patent applicant Yoshihiro Yasui, President and Director of Brother Industries, Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A transport means for transporting a plurality of mask originals, each of which is realized by dividing color image information into predetermined colors, to an exposure position one by one; An image recording apparatus that exposes the same photosensitive recording medium to form an image through the mask master each time it is conveyed to an exposure position, the conveyance means comprising two rollers supported in parallel and , an endless conveyor belt that is stretched between the two rollers and is capable of supporting the mask master, and a rotating driving force of the roller on the downstream side in the moving direction of the side that supports the mask master in the conveyor belt. is set to be stronger than the rotational driving force of the upstream roller.