JPH0256553A - Heat developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate image irregularity by providing a couple of endless press- contacting belts which clamp and convey a heat-developed photosensitive material and an image receiving material one over the other in the opposite gap of a press- contacting part and an endless press-contacting belt heating means and also providing an energizing means which bring a heating means and the endless press-contacting belt into mutual contact. CONSTITUTION:In the position gap of the press-contacting part 46 where the couple of endless press-contacting belts 42 and 44 abut on each other, the heat-developed photosensitive material 15 and image receiving material 32 are superposed, clamped, and conveyed one over the other. Further, the press-contacting part 46 is heated directly by heating means 60 and 62 and generated heat is conducted directly to the press- contacting belts 42 and 44. The heat-developed photosensitive material 16 and image receiving material 32 are clamped and conveyed by the press-contacting belts 42 and 44 continuously and securely and heated and pressed speedily and uniformly. In this case, the heating means 60 and 62 are provided with the energizing means 64 to press the heating means 60 and 62 against the press-contacting part 46 and also bring the press-contacting belts 42 and 44 of the press-contacting part 46 into mutual contact. Consequently, the image irregularity is eliminated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention involves superimposing a heat-developable photosensitive material and an image-receiving material, bonding them under heat and pressure, thermally developing the photothermographic material, and transferring a recorded image onto the image-receiving material. The present invention relates to a heat developing device that transfers an image to an image-receiving material.

[Prior Art] A heat developing device is known in which a photothermographic material on which an image has been exposed is superimposed on an image-receiving material, heat-developed, and the recorded image is transferred to the image-receiving material to obtain an image on the image-receiving material. ing.

In this type of heat developing device, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of pairs of rollers 90 that press against each other are arranged in a row, and a guide plate 92 is arranged between each pair of rollers 90. There is. The photothermographic material on which the image has been exposed is sandwiched and conveyed by each pair of rollers 90 in a superposed state with the image-receiving material.

A heater 94 formed in an arc shape is arranged outside each roller, and can heat each roller pair 90 to raise the temperature. For this reason, the heat-developable photosensitive materials carried on the cableway in a superimposed state are heated and thermally developed by each heated roller pair 90, and the recorded image is transferred to the image-receiving material, so that the image is formed on the image-receiving material. It is now possible to obtain it.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, because the conventional heat development apparatus is configured to be conveyed by sandwiching the photothermographic material with a pair of rollers arranged in a row, the heat-developable photosensitive material and the image-receiving material are repeatedly bonded under heat and pressure intermittently. As a result, the photothermographic material and the image-receiving material tend to separate between the rollers where no pressing force is applied, resulting in unevenness in the image transferred to the image-receiving material.

In addition, in order to prevent this, delicate adjustment of the dimensions, etc. of each roller and guide plate was required.

In consideration of the above facts, the present invention provides a heat developing device that can reliably sandwich and convey a photothermographic material and an image-receiving material, uniformly heat and press them together, and form a uniform, high-quality image on the image-receiving material. That is the purpose.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A heat development device according to the present invention superimposes a heat-developable photosensitive material and an image-receiving material, heat-presses them, thermally develops the heat-developable photo-sensitive material, and transfers a recorded image onto the image-receiving material. A heat development device that transfers an image onto an image-receiving material, and has a pressure-bonding section in which some parts contact each other, and a heat-developable photosensitive material and an image-receiving material are sandwiched and conveyed in an overlapping state in the opposing gap between the pressure-bond sections. A pair of endless crimping belts; and a heating means disposed inside the endless annular portion of the endless crimping belt to directly heat the endless crimping belt, the heating means having the heating means pressed against the crimping part. At the same time, a biasing means for bringing the pair of endless crimping belts of the crimping portion into close contact with each other is provided.

[Function] In the heat developing device configured as described above, parts of the pair of endless crimping belts come into contact with each other to form a crimping part, and the photothermographic material and the image-receiving material are overlapped in the opposing gap of this crimping part. It is held and conveyed by Therefore, the photothermographic material and the image-receiving material are continuously and reliably nipped and conveyed.

Furthermore, the crimped portion is directly heated by the heating means. Therefore, the heat generated by the heating means is directly transmitted to the endless crimping belt. Therefore, the heat-developable photosensitive material and the image-receiving material are continuously and reliably nipped and conveyed by the endless pressure belt, and heat is quickly and uniformly transferred to heat and press them, resulting in a uniform, high-quality image on the image-receiving material. It is formed.

In this case, since the heating means is provided with a biasing means, the heating means is pressed into contact with the crimping part and the pair of endless crimping belts of the crimping part are brought into close contact with each other, thereby further improving heat transfer and adhesion.

In addition, in the heat developing device according to the present invention, for example, US Pat. No. 4,430,415, US Pat.
No. 500626, No. 4503137, JP-A-59-
154445, JP 59-165054, JP 59-180548, JP 59-218443,
Japanese Patent Publication No. 120356/1983, Patent Application No. 20956/1983
No. 3, Patent Application No. 1983-79709, Patent Application No. 1983-169
585, Japanese Patent Application No. 60-244873, and the like can be used.

[Example] A heat developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 3 shows an image recording apparatus 10 to which a heat developing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

In the image recording apparatus 10, a magazine 14 is housed in a machine base 12, and a roll-shaped photothermographic material 16 is housed therein. The photothermographic material 16 is pulled out from its outer periphery, cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 18, and then wound around the outer periphery of a rotating drum 20. An exposure head 22 is disposed corresponding to the outer periphery of the rotating drum 20, and rotates the rotating drum 20 in the direction of arrow A to expose an image onto the wound photothermographic material 16.

The exposed heat-developable photosensitive material 16 is peeled off from the rotating drum 20 by a scraper 24 by reversing the rotating drum 20.
After water is applied as an image forming solvent in the water application section 26, the material is sent to a heat development transfer section 28, which is a heat development device.

On the other hand, the uppermost layer of the plurality of image receiving materials 32 accommodated in the tray 30 is sent to the thermal development transfer section 28 .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the thermal development transfer section 28,
Conveying rollers 34, 36 are arranged in pressure contact with each other at the entrance, and conveying rollers 38, 40 are arranged at the exit. A motor 35 is connected to the conveyance roller 34, which transmits driving force and receives rotational force.

An endless pressure belt 4 is attached to the conveyance roller 34 and the conveyance roller 38.
Further, an endless pressure belt 44 is wound around the conveyance roller 36 and the conveyance roller 40.

The lower part of the endless crimping belt 42 and the upper part of the endless crimping belt 44 form a crimping part 46 that abuts against each other, and the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 3 are separated in the gap between the crimping parts 460.
2 are sandwiched and conveyed in a superimposed state.

A tension spring 47 is connected to each of the thickening rollers 38, 40, and always urges each roller in a direction away from the conveying rollers 34, 36. This prevents the endless pressure belts 42, 44 wrapped around each roller from loosening.

Here, the endless crimping belt 42.44 has a small heat capacity h1 (less than IJ/g-) and a high thermal conductivity (3X10
In this example, a steel belt with a wall thickness of 0.5 mm, a heat capacity of 0.5 J/g, and a thermal conductivity of 15 to 50 W/m is used. has been done. Note that other materials satisfying the above conditions, such as a nickel belt, may be used.

Immediately above the endless crimping belt 42 located in the crimping part 46,
A heater 60 serving as crab heating means is placed in contact with the endless pressure bonding belt 42.

On the other hand, a heater 62 serving as a heating means is installed directly under the endless crimping belt 44 located in the crimping section 46 .
It is placed in contact with the

Further, a compression spring 64 serving as a biasing means is connected to each heater 60, 62, and biases the heaters in a direction toward each other. For this reason, the heater 60.6
The photothermographic material 16 and the image-receiving material 32, which are conveyed through the opposing gap (crimping part 46) of the endless pressure belts 42 and 44, are continuously and securely nipped and conveyed. At the same time, heat transfer is carried out via each endless crimping belt, and heat crimping is performed.

In this case, since the endless pressure belts 42 and 44 are made of a material with a small heat capacity and high thermal conductivity, the heat generated by the heaters 60 and 62 is quickly and uniformly transferred to the photothermographic material 16 and the image receiving material 32. It is designed to be transferred and heat-pressed.

A peeling means 48 is disposed downstream of the heat development transfer section 28 and removes the heat development photosensitive material 16 sent from the heat development transfer section 28 to a waste photosensitive material storage box 59 and the image receiving material 32 to a drying device 52. It is designed to be separated and sent out. After the image-receiving material 32 is dried in a drying device 52, it is delivered onto a take-out tray 54 formed at the top of the machine stand 12.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

When the photothermographic material 16 drawn out from the magazine 14 is cut by the cutter 18 and wound around the outer periphery of the rotating drum 20, the rotating drum 20 rotates at high speed and an image is exposed by the exposure head 22.

After exposure, the photothermographic material 16 is peeled off by a scraper 24, coated with water by a water coating section 26, and sent to a thermal development transfer section 28.

On the other hand, the image receiving material 32 in the tray 30 is sent from its top layer to the heat development transfer section 28 and brought into close contact with the heat development photosensitive material 16 .

The heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 after being brought into close contact with each other are conveyed while being held by an endless pressure-bonding belt 42 and an endless pressure-bonding belt 44 that are rotated by a motor 35 . In the process of nipping and conveying by the crimping unit 46, heat is transferred from the heaters 60, 62 to the photothermographic material 16 and the image receiving material 32 via the endless crimping belts, and the material is heated and crimped.
As a result, the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 is thermally developed, and the recorded image is transferred to the image-receiving material 32, thereby obtaining an image on the image-receiving material 32.

In this case, the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 are continuously and reliably sandwiched and pressure-bonded by the endless pressure-bonding belts 42 and 44, so that the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 do not peel off. A high-quality image without unevenness is formed on the image-receiving material 32.It is even more effective if the conveying rollers 34, 36 or 38, 40 are provided with meandering prevention means such as crowns.

Further, since the heaters 60 and 62 are biased toward each other by the compression spring 64, the heaters 60 and 62
．． 62 is in pressure contact with the endless crimping belt 42.44, and furthermore, the endless crimping belt 42.44 has a small heat capacity (it is made of a material with high thermal conductivity), so the heat-developable photosensitive material 16
The heat generated by the heaters 60 and 62 is quickly and uniformly transferred to the image receiving material 32 and heated. Therefore, the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 3, which are low-temperature bodies,
2 reaches the crimp portion 46 and the temperature decreases, the temperature is recovered to a predetermined temperature in a short time.

Furthermore, since the endless pressure belts 42, 44 are made of a material with a small heat capacity and high thermal conductivity (in other words, the temperature difference between the heater 60, 62, the photothermographic material 16, and the image receiving material 32 is small, and the temperature When the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 are heated to a predetermined temperature and maintained at this predetermined temperature, the temperature of the heater 60, 62 itself is kept at this predetermined temperature. It can be set to approximate the temperature, making it easy to perform highly accurate temperature control. Furthermore, if a temperature sensor is used only for the heaters 60 and 62, this temperature control becomes possible and costs can be reduced.

Furthermore, since the endless crimping belts 42 and 44 are made of a material with a small heat capacity and high thermal conductivity, the heater 6 is always
There is no need to keep the heater 60.6'2 in operation (it only needs to be activated when the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 32 are transported), and therefore the heater 60.6'2 itself or the endless crimping belt 42 .44 and the service life of the conveyor rollers will be extended.

After the transfer, the photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 are separated by a peeling means 48, and the photo-sensitive material 16 is transferred to a waste photo-sensitive material storage box 50, and the image-receiving material 32 is transferred by a reversing roller 56 to an approximately right angle direction (upward in FIG. 3). It is inverted and taken out to a takeout tray 54 via a drying device 52.

Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be described. Note that parts that are basically the same as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment, and their explanations are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, a heat development transfer section 8 serving as a heat development device
0, auxiliary rollers 82, 84 are arranged above the transport roller 34 and below the transport roller 36, respectively, and the endless pressure belts 42, 44 are connected to the auxiliary rollers 82, 84, respectively.
It is configured so that it can also be wrapped around 2.84.

Also in this case, the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 3
2 is continuously and reliably nipped and conveyed by the endless pressure belts 42 and 44, heat is transferred quickly and uniformly, and the image receiving material 2 is heated and pressure-bonded, so that an even and high-quality image is formed on the image-receiving material 32.

Furthermore, the endless pressure tube belt 4 is located at the entrance of the thermal development transfer section 80, that is, between the conveyance roller 34 and the auxiliary roller 82.
2, and the endless pressure belt 44 between the conveyance roller 36 and the auxiliary roller 84 are open at a large angle, so that the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 32 are overlapped and the endless pressure belt 44 is placed between each endless pressure belt. This makes it easy and reliable to guide the person to the destination.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the conveyance roller 34 and the conveyance roller 36 are omitted, and the heater 60 and
2 may be formed into a circular arc shape, and the endless crimping belts 42 and 44 may be wound around this.

In each of the above embodiments, the endless crimping belt 42.
Although the configuration is such that the motor 35 for driving 44 is connected to the conveyance roller 34, the configuration is not limited to this, and the configuration may be such that it is connected to another conveyance roller, and furthermore, the driving force may be transmitted by gears, belts, chains, etc. It may also be a configuration.

Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the endless crimping belt 42.4
Although the tension spring 47 for preventing loosening of No. 4 is connected to the conveyance rollers 38 and 40, the present invention is not limited to this, and the tension spring 47 may be connected to another conveyance roller.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the heat development device according to the present invention reliably nip and convey the photothermographic material and the image-receiving material, uniformly heat and press them together, and form an even and high-quality image on the image-receiving material. It has the excellent effect of being able to

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a heat development transfer section according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the heat development transfer section, and FIG. 3 is an image recording to which this heat development transfer section is applied. 4 is a sectional view showing the heat development transfer section according to the second embodiment; FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a modification of the heat development transfer section according to the second embodiment; FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the apparatus; 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional heat developing device. 10. 16. 28. 32. 34. 42. 60. 64. 80. ... image recording device, ... photothermographic material, ... thermal development transfer section, ... image receiving material, 36.38.40 ... conveyance roller, 44 ... endless pressure belt, 62. ...heater, ...pressure spring, ...thermal development transfer section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A heat development device that overlaps a heat-developable photosensitive material and an image-receiving material, heat-presses them, heat-develops the photothermally-developable material, and transfers a recorded image to the image-receiving material to obtain an image on the image-receiving material, a pair of endless crimping belts, each of which has a crimping section in which a portion of the belt contacts each other, and which pinches and conveys a photothermographic material and an image-receiving material in an overlapping state in the opposing gap between the crimping sections;
heating means disposed inside the endless annular portion of the endless crimping belt and directly heating the endless crimping belt; A heat developing device characterized by being provided with biasing means for bringing pressure belts into close contact with each other.