JPH0266554A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the peeling off of a protecting film from an exposed image forming material and to improve image quality by cutting the forward or backward end in the advancing direction of the protecting film for the exposed image forming material on an exposing barrel, or the material itself, in the axial direction of the exposing barrel. CONSTITUTION:The device is provided with the cylindrical or semi-cylindrical exposing barrel 3 formed of light transmitting material, an exposing light source 1 arranged outside or inside the radial direction of the exposing barrel 3, and a transfer barrel 19 close to or joined with the exposing barrel 3. The device is provided with a means 15 cutting the forward or backward end in the advancing direction of the image forming material 7 in the axial direction of the exposing barrel. Moreover, the device includes protecting film peeling means 16 and 17 peeling off the protecting film 5 from the image forming material 7 cut by the cutting means. Thus, the protecting film 5 can be readily peeled off, thereby producing prepress proof, etc., continuously.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention enables image formation by monochromatic or multicolor superimposition by utilizing the difference in tackiness between exposed and unexposed areas of a photosensitive layer. The present invention further relates to an image forming apparatus capable of forming images suitable for color proofing, bristle proofing, and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that can easily peel off a protective film of an exposed image forming material on an exposure cylinder.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in the field of printing industry, bripress blues have been used as a means for checking the finish, color tone, etc. of final printed matter before printing. There are two types of bripress blueprints: an overlay method and a subprint method, each of which is used depending on the purpose of use.

In the overlay method, a photosensitive layer corresponding to each color separation (separation) image is provided on each transparent base film, an image is formed on each base film by irradiation with actinic rays and development, and then each base film is registered by visual inspection, etc. and overlap. This method has the disadvantage that the texture is significantly different from the actual printed matter because it is affected by the reflected light from each stacked film.

For example, the server printing method is described in US Pat. No. 3,060,023.
No. 3,060,024, and No. 3,060,025, a plurality of images formed on each photosensitive layer corresponding to each color separation image are sequentially transferred to a single image receptor. This is what forms the bripresbruch.

Each photosensitive layer may be colored in correspondence with each color separation image, or each transferred image may be colored with a disguise color toner.

The method disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,060,023, etc. is as follows:
This is a method in which a photosensitive layer and an image receptor are brought into close contact with each other in a two-dimensional manner under pressure, heated, and then peeled off.

In this method, in which the photosensitive layer and the image receptor are brought into close contact with each other under pressure in a plane and then peeled off, if the working conditions such as the speed and direction of peeling are not constant, the reproduction of the transferred image will become unstable.
Non-uniformity in the reflection density of the transferred image results in fine periodic patterns and even fine directional patterns, resulting in a significant decrease in the accuracy of color reproduction, etc.

JP-A No. 59-97140, JP-A No. 61-1885
No. 37 discloses a proofing method that is applicable to both the overlay method and the subprint method.

This proofing method uses a color sheet made by sequentially laminating a peeling layer, a colored photosensitive layer, and a protective film on a polyester support, and an image-receiving film made by laminating an image-receiving layer and a protective film on a polyester support. Then, the emulsion side of the color sheet and the halftone negative are brought into close contact, exposed to light to form an image, and the unexposed areas are eluted with a mixture of soda carbonate, butyl cellosolve, and water. After drying, it can be used as an overlay proofing method.

Since a developer is used, continuous processing is difficult.

When used as a sub-print proofing method, the ink image formed on the above color sheet is placed on the image-receiving film at a temperature of 110°C, a pressure of 2 bars, and a speed of 60°C.
The image is transferred to an image-receiving film at a speed of m/min. Next, registration is performed visually or by punching on this image-receiving film, and a cyan image is transferred. The above operation is repeated in the order of magenta and yellow to obtain a color image.

The obtained color image is transferred to an image receptor, which is a transfer target. To reduce the gloss of the transferred image, a matte film is applied to complete the proofing sheet.

In the above method, an original image layer formed on a film is laminated on the protective film side of the color sheet so that the original image layer is in contact with the protective film, and then exposed. After exposure, the protective film is peeled off and an image is formed by pressing onto an image receptor. Therefore, since the formed image becomes a reverse image, another transfer is necessary to obtain a normal image. In this case, since a protective film is interposed between the original image layer and the photosensitive layer, light diffusion occurs, making it difficult to obtain a highly accurate image. It is necessary to expose the film with the film side in contact with the protective film.

In this case, since the film having the original image layer and the protective film are interposed between the original image layer and the photosensitive layer, there is a drawback that light diffusion due to exposure increases and image quality deteriorates.

Simple proofing is also well known, in which an image forming material having a photosensitive layer is used and transferred by a letterpress proofing press. That is,
In this method, the image receptor is placed on the paper surface plate of the proof printing machine, the exposed color sheet is held on the impression cylinder, and the image is transferred while the impression cylinder rotates.

In any of the above methods, image exposure and transfer are
The image forming material and the original image are fixed and exposed using a resistor bin or the like on a table or the like, and then manually transferred from the table or the like to a transfer device.

In color proofing, image formation is performed repeatedly in four colors, and registration and phase alignment in the four colors are important for maintaining image quality. Conventionally, most of these registrations have been done visually or by drilling holes using a pin method using a film. These methods cannot be said to be fully applicable, especially when it is desired to form a color image in a short period of time. That is, it is difficult to perform continuous processing of each process such as exposure and transfer. In addition, when the image is transferred to the image receptor manually, the quality of the image formation depends on the experience and intuition of the operator, and it is not always possible to produce a good image.

The applicant of this application proposes Japanese Patent Application Shozutsu No. 63-164987 and Japanese Patent Application No. Shozutsu No. 63-16 to solve the problems of the prior art.
No. 4988, Japanese Patent Application No. 63-164989 proposed an image forming apparatus capable of forming images by superimposing monochrome or multicolor images by utilizing the difference in tackiness between exposed and unexposed areas of a photosensitive layer.

For example, the image forming apparatus proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 63-164987 has an exposure light source arranged inside an exposure cylinder made of a light-transmitting material in the radial direction, and an original image, a support,
This is an apparatus in which a photosensitive layer and a protective film are laminated in this order, and after image exposure from the exposure cylinder side, the protective film is peeled off, and then the photosensitive layer is pressed onto the image receptor held on the transfer cylinder using nip pressure.

According to the above-mentioned proposed device, it is possible to provide prepress proofs or small quantity printed matter with almost the same texture as the actual printed matter and excellent color reproduction accuracy in one transfer, and images that can be uniformly and easily exposed and transferred. A forming device is provided.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, even in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, in order to easily remove the protective film from the image forming material on which an image has been formed on the exposure cylinder, it is necessary to remove the image formation on the exposure cylinder. It was necessary to use specific materials and means for attaching the original picture, or to use a protective film with half cuts in advance. Furthermore, depending on the skill level of the protective film removal operation, wrinkles may appear in the photosensitive layer, resulting in a problem of deterioration of image quality.

The present invention solves the above problems and provides an image forming apparatus in which a protective film can be easily peeled off.

Further, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus that can continuously create a ``bristle brush'' and can easily peel off a protective film of an image forming material regardless of the skill level of the operator.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The image forming apparatus of the present invention comprises a support, a photosensitive layer formed on one surface of the support, and a protective film provided on the photosensitive layer side of the support. An apparatus for laminating an image forming material with an original image, exposing the image to light, and transferring a part or all of the unexposed area to an image receptor, wherein the apparatus is a cylindrical or A semi-cylindrical exposure cylinder, an exposure light source disposed radially inside or outside the exposure cylinder, a transfer cylinder close to or in contact with the exposure cylinder, and a protective film or image of the exposed image-forming material on the exposure cylinder. This apparatus is provided with means for cutting the image forming material in the axial direction of the exposure cylinder at the front end in the traveling direction of the image forming material, or near the front end and the rear end in the traveling direction.

The apparatus of the present invention is equipped with a protective film peeling means for removing the protective film of the image forming material cut by the cutting means to φ11w1.

As the image-forming material, various image-forming materials can be used, such as dry method materials that form images by peel development. A material for a dry process using peeling development is preferable because it is easy to operate and can be operated continuously.

As the light source for exposure, any light source such as a UV lamp may be used as long as it can cure the photosensitive layer corresponding to the non-image area.

The exposure cylinder is preferably made of a material that has excellent light transmittance and is stable against heat, such as glass or acrylic resin. The exposure cylinder may be either cylindrical or semi-cylindrical; if it is cylindrical, the exposure light source is installed radially inside the exposure cylinder, and if it is semi-cylindrical, it is installed radially inside or outside the exposure cylinder. .

It is preferable that the transfer cylinder is installed so that it can freely contact the exposure cylinder and adjust the nip pressure between the transfer cylinder and the exposure cylinder. The transfer cylinder may be coated with an elastic material such as rubber to facilitate the transfer of the image formed on the photosensitive layer of the imaging material held on the transfer cylinder to the image receptor.

The image forming material applying means installed on the exposure cylinder is provided with a large number of holes or grooves for vacuum means in the material applying area of the cylinder or a part thereof, for example, in the periphery of the material applying area, so as to suck the material. The material is fixed to the surface of the exposure cylinder, such as by means of fixing, means of fixing with double-sided adhesive tape, means of fixing with static electricity, means of fixing with multiple clamps along the axial direction of the exposure cylinder, etc. Any method can be used as long as it is possible. In addition, when a clamp or the like is used as an attachment means, the means is installed in a recess provided on the surface of the exposure cylinder, or a recess is provided in the part of the transfer cylinder that contacts the clamp, or a part of the transfer cylinder is cut out in the tangential direction. It is preferable to use a shape that does not damage the barrel surface. The application means also includes accurate positioning and registration of the image forming material on the exposure cylinder and the transfer cylinder.
In order to ensure proper phase alignment, it is preferable to also place a bin bar or the like together.

The image receptor holding means installed on the transfer cylinder includes a means for sucking and fixing the receptor by opening a large number of holes in the area for holding the image receptor, a means for fixing the receptor with double-sided adhesive tape or static electricity, a clamp, etc. Any means that can fix the receptor to the transfer cylinder may be used, but in order to ensure accurate registration such as positioning and phase alignment between the image forming material and the image receptor when producing color proofs etc., a bin bar or the like may be used. It is preferable to place them together. Alternatively, a plurality of small diameter rolls may be arranged near the outer circumferential surface of the transfer cylinder to bring the image receptor into close contact with the cylinder surface to prevent wrinkles and the like from occurring.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a common transfer cylinder having a radius larger than that of the exposure cylinder, and a plurality of exposure cylinders arranged around the common transfer cylinder,
It can also be applied to a device that transfers an image-exposed photosensitive layer on an exposure cylinder to an image receptor attached to the common transfer cylinder.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention applies the protective film of the exposed image forming material on the exposure plate or the image forming material near the front end in the traveling direction of the image forming material, or near the front end and near the rear end. This device is equipped with means for cutting the impression cylinder in the axial direction.

When the protective film is cut near its end, the protective film generally rises in the tangential direction of the exposure cylinder, making it easier to separate the protective film from the image forming material. In addition, by cutting the vicinity of the end of the protective film gripped by the attachment means of the exposure cylinder, for example, a gripping claw, and then moving the gripping claw toward the inside or outside of the press, the protective film can be removed. It is also possible to encourage the edges of the remaining portion to rise.

The means for cutting the protective film in the axial direction may cut along the axis of the exposure cylinder when the rotation of the exposure cylinder is stopped; The cutting direction may be inclined in accordance with the circumferential speed of the cylinder.

The cut portion of the protective film may be near the front end in the direction of travel of the image forming material, or near the front end and near the rear end. For example, if the image forming material applying means of the exposure cylinder is a gripping claw at both the front end and the rear end, the image forming material is cut near the front end and near the rear end. When the attachment means of the exposure cylinder is an adhesive tape for both the front end and the rear end of the image forming material, the protective film is cut within the area held by the adhesive tape. It is not necessary to cut the protective film near the trailing edge.9 The imaging material may be cut. For example, this is the case when the attachment means of the exposure cylinder has holes or the like over the entire attachment area of the image forming material and sucks it from the applicant.

In this case, the suction force is adjusted so that the suction force against the support is greater than the adhesive force between the protective film and the photosensitive layer.

In order to facilitate the separation of the protective film on the surface of the exposure cylinder, the material of the protective film and the support should be changed so that the adhesive force between the photosensitive layer and the protective film is weaker than the adhesive force between the photosensitive layer and the support. It is preferable to appropriately select the material of the photosensitive layer. A release treatment may be applied to the surface of the protective film.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention may further include a protective film peeling means for peeling off the protective film of the image forming area cut by the cutting means.

Peeling of the protective film depends on the type of attachment method used on the exposure cylinder, but
In some cases, this may cause wrinkles in the photosensitive layer on the support and reduce the image quality.6 The protective film stripping means is provided with a roll that can rotate freely and move back and forth along the circumference of the exposure cylinder. This is a device in which a cut protective film with raised ends is attached to the roll, and the roll is rotated to wind the protective film and move it along the circumference.

The protective film may be attached to the roll by attaching double-sided adhesive tape to the roll and bringing the roll into contact with the cut protective film.

Another method for removing the protective film is to set the rotation center eccentrically from the axis of the exposure cylinder on both sides of the exposure cylinder so that when the cylinder is swung, the tip approaches the circumferential surface of the exposure cylinder on one side of the swing. A swing arm is installed in the exposure cylinder, and the tip of the swing arm protrudes in the rotational direction of the exposure cylinder, and the protruding tip is inclined so that it is almost flush with the circumferential surface of the exposure cylinder when it comes into contact with the exposure cylinder. A bar extending in the axial direction may be provided, and a temporary adhesive means such as an adhesive tape may be attached to the tip of the bar on the exposure drum side. A cut protective film with raised ends is attached to the temporary adhesive means, and the swing arm is then swung in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the exposure cylinder to peel off the protective film. Further, the rotation center of the swing arm may be made to coincide with the fine rotation center, and in this case, a bar provided at the tip of the swing arm is installed so as to be able to rotate toward the circumferential surface of the exposure cylinder.

It is preferable that the protective film be peeled off at an acute angle to the surface of the protective film, and in order to control the peeling angle to be constant, a guide plate may be installed between the tip of the swing arm and the circumferential surface of the exposure cylinder.

Preferably, heating means is provided in the image receptor holding area of the transfer cylinder so that the image receptor can be heated to a suitable temperature. This is because it smoothes the transfer of the exposed photosensitive layer to the image receptor, improves the transfer speed, and improves the precision of reproducing fine images. The temperature of the barrel surface in the image receptor attachment area is 50 to 150°C, preferably 60°C.
~110°C.

If it is necessary to perform post-exposure to increase the film strength of the image transferred to the image receptor, a light source installed inside the exposure cylinder or a light source installed on the outside in the radial direction of the transfer cylinder may be used. Exposure may also be performed.

As the support, a material that is stable against heat, chemicals, light, etc. and transmits actinic rays is suitable. For example, cellulose acetate, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride,
Films or sheets made of polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyimide, polypropylene, etc. In particular, polyethylene terephthalate films or sheets are preferred because they have excellent transparency, thermal stability, and dimensional stability.

These supports may be used as they are, or may be subjected to mold release treatment with a suitable flexible material. Examples of the bowl oil-based material include silicone resins and fluororesins.

The photosensitive layer consists of (a) a photopolymerizable compound and a colorant, (b) a photopolymerizable compound, a thermoplastic resin, a colorant, etc., and further contains a photopolymerization initiator, a thermal polymerization inhibitor, etc. May be used together.

As the photopolymerizable compound, at least one selected from monomers, oligomers, and prepolymers is used.

Preferably, it is a compound that can plasticize a thermoplastic resin at room temperature.

As the thermoplastic resin (organic polymer binder), a thermoplastic, non-photopolymerizable polymer that has excellent compatibility with photopolymerizable compounds can be used.

As the dye and/or pigment to be contained in the photosensitive layer, conventionally known dyes and/or pigments can be used. in general,
Dyes and pigments having hues of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are desirable, and metal powders, white pigments, fluorescent pigments, etc. can also be used.

For color proofing, there are yellow, red, indigo, and ink, and pigments or dyes that match these hues can be selected and used.

The thickness of the photosensitive layer may be about 0.5 to 5 μm, and the appropriate coating amount varies depending on the dye and/or pigment contained, but is suitably 0.5 to Log/m 2 .

Examples of the protective film used in the present invention include polyethylene film, polyethylene terephthalate film, and acetate film. When the protective film is a polyethylene film, the mold releasability of the polyethylene film itself may be used, or a mold release agent such as fluororesin or silicone resin may be applied. It is preferable that the protective film be colored black or the like in order to prevent reflection of light from the exposure light source.

Image receptors used in the present invention include art paper, coated paper,
Any base material such as high-quality paper or film can be selected as appropriate.

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an image forming apparatus of the present invention, which includes an exposure light source, an exposure cylinder, a transfer cylinder, a cutting means, and a peeling means.

A UV lamp 1 is placed inside the exposure cylinder 3 in the radial direction, and the image forming material 7 and the original image 9 are stacked on the exposure cylinder 3 in this order from the outside, with the protective film (black sheet) 5 side facing out. do. A clamp 13 is provided on the surface of the exposure cylinder 3, and by this clamp.

The laminate 11 is brought into close contact with the surface of the exposure cylinder.

After image exposure, the exposure cylinder is rotated, the position of the image forming material is moved, and the protective film of the image forming material held by the clamp 13 is cut by the cutter 15 near the clamps at the front and rear ends in the rotational direction. Move in the direction and cut. When cutting the protective film while rotating the exposure cylinder, the cutter may be installed so that the direction of movement of the cutter is inclined from the axis of the exposure cylinder.

After cutting the protective film, the exposure cylinder is rotated, and the front end of the uncut protective film is attached to a bar with double-sided adhesive tape attached to the tip of a swing arm 16 installed with the center of rotation eccentric from the axis of the exposure cylinder. 17, the swing arm 16 moves to move the bar 17 in the direction of rotation of the exposure cylinder (clockwise in the figure) so that it comes into contact with the protective film, and then the bar is moved in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the exposure cylinder. Swing it counterclockwise (in the diagram) to separate the protective film. At this time, the exposure cylinder may be stopped, but it is preferable to peel off the protective film while rotating the exposure cylinder, since the protective film can be peeled off rapidly. It acts to control.

After peeling off the protective film 5, the exposure cylinder is rotated to introduce the image forming material 7 with the exposed photosensitive layer and the original image 9 into the nip formed by the exposure cylinder 3 and the transfer cylinder 19.

The transfer cylinder 19 has a shape in which a portion of the exposure cylinder that contacts the clamp 13 is partially cut off in the tangential direction, thereby eliminating contact between the clamp and the transfer cylinder at the nip. An image receptor 23 is held on the transfer cylinder with a double-sided adhesive tape 21. The image forming material with the photosensitive layer exposed on the surface is introduced into the nip formed between the exposure cylinder and the transfer cylinder by rotation of the exposure cylinder, and is pressed onto the image receptor 23, so that the photosensitive layer is formed on the image receptor 23. Transfer the image to an image receptor. It is preferable that the transfer cylinder is released from contact with the exposure cylinder after the transfer is completed.It is preferable that a heating means (not shown) is provided in the image receptor holding area of the transfer cylinder. It is rotated and the transferred image is post-exposed using a UV lamp inside the exposure cylinder.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a cutter showing an embodiment of the cutting means of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged plan view showing the operation of the cutter, and FIG. 4 is a front view of the cutter. The cutter base is fixed to the base 24 and the cutter base is attached to the base guide shaft 25.
Pulleys 27 and 29 are installed at both ends of the six pedestal guide shafts movably attached to the pedestal 26 which is slidably attached to the pedestal 26, a wire 31 is stretched across the pulleys, and the pedestal 26 is fixed to one of the wires. . By rotating the pulley 27 in the forward and reverse directions, the wire is reciprocated, and along with the reciprocation, the pedestal 26 is also reciprocated. As shown in FIG. 3, the cutter stand 24 is pivotally attached to the stand 26 by a shaft 33, and one end of a spring 35 is fixed to the cutter stand and the other end to the stand. As shown in FIG. 4, a holder 37 is installed on each side of the pulley 27, and the holder is installed so that when the pedestal 26 moves toward the pulley 27 or 29, the cutter stand 24 comes into contact with the holder 37. do.

The stand! When the cutter holder 26 moves toward the pulley 27, the cutter stand 24 comes into contact with the holder 37 and is pushed up by the holder, causing the cutter stand to rise, and this state is maintained by the spring 35. Next, the pedestal 26 is the pulley 29
When moved to the side, the cutter base comes into contact with the cutter base, and the cutter base is in a lying state, and this state is maintained by the spring.

By providing the cutting means as described above, it is possible to cut only the protective film of the image forming material or the image forming material. Further, the cutting edge of the cutter may be a rotating blade, and its shape can be arbitrarily selected.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily, quickly, and stably provide a color roof having the same quality as an actual printed matter, especially in the sub-printing method using printing paper.

The present invention is not only applicable to the overlay method, but also to printing in small print runs of several hundred copies.

According to the present invention, the quality of the obtained transferred image is good, a normal image can be obtained with one transfer, exposure and transfer (and post-exposure) can be performed continuously, and registration is easy. Therefore, a remarkable effect is achieved in that a stable image can be obtained without relying on the experience or intuition of a skilled person.

In image forming materials consisting of a support/photosensitive N/protective film, the protective film is often thicker than the support and has inferior light transmittance.

According to the present invention, since light is exposed from the support side, there is little diffusion or scattering of light, and therefore it is possible to provide a good prepress blue or printed matter.

According to the present invention, since the main components are a light-transmissive exposure cylinder and a transfer cylinder, only a small amount of space is required, and the structure of the apparatus is relatively simple.

According to the present invention, by providing the protective film or the image forming material cutting means near the impression cylinder, an apparatus is provided that can easily peel off the protective film without making a half cut in the protective film in advance.

According to the present invention, by providing a protective film peeling means in the vicinity of the impression cylinder, there is provided an apparatus that can prevent image quality from deteriorating due to the quality of the protective film peeling operation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an image forming apparatus of the present invention,
2 is a schematic plan view showing the cutting means of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged plan view of the cutting means, and FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of the cutting means. 1...UV lamp 3 Exposure cylinder 5...Protection H
7... Image forming material 9... Original picture 15 Cutter 16... Swing arm 17... One bar... Transfer cylinder 23... Image receptor Applicant Toyo Ink Mfg. Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image forming material consisting of a support, a photosensitive layer formed on one side of the support, and a protective film provided on the photosensitive layer side of the support is used as an original image. In an apparatus for imagewise exposure by laminating a cylindrical or semi-cylindrical exposure cylinder made of a light-transmissive material and for transferring part or all of the unexposed area to an image receptor, the exposure A light source for exposure disposed on the inside or outside of the cylinder in the radial direction, a transfer cylinder in close proximity to or in contact with the exposure cylinder, and a protective film of the exposed image-forming material on the exposure cylinder or a transfer cylinder for the image-forming material to be transferred to the image-forming material. An image forming apparatus characterized by comprising means for cutting the exposure cylinder in the axial direction near the front end in the direction of travel or near the front end and rear end in the direction of travel. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a protective film peeling means for peeling off the protective film of the image forming area cut by the cutting means. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the protective film peeling means is a roll that is rotatably movable in the circumferential direction of the exposure cylinder and can move forward and backward. 4. The protective film peeling means comprises a swing arm that swings forward and backward in the circumferential direction of the exposure cylinder, and a bar having protective film temporary adhesion means attached to the tip of the swing arm. Image forming device.