JPH03101725A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the jamming (stuffing with paper) and the damage of a mask original sheet by providing a mask original sheet ejecting direction deflecting device for inclining the leading edge of the mask original sheet in an ejecting direction so that it may be opposite to a guiding member. CONSTITUTION:The device is provided with a positioning device 31, an exposure device 41, housing parts 26 and 27 and a guiding member 22. And the device is provided with the mask original sheet ejecting direction deflecting device adjacent to the positioning device 31, for inclining the leading edges of the mask original sheets 15R, 15G and 15B in the ejecting direction so as to be opposite to the guiding member 22 at time of ejecting the mask original sheets 15R, 15G and 15B. Thus, the leading edges of the mask original sheets 15R, 15G and 15B do not abut on a correcting guide aperture in the mask original sheet housing parts 26 and 27, so that the jamming and the damage of the paper can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that uses a mask original as a photosensitive recording medium and performs color separation exposure to form an image.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, such an image forming apparatus includes a mask original conveying device 100 as shown in FIG.

The mask original transport device 100 includes a positioning unit 101
The positioning unit 101 has a conveyor belt 102 wrapped around two rollers. Conveyor belt 10
2 is a transparent endless belt.

According to the mask original transport device 100, the mask original 103R is guided to the positioning unit 101 by the gate after passing through the guide member.

After alignment with the photosensitive recording medium,
The exposure table rises and exposes the photosensitive recording medium and mask original plate 103R.
is brought into close contact with the conveyor belt 102 of the alignment unit 101, and then the lamp is turned on and exposure to red light is performed through the red filter. After the exposure is completed, the exposure table is lowered and the mask original 103R is sent upward through the circulation guide section 110 and guided to the storage section.

Below, the mask original plate 103 of green light and blue light is similarly shown.
G, 103B is transported by the mask original transport device,
It is aligned to a predetermined position by the alignment unit 101 and then exposed to light by each corresponding filter.

Through the above operations, a desired latent color image is recorded on the photosensitive recording medium.

Here, the side surface of the mask original is conveyed to the alignment unit 10t along the guide section.

That is, assuming that the side surface of the mask original is conveyed along the extension line of the guide part, the most advantageous position for alignment is set as the initial position, and after each alignment exposure, the mask original is initialized to the initial position and the mask original is ejected. It's paper.

The original mask 103 is transported as expected, but
When the guide side tip of the mask original 103 is conveyed to the outside (O side) of the guide line 112, the original is slid on the tapered part 111 of the guide member 113 to correct the direction (6th
figure).

On the contrary, when the guide side tip of the mask original 103 is conveyed to the inside of the guide line 112 (I side), 1
A pair of skew rollers 114 presses the paper so that it is conveyed along the guide member 113.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, according to the above-described conventional technology, the mask original 103 is conveyed to the outside of the guide line 112, and the guide-side tip of the mask original 103 is connected to the tapered portion of the guide member 113.
11 and guide it to the sliding guide part 113, the leading edge of the mask original 103 in the ejection direction may be damaged, and in high humidity, the paper stiffness of the mask original 103 becomes weak and paper jams occur. There is a problem.

The purpose of the present invention is to transport the mask original with its distal end in the direction opposite to the guide member (guide line).
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mask original conveying device that can bring the mask original into contact with the opening of a guide portion and prevent damage to the mask original and clogging of the mask original.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention, which has the above object, provides an alignment device that aligns a mask master with respect to a photosensitive recording medium, and an exposure device that performs color separation and exposes the photosensitive recording medium through the mask master after aligning the mask master. a storage section for temporarily storing the exposed mask original for reuse; and a guide member provided on one side of the storage section for guiding the mask original to a predetermined position within the storage section. In the image forming device equipped with the above, when the mask original is ejected adjacent to the positioning device, a mask original ejection direction deflection for tilting the ejection direction tip of the mask original in a direction opposite to the guide member; A device was installed.

[Effect]

The present invention having the above-mentioned object is provided with a mask original discharge direction deflecting device for tilting the tip of the mask original in the direction opposite to the guide member, so that the tip of the mask original in the discharge direction is aligned with the opening of the guide member. This prevents the mask original from jamming (paper clogging) and damage.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a monochrome laser printer 1 and a color image recording device 20 in a combined arrangement.

First, a monochrome laser printer 1 is mounted on top of a color image recording device. A polygon scanner 2 in a laser printer 1 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 IP sheet fed from a paper feed cassette 5, and fixed by a fixing device 6. Monochrome laser printers typically record data transmitted from a host computer.

The output from the laser printer 1 is output from the paper path switching unit 10 to the monochrome output tray l if a black and white image is required.
If a color image is required, the paper is sent to the paper discharge tray 11 and then taken into the color image recording device 20.

The distal end side of the paper output tray 11 is rotatable between the position shown by the solid line and the position shown by the chain line in FIG. The paper is taken into the color image recording device 20, and the three sheets of monochrome printed paper output from the laser printer l are used as the upper set of mask original plates 15 (15R, 15G, 15B) of the color image recording device 20. be done.

Next, the configuration of the color image recording device 20 will be explained.

That is, at the top of the main body of the color image recording device 20, a mask original conveying device 21 is located, in which an alignment device 31, a circulation guide 25, and two storage sections 26 and 27 located in parallel are connected in an annular manner. . A guide member 22 is provided at the entrance of the mask original transport device 21, and an ejection tray 12 of the monochrome laser printer 1 is provided above this guide member. The paper (mask original) outputted from is introduced into the mask original transport device ffi21. Further, a gate 23 is arranged in the mask original conveying device 21 below the guide member 22, and the mask original 15 that has been guided and conveyed by the guide member 22 is moved to the alignment device 31 side by the gate 23. Alternatively, the paper can be distributed to the paper discharge tray 30 side. Further, a gate 28 is arranged between the circulation guide 25 and the two storages N26 and 27, and the mask original l that has been guided and conveyed by the circulation guide 25 is passed through this gate 28.
5 is distributed to either the upper storage section 26 side or the lower storage section 27 side. On the other hand, the mask original 15 inserted from the manual feed tray 29 is guided into the mask original transport device 21 via the gate 28.

The alignment device 31 processes a belt 31a made of a transparent dielectric material (for example, polyethylene terephthalate: PET) into an endless shape, and stretches it between two rotating shafts 86a and 86b. It is configured. As shown in FIG. 3, at least one of the two shafts 86a
is rotationally driven by the first motor 87, and as the shaft 86a rotates, the belt 31a is driven to circulate in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. Further, a second motor 88 and a third motor 89 are connected to the alignment device 31 via links 90 and 91, while a link 92 is connected to the alignment device 31, and the links 90 and 91 are connected to the alignment device 31, respectively. motor 88,
89 in the direction of the arrow in FIG.
0. The degree of freedom of rotation of the links 91 and 92 allows for positioning or initialization such that the initial position is inclined with respect to the conveying direction of the mask original. That is, the second motor 88 and the third motor 89
By rotating in the direction of the arrow in the figure, the link 90
, links 91 move in the direction of the arrow, and the inclination of the alignment device 31 in the transport direction is adjusted by the movement of the links 90 and 91.

Here, the mask original discharge direction deflection device is operated by a first motor 88.
, the third motor 89, the link 90, the link 91, and the link 92, the direction in which the mask original 15 is ejected is tilted in the direction opposite to that of the guide member.

The surface of the belt 31a is charged by a charging device (for example, a corotron), not shown, and is adapted to attract the mask original 15 by electrostatic attraction. Further, a sensor 92 for alignment is provided near the belt 31a, and reads alignment marks printed at predetermined positions on the mask original plate 15 to set the mask original plate l5 at a predetermined position. It is configured as follows.

An exposure device 41 is arranged above the alignment device 31, and the exposure device 41 is movable along the alignment device 31 in the horizontal direction of AB in the figure. The exposure device 41 is a linear white light source (hereinafter simply referred to as a lamp).
42, a reflecting plate 43 that reflects light from the lamp 42, and a color separation filter 44 arranged to surround the lamp 42 and the reflecting plate 43, and consisting of a red filter 44R, a green filter 44G, and a blue filter 44B. ing.

The photosensitive recording medium 50 is, for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-14304.
The main material is a photocurable resin using a photopolymerization initiator known in Publication No. 4, and includes a photocurable resin that cures with light of each wavelength of red, green, and blue, and cyan, magenta, Microcapsules containing yellow dye precursors are coated on a base sheet. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is housed in a cartridge 51 so as not to be exposed to light. The photosensitive recording medium 50 pulled out from the cartridge 51 is placed between the belt 31a and the exposure table 52.
After passing between the fixed roller 56 and the slack remover 5
5. The image is taken up by the take-up roller 54 after passing through the movable guide 64, the pressure developing device 70, and the drive roller 57. When the exposure table 52 is exposed by the exposure device 41, the cam 5
3, thereby bringing the mask original 15 conveyed by the belt 31a into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. Further, the fixed roller 56 supports and fixes the exposed photosensitive recording medium 50 while the pressure developing device 70 performs a developing process. Furthermore, a slack removing device 55
This prevents the photosensitive recording medium 50 from sagging while the development process is performed in the pressure development device 70, and also prevents the drive roller 57 from sagging.
The photosensitive recording medium 50 can be fed at a constant speed.

The developer sheet 60 is constructed by coating a base paper with a developer described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-88739, and is placed in the cassette 61 so that the developer-coated surface faces downward. It is set. The developer sheets 60 are taken out one by one from the cassette 61 by a paper feed roller 62 that is intermittently driven by a drive source (not shown).
It is supplied to the pressure developing device i70. Then, the color developer sheet 60 is pressed by a pair of pressurizing ports 71 of the pressure developing device 70 while superimposed on the exposed photosensitive recording medium 50, whereby the photosensitive recording medium 50 is recorded by exposure. The latent image formed on the medium 50 is visualized on the developer sheet 60.

The heat fixing device 80 includes a heat roller 82 having a built-in heater 81.
, auxiliary roller 85, its heat roller 82 and auxiliary roller 85
It consists of an endless belt 84 installed between them and a presser roller 83 that is pressed against the heat roller 82 via the endless belt 84. Itto 6
0 is polished by the heat fixing device 80 and then discharged onto the paper discharge tray 63.

The operation of the device configured as described above will be explained next.

First, a mask original plate 15R for red color is created by the monochrome laser printer 1. This mask original version 15R is
In order to harden the microcapsules containing a cyan dye precursor among the microcapsules coated on the photosensitive recording medium 50, this is a mask original plate with toner as a light-shielding image placed on other parts.

At this time, the paper output tray 12 of the monochrome laser printer 1
is in the position shown by the solid line, and the mask original 15R is guided by the guide member 22 to the color image recording device 20.
The original mask is guided into the mask original conveying device 21 .

At this time, if the sensor of the alignment device 31 confirms that there is no other mask original 15 in the alignment device 31, the mask original 15R is conveyed to the alignment device 31 by the gate 23.

Next, the fixed roller 56 presses down the photosensitive recording medium 50,
As shown in the developed view of FIG. 4, the mask original 15R is initialized with its discharge side tilted slightly to the right with respect to the assumed line L along which it is assumed to be conveyed. After the mask original plate 15R is attracted to the belt 31a by electrostatic adsorption force and conveyed to the appropriate exposure position, the sensors read the alignment marks printed on the mask original plate 15R, and the motors 88, 89, and 87 Due to the drive source,
Align to the exact location. Further, the cam 53 is rotated by a predetermined angle by a drive source (not shown) to push the exposure table 52 upward, so that the photosensitive recording medium 50 comes into close contact with the belt 31a of the positioning device 31 while sandwiching the mask original 15R.

When the exposure table 52 comes into close contact with the alignment device 3■, the lamp 4
2 lights up, and the exposure device 4l performs scanning exposure in the eight directions of arrows in order to expose the photosensitive recording medium 50 with red light through the mask original 15R through the red filter 44R. When the exposure is finished, the lamp 42 lights up and the exposure device 4
1 moves back in the direction of arrow B. At this time, the filter cylinder 44 of the exposure device 41 is rotated by a drive source (not shown), and the green filter 44G is positioned directly below the lamp 42.

Here, in addition to the alignment mark, the mask master plate 5 is printed with a color-specific mark indicating what color the mask master plate 15 is a color separation mask master plate. Read with. In addition, the filter cylinder 44 includes three types of filters 44R, 44G, 4
It is equipped with a sensor that detects the origin of 4B, and reads the color-coded marks and each filter 44 of the exposure device 41.
If R, 44G, 44B do not correspond, the filter cylinder 44 rotates and the predetermined filters 44R, 44B are connected to each other.
It is compatible with 4G and 44B. Exposure device 4
1 moves back, the exposure table 52 is lowered by the rotation of the cam 53, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is aligned with the alignment device 31 and the mask original 15.1. Move away from R.

At this time, a pack tension is applied to the photosensitive recording medium 50 at the center of rotation of the roll of the photosensitive recording medium 50 in the cartridge 51, and when the exposure table 52 rises, the length corresponds to the amount of rise of the exposure table 52. is the storage cartridge 51
drawn out from within. Also, when the exposure is finished, the exposure table 52
When the photosensitive recording medium 50 is lowered, it is rewound in a direction to take up the slack of the photosensitive recording medium 50.

When the exposure by the red mask original 15R is completed and the lowering of the exposure table 52 is confirmed, the positioning device 31 is initialized, that is, the mask original 15R is transported by the mask original ejection direction deflection device. The sheet discharge side can be adjusted to be tilted slightly to the right with respect to the assumed line L.

Then, the electrostatically attracted mask original 15R returns to the state in which it was conveyed.

Next, the green mask original 15G created by the monochrome laser printer 1 passes through the guide member 22 and is then guided by the gate 23 to the alignment device 3{.

Similarly, the mask original 15G is electrostatically attracted to the belt 31a and conveyed, and at the same time, the mask original 15R is ejected from the alignment device 31 with a slight inclination to the left with respect to the direction of travel (as viewed from the toner surface), and is circulated. After passing through the guide section 25,
It is guided to the storage part 26 by the gate 28.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the storage section 26 is provided with a roller 9■ and a correction guide 92 for correcting the inclination of the mask original 15R on the right side with respect to the direction of movement of the mask original as seen from the toner surface. The state in which the mask original 15R is conveyed into the storage section 26 with an inclination to the left side of the correction guide is corrected by pressing the side surface of the mask original 15R against the correction guide 92 with a roller 91.

As in the case of the mask original L5R, after alignment is performed with respect to the photosensitive recording medium 50, the exposure table 52 is raised, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 and the mask original 15G are aligned with the alignment device 3.
After that, the lamp 42 is turned on and exposure to green light is performed through the green filter 44G. After the exposure, the exposure table 52 is lowered and the mask original 15G is moved to the circulation guide section. 25, and the gate 28 rotates to remove the mask original 1.
5G is guided to the storage section 27. As the exposure device 141 moves back to its original position, the filter cylinder 44 rotates, and the blue filter 44B is positioned directly below the lamp.

Similarly, the blue mask original plate 15B produced by the monochrome laser printer is transferred to the mask original plate conveying device 2.
1, and is aligned at a predetermined position by an alignment device 31. Thereafter, the exposure device 41 exposes the photosensitive recording medium 50 to blue light.

Through the above operations, a latent image of a desired color image is recorded on the photosensitive recording medium 50.

Incidentally, when it is desired to obtain a plurality of color images from the same mask original 15, in the mask original transport device 2l, the mask original 15R that has been waiting in the storage section 26 is guided again to the alignment device 31 through the gate 23, The same process as the exposure process for the first sheet is performed. The mask originals 15G and 15B are also guided one after another to the alignment device 3l using the storage sections 26 and 27 as soon as the exposure of the previous mask original 15 is completed. The mask original transport device 21 can thus repeatedly circulate the mask original 15 as many times as necessary.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The mask original discharge position was tilted so that the tip of the mask original on the guide member side could be conveyed inward from the guide member.
The tip of the mask original plate does not hit the correction guide opening in the mask original storage part, and paper clogging and damage to the paper can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an image forming apparatus having an alignment device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the alignment device, and FIG. 2(a) is a plan view. (b) is a side view, FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the alignment device, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the alignment device of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a side view of the alignment device of the prior art. 6 is a developed view of a conventional alignment device, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conventional alignment device. 1... Monochrome laser printer 2... Polygon scanner 3... Photoconductor 4... Developing device 5... Paper feed cassette 6... Fixing device 10... Paper path switching section 11... Monochrome paper discharge tray 12... paper discharge tray 2l... mask original transport device 23... gate 25... circulation guide (a)

Claims (1)

[Claims] A positioning device that aligns the mask master with respect to the photosensitive recording medium; an exposure device that performs color separation and exposes the mask master onto the photosensitive recording medium through the mask master after positioning the mask master; In the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus includes a storage section for temporarily storing the mask original for reuse, and a guide member provided on one side of the storage section for guiding the mask original to a predetermined position in the storage section. An image forming apparatus characterized in that a mask original discharge direction deflecting device is provided for tilting the leading end of the mask original in the direction opposite to the guide member when the mask original is discharged adjacent to the alignment device. Device.