JPH03142258A - Color scanning/exposure apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a high-speed color scanning/exposure apparatus at low cost which is capable of color scanning/exposing with a single light source and an optical modulator by providing a filter driving means for switching an optical filter in synchronization with scanning and a scanning means for linearly scanning the light projected from the light source onto a part to be scanned. CONSTITUTION:A motor 10 is provided at the center of a filter unit 4. This motor is rotated in synchronization with a synchronous signal enclosed within a modulating signal. Therefore, the light is turned to a light of only the color components corresponding to an incident light filter, permitting to pass through the filter unit 4. A rotary polygon mirror 5 is rotated at a constant angular velocity in a direction of an arrow, and the light passing through the filter unit 4 is polarized in a range of predetermined angles and reflected to an ftheta lens 6. The ftheta lens 6 converges the parallel luminous flux polarized at a constant angular velocity to a very small spot 8 moving at a constant linear velocity on a photosensitive and pressure-sensitive sheet 7. Since the optical filter is selected and driven in synchronous manner with the rotation of a scanning means, various kinds of photosensitive substances can be exposed and scanned by a single light source and a single optical modulator.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a scanning device for recording a color image using a photosensitive sheet corresponding to one color.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, an LVT exposure apparatus is known as an apparatus as described above. This device has the following configuration.

First, light beams of different colors are outputted from a plurality of light emitting sources that emit light in the wavelength range sensitive to each dye on the photosensitive sheet. An optical shutter is provided in the optical path of each light beam, and each optical shutter can be independently controlled. After passing through the optical shutter, these light beams are superimposed to form -1 light beam. This light beam is reflected by a rotating polygon mirror and scanned over the photosensitive sheet.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, this method requires multiple light sources and multiple optical shutters, as well as optical components for synthesizing the light, making it extremely expensive. was.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost, high-speed color scanning exposure apparatus.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a light source that emits light including a plurality of wavelength ranges, and a method for selecting light of a predetermined wavelength from among the light emitted from the light source. A plurality of filters, filter driving means for switching the optical filters in synchronization with scanning, and scanning means for linearly scanning the light emitted from the light source onto the scanned part. do.

[Operation] According to the present invention having the above configuration, the optical filter is selectively driven in synchronization with the rotation of the scanning means, so that multiple types of photosensitive materials can be processed using only one light source and one optical modulator. The exposure can be scanned.

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a color scanning exposure apparatus of the present invention. This device includes a white light source 1, a collimating lens 2, a modulator 3, a filter set 4, a rotating polygon mirror 5, and a
It consists of a θ lens 6 and a photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet 7.

The light emitted from the so-called white light containing red, green, and blue color components [1 passes through the pinhole 9 and is condensed into a substantially parallel destination by the collimating lens 2. Furthermore, the light guided to the modulator 3 is divided into red, green, and
The light is intensity-modulated according to each blue color component and enters the filter set 4.

This filter set 4 has a disk shape and is divided into three parts in a fan shape, each having a red filter 4R, a green filter 4G, and a blue filter 4B that transmit only red, green, and blue color components. A motor 10 is attached to the center of this filter set. This motor rotates in synchronization with a synchronization signal included in a modulation signal, which will be described later. Therefore, only the color components corresponding to the incident light filter become light and are transmitted.

The rotating polygon mirror 5 is rotating at a constant angular velocity in the direction of the arrow.

Therefore, the light transmitted through the filter set 4 is deflected within a certain angle range, reflected, and guided to the fθ lens 6. This fθ lens 6 converges the parallel light beam deflected at a constant angular velocity onto a minute spot 8 moving at a constant linear velocity on the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet 7 .

The light source 1 is, for example, a metal halide lamp. Second
The figure shows the spectral energy distribution. That is, it is a white light source that uniformly emits visible light from 400 nm to 700 nm.

The modulator 3 used as a light intensity modulator uses PLZT using an electro-optic effect. The modulation signal is a time-division signal in which image signals corresponding to red, green, and blue components on one scanning line are consecutively arranged.

This repeats to form an image signal for one screen.

The filter set 4 is shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b).

Filter 4R having the spectral transmittance characteristic represented by (c)
・Consists of 4G and 4B. This rotates around the center of the disk in synchronization with the red, green, and blue components of the modulation signal. This rotation speed is set to advance 120 @ during one scan,
Insert the filters into the optical path in the order of 4R, 4G, and 4B. Therefore, when the modulation signal is a red component, only the red color component is transmitted.Similarly, when the modulation signal is a green component, only the green color component is transmitted, and when the modulation signal is a blue component, only the blue color component is transmitted. become.

The photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 7 is similar to the photosensitive sheet known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-88739 or 58-88740. For example, its configuration is as follows.

(1) Dye precursors for each color of yellow, magenta, and cyan, and photocurable resins that are sensitive to light in specific wavelength ranges, are individually encapsulated in an outer shell that is immersed in pressure above a certain value. 3g of microcapsules and color developer particles that cause a coloring reaction with each dye precursor are randomly coated on the same sheet (so-called self-coloring photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet).

(2) A type that consists of a photosensitive sheet coated with a mixture of the three types of microcapsules mentioned above and another color developer sheet coated with a color developer, and in which both sheets are overlapped and developed under pressure (so-called separate type). photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet).

In this embodiment, a photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet of any of the methods (1) and (2) above can be used, and a type of photosensitive sheet that undergoes wet development after exposure may also be used. FIG. 4 shows the spectral sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet in this example. As shown in the figure, the blue color has a peak sensitivity around 450 nm, the green color has a peak sensitivity around 550 nm, and the red color has a peak sensitivity around 650 nm.

In addition, in the description so far, the following modification examples are included in the spirit of the present invention.

(a) The spectral energy distribution of the light source and the spectral sensitivity of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet are changed to other characteristics.

(b) A rotating polygon mirror is used as a deflection element in a galvanometer mirror, a hologram scanner, etc., and is also deflected in the sub-scanning direction in the same way as above.

(c) In the first embodiment, the light intensity modulator is not limited to an electro-optic modulator, but may also be an acousto-optic modulator, a liquid crystal shutter, or the like having the same effect.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the present invention, color scanning exposure is possible using a single light source and a single light modulator, which significantly reduces costs. It becomes possible to dedicate it to

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 show embodiments embodying the present invention, FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the spectral energy distribution of the metal halide lamp, Figure 3 is a characteristic diagram representing the spectral transmittance of the filter used in this example, and Figure 4 is a characteristic diagram showing the spectral sensitivity of the photosensitive sheet used in this example. be. In the figure, 1 is a light source, 4 is a filter set, 5 is a polygon mirror, and 10 is a motor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light source (1) that emits light including a plurality of wavelength ranges, and a plurality of optical filters ( 4), an optical filter driving means (10) for switching the optical filter (4) in synchronization with scanning, and a rotating scanning means for linearly scanning the light emitted from the light source (1) onto the scanned part. (5) A color scanning exposure device characterized by having the following.