JPH03198038A - Copying machine having plural optical systems - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily switch exposure from different originals and to prevent the deviation of an optical axis from occurring by arranging the originals so that an angle made by the first optical axis with the first original and an angle made by the first optical axis with the photosensitive material of an exposure part become identical and an angle made by the second optical axis with the second original and an angle made by the second optical axis with the photosensitive material of the exposure part become. CONSTITUTION:When the angle made by the original 48 on an original platen with the optical axis of the reflected light thereof is (theta1) in a first exposure optical system and the angle made by a medium sheet with the optical axis of the reflected light of the original is (theta2) in the exposure part P1, they are set to (theta1) = (theta2). Besides, when the angle made by a slide film 57 with the optical axis 60 to the part P1 from a light source 51 is (theta3) and the angle made by the optical axis 60 with the medium sheet is (theta4) in a second exposure optical system, they are set to (theta3) = (theta4). In such a case, since the respective optical axes are different when exposure processing is executed by guiding optical images from the different originals, a Fresnel lens for switching an optical axis need not be set and a mirror need not be switched. Thus, the originals are easily switched and the deviation of the optical axis or the like is prevented from occurring.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (a) Industrial Application Field This invention relates to a copying machine that forms an image by guiding a light image from an original onto a photosensitive material, and in particular, it relates to a copying machine that forms an image by guiding a light image from an original onto a photosensitive material. The present invention relates to a copying machine that irradiates a light image onto the same exposed portion of a photosensitive material through an optical axis.

(bl) Conventional technology A copying machine that forms an image by irradiating a light image onto a photosensitive material uses, for example, a latent image obtained by charging a photoreceptor with photoconductivity and irradiating it with a light image. Images are obtained by attaching toner and then transferring the toner to paper, or by irradiating a light image onto a media sheet coated with photocurable microcapsules containing dye, which partially cures the microcapsules. There is a method in which a latent image is formed using a media sheet, and then the uncured microcapsules are destroyed by pressurizing the media sheet, and the dye is flowed out, and an image is formed on the image-receiving sheet using this dye.

These copying machines handle different types of originals, such as originals printed on plain paper whose reflected light can be used as an optical image, and originals such as slide film where transmitted light can be used as an optical image. Conventionally, when copying original documents, different optical systems are provided to expose each original document, and the optical axis is partially shared to guide the light image to the same exposure section. For example, in JP-A-58-182629 and JP-A-59-198442, when copying a slide film, a Fresnel lens, screen, etc. are installed on the manuscript table, and the slide film is projected onto this. A device is shown in which transmitted light is guided to an exposure section using an optical system within the main body of the copying machine. Further, JP-A-54-103023 discloses a system in which optical images guided from different documents are finally guided to an exposure section through the same optical axis by switching mirrors.

(C) Problem to be Solved by the Invention However, in the case of the device described in item (2) above, when copying a slide film, a Fresnel lens, screen, etc. must be installed on the document table; Therefore, it is not easy to switch the copy mode between normal originals and slide film originals.
Furthermore, there is a problem in that a place is required to store the Fresnel lens and screen when they are not in use.

In addition, in the device described in (2), the optical axis guided to the exposure section is changed by switching the mirror, so the switching position and angle of the mirror must be controlled with extremely high precision, and there is also the problem that the optical axis is easily misaligned. was there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a copying machine having a plurality of optical systems, which allows easy switching of exposure from different original documents and prevents optical axis deviation.

(Means for Solving Problem d1) This invention provides a first method for guiding a light image from a first document to an exposure section.
a first exposure optical system having an optical axis, and a second exposure optical system having a second optical axis that guides a light image from a second document to the exposure section, the first optical axis being The first exposure optical system is arranged so as to form the same angle with respect to the first original and the photosensitive material of the exposure section, and the second optical axis is the same with respect to the second document and the photosensitive material of the exposure section. The second exposure optical system is arranged to form an angle, and further includes means for selecting either the first exposure optical system or the second exposure optical system.

(e) Effect In this invention, the first optical axis and the second optical axis are completely different, and there is no need to insert, for example, a Fresnel lens or a switching mirror between the two optical axes. You can easily switch modes without any hassle. In addition, since both the first exposure optical system and the second exposure optical system are set so that the angle at which the optical axis touches the document is the same as the angle at which the optical axis touches the photosensitive material, the image is No distortion occurs.

(f) Embodiment FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of a copying machine equipped with a slide film exposure device.

The copying machine of this embodiment uses, as a photosensitive material, a media sheet in which photosensitive pressure-sensitive microcapsules containing a color-forming dye are coated on a sheet made of aluminum. For example, JP-A-58-88739, JP-A-59-3
This material is disclosed in Publication No. 0539 and the like. The microcapsules harden when exposed to light and are not destroyed even when pressurized. However, the microcapsules that are not exposed to light are destroyed by pressure and the color-forming dye encapsulated therein flows out. When pressurized, an image-receiving sheet is superimposed on the media sheet, and the color-developing dye flows onto the image-receiving sheet.

The image receiving sheet is coated with a developing material in advance, and the color-forming dye develops color with the developing material.

In FIG. 5, a media cartridge 1 is provided on the left side of the central portion of the copying machine main body, and is detachably attached to the copying machine main body. The media cartridge l has a supply shaft 1a,
A take-up shaft 1b is provided, and an unused media sheet 2 is wound around the supply shaft 1a. The media sheet 2 is pulled out from the supply shaft 1a, passes through an image forming process section including a conveyance roller 3, an exposure section P1, a pressure development section P2, etc., and then is wound onto a take-up shaft 1b. When all the media sheets 2 on the supply shaft 1a are used, the used media sheets on the take-up shaft 1b are replaced together with the media cartridge 1.

A light image is guided to the exposure section P1 from the first exposure optical system 4 on the top surface of the copying machine main body or the second exposure optical system 5 on the right side surface of the copying machine main body.

The first exposure optical system includes a light source 41, mirrors 42 to 45, and a zoom lens 46, and guides reflected light from a document 48 placed on a document table 47 on the top surface of the copying machine body to an exposure section P1. Note that the zoom lens 46 is equipped with a color correction filter for color correction of the formed image. The light source 41 and the mirror 42 are supported by the mirror unit 4a, and the mirrors 43 and 44 are supported by the mirror unit 4b. The mirror units 4a and 4b move in the direction of arrow A in the figure and scan the original 48 on the original table 47. The reflected light from the original is shown in the figure.
The light is guided to the exposure section P1 via mirrors 42 to 45 and a zoom lens 46, as shown by the dotted chain line. Here, the angle formed by the original 48 on the original table and the optical axis of its reflected light is θ
8. Letting θ2 be the angle formed by the media sheet 2 in the exposure section P1 and the optical axis of the document reflected light, θ1=02. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the exposure state, and the original 4
The angle θ1 between the optical axis 8 and the optical axis 49 is the same as the angle θ2 between the media sheet 2 and the optical axis 49. By doing so, the projected image (latent image) will not be distorted. Note that since the exposure process on the media sheet 2 is slit exposure, there is almost no out of focus and there is no concern that the image quality will deteriorate.

The second exposure optical system 5 is an optical system that guides the light transmitted through the slide film to the exposure section P1. Figure 2 is an enlarged view.

The second exposure optical system 5 includes a light source 51, a condensing lens 52, a slit 53, a slide holder 54, and a lens 55. Further, a cooling fan 56 is provided behind the light source 51. A slide film 57 is attached to the slide holder 54.
is inserted from the upper film insertion opening 58. light source 51
The light is irradiated onto the slide film 57 through the condenser lens 52 and the slit 53, and the transmitted light is transmitted through the lens 55.
An image is formed on the exposed portion P1 by the following.

The slide film 57 moves in the direction of arrow B in the figure, thereby moving the light irradiation position and scanning the slide film 57.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the exposure section. Slide film 57
is θ with respect to the optical axis 60 from the light source 51 to the exposure part pt,
is set at an angle of Further, the angle between the optical axis 60 and the media sheet 2 is set to θ4. Then, θ3=θ4 is set. With this setting, the light from the slide film 57 is imaged at the exposure portion P1 without being distorted, similar to the light reflected from the document described above. Note that in this case as well, since slit exposure is used, there is no need to worry about out-of-focus.

However, if the slide film 57 is exposed to high heat for a long period of time, it may discolor or change in quality, which is not preferable.

Therefore, various preventive measures are taken in this optical system. ■
First, when the light source 51 is turned on, the cooling fan 56 is operated to release the heat generated by the light source 51 to the outside.

When the cooling fan 51 operates, the insertion port 58 → the slit 5
An air flow is generated from the hole 3 to the exhaust duct 59 through the area around the light source 51, and the amount of heat around the light source 51 is released to the outside. ■In addition, the condenser lens 52 has an infrared cut coating, and the condenser lens 52 allows the light source 51 to be
The amount of heat from the slide film to the slide film is cut, and the slide film can be prevented from rising in temperature. ■
Furthermore, the light from the light source 51 to the slide film 57 is cut by the slit 53, so that the slide film 57 does not continue to be exposed unnecessarily. In performing slit exposure, it is only necessary to sequentially scan only the exposed portions of the slide film, but in the past, the entire surface of the slide film was constantly exposed, and the slide film was then exposed to a large amount of heat. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the light transmitted through the slide film is cut by the slit 53, and only the necessary portions are exposed, so the slide film may be heated more than necessary. ■Reflector 51 for light source 51
By providing a, light is efficiently irradiated onto the slide film 57 side. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the amount of light emitted by the light source 51 and reduce the amount of light from the light source 51 itself. Such a configuration prevents the slide film 57 from receiving heat more than necessary and causing discoloration or deterioration.

A heater 7 is provided on the back surface of the exposure section P1. The heater 7 heats the media sheet 2 in the exposure section P1. The hardening state of the microcapsules in the media sheet 2 changes depending on the temperature, but by heating with the heater 7, changes in the hardening state due to changes in environmental temperature can be prevented.

Note that Sl is a sensor that detects the temperature of the heater 7, and the heater 7 is controlled to be turned on/off according to the detection data of this sensor. This control temperature range is approximately 35 to 40°C, and is appropriately set depending on the type of media sheet, etc. Note that, as in this embodiment, even if the optical axes 49 and 60 are different, the optical images are guided to the same exposure section P1.
The exposure section P1 can be heated with one heater 7, and the cost and space of the heating device can be reduced.
It also becomes easier to control.

The media sheet 2 on which a latent image has been formed by being exposed to light reflected from the original or light transmitted through the slide film in the exposure section PI is transferred to a pressure development section P constituted by a pressure roller 12.
2 will be transported. The image receiving sheet 9 is transferred from the paper cassette 8 on the right side of the copying machine main body to the pressure developing section P2 through the suction type paper feeding device 10. The paper is fed via the PS roller 11. The Ps roller 11 starts rotating at the timing when the image receiving sheet 9 is superimposed on the latent image on the media sheet 2. As a result, the latent image on the media sheet and the image-receiving sheet 9 are superimposed, and pressure is applied by the pressure developing section P2. Note that S2 is a sensor that detects the image receiving sheet 9 at the position of the PS roller 11.

The pressure roller 12 constituting the pressure developing section P2 can be pressurized/released by a pressurizing mechanism including a spring and an eccentric cam (not shown). The pressure roller 12 is subjected to pressure development treatment (
Pressure is applied when the pressure development process is started, and the pressure is released when the pressure development process ends. When the pressure development process is completed, the used media sheet 2 is wound up on the take-up shaft 1b, and the image-receiving sheet 9 on which the image has been transferred is conveyed to the glosser device 13. Grosser device! 13, the image receiving sheet 9 is heated and pressurized to promote the coloring reaction of the coloring dye formed on the surface, and the thermoplastic resin previously applied to the surface of the image receiving sheet 9 is softened and molten. to coat the surface of the image-receiving sheet and give gloss to the image. The image receiving sheet 9 processed by the glosser device 13 is discharged to a paper discharge tray 14 on the left side of the main body of the copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control section of this copying machine.

The entire copying machine is controlled by the CPU 30. C.P.
U30 includes input data from the key manual section 31 of the operation section 31 provided on the top surface of the copying machine main body, the temperature detected by the sensor Sl, the detection state of the image receiving sheet by the sensor S2, and the rotary encoder RE provided on the conveyance roller 3. Detection status, etc. are input. Furthermore, rotary encoder RE
detects the conveyance length of the media sheet 2. Key human resources department 3
1 is provided with a print switch for starting the copying process, a selection key for selecting which of the first exposure optical system or the second exposure optical system is to be used, and the like. CP depending on this selection key
U31 operates the first exposure optical system 4 or the second exposure optical system 5.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure during image forming processing.

When copying conditions such as which exposure light source 4 or 5 to use are input and the print switch is operated, conveyance of the media sheet 2 is started and exposure processing is started (nl→n2→n3→n4). →n5→n6.n?), this exposure process is carried out at the first
Exposure light source 4° is performed by either of the second exposure light sources 5 (n6n?). Note that this exposure process ends when the document manipulation is completed.

72 hours after the exposure process starts, the ps roller 11
starts rotating and the image receiving sheet 9 is fed (n8→n
9). Since the distance between the PS roller 11 and the pressure developing section P2 is fixed, and the conveyance speed of the image receiving sheet is always constant,
The image receiving sheet 9 reaches the pressure developing section P2 after a partial time T2. (nlO→nil→n12). Then, at this timing, the pressure roller 12 is pressurized, both sheets 2.9 are pressurized and conveyed, and pressure development processing is performed (n13).
. The image receiving sheet 9 is conveyed as the pressure roller 12 rotates, and when the rear end of the image receiving sheet 9 is detected at the position of the PS roller 11, the pressure on the pressure roller 12 is released after T2 hours and the pressure development process is completed. (n 14→n 15
-n16-n17). As described above, T and time are the times required for the sheet that has passed through the 11 points of the PS roller to reach the pressure developing section P2.

When the pressure development process is completed in the above process, the image receiving sheet 9 is heated/pressurized by the glosser device 13, and then the image receiving sheet 9 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 14. Further, a certain length of the media sheet is rewound onto the supply shaft 1a. When the pressure development process is completed, the rear end of the latent image on the media sheet is located at the pressure development section P2, and the media sheet after the pressure development section P2 is in an unused state. On the other hand, the next exposure process is started from the portion of the media sheet located at the exposure portion P1. Therefore, if the media sheet is left after the pressure development process is completed, the media sheet between the pressure development section P2 and the exposure exposure 1 will be discarded without being used. To prevent this, the media sheet 2 is rewound in steps n18 to n21. First, a counter CT that stores the count number of the rotary encoder RE is reset, and while the media sheet 2 is being fed backwards, the number of REs is counted, and when it reaches a certain value, the reverse feeding of the media sheet is stopped. This makes it possible to prevent the media sheet 2 from being wasted.

(g) Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, when light images are guided from different originals to perform exposure processing, each optical axis is different, so a set of Fresnel lenses and mirrors are used to switch the optical axes. There is no need to switch between documents, and the document can be easily switched. Furthermore, since the optical axis remains in its initial setting, problems such as deviation of the optical axis due to mirror switching, for example, do not occur.

49-optical axis by first exposure optical system, 57-slight film, 60-optical axis by second exposure optical system, Pl-exposure section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A first exposure optical system having a first optical axis that guides a light image from a first document to the exposure section, and a second optical axis that guides a light image from a second document to the exposure section. a second exposure optical system having;
The first exposure optical system is arranged so that the first optical axis makes the same angle with respect to the first original and the photosensitive material of the exposure section, and the second optical axis and a second exposure optical system arranged so as to form the same angle with respect to the photosensitive material in the exposure section, further comprising means for selecting either the first exposure optical system or the second exposure optical system. A copying machine with multiple optical systems.