JPH03217835A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a conveyance path for an original plate nearly linear so that jamming rate is allowed to be lowered and to simplify jamming processing by providing a housing part where a set of original plates is temporarily housed in front of and at the rear of an alignment device. CONSTITUTION:At first, the original plate 15(R) for red is formed by a monochrome laser printer 1 and fed to the alignment device 31 of a color image recorder 20. After a photosensitive recording medium 50 is allowed to adhere to the plate 15, which are exposed through a red filter 44R while moving a lamp 42, the plate 15R is housed in a housing tray 26. Next, a plate 15(G) for green formed by the printer 1 is fed to the device 31 and exposed in the same manner to be housed in the tray 26. Then, a plate 15(B) for blue is fed and exposed. In the case of 2nd exposure, the plate 15B on the device 31 is allowed to adhere to the medium 50 to be exposed and the plate 15B is housed in a housing tray 23, and then the plates 15G and 15R are successively fed to the device 31 from the tray 26 to be exposed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that records a color image on a photosensitive recording medium using a mask original.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in this type of image recording apparatus, when obtaining multiple color outputs from the same set of mask masters, after the mask master is sent out from the exposure position, the other mask masters are temporarily moved during exposure. A mask original storage section for storing the original mask and a transport path for transporting it to the exposure position again were arranged in a loop.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, there are many curves in the conveyance path, resulting in a high jam rate. In addition, the entire loop-shaped conveyance path was pulled out from the main body of the device to clear the jam, making the device unstable and giving the user a sense of instability.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and by arranging mask original storage sections that temporarily store mask originals before and after the mask original transport direction of the alignment device, the mask original can be stored. The original transport path can be changed from a loop to a straight line, which reduces the jam rate. Furthermore, it is possible to partially place the mask original storage section outside the apparatus, which simplifies jam handling.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the image recording device of the present invention temporarily stores a set of mask originals for obtaining a color image before and after the mask original transport direction of the alignment device. Equipped with a mask original storage section for storing mask originals.

[Function] The mask original storage unit of the present invention having the above-described configuration temporarily stores a set of mask originals after exposure. When multiple color images are required from the same mask master, the paper feeding means feeds the mask masters one by one from the mask master storage section into the alignment device, and then transfers them to the mask master storage section on the opposite side for exposure. After the mask original is finished, it is stored for one set. Similarly, the mask original storage section again stores one set of mask originals fed by the paper feeding means from the mask original storage section on the opposite side. This operation is repeated a predetermined number of times.

[Example] Hereinafter, examples 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, the monochrome laser printer 1 is mounted on top of the color image recording device 20. In the laser printer 1, a polycon scanner 2 irradiates laser light onto a charged photoreceptor 3, thereby drawing an electrostatic latent image. 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 OHP sheet fed from a paper feed cassette 5, and fixed by a fixing device 6. Typically, the monochrome laser printer 1 records data transmitted from a host computer.

The output from the laser printer 1 is sent to a paper path switching section 10, and if a black and white image is required, it is sent to a monochrome output tray 11 or to an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) tray 12, and if a color image is required, it is sent to a monochrome output tray 11 or an automatic document feeder (ADF) tray 12 if a color image is required. , ADF}
After being sent to the ray 12, it is taken into the color image recording device 20.

The sheets sent to the ADF tray 12 are taken into the color image recording device 20 one by one by the ADF paper feed roller 13, and a set of three sheets of monochrome printed paper output from the racer printer 1 is formed. Mask original plate 15 (15R.15G.15) of color image recording device 20
It is used as B).

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

An alignment device 31 is located at the bottom of the main body of the color image recording device 20.
1 are connected by a mask original transport path 21. On the left and right sides of the alignment device 31, there are a pair of rollers 22, 25 whose rotation direction can be controlled, mask original storage trays 23, 26 for storing the used mask original 15, and paper feed rollers 24, 27 for feeding the mask original 15. and a gate 28 are arranged. The gate 28 is located at the position shown by the solid line when the mask original 15 passes through the mask original transport path 21, and at the position shown by the dotted line when the mask original 15 is fed from the mask original storage tray 23.

In the middle of the mask original transport path 21, a laser printer 1 is installed.
A pair of glue curler rollers 101 is arranged to remove curls from the mask original 15 discharged from the mask original plate 15.

The alignment device 31 includes a sensor (not shown) and a pair of rollers 32 disposed near the left and right ends. 33 and a glass plate 34 arranged between them.

An exposure device 41 is arranged below the alignment device 31, and the exposure device 41 is movable in the left-right direction along the alignment device 31.

The exposure device 41 includes a linear white light source (hereinafter simply referred to as a lamp) 42 and a reflection plate 43 that reflects light from the lamp 42.
A filter unit 4 also includes a red filter 44R, a green filter 44G, and a blue filter 44B.
It consists of 4.

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 glass plate 34 and the exposure stage 52.
After being passed between the buffer 55, the separation roller 64,
It passes through the pressure developing device 70 and the drive roller 57 and is then wound onto the take-up roller 54 . When exposed by the exposure device 41, the exposure table 52 is lowered by a cam 53, thereby exposing the mask original 15 and the photosensitive recording medium 50, which have been conveyed onto the glass plate 34 by the roller pair 3'2. Bring it into close contact. Further, the fixed roller 56 is located near the left end of the exposure table 52, and is pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52 when the exposure table 52 is lowered to a specific position, and transfers the photosensitive recording medium 50 to the mask originals 15R, 15G, 15B is fixed to the exposure table 52 during exposure.

The color developer sheet 60 is constructed by applying a color developer disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-88739 onto a base paper. It is set as follows.

The developer sheets 60 are taken out one by one from the cassette 61 by a suction cup 62 that is intermittently driven by a drive source (not shown) and supplied to the pressure developing device 70.

Then, the color developer sheet 60 is attached to the exposed photosensitive recording medium 5.
The latent image formed on the photosensitive recording medium 50 by exposure is applied to the developer sheet 6 by a pair of pressure rollers 71 of the pressure developing device 70.
Visualized on 0.

The heat fixing device 80 includes an endless belt installed between a casing 83 containing a heater 81 and an impeller 82 in the upper part, and rubber rollers 84, 85, 86 and rollers 87, 88 for conveying the color developer sheet 60 in the lower part. Consists of 89.

The developer sheet 60 separated from the photosensitive recording medium 50 by the separation roller 64 from the pressure developing device 70 is transferred to the heat fixing device 8.
After polishing is performed by 0, the paper is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 63.

In the apparatus configured as described above, the operation when obtaining a plurality of color outputs from a set of mask originals will be described next.

First, a mask original plate 15R for red color is created using 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 mask original 15 outputted from the monochrome laser printer 1 is sent to the ADF ray 12 and fed into the color image recording device 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13. The mask original plate 15R fed into the color image recording device 20 passes through the mask original transport path 21 and passes through the roller pair 22.
It is sent to the alignment device 31 by. At this time,
Gate 28 is located at the solid line position. During the process, the curl of the mask original 15 is corrected by the recurler roller 101.

Next, the alignment device 31 transports the mask original 15R to the appropriate exposure position by the roller pair 32, and then uses a drive source (not shown) to accurately align the mask original 15R while the sensor reads the alignment mark printed on the mask original 15R. Align to position.

Immediately before positioning, the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position by the cam 53, and the left end of the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 5
6 makes contact and fixes the photosensitive recording medium 50 to the exposure table 52. After the alignment is completed, the exposure table 52 is further lowered by the cam 53, contacts the glass plate 34 of the alignment device 31, and brings the mask original 15R and the photosensitive recording medium 50 into close contact.

When the exposure table 52 comes into close contact with the alignment device 31, the lamp 4
2 lights up, and the exposure device 41 performs operational exposure in the direction of arrow A 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 completed, the lamp 42 is turned off and the exposure device 4 is turned off.
1 moves backward in the direction of arrow B. At this time, the filter unit 44 of the exposure device 41 is moved by a drive source (not shown), and the green filter 440 is positioned above the lamp 42.

While the exposure device 41 moves backward, the exposure table 52 is raised by the rotation of the cam 53, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 or the alignment device 31 is moved upward.
and separates from the mask original 15R.

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

After the exposure using the red mask master plate 15R is completed,
The exposure table 52 is raised to a predetermined position by a cam 53.

At this time, the photosensitive recording medium remains fixed to the exposure table 52 with the fixed roller 56 in contact with the left end of the exposure table 52.

Next, either the green mask original plate 15G created by the monochrome laser printer 1 or the ADF tray 12, AD
F paper feed roller 13, recurler roller 101, and when the mask original conveying path 21 reaches just before the roller pair 22, the roller pair 22, 25, and the roller pair 32 of the alignment device 31.
33 rotates in a direction to convey the mask original 15 rightward, and at the same time the mask original 15R is sent out from the alignment device 31, the mask original 15G is conveyed to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, the gate 28 is located at the position indicated by the solid line, and the exposed mask original 15R is stored in the mask original storage tray 26.

The mask original 15G guided by the alignment device 31 is aligned with the photosensitive recording medium 50, as in the case of the mask original 15R, and then the exposure table 52 is lowered and the photosensitive recording medium 50 and the mask are aligned. The original plate 15G and the alignment device 31
After that, the lamp 42 is turned on and exposure to green light is performed through the green filter 44G. After the exposure is completed, the exposure table 52 is raised to a predetermined position. At this time, the photosensitive recording medium remains fixed to the exposure table 52. As the exposure device 41 moves back to its original position, the filter unit 44 moves to position the blue filter 44B above the lamp.

Next, the blue mask original plate 15B created by the monochrome laser printer 1 is similarly applied to the color image recording device 2.
0 and is conveyed just before the roller pair 22, the roller pair 22.25 and the roller pair 32 of the alignment device 31.
．． 33 rotates in a direction to convey the mask original 15 to the right, and at the same time the mask original 15G is sent out from the alignment device 31, the mask original 15B is conveyed to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, the gate 28 is located at the position indicated by the solid line, and the exposed mask original 15G is stored in the mask original storage tray 26.

The mask original 15B guided to the alignment device 31 is subjected to contact exposure with blue light onto the photosensitive recording medium 50 in a similar operation.

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

Next, the exposure table 52 is raised to the initial position. At this time, the fixed roller 56 and the left end of the exposure table 52 are separated, and the buffer 5
5 moves in the direction of arrow E, and is pulled out from inside the cartridge 51 to an unexposed portion of the photosensitive recording medium 50 or below the exposure table 52.

The driving roller 57 stops when the leading edge of the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 50 comes to the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 .

In synchronization with the movement of the photosensitive recording medium 50, a developer sheet 60 is sent out from the cassette 6l by a suction cup 62, and is stopped at a position where the leading edge of the developer sheet corresponds to the leading edge of the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 50. do.

Next, the pressure developing device 70 is driven by a drive device (not shown).
The pressure roller 71 is pressed while rotating in the direction of the arrow.

At this time, the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position again, and the left end of the exposure table 52 comes into contact with the fixed roller 56, thereby fixing the photosensitive recording medium 50 to the exposure table 52.

The photosensitive recording medium 50 is overlapped with the color developer sheet 60 and is fed under pressure, and the uncured microcapsules on the photosensitive recording medium 50 are destroyed by the pressure, and the latent particles on the photosensitive recording medium 50 are destroyed. A color image corresponding to the image is developed on developer sheet 50.

As the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 rotates in the direction of the arrow, the buffer 55 moves in the direction of the arrow F.

When the leading edge of the color developer sheet 60 reaches the separation roller 64, it is peeled off from the photosensitive recording medium 50 and is transferred to the heat fixing device 8.
You will be guided in the direction of 0.

In the heat fixing device 80, the color developer sheet 60 is heated by circulating air heated by a heater 81 inside a casing 83 by an impeller 82, thereby promoting color development of a color image. At the same time, the binder polymer (fixing resin) for fixing the color developing medium to the base paper of the color developer sheet 60 is thermally melted, making the surface smooth and the surface of the color developer sheet 60 suitable. Get a glossy shine.

The color developer sheet 60 that has been subjected to color development and gloss treatment is discharged to a paper discharge tray 63.

During the above-described series of development and coloring/glossy processing, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is supported and fixed by the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 56. Then, the latent image of another color image can be exposed.

When exposing the second color image, first, the mask original 15B at the exposure position is closely exposed to the photosensitive recording medium 50 with blue light. Next, the mask original plate 15 at the exposure position
B to the left, and in order to send the mask original 15G on the top of the mask original storage tray 26 to the alignment device 31, the roller pair 22.25 and the roller pair 32.33 of the alignment device 31 are moved to the mask original 15. The mask original 15G is conveyed leftward, and the mask original 15G is sent out from the mask original storage tray 26 by the paper feed roller 27. At this time, the gate 28 is located at the position indicated by the broken line, and the mask original 15B sent out to the left is stored in the mask original storage tray 23.

The sent-out mask original 15G is transferred to the alignment device 31 by the roller pair 25 and the roller pair 33 of the alignment device 31.
After alignment is completed, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is closely exposed to green light. Subsequently, the mask original 15G in the exposure position is sent to the left and stored in the mask original storage tray 23, and the same operation is performed to send the mask original 15R in the mask original storage tray 26 to the alignment device 31, and the photosensitive A color latent image is formed on the recording medium 50, and a color image is formed on the developer sheet 60. The same operation is performed by feeding the mask original plate 15 to the mask original storage tray 23 by the paper feed roller 24 (the exposure order is R-G).
→ Perform B) to form a color image. By repeating similar operations, a predetermined number of color images can be output from one set of mask originals.

After obtaining the required number of color images from the same mask original 15, each mask original is stored as is in the mask original storage trays 23-26.

In addition, if the next set of mask master plates 15 is output from the monochrome laser printer 1 while a series of color images are being exposed, the exposure of the previous set is temporarily stored in the ADF}ray 12. As soon as the recording is completed, the ADF paper feed roller 13 feeds the sheets one by one into the color image recording apparatus 20.

Further, when reusing a mask original 15 output from another monochrome printer or a previously used mask original, the mask original can be manually input by setting it on the ADF tray 12.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the present invention, since the mask original storage sections are arranged before and after the mask original transport direction of the alignment device, the mask original transport path is straight. It is possible to reduce the jam rate of the mask original plate, and also facilitate jam removal.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment embodying the present invention, and is a sectional view of a monochrome laser printer and an image recording device. In the figure, 15 is a mask original, 23 and 26 are mask original storage trays, 31 is an alignment device, an optical device, and 52 is an exposure table.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An alignment device that aligns a plurality of light-shielding mask originals color-separated based on image information to predetermined positions on a photosensitive recording medium; the mask original and the photosensitive recording medium; a mask original storage section for temporarily storing the mask original before and after the alignment device in the conveyance direction of the mask original, comprising an exposure table for bringing the medium into close contact with the medium and an exposure means for performing color separation exposure; An image recording device characterized by arranging.