JPH03282531A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an outputted image whose density of developed color is stabilized by controlling the exposing light quantity of an exposing light source and the color balance of a color filter by an exposure control means based on exposure information stored in a storage means even when a pressing developing speed changes. CONSTITUTION:After magnification is decided by using a key panel 109, the optimum light quantity of a halogen lamp 5a and the insertion quantity of each filter of a filter 6 corresponding to the pressing developing speed in accordance with magnifying and reducing rate are read out from a memory 102 and decided. Next, a copying action is performed and a flow is completed. Since the exposing light quantity of the lamp 5a and the insertion quantity of each filter of the filter 6 are controlled by a CPU 103 based on the information stored in the memory 102 even when the pressing developing speed changes in a copying machine, the density of the developed color of the outputted image is not changed and the stable image is obtained. Furthermore, gradation is made constant because a sub exposing unit 80 is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that forms images using photosensitive pressure sensitive paper.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in this type of image recording device, there is a section where exposure and pressure development are processed simultaneously in order to shorten the image recording path, and the feeding speed of the exposure section and pressure development are performed at the same speed. It was being done. Therefore, when the feed speed of the exposure section is changed to compensate for changes in the amount of exposure light due to the use of a color filter for color balance adjustment or the use of a variable magnification function, the pressure development speed also changes.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, if the pressure development speed is changed, even if the pressure of pressure development is constant, the impulse per unit area will change and the amount of dye transferred will change, which will affect the color development of the output image. There was a problem with the concentration changing.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus in which the color density of an output image does not change even if the speed of pressure development is changed.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the image recording device of the present invention has an exposure light amount of an exposure light source corresponding to a pressure development speed of a pressure development means and a color balance of a color filter. The image forming apparatus includes a storage means in which exposure information is stored, and an exposure control means for controlling the exposure light amount of the exposure light source and the color balance of the color filter based on the stored exposure information.

It is even better to provide a sub-exposure light source that irradiates light onto the photosensitive and pressure-sensitive paper separately from the exposure light source.

It is further preferable to include a color tone input means for inputting desired color tone information.

[Function] In the image recording apparatus of the present invention having the above configuration, the exposure light amount of the exposure light source and the color balance of the color filter are controlled by the exposure control means based on the exposure information stored in the storage means.

Further, a sub-exposure light source irradiates light onto the photosensitive and pressure-sensitive paper separately from the exposure light source.

Further, desired color tone information is inputted from the color tone input means.

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

First, with reference to FIG. 5, the configuration of the photosensitive and pressure sensitive copying machine 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as copying machine) of this embodiment will be explained.

The copying machine 1 uses photosensitive paper consisting of a photosensitive pressure sensitive paper 12 (hereinafter referred to as microcapsule paper) and a developer paper 28.

Microcapsules are coated on the surface of the support of the microcapsule paper 12, and the microcapsules contain a dye precursor that reacts with a color developer described later. A color developer is coated on the surface of the support of the color developer paper 28, and develops color by reacting with a dye precursor.The details are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,209, etc., and the explanation thereof will be omitted. do.

At the top of the copying machine 1 are a document platen crow 2 and a document platen cover 3.
A desired original 4 is placed on the original platen glass 2.
is placed face down and the document table cover 3 is closed.

Below the document table glass 2 in the upper part of the copying machine 1, a light source section 5 including a halogen lamp 5a, a reflector 5b, a reflection mirror 8, etc. is reciprocated along a shaft 13 installed parallel to the document table glass 2. possible. The light source section 5 irradiates light onto the document table glass 2 in a line in a direction perpendicular to the movement direction. The irradiated light passes through the transparent document platen glass 2 and is reflected downward by the document 4 placed thereon.

A mirror section 9 including reflective mirrors 9a and 9b is disposed below the document table glass 2 and is movable separately from the light source section 5.
The light is reflected in the order of b and guided parallel to the moving direction of the light source section 5.

A projection lens 7, which is normally fixed, and a filter 6 for adjusting the color tone of the copied image, which will be described in detail later, are arranged below the document platen glass 2, and the light reflected by the reflection mirror 9b is The light enters the projection lens 7. The light projected by the lens 7 is reflected by reflection mirror groups 10a and 10b.
reflected by.

Microcapsule paper 12 is placed on the right side of the reflective mirror 10b.
An exposure table 11 for exposing the light is provided, and a reflecting mirror 1
A reflecting mirror 10c for switching the optical path is disposed between 0b and the exposure table 11.

Microcapsule paper 12 arranged along exposure table 11
The image information on the document 4 is formed into an image. Also, exposure table 11
Below is microcapsule paper 1 after exposure, which will be detailed later.
A sub-exposure unit 80 for exposing 2 is provided.

In addition, although the reflecting mirrors 10a and 10b are normally fixed, they are set when enlarging or reducing the size of the latent image formed on the microcapsule paper 12, and are used to change the optical path length according to a change in projection magnification. It is configured to be able to move integrally in the axial direction of the shaft 13.

On the other hand, a cartridge 15 is disposed in the center of the copying machine 1, and the elongated microcapsule paper 12 is housed in the cartridge 15, which is removable from the machine while being wound around the cartridge shaft 14.

With the cartridge 15 set in a predetermined position inside the machine, the tip of the microcapsule paper 12 is placed on the exposure stage 1.
pulled towards 1. A feed roller 19 and a dancer roller 21 for tension adjustment are provided below the exposure table 11. To the right of the dancer roller 21,
A pressure developing device 22 including a large-diameter pressure roller 22a, a small-diameter pressure roller 22b, and a back-up roller 22c is disposed, and on the right side of the pressure development device 22, there is a micro-contact roller that is closely attached as will be described later. Capsule paper 12 and developer paper 28
A separation roller 23 for separating the microcapsule paper 12 is disposed between the separation roller 23 and the cartridge 15, and a winding shaft 24 for inserting and holding the microcapsule paper 12 is disposed between the separation roller 23 and the cartridge 15. The microcapsule paper 12 that comes out of the upper part of the cartridge 15 is guided by a tension roller 19 and passes above the exposure table 11, then passes through a dancer roller 21, a pressure developing device 22, and is further transferred to a separation roller 23. After being guided, it is wound up on the winding shaft 24. Note that the unexposed microcapsule paper 12 after leaving the cartridge 15 is maintained in an unexposed state by the light shielding cover. Below the pressure developing device 22 is a paper feed cassette 2 containing developer paper 28.
9 is installed.

A suction cup type paper feeding mechanism 30 that sucks paper using negative pressure suction is disposed above the paper feeding cassette 29, and the developing paper 28 is taken out one by one by the paper feeding mechanism 30.

A feed guide 31d1 and feed rollers 31a, 31b, and 31c are disposed between the paper feed mechanism 30 and the pressure developing device 22, and the developer paper 28 is fed by the feed rollers 31a, 3l.
b, 31c, and are conveyed by the feed guide 31d and carried into the pressure developing device 22.

A heat fixing device 32 is disposed to the right of the pressure developing device 22, and a paper discharge tray 33 for storing the developing paper 28 on which an image has been formed is disposed to the right of the heat fixing device 32. There is.

The copying machine 1 also has an autoloading function for automatically setting the microcapsule paper 12 on a predetermined transport path within the apparatus. This is a function that automatically projects a leader film attached to the tip of the microcapsule paper 12 into the apparatus, transports it within the apparatus, and winds it around the winding shaft 24. As a result, the microcapsule paper 12 following the leader film portion is also wound up on the winding shaft 24, and the setting into the apparatus is completed.

For this automatic loading, a half-moon roller 17 is provided between the roller 19 and the cartridge 15 for pulling out the leader film portion, and a separation chute 27 is rotatably attached for guiding the leader film to the winding shaft 24. It is being An upper winding guide 25 and a lower winding guide 26 are disposed around the winding shaft 24 for winding the leader film.

Next, the operation of the copying machine 1 will be explained.

When the cartridge 15 is set in the copying machine 1, autoloading is started.

The half-moon roller 17 rotates once to several times in the conveyance direction only when autoloading starts, and the leader film section 18
is sent out to roller 2o. Thereafter, it stops, and subsequent conveyance is performed by driving the rollers 20.

The upper winding guide 25, the lower winding guide 26, and the separation chute 27 are rotated to the positions shown by the - dotted chain line, and the leader film section 18 attached to the tip of the microcapsule paper 12 is wound around the winding shaft 24. When autoloading is completed, the upper winding guide 25, lower winding guide 26, and separation chute 27 return to the positions indicated by solid lines, allowing copying.

When the copy start key is operated, the halogen lamp 5
The light amount of a, the color balance of the filter 6, and the sub-exposure unit 80 are controlled as described below.

The reflecting mirror 8 and the light source unit 5 move at a moving speed (1/m
)V, and the reflecting mirrors 9a and 9b move at a moving speed (1/
2m) Move with V.

The conveyance speed of the microcapsule paper 12 is ・Mirror group 8.9
Since the moving speeds of the original documents 4 and 9b are synchronized as described above, latent images of predetermined lines of the original document 4 are sequentially formed on the microcapsule paper 12 as it passes through the exposure table 11. Note that the predetermined speed ratio is predetermined based on the setting of the magnification.

The microcapsule paper 12 on which the latent image has been formed is transported,
The topmost color developing paper 28 of the paper feed cassette 29 is fed to the paper feed mechanism 30.
．． It is conveyed by feed rollers 31a, 31b, 310, etc.

The pressure developing device 22 is supplied with the microcapsule paper 12 and the color developer paper 28 in close contact with each other and integrated, and the microcapsule surface on which the latent image of the microcapsule paper 12 is formed and the color developer of the color developer paper 28 are supplied. The roller is sandwiched between the large-diameter pressure roller 22a and the small-diameter pressure roller 22b as one body with the agent-applied surface in contact with the inner surface, and pressure is applied. This pressure destroys the unexposed microcapsules and forms an image on the developer paper 28.

After the microcapsule paper 12 and the color developer paper 28 that have come out of the pressure developing device 22 are separated by a separation roller 23, the color development of the color developer paper 28 is promoted by a heat fixing device 32 and an image is formed. The paper ejection tray 33 is moved by the paper ejection roller 32b.
It will be transported to In addition, the separated microcapsule paper 12
is wound up on a winding shaft 24 via a separation roller 23.

Next, the filter 6 will be explained in detail using FIG. 2.

A total of three movable filters 64, 65, 66 each having an optical filter 61, 62, 63 on the tip side that can reciprocate in the direction intersecting the optical path, that is, in the horizontal direction in the drawing, are arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. has been done. The color of the optical filter 61 is yellow, the color of the optical filter 62 is magenta, and the color of the optical filter 63 is cyan. By interposing each of the optical filters 61 to 63 singly or in combination in the optical path, the color tone of the light from the halogen lamp 5a can be changed.

Each of the movable filters 64 to 66 is supported so as to be able to reciprocate by a guide frame (not shown), and each optical filter 61 to 63 has a position where the optical path is completely released and a position where the optical path is completely blocked. It is possible to move back and forth between the two. Further, a rack extending in the reciprocating direction of each of the filters 61 to 63 is formed on the upper surface of the proximal end of each of the movable filters 64 to 66, respectively. Furthermore, each movable filter 64
In order to reciprocate the movable filters 64 to 66,
Step motors 71, 72, and 73 are respectively disposed near the step motors 71 to 66, and binions attached to the output shafts of each of the step motors 71 to 7'3 are connected to each movable filter 64.
to 66 racks. Each of the step motors 71 to 73 is electrically connected to a filter control circuit 106, which will be described later, and is configured to rotate by a predetermined amount based on a signal from the filter control circuit 106.

Therefore, by driving each step motor 71 to 73, each movable filter 64 to 66 is reciprocated,
Optical filters 61 to 63 are interposed to block the optical path. Furthermore, by adjusting the drive amount of each step motor 71 to 73, the amount of movement of each movable filter 64 to 66 is adjusted, and the position where the optical path is blocked by each optical filter 61 to 63 is adjusted.

Next, the sub-exposure unit 80 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The sub-exposure unit 80 is composed of a light emitting section 81, a filter section 83, and a diffusion plate 85. The light emitting section 81 includes a halogen lamp 87 for a light source with a reflector, and a lamp control device that controls lighting of the halogen lamp 87 and its light amount. It is composed of a circuit 89.

The filter section 83 accommodates a plurality of filters 91 having different hues, and includes an actuator 93 that can insert any one or more filters between the halogen lamp 87 and the diffusion plate 85, and an actuator drive circuit 95 therefor. It is configured.

The filter 91 has the same configuration as the filter 6 described above,
The color of the filter 91a is yellow, the color of the filter 91b is macenta, and the color of the filter 91c is cyan.

The diffusion plate 85 diffuses the light transmitted through the filter 91 so that the microcapsule paper 12 is uniformly irradiated with the light.

The lamp control circuit 89 and the actuator drive circuit 95 operate based on instructions from the sub-exposure light source control circuit 108.

Next, the pressure developing device 22 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The pressure developing device 22 includes a large-diameter pressure roller 22a and a small-diameter pressure roller 22b provided opposite to the large-diameter pressure roller 22a.
The large diameter pressure roller 22a is connected to a pair of left and right side plates A-
It is rotatably supported between A and both side plates A.
An upper plate B is disposed at the upper end of. The small diameter pressure roller 22b is rotatably supported by a plate F which is supported movably within a certain range by the side plate A.
It can come into contact with and separate from the large-diameter pressure roller 22a.

On the outside of the side plate A, there is a pressure roller drive motor 20 equipped with a cam drive motor 204 and a rotation speed sensor 212.
Two motors (9) are provided. Cam drive motor 2
The rotational driving force of 04 is transmitted to the camshaft 208a via the worm gear 205 and the gear 206, and the rotational driving force of the pressure roller drive motor 209 is transmitted to the camshaft 208a through the worm gear 210 and the gear 21.
1 to the large diameter pressure roller 22a.

A plurality of pressure adjustment springs C are attached to the upper plate B, and the pressure from the pressure adjustment springs C is applied to the two pressure rollers D1 camshaft 208a rotatably supported by the support shaft G.
Small diameter pressure roller 2
2b in the direction of the large diameter pressure roller 22a.

Next, the operation of the pressure developing device 22 will be explained.

The large diameter pressure roller 22a and the small diameter pressure roller 22b are initially separated from each other. When the microcapsule paper 12 and the developer paper 28 are overlapped and partially inserted between the large-diameter pressure roller 22a and the small-diameter pressure roller 22b, the cam drive motor 204 rotates a predetermined number of times and then stops. The rotation of the cam drive motor 204 causes the cam 208 to rotate, and the small-diameter pressure roller 22b is urged toward the large-diameter pressure roller 22a to apply pressure. Next, as the pressure roller drive motor 209 rotates, both pressure rollers 22a and 22b rotate together, and pressure development is performed. Both pressure rollers 22a and 22b stop rotating when pressure development is completed, and the cam drive motor 20
4 rotation, the cam 208 rotates, and the small diameter pressure roller 22b
The urging force applied to the large diameter pressure roller 22a is released.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of this embodiment.

The CPU 103 includes a motor speed control circuit 101 that controls the rotational speed of the pressure roller drive motor 209, a key panel 109 that includes a copy start key, etc., and a filter and light intensity of the halogen lamp 5a corresponding to the slow pressure development speed. a memory 102 for storing the insertion amount of each filter of 6;
A halogen lamp control circuit 104, a sub-exposure light source control circuit 108, and a filter control circuit 106 are also connected. The halogen lamp control circuit 104 is connected to the halogen lamp 5a and controls the exposure amount of the halogen lamp 5a. The sub-exposure light source control circuit 108 is connected to the sub-exposure unit 80, and the filter control circuit 106 is connected to the filter 6 to control the insertion amount of each filter.

The motor speed control circuit 101 also includes a rotation speed sensor 21.
2 is connected, and the rotation speed of the pressure roller drive motor 209 is detected and controlled by this rotation speed sensor 212.

Next, the control method of this embodiment will be explained.

FIG. 6 illustrates the relationship between the pressure development speed and the color density of the microcapsule paper 12. As can be seen from this graph, as the pressure development speed increases, the color density becomes thinner.

When using variable magnification functions such as enlargement and reduction during exposure, the exposure amount is adjusted by slowing down or speeding up the exposure speed. When the exposure speed is changed, the pressure development speed is changed, and thus the color density is changed as described above. For example, in the case of enlargement, the exposure speed is slowed down, so the pressure development speed is also slowed down. As the pressure development speed becomes slower, the color density becomes higher, so the amount of light from the halogen lamp 5a is increased to adjust the color density. At this time, if the light amount is increased due to the characteristics of the halogen lamp 5a, the color balance will be disrupted, and blue light will increase compared to green light, and red light will decrease, so the amount of yellow optical filter 61 inserted in filter 6 is increased. Reduce the amount of cyan optical filter 63 inserted. In the case of reduction, the amount of light from the halogen lamp 5a is reduced, which reduces blue light and increases red light compared to green light, so the insertion amount of the yellow optical filter 61 is reduced, and the cyan optical filter 61 is reduced. Increase the amount of filter 63 inserted.

Also, if the pressure development speed is slowed down, the gradation will decrease, so
The exposure amount of the halogen lamp 87 in the sub-exposure unit 80 is increased to increase the sub-exposure amount.

Next, the operation will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG.

After the magnification is determined by the key panel 109 in step SL (hereinafter simply referred to as SL and the same applies to other steps), the process waits for the start key to be pressed (S2). When the start key is pressed, the process moves to 83, and the optimum light amount of the halogen lamp 5a and the insertion amount of each filter of the filter 6 are stored in memory corresponding to the pressure development speed according to the enlargement/reduction ratio determined by Sl. 102 and determined.

Next, at 85, a copy operation as described above is performed, and the flow ends.

As is clear from the detailed description above, in the copying machine 1 of this embodiment, even if the pressure development speed changes, the memory 1
Based on the information stored in the CPU 1, the exposure light amount of the halogen lamp 5a and the insertion amount of each filter of the filter 6 are determined by the CPU 1.
03, the color density of the output image does not change and a stable image can be obtained.

Furthermore, since the sub-exposure unit 80 is provided, the gradation can be made constant.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments detailed above, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, color tone correction may be added manually through a key panel. It is also possible to apply the present invention to slide film copying machines, printers using CRTs, lasers, etc.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the detailed description above, in the image recording apparatus of the present invention, even if the pressure development speed changes, the exposure light source can control the exposure based on the exposure information stored in the storage means. Since the amount of light and the color balance of the color filters are controlled by the exposure control means, the color density of the output image does not change and a stable image can be obtained.

Furthermore, if a sub-exposure light source is provided, gradation is improved.

Furthermore, if a color tone input means is provided, the color tone can be corrected to the user's desired color tone.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 7 show embodiments embodying the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration, and FIG.
The figure shows the configuration of the filter, Figure 3 shows the configuration of the sub-exposure unit, Figure 4 shows the configuration of the pressure developing device, Figure 5 shows the overall configuration of the copying machine, and Figure 6 shows the pressure development speed. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of exposure control. In the figure, 1 is a photosensitive pressure-sensitive copying machine, 5a is a halogen lamp, and 6
12 is a filter, 12 is a microcapsule paper, 22 is a pressure developing device, 28 is a color developer paper, 80 is a sub-exposure unit, 102
is a memory, and 103 is a CPU. 109 is a key panel.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An exposure light source that forms a latent image based on image information on photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, a color filter that adjusts the color balance of the light from the exposure light source, and a photosensitive material on which the latent image is formed. In an image recording apparatus equipped with a pressure developing means for overlapping a color developer paper on a pressure sensitive paper and performing pressure development to form an image on the color developer paper, the exposure corresponds to a pressure development speed of the pressure development means. a storage means storing exposure information consisting of the exposure light amount of the light source and the color balance of the color filter; and controlling the exposure light amount of the exposure light source and the color balance of the color filter based on the stored exposure information. An image recording device comprising: an exposure control means. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sub-exposure light source that irradiates the light-sensitive and pressure-sensitive paper with light in addition to the exposure light source. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a color tone input means for inputting desired color tone information.