JPH03293647A - Mask original plate aligning device for image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the aligning precision of a mask original plate by housing a detector inside a transparent case whose bottom surface is disposed so as to approach the mask original plate. CONSTITUTION:The aligning mark 120 of the mask original plate is read out by the detector 126 attached to a fitting plate 119, motors 111, 117, and 118 are driven according to the output of the detector 126, and the alignment of the mask original plate to a prescribed position is carried out with respect to the frame 112 of a device main body. At this time, even if the mask original plate has curling and distortion and its flatness is deteriorated, the distance of the detector 126 and the mask original plate is always kept constant via the transparent case 127 housing the detector 126. Thus, the aligning precision of the mask original plate is improved.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a method for obtaining a color image by bringing a mask original printed with color-separated image information into close contact with a photosensitive recording medium and then subjecting it to color-separation exposure. The present invention relates to a mask original positioning device for an image recording apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a sensor portion of a mask original positioning device of this type of image recording apparatus has generally been configured as shown in FIG.

That is, this alignment device includes a pair of rollers 32 for moving the mask original 15 in the feeding direction, and a pair of rollers 32 for moving the mask original 15 in the feeding direction.
Shoe h124.2 for guiding the mask original plate 15.
125, a detector 126 such as a reflective optical sensor that reads the alignment mark 120 (see FIG. 3) printed on the mask original 15, and the mounting plate 1 to which the detector 126 is attached.
19, and a glass plate 34 which serves as a guide for conveying the mask original 15 and transmits light from an exposure lamp 42 (see FIG. 4) from below. Then, the mask original 15 is sent below the detector 126 by the roller pair 32, and the alignment mark 1 of the mask original 15 is detected by the detector 126.
By reading 26, the mask original 15 is aligned to a predetermined position.

[The problem that the idea attempts to solve]

However, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional example, there is a problem in that when curls, distortions, etc. occur in the mask original and the flatness deteriorates, the accuracy of positioning the mask original by the detector deteriorates. This is because when a position is generally read using a detector such as a reflective optical sensor, the output signal of the detector changes as the distance between the detector and the object changes. In addition, if the distance between the detector and the mask master is shortened in advance to reduce the range of variation in the distance between the detector and the master mask, it will be difficult to feed the master mask below the detector, resulting in jamming of the master mask. The problem was that the rate was high.

The present invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to improve the alignment accuracy of the mask original by stabilizing the distance between the detector and the mask original so that it is always constant. It is said that

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the mask original alignment device of the image recording device of the present invention provides a mask original positioning device in which monochrome image information is created by a mask original creation device based on color image information. a detector for reading an alignment mark printed on the mask plate as a reference for alignment, a moving means for moving the mask original, and a control means for controlling the moving means in accordance with a signal from the detector. In the mask original positioning device of the image recording apparatus, the detector is housed inside a transparent case arranged so that the lower surface is close to the mask original.

[Effect]

According to the present invention having the above configuration, the alignment mark on the mask master is read by a detector housed in a transparent case, and at this time, the distance between the detector and the mask master is determined by the distance between the detector and the mask master As a result, even if the mask original is warped or distorted and its flatness deteriorates, it improves alignment accuracy and makes it easier to feed the mask original to the detector position. can.

〔Example〕

An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an apparatus in which a monochrome laser printer 1 and a color image recording apparatus 20 using the mask original positioning apparatus of the present invention are combined and arranged.

First, the monochrome laser printer 1 is mounted on top of the color image recording device 20. In the laser printer 1, an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiating a charged photoreceptor 3 with laser light from a polygon scanner 2.

The photoreceptor 3 on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed is developed by a developing device 4,
A toner image is transferred onto plain paper or an OHP sheet supplied from a paper feed cassette 5, and this transferred toner image is 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 fed by the paper path switching section 10 to a monochrome output tray 11 if a black and white image is required or to an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) tray 12, where a color image is output. If necessary, AD
After being sent to the F tray 12, the color image recording device 20
taken within.

Then, the paper sent to the ADF tray 12 is
Color image recording device 20 one by one by paper feed roller 13
The three sheets of monochrome printed paper outputted from the laser printer 1 are taken into the printer and outputted from the laser printer 1, forming a set of mask original plates 15 (15R, 15G, 1) of the color image recording device 20.
5B).

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

An alignment device 31 is located at the bottom of the color image recording device 20.
is provided, and is connected to the ADF tray 12 via the alignment device 31 and the mask original transport path 21. On both the left and right sides of the alignment device 31, there are pairs of rollers 22, 23, 24 whose rotational direction can be controlled. 25.
26. 27, Gate 28.

29 and a mask original storage section 102 are arranged. Further, a pair of curl rollers 101 is arranged in the middle of the mask original transport path 21 to remove curls from the mask original 15 discharged from the laser printer 1. Also,
A mask original discharge tray 30 for discharging used mask originals 15 is provided outside the roller pair 26 and 27.

1 to 3 show the alignment device 31 according to the present invention in detail.

Here, FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the vicinity of the detector, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the alignment device, and FIG. 3 is a plan view.

A pair of rollers 32 and 33 for moving the mask original 15 in the transport direction (direction G in FIG. 3) is configured to be driven by a motor 111 as a drive source via a plurality of gears and shafts.

This pair of rollers 32, 33 is connected to the frame 112 of the main body of the apparatus.
The positioning frame 113 is rotatably supported by an alignment frame 113 which is movably mounted in a horizontal plane.

This alignment frame 113 includes a connecting link 114,
The position of the entire device relative to the frame 112 is regulated by the lateral movement links 115 and 116. The lateral movement links 115 and 116 are configured to be movable in the directions of arrows H and 2 in FIG. 3, respectively, by the driving force of lateral movement motors 117 and 118 and gears. Furthermore, this alignment frame 113
A glass plate 34 is attached to the upper surface of the central portion of the plate 34, and is configured to transmit light for guiding the mask original plate 15 between the pair of rollers 32 and 33 and for exposure from below. Further, a plate 119 for mounting the detector located near the pair of rollers 32 is mounted on the frame 112 of the main body of the apparatus.

On the other hand, an alignment mark 120 is printed near the left end of the mask original 15 at the same time as the image information when the mask original 15 is created.

Then, for attachment, the mask original 15 is aligned by reading the alignment mark 120 at each reading position 121, 122123 with a detector 126 such as a reflective optical sensor attached to the plate 119.

Here, the detector 126 is surrounded by a transparent case 12.
While housed inside the case 7, it is attached to the plate 119 together with the transparent case 127. Further, the transparent case 127 is configured such that its lower surface 127a is close to the mask original 15 passing below. Also,
Slanted portions 127a and 127c are formed on both front sides of the lower surface 127a in the conveyance direction of the mask original 15.

Further, the pair of rollers 32 and 33 are set so that the distance 1 between them is shorter than the length of the mask original 15.

An exposure device 41 is disposed below the alignment device 31, and the exposure device 41 is movable along the alignment device 31 in the transport direction of the mask original 15 (in the horizontal direction in FIG. 4). The exposure device 41 includes a linear white light source (
42 (hereinafter referred to simply as a lamp), a reflector 43 that reflects light from the lamp 42, and a filter unit 44 including a red filter 44R, a green filter 44G, and a blue filter 44B.

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 the photocurable resin is cured by light of red, green, and blue wavelengths, and cyan, magenta, and yellow. Microcapsules containing each of the 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 passes from inside the cartridge 51 between the glass plate 34 and the exposure table 52, and passes through the buffer 55, separation roller 64, and pressure developing device 70.
and a drive roller 57 before being wound up on a take-up roller 54 . The exposure table 52 is configured to bring the mask original 15, which has been lowered by a cam 53 and conveyed onto the glass plate 34, into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. Further, the fixed roller 56 is pressed against the end of the exposure table 52 so as to sandwich the photosensitive recording medium 15 when the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position.
is arranged so as to be fixed to the exposure table 52.

The color developer sheet 60 is, for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-88739.
It is constructed by coating a base paper with the color developer shown in the publication, and is placed in the cassette 61 with the developer coated side facing downward.

Further, the color developer sheet 60 is placed on the upper part of the cassette 61.
A suction cup 62 is arranged to feed the sheets one by one.

The pressure developing device 70 is composed of a pair of pressure rollers 71 and the like that superpose the photosensitive recording medium 50 on which a latent image has been formed by exposure and the color developer sheet 60 and develop the image under pressure.

The heat fixing device 80 includes an upper casing 83 containing a heater 81 and an impeller 82, rubber rollers 84, 85° 86 for conveying the color developing paper sheet 60, and rollers 87, 8.
8 is provided with an endless belt 89 installed between the two. Further, a paper discharge tray 63 is attached to the outside of the heat fixing device 80.

The operation of the apparatus configured as described above when obtaining a plurality of color images from one set of mask originals will be described next.

First, a red mask original 15R is created by the monochrome laser printer 1. This mask original version 15R is
Among the microcapsules coated on the photosensitive recording medium 50, a predetermined area of the microcapsules containing a cyan dye precursor is hardened, and a light-shielding image is formed in the area other than the color-separated red image information. This is an original mask with toner on it.

Then, the mask original 15R outputted from the monochrome laser printer 1 is sent to the ADF tray 12, and then fed to the color image recording device 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13. The mask original 15R fed to the color image recording device 20 passes through the mask original transport path 21 and is sent to the alignment device 31 by a pair of rollers 24.degree. 22.

On the way, the curl of the mask master plate 15R is corrected by the curler roller 101. At this time, the gate 28 is at the position indicated by the solid line in the figure.

Next, in the alignment device 31, the alignment mark 120 on the mask original 15R is read by a detector 126 attached to the mounting plate 119. Then, the motor 111 and motors 117 and 118 are driven in accordance with the output of the detector 126, and the mask original 15R is aligned at a predetermined position with respect to the frame 112 of the apparatus main body.

At this time, even if the mask original plate 15R is curled or distorted and its flatness is deteriorated, the distance between the detector 126 and the mask original plate 15R is always kept constant through the transparent case 127 that houses the detector 126. is maintained, thereby improving the alignment accuracy of the mask original 15R. Furthermore, when the mask original 15R is fed into the alignment device 31 as described above, the mask original 15R is reliably fed below the transparent case 127 by the inclined portion 127b formed in the transparent case 127.

Immediately before performing this positioning, the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position via the cam 53, and the fixed roller 56 is pressed against the left end surface of the exposure table 52 to move the photosensitive recording medium 50 onto the exposure table.
Fixed to 2. After completing the alignment,
The exposure table 52 is further lowered via the cam 53 and brought into contact with the glass plate 34 of the alignment device 31 to bring 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 42
is turned on, and the exposure device 41 is scanned in the direction of arrow A in order to irradiate the mask original 15R with red light through the red filter 44R and expose the photosensitive recording medium 50.

When the exposure is completed, the lamp 42 is turned off and the exposure device 41 is turned off.
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),
A green filter 44G is located above the lamp 42. Further, while the exposure device 41 moves backward, the exposure table 52 is raised to a predetermined position by the rotation of the cam 53, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is separated from the alignment device 31 and the mask original 15R. Here, pack tension is always applied to the photosensitive recording medium 50 at the center of roll rotation of the photosensitive recording medium 50 in the cartridge 51. Therefore, when the exposure table 52 is lowered, a length corresponding to the lowering amount of the exposure table 52 is pulled out of the cartridge 51, and when the exposure table 52 is raised after exposure, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is pulled out.
It is designed to be rewound in the direction to take up the slack.

Even after the exposure of the red mask master plate 15R is completed, the exposure table 52 only rises to a predetermined position, and the contact state between the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 56 is maintained, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is It remains fixed to the exposure table 52.

Next, the green mask original 15G created by the monochrome laser printer 1 is placed in the ADF tray 12,
The sheet is conveyed through the F paper feed roller 13 , the recurl roller 101 , and the mask original conveyance path 21 to just before the roller pair 24 . At this time, the roller pair 22.2 is used to carry out the red mask original 15R from the alignment device 31 in the right direction.
4°25.27 and the pair of rollers 32°33 of the alignment device 31 rotate, and the mask original 15R is carried out from the alignment device 31. At the same time, the green mask original 15G is conveyed to the exposure position by the roller pair 22, 24 and stopped. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are at the positions indicated by solid lines in the figure, and the exposed mask original 15R is held between the pair of rollers 27, and with its rear end passing through the gate 29, the rotation of the pair of rollers 27 is stopped. It is maintained by letting

The green mask original 15G guided by the alignment device 31 is aligned with the photosensitive recording medium 5C, as in the case of the red mask original 15R, and then the exposure table 52 is lowered. Possibly the photosensitive recording medium 50
I am brought into close contact with this.

After that, the lamp 42 is turned on, and the green filter 44
Exposure is performed with green light through G.

After exposure, the exposure table 52 is raised to a predetermined position, the exposure device 41 is moved back to the original position, and the lamp 42 is moved back to the original position.
The filter unit 44 is moved so that the blue filter 44B is positioned above.

Next, the blue mask original plate 15B created by the monochrome laser printer 1 is similarly fed to the color image recording device 20, and the above-mentioned mask original plate 15R and mask original plate 1 are fed to the color image recording device 20.
5G, the mask original 15G is sent out from the alignment device 31, and at the same time, the blue mask original 15B is transported to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, the gate 28 is located at the position shown by the solid line in the figure, and the gate 29 is located at the position shown by the broken line in the figure.
5G is sandwiched between roller pair 26, and its rear end is connected to gate 2.
9, the roller pair 26 is held by stopping its rotation.

Blue mask original plate 1 guided to alignment device 31
5B is brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50 by a similar operation. After that, the lamp 42 is turned on and the blue filter 4 is turned on.
Exposure is performed with green light through 4B.

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, the fixed roller 56 and the left end of the exposure table 52 are separated from each other, and the buffer 55 is moved in the direction of the arrow E to remove the unexposed portions of the photosensitive recording medium 50. is pulled out from inside the cartridge 51 and positioned below the exposure table 52. The driving roller 57 transports the photosensitive recording medium 50 and stops when the leading edge of the latent image reaches the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 .

In synchronization with the movement of the photosensitive recording medium 50, the developer sheet 60 is sent out from the cassette 61 by the suction cup 62, and the tip of the developer sheet 60 is moved to the tip position of the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 50. It is transported and stopped.

Next, the pressure developing device 70 is driven by a drive device (not shown).
The pressure roller 71 is pressed while being rotated in the direction of the arrow. At this time, by lowering the exposure table 52 to a predetermined position again, the fixed roller 56 is attached to the left end of the exposure table 52.
is pressed, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is fixed to the exposure table 52.

Then, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is conveyed under pressure while being overlapped with the color developer sheet 60, and the uncured microcapsules on the photosensitive recording medium 50 are destroyed by the pressure. A color image corresponding to the image is developed on the developer sheet 60. On the other hand, the buffer 55 is moved in the direction of arrow F in response to the rotation of the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 in the direction of the arrow F, and the exposed photosensitive recording medium 50 passes through the pressure developing device 70. .

Then, the developer paper sheet 60 is separated from the photosensitive recording medium 50 by a separation roller 64, and the heat fixing device 8
You will be guided in the direction of 0.

In the heat fixing device 80, the above color developer sheet 60 is
It is heated by the air that is heated by the heater 81 and circulated within the casing 83 by the impeller 82, thereby promoting color development of the color image. At the same time, the color developing medium is transferred to the color developing paper sheet 6.
The binder polymer (binder resin) for fixing the color developer sheet 60 to the base paper 60 is thermally melted to make the surface smooth, and the surface of the developer sheet 60 has an appropriate gloss. The color developer sheet 60 that has undergone color development and gloss treatment in this manner is discharged to the paper discharge tray 63.

During the above-described series of development and coloring/glossy processing, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is held and fixed by the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 561, so that during the development processing for one screen, at the exposed location, Exposure processing of the latent image of the next color image can be performed.

When exposing the second color image, first, the mask original 15B at the exposure position is sent out to the left in the figure, and the mask original 15R held at the position of the roller pair 27 is sent to the alignment device 31. Roller pair 24, 22.2
5.27 and the roller pair 32.33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated so as to convey the mask original 15R to the left. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by solid lines in the figure. The mask original 15B sent leftward in this manner is held between the pair of rollers 24, and at the position where the rear end passes the gate 28, the rotation of the pair of rollers 24 is stopped and held. On the other hand, the mask original 15R fed into the alignment device 31 is brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50 after being aligned. Then, the photosensitive recording medium 50
is exposed to red light through the mask original plate 15R.

Next, exposure is performed using the mask original plate 15G, but in this case as well, the mask original plate 15 at the exposure position is
R is sent out to the left, and the mask original 15G held at the position of the roller pair 26 is sent into the alignment device 31. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by broken lines in the figure. Then, the mask original 15R sent out to the left is sandwiched between the pair of rollers 23, and at the position where the rear end passes the gate 28, the rotation of the pair of rollers 23 is stopped and held. Then, the mask original 15G fed into the alignment device 31 is brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50 after being aligned.

Then, after the exposure of the mask original 15G with the cloth original is completed, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is fed into the color image recording apparatus 20 one by one by the ADF paper feed roller 13.

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

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the reading accuracy of the detector by preventing the distance between the detector, such as a reflective optical sensor, and the mask original from changing as much as possible. As a result, it is possible to reduce color shift in a color image, and it is also easy to feed the mask original below the detector, which has the effect of reducing jamming of the mask original.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 4 show the actual side embodying the present invention, with Figure 1 being a schematic sectional view of the detector portion, Figure 2 being a schematic sectional view of the alignment device, and Figure 3 being a schematic sectional view of the alignment device. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the alignment device shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the configuration of the image processing device, and FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional example of the mask original alignment device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Monochrome laser printer (mask original plate production device), 15... Mask original plate, 20... Color image recording device, 31... Positioning device, 34... Glass plate,
41... Exposure device, 44... Filter unit, 5
0... Photosensitive recording medium, 52... Exposure table, 60...
Color developer sheet, 70...pressure developing device, 111, 11
7゜118...Motor, 112,113...Frame, 119...Mounting on plate, 126...Detector, 12
7...Transparent case.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a detector for reading an alignment mark that is a reference for alignment printed on a mask original plate on which monochrome image information is created by a mask original plate creation device based on the color image information; a moving means for moving the mask original plate; In the mask master positioning device for an image recording apparatus, the detector is disposed in a transparent case arranged such that a lower surface thereof is close to the mask master. 1. A mask original positioning device for an image recording device, characterized in that a mask original positioning device for an image recording device is stored therein.