JPH04116634A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow an original to be surely accepted to a color image recorder side and to prevent the generation of a jam by constituting the recorder in such a manner that the original is delivered only when the color image recorder side is ready to accept the original. CONSTITUTION:The color image recorder Ca has a control means HC which interlocks a printer device and the color image recorder at the time of the recording operation and the control means HC controls a printer control section CONP to transport the formed original after the preparatory processing of the color image recorder control section CONC is completed. The original is surely accepted in the color image recorder and the generation of the jam is obviated when the original is outputted in this way.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image recording device, and more particularly to an image recording device that uses an output sheet of a monochrome laser printer as an original on a photosensitive recording medium to obtain a color hard copy. Regarding the improvement of

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of a conventional image recording apparatus C.

As shown in FIG. 5, the image recording device C includes a monochrome laser printer (hereinafter referred to as a printer) 1 placed on top of an image recording device (hereinafter referred to as a recording device) 20. ing. An output sheet created by the printer 1 is automatically carried into the recording device 20, and the output sheet is used as a mask original (hereinafter referred to as an original) for a photosensitive recording medium.

In this case, the sheet output from the printer 1 is detected by the printer ejection sensor 16, which is a component of the recording device 20, and based on this detection result, the monochrome original carry-in roller 17, which is a component of the recording device 20, is driven. The document is transported to an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) tray 12. Thereafter, the output sheet 15 is taken into the recording device 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13, and a color hard copy is created through predetermined processing.

Here, one power switch (not shown) of the conventional image recording apparatus C is provided for the printer 1 and the recording apparatus 20, respectively.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional image recording apparatus C, even if the power switch on the printer 1 side is turned on, the power switch on the recording apparatus 20 side may remain off.

In such a case, if the original was output from the printer 1, it would not be captured into the recording device 20, resulting in a jam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus that prevents jamming when transferring an original from a printer to a recording apparatus.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve this object, an image recording apparatus of the present invention is an image recording apparatus that conveys an original created on a printer side to a color image recording apparatus side to obtain a color copy. , comprising a control means for interlocking the printer device and the color image recording device during a recording operation, and the control means controls the original document created in the printer device after completing the preparation process of the color image recording device. Control to start conveyance.

[Effect]

When the color image recording device has completed the preparation process and is ready to accept a document, it transmits an acceptability signal to the printer device. The printer device side outputs the document when receiving the acceptability signal. Therefore, when the original is output, the original is reliably received by the color image recording apparatus and no jam occurs.

〔Example〕

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

First, an image recording apparatus Ca to which the present invention is applied will be explained based on FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an image recording apparatus Ca in which a monochrome laser printer (hereinafter referred to as a printer) 1 and a color image recording apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a recording apparatus) 20 are combined and arranged.

The printer 1 is mounted on top of a recording device 20, and inside the printer 1, a charged photoreceptor 3 is irradiated with a laser beam by a polygon scanner 2 to form 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 paper fed from a paper feed cassette 5, and fixed by a fixing device 6. The printer 1 has a control section C0NP which is a signal receiving section according to the main part of the present invention.

Output paper from the printer 1 is transferred to the monochrome output tray 1 if a "black and white image" is required at the paper bus switching unit 10.
1 or the ADF via the monochrome original paper feed roller 17
) is sent to ray 12. If a "color image" is required, the image is sent to the ADF tray 12 and then taken into the recording device 20.

The paper sent to the ADF tray 12 is taken into the recording device 20 one by one by the ADF paper feed roller 13.
Three sheets of monochrome printed paper outputted from the printer 1 form a set and are stored in the original plate 15 (red, green,
The blue originals are individually marked 15R, 15G, and 15B. ) is used as.

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

A positioning device 31 for performing exposure is arranged at the bottom of the main body of the recording device 20, and the ADF ray 12 and the positioning device 31 are connected by an original transport path 21. On both the left and right sides of the alignment device 31, there are roller pairs 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and gates 28.
29 and an original storage section 102 are provided. In the middle of the original transport path 21, there is an original 15 discharged from the printer 1.
A pair of recurler rollers 101 for removing curls are arranged. An original discharge tray 30 for discharging used originals 15 is provided outside the roller pair 26, 27.

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

An exposure device 41 that is movable left and right along the alignment device 31 is arranged on the lower right side of the alignment device 31 . The four exposure devices are linear white light sources (hereinafter referred to as lamps).
42, a reflecting plate 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. A control unit C0NC is provided below the alignment device 31 and generates a signal indicating whether or not the recording device 20 according to the main part of the present invention is in a state of accepting a mask original.

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 cures when exposed to light of each wavelength of red, green, and blue, and each of cyan, magenta, and yellow. The cartridge 5 is constructed by coating microcapsules containing a dye precursor on a base sheet.
It is housed inside 1 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 stage 52, and passes through a buffer device 55 that temporarily stores the exposed photosensitive recording medium, a separation roller 64, a pressure developing device 70, and a drive roller 57. The winding roller 54 is then wound around the winding roller 54. The exposure table 52 is lowered by a cam 53 and brings the original 15 conveyed onto the glass plate 34 and the photosensitive recording medium 50 into close contact. The fixed roller 56 is pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52 when the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position, and is arranged so as to fix the photosensitive recording medium 50 to the exposure table 52 during exposure of the original plate 15.

The color developer sheet 60 is constructed by coating a color developer disclosed in JP-A No. 58-88739 on a base paper, for example.
It is set in the cassette 61 with the developer coated side facing downward. A suction cup 62 for feeding the color developer sheets 60 one by one is arranged above the cassette 61.

The pressure developing device 70 is comprised 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 is installed between a casing 83 containing a heater 81 and an impeller 82 in the upper part, rubber rollers 84, 85, 86 for conveying the color developer sheet h60 in the lower part, and rollers 87 and 88. A paper discharge tray 63 is provided outside the heat fixing device 80 .

FIG. 1 shows a printer 1 and a recording device 20 of an image recording device Ca.
A block diagram of the connection control system is shown.

As shown in FIG. 1, the connection control system of the image recording device Ca is connected to the control unit C0NP of the printer 1 and the color image recording device 2.
0 control unit C0NC.

The control unit C0NP includes a ROMI 21 in which a control program is stored in the CPU 120, and a monochrome original paper feed roller 1.
A motor drive circuit 122 for a motor that drives the motor 7 is connected thereto. Further, the CPU 120 sends a ready signal Ready to the host computer HC and receives data from the host computer HC. In addition, when transferring the original from the printer, the CPU 120 to CPU 13
A start signal 5tart is sent to 0.

The control unit C0NC is connected to a ROMI 31 in which a control program is stored in the CPU 130, and a motor drive circuit 132 for a motor that drives the ADF paper feed roller 13. The CPU 130 is connected to the CPU 120 and sends out an interruption signal 5top indicating that the color image recording device 20 is in an interruption state in which copying cannot be performed.

Next, the operation will be explained.

In an image recording device having such a configuration, exposure processing, development processing, and luminescent gloss processing are performed continuously in the operations described below, but in the middle of these processing, it becomes necessary for the user to interrupt the processing for some reason. Assume that The operation in this case will be explained based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The operation of the recording device 20 is as shown in FIG.
The interrupt signal generated by U130 is set to H level (Step Sl), and the printer 1
CPU 120 is notified.

In this state, the printer 1 does not send out the original. Eventually, the recording device 120 performs startup processing (step S2), and when it becomes ready to accept the original, the interruption signal is set to L level (step S3).

On the other hand, if the interrupt signal is not at the H level (that is, at the L level) (step Sll; No), the printer 1 side sends the ready signal to the H level to the host computer HC, indicating that it is in the data acceptance state. Express your intentions (
Step 512). The host computer HC that has received this ready signal transmits data for forming a monochrome image. If the interrupt signal is at the H level (step Sll; Yes), the recording device 2° is not in the accepting state, so the ready signal is set at the L level to the host computer HC, and the recording device 2 is not in the data accepting state. It is notified (step 513) and waits for the interrupt signal to become H level.

In this way, only when the recording device 20 is in a state where the original can be accepted, the recording device 20 sends an acceptance signal to the printer 1, so that the original is reliably accepted by the recording device 20 and no jam occurs.

Next, the general operation of the image recording apparatus will be explained with reference to FIG. That is, this is an explanation of the operation when obtaining a plurality of color images from one set of original plates.

First, the printer 1 creates an original plate 15R for red. The original plate 15R is an original plate in which toner, which is a light-shielding image, is placed on other parts of the microcapsules coated on the photosensitive recording medium 50 in order to harden the microcapsules containing a cyan dye precursor. The original plate 15R output from the printer 1 is sent to the ADF tray 12,
The paper is fed into the recording device 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13. The original 15R fed into the recording device 20 passes through the original transport path 21 and is sent to the alignment device 31 by the roller pair 24, 22. On the way, the curl of the original plate 15R is corrected by the recurler roller 101. At this time, the gate 28 is at the position indicated by the solid line.

Next, the alignment device 31 moves the original 15R to the roller pair 32.
After transporting the glass plate 34 to the appropriate exposure position by
While reading the alignment mark printed on the original 15R with a sensor, the original 15R is moved to a predetermined position by a drive source (not shown).

Immediately before positioning, the exposure table 52 moves the cam 5 to a predetermined position.
3, the fixed roller 56 is lowered to the left end of the exposure table 52.
is pressed to fix 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 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 performs scanning exposure in the direction of arrow A in order to expose the photosensitive recording medium 50 with red light via the red filter 44R and the original plate 15R. When the exposure is completed, the lamp 42 turns off and the exposure device 41 moves in the direction of arrow B.
Move back in the direction of. At this time, the filter unit 44 of the exposure device 41 is moved by a drive source (not shown), and the green filter 44G is positioned above the lamp 42.

While the exposure bag fii41 moves back, the exposure table 52 is moved by the cam 53.
The photosensitive recording medium 5o is lifted up by the rotation, and the photosensitive recording medium 5o is separated from the alignment device 31 and the original plate 15R.

A 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 to the storage cartridge 51. When the photosensitive recording medium 50 is pulled out from the inside and the exposure table 52 is raised after exposure, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is rewound in a direction to take up the slack.

Even after the exposure of the original plate 15R for red is completed, the exposure table 52 only rises to a predetermined position, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is fixed to the exposure table 52 by a fixed roller 56 pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52. It remains in its original state.

Next, green original plate 1 created by printer 1
5G or ADF) Ray 12, ADF paper feed roller 13, recurler roller pair 101, and when the original transport path 21 reaches just before the roller pair 24, the roller pair 22.24.25
．． 27, the roller pair 32 and 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated in the direction of conveying the original 15R to the right, and the original 1
At the same time as sending out 5R from the alignment device 31, the original plate 15
G is transported to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are in the solid line position, and the exposed original 15R is held between the pair of rollers 27 and with its rear end passing through the gate 29, by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 27.

The original 15G guided to the alignment device 31 is the original 15
As in the case of R, after alignment with the photosensitive recording medium 50, the exposure table 52 is lowered to come into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. Thereafter, the lamp 42 is turned on and exposure to green light is performed via the green filter 44G. After the exposure is completed, the exposure table 52 is raised to a predetermined position. The exposure device 41 is moved back to the original position, and the blue filter 44 is
Can be switched to B.

Next, the blue original plate 1 created by the printer 1
5B is similarly fed to the recording device 20, and in a state where it is conveyed just before the roller pair 24, the roller pairs 24, 22, 25, .
26 and the pair of rollers 32 and 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated in the direction of conveying the original 15G to the right, and the original 1
5G is sent out from the alignment device 31 and the original plate 15
B is transported to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, gate 2
8 is at the solid line position, and the gate 29 is at the broken line position, and the exposed original plate 15G is held between the roller pair 26 and with its rear end passing through the gate 29 by stopping the rotation of the roller pair 26. .

The original 15B guided by the alignment device 31 is brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50 by a similar operation. Photosensitive recording medium 50
is exposed to blue light through the original plate 15B.

By 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, and the buffer device 55 is moved in the direction of the arrow E.
An unexposed portion of the photosensitive recording medium 50 is pulled out from within the cartridge 51 below the exposure table 52. The drive roller 57 transports the photosensitive recording medium 50 and stops the photosensitive recording medium 50 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 taken out from the cassette 61 by the suction cup 62, and is conveyed to a position where the leading edge of the developer sheet 60 corresponds to the leading edge of the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 50, and then stopped.

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, by lowering the exposure table 52 to a predetermined position again, the fixed roller 56 is pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is fixed to the exposure table 52. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is overlapped with the color developer sheet 60 and fed under pressure, and the uncured microcapsules on the photosensitive recording medium 50 are destroyed by the pressure, forming a latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 50. The color image is displayed on developer sheet 6.
0 is developed.

The pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 170 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, and the buffer device 55 is moved in the direction of the arrow F. The color developer sheet 60 is separated by a separation roller 64.
While being peeled off from the photosensitive recording medium 50, the heat fixing device 8
You will be guided in the direction of 0.

In the heat fixing device 80, the color developer sheet 6o is heated by a heater 81 and heated by air circulating in a casing 83 by an impeller 82, thereby promoting color development of a color image. At the same time, the binder polymer (binder resin) for fixing the color developing medium to the base paper of the color developer sheet 60 is thermally melted, and the surface becomes smooth, and the surface of the color developer sheet 6o has a moderate gloss. can get. 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 color gloss processing, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is clamped and fixed by the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 56, so that during the development processing for one screen, the next color image is displayed at the exposed location. The latent image can be exposed to light.

When starting the exposure of the second color image, first, the original 15B at the exposure position is sent to the left, and the roller pair is moved to send the original 15R held at the position of the roller pair 27 to the alignment device 31. 24, 22, 25, 27 and the roller pair 32, 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated so as to convey the original 15R to the left. At this time, gate 28
．． 29 is at the solid line position. The original 15B is held between the pair of rollers 24, and the rotation of the pair of rollers 24 is stopped at the position where the rear end passes through the gate 28. Alignment device 3
The original plate 15R fed into the photosensitive recording medium 50 is aligned and brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is the original plate 1
It is exposed to red light through 5R in the same manner as described above.

Next, the original plate 15R at the exposure position is sent out to the left,
In order to send the original 15G held at the position of the roller pair 26 to the alignment device 31, the roller pair 22.23.2
5.26 and the roller pair 32.33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated so as to convey the original 15G to the left. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are at the dashed line position. The original plate 15R is held between the pair of rollers 23 and held by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 23 at the position where the rear end passes the gate 28. Original plate 15 sent to alignment device 31
G is aligned and brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is exposed to green light via the original plate 15G in the same manner as described above.

Next, the original plate 15G at the exposure position is sent to the right,
A similar operation is performed to feed the original plate 15B held at the position of the roller pair 24 to the alignment device 31, a latent color image is formed on the photosensitive recording medium 50, and a color image is formed on the color developer sheet 60. form.

By repeating similar operations, a predetermined number of color images can be output from one set of original plates 15.

After obtaining the required number of color images from the same original 15, each original 15 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 3o using the roller pair 27 or the roller pair 26.

In addition, if the next original 15 is output from the printer 1 while a series of color images are being exposed, it should be stored in the ADF tray 12 and fed into the ADF after the exposure of the previous set is completed. The sheets are fed one by one into the recording device 2o by the sheet feed port 13.

Further, when an original from another printer or an original used previously is to be used again, the original can be input into the main body of the apparatus by setting it on the ADF tray 12.

In this embodiment, two control sections, C0NP, CON, and C, are provided, but it goes without saying that they may be combined into one control section.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from what has been detailed above, according to the present invention,
Since the original is sent out only when the color image recording apparatus is ready to accept the original, the original is reliably received by the color image recording apparatus and jams do not occur.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a connection control system showing an embodiment of the image recording device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the color image recording device of the above embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a printer of the above embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an image recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied; FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional image recording apparatus. 1... Monochrome laser printer (printer equipment rji)
13... ADF paper feed roller 15... Mask original (manuscript) 17... Monochrome original paper feed roller 20... Color image recording device C0NP... Printer control unit (control means) C0NC - Color image Control unit (control means) of recording device Host computer

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An image recording device for obtaining a color hard copy by conveying a document created on a printer side to a color image recording device side, wherein the image recording device communicates with the printer device and a color image during a recording operation. The image forming apparatus further comprises a control means for interlocking with a recording device, and the control means controls the printer device to start conveying the document created in the printer device after the preparation process of the color image recording device is completed. image recording device.