JPH0412340A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To correct the inclination and right-left deviation of a mask negative plate which are caused by a mask negative plate conveying means and to speed up image formation by providing a 1st or 2nd operation mode wherein the position of a positioning means is initialized to send the mask negative plate to one of mask negative plate conveying means. CONSTITUTION:When a 1st color image is formed, a positioning device is returned to an initial position and the mask negative plate 15 is carried in and out. When 2nd and succeeding color images are formed, the mask negative plate 15 is sent out while the positioning device 31 is not returned to the initial position, and after the positioning device 31 is returned to the initial position, the mask negative plate 15 is sent in the positioning device 31. Consequently, the inclination and deviation of the conveyance path of the mask negative plate 15 are corrected and the speed of image formation can be increased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, and particularly to an image recording apparatus having two mask original delivery modes.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, this type of color image recording apparatus has a monochrome laser printer and a color image recording apparatus combined and arranged.

In the laser printer, a polygon scanner irradiates laser light onto the charged photoreceptor, thereby drawing an electrostatic latent image. The photoconductor on which the electrostatic latent image is formed is developed by a developing device, and the toner image is transferred onto plain paper or OHP sheet fed from a paper feed cassette and fixed by a fixing device. Monochrome laser printers typically store data transmitted from a host computer. If a black and white image is required, the output from the laser printer is fed to the monochrome output tray or automatic document feeder tray at the paper path switching unit, and if a color image is required, it is sent to the ADF tray. After that, the image is taken into a color image recording device. The mask original supplied from the outside is unconditionally input into the image recording apparatus.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the mask original conveying means, if the mask original is tilted or shifted in the left-right direction, it is not corrected, and there is a problem that the positioning means cannot completely correct the tilt or shift.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art described above, and its purpose is to be able to correct the inclination and lateral deviation of the mask original by the mask original transport means, and to increase the speed of image formation. An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording device.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention having the above object includes a mask original created based on image data, a positioning means for positioning the mask original at a predetermined position, and a transporting means for transporting the mask master from the position of the positioning means to a predetermined position. In an image recording apparatus comprising a plurality of mask original transport means, the alignment means, and a control means for controlling the mask original transport means, after initializing the position of the alignment means, the mask original transport means and a second operation mode in which the mask original is sent to one of the mask original transport means before initializing the position of the alignment means. .

[Effect]

In the present invention having the above configuration, when forming the first color image, the mask master is returned to the initial position and carried in and out, and when forming the second and subsequent color images, the mask master is first The original is sent out without returning the alignment device to the initial position, and after the alignment device is returned to the initial position, the mask original is sent to the alignment device. By doing so, it is possible to correct the inclination and shift in the conveyance path of the mask original, and to increase the speed of image formation.

〔Example〕

An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below 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 polygon scanner 2 irradiates a charged photoreceptor 3 with laser light, thereby drawing an electrostatic latent image. The photoconductor 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 an 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 the paper path switching unit 10.
If a black and white image is required, it is fed to the monochrome output tray 11 or automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) tray 12; if a color image is required, it is fed to the ADF.
) After being sent to the ray 12, it is taken into the color image 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 laser printer 1 is formed. The original mask 15 (15R, 15G, 15B) of the color image recording device 20
) is used as.

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

A positioning device 31 is located at the bottom of the main body of the color image recording device 20, and the ADF tray 12 and the positioning device 31 are connected by a mask original transport path 21.

On both the left and right sides of the positioning device 31, there are roller pairs 22.2 3 , 2 4 , 2 5 whose rotational direction can be controlled.
, 26, 27, gate
28.29 and a mask original storage section 102 are arranged. In the middle of the mask original transport path 21, a pair of recurler rollers 101 is disposed for removing curls from the mask original 15 carried out from the laser printer 1. The used mask original plate 15 is placed on the outside of the roller pair 26 and 27.
There is a mask original discharge tray 30 for discharging the original mask.

The configuration of the alignment device 31 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The pair of rollers 32 and 33 that move the mask original 15 in the transport direction (direction of arrow G) is configured to be driven by a motor 111 as a drive source via a plurality of gears and shafts.

The roller pairs 32 and 33 are attached movably within a plane attached to the frame 112 of the apparatus main body, and are rotatably attached to the alignment frame 113.

The alignment frame 113 has a link 114 and a lateral movement link 115.11 relative to the frame 112 of the device body.
The position is regulated by 6 and becomes 0. Lateral movement links 115, 116 are motors 117, 118 for lateral movement.
It is configured to be able to move in the directions of arrow H and arrow 1, respectively, by the driving force and gears. A glass plate 34 is arranged in the center of the alignment frame 113 so that the guide of the mask original 15 between the pair of rollers 32 and 33 and the exposure light from below are transmitted therethrough.

Further, a sensor mounting member 119 is located near the roller pair 32 and is attached to the frame 112 of the main body of the apparatus. 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. Regarding the sensor attachment, a reflection type optical sensor (not shown) is attached to the member 119, and the sensor reading positions 121, 122, and 123 of the alignment mark 120 are read respectively.

Further, the distance l between the roller pairs 32 and 33 is the same as that of the mask original plate 1.
It is attached so that it is shorter than the length of 5.

Next, the image recording apparatus of the present invention will be explained with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The image recording device includes CPU91 and CP
ROM92 and R that accommodate data necessary for U91 calculations
It includes a control section A consisting of an AM 93, an input circuit 94, and an output circuit 95.

The input circuit 94 includes a reference sensor 120 and a sensor 121.
．． Comparison circuits 96 a % 96 b z 96 c are connected to compare the data from 122 and 123, respectively. The reference sensor 120 is composed of, for example, an LED and a phototransistor, and the temperature-dependent sensitivity of the sensor is adjusted by changing the threshold level of the sensors 121, 122, 123. On the other hand, these sensors 121, 122, 123 and the reference sensor 12
0 is inputted by the input circuit 94, those data are outputted from the output circuit 95, and the drive motor 111,
The signal is output to a vertical movement motor 117 and a horizontal movement motor 118.

An exposure device 41 is arranged below the alignment device 31, and the exposure device 4.1 is movable in the left-right direction along the alignment device 31. The exposure device 41 includes a linear white light source (hereinafter referred to as a lamp) 42, a reflection plate 43 that reflects light from the lamp 42, a red filter 44R, a green filter 44G, and a blue filter 4.
It is composed of a filter unit 44 consisting of 4B.

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 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.
It is routed through the drive roller 57 to the take-up roller 54. The exposure table 52 is lowered by a cam 53, and the mask original 1 conveyed onto the glass plate 34 is placed on the exposure table 52.
5 and the photosensitive recording medium 50 are brought into close contact with each other. 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 mask original 15. has been done.

The developer sheet 60 is constructed by coating a base paper with a developer described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-88739, and is placed in the cassette 61 so that the developer-coated surface faces downward. It is set. At the top of the cassette 61, there is a suction cup 62 for feeding the developer sheets 60 one by one.
is located.

The pressure developing device 70 is composed of a photosensitive recording medium 50 on which a latent image has been formed by exposure, and a pair of pressure rollers 71 for overlapping a color developer sheet 60 and developing it 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 60 in the lower part, and rollers 87 and 88. A paper ejection tray 63 is attached to the outside of the heat fixing device 80.

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

First, the monochrome laser printer 1 creates a red mask original 15R. 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 mask original plate has toner as a light-shielding image placed on other parts. At this time, the mask original 15R outputted from the monochrome laser printer 1 is sent to the ADF tray 12 and fed into the color image recording device 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13. Color image recording device 20
The mask original 15R fed inside passes through the mask original transport path 21 and is sent to the positioning device 31 by the roller pair 24, 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.

Next, the alignment device 31 transports the mask original 15R to an appropriate exposure position by the roller pair 32, and then uses the motor 111 and the motor 117 while reading the alignment mark 120 printed on the mask original 15R with a sensor.
．． 118 to move the mask original 15R to a predetermined position.

Immediately before positioning, the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position by the cam 53, and the fixed roller 56 is pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52 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 and comes into contact with the glass plate 34 of the alignment device 31, and the mask original 15R and the photosensitive recording medium 50 are exposed.
and bring them 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 scanning exposure in the direction of arrow A in order to expose the photosensitive recording medium 50 with red light via the mask original 15R via the red filter 44R. When the exposure is completed, the lamp 42 is turned off and the exposure device 41 moves back in the direction of arrow B. At this time, the exposure device 41
The filter unit 44 is moved by a drive source (not shown), and a green filter 44G is located 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 is separated from the alignment device 31 and the mask original 15R. At this time, pack tension is applied to the photosensitive recording medium 50 at the center of rotation of the roll of the photosensitive recording medium 50 in the cartridge 51, and when the exposure table 52 descends,
A length corresponding to the amount of descent of the exposure table 52 is pulled out from the storage cartridge 51, and the exposure table 52 is pulled out after exposure is completed.
2 rises, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is rewound in a 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 photosensitive recording medium 50 is moved to the exposure table 52 by a fixed roller 56 pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52. remains fixed.

At this time, the motors 117 and 118 of the positioning device 31 are driven, and the position of the positioning frame 113 is returned to its initial position, that is, it is on standby in the first operation mode.

Next, the green mask original plate 15G created by the monochrome laser printer 1 is attached to the ADF) Ray 12, A
When passing through the DF paper feed roller 13, recurler roller 101, and mask original transport path 21 and reaching just before the roller pair 24, the roller pairs 22, 24, 25, and 27, and the positioning device 3
The first pair of rollers 32 and 33 are rotated in the direction of conveying the mask original 15R to the right, and at the same time the mask original 15R is sent out from the alignment device 31, the mask original 15G is
is transported to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, gate 28
．． 29 is located at the position of the solid line and is the exposed mask original plate 1.
5R is sandwiched between the pair of rollers 27, and is held by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 27 with its rear end passing through the gate 29.

The mask original 15G that is not guided by the alignment device 31 is aligned with the photosensitive recording medium 50 in the same way as the mask original 15R, and then the exposure table 52 is lowered to align the mask original 15G with the photosensitive recording medium 50. Being brought into close contact. Thereafter, the lamp 42 is turned on and exposure to green light is performed via the green filter 44G. After exposure,
The exposure table 52 is raised to a predetermined position. At this time, the motors 117 and 118 of the positioning device 31 are driven to return the position of the positioning frame 113 to its initial position and stand by. The exposure device 41 is moved back to the original position, and the filter unit 44 is moved so that the blue filter 44B is positioned above the lamp 42.

Next, the blue mask original 15B created by the monochrome laser printer 1 is similarly fed to the color image recording device 20, and in a state where it is conveyed just in front of the roller pair 24, the roller pair 24.22.25. 26 and roller pairs 32 and 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated in the direction of conveying the mask original 15G to the right, and the mask original 15G is sent out from the alignment device 31 and the mask original 1
5B is conveyed to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, the gate 28 is located at the solid line position, the gate 29 is located at the broken line position,
The exposed mask original 15G is sandwiched between a pair of rollers 26,
Further, the rotation of the pair of rollers 26 is stopped with the rear end passing through the gate 29 to be held.

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

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

At this time, the motors 117 and 118 of the positioning device 31 are driven to return the position of the positioning frame 113 to its initial position and stand by.

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 below the exposure table 52. Drive roller 57
The photosensitive recording medium 50 is conveyed and stopped 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 fed out from the cassette 61 by a suction cup 62 until the tip of the developer sheet 60 corresponds to the tip of the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 50. After being transported, it stops.

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 pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is moved onto the exposure table 52.
Fixed.

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, and the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 50 is The corresponding color image is on the developer sheet 60.
developed on top.

By rotating the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 in the direction of the arrow, the buffer 55 is moved in the direction of the arrow F. The color developer sheet 60 is peeled off from the photosensitive recording medium 50 by a separation roller 64 and guided toward a heat fixing device 80 .

In the heat fixing device 80, the color developer sheet 60 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 60 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 series of development and color gloss processing described above, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is clamped and fixed by the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 56, so that while the development processing for one screen is being performed, the following Exposure processing of a latent image of a color image can be performed.

When exposing the second color image, first, the mask original 15B at the exposure position is sent to the left, and the mask original 15R held at the position of the roller pair 27 is sent to the alignment device 31 by the rollers. vs. 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. The mask 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. The mask original 15R sent to the alignment device 31 is aligned and brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is exposed to red light through the mask original 15R.

At that time, the positioning device 31 is not returned to its initial position (
After feeding the mask original 15R to the left in the second operation mode (positioned state) and returning the alignment device 31 to the initial position, the mask original 15G held at the position of the roller pair 26 is aligned. In order to feed the mask original 15G to the device 31, the roller pairs 22, 23, 25, 26 and the roller pair 32, 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated so as to convey the mask original 15G to the left. At this time, gate 28.
29 is located at the position of the broken line. The mask original 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 through the gate 28. The mask original 15G sent to the alignment device 31 is aligned and brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is a mask original plate 15G
is exposed with green light through.

Next, the mask original 15G in the exposure position is sent to the right without returning the alignment device 31 to the initial position,
After returning the positioning device 31 to the initial position, the roller pair 2
A similar operation is performed to feed the mask master plate 15B held at position 4 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 developer sheet 60. Form.

By repeating the same operation, one set of mask originals 1
5, a predetermined number of color images can be output.

When forming one document in this way, the mask original is ejected after returning the alignment device to the initial position, and when two or more images are to be formed, the mask original is ejected from the alignment position. By minimizing the displacement of the mask original, image formation is performed at the fastest speed, and at the same time, the inclination and displacement of the mask original in the transport path are corrected.

After obtaining the required number of color images from the same mask original 15, each mask original 15 is discharged from the roller pair 27 or the roller pair 26 to the paper discharge tray 30.

In addition, if the next mask original 15 is output from the monochrome laser printer 1 while a series of color images are being exposed, it is stored in the ADF tray 12 and the exposure of the previous set is completed. Then, the ADF paper feed roller 13 feeds the paper sheets one by one into the color image recording apparatus 20.

Further, when a mask original output from another monochrome laser printer or a previously used mask original is to be used again, 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, when sending out a mask original from the alignment device, there are two modes: a first operation mode in which the alignment device is returned to the initial position and then sent out, and a first operation mode in which the alignment device is not returned to the initial position. By having a second operation mode that sends out the mask original while it is still aligned, and by appropriately combining these modes, it is possible to correct inclinations and misalignments in the conveyance path of the mask original, and to minimize the drop in print speed. can be suppressed.

1... Monochrome laser printer, 2... Polygon scanner, 3... Photoconductor, 4... Developer, 5... Paper feed cassette, 6... Fixing device, 1o... Paper path Switching unit, 11... Monochrome paper output tray, 12... Automatic document feeder, 20... Color image recording device, 22
．． 23.24.25.26.27...Roller pair, 28
．． 29...Gate, 30...Mask original paper discharge tray, 32.33...Roller pair.

Applicant's representative: Yasuo Ishikawa

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image recording device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a positioning device, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the image recording device of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an image recording device of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the alignment device, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the alignment device of the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A mask original created based on image data, a positioning means for positioning the mask original at a predetermined position,
An image recording apparatus comprising: a plurality of mask original transport means for transporting the mask original from the position of the alignment means to a predetermined position; a control means for controlling the alignment means; and the mask original transport means; a first operation mode in which the mask original is sent to one of the mask original transport means after initializing the position of the alignment means; and a second operation mode in which the mask original is sent out to one of the image recording apparatuses.