JPH04177343A - Printing recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To secure such a printing recorder that is compact in size by transferring an image pattern being latensified in a recording material through heat out of a heating element, on an image receiving sheet of paper and developing and fixing it. CONSTITUTION:Since an original image pattern read by an exposure means 12 is merely performable with a photosensitive-thermosensible method alone, without requiring any pressure work, when it is transferred, the extent of pressing force in a developing means 18 can be set to smallness. In addition, since there are provided a gap holding means 20, holding a gap between the exposure means 12 and a recording material 1 at a specified space at all times, and a tension imparting means 30 giving constant tension to this recording material 1, improvement in development quality is well promoted. With this constitution, miniaturization and lightweightiness are promoted in addition to the development quality.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) This invention particularly aims to reduce the size and weight, and
The present invention relates to a printing and recording device suitable for improving development quality.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as a photographic printing and recording device using a photosensitive sheet in which a carrier such as paper is coated with a coloring agent, the one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-309454 has been known. There is.

This type of printing and recording apparatus has a configuration as shown in FIG. 6, and operates as follows.

First, when a color original (illustrated path) or the like is placed on the transparent original platen 2 provided on the upper surface side of the housing 1 and the apparatus is operated, the original platen 2 rotates at a predetermined constant speed. Move to the center left.

At this time, the moving original is irradiated with visible light emitted from the exposure means 3 provided in the housing 1, and the light irradiated onto the original is reflected from the plane mirror according to the optical density of the original. 4a to 4c, an imaging lens 4d, and the like enter an optical system 4.

On the other hand, a cartridge 5 provided in the housing 1
contains an image sheet G that is formed into a latent image in response to the light emitted from the optical system 4.
is pulled out from the cartridge 5 vertically downward in the figure in synchronization with the movement of the document table 2, and is transferred to the developing section 6 via a buffer 5a, etc., which applies a constant pressure to provide tension.

The image sheet G transferred to the developing section 6 is overlapped with the developing sheet H supplied from the developing sheet supply mechanism 7, and is pressed against each other by pressure rollers 6a, 6a, so that the image sheet G side The latent image pattern is transferred to the developing sheet H side.

Thereafter, the image sheet G and the developer sheet H are separated, the image sheet G is taken up by the take-up roller 8, and the developer sheet H is sent to the heater unit 9a via the developer sheet transport mechanism 9. However, due to the heating generated by the heater unit 9a, the developing sheet H
A color pattern identical to the image pattern of the document quickly appears.

Note that the image sheet G is configured as follows, for example.

That is, each coloring precursor that develops cyan, magenta, and yellow is included in a sensitive composition that immobilizes each coloring precursor by changing its viscosity etc. in response to a light beam at the visibility wavelength. This microcapsule is the image sheet G.
The transparent sheet 8, which serves as a carrier, is uniformly coated.

The developing sheet H has a structure in which the surface of the sheet serving as a carrier is coated with a developing substance that develops color by reacting with the coloring precursor of the image sheet G.

Therefore, when the optical system 4 irradiates the image sheet G with the reflected light from the original and exposes it, the viscosity of the microcapsules changes, and there is a gap between the exposed capsules and the unexposed capsules due to the pressure applied. This results in differences in the degree of destruction.

For this reason, when the photosensitive image sheet G is stacked together with the developer sheet H and pressure is applied, a difference occurs in the amount of coloring precursor exuded from each capsule, and therefore the developer sheet H has a color that corresponds to the luminous sensitivity wavelength. Thus, a color pattern matching the image pattern of the document appears.

As described above, conventional printing and recording apparatuses of this type are configured as an original moving system and are photosensitive.

It is configured as a pressure-sensitive and heat-sensitive method.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, conventional printing and recording apparatuses have the problem of complicating the apparatus because they are configured as document moving systems as described above. A pressure-sensitive method is used to perform the transfer, and the pressure required to destroy the microcapsules is approximately 1 for A4 size paper.
This requires a high pressure force to be applied back and forth.

For this reason, the pressure rollers 6a, 6a, etc. of the developing section 6 must be constructed with strong rigidity that can withstand high pressure, and other high pressure generating sections and their driving and transmitting sections, These support mechanisms must also be constructed with strong high-pressure resistance, which poses a problem in that the printing and recording apparatus inevitably becomes larger.

However, in recent years, there has been a demand for the development of a compact printing and recording device that does not require pressure work, and in order to meet these needs, the applicant has developed a system that uses only photosensitive/thermal methods and does not require pressure work. We have developed a recording material that can transfer and develop an image pattern by
No. 9, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 96752/1999).

This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a compact printing and recording device that can print and record using only photosensitive and thermal methods without using the conventional pressure-sensitive method. At the same time, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing and recording apparatus capable of improving development quality.

(Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention, as set forth in claim 1, generates an image pattern of a document using direct reflected light from the document or an optical signal of image data. In a printing recording device that forms a latent image on a recording material, and then transfers and exposes the latent image onto a receiving paper, the required amount of the color-forming substance to exude from within the porous capsule is controlled by the photosensitive and thermal sensitive conditions. A recording material formed by coating microcapsules on one side of a carrier, and a recording material that is wound in a roll between a rewinding roller and a take-up roller, and is driven to draw out the required amount of the recording material. a moving means; a movable exposure means for emitting document reading light and irradiating the extracted recording material with a required amount of the reflected light to form an image pattern of the document as a latent image on the recording material; and the recording material. a gap holding means that contacts the recording material from the non-microcapsule-coated surface side, moves with the movement of the exposure means, and maintains a predetermined distance between the exposure means and the recording material, and a drawer for drawing out the recording material. a tension applying means that is added to the moving means and applies a certain tension to the recording material, and a paper storage section in the main body of the apparatus that is pulled out by a take-out means and superimposed on the recording material that has been formed into a latent image. It has an image receiving paper, and a heating element that heats the recording material and the image receiving paper that are superimposed on each other, and transfers the image pattern formed into a latent image on the recording material onto the image receiving paper by heating from the heating element. and a developing means for developing and fixing the image.

Further, as described in claim 2, the exposure means is configured to transmit image data of the document, which has been created in advance on a computer or whose optical signals have been converted into electrical signals using a scanner or the like, to a laser beam or an LE.
It is characterized by forming a latent image using a D-array or an optical shutter composed of a light source and liquid crystal.

(Function) According to the printing and recording device of the present invention, when transferring and displaying the image pattern of the original read by the exposure means, there is no need for pressure work as in the past, and this is done only by photosensitive/thermal methods. Therefore, in particular, the pressing force in the developing means can be set significantly smaller than in conventional printing and recording apparatuses, thereby making the apparatus smaller and lighter.

Furthermore, since it has a gap maintaining means that always maintains a predetermined distance between the exposure means and the recording material, and a tension applying means that applies a certain tension to the recording material, it is possible to improve the development quality. becomes.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing and recording apparatus according to the present invention, and numeral 10 in the figure is a housing constituting the main body of the apparatus.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a document table, which is fixedly provided on the upper surface side of the housing 10 and is made of a transparent member such as a glass plate.A document to be printed and recorded is placed on the top surface of the document table 11.

Reference numeral 12 denotes an exposure means, and the exposure means 12 is provided within the housing 10 so as to be movable (in the direction of the arrow in the figure) along the document table 11, and is moved while emitting document reading light. 11 is irradiated.

As a concrete configuration of the exposure means 12, for example, as shown in the figure, a pair of light sources 12b, 12b are disposed within a moving frame 12a forming an outer frame of the exposure means 12,
The light beam emitted from this light source 12b is transmitted to the moving frame 12.
The original is irradiated through the transparent window 12c of a, and the light that has irradiated the original is input into the lens forming the light collecting member 12d of the exposure means 12 as direct reflected light corresponding to the optical density of the original, and The light is emitted toward the lower side of the light collecting member 12d in the drawing.

In addition, as another embodiment of this exposure means, image data of the document, which is not shown in the drawings or which has been created in advance on a computer or whose optical signal has been converted into an electrical signal using a scanner or the like, may be transmitted using a laser beam, an LED array, or a light source and a liquid crystal display. It is configured to form a latent image using an optical shutter or the like consisting of a.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a recording material stretched on the lower surface side of the exposure means 12, and this recording material 13 is supported by a pull-out moving means 14.

Thus, the pull-out moving means 14 includes a rewinding roller 14a of the recording material 13, a take-up roller 14b, and a guide roller 14.
c and these rotating means (not shown), and the recording material 13 is wound around the rewinding roller 14a.
is stretched on the lower surface side of the exposure means 12 and pulled out to the right in the figure, and then wound up onto the take-up roller 14b side via the guide roller 14c.

On the other hand, reference numeral 15 denotes image-receiving paper, and the image-receiving paper 15 is stored in a stacked manner in a paper storage section 16, which is a paper feed unit disposed between the above-mentioned rewinding roller 14a and take-up roller 14b, and is stored in a stacked manner by a pull-out roller. 16a etc. every fall, and is conveyed to the end of the exposure means 12 via the paper guide 16b.

17 is a clamping means for the image receiving paper 15, and this clamping means 17
grips the starting end of the image-receiving paper 15 conveyed via the paper guide 16b, and feeds the image-receiving paper 15 onto the recording material 13 in the conveyance direction.

For this reason, an example of a specific configuration of the holding means 17 is as follows.
As shown in the figure, there is a starting end measuring placement section 17a for the image receiving paper 15 extending from the lower surface side of the moving frame 12a, a paper grip roller 17b attached so as to be vertically movable and rotatable, and the above-mentioned placement section 17a. The attachment consists of an insertion hole 17c opened at the base.

Therefore, when the image-receiving paper 15 is conveyed through the paper guide 16b and the starting end thereof is placed on the mounting section 17a of the holding means 17, the paper grip roller 17b is lowered and the starting end of the image-receiving paper 15 placed on the mounting section 17a is Press and hold.

When the exposing means 12 moves to read the document, the holding means 17 also moves together with the exposing means 12, so that the image receiving paper 15 also moves at the same time.

Further, when the paper grip roller 17b rotates counterclockwise in the figure while the image-receiving paper 15 is being held, the image-receiving paper 15 is conveyed rightward in the figure through the insertion opening 17c.

The recording material 13 and the image receiving paper 15 are made of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
-81679 is used.

That is, the recording material 13 is photosensitive and thermally sensitive,
Microcapsules are coated on one side of a carrier to control the required amount of color-forming substance exuded from inside the porous capsules.The color-forming substance encapsulated in the microcapsules is, for example, photocurable resin. A photopolymerization initiator and a color-forming substance containing leuco dye as a main component are used.

The image-receiving paper 15 has a color developer coated on one side of the carrier, which reacts upon heating and contact with the color-forming substance of the recording material 13.

18 is a developing means, and this developing means 18 is provided on the take-up roller 14b side in the housing 10, and is provided with a feed roller 18a disposed on the upper side and a heating element 18b which is a heat roller disposed on the lower side. The recording material 13 and the image receiving paper 15 superposed thereon are inserted between the two 18a and 18b.

Of course, the feed roller 18a and the heating element 18b are driven by a driving means (not shown) to feed the recording material 1 in the normal state.
Although it is spaced apart from the recording material 13 and the image receiving paper 15 by a constant distance, it is driven so as to be joined to the recording material 13 and the image receiving paper 15 during development.

Further, the separation and joining operation of the heating element 18b made of a heat roller is performed via a driving eccentric cam (not shown) or the like.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a paper ejecting roller provided on the feeding direction side of the developing means 18, which is used to eject the image receiving paper 1 after the image pattern has been transferred.
5 is separated from the recording material 13 and sent out of the housing 10.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a gap holding means, which, as shown in FIG. and the distance between the exposure means 12 and the recording material 13! are always kept at a predetermined interval.

Therefore, one of the specific configurations of this gap holding means 20 is as follows.
For example, as shown in the same figure, a support part 21 is movably attached to a rail 23 via a guide roller 22, and a gap holding mechanism 20 is installed in this support part 21.
a is provided, and the tip of this gap holding mechanism 20a is located at a position slightly closer to the document table 11 than the position where the recording material 13 faces the document table 11 with appropriate tension applied by the tension applying means 30 described later. The light absorbing member 1
2d.

This gap holding mechanism 20a includes an engaging portion 20b.
It is detachably attached to the exposure means 12 via.

In this case, the recording material 13 can be freely inserted into the gap holding means 20 via an insertion port (not shown).

Further, the tension applying means 30 is added to the winding roller and the take-up roller in the drawing and moving means 14 for the recording material 13, and applies a certain tension to the recording material 13.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, this printing and recording apparatus is configured so that the upper case 10a of the housing 10 can be opened and closed.

Since this printing/recording apparatus is configured as described above, its printing/recording operation is performed as follows.

First, as shown in FIG.
It is located at the reading start end side (left side in the figure).

At this time, the holding means 17 protruding from the exposure means 12
The starting end of the image-receiving paper 15 that has been pulled out from the paper storage unit 16 by the pull-out roller 16a and a support plate (not shown) and conveyed via the paper guide 16d is placed on the loading unit 17a, and the paper It is pressed and held by grip rollers 17b.

Further, the recording material 13 is pulled out from the winding roller 14a, and is passed through the winding roller 14c via the guide roller 14c.
4b and stretched on the lower surface side of the exposure means 12.

From this state, as shown in FIG. 4, the exposure means 12 is moved to the original reading end side (to the right in the figure) while emitting original reading light toward the original platen 11.

At this time, the light enters the original 2d through the transparent window 12c of the exposure means 12, and is emitted to the lower side of the light collection member 12d to irradiate the recording material 13, so that the image pattern of the original becomes a latent image on the recording material 13. .

Further, while the exposure device 12 is moving, the tip position of the gap holding means 20 disposed on the lower surface side of the recording material 13 is located at a position slightly closer to the document table 11 than the position where the recording material 13 is stretched taut. Therefore, the distal end of the gap holding means 20 is always in contact with the recording material 13 to maintain the distance l between the exposure means 12 and the recording material 13 at a constant interval, thereby ensuring a good focal length.

Next, while the exposing means 12 remains stopped at the document reading end side of the document table 11, the paper grip roller 17
When b rotates counterclockwise in the figure, the image-receiving paper 15 is conveyed from the nipped state to the right side in the figure through the insertion opening 17c, and the image-receiving paper 15 is conveyed until it coincides with the starting end of the latent image area of the recording material 13. The starting end side of is conveyed.

At this stage, the upper feeding roller 18a and the lower heating element 18b of the developing means 18 are spaced apart from each other by a certain distance, but the image receiving paper 15 is placed on the starting edge side of the latent image area of the recording material 13. When they are overlapped so that their starting ends are aligned, they are driven so as to sandwich them at 13°15 from above and below.

When the feed roller 18a and the heating element 18b rotate in synchronism, the recording material 13 and the image receiving paper 15 are heated and sent toward the paper discharge roller 19, but at this time, the image receiving paper 15 is heated and the recording material The image pattern formed as a latent image is transferred to 13 and is developed and fixed.

Thereafter, the conveyance direction of the recording material 13 is changed to the take-up roller 14b side by the guide roller 14c, so the recording material 13 and the image receiving paper 15 are separated from each other.
Therefore, the image receiving paper 15 is sent out from the housing 10 from the paper ejection roller 19.

Further, during the above-described series of operations, the recording material 13 is always kept under good tension by the tension applying means 30 provided on the winding roller 14a and the winding roller 14b.

It is convenient to configure the heating element 18b using a suitable heat roller as a rotating body, and in this case, the pressing force can be set as small as about 10 kg per A4 size paper.

In this manner, the printing and recording apparatus according to the present invention does not require the pressure work by the pressure rollers 6a, 6a as in the past when transferring the image pattern of the document read by the exposure means 12, and exposes it to light. - Since it can be performed using only a thermal method, it is possible to significantly reduce the size and weight compared to conventional printing and recording devices.

And the distance between the exposure means 12 and the recording material 13! The exposure means 12 and the recording material 13 are always in focus because the exposure means 12 and the recording material 13 are always in focus. This makes it possible to improve the development quality.

In addition, the method for reading the image pattern on the document is not the conventional method of moving the document table 11, but rather the method of reading the image pattern on the document using the head roller 1.
The recording material 13 is stretched between the take-up roller 14a and the take-up roller 14b, the document table 11 is fixed, and the exposure means 12 is movably disposed between the two. Since the configuration does not include a heater unit, etc., it is possible to provide a compact printing and recording device with good space efficiency.

Further, the paper storage section 16 for the image receiving paper 15 stores the recording material 13.
Since it is arranged between the winding roller 14a and the winding roller 14b, space efficiency can be further improved, and the printing and recording apparatus can be made thinner. have

Note that the gap holding means 2 shown in FIG.
0 and the tension applying means 30 are provided in a cassette type printing and recording device, and the gap holding means 20 and the tension applying means 30 are connected to the cassette main body 4.
They are respectively attached to a pull-out moving means 14 and a developing means 18 for the recording material 13 built in the camera.

With this configuration, it is possible to ensure good development quality in the easy-to-use cassette type printing and recording apparatus, as in the above embodiment.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the printing and recording apparatus according to the invention according to claims 1 and 2 uses pressure by a pressure roller as in the conventional method when transferring an image pattern of a document read by an exposure means. Since no work is required and the process can be carried out using only a photosensitive/thermal method, it is possible to significantly reduce the size and weight of conventional printing and recording apparatuses.

Further, since the apparatus includes a gap maintaining means for maintaining a predetermined distance between the exposure means and the recording material and a tension applying means for applying a constant tension, it is possible to improve the development quality.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing recording device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a gap holding means and an exposure means in the same device, and FIG. 3 is a state in which the upper case of the same device is opened. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the same device, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration when a gap holding means and a tension applying means are provided in a cassette type printing and recording device, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional configuration. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing and recording apparatus using a pressure-sensitive method; FIG. 10...Housing 11...Original table 12...Exposing means 13...Recording material 15...Receiving paper 18...Developing section 18a...Feeding roller 18b...Heating element 20...・Gap holding means 30...Tension applying means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Making the image pattern of the original into a latent image on a recording material using direct reflected light from the original or an optical signal of image data;
In a printing recording device that transfers and reveals the latent image onto image-receiving paper, microcapsules, whose required amount of coloring substance exudes from inside the porous capsules are controlled by photosensitive and thermally sensitive conditions, are placed on one side of a carrier. A recording material coated on a paper, a recording material drawing and moving means for winding the recording material into a roll between a winding roller and a winding roller and driving the recording material to draw out a required amount, and a document reading light. a movable exposure means that emits light and irradiates the pulled-out recording material with a required amount of reflected light to form an image pattern of the original on the recording material as a latent image; a gap holding means that contacts the recording material, moves with the movement of the exposure means, and maintains a predetermined distance between the exposure means and the recording material; and the gap holding means is added to the recording material drawing and moving means; tension applying means for applying a certain tension to the recording material; image receiving paper that is pulled out from a paper storage section in the main body of the apparatus by a take-out means and superimposed on the recording material after it has been formed into a latent image; a developing means having a heating element that heats the recording material and image receiving paper, and transferring and developing and fixing the image pattern, which has been made into a latent image on the recording material, onto the image receiving paper by heating from the heating element; A printing recording device comprising: 2. The exposure means uses a laser beam, an LED array, or an optical shutter composed of a light source and a liquid crystal to form a latent image by converting the image data of the document, which has been created in advance on a computer or converted from an optical signal into an electrical signal using a scanner, etc. 2. The printing/recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing/recording apparatus is a printing apparatus for printing.