JPH04269737A - Hard copy producing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the recording time when the hard copy of an image is produced by using a thermal developing type photosensitive storage medium whose main sensitive wavelength area is an ultraviolet one or a blue one. CONSTITUTION:This device is composed of a light source 10 having high light emitting energy on an ultraviolet area (350-400nm) as well, like on a visible area (400-700nm), a polarizing plate 12 having comparatively excellent permeability both on the ultraviolet and visible areas, and a liquid crystal panel 14 having comparatively excellent permeability both on the ultraviolet and visible areas, and securing sufficient contrast in cooperation with the sensitivity of a photosensitive material 16. The electron acceptive compound 208 of the exposed region of the photosensitive material 16 can not be moved because photopolymerization occurs by a photopolymerization starting agent. Therefore, even if heating is carried out, the electron acceptive compound 208 can not be in contact with an electron donative colorless dyestuff 206, and coloring can not be carried out. On the other hand, when the electron acceptive compound 208 of an unexposed region is heated, the compound 208 passes the wall part of a microcapsule 204 and comes into contact with the electron donative colorless dyestuff 206, to carry out the coloring of the colorless dyestuff 206.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hard copy making device that drives each pixel of a liquid crystal panel in response to a video signal and forms a hard copy of an image on a photosensitive material using light transmitted through the liquid crystal panel.

0002

[Prior Art] As a photosensitive material used in this type of hard copy making device, a latent image is formed on a photocurable composition by exposure to light transmitted through a liquid crystal panel, and components involved in coloring or decoloring are removed by heating. A heat-developable photosensitive recording medium is used in which a latent image is diffused within a photosensitive material to form a color image.

FIG. 8 shows a positive type photosensitive recording medium as an example of this type of photosensitive material. The photosensitive layer of this recording medium is composed of a binder 210, an electron-donating colorless dye 206 housed in microcapsules 204, and droplets 209 placed outside the microcapsules 204. The droplets 209 have electron-accepting properties. It consists of an electron-accepting compound 208 having a polymerizable vinyl monomer moiety in the same molecule and a photopolymerization initiator. In such a configuration, the electron-accepting compound 208 in the exposed area becomes immobile due to photopolymerization caused by the photoinitiator, and therefore, even when heated, the electron-accepting compound 208 and the electron-donating colorless The dye 206 becomes inaccessible and no color can be developed. On the other hand, when the electron-accepting compound 208 in the unexposed region is heated, it passes through the wall of the microcapsule 204 and comes into contact with the electron-donating colorless dye 206, causing the electron-donating colorless dye 206 to develop color.

FIG. 9 shows a negative photosensitive recording medium as another example of this type of photosensitive material. The photosensitive layer of this recording medium is
It consists of a binder 310 , an electron-donating colorless dye 306 housed in a microcapsule 304 , and a droplet 309 placed outside the microcapsule 304 . It consists of a polymerizable vinyl monomer 311 that has the property of erasing the color produced by the reaction between the compound 308 and the electron-donating colorless dye 306, and a photopolymerization initiator. In such a configuration, the vinyl monomer 31 in the exposed area
1, the photopolymerization occurs with the photoinitiator and becomes immobile, so when heated, the electron-accepting compound 30
8 comes into contact with electron-donating colorless dye 306 to develop color. On the other hand, when the vinyl monomer 311 in the unexposed area is heated, it passes through the wall of the microcapsule 304 and forms an electron-accepting compound 308 and an electron-donating colorless dye 306.
comes into contact with the dye, causing the colored pigment to disappear.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a recording medium 78 in which a color hard copy is formed by laminating such photosensitive materials into three layers: a cyan coloring layer, a magenta coloring layer, and a yellow coloring layer. This recording medium has, for example, a λ1 photosensitive layer 120 that develops cyan color by exposure and heating at a center wavelength λ1, and a λ1 photosensitive layer 120 that develops a cyan color by exposure and heating at a center wavelength λ1.
A filter (F1) 118 that blocks the light of
a photosensitive layer 116, a filter (F2) 114 that blocks light with a center wavelength λ2, and exposure with a center wavelength λ3;
It is composed of a λ3 photosensitive layer 112 that develops a yellow color when heated and a support 110, and each photosensitive layer 120, 1
16 and 112 are composed of a positive type photosensitive recording material as shown in FIG. 8 or a negative type photosensitive recording material as shown in FIG.

[0006] When forming a hard copy of an image using the light transmitted through the liquid crystal panel using such a recording medium 78,
The hard copy making device is generally composed of a light source, a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal panel, and forms a hard copy of a color image by driving the liquid crystal panel three times for each R, G, and B signal to expose the recording medium 78. can do.

[0007]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the main photosensitive wavelength range of conventional heat-developable photosensitive recording media is not only the visible region but also the ultraviolet region or the blue region, and commonly available liquid crystal panels are limited to visible light. It is configured for approximately 35
It was found that the characteristics such as maximum transmittance and contrast in the ultraviolet region of 0 to 400 nm are much worse than in the visible light region. Furthermore, when a xenon flash lamp is used as a light source, the emission energy distribution of this lamp is extremely small in the ultraviolet region, so there is the problem that the exposure time, that is, the recording time, becomes extremely long (several minutes to several tens of minutes). .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the conventional problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hard copy producing device that can shorten the recording time when using a heat-developable photosensitive recording medium whose main photosensitive wavelength range is from the ultraviolet region to the blue region. shall be.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a method in which a latent image is formed on a photocurable composition by exposure to light, and a component involved in coloring or decoloring is changed according to the latent image by heating. A hard copy production device that produces a hard copy of an image on a heat-developable photosensitive recording medium that diffuses within a photosensitive material to form a color image uses a light source that has high emission energy in the visible and ultraviolet regions, and a light source that emits light from the light source. A polarizing plate that has good transmittance in the ultraviolet region and visible region, and
A liquid crystal panel for creating a hard copy of an image corresponding to a video signal on the heat-developable photosensitive recording medium using light transmitted through the polarizing plate, the liquid crystal panel having good transparency in the ultraviolet region and the visible region and having the heat-developable It has a liquid crystal panel that ensures contrast by cooperating with the sensitivity of the type photosensitive recording medium.

0010

[Function] With the above-described configuration, the liquid crystal panel is illuminated with light having high emission energy in the visible and ultraviolet regions, and the transparency of the liquid crystal panel is relatively good in both the ultraviolet and visible regions. Since the contrast is ensured in cooperation with the sensitivity of the developable photosensitive recording medium, the recording time can be shortened when using a heat developable photosensitive recording medium whose main photosensitive wavelength range is from the ultraviolet region to the blue region.

[0011]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a hard copy production device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a graph showing the characteristics of the light source in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a graph showing the characteristics of the polarizing plate in FIG. 1. 4 is a graph showing undesirable characteristics of the light source in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a graph showing characteristics of the liquid crystal panel in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a graph showing undesirable characteristics of the light source in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a graph showing detailed characteristics in the ultraviolet region, and FIG. 7 is a graph showing the relationship between the device of FIG. 1 and the density characteristics of the photosensitive material.

Referring to FIG. 1, the hard copy production apparatus of this embodiment includes a light source 10 that has high emission energy in the ultraviolet region of approximately 350 to 400 nm as well as the visible region (400 to 700 nm); A polarizing plate 12 having relatively good transmittance in both the ultraviolet and visible ranges so as to transmit light, and a polarizing plate 12 having relatively good transmittance in both the ultraviolet and visible ranges in cooperation with the sensitivity of the photosensitive material 16, It is composed of a liquid crystal panel 14 that ensures contrast. The brightness of the liquid crystal panel 14 is modulated three times according to the color video signal, and a hard copy of the color video (
latent image) is formed on the photosensitive material 16.

The light source 10 has a visible light range (4
00 to 700 nm) as well as the ultraviolet region (350 to 4
A UV light source such as a special discharge tube made of quartz glass or an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp, which has high emission energy even at a wavelength of 0.00 nm), is used. As shown in FIG. 3, the polarizing plate 12 is selected to have relatively good transmittance in both the ultraviolet region and the visible region, compared to when it is used alone or when the polarization directions of two sheets are parallel or perpendicular. As such a polarizing plate 12, for example, XV-100Z manufactured by Sharp Corporation can be used.

Since the liquid crystal plate 14 is of a transmission type, normally 2
Although it is composed of two glass plates, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal, a transparent electrode, etc., this sandwich glass plate is also similar to that shown in Fig. 12.
As shown in , quartz glass or the like is selected because it has good transparency even in the ultraviolet region. Ordinary soda glass (blue plate) is not preferred. FIG. 4 shows the characteristics of a light source when glass #8487 manufactured by Schott of Germany is used as an example of this glass tube, and the transmittance in the ultraviolet region is poorer than that of a quartz glass tube. The liquid crystal in the liquid crystal plate 14 has a wavelength of approximately 350 to 400 nm.
The polarizing plate is formed to have a thickness that easily transmits light in the ultraviolet region, and the polarizing plate is selected to have relatively good transmittance in both the ultraviolet region and the visible region on both the incident side and the output side.

FIG. 5 shows the characteristics of a liquid crystal panel 18 using such a glass plate, polarizing plate, and liquid crystal plate 14, and shows the characteristics of a liquid crystal panel 18 in the visible range (400 to 700 nm) as well as about 350 to 40 nm.
It is transparent even in the ultraviolet region of 0 nm. Figure 6 is
The detailed characteristics of this ultraviolet region below 350 nm are shown, and the transmittance is about 60% when the polarizing plate is a single unit, over 40% when the polarizing plates are parallel, and 3 to 4% when they are orthogonal. there were. Here, if the ratio of the transmittance when the liquid crystal panel 18 is opened and closed is large, the contrast of the recorded image on the photosensitive material 16 can be ensured sufficiently even if some light (3 to 4%) leaks when the liquid crystal panel 18 is closed. . Note that it is desirable that the ratio of the transmittance when the liquid crystal panel 18 is opened and closed is 10 or more, and that the transmittance when parallel is 50% or more, but if the contrast ratio is 15 (=
60%/4%), the input optical density range is about 1.2, and as shown in FIG. 7, a sufficient dynamic range is secured when the gradation γ of the photosensitive material 16 is about 2. be able to.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the photosensitive material 16 includes a λ1 photosensitive layer 120 that develops color at the center wavelength λ1 and a λ1 photosensitive layer 120 that develops color at the center wavelength λ1 from top to bottom.
A filter (F1) 118 that blocks light of the center wavelength λ2, a λ2 photosensitive layer 116 that develops color according to the center wavelength λ2, and a filter (F2) 114 that blocks the light of the center wavelength λ2.
and a λ3 photosensitive layer 112 that develops color depending on the center wavelength λ3.
and a support 110, each photosensitive layer 120
, 116 and 112 are made of a positive type photosensitive recording material as shown in FIG. 8 or a negative type photosensitive recording material as shown in FIG.

Therefore, the emission energy of the light source 10 is approximately 350 nm, similar to the visible range (400 to 700 nm).
It is high even in the ultraviolet region of ~400 nm, the polarizing plate 12 has relatively good transparency in both the ultraviolet region and the visible region, and the liquid crystal plate 14 has transparency in the ultraviolet region as well as in the visible region, In addition, since sufficient contrast is ensured in cooperation with the sensitivity of the photosensitive material 16, the recording time can be shortened when the main photosensitive wavelength range of the photosensitive material 16 is in the ultraviolet region or blue region.

[0018]

As explained above, according to the present invention, a liquid crystal panel is illuminated with light having high emission energy in the visible and ultraviolet regions, and the transparency of the liquid crystal panel is relatively good in both the ultraviolet and visible regions. Since the contrast is ensured in cooperation with the sensitivity of the heat-developable photosensitive recording medium, the recording time can be shortened when using a heat-developable photosensitive recording medium whose main photosensitive wavelength range is in the ultraviolet or blue region. Can be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a hard copy production device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing an example of the characteristics of the light source of the embodiment device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a graph showing an example of the characteristics of the polarizing plate shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating an example of undesirable characteristics of the light source of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of the characteristics of the liquid crystal panel shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a detailed example of characteristics in the ultraviolet region in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating the relationship between the apparatus of FIG. 1 and the density characteristics of a photosensitive material.

8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a positive type photosensitive recording medium which is an example of the photosensitive material of FIG. 1. FIG.

9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a negative photosensitive recording medium which is another example of the photosensitive material shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

10 is a side sectional view showing the layer structure of the photosensitive material of FIG. 1. FIG.

11 is a graph showing an example of spectral sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive material of FIG. 1. FIG.

12 is a graph showing the spectral characteristics of the sandwich glass used in the liquid crystal plate of FIG. 1. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Light source 12 Polarizing plate 14 Liquid crystal board 16 Photosensitive materials 18 LCD panel

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A heat-developable type in which a latent image is formed on a photocurable composition by exposure to light, and components involved in color development or decolorization are diffused within the photosensitive material according to the latent image by heating to form a color image. A hard copy production device that produces a hard copy of an image on a photosensitive recording medium uses a light source that has high emission energy in the visible and ultraviolet regions, and a light source that has good transparency in the ultraviolet and visible regions so as to transmit the light from the light source. A liquid crystal panel that includes a polarizing plate and creates a hard copy of an image according to a video signal on the heat-developable photosensitive recording medium using light transmitted through the polarizing plate, and has good transparency in the ultraviolet region and visible region. and a liquid crystal panel that ensures contrast by cooperating with the sensitivity of the heat-developable photosensitive recording medium. 2. The hard copy producing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein γ of the heat-developable photosensitive recording medium is about 2.