JPH0429128A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To record a full-color image with the aid of using only a single rod lens by separating light which is passed through a microshutter array and which irradiates a photosensitive body into light having three kinds of a spectral characteristic. CONSTITUTION:An exposure part is constituted of a bar-like red color fluorescent lamp 13R, a green color fluorescent lamp 13G and a blue color fluorescent lamp 13B which are a light source, a reflector 14, the liquid crystal microshutter array 11 and a rod lens array 15. The exposure of respective red, green and blue colors is executed by the time devision system of the respective colors. That means, when the fluorescent lamps of the respective colors are turned on, an image signal corresponding to the color is impressed on the array 11. The array 11 is arranged on the line of one row and the whole surface of an image plane is exposed by scanning and exposing a photosensitive member 2 in a right angle derection to the arrangement. Thus, the full-color image is recorded by the time division system of the respective colors with the aid of using only the single rod lens array.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a color printer that creates images using a photosensitive transfer type color thermal development material.

[Prior Art] Image forming methods conventionally used in image forming apparatuses such as color printers include silver salt photography, electrophotography, melt-type thermal transfer, sublimation-type thermal transfer, and the like.

[Problems and Objectives to be Solved by the Invention However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems.

Although the silver halide photographic method has excellent image quality, it has problems such as the development and fixing process is wet and is not easy to handle, the development and fixing process takes time and the printing speed is slow, and the running cost per sheet is high. was.

Although electrophotography is fast and has low running costs, it has problems in that the image forming process is complicated, the equipment is large and expensive, and it requires frequent maintenance because it uses powder toner.

Although the fusion type thermal transfer method is compact, low-cost, and requires no maintenance, it suffers from poor image quality because halftones are recorded using a rotary device. The dye sublimation thermal transfer method is excellent in reproducing halftones, but has the problems of slow printing speed and high running costs.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an image forming apparatus with high image quality, low price, small size, low running cost, high speed, and maintenance free. be.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes: (1) developing by heating a photosensitive member having a large number of microcapsules on its surface in which at least a photosensitive substance and a coloring material are sealed; An image forming apparatus that performs transfer and fixing by applying pressure while superimposing the image forming apparatus includes at least an exposure section, a thermal development section, and a pressure transfer section, and the exposure section has a light transmittance that is adjusted according to at least a light source and an image signal. (2) comprising a micro-shutter array in which the micro-shutter array is controlled, and the light passing through the micro-shutter array and irradiating the photoreceptor is separated into light having at least three types of spectral characteristics; (3) the light source has at least three types of spectral radiation characteristics that change periodically in time; , at least three types of color image signals are applied to the micro-shutter array; (4) the image forming apparatus reads an original including a light source having at least three types of spectral radiation characteristics that change periodically over time; (5) the micro-shutter array includes filters having at least three types of spectral transmission characteristics on the same substrate; (6) the image forming device includes at least three types of filters that respond to light having different spectral characteristics; (7) The document reading device includes three types of microsensor arrays, and the arrangement of the three types of microsensor arrays is the same as the arrangement of the filters having the three types of spectral transmission characteristics. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shutter array is a liquid crystal micro shutter array.

(8) The image forming apparatus is characterized in that it includes a second exposure section that directly forms an image of reflected light from the original onto the photoreceptor, and (9) that the exposure section is removable.

[Example] The image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail below according to an example.

The photoreceptor used in the image forming apparatus of the present invention is a photosensitive transfer type heat development material, and includes, for example, a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent, a polymerizable compound, and a color as disclosed in JP-A-62-147461. It is possible to use microcapsules in which the material is encapsulated and coated on a support. An image forming apparatus using a photosensitive transfer type heat development material is equipped with main mechanical parts such as an exposure section, a heat development section, and a pressure transfer section. The image forming procedure is to first imagewise expose a photosensitive member, which is a photosensitive transfer type heat development material, to form a latent image.

Next, thermal development is performed using a heating device such as a heating roller or a heating plate. Thereafter, the photosensitive member and the transfer member are superimposed and pressure-transferred by a rower, and a separating device discharges the photosensitive member to a photosensitive material disposal section and the transfer member to a tray via a fixing device.

Photosensitive transfer type thermal development materials have high sensitivity, high image quality, and low price, and are a simple dry process, so if a small and low-cost exposure section can be applied, high image quality, low price, small size, but running cost can be achieved. , a high-speed, maintenance-free image forming apparatus can be constructed.

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a printer showing an embodiment of the present invention. First, I will explain the operation of this machine.

A cassette 3 that is a photosensitive member storage container that stores photosensitive members.
The discharged unexposed photosensitive member 2 is exposed on the exposure stage 16 by the exposure section 1 with a recorded image given in accordance with a recording signal, thereby forming a latent image.

Thereafter, the sheet is heated and developed by a sheet heater 41 and a conveyor belt 42 that constitute the heat developing device 4. On the other hand, the transfer member 5 stored in the paper feed tray 51 is sent out by the paper feed device 52, is superimposed on the photosensitive member 2 in synchronization with the image area of the photosensitive member 2, and is applied by the pressure transfer device 6 of the roller pressure type. Pressure transfer is performed. The pressure section of the pressure transfer device 6 is composed of three rollers: an upper roller 61, a middle roller 62, and a lower roller 63. Pressure transfer is performed between the upper roller 61 and the middle roller 62. After this, the transfer member 5 is discharged to the outside through a fixing device 7 having a heater unit 71, and after the photosensitive member 2 is separated from the transfer member 5 by a separation roller 64, conveyance and separation of the photosensitive member 2 are promoted. It passes through the pinch roller 65 and is wound up again into the cassette 3. Here, 72.7
3 is a conveyance roller that guides and conveys the transfer member; 74 is a guide plate; 75 is an air guide that interrupts thermal coupling between the fixing device 7 and the cassette 3; and 76 is a fan that generates an air flow within the air guide 75. .

Next, the exposure section, which is a feature of the present invention, will be explained in more detail with reference to the sectional view of FIG. 2a.

The exposure section 1 includes a rod-shaped red fluorescent lamp 13R1 as a light source, a green fluorescent lamp 13G, a blue fluorescent lamp 13B, a reflector 14, a liquid crystal micro shutter array 11, and a rod lens array 15.
, consists of. Exposure for each color of red, green, and blue is performed in a time-division manner for each color. In other words, each of the red, green, and blue fluorescent lights flashes periodically as shown in the timing chart in Figure 2a, and when each color of fluorescent light is lit, the image signal corresponding to that color is is applied to the liquid crystal micro shutter array 11. In other words, one cycle of blinking of each of the red, blue, and green fluorescent lamps corresponds to one pixel of the image. For example, in a pixel where you want to record magenta, when the red fluorescent lamp 13R is turned on and the blue fluorescent lamp 13B is turned on, one cycle corresponds to one pixel of the image. A signal is applied such that when lit, the microshutter is on, ie, transmits light.

The liquid crystal micro shutter array 11 is arranged in a line as shown in FIG. 2, and the entire screen is exposed by scanning the photosensitive member 2 in a direction perpendicular to this arrangement.

In this way, even if only a single rod lens array is used, it is possible to record a full-color image using the time-division method for each color.

Next, the liquid crystal micro-shutter array 11 will be explained in more detail using the cross-sectional view of FIG.

The liquid crystal micro-shutter array 11 has a structure in which a liquid crystal 111 is sandwiched between a glass substrate 112 on which a transparent electrode 113 and a light-shielding film 114 that defines the shutter opening are deposited, and further sandwiched between polarizing plates 115 on both sides. The amount of light transmitted can be controlled by applying a predetermined voltage to each transparent electrode 113 of each liquid crystal shutter to change the orientation of the liquid crystal 111 and controlling the polarization state of the transmitted light.

Liquid crystal micro-shutter arrays can easily obtain pixel densities of 10 pixels/mm or more, and can change transmittance continuously, so they can be used for intermediate tones more easily than exposure methods using laser beams, for example. Recording is easy and high-density images can be obtained. Furthermore, since the spectral characteristics of the transmitted light can be freely selected by the light source and filter, there are various methods such as exposure using a laser beam and L
Compared to the method of exposure using ED, the absorption wavelength characteristics of the photosensitive member are not selected. Therefore, for example, a photosensitive member with panchromatic characteristics for analog color copying machines can be used as is, and two
There is no need to separately prepare different types of photosensitive members.

In this way, the liquid crystal micro-shutter array 11 having the width of the photoreceptor irradiates the photosensitive member 2 with light of a desired color for each pixel, and further moves the photosensitive member 2 to expose the photosensitive member 2. A full-color latent image can be formed thereon.

Although a liquid crystal micro shutter array was used in this example,
Other micro-shutter arrays include methods that control polarization and modulate light transmittance by applying electrolysis to PLZT, which is a transparent piezoelectric ceramic. - Technology that modulates light intensity using image signals can be applied to boat fishing. It is.

Next, a fourth digital copying machine which is another embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The explanation will be given according to the cross-sectional view in the figure. The digital copying machine of this embodiment includes an image reading section 8 and a recording section 10. The recording unit 10 has the same configuration as in the previous embodiment.

The image reading section 8 includes a light source section 83, a rod lens array 82, a sensor unit 80 in which a microsensor array 81 is disposed, a drive mechanism (not shown) that drives a timing belt 84 for scanning the sensor unit 80, and a document table 85. , an image processing section (not shown).

The light emitted from the light source section 83 and reflected according to the image temperature of the document forms an erect, equal-sized image on the microsensor array 81 by the rod lens array 82 . The microsensor array 81 converts the image information into electrical signals,
The liquid crystal shutter array 11 of the recording section in the image processing section! I.J.
Converts to an image signal to be controlled.

The light source part 83 is three fluorescent lights 83R983G of red, green, and blue.
, 83B, and light irradiation of the original and image reading are performed in the above-mentioned time division method for each color.

The sensor unit 80 is moved by a timing belt 84 driven by a motor (not shown) and scans one screen of the document.

At this time, the lighting order of the red, green, and blue fluorescent lights 83R, 83G, and 83B in the exposure section of the recording section and the lighting order of the fluorescent lights 13R, 13G, and 13B in the image reading section 8 are the same and are synchronized. It's lit.

Therefore, for example, when the image reading section 8 reads the red density of one line of pixels, it can be directly applied to the exposure section 1 as a red recording signal of the recording section 10, which is a memory area in which image information is recorded. Ideally, this is not necessary, and at most one monochrome line is sufficient to hold both image information while the light is applied to the exposure section 1.

FIG. 5 shows still another embodiment of the exposure section of the present invention. In this embodiment, the time-division method for each color similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is realized using a different configuration.

The exposure section of the present embodiment includes a light source section consisting of a halogen lamp and a flaper 91 (not shown), and fan-shaped filters 94R, 194G, and 94B that transmit red, green, and blue light, respectively, in a rotationally symmetric manner, and are rotated by a motor (not shown). It consists of a rotating filter 92, an optical fiber bundle 90, a liquid crystal micro shutter array 11, and a rod lens array (not shown).

Light emitted from a halogen lamp (not shown) passes through a rotating filter 92 and is focused by a full color 91 onto the input end of an optical fiber bundle 90.

As shown in the figure, the light received in a rectangular shape at the input end can be distributed linearly at the output end by utilizing the characteristic of optical fibers that allow light to be guided freely.

By rotating the rotary filter 92 around a shaft 93 at a predetermined rotational speed by a motor (not shown), the light incident on the optical fiber bundle 90 can be periodically switched between red, green, and blue. Therefore, by synchronizing the rotation of the rotary filter 92 and the image signal applied to the liquid crystal micro shutter array 11, a time division system for each color can be realized.

FIGS. 6a and 6b show still another embodiment of the exposure section of the present invention. This embodiment is characterized in that the light irradiating the photosensitive member is spatially separated into red, green, and blue, rather than using a time-division method for each color. The configuration of the exposure section is shown in the sectional view of FIG. 6a.

The exposure section in this example uses a 13W white fluorescent lamp and is full color 1.
4. Red, green, blue, 3 color filters 17R, 17G, 17
a liquid crystal micro shutter 16 on which B is printed in a line shape;
It is composed of a rod lens array 15.

As shown in FIG. 6, image signals corresponding to the respective colors are applied to the micro shutters 160 masked by red, green, and blue filters, and the fluorescent lamp 13W
The white light emitted from the lens becomes light for recording red, green, and blue images, and is imaged on the photosensitive member by the rod lens array 15.

In this way, even if only a single rod lens array is used, 3
Full-color images can be recorded by using a liquid crystal microshutter in which colored filters are printed in lines.

When constructing a digital copying machine using the exposure section of this embodiment, the configuration of the sensor unit of the image reading section is similar to that shown in Fig. 6, using a white light source like the exposure section of this embodiment. By using a color microsensor array with an arrangement of At most 1 lines of three colors is sufficient to hold both image information while applying the light to the exposure section.

FIG. 7 shows still another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an exposure section is removably arranged in an analog copying machine. When used as an analog copying machine, expose section 1
00 is removed. The second exposure section 101 consists of a rod-shaped halogen lamp 102, a reflector 103, and a rod lens array 105.The halogen lamp 102 focuses the light of the document on the document table 104, which moves in synchronization with the conveyance of the photosensitive member 2, by the reflector 103. The rod lens array 105 emits reflected light that corresponds to the color temperature of the original onto the photosensitive member 2.
An image is formed on the image to form a latent color image. The configuration other than the second exposure section 101 is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG.

When used as a color printer, the document table 104 may be moved to the right end as shown in FIG. 7, and an exposure section consisting of a fluorescent lamp 13, a reflector 14, and a liquid crystal micro shutter array 11 may be attached to the main body. At this time, since the rod lens array 15 of the second exposure section can be shared, the detachable exposure section for the printer can be constructed extremely compact and at low cost.

The exposure section 100 used in this embodiment may be the exposure section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the exposure section of the embodiment of FIG. 5, or the exposure section of the embodiment of FIG. Effects As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, (1) a photosensitive member having a large number of microcapsules on its surface in which at least a photosensitive substance and a coloring material are sealed is developed by heating and transferred; An image forming apparatus that transfers and fixes a member by applying pressure to the member has at least an exposure section, a thermal development section, and a pressure transfer section, and the exposure section has at least a light transmitting section according to a light source and an image signal. (2) comprising a micro-shutter array whose ratio is controlled, and configured such that light passing through the micro-shutter array and irradiated onto the photoreceptor is separated into light having at least three types of spectral characteristics; (3) The light source has at least three types of spectral radiation characteristics that change periodically over time, and the light source has at least three types of spectral radiation characteristics that change over time. (4) the image forming apparatus is configured to apply at least three types of color image signals to the micro-shutter array; (5) the micro-shutter array includes filters having at least three types of spectral transmission characteristics on the same substrate; (6) the image forming device responds to light having different spectral characteristics; (7) The document reading device is provided with at least three types of microsensor arrays, and the arrangement of the three types of microsensor arrays is the same as the arrangement of the filters having the three types of spectral transmission characteristics. The micro shutter array shall be a liquid crystal micro shutter array.

In other words, by making it possible to provide an exposure unit for image forming apparatuses such as small and low-cost color printers that can bring out the features of photosensitive transfer heat development materials, we can achieve high image quality, low cost,
A compact, low running cost, high speed, maintenance-free image forming device can be provided.

Furthermore, (8) the image forming apparatus includes a second exposure section that directly forms an image of the light reflected from the original onto the photoreceptor, and (9) the exposure section is removable. Copy machines can be easily expanded to color printers,
Another advantage is that the functions of two models can be used at the cost and space of one machine.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2(a) is a sectional view showing details of the exposure section of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 (bl is a front view showing the arrangement of the liquid crystal micro-shutter of the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the structure of the liquid crystal micro-shutter of the first embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a sectional view showing a digital copying machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing details of an exposure section of a third embodiment of the present invention. 6(b) is a front view showing the arrangement of liquid crystal micro-shutters in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. Cross-sectional view showing an embodiment. 19. Exposure section - 203, Photosensitive member 511. Transfer member 119. Liquid crystal micro shutter array 2° light source section 5° rod lens array or more

Claims (9)

[Claims] (1) An image forming apparatus that develops a photosensitive member having a large number of microcapsules on the surface of which at least a photosensitive substance and a coloring material are sealed inside by heating, overlaps it with a transfer member, and transfers and fixes it by applying pressure, It has at least an exposure section, a thermal development section, and a pressure transfer section, and the exposure section includes a micro-shutter array whose light transmittance is controlled according to at least a light source and an image signal, and the light passing through the micro-shutter array. An image forming apparatus characterized in that the light irradiated onto the photoreceptor is separated into light having at least three types of spectral characteristics. (2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure section is constituted by a single imaging optical type. (3) The light source has at least three types of spectral radiation characteristics that change periodically in time, and at least three types of color image signals are applied to the microshutter array in accordance with the changes in the time period of the light source. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: (4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image forming apparatus includes a document reading device including a light source having at least three types of spectral radiation characteristics that change periodically over time. (5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the micro-shutter array includes filters having at least three types of spectral transmission characteristics on the same substrate. (6) The image forming apparatus includes a document reading device equipped with at least three types of microsensor arrays that respond to light with different spectral characteristics, and the arrangement of the three types of microsensor arrays corresponds to the three types of spectral characteristics. Claim 5 characterized in that it is similar to an array of filters with transmission characteristics.
The image forming apparatus described above. (7) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the micro-shutter array is a liquid crystal micro-shutter array. (8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus includes a second exposure section that directly forms an image of light reflected from the original onto the photoreceptor. (9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure section is removable.