JPH046534A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the stable balance of color by always feeding a mask negative in an image recorder in a fixed exposing order without changing the order of exposing the three color mask negative. CONSTITUTION:A device is provided with at least two buffer means Y and Z for holding the mask negative 15 on the position other than an alignment device, and a storing means for storing the mark negative holding position in accordance with each color of the mask negative 15. And in the case that a desirable color mask negative 15 is held on the buffer means Y and Z without performing the exposing action. And also, a bit is set so that the color of the mask negative 15 which is held by the buffer means may correspond to the position of the buffer means Y and Z where the mask negative is held. After this, a holding position is accessed from the stacked memory position of the buffer means Y and Z, and the mask negative 15 is fed in the order of R, G and B so as to expose it on a photosensitive sheet. Thus, the stable balance of the color can be obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image recording device, and particularly to an image recording device that exposes a three-color mask original plate in close contact with a photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording paper to obtain a color image.

[Conventional technology]

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

[Invention or problem to be solved]

However, according to the color image recording device described above,
The order of exposure is R, G on the mask original.

If the mask originals are placed in the order B, normal color balance will be obtained, but if the mask originals are placed in an order different from the RSGSB order, such as R, BSG or BlG, R, in manual feeding mode, There was a problem in that the color balance of the output image changed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to always maintain a constant exposure order of the three-color mask masters inside an image recording device without changing the exposure order of the three-color mask masters. An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording device that can obtain a stable color balance by feeding images to a plurality of colors.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve this object, the image recording apparatus of the present invention creates a three-color mask original from an original, exposes the mask original in close contact with a photosensitive recording paper, and applies a color developer paper to the exposed photosensitive recording paper. In an image recording device that forms an image on a recording paper by applying pressure in an overlapping manner, at least two buffer means for holding a mask original in a location other than a positioning device and storing a holding position of the mask original corresponding to each color of the mask original are stored. It is equipped with a storage means for storing information.

[Effect]

The image forming apparatus of the present invention having the above configuration holds the mask original in the buffer means without performing an exposure operation when a mask original of a target color is not supplied from the outside. At the same time, a bit corresponding to the held position in the buffer means of the held color of the mask original is set.

Thereafter, the holding position is called from the memory position of the stack of the buffer means, and the mask original is always flowed in the order of RSG and H to expose the photosensitive paper, so that a stable color balance can be obtained.

〔Example〕

An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a monochrome laser printer 1 mounted on a color image recording device 20. As shown in FIG.

According to FIG. 1, a monochrome laser printer 1 is mounted on top of a color image recording device 20. As shown in FIG.

In the laser printer 1, a polygon scanner 2 irradiates a charged photoreceptor 3 with laser light, thereby drawing an electrostatic latent image. The photoreceptor 3 on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed is developed by a developing device 4, and is stored in a paper feed cassette 5 installed on the side of the laser printer l, and is placed on plain paper or an OHP sheet fed from there. The toner image is transferred and fixed by a fixing device 6. The monochrome laser printer 1 normally records data transmitted from the host computer. Next, the output from the laser printer 1 is sent to the paper path switching unit 10, where if a black and white image is required, a monochrome paper output tray 11 or an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as AD) is output.
If a color image is required, the image is fed to the ADF tray 12 and then taken into the color image recording device 20 from the ADF tray 12.

When the recording paper is taken into the ADF tray 12, it hits the sensor Sl, thereby counting the number of output sheets of the monochrome laser printer.

In addition, if you want to use the mask original plate that has been used once again by manually feeding it, please arrange the R, G, and 83 mask original plates as described above.
By placing the paper on the DF tray 12 and pressing the print key of a panel switch (not shown), the ADF paper feed roller 13
are rotated and taken one by one into the color image recording device 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13, and three sheets of monochrome printed paper output from the laser printer 1 are treated as a set of mask original plate 15 (15R) of the color image recording device 20. ，
15G, 15B).

When the count element reaches 3, it is determined that all three-color mask originals RSG and B have been collected, and the paper sent to the ADF paper feed roller 13 is fed to the ADF paper feed roller 13.
Three sheets of monochrome printed paper are taken into the color image recording device 20 one by one and outputted from the laser printer 1, which is used as a set of mask originals 15 (15R, 15G, 15B) of the color image recording device 20. be done.

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

A positioning device 31 is arranged 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 the left and right sides of the positioning device 31 are roller pairs 22.23, 24, 25, 2 whose rotational direction can be controlled.
6, 27, gates 28 and 29, and a mask original storage section 102 are arranged. In the middle of the mask original transport path 21, there is a barcode reader 103 that reads the corresponding color of the mask original and the number of prints, and a laser printer 1.
A pair of glue curler rollers 101 is arranged to remove curls (curves) from the mask original 15 discharged from the mask original plate 15 .

Outside the pair of buffer rollers 26 and 27, there is a mask original discharge tray 30 for discharging the used mask original 15. The color image recording device 20 includes a storage element 201 and a counting element 202 shown in FIG.
1 is R, G, 1 at the current position of 83 types of mask original plates 15
By correlating bit by bit, it is possible to grasp the position of each Smack original. That is, corresponding to the three-color R, G, and B mask originals, the inner left position of the mask original alignment position, that is, the midway position W1 of the conveyance path 21 and the left outer position X1 of the mask original storage section 102 is the alignment device position. , upper right position Y1 of alignment position lower right position Y of alignment position
1 bit corresponding to the buffer is allocated to the storage element 201.

On the other hand, the count element 202 is the current ADF tray 12.
Memorize the number of mask originals above.

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

An exposure device 41 is arranged below the alignment device 31, and the exposure device 41 is movable in the left-right direction along the alignment device 31.

The exposure device 41 is a linear white light source (hereinafter referred to as a lamp).
42, a reflector 43 that reflects light from the lamp 42, and a filter unit 44 consisting of a red filter 44R1, a green filter 44G, and a blue filter 44B.

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 a buffer 55 for taking up the slack of the photosensitive recording medium 50, a separating roller 64, a pressure developing device 70, and a driving roller 57. The paper is then routed to a take-up roller 54 and wound up by the take-up roller 54. The exposure table 52 is lowered by a cam 53 and is configured to bring the mask original 15 conveyed onto the glass plate 34 and the photosensitive recording medium 50 into close contact. The fixed roller 56 is pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52 when the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position, and is arranged so as to fix the photosensitive recording medium 50 to the exposure table 52 during exposure of the mask original 15. has been done.

After exposure, the mask master plates 15R, 15G, and 15B are exposed to gates 28.29 and roller pairs 23.24.25.26.27.
is stored in the buffer. The color developer sheet 60 is constructed by applying a color developer disclosed in JP-A-58-88739 onto a base paper, for example, and the cassette 61
It is set so that the color developer coated side faces downward. At the top of the cassette 61, a suction cup 62 for feeding the developer sheets 60 one by one is arranged.

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 includes a casing 83 containing an upper heater 81 and an impeller 82, rubber rollers 84, 85, 86 for conveying the lower developer sheet 60, and a roller 87.
An endless belt 89 installed between the roller 88 and the roller 88
A paper discharge tray 63 is provided outside the heat fixing device 80.

Next, in the photosensitive recording medium of the present invention, when a plurality of color images are obtained from one set of mask originals, the following operation is performed.

First, RSG is created using the monochrome laser printer 1.

83 original mask plates 15R, 15G, and 15B were created, and all original mask plates 15R, 15G in ADF tray 12 were created.
, 15B are stacked. ADF)
The number of mask originals on the sheet 12 is counted by the sensor S1 and stored in the counting element 202. Counter element 202 is composed of an 8-bit memory. When three mask original plates 15R, 15G, and 15B are stacked on the ADF tray 12, they are loaded into the printer. - Even in the case of manual feeding by a man, the set of mask original plates 15R1G and B can be set on the ADF hray 12 and loaded into the printer using the print key of a panel switch (not shown). Next, to explain in detail using a flowchart, the rotted mask original plates 15R, 15G,
At 15B, the color of the loaded mask original is read by the sensor 103, and the bit in the left inner buffer W of the read color of the storage element 201 is set.

Step 10 to determine whether the first mask original is G or B
0), the gate 28 is driven to select the mask original transport path 21, and the gate 29 is moved downward! (・Rotate the sofa Z to the position indicated by the broken line to select it, and move the roller 24
．． 22, 32, 33, 25, and 26 are driven, and the data is not exposed and is stacked in the lower buffer Z, and is stored in a predetermined area of the memory element 201, that is, the lower right of the mask original 15G or mask original 15B column (the sofa bit is set). , the left inner side)
・The bit corresponding to Sofa W is reset. At this time, the mask original 15G or 15B is held between the rollers 26 (step 101).

Next, in the case of a G or B mask original (step 102), the gate 29 is driven to select the upper buffer Y, and the rollers 24, 22, 32, 33, 25, 27 are driven to select the upper right buffer Y without exposing. (step 103)
. The positions of the two-color mask original 15G or 15B are stored in the storage element 201 shown in FIG. 2 as described above (step 104). The next mask original plate 15R is a mask original plate on which toner, which is a light-shielding image, is placed on other parts of the microcapsules coated on the photosensitive recording medium 50 in order to harden the microcapsules containing a cyan dye precursor. It is. At this time, the mask original 15R fed into the color image recording device 20 is transferred to the mask original transport path 2.
1 and the positioning device 3 by the roller pair 24.22.
Sent to 1. 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 the appropriate exposure position by the roller pair 32, and then uses a drive source (not shown) to read the alignment mark printed on the mask original 15R with a sensor. The mask original 15R is moved 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, contacts the glass plate 34 of the alignment device 31, and brings the mask original 15R and the photosensitive recording medium 50 into close contact. When the exposure table 52 comes into close contact with the alignment device 31, the lamp 42 is turned on, and the exposure device 41 moves in the direction of arrow A in order to expose the photosensitive recording medium 50 with red light or the mask original 15R via the red filter 44R. Scanning exposure is performed in the direction (step 105). When the exposure is finished, lamp 4
2 goes out, and the exposure device 41 moves back in the direction of arrow B.

At this time, the filter unit 44 of the exposure device 41 is moved by a drive source (not shown), and the green filter 44G is positioned above the lamp 42.

While the exposure 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.

Next, the mask original plate 1 for green inside the color printer
5G is stored in the storage element 201, the held holding position is read out from the recording element 201 (step 106), and the mask original 15G is conveyed from the holding position to the alignment device 31. That is, the upper right buffer Y
If the position is held, the position is read from the memory element 201 and conveyed from the buffer Y to the alignment device 31.

The mask original 15G on the positioning device 31 checks the memory element 201 to find and store the buffer in which there is no mask original. If the green mask original 15G inside the color printer is not stored in the memory element 201, the green mask original 15G stacked in advance on the ADF tray from the monochrome laser printer is transferred to the ADF tray 12 and ADF paper feed. When the roller pair 22 passes through the roller 13, the recurler roller 101, and the mask original transport path 21 and reaches just before the roller pair 24, the roller pair 22
．． 24.25.27, roller pair 3 of positioning device 31
2.33 is rotated in a direction to convey 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 conveyed to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by solid lines, and the exposed mask original 15R is placed at the roller pair 27.
It is held by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 27 with the rear end passing through the gate 29. The mask original 15G guided to 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 (step 107). After the exposure is completed, the exposure table 52 is raised to a predetermined position. The exposure device 41 is moved back to its original position, and a blue filter 4 is placed above the lamp 42.
Move the filter unit 44 to position 4B.

Next, the mask original plate 15 for blue inside the color printer
If B is stored in the storage element 201, the mask master 15G is read out from the stored storage element (step 108), and the mask original 15G is conveyed to the alignment device 31. The mask original 15B on the alignment device is conveyed to a buffer without the mask original 15B. If the original mask for blue inside the color printer is not stored in the memory element 201, it is created by the monochrome laser printer 1 and stored in the ADF.
The blue mask original plate 15B stacked above is similarly fed to the color image recording device 20, counted down by 3 by the counting means, and conveyed just before the roller pair 24. 22, 25, 26 and the roller pair 32, 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated in the direction of conveying the mask original 15G to the right, sending out the mask original 15G from the alignment device 31 and moving the mask original 15B to the exposure position. Transport and stop. At this time, the gate 28 is located at the position shown by the solid line, the gate 29 is located at the position shown by the broken line, and the exposed mask original 15G is placed at the position shown by the roller pair 26.
It is held by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 27 with the rear end passing through the gate 29.

The mask original 15B guided by the alignment device 31 is brought into close contact with the exposure recording medium 50 by a similar operation. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is exposed to blue light through the mask original 15B (step 109).

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

Next, the exposure table 52 is raised to the initial position, the fixed roller 56 and the left end of the exposure table 52 are separated 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 5o. 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 or the exposure table 52 is pressed against the left end of 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 6o has a moderate gloss. can get. The color developer sheet 60 that has been subjected to color development and gloss treatment is discharged to a paper discharge tray 63.

During the above-described series of development and coloring/glossy processing, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is held and fixed between the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 56. Therefore, while the development processing for one screen is being performed, the next exposure point is It is possible to perform exposure processing on the latent image of a color image.

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 positioning device 31 are rotated so as to convey the mask original 15'R 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.

Next, the mask original plate 15 at the exposure position. In order to feed the mask original 15G held at the position of the roller pair 26 to the alignment device 31, the roller pairs 22, 23, 25, 26 and the roller pair 32, 33 of the alignment device 31 are moved to the left. The mask original 15G is rotated so as to be conveyed to the left. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by broken lines. The mask original 15R is held between a pair of rollers and is held by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 23 at a position where its rear end passes through a gate 28. The mask original 15G sent to the alignment device 31 is
It is aligned and brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50.

The photosensitive recording medium 50 is exposed to green light through the mask original 15G.

Next, the mask original 15G at the exposure position is sent out to the right, and the same operation is performed to send the mask original 15B held at the position of the roller pair 24 to the alignment device 31, and the color is placed on the photosensitive recording medium 50. A latent image of the image is formed to form a color image on the developer sheet 60. By repeating similar operations, a predetermined number of color images can be output from one set of mask originals 15.

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 at the end of 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. In addition, when reusing a mask master output from another monochrome laser printer or a previously used mask master,
By setting it on the ADF tray 12, a mask original can be input. When inputting from ADF tray 12, RSGlB is automatically input without considering the order of the mask original colors.
Expose in this order.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, there are provided at least two bath means for holding the three color mask originals RSG and B in a location other than the positioning device, and storing the positions corresponding to each color of the mask original. Even if the mask original is not placed in the image recording device in the order of R and GSB, the image recording device can always output a color image with accurate color balance by exposing it in the order of R and GSB. can get.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image recording device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image recording device of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a storage element of the image recording device of the present invention. It is. 1... Monochrome laser printer, 2... Polygon scanner, 3... Photoconductor, 4... Developer, 5... Paper feed cassette, 6... Fixing device, 11... Monochrome output Paper tray, 12... automatic document device, 20... color image recording device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An image recording device that creates a three-color mask original from an original, exposes the original mask to photosensitive recording paper in close contact with light, overlaps a developer paper on the exposed photosensitive recording paper, and applies pressure to form an image on the recording paper. An image recording device characterized by comprising at least two buffer means for holding the mask original in a location other than the alignment device, and a storage means for storing the holding position of the mask original corresponding to each color of the mask original. .