JPH0466940A - Exposing and heat developing device and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the generation of unnecessary waste by adjacently installing an exposing section and a heat developing section. CONSTITUTION:This exposing and heat developing device subjects a recording medium 79 to color exposing by exposing the medium with the light corresponding to the photosensitive wavelengths of respective layers which develop to C, M, Y through an original 18 superposed with BK (black) and one sheet of the respective color originals among 4 kinds of so-called color resolved lith originals corresponding to C, M, Y, BK and the filter selected from a filter group 54 and subjects the recording medium 78 and to heat development. The heat developing section 90 has a feed port 91 for charging the photosensitive recording medium and a take-out port 92 for taking out the photosensitive recording medium. A transporting roller and transporting belt for the sure transportation of the photosensitive recording medium are equipped between this feed port 91 and the take-out port 92. The black and white or full-color images are rapidly obtd. by the simple heat development alone in this way without generating the waste.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention is applicable to color or black and white blueprints, slides,
Overhead Projector - 1 Exposure/thermal development device for creating second source images, copiers, and faxes, especially a thermal device that allows color images to be easily obtained by simply performing heat development after exposure without using unnecessary sheets. The present invention relates to an exposure/thermal development device for easily imagewise exposing and thermally developing a developable bruch medium, and an image forming method using the same.

"Prior Art" For the sake of convenience, the prior art will be explained below using the blade rubber roof as an example, but the same can be said about other fields as well, only the purpose of use is different.

There are various methods of color blueprinting, but each has its own drawbacks.

One of the typical methods of color proofing is the overlay method. This method reproduces a multicolor image by overlapping films with images of each color, and it is unavoidable to view the image through the film, resulting in poor image quality.

In addition, there is a sub-print method as a method for obtaining multicolor images on two sheets. In this method, images of each color are sequentially superimposed on two supports to obtain a multicolor image. For example, Cromarin (Dupont), Matsushi Print (3
M Company), Color Art (Fuji Photo Film), etc. are known, but both require four sheets of photosensitive film for each color and generate waste.

Furthermore, a color vapor method is known as a method for forming color images on two photosensitive sheets. This method involves attaching a film original to color paper, exposing it to light using each color filter, and performing wet development to obtain a color image. It is being In this method, since the photosensitive range of color paper is the visible range,
A darkroom or an exposure device equipped with a darkroom is required for handling, and maintenance and management of the developer is required.

These methods have some drawbacks, such as requiring multiple sheets, generating waste such as transfer sheets and toner, being difficult to handle in a bright room, and requiring a development system that uses a developer. There is a need for improvement.

The following method has been proposed as a method that does not have these drawbacks. That is, thermal processing is characterized in that a latent image is formed on the photocurable composition by exposure, 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. Using a developable photosensitive recording medium, the photosensitive recording medium is exposed to light through the image original, photocuring occurs in the exposed area to form a latent image, and the uncured portion is then heated by heating the photosensitive recording medium. By using a color image creation method characterized by diffusing the parts involved in color development or decolorization to form a visible image, a completely dry system that does not generate waste can be realized.

There are several types of optical recording media used in this method, and although it is a unique method for recording black and white images, it is particularly useful when used as a color recording medium. .

As a specific recording medium, for example, JP-A-52-89
A medium disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 915 is known. This is because the two components of a two-component thermochromic medium, e.g.
It is a medium in which an electron-accepting compound and an electron-donating colorless dye are separately arranged inside and outside or on both sides of a microcapsule containing a photocurable composition. However, in the case of this medium, even if the photocurable composition in the microcapsules is sufficiently cured, color development in the cured areas cannot be sufficiently suppressed, so non-image areas tend to be slightly colored, resulting in poor contrast. be.

A more preferable medium without coloring of the non-image area is, for example, a photopolymerizable composition comprising a vinyl monomer having an acidic group and a photopolymerization initiator, as disclosed in JP-A-61-123838. A recording medium is known in which a layer containing . In the case of this medium, the acidity and thermal diffusivity of the groups in the non-image area, that is, the area cured by the photopolymerization part, are almost eliminated, so the coloring in the non-image area is eliminated, but the coloring density is somewhat low.

For example, to obtain a negative image using a similar method,
There is a method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 119552/1983. This method uses a recording medium in which a photopolymerizable composition consisting of a monomer or prepolymer that bleaches the dye and a photopolymerization initiator and a dye to be bleached are present in isolation from the monomer or prepolymer. This medium also has the same drawbacks as the aforementioned media.

The most preferable medium that overcomes the coloration of non-image areas and low image density is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 1-22 filed by the present applicant.
There is a medium described in No. 4930.

In this medium, one of the two components of a two-component thermosensitive coloring medium is encapsulated in microcapsules, and the other component is used as a curable compound of a photocurable composition, or the other component is used together with the photocurable composition in microcapsules. It is a medium placed outside the cuff cell.

As a negative image medium using a similar concept, there is a medium described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-19710 filed by the present applicant. A photopolymerizable composition containing an electron-accepting compound, a polymerizable vinyl monomer, and a photopolymerization initiator is placed outside the microcapsules, and a layer containing microcapsules containing an electron-donating colorless dye is coated. It is a recording medium that has been set up.

To carry out color recording using these photosensitive recording media, basically, it is sufficient to use a recording medium having a plurality of photosensitive layers having different photosensitive wavelengths and coloring hues.

As an example of a more preferable multicolor recording medium, Japanese Patent Application No. 12249
'30 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2-19710. For example, it has multiple photosensitive layers that are sensitive to light of different wavelengths and develop colors of different hues, and
The layer structure from the exposure light source side to the support side of the recording medium includes a first photosensitive layer that is sensitive to light with a center wavelength λ1, an intermediate layer that absorbs light with a center wavelength λ1, and an intermediate layer that is sensitive to light with a center wavelength λ2. a second photosensitive layer that develops a color different from that of the first photosensitive layer; an intermediate layer that absorbs light with a center wavelength λi-1;
At least two or more photosensitive layers are formed on a support in the order of the first photosensitive layer that is sensitive to light having a center wavelength λi and develops a color different from the first, second, ... and 1-1 photosensitive layers. are stacked on top, and the center wavelength λ1<λ2<...λ
A multicolor recording medium characterized by the following: 1 can be mentioned. Here, i is an integer of 2 or more.

After exposure of these photosensitive recording media, thermal development is required to stabilize the image, and there has been a desire for an exposure/thermal development apparatus that is designed to facilitate this thermal development.

``Problems to be Solved by the Invention'' The purpose of the present invention is to produce a completely dry black and white or color heat-developable photosensitive recording medium that does not generate unnecessary waste and does not require the use of a developing solution. An object of the present invention is to provide a developing device and an image forming method using the same. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an exposure/thermal development device designed to easily perform thermal development after exposure, and an image forming method using the same.

"Means for Solving the Problems" The object of the present invention is that a latent image is formed on a photocurable composition by exposure to light, and components involved in color development or decolorization are moved within the photosensitive material according to the latent image by heating. In an exposure/thermal development device that uses a heat-developable photosensitive recording medium that forms a color image by overlapping an image original on the photosensitive recording medium and then performs image exposure, the exposure section and the heat development section are This was achieved by an exposure/thermal development device characterized by being installed adjacent to each other, and an image forming method using the same.

Hereinafter, an exposure/thermal development apparatus and an image forming method according to the Softwood invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 2, heating methods used for the thermally developed portion 90 that can be preferably used in the present invention include non-contact heating methods such as heating with hot air and heating with radiant heat, and contact heating methods with a hot plate or heated roller. Various methods known in the industry can be used, such as a method known as a heat fixing method for toner and a method known as a heat development method for silver.

The most preferred method among these is the heating method using a heat roller 93. To heat this heat roller, you can heat it by passing an electric current through the nichrome wire, heat a burner inside the roller, or place a heating element such as a halogen lamp inside the roller.
Examples of methods include using the surface of the roller as a surface heating element and passing an electric current through it.

The material of the heat roller 93 is preferably a metal such as iron, aluminum, or stainless steel, and its surface may be mirror-finished, coated with Teflon, or coated with cilia.

Further, it is desirable that the temperature on the surface of the heat roller is controlled to be constant, and it is preferable that one or more temperature sensors be provided on the surface or inside to make the temperature distribution as uniform as possible.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the temperature of the heat roller and the rotation speed of the heat roller can be changed depending on the purpose of use and environment of use.

In the image forming method of the present invention, a latent image is formed on the image original and the photocurable composition through exposure, and upon heating, components involved in color development or decolorization move within the photosensitive material according to the latent image, thereby causing the color to change. A heat-developable photosensitive recording medium for forming an image is placed on top of the other, exposed using an exposure device, a monomer is polymerized with a photopolymerization initiator in the exposed area, and the uncured portion is heated by heating the exposed recording medium. A visible image is formed by moving components involved in color development or decolorization.

The photosensitive layer of the recording medium consists of, for example, an electron-donating colorless dye contained in binder microcapsules and droplets arranged outside the microcapsules. These droplets are composed of a photopolymerization initiator and a compound that has an electron-accepting moiety and a part of a polymerizable vinyl monomer in the same molecule. Photopolymerization of the accepting compound occurs. As a result, the electron-accepting compound is photocured and becomes immobile, and even if this portion of the photosensitive layer is heated, the electron-accepting compound and the electron-donating colorless dye cannot come into contact with each other and no color develops.

On the other hand, in the unexposed area, the electron-accepting compound is thought to pass through the microcapsule wall when heated and come into contact with the electron-donating colorless dye, causing the electron-donating colorless dye to develop color and give a positive image. .

A recording medium having a negative photosensitive layer may also be used.

In the case of this negative recording medium, the photosensitive layer consists of an electron-donating colorless dye contained in binder microcapsules and droplets placed outside the microcapsules. These droplets are composed of a polymerizable vinyl monomer and a photopolymerization initiator, which have the property of erasing the color formed by the reaction between an electron-accepting compound and an electron-donating colorless dye. In some parts, the photopolymerization initiator causes photopolymerization of the color erasable vinyl monomer and it becomes immobile.

Upon heating, the electron-accepting compound and the electron-donating colorless dye come into contact with each other in this portion of the photosensitive layer, thereby developing color. On the other hand, in the unexposed area, the color-erasable vinyl monomer passes through the microcapsule wall when heated, and the colored pigment is erased by contact between the electron-donating colorless dye and the electron-accepting compound, resulting in a negative image. It is considered to give.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of a positive photosensitive layer. This layer is Pine! -210, an electron-donating colorless dye 206 housed in a microcapsule 204, and a droplet 209 placed outside the microcapsule 204. The droplet 209 is
It consists of a compound 208 having an electron-accepting moiety and a part of a polymerizable vinyl monomer in the same molecule, and a photopolymerization initiator. In the exposed portion of the photosensitive medium, the photopolymerization initiator causes photopolymerization of the polymerizable electron-accepting compound 208, and as a result, the electron-accepting compound 208 is photocured and becomes immobile, and as a result, this portion of the recording medium becomes uniform. Electron-accepting compound 20 even when heated
8 and the electron-donating colorless dye 206 cannot come into contact with each other, making it impossible to develop color. On the other hand, in the unexposed area, the electron-accepting compound 208
When heated, it passes through the microcapsule wall and comes into contact with the electron-donating colorless dye 206, and the electron-donating colorless dye 206
It is thought that it develops color and gives a positive image.

In this way, the λ3 photosensitive layer 112, the λ2 photosensitive layer 116,
The λ1 photosensitive layer 120 develops each color component to obtain a full color image.

Further, instead of this recording medium that provides a positive image, the aforementioned negative recording medium may be used.

In the case of a negative photosensitive layer, as shown in the schematic diagram in FIG.
Liquid placed outside of 4? It consists of a309. This droplet 309 is made of a polymerizable vinyl monomer 3 that has the property of decoloring the dye that is formed by the reaction between the electron-accepting compound 308, the electron-donating colorless dye 306, and the electron-accepting compound 308.
11 and a photopolymerization initiator, photopolymerization of the decolorable vinyl monomer 311 occurs by the photopolymerization initiator in the exposed portion of the recording medium, and the vinyl monomer 31
1 can't move. When heated, this part of the recording medium forms an electron-accepting compound 308 and an electron-donating colorless dye 306.
When they come into contact with each other, the color develops. On the other hand, in the unexposed area, when heated, the color-erasing vinyl monomer 311 passes through the microcapsule wall, and the colorless electron-donating dye 306 and the electron-accepting compound 308 contact each other, causing the colored pigment to disappear. , is considered to give a negative image.

There are a wide variety of recording media that can be advantageously exposed using the exposure apparatus of the present invention, including monochrome, two-color, functional color, and full-color recording media.

In a multicolor recording medium, a plurality of photosensitive layers each sensitive to different wavelengths and each developing a different hue are provided on the same support.

For example, it has a plurality of photosensitive layers that are sensitive to light of different wavelengths and develop colors of different hues, and has a layer structure from the exposure light source side to the support side of the recording medium, and a layer that is sensitive to light with a center wavelength λ1 is used. 1 photosensitive layer, an intermediate layer that absorbs light with a center wavelength λ1, a second photosensitive layer that is sensitive to light with a center wavelength λ2 and develops a color different from that of the first photosensitive layer,...center wavelength λi
-1 light-absorbing intermediate layer, first photosensitive layer that is sensitive to light with center wavelength λ1 and develops a color different from the first, second, . . . and i-1th photosensitive layers; (A multicolor recording medium characterized by having two or more photosensitive layers laminated on a support and having a center wavelength of λ1 to λ2<...<λi. , 1 is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the recording medium 78.

The λ3 photosensitive layer 112 is a photosensitive layer that is sensitive to light having a center wavelength of λ3. Similarly, the λ2 photosensitive layer 116 is a photosensitive layer sensitive to light having a center wavelength λ2, and the λ1 photosensitive layer 120 is a photosensitive layer sensitive to light having a center wavelength λ1.

Reference numerals 114 and 118 are filter layers that absorb light at the centers λ2 and λ1, respectively.

Since this optical recording medium is a monosheet type, the center wavelength λ
When j is set in the visible range, the recording medium absorbs visible light, and the entire surface of the recording medium is colored. For this reason, it is desirable that the center wavelength be in the ultraviolet region.

That is, in the case of a color optical recording medium having yellow, magenta, and yellow coloring layers, it is desirable to have three types of center wavelengths in the ultraviolet region.

In other words, broadly speaking, the lower limit is 330 nm, which is the short-wave limit of light that can be transmitted through the presser glass of the exposure device and the Lith original.
It is preferable to have three types of center wavelengths in a region with an upper limit of 430 nm at which coloration of the recording medium is acceptable, that is, in a region of about 1100 nm.

However, it is not always easy to divide this narrow area into three parts. In particular, it is difficult to obtain monochromatic light source light that exposes only each coloring layer.

If you use a filter to divide a monochromatic light source into three parts, an undesirable phenomenon called crosstalk may occur. For example, when imagewise exposing the λ2 region, the λl and/or λ3 component light of the light source light that has passed through the filter exposes areas other than the λ2 photosensitive layer, and in such a case, it is expected from the original that the photosensitive recording medium will be developed. The image will have a different color than the one shown.

When exposing the photosensitive layer, it is also possible to prepare a plurality of exposure devices each having a filter corresponding to the photosensitive wavelength and perform exposure sequentially. It is more preferable to have one exposure device #i equipped with R capability to sequentially replace the filters.

In the exposure/thermal development apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable to use a vapor deposited film filter as the filter.

As a vapor deposited film filter that can be preferably used, a metal interference filter such as a MIFW type filter (
(manufactured by Japan Vacuum Optics Co., Ltd.), all-dielectric interference filter
For example, DIF type Fushifilter (manufactured by Honkyuu Kogaku Co., Ltd.)
, dichroic filter (manufactured by Japan Vacuum Optical Co., Ltd.), etc. can be used alone or in combination.

Further, the shape of the filter may also be various, such as a plate, a disc, a cylinder, or a hemisphere. In particular, in the case of an interference filter, the cutoff wavelength changes depending on the angle formed between the transmitted light ray and the filter surface, so if a point light source is used, the shape should be made hemispherical, or the wavelength can be changed depending on the angle between the transmitted light ray and the filter surface. An interference filter having a curved surface that corrects the deviation is preferable. Alternatively, an interference filter may be used in which this wavelength shift is corrected by changing the thickness of the deposited film.

Of course, this vapor-deposited film filter may be combined with a film filter containing a known dye or a colored glass filter, or a part of the vapor-deposited film filter may be replaced with this filter.

Examples of film-like filters containing dyes that can be used as dye filters include the 5C41 filter (manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.), and examples of glass filters containing dyes include the L-42 filter (manufactured by Toshiba Glass Co., Ltd.). (manufactured by).

For color exposure, especially for long wavelength layer exposure, λl and λ
A sharp-cut filter such as 5C41 filter (manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.) is used to cut light in the shortwave region called 2, and a band-pass filter such as a metal interference filter (manufactured by Japan Vacuum Optical Co., Ltd.) is used for medium-wavelength exposure. Things are good.

In addition, in order to make wavelength fractionation easier, the exposure apparatus of the present invention uses a glass with high transmittance in the ultraviolet region as a pressing glass, especially an oxidized glass with a transmittance of 60% or more in the wavelength range of 340 nm to 450 nm. Material glass, such as quartz glass, Pyrex glass (manufactured by Downening Co., Ltd.), IWA
KI C0DE 7740 glass (manufactured by Iwaki Glass Co., Ltd.), DURAN GLASS (SCHOTT
It is preferable to use materials such as Hario 32 glass (manufactured by Shibata Scientific Instruments Co., Ltd.), museum glass (manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.), or polyester film, but blue plate glass etc. may also be used. .

Next, with reference to the accompanying drawings, an exposure/thermal development apparatus according to the present invention and a full-color recording medium that is advantageously exposed and developed by the exposure/thermal development apparatus according to the present invention will be described. This will be explained using media as an example.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the exposure/thermal development apparatus used in the present invention.

This exposure/thermal development device supports C, M, Y, BK.
Among the four so-called color-separated squirrel manuscripts corresponding to (black), a manuscript 18 in which BK and one sheet of each color manuscript are superimposed,
Through a filter selected from the filter group 54, C,
This is an exposure/thermal development device that exposes the recording medium 78 to color light by exposing it to light corresponding to the photosensitive wavelength of each layer that develops M and Y colors, and then thermally develops the recording medium 78. In the case of the recording medium used in the present invention, a full-color image can be easily obtained by heating and developing the recording medium 78 after exposure in this manner.

Filters F3, F2, and Fl have center wavelengths λ3 and λ3, respectively.
This is an interference filter that passes only the light of λ2 and λ1.

When recording a color image using such a recording medium 78, first, light with a center wavelength λl passes through the corresponding filter F1, passes through the glass 77 and the corresponding image original 18, and is exposed to the photosensitive recording medium 78. will be held. This results in
The λ1 photosensitive layer 120 is exposed. At this time, the center wavelength λ
Since the light other than l is forced by the filter Fl,
λ2 photosensitive layer 116 and λ3 photosensitive layer 112 are not exposed. In the λ1 photosensitive layer 120, the portion exposed according to the original image 18 undergoes photopolymerization of the polymerizable electron-accepting compound 208 by the photopolymerization initiator, as described above.
As a result, the electron-accepting compound 208 is photocured and becomes immovable. Even if this portion of the recording medium is heated, the electron-accepting compound 208 and the electron-donating colorless dye 206 cannot come into contact with each other, making it impossible to develop color. On the other hand, in the unexposed area, when the electron-accepting compound 208 is heated, it passes through the microcapsule wall and comes into contact with the electron-donating colorless dye 206, causing the electron-donating colorless dye 206 to develop color and give a positive image. Conceivable.

Next, the photosensitive recording medium 78 is exposed through the image original 18 by the light having the center wavelength λ2 that has passed through the filter F2. The λ1 photosensitive layer 120 is not sensitive to this light. The λ2 photosensitive layer 116 is exposed to the light having the center wavelength λ2. At this time, light other than the center wavelength λ2 is filtered by the filter F2.
Since the λ3 photoreceptor 12 is exposed to light, the λ3 photoreceptor 12 is not exposed. In the exposed λ2 photosensitive layer 116, photocuring of the electron-accepting dye 208 occurs as in the case of the λ1 photosensitive layer 120 described above. Finally, the photosensitive recording medium 78 is exposed through the image original 18 by the light having the center wavelength λ3 that has passed through the filter F3. λ1 photosensitive layer 12
The 0 and λ2 photosensitive layers 116 are not sensitive to this light, and only the λ3 photosensitive layer 112 is exposed to the light having the center wavelength λ3.

After image exposure is performed three times using light of three wavelengths in this manner, heat development is performed. By heat development, in the unexposed portions of each photosensitive layer 112, 116, 120, the electron-accepting compound 208 passes through the microcapsule wall and comes into contact with the electron-donating colorless dye 206. develops color. In the exposed area, the electron-accepting compound 208 is photocured and becomes immobile as described above, and the electron-accepting compound 208 and the electron-donating colorless dye 206 cannot come into contact with each other, so no color develops.

In this way, the λ3 photosensitive layer 112, the λ2 photosensitive layer 116,
The λ1 photosensitive layer 120 develops each color component to obtain a full color image.

Furthermore, instead of the recording medium that provides this positive image, the aforementioned negative recording medium may be used.

``Example'' Below, the exposure/thermal development apparatus and image forming method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of an exposure/thermal development apparatus.

The operation button 67 has the function of selecting a filter corresponding to the photosensitive layer from the filter group 54 consisting of Fl, F2, and F3, and evacuating the opening of the glass plate 77 and the holding plate 79 to release the sandwiched original 18 and photosensitive recording medium. After that, the light source 12 is turned on for a predetermined period of time to bring the recording medium 78 into close contact with the recording medium 78.
After the exposure is completed, the vacuum is broken and the selected filter is removed from the top of the light source at the same time to complete the series of monochrome exposure operations.

The operation display section 68 displays the selected filter type, each operation time, etc.

Various types of operation buttons can be provided as necessary.

For example, the C button is for exposing a black image, the M button is for magenta image exposure, the Y button is for yellow image exposure, and the BK button is for yellow image exposure.
The button is for BK image exposure for negative photosensitive recording media.
The F button is for exposure without a filter, etc.

Preferably, this operation button can store information such as the selection of a filter for exposure, the evacuation time for close contact, and the power to be supplied to the light source (intensity of the light source).

The light source 12 generates ultraviolet light including wavelengths λ1, λ2, and λ3 or visible light in a region close to ultraviolet light. For example, any of these may be used, such as ultra-high pressure mercury lamps, high-pressure mercury lamps, metal halide lamps, semiconductor lasers, strobes (xenon lamps), tungsten lamps, argon lasers, helium cadmium lasers, fluorescent tubes, etc. Among these, mercury lamps, especially high-frequency driven mercury lamps, are suitable. This is particularly preferable because short-wave light is strong. The light source 12 is driven by a light source drive circuit 66 under the control of the control circuit 5o.

There are no particular restrictions on the position of the light source, and it may be placed either above or below the photosensitive recording medium as long as the light source, filter, document, and photosensitive recording medium are arranged in this order.

In addition, three light sources are arranged and the wavelengths λ11, λ2, λ3
may be generated.

The filter group 54 includes a film filter containing a dye, such as a 5C41 filter (manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.), and a glass filter containing a dye, such as L-
42 filter (Toshiba Glass Corporation V>, metal interference filter such as MIF-W type (manufactured by Japan Vacuum Optical Co., Ltd.), dielectric interference filter such as DIF filter (
(manufactured by Nippon Vacuum Optics Co., Ltd.), Gui Kuroitsuta filter (manufactured by Nippon Vacuum Optics Co., Ltd.), etc. These can be used alone or in combination.

Further, the shape of the filter may also be various, such as a plate, a disc, a cylinder, or a hemisphere.

The thermal development section 90 of this apparatus has an input port 91 into which a photosensitive recording medium is input and an output port 92 from which the photosensitive recording medium is removed. It is preferable that a conveyance roller or a conveyance belt be provided between the input port 91 and the discharge port 92 to ensure the conveyance of the photosensitive recording medium.

Example 2 As the glass 77 that holds the original and the photosensitive recording medium, the third
Museum glass (manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.) whose transmission spectrum is shown in the figure was used, and the filter was the filter shown in Figure 4. Specifically, the F1 filter was a MIF-W type filter with a center wavelength of 328 nm (Japan Vacuum Optical Co., Ltd.). ), the center wavelength is 38 as an F2 filter.
A 3 nm MIF-W type filter (manufactured by Japan Vacuum Optical Co., Ltd.) was used, a 5C41 filter (Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.) was used as the F3 filter, and a positive photosensitive recording medium with the photosensitive characteristics shown in Figure 6 was used as the optical recording medium. , the light source 12 is a 6Kw AFL light source (manufactured by Fusion)
CSMS Y exposure was performed using the following. After exposure,
When a photosensitive recording medium was put into the input port 91, thermally developed for 5 seconds using a heat roller 93 at 120° C., and taken out from the take-out port 92, a clear image without crosstalk was obtained.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, by using the exposure/thermal development apparatus and image forming method of the present invention, it is possible to obtain black-and-white or full-color images in a short time with simple heat development without generating waste. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the n-optical device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the exposure apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the light transmission characteristics of the glass used in the exposure apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the light transmission characteristics of the interference filter used in the exposure apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the layer structure of a photosensitive recording medium used in the image forming method of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the photosensitive characteristics of each photosensitive layer of the photosensitive recording medium of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a positive photosensitive layer. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a negative photosensitive layer. 12...Light source 18...Document 50...Control circuit 54...Group of interference filters Fl, F2, F3 66...
. . . Light source drive circuit 67 . . . Operation buttons 68 . . . Operation display section 76 . . . Power supply 77 . 81 ・ 82 ・ 83 ・ 90 ・ 91 ・ 92 ・ ・Press plate for original and recording medium ・Vacuum pump drive circuit ・Thermal development section drive circuit ・Light amount detection section ・Filter drive mechanism ・Thermal development section ・Photosensitive recording medium input port ・Photosensitive recording medium ejection port/thermal roller -Support/Anti-halein layer/λ3 photosensitive layer/Layer that absorbs λ2 light/λ2 Photosensitive layer/Layer that absorbs λ1 light/λl Photosensitive layer/Protective layer/ Microcapsules, electron-donating colorless dyes, compounds that have an electron-accepting moiety and a part of a polymerizable vinyl monomer in the same molecule...compounds that have an electron-accepting moiety and a part of a polymerizable vinyl monomer in the same molecule, and photopolymerization Droplets consisting of an initiator... Binder... Microcapsules... Electron-donating colorless dye... Electron-accepting compound... Electron-accepting compound, reaction between the electron-accepting compound and the electron-donating colorless dye A droplet consisting of a photopolymerization initiator and a polymerizable vinyl monomer that has the property of erasing the color developed by the process. Binder: A color formed by the reaction between an electron-donating colorless dye and an electron-accepting compound. A polymerizable vinyl monomer that has the property of decolorizing dyes.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A latent image is formed in the photocurable composition by exposure, and by heating, components involved in color development or decolorization move within the sensitive material according to the latent image to form a color image. In an exposure/thermal development device that uses a heat-developable photosensitive recording medium, overlays an image original on the photosensitive recording medium, performs image exposure, and then heat develops it.
An exposure/thermal development device characterized in that an exposure section and a heat development section are installed adjacent to each other. 2) A heat-developable photosensitive recording medium in which a latent image is formed on a photocurable composition by exposure to light, and components involved in color development or decolorization move within the sensitive material according to the latent image by heating to form a color image. An image forming method characterized in that an image original is superimposed on a photosensitive recording medium and exposed and thermally developed using an exposure/thermal developing device in which an exposure section and a thermal development section are installed adjacent to each other. 3) The image forming method according to claim 2, wherein the photosensitive recording medium is a multicolor recording medium that obtains a multicolor image by multiple exposures. 4) In claim 3, the photosensitive recording medium comprises, from the exposure light source side toward the support side of the photosensitive recording medium, a first photosensitive layer that is sensitive to light with a center wavelength λ1, and a first photosensitive layer that absorbs light with a center wavelength λ1. a second photosensitive layer that is sensitive to light with a center wavelength λ2 and develops a color different from that of the first photosensitive layer;
at least two or more layers in the order of: an intermediate layer that absorbs light of λi, and an i-th photosensitive layer that is sensitive to light with a center wavelength λi and develops a color different from the first, second, and i-1th photosensitive layers; An image forming method characterized in that the photosensitive layer has a layer structure laminated on a support, and the center wavelength λ1<λ2<...<λi. Here, i is an integer of 2 or more. 5) In claim 4), the center wavelength λ of the photosensitive recording medium
1. An image forming method characterized by a full color photosensitive recording medium in which λ2 and λ3 are 320 nm or more, λ1 and λ2 are less than 400 nm, and λ3 is 400 nm or more.