JPH05142659A - Exposing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perfectly shield light at the time of turning off a PLZT optical shutter, to shield the light without turning off a light source and to accomplish high speed exposure and highquality exposure. CONSTITUTION:An exposing device A where line exposure is performed to a photosensitive material B being carried by the line PLZT optical shutter 2 is provided with a light source 1, the PLZT optical shutter 2, a light quality modulation filter part 3, a light quality modulation filter driving mechanism part 4, and a filter driving mechanism control part 5 which controls the mechanism part 4 so that designated light quality may be obtained in designated timing. The filter part 3 is obtained by arranging plural light quality modulation filters 3a in a line in the optical path direction of the light source 1, the mechanism part 4 allows the respective filters 3a to respectively and independently advance to or retreat from an optical path between the optical shutter 2 and the light source 1, and further the control part 5 controls the mechanism part 4 so that the designated light quality may be obtained in the designated timing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art PLZT electro-optical elements have an electro-optical effect in which birefringence changes with applied voltage, and have good properties as an optical shutter. In the conventional exposure apparatus, this PLZT electro-optical element is used as a shutter, and exposure is performed by light quality modulation due to a change in applied voltage.

[0003]

In such a conventional exposure apparatus, line exposure is carried out while the photosensitive material is being transferred. However, even when the PLZT optical shutter is turned off when the photosensitive material is stopped, the light is exposed. I couldn't shut it off completely,
Especially when using the device without turning off the light source, P
There is a problem that a slight leak light is generated from the LZT optical shutter and the photosensitive material is exposed, and there is also a problem that only monochromatic exposure is possible.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to make it possible to set the light-shielding rate when the PLZT optical shutter is off to 100% and to shield the light without turning off the light source. An object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus capable of performing high-speed exposure and high-quality exposure.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the exposure apparatus according to claim 1 is being transferred by a linear PLZT optical shutter provided in a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction of the photosensitive material. In an exposure device for performing line exposure on a photosensitive material, a light source, a PLZT optical shutter, a light quality modulation filter section configured by arranging a plurality of light quality modulation filters in a line in the optical path direction of the light source, and each light quality modulation filter. And a light quality modulation filter drive mechanism section for independently advancing or retracting into the optical path between the PLZT optical shutter and the light source, and a light quality modulation filter drive mechanism section so as to achieve the instructed light quality at the instructed timing. And a filter drive mechanism control unit for controlling the.

An exposure apparatus according to a second aspect is the exposure apparatus according to the first aspect, further comprising a mechanical shutter for mechanically blocking or passing light in an optical path between the PLZT optical shutter and the light source. It is what

[0007]

According to the exposure apparatus of claim 1 of the present invention, the PLZ
A T light shutter, a light quality modulation filter section configured by arranging a plurality of light quality modulation filters side by side in the light path direction of the light source, and each light quality modulation filter is independently provided in the light path between the PLZT light shutter and the light source. Since a light quality modulation filter drive mechanism section that moves in and out is then provided, by entering all the light quality modulation filters into the optical path,
It is possible to minimize light leakage when the PLZT optical shutter is off.

Further, since the filter drive mechanism controller is provided so as to obtain the instructed light quality at the instructed timing, it is possible to perform exposure with any color.

According to the exposure apparatus of the second aspect, since the mechanical shutter for mechanically blocking or passing the light in the optical path between the PLZT optical shutter and the light source is provided, the mechanical shutter is inserted in the optical path to thereby provide the light. Can be completely cut. As a result, the light can be perfectly shielded when the PLZT optical shutter is off, and thus high-speed exposure and high-quality exposure are possible.

That is, once the light source is turned off, it takes time until the light source is turned on next time and the light is stabilized, and this time loss makes it impossible to perform high-speed exposure.
If exposure is performed before the light is stable, the quality is deteriorated due to insufficient light quantity. However, according to the exposure apparatus of the present invention, high-speed exposure and high-quality exposure can be carried out without such adverse effects.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the exposure apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. The exposure apparatus A includes a light source 1, a PLZT optical shutter 2, and a light quality modulation filter unit 3 that is arranged to be able to enter and retract in an optical path between the light source 1 and the PLZT optical shutter 2. The quality modulation filter unit 3 is configured by arranging a plurality of light quality modulation filters 3a in a line in the optical path direction of the light source.

Each of the light quality modulation filters 3a of the light quality modulation filter section 3 is independently moved into or out of the optical path between the PLZT optical shutter 2 and the light source 1 by the light quality modulation filter drive mechanism section 4. Is becoming
Further, the light quality modulation filter drive mechanism unit 4 is configured to be controlled to have the light quality instructed at the timing instructed by the filter drive mechanism control unit 5.

The PLZT optical shutter 2 is a laminated body in which a polarizer located on the light incident side, a PLZT crystal, and an analyzer located on the light emitting side are combined, and the PLZT crystal is mounted between the opposing electrodes mounted on the PLZT crystal. The light is controlled by changing the birefringence of the PLZT crystal according to the voltage.

A mechanical shutter 6 is composed of a shutter plate 61 and a shutter plate drive mechanism portion 62, and PLZ is provided in the optical path from the light source 1 to the photosensitive material B.
It is located between the T-light shutter 2 and the light source 1, and moves in and out in a direction orthogonal to the optical path to perform a mechanical opening / closing operation. The opening / closing control of the shutter plate 61 is performed by the filter drive mechanism control unit 5.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an image printer including an exposure apparatus A. Reference numeral 12 denotes a magazine in which the photosensitive material B is rolled and stored. 7 is a loop forming stage. Reference numeral 8 denotes a development processing section. The photosensitive material A developed by the development processing section 8 is cut into pieces by a cutter and collected in a tray 9. Numerals 10 and 11 are conveying rollers.

M is an advance motor for controlling the conveying roller 11. This advance motor M is a PLZT.
A good image is exposed in conjunction with opening / closing of the optical shutter 2, opening / closing of the mechanical shutter 6, and control of the light quality modulation filter 3.

Next, the overall operation of the image printer having the exposure apparatus A of the present invention will be described. First, the photosensitive material B is transferred from the magazine 12 to the transport roller 1
It derives with 0. Next, the photosensitive material B is curved in the loop forming stage 7 to form a loop. Next, the photosensitive material B is line-exposed in the exposure apparatus A while the photosensitive material transfer motor M is driven to transfer the photosensitive material B. That is, line exposure is performed by the PLZT optical shutter 2 while the photosensitive material B is being transported at a constant speed.

Then, the light quality modulation filter 3 is made to enter the optical path at the designated timing so as to obtain the designated light quality, and the light is exposed in a free color. The photosensitive material B exposed in this way is developed in the development processing section 8.

In an exposure apparatus having no mechanical shutter 6, the leakage of light when the PLZT optical shutter 2 is off when the photosensitive material B is stopped causes the light quality modulation filters 3a ... All to be in the optical path. It can be kept to a minimum by fully entering.

[0020]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the exposure apparatus of the first aspect, it is possible to minimize the leakage of light when the PLZT optical shutter is turned off, and it is possible to use any color. It can be exposed. According to the exposure apparatus of the second aspect, since the light can be perfectly shielded when the PLZT optical shutter is off, high speed exposure and high quality exposure are possible.

[0021]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image printer including an exposure device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Light Source 2 PLZT Optical Shutter 3 Light Quality Modulation Filter Section 3a Light Quality Modulation Filter 4 Light Quality Modulation Filter Drive Mechanism Section 5 Filter Drive Mechanism Control Section 6 Mechanical Shutter

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A light source, a PLZT optical shutter, and a plurality of light qualities in an exposure device for performing line exposure on a photosensitive material being transferred by a line-shaped PLZT optical shutter provided in a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction of the photosensitive material. A light quality modulation filter unit configured by arranging modulation filters in a line in the light path direction of a light source, and a light quality modulation for independently moving each light quality modulation filter into or out of the light path between the PLZT optical shutter and the light source. A filter drive mechanism section,
An exposure apparatus comprising: a filter drive mechanism control unit that controls the light quality modulation filter drive mechanism unit so that the instructed light quality is obtained at an instructed timing. 2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanical shutter that mechanically blocks or passes light in an optical path between the PLZT optical shutter and the light source.