JPH05207235A - Picture recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a picture with a sufficient coloring density and high picture quality quickly by coloring a photosensing material with a light beam radiating from plural light sources and modulated by a picture recording signal supplied at a time difference. CONSTITUTION:Each light beam 16 from a picture recording device 10 employing the different angle incidence optical system is used to make sequential scanning onto a scanning line SL at a time difference almost equivalent to a difference from an incident position, then, the picture recording by each LD 12 is sequentially started at this time interval. Moreover, since light beams 16Y1, 16Y2 correspond both to Y coloring, they are modulated based on a same picture information signal at this time interval and expose a photosensing material A. The data delay circuits 40C, 40M, 40Y1 and 40Y2 give a picture signal transferred from a control circuit 28 to a modulation circuit 32 of each LD 12 at a time difference equivalent to the difference from the incident position onto the scanning line SL of each light beam 16 and controls the lighting (exposure) by each LD 12 (light beam 16) at the time difference, then, a sufficient exposure power is secured.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color image recording apparatus which scans and exposes a color photosensitive material with a plurality of types of light beams and is capable of recording an image at high speed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image recording apparatus by raster scanning which two-dimensionally scans and exposes a photosensitive material moving in a sub-scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction by a light beam deflected in the main scanning direction to record an image. It has been put to practical use in various applications such as a color or monochrome printer, a printing plate making apparatus, and a copying machine.

An image recording apparatus using raster scan is
For example, a light beam modulated by a light beam source such as a semiconductor laser (LD) according to image information is incident on an optical deflector such as a polygon mirror and is one-dimensionally deflected in the main scanning direction. The light beam deflected in the main scanning direction is adjusted by the fθ lens so as to form an image with a predetermined beam diameter at a predetermined position, and is incident on a predetermined position on the photosensitive material.

Here, the photosensitive material is relatively moved in the sub-scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction. Therefore, the light beam deflected in the main scanning direction scans the photosensitive material two-dimensionally as a result, whereby it becomes possible to scan the entire surface of the photosensitive material with the light beam to record an image.

In such an image recording apparatus, an image recording apparatus for recording a color image on a color photosensitive material containing color materials such as cyan (C), magenta (M) and yellow (Y) contains the photosensitive material. A light beam of a wavelength that causes the coloring material to develop, for example, a wavelength of 670 nm corresponding to M coloring, C
A color image is recorded by scanning and exposing the photosensitive material with three kinds of light beams having a wavelength of 750 nm corresponding to color development and a wavelength of 810 nm corresponding to Y color development.

As an optical system of an image recording apparatus for recording a color image, a combining type optical system for combining a plurality of light beams and making them incident on an optical deflector, and a plurality of light beams for emitting light at different angles. A non-multiplexing type optical system (different angle incident optical system) that enters a deflector is known.

In the combining type optical system, a plurality of types of light beams emitted from each light source are combined by a combining optical system using a dichroic mirror or the like to form a single light beam, which is applied to an optical deflector. The light enters and is deflected in the main scanning direction to scan and expose the photosensitive material.

On the other hand, a light beam combining optical system is unnecessary,
A different-angle incidence optical system is known as an optical system that can make an image recording apparatus inexpensive and simple. The image recording apparatus using the different-angle incidence optical system causes each light beam to be incident at substantially the same point on the reflecting surface of the optical deflector at different angles by, for example, arranging the light sources at different angles in the main scanning direction. .. The light beams deflected in the main scanning direction by the optical deflector form images at different positions on the main scanning line of the photosensitive material, and sequentially scan the main scanning line at predetermined time intervals to scan and expose the photosensitive material. To do. Therefore, the three types of light beams travel in different optical paths and are incident on predetermined positions on the photosensitive material.

By the way, in order to record a high quality image in such an image recording apparatus, it is necessary to develop the coloring material contained in the photosensitive material to a sufficient density according to the recorded image. The color density of the light-sensitive material largely depends on the sensitivity of the light-sensitive material, but in order to obtain a sufficient color density, the exposure power P ₀ [W] with respect to the sensitivity S [erg / cm ² ] of the light-sensitive material,
The exposure time T [sec], efficiency K (= optical system efficiency × deflection efficiency × modulation efficiency), and exposure area A [cm ² ] must satisfy the following formula. S ≦ (P ₀ × T × K × 10 ⁷ ) / A

[0010]

In the above equation, the exposure power P ₀ is a performance peculiar to each light beam source,
There are restrictions on the adjustment (improvement) of the exposure power P ₀ . Therefore, when the exposure power P ₀ is relatively low with respect to the sensitivity S of the photosensitive material, it is necessary to lengthen the exposure time in order to satisfy the above expression and obtain a sufficient color density. It takes a long time.

In particular, in a color image recording apparatus having a plurality of light sources, one light beam is
If relatively exposure power P ₀ is lower than the sensitivity S of the photosensitive material, for all the colors to obtain a high quality image having a sufficient density corresponding to the recorded image, the exposure power P ₀
It is necessary to secure an exposure time such that coloring with a light beam having a low intensity is sufficient to obtain a sufficient exposure amount. Further, in an image recording apparatus using raster scanning, all light beams are deflected almost simultaneously by a common light deflector in both the multiplexing system and the different-angle incidence optical system, so that the scanning speed cannot be changed by the light beam. Can not.

Therefore, in order to perform high-quality image recording, the exposure time is set to the exposure power P ₀ relative to the sensitivity S.
Must be set in accordance with the lowest light beam (light source), and this is the rate-determining factor, and rapid image recording cannot be performed.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. The sensitivity of the photosensitive material is low, the output of the light beam light source is low, etc. In addition, even when the exposure power of the light beam is weak and a normal image recording apparatus takes a long time to record an image, an image recording apparatus capable of quickly recording a high-quality image having sufficient color density is provided. To provide.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention conveys a photosensitive material in a sub-scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction and provides a plurality of light beams deflected in the main scanning direction. Image recording in which light is incident on the optical deflector at mutually different angles, images are formed at different positions on the same scanning line on the photosensitive material, and scanning is sequentially performed on the same scanning line with a time difference, and the photosensitive material is scanned and exposed. An apparatus, comprising a plurality of light sources for emitting the same color, and a plurality of modulating means for independently modulating a plurality of light sources for producing the same color, and the plurality of modulating means having the same time difference. And a means for supplying an image recording signal, wherein at least one color of the photosensitive material is developed by a plurality of light beams emitted from a plurality of light sources for producing the same color. To provide a device.

Further, it is preferable that the light-sensitive material is a color light-sensitive material.

[0016]

The image recording apparatus of the present invention is a raster scan image recording apparatus for two-dimensionally scanning and exposing a photosensitive material moving in the sub-scanning direction by a light beam deflected in the main scanning direction to record an image. It is possible to perform rapid image recording by performing exposure with a plurality of light beams emitted from a plurality of light sources, by performing exposure with a light beam having insufficient exposure power relative to the sensitivity of the photosensitive material. ..

As described above, in order to record an image having a sufficient color density, the exposure power P ₀ , the exposure time T, the efficiency K, and the exposure area A are set with respect to the sensitivity S of the photosensitive material.
Should satisfy the following formula. S ≦ (P ₀ × T × K × 10 ⁷ ) / A Here, the exposure power P ₀ is a performance peculiar to each light beam light source, and the adjustment (improvement) of the exposure power P ₀ is restricted. , If the relative exposure power (hereinafter simply referred to as exposure power) P ₀ with respect to the sensitivity S of the photosensitive material is low,
In order to record a high-quality image, it is necessary to lengthen the exposure time and develop the coloring material with a sufficient density, and the image recording time becomes long.

Further, a color image recording apparatus, for example, a color light-sensitive material containing cyan (C), magenta (M) and yellow (Y) color-matching materials is used for a wavelength of 670 nm corresponding to M color development and for C color development. In a device for performing color image recording by exposing with three kinds of light beams having a wavelength of 750 nm, and a wavelength of 810 nm corresponding to Y color development, the sensitivity of the Y color material to other color materials is low, and the other light beam When the exposure power of the light beam with a wavelength of 810 nm is relatively low, the exposure with which the light beam is sufficiently developed to perform high-quality image recording in which all the colors are sufficiently developed. It is necessary to set the image recording time according to the time, and this is the rate-determining factor and rapid image recording cannot be performed.

On the other hand, in the image recording apparatus of the present invention, exposure with a light beam that does not provide sufficient exposure power for the sensitivity of the photosensitive material is performed with a plurality of light beams emitted from a plurality of light sources. This makes it possible to secure a sufficient exposure power and perform quick image recording. As described above, in the color image recording apparatus, the wavelength corresponding to the Y color development compared to other light beams. When the exposure power of the light beam of 810 nm is low, a plurality of light beam light sources that emit a light beam of a wavelength of 810 nm are used, and Y color development is performed by the plurality of light beams.

Therefore, the exposure power of the light beam sufficient for the sensitivity of the light-sensitive material can be secured, the exposure time can be shortened, and rapid image recording can be performed.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The image recording apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 conceptually shows a perspective view of an example of the image recording apparatus of the present invention.

The image recording apparatus 10 has C (cyan), M
A photosensitive material A containing (magenta) and Y (yellow) coloring materials is used as a light beam 16C having a wavelength of 750 nm corresponding to C color development, and a light beam 1 having a wavelength of 670 nm corresponding to M color development.
Light beam 16Y with a wavelength of 810 nm for 6M and Y color development
An image recording apparatus for recording a color image on the photosensitive material A by scanning and exposing with a total of four light beams of three kinds of ₁ and 16Y ₂ , wherein the four light beams 16 are moved in a main scanning direction. The optical system includes a deflecting optical system, a sub-scanning conveying system that conveys the photosensitive material A in the sub-scanning direction, and an electric control system that controls the optical system.

Such an image recording apparatus 10 conveys the photosensitive material A in the sub-scanning direction (the direction of arrow b in the figure) by the sub-scanning conveying system while deflecting the light deflected in the main scanning direction (the direction of arrow a in the figure). An image recording device by raster scanning, in which the photosensitive material A is two-dimensionally scanned with each light beam to perform image exposure by scanning with the beam 16, and the four light beams 16 (16C, 16C, 16M, 16Y
₁ and 16Y ₂ ) to the reflecting surface 22 of the polygon mirror 22.
The light is incident on the substantially same point of a at slightly different angles, is deflected in the main scanning direction, is imaged at different positions on the same scanning line SL on the photosensitive material A, and the main scanning is performed at intervals. This is due to the different-angle incidence optical system (non-multiplexing type optical system) that sequentially scans the lines.

Here, in the image recording apparatus 10 of the illustrated example, as an example, the color developing sensitivity of the Y color material of the photosensitive material is low with respect to the light beam of 810 nm, and the relative exposure power (hereinafter referred to as exposure) with respect to the sensitivity of the photosensitive material. Power is low). Therefore, in order to secure sufficient exposure power with respect to the exposure power of other light beams, the exposure corresponding to the Y color development is performed by the same recording signal obtained by evenly dividing the exposure amount of all the Y color development of each pixel for one line. Two light beams 16 modulated by
Y ₁ and 16 Y ₂ . Note that the present invention is not limited to this, and when the color development sensitivity of the C color material is low, the light beam corresponding to the C color development is used, and when the color development sensitivity of the M color material is low, the M color development is supported. The light beam to
It may be configured to have a plurality of each.

In the image recording apparatus 10, the optical system includes a semiconductor laser 12 (12C, 1C) that emits the above-mentioned four light beams 16 (16C, 16M, 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ ).
2M, 12Y ₁ and 12Y ₂ ) and a collimator lens 14 (14C, 14M, 12Y ₁ and 12Y ₂ ) along the traveling direction of the light beam 16 emitted from these semiconductor lasers (LD) 12.
14Y ₁ and 14Y ₂ ) and a cylindrical lens 1
8 (18C, 18M, 18Y ₁ and 18Y ₂ ), a reflection mirror 20, a polygon mirror 22, and an fθ lens 2
4 and a cylindrical mirror 26.

As described above, the optical system uses the light beam 16 (16C, 16C, as a light source for emitting light of a predetermined narrow band wavelength).
Three types of four LDs 12 (12C, 12M, 12Y ₁ and 12) for injecting 16M, 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ )
Y ₂ ).

Here, in the illustrated example, as an example, the photosensitive material A has a lower coloring sensitivity of the Y color material than the other color materials (C and M color materials). Therefore, a single light beam corresponding to Y color development has a low exposure power, and a long exposure time is required to obtain sufficient color development, and rapid image recording cannot be performed.

The image recording apparatus 10 according to the present invention eliminates the above problems and enables rapid exposure by performing exposure corresponding to Y color development by the _two light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ . In the illustrated example,
The LD 12C for developing the C color material on the photosensitive material A emits light having a wavelength of 750 nm.
The LD 12M for developing the color material emits light of a wavelength of 670 nm, and the LD 12Y ₁ and 12Y ₂ for developing the Y color material of the photosensitive material A have a wavelength of 81 nm.
Those that emit 0 nm light are used.

When the coloring material has a high coloring sensitivity but the exposure power is low due to a low light amount of the light beam or the like, it is preferable to provide a plurality of light sources corresponding thereto.

Since the image recording apparatus 10 of the illustrated example uses the different-angle incidence optical system, the LD 12 emits the light beam 16 to the polygon mirror 22 at a predetermined angle, and the scanning line on the photosensitive material A is scanned. Images are formed on the SL at different angles, and the scanning lines SL are sequentially scanned at time intervals.
They are arranged at slightly different angles from each other.

The LD 12 as described above is controlled by an electric control system, but the image recording apparatus 1 using the different-angle incidence optical system is used.
At 0, each LD 12 is driven (emits light) based on each recorded image information with a time interval corresponding to the scanning time difference corresponding to the incident interval of the light beam 16 on the scanning line SL. Further, the LDs 12Y ₁ and 12Y ₂ are driven based on the same image information at this time interval.
This point will be described in detail later.

Light beam 16 emitted from each LD 12
Then enter the collimator lenses 14 (14C, 14M, 14Y ₁ and 14Y ₂ ) arranged corresponding to the respective light beams. Collimator lens 14 is L
The light beams 16 emitted from D12 are each shaped into parallel light. Next, the cylindrical lens 18 (18C, 18M, 18Y ₁ and 18)
Y ₂ ), the fθ lens 24 and the cylindrical mirror 26 constitute a plane tilt correction optical system, and the polygon mirror 22
Correct the trouble of.

The light beam 16 that has passed through the cylindrical lens 18 is reflected in a predetermined direction by the reflection mirror 20, and is made incident on substantially the same point on the reflection surface 22a of the polygon mirror 22 at slightly different angles, and is reflected. It is deflected in the main scanning direction (direction of arrow a in the figure).

The fθ lens 24 is used to correctly form each light beam 16 at any position of the scanning line SL. The wavelength of the fθ lens 24 is 67
The chromatic aberration is corrected (designed) so that it falls within an allowable range for light of 0,750,810 nm.

The cylindrical mirror 26 constitutes a plane tilt correction optical system together with the cylindrical lens 18 and the fθ lens 24, and also lowers each of the light beams 16.
The light is incident on the photosensitive material A toward a scanning line SL that is substantially orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction on the photosensitive material A that is sub-scanned and conveyed.

The light beam 16 reflected downward by the cylindrical mirror 26 scans the photosensitive material A on the scanning line SL, and scans and exposes the photosensitive material A. Since the photosensitive material A is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction by a sub-scanning conveying means (not shown) such as a pair of nip rollers and a belt conveyor, the light beam 16 deflected in the main scanning direction results in 2
The photosensitive material A is three-dimensionally scanned to perform image exposure.

The control of the image exposure by the light beam 16 emitted from the LD 12, that is, the control of the light emission by the LD 12, is performed by the control circuit 28 and the data delay circuit 40.
(40C, 40M, 40Y ₁ and 40Y ₂ ) and each L
The modulation circuit 32 (32C, 32M, 32Y ₁ and 32Y ₂ ) of the D12 and the drive circuit 34 (34C, 34C,
34M, 34Y ₁ and 34Y ₂ ), a start point detection sensor 36, and a timing control circuit 38.

The control circuit 28 is composed of an LUT and various processing circuits, and receives image information from an image signal source such as an image processing device, an image reading device, a computer, a video device, an optical disk device, that is, an R (red) signal, a G signal. The information of the (green) signal and the B (blue) signal is received, and various exposure amount corrections and signal processes are performed according to the image information signal to calculate the exposure amount of each pixel for one line for each color. LD1 for C and M exposure
For 2C and LD 12M, the exposure amount of each pixel for one line is determined, and for Y exposure, the exposure amount of all Y color development of each pixel for one line is evenly divided into two L signals.
The exposure amount of each pixel for one line by D12Y ₁ and 12Y ₂ is determined, and this image signal is sent to each data delay circuit 40.

In the image recording apparatus 10 using the different-angle incident optical system, each light beam 16 sequentially scans the scanning line SL with a time difference substantially corresponding to the difference in the incident position.
Image recording by 2 is sequentially started at this time interval. Further, since the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ both correspond to Y color development, the light-sensitive material A is exposed at the time intervals after being modulated based on the same image information signal.
The data delay circuit 40 (40C, 40M, 40Y ₁ and 40Y ₂ ) sets the image signals transferred from the control circuit 28 on the scanning line SL of each light beam 16 with a time difference substantially corresponding to the difference in the incident position. Each LD 12 (light beam 16) is sent to the modulation circuit 32 of each LD 12 with the time difference.
The light emission (exposure) is controlled by.

The data delay circuit 40 includes a timing control circuit 3 which receives an electric signal from the starting point detection sensor 36.
8 are connected. In the image recording apparatus 10 of the illustrated example,
A starting point detection sensor 36 is arranged on an extension line of the scanning line SL in the scanning start direction, and when the light beam for scanning the scanning line SL first, that is, the light beam 16Y ₁ in the illustrated example, passes through the starting point detection sensor 36. The detection signal is sent to the timing control circuit 38. The starting point detection sensor 36 is not particularly limited, and various known photodetectors can be applied.

What is detected by the starting point detection sensor 36 is not limited to the light beam which scans the scanning line SL first, but the detection can be performed reliably and easily without error (certainly with other light beams). It is preferable that the start point detection sensor 36 detects the light beam having the highest light intensity at the head, because the recording start position of each light beam can be easily controlled.

The timing control circuit 38 processes the detection signal of the light beam 16Y ₁ from the starting point detection sensor 36,
Data delay circuit 4 as a scan start signal (trigger signal)
Send to 0.

Data delay circuit 40 receiving the trigger signal
(40C, 40M, 40Y ₁ and 40Y ₂ ) delays the image signal received from the control circuit 28 by a time corresponding to the scanning time difference on the scanning line SL to match the scanning start position of each light beam 16, that is, Modulation circuit 3 in line synchronization
Send to 2.

Specifically, in the image recording apparatus 10 of the illustrated example,
First, as shown in Fig. 2, the optical beam to be scanned first.
16Y₁ LD12Y corresponding to₁ Data connected to
Delay circuit 40Y₁ Is sent from the timing control circuit 38
Received trigger signal (SOS)₁ Image after hours
Modulation circuit 32Y to start recording (scanning)₁ To the image
Transfer the signal, and so on to LD12Y₂ Connected to
Data delay circuit 40Y ₂ Receives the SOS signal and t₂ Time
Connected to the LD12M so that image recording will start after a while.
The data delay circuit 40M that receives the SOS signal receives t₃ 
Connect to LD12C to start image recording after time
The data delay circuit 40C receives the SOS signal
_Four Receive the SOS signal to start image recording after a certain time.
Each time t₁ , T₂ , T₃ And t_Four Only
Image signal to the individually connected modulation circuits 32.
Forward.

Modulation circuit 32 (32C, 32M, 32Y ₁
And 32Y ₂ ) pulse the light emission of the LD 12 in a predetermined repetition cycle set in advance according to the exposure amount of each pixel of one line determined by the control circuit 28, for example, the exposure time per one time or the pixel cycle. The width is modulated. In the pulse width modulation in this image exposure method, the light output of the LD 12 which is a light source is set to a constant value, and the time during which the LD 12 continuously emits light within one pixel period for each pixel, that is, one (1 pixel) continuous exposure The time is output to each drive circuit 34.

Drive circuit 34 (34C, 34M, 34Y)
Is a drive circuit for driving the LD 12, and in the case of pulse width modulation, is the time set for each pixel,
The drive current for the light output preset for each LD is L
Pour into D12. As a result, the LD 12 emits light at a light output set in advance for each LD for a time determined according to i pixels for each LD. This is performed over one line, and the LD 12 performs exposure for one line. here,
In the image recording apparatus 10 using the different-angle incident optical system, each light beam 16 sequentially scans the scanning line SL with a time difference substantially corresponding to the difference in the incident position. Therefore, the image recording by each LD 12 is sequentially row-synchronized and sequentially started with this time difference (time t ₁ , t ₂ , t ₃ and t ₄ ), and both the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ correspond to Y color development. Therefore, as described above, the photosensitive material A is exposed by being modulated according to the same image information with the time difference.

In the image recording apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, the light beam 16 for scanning the head is the light beam of the longest wavelength (light beam 16Y _{1 of} wavelength 810 nm), but the present invention is not limited to this. Alternatively, a light beam other than the longest wavelength (a light beam 16C having a wavelength of 750 nm and a light beam 16M having a wavelength of 670 nm in the illustrated example) may be used as the light beam for scanning the head.

The image recording apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a configuration in which four LDs 12 are linearly arranged and all four light beams 16 are incident on the same scanning line SL, but the present invention is not limited to this. The configuration is not limited, and at least one of a plurality of light sources that emit the same color is arranged above or below (corresponding to the sub-scanning direction) the arrangement direction of the LD 12 (corresponding to the sub-scanning direction), for example, as shown in the illustrated example. in the case where a plurality of the LD12 corresponding to color of the Y coloring material, as shown in FIG. 3, the LD12Y ₂ for emitting a light beam 16Y ₂ L
D12C, 12M, and 12Y ₁ are arranged above (or below) with respect to the arrangement direction, and are made incident on different scanning lines instead of the same scanning line SL, and one color material is applied by the light beams 16 from the plurality of LDs 12. It may be configured to develop a color. Hereinafter, similar to the image recording device 10 shown in FIG.
A case where the Y color material is exposed by the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ emitted from the plurality of LDs 12Y ₁ and 12Y ₂ will be described as a typical example.

FIG. 4 shows a plurality of LDs 12Y for coloring the Y color material.
Light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y from ₁ and 12Y _2
In the example of exposing at ₂ , as shown in FIG.
12Y ₂ is arranged above the LD 12Y ₁ (corresponding to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction), the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂
The optical path of is schematically shown. Note that the light beams 16C and 1
The optical path of 6M (also the light beam 16Y _{1 in} the example of FIG. 4) is the same as that of the image recording apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 described above.

The light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ emitted from the LDs 12Y ₁ and 12Y ₂ are collimated by the collimator lenses 14Y ₁ and 14Y, respectively.
_The light is shaped into parallel light by ₂ and is incident on the cylindrical lenses 18Y ₁ and 18Y ₂ that form the surface tilt correction optical system.

Cylindrical lenses 18Y ₁ and 18
The light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ that have passed through Y ₂ then enter the polygon mirror 22.
The incident position of Y ₂ is above (on the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction) the incident position of the light beam 16Y ₁ (and the light beams 16C and 16M).

The light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ reflected in the main scanning direction by the polygon mirror 22 similarly enter the upper and lower sides of the fθ lens 24, and enter the recording material A by the cylindrical mirror 26 for scanning. Here, since the LD 12Y ₂ is arranged above the LD 12Y ₁ , the light beam 16Y ₂ becomes the light beam 16Y _1.
The incident position of the light beam 16Y ₂ is different from that of the light beam 1
6Y ₁ downstream side (or upstream side) in the sub-scanning direction
Incident on the scanning line of.

FIG. 5 shows another example of a mode in which a plurality of LDs 12 are arranged vertically. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the collimator lens and the cylindrical lens are arranged corresponding to the respective light beams, but in the example shown in FIG. 5, one collimator lens and the cylindrical lens are provided for two light beams. A lens, for example, a collimator lens 14 commonly used for the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y _2.
An optical system for the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ is configured by using Y and the cylindrical lens 18Y. In addition,
Also in this example, the optical paths of the light beams 16C and 16M are similar to those of the image recording apparatus 10 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16 emitted from the LDs 12Y ₁ and 12Y _{2 are} emitted.
Y ₂ is incident on the collimator lens 14 which is shared by both, and is shaped into parallel light. Here, since both light beams are incident not at the optical axis of the collimator lens 14 but at a position shifted in the vertical direction (sub-scanning direction) with respect to the optical axis, both light beams are refracted according to the incident position. Collimator lens 1
The light beam 16Y ₁ incident downward from the optical axis of _No. 4 travels upward and the light beam 16Y ₂ travels downward upward, and the upper and lower optical paths are switched.

The light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ that have passed through the collimator lens 14 are then made incident on a cylindrical lens 18Y that is common to both and that constitutes the surface tilt correction optical system. Here, since both light beams are refracted by the collimator lens 14 as described above, the cylindrical lens 18Y is incident obliquely in the vertical direction and off the optical axis, and is emitted from the LDs 12Y ₁ and 12Y ₂ in the initial stage. The optical path is parallel to the traveling direction.

Thereafter, similar to the example shown in FIG. 4 described above, both light beams are deflected in the main scanning direction by the polygon mirror 22, and the fθ lens 24 and the cylindrical mirror 2 are used.
It enters the recording material A via 6 and is scanned. Here, the LD 12Y ₂ is arranged above the LD 12Y ₁ , but since the upper and lower sides of the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ are switched in the middle as described above, the incident position of the light beam 16Y ₂ is the light beam 16Y _1. Is on the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction.

[0058] location of LD12Y ₂ for LD12Y ₁ is limited to being disposed on the vertical line of LD12Y ₁ to the sequence of LD12, as shown in FIG. 3 is not the sole, to the sequence of the LD12, LD12Y _The LD 12Y ₂ may be arranged diagonally above (below) ₁ . Here, as compared to the LD12 sequence as shown in FIG.
When the LD 12Y ₂ is arranged perpendicularly to Y ₁ , the incident position of the light beam 16Y ₂ on the recording material A is as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6A, the light beam 16Y ₁ and the main scanning direction are at the same position, but when the light beam 16Y ₁ is arranged diagonally upward (downward) instead of vertically, as shown in FIG. , On the downstream side (or upstream side) in the main scanning direction with respect to the light beam 16Y ₁ .

In the above example, the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y
_Since it is incident on a scanning line different from ₂ , the incident position shift of the light beam in the sub-scanning direction needs to be corrected. That is, the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ are incident on different scanning lines and record the same image with a time difference. Therefore, the LD 12Y ₁ and LD 12Y ₂ record the same image according to this time difference. Therefore, simultaneous recording is performed so that different images are recorded.

FIG. 7 shows correction of such incident position deviation.
Shows an example of a correction circuit that
The timing chart is shown in FIG. Correction shown in FIG.
The circuit 50 basically includes a memory 52, an LUT 54,
Buffers 56 and 58 and memory I / O address control
Section (hereinafter referred to as address control section) 60 and buffer
It is composed of an output control unit 62 and is sent from the control circuit 28.
The light beam 16Y according to the image information₁ And 16Y
₂ Modulation circuit 32Y ₁ And 32Y₂ Modulation control amount by
To decide.

In the correction circuit 50, the image information from the control circuit 28 is once stored in the memory 52 as shown in FIG. The address control unit 60 receives an image data transfer signal from a host computer or the like, which is an image signal supply source, receives the address signal in the memory 52, and the other buffer 56.
And clock signals to 58 and 58 respectively, and buffer 5
If 6 and 58 are empty, the image information stored in the memory 52 is stored in the buffer 5 as the image information for a predetermined two scanning lines.
6 and 58 sequentially read.

Here, in the illustrated example, the light beam 16Y ₂ is supposed to record an image with a delay of one scanning line with respect to the light beam 16Y ₁ . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, when the image information of the scanning line 2 is read in the buffer 56, the image information of the scanning line 1 one scanning line before is similarly stored in the buffer 58. When the image information of the scanning line 3 is read in, the image information of the scanning line 2 one scanning line before is read in the buffer 58. In FIG. 8, there is a slight time difference between the upper readings to the buffers 56 and 58 at the same time, but the present invention is not particularly limited to this and may be simultaneous.

An LUT 54 is arranged between the memory 52 and the buffers 56 and 58. As for the image information from the memory, the LUT 54 determines the exposure amount according to the image information on the way, and further, according to this. The modulation circuit control amount is determined.

On the other hand, the trigger signal (SOS) sent from the timing control circuit 38 receives the buffer input / output control unit 6
Sent to 2. Buffer input / output control unit 6 that received SOS
2 sends a clock signal for reading image information to the buffers 56 and 58 after a predetermined time has passed after receiving the SOS, and if the image writing from the memory 52 is completed, the image information is read from the buffers 56 and 58, respectively. It is sent to the corresponding modulation circuits 32Y ₁ and 32Y ₂ . here,
Since the image information read into the buffers 56 and 58 has a difference of one scanning line as described above, the images read (recorded) at the same time are different from each other.
Processes the image information processed here by the buffer 56 in the next operation. Therefore, the same image is recorded at the same position on the recording material A.

From the buffer input / output control unit 62 to the buffer 5
The clock signals output to 6 and 58 are the recording materials A
It needs to be generated at a slightly different timing depending on the incident positions of the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ above.

That is, when the light beam 16Y ₂ is incident on the same position in the main scanning direction as the light beam 16Y ₁ as shown in FIG. 6A, image recording by the LDs 12Y ₁ and 12Y ₂ is started at the same time. Therefore, a clock signal is sent from the buffer input / output control unit 62 to the buffers 56 and 58 at the same time, and reading is performed simultaneously. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the incident positions of the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ are on the downstream side (or the upstream side) in the main scanning direction, there is a slight difference depending on the difference. It is necessary to send the clock signals at different timings. For example, when the light beam 16Y ₂ enters a position slightly delayed in the main scanning direction as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the reading from the buffer 58 is performed with a slight delay with respect to the buffer 56.

The correction circuit 50 in the illustrated example has a structure in which the LUT 54 is arranged between the memory 52 and the buffers 56 and 58, and the modulation characteristics of the light beam 16 by the modulation circuit 32 and the LD 12 are the same. It corresponds to when it can be regarded as. If this cannot be regarded as the same, that is, there is a difference in the characteristics of the modulation circuit 32 and the LD 12 due to an error or the like,
If the modulation characteristics of the LDs 12Y ₁ and 12Y ₂ cannot be regarded as the same, the LUT 54 is not provided and the LUTs 54Y ₁ and 54Y ₂ are replaced by the buffer 5 as shown by the dotted line in FIG.
6 and the modulation circuit 32Y ₁ and between the buffer 58 and the modulation circuit 32Y ₂ , respectively. Also, the LUT 54 and the LUTs 54Y ₁ and 54Y
₂ and both are provided, the LUT 54 determines the exposure amount according to the image signal that is not affected by the modulation characteristics of both LDs, and the LUTs 54Y ₁ and 54Y ₂ determine the control amount of the modulation circuit according to the exposure amount. It may be configured to.

In the image recording apparatus of the present invention, the light beams emitted from a plurality of light sources may be appropriately determined according to the color developing sensitivity of the coloring material contained in the photosensitive material and the exposure power such as the light amount of the light beam. The configuration may be such that a plurality of light beams having the longest wavelength are provided (emits from a plurality of light sources) as shown in the example, or a plurality of light beams having other wavelengths may be used. The number of light beam light sources used is not limited to two, and three or more light beam light sources may be used and exposure may be performed by a large number of light beams.

Further, as in the illustrated example, one coloring is performed by two light beams, and the other coloring is not limited to one light beam, and a plurality of two or three colors are formed. May be performed by the light beam of. In this case, the exposure with a plurality of light beams may be the same number of light beams, or, for example, four light beams with a wavelength of 810 nm and a wavelength of 7
Two 50nm light beams and one 670nm wavelength light beam
It may be a different number of light beams, such as a book.

Alternatively, by using a wavelength converter that obtains the second harmonic of the light beam by the SHG element, a certain color material is colored by the light beam having a wavelength in the visible region, and the color of the corresponding color material other than that is generated. That is, the color of the light beam by the LD having the longest wavelength may be generated by the plurality of light beams emitted from the plurality of light sources. For example, exposure of C color material is performed with a light beam having a wavelength of 950 nm by a wavelength conversion device using an SHG element, and light exposure of M color material is obtained with a light beam having a wavelength of 1064 nm by the same wavelength conversion device. An example is a configuration in which light beams having a wavelength of 532 nm are used to expose the Y color material with a plurality of light beams having a wavelength of 670 nm emitted from a plurality of light sources.

The present invention is not limited to the color image recording apparatus as shown in the drawing, but may be a monochrome image recording apparatus. In this case, for example, in the image recording apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, the light beam optical system corresponding to C color development and M color development and the electrical control system may be removed. Even in this case, the image recording is not limited to the one in which the image recording is performed by the two light beams, and it goes without saying that the image recording may be performed by the three or more light beams.

In either case of a color image recording apparatus or a monochrome image recording apparatus, a color material corresponding to one color may be colored by two light beams having different wavelengths.

Although the image recording apparatus of the present invention has been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various improvements and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Of course.

[0074]

As described above in detail, according to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, the sensitivity of the light-sensitive material is low, the output of the light beam source is low, and the like. Even when the exposure power of the light beam is weak and the conventional image recording apparatus takes a long time to record an image, a high-quality image having a sufficient color density can be rapidly recorded.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of an image recording apparatus of the present invention.

2 is an example of a timing chart of image recording start per scan in the image recording apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an arrangement example of semiconductor lasers in another example of the image recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram conceptually showing an optical system of an image recording apparatus to which the example of arrangement of the semiconductor lasers shown in FIG. 3 is applied.

5 is a diagram conceptually showing an optical system of another example of the image recording apparatus to which the arrangement example of the semiconductor lasers shown in FIG. 3 is applied.

6A and 6B are diagrams conceptually showing an example of a light beam incident position on a recording material in the image recording apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

7 is a diagram conceptually showing a correction circuit used in the image recording apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG.

8 is a timing chart showing the operation of the correction circuit shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 image recording device 12 (12C, 12M, 12Y ₁ , 12Y ₂ ) semiconductor laser (LD) 14 (14C, 14M, 14Y ₁ , 14Y ₂ , 14Y)
Collimator lens 16 (16C, 16M, 16Y ₁ , 16Y ₂ ) Light beam 18 (18C, 18M, 18Y ₁ , 18Y ₂ , 18Y)
Cylindrical lens 20 Mirror 22 Polygon mirror 24 fθ lens 26 Cylindrical mirror 28 Control circuit 32 (32C, 32M, 32Y ₁ , 32Y ₂ ) Modulation circuit 34 (34C, 34M, 34Y ₁ , 34Y ₂ ) Drive circuit 36 Viewpoint detection sensor 38 Timing Control circuit 40 (40C, 40M, 40Y ₁ , 40Y ₂ ) Data delay circuit 50 Correction circuit 52 Memory 54, 54Y ₁ , 54Y ₂ LUT 56, 58 buffer 60 Memory input / output address control unit 62 Buffer control unit

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] October 2, 1992

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0014

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention conveys a photosensitive material in a sub-scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction and provides a plurality of light beams deflected in the main scanning direction. The light enters the optical deflector at different angles, forms images at different positions on the single or plural scanning lines on the photosensitive material, and sequentially scans the single or plural scanning lines with a time difference, An image recording apparatus for scanning and exposing a photosensitive material, comprising a plurality of light sources for emitting the same color, a plurality of modulating means for independently modulating a plurality of light sources for producing the same color, and a plurality of these modulating means. Means for supplying the same image recording signal with the time difference, and at least one color of the photosensitive material is emitted by a plurality of light beams emitted from a plurality of light sources for emitting the same color. To provide an image recording apparatus which is characterized in that.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0025

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Here, in the image recording apparatus 10 of the illustrated example, as an example, the color developing sensitivity of the Y color material of the photosensitive material to the light beam of 810 nm is low, and the exposure power relative to the sensitivity of the photosensitive material (hereinafter referred to as exposure Power is low). Therefore, in order to secure sufficient exposure power with respect to the exposure power of other light beams, the exposure corresponding to the Y color development is performed by the same recording signal obtained by evenly dividing the exposure amount of all the Y color development of each pixel for one line. Two light beams 16 modulated by
Performed with Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ . Note that the present invention is not limited to this, and when the color development sensitivity of the C color material is low, the light beam corresponding to the C color development is used, and when the color development sensitivity of the M color material is low, the M color development is supported. The light beam to
It may be configured to have a plurality of each. Also a light beam
Is not limited to two, but the exposure amount distribution by each light beam
Also need not be even.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0047

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Drive circuit 34 (34C, 34M, 34Y)
Is a drive circuit for driving the LD 12, and in the case of pulse width modulation, is the time set for each pixel,
The drive current for the light output preset for each LD is L
Pour into D12. As a result, the LD 12 emits light at a light output set in advance for each LD for a time determined according to i pixels for each LD. This is performed over one line, and the LD 12 performs exposure for one line. here,
In the image recording apparatus 10 using the different-angle incident optical system, each light beam 16 sequentially scans the scanning line SL with a time difference substantially corresponding to the difference in the incident position. Therefore, the image recording by each LD 12 is sequentially row-synchronized and sequentially started at this time difference (time t ₁ , t ₂ , t ₃ and t ₄ ), and both the light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ correspond to Y color development. Therefore, as described above, the photosensitive material A is exposed by being modulated according to the same image information with the time difference. In addition,
The exposure doses from the systems 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ were uniform.
Or it may be different.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0053

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The light beams 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ reflected in the main scanning direction by the polygon mirror 22 similarly enter the upper and lower sides of the fθ lens 24, and enter the recording material A by the cylindrical mirror 26 for scanning. Here, since the LD 12Y ₂ is arranged above the LD 12Y ₁ , the light beam 16Y ₂ becomes the light beam 16Y _1.
The incident position of the light beam 16Y ₂ is different from that of the light beam 1
6Y ₁ downstream side (or upstream side) in the sub-scanning direction
Incident on the scanning line of. In such a case, bee light
The exposure dose from the 16Y ₁ and 16Y ₂ is uniform
May be different.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H04N 1/23 103 C 9186-5C

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A photosensitive material is conveyed in a sub-scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction, and a plurality of light beams deflected in the main scanning direction are incident on an optical deflector at mutually different angles, and the light-sensitive material is transferred onto the photosensitive material. An image recording apparatus which forms images at different positions on the same scanning line, sequentially scans on the same scanning line with a time difference, and scans and exposes the photosensitive material, and has a plurality of light sources that emit the same color, The photosensitive material includes a plurality of modulation means for independently modulating a plurality of light sources that emit the same color, and a means for supplying the same image recording signal to the plurality of modulation means with the time difference. The image recording apparatus is characterized in that at least one color is formed by a plurality of light beams emitted from a plurality of light sources that emit the same color. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photosensitive material is a color photosensitive material.