JPH0580430A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To compensate the shortage of light quantity even when a light source with small light quantity is used and to securely expose a non-image part by taking up and rewinding a photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet by using the time subsequent to the process of pressure development of a developing sheet and exposing the non- image part several times by means of a non-image part exposure source. CONSTITUTION:When a start key is depressed, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 4 supplied from a photosensitive pressure-sensitive case 22 by a first feeding roller 23 is once carried by one image-sheet. Simultaneously, a first exposure for the non-image part is carried out by the non-image part exposure source 27. When the exposure for the non-image part on the one image-sheet by the non-image part exposure source 27 is finished, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 4 is rewound. At the same time, a second exposure for the non-image part is carried out again by the non-image part exposure source 27. By taking up and rewinding the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 4 in such a manner, the non-image part is exposed plural times. Also, in consecutive outputs of the images the operation is carried out simultaneously with the operation carried out after the process of the pressure development of an output image in a previous exposure.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
An exposing means for forming a latent image on the light and pressure sensitive paper, a pressure developing means for press-developing the latent image formed on the light and pressure sensitive paper on the color developing paper, and a pressure developing on the color developing paper. The present invention relates to an improvement in an image forming apparatus including a heat fixing unit that heat-fixes a latent image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of image forming apparatus,
Those shown in FIG. 3 are generally known.

That is, the image forming apparatus 50 has a CRT 1
The image displayed on the exposure plate 3 is passed through the lens 2 from the light and pressure sensitive paper case 22 to the pair of first feed rollers 2
The photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 supplied by 3 is exposed, and a latent image is formed on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4. The photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 on which the latent image is formed is exposed by the pair of second feed rollers 24 to the exposure table 3
At the same time as being conveyed above, the non-image area exposure source 27 exposes the non-image area. A cooling fan 28 that cools the heat generated by the non-image area exposure source 27 is provided above the non-image area exposure source 27.

Thereafter, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 is exposed at its exposed surface.
Half-moon roller 5 from paper cassette 25 to paper guide 2
1 and the color-developing paper 6 conveyed one by one through the paper feed roller 20, and conveyed to the pressure developing device 7. In the pressure developing device 7, the latent image formed on the light and pressure sensitive paper 4 is pressure-developed and transferred to the color developing paper 6 by the pair of pressure rollers 14. Then, the pressure-sensitive developing paper 4 and the color-developing paper 6 which have been pressure-developed and are in close contact with each other
The photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 after separation is wound around the winding shaft 9.

On the other hand, the color developing paper 6 has a pair of conveying rollers 15.
And is conveyed to the thermal fixing device 11 through a pair of guide plates 17. Then, the color developing paper 6 is conveyed at the same speed as the conveying speed in the pressure developing device 7, and the latent image on the color developing paper 6 constitutes the heat fixing device 11. A heat fixing process is performed by 13. After that, the color-developed paper 6 is transported by the transport belt 26 and discharged to the discharge tray 18.

When the pressure developing process in the pressure developing device 7 is completed and the separation of the photosensitive paper 4 and the color developing paper 6 is completed, the conveyance of the photosensitive paper 4 is stopped and the next exposure is started.

[0007]

However, since an image forming apparatus of this type generally uses a pressure sensitive paper having a very low photosensitivity, an exposure source having a very large light quantity is used for non-image area exposure. Was needed. Further, as a result, the amount of heat generated is increased, and there is a drawback that a dedicated cooling means is required for cooling the non-image area exposure source.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides an image forming apparatus capable of reliably performing non-image area exposure of a photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper even with a non-image area exposure source having a small amount of light. It is intended to be provided.

[0009]

In order to achieve this object, an image forming apparatus of the present invention comprises an exposure means for exposing a photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper to form a latent image on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, and the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper. In an image forming apparatus comprising a pressure developing means for developing a latent image formed on a color developing paper under pressure and a heat fixing means for thermally fixing the latent image pressure-developed on the developing color paper, After the pressure developing process of the colored paper is completed, the light and pressure sensitive paper is rewound and unwound in a state where the non-image area exposure source is made to emit light, and the non-image area of the light and pressure sensitive paper for the next exposure is exposed a plurality of times.

[0010]

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention having the above structure, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper is rewound and rewound by utilizing the time after the pressure developing process of the color-developing paper, and the non-image portion is not exposed by the exposure source. By exposing the non-image portion a plurality of times, it is possible to reliably perform the exposure of the non-image portion by compensating for the shortage of the light amount, even when the non-image portion exposure source having a small light amount is used.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus 30 embodying the present invention, and the same members as those of the conventional image forming apparatus 50 shown in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a CRT 1 and a lens 2 on which an image input by an input device (not shown) is displayed are arranged above the exposure plate 3 of the image forming apparatus 30. To the right of the exposure plate 3, a pair of photosensitive pressure-sensitive papers 4 wound around a photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper shaft 22a in a photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper case 22 provided below the exposure plate 3 is supplied to the exposure plate 3. A first feed roller 23 is provided. On the other hand, on the left side of the exposure plate 3, a pair of second feed rollers 2 for supplying the exposed photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 to the pressure developing device 7.
4 and a non-image area exposure source 27 is arranged.

As the non-image area exposure source 27,
Since a light source with a small amount of light is used, and the amount of heat generated by the light source 27 is small, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated cooling means such as the cooling fan 28 shown in the conventional example of FIG.

In the pressure developing device 7, the photosensitive paper 4 is formed on the color paper 6 supplied through the paper guide 21 and the pair of paper feed rollers 20 arranged on the left side of the pressure developing device 7. A pair of pressure rollers 14 for performing pressure development processing on the formed latent image is provided. Below the paper guide 21, a paper feed cassette 25 in which the color-developing papers 6 are stacked and housed, and the paper guides 21 and the paper-feeding rollers 2 are provided one by one.
A half-moon roller 5 for sending to 0 is provided.

On the other hand, below the pressure developing device 7, there is provided a separating shaft 8 for separating the pressure sensitive developing paper 4 and the light and pressure sensitive paper 4 which are in close contact with each other from the color developing paper 6. A winding shaft 9 for winding the separated photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 is arranged to the right of the separating shaft 8.

Below the separating shaft 8, a pair of conveying rollers 15 for conveying the separated color paper 6 are provided. Further, a pair of guide plates 17 for guiding the separated color developing paper 6 are provided below the conveying roller 15. Below the guide plate 17, a heat roller 12 having a built-in heating element, a fixing roller 13 pressed against the heat roller 12, and a conveyor belt 26 arranged so as to be wound around the fixing roller 13. A heat fixing device 11 is provided. On the right side of the heat fixing device 11, there is provided a paper discharge tray 18 for discharging the heat-fixed developer paper 6.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 30 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. When copying a desired image, a start key (not shown) is pressed. Then, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 supplied from the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper case 22 by the first feed roller 23 is once conveyed by one image, and at the same time, the first non-image area is exposed by the non-image area exposure source 27. Done. When the exposure of the non-image portion of one image by the non-image exposure source 27 is completed, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 is rewound, and at the same time, the non-image portion exposure source 2 is re-exposed.
7, the second exposure of the non-image area is performed.

When the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4, which has been exposed to the non-image portion twice, is rewound onto the exposure plate 3, the image input by the input device is displayed on the CRT 1. This image is formed on the exposure plate 3 by the lens 2 and is exposed on the light and pressure sensitive paper 4 to form a latent image on the light and pressure sensitive paper 4. At this time, the light and pressure sensitive paper 4 is stationary on the exposure plate 3.

The photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 on which the latent image has been formed by exposing the first sheet in this manner is conveyed by the second feed roller 24 into the pressure developing device 7. This pressure developing device 7
The color-developing paper 6 is conveyed inside the paper cassette 25 by the half-moon roller 5 and fed one by one through the paper guide 21 and the paper feed roller 20. The developing paper 6 is superposed on the exposed surface of the photosensitive recording paper 4, and the pressure roller 14 provided in the pressure developing device 7 is superposed.
Thus, the latent image is pressure-developed and transferred onto the color paper 6.

The non-image area exposure source 27 emits light at a time t ₁ when the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 before exposure is conveyed under the non-image area exposure source 27, and the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 for the next exposure is discharged. The first non-image area exposure is started.

When the pressure development is completed, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 and the developer are developed.
The pressure sensitive paper 4 is separated from the paper 6 again by the separation shaft 8.
It is wound around the winding shaft 9. This winding is before exposure
When the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 is conveyed under the non-image area exposure source 27
Point t₁From the time when one image is conveyed in the next exposure
t₂Stop at the first non-image exposure (t₁→
t ₂) Ends.

Next, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 is rewound and the second non-image area exposure (t ₂₎ by the non-image area exposure source 27 is performed.
→ t ₃ ) is performed on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4. This rewinding is stopped at a time point t ₃ when the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 which has been subjected to the non-image area exposure twice is conveyed to a predetermined position on the exposure plate 3, and the non-image area exposure in the next exposure is completed. .. At the same time, the non-image area exposure source 27 also stops emitting light.

On the other hand, the separated color developing paper 6 passes between the pair of guide plates 17 by the conveying roller 15 and the thermal fixing device 11
Then, the heat fixing process is started by the heat roller 12 and the fixing roller 13. The color paper 6 that has undergone the heat fixing process is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 18.

By the way, since the operation of winding and rewinding the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper 4 can be completed between the pressure developing process of the color-developing paper by the pre-exposure and the discharging, the continuous image output work for the second and subsequent sheets. In, the winding and unwinding does not require extra processing time.

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, even when a light source with a small light amount is used as the non-image exposure source, the non-image area exposure of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper is surely performed. This can be performed, and this has the effect that the cooling mechanism for the non-image exposure source can be omitted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CRT 2 ... Lens 3 ... Exposure plate 4 ... Photosensitive pressure sensitive paper 6 ... Color developing paper 7 ... Pressure developing device 11 ... Thermal fixing device 12 ... Heat roller 22 ... Photosensitive pressure sensitive paper case 25 ... Paper feeding cassette 27 ... Non-image area dew light source

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An exposure unit for exposing a photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper to form a latent image on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper, and a pressure developing unit for developing the latent image formed on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper under pressure on a color-developing paper. When,
An image forming apparatus comprising a heat fixing unit for thermally fixing a latent image developed under pressure on the color developing paper, comprising: a photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper in a state in which a non-image area exposure source is made to emit light after completion of pressure developing processing of the color developing paper. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the non-image part exposure of the photosensitive pressure-sensitive paper for the next exposure is carried out a plurality of times by performing the winding and rewinding operation.