JPH0588268A - Heat exposing device and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize a device by respectively arranging a heating means for heat- developing a photosensitive body having a photosensitive layer and a polymerized layer and an exposing means for causing photopolymerization by whole exposure on the outside and the inside of a cylindrical supporting body. CONSTITUTION:The photosensitive body 11 irradiated with information light is heat- developed in t he first rotation of the transparent cylindrical supporting body 1, and the photosensitive body 11 is wholly and uniformly irradiated with light for photopolymerization so as to perform the whole exposure in the second rotation of the body 1. A carrying guide 2 is provided on a part of the outer periphery of the supporting body 1 and further a heating element 3 being the heating means is set on a part of the outer pheriphery thereof. Then, a light source for whole exposure 4 being the exposing means is arranged in the center of the supporting body 1, and the supporting body 1 transmits the light from the light source 4, furthermore, plastic proof to heat or heat-resistant glass is used for the supporting body 1. The photosensitive body 11 is constituted by applying a dry silver salt material layer made of silver halide, for example, and a polymerized material layer made of photopolymerization initiator, photopolimerization monomer and binder, etc., to a base substance such as PET.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to a latent image formed by imagewise exposing a photoreceptor according to image information, and developing the latent image by heating.
Then, the present invention relates to a heat exposure apparatus for forming a polymerized image by forming a photopolymer in the photoconductor in accordance with an image developed by uniformly exposing the photoconductor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Development of a light-sensitive material having a photosensitive composition and forming a visible image or a polymerized image by heating, an image forming method, and the like have been actively conducted. For example, a method of forming a visible image by heat using a dry silver salt film such as dry silver (manufactured by 3M Company) or dry Copics (manufactured by Oriental Photography Co., Ltd.), JP-A-55-50246 and JP-A-55-50246. A method for forming a polymerized image described in JP-A-61-69062, which obtains a polymerized image composed of a polymerized portion and an unpolymerized portion by causing a dry (light or heat) polymerization reaction triggered by a photosensitive reaction of silver halide. It has been known.

Here, a polymerization forming method using photopolymerization will be described.

As the photoconductor, a dry silver salt material comprising silver halide, an organic silver salt, a reducing agent, etc., a photopolymerization initiator,
A polymer material such as a photopolymerizable monomer and a binder coated on a substrate such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used.

First, a laser and a light emitting diode (LE
The photosensitive member is irradiated with light (information light) corresponding to the superimposed image to be used for formation by an exposure means using D) or the like. After that, by heating the photoconductor, the latent image formed by the irradiation of the information light is developed into a visible image composed of a silver image. As the information light, one that does not contain a spectral component that causes photopolymerization in the polymer material is used.

Next, the developed photoconductor is uniformly exposed by light from a light source other than the information light, for example, a light source such as a fluorescent lamp or a mercury lamp. Since the visible image does not transmit light, light is incident on the polymerized material at the site corresponding to the site where the visible image is not formed, and photopolymerization is started. As a result, a superposed portion and a non-superposed portion are formed according to the information light, and a superposed image is obtained.

As an image forming apparatus using an image forming method using such a superposed image forming method, the present inventors have disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-58047, Japanese Patent Application No. 2-88168, Japanese Patent Application No. 3-20272, etc. Is proposed.

[0008]

The above-described conventional heat exposure apparatus is large in size because both the heating means and the exposure means of the photoconductor are separately installed on the outer periphery of the cylindrical support. There was a problem that became.

An object of the present invention is to provide a heat exposure apparatus that can be made compact.

[0010]

A heat exposure apparatus of the present invention includes a photosensitive layer on which a latent image is formed by being irradiated with a first light and which is heated to develop the latent image; The photo-polymerization does not occur even when irradiated with the above-mentioned light, and the photo-polymerization is caused by the irradiation of the second light having a spectrum different from that of the above-mentioned first light. A heating / exposure device that uniformly develops the second light on the entire surface of the photosensitive member by heat-developing and then exposing by means of the exposing means, wherein the heating means is outside the cylindrical support, and the exposing means is the cylindrical shape. It is characterized in that it is arranged inside the support. Further, it is characterized in that control is carried out such that heat development is carried out in the first rotation of the cylindrical support and whole surface exposure is carried out in the second rotation.

[0011]

In the heat exposure apparatus of the present invention, the heating means and the exposure means are arranged on the outer side and the inner side of the same cylindrical support, so that the size can be made smaller than that of the conventional apparatus. In addition to the above, proper control is performed, so that power consumption can be reduced.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the heat exposure apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining an example of the operation of the apparatus.

In this heat exposure apparatus, the transparent developing roller 1 (hereinafter referred to as "support") is subjected to a heat developing step of the photosensitive member 11 irradiated with the information light in the first rotation, and in the second rotation. Light for photopolymerization is uniformly applied to the entire surface of the photoconductor 11 to perform the whole surface exposure process.

The support 1 is rotatably driven in the direction A in the figure by a driving means (not shown). A transport guide 2 is provided on a part of the outer circumference of the support 1, and a heating element 3 is further installed on a part of the outer circumference.

At the center of the support 1, a light source 4 for whole surface exposure, which is exposure means, is arranged. The light source 4 for whole surface exposure may be a light source in the form of a point, a line or a surface as long as it is located at the inner hollow portion of the support 1.

The support 1 can be made of heat-resistant glass or plastic that transmits the light of the light source 4 and can withstand heat. Usually, the circumferential length of the cylindrical support 1 is made larger than the long side of the photoconductor 11.

Next, the photoconductor 11 will be described.

The photoreceptor 11 is composed of, for example, a dry silver salt material layer made of silver halide, an organic silver salt, a reducing agent and the like, and a polymerization material layer made of a photopolymerization initiator, a photopolymerizable monomer, a binder and the like in PET. It is configured to be applied to a base material such as.

The photoconductor 11 is inserted from the photoconductor insertion portion 5, is sandwiched between the support 1 and the transport guide 2, and is transported in the direction B in the figure.

Next, the operation of the heat developing device will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the photoreceptor 11 is irradiated with information light according to an image to be used for recording by an exposing means (not shown). As a result, a latent image is formed on the portion of the photoconductor 11 in the dry silver salt material layer irradiated with the information light.

As the information light, one that does not contain a spectral component that causes photopolymerization in the polymer material layer is used.

When the switch of this device is turned on (S
2) Then, the driving means (not shown) is operated (S3), and the heating element 3 is energized to heat the heating element 3 (S4). When the photoconductor 11 on which the latent image is formed is inserted from the photoconductor insertion portion 5, the sensor 6 detects the photoconductor 11 (S5). At this time, the paper discharge guide 7 is separated from the support 1 by the driving means (not shown) (S6). The photoreceptor 11 on which the latent image is formed is the support 1
It is sandwiched by the transport guide 2 and transported together with the support 1. The transport speed is 10 mm / sec.

The temperature of the heating element 3 is 120.degree. The distance over which the photoconductor 11 is heated by the heating element 3 is 100 mm.

When the photoreceptor 11 is heated by the heat from the heating element 3, the latent image in the dry silver salt material layer is developed and becomes a visible image composed of a silver image.

Next, when the sensor 8 detects the end of the photoconductor 11 (S7), the heating element 3 is de-energized (S8).
After that, the photoconductor 11 is transported to the sheet feeding position by the transport guides 2 and 9. When the sensor 6 detects the position of the photoconductor 11 (S9), the light source 4 is turned on (S10). Further, the paper discharge guide 7 is grounded to the support 1 (S11). Photoconductor 11
Is irradiated with light from the light source 4 for whole surface exposure,
The photopolymerization reaction starts in the polymerization material layer. Since the visible image does not transmit light, photopolymerization does not occur at the part of the polymer material layer corresponding to the part where the visible image exists in the dry silver salt material layer, and this part remains as unpolymerized, while the visible image is The polymerization material layer corresponding to the nonexistent portion is photopolymerized, which means that a polymerization image is formed.

The photoconductor 11 on which the superimposed image is formed is subsequently conveyed and discharged from the exit of the apparatus frame 10 by the paper discharge guide 7. When the discharge sensor 12 detects the discharge of the photoconductor 11 (S12), the light source 4 is turned off (S13). After that, by removing the dry silver salt material and the unpolymerized polymer material, only the polymerized portion is provided on the substrate,
For example, it can be used for printing plates.
When the heat exposure is not continued, the switch is turned off and the driving means is stopped (S14, 15, 16).

In the above description, the dry silver salt material layer is used as the photosensitizer layer, and the visible image does not transmit light composed of a silver image. However, a material other than the dry silver salt material layer is used as the photosensitizer layer. Further, as the visible image, an object other than the silver image, for example, an oxidant of a reducing agent may be used. In this case, as the visible image, one that transmits light may be used, and by blocking the light or by exerting a positive or negative catalytic effect on the chemical reaction, the visible image accelerates or inhibits the photopolymerization reaction. Any image can be used as long as it can form a superimposed image corresponding to the image.

[0029]

In the heat exposure apparatus of the present invention, the heating means and the whole surface exposure means are provided on the outer side and the inner side of the same transparent cylindrical support, so that there is an effect that the apparatus can be made smaller than the conventional apparatus.

Further, since the photosensitive member is heated on the first rotation of the cylindrical support and the entire surface is exposed on the second rotation, the heating element and the light source can be properly controlled, so that the power consumption is reduced. There is an effect that can be.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a heat exposure apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the heat exposure apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cylindrical support 2 Transport guide 3 Heating element 4 Light source 5 Photoconductor insertion part 6,8,12 Sensor 7 Paper ejection guide 9 Transport guide 10 Machine frame 11 Photoconductor

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A photosensitive layer in which a latent image is formed by being irradiated with a first light and the latent image is developed by being heated; and photopolymerization even when irradiated with the first light. Not occur first, the first
Of a photopolymerization layer which undergoes photopolymerization by being irradiated with a second light having a spectrum different from that of the above-mentioned light, is heat-developed by a heating means, and then the second light is exposed by the exposure means. A heating exposure device for uniformly exposing the entire surface of a photoconductor, wherein the heating means is arranged outside the cylindrical support and the exposure means is arranged inside the cylindrical support. Exposure equipment. 2. The thermal exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after detecting the photoconductor carried into the thermal exposure apparatus,
2. The method of controlling a heat exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photosensitive member is heated and developed during the first rotation of the cylindrical support, and the entire surface is exposed during the second rotation. 3. The heat exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circumference of the cylindrical support according to claim 1 is larger than the long side of the photoconductor.