JPH06347914A - Image printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the ability of exposing processing and to deal with photosensitive materials having plural kinds of sizes by allowing plural carrying means to carry the photosensitive material to a developing part along photosensitive material carrying paths provided in a state where they are arranged in parallel with each other on the same plane and allowing one image exposure part to expose the carried photosensitive material. CONSTITUTION:The plural carrying means T carrying the photosensitive material 2 to the developing part D via an exposing spot are provided in the state where the photosensitive material carrying paths are arranged in parallel with each other on the same plane. The image exposure part I exposing the photosensitive material 2 by dividing image information to many areas is constituted to expose the plural photosensitive materials 2 carried by the plural carrying means T. Since the plural photosensitive materials are carried in parallel even in the case the width in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the photosensitive material carrying path is the same or different, the plural photosensitive materials are simultaneously exposed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

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

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an image printer for exposing image information on a photosensitive material, in addition to a general type in which an image on a film is projected and exposed on the photosensitive material, the image information is divided into a large number of areas for the photosensitive material. The type that exposes light is also well known. As a specific configuration for dividing the image information into a large number of areas and exposing the photosensitive material, for example, PLZT
There is a type in which an image exposure unit having an exposure head having a configuration in which a large number of minute optical shutters using liquid crystal or one-dimensionally are arranged exposes image information while moving the exposure head and the photosensitive material relatively. Further, as the structure of the exposure head, there is a structure in which a plurality of one-dimensionally arrayed micro light shutters are further arranged in the relative movement direction of the photosensitive material and the exposure head.

Conventionally, the structure as illustrated above is used.
In an image printer of a type in which image information is divided into a plurality of areas and a photosensitive material is exposed, one image exposure unit is configured to expose one image information to one photosensitive material. Therefore, in order to increase the exposure processing capability of the image printer, the same image exposure unit is provided in plural. Further, when an image printer intends to handle a plurality of types of photosensitive materials, a plurality of types of image exposure units are provided in accordance with the respective sizes.

[0004]

However, even if the exposure processing capacity is improved by providing a plurality of image exposure portions, it is not possible to deal with the case where the size of the photosensitive material is desired to be changed. Even if a plurality of types of image exposure portions are provided in accordance with the size of the photosensitive materials, the frequencies of use of the sizes of the photosensitive materials are not the same and do not necessarily contribute to the improvement of the processing capacity. In short, it has not satisfied both the improvement of the exposure processing capability of the image printer and the compatibility with a plurality of photosensitive materials of different sizes. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an image printer capable of improving both exposure processing capability and handling photosensitive materials of plural sizes. Especially.

[0005]

According to a first characteristic configuration of an image printer of the present invention, a plurality of conveying means for conveying a photosensitive material to a developing processing section via an exposure position have their photosensitive material conveying paths on the same plane. A plurality of photosensitive materials conveyed by the plurality of conveying means are provided in a state in which they are arranged in parallel with each other, and one image exposure unit that divides image information into a large number of areas and exposes the photosensitive material. It is configured to be exposed. A second characteristic configuration is the same as the first characteristic configuration, wherein the image exposure unit divides and exposes the image information into a plurality of lines perpendicular to the path direction of the photosensitive material transport path. There is a point.

A third characteristic configuration is the same as the first or second characteristic configuration, but is switched between a state in which the plurality of conveying means conveys the photosensitive material separately, and a state in which one photosensitive material is conveyed in cooperation with each other. It is possible to configure. A fourth characteristic configuration is the same as the first or second characteristic configuration, in that the plurality of transporting units are configured to transport photosensitive materials having different widths. According to a fifth characteristic configuration, in the first or second characteristic configuration, a magazine that stores the photosensitive material and a distribution supply unit that distributes and supplies the photosensitive material stored in the magazine to the plurality of conveying units are provided. It is at the point provided. The sixth characteristic configuration is the first,
In the second, third, fourth or fifth characteristic configuration, a plurality of reading means for reading image information for individually exposing at the exposure positions of the plurality of conveying means are provided.

[0007]

According to the first characteristic construction of the present invention, the plurality of conveying means convey the photosensitive material to the developing processing section along the photosensitive material conveying paths provided in a state of being arranged in parallel with each other in the same plane. At the exposure position located in the middle of the transportation, one image exposure unit exposes a plurality of photosensitive materials transported by a plurality of transportation means. That is, there are a plurality of transporting means, and the plurality of photosensitive materials transported by each of the transporting means also exist in a state of being arranged in parallel with each other in the same plane. Further, one image exposure section is provided to expose the plurality of photosensitive materials. Therefore, the image exposure section can perform exposure in accordance with the width of the photosensitive material regardless of the size of the photosensitive material conveyed by the plurality of conveying means. That is, the width (hereinafter, simply referred to as “width”) in the direction perpendicular to the path direction of the photosensitive material conveyance path.
Abbreviated as “) is conveyed in parallel in plural rows,
Even when exposing a plurality of photosensitive materials, the photosensitive materials having different widths are conveyed in a plurality of rows in parallel,
Even when the plurality of photosensitive materials are exposed, the plurality of photosensitive materials can be exposed as long as the width of the image exposure portion can be covered.

According to the second characteristic construction of the present invention, the image exposing section exposes the photosensitive material by dividing the two-dimensional image information into a plurality of lines perpendicular to the path of the photosensitive material conveying path. . That is, the image information of the divided lines is sequentially exposed in accordance with the relative movement of the photosensitive material and the image exposure unit. According to the third characteristic configuration of the present invention, the operation of the plurality of transporting means is such that each of the transporting means transports a different photosensitive material, and one image exposure unit applies the photosensitive material at the exposure position in each transporting means. It is possible to switch between an exposure state and a state in which one photosensitive material is conveyed in cooperation and one image exposure unit exposes one photosensitive material. Therefore, a state of exposing a plurality of image information on a plurality of photosensitive materials and a state of exposing one image information on a photosensitive material having a size having a width conveyed by a plurality of conveying means, that is, a so-called large extension It is also possible to set two states, that is, a state, and it is possible to switch between these two operating states.

According to the fourth characteristic construction of the present invention, the plurality of conveying means can convey the photosensitive materials having mutually different widths, and it is also possible to expose the image information at various magnifications. According to the fifth characteristic configuration of the present invention, instead of providing a magazine containing a photosensitive material for each of the plurality of conveying means,
The distribution supply unit distributes and supplies the photosensitive material stored in the magazine to the plurality of conveyance units. According to the sixth characteristic configuration of the present invention, when the plurality of reading means read the image information, the photosensitive material is individually exposed at the exposure positions of the plurality of conveying means based on the image information.

[0010]

According to the above-mentioned first characteristic structure, it is possible to improve the exposure processing capability by using the photosensitive material conveyed by a plurality of conveying means as a photosensitive material having the same width. It is also possible to handle multiple widths of photosensitive material with different widths of the photosensitive material to be conveyed by, and to improve the exposure processing capability and handle multiple types of photosensitive materials. We have come to provide an image printer that enables both. According to the second characteristic configuration, the first
In addition to the effects of the characteristic configuration, the image information divided into a number of areas is not exposed to the photosensitive material all at once, but is exposed in the state of being divided into lines, so the configuration of the image exposure unit can be simple and compact. Contributes to cost reduction and downsizing of the image printer.

According to the third characteristic constitution, in addition to the effects of the first or second characteristic constitution, not only a plurality of photosensitive materials can be exposed but also so-called large-expansion exposure can be performed. It can be made more convenient. According to the fourth characteristic configuration, in addition to the effects of the first or second characteristic configuration, exposure with various magnifications is possible, and the image printer can be made more convenient. According to the fifth characteristic configuration, in addition to the effects of the first or second characteristic configuration, the magazine can be shared by a plurality of transporting means, and the configuration of the image printer can be simplified.

According to the sixth characterizing structure, in addition to the effect of the first, second, third, fourth or fifth characterizing structure, a plurality of exposing means are provided for exposing the plurality of conveying means. Since the image reading unit is provided, the time required for the image exposure unit to obtain the image information for exposure can be reduced, the image information can be efficiently exposed by the image exposure unit, and the image read by each of the reading units can be reduced. If the size of information is different, it is possible to read various image information.

[0013]

Embodiments of the image printer of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, in the image printer 1, a transport unit T having a configuration described below for transporting a photographic printing paper 2 as a photosensitive material pulled out from two magazines 3 and an image transported by the transport unit T. The image exposure section I that exposes the paper 2; two scanners 4 as reading means that reads the image information of the film 5 to expose the photographic paper 2 at the image exposure section I; A development processing section D for developing the photographic printing paper 2 and a control section C for controlling the operation of the entire image printer 1 are provided.
It is integrally housed in a casing K whose external shape is shown in FIG. The scanner 4 is installed on a shelf at the end of the casing K in the longitudinal direction, and the two magazines 3 are detachably installed above the installation position of the scanner 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, the photographic printing papers 2 drawn out from the two magazines 3 are transported in two rows with the transportation paths of the photographic printing papers 2 arranged in parallel with each other in the same plane, and are transported to the two rows. The photographic printing paper 2 is exposed by the image information of the film 5 read by the two scanners 4 in one image exposure section I, and is developed in the development processing section D when the exposure is completed.

Each component will be described below. The image exposure unit I includes a light source 10, a color filter 11 that creates an exposure color of a specific color from the irradiation light of the light source 10, and a shutter 12.
PLZT with the light source unit 13 housing the
The light emitted from the print head 14 and the light source unit 13 is changed to P
And an optical fiber bundle 15 leading to the LZT print head 14. The exposed portion of the image exposure unit I is formed at a position where the PLZT print head 14 faces. Although not shown in the drawings, the PLZT print head 14 has a plurality of PLZTs arranged between a polarizer and an analyzer, which are one-dimensionally arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance path direction of the photographic printing paper 2. As an optical shutter that changes the polarization direction of the light passing between the electrodes by changing the applied voltage between the pair of electrodes provided in the PLZT, and switches whether or not each PLZT allows the passage of the light. Function.

The exposure of the photographic printing paper 2 in the image exposure section I is as follows.
By the switching operation of the color filter 11 of the light source unit 13, the color of the light emitted from the light source unit 13 is switched to three colors of red, blue, and green, and the PLZT for each color is changed.
The optical shutter of the print head 14 is opened and closed to expose the photographic printing paper 2. Since the PLZT print head 14 has a one-dimensional array of optical shutters, it is only one line of image information that can be exposed at the same time. To expose two-dimensional image information, the transport means T is used for printing paper. 2 is carried in sequence.

PL in the PLZT print head 14
The length in which the ZT optical shutters are one-dimensionally arranged is longer than the total width w of the photographic printing papers 2 conveyed in parallel in the direction perpendicular to the conveying path direction, so that both photographic printing papers 2 can be exposed. There is. Each of the optical shutters of the PLZT print head 14 is configured to be opened and closed independently by an instruction from the control section C, and two image information are simultaneously exposed on the photographic printing paper 2 conveyed in parallel. , The image information read by the two scanners 4 is combined by the control unit C in consideration of the positional relationship of the photographic printing papers 2 to be fed in parallel, and the combined image information is treated as one image information. Exposure is performed by controlling the opening and closing of each optical shutter of the PLZT print head 14.

The two scanners 4 are for reading image information of two kinds of films 5 of a standard film size of 135 film and other size films such as 110 film. Although the sizes are slightly different, the basic configuration is exactly the same and will be described together. Although not shown, the scanner 4 has three CCDs.
Each CCD line sensor is provided with a line sensor, and color filters of three basic colors of red, green, and blue are attached to each CCD line sensor, and the transmitted light of the film 5 is color-separated into the above-mentioned three basic colors. The image information is read by classifying into. Since the CCD line sensor is used, the image information that can be read in a stationary state is only one line. In order to read the two-dimensional image information, the image information of the film 5 can be read by the scanner 4 only once. The two rollers 40, 41 are driven by a motor (not shown) to carry the film 5.

The transport means T has rollers 20, 21 and a motor M corresponding to each of the printing papers 2 transported in parallel.
1, M2 and rollers 22, 23 and motors M3, M4
Are provided for each. The rollers 20, 21 and the motors M1, M2 and the rollers 22, 23 and the motors M3, M4 are driven independently of each other, but only one of them will be described because they operate in the same manner.

The roller 20 is driven to rotate by a motor M1,
The roller 21 is rotationally driven by the motor M2. Roller 20
The photographic paper 2 is pulled out from the magazine 3 to reach the exposure position of the image exposure section I by the operation of the motor M1 for rotating and driving, and the image exposure section I exposes one line of image information and the transport means T causes The conveyance of the printing paper 2 for one line is sequentially repeated to expose the printing paper 2 with two-dimensional image information. The printing paper 2 on the downstream side of the printing paper 2 conveyance path from the roller 21
The conveyance speed depends on the development processing time in the development processing section D, and the conveyance speed of the photographic paper 2 by the roller 20 and the conveyance speed of the photographic paper 2 by the roller 21 do not match and the roller 20
A loop of the photographic printing paper 2 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is formed between the roller 21 and the roller 21 to absorb the above-mentioned difference in transport speed.

The development processing section D is provided with four processing tanks 6 and rollers 60 and 61. The roller 60 is connected to the roller 21 by a belt (not shown), and the motor M
2, the roller 61 is connected to the roller 23 by a belt (not shown), and is driven by the motor M4. In FIG. 1, for the sake of convenience, two development processing sections D are drawn, but these two actually share one processing tank 6, and only the photographic paper 2 is conveyed independently. is there. The photographic printing paper 2 carried into the development processing section D is
The toner is conveyed to the roller 60 or 61 and sequentially passed through the processing tank 6 filled with the processing liquid for development processing.

The control section C includes an operation console O for inputting an operation instruction of the image printer 1 and an input section which is an interface for inputting image information from an external device such as a computer capable of creating a so-called image scanner or computer graphics. E is connected. The basic operation of the image printer 1 is to expose the image information of the film 5 read by the two scanners 4 onto the photographic printing paper 2. However, the image information input from the above-mentioned external device by an instruction from the operator console O. Can also be exposed on the photographic paper 2. The magazine 3 is detachable from the casing K as described above.
In the above, the magazine 3 accommodating the photographic papers 2 having different widths is attached, but it is also possible to attach the magazine 3 accommodating the photographic papers 2 having the same width to perform the exposure processing.
As shown in (1), one magazine 3 accommodating the wide photographic printing paper 2 is attached, and the motors M1 and M3, and the motors M2 and M4 are operated synchronously,
It is also possible to convey the wide photographic printing paper 2 by a plurality of conveying means T via the exposed portion. In this case, the PLZT print head 14 can expose the image information of one frame of the film 5 to create a so-called large-length print. The operation console O gives an instruction to switch the operation of the image printer 1 for creating the large-sized print.

Among the operations of the image printer 1 having the above structure, the steps up to the exposure of the photographic printing paper 2 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The operation control according to the flowchart of FIG. 5 is all performed by the control unit C. First, the images of the film 5 are read by the two scanners 4 (step # 1), and the exposure magnification is calculated based on the size of each film 5 and the size of the printing paper 2 attached at that time (step # 2). ). When the exposure magnification is obtained, the two image information read by the two scanners are taken into consideration in consideration of the previously obtained exposure magnification and the positional relationship between the photographic printing papers 2 to be fed in parallel.
The exposure amount is converted into image information for exposure (step # 3), and the exposure amount, that is, the exposure time for each exposure color is calculated for each of a number of regions forming the image information (step # 4).

Then, the motors M1 and M3 are operated to start the conveyance of the photographic printing paper 2 (step # 5), and as described above, the line exposure for exposing the image information in a large number of lines is started (step). # 6). The photographic printing paper 2 exposed in this way is conveyed to the development processing section D and is subjected to development processing, and is cut into pieces of image information for each sheet by a cutter (not shown), and as shown in FIG. It is discharged to the side opposite to the mounting portion of the magazine 3 in the upper part.

[Other Embodiments] Other embodiments will be listed below. In the above embodiment, the two photographic papers 2 are pulled out from the two magazines 3 and exposed, respectively. However, as shown in FIG. 6, the two photographic papers 2 are distributed and supplied from one magazine 3 to the two transporting means T. You can The magazine 3 can be slidably moved in a direction perpendicular to the conveying path direction of the photographic printing paper 2 by pushing and pulling operation of the air cylinder 100 as the distribution supply means for distributing and supplying the photographic printing paper 2 to the two conveying means T. The printing paper 2 is distributed and supplied at two positions, that is, the position shown by the solid line and the position shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. In addition, magazine 3 and Air Shin Linda 100
Are attached to the casing K as shown in FIG.

In the magazine 3, the photographic paper 2 is printed from the magazine 3.
The pull-out roller 101 that pulls out the
01 is attached together with a motor (not shown) for rotationally driving 01. A cutter 102 for cutting the photographic paper 2 pulled out from the magazine 3 and two conveying means T for respectively conveying the cut photographic paper 2 in parallel are provided on the downstream side of the photographic paper 2 conveying path of the magazine 3. Has been. The two conveying means T are the supply rollers 103, 104 and the exposure table 1 which are positioned side by side with respect to the conveying path direction of the printing paper 2.
It consists of 05. The exposure table 105 includes rollers 106 and 10
7 and 108 and a belt 109 that is wound around these rollers 106, 107 and 108, and has two transport means T.
It is designed to be shared by. A motor for driving the exposure table 105 is not shown.

In addition to the structure shown in FIG. 6, the structure of the exposure table 105 is such that, as shown in FIG.
It may be divided along the transport path direction so that they can be independently driven for transport. With this configuration, the photographic printing papers 2 alternately drawn from the magazine 3 and alternately conveyed in two rows are aligned on the exposure table 105, and then exposed at the image exposure section I at the same time. be able to.

The operation control of the control section C until the photographic paper 2 is exposed when the photographic paper 2 is distributed and supplied to the two conveying means T as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, film 5 with two scanners 4
Image is read (step # 1), and the exposure magnification is calculated based on the size of each film 5 and the size of the photographic paper 2 attached at that time (step # 2). When the exposure magnification is obtained, the two image information read by the two scanners are converted into image information for exposure in consideration of the previously obtained exposure magnification and the positional relationship between the photographic printing papers 2 to be fed in parallel ( Step # 3).

At the position of the magazine 3 shown by the solid line in FIG. 6, the pull-out roller 101 is rotationally driven to send out the photographic paper 2 (step # 4), and the photographic paper 2 is cut when the predetermined amount has been sent out (step). # 5). Thereafter, the air cylinder 100 is operated to move the magazine 3 to the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 6 (step # 6), and the pull-out roller 101 is rotationally driven at that position to send out the photographic printing paper 2 ( In step # 7), the photographic printing paper 2 is cut at the time when the predetermined amount is fed (step # 8). Thus, with the leading ends of the two printing papers 2 aligned on the downstream side of the feeding rollers 103 and 104 in the conveyance path of the printing papers 2, the supply rollers 103, 1
The driving of No. 04 is started (step # 9) and sent to the exposure table 105. Here, the exposure amount, that is, the exposure time for each exposure color is calculated for each of a large number of regions forming the image information (step # 10), the motors M1 and M3 are operated, and the conveyance of the photographic printing paper 2 is started. (Step # 11) As described above, line exposure for dividing the image information into a large number of lines and exposing the image information is started (step # 12).

When the exposure table 105 is configured as shown in FIG. 9, two photographic printing papers 2 are provided on the upstream side of the photographic printing paper 2 conveying path of the supply rollers 103 and 104 as in step # 9. Of course, it is not necessary to align them.

In the above-described embodiment, two transporting means T for transporting the printing paper 2 are provided, but three or more transporting means T may be provided. Further, the number of scanners 4 may be one, or three or more may be provided.

In the above embodiment, the image exposure unit I is set to PL
Although the ZT print head 14 is used, a liquid crystal shutter may be used. Further, a print head in which LED chips are one-dimensionally arranged may be used as a light source for exposure.

In the above embodiment, the PLZT print head 14 having a one-dimensional array of optical shutters divides the image information into a plurality of lines to expose the photographic printing paper 2, but the PLZT print head 14 has a configuration. Alternatively, the optical shutters may be two-dimensionally arrayed so that the image information for one sheet can be exposed at a time, and the two-dimensional image information can be directly exposed on the photographic printing paper 2.

In the above-described embodiment, the scanner 4 uses the CC
Although a configuration using a D line sensor is used, a CCD or MO
A configuration using the S image sensor may be used.

In the above embodiment, the image information read by the two scanners 4 is configured to be exposed on each of the two printing papers 2 conveyed in parallel. The image information read by one of the two scanners 4, that is, the image information of one of the two films 5 is exposed to each of the two photographic printing papers 2 conveyed in parallel. You may do it.

It should be noted that reference numerals are given in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the structures of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram according to an embodiment of an image printer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main part according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a main part according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Photosensitive Material 3 Magazine 4 Reading Means 100 Distributing Supply Means D Development Processing Section I Image Exposure Section T Conveying Means

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A state in which a plurality of transporting means (T) for transporting a photosensitive material (2) to an image development processing section (D) via an exposed portion are arranged such that their photosensitive material transporting paths are parallel to each other in the same plane. And one image exposure section (I) which exposes the photosensitive material (2) by dividing the image information into a plurality of areas and which is conveyed by the plurality of conveying means (T). An image printer configured to expose material (2). 2. The image exposure unit (I) is configured to expose the image information by dividing the image information into a plurality of lines perpendicular to the path direction of the photosensitive material transport path. Image printer described. 3. The plurality of transporting means (T) are configured to be switchable between a state of individually transporting the photosensitive material (2) and a state of cooperatively transporting one photosensitive material (2). The image printer according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The image printer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of transport means (T) are configured to transport photosensitive materials (2) having different widths. 5. A magazine (3) for accommodating the photosensitive material (2), and an apportionment for distributing and supplying the photosensitive material (2) accommodated in the magazine (3) to the plurality of conveying means (T). An image printer according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a supply means (100). 6. A plurality of reading means (4) for reading image information to be separately exposed at exposure locations of the plurality of transport means (T).
4. The image printer according to 4 or 5.