JPH07104589B2 - Thermal development transfer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention heats a photosensitive material while rotating the heating drum by wrapping and pressing the photosensitive material and the image receiving material on the outer circumference of the heating drum. The present invention relates to a thermal development transfer device that develops and transfers an image to an image receiving material.

[Prior Art] A heat development transfer device is known which includes a heating drum and an endless pressure contact belt that is in pressure contact with the outer periphery of the heating drum. In this type of heat development transfer device, the exposed photosensitive material is nipped and conveyed between the heating drum and the endless pressure contact belt while being superposed on the image receiving material, and at this time, the photosensitive material is heated and developed. At the same time, pressure is applied to transfer the image to the image receiving material.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, as described above, the photosensitive material and the image receiving material which have been conveyed by being sandwiched between the heating drum and the endless pressure contact belt and which have undergone the heat development transfer processing are separated from the outer periphery of the heating drum and are separated from each other. Need to be separated.

Therefore, in the conventional heat development transfer apparatus, a peeling claw is provided in the vicinity of the heating drum on the downstream side in the sandwiching and conveying direction of each material, and the peeling claw is moved to engage with the photosensitive material or the image receiving material, whereby the outer periphery of the heating drum. It was peeled off from and separated from each other.

However, since the peeling claw merely engages with the tip of the photosensitive material or the image receiving material that moves on the outer circumference of the heating drum, they can be peeled from the outer circumference of the heating drum, but in a state where they are in close contact with each other. It was difficult to reliably separate the conveyed photosensitive material and image receiving material.

In consideration of the above facts, the present invention peels one of the photosensitive material and the image receiving material wound around the outer periphery of the heating drum from the outer periphery of the heating drum and stably and reliably separates it from the other material. The object is to obtain a heat development transfer device capable of performing the above.

[Means for Solving the Problem] In the heat development transfer apparatus according to the present invention, a photosensitive material and an image receiving material are supplied, and the superposing and pressing means wraps and presses the outer circumference of the heating drum to rotate the heating drum. While being a thermal development transfer device for performing thermal development and transfer, a peeling claw that is arranged on the downstream side in the material supply direction of the pressing means and peels the material located outside of the photosensitive material or the image receiving material from the outer periphery of the heating drum, A moving roller that engages by pressing the material in a peeled state by the peeling claw to press the material in a direction of separating from the heating drum, and the moving roller that detects the material in the peeled state by the peeling claw And a control means for moving the peeling claw in a direction away from the outer periphery of the heating drum.

Further, the heat development transfer apparatus according to the present invention is arranged between the pressing means and the peeling claw to press the material onto the heating drum and to bend and guide the material pressed by the moving roller by bending guide. Equipped with rollers.

[Operation] In the heat development transfer apparatus having the above-described structure, the photosensitive material and the image receiving material are pressed against the outer circumference of the heating drum by the pressing means, and are nipped and conveyed between the heating drum and the pressing means in a superposed state. It

When the photosensitive material is pressed in a state where the image receiving material is superposed between the heating drum and the pressing means, the photosensitive material is thermally developed and the image is transferred, whereby an image is formed on the image receiving material.

When the photosensitive material and the image receiving material are nipped and conveyed and pass the downstream side of the pressing means in the material supply direction, the peeling claw engages with the tip of the material located outside of the photosensitive material or the image receiving material, and the tip of this material is moved. Peel from the outer circumference of the heating drum. Here, the material in the peeled state is detected, the moving roller is operated by the control unit, and the peeling claw is moved in the direction away from the outer periphery of the heating drum.

When the moving roller is actuated, it engages the peeled material and presses it in the direction away from the heating drum.

The pressed material moves away from the material located inside with the tip of the material separated from the heating drum.

Further, in the case where the bending guide roller is provided, the bending guide roller presses the material pressed by the moving roller against the heating drum, and further winds and guides the tip of the material downward to bend the material. The heating drum is peeled from the outer periphery and is moved separately from the material located inside.

As described above, the photosensitive material or the image receiving material, which is located outside, is wound around the bending guide roller while being pressed by the moving roller and forcibly bent downward.
It is possible to reliably separate the photosensitive material and the image receiving material which are conveyed in a state of being in close contact with each other.

The light-sensitive material used in the present invention basically has a photosensitive silver halide, a binder, a dye-donor compound, and a reducing agent (the dye-donor compound may also serve as the reducing agent) on the support. Further, if necessary, an organic silver salt and other additives can be added.

The light-sensitive material may give a negative image or a positive image upon exposure. As a method of giving a positive image, a method of directly using a positive emulsion as a silver halide emulsion (a method using a nucleating agent and a light fog method are available), a dye that emits a positive diffusible dye image Any of the methods using a donor compound can be adopted.

In the present invention, this diffusible dye is transferred to an image receiving material having a dye fixing layer, and this transfer is carried out simultaneously with heat development.

There are various methods of transferring the diffusible dye, for example, a method of transferring to the dye fixing layer with an aqueous solvent such as water, a method of transferring to the dye fixing layer with a high boiling point organic solvent, and a method of transferring to the dye fixing layer with a hydrophilic thermal solvent. And a method of transferring to a dye-fixing layer having a dye-receptive polymer by utilizing the thermal diffusivity or sublimability of a diffusible dye, and the present invention may be any of them.

The following are documents which specifically describe the light-sensitive materials and image-receiving materials that can be used in the present invention. U.S. Pat.No. 4,463,079
No. 4,474,867, 4,478,927, 4,507,38
No. 0, No. 4,500,626, No. 4,483,914, No. 4,740,4
45, JP-A-58-149046, 58-149047, 59-15
2440, 59-154445, 59-165054, 59-1805
48, 59-168439, 59-174832, 59-174833
No. 59-174834, 59-174835, 62-65038
No. 62-253159, No. 62-173463, No. 62-183457
No., European Patent Publication Nos. 210,660A2 and 220,746A2.

[Embodiment] FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration diagram of an image recording apparatus 10 to which the heat development transfer apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

A photosensitive material magazine 14 is arranged on a machine base 12 of the image recording apparatus 10, and a photosensitive material 16 is wound and stored in a roll shape. The light-sensitive material 16 is a photosensitive silver halide on a support,
It has a binder, a dye-providing substance, and a reducing agent.

In the vicinity of the sensitive material magazine 14, a cutter 18 is arranged,
The photosensitive material 16 drawn out from the photosensitive material magazine 14 is cut into a predetermined length. The cut photosensitive material 16 is conveyed to the exposure unit 20.

An exposure device 22 is provided directly above the exposure unit 20. The exposure device 22 includes a light source 24, a moving mirror 27, and a plurality of fixed mirrors.
26 and a lens unit 28 are arranged, and a mounting plate 30 is provided on the machine base 12 above these components. The light source 24 and the moving mirror 27 can be moved along the mounting plate 30, and the original 32 mounted on the mounting plate 30.
The image is scanned and exposed on the photosensitive material 16 located in the exposure section 20.

A reversing roller 34 is arranged beside the exposing section 20, and a water coating section 36 is further arranged beside the reversing roller 34. The photosensitive material 16 on which the image has been exposed in the exposure section 20 is inverted and conveyed by the reversing roller 34, and water as an image forming solvent is applied by the water applying section 36.

A heat development transfer unit 38, which is a heat development transfer device, is disposed on the side of the water application unit 36, and the photosensitive material 16 applied with water is fed in.

On the other hand, a receiving material magazine 46 is arranged on the machine base 12 on the opposite side of the photosensitive material magazine 14, and the image receiving material 48 is wound into a roll and stored. The widthwise dimension of the image receiving material 48 is smaller than that of the photosensitive material 16, and a dye fixing material having a mordant is applied to the image forming surface.

A cutter 50 is also arranged in the vicinity of the material receiving magazine 46 so that the image receiving material 48 drawn from the material receiving magazine 46 is cut into a length shorter than the photosensitive material 16. The cut image receiving material 48 is conveyed to the heat development transfer section 38. In this case, the image receiving material 48 is conveyed by the photosensitive material.
In synchronism with the conveyance of the photosensitive material 16, the photosensitive material 16 is superposed in such a state that the photosensitive material 16 is preceded by a predetermined length. Further, as shown in FIG. Since the dimension in each direction is small, the peripheral portion of the photosensitive material 16 is superposed in such a manner that all four sides project from the peripheral portion of the image receiving material 48.

The thermal development transfer section 38 is composed of a heating drum 40 and an endless pressure contact belt 42 as a pressing means, and a halogen lamp 44 is arranged inside the heating drum 40.

The surface of the heating drum 40 is coated with Teflon, and is further heated to about 90 ° C. by the halogen lamp 44.

The endless pressure welding belt 42 is made of aromatic polyamide fiber (for example, Kevlar or Nomex: du Pont
A heat resistant material such as a registered trademark of the company) is coated with carbon-containing silicon rubber and has electrical conductivity.

The photosensitive material 16 on which the image has been exposed is nipped and conveyed between the heating drum 40 and the endless pressure contact belt 42 while being overlapped with the image receiving material 48 over substantially 2/3 of the circumference of the heating drum 40. It has become. When the photosensitive material 16 is heated during this nip conveyance, it releases a movable dye, and at the same time, this dye is transferred to the dye fixing layer of the image receiving material 48 to obtain an image.

In this case, since the endless pressure contact belt 42 has conductivity, the heating drum 40 and the endless pressure contact belt 42 or the photosensitive material
16 or the generation of static electricity due to friction with the image receiving material 48 is prevented.

As shown in FIG. 1, a bending guide roller 52 is arranged below the heating drum 40 on the downstream side of the endless pressure contact belt 42 in the material supply direction. The bending guide roller 52 has a shaft 54 connected to a drive source (not shown), and is rotated by this drive force. The bending guide roller 52 is in pressure contact with the outer periphery of the heating drum 40, and nips and conveys the photosensitive material 16 or the image receiving material 48.

Heating drum 40 downstream of the bending guide roller 52 in the material supply direction
A peeling claw 58 is rotatably supported on a lower portion by a shaft 60. . An arm 62 is fixed to the shaft 60, and an adjusting screw 64 is screwed to the arm 62. On the other hand, a bracket 66 is fixed to the upstream side of the peeling claw 58 above the shaft 60, and is connected to an arm 62 fixed to the shaft 60 via a spring 68. Therefore, the adjusting screw 64 screwed to the arm 62 is always biased toward the bracket 66, and the tip end thereof is in contact with the bracket 66.

An operating arm 70 is connected to the shaft 60, and further, a second arm
As shown in the figure, a solenoid 72 is connected to the operating arm 70. Therefore, when the solenoid 72 operates, the shaft 60 rotates, and when the shaft 60 rotates in the direction of arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2, an arm that rotates together with the shaft 60.
The adjusting screw 64 fixed to 62 presses the bracket 66 of the peeling claw 58, whereby the peeling claw 58 rotates around the shaft 60 in the direction of arrow A, while the shaft 60 rotates in the direction of arrow B in FIG. In this case, a spring 68 connected to an arm 62 that rotates with the shaft 60 pulls the bracket 66 of the peeling pawl 58, whereby the peeling pawl 58 rotates around the shaft 60 in the direction of arrow B.

A wedge-shaped peeling portion 74 is formed on the upper end of the peeling claw 58 (on the left side in FIG. 1), and a guide portion 76 that curves downward from the peeling portion 74 is formed.

The peeling portion 74 contacts the outer circumference of the heating drum 40 when the peeling claw 58 rotates around the shaft 60 in the direction of arrow B. Therefore, in this state, the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material that are nipped and conveyed between the endless pressure contact belt 42 and the heating drum 40.
Of the 48, the end portions of the photosensitive materials 16 superposed in a state of being preceded by a predetermined length are engaged with each other, and the end portions are heated by the heating drum.
It is designed to be peeled off from the outer periphery of 40. Further, the peeled photosensitive material 16 is guided by the guide portion 76.

On the other hand, a free roller 78 is rotatably supported at the upper portion on the downstream side of the peeling claw 58. The free roller 78 has an upper part protruding from the upper side of the peeling claw 58, and approaches the outer periphery of the heating drum 40 at a predetermined interval when the peeling claw 58 rotates in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 and FIG. It is like this.

A moving roller is provided on the side of the bending guide roller 52 (on the peeling claw 58 side).
80 are arranged. The moving roller 80 has a plurality of roller portions 82.
Is connected to a shaft 86 via an arm 84, and is rotatable around the shaft 86.

A solenoid 88 is connected to the arm 84, and the movement of the moving roller 80 around the shaft 86 is performed by the operation of the solenoid 88. The moving roller 80 is normally separated from the bending guide roller 52, but each roller portion 82 is moved by the solenoid 88 to operate.
It is designed to move in the direction of contact with. Therefore, in this case, the photosensitive material 16 peeled from the outer periphery of the heating drum 40 by the peeling portion 74 of the peeling claw 58 and guided by the guide portion 76 is pressed by each roller portion 82 of the moving roller 80 and bent and guided, It is adapted to be wound around the bending guide roller 52.

A detection plate 90 is rotatably attached to the shaft 60 of the peeling claw 58. The detection plate 90 has a substantially L-shaped cross section, and one of the tips is
92 is located between the roller portions 82 of the moving roller 80, and further projects in the direction of the bending guide roller 52 from the peeling portion 74 at the tip of the peeling claw 58. Therefore, the photosensitive material 16 which is peeled from the outer periphery of the heating drum 40 by the peeling portion 74 of the peeling claw 58 and is guided and moved by the guide portion 76 is engaged, and the rigidity of the detection plate 90 of the detection plate 90 is caused by its own rigidity. The tip 92 is pressed so that the tip 92 of the detection plate 90 is moved to the heating drum 40.
It is designed to move away from.

On the other hand, the rear end portion 94 of the detection plate extends below the peeling claw 58, and a sensor 96 is attached to the front end thereof. Therefore, when the photosensitive material 16 presses the front end portion 92 of the detection plate 90 and the front end portion 92 moves in the direction away from the heating drum 40, the rear end portion 94 moves accordingly. Furthermore, the sensor 96 can detect this.

The sensor 96 is connected to the solenoid 72 and the solenoid 88 described above via a control circuit (not shown), and each solenoid is operated by a detection signal of the sensor 96.

A waste photosensitive material storage box 98 is arranged below the heating drum 40 so that the separated photosensitive material 16 can be fed.

On the other hand, a peeling roller 100 and a peeling claw 102 are arranged near the heating drum 40 above the peeling claw 58, and the photosensitive material 16
The image receiving material 48 which is separated and moves together with the heating drum 40 is peeled off from the outer periphery of the heating drum 40. Heating drum
The image receiving material 48 peeled from the outer periphery of 40 is accumulated on the tray 104.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

The photosensitive material 16 pulled out from the photosensitive material magazine 14 is a cut sheet 18.
When it is conveyed to the exposure unit 20 after being cut by, the exposure device 22
Is activated to scan and expose the image of the original 32 placed on the placing plate 30 onto the photosensitive material 16 located in the exposure section 20.

The exposed photosensitive material 16 is conveyed by being reversed by a reversing roller 34, and after being coated with water as an image forming solvent by a water coating section 36, it is conveyed to a heat development transfer section 38.

On the other hand, the image receiving material 48 is also pulled out from the material receiving magazine 46, cut into a predetermined length by the cutter 50, and then sent to the heat developing and transferring section 38 in superposition with the photosensitive material 16. In this case, the conveyance of the image receiving material 48 is synchronized with the conveyance of the photosensitive material 16,
16 are overlapped in a state where they are preceded by a predetermined length, and the image receiving material 48 is smaller than the photosensitive material 16 in both the width direction and the longitudinal direction. The image-receiving material on all four sides is 48
The image receiving materials 48 are superposed on each other in a state of protruding from the peripheral portion thereof, and particularly in the leading end portion, the photosensitive material 16 precedes by a predetermined length, that is, the image receiving material 48 is superposed from a position of a predetermined length from the front end of the photosensitive material 16.

In the thermal development transfer section 38, the heating drum 40 and the endless pressure contact belt 42
The light-sensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 48 are supplied into the space between and, and are sandwiched and conveyed while being pressed against the outer periphery of the heating drum 40 while being superposed.

When the photosensitive material 16 is heated in the heat development transfer section 38 (between the heating drum 40 and the endless pressure contact belt 42) in a state where the image receiving material 48 is superposed, it releases a movable dye, and this dye receives the image. The image is obtained by transferring the material 48 to the dye fixing layer.

In this case, the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 48 are surely overlapped with each other, and the four sides of the photosensitive material 16 project from the peripheral portion of the image receiving material 48 and are in close contact with the outer periphery of the heating drum 40. With, each material can be applied with a predetermined pressure without being displaced, and a high quality image can be obtained.

Further, since the endless pressure contact belt 42 has conductivity, generation of static electricity due to friction between the heating drum 40 and the endless pressure contact belt 42 or the photosensitive material 16 or the image receiving material 48 is prevented, and an image obtained on the image receiving material 48 is prevented. Fogging does not occur.

The photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 48 are nipped and conveyed, and the heating drum 40
When it reaches the lower part of the image receiving material 48, the peeling portion 74 of the peeling claw 58 engages with the leading end portion of the photosensitive material 16 which is conveyed by a predetermined length ahead of the image receiving material 48, and the leading end portion of the photosensitive material 16 of the heating drum 40. Peel from the outer periphery. The peeled photosensitive material 16 is a guide portion of the peeling claw 58.
The tip portion 92 of the detection plate 90 is moved by the rigidity of the detection plate 90 by its own rigidity, and the tip portion 92 of the detection plate 90 moves in the direction away from the heating drum 40. Therefore, the rear end portion 94 of the detection plate 90 moves, and the sensor 96 detects this, and activates the solenoid 72 and the solenoid 88.

When the solenoid 88 operates, the moving roller 80 rotates around the shaft 86, and each roller portion 82 moves in the direction in which the roller portion 82 contacts the bending guide roller 52. Therefore, the photosensitive material 16 peeled from the outer periphery of the heating drum 40 by the peeling portion 74 of the peeling claw 58 and guided by the guide portion 76 is pressed by each of the roller portions 82 and bent to be separated from the image receiving material 48 and guided. And is wound around the bending guide roller 52.

Almost at the same time, the solenoid 72 is actuated to rotate the shaft 60 in the direction of arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2,
The adjusting screw 64 fixed to the arm 62 that rotates together with the shaft 60 presses the bracket 66 of the peeling claw 58 to rotate the peeling claw 58 around the shaft 60 in the direction of arrow A, and the peeling portion 74 from the outer periphery of the heating drum 40. Move in the direction of separating.

Bending guide roller 52 bent downward by moving roller 80
The photosensitive material 16 wound around the sheet is sandwiched and conveyed by the bending guide roller 52 and the roller portion 82 of the moving roller 80. Further, the photosensitive material 16 is sent out to a waste photosensitive material storage box 98 provided below the heating drum 40.

On the other hand, the image receiving material 48 that separates from the photosensitive material 16 and moves together with the heating drum 40 moves between the heating drum 40 and the peeling portion 74 of the peeling claw 58 that is in a state of being separated from the outer periphery thereof, and further, It is guided by the free roller 78 which is in contact with the outer periphery of the heating drum 40 and is sent to the peeling roller 100.

Further, here, it is peeled off from the outer periphery of the heating drum 40 by the peeling roller 100 and the peeling claw 102 and accumulated on the tray 104.

As described above, the photosensitive material 16 is pressed by the moving roller 80 and is wound around the bending guide roller 52 while being forcibly bent downward, so that the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 48 that are conveyed in close contact with each other are separated. Can be reliably separated.

The bending guide roller 52 can also be used as a belt roller that is in pressure contact with the upstream heating drum 40 and around which the endless pressure contact belt 42 is wound.

[Effect of the Invention] As described above, in the heat development transfer apparatus according to the present invention, one of the photosensitive material and the image receiving material wound around the outer periphery of the heating drum is peeled off from the outer periphery of the heating drum. It has an effect that it can be stably and reliably separated from the other material.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of a heat development transfer section according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a peeling claw, a moving roller and a bending guide roller, and FIG. 3 is applied to a heat development transfer section. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the photosensitive material and the image receiving material are wound around a heating drum. 10 ... Image recording device, 16 ... Photosensitive material, 38 ... Heat development transfer section, 40 ... Heating drum, 42 ... Endless pressure contact belt, 48 ...
… Image receiving material, 52 …… Bending guide roller, 58 …… Peeling claw, 72
...... Solenoid, 74 …… Peeling part, 80 …… Moveable roller, 82
...... Roller part, 88 ...... Solenoid, 90 ...... Detection plate, 96 ...
… Sensor.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A heat development transfer apparatus for supplying a photosensitive material and an image receiving material, and winding and pressing the photosensitive material and the image receiving material onto the outer circumference of a heating drum by rotating the heating drum while rotating the heating drum. A peeling claw that is arranged on the downstream side in the material supply direction of the pressing means and that peels the material located outside of the photosensitive material or the image receiving material from the outer periphery of the heating drum,
A moving roller that engages by pressing the material in a peeled state by the peeling claw to press the material in a direction of separating from the heating drum, and the moving roller that detects the material in the peeled state by the peeling claw And a control means for moving the peeling claw in a direction away from the outer periphery of the heating drum. 2. A bending guide roller, which is arranged between the pressing means and the peeling claw, presses the material against a heating drum and wraps the material pressed by the moving roller to guide the bending. The thermal development transfer apparatus according to claim 1, which is characterized in that.