JPH08220728A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To unnecessitate a peeling pawl and stabilize peeling of a photosensitive material from an image receiving material. CONSTITUTION: Heat developing/transfer is performed on a stage 12, after the end of the heat developing/transfer, the photosensitive material 22 is pulled at one end of the stage 12, then, the photosensitive material 22 is carried from one end side of the stage 12 to the outside of the stage 12. At this time, the photosensitive material 22 is reversely carried at an angle θ to the side opposite to the image receiving material 78 with respect to the upper surface (holding surface) of the flat part 28 of the stage 12. Thus, the rigidity of the image receiving material 78 surpasses adhesive strength between the image receiving material 78 and the photosensitive material 22, then, the photosensitive material 22 is peeled from the image receiving material 78. Both the image receiving material 78 and the photosensitive material 22 are discharged outside the stage while peeling each other. It is preferable to set the angle θ within 40 deg. to 50 deg. in the case of giving consideration to the angle θ capable of pulling the photoreceptive material 22 along an inclined part 31 (and inclined part 30) and keeping the material 22 flat so as not to float up from the upper surface of the flat part 28.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for exposing an image of an original on a light-sensitive material, superposing the light-sensitive material and the image-receiving material on each other, and performing thermal development transfer to obtain an image on the image-receiving material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image recording apparatus, an image of an original is exposed on a photosensitive material, and after exposure, the image receiving material is superposed on the photosensitive material and transferred by heat development to form an image on the image receiving material. There is something to gain.

Here, when heat-development transfer is performed with the photosensitive material and the image-receiving material bonded to each other and wound around the drum, after the heat-development transfer, one drum is rotated and one nail is used. In addition to peeling the photosensitive material from the drum, another nail different from the one nail is used to peel the image receiving material from the photosensitive material.

The need for nails and the need for two kinds of nails in this way make the peeling lack stability.

In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus which does not require a nail for peeling and stabilizes the peeling between the photosensitive material and the image receiving material.

[0006]

According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 1, an image of an original is exposed on a photosensitive material, and the photosensitive material and the image receiving material are superposed on each other by thermal development and transferred to obtain an image receiving material. In an image recording apparatus for obtaining an image, a supply section for accommodating the photosensitive material in a roll shape and supplying the photosensitive material from one end side thereof, and a winding section for winding the photosensitive material supplied from the supply section in a roll shape. A stage having a planar holding surface which is provided in a conveyance path of the photosensitive material between the supply section and the winding section and holds the photosensitive material in a state where the sheet-shaped image receiving material is superposed on the photosensitive material; After the thermal development transfer, the photosensitive material is wound up and conveyed from one end side of the stage to the outside of the stage to discharge both the photosensitive material and the image receiving material to the outside of the stage, and the image receiving material to the holding surface of the stage. Away from Changing the transporting direction of the photosensitive material in a direction which forms a degree θ to the peeling means for peeling the photosensitive material and the image receiving material, wherein the configuration with.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus of the first aspect, the angle θ is 40 ° to 5 °.
It is preferably 0 °.

[0008]

According to the above construction, the photosensitive material is supplied from the supply section, wound up by the winding section and conveyed, and the photosensitive material superimposes the sheet-shaped image receiving material on the holding surface of the stage. In this state, heat development transfer is performed. After the thermal development transfer, the photosensitive material is wound up by the winding unit and conveyed from the one end side of the stage to the outside of the stage. At this time, the photosensitive material is conveyed while changing the angle θ with respect to the holding surface in the direction away from the image receiving material. As a result, the rigidity of the image receiving material exceeds the adhesive force between the image receiving material and the photosensitive material, and the image receiving material and the photosensitive material are separated. While being peeled off, both the image receiving material and the photosensitive material are discharged out of the stage.

As described above, the photosensitive material is wound up by the winding section and discharged together with the image receiving material to the outside of the stage. Along with this, the photosensitive material and the image receiving material are automatically peeled off, and a nail is not required for peeling. As a result, stable peeling is possible.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, a stage 12 is provided in the center of the base 10. Stage 12 is
It is flat and arranged horizontally. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the stage 12 is formed of three layers, and for example, three sheet plates (heating means) are provided between the aluminum plate 14 on the upper surface side and the stainless steel plate 16 on the lower surface side. ) 18 are arranged side by side. By energizing the heating plate 18, the entire upper surface of the stage 12 is
Can be heated to ° C.

On the front end side (right end side in FIG. 1) of the stage 12, there is provided a supply section 21 having a first roller 20 below, and the first roller 20 has a photothermographic material 22 as a photosensitive material. (Hereinafter, simply referred to as photosensitive material 22) is wound up and accommodated in a roll. The photosensitive material 22 is constituted by having a photosensitive silver halide, a binder, a dye-donor substance, and a reducing agent on a support, and the photosensitive material 22 is pulled out from the first roller 20 and placed on the stage 12 as described later. In the state of being held horizontally by, the photosensitive surface is made to face upward.

Below the stage 12, a winding section 25 having a second roller 24 adjacent to the first roller 20 is provided. The second roller 24 is wound around the photosensitive material 22 that is drawn out from the first roller 20 and wound around the stage 12 from the front end to the rear end (the left end in FIG. 1). A nip roller 26 is arranged between the front end of the stage 12 and the first roller 20. Move the nip roller 26 to the arrow A
If the second roller 24 is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow B and the second roller 24 is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow C, the photosensitive material 22 is pulled out from the first roller 20 as the first roller 20 rotates in the direction of arrow C, and the stage 12 in the direction of arrow D (from the front end of the stage 12 to the rear end), and the second roller 2
It is pulled by 4 and wound up.

As a result, the photosensitive material 22 is transferred to the stage 12
The photosensitive material 22 can be pulled out from the first roller 20 and wound around the second roller 24 so as to be supplied upward by a predetermined length, and conversely, can be rewound by a predetermined length.

As shown in FIG. 3, the stage 12 is provided with a flat portion 28 whose upper surface is a horizontal surface, and inclined portions 30 and 31 whose upper surfaces are inclined downward at the front and rear ends of the stage 12. During exposure and the like described later, the photosensitive material 22 is arranged so that a predetermined length thereof is located on the flat surface portion 28, and the predetermined length thereof does not loosen while maintaining a flat surface along the upper surface of the flat surface portion 28. Thus, it is pulled along the inclined portions 30 and 31 and held on the stage 12.

A document table 32 is fitted on the upper surface 11 of the base above the stage 12 so as to face the stage 12. The document table 32 is formed of a transparent plate, and the document 3 is placed on the document table 32.
4 is placed and held.

Next, the exposure unit 38 and the coating unit 4
0 and a superposing unit 42 are provided respectively, and the units 38, 40 and 42 are respectively provided with a document table 32 and a stage 1.
2 is reciprocally movable along the front-rear direction of the stage 12, and from the standby position (the position shown in FIG. 1) sequentially arranged from the rear end of the stage 12 to the outside of the stage 12, Stop positions (positions shown in FIG. 4) that are sequentially arranged from outside the stage 12 to the stage 12 after passing the front end.
It is possible to move forward (the forward direction is in the direction of arrow E) and, conversely, backward (backward direction is in the direction of arrow D) from the stop position to the standby position.

The exposure unit 38 includes a light source 44 and a SELFOC lens (lens array) 46. The light from the light source 44 is emitted toward the original 34, and the emitted light is parallel to the original 34 and perpendicular to the moving direction of the exposure unit 38 (the front-back direction of the stage 12). It is made to be a straight line along the direction. The irradiation light is reflected by the original 34, and the reflected light is reflected by the SELFOC lens 4
6 exposes the photosensitive material 22 in a slit shape. The image of the original 34 is sequentially scanned and exposed on the photosensitive material 22 by advancing the exposure unit 38 from the standby position toward the stop position.

The coating unit 40 comprises a sponge (coating portion) 54 at the bottom of the tank 52. Tank 52
A transfer aid (image forming solvent) such as water 58 is enclosed therein. The sponge 54 is fixed to the lower surface of the tank 52, and can absorb and hold the water 58 in the tank 52 through the communication port formed on the lower surface of the tank 52. The tank 52 is driven up and down by a solenoid (not shown) or the like.
In the lowered position of, the sponge 54 comes into contact with and is pressed against the photosensitive material 22, and the water 58 flows out from the sponge 54.

The coating unit 40 starts to move forward after the exposure unit 38 moves forward. The sponge 54 is the photosensitive material 22.
The water 58 is sequentially coated on the photosensitive material 22 by advancing the coating unit 40 in a state of being in contact with.

The superposing unit 42 is provided with a magazine 76. In the magazine 76, the image receiving material 78 is cut into a predetermined length, is stacked and is housed in parallel with the stage 12. One surface of the image receiving material 78 is an image forming surface, and the image forming surface is coated with a dye fixing material having a mordant. When the image receiving material 78 is accommodated, the image forming surface faces upward. It An endless belt 80 is wound around rollers 82 and 84 below the magazine 76. The roller 8 on the stage 12 side at the standby position of the stacking unit 42
A guide portion 81 is provided on the outer periphery of the No. 4.

The polymerizing unit 42 starts advancing after advancing the coating unit 40. As the stacking unit 42 advances, the endless belt 80 reaches the stage 12.
The stage 12 travels clockwise in FIG. 1 in response to the forward movement of the stacking unit 42. As the endless belt 80 travels, the image receiving material 78 in the magazine 76 is guided by the guide portion 81.
The image receiving material 78 is pulled out from the magazine 76 by
Of the image receiving material 7 and the leading end of the image receiving material 7 comes into contact with the photosensitive material 22.
The image receiving material 78 is sequentially superposed on the photosensitive material 22 toward the front end of the stage 12 so that the endless belt 8 is sandwiched between the endless belt 80 and the photosensitive material 22.

The stage 12 is the heating plate 1 as described above.
It is heated by 8, and in this heated state, the above-mentioned exposure, coating and polymerization are carried out, and also heat development transfer is carried out. That is, the movable dye of the photosensitive material 22 is released, and at the same time, the dye is transferred to the dye fixing layer of the image receiving material 78, and an image is obtained on the image receiving material 78.

After the thermal development transfer, the photosensitive material 22 moves in the direction of arrow D for a predetermined length and is discharged from the rear end of the stage 12 to the outside of the stage 12 together with the image receiving material.

As shown in FIG. 3, the inclined portion 31 on the rear end side of the stage 12 is inclined downward by an angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction, that is, the upper surface of the inclined portion 31 is a flat surface portion 2.
8 is inclined downward with respect to the upper surface of 8, the second roller 24 is rotationally driven to expose the photosensitive material (portion having undergone thermal development and transfer) 22 and the image receiving material 78. When the material 22 is pulled and conveyed, the conveying direction is an angle θ from the direction of the arrow D which is the horizontal direction.
Just turn around. Due to its own rigidity, the image receiving material 78
It is separated from the photosensitive material 22 against the adhesion with the photosensitive material 22. The image receiving material 78 is peeled from the photosensitive material 22, passes over the peeling roller 86 on the rear side of the rear end of the stage 12, and is accumulated in the discharge tray 88 further rearward of the peeling roller 86. By moving the photosensitive material 22 by a predetermined length in the direction of the arrow D, the peeling is completed, and the photosensitive material after peeling (heat development transferred portion) 22
Are diagonally positioned between the rear end of the stage 12 and the second roller 24 so that the upper and lower sides are opposite. After that, when the photosensitive material 22 is further moved by a predetermined length in the direction of arrow D, the heat-development-transferred portion reaches a position where it is wound around the roller 24.

After that, if the exposure unit 38, the coating unit 40, and the superposition unit 42 are moved back to the standby position, they can be prepared for the next exposure.

A drive motor 90 is provided on the base 10 in front of the front end of the stage 12, and the drive motor 90
Respectively drives the exposure unit 38, the coating unit 40, and the superposition unit 42 via the gear group 92 and the timing belt 94.

According to the above construction, the heat development transfer is performed on the stage 12, and after the heat development transfer, the photosensitive material 22 is wound up and pulled at one end side of the stage 12, so that the photosensitive material 22 is transferred to the stage 12. Is conveyed to the outside of the stage 12 from one end side of the. At this time, the photosensitive material 22 is conveyed to the side opposite to the image receiving material 78 (in the direction away from the image receiving material 78) with respect to the upper surface (holding surface) of the flat portion 28 of the stage 12 with the angle θ changed. As a result, the rigidity of the image receiving material 78 exceeds the adhesive force between the image receiving material 78 and the photosensitive material 22, and the image receiving material 78 and the photosensitive material 22 are separated, and while being separated,
Both the image receiving material 78 and the photosensitive material 22 are discharged outside the stage.

As described above, the photosensitive material 22 is pulled and discharged together with the image receiving material 78 to the outside of the stage 12. Along with this, the photosensitive material 22 and the image receiving material 78 are automatically peeled off, and a nail is not required for peeling. As a result, stable peeling is possible.

The angle θ is appropriately set depending on the type and thickness of the image receiving material 78 and the type of the photosensitive material 22. However, the photosensitive material 22 is pulled along the inclined portion 31 (and the inclined portion 30) to move the photosensitive material 22 to the flat surface portion 2.
Considering the angle θ that can be maintained on a flat surface without being lifted from the upper surface of 8, the angle θ should not exceed 90 °, and is preferably 40 ° to 50 °.

Further, also between the inclined portion 31 and the plane portion 28 and between the inclined portion 30 and the plane portion 28, the photosensitive material 2 is provided along the inclined portion 31 (and the inclined portion 30).
In order to keep the photosensitive material 22 flat by pulling the photosensitive material 22 away from the upper surface of the flat surface portion 28, it is preferable that the photosensitive material 22 be arcuate and continuous.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications can be made. For example, the exposure of the photosensitive material 22 is not limited to scanning exposure, and may be surface exposure.
The application of the water 58 to the photosensitive material 22 is not limited to the application with the sponge 54, and it is possible to use a felt-like material, a roller, a brush, or the like. Polymerization of material 78 may be done manually, etc.
Various means are possible. Further, in the above embodiment, exposure, coating, polymerization, and heat development transfer are performed in the common stage 1.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is of course possible to perform them on separate stages.

Further, in the above embodiment, the inclined portion 31 is integrally formed at the rear end of the stage 12, and the photosensitive material 22 is wound and pulled along the inclined portion 31 and is conveyed while changing the direction of the angle θ. Although the peeling from the material 78 is performed, the means is not limited to the inclined portion 31 and other means is possible. For example, a roller having a desired diameter can be used.

As the light-sensitive material used in the image recording apparatus of the present invention, the latent image obtained by imagewise exposure is heat-developed and transferred to the image-receiving material in the presence of the image-forming solvent to be visible. A so-called photothermographic material (photosensitive material 22 of the above-mentioned embodiment) for obtaining an image can be used.

This heat-developable photosensitive material basically has a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent, a binder and a dye-donating compound (which may also serve as a reducing agent) on a support, and is further required. According to the requirement, an organic metal salt oxidizing agent and the like can be contained.

The photothermographic 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 (a method using a nucleating agent and a light fog method) is used as a silver halide emulsion, and a positive diffusible dye image is emitted. Any method using a dye-donor compound can be adopted.

As the photothermographic material of the type which gives a positive image, those described in, for example, JP-A-6-161070 and JP-A-6-289555 can be used. Examples of the photothermographic material of JP-A-5-181246 and JP-A-6-181246
It is possible to use those described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 242546 or the like.

Further, the image forming solvent in the present invention includes, for example, water, and the water is not limited to so-called pure water, but includes water in a widely and generally used meaning. Further, a mixed solvent of pure water and a low boiling point solvent such as methanol, DMF, acetone or diisobutyl ketone may be used. Furthermore,
It may be a solution containing an image formation accelerator, an antifoggant, a development terminator, a hydrophilic thermal solvent and the like.

[0039]

As described above, in the image recording apparatus of the present invention, a nail is not required for peeling and the peeling between the photosensitive material and the image receiving material can be stabilized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention, as viewed along a conveyance direction of a photosensitive material.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a stage.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a peeled state of the photosensitive material and the image receiving material, as viewed along the transport direction of the photosensitive material.

FIG. 4 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 when each unit such as coating is in a stop position.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 stage 21 supply section 22 photosensitive material 25 winding section 31 inclined section (peeling means) 78 image receiving material

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image recording apparatus for exposing an image of an original on a photosensitive material, superposing the photosensitive material and the image receiving material on each other and performing thermal development transfer to obtain an image on the image receiving material, wherein the photosensitive material is accommodated in a roll form. Supply section for supplying the photosensitive material from one end side thereof, a winding section for winding the photosensitive material supplied from the supply section in a roll shape, and a conveyance path of the photosensitive material between the supply section and the winding section. A stage having a flat holding surface for holding the photosensitive material in a state where the sheet-shaped image receiving material is superposed on the photosensitive material; and, after the thermal development transfer, the photosensitive material is wound and the stage from one end side of the stage. The photosensitive material is conveyed outside and the photosensitive material and the image receiving material are both discharged out of the stage, and the conveying direction of the photosensitive material is changed so as to form an angle θ in the direction away from the image receiving material with respect to the holding surface of the stage. With photosensitive material An image recording apparatus comprising: a peeling unit that peels off an image receiving material. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the angle θ is 40 ° to 50 °.