JPH09307767A - Density correction method and image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set a proper density correction condition by generating a correction condition based on image density of a reference chart and a measured value by a densito-meter and setting a density correction condition in response to the correction condition. SOLUTION: A density correction section 86 receives image data of an image to be recorded from image data supply source R and applies density correction in response to a correction curve to the image data and provides an output of the result to an image processing section 88. Furthermore, the density correction section 86 sets the density correction condition depending on an output of a density correction chart for the density correction condition setting and a density measurement result of the density correction chart by a densito-meter. The image processing section 88 applies prescribed processing to the image data and provides an output to a memory 82 and the image data is read by a recording controller 84 and a thermal head 66 is activated accordingly and the density correction chart for the density correction condition setting on which various density images are recorded are printed out on a thermo sensing film A.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a density correction method applied to image recording in a dry system such as an image recording using a dry recording material which is not wet-processed, and an image recording apparatus implementing the density correction method. Regarding In particular, the present invention relates to a heat-sensitive recording material such as a heat-sensitive recording using a thermal head, which gives a density by coloring a dye and image recording by at least one laser beam and subsequent heat development, or a heat mode of a laser beam or a thermal head. It belongs to the technical field of image recording using a photosensitive and / or heat-sensitive recording material for performing heat-sensitive image recording and a heat-developable photosensitive recording material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a digital radiography system using a stimulable phosphor sheet, an image recording apparatus for recording medical images such as CT and MR, a silver salt photographic light-sensitive material is photographed or recorded and then wet-processed. Wet systems that have been used to obtain reproduced images have been used, but in recent years, recording systems that use dry systems that do not perform wet processing have come to the fore, and one of these is thermal recording materials and photothermographic recording. A heat-sensitive recording device and a heat-developing image recording device using materials and the like can be mentioned. However, since high image quality is required for medical images, these recording materials need to have high sensitivity in order to improve the image quality of the film.
By the way, in image recording of various dry systems such as thermal recording, in addition to the one using an organic silver salt or the like, image recording for producing a density by using a dye as a coloring means is performed.

For example, in heat-sensitive recording, a film is used as a support, and a heat-sensitive recording layer (hereinafter referred to as a heat-sensitive film) in which a heat-sensitive recording layer having a dye as a coloring means is formed on the support, and a heating element are used. Using a thermal head having a glaze that is arranged in one direction, press the glaze of the thermal head slightly against the thermal film (thermosensitive recording layer), and place both in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the glaze. While moving, energy is applied to each heating element of the glaze to heat it according to the recorded image, thereby heating the heat-sensitive recording layer of the heat-sensitive film to perform image recording. Such a thermal image recording does not require a wet development process, and has advantages such as easy handling, so that not only a small image recording such as ultrasonic diagnosis conventionally used, For applications requiring large and high quality images such as CT diagnosis, MRI diagnosis, X-ray diagnosis,
The use for image recording for medical diagnosis is also being considered.

Not only such thermal recording but also various image recording apparatuses such as laser printers and printing plate making apparatuses receive image data (image information) of an image to be recorded from an image data supply source, and use this image data as the image data. , Various kinds of image processing such as sharpness processing, shading correction, etc.
Image data corresponding to the image recording method is used, and the image is recorded on the recording material according to the image data. Here, in the image recording device, an image of a predetermined density is constantly output according to the image data received from various image data supply sources such as a measuring device for diagnosis and an image reading device.
In an apparatus that receives as bit digital data and performs image recording according to this, when 300 digital data corresponds to a density (D) 1.2, when 300 digital data is received, It is required to output an image with a density of 1.2.

However, since there are individual differences among the image recording devices and the density of the recorded image depends on the installation environment of the device, etc., all the devices produce images of a predetermined density according to the supplied image data. It is impossible to output. Therefore, in a normal image recording apparatus, a density correction condition for outputting an image having a predetermined density according to the image data is set according to each image recording apparatus, and the image data correction corresponding to this, that is, the density correction is performed. (So-called calibration) is performed and an image is output. Further, the state of the image recording apparatus changes as recording is performed and with time, so it is difficult to constantly output an image having a predetermined density for a long period of time. For example, if the above-mentioned thermal recording device is used, recording and glaze stains and wear,
Since the resistance value of the heating element changes and the environment (particularly the temperature) also changes, the density of the output image varies with time even with the same image data. Therefore, the density correction condition needs to be updated regularly.

[0006]

Conventionally, such a density correction condition setting (updating) is carried out by a density correction condition setting chart (density correction chart) in which images of various densities are recorded by an image recording apparatus. ) Is output, and the density of the image recorded in this density correction chart is measured with a densitometer, and the image density that the device aimed at (that is, the image density according to the image data) and the actual densitometer were measured. This is done by creating a correction curve from the image density obtained. However, currently used densitometers are made on the basis of an image using silver salt as a coloring means in a wet system, so if the image density of dye coloring such as thermal recording is measured, stable and accurate measurement is possible. Can't do.

That is, in a densitometer which is widely used at present, the sensitivity is generally different depending on the wavelength, but since the absorption of silver salt color in a wet system is constant regardless of the wavelength, the density of the image is measured. In this case, the measurement results consistent with the visual density can be obtained stably, whereas the dye color development has different absorption depending on the wavelength, so the visual density and densitometer should be used when measuring the image density. The measurement result will be different. For example, when an image of silver salt color development in a wet system having a visual density of 2.0 and an image of dye color development in a dry system are measured by the same densitometer, the measurement result of the image density of the silver salt color development of the wet system is: The visual density is 2.0, which is the same as the visual density, whereas the measurement result of the image density of the dye coloring is 1.8, and thus the measurement result is generally low. In addition, such measurement results are different for each densitometer.

Therefore, in the image recording using the dye-color recording material, if the density correction condition is set according to the density measurement result of the density correction chart by the densitometer, the accurate density correction condition cannot be set. For example, it is not possible to perform appropriate and high-quality image recording according to the image data supplied from the image supply source, for example, the density of the recorded image becomes high as a whole. The various problems described above occur not only in the case of image recording using a dye coloring recording material but also in the case of image recording using various recording materials in a dry system (dry type).

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and to obtain the density (form an image) by color development in a dry system that does not perform wet processing.
Regardless of individual differences in the densitometer used to set the density correction conditions in image recording, it is possible to set appropriate density correction conditions according to the recording device, and perform suitable density correction,
An object of the present invention is to provide a density correction method capable of stably recording a high-quality image according to image data supplied from an image supply source, and an image recording apparatus using this density correction method.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the density correction method of the present invention sets a density correction condition in an image recording apparatus in image recording using a dry recording material that does not undergo wet processing. A density correction method for outputting a density correction chart for measuring the image density of the density correction chart with a densitometer and setting the density correction condition for image recording in the apparatus using the density measurement value. Then, using a reference chart for densitometer correction with known density and corresponding visual density, the image density of this reference chart is measured by a densitometer that performs density measurement of the density correction chart, and the reference A correction condition is created from the image density of the chart and the measurement value of the densitometer so that the measurement value of the densitometer matches the image density of the reference chart. Provides a density correction method characterized by setting the density correction condition according to the correction condition.

Here, it is preferable that the recording material is a recording material that develops a substantially black color by coloring a dye, and the recording material is subjected to heat development after image recording with at least one light beam. It is preferably a photosensitive and / or heat-sensitive recording material, or a heat-developable photosensitive recording material, which is caused to develop a color by carrying out or by a laser beam heat mode or image recording by a thermal head.

Furthermore, the image recording apparatus of the present invention is an image recording apparatus which uses a dry recording material which does not undergo wet processing, and which outputs a density correction chart and measures the image density of the density correction chart. A densitometer for, and a reference chart for densitometer correction whose density is known and corresponded to the visual density, from the density measurement value of the reference chart by the densitometer and the image density of the reference chart, the densitometer A densitometer correction unit that sets a correction condition for correcting the density measurement value so as to match the image density of the reference chart, and an image density of the density correction chart is measured by the densitometer, and is corrected by the densitometer correction unit. And a setting unit configured to correct the density measurement value by the densitometer according to the condition and set the density correction condition for image recording from the corrected density measurement value. To provide an image recording apparatus.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The density correction method and image recording apparatus of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a heat-sensitive recording apparatus which is an example of the image recording apparatus of the present invention for carrying out the density correction method of the present invention. In the following description, thermal image recording by color development will be described as a typical example of image recording in a dry system, but the density correction method and the image recording apparatus of the present invention are not limited to this, and wet processing is not performed. It can be suitably used for various image recording using a recording material in a dry system. As the recording material usable in the present invention, a coloring matter is used as a coloring means.
For example, not only a recording material that develops almost black color, especially a thermal recording material that records an image with a thermal head, but also an image is recorded (exposed) by a light beam such as at least one laser beam, and then thermally developed to develop a color. Or a heat-sensitive (/ heat-sensitive) laser beam, or an image is recorded by a thermal head, and at the same time or by subsequent thermal development, a photosensitive and / or heat-sensitive recording material, and at least one laser beam An image is recorded (exposed) by a light beam like that, and then thermally developed to develop a color, or an image is recorded by a laser beam heat mode (heat) or a thermal head and simultaneously or subsequently developed by a thermal development. Examples thereof include a photothermographic material.

The thermal recording apparatus 10 (hereinafter referred to as "
The recording device 10 is a heat-sensitive recording film (hereinafter, referred to as a recording sheet 10) which is a cut sheet of a predetermined size such as B4 size.
A heat-sensitive image is recorded on the heat-sensitive film A) to create a monochrome image. The loading section 14 in which the magazine 24 containing the heat-sensitive film A is loaded,
The supply / conveyance unit 16, the recording unit 20 for recording a heat-sensitive image on the heat-sensitive film A by the thermal head 66, and the discharge unit 22 are configured.

In such a recording apparatus 10, the thermal transfer film A is transferred to the recording unit 20 by the supply transfer unit 16 and the thermal head 66 is pressed against the thermal film A while the glaze 66a extends in the extending direction (see FIG. 1). Further, the heat sensitive film A is conveyed in a direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 2) and each heat generating element point is heated in accordance with the recorded image, thereby performing heat sensitive image recording on the heat sensitive film A.

The heat-sensitive film A comprises a transparent film such as a transparent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film as a support and a heat-sensitive recording layer formed on one surface thereof. The heat-sensitive recording layer uses a dye as a coloring means. To use.
Such a heat-sensitive film A is usually formed into a laminated body (bundle) of a predetermined unit such as 100 sheets and packaged in a bag or a band. In the illustrated example, the heat-sensitive recording layer is kept in a predetermined unit bundle. Is stored in the magazine 24 of the recording device 10 with the bottom face as
The sheets are taken out from the magazine 24 one by one and used for thermal image recording.

The magazine 24 is a casing having a lid 26 that can be opened and closed, and accommodates the thermosensitive film A to store the recording device 1 therein.
0 is loaded into the loading section 14. The loading section 14 includes an insertion opening 30, a guide plate 32, guide rolls 34 and 34 formed in a housing 28 of the recording apparatus 10, and a stop member 36.
The magazine 24 is inserted into the recording device 10 from the insertion port 30 with the lid 26 side first, and the guide plate 32 is inserted.
Also, the recording device 1 is guided by the guide roll 34 and pushed into a position where it abuts against the stop member 36.
It is loaded at a predetermined position of 0.

The feeding / conveying means 16 takes out the thermosensitive film A from the magazine 24 loaded in the loading section 14 and conveys it to the recording section 20, and uses a sucker 40 for adsorbing the thermosensitive film A by suction. It has a mechanism, a conveyance means 42, a conveyance guide 44, and a regulation roller pair 52 located at the exit of the conveyance guide 44. The transport means 42 is
The conveying roller 46, a pulley 47 a coaxial with the conveying roller 46, a pulley 47 b connected to a rotation drive source, and a tension pulley 47 c, an endless belt 48 stretched over the three pulleys, and pressed by the conveying roller 46 Nip roller 50, and the leading end of the heat-sensitive film A sheet-leaved by the suction cup 40
6 and the nip roller 50 to convey the heat-sensitive film A.

When a recording start instruction is issued in the recording device 10, the lid 26 is opened by an opening / closing mechanism (not shown), and the sheet-fed mechanism using the suction cup 40 takes out one of the heat-sensitive films A from the magazine 24. The leading end of A is supplied to the conveying means 42 (conveying roller 46 and nip roller 50). When the heat-sensitive film A is nipped by the conveyance roller 46 and the nip roller 50, the suction by the suction cup 40 is released, and the supplied heat-sensitive film A is guided by the conveyance guide 44 to the regulating roller pair 52 by the conveyance means 42. Conveyed. When the heat-sensitive film A to be used for recording is completely discharged from the magazine 24, the lid 26 is closed by the opening / closing means.

The distance defined by the transport guide 44 from the transport means 42 to the regulating roller pair 52 is set to be slightly shorter than the length of the heat sensitive film A in the transport direction, and the heat sensitive film A is transported by the transport means 42. The leading end of the sheet reaches the regulation roller pair 52, but the regulation roller pair 52 is initially stopped, and the leading edge of the heat-sensitive film A is temporarily stopped and positioned here. When the tip of the heat-sensitive film A reaches the regulation roller pair 52, the temperature of the thermal head 66 (glaze 66a) is confirmed, and the thermal head 66 is detected.
If the temperature is a predetermined temperature, the regulation roller pair 52 starts to convey the heat-sensitive film A, and the heat-sensitive film A is conveyed to the recording unit 20.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the recording unit 20 and a block diagram of the image recording control system. The recording unit 20 has a thermal head 66, a platen roller 60, a cleaning roller pair 56, a guide 58, a cooling fan 76 (see FIG. 1) for cooling the thermal head 66, and a guide 62. The thermal head 66 is capable of recording an image up to a maximum B4 size, for example, and records about 300 dpi (pixels).
A thermal head for performing high-density thermal image recording, in which heating elements for thermal recording on the thermal film A are arranged in one direction (perpendicular to the paper surface in FIGS. 1 and 2) to form a glaze 66a. It has a main body 66b and a heat sink 66c fixed to the thermal head main body 66b. The thermal head 66 has an arrow a around a fulcrum 68a.
The support member 68 is rotatable in the opposite and opposite directions.

The platen roller 60 is rotated at a predetermined image recording speed while holding the heat sensitive film A at a predetermined position, and the heat sensitive film A is moved in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the glaze 66a (direction of arrow b in FIG. 2). To transport. The cleaning roller pair 56 is a roller pair including an adhesive rubber roller 56a and a normal roller 56b.
a removes dust and the like attached to the heat-sensitive recording layer of the heat-sensitive film A, thereby preventing dust from adhering to the glaze 66a and preventing dust from adversely affecting image recording.

In the recording apparatus 10 of the illustrated example, before the heat-sensitive film A is conveyed, the support member 68 moves upward (arrow a).
(The direction opposite to the direction), the thermal head 66
The (glaze 66a) and the platen roller 60 are not in contact with each other. When the transport by the above-mentioned regulation roller pair 52 is started, the heat-sensitive film A is then nipped by the cleaning roller pair 56 and further transported while being guided by the guide 58. When the leading edge of the thermosensitive film A is conveyed to the recording start position (the position corresponding to the glaze 66a), the support member 68 rotates in the direction of the arrow a, and the thermosensitive film A moves the glaze 66a of the thermal head 66 and the platen roller 60. And the glaze 66a is pressed against the recording layer by the platen roller 60.
Held in place by the platen roller 60
(And the pair of regulating rollers 52 and the pair of conveying rollers 63) are conveyed in the direction of arrow b.

Along with this conveyance, the heat-sensitive image recording is performed on the heat-sensitive film A by heating the heating elements of the glaze 66a according to the recorded image. Here, in the recording apparatus 10 of the present invention, this thermal image recording is performed by the following recording control system.

As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2, the thermal head 66 (thermal head main body 66b) includes an image processing device 80, an image memory 82, and a recording control device 8.
4 are connected.

The image data from the image data supply source R such as CT or MRI is sent to the image processing device 80. The image processing apparatus 80 is a combination of various image processing circuits and memories, and includes a density correction unit 86 that performs density correction,
An image processing unit 88 for performing various types of image processing such as sharpness correction is configured to receive image data (image information) from an image data supply source R, perform various types of correction and processing, and perform thermal recording. The heat-sensitive recorded image data according to the above.
Further, the density correction unit 86 includes a densitometer measurement value correction unit 90.
(Hereinafter, referred to as measurement value correction unit 90) is connected. The density correction unit 86 and the measurement value correction unit 90 are characteristic parts of the (image) recording apparatus according to the present invention, and are portions that perform the density correction method of the present invention.

As described above, since there are individual differences in the recording devices and the installation environment is different, all recording devices are
It is impossible to output an image having a predetermined density according to the image data supplied from the image data supply source R. Furthermore, the state of the recording apparatus changes with time, and for example, in the case of the recording apparatus 10 in the illustrated example, glaze stains and abrasion,
The resistance value of the heating element changes, and the recording density for the image data also changes with time. Therefore, in the recording apparatus 10, a density correction condition for outputting an image having a predetermined density according to the image data is set for each image recording apparatus, and the image data is corrected according to this, that is, the density correction (calibration). )I do. Further, in order to cope with the change with time, the density correction condition needs to be updated regularly, for example, every one week.

The density correction section 86 is a section that receives image data of an image to be recorded from the image data supply source R, performs density correction on the image data according to a correction curve described later, and outputs the image data to the image processing section 88. . In addition, the density correction unit 8
6 also outputs the density correction chart for setting the density correction condition, and sets the density correction condition according to the density measurement result of the density correction chart by the densitometer.

The density correction condition is basically set as follows. When the operator (service person) or the control device of the entire recording apparatus 10 issues an instruction to set (update) the density correction condition, the density correction unit 86 causes the image data of the density correction chart used for the density correction condition setting. Is output to the image processing unit 88. After that, the image processing unit 88 performs a predetermined process on the image data and outputs the image data to the memory 82 in the same manner as the normal image recording, and the image data is read by the recording control device 84, and the thermal head 66. Operates accordingly, and as described above, the density correction chart 92 for setting the density correction conditions in which the images of various densities are recorded on the thermal film A is recorded as described above. And output. The image processing unit 8
8, the operation of the memory 82 and the recording control device 84 will be described in detail later.

The density of each image on the density correction chart 92 is measured by a densitometer, and the measurement result is input to the density correction unit 86. In response to the measurement result, the density correction unit 86 receives the density measurement result and the image density targeted by the recording apparatus 10, that is, the image density according to the image data of the density correction chart output by the density correction unit 86, A density correction condition, for example, a correction curve of the image data is set and stored so that the density of the image output by the recording device 10 becomes a predetermined density according to the image data.

Here, as described above, when an image by silver salt color development is measured by a densitometer, a measurement result consistent with the visual density can be stably obtained, whereas the recording device 10 for thermal recording. When the density of the image due to dye coloring is measured with a densitometer, the measurement result is different from the visual density,
Further, since the measurement result is different for each densitometer, it is impossible to set an appropriate density correction condition. On the other hand, in the recording apparatus 10 according to the present invention, a densitometer is used by using a sheet 96 on which a reference chart 94 having a known density and corresponding visual density is recorded, as shown in FIG. The correction condition for correcting the density measurement value is set, and the measurement value correction unit 90 corrects the measurement result by the densitometer and supplies it to the density correction unit 86 to set the density correction condition.

The correction condition setting of the measurement value of the densitometer is performed as follows. First, a reference chart 94 for densitometer correction, which has a known density and is compatible with visual density, is formed with the same dye as that of the image recording to be performed, that is, in the illustrated example, the color is developed with the dye used for thermal recording. The recorded sheet 96 is prepared. Although the density (D) of each image of the reference chart 94 is described on the sheet 96 in the example shown in FIG. 4, the present invention is not limited to this, and the density of the reference chart 94 is known. Sheet 9 if available
The concentration need not be stated in 6. A service person (operator) sets the recording device 10 to a condition for setting correction conditions for the densitometer measurement values (measurement value correction condition setting mode), and then uses a densitometer to set the density correction conditions for each of the reference charts 94. The image density is measured, and the measurement result and the image density of the reference chart 94 are input by the input means 98. The input unit 98 and the condition setting mode instructing unit may be the operation panel of the recording apparatus 10. Further, the density measurement result of the density correction chart 92 under the above-described density correction condition is also input from the input means 98.

The density measurement result and the image density of the reference chart 94 are sent to the measurement value correction section 90. The measurement value correction unit 90 calculates the density measurement result by the densitometer and the reference chart 9 based on the density measurement result and the image density of the reference chart 94.
The correction conditions for the densitometer measurement values are set so that the image densities of No. 4 and 4 coincide, and are stored as a correction function or a table. For example, in the case where the density measurement result and the image density of the reference chart 94 are as shown in FIG. 5A, the measurement value correction unit 90 converts the densitometer measurement value to the target value, and the measurement value correction unit 90 converts the density value as shown in FIG. ), A correction curve of the densitometer measurement value is created and stored as a table.

In the recording apparatus 10 according to the present invention,
In the setting of the density correction condition described above, the density measurement result of the density correction chart 92 input from the input means 98 for setting is corrected by the measurement value correction unit 90 according to the set correction condition of the measurement value of the densitometer. Then, the density correction unit 86 sets the density correction condition using this correction value. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to set an appropriate density correction condition according to the recording apparatus regardless of individual difference of the densitometer in the image recording by coloring the dye, and the high image quality of the density according to the image data is obtained. A stable image can be output.

It is not necessary to set the correction condition for the measured value of the densitometer periodically like the setting of the density correction condition, and when the densitometer used for setting the density correction condition is changed or due to repair or the like. It should be performed only when the measurement characteristics of the densitometer have changed. Of course, it is also possible to make a judgment based on the image quality of the output image of the recording device 10 and to reset the correction condition of the densitometer measurement value if necessary. Further, in the above example, both the density measurement result and the image density of the reference chart 94 are input when setting the correction conditions for the densitometer measurement value, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the measurement The image density of the reference chart 94 may be stored in the value correction unit 90, and only the measurement result may be input.

As described above, the image data from the image data supply source R such as CT or MRI is sent to the image processing apparatus 80, where the density correction section 86 performs density correction, and then the image processing section 88. Sent to. The image processing unit 88
Image data from the density correction unit 86 is received, and sharpness correction (sharpness processing) for emphasizing the contour of the image is performed on this image data; Gradation for obtaining an appropriate image according to the γ value or the like of the thermosensitive film A Correction: Temperature correction for adjusting heat generation energy according to the temperature of the thermal recording point; Glaze 66c
Shading correction that corrects the density difference between the central part and both ends; resistance correction that corrects the difference in the resistance value of the heating element at each thermosensitive recording point; the same density is supported regardless of the resistance value change of the heating element due to heating Performs predetermined image processing such as black ratio correction to develop the image data with the same density, and further formats (enlarges or reduces,
(Frame allocation) is performed and image data is recorded in the image memory 8 as thermal recording image data corresponding to thermal recording by the thermal head 66.
Output to 2.

The recording control device 84 sequentially reads the thermosensitive recording image data stored in the image memory 82 line by line in the extending direction of the glaze 66a and outputs a recording signal (corresponding to the image) corresponding to the read thermosensitive recording image data. The voltage application time width) is output to the thermal head 66. At each image recording point of the thermal head 66, heat is generated according to the recording signal, and as described above, the thermal image recording is performed while the thermal film A is conveyed in the direction of the arrow b by the platen roller 60 or the like.

Thermal film A for which thermal image recording has been completed
While being guided by the guide 62, is transported to the platen roller 60 and the transport roller pair 63 and discharged to the tray 72 of the discharge unit 22. The tray 72 is projected to the outside of the recording apparatus 10 via a discharge port 74 formed in the housing 28, and the thermal film A on which an image is recorded is discharged to the outside via the discharge port 74 and taken out.

In the example described above, the densitometer for setting the density correction condition is arranged outside the apparatus. However, in the image recording apparatus of the present invention, the inside of the apparatus, the recording apparatus 10 of the illustrated example.
In this case, a densitometer may be arranged on the downstream side of the thermal head 66, the density of the density correction chart 92 may be measured in the apparatus, and the density correction condition may be set. Therefore, in this case, it is also possible that the apparatus automatically performs periodical correction of the density correction condition.
Further, when the densitometer is arranged in the device, the reference chart can be made to flow in the same manner as the recording material, and other than that, the densitometer measurement value correction condition can be automatically set. is there.

As an example of the heat-sensitive recording material A that develops a substantially black color by using a dye that can be used in the present invention as a coloring means, transparent polyethylene terephthalate (PE
T) A resin film such as a film, a support such as paper, and a heat-sensitive recording layer having a moisture content of 6 wt% or less, preferably 5 wt% or less, formed on one surface of the support. Japanese Patent Application No. 6-2199 filed by the applicant of the present invention, which has a thermosensitive coloring layer in which a color-developing agent and a color-developing agent which are separated from each other at room temperature are brought into contact with each other by heating.
The heat-sensitive recording material disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 19 can be mentioned.

Specifically, the support used in the heat-sensitive material used here is a resin made of polyester such as PET or polybutylene terephthalate, cellulose triacetate, polyolefin such as polypropylene or polyethylene, or polyvinylidene chloride. All the materials used for known heat-sensitive materials such as films and papers can be used. Also,
According to the thermosensitive recording system of the present invention, even if the thermosensitive material having the high-rigidity film as the support is used, the thermal head 66
The wear of the protective film can be extremely reduced. The thickness of the support is not particularly limited, but generally 2
It is about 5 μm to 200 μm. The present invention can be suitably used for transfer type thermal recording, but in this case,
The donor sheet of the transfer type thermal recording material generally has a thickness of 0.
Use the one having a thickness of 5 μm or more.

Further, the light-sensitive material used here may have a light reflection preventing layer on the back surface side of the heat-sensitive recording layer, if necessary. There is no particular limitation on the antireflection layer, and a known material comprising a binder such as methylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, an acrylic resin, and starch, and fine particles obtained from cereals, fine particles of resin such as polystyrene and polyurethane, and the like. A light reflection preventing layer may be used.

The color-forming agent and the color-developing agent of the color-developing layer, which are colored by heat-sensitive recording, are both substantially colorless before coloring.
The components which come into contact with each other by heating to cause a color forming reaction. There are no particular limitations on the color former and developer of the heat-sensitive material A used in the present invention, and various known combinations can be used. For example, the following (A) to (S)
Are exemplified.

(A) Combination of electron-donating dye precursor and electron-accepting compound (b) Combination of photodegradable diazo compound and coupler (c) Organic metal salt such as silver behenate or silver stearate When,
Combination with reducing agents such as protocatechinic acid and spiroindane (d) Combination of long-chain fatty acid salts such as ferric stearate and ferric myristate with phenols such as gallic acid and ammonium salicylate (e) Acetic acid Combination of an organic acid heavy metal salt such as nickel or copper stearate with an alkaline earth metal sulfide such as potassium sulfide or strontium sulfide or an organic chelating agent such as s-diphenylcarbazide or diphenylcarbazone. (Heavy) metal sulfides such as lead sulfide and Na-
Combination with sulfur compounds such as tetrathionate and sodium thiothiosulfate (x) Aliphatic ferric salts such as ferric stearate and ferral pelargonate and aromatic compounds such as 3,4-dihydroxytetraphenylmethane Combination with polyhydroxy compound or carbamide such as thiocetyl carbamide or isothiocetyl carbamide. (C) Combination with organic noble metal salt such as silver oxalate and organic polyhydroxy compound such as glycerin or glycol. Combination of an organic acid lead salt such as lead pelargonate and a thiourea derivative such as ethylene thiourea or N-dodecyl thiourea (co) Higher fatty acid (heavy) metal salt such as ferric stearate or copper stearate, and dialkyl Combination with zinc dithiocarbamate (sa) Combination with resorcinol and nitroso compound The combination of not like, and combinations to form the oxazine dye (sheet) formazan compound, a reducing agent and / or a metal salt

Among them, in particular, the combination of (a) the electron-donating dye precursor and the electron-accepting compound, the combination of (a) the photodecomposable diazo compound and the coupler, and (c) the organometallic salt and reduction. A combination of agents is preferred,
Particularly, the combination of (A) and (A) is more preferable, and particularly, the combination of (A) is preferable from the viewpoint of image clarity.

The electron-donating dye precursor (color former) in the combination of (a) has a property of developing a color by donating electrons or by accepting a proton like an acid. Various known materials used for heat-sensitive materials can be used as long as they have such properties and are substantially colorless. Specifically, phthalide derivatives such as triphenylmethanephthalide derivatives and indolylphthalide derivatives (see US Pat. No. 3,491,111), fluoran derivatives (see US Pat. No. 3,624,107), phenothiazine derivatives, Leuco auramine derivatives, rhodamine lactam derivatives, triphenylmethane derivatives, triazenes, spiropyrans, fluorene derivatives (see Japanese Patent Application No. 61-240989, etc.), pyridine derivatives and pyrazine derivatives (US Pat. No. 3,775,424) See, for example). Among these electron-donating dye precursors, particularly, “2-arylamino-3-R-6-substituted aminofluorane”
(R represents hydrogen, halogen, an alkyl group and an alkoxy group) ”are specifically used, and specifically, 2-anilino-3-methyl-6-diethylaminofluorane, 2-anilino- 3-methyl-6-N-cyclohexyl-N-methylaminofluorane, 2-p-
Chloroanilino-3-methyl-6-dibutylaminofluoran and the like are exemplified.

Examples of the electron-accepting compound (developing agent) to be combined with the above-mentioned electron-donating dye precursor include phenols, organic acids or metal salts thereof, and acidic substances such as oxybenzoic acid esters. . Specifically, p-
Phenols such as phenylphenol and cumylphenol; 2,2-bis (4'-hydroxyphenyl) propane, 2,2-bis (4'-hydroxyphenyl) pentane, 1,1-bis- (4'-hydroxy) Bisphenols such as phenyl) cyclohexane; 3,5-di-α-
Salicylic acid derivatives such as methylbenzylsalicylic acid and 3,5-tert-butylsalicylic acid or polyvalent metal (particularly zinc and aluminum) salts; benzyl p-hydroxybenzoate, 2-ethylhexyl p-hydroxybenzoate and the like Oxybenzoic esters;
In particular, bisphenols are preferably used from the viewpoint of improving the color developability and the like. Also, such a developer is
It is also disclosed in JP-A-61-291183. In addition, such an electron-accepting compound accounts for 50 to 800% by weight of the above-mentioned electron-donating dye precursor, particularly 100% by weight.
Preferably, it is used in an amount of up to 500% by weight.

In the combination of the photodecomposable diazo compound (a) and the coupler, the photodecomposable diazo compound (color former) is a compound which reacts with the coupler (color developer) to develop a desired color. Examples thereof include aromatic diazonium salts, diazosulfonate compounds and diazoamino compounds. The aromatic diazonium salt has the following general formula “ArN ₂
⁺ X ^- (Ar is an aromatic ring which may have a substituent, N
₂ ⁺ represents a diazonium group, and X ^- represents an acid anion) ”). The diazosulfonate compound is obtained by treating various diazonium salts with a sulfite. The diazoamino compound is a compound obtained by coupling a diazo group with dicyandiamide, sarcosine, methyltaurine, or the like. Incidentally, these photodegradable diazo compounds are disclosed in JP-A-2-136286.

As couplers to be combined with such a photodecomposable diazo compound, 2-hydroxy-3-naphthoic acid anilide, resorcin, and further JP-A-62-
The compound disclosed in 146678 is exemplified.

As the color former and the color developer, (a)
In the heat-sensitive material A using the photodegradable diazo compound and the coupler in combination, a basic substance such as an organic ammonium salt, an organic amine, or a thiazole may be added, if necessary, in order to promote the coupling reaction. It may be.

In the heat-sensitive material used here, such a color-developing agent and a color-developing agent may be solid-dispersed in the color-developing layer by a known method, but the transparency of the color-developing layer is improved and both of them are kept at room temperature. From the viewpoints of preventing fogging (improvement in storage stability) due to contact with the above, controlling color development sensitivity, and the like, it is preferable that the microcapsules are dispersed in the color forming layer. Various known methods such as an interfacial polymerization method, an internal polymerization method, and an external polymerization method can be used for producing such microcapsules. In particular, after emulsifying a core substance containing a color former and a developer in an aqueous solution in which a water-soluble substance such as gelatin or polyvinyl alcohol is dissolved, an interfacial weight forming a wall of a polymer substance around the oil droplets is obtained. Legal is preferably used. In addition, as a high molecular substance which forms a wall, polyurethane, polyurea, polyamide, etc. are illustrated. In order to control the energy of color development, a plurality of microcapsules having capsule walls having different glass transition temperatures may be mixed and used.

In the heat-sensitive material used in the present invention, in particular, in order to improve the transparency of the color forming layer, it is preferable to microencapsulate the color forming agent and use the color developing agent as an emulsion dispersion. That is, after the developer is dissolved in an organic solvent that is hardly soluble or insoluble in water, this solution is mixed with an aqueous phase having a water-soluble polymer containing a surfactant as a protective colloid, and emulsified and dispersed. It is preferably used as a product.

In the present invention, as described above, in addition to the above-mentioned heat-sensitive recording material, a photosensitive and / or heat-sensitive recording material, a heat-developable photosensitive recording material and the like can be used. For example, as an example of the photosensitive and / or heat-sensitive recording material used in the present invention, a monochrome or color recording material described in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-333724 filed by the same applicant, for example, a green laser beam is used. Black and white or color recording materials using red laser light or infrared laser light can be mentioned. This monochrome or color recording material has an electron-donating colorless dye encapsulated in a thermoresponsive microcapsule, and an electron acceptor and a polymerizable vinyl monomer in the same molecule in addition to the thermoresponsive microcapsule. A photosensitive heat-sensitive recording layer containing a compound, or an electron-accepting developer and a polymerizable vinyl monomer, and a photopolymerization initiator, for example, an organic borate salt compound, particularly an organic borate salt compound of a cationic dye, is provided on a support. It is a light and heat sensitive recording material.

By the way, the above-mentioned organic borate salt compound is preferably a compound represented by the following general formula (1).

[Chemical 1]In the formula, M is an alkali metal atom, quaternary ammonium,
Ridinium, quinolinium, diazonium, morpholini
Um, tetrazolium, acridinium, phosphonium
Mu, sulfonium, oxosulfonium, sulfur, oxygen,
Carbon, halogenium, Cu, Ag, Hg, Pd, Fe,
Selected from Co, Sn, Mo, Cr, Ni, As, Se
Cation, n is an integer of 1 to 6, R¹, R^Two, R
^ThreeAnd R ^FourIs a halogen atom, substituted or
A substituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group,
A substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, alicyclic group, substituted or unsubstituted
Substituted aryl group, substituted or unsubstituted alkaryl
Group, substituted or unsubstituted aryloxyl group, substituted or
An unsubstituted aralkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group,
It represents a substituted or unsubstituted silyl group. Where R¹, R
^Two, R^ThreeAnd R^FourMay be the same or different from each other
And two or more of these groups combine to form a cyclic structure.
You may.

In addition to the thermoresponsive microcapsules, this light and heat sensitive recording material is a methine dye, polymethine dye, triarylmethane dye, indoline having a maximum absorption wavelength in the wavelength range of 500 to 1100 nm as a spectral sensitizing dye. It is preferable to contain a dye selected from the group consisting of dyes, azine dyes, xanthene dyes, oxazine dyes, acridine dyes and styryl dyes. Here, the dye having the maximum absorption wavelength in the wavelength range of 500 to 1100 nm is preferably a dye selected from the group consisting of a cyanine dye, a hemicyanine dye, a rhodamine dye, and an azamethine dye.

The organic borate salt compound is preferably an organic borate salt of a cationic dye, and the organic borate salt of a cationic dye is preferably a compound represented by the following general formula (2).

Embedded image In the formula, D ⁺ represents a cationic dye, and R ¹ , R ² , R ³ and R ⁴ each represent a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group. Alicyclic group, substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, substituted or unsubstituted alkaryl group, substituted or unsubstituted aryloxyl group, substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group, substituted or unsubstituted Represents a substituted silyl group. Where R ¹ , R ² , R ³
And R ⁴ may be the same or different from each other, and two or more of these groups may be bonded to form a cyclic structure.

The cationic dye is a cationic methine dye, a cationic polymethine dye, a cationic triarylmethane dye, a cationic indoline dye, a cationic azine dye, a cationic xanthene dye, a cationic oxazine dye, a cationic acridine. The dye is preferably a dye selected from the group consisting of dyes and cationic styryl dyes, or a dye selected from the group consisting of cationic cyanine dyes, cationic hemicyanine dyes, cationic rhodamine dyes, and cationic azamethine dyes.

Further, the light and heat sensitive recording material is exposed from the exposure light source side toward the support side of the recording material to the first photosensitive layer which is exposed to the light of the central wavelength λ1, the intermediate layer which absorbs the light of the central wavelength λ1, A second photosensitive layer that is exposed to light having a central wavelength λ2 and develops a color different from that of the first photosensitive layer, ..., central wavelength λi-1
, An i-th photosensitive layer that is exposed to light having a central wavelength λi and develops a color different from that of the (i-1) -th photosensitive layer. It is preferable that the photosensitive layer has a layer structure in which at least one photosensitive layer is laminated on the support, and the central wavelength is λ1 <λ2 <... <λi.
Here, i represents an integer of 2 or more.

Next, as an example of the heat-developable photosensitive recording material used in the present invention, 50% or more of the binder is composed of latex on one surface of the support, and an organic silver salt and an organic silver salt are used. Examples thereof include a photosensitive or heat-sensitive heat development recording material having an image recording layer containing the reducing agent. Here, this heat-developable recording material, in the image recording layer or another layer on the same surface of the image recording layer and the support,
It is preferable to contain at least one of a toning agent, a polyhalogen compound and silver halide grains. In addition, the latex constituting the binder of the image recording layer is 25
It is preferable that the polymer has an equilibrium water content of 2% by weight or less at 60 ° C. and RH.

The organic silver salt that can be used here is relatively stable to light, but in the presence of an exposed photocatalyst (such as a latent image of photosensitive silver halide) and a reducing agent,
A silver salt that forms a silver image when heated to 0 ° C. or higher. The organic silver salt can be any organic substance including a source capable of reducing silver ions. Silver salts of organic acids, particularly silver salts of long-chain fatty carboxylic acids (having 10 to 30, preferably 15 to 28 carbon atoms) are preferable. The ligand is 4.0-1
Complexes of organic or inorganic silver salts having a complex stability constant in the range of 0.0 are also preferred. The silver-providing substance can preferably constitute about 5 to 70% by weight of the image forming layer. Preferred organic silver salts include silver salts of organic compounds having a carboxyl group. Examples of these include, but are not limited to, silver salts of aliphatic carboxylic acids and silver salts of aromatic carboxylic acids. Preferred examples of the silver salt of the aliphatic carboxylic acid include silver behenate, silver arachidate, silver stearate, silver oleate, silver laurate, silver caproate, silver myristate, silver palmitate, silver maleate, and fumarate. Included are silver citrate, silver tartrate, silver linoleate, silver butyrate and camphor citrate, and compounds thereof.

The reducing agent for the organic silver salt may be any substance that reduces silver ions to metallic silver, preferably an organic substance. Conventional photographic developers such as phenidone, hydroquinone and catechol are useful, but hindered phenol reducing agents are preferred. The reducing agent is preferably contained in an amount of 5 to 50 mol% and more preferably 10 to 40 mol% with respect to 1 mol of silver on the surface having the image forming layer. The reducing agent-containing layer may be any layer on the side having the image forming layer. When it is added to layers other than the image forming layer, it is preferable to use a large amount of 10 to 50 mol% relative to 1 mol of silver. Further, the reducing agent may be a so-called precursor which is derivatized so as to have a function effectively only during development.

Further, at least one of the image forming layers contains the polymer latex described below in 50% of all binders.
It is a photosensitive layer containing at least wt%. However, the "polymer latex" referred to here is a dispersion of a water-insoluble hydrophobic polymer as fine particles in a water-soluble dispersion medium. As the dispersed state, the polymer is emulsified in the dispersion medium, emulsion-polymerized, micelle-dispersed, or the polymer chain has a partially hydrophilic structure and the molecular chains themselves are molecularly dispersed. Any of these may be used. The average particle size of the dispersed particles is preferably 1 to 50000 nm, more preferably 5 to 1000 nm. The particle size distribution of the dispersed particles is not particularly limited, and may be a wide particle size distribution or a monodisperse particle size distribution. The polymer latex may be a so-called core / shell type latex, in addition to the ordinary polymer latex having a uniform structure. In this case, it may be preferable to change the glass transition temperature of the core and the shell. The minimum film forming temperature (MFT) of this polymer latex is -30 ° C to 90 ° C.
More preferably, the temperature is from 0 ° C to 70 ° C. A film-forming auxiliary may be added to control the minimum film-forming temperature. The film-forming aid is also called a plasticizer and is an organic compound (usually an organic solvent) that lowers the minimum film-forming temperature of polymer latex.
It is.

The polymer species used in this polymer latex include acrylic resin, vinyl acetate resin, polyester resin, polyurethane resin, rubber resin, vinyl chloride resin, vinylidene chloride resin, polyolefin resin, and copolymers thereof. . The polymer may be a linear polymer, a branched polymer, or a crosslinked polymer. The polymer may be a so-called homopolymer obtained by polymerizing a single monomer, or 2
A copolymer obtained by polymerizing one or more kinds of monomers may be used. In the case of a copolymer, it may be a random copolymer or a block copolymer. The number average molecular weight of the polymer is 5000
It is preferably about 1 to 1,000,000, preferably about 10,000 to 100,000. If the molecular weight is too small, the mechanical strength of the photosensitive layer is insufficient, and if it is too large, the film-forming property is poor, which is not preferable.

The polymer of the polymer latex used here preferably has an equilibrium water content of 2 wt% or less at 25 ° C. and 60% RH, more preferably 1 wt% or less. Specific examples of the polymer latex used as the binder are as follows. For example, latex of methyl methacrylate / ethyl acrylate / methacrylic acid copolymer, methyl methacrylate / 2
Ethylhexyl acrylate / styrene / acrylic acid copolymer latex, styrene / butadiene / acrylic acid copolymer latex, styrene / butadiene /
Examples thereof include latex of divinylbenzene / methacrylic acid copolymer, latex of methylmethacrylate / vinyl chloride / acrylic acid copolymer, latex of vinylidene chloride / ethyl acrylate / acrylonitrile / methacrylic acid copolymer, and the like. These polymers may be used alone, or may be used by blending two or more kinds as necessary.

In this photosensitive layer, 50% by weight or more of the total binder is the above polymer latex, but 70% by weight or more is preferably the above polymer latex. If necessary, hydrophilic polymers such as gelatin, polyvinyl alcohol, methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose may be added to this photosensitive layer in the range of 50 wt% or less of the total binder. The addition amount of these hydrophilic polymers is 30 wt% of the total binder of the photosensitive layer.
% Or less is preferable. This photosensitive layer is formed by applying an aqueous coating solution and then drying it.

The heat-sensitive and / or photosensitive recording material and the heat-developable photosensitive recording material as described above are applied to the heat-sensitive recording apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 in which an image can be recorded and reproduced by the above-mentioned thermal head 66. Alternatively, as another embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention for carrying out the density correction method of the present invention, an image is recorded in the exposure mode or the heat mode by using the laser shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
It can also be applied to the image recording apparatus 100 that performs heat development thereafter. FIG. 6 is a side view showing another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention which uses the above-mentioned photosensitive and / or photosensitive recording material or the photothermographic material as a photothermographic material sheet, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a side view showing still another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention using a photosensitive material sheet. Here, in the recording control system of the image recording apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 6 and the recording control system of the thermal recording apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, the target image data is the exposure recording image data or laser in the exposure mode of the laser light source 101. Light source 10
The heat mode recording image data in the heat mode of No. 1 is the thermal recording image data of the thermal head 66, and the recording control device 84 is the laser light source 1.
No. 01 (driver) is connected to the thermal head 66, except that the thermal head 66 is connected to the thermal head 66. A number is attached and the description is omitted.

In the image recording apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 6, laser light 101a modulated by a multi-tone image signal emitted from a laser light source 101 is laser-scanned by a rotary polygon mirror 103, a scanning lens 107 and a mirror 109. The system scans onto the photothermographic material sheet 108. By this scanning, a latent image of a multi-tone image signal is recorded on the photothermographic material sheet 108. The heat-developable photosensitive material sheet 108 on which the latent image is recorded has a halogen lamp 102 inside.
In a drum-type heat developing apparatus in which a transporting endless belt 6 suspended by a feed roller 105 is pressed against the peripheral surface of a cylindrical heat drum 104 accommodating the toner, the carry-in is carried between the endless belt 106 and the heat drum 104. Then, it is sandwiched between them and transported. This drum type thermal development device
By optimizing the light distribution of the lamp, the temperature accuracy in the width direction can be increased to about ± 1 ° C, which is suitable for high-accuracy thermal development. It should be noted that the image processing apparatus 80 and the image memory 82 that constitute the recording control system of the image recording apparatus 100.
Of course, the above-described density correction method of the present invention is implemented in the image recording device 84 and the like.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the feed roller 1 is provided on a part of the peripheral surface (heating side) of a cylindrical heat drum 112 having a heat source in which a heater 111 is arranged in oil 110.
Endless belt 1 for transportation suspended on 13,114
15, the heat-developable photosensitive material sheet 116 is sandwiched between the endless belt 115 and the heat drum 112 and conveyed. This type of drum type also has excellent temperature stability and has a temperature accuracy of ± 1.5 ° C in the width direction.
It is suitable for high-precision thermal development.

A suitable heat development time is about 120 ° C., and a good image can be developed within a range of 110 to 130 ° C. More preferably, development is carried out in the range of 115 to 125 ° C. At 120 ° C., a highly accurate image that achieves the intended purpose can be obtained with a developing time of about 10 seconds.

If the temperature is high, fogging occurs in the photothermographic material, which is not preferable, but if the heat development is carried out by the method and apparatus described above, the fog can be suppressed. By the way, fog is about 0.2 at 125 ° C. Fog is preferably suppressed to about 0.15 or less, and for that purpose, it is desirable to perform heat development at a heating temperature of about 120 ° C. The maximum concentration is 3 to 3.5 according to the above-mentioned example.
About.

By the way, the image recording apparatus 100 shown in FIG.
In, a cylindrical lens is arranged on the laser beam 101 a between the laser light source 101 and the rotary polygon mirror (polygon mirror) 103, and the falling mirror indicated by the reference numeral 109 is used as a cylindrical mirror. The scanning (fθ) lens 107 may be configured to correct the surface tilt of the polygon mirror 103. Furthermore, FIG.
In the image recording apparatus 100 shown in FIG.
6 is performed in the heat mode of the laser light source 101, if a recording material that can obtain a sufficient density of color in the heat mode recording by the laser light source 101 can be used as the recording material, the drum type thermal developing apparatus shown in FIG. It is also possible to adopt a configuration that does not use.

Although the density correction method and the image recording apparatus of the present invention have been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and various improvements and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Of course you can go.

[0074]

As described above in detail, according to the density correction method and the image recording apparatus of the present invention, in the image recording by the dye color development, it is possible to obtain the difference due to the individual difference of the densitometer used for setting the density correction condition. Instead, it is possible to set appropriate density correction conditions according to the recording device, perform suitable density correction, and stably record a high-quality image according to the image data supplied from the image supply source. Is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an example of a thermal recording apparatus according to an image recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a recording unit of the thermal recording device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a density correction chart of the thermal recording apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an example of a reference chart used in the density correction method of the present invention.

5A and 5B are graphs for explaining an example of a method of setting a correction condition for a density measurement value in the density correction method of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the outline of another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing the outline of still another embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 (Thermal Image) Recording Device 14 Loading Unit 16 Supplying Conveying Unit 20 Recording Unit 22 Ejecting Unit 24 Magazine 26 Lid 28 Housing 30 Insertion Port 32 Guide Plate 34 Guide Roll 36 Stopping Member 40 Sucker 42 Conveying Means 44 Conveying Guide 48 Endless Belt 50 Nip Roller 52 Control Roller Pair 56 Cleaning Roller Pair 58, 62 Guide 60 Platen Roller 63 Conveying Roller Pair 66 Thermal Head 68 Supporting Member 72 Tray 74 Ejection Port 76 Cooling Fan 80 Image Processing Device 82 Image Memory 84 Recording Control Device 86 Density Correction Unit 88 image processing unit 90 (densitometer) measured value correction unit 92 density correction chart 94 reference chart 96 sheet 98 input means 100 image recording device 102 halogen lamp 104 heat drum 105 feed roller 106 Endless belt 108 Photothermographic material sheet 110 Oil 111 Heater 112 Heat drum 113, 114 Feed roller 115 Endless belt 116 Photothermographic material sheet A Thermal (recording) film

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. In image recording using a recording material that does not undergo wet processing, a density correction chart for setting density correction conditions in an image recording apparatus is output, and the image density of this density correction chart is set to the density. A density correction method in which the density is measured using a meter and the density correction conditions for image recording in the device are set using the density measurement value. Using a chart, the image density of this reference chart is measured by a densitometer that measures the density of the density correction chart, and from the image density of the reference chart and the measurement value of the densitometer, the measurement value of the densitometer is calculated. A darkness is characterized in that a correction condition for making a correction to match the image density of the reference chart is created, and the darkness correction condition is set according to the correction condition. Correction method. 2. The density correction method according to claim 1, wherein the recording material is a recording material that develops substantially black color by coloring a dye. 3. A photosensitive material that develops color by subjecting the recording material to heat development after image recording with at least one light beam, or by image recording with a laser beam heat mode or a thermal head. 2. The density correction method according to claim 1, which is a heat-sensitive recording material. 4. A photothermographic material that develops color by recording the image on the recording material with at least one light beam and then performing heat development, or by image recording with a laser beam heat mode or a thermal head. The density correction method according to claim 1, wherein the density correction method is a property. 5. An image recording apparatus using a recording material that does not undergo wet processing, comprising means for outputting a density correction chart, a densitometer for measuring the image density of the density correction chart, and a density A reference chart for densitometer correction that is known and corresponds to visual density, and the density measurement value of the reference chart by the densitometer and the image density of the reference chart, the density measurement value by the densitometer is the image of the reference chart. A densitometer correction unit that sets a correction condition to make a correction to match the density, and the image density of the density correction chart is measured by the densitometer, and the density measurement value by the densitometer is measured according to the correction condition by the densitometer correction unit. And a setting unit that sets the density correction condition for image recording from the corrected density measurement value.