JPH10305618A - Image recording equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a change in light intensity between pitches even when there is a slight shift between them, in the case when an LED chip bringing about a sharp rise and fall in the distribution of the light intensity is applied as a light source. SOLUTION: Dot patterns of which the focuses shift from each other are cast on a photosensitive material. These dot patterns are shaped like hills of which the rises and falls are gentle, and overlapping parts of light gain in quantity. Therefore parts of the bases of the adjacent dot patterns affect each other. When adjacent LED chips shift from each other in the approaching direction, for instance, the overlapping parts of light in the case of the dot patterns of which the focuses are at positions shifting from each other gain in quantity gradually as shown by an arrow A. Therefore no sharp change takes place and, as a result, no large error in the light intensity is brought about.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording an image on a photosensitive material by controlling light emission of an LED chip having a rectangular light emitting surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art
Many image recording apparatuses equipped with a digital exposure system have been developed. As an example of a digital exposure system, there is one using an LED chip of each color of RGB as a light source. LE
The light emitting surface of the D chip is rectangular, and FIG.
As shown in (C), at the image forming point, that is, at the focus position, the image has a rectangular shape, and the light intensity distribution has a trapezoidal shape with sharp rise and fall.

Here, a unit including a light source constituted by an LED chip is moved in the main scanning direction, and the movement of the photosensitive material in the sub-scanning direction is repeated every one main scanning. In this case, if the RGB LED chips are arranged in the sub-scanning direction, the image signals of each color may be delayed in one main scanning unit, and if they are arranged in the main scanning direction, their offset amounts What is necessary is just to delay the image signal of each color.

In the light source, each color is offset in the main scanning direction, a plurality of LEDs of the same emission color are arranged in the sub-scanning direction, and a plurality of main scanning lines are formed by one main scanning movement of the unit. It can also be formed.

However, as shown in FIG. 12, if the arrangement pitch of the LED chips in the sub-scanning direction is uniform,
Although the light intensity between a plurality of main scanning lines can be made substantially constant, as shown in FIG.
If the arrangement pitch of the chips is shifted, the shift in the overlapping direction causes unevenness in the direction in which the light intensity increases (FIG. 13).
In the case of the convex portion (Δd ₁ ) indicated by the arrow C of FIG.
(Dd ₃ ).

[0006] This means that the steeper the rise and fall of the light intensity distribution of each LED chip, the easier it is to affect even a small error.

In view of the above facts, the present invention suppresses fluctuations in light intensity between pitches even when there is a slight pitch shift when an LED chip having a sharp rise and fall in light intensity distribution is applied as a light source. It is an object to obtain an image recording device that can be used.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image recording apparatus for recording an image on a photosensitive material by controlling light emission of an LED chip by an image signal.
An optical system for imaging light from an ED chip on a photosensitive material surface, and a main scanning drive system for scanning a unit in which the LED chip and the optical system are integrated in a predetermined direction,
A sub-scanning drive system for moving the photosensitive material in a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction in synchronization with the main scanning drive, and having an image forming point by the optical system at a position shifted from the photosensitive material surface. It is characterized by having been set.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the light emitted from the LED chip is condensed by the optical system and the image plane is imaged on the photosensitive material, usually, the image forming point, that is, the focus is adjusted. Fit on photosensitive material.

However, by shifting the image point from above the photosensitive material, the light intensity distribution peculiar to the LED chip having a sharp rise and fall can be changed to a light intensity distribution having a gentle rise and fall. As a result, since the light of the adjacent LED chips affects each other, even if there is a slight shift in the arrangement pitch, the shift can be compensated for each other and a large light intensity fluctuation can be suppressed.

Therefore, when viewed as a whole image, a so-called moire-like shading does not appear clearly, and the finish can be improved.

The invention according to a second aspect is characterized in that the light intensity distribution on the surface of the photosensitive material has a mountain shape with a slow rise and fall.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, if the light intensity distribution is mountain-shaped and the rise and fall are slow (slow), for example, a shift occurs in the approaching (overlapping) direction to each other. , The overlap will increase,
The increase is less than the overlapping peaks. On the other hand, if the light intensity distribution is trapezoidal and the rise and fall are steep, the peak portions overlap with a slight shift, and the light intensity sharply increases at that portion.

Thus, by making the rising and falling of the light intensity distribution gentle, a certain degree of pitch shift between the LED chips can be allowed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the imaging magnification of the optical system is 1: 1, the half width of the light intensity distribution on the photosensitive material is the light intensity on the imaging surface of the optical system. It is characterized by being at least 1.1 times the half width of the distribution.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the degree of gentle rise and fall of the light intensity distribution is L
When an image is formed at a magnification of 1: 1 on the light emitting surface of the ED chip, an effect is exhibited if the half width is 1.1 times or more. This half-value width may be considered to be equivalent to the dot size that normally affects the exposure, but it is necessary to take into consideration that the half-width may vary depending on the sensitivity distribution of the photosensitive material.

If the blur is too great, the reproducibility of the dots will be lost, so that the reproducibility is limited.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(Overall Configuration “Appearance”) FIGS. 1 to 3 show an image recording apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment.

The image recording apparatus 100 is a CD-ROM
The image data recorded on the FD 102 and the FD 104 (see FIG. 3) is read and exposed to a photosensitive material 106, and the image recorded on the photosensitive material 106 is read on plain paper (image receiving paper 10).
8) This is a device for transferring and outputting.

The upper part of the front surface (left side in FIG. 3) of the box-shaped casing 110 has an inclined surface, and an operation display unit 112 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the operation display unit 112
Are classified into a monitor unit 114 located on the right side and an input unit 116 located on the left side, and the monitor unit 114 is configured to project the read image.

The input unit 116 is provided with a plurality of operation keys 1.
18 and an input data confirmation display unit 120, so that it is possible to input data necessary for image recording, such as input of the number of recordings, size setting, color balance adjustment, negative / positive selection, and the like. I have.

Below the operation display section 112, a deck section 1 is provided.
22 are provided. The deck section 122 includes a CD-ROM deck section 124 located on the right side of FIG. 2 and an FD deck section 126 located on the left side.

The CD-ROM deck 124 can open and close the tray 130 by pressing an open / close button 128. C on this tray 130
By mounting the D-ROM 102, a CD-ROM
102 can be loaded inside the device.

On the other hand, the FD deck section 126 is provided with an FD insertion throttle 132, and when the FD 104 is inserted, the drive system inside the apparatus operates to draw in the FD 104. When the FD 104 is taken out, the operation button 134 is pressed to
D104 can be pulled out.

The CD-ROM deck 124 and F
Each of the D deck units 126 has an access lamp 13
6, 138 are provided, and the access lamps 136, 138 are turned on during access in the apparatus.

A discharge tray 140 is provided below the deck 122. This discharge tray 140
Is usually housed in the device, and can be pulled out by putting a finger on the grip portion 142 (FIG. 1).
reference).

The image receiving paper 108 on which the image is recorded is discharged onto the discharge tray 140.

The image receiving paper 108 is stored in a layer on a tray 144 in advance.
0 is provided in the tray loading port 146 provided on the upper surface of the tray. The image receiving paper 108 is taken out one by one from the tray 144 loaded in the tray loading port 146, the image is transferred, and then guided to the discharge tray 140.

Two circular cover members 148 and 150 are mounted on the right side surface (the front side in FIG. 1) of the casing 110. The cover members 148, 150
The cover members 148 and 148 are individually detachable.
As shown in FIG. 3, a supply reel 152 and a take-up reel 154 for winding the photosensitive material 106 in a roll form are arranged inside the apparatus along the axial direction of 150. The members 148 and 150 can be taken out or loaded with the members removed. (Receiver paper transport system) As shown in FIG.
The upper surface of the tip end of the tray 144 loaded in 46 is opposed to the half-moon roller 156.

The semicircular roller 156 has a part of its peripheral surface cut out in a tangential direction. Normally, the cutout 158 faces the uppermost image receiving paper 108 in the tray 144 at a predetermined interval. ing. Here, when the half moon roller 156 rotates, the uppermost image receiving paper 108 and the half moon roller 156 are rotated.
When the semicircular roller 156 makes one rotation, the image receiving paper 108 is slightly pulled out. The pulled-out image receiving paper 108 is nipped by the first roller pair 160,
The driving force of the first roller pair 160 causes the tray 1
44 to be completely drawn out.

On the downstream side of the first roller pair 160, a second roller
Roller pair 162, guide plate 164, third roller pair 1
66 are arranged in order, and the image receiving paper 108 is nipped by the first roller pair 160, is nipped by the second roller pair 162, is guided by the guide plate 164, and is received by the third roller pair 166. Be pinched.

The third roller pair 166 also overlaps with the photosensitive material 106. That is, the third roller pair 166 is also used as a transport path for the photosensitive material 106. (Photosensitive material transport system) The photosensitive material 106 is supplied to the supply reel 15.
It is loaded into the device in the form of a long roll wound in two layers. The supply reel 152 is formed by removing the cover member 150 (rear side of the apparatus) and inserting the cover member 150 in the axial direction.
It can be loaded in place.

With the photosensitive material 106 loaded at a predetermined position, the outermost layer is pulled out and loaded along a predetermined transport path as an initial setting. In the loading procedure, the outermost layer is pulled out from the supply reel 152, and the fourth roller pair 1 near the loading position of the supply reel 152
68, via the reservoir 170 and the guide plate 172, between the third roller pair 166, around the heat roller 174, and around the take-up reel 154. In this case, a leader tape of a length necessary for loading may be provided at the leading end of the photosensitive material 106 wound around the supply reel 152.

It should be noted that, in the conveying path of the photosensitive material 106,
An exposure section 176 is provided between the fourth roller pair 168 and the reservoir section 170. In addition, the reservoir 170
A water application unit 178 is provided between the guide plate 172 and the guide plate 172. The details of the exposure unit 176 and the water application unit 178 will be described later. However, after the image is exposed on the photosensitive material 106 by the exposure unit 176, the third step is performed in a state where water is applied to the emulsion surface (exposed surface). Receiving paper 1 with roller pair 166 of
08 is superimposed. (Heat Roller) The heat roller 174 is a thermal development transfer section of the present apparatus, and includes a cylindrical roller main body 180 and a heater 182 provided along an axis inside the roller main body 180. The surface of the roller body 180 is heated by the operation of the heater 182, and has a role of applying heat to the members (the photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving paper 108) wound around the roller body 180. By this heating, a thermal development transfer process is performed, and the image recorded on the photosensitive material 106 is transferred to the image receiving paper 108.

A peeling roller 184 and a peeling claw 186 are provided near the lower left of the heat roller 174, and the image receiving paper 108 wound around the heat roller 174 by about ３ is peeled off the photosensitive material 106, and a discharge tray 140 is provided. The image receiving paper 108 is guided in the direction.

On the other hand, the photosensitive material 106 is
The take-up reel 154 is wound by about 、, is turned by 180 °, and is guided to a position where the take-up reel 154 is loaded. (Water application unit) As shown in FIG.
Water as an image forming solvent is applied to the photosensitive material 106 or the image receiving paper 108, and the superposed surfaces of the two are brought into close contact with each other, and have a role of heat development. Application piece 188 and tank 190 for storing water
It is composed of

The application piece 188 is made of a highly absorbent material such as felt or sponge and has a suitable hardness.
The photosensitive material 106 comes into contact with a predetermined pressure during transportation. The water in the tank 190 always transfers an appropriate amount to the coating piece 188 by utilizing the capillary phenomenon. When the photosensitive material 106 and the coating piece 188 come into contact with each other, the water is exposed by the coating piece 188. Water is applied to the surface (emulsion side) of the material 106.

Further, since the coated piece 188 is in contact with the photosensitive material 106 at an appropriate pressure, the water is uniformly applied.

The water in the tank 190 is replenished by removing the entire water application section 178. However, water may be constantly supplied from outside the apparatus by providing a pipe.

In this embodiment, water is used as a solvent for image formation. However, this water is not limited to pure water but includes water in a sense that it is widely used. Further, a mixed solvent of water and a low boiling point solvent such as methanol, DMF, acetone, and diisobutyl ketone may be used. Further, a solution containing an image formation accelerator, an antifoggant, a development terminator, a hydrophilic heat solvent and the like may be used. (Exposure Unit) FIG. 4 shows an exposure unit 176 according to the present embodiment.
It is shown.

The light exposure unit 176 mainly includes a light source unit 200 provided above the conveyance path of the photosensitive material 106,
It is connected to the controller 202. Controller 2
02 stores an image signal (CD-R
The image signal read from the OM 102 or the FD 104), the light source unit 2 in the light source unit 200 according to the image signal.
04 is turned on. Light source unit 20
0 is driven by a main scanning unit 206 described later.
The photosensitive material 106 can be moved in the width direction (main scanning direction), and the main scanning is performed when the photosensitive material 106 stops when the exposure unit 176 is step-driven.

The light source unit 200 of the exposure unit 176 is covered by a box-shaped exposure casing 214, and a full-color image forming light source unit 204 is disposed on the upper end surface of the exposure casing 214. The light emitting surface of the portion 204 is directed toward the inside of the exposure casing 214. An aperture 216 is provided on the light emitting surface side of the full-color image forming light source unit 204 to limit the spread of light from a plurality of (11 for each color) LED chips 208.

A lens 212 is disposed downstream of the aperture 216 and at the center of the exposure casing 214 to collect light from the full-color image forming light source unit 204 and form an image near the photosensitive material 106. Have. In addition,
The resolution of the light to be imaged is about 300 to 400 dpi. Although the lens 212 is shown as a single unit on the drawing, a single lens system may be configured by combining a plurality of lenses.

Here, the lens 212 is composed of a plurality of lenses and an aperture, and has a characteristic that the magnification does not change even if the height of the image plane changes to some extent. It is possible to absorb a small error due to the scanning movement or the mounting state of the LED chip 208.

The focus is always adjusted by an auto focus mechanism (not shown).

The light source unit 200 includes the main scanning unit 2
06 are supported by a pair of parallel guide shafts 218 that constitute a part of the reference shaft 06. This guide shaft 218
Are arranged along the width direction of the photosensitive material 106 (the direction of the arrow W in FIG. 4), and the light source unit 204 is guided by the guide shaft 218 so as to be movable in the width direction of the photosensitive material 106. ing.

A part of the endless timing belt 220 is fixed to the exposure casing 214 of the light source unit 204. Both ends of the timing belt 220 are wound around sprockets 222 located near both ends of the guide shaft 218, respectively. One sprocket 2
The rotation shaft of the stepping motor 226 is connected to the rotation shaft of the stepping motor 226 via a transmission 224.
It is reciprocated along the guide shaft 218.

The driving of the stepping motor 226 is controlled by the controller 202, and is synchronized with the step movement of the photosensitive material 106. That is, in a state where the photosensitive material 106 has moved one step and stopped, the stepping motor 226 starts rotating, and the light source unit 204 moves on the photosensitive material 106 along the width direction of the photosensitive material 106. After confirming the predetermined pulse, the stepping motor 22
By reversely rotating 6, the light source unit 204 returns to the original position. The next movement of the photosensitive material 106 is started simultaneously with the return operation of the light source unit 204.

A photodiode 228 is provided on the light output side of the light source unit 200 and on the surface facing the photosensitive material 106 so as to output a signal corresponding to the light intensity of the light source from the light source unit 204 for full-color image formation. Has become. The photodiode 228 is connected to the light intensity correction unit 230, and the signal is input to the light amount correction unit 230.

The light quantity correction unit 230 compares the detected light quantities from the LED chips 208 of the respective colors to determine the density,
It has a role of performing color balance adjustment and outputting a correction value to the controller 202. The image signal sent to the light source unit 204 is corrected based on the correction value, and each LED chip 208 is turned on with an appropriate light amount.

As shown in FIG. 5, the full-color image forming light source unit 204 is formed by assembling an LED chip 208, and is composed of B (blue), G (green), and G (green), respectively.
LED chip 208 that emits each color of R (red) (hereinafter, when individually described for each color, L that emits a B color)
The ED chip is called a B-LED chip 208B, the LED chip that emits G color is called a G-LED chip 208G, and the LED chip that emits R color is called an R-LED chip 208R). Along the direction (main scanning direction), they are attached according to the same arrangement rule. That is, at the right end of the substrate 210 in plan view, eleven B-LED chips 208B are
Arranged in rows and in a zigzag pattern, on the left end, 11 RLs
ED chips 208R are arranged in two rows and in a staggered manner,
In the center, 11 G-LED chips 208G are 2
The LED chips are arranged in rows and in a staggered manner, and a total of six rows of LED chips are arranged.

A predetermined wiring is formed on the substrate 210 by an etching process or the like. The wiring is covered with metal so as to prevent a short circuit between the wirings, and has a heat radiation function. For this reason, heat generation due to lighting of the LED chip 208 can be suppressed, and fluctuation of the light emission amount can be suppressed. Note that the outer dimensions (x × y) of the LED chip 208 are about 36
It is 0 × 360 μm.

By the way, as shown in FIG.
The pitch P between the columns of the same color of the LED chip 208 to be mounted at 0 is 600 μm, and the row pitch L of each column is 520 μm.
m, the step size D in a staggered shape is preferably 260 μm, and the gap size G between the colors is preferably the same between RG and GB. Note that the hatched portion of the LED chip 208 shown in FIG. 6 is a region where light is actually emitted, and the boundaries between the light emitting regions of adjacent rows in a staggered pattern are matched.

With the light source unit 204 having the above structure, eleven main scanning lines can be recorded on the photosensitive material 106 by one main scanning for each color. Note that the interval between the main scanning line pitches is an even number of 10.

Here, in the present embodiment, the photosensitive material 10
The step movement of No. 6 is performed at a pitch (5.5 line pitch) in which the first main scanning line recorded this time on the photosensitive material 106 is located at an intermediate position between the previous sixth and seventh main scanning lines. The sub-scanning drive and the stop are controlled so as to be repeated. In FIG. 7, a thin solid line is a main scan line formed by the previous main scan, a chain line is a main scan line formed by the current main scan, and a thick solid line is formed by the next main scan. This is the main scanning line.

As described above, the number of LED chips 208 is odd (that is, at intervals of 10), and the resolution is doubled by forming more main scanning lines between the main scanning lines. The odd number of LED chips 208 makes it possible to make all the sub-scanning pitches the same. In addition, the first to fifth main scanning lines at the time of the first main scanning drive are not written for control.

Here, the reason why the image forming point, that is, the focus position is set in the vicinity of the photosensitive material is not to actually set the image forming point on the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material, but to shift the focus on the photosensitive material. (See FIG. 5).

That is, the dot pattern out of focus is irradiated on the photosensitive material of the present embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, the dot pattern has a mountain shape in which rising and falling are gentle, and the overlapping portion of light is increased. For this reason, the foot portions of adjacent dot patterns affect each other.

FIGS. 11A to 11C show the dot shape (see FIG. 11A) at the image forming point of the LED chip 208 applied in this embodiment and the light intensity distribution (FIG. 11A). 11 (B) and 11 (C)). It can be seen that the dot shape is substantially trapezoidal, and that the rise and fall of the light intensity distribution are steep.

Here, when the pitch dimension of the LED chips 208 attached to the substrate 210 is accurately determined, even if the dot pattern shown in FIG. 8 (dot pattern out of focus) is used, the dot pattern shown in FIG. There is no problem even with a pattern (dot pattern at an image forming point) (see FIGS. 9 and 12). (The dot pattern at the out-of-focus position) is smaller.

That is, if the adjacent LED chips 208 are displaced in the approaching direction, in the case of an image forming dot pattern, as shown by arrow C in FIG. When the amount is exceeded, the peak values overlap, and a large light intensity error (Δd ₁ ) is suddenly generated, which greatly affects the exposure amount. On the other hand, in the case of a dot pattern at a position out of focus, as shown by an arrow A in FIG. 10, the overlapping portion of light gradually increases almost in proportion to the amount of the shift. And a large light intensity error Δd ₂ (≒ Δ
d _1/2) to not be.

On the other hand, if the adjacent LED chips 208 are displaced in the direction in which they are separated from each other, in the case of an image forming dot pattern, as shown by arrow D in FIG. After a predetermined amount of deviation, a large valley is generated between the peak values, and a large light intensity error (Δ
d ₃ ) occurs, and greatly affects the exposure amount. On the other hand, in the case of a dot pattern at a position out of focus, as shown by the arrow B in FIG. 10, the overlapping portion of the light gradually decreases almost in proportion to the amount of the shift. And a large light intensity error Δd ₄ (≒
Δd _3/2) to not be.

Here, in the present embodiment, the amount of focus shift is set by the half width of the dot pattern. That is, the half-value width of the dot pattern of the imaging point is assumed to be W _1, the half width W ₂ of the dot pattern to be irradiated onto the photosensitive material ratio 1: is a W ₂ = W ₁ × 1.11 when 1 . Actually, since the dot pattern on the photosensitive material with respect to the light emitting surface of the LED chip 208 has a magnification of 1/3, the shift amount is determined in consideration of this magnification. (Reservoir section) The reservoir section 170 is disposed between the exposure section 176 and the water application section 178 as described above, and includes two pairs of nipping rollers 192 and 194 and one dancer roller 196. Have been. The photosensitive material 106 is stretched over two pairs of nipping rollers 192 and 194, and a substantially U-shaped slack is provided in the photosensitive material 106 between them.
The dancer roller 196 moves up and down in response to the slack, and holds the slack portion of the photosensitive material 106.

In the exposure unit 176, the photosensitive material 106 moves stepwise, but in the water application unit 178, it is necessary to convey the photosensitive material 106 at a constant speed for uniform application of water. For this reason,
The photosensitive material 106 is disposed between the exposure unit 176 and the water application unit 178.
The difference in the conveying speeds is caused. To absorb this speed difference,
The dancer roller 196 is moved up and down to adjust the amount of slack in the photosensitive material 106 so that the photosensitive material 106 can be moved stepwise and at a constant speed.

The operation of the present embodiment will be described below. First, the overall flow for image recording will be described.

The tray 144 is loaded in the tray loading port 146, and the supply reel 152 with the photosensitive material 106 wound thereon and the empty take-up reel 154 are loaded at predetermined positions, respectively, and the loading is completed. When the print start key of the operation display unit 112 is operated, the controller 202 causes the CD-ROM 102 or the FD 10
4 is read and stored.

When the controller 202 stores the image data, the supply reel 152 is driven, and the conveyance of the photosensitive material 106 is started.

When the photosensitive material 106 reaches a predetermined position of the exposure section 176, the photosensitive material 106 stops temporarily, and an image signal is sent from the controller 202 to the light source section 2 for full-color image formation.
04 is output. This image signal is output every 11 lines, and the full-color image forming light source unit 204 is driven by the stepping motor 226 to drive the guide shaft 21.
8 and moves along the width direction of the photosensitive material 106 (main scanning).

Before the output of the image signal is started, the light amount of each color from the light source unit 204 for full-color image formation is detected by the photodiode 228, and the light amount correction unit 2
At 30, a correction value for adjusting the density, the color balance, and the like is supplied to the controller 202 to correct the image signal. This correction is performed for each image.

As shown in FIG. 7, when one main scan is completed, the photosensitive material 106 moves one step (5.5 line pitch) and stops, and the second main scan is performed. By repeating this, an image for one frame is recorded on the photosensitive material 106. That is, the LED chip 208
Main scanning is formed at a half pitch of the arrangement pitch, and the resolution is improved. In this case, up to five lines from the top in the first main scanning driving on one screen and five lines from the bottom in the last main scanning driving may be unexposed (the LED chip 208 is turned off).

Here, in the full-color image forming light source unit 204 of the present embodiment, the light emitted from the LED chip 208 is condensed by the lens 212, but the image forming point is slightly shifted from the photosensitive material. I have.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the dot pattern on the photosensitive material has a mountain shape with a gentle rise and fall.

The LED chips 208 are arranged on the substrate 210, and the arrangement accuracy has a great influence on the scanning pitch (particularly the pitch in the sub-scanning direction). Therefore,
In the present embodiment, the dot pattern on the photosensitive material is defocused with respect to the dot pattern (the rising and falling is steep and trapezoidal) at the image forming point, so that the rising and falling are gentle mountain shapes. I have.

Thus, if there is an error in the arrangement accuracy, the overlapping portion of the adjacent dot patterns changes almost proportionally, so that a sudden change in light intensity can be suppressed. That is, when the adjacent LED chips 208 are shifted in the approaching direction, the overlapping portion of the light gradually increases almost in proportion to the shift amount, and the maximum error can be reduced to about half.

When the adjacent LED chips 208 are displaced in the direction in which they are separated from each other, the overlapping portion of the light is gradually reduced almost in proportion to the amount of the displacement, and there is no rapid change. There is no error.

The photosensitive material 106 on which recording has been completed is
By driving only the pair of holding rollers 192 on the upstream side of the reservoir 170 (the pair of holding rollers 194 on the downstream side is stopped),
It is held in a slack state in the reservoir section 170 so as to be wound around the dancer roller 196, and does not reach the water application section 178.

When the length of the photosensitive material 106 for one image is accumulated in the reservoir 170, the pair of nipping rollers 194 on the downstream side of the reservoir 170 starts driving. As a result, the photosensitive material (image recorded) 106 is transported to the water application unit 178. In the water application section 178, the photosensitive material 106 is conveyed at a constant speed, and water is uniformly applied by the application piece 188.

The coating piece 188 is constantly supplied with water from the tank 190, and is supplied with the photosensitive material 10 at a predetermined pressure.
6 is pressed, an appropriate amount of water is applied to the photosensitive material 106.

The photosensitive material 106 to which water has been applied is guided by a guide plate 172 and conveyed to a third roller pair 166.

On the other hand, the image receiving paper 108 is a half-moon roller 156.
Makes one rotation, the peripheral surface of the half-moon roller 156 and the leading end of the image receiving paper 108 come into contact with each other, and the uppermost layer of the image receiving paper 108
Is pulled out, and the first roller pair 160 is pinched. The driving of the first roller pair 160 causes the image receiving paper 108
Is pulled out of the tray 144 and the second roller pair 162
Wait for the photosensitive material 106 to arrive.

The driving of the first roller pair 160 and the second roller pair 162 is started in synchronization with the passage of the photosensitive material 106 through the guide plate 172, and the image receiving paper 108 is guided by the guide plate 164. It is conveyed to the third roller pair 166.

In the third roller pair 166, the photosensitive material 10
6 and the image receiving paper 108 are pinched in a superposed state, and sent out to the heat roller 174. At this time, the photosensitive material 10
Both are brought into close contact with each other by the water applied to 6.

The superposed photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving paper 108 are wound around a heat roller 174, receive heat from a heater 182, and undergo a thermal development transfer process. That is, the image recorded on the photosensitive material 106 is transferred to the image receiving paper 108 and visualized.

The heat development transfer is completed when the heat roller 174 is wound about 1/3, and the image receiving paper 108 is
The photosensitive material 1 is separated by the peeling roller 184 and the peeling claw 186.
, And is discharged onto a discharge tray 140 so as to be wound around a peeling roller 184.

On the other hand, the photosensitive material 106 is
After being wrapped about 1/2 by 74, it moves tangentially and is taken up by the take-up reel 154.

According to the present embodiment, it is possible to perform image recording with a compact structure, and to install a CD-R in the apparatus.
Since the OM deck 124 and the FD deck 126 are mounted, image data can be quickly captured.
Further, since the image to be recorded can be confirmed by the monitor unit 114, the adjustment of the density and the color balance is easy.

Since the discharge tray 140 is of a retractable type, the tray 140 containing the image receiving paper 108 can be stored when not in use.
By removing the outer shape, the outer shape has less irregularities, and the working space can be effectively used.

Further, in the apparatus according to the present embodiment, the water application section 178 and the exposure section 176 are fixed with respect to the transport direction of the photosensitive material 106, and the relative movement with respect to the photosensitive material 106 in the sub-scanning direction is all. , The moving mechanism is simplified.

In this embodiment, the CD-R
Although the OM deck section 124 and the FD deck section 126 are mounted, other recording media (for example, a magneto-optical disk (M
O), a phase change disk (PD), a video tape, etc.). Further, an image input terminal for receiving an image signal from the outside (for example, a personal computer or a television) may be provided.

In this embodiment, in order to shift the focus, the image forming point is located farther than the photosensitive material 106 (FIG. 5).
However, an imaging point may be provided on the front side of the photosensitive material 106.

[0092]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an LED in which the light intensity distribution rises and falls steeply.
When the chip is used as a light source, there is an excellent effect that the light intensity fluctuation between pitches can be suppressed even if there is a slight pitch shift.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the rise and fall of the light intensity distribution are made gentle, so that a certain degree of pitch shift between LED chips can be allowed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the numerical value is determined using the half-value width to determine the amount of defocus, LE
The relative positions of the D chip, the optical system, and the photosensitive material can be uniquely determined.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the image exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing an internal configuration of the image exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating a schematic configuration of an exposure unit.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an optical system of a light source unit.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an arrangement state of LED chips in the light source unit.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a photosensitive material showing a state of a main scanning line and a sub-scanning pitch.

FIG. 8A is a dot pattern (dot pattern out of focus) on a photosensitive material according to the embodiment, and FIG.
And (C) is a light intensity distribution diagram of FIG. 8 (A).

FIG. 9 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a dot pattern and light intensity when the arrangement of LED chips according to the present embodiment is normal.

FIG. 10 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a dot pattern and light intensity when there is an error in the arrangement of LED chips according to the present embodiment.

11A is a diagram illustrating a dot pattern (dot pattern of an image forming point) on a photosensitive material according to a conventional example, and FIGS.
FIG. 12 is a light intensity distribution diagram of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a dot pattern and light intensity when the arrangement of LED chips according to a conventional example is normal.

FIG. 13 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a dot pattern and light intensity when there is an error in the arrangement of LED chips according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Image recording device 106 Photosensitive material 108 Image receiving paper 174 Heat roller 176 Exposure unit 178 Water application unit 200 Light source unit 202 Controller 204 Light source unit 208 LED chip 212 Lens

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04N 1/028 1/04 105

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a photosensitive material by controlling light emission of an LED chip based on an image signal, wherein the optical system forms an image of light from the LED chip on a surface of the photosensitive material. A main scanning drive system for scanning a unit in which the LED chip and the optical system are integrated in a predetermined direction; and moving the photosensitive material in a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction in synchronization with the main scanning drive. An image recording apparatus, comprising: a sub-scanning drive system for causing the optical system to form an image at a point shifted from the surface of the photosensitive material. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light intensity distribution on the surface of the photosensitive material has a shape of a mountain whose rise and fall are slow. 3. The half-width of the light intensity distribution on the photosensitive material when the imaging magnification of the optical system is 1: 1 is 1.1 times the half-width of the light intensity distribution on the imaging surface of the optical system. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: