JPS61132967A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the adjustment of an optical system and to utilize effectively the spacial space by disposing a supplying and containing system for recording sheets on one side of the boundary face including the main scanning line for a rotary drum. CONSTITUTION:The supplying system 21 and containing system 23 for the recording sheets S are disposed on one (upper) side of the scanning plane including the main scanning line of a laser beam L and an optical scanner system 24 is disposed on the other (lower) side. The sheet S is taken out of a supply magazine 30 by a vacuum suction type sheet taking out machine 31 and is fed to a drum 32. The sheet S is wound around the drum 32 and while the sheet is rotated in an arrow A direction, the sheet S is subjected to writing by the laser beam L. The drum 32 stops once upon completion of the writing and rotates in an arrow B direction, by which the sheet is fed to a containing magazine 38.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that records an image on a recording sheet on a drum using a light beam modulated by an image signal.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, this type of device has been used in the 13th r1! As shown in J, the recording sheets S stored in the supply magazine 2 are taken out one by one by the sheet take-out device 3 from one side of the drum 1 and inserted into the feeding roller 4. Then, this recording sheet S is sent to the drum 1 via the guide plate 5 by the feeding roller 4, and is brought into contact with the drum 1 which is rotating at a constant speed, so that the recording sheet S is moved at a constant speed and laser beam scanning is performed. The image is recorded by I7. On the other hand, the laser beam emitted from the laser light source 6 is transmitted to the optical modulator 7.
Recording is performed by optically modulating the light, main-scanning it by the galvanometer mirror 8, and projecting it onto the recording surface of the drum l via the lens 9 and mirrors 10 and 11. The recording sheet S on which recording has been completed is placed on the guide plate 12. The recorded image is stored in the storage magazine 14 via the ejection roller 13 and transported to the developing machine by one worker, or is sent directly to the developing machine located on the extension of the conveyance path without passing through the storage magazine 14. is being developed.

Here, when recording is being performed on the recording sheet S at the circumference of the drum L, the rear end of the recording sheet S is kept away from the feeding roller 4 to prevent uneven feeding. , and its tip must not be bitten by the discharge roller 13. Therefore, the laser beam scanning surface between the recording position on the drum 1 and the mirror 11 is set as the boundary surface. It is necessary to provide a space at least equivalent to the length of the recording sheet S between the feed roller 4 on the entrance side and the discharge roller 13 on the exit side. The supply magazine 2 and the storage magazine 14 are arranged oppositely on both sides of the boundary surface. This has the disadvantage that the total height or length of the device becomes large, and the optical system including the laser light source 6 is attached to the magazine 2.
14 operation parts must be avoided, and a complex arrangement is required in which the optical system straddles both sides of the interface.

[Object of the Invention] The object of the present invention is that the conventional device has a large overall height or length;
This eliminates the disadvantage of poor operability, and also makes it possible to arrange the optical system including the laser light source on the main plane, simplifying the adjustment of the optical system and making effective use of space. The object of the present invention is to provide an image recording device that can obtain images.

[Summary of the Invention] The gist of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is to provide an apparatus for recording an image on a recording sheet wound on a drum using a light beam modulated by a recording sheet from a supply magazine. a supply system that takes out sheets and sends them to the drum;
It has a drum system that wraps the recording sheet around the drum and performs sub-scanning during recording by rotating the drum, and a storage system that stores the recording sheet after recording. The image recording apparatus is characterized in that the supply system and the storage system are arranged on one side with respect to the boundary surface, which is a light beam scanning surface including the main scanning line.

[Embodiments of the Invention] The present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 12.

The system configuration of an application example of the present invention is as shown in FIG.
control system 20, supply system 21, drum system 22, storage system 23,
It consists of an optical scanner system 24. The control system 20 has a microprocessor and controls the operation of the entire system, and the supply system 21 mainly includes a supply magazine 30 for supplying recording sheets S and a sheet take-out mechanism 31. The drum system 22' is an optical scanner system 24 that feeds, writes images on, and ejects the recording sheet S around a drum 32 that can rotate in both directions A and 8.
has a laser light source, mirror 33, etc. (not shown), and the storage system 23 includes a guide plate 34 and discharge rollers 35, 36.
, a sheet pushing mechanism 37, and a storage magazine 38 placed parallel to the supply magazine 30.

What is important here is that both the supply system 21 and the storage system 23 are arranged on one side of the scanning plane including the main scanning line of the laser beam L, that is, on the far side in the embodiment, and that the optical The scanner system is provided on the other side of the scanning plane, that is, on the lower side.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the drum system 22, and FIGS. 3 to 8 are structural diagrams of the recording sheet S feeding and discharging mechanism.

The drum 32 is disposed between fixed frames 40.40° and is rotatable via a drum shaft 41.41° and a bearing 42.42°. The drum 3 is mounted on the drum shaft 41'.
2 encoder 43 for position detection! A pulley 45 is fixed to the drum shaft 41, and a balance weight 44, 44' is attached to the inner surface of the drum 32 to balance the weight distribution. An endless belt 48 is passed between the drive shaft of the writing motor 46 and a pulley 47 attached to the drive shaft of the writing motor 46. Further, a sprocket 50 is attached to the drum shaft 41 via a clutch 49, and the sprocket 50 and feeding rollers 51 and 52 shown in FIG.
．． 53, the winding electric motor 5 is attached to the discharge roller 35 and 36.
A chain 59 driven by 8 is attached.

When the clutch 49 is turned on, the drum 32, the feeding rollers 51, 52, 53, . The number of teeth of the sprockets (not shown) of the tin rocket 50 and the roller group is determined so that the discharge rollers 35 and 36 are simultaneously driven by the winding electric motor 58 and have the same circumferential speed. Also,
A detector 60 for detecting the recording sheet S is arranged at the feeding entrance to the drum 32, as shown in FIG.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, a tip chuck member 64 in the form of a spring-equipped hinge is attached to the drum 32 and has a length that allows pressure contact over the entire length of the drum 32.
The clamping portion St of the drum 32 is clamped between the
a is urged toward the circumferential surface of the drum 32 by a spring. This clamping portion 64a is inserted into the drum 32 at a predetermined position on the drum 32 by the tip release lever 65.
It is designed to be opened from the circumferential surface of 2. The tip opening lever 65 is rotatable around a shaft 66, and the roller 67 attached to the tip opening lever 65 and the camshaft 6
The tip opening lever 6
The pressing portion 55a at the tip of the holder 5 makes a predetermined movement, and this movement opens the clamping portion S4a.

A shaft 70 is provided near the pressing portion 65a, and a relay lever 71 is rotatably supported on this shaft 70, and the other end is connected to a lever 74 via a connecting shaft 73. The lever 74 is rotatable about a shaft 75.

Therefore, the pressing portion 74a of the lever 74 is connected to the tip opening lever 6.
5, the pressing part 65a of the tip opening lever 65
You will be performing a similar exercise.

Further, a rear end chuck member 80 is disposed on the outer periphery of the drum 32 with a length that allows it to be pressed against the entire length of the drum 32,
Its both ends are fixed to a rectangular plate-shaped support plate 8181'. The support plates 81.81° are respectively connected to the drum shaft 41.
41, and is also configured to be slidable in the radial direction of the drum 32, and furthermore, the drum shaft 4
1.41' is always biased in the direction of the drum shaft 41.41' by a spring 82.82' provided between the drum shaft 41.41'.

A pin 83 is fixed to the support plate 81, 81', the tip of which falls into a groove 84 provided on the side surface of the drum 32. Further, a balance weight 85.85' is attached to the support plate 81.81', so that the drum 32 can maintain a balanced state of weight distribution during rotation regardless of the position of the rear end chuck member 80. ing.

In addition, a slide lever 8 is attached to the frame 40.40'.
6 is slidably attached via a shaft 87, and a piece 88 is attached to the tip of the slide lever 86.

A rear end release lever 90 that operates the rear end chuck member 80 is rotatable around a shaft 91, one end of which is fitted into a shaft 92 provided on the slide lever 86, and the other end is fitted with a roller 93. is provided. The roller 93 is adapted to move in contact with a cam 94 provided on the camshaft 68.

A pressure roller 98 is provided between the rear end chuck member 80 and the front end chuck member 64, and this pressure roller 98 has a length that can press the drum 32 over the entire length thereof, and is rotatable about a shaft 99. It is rotatably supported at one end of the holder.

A roller 101 is provided at the other end of the lever 100,
The lever 100 is configured to move in contact with a cam 102 that is pivotally attached to the camshaft 68. Further, the lever 100 is biased by a spring in the direction of pressing the pressure roller 98 against the circumferential surface of the drum 32.

Further, the pressure roller 98 is arranged to take three positions with respect to the circumferential surface of the drum 32 by a cam 92.
That is, it is in pressure contact with the circumferential surface of the drum 32 and the pressure roller 98 in Table 1 is in a closed state, it is slightly away from the circumferential surface of the drum 32 and is in the intermediate state in Table 1, and it is far away from the circumferential surface of the drum 32, This is the 3rd position of the fully open state in Table 1.

Table 1: Front end chuck Rear end chuck Pressing member 64 Member 80 Roller 98(a) Open
Open Middle (initial position) (b) Closed
Open Closed (c) Closed Closed Fully closed (d)
Close Open Fully open (
e) Open hearing
Fully open (f) Close Open Fully open Intermediate The rotatable presser rollers 103, 104, 105 shown in FIG. 40.
It is fixed at 40°. A rotatable presser roller 107 is provided on the guide plate 106, and a detector 108 is provided near the guide plate 34 to detect the leading edge of the recording sheet S when it is stored. Further, a photodetector 109 is provided near the camshaft 68, and detects the rotational position of the camshaft 68 as described later. That is,
Three types of cams 69, 94, and 102 are attached to the cam shaft 68, as well as six flanges (not shown), and an output as shown in FIG. 12 is obtained from the photodetector 109. Table 1 shows the front end chuck member 64, the rear end chuck member 80, and the pressure roller 98, which operate as the camshaft 58 rotates, in FIGS.
The state f) is shown.

9 and 10 show the configuration of the optical scanner system 24 in a plan view,
This is a side view, and the laser beam L emitted from the light source 110 passes through a mirror 111 and a beam compressor lens 112, and is modulated by an ultrasonic light modulator 113. And beam expander lens 11
4. It reaches the rotating polygon mirror 116 for scanning via the mirror 115.

Here, the fθ lens unit 117 is main scanned. The laser beam L reaches the recording surface of the drum 32 via the mirror 118.

The embodiment according to the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, and its operation will be explained next. FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show the operation timing of each mechanism. As an initial position, the drum 32 is at an angle of 0.
It has stopped at position 6.

As shown in FIG.
a is also separated from the circumferential surface of the drum 32 by the pressure of the tip opening lever 65 via the cam 69. Also, cam 94
, the slide lever 86 is lifted by the rear end release lever 90, and the rear end chuck member 80 is pulled down via the top 88 and pin 83 provided at the tip thereof, and in this state, the drum 32 is It is rotatable independently of the rear end chuck member 80. Furthermore, the pressure roller 98
is stopped at a position slightly away from the circumferential surface of the drum 32 by the cam 102 and the lever 100, and in this state preparation for winding the recording sheet S is completed.

In FIG. 1, one recording sheet S is taken out from the supply magazine 30 by a sheet take-out mechanism 31 consisting of a vacuum suction cup. Next, the winding electric motor 58 shown in FIG. Feeding rollers 51.52 through
．． 53 moves, and the recording sheet S is sent to the drum 32. At this time, the clutch 25 is off and the drum 32 is stopped in its initial state. In FIG. 3, the leading edge position of the recording sheet S is detected by the detector 60, and when the leading edge of the recording sheet S reaches the clamping part 64a of the leading end chuck member 64, the winding The motor 58 stops and the recording sheet S also stops. For example, if the winding motor 58 is a stepping motor, the timing of this stop is determined by counting a predetermined number of pulses after the detection signal from the detector 60. can be controlled by Here, in response to a drive signal to the camshaft 68, a cam drive electric motor (not shown) moves the camshaft 68 from the state shown in FIG. 12(a) to (b).
) is rotated to the state. That is, the pressing portion 65a of the tip release lever 65 is separated from the tip chuck member 64, and the clamping portion 64a of the tip chuck member 64 is pressed against the circumferential surface of the drum 32 as shown by the dotted line in FIG.
Hold the tip of the

Further, the pressure roller 98 is moved via the lever lOO by the operation of the cam 102 and presses the recording sheet S against the circumferential surface of the drum 32.Next, the pressure roller 98 is moved by a signal from the photodetector 109 that detects the position of the cam shaft 68. , the clutch 25 is turned on, the winding motor 58 starts to rotate normally, and the feeding roller 5
1.52.53, the discharge rollers 35 and 36 rotate, and the drum 32 begins to rotate counterclockwise in the A direction. Therefore,
With its leading end chucked by the tip chuck member 64, the recording sheet S is pressed against the drum 32 by a pressure roller 98 and wound around the circumferential surface of the drum 32.
When the drum 32 reaches a preset position, that is, as shown in FIG. 5, when the rear end of the recording sheet S reaches below the rear end chuck member 80, the drum 32 is wound as shown in FIG. 11(C). 58 is stopped.

Subsequently, a drive command to the camshaft 68 causes the camshaft 68 to rotate to the position shown in FIG. 11(c). Rear end chuck member 8
0 is the cam 94, the rear end release lever 90, the slide lever 8
The recording sheet S is pressed against the circumferential surface of the drum 32 through the recording sheet S, and the rear end of the recording sheet S is chucked. At this time, the tip of the pin 83 connecting the slide lever 86 and the support plate 39 falls into the groove 84, the other end separates from the slide lever 86, and the bottle 83 is moved to the drum along with the rear end chuck member 80. 32 and becomes rotatable. Also,
The pressure roller 98 is moved away from the circumferential surface of the drum 32 by a cam 102 and a lever 100, as shown by arrow 1C in FIG. Drum 32 of sheet S
The winding is completed.

This state corresponds to FIG. 11(d), in which the clutch 25 is turned off and the electric writing fi 46 starts rotating, and the drum 32 further rotates in the A direction. When the leading edge of the recording sheet S reaches the writing position detected by the encoder 37 shown in FIG. 2, mechanically in the state shown in FIG. 6 and operationally shown in FIG. Then, writing onto the recording sheet S is started. This writing is drum 3
2 is rotated as it is, and the end of writing is a position signal of a predetermined position on the drum 32.

Alternatively, it is commanded by an external termination signal, and the process shown in Fig. 11 (
In the state f), the writing motor 46 stops and the drum 32 stops.

Regarding the collection operation of the recorded recording sheet S, first, the clutch 25 is turned on at the position shown in FIG. 11(f),
The winding electric motor 58 is reversely rotated, and the drum 32 is rotated clockwise in the B direction to the state shown in FIG. 11(g). This position means! Returning to the positional relationship shown in FIG. 5, the cam shaft 68 is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 12(d) by the cam drive signal, and the cam 94,
The rear end release lever 90 is operated, and the rear end chuck member 80 moves away from the circumferential surface of the drum 32 to release the rear end of the recording sheet S.

Next, according to the signal from the photodetector 109, the winding motor 5
8 moves the drum 32 in the direction A in advance in FIG. 11 (h
), the rear end of the recording sheet S faces toward the guide plate 34 as shown in FIG. 7 due to its elastic restoring force.Subsequently, when the drum 32 is rotated in the direction B,
The rear end of the recording sheet S is guided into the guide plate 34 so as to be pushed out by the tip chuck member 64, and the discharge roller 35 rotates at the same peripheral speed as the drum 32.
．． 36 and sent to the storage magazine 38.

Rotatable presser roller 103.104゜105.107
prevents the recording sheet S from bulging, and also prevents the drum 3 from bulging.
The change from the curved state to the flat surface on the open surface of No. 2 is made smooth. When the tip chuck member 64 reaches the predetermined state shown in FIG. 11(i), that is, the state shown in FIG. 8, the winding motor 58 stops and the drum 32 also stops. The camshaft 68
rotates to the state shown in FIG. 11(e), and the cam 69, tip release lever 65, relay lever 71, and bar 74. Pressing part 7
4a, the clamping portion 64a of the tip chuck member 64 is separated from the circumferential surface of the drum 32, and the recording sheet S is attached to the drum 3.
2, the state is released.

Then, the winding electric motor 58 rotates in response to the signal shown in FIG. 12(e) from the photodetector 109, drives the discharge rollers 35 and 36, and feeds the recording sheet S into the storage magazine 38.

At this time, the clutch 25 is off, and the drum 32
remains stopped. When the recording sheet S is stored in the storage magazine 38, the camshaft 68 rotates until it reaches the state shown in FIG. Next, a signal shown in FIG. 12(f) from the photodetector 109 is used to generate a winding motor! R58 rotates, the clutch 25 is turned on, and the drum 32 rotates in the direction B to reach its initial position in FIG. 11 (
Return to state m). The drive signal to the camshaft 68 causes the camshaft 68 to rotate to the initial state shown in FIG. is completed.

On the other hand, in the optical scanner system 24, FIGS.
As shown in the figure, a laser beam L emitted from a laser light source 110 changes direction by a mirror 111,
It is focused by a beam compressor lens 112, subjected to light intensity modulation based on the information to be recorded by an ultrasonic light modulator 113, and further subjected to beam expander lens 114.
The light is sent to a rotating polygon mirror 116 via a mirror 115. Then, main scanning is performed by the rotating polygon mirror 116 to move the laser beam L in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the recording sheet S, and the fθ lens unit 117 and mirror 118
After that, the optical information is imaged onto the recording sheet S on the drum 32. Also.

By rotating the drum 32, sub-scanning is performed in which the recording sheet S is moved in a direction perpendicular to the main-scanning direction of the laser beam L.

By arranging the drum system 22 and the optical scanner system 24 in the positional relationship shown in FIG. Mirrors 111.106.109, lens system elements 112.114.117, rotating polygon mirrors 116.
The ultrasonic light modulator 113 can now be adjusted on the same principal plane, making it easier to adjust the optical system.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the image recording apparatus according to the present invention uses the light beam scanning surface including the main scanning line on the recording sheet wound around the drum as the boundary surface, and supplies the light beam to the same side of this surface. By arranging the system and storage system, the recording device can be made smaller,
It becomes possible to improve scanning performance, and since each element of the scanning optical system can be arranged on the same plane, adjustment becomes easy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 12 show an embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram, FIG. 2 is a side view of the drum drive system, and FIGS. Figure 8 is a structural diagram related to the feeding and ejection of recording sheets, Figure 9 is a plan view of the optical scanner system, Figure 1O is a side view, Figure 11, Figure 1
FIG. 2 is a timing chart of the detection mechanism and the operating mechanism, and FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the conventional linear arrangement method. 20 is a control system, 21 is a supply system, 22 is a drum system, 2
3 is a storage system, and 24 is an optical scanner system. 30 is a supply magazine, 32 is a drum, 35.36 is a discharge roller, 38 is a storage magazine, 40.40° is a frame, 46 is a writing motor, 49 is a clutch, 51.52
．． 53 is a feeding roller, 58 is a winding electric motor, 64 is a tip chuck member, 65 is a tip release lever, 68 is a camshaft, 80 is a rear end chuck member, 81.81' is a support plate, 8
3 is a bottle, 84 is a groove, 86 is a slide lever, 90 is a rear end release lever, 98 is a pressure roller, and S is a recording sheet. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd. Figure 11 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 9 Figure 10

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A device for recording an image on a recording sheet wound around a drum using a modulated light beam, comprising: a supply system for taking out the recording sheet from a supply magazine and sending it to the drum; , a drum system that performs sub-scanning during recording by wrapping a recording sheet around the drum and rotating the drum, and a storage system that stores the recording sheet after recording, and a storage system that performs main scanning with respect to the drum. An image recording apparatus characterized in that the supply system and storage system are arranged on one side with respect to a boundary surface that is a light beam scanning surface including a line. 2. The image recording device according to claim 1, wherein the storage system includes a storage magazine. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the supply magazine and the storage magazine are arranged in parallel, and the attachment and detachment directions of both magazines are the same. 4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a light beam scanning optical system including a laser light source is disposed on the opposite side of the supply system and storage system with respect to the boundary surface.