JPS61184545A - Heat developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent irregularity of heating and deviation of carrying by carrying closely contacted photosensitive material and image receiving paper to a heat developing section by a carrying belt, and after stopping them at the position of the heat developing section, pressing a heating member on the surface of a photosensitive material for heat developing. CONSTITUTION:When a heat developing film 1 superposed with image receiving paper is put on a guide plate 2 and sent in, the heat developing film 1 is carried by rotation of a carrying belt 4, and the rear end is detected by a switch 3 for detection, and stopped at a heat developing section on the belt 4. When the film 1 stops, a switch 13 for controlling is operated by action of a timer, and a heating plate 8 having built-in heater 7 is shifted downward and brought into strong pressure contact with the film. When heat developing transfer is completed by heating by the heating plate 8, the heating plate 8 is shifted upward by pressing springs 9a, 9b, and pressure contact with the film 1 is released. Thus, heating by effective pressure contact with the heating member is obtained with the material remaining in stopped state. Heat effect is excellent and irregularity of heating does not take place. Further, deviation between the photosensitive material and image receiving paper is not caused.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a thermal developing device, and more specifically, it is a method for preventing misalignment during conveyance of a photothermographic material and image receiving paper that are stacked together, and temperature unevenness during partial heating. The present invention relates to an improved thermal developing device.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, developing devices and developing methods for heat-developable photosensitive materials are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 54-158230 and 1982-15823.
No. 1, No. 55-2281, No. 56-1939, No. 5
6-1939 publications, Research Disclosure i
ll No. 6810, No. 17623, by pressing against a heat block for a certain period of time, moving on a heat block, using a heat drum, blowing hot air, etc., as well as methods using infrared rays, electric current, or microwaves. Development methods and the like are known. In addition to the above, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 59-247991 discloses a thermal development transfer device that is constructed of a heater block with a built-in heater and a conveyor belt facing the heater block. Further, RD 17635 describes a thermal development transfer device composed of two adjoining belts each heated by a built-in heater.

The heat development apparatuses and heat development methods known above are systematically classified and more specifically described in the following general terms.

(A method in which the heat-developable film is held and conveyed by a rotating heat drum and a conveyor belt, etc., during development.

(2) A method in which a heat-developable film is sandwiched and conveyed between two upper and lower conveyor belts, and is passed over a heating member to perform thermal development using the heat of the heated belts.

(3) A method in which heat development is performed by pressing and sliding the heat-developable film using a rotating conveyance drum and a fixed heating member.

However, in the heat development methods described above, the pressure of the heat development film against the heating member is generally insufficient, which tends to cause local temperature unevenness in the heat development film, and the heat development film and receiver paper are overlapped. There is an inconvenient point in that when the two objects are conveyed together, a conveyance misalignment is likely to occur between the two.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) Therefore, the present invention has been made from the above viewpoints,
To provide a heat developing device in which a heat developable film is particularly not easily affected by heating unevenness and does not cause transport misalignment between the heat developable film and image receiving paper even when the heat developable film and image receiving paper are transported in a superimposed state. With the goal.

(Means for Solving the Problems) According to the present invention, the above-mentioned object of the present invention is to provide a heat-developable photosensitive material and an image-receiving paper in a thermal development apparatus that superimposes the photothermographic material and an image-receiving paper and performs heat development. The image-receiving paper is conveyed to the heat-developing section with a conveyor belt in close contact with it, and after stopping at the heat-developing section position, a heating member is pressed against the surface of the heat-developable photosensitive material, and after a predetermined period of time, the heating member is withdrawn. This can then be achieved using a heat development device that transports the heat-developable photosensitive material and image receiving paper using a transport belt.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below.

In the present invention, after a photothermographic material is overlaid with an image-receiving paper as described above, it is conveyed to a heating section by a conveyor belt, and is temporarily stopped at the heating section, during which a heating member is placed on the surface of the photothermographic material. This relates to a heat developing device characterized in that after thermal development is carried out by bringing them into pressure contact and the heating member is retracted from the surface of the photosensitive material, the heat-developable photosensitive material and image receiving paper are conveyed again and discharged. .

The heat-developable light-sensitive material used in the present invention is a heat-developable color light-sensitive material containing a dye-donating substance that releases a diffusible dye upon heat development, and the diffusion transfer type heat development method using the image-receiving material having an image-receiving layer. After exposing a color image to a color photosensitive material, the heat-developable photosensitive material placed in a stacked relationship with the image-receiving layer is uniformly heated, and the diffusible dye released or formed after heat development or at the same time. It is particularly useful in a color image forming method in which a color image is obtained by thermally transferring a color image to an image-receiving layer.

The heat-developable photosensitive materials that can be used in the present invention include:
For example, JP-A-59-52440, JP-A No. 59-15444
No. 5, No. 59-124327, No. 59-164903
Positive-type heat-developable photosensitive materials described in the publications or specifications of Japanese Patent Application No. 58-42779 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 179840-1984, 1984-1984, and 57-198458.
No. 9-159159, No. 58-149046, No. 58
-149047, 59-12431, 59-4
No. 8705, No. 59-181345 and % Gansho 5
No. 8-109293, No. 59-79887, No. 59-
No. 181604, No. 59-182507, No. 59-1
Heat-developable photosensitive materials such as those disclosed in publications and specifications such as No. 79657 and No. 59-182506 are useful.

Such heat-developable photosensitive materials are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-15
No. 2440, No. 59-154445, No. 59-124
No. 320, Japanese Patent Application No. 58-42779, etc. disclose photosensitive silver halide (which may contain an organic silver salt), an electron donor and/or its breaker,
and/or photosensitive materials containing electron transfer agents, dye-donating substances that are reduced at high temperatures to release thermally transferable dyes, or photosensitive silver halides (preferably containing organic silver salts); These are photosensitive materials containing a dye-providing substance that is oxidized by silver halide, organic silver salt, or both in exposed areas and no longer releases heat-transferable dyes.

Such a light-sensitive material provides a silver image which is in a negative-positive relationship with the original and a heat transferable dye which is in a positive-positive relationship with the original simply by performing image exposure using ordinary negative-working silver halide and then thermal development.

Another type is a photosensitive material containing a dye-providing substance that releases or forms a heat transferable dye upon heating. Such dye-donating substances include dyes that cause a coupling reaction when heated with an oxidized form of a reducing agent oxidized by silver halide, an organic silver salt, or both, and as a result, are released from the coupling site of the dye-donating substance. Those whose residues become heat transferable dyes: (e.g. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1867-1983)
No. 44, No. 57-207250, No. 59-48765
No. 59-116642, No. 59-116643, and No. 59-179657), and those utilizing thermal transferable dyes formed by coupling of the oxidized product of the reducing agent and the dye-donating substance. (For example, JP-A-58
-149046, Oka 58-149047, 59-
No. 124339, No. 59-181345, Patent Application No. 1983
-109293, 59-79887, 59-1
No. 81604, No. 59-182507, No. 59-17
No. 9657, No. 59-182506, etc.).

Another dye-providing substance is one in which a reducing dye-providing substance is oxidized by silver halide, organic silver salt, or both when heated, and releases a heat transferable dye in the presence of a dye release aid. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 57-17984
0, No. 57-198458, No. 58-58543, No. 59-168439, etc.).

These heat-developable photosensitive materials can be image-wise exposed and then heat-developed to form a heat-transferable dye image in an imagewise manner depending on the type thereof.

The image-receiving material that can be used in the present invention is one in which an image-receiving layer capable of receiving a dye released from a heat-developable photosensitive material by heat development is formed on a support. This image-receiving layer contains a dye mordant, and the mordant can be selected and used depending on the properties of the dye to be released, other components contained in the heat-developable photosensitive material, transfer conditions, etc. A high molecular weight polymer mordant such as that described in Japanese Patent No. 59-181345 can be used.

Using the color diffusion transfer type heat-developable photosensitive material described above, after imagewise exposure to the photosensitive material, an image-receiving sheet is stacked so that the image-receiving layer is in close contact with the exposed surface, and then the combined photosensitive material is thermally developed, A color image can be obtained by heating the imagewise formed color image onto an image-receiving sheet by thermal diffusion transfer.

In these heat development transfer methods, visible light is used as a light source for image exposure to write a latent image on a heat developable photosensitive material, such as a tungsten lamp, a mercury lamp, a halogen lamp such as an iodine lamp, a xenon lamp, or even a xenon lamp. A laser light source, CRT light source, fluorescent tube, LFiD, etc. can be used.

Also, the exposure method may be a normal full-surface exposure method.
〈Video images and image signals sent from TV stations are transferred to CRT.
Scanning exposure may be performed using a lens or in close contact with a lens or FOT.

Furthermore, any method including slit exposure used in normal electrophotography may be used.

Exposure, superimposition process, heat development transfer process, and peeling process may be performed manually or automatically using a known method.

Furthermore, the transfer of the thermal transfer dye to the image-receiving layer is usually performed using a diffusion aid built into the heat-developable photosensitive material or the image-receiving sheet, but the peeling process can be carried out in the transfer device by combining a known peeling device. However, it is also possible to carry out the heating process within the apparatus and peel it off by hand. The present invention relates to a heat development method and an apparatus thereof among these steps.

(Example) The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a thermal development apparatus of the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a sample of a heat-developable photosensitive material, such as a heat-developable film and an image-receiving paper (hereinafter simply referred to as a heat-developable film). The vertical relationship in the case of overlapping the heat-developable films in the present invention is arbitrary, but it is preferable to overlap them so that the photosensitive material having the photosensitive layer is located at the top and the image receiving paper is located at the bottom in the figure. .

2 is a guide plate for introducing the heat-developable film 1 into the apparatus, and 3 is a detection switch provided below the guide plate 2 for detecting the rear end of the heat-developable film 1. . This detection switch 3 has a function of, for example, being activated when it comes into light contact with the heat developing film 1 being transported and the contact is released, and sending a signal to a timer connected to this switch 3. You can use it if you have it.

In the figure, reference numeral 4 denotes a conveyor belt that is stretched around drive rollers 5a and 5b and can rotate in the direction of the arrow.

6 is located on the surface of the conveyor belt 4, so as to prevent pressure contact force when the conveyor belt 4 comes into pressure contact with a heating member, which will be described later, and to promote pressure contact between the heat developing film 1 and the heating member. This is a support plate that supports the conveyor belt 4.
- Next, the heating member according to the present invention is composed of a heater and a heating plate, and 7 is the heater, which heats the heating plate 8 surrounding it. The thermal development transfer temperature in the present invention is so'~
Since 250 DEG C. is particularly preferable, and a range of 120 DEG to 200 DEG C. is preferable, it goes without saying that the heating temperature of the heating plate 8 is preferably heated to a temperature suitable for providing the above-mentioned developing temperature.

Further, in the figure, reference numerals 9a and 9b denote suppression springs whose ends are fixed to the edge portions 10a and 10b of the heating member, respectively, so that when thermal development is not performed, the conveyor belt 4 and the heating plate This is useful because it plays a role of isolating the

Next, 11a and 11b are cams 1 that act on the edge portions 10a and 10b of the heating member, respectively.
This is a motor for driving 2a and 12b (for crimping operation).

Therefore, in the heat developing apparatus of the present invention, by operating the cams 12m and 12b by the motors lla and 11b, the heating plate 8 containing the heater 7 is moved downward in the figure against the pressure springs 9a and 9b. As a result, the heat development film 1 transported by the transport belt 4 and the heating plate 8 are brought into pressure contact in the heat development section.

In the figure, 13 is a control switch that is activated by a signal sent to a timer (not shown) based on the activation of the detection switch 3, and a motor 11g that operates the cams 12a and 12b. and 11b, respectively.

Reference numeral 14 represents a driven roller 1 that rotates with the rotation of the drive roller 5b, and 15 represents a paper discharge tray.

Next, a heat development process using the heat development apparatus of the present invention configured as described above will be described.

First, when the heat-developable film 1 overlapped with the image-receiving paper is placed on the guide plate 2 and sent in, the heat-developable film 1 is conveyed by the rotation of the conveyor belt 4, and the rear end of the heat-developable film 1 is conveyed by the rotation of the conveyor belt 4. is detected and stops at the heating and developing section on the conveyor belt 4 regardless of its length.

When the heat developing film 1 stops at the heat developing section, the control switch 13 starts operating due to the operation of a timer (not shown) connected to the detection switch 3, and the motor 1 starts operating.
1a and 11bt-drive.

The cam 1 is driven by the motors 11a and 11b.
2 a and 12 b rotate, and the end edge 10 of the heating member
a and 10b downward against the pressure springs 9a and 9b. Therefore, the heating plate 8 containing the heater 7 moves downward and comes into strong pressure contact with the thermal development film 1 which is stopped in the thermal development section.

When heated by the heating plate 8 and the thermal development transfer is completed,
"As the timer operates, the control switch 13 again operates the motors 11a and 11b, and the cam 12
As a result of the rotation of a and 12b and the release of the suppressing action of the cam, the heating plate 8 is moved upward by the pressure springs 9a and 9b, and the pressure contact with the heat developing film 1 is released.

When the heating member retreats from the surface of the heat-developable film 1, the conveyor belt 4 starts rotating again, and the heat-developable film 1 is conveyed along the conveyor belt 4vc, passes through the driven roller 14,
The paper is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 15.

The above is the general structure of the thermal development apparatus of the present invention and the outline of the thermal development process. Operations such as downward movement of the heat developing film, heat development by pressure contact between the heat developing film and the heating member, retraction of the heating member after a predetermined time, and re-driving of the conveyance roller are performed by the second
This is done in a controlled manner using a basic circuit as shown in the figure.

As described above in detail, according to the heat developing apparatus of the present invention, the heating member is directly pressed against the heat developing film, so the thermal efficiency is not only good, but also the heat developing film and the receiver paper are connected in a stationary state. Since they are welded together under heat and pressure, there will be no misalignment between them during transportation.

Further, since the above-mentioned pressure contact is performed by a cam mechanism, the pressure contact force is excellent and effective.

(Effects of the Invention) The thermal development device of the present invention uses a conveyor belt to convey the photothermographic material, and uses a cam mechanism to press the heating member into contact with the photothermographic material, so the photothermographic material remains stationary. Since heating is achieved by effective pressure contact with the heating member, the thermal effect is good and uneven heating does not occur, and furthermore, there is no misalignment between the photosensitive material and the image receiving paper during conveyance.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing the groove bottom of the heat developing device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a basic circuit diagram of the same device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a heat development device that heats and develops a photothermographic material and an image-receiving paper by overlapping them, the photothermographic material and the image-receiving paper are conveyed in close contact to a heat-developing section by a conveyor belt, and stopped at the heat-developing section position. A heating member is pressed against the surface of the heat-developable photosensitive material after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the heating member is retracted, and then the heat-developable photosensitive material and image receiving paper are conveyed by a conveyor belt. Device.