JPS61284766A - Method and apparatus for copying - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reproduce an image having high quality by subjecting a diffusion transfer heat developable photosenstitive material to uniform full-surface exposure during the heating stage and till the stage when heat development does not substantially progress. CONSTITUTION:A heat roller 7 for preheating the photosensitive material 1, a light source 12 for full-surface exposure and a heat drum 19 for heat- developing the material 1 are provided to a developing section. The exposed material 1 delivered by feed rollers 4, 4' and 6, 6' is conveyed at a specified speed in a press contact part between the heat roller 7 which is heated preferably to 100-200 deg.C and under constant speed rotation and an endless belt 11 driven cooperatively therewith and is preheated for the specified time. The preheated material 1 is subjected to the uniform full-surface exposure by the light source 12 during the time while the material is conveyed along a guide plate 13. The image having the high quality is thus reproduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a copying method and a copying apparatus for a document, and more particularly to a copying method and a copying apparatus for obtaining an image using a diffusion transfer type heat-developable photosensitive material.

[Background of the Invention] Conventionally, an electrophotographic method is known as a method for copying a color original. In the electrophotographic method, a color original is generally exposed to light using a color separation filter of either green or red to form an electrostatic latent image on a charged photoreceptor drum.
Next, the latent image is developed using color toner such as yellow, magenta or cyan, and then the color toner image is transferred to transfer paper and fixed, and the same process is repeated for each color to form a color image. It is being reproduced.

Another known copying method is a method using a silver halide color light-sensitive material. This uses a certain type of silver halide color photosensitive material to reproduce color images.

To obtain a color image using the former electrophotographic method, steps such as charging, exposure, development, and transfer are repeated three times, which makes the device complicated and large, and it is difficult to superimpose three-color toner images. Problems such as color misalignment are likely to occur.

In addition, although the latter method using silver halide color photosensitive materials requires only one exposure, it is necessary to carry out complex wet processes such as developing, bleaching, fixing, and washing the photosensitive materials, and therefore each processing step requires A tank for storing the liquid is required, which increases the size of the apparatus, requires troublesome management of the processing liquid, and furthermore requires maintenance such as replenishment and replacement of the processing liquid.

[Object of the Invention] In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the first object of the present invention is to provide a copying method that does not require complicated processing steps and can reproduce high-quality images by a simple method. be.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a copying apparatus capable of realizing the above-described copying method with a simple configuration and forming high-quality copied images.

[Structure of the Invention] The first object of the present invention is to remove a photosensitive layer that releases a heat-diffusible dye from an unexposed portion by heating and an image-receiving layer that fixes the heat-diffusible dye released from the photosensitive layer. a step of exposing an image of an original onto a diffusion transfer type heat-developable photosensitive material layered on a support; thermally developing the exposed diffusion transfer type photothermographic material; and releasing the image by the heat development. This is achieved by providing a copying method comprising a heating step of thermally diffusively transferring the heat-diffusible dye to the image-receiving layer.

The second object of the present invention is to provide a support in which a photosensitive layer that releases a heat-diffusible dye from a non-exposed area when heated and an image-receiving layer that fixes the heat-diffusible dye released from the photosensitive layer are removable from a support. a means for exposing an image of an original onto a diffusion transfer heat-developable photosensitive material layered thereon; a means for heat-developing the exposed diffusion transfer-type heat-developable photosensitive material; and a means for thermally diffusive material released by the heat development. A heating means for thermally diffusion transferring the dye to the image-receiving layer; and a heating means for thermally diffusing the dye to the image-receiving layer; This is accomplished by providing a copying apparatus having means for uniformly exposing the entire surface.

[Specific configuration of the invention] Copying machines often use color positive originals,
As the diffusion transfer type heat developable photosensitive material used in the present invention, a positive type diffusion transfer type heat developable color photosensitive material is preferably used. For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 59-280128, No. 5
A heat-developable photosensitive material using internal latent image type silver halide whose interior is not covered in advance as disclosed in No. 9-281491 is useful.

Specifically, it is a photosensitive material containing an internal latent image type silver halide (preferably containing an organic silver salt) whose interior has not been fogged in advance, a dye-providing substance that releases or forms a thermally transferable dye upon heating, etc. be.

Examples of the dye-providing substance used in the present invention include JP-A-57-186744, JP-A-59-12431, and JP-A-59.
-48765, No. 60-2950, etc., a reducing agent oxidized by a silver halide and/or an organic silver salt and a dye-donating substance undergo a coupling reaction when heated, resulting in JP-A-58-149046, JP-A-58-149047, in which the dye residue that leaves the coupling site of the dye-donating substance becomes a heat-transferable dye.
No. 59-124339, No. 59-18134
No. 5, No. 60-2950, Patent Application No. 179657-1983
59-181604, 59-182506, 59-182507, etc., the oxidized form of a reducing agent oxidized with a silver halide and/or an organic silver salt and a dye-donating substance are used. Those that cause a coupling reaction when heated to form heat transferable dyes, and JP-A-57
-179840, 57-198458, 58-
58543, 59-16843, etc., is oxidized by silver halide and/or organic silver salt during heating to produce a thermally transferable dye in the presence of a dye release aid. There are things that emit

When thermally developing the above-mentioned photothermographic material after image exposure,
By uniformly exposing the entire surface to light during a stage in which thermal development does not substantially proceed, a silver image and a thermally transferable dye image in a positive-positive relationship with respect to the original can be obtained.

A color image is obtained by thermally transferring a thermally transferable dye image in a positive-positive relationship to an original formed on the photothermographic material to an image receiving layer.

The image-receiving layer used in the present invention is an image-receiving layer capable of receiving the dye released from the heat-developable photosensitive layer, and is formed integrally with the photosensitive layer on the support. The image-receiving layer may contain a dye mordant. This mordant can be selected and used depending on the properties of the dye to be released, the components contained in the photothermographic material, the thermal transfer conditions, etc. Examples of mordants include JP-A-57-186744 and JP-A-57-186744;
No. 9-181345, patent application No. 58-97907@, same 5
Polymer mordants and quaternary mordant polymers described in No. 8-128600 and the like can be used.

The specific layer structure of the diffusion transfer photothermographic material used in the present invention includes, for example, an image-receiving layer, a release layer, a photosensitive layer, and a protective layer laminated in this order on a transparent or white heat-resistant support. or when the photosensitive layer coated on the base and the image-receiving layer coated on another support are peeled off (contact layer).
Examples include those that have an integrated structure that is bonded via a . After the thermal transfer of the photosensitive material having the M configuration, the photosensitive layer can be peeled off from the image-receiving layer by using an adhesive tape or the like. Further, if the above-mentioned release layer is formed of a water-soluble material, the photosensitive layer can be released from the image-receiving layer by immersion in water after thermal development and transfer. It is also possible to provide a structure in which the photosensitive layer and the image-receiving layer can be peeled off without particularly providing the above-mentioned peeling layer.

In the copying method according to the present invention, a photosensitive layer that releases a heat-diffusible dye from an unexposed area by heating and an image-receiving layer that fixes the heat-diffusible dye released from the photosensitive layer are releasably layered on a support. A step of exposing an image of an original onto the constructed diffusion transfer heat-developable photosensitive material, heat developing the exposed diffusion transfer heat-developable photosensitive material, and transferring the heat-diffusible dye released by the heat development to the heat-diffusible dye. a heating step for thermal diffusion transfer to the image-receiving layer;
The method comprises a step of uniformly exposing the entire surface of the diffusion transfer type photothermographic material during the heating step up to a stage where thermal development does not substantially proceed.

That is, it is as follows.

(1) Exposure process -> heating process (development and transfer); full-surface exposure process; In addition, in the method (1) above, the heating step is provided in two stages: a preheating step until thermal development does not substantially proceed, and then a heating step at which thermal development and thermal transfer substantially proceed. Alternatively, the entire surface may be exposed during and/or after this preheating step. In other words, it is as follows.

(2) Exposure process - Preheating process 10 Full surface exposure process -> Heating process (development and transfer) Visible light is used as a light source in the above exposure process, for example, halogen lamps such as tungsten lamps, mercury lamps, iodine lamps, etc. lamps, xenon lamps, etc. Further, as the exposure method, any method including a full-surface simultaneous exposure method, a slit exposure method, etc. may be used.

The above-mentioned entire surface exposure step is carried out during a stage where thermal development is not substantially progressing, but the exposure intensity, time, etc. at this time are described in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-280128 and No. 59-281491.
There is a description in the issue. Further, the light source at this time can be the same as the light source used in the above image exposure step, and furthermore, it is also possible to use the same light source for the image exposure and the entire surface exposure.

As a pre-stage to the above-mentioned heating step, a step of preheating to a stage where thermal development does not substantially proceed can be provided.

Heating means in the above heating step include, for example, heating by passing between hot plates or contacting with hot plates, heating by rotating a hot drum or hot roller, heating by passing through hot air, and other known heating means. can be used arbitrarily. The heating stone in the heating process is approximately 80℃~25℃
The temperature range is 0°C, preferably 80°C to 200°C, and more preferably 120°C to 170°C. It is also possible to provide a layer of conductive material such as graphite, carbon black, or metal in advance on the diffusion transfer photothermographic material, and directly heat this layer by passing an electric current through it.

After the heating step, a step of peeling off the image-receiving layer from the diffusion transfer photothermographic material can be provided, and any known peeling means can be used in this step.

Further, after the heating step and prior to the peeling step, a step of cooling the diffusion transfer photothermographic material can be provided. The temperature after cooling is 60°C or less, preferably 40°C or less. Cooling is conveniently carried out, for example, by using a cooling fan to blow cold air. Of course, any other cooling means can be used.

[Example J The present invention will be specifically explained below using Examples.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the present invention, and is a schematic cross-sectional view of a copying apparatus of an entire surface simultaneous exposure type.

The original 74 is placed on a platen glass P and is held still by a cover C that can be roughly opened and closed. Below the platen glass P are exposure lamps 7o, 70' and mirrors 71 and 73.
An exposure section consisting of a lens 72 and a lens 72 is provided.

On the other hand, diffusion transfer type heat-developable photosensitive material (hereinafter referred to as photosensitive material) 1
is stored in a roll in a magazine (not shown).
It is pulled out by a feed roller 2.2' and further sent onto the exposure table 5 by a feed roller 4.4'. During this process, the photosensitive material 1 is cut into a predetermined length by the cutter 3. When the leading and trailing ends of the cut photosensitive material 1 are respectively nipped by the feed row 56.6' and the feed roller 4.4', the conveyance is stopped and the photosensitive material 1 comes to rest on the exposure table 5. At the same time, the exposure lamps 70 and 70' are turned on, and the reflected light from the original 74 is passed through the optical system to the photosensitive material 1 on the exposure table 5.
is irradiated to.

When the image exposure is completed in this manner, the photosensitive material 1 is sent to the developing section by driving the feed rollers 4.4' and 6.6'.

The developing section includes a heat roller 7 for preheating the photosensitive material 1, a light source 12 for full-surface exposure, and a heat drum 19 for thermally developing the photosensitive material 1.

The endless belt 11 is stretched between three rolls 8, 9, and 10 so as to be pressed against one circumferential surface of the heat roller 7 with a constant pressure. Further, the endless belt 14 is stretched between four rolls 15, 16, 17, and 18 so as to be in contact with one circumferential surface of the heat drum 19 with a constant pressure.

The exposed photosensitive material 1 fed out by the feed rollers 4.4' and 6.6' is heated to a temperature of 80°C to 250°C, preferably 10°C.
The sheet is conveyed at a constant speed between the press contact portion between the heat roller 7 heated to 0° C. to 250° C., preferably 100° C. to 200° C., rotating at a constant speed, and the endless belt 11 driven in conjunction with the heat roller 7. , undergo preheating for a certain period of time.

The preheated photosensitive material 1 is conveyed along the guide plate 13 and is exposed uniformly over the entire surface by the light source 12, and is then exposed to a heat drum 19 rotating at a constant speed and driven in conjunction with the heat drum 19. It is conveyed at a constant speed between the pressure contact parts with the endless belt 14, and the temperature is preferably 80°C to 250°C.
The film is heated at 00° C. to 200° C. for a certain period of time, and thermal development and thermal diffusion transfer are performed. Thereafter, the photosensitive material 1 is cooled while passing through a guide plate 20 and is discharged onto a tray 21. If the photosensitive layer and image-receiving layer of the ejected photosensitive material 1 are peeled off by known means, a clear copy image can be obtained on the image-receiving layer. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the developing section. In this example, powder of a conductive material such as carbon black, graphite, titanium, titanium oxide, etc. is dispersed in advance on the back side of the support of the photosensitive material 1 using a ball mill, and this is mixed with a solution of gelatin, PVA, polyester, etc. A conductive heating layer is provided.

After image exposure, the photosensitive material 1 is conveyed on the guide plate 30 by the feed roller 22.22', and when the leading edge of the photosensitive material 1 reaches the feed roller 23.23', the feed roller 22.23'
Since a constant voltage is applied between them by the power source 26, a current flows through the conductive heating layer of the photosensitive material 1, and the photosensitive material 1 is preheated. Subsequently, the photosensitive material 1 is conveyed on the guide plate 31 and exposed uniformly over the entire surface by the light source 24, and the leading and trailing ends of the photosensitive material 1 are held between the conveying rollers 28, 28' and 27, 27', respectively. The conveyance is stopped at the moment when the switch 32 is turned on and the conveyance roller 2 is turned on.
Due to the voltage applied by the power supply 33 during 7.28,
The conductive heating layer of the photosensitive material 1 generates heat, and the photosensitive material 1 is heated to perform thermal development and thermal transfer. After being heated for a predetermined time, the photosensitive material 1 is conveyed again by the conveyance rollers 27, 27' and 28, 28', and further sent out by the feed roller 29, 29'.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention, and is a schematic sectional view of a slit exposure type copying apparatus, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 3.

Reference numeral 35 denotes a movable document table, and the document 34 is placed on the movable document table 35 and fixed stationary by a document presser 36 . Below the movable document table 35 are an exposure lamp 37, a mirror 38.
4o and a lens 39 are provided.

On the other hand, the photosensitive material 1 is stored in a light-shielded cassette 41 and fed out one by one by a paper feeding means (not shown). The photosensitive material 1 sent out from inside the cassette 41 is sent by feed rollers 42 and 42', and is stretched between rollers 43 and 44, which are synchronized with the scanning of the original 34 and driven at the same speed as this scanning speed. It is conveyed at a constant speed on the endless belt 45 and subjected to slit exposure.

The exposed photosensitive material 1 is sent by a feed roller 44' to a development transfer section 46 surrounded by a heat insulating material 47. The photosensitive material 1 that has entered the development and transfer section 46 first enters a preheating section. The preheating section includes an endless belt 69 that surrounds the surface heater 68 and is stretched between rollers 66 and 67 so as to slide on the surface of the surface heater 68, and an endless belt 65 that is stretched between rollers 63 and 64 that are in pressure contact with the rollers 63 and 64. As a result, the endless belts 65 and 69 move at a constant speed in the same direction on their contact surfaces (see FIG. 4).

The photosensitive material 1 is conveyed at a constant speed between the pressure contact portions of the endless belts 65 and 69, heated to 80 DEG C. to 250 DEG C., preferably 100 DEG C. to 200 DEG C., and is conveyed on a guide plate 76 while being heated by light. After the entire surface is uniformly exposed by ll75, it is sent to the next thermal development transfer section.

The heat development transfer section includes a heat drum 48 and a heat drum 4.
The endless belt 53 is stretched between four rollers 49, 50, 51 and 52 so as to be in contact with one circumferential surface of the heat drum 8 and move in the same direction and at the same speed as the rotation of the heat drum 48 on this contact surface. , sensitive material 1 is heat drum 48
and while being conveyed between the pressure contact parts of the endless belt 53,
It is heated, and thermal development and thermal transfer are performed.

Thereafter, the photosensitive material 1 is conveyed between guide plates 54 and 55, cooled while being conveyed over a plurality of conveying roller groups 56, and sent to a peeling section.

The peeling section consists of an adhesive chip 758, a supply roll 57, a take-up roll 60, a pair of pressure rollers 59, 59', and a freely rotating roller 62. The sensitive material 1 is pressed by a pressure roller 59.
59', the adhesive surface of the adhesive chip 158 and the emulsion layer surface are overlapped and bonded together, and conveyed in this state. Thereafter, the conveyance direction of the adhesive chip 758 is changed sharply by the roller 62 before being wound onto the take-up roll 60. At this time, depending on the rigidity of the support of photosensitive material 1,
The photosensitive layer can be peeled off from the support side together with the adhesive chip 758, and the support side is discharged onto the tray 61. In this way, a clear copied image can be obtained on the image receiving layer provided on the support.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail, the copying method of the present invention does not require complicated processing steps and can reproduce high-quality images using a simple method. Further, according to the copying apparatus of the present invention, the above-described copying method according to the present invention can be realized with a simple configuration, and high-quality copied images can be formed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a copying apparatus using a full-surface simultaneous exposure type copying system showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the developing section, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of a slit exposure type copying apparatus showing another embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 3. 1...Sensitive material 3...Cutter 5...Exposure table 7...Heat roller 11.14.53.65.69...Endless belt 19.48...Heat drum 21.61...・Tray 34.74...Original 37.70.70'...Exposure lamp 38.40.7
1.73...Mirror 39.72...Lens 46...Development transfer section 58...Adhesive tape 68...Surface heater

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) Diffusion transfer in which a photosensitive layer that releases a heat-diffusible dye from an unexposed area when heated and an image-receiving layer that fixes the heat-diffusible dye released from the photosensitive layer are layered on a support so that they can be peeled off. a step of exposing an image of an original onto a type heat-developable photosensitive material; heat developing the exposed diffusion transfer type photothermographic material; and thermally diffusing the heat-diffusible dye released by the heat development into the image-receiving layer. It is characterized by comprising a heating step for transferring, and a step for uniformly exposing the entire surface of the diffusion transfer type photothermographic material during the heating step up to a stage where thermal development does not substantially proceed. Copying method. (2) The heating step consists of a preheating step in which heat development is heated to a stage where thermal development does not substantially proceed, and a heating step in which heat development and thermal diffusion transfer substantially proceed; 2. The copying method according to claim 1, wherein the entire surface of the diffusion transfer photothermographic material is uniformly exposed to light after the heating step. (3) The copying method according to claims 1 and 2, further comprising a step of cooling the diffusion transfer photothermographic material after the heating step. (4) The copying method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of peeling off the image-receiving layer from the diffusion transfer photothermographic material after the cooling step. (5) Diffusion transfer in which a photosensitive layer that releases a heat-diffusible dye from an unexposed area when heated and an image-receiving layer that fixes the heat-diffusible dye released from the photosensitive layer are layered on a support in a removable manner. a means for exposing an image of an original onto a type heat-developable photosensitive material; a means for thermally developing the exposed diffusion transfer type photothermographic material; and a means for thermally diffusing the heat-diffusible dye released by the heat development into the image-receiving layer. a heating means for transferring; a means for uniformly exposing the entire surface of the diffusion transfer type photothermographic material during heating by the heating means and before substantially no thermal development progresses; A copying apparatus characterized by having: (6) The heating means includes a preheating means for heating to a stage where thermal development does not substantially proceed, and a heating means for substantially proceeding thermal development and thermal diffusion transfer, and the heating means is heated by the preheating means. 6. The copying apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said diffusion transfer type photothermographic material is uniformly exposed to light over the entire surface of said diffusion transfer type photothermographic material during heating and/or after heating. (7) A copying apparatus according to any one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that a means for cooling the diffusion transfer photothermographic material is provided after the heating means. (8) The copying apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising means for peeling off the image-receiving layer from the diffusion transfer photothermographic material after the cooling means.