JPS6218549A - Image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decrease the quantity of heat required in the stage of transfer by heating by spraying a solvent for forming image in the form of a mist to apply said solvent to image receiving paper from the outside to avoid coating of the a transfer assistant to the rear surface of the image receiving paper or photosensitive material. CONSTITUTION:The image receiving paper 32 is fed from the lowermost layer thereof to a water coating part 34 by receiving driving force from conveying rollers 42 pivotally supported to a machine bed 12 while said paper is held contained in a cassette 30. The water coating part 34 is so disposed the steam is sprayed to the surface of the paper 32 by a water coater 48 while said paper 32 is nipped by nip rollers 44, 46 and is thereby conveyed. The rollers 42-45 are cooperatively driven and are rotated at a prescribed speed by a variable speed motor 47.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming method for forming an image by applying an image forming solvent.

[Conventional technology]

The image forming solvent used in the present invention, if present during heat development, acts as a development accelerator or a diffusible dye forming reaction accelerator, and furthermore, when the image-wise distributed dye image is diffused and fixed in the dye fixing layer, the image forming solvent acts as a development accelerator or a diffusible dye forming reaction accelerator. Transfer □Works as a transfer aid.

Until now, many methods have been devised to apply image formation accelerators. For example, when transferring a diffusible dye formed on a heat-developable photosensitive material to an image-receiving material, a roller impregnated with water, which is a dye transfer aid, is used. There is a method in which water is applied to the image receiving paper (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 59-75247), but it is difficult to control the amount of water applied, and the water application is uneven, which can cause uneven transfer. Become. Furthermore, water-soluble components contained in the image-receiving paper are eluted and adhere to the roller, which may also adhere to other image-receiving papers, causing deterioration in transferred image quality.

In addition, a transfer aid coating device was devised in which water for the dye transfer aid was placed in a container and the water was applied by passing the image receiving paper into the container (Utility Application 1983).
-12475).

However, water is also applied to the back side of the image receiving paper, which can cause curling of the image receiving paper and the amount of water required during heat transfer.
□The amount of heat increases. Furthermore, it is not easy to control the amount of water applied, and as a result, water is applied excessively, causing the diffusible dye contained in the light-sensitive material to be diffused more than necessary, resulting in bleeding or the like in the transferred image.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The present invention is to uniformly apply an image forming solvent only to the required surface, and to precisely control the amount of application to apply an appropriate amount to diffuse a mobile dye into a dye fixing layer with high image quality. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an image forming method that can perform the following steps.

[Means to solve problems]

The present invention provides a method for forming an image-like distribution of a mobile dye by heating it in the presence of an image-forming solvent after imagewise exposure of a light-sensitive material, or a method for making the image mobile by heating a photosensitive material. The 8 medium (for forming) is applied in a mist form and sprayed from the outside.

[Effect]

An image-forming solvent is sprayed in a mist onto the surface of the photosensitive material or image-receiving material that needs to be coated. By feeding the photosensitive material or image-receiving material to be coated in a fixed direction at a constant speed, the coating is uniformly applied only to the surfaces that require coating.

The amount of application can be adjusted easily by simply changing the speed of the constant speed feeding or the amount of air for spraying.

〔Example〕

In one preferred method of forming a dye image of the present invention, after image exposure, an imaging solvent (e.g., water) is sprayed onto the light-sensitive element or/and image-receiving element in the form of a mist. When the image-receiving element and the image-receiving element are coated on separate supports, the dye image thus formed can be transferred and fixed to the dye-fixing layer at the same time as development by overlapping them and heating them. Alternatively, another preferred method is to form a diffusible dye in areas corresponding to or inversely corresponding to the silver image upon development by simply heating after image exposure, followed by atomization of a small amount of dye transfer aid (e.g. water). The diffusible dye can be transferred to the dye-fixing layer and fixed by applying it to the photosensitive element or image-receiving element, superimposing the two, and heating them.

In the present invention, the image-forming solvent supplied externally in the form of a mist to the light-sensitive material or dye-fixing material includes water, caustic soda, caustic potash, inorganic alkali metal salts, and organic bases or their salts (for example, guanidine carbonate). A basic aqueous solution containing salt) is used. As these bases, those described in the section of the image formation accelerator are used. Also, methanol, N,N-dimethylformamide, acetone,
A low boiling point solvent such as perisobutyl ketone or a mixed solution of these low boiling point solvents and a basic aqueous solution is used. Particularly preferred among these image-forming solvents is water.

When the image-forming solvent is sprayed in the form of a mist, it is preferable to allow a surfactant to exist in the mist to lower the interfacial tension of the solvent. The surfactant that can be used at this time may be any of anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants. As examples of compounds, those described in Surfactant Handbook (published by Kogaku Tosho) can be used.

An apparatus for applying an image-forming solvent (particularly water) to a light-sensitive material or a dye-fixing material will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows an image recording apparatus 1o to which the image forming method of the present invention is applied.

In this image recording apparatus lo, a magazine 14 is mounted on a machine base 12 and accommodates a roll-shaped heat-developable photosensitive material (hereinafter simply referred to as a printing material) 16.

This window material 16 is pulled out from the magazine 14, and the cutter 18
After being cut to the required length, it is wound around the outer periphery of the exposure drum 20 placed in the machine stand 12, exposed by the exposure head 22, and then peeled off by the scraper 24 and placed in the thermal development section 2.
This is the configuration that is sent to 6.

In the case of an image forming method in which an image-forming solvent is applied to a photosensitive element or an image-receiving element after image exposure, the two are superimposed and developed by heat, and at the same time the dye released or formed thereby is diffusely transferred to the image-receiving element, this thermal development section 26 is used. can be removed, and heat development and transfer can be performed simultaneously in a transfer section 28, which will be described later.

A transfer section 28 is disposed downstream of the thermal development section 26, and the image receiving paper 32 accommodated in a layer in a cassette 30 is supplied via a water application section 34 and polymerized. A peeling section 36 is provided downstream of the transfer section 28, and at the downstream side of the peeling section 36, the sensitive material 16 is sent to a stacking device 38, and the image-receiving paper 32 is sent to a take-out section 40. .

The image receiving paper 32 is stored in the cassette 30 and transferred to the machine base 12.
The water is sent from the lowest layer to the water application section 34 by receiving a driving force from a conveyance roller 42 which is pivotally supported. This water application part 34
In this arrangement, water vapor is sprayed onto the surface of the image-receiving paper 32 by the water application device 48 while the image-receiving paper 32 is being conveyed while being held between the nipping rollers 44 and 46. Rollers 42-4
6 are coupled and driven, and as shown in FIG. 2, are rotated at a predetermined speed by an variable speed motor 47.

Next, the specific configuration of the water coating device 48 will be explained according to FIG. 2. A vessel 50 having a rectangular cross section is disposed facing the image receiving paper 32. The length of this vessel 50 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the second drawing is approximately the same as the length in the width direction of the image receiving paper 32.

A vibrator 52 is provided on the bottom of the vessel 50,
Ultrasonic waves are generated by a transmission circuit (not shown).

A pipe 55 protruding from the bottom of the water tank 54 is fitted into the vessel 50 to supply water 56 into the vessel 50. The height of the water surface of the water 56 is always equal to the lower end position of the pipe 55,
The amount of water vapor generated by the vibrator 52 is always maintained at a constant amount.

A blower pipe 57 is provided on the side surface of the vessel 50 opposite to the image receiving paper 32. A fan 58 is disposed within the blower pipe 57 to blow outside air into the vessel 50. A vibrator 5 is attached to the bottom of the vessel 50.
An obstacle plate 60 is installed upright on the downstream side of the fan 58.
When water vapor is blown toward the image-receiving paper 32 side, only the water vapor in the form of fine particles passes above the obstacle plate 60. A blow-off port 62 is provided on the side surface of the vessel 50 facing the image-receiving paper 32, and the water vapor is accelerated and narrowed to be blown out from the blow-off port 62.

The air outlet 62 is formed along the width direction of the image receiving paper 32 and has approximately the same width as the image receiving paper 32 . The obstruction plate 60, the outlet 62, and the portion of the vessel 50 between them constitute a nozzle 64.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The photosensitive material 16 taken out from the magazine 14 is placed on the exposure drum 2.
0, is exposed by the exposure head 22, subjected to heat development processing in the thermal development section 26, and sent to the transfer section 28. Development in the thermal development section is carried out, for example, by applying electricity to a current-carrying heating layer provided in advance on the sensitive material 16, or by heating from the outside (see FIG. 8, which will be described later).

On the other hand, among the image-receiving papers 32 stored in the force set 30, the lowest layer of the image-receiving paper 32 is sent to the water application section 34 by the conveyance roller 42,
Sensitive material 16 after development after being hydrated by water application device 48
The thermal transfer operation is performed on the emulsion surface of the image receiving paper 32 in close contact with the image receiving paper 32. In this transfer state, the moisture content of the image receiving paper 32 is already properly controlled, so that an extremely good transfer operation is performed.

After the transfer, the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving paper 32 that are in close contact with each other are sent from the transfer section 28 to the peeling section 36, the photosensitive material 16 is stored in the stacking device 38, and the image receiving paper 32 is sent to the takeout section 40. It is taken out.

The amount of water applied to the image receiving paper 32 can be easily adjusted by controlling the rotational speed of the rollers 42 to 46 with the variable speed motor 47. Further, since the water coating device 48 applies water while conveying the image receiving paper 32, continuous processing is possible. Further, by keeping the conveyance speed of the image receiving paper 32 constant, water can be uniformly applied to the image receiving paper 32. Furthermore, water can be applied only to the surface of the image-receiving paper 32, and there is no need to supply extra heat to the transfer section 28 (and there is no need to generate more water vapor than necessary). The paper 32 does not curl.Also, since an appropriate amount of water can be applied, the diffusible dye contained in the image receiving paper 32 does not diffuse more than necessary and cause bleeding etc. in the transferred image. .

Next, the water application device 48A according to the second embodiment of the present invention is installed in a third embodiment.
This will be explained according to the diagram.

In this second embodiment, instead of providing the obstacle plate 60, a large pipe 65 is provided upright on the vessel 50 on the image receiving paper 32 side.
A small tube 66 is extended to the upper end and bent toward the image receiving paper 32,
Furthermore, a nozzle is provided at the tip of the small tube 66. A blowout lower 0 is provided on the side surface of the nozzle 68 facing the image receiving paper 32.

Since water vapor with a large particle size cannot pass through the small tube 66 due to its own weight, only the water vapor with fine particles can be blown out from the nozzle 68 to the image receiving paper 32. Since the small tube 66 is extended toward the receiving paper 32, the main body of the water applicator 48A is connected to the receiving paper 3.
It can be arranged separately from 2.

Next, a water coating device 48B according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be explained according to FIG.

In this third embodiment, a heater 72 is provided in place of the vibrator 52 in FIG.

Therefore, by changing the electric power supplied to the heater 72, the amount of water vapor generated can be easily adjusted. Furthermore, compared to the 2.4 embodiment, this water vapor can spray finer particles of water, and uneven water droplets are less likely to occur.

Next, a water blowing device 48C according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be explained according to FIGS. 5 and 6.

In this fourth embodiment, the mist is blown out using negative pressure.

That is, an artificial pipe 76 is provided on the back side of an inner vessel 74 having parallel plates with a short gap size, and an inlet pipe 7
Water is supplied into the inner vessel 74 through a rubber tube 77 attached to the inner vessel 74.

Inside the inner vessel 74, as shown in FIG. 6, a rectifying plate 78 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the inner vessel 74 (the width direction of the image receiving paper 32).

The current plate 7B divides the chamber of the inner vessel 74 into two.

A large number of small holes 80 are bored in the current plate 78, and the two halves of the chamber are communicated with each other. In addition, the inlet pipe 76 and the rectifying plate 7
8, an obstacle plate 81 is erected in parallel with the rectifying plate 7B. Due to the current plate 7 and the obstruction plate 81, the flow rate passing through each small hole 80 of the current plate 78 becomes approximately constant.

A water outlet 82 is formed on the downstream end face of the inner vessel 74 to allow the water to flow out.

On the other hand, an outer vessel 83 is provided to cover the outer surface of the inner vessel 74. An inlet pipe 84 is provided protruding from the upper and lower surfaces of the outer vessel 83. A rubber tube 86, a single-shaped connecting fitting 88, and a rubber tube 90 are sequentially connected to the artificial tube 84 to connect the outer vessel 83 and the inner vessel 7.
Air is supplied between 4 and 4. A current plate 92 similar to the current plate 7 is provided between the outer vessel 83 and the inner vessel 74.

The current plate 92 is parallel to the current plate 78.

A plurality of small holes 94 having a larger diameter than the small holes 130 are bored in the current plate 92 so that the flow rate of air passing through each of the small holes 94 is approximately the same. Outa Vessel 83
An air outlet 95 is formed on the downstream side surface of the air conditioner.

When air is supplied between the inner vessel 74 and the outer vessel 83 via the rubber pipe 90, a negative pressure is created near the water outlet 82, and water is drawn from the water outlet 82 toward the outlet 95 in the form of a mist. This mist is then sprayed onto the image receiving paper 32.

In this fourth embodiment, there is no need to use an ultrasonic transmitter or a heater, and therefore there is no need to supply power. Furthermore, by adjusting the flow of air supplied through the rubber tube 90, the amount of mist water blown out from the current plate 92 can be easily adjusted.

Next, a water coating device 48D according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be explained according to FIG.

The water coating device 48D has a structure in which a water vapor recovery device is provided in the water coating device 48 shown in FIG. 2.

That is, the hood 9 is placed so as to cover the outer surface of the vessel 50.
6 is provided. A water recovery pipe 98 bent downward and having a small diameter is provided on the side of the blower pipe 57 of the hood 9.6. Below the water recovery pipe 98 is a recovery tank 10 for water recovery.
0 is placed.

A water vapor exhaust pipe 102 is provided on the side wall of the water recovery pipe 98, and a fan 104 of the water vapor exhaust pipe flows into the water vapor exhaust pipe 102.
is provided.

Most of the water vapor blown out from the air outlet 62 is blown onto the image receiving paper 32, but some of it is blown onto the hood 96 and the vessel 5.
0 and descends, some of which become water droplets and enter the collection tank 1.
00, and the water vapor is discharged to the outside from the water vapor discharge pipe 102. Therefore, water is completely applied only to the front side of the image receiving paper 32.

Next, a water application device 48E according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG.

The water application device 48E has a structure in which a shutter 110 and a mask 112 are provided on the front side of the water application device 48 shown in FIG.

In the shutter 110, a plunger 11B of a solenoid 116 is fixed to the upper center of a shutter plate 114 that covers the front surface of the air outlet 62. This solenoid 116 is fixed to the upper surface of the vessel 50 via an L-shaped bracket 120.

Further, the widthwise end portion of the jack plate 114 is guided by a guide 122 fixed to the front surface of the vessel 50.

A long hole 124 is bored in the mask 112, and a bolt 126 is passed through the hole 124, so that the mask 112 is screwed onto the front surface of the guide 122.

Next, the operation of the sixth embodiment configured as described above will be explained.

A mask 122 is formed according to the width of the image to be transferred to the image receiving paper 32.
．． 112 intervals in advance! 1! ! Save it as ff.

When the image receiving paper 32 passes in front of the vessel 50, the solenoid 116 is energized and the plunger 118 is activated only when the portion of the image to be transferred to the image receiving paper is located in front of the air outlet 62.
is suctioned, the shutter plate 114 is lifted upward, the air outlet 62 is opened, and the image receiving paper 32 is coated with water.

Therefore, water is applied only to the portion of the image to be transferred, and bleeding in the transferred image can be prevented.

If the solenoid 116 is demagnetized, the shutter plate 114
falls freely, the air outlet 62 is closed, and water application is not performed.

Note that the present invention only needs to be able to spray the particulate transfer aid onto the surface that requires application, and is not limited to the ultrasonic method, heater heating method, or mist spray method described in the above embodiments.
A rotary atomization centrifugal spray method, an inkjet method, a bubble jet method, etc. may be used. In addition, in addition to applying the transfer aid to the surface of the image-receiving paper, it is also possible to apply the transfer aid only to the surface of the photothermographic material or to both the surface of the image-receiving paper and the photothermographic material. A coating device may also be provided.

Next, as an example, an image of the present invention is described in which a photosensitive material containing a dye-donating substance having a reducing substrate is heat-developed in the presence of water as an image-forming solvent, and at the same time the formed dye image is transferred. The formation method will be explained.

That is, in the method for forming a dye image of the present invention, when the image is exposed and developed by heating in the presence of water, for example, in the case of a negative emulsion, an oxidation-reduction reaction occurs between the exposed photosensitive silver halide and the reducing dye-donating substance. , a silver image is produced in the exposed areas, while the dye-donating substance becomes an oxidant, resulting in the release of a hydrophilic diffusible dye, resulting in a silver image and a diffusible dye in the exposed areas. At this time, the presence of a dye release aid9 promotes the above reaction.

Due to the presence of water, the generated diffusible dye immediately moves to the dye fixing layer, and in this way a dye image can be obtained in a short time. When an autopositive emulsion is used, the process is the same as when a negative emulsion is used, except that a silver image and a diffusive dye are obtained in the unexposed areas.

When photosensitive silver halide is reduced to silver under high temperature conditions,
Useful image forming methods using dye-donating substances that produce or release diffusible dyes in response to or inversely to this reaction include JP-A-58-149046 and JP-A-59-154.
No. 445, No. 59-165054, No. 59-1805
No. 48, U.S. Patent No. 4.503,137, U.S. Patent No. 4.4
Examples include those described in Japanese Patent Application No. 74°867, No. 4,483,914, No. 4,455,363, and Japanese Patent Application No. 33491/1983.

In the present invention, a specific method for forming a color image by heat development is to move a hydrophilic diffusible dye. For this purpose, the photosensitive material of the present invention has a photosensitive layer (1) on a support containing at least silver halide, optionally an organic silver salt oxidizing agent, optionally a reducing agent, a dye-donating substance, and a binder. and a dye fixing layer (■) capable of receiving the hydrophilic and diffusible dye formed by layer (1).

The above-mentioned photosensitive layer (I)' and dye fixing layer (II) may be formed on the same support, or may be formed on separate supports. The dye fixing layer (It) and the photosensitive layer (+) can also be separated. For example, after imagewise exposure, uniform heat development can be carried out, and then the dye fixing layer (II) or the photosensitive layer can be peeled off. Also photosensitive layer (1)
In the case where a light-repellent material in which a light-repellent material is coated on a support and a fixing material in which a fixing layer (n) is coated on a support are formed separately, the fixing material is formed by imagewise exposure on the light-sensitive material. The diffusible dye can be transferred to the fixed layer (n) by uniform heating in the presence of superimposed water.

The dye fixing layer (IT) can contain, for example, a dye mordant for dye fixation. Various mordants can be used as the mordant, and polymer mordants are particularly useful. In addition to mordants, bases, base precursors, etc.
and a hot solvent. Especially the photosensitive layer (1) and dye fixation! When (II) and (II) are formed on separate supports, it is particularly useful to include a base or a base precursor in the fixed layer (II).

In order to impart each of the above-mentioned color sensitivities to a silver halide emulsion, each silver halide emulsion may be dye-sensitized using a known sensitizing dye to obtain the desired spectral sensitivity.

Silver halide that can be used in the present invention is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-21
Silver halide produced according to the method described on pages 25 to 29 of No. 3978, containing the additives described therein, and having the properties described therein can be used.

Although the silver halide emulsion may be used unripe, it is usually used after being chemically sensitized. Known sulfur sensitization methods, reduction enhancement methods, noble metal sensitization methods, etc. for emulsions for conventional light-sensitive materials can be used alone or in combination.

The silver halide emulsion used in the present invention may be of the surface latent image type in which latent images are mainly formed on the grain surfaces, or may be of the internal latent image type in which the latent images are formed inside the grains. Direct reversal emulsions combining internal latent image type emulsions and nucleating agents can also be used.

The coating amount of the photosensitive silver halide used in the present invention is in the range of 10 to 1 Og/+yr in terms of silver per photonic layer IN.

In the present invention, it is desirable to use an organic metal salt relatively stable to light, particularly an organic silver salt, as an oxidizing agent together with the photosensitive silver halide.

For details on organic silver salts that can be used, see Japanese Patent Application No. 59-2.
No. 13978, pages 30-34.

The silver halide used in the present invention may be spectrally sensitized with methine dyes and others.

Regarding these pigments and their details, please refer to the patent application filed in 1983.
-213978 No. 34-3.

In the present invention, a reducing agent is included in the photosensitive material. As the reducing agent, those known in the art and the reducing dye-donating substances described below are preferable.

As a specific example of the reducing agent used in the present invention, Japanese Patent Application No. 59
-209563, pages 61 to 64 can be used.

In the present invention, when photosensitive silver halide is reduced to roots under high temperature conditions, a compound that generates or releases a mobile dye corresponding to or inversely to this reaction, i.e., a dye-donating compound, is used. It can contain sexual substances.

Next, the dye-donating substance will be explained.

Examples of dye-donating substances that can be used in the present invention include couplers that can react with a developer. This method using a coupler, in which an oxidized product of the developer produced by an oxidation-reduction reaction between a silver salt and a developer reacts with the coupler to form a dye, is described in numerous documents. Specific examples of developers and couplers include:
For example, “The theor” by T. H. James.
y of the photography proc
ess''4th, εd, pages 291-334 and pages 354-361, Makoto Kikuchi, ``Photochemistry'' 4th edition (
(Kyoritsu Shuppan) pages 284-295.

Further, a dye silver compound in which an organic silver salt and a dye are combined can also be cited as an example of the dye-donating substance. Specific examples of dye silver compounds are described in Research Disclosure magazine, May 1978 issue, pages 54-58, (RD-16966).

Furthermore, azo dyes used in heat-developable silver dye bleaching methods can also be cited as examples of dye-donating substances.

Specific examples of azo dyes and bleaching methods are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4.2.
No. 35,957, Research Disclosure Magazine, 1
It is described in the April 1976 issue, pages 30-32 (RD-14433).

Also, U.S. Patent No. 3,985.565, U.S. Pat.
．． Leuco dyes described in No. 617 and the like can also be cited as examples of dye-donating substances.

Another example of the dye-donating substance is a compound that has the function of releasing or diffusing a diffusible dye in an imagewise manner.

This type of compound can be represented by the following general formula (Ll).

(Dye-X), -Y (L I)Dye
represents a dye group or a dye precursor group; Differences in the diffusivity of the represented compounds or Dy
e is released, and the released Dye and (Dye −X)
n Represents a group that has the property of causing a difference in diffusivity with Y, n represents 1 or 2, and when n is 2, the two Dye-X may be the same or different. .

As a specific example of the dye-donating substance represented by the general formula (Ll), for example, a dye developer in which a hydroquinone developer and a dye component are linked is disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,134,764, 3, No. 362.819, No. 3,597.200
No. 3.544゜545, No. 3.482,97
It is stated in No. 2, etc. In addition, a substance that releases a diffusible dye through an intramolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction was disclosed in JP-A-51-63.
618, etc., a substance that releases a diffusible dye through an intramolecular rewinding reaction of the isoxacilone ring is disclosed in JP-A No. 49.
-11,628 etc.

In all of these methods, the diffusible dye is released or diffused in areas where no phenomenon occurs, and the dye is neither released nor diffused in areas where the phenomenon occurs.

Another method is to make the dye-releasing compound into an oxidized form without dye-releasing ability in advance, coexist with a reducing agent or its precursor, and after development, reduce it with the reducing agent that remains unoxidized to produce a diffusible dye. A system has also been devised in which a dye-donating substance is released, and specific examples of dye-donating substances used therein include JP-A-53=110゜827, JP-A No. 54-130.927,
It is described in No. 56-164.342 and No. 53-35.533.

On the other hand, as a substance that releases a diffusible dye in the area where development occurs, a substance that releases a diffusible dye through the reaction between a coupler having a diffusible dye as a leaving group and an oxidized form of a developer is disclosed in British Patent No. 1. .330゜524, Special Publication 1977-39
．． No. 165, U.S. Patent No. 3.443.940, etc., and U.S. Pat. 3. -227,550 etc.

In addition, in systems using these color developers, image contamination due to oxidative decomposition products of the developer becomes a serious problem.
In order to improve this problem, dye-donating compounds that do not require a developer and have reducing properties themselves have been devised.

Representative examples can be found in the following documents. Definitions in the general formula are described in each literature. For example, U.S. Pat.
No. 928,312, No. 4,053.312, No. 4
, No. 055,428, No. 4.336.322, JP-A-59-65839, No. 5! J-69839, same 5
No. 3-3819, No. 51-104.343, No. 51-
No. 104,343, Research Disclosure Magazine 1
7465, U.S. Patent No. 3,725,062, U.S. Pat.
．． Any of the various dye-providing substances described in JP-A-58-116,537, etc., can be used in the present invention.

Specific examples of the dye-donating substance used in the present invention include:
Compounds described on pages 60 to 91 of the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 57-84236 can be mentioned, and among them, compounds (1) to (3) and (10) to (
13), (16) to (19), (28) to (30), (
33), (35), (38) to (40), (42) to (
64) is preferred. Also, patent application No. 59-246468
Also useful are the compounds described on pages 82 and 83 of .

The dye-providing substances and photographic additives used in the present invention are:
They can be incorporated into the layers of the photosensitive material by known methods such as those described in US Pat. No. 2,322,027.

In that case, the above-mentioned high boiling point organic solvents and low boiling point organic solvents can be used.

Also, Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-39853, Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-5994
The dispersion method using polymers described in No. 3 can be used. In addition, the dye-donating substance is divided into hydrophilic colloids! In this case, various surfactants can be used, and examples of these surfactants include those listed in Examples of this specification.

In the present invention, an image formation accelerator can be used in the light-sensitive material. Image formation accelerators are used to promote redox reactions between silver salts and reducing agents, to promote reactions such as production of dyes from dye-providing substances, decomposition of dyes, and release of mobile dyes, and to promote reactions such as the production of dyes from dye-providing substances or the release of mobile dyes. It has functions such as promoting the movement of dye to the fixed layer, and from a physicochemical function, it interacts with bases or base precursors, nucleophilic compounds, oils, hot solvents, surfactants, silver or silver ions. It is classified as a chemical compound, etc. However, these substance groups generally have multiple functions and usually have some of the above-mentioned promoting effects.

For details of these, see Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978 6.
It is described on pages 7 to 71.

In the present invention, various development stoppers can be used in the photosensitive material in order to always obtain a constant image despite fluctuations in processing temperature and processing time during thermal development.

The development stopper referred to here is a compound that neutralizes the base or reacts with the base to reduce the base concentration in the layer and stop development, or interacts with silver and silver salts to inhibit development. It is a compound that

For specific examples, see Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978, 72-7.
It is described in the literature shown on page 3.

Further, in the present invention, a compound that activates the development and stabilizes the image can be used in the photosensitive material.

Regarding specific compounds preferably used, please refer to the patent application in 1973.
It is described in the literature shown in J-213978, pages 73-74.

In the present invention, the photosensitive material may contain an image toning agent if necessary. Specific examples of effective toning agents are described in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978, pages 74-75.

The binders used in the photosensitive material of the present invention may be contained alone or in combination.

A hydrophilic binder can be used for this binder. Typical hydrophilic binders are transparent or translucent hydrophilic binders, such as proteins such as gelatin, gelatin derivatives, cellulose derivatives, natural substances such as poly-PiM such as starch and gum arabic, and polyvinyl Includes synthetic polymeric materials such as water-soluble polyvinyl compounds such as pyrrolidone and acrylamide polymers. Other synthetic polymeric substances include dispersed vinyl compounds in the form of latexes, which increase the dimensional stability of photographic materials, among others.

In the present invention, the binder is In? The appropriate coating amount is 20 g or less, preferably 10 g or less, more preferably 7 g or less.

The ratio of the high boiling point organic solvent dispersed in the binder together with a hydrophobic compound such as a dye-donating substance and the binder is 1 cc or less of solvent per 1 g of binder, preferably 0.
A suitable amount is 5 cc or less, more preferably 0.3 cc or less.

The photographic light-sensitive material and dye fixing material of the present invention may contain an inorganic or organic hardening agent in the photographic emulsion layer and other layers.

Specific examples and specific compound examples include those described in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978, pages 76 to 77, and these can be used alone or in combination.

The supports used in the light-sensitive material and dye-fixing material used in some cases in the present invention are those that can withstand processing temperatures. As general supports, not only glass, paper, metal, and their derivatives can be used, but also those listed as supports in Japanese Patent Application No. 1983-213978, pages 77 to 78, can be used. .

When the light-sensitive material used in the present invention contains a colored dye-donating substance, it is not necessary to further contain an irradiation-preventing substance, an anti-halation substance, or one type of each type of dye. Although not necessary, filter dyes, absorbent substances, etc. described in the literature exemplified on page 80 of Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978 may be included.

The photosensitive material used in the present invention may contain various additives known as heat-developable photosensitive materials and layers below the photosensitive layer, such as an antistatic layer, a conductive layer, a protective layer, an intermediate layer, an A
It can contain an H layer, a release layer, etc. For various additives, see Research Disclosure Magazine Vol. 1.17.
0.Additives described in Na17029 of June 1978, such as plasticizers, sharpness improving dyes, AH dyes, enhancing dyes, matting agents, surfactants, fluorescent whitening agents, anti-fading agents, etc. There are additives.

The photographic element of the present invention is comprised of a light-sensitive element that forms or releases a dye upon heat development and, optionally, a dye-fixing element that fixes the dye. In particular, in systems that form images by diffusion transfer of dyes, a photosensitive element and a dye fixing element are essential, and in a typical form, the photosensitive element and dye fixing element are separately coated on two supports. It is broadly divided into two types: a form in which it is coated on the same support and a form in which it is coated on the same support.

Regarding the relationship between the photosensitive element and the dye fixing element, the relationship with the support, and the relationship with the white reflective layer, the relationships described on pages 81 to 82 of Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978 can be applied to the present application.

A typical configuration in which the photosensitive element and the dye-fixing element are coated on the same support is a configuration in which there is no need to peel off the photosensitive element from the image-receiving element after the transfer image is formed. In this case, a photosensitive layer, a dye fixing layer and a white reflective layer are laminated on a transparent or opaque support. Preferred type B is, for example, another type in which the light-sensitive element and the dye-fixing element are coated on the same support as described in lines 5 to 2 from the bottom of page 82 of Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978. Typical examples include, for example, JP-A-56-67840;
Canadian Patent No. 674,028, U.S. Patent No. 3.730
．． As described in No. 718, there is a form in which part or all of the photosensitive element is peeled off from the dye fixing element, and a peeling layer is coated at an appropriate position.

The photosensitive element or the dye-fixing element may be in the form of an electrically conductive heating layer as a heating means for thermal development or diffusion transfer of the dye.

In order to obtain a wide range of colors in the chromaticity diagram using the three primary colors yellow, magenta, and cyan, the light-sensitive element used in the present invention comprises at least three layers of silver halide, each sensitive to a different spectral region. It is necessary to have an emulsion layer.

A typical combination of at least three photosensitive silver halide emulsion layers sensitive to different spectral regions is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978, page 83~
There is one described on page 84, line 7.

The light-sensitive material used in the present invention may have two or more emulsion layers sensitive to the same spectral region, depending on the sensitivity of the emulsion, if necessary.

Each of the above emulsion layers and/or the non-photosensitive hydrophilic colloid layer adjacent to each emulsion layer is
It is necessary to have at least one of the compounds described in the specification of No. 3978, line 7 from just below page 84 to line 8 on page 85.

In addition to the above-mentioned layers, the photosensitive material used in the present invention may optionally include a protective layer, an intermediate layer, an antistatic layer, an anti-curl layer,
Auxiliary layers such as a release layer and a matting agent layer can be provided.

In particular, the protective layer (PC) contains organic,
Usually, an inorganic matting agent is included.

Further, this protective layer may contain a mordant, a UV absorber, and the like. Each of the protective layer and the intermediate layer may be composed of two or more layers.

Further, the intermediate layer may contain a reducing agent, a UV absorber, and a white pigment such as T i O□ to prevent color mixing. A white pigment may be added not only to the intermediate layer but also to the emulsion layer for the purpose of increasing sensitivity.

The dye fixing element used in the present invention has at least one layer containing a mordant, and when the dye fixing layer is located on the surface, a retaining layer can be further provided if necessary.

The layer structure of the dye-fixing element, the binder, additives, and mordant addition method and location are as specified in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978, No. 8.
The description on page 6, line 10 to line 88, true, and the patent specification described therein can also be applied to the present application.

In addition to the above-mentioned layers, the dye fixing element used in the present invention may be provided with auxiliary layers such as a release layer, a matting agent layer, and an anti-curl layer, if necessary.

One or more of the above layers may include a base or/or base precursor-1 hydrophilic thermal solvent to promote dye transfer, an antifade agent to prevent dye mixing, a UV absorber, Dispersed vinyl compounds, fluorescent brighteners, and the like may be included to increase stability.

Preferred bases include alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or quaternary alkylammonium hydroxides, carbonates, bicarbonates, borates, secondary and tertiary phosphates, quinolates, metaborates and the like. inorganic base; aliphatic amino acid;
Organic bases such as aromatic amino acids, heterocyclic amino acids, amidines, cyclic amidines, guanidines, cyclic guanidines, and their carbonates, bicarbonates, borates, secondary
and tertiary phosphates. As examples of these compounds, those listed on pages 14 to 17 of JP-A-59-218443 are preferably used.

The binder in the above layer is preferably hydrophilic, and transparent or translucent hydrophilic colloids are typical.

Furthermore, it is advantageous for the dye fixing element of the present invention to contain a transfer aid as described below. The transfer aid may be included in the dye fixing layer, or may be included in a separate layer.

In the present invention, a transparent or opaque heating element when electrical heating is employed as a developing means can be made as a resistance heating element using a conventionally known technique.

As a resistance heating element, there are two methods: a method using a thin film of an inorganic material exhibiting semiconductivity, and a method using a thin film of an organic material in which conductive fine particles are dispersed in a binder.

Materials that can be used in these methods are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213.
978 specification, page 89, lines 2 to 13,
It can be used according to the method and layer structure described therein according to the distinctions described therein. The mutual positional relationship of the heating elements is also 8.
What is written in the fifth line from the bottom of page 9 or the last paragraph is applicable.

The image receiving layer in the present invention includes a dye fixing layer used in heat-developable color light-sensitive materials, and can be arbitrarily selected from commonly used mordants, among which polymer mordants are particularly preferred. Here, the polymer mordants include polymers containing tertiary amino groups, polymers having nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moieties, and polymers containing these quaternary cation groups.

Regarding this specific example, please refer to Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978-9.
It is described in the literature illustrated on pages 0 to 91.

In the present invention, the coating method of the photosensitive layer, protective layer, intermediate layer, undercoat layer, back layer and other layers is described in the specification of the above application number.
The methods described on pages 1 to 92 can be applied.

As a light source for image exposure for recording an image on a photosensitive material, radiation including visible light can be used, and for example, the light source described on page 92 of Japanese Patent Application No. 59-213978 can be used.

The heating temperature in the heat development process is about 80"C to about 25060C.
It can be developed at about 1109C to about 180'C.
is useful. The heating temperature in the transfer step can be in the range from the temperature in the heat development step to room temperature, but it is particularly preferably about 10'C lower than the temperature in the heat development step.

As a heating means in the development and/or transfer process,
A simple hot plate, iron, hot roller, heating element using carbon, titanium white, etc. can be used.

Also useful is a method in which development and transfer are carried out simultaneously or sequentially, as detailed in JP-A No. 59-218443. In this method, a portion of the above-mentioned image formation accelerator and/or dye transfer aid may be preliminarily contained in either or both of the dye fixing material and the light-sensitive material.

In this system in which development and transfer are performed simultaneously or consecutively, the heating temperature is preferably 60'C or higher and below the boiling point of the solvent used for the transfer. For example, if the transfer solvent is water, halo
It is desirable that it is 0'C or more and 1009C or less.

When a part of the dye transfer aid is included in advance during the production of the heat-developable photosensitive material or the dye fixing material, a hydrophilic heat solvent is preferable as the dye transfer aid. As the hydrophilic heat solvent, compounds described in Japanese Patent Application No. 58-42092, 147-158 are used.

A dye transfer aid (for example, water) is added between the photosensitive layer of a heat-developable photosensitive material and the dye fixing layer of a dye fixing material to promote image transfer. Alternatively, both can be superimposed while being provided with a dye transfer aid.

The heating means in the transfer process is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-21397.
There is a means described in No. 8, page 94, last line to page 95, line 10.

Alternatively, a layer of a conductive material such as graphite, carbon black, or metal may be layered on the dye fixing material, and the conductive layer may be heated directly by passing a current through it.

The pressure conditions and method of applying pressure when overlapping the photosensitive material and the dye fixing material and bringing them into close contact are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-21397.
The method described on page 96 of No. 8 can be applied.

Next, experimental examples and their results will be explained.

<Experimental Example-A> First, a description will be given of how to prepare the constituent materials of each layer of a multi-layered color brightening material in which the first to sixth layers are formed on a support layer, as shown in Table 1 below.

The method of making the hensitriazole silver emulsion used in the first, third, and fifth layers will be described.

28 g of gelatin and 13.2 g of hensitriazole are dissolved in 3000 m It of water. This solution is kept at 40°C and stirred. Add 117 g of nitric acid to this solution and 100 m of water.
Add the solution dissolved in j+ for 2 minutes.

The pH of the hensitriazole silver emulsion is adjusted and allowed to settle to remove excess salt. Thereafter, p) was adjusted to 6°30 to obtain 1400 g of benzotriazole silver emulsion.

Next, how to make the silver halide emulsion used in the fifth layer and the first layer will be described.

Add 600 ml of an aqueous solution containing sodium chloride and sodium bromide to a well-stirred gelatin aqueous solution (20 g of gelatin and 3 g of sodium chloride in 10,100 O of water kept at 75°C) and a silver nitrate aqueous solution (600 ml of water).
0.59 mol of silver nitrate dissolved in mff1) was simultaneously added at an equal flow rate over 40 minutes. In this way, a monodisperse cubic silver chlorobromide emulsion (50 mol % bromide) with an average grain size of 0.40 μm was prepared.

After washing with water and desalting, sodium thiosulfate 5■, 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3a, and kutetrazaindene 2
Chemical sensitization was carried out at 60° C. by adding 0.0 μm. The yield of emulsion was 600 g.

Next, we will describe how to make the halogenated emulsion used in the third layer.

A well-stirred aqueous gelatin solution (20 g of gelatin and 3 g of sodium chloride in 10,100 O of water kept at 75°C) was mixed with 600 ml of an aqueous solution containing sodium chloride and potassium bromide and an aqueous silver nitrate solution (600 mf of water).
f) with 0.59 mol of silver nitrate dissolved in 4
Added at equal flow rate over 0 minutes. In this way, a monodisperse cubic silver chlorobromide emulsion (
bromine (80 mol%) was prepared.

After washing with water and desalting, sodium thiosulfate 5■, 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3a, and kutetrazaindene 2
Chemical exacerbation was carried out at 60°C by adding 0■. The yield of emulsion was 600 g.

Next, a description will be given of how to make gelatin, which is a dye-donating substance used in each layer.

Weighed 58 grams of a yellow dye-donating substance (A) with the following structure, 0.5 g of succinic acid-2-ethylhequinyl ester sodium sulfonate as a surfactant, and 10 g of triisononyl phosphate, and added acetic acid. Add ethyl 3Q m 12 and heat to dissolve at about 60°C to form a homogeneous solution. 10% of this solution and lime-processed gelatin? 8? &100g after stirring and mixing +1
10 minutes in a homogenizer. Distribute using OOORPM. This dispersion is called a yellow dye-providing substance dispersion.

A magenta dye-donating substance (B) CH having the following structure.

A dispersion of a magenta dye-providing substance was prepared in the same manner as described above, except that Hl OC16H33-' and 7.5 g of tricreasyl sulfate were used as a high-boiling solvent.

A cyan dye-donating substance (C) OC+6H3z(n) was prepared in the same manner as the yellow dye-donating substance.

With these, Color D-2 with a multilayer structure as shown in Table 1 below. shallow t l- Next, we will discuss how to make the dye fixing material.

Poly (methyl acrylate-N, N, N-to IJ
methyl-N-vinylhensyl ammonium chloride)
(The ratio of methyl acrylate to vinylhensyl ammonium chloride was 1:1) Log was dissolved in 200 mff of water and mixed uniformly with 100 g of 10% lime-treated gelatin. This mixed solution was uniformly applied to a wet film thickness of 90 μm on a paper support laminated with polyethylene in which titanium dioxide was dispersed. After drying, this sample is used as a dye fixing material having a mordant layer.

Next, experimental values for exposure, development, and transfer will be explained.

A tungsten light bulb is used in the color photosensitive material with the above multilayer structure, and the density of G (green) and R (red) changes continuously.
, IR (infrared) three-color separation filter (G is 500-60
0 nm, R was a bandpass filter of 600 to 700 nm, and IR was exposed to light for 1 second at 500 lux through a filter that transmitted 700 nm or more.

Then 30 minutes on a heat block heated to 140'c.
Heat evenly for seconds.

Next, the water coating device 4 shown in FIG.
After applying 20 mff1 of water per 1M using 8A, the heat-treated photosensitive coatings were stacked on a fixing material so that the film surfaces were in contact with each other. After heating on a heat block at 80°C for 6 seconds, the dye fixing material was peeled off from the photosensitive material.

As a result, high-contrast yellow, magenta, and cyan color images without color bleeding or uneven transfer were obtained on the fixed material corresponding to the G and RlIR three-color separation filters. The maximum density (Dmax) and minimum density ([)min) of each color were measured using a Maches reflection type densitometer (1?
D519). The results are shown in Table 2 below.

Table 2 ,,, / /'<ExperimentalExample-B> In Experimental Example A, the base precursor from the first to sixth layers and the benzenesulfonamide from the first, third, and fifth layers were removed, and the second A photosensitive material B was prepared in the same manner as the photosensitive material A of Experimental Example A except that the gelatin coating amounts in the fourth layer, the fourth layer, and the sixth layer were 800 cm, 600 mg, and 600 cm, respectively.

Next, we will discuss how to make the dye fixing material.

Poly(methyl acrylate-N,N,N,-trimethyl-N-vinylbenzylammonium chloride) (
The ratio of methyl acrylate and vinylbenzylammonium chloride is l:1) 10g to 200mi! of water and uniformly mixed with 100 g of 10% lime-treated gelatin. This mixed solution was uniformly applied to a wet film thickness of 90 μm on a paper support laminated with polyethylene in which titanium dioxide was dispersed.

In addition, 6 g of guanidine carbonate, 16 m of water, 1.20 g of 10% gelatin, 1% aqueous solution of sodium succinate-2-ethyl-hexyl ester sulfonate, 4.8 mj! , 2.4-
A dye fixing material (R-2) having a mordant layer after coating a 30 μm wet film thickness by mixing and dissolving 2 m of a 2% aqueous solution of dichloro-6-hydroxy-8-triazine
used as

A tungsten light bulb was used on the photosensitive material B prepared in this way to create a G, R, and R three color separation filter whose density changed stepwise (G: 500 to 60 Qnm, R: 600 Qnm).
~700 nm bandpass filter, IR is 70
The sample was exposed to light at 500 lux for 1 second through a filter (constructed using a filter that transmits at least 0 nm).

Thereafter, this photosensitive material or dye fixing material is coated with 20 g/nl of water using a water coating device 48A shown in FIG. As shown in Figure 8, the heat roller 100.10
The sample was heated for 20 seconds while being held between the two plates and conveyed. In addition,
In FIG. 8, heaters 104 and 106 covering heat rollers 100 and 102 were set at 170°C, and heaters 10 and 10 disposed facing the photosensitive material 16 were set at 120°C.

When the photosensitive material and the dye-fixing material are peeled off, sharp, high-contrast colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan are produced on the dye-fixing material, with no color bleeding or uneven transfer, corresponding to the G, R, and IR three-color separation filters. The image was obtained. Maximum density (Dmax) and minimum density ([)min of each color
) was measured using a Macbeth reflection type densitometer. The results are shown in columns A and B of Table 3 below.

In addition, when photosensitive material B is exposed as described above, immersed in water for 10 seconds, superimposed on dye fixing material R-2, and peeled off by heat treatment in the same manner as above, yellow, magenta, and cyan color images are formed on the dye fixing material. However, color bleeding was observed at the edges. Furthermore, when the concentration of this sample was measured as described above, as shown in C4Ili in Table 3, it was found that Dmax was lower than that of the sample coated with water using the water coating device 48A.

Furthermore, instead of immersing the photosensitive material in water, dye fixing material R-
2 was immersed in water for 10 seconds and then superimposed on a window optical material, and the same heat treatment and concentration measurement were performed.

The results are shown in D+1jl in Table 3, but there is still color bleeding and Dmax is low.

From the above, it can be seen that by applying water to a light-sensitive material or dye-fixing material using the water coating device of the present invention, a sharp, color image with no color bleeding or unevenness and high contrast can be obtained.

Table 3 Experimental Example-C> A method for preparing a hensitriazole silver emulsion having the following structure containing photosensitive silver bromide will be described.

6.5g of Henztriazole and 10g of gelatin in 10g of water
00rn7! dissolve in Keep this solution at 50°C,
Stir. Next, a solution prepared by dissolving 8.5 g of SI nitric acid in 100 mρ of water is added to the above solution over a period of 2 minutes.

Next, a solution of 1.2 g of potassium bromide dissolved in 50 ml of water is added over 2 minutes. The prepared emulsion is precipitated by adjusting the pH to 318 to remove excess salt. Then the emulsion p
H was adjusted to 6.0. The yield was 200g.

Next, a method for preparing a gelatin dispersion of a dye-providing substance will be explained.

0CI1. co, H/' As a surfactant, 0.5 g of succinic acid-2-ethylhexol ester sodium sulfonate and 4 g of leak resyl phosphate (TPC) were weighed, and 20 ml of soclohexanone was added. Heat and dissolve at about 60°C to make a homogeneous solution. After stirring this solution and 100 g of a 10% solution of lime-treated gelatin, use a homogenizer for 10 minutes to make a homogeneous solution.
Disperse at rpm.

Next, a method for preparing the photosensitive material will be described.

(a) Hensitriazole silver emulsion containing 9-photosensitive bromide
10g (b) Dispersion of dye-donating substance 3.5g (c) Gelatin (7 volumes of 10% water &) 5g (d) 0.2g of 2.6-dichloro-4-aminophenol in 2ml of methanol
j! Solution (e) 10% aqueous solution of a compound with the following structure mA Cq H+q O (CHz CHz O) s H
The above (a) to (e) were mixed, heated and dissolved, and then applied to a wet film thickness of 30 μm on a 180 μm thick polyethylene terephthalate film.

Furthermore, the following composition was applied as a protective layer thereon.

B) Gelatin 101% water 3Qm 1 sip) Water 60ml 1C) 2,4-Dichloro-6-hydroxy-3-tri 7 Gin 2
% water soluble f), 5 m
A mixture of l) to c) was applied to a wet film thickness of 30 μm and dried to prepare a photosensitive material C.

This photosensitive material was imagewise exposed using a tungsten bulb at 2000 lux for 10 seconds with a step wedge.

The dye fixing material R-2 (Experimental Example B) coated with 10 g/M of water using the water coating device 48A shown in FIG. When it was peeled off after doing this, a sharp color image with no unevenness or color bleeding was transferred onto the dye fixing material. This transfer density was measured using a Macbeth reflection type densitometer, and the following results were obtained.

Maximum density 1.93: Minimum density 0.17 [Effects of the invention] In the image forming method according to the present invention, when a mobile dye distributed in an image is diffused and transferred to a dye fixed layer in the presence of an image forming solvent, Since the image-forming solvent is sprayed from the outside in the form of a mist, the image-forming solvent can be sprayed only on the surface that needs to be coated, and transferred to the back side of image-receiving paper or photosensitive material. No auxiliary agent is applied, the amount of heat required during thermal transfer can be reduced, and
It is sufficient to generate the minimum necessary amount of fog.

Furthermore, the amount of application can be easily adjusted by simply changing the feeding speed of the image receiving paper or photosensitive material to which the transfer aid is applied or adjusting the air volume for spraying. Therefore, excessive coating can be prevented, the mobile dye contained in the photosensitive material 4 will not be diffused more than necessary, and the quality of the transferred image will be improved, which is an excellent effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an image recording apparatus to which a transfer aid coating device according to the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a specific configuration of the water coating device 48 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. The figure is a sectional view of a water coating device showing a second embodiment of the invention, FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a water coating device showing a third embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a water coating device showing a fourth embodiment of the invention. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a water coating device showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of an example water coating device, and FIG. 9 is a front view showing an example of a heat developing section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] After imagewise exposure of a light-sensitive material, it is heated in the presence of an image-forming solvent to form an image-like distribution of mobile dyes, or alternatively, after image-wise exposure of a light-sensitive material, an image-like distribution of mobile dyes is formed by heating the light-sensitive material. An image forming method in which the mobile dye is diffused into a fixed dye layer using a forming solvent, which comprises applying the image forming solvent by spraying it from the outside in the form of a mist.