JPS62291659A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain uniform application of an image forming medium by increasing the driving peripheral speed of outlet side rollers higher than that of inlet side rollers. CONSTITUTION:The outlet side carrying rollers 56, 58 are rotated more rapidly than the inlet side carrying rollers 52, 54 and their driving peripheral speed is higher than that of the rollers 52, 54. Thereby, tensile force acts on a photosensitive material 16 by the driving peripheral speed difference, and when the tensile force exceed a prescribed value, the rollers 52, 54 are immediately slipped and their peripheral speed is made equal to that of the rollers 56, 58. Therefore, the rollers 52, 54 are rotated always in synchronism with the rollers 56, 58 and the photosensitive material 16 between the rollers 52, 54 and 56, 58 is carried with always constant tensile force and is not deflected. Consequently, water 46 is applied to the back surface (emulsion surface) of the material 16 by an application roller 44.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a heat-developable photosensitive material. The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that obtains an image on an image-receiving material by transferring a Th-treated image to the image-receiving material in the presence of an image-forming solvent.

[Conventional technology]

After exposing a color image to a heat-developable photosensitive material using an exposure head in an exposure section, the color image is sent to a heat-developable section, and an image-receiving material is brought into close contact with the heat-developable photosensitive material after heat development and sent to a transfer section.
An image recording apparatus has been proposed in which an image is thermally transferred to an image receiving material in a transfer section (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 75247/1983).

In such image recording devices, in order to improve transfer efficiency, the photothermographic material or image-receiving material is coated with a transfer aid (image-forming solvent) such as water before being sent to the transfer section. ing. Application of a transfer aid such as water to the heat-developable photosensitive material or the image-receiving material is carried out at a water application section provided in the middle of a conveyance path that transports the photothermographic material and the image-receiving material to the transfer section.

The water application section is provided with a water tank and a water application roller partially immersed in the water in the water tank, and the photothermographic material or the image receiving material is brought into close contact with the water application roller, and as the water application roller is rotated, the water application roller is immersed in water. It is meant to be painted.

However, with the structure of the water application part, there is a problem in that uneven water application may occur, causing uneven transfer. This includes an entrance roller for transporting the heat-developable photosensitive material or image-receiving material to the water coating section, and an exit roller for transporting the heat-developable photosensitive material or image-receiving material after water coating from the water coating section to the transfer section. This is because even if the rollers are rotated synchronously, variations in rotation occur, and the heat-developable photosensitive material or image receiving material between the inlet roller and the outlet roller is deflected and no longer comes in close contact with the water application roller.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The present invention takes the above-mentioned facts into account, and provides an image recording medium capable of uniformly applying an image forming solvent to the heat-developable photosensitive material or image-receiving material by eliminating the deflection of the photothermographic material or image-receiving material. is the purpose.

[Means for solving problems]

In the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, a coating means for applying an image forming solvent to a heat-developable photosensitive material or an image-receiving material is provided in pair, and a coating means is provided to sandwich and convey the heat-developable photosensitive material or image-receiving material to the coating means. An entrance-side roller that sends out, and an exit-side roller that nip and conveys the photothermographic material or image-receiving material and sends it out from the coating means, and the driving circumferential speed of the exit-side roller is set to be lower than the driving circumferential speed of the entrance-side roller. The apparatus includes a tension adjusting means for applying a constant tension to the photothermographic material or the image receiving material between the exit side roller and the entrance side roller by increasing the speed.

(Function) In the image recording device having the above configuration, by increasing the driving circumferential speed of the exit side roller more than the driving circumferential speed of the entrance side roller,
The driving force of the exit roller constantly applies a tensile force to the photothermographic material or the image-receiving material between the rollers on the inlet side and conveys the photothermographic material or image-receiving material under tension, so that the photothermographic material or image-receiving material does not bend.

This enables the coating means to evenly and uniformly coat the image forming solvent onto the photothermographic material or the image receiving material.

As the coating means of the present invention, the image forming solvent is directly applied to the heat-developable photosensitive material or the image-receiving material using the coating roller, which is partially immersed in the image forming solvent of the image forming solvent tank. Or an applicator roller?
An endless heddle is used to apply the image forming solvent using the belt, and an image forming solvent can be applied by bringing a water-containing application member such as felt or sponge into contact with the belt.

The image recording apparatus of the present invention includes a heat development section that heat-develops the exposed heat-developable photosensitive material, and a heat-developable photosensitive material and an image-receiving material that have been heat-developed and heats them to transfer an image to the image-receiving material. The transfer section may be provided separately, or the heat development section and the transfer section may be provided at the same location, that is, the exposed heat-developable photosensitive material and the image-receiving material may be placed one on top of the other. A thermal development/transfer section that heats and simultaneously performs thermal development and thermal transfer may be provided.

Further, the image recording device of the present invention is disclosed in, for example, US Pat.
, 430,415, 4,483.914, 4,500.626, 4゜503.137, JP-A-59-154.445, JP-A-59-165, 0
No. 54, JP-A-59-180,548, JP-A-59-
218.443, JP 60-120,356, JP 59-209,563, JP 60-79.70
No. 9, Patent Application No. 169,585, Patent Application No. 1987-2
44,873 and the like can be used.

In the present invention, the image-forming solvent is a solvent required for image formation, such as water, a low-boiling organic solvent (alcohol, ketone neck, amides, etc.), or a surface-active solvent added to these solvents. Agent 5 includes those containing various additives such as a development accelerator and a development stopper.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 shows an image recording apparatus 10 showing embodiments of the present invention. In this image recording apparatus IO, a magazine 14 is mounted on a machine base 12, and a photosensitive material 16 is accommodated therein. The photosensitive material 16 in the magazine 14 is pulled out from its outer periphery, cut into a predetermined length by the cutter 1B, and then transferred to the exposure drum 2.
0 (in the direction of arrow A). An exposure head 22 corresponds to the outer periphery of the exposure drum 20, and after exposure, the exposure drum 20 is reversed and the photosensitive material 16 is moved to the scraper 2.
4, and is sent to a development transfer section 28 via a water application section 26.

On the other hand, the image receiving material 32 accommodated in the tray 30 is sent to the development transfer section 28 and overlapped with the photosensitive material 16, and then heated by a heater in the development transfer section 28. As a result, the photosensitive material 16 is developed, and the developed image is transferred to the image receiving material 32.

After the transfer is completed, the photosensitive material 16 is stored in a waste tray 38 via a peeling section 36, and the image receiving material 32 is sent out via a drying section 40 to a take-out tray 42.

The water application section 26 will be explained in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 1, a coating roller 44 serving as coating means is provided in the water coating section 26 in contact with the back surface (milled surface) of the photosensitive material 16 being conveyed. The application roller 44 is rotatably supported within a tank 48 filled with water 46 as an image forming solvent, and is partially immersed in the water 46 within the tank 48 . The application roller 44 is rotated in the direction of arrow B by the driving force of a motor (not shown), so that water 46 can be brought out and applied to the back surface of the photosensitive material 16.

Note that the tank 48 is provided with a water supply pipe, a discharge pipe 48A, and a water volume adjustment pipe 48B (not shown), and the water 46 is always or when necessary supplied from the water supply pipe, and the water 46 in the tank 48 is It is configured to be discharged from a discharge pipe 48A. Further, when the water 46 is supplied from the water supply pipe in an amount exceeding a predetermined amount, it overflows and is discharged from the water El flff pipe 48B.

Further, in the water application section 26, the photosensitive material I is applied to the application roller 44.
Guide plates 50 are provided corresponding to both ends of the photosensitive material 16 in the radial direction to guide the photosensitive material 6 . There are guide plates 50 on the upstream and downstream sides of this guide plate 50.
Artificial side conveyor rollers 52.5 are located close to both ends of the
4. Exit side conveyance rollers 56 and 58 are provided.

The exit side conveyance rollers 56, 58 are the entrance side conveyance rollers 52,
The photosensitive material 16 is disposed downstream of the photosensitive material 54 so as to be pinched and conveyed. The exit side conveyance rollers 56 and 58 are rotationally driven by the driving force of a motor (not shown), and the photosensitive material 16
The configuration is such that the image is sent to the thermal development transfer section 28.

The population side conveyance rollers 52.54 are the exit side conveyance rollers 56.
Similar to 58, it is arranged to sandwich and convey the photosensitive material 16. A ratchet wheel 62, which is one member of a one-way clutch constituting a part of the tension adjusting means, is coaxially supported in the axial hollow part of the entrance side conveyance rollers 52 and 54. Ratchet teeth are formed on the outer periphery of the ratchet wheel 62, and are engaged with a flexible pawl 64, which is the other member of the one-way clutch and protrudes from the hollow inner periphery of the entrance-side conveying roller 52,54. The pawl wheel 62 rotates in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 in response to the driving force of a motor (not shown), and rotates the entrance-side conveying rollers 52 and 54 via the engagement portion with the pawl 64 to transfer the photosensitive material 16.
It is configured to send out between the guide plates 50 (-direction of arrow C). However, when the entrance side conveyance rollers 52 and 54 are rotated faster than the ratchet wheel 62 in the direction of the arrow, the pawl 62
is bent and rotates relative to the ratchet wheel 62 so that it can idle.

Here, the motor driving the ratchet wheel 62 rotates the entrance side conveyance rollers 52, 54 through the ratchet wheel 62 and the pawl 64 at a slower rate than the rotation of the outlet side conveyance roller 56.5B. That is, the exit side conveyance rollers 56, 5
8 is adapted to be rotated at a faster rotation speed than the artificial side conveying rollers 52 and 54, and the exit side conveying rollers 56,
The drive circumferential speed of the roller 58 is faster than the drive circumferential speed of the entrance side conveyance rollers 52 and 54.

However, if a tension greater than a predetermined tension is applied to the photosensitive material 16 due to the difference in drive circumferential speed between the entrance-side transport rollers 52, 54 and the exit-side transport rollers 56, 58, this tension causes the photosensitive material 16 to become tense. At the same time, the pawl wheel 62 and the pawl 64
As a result, the entrance side conveyance rollers 52 and 54 are rotated idly, so that the driving circumferential speed of the exit side conveyance rollers 56 and 58 is the same.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The photosensitive material 16 in the magazine 14 is cut by a cutter 18, wound around the outer periphery of an exposure drum 20, and exposed by an n-light head 22. After exposure, the exposure drum 20.
The photosensitive material 16 is then peeled off from the outer periphery of the exposure drum 20 by a scraper 24 and sent to a water coating section 26 .

In the water application section 26, as the photosensitive material 16 is conveyed, the application roller 44 is rotated in the direction of arrow B, and water 46 in the tank 48 is brought out and applied to the back surface (emulsion surface) of the photosensitive material 16. Here, the photosensitive material 16 is conveyed by the entrance side conveyance rollers 52, 54 and the exit side conveyance rollers 56, 58, and the photosensitive material 16 is conveyed between the entrance side conveyance rollers 52, 54 and the exit side conveyance rollers 56, 58. 16 is guided by a guide plate 50.

When conveying the photosensitive material 16, the entrance side conveyance rollers 52 and 54 and the exit side conveyance rollers 56 and 58 are both rotated separately by the driving force of the motor. At this time, the exit side conveyance rollers 56, 58 are driven to rotate faster than the entrance side [η feed rollers 52, 54, and the driving circumferential speed is
It's faster than that of 2.54. Therefore, when a tension is applied to the 4g optical material 16 due to this drive peripheral speed difference and exceeds a predetermined tension, the entrance side conveyance rollers 52 and 54 are immediately idled by this tension, and the peripheral speed is changed to the exit side. The driving circumferential speed of the conveyance roller 56.5B is the same. Therefore, the entrance side conveyance rollers 52, 54 and the exit side conveyance rollers 56, 58
The inlet side conveyance rollers 52, 54 and the outlet side conveyance rollers 5 are always rotated synchronously without any variation in rotation.
The photosensitive material 16 between the photosensitive material 6 and the photosensitive material 16 5B is always conveyed while maintaining a constant tension, and does not bend.

In order to adjust this tension, the entrance side conveyance roller 52,
A predetermined resistance force may be applied to the rotation of 54.

As a result, the water 46 is evenly applied to the back surface (emulsion surface) of the photosensitive material 16 by the application roller 44.

The photosensitive material 16 coated with water in the water coating section 26 is sent to the development transfer section 28 .

On the other hand, the image receiving material 32 taken out from the tray 30 is superimposed on the photosensitive material ↑16 and then sent to the development transfer section 28.

In the development transfer section 28, the photosensitive material tit16 is heated by a heater.
The exposed image is thermally developed and the image is then transferred to image receiving material 32. In this transfer, the water 46 has already been evenly applied to the pore surface agent of the photosensitive material 16 in the water application section 26, so that reliable transfer is performed and uneven transfer does not occur.

The photosensitive material 16 after transfer is pulled out to a waste tray 38 and discarded, and the image-receiving material 32 is taken out to a take-out tray 42 through a drying section 40.

In this way, in this embodiment, the photosensitive material 1 at the water application section 26 is
Photosensitive material $416 by eliminating the deflection of 6. Water 46 without unevenness.
can be applied to the development and transfer portion 28.
This eliminates uneven transfer and improves transfer efficiency.

In this embodiment, in order to make the drive circumferential speed of the exit side conveyance rollers 56.58 faster than that of the entrance side conveyance rollers 52.54, the outlet side conveyance rollers 56.58 are set faster than the artificial side conveyance rollers 52.54. The roller diameter of the exit side conveyance rollers 56 and 58 was changed to the entrance side conveyance roller 52.
, 54 may be made larger.

Note that the present invention is applicable not only to the case of applying water to the photosensitive material 16 but also to the case of applying water to the image receiving material 32.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, a coating means for applying an image forming solvent to a photothermographic material or an image-receiving material is provided in pair, and a coating means is provided to sandwich and convey the photothermographic material or image-receiving material. The photothermographic material or image-receiving material between the exit side roller and the entrance side roller is increased by increasing the driving peripheral speed of the exit side roller to be faster than the driving peripheral speed of the entrance side roller. and a tension adjustment means for applying a constant tension to the material, it is possible to eliminate the deflection of the photothermographic material or the image-receiving material and evenly apply the image-forming solvent to the photothermographic material or the image-receiving material. It has excellent effects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a water application part of an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part I in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Image recording device, 16... Photosensitive material, 26... Water application part, 32... Image receiving material, 44... Application roller, 4G... Water, 52.54... Inlet Side conveyance roller, 56.58... Exit side conveyance roller, 62... Pawl wheel, 64... Pawl.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An image recording device that obtains an image on an image-receiving material by transferring an image recorded on a photothermographic material to an image-receiving material in the presence of an image-forming solvent, the image-recording device comprising the photothermographic material or the image-receiving material. a coating means for applying the image-forming solvent to the image-forming solvent; An exit roller that pinches and conveys the developing photosensitive material or the image-receiving material and sends it out from the coating means, and an exit roller and an entrance roller that increase the driving peripheral speed of the exit roller more than the driving peripheral speed of the entrance roller. An image recording apparatus comprising: a tension adjusting means for applying a constant tension to the photothermographic material or the image receiving material between the photothermographic material and the image receiving material. (2) The tension adjusting means includes a one-way clutch provided on the entrance-side roller, and the one-way clutch is capable of rotationally driving the entrance-side roller in the conveyance direction of the photothermographic material or the image-receiving material; The entrance roller can be rotated at the same speed as the driving peripheral speed of the exit roller by causing the entrance roller to idle in the conveying direction by the tension generated in the photothermographic material or the image receiving material due to the difference in driving peripheral speed between the entrance roller and the exit roller. The image recording apparatus according to claim (1), characterized in that: