JPS6317449A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To fully automatically record an image with desired color balance by exposing a photosensitive, pressure-sensitive heat-developed material to an image pattern through a filter unit and carrying out heat development, and fixing the image by a pressing device. CONSTITUTION:The photosensitive material S guided to a guide plate 24 is brought into contact with a roll 26 by nip rollers 28 and 30 and its front end part reaches a position 32. Then, an illumination lamp 208 is turned on to scan an original by an image formation optical system 200. At the same time, a shutter 240 is opened to perform image pattern exposure with color density specified on a console panel by using exposure light whose color density is controlled through the filter unit in an assembly 216. When the photosensitive material S is sent by the distance equal to an original, a cutter unit 23 cuts the photosensitive material S. The photosensitive material S is developed by the heat roll 44 of a heat developing device 40. The photosensitive material S is sent to a transfer device 88 and pressed to perform transfer operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that records an image using a photosensitive pressure-sensitive heat-developable material.

More specifically, using a photosensitive pressure-sensitive heat-developable material having a support coated with a material having photosensitivity, which is developed by heating, and in which an image is fixed by pressure,
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus in which a desired image is obtained by subjecting the photosensitive pressure-sensitive thermal development material to imagewise exposure, heat development, and then applying pressure to the photosensitive pressure-sensitive thermal development material to fix the image.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

As an example of an image recording material using microcapsules encapsulating a photosensitive composition, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-1798
A system is known in which a synthetic polymer resin wall capsule containing a vinyl compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and a colorant precursor is supported on a support, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 36. The image recording method using this system is to imagewise harden the microcapsules by exposure to light, rupture the unhardened microcapsules by applying pressure, and obtain a color image from the released colorant precursor. The method is characterized in that high quality images can be obtained through simple dry processing. However, this system has the drawback of significantly lower photosensitivity than systems using silver halide.

A new recording material that improves these drawbacks, has high photosensitivity, and can obtain high-quality images through simple dry processing is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 1986-1 filed by the present applicant.
It is disclosed in the specification of No. 17089.

This recording material is a photosensitive and pressure-sensitive thermal development material, in which at least a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent, a polymerizable compound, and a color image forming substance are coated on a support, and at least the polymerizable compound and the color image forming substance are coated on a support. The color imaging material consists of a photosensitive composition encapsulated in identical microcapsules.

Regarding the image recording method of recording an image using this photosensitive pressure sensitive heat development material, Japanese Patent Application No. 1986 filed by the present applicant
-121284.

This image recording method first performs imagewise exposure to form a latent image, then develops it by heating, and polymerizes the polymerizable compound in the area where the latent image exists to form a macromolecular compound to form microcapsules. harden. Then, the image-receiving material having an image-receiving layer to which the color image-forming substance can be transferred is stacked and pressurized to rupture at least a portion of the microcapsules in the area where the latent image does not exist, and the color image-forming substance is transferred to the image-receiving material. The receiver (1;) is used to obtain an image on the material.

However, using the above-mentioned photosensitive and pressure-sensitive heat-developable material, after imagewise exposure to this heat-developable material, heat development is performed in step 51, and then the image is fixed by applying pressure until an image of the desired color density is obtained. There has not yet been a perfected image recording device that automatically performs this process.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides an image recording device that uses a novel photosensitive pressure-sensitive thermal development material and can perform the process from image exposure to obtaining a desired image fully automatically. The purpose is to

The present invention further adjusts the color density, that is, the color balance, of the formed image to eliminate changes in the color density of the recorded image caused by changes over time of the light source used or loft differences of the heat developing materials, and always achieves the desired level. An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording device capable of recording an image with a color balance of.

[Means for solving problems]

The image recording device according to the present invention for achieving the above object is characterized in that it has a photosensitive support and is developed by heating. An image recording device using a photosensitive pressure sensitive heat developing material coated with a substance that is fixed by pressure, an exposure device for forming a latent image by imagewise exposing the light sensitive pressure sensitive heat developing material; a filter unit disposed in the exposure device to control the color density of the exposure light; a heat development device to harden and immobilize a portion corresponding to the latent image formed on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive heat development material; Photosensitive pressure-sensitive contemplation (having a pressure device that applies pressure to the image material to fix the image) and a filter unit control device that controls the filter unit by the output of the operation panel.

The photosensitive pressure-sensitive thermal development material of the present invention is a method of transferring a color image-forming substance to an image-receiving material having an image-receiving layer, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 121284/1984 pertaining to item 8 of the applicant mentioned above. It may be of the type to obtain an image on the image-receiving material, and the image-receiving material disclosed in the specification of the patent application filed by the present applicant (filed on March 10, 1986) may be used. It is also possible to use a type in which a color image is obtained on a photosensitive pressure-sensitive heat-developable material without any color image, that is, a type in which an image-receiving layer is provided on the photo-sensitive pressure-sensitive heat-developable material itself.

[Implementation IE Examples of the present invention are shown below! I will explain based on your request.

The image recording apparatus of this embodiment has a document supporting glass plate 2 attached to the upper surface of a housing 1, as shown in cross section in FIG. Below the glass plate 2, a well-known imaging lens moving type one-quadrant optical system 200 is arranged. That is, the imaging optical system 200 includes an illumination lamp 208 that integrally scans the entire surface of the glass plate 2, a mirror 210, and an imaging lens.
an assembly of filter units 216, further a mirror 212, 214 moving in the same direction by 2 of the scanning distance of the illumination lamp 208, etc., and a fixed mirror 218, 220.
．． It consists of 222.

Inside the housing l, a portion including the imaging optical system 200 is separated from other portions by a partition wall 224. Optical axis 2 of imaging optical system 200 reflected by fixed mirror 222
An opening 228 is provided in the portion through which the opening 26 passes.
28 includes a shutter device 240 and a shutter control (H device 2
41 is placed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the filter knit 300 of the assembly 216 includes a plurality of cyan filters 302, Mazenk filters 304, yellow filters 306, and N-D filters 308 each having a different transmittance, each supported by a solenoid 310. Ru.

The solenoid 310 is a linear solenoid that linearly moves a predetermined filter to insert and remove it onto the optical axis 226, or a linear solenoid that moves a predetermined filter in a circular arc having a center outside the optical axis 226 and inserts and removes the predetermined filter onto and from the optical axis 226. When the solenoid 310 is driven, a predetermined one of the filters 302, 304, and 306 is aligned with the optical axis 22.
6 is inserted.

A photosensitive material cartridge 14 that accommodates a photosensitive material roll 12 on which a photosensitive material S is wound is removably attached to the side of the housing 1. At the outlet 16 of the photosensitive material S of the photosensitive material cartridge 14, a pair of photosensitive material take-out rolls 22,22 housed in the magazine connection dark box 20 are arranged, whereby the photosensitive material S wound on the photosensitive material roll 12 is placed in a predetermined position. Sometimes it is cut out to a certain length.

When the leading end of the photosensitive material S advances when the cartridge 14 is set, the photosensitive material drawing rolls 22, 22 move away from each other as shown by imaginary lines to facilitate the advance of the photosensitive material S. . The front of the magazine connection dark box 20 (
A cutter unit 23 for cutting the photosensitive material S and a guide plate 24 are disposed at the front (hereinafter, the front refers to the downstream side in the direction of travel of the photosensitive material, etc.).

In front of the guide plate 24, there is an exposed photosensitive material support roll 26 and two photosensitive material rolls 28 and 30 that are pressed against the exposed photosensitive material support roll 26.
is placed. The photosensitive material S guided by the guide plate 24 is brought into close contact with the exposed photosensitive material support roll 26 by the photosensitive material nip rolls 28 and 30.
．． The document is imagewise exposed by the imaging optical system 200 at a position 32 between the positions 30 and 30 .

In front of the exposed photosensitive material support roll 26, a heat developing device 40 is arranged which heats and develops the atomized photosensitive material S. The heat developing device 40 includes a heating roll 44 heated to about 120° C. in a developing housing 42 which has a heat insulating effect.
An endless belt 50 supported by four belt support rolls 46, 47, 48, and 49 and wrapped around the outer periphery of an arc spanning approximately 270 degrees of the heating roll 44, and a nip roll 52 pressed against the belt support roll 49 are arranged. It will be done.

The heat developing device 40 further includes an exposed light-sensitive material support roll 26.
A guide device 54 that guides the photosensitive material S fed from the heating roll 44 onto the heating roll 44 and separates the photosensitive material S from the heating roll 44 after being heated and developed, and a developed photosensitive material S fed by the belt support roll 49 and the nip roll 52. It has a vertical guide device 58 for guiding the material to the exit 56, and the exit 56 is provided with a sensor 60 for detecting the tip of the sensitive material.

Directly below the outlet 56, a pair of pressure rolls 62, 64,
A photosensitive material receiving paper stacking device comprising a nip roll 66 pressed against a pressure roll 64, and a guide member 68 that guides the photosensitive material S sent by the pressure roll 64 and the nip roll 66 to the abutting portion of the pressure roll 62, 64. 70 are arranged.

An image-receiving paper supply device 72 is disposed on the side of the photosensitive image-receiving paper stacking device 70 . The image-receiving paper supply device 72 includes an image-receiving paper supply cassette 74 that protrudes from the housing 1 and is removably attached, a receiver in the cassette 74 (an image-receiving paper feed roll 76 for feeding out the illustrative paper C, and a feed-out roll 76). The image-receiving paper C pulled out by the pressure roller 6
4 and the guide plate 78 that guides the nip roll 660 to the contact area.
It consists of Here, the width of the image-receiving paper C is, for example, about six times smaller than the width of the photosensitive material S, and in the photosensitive image-receiving paper stacking device 70, the image-receiving paper C is
are superimposed so that they are in the center.

A pair of pressure nip rolls 80.82 and a pressure nip roll 80.8 are provided below the photosensitive image receiving paper stacking device 70.
A transfer device 88 is provided, which includes backup rolls 84 and 86 for equalizing the pressure of the two in the axial direction. Pressure nip roll 80.82 is approximately 200kg/
The photosensitive material S and the receiver paper C are brought into contact with each other by the pressure of the cd.
Pressurize.

A photoreceptor paper peeling device 90 is provided below the transfer device 88 . The sensitive image receiving paper peeling device 90 includes a guide member 92, a first feed roll 94, a second feed roll 96, and a first
The peeling belt 1'02 is wound around guide rolls 98 and 100 so as to press only the photosensitive material S at both outer end portions on the feed roll 94.

A sensitive material disposal section 104 is provided on one side of the peeling device 90, and a fixing device 106 is provided on the other side.

The photosensitive material disposal unit 104 includes a guide member 108, a pair of feed rolls 110, 112, and a waste box 114, and includes rolls 110, 112 for feeding the photosensitive material S sent from the peeling device 90 and guided by the guide member 108. and throws it into the waste box 114.

The fixing device 106 includes a guide member 120 and a reflective member 12.
2 ultraviolet irradiation lamps 124 and a pair of feed rolls 1
The image receiving paper (i), which is sent from the peeling device 90 and guided by the guide member 120, is subjected to a fixing process by irradiation with ultraviolet rays.

In front of the fixing device 106, a take-out tray 130 for receiving the image-receiving paper C is attached so as to protrude from the housing l.

The apparatus further includes a color density control device f500 and a system control device (not shown). Color density control device 5
00 has an operation panel 150 for color density control arranged on the top surface of the housing 1, and is connected to the imaging lens/filter unit assembly 216. The system control device is connected to the operation panel 150, the shutter control device 241, the drive system (not shown) of the imaging optical system 200, the cutter unit 23, the sensitive material leading edge detection sensor 60, and the sensitive material receiving paper stacking device 70. control the entire device.

As shown in FIG. 3, the operation panel 150 includes knobs 501, 502, . . . for specifying the density of red, green, and blue, respectively.
503. Color density control device 500 connects operation panel 150 to the input side of control circuit 404 via amplifier 400 and A/D converter 402, and connects the output side of control circuit 404 to solenoid 3 via solenoid drive circuit 406.
It is configured by connecting to 10. Here, the control circuit 404
A solenoid control signal is formed based on the red, green, and blue concentration signals manually input from the operation panel 150 and output to the solenoid drive circuit 406.

On the other hand, in the operation stage, the so-called copy preparation stage, the system control device is configured such that the leading end of the photosensitive material S is near the cutting part of the cutter unit 23 or the magazine connection dark box 2.
Make sure it is within 0. Subsequently, when a copy start button (not shown) is pressed, the photosensitive material take-out roll 22 is operated and the photosensitive material S is fed until its leading end reaches position 32.

After that, the illumination lamp 208 is turned on, and the imaging optical system 208
performs a predetermined scan, and the shutter device 240, which had been closed until now, is opened, and the photosensitive material S is exposed to the operation panel 15.
Imagewise exposure is performed at the color density specified through 0. On the other hand, when the photosensitive material S is fed by a distance equal to the length of the document in the moving direction, the cutter unit 23 is activated to cut the photosensitive material S.

The cut and atomized photosensitive material S is sent to a heat developing device 40, pressed against a heating roll 44 by an endless belt 50, heated at about 120° C., and subjected to development processing. The passage of the leading edge of the developed photosensitive material S through the outlet 56 is detected by the sensitive material leading edge detection sensor 60 .

Further, in the image receiving paper supply device 72, the image receiving paper C is fed out in synchronization with pressing the copy start button or the timing of exposure start, and the leading end of the image receiving paper C is brought into contact with the pressure roll 6.
The image receiving paper C is fed to a position where it is nipped by the nip roll 66 and the image receiving paper C is stopped.

In the photosensitive image receiving paper stacking device 70, the small and medium image receiving paper C is located at the center of the wider photosensitive material S in the width direction, and the leading edge of the photosensitive material S is aligned with the leading edge of the image receiving paper C. Alternatively, they are superposed one on top of the other by a few millimeters in advance, are sent to the transfer device 88, and are pressed with a pressure of about 200 kg/affl to be transferred onto the image receiving paper C.

The photosensitive material S after transfer is peeled off from the image receiving paper C by a peeling belt 102 in a peeling device 90 and sent to a photosensitive material disposal section 104.
sent to. On the other hand, the image receiving paper C is sent to the fixing device 106, where it is irradiated with ultraviolet light for about 5 seconds to be fixed.
Then the feed rolls 126 and 128 take out the tray 1.
Sent to 30.

In the above embodiment, the filter unit is arranged integrally with the imaging lens, but the filter unit is arranged integrally with the imaging lens in front of the illumination lamp so that the original is illuminated with light of a desired color density. Even if the configuration is configured, the present invention can be effectively implemented.

In the above embodiments, an image recording apparatus using a photosensitive pressure-sensitive heat developing material that obtains an image by pressure transfer to an image-receiving layer provided on an image-receiving material was shown. When a heat-developable material is used, the structure of the image recording apparatus is such that an image-receiving material supply device and a photosensitive material waste tray are omitted.

〔Effect of the invention〕

With the above-described configuration, the present invention uses a novel photosensitive and pressure-sensitive thermal development material that has excellent optical properties and is easy to process for image formation, and is capable of fully automatic processes from image exposure to image formation. It is possible to create an image δ self-recording device that allows this.

The present invention further allows the color density of the recorded image to be adjusted arbitrarily, and eliminates changes in the color density of the image recorded due to aging of the illumination lamp used, loft differences of the thermal development materials, etc. It is possible to obtain an image recording device that can perform the following operations.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory diagram of an image recording device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the filter unit, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the color density control device. S... Photosensitive material, C... Receiving paper, 1... Housing, 12... Sensitive material roll, 40... Heat developing device, 70... Sensitive material receiving paper overlapping device, 88... . . . Transfer device, 90 . . . Sensitive image receiving paper peeling device, 106 . , 310... Solenoid, 500... Color density control device. Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (6)

[Claims] (1) Use a photosensitive pressure-sensitive heat-developable material having a support coated with a material that is photosensitive, develops by heating, and fixes the resulting image by pressure. An image recording device, comprising: an exposure device that imagewise exposes the photosensitive pressure-sensitive thermal development material to form a latent image; a filter unit that is disposed within the exposure device and controls the color density of the exposure light;
a heat developing device that hardens and immobilizes a portion corresponding to the latent image formed on the photosensitive pressure sensitive heat developing material; a pressurizing device that pressurizes the photosensitive pressure sensitive heat developing material to fix the image;
An image recording apparatus comprising: a color density control device that controls a filter unit based on an output from an operation panel. (2) The photosensitive pressure-sensitive thermal development material has at least a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent, a polymerizable compound, and a color image-forming substance coated on a support, and at least the polymerizable compound and a color image-forming substance are coated on a support. The image recording device according to claim 1, wherein the substances are encapsulated in the same microcapsule. (3) The image recording device according to claim (1), wherein the exposure device has a shutter in its exposure optical path that is opened only during exposure. (4) The filter unit includes a color filter and an ND
An image recording device according to claim (1), which includes a filter. (5) The first filter unit is arranged integrally with the imaging lens in the first exposure device.
). (6) The image recording apparatus according to claim (1), wherein the first filter unit is disposed in front of and integrally with an illumination lamp in the first exposure device.