JPS63186245A - Heat developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an image of high quality by allowing a heating means to heat a photosensitive material adherently and airtightly from the photosensitive face side. CONSTITUTION:During the period of holding the photosensitive material between 1st and 2nd belts 44, 47 and carrying it into a housing 41, a heater 48 is driven and the photosensitive face of the material is heated through the 1st belt 44. Since the 1st belt 44 carries the material so as to be stuck to the photosensitive face of the material, the photosensitive face is not contacted with oxygen in air, and since the material is heated in contact with the photosensitive face side without using a supporting body, the material is efficiently and uniformly heat-developed. Thus, an image of high quality can be obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a photosensitive material in which a support is coated with a substance on which an image formed by imagewise exposure is fixed by pressure. The present invention relates to a heat developing device for heat developing materials.

[Conventional technology]

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 is capable of obtaining high-quality images through simple dry processing has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 1986-2001 filed by the present applicant.
It is disclosed in the specification of No. 117089. 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 metal compound is coated on a support. and the color imaging material are comprised of photosensitive compositions encapsulated in the same microcapsules.

Regarding the image recording method of recording an image using this light-sensitive pressure-sensitive heat-developable material, the patent application No. 6 filed by the present applicant
0-121284. 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 pressed,
A small portion of the microcapsules in the area where the latent image does not exist is ruptured, and a color image forming substance is transferred to the image-receiving material to obtain an image on the image-receiving material.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In these image forming methods, air (oxygen) is
The presence of this causes a delay in development, resulting in the disadvantage that the minimum density of the area irradiated with light cannot be lowered sufficiently.

Furthermore, since the photosensitive material is heated from the support side, there is a problem that the amount of heat transferred to the photosensitive surface is not constant due to the thickness of the support and nonuniform component distribution, and uniform heat development is not performed.

Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to solve the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a heat developing device capable of uniformly heat developing a photosensitive material without exposing it to oxygen to obtain a high quality image.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] The above object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive material having a support coated with a substance on which an image formed by imagewise exposure is fixed by pressure, after imagewise exposure. A heat developing device for heat-developing the photosensitive material, the photosensitive material heating means being located on the photosensitive surface side of the photosensitive material,
This is achieved by a heat developing device that heats and develops the photosensitive surface of a photosensitive material under airtight conditions.

That is, since the heating means heats the photosensitive material from the photosensitive surface side in an airtight manner, the photosensitive surface is uniformly heated and developed, and oxygen does not come into contact with the photosensitive surface (favorable heat development is achieved).

In the present invention, the photosensitive material refers to a material for obtaining a visible image by applying pressure to a latent image generated by imagewise exposure.

Further, the present invention can be applied to both a system in which the exposed portion is polymerized and hardened, and a system in which the exposed portion is depolymerized and softened.

An example of such a material is a type of material in which a polymerizable compound is imagewise cured by imagewise exposure, and then a visible image is obtained by applying pressure, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-1991 filed by the present applicant. The material disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 179836 is mentioned. This material has a synthetic polymer resin wall capsule containing a vinyl compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and a colorant precursor supported on a support.

Alternatively, after containing silver halide and giving imagewise exposure, heat development is performed to develop the silver halide, the polymerizable compound is simultaneously cured in correspondence with this development, and then pressure is applied to form a visible image. The material disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 121284/1984 filed by the present applicant is cited as a material of the type obtained by the present applicant. After that, a color image-forming substance is transferred to an image-receiving material having an image-receiving layer to obtain an image on the image-receiving material, and at least photosensitive silver halide,
A reducing agent, a polymerizable compound, and a color image-forming substance are coated, and at least the polymerizable compound and the color image-forming substance are encapsulated in the same microcapsule.

[Embodiment]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image recording apparatus equipped with a heat developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The image recording apparatus includes a document supporting glass plate 2 attached to the upper surface of a housing 1 so as to be slidable back and forth in the direction of the arrow. That is, the glass plate 2 is moved back and forth in the direction of the arrow with the document placed face down.

At the bottom of the glass plate 2, there is a reflecting mirror 6 for illuminating the original.
An additional illumination lamp 8 is provided, and a fiber lens array 10 for forming an original image on a photosensitive material S at a predetermined position is provided.

A photosensitive material cartridge 14 containing a photosensitive material roll 12 wound with a photosensitive material S 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 feeding rollers 21 and 22 housed in a magazine connection dark box 20 is arranged, whereby the photosensitive material S wound around the photosensitive material roll 12 is moved to a predetermined position. Sometimes it is extended a certain length and then retracted as desired.

When the leading edge of the photosensitive material S advances, the photosensitive material feeding rollers 21 and 22 move away from each other as shown by imaginary lines to facilitate the advance of the photosensitive material S. A cutter unit 23 for cutting the photosensitive material S and a guide plate 24 are disposed in front of the magazine connection dark box 20 (hereinafter, the term "front" refers to the downstream side in the traveling direction of the photosensitive material, etc.).

In front of the guide plate 24, an exposed photosensitive material support roller 26 and two photosensitive material nip rollers 28, 30 pressed against the exposed photosensitive material support roller 26 are arranged. The photosensitive material S guided by the guide plate 24 is brought into close contact with the exposed photosensitive material support roller 26 by the photosensitive material nip rollers 28.30.
Fiber lens array 1 at position 32 between 30
0 provides imagewise exposure of the original.

In front of the exposed photosensitive material support roller 26, a heat developing device 40 that heats and develops the exposed photosensitive material S is arranged. The heat developing device 40 includes a developing housing 41 having a heat insulating function, and a first belt 44 which is disposed inside the developing housing 41 and rotates while being stretched between a pair of belt support rollers 42 and 43 and comes into contact with the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material S. , a second belt 47 that rotates while being stretched between a pair of belt support rollers 45 and 46 and touches the back surface of the photosensitive material S, and a first belt 4
4, the heater 48 is provided on the inner peripheral surface side of the photosensitive material S to heat the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material S via the first belt 44, and the photosensitive material S is sandwiched and conveyed between the first belt 44 and the second belt 45. At the same time, the photosensitive material S is heated and developed by the heater 48.

In front of the heat developing device 40, there is a pair of pressure rollers 60, a guide member 61 that guides the photosensitive material S discharged from the heat developing device 40 to the contact portion of the pressure roller 60, and a receiving paper feeding device 72. and a guide member 63 that guides the image-receiving paper C conveyed by the conveyance roller 62 to the contact portion of the pressure roller 60.
0 is placed.

The receiving paper supply device 72 includes a receiving paper cassette 73 that is attached to the side of the housing 1 and stores the receiving paper C, and a feeding roller 74 that supplies the uppermost receiving paper C in the receiving paper cassette 73 to the transport roller 62. It consists of a guide member 75.

A pair of pressure nip rollers 80.82 and a pressure nip roller 80.8 are provided in front of the photosensitive image receiving paper stacking device 70.
A transfer device 88 is provided which includes buffer lag rollers 84 and 86 for uniformizing the pressure applied to the rollers 2 in the axial direction. Pressure nip roller 80.82 is approximately 500 to 9/
- are pressed together by the pressure of -.

A photoreceptor paper peeling device 90 is provided in front of the transfer device 88 . The photosensitive material receiving paper peeling device 90 includes a guide member 92, a feed roller 94, and a guide roller 98 so as to press only the photosensitive material S at both outer end portions on the feed roller 94.
, 100 and a peeling belt 102 wrapped around them.

A sensitive material disposal section 104 is provided below the peeling device 90,
A fixing device 106 is provided at the front. Sensitive material disposal section 10
4 is a guide member 108, a pair of feed rollers 110,
112 and a waste box 114,
The photosensitive material S fed from 0 and guided by a guide member 108 is put into a waste box 114 by feeding rollers 110 and 112.

The fixing device 106 includes a guide member 120 and a reflective member 12.
2 ultraviolet irradiation lamps 124 and a pair of feed rollers 1
26 and 128, sent from the peeling device 90,
The image receiving paper C guided by the guide member 120 is
Fixation is performed by irradiating ultraviolet light for seconds.

In front of the fixing device 106, an additional tray 130 for receiving the image receiving paper C is attached so as to protrude from the housing 1.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the heat developing device 1i40. At least one of the pair of belt support rollers 42, 43 on which the first belt 44 is stretched is rotationally driven by a driving means (not shown), and the pair of belt support rollers 45, 46 on which the second belt 47 is similarly stretched. (either one of which is rotationally driven by a driving means (not shown); and the first
The belt 44 and the second belt 47 are rotationally driven by rollers 42, 43 and 45, 46.
The photosensitive material S is conveyed while being closely held between the first belt 44 and the second belt 47.

While the photosensitive material S is being pinched and conveyed outside the housing 41 by the first belt 44 and the second belt 47, the heater 48 is activated to heat the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material S to about 125° C. via the first belt 44. . The speed at which the photosensitive material S is transported here is such that the photosensitive material S can be heated by the heater 48 for about 40 seconds.

The first belt 44 is made of, for example, plastic or rubber, and conveys the photosensitive material S in close contact with the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material S, thereby transmitting heat from the heater 48 to the photosensitive material S.

Therefore, the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material S during heating does not come into contact with oxygen in the air. Furthermore, since the photosensitive material S is heated in contact from the photosensitive surface side without using the support, it is heated efficiently and uniformly.

Since the photosensitive material S is heated via the first belt 44,
The first belt 44 is preferably molded from a material that has excellent heat resistance and high thermal conductivity.

Further, the second belt 47 is preferably formed from a material with excellent heat resistance and low thermal conductivity so that a large amount of heat is not transferred from the photosensitive material S.

Note that in the heat developing device 40 described above, the heater 48 heats the photosensitive material S via the first belt 44;
A configuration may also be adopted in which a heater is built in the first belt 44 to heat the photosensitive material S.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the heat developing device 4o.

This heat developing device 40 includes a carry-in roller 50 provided at the photosensitive material entrance of the housing 41, a carry-out roller 51 provided at the exit, and a heater located on the photosensitive surface side of the photosensitive material S conveyed by both rollers 50, 51. 48 , and a holding member 52 that holds the photosensitive material S between the heater 48 and the heater 48 .

The heater 48 has a curved surface in contact with the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material S, and the clamping member 52 is shaped to engage with the curved surface of the heater 48. Then, when the leading edge of the photosensitive material S conveyed by the carrying-in roller 50 reaches the carrying-out roller 51 and the leading edge and rear end of the photosensitive material S are nipped by the carrying-out roller 51 and carrying-in roller 50, respectively, the carrying-in roller 50 and the carrying-out roller 51 stops rotating, and at the same time, the clamping member 52 biases the photosensitive material S against the heater 48 by the action of the spring 53 and clamps it.

After heating the photosensitive material S by the heater 48 for about 40 seconds, the clamping member 52 moves away from the heater 48 against the elasticity of the spring 53, and at the same time, the carry-out roller 51 starts rotating to move the photosensitive material S out of the housing 41. I will carry it out.

As a comparative example with the above two embodiments, we used an apparatus that heats the photosensitive material from the support side and performs heat development with the photosensitive surface exposed to air via a cloth belt or the like. As a result of heating the photosensitive material disclosed in No. 121284 at about 125°C for 40 seconds, if the sensitivity when developed according to the comparative example is 100, the relative sensitivity when developed under the same conditions according to the above embodiment is 350. It was confirmed that the above-mentioned embodiment could perform development much better than the comparative example.

About 1 described in the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 61-51896
It has a heating drum that is heated to 20°C and an endless belt that is supported by a belt support roller and wrapped around the outer circumference of the heating drum in approximately 2,700 circular arcs, and the photosensitive material is held and conveyed between the heating drum and the endless belt. The fifth method of heating is also a specific method for achieving the object of the present application.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, since the heating means closely contacts the photosensitive material from the photosensitive surface side and heats it in an airtight manner, heat is easily transmitted to the photosensitive surface, and the photosensitive material is developed uniformly, and is not affected by the Km element during heat development. This prevents the minimum density of the image from increasing.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform heat development that produces high quality images.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image recording apparatus equipped with a heat developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the heat developing device according to embodiments of the present invention. Symbols in the figure: S...Photosensitive material, C...Receiver paper, 1...Housing, 2...Glass plate, 6...Reflector, 8...Illumination lamp, 1O...Fiber Lens array, 12...
・Sensitive material roll, 14...Sensitive material cartridge, 16...
・Exit, 20...Magazine connection dark box, 21.22...
・Sensitive material feeding roller, 23... cutter unit,
24... Guide plate, 26... Exposure sensitive material support roller,
28.30...Sensitive material nip roller, 32...Exposure position, 40...Heat developing device, 41...Developing housing, 42, 43, 45. 46... Belt support roller, 44... First belt,
47...Second belt, 48...Heater, 50...
Carrying-in roller, 51... Carrying-out roller, 52... Clamping member, 53... Spring, 60... Pressing roller, 61.6
3... Guide member, 62... Conveyance roller, 70...
- Sensitive material image receiving paper stacking device, 72... Image receiving paper supply device, 73... Image receiving paper cassette, 74... Feeding roller, 75... Guide member, 80.82... Pressure nip roller, 84.86...Backup roller, 88.
・・Transfer device, 90 ・Sensitive material image receiving paper peeling device, 92・
...Guide member, 94...Feed roller, 98.100
... Guide roller, 102 ... Peeling belt, 104.
...Sensitive material disposal section, 106...Fixing device, 108...
Guide member, 110, 112... feed roller, 1]
4... Disposal box, 120... Guide member, 12
2... Reflective member, 124... Lanier', 12
6 , 128...Feed roller, ]30... Take-out tray

Claims (1)

[Claims] A heat developing device that heats and develops a photosensitive material, the photosensitive material having a support coated with a substance on which an image formed by imagewise exposure is fixed by pressure, after imagewise exposure, the photosensitive material heating means is located on the photosensitive surface side of the photosensitive material, and is characterized in that it heats and develops the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material under airtight conditions.