JPS63231454A - Heater for photosensitive material - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent accumulation of static electricity in heating rollers for conveying a photosensitive material while heating said material by providing conductive ring which fitts freely onto a conductive shaft and has a grounding terminal to the heating rollers. CONSTITUTION:A pair of the 1st heating rollers 50, a pair of the similar 2nd heating rollers and a pair of the 3rd heating rollers are disposed in a heat development and transfer section. The thin conductive planar rings 156 are disposed between ball bearings 150 and dash walls 155 in the deep parts of notches 151 of side walls 71 into which the ball bearings 150 of respective driving shafts 51 are fitted. Each ring 156 has a hole 157 into which the driving shaft 51 fitts loosely. the circumferential edge part of the hole 157 contacts only the outside shell 152 of the ball bearing 150 and, therefore, the ring 156 is held in place between the outside shell 152 and the wall 155. The ring 156 has a bent or curved surface so as to generate elastic force when the ring is held in place between the shell 152 and the wall 155; in addition, the ring has the grounding terminal 158. The terminal 158 is grounded by mounting a freely attachable/detachable connector 159 thereto. The accumulation of the static electricity in the heating rollers is thereby prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a photosensitive material heating device that thermally develops an image imagewise exposed on a photosensitive material and thermally transfers it to an image-receiving material.

[Prior Art] As a photosensitive material that requires a heat treatment process, heat-developable photosensitive materials are well known in this technical field. (Published by Corona Publishing), pages 242-255.
Page, April 1978 issue Video information page 40, Neblett's Handbook of Photography and Resorography (Neblett'511andbook)
of Photography and Reprog
raphy) 7th Ed, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company (Van No5
3 of trandRe1nholdCon+pany)
It is described on pages 2-33.

Furthermore, many methods have been proposed for obtaining color images by heat development.

Also, a method of releasing a mobile dye in an image form by heating, and transferring this mobile dye to a dye fixing material having a mordant using a solvent such as water, a method of transferring the mobile dye to a dye fixing material using a high boiling point organic solvent, A method has been proposed in which the dye is transferred to a dye fixing material using a hydrophilic thermal solvent built into the dye fixing material, and a method in which the mobile dye is heat diffusible or sublimable and is transferred to a dye receiving material such as a support. .

(U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,079, U.S. Pat. No. 4,474.
No. 867, No. 4.478,927, No. 4,507
．． 380, 4.500,628, 4.48
No. 3,914; JP-A-58-149046, JP-A-58-149046;
No. 149047, No. 59-152440, No. 59-1
No. 54445, No. 59-165054, No. 59-18
No. 0548, No. 59-168439, No. 59-174
No. 832, No. 59-174833, No. 59-1748
No. 34, No. 59-174835, etc.) As an apparatus for implementing this type of image forming method, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 9-75247, a color image is exposed on a heat-developable photosensitive material using an exposure head in an exposure section, and then the color image is sent to a heat-developable section. An image recording apparatus has been proposed in which an image-receiving material is brought into close contact with the image-receiving material and sent to a transfer section, and the image is thermally transferred to the image-receiving material at the transfer section.

In such an image recording apparatus, an image on a heat-developable photosensitive material is thermally developed in a thermal development section or a thermal transfer section using a holding and conveying heating roller equipped with a heater, and is thermally transferred to an image-receiving material.

When heating is performed using the nip-and-convey heating roller, the nip-and-convey heating roller is made of rubber to increase the contact surface with the heat-developable photosensitive material, and it rotates constantly to equalize the temperature of the heating roller. At the same time, the photothermographic material is heated and conveyed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, since the heating rollers reach high temperatures, static electricity is generated when a pair of heating rollers come into contact with each other and peel off, or when a photothermographic material peels off from the heating rollers. , static electricity accumulates inside the heating roller. Then, fogging occurs on the photothermographic material due to the accumulated static electricity, resulting in problems such as a decrease in image density or a decrease in sharpness due to color mixture. In particular, highly sensitive heat-developable photosensitive materials having silver halide on the photosensitive surface are easily affected by static electricity, and deterioration in image quality due to fog cannot be avoided. Further, when the accumulated static electricity is discharged, it becomes electrical noise in the control system, causing a problem that the image recording apparatus does not operate accurately and causes malfunctions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a photosensitive material heating device in which static electricity does not accumulate on a heating roller that conveys a photosensitive material while heating it.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] The above-mentioned object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive material heating device for thermally developing an image imagewise exposed on a photosensitive material and thermally transferring it to an image-receiving material. A conductive shaft integrated with a heating roller for thermally developing an exposed image, a heating roller for thermally transferring a thermally developed image to an image-receiving material, or a heating roller for simultaneously performing the thermal development and thermal transfer, and a conductive shaft that is loosely fitted. A photosensitive material heating device characterized in that a conductive ring having a ground terminal is sandwiched between an outer shell of a conductive bearing rotatably supporting the shaft and a housing into which the outer shell is inserted. achieved by.

In other words, since the conductive shaft integrated with the heating roller is grounded through the conductive bearing and the conductive ring in contact with the outer shell of the bearing, separation of the photothermographic material from the heating roller or separation between the pair of heating rollers may occur. Static electricity generated by contact and peeling at the heating roller does not accumulate on the heating roller. Furthermore, since the conductive ring is in contact with the outer shell of the fixed bearing, poor contact due to wear will not occur. Furthermore, a conductive ring,
Reliable contact between the milling member and the bearing shell can be maintained by providing a bent or curved shape that generates elasticity by being sandwiched between the bearing shell and the housing.

The photosensitive material that can be used in the present invention may be any material as long as it requires a heat treatment step, and includes, for example, the heat-developable photosensitive materials described above. This photosensitive material is composed of a photosensitive material having a photosensitive layer and a dye fixing material (image receiving material) having a dye fixing layer capable of receiving a hydrophilic and diffusible dye formed by the photosensitive layer.

In this case, the specific method for forming a color image is to transfer mobile dyes produced or released by thermal development. To this end, the present invention uses a photosensitive material having a photosensitive layer on a support containing at least photosensitive silver 10-genide, a dye-providing substance, a binder, and optionally an organic silver salt and a reducing agent, and It is preferable to use a dye-fixing material that can accept the incoming mobile dye.

The above-mentioned light-sensitive materials and dye-fixing materials are specifically described in Japanese Patent Application No. 89378/1989 filed by the present applicant, and these can be used in the present invention.

The photosensitive layer and the dye fixing layer may be formed on the same support or on separate supports.

The dye fixing layer 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 or the photosensitive layer can be peeled off. In addition, when a photosensitive element with a photosensitive layer coated on a support and a dye fixing element with a dye fixing layer coated on a support are formed separately, the fixing element is overlapped by imagewise exposure of the photosensitive element. Diffusible dyes can be transferred to the fixed layer by uniform heating in the presence of water.

The dye fixing layer 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 the mordant, a base, a base precursor, etc., and a thermal solvent may be included.

Particularly when the photosensitive layer and the dye fixing layer are formed on separate supports, it is particularly useful to include a base or a base precursor in the fixing layer.

There are two types of forms in which the photosensitive element and the dye-fixing element' are formed on separate supports: one is a peelable type and the other is a non-peelable type. In the former peel-off type, after image exposure, the coated surface of the photosensitive element and the coated surface of the dye-fixing element are overlapped, and after the transfer image is formed, the photosensitive element is immediately peeled off from the dye-fixing element. Depending on whether the final image is of a reflection type or a transmission type, the support of the dye fixing element can be selected as an opaque support or a transparent support. Further, a white reflective layer may be coated if necessary. In the case of the latter type that does not require peeling, it is necessary to have a white reflective layer interposed between the photosensitive layer in the photosensitive element and the dye fixing layer in the dye fixing element. It may be painted on any of the elements. The support of the dye fixing element needs to be a transparent support.

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.

Other examples include photosensitive and pressure sensitive heat developable materials. Examples of this photosensitive and pressure sensitive heat development material include JP-A No. 61-278,849 filed by the present applicant.
There is something disclosed in the publication No. In this material, 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 contained in microcapsules. After imagewise exposure and thermal development, a color image-forming substance is transferred under pressure to an image-receiving material having an image-receiving layer, thereby obtaining an image on the image-receiving material.

In addition, as a type of image-receiving layer that forms an image-receiving layer without using an image-receiving material, an image can be obtained on a photosensitive and pressure-sensitive heat-developable material.
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 81-53881 filed by the present applicant.

This material contains silver halide, a reducing agent, a polymerizable compound, and two types of substances that cause a color reaction when in contact with each other, and one of the substances that cause a color reaction and the polymerizable compound are housed in microcapsules. It has a photosensitive layer on a support, in which other substances among the substances that cause a color reaction are present outside the microcapsules containing the polymerizable compound.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings, taking as an example a heat-developable photosensitive material in which the photosensitive material has a photosensitive layer and a dye fixing layer on separate supports.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image recording apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention.

In this image recording device 10, the magazine 14 is placed on the machine base 12.
is mounted and accommodates a photothermographic material 16.

This heat-developable photosensitive material 16 is pulled out from the magazine 14, cut into a required length by a cutter 18, and then wound around the outer periphery of an exposure drum 20 installed in the machine stand 12 (in the direction of arrow A), and then cut into a required length by an exposure head 22. After being exposed, the exposure drum 20 is rotated in the reverse direction to be stripped by a scraper 24 and sent to a water application section 34.

In the water application section 34, the water in the tank 65 is applied to the heat-developable photosensitive material 1.
The heat-developable photosensitive material 16 coated with water is sent to the overlapping section 26.

On the other hand, the image-receiving paper 32 is supplied in a state housed in the cassette 30, and is sent to the stacking section 26 from the top layer thereof.

The photothermographic material 16 and the image-receiving paper 32 are superimposed on each other in the superposition section 26 and then sent to the heat development/transfer section 28 . A stripping section 36 is provided downstream of the heat development/transfer section 28 , and the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 is sent to a waste tray 38 downstream of the stripping section 36 , and the image-receiving paper 32 passes through a drying section 40 to a take-out tray 42 . It is now being sent to.

In the thermal development/transfer section 28, as shown in detail in FIG. 2, a pair of first heating rollers 5o, a pair of second heating rollers 52, and a pair of third heating rollers 54 are arranged at a predetermined distance. has been done.

Guide plates 56 are provided between the first heating roller 50 and the second heating roller 52 and between the second heating roller 52 and the third heating roller 54, sandwiching the pass line of the photothermographic material 16 and the image receiving paper 32, respectively. .58 is placed.

The first heating roller 50, the second heating roller 52, and the third heating roller 54 are all driven by a motor (not shown) that is a driving device.
They are driven and rotated synchronously.

The first heating roller 50, second heating roller 52, and third heating roller 54 are made of rubber, and are each provided with drive shafts 51, 53, and 55 made of conductive material. The first heating roller 50, the second heating roller 52, and the third heating roller 5
4, a heater 6 is installed along the axial direction of each heating roller.
0.62.64 are arranged respectively.

Each heater eo, 62.64 is each heating o-ra 50.52
．． A plurality of heating elements (not shown) are provided along the axial direction of the roller 54, so that each heating roller 5g', 52, 54 can be heated at a plurality of locations.

These heaters 80, 82, and 64 are connected to a power source (not shown) via a control device (not shown).

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one bearing part of the first heating roller 5o, but since the bearing parts of the second heating roller 52 and the third heating roller 54 have the same structure, the bearing part of the first heating roller 50 is explain.

The heating roller 50 has a driving shaft 51 made of a conductive material such as carbon or metal at its center, and the heating roller 50 rotates when the driving shaft 51 is driven by a motor (not shown).

The drive shaft 51 is rotatably supported by a ball bearing 150,
This ball bearing 150 is fixed by fitting into a cylindrical notch 151 formed in the X housing side wall 71. ball bearing 1
50 consists of an outer shell 152, an inner shell 153, and a conductive sphere 154 held between the outer shell 152 and the inner shell 153, and as the sphere 154 rolls between the outer shell 152 and the inner shell 153, A drive shaft 51 fitted into the inner shell 153 is rotatably supported. Side wall 71 into which ball bearing 150 fits
A barrier wall 155 protrudes into the notch 151 at the back of the notch 151, and between the ball bearing 150 and the barrier wall 155,
An electrically conductive thin plate-like ring 156 is arranged. The ring 156 has a hole 157 into which the drive shaft 51 is loosely fitted.
The peripheral edge 57 is shaped to contact only the outer shell 152 of the ball bearing 150. Therefore, the ring 156 is held between the shell 152 and the barrier wall 155.

The ring 156 has a bent or curved surface shown so as to generate an elastic force when the ring 156 is clamped between the shell 152 and the barrier wall 155. Further, the ring 156 has a ground terminal 158, and a detachable connector 159 is attached to this terminal 158 for grounding.

Static electricity is generated when the pair of heating rollers 50 come into contact with each other and peel off, or when the photosensitive material S peels off from the heating rollers 50. The generated static electricity is removed from the heating roller 5.
0 to the drive shaft 51, and further from the drive shaft 51 to the ball bearing 150. In the ball bearing 150, static electricity is transmitted from the drive shaft 51 to the inner shell 153, and then to the outer shell 152 via the spheres 154. The static electricity transmitted to the outer shell 152 is released from the ground terminal 158 of the ring 15 which is in contact with the outer shell 152. The ring 156 makes contact with the fixed outer shell 152 and releases static electricity without contacting the rotating drive shaft 51 and inner shell 153, so the ring 156 does not wear out due to the rotation of the drive shaft 51, and the outer shell 152 stable contact is maintained.

The heating roller 50 may be grounded by simply contacting the ring 156 with the ball bearing 150 at one end as shown in FIG. 3, but the bearing at the other end may be grounded in the same way. . Furthermore, a second heating roller 52 and a third heating roller 54
The bearing portion is also configured similarly to the bearing portion of the first heating roller 50.

The embodiment described above is a heating device for an image recording apparatus that simultaneously performs thermal development and thermal transfer by overlapping a photothermographic material and an image receiving paper, but it is also applicable to a heating device that thermally develops or thermally transfers a photothermographic material alone. You can also.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, static electricity generated by contact separation between the heating rollers and separation between the heating roller and the photosensitive material is removed by a conductive shaft integrated with the heating roller and a conductive bearing supporting the shaft. Since the ground is vented through the conductive ring in contact with the bearing, no static electricity builds up within the heating roller. Therefore, the photosensitive material is not affected by static electricity and fogging occurs, and recording with excellent image quality can be performed.

In addition, static electricity is reliably guided to the ground through the shaft, bearing, and ring, which prevents noise from being discharged into the image recording device's control system, etc., and ensures highly reliable operation without malfunctioning of the device. .

Furthermore, since the grounded ring is in contact with the fixed outer shell of the bearing, it does not wear out, ensuring reliable contact over a long period of time, and ensuring that static electricity generated in the heating roller is dissipated to the ground.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the image recording apparatus, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the thermal development/transfer section, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the bearing at one end of the heating roller. Codes in the figure: 10... Image recording device 12... Machine base 14.
・Magazine 16・Photothermographic material 18・
...Cutter 20...Exposure drum 22...
・Exposure head 24...Scraper 26...
Overlapping section 28... Heat development/transfer section 30...
・Cassette 32...Receiving paper 34...Water application section 36...Peeling section 38...Disposal tray
40... Drying section 42... Take-out tray 50.
...First heating rollers 51, 53.55...Conductive drive shaft 52...Second heating roller 54...Third heating rollers 58, 58...Guide plate 80.62.64...
・Heater 65... Tank 150... Ball bearing 151... Notch 152... Outer shell 153... Inner shell 154... Sphere 155
...Top wall 156...Ring 157...
Hole 158...Grounding terminal 159...Connector...:. l,,-7 Agent Patent Attorney (8107) Kiyotaka Sasaki, “
・,j-・・・I (3 others) Figure 1 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A photosensitive material heating device for thermally developing an image imagewise exposed on a photosensitive material and thermally transferring it to an image-receiving material, comprising: a heating roller for thermally developing the exposed image on the photosensitive material; A conductive ring that is loosely fitted to a conductive shaft that is integrated with a heating roller for thermally transferring a thermally developed image to an image receiving material or a heating roller for simultaneously performing the thermal development and thermal transfer, and has a ground terminal, is attached to the shaft. What is claimed is: 1. A photosensitive material heating device comprising: a conductive bearing outer shell that rotatably supports the photosensitive material; and a housing into which the outer shell is inserted; 2) The photosensitive material heating device according to claim 1, wherein the ring has a bent or curved shape that generates elasticity when held.