JPS63257639A - Optical printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To achieve miniaturization and lightening of a whole optical printer, by a method wherein a microcapsules which are not hardened in sensitive materials are destroyed at a developing part, and a duplicate image based on built-in coloring matter is formed. CONSTITUTION:A sensitized sheet 2 undergoes shock scanning with a wire dot impact part 18 following reciprocating transfer along a fixed guide member 20 of a dot impact head 16. Microcapsules of which built-in photosensitive agent is not hardened among those a-c on the sensitized sheet 2 are destroyed thereby. Each color leuco material built in destroyed microcapsules a-c is certainly operated by a developed substance layer installed to a developing sheet 30, colored correspondingly to each color leuco material, and a color image is obtained on the developing sheet 30. Thereby, the miniaturization and lightening of the all optical printing machine can be effectively achieved.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention will be explained in the following order.

Industrial application field B. Summary of the invention C Conventional technology D. Problem that the invention aims to solve E. Means to solve the problem F action G Example G-1 overall configuration (Figures 1 to 3) G-2 Structure and operation of development processing section (Fig. 1).

(Figures 4 to 6) G-3 Other Examples H Effects of the Invention A Industrial Application Field The present invention provides a photosensitive agent that cures in response to light in a predetermined wavelength range, and a predetermined pigment or dye. The present invention relates to an optical printing device that obtains a copied image using a sheet-like photosensitive material having a surface in which a large number of microcapsules containing a precursor are dispersed.

B. Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a sheet-like photosensitive material having a surface in which a large number of microcapsules containing a photosensitizer that cures in response to light in a predetermined wavelength range and a predetermined dye or dye precursor are dispersed therein. By selectively exposing the material to specific light including light in a predetermined wavelength range based on the image to be copied, a large number of dispersed microcapsules are selectively cured, and the uncured microcapsules are In an optical printing device, a dot impact head unit applies an impact to a photosensitive material that has been selectively exposed to specific light, thereby creating a copy image based on the dye or dye precursor contained in the photosensitive material. By providing a developing means for destroying microcapsules in which the photosensitizer has not been cured and thereby forming a copy image corresponding to the destroyed microcapsules, the photosensitizer can be removed after selective exposure. This eliminates the need for major damage to the developing means required to destroy uncured microcapsules, thereby making it possible to simplify and downsize the entire apparatus.

C. Conventional technology A large number of microcapsules of multiple types containing a dye or dye precursor and a photosensitizer that hardens through a photopolymerization reaction with light in a relatively short wavelength range are mixed and dispersed on the surface of a sheet-like substrate. A photosensitive sheet consisting of a photosensitive sheet is irradiated with light in a predetermined wavelength range to selectively cure the mixed and dispersed multiple types of microcapsules, and then reacts with the pigments built into the microcapsules of the photosensitive sheet. Developing sheets with a layer of color-developing substance that develops a color corresponding to the type of dye are stacked and pressed together to crush the microcapsules containing the uncured photosensitizer. A method of forming an image by developing a color according to a dye or a dye precursor contained in microcapsules crushed by a color developing substance is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-305.
This is proposed as described in Publication No. 37.

For example, when obtaining a copy of a color image using such an image forming method, a first, a second and a third photosensitizer which are cured upon exposure to light in different wavelength ranges, and a developing sheet are used. 1. reacts with the color developing substance to develop magenta, yellow and cyan colors respectively; Second
and a third dye or dye precursor, respectively, the first photosensitizer and the first dye or dye precursor, the second photosensitizer and the second dye or dye precursor, and the third dye or dye precursor. A photosensitive sheet is prepared in which a large number of three types of microcapsules containing a combination of a photosensitizer and a third dye or dye precursor are mixed and dispersed. Then, the color image to be copied is separated into three primary color images of green, blue and red, and by silver salt photography, three types of black and white positive films, a green separated image plate, a blue separated image plate and a red separated image plate are produced. is prepared, the photosensitive sheet is exposed to light that causes curing of the first photosensitizer through the black and white positive film of the green separation image plate, and the second photosensitizer is exposed through the black and white positive film of the blue separation image plate. and irradiation with light that causes curing of the third photosensitizer through the black and white positive film of the red resolution image plate, whereby:
In the photosensitive sheet, curing of the green separation image plate inside the microcapsule containing the first dye or dye precursor that causes the color developing substance of the developing sheet to develop a magenta color, and color development of the developing sheet according to the black and white positive film. Curing according to the black and white positive film of the blue separation image plate inside the microcapsule containing a second dye that causes the substance to develop a yellow color, and a third dye that causes the color developing substance of the developing sheet to develop a cyan color. A corresponding hardening of the black-and-white positive film of the red resolution image plate inside the microcapsule containing .

Thereafter, a developing sheet provided with a layer of a color developing substance is superimposed on a photosensitive sheet in which the interiors of the three types of microcapsules have been selectively hardened, and a pair of pressure rollers facing each other is placed on top of the photosensitive sheet. The microcapsules in the photosensitive sheet whose interiors are not hardened are crushed by the pressure. As a result, the layer of color developing substance provided on the developing sheet has yellow and cyan colored areas, cyan and magenta colored areas, and magenta and yellow colored areas at positions corresponding to the crushed microcapsules. A green coloring area, a blue coloring area, and a red coloring area are formed, and a copy of a color image is obtained.

D. Problems to be Solved by the Invention As described above, in a copying system that uses a photosensitive sheet and a developing sheet to obtain a copied image, a photosensitive sheet in which selective hardening of the inside of the microcapsules has been caused. Developing sheets provided with a layer of color substance are superimposed,
They are pressed by a pair of pressure rollers, etc., and the microcapsules on the photosensitive sheet whose interiors are not hardened are crushed to perform development. ,
The pressure applied to the sheet sufficiently destroys all the microcapsules whose insides are not hardened, and ensures that the dye or dye precursor contained in them acts on the color developing material layer provided on the developing sheet. It needs to be made extremely large enough to obtain the state. Therefore, in the conventionally proposed copying system using a photosensitive sheet and a developing sheet, in order to obtain good copied images, a pair of pressure rollers, etc. must be large and heavy. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is difficult to downsize the entire device including the pressure roller section.

In view of these points, the present invention provides a method in which a large number of microcapsules containing a photosensitizer and a dye or a dye precursor that harden upon exposure to light in a predetermined wavelength range are dispersed. For sheet-like photosensitive materials with a surface,
In the exposure section, a large number of dispersed microcapsules are selectively cured by exposure based on the image to be copied using light in a predetermined wavelength range, and then in the development section, uncured microcapsules are In order to destroy the capsule and obtain a reproduced image based on the dye or dye precursor contained therein, it is not necessary to make a large damage to the developing section, thereby making it possible to reduce the size and weight of the entire apparatus. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical printing device with a

E. Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the optical printing apparatus according to the present invention includes:
A photosensitive material is provided in which a large number of microcapsules containing a photosensitizer that cures in response to light in a predetermined wavelength range and a predetermined dye or dye precursor are dispersed on the surface of a sheet-like substrate. A photosensitive material supply means and a photosensitive material supplied by the photosensitive material supply means are irradiated with specific light including light in a predetermined wavelength range according to an image to be obtained, and the photosensitive material is selectively exposed to the specific light. Copying based on a dye or a dye precursor obtained from the destroyed microcapsules by destroying microcapsules in the exposed photosensitive sheet in which the photosensitizer has not been cured; The developing means has a dot impact head section, and applies an impact to the photosensitive material by the dot impact head section to cause the photosensitive material to become photosensitive in the microcapsules in the photosensitive material. The agent is said to destroy anything that has not been cured.

F Effect In the optical printing apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above, the exposure means irradiates the photosensitive material supplied from the photosensitive material supply means with specific light including light in a predetermined wavelength range, thereby making the photosensitive material Selective exposure of the material to specific light is carried out, thereby curing the photosensitizer in a number of microcapsules in the light-sensitive material, selected depending on the image to be obtained. In the developing means, the selectively exposed photosensitive material is subjected to impact scanning by a dot impact head section provided in the developing means. As a result, among the microcapsules in the photosensitive material that has been selectively exposed, those in which the photosensitizer has not been cured are destroyed, and the dye or dye precursor contained in the destroyed microcapsules is destroyed. A duplicate image is formed.

Therefore, the developing means is equipped with a small and lightweight dot impact head section instead of a large and heavy pressure roller that applies an extremely large pressure to the selectively exposed photosensitive material. As a result, the selectively exposed photosensitive material can be developed without the need for a developing means, which would be a major loss, and the overall size and weight of the apparatus can be reduced.

G Example G-1 Overall Configuration (FIGS. 1 to 3) FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of an optical printing apparatus according to the present invention. In this example, it is assumed that the copied images are obtained continuously as color images.

In this example, a long photosensitive sheet 2 having a predetermined width is arranged to form a roll 4. As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2, the photosensitive sheet 2 has a first film on the surface of a sheet-like base 6 that is cured by exposure to light in different wavelength ranges. second and third photosensitizers; The second and third dyes or dye precursors, for example, the leuco dye, are combined into a first photosensitizer and the first leuco dye, a second photosensitizer and the second leuco dye, respectively.
In addition, a large number of three types of microcapsules a, b, and C containing a combination of a third photosensitizer and a third leuco dye are mixed and dispersed. The first, second, and third photosensitizers contained in these microcapsules a, b, and C have spectral sensitivity characteristics, where the vertical axis represents the exposure intensity and the horizontal axis represents the wavelength. In FIG. 3 shown, curves A, B and C, respectively.
As shown by, it is said to be cured in response to light in a wavelength range that peaks at a wavelength of about 390 nm, light in a wavelength range that peaks at a wavelength of about 420 nm, and light in a wavelength range that peaks at a wavelength of about 480 nm. There is.

In addition, the first
．． The second and third leuco dyes react with a color developer layer provided on a developing sheet, which will be described later, to form a color developer layer.
They are said to have the property of producing colors of magenta, yellow, and cyan, respectively.

The photosensitive sheet 2 is sent out from the roll 4 to the right in FIG. 1, and is supplied to the exposure processing section 8 via the guide roller 6. The exposure processing section 8 includes a light source 10 and a spectral filter I.
IA, IIB and IC1 printing plates 12A, 12B and 1
2C1 and a light projection lens 13 are arranged. light source 10
are the first . A wavelength range of about 390 nm and its vicinity, in which the second and third photosensitizers are sensitively cured.

Wavelength range of about 420 nm and its vicinity, and about 480 nm
It is said to emit light including light in a wavelength range of m and its vicinity. In addition, the spectral filters IIA to 11C respectively emit light from the light source 10 in a wavelength range of about 390 nm and its vicinity, light in a wavelength range of about 420 nm and its vicinity, and light in a wavelength range of about 480 nm and its vicinity. It allows some light to pass through and blocks other light from passing through.

The printing plate 12A is, for example, made of a light-absorbing material that blocks or reduces the passage of light in a wavelength range of about 390 nm and its vicinity, with a pattern corresponding to the green primary color component of the image to be copied on a transparent substrate. The printing plate 12B is formed so as to act as a mask against light in the wavelength range of about 390 nm and around 390 nm.
For example, a light-absorbing material that blocks or reduces the passage of light in the wavelength range of about 420 nm and its vicinity is disposed on a transparent substrate in a pattern corresponding to the blue primary color component of the image to be copied. The printing plate 12C serves as a mask for light in the wavelength range of about 420 nm and around 420 nm, and the printing plate 12C is, for example, coated on a transparent substrate in a manner corresponding to the red primary color component of the image to be copied. A light-absorbing material that blocks or reduces the passage of light in a wavelength range of approximately 480 nm and its vicinity is arranged and formed in a pattern, and serves as a mask for light in a wavelength range of approximately 480 nm and its vicinity. ing.

The spectral filter IIA and the printing plate 12A form a mutually corresponding set, and the spectral filter IIB and the printing plate 12B
form a mutually corresponding set, and furthermore, the spectral filter 1
1C and printing plate 12C form mutually corresponding sets, each of which is movable in the directions indicated by arrows P and Q in FIG. Further, the light projection lens 13 emits light from the light source 10, and the spectral filter I
A set of IA and printing plate 12A, a set of spectral filter 11B and printing plate 12B, and a set of spectral filter 11C and printing plate 12.
The light that has passed through one of the pairs with C is projected onto the photosensitive sheet 2.

In the exposure processing section 8, while the movement of the photosensitive sheet 2 is stopped, first, a set of the spectral filter IIA and the printing plate 12A is positioned between the light source 10 and the projection lens 13, and the spectral Light source 10 passed through filter IIA
Light in a wavelength range of about 390 nm and its vicinity is irradiated onto the photosensitive sheet 2 via the printing plate 12A, the photosensitive sheet 2 is exposed, and exposed portions of the photosensitive sheet 2 are formed. Through such exposure, the photosensitive sheet 2
The first photosensitizer contained in the microcapsule a in the exposed portion of the photosensitive material selectively responds to the light transmitted through the printing plate 12A out of the light in the wavelength range of about 3901 m and its vicinity from the light source 10. hardened. Therefore, the inside of each microcapsule a in the exposed portion of the photosensitive sheet 2 is selectively hardened depending on the green primary color component of the image to be copied.

Next, with the movement of the photosensitive sheet 2 also stopped,
A set of a spectral filter 11B and a printing plate 12B is positioned between a light source 10 and a projection lens 13, and light in a wavelength range of about 420 nm and its vicinity from the light source 10 that has passed through the spectral filter 11B is printed. The light is irradiated onto the photosensitive sheet 2 through the plate 12B, and the second exposure of the photosensitive sheet 2 is performed.

Through such exposure, the second photosensitizer contained in the microcapsules b in the exposed portion of the photosensitive sheet 2 transmits the light in the wavelength range of about 420 nm and its vicinity from the light source 10 through the printing plate 12B. It is selectively cured in response to the applied material. Therefore, the inside of each microcapsule b in the exposed portion of the photosensitive sheet 2 is selectively hardened depending on the blue primary color component of the image to be copied.

Subsequently, while the movement of the photosensitive sheet 2 is still stopped, the combination of the spectral filter IIG and the printing plate 12C is connected to the light source 1.
Light in a wavelength range of approximately 480 nm and its vicinity is emitted from a light source 10 that is positioned between a light source 10 and a light projection lens 13, and that has passed through a spectral filter IC, and is irradiated onto a photosensitive sheet 2 via a printing plate 12C. , the third exposure of the photosensitive sheet 2 is performed. Through such exposure, the third photosensitizer contained in the microcapsules C in the exposed portion of the photosensitive sheet 2 transmits the printing plate 12G of the light in the wavelength range of about 480 nm and its vicinity from the light source IO. It is selectively cured in response to the applied material.

Therefore, the inside of each microcapsule C in the exposed portion of the photosensitive sheet 2 is selectively hardened depending on the red primary color component of the image to be copied.

By the exposure treatment as described above, microcapsules a and b
The exposed portion of the photosensitive sheet 2, the inside of which has been selectively hardened in accordance with the primary color components of green, blue and red of the image to be copied, is transferred from the exposure processing section 8 via the guide roller 14. Sent to the right in Figure 1,
It is supplied to the development processing section 15 (described in detail later).

Further, a developing sheet 30 is also supplied to the developing processing section 15,
It is superimposed on the photosensitive sheet 2. A plurality of developer sheets 30 are stacked and arranged, and the supply roller 3
The sheets are fed out one by one by rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. And developing sheet 3
Microcapsules a of the photosensitive sheet 2 are placed on one side of the photosensitive sheet 2.
.

The first .b and .b. A color developer layer that reacts with the second and third leuco dyes to develop magenta, yellow, and cyan colors is provided, and the developer sheet 30 is supplied to the development processing section 15 and superimposed on the photosensitive sheet 2. In this case, the color developing substance layer is brought into contact with the photosensitive sheet 2. Of the microcapsules a''-c arranged on the photosensitive sheet 2, those whose photosensitive agent is not hardened by the light irradiated from the light source 10 via the printing plates 12A to 12C are stored in the development processing section 15. As a result, a color image based on the first to third leuco dyes contained in the destroyed microcapsules a''-c is formed on the color developing material layer provided on the developing sheet 30. Ru.

G2 Configuration and operation of the development processing section (Fig. 1).

(FIGS. 4 to 6) The development processing section 15 includes a wire tod-shaped dot impact head 16 and a roller 17.
A dot impact head 16 is arranged such that a wire tod impact portion 18 provided thereon is opposed to a roller 17, and between the dot impact head 1 and the roller 17, the photosensitive sheet 2 and the The stacked developing sheets 30 are allowed to pass through.

As shown in FIG. 4, the dot impact head 16 is capable of reciprocating along the fixed guide member 20 in the width direction of the photosensitive sheet as indicated by the arrow X. and,
The wire tod impact portion 18 disposed to face the photosensitive sheet 2 has, for example, wires forming 24 dots in 4 dragon lengths arranged in a line in the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive sheet, as shown in FIG. As the dot impact head 16 reciprocates along the fixed guide member 20, each wire moves forward and backward at extremely short intervals.
An impact is applied to the photosensitive sheet 2 between the dot impact head 16 and the roller 17. At this time, the roller 17 rotates in the direction shown by the arrow J in FIGS. 1 and 4, and the dot impact head 16 and the roller 17
The photosensitive sheet 2, together with the developing sheet 30 superimposed thereon, is intermittently or continuously fed to the right in FIG. 1, as indicated by arrow Y in FIG. When the photosensitive sheet 2 is fed intermittently, for example, the dot impact rad 16 is moved to the fixed guide member 20.
When the photosensitive sheet 2 moves from one end to the other end in the width direction and from the other end to the one end along the
Only II++ is sent.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the photosensitive sheet 2 is subjected to impact scanning by the wire tod impact section 18 as the dot impact head 16 reciprocates along the fixed guide member 20. Of the microcapsules a'' to c in the photosensitive sheet 2, those in which the photosensitizer contained therein has not been cured are destroyed.

In this way, when the wire tod impact section 18 applies an impact to the photosensitive sheet 2 between the dot impact head 16 and the roller 17, each of the wires provided in the wire tod impact section 18 Since extremely high pressure is applied to an extremely small area, the microcapsules a in the photosensitive sheet 2
``-c'' whose built-in photosensitizers are not cured are reliably and sufficiently destroyed, and the first to
Each of the third leuco dyes is made to act reliably on the color developing material layer provided on the developing sheet 30.

As a result, the first
- Colors are developed according to each of the third leuco dyes, and a color image is obtained on the developing sheet 30.

Note that in the above example, the dot impact head 1
6 is provided on the side facing the surface of the photosensitive sheet 2, and the roller 17 is provided on the side facing the surface of the developer sheet 30, but the dot impact head 16 is provided on the side facing the surface of the developer sheet 30. The roller 17 is placed on the photosensitive sheet 2.
It may also be provided on the side opposite to the surface, and the same effect can be obtained in that case as well. Also, dot impact head 1
The wires in the six wire tod impact portions 18 can be either all driven simultaneously or individually driven.

Furthermore, the wire dot impact section 18 of the dot impact head 16 can be operated in accordance with information such as text. If the wire of the wire tod impact part 18 is not activated in accordance with the microcapsule 3-w at that position,
(This means that patterns such as so-called white characters can be obtained in the copied image on the developing sheet 30, or the surrounding area of the photosensitive sheet 2 of the copied image to be obtained. If the wire of the wire head impact section 18 is not actuated with respect to the portion corresponding to , it is possible to obtain a desirable copy image on the developing sheet 30 in which the surrounding portion is white.

G-3 Other Embodiments Although the above-mentioned example is for obtaining a color image on the developing sheet 30, the optical printing apparatus according to the present invention can of course be used for obtaining a monochrome image, and in such a case, In the exposure processing section, the first . A wavelength range of about 390 nm and its vicinity, in which the second and third photosensitizers are sensitively cured.

Wavelength range of about 420 nm and its vicinity, and about 480 nm
The role of a mask to prevent or reduce the passage of light from a light source that emits light including light in the wavelength range n and its vicinity, with a pattern corresponding to the image to be copied. The photosensitive sheet 2 is exposed to light through a printing plate designed to perform the following functions. Thereafter, the exposed photosensitive sheet 2 is processed in the development processing section in the same manner as in the above example, and the development sheet 30
The color developer layer provided on the photosensitive sheet 2 develops a black color in response to the first, second and third dye leuco bodies from the microcapsules a, b and C destroyed on the photosensitive sheet 2, A black and white image is obtained above.

Effects of the Invention H As is clear from the above explanation, the optical printing device according to the present invention incorporates a photosensitizer that cures in response to light in a predetermined wavelength range and a predetermined dye or dye precursor. A sheet-like photosensitive material having a surface on which a large number of dispersed microcapsules are dispersed is exposed to light in a predetermined wavelength range based on an image to be copied, thereby dispersing a large number of dispersed microcapsules. On a photosensitive material exposed to light in a predetermined wavelength range, in order to selectively cure the microcapsules and destroy the uncured microcapsules to obtain a copied image based on the dye or dye precursor contained therein. It is not required to destroy the uncured microcapsules in the microcapsules and greatly damage the developing section which forms a reproduced image based on the dye or dye precursor contained in the destroyed microcapsules, thereby , it is possible to effectively reduce the size and weight of the entire device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of an optical printing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views and spectroscopic diagrams for explaining a photosensitive sheet applied to the example shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing a main part of the example shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining the operation of the example shown in FIG. 1. In the figure, 2 is a photosensitive sheet, 8 is an exposure processing section, 10 is a light source,
12A, 12B and 12C are printing plates, 15 is a development processing section, 16 is a dot impact head, 17 is a roller, 18
20 is a wire tod impact portion, 20 is a fixed guide member, 30 is a developing sheet, and a, b, and C are microcapsules. Procedural amendment 1. Display of the case 3, Relationship with the person making the amendment Patent applicant address: 7-35 Otsu-chome, Kitashinyo-ku, Tokyo Parts Name
Name (co/g) Sony Corporation Representative Norio Oga 4/Agent 150 6, Number of inventions increased by amendment None 7, Column for detailed explanation of the invention in the specification to be amended and drawing 8, Contents of the amendment (1) In the specification, page 4, line 19, "The type of dye that reacts with a dye" is corrected to "the type of dye or dye precursor that reacts with a dye or a dye precursor." do. (2) Same, page 6, line 19, ``the second dye'' is corrected to ``the second dye or dye precursor.'' (3) Same, page 7, line 2, “the third dye” was replaced with “the third dye”.
Correct the dye or dye precursor to ``. (4) Same, page 11, line 4, ``Microcapsule'' is corrected to ``Microcapsule''. (5) Same, page 12, line 11, "Substrate 6" is corrected to "Substrate 3." (6) Same, page 20, lines 14 and 18, "of the photosensitive sheet" is corrected to "of the photosensitive sheet 2." (7) In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 will be corrected as shown in the attached sheet. that's all

Claims (1)

[Claims] A large number of microcapsules containing a photosensitizer that cures in response to light in a predetermined wavelength range and a predetermined dye or dye precursor are dispersed on the surface of a sheet-like substrate. a photosensitive material supplying means for supplying a photosensitive material consisting of; irradiating the photosensitive material supplied by the photosensitive material supplying means with specific light including light in the predetermined wavelength range according to the image to be obtained; an exposure means for selectively exposing a material to the specific light; and a dot impact head section, the dot impact head section applies an impact to the photosensitive material exposed by the exposure means, and the photosensitive material is exposed to light. a developing means for destroying microcapsules in which the photosensitive agent has not been cured and forming a copied image based on a dye or a dye precursor obtained from the destroyed microcapsules; optical printing device.