JPS6340133A - Driving mechanism for printing mask - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the whole device from going to large in size even in case a printing image range has a large area, by providing a pair of masks, an endless body, and the first and the second connecting means. CONSTITUTION:An endless belt 92 has a pair of parallel parts between pulleys 94, 96, and one moving block 80 and the other moving block 80A are attached to one linear part of said parallel parts, and to the other linear part, respectively. Therefore, when the endless belt 92 is rotating, the moving blocks 80, 80A are driven in the direction opposite to each other, that is to say, in the direction approaching or separated to or from each other centering around an optical axis A. As for photographic paper 12 which is fed in the direction as indicated with an arrow A, the central part in the width direction of the tip part, and both end parts in the width direction are guided and moved smoothly in a photograph printing part 14 by mask heads 62, 64 and mask bodies 114, 114A in the lengthwise direction, and a notch 172 of mask heads 66, 68 in the width direction, respectively. Especially, the mask heads 66, 68 and the notch 172 in the width direction can prevent the photographic paper 12 from meandering at the time of its advance.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printing mask drive mechanism used in a photographic printing apparatus for printing an image from a negative film onto photographic paper.

[Background technology]

In a photographic printing device, an image on a negative film is formed onto photographic paper using printing light from a light source.

In this case, the area around the printed image is shielded from light by a mask,
The burn area is limited to a certain size.

A pair of these masks are arranged so as to be movable back and forth so that the distance between them can be changed around the printing optical axis. Therefore, a means is required to simultaneously drive the pair of masks in opposite directions by the same distance. For this reason, conventionally, configurations have been used in which motors are connected separately, or the driving force of one motor is transmitted by a gear transmission, a transmission means, a belt, or the like. However, the baking price &
When the range is large, these driving force transmission structures become large, which may interfere with the printed image range or cause the entire apparatus to become large.

The present invention takes the above facts into account, and provides a printing mask drive mechanism that can drive a pair of masks in an extremely small space without increasing the size of the entire device even when a large printing image area is used. It is a purpose.

[Outline and operation of the invention] A printing mask drive mechanism according to the present invention includes a pair of masks that are movable forward and backward so that the distance between them can be changed around the printing optical axis, and a double mask drive mechanism around the printing optical axis. An endless body having an inner raceway and an outer raceway arranged in a U-shape, with both ends of the inner raceway and the outer raceway continuous with each other at the tip of the U-shaped leg, and an outer raceway on the U-shaped leg of the endless body. a first connecting means for connecting a portion of the inner track of the U-shaped leg of the endless body to one of the pair of masks; and a second connecting means for connecting a portion of the inner track of the U-shaped leg of the endless body to the other of the pair of masks; It is characterized by having the following.

For this reason, in the present invention, the continuous endless body is arranged in a double U-shape around the printing optical axis to secure the printing image range and to continuously
The ht S end body reliably transmits the driving force to the pair of masks to ensure the driving of the masks.

[Embodiments of the Invention] FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a photographic processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
is sent to the photo printing section 14, the image is exposed, and! The image is sent to the developing section 18 via the general feeding processing section 16.

(Description of Photographic Paper Storage Unit IO) In this photographic paper storage unit IO, unexposed photographic paper 12 is wound up into a roll and stored in a box 20. The leading edge of this roll of photographic paper is projected from the outlet 24 by a slight amount before the box 20 is set on the machine base 22.

The machine stand 22 is provided with a sensor 26 for detecting the protruding leading end of the photographic paper 12 and nipping and conveying rollers 28 and 30. The nipping conveyance roller 28 can rotate by receiving the driving force of a motor 32, and when the sensor 26 detects the leading edge of the photographic paper 12, the nipping conveyance roller 30 approaches the nipping conveyance roller 30 by driving a solenoid 34. The leading end of the stamped paper 12 can be held between the paper 12 and the paper 12.

A nipping conveying roller 3 is downstream of the nipping conveying roller 28, 30.
6.37.38 are provided, and the nipping conveyance roller 28.30
The leading end of the photographic paper 12 is held between the paper sheets 12 and the photographic paper 12 is sent out to the photo printing section 14 . The nipping conveyance roller 36 is configured to rotate under the driving force of a motor 40.

The nipping conveyance rollers 37 and 38 have one end connected to the shaft 39A and the machine base 22.
The other end of the arm 39 is pivotably supported through a bracket 39B, and a tension coil spring 41 is tensioned between the arm 39 and the machine base 22. Therefore, the nipping conveyance rollers 37 and 38 have a biasing force that presses against the nipping conveyance roller 36.

Nipping conveyance roller 28.30 and nipping conveyance roller 36.37
A guide plate 42 that can be rotated by a predetermined angle around the nip and conveyance roller 28 is provided between the two. This manual guide 42 can be rotated by the driving force of a motor 44 from a state along the conveyance path of the photographic paper 12 as shown in FIG. 1 to a state retracted from the conveyance path as shown by an imaginary line. .

This guide plate 42 is provided with a sensor 46, so that when the guide plate 42 reaches the state shown by the imaginary line in FIG. ing.

A sensor 48 is provided at the entrance of the photographic printing section 14 facing the conveyance path of the photographic paper 12, so that the leading end of the photographic paper 12 can be detected.

(Description of Photo Printing Section 14) The configuration of the photo printing section 14 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. In this photographic printing section 14, the printing range of the photographic paper 12 traveling within the frame 60 is determined by the length direction mask heads 62, 64 and the width direction mask heads 66, 68, and is exposed to printing light from a light source (not shown). It has become so.

The frame 60 is formed into a frame shape with an open top and bottom, and has an insertion amount lower 0 for the photographic paper 12 formed at one end, and a discharge lower portion 2 for the photographic paper 12 formed at the other end. A mounting base 74 is disposed below the trajectory of the photographic paper 12 passing through the insertion amount lower 0 and the ejection amount lower 2, and forms a mounting surface for the photographic paper 12. This mounting base 74 is formed with a large number of small-opening lower-arrows, and these small-opening lower-arrows are in communication with a suction means 78 such as a motor arranged therein. For this reason, the mounting base 74
The photographic paper 12 loaded on top is taken into consideration so that it is attracted to the mounting table 74 through a small opening during printing and becomes flat.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the longitudinal mask heads 62 and 64 are thin plate members whose longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the photographic paper transport direction (direction of arrow A). It is disposed upstream of the longitudinal mask head 64 in the photographic paper transport path.

Moving blocks 80, 82 are attached to both longitudinal ends of the longitudinal mask head 62. moving block 80
A guide rod 84 passes through the frame 60 in parallel to the photographic paper conveyance direction, and the moving block 82
is mounted on a guide rod 86 which extends parallel to the guide rod 84 via a bifurcated portion 88. The moving blocks 80.82 are therefore movable along the guide rods 84.86 for linearly moving the longitudinal mask head 62 upstream and downstream along the paper transport direction. Also during this movement, the Rad62 is applied to the mask in the length direction.
The leading edge of the paper remains perpendicular to the conveying direction of the photographic paper.

On the other hand, moving blocks 80A and 82A are also attached to both ends of the longitudinal mask head 64, and the racks are passed to a guide rod 84A and a guide rod 86, respectively. The guide rod 84A is stretched across the frame 60 in parallel with the guide rod 84. As shown in FIG. 3, longitudinal mask heads 62, 64 are moved to moving blocks 80.
Attached to the lower end of 80A and moving block 8o
, 80A move past each other on different trajectories, allowing the longitudinal mask heads 62, 64 to move until their tips come into contact with each other along the optical axis.

Moving block 80 as shown in FIGS. 2.3 and 5
．． An intermediate portion of an endless belt 92 is secured to 80A via brackets 90 and 90A.

This endless heald 92 is a timing belt whose middle part is passed over pulleys 94 and 96, and these pulleys 94 and 94
．． 96 are each pivoted to a bracket 98,100. This bracket 98 is attached to the frame 60 on the upstream side in the photographic paper transport direction, and the bracket 100 is attached to the frame 60 on the downstream side.
0 respectively. As a result, the endless belt 92 has a pair of parallel parts between the pulleys 94 and 96, and the moving block 80 is attached to one straight part of these parallel parts, and the other moving block 80A is attached to the other straight part. ing. Therefore, when the endless heald 92 rotates, the movable blocks 80 and 80A are driven in opposite directions, that is, in directions that approach or move away from each other around the optical axis A.

The intermediate portion of an endless belt 102 is wound around the pulley 94 adjacent to the wound portion of the endless belt 92 . This endless belt 102 is wound around an output shaft pulley 106 of a motor 104, and the driving force of the motor 104 is transferred to the endless belt 92.
It is designed to convey information to The motor 104 is driven and controlled by a control means 108 mainly using a microcomputer.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, L carving tools 110 are attached to the longitudinal mask heads 62 and 64 on opposite sides of the optical axis using screws 112, respectively. Between this L carving tool 110 and the longitudinal mask head 62.64, there is a mask body 114.11 made of a flexible member such as cloth.
One longitudinal end of 4A is clamped and fixed. The middle portion of the mask body 114 is wound around the winding portions 116, which are passed to the frame 60 on the upstream and downstream sides of the photographic paper conveyance direction, and whose longitudinal direction is arranged perpendicular to the photographic paper conveyance direction. It is then turned at a nearly right angle and pulled upward.

Further, the tips of these mask bodies 114 and 114A are connected to the frame 6 above the winding part 116 and parallel to the winding part 116.
0 is wound in layers onto a winding shaft 118 that is passed to the winding shaft 118. This winding shaft 118 is a winding biasing means 1 such as a mainspring spring.
20, the mask body 114.114A is always biased and rotated in the winding direction, so that a predetermined tension is always applied to the mask body 114.114A.

The mask body 114.114A between the winding support 116 and the longitudinal mask head 62.64 is parallel to the photographic paper u of the mounting base 74, and a slight gap is provided between it and the mounting base 74. ing. For this reason, the longitudinal mask head 62.6
4 and the mask body 114.114A form a guide space for the photographic paper 12 between them and the mounting base 74 when the longitudinal mask heads 62.64 are aligned with each other along the optical axis;
When the photographic paper is conveyed in the direction of arrow A, its leading end can be appropriately guided.

Note that a notch 122 is formed between the longitudinal mask head 62 and the L engraving tool 110, so that the leading edge of the photographic paper conveyed in the direction of arrow A will not accidentally reach the corner of the longitudinal mask head 62. It is not allowed to be touched. In addition, chamfers 124, 12 are provided on the upper surface of the opposing portion of the longitudinal mask head 62, 64.
6 is applied to form a concave surface toward light a (upper side in FIG. 3).

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the width direction mask head 6
6 has both longitudinal ends fixed to the moving block I30.132. These moving blocks 130, 132 are penetrated by guide rods 134, 136 which are disposed perpendicularly to the photographic paper transport direction and are hooked to the frames 60 on the upstream and downstream sides of the photographic paper transport direction. Therefore, the width direction mask head 66 can be moved in parallel in a direction perpendicular to the photographic paper transport direction.

Further, both ends of the widthwise mask head 68 are fixed to moving blocks 130A, 132A, and guide rods 134.
136 pass through the guide rods 134 and 136 so that the widthwise mask head 68 moves along the guide rods 134 and 136.

For this reason, the widthwise mask heads 66 and 68 can move toward and away from each other around the optical axis A. The intermediate portions of the guide rods 134 and 136 are supported by arms 138 to the frame 60 for reinforcement.

Moving block 130.132.1 as shown in FIG.
3OA and 132A are attached to the middle part of the endless heald 140. The endless belt 140 has its middle portion wound around pulleys 142, 144, 146, 148, 150, and 152, respectively, and its direction is changed. Pulley 142
．． 148 are respectively disposed below the guide rods 134 and 136 on one side in the photographic paper transport direction, and the brackets 154 and
．． 156, and are each pivotally supported to the frame 60. Further, the pulleys 144, 146, 150, 152 are respectively disposed below the guide rod 134, 136 and on the other side in the photographic paper transport direction.
It is pivotally supported to the frame 60 by.

For this reason, the endless bell l-140 has a double U-shape as a whole, with an inner U-shaped track between the pulleys 142, 152, 150 and 148, and the pulley 142, 144.
．． 146 and 148, and these U-shaped tracks connect pulleys 142 and 144.1.
52 and between the pulley 148 and the pulleys 146 and 150 are both legs of the mouth shape. In addition, the double U-shaped shape has an inner raceway and an outer raceway that are parallel to each other at both U-shaped legs, and the movable block 132 is connected to the U-shaped legs between the pulley 146 and the pulley 14B via the bracket 162. to the outer orbit, moving block 130
is connected to the pulley 142 and pulley 15 via the bracket 162.
It is attached to the inner track of the U-shaped leg between 2 and 2. Furthermore, the moving block 132A is connected to the pulley 14B and the pulley 1.
50 and the moving block 130A is attached to the outer track of the U-shaped leg between pulleys 142 and 144.

For this reason, Mudan Bell! -140 is moved in one longitudinal direction and in the other direction, the widthwise mask head 66.6
8 are parallel to each other around the optical axis! It is designed so that it can be brought into contact with and separated from it while maintaining its position.

In addition, the pulley 146 is the output shaft pulley 166 of the motor 164.
An endless bell (168) is passed between the two and the endless bell (140) is driven by this. The rotation of this endless heald 168 is controlled by the control means 108.

The widthwise mask heads 66, 68 are connected to moving blocks 130, 132 and 130A as shown in FIG.
, , 132A, and the notch 172 is provided over the entire length in the longitudinal direction. Also, moving blocks 130, 132 and moving block 130A,
132A has its upper surface on the same level as the photographic paper mounting surface of the mounting base 74, and when the leading edge of the photographic paper 12 is fed in the direction of arrow A, both ends in the width direction are inserted into this notch 172. This prevents lifting of both ends of the photographic paper in the width direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, nipping conveyance rollers 174 and 176 are arranged at the downstream end of the frame 60, and an endless bell 178 is connected between the nipping conveyance roller 174 and the nipping conveyance roller 36. , are adapted to receive rotational driving force in synchronization with the nipping and conveying rollers 36.

(Description of the conveyance processing section 16) In this conveyance processing section 16, the printer 1 prints on the back side of the printed photographic paper 12 sent from the photo printing section 14.
Cutter 1 for cutting 82-support photographic paper 12 for each image
84 are provided. A sensor 186 is provided upstream of the cutter 184 to detect the leading edge of the photographic paper.

The photographic paper 12 cut into images is stored in a stock section 188. Adjacent to this stock section +88, a feeding means 190 is provided for feeding the cut photographic paper 12 one by one to the developing section 18 after adjusting the processing speed of the photographic printing section 14 and the developing section 18. .

(Operation of the Embodiment) At the start of printing, the box 20 containing the photographic paper 12 wound into a roll is loaded onto the machine stand 22.

The leading end of the photographic paper 12 protruding from the box 20 is inserted between the separated nipping conveyance rollers 28,30.

When a printing start button (not shown) is operated, the solenoid 34 is activated and the nipping conveyance roller 30 is moved to the nipping conveyance roller 3.
0 and pinches the leading edge of the photographic paper 12, and the leading edge of the photographic paper 12 is sent out by driving the motor 32. The leading end of the sent-out photographic paper 12 is conveyed in the direction of arrow A while being held between the nipping and conveying rollers 36 and 37, 38 by the driving force of the motor 40.

Here, the longitudinal mask head 62, 64 is driven by the motor 104.
are driven so that they are in close contact with each other along the optical axis.

Further, the width direction mask heads 66 and 68 drive the motor 164 in accordance with the width dimension of the photographic paper 12 to be conveyed, so that both ends of the photographic paper 12 in the width direction enter into the notches 172.

As a result, the photographic paper 12 that is fed in the direction of arrow A has its leading edge at the center in the width direction formed by the longitudinal mask head 62.64 and the mask body 114. 172, it is smoothly guided within the photo printing section 14. In particular, the widthwise mask heads 66, 68 and the notches 172 can prevent the photographic paper 12 from meandering as it advances.

When the motor 40 is further driven to rotate, the leading end of the photographic paper 12 is sent out from the discharge lower part 2 of the frame 60 due to the rigidity of the photographic paper 12, and is transferred to the nipping conveyance roller 174.1.
It is held and conveyed at 76. Further, this tip is conveyed in the direction of arrow A, and when it reaches the sensor 186, the driving of the motors 32 and 40 is temporarily stopped. In this state, motor 3
2.40 rotates by a predetermined number of revolutions, and the leading end of the photographic paper 12 is inserted by a predetermined amount into the cutter 184 and cut.

At this point, the motor 40 is rotated in reverse to move the cut leading end of the photographic paper back to the sensor 48 area.

In this case, the motor 44 rotates and the guide plate 42 is lifted up to the state shown by the imaginary line in FIG. do.

This state becomes a state in which printing can be started, and the motor 40 rotates in accordance with the size of the printing image that has been input in advance, and the leading end of the cut photographic paper 12 is sent to the photo printing section 14. The front end of this photographic paper 12 is formed by the longitudinal mask heads 62, 64 and mask bodies I14, I1, iA, which are in close contact with each other in the same way as in the 0:1 case, so that the intermediate part in the width direction is formed into a width direction mask. Both ends in the width direction are smoothly guided by the heads 66 and 68 and mounted onto the mounting table 74.

When the leading edge of the photographic paper 12 passes the optical axis and moves beyond this optical axis by one-half the size of the printed image, the motor 4
0 is stopped.

Here, the motor 104 is driven to drive the longitudinal mask head 6.
2.64 are spaced apart from each other and stop corresponding to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the size of the printed image. At the same time, the image on the negative film is printed onto the photographic paper 1 by printing light from a light source (not shown).
Burned into 2.

In this printing state, the printing paper 12 has an edge around the printing area where no image is printed. It is shaped by being covered by the mask head 66, 68 (with a cutout 172).

When forming an image over the entire area of photographic paper without providing a non-printing edge around the printed image, the motor 104
, further driving the motor 164 by a small amount to drive the longitudinal mask head 62.64 and the width mask head 66.6.
8 may be separated from each other by a certain amount, that is, by the width dimension of the edge.

When the photographic paper 12 is fed out again after printing is completed, the motor 104 and the motor 164 are driven to bring the longitudinal mask heads 62 and 64 into contact with each other again, and the width mask heads 66 and 68 are brought into contact with each other through their notches 172. Inside photographic paper 12
Both ends in the width direction are inserted. As a result, the photographic paper 12 is smoothly guided and sent to the conveyance processing section 16 in the same way as the photographic paper 12 is fed to the photo printing section 14.

The sent photographic paper 12 is cut by a cutter 184 of the conveying processing section 16, stored in a stock section 188, and then sent to the developing section 18 by a feeding means 190 where it is subjected to development processing.

Motor 3 provided for transporting photographic paper in the above embodiment
2 can be omitted; in this case, the tip of the photographic paper 12 protruding from the box 20 is manually held [(feed roller 36.3
All you have to do is insert it into the 7-space.

In the above embodiment, a light source is placed above the mounting table 74 to perform printing, but this apparatus is turned upside down, and the mounting table is placed above the photographic paper conveyance path, so that printing is performed from the bottom to the top. It can also be applied when printing is performed in the direction of the target.

In addition, the mask body 114.114A is not limited to cloth, etc.1
It can be applied to any emissive material.

Further, in the above embodiment, the driving force of the motor is transmitted through an endless belt as a means for driving the mask head, but the present invention is not limited to belts, but can be applied to any flexible means capable of transmitting driving force. be. In the present invention, not only the width direction mask but also the length direction mask may be driven by a U-shaped endless body.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the printing mask drive mechanism according to the present invention includes a pair of masks that can move forward and backward so that the distance between them can be changed around the printing optical axis, and a double mask driving mechanism that moves around the printing optical axis. An endless body having an inner raceway and an outer raceway arranged in a U-shape, with both ends of the inner raceway and the outer raceway being mutually continuous at the tip of the U-shaped leg, and an outer raceway on the U-shaped leg of the endless body. and a second connecting means that connects a part of the inner orbit in the U-shaped leg of the endless body to the other of the pair of masks. Since the present invention is characterized by having the following, it has an excellent effect that the entire apparatus does not need to be enlarged even when the printed image range has a large area.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a photo processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the longitudinal mask head of the photo printing section and its relationship, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a back view of FIG. 2 showing the width direction mask and its relation, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the main components of the photo printing section. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Photographic paper storage section, 12... Photographic paper, 14... Photographic printing section, 16... Transport processing section, 18... Developing section, 66... Width direction mask head, 68. ... Width direction mask head, 74 ... Mounting stand, 130.130A, 132.132A ... Sheep hyperactive mouth/link, 140 ... Endless belt, 142, 144, 146, 148
, 150.152...Pulley.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A mask equipped with a pair of masks that can move forward and backward so that the distance between them can be changed around the printing optical axis, and an inner track and an outer track arranged in a double U-shape around the printing optical axis. an endless body in which both ends of the inner track and the outer track are continuous with each other at the tips of the leg parts; and a first part that connects a part of the outer track in the U-shaped leg part of the endless body to one of the pair of masks. A printing mask drive mechanism comprising a connecting means and a second connecting means connecting a part of the inner track in the U-shaped leg of the endless body to the other of the pair of masks. (2) The printing mask drive mechanism according to claim (1), wherein the U-shaped leg portion is arranged perpendicular to the photosensitive material conveying direction.