JPS6385742A - Heating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an uniform image at the time of forming an image by the use of thermal development photosensitive material by forming the surface of the passing side which has superposed heating plates with irregular shape. CONSTITUTION:A heating device 2 allows to superpose a photosensitive material 14 and an image receiving material 26 to approach heating plates 352, 354 and 356 through rollers 340, 342, 344, 346, 348 and 350 and to pass through them, and heats it, and then moves a diffusive pigment from the photosensitive material 14 to the image receiving material 26. Also, surfaces 3521, 3541 and 3561 of the heating plates 352, 354 and 356 where superposed photosensitive material 14 and the image receiving material 26 passes through are formed to an irregular shape. In this way, a contact part of the superposed side materials and the heating plates 352, 354 and 356 can be made small, and a point for receiving heat intensity can be made small, or since a thermal distribution becomes small, the unevenness is reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (1) Background Technical Field of the Invention The present invention particularly relates to a heating device used when forming an image using a heat-developable photosensitive material.

Prior art and its problems Heat-developable photosensitive materials are well known in this technical field, and for more information on heat-developable photosensitive materials and their processes, see, for example, 242 of Basic Non-Silver Salt Photography Edition of Photographic Engineering (published by Corona Publishing, 1982).
Pages 255 to 255, 40 pages of video information published in April 1978, Nebletts Handb
ookof Photography and Rep
Van Nostrand Reinhold Company (Van N
o5trandReinhold [:ospany)
It is described on pages 32-33 of .

There are also methods in which a mobile dye is released image-wise by heating, and the mobile dye is transferred to a dye-fixing material containing a mordant using a solvent such as water, or a method in which a high-boiling point organic solvent is used to transfer the mobile dye to a dye-fixing material. , a method 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 a mobile dye is heat-diffusible or evolvable and is transferred to a dye-receiving material such as a support. ing.

In such an image forming method, a photosensitive element and an image receiving element (dye fixing element) are brought into close contact with each other and heated.

In this case, heating is usually carried out using a heating device that stacks the photosensitive element and the image receiving element and passes the stack through rollers in close proximity to a heating plate.

However, when such a device is used to pass the above-mentioned stack through the rollers, very fine wrinkles occur in the material, and these fine wrinkles make it extremely difficult to pass the material close to the heating rail. In some cases, the convex portion of the wrinkle comes into contact with the heating flat plate, causing uneven heating between the concave and convex surfaces of the wrinkle, and this unevenness causes a difference in the progress of development and/or transfer. There was a drawback that image unevenness occurred.

(2) Object of the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide a heating device that provides a uniform image when forming an image using a heat-developable photosensitive material.

■Disclosure of invention These objects are achieved by the invention described below.

That is, the present invention provides a heating device in which a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material are layered, and the layered material is heated by being passed through a roller while being brought close to a heating flat plate, thereby transferring a diffusible dye from the photosensitive material to the image-receiving material. The heating device is characterized in that the surface of the heating flat plate on the passage side of the stacked heating plate is uneven.

■Specific structure of the invention The specific structure of the present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of an image recording apparatus equipped with a heating device according to the present invention.

In this image recording apparatus 1, a magazine 12 is mounted on a machine stand 10 and accommodates a photothermographic material 14. The photosensitive material 14 is pulled out from the magazine 12, cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 58, and then wound around the outer periphery of a rotating drum 16 for exposure installed in the machine stand 10, and placed in the exposure head 1.
After being exposed in step 8, the emulsion is peeled off with a scraper, water is applied as an image forming solvent to the emulsion surface in a water coating section 20, and then the emulsion is sent to the heating device 2 of the present invention, a so-called development transfer section. It is.

Further, the dye fixing material 26 accommodated in a layered manner in the cassette or tray 24 is brought into close contact with the photosensitive material 14 and sent to the heating device (developing and transferring section) 2 of the present invention.

A peeling section 28 is located downstream of this heating device (development transfer section) 2.
is provided, and the photosensitive material 14 is sent to the accumulating device 32 downstream of the peeling section 28, and the image receiving material (dye fixing material) 26 is sent to the take-out section 38.

As shown in FIG. 2, the heating device 2 of the present invention installed in the image recording apparatus 1 overlaps a photosensitive material 14 and an image receiving material 26, and transfers this overlapping material to rollers 340, 342.
．． 344, 346, 348, 350 and is heated while being brought close to the heating flat plate 352, 354, 356, thereby transferring the diffusible dye from the photosensitive material 14 to the image receiving material 26. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, heating flat plates 352, 354, and 356 are placed on the side through which the photosensitive material 14 and the image receiving material 26 are superimposed.
The surface 3521.3541.3561 is made uneven.

In this way, the surface 3 of the heating flat plate 352.354.356
By making 521.3541.3561 uneven, the above superposed one and the heating flat plate 352.354
．． 356 can be made smaller. As a result, the points that are strongly heated can be made smaller, or the heat distribution is made smaller, resulting in less unevenness.

As shown in FIG. 2, the heating flat plates 352, 354, and 356 have a configuration in which two plates are provided close to each other and the above-mentioned stacked plates are passed through, but they are not limited to this. Various forms are possible. However, from a practical standpoint, the configuration shown in the figure is desirable. In this case, it is desirable to provide unevenness on both plates as shown in the figure.

As for the shape of the unevenness, I! The convex portion extending in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction may be arranged with a gap in the conveyance direction, but in order to particularly enhance the effects of the present invention, the convex portion may be arranged in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. It is preferable that they be disposed with a gap in a direction perpendicular to this, so as to form a so-called embossed shape.

Regarding the unevenness provided on the passing side surface of the heating flat plates 352, 354, 356, the arrangement density of the protrusions is usually 50% or less of the total area, preferably 1 to 50%, and the diameter of the protrusions is: The height of the convex portion is preferably about 0.1 to 2 cm.

Although there is no particular restriction on the shape of the heating flat plate, a portion of the heating flat plate located in the entrance direction of the photosensitive material 14 and the image receiving material 26 overlapped as shown in FIG. In order to make things easier to pass through, it is desirable that the heating flat plate be slightly inclined in the direction opposite to the passing surface of the stacked items. , width 350-400 as,
The thickness is about 1 to 5 cm.

The material of the heating flat plate is usually a metal such as aluminum.

The heating device 2 of the present invention includes a pair of rollers 340 at the inlet portion.
．． 342, rollers 344 and 346 are arranged in the middle part, and rollers 348 and 350 are arranged near the exit, and the rollers 340% and 342 bring the photosensitive material 14 and the image receiving material 26 into close contact with each other in the horizontal direction up to the exit part. It is designed to be transported. In the illustrated example, there are three pairs of rollers, but the number is not limited to this and may be selected as appropriate. The heating flat plate 352 is placed on both sides of the pass line between the rollers 340, 342 and the rollers 344, 346;
44.356 and the roller 348.350, the heating plate 356 is placed between the roller 348.350 and the outlet section.
They are arranged in the same way. And the number should be selected appropriately according to the number of rollers.

Each roller also has a photosensitive material 14 and an image receiving material 2 that pass through each other.
Heater 35 is placed on the opposite side of the pass line to heat 6.
A temperature sensor 360 is in contact with each heater 358, and a temperature sensor 362 is in contact with each roller to detect the temperature thereof.

Heaters 364 are attached to the heating flat plates 352, 354, and 356 so as to heat the photosensitive material 14 and the image receiving material 26 passing therethrough, and a temperature sensor 366 is also disposed on the heaters 364.

The driving force of the motor is transmitted to each roller via a timing chain.

For example, in the heating device 2 configured as described above, the photosensitive material 14 and the image receiving material 26 that are in close contact with each other are heated between these rollers to perform development and transfer.

In this case, development and transfer may be performed simultaneously or separately.

Note that the heater 358 corresponding to each roller may be configured to be detachable from the roller 342 for convenience during repair.

The heating temperature is preferably 50°C or higher, preferably 60°C or higher, and lower than the boiling point of the solvent used.

For example, when the solvent is water, the temperature is preferably 60°C or higher, preferably 100°C or higher.

The diameter of the roller is usually 50 mm or less, and the width is 300 to 400 mm.
+s-.

Further, the conveying speed is about 2 to 100 m/sec, and the length in the conveying direction for heating is about 4 to 50 cm.

Unlike the example shown in FIG. 1, the dye-fixing material and the light-sensitive material may be formed on the same support. Furthermore, after development and transfer, both may or may not be peeled off.

Alternatively, it may be applied without using a solvent, such as water coating.

Note that the shape of the photosensitive material, the transportation method, etc. are not limited to the example shown in FIG. 1, and various changes can be made.

In order to facilitate the separation of the photosensitive material and the image-receiving material after heat treatment, the photosensitive material and the image-receiving material are stacked on top of each other so that a part of the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive material does not overlap. A form of thermal development by passing between two heating flat plates spaced apart (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-135
No. 944) is often taken.

In such a form, the moisture in the exposed portion of the photosensitive layer evaporates due to heating for thermal development, causing warpage, which increases the tendency of the photosensitive layer to adhere to the heating flat plate.
Further, as described above, the stacked sheets wave upward and downward during transportation, contact the heating flat plates located above and below, and are bonded together. If the buckling force becomes larger than these adhesive forces, jamming will occur. To prevent this,
If the surface of the heating flat plate through which at least the exposed portion of the photosensitive layer of the above-mentioned superposed heating plate passes is embossed as described above, adhesion will be reduced.
When the heating device of the present invention is applied to such a method of improving peelability, the permeability can also be improved.

Next, the light-sensitive material and image-receiving material (dye-fixing material) used in the present invention will be described.

The heat-developable photosensitive material used in the present invention is composed of a photosensitive material having a photosensitive layer and a dye fixing material having a dye fixing layer capable of receiving a hydrophilic and resistant dye formed in 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 a photosensitive silver halide, a dye-providing substance, a binder, and optionally an organic silver salt and a reducing agent, and a photosensitive material that is diffused from a photosensitive element. It is preferable to use a dye-fixing material that can accept mobile dyes.

Regarding the above-mentioned light-sensitive materials and dye-fixing materials, please refer to the patent application filed in 1983.
-89376, 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 hot 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 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.

■Specific Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material are layered, and the layered material is passed through a roller while being brought close to a heating flat plate and heated, thereby imparting diffusibility from the photosensitive material to the image-receiving material. In the heating device for moving the dye, since the surface of the heating flat plate on the side through which the superposed one passes through is uneven, it is difficult to provide an even image especially when forming an image using a heat-developable photosensitive material. Can be done.

This is because the point of contact with the stacked objects becomes smaller, so the point that is strongly heated can be made smaller.
Another reason is that the heat distribution can be reduced to reduce temperature unevenness.

As mentioned above, in the method of heat-developing, in which parts of the photosensitive layers of the photosensitive material are shifted so that they do not overlap, and the surface of the heating flat plate on the side through which the part passes is made into an embossed shape, By applying the invention, the permeability can be improved.

(2) Specific Examples of the Invention Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be shown, and the effects of the present invention will be explained in detail.

Examples of light-sensitive materials and dye-fixing materials are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 61-737!4.
The one described in the issue was used.

Using an image recording apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. 1, the above-mentioned light-sensitive material and dye-fixing material were subjected to the following processing.

In addition, in the heating device 2 of the present invention, the heating flat plate 352
, 354, 356 surface 3521° 3541.3561
The unevenness provided on the surface is such that the curved portion occupies 5% of the total area, and the concave portion occupies 95% of the total area, and the size of the heating flat plate is 57 m5. The width was 360 m11, the thickness was 1.5 mm, and the material was A2. In this case, the unevenness was formed by pressing a sphere with an inner diameter of 2.5 mm against an aluminum flat plate, and the depth of the recess was about 11 mm. Also, the conveyance speed is 12■/sec, and the length in the conveyance direction for heating is 28
It was set to 0■.

The photosensitive material 14", which was pulled out from the magazine 12 and cut into a predetermined length, was wound around the exposure drum 16, and the length was 570±3n-
Light emitting diode (LED) that emits green light, 665
LED emitting red light of ±5n-, and 805±5
Exposure was performed for 1 second at 500 lux using an LED that emits infrared light of 0 cm.

The conditions in this case are the amount of light from the exposure head 18 and the exposure drum 1.
The rotation speed was set at 6.

A water coating roller 20 (
Water was applied at a radius of 1.5 cm).

The amount of water applied at this time was 10 mj2/+yf.

Thereafter, the dye-fixing material sent out from the cassette or tray 24 was superimposed on the heating device 2 so that the film surfaces were in contact with each other.

This overlapping was performed at the first beat roller of the heating device 2. The rollers used were 30 mm in diameter and 300 mm in width, and a pressing force of 8 g was applied to each of the pair of rollers from the outside.

The membrane was heated for 25 seconds using a heating device W12 whose temperature was adjusted so that the temperature of the membrane to which water was supplied was 90 to 95°C.

Thereafter, it was transferred to a peeler als 28, and the dye fixing material was peeled off from the photosensitive material.

Clear yellow, magenta, and cyan images were obtained on the fixed material corresponding to each light emitting diode.

In addition, in FIG. 2, an image recording device equipped with a heating device similar to the heating device of the present invention is used, except that the surface of the heating flat plate is not provided with any unevenness and is made flat. A color image was obtained by the same processing.

Comparing the color images obtained as described above, when using the device of the present invention that uses a heating flat plate with unevenness,
No unevenness was observed in the image, but when a comparative device using a flat heating plate was used, unevenness was observed in the image.

From the above, the effects of the present invention are clear.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an image recording apparatus equipped with a heating device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing one embodiment of the heating device of the present invention. Explanation of symbols 1-Image recording device, 2-Heating device, 14-Photosensitive material, 26-Image receiving material, 340.342, 344, 346, 348° 350-Roller, 352.354, 356-Heating flat plate FI G , 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a heating device that overlaps a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material, and heats the superimposed material by passing it through a roller while bringing it close to a heating flat plate to transfer the diffusible dye from the photosensitive material to the image-receiving material, the above heating flat plate is heated. A heating device characterized in that the surface of the above-mentioned stacked materials on the passage side is uneven.