KR100243145B1 - Compact color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

Movable mirror having at least three light emitting source arrays having a plurality of light emitting sources each emitting light, and a plurality of movable mirrors each independently rotatably arranged to change a traveling path of light incident from each light emitting source An array, a focusing lens disposed on an optical path between the light emitting source array and the movable mirror array to convert divergent light emitted from the light emitting source array into focused light, and light emitted from each light emitting source and path-converted by the movable mirror; A transfer unit for transferring the photosensitive medium so that a two-dimensional color image is formed on the photosensitive medium by line unit, wherein the photosensitive medium is an instant film that is directly exposed by irradiated light to form an image. A small color printer is disclosed.

Description

Compact color printer {Compact color printer}

The present invention relates to a color printer, and more particularly, to a small color printer that does not use toner.

Conventional color printers sequentially charge or sensitize a photosensitive drum with four optical scanning devices to form a multi-color image, and adsorb the toner of each color from the developer to the photosensitive position of the photosensitive drum at each stage after photosensitive. After the image is formed, the image is provided to be printed on paper.

1 is a perspective view showing an optical scanning device employed in a conventional color printer.

렌즈(7)를 포함하여 구성된다.Referring to the drawings, the optical scanning device comprises a light source 1 for generating and emitting light, an optical deflector 5 for deflecting the light emitted from the light source 1 to the photosensitive drum 9, and the optical deflector To correct the error contained in the optical signal deflected in (5)

It comprises a lens 7.

The divergent light emitted from the light source 1 is converted into parallel light by a focusing lens 3 provided between the light source 1 and the optical deflector 5. This focusing lens 3 determines the size of the light spot directed to the photosensitive drum 9. In this case, an optical modulator (not shown) may be further employed between the light source 1 and the optical deflector 5 according to the type of the light source 1, and further includes a reflector 8 for converting an optical path. can do.

The optical deflector 5 is composed of a driving unit 4 and a rotating multifaceted mirror 6 having a multi-reflection surface rotated by the driving unit 4 to perform high-speed scanning. Light incident on the rotating mirror mirror 6 in a predetermined direction from the light source 1 side is scanned at a predetermined position of the photosensitive drum 9 according to an angle formed with the reflecting surface of the rotating mirror mirror 6.

The light emitted from the light source 1 of the conventional color printer employing four optical scanning devices having the structure as described above is sequentially scanned to the photosensitive drum 9. Then, the toner of each color supplied from each developer (not shown) corresponding to the optical scanning device is attached to the photosensitive position. In this manner, the photosensitive drum 9 is exposed to light, and the process of attaching the toner for each color to the photosensitive position is repeated four times, thereby forming an image of multiple colors.

However, the conventional color printer has four optical scanning devices having a complicated optical arrangement structure and a developing device corresponding thereto to form a color image as described above.

As a result, it is impossible to carry, and in order to print a part of an image formed by a digital camera or a camcorder, it is moved to a work room, and then the image and data of the imaging device are output to a conventional color printer as described above, such as paper or printing paper. The process was complicated and time-consuming because it had to be printed on.

In addition, the printing speed is limited because four light scans are required per line to form a multi-color image.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, an optical scanning device having a simple structure capable of forming a multi-color image by scanning one line or three times and a small color printer employing the same The purpose is to provide.

1 is a perspective view showing an optical scanning device employed in a conventional color printer,

2 is a perspective view schematically showing a compact color printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a plan view schematically illustrating the light emitting source array of FIG. 2;

4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the movable mirror of FIG.

5 is a perspective view schematically showing a compact color printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a perspective view schematically showing a compact color printer according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

7 is a perspective view schematically showing another example of a light emitting source array employed in the optical scanning device of FIG. 6;

8 is a perspective view schematically showing another example of the movable mirror array employed in the optical scanning device of FIG.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

11,51,53,55 ... light source array 16 ... focusing lens

17,41,43,45 ... movable mirror array 18 ... movable mirror

19 substrate 21a, 21b electrode

22 ... Reflective member 23 ... Post

30 ... photosensitive media

A compact color printer according to the present invention for achieving the above object comprises at least three light emitting source arrays each having a plurality of light emitting sources for emitting light; A movable mirror array having a plurality of movable mirrors rotatably disposed independently of each other so as to change a traveling path of light incident from each light emitting source; A focusing lens disposed on an optical path between the light emitting source array and the movable mirror array to convert divergent light emitted from the light emitting source array into focused light; And a transfer unit configured to transfer the photosensitive medium to form a two-dimensional color image on a photosensitive medium in line units by the light emitted from each of the light emitting sources and converted by the moving mirror. The photosensitive medium may be irradiated. It is characterized in that the instant film is exposed to light to form an image directly.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a perspective view schematically showing a small color printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the compact color printer includes an optical scanning device 10 and a transfer unit 31 for transferring the photosensitive medium 30 so that an image of a color is formed by the light irradiated from the optical scanning device 10. It is configured by.

The optical scanning device 10 includes a movable mirror array 17 having three light emitting source arrays 11 for generating and emitting light, a plurality of movable mirrors 18 rotatable independently of each other, and the light emitting source array. And a focusing lens 16 for converting the diverged light emitted from 11 into a focused light.

As shown in Fig. 3, each of the light source arrays 11a, 11b and 11c is arranged in a line and is a surface light laser array composed of a plurality of surface light lasers each generating and emitting light. Surface light lasers constituting each of the light source arrays 11a, 11b and 11c emit light in the same wavelength region, and the light source arrays 11a, 11b and 11c emit light in different wavelength regions. For example, it is preferable to be provided so as to irradiate light in the red, green and blue wavelength ranges.

Since the surface light laser generates and emits light in the stacking direction of the semiconductor material layer, a plurality of surface light lasers constituting each of the light source arrays 11a, 11b, and 11c are each single, as shown in FIG. The substrate 15 may be formed in an array through the same semiconductor process.

At this time, in order to selectively irradiate light to the photosensitive medium 30 from the surface light laser of each of the light emitting source arrays 11a, 11b and 11c, a current is applied to each surface light laser by a predetermined driving circuit. By controlling, the output of the surface light laser is adjusted.

Three light emitting arrays (11a) (11b) (11c) having the structure as described above emits light of red green and blue colors, for example, and is irradiated on the photosensitive medium (30) line by line to the photosensitive medium. An image is formed by dimming the video recording surface of 30.

The movable mirror array 17 includes a plurality of movable mirrors 18 each driven independently. In this case, the plurality of movable mirrors 18 are arranged in a line corresponding to the light source array 11 as shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the movable mirrors 18 is disposed on a substrate 19, a post 23 provided on the substrate 19, and spaced apart from the substrate 19. ), And a pair of electrodes 21a and 21b formed on the substrate 19 to face the reflecting member 22.

In this case, a shielding member (not shown) is provided in the movable mirror 18 to prevent the light controlled by the movable mirror 18 from being irradiated to an area other than one line position of the photosensitive medium 30 to form an image. ) May be further provided.

The reflective member 22 is rotatably coupled to an upper portion of the post 23. One surface of the reflective member 22 is opposite to the electrodes 21a and 21b, and the other surface is formed with a reflective surface 22a for reflecting incident light.

The pair of electrodes 21a and 21b have a stripe shape, for example, and are provided so that a potential can be independently applied thereto. The post 23 is formed on the substrate 19 between the electrodes 21a and 21b. In this case, the post 23 is rotatably coupled to the substrate 19. Therefore, when no current is applied to the electrodes 21a and 21b, they are disposed perpendicular to the substrate 19. Here, a plurality of posts 23 may be provided.

When a predetermined potential with different polarities is applied to the pair of electrodes 21a and 21b in the movable mirror 18 as described above, the electrostatic force generated between the electrodes 21a and 21b and the reflecting mirror 22 is applied to the pair of electrodes 21a and 21b. As a result, torque is generated in the reflective member 22. Accordingly, the post 23 is bent and the reflective member 22 is inclined at a predetermined angle. And when there is no potential difference between the electrodes 21a and 21b and the reflecting member 22, the post 23 is vertically aligned with respect to the substrate 19, and the reflecting member 22 returns to its original position. Goes.

Therefore, by applying a potential to each of the reflecting member 22 and the two electrodes 21a and 21b and adjusting the potential difference therebetween, the inclination of the reflecting member 22 is adjusted so that the light emitting source array 11 The light incident from the side is reflected at an appropriate angle to be irradiated to the photosensitive medium 30.

The focusing lens 16 and the three movable light source arrays 11a, 11b, 11c and the movable mirror array to convert the divergent light emitted from the light source arrays 11a, 11b, 11c into focused light. It is preferable to arrange | position on the optical path between (17).

The transfer unit 31 transfers the photosensitive medium 30 in the direction of the arrow (A). The transfer part 31 includes a motor 32, a plurality of rollers 35, and a gear 33 for transmitting the rotation of the motor 32 to the rollers 35.

At least one roller of the plurality of rollers 35 is installed on a rotation shaft of the one gear 33 and rotates according to the rotation of the motor 32 to transfer the photosensitive medium 30 and the remaining rollers 35. ) Guides the transfer of the photosensitive medium 30. 2 shows an example in which the photosensitive medium 30 is provided to be transferred between two rollers 35.

Here, the photosensitive medium 30 is provided with an instant film such as a polaroid film so that an image is formed by being exposed by incident light without an additional toner deposition process.

The photosensitive medium 30 transferred by the transfer unit 31 as described above is photosensitive in units of lines by the light scanned from the optical scanning device 10 to form a two-dimensional image.

2, the operation of the small color printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

First, the photosensitive medium 30 is moved a predetermined distance in the arrow direction A as the roller 35 rotates, and then simultaneously scans the light of the first wavelength region emitted from the first light emitting source array 11a. Thus, one scanning line of the image recording surface of the photosensitive medium 30 is reduced by line unit B to form an image of a first color.

The photosensitive medium 30 is transferred by the distance between the light irradiated to the photosensitive medium 30 from the first and second light source arrays 11a and 11b, and the image having the first color image formed thereon. The scanning line is exposed to light of the second wavelength region emitted from the second light source array 11b to form an image of the second color.

The photosensitive medium 30 is transferred from the second and third light source arrays 11b and 11c by a distance between the light irradiated onto the photosensitive medium 30 and the first and second colors. The scan line in which the image is overlapped is exposed to light of the third wavelength region emitted from the third light source array 11c to form a third color image.

In this case, since the photosensitive medium 30 is provided with an instant film such as a polaroid film, and the like, the three light emitting source arrays 11a, 11b, and 11c overlap each other in line units as described above without additional toner deposition. The multicolored image is directly printed by the light.

5 is a perspective view schematically showing a small color printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment of the present invention is the same as the first embodiment of the present invention described with reference to Fig. 2, and the movable mirror array 17 of Fig. 2 is the three light source arrays 11a, 11b and 11c. It is characterized in that it is converted into three movable mirror arrays 41, 43, 45 corresponding to.

Each of the three movable mirror arrays 41, 43, 45 according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of movable mirrors 42, 44, 46 driven independently. Here, the movable mirrors 42, 44 and 46 are substantially the same as the movable mirror 18 according to the first embodiment of the present invention described with reference to FIG.

In this case, each of the three movable mirror arrays 41, 43, 45 reflects the light emitted from the three light source arrays 11a, 11b, 11c at a predetermined angle, respectively. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the three movable mirror arrays 41, 43, 45 reflect the light incident from the three light source arrays 11a, 11b, 11c. 30 can be irradiated on the same scan line.

In this case, there is an advantage in that multiple color images can be simultaneously formed by irradiating light of three wavelength regions to one scan line simultaneously.

6 is a perspective view schematically showing a small color printer according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment of the present invention is the same as the first embodiment of the present invention described with reference to FIG. 2, and the light emitting source array of FIG. 2 includes three light emitting arrays 51, 53, 55 according to the present embodiment. The characteristic is the point that is converted to).

Each of the three light emitting arrays 51, 53, 55 according to the present embodiment is a corner light emitting laser array composed of a plurality of edge emitting lasers 52, 54, 56 arranged in a line, as shown. Is preferably.

In this case, each of the corner emission lasers 52, 54, 56 constituting the respective light source arrays 51, 53, 55 is irradiated with light at the same wavelength, and the light source array 51 ( 53 and 55 may be provided to emit light of different wavelength ranges. That is, the edge emitting laser 52 constituting the light emitting source array 51 emits light of red color, for example. The edge emitting laser 54 constituting the light emitting source array 53 emits light of green color, for example, and the corner emitting laser 56 constituting the light emitting source array 55 emits light of blue color.

Each of the edge-emitting lasers 52, 54, 56 emits divergent light in the lateral direction of the semiconductor material layer. Therefore, as shown, each of the light source arrays 51, 53, 55 lines a plurality of chip-shaped edge-emitting lasers 52, 54, 56 on substrates 51a, 51b, 51c. It is made by installing. Here, each of the edge-emitting lasers 52, 54 and 56 is selectively driven by a driving circuit, similarly to the surface light laser of the first embodiment of the present invention described with reference to Figs. The amount of output light is adjusted.

Here, the light emitting source arrays 51, 53 and 55 of the present embodiment have been described as being composed of a plurality of corner light emitting lasers 52, 54 and 56, but the respective light source arrays 51 and 53 are described. It is also possible to have a light-emitting diode array consisting of a plurality of light-emitting diodes 52, 54, 56 arranged in a line at 55. As such, when the light source arrays 51, 53, 55 are provided with a plurality of light emitting diodes 52, 54, 56, the light source arrays 51, 53, 55 emit a plurality of corners. Since it is substantially the same as the case provided with the laser 52, 54, 56, the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

On the other hand, the angle between the light emitting source arrays 51, 53, 55 can be adjusted by changing the inclination between the substrates 51a, 53a, 55a, for example. Therefore, by appropriately inclining the slope between the substrates 51a, 53a, 55a, as shown in FIG. 7, the three light emitting sources 51, 53, 55 exit the movable mirror array ( Light of three wavelength regions reflected by 17 may be simultaneously scanned to one scan line of the photosensitive medium 30.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the movable mirror array 17 is connected to the three light source arrays 51, 53, 55 similarly to the second embodiment of the present invention described with reference to FIG. 5. The three movable mirror arrays 41, 43, 45 may be provided.

When the optical scanning device 50 is provided as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, as in the second embodiment of the present invention described with reference to FIG. 5, a multi-color image is generated by irradiating light of three wavelength regions simultaneously on one scanning line. There is an advantage that can be formed.

A color printer having an optical scanning device 10, 40, 50 according to the first, second or third embodiment of the present invention as described above and a photosensitive medium 30 made of instant film such as a polaroid film or the like. Can be made compact. In addition, such a small color printer is portable and can be used to directly print an image of a portable imaging device such as a digital camera or a camcorder.

As described above, the compact color printer according to the present invention does not use toner, and reflects the light emitted from the three light source arrays to the movable mirror array on a photosensitive medium such as an instant film or a polaroid film, and performs multi-color images in line units. Because it prints directly, its structure is simple.

Therefore, the color printer according to the present invention as described above can be made compact and thus portable, so that the image formed by the portable imaging device such as a digital camera or camcorder can be instantaneously taken immediately during the recording of a polaroid film or the like. There is a printable advantage.

On the other hand, it is also possible to mount a small color printer according to the present invention in a portable video device such as a digital camera or camcorder.

Claims (10)

At least three light emitting arrays each having a plurality of light emitting sources for emitting light; A movable mirror array having a plurality of movable mirrors rotatably disposed independently of each other so as to change a traveling path of light incident from each light emitting source; A focusing lens disposed on an optical path between the light emitting source array and the movable mirror array to convert divergent light emitted from the light emitting source array into focused light; And a transfer unit configured to transfer the photosensitive medium such that a two-dimensional color image is formed on the photosensitive medium on a line-by-line basis by light emitted from each of the light emitting sources and converted by the movable mirror. The photosensitive medium is a compact color printer, characterized in that the instant film is exposed by the irradiated light to form an image directly. The method of claim 1, wherein the light emitting sources constituting the array of light emitting sources emit light of the same wavelength region, And the light emitting source array emits light of different wavelength ranges. The compact color printer according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting sources constituting each of the light emitting source arrays emit light of different wavelength ranges. The compact color printer according to claim 1, wherein each of the light source arrays is a surface light laser array comprising a plurality of surface light lasers that generate and emit light in a stacking direction of a semiconductor material layer. The small color printer according to claim 1, wherein each of the light source arrays is a corner light emitting laser array consisting of a plurality of corner light emitting lasers. 6. The laser beam of claim 5, wherein three corner light emitting laser arrays are provided, and two corner light emitting lasers disposed on both sides of the corner light emitting laser array, the light passing through the focusing lens has a traveling path. And the arrays are disposed obliquely to one another with respect to a centrally arranged edge emitting laser array. The small color printer according to claim 1, wherein each of the light source arrays is a light emitting diode array comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes. 8. The light emitting diode array of claim 7, wherein three light emitting diode arrays are provided, and two light emitting diode arrays disposed at both sides of the light emitting diode array and the light passing through the focusing lens have one traveling path. Small color printer, characterized in that disposed inclined with respect to the center of the light emitting diode array arranged in the center. The small-color printer of claim 1, wherein the movable mirror array includes at least three movable mirror arrays corresponding to the light emitting array. The method of claim 1 or 9, wherein the movable mirror, A substrate; A post provided on the substrate; A reflective member spaced apart from the substrate and rotatably installed on the post; And at least two electrodes formed on the substrate to face the reflective member.

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