JPH058820B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming method for forming an image using a heat-developable photosensitive material and an image-receiving paper.

[Conventional technology]

As a reproduction method for color hard copies, JP-A-Sho
A heat development transfer method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 59-75247 is known.

A thermal development transfer device that employs the above method, etc. has a thermal development section that heat-develops a photothermographic material (hereinafter referred to as "sensitized material"), and an image-receiving paper that is superimposed on the photosensitive material that has been thermally developed in the thermal development section. and a transfer section that transfers the image on the photosensitive material to the image receiving paper.

In the thermal development transfer apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned publications, the photosensitive material and the image receiving paper are supplied from separate supply sections, are combined at or just before the transfer section, and are overlapped at the transfer section.

Therefore, in conventional thermal development transfer devices, it is necessary to set the timing for feeding the photosensitive material and the feeding of the image receiving paper, and a control means for this is required, making the device configuration relatively complicated. I couldn't escape it.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method that does not require timing for feeding the photosensitive material and feeding the image receiving paper.

[Means for solving problems]

In the image forming method according to the present invention, one end of the photothermographic material and one end of the image receiving paper are joined together, the photothermographic material and the image receiving paper are conveyed in a continuous state, and during the conveyance, the photothermographic material is After exposing and thermally developing an image on a photosensitive material and heat developing the photothermographic material, the photothermographic material and the image receiving paper are folded back at the joint portion to overlap the photothermographic material and the image receiving paper. and transferring the image recorded on the photothermographic material to an image receiving paper, and after transferring the image to the image receiving paper, separating the photothermographic material and the image receiving paper to form an image on the image receiving paper. It is characterized by

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows an example of a sensitive material and image receiving paper applied to the image forming method according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a thermal development transfer device configured to which this image forming method is applied. An example of the mechanism of the main part is shown.

A sheet-like photosensitive material 10 and a sheet-like image-receiving paper 12 shown in FIG. 1 are joined with an adhesive with their ends along the feeding direction overlapped. The adhesive bond between the two is only in range B of the overlapped range A shown in FIG. 1A. Further, the image receiving paper 12 is provided with a fold line 14 near the joint in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, as shown by a broken line in FIG. 1A. The fold line 14 has a crease in the direction in which the emulsion surface of the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving surface of the image receiving paper 12 face each other, and can be easily folded in the direction of arrow C as shown in FIG. 1B. ing. On the back side of the photosensitive material 10 (lower side in FIG. 1), an energizing heating layer containing carbon and generating heat when energized is applied.

As schematically shown in FIG. 2, the thermal development transfer device includes a photosensitive material and image receiving paper supply section 15, an exposure section 16, a heat development section 18, a water coating section 20, a bending section 22, a transfer section 24, and a peeling section 26. We are prepared. The photosensitive material and image receiving paper supply unit 15 includes a macazine 2 in which the above-mentioned photosensitive material 10 and image receiving paper 12 are stacked and stored.
7 is installed, Makazin photosensitive material, image receiving paper pull-out hole 2
A pull-out roller 28 is provided adjacent to 7A to pull out the photosensitive material and image-receiving paper one by one. Exposure section 1
6 includes a drum 29 which is driven and rotated with the photosensitive material 10 and image receiving paper 12 adsorbed on its outer peripheral surface;
An exposure scanning head 30 having an exposure means that is moved along the axial direction of the image forming apparatus 9 is provided. Two pairs of holding and conveying rollers 32 and 34 are arranged in the heat developing section 18, and the lower roller of the pair of rollers is used as an electrode roller and is connected to a power source via a switch. .

In the water coating section 20, a steam discharge header 36 connected to a steam generator (not shown) is disposed above the pass line PL of the photosensitive material and the image receiving paper. A large number of nozzles 38 are arranged in the steam discharge header 36 . Note that partition walls 39 are formed at both ends of the water application section 20 in order to prevent water vapor from entering the adjacent thermal development section 18 and the bent section 22. Further, the partition wall 39 is formed with a closable opening 39A through which the photosensitive material and image-receiving paper pass.

In the bent part 22, below the pass line PL,
A push plate 40 is provided that is driven by a solenoid (not shown) or the like and protrudes upward from a position shown in the drawings across the pass line PL. Additionally, above the pass line PL, there is a pair of guide walls 42,
44 are arranged. The transfer unit 24 includes two pairs of heat rollers 46 and 48 and two pairs of heat guide plates 5.
0 and 52 are arranged. heat roller 4
6, 48 and the heat guide plate 50, 5
On the opposite side of the pass line No. 2, heaters 49 and 5 are installed.
3, and the outer circumferential surface of the heat roller and the surface facing the heat guide plate pass line are arranged to generate heat.

A cutter device 54 is disposed in the peeling section 26 and includes an upper blade that is lowered by being driven by a solenoid (not shown) and a lower blade that is fixed. Further, a scraper 55 is disposed downstream of the cutter device 54 (on the left side in FIG. 2) for separating the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12 which are overlapped. Further, a collection box 56 for used photosensitive materials 10 to be disposed of is provided below the pass line PL. In addition, in Fig. 2, the symbols 58, 60, 62, 64 and 6
Reference numeral 6 designates a pair of clamping and conveying rollers.

Next, we will explain the operation of obtaining a color hard copy using the photosensitive material 10 and image receiving paper 12 shown in FIG. 1 using the thermal development transfer device shown in FIG.
I will also explain with figures. Incidentally, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the operation of the portion shown surrounded by a chain line in FIG. 2.

The photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12 are joined together as shown in FIG. Sensitive material 1 by 28
0 and image receiving paper 12 are pulled out one by one. Next, the photosensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12 are supplied to the exposure section 16 by a conveyance roller 66 with the photosensitive material 10 side at the leading end, and are attracted and fixed onto the drum 29. Sensitive material 1
The photosensitive material 10 is located on about half of the outer peripheral surface of the drum 29 in the circumferential direction, and the image receiving paper 12 is located on the remaining half of the outer peripheral surface of the drum 29. Further, the emulsion side of the photosensitive material 10 is located on the front surface.

Next, the drum 29 is driven to rotate, and
The exposure scanning head 30 is driven in the axial direction of the drum 29 and moves linearly. While the drum 29 is rotating and the exposure scanning head 30 is moving linearly, an image is exposed onto the photosensitive material 10 by the exposure means provided in the exposure scanning head 30. Note that since the image receiving paper 12 does not have photosensitivity, it will not be exposed to light even if it is exposed to light.

When the exposure of the photosensitive material 10 is completed, the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12 are unwound from the exposure drum 29 and conveyed to the thermal development section 18 by the holding and conveying rollers 58. Here, the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12 are the image receiving paper 1
The photosensitive material 10 is sent to the thermal developing section 18 with the emulsion side facing upward and the photosensitive material 10 being sent to the thermal developing section 18, and further sent by the nipping conveyance rollers 32 and 34. As a result of this feeding, the image receiving paper 12 enters the water application section 20, and further, the leading end reaches the nipping conveyance roller 60 of the folding section 22. When the leading edge of the image-receiving paper 12 passes the nipping conveyance rollers 60, the driving of all the nipping conveyance rollers is stopped.

In this state, the joint between the photosensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12 is connected to the clamping and conveying rollers 3 as shown in FIG. 3A.
It is held by 4. Further, the rear end of the photosensitive material 10 is clamped by clamping and conveying rollers 32, and the leading end of the image-receiving paper 12 is clamped by clamping and conveying rollers 60. Next, a nipping conveyance roller 32 located in the thermal development section 18
A voltage is applied between each electrode roller of the holding and conveying rollers 34, and the energized heat generating layer of the photosensitive material 10 is energized to generate heat. The sensitive material 10 is heated by the current-carrying heating layer.
The emulsion surface of the photosensitive material 10 is heated, and the photosensitive material 10 is thermally developed.

On the other hand, while the photosensitive material 10 is being thermally developed in the heat development section 18 as described above, the water vapor discharged from the nozzle 38 via the steam discharge header 36 is applied to the image receiving paper 12 in the water application section 20. Water is applied to the image receiving surface. Heat development of photosensitive material 10 and image receiving paper 1
When the application of water to the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12 is completed, all the nipping and conveying rollers are driven, and the feeding of the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12 is restarted.

At the same time that the leading edge of the image-receiving paper 12 passes above the push plate 40 disposed on the folding portion 22, the push plate 40 is driven by a solenoid (not shown) or the like and moves above the pass line PL. As the push plate 40 moves, the leading end of the image receiving paper 12 is bent upward as shown by the chain line in FIG. 3A. As the image-receiving paper 12 and the photosensitive material 10 continue to be fed, the leading edge of the image-receiving paper 12 comes into contact with the guide wall 44, and is guided by this wall to advance diagonally forward and upward, as shown in FIG. 3B. The push plate 40 returns to its original position when the leading edge of the image receiving paper 12 comes into contact with the guide wall 44.

When the feeding of the photosensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12 continues, the leading end of the photosensitive material 10 (the side to be joined to the image-receiving paper 12) is held between the heat rollers 46. At the same time, the image-receiving paper 12 comes into contact with the upper roller of the heat roller 46, is tilted toward the guide wall 42, and is supported in contact with the wall, as shown in FIG. 3C. By this operation, the image receiving paper 12 is easily folded from the fold line 14. If the feeding continues, the third
As shown in FIG.
It enters between rollers 6 and 6, where it is pressed and the two are overlapped in a close contact state, and feeding is continued in this state.

In the transfer section 24, the heaters 49 and 53 generate heat, and the heat rollers 46, 48 and the heat guide plates 50, 5
The photosensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12 are heated, and the photosensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12 are sent to the transfer section 24 in an overlapping state, where the image is transferred from the photosensitive material 10 to the image-receiving paper 12.
The photosensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12 are further fed in a superimposed state, and when the leading end passes through the nipping conveyance roller 62 and the cutter device 54, the driving of all the nipping conveyance rollers is stopped. Next, a solenoid (not shown) or the like is driven to lower the upper blade of the cutter device 54, cutting the leading ends of the overlapping photosensitive material 10 and image receiving paper 12. By this operation, the adhesive bond between the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12 is cut off, so that the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12 can be separated.

When the cutting operation is completed, all the nipping conveyance rollers are driven and feeding is restarted. The overlapping state of the photosensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12 is gradually released as the paper is fed by a scraper 55 disposed in a peeling section. When the photosensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12 are completely separated, the photo-sensitive material 10 is stored in the collection box 56, and the image-receiving paper 12 is sent to the gripping conveyance rollers 64 and taken out of the apparatus. This receiving paper is obtained as a color hard copy.

In this embodiment, the ends of the photosensitive material 10 and the ends of the image-receiving paper 12 are overlapped and joined together, and the image-receiving paper 12 is further provided with a crease in the vicinity of the joint, and in this state, heat is applied. It is arranged to be supplied to a developing and transferring device. On the other hand, the thermal development transfer device is provided with a bending section 22 upstream of the transfer section 24, and a push plate 40 and guide walls 42, 44 are disposed in this section. Therefore, since the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12 are fed as one body and are folded at the bending section 22 and overlapped, there is no possibility that the overlapping position of the two will be misaligned even without timing control.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the light-sensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12 are not joined together over the entire surface of the overlapped portion, but in a bent state, the edge of the light-sensitive material 10 protrudes from the edge of the image-receiving paper 12. Therefore, during the bending operation at the bending section 22, only the photosensitive material 10 is first held by the heat roller 46, and then the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12 are held in an overlapping state. Therefore, the photosensitive material 10 serves as a guide when the heat roller enters, and the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12, which are in an incompletely folded state before being pressed, can be smoothly guided to the heat roller 46.

In the above embodiment, a crease is provided in advance near the joint between the photosensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12, and the paper is supplied to the thermal development transfer device. Other bendable means may be provided. Furthermore, the sheet may be supplied to the thermal development transfer device without providing any bending device and may be bent by a bending device provided inside the device. As the folding means, various known folding devices widely used in the field of bookbinding of printed matter can be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the end of the photosensitive material 10 and the end of the image receiving paper 12 were overlapped and joined with adhesive, but they may also be joined in a butt state, and instead of using adhesive. You may also use adhesive tape or the like. Furthermore, it is also possible to form the photosensitive material 10 and the image-receiving paper 12 on an integral support and to omit joining the two in a subsequent process.

Further, the exposure method and thermal development method are not limited to those in the above embodiments, and various known methods can be employed. In this case, depending on each method, the arrangement of the photosensitive material and the image-receiving paper in the macazine can be reversed so that the image-receiving paper is sent out first.

The water application section 20 in the above embodiment may be omitted depending on the materials and properties of the photosensitive material 10 and the image receiving paper 12. Further, in the above embodiment, the thermal development section 18 and the transfer section 24 are provided separately, but when thermal development and transfer are performed simultaneously, the thermal development section 18 is omitted,
Development and transfer may be performed at the same time in the transfer section 24.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the image forming method according to the present invention, since the ends of the photosensitive material and the image-receiving paper are joined together and the two are supplied as a unit, there is an advantage that there is no need to time the feeding of the two.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows an example of a photosensitive material and image receiving paper applied to the image forming method according to the present invention, and A is a perspective view;
B is a side view of the part in the middle of folding, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the mechanism showing the main parts of the heat development transfer device applied to this embodiment, and FIGS. be. 10...Sensitive material, 12...Receiving paper, 14...Fold line, 18...Heat developing section, 22...Folding section, 2
4...Transfer section, 40...Push plate, 4
2,44...Guide wall.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. One end of the photothermographic material and one end of the image receiving paper are joined, and the photothermographic material and the image receiving paper are conveyed in a continuous state, and during the conveyance, the photothermographic material is exposing and thermally developing the image, and after thermally developing the heat-developable photosensitive material, folding back the photothermographic material and the image-receiving paper at the joint portion to overlap the photothermographic material and the image-receiving paper; Transferring the image recorded on the photothermographic material to image-receiving paper; After transferring the image to the image-receiving paper, separating the photothermographic material and the image-receiving paper, and forming an image on the image-receiving paper. Formation method.