JPH065374B2 - Thermal development transfer device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is designed to perform heat development and thermal transfer by superposing a heat-developable photosensitive material on which an image is recorded and an image-receiving material coated with an image-forming solvent, and heating them. The present invention relates to a heat development transfer device for performing an image on an image receiving material.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

As an image recording apparatus for obtaining a color image using a photothermographic material, as shown in JP-A-59-75247, the photothermographic material is exposed to an image and then subjected to a heat development treatment. It is known that an image is obtained on an image receiving paper by superposing a material and the image receiving paper and performing heat transfer.

In order to improve transfer efficiency, this image-receiving paper is subjected to heat transfer by applying a transfer aid such as water (that is, an image forming solvent) before being superposed on the photothermographic material, and after transfer is completed. It is peeled off from the photothermographic material. The image-receiving paper after being peeled off is not completely dried and is in a wet state, and if it is handled as it is, it will easily adhere when accumulated and fingerprints and stains will easily adhere when viewed by hand. There will be problems such as

In the image recording apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned JP-A-59-75247, no consideration was given to such a problem.

[Object of the Invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to obtain a heat development transfer apparatus having a function of drying the image receiving material after being peeled from the photothermographic material and having a compact whole apparatus. To do.

[Outline and Action of Invention]

The image recording apparatus according to the present application has a rotating drum that holds the image receiving material wound around the outer periphery thereof, an image receiving material supply unit that supplies the image receiving material to the outer periphery of the rotating drum, and the image recording apparatus is wound around the rotating drum. A solvent applying means for applying an image forming solvent to the image receiving material; and a photothermographic material supplying means for supplying the photothermographic material onto the image receiving material coated with the image forming solvent and wound around the outer periphery of the rotating drum. Heating means for heating the image receiving material and the photothermographic material that are wound around the outer periphery of the rotary drum to perform heat development and thermal transfer; and heat developing and heat transfer provided near the outer periphery of the rotary drum. And a drying means for drying the image receiving material on the outer circumference of the rotary drum from which the photothermographic material has been peeled off. And a second peeling unit that is provided near the outer periphery of the rotary drum and that peels the image receiving material after the drying from the rotary drum. Have

Therefore, the photosensitive material and the image receiving material are closely wound on the drum and heated by the heating means, whereby the development of the photosensitive material and the transfer of the image from the photosensitive material to the image receiving material are performed together on the drum. ing. This transfer is performed extremely reliably because the image forming solvent is applied when the image receiving material is wound around the outer circumference of the rotating drum.

The image-receiving material after the image transfer is taken out after being dried on the drum after the photosensitive material has been peeled off and taken out, so that there is no problem even if the operator takes it by hand.

The image-forming solvent provided in the present invention can be applied by using, for example, a coating member disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 60-168,411 relating to the present applicant, and the coating member has a water-absorbing property. It is possible to use a sponge made of a material capable of holding a small amount of an image forming solvent such as water, a porous material such as foaming, a felt, a writing brush, and the like. As another image forming solvent coating means, a method of coating with a coating roller disclosed in JP-A-59-75247 relating to the present applicant, Japanese Patent Application No. 60-158,5
No. 47, which sprays the image forming solvent in a mist state, or one in which a solvent-imparted portion is provided on a part of the endless belt shown in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 189,752 is used. it can.

Examples of the photothermographic material and the image receiving material in the present invention include, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,430,415, 4,483,914, 4,500,626, and 4,503. 137, JP-A-59-154,445.
JP-A-59-165,054, JP-A-59-18
0,548, JP-A-59-218,443, JP-A-60-120,356, and Japanese Patent Application No. 59-209,563.
No. 60-79,709, Japanese Patent Application No. 60-16
The photothermographic material (heat-developable photosensitive element) and the image-receiving material (dye fixing element) described in JP-A No. 9,585 and Japanese Patent Application No. 60-244,873 can be used.

Further, the image forming solvent in the present invention is a solvent required for image formation, and examples thereof include water, low boiling point organic solvents (alcohols, ketones, amides, etc.) or surfactants in these solvents. It is possible to use those to which various additives such as a development accelerator and a development terminator are added.

Example of Invention

FIG. 1 shows an image recording apparatus 10 incorporating the heat development transfer apparatus of the present invention.

In this image recording apparatus 10, a magazine 14 is mounted on a machine base 12 and contains a photothermographic material 16. This photosensitive material 16 is pulled out from the magazine 14
After being cut to a required length by, the film is wound around the outer periphery of the exposure drum 20 installed in the machine base 12 (direction of arrow A), exposed by the exposure head 22, and then rotated in the opposite direction (arrow B).
Direction), the exposed surface is peeled by the scraper 24, and the exposed surface is directed to the inner circumference and sent to the outer circumference of the rotary drum 26.

Further, the image receiving paper 32 housed in layers in the cassette 30 is sent to the rotary drum 26 by the transport roller 33. The image receiving paper 32 is transferred to the rotary drum 26 before the photosensitive material 16.
To the inner side of the photosensitive material 16 and wound around the rotary drum 26 so that the transfer surface faces the outer periphery. A heater 27 is built in the rotating drum 26 so that the image on the photosensitive material 16 is transferred onto the image receiving paper 32 by heating. The heater 27 may be arranged outside the rotary drum 26.

Further, the peeling arms 35, 36 are provided on the outer periphery of the rotary drum 26.
And the peeling arm 35 holds the photosensitive material 16 in the tray 3
7, the peeling arm 36 peels the image receiving paper 32 to the take-out tray 38 and sends it out.

A dryer 40 is provided between the peeling arms 35 and 36 so as to correspond to the outer circumference of the rotary drum 26. After the photosensitive material 16 is peeled from the outer circumference of the rotary drum 26, warm air is sent to the image receiving paper 32. The image receiving paper 32 can be dried while being wound around the rotary drum 26.

A water application unit 34 corresponds to the outer circumference of the rotary drum 26, and water, which is an image forming solvent, can be applied to the outer peripheral transfer surface of the image receiving material 32 from the nozzle 34A.
This water application is performed before the photosensitive material 16 is wound around the outer periphery of the image receiving material 32.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

The image receiving paper 32 sent out from the cassette 30 by the carrying roller 33 is wound around the outer periphery of the rotary drum 26 by the rotation of the rotary drum 26, and the image transfer surface thereof faces the outside.

Here, water is received from the nozzle 34 </ b> A of the water applying section 34 on the image receiving paper 32.
Is applied to the image transfer surface of.

On the other hand, the photothermographic material 16 taken out from the magazine 14 is wound around the exposure drum 20, exposed by the exposure head 22, and then sent to the rotary drum 26 so that the exposed surface has an image receiving paper 32.
Is superposed on the image transfer surface of.

The light-sensitive material 16 and the image-receiving paper 32 that are superposed on each other are the heater 2
Since it is heated at 7, heat development is performed in the presence of water, and at the same time, the formed dye image is heat transferred to the transfer surface of the image receiving paper 32. In this transfer state, the necessary amount of water has already been properly applied to the image receiving material 32, so that an extremely good transfer operation is performed.

When the transfer operation is completed, the rotary drum 26 rotates again, and the photosensitive material 16 in the outer layer is peeled off by the operation of the peeling arm 35 and sent to the tray 37. At this point, the dryer 40 is activated to dry the image receiving paper 32 that is still wound around the outer circumference of the rotary drum 26, and then the take-out tray 38 is removed by the peeling arm 36.
Is taken out. Since the image receiving paper 32 is already dried, it does not become sticky even if it is picked up by hand.

The present invention is not limited to non-contact application of water by spraying, but a contact type application member such as a roller or sponge may be used.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the rotating drum which holds the image receiving material in a state of being wound around the outer periphery thereof, the image receiving material supplying means for supplying the image receiving material to the outer periphery of the rotating drum, and the image receiving material wound around the rotating drum. A solvent applying means for applying an image forming solvent, a heat developable photosensitive material supplying means for supplying the heat developable photosensitive material onto the image receiving material wound around the outer periphery of the rotary drum and coated with the image forming solvent, and A heating means for heating the image-receiving material and the photothermographic material, which are wound around the outer periphery of the rotating drum, for heat development and thermal transfer; and a heating means provided near the outer periphery of the rotating drum for heat development and thermal transfer. First peeling means for peeling the photothermographic material after being peeled off from the image receiving material, and drying means for drying the image receiving material on the outer circumference of the rotary drum from which the photothermographic material has been peeled off, And a second peeling unit that is provided near the outer periphery of the rotary drum and that peels the image receiving material after the drying from the rotary drum. It has an excellent effect that it is possible to realize from the supply of the photothermographic material and the image receiving material to the drying of the image receiving material.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a heat development transfer apparatus according to the present invention. 10 ... Image recording device, 16 ... Photosensitive material, 26 ... Rotating drum, 32 ... Image receiving paper, 34 ... Water application part, 34A ... Nozzle, 35, 36 ... Peeling arm, 40 ... Dryer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rotary drum which holds an image receiving material wound around its outer periphery, an image receiving material supplying means for supplying the image receiving material to the outer periphery of the rotating drum, and an image formed on the image receiving material wound around the rotary drum. A solvent applying means for applying a forming solvent,
A heat-developable photosensitive material supply means for supplying the heat-developable photosensitive material onto the image-receiving material coated with the image forming solvent and wound around the outer periphery of the rotating drum, and an image-receiving material wound around the outer periphery of the rotating drum. And heating means for heating the heat-developable photosensitive material to perform heat development and thermal transfer; and the heat-developable photosensitive material after heat development and thermal transfer provided near the outer periphery of the rotating drum, peeled from the image receiving material. First peeling means for drying, the drying means for drying the image receiving material on the outer circumference of the rotary drum from which the photothermographic material has been peeled off, and the drying means provided in proximity to the outer circumference of the rotary drum. And a second peeling unit for peeling the image receiving material after the peeling from the rotary drum.