JPH0742018B2 - Image recorder - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that conveys a photosensitive material contained in a magazine to an exposure section and performs imagewise exposure on the exposure section.

[Conventional technology]

As an image recording device for obtaining a color image by using, for example, a photothermographic material as a light-sensitive material, as shown in JP-A-59-75247, a heat-developable light-sensitive material is exposed to an image at an exposure portion and then developed at a development portion. However, there is known one in which an image after heat development is transferred to an image receiving material.

Another device is disclosed in JP-A-61-124407.

In this image recording device, the photothermographic material to be supplied to the exposure section is wound into a magazine and stored in a magazine, and is pulled out from the tip of the outer periphery by a nipping / conveying roller and sent out. Will be easier.

However, there is no problem with the photothermographic material that is pulled out from the magazine and reaches the cutter because it is shielded from outside light when the magazine part is housed in the machine base and the cover plate of the machine base is closed. However, if a worker carelessly opens the cover plate of the machine base, this portion will be fogged by external light. Therefore, it is necessary to pull out the fog portion between the tip of the photothermographic material cut by the cutter and the photosensitive material outlet of the magazine, and cut and discard it by the cutter.

In consideration of the above facts, the present invention can provide an image recording apparatus which can efficiently use a photosensitive material and does not need to provide a special control means such as discarding a fog portion of a photothermographic material. Is the purpose.

[Outline and Action of Invention]

The present invention pulls out the photosensitive material stored in the magazine,
In an image recording apparatus that conveys to an exposure unit and performs imagewise exposure in the exposure unit, a magazine supply unit in which the magazine is mounted, and a photosensitive material in the magazine that is provided in the vicinity of the magazine supply unit and rotates in a forward direction. A nipping / conveying roller capable of reversing the photosensitive material in the magazine direction by pulling it out and conveying it to the exposing section and rotating in reverse, and a predetermined length by the nipping / conveying roller provided between the nipping / conveying roller and the exposing section. A cutter for cutting the drawn photosensitive material, and cutting the photosensitive material by the cutter, and then reversing the nipping / conveying roller, and cutting the photosensitive material at least at a portion where the image is exposed. Is fed back in the magazine direction until it is returned to the magazine and is shielded from light.

As described above, in the present invention, the photosensitive material drawn out from the magazine is cut into pieces by cutting, and the cut pieces are sent to the exposure section. Is moved in the direction. Therefore, the exposed portion of the photosensitive material from the magazine can be made extremely small, and even if the cover plate of the machine base is opened, the fog portion caused by external light can be made extremely small.

In particular, if the nipping and conveying roller is in the light-shielding state like the magazine, even if the cutting tip is nipped by the nipping and conveying roller, the fog of the photosensitive material can be completely eliminated.

In the present invention, the photosensitive material may be of any type.
Any image may be obtained as long as a visible image is obtained by subjecting the image obtained by imagewise exposure to processing such as development, transfer and fixing.

For example, there is a so-called photothermographic material in which an image obtained by performing the above-mentioned heat development is transferred to an image receiving material by heating. In this photothermographic material, a movable dye is imagewise released by heating, and the movable dye is transferred to an image receiving material (dye fixing material) having a mordant with a solvent such as water. , Those which are transferred to the image receiving material by a high boiling organic solvent, those which are transferred to the image receiving material by the hydrophilic thermal solvent incorporated in the image receiving material, or the movable dye is heat diffusible or sublimable, It is known to transfer to a dye receiving material such as a support,
Specifically, U.S. Patent Nos. 4,463,079 and 4,474,867
No. 4, No. 4,478,927, No. 4,507,380, No. 4,500,62
No. 6, 483, 914: JP-A-58-149046, 58-1490
47, 59-152440, 59-154445, 59-165054
No. 59-180548, 59-168439, 59-174832,
No. 59-174833, No. 59-174834, No. 59-174835, and the like.

Further, as another example, there is a so-called light and pressure sensitive material which obtains a visible image by transferring an image generated by imagewise exposure to an image receiving material having an image receiving layer by pressure.

As the light and pressure sensitive material, for example, the polymerizable compound is imagewise cured by imagewise exposure disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-179836 filed by the present applicant, and then pressure is applied by superimposing it on the image receiving material. In addition, there is a type that obtains a visible image. This light and pressure sensitive material comprises a support carrying a synthetic polymer resin wall capsule containing a vinyl compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and a colored precursor.

Further, a latent image formed by imagewise exposure is preliminarily heat-developed or wet-developed, and then a pressure is applied over the image-receiving material to obtain a visible image. As an example of such a material, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-27884
There is one disclosed in No. 9.

This material obtains an image on the image-receiving material by transferring a color image-forming substance to the image-receiving material having an image-receiving layer after heat development, and at least a light-sensitive silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymer are formed on the support. And the color image-forming substance are coated, and at least the polymerizable compound and the color image-forming substance are encapsulated in the same microcapsule.

Other examples include black-and-white photographic light-sensitive materials using silver halide, roentgen photographic light-sensitive materials, and conventional color photographic light-sensitive materials.

Example of Invention

 The image recording apparatus according to the embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

An image recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied as shown in FIG.
A roll-shaped photothermographic material 16 is stored in a magazine 14 which is stored in a machine base 12. The photosensitive material 16 is pulled out from the outer periphery thereof, cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 18, and then wound around the outer periphery of the rotary drum 20. An exposure head 22 is arranged corresponding to the outer circumference of the rotary drum 20, and the rotary drum 20 is rotated in the direction of arrow A to expose an image on the wound photosensitive material 16.

The photosensitive material 16 after exposure is peeled from the rotary drum 20 by the scraper 24 by the reverse rotation of the rotary drum 20, and after the water is applied as the image forming solvent in the water application section 26, the developing transfer means in which the inside is the heating section. Sent to 28.

On the other hand, the uppermost layer of the plurality of image receiving materials 32 accommodated in the tray 30 is sent to the developing and transferring means 28.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the developing and transferring means 28, conveying rollers 34 and 36 which are in close contact with each other are provided at the entrance portion so as to bring the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 32 into close contact with each other, and then the conveying rollers 38 and 40 at the exit portion.
It is supposed to be sent to. Transport rollers in the middle
42 and 44 are provided to convey the light-sensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 32, which are in close contact with each other and are fed from the conveying rollers 34 and 36, to the conveying rollers 38,
Has the role of sending to 40. Each transport roller is configured to receive the rotational force by transmitting the driving force of a motor (not shown).

Each transport roller has a heater 46 arranged on the opposite side of the transport path between the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 32, and is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heating element composed of an electric heating element.

A peeling means 48 is disposed downstream of the developing and transferring means 28 so as to separate the photosensitive material 16 sent from the developing and transferring means 28 into a waste box 50 and the photosensitive material 16 into a drying device 52 and send it out. ing. After the image receiving material 32 is dried by the drying device 52, it is sent out onto an output tray 54 formed on the top of the machine base 12.

Next, the structure for supplying the image recording apparatus 10 from the magazine 14 to the rotary drum 20 will be described with reference to FIGS.

Slide rail 6 on bracket 12A fixed to machine base 12
A pair of positioning blocks 66 and 68 shown in FIGS.
It is for loading 14. Therefore, after the cover plate of the machine base 12 (not shown) is opened, the movable table 64 can be pulled out along the rails 62 toward the front side of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the magazine 14 has a configuration in which dish-shaped frame bodies 14A are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction (both ends in the width direction of the photosensitive material 16), and the cylinders 14B are inserted into these frame bodies 14A. Therefore, the outer diameter of the cylinder 14B is smaller than the outer diameter of the frame body 14A, and a step portion 14C exists between them. The photosensitive material 16 is wound around the winding core 14D at the axial center of the frame 14A to form a roll-shaped winding portion 16A.

The positioning blocks 66, 68 are formed with notches 70 on their opposing surfaces, respectively, so that both ends of the lower end of the magazine 14 can be accommodated. The notches 70 have positioning portions 70A at the ends of the photosensitive material 16 in the feeding direction to the rotary drum 20, and the mounted magazine 14 is brought into contact with these positioning portions 70A. Therefore, a leaf spring 72 is attached to the cutout portion 70 on the end surface 70B opposite to the positioning portion 70A. The leaf spring 72 is bent into a substantially U shape, and one end thereof is fixed to the positioning blocks 66 and 68 with a screw 74. Therefore, the mounted magazine 14 is a leaf spring 72.
The other end is pressed against the positioning portion 70A.

Also, of the side faces 70C of the positioning blocks 66, 68 facing each other, the side face 70C of the positioning block 68 has a leaf spring 72 in the middle portion.
A leaf spring 76 similar to that is attached by a screw 78 so that the magazine 14 is pressed against the side surface 70C of the positioning block 66.

Therefore, the mounted magazine 14 is accurately positioned in the horizontal plane by the urging force of the leaf springs 72 and 76.

Between the magazine 14 mounted on the positioning blocks 66 and 68 and the rotary drum 20, sandwiching and conveying rollers 80 and 82 are vertically arranged, and the sandwiching and conveying roller 82 receives the driving force of the motor 83 and the inside of the magazine 14 is received. The photosensitive material 16 is pulled out from the outer periphery of the roll-shaped winding portion 16A accommodated in the. Therefore, the nipping / conveying roller 82 is horizontally supported on the moving table 64 via the block 84, and the nipping / conveying roller 80 is attached to the rotary cover 88 as a light shielding means.

The rotary cover 88 is pivotally supported by the pin 92 on the moving base 64. This pin 92 is a rotary drum rather than the nip transport roller 80.
It is located nearer 20 and allows the rotating cover 88 to rotate as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. For this reason, a handle 94 is attached to the rotary cover 88. A tension coil spring 96 is interposed between the rotary cover 88 and the moving table 64, and the rotary cover 88 is rotated to the solid line state in FIG.

Therefore, when the magazine 14 is replaced, the rotary cover 88 is rotated as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. Has become. A means for locking the rotary cover 88 as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 1 may be provided.

A light shielding plate 98 is attached to the surface of the rotary cover 88 corresponding to the magazine 14. The light-shielding plate 98 is made of a synthetic resin plate bent in a V shape, one side of which is fixed and is attached to the outside of the rotary cover 88 by a double-sided adhesive tape, and the other side of which is a moving side. Hit the outside of magazine 14
The area between 14 and the rotating cover 88 is shielded from light.

As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of slits 100 are formed in the light-shielding plate 98 at the intermediate portion on the moving side, whereby both longitudinal ends 98A hit the frame 14A and the intermediate portion 98B hits the cylinder 14B. To ensure.

Below the rotating cover 88, the rotating drum of the nip conveying roller 80
A lower guide plate 104 and an upper guide plate 106 are attached nearer to 20. These are arranged in parallel with each other, and guide the leading end of the photosensitive material 16 sent out from the nipping and conveying rollers 80 and 82 to the cutter 18 slightly downward.

The cutter 18 is a fixed blade 110 fixed to the machine base 12 and a guide plate 112.
Are arranged above and below the movement locus of the photosensitive material 16, and a movable blade 114 movable in parallel with the guide plate 112 is arranged closer to the rotary drum 20 than the guide plate 112. The movable blade 114 is moved up and down by the driving force of a motor (not shown), meshes with the fixed blade 110, and cuts the intermediate portion of the photosensitive material 16.

When the rotary cover 88 is rotated as indicated by the imaginary line in FIG. 1, the rotary cover 88 is pulled out from the machine base 12 to the front side in FIG. 18 does not hinder the rotation operation of the rotation cover 88.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the magazine 14 is shielded by a light shielding plate 120 between a surface of the magazine 14 opposite to the side on which the exit of the photosensitive material is provided and the movable table 64. This shading plate 120 is positioned by a screw 74 and a positioning block 6
Attached to 6, 68.

The gap between the lower surface of the magazine 14 and the movable table 64 may be shielded by a light shielding plate. In this case, the light shield plate has the same structure as the light shield plate 98, and one side bent in a V shape may be attached to the moving base 64 and the other side may contact the lower surface of the magazine 14.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

When mounting the magazine 14, the movable base 64 is pulled out from the machine base 12 in the front direction of the drawing of FIG. 1, and the rotary cover 88 is opened as shown by the imaginary line of FIG. As a result, the nip transport roller 80
Separates from the nip transport roller 82.

In this state, the magazine 14 is mounted on the positioning blocks 66 and 68. In this case, the magazine 14 is automatically positioned by the leaf springs 72 and 76. That is, the leaf spring 72 is a photosensitive material.
The surface of the magazine 14 provided with 16 outlets is pressed against the positioning portion 70A, and the leaf spring 76 presses one longitudinal end of the magazine 14 against the side surface 70C of the positioning block 68.

A slight amount of the tip of the photosensitive material 16 is pulled out from the magazine 14, mounted on the nip transport rollers 82, and the rotary cover 88 is returned to the solid line state in FIG. As a result, the photosensitive material is sandwiched between the nipping and conveying roller 80 and the nipping and conveying roller 82.
Hold near the tip of 16. The rotating cover 88 is a light shield plate.
98 shields the space between the magazine 14 and the light shielding plate 120 shields the space between the magazine 14 and the movable base 64 from each other.
The locus of movement of the photosensitive material 16 between the cutter 18 and the cutter 18 is in a light blocking state.

When the movable table 64 is moved along the rail 62 in the depth direction of FIG. 1 and the cover plate (not shown) of the machine table 12 is closed, the mounting of the magazine 14 is completed.

By operating a control button (not shown), the nip transport roller 82
Receives the rotational force from the motor 83, and causes the tip of the photosensitive material 16 to project a little more than the cutter 18 through the lower guide plate 104 and the upper guide plate 106. Here, the movable blade 114 of the cutter 18 is lifted and meshes with the fixed blade 110, and cuts and discards unnecessary portions of the photosensitive material 16, such as the irregular end portions.

Here, the nipping and conveying roller 80 is reversed, and the cut photosensitive material 16
The front end of is pulled into the rotation cover 88 and stands by.

When a start button (not shown) is pressed, the nipping / conveying roller 82 driven by the motor 83 sends out the photosensitive material 16 by a predetermined length, the cutter 18 cuts the photosensitive material 16, and the cut photosensitive material 16 by the predetermined length is cut. Material is fed into the rotating drum 20. The nipping and conveying roller 82 is reversed to draw the vicinity of the cutting tip of the photosensitive material 16 into the rotary cover 88. Therefore, even when the worker removes the light-shielding cover of the machine base 12, external light does not strike the leading end of the photosensitive material 16 pulled out from the magazine 14, and fogging does not occur.

As described above, even if the cutting tip of the photosensitive material 16 is not pulled into the rotary cover 88, most of the photosensitive material 16 pulled out from the magazine 14 is placed in the rotary cover 88 and is in a light-shielding state, so that fogging does not occur. It never happens. The cutting tip of the photosensitive material 16 between the rotary cover 88 and the cutter 18 is the machine base 12
There is a possibility that a slight fogging will occur due to the opening of the cover plate, but there is no problem because this part is out of the image.

When the photosensitive material 16 cut by the cutter 18 is wound around the outer circumference of the rotary drum 20, the rotary drum 20 rotates at a high speed, and the exposure head 22 exposes an image.

After exposure, the photosensitive material 16 is peeled off by the scraper 24, coated with water in the water coating section 26, and sent to the developing and transferring means 28.

On the other hand, the image receiving material 32 in the tray 30 is sent from its uppermost layer to the developing and transferring means 28 and is brought into close contact with the photosensitive material 16.

The light-sensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 that have been brought into close contact with each other are conveyed rollers.
It is sent to the transport rollers 42 and 44 through 34 and 36. Further, it is sent out between the conveying rollers 42 and 40 through the conveying rollers 38 and 40. In the case where a plurality of pairs of conveying rollers are fed as described above, since the conveying rollers are heated by the heater 46, the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 32 are immediately brought to a predetermined temperature and exposed to the photosensitive material 16. The image is thermally developed and transferred to the image receiving material 32.

After the transfer, the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 32 are separated by the peeling means 48, and the photosensitive material 16 is transferred to the waste box 50 and the image receiving material.
32 is taken out onto the takeout tray 54 through the drying device 52.

The above embodiment shows the case where the present invention is of a type in which the heat developing portion of the light-sensitive material and the heat transfer portion from the light-sensitive material to the image receiving material are provided at the same position, that is, the heat development transfer is performed simultaneously. The heat developing section and the heat transfer section may be provided separately.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the present invention is an image recording apparatus that pulls out a photosensitive material contained in a magazine, conveys it to an exposure unit, and performs imagewise exposure in the exposure unit, and a magazine supply unit to which the magazine is attached and the magazine supply unit. A nipping / conveying roller which is provided in the vicinity of the supply section to draw out the photosensitive material in the magazine by forward rotation to convey the photosensitive material to the exposure section and reverse rotation to reversely convey the photosensitive material in the magazine direction, and the nipping / conveying roller. A cutter that is provided between the roller and the exposure unit and cuts the photosensitive material pulled out by a predetermined length by the nipping and conveying roller, and reverses the nipping and conveying roller after cutting the photosensitive material by the cutter. , The backside of the cut edge of the photosensitive material is fed back in the direction of the magazine until at least the part where the image is exposed next is returned to the magazine and is shielded from light. Since the said, an excellent effect that less the photosensitive material head part of the portion of the can be used effectively between the magazine and Katsuta.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged detailed view of FIG. 2 showing a configuration between a magazine and a cutter of an image recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the whole of the image recording apparatus, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the vicinity of the magazine. 10 ... Image recording device, 14 ... Magazine, 16 ... Photosensitive material, 18 ... Cutter, 20 ... Rotating drum, 22 ... Exposure head, 28 ... Development transfer means, 32 ... Image receiving material, 80, 82 ……
Nipple transport roller, 88 …… Rotating cover.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image recording apparatus in which a photosensitive material contained in a magazine is pulled out, conveyed to an exposure section, and imagewise exposed in the exposure section, and a magazine supply section in which the magazine is mounted and a magazine supply section of the magazine supply section. A nipping / conveying roller which is provided in the vicinity to pull out the photosensitive material in the magazine to convey it to the exposure section and to reversely rotate the photosensitive material in the magazine direction by rotating in the forward direction; A cutter that is provided between the exposure unit and cuts the photosensitive material that is pulled out by a predetermined length by the nipping and conveying roller, and reverses the nipping and conveying roller after cutting the photosensitive material by the cutter, and after cutting The front end of the photosensitive material is reversely fed in the magazine direction until at least the portion where the image is exposed next is returned to the inside of the magazine and is shielded from light. Image recording device.