JP2525665B2 - Image reader - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus that photoelectrically converts light from an original to read the same.

[Conventional technology]

An image reading apparatus that converts original image light into an electrical signal in an image recording apparatus that converts the original light into an electrical signal and corrects it, and then causes the issuing element to emit light in response to the electrical signal to form an image on a photosensitive material. As an apparatus, there is one that performs color separation of image light from a document surface with a color filter, photoelectrically converts it with an image pickup tube or CCD, and reads it as an electric signal. In addition, there is one that uses a prism when reading with color separation. (For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-61267) [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the image recording apparatus as described above, the spectral characteristics of the photosensitive material for image recording and the photoelectric conversion element such as the image pickup tube or CCD are described. Since it does not necessarily match the wavelength band to be read, the light emitting element forms an image on the photosensitive material after performing an arithmetic process for color correction on the electric signal obtained by converting the original image light.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned arithmetic processing must be applied not only to the photosensitive material but also to the characteristics of the light emitting element, which is a complicated operation.

Further, in the case of an image recording apparatus using a plurality of types of photosensitive materials, it is necessary to prepare an arithmetic processing circuit corresponding to each type of photosensitive material, resulting in an increase in cost.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems by providing an image reading apparatus that does not require a complicated arithmetic processing circuit and can use a plurality of types of photosensitive materials.

[Means and Actions for Solving the Problems]

The above object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus in which light from a document surface is split by a prism and the split light is read by a photoelectric conversion element. The photoelectric conversion element is composed of three independent line-shaped photoelectric conversion elements. In addition, the image reading apparatus is provided with a driving unit that independently moves each of the three line-shaped photoelectric conversion elements to an arbitrary spectral region of the dispersed light.

That is, since the above-mentioned spectral analysis by the prism is continuously performed, it is possible to receive a desired wavelength band in the original image light by moving each of the three linear photoelectric conversion elements to an arbitrary spectral region. Therefore, by making the light receiving position of each of the three line-shaped photoelectric conversion elements correspond to the spectral characteristic of the photosensitive material and the characteristic of the light emitting element, a complicated color correction calculation process is unnecessary.

[Embodiment]

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described and described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus to which an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is applied.

A photosensitive material supply unit 13 containing a photosensitive material A, an image reading unit 15 for reading image information carried on a document S, and a latent image are formed on the photosensitive material A in a housing 12 constituting the image forming apparatus. An exposure unit 16, a water application unit 17 for applying water to the photosensitive material A, an image receiving paper supply unit 41 containing an image receiving paper C,
A superposing section 19 for superimposing the image receiving paper C on the photosensitive material A, a heat developing and transferring section 21 for heating the photosensitive material A and the image receiving paper C, and a peeling section 23 for separating the image receiving paper C from the photosensitive material A. Are provided respectively.

A transparent document support glass plate 14 on which the document S is placed is disposed on the upper surface of the housing 12.
The image reading unit 15 including an image reading device 200, an image processing device 250, and an exposure device 300, which will be described later, is arranged below the.

In addition, a standard white plate 302 is provided in the vicinity of the document supporting glass plate 14 so that the light source 18 can be exposed.

The image processing device 250 converts a read signal from the image reading device 200, which will be described later, into a digital signal, and subsequently corrects the deterioration of the spatial frequency response in the image reading device 200 and determines the exposure amount of each pixel.

In the exposure device 300, three semiconductor lasers 252, 254, 256 emit light under the control of a signal from the image processing device 250, and pass through the polygon mirror 270 (rotating polygonal mirror), the fθ lens 280, and the mirror 290 in the exposure unit 16 and the photosensitive material A A latent image is formed on.

On the other hand, the photosensitive material supply unit 13 is provided on the left side of the housing 12 and is kept light-tight. This photosensitive material supply unit 13
Is loaded with a removable photosensitive material magazine 54 in which the photosensitive material A is wound up and stored.

The photosensitive material A has a photosensitive silver halide, a binder, a dye-providing substance, and a reducing agent on a support.

The photosensitive material supply unit 13 has a pair of rollers 56a to 56d for transporting the photosensitive material A from the magazine 54 to the exposure unit 16. In this case, a cutter 58 that cuts the photosensitive material A at predetermined lengths is provided between the pair of rollers 56a and 56b. In addition, the image reading unit 15
In the partition wall 22 that surrounds the partition 22, an exposure opening 34 for the exposure section 16 of the photosensitive material A is defined in a portion through which the optical axis 32 from the image reading section 15 passes. The exposure table 60 arranged between the roller pairs 56c and 56d faces the exposure opening 34.

A roller pair is provided in front of the exposure unit 16 (hereinafter, the front indicates the downstream side in the traveling direction of the photosensitive material or the like).
A transport path consisting of 56e and a guide plate is provided.

The photosensitive material A on which the latent image has been formed in the exposure section 16 as described above is conveyed to the water coating section 17 through the conveyance path.

The water application section 17 is for facilitating the transfer of the latent image formed on the photosensitive material A, and includes a roller pair 56f, a squeeze roller pair 176, a guide plate 172, and a water tank 174. Then, the water tank 174 is filled with water, and the photosensitive material A is transported while being immersed in the water.

The photosensitive material A to which water has been applied is a squeeze roller pair 176.
Is transported to the overlapping section 19 by the

On the other hand, on the right side of the housing 12, an image receiving paper supply section 41 for supplying the image receiving paper C is provided. The receiving paper supply unit 41
Is loaded with an image receiving paper magazine 43 containing the wound image receiving paper C.

A dye fixing material having a mordant is applied to the image forming surface of the image receiving paper C.

The image receiving paper C in the magazine 43 is fed out by a pair of rollers 56h, and is cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 44 disposed in front of the pair of rollers 56h.

The cut image receiving paper C is conveyed to the overlapping section 19 by a pair of rollers 56i.

In front of the overlapping portion 19, the overlapped photosensitive material A
Further, there is provided a heat development transfer section 21 which heats the image receiving paper C to develop the latent image on the photosensitive material A and transfer it onto the image receiving paper C.

The heat development transfer unit 21 is surrounded by a heat insulating partition wall 62, and has a hollow cylindrical heating drum 74 that contains a halogen lamp 72, and is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 74 at an angle of about 270 °. (Wrap length 240 mm) Endless belt 84 as pressing means supported by four belt supporting rollers 76, 77, 78, 80 and the peripheral surface of heating drum 74 are brought into contact, and conveyed to heating development transfer section 21. The photosensitive material A and the image receiving paper C are bonded to each other before heating, and a bonding roller 85 is included. The photosensitive material A and the image receiving paper C are heated in a superposed state. By this heating, the latent image on the photosensitive material A is developed and transferred onto the image receiving paper C to form a color.

The surface of the heating drum 74 is provided with Teflon coating, and is further heated to about 90 ° by the halogen lamp 72.

The endless belt 84 has a structure in which a heat-resistant material such as an aromatic polyamide fiber (for example, Kevlar or Nomex: each is a registered trademark of DuPont) is coated with silicon rubber containing carbon, so that the conductivity is low. Have. With such a configuration, the heating drum 74
Generation of static electricity due to friction between the endless belt 84 and the photosensitive material A is prevented.

When the photosensitive material A is heated in the heat development transfer section 21 (between the heating drum 74 and the endless belt 84) in a state of being superposed on the image receiving paper C, it releases a movable dye, and at the same time, this dye receives the image receiving paper. An image can be obtained by transferring to the dye fixing layer of C.

The partition wall 62 is provided with a peeling portion 23, and the peeling portion 23 is a first peeling claw 232 for peeling the photosensitive material A from the image receiving paper C.
And a second separating claw 234 for separating the image receiving paper C from the heating drum 74 and a roller 56j for discharging the image receiving paper C to the outside of the partition wall 62.

A waste tray 118 for discarding the heated photosensitive material A peeled from the image receiving paper C by the peeling claw 232 and a pair of rollers 56k for charging the photosensitive material A into the waste tray 118 are provided in front of one side of the heat development transfer unit 21. Is provided. The waste tray 118 is provided below the heat development transfer unit 21. Further, in front of the other side of the heat development transfer section 21, there are provided a take-out tray 120 for containing the heated image receiving paper C and a pair of rollers 56l, 56m, 56n for carrying to the take-out tray 120, and the image is transferred. The image receiving paper C is led out to the takeout tray 120.

Further, a color density detection unit 124 that detects the color density of the image on the image receiving paper C is disposed between the pair of rollers 56m and 56n.
The color density detection unit 124 includes an illuminating device 126 that illuminates the image surface of the image receiving paper C, and a color photosensor 128 that receives light reflected from the image receiving paper C due to the illumination.

The apparatus further includes a color density control unit connected to the photo sensor 128 and arranged at a proper position in the housing 12.
150, the color density control unit 150, and the photosensitive material supply unit 1
3, the image reading unit 15, a drive system (not shown) of the image reading unit 15, an image receiving paper supply unit 41, cutters 44, 58, a water application unit 17,
A system controller (not shown) is provided which is connected to the heat development transfer section 21 and the peeling section 23 and controls the entire apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the image reading apparatus 200 of the present invention.

That is, below the document supporting glass plate 14, the light source 18 and the mirror 20a integrally perform slit scanning over the entire surface of the glass plate 14 in the same direction at a speed of 1/2 of the scanning distance of the light source 18 and the like. The image light reflected from the document by the moving mirrors 20b and 20c enters the imaging lens assembly 30. Then, the imaging lens assembly 30 converges the image light into parallel light having a width of the base slit or a width narrower than that. The image light that has become this parallel light enters the prism 24 and is dispersed.

At the light receiving position where photoelectric conversion is performed, three linear image sensors (photoelectric conversion elements) 31, 32, 33 are slidably held by rails 35, 36 arranged vertically in the longitudinal direction of the prism 24 and the optical axis H direction. ing.

The linear image sensors 31, 32, 33 are connected to belts 37, 38, 39, respectively.The belt 37 is stretched between pulleys 25a, 25b, and the belt 38 is between pulleys 26a, 26b.
The belt 39 is stretched between the pulleys 27a and 27b.

The pulleys 25a, 26a, 27a are coaxial and can rotate individually, and a motor (not shown) is connected to the pulleys 25b, 26b, 27b to rotate them individually.

With the above-described configuration, for example, in accordance with the light receiving sensitivity characteristic of the photosensitive material based on the information from the color density control unit 150, corresponding to the type of the photosensitive material that has been set, the desired spectral region in the prism 24 The line image sensors 31, 32, 33 are moved to read an image. Further, even when the light emitting element or the image sensor having a different sensitivity region type is exchanged, it is possible to cope with this.

In addition, the linear image sensor of the belt 37, 38, 39
The position of attachment to 31, 32, 33 may be other than the illustrated position, such as the central portion of the linear image sensors 31, 32, 33.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing another embodiment of the image reading apparatus of the present invention.

The same elements as those in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals.

A prism on which image light enters through the same path as in FIG.
There are 3 optical fiber units 131, 132, on the 24 spectroscopic side.
Each of the light-receiving front ends of 133 is arranged facing the prism 24, and the other ends thereof are connected to the light-receiving parts of the linear image sensors 31, 32, 33 fixed to the housing of the image reading part 15.

Both ends of each of the light receiving tips of the optical fiber units 131, 132, 133 are independently slidably held by rails 135, 136 arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the prism 24 and the optical axis H direction.

Further, similarly to FIG. 2, each optical fiber unit 131, 13
2, 133 are respectively connected to separate belts stretched between the clutch pulleys 125, 127, and their positions are independently adjusted by a motor (not shown) connected to the shaft of the clutch pulley 127.

That is, it is possible to receive light in a desired spectral region only by adjusting the positions of the light receiving tips of the optical fiber units 131, 132, 133, and it is possible to reduce the size of the image reading device. In addition, the tip of the optical fiber is a linear image sensor 3
Since it is surely smaller than the light receiving portions of 1, 32, 33, the light receiving wavelength range can be set narrower at a position close to the prism 24.

In this embodiment, the number of line-shaped image sensors is not limited to three and may be one, for example, and in this case, a color image can be formed by scanning the document three times.

As a further effect of the present invention, since the color tone can be arbitrarily changed, it is possible to create an image with a special color tone expression.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, by moving each of the three line-shaped photoelectric conversion elements to an arbitrary spectral region by the prism, a desired wavelength band in the original image light can be received, and color correction and plural types can be performed. In the case of supporting the light-sensitive material of No. 3, by matching the light receiving position of the photoelectric conversion element with the spectral characteristic of the light-sensitive material and the characteristic of the light-emitting element, a good image can be obtained without using a complicated arithmetic processing circuit. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus to which an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the image reading apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is another image reading apparatus of the present invention. It is a schematic perspective view which shows an embodiment. Symbols in the figure: A ... Photosensitive material, C ... Image receiving paper 10 ... Image forming device, 12 ... Housing 13 ... Photosensitive material supply section 14 ... Original supporting glass plate, 15 ... Image reading section 17 ... Water application section, 18 ...... Light source 19 ...... Superposition section 20a, b, c ...... Mirror 21 ...... Heat development transfer section, 22 ...... Partition 23 ...... Peeling section, 24 ...... Prism 25a, 25b, 26a, 26b, 27a, 27b …… Pulley 30 …… Imaging lens unit assembly 31,32,33 …… Linear image sensor 35,36 …… Rail 37,38,39 …… Belt 41 …… Receiving paper supply Part, 43 ... Receiving paper magazine 44,58 ... Cutter, 54 ... Sensitive material magazine 56a-56n …… Roller pair, 60 …… Exposure stand 72 …… Halogen lamp, 74 …… Heating drum 76,77,78 , 80 …… Belt support roller 84 …… Endless belt 85 …… Laminating roller 118 …… Disposal tray 120 …… Eject tray 124 …… Color density detection unit, 126 …… Illumination equipment Position 128 …… Color photo sensor 125,127 …… Clutch pulley 131,132,133 …… Optical fiber unit 135,136 …… Rail 150 …… Color density control unit 200 …… Image reading device, 250 …… Image processing device 252,254,256 …… Semiconductor laser 270 …… Polygon Mirror 280 …… fθ lens, 290 …… Mirror 300 …… Exposure device, H …… Optical axis

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A prism for splitting light from a document surface,
In an image reading device for reading the dispersed light by a photoelectric conversion element, the photoelectric conversion element is composed of three independent line-shaped photoelectric conversion elements, and each of the three line-shaped photoelectric conversion elements is independent. An image reading apparatus comprising a driving unit that moves the dispersed light to an arbitrary spectral region.