JPH028830A - Color recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To speed up operations, to enhance image quality and to miniaturize a recorder by contact pinching an image forming sheet employing a microcapsule as a coloring means, and an original by means of moving an original platen and thereby exposing an image on the sheet. CONSTITUTION:The image forming sheet 1 is coated with the microcapsule sealing photosensitive material inactivating color couplers in different colors and a color coupler sensitive to a specific wavelength. The original 3 is closely pressed on a curved original platen 2 whose central axis s a bar-like light source 4, and the image forming sheet 1 is arranged on the front surface of the original 3. Then, the original platen 2 is moved toward the original forming sheet 1 to adhere the original 3 to the sheet 1. In this condition, the light source 4 arranged around the central axis of the original platen is turned on to contact expose an image formed on the original 3 onto the image forming sheet 1. As a result, the using efficiency of light from the light source is improved to shorten exposure time. In addition, the light source and the image forming sheet 1 can be arranged closely to miniaturize the recorder and reduce it in size.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to the sideways of a color recording device. In particular, the present invention relates to a color recording device that uses an image forming sheet coated with microcapsules containing a color former and a sensitive substance that immobilizes the color former by reacting with light of a specific wavelength.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention uses an image forming sheet using microcapsules as a coloring means, and is a color recording device comprising an exposing means, a developing means, and a fixing means. The image-forming sheet and the original are closely held together by the movement of the original table, and the image of the original is exposed to the image-forming sheet. The aim is to provide a high-quality, small-sized, fixed-price color output device.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a recording device using an image forming sheet coated with microcapsules.

As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-219041, this recording device includes an image forming sheet 21 coated with microcapsules containing a coloring agent and a photosensitive substance, and an exposure means 22 for irradiating the image forming sheet with light. , a developing sheet 23 coated with a developer that causes a coloring reaction by reacting with the coloring agent of the image forming sheet, and holding the coated surface of the image forming sheet and the coated surface of the developing sheet in a superposed state. a developing means 24 that performs development by destroying the microcapsules of the image forming sheet while
The image forming sheet 21, which includes a fixing means 25 for fixing an image developed by heat or the like, is sent out by a conveying means (not shown), and a desired image pattern is formed on the microcapsule layer on the sheet by an exposing means 22. exposed to light.

After exposure, the image-forming sheet is brought into close contact with a developing sheet 23 sent out by a conveying means (not shown) and sent to a developing means 24. In the developing means 24, the sheet is sandwiched between two pressure rollers, the microcapsules are destroyed by pressure, and transfer development is performed.After development, the image-forming sheet is collected by a used sheet winding section 26, while the image is transferred. The developed sheet is fixed by heating fixing means 25.
After fixing the image, the image is sent out.

Here, the exposure means 22 includes a light source 2 as shown in FIG.
7. Consists of a projection lens 28, which projects and exposes the image of the original 29 onto the microcapsule layer on the image forming sheet. FIG. 3A shows a conventional example in which exposure is performed by diffuse reflection on the surface of a document, and FIG. 3B shows a conventional example in which exposure is performed by transmitting light from a light source through the document image.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As described above, any conventional exposure means requires an optical system such as a lens, which is an obstacle to reducing the cost of the apparatus. Furthermore, since the image is projected using a lens, the influence of the cosine fourth power law, in which the amount of light at the periphery of the image is less than at the center, cannot be avoided, which limits the ability to obtain good image quality. Furthermore, if the angle of view of the lens is narrowed (in other words, the optical path length is lengthened) in order to reduce the influence of the cosine fourth law, the size of the device increases, and there is a limit to miniaturization of the device. Then, due to the decrease in light energy due to lens transmission, the light utilization efficiency becomes worse.
There was also a limit in terms of shortening the exposure time.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve this problem, the present invention has a configuration in which the exposure means is composed of a rod-shaped light source, a curved document table, and an original, and the image forming sheet and the document are closely held by moving the document table.

[Effect]

As mentioned above, the original is tightly fixed on a curved surface (part of a cylinder) document table with a rod-shaped light source made of a light-transmitting material as its center axis, and an image forming sheet is placed on top of the original. By moving the table toward the image forming sheet, the original and the image forming sheet are brought into close contact with each other. In this state, the light source placed on the center axis of the document table is turned on, and the image formed on the document is closely exposed to the image forming sheet.6 The image forming sheet contains coloring agents of different colors and is sensitive to light of a specific wavelength. Because it is coated with microcapsules containing a sensitive material that immobilizes the coloring agent, an image that corresponds to the color of the original is formed.

〔Example〕

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a color recording apparatus according to the present invention during exposure. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the color recording device according to the present invention when it is stopped. The present invention uses microcapsules enclosing color formers of different colors and a substance capable of immobilizing the color formers in response to light of a specific wavelength. a coated image forming sheet 1; a curved document table 2 (part of a cylinder) made of a material that is movable in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 and that transmits light; A document 3 closely fixed to the upper surface of the document table; a rod-shaped light source 4 disposed on the central axis of the curved surface of the document table; an exposure table 5 that integrally connects and operates the document table and the light source; A developing sheet 6 coated with a developer that causes a coloring reaction by reacting with the coloring agent of the image forming sheet, and holding the coated surface of the image forming sheet 1 and the coated surface of the developing sheet 6 in a superposed state. It is composed of a developing means 7 which performs development by destroying the microcapsules of the image forming sheet 1, and a fixing means 8 which fixes the image developed by heat or the like.

Various means for moving the exposure table 5 can be considered, such as a cam, a link, and an electromagnetic 1-lunger.
The case of 0 will be explained.

The image forming sheet 1 is sent out by a transport means (not shown) and stops at a predetermined position of the second document to which the document 3 is closely fixed.6 After the image forming sheet 1 is stopped, the document table 2
As air is fed into the air plunger 10, it moves downward as shown in FIG.

At this time, the exposure table 5 moves in a positional relationship such that it enters between the two sheet guides lla and llb arranged so as to be in contact with the back surface of the image forming sheet 1, so that the image forming sheet 1 It can be brought into close contact with the front surface of the document 3 fixed on the table 2. When tension is applied to the image forming sheet 1 by, for example, the rotational force of both the image forming sheet supply section and the image forming sheet winding section, the image forming sheet 1 can be reliably brought into close contact with the original document 3.

Next, the light source 4 is turned on for a predetermined period of time, so that the image formed on the original 3 is closely exposed to the image forming sheet 1.
The image forming sheet 1 is coated with microcapsules encapsulating color formers of different colors and a sensitive substance that immobilizes the color formers by being sensitive to light of a specific wavelength.
An image corresponding to the color of the original 3 is formed on the image forming sheet 1.

After the light source 4 is turned off, the document table 2 moves upward as shown in FIG.
The image sheets 1 are separated. After exposure, the image forming sheet 1 is sent out by a transport means (not shown), brought into close contact with a developing sheet 6 also sent out by a transport means (not shown), and sent to the developing means 7. In the developing means 7, the image forming sheet 1 is sandwiched between two or more pressure rollers, and the microcapsules are destroyed by pressure to perform transfer development.After development, the image forming sheet 1 is collected by a used sheet winding section 9. It will be collected. The developing sheet 6 on which the image on one side has been transferred is sent out after the image is fixed by the fixing means 8 by heating.

Note that the material of the original 3 may be any material as long as it can transmit even a small amount of light, and typical examples thereof include an OHP sheet, paper, and a photograph.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the exposure means according to the present invention.

Although the method for fixing the document 3 to the document table 2 is not shown, it goes without saying that all commonly used methods such as air adhesion, electrostatic adhesion, and fasteners can be used.
The light source 4 uses a rod-shaped light source to obtain a uniform amount of light, and this light source may be any rod-shaped light source such as a halogen lamp or a fluorescent lamp. Any material that transmits light may be used, such as glass, acrylic glass, white diffuser plate, etc. Further, the fifth exposure layer is made of an opaque material to prevent light from leaking to the image forming sheet 1 from parts other than the document table 2.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Since the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, in other words, the exposure means is configured to tightly fix the original and the image forming sheet and expose the light from the light source without using a lens system. Since the utilization rate is high and the exposure time can be shortened, a high speed color recording device can be realized.

In addition, it is possible to obtain a uniform amount of light without using lenses, etc., and the light source and image forming sheet can be placed close together, which has a great effect on making the device smaller and thinner. Since no .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the exposure state of the recording apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional recording apparatus, FIGS. 3A and 3B are block diagrams of a conventional exposure means, and FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing the recording apparatus of the present invention in a stopped state, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the exposure means of the present invention. Image forming sheet Original table Original light source Exposure table Developing sheet Developing means Fixing means Applicant Seiko Electronics Industries ° Patent attorney Takayuki Hayashi Suke Conventional C A-area of manual exposure Figure 3 (△) Conventional Exposure Hand 1 Sentence JP Area Map Figure 3 (8) Akira Motoya 17) 8th 41st Year 1 Suspension Flood t Hosu Waday 4th
Figure 1 shows the exposure state of the shell JE according to the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An image-forming sheet coated with a microcapsule containing color-forming agents of different colors and a sensitive substance that immobilizes the color-forming agent in response to light of a specific wavelength, an exposure means for irradiating the image-forming sheet with light, and a war story. A developing sheet that develops color by reacting with a coloring agent on an image forming sheet, a developing means for transferring an image on the image forming sheet to the developing sheet, and a fixing means for fixing the developed image. , the exposure means comprises an original, a rod-shaped light source, and a curved document table that is made of a movable light-transmitting material and has the rod-shaped light source as a central axis, and the image forming sheet is placed on the document table. A color recording device characterized by exposure by bringing it into close contact.