JPH03194533A - image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that obtains a color image by closely exposing a plurality of mask originals to the same location on photosensitive paper.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, as an image recording apparatus, an apparatus shown in the specification and drawings of JP-A No. 1-142540 has been proposed. In this apparatus, an exposure table for bringing the mask master and photosensitive paper into close contact with each other and a means for clamping and fixing the photosensitive paper were installed in separate locations.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, in the device configured in this way,
When the exposure table operates to bring the mask master and the photosensitive paper into close contact, the photosensitive paper moves relative to the exposure table and comes into close contact with the mask master, which causes the problem of damaging the photosensitive paper and impairing image quality.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and by fixing the photosensitive paper to the exposure table, it reduces the misalignment between the photosensitive paper and the mask master plate during close contact operation, and prevents damage to the photosensitive paper. The purpose is to prevent this and improve image quality.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the image recording device of the present invention has the following features:
A plate-like member with a large frictional force is installed at the end of the exposure table, and a rotatably attached roller is normally placed apart from the plate-like member and presses the photosensitive paper against the plate-like member as it comes into close contact with the plate. and a suppressing means for pressing the roller against the plate member.

[Function] In the apparatus of the present invention having the above configuration, when the exposure table is operated, the photosensitive paper is fixed to the exposure table by pressing the photosensitive paper against the plate-like member at the end of the exposure table with a rotatable roller.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a monochrome laser printer 1 and a color image recording device 20 in a combined arrangement.

First, the monochrome laser printer 1 is mounted on top of the color image recording device 20. In the laser printer 1, a polygon scanner 2 irradiates a charged photoreceptor 3 with laser light, thereby drawing an electrostatic latent image. The photoconductor 3 on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed is developed by a developing device 4, and the toner image is transferred onto plain paper or an OHP sheet fed from a paper feed cassette 5, and fixed by a fixing device 6. Typically, the monochrome laser printer 1 records data transmitted from a host computer.

The output from the laser printer 1 is sent to the paper bus switching section 10.
If a black and white image is required, it is fed to the monochrome output tray 11 or automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) tray 12; if a color image is required, it is fed to the ADF tray 12.
After being sent to the F tray 12, the color image recording device 20
taken inside.

The sheets sent to the ADF tray 12 are taken one by one into the color image recording device 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13, and a set of three sheets of monochrome printed paper output from the laser printer 1 is formed. Mask original plate 15 (15R, 15G, 15B) of color image recording device 20
) is used as.

Next, the configuration of the color image recording device 20 will be explained.

A positioning device 31 is disposed at the bottom of the main body of the color image recording device g120, and the ADF ray 12 and the positioning device 31 are connected by a mask original transport path 21. On both the left and right sides of the positioning device 31, there are pairs of rollers 22°23.24, 25, 26, 27 whose rotation direction can be controlled.
Gates 28 and 29 and a mask original storage section 102 are arranged.

A pair of glue curler rollers 101 is arranged in the middle of the mask original transport path 21 to remove curls from the mask original 15 discharged from the laser printer 1. roller vs 2
On the outside of 6.27, there is a mask original discharge tray 30 for discharging the used mask original 15.

The positioning device 31 includes a sensor (not shown), a pair of rollers 32 and 33 placed near both left and right ends, a glass plate 34 placed between them, and the like.

An exposure device 41 is arranged below the alignment device 31, and this exposure device 41
1 in the left-right direction in FIG.

The exposure device 41 includes a linear white light source (hereinafter referred to as a lamp) 42 extending in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG.
The filter unit 44 includes a reflecting plate 43 that reflects light from the lamp 42, a red filter 44R, a green filter 44G, and a blue filter 44B.

The photosensitive recording medium 50 is, for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-14304.
The material is a photocurable resin using a photopolymerization initiator known in Publication No. 4, and includes a photocurable resin that cures with light of each wavelength of red, green, and blue, and cyan, magenta, and yellow. Microcapsules containing each of the dye precursors are coated on a base sheet. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is housed in a cartridge 51 so as not to be exposed to light. The photosensitive recording medium 50 passes from inside the cartridge 51 between the glass plate 34 and the exposure table 52, and passes through the buffer 55, the pressure developing device 70, and the separation roller 64.
It is routed through the drive roller 57 to the take-up roller 54. The exposure table 52 is configured so that when it is lowered by the action of a cam 53, the mask original 15 conveyed onto the glass plate 34 and the photosensitive recording medium 50 are brought into close contact. The fixed roller 56 is pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52 when the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position, and is arranged so as to fix the photosensitive recording medium 50 to the exposure table 52 during exposure of the mask original 15. has been done.

The developer sheet 60 is constructed by coating a base paper with a developer described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-88739, and is placed in the cassette 61 so that the developer-coated surface faces downward. It is set.

At the top of the cassette 61, a suction cup 62 for feeding the developer sheets 60 one by one is arranged.

The pressure developing device 70 is composed of a photosensitive recording medium 50 on which a latent image has been formed by exposure, and a pair of pressure rollers 71 for overlapping a color developer sheet 60 and developing it under pressure.

The heat fixing device 80 is constructed between a casing 83 containing a heater 81 and an impeller 82 in the upper part, rubber rollers 84, 85, 86 for conveying the color developer sheet 60 in the lower part, and rollers 87 and 88. A paper ejection tray 63 is attached to the outside of the heat fixing device 80.

The detailed configuration of the exposure table portion will be explained using FIG. 2. A rubber plate 111 is attached to the left end of the exposure table 52, and a pair of arms 112 are swingably attached to the frame of the apparatus main body on both sides perpendicular to the feeding direction of the photosensitive recording medium 50.

A fixed roller 56 is rotatably attached between both arms 112 facing the rubber plate 111, and a tension spring 113 is attached to both arms 112 to apply force to press the roller 56 against the rubber plate 111. It is being

In the apparatus configured as described above, the operation when obtaining a plurality of color images from one set of mask originals will be described next.

First, the monochrome laser printer 1 creates a red mask original 15R. This mask original version 15R is
In order to harden the microcapsules containing a cyan dye precursor among the microcapsules coated on the photosensitive recording medium 50, this mask original plate has toner as a light-shielding image placed on other parts. At this time, the mask original 15R outputted from the monochrome laser printer 1 is sent to the ADF tray 12 and fed into the color image recording device 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13. Color image recording device 20
The mask original 15R fed inside passes through the mask original transport path 21 and is sent to the positioning device 31 by the roller pair 24, 22. On the way, the curl of the mask master plate 15R is corrected by the curler roller 101. At this time,
Gate 28 is located at the solid line position.

Next, the alignment device 31 transports the mask original 15R to a certain position by a pair of rollers 32, and then uses a drive source (not shown) to read the alignment marks printed on the mask original 15R with a sensor.
move it into place.

Immediately before positioning, the exposure table 52 is moved by the cam 53.
The photosensitive recording medium 50 is lowered from the position shown in FIG. 3(a) to the position shown in FIG.
Fixed. After the alignment is completed, the exposure table 52 moves to the cam 5.
3, it is lowered from the position shown in FIG. 3B to the position shown in FIG.

When the exposure table 52 comes into close contact with the alignment device 31, the lamp 4
2 lights up, and the exposure device 41 performs operational exposure in the direction of arrow A in order to expose the photosensitive recording medium 50 with red light via the mask original 15R via the red filter 44R. When the exposure is completed, the lamp 42 is turned off and the exposure device 41 moves back in the direction of arrow B. At this time, the exposure device 41
The filter unit 44 is moved by a drive source (not shown), and a green filter 44G is located above the lamp 42.

While the exposure device 41 moves backward, the exposure table 52 is raised to the position shown in FIG. 3(b) by the rotation of the cam 53, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is separated from the alignment device 31 and the mask original 15R. At this time, on the photosensitive recording medium 50,
Pack tension is applied at the center of roll rotation of the photosensitive recording medium 50 in the cartridge 51, and the exposure stage 52
When the exposure table 52 is lowered, a length corresponding to the lowering amount of the exposure table 52 is pulled out from the storage cartridge 51, and
When the exposure is finished and the exposure table 52 is raised, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is rewound in a direction to take up the slack.

Next, the green mask original 15G created by the monochrome laser printer 1 is placed in the ADF tray 12,
When the sheet passes through the F paper feed roller 13, recurler roller 101, and mask original transport path 21, and reaches just before the roller pair 24,
Roller pair 22, 24°25.27, positioning device 31
The pair of rollers 32 and 33 are rotated to convey the mask original 15R to the right, and at the same time the mask original 15R is sent out from the alignment device 31, the mask original 15G is conveyed to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, gate 28.29
is located at the position indicated by the solid line, and the exposed mask original 15R is held between the pair of rollers 27 and held by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 27 with its rear end passing through the gate 29.

The mask original 15G guided by the alignment device 31 is aligned with the photosensitive recording medium 50 in the same way as the mask original 15H, and then the exposure table 52 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 3(c).
), the photosensitive recording medium 50
It is closely followed. Thereafter, the lamp 42 is turned on and exposure to green light is performed via the green filter 44G.

After the exposure is completed, the exposure table 52 is raised to the position shown in FIG. 3(b). The exposure device 41 is moved back to the original position, and a blue filter 44B is placed above the lamp 42.
Move the filter unit 44 so that it is located.

Next, the blue mask original 15B created by the monochrome laser printer 1 is similarly fed to the color image recording device 20, and while being conveyed just before the roller pair 24, the blue mask original 15B is moved to the roller pair 24, 22.degree. 25. 26 and a pair of rollers 32 and 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated so as to convey the mask original 15G in the right direction, sending out the mask original 15G from the alignment device 31 and transferring the mask original 15B to the mask original 15B.
is transported to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, gate 28
is located at the position indicated by the solid line, and the gate 29 is located at the position indicated by the broken line.The exposed mask original 15G is held between the pair of rollers 26, and the rotation of the pair of rollers 26 is stopped with the rear end passing through the gate 29. It is maintained by letting

The mask original 15B guided by the alignment device 31 is brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50 by a similar operation. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is exposed to blue light through the mask original 15B.

Through the above operations, a latent image of a desired color image is recorded on the photosensitive recording medium 50.

Next, the exposure table 52 is raised to the position shown in FIG. 3(a),
By separating the fixed roller 56 and the rubber plate 111 at the left end of the exposure table 52 and moving the buffer 55 in the direction of arrow E, the unexposed area of the photosensitive recording medium 50 is moved to the cartridge 51 below the exposure table 52. It is drawn from within. The driving roller 57 transports the photosensitive recording medium 50 so that the leading end of the latent image is transferred to the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70.
It will stop when it reaches that part.

In synchronization with the movement of the photosensitive recording medium 50, the developer sheet 60 is sent out from the cassette 61 by a suction cup 62,
A developer sheet 60 is placed at the leading edge of the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 50.
After the tip of the machine is conveyed to the corresponding position, it stops.

Next, the pressure developing device 7 is driven by a drive device (not shown).
The pressure rollers 71 of No. 0 are rotated in the direction of the arrow while being in pressure contact with each other. At this time, the exposure table 52 is moved again as shown in FIG.
By lowering it to the position b), the fixing aperture 56 is pressed against the rubber plate 111 of the exposure table 52, and the photosensitive recording medium 5o is fixed to the exposure table 52. Photosensitive recording medium 5o
is sent under pressure while being overlapped with the color developer sheet 60, and the uncured microcapsules on the photosensitive recording medium 5o are destroyed by the pressure, and a color corresponding to the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 5o is formed. The image is developed onto developer sheet 60.

By rotating the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 in the direction of the arrow, the buffer 55 is moved in the direction of the arrow F. The color developer sheet 6o is peeled off from the photosensitive recording medium 50 by the separation roller 64, and is also transferred to the heat fixing device 8.
You will be guided in the direction of 0.

In the heat fixing device 80, the color developer sheet 6o is heated by a heater 81 and heated by air circulating in a casing 83 by an impeller 82, thereby promoting color development of a color image. Along with this, a binder polymer (binder resin) for fixing the color developing medium to the base paper of the color developer sheet 60
is thermally melted to make the surface smooth, and the color developer sheet 60
The surface becomes moderately glossy. The color developer sheet 60 that has been subjected to color development and gloss treatment is discharged to a paper discharge tray 63.

During the above-described series of development and color gloss processing, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is clamped and fixed between the rubber plate 111 of the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 56, so that while the development processing for one screen is being performed, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is At that point, the latent image of the next color image can be exposed.

When exposing the second color image, first, the mask original 15B at the exposure position is sent to the left, and the mask original 15R held at the position of the roller pair 27 is sent to the alignment device 31 by the rollers. vs. 24, 22.2
5.27 and the roller pair 32.33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated so as to convey the mask original 15R to the left. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by solid lines. The mask original 15B is held between the pair of rollers 24 and held by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 24 at the position where the rear end passes the gate 28.

The mask original 15R sent to the alignment device 31 is aligned and then brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. The photosensitive recording medium 5o is exposed to red light through the mask original 15R.

Next, the mask original 15R at the exposure position is sent out to the left, and the mask original 15G held by the roller pair 26 is
A pair of rollers 22,
23, 25, 26 and the roller pair 32 of the positioning device 31
．． 33 is rotated so as to convey the mask original 15G to the left. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by broken lines. The mask original plate 15R is held between the pair of rollers 23 and held by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 23 at the position where the rear end passes through the gate 28. The mask original 15G sent to the alignment device 31 is aligned and brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is exposed to green light through the mask original 15G.

Next, the mask original 15G at the exposure position is sent out to the right, and the mask original 1 held at the position of the roller pair 24 is
5B to the alignment device 31, a latent color image is formed on the photosensitive recording medium 50, and a color image is formed on the color developer sheet 60.

By repeating the same operation, one set of mask originals 1
5, a predetermined number of color images can be output.

After obtaining the required number of color images from the same mask original 15, each mask original 15 is discharged from the roller pair 27 or the roller pair 26 to the paper discharge tray 30.

In addition, if the next mask original 15 is output from the monochrome laser printer 1 while a series of color images are being exposed, it is temporarily stored in the ADF (ADF) ray 12 and the exposure of the previous set is completed. Then, the ADF paper feed roller 13 feeds the paper sheets one by one into the color image recording apparatus 20.

Further, when reusing a mask original output from another monochrome laser printer or a previously used mask original, the mask original can be input by setting it on the ADF tray 12.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments detailed above, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the present invention, damage to the photosensitive paper can be prevented by fixing the photosensitive paper to the exposure table, and further, image quality can be improved. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 show embodiments embodying the present invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the overall structure of the image recording apparatus, and FIG. 2 shows the detailed structure of the exposure table. 3(a), 3(b), and 3(c) are sectional views showing the operation of the exposure table section. In the figure,] 5 is a mask original, 20 is an image recording device, 31 is a positioning device, 50 is a photosensitive paper, 52 is an exposure table, 53 is an exposure table driving means, 56 is a roller, 111 is a plate-shaped member, 1
13 is a suppression means. ■Figure 2Figure 3 (a)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A mask original positioning device that sequentially aligns a plurality of mask originals to the same location on a long photosensitive recording medium, and an exposure for bringing the mask original and the photosensitive paper into close contact. In an image recording apparatus comprising a table and an exposure table driving means for causing the exposure table to perform a specific operation, a plate-like member having a large frictional force provided at an end of the exposure table;
Usually, a rotatably attached roller is positioned so that the photosensitive recording medium is pressed against the plate-like member as the exposure table moves, and a force is applied to press the roller against the plate-like member. An image recording device characterized by comprising: a pressing means for pressing.