JPH03215860A - Color image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To change the thickness of a color developing paper where an image is formed and to obtain a thick paper copy by pressurizing, developing and thermally fixing the plural color developing papers under a state that they are superposed. CONSTITUTION:In a photosensitive and pressure sensitive copying machine 1, a recording medium consisting of a microcapsule paper 11 and the color developing paper 16 being a photosensitive and pressure sensitive paper is used. The paper 16 sent from a paper supply device 18 is pressurized by a pressure developing device 13 together with the exposed microcapsule paper 11. At this time, in the case that a thick paper mode is selected by a user, two sheets (or more) of the papers 16 are simultaneously pressurized and the mutual contact performance thereof is improved. Besides, the color development of an image surface A on the paper 16 is promoted by the heat roller 20a of a thermal fixing device 20 after the paper 16 is separated from the microcapsule paper 11 and the color developer coated layers B of the superposed papers 16 are fused by heat and integrated at the same time. As the result, a sheet of thick paper 16' is obtained.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of application in "Industry" 2]] The present invention is a method for forming a color image using light-sensitive pressure-sensitive paper and color developer paper, in which the thickness of the color developer paper on which the image is formed is arbitrarily changed. The present invention relates to a method for forming an image on a surface.

[Conventional technology As one of the cocolor image forming methods, a photosensitive pressure sensitive paper is exposed to light based on image information such as a document to form a latent image, and then the light sensitive pressure sensitive paper is overlapped with a color developing paper coated with a color developer. There is a method in which a latent image on light-sensitive and pressure-sensitive paper is transferred to color developing paper by pressure development and heat fixing to form a color image.

Conventionally, when forming a color image as in the case of
The thickness of the developing paper was fixed. In other words, a large number of sheets of developer paper with a certain thickness are stacked and stored in a paper feed cassette, and the developer paper is sucked out one by one from the cassette with a suction cup, etc., and then subjected to pressure development and heat fixing. An image was formed on a sheet of color developing paper through these steps.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] In the conventional image forming method described above, the thickness of the developing paper on which the image is formed is determined in advance, and since the thickness is generally thin, When it is desired to form an image on thick paper, it is necessary to first form the image on developer paper and then paste the developer paper onto cardboard or the like. For this reason, when images are to be formed on a large number of thick sheets of paper, it is extremely time-consuming.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a color image forming method in which the thickness of color developing paper on which an image is formed can be easily changed, for example, by simply operating a button. The purpose is to

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the color image forming method of the present invention exposes a light-sensitive and pressure-sensitive recording paper based on image information, and then
After selecting the number of sheets of color developer paper coated with a color developer and stacking them with the color developer side facing the same direction, they are stacked on top of the exposed light-sensitive and pressure-sensitive recording paper and developed under pressure and heated. By fixing, an image is formed on the first sheet of color developer paper, and the color developer sheets are integrated via the color developer coating layer.

[Operation] According to the color image forming method of the present invention having the above-described configuration, the number of sheets of color developing paper used for one image formation is selected by, for example, a single button operation. Then, the selected number of color developing papers are stacked one on top of four light-sensitive and pressure-sensitive recording papers on which a latent image has been formed by exposure based on the image information, and pressure development is carried out. Note that stacking multiple sheets of color developer paper can be done by taking out multiple sheets of color developer paper at the same time from a large number of sheets stored in a stack in a paper feed cassette, or by taking out one sheet at a time and then applying pressure to development. This is done by layering multiple sheets of developing paper in between. In this way, the image is transferred to the first sheet of color developing paper. Then, by heat fixing,
As the image on the second developer paper is developed and fixed, the developer coated layer between each developer paper is melted by heat, and the multiple developer papers are integrated into cardboard, resulting in cardboard. A color image is formed thereon. Note that according to the method of the present invention as well, if the number of sheets of color developer paper used for one image formation is selected to be one, an image can be formed using one sheet of color developer paper as in the conventional method.

[Example 1] Hereinafter, an example of a photosensitive and pressure sensitive copying machine for carrying out the color image forming method of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The photosensitive and pressure sensitive copying machine 1 of this embodiment uses a recording medium consisting of microcapsule paper 11 and color developer paper 16 as light and pressure sensitive paper. A movable document table glass 2 and document table cover 3 are provided on the top plate portion of the copying machine 1, and a desired document 4 is set face down on the document table glass 2.

A light source using a halogen lamp 5 or the like is disposed at the top of the copying machine 1, and irradiates light in a line through a slit hole provided on the top surface of the copying machine 1 toward the document table glass 2.
The light emitted from the halogen lamp 5 passes through the transparent document platen glass 2 and is reflected by the document 4 placed on this platen. Therefore, by moving the document platen glass 2, exposure scanning of the document 4 is performed. The light reflected from the original 4 is passed through a filter 6 for adjusting the color tone of the copied image.
The light passes through the projection lens 7 and is projected by the lens 7. The direction of the light is changed by a pair of reflection mirrors 8 and 9, and the light passes through the microcapsule paper 1 located along the exposure stage 10.
The image is formed on 1. The reflecting mirrors 8 and 9 are mounted on a mirror mounting plate 25, and by finely adjusting the mounting position of the mirror mounting plate 25, the optical path length and focus are adjusted.

On the other hand, the elongated microcapsule paper 11 is housed in a removable cartridge 26 in the copying machine 1 while being wound around the cartridge shaft 12, and one end of the microcapsule paper 11 is connected to a large number of rollers 142L, 14b, 14c. , a pressure developing device] 3, and a separation mechanism 14d to reach a winding shaft 15. That is, the microcapsule paper 11 that has come out from the lower part of the cartridge 26 is guided by the feed roller 14a1 and the guide roller 14b, passes under the exposure table 10, and then is supplied to the pressure developing device 13, and is then fed to the pressure developing device 13. 1
The microcapsule paper 11 that has passed through the feed roller 1
4C1 separation mechanism 14cl and meandering adjustment roller I. 4e
After being guided to the winding shaft 15, it is wound up onto the winding shaft 15. In addition,
The unexposed microcapsule paper 11 after leaving the cartridge 26 is maintained in an unexposed state by the light shielding cover 27. In addition, since the transport speed of the microcapsule paper 11 is controlled to be constant and matched to the moving speed of the document table glass 2, the microcapsule paper 11 has a predetermined position of the document 4 when passing through the exposure table 10. Lines of latent images are sequentially formed.

A paper feed cassette 17 containing developer paper 16 is installed below the pressure developing device 13, and above the paper feed cassette 17 is a paper feed device 18 having a suction cup 31 that sucks paper using negative pressure suction. has been set up.

After the developing paper 16 is taken out one by one by the paper feeding device 18, the developing paper 16 is taken out one by one by the feeding roller 19a1, the pinch roller]. 9b
, the leading end is aligned by developer paper rollers 19c, 1.9d and resist gate 19e,
It is carried into the pressure developing device 13.

In this way, the microcapsule paper 11 and the color developer paper 16 are supplied to the pressure developing device 13 in a state where they are in close contact with each other and are integrated, and the surface of the microcapsules on which the latent image of the microcapsule paper 11 is formed and the color developer paper 16 are separated. The color developer-applied surface of the roller 11 is integrated with the color developer coated surface thereof on the inside, and as shown in FIG. 1, it is sandwiched between a small diameter roller 13a and a pack-up roller 13b, and pressure horns are applied. This pressure destroys the unexposed microcapsules and forms an image on the developer paper 16. The microcapsule paper 11 and the color developer paper l6 that have come out of the pressure developing device 13 are separated by the separation mechanism 14d, and then the color developer paper 16 is transferred to the heat roller 2 of the heat fixing device 20.
Color development is promoted by 0+1L to form an image, and the sheet is conveyed to the sheet discharge I/ray 21 by the sheet discharge roller 28. Note that the separated microcapsule paper 11 is wound onto the winding shaft 15 via the meandering adjustment roller 14e.

Next, the overall structure of the paper feeding device 18 equipped with the above-mentioned suction cup 31 will be explained in detail based on FIGS. 2 and 3.

The suction cup 31 is attached to a rotatable elevator arm (hereinafter referred to as a rotary arm) 32 via a plate 32a, and this rotary arm 32 is attached to a rotary shaft 34 thereof.
is rotatably attached to an elevator frame (hereinafter referred to as frame) 36 which is installed to be able to rise and fall with respect to the main body side plate 35 (only the front side plate is shown in FIG. 2, but there is also a rear side plate). Supported. The rotation axis 34, which is the center of rotation of the suction cup 31, has its center on the extension line of the suction surface of the suction cup 31, and is located further in the paper conveyance direction than the part where the suction cup 31 attracts the developing paper 16. It is placed on the rear side.

Note that the suction cup 31 is arranged so as to attract the color developer paper 16 at a relatively front portion relative to the front and back of the color developer paper 16 in the conveying direction. Additionally, a mounting plate 3 is attached to the rotating arm 32.
A paper uppermost surface detection sensor 33, such as a microswitch, is attached via a mounting plate 32b branched from 2a at a predetermined angle. Here, when the mounting plate 32b is located in the vertical direction, the sensor 33 and the rotation shaft 34 are in a relationship such that they are located on the same horizontal plane.

A motor 37 is attached to the frame 36, and a gear 38 that is driven by the rotation of the motor 37 is pivotally supported, and this gear 38 is fixed to the rotation shaft 34. The swing gear 39 is engaged with the motor 37.
With the rotation of , the rotating arm 32 can be rotated in the directions of arrows A and B.

Further, the frame 36 is supported by a vertical guide mechanism (not shown), and is movable up and down in the direction of arrow CD using a step motor 40 attached to the main body side plate 35 as a driving source. As a mechanism, shafts 41 and 42 supported by the main body side plate 35 pass through long holes 43 and 44 formed in the frame 36, and caps 45 and 46 fixed to the shafts 41 and 42 move through the long holes 43 and 44, respectively. It engages with racks 47 and 48 formed on the edges of 44. Further, boos 49 and 50 are fixed to each shaft end, and these pulleys 49 and 50 are fixed to each shaft end.
A timing helmet 51 is stretched between 9 and 50, and the shaft 4
A worm gear 53 fixed to the output shaft of the step motor 40 meshes with a helical gear 52 fixed to the shaft end of the step motor 40.

The base end of the suction cup 31 has a dicove 5 made of flexible material.
4 to a pressure reducing means 55 attached to the other main body side plate (not shown). This pressure reducing means 55
is a piston 58 having a cylinder 56 and an O-ring 57.
, gears 59, 60, and a step motor 61. As the step motor 6l rotates, the gear 59 meshed with the gear 60 is rotated around the shaft 62 through the gear 60 fixed to its output shaft. Through engagement between a pin 63 protruding near the outer periphery of the piston rod 60 and an elongated hole provided in the piston rod 64, the piston 58 moves linearly within the cylinder 56 in the direction of arrow E to generate negative pressure. It has become.

Note that it is desirable that the open end of the cylinder 56, that is, the side through which the piston rod 64 is inserted, faces downward. The reason for this is that dust and the like are less likely to accumulate inside the cylinder 56, and grease and the like for lubricating the sliding surfaces inside the cylinder 56 will not flow out through the tube 54 and stain the paper. Note that if the open end of the cylinder 56 must be oriented upward, it is desirable to provide a cover to prevent foreign matter such as dust from entering the cylinder 56.

Next, to explain the configuration on the transport path side, the paper feed cassette 17
The top end of the color developing paper 16 stacked therein is moved upward by the feed roller 1.
A pinge roller 19b that contacts the roller 19a is pivotally supported by the tip of a rotating arm 72 that rotates around a shaft 71 (in the direction of arrow GH). The rotating arm 72 is rotated by a drive source (not shown) every time a sheet is fed, and opens and closes the rollers 19a and 19b. Furthermore, a guide member 70 that forms a conveyance path toward the pressure developing device 13 is provided on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the color developer paper 16, and color developer paper rollers 19c, 19d and a resist gate 19e are provided along the way. It is arranged. This resist gate 19e is rotated around the axis 73 and
4, and the other end is provided with the roller 19d.
The rollers 19c and 119d and the resist gate 19e are arranged to open and close in a contradistinct manner as shown by solid lines and dashed lines in FIG.

Next, in addition to FIGS. 2 and 3, the paper feeding operation of the paper feeding device 18 configured as described above is shown in FIGS. 4(a) to (d).
).

Now, when the frame 36 is in a predetermined position, the step motor 40 is activated based on the paper feed signal from the copying machine l.
When driven, the rotation is transmitted to the shaft 41 via the worm gear 53 and the helical gear 52, causing the gear 45 to move to the second shaft 41.
When rotated clockwise as shown in the figure, at the same time pulley 49
, the gear 46 of the shaft 42 is also rotated in the same direction via the timing belt 51 and the pulley 50, and these gears 45.4
6 and rack 47. 48, the frame 36 is lowered in the direction of arrow D. The rotating arm 32 integrated with the frame 36 also moves down at the same time. Note that when the arm 32 is lowered, the mounting plate 32b is in the vertical position as shown in FIGS. It is in a state where it can be detected.

When the sensor 33 detects the uppermost surface of the color developing paper 16, the step motor 40 stops rotating and the frame 36
stops descending. Next, drive the step motor 37,
The rotation is transmitted to the gear 38 and the swinging gear 39, and the rotation shaft 34
By rotating , the rotating arm 32 rotates in the direction of arrow B. As a result, the suction cup 31 and the rotating shaft 34 are located on the same plane, so that the suction cup 31 is in a state where it can suck the most two parts of the color developing paper 16, as shown in FIG. 4(b). Become.

In this state, the motor 61 in the pressure reducing means 55 is driven, the piston 58 moves in the direction of arrow E, a negative pressure is generated within the suction cup 31, and the suction cup 3l sucks the topmost color developing paper 16. At this time, if there is a key input from outside to request the cardboard mode, the amount of rotation of the motor 61 is increased by a signal from the control unit, that is, the amount of movement of the piston 58 is increased, and the amount of suction by the suction cup 31 is increased. Become. As a result, the suction cup 31 can simultaneously suck two or more sheets of color developing paper 16. Note that the number of sheets of color developing paper 16 sucked by the suction cup 31 is proportional to the amount of rotation of the motor 61.

After this separation operation, the step motor 40 is driven to raise the frame 36, that is, the rotating arm 32, in the direction of arrow C to a predetermined height and then stop. The predetermined height here is the height at which the leading edge of the color developing paper 16 is located directly below the feed roller 19a, as shown in FIG. 4(d).

Next, rotate the pinch roller 19b in the direction of arrow G,
Feed roller I. Vinci roller 1 shown by 9a and a dashed line
9b, and then the motor 61 in the depressurizing means 55 is driven in the opposite direction to move the piston 58 in the direction of the arrow F. , the suction of the color developer paper 16 by the suction cup 31 is stopped, and the color developer paper 16 is released from the suction cup 31 .

Further, by driving the step motor 40, the frame 36,
Raise the rotating arm 32 by a predetermined amount, and then raise the suction cup 3
1 and the developing paper 16 and avoid getting caught.

Through the above series of operations, the color developer paper 16 is separated into one sheet (J or two or more sheets) and fed into the conveyance path. The developer paper is fed by the feed roller 19a and the binder roller I.9b until it hits the developer paper l6 (at the initial stage of paper feeding, the developer paper rollers I.9c and 19d are open as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3), and the developer paper l6 Then, at a predetermined timing, the developer paper roller I.9c.19d closes, the registration gate 19e opens, and the developer paper 16 is conveyed.

Note that the paper feeding device 18 described above is not limited to application to the copying machine l having the above configuration, but can be applied to image forming apparatuses that use various types of photosensitive and pressure-sensitive paper in addition to the microcapsule paper 16. It is. Further, various modifications can be made to each mechanism constituting the paper feeding device 18. For example, a crank mechanism may be used as the pressure reducing means 55, and the suction cup 31 may be modified in various ways. Although the example shown here uses two, the invention is not limited to this.

The color developing paper 16 fed from the paper feeding device 18 is pressurized together with the exposed microcapsule papers 11 and 16 by the pressure developing device 13. At this time, if the user has selected the cardboard mode, two (or more) sheets of color developing paper 16 are pressed at the same time, increasing their mutual adhesion.

Furthermore, after separation from the microcapsule paper 11, the heat roller 20a of the heat fixing device 20 causes
Color development is promoted on the image surface A on the color developer paper 16, and at the same time, the color developer coated layers B of the overlapping color developer paper 16 are melted and integrated by heat to form a 16° thick sheet of cardboard.

By the way, in the above embodiment, when forming an image on the thick paper 16', two or more sheets of color developing paper 16 are taken out from the paper feed cassette 17 in a superimposed state by the suction force of the suction cup 31, and then left in that state. Although the image is conveyed to the pressure developing device 13, the present invention is not limited thereto.

For example, the color developer paper 16 may be taken out one by one from the paper feed force set 17, and the color developer paper 16 may be stacked on top of each other while being conveyed to the pressure developing device 13. However, in this case, although the paper feeding device 18 may be a conventional one, a mechanism (not shown) for sequentially stacking a plurality of sheets of color developing paper 16 is required instead.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the color image forming method of the present invention, the color developer coated layer of the color developer paper paired with the light-sensitive pressure-sensitive paper is heated to form an adhesive. Taking advantage of the action of the color developer paper, multiple sheets of color developer paper are stacked one on top of the other and then pressure developed and heat-fixed to form a single piece of cardboard, so the user only needs to operate buttons etc. By changing the thickness of the developing paper that forms the image, you can easily make copies on thick paper.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 5 show embodiments embodying the present invention. The figure is a perspective view with a part of the paper feeder cut away, FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of the paper feeder in FIG. 2, and FIGS.
2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of the paper feeding device shown in FIG. 2 in order. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cardboard copy imaged by the method of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Light-sensitive pressure-sensitive copying machine, 11... Microcapsule paper (light-sensitive pressure-sensitive paper), 13... Pressure developing device, 16... Color developer paper, 16'... Thick paper, 17... Paper feed cassette, 18・
... Paper feeding device, 20... Heat fixing device, 31... Suction cup, A... Image surface, B... Color developer coating layer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] After exposing the photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording paper based on the image information, select the number of sheets of color developer coated with color developer, and overlap them with the color developer side in the same direction. An image is formed on the first sheet of color developer paper by stacking it on the photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording paper, developing it under pressure, and fixing it with heat, and each of the color developer papers is integrated via a color developer coating layer. A color image forming method characterized by: