JPH0363649A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily exchange a photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet and to prevent wasteful use thereof by using a cartridge where a supply shaft to which the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet is wound, and exposure part, a pressure developing part and a take-up shaft are housed. CONSTITUTION:A medium cartridge 5 is inserted in a state where the rails 51a and 51b thereof are engaged with an original moving type copying machine main body 1. Next, the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet 54 wound around the supply shaft 52 of the cartridge 5 is drawn out. After a latent image is formed on the sheet with reflected light from an original in an exposure part 58, the sheet is conveyed to a pressure developing device 57. In the device 57, the sheet 54 where the latent image is formed and a receiver sheet fed from a paper cassette 6 are superposed to be pressurized and the sheet 54 is taken up to the take-up shaft 53, then the receiver sheet is ejected to a paper ejection tray 8 after being heated by a heating device 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image using a photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet.

(bl) Prior Art In recent years, the development of image forming apparatuses that use photosensitive and pressure-sensitive sheets to form images has been progressing. The microcapsules contain a resin that polymerizes when exposed to light and a color-forming dye in a resin shell.This photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet is paired with a receiver sheet.That is, the receiver sheet contains A developer that develops the dye is applied, and when the microcapsules are destroyed and the color-forming dye flows out, the developer develops the color.When forming an image, the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet is exposed to image-forming exposure light such as reflected light from the original. When exposed to light, the exposed microcapsules polymerize and harden (a latent image is formed).If a receiver sheet is placed on this photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet and pressure is applied, only the unhardened microcapsules are destroyed. The chromogenic dye in that area develops color and forms an image on the receiver sheet.

By the way, the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet must be protected from light and pressure when it is not in use due to its photosensitivity and pressure sensitivity. Conventionally, an unused photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet has been wound around a supply shaft and stored in a light-shielding media cartridge. This media cartridge also includes a take-up shaft for winding up a used photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet, and is removably attached to the main body of an image forming apparatus, so that the sheet can be replaced together with the cartridge. When the cartridge is installed in the image forming apparatus main body, the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet is pulled out from the supply shaft, passes through the exposure section and pressure development section of the image forming apparatus main body, is exposed and developed, and then returns to the take-up shaft. It had been.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in conventional apparatuses, it is extremely difficult to replace the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet once attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus during use. In other words, since the photosensitive and pressure sensitive sheet is installed between the supply shaft and the S twin shaft via the exposure section and pressure development section on the west image forming apparatus main body side, the sheet must be cut once in order to be removed. There wasn't. In addition, in the pigeonhole where the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet that was removed during use is reinstalled into the main body of the image forming apparatus, the cut end must be passed through the exposure section and the pressure development section again and sent to the winding shaft. The problem was that the sheets were wasted. In addition, the pressure developing device is pressurized at extremely high pressure in order to destroy the microcapsules, and when replacing the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet, the pressure must be released, which requires a great deal of effort. .

The purpose of this invention is to facilitate the replacement of photosensitive pressure sensitive sheets,
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can prevent wasteful use of photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheets.

(Means for Solving Problem d1) This invention provides an image forming apparatus in which a photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet wound around a supply shaft is pulled out from the supply shaft, passed through an exposure section and a pressure development section, and then wound onto a take-up shaft. The supply shaft, exposure section, pressure development section and take-up shaft are housed in the same cartridge,
A feature of the present invention is that the cartridge is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus.

(81 Effect) The cartridge containing the photosensitive and pressure sensitive sheet in this invention has all the parts through which the photosensitive and pressure sensitive sheet passes, including an exposure section and a pressure developing section, and the photosensitive and pressure sensitive sheet is The photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet only needs to be wound up through the inside of the cartridge.In other words, there is no need for the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet to pass through the image forming apparatus main body. There is no need to cut or release pressure from the pressure developing device (f)
Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a copying machine which is an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of a media cartridge included in the apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the media cartridge pulled out from the main body of the copying machine.

This copying machine is of a movable document table type. Copy machine body 1
A document table 2 is provided on the upper surface of the document table 2, and is movable in the F (feed) direction and the R (return) direction in the figure.

A light source 33 and a light convergence transmitter 4 are provided below the document table 2, and when the document table 2 moves in the F direction, the document on the document table is scanned and the reflected light is guided to an exposure section to be described later. . A media cartridge 5 is provided in the center right part of the copying machine main body 1 so as to be detachable from the copying machine main body. The media cartridge 5 has rails 51a and 51b extending vertically in the figure on the left and right sides, and this rail portion is a rail 51a provided in the main body of the copying machine.

By engaging with 11b, the copying machine main body can be pulled out or inserted in the front direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, a supply shaft 52 and a take-up shaft 53 are rotatably supported on the media cartridge 5. An unused photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet 54 is wound around the supply shaft 52 and stored in a storage chamber 55 that is shielded from external light.

A roller 55 is installed in one corner of the storage chamber 55 in parallel with the supply shaft 52.
a is provided and an opening 55.a is provided in the vicinity thereof. b is formed. The photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet on the supply shaft 52 is attached to the roller 5
5a and is drawn out from the opening 55b. Note that 55c provided in the opening is an elastic light shielding material that blocks light from the outside.

A conveying roller 56, a pressure developing device 57, and the aforementioned winding shaft 53 are provided outside the media cartridge storage chamber 55. The pressure developing device 57 includes upper and lower rollers 57a,
57b, and both rollers 57a and 57b are brought into pressure contact with each other by a pressure contact mechanism including a spring (not shown). The photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet 54 pulled out from the opening 55b is wound up on the winding shaft 53 via the conveying roller 56 and between the upper and lower rollers 57a and 57b of the pressure developing device. Also, the opening 55b
An exposure section 58 is provided between the transport roller 56 and the transport roller 56 . Reflected light from the original is guided to the exposure section 58 . Note that 12 in FIG. 1 is a light-shielding guide, which protects an unused photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet or a photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet on which a latent image is formed from being exposed to stray light.

The supply shaft 52 is biased in a direction opposite to the direction in which the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet 54 is pulled out, and the winding shaft 53 is biased in a direction to wind up the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet 54. Further, a gear is provided on the back side of the lower roller 57b of the pressure developing device, and when the media cartridge 5 is inserted into the copying machine main body l, the gear engages with the gear on the copying machine main body side, and the lower roller 57b
The driving force is transmitted to 7b. The axial roller 57a is driven by the lower roller 57b.

As can be seen from the above configuration, the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet 54 is fed from the supply shaft 52 to the take-up shaft 53 only through the inside of the media cartridge 5, and when replacing the media cartridge, it is simply fed along the rail. It is only necessary to pull out the installed media cartridge and then insert another media cartridge, and there is no need to carry out work such as routing the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet after the cartridge is installed. Further, even when changing the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet during use (for example, when changing to a sheet of a different color), there is no need to cut the sheet, and wasteful use of the sheet can be prevented.

A paper cassette 6 containing receiver sheets is provided on the right side of the copying machine main body 1, and the receiver sheets are fed to the pressure developing device 57 by a paper feeder 61. After a latent image is formed on the photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet 54 in an exposure section 58, it is sent to a pressure developing device 57, where it is overlapped with a fed receiver sheet and pressed. By applying pressure, an image of the color-forming dye is formed on the receiver sheet, and the image is sent to the heating device 7. The heating device accelerates the coloring reaction by heating the receiver sheet, and softens the thermoplastic resin previously applied to the receiver sheet to cover the receiver sheet, giving the colored image a glossy appearance. This receiver sheet is discharged to a paper discharge tray 8 on the left side of the copying machine main body.

(g1 Effects of the invention As described above, according to the present invention, when replacing the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet, the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet is removed from the exposure section in the main body of the image forming apparatus.
Since the trouble of passing through a pressure developing section or the like is eliminated and it becomes sufficient to simply replace the cartridge, operability is significantly improved. This also has the advantage of eliminating jams that occur when the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet is passed through an exposure section, a pressure development section, etc. Furthermore, it is also possible to prevent wastage of the photosensitive pressure sensitive sheet when the sheet is replaced during use.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a copying machine which is an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a front sectional view of the media cartridge of the same device;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the media cartridge pulled out from the main body of the copying machine. 5-media cartridge, 11a, 1lb-rail, 51a, 51b-rail, 52-supply shaft, 53-@twin shaft, 54-photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet, 55-(light-shielding) storage chamber, 57-pressure developing device , 58 - Exposure section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an image forming apparatus in which a photosensitive pressure-sensitive sheet wound around a supply shaft is pulled out from the supply shaft, passed through an exposure section, a pressure development section, and then wound onto a take-up shaft, the supply shaft, the exposure section, the pressure development section, and An image forming apparatus characterized in that a take-up shaft is housed in the same cartridge, and the cartridge is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus.