JPH0363732B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a heat development transfer method and an apparatus therefor, and more particularly, a heat developable photosensitive material containing a dye-donating substance that releases a hydrophilic dye that can be transferred by heat development; The present invention relates to an improved thermal development transfer method for obtaining color images using an image receiving material having a dye fixing layer, and an apparatus therefor.

As a heat-developable photosensitive material that can be used in the present invention, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application No. 56-157798 "Heat-developable color photosensitive material", at least photosensitive silver halide, It is reducing to the organic silver salt oxidizing agent, the binder and the photosensitive silver halide and/or organic silver salt oxidizing agent, and is capable of reacting with the photosensitive silver halide and/or organic silver salt oxidizing agent by heating. Examples include photosensitive materials having a dye-donating substance that releases a hydrophilic dye. In such a heat-developable photosensitive material, a silver image in the exposed area and a movable hydrophilic dye in the area corresponding to the silver image can be simultaneously obtained by simply performing thermal development after image exposure. That is, when the above-mentioned heat-developable photosensitive material is imagewise exposed and heat-developed, an oxidation-reduction reaction occurs between the organic silver salt oxidizing agent and the reducing dye-donating substance using the exposed photosensitive silver halide as a catalyst. A silver image appears in the exposed areas. In this step, the dye-donating substance is oxidized to an oxidant by an organic silver salt oxidizing agent. This oxidant is cleaved in the presence of a dye release aid, resulting in the release of a mobile hydrophilic dye. Therefore, a silver image and a mobile hydrophilic dye are obtained in the exposed areas, and a color image is obtained by transferring this dye to an image-receiving material.

When an autopositive emulsion is used as the photosensitive layer, a silver image and the movable hydrophilic dye are obtained in the unexposed areas.

Further, as another heat-developable photosensitive material, for example, as described in the specification of "Image Forming Method" (Patent Application No. 1982-26008) filed by the present applicant as a patent on February 18, 1982, , at least a photosensitive silver halide, a binder and a reducing agent on a support,
In general, mention heat-developable photosensitive materials having a photosensitive layer containing an immobile dye-donating substance that releases a hydrophilic dye that can migrate when heated, but does not release the dye when it reacts with photosensitive silver halide. I can do it. In such a heat-developable photosensitive material, by simply performing heat development after image exposure, it is possible to simultaneously obtain a silver image in the exposed area and a hydrophilic dye that can migrate to areas other than the area corresponding to the silver image.

In other words, although it originally releases hydrophilic dyes,
When using an immobile dye-donor substance that does not release hydrophilic dyes upon oxidation,
When a heat-developable photosensitive material containing this is imagewise exposed and heated, the organic silver salt oxidizing agent and/or photosensitive silver halide and the dye-donating substance are combined using the exposed photosensitive silver halide as a catalyst. An oxidation-reduction reaction occurs between the two, producing a silver image in the exposed area. In this step, the dye-donating substance becomes an oxidant, so that no hydrophilic dye is released in the exposed areas, and a hydrophilic dye is obtained that can migrate only in the unexposed areas. When an autopositive emulsion is used as the photosensitive layer, a silver image is obtained in the unexposed areas, and a hydrophilic dye that can migrate to the exposed areas is obtained.

The image-receiving material that can be used in the present invention is one in which an image-receiving layer capable of receiving the dye released from the photothermographic material by heat development is formed on a support. The image-receiving layer contains a dye fixing agent such as a dye mordant, and a useful dye fixing agent is selected depending on the physical properties of the dye to be released, other components contained in the heat-developable photosensitive material, transfer conditions, etc. For example, the above-mentioned patent application
High molecular weight polymeric mordants can be used, as described in US Pat. No. 56-157,798.

In the above thermal development transfer method, the image receiving material includes:
It is necessary that a diffusion aid be added to the photothermographic material before it is superimposed on the developed photothermographic material. In the case of the meltable diffusion aid method, substances that become water-like when heated, such as urea, water of crystallization, and microcapsules, or materials that release water, are added as diffusion aids in advance during the production of the image-receiving material. Although it is not necessary to add it in the combining process, water and aqueous solutions of various substances described below (hereinafter simply referred to as "water") can be used as a diffusion aid.
In the case of a method using a method using a method called "Diffusing agent", a diffusion aid is applied to the image-receiving material in the superposition step.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for better performing thermal development transfer in the case of using water as the diffusion aid, and an apparatus therefor.

The above-mentioned object of the present invention is to imagewise expose a heat-developable photosensitive material that releases a hydrophilic dye that can be moved from heated exposed areas or unexposed areas, and to release the hydrophilic dye that can be moved by heating into an image form. After forming the photosensitive material and an image receiving material having a dye fixing layer, the photosensitive material and an image receiving material having a dye fixing layer are overlapped with a predetermined amount of water interposed, and when the image-shaped dye is transferred to the dye fixing layer. At least a portion of the overlapping portion with the image-receiving material is achieved by a thermal development transfer method characterized in that no water is involved.

Hereinafter, a thermal development transfer apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention will be explained.

Figure 1 shows a roll-shaped photothermographic material (hereinafter referred to as
(simply referred to as "photosensitive material") is sent to the image exposure section,
Three types of LEDs installed on a rotating body emit light to scan and expose the photosensitive material, which is then heated and developed using a hot plate.Meanwhile, the sheet-shaped image-receiving material is developed by adding water as a diffusion aid. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a thermal development transfer device in which the image receiving material is transferred by heating while being superimposed on the material and transferred along a heat source, and the image receiving material is manually peeled off from the photothermographic material.

This apparatus consists of a photosensitive material supply section 1, an image exposure section 2, a cutter 3, a thermal development section 4, an image receiving material insertion port 5, a diffusion aid application section 6, an overlapping section 7, a heat transfer section 8, and a discharge port 9. It's summery. The photosensitive material supply unit 1 includes a magazine loading chamber 1 in which a magazine 10 containing a roll of photosensitive material N is loaded in a light-shielded state.
1. Consists of a guide roller 12 for feeding and setting the photosensitive material N to the image exposure section 2, a guide member 13, and feed rollers 14, 14 and 15, 15.

The image exposure section 2 includes a photosensitive material support surface 17, B, which has a suction hole 16 that sucks the photosensitive material N from the back side.
LED light emitting elements 18A, 18B that output light in different wavelength ranges by adjusting light intensity and light emission time based on (blue), G (green), and R (red) image signals,
A rotating body 19 that performs main scanning by attaching 18C at 120 degrees different positions, a moving body 20 that includes the rotating body 19 together with a motor that rotates the rotating body 19, and a moving body 20 that suspends the rotating body 20 in the sub-scanning direction. It consists of rotating shafts 21, 21 which are threaded to move them. The heat developing section 4 includes feed rollers 22, 22, a curved guide plate 23, and a long hole 25 that engages with a cam 24.
It consists of a hot plate 27 that is installed on a pedestal 26 and can rise toward the guide plate 23 as the cam 24 rotates.

The diffusion aid applying section 6 includes feed rollers 28, 28 for feeding the sheet-like image receiving material P manually inserted from the image receiving material insertion port 5 to the overlapping section 7, and the tip of the guide plate 23 of the thermal development section 4. It consists of a water supply pipe 30 as a diffusion aid provided in the section. As shown in a perspective view in FIG. 2, the supply pipe 30 has a water discharge port 31 approximately at the center of the width of the photosensitive material N and the image receiving material P, and is connected to a hose 32 for discharging water, which will be described later. Connected to a water supply with adjustable volume.

The overlapping section 7 includes close contact rollers 33, 33 that overlay the photosensitive material N that has been thermally developed and the image receiving material P that has been given a diffusion aid and send it to the heat transfer section 8.
Consisting of The heating transfer section 8 includes contact rollers 33, 3
3, the photosensitive material N and image-receiving material P overlapped by the rollers 33, 33 are discharged from the discharge port 9 at the same speed as the contact rollers 33, 33.
It consists of feed rollers 34, 34 that feed the photosensitive material N and image receiving material P from above and heaters 35, 35 that heat the superimposed photosensitive material N and image receiving material P from above and below.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of the water supply device. This device includes a discharge-only check valve 41, a hose 3
The inner tube 4 of the cylinder 44 is connected to the water supply pipe via the water supply pipe 2 and to the water storage tank 43 via the check valve 42 for suction only.
4A is configured to reciprocate by an arm 47 that engages via a pin 46 with a disc 45 that is locked to the shaft of a motor (not shown).

The engagement point between the disc 45 and the arm 47 is the pin 4.
This can be changed by replacing 6, thereby making it possible to adjust the amount of water discharged per rotation of the motor.

The operation of the apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained below.

The photosensitive material N is pulled out from the magazine 10 and held in the feed rollers 14, 14 via the guide roller 12 and the guide member 13, and when the feed rollers 14, 14 and 15, 15 are rotated, the photosensitive material N passes through the photosensitive material support surface 17 and is fed until the leading end is gripped by the feeding rollers 15, 15, and then stopped.

After that, air is sucked through the suction hole 16 and the photosensitive material N
is brought into close contact with the photosensitive material support surface 17, and while transmitting B, G, and R image signals, the rotating body 19 and rotating shaft 2
1 and 21, and the LED light emitting element 18A, 1
Scanning exposure using 8B and 18C is performed. When the exposure is completed, feed rollers 14, 14, 15, 15, 2
2 and 22 and the contact rollers 33 and 33 are rotated, the photosensitive material N passes between the blades of the cutter 3, between the feed rollers 22 and 22, and between the guide plate 23 and the hot plate 27, and its tip reaches the contact roller 33, 33 until it is held in its mouth and then stopped. In this state, the cutter 3 is operated to cut the photosensitive material N between the feed rollers 15, 15 and the feed rollers 22, 22, and the cam 24 is rotated to raise the hot plate 27. Due to the tension applied to the photosensitive material N, the back surface of the photosensitive material N is uniformly heated and developed. After the predetermined development time has elapsed, cam 2
4 to lower the hot plate 27, the development is completed.

On the other hand, the image-receiving material P that has been inserted from the image-receiving material insertion port 5 and stopped by the feed rollers 28, 28 is sent toward the overlapping section 7 by the feed rollers 28, 28, which start rotating at the timing when the development ends. It will be done. The tip of the image receiving material P is brought into close contact with the roller 33,
33, the feed rollers 22, 22 and the contact rollers 33, 33 are rotated by a predetermined amount so that the photosensitive material N and the image receiving material P are overlapped.

Next, at the same time as the feed rollers 22, 22, contact rollers 33, 33, and feed rollers 34, 34 continuously rotate, the water supply device is operated for a predetermined period of time, and a predetermined amount of water is supplied to the supply pipe 30. The water is supplied from the water outlet 31 toward the overlapping portion of the photosensitive material N and the image-receiving material P. This supplied water immediately spreads along the overlapping line (tangent to the overlapping surfaces) of the photosensitive material N and image receiving material P due to capillary action, forming a so-called bead (liquid pool) there. It comes to be distributed substantially uniformly in the width direction of both materials.

In this way, the surface of the developed photosensitive material N, to which water has been added as a diffusion aid, and the surface of the image-receiving material P are superimposed, except for the leading part, between the heaters 35 and 35. The paper is transferred through the discharge port 9 while being heated and transferred. Then, by manually peeling off the image-receiving material P from the photosensitive material N, a hard copy is obtained on the image-receiving material P.

According to the apparatus of this embodiment, since no water is applied to the leading part, the photosensitive material N and the image receiving material P
This makes it easier to create a tight grip for peeling off, which is advantageous when automating the peeling process.

FIG. 4 shows another example of a thermal development transfer apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention. The difference from the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 lies in the configuration of the diffusion aid applying section and its operation.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the diffusion aid applying section 6A includes feed rollers 28, 28, which feed the sheet-like image receiving material P manually inserted from the image receiving material insertion port 5 to the overlapping section 7, and open-cell foam. It consists of a coating member 30A made of a sponge having a coating material, a support member 31A that houses the coating member 30A, and a back-up roller 32. The support member 31A also serves as a liquid holding part for supplying water as a diffusion aid to the application member 30A, and although not shown in the drawings, there is a liquid holding part for maintaining a constant amount of water to be retained. The tank is equipped with a simple liquid level maintenance device in the form of a so-called bird's fountain.

Further, the application section (application member 30A, support member 31A, and liquid level maintenance device) of the diffusion aid applying section 6A applies water as a diffusion aid to the image receiving material P shown in the figure. It is configured to be movable between a position where it can be applied and a position where it is removed from the transport path of the image receiving material P and where it cannot be applied.

The operation of the diffusion aid applying section 6A of the present embodiment apparatus configured as described above is as follows. The image-receiving material P inserted from the image-receiving material insertion port 5 and stopped by the feed rollers 28, 28 is moved to the feed rollers 28, 28, which start rotating at the timing of the end of the development.
is sent toward the overlapping section 7. At this time, the application section has moved to a position where it is impossible to apply water to the image-receiving material P.

When the leading edge of the image receiving material P reaches the contact rollers 33, 33, the feed rollers 22, 22 and the contact roller 3
3, 33 and the feed rollers 34, 34 rotate, and at the same time, the diffusion aid application area is applied to the image receiving material P.
Move it to a position where you can apply water to it. As a result, water is applied to the image-receiving material P except for the leading portion.

In the above embodiment, the coating section is configured to be movable, but it goes without saying that the coating section may be fixed and the conveying path of the image receiving material P may be switched by a guide member or the like. Also,
It goes without saying that various types of applicator rollers may be used instead of the sponge-like applicator member.

FIG. 5 shows still another example of a thermal development transfer apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention. The difference from the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 lies in the structure of the diffusion aid applying section and its operation.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 5, the diffusion aid application section 6B applies the diffusion aid while feeding the sheet-shaped image receiving material P manually inserted from the image receiving material insertion port 5 to the stacking section 7. It consists of an application roller 29, a feed roller 28, and a liquid tank 30B containing water as a diffusion aid.

The width of the coating roller 29 constituting the diffusion aid application section 6B is such that the diffusion aid is not applied to at least one side edge of the image receiving material P.

The operation of the diffusion aid applying section 6B of the apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above is as follows. The image-receiving material P inserted from the image-receiving material insertion port 5 is sent toward the overlapping portion 7 while the diffusion aid is applied to the surface by a feed roller 28 and a coating roller 29. The tip of the image receiving material P is brought into close contact with the roller 33,
33, the feed rollers 22, 22, contact rollers 33, 33, and feed rollers 34, 34 rotate, and the diffusion aid is developed with the surface of the image-receiving material P applied except for one side edge. The surface of the photosensitive material N is superimposed on the surface of the photosensitive material N, and then the superimposed material is passed between heaters 35, 35 to be heated and transferred while being sent out from the discharge port 9. Next, when the image receiving material P is manually peeled off from the photosensitive material N, the image receiving material P
You can get a hard copy above.

In the apparatus of this embodiment, the diffusion aid application part and the non-application part of the image-receiving material P are provided in parallel, and there is an advantage that the configuration and control of the diffusion aid application part 6B are simplified.

Note that as the application roller 29, various types of rollers can be used, as in the case of the apparatus of the previous embodiment.

Apparatus that can be used to carry out the method of the present invention includes:
It is not limited to what is shown in the above embodiments.

The heating temperature in the heat development step is approximately 80°C.
It can be developed at ~250°C, but especially at around 110°C ~ approx.
160°C is useful. The heating temperature in the transfer process is
Transfer is possible at a temperature in the range from the temperature in the heat development step to room temperature, but it is particularly preferable to range from a temperature about 10° C. or more lower than the temperature in the heat development step to room temperature. For example, heat development temperature 120℃, transfer temperature 20℃~
This corresponds to temperatures such as 110℃.

Heating in the thermal development process includes heating by passing between hot plates or contacting the hot plate, heating by rotating a hot drum or roller while heating, heating by passing through hot air, and other methods such as heating by passing through hot air or using rollers, belts, or guide members. Heating by placing the device along a heat source can be used. Alternatively, a photosensitive material may be coated with a layer of a conductive material such as graphite, carbon black, or metal, and an electric current may be passed through the conductive layer to heat the material directly.

The heating means in the transfer step can also be the same as in the heat development step described above.

As a light source for image exposure for recording a latent image on a heat-developable photosensitive material, radiation including visible light can be used. Generally, light sources used for normal color printing, such as tungsten lamps, mercury lamps,
Halogen lamps such as iodine lamps, xenon lamps, laser light sources, CRT light sources, fluorescent tubes, light emitting diodes, etc. can be used as light sources.

The original image may be a line drawing image such as a technical drawing, or a photographic image with gradation. It is also possible to photograph images of people and landscapes using a camera. When printing from the original image, you can overlap it with the original image and perform contact printing, or you can use reflection printing.
It is also possible to enlarge and print. In addition, images taken with a video camera, etc., and image signals sent from television stations can be directly transmitted to CRT or FOT.
(Fiber optics cathode ray tube)
It is also possible to print the image on a photosensitive material either by contacting it or by focusing it on a photosensitive material using a lens.

When using an LED (light emitting diode) as an exposure means, it is currently difficult to obtain a sufficient amount of blue light. In this case, to reproduce a color image, for example, exposure is performed using three types of LEDs that emit green, red, and infrared light, and yellow, magenta, and cyan dyes are extracted from each photosensitive layer that is sensitive to these lights. The photosensitive material may be designed to emit . That is, the green sensitive part (layer)
contains a yellow dye-providing substance, the red-sensitive portion (layer) contains a magenta dye-providing substance, and the infrared-sensitive portion (layer) contains a cyan dye-providing substance.

In addition to the method of directly attaching or projecting the original picture,
The original image illuminated by a light source is read by a light-receiving element such as a phototube or CCD, temporarily stored in the memory of a computer, etc., and this information is processed as necessary through so-called image processing, and then this image information is reproduced on a CRT. It can be used as an image-like light source, or it can be used as an image-like light source.
Exposure may be performed by causing an LED to emit light and scanning.

The water used in the present invention is not limited to so-called pure water, but includes general drinking water, industrial water, and the like. It also includes water to which photographically useful substances such as bases and surfactants are intentionally added. Further, the amount of water supplied may be, for example, at least 10% of the dry weight of the total coating film of the photosensitive material and image-receiving material, but not more than the value obtained by subtracting the dry weight from the weight of the total coating film at maximum swelling. Good.

Note that if a water-absorbing member is connected to the rear end of the image-receiving material P used in the embodiment apparatus shown in FIG.
4 stains can be prevented.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that each of the above-mentioned embodiments shown as apparatuses for carrying out the method of the present invention has its own characteristics as an apparatus, and has sufficient value as an invention of the apparatus. stomach.

As described above, according to the present invention, imagewise exposure is performed on a heat-developable photosensitive material that releases a hydrophilic dye that can migrate from heated exposed areas or non-exposed areas, and hydrophilic dyes that can migrate when heated are imagewise exposed. After forming the dye in the form of an image, the light-sensitive material and the image-receiving material having the dye-fixing layer are superimposed with a predetermined amount of water interposed, and the image-shaped dye is transferred to the dye-fixing layer. Since at least a portion of the overlapping portion of the photosensitive material and the image-receiving material is made free of water, it is possible to perform thermal development transfer better, and at the same time, the attraction between the overlapping photosensitive material and image-receiving material is reduced. This has the excellent effect of making the peeling process easier.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a water supply pipe,
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a water supply device, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are block diagrams showing other examples of the device for carrying out the method of the present invention. 1: Photosensitive material supply section, 2: Image exposure section, 3: Cutter, 4: Heat development section, 5: Image receiving material insertion slot,
6, 6A, 6B: Diffusion aid application section, 7: Overlapping section, 8: Heat transfer section, 9: Discharge port, 28: Feed roller, 29: Application roller, 30: Water supply pipe,
30A: Coating member, N: Photosensitive material, P: Image receiving material.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Imagewise exposure is performed on a heat-developable photosensitive material that releases a hydrophilic dye that can move from heated exposed areas or non-exposed areas, and the hydrophilic dye that can move when heated is image-wise exposed. After forming the photosensitive material and an image receiving material having a dye fixing layer, the photosensitive material and an image receiving material having a dye fixing layer are overlapped with a predetermined amount of water interposed, and when the image-shaped dye is transferred to the dye fixing layer. At least a portion of the overlapping portion with the image receiving material is
A heat development transfer method characterized by not involving water. 2. A heat-developable photosensitive material that releases a hydrophilic dye that can migrate from heated exposed areas or non-exposed areas; a heat developing section that heats and develops the photosensitive material that has been imagewise exposed; and an image receiver having a dye fixing layer. A means for supplying a predetermined amount of water between the two materials in a state where the material is partially overlapped with the photosensitive material after completion of development, and an overlapping section for overlapping the surfaces of both materials after water has been supplied. A thermal development transfer device comprising: 3. A heat-developable photosensitive material that releases a hydrophilic dye that can migrate from heated exposed areas or non-exposed areas; a heat developing section that heat-develops the photosensitive material that has been imagewise exposed; and an image receiver having a dye fixing layer. A thermal development transfer device comprising a means for supplying a material and a predetermined amount of water to other parts of the image-receiving material except for the leading part, and an overlapping section for overlapping the surfaces of both materials of the water supply section. Device. 4. A heat-developable photosensitive material that releases a hydrophilic dye that can migrate from heated exposed areas or non-exposed areas; a heat developing section that heats and develops the photosensitive material that has been imagewise exposed; and an image receiver having a dye fixing layer. It is characterized by comprising a means for supplying a material and a predetermined amount of water to other parts of the image-receiving material except for at least one side edge, and an overlapping section for overlapping the surfaces of both materials after water has been supplied. A thermal development transfer device.